Cinespia Saturday

I experienced Cinespia for the first time tonight and loved it! I went with some girlfriends-two that had been before and another newby like me. Since it was my first time, I followed the lead of my friend Alicia who knew all the tricks. We purchased our ticket in advance and got there hours before the gates open. We found our place in line by 5:30 and were close to the front. Part of the fun is to get in line early so you can 1) get the best seats and 2) start the party early! People  brought food and drinks and it was a huge picnic for an hour and a half. The gates open at 7 and you walk through the cemetery schlepping your picnic to a grassy area at the west end of the cemetery. A huge mausoleum wall is where the movie is projected but doesn't start until 9. We settled into a good spot near the front and ate/drank more. The movie was Alfred Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much". I loved it! I don't think I've ever seen one of his films but it was so good and really enjoyed watching Carey Grant and Doris Day as older actors. I'm definitely looking forward to doing this another time or two before this summer is over!

If you go, I'd suggest a couple things:

-Bring layers, it was hot in the afternoon but freezing and damp once the sun went down

-Pack plenty of snacks and remember  alcohol is allowed

-Don't forget blankets, towels or chairs (something to park yourself on)

-Grab a trash bag for anything you finish 

It was a great night for only $13!!

In line

Things I Love Thursday

All desserts from Magnolia Bakery

Guavas from the Hollywood Farmer's Market

Holistic remedies

Warm weather for me and the littles!!!

My mama and niece



Coming Clean

The last couple months have been really rough for me. It has obviously caused me to slack on postings and I apologize but I kind of went off the deep end with shopping and life. I had my October episode with Forever 21 and just this month did it again at American Apparel. I also bought little (new) things here and there in November so I can't say I ended the year strongly. I did really well for 10 months though, right?! Thank you to everyone that gave me a hug, a kind word or encouragement. It was very much appreciated.

In other news, I got a new apartment...and you know what that means? Time to decorate. So the heartache isn't as bad because I've been able to focus on moving, painting, decorating and shopping for household goods. It's been a really good distraction. I love my new place and it worked out so perfectly. I had looked at a number of apartments back in June when I got my promotion but I decided to move in with Buster. But when I was looking, every place I saw was horrible-small, in bad neighborhoods, no character, 70's or 80's interiors...yuck. This time around, the first apartment I toured was the one. I didn't need to look any further! I have a very specific list when it comes to where I live: old, lots of character and old! Sounds crazy when most people are hoping for granite counter tops, parking and dishwashers. The first thing I go for is original hardwood floors, a classic kitchen and good bathroom tiles. I got all of these, plus tons of light, plenty of storage, an intercom system for security and 10' ceilings!!! All I can say is God's timing is perfect.

So far I've gotten the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom in order. I need to work on the living room next. And by work on, I mean find a couch! I got rid of my beautiful, micro suede, red, fluffy couch while moving because I didn't want the same color palette as before. It was time for big changes and decided to make this place much more feminine with pinks, golds, baby blues and floral prints. So that meant no red couch. As of right now, my living room consists of a desk, chair and Christmas tree (duh)! I'm on the hunt for the perfect vintage, floral, 60's or 70's sofa. If I can find one with a sofa bed, I would die.

Below are some pictures of what I've finished so far. Oh and everything I've bought for my home is used-it's only new clothes I've been after. I used Etsy and Craigslist a lot and found a ton of necessities at Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. I did run to Target for things like a broom, mop, cleaning supplies, nails, etc but my place is mostly used which I'm thrilled about. Oh and I bought paint, primer and brushes from Home Depot...you'll see what I painted in the pictures below.

This is my favorite place. I always wanted a kitchen with open cabinets to show off my milk glass collection. I painted the shelves myself...just don't look at the top shelf, I wasn't tall enough to reach that one.

I am kind of obsessed. I heard someone refer to it as Pyrexia, very funny. I added the hooks for all of my mugs, but need to add more.

My aunt Carolyn gave me boxes of china that belonged to my great grandmother. It is SO special and such a great addition.

Another favorite, I spend a lot of my time at this breakfast bench.

More milk glass on display. Don't forget to eat your fruits and vegetables!

Details in the kitchen.

I got this silly thing at Goodwill and painted it the same color as the shelves.

This nightstand was a Craigslist find. Negotiated down $10 but still overpaid. I didn't care though because it was just what I was looking for. Notice the milk glass lamp, also my great grandmothers. I think that is where the obsession started!!!

Another DIY project. Buster let me have that frame (he used it to case a guitar) so I painted it and hung it on the wall as a headboard. I am trying to decide if I want to put something inside of the frame or leave it as is. All of my sheets and comforter are used. I took some pillow cases from my mom ;) and the rest were finds. The chenille comforter was from Etsy and I LOVE it so much. Feminine and delicate.

Dinda's Psalms 23 and a shelf from Goodwill. It was white so I painted it the same color as the headboard.

Of course I have Elvis in my room, Etsy curtains, and more milk glass.

This guy is great, and almost new. I am convinced the first owner had too much trouble trying to put the thing together and gave up. It was a pain.

My favorite bathroom rack. It came with me from Long Beach.

Towel rack from Etsy, and hexagon tile that I love. The building was built in the 20's and I am pretty sure the tiles are original.

I got this table from the Long Beach Flea Market with my sis in law Arin. I cannot believe I never went there the whole time I lived in LB. Such a shame.

This alcove used to hold a Murphy bed but has since been replaced with shelves. I still need to do a lot of work in here. I am looking for a TV, and need to hang more pictures. But I have the holiday essentials: tacky garland, ornaments and a fake tree from my parents!

Wardrobe Recap

More from work...ignore the weird faces.

Vintage blouse, BCG jeans, Dolce Vita heels

BCBG blazer, Forever 21 blouse, Levi's Jeans, Mia heels

Pendleton blazer, Forever 21 top, Gap jeans, Mia heels

Forever 21 dress, Jessica Simpson heels

Gypsy Treasures blouse, Forever 21 leggings, Aldo wedges

  

Forever 21 blouse, BCBG blazer, no name jeans

Yard sale blouse, Banana Republic pencil skirt

Sunday Funday

I started going to Mosaic Church in Hollywood and I love it! It is in the heart of the chaotic city but doesn't feel that way at all. I am excited to get involved in this community and see where it takes me. It is on Hollywood and La Brea-two very busy streets and only two blocks away from all of the madness of the "Walk of Fame". After church this past weekend, I decided to take a walk down the famous street to be a tourist for the afternoon! The street is always filled with out of towners, street venders, performers, celebrity look alikes and more. It is always an adventure to walk down the street at any hour!

  

Forever 21 jeans, vintage spectators

I really wanted to check out the Bettie Page store (below) because it had looked so cute online. Of course I loved it, and of course I tortured myself. I even considered getting a part time job there for fun, so I could get discounts but then realized I can't do that. *le sigh* Since I'm not really a tourist and I've experienced all of this before, I thought it was much more fun to see a bunch of firemen eating lunch on a patio. Ignore the lopsided bun! I also saw world famous, legendary MTV reality star Mark Long trying to look inconspicuous, hoping someone would stop him. Fifteen years ago I would have been SO excited to see him.

Forever 21 top, vintage sweater

Things I Love Thursday

Historic Buildings

My new office with a window

Touring LA on my road bike

Sweets-ALL of them

Hollywood Highs

I have really made an effort to be more productive on my time off, especially in the last couple months since I am limited with what I can purchase. I've had to change my mindset about where I can go such as the mall-I have no reason to go there anymore! Also, my priorities have changed over the years; I decided to stop drinking a year and a half ago and it has really shifted my focus for weekends. Before, I would plan them around parties, bar hopping and who I would be hanging out with. Normally it meant staying up too late and sleeping in the next day, followed by a lazy afternoon. Now I go to bed at a decent hour, get up earlier and head out to enjoy the beautiful Southern California weather.

Recently, I hiked up to the Hollywood sign. I was really looking forward to it since hadn't before and it was convenient since my main man Buster moved into a new place just down the road. Now I plan to hike there often! It was an easy course but took about 3 hours from start to finish so it definitely felt like a workout by the time I made it back to my car. The trail head is in a quiet neighborhood with plenty of street parking. The first 800m is covered with trees and there's a small park for children. Once you start climbing, you leave shade behind but the views open up. There was a lot of traffic but it's wide enough so it didn't feel congested. Unfortunately it takes you to the backside of the sign so you're not able to get a really good picture of it but it is an amazing landmark and very cool to be so close to it. The letters are much larger than I expected!

Take Canyon Dr toward the mountain from Franklin Ave

The next day, I hiked the sister trail to the Griffith Observatory. It starts down at the Greek Theater and has several different routes. Some are easy and others could really cause some damage if you were not skilled or prepared. This trail had a lot of traffic as well but again, they are wide enough to get around people.

Take Vermont toward the mountains, park near the Greek Theater

Vintage Harley Davidson shirt, Active pants, Keen boots, Forever 21 hat & glasses

The Observatory is so beautiful. I love the architecture and colors. There are always zillions of tourists but that is part of the fun. I heard people speaking French, Portuguese and Chinese. The view of the city is breathtaking on a clear day and the panoramic view allows you to see most of Los Angeles.



Speaking of views, I drove up to Mulholland Dr. at dusk recently. There's no hiking involved but it is a great spot to park and view the city. It reminds me of the viewpoint in Peyton Place, except we have a view of the city and they had a view of a lake. I guess it isn't that similar...



Boyfriend button up, Active pants, Forever 21 scarf & glasses, vintage Harley Davidson boots

(I've bought a lot of Forever 21 crap over the years. Disposable clothing as my mom says. Don't judge me!)