Rainy Days

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby." - Langston Hughes

While I currently reside in the lovely city of Malibu, Calif., I am much more of a Pacific Northwest girl at heart when it comes to weather. For some, this concept is mindboggling--who doesn't like Malibu weather? Well, first of all, Malibu is not all it is hyped up to be. I am in sweats, boots, sweaters, and jackets more than I am in a bikini. Anyways, rainy days are my favorite. I love waking up to days when the sun is on vacation but living in Southern California my entire life has not blessed me with too many. So when the air is misty, or droplets patter against my room I like to savor every moment. I see it as a time to indulge in all the activities for which I couldn’t seem to find time for recently.

I think the following quote says it perfectly: "The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain. This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency." - Susan Allen Toth, England For All Seasons

Catch up with friends. Turn on some Coldplay/John Mayer. Put on rubber boots and splash in puddles. Cuddle with my lovey. Make a cup of tea. Bake something delicious. Write a letter and send it via snail mail. Finally bust out that polka dot umbrella that has been hiding for months.

If we let it, cold, gloomy, sunless days have the opportunity to be magical.

"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain."- Author Unknown

Big Movie Fun for a Not So Big Waistline or Budget

People go to the movies to escape their everyday lives. Typically, they don’t want to eat everyday food while they’re indulging their need to experience something out of the ordinary. Even with the health and fitness trends, you aren’t likely to find many concession stands serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole-wheat pitas, cottage cheese cups, or bowls of mixed vegetables. So indulge and just be smart about it!

When I snuggle down in my movie seat to watch my action flick or romantic comedy with a barrel sized popcorn bucket and gallon of Coke at my side, I possess movie euphoria. That is, until I realize I have just eaten and drank enough to feed a small country and spent $25 on "refreshments." So, I'm changing my ways. I'm making my movie addiction cheaper and healthier. To be just like me, all you need is a larger than normal purse and a desire to save money (and calories!) next time you treat yourself to the delightful experience that is movie-going.

B.Y.O.S. Bring Your Own Snacks. Pre-pop some 94% Fat Free, Light Butter popcorn in your microwave--you'll save a heck of a lot of calories and not feel deprived of the classic movie and popcorn pairing (savings: $7-$10). Hit up the nearest grocery store for a Diet Coke. At CVS, an ice cold Diet Coke will set you back no more than a buck fifty. Compare this to the $5-$7 they are now charging for some soda at most theaters and you'll be happy with your choice. This is a must. Not only will the following help keep your waist slim but they will also help keep your wallet thick. If you must have candy, and let's be honest, YOU MUST, indulge smartly. Junior Mints for example have less calories and fat that M&Ms and other all chocolate cnadies because of their mint filling. Buy them along with your Diet Coke at CVS for $1 versus the $3.75 you'll shell out at the concession stand. **WARNING: Movie theaters do not really approve of this whole B.Y.O.S. message...but with today's economy the way it is, and obesity on the rise, it's okay to break a few rules.

If you decide spur of the moment to catch a flick, or aren't a rule breaker, here's how to make smart choices when you're at the tempting concession stand.

Order a small popcorn without buttery topping or better still, a kid's size. Share with your neighbor, but don't get talked into the special deals or "combos". Don't get bamboozled by that bucket that reads "Free refills on large size." in big, bold letters, either. If you have to hold it with two hands, you've probably made the wrong choice. If you've just got to have candy, force yourself to ignore all candy bars (sigh) and remember what I said beofre. Choose the lesser evil like Junior Mints, Pepper Mint Patty, Gummy Bears, jelly beans and Tootsie Rolls.

Now ... don't even get me started on those super-sized sodas! Unless you're a diet soda fan, stick with buying bottled water. The overly-generous cup of soda has thousands of empty calories that will find their way to your waistline in no time.

So you've got your kiddie popcorn, your bottled water and a resolve to refrain from refills. What's left to do? Sit back, relax, enjoy the movie ... and your sense of pride at having stuck to your guns!

Pamplona, Spain & the Festival of San Fermin

Let's flashback and pretend its July and we are in Pamplona, Spain dressed head to toe in traditional white clothing with a simple red accents, about to witness The Festival of San Fermin, also known as the Running of the Bulls.

It’s six a.m. in Pamplona, the sky is turning from navy to pale blue with the approaching dawn, and the streets are already packed. In reality, many of the people who line the cobbled lanes of the old town have not been to bed yet (including myself).

Every year, roughly a million people flock to Iruña, as Pamplona is called in the native Basque language, for the festival of San Fermín. They join the native Navarros in an epic bacchanal that has taken place annually since 1591. The party kicked off with the echoing explosion of a rocket and will continue, uninterrupted, for eight days and nights.

Almost.

Around seven o’clock every morning, a calm (or utter exhaustion from the parties the night before) sweeps through the city as municipal workers set up thick wooden fences along a well trodden path that runs a half mile from holding pends in the northern part of the old town to the bull ring. Over the next hour, young men dressed like 99 percent of the people in the city this week--white pants, white shirt, red neckerchief, and red sash around the waist--gather in the street where, at eight o’clock sharp, they will run for their lives in front of six angry bulls. This is the encierro, the running of the bulls, which has been taking place since the 17th century, and remains one of the most thrilling spectacles in modern sport.

“Why do they run?” I ask the Italian man, holding a 40 ounce bottle of beer sitting next to me on the fence.

He simply replys “I don’t know."

At the time, I agree.

[Looking back, however, I realize just how built up the whole event gets. In reality, eighty percent of the guys on the street are irrelevant. They don’t feel it, they don’t live it. The hide behind more seasoned runner then go home and brag about how they "ran with the bulls." Mostly, they don’t even run in front of the bulls, they just stand to the side and watch the bulls pass. ]

The bulls pass us in a matter of seconds, rush through the streets and hang a hard right at the Curve of Estafeta ("Dead Man's Curve"). From there, it’s an all out sprint up Estafeta Street down into the bull ring. Among the hundreds of people in the street, maybe 30 actually put themselves in front of the bulls.

But what do I know about relevancy. Like a cowboy at a rodeo, I sat atop my spot on the fence. Safe. Protected. Too scared to even hop in the race. Sitting on the top timber of the inner of two fences I wait for the 8 a.m. rocket in front of the mob scene cranking their necks to get even the slightest view and think about just how lucky I am and just how cool of an experience witnessing the Festival of San Fermin actually is. The energy surges as the clock gets closer to 8. The street is so full, if everyone suddenly ran, you’d think they’d simply trip over each other and all stack up, waiting to be minced by angry bulls. The energy continues to build. Then it’s 8, and the sound of the rocket indicates that the bulls are running. The entire scramble takes about two and a half minutes. The adrenaline surges in the crowded street.

Though I was simply a bystander sharing those moments of sheer amazement as the bulls past, and the sheer exhaustion that accompanied staying up all night, I will never forget my 24hours in the city of Pamplona, Spain with my favorite person.

Shabby Chic Design

Shabby Chic Style is a form of interior design style where furniture and furnishings are chosen for their age, signs of wear and tear or distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique look. The end result of shabby chic is to achieve an stylish elegant overall effect. Shabby Chic interiors are works of art. Stylish rather than fashionable, Shabby Chic reflects fresh quality as opposed to newness.

The Basics of Shabby Chic living (follow the basics but add your own flair--let your design reflect your personality!)

* Comfy, overstuffed furniture upholstered with slipcovers
* Plenty of soft, fluffy pillows
* Flea market finds with distressed paint finishes
* Floral arrangements, especially using roses of all kinds
* Mix-and-match dishes and glassware
* Vintage paintings or prints with an aged quality
* Neutral or lighter tones with dark colors used for accent
* Cotton, poplin, and linen fabrics in sun-faded colors or subtle floral prints
* Colors like white, cream, and pastels

Not every chair has to be sat on. How about using a sturdy, painted straight chair as a table at the side of a bed or sofa or in a corner to hold a vase of flowers? An old picnic bench or trunk can serve as a coffee table. Stack wooden boxes at the side of a chair for books and flowers. Be creative and use what you have.

Don't be afraid to interject different styles into the Shabby Chic style. What I particularly like about Shabby Chic is that you're able to mix and match pieces from different styles and it just works. Mix French Eclectic into it with a little bit of Traditional Country and it will look incredible.

Thing To-Do: Live Well, Love Spring

“An optimist is the human personification of spring.”
Susan J. Bissonette

After a long and cold winter it’s refreshing to finally have some warmth, a few birds singing and see more smiling and enthusiastic faces as you walk the streets. Bright and colorful wardrobe choices replace the dark chocolate fabrics of winter. Wind blows fresh air through open windows and focus is placed on getting organized. While doing your Spring cleaning and getting rid of the excess junk acquired over the past year, get rid of any negativity. Embrace the sunshine you have within yourself. Become an optimist:the human personification of Spring.Here are a few of my favorite sayings about spring that can help you make this year's Spring the best one yet.

Be consistent to get some real results.

“One swallow does not make a spring, nor does one fine day.”
Aristole

To live a happier life and make a real change you can’t just take action or do things on a day when you feel inspired. Sure, the spring may give you a boost of energy and inspiration right now. But what will you do with that? Just surf on those good feelings for a day or a week? Or let it be a start to consistently taken action each day, even if that inspiration and initial enthusiasm may dissipate (which it pretty much always does)?

Keep going.

“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”
Hal Borland

Persistence might not exactly be the sexiest sounding quality. It might not sell a lot of products to people looking for the magic pill. But it is an immensely helpful quality to cultivate and put to use.If you fail, what do you do? You dust yourself off, learn what you can from what happened and try again. If the success you are looking for won’t come that quickly – a pretty likely scenario – then you have to persist. Persistence is one of the most useful qualities one can have. Not only because you will still be out there in a less competitive playing field as lot of other people have given up and gone home. But also because developing persistence will enable you to get what you want. It may just take a little longer than had hoped for. But if you keep going, if you refine your approach based on what you learn from experience and other sources then better times will come.

Winter makes the spring so much better.

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
Anne Bradstreet

The winter of life is often in retrospect a gift. It makes you stronger. More empathic and understanding. It helps you out in some way and guides you. You can always look back at it when you feel down and be happy that you aren’t in that place anymore.
Your winter and adversities expands the spectrum of human experience, understanding and emotions for you. Your capacity for genuine gratitude increases because of it. The sad times make the happy times even sweeter.

Malibu Seafood

In its physical landscape (from glittering beaches to shrouded canyons to funky urban quarters), demographics, and culture—yes, culture—Los Angeles is far more varied than it's ever given credit for being, and way more complex. Yes, it can come off as maddeningly superficial. Yet even a single day reveals the city's myriad, wide-ranging charms: surfing Malibu at sunrise, hitting the Farmer's Market in late morning, lunching on the beach, shopping on Melrose, watching the sun set from the Getty Center, and sipping cocktails on a rooftop lounge beneath the stars.

Today's mission in LA is to EAT.

Take a drive up the coast to Malibu. Stop at Malibu Seafood. Quality is their main Focus. They serve never frozen food. The line is always long, because the food is incredible. The fried fish is tempura style, and the grilled fish is so fresh it was swimming only days before,if not yesterday. If you don't spot a celebrity, you may very likely see a pod of dolphins pass up or down the coast. The scene is a lot more classy than Neptune's Net. You can buy beer or Wine there, or bring your own wine. But this place will not have the fifty thousand bikers at a time, so you can have a quiet, nice time with your family or with kids, or on a date. There is a covered patio with bougainvillea's trellising up on the upper deck. Hints. Bring your own tablecloth to set a nice mood (and your own wine glasses is a nice touch). Make it even more special by bringing a picnic basket with table cloth, glasses, and silver ware thought this in no way necessary, just fun!-the tables are clean). Go in the late afternoon and take your time. After dinner hop across the PCH (carefully, please!) and watch the sun set. Meditate as it gets darker and enjoy the company of those you are with. Embrace the beauty of the simple things life has to offer and be happy.

What's Bloomin' in LA?

Spring is in the air and so is the scent of stargazer lilies, tuberose, roses and orchids just to name a few. Under the roof of the cavernous aromatic warehouses, the scene is the same: Cool air, rows and rows of white buckets stuffed with every commercially available type of cut flowers, varieties from all corners of the earth, shoppers with arm's full of newspaper wrapped bunches of the freshest, most beautiful creations under the sun. At the Downtown Flower District, thousands of fresh cut flowers are handled daily. Most every stem resting in a vase in Southern California came from this Flower mart. The giant bouquets you see at your favorite restaurant, the flowers in the lobby of your Century City office bldg, The bunches at your local super market, the Roses in the window of your neighborhood Florist, all were most likely at this Flower District the day before.

A morning visit to the LA Flower Market District is certainly a treat to the senses, a color burst of natural beauty, and a spectacularly pleasant oasis in a downtown. Maybe this trip to the "mart" will inspire you to release your inner florist. Choose your favorite flowers, be creative and arrange something YOU think is beautiful!

TIP: Shop the vendors. Some are more expensive than others and each vendor carries different flowers. Also, make sure to check out the shops outside of the mart especially the ones that are next door to the right because they make be a little cheaper than the actual mart. The flower mart is cheap, fun, and colorful. It smells intoxicating and is probably one of the best ways to spend a few hours in LA. I'm going to go to bed with daisies in my head just thinking about it!

Alcove: A Los Feliz Treasure

Alcove is a favorite of young, artsy Los Feliz natives and of mine. Introduced to me by my mother (who knew she was such a hipster?), the cobb salad swept me off my feet and the red velvet cupcakes topped with rich, decadent cream cheese frosting made me swoon. The atmosphere is chic and so very LA. Come and peak hours (lunch any day, brunch on the weekends) and you will be eyeing the packed garden for a table while waiting in a line. Though the food IS worth the wait, come after 9pm (it is open til 11 everyday) and the true ambiance and unique vitality of the location and food can be truly appreciated. Alcove is a bakery and cafe housed in a historic bungalow surrounded by garden patios and terraces. Intimate, shabby chic decor completes the picture.

Favorites:

1. Love notes-- at the small, oak table for 2 in the building toward the back, people over the years have placed notes into the drawers. These notes are random and can embrace a wide range of topics from lessons learned, hopes, fears, likes, dislikes, ETC. Take a peak, they are brilliant.

2. Candied walnuts on the house salad

3. Organic, Egyptian chamomile tea-- add in a stick a honey and a soothing elixir that can make you forget all your worries and anxieties emerges

4. Turkey burger--Make sure you choose blue cheese to go with it!

5. CREPES--need I say more? From sweet and full of fruits & nutella to savory, you will be satisfied and begging for more!

Alcove itself is an alcove so do not miss it! Located right in Los Feliz on Hillhurst!

Little Bridges and Quaint Canoes: The Venice Canals

Venice, California may bare the name of an Italian city but comparing it to that European location is like comparing apples and oranges. Though the California beach community located in the Santa Monica Bay between Marina del Rey and Santa Monica has canals and was created as the Venice-of-America in 1905, it is Southern California to the core. Venice Beach, California is unlike any place on Earth, well known for its artists, street performers and funky atmosphere. It is a virtual carnival running year round with free admission. This atmosphere changes a few blocks from the shore as you enter the Venice Canals. Ducks swimming in the canal, whimsical homes dot along the streets, well-kept lawn and garden add colors to the serene setting, and white foot-bridges criss cross the canals. It is an idealistic area of Venice that makes an afternoon romantic. The houses that dot the edges of the water range in style and form. Each one has its own character and history.

Now, about that history. In the sixties the canals were home to beatniks and artists that soon gave way to the hippies. Rock bands and pot parties were the norm. Jim Morrison of The Doors called the canals home during the 60s. As real estate prices skyrocketed in the late seventies, the houses along the canals were remodeled and homes were built on the numerous vacant lots. Soon the affluent home owners replaced the artists and Bohemians.

So take an hour and explore this part of history. The setting is pastoral, with lovely cottages facing the water, landscaped walkways, ducks and rowboats meandering about. Be a part of the fun!

Tea Time at the Huntington Library

There is something so marvelously comforting about a brilliant cup of tea, especially when the delicious company of freshly baked scones is included. Add a lazy Sunday in Spring, blossoming flowers, & good company to the equation and you have a perfect day. Combining all of those elements is tea at Pasadena's Huntington Library. This Los Angeles landmark attracted me from a early age. My first tea-time experience took place here and I wouldn't have had it any other way. The aromas that greet the Tea Garden visitor entice you to take another step in and enjoy high-tea in the quaint, meticulously decorated, naturally lit cottage. Overlooking three acres of roses, the Tea Room is the perfect setting for a memorable repast. Dress to impress and reservations are a must.

While visiting the Huntington, the art (one of the most distinguished collections of 18th- and 19th in the United States) should not be overlooked. Some personal favorites include the late 19th-century galleries featuring paintings by John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, and William Merritt Chase, the furniture by Herter Brothers, and (of course) silver by Tiffany & Company.

I personally recommend visiting The Huntington in Spring. The rose garden will be in full bloom and an photographic hot stop. Also, make sure to notice the entrance pathway that leads to an 18th-century French stone tempietto and statue, “Love, the Captive of Youth,” encircled by “French Lace” roses. Lastly, the beds north of the arbor next to the Shakespeare Garden have a paved walk, and feature Tea and China roses. This spot is perfect from brushing up on your literature or meditation.

Explore away and enjoy!