Totally Jelly

I'm obsessed! I made a new flavor while experimenting: mango jalapeño. It came out so well. We had a departmental breakfast in my office this week and the jellies were a huge success. 

I'll be trying new flavors soon and plan to see how long they can sit out. I'm going to make an empire out of them! Ok-not really but I do want to sell them. 

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

Jammin'

I made some jelly today. It's so simple and much better for you than most store bought brands.

Ingredients:

Frozen fruit of choice

Chia seeds

Maple syrup (if you want it sweeter)

Put fruit in a pot on medium heat

Cook it down so it defrosts, breaks apart the fruit and becomes syrupy

(it can take between 10-20 minutes depending on fruit/pot size)

Once syrupy, add 1/4 cup of chia seeds

Stir and put in a container

Refrigerate for 2 hours

Things I Love Thursday Friday

Tofu bowls from Beachwood Cafe

'68 Comeback Special leather

Flowers at work

Daily hike sunsets

My Viva Las Vegas cupcakes from Duff's Cakemix



Volunteer Year - May

I am working on finding different places to volunteer because I want to involve myself in a number of organizatins but seem to rely on North Central since I am now a part of the team. I helped out last weekend and it was another beautiful day. The weather was perfect, the helpers were sweet and all of the dogs were so cute. The first couple times I helped, I was satisfied with some good cuddling from all of the animals and walk away feeling like my two kitties are enough. This last time, I wanted EVERY dog, cat and rabbit I saw! It was bad, they were all so adorable and can't wait to love someone.

Check out North Central's Fb page to see all of the babies available. The bios you read with the pictures are what I help put together. I am so grateful I am a part of something that benefits these babies. I always thank the organizer after turning in my bios and she doesn't understand why but it really benefits me tremendously.

A Real Angelino

I am now a member of the Los Angeles Conservancy and couldn't be more excited. With a donation of just $40, you can also join. I've already signed up to volunteer for a couple of the Last Remaining Seats (LRS) movies as an usher. If you ask me, its the best of both worlds: I get to volunteer and spend hours in historic buildings!!!

My goal is to become a docent for walking tours. My kind of Saturday is donating my time, talking about old buildings, architectural periods & styles and spending the day outside. For now, I will be scheduling several over the summer months to get to know the area and see how the current docents do it.



Things I Love Thursday

Marty Robbins' western songs

Experimenting with new foods

Jacarandas in the spring (on my daily hike)

Family photos from Bro & Arin's wedding

Non chemical cleaning solutions

Ask For What You Want!

On my run last weekend, I saw a couple moving furniture from inside their house  to the garage. They had a beautiful credenza sitting out there already so of course I stopped to check it out. I asked if they were getting rid of these things and indeed they were! So I low balled them on a couple items and came away with a new shelving unit to house my Etsy store items. I tried to get both the shelving piece and credenza for a ridiculous price but the chick wasn't having it. She said she would rather donate it to the Goodwill than have me pay a low price for it!!! Makes NO sense to me but I guess she wanted to offer it to someone who might need it more than me. Whoever gets that credenza will be stoked with the Goodwill price since they'll sell it for less than I was willing to pay. 

Lesson - there is nothing wrong with asking. The worst they can say is no. Right? Right.

The piece is cream on the outside but inside was navy blue which wasn't working for me. I wanted something light to show everything off. I just finished painting the inside gold and love it even more now. My living room feels so much better now that everything is organized which I needed since I keep buying more stuff. I have the challenge of finally adding them to the shop to keep it organized!!!

The worst part is the taping!!

All of my goodies

I also added this shelf and kitty I got at a garage sale for $5. 

Things I Love Thursday

Finding cheap/used/amazing band shirts

Pictures of my beautiful mother

Watching my nephew enjoy some cake and ice cream (he's so big now, wahhh!)

Cool afternoons in Huntington Beach

The floral tunnel on my daily hike

Help Needed

Happy Friday!

Since beginning my monthly volunteer work in January, I have been brainstorming a couple ideas and need your help! Would you mind taking a couple minutes to fill out this survey for me? I am working on a project and want to get as many responses as possible. The info is confidential so don’t worry! I won’t know the details on everyone that responds…just the statistics. It would also be super awesomely amazing if you could forward it on to friends and family to also fill out. Thank youuuuuuuuu!

2 Minute Survey

This baby kitty is really happy you're helping!