Moonstone Beach + Heart's Ease

Oh boy, I'm going home this weekend to finally celebrate my birthday with my parents! My Mom asked me if I wanted to do anything special, and I told her I wanted to go to Moonstone Beach! When I was growing up, my Grandmother lived in Cambria, this sleepy beachside community about 30 minutes up the coast from San Luis Obispo. We would always make trips up to Moonstone Beach, about 10 minutes from her house. It was this gorgeous little bay with a big meadow and low cliffs next to it, and it had the best and smoothest stones scattered all over the beach (hence the name?).

Anyways, there is this bar and grill there too (appropriately named Moonstone Bar and Grill) and I told my parents I want to go get brunch there and sit on the patio and watch the waves, and then go on a walk on the beach afterwards.

On the way home I know we'll make a stop at Heart's Ease in Cambria. It's this adorable little nursery/garden/herb + gift shop that my Grandmother used to work at. She was a phenomenal gardener and lover of the outdoors, and she passed that love onto my Dad, who in turn passed it to me. Whenever my sister and I stayed at my Grandma's house, she would take us to Heart's Ease and we would get pampered by all the regulars who came in. The best part was getting lost in the garden and playing hide and seek in the giant hollyhock flowers.

(Notice the huge pines that line the ridge behind the gardens.)

Images via heartseaseshop

key to my heart?

Image via PaPeR.cLiP

So in response to my last post about door knobs, I decided to make a post about old keys, which I think are equally as cool as door knobs, not to mention they go hand in hand (oh did I just make a pun?) Maybe I'll start collecting them, or find a tiny one to put on a chain to wear around my neck.

Image via italiangirlingeorgia

I guess the best part about old keys is that they're so mysterious. What do they unlock? Secret gardens? Treasure chests? Probably something really cool or romantic or exotic.

feeling knobby

So I was just thinking about how cool door knobs are. Not like the average random door knob, but like antique ones or really worn ones. There is this door knob in the English department at school and it's so worn down that it shines like a brand new penny, and I turn it every day and think about how long it's been there and how long it will be there after I leave UCSB.

My mom has a whole bunch of antique faceted glass door knobs that are really cool and I used to be obsessed with them when I was little. Something to do with the glass being exposed to the sun for a long time has turned them purple so they look like this.

Image via Robinson's Antiques

I guess I just like random old-looking things, like this old door knob fixture.

Image via fineartamerica

I'm pretty sure when (if?) I have a house, I'm going to outfit all the doors with sweet accessories.

Image via architecturalclassics

Clouds

Gosh the clouds today in Santa Barbara totally remind me of Bordeaux. For some reason France has way better clouds than California. They're always puffy and white like big cotton balls and no matter what you can always find pictures in them, like pirate ships and whales and mermaids. (Apparently everything ocean-themed?)

This was taken last year in the Jardin Publique in Bordeaux. My favorite place to just roll around in the grass and picnic with a baguette and some cheese and jam and sometimes a bottle of wine. I miss it.

Flashback!

Ooh looks like it's going to rain. Kinda a bummer because this week was so gorgeous, but at least all I have tonight is work. Just ate a huge burger and shared some fries with a roomy because we went on a little excursion to retrieve her car that was getting worked on at the shop. I haven't had a good charburger in so long and now I'm stuffed.

I was thinking my blog needs some more interesting stuff on it because all text gets kinda boring, so I'm thinking I'm going to try to include a picture or image of some sort into each blog. Gonna have to dust off my scanner because I'm thinking it might be fun to scan in some old pictures or some sketches. Also I want to start including links to cool websites because I'm always stumbling upon cool stuff on the interwebs. Oh also check out my "Listening to" section at the bottom of each post, I've been neglecting it lately but I'm going to try to keep it up!

To start off, here is a blog that is dedicated to sharing what New York is reading! Check it out! I like seeing books I've read and looking at all the different book covers.

Also I thought I'd include a picture that I took precisely a year ago when I was in Barcelona! The weather was so nice and I loved seeing all of Gaudi's architecture. I feel like he was so innovative and creative. (Not to mention the clubs in Barcelona were so fun.) Anyways this is a door from the outside of the Gaudi Apartments. I love the different pieces of glass and how perfectly clean and reflective they are.

Listening to: Cousins by Vampire Weekend (such a great music vid too!)

growing freckles

So I know it's not good for my skin, but my favorite past-time is growing freckles. This basically consists of sunbathing, going to the beach, reading in a lawn chair, swimming, playing croquet, or any other outdoor activity that lasts for an extended period of time in the sunshine. Due to the beautiful weather, this past weekend consisted of a lot of freckle growing, which makes me very happy.

I just bought new nail polish so it must be sandal-wearing weather too. I'm going to paint my toenails tonight, but I can't decide between seductive plum, mango-get 'em, or monsooner or later. What do you think? I'm pretty sure I'm going to make a career out of coming up with nail polish name colors. They're always so clever and cheeky.

Didn't do too much tonight. I picked out an online traffic school and schlepped through 10 miserable chapters of how to merge onto freeways and the importance of windshield wipers. I guess it's helpful but it seems like a lot of work for one measly speeding ticket. On the bright side I got new dry-erase markers so I re-wrote my schedule on my whiteboard calendar, and it's now color-coded!

Not too much planned for tomorrow besides school, swimming, and more traffic school (sarcastic "yay"). I'm pretty sure I'm getting a couple papers back tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed that I did well!

walking on sunshine

Hey hey heeey. Just got back from LA. I went down yesterday afternoon to see a play. I have a friend that lives in Sherman Oaks and so I got to his apartment at about 4 and then we headed down to Santa Monica. Without traffic it would normally take about 15 minutes to get from his place to Santa Monica but it was rush hour on a Friday afternoon of a three-day weekend, so it took almost an hour, but we just passed the time catching up and listening to good music and making funny faces at the other drivers on the 405.

When we got to Santa Monica we parked and walked down to the beach and the sun was just setting so it was really pretty. Then we walked back up to Main Street and ate dinner and got some beers at this pub called Finn McCool's. Some of our other friends met up with us and then we walked over to the theater. The play was really random and kinda awkward but overall I guess it was a good experience and fun to see an actual play. Everyone in the audience was about 50 years older than us which was funny. After the play we took the scenic route home and drove past UCLA and through Beverly Hills, and then down Hollywood Boulevard, which weirdly reminded me of Times Square in NYC.

Basically it was really cool to see LA, and I really loved Santa Monica. I can see myself working for some cute company there and living in a cute little apartment by the beach. I'm definitely keeping it in my sights for this summer/my future.

When we got back to Sherman Oaks we played a whole bunch of songs on my friend's piano and then passed out. I had to get up early this morning and drive home because I have work at 11, but luckily there wasn't any traffic and I stopped at a Starbucks to get some coffee. The drive home was actually really nice because it's super sunny today and I love driving up past Ventura when you get to that stretch where it's all ocean for like 15 minutes.

Anyways, not too much planned today, I have a split shift at work so I'm scheduled from 11-3 and then again from 5-9 which kinda sucks, but I'll probably get to go home early both times. Hope your day is as bright and sunny as mine!

snug harbor

I just opened my "stickies" application on my desktop which I sometimes do when I don't have a pen handy and don't feel like opening up a Word document and I want to make a note of something. I don't know why I had to explain all that. Anyways, the point is I don't use the application that often, but I never delete the old stickies. I just found one that says this:

arboreal necropolis

snug harbor

logging men and sailors

someone from liverpool

tavern

I have no idea why those words are all clumped together on one sticky. I can't figure out if I was going to write a poem or I was analyzing something for a paper but I really like the sound of all those words and phrases together. It makes me picture a little harbor town with maybe some snow and being all cozy and hearing the wild ocean. Anyways I guess maybe I'll write a poem now.

me oh my

Hey hey. Hope you like my new blog layout. Still boring but I felt like it needed a change. I feel guilty because it's a beautiful sunny (albeit not very warm) day outside and I'm curled up in bed about to take a nap. However my window is open so I can see blue skies and feel the breeze and I can hear the neighbor playing pretty songs on his acoustic guitar so that makes me feel better.

I had an awesome birthday on Monday and I got treated like a princess which is always nice. Bowling was a success even though I might be the worst bowler on the planet. I blame part of that on consuming too much alcohol though.

Anyways I mostly wanted to post a quote from this book I am reading called Age of Iron by JM Coetzee. I really like it and I feel like it explains for some reason why I keep up with this blog.

"In another world I would not need words. I would appear on your doorstep. 'I have come for a visit,' I would say, and that would be the end of words: I would embrace you and be embraced. But in this world, in this time, I must reach out to you in words."

Just think about it; it makes so much sense. I wish I was able to write that eloquently, but I guess this will have to do.

birthday girl

So I'm celebrating my 22nd birthday today! I feel super lucky because having a February birthday usually means rain, but today it is super sunny and warm! I love birthdays because everyone is so nice! I got some really sweet gifts from my roommates. Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes! My day has been pretty laid back, I went to class, finished the crossword puzzle in the paper, and then got lunch from my favorite sandwich place with a friend. We took our sandwiches down to the beach and had a little picnic. It was so nice! I have to go back to class in a little bit and unfortunately I have to do a little work on a take-home midterm, but it should be pretty painless. Tonight I'm going bowling with a big group of friends. The local bowling alley has over 40 beers on tap. I love throwing heavy things around when I'm drunk!

It's weird to think of where I was a year ago on my birthday. I celebrated my 21st in Paris, and I had such a blast. I went with a big group of friends to a funky little fondue restaurant that served wine in baby bottles, then we went dancing at a club on the Seine. It was such a fun experience and I have such fond memories of my birthday abroad. Here are some pics from exactly a year ago that I love to look at. The Eiffel Tower never gets old.

time traveling?

I think I should get an A+ for this sentence I just typed to Marianne discussing how lame LA traffic is. Why did I ever become an English major? I should have just followed the mad scientist/loony inventor career path. Oh well...

"I wish there was like a rainbow freeway I could take that just let me fly over the top of LA. Or like a teleporter..."

I suck and need to go to bed but I think I'm going to start a book. Night night!

I feel like a million bucks

Man, I can't believe this week went so smoothly. It had absolute potential to be one of my worst weeks ever. But I think if I've learned anything in college it's the skill to balance procrastination and having fun. Although this week is a mega-example of a lame week, I ended up having a really good time. I worked on a paper all day Monday and Tuesday, got it turned in on Wednesday, crammed for an hour and passed a midterm with flying colors, then busted out another research paper, power point, and presentation for my Thursday class. Not to mention I made it to Old Town Tavern on Wednesday for a fun-filled night of dancing and drinking and horrible karaoke.

Anyways, I guess I'm saying I'm glad I'm done, but I'm also stoked I managed to have some fun in the midst of all the stress. I can't wait for this weekend, I'm heading down to the 'Vine to hang out with the lovely MC and celebrate her birthday. I'm pretty sure it will entail too much over-eating/drinking, because that is usually what we do. But no matter what it will be the perfect way to top off this week.

I'd better go, it looks like rain and I want to run some errands before it starts to pour!!

I feel ill

Literally, like my stomach hurts really bad. I don't know if it's nerves or too much coffee or food poisoning. UGH.

Only three more days of doom. I guess I'm one of those people that can see the light at the end of the tunnel, because even though I have to write two 6-page papers, take a midterm, make a powerpoint and then do a group presentation by Thursday, at least I know even if I get like 3 hours of sleep total, I'll get it all done, it will be decent work, and I'll be free on Thursday afternoon. (Even though I have work for 5 hours that night. And work and school the next day. AND a fieldtrip on Saturday, plus a quiz on Monday and a take-home midterm due Tuesday.)

Even though this week is eating my soul, I know everything will get done, and I can't explain how excited I am to sleep, catch up on reading, watch the superbowl, and have an awesome birthday.