LA weekend 1

Cool sunshine, sultry palm trees, hazy roads, satin tans. The scent of pleasure carried on the ocean breeze has made me feel immediately relaxed in this hectic city. It might be the fact that I’m living with a friend this co-op rather than all on my lonesome, but I can’t seem to get the exciting tease of summer out of my system. Two months of crazy nights and sun-smooched days lie ahead, what more could I hope for? Well aside from the fact that you all should come visit me. There’s plenty of room in this apartment!

I’m living with Brett at Midvale Ave near UCLA’s campus in a building that has a workout room, a pool, a sauna, a hot tub, and luscious flowers dotting the lobby beneath our balcony. We share one bedroom and a bathroom in a two bedroom apartment with two other girls. They are friendly, the kitchen is functional, and hey – we both have beds and neither of them are mattresses on the floor, woohoo! Weird observation though – there are WAY too many mirrors in this building.

So I guess I shall begin from the beginning of my journey. A farewell breakfast with my Mom and Nana at Bob Evans (miss you guys already) then CVG for an 11AM flight to Atlanta. Off from Atlanta to catch the long ass flight to Los Angeles. During this weird time when I was not at all hungry but knew that I would need sustenance in about 3 hours on the plane, I made the dumb decision of buying an orange bliss latte from Seattle’s Best because…well because I wanted to. Anyway, let me just say that drinking lots of coffee at Bob Evans and then again right before a flight across the country is a silly idea.

LAX. Finally I was in La La Land. I was then approached by an Indian/Mexican (he introduced himself this way) who wanted to sell me a book on Yoga (which is ironic because I’m reading “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert and she details the process, purpose, and effect of such a practice). This led to me meeting some overly tan dude from NY who works for Men’s Vogue and sews his own clothes. Brett soon arrived in the white mini-van, the white mini-van that is oh so sexier than your typical LA BMW. Oh yea, we sexy Ohioans ridin’ in our Dodge Caravan…

(Sunset Blvd on the way home from work. Traffic = 50% of these ppl’s lives)

We drove through some hellish highway junk on the 405 then arrived out our lovely abode. Settled in enough we immediately set out for… INDIAN FOOD. Lordy how I needed food, Indian food more than anything – Why? Because it has saucy remedial qualities and I will never tire of its spicy yummness. So at New India Grill I ordered Saag Alu and, prepare yourself, I liked it better than ANY Indian dish I have ever consumed. The spinach was whipped up into a puree in which the silky texture of heavy cream, spices and vegetable blended into perfect union of pliable sauce that wrapped my tongue in titillating delight. (haha yes I just used that word to describe food.) Oh, the Garlic Naan was up to standard as well, not soggy, not burnt, just the right amount of doughy. Brett got the Tikka Masala, which was, as always, tomatoishly wonderful.

I can’t tell you how well I slept that night. Adding 3 hours to your day really steals the energy from your body and brain. I think I fell asleep holding my book above my head for 5 minutes before dropping it on my face. oops.

Friday – practice drive to work, traffic, grocery shopping, traffic, HOME, sunbathing, reading for 3 hours, intensely sweaty workout, and then…NIGHTLIFE. We went to Westwood Brewing Company where, margarita in hand, Brett and I signed up to sing “Lady Marmalade” at the upstairs karaoke. Mahaha omg, we picked the hardest song ever with about 6 different voices going in and out of it. We had some guys jump up on stage to help out our pathetic attempt, though if I do say so myself, I mastered yelling “hey, Hey, HEy, HEY!” into the mic. So much fun though and of course then hunger strikes. We went to Habibi Cafe for some midnight eats. The food was good – some spicy Greek hamburger type thing wrapped in pita with a special sauce, but the restaurant itself was dumb, expensive, and did I mention dumb? Anyway we then walked home and I again clonked out.

Saturday morning I spent lazily reading, then we laid out by the pool for a teensy bit, then we hit the road for Santa Monica which was only about a 20 minute drive (more with traffic I think). We waltzed the 3rd street promenade with all of its outdoor stores and crazy performers and crowds of tourists and shoppers. I bought some $15 Gap jeans – do you know how much of a miracle that is? Usually they are $60!!

We continued down the palm lined strip and turned the corner to find Vanilla Bake Shop, a place often referred to on the Food Network by “Ace of Cakes” and Giada.

Um. Okay so I should probably not be allowed to write about how good these were. 3 mini cupcakes for $5. Coconut Chocolate, Raspberry Lemon, Spicy Carrot. I shiver just thinking of the sugar love that coated my teeth after eating these.  Collectively, the icing on these minis was twinkling air that winked on my tongue and flowered through my taste buds to the comfort of my tummy like lightweight ivory. The cake part was moist as well, not a dry crumb was left behind on the paper skirts.

I devoured them.  Yea, that’s right, I ate all 3 by the end of Saturday night, they’re small and I swear I’ll still fit into those new jeans by the end of the week – I SWEAR. (If I go into the flavor of each, I fear I might write a book.)

Before eating ALL of those lovelies, I did in fact eat dinner. Brett and I walked back to the Santa Monica Pier – ahh famous ferris wheel! – and put our name in at Bubba Gump Shrimp. Me and seafood are new partners, but we got along quite well. After waiting for 45 mins for a table, we were seated and ready to split some Forrest Gump styled shrimp. Crispy, battered, spicy sauce, fried peppers, juicy mouthfuls – the popcorn appetizer basket was incredible. Our main dish : “I’m Stuffed!” Shrimp - Large Shrimp with Crab Stuffing, baked in Garlic Butter, and topped with Monterey Jack Cheese served with Jasmine Rice. BahYUM – the crabmeat was succulent and the flavor combination was perfect, especially with that little bit of lemon. I was full after this. A child of Paul and Debbie Appiarius full of seafood – imagine that!!

Sunday ended in pure relaxation, taco making, and movie-watching.

Monday was first day of work. Let’s list it : CNN building (sweeet!), name a movie and BLT most likely worked on it and has it hanging in their labyrinth hallways, I’m working with an amazingly nice and awesome supervisor, I’m in Hollywood, I stayed busy all day and actually managed to impress a wee-bit, I got lost going to the bathroom, I get to punch a paper time card (don’t ask why this is fun, it just is) and mainly I’m working on cool stuff that I can’t tell you about! This will strictly limit my discussion of work…but hey, the less you have to read, right? haha. I’m so happy right now – I just finished reading “Eat, Pray, Love” (such good messages in that book), I just had an awesome weekend, I just had a great first day of work, I’m in California, and I still have the whole summer ahead of me :D

Miss everyone though…so much – come visit !!

Also, I started a new illustration – go me! Here’s preview of it below (it’s a close crop and is UNFINISHED) – I know it’s the same old Amanda style – but this time –  SHADING!