It’s my last morning post….!!! Just the rest of the day and I am done! Woohoo! And I confirmed that I have weird thumbs… :/
Xo,
(dreaming ’bout solids) mel
Tag Archives: L(ocal) A(musement)
“I’m gonna live till I die!”
Frank Sinatra said that. Ya know what else Frank said…? “Palm Springs is the best part about living in LA!” Okay, he didn’t really say that, I did, but Frank did love himself some Palm Springs pool loungin’ and mid day martini drinkin’! Durning a recent mini vaycay with my BF and another couple, we discovered just how amazing the desert outside LA can be. And the best part of staying in Palm Springs, is doing it at a discount. Thanks Living Social for our beautiful stay at the Belle Monte Hot Springs Resort and Spa where we did nothing but relax and stare at the gorgeous view from lounge chairs next to the pool while sipping our complimentary champagne. The next day got even better when we stayed at the Parker Palm Springs hotel, where we took full advantage of 2 pools, amazing freshly muddled mojitos, clay tennis courts and a complimentary yoga class! Check out our pretty pretty vaycay pics!
You know what these windmills mean…. We’re getting close…
The view from the Belle Monte Resort’s pool.
Oysters in the Desert!? Delicious! At Casa Blanca in Desert Hot Springs (known for their seafood… REALLY!)
Roasting marshmallows in the fire-pit at Belle Monte
YUMMMM
Dutch Baby is what this local Palm Springs restaurant is known for! So YUM
The gorgeous retro pool at The Parker
Loungin…
I WON!!! Spa Casino made our trip complete!
Don’t forget to hit up the outlet malls at Desert Hills Premium Outlets on your way back and blow all that money you won at the casino! I’ll leave you all with one last thing, “Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy” — Frank Sinatra
- margo
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Hollywood Forever Cemetery season is here!
I’ve waited all winter for the moment where my closest deceased ghouls and goblins and myself can rendezvous once again at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Tomorrow night one of my favorite bands, Explosions in the Sky, are performing, and you best believe I will be there spread out and ready to enjoy my first night of this fantastic season.
I love being able to grab a bunch of my closest friends, pack up a picnic basket with goodies, and head out to the cemetery for movies, concerts and many, many laughs. This season I am sure to be prepared and not get lost in all the hustle and bustle. So I have brought it upon myself to create a little checklist I plan on using throughout the summer.
Perfect sized picnic basket to store all your goodies in
Yummy dried fruit and nuts
A delicious spread of cheese and crackers
comfy beautiful pillows to spread out
A fun bright alternative to a red plaid blanket
and most importantly…….
Vino
Here is to a fantastic season at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Cheers! See ya there!
xo,
mel
Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)
Hung Over in Public= Beach Day
Thanks to LAQP’s Jess and Britt’s birth, today, I am hung over. I would categorize this hang over as a stage four hang over. And yes, there are various stages. For example a stage one hang over is one that cause said hang overee to be completely functional. They can go out in public with no embarrassment, they can enjoy delicious meals, heck, they can even have a mimosa or bloody mary the next morning. A stage 10 hang over is, well, what you imagine. You wake up in a pool of bodily fluids, sometimes not your own, can’t remember what you did last night, breathing makes you dry heave, and your head is being used as a Giant’s hammer, at least it feels that way. But today, I’m a four, I am am totally ok with that. I’m a bit achy and groggy, have an appetite, which is quickly gone once I turn to my buddy and she says “I feel like I’m going to puke”, ahh, stage four.
So I take my stage four ass out of bed and venture to Santa Monica for some “beach volleyball”. While looking for parking we stumble across the Santa Monica farmers market. Perfect, because we need food and we need food fast.
Just what a stage four needed, unfortunately Alisha was more of a stage six…but you would never have guessed!
And our “beach volleyball” day turned out to be just an eat and be merry kind of day. And THAT is a what I call a stage 10 fun kind of day
xo,
mel
Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)
Cheers! Now show me your mug…beer mug.
It was that time again, when a hundred of your closest friends put aside their differences and come together for one thing. BEER. Thats right. LA BEER FEST 2011.
Our friends and I opted for the evening festivities (5-8pm) rather than the afternoon time slot (1-4pm) at the Sony lot in Culver City, because well, to be honest, we can’t day drink like we used to. It’s no longer an act to be accomplished by rolling out of bed and cracking open a cold one. It takes thought and preparation, all of which we had none. Which is fine, because who doesn’t like stumbling onto a stranger friend and watching the sun go down… while realizing that “last call” was 10 minutes ago, so now, hauling ass to “that one tent that had that really good beer from that really cool looking tap” is much more important than the sunset that happens EVERYDAY… Yes, friends drinking together, a moment to be cherished.
mel
Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)
Unemployment Week 5?
Is it week five? Maybe it’s actually four. I guess the 2nd was my month anniversary. So…four?
This week on the unemployed front has not what you would say…good.
I’m going through a lot right now so that’s making it hard, plus I just went a week without any work. And those student loan people are not being very nice to me. I’m stuck owing them a lot of money.
Anyway, I was leaving the apartment today to go pick up a check from the last temp job I worked. I was going to walk and was bolting forward to the gate in the garage and for some reason something pulled me to just drive instead. So I walked around to the driver side of my car and the back driver side window is broke! It’s broke in a really weird way. I have no idea what they used to try and smash it. They did a poor job. They took my toolbag, which really makes me feel good because that’s what I use to work! YAY!!! Luckily my multi-tool and knife were in my room. But the whole bag of tools was gone and that was my life force.
The way it was broken allowed me to tape it up a little so that I can at least use that until I can afford to get it fixed. I don’t understand why they chose my car and I don’t understand why they broke into that side of the car. When that side is facing a half wall and a pillar is so close to it that you can hardly open the door to begin with. Let alone use whatever they used to try and bust the window. There’s no leverage room to swing something…unless they used a fist/foot to try it.
Now, I’ve had my car broken into before. Last time was in Chicago with my old car. They busted the same back window and stole a bag of Sun Chips and my stereo face plate. Somehow this time is even worse. My tools…MY TOOLS!!! And I had JUST moved those to the back seat, they were taking up shop on my passenger side for quite sometime. Also bothers me that whoever did this is using my tools to break into other people’s cars. Get a life. A small part of me thought it could be someone I know…but really who do I know that would do such a thing?
Where’s Oprah when you need her? I need her sympathy and her wealth to buy me a new set of tools and a new tool bag.
Check out the break…
Moral of the story? No matter where you are…don’t leave anything in your car.
– J
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A Motivating Blurb
I have been lacking in the blog writing department because of busy-ness but here’s a short blurb I wanted to post that made my heart melt!
I’m working as a Production Designer on a webisode series that starts shooting next weekend. The director/writer/and one of the actors is amazing and I wouldn’t have met him if it wasn’t for my boyfriend working on a feature with him last Fall.
Anyways, long story short, he sent out an e-mail today that was inviting everyone to a production meeting but wrote up a little spot about each person on the crew. He has such a big heart and is so loveable! Britt thought it’d be a good idea to post it up on here! So take a read, even small things like this make the dead-end jobs, few hours of sleep, and little social life worth it!
Jessica Greske – Production Designer – Jessica is another one that I’ve gotten to know in prep and she is a RAWK STAR! I mean, we went to Hollywood Toys and Costumes and bought guns together on Saturday. In some cultures, that’s a marriage ceremony. And she’s making me a break-a-away arm on a chair! That’s love, people. That’s love.
Love,
– J
Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)
2010 L.A. Marathon
As a participant of the 2010 L.A. Marathon I figured I’d have to post a recap. I’ll bring you up to speed with a little summary of the past year.
Last May, my roommate Christine and I ran a simple 5k for Heal the Bay. It was a few weeks before the 2009 L.A. Marathon. After finishing that we came up with the idea to run the 2010 L.A. Marathon. Even then it was a joke, we weren’t really going to do that.
September rolled around and we took it a bit more seriously. We started a 6 month training program. I look back now and think about the first long run I had. It was 8 miles. 8 miles now is nothing. Training for a marathon teaches you so many things and makes you so much stronger – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Enduring pain almost everyday but somehow you keep pushing through it because the pay off is something life changing.
Our training was going very well up until a few months ago. I developed a serious case of runner’s knee. So bad that on our second attempt of the 20 mile run, I was in tears with the amount of pain I was experiencing. But we were persistent. Easing back into our short runs and pumping pain medication, icing. Soon after Christine developed a minor case. We were 3 weeks out from race day.
A week before the race, we accomplished the 20 mile run. It was something that really made us believe we could do the whole 26.2. We rested our knees and only ran once the week leading up the race. Prayers were said over both of us.
Sunday Morning – 4:00am:
We wake up, hardly sleeping the night before due to being so anxious, nervous, and excited. Start making ourselves breakfast and listening to some tunes to pump us up.
5:30am:
Brittany and Andrew (my boyfriend) drop us off at Dodger Stadium. It’s still dark our and thousands of people are filing into the stadium. I wasn’t feeling nervous yet, but it didn’t feel like I was there either.
6:00am:
We join the porta potty lines.
7:00am:
The race is postponed 7 minutes. Why? Oh the shuttle buses bringing runners to the Stadium are stuck in traffic. How L.A.!
7:15am:
We join the masses at the porta potties again. Nervous pees. Final stretches.
7:30am:
We’re in the chute. The elite runners have taken off with police escorts. We stand in the pack. Literally packed in like sardines. Getting pumped up with the buzz and the amount of people there to participate.
7:47am:
The pack is released. But we still have minutes before we get to the starting line. It’s time. We’re getting ready to do this. Andy and Brittany are at the entrance to Dodger Stadium to see us come down the hill after the 1st mile.
The rest are just some pictures from along the course.
Up the first hill, we turn around and see this!
Warm-Up is finished, we’re well on our way!
These little ladies were so amazing! Such great dancers.
The almost mile uphill we battled between 3 and 4.
I think by the time we got here the Kenyans were already at the finish line!
HALFWAY! (Also ending the pictures I took)
We walked between miles 23-24. It was completely necessary. We ran 23 miles, walked one, ran 2.2. to the finish line!
With my parents after the finish!
Brittany with the finishers!!
The war wound!
The whole marathon experience – training until Race day – was absolutely amazing. I have learned so many things and feel so accomplished. The race itself feels very surreal and there are parts I don’t even remember. It truly was life changing and such an incredible experience. More so than saying I ran 26.2 miles, if you live in L.A. and think about how we ran from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier, it seems ridiculous and it is, but we did it! I was able to see the city in a whole different way. If there was ever an inkling in your brain to participate in a marathon, I would say to dedicate time and do it, you won’t be let down.
What’s next for this QueenPin? I’m going to take 1.5 to 2 weeks off from running to fully recover from the marathon and to really take care of my knee. It’s going to be hard but I need to do it. At the end of the break I will start to train for a 10k that’s for Heal The Bay in Santa Monica. We ran the 5k for the same cause last year and now are going to conquer the 10k. You would think we wouldn’t have to train for that, and maybe we don’t, but we’re smart runners and take care of our bodies.
Take care!
– J
Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)
RUNNIN’ RUNYON
Runyon Canyon. Ahhh…. what can I possibly say about Runyon Canyon? Other than it holds a very big place in my heart. Some people might say, “ughh runyon, that’s not a real hike” or “there are too many dogs there”. This is what I have to say to those people… a hike is only as good as YOU make it. And too many dogs?!? What are you heartless? The pooches of runyon canyon are some of the cutest and well-behaved dogs. Yes I will agree, sometimes I’m scared I’ll trip over the little chihuahua, but, its kinda funny to see their owner freak out.
Anyways, I LOVE RUNYON. Big fan. If I am not there everyday, I am there everyother day. I love running it, I love walking it, I love climbing it, yes, I even enjoy falling down it.
The thing about Runyon is that there are a variety of trails you can go on. So it really shouldn’t ever get boring. And how can you get bored running into to celebs? Helloooo they are FAB-U-LOUS! And I quote the cheesy tabloid mags “Celebs! They’re just like us, THEY HIKE!” So the trails, they range from intense, to moderate, to easy. Once you make it through the easy trail, congrats, you can tell your friends you went to runyon, give yourself a pat on the back. Heck, why not pose and take a picture to send back home. Once you make it up through the moderate trail, jump up and down, shout from the roof top, you made it past the STAIRS!!!
So you have made it through the easy, up the moderate and you are feeling brave. Your thighs aren’t as sore today as they were yesterday from the stairs, so you think, why not do the “intense” trail. So you begin your hike upwards, and upwards, and upwards. You begin to slide around a bit, there is a lot of loose dirt, sand, gravel and rocks. Your breathing gets heavier. You begin to think out loud, the sun feels a lot stronger up here than down there. You’ve made it, wait, no, that was only part one, you look up and realize that over there in the distance is the YOU’VE MADE IT mark, not where you are standing. So, what do you do, go back down? Remember how hard it was going up? Well the harder it is to go up, the easier it is to go down…fall, roll, slide. No. You decide to finish it, you are no loser. So continue the hike. But enjoy it, look around take some pics. 
Wow, what a view huh? Over looking all of LA, breathtaking.
You are so close to the top, keep going…. YOU HAVE MADE IT! WOO HOOOO congrats! I’m not going to post a picture of the top of runyon, that is a image you will have to capture yourself once you…. CONQUER RUNYON.
OH! One more thing…
Happy Trails!
xoxo,
mel
Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)
At Least They Are Giving Us Plenty of Warning…
on
because of the
Only in LA… *Sigh*…
LUV,
Britt
Filed under L(ocal) A(musement)
