I Am Serious... And Don't Call Me Shirley

Brace yourself for a low flying understatement: American Airlines sucks. With the economic downturn, they've only gotten worse.

After a few minor delays with the company, one spanning 26 hours and three airports to get from San Diego to DC, and the most recent involving a 7 hour delay, at JFK, because of a crack in the windshield. I get it - don't trap me in a questionable aircraft, but JFK is a HUB, find me another plane.

Well either the Wahine has some very influential readers, or the company is fed up getting hate mail because look what popped up in my in box: And you know how I love my airline miles!

Dear Ms. Richer:


When your April 17 flight didn't operate on schedule, we, too, were disappointed. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience this flight delay may have caused you. We know how valuable our customers' time is and all our efforts are focused on the on time departure of each and every flight. We'll continue that focus, and the next time you fly with us we'll do our best to ensure you arrive at your destination as scheduled!


Just to give you a little encouragement to fly with us again sometime soon, I've credited your AAdvantage® account with 5,000 bonus miles. This mileage adjustment will appear in a few days. To view your account, go to http://www.aa.com/aadvantage.Again, we are sorry for the delay of your flight. We'll do better next time.

Poppin champagne Like We've Won A Championship Game

On the heels of the big pilgrimage back to San Diego, Chez Copa lined up quite a weekend of activities, including a visit from Aly, the yin to my yang! Aly and I have grown up together, having been friends since the ripe ole' age of eight.

READERS NOTE: When the two of us combine forces its like dousing a fire ball in gasoline and launching it. We just feed off of each other and have been described as nothing less of a beautiful disaster.

So it's no surprise that this weekend visit was not one of R & R.The best part is Chez Copa just absorbed her into our thickly woven group, as if she were there from the beginning!

Friday was pretty much a write off - I was kicking a wicked birthday cold so all I could do was fantasize about Coldeeze and my pillow. Fear not, picking up A-dawg from Dulles was a much needed respite from boogies and wheezing. (So attractive I know - but with the boogies comes a super sexy 70 year old smoking Brooklyn Yetta voice. Silver lining folks, silver lining.)

After a quick nap - we were back in action bright and early Saturday morning to honor the second annual east coast chez copa cookie bake-off. It's a one day bake fest where the CCers descend on auntie Jo's kitchen to crank out no less than 10 cookie versions while SCREAMING holiday music, after celebratory mimosas of course.

On the evening itinerary was the traditional Pink Cashmere (collegiate chez copa) Obnoxious Holiday Sweater Party. Although we modified the tradition slightly by taking it to to the bars. We recruited star cruise director for just the task of navigating the sweater goers through U Street-Cardoza.

Let's be honest; Marvin's, Utopia, and Busboys & Poets didn't see the train wreck of Christmas paraphernalia coming (right down to Aly's christmas socks and heels). The general reaction was "I wonder if they are all together, or if there was a themed memo we missed." Fear not after some intense interrogation on the gracious ride back to Virginia it was back for a quick nap.



Sunday should have been the day of recovery but of course that got tossed. After a morning of sin rehashing at church, Aly and I sneaked into the matinee performance of Next To Normal at the Arena Stage. A wildly colorful musical about a bi-polar disillusion mother and her effect on the typical suburban family, its like American Beauty on crack. And the music is phenomenal.

We had just enough time exit stage left and get our glam on.

We had the bartenders ball, aka Zinzi Holiday Party, to attend. It's the one night of the year where the bartenders aren't off limits. Now I have been in DC for going on 7 years and I have NEVER seen so many attractive people. And here they were in one place. Having borrowed Lindsey's dress, aptly named the Cougar Muu-muu, because of my senior citizen status and the flow-ey nature of the garment, Aly teased I was on the prowl. Ha!

Let just say Cougar Muu-muu + unlimited access to top shelf alcohol + great music does not equal good life choices. Remember how I described the JenAly team? Well they were unleashed in full force. Rarrrr.

Then it was into the station for an early morning while Aly got some sleep in time before her birthday celebration. Now Aly's bday was a bit of a sordid affair. She had promised checking in with her west coast chapter at peak intoxication levels. Childish I know, but there's nothing like a good drunk dial.

So while Lindsey was whipping her last law school exam for the semester, cc copa divebombed into the Tommy Mcfly show to watch the master at work. Then it was off to dinner (CCR) and celebratory hooplah at the CCSP. Mission Accomplished.

Still hanging in there but man what a weekend. I hurt.

And how does Mother Nature celebrate the JenAly train wreck? By canceling all flights through Chicago of course. So poor Aly got sent right back into the cesspool sans luggage for one more evening at the CC. Status is still pending as to whether she actually made it to San Diego today. But I leave tomorrow and that airport better be cleared out by then. I'm not sure the FAA could handle a JenAly in captivity.