dear diary

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' - Wedding Part II

2009-05-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

So our bride & groom are happily married. The cheese has been unveiled & the guests enjoy mulled wine while the bridal party takes pictures.

sigh.

Wedding pictures can be painful. They can be uncomfortable and awkward with people yelling at you and you try to look happy and ignore the fact that your face hurts from smiling so much. It was cold out and I was enjoying my mulled wine. I didn't want to leave the reception to go smile for an indefinite period of time.

And then I stepped outside and saw the chaos.

These pictures? So. Much. Fun. If this photographer didn't live in another country, I would so hire him. We could not stop laughing. But, when we could stop laughing, we'd get some fetching photos.

Me & Elizabeth & Todd
The second of my 3 favorite pictures as two of my favorite people who happen to not live in the same state as me, are all in the same place, same picture.

Here we have the "American Group" along with the groom:

Todd, me, groom, bride, father-of-the-bride, mother-of-the-bride, boyfriend-of-the-mother-of-the-bride & sister-of-the-bride.

Here's the last of my favorite three:

Aren't we all cute? I just love this picture. Love, love, love. I think more American weddings should do this. Apparently, I was told, this shot is standard at British weddings.

Well, I was going to actually talk about the wedding, but I can do that tomorrow. Lets see some more of what we in America call wacky and what those in the UK call normal

FYI, it is normal to attend a wedding in your country's traditional garb. This tradition is rad beyond words.

Here we have Scotland and Austria represented. And, in case you like to play where's Waldo when looking in pictures, yes, in the Scotland picture, that is the bride & groom dealing with one of the bride's straps popping off thanks to a delightful bear hug delivered to the bride.

And here, if you're asking yourself, why isn't that nice picture of the traditional garb of Norway in better focus? I'd really like to get a better look at those fabulous socks. Yeah, here's what the photographer looked like:

Now, a sane person would have handed the camera to her boyfriend who was holding nothing at the time. Or, she might have even handed over the flowers, the wedding program and/or the purse. But, we're talking about a member of the bridal party so really, sanity doesn't enter the picture until after the wedding festivities are over. Yeah, that's in the bridal party handbook.

But, here is a tradition I will happily bring to American weddings. Those of you who know me well are scared right now. And you know what? You should be.

Behold!

Funny hats & fascinators!

Part III, coming soon....

Back in the saddle again

2009-05-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

The wedding saddle that is.

And no, I'm not getting married. I'm the girl who's been in eight weddings and also assisted in countless others. So, in honor of weddings and people I love, I present you with the last wedding I was in. Unfortunately work and holidays hit so I wasn't able to bore, er, tell you about it before.

This one wins for furthest travelled. That title was previously held by a wedding in Maine but that wedding has now been dethroned.

If you're new to my blog, I'll give you a hint to where I was:

Yup, you guessed it, Tahiti. Oops, sorry, that's where I want to go, not where I was. Yes, we traveled across the pond.

Now, you might think to yourself, well, a British wedding would be easy. I mean, its a country where English is spoken and we've all seen "Four Weddings and a Funeral." That looks like great fun. And it was, but everything was different.

Actually, could you go watch that movie before you read any more? It sure would help the story. I'm sure you have the DVD. I can wait.

....

The language is different, the dress code is different, the bridal responsibilities are different...everything is well, different.

Lets start at the reheral, shall we? See that nice father daughter couple walking towards the house where both the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception were held? That's the bride and the father of the bride. Can you see that she's wearing a suit? (Click on the picture if you need more detail.)

At the rehearsal, Elizabeth was wearing pants (those pants you see right there) and when the vicar asked how long her dress was (to know if kneeling would be an issue) I said it was the same length as her PANTS. Yeah, everyone had a good laugh at that one, except for the 5 Americans who didn't know why they were laughing.

Britain 1, Maid of Honor 0

And, by the way, I was a Chief (and only) Bridesmaid, not the Maid of Honor.

Britain 2, Maid of Honor 0

The day of the wedding, there were a few traditional issues that we won't go into on the interwebs. But I will tell you this.

Britain 2, Maid of Honor 14,986

We all made it to the church on time, though a few of us might have been walking quickly due issues alluded to above. But, it gives me a good excuse to show you one of my three favorite pictures from the wedding (note Elizabeth is holding her wedding shoes so they don't get dirty on the walk to the church.

Don't we just love her dress? Off the rack ladies. Yes, you can find a dress for a reasonable amount of money. I bet someone really cool bought that. And yes we're going to ignore that the bride is gorgeous and completely in shape and could have worn a paper sack and looked fabulous and instead we'll focus on the fabulous dress, off the rack.

Britain 2, Maid of Honor 14,987

As luck would have it, the church they were married in is right next door to her now father-in-law's house. Again, you see this in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Everyone walking from a fantastic old church to an equally fantastic old house for the reception. Fabulous, right?

Britain 3, Maid of Honor 14,987

Although this wedding has many British traits to it, the bride and groom did put their own spin on the most important element of the entire day.

Cheese.

Oh, you don't believe me?

That's cheese. That's cheese from France. That's cheese from France picked up by two friends of the bride & groom. (Only one person was sent but he invited a friend for the adventure.)

Seriously.

Of all the preparations for the wedding, this was the one single element that was key to the success of the event.

Now I think you fully understand the crazy of my friends and why I adore them so very, very much.

Part II coming tomorrow.

Hands on 3rd

2009-05-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

Friday night I was able to con, er, make plans with Jenny and Mieke to crash the opening of Hands on 3rd. I really wasn't sure what to expect other than free food. And really, give me a few free cookies and I'm yours.

And free cookies they had.

(They had cheese & crackers and wine and soda. It was a lovely spread, but really, I was about the cookies.)

This event definitely had an art show kind of vibe in both the people attending and the overall mood of the room. Everyone was creative and curious, trying to take it all in without breaking anything.

From what I understand, Hands on 3rd is going for a community feel. There's very little retail (though, I think that'll change since people will need supplies) as their current focus is on classes. And those classes are incredibly varied, and all look to be quite interesting. Oh sure, they have sewing and quilting and crochet but they also have make your own kitchen garden, millinery, frame building, and the list goes on.

One of my favorite things about this space is the energy. The owners & teachers are just so enthusiastic to share their talents with you. I spoke at length with Corina Haywood, their millinery teacher. She was just lovely and I couldn't be more excited for her fascinator class on 5/17.

Of course since they didn't know me and were happy to see people walking through their door they asked how we had heard about their space. Well, of course, I told them, Ellen originally found them. It was her keen eye that discovered this little gem before they even opened.

All in all it was a lovely evening filled with cookies and good company.

HANDS-ON 3RD
8377 W. 3RD STREET
LOS ANGELES, CA 90048
(323) 655-0515

HOURS:
TUESDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 10am - 6pm
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: 10am - 9pm
SUNDAY: 12noon - 6pm

I think I found the best burger place in L.A.

2009-04-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

So, I have three three books on how to make cool stuff from felted sweaters. (Wow, more on those adventures later.) So, one day I hit a few thrift stores in search of cheap sweaters to felt. During my adventure, I pasted Danties. But it wasn't Danties anymore, it was a Hole in the Wall. Literally, they transformed their space into Hole in the Wall Burger Joint. Same owners as Danties, same amazing ingredients, but they turned their attention to burgers.

Thank you nice former Danties people. Thank you very much.

As you'll see on the website, you pick the meat, the bun, and the toppings. And, since the nice owners take food very seriously, all of the above is fresh and made to order. So. Good. I'd even say its better than In'n'Out. Mom & I agreed its better than The Stand (don't get me wrong, The Stand still has best burger in Century City). But Hole in the Wall fries kick all kinds of fry booty. So good. And, apparently, they're doing well...which is awesome.

Seriously, its 9am and I'm getting hungry writing this.

So yeah, do me a favor and run over there. Its at Santa Monica & Bentley, just one block east of Sepulveda on the south side of the street, behind Winchell's. Pick me up a burger on a wheat bun with onion mayo, provolone, lettuce, onion, tomato, and a side of fries. You can order online, call or just show up. But, there's my order. Bring it over anytime.

Thanks.

Hole in the Wall Burger Joint
11058 Santa Monica Blvd.at South Bentley Avenue
310-312-7013

Hours:
11am to 8pm Mon.-Fri.
11am to 6pm Sat.

A New Love

2009-04-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, you might remember last year when I asked the interwebs if they wanted to go with me to this. Well, in my attempt not to eat every cupcake within reach, I resisted both years. Instead, I read the flier intently, looking for new local cupcakes to sample, in the name of research of course.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that one of the competitors sold cupcakes just steps from my office. Blue Cupcake sells her wares every week at the Century City Farmer's market. (My directions last night: Go to Sees, walk past See's, walk over the bridge, yeah, there's the Century City Farmer's Market.) And, I just learned that she also sells at the Downtown Farmer's Market at Pershing Square on Wednesdays.

Ok, her cupcakes aren't just good, they're gramma-approved. Seriously. And not just the chocolate, and that's really saying something. So, on Thursday, pop over to the Century City Farmer's Market. She's over with all the food people, just a few steps from the chicken guy (look for the HUGE line).

Biggs & Featherbelle

2009-03-30T09:25:00.001-07:00

I should have posted this last week but we'll just chalk it up to my being a bad person....

See that banner?

<---That one? Yeah. You know you've been all good in this recession, saving your pennies, not going out and buying new sewing machines or designer shoes (ahem, well, moving on...), so do something nice for yourself, at a discounted price of course. I was introduced to the fabulousness of Biggs & Featherbelle at Felt Club, and even discussed them before in this odd little soapbox of mine. But now you can try them without the hesitation of, well, full price. Just use their BIGGSALE discount code until Wednesday (4/1) at 1pm and you get 50% off EVERYTHING.

The real steal is getting their fabulous soap for $2.50 per bar. That's outstanding. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I did most of my damage in the bath soak section. Their bath salts & soaks are just fabulous. And then I decided to try a few of their scrubs...and well, a large box will be arriving at my house hopefully in the very near future.

Enjoy!

Huckleberry Cafe

2009-03-24T10:52:00.001-07:00

For the record, I'm a devoted Daily Candy follower. I can't remember how I first heard of them. But they've served me well for years, haircuts, food, sample sales and such what not. So, when they talked about Huckleberry Cafe, I tossed it on my to do list.

We went on a Saturday, about 11ish. I thought we'd be safe, before the lunch rush. We even scored a spot in the parking lot in back. This is already going really well!

Then we walked in.

Total. Chaos.

This contrast off good news/bad news becomes a theme.

Its not super clear how to order but we figured out that there's sort of a line that you stand in until someone talks to you to take your order. But, the HUGE menu board above the counter...yeah, that doesn't apply on the weekends. You can order only from the wee weekend menus on the counter.

The girl taking our order was sweet and answered our questions as far as how to order, what they specialize in and all the things you ask the first time to a place. As luck would have it, what we wanted to eat were on both boards. She hands our order down the line. After we shuffle down to pay. I'm asking the cashier questions....silly things like, can we sit outside, how do we get our drinks. She's ignoring me. Awesome. Whatever, we pay. I'm committed and hungry at this point.

No tables.

Seriously, if I'm paying $35 for lunch for two people (and by I, I mean Todd) and I'm ordering at a deli counter, I don't think a table is too much to ask for.

A few minutes pass and we were able to scout a table. Score! But one of the many, many employees there didn't really appreciate my asking for it to be cleared. As I watch the many, many employees mingle I see they're divided into two camps - 1) those who are serious about the food service industry and are obviously there to learn. They hustle and get stuff done and have a great attitude; and 2) those who are just there for a job and would rather serve food than clean up after the patrons.

I have to say our food was fantastic. For what it is, its expensive, but really good. (In case you're curious, I had the meatball sandwich while Todd tried the Fried Egg Sandwich.) The bread? Outstanding, baked fresh there. The pastries? Yup, made fresh there too. If I could convince someone to bring me lunch RIGHT NOW (whatever I'm hungry), I'd ask for them to go there. Yeah, it was that good. But, would I go there to sit and to eat again? No. For the cost, its far too much work. Should you try the food? Absolutely. And, you should bring me some bread, or at least a pastry.

Huckleberry Cafe - Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica at 10th - check their hours, they're still in their soft opening phase.

Here we Sew again

2009-03-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Apparently Monday has become sewing day here at Dear Diary. I'm not complaining. I just think my odd blogging habits are amusing.

We've covered Sewing 1A, so, lets move onto Sewing 1B.

As I'm sure you've correctly guessed by the outfit and the link above, I made the skirt. (And, seriously, that pose is not my fault. That tree was crying out for some cheese and the confusion on the faces of the IT guys standing out there smoking just strengthened my decision.)

Thanks to this class, I now understand the importance of French Seams, taking a waist measurement seriously and the excitement that comes when people do not ask you if you made something you're wearing. Besides, these classes are just fun. And, the more I take, the more confident I get about my sewing. When I cut the skirt out I had so much extra length (shut up, I know I'm short) that I was walking around class with it pinned up to the correct length as a bubble skirt. I'm not thinking I should have grabbed some tulle and made that bubble. Hmmm, ideas, ideas....

Anyways, here's a close up of the fabric. Something about the red roses on the pink & blue background spoke to me a few months ago at Michael Levine. And, as all knitters know, if fiber talks, you have to buy...or else it haunts.

And haunting is bad, especially in this economy...we have enough to think about without fabric following us around, taunting us because we didn't buy it.

Turtle Pants!

2009-03-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did just type the words Turtle pants. See, I just did it again. Crazy right?

Ok, we've already discussed the Sewing Arts Center. But, I've never told/shown you what I've learned.

Sewing 1A.

If you've never used a sewing machine, or if you never really learned how to use a sewing machine, this is your class. Russell walks you through all the basics from fabric selection, to cutting out a pattern correctly to tools of the trade, to measuring yourself and yes, sewing. I dug this class and had a great time.

For the actual object you make, you do PJ pants. (I was even able to sneak in a second pair in a different size, different fabric, different thread.) For both pairs, I lived on the edge, did not measure myself or the intended victims, er, gift recipients, and just trusted that the size in the pattern would be about right. I mean, we're talking pj pants.

And Pair No. 1 fit! (Yes, they're just a smidge long but he wouldn't let me hem them.)

*Happy Dance*

Here's a close up of the turtles:

If you need turtles, Harts is currently out of stock but you could call up the nice ladies at Three Crafty Ladies in Florida. They have the fabric. I saw it a few weeks ago. In fact,they have pretty much every beach, nautical, oceanic, themed fabric in current existence. If you find yourself in that part of Florida, I highly recommend that shop.

Oh I'm Watching

2009-03-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, I didn't love the last restaurant I went to and I have a strong if-I-don't-love-it-I-don't-blog- about-it policy, so we'll switch gears into movies. And, this one goes out to the ladies, and I say that because the movie was about 90% gentlemen and 10% ladies and really, there need to be more of the female persuasion represented.

Ladies, you want to see Watchmen. No really, you do.

I sort of wanted to see it. I mean, it looked like it would be amazing on screen. I'm easily amused by pretty colors and nifty costumes. And then I saw it. Yeah. Ladies, go now. Seriously.

Gentlemen, you can go as well. But judging by the hoards of you in the audience I really don't need to tell you to go.

Curiouser and Curiouser

2009-03-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Day 4 and the hits keep coming...

For anyone going to the Mar Vista Lanes and doesn't want "bowling alley food" have I got a treat for you. Directly across the street The Curious Palate has opened. I've read about it. I've wanted to go. And really, it surpassed the hype.

You walk in and it looks like a local deli. There are meats ready to be sliced, salami ready to be served and pickles ready to munch. But, if you look a little closer you see that every item is hand-picked. The pastrami is from Berkley. The pickles are home made. The drinks are somewhat unusual and somewhat familiar. It all sort of knocks you off your game, but in a good way.

I had the prosciutto panini with a small order of mac'n'cheese to share with the table. And by share I mean everyone got a bite while Steve & I pretty much hoarded the mac. It worked out well. The other sandwiches enjoyed were the pulled pork, egg salad and a meatloaf burger. Everyone was happy and no one shared...always a good sign.

I might have disagreed when one girl exclaimed that it was the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie I've EVER had. And you know, I'm a chocolate cookie connoisseur." It was good. And they do have samples out so you can try it. And if you try it, you'll probably buy one. But since my mom doesn't bake commercially, I can't make statements like that. Though the "Not Fudge" brownie was tasty. I'm not sure why it was "not fudge" and I didn't think to ask. But it was good, "not fudge" and all.

For drinks, don't expect to order a Diet Coke. They do have the bottled Mexican Coke but their other sodas are fairly eclectic. I tried their Apple Cider. Yum!

Yeah, I don't think you'll go wrong here. Except you might show up for dinner when they're closed. Right now they're only open 10am - 6pm. Hopefully that'll change.

"And it was a land filled wit yogurt..."

2009-03-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Day three and I still have food to tell you about.

Yogurtland

This is Jenny's fault. And, by the way, since she is my self-appointed food Sherpa she really needs her own blog. Anyways.

Jenny comes into sewing class one night...

"Have you had Yogurtland, so good!"

Jenna: "No, what's Yogurtland?"

Jenny: "Its above Beard Papa on Sawtelle."

The conversation ended there; I was getting hungry and there was much sewing to do.

Fast forward a few weeks and I drag Todd in. And by drag I mean I asked if he could forgo Beard Papa for something new and he kicked the dirt a few times and agreed.

It was yogurt heaven. There were flavors upon flavors. And you get to do it yourself. And you can ask for wee cups to try the yogurt before you commit. And they have all these toppings. And its only $0.30 an ounce.

Jenny was absolutely right. It was so good. Unless you're my mom and frozen yogurt doesn't agree with you, you really need to try this place.

I was about to give you the address, but I just discovered that its coming to Westwood Village soon. This is going to be bad.

Santa Monica Seafood - New! Improved!

2009-03-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Apparently its food week here at Dear Diary. That's not a bad thing. Its about time I shook up my culinary routine. Eating in all the time, though good for the waist and the wallet, doesn't do much for the blog.

Santa Monica Seafood has comfortably moved into their new home at Wilshire & 10th. Its a beautiful space with an incredible array of food and, important to any Angelino, a parking lot. You can get, obviously, seafood as well as flowers, spices, beverages, salads and entrees either to eat in or to go. Saturday we seemed to arrive just before the mad rush of people. We even had time to be confused by the new layout. I mean, there are tables but at first we didn't see any servers but we did see the HUGE menu board. Do you order then sit down? Finally I saw a server and she pointed me to the empty host stand. We waited about 10 seconds before we were seated. Approximately 2 minutes after that about 8 different people wanted tables. Obviously, they didn't have my back up plan, so the had to wait and gaze longingly at our food.

Todd started with a New England Clam Chowder (yes, they have Manhattan as well). Why I didn't order a cup will forever confuse and haunt me. It was really good. For lunch I had the cioppino while he had the grilled Mahi Mahi. My cioppino was fabulous and they were kind enough to give me a HUGE wedge of bread with which to enjoy the broth. So. Good.

The food was excellent, the service was good and the prices were totally fair. However, this place is not for the timid. I will give the same advice for going to the market portion as for going to the restaurant: If you don't speak up you're going to get passed over for a table, or for us, our place in line at the market. With that said, I'd go back in a heartbeat and I've already told my mom to tell one of her friends that this is a must visit for her & her husband.

Korean + Taco Truck = Good Food

2009-03-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever met me knows that I am really bad at math. But, they also know I'm really good at incredibly random combinations of ideas...hence the English Lit. major and the obsession with the legal system. So of course the idea of a Korean Taco truck just undid me. But their hours and locations weren't my thing. So I waited. And eventually they came to my hood at a time I was actually hungry.

8:30pm Friday night:

Jenna: [GPS in hand walking towards the door] "Ok, lets go!"

Todd: [reading the sports section of the paper] "What?"

J: "Aren't you hungry?"

T: [confused] "Yeah."

J: "Ok, lets go."

T: "Ok."

J: "You're driving."

T: "Where?"

J: "Head towards the village..."

And so it began. The area the truck was parked is technically in my hood but its behind fraternity row in that mess of apartments and narrow winding streets. I don't pretend to know that area well. So I grabbed the GPS, plugged in the intersection and we were off.

Since we'd never had their food and there was no formal menu ("Verbal menu tonight") we ordered a few times. Watching everyone order, most people had heard about Kogi but hadn't had it yet. So, don't feel stupid if you have a bunch of questions. They're used to it and were super cool to everyone.

I had the signature short rib tacos (FANTASTIC) while Todd tried the spicy pork (he loved it.) I did try the slider...not quite my thing but Todd was kind enough to finish for me.

After talking to the nice guy who takes your order (Eric?), we learned that there are now two trucks in this budding empire. We had the pleasure of eating from Verde. (Apparently Rojo is the original.)

Pretty much everything is $2. We were quite full when we left and we spent under $20 for the two of us. Honestly, its worth following them on Twitter (or the Twitter feed on their website) to find them; the food is that good and that unusual. For the Santa Monica kids out there, they go to SMC a few times a week. Apparently they could use some love at that location so go try a few tacos. You'll thank me.

Oh, and Ellen, if you'd like some pictures, here you go. Far better than what I would have taken with my camera phone in the dark.

Because all the cool kids are doing it...

2009-03-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

1. Favorite Food: risotto
2. Hometown: Los Angeles
3. Favorite Color: Red
4. Celebrity Crush: Russell Crowe
5. Favorite Drink: Diet Coke
6. Dream Vacation: Tahiti
7. Favorite Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake
8. What I want to Be When I Grow Up: Grow up?
9. Name: Jenna
10. What/Who I Love Most in the World: Todd
11. One Word Describes Me: Random
12. Username: Radomile (Yeah, I cheated. There were no photos tagged with Radomile.)

You can do this too. Here's how:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search. (Please, go to Advanced Search and choose Creative Commons images only. Otherwise you are stealing.)
b. Pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into this free mosaic maker

A bit more on Ft. Myers

2009-03-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

If you're in this area during Spring Training, I really can't recommend catching a game highly enough. The stadiums are small, pretty, new and the fans are super friendly. And, for the crafty girls out there who would sooner poke their eyes out with knitting needles than spend 3 house watching baseball, I've brought both knitting and needlepoint to the games and security couldn't have cared less. Total bonus.

Assuming they survive the recession, next time we travel down there, I'm going to hit one of the Italian markets. In our travels I saw two which didn't really surprise me given the number of east coasters who migrate to this area.

In willing violation of my own no chain rule, I took Todd to Five Guys for lunch on Saturday. He had never heard of it and based on recommendations from friends who had eaten at other branches, I knew he'd like it. What I didn't know is that they have huge open boxes of peanuts to keep you busy while you wait for your food. Yeah, they had Todd at the door. He agreed with my overall review of the place: GREAT burgers, so-so french fries and therefore very similar to In'n Out.

Welcome to Sunny Florida

2009-03-03T14:40:00.001-08:00

Growing up in L.A. gives you such a skewed vision of the world. And, my latest trek to Florida illustrates many of those visions and their obvious flaws.

1. I never knew that there were baseball teams that played baseball INDOORS.

Huh? I had sort of heard about domes but growing up watching Dodger games and not really being the biggest baseball fan ever, I just assumed everyone played baseball outside.

Yeah, not so much. There are domes and some baseball teams are forced to play in them. Such is the fate of the sig. other's favorite team, the Twins. So, with Spring Training in effect, we headed back down to Ft. Myers to enjoy a few games in a beautiful stadium OUTSIDE.

2. Flying in winter is the same as flying any other time of year.

Duh, right? My flight to Dallas was early as was my connection to Ft. Myers. Easy!

Yeah, not so much. Todd, flying in from Minneapolis, scheduled to arrive 10 minutes ahead of me, was over three hours late due to a snow storm, de-icing and all fun related to flying in winter.

In case you're wondering, the airport in Ft. Myers has free wifi and super friendly housekeeping staff who genuinely didn't mind that I moved a chair and table next to an outlet so I could work.

Awesome office, right? That view is actually of Todd's gate (C9, at the end) and no I wasn't breaking my computer at the time this picture was taken. I was having network connectivity issues and someone nice remoted into the laptop to fix it.

3. Its easy to find good non-chain restaurants when you travel.

Don't get me wrong, L.A. has its fair share of chain restaurants. But, there are tons of mom'n'pop places to tempt you. So of course, going to another city, finding good local food should be easy.

At our hotel:

Todd: "Any recommendations for dinner?"

Jenna: "Only rule is no chain restaurants."

Front Desk Girl: "Hmm, any particular price range or food type?"

T: "Nope, whatever is good."

FDG: "Are you willing to drive because my favorite restaurant EVER is about 15 minutes away."

J: "Sold, where to?"

FDG: "Vapiano's. Its like Subway but classy. They make all your food in front of you fresh to order. Its SO GOOD."

T: Perfect!

Judging by her description, I was thinking a family place with an open kitchen or even a cool old school cafeteria.

Yeah, we didn't know it was a chain until we got there. (You can sort of tell by the whole "package" of the place.") But, I will admit the food was really good and well-priced and they don't charge you for sharing. (I hate it when restaurants do that.)

You get this card and you take it to one (or all) the three food stations (pasta, salad and pizza) and they charge you based on what you order. They also had a bar and a small dessert section. At first blush you'd think it would be great for groups who want separate tabs or people dining together with completely different eating habits. Oddly, we only saw one large group. Instead it was families, seniors, couples...really a huge cross-section of people. I think its a great idea, even if it is a chain.

4. Its always warm in Florida.

This one I know is stupid. But everyone winters there and I know they get some cold weather but I didn't realise how cold. Don't get me wrong we had a beautiful Friday and Saturday. The game Friday was sunny and fabulous. Saturday we drove around Captiva and Sanibel islands and walked on the beach. But Sunday. Yeah.

Before you assume I really let myself go, keep this in mind. I'm wearing the following under Todd's sweatshirt: Short sleeve tshirt, long sleeve tshirt and a fleece zip up hoodie.

During the game I'd say it was windy and in the 50s. I mean look, Todd even put on his windbreaker and that's saying something.

See, even on vacation you can learn something!

New York Fashion Week Gets Crafty

2009-02-20T10:28:00.001-08:00

See, needlework IS cool....not that I needed any verifcation or anything. But, if someone wanted to send me one of Anya Hindmarch's needle kits (pictured above), that would be cool. I'd d like that.

And I call myself an Angeleno

2009-02-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

I have lived in West Los Angeles my entire life (save for 4 years of college education in Arizona) and yet I did not know the magic of World on Wheels.

I'm embarrassed but I'm coming clean today.

Todd was going to be in Minneapolis for Valentine's Day (oh, the perils of long-distance love) which left me dateless. Randomly I thought I needed to get a group together to go roller skating. (I'm telling you, living inside my head is not for the faint of heart.) A quick search on the Google lead me to World on Wheels, the only skate rink in Los Angeles.

So. Much. Fun.

We only skated for about an hour and a half (with copious amounts of breaks) but holy wow was it a workout. And the people watching? Fantastic. The kids who skate are nothing short of amazing. We're going to go every week. No, I'm not kidding. Its that much fun and its that much of a workout in a this-is-too-much-fun-to-be-burning-calories sort of way. Free this Saturday? We'll be there at 7pm. I'm not kidding. Regina was just pricing out skates on lowpricedskates.com and yes that really is a website.

A few things to note:

If you're at San Vicente and Venice & you see a Ralphs, you're in the right place. The skate rink is around back. And yes there is a bowling alley right above it. Seriously, does it get much better?

There's a disco night on the last Saturday of the month. (I can't be there this month since I'll be in Florida but I will remind you for the March date since I will be there.) There's also a goth night. Sinful Thursday is apparently the place to be but I hear its so crowded that you probably won't skate. Personally, I'll go one week just to see it since I keep hearing about it.

You think you can't skate. Don't tell me that. There were people of all ages, sizes, and personalities on that rink. There were people alone, people in groups and a few couples.

Want to come skating with us? Drop me an email or leave a comment. We'd love to have you join us. The more the merrier!!

And a huge thanks to Catherine, Laurie Ann, Russell and their respective entourages in making this Valentine's Day one of my all-time favorites!

A Life Lived on Her Terms

2009-02-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

I bet a few of you are wondering what would get me to Minnesota in the winter; it was a funeral. But, don't be too sad. This little lady lived just one month shy of her 99th birthday. No, that's not a typo, Ruth was 98 years old when she passed last Tuesday.

Ruth Dahlke was Todd's gramma. I took this picture of the two of them back in September 2006, the first time I met her and the rest of Todd's family. For a woman, for a woman born when she was, for a woman from a small town, Ruth lived life on her terms. She even planned her own funeral. I was lucky enough not only to be a part of the family's goodbye, but to witness an entire town say goodbye to this woman.

If you want to learn a bit more about Ruth, read on....

From the Fairmont Sentinel

Ruth Nellie McCarron, the daughter of Peter J. and Julia (Whitney) McCarron, was born March 2, 1910, in Sherburn, Minn. She graduated from Sherburn High School in 1927 and attended Mankato State College, graduating in 1929 with a teaching degree. She began her teaching career in East Chain, where she taught for two years. Ruth was united in marriage to Vern "Cy" Dahlke on March 30, 1931, in Rockwell City, Iowa. They made their home in Sherburn, where Ruth continued teaching elementary school for the next 30 years. Cy passed away on Dec. 24, 1967.

During her lifetime, Ruth was an avid golfer, bowler and bridge player. She greatly enjoyed coffeeing with her friends and following her Twins and Vikings. She was especially proud to be mentioned in the book, "Daughters of the Game," which chronicles the first era of Minnesota girls high school basketball. She also enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ruth was a member of the Methodist Church and the Sherburn American Legion Auxiliary.

Those left to cherish her memory are her two daughters, Carron Klukow of Sherburn, Minn., and Deborah Danielson and fiance Steve Swift of Fairmont, Minn.; grandsons, Todd Klukow of Minneapolis, Minn., and Nicholas Danielson of Minneapolis, Minn.; granddaughters, Trudi Detert and her husband LaMar of St. Michael, Minn., and Courtney Danielson of Brooklyn, N.Y.; great-grandchildren, Brady Paul and Makena Ruth Detert; sister, Celia Forstrom of Fairmont, Minn.; sister-in-law, Doris Krumwiede of Sherburn, Minn.; nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Vern "Cy" Dahlke; six brothers, two sisters, five sisters-in-law and three brothers-in-law and other relatives.

Do you live on a Crafty Planet?

2009-02-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

I had to break my rule about going to Minneapolis in the winter this weekend. (More on that in a later post, hopefully tomorrow...) But, besides spending time with clan Klukow, I had the pleasure of visiting Crafty Planet.

Oh. Mi. doG.

I don't think I could ever live in Minneapolis (please see previous posts on respiratory issues) but I could live at Crafty Planet. Its in the North East side of Minneapolis (apparently pronounced Nor-East), just a stone's throw from downtown. When I asked Todd to take me I didn't realise it was on the exact opposite side of town from him. Of course, I could have guessed this as he lives in SOUTH Minneapolis and Crafty Planet is in NORTH EAST Minneapolis. Whatever, we were on a craft mission...distance is no obstacle.

We walked in and it was sensory overload.

Crafty Planet doesn't just have yarn, they have fabric. They don't just have all the Sublime Stitchery patterns, they have all the Subversive Cross stitch. They have EVERY craft book I own, have heard of and some I've never even thought of. They have classes and nice people who work there. It was overwhelming. I've already asked Todd if I can go back when I'm in town for HIS BIRTHDAY. He agreed. He's good like that.

But, for those of you who won't be visiting the Metro Area anytime in the near future (pictures here), as the nice owner man told me when he was ringing me up "You can always shop us online!" Now, I doubt they have EVERYTHING I saw online, but they do have the fabric I thought I could wait on. (Isn't that handy!?) Seriously, they have every bolt of fabric I've seen and coveted IN ONE PLACE. They have stuff Michael Levine doesn't! Its upsetting, overwhelming even. They have monkeys and robots and skulls and knitting needles and wood and designers and just, its too much. I love it there.

Crafting Guilt

2009-02-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

"How much did you pay for that yarn?"

"How many hours did you put into that?"

"Sewing is not a cheap hobby."

"How much did it cost to buy all the supplies for this?"

How many times have we heard these questions?

Do you ask triathletes how much they've put into their bikes? Or, how much someone spent traveling to Asia? How long did someone prepare for a marathon? I don't. I think its tacky. Unless of course I might have general questions if you've made something or gone somewhere and I'm just dying of jealousy and I want to price out if I can afford to do it. And the curiosity questions, the can-I-do-what-you-do questions, always flatter me. But here, I'm talking more about the accusations and the second guessing which I've never understood.

On Friday night, after fighting with my mom's Singer over a HEM, a straight seem for crying out loud, I decided I would buy a sewing machine. (I know, rockin' single girl life over here.) I knew my approximate comfort level for cost and timing.

And then something happened.

Regina & I were talking with Russell at the Sewing Arts Center last night about machines. And after settling on a machine I could afford, Regina said something that really struck me.

"I really want a lifetime machine."

How many times have we bought cheap knitting needles only to never use them again because they broke or splintered or even bled onto work? One one project alone I bought THREE different sets of needles before I broke down and bought the nice ones I should have started with in the first place.

I mean, its only crafting, right. Cheap supplies should be fine. Its not like food; its not something you need.

Or is it?

I don't do therapy. My medications don't allow me to drink away my problems. When I'm upset or oxygen-impaired I make something. So then why is buying a new crafting tool considered such an extravagance? Why do I feel fine buying a new computer but I feel I have to justify a new sewing machine? What is this guilt, this need of justification to spend on something we love to do?

I don't know.

I do know that I worked on these machines in class and sewing was fun! Its still not easy, but its learnable. On the home machine threading could take up to an hour...getting even stitches could take equally as long and all that takes place before even working on whatever. But working in class, assuming I was paying attention, I could thread the machine in under a minute and have something complete in just a few hours. And I can make something fun and its mine and no one has one just like it.

So I bought it. The new machine. The one most definitely not in my first price range but the one I really wanted and feel happy and comfortable with and one I won't be looking to replace in a year or two...one I can grow into and make things to torture all of you with.

The he!! with the guilt, this is going to be fun.

Arts & Crafts Project

2009-02-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

Before Christmas I signed up for sewing classes at the Sewing Arts Center. But, I didn't really want to wait for class. I have a sewing machine at home and I even live with a sewer. So really, why wait?

On an outing to Michael Levine I picked up some random fabric...stuff I loved but I had no idea what I'd do with it. Except for one skirt I knew I wanted to make...one of the Amy Butler Barcelona skirts. Obviously, since this would be my first home-sewn garment, I knew I'd have to keep it simple so I went with the classic A-line style. Three pieces and a zipper, nothing too complicated. I mean, my mom has sewn me dresses and costumes for years. She completed not one but TWO home ec classes and got As in both. She took one look at the pattern and said, no problem.

Until she saw my fabric.

For those of you out there who wonder why I pay for lessons when I live with a sewer, wonder no longer.

"Why did you pick this?"

'cause its funny.

"There's a house in your fabric."

Yup, and trees too.

"Why did you pick fabric with a house and trees? This makes the skirt more difficult. Why didn't you just buy a solid fabric."

Because I can buy normal at the Gap.

"Ok, next time we sew, no landscapes."

Mom would tell me what do to and then wander off. I'd do whatever that was, go find her and then make her come back to tell me what to do next. I can't say I learned anything but I will say we had fun. She might have originally complained about the fabric but she was amused with the final product.

"Where will you wear this?"

Work?

"Really?"

Yeah, why?

"Wear it tomorrow. "

Mom, its December. I can't wear a cotton skirt when its like 50 degrees out. Its cold.

She was awestruck that I actually wore the skirt to work yesterday. Hey, it was in the 70s, completely appropriate to wear.

Though, I might have forgotten to tell her not only did I wear the skirt to work but I took pictures of myself in it in not one but two different bathrooms with both my camera and my phone.

Some things are just best left unexplained.

Yes We Can!

2009-01-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

Wema for First Dog!!

Seriously, doesn't this dog belong in the White House?

Wema is originally from Southern Minnesota and although she appears to be the cutest, friendliest, most hypo-allergenic dog ever, her owners had to surrender her to the Martin County Humane Society. Wema is real. (One of my friends volunteers at that shelter and can verify that Wema is a sweet dog that should have a new family.)

Dear Diary endorses Martin County's selection and urges you to vote for Wema for the White House! I have no idea where we can vote but the nice people at the Martin County Humane Society are hoping to get the word out on their candidate for First Dog. Blogsphere, are you with me?!

I think she deserves a new home...a big place with a big lawn and tons of staff.

But that's just my opinion.

Vote for Wema!

*Dick & Jane also endorse Wema for the White house

Life List

2008-12-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

I don't think I've done one of these before and really I'm too lazy to search my own archives. And, since Natalie wants to get to know me better, I'm game!

Bold the things you've done & post on your blog!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - Yes people I've camped. Grades 7-12 I was forced to go on retreats with my school. The most distinct memory of this was along the Colorado River...5 days. Wow. And some of you wonder why I don't camp anymore.
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii and danced on a lava cliff with the roar of the Pacific below.
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain - See retreats reference above.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - For those of you who don't know, I'm sure you'll be shocked to hear that I was a drama geek. My favorite solo was the dead grandmother come from beyond the grave in Fiddler on the Roof. Not only did I have my solo but I did it on stilts walking down the isle of the theater.
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - Hmmmm, does teaching yourself poorly count?
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - Does going to Italy count?
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke - Yup, in and after college and there may have been alcohol involved.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - Dude, and I walked up all those gosh darn stairs.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - Does a store on Etsy count?
58. Taken a martial arts class - Long, long time ago. If anyone knows of one that an asthmatic could take (i.e. not hard-core cardio) let me know!
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - I have bad veins and my doctor recommends that I have my significant other donate. He does!
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check - Technically no since I've always had check protection but once there might have allegedly not been enough funds in the account without the bank's assistance.
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt - Class starts in February!
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car - 1998 Honda Civic DX, baby!
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - Does a Church newspaper count?
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - Yup, I made my best friend stop wearing pleated pants. Seriously, she's a size 4 and has not reason to add extra bulk to her tiny frame. Total life saver!
90. Sat on a jury - Yup, twice - one criminal, one civil.
91. Met someone famous - I doubt anyone wants to read the list....I worked high end retail for about 10 years, we'll leave it at that.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee