Day 2- Breakfast/The wonders of Cheesecake!

The next morning, Stephy and I had the daunting task of figuring out where to eat for breakfast. After much discussion I made the final decision. We were going to eat at the Cheese Cake Factory, for several important reasons. 1) It's traditon or we are attempting to make it so 2) You can order booze with breakfast 3) finally and most importantly I had to have a Stefanie Cheesecake. It is the Most Amazing cheesecake/red velvet cake in the world! Yes, the whole world! So it was settled. Steph's boyfriend Matt would meet us at the cheesecake factory and I would order dessert for breakfast. We had a lovely breakfast with mimosas and my usual, eggs benedict with no ham and avo instead...yum yum yum! Then the real moment of truth arrived the cheesecake was served. I was a little nervous to try it, just because...well, what if it wasn't as good as the last time? What if it didn't make me close my eyes, sigh with contentment, and do the happy dance? Well, I decided it didn't matter and I took the first bite and it was.....hmmmm.....ohhhhh....so amazing...so perfect! I closed my eyes, sighed, and did the happy dance. Breakfast was a success!

The Trip Begins!

I drove from Sacramento to Newport today. The trip was well.....how to describe that...long. Yes, that many hours in the car alone...it wasn't quite the way I remembered it. I used to make the trip from Redding to LA a lot about 5 years ago, when I was trying to be a model (insert eye roll here). Maybe I'm getting old or maybe I'm just out of practice, but driving through the barren desert that is central California wasn't exactly as exhilerating as I recalled.

On the good side, I got to listen a book on tape, sing on the top of my lungs, and have some very good conversations with myself. I also took myself out to lunch at Anderson's Split Pea Soup, whish was delicious. Old people and technology equals free entertainment. I've never heard the signal logo on a cell phone being described as a martini glass, but it seriously does resemble one.

After missing an exit and pulling over to allow myself 5 minutes of guilt-free poor me frustration tears I got back on the road. It seemed I should have arrived hours earlier, but either way I wasn't that late and my darling cousin met me at the door with a glass of wine and a look of fear in her eyes. I probably shouldn't have answered the phone during my mini meltdown and let her hear me make death threats to anyone who got near me. Luckily, one of my best features is my recovery time. I can bounce back from almost anything with a hug, a glass of wine, and 10-15 minutes of guilt-free pouting. We finished our wine and got dressed and went out to sushi. It was delicious! Then we decided we were just too tired to go out partying. So we went home and facebooked and went to bed early.

The West Coast Road Trip Outline

Tonight, after an oil change and hopefully a sushi dinner with my best friend, V, I will get on the road. The trip is going to go something like this. Drive to Sacramento and stay with my grandparents for a night. Next morning wake up and drive to Newport and stay with my amazing cousin. We will most likely eat, talk, and drink wine...lots of wine. The next day I will complain until we get bloody marys and have breakfast and then feel a hell of a lot better and continue on to San Diego where I will spend the day with Bethy, my friend who's put up with me since junior high. Her and I will probably eat, talk, and drink martinis, but not too many, she's a responsible adult who works. I on the other hand will take myself out to mimosas and breakfast the next morning and wait for my sister, Bunni, to call. Somehow Bunni and I will plan to meet somewhere in a city neither of us have ever driven in and then we will waste the day together...drinking on the beach, I hope. That evening we will drive back up to Newport. The next day we will have lunch with our other grandparents and then make the long trip home.

Yes, you are right that is a lot to do in a short amount of time, but I know we can do it. Bunni and I will hang out in Redding for three days while I work and she spends time with the family.

Then the second leg of our journey begins. We will head out for Portland, hopefully stopping to have lunch with an old friend in Ashland. The day we get home we will go out dancing with friends to celebrate the ever radiant Becca's birthday! I'm not worried about being tired. I haven't been in Portland for 7 months, I'll have plenty of energy to spare. I have missed my city and she has missed me too (well, that's what I'm telling myself). The next day we will be hosting a Naked Ladies Clothing Exchange, which is always fun. Free clothes, drinks, and girlfriends...I couldn't ask for more. The next few days I will complete my list of things I've missed: acupuncture, Powell's Bookstore, Happy Hour at Portland City Grill, McMennamins, Saturday Market, and so much more. Then somehow I will drag myself away and make the long drive home to Redding, reminding myself that although Redding isn't my beloved Portland I do get massive amounts of vitamin D in California, which is important. Even more important I have amazing and supportive friends here.

We'll see if the actual trip follows this outline at all, I like to go where the wind takes me.

Fall Redeems Itself with Boots!

The wind woke me up last night, that was the first sign. I crawled out of bed to shut the window and instead of being met with a warm breeze I was chilled to the bone and actually thought about pulling out flannel pajama pants to put over my silk pj set. That was sign number two, but it was the middle of the night and I was half asleep so these signs didn't mean anything to me at the time. This morning when I opened the window to see how hot it was already it all clicked into place. The sky was grey, the wind was blowing, and I was cold. Fall was really here. As much as I've been dreading it, there is one splendid thing about Fall. Boots.

Let me explain. I am not one of those shoe girls. I don't have a lot of shoes and I feel a lot of dread when I know I'm going to have to go shoe shopping. I do have a completely insatiable desire for boots. I love boots! I love how powerful and sexy they make me feel. In high school I lived in big manhater boots. I don't think that's an actual term, but that's what people always used to describe them as when I wore them. I didn't own a pair without a three inch heel. Living in Portland helped me evolve my style and my boot preferences. I lived downtown and I walked everywhere, so three inch heels went out the window. I lived in boots in Portland, it's the perfect flat boot city. Now being back in a town where I drive everywhere, heels are back on the table.

Today as I'm wearing my bright purple boots, which my best friend says would pair perfectly with a super hero cape. I am choosing to ignore that comment.

I am going to back up to Portland in just over a week and I may have to splurge on some new boots. I'm thinking something black or grey and maybe even thigh high. We'll just have to wait and see.

Fresh Caprese Salad

Just got back from belly dancing and needed a snack, so I decided to go pick some fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden. I just bought some mozzarella balls from Trader Joes today so I put it all together and poured some balsamic over the top. It was delicious! I love eating out of the garden.

Sad News on the Garden Front

The corn didn't make it. I can not even bare to show you a picture of the crispy brown stalks all lined up in a sad death march. They are a reminder of the reasons gardening in Northern Californian heat and rock like soil is so much different than the comfortable summers and lush fertile soil in Portland. I did my best this summer, but unfortunately I lost a large majority of my plants this year. I would love to say that next year I will be better equipped, but in all honestly I am truly hoping not to live here next summer. But I am sure I will probably live in another climate like this at one time or another since I love the heat so much. Trial and error until I get it right and have the garden of my dreams.

WillowLily Creations Update!

My jewelry line WillowLily Creations is now being sold at Affinity Skin Clinic which is located at 1151 Hilltop Dr. Redding Ca 96003. This is just the first of many places I will be selling my jewelry in the future (I'm setting my intention).

My etsy site also just got a new banner. You can check it out at WillowLily Creations. It was purchased from another Etsy shop, Lisas Menagerie, she did a wonderful job and was very quick. It took me months to choose, so I'm thrilled to finally have a real banner up for my site.

I have been working on some new pieces and while I was down in southern California I was able to spend some time at the beach and have brought home some amazing treasures that I will be incorporating into my next pieces. There will be more info about this soon.