Ms. Cheevious in Hollywood

My Zany Years Spent Working in Tinsel Town

Hotel

Skeeters from Hell

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#TheFunny #DailyMischief

Shortly after running the Piper home security system giveaway contest (which ended on Mother’s Day), M.C. Nugget flew me out to Ft. Lauderdale to visit him on the set of a show he was shooting (called Graceland, on USA Network). It was a quick trip, sandwiched betwixt and between a vigorous pilates teaching schedule, and immediately following my gigantic hoopla of a book release party (more on that in my next post)…Mother’s Day notwithstanding..

I admit, I landed at Ft. Lauderdale airport frazzled, worn out, dazed, and in much need of a GIANT VACATION, which is why I failed to post the winner of the Piper contest…until now (see bottom of this post to see if you won).

Also, I wasn’t prepared for the thick, dripping heat and humidity. Someone said to me, “It’s summer here!” Like I’m supposed to know what that means. Come ON.

I mean, yeah. I knew it would be hot and humid.. But I didn’t really know it would be hot and humid. Know what I mean?

I loved it though. Every minute. The balmy air felt so great on my skin as we lounged by the pool on the first day, sipping cocktails.

I curled up with my kindle and continue reading a friend’s book I’d started on the plane — a true guilty pleasure by Diane Rapp called Murder Caribbean Style, a mystery/romance with totally fun, and most-likely utterly implausible situations that I immediately believed and gobbled up, because… PFFF it took place on a CRUISE SHIP, and in the CARIBBEAN.

I blew off my work… and… relaxed. Ahhh, it was wonderful.

THEN, the next day, we lathered ourselves up with insect repellant to prepare for being on-location in the Everglades. We caught the cast shuttle to the set, and stepped out into Mack’s Fish Camp. I felt pretty spiffy, myself… as if I’d stepped off the pages of my friend’s book to visit a cool, “off-the-beaten-path” place, with alligators they know and love swimming around hoping for a chance meeting with a stranger’s foot.

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mack-s-fish-camp-airboat

I made sure none of my body parts had a chance meeting with the alligators (click to tweet that). But I was completely taken off-guard by the mambo insect-repellant-resistant mosquitos that sucked my blood, pelting me with welts.

It really….. can I say this? Are you ready for this?

It SUCKED.

The next day, Nuggie and I planned to get a workout in at the hotel fitness center, but stopped to lay by the pool for a bit first. The sun was warm and cozy once again, and it felt so good to sit on the edge of the pool dangling our feet in the cool water.

The gym was a stone’s throw from where we sat on the pool’s edge. As the the warm sun grew brighter and hotter, I looked to my right and just over Nuggie’s shoulder was the door to the bar. Five more feet away was the door to the gym.

I weighed the possibilities. Bar? Gym?

I asked Nuggie about a cocktail. We deliberated about it. My welts were hurting. It was hot.

It turned out we didn’t really want to work out anyway. Plus the gym was so much further away.

That was the beginning of my last day in Florida. If anyone asks why I didn’t work out and got sauced and a bit sun kissed by the pool, tell them the Skeeters from Hell made me do it.

Dammit.

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(Tell everyone on Twitter how the mosquitos sucked here)

Register to receive these posts once a week by email and get my eBook “Ahhhhh…Haaaaaa Moments with Ms. Cheevious” for FREE as a result (a $3.99 value). Registration is on the right side bar of every blog post on MsCheevious.com, or on our Facebook page. You can read about and purchase all of my books on my book page. See you next time.

Blog content copyright 2015, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms.Cheevious.

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PIPER GIVEAWAY!!!

Here is a screenshot of all those who left comments to win the PIPER Home Security System. If a name is listed more than once, it’s because they commented here and on the blog. Not a SINGLE single parent commented to my knowledge, so sadly, as much as I’d hoped they would comment, there are none who received three entries.

 

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AND THE WINNER  SELECTED BY RANDOM.ORG IS: PAMELA MORSE!

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When did we forget how to do this?

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WHEN DID WE FORGET HOW TO DO THIS?

 

#DailyMischief

 

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M.C. Nugget and I went on a little getaway over Halloween weekend. We were invited to a big party in Downtown LA, and though we never venture into downtown or anywhere east of Lincoln Blvd, for that matter, a former client owns a hotel there and gave us a great deal, yada, yada, yada… yeah, yeah, yeah… We all know how this story goes.

We went to that party on Friday night, the blessed cacophony of mayhem and mischief that it was. But if you can imagine being in the center of a huge warehouse full of people in ornate, colorful costumes, dancing to bass-thumping music… Then picture yourself twirling around so fast that you see only a blaze of color and wind; Or think about if you were to enter a 3D black light art installation, were handed 3D glasses by the people at Altervision, and all you could see were bright, loud, neon colors in the wind.

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Not sure how we don’t look blue there, because every other photo made us look like the blueberry girl from Willie Wonka.

Blacklight Art Installation

THERE IS ONE OF THEM.. a blueberry girl, otherwise known as Tinker Bell from Altervision.

 

If you’ve come this far with me, imagine on the next evening, entering an ancient Electrical Plant-turned speakeasy from the 1920’s, with burlesque shows and fifteen dollar beers. If you can imagine all of that, then you know that THIS IS HOW THESE STORIES GO.

But how does the story end?

How this story ends, is, well a little disappointing, because somewhere along the line, Nuggie and I forgot how to do this shit (or maybe it’s just that I forgot). Somehow the metrics have completely escaped me for how to bring all of the pieces of this story together so it ends with us lying in a bed of posies, butterflies fluttering and beautiful music lulling us into a peaceful sleep at the end of a huge weekend. Instead, it ends with the zombiefied versions of me and Nuggie exiting our hotel room, sunglasses on, making a beeline to our comfortable, friendly neighborhood bar for brunch (and a little hair of the dog, in Nuggie’s case, because remember, I don’t get hangovers). And by little, I mean I made note of the number of cocktails I was having this time (this is number 4, okay, this is number 5), I lost count somewhere between number 5 and when I found myself back home at the beach palace, waking up to the sound of a blaring alarm clock telling me it was time to get up and teach the minions how to live and be healthy.

Yes, I woke up and put on my best healthy face, when really I just wanted to crawl back into bed.

It didn’t help that we “fell back” an hour on the clocks, which creates its own sort of jet lag for me.

Nuggie and I both have been sleeping ever since last weekend, and I have made a solemn vow to let the whirlwind, twirlie girls in their 20’s, 30’s and so on handle the whirlwind weekends from here on out. Stay tuned on that one, but just don’t hold your breath.

Because apparently we really did forget how to do this without getting sick or sleeping for three weeks afterward.

 

#MomFactor: These kinds of parties and activities work wonders for showing your kids you’ve not lost all sense of “cool” by becoming a mom. If you can do them without going too wild, you’re golden. 

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Register to receive these posts once a week by email and get my blissful yoga routine in an eBook “Ahhhhh…Haaaaaa Moments with Ms. Cheevious” for FREE as a result. Registration is on the right side bar of every blog post, or on our Facebook page. See you next time.

Blog content copyright 2014, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms.Cheevious.

Tis the season… everywhere

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‘TIS THE SEASON… EVERYWHERE

 

#DailyNugget

 

Who says if you travel for work during the holidays you can’t be festive?

Look what my hotel did for me…

Tis the season ... everywhere

~ The Nugget

 

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Register to receive these posts by email and get my eBook “Ahhhhh…Haaaaaa Moments with Ms. Cheevious” for FREE as a result. Registration is on the right side bar of every blog post, or on our Facebook page. See you next time.

Blog content copyright 2013, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms. Cheevious.

 

Getting this holiday cheer thing down

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GETTING THIS HOLIDAY CHEER THING DOWN

 

#DailyMischief

 

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When the holiday earmarking the thankfulness thing is so recent we can still smell the stuffing, and the next one earmarking goodwill toward men is so close you can taste the candy canes, you know it’s THAT time of year. The time when we’re supposed to allow anger, rage and hatred for all of mankind to dissipate in favor of those more gracious expressions, right?

 

Yes. It is that time.

 

Xmas Tree
R. Motti / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

 

But just because I plan to be joyful, cheerful and full of good will doesn’t mean I always am. And even if I do exhibit these great qualities or sentiments once every um – day – right? –  these acts shouldn’t be confused with any kind of zen-like or mature disposition – PFFF.

I mean, I’m working on it, but god it’s taking a while to get there.

Remember the time I told you how I was sitting stalled on a freeway off-ramp just before this past Thanksgiving, because car number 2 in our little family blew a gasket (or something)? That story may have flown under your radar, because I posted it on my personal website rather than here. I wax PG on that site.

Yep… I had the hood up and steam was rolling from the engine, when some lousy punk-ass kids drove by leaning on the horn, hurling expletives at me for blocking the road. I could have been the bigger person and chuckled at those involved little people who were obviously incapable of understanding the great opportunity for compassion they were missing. But I hurled back an expletive like “F*CK YOU! F*CKING ASSHOLE!” as I chased them thinking I could actually take the whole lazy, good-for-nothing lot of them. I probably could have.

It’s awesome how just when you say something like I’m working on being thankful, or gracious, (or any of those great qualities we sometimes think we wish we had) that’s when every mo-fo situation under the sun comes your way to help you practice those great qualities.

So, now when I find myself in Tucson, with M.C. Nugget (in case you forgot, he’s on location shooting a film and I am his guest), it’s only fitting that the freaking hotel can’t get a single friggin’ thing right…

I have to hold my breath til I turn blue, then slap my own face to stop myself from doing what I REALLY want to do.  I have do my ohmmmms of I’m a guest of the film production people…. I’m thankful… I’m gracious… I’m joyful…

But what I really WANT to do is sign up for EIGHT THOUSAND different Yelp accounts and report every misstep by this flippin’ hotel. Because SOMEONE should! They lose mail, they forget to do promised wake-up calls, their gym has dirty mats and equipment, no one knows how the jacuzzis by the pool work, and the maids keep forgetting to do things like put pillow cases on our pillows. (The irony of my complaining about my maids – and how ridiculously privileged that sounds doesn’t escape me).

But you guys…. I won’t do that… I won’t sign up for eight thousand yelp accounts (even though I probably should), because DAMMIT…come hell or high water, I’m getting this holiday cheer thing DOWN.

Let’s do it together. Shall we?

 

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Register to receive these posts once a week by email and get my eBook “Ahhhhh…Haaaaaa Moments with Ms. Cheevious” for FREE as a result. Registration is on the right side bar of every blog post, or on our Facebook page. See you next time.

Blog content copyright 2013, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms. Cheevious.

 

Breakfast included

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BREAKFAST INCLUDED

 

#DailyMischief

 

Last weekend M.C. Nugget and I spent some time in San Francisco for a friend’s birthday. We hadn’t planned for a trip like this, but Nuggie found a hotel at an incredible deal.

I told him I’d be happy with whatever he chose because, after all, I was just going along for the ride and we always have a blast together… even if we’re in the sticks with no heat or pillows.

On the way up we stopped overnight in Morrow Bay and stayed with some good friends of Nuggie’s (You guys! They’re from the movie business… shhhhh). Nuggie described his great hotel find as a Motel 12 to his friends. Yep. Twice the magic of a Motel 6, folks.

After we arrived and took a few photos of the room, I tweeted this:

“Is there such a thing as a Motel 4? I think I discovered it.”

Motel 4

The picture doesn’t show the real scope of what we were dealing with (I made everything look super cool with my Instagram filter), and granted… this hotel couldn’t have been in a better location (we could walk to China Town, Union Square, and so much more).

The kicker was, our room was on the sixth floor. Free wifi and the hotel’s breakfast was on the second floor. Generally we took the elevator (really an old-fashioned “lift”), except for a few times when Nuggie and I wanted to join a couple of other people already on the elevator. In those cases, we hoofed it downstairs.

Wanna’ know why?

Because the elevator had big signs on it that said “No More Than THREE (3) People In Elevator at One Time”– no mention of capacity or anything. The inside certificate said the limit was 1500 lbs, so we eventually stopped following that rule altogether. But you guys! Who does that? Who puts an arbitrary three person limit on an elevator? And who can’t do the math to figure out that 1500 lbs adds up to more like FIVE BIG FAT JABBA’S and their luggage?! We decided those hotel people knew a lot of big FAT MOFOs.

Despite that weirdness, we were happy with our digs, because you guys…. breakfast was included!

Breakfast Included

I’d nailed it the night we checked into the hotel. I told Nuggie I was already planning to find a place to have my egg-white and veggie breakfast, because I knew the breakfast would consist of pastries in cellophane wrappers.

I was right.

Here is another shot of the room… and me being goofy… just for laughs:

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Notice our sweet big screen TV on the wall? We had to sit on the edge of the bed to see much, but regardless, we think our Breakfast Included deal was pretty cool. We’ll be staying the the Astoria Hotel some day again in the future. Mark my words.