Before & After

At least she listened to her mom when she told her to pull them up! That's a start!

CONGRATULATIONS my friend.

You were beautiful... he was handsome. The setting was perfect and the smoke clouds had cleared. Friends and family laughed and cried (in that good we're-so-happy-for-you kinda way) and the drinks were flowing. The speeches were amazing (you're dad's made everyone cry) and there was no doubt in anyone's mind why we were there that night. I wish you both much happiness and laughter.

Malibu

Ugh.

Not even God could protect against the fires!

It's October in California and that usually means Santa Ana winds and really bad fires. Although it is my favorite month of the year, every October brings some new weather related tragedy to our area. From Santa Barbara to San Diego, Southern Cali is burning. The air is filled with smoke and my usual view of the coastline on my walk is now covered with dark clouds of ash. The Santa Ana's mean hot weather on the coast as well, so Malibu is dealing with 3 horrible scenarios. Really dry ground from lack of rain, hot temperatures and the Santa Ana's creeping over the hills and fueling the fires. Not even the wealthy are protected. Yes, even the Uber Stars that live in the area are being evacuated. For now, I watch intently from a distance and hope for the best. To loose everything in a fire is devastating. So far only 1 death and I am sure we all hope there are no more. Since Malibu is off limits, I am checking with Daily News for updates and wishing the area Fire Departments the best of luck. What we all wouldn't do for a good rain storm right about now.

It's almost Halloween...

...and I was feeling festive, so I gave some blood! I think maybe I had "Dexter" on the brain, but anyway. On my walk to the Main Library in SM, I passed by the Sears and noticed a sign directing people to a Blood Drive. I got about 2 feet passed the sign and turned around and went back. Never mind that I was 3 miles from home, on foot, and had forgotten to eat this morning. Some part of me desperately wanted to do a good deed. I filled out the forms, got the name on my donor card changed to my new last name and got comfy. Easy as pie and I got juice and cheezit's and cookies too. 15 minutes of draining and 15 minutes of eating and I was back on my journey to the library. Being light-headed is kinda fun, but after about an hour of looking at books, my body decided I should head home for more juice and a nap... oh yeah, and some more substantial food. Passed a Jamba Juice and refueled there and then booked it home. Only took 50 minutes and here I sit comfortably on our massive couch with my egg and my juice. Nap time.

My Husband's Project

I must be desperate for a creative outlet because when Jess asked me to spruce up our hamper, I jumped at the opportunity. It seems that due to the position of our hamper in the closet, it is quite difficult to discern which is the dark side and which is the white side. Jess wanted a way to tell the difference. I got creative.

For those friends of mine who I am helping with projects of their own, I hope that this little blog might help you better understand why I find helping you not the LEAST bit of an inconvenience or a burden.

It's My Birthday!!!

I just wanted to say that.

It's Fall At The Beach

It was the first time in a long while that my morning walk was brisk and cool. There is a nice fall breeze in the air and that means that you can see all the way to Malibu. It was my perfect kind of morning. It's October for one (the best month in the year) and the usual beach tourists have gone. As I listened to my IPod and kept up my brisk pace, I saw the things that made me fall in love with Venice 10 years ago when I moved here. The air is clear, the neighbors are out and the crowds are gone. I saw locals walking their dogs, getting their morning coffee, and riding their bikes with their surf boards attached to them. I saw neighbors greeting neighbors, businesses getting ready for the day, and old couples waking hand in hand on their own morning walk. It was peaceful. It made me smile. It made me wish my husband was walking with me instead of stuck at work. It made me realize how much I will miss Venice when the day comes that we have to move. I have now lived in Venice Beach longer than I have lived anywhere else in the world. Venice is my home and despite all of it's flaws, it is mornings like this that make me appreciate the decision I made so long ago to come here. Happy 10 year Anniversary to me.