And Into the Weekend We Go!

It's going to be a great weekend. I can just FEEL it! Bri is having a party tonight, football tomorrow, and then heading out to Connecticut on Sunday to spend time with my amazing sister and this adorable little guy.

Well, ok, he's not so little... LOL

Not really in the mood to write a lot -- got s'much to do! But I'll leave you with a few things that have made me very happy...

Idina guested on "Private Practice" this week, and I love her. Seeing her on screen always makes me smile!

My new favorite show, "Castle", just freaking rocks. Nathan Fillion is brilliant! He pulls of sexy, goofy, smart... and then when you least expect it pulls these wicked tender moments with his on-screen daughter! Ugh, he wrecks me. And that makes me happy.

I've never watched "30 Rock" before last night, and I can't believe how much I've been missing out! Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are genius. My favorite quote of the night...

"I only have this slight English inflection because I lost my virginity to the 'My Fair Lady' soundtrack!" -- Jane Krakowski's character... I DIE!

And last but not least...

6 more days... 6 more days... :-)

Things That Made Me Smile Today

After a sleepless red-eye flight back to NYC on Sunday night/Monday morning, I had the displeasure of finally understanding extreme exhaustion. I landed at 6:00 a.m., it took me forever to get home, and that didn't leave me any time to sleep before I had to be at work! So yesterday, this was me.

Happily, last night, this was me.

Sad that I slept through dodgeball (I miss my Bitches!) but I feel A MILLION TIMES better today! And that makes me smile.

I also discovered today that my favorite up-and-coming powerhouse actress (she's my favorite because she's gorgeous, and can act/sing her face off!) has been tapped to play my favorite tragic diva of all time!

Yes, Anne Hatheway has been tapped by Harvey Weinstein to play Miss Judy Garland in "Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland" -- both on the Big Screen, and on the Great White Way! Not to be super-gay about it, but this makes me very very very happy!

Lastly, in ten days someone very special to me is going to be coming to visit!

This makes me VERY happy.

What made you happy today??

Things I Am Excited About Today

#1- The New "If You Seek Amy" Video

It's almost wierd for me to be excited about anything Britney Spears related -- I'm not a huge fan. But f'reals, I am LOVING this video! Go watch it here!

#2 - A California Vacation

I leave tonight for L.A. ya'll! I am in desperate need of a little vacation. It's been a rough couple of months, and I can't imagine a better fix than spending time in sunny California! I've actually been sick the last couple of days. For reals, this is me right now...

I blame the schitzophrenic weather we've been having here in NYC. One day we're getting a foot of snow. Four days later it's 70 degrees. Now it's frigid again. Make up yo damn mind!

I'm hoping the perfect cure will be the 80 degree sunshine I'm about to spend a week in :)

#3 - Happy Birthday to Me!

On Monday next week, I'm turning the big 2-6! I've never really thought about 26 (27 seems like the far mor important age) But regardless, it's a birthday! And guess how I'm spending it?

YAY! Disneyland!

#4 - A Week of Rockstar Partying

I'm sure I'll be celebrating the entire week. Most birthday weeks are full of debauchery, and I'm sure this one will be NO exception.

Scotty + Lorissa + Joe + Faith + Jessica =

I'm gonna need a vacation from my vacation when I get home, ya'll ;-)

So anyway, enjoy your weekend, and your week next week, and think of me. On the beach. In the sunshine. Probably passed out. :-)

Little In Love

It's inevitable I'm going to have an American Idol crush. Seems to happen EVERY season.

And this season's crush-worthy idol is....

HAHA! Just kidding :)

F'reals though...

Kris Allen -- Leave your wife. I'll be right here waiting!

Most. Boring. Day. Ever.

My boss is traveling. Because she is gone, she asked me to listen in on a call that she was "hosting". She can't listen in herself because she's been in meetings and getting on a plane.

ANYWAY

I activated the dial-in number, and listened as clients and other bankers began to dial-in. I opened by saying "Ms. So-and-so is not available -- Mr. So-and-so will be leading the call in her absense." I then put the call on mute and started listening in.

CUT TO TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER!!! BORING!!!

I had no idea what anyone was talking about. It was like a completely different language.

So instead of paying attention (it's not like I had to take notes, thank god) I decided to do an art project. Yes, an art project.

This is what I got paid to do today :-)

The Boys, and also The Girls

I just got a text from my sister Mandy. The contents of the text was this:

Ugh, I die. I am loving how much Jack is loving being a big brother. And I am also loving how Finn is chunking up! Jack was a chubby baby, and it looks like Finn is def following in those baby-foot steps.

In other photo news, Glamour magazing did a photo spread of iconic American women. The spread is absolutely gorgeous (you can see it here) These are my top five favorites...

#5 -- America Ferrera as Dolores Huerta

Wait, who? Ya, I had never heard of her either. Apparently she co-founded a foreign laborers union. (Her sign says "strike" in Spanish) So while I'm a terrible feminist for not knowing this American Icon, I'm all about how AMAZING America looks in this shot. Plus, the red truck set against those deep blues... Gorgeous.

#4 -- Camilla Belle as Mary Tyler Moore

Or as I like to call her... Shmary Shmyler Shmoore. I'm a bad feminist, but a pretty good gay. I remember being a kid and watching the Mary Tyler Moore Show with my folks and thinking it was hilarious -- even if I was way too young to get most of the jokes. I love MTM, and this picture is awesome. Um, do you see those shoes???

#3 -- Emma Roberts as Audrey Hepburn

Look at the turn-out and arch in those feet!! There's no denying Audrey is a mega-icon -- would Tiffanys be an iconic jeweler without Holly Golightly? Not to mention her star turns in My Fair Lady, Roman Holiday, and Wait Until Dark. And this Emma Roberts girl? I don't know a damn thing about her, but she's stunning.

#2 -- Emma Stone as Carrie Bradshaw

First of all, I love that Glamour chose to include a fictional character as an American icon. I love it because it's SO TRUE! Name one girl under the age of 30 whose sense of style/dating wasn't affected by Carrie B? Don't think too hard about it, because no such person exists.

#1 -- Alexis Bledel as Rosie the Riveter


I don't think there's anyone in America who doesn't know this iconic image. WWII's Rosie was the hot-flexin' mama that inspired women to jump into the work force while the men were at war. And Alexis (who I ADORE) recreated this flawlessly. The color, the expression... ugh, I die.

Seriously, take five and go look at the whole spread. Easiest five minutes to kill of the day :-)

My Culinary Inspiration, In Person!!!

Who inspires you?

If you're an aspiring singer/songwriter, maybe your answer is John Lennon or Bono. Or someone less old/dead. (I'm obviously not a singer/songwriter...)

If you're an athlete, perhaps your answer is Joe Montana or Michael Phelps (yes, even post pot)

If you're me, and secretly harbor dreams of having my own restaurant and a program on the Food Network... well, that answer is easy! Because my inspiration is Rachel Ray.

Ya'll, guess who I got to meet last night???

RACHEL RAY!!!

So here's the sitch.

My buddy Steve hooked me and Bri up with tix to a screening of "Watchmen". We were sitting in the "guests of Warner Bros" section right in the center. So we're chilling, gossiping about people around us, and Bri goes "Oh my god, it's Rachel Ray." I totally didn't believe him.

You see, he knows that Rachel Ray is one of my FAVORITE people in the world. She saved my life, ya'll! So my assumption was that he was just trying to get a rise out of me. So I told him where to stick it.

But he persisted, so I turned around and -- sure enough -- there she was! She and her husband had just arrived and were sitting two rows behind us. They were dropping their coats, and it looked like were then headed to the lobby. Bathroom break? Popcorn? Who cares! I could fake interest in either of those to meet her!

I normally have a rule. I will not approach celebrities. They are just people, just like you and me, and I think they should be able to live their lives without being bombarded by fans. Bri knows this, so he convinced me to break my rule. "You have to! You have to!" And he was right -- I HAD to! So I did...

I jumped up and followed them out to the lobby. I approached her, and it went something like this...

Spencer: Hi, Rachel?

Rach: Hi...

Spencer: Hi. I am sooo sorry to bother you. My name is Spencer (extend hand) I'm quite possibly your biggest fan.

Rach: (hesitantly shaking my hand) Thank you. Nice to meet you.

Spencer: Again, I'm so sorry to bother you. I just HAD to say hello. You saved my life.

Rach: (smacking me on the arm) What?! What are you talking about??

Spencer: I'm from Salt Lake City, had tried to move to England but got deported -- it's a long story -- so I ended up living with my sister for a few months while finding a job here in New York. At the time, I weighed about 230 pounds....

Rach: (smacking my arm again) Get out!

Spencer: I know, right?! I lost it because of you... Those two months I watched the food network pretty much non-stop. Your show in particular. I had NEVER thought about cooking before but you made me want to try. Totally changed my life. The first 30 pounds I lost were just from cooking my own food and eating better...

Rach: That is so great! You look so great!(taking my arm) Come meet my husband... John! This is Spencer, whose life I saved...

John: (awkwardly shaking my hand) Um, nice to meet you...

Spencer: Nice to meet you as well! I won't keep you guys... you're seeing "Watchmen"? (obviously knowing that's exactly what they were doing... I'm a dork)

Rach: Ya

Spencer: Alright, well I'll let you get back in there. It was so nice to meet you. And.. well, just THANK YOU!

Rach: (giving me a big hug) You're welcome. Keep it up and stay in the states!

This moment will forever go down as one of the greatest moments in my life. RACHEL RAY HUGGED ME! She may have also insinuated that I needed to lose more weight still by saying "keep it up"... but who the hell cares... SHE HUGGED ME!

So thanks to Steve for getting me in the same room, and Bri for talking me into not missing out on one of the most awesome opportunities ever.

All I need to meet now are SJP, Michael Ciarello, George Clooney, and Paula Deen.

My, How People Change...

Someone said to me recently that I've changed... and I absolutely believe them.

But not all changes are bad. Some changes are good! Take for example a little photo-series I've gathered up the courage to put together for you.

Behold: The Evolution of Spenc

Photo 1: Shopping for my sister's wedding dress. Winter 2001.

Photo 2: With a friend at the Sundance Film Festival. February 2006. (Horrifying!)

Photo 3: BAD! Dodgeball Spring Season Kick-off Party. February 21st, 2009.

So, as you can see, some of the changes I've made with my life and to myself are WAY for the better.

And the questionable ones? Well, I'm working on those.

:-)