GET TO KNOW ME

Hello! I realized I’ve never shared many “get to know me” facts on my blog. However, I feel as though watching me answers the questions is more fun than reading my answers. I wrote out all 50 questions and encourage you all to answer them and tag me so I can see your answers and get to know you, too.

1. Were you named after anyone?
2. When was the last time you cried?
3. Do you like your handwriting
4. What is your favorite lunch meat?
5. Do you have kids?
6. If you were another person would you be friends with you?
7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
8. Do you still have your tonsils?
9. Would you bungee jump?
10. What is your favorite cereal
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
12. Do you think you are strong?
13. What is your favorite ice cream?
14. What is the first thing you notice about people?
15. Red or pink?
16. What is the least favorite thing about yourself?
17. Who do you miss the most?
18. What is the Paul Mckenna technique that you need to work on?
19. What color shoes are you wearing?
20. What was the last thing you ate?
21. What are you listening to right now?
22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
23. Favorite smells?
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
25. Mountain hideaway or beach house?
26. favorite sports to watch?
27. Hair color?
28. Eye color?
29. Do you wear contacts?
30. Favorite food?
31. Scary movies or happy endings?
32. Last movie you watched?
33. What color shirt are you wearing?
34. Summer or winter?
35. Hug or kisses?
36. Favorite dessert?
37. Strength training or cardio?
38. Computer or television?
39. What book are you reading right now?
40. What is on your mouse pad?
41. …?? On the list I used they skipped 41!
42. Favorite sound?
43. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
44. What is the farthest you have been from home?
45. Do you have a special talent?
46. Where were you born?
47. Where are you living now?
48. What color is your house?
49. What color is your car?
50. Do you like answering 50 questions?

 

Enjoy

 

xoxoxoox Sam

GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A PUPPY

It’s officially been a few weeks since the best little pup went to heaven. I have to say being on Cape Cod has kept me distracted, but my heart still aches. My room on Cape Cod is plain, but sitting on my night stand is a picture of my baby sissy, Madison Red Bly. Though she is gone from this earth, she will always be near and dear to my heart and I will love her forever.

Madison Red Bly came into our family 14 and a half years ago. She did everything with us. She never missed a soccer game, a boat ride, a vacation, a plane ride, and most evident, a meal. She was meant to be 12 pounds and ended her life as 17, whoops! She was a little ball of energy and always had a smile on her face- literally. She was always there to greet whoever was at the door with a loud bark and an innocent, yet mean sounding, growl. I can barely remember the times before she became a part of our family.

Madison was not the brightest, but her innocence made her, her. She was such a good dog, sister and best friend. She never needed a leash because she never ran away. She knew how to roll over, shake hands, give high fives and dance. One of her favorite activities was chasing after the ball, unfortunately bringing the ball back wasn’t a part of the game. Playing catch wasn’t her specialty.

She was such a pampered pet. She was at the beauty parlor all the time. Had the cutest outfits, and even had a pink stroller. She never left the house unless she was as trendy as possible! The pictures we have of her are priceless. She wasn’t the most photogenic, but they’ll make you smile. A funny thing about Maddie is that she wasn’t very social. She hated dog parks. She thought she was queen. A literal queen bee, and no other dog reached that level of royalty. She would stick her nose up to anything less than steak and eggs for breakfast. True royalty.

Her last weekend with our family was her perfect weekend. We took many walks in her stroller. She went fishing. She got to see her big brother and sister come home from school. She got to eat fun foods. She got to spend her last weekend with her favorite people and the ones that love her the most, her family.

She made our family whole, It was the hardest day having to put her down; though, it would have been selfish not to. When Madison was 11 years old she was diagnosed with a collapsing trachea. For the last 3 years of her life she was a constant fighter. She went to numerous doctor appointments for shots and took pills twice a day. It was evident that her trachea was deteriorating as she was constantly grasping for air. She continued her feistiness to the day she died. She was fed her two favorite foods- Rotisserie chicken and American cheese. We had an at home doctor put her down, and she had to take not only one, but two shots before finally calming down. She was a true fighter till the very end. However, once she became calm, she was finally at peace. Her breathing went back to normal and she seemed genuinely happy. Her god mother and her second mama, Christy came and said a prayer for Madison. She was there for Maddie her entire life, and having Christy at her ceremony going to heaven allowed Madison and the rest of our family feel at peace with her passing. The day was filled with tears, mostly of sadness, but happiness, too. Maddie could finally breath freely again. She is in a better place, and she is happy.

I was lucky enough to start kindergarten with her as well as end high school and even finish my freshmen year of college with her by my side. She was such a major part of our lives. We can thank Maddie for bringing our family closer. She was involved in every decision we made. Madison was the greatest dog. We were all so lucky she jumped into my brother’s arms when deciding which puppy to bring home.

Madison Red Bly thank you for growing up with me. I love you more than you know. I hope heaven is treating you like the queen you are. Kiss a cute pup for me 😉

grandpa, howard, dad and madison in Marco Island

madison and dad camping

Sam and Madison rooting for Iowa

Big brother Dan and Madison

Selfies with Mama

Bringing Sam and Dan to Iowa City

looking pretty!

madison on a walk in her stroller

Dad and Maddie hanging out in Sam’s car

Madison’s 12th birthday gift

Dad and Maddie enjoying the bed while mom is out of town

Madison in her fur coat

true royalty

facetiming big sister

greetings from Madison

Madison’s favorite spot

madison and dad on Thanksgiving

Flying Maddie

Family card

first day of school

best pals

fun day in Victoria, MN

Fishing with sister

Cape Cod with the family

Otter Lake with dad! Madison made all her friends at that lake

Madison’s 13th birthday

Bye Family! I’m driving away!

 

Xoxox your big sister, Salmon

 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CAPE CODDER

Welcome back! I decided it would be fun to take a day and vlog! I absolutely loved vlogging my day and bringing the camera around with me. When I started to edit, I realized that some of the footage was deleted. The lost footage didn’t affect the overall content, but just a heads up!

 

Let me know if this is something you’d like me to continue to do!

 

xoxo sam

SUMMER LOOK IN UNDER 15 MINUTES

Hellloooo!! I put together a look that I have been finding myself wearing recently and will continue to wear throughout the summer. The look takes about 10 minutes to complete and can be worn with drug store or high end makeup. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask 🙂

xoxo Sam

 

HOW TO THANK YOUR BEST FRIENDS FOR THE BEST FRIENDSHIPS

I’m sitting here, in 80 degree weather, at the Pentacrest reminiscing about how amazing freshmen year has been and all the amazing girls I have met along the way. I have absolutely fallen in love with my school and everything that comes with it. When my parents told me this will be the best four years of my life, and I need to enjoy it because it goes by fast.. well they aren’t kidding. The memories I will cherish with each and every one of you girls are endless. You know how to make me smile, laugh, believe in myself, make me smarter and so much more.

1. Shanny bananny!! You will forever be my best friend. From elementary school to now we’ve been through it all, and I wouldn’t wanna go through it with anyone else. I couldn’t have survived freshmen year without you. I remember our first night in college and literally we’ve spent every day since that together. From working out, to eating (a lot), to crying over how much homework we have, I can always lean on youfor a friend and a sister. Love you. Can’t wait to see what next year brings for you!
2. Katherine Grace aka “just kate”: ROOOOOMMIIIEEEEE! Who would have thought my freshmen year roommate would make such an impact on my life?? Without you, my freshmen year wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun. I love our late night talks, early morning breakfasts, our first and second dinner, my dance parties that you sit through, our endless laughs, smiles, cries, and friendship. While we are going to absolutely thrive next year, I will always miss having you as a roomie. And don’t worry, we still will see each other since I forced us to take the same class. CANT GET RID OF ME YET! There is so much more I could write, but it probably isn’t appropriate for a very public blog post;) love you endlessly
3. My sweet Kenny!! Who would have thought the girl I was scared to approach on the first night of college would become my best friend and roommate in the dollhouse. I can always count on you to listen to my life, and be genuinely interested. Your curiosity, love, intelligence, beauty, and creativity will ensure a lifetime of happiness for you. You are going to marry the most perfect guy, and have the most perfect life. I can’t wait to see all your successes. I love you Kenny Katherine
4. Emma Ray! From the day I met you, I knew you were something special. I loved your raspiness (is this a word?? Idk) in your voice hahahah. You showed me around the Alpha Phi house and it’s crazy to think that your house is now my house, too. I can’t imagine myself in any other sorority with any other big sister. You are my best friend. I can come to you with anything, and even though you’ll make fun of me, I know that deeeeeeep down you’ll always have my back. Your presence lights up the room. I am so lucky to have you and I can’t wait to (kinda) live with you next year. I’m excited to welcome my little into our family because I know you’ll be there the entire time. Love you to pieces, Em!!
5. Hahahahha Emily where do I begin with you?? It’s funny to think I’ve been following you on Instagram since 6^th grade, but we didn’t become friends until college. Thank god we did, though. I can always come to you when I need to hear a funny story, or have a laugh. You have such a sweet heart. I can’t wait to be in the doll house with you next year. Come visit me this summer!! I’ll miss you to pieces. You are the absolute best pretty girl.
6. TIFF! Gosh I love you. I can always come to you for the latest gossip, funny stories, and to keep me in the loop. I love how involved you are with the sorority and how much love you have for Iowa. You have the most beautiful smile and cutest laugh. Ican’t wait to live just a couple doors away from you next year! Eeeek! We are going to have so much fun in the doll house. I will be visiting you in Iowa City this summer
7. Hahhaha lizzzzyyyy! I don’t think I’ve met someone more boy obsessed than you (besides me). Thank you for going to all the frats with me just so I can see the boys I have crushes on. I am going to miss being able to hear you scream from down the hallway. I love eating with you in the dining hall remin-iscing about all the weird things we did the night before and all the mistakes we made. Enjoy your time to be crazy, because I know when you find the right boy, you are going to make the best wife and mother. Love you babe, forever and ever.
8. Miss Olivia Horan. Oh liv. Frat boy liv. Girl with boot. Thanks for always laughing at my (not so) funny jokes and taking pictures with me!! Just like Kate, I bet you thought you could get rid of me after freshmen year BUT, JOKES ON YOU HAHAHHA. I know where you live! I’ll be checking in on my roomie once a week or so… I love you the mostest. Your energy and positivity radiates in every room. You are such a smart girl (direct admit to the nursing program WHADDUP) and I know you are going to do great things in this world! Excited to thrive with you next fall!
9. Kait! Looking back at old pics I laugh at how many pictures we took together on bid day! We didn’t even know each other! But I am so happy we did because I can now say you are one of my best friends here. Seeing those pictures make meso happy! I love how I can always count on you to be there for me (or to go eat at the dining hall). I’m excited to go out with you every night next year!! We are about to THRIVE! I loooooove you lots kait!!
10. Madison!! Jew baby! Haha! Can’t wait to go to Hillel with you next year! I have absolutely loved getting to know you this year. You always know how to make me laugh. I love how you are always down to have a good time and go out for food and drinks! It was so fun getting to know your mama over mom’s weekend! Mazel Tov to us for finishing freshmen year strong!
11. Livvy P aka JB fanatic!! Liv, you’re a hoot! I love your innocence and your ability to stay out of all drama. I am very jealous of that, hahaha! You are the cutest human evaaaa! You always make me smile and I am always happy to see you! I had so much fun at dinner last night. I hope you had the best birthday ever because you deserved it!
12. G!! To the cutest, petite, little munchkin in alpha phi. I love how your height doesn’t affect your personality. I love your feistiness. You come with the funniest stories. You are so real. I love how we can go from talking seriously to joking around in seconds! We need to have lunch dates more often. I have so much fun with you, G!!! SO EXCITED TO LIVE WITH YOU NEXT YEAR!! YAY APHI!
13. Camilla! I am so excited for you! I can’t wait to hear about your experiences from across the world! So jealous! You are going to have oh so much fun! Of course, we will miss having our “mom” over here in the United States, but it is so important that you take this time for yourself and enjoy your teenage years before we enter the real world. You inspire me to be a better me. I love your drive to be a good student. I love your motivation to be at the gym every day and eat healthy. Overall, I envy you! Best of luck next year, send me lots of pics!! I looooooove you! (excited for Friday night dinners before you leave!)
14. MEG ADAMS: Oh meg always down for a good time and I love that about you. Your energy is something I admire. I love that you stay true to yourself and do what makes you happy. You hang with whom you want to hang. You don’t let people walk all over you. I envy that about you. I am constantly learning new things about you and everything I hear makes me love you even more. I can’t wait to bool next year with ya !! love you have an awesome summer babe
15. To every single one of my alpha phis, I can’t imagine college without you girls. You all have made the biggest impact on my life. We all have such different stories and backgrounds, but recruitment brought us all together and made us one big happy family. I always look forward to seeing you guys, going to the house, sisterhoods etc!! thanks for being the best friends and sisters! Love you all so much!! Excited for the years to come and to welcome our BABIES!

I love you all and so many more! Can’t wait for next yearrrrr

 

xoxo, sammmm ❤

 

LOVE YOURSELF ANYWAYS

While in West Hollywood (over spring break) I had the chance to take a yoga class and the encouraging words from the instructor inspired me to make this video!

This is quite short, but, in my opinion, so true and powerful! We need to be ourselves, love ourselves, and love others!

Enjoy!

p.s I forgot to upload this blog which is why this is so late hehe

 

 

xoxo Sam

 

 

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN A SORORITY

helloooo! For today’s article, I wanted to share a speech I gave for my rhetoric class regarding Greek Life. The type of speech I gave is called a Jeremiad. A Jeremiad is a type of speech in which we try to inform the society of a problem or a complaint and ways to fix it. Regarding Greek Life, we tend to find reasons to bash on the community, so I wanted to remind us why this community is so extremely amazing, and why everyone should pledge. Enjoy!

 

“Why should you pledge next year? Well let me tell you. But first, let me tell you a bit about myself. I grew up in a very Greek life oriented family. My Dad was a Sigma Chi and my mom was an Alpha Phi at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In addition, my brother, a junior at the University of Iowa, is a Sigma Chi. With this being said, I was destined to be a part of Greek life, too. And thank god I did. I am telling you to pledge because you will make friends that become family, create opportunities for the real world, and become extremely involved in the community.

Coming in Freshmen year, only knowing three kids from my high school, didn’t give me much of a head start on having lots of friends. Seeing my friends snap chat stories of their first few weeks of college at the University of Minnesota made me jealous. They all had each other, they all had friends. After rushing, it reminded me why I went to the University of Iowa.

The process of rushing, for girls, is rigorous. I can’t tell you it won’t be stressful, scary, tiring, and long; HOWEVER, if you trust the process, and stay positive, it is totally worth it.

Rushing, takes two weeks in total. I had to talk to each sorority, and if they liked me and I liked them I kept going back to their house. Each round the list of houses I went back to kept getting smaller and smaller, until I had two houses left. On the last day of rushing, I find out which house, out of my two options, gave me a bid.

Bid day starts off with sitting on our bid cards for thirty minutes. After the anxiety ridden 30 minutes are over, PHC counts down from ten… 10… people are getting anxious, 5… people are starting to sweat… 3 people can’t believe it isn’t one yet… 1… cards are ripped open, tears are shed, girls are screaming, hugging, finding their sisters. This day affects the next four years of your life and it will be the best four years of your life.

There are 58 girls in my pledge class and 173 girls in my sorority. That means I have 173 sisters that are going to be my life long friends. All the girls in my house are so similar; yet so different. We all have different stories to share and different experiences to bring to the table. Bailey Johnson, a Greek Life advocate, in a blog post writes, “Being in a sorority means that you’ll have the biggest group of supporters around. Whether they’re your #1 fan when you have exciting news, eating a gallon of ice cream and watching chick flicks with you after a breakup, or taking care of you when your night has been a little bit too crazy, they will always stand behind you and cheer you on. Your sisters want you to be happy and will always do whatever they can to be sure that you are.” I want the girls in Alpha Phi to be in my wedding. I love these girls with my whole heart. They are my best friends. They are my family. In addition, not only have I met girls in my sorority, I have met so many amazing girls and boys in other sororities/fraternities, too. Overall, the amount of people I have met through this community is incredible. And telling you I love them with my whole heart is an understatement.

By being a part of the Greek community, creates so many opportunities to make connections once you are out of college. A senior in my sorority was offered an executive position through alpha phi international for this upcoming fall. Without being involved in Greek Life, this opportunity would not have been presented to her. By going greek we have the opportunity to learn how to communicate with all different types of people, which, in the end, will prep you for the real world when finding a job. Career expert, Vivki Salemi states, “Greek life recruitment season primes you for social skills and emotional intelligence that employer’s covet. In addition Greek affiliation could be used as a networking tool and including it on a resume shows that a candidate is well-rounded and able to balance multiple responsibilities.” There are 9 million people in the United States that are affiliated with Greek Life, that means that there are 9 million connections one could make to grow their business, and find success in the professional world. You learn skills that are imperative to landing a job while having the best time of your life just by being associated with Greek Life.

While many people stereotype frats and sororities, we forget how much the Greeks are involved in the community. At the University of Iowa alone we have raised over $805,000 through philanthropies for charitable organizations. Some of the organizations include, Children’s Miracle network hospitals, Huntsman Cancer Institute, St. Jude and American Heart association. Not only do we benefit the community, we strive to excel in academics at the University of Iowa. In order to stay in the chapter,  it is required to have a certain GPA. If you are under a 3.0 you are on academic probation and if you continue to be below a 3.0 GPA for more than one semester, your membership may be terminated. While, yes, fraternities and sororities like to have a good time, we take school very seriously. In fact,  in order to be able to attend events, you must attend a certain amount of educational lectures, and volunteer a certain amount of hours per semester.

As Greek Life continues to be talked down, and reprimanded, it is our job to change it around. I’m asking you to pledge and make a difference in the community. Get away from the connotation that talks down Greek life. Our reputation can be changed. We can change the headlines about fraternities and sororities to all the good things we do, like raise millions of dollars for charitable organizations, rather than freak accidents that could happen to any child at any school Greek life affiliated or not. I’m asking you to pledge because it will be the best decision of your entire life. I’m asking you to pledge because without pledges Greek life will be gone. I’m asking you to pledge because you meet your best friends and family. I’m asking you to pledge because it’s great for real world experience. I’m asking you to pledge because it’ll make these next 4 years of your life, the best four years of your life. So just remember… don’t be a freak and go Greek.”

 

xoxo Sam !!!

 

If you have any questions regarding Greek Life ask away!!!

 

Have an awesome week!!!

11 THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

• Family
  • I can’t do anything without the support of my family. My family makes every crappy situation better. I know they are always there for me. Because of their encouragement, support and love, they give me the confidence to be happy with who I am and who I strive to be. I love you guys. Thanks for making me happy
• Friends
  • I love my friends. College has given me so many opportunities to meet the coolest people. I love meeting new people, and listening to their stories. It makes me happy knowing that friends can trust me and confide in me. Going on adventures and taking pictures with friends is one of my favorite things to do!!! Thanks for making me happy
• Food
  • FOOOOD!! Ugh I love food. My heart skips a beat when I’m at a restaurant and I see my food coming. Obviously, Mac and Cheese makes me happiest. But all food is good food. I always look forward to eating. Once I finish a meal I’m already excited for my next meal… (this is probably why I genuinely gained the freshmen 15 lol) Thanks for making me happy hahahha
• Travel
  • Going somewhere new is always exciting! It allows me to get out of my comfort zone. I love exploring and seeing different places around the world. Eating new foods, learning new facts, and meeting all different kinds of people makes traveling that much more exciting. I highly recommend taking time off from reality and traveling. Life is short, take time to yourself. Thanks for making me happy
• Movies
  • On a rainy day, watching a romcom is the best way to pass the time. My roommate and I love the same genres, so it’s always fun picking out movies we are going to watch together. Movies always cheer me up! I love all types of movies, ones that make me laugh, cry, scared, anxious etc. Thanks for making me happy
• College
  • UNIVERSITY OF IOWA I LOVE YOU. College has been the best part of my life. Every single part of it. Even the stress makes me happy. Without stress, I’m not motivated to succeed. I love learning, I love doing well on tests, I love feeling accomplished. Aside from learning, college has given me the best group of girls to be able to call my sisters. I will always be proud to say I’m an Alpha Phi. I have been given so many opportunities at this school. I have learned life lessons, I’ve been given job experience, I have learned how to balance my schedule, and communicate with all different types of people. College, thanks for making me happy
• Going to the chip with my dad
  • The best way to get away, is to go to the middle of nowhere (Radisson, Wisconsin) and fish for a couple days. My family has property on the Chippewa River, and a few times a year my dad will either take my brother or me (my mother would rather not be bitten by bugs) to the chip to fish, camp, make s’mores, hotdogs and enjoy nature. There are only a few restaurants in town but they’re all amazing. Best pancakes and burgers ever. I love being able to spend quality time with my dad. We play crazy eights in the tent and he beats me every time! So many memories at the chip, like once when I was peeing in the woods and A DEER WALKED RIGHT UP TO ME AND I FREAKED OUT. So many laughs are shared at the chip. Thanks for making me happy!
• Shopping
  • My mom and I can both relate to shopping making us happy. Bored? Shop! Lazy? Online shop! Need to exercise? Buy a lot of clothes with a lot of bags and walk around the mall of America! So many reasons to shop. Thanks for making me happy
• Boys
  • Lol ok this is kind of a joke, but not really. Thanks for making me happy hahah
• Social media
  • Social media, though causes lots of anxiety, allows me to have my own platform. I can share my personal stories, pictures, videos on the internet and my friends and family can stay in the loop of my life. Even if no one likes my pictures or reads my blog, it makes me happy knowing I can put myself out there and do something I love. Thanks for making me happy
• Coffee dates
  • Coffee dates are probably something that makes me most happy. I love talking. I love listening. I could sit at a cute coffee shop for hours and talk with whomever. Coffee shops in general give off such a positive vibe and such a welcoming environment. I just love them. Thanks for making me happy. P.S. if you’re a cute boy and you take me on a coffee date, I’ll probably have a crush on you by the end of the day 😉

 

p.s. The featured picture is of my tattoo which makes me happy 🙂

TO MY SPECIAL MAMA ON HER SPECIAL DAY

OH mama mama, where do I begin? You are the most amazing women on this entire earth. Your smile and laughter radiate a room. Your ability to cheer me up in an instant is impeccable. I can’t imagine living without you or not having the special relationship we do. I am so lucky that we have so much in common. Life is so easy when your mom doubles as your best friend. I can tell you anything and you support me rather than judge me. You make me feel better in any shitty situation. I can count on you for everything. You are my rock. Not to mention you’re the hottest mom around. Even though we live four hours away from each other, you never forget to make me feel as if I am at home. We can facetime/talk for hours and it feels like seconds. And not to mention we talk all the time, even to say were not going to talk 😉 I love our crazy adventures (mazel tov Cyrus). Our relationship puts the pressure on me to be as good to my children as you are to me. I can’t wait to tell my kiddos all the fun things we did while I was growing up.  You make being a mom and a wife look so easy. You and dad are the reason I truly believe people can fall in love in three days, haha! While no one is “perfect” you are pretty damn close. Even on your crabbiest days, you’ll do anything for your family. You put yourself second in every situation. You give me the confidence, love, encouragement and strength to believe in myself and pursue my dreams. My life would suck without you. I love you mama. Happy Birthday

 

Xoxo your baby girl

BIRTHDAY WEEK!

Happy Wednesday everyone! This past week was Spring Break for the University of Iowa, so my mom and I packed our (very heavy) bags and headed off to West Hollywood! My mom and I figured it would be much cheaper to stay in a Vacation Rental By Owner rather than a hotel for a week. We found the cutest studio apartment right off of Santa Monica Boulevard which put us right in the center of West Hollywood.

We left Friday March 9th, and we got to LAX around 4pm, instead of getting cute and going out, we got to our studio, dropped off our stuff and walked (only half a block!) to the nearest Trader Joes. We picked up breakfast yummies, appetizers, snacks, dinner options, and, of course, desserts. We headed back to our home for the night and indulged in a yummy dinner.

The next morning, my birthday, we got up early and went to a Bar Mitzvah close by. I love going to Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. I love the music and the prayers, and it made me feel holy on my special day! Ha Ha! We then met up with our friend, Michelle and, of course, went shopping. Unfortunately, it rained the whole day, and we went to a half indoor half outdoor mall. Ugh! After our adventure to the mall, we went back home and got ready for our fabulous dinner to come.

My mom and I are obsessed with the reality TV show Vanderpump rules. The show is based off a group workers at SUR restaurant. It’s their lives in and out of work. They have great food, a unique venue and, obviously, awesome photo opportunities. I got all dolled up and ubered us to SUR. One of my best friends, Lauren, who attends Pepperdine University along with another hometown friend, molly, and Lauren’s friend from school, Lydia, joined us as well. We laughed, told funny college stories, took many pictures and ate delicious food.

The night did not end there, Michelle, my mom and I went to a gay bar “Abbeys”. It was so fun to be surrounded by so many people dancing and having a good time. It was ultimately such a fun birthday experience!

The rest of the week was spent doing everything one possibly could do in Los Angeles. While my mom and I had been to LA multiple times, there are always new things to do! We started off each morning doing some sort of work out, if not going to a yoga studio or SoulCycle, we were working our booties off at Runyon Canyon. It’s such a great way to start our morning. We are up, active and ready for the rest of the day. Our breakfasts were always made from home in order to save money (because trust me everything is SO expensive in LA!!). Every day we had something planned. We never wanted to sit at home and waste precious time while in California.

One day was spent at the Grove. We shopped till we dropped. Literally. We then ate at the Original Farmer’s Market. There are so many tasty stands to get food from. It was too difficult to choose; however, I ended up getting fish and chips, a favorite dish of mine. After filling our bellies, we continued to shop shop shop, and then rewarded ourselves with the famous Ladureè Macaroons. Another day filled with shopping was when we were on Rodeo Drive. Shops galore! It was such a fun day people watching, going into stores where we can’t afford even a clothes hanger and getting smoothies at Kreation. Other shopping adventures included going to the Beverly Hills Center and walking up and Down Sunset Boulevard.

While shopping was, clearly, a big aspect of our vacation, one day was spent treating ourselves to a nice spa day. To begin, we went to a Korean Spa, which we had never done before. Little did we know, a Korean spa means nude spa!!! NO ONE WEAR CLOTHES! It was horrifying! You are barely even given a robe to put on and the towels to wipe off your body are literally hand towels. OMG. Going in the hot tub and steam room naked is not something I ever feel the need to do again. During our time at the NAKED spa, we got facials. I have only had like one of two facials before but, damn, not like this. I was slapped in the face a few times (over dramatic) and the entire facial was just plain weird. My mom, on the other hand, was told to put her arms up and the girl doing her facial was slapping at her arm fat. WHAT!! SO ODD! I’m not trying to bash the spa at all! Just an interesting experience we weren’t expecting. After our intriguing time at the spa we headed to get massages. Unfortunately, yet fortunately, there are no funny/weird stories to tell about the massages.

Another aspect that took over a huge chunk of time in LA was eating out! OMG we went to some amazing restaurants! (Thank you to my mama’s best friend, Nina, for the awesome suggestions). If any of you are in LA you must go to the Big Chill (ice cream), Fresh Corn Grill, Takoya, Dough pizzeria, SUR, Villa Blanca, and the Farmer’s Market. All are such amazing places with great staff, great food, and an all around a great environment.

The last thing that is kind of funny that we did was go to church. As some may or may not know, we are Jewish. My mom is Jewish my dad is Lutheran. However, my brother and I were raised Jewish in that we had Bar/Bat Mitzvahs as well as grew up attending religion two times a week. Of course we go to church with my dad, too, but technically, I am fully Jewish. Anyways, when I was visiting Lauren at Pepperdine a month ago she took me to church in Beverly hills and the Preacher, Judah Smith, was absolutely amazing. No matter what religion or how religious you are, his messages are so powerful. In addition, a lot of famous people go to that church. SO, on Wednesday night I dragged my mom to church. Not only was the message powerful, obviously, JUSTIN BEIBER WAS SITTING 10 ROWS IN FRONT OF US. I couldn’t stop starring. Whoops I’m star struck. So everyone, God is good, and go to church, you might see JB (and Jason Kennedy!)!

Sadly, the week went by too fast and it was time to go home. Overall, the trip was filled with shopping, eating, shopping, working out, shopping, taking pictures, shopping and did I mention, shopping?

I love you mama, thanks for the funnest birthday week/spring break your baby could ask for! Excited for more adventures with you!!!

 

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Xoxo, Sam

 

 

P.S. Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Love you all!