happy year's past

i've said it before and i'll say it again: new year's resolutions make no sense to me. why is there this impeccable urge to "be more active," "save more money," or "be a better person" as soon as the calendar reaches january 1st? and then what about the failure people feel for not making their "goals." i guess i've always believed that if you want to change something, then go ahead and do it. any day of the year, for that matter.

so i'm going to spend this last day of 2012 reflecting on the past year, focusing on the things that brought me here today. it was a whirlwind of a year, one in which i can honestly say i've grown the most. and for that, i am thankful. 

reminiscing on 2012...

i moved into my first studio...alone.

i celebrated a quarter-of-a-century with close friends, my mama, and oodles of food and wine. never felt better.

g and i survived our first international trip together in costa rica. they always say you never really know someone until you travel with them. well, it is confirmed that i love the guy.

we started hosting dinners for friends, documenting the preparation process in our dinner studio blog. looking back now, i realize it's been a while from our last one. that's gotta change.

we raced in the mud run. it was no half marathon, but let me tell you, it had plenty of challenges. 

mama and i celebrated life, love, and health in italy and france. it was the trip of a lifetime, just mama and me.

i experienced utter perfection at the chanel of all treats, pierre herme. paris continues to blow my mind with its loveliness.

g and i visited yosemite...twice. the first time, for the usual hiking and relaxation. the second time, to hike half dome under a full moon. by far, it was the most exhilarating experience of my life.

i sold many of my things, gave my 30-day notice, and moved in with g. this step in our relationship happened so organically, i feel like i've lived here forever. for the first time in seven years of living in la, i truly believe i have a home.

we found a dog on the side of the freeway. chase came into our lives when many transitions were happening. he couldn't have come at a more perfect time...he completes our family. and let's be real, g and i have become those people. 

we went back to seattle and brought my parents. this visit confirmed our decision to make the move north. at this point, i don't know the exact time it will happen, but we're hoping for late 2013...

we got inked! in seattle! our mantras, permanently displayed. greatest souvenir!

contributed a vote for another term for obama. what an election it was!

chase, g, and i endured a failure of a vacation. sixteen hours of packing, unpacking, fighting the wind, sleeping in the car, and packing right back up to go home. joshua tree will be better enjoyed through pictures in a magazine.

finally found my go-to granola. life is good with a big bowl of this stuff, first thing in the morning.

as this year officially comes to a close, i plan on baking, lounging, and falling asleep to a sappy movie. since g will be at work, i'll just have to save my midnight kiss for tomorrow morning. 2012, you have been abundant. may 2013 be just as flourishing (and delicious)!

one day

today was that one day when i just knowingly blow it and stand in the shower for an absurd amount of time, watching, watching, watching the water flow down the drain.

i don't do this kind of eco-rebellious thing often. as a matter of fact, i cringe at the thought of wasting, and do everything in my best effort to respect our environment/resources. BUT today's ridiculously long shower was an exception. a one-time exception.

coming home from work, nothing sounded better than a hot shower. running water down my back. me, closing my eyes, feeling my body absorb the water pressure. i could have easily drawn a bath. i could have heated my lavender pack and placed it strategically on my tense spots. but, nooooo. standing in the shower with a continuous - and incredibly wasteful - flow of hot water felt so much better.

it was one day. i know what i did, and although i can't take it back, i vow to tame my selfish urges should they reappear in the near future. but i'm not going to lie - it was the perfect end to a long day. i just have to keep it real and honest around here, so please forgive me.

for reals

did anyone know that christmas is next week? that 2013 is in two weeks? that there is a list of things waiting to be finished?

yeah, neither did i.

i don't know who this magic elf is - the one who whispered into pregnant women's ears "don't go into labor today" so i could be on-call from work. thank you, whoever you are.

since i'm in total disbelief that the holidays are a week away, i will take any chance i get to prepare. not that i have a lot to prepare, just enough that i have to make a list to keep it all straight. and a snack to keep me motivated. 

at the end of the day, i'm just excited to spend time with some good ol' roomies in the next few days! bring it on, holidays!

it seemed like a good idea

i learned something this week: not everything goes my way. g and i had been planning a camping trip to joshua tree for the past month. we took time off of work, set aside our camping gear, stocked up on food, and prepared ourselves for a week sans showers, internet, refrigeration, and flushing toilets.

we were excited to get out of the city and enjoy being in the elements with only the essentials. i remembered my camping trips during my childhood: chatting by the fire, cooking food outside, waking up to the sunrise, getting dirty and being okay with it. for this trip, i was looking forward to the same things plus hikes, bike rides, snuggling with g and chase, and taking time to rest.

we packed the car, drove to our campsite, and created our temporary home.

that night, we cooked dinner, sat by the fire, and bundled up in the tent, ready for a good night's sleep. 

well, everything was fine and dandy until...

...monstrous winds kicked in around 2 am; the stakes to our tent loosened, causing it to catch the wind like a kite; everything was blowing away; we weren't able to re-stake the tent; chase was freaking out; we could barely hear each other over the wind's howling; and it was dark, late, and blistering cold.

all we could do at that point was put a heavy rock on top of the collapsed tent, throw everything into the front seat of the car, and sleep in a makeshift bed in the backseat. yep, we felt like the ultimate ragamuffin gypsy family.

throughout the rest of that night, the winds howled relentlessly and shook the car as if it was going to carry it away. although we were snuggled tightly, free from the cold outside, we were far from a comfortable sleep. 

our tent the next morning

notice the empty campsite? yeah, it's all stuffed in the car

when morning rolled around, the winds were still very much present. we decided at that point to head back home since we weren't going to get a break from the forces of nature. and not to mention, the clouds forming in the distance didn't look so promising either. we cooked our oatmeal, ate in the car, and packed our things for the drive home. 

i had a moment before we left joshua tree. i was frustrated with the weather. i was disappointed that we didn't do the things i was looking forward to doing. i was irritated that we prepared and packed and stocked up only to go back home in less than 24 hours. it was lame. 

but then g reminded me of something: you live and learn. there was no way we could have anticipated the wind, and we did everything we could to save our camp. he reminded me that we were all together, through thick and thin, and this would be one more memory to add to our growing list. with a tender hug and "i love you," g brought me an inner peace. and that's what it's all about.

so we trekked home, laughed about the shortest trip of our lives, and prepared a homemade meal as it poured outside. sure, this was no costa rica or paso robles trip, but in the end, i am thankful for the time we shared together - especially before the tent blew away.

it never gets old

ever since i was a freshman in college, i've come home the first week of december to spend a cheer-filled weekend with my parents. it didn't matter if there was rain or shine, if ucla was playing against usc, or if i had a butt-load to study...i always made it home.

every one of these weekends consisted of christmas tree decorating, a trip to extraordinary desserts, and a night at balboa park for its annual christmas at the prado festivities. even if i was already beginning to prepare for the holidays prior to this special weekend, it never felt like the holidays until we actually decorated the christmas tree, visited extraordinary desserts, and froze our rears at balboa park.

i love that the tradition lives on. i may be a working woman, living with a boy, and spreading my wings, but when the first weekend of december rolls around, you better believe i will be home with mama and daddy. and this past weekend, i was.

one year from now, five years from now, ten years from now, i don't know where i'll be, but i hope i always make the effort to spend this weekend in san diego doing the same exact thing. it never gets old.

lesson learned

g and i learned a lesson: don't buy dog toys that contain the slightest inkling of stuffing. chase will get to it. and FAST.

exhibit a:

i would have taken a "before" picture had i known there would be an "after." so much for the durable toy we thought would last forever.

so we moved onto plan b: a rubber-like pig that seemed impossible to destroy. 

well, leave it to our scoundrel of a dog to chew off the pig's anus for the mere satisfaction of finding the stuffing. and to top it off, there is no ounce of remorse to be found. nope, chase's work is complete.

looks like we'll have to resort to not-so-cheap deer antlers. at least he can't find stuffing in those.

some things never change

if you knew me during college - or more specifically, if you lived with me during college (ahem, emma and abby) - then you might have noticed my appreciation for gingerbread. okay, maybe it was an obsession. if i remember correctly, i bought a slice of gingerbread from the whole foods bakery at least 3-4 days per week. all year long. 

now when i talk about gingerbread, i'm referring to the thick, spicy, dark, spongy, molasses-laden, uber moist, don't-eat-this-stuff-unless-you-really-like-ginger gingerbread. it is no joke, and i love it. 

fast forward four years, and i finally had an urge to bake it. something sounded so right about ginger and december and baking and heartiness and spices. so i went to it and fell in love all over again. my first bite took me back to those evenings after studying, curled up on the couch on ophir, tea in hand and roommates by my side. every bite was like that - magic. 

i am so happy i found a recipe that satisfies my gingerbread expectations. i am even more happy to know that it only takes a bite of something special to remind me of great times in the past. with this stuff in my repertoire, i have a feeling my obsession may return. some things never change.

and the holidays begin...NOW

today is december 1st. in my book, that translates to: let the holiday season commence! i have never been a fan of listening to christmas music in november nor have i been a proponent of decking the halls the day after thanksgiving. call me a scrooge, but the holidays just aren't the same when you drag them out past their sweet allotted time.

but since today is the first day of december - the first day of the month that celebrates christmas - i will proudly begin my holiday merry-making.

first comes the tree, albeit small.

sure, it's the smallest christmas tree i have ever owned, but it fits beautifully in our humble studio. as long as it's real, i'm good to go. 

next come the poinsettias. fire-engine red, they bring such cheer to our space. we just have to keep them out of reach from chase. poinsettias + dog eating poinsettias = a tragic, poisonous death.

tomorrow, a string of lights will be hung around the window. you know, the big colored ones. 

i am so happy to finally let loose and give into the season. i already have a list of treats to bake, all winter-inspired. by the looks of today, spent with g and chase, i have a hunch that this month will be grand.