It's here!

Taylor Swift's new album! It comes out today! I'm real excited!

I saw the album on the cd rack at Starbucks this morning, grabbed my phone to take a pic and almost squealed out loud "she's heeeeeeere!" But then I remembered where I was. And thought the nice man in his business suit behind me in line would probably judge me. So I refrained from embarrassing myself.

I'm currently trying to decide if purchasing the album from Target for the exclusive songs is worth it. Since I don't have an easily accessable Target store in Manhattan, I would have to purchase online. And that would require shipping fees. And that just seems silly for a CD.

So then I decided I could probably find a way to spend $50 online and get free shipping. And then I remembered that I had quite the expensive weekend, so perhaps I should just purchase it digitally and be done? But then I wouldn't have the exclusive songs. It's a seriously important dilemma. I know.

So for now, I leave you with this fantastic lil video of Taylor herself in the Target commercial. My favorite line = "yeah, he liked the cool girl - she had straight hair...."

Ohmygoodness I heart her!

is this real life?

this is so not the way i planned for this weekend to go.

i lost my iphone. or it was stolen. or maybe a lil of both?

so i cried. a lot. over a stupid phone. but it's not just any phone, it's my iphone. that i stood in line at 6am with my mom to purchase for my 24th birthday. let's just say i have an unhealthy emotional connection to an electronic device.

so in my emotional breakdown on saturday morning, i headed off to the apple store to replace my addiction. instead of to the bar to watch the longhorns game.

i ran into roommate hannah as i was leaving. she was coming in from the grocery store with treats for our afternoon of saturday football. i was planning to make southern caviar dip. then i realized the recipe for the dip was on my lost iphone. and then burst into tears again. good.

i walked into the apple store on 66th and broadway. and without crying, told the first guy i saw that i needed a new iphone. and i didn't have my old one because i lost it....


nice apple store guy: ok, no worries. have you already called at&t and turned it off?
lj: no, i mean, it's been like 10 hours, so i just came straight here.
nice apple store guy: good, then this will be quick and easy. here's a 16GB, put in your phone number and SS# and everything will switch over. whoever has your phone won't be able to use it and none of the information will update.
lj: seriously?!? that's it?? it's that easy??
nice apple store guy: (laughing) haha, yes. i just need your id.
(i pull out my texas id)
nice apple store guy: are you kidding? you're from texas? and let me guess, you're a rangers fan?
lj: oh yes. spent many summers at the ballpark with my dad. last night was a good one for us. i'm guessing you're a yankees fan?
nice apple store guy: yep. die hard yankees fan. and please don't try to tell me how much the rangers deserve it. 50 years, no playoffs, whatever...
lj: well if it makes you feel any better it was a rough night for me too. i mean, my iphone is like my life.
nice apple store guy: well your iphone is replaceable, the yankees season is not.
lj: bahahahaha, alright, i'll give you that.
nice apple store guy: i literally walked in today and told my boss i wasn't going to help anyone from texas. and here you are. my first customer of the day. and of course you're from texas.


so that was that. the nice apple store guy not only hooked me up with an iphone 4 in about 15 minutes, but he somehow managed to make me laugh. so i didn't burst into tears. good.

i also made it to the grocery store. and remembered all ingredients for my dip. however, i purchased double the velveeta cheese for queso and inconveniently forgot to double the rotel. needless to say, we had extra cheesy queso. such was my day...

i think it was around this time during the Auburn / LSU game that patrick announced how he couldn't believe texas lost today. WAIT. i'm sorry, did he just say that texas lost today?!? to iowa state? at home in austin? what is wrong with today?!?

then i plugged my new iphone into my computer to sync all my info. i was congratulating myself for backing up my phone earlier in the week...and then. error message. really? the guys at apple now tell me that my brand new iphone 4 is extremely inconveniently incompatible with my not-brand-new macbook operating system. and i will need to purchase an update to use my phone. aldkfjasdlkfjasdflj.

to top it all off. i ended the day babysitting cutie kids violet and cooper. when i left their apartment i was exhausted from the ridiculousness of the day. and it wasn't until i got to my corner at 89th and broadway, that i realized i had left my hours old iphone 4 laying on their coffee table at 83rd. yes, for the 2nd time in 24 hours i had left my phone laying on a table. really lauren?

this cannot be real life.

and now i'm off to the apple store for the 2nd time this weekend to purchase an upgrade for my macbook.

good weekend.

Dream Like New York

"And dream like New York
As high as the skyline
Aim for the stars above those city lights
I wanna dream like New York
I'm running down Broadway
Gotta catch the next train
I'm making my way"

~Dream Like New York, Tyrone Wells

I love music. And concerts. And musicians. And songs. I really love songs. Songs with lyrics I can relate to. Songs that inspire me. And songs that tell stories. Songs with meaning.

I can confirm this preference as early back as high school -- when my boyfriend and I were completely unable to agree on "our song" -- he liked good beats and I liked good words. See, a bit problematic. I mean, bonus if the song has a killer guitar solo. But give me a guy at his piano singing his own lyrics that tell a story and I'm perfectly content.

I really do have a point, I promise.

Last week we went to see a few singer songwriters perform at City Winery. We had seen one of the guys a few months ago, but hadn't heard much about the other. All we knew was that the show was sold out and we were happy to get last minute tickets.

All this to say...and this is where I get to my point...All this to say, I love going to see these kinds of shows in New York. There are so many small, intimate performance venues here. Always a great show to see. And you never know when you are going to discover a new artist that you love. So much, that during the show you make a list of the songs you plan to download as soon as possible following the performance.

And that's what happened at this show. On a random Tuesday night in New York. With good friends Susan and Lindsay Ann.


Please allow me to introduce you to a few of our new favorite Singer Songwriters...Andrew Belle and Tyrone Wells. Y'all. I'm kind of in love.


Both are incredibly talented dudes with amazing voices and serious song writing skills. And from the moment they step on stage, they have me hooked. every. single. song. was awesome.

I already own many of Mr. Andrew Belle's songs. You should check him out. He's real good. Always.


Next up: Tyrone Wells.



Tyrone opened with "Dream Like New York." Being the hopeless romantic, constant dreamer and lover of song lyrics I am, it was no surprise that I looked at Susan with raised eyebrows. I mean, who was this tall man on stage with such insight into my soul?!?

Then at the end he asked for silence from the crowd so he could close with this song. Partially acoustic, partially a cappella. Wow.

"I've seen the great heights
Reminding me I'm alive
I don't want to die
I don't want to waste another day or night

I know there's something more
Than what we're living for
I see it in the stars, I feel it on the shore
I know there's something,
I know there's something more"

~More, Tyrone Wells

It's good right? Good words. Good song. Good show. Good New York.

wishing i had directv

just for this.



sadly i will wait until next february to see the final season of my beloved FNL on nbc. tim riggins, you are required to make a comeback.

that's all.

Things that make me laugh

A gchat conversation between me and my lil sis yesterday...there's a lot happening here that. i. love.

Lauren: oh i dunnoooooooo

Leslee: ya right. you know
you're even a bad liar thru typing

Lauren: hahahahaha
what? i'm a perfectly adequate liar

Leslee: ya okay
so you are lying?

Lauren: shhhhhhhhhh

Leslee: hhahahahha
i'm so manipulative. thank.you.mom.

Lauren: hahaha
right?
one of the best life skills she ever gave us

Leslee: for sure
but that is bc we use it for good, not for harm

Lauren: yes. bc we get what we want. and what we want definitely always = best.

1) Les knows me so well that she can call my lies through gchat! I never claimed to be a good liar. I'm actually terrible at it. Even through typing. (But I'm really not lying about this Les! Believe it!)

2) We are both master manipulators. A lil life skill we learned from our Mom. Who is the queen of getting her way. Thanks Mom!

3) We are the brattiest of all brats. Because we think we should always get what we want. Because we are always right, naturally. Again...Thanks Mom!

we don't wanna

on this lovely friday afternoon i have another bethany and lauren story to share...and it's a pretty good one.

last week b and i went to quickly grab lunch. on a perfectly lovely sunshiney day. at 2:30 in the afternoon. because clearly 2:30 in the afternoon is an appropriate time to eat lunch. but i digress, that's a different story.

today's story is about what happened as we were walking back to the office. with giant fountain diet coke's from subway in hand. mid-conversation at the corner of watts and thompson, miss bethany suddenly flung herself towards the wall of the building and proclaimed:

"i don't waaaaannnnaaaa!"

i starred at her for a good 5 seconds before i burst out laughing and grabbed my phone to capture this picture so you could see this display of ridiculousness for yourself.



i guess this is what happens after so many 12+ hour work days and 60+ hour work weeks? i mean....we just don't wanna.

then after another weekend sleepover with miss jamie at 9a, i picked up my iphone to find this photo set as the new wallpaper:


oh bethany. she really likes my iphone. more specifically, she really likes the doodle buddy app on my iphone. and the lil froggy stamp it has. so the 'we' she is referring to here = herself and her TCU horned frogs.

i suppose none of us wish to go back to the office.

but...well...can you blame us?

sometimes we don't wanna!

A Texas Wedding

Finally!

Julia & Seaver's Texas Wedding Weekend!

September 18th, 2010
Little Elm, Texas
Julia Yale + Seaver Wang
= Wale Wedding Extravaganza!

Friday night we hit up Sneaky Pete's on Lake Lewisville for a lil post-Rehearsal Dinner celebrating.

Caroline, the pretty Bride-to-Be and me

Us and the Groom after the Rehearsal Dinner

Then on Saturday afternoon we all arrived at Camp Yale ready for the festivities. The backyard was lovely. The ceremony was down by the lake, followed by drinks and appy's near the pool, then Tex-Mex dinner (naturally) and endless dancing in the tent. Julia was gorgeous. There were tears. There was laughing. There was a whole lotta wine.

It was really hot. Texas in September hot. But that didn't stop the party. Everyone was a gross, sweaty mess. So please don't judge us by the following pictures. Just know that the party was fantastic. Cheers to Roger and Anne for a hosting a phenomenal event at their home!

Me and Caroline: Before the dancing.

This is when the tears start.

Happy.

Not sure if you noticed, but he's wearing a yellow bow tie. A bow tie! Love!

Mr. and Mrs. Wang!

W koozies. One of the many many parts of the evening that were so perfectly "Julia."

I love the first dance!

Dear Seaver, please put down the knife...actually, wait. Please cut me a piece of that delicious strawberry cake and theeeen you can put down the knife.

Me and the bride!

Congratulations friends!! Soooo happy for you!!

Me and Caroline: After (or maybe during?) the dancing.

Julia may have stolen Seaver's bow tie. Cutie cutie.

Ohsoperfect!

Congratulations to Julia and Seaver! What a wonderful Texas wedding weekend.
It was a collision of so many of our worlds. A lil college-y, a lil New York-y and a lot Texas-y. So very happy to share the weekend with so many friends from so many different places. It was a blast. And my friends are married. Married! Lots of love!