Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays everyone!  I'm so excited to spend time with my family and have time off from work!  I don't have a tree at my apartment this year, but I had a color scheme picked out in my head.  This year I'm in love with sparkly lime green.  It's a nice way to punch up the traditional red and green.  Apparently the management company that runs the building I work in read my mind!  The tree they put up in the lobby was the exact colors I had picked out in my head for my imaginary tree at home!  It's been nice to come into work and have Christmas tree smell fill the air and twinkling lights.

This year is going to be extra special at my parent's house because there is a new addition to the family!  I'm so excited to meet cute little Indy.

For some reason my photo won't center, and please excuse the picture quality, it's from a text.  But isn't he darling!?  He's a Bichon Frise like Hemi, but he's a runt and only 2.6 pounds right now at about 10 - 12 weeks old!  My parents are trying to fatten him up and keep Hemi from bodyslamming him across the tile floors.  Words can't describe how excited I am to see him.  Like I've said before I want a dog so bad it hurts, but for now I will just have to settle for 4 and half days of puppy love at my parent's house.

Happy Holidays! Oh, and I'm taking a little break from blogging for the Holidays (unless I get bored), so I'll see you in the new year! xoxo

peace, love, puppies, and happiness!

Julie and Julia, and Kitchen Disasters

The other night I watched Julie & Julia.  My first thought was how did I not already see this?  It's about blogging and cooking!  Two things I love.  Julie Powell's idea of writing a blog about cooking her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in just a year is simply brillant! 

I wish I could come up with something that would create a following as her blog had.  Readers, what do you want me to do?  Cook my way through a cookbook?  Already done.  Eat every hamburger in Los Angeles?  That could hurt my waistline.  I've got to come up with something! 

Anyways, I thought the movie was cute, although I fell asleep in the last 5 minutes (but I do that with every movie watched after 8pm).  And I feel even more inspired to learn more about cooking!  Which brings me to my "simple" pumpkin pie.  I managed to mess up one last weekend.  I mean, how does someone mess up a pie that is being cooked from the recipe on the back of the pumpkin can and using a frozen pie crust!  All I had to do was follow the directions, mix some things up, and put it in the oven.  But noooo, I decided to try to make a "healthy" pumpkin pie.  Brillant.  I used non-fat evaporated milk instead of regular evaporated milk which resulted in a very watery pie that I had to bake for an extra 40 minutes just to get it to firm up.  The result was a pretty misshapen  pie, but the taste wasn't all that bad.  We just piled whip cream on top of it.  So much for being "healthy."  So on my second attempt for my work potluck, I followed the directions on the back of the can to the T.  And everything was working out just fine for me until my clumbsy ass (which had maybe a few too many glasses of wine) dropped the pie on the way out of the oven.  Well, really the pie never even made it out of the oven. I dropped it face down in the oven.  And let me tell you, pumpkin pie oozing out of every crevace of your oven at 11:00 pm after a few drinks is both equally funny and devasting.  So much for my contribution to the potluck. 

It was like a scene straight out of Julie & Julia... 

Peace, love, kitchen adventures, and happiness!

Save a Stray for the Holidays: The Perfect Gift

My dream Christmas gift would be a dog.  (And also an apartment that allows animals to go along with my new companion.)  I want a dog so bad that my heart hurts when I think about it. But alas, it's not the right time in my life to have a little bundle of fur to call my own, which is why when I get to see my parents puppy, Hemi, I can hardly contain my excitement. (Only 7 more days!)

Isn't he the cutest thing ever?!

But if you're looking to fulfill some lucky loved one's dreams of having a dog, this Saturday in LA is the right time to do it! Found Animals Foundation will host their second annual "Save A Stray For The Holidays" adoption event on Saturday, December 19th, 2009 from 9am-2pm. You can find your new best friend at 14 Los Angeles area animal care locations.  Due to tremendous public misconception that these animals are undesirable and a lack of funding and space, only approximately 50% make it out alive,  so in addition to saving a life, you can get a great deal on your new pet.  Each location will reduce adoption fees, including microchip and spay/neuter surgery fees, for the special program. Hundreds of animals will be available and trained "matchmakers" will be on hand to help visitors find the perfect pet.

photo from foundanimals.org

Peace, love, and puppies equal happiness!

Owl Obsession

Recently I have become obsessed with all things owl.  I just find those wide eyed birds oh so cute.  I keep gravitating towards everything with owls on it.  Here are some of my current favorite owl items.

Owl Evening Ring from Anthropologie.

Owl coaster on Etsy.

Owl Ornament from Anthropologie.

What's your current obession?

Peace, love, owls, and happiness!

Who says it doesn't snow in LA?

I've been scrambling to get my Christmas shopping done in a timely fashion while trying to be attentive to getting creative and enjoyable gifts for my loved ones.  Friday night was spent perusing The Beverly Center, The Grove, Target, and Urban Outfitters, which resulted in missing dinner and A LOT of walking around.  (Note to self: do NOT wear high heeled boots all day and then walk around for five hours shopping in them unless you are positive they are the most comfortable boots in the whole world.)  Mine were not, and my feet paid the price.  But the night was fun and really got me in the Christmas mood, although I'm afraid there is much more shopping to be done.  The Grove was all decked out in holiday cheer.

And at 7pm (and again at 8pm according to The Grove's website) it snowed. Yep, snow in Los Angeles. Well, it's really little bubbles that look like snow, but still, it was the best thing ever.

BF also surprised me with a Coffee Bean Holiday Chai Tea which was delicious and helped appease my growling stomach. 

Tips for Holiday shopping: wear comfy shoes, make time for dinner, stop to look at the sights - whether it's decorations and lights or fake snowing falling from the sky, and finally just enjoy - Christmas only comes once a year!

Peace, love, holiday cheer, and happiness!

Summer in Winter: Vacation - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Finally! The long awaited and highly anticipated Mexico blog!  (Enjoy Mom!)

So I thought about making this post all about sunshine and beaches, but the truth is Puerto Vallarta dealt me and the bf a bad hand and we spent most of our time in this beautiful place being sick.  I still really enjoyed the vacation and got to see and do a lot of great stuff.  I just wish I got to do more.  And eat more.  I had so many restaurants marked in my travel book that I wanted to try, but alas I pretty much didn't eat anything after the second day.  Which you would think would make me loose weight, but even that didn't work out in my favor.  But despite that little speed bump, I am grateful for the vacation, spending time with a lot of great people, and seeing some truly beautiful scenery.  Here are the highlights:

Sunset the day we arrived.

Deciding where to eat.

Decision made.  Thanks to a lovely Canadian couple who helped us out when we looked completely lost.

Mixing salsa at our table.  It was the best! This was one of the few meals I got to enjoy, and it was so very enjoyable!

  El Centro.

Walking along the Malecon.

Beautiful jungle hills.

Breakfast at Fredy's Tucan.

Margaritas on the beach.

Beers on the beach.

Big waves.

Relaxing at our villa.

Jonny with his kids: Harper, Finley, and Henry.

Harper and Sloan playing with Mike.

The dinner table.

Sally the sea turtle coming up to lay her eggs.

Zip Lining!

So much fun!

Hanging with the monkeys.

Taking the boat to go snorkeling.

Beautiful.

It really was a beautiful and memorable trip.  I want to go back (and not get sick) so I can experience even more!  I love going new places and doing new things!  I hope everyone also had a nice vacation this year.

peace, love, vacation, and happiness.

And thanks to Bry for all the great pictures!

Tis the Season...

I'm finally getting into the Christmas spirit!  Every year I wish I had began Christmas shopping earlier.  I really enjoy giving gifts that are thoughtful and unique, but each year time gets the best of me and I end up scrambling.  Here are some great gift ideas that I hope will make your holiday shopping a little bit easier!

For the mom that has all the kitchen gadgets, but not the cool ones...

Joseph Joseph Nest 8 preparation and mixing bowl set.  Simply the coolest thing ever for cooking and baking.  You'll never loose a measuring cup again, like I do all the time in the depths of my kitchen cabinets.



For the hostest with the mostest that you want to impress with something a little more than a bottle of wine...

Beautiful nature bulbs from Land Rich make a perfect little gift to bring to any party.

For the one you can't get out of your head and they can't get you out of theirs...

 

Vintage love charms, which are really little perfume tins from the 1900's without the perfume.  Slip a photo of yourself in the little square and give to your special someone.  The front says "Keep this in rememberance of me."  Too cute.



For your boyfriend / husband / brother / father who simply can't put the camera down...

Film Clock from Gent Supply Co will be sure to delight the men in your life who capture every moment.  And check out Daily Candy's deal on items from the Gent Supply Co website!

Happy gifting everyone!

peace, love, Christmas spirit, and happiness!

IN-N-OUT... That's what a hamburger's all about... (this one's for you, Dad)

There is nothing more So-Cal than IN-N-OUT burger (besides palm trees and sun).  Which is why I treated myself to a yummy double-double today!  Hey, I deserve one after being out of the state (and country) for quite a while.  It's my welcome home gift. 

For those of you who haven't had an IN-N-OUT burger, I'll give you a little description of the goodness.  First off, I'm not gonna say it's the best burger EVER, (I get into it about this with non-Californians all the time) BUT it is distinctly it's own kind of burger - a taste that can not be duplicated.  Which is why IN-N-OUT is so beloved, it's a truly unique, yet simple burger.  The menu is straight forward and to the point, with burgers, fries, and shakes to choose from.  And the secret menu is oh so fun.  They will make anything you ask for with the ingredients they have.  It was actually during my brief time as a "vegetarian" that I rediscoverd my love for IN-N-OUT.  Odd you say?  Wells that's because their grilled cheese taste so much like the burger that I hardly noticed the meat was missing!  One point of contention that I will agree on with non natives to Cali is that the fries are not that good... I mean they aren't McDonald's fries... but then again are McDonald's fries even made with potatoes?  When I was a kid I hated the IN-N-OUT fries, then in High School I ordered them animal style - which is with cheese, spread (thousand island sauce) and grilled onions. Yum! Now I just eat them regular, cause really, they are pretty good.  And I heard you can order them well-done so they will be extra crispy.  Well, I'm starting to sound like a commercial so I'll stop.  But if you're in Cali (or parts of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada) you should grab a burger and enjoy!

peace, love, burgers, and happiness!

Snapshot in Time

After the rain washed Los Angeles clean and I made it through my first day back at work after my long vacation, the most beautiful thing appeared over the Hollywood Hills.

It's been so long since I remember seeing a rainbow.  Those colors in the sky always made my heart jump, so beautiful and magical.  It seems fitting to make the picture into a Polaroid, the Hollywood Hills seem like a snapshot stuck in time.  It's amazing how beautiful this city is when you are standing on top of your office building, the air fresh from the rain, gazing at the rolling hills, gorgeous houses, the Hollywood sign glittering white against green.  Breathtaking.  Now if only I could find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Don't worry! Mexico pictures to come soon!  They are stunning as well! :)

peace, love, beauty, and happiness!

Paper Boats

I'm back from vacation and it's so hard to go back to work.  I woke up this morning and Los Angeles was clouded in grey, rain pouring down.  The weather seemed to sense my mood.  What a change from Puerto Vallarta (even though we got some rain there too).   Rain in LA seems different from rain anywhere else. 

For one, people freak out and don't know how to drive - it's like a foreign substance is falling from the sky instead of just water.  Secondly, it makes the day feel unique, charged with a certain kind of energy -sometimes frantic, sometimes lazy.  Thirdly, it often feels like a rainy day should be declared some kind of "rain day" like "snow days" where we get the day off from life and curl up with hot cocoa and watch movies and re-runs.  But most of all it's finally starting to feel like winter in Los Angeles and I realize I need to hunker down on my end of the year goals - mainly Christmas shopping and filling the last remaining pages of my diary so that I can buy I new one for the upcoming year.  December is always so hectic and it snuck up on me so fast!  I just want one more day.  A day to play in the rain and push paper boats in puddles.

Image from Victor Eredel.

I can't wait to get home and curl up with some polenta and roasted vegetables and maybe even sip some hot chocolate for dessert while I watch my tivo'd episodes of Amazing Race and season two of Friday Night Lights on DVD.  Unpacking will have to wait till later.  What do you like to do on a rainy day?

Peace, love, rain days, and happiness.