from raleighwood to hollywood

good morning!

i am certainly not what one might call a "morning person," but recently i've discovered how much i love waking up to a bright and sunny day. not that i didn't already enjoy morningtime, but the past few days i've found myself leaping out of bed and skipping into the kitchen. maybe it's the canister full of starbucks french roast on my counter. maybe it's the fact that my replacement coffee pot came in the mail last week, and i no longer have to stand there and hold a button the entire time it's brewing. or maybe it's the breakfast...

it's not that i'm not a good omelet maker, i just make them a little different than most people. because i have yet to master the "flip", i tend to pick up the floppy little thing with my fingers and do my best to pop it over onto the other side. i'm quite proud of my recent omelets.

and as you can tell: i'm pretty into muffins right now.

speaking of muffins... 

not like this comes as a big surprise, but being unemployed has given me a lot more free time recently. and while it's easy to sit on my ass all day long, i've done my best to get out and get some fresh air. i ran the beachwood stairs twice this week and discovered that once you get to the top, if you stand on the conrete block, you get a pretty amazing view of the city.

can't find that in a chiropractor's office, can you?

i guess i won't be needing all of these tank tops when i come home...

meatloaf soup anyone?

i'll just have the bacon. with a side of bacon.

i wish there was a note attached to this tiny tree that said "i'm the perfect size. take me and put me in your living room!"

...but there wasn't. 

i saw lights. i saw trailers. i saw a director in a chair. i saw cameras. but what the hell were they filming?

i have NO idea.

why yes, i WILL have the chicken.

after seeing a delicious plate of roasted vegetables on facebook recently (thanks jess) i was determined to get some carrots in my belly. my dad makes a legendary roast chicken and my favorite part is ALWAYS the carrots. a few months ago, sara's mom made an awesome dinner with a side of roasted vegetables, and those carrots sometimes appear in my dreams. clearly, i needed some vegetables in my life.

along with the roasted vegetables...pan seared chicken with shallots, lemon, butter, white wine, dijon mustard, scallions, and a touch of pesto. and of course a baked potato.

it was kind of like my own completely random thanksgiving :) and it's even thursday!

clearly i was just celebrating the event i attended earlier.

if your first thought is "SECRET CELEBRITY WEDDING!", then we clearly think alike.

however, what i stumbled onto earlier was a celebration for cahuenga peak in the hollywood hills.  thanks to all kinds of donations, this iconic area of land is now rescued and will no longer be developed. the trust for public land threw this little get-together for those who helped to save this landmark which surrounds the famous hollywood sign.

it's a pretty cool story. read more about it here!

the area they were celebrating was a big open park for puppies. so of course there were lots of dogs...

no, no...DOGS...

okay let's start from the beginning. today, i decided that instead of running the beachwood stairs again--my legs are slightly jello-like--i would find a new path with a new view. i did some research, and i found a place called lake hollywood park that apparently has a great hike with amazing views.

this is the part where my mom, my dad, and my sister all raise their eyebrows at the computer and think to themselves: eleven years ago, we went on a family vacation to the southwest where on a float trip, you refused to take off your headphones. when we asked you what you thought about the amazing view, you said "what view?" and then you began to discuss why it was a smart decision for britney spears to make her second single a slow song. and now you're ACTUALLY seeking out hikes by yourself?

come on guys...i'm in hollywood...i might run into matthew mcconaughey.

this hike also happens to be part of the beachwood canyon area (my neighborhood), but it is TONS of twists and turns up into the hollywood hills. i'm so glad i decided against walking there from my apartment...

because i would still be walking back.

...well, unless i had caught a piggyback ride from a feline. no seriously.

*see one more picture down*

perfect place for a doggy walk.

i was so tempted to go beyond the red rope, but i knew that there were only three options of what could be lurking in those woods:

1. a pack of hungry mountain lions

2. a scientologist

3. sarah palin

is that a chili on that cactus?

i believe this bird was looking for some babyback ribs.

let's just say...the internet didn't lie about the amazing views.

wait...HOLLYWOO ?

whew...there's the D.

yes, it was a good day :)