Welcome Little Lily Burek!!

Katelyn and Doug Burek welcomed their first child - Lilianna Kate Burek - into the world on August 12th at 8:13pm weighing 7lbs 2oz.  I had the pleasure of meeting the little bundle of joy the next day!  I started bawling when I walked into the room and first saw her.  Something about this little life that had not even been in the world for 24 hours overwhelmed me, and the fact that I would be able to watch Lily grow from the first day she was born amazed, excited and over took me.  After seeing a newborn I have a great appreciation for all children...  And I will always love Lily and Caroline!!  I look forward to blogging more about my experiences with them!

 (Notice how large my hand is in the picture.... is it the angle of the picture... the little little baby...both... or do I really have monster hands??)

LOLLAPALOOZA

I am officially no longer a music festival virgin!  I went to Lollapalooza yesterday (Sunday only) and it was quite the experience!  My ten hour day (in extreme heat) started off with Ra Ra Riot who did not disappoint, per usual.  I also checked out Passion Pit, Band of Horses, Portugal. The Man, Kaiser Chiefs, Ke$ha, Lou Reed, The Killers, Snoop Dogg... and a bunch of random DJ's at Perry's booth... And Vampire Weekend - which was so fun to see them in person since I have been obsessed since they came out!  

But by far my favorite was when I stumbled into the crowd at Dan Deacon... first of all, I was caught off guard by the overwhelming amount of people on the stage - around 50 - and they all had different instruments from drums, tubas, xylophones, trumpets, symbols - everything!  

Dan Deacon mainly does electronic beats mixed with large band ensembles and the best part is his live performances that have strong audience participation that includes making dance circles, getting on one knee and following the leader in the middle!  Needless to say it was full of energy and very fun to watch! Pictures from my disposable camera I brought with me are to come.... 

I don't have video from Lolla but here is a video of another outdoor music festival... yeah, its kind of like that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hupCy2qlmsU&feature=related

Check out some videos of Dan here  http://www.myspace.com/dandeacon

Thanks again Becca for the Ticket!!

Wakeboarding on Crystal Lake

I have done two new things this summer that I had not done in the past - Blogging and Wakeboarding! Here is a music video I made of Kristy and Aaron Wakeboarding (sadly it is not me wakeboarding... although that will be coming soon!) It is pretty much just a video of a typical day this summer - where, around 5 we decide to go out on the boat for another spin around the lake. The song is called 'Every Summer' by US Royalty, one of my fav bands from DC.

Check out their music and tour dates on their website:

http://www.usroyaltymusic.com/

Arcadia Bluffs Beauty

Whether you are a golfer or just a lover of beautiful scenery... you have to make it to Arcadia Bluffs one day! Located in Onekama, Michigan (About 20 minutes away from Crystal Lake) the golf course and clubhouse restaurant will take you away to Scotland, complete with bagpipers!! It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been! Check out the scenic video below and check out this website to plan your trip. It can be pretty pricey, for both golf and dinner, but you can just go grab a drink and watch the sunset to enjoy Arcadia Bluffs without breaking the bank!

http://www.arcadiabluffs.com/

Get Ready!!! Anna Sui for Target!

Hey Everyone - Shhhhh.... keep this a secret... Anna Sui's clothes are coming to Target from September 13th to October17th in 250 stores with 19 looks. Some of her most memorable and fun designs from the past will be available for under $50.00! I guess Anna states....'they are designs inspired by 'Gossip Girl' but as everyone else has figured out... they are just like her past designs! Now, if I could just make it into the store before they are gone... doesn't it always seem like you can never find the cheap designer duds from Target except on the pages of the magazines!! UGH! Here are some of the pics I found online...

Cute Store!

Marcy Patterson is not only the talented and creative owner of Mecca, Crystal Lake, but she is also a dear family friend of the Pollina's. Check out her cute store at this website:

http://www.meccacrystallake.com/

Mecca is known for the beautiful cake toppers that Marcy creates herself. She even gave one to Kristy for her wedding day! She uses vintage objects, ribbons and glitter to create a masterpiece for your special occasion cake and to have as a momentum from that special day! She can even create a personalized one with family photos or objects that are special to you. Price range $15-$125.00.

Up North Rioting!

Back in '05 I did an internship at Dateline NBC and Joel Silver Pictures in Los Angeles. I lived in an amazing apartment on the beach in Santa Monica with one of my best friends Jenna. She was doing an internship at William Morris Agency (A top talent agency in town!) and met a gal named Becca, at the internship they also met another chic named Alex. The four of us had so much fun in L.A. that summer!

<---- That's us (plus a few other friends!)

Little did we all know that Becca was an amazing violin player and soon after that summer created a band with some fellow Syracuse musicians - that band is called Ra Ra Riot and they are one of the best new bands out there! Ever since first hearing Ra Ra Riot's music I have been amazed by their sound and collaboration. The band is composed of six people including a cellist and Becca on the Violin. Becca's talent is undeniable and so is Ra Ra Riot's future. Check them out if you have not already!!

So, you can imagine my excitment when I heard that Ra Ra Riot was to play at Interlochen only about 30 minutes away from my cottage in Northern Michigan. Below you can check out clips of Ra Ra Riot's concert at Interlochen. The next day, Becca and I got to go wakeboarding out on Crystal Lake! I then sat down with her to talk with her about touring with the band and what they have in store for the future!