And I'm OK with it!

Eek. Swoon. 

Let me repeat that. Eek. Swoon.

That's how I feel right now! Have any of you Middle Sisters ever been swept off of your feet? The rush of excitement, butterflies in the tummy, random hot flashes while you think about someone... it's all happening to me at this very moment :-)

One of my favorite things to do while I unwind and relax is to do crossword puzzles in bed while I drinking my Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a random single-girl behavior that I love. I'm sure all of you have something similar? Haha, maybe not... Anywayyyy, a few nights ago, I'm engaging in my fav single-girl behavior when my cell rings. It is Irish Hottie... Eek! Swoon!

It was pretty late so I was hoping this wasn't going to be a 'booty call' (you've got the wrong Mischief Maker my dude). But he just called to chat and see how my day was. To chat and see how my day was? Whaaaaaat? Isn't he just the sweetest!?

So we chat. And chat leads in to conversation. And conversation leads in to serious discussion over likes and dislikes, family and friends, goals for the future and goals for today, the latest book we're reading on the subway and the books we can't wait to read. We've both got a pile of books by the side of our beds, just waiting to be explored! Ah, it's like a dream...

Assuming I won't wake up from this incredibly exciting and admittedly, terribly cheesey romanticized fantasy with Irish Hottie, I'll be updating you on my adventures with him next week!

What are some of your adventures Middle Sisters? C'mon... spill it! But ah o-my-g, do not ever spill your wine!

xoxo - M.M.

But you need to go!

O-My-G. Monhegan Island is so freakin' pretty, its outrageous. Especially when you're there with a boy :-)

His name is Irish Hottie and he is blowing wind into my sailboat right now. He is the one I met in the bar last week... the one who offered to pick up the tab for all of my friends and I. So chivalrous! Anyway, so I didn't have any real plans for the 4th of July (the water slide party in New Jersey was most def the back-up plan) and Irish Hottie starts talking about this Island he used to go to as a child. It sounded effing perfect!

So last minute we hop in his car and drive the 8 hours to Maine. Best. Decision. Ever.

We drive to Boothbar Harbor, Maine, catch a ferry over to Monhegan Island and this is the first thing I see:

LIke what? Seriously? Um... yeahhhhhh... I might not make it back to NYC. We spend our days hiking around the Island, our afternoons lounging in the hammock outside of our little cottage and our nights cooking dinner and drinking bottle after bottle of my delish Cabernet Sauvignon.

If it sounds like the perfect weekend... it was :-)

And then the fireworks! The Island sets their own fireworks off from a huge barge about 5 miles off the coast. Ah-mazing. I swear, every heart-shaped explosion and glittery burst sent my own heart fluttering through my tummy and back!

So romantic! How could you not fall in love?

And another one bites the dust...

So long Middle Sisters! I'll update you next week :-)

xoxo - M.M.

I know what you're thinking...

Soccer? Such a weird sport where officials have the power to disallow goals with no challenges which is effing ridiculous in this day and age with instant replay and hot tempers. Ok, maybe you weren't thinking exactly that... maybe more along the lines of, Mischief Maker, why are you posting about the World Cup? Wine and sports do not even go together.

On the contrary Middle Sisters, on the contrary. First of all, wine can go with anything and everything :-) Second, how often in history has our entire nation been cheering on our country as we battle it out on a world stage? Yes, there are the Olympics, but that is more of an individual support for talented athletes.

I'm talking about chanting "USA" in the streets and uniting under one goal of World Cup domination. I don't know about you, but I'm not usually the American flag bandana wearing type of American. But now, during World Cup 2010, when the US team is fighting harder than any other team out there and when there is so much to prove as a democratic country playing in the only recently democratic nation of South Africa, I'm sporting the rich colors of Red, White and Blue all across this city.

I'm a proud Middle Sister and with our win today, we will move on to the 2nd Round and once again have the opportunity to prove victorious against the odds. I love being the underdog! Such fight and excitement goes in to every second of the game!

So, join me Middle Sisters! Allow yourself to get swept up in the wave of American pride and cheer on our guys!

And even if you're not that excited to watch soccer... HELLO? Have you seen soccer players? Arguably some of the most attractive men to every walk this great Earth and if you're lucky, they'll take their jerseys off at the end of the game :-) Ah ha! There's the Mischief Maker I know and love!

For the next game, grab a bottle of my Cabernet Sauvignon, invite your Sisters over and have a watch party. I promise, you will not be disappointed...

xoxo - M.M.

I'm never eating a cupcake again.

Well, its over. Cupcake Kid and I are through. And do you want to know the worst part? I can't even look at cupcakes the same way again. Me? Mischief Maker with a secret sugar addiction? No more cupcakes!? Aaarrrgggggggh.

So I'm out with the girls right? And we're at a dope little spot called 11th Street Bar. We're sitting at a table across from the bar and everything is fine and fun and dandy. We're laughing and drinking wine and reminiscing and gossiping about boys. Then, out of nowhere, Cupcake Kid walks in. With. A. Girl. And this was not an innocent hey-I'm-just-hanging-out-with-a-really-good-friend-of-mine-who-also-happens-to-be-a-girl entrance. This was, hand on the small of the back, opening the door for her, entrance. Not. Cool.

I immediately inform my girls of the situation I have just found myself in and I'm pissed. Like, really pissed. I mean, hello? I started dating this kid because he practically begged me to, bribing me with delicious cupcakes and intoxicating dinners and here he is with this bimbo?

So I play it cool. Obvi.

He doesn't notice me at first. But as he's casually glancing around the bar, he sees me. And I'm pretty sure he peed a little. So he walks over. Can you believe it? He walks over to the table where I'm sitting with all of my girls. He's a brave little jerk. And he says, "Hey! How are you!? I was just about shoot you a text." HA. Nice try. I just stare at him. I don't even speak. Just a cold stare with a slight, knowing smile. My girls follow my lead. Imagine a table full of 5 incredibly intelligent and attractive women (what? It's not bragging if it's the truth), all glaring at you because you've just been caught. Yeah. It. Was. Awesome. With his tail between his legs, he returns to the bar to be questioned by the bimbo.

And of course, just as we're asking for the check, the waitress says, "Oh, that gentleman at the bar already picked up your tab." I assumed it was Cupcake Kid attempting to redeem himself, but she instead pointed to another boy... A handsome boy. The type of boy your voice quivers over. The type of boy who can make you forget about other boys... Hehe :-)

xoxo - M.M.

And truth be told: I like dates.

Who knew!? This Mischief Maker is a date liker. I always thought I was more of a 'Hey, let's get a quick drink' or 'How about brunch?' or even 'Early movie?'. All in order to avoid the obvious dating scene that happens to be my life. Here is the reason: if we're not on a date, then we're not dating, which means that I'm a perfectly happy, perpetually single Middle Sister. So far, it has been a fool proof system and I have done very well for myself in this non-dating realm.

But Cupcake Kid... I am feeling Cupcake Kid. So, I say again... who knew!? Shall we cruise through the evening? Grab a drink Middle Sisters, lets cozy up and chat.

Dinner: we go to Counter (a hip East Village restaurant with a casual/chic vibe, perfect!) and just my luck, it is a BYOB. Yep, that's right. I love BYOB restaurants. So obviously I uncork a bottle of my Cabernet Sauvignon and he loves it. And right then... I knew it was going to be a good night.

Drinks: we follow up dinner with another bottle of Cab on my rooftop. It might not immediately sound romantic, but picture us alone on one of those perfect nights (a little warm with a whisp of cool wind) with the entire Manhattan skyline in front of us. I'm talking the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Woolworths Building. Everything! It is gorgeous.

Jazz at Blue Note: What is sexier than a jazz show at Blue Note? Now, I'm more of an indie/hip hop/classic rocker girl myself, but a little jazz never hurt anybody right? Eek! It was a perfect date. I gave Cupcake Kid a chance and look at me... I. Am. Dating... for now :-)

xoxo - M.M.

To pick up where I left off...

Yeah, that's right: cupcakes, whenever I want them! I mean, I always knew boys were easy to manipulate into submission, but c'mon, don't make it this easy for me. Play some games, intrigue me, maybe a little cat and mouse to whet my appetite, and give me a chase! If you show your hand this early, you will never have the power in the relationship. This is Relationship 101 my dudes, pay attention. Let me start from the beginning...

So, there's this boy (haha, isn't that how all of my posts start?) and his name is Cupcake Kid. He's a buyer for some menswear boutique in SoHo. I met him at a typically boring Upper East Side apartment overlooking the Manhattan skyline party. He's cute, in that indie-rocker, super hip, I-live-in-the-dopest-neighborhood-ever sort of way. He's always inviting me to more of these boring parties, I usually decline because eh, its not really my scene. Upper East Side parties are more of Drama Queen's thing (shout out to my homie though!).

Anyway, all of sudden he shows up at my door with the cutest box of cupcakes and a bouquet of Star Lillies (um, my fav flowers because they smell effing awesome).

Cupcake Kid says, "Mischief Maker, I dig you. Go out with me tonight."

How could I refuse such an honest and direct proposal?

So, I said, "Bring me another box of cupcakes tomorrow and I'll consider."

Heheeeee... he did, so apparently I'm going on a date with Cupcake Kid Thursday night. If all goes well, cupcakes for all! I hear they pair perfectly with my Cabernet Sauvignon :-) Until next week my Sisters!

xoxo - M.M.

OMGod, you actually did all of that stuff?

Uhhhhh yeah... what kind of Mischief Maker do you think I am? Hola Middle Sisters! As requested, I'm posting pictures from my Costa Rican get-a-way with Julien. Yo, these are intense and hopefully they inspire a little Mischief in you all :-)

Here we are ziplining through the Monteverde Cloud Forest! Otherwise known as that place in the Rain Forest where Julien dropped the "L" bomb and sent me ziplining to another tree... but dude, it was a private tour and I have to say, motoring through a rainforest essentially by yourself is muy dope.

This was my first time ever experiencing crazy-a$$ white water rapids. It. Was. Exhilarating. Seriously, I loved it and anyone with any level of out door love should experience this!

How cute is this super weird looking Three-toed Sloth?? We spotted her in the Nacional Parque Manuel Antonio. I think the permanent smile and big eyes are a sign to predators. These features totally tell them "I'm a super chilled out dude so it would be awesome if you would not eat me."

We horsebacked it up to these secluded waterfalls! There is Julien, showing off his swan-diving skills... I jumped off too, but admittedly not as gracefully. Hey, at least I jumped!

These two are of just me, lounging in a hammock in front of our Cabinas and surfing in Dominical.  Apologies for the dark pictures but my identity must remain in the shadows... ooooo Mysterious Mischief Maker...

Just after we finished snorkeling on Isla Tortuga, we stumbled into a post card.

And thus, the sun sets on a wonderfully adventurous and whimsically exciting journey to Costa Rica and back. I highly recommend this country to get your Mischief on!

Until next week Middle Sisters. I shall further explore this new boy who brings me cupcakes whenever I want them... Can you imagine? Cupcakes! Whenever I want them! I'll update you soon...

xoxo - M.M.

P.S. Shout out to my girl Rebel Red, I heart you!

Pura Vida!

Hola Hermanas! Como estas? Muy bien, muy bien :-) Oh sorry, I totally forgot that I'm not in Costa Rica anymore... chyeah right, I wanted to show off my Espanol skills, what up?

WOW was Costa Rica amazing. It almost feels likes a dream... Good thing I took lots of pictures of my adventures with Julien. Ahhhhh Julien. We ziplined through the Monteverde Cloud Forest, we spotted monkeys and sloths in the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, we surfed at sunset in Montezuma, we swung in hammocks (I even brought one back with me although it has yet to find a home in my apartment), we drank wine, we did... other stuff. It. Was. Glorious. And all along I'm thinking, is this real?? Well, it certainly got real.

We were zipping through the rain forest on a canopy tour and everything seemed to work out perfectly. Apparently 10:30am is the least popular time to tarzan-it through a cloud forest because it was just us. We embarked on a private canopy tour! It was just us and our two guides, Blanco and Allman (who said that we were a very attractive couple... hehe obvi). So anyway, here we are zipping through the rain forest and Julien drops the biggest bomb ever. He drops... the "L" bomb. Yeah. Can you believe it? Hello! We're motoring around on ziplines, now is not the time to say I "L" you and divert a girl's attention. Jeesh. And what do I possibly say back to that?

"Awwwwwww, you're just so sweet Julien."

Haha. I actually have to laugh at my own awkwardness because I'm at a loss for words here. Fortunately, Julien takes it in stride and zips to another platform, leaving me to re-think the "I'm having so much fun with you" post-card I was going to send him as a welcome back surprise... I don't want him to keep getting the wrong idea.

Anyway, we're back now and needless to say my whirl-wind with Julien has subsided. Maybe if he keeps the "L" bomb in his pocket for all of eternity we'll have a chance to survive some day. Until then yo, this Mischief Maker gots to keep on movin'. There are plenty of fish in the sea (I know, I saw them snorkeling on Isla Tortuga!) and hopefully the next one will have enough sense to keep his feelings to himself. Don't boys know that girls like the mystery? Maybe thats just me :-)

Ok Sisters, I'm going to hang this hammock, pour myself a glass of my dope Mischief Maker Cabernet Sauvignon and curl up with my Costa Rican memories.

Hasta Luego - M.M.

whirl-wind: noun. a tumultuous, confused rush

Yo. I would seriously like to ammend this definition. How about: whirl-wind: noun, a tumultuous, confused rush of awesomeness. So my story begins... I met this guy...

And it was perfect. Like wake up on the right side of the bed, find $5 on the street, hear your favorite song at the super-hip indie bar downtown and immediately begin dancing... it was that perfect. I know what you're thinking: really? again? another perfect dude? YES!

His name is Julien. He's a brooding artist. That's pretty much all you need to know about him. I met him last summer and he swept me up in his whirl-wind with serious precision. Tumbling, stumbling, fumbling around the city with Julien is like curling up with my favorite bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and riding Dorothy's tornado swept house to a far-away land. Yeah...

So anyway, he asked me to go away with him for a weekend... eek :-) We're going to Costa Rica! I'm sorry... did you say Costa Rica? Where the oceans are blue, birds sing and there are miles and miles of surfer dudes? Oh, you did? Ok dope, Costa Rica, here I come! He said all I needed to do was smuggle in a few bottles of my Cab and bring some serious Mischief-ness. Done and done.

Stay tuned for a re-cap of my adventures swirling through Costa Rica, twirling through bottles of wine and trying to get my footing with Julien. I'm just gonna put this out there... I'd be jealous too.

xoxo - M.M.

My name is Mischief... Mischief Maker.

Don't laugh. I'm serious. I am a Mischief Maker. Wait really? YES! And it is awesome, try not to be too jealous. Now that we are acquainted Middle Sisters, shall we begin?

I'm writing to share  with you my adventures, my mistakes, my loves, my life. My hope is to excite a sense of mischief and mystery within every Middle Sister and I think you will love me for it  by the end of this first post.

I was on an exceptional date this past weekend with a dude who looked just like Clive Owen, so I thus dubbed him 'Clive Owen kid.' Anyway, Clive picked me up from my apartment and we shimmied down to a swanky restaurant with decor similar to the inside of a genie's bottle. So sexy. Backstory: Clive wants me. Frontstory: I'm in to it... right now.

Even after two hours, our conversation is so intriguing that we're leaning over the table to speak closer to each other. And just as the check comes, I fnish my glass of wine and give him the smile. You know what I mean: THE smile. The 'lets get outta here' smile. I'll spare you the details, but we cab it back to his apartment and the diaologue goes something like this:

Clive: So... do you wanna stay?

Me: Do you have any wine?

Clive: Yes, a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Me: "Ok"

I think, in that moment, it was meant to be. Me and a good Cabernet? I'm drawn to it like a moth to the flame. Touche Clive, touche. And so on and so forth until I jumped in a cab and met my girlfriends for brunch... What happened? I'll never tell :-)

xoxo - M.M.