pass me another mojito

Don't throw anything at me when you read this. Because, if you are, I'm sitting on a beach in Punta Cana with one my best friends, Danielle, for a week of sun, 80 degree weather (hopefully!) and endless mojitos.

See! I told you you may throw something at me.

This is trip couldn't come at a better time for both of us. My pasty body needs a tan like no other and she needs to get the F outta here since she is going through a rough break-up too. I mean, who wouldn't want me as their vacation friend? I'm super fun, up for anything and can lay out with the best of them for 10+ hours. Don't dare me....

It has been 10 years since we've last gone on a vacation together. 10 years........Seriously, the last time we were on a beach together was when we were 18 and in Myrtle Beach for our high-school spring break. We somehow convinced our parents it was an amazing idea to let five 18-year-olds drive a suburban down to South Carolina for a week.

Our parents were sooooooooooo naive or incredibly trustworthy of us. We stocked that car full of liquor, food and stayed in a condo for a week together. No arrests, just a lot of bad hangovers and a few noise violations.

some things never change

that's me, being creative w/ ketchup and paper towels

check out those hotties!

So........we head to Punta Cana for the week a little older and wiser with nothing to do but lay out, relax, sip mojitos, reminisce on this past year filled with the amazing ups and downs and come back refreshed with glowing tans and a hot new game plan for the next year ahead of us.

Now, pass me another mojito......

i heart thanksgiving

I feel like this applies to all us bloggers, don't you?



Eat too much. Seconds, thirds, go for it.

Drink too much. On the biggest bar night of the year. Everyone's a star tonight.

Laugh too much. With crazy family members and long-lost friends.

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

name that meow

I think I've officially been living downtown a month and definitely don't have a shortage of places to go or people to hang out with on any given night. Plus, with the holidays coming up, I somehow have almost every weekend booked leading up to Christmas and New Years, which isn't a bad thing when you are a single girl living in the city.

On Friday, my friends surprised our beautiful and pregnant friend, Erin, on her 30th birthday. Leading up to this day, she was unsure what she wanted to do, "I'm soooo pregnant" she'd tell me over and over and over. I had to remind her that she wasn't the first person to be pregnant on their birthday.

Her husband decided to throw an "Impromptu Birthday Party" so a group of us were ready and waiting when they came from dinner. I thought we nearly sent her into labor when we all screamed at the top of our lungs surprise! Saturday a group of girls got together and joined Erin at Santo spa in Pepper Pike for some pampering and relaxation.

Erin cutting her rainbow cake

Celebrating 30 is Ah-mazing

These toes are ready for Punta Cana

Post spa day, three of us went and relived our teenage years watching Breaking Dawn Part 1, where I proceeded to fall in love all over with Edward Cullen. Holy hotness! I really could have sat there to watch another two hours if they would've made the movie into just one part versus two. That night, I met with up with Alexa, Sean, Suzanne and a bunch of other peeps at Market and then Tina's Nite Club - two weeks in a row!

Did I slow down on Sunday? Hell to the no. I met up with the usual suspects -  Lisa, Sean and Alexa-  to brunch it up at XYZ tavern prior to Sean's first browns game. Add mimosas and it turned into quite the laughing, table slapping session, which continued at the game where I taught them the fun game of "name that meow." You meow a song and everyone has to guess what it is. Yes, it's a fun game invented by my coworkers. (Yeah Kelly and Nic!) Initially, you think, "Is she f'ing serious with this?" because that's what I said to Kelly and Nic. Yes, why yes, I am. Try it. It's addicting and equally hilarious and if you are at the Browns game while meowing, just expect the guys in front of you to get weirded out. It's cool. A little meowing never hurt anyone.

1st game for Sean, good luck charm right there

Go Browns!

Now, onto a three-day work week followed by my favorite holiday and then vacation for a week of pure bliss. Ahh....get us on that flight already.

because it's Friday...........

It's been a long week for me and I have a feeling for a lot of you there too.

With Thanksgiving coming up next week, we are all trying to get every last-minute detail completed so we can (or at least I feel this way ) walk comfortably out of the office for the next few days and enjoy the long weekend and crazy day that is Black Friday.

Or, in my case, a week and a half because I'll be vacationing it up starting next Friday. One week from today. It is lonnnnnnng over due. On a beach. With one of my best friends. Ah....bliss, relaxation and serenity now.

new placement for hair extensions

Feel free to add a caption to the above photo because it's absolutely ridiculous that I did that and, secondly, that it was captured on film.

I can only imagine what else was snapped throughout that wedding weekend.....

running around town

So I'm coming off an exciting weekend spent downtown (just loving my new apartment I tell ya) - beautiful weather followed by great times spent with friends. Oh how I love them all.

Friday, I met up with friends at Edison's Pub in Tremont to meet up with Jenn and Sarah and met a whole new group of interesting people. While you may have heard about this secret little place called Tina's Niteclub from reading Alexa's blog, it seems like all the cool kids end up there late night to sing their favorite songs.

While I didn't actually sing, mostly because I wasn't drinking enough and I started to lose my voice as it got later, there were some ammmmmmazing song choices from my friends but some of those people can sing! Seriously, some of these peeps can belt out some tunes.

On Saturday, I headed way east to Chagrin Falls for my cousin's wife's baby shower and their baby is due on my birthday. Yay for January 18 birthdays!

adorable cake

Mom to be

Staying in the theme of throwing apartment parties for the week, I had some college friends over to see my new place and had a group of friends over to watch Gossip Girl earlier in the week. Let's just say we didn't do a whole lot of TV watching but lots of laughing ensued and that's exactly what happened Saturday night too.

Katie with baby Olivia

A few of us headed out to the W.25th area to Market then Bier Markt then Speakeasy and for some reason we decided to head to W.6th. (Yes, I know, but we were going with the flow and the people we were with.)

We went to Drop Bar which I'm still going to call Mercury no matter how many times they change the name, and this is about the time where my two friends and I thought we could be on the show "So you think you can dance?"

See, proof, we thought we could dance

I would really hate to have been anyone there watching us or, mainly me, dancing around like a bunch of fools to Rihanna, Britney Spears and whatever house music they played. (You people know I can't dance!)

The weekend went by too fast and another really busy week is ahead of me with no sign of stopping until I'm on a beach with a mojito in hand. Sun, sand and one of my best friends for a whole week of relaxation is just what is ordered for both of us right about now.

P.S. Shout out to readers Zoe and Erika who I met in real life this weekend!

a few of my favorite things

Ever since I lost some much needed lbs., I've been making a list on iPhone of clothes I need to buy to glitz up my fall wardrobe. I'm also a HUGE fan of Pinterest and literally build my wardrobe within my boards. Check out my "what I want for fall" one.

Anyway, I like to find a good balance between buying trendy pieces at Forever21 and H&M and mixing in some quality pieces that will last for season after season. It may cost a little more but I know I'm making a serious fashion investment for my future. (Or at least that's what I tell myself when I look at the price tags of some of the things I pick out!) I've checked a few of my items off my list already and have a few more to add to my closet.

I was in desperate need to replace my 5-year-old Uggs, which were Oprah's favorite things mind you, with a boot that I can wear in the rainy days and through Cleveland's rough winters. Alas, behold my new Hunters. I picked these up on an amazing Gilt sale a few weeks ago.

Glossy black for me

I love my winter coats and like to have different options. You need a pea coat, a bomber, a winter white dressy one and I needed a new black coat too. I bought a Tahari coat like this one from Gilt too but the collar is different and flips around my face. I flipping love it!

Love the high collar!

I've been wanting a structured blazer - something not so typical. A jacket to throw on with jean leggings with pumps to dress up what would otherwise be a casual work outfit.

The grey pants don't do this coat justice.

What's next on my list you ask? Well, it's pretty long but this scarf has quickly risen to the top.

I've been dreaming of this scarf for over a year in multiple colors. The black, or navy with red too - I'd wear the hell out of it. Every day I swear. RIP McQueen.

McQueen scarf

As we enjoy the last month or so of fall and head into winter, what do you want you to add to spice up your wardrobe? New riding boots, winter coat, fur vest?

sickness becomes me

Well........ I was down and out for the count this weekend. I have always only known two speeds - 0 or 100 - one or the other. There's no in between with me and every time I tell myself, "Allison, you are running yourself into the ground and going to get sick," it happens at the worst possible times. Without fail.

Sure enough that's what happened after running at 100 mph for the last month. Between moving, traveling to back and forth from the west to east coast and just plain running on empty, my body shut the eff down. Friday night I desperately tried to fight back the head cold from hell and fever to meet my friend Danielle for a celebratory dinner and drinks.

Cheers to tying up all loose ends.

It finally caught up with me on Saturday morning and I spent the majority of my weekend in my apartment, moving between the couch to the kitchen to make myself tea after cup of tea with kleenex in hand.

my medicine for the weekend

my view for most of the weekend

Caught up on some reading material

Found fascinators from Nordstorm to wear to the Jump Back Ball in February

While I did manage to leave my place to pick up a few things for my Gossip Girl party this week, I also had two of my favorite visitors over to wrap up a very much needed low-key weekend.

Mira is adorable, even though she peed on my tile floor

Here's to a busy week and one more week closer to vacation. Where to go, where to go......