Goodbye 2009.

(Happy New Year (and new blog)! I, like Mary, am optimistic about the shiny new 2010 that looms before us, but I feel as though I need to properly bid farewell to the crazy roller-coaster ride that has been my 2009. So without further adieu, here are some highlights of my past year (and some of the ‘hows and whys’ about my life in LA, as Mary mentioned in the previous post).

The Oscars. 

I work in the marketing department at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences  (I started in September 2008) and one HUGE perk is that I get to attend the Academy Awards, red carpet and all. It was amazingly surreal to be there, something I NEVER in a million years thought would happen.  Now I’m getting ready for this year’s Oscars (shameless plug: tune in March 7, 2010, on abc). 

Community Group.  

I started attending a community group through my church Pacific Crossroads last January, and it has become one of my favorite things I do in LA. We meet once a week to the study the Bible and just relax and be REAL with each other… something that is not easy to find in LA. Here we are at Bricks and Scones (my FAVORITE coffee shop ever). 

Colorado with my parents. 

My job at the Academy is seasonal, so it lasts from September to April. While I job searched and interviewed like crazy in the spring, the Academy kept me on as a floater until the end of July, and my boss offered me the seasonal marketing position again starting September 1. Since nothing else spectacular had come through, I accepted her offer and used the 5 weeks off in the interim to travel.  My first destination was Pagosa Springs, Colorado, with my parents. After the crazy stress of job searching and everything, it was so incredibly nice to relax and be with my parents in such a beautiful place.

My 24^th birthday. 

I invited pretty much everyone I knew in LA to come to my favorite bar Lola’s not really thinking that many people would actually come… but many of them did! It was such a fun night with my different groups of friends mingling together in one happy place. 

Europe. 

My biggest adventure during my 5 weeks off was traveling to England, Scotland and Spain! This trip was such a big highlight that I think it deserves 3 photos: sight-seeing in London with my college friend Katie, overlooking beautiful Barcelona at Park Guell with my LA friend Sheri, and participating in a 50,000 person tomato fight called ‘La Tomatina’ in a village near Valencia with one of my best college friends, Kayla.

Halloween. 

Halloween this year was so much fun, probably due in large part to what I consider to be the best costume of my life: a birthday cake.

New York. 

I was lucky enough to visit Mary in NY twice this year, both times full of great fun and entertainment. (most notably, two viewings of HAIR, my current Broadway obsession).

Wine tasting. 

To celebrate my lovely mother’s 50^th birthday we went to an amazing wine tasting festival near Santa Barbara.

Victoria Beckham giving me a Christmas gift. 

I’m a receptionist at the Sports Club LA in Beverly Hills (LINK) on Saturday mornings, which is the greatest part time ever. Not only do I earn a little extra pocket money, but I get to work out at this luxurious gym alongside celebrities like Taylor Kitsch (the MOST exciting celebrity interaction of my life), Amanda Bynes, Jesse Metcalfe, etc. I see V Beck there quite often; we chat sometimes. MUCH to my surprise, she brought Christmas gifts to a few Sports Club people she interacts with regularly I guess…including me! Thanks Posh Spice.

Wow…2009 really was a fun one.  I wonder if 2010 will live up to its predecessor.  I’m excited to find out. :-)

--Annie.