Hello World!

Tim Was Here

A few weekends ago, Brian's best friend from collage came for a quick weekend visit. Tim and I were able to keep the whole thing a surprise. We went back and forth with grand ideas with how we were going to shock Brian when Tim got here but Brian ended up working late so we just got a tiny surprise in - still worth it.

They went on a scavenger hunt on Sat. It could have been cooler but Brian admits it was still fun. They had to photograph themselves at each clue spot. This one is at a car dealership where they had to pick out the right key to open a car. They surprised everyone with their smarts for picking the key out. Instead of just trying each one, they noticed that the cars had bar codes on each door and the keys had codes too. Tim read off the codes and Brian found the right key. I wont go into details but Brian ended up with an escalator bite.

We went to check out Art LA on Sunday. It was fun to see lots of different galleries in one place. We had a yummy lunch at the Santa Monica airport where Tim got brave and tried the Ants appetizer. Later at the show I had a macaroon. I was very disgruntled when the woman placing my order mauled something I had been looking forward too all day. Hehe. You guys know I'm serious about my deserts!

We ended the trip with Tim trying many different drinks for his beverage review blog. He tried so many drinks before he had to leave for the airport, I don't know how he did it.  I especially loved looking at this drink with a little fruit in it. Last but not least he had to try the Obama water.

15 Years

So Brian and I just celebrated a 15 year "dating" anniversary. He doesn't really take it seriously but for me it's a big deal. When we first met at school and got to know each other Brian asked me to be his girlfriend. I had just gotten out of a long term relationship and as cool as Brian was I just wasn't ready yet. Once I was ready and had fallen for him, of course he wasn't ready. We went back and forth like this for the next year and a half. I told myself if he ever asked me again, if were ever in the same mindset again, I was going to take the chance. Finally on Feb 9th 1994 he did just that and with a simple "yes" I changed my life forever. There are other directions it could have gone, and I can't imagine any of them being even close to as wonderful, creative and adventurous as the path I am on now. The path I have spent with Brian. This day will always have a special meaning for me and I will always celebrate it as a pivotal moment in my life.

Stay Inside for Christmas Eve

Ugh! I went out for a quick errand - a sale on greenies for Quimby. Then I realized we are out of OJ. Of course nothing around here is easy (OJ from any store) - we love Trader Joe's OJ. It is the closest to fresh squeezed we have ever tasted. If we ever move or TJ stops caring it we will just have to buy an orange squeezer it's that good and we are totally hooked. I thought it would be nice to get it for Christmas morning. People - it's crazy out there! I have never seen TJ's so busy, it was a MADHOUSE. I hope that Brian is feeling the love right now since I weathered the storm and managed to get home with the juice. There was one bright spot - a Santa handing out mint chocolates while we all stood in line. That was a nice touch. It did help make up for the crazy drivers - one in particular that was waiting in line for a spot, saw one behind her, in front of me, decided she needed that one too and proceeded to back up into my car. Good lord. Isn't this the giving season? She had a spot right in front of her. Think Santa and chocolate... Santa and chocolate... oj and tamales... ewww, not together!

Merry Christmas everyone, and Happy Holidays!

New Traditions

This year Brian and I will be in LA for Christmas. I am totally burned out on cooking after Thanksgiving and I do not want to spend hours in the kitchen just for the two of us. Well, even if we had 20 people coming over I still wouldn't want to be cooking all day. From this sprung a new tradition around here. When we are in town for Christmas we will have tamales! Tamara's tamales has outstanding food and that is where we ordered from. I called on Monday and just missed the cut off for placing pick up orders for Christmas Eve. They couldn't promise what tamales they would have on what days this week but had every kind around 10 am when I called on Monday. I started getting nervous about it around noon and headed over to pick up tamales to freeze. No point in waiting. I am so glad I did! It was so busy with people coming by already for big white bags full of orders. I got there just in time to get our favorites - Tamara's specials (cheese and sauce) and Potato Mole - before they were sold out! So a tamale Christmas will be ours, just a quick steam and they will be so delicious! I am so glad I listened to my instinct and got there in time. We will also be having their beans and rice and two different salsas, we are only missing their homemade chips. Is your mouth watering yet?

Happy Turkey Day

Enough business this week, it's time to relax and eat great food! I know there is a lot of turmoil related to Thanksgiving - the history that is, but I do like to celebrate it for what it means to me. That means family or friends (sometimes both) coming together to spend a warm day together. So far our day may consist of walking on the beach in the morning, if weather permits. This week is looking rainy. And cooking a delicious vegetarian entree to take to Laurie's house. I know there will be some game playing and then maybe desert at Cate's house. I can't wait, I am ready to relax and think of nothing else but how grateful I am for friends, family, and a good life. I do suppose I will be missing the Colorado grouping for Thanksgiving. We have a really sweet set up for Thanksgiving when my family all meets up. There are at least half of us that are vegetarian so the meal is always fantastic. There are lots of shenanigans and usually a trip to a cabin and hot chocolate. We even started the Great Breakfast Contest last year. Each set of younger cousins took a morning and prepared a secret breakfast. I don't think anyone really won last year, every breakfast was so good. Ok, I have to stop reminiscing, I'm getting myself all teared up. I want to remain grateful and not too homesick. But to all you you out there, Hendricksons, Vests, Goodchildren, Lowes and Hahns, we love you and will miss your merry faces for the Holiday!

9 Years

Nine years ago today, Brian and I got married. Wow, has it ever gone fast! We took a trip last weekend to Yosemite to celebrate and it was so good to spend some time away from the city, tv, movies, and our computers! I think at least one of us is glued to a screen of some sort at all times. I realized along the way that the hikes turned out to be a good metaphor for our life together. Sometimes we were together walking side by side. Sometimes we were on different sections of the path - one on a low sandy point, one on a higher rocky section - but still side by side. Sometimes one of us made it through a down or uphill scramble quicker, but was always there waiting for the other to catch up, watching to see that the other was safe, and still coming. Always holding out a hand, to find the other. That really sums up the last 9+ years for us together and am I ever grateful to have that steady hand to to reach out to.

Getting into nature - first day - me asking if this looks like a bear print.

Same hike - Brian right before discovering a baby rattlesnake.

I'm missing one day's photos from our first long hike to Vernal and Nevada Falls along the John Muir trail. We came back down the mist trail - 600 steep steps. We were a bit lucky because it wasn't spring or the steps would have been wet and slippery as well as steep. I know, I know, it wasn't as beautiful, but I have a thing about heights. Slippery, steep heights just don't sound as fun to me. We were so unprepared for our day that we forgot our camera and a backpack. These next photos are from our hike the next day to Sentinel Point, Taft Point and Glacier Point.

Always on the edge. He inspired someone else to take a picture of him leaning over this railing to get a photo.

 

 

We took the path less traveled in between points of interest on this hike and I was starting to question our choice, but there were fresh foot prints ( I blew on them to make sure they were fresh when Brian wasn't looking ) and a pine cone message in another language. For all we knew it could have said "Help! Picked wrong path!". It wasn't and all was fine. Next photo is of a cool topographical map.

 

Our last day was spent in the Redwood groves. 

We stayed at the Narrow Gauge Inn. We loved it. While it is 2 miles outside of the park, it was heavenly not being in the middle of the Labor day crowds at Yosemite Valley. I have to admit that I had a great time and I was totally able to relax. While I love being out in nature, I am usually a huge scaredy cat - mountain lions, bears, heights, snakes, winding mountain roads... I could go on. This time was different. I was able to relax and just enjoy our time together. I wasn't constantly looking over my shoulder or tense on the curvy roads. It is such a relief to get to this point in my life. To look up and see Brian there at the end of my uphill scramble, smiling, waiting for me, proud. Continuing on our path together.

 

35

Yep, Last month I turned 35. Just thought I would say what a great day it was. Brian was off from work and we pretty much did whatever I wanted to do - which started off with sleeping in and then going out to eat for breakfast. I love going out for breakfast, but we usually don't. My dad and I used to eat breakfast (Dan too when he came into the picture!) out together. It was our "thing" to do when I got older. For a while after he died, eating breakfast out without him gave me a pit in my stomach. I think I am finally getting over that and just being able to completely love breakfast out again. This time, 35, no pits. That is a great feeling.

After breakfast we went to see the movie Juno.  Remember I said we slept in. I should be technically calling breakfast lunch, but I still ate breakfast, and since it was my birthday this counts! Oh, and we picked up some Polaroid film before breakfast. Brian read that Polaroid will stop making film, so I thought it would be fun to experience the magic of taking images this way while we still can. We weren't sure what to do next so we drove across town for dinner at our favorite vegetarian Indian restaurant - Paru's on sunset. We weren't really hungry yet, after having our late breakfast so we went to check out the remodeled Griffith Observatory. We had been putting it off because we read that the parking lot was still closed and to get to the observatory we would have to take an 8$ shuttle. We tried our luck and found out that now the shuttle is free! When we got to the top of Griffith Park we also remembered that there was a lunar eclipse! Talk about lucky. We had a great time checking out all the new displays and old favorites - the Tesla coil of course. We got to see the eclipse and gorgeous views of LA at night. We still hold this to be the best view of LA. After this we were finally hungry enough for dinner.

I have to mention really quick too, that Paru's from the outside is sketchy. You really wonder if you should ring the bell to get inside or seriously rethink eating there. But once you ring the bell, and step inside it's like a little hidden paradise, well worth the bravery it took to get past the exterior. Paru's was excellent as usual and we followed up the meal with our favorite Almond Halva. After stuffing ourselves again we headed home to pick up Quimby from my friend Erica's house. She was so good to keep him for us all day so that we didn't have to cut our adventures short. This was just one of those great days that everything works  out with fun surprises and adventure. (This first picture was taken from the top of a parking garage, not from the observatory.)

Feels Good

First thing this morning we went to vote. What a great day, to have two firsts possible. First woman president. First African American president. What a momentous occasion. I go through life wondering what pockets of history I will live through, tell the kiddies about someday. Today is one of those days to remember and hopefully November will hold another. I felt so proud and excited and then a few steps before I was in a both a heaviness. To have to choose. I know I voted for the right person for me, but to have to choose between those two firsts!

Hahn Christmas

We had a great time in Omaha visiting Brian's family. It was great to have a white christmas and have some time to relax - and play hide and seek of course!

Happy New Year!

My plan to start the New Year all organized and ready just isn't happening. The theme of 07 continues - each week something new to do... pushing plans to clean up this studio and catch my breath aside. I am not complaining today - the project I am working on - it's what my dreams are made of. I'm finishing up the three pieces for Thinkspace Gallery. I take them in tomorrow. This has been one of my oldest goals, so today I say hooray to the mess and embrace my piles. After Thursday I will attempt to wrangle it all and catch you guys up to date!