New House

A few pictures of our new home...

We'll be moved in June 21..We're doing a few things to upgrade it once we're there including replacing the kitchen appliances with Stainless Viking and Subzero and also the counter tops with "St. Cecilia Brown" granite-it's really pretty! And we'll have to do something to spiff up that sad little tree in the front yard.

It's a big place (almost 6000 sq feet)  so we would love to have many visitors.  The last picture is our downstairs bar area which Fran has so graciously named for us:  The Gritty Clam.

I'll send out our new contact info via email in the next week or so, cheers!

Future All Star

It has become abundantly clear that Maxwell has no chance of escaping the New England sports strong arm from the maternal side.  At present, I believe it is my sister Donna's sole mission for her nephew. As reported to me this evening "please tell Max the Bruins are going for the Stanley Cup.  I know in his heart he is a true Boston fan."  She leaves these messages for him on my facebook wall regularly,  showers him with Red Sox paraphernalia,  Patriots jerseys with Number 12 on them,  regular Celtics updates, etc. etc. etc.  Since there is no hope for him I wonder what sport will he play?  So far, he has an obsession with baseballs and an arm to go with it.  He also enjoys cars, eating dirt (and anything disgusting he can find on the ground)  and screaming at near window shattering decibels when he doesn't get his way.  He may be moving to Iowa, but he has Boston in his heart (and a team of relatives who will make sure it stays there).

Happy 13 Months my darling boy

The countdown begins

Holly's bucket list.  Less than 3 weeks until we depart Los Angeles (mom and kids, anyway) so naturally I feel compelled to fulfill my list.  Cooking class last night was fruitful indeed-the theme was Springtime in Paris. It was springtime in LA tres magnifique!
haricot vert. haricot vert. haricot vert.  Just keep saying it.  It's fun.
I *somehow* landed the role of the brown noser, annoying star student and class clown.  Who knew you could take on so many roles in a cooking class?  I used my rad knife skills to woo the crowd: C'mon, show me the safe release-I dare you.

This evening we met our friends Matt and May in Thai Town Hollywood for some of the best Thai food we've had-my apologies to Erik, the Num Tuk and Panang were, in fact, better than Esan.

But before, we ducked into the infamous Chateau Marmont to have a drink in the garden...this was the best hipster-I'm-too-cool-for-you look I could muster

Mostly it just looks like I'm a bitch, though I'm not sure the two are mutually exclusive...

To bangs? Or not to bangs?

that is the question.  This is my hair now.  (In a semi glamour shots pose)

It is getting long..so what to do?  I get antsy. Do I cut bangs? I can't cut it too short-we know after the 1999-2000 hair debacle what Mike thinks of short hair.  (His Medusa stare after the cut nearly reduced me to stone)
So, short layers? (yikes-my hair IS usually curly, after all.)  Or if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

aside:

Elise: "Dad, what are you doing?"
Mike: "nunya."
Elise: "what?"
Mike: "nunya. none of ya business."
Elise: "Dad, that's not funny at all. You know, mom is WAY funnier."

Yes. That's right Elise. That is the truth.

Wilde

I have been posting a lot of rubbish lately as I know when we depart for the Midwest next month I will be out of commission for awhile. That is, if "The Rapture" doesn't take us all in few days. I'm taking the kids to Atlanta to see their cousins for a week or so in June while Mike finishes up business in LA and drives to Iowa.  I'm also going to use it as a (great!) opportunity to drive up to Asheville and see some of my most nearest and dearest friends Erik and Mel and of course my godchildren Sara and Julian.  How many godchildren can one see on a trip? For Holly the answer is five.  Anyway, so much fun!

*I have been reading a lot of Oscar Wilde and decided that if you are bored, lonely, sad, overjoyed or just downright psychotically happy, at the very least read all of his quotes.  It's an unnecessary yet fine medicine.

*Also, I realize I'm a little late to the party with this one but Florence + The Machine.  It's a really, really good idea.  I can't pull myself away.

Joy Ride

Accelerating in this car is really fun...

Only in LA

I just spent $134.86 at CVS.  How does that even happen?

Oh wait, it's because they sell everything here.  I am surprised they have not started a line of designer jeans and cashmere sweaters because as far as I can see they have every hair product I could ever want.  I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else.  It makes sense in LA- buy buy buy!! And on our side of town, people have the money to do it.

We have been thinking a lot about our transition to Iowa City.  I suppose I have spent more hours thinking about it.  Like most males, Mike's opinion is relatively indifferent.  He is pleased with his new job and very excited about our new house.  I believe it will be a fairly smooth transition for him.  I spend more time comparing the two cities and their merits as well as shortcomings.  The contrasts are stark moving from an enormous metropolis (is that redundant?) with the shiny backdrop of Hollywood and all the glitz that goes along with it to a small college town with it roots planted firmly in academia and dare I say, intellectual snobbery.  The wine cellars at some these homes rival the vineyards we saw in Burgundy, France. Well, maybe not but it certainly took me by surprise.

Elise is most excited about the "change of seasons" which translates to "snow".

oh dear...

Thank you Maria for sharing this worthwhile craft and helping me to fulfill a dream I've had since early adulthood.

http://thehairpin.com/2011/05/how-to-make-a-doll-into-a-wine-glass-in-23-quick-steps

Stella Blue

It is the name of my favorite Dead song (and, in my opinion, one of the greatest songs..those haunting lyrics), it is also the name of our first pet who died one week after we got her (we don't have so much luck in the pet department so I don't believe the name is a jinx) and it is my proposed name for our new bar.
Yes, we have a bar at our new house.  Not just any bar, it is THE bar..a ridiculously big lower level kitchen and bar with a pool table next to it.  The only missing component is the Dogs Playing Poker picture on the wall. But have no fear..we shall acquire that.

I think Stella Blue is pretty good, if overused.  We need other suggestions...what should we name our bar?

A car dream, realized

Mike is finally reaping the fruits of his labor.  He came home with this on Saturday night.  

That my friends is a brand new BMW M3 convertible...with a hard top.  He has wanted one for a very long time and I call it his "I've arrived" car.  He seems to love it which is good because I almost dropped dead when I saw the price tag.

Where's mine?

Happy Mother's Day

It was a pretty eventful Mother's Day weekend.  Always a good thing for me to keep busy on this holiday, as memories of my mom are quite bittersweet around this time.  I try my best to stay positive and 

and of course, be thankful for the two blond children who reside with me.  

We had a small BBQ on Saturday to officially celebrate Max's first birthday (which was April 28th).  Some of our friends came over with their babies and ate yummy food.  I didn't get too many pictures as I was busy keeping track of Max and entertaining guests.  On his real birthday he had a cupcake with a candle and all of the singing that goes along with that.  

On Sunday I got to sleep late and woke up to three bouquets of flowers..can you guess who they were from?  We then headed off to brunch which was lovely, followed by a "Sunday drive" to Malibu.  All in all, a nice way to spend the day.

This is what Max does about 30% of the time and it's usually the moment I put him down to go do something. He does not enjoy being left alone, especially by mom..sigh

But he sure is cute even with no teeth

Here he is trying to impress a his girlfriend Shiri "these are my sweet trucks"

Elise is protective and also probably wants his cookie

Yay! I have my own wheels!

how could you be mad if he pulled you over?

on a side note, the police car prompted a particularly funny conversation with Elise about going to jail.  I humored her and we then pretended to play cops.  She was arrested for speeding and got thrown in the slammer for not having her license.  She was allowed one phone call and a bail set at 10k.  She chose to call mom and said "mom! I'm in jail, can you come bail me out?"

It was then I realized, I better never get that phone call...

Chuck

And it started with Elise saying "Mom! I can't go to the bathroom!" 

"Why not?"

"Because there's a lizard in there..it's on the toilet."

At this point during my afternoon coffee/tea withdrawal and general malaise, I would have been only slightly more surprised if the lizard had announced it's presence itself.

"OK Elise, let's take a look."

Indeed, there was a lizard sitting on the toilet seat staring back at me. 

"See? I told you so mom."

Dad is usually the designated insect (now we can add reptile) extricater but he of course was working so mom had to step in and do the dirty work. 

I'm not a very squeamish person. I can handle all sorts of disgusting matter and bugs don't tend to freak me out-except for bees.  When confronted with a bee I run in circles and scream with my hands in the air-Yes, I really do this.  And while this is off topic, they bother me almost as much as people who whistle.  Cringe.

Anyway, I decided to make the capture and release mission as swift as possible.  Rather than find a container to lure the beast into, I gently lifted it by it's tail. 
OK. Time for things I didn't realize:

1)Lizard tails are more fragile than I once believed (though I'm certain I have never given the matter much thought or consideration).  If they wriggle hard enough they SNAP! And there it was... 4/5 of a lizard running for shelter and the other 1/5 on the floor next to us. 

2)Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was that lizard tails continue to move once they are separated from the rest of the body.  I knew this to be true with other creatures but was not, and neither was Elise-if I can speak on her behalf-prepared for this nugget of wisdom.

I watched in horror as it's tail undulated on the playroom floor, it's owner now cowering behind the computer desk.  Elise's eyes were wide with astonishment but more in the "oh man I can't wait to tell my friends at school about this" way.  The tail finally settled down after about 3 or 4 minutes, which seems like an eternity when you're watching a lizard tail.  I retrieved it's better half (or 4/5 as the case may be) and released it into the wild of our backyard. 

As Chuck scurried away I realized the tail was still in our possession so I quickly grabbed it and called out "you forgot something!"

Until something earth shatteringly (is that a word?) spectacular graces this family I will stick to the usual pablum...