Come on over

Remember this room?

 We started thinking about "re-styling" this room when we found out my Aunt would be coming for a visit. I'd had a job for nearly a year and we'd saved some money and most importantly, I got a credit card with no interest for a WHOLE YEAR.  Don't worry, Dad, I have the money to pay it off today if I had to.

 I had thought about putting the bed where the drum set is but V thought it might be weird to have your head right under a window and have to wake up with the bathroom right next you.  The bathroom is going to be a whole other makeover.  It's cheap 70s style with dark wood paneling, beige plastic "tiles" and the tiniest pinkish sink.

 See where the bed used to be and the door-less closet?

 I went with a quick fix for the open closet with grey linen curtains from Ikea that I hemmed to size.  The lamp base is Italian!  I found it in a thrift store two years ago (!) and have been looking forever for a shade that works.  I wouldn't recommend lamps plus because the salesman at the store was 70 years old and argued with me about the white. He wanted me to get a beige shade and told me that getting a white shade would be like matching plaids and stripes.  He was talking to the wrong lady.

 Records, records, records, and more surfboards.

 Now the bed is tucked in here. The photo is a deer bed I took in a field on the North Coast and little side table houses my flip up ancient metal Singer sewing machine.  I still need to find some art for above the table.

 We moved the turntables out of the guestroom and into the main room and put the records here after I repainted the cinder blocks turquoise (of course)

 New ceiling fan and blinds and a striped rug covering the newly painted floors.

Little vignette on the credenza.  That's my grandparents on their wedding day.

This credenza was the least expensive piece of furniture in the antique store and V talked the guy down a bit too. I was sold on the drawer detailing.

Five of the six surfboards on display. The 6th one is a longboard and doesn't fit.

Guest toiletries and towels.

Growroom to guestroom

We are still mid-project on the kitchen cabinets and have other little projects in the back of our (my) mind but our current focus is the guestroom.  Since I'm working we have some more money coming in.  The last time I posted was around the time I was promoted and working 9  or 10 hour days.  After working all day I had zero interest in more than eating dinner with V and going for a walk and/or flopping on the couch.  I'm finally understand the processes in my job and have (sort of) learned to manage my time in a job where everything is urgent.  I was also keeping busy with my writing class and tried yoga.

This weekend I looked at paint colours and carpet samples and got a quote for new carpet to replace the current burned and stained one.  I want to go budget but even budget isn't cheap.

The room was a grow room and then a place for squatters before V bought it so the carpet is a mess. Our cats have also added some new puke stains to the mix.  I want a lighter carpet since the room is kind of dark but don't want it to get dirty.

 Worst blue paint.

 There's a 6th surfboard under the bed.

Stains, a cat on a garbage bag and a piece of wood covering a hole in the wall.  I'm not sure how I'm going to fix that.

Listening to:  6 mix with Grandmaster flash on BBC 6.

Best

Oh dang!  The Major Lazer show might have been the best thing I've been to ever !!! *.  People were losing their minds.  Some lost their minds (and their meals) before the show even started.  One fool was lumbering around/dancing in his sweat soaked shirt and I thought, "that guy is going to be trouble".  Minutes later he pushed people out of the way and seriously sprayed some vomit over the floor and probably some people.  Disgusting.  The funniest part was when another dude started dancing in the puke, not knowing what it was, because it helped him slide and dance around.

Thennnn, we went to the after party.  Those girls by the window were shaking it and dude outside were staring with their mouths open.  So great.  I love Oakland.

I want this outfit for Palm Springs.

*In line with the George Michael concert and getting married at SF City Hall.

Positive spin

This week has been a little off and I haven't been feeling so great but instead of whining too much, here's the positive side to things.

1. I am lucky to have a job.
2. Studies have shown that migraine sufferers have above average intelligence.
3. My cats are healthy.

Party times

I've declared the rest of September birthday party time for myself.  It started on Friday after work when we drove to Oakland to see Micachu and the Shapes and Animal Collective.  During the show I had to elbow some people out of the way and there was a kid who kept crowd surfing over and over.  Another guys jumped over the fence separating the upper level of the floor from the bottom level and ran towards the stage like the Hulk, pushing people out of the way as he went. Some guys glasses fell off, someone got a foot to the face and a lot of feet were stepped on.  Jay and Natalie were there too!  Good times.

The stage design was a giant mouth with teeth facing in towards the stage that changed colours.  Cool dude.
After the show we were starving.  V had been to a place called Dogwood, down the street from the theatre before.  Have you been?  Their website describes it as a spirits driven meat sanctuary specializing in hand crafted cocktails and house made charcuteries.  What on earth is a meat sanctuary?

I had a cubanito grilled sandwich on a thin plate with cornichons and dijon mustard on the side.  Delicious.  There was a big mason jar in the clear bar fridge that was labeled "gum" and looked really cloudy.  Our bartended told us it was a sweet flavouring used in old timey drinks but it looked like there could have been some dentures soaking in there.

We checked in at the Marriott pretty late and our room was next to the elevators that went all night long.  At first I thought the noise was maybe from the BART because it was so loud but then V reminded me that we were on the 17th floor.  I didn't sleep that night and because of the cost of the hotel, I complained.  The guy at the front desk first offered free breakfast, and when I said no, he offered 2000 hotel points.  I asked him how many points I'd need for a free stay and he said 20,000.  USELESS.  When I asked if there was anything else he could do in my nicest exasperated tone, he talked to his manager who said they'd refund the room.  Later, I got a voicemail saying they'd refunded half the room so I may be  forced to write an old fashioned letter of complaint, just like my Dad used to do (and probably still does).  Plus side: we had a nice view of Oakland from our room.

The Eat Real Food festival was going on at Jack London square.  There were probably about 100 food trucks throughout the park/waterfront and a lot of tents with giveaways.  I wanted to try so many things but there was just too much there.

We tried the empanadas from El Sur

This was funny.  We didn't eat here.

Cute mascot

Surfing lobster at a chowder food truck.

Scenic walk along the waterfront.

A cozy spot for a nap.

Secret pup photo.

Sad pig.

Nearby happy pig buddies chewing on lettuce and spitting it out.

Bhel puri in a paper cone from Soul Cocina.  So good.  I want to make this at home.  It reminded me a little of the tea leaf salad from Burma Superstar that everyone, myself included, loves so much.

We went to Berkeley for a couple of hours to see the freeeeee Micachu show at Amoeba.  I picked up a few more tiny lunch boxes (two with polka dots, and one with flowers) at the Daiso and contemplated buying some knee high socks at the Sock Shop.  The guy at Peet's coffee shamed me when I asked for the restroom key by loudly asking, "ARE YOU A PAYING CUSTOMER HERE?".  I said, "YES I AM NOW FORK IT OVER!"

Feather hair extensions.  Fug.

We walked around Merritt lake, saw some pups, birds, people walking a tightrope and a man shadow boxing.  On the way back to the car we saw the Cleveland Cascade and walked up to see the plants.  By that point we were hungry again and went to dinner at Boot and Shoe service.  They have wood fired pizzas and fancy drinks.  They make their own tonic there so I had a vodka tonic.  Golden and tasty.

Throughout the day V had three cups of coffee and a Monster energy drink and wanted to have a dance party when we got home.  

And then some of us had had enough and wanted to go to bed.

Oaktown

I've never spent that much time in Oakland but we're staying overnight this weekend in a hotel that was deemed "Cheaper than the hotels in San Francisco" on yelp and tripadvisor. Where do these people stay in San Francisco?  A lot of the reasonable Oakland hotels have bad reviews and are in sketchy neighbourhoods.  Either that or they're $400 a night.

I got a (sort of) good deal at the Marriott near the Fox theater.  We're going to Animal Collective and I don't want to drive back home after the show.  Have you heard their new album? It's so good.  I love it!  It's streaming on their website here

What should we do in Oakland?  Hike? Where should we eat?  The only places I've eaten are Homeroom, and more recently, and unfortunately/desperately, at the Taco Bell that locks its doors at 8 at night, doesn't have bathrooms and has drug deals in the parking lot.

Night and Day

We went to the Hot Chip dance party in Oakland last night.  I loved it!  I felt like a nerd after because I was semi-contemplating not going because of having to work the next day/today.  YES, ME!  It was funnnnn and work today was totally fine.  Going to shows like this makes me wish I lived in a bigger city although Sac does get a lot of good shows before bands get big.  The drive home from the Bay after a week night show is kind of lame on a week night.

Sincerely,
Grandma

Borrow

This weekend I picked up a Nook at the library.  You can borrow one and keep it for up to three weeks like ye olde books of olde tyme.  I reserved it a few weeks ago to test it out.  The one I have is "fiction" themed and has 44 books loaded on to it!

The device is so small.  I don't think I like it.  It feels like I'm still on the computer instead of reading and relaxing.  Also, one standard book page takes three nook pages.  However, this is coming from a lady who likes it when the large print is available at the library in the book.

I do like that it's light.  Reading a heavy book in bed is such a drag.  I don't like buying books though so that's another reason I don't think this is for me - unless I could borrow e-books from the library.  Now that I think about it, that might be possible.  I've heard people with e-readers end up reading a lot more than if they didn't have one.  Is that true?  I want some hard facts.

In real book news I am on book two of the Hunger Games. It is really good.  Randomly, I started watching Battle Royale on Netflix last week and HG is pretty much a rip off of that book/film.  Oh well, still a fun mindless read.

Stormy

I'm learning all sorts of surf lingo.  The surf scene behind these 2 dudes is described as stormy.  The waves were wild.  When that happens the only thing you can do is sit in the sand and drink a BL before heading back out to get beat up by the sea again.

I sure have fallen off the face of the blogosphere.  This next week isn't going to be any better.  My plan is to come home from work on Monday and sleep all the way through until Tuesday morning so I can frontload on sleep.  We're going to Hot Chip on Tuesday.  I am very excited to see them but not excited to have to drive back from SF on a Tuesday night and work the next day.  Times are tough when you're a working woman.  Am I right ladies?

I'm starting another writing class (finally!) now that I have a job that gives me money to spend on things I like.  It's on Wednesdays for the next couple of months.  Working a new job is tough on an ol' lady like me.  In a few months I'll be back to my old self.  Libra's are supposedly known for their laziness and I am definitely feeling like a useless, brainless blob when 5 o'clock rolls around.  Luckily I'm not eating all the donuts at the office so I'm not an actual blob.

Did you like the Libra hint?  I used to think Yom Kippur was a famous person with whom I celebrated a birthday every ten years or so.  Oops.

Grinding

My first official week at work was kind of overwhelming.  The good thing is that I like my manager and we have daily meetings to go over things which helps.  It feels like I'm asking a question every 3 minutes.  

This weekend I mainly slept, caught up on some reading and cleaned the house.  I did some online investigating after finding a moving piece of fluff on the bedroom wall and discovered we had cloth moth worms (larvae?)  Ew.  Writing the word larvae sounds so much more gross than the word worm.  Whatever they were, they were making little cocoons out of the cat hair and bird feathers that were underneath my dresser.  I pulled all the furniture away from the walls and vacuumed and sprayed it clean. 

On Friday night after work my pals and I had food and drinks on the Delta King.  The last time I was there, with V, there was a huge kid about 10 years old sitting in the corner booth stuffing his face with spaghetti and rolls.  He was surrounded by his family who were talking really loudly.  I texted V on Friday to tell him what we were up to and he asked me, "What the little Lord there?"  

Grey or nay?

I have a couple of friends who have actually tried to pull out my gray hairs when I'm not looking.  I think they're barely noticeable but maybe I'm going partially blind in my gray old age.  It's funny that I used to dye my hair and now I'd rather just leave it alone.  Next up, tevas with socks.  What do you think about gray hair?  I think if I had insane gray roots I might be more inclined to dye but for now I just have strands of gray here and there so I'm not too concerned.

In other news, have you seen the Vogue September issue yet?  I haven't bought it in years but I was at the airport with a 2 hour delay last week and decided to LIVE A LITTLE.  It wasn't the wisest of plans to buy a 20 lb magazine to carry on to the plane but now I can use it as a paperweight.  There are a lot of nice, overpriced things in there but I've put myself on a self imposed semi-shopping ban which I estimate will last about another week.

Catching up

I could definitely live on the Southern California coast.  The beaches are warm, there are good places to eat and there are so many spots where you can just hang out and watch people.  Traffic wasn't too bad.  I didn't take very many photos, but this one of the skate park in Venice beach is one of my favourites.  We walked back to the beach after V and I had eaten too many appetizers at a little place up the street and watched the skaters do tricks.  One kid was about 10 or 11 years old and had been skating without a helmet for 15 minutes when his parents showed up and he put his helmet on super fast before they noticed.  You can see the Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica pier in the distance at the top right of the photo.

Venice Beach!  I took this photo at a busy intersection and a man on the street asked me if I was a professional photographer.  Why yes, yes I am.

Here is one of my best selling professional photos (above).  Did you know muscle beach is a real place?  They wouldn't let V in because they were too intimidated.  So many glistening men in teeny tiny shorts.  It was over 100 degrees.  Who can work out in that heat?  Who can work out in any temperature?  Someone told me these dudes are paid to pump iron.  Fact or fiction?  Does anyone know?  I didn't give V a dime.

I have always wanted to go to the Camera Obscura next to the Cliff House in San Francisco but haven't yet.  The past few times I've been near it, it's closed.  When I saw this Camera Obscura sign in Santa Monica I wanted to figure out how I could get in.  I practically ran towards this building.

The Camera room is part of the Senior Center on the walkway towards the Santa Monica pier.  Everyone is so keen on checking out the pier that I bet they miss out on this not-so-hidden attraction.  It was free!  I gave a nice lady inside the senior center my drivers license and she gave us a key and pointed us towards some stairs that led to a door that opened into a dark room with a giant platform that you could turn to see anything that was 360 degrees in that area.

Poolside

Hey!  Guess what?  I'm away on business in a very exotic location that has palm trees, a pool and insanely hot weather. 

Today's highlight: canonball in the pool.
Today's lowlight: business lunch at Applebee's

Weekend adventures

This weekend was fun.  We saw Natalie's art show at Bows on Friday and ended the night at N&J's new place where we danced to Wham.  Pretty perfect.

Cheers!  It looked so great!

V and I tried to go to an out of the way breakfast place on Saturday but it was closed so we drove around South Land Park, got a bit lost and had pizza at Giovanni's.  They make a good pizza.  Their water tastes like mold.  We had a failed thrifting attempt at a place where one of the patrons was searching for her alleged Bulgari sunglasses.  She pronounced it wrong and enlisted most of the employees to help her search.  There's a lady working there who always seems to smell like booze.  V said it's a volunteer run place so I suppose that's ok (?)  Then we went to Scout Living.  That place is so dreamy and my kind of "thrift store".  I can hunt all day for a good find at Nordstrom Rack but serious thrift shopping is not my thing.  Scout Living finds all the good stuff and fixes it up.  I thought most of the prices were reasonable for a well curated shop although I probably wouldn't buy anything there.  We bought most of our furniture from craigslist.

Later in the day we tried to go to Chando's but the line was crazy as usual.  So, we did the next reasonable thing and went to Chevy's.  The one on Garden Highway is actually nice because you can watch the boats floating by and there's usually some good people watching to be had.  I ordered a vodka soda with no ice and got a glass of mostly vodka that was 3/4 of the way full.  I told the waiter and he said he didn't know how much soda I wanted so he just guessed.  Weird.

Chevy's is next door to where V and I had my wedding ring made using a family diamond.  I got super sad because it was completely boarded up.  There were skid marks in the parking lot in front of the store and photos of what looked like a serious robbery.  We couldn't tell exactly what happened but I looked it up online and saw that 2 weeks ago some people stole a forklift from a nearby school and drove it right into the store, stole the safe with all their stones and jewelry.  A FORKLIFT?!!!  The owner does a lot of work with vintage pieces where he will take a family ring, take the stone out and make something completely different.  Apparently a lot of people's personal pieces were stolen as well.  I can't even imagine.

The news report is here: 

I looked on yelp and found someone who wrote the only negative review the place has.  They were desperately trying to get a hold of the owner and said the business phone # didn't work.  I messaged them through yelp and told them there was a phone number written on the door of the business.  The yelp user had their 2 carat vintage ring stolen and they've had to hire a lawyer because the store didn't have insurance.  I feel so bad for everyone who lost a lot in this theft.