Howdy

Howdy Partner. Haven't seen you round these here parts in some time. Frankly, it's been a few years myself. Just exploring some ways to keep record of some things that may or may not need recording. Planning an exit strategy from social media. Waxing nostalgic of the days when we picked up print zines from Stinkweeds or Eastside Records. But change is good, right? Even if it meant Bravo shifting away from theater programming to The Real Housewives........

 

The Rolling Stones "Moonlight Mile" (1971)

It's a Moonlight Mile kind of moment. Melancholy is present and there is disconnection with a place that I need to be at down the road.



On the flip side, I haven't logged into this blog in years and what brought me back was an email from AdSense that I had some money needing to be deposited. Who knew? I guess there was enough traffic over the past few years to warrant a 26 dollar pay out. I'll take it. If I had something of more importance to share, I'd post more......

Desert Shadows Styled

Desert Shadows Styled by allison-wear featuring t-shirts

T shirt
etsy.com

Home decor
1stdibs.com

Minnetonka Kids Double Fringe Side Zip Bootie (Infant/Toddler)
zappos.com

Boy and Girl Baby Leggings Organic Cotton Knit Tribal Mudcloth Black...
etsy.com

We're Open for Business!

Come check out The Tiny Coyote on Etsy for some sweet vintage kids wear. We've got sizes galore from baby to 6x. New items will be added weekly. More info on the shop to come soon!

Station Atocha

I was in Madrid in 2006. Or was it 2007? Either way it was an amazing trip that I found myself reminiscing about this morning. Fueled by my desire to see Guernica, I booked a ticket and made the trip solo, staying for about 5 days. While Picasso was my initial draw, Bosch's 'Garden of Earthly Delights' was the gem of the trip. Chuck Close was the surprise of the trip as there was a retrospective at the Renia Sofia. The dream of the trip? Station Atocha. The interior gardens coupled with beautiful lighting had me visit the station even when taking a train wasn't on the itinerary.

Huntington Gardens....Free Day!

On Thursday, I took advantage of the Free Day at the Huntington Library and Gardens.  In order to get tickets, you book online via the Huntington Website the month before you plan to visit. Typically, tickets are 20 dollars so it is a great opportunity. My friend Nick joined Daisy and I for the outing. The gardens were intense. My favorite however was the library and art collection. Not that I didn't love the gardens, but as an Arboretum member, the art collection was something totally different from my usual park/garden visits. 

One of many busts

Daisy. Totally unimpressed.

Gorgeous Stained Glass. My favorite Piece.

Inside the Conservatory.

Inside the Gallery.

Nick in the Chinese Tea Room

Giant Agave/Aloe?

Running Update

Since I last posted, things have improved. Slightly. I am pleased to say I accomplished a 4 miler yesterday with the Pasadena Pacers. We did a run 5 minutes/walk one minute approach to our workout and considering it was my longest run in 11 months (and damn near 85 degrees and sunny), I was happy for the minute break.

I have been running regularly at the Los Angeles Arboretum after getting a membership. It is pretty great actually. 75 bucks gets you a family membership. With a membership, in addition to park access, you get to come during members only hours starting at 7:30 AM in the summer and 8:00AM the rest of the year. There are few folks in the park in those early hours so it is quite the wonderland to explore. The peacocks are all out in abundance during that time too. When I am not running the park, I bring Daisy in the stroller.

And I can't believe I just typed membership 3 times in 3 sentences right in a row. Sheesh.

Back to running. Next week begins the official training program/schedule for the LA Marathon. We will do a 4 miler....sans the walk/run combo. I am looking forward to this..........

Returning to Running: Post Labor and Deivery

Wow. It has never been such a challenge to consecutively run 2 miles. However, I have to look at it like this: Rewind to October of 2012. Hand myself a 19 lb pack of meat. Throw in some hills. Weaken my muscles and make my legs a bit wobbly. Then run. I doubt I'd be able to run the 10 or so miles I was doing.......

Beautiful 2.26 mile run this morning at the LA Arboretum 

But really.....it is a whole new game running post delivery. A whole new body. Since delivery (6/23), I dropped 22 pounds but I have 19 still to go in order to get to pre-pregnancy weight. That 19 lbs is pretty significant when it comes to running. It is that much harder to get up hills, up steps, up curbs and frankly, to just keep going. My ankles and legs aren't as strong but that is to be expected after a 9 month hiatus.

At my 6 week postpartum checkup I got the go-ahead to get back into marathon training. Well, get back isn't really the right term here....lets shift that to "start-from-square-one-on-marathon-training".  While I have a couple of halfs under my belt (and tons of 10 and 5ks), a marathon is one that I have yet to do. LA 2013 was supposed to be my first but a quarter into the training season I found out I was expecting and due to health reasons and general common sense, I nixed any ideas of running pregnant. I know some women are able to sustain running, but it wasn't for me. Lord knows, I trip enough sans belly. I didn't want anything bad to happen...

So I have started to run. It has been so exciting to get back into it. Also very humbling in managing new limitations to a body that was capable of much more not even a year back. Well....capable of things related to running....having a baby was kind of the ultimate in seeing what amazing things we ladies are capable of! ;)

2 and 3 mile runs are where I'm at now after a couple weeks in. My goal is to be up to 4 miles by September 14 so that I can join the Pasadena Pacers for the start of the LA Marathon 2014 training season. I'll be jotting progress down here for me and anyone else interested in running post baby. 

Cactus and Succulent Show at the LA Arboretum

With my folks in town, I decided to show them the beautiful grounds of the LA Arboretum. Unbeknown to us, there was a cactus show on site for the weekend. It was a tremendous treat! My mom is even more into cacti than I so it really was a perfect way to spend the morning. Here are some highlights:

Chihuahua and Baby: Siblings!

Things have been very different around the house.....but in the most amazing sense. The three of us came home from Kaiser on Monday evening after a 27 hour labor and 24 hour recovery stay. The hospital story, littered with drama, is a post all on its own but I don't know if I am ready or able to share  it at this point. The emotionality associated is so intense and my writing skills are not in any position to pen the day in the way I experienced it. Perhaps later on........

Coming home we are getting used to new schedules, new routines and new feelings all due to a new little person we brought home with us. There have been unforeseen challenges as well as things being much easier than anticipated. While Frito seems to be curious of out little Daisy,  he has been great about not being too jumpy or frantic around her. I did snap some adorable shots of the two while we were all hanging out the other night. I think they like each other.......enough at least.

Welcome to the World......

Serious love arrived on 6/23/13.  I can't explain it articulately enough right now in order to give the moment the justice it deserves. We just got home last night so I'll be off for a few more days getting used to new feelings, faces and routines.......

Pregnancy Reading: Update

So as mentioned a couple weeks back, I had picked up 5 books at the Pasadena Library to keep me occupied (and from overdosing on too much television) during the home stretch of this pregnancy. With a delivery literally any day now, I am on currently on book three (Concrete Island by JG Ballard) but reading at a significantly slower pace due to preoccupation with the upcoming L&D.

I finished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (only visit this link if you want a mega-spoiler!) a couple days ago.

It took me a bit to get into the story but once I did I was hooked. What initially drew me to this novel was reading about the premise...and at the time, I did not know it contained spoilers. However, had it not, I most likely would not have selected this book. The creepy factor of the novel piqued my interest but looking back, I think not knowing the reasons behind the characters stay at Halishaim would have made the unfolding of the story more surprising and therefore even more enjoyable.

In a nutshell and without spoiling the premise, the novel follows a trio of students at a boarding school in England. It is obvious that there is something more to their stay and as the story progresses, the reader begins to piece the clues together. It is a novel that is wonderfully written...so much in fact that it left me dazed in a funk of sadness after finishing......not in a bad way mind you, but in a way that reflected just how wrapped up I was with Kath and her story.......highly recommended.

Prior to Never Let Me Go, I finished Out. Out was a longer novel yet quicker to read through due to the  fast paced who-dun-it style of writing. The recipient of a Japanese Writers mystery award follows 4 women working in a bento box factory who get involved in covering up the murder of an abusive husband. The cover up eventually leads to the 4 women blackmailing each other. Enter suspicious debt collectors, strip club owners and detectives and you get a pretty intense, creepy and wild book to keep you hooked. The novel beautifully weaves the characters together a la Murakami without elements such as talking cats. And don't get me wrong...Sputnik Sweetheart is one of the 5 books I mentioned earlier.........there is nothing wrong with some Murakami magic!

I will post some more as I finish up my next selections.

Competitive Jump Roping?

I had no idea such a thing existed. We were just listening to the song "Double Dutch Bus" on the radio and after YouTubing some double dutch videos, I came across this gem:



Pretty cool if you ask me......

T +4 Days: A Visit to the Los Angeles Arboretum

It is weird....this waiting for the baby to arrive. I have been having moments where I was certain that "tomorrow this is going to happen" right to the flipside and thinking, "this baby is going to be induced".  With such a wide range of thoughts and feelings, my desire to partake in certain activities is also ever changing. Yesterday, I was dead set on staying home and even a routine trip to the grocery store proved to be exhausting. Today however, I felt a bit more recharged (lord know how only after 5 hours of sleep) and was ready to get off the couch and explore. 

The burst of energy sent me to the Los Angeles Arboretum. I had been wanting to check this place out for some time so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to go. And on a Monday no less? Arriving in the parking lot to find spaces within 50 feet of the entrance was both celebrated and unsettling. The celebration is obvious: who doesn't want a close spot while pregnant? The unsettling feelings....well they are a bit more difficult to explain. Entering a life where I now have weekdays to do errands/tasks/activities that were solely reserved for weekends is scary. The abundance of parking was a huge flashing sign that read, "YOU AREN"T WORKING ANYMORE". To be quite honest, I haven't yet fully embraced that notion. Probably because I have been so tied up in my career the past few years to the point where it was a huge portion of my identity. If I wasn't at work, I was talking about work, thinking about work or just plain exhausted from being there........ 

However, that could be a blog of its own. Let us get back to the Arboretum.  For 8 dollars one is granted entry for the day. The sprawling grounds showcase a variety of gardens and there are probably hundreds of micro climates! Greenhouses, rose gardens, shaded ponds, bamboo forests and cacti were some that I came across on my walk. There are dirt paths as well as paved roads that lead you through the facility. It seemed very self guided although I am sure that there is some sort of docent lead tour during the week. Seems like the kind of place. 

One of the highlights for me was to visit the Queen Anne Cottage:

You may recognize the beautiful building from television fame as the home on Fantasy Island.


The cottage is in impeccable condition and careful attention to detail is obvious. The colors are gorgeous and paint is pristine! They must touch this beauty up on a monthly basis! While you can walk around the porch and peek into windows, the doors were closed when I was there.

As I continued through the park, I came across several trees and bamboo shoots that had evidence of lovers' visits. I don't think I could ever justify marking up a tree myself, but I'd be lying if I said the preserved moments didn't bring me a bit of joy this morning.

The final highlight was to visit the greenhouses. Each greenhouse has its own theme. Orchids, airplants and I wasn't too sure what the third one was. All I know is that each trip inside brought me back to the humid jungle-y climate of our Costa Rican honeymoon last August.

All in all, it was a good morning spent walking, getting fresh air and more importantly, getting my mind off this past due date of mine.......

Creative Baby Gifts!

Having an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts for me personally means two things: the first is that attending graduate school to pursue an education in something else was mandatory. I didn't have the talent, drive, ambition etc. in order to make it on fine arts schooling alone. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. Studying photography at Arizona State for four years shaped me into a young adult ready to embrace other professions with a creative edge. Even more importantly, my most meaningful friendships were formed and cultivated during this time. That leads me into the second aspect of being a fine arts alumni: I am ever surrounded by a pool of creative and talented individuals.

The creativity came out in full force when I was the lucky recipient of a number of homemade/crafted baby gifts around the time of the shower. My friend Amy threw the most beautiful shower under her Moon Canyon styling company.  Cindy, AKA Fashion Serial Killer adorned some adorable onesies with leather appliques and my friend Genia crocheted a gorgeous quilt. 

About two weeks ago, I was fortunate to have lunch with my good friend Chela who was in town with her band, The She-Riffs.  I wanted to watch the girls play at the Echo, but at that point, I was on the verge of being 9 months and rock shows weren't really recommended as part of routine pre-natal care! So we met instead for brunch at Canter's Deli which is always a good time.  During lunch, she presented with with some adorable baby gifts. One in particular stood out:

                             

You see, Chela has a pet portraiture business, Pet Portraits by Chela. (If you ever need a painting of a furry friend, she is the person to see!) She was able to combine her love for all things four legged and create an adorable applique onto a toddler shirt for little girl! I saw this and fell in love! I am so excited for the little one to don this shirt when she gets to be 12 mos! 

The creative gift never ceases to amaze and inspire.......

Oh and PS....mad props to the staff at Canter's who hooked me up with some complimentary cookies after purchasing their delicious hamantaschen...."For the baby," said the clerk. Nice way of stating that clearly a pregnant lady is craving some cookies. But you know what? He was spot on......

Deli counter full of delights: A pregnant girl's dream!

                         

Lens Test: Canon L Series 24mm 1.4

I am SO EXCITED.
Excited enough to warrant using all caps in the first sentence!

But in all seriousness, I am. Getting an L Series lens is something I have been wanting to do for quite some time but considering that the lens itself is triple the cost of my camera, I have not looked too seriously into doing this until recently. With the new baby on the way I really wanted to up both the quality and frequency of shooting images. Being at Samy's last week processing film rolls that had been stashed aside from years made me a bit sad that with work, school and life over the past couple years, photography has take a bit of a backseat in my daily routine.

The past week I had been looking at and bidding on lenses via ebay to no avail. The clerk at Samy's had an observant point that once the bidding gets to a certain price point you really have to look at the pros and cons of purchasing used vs. new and seen vs. unseen.  Unfortunately, the ebay lenses were all surpassing that price point of getting a good bargain.......

Enter two things: The Samy's Camera Father's Day tax free sale AND the delivery of an unanticipated check in the mail. Those two variables meant that I could indeed pick up the lens new.......which I did.
Was is the wisest decision? Ummm, probably not.....I *should* have stashed the check in savings. However, knowing that I will be home most of the summer with the babe, I KNOW that this lens will get put to great use. Filming, shooting the birth announcements and just documenting her first few months here with us are going to be routine with this new gadget.

First shot? Frito of course.......

Dreamy colors, ability to shoot in low light.....I am in love.............

Past Due

Well, the date has come and gone and is now officially in the past. Not that I truly expected anything different. Yesterday and the day before, I just did not have the gut feeling that it was going to be "the day". I tend to trust my instincts on much milder things so having a firm feeling that my body was not going to pushing out a small human on June 13th seemed a fair and accurate assessment. That all being said, this notion of a due date is a bit unnerving. Now that I am officially 'past due', there is a nagging feeling accumulating. Past due. As if there is something I need to do to rectify the situation akin to paying a 25 cent fine to make everything all better.


I know that is all crazy talk. Common knowledge (and medical reassurance) reminds us all that first time mothers tend to deliver after the anticipated delivery date. However, that is not doing much for the anxiety breeding while waiting to enter this strange new experience called labor and delivery. I have found myself more reluctant to leave the house for extended periods of time. I know that in most cases the baby's arrival is nothing like the movies and there will be plenty of time to collect my things and get over to Kaiser, but the I think the familiarity of our home and routine is what is keeping me grounded at this point in time.

With all that in mind, yesterday was a very good day. We had some friends come by to visit. One for lunch (we went to Guisado's....a restaurant in Echo Park deserving of a post all on it's own) and then a visit for dinner as well. It was fantastic to have some visitors and our dinner guests came equipped with homemade cookies and one of my favorite board games, Ticket to Ride.


(Don't mind the Game of Thronesy looking logo to the video channel......the game is not fantasy oriented at all......more historically based!)


So here I am beginning my time in the post due world. Hanging out. Reading. Cooking. Chilling. Waiting. Watching television. Waiting. Blogging. Waiting...............

Occupy: The Wait

Things that were accomplished two days before due date:

1) Researched EDD benefits. Still doesn't make too much sense although I think I have my first steps figured out.

2) Read more of "Out". About 3/4 of the way through at this point. Glad that I chose this one the other day.

3) Dropped things off to the safety deposit box.

4) Ate a cheeseburger at Pie and Burger.

5) Picked up rolls of film that I dropped off at Samy's and uploaded, organized all and blogged a choice few of them.

6) Now sitting down to watch Premium Rush.

Mildly productive day when it comes to checking things off my mental to-do list...........

Old School Photos....Fashion Serial Killer, Kathy, Nathaniel, David et al........

One of the things that I did this week was get some film processed that had been sitting in a desk drawer for way too long. One of the rolls is close to 4 years old while one was as recent as our wedding last year. Shot with both my 35mm and my Seagull, here are some of my faves:

2012. Cindy aka Fashion Serial Killer in the mirror. 

2012. Cindy again in the van with Nikki.

6/30/12. David at our family post wedding brunch.

2009 or so? LACMA. 

2009. Kathy at Spring for Coffee.

2009. Nathaniel and Kathy.

2009. Is this the Korean Friendship Garden?

2009. David on the Westside. 

6/30/12. Claire!

Nota Bene: Shoot more with the Seagull this year.......

9 Months, Ready and Reading.........

I did indeed check off a couple things on my list generated this morning at 11:34 AM: a car wash and a trip to the Pasadena Library. Until now, I had only visited the Hastings Branch located down the street. I decided to take the opportunity to check out the main branch in Old Town. While not as impressive as the central library in DTLA, the Pasadena main branch outshines my little local chapter! Housed in a beautiful older building, the branch had 5 books that were on my list so that was AWESOME! And plus they have a coffee cart outside in a patio area that served up some pretty decent passion fruit ice tea. My first book to delve into is "Out" by Natsuo Kirino. Pegged as a psych/thriller/mystery, the novel is about four women working at a factory who get wrapped up in a gruesome crime and eventually end up in a web of blackmail. It won a mystery writers award in Japan and more importantly, seemed to be well received by many who have read and reviewed on line.

I will keep you posted. I started the book at the car wash while waiting and will get deeper into the plot as the week progresses......