Heat Wave Recap

My weekend isn't over yet, between work stuff, kicking it with Grant and dinner with Lauren tonight, but it's too hot to move from my couch right now, so  I'll record the goings-on now.

Friday:
I finalllly got to catch up with Shaleen at Hopskotch in the heat of the day. It was amazing to see her, especially catching up on life post-bar and discussing where our wandering career paths are leading us. I miss our days at Hadsell, partly because I no longer remember the hard work, just the trips for iced coffees and the occasional happy hour. We ordered the herb fries and had an IPA each and discussed our escape plans.


Then I drove up to LA for Seda's birthday. Aline, Evan and I walked Soph about, had a quick nibble at Home and then hit up Perch to see the girls. I hadn't been to Perch before and despite the interesting crowd, I loved it. Beautiful view, great company, amazing weather. Love love love.


Saturday:
Evan and I ventured to Westwood so I could books at my favorite library, the Young Research Library at UCLA (nerd alert). It was closed despite their posted schedule, so it was an utter fail. Until we went to Profeta and I got my favorite latte in the State of California. I used to study at Profeta for all my exams, taking advantage of free wifi, the beautiful patio and gawking at the cute baristas.

After Evan and I met up with Christina to talk wedding plans, travel, future plans and general aging. I haven't seen her in ages and I am so excited for her to move back to California permanently so we can resume our shenanigans.





Following a brief respite at home at my mom's a/c, I battled the heat to see Michael and Freddy for a beer and nachos, which was really fun, as usual. We were chillin outside for most of it, enjoying the temperate evening. I've definitely missed that teddy bear, even though the little bugger took a millisecond to remember me.

And I finished up the evening in the best way - seeing Aimee at her show in Long Beach... which happened to be a punk show... which I was not dressed appropriately for at all. I actually thought I was at the wrong place, because Aimee's band is a soul one, not punk. When I pulled up and heard punk, I was slightly confused. I finally found her and met her bandmates, caught up with Moreah (not for long enough) and of course, we hit the photo booth. I love her and I feel so grateful to have seen Aimee, dare I say, regularly, in the last few months.

Excuse me while I refill my coffee.

xx

One Eyed Gypsy and Pie Hole

One Eyed Gypsy
901 E. First
Los Angeles, CA
The Arts District

Pie Hole
714 Traction
Los Angeles, CA
The Arts District

There were a couple of questionable things I did yesterday. We won't get into all of them, but the major one was not having coffee until 6pm and then checking my student loans, so you can only imagine my dire mental state by the time 9pm rolled around. (Let's not even talk about my misfired screenshot #foreveralone).

Jackie, Evan and I checked out One Eyed Gypsy in the Arts District last night. I had actually never been, despite the fact it fits my 1920s/Dustbowl/speakeasy/hipster/decaying decadence thing that I love a la Villians and 4100. (Also interesting, Dana Hollister  is the visionary behind all those places' designs. Hopefully, she's available to do my house in 65 years when I've paid off my student loans.)


Really I went for the deep fried oreos, but ended up with the Piaget - a grapefruit/rosewater concoction of my dreams. It might be my favorite cocktail ever - the fruit, the tart, the floral undertones - so drinkable. Dangerously so.


Evan had the Monserrat - a chai spiced vodka. It was such a comforting combination of flavors - black tea, cinnamon, cardamom. Super autumnal.

Jackie went with the clowns cup - a refreshing cucumber lime thing. During Happy Hour, its only $6(!).

Long story short, we're going back like all the time.

After, Jackie and I were meandering through the Arts District and we drove by Pie Hole and saw the light on. If you follow my blog, you know that Pie Hole is one of my favorite places in Los Angeles, or maybe even the world. Their sea salt chocolate crostata makes my life worth living on rough days. Like when I get parking tickets. Anywho, Jackie and I were like WE HAVE TO GO. We found a lucky parking spot and flounced over like lambs in a spring meadow. We walk in and are quickly rejected because it is 10:17 and they closed at 10. We must have looked like our souls were decimated because Ariel (my new hero/messiah/role model) saw our faces fall and said one minute. SHE CAME BACK WITH THE LAST SLICE OF CROSTATA.

I can't deal. So generous and lovely and perfect and great and delicious and life-changing. I had been craving Pie Hole for days and have been so crunched for time that I haven't had a chance to venture over. Very rarely do you get a place as popular as Pie Hole still having that sweet, familial service. I am just so impressed.

It was a surprising and lovely way to end the evening. And also indicates I need to program Pie Hole's schedule into my phone.

xx

Party Weekend

Post-Tuesday, I decided to relax (aka go to sleep at an appropriate hour, drink more water than other beverages, and eat spinach.) But by Friday, that was a bit old. Cue Matheus, the most amazing social calendar/planner ever.

Friday: We headed over to our friend Pelayo's with Pablo and Almaz and a ton of other people for wine and crisps before heading to this, uh, interesting dance spot. We ended up doing karaoke to the wee hours and I got home approximately 4am. 

Saturday: I slept in and watched documentaries until Matheus, Almaz and Pablo came home and we did sushi delivery (they need to bring this to LA) and watched Horrible Bosses. Matheus and I also had a spirited discussion about gender relations but I won't go into it :)

Sunday: We woke up at then normal 1pm and then headed to the Parvis for a Moroccan/Italian brunch with Pablo. We then headed over to Matheus' great-aunt's house, who I utterly adore and discussed mythology, Italian and American politics and the joys of cognac. Pablo, Matheus and I met up with Almaz back in the parvis for a drink before heading to Pelayo's for a lovely fish dinner (3 courses!) prepared by Chef Andrea with help from everyone. We had fried something or other with homemade mayonnaise, octopus salad, and then some delicious, huge white fish in the courtyard with veg, melon and bread. It was so lovely and relaxing and sweet. I am so grateful to have met everyone. They are so warm and funny and interesting. I feel as though I've been in Brussels for longer than three weeks because I feel as if I've known everyone for ages.

This week, however, I am off to The Hague and Amsterdam. The blog will be a bit quiet but have a lovely week!

xx

Summer Evenings in Brussels

The sun doesn't set until 10pm in Brussels, which means I feel like I can stay up all night. Until I do. Then I feel like death. However, work has been less strenuous so whatevssss. On Sunday, we did wine in Almaz's beautiful garden and then grabbed pizza.

Monday, we met Matheus' friend and Almaz at a market in Saint Gilles by Hotel De Ville and had hot dogs and wine. After, we had an impromptu dance party at the apt (gotta love the Spice Girls).

Last night, we had drinks with Darren, another Yankee, before he heads back to Michigan at the Athenee Square near Stam, the bar from Saturday.

Today, after a very long brainstorming meeting, I am looking forward to hanging with Alex Budak, a fellow UCLA orientation counselor. GO BRUINS!

xx

First 36 Hours in Brussels

Hello my darlings -

My last day has been phenomenal.

I arrived yesterday morning to my new place and Matheus was home to greet me. We had breakfast of yogurt, kiwi and raspberry-chocolate muesli, and listened to the Beatles Abbey Road record. (Matheus and I have very similar taste in music).

Afterwards, we walked to the market in Saint-Gilles. It's amazing: fresh fruit and veg, cheese, dried goods, flowers, even clothes. It's open during the afternoons on the weekends and in the morning during the week. I have a feeling it will be my morning stop since I don't start work until 10 :-) We stopped for a coffee, which then turned into sampling the resident standard beer, Jupiter, and a shrimp and avo salad. We then visited Matheus' 87 year old aunt who is hilarious and friendly and offered us Campari and orange juice while very animatedly discussing international politics.

Later I took a nap (damn jetlag) and skyped Sophie and my mom. I met Matheus and his friends later at Stam Eat and Drink. Two musicians performed favorite hits, including the talking heads and abba. We had cheeseburgers and more beer before heading to a bar that was playing 80s and 90s music. We had a large group - maybe 10 - lots of Italians and French and Spanish and one other American. Such a fun and open group of people. We danced and sang and sat outside, enjoying the warm weather. And then we got home at 3:30 and I skyped Sophie again (I know - its an obsession.)

Matheus and I woke up a bit late and headed to the market for fresh apricots and plums, grabbed a coffee and then stopped by Momma Roma for lunch. Truffle pizza, pancetta and mushroom pizza, and prosciutto white pizza along with a cold coke. Yum.

I'm planning on doing some research for work. Matheus is going to visit his friend's baby and then we are then meeting up with his friends again.

I'm a bit nervous about my first day at work, but I think it will be fun. And then I am going to London Thursday night :-)

xoxo