It's Movie Time!
   Outside in front of the ticket window, you can feel the anticipation in the air as you line up behind the balding man in the conscientious baseball cap and his date, the woman with the bright yellow blouse and too much aqua net in her mane.  Standing there checking out the rest of the line, you gaze up at the list of movie titles in big bold letters and try to guess what feature presentation each party is there to see.  Of course, the point of this pointless activity is not necessarily to pass the time, although that is what naturally happens, but rather to discern whether or not everyone is there to see the same flick as you.  This determines if you are going to get primo seats or end up in the front row with your head tilted back for two long hours.  After evaluating the circumstances, you begin to weigh in the costs of the snackie-bar line.  Do you have enough time to go straight to calorie-heaven, or should you first go place that sweater that you always remember to bring over the back of the best available seat in the house before tending to your tummy?  Once that has been decided, you again start to suspiciously eyeball the other movie-goers present and still waiting in line for their tickets.  That couple looks like they'll go for the jumbo-tub, but she looks as though she's never eaten a Raisinette in her life, so you'd rather stand behind her because that line will move faster!  Now it's time to lean out and look sympathetically at all of people that are standing behind you, and turn back with smug satisfaction as you watch yourself get closer and closer to the ticket window.  Those poor people should have left the house sooner, you were so practical to leave when you did that you want to give yourself a pat on the back!  But there is no time for that now...the man in the cap and the lady with the up-do are getting their tickets, so it's almost your turn!  With anticipation, you fumble anxiously for your cash, hardly believing that your time for tickets has finally come, and so soon for such a long line!  When the couple steps away, you don't rush the booth.  No, you have enough self-control to stand there, on the tips of your toes, and stare at the pimple-faced young fellow behind the glass until he makes eye contact with you and utters that word you have been so patient to hear!  As he casually looks up, flipping one long "Flock of Seagulls" lock away from his left eye, he practically yawns as he utters, "Next"  in the flattest voice he possibly can.  You confidently step up, money in hand, rest your elbow on the small sill, and lean in close as though you have a terrible secret to share, "One adult for the Teary-Eyed Chick-Flick please".  Just to show him that you're prepared, you hold up the little cute tissue squares folded neatly in the pocket of your sweater, grinning and winking like you both know something everyone else doesn't.  Greasy-Locks looks at you like you need to have your head examined, and slides your tickets through the tiny slot at the bottom of the window.  The toss of his bangs tells you he doesn't have time for any loners but himself, so it's time to get lost.  Grasping the movie ticket in your hand, you look down to read it before moving toward the door, making sure that ganja-boy wasn't high when he printed your ticket, and didn't accidentally give you one to the Death-Fest of Doom instead.  Smiling proudly, you head for the entrance, with one last glance toward the pitiful people still shuffling idly where you used to be.  You smile and nod, thinking, "Oh yea, they're wishing they had left the house when I did, suckers!"  and turn to let the graying colored woman open the door for you, "Welcome to the Mega-Multi-Movie-Plex, madam."
      As the double doors open, the theater lets out an inviting sigh of cool air that beckons you in out of the summer heat.  Inside, the lobby smells of fresh popped buttery goodness, but it's not time for treats yet.  You were wise enough to wear your favorite pair of loafers, so you quickly speed-walk past the twins in the pumps to the ticket-tearing line.  Fanny-swishing your way to the front, the older gentleman in the starched uniform takes your ticket, "This is a wonderful film," he smiles as he parts it in two, "Door number four on the Left, enjoy your movie."  You delicately take your half of the torn ticket and place it in your back pocket, just in case you run out of tissue mid-movie and have to run for the restroom.  The thought of being drug out by your elbows because you can't hold up the ripped ticket as proof of payment makes you shudder like the Zombie in  You Go Ghoulfriend.  Patting your back pocket for good measure, you turn and head down the long, darkened hallway.  Reading the screens posted above the doorways, you quickly realize that something has gone terribly wrong...1,3,5...where is door number 4?  For a brief moment you begin to sweat harder than the girl in the Fangs of Fear poster on the wall above you, wondering if your ticket actually reads The Twilight Zone.  But then you realize that perhaps you should just be looking on the left, like the fellow said.  Once safely inside theater number four, you gaze up and down the rows of seats to spy two empty chairs in the back row, your favorite, because no one can kick the back of your chair.  When suddenly, directly across from you is the Raisinette girl from outside.  In slow motion, both of your eyes sweep from each other up to the vacant seats, and back again.  Game on, girlfriend!  You take those steps two by two, launching the sweater from over your shoulders to land gracefully upon the back of the chair like a superhero cape before Raisinette has even had a chance to make it half-way there...perhaps she could use a little more sugar in her diet!  
   Ticket and seat securely in place, you follow the haunting aroma of junk food back down to the lobby.  Pausing briefly, you check out the lines at the snack bar.  Over there is shorter, but the mom with four snarfling kids all begging for ice pops and monster-munchies makes you get in the longer line behind the love-couple instead.  With their arms around each other and hands stuffed into each other's back pockets, they move forward in unison in a way that takes you back to the time you won the three-legged man-race in the third grade.  Looking up at the menu of carnival-food choices for gourmet prices on the wall, you wonder what food group Jujubes really come from.  One auto payment later, you are handed a bag of crunchy popcorn and chilled cola.  Fighting off the reptilian urge of your tongue to lash out and snatch up some of the salty snack without the use of your hands, you casually sip your soda on the way back to your seat instead.  Plunking yourself down at last, you admire the armrest with the cute little round holder for your tasty beverage.  As the lights dim, and the picture begins to play, you finally toss a well-deserved handful of corn at your happy mouth:  there's nothing better than a Saturday Matinée! 

-Cheers



we love the curved details of Islandic Design's Hayden Sweater-
www.moosemtntradingco.com

-It's Tent Time Girlies!
   One of the absolute best things about the summertime is the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without freezing your titties off!  The air is fresh, the sun is warm, the lake is cool, and there are s'mores!  What better way to honor Mother Nature, herself, than by spending a few evenings gazing up at the stars from the wild woods?  Women really are naturals at roughing it (ask any woman who has had children & she'll tell you who is tougher!) and adapt perfectly well to a few days away from the comforts of modern conveniences!  Though we may be known for over packing, when you rest your head on that inflatable pillow with the jersey-soft cover, you will see for yourself who can do the outdoors with style!  After all, a few luxury items never hurt.  Especially if you are car-camping, where you drive right up to your campsite, as opposed to back-packing where you carry everything in on your back.  So grab a map and locate a nearby spot in the mountains where there is dirt, rock, water, plant & animal life, and plenty of smog-free air!  Planning a trip ahead of time makes for a much smoother transition from city gal to ala' natural' , so pick a date on the calendar & call ahead for reservations.  If it is a first-come, first-serve situation, plan on being on the road EARLY the day of your trip.  Now here's the fun part...go shopping for cool camp stuff!  Sure, your significant other may laugh now, but when he's chopping wood with the Lumberjack 2000, he'll thank you with a bonfire that is sure to toast your tootsies!  There are so many lines of great outdoor gear now, that no matter what your budget is, you can find quality items.  Check out the list of essential items on the CampChick Checklist below, and remember to pack the car the night before the trip to make for an easy-going first day.  Just grab a cup of joe and hit the open road, trading the traffic for the trees, and the work for the woods!  Go take a hike, nature girl! 
-CHEERS

CAMP CHICK CHECKLIST:

tarp & tent
slumber bags & pads
fleece throw & travel pillows
axe & multi-tool
camp-stove & fuel
ironware - (this weekend you're earth friendly, so don't bring paper & plastic)
plastic tablecloth & citronella candle
lighter & matches
sunscreen & bug spray
sun hats & windbreakers
camp chairs & day-packs
heavy-duty water bottles & extra jugs of water
firewood
fully-stocked cooler & locking food storage (if going into bear country)
whistles & headlamps & flashlights or camp lights
rods & reels and tackle box
card games & camp-crafts for kids
all-weather clothing, including a warm hat
maps & binoculars
books on local birds, plants, & hiking trails
A Kumbaya attitude for other campers! 
-Get the road trip going with Peter Paul and Mary's Around the Campfire.  I've always loved This Land is your land .  Cheesy, yes, but you'll be humming the songs all weekend!  www.peterpaulandmary.com

-If you are bringing the pooch, be sure to have him haul his own gear!  This dog pack will hold his leash, food, water, collapsible bowls, chewies, and even a drop cloth for him to rest on-how cute is that?  www.rei.com



-This kids 4-in-one has a compass, thermometer, whistle, & magnifier, just make sure that everyone knows the whistle is for EMERGENCY use only!  www.camping4less.com

"Waiter, One summertime tan with a hint of honey, please!"
   There is nothing better to do in the dog-days than relax by the water and soak up some long afternoon rays!  Here in Las Vegas it is HOT from May through September, always over 105*, so there is plenty of opportunity for at least a couple of days spent poolside.  In fact, because it is so nice in Southern Nevada, enthusiasts can be found outside 365 days a year, so sun protection just becomes a way of life.  Things like floppy hats, SPF 30, water bottles, and even sandals can typically be found on the floor of my family SUV year-round, (along with melted crayons, which have a 2 minute life expectancy in this heat before melting into a flat splotches on the floor mats that Jackson Pollock would be proud of!)  All messy vehicles aside though, sunny living does have its perks, and we know how to work those perks in Vegas, baby!
   I have tried everything from the old VHR tanning beds which made me feel like I was in a coffin, to the spray-on tan which left me looking like a very unnatural blond whose name should have been Juanita Ramirez.  Once, before a date with my husband in which I was to wear a very revealing number, I zipped over to the corner-tan-shop where the perky teen behind the counter convinced me to use a super-accelerator tan lotion to boost my bronze.  I realized something was wrong mid-way through my session when I began to feel as though someone had literally lit a match under my...ask me about that later.  Anyhow, I showed up looking as though I had been slapped all over, red as hell, and still feeling as though I was standing too close to a campfire.  Now, that was cute.  
   So, today I just stick with a wonderful moderate, subtle lotion that deepens my tan over the course of a week rather than all at once, and contains a good amount of SPF to keep that lobster-look away.  The kids are always slathered liberally in a 45 SPF that is waterproof and sweat proof, but their little bodies are always brown & beautiful from June through August anyway!  That is just life when you live in Southern Nevada!  

-CHEERS


For a true Southern Nevada hot-bod, try  Synergy Tan's Diva Las Vegas lotion-12oz.
www.tanninglotionsource.com
   



For a little after-sun delight, smooth on the Swanky Girl's bun-firming lotion...Now that's the Cat's Pajamas!-18oz.
www.tanninglotionsource.com

Everybody has those days...right?
   There are days when you wake up and feel like you spent the entire night running the jackhammer down on Fourth Street.  There are those afternoons, when you've sucked down two cans of RedBull, but still feel like old aunt Sophie just fixed you two glasses of warm milk instead.  And there are those evenings when you have errands to run, dinner to fix, e-mails to answer, chores to do, phone calls to make, and yet...today you just can't keep your head up any longer.  What you need, sweetheart, is a day of R & R !  No, that does not stand for Rat Race, it means that you must check yourself out of it for a bit.  I know what you are thinking, that your boss will fire you if you don't show today with that report, your committee will be disappointed in your lack of commitment by not sending that batch of 237 e-mails you still have to prepare, the dust bunnies will be big enough to make friends with the bunny slippers under your bed if you don't vacuum, but, it just isn't true.  Honestly, the world will not fall apart if you don't show up today!  In Fact, it just may be better off!  Now hold on, before you go Ranting & Raving, think about it for a moment.  If you really don't feel up to the tasks at hand, perhaps you had better wait until you can do a better job at them.  I'm not referring to those "I don't feel like it"  feelings that make us procrastinate until the deadline is breathing down your neck, I'm talking about when you absolutely have no energy & can barely keep your head up, sugar.  The truth is, it is rather vain to believe that the world can't get along without us for even one day!  If you come back feeling Refreshed & Ready  to tackle your tasks at hand, then perhaps they are better off!  And what else speaks of your importance than when your presence is missed, right?  So go ahead, indulge yourself in a day of true Rest & Relaxation.  You need it!  And what better way to start than by switching off the alarm & drifting back off for a while.  Just because you're awake does not mean that you have to get dressed, either.  Try taking a long, hot bubble bath with a tall, cool drink.  Slather on your yummiest fruity lotion & put on fresh pajamas...in the afternoon!  Drag your bunny slippers out from under the bed & away from their dust bunny friends, and pad into the kitchen to make yourself something with protein, like an omelet!  Often when we're wiped out, it has a bit to do with poor diet, and you may just be in need of some real food.  Or, if your car has seen the window of one-too-many quickie-stops lately, maybe drag out the heavy blender that you got as a gift two Christmases ago & fix yourself a smoothie-shake.  Now here is the important part...walk past that telephone & flip the volume off, you can do it!  Continue past the lap-top, don't you turn it on, not even for a minute!  Turn off the cell phone & plug it in (that way you can explain that your battery was dead & you couldn't return any calls because you were charging it).  Now locate that dusty stack of new magazines you've been too busy to read, grab that novel that has been waiting for you, and take you brunch & books back to bed, baby!  Don't worry, we won't even tell if you get crumbs in the sheets!  It is your day to Recover & Recuperate, so enjoy!  Later on, light candles & put on that yoga video you've been meaning to try.  Pull out your favorite stationary & write your sister a letter.  Tomorrow, may you return Renewed & Reinvigorated!

-Cheers

-Try Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source Relaxing Body Lotion with soothing chamomile & borage oil.  The light scent of relaxing herbs will leave you feeling like a garden fairy! store.crabtree-evelyn.com

-We love Candles by Claudine's all natural Soy Aromatherapy candles scented with pure essential oils.  Lavender Vanilla is heavenly...   www.candlesbyclaudine.com

Independence Day Barbecue!

   When it comes to the perfect bar-b-q sauce, many families have guarded secret recipes for generations.  Even more important than the sauce itself, though, is the timing in which it is lovingly slathered onto the smoking meat.  Yes, there is a zen lesson in the art of patience lying within the coals, just waiting to taught to the anxious American griller!  
   Perhaps we should start there, with the coals.  You can't just fire up the grill, throw on the ribs, & slather with sauce.  The sauce will be charred long before the meat next to the bones is done.  First, we must light the fire & let the flames burn nice & high!  Take time to enjoy the primal sense that awakens within you as your eyes become mesmerized by the glowing red flames that lick the warm summer air...of course, once they start to water from the smoke, especially if you haven't cleaned your grill since last summer, you can go back inside to the comfort of your temperature-controlled environment.  
   While you're inside, select your sauce ingredients.  Anything from molasses, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, worstershire, smoke flavoring, honey could work, just not all together.  Try to be selective in your condiment search, and definitely consult a recipe or three for ideas.  Whatever YOU decide to use, whisk it together & set aside.  Always wash your meat, & pat dry with a paper towel.  Now is a good time to glance outside at the cooker.  If there were remnants of grillings-past on there, perhaps you now have a lovely cloud of smoke rising from under the grill cover that would make Chief Joe proud.  Take a moment to adjust your heat to low and let the coals begin to glow as hot little embers without the flame.  
   Returning inside, grab a cold iced tea.  Oh yea, that's good.  Now, I suggest searing the meat on the hot grill with a salt & pepper rub.  Don't worry about the salt drying out the meat, because you're going to wrap it up like a little parcel.  Keep the lid off, watch it sear in the juices just until there are grill marks, & then flip it over to do the other side, which should take no more than four minutes.  Immediately place onto some foil that you've spread onto a cookie sheet or 9x13 dish, & paint all sides with your secret sauce.  Once you have it folded up in the foil so that no sauce drips out, return the meaty package to the grill & let it simmer in its sauces a bit longer than you would on the open flame.  Don't flip.  
   Before it is fully cooked, place it back on the washed tray & unwrap.  Return to the flames & paint with sauce to create that gorgeous glaze, tossing the foil, but reserving the drippings.  Keep your eyes on the prize.  Don't overcook here, but remove just before done.   
   Once grilled & saucy, return to the pan of juices, and tent with foil to let it rest for about five minutes.  The meat will continue to cook while the natural juices will make it nice and tender.  Slice within the tray & transfer slices to platter just before serving, pouring all of the drippings, juices & saucy goodness over your beautiful barbecue just before serving.  Drape lightly with plastic wrap or glass lid to keep moist if it is going to left on a buffet table for any length of time. 
    Kick back with the fam, light off some snakes & sparklers, dip your tootsies in the kiddie pool, or pop a top on a cold one, for you are now officially bar-b-cute (see below for adorable accessories!)!  
-Cheers!

This adorable apron in Ladybug patterns can be found at anthropologie.com
Cute & portable, too:  the mini pink barbecue from Amazon.com

   When I think of the ultimate special treatment, I think Pedicure!  There is nothing that erases tension quite like dipping your tired tootsies into a tub of bubbling water & letting a complete stranger litterally smooth away your troubles.  I covet the huge seat that massages my back and makes me feel as small as Goldilocks in Papa Bear's chair.  Even though I am so jumpy that just the slight brush of a hand across my calf typically makes me squirm, for some reason I go totally limp as the minty lotion is massaged into my ticklish toes and ankles.  I treasure the time that stands still as I close my eyes, relax, and let it all go away.  It is as if, for a few minutes at least, nothing else matters except, well, ME.  (It is even better when I also have an iced tea to sip, sweetened just right!)  And I simply adore the way my cute little toes look once they are all painted & glamorized!   
   Yes, nothing says summer quite like a gorgeous pedi peeking out of a brand new pair of sandals...Guess what I usually do after getting my nails done?  So, no matter who you are, or where you are, if you are in need of a pick-me-up, get a pedi!  If your tulips feel wilted, or you're just hot and cranky this summer, do yourself a favor and drop into the salon for a quick half.  Everyone around you will benefit also, both by getting to enjoy your elevated mood and pretty feet.  That is what I am saying, You are helping the world be a better place by taking the time to treat yourself!  Isn't that great news?  Hey, someone had to give it to you straight, that's what friends are for!   


-Cheers!

We love the selection of Orly toenail polishes at footsiesbiz.com

The next time you're in Vegas, stop by Elegant Nails at 7920 Tropical Pky. #130 LV, NV 89149.  Call (702) 396-5300, and ask for Benny, who is the owner, & the sweetest!

   Welcome to my blog where I promise to deliver all sorts of things that us girls' want!  Getting started is so excited, and I can't wait for us to gab often, so feel free to post your replies whenever you feel like it!  Fix yourself a drink & make it fancy!  If you're drinking tea, use that special cup & saucer that you keep locked away in the hutch-let it free to enjoy the tea it was meant to hold just for you!  If you're having a cola, put a straw in it, or pour into a huge wine goblet with chunky ice!  Drinking H2O- add a slice of lime for style, right on the edge of the glass, girl!  A cup of Joe,  splash in that creamer & put your softest slippers on!  Whether we're together for the next twenty minutes or two minutes, we're friends and I want you to treat yourself like I would treat you if you stopped by for a visit!  Pampered!  Here's to what a chick wants...to chat with her girlfriends

-Cheers

Roasted fresh here in Las Vegas, we love to indulge in Jitter's Chocolate Raspberry Cream in the afternoon!  Available at  jitters.com