Sorry for the wait…

June 16, 2015June 17, 2015Leave a comment

Okay, so so many things to talk to yinz about! I’m going to (try and) make it quick though since I know most of our attention spans are quite small these days.

#6615
The graduation party of the year was a great success due to my mom’s very hard party planning work (starting over a year ago) and the help of her wonderful friends! From the fancy foods to the delicious donuts to my fun-loving family and friends, it was the perfect way to celebrate Anth’s accomplishments and wish him well on his next journey… college! #wishicouldgoback There was LOTS of dancing, shots of Limoncello, and laughter. It was also great seeing so many people who I haven’t seen in forever and probably won’t know the next time I’ll see them – lots of fun! Proud of ya, Anth!

#SMWLA (Social Media Week Los Angeles)
On June 4, I entered a Twitter contest (go figure) for the chance to win a free pass to attend SMWLA – you should really check it out to see if they’ll be stopping in your city if you’re passionate or want to learn more about social media trends and technologies. Passes normally range from $250-$350 for the whole week, allowing you to attend a multitude of panels featuring many different social media topics. After a simple retweet and positive vibes, I was notified by the PRSA-LA (Public Relations Society of America – LA Chapter) that I, among others, won – thank you, PRSA-LA! I want to say this was my first Twitter contest I won that wasn’t tickets for a rap/hip-hop concert. Being very fortunate in my current job position, I was allowed to attend as many panels as I wanted that would be of interest to me and also benefit my current role. I met some great people, learned a lot, and could envision myself being in a true social media work environment. Hope to attend next year!

MUSIC NEWS – Too many tours!
In honor of the fifth year anniversary of his Friday Night Lights mixtape, J.Cole announced his third annual ‘Dollar & A Dream Tour.’ The concert actually costs ONE DOLLAR to attend but is on a first-come, first-served basis. I can only imagine the line! He will perform the mixtape in its entirety, which is dope. Cole is only stopping in four cities, one being Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I cannot attend since I already have tickets to see Nicki Minaj perform at the BET Experience that evening – #concertgoerprobz.

Earlier this week, Miguel announced his North American summer tour. THIS I plan on going to. Stopping at over 25 cities, he will be wrapping up the tour in LA on Friday, September 4 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Yes, it is an actual cemetery. I saw The Weeknd perform at this venue in May 2011, and it was epic! Not to mention he brought out Drake as a surprise guest for ‘Crew Love,’ and I nearly fell over. Tickets are general admission, and you are free to pillows, blankets, and picnics. It’s a really cool venue, so I recommend you check it out if you ever get the chance! They also host movie nights there, I want to say in the fall around Halloween time. Get it…. spooky setting for spooky movies.

Holy heck, and how could I forget. The BET Awards! That is like the ultimate concert on steroids, next to the GRAMMYs, that is. On Sunday, June 28, I will be attending the award show in my usual spot – the mosh pit. Unfortunately, I cannot bring in my cell phone, so 1. I will make sure I’m getting some camera time and 2. You will just have to tune in to see if I made it on TV. Sorry mom and other family members that will be watching this – you’ll probably completely disapprove of the music I’m listening to on the reg.

I do have more music news to write about, but I will save that for the ‘Weekly Wrap-Up.’ Lots of things I love happening in the music world this week!

Stay tuned…

No Sleep…

April 16, 20153 Comments

…til Greek Week. That was the motto of Alpha Gamma Delta each year leading up to the best week of our lives, which is currently going down at Westminster College. Talk about a perfect #tbt. For those unfamiliar, let me break down what the week entails.

SPORTS. Lots of sports. Since I’m an all-star athlete and didn’t want to show off my talents among the other members of the Greek community, I stayed on the sidelines during events (pictured right), giving my fellow sisters a chance to participate. False. We wouldn’t be on this 16-year winning streak if I even attempted to partake in any of the events. You’re all welcome.

And yes, you read that correctly. The sisters of the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta have won Greek Week 16 years in a row, and I couldn’t be MORE proud to be a part of this organization. Red, buff, and green – what what whaaaaat.

I digress. Back to the events, which include: basketball, swimming, pie eating (I probably could have done okay in that), tug-of-war, kickball (Nee, remember when Z-Train pummeled you LOL – glad you’re okay), rock climbing, track events, trivia, and a singing competition known as Greek Idol. I may be missing some, but you get the gist. Events conclude on Friday. Also during the week, each organization learns a dance routine. The dances are performed Saturday night at my favorite event called Sing n Swing. Both Greek Week and Sing n Swing winners are announced that evening. There is a fraternity and sorority winner. *insert chills*

5, 6, 7, 8! Sing n Swing is where I come in. This is really what I live for. Eighty plus girls. Mixing music. Picking out costumes. Creating formations. MANY thanks to my fellow choreographers and especially to the extremely talented Ms. Amy Schillinger for willing this task down to me my freshman year. #honored. See below for our 2011 (my senior year) winning choreography. *insert more chills*

While the bond of sisterhood in general is quite strong, the bond that occurs during this single week is something I cannot explain, and I’m sure this goes for you other Greeks out there, too. But I’m telling you. Something about Alpha Gamma Delta. Few things make me emotional, but thinking back to all of this… CAN I GET A TISSUE.

What I wouldn’t give to go back to this week and to chant ‘to the Eps, to the Eps’ to celebrate both the Alpha Gams and the brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s wins by dancing on tables with multiple champagne showers (pictured left). Miss you, Johnny. *crying*

I am so proud to call these girls my sisters, both ones I went to school with and current ones whom I’ve never met (yes, that sounds creepy, but you completely understand if you’re Greek). With their determination, pride, good sportsmanship, and talents, I am not surprised we have won 16 years in a row.

Sisters, I leave you with this song. It is sure to pump you up before, during, or after any event and especially before you leave the suite on Saturday night to head over to Orr Auditorium. Jillian and Lindsay can attest to that (10, 10, 10, 10!).

So good luck to all Greek organizations this week but most importantly, good luck to my sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta. I hope you squirrels bring home another win, and I hope you crush it on stage Saturday night. Wish I could be there.

Always Gonna Dominate,

Grandma Turns 90

April 15, 2015April 15, 2015Leave a comment

Three flights. Thirty-six hours. Ninety years old.

Last weekend my aunt, uncle, and I flew into Pittsburgh to surprise one of my most favorite people in the whole wide world – my grandma. And boy was she so so surprised! Thinking she was going to the Montour musical that evening, which actually doesn’t start until next weekend, she claimed she wasn’t ‘dressed’ for dinner once we told her the plans. She mumbled this through the tears and crying. Grandma always has to look the most presentable. With that being said, I think this blog post could best be told through pictures. Enjoy 🙂

red-eye from LAX landing in the burgh

#sergesselfiestick bros – Michael’s man bun not pictured

delicious dinner from Alla Famiglia

Happy 90th, grandma! You are one of the flirtiest and most kind-hearted people I know! I am so glad I was able to fly home to celebrate this milestone. Until next time!

Hi there!

March 31, 2015April 1, 2015Leave a comment

Welcome to my blog, californyinz! This has been a long time coming, so I am very excited it is finally up and running and even more excited you are here reading!

Why californyinz? Having vacationed to the City of Angels since I was baby Serge, now a resident of the state (almost four years!), and having been born and raised in the Steel City, both California and Pittsburgh have always held and will continue to hold special places in my heart. I wanted a creative way to combine these two loves of mine through writing and knew a blog was just the thing!

californ + yinz*

= californyinz

This isn’t a blog about Drake, you ask? Well yes, I could indeed dedicate a whole site to the 6 God, but that sounds a bit stalker-esque. However, there most definitely will be a Drake presence throughout, as well as a hip-hop music and live entertainment influence, as those are two things I am very passionate about.

What makes this blog different from other lifestyle blogs? This blog stems from experiences with my friends and family. Without them, it would be one lonely girl going to the GRAMMYs, Vegas, a Lakers game, the beach, or wherever else alone. Who wants to read about that? Because of yinz, I have enough stories to curate some pretty epic content for californyinz, so you can expect some personal shout outs!

Get ready to follow my journey from here on out in California and from those frequent trips I make back home to Pittsburgh. Yes, I still consider Pittsburgh home. This bigger platform, compared to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, will allow me to tell yinz about my West and East Coast happenings and all things hip hop that I love.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this. I look forward to sharing my ‘californ’ and ‘yinzer’ experiences with you!

And shout out to my roommate Megan, follow her on Twitter @megstraw – she’s pretty awesome, for helping me choose the fonts for the californyinz logo!

*How someone from Pittsburgh would say “y’all” or “you guys”

Californyinz

Tag: pittsburgh

No Sleep…

Grandma Turns 90

Hi there!