My sister Amy: Classy and Fabulous

I have been working, hard I may add, and just sort of tumbling down with the stream of life. No real complaints and happy to write that. This weekend however something happened that is worthy of a post, my sister Amy had her bachelorette party!!!!! IN VEGAS!!!!!! So honored to have been a part of this party!



Now I will be the first to tell you that the sex in the city bitches and the house wives of beverly hills or whatever you call it annoy the shit out of me, well actually I have never seen the shows just the thought of watching them annoys me and I sort of place all female gatherings under the same feeling. Shopping sprees, spas, pedicures, manicures, make-overs, and martini's never really were my cup of tea (I am a more a whiskey sort of girl). So when I asked if could plan the bachelorette party I was nervous but love my sister so much I wanted to show her the best time of her life. I think it couldn't have turned out better and I actually had more fun planning it- ok not really but it was fuckin fun to plan and organize this adventure! And it was an adventure.



Highlights: Chippendales, Cabana with our 6 foot dildo, Limo, Dancing our asses off, Long and crazy walk of shame down the strip, games, prizes, and loads of champagne!



I am so happy that I come from a stable, loving, emotionally supportive, close maybe even incestuous family. My younger sister moved back down here awhile ago and after losing her to San Francisco many many years ago I am happy to have her back - yes world I am still working holding out and waiting for my brother to come back too! My sisters and I all have our lives, busy and time consuming though they are and I cherish the time we get to spend together.



On June 4th I will also gain another brother and I am so happy about this. I feel my family couldn't be better and I thank my parents for having us, working hard to give us such a wonderful childhood captured colorfully on video cassette, and for the memories we continue to build. I LOVE THIS FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!

:)

Nashville with Pocketsize Dad

To spend time with my dad is awesome..to know that he is about to retire is priceless!



This weekend I took my father to Nashville Tennessee, who would've have thought of all the places I went in the US on that road trip almost three years ago, Tennessee would have been my favorite. So, after a long deserving wait I treated my dad to that place in his dreams..The Jack Daniels Distillery.





Treated him to staying at the Grand Ole Opry.. a five hundred diamond rated hotel. Amazing, this place is amazing!



Although it rained most of the weekend, he may have broken his rib, the bed collapsed when he sat on it tossing him onto the floor, I kept losing to him at cards, and I blacked out in Nashville after succumbing to Maker's (don't tell the folks at the Jack Daniels Distillery as they refer to Makers as swill) I want to do it all over again. This to the man who taught me respect for nature, to love seeing the county from the back of the van, how to string my fishing pole (though he would often lose patience and do it for me), to camp, and to enjoy a fire pit I say I love you dad! I hope that when my father retires we take more of these trips and he and my mom enjoy more time together under the stars and setting sun.

I love you pocket size (even if some of your information is made up!)

Good night. :)

A Storage & Two Bits

Ladies and Gentleman, the vision is complete. well sort of.


Storage Shed compliments of Alex the Builder

Last weekend I am proud to announce Alex finished the storage shed for Recycled Resources. When I opened the box to this project I cried, not figuratively but literally. I had no idea what the directions were asking, couldn't visualize what needed to be done, and lost it. I suggested that we put an ad on craigslist offering someone 100 bucks to come and put it together. 'No' alex said, 'that's pussy'. So I said, ok can you do it. And did it he did. Four days later it was completed. What an awesome guy I have to do this on his vacation.


Outreach

So yesterday we set out to complete our February Outreach and Engagement event. It was small group, however people counted on us and I feel it was a success. Same people, same faces, same stories, however this time they addressed me by name- they remembered us. That felt good. Eventually I want to move forward however for now it's bus token, maps, and linkages. We did meet two new folks- two men in their 30's- one from OK and one from Ireland. It was odd, one spoke in such a thick Irish accent he was difficult to understand and the other in a thick southern accent- they however understood each other perfectly. They were on a walking trip to the pacific ocean from OK and had gotten side tracked and lost in the Highland Park area. They told us of adventures and what is was like walking across almost all of AZ. After giving them some socks tennis shoes and linking them with shower resources they set off. I was sort of jealous- that freedom without thought- plan-or direction. Good luck men- walk hard!


Downtown LA

So after all was said and done Alex and I took off to meet up with a friend who just opened up a new organic market/wine bar. Two Bits Market. Actually this came in handy due our neighbors having yet another moon bounce party- which began at 9:30AM, music blaring, trash being thrown on our lawn, and kids yelling ALL day. I think they must rent out their rented home for parties, or they keep having kids weekly, or the women that live there are renting out their uterus's. They have no respect for anyone on the street. Either way they annoy the shit out of me. I miss our old neighbors!


Two Bits Market - Spring & 5th Street
I had the pleasure of meeting the owners- a newly wed couple - through work and I can honestly say they are amazing. The gentleman works as a social service worker in the hotel where my clients stay and he came to LA after working FSP program in the tenderloin in San Fran so he is really familiar with the skid row pop. I wanted to introduce Alex to them. The hope was to link Alex and get him some type of part part time gig in order to have some work in the business when he finishes culinary school and I think it went well. I tried new cheese! However I did avoid the olives!


I like to think I can try new foods outside of the camping/comfort foods I usually eat- you know canned soup, sandwiches, and the like however I can't do new things that smell funky and the cheeses were funky! They carry all organic and unusual- well to me- selection of fruits and veggies plus a good selection of wine and meats. They invited us to try a bottle of sparkling wine which had hops added to it, so it was sort of like a sparkling wine beer. At first it was not good- however after the second taste it settled and was good. Odd. Have you heard of this?


Eats
Anyhow from there we went to a couple of other places and ended up in Little Tokyo for dinner- yay japanese beer and tempura! We then made a mad dash for the gold line and came back to nolden. One thing that is frustrating is our subways stop running at 11:45pm, everyday of the week, so it sucks when you are trying to get around without your vehicle and save on cab fare. Eh. Los Angeles, really? The city that never sleeps my ass.

I am going to lounge now and read the Sunday paper. Things I want today..
1. Talk to my brother
2. Work on shadow boxes
3. Make a healthy lunch
4. Nap

I'm an expert at number 4.

Las Vegas off the Strip

Monkey and I set off last weekend to go and finally visit Monique and Fernando in Las Vegas. I told myself I wasn't going to end up drunk on the strip and sitting my ass like a zombie in front of a slot machine and for the most part I did not. I have never gone to Las Vegas where I didn't visit the strip- this time- success!

We arrived to Mo's and Fernando- they live in a nice house outside all the noise of Vegas. Pictured below is her front room- it had quite the feel of an Ikea catalog so I prepared my order- Swedish Meatballs! You could tell from her home that she is a graphic designer and both Monkey and I were afraid to touch anything.



We went out to dinner and ended up The Orleans, a local casino by her place. Shit got kinda crazy and everythin a little blurry but we had a good time. Las Vegas now sells these big pitchers of beer- well like pitchers- but they hold a ton of beer and the thing is built with ice in the middle so your beer stays nice and cold- 15 bucks too! It made the phillipino 80's cover band that was playing actually sound good! Yeah I danced, what of it!

This night was only made more exciting when we entered a small Irish Pub called Brendons and Floggin Molly was playing, grand just grand. Sorry for the late night phone calls and singing Poochie and Matt!



On Sunday we went out to Bonnie Springs. Bonnie Springs Ranch was originally built in 1843 as a stopover for the wagon trains going to California down the Old Spanish Trail. In 1846, General Fremont, on his way to California, stopped at what is now Bonnie Springs Ranch to gear up for his trip through Death Valley. Since 1952, it is pretty much used as it is today- a petty zoo, a saloon, and a view of what is left in the middle of Red Rock Canyon. Reminded me very much of 2008 and my desert obsession. There is something to be said- or unsaid- about how I feel in the middle of dirt tumble weeds and red rocks, Bliss.







After we toured the ghost town we took a spot in front of the fire and enjoyed a 'gunslinger'- a hot coffee sort of drink with Baileys and Kahula topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon-or gun powder if you will. Delicious. There was snow on the floor and on the mountains that surrounded us and as the sun set the stars came out. Gorgeous.



Later that night Fernando introduced us to Ellis Island where we had dinner then sang karaoke- good crowd. It was hard to beat the 80 year old 5 foot Elvis that dominated the stage. I sang Rocky Top and when I was done he shook my hand and said thanks for singing a song about Tennessee. My pleasure- and I told him about my visit to his home and thanked him for his hospitality. The bar tender then informed us that he actually purchased Elvis's pink cadillac for $50,000 and he drives it around Vegas. Rad!



All in all it was good weekend. It was hard to wake up on Tuesday and as we drove through the desert to come home Monday night I struggled to look forward to coming back to LA. Which is not to say I don't love Nolden, my job, and LA- it's just if you give this girl a taste of freedom she has trouble settling back down. If I worked every day and never took time off it wouldn't bother me so much- but three days out of LA and I want out!!!!!!

:)

Surprise Sunday Night

Woke up on Sunday after having a pretty quiet weekend with monkey and sort of laid in bed wondering what to do on a three day weekend. Neither of us had plans and wanted to really do anything. I was on the porch enjoying a nice hot cup of cocoa, complete with mini marshmellows when my cell phone rang. "what, you've been in town all week and are just calling me now, F you!" sums up my response. Monique Chebat is my best friend, I love her honestly however about two years ago she moved to Las Vegas to live with her charming as hell, handsome too!, boyfriend Fernando. I adore them both.



After chatting for awhile and catching up Monique informed me that she and her mother wanted to go to Pechanga- a fine Indian gaming establishment. She asked if I would like to come and also ask my grandma to come since my grandma lives close by and is also the same age as Moniques mom. I thought about it.....tic toc tic toc. I thought my grandma would turn down the idea, as she usually stays home and doesn't do much of anything other then sit quietly in her home. I called her, no answer.

I drove down to Anaheim and thought, I am just going to drive by GG's to make sure she is ok, as she is usually home and with my mom in Hawaii just wanted to check on her. I pulled up and my grandmother was literally sitting in a parked car in her garage. I walked up next to the door and stuck my head through the window- she didn't even look surprised she just looked at me. I said Grandma what are you doing and casually she replied 'trying to come up with enough energy to get out of the car'. That's it I said, you're coming with me!

Three hours later behold Pechanga!



Now by this time you're probably asking yourself what is the point of this post- so what she went to gamble with her grandma. I pretend people read this so I am going to tell you why. My grandma doesn't do anything, she really only has a couple of friends left- none of which live by her, and she doesn't really talk to anyone. She has been urged to attend events and also linked with older adult community centers however she doesn't even want to go thinking she won't enjoy herself- so she stays home. Well it just so happens that Monique's mom, who is 80- yup she had Mo when she was 46, and my grandma hit it off big time! big time! Before we even got to the casino they had swapped phone numbers in order to hook up at hometown buffet for stuffed cabbage night- don't ask- and they only live about a mile apart!

So the four of us enjoyed ourselves and had somewhat of a competition playing in teams!


Team Chebat


Team Ansel

The winner....

My Grandma!!!!!! woot woot!

Anyway- it was so good, so good and fun in fact that when Monkey called me worried at 1:30AM cause I wasn't home yet we were all surprised at how late it was. I also had the great fortune of buying my grandma a foot long ruben hot dog- don't ask.

However- for your pleasure- HERE ARE SOME FACTS I learned from my grandma
1. My Kansas uncle was circumcised as an adult - ouch!
2. My grandma lost most of her placenta with her son and was forced to stay in bed for 5 months of the pregnancy
3. My grandma smoked for over twenty years

Weird... and I am so happy I had this time with her- it's the little things!