2.29.2012

The Getty Villa


It’s crazy to think I’ve lived in Los Angeles for over two and half years. It’s even crazier to think until a few weeks ago, I had never been The Getty Villa. It’s embarrassing, I know. In an attempt to become more acclimated with our surroundings, more cultured, more angeleno, Austin and I headed up the coast to the villa to see what all the hype was about. On second thought, I’m thinking we may have cemented ourselves as tourists, because obviously everyone in LA is too cool. They always mean to check it out, but Malibu is just so far, and they never make it out to the West Side, but if you were to ask, it’s totally awesome. Well, I live on the West Side. And I’m a nerd. So I have no excuse.

Just to be clear, I said I was a nerd – and not a geek. That in no way qualifies me in any capacity to be mature enough to appreciate such ancient history. So naturally, Austin and I pretended we weren’t in a museum, but a showroom, and that these ancient Greek and Roman artifacts were for sale. Like The Getty Villa was Ikea. We picked out pottery for the house. Ordered glassware and dishes in sets of 8. Neglected the pieces plated in gold because they were just too gaudy, and not quite our style, and argued over which color pallets complemented the livingroom. But the real fun started when we came to a room of jewelry. A security guard caught on to our game and offered us a 10% discount on anything we purchased that day if we paid in cash. Well played security guard, well played. After chuckling a bit, the security guard – who smelled just like an old library book – leaned in, as if to tell us a secret. Intrigued, we got closer – thus, how I’m able to tell you of his aroma with certainty. He said, in his most raspy and secretive museum security guard voice, exit the exhibit and travel out the doors counter clockwise, passing two other exhibits and a staircase. Do not take the staircase. Instead, use the elevator and travel up to the third floor. Upon exiting, you will see double doors to your left. The doors will not open on their own, no matter how hard you try. Find the gold square button to the right of double doors and press to open, revealing a balcony that has not been open to the public in decades. The balcony will you give you the most incredible views of the garden, all the way to the ocean. But do not tell anyone I told you.

You guys, this is not even a joke. I love secrets. My eyes were seriously glowing with every detail. This was some serious National Treasure business and I, my friends, was Nicolas Cage. I’m not even kidding. I had a mission. I was focused. And I was ready to go. Riding in the elevator, I was seriously giddy. Why didn’t anyone else know about this secret? Why did the security guard choose to bestow this information upon us? I didn’t care. Emerging from the elevator, it became clear. Obviously he told us to take the elevator, because who wants to climb three flights of stairs? Oh, we found the double doors, alright. And that magical gold square button? Yeah, that was the handicap button to automatically open the doors. And the secret patio we were in search of? Yeahhh, that was filled with people, all posing for pictures, who somehow all miraculously found this place as well. I was duped. In a big way. Like this old man, who smells of old books and trickery, probably laughed the whole way home. He probably told his wife about it. And his dog. Maybe he even wrote about it in his diary, I don’t know. But he got me good. It’s cool though. I mean, the view was pretty incredible. Have you seen it? If the picture above isn't enough, you should check it out. And tell the security guard I sent you. 


I couldn't help but think that fountain in the center resembled someone familiar.

2.23.2012

Peanut Butter Balls

I hate bowling. I hate things I’m not good at. Like board games, for example. Folding laundry. Catching things. Anything that requires hand-eye coordination, really – hence, bowling. Somehow, no matter how hard I focus, the ball never seams to strike it’s intended target and always finds itself in the gutter, like a magnet. With a high score of 38, you can imagine my dismay as a child, growing up when bowling birthday parties were the thing to do. But when a friend suggested bowling for Austin’s twentyfifth birthday, I jumped for joy. There’s something so perfect about entering your mid twenties and celebrating just like a kid. And after I started out strong, I thought maybe a hiatus was just what I needed to get my game on point. Then I bowled gutter ball, after gutter ball, after gutter ball. Not frustrated at all and totally a good sport, I bowed out gracefully and cheered from the sidelines, a skill I’m much better at. That's the birthday boy on the left.

To celebrate, I made Austin’s favorite cookies. I’m not sure if you can call them cookies, as they’re more like giant balls of peanut butter and chocolate chips, but delicious none the less. I mean, it’s peanut butter and chocolate. So, duh it’s delicious. And they’re vegan and gluten free – meaning no egg, no flour, no butter. And there isn’t any oil or sugar either, so technically they’re good for you, if you’re like me and you’re able to convince yourself that the absence of such ingredients makes something healthy. A friend shared the recipe with him, so I’ll share it with you. I've made them a few times, and they're really simple and essentially impossible to screw up. Unless you forget about them in the oven, like I've never done before, ever. But if you do, even then they're not terrible - I've heard.

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients.
1 ½ cups peanut butter
¾ cup maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
½ cup whole spelt flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup rolled oats (I used gluten free)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup vegan chocolate chips (I used carob)

Directions.
Preheat oven at 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine all wet ingredients – peanut butter, maples syrup, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients – spelt flour, baking soda, rolled oats, coconut and chocolate chips. Combine both wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Scoop onto nonstick cookie sheet and form into ball shapes (mine are about the size of a beer ping pong ball). Bake at 350 for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove. Cool. 
Enjoy.

*You guys, no joke, I used homemade vanilla extract. I didn't even know such a thing existed, but it does. And my friend Sarah made it, and generously gave it to me for Christmas. You can read all about it HERE at Sarah's new blog - Extraordinary Adventures of Taste (EAT, get it?). I know, I have incredible friends. 

2.21.2012

One.


Holy smokes, you guys. Samantha, Herself turns one today. One whole year old! Can you even believe it? Maybe you can, Mom. But I, myself, am shocked. Shocked and thrilled. I can’t even believe how fast time moves sometimes. Like, you know when you wake up in the morning to check the time and you’re the happiest you’ve ever been in your whole life because you have a whole hour before you actually have to wake up, only to blink your eyes for one second and suddenly you’ve overslept by 15 minutes? Yeah, that’s kind of how fast this feels. I remember vividly sitting in Coffee Bean, so nervous to press publish. Fresh from a shopping high, with the audacity to liken myself to the Carrie Bradshaw, I was so eager to introduce myself to you. And you guys, one year later and we’re still going strong.

I had a funny thought while watching The Vow the other day. After a car accident, Rachel McAdams’ character loses all recollection of the past five years. So confused and unsure of her current life, she asks if she kept a journal. My first thought was, umm don’t you have facebook? But then it dawned on me. I mentioned before that I’ve never been one to keep a journal. But one whole year later, I guess that’s kind of a lie now. 

And honestly, I don’t know what is more hilarious – the fact that I’ve kept up a journal for the past year, or the fact that when I look back on it, I’ve managed to give the illusion of someone who crafts and bakes. So cheers to one! I think I’ll celebrate with a cupcake, most likely one that someone else made. 

2.17.2012

Love Drunk



Remember Valentine’s Day when you were little? Teachers would distribute class lists so no one was forgotten and you had a mailbox on your desk carefully constructed out of doilies and glitter. Browsing the Valentine’s Day aisle at Target, I was reminded of those sweet love notes and decided to send out some of my own, a grown up version of a childhood tradition. Grown up means involving alcohol, in case you weren’t aware. Inspired by this post I found on Pinterest [duh], I headed to BevMo and loaded up on mini liquor bottles – did you know they’re called nips? Me either. With heart shaped stencils, pink and red pretty paper and enough glitter to drown Ke$ha, I got to work. Taking cues from the classic conversation hearts I love so much, I wrote cheesy sayings on pink sparkly hearts and tied them to the tops of the nips with red ribbon. Valentine, you hit the Mark, on Maker’s Mark. Your love takes me Skyy high, on Skyy vodka. You’re number One, on Kettle One. I’m sure you get the idea.

But grown up valentine’s can be tricky. There isn’t a teacher with a class list. And mailboxes aren’t a mere matter of steps away. You have to go to a post office, and after a miserable afternoon at that dreadful place, never had I understood the phrase “going postal” so completely. I also failed to mention that the BevMo five cent deal is in full effect. So my apologies to anyone who didn’t receive a love note from yours truly. My memory isn’t the best after a bottle of sauvignon blanc, my patience wears thin and my ability to tie a perfect bow flies out the window. But boy, oh boy, you should see how crafty I get. Can you say heart shaped confetti? 

2.14.2012

be mine?

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers. Do you have a valentine? Are you doing something romantic involving chocolate and roses? Or maybe you’re seeing The Vow with your girlfriends and drowning your sorrows with champagne and visions of Channing Tatum? Not that one is better than the other, by any means. I actually haven’t seen The Vow yet. But I feel like I have from the previews. And if I woke up from a coma married to Channing Tatum I wouldn’t be complaining, Rachel McAdams. Just saying. Whatever your day entails, I hope it’s just lovely, filled with all things pink and red and heart shaped. Literally. I mean, it’s the day of love after all.

Sandy and Danny. Totes true love, yeah?

I love today. I really do. Who doesn’t love a day devoted to love? Okay, so maybe a lot of people. People who call it singles awareness day. People who think it’s just a Hallmark holiday. People who lack romance. But to those people I ask, don’t you at least love chocolate? I know there are people who say you shouldn’t need an excuse like a cheesy commercial holiday to show your love, but let’s face it – no one is that thoughtful 24/7/365. Because honesty, if such a person existed, you can guarantee I would have already found them and tricked them into impregnating me, thus being stuck with me forever. There’s just something about today that makes me love love. I sent valentines {that I’ll tell you all about}. I froze heart shaped ice cubes. I made pink rice crispy treats. And my valentine was a homeless woman in Studio City.

Let me explain. After an exhausting cardio barre class, I immediately drove to the nearest starbucks, in fear I may pass out on my way home without at least three shots of espresso. Walking up the front steps, I completely ignored the down and out woman at the door to order my drink. As a lover of all things valentine, you can imagine my joy upon receiving my venti Americano no room in a festive cup. So tickled pink, I wanted to share the love. Giving the homeless woman out front a dollar on my way out the door I said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.” With a heartfelt smile and a squeeze on my hand, she thanked me and responded, “Would you be my valentine?” Filled to the brim with love I screamed yes! and then ran to my car and cried hysterically. Happy Valentine’s Day…? 

Whatever. XO 
I Love You, hanging in my kitchen. Thank you, Auntie <3

2.08.2012

Cake Pops

My senior year of high school, while I waited in line for an iced caramel macchiato at Starbucks before second period leadership, something very profound happened. Something that changed my life forever. You’re all probably on the edge of your seat thinking, eww why were you ordering a caramel macchiato? But I was young. It was here in line that I met a little girl, who’s name I don’t remember because I didn’t really care at the time, who told me that she was getting a hot chocolate this morning because it was her golden birthday. Confused, I asked what that implied and she told me she was turning eight on the eighth. Mind. Blown.

Luckily, I met this little nameless girl prior to celebrating my own golden birthday. I turned twenty on April 20th <insert hilarious 420 joke here, because obviously I haven’t heard them and they’re so funny>. So, my sophomore year of college, I had a Gold Party. And it was marvelous. It was golden, if you will. Contemplating finding the old facebook invite and digging up some incriminating photos, because it was that good, but for everyone’s sake I’ll pass.

My friend Sedona’s golden birthday was epic in itself. She turned 25, a quarter of a century, on December 25th, Christmas. So needless to say, she went all out. Waiting until after the holidays, we celebrated in January. Reserving Ma’Kai in Santa Monica, the place was packed with only her closest friends and family and filled to the brim with balloons, paper lanterns, hanging stars and confetti, all in the theme of black and gold. Obviously.

In preparation of the party, my friend Jaclyn and I made cake pops – inspired by this post on Cupcakes and Cashmere. The edible gold stars sold us. So incredibly perfect for the theme. We followed this recipe, and you guys, it was so easy. Literally, you bake a cake, as per the directions on the box. Yes, a boxed cake. Combine the cake with a tub of frosting, I put it all in a Kitchen Aid mixer. Roll in to balls. Dip in to melted chocolate. Decorate. We preferred a more cake to frosting ratio, and since we were baking in bulk, 100 pops to be exact, we used 4 boxes worth of cake and 3 tubs of frosting. We used Funfetti, duh, but you can use any mix of your choosing. You could probably even make a cake from scratch if you wanted to get crazy. But that’s all you. They were so delicious. The perfect bite of cake in one mouthful. But more importantly, they looked fantastic. And the party went off without a hitch. Maybe the most fun I’ve had at a birthday that wasn’t my own.
Happy Golden Birthday, Sedona!
PS. That last photo was before the party even started...


2.07.2012

NYE


I’ve never been a huge fan of New Year’s Eve. Yeah. It’s February and I’m talking about New Year’s Eve. I hate things with crazy anticipation. I feel like there’s always so much build up, so much pressure, that by the time it gets here it ends up being a disappointment. That could just be me, being a control freak and needing a signature cocktail for every gathering, but in my wise old age I feel like NYE’s without structure are some of the best ever.

I’ve always spent NYE at home with my family in Napa. My parents would make their rounds at other parties, but everyone would always make their way back to our house – my dad in the kitchen with a big pot of chili, my mom playing host in silk jammies and a NYE hat. I don’t know how this tradition came about, but it’s been one of my favorites. Even just last year, I sat in my parents’ kitchen, in a sequin party dress, toasting two of my closest friends, with a glass of bubbles that was always full.

This year, I stayed in Los Angeles. A big believer in the idea it’s not what you do, it’s who you’re with, I didn’t really have much input in the aspects of planning, just as long as I was with the people I loved the most. Essentially, I was just along for the ride. And you guys, I’m not even kidding. I ended up at a party sponsored by Vivid Entertainment. So with a spray tan, padded bra and hair extensions in place, I was off to Hollywood to ring in the new year with the people I loved the most - and a handful of pornstars. Remember when I said it’s not what you do, it’s who you’re with? Oh brother. Meanwhile, my mom partied the night away in Napa, wearing leopard print silk jammies. And honestly, I don’t know who had the better evening.

Cheers 2012, I’m liking you already.

Did you make any resolutions? I've been flossing. I heard that people who floss their teeth regularly live five years longer than those who don't. 

2.01.2012

Merry Mad Men Christmas

Joy to the world! With temperatures in Los Angeles reaching 80 degrees this past weekend, thank sweet baby Jesus this is the last you’ll hear of my Christmas festivities. It’s getting a little ridiculous. But I really do think I’ve saved the best for last.  You know I love a good themed party. And this one really was the bee’s knees. This time period party was hosted by The Jensen’s (Heidi’s mom), and not a single detail was overlooked.

With a dress code enforced, everyone looked fantastic. The men looked so handsome sporting skinny ties and cardigans. Ladies pairing stockings with shift dresses and authentic vintage finds, with teased hair piled on top into a beehive. I found a silk shift dress in the back of my closet perfect for the occasion, with a rather mod octagon pattern in orange and black. It was actually the dress I wore to celebrate my twentyfirst birthday. And while I admit it didn’t fit quite the same as the last time I wore it nearly four years ago, with a pair of black stockings and sky high heels it did the trick. Heidi wore a frock she found in her own closet as well - a killer Marc by Marc Jacobs shift dress adorned with gold jaguars. Funny how fashion is always repeating itself.

Stepping into Susan and Kirk’s home was like stepping out of a time machine and straight in to the 1960’s. Greeted at the door with a Lucky Strike cigarette, I headed right for the bar to grab a Manhattan -  complete with a maraschino cherry and twist of orange. Champagne was chilled in an ice bucket filled with cranberries – an idea I’m totally stealing. Shrimp cocktails and Swedish meatballs were some of my favorites to snack on. And when it came to dessert, jell-o molds were plentiful. We ate and drank and played Pictionary until we couldn’t keep our eyes open any longer. A total 60’s success. Merry Mad Men Christmas to all, and to all a good night. 





                  all images via Heidi, over at The Blabbery