experience life.

i love this. 

get out there and explore. 

and i dont mean the mall...

simplicity.

it's one of my very favorite holidays!

WORLD NUTELLA DAY!

i see a Nutella crêpe in my very near future.

how do you plan on celebrating?


   

  

less is more.

Tournament of Roses Parade

 

my good friend Rebecca at Pasadena Magazine

was kind enough to include me in her

New Year’s Tournament of Roses Parade plans. 

our seats were perfectly positioned between the start of the parade,

along Colorado Blvd.

just down from the Norton Simon Museum:

 

 

and directly facing the San Gabriels,

basking in the warm glow of the morning sun.

not a bad spot, eh?

  

 

the parade is a MASSIVE event and touted as

‘America’s New Year Celebration’

with nearly 1,000,000 in attendance

and televised on all of the national networks.

the floats that pass by are monstrous feats of artistry,

and are covered entirely with flowers and plant materials.

these floats are built throughout the year for this one day,

and on average,

cost more than a typical US home.

AMAZING!!

 

 

celebrities also come out for the festivities.

here’s kenny g treating the unicorns and sheep

to a little bass sax for breakfast:

   

 

my favorite had to be the Trader Joe’s float.

whimsical and fun – just like their store.

(that I happen to be obsessed with)

  

  

marching bands came from all across the US,

and as far off as Japan,

to join in the festivities.

 

a little hometown spirit:

 

 

the ‘Queens Trophy’ went to this float

from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation,

honoring Elizabeth Taylor for her tireless efforts

in the war on HIV and AIDS.

 

the front says ‘Our Champion’…

a lovely tribute.

 

 

to give you an idea of the enormity and scale of these things,

this float is 20 ft high by 18ft wide by 45 ft long.

there’s over 50,000 red roses alone on it.

the globe is covered in golden clover seed.

the framed images of Elizabeth contain onion seed,

poppy seed, and crushed sweet rice.

also on the float:

orchids, lilies, euphorbia, hydrangea,

bells of Ireland and viburnum.

these floats are INCREDIBLE.

here’s a peek at some of them in detail:

  

 

  

 

 

what a festive and fun way to spend celebrating

the commencement, and fresh, sunny welcome

to a new year:

  

 

 

new years at Neptune’s Net

 

january 1st is always a great day for an outing.

and in LA, especially… the roads were EMPTY! 

so we decided to head up the coast for a hike in our favorite spot.

(location not to be revealed - the less people that know about it, the better :)

  after hiking it seemed appropriate to head to the famed

Neptune’s Net for lunch.

of course, everyone else had the same idea:

 

 

happy 2012!

detour through Joshua Tree

 

got a new camera for christmas… WOOT!

so, thought I’d give it a quick test run out in some nature.

on the way to LA from Scottsdale,

we took a quick detour through Joshua Tree National Park.

even the road into the park looks nicer

through the lens of the new camera.

YAHOOOOOO!

 

 

on the drive through you pass this cool rock outcropping.

all I could think was…

that’s totally the spot from the

Entourage episode ‘Tree Trippers!’

HA.

 

 

just as the sun was setting,

we made it to the ‘Cholla Cactus Garden’.

what a wild place.

the whole scene is a bit otherworldly. 

(because I know what other worlds look like???)

 

 

spied a little bunny rabbit camouflaged in the brush. 

cute.

 

 

I have never seen a Cholla cactus before.

they look super fuzzy and soft… but they’re definitely NOT.

isn’t this thing cool looking???

 

 

looks like the new camera’s ok.

think I’ll keep it.

tee hee.