Summer Rules

I think I'm the minority that finds summer to be their fave season. Everyone complains about the heat, but I'd take hot over cold anyday. That's why we live in the desert, right? I love the sun, I love getting tan and going to the beach and I super love the reduced traffic because 40% of the children of this overpopulated metropolis are sitting at home bored for the summer. Speaking of school...I'm parly-vousing my ass off in the French class with my friends Connie & Leslie. So far I can spell my name, introduce someone and tell people I do NOT speak French. Ahhh, I cannot wait to take Olivia to Paris. I swear I will not speak a word of English once I step off the plane.

Today I met Aimee at a tattoo parlor for our date. She is gifting herself a half-sleeve tattoo for her birthday. I have been working hard on a top secret birthday project for her but I know she reads this so nah, nah, nosey!! The girl doing her tattoo is amazing *and has awesome taste in music*. She finished about a third of it today. It's gonna be wicked rad when it's done.

This was her painful face. She is fearless, bad-ass and so lovely for adding a French dedication to her Goddaughter...."Mon joli petit bijoux, Olivia Lily" *makes me want a tat but Antz is not having it*

When I got home, Antz and me went to the South Pasadena farmers market. It's been about 4 months since we've been there and I suppose it's the late sunny days or me being in a super happy mood but it felt like everyone we encountered was mega nice. We seriously got like stopped by strangers to say how adorable Olivia is. Now why can't these silly talent agencies see what the rest of the world sees in her?? *still no word from any of the ones I submitted last month, FML*

Run Liv Run!!

Chicks with accordians are pretty rad!!

Anyway, we really enjoyed walking around, noshing, bought some fruits and veggies and I somehow resisted kettle korn for the first time ever.

We stopped by this incredible shop and inturrupted a sewing class taking place. Everyone was really nice and the owner was adorable. I fell in love with the fabric in her shop *I was too chicken to take pics cause the class was watching me* but I promise to get some next time I go back.

Common Thread is my new fave shop, check out the lovely fabric I bought for Liv's pillowcase dress.

The lighter print sooo reminds me of my Mommy's bedding in the early 80s. It has a vintage feel to it and it's lightweight like a pillowcase. The second print is bright and fun and looks like a mod little girl's jumper *which I hope to make with my Mommy-in-law's help* I asked the owner how I should venture into making her pillowcase dress as a novice and she gave me great advice, use the pillowcase dress I already own as my template...duh!

Aimee bought this guy for Liv's birthday and it has the identical style that the pillowcase dress has. I am hoping to work on it this weekend. Oh, before I forget, whilst leaving the farmers market we saw the coolest car ever *and it's a VW!!* I was pretty much drooling over the car but not for me...for Liv. I wanted to wait for the owners so I could make them an offer *in 15 years* for Liv's first car.

So freaking cute!! I imagine curtains in the back and her surfboard on top. Sooo much cooler than my first car!

I am a Yankee Doodle Girrrrl!

Well, not really but it was on TCM today so does that count? We had a FABulous holiday weekend food & fun extravaganza. Beach day,  Joe's Crab Shack *with Aimee*, PF Changs *with Story & Chris*, Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles for brunch *with Leslie & Stephen* and BBQ all day today. I'm sure we've gained 10 pounds. Antz made the best chicken ever *the marinade was scrumptious* and I made fruit kebabs. Story and Chris came over and Story made delicious grilled peaches in a sugary brandy sauce *so yum* We sat outside and watched Liv splash around in her awesome inflatable pool.

Yikes, our grass is totally dead. Boo, it would be a waste to start watering it now. Maybe next year our lawn will get back to it's former glory

I did a ton this weekend, including finally getting Snowball IV washed and stickered.

I am right on track with my Summer Fun List

 

1. BEACH DAYS!! *and get a sweet tan*

2. Take Olivia to at least one summer outdoor concert *Hollywood Bowl Classic Nights*

3. Use Liv's blow up pool in the backyard *Done*

4. Engage in a water balloon fight

5. Sleep in the hammock

6. Make homemade peach cobbler

7. Add 10 new farmers markets to my list *#27*

8. Take Olivia to a petting zoo

9. Host a Games Night/Playdate

10. 4th of July BBQ *Done*

11. Take a road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway *maybe go to the Hearst Castle or seal sanctuary*

12. Co-host Aimee's Housewarming party *decorate/make cocktails/playlist*
13. See the Tim Burton exhibit at LACMA

14. Go bike riding *and finally make up my mind on a trailer for Liv*

15. Finish at least 3 of my Book Club list *Bonus points if I read in the hammock*

Tomorrow night is my second French class! Yay

Bonne Nuit Lovelies!!

I got CRABS!!

Let me issue this warning: if you get grossed out easily, you may want to skip this post. Thursday I had my regular date with Aimee. We picked up Antz and went to Joe's crab shack for his belated birthday dinner. All day the 3 of us were anticipating buttery crab dinner but around 3pm at Target I did something very foolish. I was starving and I knew I couldn't wait until Antz got off work at 6:30 plus the 45 minute drive from our house to Redondo Beach so I decided a little nosh at the Target snack bar would tide me over until dinner. I picked a premade mini pizza and a slushie *reminder, I eat as Aimee calls it, carnival food* so when we got to Joe's at 8 I was starving again.

We pigged out on our steampots and all was well until I got to my last king crab leg and all of a sudden the room began to get dark. Now, I was certainly eating with....gusto, but I wasn't eating too fast or anything. I began to sweat like I was sitting in a sauna. I told Antz I had to lay down and the bench next to our table was the spot I choose *despite his pleading* I laid down and it just made the room spin. I never felt so light-headed, I kept saying I'm gonna faint! Antz tried to calm me down and Aimee got the manager but I was feeling weirder and weirder by the second. The manager put a cold towel on my neck and forced me out on the patio although I was convinced I was going to faint before I could stand up. I ran to the nearest table and sprawled out. Aimee was explaining my horrible lunch to the staff when I knew what was going to happen...it was inevitable and mortifying. I, I'll put this as delicately as I can, tossed my cookies in the bucket in the middle of the table. I mean, violently upchucked my entire meal. You could have stuffed all the crab in that bucket in my empty shells and served it. It was awful. However, after I managed to swallow *barf spit is the worst* and wiped off the...ahem, excess coming out of my nose *barf would have come out of my eye sockets if it wanted to* Aimee escorted me to the bathroom which was of course all the way across the restaurant. I felt every person in there eye's bore into my barf breathed face. I tried to clean up *as much as possible in a public restroom* and my skin was pale and vampire-esque *not a good look* and I must have apologized to the manager and our waitress a thousand times. They kept reassuring me that it happens, they said it was fine and they even took my dinner off of our check but I didn't know that until we were in the car. I felt so bad. Seafood is my favorite but I'm definitely giving it a rest for a long time. Aimee and Antz made me laugh until I cried driving home re-enacting the BarfLizza incident. When I got home I wrote the kindest comment to Joe's corporate office about how compassionately the staff handled me throwing up my organs.

Egads!!

So as I said Friday we went to the beach. SO MUCH FUN!! The weather was perfect and even though 50% of Los Angeles was at the beach, it didn't feel that crowded. The sand was ridiculously hot, like scalding but the water was super cold. Liv had a blast, her dad buried her in the sand and I caught up on my magazines and got a pretty rad tan. We met Story & Chris for dinner at PF Changs *yummy* and we had a lovely evening. I left the camera in Olivia's diaper bag, which is in my car, so I'll post the rest of the photos later. I took these with my phone.

 *eww, please ignore my chunky monkey leg*

We're headed out for dinner, hope your enjoying the long weekend lovelies...any big 4th plans?

BEACH DAY!!

Today Antz is off and we are off to the beach!!

*circa 1998*

The Lovely Mermaid

Liv loved the beach, she's a real California girl. I can't wait for her to learn how to surf!

More to come about last night's mishaps...