Buns of Steel . . .

I should have them by now after all of the trips up and down three flights of steep stairs! 

This weekend:
Moved out of my apartment and cleaned it CHECK
Moved Tim out of his apartment and cleaned it CHECK
Moved all of our stuff into our brand new apartment CHECK

What a workout that was! And I was upset that I wouldn't have time to go running at the park this weekend . . . I think the heavy lifting while walking up stairs took care of burning calories!  We're on the third floor and I love it.   I can't wait to hang up photos and get it decorated. . . but that is going to have to wait.

Tomorrow morning I leave for a work conference in Aspen, CO -- which I must say, I am really excited about! I'm looking forward to seeing friends that I have made at previous conferences and also exploring the beautiful area! I've never been to Colorado before.  Any suggestions on must-sees in the Aspen area?  I know we are having a media mixer at Snowmass Resort - so that should be pretty amazing!

Then Tim is flying into Denver, CO later this week and will get a rental car and drive up to Aspen to stay with me in what looks like a pretty fabulous resort.  THEN we are going to drive back to Denver and he's going to give me the tour and I think try to convince me to move there.  :)  He loves Denver.  I mentioned before that he did his year-long residency there a few years ago and had the time of his life.  If it weren't for me, I know he'd be back there and living.  But I would have to think that he's take the Dining Diva over Denver.  :)  Right?

So decorating and unpacking will have to wait for a little over a week.  Then it's going to be June and I just can't believe it! Every weekend in June I have something fun scheduled, which is kind of crazy.  I was never a planner, but my girlfriend from college (a super-duper planner) inspired me to make plans in order to be able to not let life pass by without participating.

Be sure to give me some travel tips if you'd like on what to see and do in Aspen!  I love to purchase jewelry when I travel, too. So if you know of amazing (but affordable) boutiques, let me know.

Have an amazing week!
~Dining Diva

P.S. Happy Belated birthday to one of the bestest friends in the world, That's Sassy! She has quite an exciting month ahead of her including her wedding and moving to Texas! 

Moving in with the BF!

It's fun to look at what I was writing about a year ago.  That's why blogging is so awesome.  I never would have thought that I'd be moving in with Tim this weekend.  I'm so excited.  For the past year I have been living out of suitcases I feel like.  I haven't stayed in once place for a week in forever.  I go back and forth from my apartment and Tim's and I'm sick of it.  I can't wait to have just one place to call home and feel relaxed there on Sunday nights.  And I can't wait to make dinners together or whatever we want, because we can! I know some people think we're "living in sin" and maybe we are.  But it's just the way it's working out and I'm thrilled.  I am so confident in our relationship that I know it's going to move in the right direction and I'm not going to be still living together unengaged five years from now.  (Well, at least I don't think I have to worry about that.) Also, I don't NEED him in my life; I WANT him in my life.  And he respects my independence.  So everything is perfect.  Just need to finish moving tonight and then the movers are coming tomorrow morning to move my heavy bedroom set.  Then I'll need to clean and say GOODBYE to my current apartment and roommate. 

Hopefully I can get a lot unpacked by Sunday. I leave for Aspen, CO Tuesday and need to figure out where my clothes are for that trip.  I'm so excited! Tim is going to meet me and pick me up and then drive to Denver for the weekend. Some of his friends from his dental residency still live in Denver and we're going to stay with them in a really nice place downtown.  I love traveling!

~Stay Sassy and enjoy the weekend!

Dining Diva

I'll leave you with this photo from my recent trip to NYC with my Blondes from college!

Paging Dr. Google

We all have done it before. Right?  We have some symptoms and go to Google and do some research on our own.  I know medical professionals typically tell us not to do that, because the Internet is swarming with so much information it's easy to self-diagnose yourself with something awful, when in reality, it's just a little bloating or something else minor.  Well, years ago I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and I really never did Google it.  I was young and just listened to my doctor and began taking the Pill to fix my problem and that was that.  Well fast-forward almost ten years and now I have so many random symptoms and I'm just putting it together that I think they're all related to my PCOS.  Today I did some Googling action and came across a fabulous PCOS message board filled with tons of helpful information. I have my annual doctor's appointment in July but I have so many questions I want answered right now.  My best friend in a RN and she said that people really have to be there own health advocate because doctors are honestly just too busy to give each and every patient the time and thought they deserve.  Sad and scary, huh?

Does anyone out there have PCOS with me or has anyone else had to be their own Dr. Google?

~Dining Diva

An Encounter with the X

... okay ladies.  I know my posts are not really that interesting, but at least this one has a little drama in it.  So some time back I posted about my roller coaster past with a longtime ex-boyfriend.  Well, since our final breakup back in August 2008, I believe, we haven't seen each one another or spoke to each other.  That's the longest time we haven't communicated since meeting one another back in 2000! In the meantime he's gotten married and is expecting - and I have fallen in love with an amazing man, Tim! So we're both happy - but still, there was never any closure where we both maturely said, "I'm happy for you and good luck with your life.." 

So this past Saturday I had to go to a graduation party for a family friend.  I figured that the X would be there and was prepared for the occasion, and actually looking forward to going right up to him and congratulating him on the marriage/kid/etc.  Well, that didn't happen. I did introduce Tim to his family and he was a great sport.  Thank goodness he's so laid back and not at all jealous or insecure. (Major character traits that make me love him oh so much.) Well, I told the X's parent's that I'd love to go up to him and say hello, but didn't want it to be awkward.  And in case I am not able to find the right moment to do it, please pass on to him that I wasn't being a bitch and ignoring him. His mom told me she understands and she'll tell him if I'm not able to.  She also made a good point and said, "Well has he come up to you to say hello?" And I said no.  So I had no reason to think I was being a bitch.  But the mom said maybe I had better not say hello because his wife may not like it.  GAY.  I thought we were all mature.  Also, to increase the drama, the X called my sister's bf in the mens' room to tell him how hard it is to be around me and that I should not talk to him because it would upset his wife.  Again, GAY.

So in the meantime, I've moved on and am happier and healthier than I've ever been.  Actually, Tim and I are in the process of moving out of our individual apartments and moving in to our brand-new pad.  I'm so excited!

~Dining Diva

My Calendar is FULL

I can't keep up.  May has been crazy busy and it's only the 14th! This week at work has totally exhausted me - but it was awesome!  And this weekend is crazy busy - but it's going to be great, as well! These are the times of our lives, right?  I'm sure one day I'll look back and wish I could rewind to now - so no complaining - just keep on moving and take pictures!

But just to write this down so I can remember this week.
1. The race organizers for a major triathlon that is coming to town visited this week and we held a press conference to announce some exciting news.  Already over 40 states and 12 nations are represented by the 1,600 athletes already registered - and the event is still months away!

2. Yesterday I hosted close to ten very important journalists from Tel-aviv, Israel and they were fascinating! Now I actually want to visit the country.  One of the ladies has interviewed amazing people such as Oprah and owns her own magazine which is comparable to our Elle magazine.  Incredible, right?  Another is not only is a media maven - but also is a coach of a pro-basketball team in Israel.  They were awesome and it was such an honor to host them.  I'll always remember yesterday.

Now it's Friday.  Hopefully going to burn some calories tonight and then have a nice dinner date with my bf and her bf at a local Italian restaurant.  Mmmm... then I have quite the Saturday to look forward to.  It's That's Sassy's! wedding shower in the morning (just picked up a few cute dresses at The Limited to possibly wear tomorrow) and then I have my pseudo-brother's high school graduation party - then it's back to That's Sassy! and her bachelorette party.  And this is a note to myself: PLEASE DO NOT DRINK SO MUCH THAT YOU'RE HUNGOVER ON SUNDAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PACK YOUR ENTIRE APARTMENT AND GET MOVING.

I hope I listen to myself.  So Sunday will be packing day.  Then by next Saturday - my love muffin and I should be moved in together and "living in sin" according to some.  I feel kind of bad about it- but I'm really excited. 

Happy Friday!
~Dining Diva

One Down, Seven Weddings to Go

The wedding season has officially begun.  Tim and I went to my hometown friend's wedding on May 1 and we had a really nice time.  That was my first friend to get married.  It's crazy that we're really growing up.  Or already grown up.  My next wedding is for a family member in early June, and then it will be That's Sassy!'s wedding on June 19.  I actually am a bridesmaid in that wedding and I hope I'm up to the task! :)  I'm just slightly nervous about not being Catholic and messing something up (because it will be in a Catholic church).  But I'm excited! Just need to get my dress taken care of by a seamstress and then need to find a full-length slip because you can see through the dress - and I highly doubt anyone wants to see this fanny walking down the aisle! :)  Any suggestions on where to get a strapless, long slip?

Just finished Memoirs of a Geisha and it was great.  Now I am looking forward to watching the movie and getting another good book to read!  I'm going to use your suggestions when I pick up my next batch of reading materials at the public library. 

On to my love muffin.  His brother and sister-in-law who currently reside in China came to visit for the past two days.  I had briefly met his brother before, but this was my first encounter with his sister-in-law.  She was so nice and it was great to meet some more of his family.  We went out to dinner on Tuesday night (Tim and I, his parents, sister, bro, and sis-in-law) and then his mom had a bbq dinner last night and some more people came over.  It was actually really fun and nice to have such a large gathering.  I also drank a few beers and didn't feel bad about it. (HELLO! IT WAS CINCO DE MAYO!) Sometimes I get nervous to actually have a beer or alcoholic beverage for that matter around his family because they don't drink and are pretty straight edge.  (My family on the other hand is a bunch of party animals - so you see how I have to kind of mellow myself out when I go to his family gatherings.)  Well, I have just realized that I can just be myself and drink a beer or two.  Big deal.  I'm a good person and yes, I like to have a good time.  I am sure they are fine with it, I was just nervous. 

Am I the only one who can get along with anyone and talk to the person next to me on the plane like I've known them forever; but get all awkward with my bf's fam?

~Happy Thursday!~
Dining Diva