yippee! it's emma's birthday!

here's to my lifelong roomie, even if she lives 1,000 miles away.

she is everything (and more) you can imagine a friend to be: encouraging, loving, real.

she is my debriefing buddy...not a week goes by without a good chat.

she embraces her curl; uses a thousand glasses/cups/mugs; will go at length to ensure the tastiest of treats; drives a luxe wagon; is an ardent reader of the new york times; and enjoys the simple art of lounging.

i love you, emma! welcome to the ripe age of 24!

juice

i am not the biggest fan of fruit juice. given the choice between a glass of juice and the whole fruit, i will choose the latter any day. why would i settle for a cup/glass/box of additives when i can eat the real thing? why would i sip/gulp/slurp a textureless liquid when i can experience a medley of sorts with each bite i take? and why would i ever want to deny myself the satisfaction of knowing a fruit in its purest form?

well, times have changed.

yesterday at the farmer's market, i was particularly interested in a stand i had never given the chance to visit. the juice stand. i don't know if it was because i was perfectly content with my basketful of lush fruits that i had a spark of momentary curiosity, but i put my judgment aside and asked the juice man what he was all about.

no added sugar. no added water. absolutely no preservatives. and organic. 


each bottle of fruit juice was just that. 100% fruit juice. i was intrigued by the mixes before me: pomegranate, apple pomegranate, orange peach, cherry apple orange, and apple cherry. i learned where the fruit was grown, how the juice was produced, and how it could be used in recipes aside from drinking alone. and then i sampled. every. single. one.

no, it's not a whole piece of fruit. yes, it comes in a bottle. but gosh darn it, that fruit juice was as pure as it gets! i complimented the juice man on his commitment to preserving the fruit's integrity, and then bought a bottle of apple pomegranate juice. these juices will NEVER replace my whole fruit, but with the summer heat and desire to "mix it up" every now and then, i'm okay with this juice man's pure creations.

return of the nutcracker

nothing in la can be too out-of-the-ordinary...

not even a life-size nutcracker sitting in the backseat of a jaguar convertible.

charlie's first roadtrip

last week, charlie went on his first roadtrip to the central coast. as mama, i wanted his first experience to be steady and smooth, filled with varied scenery and memorable landscape. ultimately, it was all about a leisure ride: no agenda, no expectations.

driving along pacific coast highway, charlie hummed the perfect soundtrack: bon iver's latest album, complete with my current favorite. 

the first stop was for a seafood lunch at morro bay, where charlie admired the lone rock. g and i couldn't help but feast, instead.

once we arrived to our cottage in cambria, charlie parked himself comfortably to rest. i taught him that rest was essential to stay alert. g and i would need charlie's full attention for our wine-tasting escapades.

rolling through the hills of wine country, charlie kept us safe, indeed, as we ventured from one vineyard to another. 

charlie waited patiently so we could stop and admire the sweeping rows of soon-to-be glory.

and just when he thought the trip was over, charlie didn't even raise a fuss when g and i insisted we visit the beach for a walk.

if i could speak for charlie, i'd say this trip was amazing. 

charlie, you were quite the gentleman. mama couldn't be more proud.

solo

if i could revert back in time and sing aloud the jingle to the Huggies commercials, i would. at this moment, nothing sounds sweeter than "i'm a big kid now!"

one may ask: to what are you attributing this newfound sense of growth? to which i would reply: i officially live alone. solo. it's me and the apartment, together. 


last week, my roommate of two years moved out. after painstakingly searching for apartments, i decided to stay at my humble abode in brentwood. and thank goodness. for the first time in my life, i am flying solo in the home department...which means i need to feel comfort. security. community.

after years of claiming that i feel the forces of adulthood, i have to say that this "living alone business" tops it. the only child in me can finally come out and play. where should i hang that photo? do you mind if so-and-so stays for the weekend? what do you think of these new dishes? as much as i am a proponent for compromise, making decisions on my own really does make me feel like "i'm a big girl now!"

how to do summer

summer has arrived, and although i am far from being a summer connoisseur, here are my top six tips for surviving the season:

1. start the day with a satisfied tummy.

2. protect yourself from the sun's beaming rays...bring shade.

3. find a good book and dive into it. recommendation: a homemade life.

4. hydration is not a trend. it is a fact of life. tote your water bottle.

5. satisfy those cravings. feeling savory? how about fish tacos. need a little sweet treat? well hello there, ice cream. follow your heart...or stomach. 

6. and last but not least, be open to love...it's all around!

mother flow

why oh why, Mother Flow, must you be so gosh darn persistent? after a few months of your absence, why did you have to come back and remind me of your power?

the aches. the cramps. the unwarranted episodes of crying. the heaviness...the mess!

i grew so accustomed to living month-by-month without you, and now, at the launch of summer, you decide to return. Mother Flow, i do love you for the purpose of your work, but i have to be honest when i say: i don't have to like you right now.


yours truly.