this dude can rock

over the weekend, the hubs, some friends and i saw this guy in concert.

these folks opened for him, and i was even more excited to see them (little big town) than i was the main show. little big town did not disappoint - i love the way they've fused the fleetwood mac vibe with contemporary country music. awesome.

but keith urban blew me away. i've always liked his music, but he's never entered my list of favs or must-sees . . . until now. the man is a seriously talented musician - he rocked no fewer than a half dozen guitars, and had more energy than the energizer bunny on speed. most of the show, i felt like i was at a rock concert and not a country pop concert because keith and his band kicked some serious ass. if you get a chance to see keith and company - take it - you won't regret it, even if you're not into country.

forget regret, or life is yours to miss

a few quick notes about RENT, which we saw this weekend:

- the music & lyrics of the show are by far better than the script. hands down. i sang my way through the entire show.

- adam pascal and anthony rapp still rock, even if their performances seemed a little tired.

- the set was utilized brilliantly.

- lexi lawson's understudy, caren tacket, rocked the upbeat tunes, but lacked the control demanded by the slower songs.

- nicolette hart, playing maureen, stole the second act. hands down.

- if jesse l. martin ever reprises his role, i will be there in a flash- mmmmm!

yes, yes, i realize that this is all about a dozen years too late, but if you're planning on seeing the touring show, my vote is GO!

image from here.

as promised

before . . . after. . .

which do you like better?

by the time you read this . . .

i will no longer be blonde. i've been blonde most of my life - for the first half of my life it was natural, and then, not-so-natural. i've been wondering how i would look with my natural brunette hair color, but have been too nervous to try it out. but today, i am taking the plunge-i will post a photo of the results.

thanks, heisschic, for the inspiration.

photo via ffffound.

an evening on the water

i must preface by saying how bummed i am that our camera battery died before we could take any pictures of our friday night adventure . . . thanks for the photos, david b. at yelp.

the hubs arranged an amazing friday night date. we drove out to sauvie island, hopped on a friend's boat, and cruised down the multnomah channel to mark's on the channel. we parked the boat right at the dining pier, and watched the sun set over the water, while dining on amazing saganaki, pasta, and carrot cake. i can't imagine a better way to spend a friday evening. thanks, hubs!!

one sweet day

i'm feeling a bit nostalgic tonight. the hubs and i are in bend, oregon for the weekend: we're hitting the lake and the trails - what a blast! but the gorgeous mountain surroundings reminds me of lake arrowhead where we got married. here's a picture of us on our big day . . .

we'll be here . . .

. . . this weekend. i'm excited. and a little scared. have any of you camped in these mini-cabins?

will you see miss saigon?

if i still lived in salt lake, i would most definitely go see natalie hill in miss saigon.

natalie - if you're reading this - we're meant to be friends. i'm sure of it. :P

incidentally, i've followed her blog for a while now, and watched her interview for good things utah on her blog this morning. you know when you read a book and you imagine the characters a certain way? then, they make the movie and its not at all like what you imagined? that's kind of how it was watching natalie be interviewed - i've imagined her in a certain way and seeing her in action was totally different than what my mind created. how funny. she's even more captivating live.

photo by candice stringham

wish we were

visiting the hubs' home town.

riding the kamehameha highway through haleiwa and waialua, and stopping to get a bite to eat.

looking over kahana bay.

hubs - let's make it happen this summer!

sis-in-law's new home

last night, our hilarious friend v was supposed to fly in from LA to visit us for the weekend. sadly, her aunt passed away just hours before she planned to leave, so she cancelled her visit. since the hubs and i had already taken today off, we took advantage of the sunny, crisp weather and made the two hour drive up to visit the hubs' sister. we wanted to see her new digs: she just bought her first house!! i sure wished my first place was this amazing!!

good eats

while in san fran, we hit some restaurants worth writing about: va de vi, and the san franciscan. of the two, the san franciscan was better - in taste, value, and service. i had a wonderful spring salad (with pears, walnuts, and tangy dressing) and a blue cheese-coated flank steak with fluffy, mouthwatering mashed potatoes. of course, i forgot my camera, so i have no pictures to show you from the san franciscan.

va de vi had fabulous small-portion dishes, which are meant to be shared. the service was uppity and the atmosphere a bit stuck-up for my liking, but the food (and wine, from what the hubs tells me) was really amazing. pictures are a few of the dishes we tried including ahi, pepper-flaked pasta, jerk chicken, asparagus and fries. i'm getting hungry just thinking of the dishes!

afternoon on the river

on sunday, after the hubs and i returned from the bay area, we grabbed the puppies and headed to the river. it was sunny, 75 degrees, and beautiful. i am so grateful for the simple pleasures in life.

spring from a moving vehicle

glorious.

rikki's ride

all my life, i drove hondas. my most recent a honda, a 2005 fully-loaded accord, was very reliable and got great gas mileage. but once the puppies came into our lives, the accord had to go. the pups liked to chew on the leather seats, and restraining them was pretty much impossible. so, the hubs and i went car shopping. i was dead set on getting a honda pilot, but after terrible customer service and consistently above-blue-book price tags, i expanded my scope. that's when i found the jeep commander. hell yeah, baby. not only does it look tough, it is perfect for my needs. three rows of seats (the back of which we converted into a kennel space), 4 wheel drive, comfortable seating for those in the back, three moon roofs, and more. i so dig it, and as a bonus, is american made. let the road trips begin!!

afternoon adventure

when i get off work this afternoon, i think i'm going to throw the puppies in the car and take them here. its a local fish hatchery, located on beautiful and historic property along the columbia river gorge. i need the drive - i need to sing at the top of my lungs with the windows rolled down and feel that sense of letting go!

looking at things a little differently

it's a little awkward starting a blog, isn't it? i mean, you are basically writing to yourself until others decide your thoughts are worth their time. and the until part is a bit iffy. old rikki would have had a plan to lure you in. new rikki just wants to be out there. LIVING THE LIFE. instead of the plan.


that's the sun, in case you were wondering. (nasa)