CHANGE OF PLANS!

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to fly to Toronto for a behind the scenes set visit of the family friendly, made for TV movie "Change of Plans," produced and sponsored by Walmart & P&G. I was quite honored to be asked to come to travel to Canada, (the home of my beloved Michael Buble) just to see what was doin' on set and meet the stars- Joe Flannigan and American Idol's Brooke White. (You know one of those just super natural, super sweet, super pretty, perfect wavy hair that doesn't frizz, cute hoarse voice type people-- Yah that's her.) Anyway, the hosts from P&G, Walmart and MS&L Worldwide couldn't have been lovelier and more gracious. Though I was there for literally 36 hours, getting the chance to visit a city I had never been to and meet other bloggers from across the country (like Jyl Nipper, Janice Croze, and Paul Banas) was a treat. Flying Virgin definitely helped (still can't get over how good looking the flight attendants are) as did eating at an awesome brewery and trying Poutine, a Canadian staple (that I'm pretty sure made mark on my cholesterol... in the bad way).

All in all it was a fun trip and I can't wait to see the finished project which will air in January on FOX.

We got a chance to do some interviews with the cast and crew. Here's some clips from an interview with me and Joe F. that the good people at MS&L put together. Is he your quintessential Malibu (cute) Daddy or what? (For those of you that have never visited Malibu, take my word for it. He is. They make a lot of them like him by the beach. Come visit. You'll see.)

When Harry Met Jenny

At the age of 13, the year that When Harry Met Sally came out (and became my number one favorite movie) I fell in love with Harry Connick Jr.'s music. In fact, instead of a Sweet 16, I was to celebrate my birthday at the Hollywood Bowl with my BFF Lo seeing him in concert. Her dad was not only able to get us tickets, but also backstage passes. TO. MEET. HIM. As luck would have it though,

I came down with mono.

Bad mono.

(It was the summer after I went to Israel to learn about my religion, and the summer boys went to my boobs to learn about how much fun nerdy girls can be.)

But I was too sick. There was no way I could go. I couldn't even blow out a birthday candle.

Nearly 18 years to the day later.... I got to see Harry Connick Jr. in concert. Last weekend, my boyfriend J took me to the Hollywood Bowl to see HCJ.... Not only was it special to see him with J who loves his music as much as I do, but (if I may brag for a minute) we were sitting in seriously ridiculous seats.... Listening to HCJ croon and pound on the piano, you have no choice but to want to fall in love... it reminds me of my Grandparents... Hearing a standard and then starting to sing to each other... I mean, when I'm 85, will I really turn to my husband and start singing Boom Boom Pow...?

The point is, it was the best concert I have ever been to. And that doesn't include when we met...

Oh, wait. You didn't think I was just going to talk JUST about his music, did you?

SO, at some point during the show, Harry started to walk on the outer stage/wall ... directly in front of our seats. After seeing a few people stand up to shake his hands, I stood up, waved and he came over, smiled and shook my hand. My hand... in front of 15 thousand PLUS people. DIE. For the next song or two, like a school girl, I could not concentrate and was pretty sure my hand was vibrating (like I swear my tongue was the very first time I french kissed).

Though meeting HCJ backstage might have been cooler and more legit than a handshake with a random star struck fan at a concert, I'm happy that I got to do it in my adult life. Of course, I still feel compelled to ask a question, that I most certainly would have asked at the age of 16:

"Do you think he, like, remembers me???" (Don't answer that). :-)

BUBLE IS MY BIEBER

Ten years ago, date night meant dinner at the hottest spot, dancing, drinks and subsequently a gnarly hangover the next morning (or afternoon, really).

Alas, life is a little different now and my date nights have turned in to two hour increments in the middle of the afternoon (while said child responsible for perma-stubble on my legs spends time with his grandparents). I love my new life... I do. Though, like Steve Carrell and Tina Fey's character in "Date Night," a little adventure is craved every now and again... as long as I can get some sleep before Baby-Ko wakes up at the crack of dawn and wants to watch "Sid the Science Kid" 17 hundred times in a row. Hey, Sid, what do ya say? Whatcha wanna learn today?

ANYWAY, these days I'm admittedly less put together and hip than I used to be. In fact, the other day when I saw this post on The Frisky-- 32 Signs You're Not a Hipster Anymore, the reality of my all things mom status really set in. Not only am I also creeped out by those American Apparel ads, but when browsing through Urban Outfitters and trying to decide if I could pull off a little romper and booties at my next play date, I finally realized that I too can no longer shop there. (Honestly, would it kill them to turn down the music??).

The point is: My taxes are filed, my boots are flat, there are Cheerios in my bed, and let's call a spade a spade: black leggings are the new mom jean. I'm just not that cool anymore.

I'm not completely out of touch though-- I mean, I know what's cool. I know what's hip. I know who's hot. That said, these days...

I'd much rather make out with The Buble than "The Bieber."

PERFECTLY DISHEVELED

It's just too apropos... I'm sitting here in my pajamas, sipping cold/old coffee, writing this post, listening to MBMB (that's: My Boyfriend Michael Buble) on The Today Show, on the phone with yet another customer service rep, waiting for the sound of Baby-Ko to come over the monitor, wondering if I will have time to take a shower (and maybe pluck an eyebrow or two) AND do some research on child care..... I'm kind of a mess.

For weeks now, I've toyed with the idea of changing my blog name.... wanting to find a title and name that really summed up the essence of who I am.... All these thoughts swirled around... I used to be off the charts Type A; now it's a minor miracle if I can even REMEMBER where I put the "to do" list or if I even wrote one up for that matter... I used to think out "my look" before I left the house; now I'm lucky if the dress I'm throwing on with a pair of flip flops isn't noticeably covered in Baby-Ko's lunch (from yesterday)... FORTUNATELY, on the outside I think I seem pretty put together (as if the scarf in my hair due to lack of washing was intentional). Yes, me spilling my FIVE DOLLAR Iced Cappucino all over the floor of Anthropologie yesterday as I accidentally pushed Baby-Ko's stroller into a display is ALL PART OF "THE PLAN." wink wink.

SO, with Baby-Ko turning 1 in a few weeks, me turning 32 AND returning to work after a year of staying at home (which I'm totally excited yet utterly anxious about), I think it's time to embrace the new me, the changed me... the PERFECTLY DISHEVELED me.

I will miss "Bodice and Beem-Beem," (an ode to my imaginary friends). But, they are not going anywhere...
I may be disheveled, but my imagination will ALWAYS run wild...

MONDAY MONDAY

8:45am. My phone rings. It's DH. I try to sound like I'm not sleeping, but I am. Baby-Ko was UP for the day at 5am and went down for an early morning  nap. Subsequently, mommy went down for a nap then too.  DH tells me that he has some news he thinks I may want to hear.... 

MICHAEL BUBLE IS NOW SINGLE.  

"Seriously?" I say.

"Yes, just heard it. Thought you may get a kick out of that. Sorry I woke you."

"No. That's okay. This is so exciting."

"I figured you could blog about it."

"Oh, I will. And I'll also have to figure out what to do about T-Ko," I joke... Kind of. I mean, Michael Buble IS already on my "list."

In other Hollywood news, T-Ko just told me Jimmy Kimmel and Sara Silverman split. "Apparently she WAS fucking Matt Damon." :-)

****

I started my 30 Day/ 30 Minute plan today. The exercise portion for today was a walk/jog/ run challenge with the stroller...  Jesus Christ, I am out of shape.  My  "jog" and my "run" are not so different from one another these days. I'm pretty sure the people at the park were not able to distinguish the two.  As for the food part of the diet, I had zero pangs of hunger until dinner hit. Tonight's menu was this chicken and whole wheat pasta dish. But before you go thinking "pasta? what kind of a diet allows 'pasta'??" let me make clear how much pasta I was actually able to eat: 1/2 cup. Do you know how much a 1/2 cup is? It's like 10 tubes of penne. Trust me, I counted. And let me tell you, when one of those penne tubes fell on the floor, I nearly cried. Then I picked it up and ate it. (The 5 second rule is SO in effect during diet days).

****

My Nana came and spent the day with us and stayed for dinner. T-Ko, my Mom and Aunt N joined. It's always so nice to spend time with Nana, especially when she seeks love advice.... (As you may recall a few months ago she became friends with a newly widowed man who told her that they were not an "item.") 

Nana:  I think I have scared H away.

Me:  Why?

Nana:  Well, I had him over for some supper last Wednesday and we were talking... He told me that he was very upset- that he had been diagnosed with the first stages of prostate cancer and he was very concerned and wanted to talk about it.

Mom:  That's sad.

Nana: He said that the doctor told him he couldn't have sex anymore... and I said, 'well, at our age who needs to have sex anyway. You can have 'talk sex.'

Me: You mean "Phone sex."

Nana: Well, sure. But not on the phone. Just at the table.

All: At the table?? (Laughter)

Aunt: Is there any affection between you?

Nana: Well, we held hands at the movies. But you see, he is also seeing another woman.

T-Ko: Oooh.

Mom:  YOU are the "other woman."

Nana: I think so. Because then at temple we just waved and didn't talk.

J-Ko: Was this before or after you had him over for dinner. 

Nana: Before. But when he was over for supper I said, it's okay that we're friends but sometimes I need a hug.

All: Oy.

J-Ko: So did he hug you?

Nana: Yes, he gave me a nice hug and then left for the evening. 

Aunt: Has he called?

Nana: No. And that was on Wednesday.

Mom: Well, have you called him?

T-Ko: Someone should really check. Maybe he died.

Laughter.

J-Ko: No, seriously. Maybe your cioppino made him sick. 

Mom: You should call him mom.

J-Ko/T-Ko: No! She should not call him. 

T-Ko: I think if you don't hear from him you should move on...

J-Ko: Sorry, Nana. He's just not that into you.

T-Ko: You should call his other old broad. Get a little Leisure World three-way going. 

All: Ewwwww!

J-Ko: That would definitely kill him. 

***

I'M YOUR MAN

Last night will go down in history as the best concert I've ever been to. T-Ko bought us tickets (well, me really) to go see Michael Buble in concert. Before I get in to the details of our date, please let me say this: I HEART Michael Buble. I discovered him years ago before anyone knew who he was and I have been in love ever since. His voice is incredible... he belts out standards that are right up there in my opinion with my other old love Harry Connick Jr. So when T-Ko surprised me with tickets for a Valentine's Day gift, I was thrilled.

As I walked out of the bedroom to grab my purse and say goodbye to the baby, I checked myself in the mirror ten times. Do I look cute??? I mean, I wanted to look good... Thousands of eyes will be on me when Michael Buble spots me in the crowd and pulls me up on stage to sing "You Don't Know Me." (Please people, indulge me in my delusions, would you?)

The concert was at the Honda Civic Center, which is in Anaheim... home to the Ducks, Disneyland, and the "other" Baseball team. As we made our way into the arena and headed to the cocktail cart (God, I love being an adult), I was honestly a little shocked: Everywhere I turned there were tons of women, MY AGE, all dressed up, with lip gloss as shiny and pretty as mine. Clearly I was not the only one with the ridiculous fantasy. I mean, who knew??? I was expecting to sit amongst middle aged couples and even elderly people shuttled in on buses. I was not prepared to share my love for MB with these hussies.

As we were waiting for the show to start, T-Ko joked, "You wanted to see Michael BOOBLES the magician, right?" I laughed.
"No seriously," he adds, "What if I surprised you and said 'we actually are going to a private concert for like 12 people'..."
"Amazing. But I would kill you. I would have dressed so much better."

When the real MB opened the show with "I'm Your Man" (Yes, you are), I couldn't believe that my eyes welled up with tears. T-Ko made fun of me and rightfully so. Who cries at a Michael Buble concert?? I think I was crying though because there is something very sentimental about his songs and his voice... Maybe something that reminds me of my childhood and singing with my grandparents... I don't know. But when MB did a little shtick between songs where he flirts with a 12 year old (not in a creepy way), my tears dried up. Lucky bitch.

The rest of the concert was fantastic. He crooned and I swooned.... Each song was better than the next. Even T-Ko got into it and was singing along. I didn't want the concert to end and apparently, I waved to MB as he exited stage (I didn't even realize I was doing it. T-Ko pointed this one out). I've never wanted to stay in Anaheim so badly.

When we got back into the car, I gave a big kiss to T-Ko and thanked him for an awesome night. He told me I could call him "Michael" all the way home if I wanted to. What a guy. (I know he was joking but I think he made the offer just in case he ever wanted to call me "Scarlett" for the night). Of course, there was no name calling of any kind considering that I passed out (drool and all) before we even drove past Commerce. But just for the record, I am very clear on who my real man is... And without him, I would certainly not be sitting here, recuperating from the sweetest first Mother's Day anyone could have asked for.