Take a hike

When I was younger, I used to love going on hikes. On weekends, my brother and I would hop on our bikes and pedal north into the rolling hills near our house or south to Corriganville Park-- where they used to shoot wild west movies-- to explore the dirt trails. And some of my favorite days at summer camp were those times when the camp counselors would lead us on "nature walks" through grassy fields nearby.

So when the boy suggested yesterday afternoon that we go on a hike, I was game. He had just helped his dad on a construction job in Newbury Park at a home that sits directly across from that view above. Pretty amazing, huh? Well, the boy heard that there were some pretty fabulous trails too-- ones that lead to waterfalls, even. So around 3 o'clock we got our butts off the couch and piled into the car with Hazel for an adventure.

We had planned to hike the Big Sycamore Canyon Trail, a paved service road that parallels a stream and winds its way to the ocean. Well, we ended up starting our hike at Wendy Trail instead, a dirt path that narrowed closely in some parts. I was a bit stressed at the beginning, worried about Hazel getting a tick or a rattler striking at her from the brush. But we survived and after passing an interesting little Indian hut and a rest stop we eventually hooked up with the trail we had meant to start on.

The trail really is quite lovely. There's expanses of grasslands, beautiful wildflowers and a stoney peak called Boney Mountain that dominates the scene. A sign along the trail describes the mountain as a "majestic beacon . . . (that) invites you to pause, reflect and look inward." And Charlie Cooke, a hereditary Chumash chief, says it's "a sacred spiritual area, a shaman's retreat, and a place for vision quests. It is a place for meditation. From up there, you can see everything." Maybe one day, we'll get up there.

All in all, we hiked for a little over an hour. We were getting a bit tired ourselves but at that point Hazel was utterly exhausted. We had to carry her back to the car; lucky girl, she got a free ride. I could tell she was pooped because she didn't even try to get down to walk herself. By the time I got in the car, all I wanted was some AC and a big gulp of our Crystal Lite. But I'd definitely do it again. Hopefully next time we will start earlier and we can take the 8-mile Big Sycamore Canyon Trail all the way through Point Mugu State Park to its final destination: the Pacific Ocean.

Here's some photos snapped along the trail:

Hope you are having a wonderful, sunny weekend! This Dane is off to enjoy some Aebleskivers at the annual Scandinavian Festival soon!

Friends Forever

This week, I finally got a chance to crack open the May issue of Glamour. The current issue is all about friends (Former "Hills" star Lauren Conrad is on the cover, and an interview and adorable photo spread with her posse-- Whitney and Lo-- is inside).

Every month, the magazine's masthead features a question posed to Glamour staff. This month's is "Who is your best friend, and how did you meet?" The moment I read this, I started reminiscing. Like marketing manager Julia Olson, I found my bestie on the elementary school playground.

It was third grade. I had recently "broken up" with my first best friend, Kristen. Kristen was the reason I went to White Oak Elementary School instead of a private school in Simi, like my brother did. She lived right around the corner from me and we became fast friends. But soon enough she started hanging out with the more popular kids and suddenly I didn't cut it. I'd call to come over, but she said I couldn't; she already had a friend over. Eventually, I gave up. For a 7 year old, you can imagine the devastation I felt.

So, like I said, it was third grade. One day during recess-- or maybe it was lunch, I can't remember-- I was sitting on the blacktop, my back against the handball court, looking at the world and wishing I had a friend to play with. While scanning the playground, my eyes fell on a group of girls sitting at a picnic table. They looked like they were having so much fun. If my memory serves me correctly, I think they were forming a pretend club and assigning each other pretend titles, you know, president, vice president, secretary. Somehow, shy me mustered the bravery to walk over and ask, in a timid voice, "Can I play with you?"

The answer came easily from Marielle: "Sure." At the time, fun-loving, gregarious Marielle didn't realize how much this simple welcome meant to me. But as they say, the rest is history. Seventeen years later, we are still best friends.

Sure, we've been through our ups and downs, had a handful of fights, shed a few tears, struggled to find the time to get together as our adult responsibilities have taken over. But no matter how long we go between visits, we always pick up right back where we started. We can be so different at times and yet, we get each other, we understand each other-- sometimes better than we know ourselves. I can always count on her to give it to me straight, there's no sugar-coating with her. And I am always there to lend an ear when she needs to vent and I never judge her like others have. We simply love each other unconditionally. What more could a girl ask for?


So now I want to know: Who is your best friend, and how did you meet?



Swings image via ffffound

Snapshots from Vegas

On Friday night, Ashley, Jamila and I danced till our feet hurt at Luxor's ultra lounge, CatHouse.

Getting our groove on at CatHouse. All it took was one drink!

Posing outside Luxor. aka, the crotch shot.

Enjoying a delicious "breakfast" (it was 1 p.m.) at The Cafe at the Monte Carlo. 

Is that Eggs Benedict you spy? Why, yes it is.

High rises and Aria at the new City Center. We browsed the Louis Vuitton inside (Ashley's a fan) and tried on $600 "stunna shades."

Slurping our yard cup frozen drinks. Mine was blue ice and strawberry lemonade.

More sweets. Jamila and I show off our frosting shots picked up at The Cupcakery. Hers: heavy cream with shimmering pink sprinkles. Mine: rich chocolate with white jimmies.

Saturday night dinner at Tacos & Tequila consisted of a heaping of chicken nachos with a chipotle cheese sauce and creme fraiche, and a white peach margarita to wash it all down. So good I'm still dreaming about it.

It was almost time to leave but we couldn't check out Sunday and say goodbye before spending some time at the pool.

Jamila wanted to get some sun. I just didn't want to get burned. You know I have on 50 spf!

Friends and fun. A perfect combination.

Bright lights, Sin City

Vegas, baby, here I come!

So, I'm taking a semi-impromptu trip to Las Vegas this weekend. I say "semi-impromptu" because although I knew about this trip three weeks ago, I didn't decide until, oh, today that I was actually going to go.

(See, things have been very tight financially since the boy lost his job, and the idea of blowing hundreds of dollars in "Sin City" didn't sit well with me. But you know what? I already missed out on the Vegas trip my friends took the weekend before my birthday-- total bummer-- and I don't want to be sitting around this weekend wishing I had gone. So there it is. I'm going.)

I'm very excited not just because I haven't been to Vegas in forever-- I've only been once since I turned 21 and it wasn't exactly a great trip, but that's another story-- but because I will be going with my long lost college roommate, Jamila. (We still call each other "roomie" even to this day!) We lived together sophomore year, put together in the spring semester after things with our other roommates didn't work out, and we have loved each other ever since!

I still remember the day I first met her. I was so nervous because I didn't know what to expect. All I had was a name from the housing office and I wasn't even quite sure how to say it! And in walks the cutest Trinidadian girl (raised in Nor Cal near Berkeley, known by many as a land of liberals and hippies; not to say that's a bad thing!) with braids in her hair and a closet full of colorful clothes. On the surface, we may seem totally different. She is vibrant and outgoing. I'm shy and soft spoken. But we just clicked. We'd stay up nights talking about boys and family and life in general as we each lay in bed. She convinced me that it is okay to wear big, dangly earrings even when your hair is up-- actually, it's better! And I know that even though I haven't seen her in ages (she's been working in Afghanistan and is just back in the states for a vaycay), we will fall right back into our friendship, like we hadn't missed a beat. Fun times ahead!

Circa Christmas 2005. Gosh, I was so much skinnier back then!

Her friend Ashley, who I haven't met, is coming, too. Us gals will be staying at the Luxor (that pyramid hotel below) for two nights and then coming back Sunday afternoon. While they say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, I'll be sure to fill you in (save any embarrassing stories or photos!) when I get back.

Till then, I hope you have wonderful weekends, too! If you're willing to share, I'd love to hear some of your Vegas stories. Spill in the comments! (I promise not to judge!)

Oh, and I really hope I get to see the "Welcome" sign this time! For some reason, in the three or four times I've been to or through Vegas, I've never actually seen it. How do I miss it? I want a picture of me standing in front!

Also on the to-do list: Take more pics with Jamila! (Which won't be hard to do.) It was so difficult to find a shot of us together (I could only find ones from that Christmas part)! What, did I not use my camera back then? I'm so snappy happy now :)

Toodles!

xo,


Vegas images via we heart it, here, here and here.

Lovely day

Hello, lovers! (Don't I sound so Carrie a la "Sex and the City" when I say that? And can you tell I'm excited for SATC 2 coming out May 28? Yes! Ok, I digress...)

Just wanted to pop in real quick to say hello. It is another busy Wednesday workday around these parts but don't worry, I'll be back soon. I went out Saturday night with some friends for a belated birthday celebration and I'm hoping to share with you some pics once I get them from my bestie, who was the paparazzo for the night.

Till then, I'll leave you with this how-to for a lovely day. Hope you are having one!

xo,


top image via we heart it
how-to image via hope chella

Art for the young at heart + Happy Easter!

Vintage Modern Tea Party

I stumbled across Lindsay Brackeen's Etsy shop yesterday and simply fell in love with her sunny, youthful paintings. Now I realize that her prints are intended to go up in a nursery or a young girl's room-- which they would be truly perfect for-- but I want them for myself! Aren't they just so adorably cheery? And I love the spring-y, Easter-y pastel colors she uses. I posted a few of my favorites below.

Crafty Girl and Sunshine Owl Girl

This would be perfect to give a Sister or Best Friend. Reminds me of my bestie!

Lindsay even creates more fashionable, mixed-media prints, like this Pale Little Dotty.

This just might be my absolute fave. Love the birds and the lotus flowers... and I want the dress this Pink Nature Girl is wearing!

To see them all, check out Lindsay's shop and blog. And tell me which one is your fave!

Till then, I hope you are enjoying your weekend and that you have a very happy Easter! What are you doing tomorrow to celebrate? I'm not sure yet if I am going to my parents' house for a prime rib dinner or going out with the boy's family for perhaps a fancier meal at the Marriott. But both sound like yummy options! I'm always torn on these types of holidays though-- where to go? The boy's whole local extended family will be at the Marriott, and his mom has a birthday present she wants to give me; but if I don't go to my parents' house, it will just be my 'rents and my brother eating together, which I feel bad about. Do you have to deal with this kind of situation, and how do you decide where to go?

Glossophobia

Glossophobia: speech anxiety, or fear of public speaking

Tomorrow, I have to do something I dread doing. Something I know millions of others dread doing, too. I have to give a speech.

And not just any speech. A speech about myself and my job. That's right, my editor has thrown my to the dragons. Or the lions. Whatever, you get my drift.

Here's the deal. My town has a thing called Leadership Simi Valley. It is a 10-month program that teaches residents all about how the city works, covering a broad spectrum of topics, with the goal of developing "leadership potential" in the community. And one of the monthly sessions is all about the media.

In the past, my editor has had the joy and privilege of speaking to the class. But this year, he is off in Vegas-- gambling, drinking, and having an all-around swell time, I'm sure-- and the duty falls to me. And I'm petrified. Look at the photo above. That's exactly how I feel.

I tried to convince my editor that he didn't want me to do it. I said, "Don't you remember what happened when I spoke to the journalism class at our alma mater? Don't you remember how terribly nervous I was? Don't you remember how bad I was?" He remembered, but there was no getting out of it.

I have known for a month or so that this was coming. I've tried to avoid thinking about it too much because every time I do my stomach turns in knots and I get a lump in my throat. But the big day tomorrow and there is no avoiding it now.

I will admit, I'm being a tad melodramatic. I only have to speak for about 15 minutes (about myself, my role at the paper, my experiences covering city government, etc.) and then take questions from the audience. But for me, 15 minutes seems like an eternity. Whenever I have to speak in groups, large or small, my hands get sweaty, my voice gets shaky and my face turns tomato red (thankyouverymuch pale skin!). And when I feel my face get hot and red, it just makes me more nervous! It's a vicious cycle, really.

My plan is to come prepared. When I spoke to the journalism class at Pepperdine, I was just as nervous and highly unprepared. I thought I'd "wing it," as they say. A few minutes before the talk I wrote down a very rough outline of what I would talk about on a scrap of paper. I figured I'd just follow my editor's lead, that he'd do most of the talking anyway. Now, I didn't completely embarrass myself, but I truly didn't inspire or enthrall the audience. And while there were students in the back of the room busy texting, I'm sure the ones who were listening and the ones who weren't could tell I was floundering.

So like I said, my game plan is preparedness. But I'm selfishly hoping that some of you can give me some wisdom and encouragement, too. Do you have to speak in public as part of your job? (See, I thought being a print reporter would largely exempt me from this terrifying task.) And does public speaking strike fear into your very soul like it does for me? How do you conquer it? 

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Now I must leave you to go work on my outline and get some beauty sleep.

***Update***

Alrighty, so just got back from my speaking engagement an hour ago. I've been spending the last 60 minutes talking to the boy about how it went and trying my darndest to decompress. For as nervous as I get before I have to speak, I remain just as nervous afterwards, my chest tight, thinking about how it all went (it's hard to remember at first exactly what I said) and how I could have done better. But after 60 minutes, I think it's time to let it go. It's done, it's over.

Deep breath now... and release...

My verdict? I did okay. Could have done better, of course, but I tried my best. The boy says that from what I tell him, it sounds like I did better than I think. I hope so! I think I answered questions better than I did just talking at the beginning. (Though I told myself not to, I said "um" one too many times.) I'm sure the audience could tell I was nervous but at least my face didn't turn beet red. A small victory, but I'll take it.

And thanks for the encouragement! I know I'm not alone in my fears and I guess it's just something we all have to face, whether we like it or not!



image via we heart it