Ciao, Portland

my gift to you

Hey amici. So you know how I took Ital for like, ever, but have nothing to use it for other than pretentiously ordering dishes at restaurants?

NO LONGER!

I've found a place to chat with real live Italians (no, not LiveChat):

Costello's Travel Cafe

It's a cutesy little Euro-inspired cafe that hosts all sorts of language events, including Italiano. They have an Italian chat night when actual Italians, and not guidettes, come and chat with learners of la lingua, so I think I'm going to do it. I'm kinda scurrd, because il mio italiano is un po' limited, but my major motivation is...the hope that someone can recommend a new Europop CD to me, because LunaPop's Squerez...? has been on heavy rotation lately...and, I guess, that I might like, improve my language skillz. And perhaps that someone will teach me how to get my hair did a la Snooki. I'll let you know if I meet my goals.

Best in Show

Cara had tix to the Rose City Classic Dog Show, so she, Emily, and I made our way to the Expo center for some doggie-style action...heh heh heh. And of course, we spent the entire time oohing and ahhing over puppies and quoting our favorite lines from the classic film, Best in Show

Here are some choice moments

"Where's the busy bee??????????"

"God loves a terrier"

"Harlan Pepper, if you don't stop namin' nuts..."

And, drum roll please, my family's favorite moment from Best in Show

"We could talk or not talk forever, and still find things to not talk about".

When Will this Madness End???

It's super gray and depressing here today in PDX. I've been browsing through my collection of photos from warmer climes as a remedy for Ihatewinteritis

seattle summer 08

San Diego March 07

San Diego March 08

San Diego, Sea World, March 08

Vatican City July 07

Cinque Terre July 07

Cinque Terre July 07

Viareggio June 07

I hate January

Weekend Update

Shirley Maclaine

Hey pals!

I'm back from the MLK wknd. Basically I'm owning this town the way Jay-Z owns NYC. Here's what I did:

Friend Katie visited her old roommate, Emily, and we all pal-ed around together, drinking lots of yummy concoctions and playing my new favorite board game, The Settlers of Catan, and several rounds of the best card game ever, Phase 10. We also went to my fave P-town bar, Bartini, where we consumed wayyyyy too many exotic martinis, such as a Snickertini, and a Bird of Paradise, a drink which involves guava and cinnamon! The perfect Lara drink! Bartini had a super cute bartender who gave me a free drink and a free cheese fondue pot (guess which free item I was more excited about [hint: the cheesy one]). It's love. I have to go back next Sunday so that I can give him my #. We also ran into the 24 Hour Church of Elvis, which is kind of hard to explain, so just click on this link so you can be caught up. I was told that in my past life I was a bird, a fish, and Shirley Maclaine. Reader(s), does this sound accurate to you? I have to admit, it makes a lot of sense to me.

First Failure of 2010

NYT is going to start charging subscription fees for online readers. OMFG NOOOOOOOO

Here is the story. It's breaking my itty bitty heart.

How am I supposed to day-dream about exotic locales if I can't browse the Travel section? How will I know that I'm totally unfashionable without the Styles section? What will I do to look educated without being able to drop tid-bits about articles (that I skimmed while Perez Hilton's pictures took eons to load in my other browser window) into my conversations?????

My Pets Are Cuter Than Anyone Else's...EVER

Um, I'm Obsessed

Ok, so Gossip Girl went on a long-ass break, so I got into Greek, and then Greek went on a long-ass break, so I got into Glee, and now Glee isn't on until April, so I've gotten into Lost. I know. Jumping on that bandwagon late. But HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS!!!!! Lost is amazing. I started watching with my cousins on Christmas day (one of them got a few of the seasons on DVD), and luckily they have all the seasons on Netflix InstantView, because it's super addictive. MONSTERS! POLAR BEARS! REALLY HOT MATTHEW FOX! CRAZY FRENCH WOMAN! I just finished the first season and am about to embark upon the second, watching episodes while the puppies nap and in-between job hunting spurts.

Anyway, I just wanted to keep you informed about what I'm watching lately, in case I run into you and keep mumbling things about The Others and The Hatch...Because I really want to know WTF those things mean.

OMFG PUPPY

You guys, my family just bought 2 lhasa apso puppies. They're the cutest things ever, but they are also the most exhausting things ever. When I'm about to start sobbing with exhaustion at 5pm, my mother likes to turn to me and remind me, "This is good training for a baby!". Jesus. If 2 8-pound dogs make me this stressed out and weepy, then there's no way in hell I'm having children. Unless I become a multi-millionaire and can employ a round-the-clock nanny.

Anyway, pics of Barney and Freddy will be posted soon. If I survive.

XOXO,

PG*

*Puppy Girl