That Time I Met Jeff Mauro for $20

I'm incapable of playing it cool around famous people. I think I get nervous just meeting regular people too. I'd like to apologize to everyone I've ever met for all the awkward laughing, the weird jokes, and the blushing. I don't think I could ever live in Hollywood or New York City or even Chicago because of the constant fear that I would see a celebrity and hyperventilate.

I considered myself safe living in little old Oak Park. It's not like I would be meeting Ernest Hemingway or Frank Lloyd Wright anytime soon! Wow, that was such Dad Joke. Sorry kids. But see what I mean? I'm just writing about meeting people and I'm already being weird.

Anyway, my friend Ellie and I went on a VIP Progressive Shop in Forest Park. Sounds pretty fancy, huh? For $20 we got to shop, eat, and drink at Yearbook, Famous Liquors, and Flavour Cooking School and get little gifts along the way.

At Yearbook:

The spread at Yearbook. We got to sample a couple different wines and try the food made by Flavour Cooking School. Their gift bag (in the background) had a kickoff pint glass which is designed by Yearbook Stuido. They also offered 20% off of everything in the store.

At Famous Liquors:

Wine tasting at Famous Liquors.  The guy in the picture said he goes to Italy every 5 weeks to buy wine for the store. How does one get that job?? The gift bag at Famous had a coupon for $10 off any bottle of wine.

Flavour Cooking School:

I forgot to take a picture at Flavour, but they had the best spread by far. Lots of different food and these amazing blueberry scones with lemon sauce on top. I had three of them. Flavour's gift bag had a cute little jar, which was sadly not stuffed with those blueberry scones. They also were giving all the VIP's 50% off of any cooking class, but they had cancelled the class that we wanted to take so we didn't get to take advantage of the deal.

Can you believe all of that for just $20? I wish it was always just $20 to be a VIP. I would be a VIP all the time. I imagine it to be like this - "I'd like to fly first class, please. Here's a Jackson for your trouble." Then I would wink, but I can't really wink, so I would give a fun little blink and strut down the aisle to my first class seat. I'm sure I wouldn't make it all the way there before the flight crew stopped me and explained that I couldn't give them $20 for a seat that was already booked. I'd be persistent but inevitably I'd be carried off the flight against my will and probably added to the Do Not Fly List. Wow, $20 can get you a lot nowadays. Anyway...

What does all of this have to do with Jeff Mauro?
If it wasn't for the Progressive Shop I would have never walked into Yearbook last Wednesday, which means I would have never seen Food Network Star - Jeff Mauro shopping in there with his family! When we first walked in, I saw a tall guy with a hat shopping at the opposite end of the store. He turned around and I grabbed Ellie's arm and said, "Oh-my-god-do-you-watch-the-Food-Network-do-you-know-who-the-Sandwich-King-is-he-is-also-on-The-Kitchen-Jeff Mauro-the-sandwich-king-is-right-there-in-this-store!!" Then I preceded to take off my glasses because they were fogging up and started fanning myself because I was already over-heating from excitement. See why I can't live in Hollywood?

We walked over to where he was shopping and as he was walking away I said, "I love all your shows!!" I won't go in to detail about the rest of the conversation - I did mention that I too also went to Bradley University and I may or may not have said something about stalking him. He was super nice and friendly even though I think he knew that I was super star struck. I really wanted to get a picture with him, but I was too nervous to ask.

So long story short, I met Jeff Mauro for $20. Plus got some delicious food and wine samples and free gifts from three local business. I'm definitely doing this again next year!

28: The Year of the Superhero

Like every person in their 20's, I believe that every BuzzFeed article was written for me personally. They get what's important to me. A list of 20 signs that Jennifer Lawrence is my spirit animal? Finally! See what I mean? BuzzFeed and I go together like peas and carrots. Or like Forrest Gump and a box of chocolates. Or me with a box of chocolates and an hour to kill before dinner.

Last year, BuzzFeed ranked every year in your twenties from the worst to the best year. I was excited to see that 28 was ranked number one because that's the age I'm celebrating this year.

Here's what they said: 
"Whew — 28 is the best year of your twenties. Not because of the spectacular partying (see: 22) or because you’ll magically have everything figured out (see: never), but because 28 is the year when you’re finally able to accept that no one actually “feels” like a grown-up and it’s OK that you don’t either. And it’s also OK that you never want another Jägermeister shot and that crowded shows make you want to crawl under a blanket forever. Just enjoy that blanket, 28-year-old you."

Too old to be a grown up: I kicked off 28 by doing a fun 5k in Villa Park for Easter Seals with Bryan and my friend Katie. I think I definitely was able to prove that it's okay to not be a grown up when you're 28. It helps when you're wearing blue tights, Spiderman boxers, and running next to Superman.

This is the cool comic book picture Katie made for my birthday!

Too old to not make time for family: I also got to see my Dad, Carol, Bryan's parents, and Bryan's grandparents on my birthday! We made the drive down to Minooka to enjoy some pizza at Giordano's. I wish I would have taken a picture, but just close your eyes and imagine a happy Asian woman with a giant piece of stuffed pizza and you pretty much got it.

Too old to not make a birthday wish: Birthday cake at Maya Del Sol later that night with some Oak Park friends!

Everything I Know About Hockey I Learned from the Mighty Ducks Movies

Which means I know nothing about hockey and spend the majority of my time wondering why the teams are not doing the Flying V. I spent a great deal of my childhood watching these movies over and over. At one point, I even had memorized all the players names and numbers. I even used to "skate" around our kitchen in my socks holding a broom or a croquet mallet (because it was the early 1900's, obviously). Watching hockey is definitely not as exciting as watching the Mighty Ducks. I usually cycle through a few different thoughts every time I watch.

What I think about when I watch hockey:

• What if there were other sports where you could "legally" fight? Like basketball or even better - tennis. They certainly shout at the line judge enough. What if they just hopped the net, rackets flying, and started throwing punches? I bet a lot more people would start watching.
• Much to Bryan's dismay, I also like to attempt to commentate the game. It usually goes like this:
• Allison: "Okay, that guy has the puck and is skating over there...where did the puck go? I can't find the puck. Bryan, do you see the puck? Oh, there it is, that other guy has it now. Wait, I lost it again."
• Bryan: "Can you please stop doing that now?"
• How many people have died playing hockey?
• I wish Quidditch was real.
• What house would I be in if I went to Hogwarts? 
• Why are we watching this much hockey? 
• Why are these games on so late?
• I miss the Olympics.

Sadly, real hockey is not like my beloved childhood movie trilogy. But it sure beats football.