The One Where I Introduce Willie (He's Just a Balloon Pig)

Let me just prep you for what you're about to read... it involves a million balloons (including a pig balloon you can walk on a string, like a real animal), a lot of sushi, beer, and someone's birthday. No, not mine. (My birthday is in May, feel free to send presents in advance. I like diamonds.) My roommate Monique's birthday was this past Tuesday, but she was in Idaho for work, so we ended up celebrating last night.

Except we are super sneaky folks and she didn't realize everyone who ended up coming was going to be there. She thought I was going to be somewhere else entirely (which would make me a pretty bad roommate, don't you think?) and I almost nearly was because the theme of the day yesterday was apparently Everybody Do Whatever You Can To Make Nancy Late Today. Rude. My cortisol level was off the freaking charts. But I made it. And earlier in the day Amanda and I had met up super sneaky style at the Dollar Tree (holla) to get a ton of balloons. We succeeded.

The lighting in the place where we started was horrible, but you get the gist.

And... LISA FRANK CENTERPIECES!

More balloons!

My Little Pony! Represent! Shelly actually brought this one. But, hearts just the same.

"Those princesses are totally judging us."

So everyone met at the Claremont Craft Ales place, this new brewery in the middle of a weird, random industrial park and Monique was sufficiently surprised. Which I just love. Surprises are so much fun to pull off. And we attracted a lot of attention in our Dollar Store (holla) party hats, but who cares?

Matt, looking very dapper.

Amanda and Nicole

Erin, going for the double-horn look.

A different Nicole, showing off this spring's two-horned shoulder style.

Ian, rockin' the ladies sunglasses.

Then, WHAT ARE THE ODDS, all these professors and students who Monique/Julia/Shelly/basically everyone who is not me go to school with and at that point... it was time to head out. Partying in front of a professor...? Weird! So we ended up at Rumble Fish sushi. Yum. Although the waitress was kind of rude to us and did not let us order a sushi boat. What. The. Hell. Isn't the customer always right?!? Apparently not. 

The Birthday Girl, wearing her super awesome Birthday Girl hat.

Nicole, sporting one group of balloons on top of her Dollar Store (holla) party hat.

Oh yes... and the piece de resistance of the evening... Willie, the walkable balloon pig.

Staring up at his mama

Chilling on our recliner. Like a boss.

Willie came with us everywhere last night and let me tell you... want to start a conversation with ANYONE? Bring a walkable balloon animal with you. From old to young, lads, ladies, children... they will all be intrigued. You will be the talk of the town. It's very fun. This morning, however, Willie was missing a hoof. No one's sure when it was lost last night, just that it was. So now he kind of dances a little more than he used to, but at least he still has a good attitude. 

Now, I just realized I did not do a Weekly Obsessions post last week, so to make up for it... here's another one! (Just go with it.)

Weekly Obsessions!!! 

1) In keeping with my love of boy bands, apparently New Kids On the Block (NKOTB, for those who are not in the know) are about to release a new album and with it, a new single called Remix (I Like The) and it's basically a story of a girl who used to be shy and a wallflower and didn't really like herself and then she decided "EFF THAT I AM AWESOME LOOK OUT WORLD HERE I COME" and clearly the confidence increases her likability by, like, a million. So I watched the video the other day and I am officially obsessed with both the video and the song. (PS - that screenshot of the large black man snapping and playing the piano - YES.)

2) I don't know if anyone else remembers this story from a few years ago about a group of already-privileged teens from the Calabasas, CA area who went around and burglarized celebrities' homes just for the hell of it. But if you don't, and even if you do, I think you'll be intrigued by the new Sofia Coppola movie that's coming out this summer about their shenanigans. It's called "The Bling Ring" and Lifetime made a (very tame) movie about the story last year, but come on. Coppola vs. Lifetime? Coppola will always win. I'm SUPER EXCITED for this movie. Plus, Emma Watson is in it!

3) HBO has been playing "The Lucky One" with Zac Efron for the past week and every single time it is on, I HAVE to sit down and watch as much as I can. If you didn't see the movie, PLEASE DO. It is so, so good. I think it may be my favorite Nicholas Sparks movie. And it has reignited my crush on Zac Efron. HELLO.

4) Britney's brunette hair. I don't think I even need to say more. Girl looks good.

5) Amanda and I literally saw Travis Barker in the grocery store today while we were buying sandwiches. Of all the celebrities we could have spotted... he was the one. I forgot how skinny he is (mega) and how many tattoos he has (so, so many). He didn't really talk to anyone, from what I could see, but one bro who works at the grocery store was like hollering into his phone "DUDE I JUST TOOK A PIC WITH TRAVIS BARKER OMGGGG" so... apparently he's still a thing. Honestly, the first thing I think of when I think of him (which is not often, for the record) was his MTV reality show with his ex-wife Shanna, Meet the Barkers. Anyone else remember that!?!

I apologize if that last video sends you down a dark, dark rabbit hole of looking at videos of MTVs' old reality shows on YouTube for the next hour, but let's be honest. That's probably more fun than whatever you were going to do!

Peace, love, and walkable pigs to all of you.