On Saturday October 14, 2023, I went to the Maricopa County Home & Garden Show to see twin brothers Drew & Jonathan Scott, also known as “Property Brothers”, which is their incredibly successful TV show!
The Scott bothers are originally from Canada, where they had a successful show that ended up on HGTV here in the US. Based on the popularity of “Property Brothers”, they grew their franchise to other TV shows, books and even a cartoon called “Builder Brothers”!
The audience was treated to a fun and funny show, there the Scott Brothers talked about their career, a bit about their personal lives, and gave lots of fantastic tips and advice for anyone looking to refresh or improve their current home, or new property.
After their stage show, everyone was treated to a photo opportunity, and the brothers were so kind and gracious to all who were able to stay after. After I received the picture in this post, I realized just how tall they are (or rather just how short I am)!
Thank you again Maricopa County Home Shows for the tickets, it was a fun day!
FTC Disclosure: I received tickets as a courtesy from The Maricopa County Home & Garden Show. Although I received complimentary tickets, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.
I was going to attempt to pick up where I left off as far as events I’ve been to since last September, but that’s pretty much tracked on my Instagram page. What I will do, is use this blog to flesh out some key events that I document regularly on my Instagram page, since that is my most favorite form of social media.
So, I will post something more light-hearted, since my last post about my mom was quite emotional.
Unless you don’t own a TV or have any form of social media, then you wouldn’t know the talented (and handsome) phenomenon that is Pedro Pascal. I have actually only really been paying attention since he starred alongside Colin Firth in Kingsman: The Golden Circle as Agent Whiskey, but even then, I wasn’t really paying that much attention.
I still wasn’t paying attention when Mr. Pascal was starring as bounty hunter Din Jarin in the Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, even though Deon (my husband) and I faithfully watched every episode, even making sure we watched The Book of Boba Fett. Even when I was watching both of those series, it’s because I absolutely loved Baby Grogu. The whole time, we didn’t even say Pedro Pascal was in The Mandalorian, we said “Hey, did you know Whiskey was Din Jarin?”
When Game of Thrones was coming to an end, Deon became a fan and decided to spend about a month catching up on all of the seasons so he could watch the final season in real time. During season 4, he said “Honey, you have to see Whiskey get his eyes smashed in!” Then he started watching Narcos: Mexico on Netflix, not knowing there was a Narcos season prior, starring Pedro.
Deon is a big DC Comics fan, so when the new Wonder Woman 1984 movie was released, he said “Whiskey is in the new Wonder Woman!” By then, we were already invested in The Mandalorian, had watched season 2 and we were finally no longer referring to Pedro as Whiskey.
Deon had been playing The Last of Us video game parts 1 & 2 when they were first released. Because of his interest in the game, he found out that Part 1 of the game was going to be turned into a television series. He even knew that Pedro Pascal would be Joel Miller, and Bella Ramsey would be Ellie (and he still referred to her as Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones). Even then, I only watched the show because I heard Depeche Mode had a song that would play a prominent role in the first episode, and boy did it! I was hooked on the show and watched each new episode weekly, asking Deon how faithfully the show stuck to the game.
Still, none of that made an impression until I saw Pedro appear on these three shows: Saturday Night Live, The Graham Norton Show and Late Night with Seth Meyers. I feel these appearances from early 2023 showcased his personality so well and so authentically, it was hard to ignore just what an adorable human being Pedro Pascal is.
I can fan-girl with the best of them, and of course following in the footsteps of what I did with my other favorite actor, Colin Firth (I mention him in this blog post here), I built myself a Pedro Pascal cinematic and television show library, but this time mostly online. I feel like these two actors had the same exact artistic trajectory: a bit of struggle in the beginning of their careers, with their surge hitting later. I mean, who knew that Colin Firth was going to be an action hero in his 50’s? I remember when Colin won the Oscar for his performance in The King’s Speech. I screamed and was so excited for him, as if it was one of my friends winning the award! And I know I’ll feel the same way, feeling that anticipation when the Emmy’s come around next year, and crossing my fingers that Pedro Pascal gets to win at least one of the three Emmy’s he’s nominated for!
Pictures (from the top):
My copy of Wired
Outtake from “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (source unknown)
“The Mandalorian with Grogu” Funko Pop from my collection
Image from San Diego Comic Con 2017 (source unknown)
It has been awhile since I’ve written a blog post, mainly because I couldn’t actually get into my blog. But in reality, it’s because I have been trying to figure out how to write this.
My mom passed away earlier this year. I had been her main caregiver since 2018, and although times were not so easy, I would not have changed a thing. She cared for me and my sister our whole lives, until she couldn’t anymore, so I did.
I read an article on The Cut recently where this woman was upset with her mother because she believes her to be “self-centered and immature”. Her mother is in her 70’s and is acting “selfish” in her eyes, and the daughter wants to limit or end her relationship with her. The author of the article (Kathryn Jezer-Morton) said this, which I hope opens the daughter’s eyes:
“I tend to think about our relationship with our parents as having two phases: the one when they are alive and the one you have with them when they’re dead. Anything can happen while they are alive. You can say things that will surprise them and vice versa. Incredible, the way we’re able to keep surprising each other even after we’ve written each other off. When they’re dead, all you can do is live with what you did and didn’t say.”
Kathryn Jezer-Morton, The Cut
I am glad that I had these five years with my mom, here in our home in Arizona. As difficult as it was to care for her at times, especially during her dialysis dementia phase, I don’t regret a thing. Because when we finally figured out what she needed and she was back on track by going on dialysis, she was a delight! All she wanted was to go to the casino, and visit San Diego occasionally, which we were able to do for her.
Last December, she had to go into a skilled nursing facility because she contracted Covid and needed additional care. She was improving and was slated to come home in April of this year. During that time, she was going to her regular dialysis center, and I had heard from her dialysis techs and nurses that she had been talking about “going to be with her husband”. But she started to get stronger, and could stand on her own, and was finally nearly ready to come home.
Sadly, she had another infection, and needed a hospital stay. There, she refused to eat and although I finally had convinced her to do so, she was getting weaker. I called her that week to say hi and that I would stop by when I got back from San Jose. She remembered that I was going to see Depeche Mode and told me to have fun. While I was there, I called the hospital just before dinner-time, and they told me she was doing well and ate her lunch. I went to the concert knowing she was in good hands.
Early the next morning, I received a call from the hospital that my mom was not responding as she normally would, and that the doctor needed to talk to me. I was told she had several mini-strokes during the night. I asked what her chances of having a normal life would be, and he gave me the grave news that she would not have any quality of life.
After I returned to Arizona, we called my sister, brother-in-law and niece, as well as the remaining patriarch of our family, my Uncle Narding and his wife, my Auntie Nanette. They came up immediately, and we all said our goodbyes. After they all left, my mom continued to hang on.
It was not long that we could tell the end was coming close. So I spent some time with her alone, explaining that we are going to be ok, and that she should be with dad now. That she raised us well, and we will do just fine because she did a great job guiding us. I think I saw her last breath, and after about 30 minutes after we left the hospital, they called us back and said she was gone.
I miss her. I miss her so much. But I’m also happy that I was able to have time with her, that we all were able to have time with her. I know she’s telling my dad all about their grandchildren, proud of everything we have become.
From my mom’s “Celebration of Life” on May 27, 2023My dad & mom, finally together now
There were a few events that I forgot to post about, which happened prior to the Daddy Daughter Trip movie premiere, and then hopefully, I’ll be able to keep up with my posts!
Immersive Monet & The Impressionists
Back on July 28, 2022 I attended the VIP Grand Opening Night of Immersive Monet & The Impressionists at Lighthouse Artspace, with Susan of Styles Revealed. Another wonderful immersive art experience, but I think the photo op below was one of my favorites for sure!
Meeting Comedian JoKoy!
Back in August 2022, I saw Easter Sunday, Jo Koy’s new movie with my hubby. But I then saw it again when I heard he was going to be appearing at movie theaters all over the country! I made sure to catch the showing at Harkins Theaters in Scottsdale and finally got to meet him and get an autographed poster! If you check out my Instagram post, you’ll see that he also voluntarily recorded a greeting for my sister!
Anoche Preview Night
Also in August 2022, Susan (StylesRevealed) invited me to be her guest at the VIP preview a new concept restaurant/night club in Tempe called Anoche Cantina. We got to try a small menu of drinks and bites, in addition to hanging out with some of our influencer friends, like Cynthia Sassi of Fabulous Arizona (image just below)!
“What She Said” Speaker Event
I posted that I would be attending the “What She Said” Speaker Event as an invited influencer at the end of August 2022, and it was really amazing! Not only were we treated to several inspiring speakers, I was able to be a part of TWO different podcasts! One has already been posted, which is “Boss Babe Life Hacks” by Farrah Larae, and the other was for Fashion Rewired for Brian Hill of Phoenix Fashion Week.
Wonderspaces Arizona at Scottsdale Fashion Square
I was invited by Wonderspaces AZ to check out their amazing interactive gallery space at Scottsdale Fashion Square, and took my family on Labor Day weekend. There was so much fantastic art to look at and actually experience, both in person and virtually. Their gallery changes regularly, so we have to go back and check out what’s new soon!
FTC Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets and/or invitations to some of the events in this post. Although I did receive complimentary tickets and/or invitations, the opinions in this blog post are my own.
Last Tuesday, I took my son Dominic to the world premiere of Daddy Daughter Trip at Harkins Theatre in the Scottsdale Fashion Square! It was another amazing Harkins event, with so much happening!
In addition to Harkins’ INCREDIBLY comfy theater seats, drinks and popcorn were provided, as well as a glamorous red carpet event prior to the showing. And BONUS: Rob Schneider introduced the movie in each theatre (see the video below)!
Rob Schneider plays Larry Buble, an inventor who is always dreaming of his next big creation. His talented artistic daughter, Meara (played by Schneider’s real life daughter Miranda Scarlett Schneider), dreams of the ultimate Spring Break, and craziness ensues as they attempt to make that happen! Dominic and I had fun, laughing out loud at this sweet love letter to Arizona and reminder to never letting go of your dreams.
Daddy Daughter Trip premiered only in Harkins Theatres on Friday September 30th, and what’s even more fun is that Mr. Schneider made appearances at Harkins all throughout The Valley this past weekend! I want to thank Harkins for inviting me and Dominic to this fun and fantastic event!
Andrew “Fletch” Fletcher: July 8, 1961 – May 26, 2022
It has taken me four months to finally write a blog post about the passing of Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode. And I still can’t believe I’m even typing this, like right now. This is just going to be off the cuff, with little editing because I am truly sad about this. Anyone who knows even just a little bit about me knows that Depeche Mode is my all time favorite band. So when Richard Blade of 1st Wave on Sirius XM made an announcement between songs on the afternoon of May 26, 2022 with a very uncharacteristic somber voice, bearing sad and urgent news, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When he said something to the effect of “…announce the untimely passing of Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode…” I felt the wind get knocked out of me and I sat down in my desk chair, and let out an audible “NO!”, which caused my son to come running into my home office to find out what happened. My husband was already there, and I just burst into tears.
They didn’t say much, because they knew. As I said in my Instagram post, this hit different. I even went on a worldwide Zoom meeting that week with the Depeche Mode Global fan group, just to be with other fans and celebrate the life of Fletch (it was co-hosted by musician, YouTuber and Depeche Mode enthusiast, Vaughn George). My friends reached out to me in sympathy, to find out how I was, because they knew as well.
I think part of the disbelief came from the fact that they just got into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, class of 2020. Fletch had just gone on vacation in Spain the month prior to his death, and was even seen at a soccer match. I feel like he was alive and well one moment, and gone the next.
I still can’t find words to convey the emotions I feel. I know I was sad when Alan Wilder left, but at the time, he was still putting out his own music and had a tour. But Fletch is just gone, and didn’t just leave Depeche Mode. This is a band that has carried me from junior high, comforting me with their music, creating a major part of the soundtrack of my life. I have only missed one major tour since 1985, and have even taken my husband and son to see them in concert with me, just so I could share the music of my band, live with them. I’ve gone to see Strangelove, my favorite Depeche Mode tribute band, many many times, because I just love their music so much. Classmates from junior high and high school have said to me, that when they hear Depeche Mode songs, they think of me. One of my friends even tagged me in a video while she was shopping, because a Depeche Mode song came over the loud speaker. I got tagged easily 10+ times when DMK videos hit the internet (the Depeche Mode family tribute band), because friends from all walks of life thought of me. My blog name is the name of a song from their first album. They permeate all parts of my life, all the time.
People who know Depeche Mode, understand and realize that Fletch was the heart of the band. Not only was he a founding member, he was the foundation and the one who brought them all back together, no matter how long they had been apart, to get them together and make another go at new music. The official Depeche Mode Instagram page recently had a picture of Martin Gore and Dave Gahan, in a music studio with the caption “Finding stability in what we know and love, and focusing on what give life meaning and purpose.” I think they’re providing hope that they would still produce new music, but there’s still uncertainty.
I think I just needed to say something…anything, on my blog, about Fletch, because I had to. Rest in peace, and my deep condolences go out to his family, friends, bandmates and my fellow Devotees. Fletch, you will be missed…
I wanted to share a wonderful event that I will be a part of on August 25, 2022: This is the What She Said speaker series, celebrating Women’s Equality Day. This event is in partnership with The Modern Day Wife, and it will be held at the W Hotel Scottsdale. There will be panels featuring celebrities, influencers, company CEO’s, designers and other influential women! In addition to these panels, there will be a fashion show and other pop ups throughout the event.
I am just one of a wonderful list of influencer co-hosts who will be there, and you can purchase tickets using my exclusive link under the flier above. I hope to see you there, cheers!
Details:
What:What She Said
When: August 25, 2022
VIP Pre-Party: 2:30-4 PM Main Event: 4-9:00 PM.
Where: W Scottsdale
7277 East Camelback Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Registration Options:
Diamond VIP Pre Party – $99.99 Access to VIP Pre-Party, Networking, Swag Bag & Exclusive Photo Opp. Option to get a Headshot taken at the VIP Pre Party!
VIP Pre Party – $55.00 Access to VIP Pre-Party plus networking. Option to get a Headshot taken at the VIP Pre Party!
Premiere General Admission – $34.99 Includes a complimentary What She Said Cocktail.
General Admission – $24.99 Access to Event including shopping, fashion show & What She Said Panels
As I get set to attend another immersive event tomorrow, I wanted to make sure that I posted when I attended Immersive Klimt with my husband, back in April of this year. This was again at Lighthouse ArtSpace, in the same building as Immersive Van Gogh.
As expected, this was another audio and visual stunner, featuring the art of Gustav Klimt, the Austrian symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. By far, my favorite part was when the art and animation were accompanied by the German version of David Bowie’s Heroes (which can be found on my Instagram post)! Also, there was a very moving dance that accompanied Klimt’s most well known painting, The Kiss.
Immersive Klimt has ended it’s run at Lighthouse ArtSpace here in Arizona, but I took a few pictures of our experience (including what I wore). Cheers!
Thank you to Immersive Klimt and Lighthouse ArtSpace for inviting me to experience this fantastic immersive exhibit!
How YOU doin’? The Friends Experience: The One in Phoenix is now OPEN! As an avid fan of the series, I can confidently say this lived up to ALL of my expectations! I invited Patricia to come with me to the media preview, and we had SO much fun! Here is just some of the fun you can have, too!
The experience features 12 nostalgia-packed rooms, including Monica & Rachel’s apartment, Joey & Chandler’s apartment and of course, Central Perk!
You can relive so many iconic moments like Ross’ “PIVOT” moment, sing “Smelly Cat” with Phobe’s guitar or wake up Ugly Naked Guy with the giant poking device!
The space is “Monica Clean” with lots of health and safety protocols in place!
There’s also an onsite retail store with exclusive products available
Tickets start at $30.50, and private access tickets are also available for groups of up to six or 10 guests!
The experience runs from February 24-May 8 2022!
Thank you SO much to everyone at The Friends Experience: The One In Phoenix for hosting us and for being so kind, gracious and patient with all of our pictures! Patricia and I took tons of pictures, and here are just a few. Cheers and if you are a “Friends” fan, this experience is highly highly recommended!
THE Couch!
PIVOT!
Joey & Chandler’s Apartment
Monica & Rachel’s Apartment
“Could I BE wearing anymore clothes?!”
“Smelly cat, smelly cat…what are they feeding you?”
Yes, I am a Friends fanatic, and in anticipation of attending Friends: The Experience here in Phoenix, Arizona, this is a pictorial history of my fandom. This is not an exhaustive pictorial history (believe me, I own more than what’s pictured here), but I think it’s a good indication of how much I love the show! In addition to going to Friends: The Experience this week (which opens to the public on February 24, 2022), I also went to the Friends exhibit in Scottsdale and bought a specialized drink, tea bags and coffee beans at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, both back in 2019 (pictured above and below).
I have been a fan of Friends since the first episode aired back in September 22, 1994. I actually have watched every episode for all ten seasons when they aired, and have seen them repeatedly because I sometimes have them playing in the background while I’m working in my home office or when doing housework. My sister and I can quote many lines from the show, and can insert quotes in everyday conversation (I have “The One With The Apartment Bet Game”, and can answer almost every question correctly and I also have “The One With The Ball”, pictured above).
My house is decorated with lots of direct and indirect references to the show. For instance, the picture above is the same poster in Monica and Rachel’s living room, above their television. I found it online, and it’s in our bedroom. We also have a small version of the frame in the girl’s apartment that hangs on their door. My niece, Mei-Lin, made it on a 3D printer and it also hangs on our front door. I also have a painting she made for me, which is displayed on a wall in my home office.
The last few pictures are items that I own, including both Lego sets, all of the Friends Funko Pop collections (so far), the soundtrack on pink vinyl, and one of the two Christmas ornaments we own (again, so far). I’m sure you can imagine my excitement for Friends: The Experience! Be sure to follow along on my Instagram as I will be posting an unboxing of a fantastic gift they sent me, stories of the tour along with a post, and I will wrap it all up here on my blog. Cheers!
