Houston Aquarium

            I’ve taken some time off from NBA All-Star Weekend to take in the sights.  I promise myself that I would go to the aquarium.  It is conveniently located two blocks from my hotel so why not?  The Houston aquarium doesn’t disappoint!  Below are some of my photos:

Jellyfish

Coral Reef

Anemones & Seastars

Octopus

Asian Rainforest Archerfish

Rainbowfish

Emerald Tree Boa

Rainbow

Electric Eel

Turtles

NBA Jam Session, Celebrity Game and BBVA Rising Stars Challenge Game

            Yesterday I attended the NBA Jam Session and Celebrity Game.  The Jam Session was sensory overload!  There were so many events happening simultaneously: autograph signing, hoops action, people in the NBA Store, Hall of Fame wall, everything!  The Jam Session gave people the full-fledged All-Star experience in a family-friendly environment. If I were a kid, I would had never wanted to leave.  45 minutes into the Jam Session, the Celebrity game line started backing up. I decided against getting in line until after security started letting people in.  Viewing the celebrity game map, I wouldn’t be that far from the stage so I was nonplussed.  Once it got closer to 5:30pm, I started looking for the exit.  The volunteers couldn’t tell me how to get from the Jam Session to the Celebrity game so I went through the black curtain. I showed my ticket to the lady and walked into the bleachers.  Section 202 was closer to mid-court which was advantageous for photo-taking.  I had both my camera and Blackberry on hand though I hadn’t used the latter until tonight because it gave better resolution (I will break down and purchase a professional camera that photojournalists use because I am fanatical about taking the BEST photos!).

Me in front of the Basketball Hall of Fame

Center Court End Zone Access

Me in front of the Center Court Wallpaper

Me in the Spacesuit

NBA2K13 

NBA Banners

NBA Store and Jam Session Sign

When the West team roster was announced, I was confused as to why Common was on it though he lived in Chicago which was in the Eastern conference. Conversely, I was perplexed as to why former San Antonio champion Sam Elliott was on the East though he played for the West.  

Houston Rockets Little Dippers

Houston Rockets Power Dancers

Celebrity Game

Rapper Common on the Foul Line

Usain Bolt being introduced on Jumbotron

Carl Sager and NBA Mascots

Anyhow, I had to skip out to walk to the Toyota Center for the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge game.  I was proud that Cleveland had 4 players! I went through security then came to the section 121 club level.  There was every amenity and convenience I needed: gift shop, food court, bathroom. I ordered my pizza and drink in the Amex card lane because using mine to book my trip, it would be rude not too! My seat was in the fourth row right behind Team Shaq where three Cleveland players sit. Someone was sitting in my seat because they decided that it was four of them. Fuming I snapped ‘Well, at least I can get my pop holder!’ He moved his drink.  I ate my pizza and ready to see my Cavaliers in action; and, although Team Shaq got blown out by Team Chuck, I was happy to see Kyrie dominate.  When he broke Brandon’s ankles twice I was there in the front row.  Having this kind of experience, magnified why I didn’t spend $220 for the Saturday Night upper-deck and $519 for the NBA All-Star game upper-deck seat.

Toyota Center All-Star Houston 2013 Sign

Houston Rockets Mascot Clutch

BBVA Rising Stars Game in Action

Player Introductions

Team Shaq Bench

Inside Club Level Suite

Walking to Section 121

Inside Club Level Suite

Air Elite NBA

Air Elite

Cleveland Cavaliers Kyrie Irving

Kyrie on Floor

Cleveland Cavalier Tyler Zeller

NBA All-Star Practice

            I snagged these tickets through Amex pre-sale before they were open to the general public January 30^th.  My ticket cost $50 and the majority of attendees were seated in my section 202.  Since I arrived 15 minutes later, I sat a couple of risers higher than yesterday’s celebrity game, however, I managed to take pretty good photos.

Western and Eastern Conference All-Stars converge on center court

Eastern Conference All-Stars warming up

NBA All-Star practice stage

Western Conference All-Stars

Inauguration Day 2013

            Today is not only inauguration day but also Martin Luther King day. The google doodle has MLK on it. I skipped the inaugural parade devoting the entire day towards preparing for tonight’s ball.  I felt like I was in a beauty pageant the whole day: keeping my hair in pins and breaking in my shoes.  I didn’t remove my rollers except to make a CVS run to bandages and Pepsi.  It was crazy to devote so much energy towards one event, but then I realized that there were only two inaugural balls this year and I would be attending one of them!  While others shelled out $100 to $500 for unofficial balls, I paid $65 for an official ticket. 

            As soon as CNN reported that President Obama and the First Lady were en route to the convention center, I put on my gown, slipped in my shoes, got in my coat and headed outside to hail a cab.  The first man told me that I had to walk.  Being an inaugural ball vet, I knew that wasn’t true so I walked to the Courtyard hotel and hailed a second one who took me within 1 block of the convention center.  That was darn good driving with all of those barricades and people getting out of cabs in the middle of the street!  I walked the one block, passed through the metal detector with flying colors and proceeded to stand in line: for everything.  It felt like it was run by the Soviets.  I stood in the line for the coat check (The volunteers dropped that little tidbit that it would cost $5 per item.  I was lucky I had change from the cabbie else I would had to wear my coat on me throughout the ball.).  After dropping out my coat, I stood in another line, this time for photos.  In the beginning, two volunteers were snapping pictures, but the male volunteer talked with his boss who pulled him and the female volunteer.  Rats!  Where there was order was now chaos; but, a man two couples behind took over and starting taking pictures.  Order was restored allowing me to take 2 photos in front of the presidential inaugural seal.

There were cutbacks this time.  Unlike 2009, there was no professional photographer forcing people to have other attendees take their photos.  Also there wasn’t a whole lot of food.  This didn’t bother me because I ate before arriving.  I headed to the ball.  Hearing Stevie Wonder was a very good thing and I boarded the down escalator for the dance floor.  The fact that Stevie Wonder ended his set singing ‘Happy Birthday’, the very same song used to promote the federal Martin Luther King holiday on President Obama’s inauguration, more than compensated because it didn’t get any more historical than that.   Next was Jamie Foxx who serenaded the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden during their dance.  Afterward it was John Legend and finally, Soundgarden, who truly rocked it out (As much as I loved Darrin Criss from Glee, Amber Riley had not business waddling around with back fat and bad tattoos at this presidential inaugural ball so Glee will be skipped!).

Jamie Foxx with Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden

John Legend with band

Soundgarden

Heading back up the escalator, there was a very long coat check line.  It looked like they were handing out free stuff! The line snaked all the way past the coat check sign.  It took me 10-15 minutes just to get my coat.  But I couldn’t even get mine without drama because someone had to take a photo right when I was standing in line in front of the coat check sign.  Sheesh!  Get this over with already!  Then I had a line jumper (behind me of course, because my nerves were getting bad) who stepped on my gown twice! Finally, after getting my coat I had my picture taken and just like that one random scalawag intentionally walks in front of me taking my photo.  She nearly got cursed out.  Well, at least I got another photo. 

I walked through the convention center ready to embark on the ultra fun activity of hailing a cab in winter through the barricade.  I felt like an X-Game event. The cabbie missed the Mass Ave tunnel so I took it to him demanding my 75 cents in charge when I arrived at home.  Normally, I’d let it slide but not this time.  He gave me a whole dollar and I entered my building, turned the corner, took off my heels walking barefoot the rest of the way home.  Frustrating turned into joy because I realized that not too many people get to attend an official inaugural ball.  And I did it twice!

Links Incorporated Inaugural Open House at the Headquarters

Yesterday I attended the Links Incorporated Inaugural open house at its DC headquarters.  Here are some of the photos from the building and the national president's suite.  Enjoy!

Corset

National President's luncheon pamphlet

Headquarters

National President's Memorabilia Table

National President's Suite Table

Donor Bricks for the newly renovated building

Back for More at the Inauguration Store!

I returned to the Obama inaugural store after my grandmother told me that she lost the Seniors for Obama button.  Luckily, I lived in DC and discovered that the store was open until 9pm.  I purchased that plus two more buttons that weren’t available during its grand opening last Friday: postal workers for Obama and bus drivers for Obama.  Tomorrow I will mail father’s and grandmother’s buttons.  They’ll receive them by Tuesday since Monday is Martin Luther King holiday.  I bet my grandmother will be happy and this time don’t lose hers!

More downtown DC inauguration store buttons.

LivingSocial Rent the Runway Event at 918 F Street NW

            Even though I purchased my inaugural gown earlier this week, I decided that since I paid $8 for the LivingSocial Rent the Runway deal I might as well schlep over there to check it out.  I rode the red line to Gallery Place station walking to 918 F street NW.  I showed the lady my id, handed my coat over to the coat check, received a drink ticket and climbed the stairs to the Rent the Runway boutique.  There were five stacks of dresses, 2 for gowns and 3 for cocktail dresses.  You can also find dresses online.  At the event you could rent a dress for 20% off which was a very big steal.  Seeing the dresses upfront made my happy that I bought my Badgley Mischka gold sequined gown through Zappos because no one the inventory shined that mine did (No peeking!  I will receive it after attending the actual inaugural ball).

            Here are the photos:

I Heart Rent the Runway bag

Dress Stack 1

Dress Stack 2

Dress Stack 3

Milly gold and black lace cocktail gown