Amazing

This past weekend my dad and his friends Mike and Gregg participated in a cross-country skiing race. I think it is absolutely amazing. I have tried the cross country skiing and it is hard stuff. I still remember sitting face down at the bottom of a small incline that my friend Anna and I tried to conquer on our slim cross country skis and we both ended up face down in the snow believing we may have to send out for a rescue team of huskies to pull us back to the lodge. This is a photo of my amazing father at the race where temperatures were a warm 5 degrees. Brrrrr. Absolutely amazing is all I can say. If I had to enter the TV show Amazing Race, I would pick my dad to be my race partner - cause he could so win that.
In other news, all the newcasters can talk about is the weather out here. We get a little rain and this place turns chaotic. Last nights weather news went something like this:
Newscaster: "We now go to Brian live out in the valley"
Brian: "Everywhere I look there is water. It is coming down all over."
Camera pans to a wider shot to show the reporter standing in an inch of water with golashes on.
Brian: "I do not suggest going out unless you can where some tall boots to keep your soaks dry, because it is quite something out here, back to you in the studio."
Newscaster: "Thank you Brian, more on STORM WATCH 2006 after this short segment on how celebrities are coping with the fact that they may have to walk the red carpet in the rain."

Downtown, Coast, and Clouds

Great weekend. My friend Norah was in town after she had been visiting San Diego for work. She took the train up from S.D. and I picked her up at Union Station downtown. Love that building! Friday was spent walking and getting lost downtown, but after my wrong directions we finally found lunch at Phillipes. We stopped by Olvera St., where they were filming a WB movie (Nancy Drew) and then went by Chinatown to drop coins in the wishing grotto. We rounded off that evening by hanging out at Najas, then checked out the new place in town called PointBreak...fun place, but may not be in such a great location for business..we will see how they do.

Saturday was for culture and we headed up the 405 to the Getty Center and then had dinner down in Hermosa at Cafe Bugaloo, a blues & mardi gras place that Norah suggested because she met the owner's father on the east coast...small world. Turned out great, which unfortunately is not how I could describe the quick visit to the Poop Deck...the place felt like a bad frat house.

Norah left this morning so today we walked to the Amgen California Bike tour that was finally finishing in our town. The riders have been riding in the coastal towns up north and came down for the last leg of their journey in Redondo. The streets were blocked off and everyone was out to cheer for the riders...wish my dad could have been here, he would have liked it. I think they are going to try and do this every year now..they want to make it into something like the tour de france.

This weekend went by way too fast and now I am back in an empty office on a holiday. Most employees are taking the day off and having a leisurely long weekend, but those few of us who have to punch in hourly are here to waste the day away in a building with no windows.
Saturday we went down to the LBC to celebrate at an engagement party. I had 1 drink when I first arrived and then spent the rest of the evening downing diet cokes as I was the designated driver.

It was a really nice party.

Sunday was spent reorganizing and cleaning the apt. The weather outside was beautiful. Right after it rains in California is the best because it is so clear and the views are fantastic without any smog.

Saw this online and now I want it. They call it the eggling. It is a ceramic egg that you can crack open and water and voila...a plant. How cool is that!

The dolls are still in the office at work, but I am beginning to block them out and don't really notice them until someone stops by the office and starts making jokes like "valley of the dolls" and "I think I saw that one move on it's own".

Books read lately: I am starting "Thank you for smoking" and took some time to read through some of the magazines I had at home. I did not care for "Serving Curry with Crazy" or is it crazy with curry...well either way, I returned the book before I finished it. It seemed to take the author too long to describe an emotion or anything for that matter. The book could have been edited down to 50 pages.
I have been slowing down on the netflix movie scene. I need to start watching the ones at home and soon before I begin wasting money on the netflix.
Hope everyone's Valentine's was super fabulous. Nothing to crazy to report here...I went to yoga last night.

Sunscreen and flip flops

It was a beautiful weekend with a high of 83 degrees at the beach, so we took the bikes out and rode down to Hermosa to hang out with friends.

It felt completely like summer.

Unfortunately did not get any of the projects at home done. I have organizational issues with closets and the place is a bit of a pit.

Friday we went to the comedy and magic club in Hermosa and had dinner and laughed so hard that my cheeks hurt. Food there was pretty good as well.

Saturday, took us up to the Silverlake area to celebrate with friends who are moving into their new condo. The party was at their old place and they had for sale signs on all the furniture and artwork in their place. Good idea at a party because I think there were a couple of takers. Back at work today and not all that thrilled due to the fact that the weather outside is FABULOUS!!! Sorry to all those on the east coast, but it was definitely a sweet summer weekend here.

Their beady little eyes

These must leave the office as soon as possible. I work at a non-profit and these were donated...but I cannot help feel like they may walk over and attack me at my desk.

The second one from the right has a wig. Even scarier is that these all stand 3-4 feet tall. AAAAH!

I also found the apendage in the filing cabinet.

Woke up this morning to find ash all over my car. We live far north of the actual fire, but are seeing a lot of ash as well as spooky ominous smoke clouds that are moving out to the ocean. The sun even looks more firey.

We need some rain.

I am in a scramble to try and get a lot done this week, but I keep running out of time. Last night I went to the ghetto grocery store for their produce section...Great produce and you cannot beat the prices. I bought a TON of food and spent less than 10 bucks. A lot of it is organic and I am not even paying the chic prices.

My office looks a bit like Children of the Corn part whatever part they still need to make. I will try and upload a picture for all to see tomorrow. :)

Reading "Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto and in the middle of "A Year in the Merde" by Stephen Clarke...I am not sure what I think of Clarke. I am taking a break because I feel like I am reading him as a major jerk. Will report more later on that.