Jauntsetter is having a party!

I can't believe I've never blogged about Jauntsetter before -  I love love LOVE their travel e-newsletters. They have such fun and breezy features, plus they do the digging for us to find AMAZING travel deals for New Yorkers each week. But now I love them x4 because they're having a party next week! Travel book swap and complimentary Rosé for two hours? Count me in! You should go too - check out the deets here! 

Paul Rudd films in Philadelphia, has not-so-secret admirer

So, everyone's favorite Apatow club member, Paul Rudd,(personally he was my favorite as Phoebe's husband) is filming in Philadelphia (with Reese and Owen and Jack Nicholsen - see Ryan, so he wasn't just there for the Phillies game the other night, he was there because he's working there. Better?) A) Shock, something cool in Philadelphia happens as soon as I leave and B) Paul Rudd isn't the cutest part of the story. Everyone's favorite Yellaphant has a thing for him too... and her silly (or, excuse me, quite serious) love notes made me smile and make one of those sharp "Ha!" sounds fairly loudly. Get him before Bridget does, ladies! Although, I'd really love to see you try.

(via Yellaphant)

If Nathan Lane had been cast as Harry Potter

For those of you looking for a bigger laugh (for free!) than that "blockbuster film" Half-Blood Prince will give you, someone has made a Harry Potter musical parody. My sister and I sat down to watch it this afternoon and at first I was all "ughhh this is going to be lame high school drama club skit," but, no. Don't judge. If you don't bust a gut during Professor Quirrel and Voldemort's duet you will by the time Ron says "Accio Double Stuf." Here is the first of many parts... but it's worth it. Besides you weren't really updating your resume today anyway, were you? That's what I thought.

I Met Oprah Today (There's no funny way to say that)

Well, you lament about having nothing decent to blog about and what do the Blog Gods give you?


Oprah.


That's right, dear readers. Today, I ate lunch with Oprah. The Oprah. "You get a car!" Oprah. (And Gayle, but psh, sorry Gayle, you are so not as famous as your "best friend." Totally yesterday's news.) In fact, Oprah and I are practically besties now and I'm going to be warming a chair on Friday's live broadcasts of "The Show" right next to you, Gayle. Ha! You take your crummy potential editorial assistant positions, Gayle, I don't want them! (Or, erm, okay, maybe I do. Truce?)

Okay, so it didn't happen quite like that. But Oprah was in fact in my building today and I did eat lunch TWO TABLES away from her ... after strategically planning it that way with my fellow interns as we hurriedly dropped what we were doing, breaking copy machines and leaving facts unchecked to scurry down to the cafe to catch a glimpse of O herself. Yep, just like your mom would have.

And you know, everyone was very cool. Very nonchalant. Very I see Oprah but I will not acknowledge her direclty or gawk, as she is a professional, successful businesswoman, much like myself. Shit, why isn't my camera phone working?*

You know, except for one of my fellow interns who proceded to march right up to the media queen herself and tell her about a dream she just had about skiing with O and Gayle. And then Oprah shook her hand, and looked over at me and the other other intern (both of us red-faced trying not to be "those girls") and NODDED IN MY DIRECTION MAKING EYE CONTACT, as I limply waved like the fool I am who didn't have the cahones to go up to Oprah and say hello. And perhaps hand Gayle a resume (Hi, Gayle! I was just kidding before about taking your place, really. Heh. Heheh.).

Because, while everyone argues over whether Twitter is insanely useful or an insane fad, I think we all can agree that if it has any true purpose at all it is to be an outlet to immediately alert EVERYONE that you have spoken with Oprah and they should all be jealous.


*I did not take such a photo, of course. I am far too classy and appropriate for such childish, paparazzatic games

On Perky Purple/It's another rambling Sunday night

I'm having another one of those weeks where everything I think or see or read I want to post about here, but then stop myself in fear of getting too personal, too dramatic, too cliche, or, really, just too boring. This blog isn't supposed to be just about you, Lauren, I say to myself. No one truly cares what your thoughts are on summer bay-side sunsets, commuter train temperatures, or Jesus freaks touting their ideals LOUDLY on a crowded subway packed with sweat-stained professionals just dying to get back to their suburban Cape-style houses and Donna Reed-style wives. People already write about these things, Lauren, and who's going to hire you for any sort of editorial position if you can't be original? Who's going to read this crap?

Well, you are, I suppose. Which is good, and I continue to welcome you here.

. . .

I've now stared at the computer screen for a good five minutes trying to decide exactly where I was going with this - once again weighing my options of going to bed so I get my minimum required six hours of work-week sleep (it's more like nine on the weekends) or spending fifteen minutes going all William Faulkner-like on you. I think tonight I will attempt the latter, because once again it has been two weeks since I've posted anything and I know I am better than that.

. . .

Or maybe I'm not. Because all I can think of sharing with you tonight that's not a "woe-is-me-and-my-writing" post is the fact that I've painted my toe nails bright purple.

Not the best photo, but it's Perky Purple, by essie, if you are interested. It dries matte - so you'll need a glossy topcoat.

The Secret to the Grown-Up Slip n' Slide

Jeremy and Kathleen used their noodles (and the perks of their professions) to craft this HUGE Slip n' Slide for a day at the park. As their photos show, it was such a fun idea, and it is now clear to me now that the secret to all things fun as an adult is just to re-create everything you had as a kid, but BIGGER. Must be where the geniuses behind go-carts and water slides got their ideas.

(via jeremy + kathleen)