The MAC store is the debil!

Yesterday I went to Columbia mall to find outdoor wear for the inauguration and walked out with no outdoor wear but $100 worth of cosmetics at the MAC store...and I don't even really wear makeup. The girl behind the cosmetics counter asked me about my make up regimen (which is basically nonexistent). I lied a bit about foundation and such because I knew I wasn't going to buy any and I didn't want her to start with the hard sell, but at some point she started to talk about eye make up, and for some reason I told her I didn't really wear any because I like a more natural look... Now why did I say that?! Here this girl was with her eyes VERY made up and looking quite nice by the way. She looked at me with this incredulous look on her face and next thing I knew I was sitting for 20 minutes in the chair getting my eyes done with a natural look (I left poor Derrick and Jamal waiting patiently outside the store..LOL). Afterwards, I was so impressed with my eyes that I walked out with an eyebrow pencil, base paint, three eye shadows (because one just wouldn't do), and the lip gloss and lip liner that I had originally gone in there for in the first place. Sigh...

Um...what part of I don't wear make up don't I understand?! Now I'm looking at all this makeup realizing that I now need foundation, blush, and BRUSHES!!! I see a trip to Ulta or Sephora in my future.

The MAC store has created a monster! 

Charlie Mack's Granddaughters do San Antonio!

Ok... I'm late as hell with this post. My apologies, cuz'ns! (Pic: Keisha, Me, Catrice, Anita, and Kim)

Well, we did it again! We celebrated our 2nd annual Charlie Mack’s Granddaughter’s weekend in San Antonio, Texas, and you know what? We had a ball!!!

Now I know what you're thinking... Why San Antonio?! And why in July?! Most of us were thinking the same thing before the trip, but afterwards we were saying, "Why NOT San Antonio in July?!"

Prior to leaving for this trip, I thought San Antonio was just a big dust bowl with nothing to do. Wow was I ever wrong. Thanks to my sister, Anita, who was our event planner for the trip, we had a non-stop, action packed, whirlwind of a trip. Our itinerary included the following:

Friday

• Arrival in San Antonio!
  
• Pickup rental - The Ford Explorer was almost too small for us and all our luggage. We packed like girls...LOL
  
• Grocery shopping - We girls need our snacks...and drinks.
• Arrival at Homewood Suites Hilton at San Antonio Riverwalk - Complimentary hot/cold breakfast everyday and the beds were soooo comfortable.
• Stroll down the Riverwalk - It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL...and long.
• Casa Rio - The margaritas are sublime and pack a powerful kick. I highly recommend!
• Pedicures!
• Chillin' with the cuz'ns back at the hotel

Saturday

• Morning jog/walk on the Riverwalk - Hmm...this was Anita's idea.
• Market Square - Shopping!
• La Magarita - Margaritas were WEAK! Very disappointed. Food was good though.
• Another stroll on the Riverwalk - Yeah, again! I told you it was long. It's actually quite awesome, with tons of restaurants and shops.
• More chillin' back at the hotel

Sunday

• KENDRA!!! - Who knew there were Dixon's in San Antonio?! We met up with our cuz'n, Kendra, who recently moved there.
• Riverwalk Tour - It's still the Riverwalk, but this time by boat.
• Dick's Last Resort - None of us had ever been before but we had heard about it. Let's just say this isn't the type of place you want to go to if you insist on "good service", polite wait staff, and not being forced to wear a paper condom on your head with words that say "Sex Toy Instructor". It was definitely an experience, and a lot of sophomoric fun. Shout out to our waiter, Eric! Oh, if you want to eat alligator, try the Gator Bites. I did. Um...let's just say it DIDN'T taste like chicken...LOL
• River Center Comedy Club - The opening comedian was funny but his black jokes got a little tiring after a while (especially when we were the only blacks in the club!). I guess it was payback for black comedians singling out the lone white audience member. Anyway, Tom Rhodes, the headliner, was great, and the appetizers and drinks were surprisingly good.

Monday

• Horseback riding!!! - This was by far the best thing we did during our entire trip. We spent 2 hours horseback riding through Texas Hill Country, and it was absolutely great. I highly recommend the BR Lightning Ranch, located just outside of Bandera, Texas, the Cowboy Capital of the World. Thanks to Cowboy Mark and the horses: Red, Junior, Pal, Rodney, and Copper for a great experience.
• Texarita - Everything is definitely big in Texas! We discovered this when we had lunch at Texarita. This is the only place I know that offers an entree with your sides...your up to 5 sides!!! Yeah, we ate like queens and the food was YUMMY! Unfortunately, the margaritas were just ok, but still a great experience.
• Alamo - What can I say? It's the Alamo. I signed the guest book so someone one day will know I was there... LOL
• Tower of the Americas - I don't usually have a problem with heights, but this place made me extremely nauseous. Me no likey at all. Way overrated and the 4D show was budget, booty, and a waste of my hard earned money. Hmph!

Tuesday

• LaVillita - Cute cultural arts center with shops containing the artists' wares, like jewelry, weaved clothing, scents, souvenirs, etc. Wish I made the big bucks to be able to purchase some of the artwork.
• Leave for Home

Since this was a weekend (a long weekend) for my sisters, cousins, and I to get together to reconnect with each other and appreciate the special relationship we have, I'm taking the liberty to share some of my reflections on what I learned about them and me during this trip.

• Apparently I'm a whiner and instigator. I plan to work on this. (Don't laugh!)
• Keisha is not just loud. She's really LOUD!!!
• Kim is her sister's keeper, and a diva who will seriously rock a blouse and designer jeans while horseback riding...but I'm not hating or anything...LOL
• Catrice doesn't like the word "bitch" and she's serious, ya'll! Oh, and since she's gone completely natural, it's clear that she inherited the Jarman hair, and, yes, I AM hating!
• Anita is not bossy after a few drinks. We need to get her liquored up more often. :-) She was rocking a serious short cockatoo-like hair style at the comedy club. It was the hotness! (And, yes, I just compared her hair style to an exotic bird...LOL)
• We are Dixons and we argue and we love each other, despite the fact that we argue and when we finish arguing, we play Spades and get over whatever it was we were arguing about...until we bring it up 2 days later and argue about it again. :-P
• We SERIOUSLY MISSED those of you (Erica, Danielle, Kaci, and Tiffanie) who could not make this trip. Next year's trip will not happen unless ALL OF US are there. That's the point of the weekend, right? 100% participation in 2009, ladies!
• My sisters and cousins love each other something serious, and Grandma Charlie Mack would be soooo proud!
  

I'm looking forward to next year's trip...which I hope will be somewhere in the Caribbean!

Smooches!

Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii...sigh

To all the Apples, Pilot Inspektors, Audio Sciences, Banjos, Denims, Jermajestys (ya'll...JERMAJESTY...Ugh!), and so many others, there is actually a little 9 year old girl born to non-celebrity parents who has a more jacked up name than yours.

Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii - Yeah... that's her name.

People, please do better.

Zoom zoom zoom

Have you ever noticed the make and model of car that causes the most havoc on the roads, like speeding, swerving, and all around recklessness. Well Derrick has and he's convinced that it's the Volkswagen Jetta. When he first mentioned this, I thought he was crazy. I mean how can a specific car type be responsible for its driver to be a total ass on the road. Well after further observation, I think Derrick may be on to something.

After he told me this, I started making a mental note of the cars that zoom by me in reckless abandon and you know what, they weren't Mazdas (Get it. Zoom zoom zoom?). They weren't the fancy sports cars that I assumed would be the main culprits. They were Jettas!

I guess those drivers really took those Jetta crash commercials touting its safety to heart and now think they're invincible, or maybe its the superior German handling. In any event, I know which cars to stay away from on the roads from now on....and now you do too.

Showing my support

I'm coming out of blogger retirement to show my support for my favorite blogger, Monica Mingo AKA Creole Princess, who is a guest blogger on Sephora's website. Please show your support by clicking on this link. Thanks!

My sister the marathoner

As I sit typing this, my sister is 16 minutes into her very first marathon. Yes, my sister, Anita, is one of the runners today in the Marine Corps Marathon. She will be running 26.2 miles through Virginia and DC in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She started training for this marathon 5 months ago. When she started she could barely run a little more than a mile. However, her last email update regarding her progress about a week ago reported that she had successfully reached a 20 mile high, and she was confident that she was prepared to complete the marathon today.

I'm so proud of her efforts and dedication and am confident that she will complete her 5 month goal of completing her first marathon.

If you would like to support Anita in her efforts and at the same time support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, please visit her webpage: www.active.com/donate/tntga/tntgaARollins.

Well, gotta go now! Have to get downtown so I can stand on the sidelines and cheer my sister on!

Is it ever too early to break out the boots?!

I recently bought three pair of boots (yes, three!) and I can't wait to start wearing them. I've noticed that the Hollywood celebrities wear boots pretty much anytime of year (Britney Spears is rarely seen without her brown ugly stinky looking boots), but I think most normal folks break them out in the fall. So, is it officially ok to start wearing mine now? Do I have to wait for a consistent run of 60 degree weather before I can show them off?

A few years ago, I worked with a crew of ladies who had a strict rule against wearing boots too early in the season. Kind of like a no-white-after-Labor-Day rule. I mean they actually believed that if you wore boots one day when the weather was cold and sandals the next day when the weather got warmer, you had somehow violated a major fashion rule. I honestly had a boot wearing complex for a while. Hmmm...it appears I still do. So help me out, people. Is it time?

There was a chill in the air today... I'm just saying... Rules are made to be broken right? I mean the boots are FIERCE!

Who pays for YOUR beauty maintenance? Him or you?

I've been an independent woman all of my adult life. When I need to get my hair done, nails manicured and pedicured, back massaged, etc., etc., etc., I've always managed to take care of these things myself. I've never had a sugar daddy (nor have I ever needed or wanted one) and never have I felt like I needed to rely on a man to take care of my personal maintenance, but that's just me. However, recently, I had a discussion with one of my coworkers, and learned that it was not only expected but a requirement in her relationship that her man (her fiance) pay for her weekly hair and beauty maintenance. Hmmm...

I thought this was an urban legend, because I have heard of women like this, but I've never really met one who practices this with her man on a regular. I'm confused. This woman goes up to her man every week with her hand out looking for money, when she takes her grown behind to work every day to earn a dollar just like he does. Now, yes, he earns more money than her, but a baller, he's not. She insists that he pay for her upkeep because she's looking good for him. But I must ask, can't she pay for these things herself and still look good for him? I don't know. It just doesn't seem right to me.

I could see this as a nice treat every now and then, but an every week requirement! Shiiiiit, first of all I can't see sitting in anyone's salon for hours on end, let alone for hours on end every week. And I'm damn sure not going to be in the position of getting bent out of shape when my man tells me that he doesn't feel like paying for MY HAIR this week... that was how the convo with my coworker got started. I'm just saying.... that's just me. Shiiiit, I'll pay for my own damn hair. Hell, it's mine!

Anyway, what say you? Do you pay, or does he? Do you agree with me, or do I need to start hitting up my man for hair money??? (Ha... yeah, right.)

P.S. For real tho, if my man was caked up like the dude in this picture, I might be persuaded to change my argument.

P.S.S. Hmm... nevermind. Upon further inspection, I see he's holding a big stack of ones. He's gonna have to do better than that... ;-)