Santa Barbara in all it's glory

ALICIA IS HERE!!! (I wish Raena were too, but hopefully she will be next time!)

So, Alicia and I made the trek up to Santa Barbara yesterday. Let me tell you something. Santa Barbara is a dreamland and may have been made just for me. We left the house around 9:30 and got on the 405 heading to Santa Monica and then got on PCH from there. Drove through Malibu and Oxnard (which I can't say without a snarl) and Ventura County and ended up in Santa Barbara around...11:30, maybe? It was quite a ways, but it passed quickly with some one-of-a-kind sisterly banter. We drove through and made a beeline for the visitor's center where a very efficient public servant pointed out everything we wanted see without us even having to ask. "You are here, wharf is here, courthouse is here, mission is here, Presidio is here." Shanks, friendly lady! We walked out on the pier/wharf and beach. The water was freezing and a little bit full of kelp and the sand was a lovely dark shade of khaki.

Then we drove to the courthouse. Which, I think, tops all other courthouses. This one was so pretty and full of tile. We went up to the tower and stayed up there for a while because it was so awesome. They were setting up for a wedding in the sunken yard and it looked like it was going to be amazing.

The front of the courthouse

View from the tower

The sunken courtyard. I want this to be my hangout.

Me on a tiled bench

After we walked up and down State Street (lots of shops and food), we drove to the Santa Barbara Mission. Well, first we went too far and ended up at a campground with very poorly marked directional arrows.

Alicia at the Santa Barbara Mission

I love a good Friar Foto Op

Then we headed home and got onto the highway. Then got off the highway after sitting in traffic for about 15 minutes and moving probably 20 yards. We thought we could use our time more effectively by watching a movie during peak traffic hours. So we find parking off State Street again and walk to the movie theater only to find that the next movie starts at 6:45. It was 5:00. So we walk around some more and by 5:45, realize that we could have put that time toward going home. So we leave. Again. This time we stay on the highway. It was a lovely day spent with Alicia in Santa Barbara. I'll be first to volunteer to go if someone suggests it. I'll even drive. That's how much I loved it.

Tomorrow's agenda...touring a guided-missile destroyer.

Great day

Well, I saw (500) Days of Summer. Anddddd I loved it. For a couple of reasons.

1. Zooey Deschanel

2. Great soundtrack

3. Had different styles of movies all rolled into one (I just typed out an explanation but it sounded like nonsense--just go see it)

4. We saw it here. It. Was. Magical.

The Cinerama Dome at the ArcLight Theater

Oh! I also ate chicken katsu curry for lunch yesterday. It had been so long...last time I ate that was probably last summer. Mm so tasty.

Alicia comes in tomorrow night!!!! I'm excited!!!

Perfect.

Dane Cook and Chris Daughtry. Great song choice. Thank you, Dane Cook, for twittering.

The Deep Melancholy

I love that when I called my mom tonight, she was watching She's the Man--by herself. I'm so proud.

Here's a good-looking wedding invitation (minus the black bar) that I found while trying to find wording for an RSVP card.

I also found this pretty picture...somewhere. I forget where.

Not much to say tonight...the melancholy is back. That's all.

Let them watch cake

While perusing Target today, I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. Season 1, Season 2 , and Season 3 of Ace of Cakes. And offfffff course they made the Harry Potter cake for Order of the Phoenix. Two of my favorite things.

Reading in the gah-den

I happened to have some free time this afternoon (hah, imagine that), so I went outside and read for a while. Okay okay, it's the Da Vinci Code. I needed something to read and it was my only option.

Ummm, rainier cherries are the best.

Found out for sure that my sister, Alicia, is visiting next week on her way back home from North Carolina. AHHHH I'm so excited! Speaking of sisters, Raena deserves a little shout out--she finally found my blog.

It's weird to think that I am now part of the "20-somethings" whirlwind, when everything seems to be happening at once. A good friend from college is getting married on Sunday, I moved coasts, my cousin moved to Hawaii to teach after graduating in June, Alicia is starting her own interior design company, Dana is now an official part of Cayenne Creative and has a salary, Julie just got engaged to the guy she's been dating for 5 years, another good friend just bought a house--the transition to adulthood is going on before my eyes. I just need to get a grip. Time to stop freaking out every time something happens. And time to stop thinking that we are all too young. Hello, new mindset. Welcome. It's going to be a rocky ride.

CVS

I went to CVS today in search of an xacto knife. Didn't find one. But, I did find some cleaner for my sunglasses and a bottle of water. Oh, and some California postcards for some friends. While the lady was ringing me up, she looked at the postcards and said "Oh, I forgot we have these. We only bring them out in the summer when you all are here for vacation."

....

Is it that obvious? I thought I was doing so well.

I love my friends. End of story.

The weekend...dun dun dun

We did a lot this weekend. Good times. Talked to my highschool friend, Jess, who lives in Pasadena but is currently in Oregon and she recommended us going up to Pasadena and hanging out. So we did. Anddd it was great. I loved it. It was about 10 degrees hotter there than in Huntington, so Erica was not very enthused with the idea of walking around. But I enticed her with getting something from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Hah. It was a really cute city, with lots of shops on a couple main roads. Small town feel. Good stuff.

Pasadena City Hall

Also on our weekend activities list was seeing Harry Potter. It was good--although I wish they didn't spend so much time on the Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione relationships, especially since they didn't even end the movie with obvious commitments. Andddd it felt like they just ran out of time at the end. No closure!!!! Geeeeez. Anyway, it was good. I still like Order of the Phoenix better. Take that, Half-Blood Prince.

Today Erica and I went to Laguna Beach for some relaxation time, which was much needed. Although, there were a couple close calls involving some Brazilians playing soccer. We survived and made it back to my auntie and uncle's house in time to go out to a mexican place, Don Ramon's. Rrrramon. Fun name. Great place. And not just because they had awesome salsa, but because they also had awesome guacamole.

Also, go watch Coldplay's music video for Strawberry Swing. Very great.

A moment of silence please

Smith & Hawken is going out of business.

New motto

This may need to be my motto for the next couple weeks. Thank you, King George, for your words of wisdom. I'm feeling a little fragile here. Erica is going home on Monday to be with her family for a couple weeks and I will be here. In California. Looking for a job. So I can get an apartment. That's the way it will need to be. Ohhh making the drive to L.A. from Huntington Beach by myself will be interesting. I'll just use that time to be introspective. New category: Soul-searching on the 405/What I learned about myself from sitting in traffic for 2+ hours. That is two full-length albums. At least I'll get to know my music better...or, end up hating everything I have. Another new challenge! Just add it to the list. "Puuuut it on my tab." Dan, from Dan In Real Life? Yes? No?

Erica and I met up with a friend from high school who now lives in Huntington Beach and is a police officer for Long Beach. Rough work, getting punched in the face and dealing with people with guns. Lunch was fun and tasty--we ate at Longboards, a place on Main Street. Then we walked around a little bit and went out on the pier. The US Open of Surfing is on Saturday--sounds like we just got our weekend plans. Just found out that Mat Kearney is playing there next week Saturday--sounds like we just got our next weekend plans.

These are some miniature strawberries that Erica and I got at the Farmer's Market. They weren't bought miniature on purpose. But! They are cute, aren't they? Just ignore the fact that one of them is slightly...riper, than the others...andddd that I zoomed in so close that you can't actually tell that they are smaller than usual. Great.

Ze market and ze beach

Today was a good day. Erica and I went to the Farmer's Market in Santa Monica. We got strawberries, blackberries, tangerines and asparagus. Very nice. There were tons of flowers there--didn't get any because they would have died in the car. No one likes wilted flowers at the end of the day.

Cosmos at the market

Craspedia aka Billy Buttons

Sunflowers (obviously)

Erica at Perry's at Santa Monica beach

El Matador beach past Malibu

I fell asleep on the beach. I also got more sunburned from driving than laying out. Hello farmers tan. Good thing I went to their market this morning.

Late night chips and salsa

What a pretty picture. Party dress and fairy lights. Fancy.

Photo by Bethany Howson

I love watching Bones. I am not ashamed. I also love eating chips and salsa. The hotter the better.

Tomorrow morning Erica and I have an appointment to look at a townhouse in Laguna Hills. I'm hoping it will be one of those Hallelujah chorus moments where the sun shines down and we just "know" that it's the one. I've been waiting for one of those for a while. Sidenote, I was able to have a nice video chat with Dana tonight--it had been forever since I saw her. :( Well, more like a week. I wish I could just travel and explore...and somehow make a living...and somehow do graphic design...and somehow be with my friends but be by myself at the same time. If anyone knows how I can do this, let me know. Bahah.

Flowers make my heart sing

It's true.

Ranunculus! (Sounds like a Harry Potter spell)

Peonies!

Just a few of my favorites.

Erica and I went to the Renegade Craft Fair today, held at the California Market Center and it was great. That's all. I got a letterpress poster for $5. Yessss.

The Etsy booth. Free posters and lip balm. Vegan lip balm. Bonus.

Someone posed for my picture. Thanks moustache lady .

Yay!!!!!

Well, we start the apartment search again tomorrow. It is our Orange County day. If we get frustrated or discouraged, we will most likely go to the beach. Good thing it's only getting hotter here...

Lend an ear

Songs on repeat

Keep On Tryin' * Poco

To Take You Home * Frank Turner

I Run to You * Lady Antebellum

My Traveling Star * James Taylor

Birthday * The Bird & The Bee

One of Those Days * Joshua Radin

Girls Just Want to Have Fun * Cyndi Lauper

Here's the thing...

I want to do something with paper--stationery-wise. The only thing is, I'm not quite sure how to go about getting connected with people who know the biz (I just used the word "biz" and I liked it). This is my current brain stumper. That and trying to find an apartment/house in our price range in Orange County. And trying not to miss my dear dear friend Dana who is back in Birmingham.

Oh but yes, Orange County. I know that I had been saying Los Angeles, but after spending two full days in West L.A., driving around with Erica, looking at apartments, we are thinking that we are a litttttle bit more laid back than we thought. I'm realizing that I need air and space to breathe. The hustle and bustle and noise and grime of the big city is not quite me. So we expanded our search to include Huntington Beach and Laguna Hills (Hills, not Beach = cheaper), which we are going to check out on Monday.

Tomorrow is the Renegade Craft Fair and I'm excited. 11 am to 7pm. Get ready, cause here I come. I would like to be in this one day...looking for a partner--who's with me?

I posted this picture somewhere else tonight and thought I would share it again! Thanks to poppytalk. It is such a pretty photo. I love it.

Road trip gems

Here are some photos from the road trip, as promised.

Ravenden, Missouri Recommended by my cousin, Rebekah.

Idaho Springs, Colorado Erica and I on a break.

Colorado I love it.

Colorado In an old train when we stopped for a stretch.

Utah

Arches National Park, Moab, Utah On the phone with Alicia, the Arches expert, aka my sister.

Arches Rodney and I being desert lizards.

Arches Windows arch (I think).

Las Vegas, Nevada Erica and I starting out right with some Green Tea.

The Palazzo, Las Vegas, Nevada Loved these umbrellas hanging from the ceiling.

Las Vegas, Nevada Serendpity 3!

Las Vegas, Nevada Rodney and I outside of...some European replica.

The Bellagio, Las Vegas, Nevada And of course, the water show outside of the Bellagio.

First morning in L.A.

So, it's lovely here in Huntington Beach at 7:45 am. We got in last night to my auntie and uncle's house around 6ish, ate an awesome dinner (talked about how my grandma was more impressed by the Corn Palace in South Dakota than Mount Rushmore), then unpacked a little bit and went to sleep. It's great to not have to rifle through my suitcase. When we drove in yesterday, we ended up in Santa Monica--and then had to drive south to get to Huntington Beach, which is on the other end of L.A. Traffic at 5:00 in the afternoon is no picnic, let me tell you. I would say that it ties with Hawaii traffic at rush hour. Good thing we had a ridiculous amount of snackage to get us through that hard time. Hah. By the way, we didn't quite make it to "the Grand Canyon" (showman voice)...we were tired of driving and that would have been 5 extra hours in the car, back up interstate 15. We are saving that trip for later. Isn't it great how just because something is in the same half of the country as where you are, suddenly in your mind it's super accessible? "Oh, yeah, we will just go to the --insert attraction here, Grand Canyon, Oregon coast, etc-- some weekend when we are bored." I love it.

Today we are up early, due to the lovely people who came to mow the lawn at 7:30. Cooooool. We are going to drive around a little bit and try to look at some apartments. I think getting an apartment will be the last thing to make this move real. Well, that and a job. More on that later. Eech.

Alright, time to greet the day (really, I'm not a morning person).

Actually, it was Day 3

And now it's day 5. I was hoping to post every day of this trip, but I was not about to pay $13.00 for 12 hours of internet. No thanks. 

Well, on Friday, after seeing some family in Missouri (which was great--extra great to see my grandpa), the road trip really began. We got out of Missouri and made our way across Arkansas, and then Kansas. That was maybe the longest drive of my life. Ever. All we had to do was get to Denver. We made it and stayed the night. We woke up the next day and went to Whole Foods over in the Lakewood area and it was great. Biggest and best Whole Foods I've ever been to. Maybe I'll move there next...

Yesterday was the best day for scenery. We drove from Denver to Las Vegas. In one day. Was that crazy? Driving out of Denver in the morning was great. I highly recommend doing it. We went from Denver to Arches National Park, just outside Moab, Utah. Last time I was there was 1991. It. Was. Amazing. Pictures to come later. 

Alright, well, Rodney wants his computer back, so it's time for me to get ready for "the Grand Canyon" (said in showman-voice).  

Day...2? Already?

Right now Rebekah is making me a latte at their house in Missouri. We got in last night around 8 and woke up this morning around 7. Way too early. I'm thinking that I am going to sleep for a day when we get to California. Just one more reason to look forward to getting to LA. Yay.

Today we are heading out and aiming for Denver. We looked at the map last night and figured it would take us 11 hours...that includes Kansas. I'm thinking that might be a good time for me to take a nap.

Just got handed me an awesome latte. Rebekah, you might have to come with us the rest of the way--and bring your espresso machine. Bahahha.