The Town

Watch it! It was GOOOOOD.

  

Alright so this one is little old now, and you all probably saw it already. Is it even in theaters still? I think you can still see it at the dollar theater around town. It really shouldn't be called the dollar theater anymore. I think the last time I went there is was like $5. Actually, I think the nearest one in Hawthorne is not even open anymore. Remember when it was $1 to get in? Hence the "Dollar Theater" nick name. I remember I went to see Star Ship Troopers at Pacific Theaters back in in High school and it was $5 to get in. Ah the good all days. Wow...I just told a back in my day story. Hmm better save those for another ten years when I start getting all weirded out about turning 39. Then it's only a hop skip and away to 50!

Back to The Town. My Ratings (which I am making up as I write this):

Actors: A!

Great performances!! The only one that seemed a little flat to me was Blake Lively. It felt like any other pretty actress could play this part. But Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner were just great!

Story: A!

It has a good flow, there are no super slow, drag parts to it really. You know where this movie is headed most of the time so its not like there is some big twist or unexpected surprise but it was never meant to be that type of movie, I think.

Watchable: A

Definitely keeps you going, no boring parts even the slower scenes. I found myself caring about the mains characters and their relationship. Definitely very entertaining and worth the time.

Favorite Scene: The nun scene! You''l know what I mean.

Favorite Line: "Hey, this is for you." Need to see it to truly understand why it's my favorite line. Oh and also, " 'I need your help. I can't tell you what it is, you can never ask me about it later, and we're gonna hurt some people'..."Whose car we takin'?' "

Overall: Watch It. Or at this point rent it when it comes out.

I'm Yours, Jason

That's right! I admit freely. I love Jason Mraz. I used to be a fan, but after attending his concert on Friday, I'm officially a FANATIC in love. "Jason will you be my baby Daddy?!?" Yes, I said that. Out loud. In public. Thank goodness only my friends heard me....And now all of you know....awkward.

It was quite the little journey getting to the Santa Barbara Bowl from Inglewood. It was a small road trip with Marissa and Tiffany. The plan was to meet at my house at noon so that we could be on our way have a nice drive without traffic. We also planned on spending the night down there so we wouldn't have to drive back so late. However, we ended up meeting at my house around 2 and actually leaving my house at about 3 PM! Yeah, I hadn't packed lol...

So we sat in traffic for about two and a half hours but we finally made it to hour hotel. It was your standard Best Western chain hotel. But it was really pretty since it looked like an old Spanish Mission. It was also not exactly in Santa Barbara but in Carpinteria. A smaller town near by.

Before we new it, it was time to head on over to the concert. Parking was full so we kept driving and about 6 blocks away we found a spot. The Santa Barbara Bowl is nestled in a residential area. A nice one too. So it was a pleasant walk. Glad I wore those flat boots though!

After we huffed and puffed our way up the hill we stuffed our faces with some cheesy pizza and soda...yum. Might explain why I huffed and puffed my way up that hill. While the stuffing continued the opening act played. I wish I had paid attention to who it was this time because I really really like Christina Perri. I didn't realize it was her until her final song, "Jar of Hearts."

And who do you think you are

Running 'round leaving scars

Collecting your jar of hearts

And tearing love apart

You're gonna catch a cold

From the ice inside your soul...

Sorry...this song just has some special meaning for me ;) Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts Official Video

Anywhoo...Back to JASON!!!! He was was just simply amazing! Such a beautiful voice. Better than the CD. The band was great, it was a lot more jazzier than I expected and I liked it! "Lucky" is one of my favorite song...that one also have a special meaning for me. Even cooler was the fact that Colbie Caillat showed up for the duet :)!!! Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat - Lucky (Video)

You go Jason! WooHoo!

About a third of the way into the concert...I thought I was going to go to jail that night.

No, not because I rushed the stage and tackle Jason....no no no. I would go to jail for assault and battery. Yeah, that's right assault and battery. You see there were these people sitting behind us, two guys and two girls, who would just not shut up!! Plus as the concert went on they kept going on beer runs and kept getting more and more drunk. WHO THE HELL GOES TO A CONCERT AND TALKS THE ENTIRE TIME!!!!!

Scenarios kept playing in my head...I could just turn around and punch girl in the face. She was quite chatty. I could stand on my seat and leap back and knock both of them with my elbows. I really, really actually started to visualize the fight and the hauling of to jail part. Marissa even said she "had my back" But, I decided it was not worth it. After a few dirty looks and some words were exchanged I just leaned forward and ignored them. We were not the only ones that were shushing them. By the end of the show they were so drunk things like "Your the F-ing man Jason!!" were being hollered. One of the guys you could tell was not as drunk and even apologized for his friends actions. He even offered to take this picture.

While all this was annoying it really did not ruin the show for me. It was too good of a show. He was just that great of a performer. We ended our night by getting some junk food at Carls Jr. and watching Say Yes To The Dress until like 2 in the morning. It was not as sad as that sounds.

The next day we headed down a main street in Carpinteria and enjoyed a varied, delicious breakfast at The Cajun Kitchen. Sooooo good. My mouth just watered thinking about it.....please forgive my drool. We had all kinds of things from you traditional french toast to your not so traditional smoked salmon...sorry more drool.

After breakfast we took a stroll down to the beach

where all sorts of laughs were had...

inappropriate photos were taken...

some serious posing took place...

followed by more & more laughs...

breathtaking views were enjoyed...

 

and miraculously I did not fall...

On our way home we stopped by the outlets. Hey, they were right there! Where I did not buy anything but a scarf. All in all one awesome trip!!!

Guest Blogger: Marissa

Today's guest is my good friend Marissa. AKA my only CSULB friend! Of all the math classes in the school I tried to add into I chose the same one she registered for. I wouldn't have made it with out her. For sure would not have passed that Oceanography class with out her... 

Marisol knows that I am one random gal…always waiting with random facts about random things in random places.  Anyhoo…after reading my “Top Ten Guilty Pleasures” you will feel like you know me so much better than ever before!!!  Ok…maybe not…but at least it’s entertaining, which is probably why she asked me to be a guest blogger on the new and improved “The SeaSol Blog”.  So here goes…Marissa’s Top Ten Guilty Pleasures!  Enjoy J

1.       Keeping Up With the Kardashians

This show is absolutely retarded….based upon three sisters; Kourtney, Kim, & Khloe and their unrealistic drama filled lives.  I did not have the pleasure of growing up with sisters and watching this show where they give each other bikini waxes which in result causes a “burn”…ouch, take litmus breast milk tests so that their infant child will not be affected by their previous nights drunken stupor, intervene in each other’s love lives by breaking into boyfriends voicemails, go on countless photo shoots for who knows who’s magazine…shall I go on?  Extremely entertaining…embarrassed to admit that it makes me long for sisters. 

2.       Singing in the car like a rock star to Taylor Swift

Have I mentioned how much I love this sweet country teen sensation.  She may not be the best singer but she is so sweet and passionate.  Maybe I love her wholesome nature or her honest lyrics about love, hope, and what her mother has sacrificed to raise her.  Or her fearless nature to be who she is, a mature young woman who wears dresses EVERYDAY, in lieu of her peers: Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Brittney Spears, ALL who like to be photographed wearing butt bearing dresses with no undergarments…sad times people.  Anyhoo…I digress…tell me that you have not found yourself reciting lyrics to a Taylor Swift song?!?  “Been here all along why can’t you seeeeeeeeeeee…..you belong with meeeeeee…”

3.       Sleeping past noon

On those days where I don’t have any plans before 2…I just LOVE to carelessly sleep in the bed sprawled out eye boogers and all….lol.

(Not an actual picture of me but I am POSITIVE that my mother has pictures of me somewhere in this same position)

4.       Twilight series/The Vampire Diaries/True Blood

I am NOT vampire obsessed but it seems like recently writers/TV/movies have all jumped on the bandwagon of telling us the tales of vampire novellas!  I love it…lol.  I admit that I am guilty for stealing my 12 yr-old cousins copy of Twilight (only overnight and I returned it) to read the epic drama cover to cover last summer….oh good times J  Ever since then I have finished the Twilight series and CAN’T wait to see the next installation of the series of our beloved Bella, Edward, and Jacob.  We all know who she picks but we still want to see it!!!  Bring it on!!!!  In addition, I have found myself immersed in the new CW series “The Vampire Diaries” ONLY because Paul Wesley who plays Stefan is bee you tee full…(see the pic below..it’s a lil dark but you can still see my point!!!)  Ok, and my last vampire obsession is “True Blood”…it’s simply a train wreck of characters who have BAAAADDD Louisiana accents but yet I can’t seem to jump this train.  I have to know what is going to happen to precocious, foul-mouthed, mind-reading Sookie Stackhouse.

5.       Texting in the car

Guilty as charged.  I did not sign the Oprah “No Phone Zone” pledge.  You can find me driving 80mph on the 134 texting at 7:30 am…Monday thru Friday.  Not proud…it just is what it is.

6.       Late night cookie runs to the Doubletree Hotel

I’m not afraid to admit it!!!  My name is Marissa and I am addicted to cookies.  I have been known to leave my house in night gear (night gowns…but not too crazy) to fulfill my heart’s desire for a Doubletree Hotel chocolate chip cookie.  They have them waiting for me WARMED when I walk in the door.  Words are not necessary.  I approach the front desk and the concierge knows what I need.  No lie.  Don’t be jealous.

7.       The Bachelor/Bachelorette

These men and women are willingly submitting themselves to be televised to have America watch them “look for love” (in a bikini or swim trunks) making out with 21 eligible and eager bachelors/bachelorettes.  We have to up our standards people.  Really.   This too is a hopeless train wreck and once again, I can’t seem to get off the train.  While some are on the show to really find love and I really hope the best for these that are looking for love genuinely (even if it is in all the wrong places) others are there to promote themselves and their childhood dream of being famous.  Let’s be honest people…would you be able to find your soul mate in this group of men?

8.       Reading people.com everyday

Who needs the newspaper when I have everything that I need to know on People.com!!!  They have a shirtless picture of Kellan Lutz everyday.  Do we even know why?  Dude…you were in two movies (the Twilight series and you barely had five lines combined).  But I love their Celebrity Baby Blog and the Best Quotes of the Week.  Random celebrities share their woes of parenthood and their ability to put their foot in their mouths.   It should remind us that they are just like us….IMPERFECT.  Not really news…but entertaining nevertheless.

9.  Monkey paraphenelia

I love monkeys….can’t explain it.  Favorite animal.  People that I don’t even know at work bring me items with monkeys on them.  Random, I know.  But my latest and greatest monkey find is Anti-Monkey Butt powder…..hahahahahahahahahaha…HILARIOUS!

10.   Spending $50 on one meal

…ridiculous I know!  I am in the process of “getting out of debt” even though I will have student loan debt for a couple of years to come…but still…liquid debt be gone!  It is so hard to pass up on an amazing meal that could possibly change your life!!!  Last meal that I had was from Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel’s Napa Rose.  I had the pleasure of indulging in their strawberry sage barbeque duck breast….yum…I can still taste it.

Tiny Room Makeover: The Plan

I have a tiny bedroom. Itty bitty, tiny room. When my family moved into this house there were 3 bedrooms...or so I was told. Long story but I did not see this house until the day we moved in. The "3rd" bedroom was actualy added on to the house and used as nursery. There were even those glow in the dark stars glued to the ceiling. This is what it looks like now:

My choices were to share a room or get a tiny room. I took the tiny room. I shared a room all my life so having a space to call my own, even a 7'x7'7" space, was a big deal to me. Plus the privacy of shutting a door!!! You cant beat that!

I first painted the walls a nice soothing yellow, with green curtains and flowery bed spread to match plus white furniture...it remained like that for about 4 years. One day sometime last year I walked in and realized..."It looks like a nursery in here!"

I wish I had some pictures from those times so you could see what I mean. I immidiately decided to paint and change my color pallet. Make my room more adult looking and modern yet still softly feminine. While scrolling the internet for inspiration I came across this bed spread:

Bam, Wam! I could not stop looking at it. I decided to use the blue for my walls and all the browns I saw were to be incorporated into the room somehow! Done!

So up went the blue paint, the crisp white trim and the dark brown curtains. I began dreaming my entire room in my head. Unfortunately that's as far as the make over went after painting, a dream in my head. So it looks like a boys nursery and I have 2 empty walls, one with a sad old TV I hardly watch anymore...

Another wall that is just...plain...

A a really old, scratched up dresser in the wrong brown color, and a messy, does nothing but collect my junk, book case....

So here's the plan:

1. 
   
   Get new furniture that is cohesive and functional. Sell old furniture.
2. 
   
   Incorporate more storage via shelves and any means possible.
3. 
   
   Find some kind of seating that will work with the space...(tough one)
4. 
   
   Create a mural for photo frames and include a map (map will be explained later)
5. 
   
   Find a better area rug and some decorating elements.

So that's the plan. 5 simple steps, that I hopefully can complete. Technically phase one of the plan would have been the paint, phase two the curtains and so on but let's start fresh! WooHoo! I've got a project to do! Here is where I should warn you. Every time I take on a problem um... project, Murphy's law will apply.

Here's my dream...