Becca and I headed to the Institute of Domestic Technology this weekend to roast our own coffee. It was held at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena. Some photos of the non-coffee portions (8/25/2012)
Poppyseed, trying to eat my bag + camera.
apple, the unicorn.
Paso Robles, 5/27-28, 2012
Fancy dinner. Fancy wine. Laughing friends. A town green, a beautiful town, beautiful country. Photo shoots in the middle of the road. In the middle of nowhere. Coffee in three shades, wine in endless combinations. Tasting room at the top of the world. Olive oil to die for. Dogs, veterans, and “I don’t charge for tastings…how can you charge someone to taste something they’ll never had?” Turkey vultures, orioles, mockingbirds, wrens. Egrets. Checking the map, checking the guide, tours. Heart Castle, two pools, and more laughing. History before your eyes, both man made and natural. No zebra spotting, but oh, how we tried. Mistresses and celebrities, and stairs, and Andy, leading us through the kitchen. And oh, that kitchen. Industrial everything, and someday I want. Snacks in the car, the ocean, the sunshine, wheat in fields, orange birds, the best sandwiches ever, and more wine. Best friends, memories that’ll always be there, omelettes and coffee, always more coffee.
Thanks to Jeff for the photos…more here.
Remember back in October when everyone said “We just need to get through October then we’ll be less busy”? I sure do, and now we’re nearly in April and still moving at a crazy pace.
This weekend I spent the better part of Saturday working on preparation for a photo shoot I’m working on with some friends. It involves black fondant, and as a result all my cuticles and most of my palms are dyed purple for the duration.
Here’s a sneak at our location…pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!
Saturday night I celebrated with the lovely people from The Katniss Chronicles to congratulate them on a job well done! Then, I headed out to celebrate the birth of a lovely Ms. Caitlin!
This is a picture of Caitlin and I and our European cohorts circa 2006. Which, in case you’re counting, was 6 years ago. I’m pretty sure most of us look exactly the same.
Also, I’d like to point out that I spent every waking moment on Saturday with Becca, from 9 am until 1 am. And it was so, so fun.
On Sunday, I got up to go hiking with Liz, only to find us covered in blankets of rain. After a quick trip to the observatory at Griffith, we had the following conversation:
“You want to go to the zoo?” – Liz
“I mean…we could. Let’s do it.” – me
“Ok.” parks car. turns car off. chats for five minutes.
“I’m having second thoughts on the zoo.” – Liz
“Ok, let’s not go.” – me
“Ok, Autry museum?” – Liz
“I’m in.” -me
And we proceeded to head to the Autry museum, directly across the way from the zoo.
This is me, at the museum, pretending to be in a Western prison. Please note the ridiculous outfit, due to the fact that I thought we were going hiking.
A picture of the evidence lockers from back in the Old West.
A sample of the badges from Sheriffs across the west.
After the museum, we were hungry, and cold, and wet from the pouring rain. So we headed to Alcove to get lunch, and of course, giant coffees.
Then Liz drove me home through this river that was Los Angeles, and I headed home to video chat with Corelyn for a few hours.
This weekend was so full, but this week brings more fondant design, cooking, eating, Jeff’s brother visiting, a photo shoot, and on Sunday, we’re headed to Long Beach to paddleboard. I can’t wait for the adventures this week that’ll propel me through this Monday!
What adventures did you have this weekend?
I’m feeling love, today, friends.
And so, I shower the people I love. with love.
Mary: Happy Birthday, lady! Happy 25. Happy done with 365. Happy new job where you get paid to do what you love. Happy summer. Happy memorial day. Happy I’m glad you’re alive and we’re friends.
Ellen: I am so proud of you in your new venture. You’re a champion of the world, and I know that getting the opportunity to get paid to write is the start of something big!
Katie: Happy belated b-day, lady. And happy back to the US, been to London, and holy crap! writing mag release is inching closer every second! I miss you every second of every day.
Nikki: Happy almost wedding. I promise to be more organized from here on out ;). Happy race weekend, and happy maybe running in clouds not pouring rain? You are awesome.
Marissa: I was thinking about you last night and sending you love vibes. It was when I was thinking to myself, “Man, I have such successful friends.”
Corelyn: I miss your face. But I have big things planned for GMS. Does that abbreviation work, by the way? I don’t know if it does. Anyways, I am excited. Hug Meg and Mary for me. Twice.
SS: I saw pregnant in heels the other day. It made me want to be rich and pregnant and live in New York. You could be my fabulous (although not uber gay) best friend and we could stroll around bossing people around looking hot. Thoughts? I miss your face and wish, poor and not pregnant, we could hang out more.
Megan, where have you been all my life? Let’s hang out soon. Rebecca, I loved seeing you two nights in a row. Let’s rinse and repeat soon. Melissa, good luck today. Jen, hope you’re feeling so excited as you leave SO SOON for such an adventure! Caitlin, thanks for bringing brie to book club. You rock my socks. Suzanne, welcome to book club and I hope we don’t scare you. Liz, thanks for always understanding that I need you to go with me on my errands because I need a second opinion, always. Courtney, Memorial Day plans worked to our favor, yesssss. Barbra, Fanboy Comics has been stellar lately. You are working so hard, and I hope we can have a girls night soon to celebrate. Traci, Marc Broussard. You, me. So excited. Jessica, can’t wait to see your new place! Cricket, I think you should reconsider joining book club, because we seem to talk about you every book club anyways. I’ll even consider reading another Nora Roberts. C’mon…. Ana, I am excited that you’re not going away this weekend because I’m selfish. There, I said it.
Shower your people with love, guys! Happy Thursday!!
I said this to Corelyn last night as we RUSHED out of the door to Trader Joe’s and I said, “Remember that time that we went to TJ’s and forgot our list?”
“Yes, we talk about it nearly every time we go to TJS, obviously it was traumatic.”
“Well yes, and we were rushing for some reason….”
“WE’RE ALWAYS RUSHING.”
“Corelyn, all our friendship has been for the past 2 years is RUSHING. We just RUSH around all the live-long day.”
Last night was no exception. The plan was to do the following: paint chairs, make granola, exchange music (if we had time), maybe slap on a second coat of paint, outfit plan for the photo shoot on Sunday.
On the actual docket? Unexpected visit from Mary, which turned into outfit planning whilst waiting for dinner to arrive. This was a blessing (not in disguised, as Corelyn pointed out) because she had insight into what she really thought would look great. Also unexpected visit from Becca, who showed up because she was supposed to grab dinner with Mary. This turned into dinner with Mary and Becca, whilst hanging out with Melissa, who actually was supposed to come over.
This led us to a late start on our painting, which meant we painted the chairs in my garage in the dark, using a camping light and head lamps. Mary watched for a few minutes before turning to go inside and keep Becca company.
“How do they look?” Mary asked as we came in, about 30 minutes later.
“Well, you’re not going to like them. But we’ll put a second coat on them and they’ll look great,” was my honest response. After that, we sat around for a few minutes making plans for the granola we were about to make, waiting for the food. The Indian place we order from somehow was very late in getting us our food, so this led to us eating and finishing up around 9:15. Since our normal TJ’s closes at 9:00, we had to head to a different one.
As we were going to the car, after saying goodbye to Mary and Becca who were rejuvenated by delicious food and ready for another adventure, Melissa, Corelyn, and I were reminded a) how late it was b) that we had the list and c) all we do is rush.
We headed to TJ’s where we had a hilarious conversation with the check-out guy, “You know how there is always something in granola that you don’t like? This granola will have nothing you don’t like, because YOU made it.” He seemed intrigued. He gave us stickers. One has a chicken with chicks that are multicolored.
Then we went back to the house, when we realized it was 10:00. Perfect time to make granola and paint the second coat. We got everything ready for the oven to bake, then took the timer, the camping lamp, the headlamps, and headed back to the garage.
27 minutes later, we headed back inside, but not before Melissa came to say goodbye and tell us someone had left a hilarious note (which is going to be posted soon, I promise.) She headed home, and we headed inside to finish the granola.
As we washed our teal hands, we could smell the oats and maple syrup all deliciously roasted. We documented what we had already added, and then added a slew of other things while making sure to keep track of what we were adding. Pictures were taken, random splotches of paint were found on each other’s arms, and granola was finished. By the time Corelyn left it was nearly quarter to midnight. We hadn’t had a music exchange, we didn’t pack the kitchen, but other than that, we had accomplished a lot.
Tonight, book club. Tomorrow? Rinse and repeat Tuesday’s chaos with some donuts, muffins, and pancakes. Stay tuned.