Friday was the 2nd Annual Michigan Blogger Meet-up. Last year there were just seven of us, so I was really excited that 19 bloggers showed up this time! Some of the girls don’t live too far and a few came all the way from the other side of the state. It was so cool to meet everyone in real life that I’ve been following online and find some new people to add to my reader.

Our table took up pretty much the whole restaurant!

Dorothy of Dash Dot Dotty, me, Mae, and Anna of Sparkplug Minuet

My fave girls <3 B3

Yes, I photo bombed Suze and Katie’s adorable picture

Thank you to everyone who made it out!! Don’t worry if you weren’t able to attend, I’m already brainstorming a summer hangout :)

[ Pics by Suze and Amanda because they were smart and remembered to get out their cameras ]

The 2nd Annual Michigan Blogger Meet-up is coming up quick! Next Friday to be exact!!

Friday February 11, 2011 @ 8pm
Arbor Brewing Company Pub & Eatery
114 East Washington Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Feel free to pass along the into to other bloggers that might be interested. Click here to add your link to the list of attendees. If you get lost on the way there or have any questions feel free to email xosillygrrl(at)gmail.com or send me a tweet @sillygrrl.

Hope to see you all there and fingers crossed for good weather!!

Get out from behind your computer and come meet each other face-to-face. We had some much fun last year there was no question of making this an annual thing. Everyone is welcome to join us and you don’t have to be from Michigan – if any of you out of state bloggers want to drive up and hang.

Friday February 11, 2011 @ 8pm
Arbor Brewing Company Pub & Eatery
114 East Washington Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104

If you get lost on the way there or have any questions feel free to email xosillygrrl(at)gmail.com or send me a tweet @sillygrrl. Can’t wait to meet all of you in person!!

I’d like to get a list going of everyone who will be attending so we can do a little blog stalking before, especially for those who might not know anyone else. If you’re going to attend please add your link below.

Over the weekend Mandy, Ria, Mae and I got all dressed up and met downtown to see Mary Poppins at the Opera House. It had an outfit in my head and ran all over town on Friday looking for the perfect dress and coat. It was some sort of new years magic because I found exactly what I was looking for.

Mae and I had the same idea – fur and knee socks :) She’s wearing vintage faux fur and a tutu from American Apparel. I’m wearing a lace dress from Nordstrom, tights and socks from Target and Jones New York faux leopard coat (via Nordstrom Rack).

The show was magical, beautiful sets and lighting. It was a bit different from the movie, but they still included a big Step in Time tap number, which I LOVED! It brought back tons memories of performing in high school. Pretty sure my tap shoes are buried in the basement at my mom’s house.

After dinner Mandy, Mae and I hopped across the street for a very late dinner at Small Plates. Dudes and blogging were discussed and Mandy managed to blurt out super inappropriate things as the server walked up to our table not once, but twice. Two of the most entertaining, sweet girls I know – we didn’t get enough of each other and ended up meeting for lunch the day after too :)

Met up with with my favorite Michigan bloggers over the weekend to do a little Christmas shopping at the Detroit Urban Craft Fair.
Amanda + Jenni + Mandy + Ria + Lauryn + Me + Mae

The Fillmore was packed full of crafty goodness – like Etsy in real life! (According to Jenni :)) I bought a pair of earrings for my aunt and a super super cute print for someone who reads my blog and will not be named. I’ll post a picture after it has been gifted.

Mae and I showing off our leggings – I’m rocking F21 tights + sweater dress, Olsenboye boots, ASOS leather jacket and Matt & Nat bag. Ms. Mae is decked out in goods Causeway Mall and from her trip to Iceland.

After DUCF we walked down the street for dinner at Hockeytown Cafe.

YUM!

When I got home I started & finished my Christmas shopping in an hour, ordering everything online while snuggled on the couch with Slayer. Yes! There’s no way I’m stepping foot in a mall or shopping center until after New Years.

We did a little brainstorming for a Michigan blogger meet-up, mid-January in Detroit. If any of you Michiganders are interested in joining us leave a comment and I’ll send you an invite once we have the details sorted out!

Jenni, Lauryn, Ria and I spent another night swinging around and working out at PoleFit Revolution. It’s amazing how much of a workout you get form a few simple moves. The photo above is a backwards spin – I was getting some good air, but my camera is too slow!

We learned a bunch of new spins and more sexy floor moves.
Can’t wait to see all the new bruises that show up tomorrow hahah

Almost ready for the big time!

Jenni, Ria, Lauryn and I got our workout on at PoleFit Revolution last night thanks to a great deal from Groupon!

First we did a very sexy warmup – slithering around the pole, doing hip circles and body rolls.
Then we learned to spin, which was super fun!

Of course you have to end with a sexy pose…we were all laughing the entire time.

Ria and Jenni sliding down the pole. See…still laughing!

Sexy ladies! Lauryn was way too good at it!

I now have four additional bruises on my already gnarly looking legs, but I can’t wait until next class when we get to learn more tricks.

These pictures make me smile a whole lot.

Ria, Jenni, Mandy and I get a half painful, half relaxing head-to-toe stretch at yoga and then meet SuperGirl at my house for a late dinner and drinks. We crack open one of the eight bottles of wine and I serve Greek pasta salad and homemade pita (which got a thumbs up from everyone). We drink and talk until it’s dark and the mosquitoes come out and then I light citronella candles so we can drink and talk some more.

Ria brings out angel food cake and fruit and we eat while demonstrating tipsy yoga poses. Jenn and her roomies stop by and chat for a bit and then take Slayer for a walk. He was having a great night, getting fed under the table by a bunch of ladies AND getting a late night walk. Though by 11 he was climbing on to my lap, sleepy and ready to snuggle.

We only make it through two bottles before it’s late and everyone is ready to leave, so I tell them they have to come back soon and help me finish the other six bottles. It is the perfect night I imagined when I built my deck and bought that table.

Because I’m making a point to accept all invitations to go out, Mandy and I change out of our yoga clothes and into more appropriate bar-wear and head into town to meet her bf for a drink. Dunner is just getting off work and we hang out until the bar closes and then call it a night, which would be why I’m writing this at 11am instead of at aerial…hanging from a trapeze would be a bad idea right now.

When we got to the restaurant the first thing was first, five dollar martinis! Second thing, become besties with our server, Chris aka PappaG.

Chris told us his life story and all about his mom who was the 1962 playmate of the year and hung out at the PlayBoy mansion. Like the good blogger she is, Jenni whipped out her phone and Googled that immediately. He was right, his mom was a hottie :)

We ordered spinach artichoke and Wisconsin cheese fondue, but ended up with cheddar instead, so Chris made us an extra pot of cheese. We commenced stuffing our faces and after the martini’s kicked in things got a little nutty.

We decided we needed a photo with Chris, so they took our picture, printed it and then brought it to us in a Melting Pot frame. How sweet is that?!

When our server brought out the chocolate fondue and then lit it on fire we all yelled Opa! and the proceeded to roast marshmallows on the flames. (Best idea ever!)

Once we were all stuffed with chocolate, strawberries, cheesecake and rice krispie treats, Chris appeared with more dessert and a candle for Ria’s birthday, PLUS champagne for all of us! We sang obnoxiously loud, so it was good we were in a room away from all the other patrons.

A few minutes later another server who was SHIRTLESS came around the corner with another tray of champagne.

This is the exact reason we need to be seated in a section far far away from any children or elderly people. Not only are we REAAAALLY loud, we talk about EVERYTHING.

OK, Let’s play a game called “Who the hell said that??”

1. There’s a sponge cake you can make out of just water and air. (This is a myth people! We tried, really tried, to stir our water with air, but alas, no cake)

2. Lettuce is just a vehicle to get ranch into my mouth (Truth!)

3. Speaking of farts…

4. I could totally test out of Intro to Pole Dancing.

5. I keep my pot in Christmas Tupperware.

6. Something something anal sex at the carnival.

Every time we hang out I feel so lucky to have met these ladies. A few months ago we were total strangers who read bits about eachother’s lives online and now we’re great friends. Me = lucky :)