Misc

I haven't blogged in a while...Mostly because I'm totally lame at taking pictures and I always intend to, but never do!

Anywhoo....That's one of my new year's resolutions...blog more.

This past weekend was one of the best weekends EVER! On Friday, we went to D-Land (will post pics). Saturday, I met my "little sis" of the "Big Brothers Big Sisters" organization and on Sunday, I went to trapeze lessons with my real "little sis" and also had a holiday dinner at home!

I will post pictures asap because frankly, the trapeze lesson pictures are too amazing NOT to share! Just a taste...
I have to steal the jump drive from my sister to get more of the pictures, but yes, that is me. It was my Christmas present to my sister (and myself) and it was totally worth it! If you're interested in going, the website is flytrapeze.com and the guy, Richie Gaona was formerly a circus performer and now has this crazy, intensely awesome setup in his back yard in Woodland Hills. Gah, anyway, more about that when I have pictures!

I basically just wanted to write something, just to write something...and marvel at my awesome accomplishments this weekend.

1. got on a trapeze
2. roasted a WHOLE chicken perfectly!
3. enrolled myself in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and sucessfully acquired myself a "Little Sister."
4. finished Christmas shopping and wrapping over 30 presents. (I can't really count how many, it takes too much effort)

More to come later!

Museum of Jurassic Technology

I was introduced to this museum by my friend Alli. We went here one afternoon and I just fell in love with it. It's the most randomly awesome place EVER. It's in Culver City and it is, if I'm not mistaken, an art project by a former student at CalArts. It contains a lot of pretty random exhibitions that occasionally change.


Dave's not so skilled in the jumping pictures category.


Some of my fave stuff there include a story about a bat that flies through walls by some crazy freakish flying ability. The scientists eventually build a wall thick enough so that he can't fly through it and they trap him in there and have the piece of the wall on display. Whether this is a true story is questionable, but interesting nonetheless. A gallery with portraits of dogs from the former Soviet Union that have gone into space. A section that teaches you about the history of cat's cradle and strings for you to practice with.

Tea room with the brothers horsing around.

Truly one of my favorite places in this city that I love so much.

and...just for today's cuteness...
and in case you haven't already seen this....a live feed of 6 shiba inu puppies in San Francisco. everyone at work has it going on in the background while they work on some super high brow art history stuff....aaah! too much cute!
http://cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/4/viewer.45.swf?cid=317016

I voted!

This will probably go down as one of the most memorable days in my life (history-wise). This and 9-11, thus far....
Because we live in the super coolest 'hood ever, we got to vote at the fire station! How cute is that?


I voted! and wore patriotic clothes! This was also the first election I could vote in because I, fobby as I am, only became a citizen in 2006, despite the fact that I've lived in Ca since I was 10!

the Brewery Art Walk

Twice a year, a little artists' community called the Brewery holds an art walk. Formerly the Pabst Blue Ribbon beer brewery, it is now a collection of living and working spaces for Los Angeles artists.


From what I hear, it's not so easy to get a place there because the digs are so highly coveted! Chloe has gone every single time since she's been with me and people are beginning to recognize me/us..made me/us feel very special.

Just some girl and her pitbull.....

And..because Dave's awesome parents were in town, they came too!!!

I'm not dead...Halloween!

Just been lazy and contemplating a new bloggy because I got an iphone and its vurry fun to bloggy on tumblr. This is what I started...ontheeastside.tumblr.com

Anywhooot.

Check it out..even downtown LA got dressed up for Halloween...as... New York City!

Please note the yellow taxi that says "NYC TAXI." This is actually a staple in downtown...dressing up as NYC. It's pretty cute. The other day I found a sign that said something about a snow path! Obviously, snow does NOT happen in Los Angeles!

At work, we dressed up as the cast of Mad Men. My most fave current tv show.

This is how I decorated my cubicle.

Dave is actually born on Halloween, so we went out that night to celebrate his THIRTIETH birthday with his fam bam. And...because I was too lazy to find another costume, I made him dress up as Don Draper from Mad Men.


Some of my favorite costumes of the night....

Where's Waldo.

and Beeker.


And in other news, I turned 26. Got depressed about it. Got an iPhone and got over it.


I'm still pretty elated about Obama winning. Although, I'm sad about Prop. 8 not passing in California. =(

Hopefully it will be overturned again.

a happy girl again!

I have not felt this good about this country since...umm ever!

Barack Obama, my hero.

French Dip

A french dip sandwich is a hot sandwich that you dip in au jus (pretty word to describe beef juice).

Among many things, Los Angeles boasts (among many things) to be the originators of the French dip sammich. There is, however, a debate about which restaurant in Los Angeles originally created the sammich.

There is Philippe's and there is Cole's.


Philippe's story:
Hungry customer in 1918 orders sandwich. Server (who WAS Philippe) clumsily drops sandwich in beef juice. Hungry customer says he wants it anyway. Eats. Falls in love. Orders it again the next day.

Cole's story:
Hungry customer in 1918 just came from the dentist. Teeth hurt and needs a softer sandwich. Asks server (who WAS Cole) to dip sandwich in beef juice to soften the bread. Other hungry people saw this and asked for it despite their un-painful teeth.

On Monday, Philippe's is celebrating its 100 year anniversary (they opened in 1908, but created the sammich in 1918) and is serving their beef dip sammiches for $0.10 each! Happenin' from 4-8. I will be there!

Cole's unfortunately is closed for renovation, otherwise, I would go and visit and see which one has a better sammich.

Autumn in Los Angeles

starts yesterday.

and this week is going to be jampacked of fun stuff.

Tuesday. Barack Obama Rama at Spaceland

all sales go to the Obamski campaign. wooo! should be pretty fun.

i'm really excited to see the bird and the bee. i love this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA_scASRmbk

Thursday, I plan on going to a tasting with a chef from Top Chef at the grove.

Saturday, The Watts Towers Festival and Sunday, the Grand Avenue Festival!

In other news, we're having a great time exploring new breakfast places in our 'hood.

Behold...Dusty's Bistro in Silver Lake
Chloe likes to brunch too.

There's also the Nickel Diner in Downtown that my friend/carpool Talia had been raving about. Dave and I finally went and were SOOOOO happy! It's sort of next to skid row, and I may have inhaled some pepper spray intended for a bum, but it was awesome nonetheless.

Nightmares

I had a nightmare last night. It was so bad, I woke up screaming. It included these two images:


Laugh all you want. I was terrified.

This is what happened.

It was dark and quiet. Michael Phelps and I were in an indoor pool complex alone and he was timing my 50m backstroke (backstroke isn't one of his events). And out of nowhere, this little pint-sized toy husky comes strolling in. It was the kind that you buy on the streets of Chinatown; the kind that yapps incessantly.

But this little mechanical husky was different; his eyes were all blacked out. He came towards me, menacingly, and..well....tried to kill me.

Michael Phelps came to my rescue and wacked it, but it didn't die, it kept coming towards me! I was climbing up the walls and running from it, but it was intent on killing me. Michael Phelps splashed it with some water, it smoked, and became even more determined to get me!

I woke up gasping and screaming.

Dave threw his arm over me. Seriously. Scary.

Summer Pool Time

We got a pool--the inflatable kind.

We got it for a few reasons:

1. make bathtime more fun for Chloe (and easier for us)
2. see what she does in water.
3. because it's really hot.

She was actually super cute with her ball.

She was trying to get the ball under the water and would inadvertently submerge her snout and then blow bubbles under the water--super funny.

Eventually we got tired of playing and got over the pool.


Chloe didn't get bathed...Although, somebody DID.


Very tiring playing in the pool...for both of us.