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Showing posts with label YaYa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YaYa. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Dinner with YaYa


This evening, after a long day at work and a trip down to East Troy pick up a Facebook Marketplace item, I went over to Yaya's apartment for dinner and a movie.

The place where we were going to get food was closed for the day, so I wound up at Papa Murphy's where I picked up a pizza for us to share. The place was packed, the preparation area was a mess, and the staff frazzled. As I waited there the cashier abruptly decided that no one from that point forward  would be allowed to order pizza, which kind of defeats the purpose of a pizza restaurant. He also ran outside to confront an angry customer who stormed out, which is pretty bold considering said cashier weighed all of a hundred pounds soaking wet. 

I do grow tired of so much drama and anger as life goes on. It seems to be growing more common too. Ugh. 

Anyhow, we cooked up the pizza at YaYa's apartment and I must say, for once I got the timing just right. It was great. 

Then we fired up Netflix and put on Big George Foreman, biographical film about the two-time heavyweight champion turned preacher and product pitchman. 

The  movie went through Foreman's life in a straight chronological order, and I'll admit that it had a pretty pedestrian script. At times you could have mistaken this for a good TV  movie of the week - back when such things actually still existed. 

That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the movie. It was entertaining, even if you don't like boxing, and as I happen to love the sport I enjoyed it all the more.  Foreman's life has all the ups and downs and crazy twists you need to keep a story going, even when the folks doing the telling stumble-bumble a bit in the execution. 

I grade the film a B if you like boxing, a C+ if you don't. 

Anyway, it was a genuinely fun and relaxing evening with my oldest and I appreciate the invite. Boo to my grandkitty Atticus tho,  who acted put out by my presence lol

Sunday, July 9, 2023

JJ and Dave's Wedding Reception

This afternoon Team Slap was happy to attend the wedding reception of JJ and Dave, held at Maggiano's at Mayfair Mall. As you can see from the tabletop menu, it was a heck of a meal (not to mention an open bar for soda/wine/beer). 

Frankly, there were soooo many good appetizers in such abundant quantities that I was well past full by the time the main course was served - not that that stopped me!


Note that Lisa and I didn't look too shabby! 


Neither LuLu nor Smiley could attend because of work obligations (although Lu did JJ's hair early in the afternoon). But Lisa's Mom was there


As was Junie and YaYa


and YaYa's long time beau, Alex


An elderly couple (friends of the bride's Mother) were seated along at a nearby table and Lisa invited them to join us, and they did!


This "butter cake" - whatever that means - was to die for. My word!!



Here's wishing the newlywed couple decades of love and happiness!




Tuesday, June 27, 2023

No Hard Feelings


On Sunday, after a day spent thrift shopping, delivering books to Little Libraries,


 getting ice cream at Tastee-Twist, napping, and having dinner at Classic Slice, Lisa and I went to see No Hard Feelings at the Ridge Cinema. YaYa and her boyfriend joined us both for dinner and the flick.

No Hard Feelings is a comedy about an Uber driver, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who loses her car just as she is facing foreclosure for back property taxes. To get back on the road, and save her home, she answers a personal ad from a rich couple who want her to “date” their son, played by Andrew Barth Feldman, in exchange for a free car. That’s “date” in quotes, as in take his virginity. Unfortunately for her the socially awkward 18-year-old is no easy catch, and time is running out.

I liked the film, and there were parts where I laughed my butt off. But when you release multiple trailers (just a cursory Google search showed me 5 minutes of “official” material) you’re showing your audience 10% of your final 90 minute  product, and presumably some of the best of it. There were parts of the film that would have been hysterical, had I not seen it six or seven times before.

That’s not the film’s fault, but it definitely impacts your viewing.

A negative that was the fault of the filmmakers, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, because it’s so counterintuitive: the characters were too 3-dimensional.

This was a raunchy , laugh out loud, don’t-worry-about-the plot-holes kind of flick and what did they do? They developed rich, emotional backstories and complex motivations for the two lead characters. That’s super swell as an assignment in a screenwriting class, but was it needed here, with this material?  I think this a case where keeping the characters firmly in their lane would have better served the comedy.

Don’t mind me though, I’m a grouch. I still rate this a solid B. Go see it.

Sunday, March 5, 2023

I know Exactly Who I Want to Be

 i know exactly what i want

and who i want to be /
swipe to see more of this beautiful image set
model & styling: @caprisunkait
studio rental: @studionorthmke
inspo: @marinadiamandis
makeup: @trixiecosmetics








Thursday, February 16, 2023

Cupid Calling

 cupid calling

💘
always such a great time photographing the lovely yelene!
need creative portraits or just some fun new photos? booking through may '23 now!

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Paint & Play

So yesterday evening Lisa and I (and, independently, YaYa and her BF) went to see Smiley's art show at his school. 

Now I  thought it was to be an exhibition of visual art work - you know, painting on a wall, sculptures on a pedestal. Nope. It was something far better, a combination of art, music, and game. 



A music major would perform a solo piece of classical music, while a single art major would stand in the front of the room, canvas to the crowd, and paint a piece in only the time provided by the music. When it was done, so was the painting. When it wasn't their turn to paint, each art student would complete the same task at their seat, but with dry media. 




Smiley painted to "Watashi No Uno" accompanied by a great pianist who was at our house for Halloween, as she's a friend of Dem's. 





After the intermission the six art students rotated out, and he jointed us to watch the rest of the show



After the show each drawing was up for sale for a $5 donation to the school, and we took home 5 - two of Smiley's (the dual faces and the flowers), a sarcastic Shrek work that he thought was hilarious, a drawing by his ex CeeCee (which we gifted to her) and a drawing of a woman in the woods the we all admired. 

Good job man! We're proud of you!!



* some pics courtesy of Yaya

Saturday, February 4, 2023

So, Elle Was Better. Your Point?

YaYa: 

a conversation between my father and i:

me:  what your LSAT score 
him: I don't remember. 157? or 159
me: elle woods did better 
him: no sht she got into Harvard

LOL

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Ramen Station

After dropping off YaYa at her boyfriend's dorm, I treated Dem to dinner at Ramen Station in Madison, not far from the college. 


He loved the ramen but I thought my dish was pretty average. 


Tuesday, January 24, 2023

I'm tired of hearing it

“your camera takes such nice photos”
yeah my entry level dslr certainly does all the work for me - Yaya

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Happy 1.5 Year Anniversary!

These two young adults get to enjoy a year and a half anniversary today...no small feat in todays dating world! When YaYa got serious with this sweet, initially quiet, fun sized man I didn't get it. Not sure Dan did either. I now see this young man for what he is... ying to her yang. Her balance, her peace. He doesn't just play along for dress ups and date ideas he adds his own ideas and fully engages. They have evolved and blossomed into such a sophisticated couple. I can't wait to see them grow more. We have met his parents and they are lovely as well. He is considered family in our home and I can't wait to see their love grow. - Lisa








Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Life

the college experience of those working to live throughout their studies …. and the experience of those who have it paid for…. are so different. i am exhausted. i need this degree but i need to pay rent more. - YaYa

Sunday, January 1, 2023

2022 Highlight

my singular highlight of 2022 was seeing Jeff Goldblum perform in Vegas - YaYa

Sunday, December 11, 2022

500K Views and Counting

one of my tik toks got half a million views and i am forcing myself to stay off of the platform as to not delete the video LMFAO

idk how ppl can be perceived by x 1000 people and not be bothered

- YaYa

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Opals vs Diamond

bc they’re not necessarily good for daily wear, they’re delicate. opals are in the 5.5 - 6.5 range of the hardness scale where diamonds are a 10. i don’t love diamonds but opals don’t compare in regards to longevity imo. and I’m an October baby I love them 😭 - YaYa