11.24.2008

Flashback Pilgrimage and FREE Phat GIVEAWAY

A few things happened recently to inspire this post:
1. I hung out with fun friends from my former life (when I was single and roaming LA).
2. My friend Lyndsey wrote a post that basically sums up how I feel about my former life (and how we are always changing). It was spot on!
3. I cleaned out our closet on Saturday and found a huge stack of Phat Pilgrimage CDs and decided, I should give these away. So, here we go....

For those of you who don't know the former Dana (the Dana that didn't have kids, didn't go to the park everyday, and who's life never revolved around two nap-schedules)...I think I was a fun person (hopefully I still am). I love parties. I love to dance. Actually, it's more like: I LOVE to dance. I like hip-hop and rap. I can do a good Robo-cop. I'm totally white. But I did grow up in Santa Ana, if that gives me any street-cred? (of course, saying "street-cred" probably just negated that). Basically, I like to have fun.
My birthday always falls around Thanksgiving time. When I turned 26, my parents thought I should throw a big birthday party/bash down at their house in OC. I took them up on the offer and mailed out invites to the Phat Pilgrimage ("Phat" because uh, it was off the hook? And "Pilgrimage" since everyone made the drive from LA to OC...and it was almost Thanksgiving).
I honestly had no idea if people would come. But what do you know, they came in hordes! It was so much fun and definitely the best birthday party I've had.

These pictures may only be interesting to a handful of people. But DON'T MISS THE FREE GIVEAWAY at the bottom of the post. And to some of you out there, enjoy a blast from the past. It's fun to look in the background and see who's in the picture. I can't even remember some of the names.
From the first Phat Pilgrimage in 2002:
Look, Casey was there! I didn't even know these guys. But uh, nice hats:Dave Fuhriman is always up for a party:My little brother Mark, DJd the night:
My old roommate Katie. I miss her:
Jennie Doezie is also always up for a dance party:
That was 2002.
When the next year rolled around we decided to do it again. Thus, Phat Pilgrimage 2:
Melissa and Amie. Two of my favorite people:
I miss me some Hollie Henderson:
KJ (Kristen Johnson) was there! And brought her awesome-as-always dance moves:
Another old roommate, also named Katie. And James Fitzgerald. Keep track of him, he may be President some day:
Keller. Dude.
Gareth! My Universal friend. He now lives in England:
Who doesn't need a little Thom Mikota in their life?
Or Erik Isakson for that matter?
This year, Me, Amie, and Melissa played DJ:
Fun night! (thanks to the help of my parents and my sister Mere. How young is she here?!)
As a parting gift for the pilgrimage back home, we made special CDs for everyone to take with them. Basically it was a mix CD of my favorite party songs. We called it:Sadly, over the years, I've had CDs stolen out of my car twice now. So I no longer have a copy of Phat Pilgrimage 1. But I do have a stack of Volume 2. So...here's the FREE GIVEAWAY part.

I'm really curious what the readership on our blog is. And I'm really curious about who loves Dr. Dre mixed with Eminem (NOTE: All songs are "clean edit"). So I'm giving away 6 copies of the Phat Pilgrimage 2 CD (since this is the 6 year anniversary of the first party). Here's what you have to do to be entered in the random drawing:
1. Leave a comment here on the blog and state somewhere "CD Please" or something so that I know you want to be in the drawing. (If you don't want to be in the drawing, you can still just leave a comment)
2. If your blogging name does not have a link to your own blog or some sort of contact info, PLEASE leave your email address so I can contact you for a mailing address.
3. You have until MIDNIGHT on Wednesday night, 11/26, to respond. 6 Winners will be announced later this Thanksgiving weekend.

And just so you know what great tunes you're rooting for, we have....
Dr. Dre, Nelly, Fatboyslim, Tupac, Basement Jaxx, Snoop, Destiny's Child, Green Day, Run DMC, Notorious BIG, Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliot, Beyonce, 50 Cent, and more.
Seriously, it's a really good CD (and "Melrose is a really good show").
Who knows, maybe no one wants a CD. Haah. But thanks for letting me reminisce and relive my past. Now, time to go take care of kids....

23 comments:

Linsey said...

I seriously could not identify any of these artists if my life depended on it, but Kenny is, or was, way into the dance scene before kids too so I will enter on his behalf. What a good idea, I probably would have tossed them.

debra said...

Um, "CD Please". Of course I want in on a mix of Dana music favs!

What a fun flashback post for you! In only recognized Mark, Mere and you, of course- but it looks like it was a lot of fun! I remember the parties at your house in Provo, so I can imagine how fun these must have been! Ha- I can still picture your robocop dance too! And then Kam doing the Carlton dance... ok, I'm having flashbacks to Provo fun in my head... YAY!

PlusOne said...

Oh wow wow wow... The sad thing is, when I looked at the pics, all I could think is how YOUNG we all looked. Wow. So hilarious. You always were the queen of throwing the best dance party. I am so happy you were born (for more reasons than just the reason to throw the phat pilgrimage). Ahh, the memories. And no need on the CD's. I still have volume 1 and 2 and still bust them out when I need to do a bit of dancing in the car.

Unknown said...

that was a FABULOUS little trip down memory lane. I still have both CD's, nothing like busting one of those out in the car and remembering how cooool we were back in the day. wow.

Jean said...

Yeah, I'm all about that free CD! Oh, sorry... "CD Please." :-)

I love your Phat Pilgrimage. Can you have another one?? It looks off the hook. I love that you had DJs and souvenir CDs and what not. AWESOME!! It's fun to see my friends in their pre-kids days, back when we were all a bunch of untamed partying hooligans. :-)

the bates motel said...

fun flashback! crazy that the first one was 6 yrs ago! fun times :)!

dietcokegrrl said...

LOVE THIS POST!! I wish I had more pictures from my fun "pre-children" (and even "pre-marriage") days! Ahhhh, good times.

And yes, CD please...and I don't know Linsey, but how can she not know ANY of the artists on there?

I was a big Hip Hop fan myself--back in the day....remember DJ Henry's Power Workout at lunch time? Ahhh, good memories.

Oh, and "No one can eat 50 eggs"

Saunja said...

CD Please! We still have the first one and listen to it every so often in the car.

Jessica said...

Okay, I knew I would like this post but I had no idea HOW MUCH! Here I am chuckling and chuckling away to begin with, and THEN start seeing pictures of my own husband looking younger than I ever remember him!! TOO FUNNY! LOVE IT!GREATEST POST EVER!!!

Nicole said...

Those parties sound like the coolest parties EVER! How fun, what a way to party it up on your B-day man there were a ton of people.

I too LOVE to dance and would go to all the cheesy singles dances even now (with Jeff of course), but my hubby won't take me. I just know I would love all the songs on that CD too. What do you say, next Willard fam reunion a dance off to this CD if I win, if not at least you own it!

sarahz said...

wow! trip down memory lane, i'm with KJ, we all look so young. when did we start looking for mature? i've still got my cd's, i'm pullin' them out tonight.

Allison Hansen said...

Oh my gosh, those are hilarious! Some times I think I'd like to go back, but most times I'm happy those hairdos and dance moves are distant memories! Hey, how are Melissa and Amie?

dietcokegrrl said...

BTW, I LOVE how short your hair is at PP2. So cute!

The Paske Family said...

I need a time machine so I can go to one of those parties. CD PLEASE! I'm also a dancin' fool. I hope I win.

La La Land said...

Ummm...where do I begin!?! 1.Yes, CD please. 2. I totally know Erik Isackson. 3. I love your hair that short! 4. I love how people are dancing while holding little cups of fruit punch (or could it be fuzzy navels!?).

Awesome post...

Jodie said...

LOL! I TOTALLY remember the first party- I was married for the second one, dangit. It was SO fun and going to your parent's house made me want to live in OC. I didn't know where it was at the time, though. Maybe you should throw another one at their house since we only live a few miles away! :)

lyndsey said...

LOVE this post!!! so great. i love seeing pictures of you from then...your parties looked so fun. and um...yes please on the cd. now maybe i can learn to c-walk ;) i think you have my email.

The G-Funk! said...

CD please!! I'm keeping the fingers crossed, as I'm always in need of anything by Dana "the Bomb!"

Maxine Parrish said...

Wow. I mean, wow! I'm not sure if that was Dance Face I was pulling or just another one of my famously scary candids. Either way, kudos for catching it! That was a killer party, and those were killer days, and those songs were pretty awesome. Happy soon-to-be birthday!

Dave Fuhriman said...

I am asking for, nay, DEMANDING a CD. I think I accidentally left my copy in the CD player of my Subaru when they towed it away. Sniff sniff.

By the way, I donated it to orphans, if that helps my cause.

I loved those parties. Well worth the confusing Mapquest directions.

megan said...

yeah, wish I could have been invited to your dance party!! looks like my kinda thing! and sure, enter me for the cd :-)

Suman Family said...

haha! so fun! too bad we were in utah for these fun times. i love that casey was there too. so cute. and i agree with debra - fun parties in provo too. especially when the floor almost broke. ah, the good ole days.

JENNILLE said...

Love it! Love it! That was a lot of fun to relive the "glory days". When's Phat Pilgrammage 3? I still have those cd's. Love dropping by your blog now and then. Tell your husband to quit winning in Fantasy Football. I'm sick of how good he is at it. He needs to give some other people a chance to win!

Erik