Day 1

Day 1 at Sundance is all about fun and getting settled. D picked us up at the airport and we headed to the Mormon Tabernacle to see it up close and personal. It was interesting. Beautiful building... but odd vibe.

We're now hanging at Ds condo, relaxing and drinking wine. Heading to the Sundance store across the street then dinner at the purple Sage.

Tomorrow is our first movie!! Can't wait :)

2013 Sundance Agenda

5 movies and lots of fun in-between!
I am so excited to fly out tomorrow and hang with my Sundance girls Amy and Darien!

Thursday 17-

Pick you up at airport at 1:30pm
Check out the Salt Lake City Tabernacle (aka Mormon Tabernacle)
Lunch
Relax, hang out, unpack, go to Sundance store
Dinner- Purple Sage 7:30PM (southwestern)
Friday 18-Spa Day!  90 minute massages- 11am
Movie #1 9:45pm
"Two Mothers"
Starring Naomi Watts and Robin Wright Penn
2 women fall in love with each others son
(Eccles)

Saturday 19-
Movie #2  3pm
"Breathe In"
Starring Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones
Foreign exchange student challenges the lives and relationships of her host family in New York
(Eccles)

Dinner- Grub Steakhouse- 7:30pm (1/2 block from house)
Sunday 20-
Brunch- Sundance Foundry Room- 1pm

Movie #3  9:45pm
"Before Midnight"Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy
3rd in the series- 9 years later in Greece with characters Jesse and Celine
(Eccles)

Monday 21-
Movie #4   11:30am
"Emanuel and the Fishes"
Starring Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Frances O'Connor
A troubled girl becomes preoccupied with her neighbor
(Library)

Movie #5    11:45pm
"The Rambler"
Starring Dermot Mulroney and Natasha Lyonne
After being released for prison, follows his trip home to reconnect with his brother
(Library)

Tuesday 22-
Lunch and head to the airport

Looking for Peace

Today I was in Long Island for my friend Kevin's daughters funeral.
I worked with Kevin a few years back  out East, and when you spend that much time in cars driving all over the East coast together, you get close. Every night when we would be driving, his phone came out with one purpose, to call and say good night to his girls. No exceptions, he called and said good night and how much he loved them.

When I found out it was his boat that was in the accident on Fourth of July and his oldest daughter (age 11) Harlie passed away in that accident there was never a doubt in my mind if I would be traveling to NY to support Kevin in his grief.

The past two days of being at services were heart wrenching. Just heart wrenching.
Today I watched as kids got up and sobbed and said what Harlie meant to them. No one should ever have to go through that. No one.

Kevin talked about the one thing that he is happy about is that his baby girl never had her heart broken. As we look for something "good" to hold onto at this horrible time, I think that was it for me. Can anyone ever say that? A lifetime with no broken heart? She was a vibrant girl and I can only imagine what she would have become, but I am confident it would have been amazing.

My heart breaks for her and her family, and especially my friend Kevin. May they find happiness and peace again.

Happy Fourth of July!

Some people view today as just a day off with some fireworks.

I view it as a day of family and friends and freedom. I lost an uncle who was defending our rights here in the USA and today always makes me think of him.

It also reminds me how grateful I am for all I have in life. Last year my friend Amy was very aware her end was near and as I sat with her and her kids on the Fourth she talked about how that night would be her last fireworks with her kids. Even as I type this I start to cry thinking about that. It's heart breaking.

What if you knew today was your last Fourth of July? Would you do anything differently? Maybe not look at work emails today, and instead spend more time with your loves ones? More time laughing? What would you truly want to do? Cause no one promises you tomorrow... So live today well!

I wish you all a happy and healthy July 4th.

Boom goes the fireworks :)

Thursday

Tuesday

Us and Julio down at the pool bar.

Wow. This started out innocent and $300 bar tab later we went home.
Good times had by all. So much so the bartender, Julio, bought u a round at the end... As if we needed it.

Party with pizza back and our room and lights out by 10pm. So they tell me.

Wow. Just wow.

Monday

Today was JEEP tour day with ABC tours. Our your guide was Jelle (pronounced yella).

We had three jeeps in the whole tour and thankfully we had Jelle driving as the alternative was we drove. The off tossing we did would have been ugly with one of us at the wheel.

We went to the natural bridge, the old gold factory and to the natural pool. Due to the winds we could not swim at the natural pool, but WOW was it beautiful. Pics to come once I'm home.

We also stopped at the Donkey Sanctuary. They caretake for about 117 total donkeys at a time that can not be out in the wild anymore due to injury or abuse. It's all run by volunteers and of course they get visitors to buy food and feed the donkeys as a way to make money. It was a cool place and let's face it, I'm a person that loves when people make a difference, so I made a donation and got a cute T and feel good that I could give back to a place I am visiting.

We got back and got our driver to stop at the grocery store so we could get booze and food. We loaded up as Tanya and I host happy hour in our room before we all head to dinner.

Swaser is on top of making reservations every night for dinner. 8 at 8 we call it. Eight people at 8:00.

We went to Driftwood last night for dinner. It was fantastic. Vicki read Online about an anniversary special so we got a screaming good deal and a ton of food.

I had wahoo, one of the many fresh catches of the day. The owners name is Herby and he fishes every day for the dinner that night. Then the chef prepares it, however you can pick how you want it prepared. I chose to have my wahoo blackened. It was delicious!! It came with a sauce and I didn't even use it.

We walked home and crashed as after a jeep tour, pool time and a big dinner everyone was wiped out.

Boat launch on private island

Although the plane noise is very loud, the island is awesome.

Hello from our private island in Aruba.

You can't wake this shit up. Private Island R&R. Two for one happy hour back at hotel and lots of laughter and beautiful friends. Seriously, this is awesome.

Ahhhh. Girls Weekend at the Lake :)

I am grateful for my friends. The laughter and the fun we have is always so amazing. Seriously, the stuff that comes out of our mouths would amaze you and make you laugh....but that is why we have girls weekend, what is said there, stays there :)