Don't judge.

Shea vs. the unclassified spider

Sounds like a children's book, eh? Well this is no fairytale. I'd classify this one under Sci-Fi or Horror. Yeah.

It started when I woke up this morning. I'm going to the bathroom with my door open since I'm home alone and I see it. A brown spider the size of my palm. I watch as it shifts its weight, staring at me. Slowly, all while I'm still peeing, it crawls under my bed.

HORROR OF HORRORS!

What is worse than a spider in your room? A spider hiding under your bed where you can't see it! Panic sets in, and I'm horrified.

An hour and a half goes by, and no sign of the eight-legged monster. In that hour and a half, I sat on my kitchen counter (away from the floor!) and read about the best ways to kill a spider. A mortal mistake. You know what happens when you google that? Pictures of spiders come up! And you read that there's a spider called a brown recluse that is POISONOUS. Great. I also found out that spraying a spider with just about anything will kill it. Spiders breathe through their skin. Spraying them suffocates them.

My weapons of choice: Raid wasp/hornet, Hot Shot wasp/hornet and Redken 23 forceful hairspray.

So now I wait.

Finally it emerges on the other side of my bed. Hairspray in hand, I decide it's best to wait for it to crawl farther away from my bed. (More spray time before it darts under the bed away from me) well, after a few minutes it retreats under the bed again. Great.

I'm ashamed to say this. I'm on the phone with my mom and I BREAK DOWN. The spider is out of my reach. How will I sleep if I can't find it? How did it get in? My skin is crawling. Mom calms me down and assures me it will come back out and I will kill it.

Worst of all, I don't know the species of spider. My brother is bug identifier extraordinaire. (Thanks to Mrs. Crouse the Biology teacher). He hasn't seen it but doesn't know what it is by my description. Ahhh. It's better to know your enemy.

30 minutes later the spider is by my desk. Perfect. Maximum spray time. I have to do it. I get the Hot Shot in hand. Shaking, I hold the thing like it's a high caliber gun and douse it. My carpet is a monsoon of white Hot Shot spray. I empty the rest of the can and it is STILL walking. Who is this thing? Batman?! I run in the living room to grab Raid. I spray as much as possible until it goes back under my bed.

SURELY THIS THING IS DEAD.

I have a coughing fit because of the fumes. Surely I suffocated this thing. My room is practically a death chamber. As of yet, no sign of the spider.

My bug man was already supposed to be coming to spray today. So when he comes, that sucker will be gone for good. And hopefully identified.

Review: Dessertapalooza

So I'm a little behind on my reviews lately, but I'm catching up.

A few weeks ago I visited Dessertapalooza at Firewheel. Megan heard about it and knew we had to go so I could review. I've sort of accidentally turned into a cupcake reviewer.

The Process. Dessertapalooza offers cupcakes, cakes and other desserts. Here, the cupcake process is a little more personal. All the cake part of the cupcakes are displayed inside of cake platter. You choose between red velvet (why is everyone copying Sprinkles?), chocolate, vanilla and the flavor of the day. On the day I went that special flavor was pina colada. Then you choose your icing (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, cream cheese). I like this idea a lot. You get to choose your cupcake. You get to be a part of the process.

I chose red velvet with cream cheese frosting. Megan chose vanilla with strawberry frosting, and Chelsea chose vanilla with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.

Cupcake Appearance. I must say, the cupcakes were quite attractive. Since the frosting was applied out of an icing bag, it had a swirly look to it whereas when it is applied by knife it is more smooth. These were also some of the largest cupcakes I have ever seen. They could almost be qualified as a small cake. (Yes, I'm aware a cupcake is basically a small cake...) Once we reached the checkout, cupcakes were placed on a clear plate alongside a plastic fork. This is a HUGE plus.

*Sprinkles gives wooden forks that alter the taste of the cupcake.

*The Cupcakery gave no fork at all.

Cupcake Taste. This is the most important of all. Obviously. The cake section was very moist and well flavored. The cream cheese frosting was a good consistency; not crunchy and not liquidy. However, Megan was not satisfied with her frosting. Dessertapalooza uses a whip cream-like frosting. (Minus 10 points!) Indulging in whip cream frosting isn't indulging at all. It reminds me of a cake I could grab at Wal-Mart. Yuck. I'm all about the buttercream frosting. With that said, Chelsea likes whip cream frosting and said it was delicious.

Atmosphere. A+ for atmosphere. The little bakery was blue and pink with colorful barstools, a giant lovesac (where we sat). The ceiling above the lovesac had a TV. Very cute.

We also talked to the owner and told her we were giant Sprinkles fan and that we would be critical. She definitely tried to win us over. We asked her why she opened Dessertapalooza. She said she and her husband were always looking for a place where they could go with friends to get coffee and pie, so they decided to open one. (Yes, they do serve coffee.) She was very nice to us, and definitely seems like the type to build relationships with her customers.

If you're ever in Garland, I'd say give Dessertapalooza a try. The red velvet won my heart.

The Mid Century Modernist's Holy Grail

Yesterday I died. And then I wound up in mid century modern heaven.

But first, how I got there:

Lula B's (one of my favorite antiquing stores) opened a new location on Riverfront drive. Naturally, I had to go visit sometime. Sunday afternoon was as good a time as any...especially since my mom had seen some chairs on Craigslist that were there that she wanted to check out.

We had heard legends and tales about the antique/vintage shops on Riverfront, but never dreamed such a monstrosity. We drove up on what seemed like a pretty shady area. Bail bonds abounding. We spotted Lula B's and pulled in to a parking space. What's that? ANOTHER store I've been dying to hunt inside is right next door?! I had seen many ads from White Elephant on Craigslist and knew they had great stuff. And again, had been planning on going.

We perused White Elephant first. Many of the booths: not my favorite time period or style. Several of the booths in the back corner: MY STYLE. (No, we haven't reached heaven yet. Keep hanging in there.) Beautiful pieces. Retro wingbacks. Cane chairs. Old dressers painted red. It was fantastic.

But it was already 4pm, and everything closed at 5. So we had to keep moving.

Lula B's had gorgeous pieces galore, as always. We looked at the chairs we saw online and decided they weren't what we needed. Mom found a retro microphone.heh. NOT 300 yards. We walked several stores down, past a bail bonds place and some other shady storefronts and decided it was best to get back to driving.

We reach Moderne. Nothing special from the outside. Honestly, we weren't expecting much. But were we ever wrong. Right from the front entrance: lucite tables, tulip chairs, record cabinets and more. Some old honky tonk song was playing on the radio. Not exactly fitting for the store, but oh well. The more we walked, the more there was. Area after area was just piled with buffet pieces like I've never seen, dining room tables, nightstands, Eames chairs, Herman Miller. There was so much you really couldn't even see it all.

We get to a back room where it appears that people are working on different pieces. We ask the owner, who introduced himself and gave us 3 business cards, if it's okay to go in. It is. The first thing that catches my eye:

Beautiful. Unlike any chair set I've ever seen. Mind you, two weeks ago we already purchased a pair of chairs for the new living room. But here they were. The PERFECT chairs. Okay, so they look like space-age Jetson chairs to the untrained, non-designer eye. But I see its potential. Reupholstered in two different chenille-like fabrics.

We were truly overwhelmed by the gargantuan inventory of pieces that Moderne had.

But back to the chairs. WE WANTED THEM. BAD. And they were more than what we usually pay. (Honestly, a steal for something in that good of condition and that unusual) But it's still a lot of money. We wandered around the store for at least an hour before making the big decision. Mom felt nauseated and had to sit down. (Note: Mom usually has no problem when she spends, it's my dad who turns green.) It was a mix of astonishment and having to make an impulse decision.

In the world of antiques, you can't go home and think about it. You just have to go with your gut because it probably won't be there tomorrow.

So...we bought them. Reupholstered, they will go perfect with the new couch. But what about the other chairs we already bought? Well, looks like we are going to have to sell them. They weren't right.

In case you couldn't tell, I love antiquing. I'd rather shop for furniture at Lula B's and Moderne or an antique mall that smells like Love's Babysoft and sometimes has no air conditioning than for clothes at Forever21 any day. I want to be Sarah on Sarah's House. On another day, I will definitely be conquering the rest of Riverfront.

The Bachelorette: Finale

We laughed. We cried. We rolled our eyes. We ate.

In true finale watching party fashion, we ordered pizza and ate cake. It's clear from the picture that our party was mostly Team Chris.

The aftermath...

Here it is, people. ALI CHOOSES ROBERTO. And you know what? They seem very happy, and I honest-to-goodness hope their relationship defies the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise odds. (They're 2 for 20 when it comes to the process resulting in marriages.)

The most beautiful moment in the episode, make that season, by far was when Ali dumped Chris. Unlikely, right? He was a perfect gentleman. He didn't lose his cool. He actually had the character to look past the heartbreak and tell Ali he respected her decision to let him go before the rose ceremony. (I was impressed, too) She leaves. He starts to cry. A RAINBOW APPEARS. No rain. Just rainbow. Hello?! Before Chris' mom died she told him to think of her when a rainbow came out. He laughs and smiles. How perfect is that? (ABC only wishes they could take credit for this moment) Honestly. Marry me, Chris?

Poor Roberto going through all that stress not knowing if he's going to be the one or not. It's TV though, and they needed that dramatic final rose ceremony. For a minute, I didn't think he was going to propose. That would have been so sad. But it ended up being very sweet. I'm satisfied, but I could've done without "Can You Feel The Love Tonight." Cheese.

Let me take this moment to say: suck it, Reality Steve! All the spoiler-readers (not me!) thought Ali picked no one the whole season. And hours before the show, Reality Steve realizes that he was wrong and blogs about it. And to boot, he's angry ABC won't associate with him and cut him out of the E! Bachelorette special. I mean, duh. You're ruining the show. Last season's finale had the lowest ratings ever. Why? Everyone knew what happened.

After the Final Rose was much more of a breeze. No Mesnick switch-a-roo.

Frank didn't show up. What a little punk. I have a feeling that Nichole relationship didn't work out, and he was too embarrassed to face the music in front of Ali and millions of viewers. However, he probably was still too much of a wuss to face Ali no matter the circumstance.
The Chris interview just broke my heart, but you know what, he was incredibly classy. You could see he was still in love with her. But he was a man about it. Chris, women around the world were rooting for you and are probably trying to hunt you down so you can be the one for them.

Then Ali and Roberto reunited... for the first time in public? (Sounds like wedding-speak, Harrison.) I hope Ali and su amor last. It seems like they have a chance. No one's going after fame. Roberto moved to San Diego and has a job. Ali is moving in. Here's to hoping the tabloids don't destroy this one...

Chris for the next Bachelor? That's what Reality Steve says. I think Chris would be a great one, but I can see him turning it down.

Until next season!

The Bachelorette: Episode 9

Let me just start with this: Frank doesn't know himself at all. He doesn't know what he feels or thinks.

Dates with Roberto and Chris were great. The relationships are moving along quickly. Especially her and Chris'. He really opened up and even told her he loved her. (Yay!) Roberto shyishly said he was falling in love with her too. I love both of these guys. Truly.

Now Frank goes to Chicago to talk to ex Nichole. I do respect Frank somewhat for being truthful and not letting Ali pick him in the end when he was in love with someone else. But I must say: could he have figured out his feelings ANY slower? No. He couldn't have. KIRK could've had a chance with Ali if he had bowed out earlier. I do think Nichole was living a fairytale that episode though. Can you imagine your ex (that you're still in love with) knocks on your door when you think he's filming the Bachelorette to tell you he's in love with YOU? Yeah. Frank's gonnnnne.

I'm really glad Ali decided to go on with the rose ceremony even though she was keeping both men. It was a good chance to tell them about Frank and to let them know they were the two guys she wanted with her. I like how she said that the rose ceremony isn't just about Ali picking a guy, it's about the guy accepting the rose. Yeesh.

The Bachelorette: Episode 8

This week was hometown dates...where we see who's normal and who has to bury a dead bird (read: Molly's creepo hometown). Indeed.

Tampa, Fl. Roberto. This date was priceless. Priceless, I tell you. I'm one for a man in uniform, especially baseball. So I agree with Ali. That. was. hot. But it was so sweet how he made her a part of his passion for a day. Aww. I think his family is precious. Roberto's dad is definitely proud of his son. I like how he said to Ali: "I know YOU'RE going to be happy because my son is a catch, but will HE be happy?" He's watching out for his son. I loved how they all danced too. Wee. Ali and Roberto are really cute together. I think this date proved that they have more than physical chemistry. They can also be best friends.

Cape Cod, Mass. Chris. If you didn't cry, or at least feel moved, during this hometown...you have no soul. The family is so close knit and I fell in love with them. Before the family arrived, watching Chris and Ali seemed so natural. It seemed like they lived there and had done so for the past five or 10 years. All the girls in the family have the same kind of bracelet Chris gave Ali! So adorable. I completely respect Chris' dad, not only for the life challenges he's endured but also because of his strong character. I think Ali fit perfectly here. However, at this point, I don't think her feelings are as strong for Chris as Roberto.

Green Bay, Wis. Kirk. I wasn't the biggest fan of Kirk's dad. Yes, he used the dead animal scare tactic, but that's not why I wasn't a fan. He just wasn't very personable, and didn't seem real close with his son. I was worried Ali was checking out during this part of the date. Kirk's mom part of the date was MUCH better. It was moving to see her talk about Kirk's illness and how strong she was for him. The Livestrong bracelet thing? Aww. I love love love Kirk, but I was a little scared for him after this date.

Chicago, Ill. Frank. Frank, just go away. GO AWAY! Start out the hometown date with your insecurities? Please. Ali is absolutely right, he's not insecure because he's on The Bachelorette. He's insecure because he's not sure about his feelings for Ali. Does he need to put it in shining neon lights on the empire state building? He's just NOT that into you, Ali. And from the previews, it appears he's in love with SOMEONE ELSE. I thought his family was alright, nothing special. I just didn't really care if they were nice or not because I wanted Frank to go home.

Rose ceremony. Ali has a ridiculously hard time. All four of these guys are pretty stellar choices, honestly. But she had to break Kirk's heart. He finally gave his heart to her and she broke it :( I mean, she had to be truthful about her feelings. I just feel so bad for Kirk. He was head over heels for her.

Dear Kirk, You are a genuinely sweet guy, and you deserve a girl who's as in love with you as you are with her. And she will no doubt wear matching sweaters with you.

PS. I think Kirk would be a good bachelor, but I really hope he doesn't do it. He's too good to be a part of the Bachelor franchise again.

Next week: Tahiti, Frank drama and more!