Aloha! Packing for Hawaii

It has been particularly chilly in Georgia lately, y'all... so I can't help but think about my upcoming trip to sunny Hawaii!  I've been thinking about what to pack, and I'm full of ideas; I've been to Hawaii a half dozen times (I have family there) but this time I'm venturing off Oahu to Maui!


I'm checking a bag this time, since I'm traveling for 10 days and have a bridesmaid dress/shoes in tow.  So, I'll be packing my bigger Burton Wheelie, the Double Deck.  I love this bag because of its 'cram' zippers and 50/50 split; it's the magic carpet bag of suitcases, and you can pack it to the brim!  I'm also bringing my new Epiphanie Lola camera bag, which looks like a purse but secretly stashes my Canon DSLR and lenses.  I can't wait to take some amazing shots with my new camera!

Another must for Hawaii is, of course, swimsuits!  Being a curvy gal, I favor the retro style suits; I have two one-piece Jantzen Vamp Maillots, and they are my favorite.  I also have a nice halter two-piece from Target.  You should choose a swimsuit that makes you feel good even on your not-so-skinny days (of which I'm having a lot lately!).  I always pack multiple suits for Hawaii, and plenty of sunscreen.  I also plan to wear my pink Betsey Johnson sunglasses, because Hawaii is all about COLOR!

Lastly, I had to have a tropical dress to wear for LC's rehearsal breakfast and bridesmaids' shopping outing... so when I snagged this belted tropical floral dress by Spense on clearance at Goody's (I paid $15 on an $80 dress!), I had to get it!  It's perfect for a Hawaii trip, right?

I've got a lot more packing to do, but these are just a few of the things on my list!  :)

Gleek Peek: I Kissed a Girl

FOX

I love me some Santana snark!  Everything she says has a hilarious bite.

But even more so, I loved everyone banding together to support Santana after she was so abruptly outed last episode.  I actually really liked Blaine and Kurt's rendition of P!nk's "Perfect"; so sweet, and they do really well together in duets.  I think Puck's solos lately have been kind of... blah.  I just don't get into them; nothing has compared to "Only the Good Die Young" in my mind!  Give him better songs!  Finn's slow, sad "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" was really moving.  I don't usually like his songs, but this was such a neat interpretation.

I'm also a Coach Beiste fan, and watching her battle over a guy with Sue is simultaneously tough and hilarious.  It was nice to hear her sing, and I love when characters sing during a 'real-life' montage.  It's more emotionally loaded than a big produced number, and it makes me wish real life was like a musical!

I still think this Puck/Shelby/Quinn stuff is far-fetched and WEIRD.  Quinn trying to seduce Puck was pathetic, and I'm glad Puck called her out for being a psycho.  "I'd rather raw dog a beehive"?!  Priceless.

Favorite moment was the girls coming to Santana's defense, giving an awesome "I Kissed a Girl" rendition.  I love Katy Perry, and Katy Perry + Glee is the bomb!  Her grandmother's reaction, however, was heartbreaking.  Overall this was a decent episode, even though I thought a few of the songs were lackluster.  And it's definitely going to be interesting since Rachel is banned from Sectionals... can't wait for next week!

In other Glee news, I've downloaded their latest Christmas album, and once again it's a HIT!  Add it to your Christmas list; it makes me entire house feel festive.



Songs I'll Download:  "Perfect", "I Kissed A Girl"

The Sing-Off: CONGRATS Pentatonix! @PTXOfficial

Pentatonix! (NBC)

I put up with a lot of Nick Lachey reading puns this year to FINALLY be vindicated when the Pentatonix won last night's Sing-Off competition!!!  WOOHOO!

First off, I was shocked that Urban Method made it to the final three when Afro-Blue or Vocal Point did not.  They just couldn't hang.  But I did like Katie from Urban Method a lot!  Their rapper just acted like a total frontman and stole the show everytime; it seems like everyone was there to be his backup.

And the Dartmouth Aires are great, especially Michael.  (My friend JTal and I agree he needs to go straight to Broadway!)  But in terms of being marketable and making something out of the record label, I think the university groups are at a big disadvantage.  They depend upon their dancing/theatrics to enhance performances, there are too many of them to really get attached to individuals, and they change as people graduate.  A smaller group like Pentatonix (and my favorite, Nota, from the first season) are going to do much better post-competition.

I really liked that the ladies all performed together too, but I still think the show is way too long.  Loved Sara Bareilles singing, and Ben Folds judging, but one hour is enough.  The rest just seems like fluff.  I also think all the groups should compete against one another, instead of being bracketed, more like American Idol.

The good news for Pentatonix, besides the recording contract, is that since there are only 5 of them, that $200,000 is going to go a long way!!!  I actually texted in votes for these guys, so I'm happy with the results.