Required Reading

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Thursday Top Ten: Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn. . . .

Sorry this is tardy. . . .






Hey y'all!

I attended the American College of Physicians National Meeting in not-so-sunny San Diego. I attend this meeting every year, but it's the third time that I've been when San Diego hosted it.

Okay, so can I please just vent for two seconds?




San Diego! Your people are wonderful. Your hotels, lovely. And the convention center, superb. But WHAT is up with this craptacularly overcast and COLD weather you give us EVERY time we take planes, trains, and automobiles to your frickin' California coastal town? You mean to tell me I left Atlanta for this? The surf is so not up, dude.

Uggghhh!

Okay. Well since I am at the mercy of my iPhone and iPad, this week's top ten will be a random potpourri of this week's moments (since there is never a shortage!) I apologize in advance for the typos, grammatical errors, and randomness that will surely come from me being forced to use thumbs and touch screens to do this. . .

#10 The Swagger Wagon!

You guys already know about my not-so-secret desire to get a mini-van, one, because kids trash cars and two, because ever since I saw that lady hit the automatic doors on that rainy day in the carpool lane, it was a wrap.

Guess what? Since I was in Cali, I rented a swagger wagon! (See the post "Dirty Little Secret" 1/7/2011)

Yeah baby!





Okay.

(I was a wee bit disappointed that only standard issue rims were available.) Anyways. I want all the haters to know that I did get at least one "hey mama" look from a stranger. So don't. Hate.




Hey mama.


#9 Picasso-Pimptacular Pedi!

Since I flew into my hometown of Los Angeles (home of the world's most inexpensive pedicures), I HAD to get as much as I could drawn onto my toenails to prove it. . . .




Don't hate. This explosion of gaudy goodness was a mere $23 and took like TWO minutes! It's art, I tell you! Yes, I am somebody's mama's doctor--you got a problem with that?

#8. Pinkberry Yogurt!






And I also had to go to Pinkberry although Atlanta apparently has one now.


This I liken with the presence of more In'n'Out burger spots all over L.A. now. Something about making something easily accessible drops its cool factor a few more notches. For this reason, my Pinkberry tasted less luscious.

#7 Animated movie mayhem!


Those with kids under the age of six know how much it stinks when no animated movies are in theaters. Right now, there are like THREE or FOUR in theaters now!!! We kicked off our animania this week with "Hop."





No. It was no "Toy Story 3" but at least it wasn't in that highway robbery 3D that my kids refuse to wear those glasses through! I'd say it was worth a see. (If Russell Brand irritates you, however, you should definitely pass. . . )

#6 My "blind date!"

Well, sort of. How cool is that I had a lunchy-brunch with one of my favorite blogger buddies? So very. What a delight it was to chat it up in person with the witty author of www.smacksy.com. It sort of felt like I was meeting a celebrity, which felt weird while on the way to meet. But. When I got there it felt more like we were filming an episode of The Hills, The Grown Woman Years. (This version has pressed coffee in swanky bistros instead of martinis and Patron shots in deafening clubs.) Anywho. . . nothing about it was weird in the end, which was great. We yucked it up like old friends.

Officially not my blog-friend. Officially now my friend-friend. Now I totally want to meet some of my other fave blog-tacular virtual girlfriends. . . .

Verdict: Technology rocks. (Even if I've resisted the Facebook and Twitter revolutions.)

#5 Telling folks to talk to the hand.

This is me teaching a workshop at the ACP Meeting on steroid injection techniques. I love this ol' scary looking hand we demonstrate with!




Born to hand jive, baby!

#4 Wait. Huh?

Whilst shivering on a San Diego corner, I made THIS annoying little observation on my iPhone:








What's wrong with this picture? Ugggh.


#3 A slice of heaven.

Is it crazy that the highlight of my visit to San Diego was this "Heavenly Bed" in my hotel?

Ri. Dic. U. Lous.

Although I felt terribly guilty about being away from my husband and kids, I now officially believe that every mom should have periodic moments of losing yourself in a hotel bed with a remote and Showbiz Tonight. Not a romantic husband romp, either. Just you, a robe that you are contemplating boosting, and some room service. Oh, and some uninterrupted sleep.




Oh, the sleep? The sleep was on a whole 'notha level. Woo. Hoo.

#2. The Guilt.

Can I please tell y'all about the horrific rainstorm that hit Atlanta the night before I left for California? Oh my gosh! It knocked out the power at around 11:30 p.m. -- like two minutes after I put a WHOLE slew of the kids' clothes into the dryer.

The plan:

1. Stock fridge for Harry and kids while Mommy away.
2. Wash kids' clothes to make life easier while Mommy away.
3. Get gold star for being awesome team player.

Wha-had-happened:

1. Power went out at 11:30 p.m. on Monday.
2. After fridge had been stocked.
3. But before clothes got a chance to dry.
4. Power still out on Thursday, as in three days later.
5. All stocked fridge food is stinky.
6. All clothes scary and also stinky.
7. Kids subsequently stinky (until Dad checked into Holiday Inn last night.)

I was riddled with guilt in between Showbiz Tonight episodes and attending this meeting. Seriously. Will hear Harry lament about this week from hell from now until our 50th wedding anniversary. . . .

#1 This.





In the park last Sunday, Zachary said that this was for "double wishes." Please tell me you've seen a cuter sight so that I can tell you you're lying.

Wishing all of you "double wishes" this week and always. . . .

***

Happy Thursday. . . . .errr. . . . Friday.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

7 comments:

  1. It's ALL awesome. You're awesome. Smacksy is awesome. Did you get to meet the famous Bob Rosenberg? I'm so jealous. Your pedicure is art. I want it. Your mommy van- get you one. Put pillows and burn incense in it. That's what I did when I had one. Awesome! Your son is delicious and awesome. That bed is beyond awesome. Good sleep is the Best Thing In The World. And as a doctor, you know it helps to prevent obesity and memory loss.
    All right. I'm done.

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  2. Dr. Manning, your toenails are gorgeous! We need to get that in Atlanta.

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  3. Those toes! OMG, we can't get those here. I'm totally jealous. :)

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  4. Since when does a Cali girl say ya'll?! (just kidding) Hoping next time to you go to SD you get better weather. Fourth time makes a charm?

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  5. People? It's true. I met the good doctor and her fancy toes and they were glorious.
    (And the day was too cold for a Cali spring.)

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  6. Westin.com sells the heavenly bed online. You can buy the mattress, box springs, pillows, sheets, etc...all the trimmings. I haven't done it yet (my 17 year-old bed is hanging on for now) but a friend did a few years ago and swears it was her best purchase ever.

    (Sorry, Harry.)

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