New Beginnings

I'm sure everyone gave up on this blog, but just in case there is life on this planet, I'm not blogging here http://lifesvanillapleasures.blogspot.com/

DIY Fall

For those of you that know me, you already understand my obsession with Fall and how the lack of of my favorite season can get me down. Sure it's nice to have 80 degree weather but during the months of October and November! However, I'm going on nearly 5 years of residency in Los Angeles and I feel I have finally mastered ways to create your own Fall:

1. Glade "Spice" Candles - these delightful sticks of wax create a "fallesk" aroma that can add a cozy aroma to any living space.

2. Hooray for Pumpkin Butter - Trader Joe's only stocks it's shelves with this magical substance during the Fall Season. My lovely friend Emily made my week by surprising me with a fresh can on my desk a few days ago. Pumpkin Butter on sourdough toast partnered with a cup of coffee makes a great start to any Fall day.

3. Cooking is key - It's amazing how you can evoke nostalgic feelings through food. Some of my favorite recipes that take my back to my childhood of jumping in piles of leaves and carving pumpkins include Veggie Chili (recipe to post soon) and cornbread, Roasted Root Vegetables, and any type of casserole dish (my favorite is Veggie Sheppard's Pie).

4. Speaking of Carving Pumpkins - By using any type of Gord or Pumpkin Carving as decoration, every time you walk through the door of your home, you will enter a mini-fall haven (even if it is 78 degrees outside). Above is a picture of the pumpkins my friends and I carved last year, mine is the second from the left and obviously the most child-like (drawing and carving was never my specialty.)

5.Dress to impress - There are easy ways to adapt a "fallish" outfit even in warm weather. Wear tights with shorts or dresses and a short sleeved t-shirt. Light cotton scarves can compliment any outfit and rotating in boots with dresses are a nice way to incorporate your favorite pair into your daily routine.

Blast From the Past

Well, I guess I have not really followed up that well on my last posting! My apologies.. life and work have just seemed to take over. I just returned from a trip to the Bay Area to see my family and apparently just after I left, my mom was helping my grandmother clean out her garage and found an old suitcase of letters from my grandfather to his family and to her during the war.

My mom has been typing batches up and sending them to our family which as been really cool. His letter really capture the essence of the time and his phrases are filled with "Gee's" and "Swells." I can't for her to send one of his letter to her including one my mom found where he asks him mom and sister to pick out an engagement ring for my grandma that included a piece of twine he used to measure her finger. Reading these are just incredible, even though he isn't with us anymore I just feel connected to him again through them. I have included one below for your viewing pleasure....

Tues. Feb 24, 1942

434th Signal Maintainance Co.

Fort Wright

Spokane, Washington


Dear Folks;

How is everything at home? I am hoping that I receive a letter from you tomorrow. I realize though that it takes time for my letter to get to you.

Tomorrow, I believe that I will have a pass, and will be able to go into Spokane – what I will do when I get there is another question. All work and no play gets kind of tiresome. For one thin – I’m going to locate the Christian Science reading room & possibly go to church. Our passes are good any time when we are off duty. We have all day off on Sundays – so if I can drag myself from my comfortable bed early enough I will go to church as often as possible. I’ve got to make friends on the outside if I’m going to get along without being homesick. People that are the same as I am so to speak.

I don’t know how to explain it but, I seem to be living in a different world – a man’s world. At home I was kind of my own boss, with friends & my family. Here I can make friends & the army is supposed to be my family. (Nuts) I like girls (nice ones) that I can talk to & have good times with – and I’m going to do my best to do something about it. Through the church I believe I can make these contacts.

It’s just another adjustment in a guy’s life. This may sound like I’m low but believe me I’m not crying about it. A guy doesn’t do his thinking around here unless he’s told to. They do it all.

Ho! Ho! You ought to se me in a gas mask – I look really goofy. We are now getting training in gases & their effects. I should have had my second shots today but I’ll get them tomorrow, I guess. They don’t bother you until a couple of hours afterwards, then your arm gets kind of sore. Tell Mrs. Strom they are nothing to get excited about.

Well that’s about all I have on my mind right now – I’ll write again after I’ve heard from you. Write air mail & I’ll get it faster. (not all letters – just first ones.)

Tell Rob & Lauralice to write too & I do mean write.

Love

Jack

Apology to All 5 Readers

Hello all 5 readers of my blog,

Just a quick note to let you know that I have been super crazed at work and the last thing I have wanted to do with my free time is "be on my computer." However, I am over this hump and will make sure to make up for lost time with future steady blog posts very soon.

“Chaos in the midst of chaos isn't funny, but chaos in the midst of order is.”-Steve Martin

More mindless chattering to come!

All In a Days Work

Today I went to check out another winner from LA Magazines "Best Of" issue. About 45 minutes North of Los Angeles, tucked away in Moorpark, is the Underwood Family Farm where you can pay a small admission fee and pick your own produce. Now not many people I know are into that kind of thing (including Tony.. I begged and still nada) but one of my good friends Rachel who is always down for adventure accompanied me to this mystery farm. The farm is fairly big and has a map of the crops so you know what's in season and where to pick. In addition to the produce, there are tractors pulling children around, pony's and a small stand where people who don't feel like getting down and dirty can pick up fresh produce. Rachel and I picked up an old rickety waggon and carted it around from crop to crop. We picked huge red, orange and green bell peppers, "celebrity" beef steak tomatoes, small root carrots, peaches, cucumbers, beets and just about the last salvageable raspberries we could find. After we felt good about our mini-harvest, we checked out the stands supply of produce. I picked up some huge plump strawberries, white summer corn, cilantro, ginger, garlic and potatoes. When I went to check out from my day of scavenging I couldn't believe that all the veggies and fruit I had personally hand picked and selected came to a total of $25! Ridiculously cheap! So if anyone wants a fun weekend day outdoors I would highly recommend taking the afternoon to get back to nature and grow a new appreciation for how much work goes into growing and supplying produce.

The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is like tripendicular, ya know?

From the minute I moved to LA, I've wanted to go to the summer movie series at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This past Sunday, I finally went and saw Valley Girl and It was such a wonderful and unique experience. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is absolutely beautiful at night. The cemetery is filled with rolling lawns and flowers and the entire space is surrounded by the silhouette of palm trees. The tombstones are very "LA" in the sense that people are even trying to out do each other in the after life to see who can have the grandest grave site.

The film series are definitely dominated by hipsters as the whole environment can feel a bit "Coachella" at times, but as long as you can get past the sea of Ray Bans, pleather tights, and Whole Foods bags, you'll be fine. Once you get into the cemetery, it's all about finding that piece of prime real estate on the grass so you can be close to the mausoleum where they project the films. We scored an awesome spot (all thanks to the swiftness of our friend Andrea) and enjoyed a fine spread of sandwiches, brownies and red wine as we re-lived the prime of the 80s.

Valley Girl was like "awesome ya know" to see there and I would absolutely go back again for another screening.

Breakfast of Champions

Sundays are one of my favorite days for cooking as I usually don't have plans on Sundays and I tend to wake up Sunday morning inspired to cook. This morning I let my inner hippie loose and finally made a killer homemade Granola recipe I've been holding onto for months that was posted on a fabulous food blog (AOL owned as well) slashfood.com.

This recipe is super easy and sooo good. Accompanied by Tony's famous soft boiled eggs and a cup of mocha java, this breakfast is the perfect start to a lazy Sunday morning.



Granola: (FYI.. Trader Joe's is a great place to get all of the ingredients for this)
2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried fruit (apricots, craisins,blueberries etc... i bough a mixed golden raisin package w/ cranberries, raisins and blueberries at trader Joe's that made this mighty tasty)
1/4 cup cooking oil (anything but olive oil)
1/2 cup honey

Mix the oats, nuts, and grains in a large bowl. Measure the oil into a measuring cup and swirl it around the cup before pouring into the bowl. Measure out the honey in the same unwashed cup (the oil helps the honey exit the cup).Toss everything together until evenly coated, then pour into a baking pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 mins, turning it with a rubber spatula every 10 mins so everything cooks evenly and looks golden brown. When it's finished cooking, return the mixture to the bowl and add in the raisins, fruit and coconut and stir gently several times so it doesn't clump. Serve with yogurt of milk and enjoy!
**Music Recommendation: For this recipe, I recommend listening to The Weepies "Hideaway" album.