Have Yourself a Magic Little Christmas

On Christmas day, children happily wake to the arrival of Santa Claus and his bounty of gifts, adults sip their eggnog and wonder why they have to spend the day with their in-laws and everyone over-indulges in chocolate and other calorie-laden goodies as they hum along with their favorite Christmas carols. In my household, we vary on this routine just a bit, but rest assured, Santa did leave me some choice pieces from Henri Bendel and Saks under the tree. Happily, I am now the proud owner of my very own eye-mask just like Holly Golightly's in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Andy procured this extremely thoughtful gift at the amazing Patchouli's in Rosemary Beach and now my beauty sleep is going to be just a little more beautiful. After tearing through lots of gift boxes filled with more lovely things from my darling husband, taking a long walk with 'Santa Scout'* and sharing a leisurely and not-so-healthy brunch, we were off for our own Magical holiday tradition.

We spent the day watching the Orlando Magic play, and beat, the Boston Celtics in an incredibly exciting game. Red and Green might be the colors of the holiday, but not so at the Amway arena (and faithful readers would know that I wouldn't be wearing green anyway). Only Magic blue and maybe a little red just in the logo of Superman's cape were to be seen, save for the few unfortunate Boston fans. The only other green visible was on the Celtic jerseys donned by the Big 3 and company. Or at this point, should we call them the big 6 or 7 or 8, as their talent runs very deep? It was a truly amazing game and I am so happy that the husband and I were there to 'witness' the event. And of course the Magic win over such a talented team is a tremendous Christmas gift.

Throughout the holiday season, we receive lots of very interesting, creative cards with adorable pictures of adorable children, but this one of a kind card tops all. My very clever niece Sallie sent us this very appropriate Christmas card. She created it just for us, complete with the verbiage, while the rest of her fans received an equally precious photo, sans the basketball. It must be nice to have an uber-talented photo-journalist dad to snap such great pics, and a savvy and thoughtful mom to create the card. (*the photo of Santa Scout is one of Devon's shots too)

So just as Devon, Mathilda and Sallie wished, I did have a a Magic Christmas, and I hope you and your loved ones did too.

Happy Holidays,

xoxo

The Girl Who Rocked the Hornets Nest

Happy Saturday from the Big Easy, where I am presently enjoying a spendid view of the Mighty Mississippi from my hotel room. If New York is the city that doesn't sleep, I can't imagine what to say about this fine city. It's been action packed since the moment I rolled into town with my charming husband and sweet but beastly dog in tow, beginning with a quick stop at Saks, and what better way to start the evening/end the afternoon than a drink at the the royal environs of the Windsor Court with these festive blonde beauties and dear friends, Heather and Wendy, true-life queeen bees.

Next stop: New Orleans Arena to see the New Orleans Hornets play the Oklahoma City Thunder, with friends Jay, George (of Smiling Fish Cafe fame) & Gayle, who was definitely the classiest and most beautiful fan in attendance. This was my first time to see either team, and you can imagine my delight at seeing CP3 (Chris Paul) take to the courts with calm control of his team and to "witness" last years NBA scoring champion, Kevin Durant silently and without fanfare make shot after impossible shot. These two players are truly some of the most talented guys in the sport today and I am so thankful I was able to see them live.

After getting cozy with one of the Hornet Girls, I'm sure Andy and George were sold on "bee"ing for the home team. Naturally, I too was cheering for the Hornets given my love and familiarity with this city (although if it was Hornets/Magic I think you know it would be a different story). So, I was a Hornets fan last night, but not so blinded by my team du jour to miss the importance of seeing the rising power of this powerful, young and upcoming Thunder team. The teams played close the entire night, with the Hornets keeping a small lead most of the game. It was a high scoring, high action game...but when it came down to the last few minutes, even with our fan power, the Thunder rumbled to 97-92 win over the Hornets. I suppose it just wasn't meant to "bee".

After apologizing to the nearby Hornets fans for showing loyalty to the visiting team, and after elbowing several young kids out of my way, I made my way down for some high fives with the Thunder. I feel inspired to have been touched by the greatness of Kevin Durant. I hear people say they don't want to wash their hands after shaking with the likes of the Pope, John BonJovi, etc., but me, I'm just going to go with the more sanitary route and keep the memory and this photo.

And just when you think the evening is over, not so...On to a loud and crazy holiday party at a friends loft. Ahhhh, New Orleans--so much to do!

Must end now as I am on to Galatoire's to linger over a recovery lunch with the husband.

xoxo

Homecoming

Who says you can never go home again? Going home is usually a sweet experience as we are surrounded by the people that love us best and welcomed into such familiar and comforting environs. Isn't that what the holiday bustle is about, preparing our homes to warmly welcome friends and family? There's even the Christmas song, "I'll be home for Christmas" la la la "if only in my dreams".

Well tonight might be more of a nightmare than a dream for LeBron James as he returns to the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland to play his former team for the first time as member of the Miami Heat. It sounds like he wont be getting such a warm welcome at this homecoming of sorts. Since his extremely public and ridiculous announcement that he was "taking his talents to South Beach", his former fans in Cleveland have turned very bitter towards the self proclaimed King. It's been reported that they will beef up the security in order to keep LeBron safe from the hostile fans as their anger towards the former league MVP might lead to violence. In addition to the extra security precautions, Cleveland is banning any "Anti-LeBron" clothing from the game. Hmmmm, I wonder what anti LeBron clothing is? Do they have anti LeBron shops now that the city is bound together with their fury over the humiliating departure of their hometown boy, the beacon of the Cavaliers for all those years? As seen in this photo during "the Decision", Cav fans not very happy.

Tip off is at 7:00 Central on TNT, and trust me that this game will be pure entertainment, as well as good basketball. Let's not forget that the Cleveland Cavaliers still have some amazing power players (i.e. Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao) and they aren't far behind as the 8th ranked team in the Eastern Conference (7 wins, 10 losses) compared to Miami at 4th place with 11 wins and 8 losses. Will the excessive booing hype up the Cavaliers, or will LeBron and team embrace the Boos and turn LeBron's homecoming from a nightmare to a dream come true?

In his Nike ad, LeBron asks, "should I accept myself as a villain? What should I do?" If he's asking me, I think he should stop belly-aching and play ball. Happy Homecoming LeBron...

xoxo

Giving Thanks

On the night before Thanksgiving, households around our great country were occupied with final preparations for the upcoming feast, bickering over turkey cooking techniques, deciding between marshmallows or pecans for the sweet potato topping, and lamenting the sad fact that Kraft no longer makes that odd log-shaped, jalapeno cheese product that is oh so necessary for the perfect spinach madeleine. While I do find all of these topics to have some level of merit, such was not the case in my household. We dismissed all concerns for the Thursday meal and instead spent the evening at the new Amway Arena cheering for the Orlando Magic as they took on the Miami Heat. Apparently boxing great Floyd Mayweather wasn't concerned about the great pumpkin vs pecan pie debate as he was in attendance too, on the front row with a team of bodyguards. There wasn't an empty seat in the house and the atmosphere was electrified. It felt more like a playoff game than a regular season match up as everyone was so anxious to see how the Magic would perform against the over-hyped, super-star threesome from Miami. It was Superman versus the King, as depicted in the photo of this adorable father-son, Howard-James pair.

Keeping up with the meaning of this special American holiday, I thought of all of the things that I am most thankful for...and on Wednesday night I was very thankful that the Orlando Magic redeemed themselves with a win over the Heat, especially after that humiliating loss in Miami in October. Dwight Howard was also at the top of my list, as I am always thankful for his power, skill and ridiculously overdeveloped deltoids. Oh, and his very sweet smile. JJ Redick made the cut on Wednesday night with his 20 points and nice ability to sink 3's at just the right time. I was thankful too that I witnessed Eric Dampier (formerly of the Dallas Mavericks) dress out for the first time as a member of the Miami Heat. While not necessarily a Heat fan, I was happy about this because he and I share a mutual close friend, so I think that makes us friends once removed, right? I was also feeling thankful for the new state of the art home of the Orlando Magic, full of chic spots and super cool fan features, such as the life size cut outs of the starting players (where I am happily photographed with a cardboard Dwight and my trusty blue foam, number one Magic hand). And most of all I gave thanks to my charming, sweet husband for allowing me to spend exorbitant amounts of his hard earned money so that we can attend games like this one. All in all, I felt like a very lucky lady this Wednesday night.

While basketball does occupy a large portion of my daily thought process, there are a few things that are more meaningful to me. And that is what I am most thankful for... an amazing husband, a loving and wonderful family, the most incredible and beautiful friends on earth and a spoiled rotten but precious black labalike. Their health and happiness is what I am truly thankful for, this day, and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo

Tipped Off

Greetings sportsfans. The season has officially begun. After a long hot summer full of exhausting self-promotion (LeBron), a newcomer ascending to the throne as the new king (Kevin Durant) and big guys going organic, and green (as in Celtic green a la Shaq), the 2010-2011 NBA season has finally gotten underway. And so far it's promising to be a very entertaining year for all of us hoops-lovers.

The season "tipped off" in Boston with the Celtics taking on the possibly overrated superstardom of the Miami Heat. I'm afraid those blinded by the Heat-centric propaganda saw the light as the men in green won that game. Immediately after the game, Craig Sagar, complete in purple sport coat, had the poor sense to ask Rajon Rondo (Celtics Point Guard) "Is Miami the team to beat in the East?" And this just after the Celtics beat the Heat. Obviously not. But the Whiskey Tango in Hollywood, Florida was betting heavy on the Heat. They offered to pay the tabs of patrons of their bar on the night of the first Miami loss. I'm betting they were a little "tipped off" that they had to pay up on that bet as early as opening night.

In the West, the Lakers naturally defeated Houston in their opening game. No surprise there, except possibly for the shock that Khloe Kardashian has lost her spot as the most famous and stylish of all the Laker's player's wives. It's true, wedding bells are ringing for newly engaged Lakers Guard Sasha Vujacic and tennis great/total hottie, Maria Sharapova. As if the Lakers needed more starpower sitting courtside. So move on over Khloe, looks like you've got competition.

And speaking of competition, there's a big game tonight as the Heat take the floor against the Orlando Magic. This will be the debut appearance for the new big three on their home court. They'd better watch out...looks like Superman has dusted off his cape and is ready to play.

xoxo

Lucky Number Three

I've been noticing a lot of 3's lately in the world of sports and want to share my thoughts on this series of important "trios". And, with fall upon us, I must also share my top three favorite fall finds and the three staples I can't do without. After all, the real basketball season commences next week, and I must be an appropriately attired fan, right?

Important 3's in the hoops world:

• We have the three superstars teaming up in Miami. Will they make believers out of all of us doubters? Are they really as good as all the hype? Hmmm....if you look at their preseason stats, they have three wins, but 4 not so pretty losses. Let's see what happens when they make their debut in Boston on Tuesday night.


• Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are going after their third consecutive championship this year. Don't be fooled, this team has not been distracted by the summer's LeBron Mania and they are hungry for their own lucky number 3 (or lucky number 6 total championships for Kobe).


• And three Ben Franklin's my friends, that is what you must pay for a seat in the lower level to watch the Orlando Magic take on the Miami Heat in Orlando on the day before Thanksgiving. A nice appetizer before the turkey day.


• Three--the number of times I've threatened my husband with sleeping in our non-existent dog house due to outrageous and completely unfounded pro-Heat statements.

And in the world of Gator football: The University of Florida has three consecutive losses, something that hasn't happened since 1999. Can they break their losing streak? With the hopeful return of number 3, Chris Rainey, the Gators might be able to change their pattern next Saturday at the worlds largest cocktail party, also known as the Florida/Georgia game.

In other Gainesville football news, my nephew Phillip is number 3 (times 5) so actually number 15, playing Safety and Wide Receiver. Formerly a player for St. Ed's in Vero Beach, he's 'taken his talent' to Gainesville and the Oak Hall Eagles. I'm hoping he's not growing too fond of the team colors which seem to me a slight variation of Garnet and Gold. Coincidentally his dad, Tom, was number 3 on his 8th grade football team where he and fellow Lovett Lions won their county championship. What an athletically gifted family I have.

As for my favorite three fashion finds this fall:

1. Hunter Boots--I know, I live in Florida, the sunshine state, but my friend Patty assures me that she has worn her Hunter's "a hundred and one times" in Miami. You could spot me wearing them on a day when my toes might be a little warm, but I just couldn't pass them up, especially with those super cute sock liners!


2. Hudson Jeans--I'm still a little sour at Sissi and Kelly for not forcing me to purchase these earlier, they're soooo flattering.


3. These adorable Tory Burch flats--I'm totally channeling my inner Blair Waldorf with these cuties.

And as for the three staples I can't do without, this season or any other:

1. A nice supply of bubbly, like the case of Veuve that Susan and I "won" at an autism charity event last Sunday.


2. A beautiful string of pearls, or 2 or 3 or more...


3. A really sassy haircut, such as my new do, compliments of Dan Findley, an old friend and true architect of style.

So there you have it friends, threesomes abound in the world of sports, and so much more.

xoxo

Where the Girls are the Fairest

I realize this is a blog primarily focused on basketball, but I am taking this opportunity to discuss a little football, Gator style. I recently had the great pleasure of meeting up with 7 other girlfriends from the college days (all Tri Delta ladies, of course) and hanging with my sister and her family as they have just relocated to Gainesville. We all gathered for the Florida/Kentucky game, in which Florida made a very promising performance and beat Kentucky with great finesse. Prior to the game, one of the Delta ladies and her lovely beau took us on a tour of the "behind the scenes" areas at Florida Field. We even went out onto the field that other teams know and fear as "the Swamp". At this point I was with my brother in law, niece (of Vero Beach Rivers Volleyball fame) and nephew (also famed, but not yet discussed in the Full Court Dress) and the three of us dropped to the ground to touch the fine blades of grass as we stood in the south endzone. In addition, we checked out the training room, the fitness center, the locker room, the lucky gator the team touches on their way out onto the field and the storage room stacked from floor to ceiling with Gatorade, that tasty beverage invented by the fine folks at the University of Florida. Really, this was a Gator fan dream come true.

I am writing this now so that I can remember good times with the Gators, rather than the heartache inflicted by that houndstooth-loving, semi-pro team in Tuscaloosa. Ouch!! And many thanks to my friend Mark, a big fan of this blog, and an even bigger Bama fan, for not heckling me during the game and after the miserable loss. That was a true act of kindness.

The Gator defense may have been lackluster last week, but I have a little defense of my own for my alma mater. I hear a great deal of criticism of the game day attire worn by the Gator Nation. I'm sure it's shocking that unlike our oh-so-southern rivals in the SEC, we don't do cocktail dresses and you'd be crazy to wear a tie, let alone a sportcoat into the great sweltering heat of Ben Hill Griffin stadium. But I do have evidence, as I am photographed here tailgating with my friends, that we are looking quite nice for our game and very stylish, in a relaxed UF kind of way. We may have left our pearls and stilettos from the previous nights outing behind, but I think we look quite nice and are proof of good Gator fashion. Krissy (third from right) even managed to find an orange and blue, lightweight Tory Burch dress for the occasion. I mean, really, how cute is that?

Now I've got to go assemble my own game day attire as the Gators play those crazy Tigers from LSU tonight. I'll be watching from home with my husband and a nice glass of wine, hoping for a Gator win. (Sorry Mr. Baton Rouge)

Wins and losses aside,

It's great to be a Florida Gator!

xoxo

The Season for Sports

I have so much to report about the wide world of sports right now that I can't even fit it all in one blog entry. With the final day of summer last week, and fall beginning, I am now able to fully embrace college football, NFL football and NBA preseason activity. I'm so happy that my summertime sports drought is over...call me un-American, but I simply cannot follow baseball. Going to a live game, of course, but the endless days of televised baseball are not for this sportsfan. In only one week, I have the Miami Heat training in my hometown, I cheered on the Gators at Florida Field and...brace yourself...I met an all-star NBA player!!! Perhaps it would be more fitting to say that I ambushed him.

Here's the story: I was spending the day shopping at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando with Krissy, my super shopping-savvy cohort, just flown in that morning from Connecticut. As I was standing in the entry area of Neiman Marcus, perusing the fall Theory collection, I looked out into the mall and spotted none other than Orlando Magic Forward Rashard Lewis. He tends to stand out a bit as he is just shy of seven feet. At first I thought it was just cool to have seen him, but thanks to Krissy's encouragement, we chased him along the corridor past Jimmy Choo, Tiffany's, etc. (and it's hard to move quickly past those enticing windows) then down the escalator where we finally caught up to him. Wow, is that guy tall!?! He was very nice to us and kindly let Krissy snap the photo shown here. In my frenzy of catching up to him and my typical moment of idiocy when meeting famous folks, I forgot to ask him any sports questions or where he had been shopping that day. Next time I'll be better prepared, but I was able to tell him I'm a huge fan and that I hope they have a great season. He seemed to be quite confident that it will be a good year for the Magic.

Back home in the panhandle, the Heat have arrived and are staying very well protected and out of the public eye as guests of the Air Force. Sadly for me they are staying on the base (in California king beds provided by the team--I just knew there wouldn't be beds their size around here), dining on base and practicing on base. Very tight security there so it is unlikely that I'll get to see them, which I don't mind now that I've had my recent brush with Magic royalty. My brother-in-law, Devon Ravine, however has been on the scene photographing for the Northwest Florida Daily News. He hasn't been close enough to chat with them, but reports that they "seemed personable" and of their playing skills found them to be "insanely fast". He sent me this great shot of Dwyane and LeBron. Click here to check out the rest of his photos.

Upon reviewing Devon's photos, my sister, Mathilda has declared that Dwyane Wade "almost rivals Dwight when he's smiling." Good thing she threw in the almost because we all know Dwight has the sweetest of all smiles. I'll be looking for him on my next shopping spree...

xoxo

Panhandle Forecast: Heat

Imagine my surprise when my sister called me bright and early this Thursday with the front page story from the Northwest Florida Daily News. She said I wouldn't believe the news...so I'm thinking "finally we're getting a real Saks not just the outlet store", but no, it's a sports story, and not just any sport, it's basketball. Then I query "is Carmello Anthony being traded to the Magic?" No, it's better than that sportsfans...the Miami Heat has announced that it will be holding it's training camp in none other than my hometown. That's right, you read it correctly, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and company are coming to town to train in the quiet and (unfortunately for me) protected setting of Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base.

The Heat will arrive on September 27 and will train and practice here until October 3. Needless to say, I am wracking my brain to think of ways I can have a sighting of this most highly anticipated hoops trio. Security is something that the Air Force, naturally, takes quite seriously so I'm not sure how my chances are looking for seeing the live action on base.

Perhaps I'll have to spot them in a public setting, maybe a restaurant. The husband seems to think that basketball players eat lots of steak , so we should go out to steakhouses during that week. Hmmm....it's an interesting thought but he might just be using this as a way to get out of the house where he is typically force-fed a mostly plant based diet. Meat deprivation can apparently make one quite devious.


Then I wonder, where will they stay? Could they be staying on base, eliminating any wishes I have to see them? Are they staying in a fine local hotel? Are there extra long beds available at fine local hotels? Do we have any fine local hotels?


I'm sure the details will soon be revealed as secrets don't usually stay secrets in small towns. The imminent threat of oily beaches seems to have spared us, tourist season is over and the tropics are not (knock on wood) sending their winds down Hurricane Alley, so we have little else to do but chat about the fact that a hugely popular professional basketball team is coming to town. I have happily lived here, on the Redneck Riviera, for my entire life and cannot recall any visits/events of this magnitude. Previously we just looked forward to the running of the crabs and Captain Billy's yearly show of taking the city over from the Indians so I'd say this is pretty big news for our once sleepy fishing village.

And hopefully, yours truly will be able to take in some of this exciting basketball action.

xoxo

Organic Basketball

My life lately is displaying a lot of contrasting interests. For example, I typically start the day with a a brisk walk and a nutrient rich green drink, then I could find myself starting the afternoon lounging around poolside with an oddly green, lime enhanced pina coloda (you know the one, Krissy). Or after a quiet bit of yoga, reflecting on the simple joys of life, I immediately turn up the AC/DC and check out the latest at Saks.com, consumerism at its finest. Perhaps I have multiple personalities, but I prefer to think I just do a nice job of keeping my life in a state of balance and harmony.

In this same vein, I find it somewhat curious that the only two magazines I subscribe to are Whole Living (previously Body & Soul) and Sports Illustrated. This seemingly polar opposite pair showing up in my mailbox seemed odd to me at first, but it's starting to make sense. I tend to spend a lot of time studying up on what to eat, what not to eat, what's good for the environment, what's bad, the importance of exercise, etc. Basically, I'm trying to take care of myself, inside and out, and apparently so are all of those athletes reported about weekly in Sports Illustrated. The really great ones know that their birth talent alone is not enough, to be the best, you have to work hard and you have to treat your body well for peak performance.

I recalled an article I'd read about Shaquille O'Neal as I was perusing the selection of local produce at the Seaside Farmers Market this weekend. Even Shaq is going organic, and removing soda, white bread and red meats from his diet. I'm hoping this change will give him better luck sporting the Celtic's green than he had back in Cleveland with that other guy.

So, Shaq and I have this interest in common now, except I don't think he buys his healthy provisions in Seaside, but he should consider it. It has a lovely market downtown every Saturday morning, where I can now purchase all types of seasonal fruit and vegetables, honey, milk, eggs, etc. all from local area farmers with lots of local color. And I've been reading up on what are the MUSTS for organic and which ones are safe if you can't find organic, so here's the scoop:

Organic Musts: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, pears, potatoes, raspberries and spinach

OK Non-organic: onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwis, cabbage, eggplants, papayas, watermelon, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, bananas

But don't be fooled, it's not always healthy eating around here, as indicated above by the midday consumption of strangely delicious green drink. Moderation is the key so they say...

or to quote the great Oscar Wilde, "I can resist anything except temptation."

xoxo

Where the Blues Was Born

Greetings fashion savvy sportsfans,


I believe I have finally recovered from a rather severe case of LeBron LeDecision fever. I am happy that the royal dust has settled and he and his crown have found a new home in Miami. Meanwhile, I have been silently hoping that Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets would pull an LBJ and abandon his hometown team and join Superman and his friends in Orlando, but I fear that he is staying in New Orleans. I would have loved to see the 'Magic' that he and Dwight Howard could make, but I have to respect that he chose to stay with his people in the Big Easy. And I myself would have a hard time leaving New Orleans behind.


Oh...New Orleans, that little jewel of a city, the true gem of the gulf coast, where yours truly will be travelling tomorrow for a quick fix of city life. I'll have no more than 24 hours to take in the essence of that great place: a little music, people watching, scrumptious food, fabulous shopping, beautiful sights and wonderful friends.


The husband has a little business to tend to, so in my free time I have a couple of options, 1) stalk Chris Paul and beg him to change his mind to join the Orlando Magic or 2) cruise over to Saks for a little powershopping. I'm especially interested in making a new shoe acquisition and I don't think the odds of me getting a personal audience with CP3 are that high, so I think it will be option #2, an afternoon at Saks. Not just any Saks, but my favorite Saks outside of the real deal on Fifth Avenue in the Big Apple. I absolutely adore the New Orleans Saks because it is full of beautiful things, it's not too big and not too small, the people there are so lovely and helpful (as are most folks in that fine city) and the selection seems to be carefully chosen for inhabitants of the Gulf South where a) we like nice things b) we don't take ourselves too seriously and c) it's very hot. Now that I think of it, those are the very same reasons that I love the city of New Orleans.


In addition to all this shopping, arts, culture and dining, this city knows a thing or two about playing ball, whether it's football or basketball. New Orleans has two outstanding sports teams in the Saints and the Hornets. And a seriously crazed fan base. So I will celebrate with the fine folks of New Orleans that Chris Paul stays and that the Saints have a Super Bowl Championship. But most of all I will celebrate the spirit of a city that shines through adversity and continually wows the world with it's resiliency and joie de vivre. If the world is an oyster, New Orleans must be it's pearl.

The King: James or Scout?

In case you haven't heard, LeBron James, aka the King, is headed to South Beach to join his friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh at the Miami Heat. Even if you are one of my many friends that pays no mind to basketball current events, you had to have heard of this news. As much as I love the spotlight on the NBA, I can barely take anymore. It's all day, every day, everywhere from ESPN to NPR. The topic even came up at a recent lunch with a girlfriend at our very favorite Smiling Fish Cafe and then again the next evening while sipping colorful cocktails with a bunch of stylish ladies. I wouldn't have typically been talking sports, especially basketball, on these two occasions with these lovely friends, but this is how deeply the LeBron Mania has spread throughout our country.




I foolishly thought it would be over once he announced the decision on the ESPN special, "The Decision"--very clever title for such a program. The intent to film the event at the Boys and Girls Club was thoughtful, although I was disappointed to hear no mention of that spectacular organization or their very important works outside of a couple of commercials during the LeDecision hour(click here for a link to our local Boys & Girls Club--they are doing an amazing job!).


I found the program and the hours of chit chat before and after to be a gross display of an over active ego, and a bit tacky overall. It seemed a little too contrived and a little too much of a marketing stunt for my delicate senses. But humble, LeBron is not. Yes, he is a fantastic player, but really, the dramatic touches could be scaled down a little.


It was a sad, sad way for the heartbroken Cleveland fans to hear the news that their hometown boy was jumping ship. But leave it to the owner of the Cavaliers to help mend their aching hearts with a nasty letter, accusing the self-titled King of a long list of personal faults including: narcissism, cowardly betrayal and more. The town quickly rallied with anger, burning all #23 jerseys and removing the larger than life images plastered throughout the city that lost the race for LeBron. Maybe they should look into a city-wide ten-step program to help them through the pain of this loss.


And the show didn't stop there, that was just the pregame celebration, the real party took place in Miami last night with a world class party full of all sorts of celeb appeal. I heard that the King and his 'camp' camped out at my personal favorite, the Loews. I love those hotels because not only are they painfully hip and always overflowing with beautiful people, but they also allow me to travel with best friend, Lab-like rescue pooch and spoiled rotten pet, Scout, who also fancies himself to be the King (as shown in photo above).

Back to the news, I think LeBron chose wisely. They might be a championship contender or maybe not, but Miami is a beautiful city, ripe with folks who think a lot of themselves so LBJ should fit in nicely. And of course there's so much shopping, dining, nightlife and beachlife all wrapped together with an international flare and a nice tropical climate. What could be better?




Oh yea... a ring.



xoxo

LeBronathon

Please forgive my absence during this past week, I've been sucked into the vortex known as the 2010 free agency. At first, I couldn't get enough of the speculation, the commentary and the anticipation of the upcoming announcements. But now as we move into day 8 of the month of LeBron, I am ready for the these guys to wrap things up. Or rather I'm ready for LeBron to wrap it up, he's really living up to his 'king' nickname this time--the guy is truly a drama king. Tomorrow night at 8:00 central, he will host a one hour special, in which he will reveal to all of us fans in sportsland which fair city he will next call home. Will he go with the sentimental ties to Cleveland, the star-studded scene in NYC, the great history of Chicago, or join his friends D Wade and Bosh for a run for a championship in South Beach? We'll find out tomorrow night, and I'm sure it'll be a dramatic event.

I think it's safe to say we've all had a little too much LeBron exposure lately. One hardly hears mention of anything else, the World Cup, Wimbledon, or those very talented back-to-back national champs, the Lakers, because it's all LeBron, LeBron, LeBron. As a former endurance athlete, (yes, I kicked off my Manolo's a few times to run a handful of marathons) I thought that I could handle the duration of this LeBron Countdown, but even I, trained to endure through difficult and challenging times, find this to be painful and tiresome. Maybe it's more like an Ultra Marathon, which even I was not crazy enough to do (tempted yes, but my occasional rational judgement ruled out the possibility, or was it the fear of really bad tan lines?). So if this is a LeBronathon, I'm feeling like we're on mile 24 or so of the 26.2 mile race, our minds are a little numb from the repetitive state we've been subjected to, we can hear the bands playing and the crowds cheering at the end of the race, maybe I spot my mother-in-law in front of the Plaza, and we know the end is near. All of the preparation and anticipation will be winding down, making way for new discussions of future races, teams, events. Personally, I look forward to crossing the finish line and completing this chapter of the book of LeBron.

I'm sure LeBron will not fail to entertain us tomorrow night. I am also sure that many folks will rejoice and celebrate his decision, while other cities mourn what could have been. But fear not friends, regardless of what city the King sits in his throne, we will be witnesses of some very exciting basketball over the years to come. I'll save my thoughts on the entire shake down of the NBA for a later date, once the dance is complete and our aches from this long and drawn out free-agent season have subsided.

And special thanks to all of the input on what to wear in Sonoma County. I've made the final cuts and my bags (and lashes) are packed and ready to go to wine country. What better way to celebrate the grand finale of the free agency season, than a trip to California with my charming husband, visiting dear friends, drinking amazing juice, and of course a little shopping in San Francisco?

Cheers!

xoxo

WWLBD? WWLW?

WWLBD? What will LeBron Do? This is the question on the mind of all basketball fans these days. As of July 1, Free Agent season begins and never has there been a bigger deal than this. I've heard some say it's the biggest thing to happen in all of basketball history. The biggest event ever in basketball history? I think not...I recall a certain Chicago Bull player retiring at the peak of his game taking over conversations around the dinner table across America, and possibly even the rest of the world. But, this is an impressive class of men taking up free agency on Thursday. And their leader? Naturally, King James. Where will he go? What will he do? Every team in the league is waiting for his decision so that they can build a team to defend him and whatever superpowers he joins forces with.

There's lots of talk about teams he 'might' be considering, Chicago, New Jersey, Dallas, Clippers, Miami, etc. And not to mention staying at his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. As the billboards read: Born Here, Lives Here, Plays Here, Stays Here. Personally, I'd take a nice long look at Miami, the weather is so lovely and the scene is just so hot. If not Miami, I think the next best place for royalty is the Big Apple. What better place for a King to reside, the worlds center for fashion, finance, entertainment, etc. Or maybe Chicago, where he could play on the hallowed court that was once home to the greatest ever, Michael Jordan. Everybody wants this guy. I've even read a suggestion that we should change the name of July to LeBron, just for this year as it seems he's the favorite topic du jour.

Among the other superstar players about to shake up the NBA through their free agency are Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh (and his newly cut hair), Amar'e Stoudemire, Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Joe Johnson, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Tracy McGrady, just to name a few. That line-up sounds like an all-star game. So get on your dancing shoes boys, this highly anticipated basketball shuffle begins on Thursday, July 1.

Another hot topic on my mind...WWLW? What will Lacy wear? I am heading to California in a few weeks for an important and very fun function with some of my most favorite friends. We will be the first guests to be entertained at the new Williams Selyem Winery and will be sipping their delicious wine as a certain friend and famous chef or two (in case you're reading this Chris) will be preparing us dinner. So back to my original question, what does one wear while barrel tasting in the winery (read: a little chilly), dining alfresco (read: warm then cooling off after sunset), and possibly taking a stroll through the vineyard (read: comfy shoes)? And all of this while trying to pull off a "Sonoma County Casual" look. Hmmmm???? What about my wine angel and Valerie's wine devil tee shirt look? Cute, but maybe not for this function. Beyond the ever present false eyelashes for such events and the fact that 10 years of wobbling around on 3 inch Manolos has forced me into a lifetime of flats perfect for exploring the land of grapes, I'm at a loss. I welcome any thoughts on this topic.

Lots of big decisions to be made in the next few days and weeks. If I don't make a new post before the weekend, I hope you all have a safe and happy fourth of LeBron, oops, I mean Happy Fourth of July!!!

Thoughts on Game 7: Thumb Ring

So its officially over. Basketball season has come to an end and Kobe now has a championship ring for each finger, including his thumb. Andy and I took in the basketball action from a motel room somewhere between Seagrove Beach and Hazard, Kentucky, where we are headed to spend the weekend with dear friends.


It was a thrilling Game 7, as suspected. For the first 3 quarters it looked like the Celtics would take the trophy back to Boston, but no such luck. In the fourth quarter, Kobe Bryant turned up his skills to help the Lakers take the lead and win the game in the last seconds.


The Celtics didn't give up--they played their hearts out right to the last minute, but sadly for the guys in green, it wasn't enough. This is a team that plays like beautiful poetry, and Rondo in particular showed his skills during this playoff season, so much so that my best sportsfan girlfriend, Brenda Nunnery, reports that she is planning to name her next dog "Rondo" due to his "such ballet like moves." This will be one cute dog as their family usually goes for miniature dachshunds, very much the ballerinas, right? And I know she's not joking because she named her last dog after another friend and amazing lady, Julianna Martinelli. The funny thing is the human Julianna has the longest legs known to man, at least a half mile long, and her namesake, the canine (mini dachshund) Julianna Martinelli has legs barely long enough to keep her belly from dragging on the ground as she walks, but she's still a real looker.


It was heartbreaking to see the sadness on the face of the Celtics after the game. But, wow, seeing the immediate reaction of Ron Artest quickly negated any sad feelings. Watching a grown man so ridiculously emotional was very amusing. I didn't realize it was proper protocol to thank your phsycotherapist on national television after winning a grueling match up for the NBA world championship. I'll have to remember that in case I am ever in a similar situation. I couldn't help but laugh at his joyful expressions. I also confess to having a slightly evil streak that makes me get a good belly laugh from seeing people cry over sports wins & losses. (Melanie, you know the Ohio State kid I refer to from the UF championship game--and I speak of the football championship win over Ohio State, not the basketball championship win over Ohio State that same year). Having admitted to this evil spirited giggling, I had a nice chuckle seeing the chest heaving sobs of Pau Gasol.

I think it was that lovely songbird, Christina Aguillera that was the good luck charm for the Lakers. She gave another stunning performance of the national anthem. I couldn't get over her amazing false lashes. I'll have to find out what brand she uses.


In other sports news, my niece, Mason's volleyball team, the Vero Beach Rivers are battling it out at Disney's Wide World of Sports this week. A serious team from Mandeville, LA took a few games from them in the beginning, but they rallied and won a few against a team from Puerto Rico. Last report had them playing a team from Indiana, up one set.


It has also been reported that Mason's brother, Phillip and his baseball team, the Vero Beach Nationals All Star's will head to Williamsport for the Little League World Series, so I'll keep you updated on that too. What an athletically gifted bunch of kids in the family!


So no more basketball games in the near future, but fear not, there's plenty to talk about...especially with the LeBron Le-Free Agency topic and all of the other talented players on the move this summer. And I've always got a few mindless thoughts on the sport to share with my followers. Don't be sad...the season may be over, but I'll still be here.


xoxo

Thoughts on Game 6: California Dreamin

Ok friends, huge and I mean HUGE game tonight. It's what all basketball fans live for, a heated Game 7 where it's all on the line. I suppose Kobe's teammates recovered from his stinging criticism because they really turned it around in Game 6. The Celtics were finished by halftime and their case wasn't helped much with the early withdrawal of center Kendrick Perkins. He suffered a severe knee injury and won't be returning for Game 7, and from the sounds of it he sadly won't be active next season.



Andy and I veiwed the game together at home with a gulf coast seafood extravaganza as it might be the last of our local seafood for quite a while due to the big mess of oil. Our favorite seafood shop, Shrimpers, is possibly closing down as early as Monday. This haven of seafood is owned and operated by a family that has lived in Destin forever (I went to high school with the son and daughter, and that was a loooong time ago) and this family has always been working in the fishing business so I know they have the best of the local catch. It's a very sad time.



To lift our spirits we opened a bottle of Williams Selyem Pinot Noir from California's Russian River Valley which is always good for a little cheer. Our very dear friend Bob, aka the Big Willi, makes this delicious wine so you have to feel good when sipping his juice, also known affectionately as the Big Willi.



It'll be tough to top that line up for Game 7 tonight, but I'll try.



My sister Mathilda is vacationing in San Diego right now, wait...is it considered vacation when visiting in-laws? Anyway, I told her she should try to go to the game, surely LA isn't that far away from San Diego. Just for a little fun, she did some research and reports "I can get two COURTSIDE tickets for only 30,000 and change (each). And parking is included! But alas, I have nothing to wear. And who would I root for?" Parking included? What a bargain! Maybe I should hop on a plane and accompany my sister to the event after we make a quick shopping spree/makeover in Beverly Hills. But oh rats, our very strict and considerate financial advisor says its not a good idea. But we can dream...



For all of you friends that still don't really get the basketball thing, I beg you to watch the national anthem and introduction of the teams just before the game. Los Angeles naturally puts on a dramatic performance (that little song bird Christina Aguillera sang on Thursday night) and you can get a compilation of the most exciting moments of playoff history too. It's very entertaining, even for those that don't yet embrace this face-paced sport.



And as for history, this is the 12th meeting of these two teams in the finals. The Celtics have won 9 of 11 of those meetings. It's going to be tense out there tonight, but Kobe Bryant says he's "not trippin."



Celtics Coach Doc Rivers says "It should be a lot of fun." I agree with Doc, yet it will be a little bittersweet as the close of this game brings on a long, hot summer void of basketball, with football still far out on the horizon. I suppose I'll have to cheer on baseball and soccer.



Tip off tonight at 8:00.



xoxo

Thoughts on Game 5: The Milkmen

What an exciting series this has been with the Lakers and Celtics. The series leaves Beantown and heads to Tinseltown tonight for Game 6, a win or go home game for Los Angeles. It occurred to me while watching the game on Sunday night that we are watching one man (Kobe Bryant) play a team (Boston Celtics). Finally, the Three-party showed up with all members scoring double digits, and of course Rondo continuing his post season success. The Celtics showed nice teamwork, sweet ball movement, great defense and powerful scoring.

Kobe Bryant also showed all of the above while scoring a whopping 38 points from unthinkable positions, but unfortunately he didn't have a team to help him out, which he was very vocal about on his way to the locker room after the game, lots of bleep bleep bleeping going on. He even stated that their defense was on the side of a milk carton for the last two games (i.e. MISSING). Yikes! Such strong words from their leader, will they put their injured feelings aside and "man up" tonight?




I've received many requests for a photo of the previously described green suit from kindergarten, but I am sad to report that there are only 3 photographs in existence from my early childhood as I am the youngest of 3 girls. And I am only captured in the background of those photos as my two adorable older sisters were the typically the main subject. But fear not, I've spent a lifetime making up for the early neglect, as anyone who knows my family knows that I quickly rose to royalty status and continue to reign from my position as family princess.

I also thought of another green piece of my childhood history, my dad used to drive me to school in his International Harvester Scout, the original SUV, purchased on a family vacation in California, sans moi (another sad story of neglect), and driven across the country to its new home in Florida. It was actually the first of two Scouts we would drive and this one was lovingly called "the Green Machine". Too bad I don't have a photo of my dad and me heading off to start our day in the Green Machine with me sporting my green suit. I'm sure it would be a real cutie.

Back to the Celtics sense of fashion, it is now clear to me that the only fabric they care about seeing is that of the championship banners hanging from the rafters. Oh my, how they long to add banner number 18 to their collection.

And oh my, how Kobe longs to add championship ring number 5 to his talented hand.

Who will it be, tune in tonight to find out . I'll be watching...

xoxo

Thoughts on Game 4: Bench Press

The Lakers and Celtics are truly living up to the legend of their fiercely competitive rivalry. History repeats itself as these two teams go back and forth with wins, struggling for the championship. The Lakers played hard, Kobe showed up with 33 points, but with big man Andrew Bynum ailing from a knee injury, they couldn't pull off a win. After an ugly loss on Tuesday, the Celtics, or should I say the Celtics Bench, came back last night with a vengeance to tie the series.

Celtics back up point guard Nate Robinson came off the bench to make big plays and keep the speed of the game at a very fast pace. He also ignited the team and the fans with his wild enthusiasm, but that was nothing compared to the moves displayed by Big Baby (Glen Davis, Celtics back up forward). Who would ever guess that a fellow of his size could move with such agility? And I don't just mean the incredible plays he was making on the court while powering through the Lakers to score 18 points, 11 of them in the second half. This man can do a little dance, shake his tail feathers and get down tonight. His celebratory jigs were quite entertaining, as was his description of himself as "a beast" in his postgame interview. During this interview, Nate Robinson referred to the duo as Shrek and Donkey, very fitting comparison.

Again I find myself contemplating what I would wear if I was a die hard Boston fan. This could prove to be even more challenging than donning the dreaded purple/gold combo because I simply do not do green. Green as in caring for the environment, of course, you will always see me gathering my collection of reusable cloth bags from my extremely fuel efficient Prius as I enter the grocery store, but wearing the color is an entirely different topic.

I trace my fear of green back to an outfit my very sweet and otherwise extremely tasteful mother made for me and forced me to wear while attending kindergarten. In summary, this was a very thick, forest green polyester suit with bell bottoms and an overly wide collar. The buttons were the oh so fashionable brown plastic logs and the ensemble was finished off with a mint green shirt under the jacket. I will not further expand on the 'get-up' as I don't want to upset my mom (she's sure to read this and has been the key contributor to my love of shopping ever since the dreaded suit situation. In fact I cannot count the days she took me out of school to head over to the big city of Pensacola for a day of shopping. Truly an amazing mother). Needless to say the suit was not a pretty sight, but it was this very outfit that has scarred me for life, forcing me to steer clear of the spectrum of green colors.

My personal boycott of green would prove problematic if I was a Beantown gal, so I did a little research and found a dress that even I could contemplate wearing to support the Celtics. Click on this link for a peek at the dress:

Diane von Furstenberg dress from Saks

And especially for my NFL/Tom Brady crazed friend Terri, something else quite pretty to ponder...a spectator at Game 3 in Boston, hopefully cheering on his fellow Boston sports team.

More after Game 5...

xoxo

Thoughts on Game 3: School of Fish(er)

Rise and Shine Sports Fans,

The much anticipated return to Boston proved to be sweet revenge for the Lakers. It was once again a very exciting game. Thankfully Kevin Garnett woke up and started to show us a little of his insane skills (you might recall he was the first player ever to be drafted right out of high school to the NBA). But even KG's reappearance wasn't enough for the Celtics last night.

It looked promising for the Celtics in the first few minutes, so much so that my fellow spectator and delightful husband, Andy, took back his "Lakers in 5" statement and revised it to "if they keep this up, Celtics in 5". But not so fast says the Coach Phil Jackson of the Lakers as he calls a time out and gets his team re-focused. The Lakers went on to block all of Ray Allen's previously unstoppable 3 pointers and took the lead for most of the second and third quarters. With Kevin Garnett scoring 25 points during the game, the Celtics were able to close the gap in the fourth, but then...

Derek Fisher stole the show. He scored 11 of his 16 points in the last quarter, played great defense and made amazing plays happen, ending the Celtics hopes for a win with his final coast to coast play of remarkable beauty. Definitely worth checking out the highlights on SportsCenter.




As for the fashion scene in Boston, I don't really have a lot to report on that front right now. I need to collect my thoughts after being temporarily stunned by this hot fellow. He's no (Marky) Mark Wahlberg, but I've got to applaud his team spirit.

The next game is Thursday night. Will LA take the win and the chance to close out the series in Boston a la Andy's prediction, Lakers in 5? Can the Boston Three-Party coordinate their skills and all give a peak performance on the same night? Will Marky Mark grace grace us with his presence courtside? A lot of questions to be answered on Thursday night. I'll be watching...

xoxo

Thoughts on Game 2: Foul Play

Good Morning Sports Fans,

I viewed Game 2 with my charming husband as I have returned home just in time to witness the arrival of oil on our pristine, sugar-white beaches. We have long since boycotted news coverage of this terrible disaster in our household because it is too sad. I've found that during such tough times, we can easily be distracted by the wide world of sports where people fill stadiums and bars to wildly cheer for their team and enthusiastically celebrate their teams win. Generally in sports happiness and excitement abound, with the exception of the Lakers fans last night...

We saw a very different Celtics team take to the courts in LA last night. It was a fast-paced game, thanks to the quick moves of the Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. Rondo's speedy deliveries combined with Ray Allen's amazing 3 pointers all night long gave the Celtics a win in this exciting Game 2 against the Lakers. It was a close game for the most part with the lead shifting back and forth as both teams put on a nice performance. The game was captivating for the entire 48 minutes, however, those minutes were stretched by the crazy amount of fouls, many of which were not valid. By the end of the game nearly everyone had at least 5 fouls. Yes, it was physical out there, but really, no need to stop the action every 6 seconds to call a foul. I beg of the refs, please let them play basketball without all of the unnecessary interruptions otherwise they should consider changing the NBA tag line to NBA: Where Fouls Happen.

The Celtics tied the series, but do not be mistaken, the Lakers were still playing like the championship team they are, and I for one, fear the crazed look of determination, hunger and revenge in the eyes of Kobe Bryant. He is clearly a man consumed with winning. The guy already has a handful of championship rings, but there must be something about the nasty rivalry that exists between these teams and a primal need to beat the Celtics in the Finals that is driving him.

On the fashion side, I've been thinking about what I would wear if I were a Lakers fan and it's not a pretty thought. I doubt there are many folks out there that say, "oh yes, I look best in bright yellow and Barney purple" (and I speak of Barney the dinosaur, not Barney's the super-chic NYC department store). It's a tough fashion statement, unless of course you were raised in an LSU-loving environment where this color combo seemed quite normal, and possibly even tasteful.

I don't see a sea of gold and purple in the crowds at their games. Even though the colors are awkward, I would expect the die-hard fans to be sporting them, but then again this is LA, the vainest of all cities. And this is a statement of a product of the reportedly most obnoxious of all college fans, yes I am a Florida Gator. And trust me when I say orange and blue are not my best colors...nonetheless, I wear them proudly on game day.

I was happy to see a few ladies and gentlemen sporting their colors well last night(or team hat a la Justin Timberlake) and their team spirit made me proud. There was one exception and I'd like to give him a little fashion warning: If you are not a tall man and weigh in over 250, it is not advisable to wear bright yellow trousers with a bright purple top. Actually, the top is not the issue so much as the pants, highlighter shade of yellow is not appropriate below the waist unless you play on the team. I like your display of love for your team, but next time consider wearing denim with the purple top and maybe some yellow shoes.

And I thought all it took was false lashes and long hair to get a floor seat, perhaps I need to rethink that.

The next 3 games will be played in Boston. Game 3 is Tuesday night and I'll be watching...

xoxo

Thoughts on Game 1

I'm reporting live from Vero Beach, Florida. As promised, I watched an exciting Game 1 with my trusted young sports-loving niece and nephew, Mason and Phillip. I should've known the Lakers would win since those two picked them to win the championship--this household really knows their sports. The Lakers were clearly the more driven team last night and found a way to get past the Celtics usually strong defense. Kobe and Gasol had an especially nice thing going on last night as they scored a combined 44 points for the Lakers. But fear not Celtics fans, I'm sure Doc Rivers will make some adjustments and we'll see the Celtics return to Staples Center Sunday night with a new attitude. One thing we can definitely count on is extremely physical play, they couldn't even make it 27 seconds into the game before Ron Artest and Paul Pierce got tangled up. It's a very heated rivalry.

And speaking of hot, I scoured the fans and noticed a few stand-out ladies in attendance. Hilary Swank is quite the Lakers fan and sported a nice casual look finished off with a serious game face last night. Kourtney Kardashian showed up looking somewhat understated (based on those sisters usual attire) to cheer on her hubby, Lakers forward Lamar Odom. And lastly, take a peek at the always beautiful Charlize Theron. If only we could all channel her style while taking in the hoops action.

Game 2 on Sunday night, I'll be watching...

xoxo

p.s. For those of you wanting an update on Mason's Vero Beach Rivers AAU Volleyball Team, I was lucky enough to view a scrimmage of her team last night and trust me when I say the girl has mad skills. I'm expecting big things out of this team when they play for the National Championship at Disney's Wide World of Sports later this month. Don't worry, I'll be keeping you posted on those developments.

How the West Was Won

How was the west won? It was won by a lone ranger and his name is Kobe Bryant. The Suns put up a nice battle, but Kobe and team showed up with guns slinging. The Lakers win certainly makes for an exciting Champoinship series.

It's down to a repeat of the 2008 Finals with the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. It seems that these two teams really can't stand each other and their fans are rabid about (a.)their love for their own team and (b.)their hatred for the other team. In 2008, the Celtics won this series. I'm wondering if they can do it again. It's tough to say with Kobe and crew being en fuego, but on the Celtics side, lets not forget that Rondo has been the darling of the playoffs.

The first game is in LA this Thursday, and I'll be watching from Vero Beach with two of my favorite sports fans, my neice Mason (10) and my nephew Phillip (12). They don't really like either of the teams, but both think the Lakers will win, Phillip in game 6, Mason in game 7. Their mother, my sister Melanie, thinks the Celtics will win in 7 games. But right now the family is a little more focused on Mason's volleyball team (the Vero Beach Rivers) playing for the national championship. Go Rivers! Of course we'll have great celeb sightings at the games in LA, but don't forget that super hottie(Marky) Mark Wahlberg sometimes attends in Boston, so either way the crowd viewing will be nice. Who will win? I can't answer that but I agree with Kobe Bryant's post game statement on Saturday..."it's a sexy matchup."

xoxo

All Dressed Up and No Place to Go

It's a sad day here in Orlando. The Magic couldn't fight off the Celtics to bring it home for Game 7, thus, I will not be wearing my strategically planned ensemble described in yesterday's post. I'm still a Magic fan, and proud that they came back and gave the Irish boys a little struggle for a few games. Now, on to the Playoffs for the Celtics, and who will they be playing? We'll see about that as the Battle for the West goes back to the desert for Game 6 tonight. The Lakers are ahead 3-2 in this series, so will the Lakers take it all tonight? Or will we have a Game 7 back in LA? We'll see...

And as for me, what will I do? Tonight I'll view the Lakers/Suns with my husband at our FAVE sushi spot, Seito. What to do with the void created by lack of Game 7 in Orlando on Sunday?

I think I'll have to apply those lashes after all and go see the latest exploits of Carrie and the ladies. Do you think I can convince my husband to take me to Sex and the City Part 2? We'll see...

xoxo

More Magic Please

I can't stand the excitement on the courts right now--a last second miracle play by former foes Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant last night for a Lakers win at home over the Suns AND the Magic crushing the Celtics on Wednesday, reducing the Celtics series lead to 3-2. I'm thrilled about the great competition in the West, but today, I've got to keep my enthusiasm closer to home.

Orlando plays the Celtics again tonight in Boston for Game 6. If the Magic can win this one, the all important, deciding Game 7 will be played in Orlando Sunday night and guess who just happens to be travelling to Orlando this weekend? Yes, yours truly, and I will force my precious husband to take me to the game. I don't care if I have to stand around in the pouring ran or burning heat all day to beg, plead and/or pay dearly for tickets. I will be at that game. With this possibility in mind as I prepare to leave my lovely beach oasis for the weekend getaway, I realize that I must pack a super cutie ensemble for this event. I mean really, if the Magic could win Games 6 & 7, it would be the first time in the history of basketball that a team came back from 3 losses to win a best of 7 series. This is such a rare event that it has only occurred 4 other times in sports, three in hockey and one in baseball. Could it happen this time? I hope so. And if it does, I'll be there witnessing history in the making.

I lunched with my very special friend Stacy this week, and she reported that she needs more fashion to go with my entries, so here it is...

What will I wear to this historic, potential event: first and most important, false lashes. My a-musing friend Wendy taught me the importance of those dramatic little beauties. For attire, a trusted pair of Joe's Jeans are in line for this event because I'll need to be flexible for a lot of up and down, cheering and jeering, spilling drinks, etc. It's likely to be a highly emotional game so my normal 'uniform', collection of little dresses, will not suffice. Also on such occasions, it is highly necessary to show your team colors, so I will opt for this cute little tank with stripes of blue and silver sequins, very understated, right? (see photo, with husband in Napa Valley, for proof that I am not speaking of tacky sequins) Both the jeans and the sparkly top were purchased under the supervision of my most trusted wardrobe advisor, Valerie. She has a triple black belt in shopping and I would never question her judgement. I'll finish off my look with a pair of shiny blue patent Tod's, product of Bergdorf's after a long lunch at the BG Cafe, complete with bubbly, celebrating Krissy's birthday in the Big Apple.

So, Go Magic. I hope I get to wear my carefully crafted wardrobe selections on Sunday night...

xoxo

Playoff Update: Gearing up for Game 5

It's starting to get a little crazy on the courts as we head into Game 5 of the Eastern and Western Conference Playoffs. Lots of exciting action to watch over the next two nights, and really, for those of us east of the Mighty Mississippi, the Western games are more of a 'late night' viewing. I must confess, yours truly must have beauty rest so I often miss the second half to prevent very puffy next day eyes. Fear not, I have already scoured the news and watched the necessary highlights. And, yes, I will sacrifice my appearance during the playoffs and watch each game to the bitter end.

So friends, here's what's happening:

In the East, I had a hunch the Magic could pull off a little magic and prevent the Celtics from getting out their celebratory broom. After a brilliant return of Superman (aka Dwight Howard) and team, the Magic managed to keep the Celtics under control in Game 4 in Boston. I wouldn't call it a dominating win, but they played their hearts out right through overtime. Few teams would have the determination and spirit to put on such a performance while facing possible elimination after receiving such a lashing during the first 3 games (Game 2 wasn't so bad, but did result in a loss). Of course Ray Allen was firing off flawless 3's for Boston all night long, but somehow the Magic contained the crazy skills of Rajon Rondo.* The series heads back south to Orlando tonight...Will the Celtics win and move on to their one zillionth Playoff appearance? Will the Magic be able to take a win at home? Is it possible that they could be the first basketball team to come back from a 3 loss deficit to go to the Finals? We'll see...

*And how quickly the press loses interest--for at least one day, Rondo was not the top story. But I happily report that King James didn't reign over the news. This time it's speculation about Phil Jackson making a return to the Bulls. Whatever.

In the West, Los Suns really heated up the desert last night with another scorching win over the Lakers to tie up that series. Steve Nash and his broken nose, along with a stellar performance from their bench, seemed to shut down the Lakers. Kobe Bryant is not so happy and has concerns about the Lakers defense. He did manage to score 38 points, yet some say he is not the best player in the league. Interesting. The series returns to Los Angeles on Thursday night where all of the beautiful people will be lining up to claim their seats on the floor. Speaking of beauties, I noticed quite a nice looking crowd sitting courtside in Phoenix. In a quick analysis of these seats, I discovered that to earn such primo real estate, it is necessary for ladies to have very thick, long manes. I think perhaps I should grow mine out so that I can move on down to the floor level seats from my present vantage of about 16 rows back. Presently my hair falls just below the shoulders, that is when I am not channelling Holly Golightly (see profile image). Or maybe I should try extensions? More topics to ponder. And what will happen in the West? I'll be watching...

xoxo

Playoff Update: The Battle for the East and West

Greetings sportsfans, we are 3 games in on the Eastern and Western Division Championship Playoffs and it's been very interesting. I am shocked at how these two series are playing out, but you, my dear readers, must have sensed what would be taking place. Based on the votes cast by fans of the "Dress", You picked the Lakers and the Celtics as the winners. Fifty percent of voters think the Tinseltown team will take it all, while 25% selected the men in Green. While Boston is only one win away, the Lakers still need 2 wins to proceed to the Finals.

Here's a quick summary of the first 3 games of each series:

In the East, the Boston Celtics/Orlando Magic series has been either a display of dominating force or a dreadful disappointment, depending on your point of view. The Celtics are ahead 3-0, and have completely dismembered the Magic with their incredible teamwork and the high octane moves by Rajon Rondo* (formerly of Kentucky, so I know that while I am sadly mourning the demise of the Magic, my friend Satya, is celebrating the success of a former wildcat). But before we let all of the Magic bashing fog our thinking, please recall that this team won 59 regular season games, second only to the (recently disgraced) Cleveland Cavaliers, Dwight Howard received the Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year and they won all of their playoff games in the first two series against worthy opponents. Clearly, the Boston team is hungry for another championship and unless something truly magical takes place for the Magic, the finals will be the next stop for the Celtics. I do hope the boys from O-town can hold off the boys from Beantown for just one game to avoid a sweep.

*I will say that I am happy to have the main topic of discussion of NBA basketball move away from LeBron James and where-will-he-go mania. Rondo's performance in these past few games has briefly eclipsed news of the media darling, King James, so let's all enjoy this rare LeLoving free moment.

In the West, everyone thinks Los Angeles Lakers will go all the way (only 5% voted for the Phoenix Suns in my recent poll), but after last night I say we rethink that. It appears that the Suns have turned up the heat a bit as they won a very physical game 3, leaving the Lakers with a 2-1 lead in the series. Kobe still scores about a million beautifully executed points a game, but watch out for the Suns Amar'e Stoudemire and his 42 points last night. Nice. The Lakers Derek Fisher found himself the center of several elbow issues during the game, first as his head was grazed by the elbow of the Suns big man Robin Lopez (OUCH!) then again when he got Steve Nash, of the Suns, in the nose with his own elbow (DOUBLE OUCH!). Poor Canadian Steve is just recovering from a swollen closed, black eye, and now a broken nose too! Maybe he should have opted for hockey as he doesn't seem to mind the abuse. These two teams are going to put up quite a fight before its over. I'll be watching this series for the pure drama and more flying elbow sightings.

I've included a photo of my favorite sports loving friends, Brenda and Phillip and their beautiful daughter Camille. I snapped this photo of them just before an Orlando Magic game. Camille was very taken with the TG Lee cow/blimp that floats around the stadium dispensing coupons. As you can see, Camille had her eye on the cow and was ready to catch an airmail delivery. These sports fans kindly gave me the gift of Sports Illustrated for my recent birthday, as mentioned in a recent posting. Many thanks to you Phillip, Brenda and Camille!

Happy playoff viewing,
xoxo