Happy Birfday to Me!!!

I don't always feel so thrilled to have a birthday...but I have to say this one was fantastic. Lil Meg was able to come down from San Jose and we had a Birthday Threesome and celebrated her birthday (March 16th), mine (March 23rd) and Sam's (March 30th) all on Saturday Night.

We had dinner at Eclectic Cafe in North Hollywood...complete with some awesome Pomegranate Martinis (antioxidants!) and good company!


And then on to Skinny's Lounge just a few blocks down to party the night away with our nearest and dearest...





Can I just mention not only how awesome I think this photo is...but how down right tickled I am that my best friend and boyfriend get along SO swimmingly? Just tickled!!!


And that was just Saturday!!!

On Sunday (my actual birthday) Chris took me to by far the best restaurant I've ever been to. Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas. My pet peeve with super fancy restaurants is that inevitably you're treated with some level of snobbery and disdain. Here, none. None whatsoever. It's an old hunting lodge that has been converted into an award winning restaurant. The decor is anything but modern with massive wood timbers, oversized wicker chairs and stuffed large game heads on the wall (I know...sounds just like me doesn't it??), but I have to say I would recommend this restaurant any day of the week and six times on Sunday. The waiters (even the valets!) are genuinely friendly and the roasted elk is so tender you can cut it with a fork. I could go on and on about this place. We've been here twice and I don't see this being our last visit. I have dreams about this food....just don't look up at the furry stuffed heads on the wall.

You have got to be kidding me...

and this was the cheap stuff.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGLETCUP!

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson


Never has a quote applied so perfectly...I just wish I could upload the pictures of us fitting into the dryer or when we made you go out in public with the penguin hat on.

A big Happy Birthday Shout Out to my lil meg!!!!!









I hope you have a terrific birthday. I love you!!!! And can't wait to see you! T-minus 5 days and counting!

Naturally....

So I've been avoiding posting about the goings on in my life because everything was up in the air...but now that I can separate the wheat from the chaff (who am I channeling when I write???) I can update the four people that read my blog as to one more reason why I truly believe someone (not naming names...again) is sitting on his/her big fluffy cloud chuckling.

Like I mentioned a few posts earlier, Chris and I have been asked to move out at the end of our lease (April 6th) for no damn good reason....other than, like I mentioned before, our landlord is evil. We've been house hunting and found a really great house. We instantly liked it when we saw the pictures, went to see it and could completely envision ourselves living there. We put in an offer last Saturday, received an insulting counter offer from the sellers, responded with our own counter and found out last night that sellers have decided that we will never reach an agreement (we are not that far apart in price) and have decided to walk away and not counter. It's a ridiculous move on their part if they ever want to sell their house in what will continue to be a declining market...but nevertheless I am deflated. We had felt so confident that we would end up in this house that we had put the apartment hunt on serious hold (ok, truly we only went and looked at one place). We now have to find an apartment...this weekend....a temporary lease that will take an enormous dog and allow us to put up a Direct TV satellite (we entered into a year long contract and bought new furniture VERY shortly before receiving our "get out" notice). We'll put most of our stuff in storage, save a bunch of money and keep the house hunt going. At least that's the plan...it hasto be the plan...

I'm trying to see this whole thing as the universe telling me that there is another house out there for us...but I can't help feeling a little like this fella....



All of this really couldn't come at a more inconvenient time...work is crazy right now and will only continue to get crazier in April. Sigh....one day people...ONE DAY!!! things will work out and this blog won't be such a major downer.

And so...to lift your spirits I will leave you with something I'm sure about 67% of you will love.

Oh fine....I'll do it...

Alright, alright...

I have now been "tagged" by Lil Meg and Med Meg to post '7 Random Things' about myself. So...um....here we go? These might get pretty random.

1.) I hate mushrooms. Hate. Can't. Eat. Them. After my guy roommates in college decided not to clean their bathroom for a year to prevent people from using it, I saw mushrooms growing in their bathtub. I'm not exaggerating. I dislike mushrooms because of their taste and texture...but that sure didn't win them any points. You're suspect, mushrooms.

2.) I bite the skin off my cuticles. Usually it's a sign that I'm nervous, stressed, or thinking, but it's a vicious cycle. You bite the cuticle, then it starts growing back, but it's jagged so you HAVE to pull at it. It's a disgusting habit I want to desperately break, but just can't seem to kick.

3.) Sometimes...usually when I'm by myself....and focusing on something...my mouth will slightly open....I'll forget to swallow...and I'll drool. God, it's really embarrassing.

4.) I run into things. A lot. I know a lot of girls say that and they think it makes them endearing ("oooh...i'm so clumsy and cute! like a baby deer!"), but this is neither cute or sexy....I ran into a bookshelf at work today...in front of people...


5.) Eating healthy and exercising has always been very important to me, but has recently become a real focus. It takes research and seeking out information to find out what is actually good for you and what will damage your body. I firmly believe that our society wouldn't be so heavily medicated if we all just ate REAL food...at least most of the time. Additionally, I've started boxing. I've got a mean left hook.

6.) That said, I have a very deep and serious weakness for berries and dark chocolate (antioxidants!!) .....and really great french fries (grease! the other white meat!)

7.) I often wonder if I should have chosen a career path that would have enabled me to make a real difference and contribution to the world. When I was much younger I was so passionate about changing the world. I was going to become a zoologist and be the next Diane Fossey and live in the Virunga Mountains with the gorillas and single handedly stop their extinction...now I work in niche cable television. Sigh...

Alright...so that's that...I guess I'm supposed to tag someone? Nah...how about whoever wants to just posts 7 random things about themselves. It's sort of interesting to see what comes out of your brain...

Why you should never put your cell phone in your back pocket. By Jessica Lee.

After a relatively short, albeit tiring day of being on set yesterday, I went out to eat with my friend and coworker to avoid rush hour traffic on the 405 at 6:30pm. We had a lovely dinner at a vegetarian restaurant in Redondo Beach and hopped on the 405 only to be confronted with bumper to bumper traffic (but it was 8:30!!) and full bladders. We hopped off the freeway to try an alternate route and stopped at a Carl's Junior to relieve ourselves.....where I proceeded to.... drop.....my phone.... in the toilet.... of a public Carl's Junior bathroom.



The answers to your questions:

yes. I fished it out with my hands.
yes. i disinfected it when i got home.
no. i don't feel like it's clean.
yes. i'm repulsed and still shudder when i have to touch my phone. (please don't call me)
yes. it seems to be working.

I feel like someone. I'm not going to name names (points to the sky) is laughing at me and my life.

thank you (bow) thank you (bow).

Buying stock in U-Haul.

I moved to Los Angeles in June of 2003. I lived for about a year and a half in a run down but cozy apartment in a cute part of town before deciding I needed to try living solo. I ended up in a fume filled studio apartment infested with tiny little cockroaches located in a bad part of town where my car was broken into. I spent 6 months there, broke my lease and moved into a brand new (although cramped) townhouse in Toluca Lake. After a year in that apartment my roommate decided to move back to Chicago (a decision i think we can all agree is a bad one :) ) and I decided to move in with Chris into his spacious hollywood high rise apartment. After nine months there we moved into our current house in Reseda where we've been for a year. Our lease is up in April. June 2003-April 2008. 4 years and 10 months. Our landlord (who if you remember from previous posts is a lying bitch with no soul) has decided to do some kind of construction on the house and has politely (via letter and of course no personal contact of any kind) asked us to move out at the end of our lease. This will be the sixth time I've moved in less than 5 years. I'm fairly certain all my friends with strong backs are running for hills as we speak.


Chris and I have been entertaining the idea of taking advantage of the current slump in the los angeles real estate market and have been looking into the possibility of buying a house in the near future. (Yes yes...unmarried scum! how dare you enter into such a sacred investment opportunity without a ring on your finger! next thing you know you'll be giving birth to babies with horns and tails!)

Our plan had always been to stick around this house and be able to shop around without any pressure. This obviously puts a slight (ok, major) crimp in those plans. I've become sort of zen about the whole thing. I'm too stressed to worry anymore. We've looked around a bit at houses and are going to see one we really like this weekend. Hey, if we love it maybe we'll just buy it on the spot. Here's a check for half a mill. No worries. Take it. I've got plenty of extra cash lying around. Most likely we'll end up renting again...and then moving again soon.

This past couple of weeks have been incredibly exhausting filled with job stress, house stress, travel and that stupid flu thing that's been going around, but we were able to break up all the ickyness with a trip to New York for Chris' nephew's baptism.

Meet Brian William LaMons.

WARNING: SUPER CUTE BABY PICTS TO FOLLOW




Passed out on Aunt Jess' lap.


I'm fairly certain this is the cutest thing ever.


That water's cold!!!


Proud parents, god parents and that mean guy with the cold water.


Exhausted. You and me both, kid.


Can you tell they're related? Sidenote: It was f'ing COLD in NYC!



Right before we left it warmed up to almost 60 degrees! So we took a walk through Central Park. The sun was trying desperately to peek out from behind the clouds....and then it started POURING. It was time to leave the windy apple.



A big shout out goes to Dustin P. Montez for taking super duper good care of Indy during our multiple airplane delays and 12 hour trip home.