Thursday, September 30, 2010

{ DATE #14: Emanuel Zevallos }


How interesting to go from last night's date with Nick Haycock who knew absolutely nothing about me, to tonight's date with Emanuel Zevallos who seemed to know everything there is to know about me (and more)! Honestly, even when he asked me a question like "What is your favorite movie?" I felt like he already knew the answer! It was quite flattering to hear that he's been following the dates closely, reading up on my bio, and even keeping up to date on my Design By Aubrey floral blog. I've never met a guy who was so focused on and dedicated to me...even before our first date. Way to impress Emanuel.

Date #14 started out like all the others with a knock at the door, a simple introduction, and a walk to the car. But that's where the familiarity stopped. There waiting in the middle of the street was our get-away car complete with personal chauffeur, Alfred. (Looks like I'm not the ONLY one out there with really supportive friends!) I liked the creative idea to have a driver take us around all night because it gave Emanuel and I a chance to get to know each other without the distractions of navigating our way up to LA. Oh, and did I mention the car ride came complete with Diet Coke's and Trader Joe's trail mix?  Someone did his homework.

Emanuel is a very talkative guy. At first I thought it was just nervousness, but he really does have the gift of gab!  Which is a good thing on a first date when you've got a limited amount of time to get to know someone. During our time together I found out that he's 29, from Palos Verdes, a convert to the church, loves Paris more than anywhere in the world, is an entrepreneur, has a band, and spends most of his days taking care of his ill mother. I have a feeling this guy would have been one heck of a missionary!  Oh wait, he is.  Since his baptism in 2007, he's shared the gospel with many of his friends and family members and even seen his mother join the church just months ago.  I applaud him for his steadfast commitment to the gospel and to share his burning testimony with others.

For our date he took me to a driving range and bought us a basket of golf balls to hit. I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't super stoked on this idea, but only because I've been to a driving range one other time and well, I was terrible. (That line sounds familiar.) But fortunately, Emanuel said he'd never really been golfing either and that the reason he chose golfing was because he heard me once say "I'd like to try something new together."  It was then that I knew I could loosen up a little and just have fun with him. And guess what? We actually hit a few golf balls.   And it was fun!  I was quite impressed with myself (and Dad you should be too!) Maybe it's because Emanuel's friend James (who oddly enough looked like the twin brother of Alfred) showed up to give us a mini-lesson.  "Keep your eye on the ball Aubrey!" It actually works!  Who knew?

With the sun setting we decided it was time to move on and head to dinner for some replenishment. Emanuel had Alfred take us to Venice Beach where his Uncle owns this amazing restaurant called Primitivo. (If you click on the link you'll see the gorgeous/delicious/amazing appetizer we ate).  The food was so incredibly good! I loved everything we ate, and especially loved the intermission when Emanuel took me through a nearby garden and there gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and personalized gift (a copy of his conversion story, his band's cd, and a backstage pass to all his future shows).  I could tell a lot of time and effort went into everything he said and did.

At the end of the date, Emanuel had a song he'd hoped to sing for me on his guitar, but the clock was telling my body it was time for bed. (I don't know if you know this, but working 2 jobs and going on a new first date every night is kind of exhausting!) so I politely asked if he could save his song for a later date. Like maybe Date #2? I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...


{ Special Thanks to Larry for following me around on my date and doing a phenomenal editing job...except for the clip you replayed over and over and over again of me whiffing the ball...I thought we were friends Larry! }

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

{ DATE #13: Nick Haycock }


Some people are superstitious about the number thirteen and all the negative connotations that come along with it's unluckiness.  Lucky for Nick Haycock (pun intended) when asked how he felt about being unlucky Date #13 he replied "I make my own luck!"  We'll just have to see about that...

As Nick and I climbed into the car, the first thing he said to me was "What's with the camera guy following us?"  At first I thought he was just trying to be funny so I laughed but he quickly repeated himself "No really, what was up with the filming?"  Looks like someone forgot to keep up with the blog after filling out his application.  Once I clued him in on the details his new attitude was reflected in his immediate response, "Shoot!  Had I known I'd be on film I'd have gotten a facial this morning." Nah, you looked great Nick!

This first date was a little different from the others in the sense that we decided to do something physical.  No, not like that!  He decided it would be fun to play tennis together.  I hope he didn't instantly regret his decision when he learned that I've never played tennis before.  That's right!  I'm not a tennis player.  Not because I never wanted to be.  I think I just preferred playing volleyball down at Doheny beach instead.  So needless to say I was nervous but excited to learn something new. 

During our game of tennis, which turned into more of a 60 min. tennis lesson (No really, i felt like I should be paying him for this date!) I learned what a patient person Nick is! While I consider myself quite athletic, I realize I'm no good at tennis.  Nick on the other hand is an excellent tennis player so while he could've been horribly frustrated with me for not returning every serve, he was kind and patient with me as I lobbed them over the net and out of the court.  I really admire that about him.

Some other things I learned about Nick on our date: he just turned 30 this month, enjoyed playing football and basketball in high school, got a degree in psychology from the University of Utah, has his own apartment in Irvine,  and commutes all the way to San Bernardino everyday for his job in Construction Management.  And probably the most important thing I learned about Nick tonight is that the key to beating him on the court is grunting really loudly!  It certainly didn't make the ball sail any harder or faster onto his side of the court, but I think it made him laugh so hard he forgot how to return my serve.  Maybe I have more tennis skills than I'm giving myself credit for. :)

After Nick let me beat him a couple times he took me to my favorite yogurt spot in Huntington to cool off.  Did I mention I was sweating like a pig!  As we approached Golden Spoon (thats right, I'm a GS girl) I had a mini-moment of panic.  Just before we entered the shop Date #8, Ryan Bell, walked through the door.  Uh-oh!  At first I played it cool and tried to laugh it off with my current date, Nick.  But the awkwardness became pungent in the room and I had to say something.  Thankfully Ryan was wonderfully cordial and smiled as he and his home teaching companion exited the shop.

Aside from the "unlucky" run-in at Golden Spoon, Date #13 ended up being an auspicious night of fun and excitement.  Never a dull moment with Nick around.  Maybe that's reason enough to invite him for a second date.  Only next time I suggest we trade in the tennis balls for a volleyball...


{ Larry "the cameraman" Caughlan, I don't know whether to thank you for this wonderful video or to strangle you for adding the audio of me grunting up and down the court. But thank you anyway Larry...your skills are second to none. }

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

{ Every Love Story Needs a Shake Up }

Our shake up came in the form of Dane, a new Bachelor Applicant, who sent in this video for a chance to take Aubrey on a date, even after all the dates were arranged.  He definitely stands out from the crowd - handsome, well-spoken, creative, kind - what more could a Mormon Bachelorette ask for?  Here's a little teaser into what we hope will turn into a date made in heaven... Enjoy! 



If you enjoyed this video please visit Dallin's website: www.vimeo.com/spliceoflife to see samples of his work. Amazing job, Dallin! We are extremely impressed with your skills!

{ DATE #12: Kyle Teichert }


Three out-of-towners in a row?  How flattered am I?  Monday night's date, Kyle "the flight attendant" Teichert, flew in all the way from Denver, Colorado to take me on Date #12.  During his first few hours in Huntington, one of our Staffers let him into my room so he could shower the floor with rose petals leading up to a beautiful bouquet of roses and a hand-written note which read: "Aubrey, Welcome home from a long, stressful, and arduous day of work.  This is a reminder to "Stop and smell the ROSES." :) Can't wait for tonight! Sincerely, Kyle"

This 29 year old Alpine, Utah native really is about as cute as they come. And a little quirky too!  As we walked out the door, there in the street was a bicycle built for two!  I adored his idea of riding tandem to the beach to watch the sunset.  I've never ridden one before, so I was elated at the opportunity to share this first together.

As we rode along the sand we spent some time getting to know each other.  I learned that Kyle is the youngest of four and claims that he suffers from the "youngest child syndrome."  I assured him I'm the complete opposite! Other observations from the night: we're the same height, we've both visited the Parliament Building in Regina Saskatchewan, and he's really good at backflips!

The sunset was absolutely breathtaking.  It would have been a shame to have been indoors somewhere and missed it!  We spent some time walking along the sand, cooling our toes in the ocean, and just goofing around.  Before Kyle would take me to dinner he had me sit and answer a series of questions he'd put together.  While I thought it was a cute idea I realized I much more prefer to be the one asking the questions!

The ride to dinner was an experience in and of itself.  Instead of using the time to talk, he told me that we would be riding in silence (no talking!) and holding our breath at every red light.  Different? Yes.  Fun?  Maybe.  I found it difficult at times to help him navigate us to the restaurant, but in the end, I realized his silly little games made me laugh, which I really liked.

Dinner was pretty good.  He took me to a place recommended by a mutual friend in Costa Mesa called Anjin.  Not the best Japanese BBQ I've ever had, but certainly the wonderful company made up for it.  After teaching him how to properly use the chopsticks (he never really did quite catch the hang of it), we spent the rest of our time together delving into relationship questions and learning more about each other's experiences with love.  Or lack thereof.  ;)

Overall, it was a great date.  Fun, quirky, creativity the whole night through.  Even up to the last minute when he whipped out a bag of jelly bellies and told me to close my eyes and guess which flavor he dropped into my mouth.  We only played for about 5 minutes, and neither of us ever guessed the right flavor, but we sure had fun trying!  It's seriously so much harder than it looks!  Maybe if I give Kyle a chance at a second date, we can polish off the rest of that little bag...


{ Thank you again to Larry for following me around all night with a video camera and putting together this video montage of our fantastic date! }

Monday, September 27, 2010

{ Mid-Season Inside Scoop }

You've been hounding us for it so here it is!  Aubrey Messick herself has given an exclusive interview to our Hostess, Erin Elton, for all the inquiring minds out there.  Will she reveal her favorite so far?  Which dates has she really enjoyed the most?  Is there a potential ETERNAL COMPANION in the mix?  You will just have to watch this little video to find out for yourself...

Sunday, September 26, 2010

{ DATE #11: Jason Oliver }


Can you believe I made it through the first half of my 22 dates? Hooray! I am still having sooo much fun and enjoying [most] every minute spent with these incredible eligible bachelors, each unique in their own way.

Sunday night's date was with self-proclaimed "mountain man" Jason Oliver.  You should know that Jason was my second date to arrive by plane!  Lucky for him, he'd purchased a Jet Pass several weeks earlier allowing him free travel anywhere Jet Blue flies.  Before his stop in Orange County he'd visited Costa Rica with plans to travel to New York next weekend.  Jealous!

So what was my first impression of Jason? Well, he was definitely cute. Loved his smile and those bright blue eyes. Second impression? Yes, there's such a thing. He's quite the gentleman!  All night he opened my doors, gave his arm to me, complimented me often, and even let me beat him at our game of Shake It! Ok, so maybe I beat him fair and square, but still.  Isn't he charming?

Throughout the night I learned a few things about Jason that really impressed me.  At the age of 35 he owns his own home in Draper and runs his own business, Oliver Telecom.  When Jason's not busy working he enjoys being outdoors.  You can also find him with his nose in a book.  And not just any book, relationship books.  During a conversation about dating we talked about The Five Love Languages and how he likes to give/receive love. (That's not the first time this book has come up in one of these dates!

For dinner Jason went to Trader Joe's yesterday and picked out a few things for us to munch on while we watched the sunset over the Pacific.  I loved the food, the view, and the conversation.  We had such a great talk about our philosophies on love which you'd think might be a little heavy a topic for a first date, but it was surprisingly nice.  And refreshing to hear a male's view on the idea of moving from "like to love."  I honestly could've ended the date there and considered it a fine success! But I'm glad we didn't.

We cleaned up dinner and hopped in the car again for location #2. Jason thought it would be a nice sabbath activity to walk the Newport Beach Temple grounds, maybe sit and play a game or two and just enjoy the beauty of the night. Jason had never been to the Newport temple before so I was glad he had an opportunity to see it during his short weekend stay.

At the end of the night Jason really put on the charm and asked me to dance, right there, in front of the temple, on our own moonlit stage. I'm certainly no dancer, but Jason made it feel effortless and I loved it!    Every minute of it!  A beautiful way to end a beautiful night.  So will I be inviting Jason back to California for a second date?  If he promises to dance with me like that again I just might....

{ DATE #10: Brad Green }


How many guys do you know that would be willing to fly all the way across the country to take you on a first date? Well I only know of one, Dr. Brad Green! Honestly, what a stud.

To me the date felt much like a three course meal, and ironically so. We started out with a cooking class in Venice, moved on to an art exhibit in Santa Monica, and finished up with a ride on the Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel. Indeed, it was a very filling and satisfying date.

Let me clue you in on the details of my date with Dr. Brad. I hope he doesn't mind me calling him that. So Dr. Brad is one heck of a human being. He's 32, 6'5" (which meant I got to wear my 4" heels), grew up in Colorado, served his mission to Bogota Colombia, currently resides in New York City, is in his 3rd year of residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan working as an ER doctor, enjoys listening to big band music, operas, and sometimes mixes it up with a little rap.

One interesting little tidbit of information I learned about Brad tonight...he's had more surgeries than I can count on both hands. From cleft lip and palate surgeries to 2 knee surgeries recently, Dr. Brad has seen both sides of the operating table. He said these surgeries were the very experiences that motivated him to pursue a career in Medicine.  Something I find so inspiring!

So what else did I learn about Dr. Brad tonight? Well, I learned he's also Chef Brad, or at least aspires to be a better cook. Don't we all!  For our date we drove up to LA to participate in our first cooking class at the Venice Cooking School where we learned to cook a four course Mexican meal with famous chefs, Martha Rose Shulman and Clifford A. Wright.

Throughout the entire process I was reminded of what a terrible cook I am (I blame it on my Mother...and she knows it). But seriously, I really truly enjoyed the class and learning things like how to properly hold a knife, how to most effectively slice a mango, and a million other useful things I plan on putting into practice in the kitchen. Hopefully Brad enjoyed the learning as much as I did. But I think we'll both agree that sitting down together and eating our creations was the best part of the process. Delish!

With full bellies we said good bye to our new friends and moved on to courses 2 and 3 in Santa Monica. Apparently Brad did his homework (I can't even imagine how intimidating that would be to come up with a fun and creative date in a town you know nothing about.) Luckily, he picked a really popular art exhibit on the Santa Monica Pier called Glow where artists "integrate their works and vision into the familiar coastal environment of Santa Monica." While it was fun and I had a good time exploring with Brad, it didn't quite live up to all the hype. I think that's why we both decided to end the night with a ride on the Ferris Wheel. I still can't believe tonight was my first time on the Santa Monica Pier. I really need to get out of Orange County more, don't I?

Brad was an excellent date. Although it was a little long (8 hours first date!) it was well worth the sacrifice of time and energy. I mean, the guy DID fly nearly 3,000 miles to take me out. I still can't get over that! So will I invite Brad to fly all the way across the country again to take me out? Only time will tell...


{ Thank you again to Larry for following me around all night with a video camera and putting together this video montage of our fantastic date! }

Saturday, September 25, 2010

{ DATE #9: Mike Petersen }


Who is this guy and where did he come from? And don't tell me San Diego.  I can honestly say, without a doubt, that there is no one in this world quite like Mike Petersen! How many people do you know that would show up for a first date in nothing but a speedo?  Oh, but wait, it gets better!

My first impression of Mike (thankfully he showed up to the door fully clothed) was that this is one funny guy!  Little did I know how "funny" he would end up being.  As we drove up to LA for dinner and a concert, I learned some wild and crazy things about this 28 year old Sacramento native.

No joke, within the first 20 minutes of the car ride Mike had told me all about his escapades as a homeless man for several month (of his own free will and choice), the balance of his bank account ($25...apparently he sold his bed, dresser, and other personal items to take me out on our date), lives in San Diego with his 67 year old senior citizen roommate he found on craigslist, and is good friends with Date #3, Jon Pinney, who inspired him to apply for his own date on The Mormon Bachelorette.  Talk about being shamelessly honest!  Fortunately for Mike I want an honest man.  However, a little censoring next time might be the better option!  Just FYI.

After scalping some tickets on the side of the road (yes, that really happened), we walked til we found this great little dive called Boongho, an amazing Japanese sushi restaurant in downtown Hollywood.  The food was great, the management was great, and it was conveniently located just several blocks from the concert venue.  If you're ever in the area I highly recommend it!

After feeding each other a few specialty rolls and polishing off our desserts we made our way over to the Wiltern (aptly named for it's location on the corner of Wilshire and Western...just something I learned tonight) to see a new band I'd never heard of called Dirty Projectors. Mike had actually never heard of them either, but after reading through my interests on this blog, he noticed I was really into artists like Ingrid Michaelson and Regina Spektor and thought Dirty Projectors might be someone I'd enjoy. And he was right! The show was awesome and Mike was awesome company to enjoy it with.

The drive home was much quieter than the drive there.  Mostly because it was getting late and we were both exhausted.  But it turned out to be a great date afterall.  Mike is someone who can definitely keep you laughing all night long.   But is his sense of humor enough to score him a second date?  I can't really guarantee anything at this point...

Friday, September 24, 2010

{ DATE #8: Ryan Bell }


Guys like Date #8 are truly one in a million. Ryan Bell of Fountain Valley, CA is honestly as sweet as they come. While the date certainly got off to a rocky start (he accidentally hit my neighbor's parked car while backing out of the driveway...oooops!) we ended up having a great time getting to know each other.

As we spent some time talking in the car I was initially discouraged by the fact that we had little in common. He enjoys Icelandic music, playing video games, and computer programming.  But, as the night went on I learned how trivial things like this can be when it comes to enjoying one another's company.  And I actually learned a thing or two about Ryan that impressed me.

 When Ryan was in High School he had a brain aneurysm that burst and nearly took his life. His brain surgery scar is actually pretty cool looking! And I mean, chicks totally dig scars, right?  He told me of the struggles he had recovering after his surgeries and getting back to normal life again. Since then, Ryan's health has improved significantly and at the age of 32 he lives a full life working as a Customer Service Rep, helping credit card customers (he's much more patient than me!) and volunteers at the Newport Beach Temple once a week. Like I said, Ryan is quite the guy!

As we pulled up to Boomers in Fountain Valley I started to get excited for our rousing game of miniature golf. Now, I have to admit I was a little nervous because I know I'm not very good (is that even possible?) but Ryan decided we weren't going to keep score. Little did I know it wasn't just for my benefit, but for his as well. Turns out we're both TERRIBLE. (I know Dad, but golf isn't everything!)

After finishing up our 18 holes, we decided it would be fun to end the night with a quick game of Air Hockey and my personal fave, ski ball.  And not that it matters, but I kind of beat him. Like, big time! But I'm not gonna let it go to my head.  I'm pretty sure he let me win. Thanks Ryan!

By the end of the night I was feeling much more comfortable around Ryan, and he with me.  The doorstep was one of the sweetest yet.  He rewarded me with a beautiful bouquet of roses and orchids.  FINALLY! A guy who remembers I love flowers.  Way to go Ryan! Would you believe this was maybe the 3rd time in my entire life that I've been given flowers?  I hope you're taking notes boys!

So will there be a second date?  Maybe a re-match of sorts?  I guess we'll have to wait and see how the next 15 dates go....

Thursday, September 23, 2010

{ DATE #7: Willford P. Swisher }

DISCLAMER: (Yes, another one.) The Mormon Bachelorette is indeed real. Despite what some might think, this journey to find "true Mormon love" is sincere. So if you're going to question the credibility of Date #7, question the bachelor, not The Mormon Bachelorette. :)  Enjoy!


Well that date didn't go anything like I imagined! Here I am getting ready for Date #7, daydreaming who might possibly be the man behind the door, wondering "Will he like me? Does my hair look okay? Will the conversation flow?" Of course none of that really mattered once I opened the door to find "The Mormon Stallion," Willford P. Swisher. You might recognize the name from a little blog he created to catch my attention: www.themormonstallion.blogspot.com. If not, I suggest you take a moment to look it over and familiarize yourself with this 30 something, Billings Montana cowboy.

I'll be honest, when I saw his video interview with Executive Producer Erin Elton, I thought the whole thing was a joke. This guy can't be for real, or can he? Unfortunately I found out the truth of the matter tonight at 8 when I opened the door. To my horror, there he was, standing on my porch, dressed in the most ridiculous outfit I've ever seen. And would you believe he tried to kiss me right from the get go? On the mouth? Who are you?

I guess for our date he planned this "romantic" bonfire on the beach near my house.  Too bad for him, the fire pits were surrounded by cops! Tons of them!  Busy strip searching a couple of hoodlums and tearing apart their car. Not a great way to start off a first date if you ask me. I probably should've taken it as a sign and did a stop drop and roll out the door. Any pain I might have incurred would surely be far less than enduring the rest of the date with this guy. But stay I did. Probably because as we continued down the coast we noticed an entourage of camera crews filming the latest episode of 90210 at The Hyatt. I don't even watch the show but I can tell you this much, it was certainly the highlight of my night!

So listen, it gets worse. He starts a fire, hands me a Vanilla Cream Soda and after toasting to "eternity" (don't worry, I spit my swig out when no one was looking) he gets down on one knee and asks me "Will you do the honor of waking me up every morning with a sweet, sweet kiss?"  Are you kidding me? Get away from me creepster!  This is where most girls would run away crying but again, I stayed. Maybe because I'm a nice girl, but probably just because I was hoping to get a glimpse of Ryan Eggold across the street. Either way, it was a bad decision.

As we walked down the beach he actually made me hold his hand. But wait, it gets worse. While he's gripping my hand so tightly I swear my knuckles have gone white, this girl bumps into us. But oh no, she's not just "some girl," she's his GIRLFRIEND! The creep has a GIRLFRIEND?  This chick was something else!  While the two of them battled it out I slipped out of there and called Erin Elton to take me home. Thank goodness she was just across the bridge getting some pointers from Dave Sachs.

I recapped the whole thing to Erin on the drive home and she and I agreed, there will be NO second date for Willford P. Swisher. Have fun "churnin' butter" with your girlfriend, Wilford! Jerk.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

{ DATE #6: Dustin Monroe }

DISCLAIMER: Despite our best efforts to save our precious video camera, the battery went to heaven in the middle of Tuesday night's date.  So please excuse the crummy video from our handy dandy point and shoot.  Hey, its better than nothing, right?


Oh Dusty!  What a pleasant surprise to see his smiling face at my door.  If you listened to the final interview already you know Dustin and I go way back.  Thank goodness, because when I started freaking out about the faulty video camera in the middle of the date, he was the perfect person to console my woes with his matchless humor.  Leave it to Dusty to save the day with Mr. Napkin Head!  (I hope you've seen The Holiday! One of my all time fave chick flicks!)

Seeing as how we pretty much knew each other already, we skipped right over all the getting-to-know-you stuff and caught up on current events in our lives.  I told him a little more about the origin of this whole journey to find "True Mormon Love,"  then he told me the story of how he "applied" for a date with me, and before we knew it we were in Corona Del Mar, pulling up to The Side Door, an English Pub style restaurant.  It was absolutely fabulous.  Actually felt like we were in London eating fish 'n chips and cooling off with some Coca Cola Light.  And can I just add that I have no idea how all 6 of these bachelors have managed to find restaurants in coastal Orange County that I have yet to visit.  Way to go guys!

A little about Dusty: he's 30 years old, obviously grew up near me in San Juan Capistrano, is an attorney by day,and Mr. Napkin Head by night, and loves Jeopardy so much that he recently applied to be on the show! And if you really wanna see Dustin Monroe let loose, put him in a go-kart and let him loose!  Which is why I found our date was so fitting!  I'd actually only been to K-1 Speed Racing one other time before, and it was with the one and only Dusty.  So it just made sense to spend our date racing one another down the track.  So who won?  Well he did, of course!  But only by 0.6 seconds.  That's right boys.  This girl's got a lead foot.  If you don't believe me, check my driving record.  Eeek!

The date was an absolute blast!  Sort of a nice break from the usual "Where are you from?" and "What do you like to do for fun?" first dates.  He was a great conversationalist, kept me laughing the whole night through, and a complete gentleman...minus the whole butt slapping thing. ;)  It would be a shame to miss out on a second date with this amazing catch!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

{ DATE #5: Matt Laidlaw }


At one time or another we've all wanted the "bad boy" am I right? But our Mother's always told us "Leave the bad boys alone. Find yourself a sweet boy who will love and honor and cherish you." Well Mom, what if I found both?

Matt Laidlaw is a catch and a half! I've known Matt for a few months now. Until his recent move to Glendora to be closer to work, he and I were in the same singles ward here in Huntington Beach. We'd been to a few dinners together here and there and spent some time with the ward on a canoe trip earlier this year, but never had an opportunity to get to know one another on a personal level.

Because of Matt's interview I knew a date would be coming, and I knew he would probably show up on his Harley, I just didn't know when. Because each date is anonymous to me until I open the door, the Staffers advised me to "dress warm, wear jeans, and closed toe shoes." I probably should've put two and two together but for some reason it still didn't click.

The doorbell rang and there he was! All 6'6" of him, looking handsome and standing there in his leather jacket, helmet in hand, and a HUGE smile on his face. I knew this was going to be a GOOD date! As we walked out to the bike he helped me with my helmet, gave me some gloves and off we rode into the sunset...well, at least it felt like that to me!

Was I nervous being on a motorcycle with someone I barely knew? Not at all! I loved cruising down PCH together with my arms wrapped around his waist, squeezing tighter and tighter as he'd test the speed. It was absolutely incredible! For those that never watched Matt's initial interview, his family owns a Harley dealership in Glendora called Laidlaw's Harley Davidson, which is where Matt began working after graduation from UVSC with a degree in Business. Hence, the sexy Harley!

Matt decided to take me to eat at The Rusty Pelican along Mariner's Mile in Newport Beach, somewhere I've always wanted to go. The food was to die for! We both had a perfectly grilled Halibut, his topped with butter and mine with pineapple/mango salsa. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. The conversation was some of the best I've had on a first date. At times I forgot we were in a busy restaurant surrounded by chatter and yes, even a video camera. It felt like just the two of us, smiling, laughing, and getting to know each other as we dined on the harbor front.

I learned a few things about Matt while on our date. He's 29, loves his job at the Harley dealership, is the middle of 3 children, loves snowboarding, wakeboarding, and recently purchased his first home in Glendora with plans to turn one of the home's additions into his own personal gym. He's also a worthy return missionary from the Las Vegas Nevada Mission, honors his priesthood, and loves fulfilling his calling. I'm telling you, he's pretty much got it all.

The ride back to my house was waaaay too much fun. As we pulled out of the parking lot and stopped at a red light, I whispered in his ear "Wanna know something funny? I got a ticket here 2 days ago for running this 'orange' light." He laughed, choked back on the throttle and spun a u-turn right through the red light. WHAT!!!! I started laughing so hard and then he joked "The sensor would have never been triggered by this bike and we would've been sitting there all night." We had another good laugh!

As we cruised along the coast the fog started to make it's way in, creating this almost movie-like-setting. There we were, just the two of us, speeding (carefully) down the southern California coast into the misty air ahead. I could not have loved it more! As we approached my house I fussed over my "hat hair" for a minute and finally gave up when I realized Matt was putting his arm around me, walking me to my front door and reaching down to hug me goodnight. And then, like magic, it happened. He looked straight into my eyes, leaned in, and kissed me! And I welcomed it!

Probably one of the best first dates I've ever been on, which makes me wonder, would he be able to top it if I let him take me on a second? I guess we'll have to wait and see...

Monday, September 20, 2010

{ DATE #4: Matthew Wakatsuki }


I can see why my Staffers picked Matthew for one of the 22 dates. He's kind, he has a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he is honestly searching for someone to share the rest of eternity with.  How could I refuse someone like that?

Because it was a Sunday, I asked that Date #4 be sabbath appropriate.  Luckily Matthew got the memo and planned a casual evening with a picnic on the beach and a walk down the pier.  When I let Matthew know I was impressed with his willingness to take me on a Sunday date,  his reply was "I was actually really glad I got the Sunday date because no matter what day we went out, I wanted to take you for a picnic on the beach."  Well isn't that just too perfect.

As we walked together to the beach Matthew's obvious nervousness slowly began to subside and we engaged in the usual small talk.  Matthew is 1/2 Japanese, grew up in the San Fernando valley, spoke Mandarin Chinese on his mission to Taiwan, graduated from BYU in April, turned 26 in June, and then moved in with his Aunt and Uncle in Oxnard to start his career in Logistics at the Naval Base.

As we approached the beach with our picnic basket and blankets, I asked Matthew "After reading through my bio and watching a few of the videos, what were your initial impressions of me?"  I was shocked when I heard his answer.   Apparently he never visited the site, knew nothing about me,  hadn't seen his own interview, AND had only seem a picture of me the size of your thumbnail.  I know I should be happy that he was so open and honest about everything but really?  Maybe I'm NOT looking for such an honest and open man.  Regardless, I had a good laugh about it!

When we arrived at the beach, Matthew opened up the picnic basket and laid out a spread of meats and cheeses for Italian subs, some fresh fruits and SunChips to snack on, and Vitamin water in fancy fluted glasses.  As we ate we shared some stories from our missions and about the challenges and struggles of serving in areas where the message of the restored gospel is still fairly new.  Just listening to him talk about his mission and the people of Taiwan, I could tell he was a valiant and faithful missionary which I really admired.  Oh, and the fact that he actually ate chicken feet!!!  Now that's true dedication!  Yuck.

After dinner we strolled along the shoreline, walked down the pier, and through the streets of downtown until it was time to get back.  I could tell Matthew was a little concerned about his 2 hour drive back to Ventura County so before I let him get back on the road, I thanked him for the date.  It truly was a nice change of pace to enjoy a simple meal, a simple walk, and simple conversation.  Am I afraid Matthew's personality might be a little too sweet and simple to match up with someone like me?  Definitely. He's certainly a very soft spoken, kind-hearted individual and I hate to say it, but I think I just might smother him with my adventurous and out-spoken personality.  Maybe a second date would give me a chance to see if opposites really do attract...

Sunday, September 19, 2010

{ DATE #3: Jon Pinney }


I feel like the luckiest girl in the world right now! I realize it's only been three dates thus far, but I'm honestly having the best time of my life. Never did I think I would meet such amazing guys that have such wonderful qualities, who want to date ME! I can already tell you that if the remaining 19 guys are as wonderful as dates 1, 2, and 3, this process of narrowing it down is going to be a challenge! But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm sure you wanna know what I thought of tonight's date.

Jon Pinney is an incredibly accomplished man. Although we've only known each other a total of 4 hours, I feel like we know so much about each other already. As soon as we left the house Jon wasted no time opening up to me. During dinner at Maggiano's at South Coast Plaza I learned a few fun facts: Jon grew up with his 7 brothers and sisters in the Sacramento area, he's 29 years old, was a BYU music major, released his first album "When We Started" in 2008, works for his family's business, recently purchased his own home, and aspires to be a voice in politics after he's found his wife and made his first million. Quite the resume, no?

Aside from all of Jon's accomplishments, he seems like a really down to earth guy.  From what I observed he seems very well mannered, probably a perfectionist, and understandably confident.  So what's wrong this guy?  Why is he not married yet?  Good question.  We actually talked a little bit about this as we devoured our creamy artichoke dip, chicken and spinach manicotti, and lobster carbonara.  He seems to have all the makings of a great boyfriend, unfortunately I don't think he's ever been one.  I was quite shocked to learn that his longest "relationship" lasted no more than one month.  And I thought I had a hard time keeping someone around.  Does this concern me?  Maybe a little.  But not enough to dwell on it.

At dinner Jon announced the remainder of the date and let me know what we'd be doing.  I can't even begin to tell you how impressed I was with the thought and creativity that went into this date (and how nervous it made me).  His sisters are artists so he borrowed their easels, purchased some canvases, paints, and brushes, and told me we'd be painting a landscape somewhere along the Orange County coast.  As nervous as I was to show off my artistic skills...or lack thereof, he scored major points for thinking outside the box!

We decided it would be fun to go to downtown Huntington and paint the pier , but when we got there I was drawn to this beautiful row of palm trees along the city skyline.  So we set up shop and decided to paint the same scene but with our own creative interpretations.  I was afraid to make the first stroke so I watched him carefully pour his paints and start his masterpiece.  After a minute I loosened up and started slopping paint here and there until I came up with something I liked.

With our masterpieces complete, we headed home and I invited Jon to come in and share one of his latest songs with me. Once again, I was impressed!  What a wonderful ending to a wonderful date.  And I hear I have his sister to thank.  Rumor has it she submitted his application, which is good to know because otherwise I might have been a little suspicious of his motives.  Singer? Songwriter? Mormon Bachelorette exposure? Do you smell a "Wes?" Nah, I don't either.  But maybe I'll have to go out on a second date, just to be sure...


A few of you have requested that we post the song Jon sang for me at the end of our date and well, it was just too good not to share. Enjoy!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

{ DATE #2: Rick Buck }


How funny is Rick Buck?  No seriously, how funny is he!  Who pays the neighbor kid 20 bucks to introduce them at the door?  Hilarious!  And don't even get me started on his car: The Bat Mobile? With the license plate "BUKKMAN." And don't worry that he blasted the Batman Soundtrack as we dragged the Beach Blvd! He definitely kept me laughing all night long.

On the way to dinner I learned a few things about "The Buckman" and had a chance to see a few of his "many sides."  He's 29, from Rancho Cucamonga, is a dentist, served his mission in Mexico City, and is currently obsessing over the band Mika, his music of choice for the night.   So what else?  Oh yeah, he loves ball sports, staying out late, and secretly wishes he could be the ward chorister (just like me.)  Ok, maybe I made that last part up, but I bet he'd be really good at it!

Dinner was delicious!  He took me to a local restaurant in Huntington called Gyu Kaku.  I was impressed that he "Yelped" the restaurants here in HB to find a fun and interactive dining experience. I've never had Japanese BBQ so it was great to try something new.  Rick isn't much of a seafood fan so we steered clear of the sashimis and stuck to the meats.  We played it safe with the Kobe beef and then went a little "buck" wild and ordered the waitresses' recommendation: Beef Tongue!  What?  No, seriously!  And it was soooo good.  I'm an adventurous eater, what can I say.

With dinner over and done we hit the streets again and headed to "The Happiest Place On Earth" so I could get to know "Rick, the happy Disneyland goer," my favorite Rick character! When we got to Dland and heard The Haunted Mansion had reopened that night all decked in The Nightmare Before Christmas, we decided that should be our first ride.  That is, until we saw the 1 hr 45 min line.  No thanks.  So it was Pirates of the Caribbean instead, which, is coincidentally one of Rick's all time favorite movies!  Good choice.  I love me some Johnny Depp.  We went on a few more rides and they were fun too, but I actually enjoyed standing in line even more.  Gave me a chance to get to know Rick a little better.

The conversation came easily.  It was mostly getting-to-know-you talk which was definitely necessary, but my favorite conversations happened later, on the way home from Disneyland when we talked about more serious things like...relationships.  Eeeek! I actually appreciate it when a guy can talk so openly about those kinds of things.  We talked about a book he had recently read, and one I am currently reading called The Five Love Languages, and tried to guess, based on first impressions, how the other shows/receives love.  My guess was that he liked to receive love through "quality time."  Turns out that's only second to "physical touch."  Good to know!  And in case you're wondering, I'm "words of affirmation" and "physical touch" too.

All in all the date was certainly fun and with "so many layers you can peel away one after one" I feel like I only got a small taste of what dating Rick Buck could really be like.  I might just need a second date to see what else he has to offer...

Friday, September 17, 2010

{ DATE #1: Todd Andersen }


I did it! I survived Date #1!  And not only did I survive, but I really enjoyed myself!  All day long my mind was racing with thoughts of who Date #1 might be, what I should wear, what would we do on our date?  But the minute I heard the knock and answered the door, my fears were calmed.  It was Todd Andersen!  Todd and I have been friends for a little while now.  He actually dated an old college roommate of mine in the Provo days but we were recently reunited when he moved to Huntington to get closer to the beach, and me...as stated in his interview video!  Cute Todd!

So already the date was off to a great start.  We hopped in his car and headed to Costa Mesa to try out a restaurant new to us both, Old Vine Cafe.  Conversation came easily. We spent some time talking a little about ourselves.  I learned that he's 27, the 3rd of NINE children, and that he likes listening to books on tape as he drives an hour and twenty minutes to work each day.  My goodness that's a long commute!

I also found out we have a lot in common!  We both work for our families (did I mention that when I'm not designing wedding flowers I'm the Customer Service Rep for my family's Printing Business?), our favorite food is Thai, and our longest relationship lasted a whopping 3 months.  Apparently we both struggle.

Dinner was wonderful.  Old Vine Cafe is known for their smaller portions that can be shared and tasted together so we each ordered a salad and then enjoyed sharing fried eggplant on ooey gooey mozzarella with creamy pesto, then sampled a fettuccine marinara dish, and finished up the meal with my favorite, a Filet Mignon.  We definitely left with happy bellies!

After dinner Todd told me he purchased some roller blades to ride around the Newport Pier.  Grateful to work off the huge meal we just ate, I loved the idea and we headed for the coast.  Things started out pretty smooth.  I'm not so hot on roller blades so I just laughed and giggled as we held hands (YES! There was hand holding!) and he spun me around in circles til I almost fell over.  And that's when it happened.   My wheels started to stick and I was having difficulty making the blades roll when all of a sudden the front and back wheels of both skates just completely fell apart on me.  No, disintegrated!  I'm sure Todd was embarrassed, but we had a good laugh!  It was "fun while the wheels lasted."

So what did I think of the date?  I had a wonderful time.  Todd was a gentleman, he made me laugh, the conversation was great, and I felt the sincerity in his attempts to get to know me better.  Will there be a second date for Todd?  I guess you'll just have to wait and see...

Thursday, September 16, 2010

{ THE KICK OFF MOCKTAIL PARTY }

What a night we had as our Mormon Bachelorette Aubrey celebrated her last dateless evening for the next month at our kick off Mocktail party.  We danced the night away with some of the possible Bachelors (it's anonymous until they pick her up for the date), drank Martinelli's sparkling cider until we couldn't see straight, and all in all just had a really great time!


A very special thank you to the lovely ladies of Lake Forest Beauty College for creating our "look" for the night and for Kevin Jamison that provided an excellent sound system.

LET THE DATING BEGIN!!!!!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

{ Bachelor Applicant #6 - Matthew, World Traveler }

Have you ever felt weak in the knees when a guy speaks to you in Chinese?  Well we did for sure when watching the video interview of Matthew.  We know you will feel the same way:)

Sunday, September 12, 2010

{ Bachelor Applicant #5 - Rudd the Jokester }

These bachelor interviews keep getting better and better as Aubrey's date gets closer and closer.  Take a look at our newest bachelor applicant Rudd.  You might have a six-pack after laughing at his wit:)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

{ Bachelor Applicant #4 - Todd the Swooner }

When Todd mentioned to us that he would serenade our Aubrey with Always by Atlantic Starr, we knew he was in it to win it.  What do you think?

Monday, September 6, 2010

{ This Week in Mormons }

Imagine our excitement when we received an e-mail from Geoff Openshaw to appear on his next episode and podcast of This Week in Mormons. Little did we know the podcasting adventure we were about to embark on. Geoff and his co-host Al Doan were witty and quite hilarious. They put a spin on the latest Mormon news that we felt privileged to be a part. A new episode comes out every Monday so start following! And watch this week's episode for sure to check out the inside scoop of the Mormon Bachelorette.

Friday, September 3, 2010

{ Bachelor Applicant #3 - Matt Laidlaw, The Adventurer }

When Matt showed up for his video shoot on his Harley, we knew he meant business.  We think you will love this California-bred motorcycle legend as much as we do.  We hope he gets his chance to take Aubrey off into the sunset...

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

{ "THE MORMON STALLION" }

Only a few short days after we announced The Mormon Bachelorette we were flooded with quality Bachelor applications.  From the beginning, one definitely stood out from the crowd.  When Willford sent us his "blog application" in an attempt to impress our Bachelorette Aubrey Messick we were SO impressed that we called him right away and were lucky enough to catch him all the way in the stix of Billings, Montana.  Enjoy this interview and of course his full application at www.themormonstallion.blogspot.com