Buildings were beautiful! Even the crosswalks were awesome!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Chinatown
Went into LA's Chinatown tonight for a magazine party. It was pretty low key, just a lot of people meandering through artsy galleries and shops in one area called Chung King Court.
Buildings were beautiful! Even the crosswalks were awesome!
Buildings were beautiful! Even the crosswalks were awesome!
Twos
I was just reflecting today on how things have been happening in twos (but then physically writing "twos" just now feels so weird i may have to change how i write this!)
Anyway...
For example -
I got here to LA and had dinner with someone, first it was going to be at a restaurant, then it switched to a bar. So i went to the bar and had dinner. Then a week or so later, i had lunch with someone else. We were supposed to go to a restaurant, but then when we met there, we found it was being demolished. Right next door was the bar where i had eaten dinner before, so we went there, without me having said anything about being there last week. Ok, the same street, same bar out of ALL the bars in LA?!
I had another dinner one night last week at someone elses house. This week, when i went to look at my new space to rent, and i got the text with the address, my jaw dropped. Just so happens that my new room i'm renting is two doors down from the house i had dinner at last week. So i am going to be living next to my friend i had dinner with!
Then I met someone who wanted to go for a swim after work, they said to meet at Ocean Park. The only reason i knew exactly where that was, was because when i first got here and was exploring, i happened to drive all the way down Ocean Park Blvd to the ocean for no reason whatsoever, where there's a beach park. I parked and walked across the beach to check out the Pacific, for no particular reason whatsoever again. I didn't really think much about it but the person i went swimming with was pretty impressed i knew exactly where Ocean Park was without even asking! Ok, so the same beach park out of all the beach spots/lots/parks in Santa Monica and Venice??!
A little weird?? Things happen like this to me all the time...
One time i decided to donate $40 for my yoga class, just because i was so appreciative of what it was doing for me. The suggested donation is only $15. Later that day, someone bought some of my scrap fabric i had, they had been looking for fabric like it for years. We randomly came up with $40 for the two pieces. I reflected a few hours later on how i had just donated the $40, and then just got it back!!!
The wealth of gratitude and giving...
Anyway...
For example -
I got here to LA and had dinner with someone, first it was going to be at a restaurant, then it switched to a bar. So i went to the bar and had dinner. Then a week or so later, i had lunch with someone else. We were supposed to go to a restaurant, but then when we met there, we found it was being demolished. Right next door was the bar where i had eaten dinner before, so we went there, without me having said anything about being there last week. Ok, the same street, same bar out of ALL the bars in LA?!
I had another dinner one night last week at someone elses house. This week, when i went to look at my new space to rent, and i got the text with the address, my jaw dropped. Just so happens that my new room i'm renting is two doors down from the house i had dinner at last week. So i am going to be living next to my friend i had dinner with!
Then I met someone who wanted to go for a swim after work, they said to meet at Ocean Park. The only reason i knew exactly where that was, was because when i first got here and was exploring, i happened to drive all the way down Ocean Park Blvd to the ocean for no reason whatsoever, where there's a beach park. I parked and walked across the beach to check out the Pacific, for no particular reason whatsoever again. I didn't really think much about it but the person i went swimming with was pretty impressed i knew exactly where Ocean Park was without even asking! Ok, so the same beach park out of all the beach spots/lots/parks in Santa Monica and Venice??!
A little weird?? Things happen like this to me all the time...
One time i decided to donate $40 for my yoga class, just because i was so appreciative of what it was doing for me. The suggested donation is only $15. Later that day, someone bought some of my scrap fabric i had, they had been looking for fabric like it for years. We randomly came up with $40 for the two pieces. I reflected a few hours later on how i had just donated the $40, and then just got it back!!!
The wealth of gratitude and giving...
SM
Saw the cutest little house yesterday driving around the back streets of Santa Monica. Actually, it's almost what i would think of as the perfect house...the one i always imagined having at some point in my life. This point right now i feel like i'm going backwards (!), like worse than where i was at 18 but i know...things will be moving on and up soon :-))
Anyway...
And all the beautiful plants and shrubs and trees people have in their yards! The woman who owns the home these flowers were in front of was driving out of the driveway while i was taking the picture. I told her how much i loved these, she said she was grateful they were there for strangers to enjoy :-)
Anyway...
And all the beautiful plants and shrubs and trees people have in their yards! The woman who owns the home these flowers were in front of was driving out of the driveway while i was taking the picture. I told her how much i loved these, she said she was grateful they were there for strangers to enjoy :-)
Friday, June 28, 2013
Del Mar
I spent an afternoon/evening in Del Mar with friends a couple days ago. Del Mar is beautiful! Such a small, sweet beach town. I loved it. Amtrak runs through the town, right along the Pacific, adds such a unique feel.
Well...
Well, i guess this was bound to happen. So many ups and downs within minutes of each other, literally. I suppose that's life in general for anyone. Was homeless again as of yesterday and feeling like this when i walked by this place. I can laugh at this now but it wasn't really funny at the time. As if i needed another reminder...
It could be worse, i could be resorting to alcohol and drugs i suppose, which i can see would be easy to do. Instead i find myself writing, doing yoga and depending on friends and family for moral support :-))
Today there is hope of yet another place, this time closer to the beach, better location. Would be a tiny room sharing with a girl my age who builds and sells furniture on Etsy. Excited to get a beach bike and ride through Venice and Santa Monica to shops, cafes and beaches.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Venice Canals
Well, instead of going Downtown to meander yesterday, i ended up crossing all the Venice canals, which i just fell in LOVE with! Each home is so different, all huddled next to each other with little succulent gardens and all kinds of trees, grasses and flowers. I was just in heaven.
(I have to figure out how to get these images the same size on blogger, driving me crazy!)
(I have to figure out how to get these images the same size on blogger, driving me crazy!)
Encinitas
I stayed the night in the San Diego hostel last night, partly because i have no where else to stay yet (my place isn't ready till sometime later this week), partly because i have friends in town there and partly because i can't stay at the Santa Monica one anymore, i'm only allowed 14 days in a calendar year, of which i've fulfilled.
So i went to yoga and had dinner in Santa Monica last night and then drove late down to SD. It was a fun drive, fast and easy on the freeway. I have always loved driving and taking road trips. Something about the dark silence, mixed with blasting and singing radio songs that makes you just feel different! It had been a while.
This morning i got up and realized i had no shampoo or conditioner or soap so i used the soap in the hostel as all three, ew but you do what you have to do :-)
I headed up toward Encinitas where i was meeting a friend later. I again had no idea really where i was going but decided to to take the Rancho Santa Fe exit toward downtown Encinitas. Where the road dead ended at the ocean, right in front of me was the Paramahansa Yogananda Self-Realization Fellowship. I couldn't believe it! It's an amazing building with meditation gardens that i had been to randomly years ago with Mom and my good friend Erin. In fact when i first went, i had no idea really what it was. And here i was, at a dead end with that exact same building right in front of me. Such an awesome sign!
So i went to yoga and had dinner in Santa Monica last night and then drove late down to SD. It was a fun drive, fast and easy on the freeway. I have always loved driving and taking road trips. Something about the dark silence, mixed with blasting and singing radio songs that makes you just feel different! It had been a while.
This morning i got up and realized i had no shampoo or conditioner or soap so i used the soap in the hostel as all three, ew but you do what you have to do :-)
I headed up toward Encinitas where i was meeting a friend later. I again had no idea really where i was going but decided to to take the Rancho Santa Fe exit toward downtown Encinitas. Where the road dead ended at the ocean, right in front of me was the Paramahansa Yogananda Self-Realization Fellowship. I couldn't believe it! It's an amazing building with meditation gardens that i had been to randomly years ago with Mom and my good friend Erin. In fact when i first went, i had no idea really what it was. And here i was, at a dead end with that exact same building right in front of me. Such an awesome sign!
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Jade
Today was like a day of rest! The couple i share an apartment with invited me to walk the CycLAvia event today, where the city of Los Angeles blocks off a chunk of Wilshire Blvd. through downtown just for bikers. The three of us just walked but there was a fun, festive feel to the streets, all kinds of people were out there!
I couldn't stop staring at all the amazing buildings in downtown LA, i want to go back tomorrow and take pics. Amazingly decadent Art Deco structures and details grace so much of the area, i think if i were to try and describe it all you wouldn't believe me. It's funny because i've decided my new colors here are going to be a jade/emerald green (hence the blog colors) mixed with a seafoam, mixed with navy/cobalt blue and a little black and white. But i noticed today, all the older buildings have this amazing Jade colored stone in them, some buildings are entirely green marble (or granite?)! More on all this later, can't wait to research :-)
This morning i tried Intelligentsia in Silver Lake, how adorable is it?! The guy who took my order was wearing the cutest tie, wish i got a pic. It takes forever to get one cup, they hand pour it into a beaker with a filter...
I couldn't stop staring at all the amazing buildings in downtown LA, i want to go back tomorrow and take pics. Amazingly decadent Art Deco structures and details grace so much of the area, i think if i were to try and describe it all you wouldn't believe me. It's funny because i've decided my new colors here are going to be a jade/emerald green (hence the blog colors) mixed with a seafoam, mixed with navy/cobalt blue and a little black and white. But i noticed today, all the older buildings have this amazing Jade colored stone in them, some buildings are entirely green marble (or granite?)! More on all this later, can't wait to research :-)
This morning i tried Intelligentsia in Silver Lake, how adorable is it?! The guy who took my order was wearing the cutest tie, wish i got a pic. It takes forever to get one cup, they hand pour it into a beaker with a filter...
Saturday, June 22, 2013
A Golden Day
Speaking of beautiful days, i got to spend time with some very special friends from Hawaii today. They recently moved to San Diego so we met 70/30 in both Hermosa and Manhattan Beach. Had a lovely little brunch at Gumtree and then mosied around a bit.
Grace had seen an antique store on her way in so we all decided to head toward it after lunch. We found it and were walking through when i saw a grouping of Little Golden Books. When i saw them i mentioned to Grace my grandfather used to illustrate some of the Golden Books back in the 50's and as i was saying that, i had one in my hand. I opened it up and sure enough, there on the first page it said "illustrated by Edwin Schmidt". It was Old Yeller, from 1957, cost 29 cents. So cool to see it! And that it was the first one i picked up! I bought it and have it here with me tonight as i'm writing this. It's funny too because Kara had just posted a picture of Evelyn and Edwin from the 50's on Instagram only a couple days ago. Maybe he's watching over me :-)
Grace had seen an antique store on her way in so we all decided to head toward it after lunch. We found it and were walking through when i saw a grouping of Little Golden Books. When i saw them i mentioned to Grace my grandfather used to illustrate some of the Golden Books back in the 50's and as i was saying that, i had one in my hand. I opened it up and sure enough, there on the first page it said "illustrated by Edwin Schmidt". It was Old Yeller, from 1957, cost 29 cents. So cool to see it! And that it was the first one i picked up! I bought it and have it here with me tonight as i'm writing this. It's funny too because Kara had just posted a picture of Evelyn and Edwin from the 50's on Instagram only a couple days ago. Maybe he's watching over me :-)
Purple-ish
I
love the buildings here, and all the colors. This morning i ventured
over to the Silver Lake farmers market. I had the most beautiful
blueberry poppyseed cake with a gorgeous purple-ish blue frosting. I
really only got it because the colors were so magnificent, kind of like the patch of flowers i saw above walking to the market. It was a morning of Purple and a beautiful day!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Seat of My Pants
I found a small place in Little Bangladesh to rent. Ok, you might first think i'm crazy and have no idea what i'm doing - country girl in the big city! But it's quite central and feels safe, just a little eclectic. I've read about this "mid-city" area, it's up and coming!
There are so many "things" here - farmers markets, corner shops, drugs stores with funky candies...lots of colors, languages, shapes and sizes, names and fonts. Almost anything you can think of, it's probably in LA!
I took a walk around the Hollywood Reservoir today. I didn't really know how to get there but had an idea. I was talking on the phone, half trying to see what google said about getting there, half trying to look at signs to see where i was. I totally found it by the seat of my pants :-) I tend to do that a lot. Do things with the thought that i'll just figure it out when i get there...
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