The last-minute Walgreen's run. Earplugs + copious snacks = ready for take-off. We're island-bound. Bon voyage, dahling!
Posts filed under Travel
But first, Malibu
Pre-flight Malibu beach walk and breakfast: Five stars
LA Trip Notes
Yes, of course I'm having a fabulous time. That's a given, considering we're with the Russells.
The boys are now in bed, and the adults are lounging on the patio. A visitor just appeared in the yard.
I'm totally closing the window in the guest room tonight.
I Am Here
Greetings from Los Angeles, dahling.
Vegas Pics
As promised, the Vegas pics.
Viva Las Vegas! A fine time was had by all. Cheers to new and old connections!
I Survived
Awesome weekend. Still here. Leaving tonight. Will share pics and details manana.
Hope you had a great weekend as well, dahling.
Have Mercy
Here's where I'm headed today.
Pray for me.
Guess Who Eloped?
I'll give you a hint: DJB and I! We were married October 1 in Red River, New Mexico.
The ceremony took place on an old, covered bridge, and was officiated by the town judge, Jack Griffin (who also owns and operates the tiny town's Shamrock gas station). The day was perfect in every single way.
Fine, fine... I'll get on with the pictures, courtesy of the fabulous Wes Naman.
I'm a wife, dahling! How fabulous is that? Cheers!
With love,
Lisa VanDyke-Brown
Denver Trip Notes
Note #1: Mark Star Karaoke at 3 Kings Tavern
No trip to Denver is complete without a visit with my dear compañero, Mark Star and his ruca, Shawna. Mark is the karaoke king of Denver, dahling. We caught him this time at 3 Kings Tavern.
Were there shenanigans? Well, if mucho drinking, caterwauling and stripping down to skivvies onstage constitutes shenanigans, then, yes, there were shenanigans. Witness the video evidence. Yes, the guy on the right has his pants around his ankles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYiyaBKxU-A&feature=channel_video_title
Note #2: Antique Shopping
Found one of those jumbo-sized antique malls. Good times. Creepy stuff.
Note #3: Golden
We spent the first night in Littleton at the groom's house. However, net connection problems and a major power outage caused us to move on. Ultimately, we chose a lovely hotel in Golden, where the wedding was taking place. We checked in after dark. Woke up the next morning, opened the curtains and saw this... 
Yes, we were directly across the street from the Coors brewery. Par-TAY.
Note #4: Wedding
The wedding was lovely. Met lots of great new people. Hearty congrats to Dan and Deb Cassin!
Scottsdale Trip Notes 2
I'm alive... sort of. It was lovely. Swimming, eating, drinking; swimming, eating, drinking; swimming, eating, drinking... a bit of shopping thrown in for good measure.
Trip synopsis: Life is very, very good.
Monday morning. Departure time. I was very excited to help pack up the car and head to Sedona for lunch. My first Sedona trip --- woo! I loaded myself up with bags, headed downstairs, placed the bags by the car, stood up and... YARRRRRRGH!!!!... horizontal lightning bolt of pain across lower back. Evil! It was bad. Really bad. I could barely walk. I couldn't climb the stairs and return to the air-conditioned condo. I was stuck.
Fortunately, DJB had the good sense to insist I report immediately to the hot tub and pool. He got me inside, changed me into a bikini (couldn't undress or dress without help; embarrassing!), walked me to the pool and helped me into the water. So good. Was able to stretch like crazy whilst alternating heat and cold. Good call, fiancé.
The cutest part about this whole part of the story is this: the only way I could walk without being in searing pain was to hunch over, tuck my booty under (the c-shape thing, ya' know?) and shuffle slowly. This made me look like a 98-year-old woman. Imagine this in a bikini. So, so, sooooo NOT seksi. FML! I also looked really cute in the booty-hugging cut-off shorts I wore pre- and post-swim. And by "really cute," I mean like some crackhead hillbilly grandma shuffling around in daisy dukes, trying to look hot. EXTRA-STUPID. It was Humility Monday for your girl, for sure.
Then, my luck changed. We'd just left the condo, heading for Sedona. I'm still hurting so much that we need to hit a drugstore for Thermacare wraps and sh*t. We cruised the interstate, seeking Walgreens. Nothing. Ahhhhh... hell times. Target sign. That'll do. What's next to muthaf**kin' Target: DSW. That's Designer Shoe Warehouse, if you've been living under a rock for the last 15 years or so.
Angels sang. DJB helped me out at the curb then parked the car. Though still in pain and experiencing spasms every 5 - 15 minutes, I tucked my ass under and slowly shuffled my way right into that shoe Mecca. Hell or high water, henny!
Naturally, I didn't try on any heels. I may have been foolish enough to be in there in the first place, but I staunchly refused to even look at the heels. I found some flats, dahling. Yes, the f-word. I did it. Shut up.
Indeed, I totally went shoe shopping in miserable pain. I don't care if I have a problem; leave me alone. Through it all, DJB remained by my side. Now that's a good man. He's so fab that I want to slap him, but I should give his poor face a break after the marriage proposal smack-down.
Ultimately, we drove through Sedona, but didn't stop. Didn't want to anger the injury gods too much. Shoe shopping and shuffling around a tourist town would've been pushing it. It was lovely. We'll head back soon.
Home safe. Slept better than I have in weeks. Pain's improved a bit, but still super-granny. Whatevs... it'll heal.
OK, there's the weekend wrap-up. Hope yours was fabulous!
Scottsdale Trip Notes 1
Here we are in Scottsdale. We arrived yesterday around 3 p.m. and immediately proceeded to spend hours drinking in the pool with Quintin. Needless to say, the rest of the night was somewhat of a blur.
Fortunately, I feel pretty good this morning. I expect today will be more lucid... bwaaahahaha!... who am I kidding?!? DJB and Q are already drinking Kahlua and coffee. Give me strength.
Ouch-ish.
This morning, I saw Dr. Francine Olmstead at NM Travel Health and received some vaccinations in preparation for my autumn trip to Bali.
Ouch factor: 3
Excitement factor (because departure date's growing closer): 7
Santa Fe Wedding Fabulousness: The Main Event
The wedding was breathtakingly gorgeous. See for yourself.
The bride, Bonnie Minkus, and groom, Jayme Holmes, are standing under a chuppah made by mother-of-the-bride, Sabra Minkus. It symbolizes the home they'll create together. The sides are left open to signify that all friends and family are welcome into their new life and home. The roof above the chuppah is embroidered with the traditional phrase, Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li (I Am My Beloved's and My Beloved is Mine), from the Song of Solomon.
Reception: incredible. Posh as can be, yet it retained the warmth of a far more intimate scenario... well done, everyone.
Guest-list? Fabulous, of course. Here's my table roster, alone.
Not pictured: Aaron Gottlieb.
And, of course, mister man and yours truly.
No, I didn't attend the event topless; it's a strapless maxi dress, dahling! Add maxi bangs + maxi bracelet, and the result is easy, breezy, but not sleazy... in short, a good summer wedding guest dress.
Here's DJB with the happy, gorgeous couple.
Michele Meade and I nearly missed the whole Hava Nagila experience because we were chatting it up outside. Fortunately, we caught the tail end.
One of the evening's highlights: the children's impromptu cover of Lady Gaga's Born This Way. Beyond fabulous. I cried a little; that's how cool it was.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoO7xoFx79w]
Such a lovely weekend. Hearty thanks and congratulations, Bonnie and Jayme!
Santa Fe Wedding Fabulousness: The Teaser
The wedding and reception were absolutely lovely. Five stars, unquestionably. No detail overlooked. Perfection in every way.
However, since it's brunch, then check-out, then a stop by Cochiti Lake en route home, it'll be a while before the grand extravaganza post hits the blog.
Sorry, dahling... lots of fab pics and videos later. Mimosas are beckoning. Cheers!
The Next Morning...
I woke like a shot at 5:30 a.m. Had a nightmare that an army of ghosts on horseback were chasing us around the hotel property. They should've been riding skunks. I'd like that dream script revised and on my desk in an hour. Anyway, when I typically wake from nightmares, I'm famished. This was no exception. I staggered across the room, grabbed the to-go plate of wee cupcakes that accompanied us back to our room after our late-night dinner at the family house, then shut myself in the bathroom, so as not to wake up DJB while I scarfed down sweeties.
I eagerly peeled away the plastic wrap... too eagerly, my friends, as this is what happened:
Yes, the whole plate tumbled into the sink. At least it wasn't on the floor. Easy clean-up.
Nothing says "good morning" like a sink full o' cupcakes. Good times.
Let the games begin.
Santa Fe Wedding Trip Notes: Day One
You know when something waaaay over-the-top crazy happens and you have no choice but to either freak out in a stress rage, or you can laugh because it's simply that bizarre? Welcome to day one, dahling.
The drive was a bit tedious. People were totally driving like lunatics. Friday... rush hour... loco ABQ/SF commuters.
This is the Las Conchas wildfire burning the hell out of Los Alamos and our beloved Jemez mountain range. It is the largest fire in recorded state history, having burned 150,000 acres or 234 square miles.
Here's what's happening in Los Alamos proper. Intense.
Bishop's Lodge is lovely. As soon as I saw the croquet lawn (among my fave recreational pastimes) and sparkling pool, I knew the resort was Fabü-friendly. 
Here's the view from the family's house. Outstanding.
This is where the rehearsal dinner took place. Sadly, we missed the dinner. Why?
After checking into our lovely room, Mary Poppins ate an entire Slim-Jim from the munchie basket. Ugh. Dog diarrhea nightmares flashed before my eyes. Now that's a stench. I said a little prayer and carried on. Nothing could have prepared me for the stench to come.
DJB was kind enough to take the dogs for a little evening stroll while I finished unpacking. Next thing I knew, there was a cacophony of mayhem in the hall. Fynn came racing in the room with Dj sprinting behind him. "Don't touch him!" Dj shouted. "He was sprayed by a skunk!" He wrestled Fynn out of the room and carted him outside, where the poor dog rolled in the dirt maniacally.
About three seconds later, the stench in the room was so intense that we had to flee outside, quickly. We jumped into action, held our breath and darted back inside. First, we threw open all the windows. Next, we called the kitchen. Within five minutes, we had a large container of tomato juice. Fynn was carried inside, plopped in the tub, and the tomato juice bath commenced. Rank stench. Gag-inducing.
The gracious hotel staff promptly offered us another room. We packed like our lives depended on it, gagging all the while.
Fortunately, the tomato bath worked pretty well. Our new room smells great. We hauled-ass to the rehearsal dinner house, where we were greeted by the groom, Jayme, playing a ukulele and singing whilst walking out the door. "Awesome!" I thought. "The party's still hopping!"
Nope. Only three folks were still up. No surprise, as it was 11 freakin' o'clock. Damn skunk sprayed our whole evening.
Fortunately, the awesome Mexican spread was moments from going into cold storage. We wolfed down green chile enchiladas, taquitos and oh-so-delish chile con queso in a few minutes flat. We. Were. Starving.
Now, at 1 a.m., we're finally preparing to hit the sack. Quite an evening.
Apparently, there's an entire skunk family roaming the property. Mama and babies. Dj said the one that sprayed Fynn was fairly large. We suspect it's mama. Clearly, she doesn't play. Fingers crossed our paths don't cross again.
Fortunately, throughout the whole ordeal, Dj and I managed to laugh rather than stress out. Good job, Brown. Teamwork times.
How was your Friday night?
Weekend Wedding Fabulousness!
I'm heading to Bishop's Lodge in Santa Fe for a weekend of wedding fabulousness, dahling.
Naturally, I'll keep you posted on all the fab happenings.
Indy Trip Notes: The Wrap-Up
Shoe shopping was successful. Miss Ella got her first pair of Chuck Taylors. So proud!
After a tasty lunch, we stopped by the pet supply store to grab some goods for Romper the rabbit. The girls disappeared around a corner. Here's where I found them.
We left without any new creatures. Close call.
Preparing to head home. Adios and much love, fam. Thanks for a goofy-great time, as always!
Indy Trip Notes: Pet of the Day
Today's featured family-visit pet is Willis the hamster. Congratulations, Willis.
Honorable mention awards to...
1. Chewy, the Green-cheeked Conure (that's not bird mange; he plucks his own feathers)
2. Sandy the cat
3. Jack the black dog and Bandit the white dog
4. Zuko the cat
Not pictured: Kiara the camera-shy cat.
I believe the pet tally is nine now, folks. We're about to go shoe shopping. Who knows what we'll come back with. Perhaps a guinea pig? Iguana? We'll seeeee.
Tip of the Day
Itchy, welty mosquito bites gettin' you down? Welcome to my world... it's bug city madness ova hurr!
Do I have some excellent news for you, dahling: meat tenderizer!
Mix it with a bit of water to create a paste. Apply to bites. No more itch; no more welts. Bam!
Mega-thanks my brother-in-law for this incredibly effective remedy that I shall utilize for the rest of my life.
P.S. Make sure to use the unseasoned variety of meat tenderizer, unless you enjoy smelling like eau de rotisserie.
In honor of this fabulous tip, please enjoy this deliciously-brutal track from Albuquerque's own thrash-noise darlings, Tenderizor.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvcxMVxoNoo]