'After Paradise' Live Taping

As a fan of 'The Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' on ABC, it's pretty impossible to not get sucked into their spin-off shows like 'Bachelor in Paradise' which is airing currently.  Thankfully, I have a group of girlfriends who are as excited as I am when a new episode airs and we all try to get together and discuss the show!  ABC created an Aftershow called 'After Paradise' which comes on right after the show and they usually bring guests of the show as well as celebrity super-fans.  Sound familiar?  We do the same thing at Afterbuzz TV so it's really cool that we are a part of this growing interest in the behind the scenes and insider information from all your favorite TV Shows and movies!

My friend, Thi, is a producer and she got us VIP Tickets for 'After Paradise' this past Monday.  We knew the new Bachelor was going to be announced and everyone had their favorite picked out but what we didn't know is that he would be in the studio!  After we screened the episode we were taken into the studio and got seats right across from the main area when Chris Harrison and his co-host, Jenny Mollen, sat with the guests.  Michelle Collins, one of the hosts from 'The View' was the super-fan and comedic relief, Joe Bailey, Dan Cox, and Juelia Kinney from 'Bachelor in Paradise' were the other guests.  There was a good teaser with Chris saying he was bringing the Bachelor in and the next thing we knew, Nick Viall, one of 'The Bachelorette's' favorite villains was sitting on the couch.  I couldn't believe it; I was shocked because we all thought Ben Higgins was going to be the new Bachelor.  Sure enough, it was a fake-out and after a quick interview with Nick, they introduced Ben to everyone's elated cheers!

From watching Caitlyn's season, Ben seems like a nice down-to-earth guy, hard-working, and ready to find love.  He said he's tried to maintain the same lifestyle he had before the show, working, going to Church on Sundays and spending time with family and friends.  After the confetti pop, the guests came back on-stage to congratulate Ben, and one of the executive producers waved us to go up as well.  There was no possible way he could really be motioning to us, but he was.  I jumped to my feet, and patiently waited my turn to congratulate Ben and give him a hug.  Just as he thanked Joe, he turned, genuinely looked at me and thanked me as he gave me a huge hug.  Thi also got to meet Ben and moments later we were all ushered out of the studio and back to reality.  

'After Paradise' Live Taping Guests, hugging the new Bachelor, Ben, and us gals at a commercial break!

It all happened so quickly but thanks to DVR, the gals and I watched the episode later that night, and the whole thing made it on the Aftershow!  You can even hear me say, 'I know you don't know me, but congratulations...oh my goodness.'  I think the last part was due to sheer shock.  The things we get to do living in LA, and this is one certainly thanks to Thi!  That's a day I'll never forget :)

'Hard Knocks' is back!

'Hard Knocks' is back and that means I'm Hosting at Afterbuzz TV with our Football fans, Christina, Stef, and new Host, Frank this season while we talk all about the Houston Texans!  J.J. Watt, originally from Wisconsin, went to school at UW-Madison is clearly the stand-out on the team but it's exciting to see new additions and other big players continuing to make plays during the pre-season and I think under the Coaching of Bill O'Brien, it's a strong team to contend with!

Hosting at Afterbuzz TV with Christina, Stef, and Frank for Week 1 of 'Hard Knocks'

The fact that we get to talk about Football for nearly an hour already excites me but when you add that insider perspective behind the scenes at training camp, you really reel me in!  With the addition of some awesome players and a very New England heavy team, including Coaches. I believe the Texans will make it to the play-offs this season.  Their schedule this season looks good and if their wide receivers and running backs come in confident, Hoyer will make contact, and lead his offensive team well.  He's got Cecil Shorts coming from Jacksonville, DeAndre Hopkins who is currently listed as their number one receiver while Freddy Blue is listed as their number one running back.  With the plays that Chris Polk was making during last week's pre-season game, I think he'll be coming in and potentially start depending on how well Blue does.  Jaelon Strong also showed promise as a Rookie wide receiver so we'll just have to see what happens in the upcoming weeks.  J.J. is always such a leader, and there's no doubt that their defense with Vince Wilfork, Brian Cushing, and Rahim Moore, their line is going to be massive, and I'm really liking Charles James at cornerback and jumping in at running back as well.  During the show we haven't seen too much of special teams so I'll be interested in seeing who will be taking that starting position returning punts!

I was able to Lead Host during Week Two of 'Hard Knocks' so that was very exciting since we just started doing a 'Hard Knocks' show at Afterbuzz last year.  I started watching Football with my Mom at a very young age, always cheering the Packers on, and my Mom put me on the Packers Season Ticket Waiting List when I was nine years old.  I'm still waiting and it seems like it's going to be quite some time before I even see an opportunity for those tickets.  I started Cheerleading and took camps in Middle School and was on our High School and then Winona State's Cheerleading Team all throughout college.  When you're a Cheerleader, you're literally right in the action so I got used to knowing what was going on and what each of the positions had to do in order to win or lose a game.  I miss being right on the sidelines when I go and see Football games nowadays.  

Week Two of 'Hard Knocks' coming to ya from Afterbuzz TV

Needless to say, I've been interested in Football ever since I was a little girl and getting to Host our 'Hard Knocks' Aftershow at Afterbuzz TV is a dream come true!  The perks of doing this show are the insights we get into the team as well as other teams.  Finding out who will be starting or playing back-up is very beneficial when I get ready to draft for my Fantasy Football Team.  I'll start doing Mock Drafts next week and figuring out where and when I can draft certain players and more than likely I'll pick up a Texan or two since I'm on the Houston train...or should I say, Wisconsinite Watt Train!

I'm looking forward to an exciting Football Season and all I can say is, Go Pack Go!  And Aaron Rodgers...you'll always be my favorite <3

'Real Housewives of New York' Finale at Afterbuzz!

Last Tuesday, the ladies and I Hosted the Season Finale of 'Real Housewives of New York City' at Afterbuzz TV.  Lucky for us we had Kristen Taekman back in our studio to discuss the episode.  We also had a special treat before the show, manicures using Kristen's POP of Color Nail Polish Line from POC Beauty!

POP of Color Mani's at Afterbuzz TV

We arrived a little earlier to the studio than normal so Jennie Lau from Cristophe Salon in Beverly Hills could do our nails.  Megan chose a gorgeous green color called Cash Money, Fern went with a bright beautiful red called The King and since I was wearing a royal blue dress, I decided on Blue Moon.  The last time we had Kristen in the studio, she had been wearing it, and I fell in love at that moment so I was excited to try it.  It's also the first time I've had a manicure in years; I really can't remember the last one I had so it has to be at least four years ago!  When Kristen got to the studio she was wearing a lovely shade of purple called Beach Please so we all had to take a photo of our POP of Color manicures!

We can all agree that this season of 'Real Housewives of New York' was pretty wild.  With the return of Bethenny, it's been an interesting season.  New friendships were formed and others broke, but we were all along for the ride and this week starts the next few episodes of the Reunion which will certainly be explosive!  We're hoping to have Kristen back in the studio but we'll have to wait and see.  She wanted to tell us so much last week but couldn't since it would be spoilers for the Reunion episodes. Thankfully, Tuesday night is right around the corner...

Special Guest Kristen Taekman joining us at Afterbuzz TV and a special thanks to Jennie Lau
for our Manicures before showtime!  AND my new nail polish colors I can't wait to try :)

Meanwhile, it was update time for my polish so I put to use my new colors, doing a little Blue Moon on my tootsies while my fingers are sporting a great Fall color called TGIF.  Could it be Thank Goodness It's Fall?  Either way, it was nice for a little pampering at Afterbuzz last Tuesday, getting to hang out with Kristen again, who is just a breath of fresh air, and discussing one of our favorite shows!  See ya next Tuesday Housewives fans :)

CUT in Beverly Hills

I can't believe I forgot to write about my incredible Birthday Meal with Kristina just over a month ago, and the last of my Birthday celebrations...at least, as far as I know ;)  She took me to Dinner at CUT in the Beverly Wilshire, which is where the movie, 'Pretty Woman' took place.  It was a dining experience and I love sharing these special moments with one of my best friends.

Dinner at CUT in Beverly Hills with Kristina!

We started the day off by the pool with a little champagne and some snacks!  Jamie joined us too and brought another bottle of Wine to go along with the Sparkling Wine I had ready and waiting for us.  It was a gorgeous day by the pool as we caught up and enjoyed the day.  Soon enough it was time to get all gussied up for Dinner and Kristina did my hair as we watched 'Pretty Woman' just to get re-accustomed to where we would be spending our evening dining.  Then, our Uber picked us up and we were off to CUT.

The meal kept going as we started with some delicious breads and ordered a fabulous bottle of wine after our Sommelier made some suggestions for us.  Since neither of us had tried Bone Marrow, we decided to be adventurous and order that.  It was served with a mushroom marmalade and parsley salad that you spread over toast.  Next up was the Summer Corn Salad, that was light and refreshing, perfect for Summer.  Kristina wanted to order the Porterhouse which was 34 ounces of steak, Filet and New York Strip, and delivered to us on the bone, and cut right in front of us.  Talk about the presentation!  We also got some Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and a Mushroom Medley.  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and it was a meal that was an experience in itself.  The food just kept coming, and everything tasted so good.  They brought out a little dessert plate for my Birthday which was so sweet and also packed the rest of our food to go, including some extra bread since we loved it so much!  The service was impeccable!

Since we were in Beverly Hills we decided to stop by Bouchon to have a glass of Dessert Wine and get some of their perfect macaroons.  Then we hopped into an Uber and decided to stop by Gabe's for some Karaoke and shots...shots, shots, shots.  Thank goodness we were Ubering all night!  When it's a Birthday celebration, the shots just keep coming.

An amazing end to a fabulous Birthday Dinner :)

What an amazing day with Kristina and a Dinner I'll never forget!  I'm not quite sure we'll be able to top this one but I know we certainly won't stop trying.  Thank you Kristina...you're one of the best friends a girl could ask for and I love you <3

July Karaoke

July was a really busy month for Karaoke!  We had one week that was a little bit more quiet but most of the weeks we had lots of singers and lots of songs.  In fact, on the last Wednesday in July, Justin celebrated his Birthday at Gabe's, and he filled the room with friends, all dressed as someone or something with a 'J' theme, and the rotation was so long most people only got to sing once!  That's what I call a party!

*I have now written this blog twice and lost it both times trying to add a photo to it, so unfortunately, since I deleted the songs I sang from my list, I only have the new songs and a few others from the past month.  I guess that's technology for you :)  I'll try to add a photo in later after I've saved and posted it!*

Mandy Moore "Candy"

Ashlee Simpson "Lala"

Alanis Morrisette "Ironic"

The Eagles "Hotel California"

Oasis "Wonderwall"

Spice Girls "Say You Will Be There"

Dishwalla "Counting Blue Cars"

Blues Traveler "The Hook"

Kings of Leon "Sex On Fire"

Pat Benatar "Shadows Of The Night"

Pat Benatar "Treat Me Right"

Joan Jett "I Hate Myself For Loving You"

Joan Jett "Do You Wanna Touch"

Our first week in July was really busy as I only sang a couple songs that night and it was an all female song night for me.  My new one was Ashlee Simpson's "Lala" since I heard someone else sing "Pieces Of Me" also by her.  The following week I sang all 90's music except for my new song, which came from the 70's.  "Hotel California" is a very popular Karaoke song and I really liked singing it; it works well for my voice.  When I was heading to Gabe's that next week I heard Dishwalla's "Counting Blue Cars" and since I rarely hear that at Karaoke I thought I'd try that for my new song that evening.  It's definitely a song I'll sing again!  That night there was also a Spice Girls super-set and I closed with another fun song by Kings of Leon.  Since I had seen the 'Romeo & Juliet: Love Is A Battlefield' at Rockwell Table & Stage the previous Sunday before Karaoke on the 4th week in July I decided to sing "Shadows Of The Night."  I can't believe I hadn't sang that before!  It's such a great song (aside from the chorus repeating three or four times at the end which gets a little repetitive) and I love Pat Benatar!

The last Wednesday of the month was reserved to celebrate Justin's Birthday and there were lots of 'J' themes going on, like Jackelope's, Justin's Jurassic Park, Jasmine, Jewish Grandfather's, Jocks, JFK, the Joker, and more.  I decided to double up and do Joan Jett.  I had to sing my favorite Joan Jett song but my new song was "Do You Wanna Touch."  It's a fun rock song and I loved having Maya there to do a little back-up and dance with me :)  Justin and I also sang "Another Day" from 'Rent' and had the whole CAC Crew singing along with us...it was a great moment!

Costumes and Craziness for Justin's 'J' Themed Karaoke Birthday :)

It was a really busy month and sometimes I look forward to the more quiet nights when friends come in so they get the opportunity to sing more.  But I do love the vibe when we're busy and everyone is singing along to all the songs, cheering each other on, and enjoying the atmosphere!  Overall, it's nice to have a mix of the two kinds of nights throughout the month.  On to August!

Fundamental LA for Dine LA

To cap off two fabulous Dinners for Dine LA I knew I had some time to grab one last Dine LA experience at Fundamental LA for Lunch.  Located in Westwood it serves creative food from the farmer's market.  I actually decided on this restaurant based on a picture I saw on Instagram of their Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They looked that good!

Lemonade, Quinoa, and a Shrimp Po'Boy at Fundamental LA

For Dine LA they offered a Sandwich or Salad served with a side, a cookie, and a drink all for $15.  I decided on the Shrimp Po'Boy, the Quinoa with dates, cashews, red pepper, and mint.  It had a sweetness to it and I loved how complex it was and how well everything worked together.  The Shrimp Po'Boy was actually a little bit more difficult to eat since it was Tiger Shrimp and they were battered, so you were either eating the whole shrimp or nothing at all.  The batter felt a little heavy but the shrimp were big and juicy!  I also really liked the spicy aioli that came on the sandwich.  The Lemonade I ordered came in a Mason Jar and they brought me mint, free of charge, so I could fancy up my drink.  The cookie was delicious, gooey, freshly-baked, and a perfect end to the meal.

A bunch of their sides sounded really appetizing, Brussels Sprouts, an Orzo Pasta Salad, and Shishito Peppers.  I also thought the Watermelon Chicken Salad, the Albacore Salad, and Grilled Cheese Sandwich sounded amazing.  They have a Lunch Deal that is a Sandwich or Salad, Side and Cookie for $13 so I'll for sure be back to try that.

They only serve Lunch until 3 pm, and when they say that, they actually mean that.  I literally felt rushed through Lunch even though I had ordered by 2:30 pm.  A few minutes after 3 pm I felt like I was in the way and I'm not a big fan of that but I'd go back to try more of their menu anyway.  Overall, I was really happy with the meal and I liked the lay-out of the restaurant, so I will return :)