Chicken Soup for the Twenty-Something's Soul: A Season About Becoming

Do you remember the "Chicken Soup" books?  They were "stories of life, love and learning" compiled into different volumes for different demographics (Dieteters, ocean lovers, gardeners, and pet lovers are all represented in their extensive list of titles... yowza!).  I definitely had several volumes of the ever-so-poignant Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul books.  Sometimes (okay, perhaps most of the time) the stories were a bit cheesy and contrived, but sometimes they were very applicable and inspirational.  I found one such uplifting excerpt from the book Bittersweet that my darling friend, Tati, put on her always entertaining blog a couple months ago. Several of its points hit very close to home for me, and definitely encourage  and challenge me. Perhaps it will do the same for you. :-)

THIS IS THE THING: WHEN YOU START TO HIT TWENTY-EIGHT OR THIRTY, EVERYTHING STARTS TO DIVIDE, AND YOU CAN SEE VERY CLEARLY TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE: ON ONE SIDE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THEIR TWENTIES TO LEARN AND GROW, TO FIND GOD AND THEMSELVES AND THEIR DEEP DREAMS, PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T, WHO HAVE PUSHED THROUGH TO BECOME REAL LIVE ADULTS.

AND THEN THERE’S THE OTHER KIND, WHO ARE HANGING ON TO COLLEGE, OR HIGH SCHOOL EVEN, WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT. THEY’VE STAYED IN JOBS THEY HATE BECAUSE THEY’RE TOO SCARED TO GET ANOTHER ONE. THEY’VE STAYED WITH MEN OR WOMEN WHO ARE GOOD BUT NOT GREAT BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO BE LONELY. THEY MEAN TO FIND A CHURCH, THEY MEAN TO DEVELOP HONEST, INTIMATE FRIENDSHIPS, THEY MEAN TO STOP DRINKING LIKE LIFE IS ONE BIG FRAT PARTY. BUT THEY DON’T DO THOSE THINGS, SO THEY LIVE IN KIND OF AN EXTENDED ADOLESCENCE, NO CLOSER TO ADULTHOOD THAN THEY WERE WHEN THEY GRADUATED COLLEGE.

DON’T BE LIKE THAT. DON’T GET STUCK. MOVE, TRAVEL, TAKE A CLASS, TAKE A RISK. WALK AWAY, TRY SOMETHING NEW. THERE IS A SEASON FOR WILDNESS AND A SEASON FOR SETTLEDNESS, AND THIS IS NEITHER. THIS SEASON IS ABOUT BECOMING. DON’T LOSE YOURSELF AT HAPPY HOUR, BUT DON’T LOSE YOURSELF ON THE CORPORATE LADDER EITHER.

- SHAUNA NIEQUIST IN “BITTERSWEET”

xoxo, 

at 

A Very Happy Easter Indeed

While my Easter (unfortunately) didn't include Bloody Marys and a Lamb Cake like Mary's did, it did include church, yoga and gourmet Mexican food, which made for a very happy Easter indeed. :-)

The holiday weekend started earlier than usual as my wonderful place of employment let us off for a half-day on Thursday and the whole day on Friday.  It. Was. Glorious.  There are few things I love more than 3-day weekends.  My normal weekends are usually so packed that I never get a day to actually just REST and catch up on life.  Three day weekends provide that muuuuch needed day of rest.  I honestly think that we should have a 4-day work week and a 3-day weekend all the time.  I feel like studies have been done to prove that this schedule creates a much more happy, healthy and productive work environment.  One day I just might compile all that info and present a proposal of this amazing idea to my bosses.  (I'm only mildly joking about this).  I digress...

Easter Sunday was was a wonderful day spent with wonderful friends.  I began the day at my beloved church (Pacific Crossroads) where we celebrated the true meaning of this glorious day:

After a festive post-service party/reception and lunch, Ellen and I went back to her place to take an afternoon siesta. Feeling refreshed from this little power nap, I took her to one of my favorite things: Erika's power yoga class at The Sports Club LA. This class is just incredible. It's an hour and half long and an insanely good work out.  As we are sweating our booties off, she plays the best music (NOT your average "yoga" music. Her playlists often include a random mix of The Beatles, Jay Z, Death Cab, Florence + the Machine, etc.) I often go through a full range of emotion/motivation levels in this class: I start off feeling strong and by minute 45 or so, I feel like I am about to die and can't possibly finish; then there's another upswing, and by the end I feel like I just had a full body massage and can't wait for next week. Needless to say, it was a wonderful addition to my Easter afternoon.

Later that evening, I enjoyed an abnormally delicious dinner at a super swanky/sexy/cool new Mexican restaurant on Melrose called Red O with some of my dearest friends: Garrett, Bradley, Matt and Ellen. Ellen is quite the foodie, so she had been eyeing this new venture by Rick Bayless (who, according to my quick glance at his bio, is originally from Oklahoma!) for a while. Everything was delicious, but the Quesos Fundidos appetizer and the Veracruz-style Buelos (with salted caramel ice cream and warm Kahlua chocolate sauce) dessert were to-die-for must try items. Probably the fanciest (and most delectable) Easter dinner I've ever had. :-)

The flash next to Matt's head is Bradley who kindly offered to take my 8:11 pic that evening. (it kind of looks like Tinkerbell in that old weird version of Peter Pan... anyone remember that one?  Just me?  Okay.)

Overall, it was a great day. Happy happy spring. :-)

xoxo, 

at

Meet City Bird

I have some really talented friends and my dear friend Jinah is towards the top of that list.  She not only is the founder and former owner of my beloved Bricks and Scones, she also started a wonderful acoustic/folk rock/indie band with two friends (whom she met at Bricks and Scones, I might add).  Even if she wasn't my close friend, I would absolutely love this band. And I think you will too.

I present to you, City Bird...

If you are in the LA area and like good music, you should come see these lovely people play a show at Key Club this Thursday (4/21) at 9:00 pm.   It is 18+, $10, and you'll get to enjoy really great songs like this: 

City Bird - The Tide from City Bird on Vimeo.

(If you go to the show, you'll also get a free sampler cd with songs from their upcoming album... heyoo!)

And for all you darlings who AREN'T in LA, fret not.  I've already talked to Jinah about getting some copies of their sure-to-be-amazing debut album to giveaway on the blog, because I <3  you. 

Have a very happy Tuesday, dears. 

xoxo, 

at

Win Win is Win Win

The first movie of 2011 that I can wholeheartedly give two thumbs up and say "GO SEE IT!" is this pleasant little surprise: 

I enjoyed a matinee of this at my favorite vintage 3-screen theater around the corner from my apartment last weekend.  I went in with absolutely no expectations and left amazed at how much I LOVED this movie that most people I've mentioned it to do not even know exists. 

Win Win is about a struggling attorney, Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti), who volunteers as a high school wrestling coach.  He stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Naturally, as things are going well, the boy's mother shows up from rehab, which threatens to mess up everything. In the midst of heavier themes like abandonment and integrity, this movie is really funny.  I "lol-ed" many times.  The characters are rich and likeable (most of them) and the performances are impressive.  I 100% recommend this one.  

(And if my strong recommendation and the trailer weren't enough to make this your movie choice for the weekend, it is currently the HIGHEST RATED movie in theaters according to Rotten Tomatoes with 94%.  Niiiice.)

Let me know your thoughts after you watch it. :-)

xox, 

at

Weird LA Moments

I remember the first "famous" person I saw in LA.  It was the summer of my internships and I passed the hot guy from "Mean Girls" as I drove to the Grove.  He's not even significant enough for me to know his name (or for me look it up on imdb right now), but I was thrilled by this sighting.  Almost three years and countless celeb sightings later, the novelty of this has definitely worn off.  I don't mean to sound jaded; celebrity sightings are just very common out here.  It's strange if I go a week or two WITHOUT seeing someone famous.  There are a few people who have made me truly star struck (Meryl Streep and Taylor Kitsch... swoooon!); others just aren't very noteworthy; and others are just weird "LA moments" that make me laugh to myself.  

I had one of these weird LA moments recently as I was meeting a friend at my favorite coffee shop, Bricks and Scones, in quaint Larchmont Village.  Parking was particularly sparse that night, so I had to park far down the street. My friend was running a tad late, so I sat in my car and caught up with my darling Kayla on the phone.  There were two men chatting at a table in front of the Starbucks where I was I parked, which must have been closing because shortly thereafter, a barista came outside and asked them to move.  They then relocated and continued their conversation directly in front of my car.  I thought nothing of this at all, but as I got out to walk to Bricks and Scones, I heard a familiar voice... sure enough, this is who I saw standing before me: 

George Costanza from Seinfeld
(aka Jason Alexander)

My dad (whom I affectionally call "PJ" which is short for "Papa John") LOOOVES Seinfeld.  He literally watches this show every single day when he gets home from work, I think. He's probably seen every single episode of the 8-year series numerous times. As such, the funny and neurotic character of George Costanza was a regular fixture of my youth.  Something about seeing him the other night was just so funny and weird to me. One of those moments that made me chuckle to myself and say, "...only in LA..." ha.

The only that would have made this funny sighting even funnier and better is if PJ would have been there to experience it with me.(But let's be honest, I think he's rather content experiencing George Costanza from his comfy couch instead). ;-)

-at

More Fancy Philanthropic Fun

I've said it before, and I'll say it again (and again). I love going to fun events. I recently went to the "High Rollers for Hope" charity event benefiting Comfort the Children (CTC) International, and I must say, I think it was one of the BEST charity events I've ever attended!  My dear friend Lorrin volunteers for this very worthy organization that works to address problems and create sustainable change in Kenya by focusing on 5 holistic areas: education, environment, economy, health, and community.

All aspects of this casino-themed night just worked together and made this greater-than-the-average-charity-event:

• The location was interesting and perfectly sized.
• There was a great crowd while not being too crowded.
• The food (delicious sushi) and drinks (wine, beer, and lots of hot sake) were divine.
• The entertainment (casino games and 500 chips to play with!) was engaging and fun.
• There was a great presentation of the organization and its purpose--enough to be well-informed but not shoving it down our throats. 
• The celebrity host, Aaron Paul (of "Breaking Bad"), was actually there and involved (unlike other events I've attend recently when "hosts" aren't even in attendance). 
• I had a hot date (my dear friend Kate). ;-)

Here are some photos snapped by the photog at the event.

Host Aaron Paul & CTC Founder & Executive Director Zane Wilemon

Jimmy Kimmel and other guests chatting with Zane.

Live auction with a legit (read: hilarious) auctioneer.

Silent auction with lots of legit (read: out of my price range) items.

Cheers to a poker tournament (which I did not partake in.)

Blackjack! (Kate and I got a thorough tutorial on this casino classic.  Not sure if I'm ready for Vegas just yet... but I'm feeling more knowledgeable, for sure). 

 

  It tasted as good as it looked. Yummm

Aaron Paul introducing Zane Wilemon to give his (great) schpill (sp?) about CTC. 

I was obviously thoroughly enjoying myself. ;-) 

Kate and I making new buddies. 

As you can see, it was a lovely event.  Not only did I have a blast, but I also really enjoyed learning about and donating to this very admirable organization.  If you'd like to learn more yourself, go here. :-) 

Currently listening to: The Sounds, "Something To Die For"

Why: The real reason that I'm listening to the newest album from the awesome Swedish dance rock band (who I have boldly proclaimed to be my second favorite band and who Mary and I saw during her recent visit)?  I'm trying to make myself like it. :-/  But I sadly must admit, it is disappointing me.  There are a few good songs ("Yeah Yeah Yeah" and "The No No Song"), but I definitely like it less than their second album ("Dying To Say This To You") which I like less than their first album ("Living In America").  I fell in love with their first album when I saw them in concert in 2003, and 8 years later I can STILL listen to it all the way through and love every song. That is very much not the case with this new business.  That said, they're still a great band and Maja, the lead singer, is the hottest badass rocker girl in the world.  I highly recommend them as a band, but download songs from their first album for a good intro.  My favorites: "Like a Lady", "Seven Days a Week", "Dance With Me"and "Living In America." :-)

Philanthropically yours, 

at

Best Friends Reunited: The Photos

As you know, Mary came to visit last week. We had a gloriously good time... maybe her best visit to LA yet! Here are some highlights from our much-anticipated reunion. (Captions by Mary, like in our last reunion post). :-)

Day 1: Those other life-changing three little words: bottomless. mimosa. brunch.

Two hours later, the pictorial exemplification of aforementioned bottomless mimosa brunch... pictures with a curly-haired dog belonging to strangers. 

After a (hazy) post-brunch watch party of the greatest television show of our time, The O.C. Season 1, Annie and Garrett took me to my very first Academy screening! The thing I remember most is that the audience stayed in their seats until the end of the credits and then applauded. The thing I remember least is the film. 

Dinner at a little diner called 'Swingers.' Copious amounts of fried food? check. Slightly rosy complexions indicating the beginning stages of a hangover? check. Annie wearing a shocking combination of black tights and a Pepperdine shirt? (Thank heavens my black trench coat came to the rescue) check.

(Note from Annie: my inappropriate-for-public outfit choice can fully be blamed on the bottomless mimosas. Trust me, I disapprove myself...thank heavens for Mary's trench coat indeed.)

Day 2: Absolutely glorious dinner on the patio at 'The Alcove.' Pink and orange California sunset coupled with twinkle lights and my bestie... lovely moment.

View of the city from The Griffith Observatory, conveniently located near Annie's apartment. That view really is magical, you can see straight down Western Ave, a very post-modern perspective.

Us with the city in the background. The evening was a little chilly, but I would take it over NYC in March any day. In fact, I even started to LIKE Los Angeles a little bit during this trip...

Day 3: The day we hiked a mountain. Literally, I took this picture two hilltops over from the Hollywood sign. The view was breathtaking and the exercise exhilarating, but why people would go jogging on a fault line everyday is beyond me. 

Lunch at Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills, owned by my favorite Real Housewife ever, Lisa Vanderpump and her husband Ken Todd, Annie's Sports Club LA buddy. (Apparently, he wears purple sweatpants to workout everyday, but it is still uncertain to us whether they are the same pair). Though lunch was delicious and the ambience fabulous, we were disappointed that we didn't get to see Lisa's mini-Pomeranian with Alopecia, Giggy. 

Visit to the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills to see Ed Ruscha's "Psycho Spaghetti Westerns" show. This was particularly exciting for me, because I'm currently doing research for the artist's catalogue raisonne. I think Annie takes these shots from behind for entertainment when I go off on art-related methodological tangents. 

Annie and I at The Sounds concert. We have been fans ever since Annie saw them open for The Strokes in 2002. It was so amazing to see them perform yet again! 

Maja from The Sounds. In the words of ZZ Top: She's got legs. And she knows how to use them. 

Hope you enjoy these pictures half as much as I enjoyed captioning them. (Oh, and experiencing them...)

Over and out,

Annie and Mary

8:11-March Highlights

Wow... I literally cannot believe it's April already.  Where does the time go!? As it is the dawn of a new month, it's time for my 8:11 highlights from March!  This proved to be an especially fun month, because I have several favorite shots of my 8:11 activities this time around. Here they are (and again, please excuse the poor photo quality that my blackberry provides...blurgh):

 

8:11- bachelor finale party!! Whoo! tons of girlfriends, party food and champagne! :-) go EMILY!!

8:11-fun date night-"midnight bowling" w/ the boy (and many high schoolers). Loser buys ice cream. ;-)

 

8:11-mini Guinness chocolate puddings made by the talented and lovely Kara Lee. happy st pattys day eve.

 

8:11-meeting the parents... Dun dun dunnn. ;-)

 

8:11-ice cream social at a homeless shelter with my darling community group. Feeling blessed.

8:11-booty kicking at boxing class with Katie. Boooyah.

8:11-watching the incredibly talented Jinah and her band 

City Bird at the viper room. Holla! :-)

8:11-drinks at el coyote w/ my darlings from The Academy. Love them and love margs. Happy friday :-)

8:11-margs followed by a glorious massage. Pretty nice thursday evening. :-)

8:11--waking up from a 'disco nap' in an attempt to rejuvenate before The Sounds 

concert. time to daaance. :-)

Currently listening to: Adele, "21"

Why: This soulful  British songstress' second album is gooood. Her strong sultry vocals will make you say, "Damnnn... I wish I could sing like that."  Her lyrics on certain songs (like "Rumour Has It" and "If It Hadn't Been For Love") will have you tapping your feet and feelin' sassy, while other songs with deeply personal lyrics (like "Someone Like You" and "Don't You Remember") will cut to the core of you and surely evoke an emotional response, just like a great album should.  I give this one two thumbs way up. :-)

Cheers to a fun April, 

at

Seth Cohen and Sunny Beaches: Good for the Soul

Mary and I did many wonderfully fun things while she was in town. (A post on that is coming soon). One of my favorite activities was spending some quality time with some of our old friends: Marissa, Seth, Summer, and Ryan.  That's right, after a glorious brunch with bottomless mimosas flowing, we invited our dear friend Garrett over to enjoy what may be considered the best lazy Sunday activity ever: a marathon of The O.C. Season 1. 

I had forgotten how great this show is!  It only took a few minutes into episode 1 for my giddy schoolgirl crush on Seth Cohen (Adamy Brody) to come rushing back. His hilariously quick one-liners are amazing.  I think he can decidedly go down as my biggest TV crush of all time.  Truly.    

In addition to an abnormally strong attraction to a fictional quirky Jewish boy, re-watching this former favorite show made me SO excited for summer.  In practically every other scene, Marissa and Summer are lounging on the beach with perfect sun-kissed skin and beachy hair, and I absolutely cannot wait to do the same.  I fully intend on spending copious amounts of quality time at the beach this summer. (Then again, today it was 85 degrees in LA, so maybe I won't have to wait...)  :-)

I still have several discs left to watch... who wants to join me in this hilarious, overly dramatic, witty blast from the past (and/or go to the beach with me)??

Currently listening to: Jeff Buckley, "Hallelujah"

Why: a.) It's an incredibly gorgeous song and b.) I was CERTAIN that this song played during the poignant scene when *spoiler alert* Ryan is carrying overdosed unconscious Marissa out of the alley in Tijuana.  Was anyone else under this impression?! I was very confused and sorely mistaken when I heard "Into Dust" by Mazzy Star instead (which is a lovely song as well, I must say). This incorrect assumption made me want to listen to this beautiful 7 minute song, and while there are many great covers of it, Buckley's is the best (in my humble opinion).  Now I just can't wait to actually see where it REALLY is on the show...ha.

xoxo, 

at