(for brandi)

"why yes, dat is quite interestin..."

"on dah lookout for squirrelz!!"

"wut? am i in dah way?

"don't mind meh. i sit where i want."

"will you puh-leeez let meh sleep??"

"hold meh!"

"i'z help fold da towelz!"

"i'z help you studeh too!"

"going on a trip? not without meh!"

"i'z in sleeper mode watching out for squirrelz..."

"oh? you thought this was your spot?"

"i SAIZ not without meh!"

LA Summers

We've lived in LA for almost 3 years and have just now discovered quite possibly the coolest thing ever! Officially called cinespia, it starts and lasts through the summer. It's old movie screenings on the side of a mausoleum in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery every Saturday. The gates open at 7 while it's still light out so you can get your picnic on and listen to music - there's a DJ! I had actually first heard about it at my women's Bible study, just briefly. But later that week we rented "Valentine's Day" and it was a scene in the movie.

We got there a few minutes before 7pm and could NOT believe how many people were already waiting in line. Crap. First, they were in a queue outside the cemetery gates, and then along the sidewalk of Santa Monica Boulevard. We figured out that those people had found "free" parking and were waiting in line to get in. We waited in our car (in a line) to pay $5 to park inside the cemetery. SO worth it. Because then you just park and walk to the lawn. (On a side note, there are no graves where everyone is camped out.)

It was already packed by the time we got to the lawn, but we got a good spot. They do try to squeeze you in as close as possible and that's because there were THOUSANDS of people there. We brought a picnic dinner, ALL of it prepared by Rob. We started with black pepper goat cheese and gouda with crackers and bread with olive oil. Wine, of course. Then we moved onto our grilled shrimp salad. NOM!

Once the sun set and it was dark outside, everyone cozied up and the movie began.  I'll be the first to say, the only "old" movie I've ever watched is "Gone with the Wind," which I loved. The movies shown at cinespia are the classics. We were treated to Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest." I LOVED it! I think a lot of it was the atmosphere too, but it was a great movie.

I cannot WAIT to do this again. And if we have visitors this summer, I will be sure to treat you to this LA tradition. It is not to be missed!

tomorrow.

what? 

there's nothing else to say.

Roswell

The TV show. Although the show does completely revolve around Roswell, New Mexico and it's alien history. I'm sorry I missed this show back when it was actually on the air in 1999 - I was a senior in high school. And the wardrobe choices take me right back. Much too high-waisted jeans, anyone? I just started the 2nd season and already that girl Tess is seriously getting on my nerves. Why is there ALWAYS some bitch trying to get in the way?

This show totally has the tortured teen angst thing going on. "I-can't-be-with-you-because-I'm-different-and-I-don't-know-if-I'll-hurt-you-but-I-love-you-so-let's-make-out." And it has the cheese factor (just like Vampire Diaries, Twilight, etc.) but I LOVE IT! Guys don't understand, but I think it's because as girls/women we all dream of that "man who would DIE to be with us," that would sacrifice his life for us and the undying passion. But I know I'm lucky, I already have him. My husband is my Max, my Edward, my Stefan...only better.

I picked up my apron and hat today! Saturday is my first day of training, which I believe will last about two weeks. I already have my schedule for the next week and I'm totally stoked! I was a little worried that my training might conflict with the pre-Sex and the City 2 party, followed by actually seeing the movie, but no worries, it doesn't! (I didn't want to ask for time off already!) 

I'm stoked to have a job that is a block from the beach and involves drinking coffee! 

Girls trip!

Tomorrow I'll be flying off to Richmond and then driving down to Nags Head for a girls weekend! I am VERY excited about this because I know it's going to be a blast! In case you didn't know, my mom knows how to have a good time. And my bestie from high school, Brandi is coming too! It's going to be like old times, except this time we're bringing wine. And we're even staying in the same cottage we used to rent every summer because like most everyone else raised in Virginia, I spent my childhood summer vacations in the Outer Banks.

It's so weird that no one on the west coast has ever heard of Nags Head. I'm still rockin' my OBX sticker on my car and I have seriously, never seen another sole with one on theirs. Weird.

Mom, me, & Brandi at the Currituck Lighthouse a looooong time ago!

Someone else's "secret" is my own...

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

Is my cat a dog?

I love my kitty, Baxter. He's seriously unlike any cat I've ever had growing up or met before. And I know I'm going to sound like one of "those" parents that thinks their kids are the smartest, funniest, cutest, prettiest, most talented of all the kids in the world (barf, they're not), but my cat actually is the coolest cat I know. As my friend Reed put it, "Even if you don't like cats, you'll like Baxter."

Reasons why I think my cat may be a dog:
1.  He likes to play fetch. We have this ball with feathers on it. When we pitch it across the apartment, Baxter runs at full speed, picks it up, brings it back and drops it in front of us. Repeat. I do not lie.
2. He lets us know when he wants to play, and it's usually all the time. Baxter loves to chase the "feather on a string" around. When he wants to play, he'll bring it to me, set it by me, and stare/meow at me. (He literally just did it.) Who's got who trained?
3. He takes showers with me. Well, kinda. He has evolved from just sitting on the top of the toilet while I shower to actually getting in the shower. He sits on the ledge of the tub and doesn't seem to mind getting sprayed. When I'm done, he gets in the actual tub and sits in the leftover water. He drinks it too, but will play around for a little while.
4. He likes belly rubs. He does not sleep like a "normal" cat most of the time. Meaning, all curled up. He sleeps on his back with his arms and legs splayed wide open. And sleeps.
5. He's ALWAYS there to greet us. Whenever we are returning to our apartment, he is standing by the door waiting for love. He rolls around on the floor waiting for us to pet him, which we always do. And I know he's not just standing there the whole time we're gone either because sometimes we're faster at getting through the door than him, especially if he's sleeping. I think he knows our "sound" coming up the stairs. Once when I was at home and Rob was out, Baxter jumped off the couch and took off for the door. Ten seconds later, Rob walked through. And I had heard numerous people before that coming up the steps.
6. He loves to ride in the car. He'd rather not be in the carrier, but we obviously have to use it to get him into the car. Like a cat, he fights it. But once we're in the car, we open the door, and after a few minutes, he's out. He likes to look out the window...leaving his "nose prints" all over.

And I could go on. But I won't insult my Baxter by actually calling him a dog. He's such a goofball and makes us laugh all the time. I truly believe that rescue pets are "grateful" for the love they receive from their owners. Baxter's foster mom, Jiji, is seriously awesome too. I like to keep her posted on Baxter's latest shenanigans. She told me over and over how special Baxter was and she was not lying. These days I am much more of a "cat person." Cats are just much more mellow, they don't jump all over you, don't lick all over your face, and aren't as high maintenance as dogs. (But don't get me wrong, I LOVE dogs too! I had a black lab growing up! And let's not forget Lily either!) Go ahead, call me the crazy cat lady! I won't even be insulted.

Just because...

I love the "watch instantly" feature on Netflix. I have watched some of the most random movies that way.  The other day I was looking for a movie to watch and wasn't overly inspired. So I decided to checkout what TV shows it had to offer. I came across a show called, "Dead Like Me." I had heard of it before, but since we don't get Showtime, never had the opportunity to actually watch it. I didn't realize, but the show is actually a few years old. I guess there were only 2 seasons, and then a movie to wrap up the final details. Currently, I'm finishing up Season 1.

It's about a group of "un-dead" people, or grim reapers, that take the souls of people before they die. They're also in transition. There's: George-the main girl the show revolves around, Rube-the boss, hands out whose souls are going to get taken, Mason-British guy, Betty-the Noxzema girl (& McSteamy's wife), Roxy-Whitley from A Different World, and Daisy-the pretentious, "actress."

The show mostly revolves around an 18 year old girl, George, that was killed by a toilet seat flying through space and into Earth's atmosphere. Random, I know. George is having a hard time dealing with the fact that 1. she's dead, 2. even though she is actually "dead" she's still a functioning member of society and has to find a place to live, pay bills, get a job, etc. and 3. she has to take people's souls. The first few episodes she finds ways to not do it, but basically what it comes down to is, when it's your time, it's your time. No way of getting around it. Oh, the "un-dead" look different than what they looked like alive. Similar, but different.

It's a cute show with a very odd premise, but I find myself going back to watch more episodes. It's no Gossip Girl, but quite entertaining and hey, it's free!

sigh...

This woman can do no wrong. She's absolutely gorgeous. Stunning. And she makes smoking look sexy. 

This is a shot from one of my favorite movies, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, a Woody Allen film. I know he makes kinda weird movies and that's because, well... he's kind of a weird man. And ever since seeing this movie, I've been dying to go to Spain. Icamethisclose to going this year with a friend, but with ticket prices on the rise and lack of off-line travel bennies at the moment, it just didn't work out. But anyone that knows us, knows that if there's somewhere in the world we want to see, we will get there eventually.