One Ticket to Whatever USA

A few months ago I heard Bud Light was creating a town called Whatever USA. I decided to make it my personal mission to attend.

Because Bud Light was allowing all winners to bring someone, I convinced my friend, Vanessa, that we both needed to audition to double our chance of winning (we made a pack that if only one of us won, that we'd bring the other). A 24-pack of Bud Light later, we had filmed, edited, and submitted two ridiculous videos for a chance to go to Whatever USA. But that's not all. We also attended a Bud Light party at Hogan's Beach and auditioned at least a half-dozen more times. Shameless? Yes. Effective? HELL YES!

We both won (yet took no one else--long story).

We weren't told where we were going, we just knew we had to be at the airport really early on Friday, September 5th. I had to deliver over two hundred cupcakes to my cousin's brewery three hours away the night before so I wasn't totally excited about that. I got home around 3AM and had an email waiting that said our flight leaves at 8:30AM. Vanessa picked me up at 6AM and we were off!

 First Pic

Upon our arrival at Tampa International Airport, we technically still didn't know where we were going. Bud Light wasn't telling any of the winners until we arrived at our destination. However, we had heard rumors of Colorado so we were sure to pack a couple of sweater and jeans along with our bikinis and crop tops. When we checked in with the confirmation number Bud Light gave us, we realized we were getting on a direct flight to Denver.

...because for the next three days we'd only have Bud Light.

#RoofortheWin

Vanessa's winning audition video said that if she won, she would bring "a case of Bud Light, a kangaroo for entertainment, and a TOOTH brush!" So I snuck Roo out of Mila's bed to come along for the ride.

"I don't know what this is, but if you're going to Whatever USA,

you're at gate A46." - Pilot

Made friends on the commercial flight to Denver who we grabbed a drink with 

while waiting for our charter plane to Whatever USA.

Our charter plane.

Cold Bud Lights and a Whatever USA "newspaper" waiting in our seats.

The newspaper revealed that we were headed to Crested Butte, Colorado. The newspaper gave us a bit of information about our upcoming weekend, but still mostly kept things a secret, and told us some awesome facts about the town we would call home for the next three days.

You may recognize this picture from the COVER of theChive--

it was taken on my phone :)

#bestWhateverplane

#WhateverTampaCrew

 It was 35 degrees our first night...

Alesso Concert

Alesso headlined the first night. Lil' Jon was the first to preform around 5PM after we all arrived, followed by Charli XCX around 8PM. At 10PM we all wondered over to a secret carnival and were suited up in LED jackets that strobed to the rhythm of the music playing. They directed us into an ice skating rink where Alesso came on!

 #LightTheNight

 View from our room #1

 View from our room #2

 Represent!

 Yoga 10,000 feet above sea level <3

(literally one of my favorite things I've ever done)

We look damn good post workout, if you ask me.

FSU friends I met to celebrate game day with --

look at all that garnet!

 They actually painted the main street in downtown Crested Butte blue. 

 Cold War Kids! <3

 Front row at Cold War Kids :D

 Vanilla Ice serving vanilla ice cream out of an ice cream truck.

 

The Governer

 The most unflatter bikinis of all time. Thank you, Bud Light Lime.

 Prom Dates! 1976 Style

 Sunday morning. My lipstick was still totally fresh.

#howdoesthishappen?

Going home...

 ...but first.

 REPRESENT!

 It took 2.3 hours to get through the TSA line...

 ...causing us to miss all the flights back to Tampa.

 Leaving Whatever and heading back to Denver--

to flights that had already left.

 Stand by for a flight to Orlando. Yes, Orlando. Not Tampa.

 Fuel leak (or should I say, the second fuel leak).

 But we managed to get on board and even hitched a ride back to Tampa 

with some awesome Whatever friends!

#takemeback

You better believe if Whatever USA happens again next year, I'll be auditioning like a mad woman again. Until next time, Bud Light.

❤A

P.S. A HUGE thank you to Bud Light and Crested Butte for the most excellent hospitality I've ever experienced. This was absolutely one of the greatest adventures of my life and I will never, ever forget it.

26 and Counting

I made it to 26! It's not that I'm surprised, just proud of where I'm at. Over the past year I've focused on doing things for myself and moving in a direction that I truly want. I'm single for basically the first time in my life, I made a significant career move within my company, traveled to new places, and have spent more personal time with my friends and family, especially Mila.

While the bond with my daughter is hands down my most important relationship, the one I have with myself is a close second. For the first time in years I'm really getting to know who I am without outside influence. So while it may seem self centered, my list this year is 26 facts about me. Some I'm just finding out and others are well established, 26 on my 26th in 3, 2, 1...

1. I love to be the first to crack the sugary shell of creme brûlée. I didn't realize how much I love this until my friend Rachel beat me to it the other night. 

1.B. Creme brûlée is my favorite dessert, bread pudding is second, then brownies. Or maybe waffles?

2. I have nine pillows on my bed, sleep with six, but only really use one. Maybe two depending on my mood. 

3. I'm obsessed with paper straws and have a paper straws dealer. Her name is Brittany. 

4. I really like spicy food. I am so immune, it surprises me when someone says what I'm eating is spicy. I've recently noticed a parallel in that I'm a very strong person emotionally. It surprises me when someone says what I'm going through is tough when it hasn't really had an impact on me. 

5. Only two of my really close friends I've met after the age of 16.

6. Almost none of the furniture in my house matches. And no, not because they're hand-me-downs, because I like it like that. 

6.B. I even own two couches that are different colors, one is blue and one is green. And I have a lime green hutch, and a yellow chandelier.

7. Speaking of which, yellow is my favorite color. 

8. I refuse to ever own a car that isn't an SUV. Been there, done that, won't go back. 

9. I love Jonah Hill so much I named my dog after him. 

9.B. I hope to one day own a cat named Elephant. 

10. I was given my Kitchen Aid as a gift when I graduated from high school. I was told I could ask for anything, that's what I wanted.

11. I have hundreds of books on my "To Read or Reread" list.

12. Tulips are my favorite flower, but I always say I prefer lilies because they were my Uncle Richard's favorite before he died. 

12.B. I never met my Uncle Richard, he died six months before I was born, but I feel I have more in common with him than anyone else in my family. 

13. I love surprises more than I can even explain. Probably because I'm so difficult to surprise. 

14. When I was a kid I decided where I'd get married and what I'd wear, it has never changed. 

15. I pray a lot more than people would guess.

16. I have a saxophone "A" key on a long chain I wear around my neck. It's my absolute favorite piece of jewelry. 

17. Tea over coffee. Amy over Tina. Chocolate over vanilla (but never chocolate sauce--gross).

18. When I'm nervous or uncomfortable I say the strangest things, which only makes the situation worse. It's a gift.  

19. Future homeowner goals include: owning way more art, gratuitous Christmas decorations, and an extra bedroom I can make into a closet. 

20. Speaking of Christmas decorations, when I was a kid, I used to pretend that everyone was decorating their houses for my birthday. I still do this. 

21. Cole Porter is my default and favorite Pandora station. 

22. While I consider myself overly emotional, I've gotten very good at controlling them. Unless I'm angry--that's my weakness. 

23. When I started getting tattoos, I promised my mom I'd never tattoo my chest or legs. I fully intend to never break that promise. 

24. I rarely eat the desserts I make. 

25. I love vintage pieces, from furniture, to knickknacks, to clothes and jewelry. They're unique and have lived an entire life we can never know about, I like to imagine they'll keep on living even after their time with me.

26. I have a secret spot. All I'll say is that it's on the Loop in Ormond Beach and that I used to skip school to go there and drink beer.

❤A