Morning brews (@ Benchmark Brewing)

Fried chicken, doughnuts & coffee with Chel & these clowns (@ StreetCar Merchants of Fried Chicken, Doughnuts & Coffee)

My favorite place in LA is closing for good this weekend, so I had to go there one last time before I went home for the holidays. Deane and I cried into our last chocolate bread puddings ever, and then we ate our tears (@ Ramekin)

You know you live in LA when free parking is a gift.

Pammie’s birthday brunch (@ Great Maple)

When asked if I want a big ass pickle inside my bloody mary, the answer is always yes.

One month till Portland! Is it my birthday yet???

I suggested we have our first friendsgiving this year, partly because I wanted an excuse to make dessert, but mostly because Anthony owed me smoked wings for telling me he was gonna come up for the Rose Bowl flea market the other weekend, having me drive back up to LA at 2am, and canceling via text at six in the morning!

There were no smoked wings (he made a pot roast instead), but there were tons of laughs and surprisingly delicious healthy food from Shi. Haha. Till next year, clowns!

OMG, my mom and her emoticons.

My sister just accepted a job offer back home in SD, and I couldn’t be happier for her (or sadder for me!). The best part about living in LA is that it’s only an hour away from my sister’s condo in the OC and a few hours away from home. With my sister and brother-in-law moving back to SD, I won’t be able to just drop by whenever I’m feeling homesick anymore. I’ll also have to find someone else’s husband to cook me breakfast on Sunday mornings! Ha.

Congrats, Pammie!!! I miss you already ♥

Because half pint glasses make his hands look bigger (@ Alpine Beer Company)

Lunch with Richie Tenenbaum and Mia Wallace (@ Ocean Diner)

…then I googled you (@ Culver City Art District)

Unsolicited fact about me: I’ve never owned a bike until today.

Thanks to Pinterest, I finally have my first bike at 32 years young! I always had roller skates when I was a kid, but I never had a bike (which probably explains my bike-riding skills, or lack thereof). I’ve also never ridden a horse, but I have ridden an elephant. This post could get lengthy if I keep listing all the things I’ve ridden, so I’ll move along…

Inhabitat chose my Going (Mint) Green in Style pinterest board as the grand prize winner of their Back-to-School contest! It’s been years since I’ve actually been in school, but my time at the Art Institute sure taught me how to design a pretty pinterest board.

I won this Public Bike plus a brass bell, rear rack, and the bike basket I put on my wish list earlier this year before I had a bike to attach it to! They even sent me a tube of turquoise touch up paint for when I inevitably eat shit and scuff up that beautiful paint job. I considered getting the cream bike instead since it seemed like a safer color choice, but my sister said, “Since when do you make safe choices?” Touché. I am reckless as fuck.

I asked my friend if there were any lakes to go riding around up here, and she was all like, “THIS IS LA.” So I guess I’m riding my free bike at the beach then??? What a rough life.

I usually enjoy being on my back, but this is getting ridic.

I’ve been living off muscle relaxers, pain killers and salon pas for the past three weeks. The cause is still unknown, but I’m pretty sure I went too hard at the Paul McCartney show! Ha.

I’ve been stressed out at work lately, and the doctor thinks I might be carrying the stress in my back. If only he could write me a doctor’s note forbidding me to work overtime. It’s the least he can do, since he won’t prescribe me more vicodin!

Not pictured: Anthony on the air drums and me on vocals (@ Petco Park)

Loved, loved, loved ♥

Paul McCartney – Hey Jude (Live)

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Anthony upgraded his second annual shrimp boil with an invite that tested our friendship and a bloody mary bar by me and the girls. All that was missing was some fried chicken!

Winning combo: Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix + UV Sriracha Vodka + Sriracha Chili Sauce

My 3-day weekend can’t come soon enough.

…or the wurst idea ever! #onlyinLA

Greenhouse vibes (@ Commissary at the Line Hotel)

Ooh, baby, I like it rawww (@ Fishing with Dynamite)

It’s too hot for clothes (@ Sausalito)

The claws are out (@ The Port of LA Lobster Festival)

If my sister and I share a love of anything, it’s the dulcet tones of Sam Smith, and winning. She is next level when it comes to fantasy football and being the only girl in her league!

It smells like doyer dogs and betrayal (@ Dodger Stadium)

Overheard at the table next to us (@ Grub):

“I need an exact headcount for the lobster bake I’m throwing at my house for my birthday, because I’m flying in fresh lobsters from Maine.”

“My sister is really into strippercizing right now. She has a room in her house with just a stripper pole in it.”

Oh, Hollywood. I nearly spit out my blackberry pepper champagne cocktail.

LA opened its first Dunkin Donuts today, so I’m halfway there, you guys!

Earlier this week, I reupholstered the leather cushions on my Roxy Rocker with this gorgeous Harris Tweed. According to Wikipedia, it was “handwoven by islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.” I bought it off eBay from some dude in the UK, so it must be legit.

Also, I did all this with a staple gun, and I didn’t even hurt myself! It only took that first staple barely missing my thigh for me to realize that the staples come out of the other end when you shoot it. Gra ta ta!

…or the only day Anthony gets to have his wood between my legs and his meat in my mouth! Not gonna lie, he smokes some damn good BBQ…

I obviously went too hard this past weekend. Somebody soup me.

The Strokes – You Only Live Once

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Epic weekend. I saw The Strokes perform, and I forget the rest. x__x (@ FYF Festival)

Crossed another one off of LA Weekly’s 99 Essential Restaurants list… 93 more to go! (@ Father’s Office)

Anthony visited before his BBQ class in LA, and we tried one of LA’s best burgers. It was meh, felt more like a sandwich because it was served on a french roll, but the beers were excellent. My favorite burger in LA (and in life) is still from Plan Check!

Hopefully he learned some new skills from the BBQ Pitmaster for the next party he unwillingly lets me throw at his house.

Two years in LA today. Where did my life go???

Bloats magotes (@ Anaheim Packing House)

♥

I live down the street from Manhattan Beach Pier, but nothing beats being at the beach with my buds in SD (even if it is PB!) (@ Pacific Beach Alehouse)

I don’t know how to use a grill, and I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t read directions or instruction manuals. Unfortunately, that also makes me the kind of girl who wins Pinterest contests and then gets her prize revoked because she didn’t read the fine print that said that the contest wasn’t open to California residents.

I get it, Georgia. We have perfect weather and an extra series of The Real Housewives. We can’t have your $1200 Big Green Egg grills, too.

At least I still have my award-winning #MyHTTender contest board full of grilling recipes for when I throw another BBQ at someone else’s house ;)

Life after Summer (@ Bradbury Building)

Sunday Slutty Sunday (@ Eggslut)

You ready, B? (@ Rose Bowl Stadium)

I hope Bangkok doesn’t have him now (@ LAX)

Let’s get ready to rumbleeee (@ Cooper Design Space)

…or what happens when a certain someone leaves my amazon prime account logged in on their dad’s computer.