my salvation: Better late than never! (New Years/Birthday post)

First, let me just say that this blog has taken me FOREVER to write!! Hopefully it makes some sort of sense. I've found that stopping and then starting again does not produce good results but I'm not much of a "writer" anyway, so whatever. I mainly do this as a way to journal with pictures and to get all of the thoughts that pile up in my brain on a daily out of my head (at least a little). So anyway HERE is the blog that I started a week ago and finally just had time to finish..

I've been dying to blog lately but have been SO busy. Busy in a good way mostly. My life is so full right now and I truly for the first time in my life feel like "the lucky one". I am also finally feeling half human again after being consumed by whatever this horrible sickness is that's been going around. Thank goodness for antibiotics!

So Happy New Year! I spent my new years eve in Long Beach with Eric, his BFF Haig and his lovely girlfriend Marissa. We rang in the New Year at a place called "Alex's bar" while watching The Aggrolites perform. It was a great night filled with dancing, drinks and love. I can honestly say that a year ago I never would have imagined that Id be ringing in 2013 with the man of my dreams, in Long Beach, watching the Aggrolites play. It's mind blowing what a difference a year makes.

Alex's Bar has a photo booth so OF COURSE I had to partake.

I don't know who that dude is on the left. Photo bomb!

Marissa, Eric and Haig

Happy New Year!

New Years day was spent driving around Los Angeles. We drove through Beverly Hills (which I'd never seen), went to Melrose and had breakfast at Vienna Cafe which was delicious but has the worst service EVER, it was so bad that it was comical. After that we decided to head over to The Grove and check out the shops and Farmers Market. There were so many different little shops and yummy smelling food at the farmers market, I cant wait to go back!

Eric at the farmers market in an actual phone booth! HOLLYWOOD

CBS Lot

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After hitting up the Grove we drove up to the LA Observatory at Griffith park. My favorite thing about that place was the amazing view!

The Observatory from the bottom


Eric and I in front

Marissa and I at the top! The Hollywood sign was behind us.

Even higher up! It was SO beautiful up there.

And so ended our First full day in LA. It was awesome. That night we at at Jimmy's deli and then went to Barney's Beanery for a couple early birthday drinks. They were super nice there and one of the bartenders was an actor who I actually recognized, it was strange. He was wearing a shirt that read "death to hipsters" or something along those lines so he and I hit it off instantly! ha.

The next day (our last day) was my birthday so Eric took me to the Santa Monica Pier, which I loved. Being able to see the ocean for my birthday was really cool AND I even got to see a dolphin! After that we ate at a neat British pub and headed home! I think one of the most favorite parts of our trip was actually the drive home. We made a couple of stops off the grape vine. One was at this water education center which had an observation deck with a really pretty view, I forget the name though and the other was at Fort Tejon to see the grave of Peter Lebec who was killed by a grizzly bear. There is a Clamper monument there so Eric was excited about it. It's a neat park where they used to have civil war reenactments and such but I heard that because of funding they don't do much there anymore.

SANTA MONICA