packin'.....

So yes, i have begun packing for our European Vacation.. and oh man it is not easy.  For a girl that brings 5 pairs of shoes to Dallas over Christmas break (you never know the weather!!)  This trip to Europe is freakin' hard!

(SIDE NOTE)
I saw Midnight in Paris over the weekend.  CHECK ONE off of my list..  and it was such a great and interesting story line, but HELLO everyone was dressed real cute, just WALKING around....
I have never claimed to be a fashionista.. but ya'll know i got some new cute shoes i just gotta bring!  Rachel McAdams in Midnight in Paris - wore heels/ and wedges the whole time..
another side note---- (seeing Bridesmaids TOMORROW with my lady friends) YAY!

i am NOT that fancy.. (or fancy at all)  but i got some new cute (YELLOW) flats i wanna bring.
I feel the need to bring some sneakers.  I don't normally wear sneakers unless i am working out/running.. but again, we will be doing a LOT of walking- i feel like i should bring them.  But you know they wont go with anything i bring, and i bet i will never wear them... but if i don't bring them... I'm gonna get blisters from my flip flops and WISH i had.

Aren't ya'll so happy i started a blog so you can hear my frustration on PACKING?!?!  i know... sorry.. gotta vent somewhere right?!!

The other thing is... THE WEATHER.  Let's look at it.

Paris:  I'm here Friday thru Sunday

Bruges: Mon - tues.

Here is the WEATHER the time we are in Amsterdam:

So umm... yeah... it's not so much SUMMER there yet...
Dang i wish my rain boots fit in my suit case.

Ok, i want to thank you all for allowing me to right this blog, cause guess what.. posting the weather and doing a bit of research just now helped me to realize i DO NOT need so many open toed flats nor do i need so many sun dresses.. OR a bathing suit.... yep.. i'm taking that out now.

Thanks for letting me talk this out.

yer all the best!
xo

Summer is here...

Lil Quiz

A) age: 31 (32 on 6/19)

B) bed size: queen

C) chore you hate: washing drinking glasses..that's why i drink outta this:

D) dogs: my sweet baby Chai

E) essential start to your day: COFFEE

F) favorite color: Red (i finally bought these shoes!!)- they feel like walking on a cloud.

G) gold or silver: Silver

H) height: 5'5"

I) instruments you play: nope. attempted the piano for years!

J) job title: Talent Agent

K) kids: yes, I want them one day ;)

L) live: Wicker Park- Chicago 

(reflection in the bean)

M) mom's name: Dorina

N) nicknames: JT (still),Yes, Chobbers, Chonners, Chabbers, Chabby, , Chobbs, - Since getting married i got so many new fun nick names. i love them ALL.  - YES of course, spanish for Jess (Thanks Holly and Travis)

O) overnight hospital stays: no, thank goodness (knock on wood)

P) pet peeve: abbreviations.  It's not too hard to finish the word "Professor" - "Proff" is like the grossest word ever. so is all this.. LMFAO, LMASO and all that. i have no idea what those things mean (i'm old)

Q) quote from a movie: "Drop dead Lesbo!" - Welcome to the Dollhouse

R) righty or lefty: Right

S) siblings:  Dori, OJ, Omar

T) time you wake up: Weekdays: 8:30am- to be at work at 9am. I get ready fast. Weekends- sleep in as long as possible. I'm a good sleeper

U) underwear: yes, i wear it.

V) vegetables you dislike: i think i like all veggies...well, no raw onions

W) what makes you run late: pickin' out my outfit or trying to find something

X) x-rays you've had:  teeth

Y) yummy food you make: Soup

Z) zoo animal favorite: Panda- this one below i saw at the zoo in DC

Questionnaire borrowed from a cute 'lil Texan early riser blogger Chels.e

To do list

1.)  See Midnight in Paris before going to Paris in ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!

2.)  TRY to see Bridesmaids this weekend with my friends before i go out of town.

3.)  Mani/ Pedi on Monday- cause i got the day off and it's $35.00 bucks for both on Mon, tuesday and Wednesday... Can't pass up a deal!


4.)  Get my hairs cut- TODAY (at 7pm).  I haven't gotten my hair cut since November.


5.) PACK!!!  I am packing all day on Saturday, that way i can stare at my luggage all week, then take all the things out that i don't need.


6.)   go to a BBQ on Sunday for Memorial Day... it's supposed to be 90 degrees, yes!  (right now it's 40 and feels like winter)


7.)  think of other things i gotta do....

good blog entry right?  I think i just needed to make a list.  Do you make lists? I can't live without them... I hope to get #1 done on Monday!  Head to the theatre all by myself with some popcorn, and get real excited about PARIS!! YES PLEASE..

au revoir!!!!!!

My weakness.

yep....

My selfish plea

Another Volcano erupted in Iceland.  My travel agent called and emailed to make sure we knew what was happening and to make sure we confirm all flights before travel to Europe.  After googling way to much on the subject, i am officially freaking out.

1.  I did not get travel Insurance. 

2.  What if our flight is cancelled (they are beginning to cancel flights)

3.  can i still just go to Europe on my trip like planned??!?!?!

this is where i begin to completely freak out... breathe- breathe.  Then i get in the car and drive home from work- I am listening to NPR.

On the radio they are talking about the Tornado in Joplin, MO that killed 118 people.  I immediately feel horrible to think that my problem today is that i am worried my flight for my European vacation might get cancelled/ delayed/ rescheduled....

Mother Nature is a scary thing, and i am sending good thoughts and prayers to the people in Joplin, MO and i feel horrible for being so selfish. 

But I will also say some prayers that i can still go on my trip as planned.  

Hopefully there were no injuries in this volcano!!  Please send out good thoughts and prayers to the people effected by the Tornado and the Volcano.. and if you have any room in there, can you throw a little shout out that the Chobot's get to go on our little vacation safe and sound (and return just as safe and sound).

i appreciate your kindness.  

Here is a crazy photo of the Volcano that erupted yesterday... 

Photo found   HERE

Dear Smoke... please disappear so i can fly in a plane to Paris on June 2nd and return on June 11th.

Thank you.

European Vacation

Andrew and I are finally taking that European vacation we have been talking about for years!  We actually had a down payment on this same trip about 3 years ago, but then i got laid off... so we canceled the trip.  But now i gotta job, and we are going!  

Some people spend money on fancy things, fancy labels, fancy clothes, fancy foods... i spend money on fancy travels.  It's a fact.  I grocery shop at 5 different stores to get the best prices (Stanley's Fresh Market for Veggies, Trader Joes- for wine, Jewel for Jewel bread) i could go on.... and I practically ONLY go to BYOB restaurants (im a good drinker).  I shop at old navy and forever 31 and even get as ghetto and cheap as Discovery (best cheap dresses ever!)

So......The Chobot's are GOING TO EUROPE!!!  don't get me wrong, i did google.. "how to eat cheaply in Paris"  And i got good answers!  (buy a loaf of bread and cheese and a bottle of wine and eat it in the park)  OK!! I will!!!

So here is the deets on our trip.....

1.)  June 2- June 6 - PARIS

Our PARIS HOTEL:  Hotel California St.Germain

2.)  June 6- check out, take the train to Brussells, spend a few hours there, eating chocolates and drinking beer and seeing the sites.  (travel agent said we only need a few hours here)

 

  

 3.)  June 6 - June 8 - Bruges, Belgium- Supposedly a really cool little town that not a lot of tourist hit up.. (it's becoming really well "known") - that's what they say...

This cute town was featured in this movie:  In Bruges, starring Collin Farrell (in his oscar nominated role) and yes i already watched this movie in anticipation!

4.)  June 8 - June 11 - Amsterdam! You can only guess what we will be doing here!  (shhh)  Shopping, and eating and drinking and going to the Anne Frank Museum... what were YOU thinking?  Yep, we will be doing that too.  Hey, it's legal! 

Our Hotel:  is called The Art Gallery-  how cute is that??!?

Then back to Chicago!  We would like to thank the Chobot's for keepin' an eye our little nugget while we are gone... we will miss her little face.

Here are phrases i have looked up in French:

Carafe d'eau s'il vous plait. --------  Jug of water please.   - (yes i need a jug.)

Biere s'il vous plait. ----- Beer please. 

Ou est la salle debains  ------  Where is the bathroom?

Bouteille de vin blanc s'il vous plait ------   Bottle of white wine please. 


Yep!  That about covers it.  Well, throw some food questions in there and that'll do.  I got a great app called "My Language"  well see if i can maneuver it without them seeing me.. gonna be smooth.

Any must sees in any of these places?  We are for sure gonna do all the art museums and stuff.. would love any suggestions!

I will be blogging from there too.. so more to come! 
weeeee!!!  Countdown begins... June 2nd here we come!

iPhone Photos

Happy Friday ya'll!  Thought i'd share with you some of the photos i have taken recently from my iphone.  Some of you might have seen a few of these on Instagram, or Facebook but i will share any ways. Cuz it's fun.

1.)  I got cute new yellow shoes! (from Target) I love them.

 

2.)  I spent a nice Sunday in my backyard finishing up Tina Fey's book Bossy Pant's and Chai enjoyed being a dog and being outside (instead of curled up on the couch in the winter)

3.)   Our huge tree in our backyard.  It's pretty here but in the summer it prevents the sun to shine through and the grass to grow.  On this day, i liked this tree.

4.)  Sushi date night.

 

5.)  Fish tank at a Suburban Bar on a night of pub crawling with my lady friends in a trolley. YEP!

6.)  My dinner for the past few nights... I am TRYING to not eat carbs at night and mostly work on portion control....  I saying "TRYING"  because if it turns out i have to eat carbs (date night, girls night, hungover night, drunk night)- i am not gonna beat  myself up about it.. just go with the flow and try to make it a lifestyle change.. NOT A DIET.   This topic deserves it's on blog post.  Will do so, asap!

Dinner 1:  4 oz of chicken breast chopped up- used non fat cooking spray in pan then add 1 cup of fresh broccoli and a tad of soy sauce for flavor and some tomato slices on the side. (naturally, they are my favorite)

7.)  Another dinner: 4 oz Chicken Breast grilled (stove top) Fresh Green Beans and broccoli steamed (1 cup) and a side of tomatoes.

I know these 2 dinners are pretty much the same, but i am gonna mix it up and keep you updated on new recipes i find and things i make.  It'll be fun! and i hope to loose some LB's before my trip to Europe... 12 days people!!!!  EEEEK!

That's it for my random iphone photos of the past few weeks.  have a great friday! (i'm starving)

Oprah's Secret Spectacular Taping

WOAH! I am exhausted folks!  It was such a crazy, fun, amazing night.  No we did not win a car, we didn't win anything.  There were boxes of kleenex on every other seat and we were real sad we forgot to take them so we could say we got something!! haha..  well, we got an Oprah Magazine. That's cool.  Ok, but this was such a star studded event. You can google anywhere and find out who was there- but i'll write it here, cause that's what blogs are for right?  ok, excuse me while i drop some names - here is who i remember... (yes, there was THAT many people there....)

Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Halle Berry, Queen Latifah, Beyonce (who can dance like a muther), Dakota Fanning, Diane Sawyer, Mya Angelou (wrote a beautiful poem for oprah), Alicia Keys, STEVIE WONDER!!, Michael Jordan, Jerry Sienfield, Maria Schriver (the day the news came out Arnold had a love child WOAH), Usher, Rosie O'Donnell, Jamie Fox, Aretha Franklin, Madonna (who did not perform, just spoke.. boo),   Patty Labelle, Kristen Chenowith, Rascal Flatts, Will Smith, Jada Pinket Smith, Josh Groban, Simon Cowell, Stedman (her main man) and of course her BFF- Gayle, Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, and Nate Berkus....  I think thats it.. I really can't think of anyone else- my brain hurts.

The show is gonna amazeballz to watch on the tv.  I think i was MOST star struck by Michael Jordan.. I dont know why- i dont watch sports, but it was something about being in the United Center (where the bulls play) and being on the floor (where his feet have touched)... got a little goose bump action.

Also - of course screamed real loud for Stevie Wonder!! love him
Katie Holmes is really tall in person and very pretty but totes talks out of the side of her mouth.  Tom Cruise IS short. I love Tom Hanks, Usher has a sweet little baby face.  They all look SO SHORT.  every one. Maria Schriver was the only exception she was tall, skinny and looked beautiful... good for her. Jada Pinket Smith and Kristen Chenowith are both peanuts. TINY.  and Beyonce.... i would never pay money to see her in real life.. so it was very cool to see her.  that bitch can DANCE ya'll.  For some reason they did her routine twice- the first time was SO GOOD.. then they were like.. (on loud speaker) ok, re set for Beyonce.... we thought the cameras missed something, producers messed up.. but i heard today that she didn't like her first performance.  dude.... she's forreal. beautiful, and a crazy dancer.

Ok.. what else..   So Colie and i got there earlier and we one of the first people in the stadium.. pictures coming....   We were in the nose bleeds, then this women came over and was like... "COME WITH ME"  -  Yes Ma'am!  We got moved to the FIRST FLOOR!!  we were so close!  ok.. onto the photos...

The front of United Center waiting to get in.. line was SO LONG

me and Colie wating to get in!

The View from our FIRST seats - nose bleed section

Another View from our first seats- audience arriving

Audience has arrived.. we are waiting...

got moved to the floor!! Our View NOW!!!

in our NEW seats looking up to wear we were seated before! Up in that top left corner is where we were

Another view from NEW floor seats

 

Stevie Wonder in the screen

The finale!  all the famous folks were on stage.. in the jumbo tron you can see Stedman and Oprah

 That's all she wrote... i have girls night tonight.. I'll tell all my lady friends to refer to my blog for a recap whilst i drink some wine... 
cheers!

I'm off!

Leaving in 20 minutes.. I'll keep ya'll posted......
eeeek!

Check this out....

haha, awesome.
Found here by a cute little Southern Girl blogger :  Project: Baby

Song of the Day/ Paul Simon edition

Today's song of the day is super good, and super easy, and just plain SUPER!

SONG: Graceland
BAND:  Paul Simon

It's Paul Simon day over here in Chicago on my favorite radio station XRT (jeez, i really should work for them already).  They have a "friday feature" every friday and today... you guessed it!  Paul Simon.  He's coming to Chicago next week (like i mention, cause he might be hanging out with me and ole Opes (aka Opah) next Tuesday evening.) Everyone is excited!
 
So there are MANY Paul Simon songs that i love, but this one by far takes the cake.  I love it so much that last summer Andrew and I flew to Nashville hung out there, and then rented a car to drive to Memphis- just so i could listen to this song over and over again, because... i was.. "GOING TO GRACELAND, Graceland, Memphis, Tennesse"  ... haha. 
It's not the only reason why we went- but believe you me, i played it over and over again while driving through the beautiful state on my way to Elvis' homeland of Graceland.  (poor Andrew).  He loves me, thank god.

OOOOOOOOPRAH!!

So, i can't believe i haven't shared my news with ya'll.... guess who is going to
OPRAH'S FINAL TAPING??!?! 
yep!  That would be ME!  OMG, i am so excited.  I DVR her show everyday!  I worked across the street from HARPO for 5 years, and i never saw her or her show ... (i finally saw her in person last summer at the opening of Billy Elliot here in chicago- her and Elton John and the Bachelorette Jillian) haha!

Side note:
My mom thinks i work for Oprah. (she doesn't understand what i do for a living)
 when Oprah leaves Chicago- Rosie O'Donnell is taking over HARPO studios with her own talk show.. my mom says:  Jessica you should really try to work for Rosie since Oprah is leaving..... OH!!  Ok mom, good idea...
i digress.

So I have been trying to get OPRAH tickets for years!  they are free, you go online and just register and hope for the best... it never worked out. Then i find out about this final taping- 2 shows at the United Center (home to the blackhawks and bulls)- HUGE.  I go on... sign up to try to win tickets... alas... the email: 

Thank you for your interest in attending the May 17, 2011, The Farewell Season: Oprah’s Surprise Spectacular taping at the United Center.

Unfortunately, we were unable to accommodate your request for this ticket reservation window due to overwhelming demand. We will email you if more tickets become available for this taping at the United Center.

booo!!!  it's fine.. i didn't think i would win... so many people want to go to this dang thing!  but then... 3 days later i get this email:

Thank you for your interest in The Farewell Season: Oprah's Surprise Spectacular taping at the United Center on May 17, 2011. We understand your original request was not selected, however, we are able to process your ticket request at this present time.

woohooooo!So i call my friend Colie- (she tried for tickets too). i am taking her- we are equal lovers of the show.. and we screamed and yelled and got excited like we just got tickets to her favorite things show..... "You get a car... you get a car".... "dude, we are gonna win a car.."  "OR A TRIP!"  "or an ipad!"   yeah.. we went a bit crazy.

Needless to say we don't know what is happening in this show- if we are gonna win a car or not.  but no one knows!  Not even Oprah.  This show is a surprise - all of it.. only the producers know whats up... you can read about it HERE

OMG. do you think Paul Simon will be there?  I bet Paul Simon will be there- remember when i was trying to win tickets to his show?  HE WILL BE IN CHICAGO ON MAY 17th..

Ok.. i could go on and on... i'll try to sneak some pictures of the show with my little phone (no cameras allowed). weeeeeeeeee!

hi, i'm sick.

hi blog friends,
I am sick. and when i am sick, i am a baby.
i have been taking these crazy vitamins that normally work like magic- but this time it's taking them a little longer.  I really do believe them... i do.. i do... i do...
(sniffle, sniffle).
so yeah. you take 6 of these little effers every 3 hours.  i have made my schedule i am taking them like clock work.
Just thought i'd share.  I feel out of it. And guess what- it's the hottest day of the year since September. It hit 90 degrees out by Ohare airport.  i know my fellow texans are used to this, but Chicago is not... but I AM NOT COMPLAINING!!
just complaining that i am sick on such a lovely day. 

But you know what? I am gonna go home- warm up my yummy soup i made last night- and go sit on a patio with my friend Jess to enjoy this day.  I also strongly believe that sometimes drinking the cold away can help... right?  am i right?
we shall see... i wont get crazy.. just a couple. (right?)
it's summer, I GOTTA!

Between us bloggers...

It's still cold here in Chi-town, and i can't stop eating cold things like this...... don't tell, k?

a bit of fun with Photo Booth

Little bit of fun with the Apple computer on the Photo Booth..... poor Chai.

again..... Poor Chai Luna Thomas Chobot- i love her sweet face.

Happy MAY

I can see the light, and it looks like sunshine and flowers.  Happy May ya'll... Summer is almost here, and after talking with friends last night about plans and things for this summer... summer is almost over.... haha!  JUST KIDDING.  i am going to enjoy every moment, minute by minute- hour by hour.... so many wonderful things happening this summer- I CANT WAIT!. 

ONE MONTH from today... we are leaving on a jet plane to ole Paree...  YIPPIE! I am super excited and googling things left and right... "how to eat in paris cheaply" - "what to bring to Europe" - "what kind of adapters do you need"  -  "what's the exchange rate".... "can you drink the water in Europe"  (i know it ain't mexico)  but 8 hours in front of a computer my mind wanders!

Yes, people it's official, i am going a little crazy on the ole google machine, but we will be VERY prepared.   I can't wait!!  (did i tell you i can't wait?) And hopefully i can blog from Europe, we are bringing the computer and Andrew wants to get a fancy new camera... i can justify that- - - right?  everyone needs a fancy good camera.... (she says... while clutching the credit card...)

The sun is shining today and i am feeling good.  Happy May everyone!