Ernie's 1st Birthday

I have seriously been neglecting this blog. A lot of things have been going on lately, new job blah blah blah excuses excuses. I'm making a pack with myself from this day forward to never let this happen again. So I'll start with sharing some of the awesomeness thats been going on around here lately, most importantly, ERNIE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!! My little piggy is one. I can't believe it. We celebrated at our building's pool with a bbq and a gifts for the bday guy. His favorite gift was his life vest. He hates the water...but really liked just wearing it around. Haha

Willy Nilly Silly Old Bear

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Between being sick, working, writing for Global Animal Magazine, writing my cartoon, being sick again, and getting ready for school, I'm beat. I was doing some research for my cartoon (I'm in grad school for film and television writing) and I started looking at scripts from shows I loved most as a child. Winnie the Pooh was by far my favorite. I had no idea how much wisdom that silly old bear bestowed upon my 3-year-old self. I started to tear up. The words suddenly had more meaning then they did back then. The message and core values somehow streched past the hundred acre wood and into my heart again. We never stop struggling to become better people but somewhere along the way our meaning of better changes to something like more successful and remembering to be a good person gets thrown out in the pursuit. I think we'd all be better off if we thought a little less like adults and more like children every once in a while. So here are a few of my favorite lines. (for a man who created a bear of very little brain, A.A. Milne was a genius.)  


“How do you spell 'love'?" - Piglet
"You don't spell it...you feel it." - Pooh” 


“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.” 


“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” - Christopher Robin to Pooh


“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” 


“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” 


“We'll be Friends Forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet.
Even longer,' Pooh answered.” 


“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?” 


“Just because an animal is large, it doesn't mean he doesn't want kindness; however big Tigger seems to be, remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo.” 


“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” 


“What day is it?"
It's today," squeaked Piglet.
My favorite day," said Pooh.” 


“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” 


PS- watching Sleepless In Seattle tonight in honor of Nora Ephron. She will be missed...

(photo from pinterest)

Happy (belated) Fathers Day

(I prepared this post for yesterday but I had some technical difficulties with my internet so I'll post it today. )

Happy Fathers Day to all the proud papa's out there, especially mine. Luckily while my sisters and I were growing up my dad was able to work from home. This was the best. Even though it took him some time to master the perfect braid, the time we spent with him was well worth all the crooked ones. My youngest sister cried when she was told she had to start going to school because "she didn't want to leave Papi"(now she is a big nerd, go figure). I think a lot of people feel like their dads are significantly less involved in their lives than their moms, but with our dad that was hardly the case. When I was maybe 9 years old the pool my team and I trained at in the winter had no starting blocks. It was evident in races that my starts were starting to suck. My dad and my grandpa designed and build a portable starting block for the pool. He was on the board at our elementary school. He started coaching my sister's soccer team when she was maybe 5 years old. He coached them until her and her teammates all went and played soccer in college, and still coaches her semi-pro league team today (she is 19). He always found time to listen to our hopes and dreams and encouraged us to pursue them, no matter how outrageous they seemed. There aren't enough ways to talk about what an incredible father and mentor our dad has been for us and everyone around him. Most importantly, I think he has taught us to be passionate about everything we do and to not waste time doing things we don't love. Happy Father's Day Papi. We love you. 

“Some people care too much. I think it's called love.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

baring it all on your bike

While I was at a pub watching the Eurocup games this afternoon I heard people talking about a fun "event" downtown. My nosy eavesdropping self was dying to ask questions, "What event? What's going on? Something I don't know about?". Thankfully I was able to keep myself from butting in, and just googled what could possibly be going on. What I found was so funny to me I couldn't keep my   amusement to myself. It may have been the Guinness but I seriously could not stop giggling at what google images was showing me. Today the world naked bike ride rolled through LA. To each their own, but(t), how could that possibly be comfortable? I hope these people wore some SPF. Riders wore funny wigs, props, and body paint, click here for more pictures if you want to be amused. (Disclaimer: you may see some butt cracks)


PS- Interested in baring it all on your bike? Here are some tips for next years ride. Good luck!

my birthday in pictures

Today was my 23rd birthday!! Unfortunately I was at work for over 9 hours of it  but I still managed to have a fantastic day. A coworker bought me a red velvet cupcake from Sprinkles  and my parents sent me the most beautiful bouquet of white roses and lavender. My boyfriend and I went to Vincenti Ristorante for dinner and it was, as always, amazing. If you live in LA and haven't tried this place I highly recommend it. Above is a collage of the little things that made the day special. 

PS- I also got to celebrate my birthday with my mom and sister in vegas last week, so if you were feeling sorry for me having to work...don't. (pictures soon to come) :)

FUNNY FACE

"I love your funny face. Your sunny, funny face. Though you're a cutie with more than beauty. You've got a lot of personality for me. 

You fill the world with smiles. For miles and miles and miles. Though you're no Mona Lisa, for world's I'de not replace. You're sunny, funny face. " 

-Fred Astaire

BREAKING NEWS: SHARP-DRESSED PIG ON THE LOOSE

"Police say the pig appeared to be a baby and confirmed it was wearing a scarf. Police dont know why that is or who may own the animal."    -Associated Press

Sometimes it's the smallest/strangest things that end up making your day, and today...this stylish pig trotting down a Pittsburgh highway did it for me. Police chased the pig but failed to catch him before he scurried into the woods. Who is this stylish little porker...no one knows, but you can ask the sharp-dressed pig on his twitter. Which is hilarious. Here are a few of my favorite tweets: 

Sharp-dressed pig ‏@Sharpdressedpig

Just hoofin' it down the highway. Like you wouldn't want to get the hell out of Pittsburgh.

Sharp-dressed pig ‏@Sharpdressedpig

I'm running from the police. The irony is not lost on me.

Sharp-dressed pig ‏@Sharpdressedpig

I'm a little angry more people aren't taking photos of me. I dressed up for this outing! #proudpig

FORCED PERSPECTIVE

I love these forced perspective photos. View the rest here. That's all. 

(photos from instant shift dot com)

WATERING HOLES

If there is water somewhere, I want to be in it. My obsession with water started when I was a child spending endless hours at the neighborhood pool escaping the Florida heat, and evolved into over 15 years of competitive swimming and a very unhealthy obsession with awesome bathtubs (which you know if you follow me on pinterest). So I literally could not contain myself when I saw Conde Nast Traveler's article on Gorgeous Natural Swimming Pools Around The World. I want to go to each and every one...especially Iceland's Blue Lagoon (below). Take a look for yourself. 

SISTER

"You can kid the world, but not your sister." 

— Charlotte Gray

Last week my sister, Kaili, came to visit. We went shopping for girly things here. And left with a pink depression glass cake stand for our mom for Mother's Day.  

We got ice cream...a lot. In our defense we did do a really intense hike in Malibu too :/

We even found time in our busy schedule to do a little shopping for Bratalie (Natalie) our other sister...just geekin' Nat we didn't get you anything.Not even that pretty blouse ;)  Haha. 

I miss you already Kai, please come back soon.....Ernie misses you too. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I hope everyone had a fantastic mother's day! I got to spend mine with my sister picking out the perfect gift for my mom who she will see tomorrow when she flies home. I don't have enough time in the world to tell you how amazing my mom is. She works full time at a bad ass job and has never missed s single swim meet soccer game or been late in the pick up line. She is the most generous and loving person I know (along with my dad) and never complained about the consistent stream of friends and teammates we  brought into the house every day. She never freaked out about dirt tracked in the house from cleats, a soccer ball breaking a vase, or when we kept the fort in our room up for a week. More importantly she loves us unconditionally every day just makes everything better. The older I get the more and more I realize I need her. I don't have a "human" child of my own yet but when I do I hope I can be half as good a mom as her. Until then I get to practice with my baby Ernie. Here are pictures from the first time I met him. I love this little  guy so much my heart could burst!!! But thats a different story for a different day...


P.S. THIS is an incredible story about motherhood!

MAURICE SENDAK

"I don’t write for children. I write. And someone says, that’s for children." 

— Maurice Sendak

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 1
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Sadly, Maurice Sendak, children's author and illustrator of many books including, Where The Wild Things Are, died today at 83. I never knew what an interesting and funny person he was until I saw this interview on "The Colbert Report".It was actually very inspiring. Sometimes you just need to be reminded not to give a crap about what anyone else thinks. I hope he is now in a better place...where ebooks don't exist. Enjoy.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 2
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

MOTHER'S DAY GIFT GUIDE

10 GIFT IDEAS FOR MOMS

Lem Lem Scarves

Supermodel / actress and former World Health Organisation's Goodwill Ambassador, Liya Kebede discovered that weavers in her native country of Ethiopia were losing their jobs due to a decline in local demand for their goods and wanted to do something about it. So she started Lemlem in 2007 as a way to inspire economic independence in her native country and to preserve the art of weaving. These scarves are light, beautiful, and giving women jobs in Ethiopia...I think mom would approve. 

Capri Blue Candles

Capri Blue candles last forever and all smell amazing. Perfect for burning on long summer nights :)

Cheese Of The Month Club Membership 

If you live on the west coast I highly reccomend anything from Andrew's Cheese Shop in Santa Monica. The people there are amazingly helpful and will not steer your wrong. If you live on the east coast I recommend using New York's legendary Murrays' Cheese Shop. 

Pinhole Press Mini Photo Book or Brag Book

So she can show off pictures of her babies or grand babies. (I made one of Ernie haha)

West Elm Throws

Super soft throws from West Elm in every color for cuddling up with a good book. Only $23 :)

Lobster Mac And Cheese

Comes ready to bake! Looks so yummy.

Sam Edelman GiGi Sandals

These sandals are perfect for summer, comfy, and look extremely flattering on (I have a pair). Their are 23 different colors to choose from so pick one for mom and go get pedicures. 

Flowers

You don't have to spend a bundle on blooms just because it's Mothers Day. Stop by your local farmers market for beautiful flowers that are affordable. Fancy arrangements are overrated. Also, live orchids are nearly impossible to kill so if you want to get her something that will last for a while opt for that. 

Tina Fey's Bossy Pants

A book that will for sure make her laugh out loud. 

Love You Forever

A book that is so sweet it will probably make her cry. A must have for new and old mothers alike, a simple children's book that shows the unconditional love a mother carries for her baby over her lifetime. Read this and it will definitely make you want to spend more time with your mom, which is what she really wants anyways :)

ERNIE UPDATE

Ernie is now ten months old. I can't believe it. I just realized this today when someone asked me his age and I started to say 8 months....then realized I have been saying that for two months now. The other day I promised to take him for a walk but decided to take a shower first...and it didn't go over well. I  pulled back the shower curtain to find the bath mat missing, while Ernie laid on it across the room. I couldn't even be mad. He is one smart little guy, I think he has just as much (probably more) emotional intelligence as my boyfriend. "Oh did you need this mommy? Well I needed my walk and I haven't gotten that yet either. Life's a bitch, ain't it?" Thats my boy. 

AMERICAN GIRL GOES TO CHINA TOWN

Last weekend my new friends Jenny and Jerry took me to one of LA's "China Towns", and it was awesome.  I've been to the Chinese markets in NY and San Fran and it was nothing like either one. It was almost like a strip mall of asian stores with a gigantic grocery filled with extremely affordable yummy goodies I have never seen before.  Here are a few pictures from the day: 

For lunch we had Vietnamese pho - a type of noodle soup with fresh vegetables and meat. It was delicious. Mine came with thin slices of raw beef on the side, when you put them in the soup they cooked perfectly. This gigantic bowl was only 6 dollars and could have fed at least two people. 

An entire aisle filled with hundreds of different types of ramen! All a dollar or less. A college kids dream!

This tubed mayonnaise made me laugh.

I had never tried dragon fruit before and I loved it.

Fresh fish, crab, and shell fish. 

So many types of nooodlesss. And pretty pink packaging :)

I can't wait to go back!!!!

PS- yes, I did get strange looks taking so many pictures in grocery store. 

WORDS TO LIVE BY

(photo found at neofundi)

P.S. A cute way to remember to be yourself :)

(from positivemed)

TEXTS FROM YOUR DOG

Text From Dog  is a hilarious new tumblr based on texts a man gets (would get) from his bulldog. SO funny. Anyone with a dog can relate. 

(images from http://textfromdog.tumblr.com)

MENAGERIE

"Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man..Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, .just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures" - The Dalai Lama

Menagerie by Jonathan Hodgson takes us on a journey through a common zoo, letting us see things through the animal's perspective. Though some zoos are better than others, this is what is must be like for them day in and day out. It made me sad, especially the part with the gorilla. It's hard to see all these amazing creatures that were meant to roam the wild freely, live in such small spaces. This is beautifully done, please watch!  

REAL HOUSEWIVES OF DISNEY

"Be our guest, be our guest, Rolls Royce, Versace" - Princess Belle

This SNL skit is one of the funniest I've seen in a long time. Enjoy!

DINNERWARE FROM THE DEEP

For at least the last 10 months I have been obsessed with this dinnerware from Anthropologie.  I don't know why, but I'm a sucker for anything with sea creatures. I already have this octopus coat holder. I don't exactly need new dishes right now, so hopefully these will still be around by the time I do....or someone could get them for me for my birthday. Maybe ;)