Montse and Giovanni

The best thing that happened this month is Montse and Giovanni's visit to LA!

We ate lots of good food, including a delicious Italian and Catalonian dinner cooked by our guests. And took a day trip to Channel Islands! One of the other days, they visited all the big Hollywood tourists spots while I worked remotely at a nearby coffee shop --- but it was great quality time to just spend the day without any time constraints and catching up.  When they left, I was so sad that our time together ended. It's so hard to meet up with old friends ---and I was really grateful they visited.

Here are some of our pictures from the week!

 Very hot...climbing Griffith Observatory-

 THIS MEAL! and these PEOPLE :)

 The Last Book Store in DTLA is one of my favorite spots-

 We are ready to go cave kayaking!

 Crystal clear waters --- amazingly beautiful.

 um...how cute are they?

 Post kayak, hike!

Mindfulness Meditation

For the past 3 months, I participated in a Mindful Meditation class.

It was lovely. I learned so much and I felt that I was able to control my stress, have better responses to things-instead of reactions, and overall, was more present.  I felt I could slow down time! And I learned a few very practical, easy, and effective tips around breathing and feeling deep gratitude. Also, for relaxing my body and mind after a long day.

At the end of the 3 months--- my instructor gave us some tips on how to make this a habit. I share these tips here.

How to make mindful meditation a habit!

1.  Connect with someone to email/text for daily practice

2.  Decide a technique you will do for the next 40 days and do that one consistently, anything else, just add on to it

3. Put meditation time into your calendar

4. Ride the momentum of the class

5. Recall the feeling of meditation à make the feeling your motivation

6. Make your practice practical (if you really need loving kindness meditation- do that)

7. Set an intention

8. Feel gratitude

9. Fill in the 6 questions at the back of the notebook to monitor progress

Important tips!

 * It takes 40 days to establish a habit

 * We never step in the same river twice

 * STOP: S: stop; T: take a breathe; O: observe; P: process

 * The antidote to slowing things down is to pause

* Make mindfulness as life style means…

o   Paying attention on purpose

o   In a non-judgmental way

o   In a relaxed way

o   Living the experience in a direct way

Some random thoughts

How did this month go by so quickly?

We have some big BIG news! We're moving!!! and yes, we finally and successfully purchased a place of our own. This is really what took up little moments of this month, from signing document after document, negotiating credit, looking at multiple shades of grey, white, and other neutral colors, and mourning leaving our adorable loft and corner unit! 

But here we are...and we are moving tomorrow!!! 

Some random thoughts for this month- 

1. A good dinner with friends is one that isn't rushed, food is shared, and service is impeccable and accommodating.  We went to A.O.C. wine bar last night to celebrate our friend's new job and I was reminded of how lovely slow dinner evenings are. It helped that we had a four course meal of shared plates using local ingredients and finished the meal with decadent dark chocolate tarts.  Of course I forgot to take pictures! 

2. Reply All podcast has got to be one of my favorite podcasts! Every time I listen to their stories though, I lose a little more hope in humanity and get increasingly more terrified of the internet.

3. Ceiling paint should be the same color as the painted trim...regardless of what your painter says! I hope Benjamin Moore's Gray Owl will serve us well. 

4. Let Go app to buy and sell things online is freakishly accurate and amazing. It actually identifies what you post without you even posting a description...what?!! Programmers- you are amazing. I've been selling a lot on the site and its pretty awesome. You also can rate people and hopefully that deters the unreliability you sometimes face with Craigslist. 

5. Buyers remorse is real. But change of perception and attitude is also powerful. 

6. I'm going to miss my meditation class...but stay tuned, will write about that experience after my last class next week! 

7. Bye bye Westwood and our cute little loft. I will miss you---the trees, the large windows, the soft breeze that filters in perfect for a nap on the couch, the many Persian restaurants and cheap eats walking distance away, Iranian ice cream shop!!, the movie theatres, the park nearby, taking the shuttle to work, and the library. As our first home together--you served us well! 

Signs you are in a fancy restaurant

We don't usually go to fancy restaurants, but when we do, I notice they all signal "we fancy" or maybe..."we care" in similar ways:

1. Large ice cubes

2. Plants that require regular watering



3. Unique lighting or lighting that requires matches and cleaning

4. Cloth napkins

5. Heavy silverware

6. Bottle of sparkling water or still water on table (love!)

Summer!!!

I'm feeling the full blown effect of summer now with this week's heat wave! But why does it feel like summer is already over?!!

All the plane travel in March-June has worn me out and I'm exhausted. I think it is a good exhaustion, but nevertheless, I'm not feeling the uplift of summer just yet. But I think these activities will do the trick:

Summer goals
1) Annual summer Hollywood bowl concert, this year with fireworks!
2) A big beach bonfire
3) Thursday Santa Monica beach concert
4) Channel Islands
5) Catalina Islands (this is the year for islands)
6) As many surf sessions as humanly possible
7) Swimming laps at the pool
8) Maybe another national park...Zion? Yosemite?
9) A lazy day at LACMA
10) Hike Mt. Baldy, inspired by this story
11 and 12) I cautiously add a couple more that seem like a long shot but possible....camping!! and learning to sail.

Basically can I do anything and everything involving water and the beach this summer? :)

Looking back at my summer list last year, not too much has changed with the addition of more outdoor activities. I must have liked what I did last year and I'm excited to make some of these summer LA traditions.

Niagra Falls

We spent a day at Niagra Falls before heading to Sacket's Harbor last week.  I had never been and I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I wasn't disappointed.

Nature is so amazing and the strength of water is unbelievable. Of course, I forgot our passports while we were rushing out the door, so we didn't cross over to the Canadian side, but we still got a good look at a lot of the falls. I had so much fun watching people get drenched by the waterfalls and I was shocked at how brave the first travelers were initiate the process of making the park what it is today -- a place that everyone can enjoy.  On the other hand, I also was thinking about the Native Americans who probably inhabited this area and what their history is around these falls given the name,  Niagra, which is a derivative word from the Iroquoian language, and seems most people agree it means "the Strait".

Just some thoughts as I witnessed the majesty of these water falls.

Susie got married!

Susie got married!!!  Chris' family and I headed to Sacket's Harbor, NY for a beautiful backyard wedding. Look at this view of Lake Ontario! 

Both families came together to pull this wedding off and it was intimate and lovely.  She's lucky to have this view of the lake and to be sharing it with her husband Damien. They seemed very happy with their dogs and home renovation projects, and we were happy to meet his kind and warm family. 

Here we are in the midst of the wedding enjoying the views and snapping photos! 

And sparkling night lights to finish off the night.  I was so impressed with Susie and Damien --- she made her own cupcakes with intricate frosting and they really made the space welcoming and comfortable for everyone in the days leading up to the event.  Chris' parents and Damien's parents are also troopers! 

And here we are --- one week away from our own anniversary of our wedding last year :) 

A couple of final observations...

- Sacket's Harbor is real rural, I mean REALLY rural. There were 4-5 houses on this country road and nothing else.  A nice reprieve from the bustle of city living, but I don't think it is for me. I'm surprised to know someone who lives in such a rural town! 

- I forgot how hot and muggy the East coast is and I don't miss that...but I do miss all that greenery