Recently

Watched:

PAST LIVES - I've been wanting to see this movie for months! It was finally available for rent this week and it was lovely. I'm still thinking about it days later and even though I'm not going to, Greta Lee was giving me the short-hair itch. 

Two childhood sweethearts, after decades apart, are reunited for one fateful week in New York as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life in this heartrending modern romance.

Ate: An incredible cheesesteak sub at Stasios. A couple weeks back Dustin came home talking about Stasios, an Italian deli in Downtown Orlando, I had somehow never heard of until that moment. His friend from work hyped it up so much that Dustin then kept bringing it up every day. So we made plans to go check it out. We invited Antonia and Ed and to partake and the four of us went over to Stasios. A few things for anyone who is venturing over that way - 1. The parking is tight and kind of a shitshow. 2. There is only window stool seating (and not very much). We definitely went into it thinking there were full on tables to sit and eat. 3. The place gets BUSY. I thought by going there somewhat early we'd beat the rush but nope. In the end we decided to go stuff our faces back at Antonia and Ed's place where it was much more chill. We all had a moment with our various subs. A MOMENT. 

Then just Saturday night the latest Finer Things Club met up at the Nauti Lobstah in Apopka. They are offering their own magical dining menu (3 course meal for $40) through September, and it is SO MUCH FOOD. I got shrimp cocktail, Ritz Crusted Cod with sweet potato casserole and veggies, and a deconstructed Key Lime Pie. But because it's the FTC I tried the calamari, lobstah roll, and mussels. Chef's kiss! Also they close at 8:30 p.m. on weekends so we finally had an early outing! Hooray!

Listening to: Both of the new Blink-182 songs released this week! Very pumped about the rest of the album. The new Olivia Rodrigo album is wonderfully 90's pop-rock and really fun to sing in the car to. I still have teenage angst I have to release. Always will. It's solid as a whole but 'Making the Bed' is my fave. Oh and the surprise second album of 2023 from The National - Laugh Track. I'm enjoying some songs and others are growing on me, but I definitely don't think it's as strong as First Two Pages of Frankenstein. 

Transported back to the 90s:With Pod Meets World which is a re-watch podcast of the series Boy Meets World. Each week Danielle, Will, and Rider rewatch an episode and dissect it for better or worse. They add in tons of little behind the scenes facts, talk to old co-stars, writers, and producers and really roast the hell out of themselves. It's like hanging out with childhood friends every time I listen. When they announced they were stopping in Orlando during their tour I was all in. Although she doesn't listen to the Pod, Katie is a fellow Boy Meets World fan. The only problem is that it happened to fall on a Halloween Horror Night which meant insane traffic to get in, parking fees, and crowds galore. Katie had me breaking rules left and right (and good thing because if I hadn't we would've been late). First I cut into a parking spot that was open instead of following the line of cars up and around the garage. Then on the way to get in the security line they were making everyone from our side of the garage walk a mile out of the way. Katie again said nope and hopped the barrier. Then helped me do the same and we booked it across the lake to Hard Rock Live. 

The show started with a Shawn tongue-in-cheek poem/monologue and I was 13 again. Then the others came out and they talked about their weekend at 90s Con in Tampa. I need to go next time! Who's in? Let's make plans now! I can't wait to see my first husband Mark-Paul Gosselaar again. They did a costume contest where my personal faves were the girl dressed as Ski Lodge Lauren and the two friends as old Shawn and Cory (they won a signed script because Will kept literally everything!). They brought out Tony Quinn aka Mr. Turner and chatted about his time on the show. They played never-before-seen/never-on-YouTube footage of the boys dancing to N'SYNC before a taping and it was everything! I love that the live show was just a mix of everything. What a fun time - last Sunday...and the 90s.   

 

Wearing: Business JNCOs. Well, that's what Dustin calls them and I have to agree it is an accurate name for a wide leg trouser situation. I've been seeing this trend on websites and on Taylor Swift and on an influencer I follow; it's the one of the few I am totally on board with. 7th grade me is probably cheering somewhere. 

Freaking out over: Traylor aka Taylor and Travis Kelce. Never before has the U.S. come together in such a wholesome way that is gawking over Taylor Swift showing up at the Chief's game yesterday to watch Travis Kelce play. She sat with his mom. She yelled "Let's fucking go!" when he scored a touchdown. She walked out with him and they left in his convertible. He wore a matching set that was very 1989. The internet went WILD. I went WILD. I don't know much but I know it looked like she was having the time of her life at that game and I hope she continued to. I have to give it to Kelce for shooting his shot. And this week they have an away game against the Jets so he will be in her neck of the woods...

Dustin Says

After Dustin had to go to the ER hours after I told him not to drink a Ghost energy drink.

That's why they call it Ghost...because that's what it turns you into. 

Me: Did you blow it up in there?

Dustin: I mean, it wasn't a full demolition.

Showing Dustin my new phone case with credit card holder...
It's like your phone has a little backpack.

You have so many crowns, it's like Buckingham Palace in your mouth.

You're having more balloon issues than the Chinese government. 

Lunchables are just individual charcuterie.

AVA does High T

Anna moved back to central Florida recently-ish and so the three of us had been talking about getting together FOREVER, but time after time it was well, never the right time. Until it was that first Friday of June. 

Yeah June. 😬 I am incredibly behind on blogging. Shrug.

The moon and stars all aligned, I met them at the parking garage, and we walked to Church St. for dinner at Artisan's Table. We shared a bunch of appetizers and laughs like we owned the place. I mean, we were the only people in the entire restaurant which was nice but also strange and sad. Where are all of those happy hour people?

We moved the party to Orlando's new cool spot - High T. It is top to bottom Alice in Wonderland themed bar with Alice herself and the Queen of Hearts roaming around very much in character. Again, we had the place to ourselves even though they do recommend reservations (and yes you get your deposit back).  The whole "early bird gets the worm" saying is true. There are multiple sections you can choose to be seated in, or reserve, but since we were once again the only ones in the place we just hopped from area to area. 

We started at the bar where we watched the bar tenders make some fancy ass drinks. I had a cute lil water but the girls went all out and it was so fun watching these drinks come to life. We all were so focused on 'the hole'. The whole time we were at the bar one of us kept saying "WE HAVE TO FIND THE HOLE!" Ha! We found it and even got pictures with Alice before it swallowed us down. Apparently 'The Hole' is another seating area that can be reserved. I imagine everyone wants photos in it so I don't think it would be the best to sit and hang out unless you'd want to be interrupted over and over. The hookah sitting area aka the Absolem Hookah Experience, was roped off, and is an extra charge. 

We sat back at the bar and tried to airdrop photos to one another which was a whole hilarious fiasco. We had a real boomer moment and had to ask the very youthful Gen-Z bar tender guy why it wasn't working. I'm sure he didn't expect IT support to be part of his job description but we appreciated him nonetheless. And you know what's even funnier? We still had trouble. But OMG we laughed like we were 13 again and it was everything.

We of course needed a bathroom break and I was amazed by the level of detail also in the bathroom. It is a beautiful space and my inner interior designer was just bursting with excitement. I also gladly helped strangers figure out how to work the sinks. I should've just put a tip jar out and given people a mint as they left. This is my new side hustle guys. Come say hi to me in the pretty bathroom.

We continued to explore the space because every inch is filled with something different. Upstairs is the Red Queen Piano's Lounge. It's more like a loft area overlooking the rest of the bar. It's definitely a tight squeeze for a group of people but four fit extra comfortably at the giant chair and table. 

The Balcony Birdcage area is of course outside, on the, you guessed it...balcony. We sat out there and talked about everything between middle school and that exact moment - clip and go hair, getting the shot, 44, Titanic, and that my brother was born at the end of our 6th grade year and the following day I was going to his wedding AND the fact that the three of us went to middle school with his wife's cousin - Jennifer. It is definitely a small world after all. I think it's the most I've laughed in all of 2023. There is something truly special about friends you grow up with as kids and continue to grow with as adults. Of course our lives look a lot different and it takes a lot of planning to get us all in one place these days, but it's always worth it. 

I'm always game to go down the rabbit hole and drive down memory lane while making even more.

Take time for your friends, all of them, from every part of your life. We all wouldn't be who we are without them. Treasure them and the moments you share together. 

 

   

   

   

 

        

 

 

 

We ended the night with a bang. Poor Anna got stuck in between two gates while trying to leave the parking garage. Thankfully Val and I noticed before speeding away. We told her to hold on while we got help. We saw a security guy walking around the garage earlier that night so I went all the way to the top to try and find him but no luck. I'm driving while Val is in my passenger seat on the phone with Anna. We were all dying laughing but I was determined to figure this out. I finally found a number for security and they paged the guy we were looking for. He was able to lift up the gate and she got through. Crisis averted but honestly hilarious as hell especially when we already had the giggles all night. I mean we were proposing #FREEANNA t-shirts and everything. I dropped Val home and that concluded our wild and crazy AVA reunion. Until next time...

        

1998 - Busch Gardens

 

2004 - Val's baby shower.

   

2006 - HMS Reunion #1

2009 - HMS Reunion #2 at Firkin and Kegler

   

2017 - Fern Creek Reunion and Farewell