Let's pose by the tree! We were going to make some silly holiday cards out of these, but Christmas is next week..
Backdrop at the party. Bryan looks like a creepy ski instructor in this photo.
Me and our friend, Megan.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Why do all Christmas sweaters have shoulder pads?
Last night Bryan and I went to an "Ugly Christmas Sweater/White Elephant" party thrown by our friend Megan. I picked up my beauty of a sweater at a vintage shop in San Francisco last weekend. We searched high and low for a mens Christmas sweater for Bryan with no luck. I guess those don't exist and if they do, its probably safe to say that they shouldn't. Every Christmas sweater I came across had gargantuan shoulder pads. Vintage or new, they were all well equipped with what I guess would be considered shoulder enhancers? What the heck are shoulder pads for anyway? Other than high-waisted stone-washed jeans, I can't think of anything less flattering. Anyway, I made it my mission to find Bryan the most disgusting ill-fitting sweater I could find. I finally stumbled across the rockin' fleece beauty below at K-Mart for a whopping $5. Boo yeah!
Let's pose by the tree! We were going to make some silly holiday cards out of these, but Christmas is next week..
Let's pose by the tree! We were going to make some silly holiday cards out of these, but Christmas is next week..
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
My End of the Year Blogaroo
It's been about three months since I last wrote, so I guess I am right on track with my quarterly blog update. The past few months have been an absolute whirlwind of fun, sadness, excitement, new beginnings, travel...life! AND, the last three months of my dear sweet twenties. 3,650 awesome days. Granted, there are a couple of days, okay, maybe years in there I would like to forget. But, there are more that I am trying hard not to forget. Is anyone else's memory starting to get foggy? The other day someone told me that when you hit thirty your memory has reached max capacity and has to start getting rid of the old to make way for the new. I hope that is not true. I have met such extraordinary friends and mentors; seen so many beautiful places; and learned so many lessons (some the hard way) that I would hate to think they are going to just disappear into memory oblivion.
Last weekend we bid my twenties farewell with a birthday trip to San Francisco. Bryan and I have lived in Los Angeles for almost three years and we had never made it up to Northern California before last Friday. I am in love. San Francisco is by far one of the most beautiful and captivating cities that I have been to in the U.S. It is SO different from Southern California. Frankly, I really think Northern and Southern California should be two different states. Although I have learned to like LA; if the opportunity ever presented itself I would move to San Francisco in a heartbeat.
Our dear friend Shera, her beau, and our travel buddy Preston met us in San Fran to celebrate. Over the weekend we took a walking tour of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood; ate more food then I care to admit to; took a boat tour of Alcatraz (very interesting...); hit up the local pubs and had tea in the Japanese Gardens. We were only there 48-hours, so we didn't see nearly everything the city has to offer. That only means we will have to go back again!
Rewind back to...
November
This was the countdown month for me. Each morning I would let Bryan know how many days he had left to be married to a woman in her twenties. Ha ha. It was the countdown to move out of El Dumpo (the name we gave our last apartment). We moved into El Dumpo so we could build our savings and live close to the beach. However, in spite of the cheap rent (by LA standards) and close proximity to the waterfront we did not always enjoy ourselves. It wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't THAT great. We didn't know it at the time when we moved in, but the City of Santa Monica dump truck parking garage was right across the street from our building. Anyway, each morning around 4AM (Saturday's included) the dump trucks would roar out of the garages and onto the street directly in front of our bedroom. The noise from the trucks was so loud it would vibrate our bed, floor, windows...everything. Sometimes it would seem like they were just sitting there idle for hours...roaring and vibrating! I don't think I had a full night sleep from December 2009 to November 2010. It was not pleasant. El Dumpo was rundown, old and tired and that is how she made me feel when I lived there. Isn't it funny how an environment can make you feel? Now, we are in a great updated two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse. I have been in hog-heaven with my own bathroom. It's the small things in life. I am now enjoying a full night's sleep on a regular basis. ;0)
October
The month kicked off with my sweet little brother and his beautiful bride Pam tying the knot. It was the most artistic, creative, fun wedding I have ever been to. They are both very talented artists and it showed! Everything from the altar, to the party favors to centerpieces, to bouquets to the room decor was hand made by them. Instead of putting out a guest book, they built a guest photo booth (picture below). The backdrop was painted with chalkboard paint so each guest could personalize a message to the bride and groom. There was a treasure box full of fun props, silly hats and signs for people to dress up with. Such a great idea. Where were they when I was being hurled off a stage? Ha ha...inside joke for those who had to witness that snafu. Anyway, super-cool idea b/c now they have all these cool one-of-a-kind photos of all their friends and family on their big day.
We also took our one-year anniversary trip to Vancouver, Canada in October. Again, a fantastic city! I feel like I say that about every place we go, but I guess it's fair to say they're all fantastic in their own way. We took some great walking tours and learned about the history of Vancouver and Canada in general, which was really fascinating. I don't recall ever learning that much about Canada in school, but it has a lot of interesting history. I highly suggest walking or bicycle tours when you visit a new city; you learn so much and meet some interesting people. The city is still full of Olympic pride, which was really cool to see firsthand. The city as a whole has a really progressive way of thinking that I really like. Another city I would love to live in given the opportunity.
September
My mom came to LA! We had so much fun! It was so great to have her out here. She was amazed by the big city and the beauty that LA has to offer. I really hope she gets to come out again next year because there is so much more to share.
Last weekend we bid my twenties farewell with a birthday trip to San Francisco. Bryan and I have lived in Los Angeles for almost three years and we had never made it up to Northern California before last Friday. I am in love. San Francisco is by far one of the most beautiful and captivating cities that I have been to in the U.S. It is SO different from Southern California. Frankly, I really think Northern and Southern California should be two different states. Although I have learned to like LA; if the opportunity ever presented itself I would move to San Francisco in a heartbeat.
Our dear friend Shera, her beau, and our travel buddy Preston met us in San Fran to celebrate. Over the weekend we took a walking tour of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood; ate more food then I care to admit to; took a boat tour of Alcatraz (very interesting...); hit up the local pubs and had tea in the Japanese Gardens. We were only there 48-hours, so we didn't see nearly everything the city has to offer. That only means we will have to go back again!
Rewind back to...
November
This was the countdown month for me. Each morning I would let Bryan know how many days he had left to be married to a woman in her twenties. Ha ha. It was the countdown to move out of El Dumpo (the name we gave our last apartment). We moved into El Dumpo so we could build our savings and live close to the beach. However, in spite of the cheap rent (by LA standards) and close proximity to the waterfront we did not always enjoy ourselves. It wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't THAT great. We didn't know it at the time when we moved in, but the City of Santa Monica dump truck parking garage was right across the street from our building. Anyway, each morning around 4AM (Saturday's included) the dump trucks would roar out of the garages and onto the street directly in front of our bedroom. The noise from the trucks was so loud it would vibrate our bed, floor, windows...everything. Sometimes it would seem like they were just sitting there idle for hours...roaring and vibrating! I don't think I had a full night sleep from December 2009 to November 2010. It was not pleasant. El Dumpo was rundown, old and tired and that is how she made me feel when I lived there. Isn't it funny how an environment can make you feel? Now, we are in a great updated two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse. I have been in hog-heaven with my own bathroom. It's the small things in life. I am now enjoying a full night's sleep on a regular basis. ;0)
October
The month kicked off with my sweet little brother and his beautiful bride Pam tying the knot. It was the most artistic, creative, fun wedding I have ever been to. They are both very talented artists and it showed! Everything from the altar, to the party favors to centerpieces, to bouquets to the room decor was hand made by them. Instead of putting out a guest book, they built a guest photo booth (picture below). The backdrop was painted with chalkboard paint so each guest could personalize a message to the bride and groom. There was a treasure box full of fun props, silly hats and signs for people to dress up with. Such a great idea. Where were they when I was being hurled off a stage? Ha ha...inside joke for those who had to witness that snafu. Anyway, super-cool idea b/c now they have all these cool one-of-a-kind photos of all their friends and family on their big day.
We also took our one-year anniversary trip to Vancouver, Canada in October. Again, a fantastic city! I feel like I say that about every place we go, but I guess it's fair to say they're all fantastic in their own way. We took some great walking tours and learned about the history of Vancouver and Canada in general, which was really fascinating. I don't recall ever learning that much about Canada in school, but it has a lot of interesting history. I highly suggest walking or bicycle tours when you visit a new city; you learn so much and meet some interesting people. The city is still full of Olympic pride, which was really cool to see firsthand. The city as a whole has a really progressive way of thinking that I really like. Another city I would love to live in given the opportunity.
September
My mom came to LA! We had so much fun! It was so great to have her out here. She was amazed by the big city and the beauty that LA has to offer. I really hope she gets to come out again next year because there is so much more to share.
Dylan & Pam
My big brother Jeremiah, Dad, me and husband.
The Guestbook
My mom and I at the Griffith Observatory.
Husband at Canada Place in Vancouver
Shera and I. The last known photo of me in my twenties.
Japanese Gardens
Shera, her beau John and Preston.
Foggy San Francisco!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Summer in a Nutshell...
Okay, so maybe I will just blog quarterly... I cannot believe the summer is basically over. It has gone by at warp speed--actually this entire year has. I have been wondering if time slows down once you have kids. In my mind it seems like it might because you are more focused on each and every moment. Or does it speed up, because you are more focused on each and every moment? I would be curious to hear what my mommy friends think. I hope it slows down...I feel like I am starting to age in dog-years.
In spite of how fast it has gone, this summer has been a lot of fun! Here are some highlights from the Dowdy-Christo summer series (ha-ha). AND, because I have still not figured out how to post pictures on this thing, they are just going to have to be all over the place...oh, well.
June: One of our friends here in LA has a beach house in San Clemente. San Clemente is about halfway between LA and San Diego and it is adorable! It is really a fantastic little beach town. A great getaway from the hustle and bustle of LA. So, our friend was nice enough to host a group of us for the weekend. Good, relaxing times with some great people!
July: Bryan turned 33! I keep teasing him that he is officially in his mid-thirties. Although, when I am thirty-three, it will still be considered "early thirties." We had a nice little get together with some friends at our favorite German bar in an area of LA called Silver Lake. It is the "hipster" area and I always feel really uncool and out of style when we go out there! Ha ha. We ended the night at a bar called the Cha-Cha lounge, which is probably the coolest bar I have been to in LA so far. The inside is decorated like a tiki lounge, complete with full size huts. The last week of July I was in Vegas for our annual affiliate conference. The department I work in plans, executes and presents a conference for all 200 plus of our television affiliates from all over the country. So for a week we host them, put on presentations and have fun!
The week after next my mom comes to visit! I am so excited to have her come to La-La land. Neither of my parents (or Bryan's) have been able to make it out to LA since we moved here, so we are really looking forward to her visit. Plus she can cook and clean for us for a week! Yes! Just kidding Mom! But...if you just WANT to cook some chicken and dumplings or something like that, we won't argue. Hee hee.
Bryan and I also just booked our one-year anniversary celebration trip to Vancouver, Canada! We were not going to take a vacation this year, but we got a SUPER cheap deal on Expedia so we had to take advantage. Our goal was to get a stamp on our passports for five years in a row, so now we will be that much closer to making that a reality.
Okay, well maybe I will post something new again in January! Ha ha.
In spite of how fast it has gone, this summer has been a lot of fun! Here are some highlights from the Dowdy-Christo summer series (ha-ha). AND, because I have still not figured out how to post pictures on this thing, they are just going to have to be all over the place...oh, well.
June: One of our friends here in LA has a beach house in San Clemente. San Clemente is about halfway between LA and San Diego and it is adorable! It is really a fantastic little beach town. A great getaway from the hustle and bustle of LA. So, our friend was nice enough to host a group of us for the weekend. Good, relaxing times with some great people!
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| San Clemente Beach |
July: Bryan turned 33! I keep teasing him that he is officially in his mid-thirties. Although, when I am thirty-three, it will still be considered "early thirties." We had a nice little get together with some friends at our favorite German bar in an area of LA called Silver Lake. It is the "hipster" area and I always feel really uncool and out of style when we go out there! Ha ha. We ended the night at a bar called the Cha-Cha lounge, which is probably the coolest bar I have been to in LA so far. The inside is decorated like a tiki lounge, complete with full size huts. The last week of July I was in Vegas for our annual affiliate conference. The department I work in plans, executes and presents a conference for all 200 plus of our television affiliates from all over the country. So for a week we host them, put on presentations and have fun!
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| Bryan's Birthday at Red Lion in Silver Lake |
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| Giving my presentation in Vegas: "Wah-Wah-Wah-Wah-Wah" |
August: A few weeks ago Bryan and I went to the Santa Ynez wine country and stayed in Solvang. Solvang is seriously one of the cutest cities in the U.S. that I have ever seen. The entire town looks like a miniature Denmark. We went to a couple of wineries in Los Olivos (which is the next city over) one of them being the Firestone Winery (as in Andrew Firestone from the bachelor). I tell you this because as we took a tour of the winery, there was this really obnoxious girl who kept asking question after question about the bachelor, Andrew Firestone. Really?! It was quite annoying. Anyway, the trip itself was awesome, some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. The wine and eats weren't bad either!
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| Solvang, CA |
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| Can I interest you in a grape? |
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| Firestone Winery We were also lucky enough to go the the Creative Arts Emmys again this year. Or as some like to call it "The Shwemmys." I guess they are like the "B-Team" Emmys to some out here, but they are still totally awesome to us! The show is at Nokia Theater and honors things like best guest actor/actress, technical directing, editing, graphics; a lot of behind the scenes stuff. However, there are still tons of stars there. We saw Forrest Whittaker, Neil Patrick Harris, Lilly Tomlin and Robin Williams to name a few. We were actually on the 12th row, so we got to see a lot of these people up close and personal. The Creative Arts Emmys air on E!, but we totally forgot to watch to see if we got any face time! Ha ha. After the show, there is a huge Govenor's Ball at the LA Convention Center right across the street. It is by far the BEST party I have been to, to date. Great dinner, amazing decorations, plus an open bar, which is always nice. Randomly enough, we spent a good portion of the night talking to Fred Willard! He was nominated for best guest actor in Modern Family. He was SO sweet and SO much fun to talk to. Bryan (who knows every obscure movie known to man) happens to be a big fan of a film that Fred Willard was in back in the 70's (so that was our big "in"). It was so obscure I still can't remember what the name of it is; even though he has told me like 100 times now. I would have posted pictures...but we got the tickets last minute, so I had to wear the same dress I did last year, so I didn't even take my camera with me! Stupid, I know, I should have just taken it. Oh well. |
Bryan and I also just booked our one-year anniversary celebration trip to Vancouver, Canada! We were not going to take a vacation this year, but we got a SUPER cheap deal on Expedia so we had to take advantage. Our goal was to get a stamp on our passports for five years in a row, so now we will be that much closer to making that a reality.
Okay, well maybe I will post something new again in January! Ha ha.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
This thing is starting to collect cobwebs. I am officially the world's worst blogger. Maybe I will just plan to do a monthly blog update. Not that I have anything too exciting to share...but my devoted audience of one (special shout out to my Mom) keeps asking me to post something new. Ha ha. So here we go....
Memorial Day weekend our friend from London and one of our good friends from Dallas came to town for a visit. We had so much fun! It was nonstop activities for five days straight. We went to Universal Studios, all over LA and down to San Diego and Coronado for a couple of days. This was my first real trip to San Diego and I fell in love. It is so gorgeous down there--completely different from LA. Coronado is so adorable; a true beach town with some of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. The average home price in Coronado is something like $1.5 million, so I guess I won't be transferring down there anytime soon. While in Coronado we took a bike tour and made a stop at the famous hotel Hotel Coronado where "Some Like it Hot" was filmed. I definitely want to try to stay there the next time I head that way.
Speaking of trips, for the past three years Bryan and I have been lucky enough to travel to different places in Europe every October. One week out of the year to escape reality and pretend we live in a foreign land. But this year rather than take a big trip, we are being responsible (BORING) and getting on the path to saving for a down payment for a house/condo/shoebox...(most likely a shoebox out here in LA). So instead of one big expensive trip we are trying to plan little mini-cations every few months. There are so many beautiful places to discover in California that we decided we should really start taking advantage. So... I think the next stop on our list is Santa Barbara Wine Country. If anyone has ever been and has some recommendations, let me know!
Memorial Day weekend our friend from London and one of our good friends from Dallas came to town for a visit. We had so much fun! It was nonstop activities for five days straight. We went to Universal Studios, all over LA and down to San Diego and Coronado for a couple of days. This was my first real trip to San Diego and I fell in love. It is so gorgeous down there--completely different from LA. Coronado is so adorable; a true beach town with some of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. The average home price in Coronado is something like $1.5 million, so I guess I won't be transferring down there anytime soon. While in Coronado we took a bike tour and made a stop at the famous hotel Hotel Coronado where "Some Like it Hot" was filmed. I definitely want to try to stay there the next time I head that way.
Speaking of trips, for the past three years Bryan and I have been lucky enough to travel to different places in Europe every October. One week out of the year to escape reality and pretend we live in a foreign land. But this year rather than take a big trip, we are being responsible (BORING) and getting on the path to saving for a down payment for a house/condo/shoebox...(most likely a shoebox out here in LA). So instead of one big expensive trip we are trying to plan little mini-cations every few months. There are so many beautiful places to discover in California that we decided we should really start taking advantage. So... I think the next stop on our list is Santa Barbara Wine Country. If anyone has ever been and has some recommendations, let me know!
Mission Beach in San Diego...nice trash can shot.
The Hotel Coronado
We stayed in Little Italy in downtown San Diego. So cute and great restaurants!
At the hotel rooftop bar enjoying some cocktails while watching the sunset...and some drunk dude doing the roger rabbit...seriously.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Just Bloggin'
This past month has been so busy, but really fun. I took a trip to Washington D.C. and to Tampa (for work) to visit the television stations I work with there. Both cities are so different and so beautiful! I had no idea Tampa had such gorgeous beaches. St. Petersburg seems like the perfect location for a family vacation. If I ever have enough money for a vacation home, I think I might seriously consider St. Petersburg. Now, I totally get why people retire down there.
It was also my first time to Washington D.C. and I completely fell in love. I really think I could move there. My boss and I stayed in what seemed like a really hip area called Dupont Circle. The area reminded me of Europe. Cute cafes, young professionals bustling about with cool coats and lattes in hand. It definitely has the feel of a walking city--something I yearn for living in the pit of traffic hell (aka Los Angeles). What I wouldn't give to be able to walk to places or take a subway! It think B and I are going to have to plan a trip soon, he has never been and I really want to check out all the museums.
Memorial Day weekend our friend from London and one of our good friends from Dallas are coming out for a visit--so we will be playing tour guide. We met our friend from London on our trip to Scotland a few years ago and have kept in touch ever since. It is fun having a friend "across the pond!" Funny enough, the number one place in Los Angeles the 35 year old English man HAS TO SEE...Disneyland! That's okay because I have never been and have kind of been wanting to go, so this will be a good excuse. We are also going to spend a couple of days in San Diego so that should be cool. I have only been on a day trip once for business so I am excited to really get out and explore the city.
Last weekend I was lucky enough to go to the 24 Finale Party in Hollywood. The entire cast from the show was there. I have to admit I felt very "LA." Ha ha. 24 is one of the shows I am assigned to for affiliate marketing purposes. Anyway, because invitations were limited, I wasn't able to bring a guest...so I almost didn't go. Luckily, one of my girlfriends from work finally talked me into it, so I went! I am really socially awkward when it comes to entering parties, restaurants or bars by myself. Once I am in, I am fine. It's just something about the initial entrance. And, there is always the outfit meltdown that proceeds the event...any event for that matter. I never know what to wear! Anyone who has ever lived with me or been in the vicinity while I am getting ready knows this is a normal occurrence. Another thing I will get if I ever have enough money; a personal stylist. I really wish someone would just dress me every morning--that would make life so much easier. Honestly, if I felt like it didn't looks so blah-zay, I would probably just wear black on black everyday. Anyway, long story short, I am so glad I didn't let my insecurities keep me from going to a really cool once in a lifetime kind of event.
Okay, well I think I am finished rambling for now...
St. Petersburg, FL
No matter the beach...you can always count on seeing a dude with a metal detector.
St Petersburg, FL
P.S. Why does the picture editor on this thing SUCK so bad???
Friday, April 9, 2010
DowdyStudio
I am so excited for my little brother! His t-shirt business is really starting to take off and get some buzz. The DJs on MIX 102.9 in Dallas were talking about his shirts this morning on-air and even blogged about them. The picture on the blog is from Dylan's website, that is him modeling the shirt. Ha ha. If you are in Dallas this weekend, go check out the Oak Cliff Urban Street Bazaar and snag a shirt!
http://www.mix1029.com/pages/friday.html
Dylan's Online Shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DowdyStudio
http://www.mix1029.com/pages/friday.html
Dylan's Online Shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DowdyStudio
Friday, April 2, 2010
Ahhh...the world of the Mac.
I never thought I would be one of those people to go gaga over a computer (or anything techy for that matter), but I can admit that I officially drank the kool-aid. I love Macs! My old trusy e-Machine (circa 2003) finally decided to call it quits last week. She had a good run, but it was definitely time to move on; especially when the geek squad dude said it would be $400 to fix (minimum). Not worth it. I have to admit, I felt kind of sad laying old "e" down to rest. I know this may sound LAME but "e" is the computer I "met" Bryan on. We found eachother on Myspace (back when Myspace was cool--if it ever was). I guess I had some kind of odd sentimental value attached to the thing. It was also my first big purchase besides a car. Although, I am pretty sure I used some of my student loan difference check from my last semester at college to buy it. So I guess in some ways I am probably still paying for it...Ha ha.
Anyway, I can't get over how amazing a Mac is! It can do everything! Bryan loves it too! If you have ever considered getting one; I totally encourage you to.
Anyway, I can't get over how amazing a Mac is! It can do everything! Bryan loves it too! If you have ever considered getting one; I totally encourage you to.
He is speechless.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
This is Hard to Do!
Okay, so once again I am failing at my blogging abilites. This is really hard to do on a regular basis! Not too much new to report out here. I was lucky enough to go home to Dallas a couple of weeks ago and spend some time with my parents and have some quick visits with friends. It was so great to see everyone's adorable babies (or in Heather's case pregnant belly)! It is still hard to believe we are all so grown-up. God, time really flies. Who knew the brink of 30 would come so quickly! 30...Really?! It seems like just yesterday I was sitting on the steps of Steen Hall, drinking a Crystal Light and vodka comtemplating which zebra print skirt to wear out. Eww...Yes, that was our drink of choice Crystal Light and vodka. I don't think I could even stomach a sip of that concoction anymore. But, I'm not gonna lie...it was damn good back then.
In other news, I start a Creative Writing class at UCLA next month. They have a really great Writer's Extension program, so I thought that would be something fun to do. I have been working on a book for the past two years, so maybe this will help me actually finish or get somewhere with it.
Next month Bryan and I, and another couple are running a 5K Warrior Dash. It is basically one big muddy obstacle course mess. The best part is...at the end of the race you get a turkey leg, viking helmet and beer! Bryan is super stoked about the viking helmet...pictures to follow.
Sadly, there will be no further updates on our new neighbors...Momma bird abandoned her eggs and they were snatched up by some other creature. We were actually really disappointed; we wanted to see the baby birds!
In other news, I start a Creative Writing class at UCLA next month. They have a really great Writer's Extension program, so I thought that would be something fun to do. I have been working on a book for the past two years, so maybe this will help me actually finish or get somewhere with it.
Next month Bryan and I, and another couple are running a 5K Warrior Dash. It is basically one big muddy obstacle course mess. The best part is...at the end of the race you get a turkey leg, viking helmet and beer! Bryan is super stoked about the viking helmet...pictures to follow.
Sadly, there will be no further updates on our new neighbors...Momma bird abandoned her eggs and they were snatched up by some other creature. We were actually really disappointed; we wanted to see the baby birds!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Our New Neighbors
So it seems we have some new neighbors in our building. They have just started to move in and are really making their presence known. In the short time they've been here we have already heard them singing at all hours of the night. Their belongings are strewn carelessly about the walkway and they are constantly entertaining boisterous guests (the kind that are too annoying to ignore). In fact, one of their little friends almost attacked Bryan yesterday when he stuck his head out the door to investigate the ruckus.
Okay, so our new neighbors not rowdy college kids, they are birds; grey doves to be exact. Let me tell you, these birds may look cute, but in this case, looks are deceiving. Right now they are in the midst of constructing their nest right next to our front door. I guess I understand why they are up in arms; they have to claim their territory and protect the home of their future offspring. Over time I am sure they will get use to us and vice versa. For now though, every time we walk out the front door they give us the evil eye followed by a menacing squawk. We shall see how this goes; hopefully their kids will be cute and make up for thier parent's poor social skills.
Here are the beginnings of our neighbor’s new beach house. If anything exciting happens, I will post the progress. Ha. Ha.
Okay, so our new neighbors not rowdy college kids, they are birds; grey doves to be exact. Let me tell you, these birds may look cute, but in this case, looks are deceiving. Right now they are in the midst of constructing their nest right next to our front door. I guess I understand why they are up in arms; they have to claim their territory and protect the home of their future offspring. Over time I am sure they will get use to us and vice versa. For now though, every time we walk out the front door they give us the evil eye followed by a menacing squawk. We shall see how this goes; hopefully their kids will be cute and make up for thier parent's poor social skills.
Here are the beginnings of our neighbor’s new beach house. If anything exciting happens, I will post the progress. Ha. Ha.
On an unrelated avian note; these are some cool photos I caught of random birds’ mid-flight. One is a crow in front of Notre Dame in Paris and the other is a crane from our whale watching tour in Newport. Nothing to do with doves, nest building, or neighbors, but bird related nonetheless!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Valentine's Day Excursion
Yesterday we took a short road trip to Newport Beach. It is only about an hour outside LA, but it feels like somewhere completely different. This area of Orange County is what I always imagined a true beach town to feel like. The side we were visiting is really cute and has a nice low key vibe.
Since we've been in LA, we have not really celebrated all holidays to the fullest. One of our resolutions for 2010 was to celebrate each and every holiday and birthday. Whether it is giving a gift, doing something nice for each other, throwing a party or taking a road trip--whatever. We just realized we needed to take more advantage of the days that were meant to be met with jubilation (thus, the Valentines Day whale watching tour).
Funny enough, whales are actually quite romantic mammals. Maybe seeking out these great beasts was more suiting for Valentines than we would have ever thought. I read an article about a book the other day that I really want to read. It's called: The Whale: 500 Days of Blubber. The article mentioned that a fin whale can be heard by its counterpart as far as 3,000 miles away! Whales also often choose one mate for life and (this is the part I really found interesting) they often partake in foreplay before doing the deed!
The whale watching tour was two hours long and we were promised to see some sort of sea creature, or money back guaranteed. The ride started off kind of slow. The first thirty minutes we didn't see much besides beautiful million dollar homes along the coast and the occasional yacht or sailboat. Then out of no where an entire school of dolphins appeared, it was incredible! They came right up to the boat. They must of enjoyed the wake the boat created because the followed us for quite some time. Unfortunately, it all happened so quick, I wasn't able to get any really good pictures of the school as a whole. Bryan and I joked that it would be funny if the group of dolphins was on a human watching tour. Hey, ya never know.
We were nearing the end of the tour and although the dolphins were amazing, we were getting pretty disappointed that we hadn't seen any whales. Just as we were probably less than a mile from the dock, the captain came on over the loud speaker and told us to look to our left. Immediately everyone aboard slung to the left side of the boat. There it was: the backside of an enormous Grey Whale. We watched as his back and blowhole barely skimmed the water, then back down he would go. The size of this guy was truly breathtaking. We followed the whale for awhile. Pretty soon other boats caught on that there was a whale in the area and before we knew it about ten other sail, motor and tour boats were hot on the trail of this whale. We were lucky enough to see him come up for air a couple of more times. He never raised his tail, but seeing the small portion of his back alone, really gave a clear picture of how big he was. HUGE.
The captain came on once more, this time to announce our two hour tour was coming to a close, but he did have one more treat for us. As if they had been told on cue, a group of sea lions sunbathing on a dingy lifted their heads to say hello. I've heard sea lions are really ferocious, looking at them cuddled all together, you would never guess it.
Since we've been in LA, we have not really celebrated all holidays to the fullest. One of our resolutions for 2010 was to celebrate each and every holiday and birthday. Whether it is giving a gift, doing something nice for each other, throwing a party or taking a road trip--whatever. We just realized we needed to take more advantage of the days that were meant to be met with jubilation (thus, the Valentines Day whale watching tour).
Funny enough, whales are actually quite romantic mammals. Maybe seeking out these great beasts was more suiting for Valentines than we would have ever thought. I read an article about a book the other day that I really want to read. It's called: The Whale: 500 Days of Blubber. The article mentioned that a fin whale can be heard by its counterpart as far as 3,000 miles away! Whales also often choose one mate for life and (this is the part I really found interesting) they often partake in foreplay before doing the deed!
The whale watching tour was two hours long and we were promised to see some sort of sea creature, or money back guaranteed. The ride started off kind of slow. The first thirty minutes we didn't see much besides beautiful million dollar homes along the coast and the occasional yacht or sailboat. Then out of no where an entire school of dolphins appeared, it was incredible! They came right up to the boat. They must of enjoyed the wake the boat created because the followed us for quite some time. Unfortunately, it all happened so quick, I wasn't able to get any really good pictures of the school as a whole. Bryan and I joked that it would be funny if the group of dolphins was on a human watching tour. Hey, ya never know.
We were nearing the end of the tour and although the dolphins were amazing, we were getting pretty disappointed that we hadn't seen any whales. Just as we were probably less than a mile from the dock, the captain came on over the loud speaker and told us to look to our left. Immediately everyone aboard slung to the left side of the boat. There it was: the backside of an enormous Grey Whale. We watched as his back and blowhole barely skimmed the water, then back down he would go. The size of this guy was truly breathtaking. We followed the whale for awhile. Pretty soon other boats caught on that there was a whale in the area and before we knew it about ten other sail, motor and tour boats were hot on the trail of this whale. We were lucky enough to see him come up for air a couple of more times. He never raised his tail, but seeing the small portion of his back alone, really gave a clear picture of how big he was. HUGE.
The captain came on once more, this time to announce our two hour tour was coming to a close, but he did have one more treat for us. As if they had been told on cue, a group of sea lions sunbathing on a dingy lifted their heads to say hello. I've heard sea lions are really ferocious, looking at them cuddled all together, you would never guess it.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Where is our Snow?!
I can't believe the record-breaking snow in Dallas today! I am kind of sad I am not there to partake in the buidling of snowmen and bad driving. So, in the spirit of the winter weather, I figured I would share some of our snow photos. Well, it did not technically snow here in Santa Monica, but we were able to see the snow capped mountains from our street last week--which was quite beautiful.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A Visitor to LA LA Land!
Last weekend one of my dear friends from college (Randi) was in town for business. She came in a day early to hang out and see LA. It was so nice to have a friend from back home in town to stay with us. Since she was only here for one day we had to cram all the sight-seeing into 24 hours. We took her around to the usual touristy spots; Hollywood, Venice Beach and Santa Monica Pier. Venice Beach is a scene! It is full of weirdos, which makes for fantastic people watching. ( To be fair: beyond the weirdos there are also some really cool places to hang out and eat in Venice).
It is always fun to have people in town because it’s like seeing LA again through a fresh set of eyes. This particular time, for some reason, everything seemed extraordinarily dirty. The pollution is constantly noticeable to the naked eye and a lot of buildings, homes and apartment complexes in LA are just old. And, unfortunately there are hundreds of thousands of homeless people (around 254,000--I think), which is obviously heartbreaking, and contributes to the scenery. Not the most appealing aesthetics when all are combined together. (If you have been to LA, I am sure you have seen this for yourself in some shape, form or fashion).
It really made me start thinking about how so much beauty (like the mountains, oceans, roses and palm trees) can coexist with so much grit and despair? I know this is the case in every big city; but last weekend all these things seemed to be really exaggerated. Maybe part of it was missing Texas and friends and therefore only focusing on the negative things in this city; rather than focusing on the good. I am not sure. I guess every city has its ups and downs and at the end of the day it’s what you make of it. Luckily I have a great partner in life and we have really had fun out here and enjoyed all the beautiful things. But at the same time, you can't help but think about how unfair it is that there is so much wealth and so much poverty within blocks of eachother.
As negative as this post may seem, we had a great time! Dirty scenery or not! Nothing beats catching up, reminiscing and laughing with an old friend. It really makes you so thankful for all those special friendships that have survived through the years. It is crazy to sit and think back on all the things that have changed in 10 years or so and how fast time has gone by and how far you have both come. Where will we be 10 years from now when we are reminiscing on the past 20? Yikes. But, yikes in a good way. Besides, nothing could be as heinous as memories from the college days. Oh, what fun.
Kodak Theater, Hollywood
It is always fun to have people in town because it’s like seeing LA again through a fresh set of eyes. This particular time, for some reason, everything seemed extraordinarily dirty. The pollution is constantly noticeable to the naked eye and a lot of buildings, homes and apartment complexes in LA are just old. And, unfortunately there are hundreds of thousands of homeless people (around 254,000--I think), which is obviously heartbreaking, and contributes to the scenery. Not the most appealing aesthetics when all are combined together. (If you have been to LA, I am sure you have seen this for yourself in some shape, form or fashion).
It really made me start thinking about how so much beauty (like the mountains, oceans, roses and palm trees) can coexist with so much grit and despair? I know this is the case in every big city; but last weekend all these things seemed to be really exaggerated. Maybe part of it was missing Texas and friends and therefore only focusing on the negative things in this city; rather than focusing on the good. I am not sure. I guess every city has its ups and downs and at the end of the day it’s what you make of it. Luckily I have a great partner in life and we have really had fun out here and enjoyed all the beautiful things. But at the same time, you can't help but think about how unfair it is that there is so much wealth and so much poverty within blocks of eachother.
As negative as this post may seem, we had a great time! Dirty scenery or not! Nothing beats catching up, reminiscing and laughing with an old friend. It really makes you so thankful for all those special friendships that have survived through the years. It is crazy to sit and think back on all the things that have changed in 10 years or so and how fast time has gone by and how far you have both come. Where will we be 10 years from now when we are reminiscing on the past 20? Yikes. But, yikes in a good way. Besides, nothing could be as heinous as memories from the college days. Oh, what fun.
Santa Monica Beach
Chinese Theater, Hollywood
Monday, January 25, 2010
Brrrrrrrrr!
It is so cold. Not so much outside--but in our apartment! Our landlord either secretly rented us a meat locker...OR...I have become spoiled by the sunny warm weather we usually have here in LA. Two years ago when we first moved here, the "winter" seemed so mild, laughable really. Now, when the temp drops even a degree below 60 it's time to whip out the parka and mittens. When we first moved here, I would completely make fun of those people: the women (and men) in gloves, scarves, beanies, the whole nine yards in 50-60 degree weather! I use to think those people were just looking for an excuse to wear the latest trend in coats and scarves. I would roll my eyes in disgust everytime I saw one of them. They don't know what real cold weather is I would think. Not that I was really an authority in cold weather coming from Texas. But at the time, I did know that 60 degrees defintiely did not call for a heavy winter coat. Well, now, unfortunately, I think I would disagree with my former. Yes, now I realize they were probably just cold. I have lost any and all tolerance for cold weather.
A lot of apartments (including ours) this close to the beach do not come equipped with central heat and air. Or any kind of heater or air conditioner for that matter. Frankly, you hardly ever need either because the weather is so agreeable. The only option we do have for heat is an ancient gas heater (circa 1955), and I do not trust that thing. Not one bit. The one (and only) time we did attempt to light the thing it almost completely cinged off all of Bryan's body hair and half of the hallway. We concluded that one stab at lighting the beast was enough...we would just layer to keep warm. So much for that new lingerie! Ha. ha.
The real turning point was a couple of days ago when I turned to Bryan in bed as we were waking up. "Good morning," I said. He looked at me puzzled, rubbed his eyes and said "say that again." Huh? "Good morning," I said again. No, my morning breath was not flaming...It was so cold in our bedroom you could see my breath! And his! Is this supposed to happen in sunny Southern California? Needless to say; we are investing in electric blankets and possibly snuggies. Okay, we probably won't go for the Snuggies. But now, given the circumstance; the luxury of being able to answer the phone, read a book or eat my favorite snack without messing up my blanket...doesn't sound so bad!
A lot of apartments (including ours) this close to the beach do not come equipped with central heat and air. Or any kind of heater or air conditioner for that matter. Frankly, you hardly ever need either because the weather is so agreeable. The only option we do have for heat is an ancient gas heater (circa 1955), and I do not trust that thing. Not one bit. The one (and only) time we did attempt to light the thing it almost completely cinged off all of Bryan's body hair and half of the hallway. We concluded that one stab at lighting the beast was enough...we would just layer to keep warm. So much for that new lingerie! Ha. ha.
Please note the menacing wall heater to the right.
The real turning point was a couple of days ago when I turned to Bryan in bed as we were waking up. "Good morning," I said. He looked at me puzzled, rubbed his eyes and said "say that again." Huh? "Good morning," I said again. No, my morning breath was not flaming...It was so cold in our bedroom you could see my breath! And his! Is this supposed to happen in sunny Southern California? Needless to say; we are investing in electric blankets and possibly snuggies. Okay, we probably won't go for the Snuggies. But now, given the circumstance; the luxury of being able to answer the phone, read a book or eat my favorite snack without messing up my blanket...doesn't sound so bad!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Getting a Little Verklempt
Okay, so this has nothing to do with living in Southern California...but lately, everytime I hear a good song, I get a little choked up. Especially, when I hear one of three performers/bands: Coldplay, The Killers or Garth Brooks (yes, I like Garth Brooks).
It doesn't really matter which song it is, if it's from one of those three--I just get a little weepy. Not in a bad way; but in a happy-to-be-alive kind of way. It's amazing what a good song can do to any given moment in your life. Whatever the event, whatever the situation, the memory will always and forever be associated with that very song, lyric, chord or tune. Etched into your character forever. It's kind of cool, really.
Visions from your past can reappear, smells, tastes--things you completely forgot about are suddenly brought back to life. Good and bad memories; sometimes it doesn't even matter which. It's just comforting to know that recollection is still alive somewhere among the cobwebs.
For me, reviving those memories, whether they are: good, bad, regretful, embarrassing, fun or happy always make me feel a sense of gratitude. Grateful for the experiences I have had; good and bad. Thankful for the people that have come and gone in my life; positive and negative. Pleased with the choices I have made. And...relieved to know there are many more momentous songs to come.
It doesn't really matter which song it is, if it's from one of those three--I just get a little weepy. Not in a bad way; but in a happy-to-be-alive kind of way. It's amazing what a good song can do to any given moment in your life. Whatever the event, whatever the situation, the memory will always and forever be associated with that very song, lyric, chord or tune. Etched into your character forever. It's kind of cool, really.
Visions from your past can reappear, smells, tastes--things you completely forgot about are suddenly brought back to life. Good and bad memories; sometimes it doesn't even matter which. It's just comforting to know that recollection is still alive somewhere among the cobwebs.
For me, reviving those memories, whether they are: good, bad, regretful, embarrassing, fun or happy always make me feel a sense of gratitude. Grateful for the experiences I have had; good and bad. Thankful for the people that have come and gone in my life; positive and negative. Pleased with the choices I have made. And...relieved to know there are many more momentous songs to come.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Easy Like Sunday Morning
Van Morrison plays on Pandora as my husband makes pancakes on a nice lazy Sunday morning. I love Sundays. There was a time when I use to dread Sunday's, I associated them with going back to work. After 1PM on a Sunday, I would pretty much consider the weekend over. Talk about not utilizing my time. Now, Sundays are quite possibly my favorite day of the week. About three years ago I lost the ability to sleep in. It's a true rareity if I can make it past 7AM on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Even if I am hungover, which is also rare now that I have lost my tolerance for alcohol. It's amazing how quick your mind and body can change from age 25 to 29. Anyway, getting up early on the weekends has its benefits: it extends the weekend (to a degree), you get to see a beautiful sunrise, the streets are quiet, and on this particular Sunday the celebrities were out! Living in LA (and working where I do) has made me kind of numb to seeing celebrities. Afterall, at the end of the day they are just people with a job to do. But, I would be lying if I said it wasn't still fun to spot a good one!
After a heavy pancake breakfast and about an hour of Van Morrison, my hubs and I decided to take ride on our new beach cruisers. Which, by the way, might be the most fun purchase I have made in my adult life, so far. You really forget how fun riding a bicycle really is (especially with no hands!). We headed down our usual route from Santa Monica towards Malibu. A normally crowded tourist laden path was tranquil and beautiful on this chilly January morning. In spite of the looming clouds, the sun was peeking out and dancing with the small waves. Not too much foot traffic; just the occasional jogger, fellow bicyclist or local taking a stroll armed with a fresh Starbucks.
After a heavy pancake breakfast and about an hour of Van Morrison, my hubs and I decided to take ride on our new beach cruisers. Which, by the way, might be the most fun purchase I have made in my adult life, so far. You really forget how fun riding a bicycle really is (especially with no hands!). We headed down our usual route from Santa Monica towards Malibu. A normally crowded tourist laden path was tranquil and beautiful on this chilly January morning. In spite of the looming clouds, the sun was peeking out and dancing with the small waves. Not too much foot traffic; just the occasional jogger, fellow bicyclist or local taking a stroll armed with a fresh Starbucks.
As we pedaled along I was enjoying the beauty of the Pacific Palisades and becoming lost in my thoughts. Suddenly, I see sand flying and hear brakes screeching. I focus my attention back on the path to see my husband looking frantic. I pedal a little faster to catch up to where he was at. "Tom Hanks!" he says. "That was Tom Hanks!" much louder this time. Sure enough, it was him--literally less than five feet away from us walking along listening to his iPod. Immediately I got embarrassed. What if he heard Bryan!? We would look like total tools. Luckily, he didn't. Or if he did, he ignored us.
After regaining our composure we continued down the path not even five minutes later...Johnny Knoxville, after that Colin Hanks, ten minutes later Jeff Probst. We were on a celebrity sighting roll! It was really getting kind of ironic, we started taking bets on who we'd see next. As we reached the end of the bike path towards Malibu, we turned around and headed to Venice Beach. It was reaching mid-morning at this point and the crowds were starting to pour in. A frisbee tournament was setting up on the beach and tourists were swarming the pier.
We were feeling a little parched and decided to stop by a beach cafe for a $4 bottle of water...uh, yeah...Anyways, as we were quenching our thirst I noticed a homeless looking guy getting closer and closer. Great, another panhandler I thought to myself. He had on black basketball shorts, an oversized plaid jacket, outdated sneakers and calf high black socks. His hair and manscaping looked pretty well kept and clean for a homeless guy; but the outfit reaked of unemployment (or so I thought). The man got closer still. He looked lost, like he had just woke up in some random place and had no idea where he was at or how he got there. My husband leaned in and whispered "that's Josh Brolin." What!? Not the stud muffin from Goonies, no way. I looked closer...it was him. In spite of the fact that his outfit looked like he had just raided a goodwill donation truck--it was him. Really, the outfit should have come as no surprise, quite a few celebrities seem to dress like that out here. I guess it is hobo chic or something. Not like I am any kind of connoisseur of high fashion--I just find it funny. Oh, and as you may have guessed, he was definitely not panhandling.
We were feeling a little parched and decided to stop by a beach cafe for a $4 bottle of water...uh, yeah...Anyways, as we were quenching our thirst I noticed a homeless looking guy getting closer and closer. Great, another panhandler I thought to myself. He had on black basketball shorts, an oversized plaid jacket, outdated sneakers and calf high black socks. His hair and manscaping looked pretty well kept and clean for a homeless guy; but the outfit reaked of unemployment (or so I thought). The man got closer still. He looked lost, like he had just woke up in some random place and had no idea where he was at or how he got there. My husband leaned in and whispered "that's Josh Brolin." What!? Not the stud muffin from Goonies, no way. I looked closer...it was him. In spite of the fact that his outfit looked like he had just raided a goodwill donation truck--it was him. Really, the outfit should have come as no surprise, quite a few celebrities seem to dress like that out here. I guess it is hobo chic or something. Not like I am any kind of connoisseur of high fashion--I just find it funny. Oh, and as you may have guessed, he was definitely not panhandling.
Later that evening we were watching the Golden Globes and saw our fellow morning beachgoers; Tom Hanks and Josh Brolin. Mr. Brolin looked dapper and nothing like the hobo alter ego he had clearly left behind at the beach. Hollywood is a funny place.
