I love the landscape of the West. These pictures were taken (yes, while I was driving…long straight roads with not a lot of people on them…I know, I know) on my drive to and from my parents house outside of Durango, CO.  I find the rock formations and colors so mesmerizing and interesting.  We took a new route through Tuba City, AZ which provided lots of interesting sites.  Driving with two kids for two days there and two days back can be rough, but seeing these kind of rock formations and big open spaces brings me peace and a kind of soulful serenity.

To see more wonderful Wednesday imagery, check out my bloggy friend links by clicking these buttons. Cheers!

Two of my (recent) favorite things

Not necessarily to be enjoyed together, but they are my favorite ‘sauces.’  The wine (Casal Garcia Vinho Verde) to be enjoyed on a hot afternoon hanging out with friends and the TO DIE FOR Butternut Squash Sauce (from Dave’s Gourmet) is perfect over raviolis or tortellinis.  And the kids love it.  Ok, so this wasn’t exactly a Wordless Wednesday post, but I wanted to share some good stuff with you.

Also, give it up to my linky friends.  Stop by and say ciao! 

]]> http://notjustanotherjen.com/2010/09/wordless-wednesday-sauced/feed/ 8 http://notjustanotherjen.com/2010/08/a-mom-is-born/ http://notjustanotherjen.com/2010/08/a-mom-is-born/#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:58:01 +0000 NotJustAnotherJen http://notjustanotherjen.com/?p=1011 Becoming a mom for me was a choice.  I was very fortunate that when I wanted a baby it happened (and conversely when I didn’t want a baby, it didn’t happen!).  Having children with Husband was a part of the deal that I signed on for when I said, “I do.”  If it were not...]]> Becoming a mom for me was a choice.  I was very fortunate that when I wanted a baby it happened (and conversely when I didn’t want a baby, it didn’t happen!).  Having children with Husband was a part of the deal that I signed on for when I said, “I do.”  If it were not for him and his desire to have children, I most likely wouldn’t have had any.  I just wasn’t sure that I was “wired” for them or had enough tolerance patience for their crying, whining, temper-tantrums, fighting…well, you get the picture.  It’s most of what I do myself.  I simply couldn’t imagine having to put up with a little nugget AND my antics.

Well I have two wonderful sons that have blown the lid off of the kind of mother I thought I would be.  The transition to Motherhood wasn’t easy for me.  I knew I was biologically and physiologically built to have kids and I was capable (this girl has always had mother hips).  But the emotional turmoil, spiritual growth, and constant learning, learning, learning I’ve been doing has turned me upside down and inside out.  I have, through being a Mom, been reborn.

Like Madonna, Motherhood is a whole new transformation of self, but hopefully without the cone-shaped bra.  Remember when she went from Like a Virgin to Like a Prayer?  And then she cut her hair on the next album…oh I remember the horror.  It was traumatic!  For me, motherhood was (and continues to be) scary, empowering and beautiful (which is exactly how I feel about Madge today).

This year My Mommy Manual (have I mentioned how much I LOVE them?) is holding their second virtual baby shower for which I am co-hosting.  The theme this year is A Mom is Born (because it’s not just a baby that arrives).  The celebration is for KMOV news anchor, Virginia Kerr, who is expecting a boy and due October 15^th.  The idea behind the shower is to celebrate and honor the transition of becoming a mother, particularly with the support of her friends and family.

I have been bowled over from the incredible love and strength that I’ve received from my fellow mommies through the years.  If I didn’t have the awesome community of women of that I have or a few choice tunes on my iPod, I could be in an institution.  I swear.

What’s so great about this virtual baby shower is that you too can participate!  There are a great number of ways join in.

First, join us for the virtual shower Wednesday, August 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST. Anyone with internet access can attend virtually, interacting in real time with Virginia and hosts via a live chat room during the online broadcast. The shower will be aired live on www.MomIsBorn.com.

Any mom will enjoy the event because the two-hour broadcast will feature great parenting tips and products.  Top tips for new moms will also be shared, which are being collected on the MomIsBorn site prior to the broadcast.  Each tip offered is an entry into the Mom is Born giveaway raffle. Raffle prizes have been generously donated by the shower sponsors, which include Kolcraft & Build-A-Bear.

Wouldn’t be cool to hear them read your top tip for a new mom during the broadcast?  You know you’ve got something to share on how you survived the beginning (and still do).  Or are you one of those awesome moms that motherhood for you is a piece of cake?  We love you too (lucky lady), but I’m sure you’ve got ideas as well.

This year the shower will benefit the March of Dimes.  I’ve often heard of this charity, but until now I didn’t know their actual mission.  March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit for pregnancy and baby health.  They are dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  It’s probably a good idea to cough up $20 and donate.  Won’t you please?

Other ways you can support March of Dimes through this event:

• Make a donation via donate button on my home page.  Plus, it will make me look good.  I’m not gonna lie.  And thank you.
• Buy a Holding Hands bracelet for yourself or a loved one.  My Mommy Manual has asked a commissioned artist, Villa Design, to create a signature charm as a symbol of the connectedness between all mothers and the strength moms can source from each other.  It is an especially touching gift for an expecting mom to wear during her labor and delivery, as a reminder of the support she has from her closest women friends — who are invited to add their own Pandora-style bead and an accompanying wish. A portion of the proceeds will go to the March of Dimes.  More information about the bracelet can be found at MomIsBorn.
• Support A Mom Is Born sponsors: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Kolcraft, Goodnite Rooms, Pixie Posie Photography and our Venue Sponsor, Overlook Farm.

This coming Wednesday, come hang out with us during the virtual baby shower.  Let’s celebrate Virginia and all the women joining the transition into Motherhood.  There is beauty in numbers and in the support of women.  Cheers!

DAY 1 (Wednesday):  I swear it takes me eight hours to pack the three of us.  Wednesday afternoon (yeah, late start) the boys and I drove from our home in San Diego to St. George, Utah (first stop).  The van was packed with snacks, activities, and (thank goodness) BigBoy’s Leapster.  We made the quickie, four-hour trip to Vegas.  I thought it would be cool to get out and eat on The Strip.  We found an easy-access Denny’s near public parking.  On our two-block walk we saw Jack Sparrow, Edward Cullen, and Wonder Woman.  I love Las Vegas.  I also love people watching all the tourists and party whores.

Three hours from Las Vegas to get to St. George, Utah where we spent our first night. Overall, the boys did a fantastic job in the car.  BigBoy could see the clock on the dash and he knew not to keep asking me how much longer it will it be to get there because I just kept saying, “What time did I say?”  In his exasperated voice, “I know Mom! You said 7:00.”  I simply replied, “Well, dude, nothing’s changed.”  End of discussion.  That works for me.

NotJustAnotherJen & the boys - Salt Wash, UT

I’m surprised by how many people are astonished that I’m travelling alone with two little ones.  Husband’s working and I like our separate vacations.  We’ll meet up next week at my parents’ house for our family reunion. I like being with the boys, especially when we’re out of our regular routine.  I tell them that we’re on this adventure together and that we need to look out for each other.  BigBoy has been incredibly helpful, more so than he ever is at home.  BabyD still sleeps in his crib at home, but on the trip I’m forgoing the pack-n-play and having the boys sleep together.  The boys are creating a special, brotherly bond, which is so charming to watch.  And yes, BabyD fell out of the bed twice and I barely got any sleep because I thought he’d roll out again, but it’s okay.  I’m on vacation.  I’m just happy to be here (wherever here is).

Watch the road!

DAY 2 (Thursday):  The next destination was Castle Rock, Colorado where my brother and his wife live.  The boys are so very excited to see their cousins.  This leg of the trip was a 10-hour drive through some of the most incredible landscape in the United States (at least what I’ve seen of the U.S.).  Utah is an extraordinarily beautiful state.  We’re definitely coming back for a family vacation.  We made a pit stop at Salt Wash, Utah and climbed rocks and killed ants.  The picture on the right was taken while driving.  (I know, don’t yell at me!  But look, it is astonishingly beautiful.)

We were in Silt, Colorado (what a name!) when BabyD had a shit storm.  I pulled over at the (I kid you not) the Kum & Go.  What is it about Pull-Ups that doesn’t contain the poop?  It goes out the side, down the leg and into the shoes.  Ugh.  I had a trail of poop from the car to the wash room in the nasty stop of the Kum & Go.  The whole place was like a trashy truck stop, complete with a tattooed drunk couple yelling at each other out front.  Oh lord, the whole scene was NASTY, as you might imagine with a name like the Kum & Go (sorry, had to say it again).  I really needed a drink after that but settled for a Starbucks.  We had three and a half more hours to go.

The road from Silt was out of this world.  We travelled along side the Colorado River on Interstate 70 passing through Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge.  I’ve never skied there, but can see why it’s such a big deal.  During the summer when the river is high, people are fly fishing and biking around.  The soaring, red mountains are breathtaking.  It was astounding.  Eventually it began to rain hard and get dark, so coming down the mountain into the Denver area was a white-knuckling experience with the steep grades and large semis, but we made it.  I had to yell at tell the boys to “zip it!” a good number of times, but they know when Mommy’s starting to stress, not to push my buttons.

My brother and his family are in a new huge, gorgeous model home (moved in on the day of my arrival…more on that later), which is also amazing.  They are up on a breathtaking ridge with the grand Rockies framed perfectly in every window of the house.

I love the West.  I love the rich, deep colors.  I love the heat.  I love that I’m sharing this with my boys who are just starting to be at the age to appreciate it.  We’ll be here through July 4^th then on to my parent home in Durango, Colorado on Monday.  The following weekend we have a family reunion that we’ve been preparing for months.  I can’t wait to share the West with the rest of them.

Right now, I’m going to relish the beauty around me and keep my vacation frame of mind, especially when there are so many kids screaming, yelling and enjoying each other.  Thankfully, Heather and I will get our girly-fill of margaritas and Eclipse tonight.  Cheers to family and summer fun.

NOTE: I wanted to post this earlier, but they still don’t have internet connectivity at the house.  More to come.

Here are my reasons #123 & #124 (because I’m sure that after 9 years together I already have up to #122 and I want Husband to get a little interwebby love) for why I love my husband.

Like many Americans we have been scaled back to a one income household and have had to do the money shuffle.  My student loan has laid dormant in deferment, we’ve had to scale way back and live more frugally, we figured out our credit card scenario very quickly and the biggest change was that we were going to stop having two kids in daycare/preschool and I was to become a SAHM (the biggest savings!).  I wrote about my earlier SAHM adjustment (or lack thereof) here, here and here.  Making all these changes haven’t been a joy ride, but it’s been a good learning lesson.

In our ongoing attempt to keep the belt tight, Husband did all the homework and majority of the paperwork for a mortgage loan modification through a government program called Making Home Affordable.  It was a big effort to jump through all the hoops and information to provide.  However, we did it and last month we were approved.  We’ve heard how incredibly lucky we are.  I’m so thankful that our mortgage has been cut to almost half.  Yippeee!

A week after the initial shock set in, Husband suggested that we get our once-a-month housecleaner back.  (#123)  The thought did cross my mind to take his suggestion as an insult, but after further reflection I met it with sheer relief.  What a tremendous help to have someone else clean the house all in one day!  I’m beyond delighted!  Clearly that doesn’t mean that I stop cleaning all together because isn’t the life of the SAHM all about routine and maintenance?  I’m just tickled to death that this was Husband’s idea and not my own.  Yeah Husband!

Poor dear stayed home from work today part for a mental health day and part because he was really sick.  Whatever.  He deserves it (a mental health day not the sore throat).  He works hard for us.  Anyways, it’s Monday and I’m doing my 5+ loads today.  Our washer ups and breaks.  Oh shit.  We’ve had some poor experience with Sears service calls so my handy Husband (#16) starts disassembling our front load washer.  If you’ve ever seen it done then you know it isn’t easy.  So many parts!  After 3 hours and some of my sheer brute strength and intellect help he fixed not one, but two things with it!  (#124)  Dammit and I was hoping to get out of doing any more laundry today.

I love that man of man.  Cheers Husband!

[done to a dorky dance...] You’re so awesome. You’re so awesome. You’re so awesome!

But it’s okay.  Truly.  I know I’ve got a GOOD man.  I love him for all that he is just like he loves me for all that I am.  Well…with the exception of my exorbitant student loan and that I withheld sex until he finally had his vasectomy.  Apparently those are unforgiveable.  But other than that we have a great partnership and deep love for one another.

I was talking to a heather today while at the park.  She said something interesting to me.  She said that sometimes she thinks that being a wife is harder than being a mom. For her, being a mom comes more naturally, it’s the wife/marriage part that she really has to work at.  I couldn’t agree more.  Actually, I have to work at both, as I wouldn’t easily call myself a natural mother.  I’m a good mother, but often it can be a little rough around the edges.

And not like there’s anything wrong with our marriages.  We compared notes – both hard working, committed and active fathers, good men that we both love dearly, and feel like it’s all good.  But for some reason marriage takes more effort, attention and care.  Maybe because we both believe so strongly that we’re going to go the distance and grow old with our husbands.  We hold a very long (50+ years-holy shit!) time horizon with them.  And when you know you’re going the distance, it’s a different kind of race.  It takes different skills that we don’t see modeled well or frequently.  It reminds me of the Timbuk 3 song, “I Need You” where he sings:  The road is full of dangerous curves, We don’t want to go to fast, We may not make it first, But I know we’re gonna make it last.”

Look, sometimes I get troubled and restless or I go off on my complaints, but I know deep in my heart that he is mine and I am his.  Our love will endure.  We’re in this together and damn, it’s good.  Okay, we should probably have more sex, but that’s not something I think Husband would want me to talk about on my blog.

So what’s with all the lovey dovey?  I’ve been thinking a lot about my marriage after reading Loving Frank, Valentine’s Day and having a visit from a childhood friend.  My marriage is a good, solid, regular kind of marriage.  Nothing really fancy about it.  Nothing over the top or overly dramatic.  It’s not boring and I know that I am loved.  That my marriage is so ordinary and normal, I also find that it is extraordinary.  I know that I’m lucky.  I thank my stars that I aligned my orbit with his over eight years ago.  I’m grateful.

We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day tonight since we both don’t believe in the manufactured love, marketing and money of the holiday.  So we scheduled it out when Lola could watch the boys and we didn’t need reservations.  I’m really looking forward to a night that Husband planned and put some good thought into.  He does have his moments.  I can’t wait to see him and throw my arms around him tonight and say “I love my man!”

Oh and would y’all please remind me of this post when he’s driving me the most crazy!  It’s gonna happen.  I’m sure of it, but now I’m gonna bask in my love and appreciation.  Cheers friends!

For those friends and family that have known me for a long time you know that children were never on my horizon.  It was just simply that I wasn’t interested.  Babies, never mind kids, never really took to me.  The feelings that I had for children were that they were loud and messy (that really hasn’t changed).  As a teen, I didn’t love babysitting, I did it for the money.  I just wasn’t born with that “I-love-babies! gene” like some women are.

But then I met Husband.  Not having kids was a deal breaker for him.  Doing the deed was a part of the deal.  I knew that marrying him meant travelling the uncharted, unimagined road of parenting and motherhood.  After an ass grab, a brief international romance, and throwing my doubts to the wind, I knew that I wanted to grow old with this man.  He was solid, clear-hearted, and just a little bit crazy to want to marry me.  So I said yes knowing full well what I was signing up for.

After being married a few years, we got pregnant and had BigBoy.  Motherhood terrified me.  I didn’t have post partum depression, I had pre-partum depression.  I knew my life would be forever changed and I mourned the loss of me and life-as-I-knew-it.  The birth didn’t go as planned and we had some early minor complications in the first few months of BigBoy’s life.  I didn’t swell with love when he was born.  I never really enjoyed breast feeding and loathed pumping.  We weren’t bonding the way Mother and child were (what I thought) supposed to.  I did however eventually find joy, friendships, and how to have fun mothering when I joined a playgroup for first-time moms through Golden Gate Mothers Group.  I learned to relax and laugh again.  I loved those ladies even though many of us were so very different.  We had this common bond of learning to be mothers together and through sharing and laughing in our struggles, I found me again and being okay with my way of being a mom.

BigBoy was never a cuddler and had always preferred his Daddy over me (don’t worry, I understand why).  And life with BigBoy was fun, and good, but I had some big disappointments with being a Mom.  I still felt like there was a bond missing and I didn’t think my son liked me all that much.  It didn’t feel like we were well-connected.  It wasn’t until Baby was born (BigBoy was 3) that I really found babylove.  Baby taught me the over abundance of love and to love BigBoy and our relationship just the way it is.  Nothing really was broken, I just learned how to love in a bigger and new way.  That was a great lesson to learn.

But things changed even more (and for the better) this last year.  Being let go from work was the best gift I had ever received.  I have fallen completely in love with BigBoy.  I have been blessed with the opportunity to really get to see him, know him and learn the kind of kid that he is and is becoming.

He now gives me “hurt hugs.”  It’s his way of squeezing me so tight that it’s supposed to hurt.  He regularly says that he loves me 1 million, hundred thousand and sixty eight.

I love to look in his face.  I can so clearly see the combination of me and Husband.  There’s no doubt that this child was born out of love.

I love to wrestle with him, tickle him, make him laugh, snuggle during movies, read to him at night and tuck him into bed.  I love that he talks to himself with intricate stories about planes, garbage trucks, race cars and trains.  (Sometimes though I think this must be what it’s like having a girl with the incessant talking!)

He’s down right funny, has an incredible passion for learning, and has a sweet heart (just like his Daddy).  He’s a nice boy, has manners and a few close friends.  Even with all the fear and doubts I have had, I know now that overall I’m doing a good job as a mother.  He’s a great kid and I know he’s going to turn out alright.

Happy 5^th Birthday BigBoy.  I’m so very proud of you.  You are an awesome little boy and I’m so glad to be your Mommy.

Cheers to you!

So, I promise to write more about what movies and books are note worthy and what are not.  There’s a lot of both.  For movies lately, Husband and I both fell asleep to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.  I’m happy to report that he thinks Megan Fox is gross too.  And really, they needed to put her in a better bra in the end running scenes.  You’re teenage boy may like it (or any man, really); I just thought she was going to hurt herself.  The movie is an action-packed, graphic circus that really didn’t hold our interest.  But total boy-dom; which is good in that arena.  BigBoy can see it when he’s 10.

In chick flicks, I’ve recently seen New in Town and The Ugly Truth.  (Gerard Butler is HOTT.  Can I get an Amen?!?! That dance scene had me captivated and breathing heavy.)  The movies are the same:  sweet, charming and total girl-dom.  They are good for the heart and best to watch without your guymate, but they too would get a few laughs in both movies.  They’re not girl-gross (ok, maybe a little), but not that bad.

Avatar 2009 20th Century Fox

Not at the library yet, but at your local theaters is Avatar (yes, OMG, we went to the movies!  Thanks Mom & Dad!).  People, it is a MUST SEE. In 3-D.  Even if you don’t like science fiction or have no real interest in it, just please go anyway.  If you have any interest in movies at all, this movie is a game-changer and other movies will only aspire to come close to what’s created here.  What you will see is stunning!  It’s like when I first saw Star Wars or first heard (or felt) the sound in The Fugitive.  It’s memorable and unlike anything you’ve experienced.

James Cameron is simply a genius.  And to think he was a kid when this story first came into his mind.  What an AWESOME and grand imagination he has!  This work is visionary, created with new technology and methodology.  He has set a very high bar.  There’s a point in the movie where I leaned over to Husband and said, “This is why I read scifi. Because what can be created is so very outside our realm of what’s possible or what’s familiar.”  (not that I really said that in the theater, but I did say something close to it…it sounds better here.  I probably just yelled “This is rad!”).  I love when people’s minds stretch so very far from what we know (referring to Mr. Cameron, not me).  It’s extraordinary to me and awfully good entertainment.

Outside of all that is flashy and visually stunning is the story, which is also compelling.  You can read more about the plot here, but basically it’s a story of corporate greed, science and indigenous people.  It’s about the love of the earth, respecting other consciousness, and believing that there is some kind of tie to another spiritual realm.  You’ll take from it what you will.  Maybe you like the military conundrum when working with corporations.  Or maybe you’ll like the ethical dilemmas.  Anyway, the story holds up with or without the 3-D, but the 3-D makes it much more fun.

This is a movie to see again and again.  I mean how many times did we see Titanic?  God knows, I saw it 4 times in the theater.  It’s a classic and perfectly told tale with all the drama, action, and visual effects that anyone could enjoy.  So I think that if it takes Mr. Cameron 10+ years and that much money to make either movie, you’re gonna like it.  So see it now while it’s on the big screen.  Hell, go see it in IMAX if you can.

Aliens © 1986 Twentieth Century Fox

My final hurrah about Avatar – Sigourney Weaver is a badass.  She was back in the day and she still is.  If I ever had a girl, the name Sigourney would be on the list.  (I’m not having anymore children, I’m just saying)  I cracked up in the movie when I saw the Marines “driving” those robotic exoskeleton thingys and wondered if Sigourney said to anyone, “I was driving these things when you boys were in diapers!”  I’ve always loved her because the characters she plays are always close to who I think she is: smart, strong, sexy and beautiful in her own way…and can get herself (and others) out of trouble.  Yeah Sigourney!  I toast to you!  Cheers!  Now go see the movie.

Husband & I have decided that if his parents are here for more than a week then we should make the most of it and plan a get away.  Then we looked at our finances and saw how Christmas is so quickly approaching, and decided to make it for only one night.  At this point, I’ll take whatever I can get.

I did some preliminary research for hotels and in the process got dicked over by naming our own price at Priceline (so not cool!).  We “won” a hotel that was under construction.  No restaurant and pool access in Palm Springs!  Hell yeah that constitutes a refund!  Now what about all the time I wasted on your site?  And they didn’t even take the hotel off the list so we could have “won” it again.  No I’m not using Priceline again, thankyouverymuch.  Eventually I got a great deal on Travelocity (I’m a sucker for gnomes) for $159 at The Riviera.  I was excited.  I wanted a little glamour and pizzazz, and boy, did I get it in spades!

So we left Friday after Turkey Day later than I had hoped (yes, I did a great job on my 2^nd ever turkey, I know you were curious), however we got an awesome deal on some Christmas gifts (Thank you Husband & MIL for getting up at 4 am and braving the SoCal cold).  We took the scenic route along 371, which was nice, and arrived around 3:00.  The way we came in made Palm Springs look like a shit hole and Palm Desert like the jewel.  However, when we rounded the corner and saw the hot pink neon of The Riviera, my heart sang.

We checked into our glamorous, but small room over looking some garbage bins.  I closed the drapes, but Husband wouldn’t have that for our special get away.  He grabbed my hand and we approached the lobby.  On our way there, I wanted to stare at all the tinkling lights and touch all the decadent upholstery.  The Riviera certainly reminded me of Las Vegas, but with more old Hollywood glamor, flair, and character.  Glen, at the front desk, understood the necessity of parents getting away from their kids and gladly upgraded us to a king suite overlooking a beautiful court yard.

The room was fantastic – a king bed, sitting area, patio, gorgeous tank tub and separate shower and toilet.  The one ding I’ll give the room is that the windows REALLY needed to be washed.  It looked like a season of grime and calciumed desert water sprinklers had been on it and needed some attention.  You could still see, don’t get me wrong.  I mean really, when was the last time we washed our windows inside and out (that would be once in the last 3 years).  I had packed us a beautiful snack tray and a bottle of chilled champagne.  I won’t go further into the details; let’s just leave it as bow-chica-wow-wow.

Much later we went to dinner at Circa 59 in the hotel.  GORGEOUS. We sat on the covered patio with ceiling heaters over looking the twinkling lights and dazzling pool.  Service was attentive and not overbearing.  The food was fantastically delicious and great proportions for the tall price tag.  We were greeted by the restaurant manager and as he moved along to the next table, I couldn’t help but to over hear (like I often do) their conversation.  We ended up chatting the couple afterwards and sharing tips on Palm Springs.  Turns out they own Swirl, a wine bar near our old neighborhood in San Francisco.

The next day we started off at Pinocchio’s for a great breakfast.  If you need a hair of the dog that bit you the night before, their $3.95 bottomless champagne would be just what the doctor ordered.  We toodled around Palm Canyon Drive mostly popping in vintage and modern furniture stores which reminded me so much of my beloved Valencia street in SF.  There is a fantastic couch-ottoman set at Asylum that we’re still considering.  Love the space-age vintage art and modern clothing in Wil Stiles.  RetroSpect, you have some key finds too.  Lunch was divine at Jake’s and that beet salad was to die for.  Then we headed over to an art show and I was so very moved by Richard Curtner’s mind-blowing work that I’m posting it here and encouraging you to check it out.  What a romantic and creative genius!

We ended our superb 24 hour love affair with Palm Springs by getting our first egg nog latte of the season and heading home along the 10.  I will be back Palm Springs.  You are my kind of girl…gorgeous, campy, vintage, hot, and love the gay boys.  I wonder if I can convince my GBF to join me at the Palm Springs Modernism Week in February.  I’m thinking poolside mojitos at The Riviera by day and modern architecture tours and parties at night.  Won’t you join me?  It’s the perfect place for us!  Cheers!