Wanderings

When I was younger, I don't think I really paid much attention to when particular plants bloomed and flourished. Growing up in Sydney, I loved the abundance of frangipanis, bougainvillea and jacarandas. Sadly, frangipanis don't appear to be a popular choice in Los Angeleno gardens - I rarely see them - but if there's one thing I've learned to count on, it's that April in L.A. brings explosions of fuschia (bougainvillea), followed by even larger displays of purple trees (jacarandas). It's like a piece of home.

How about these 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival bungalows? I don't live in one, but most of the neighbourhoods in my area are chock full of these, and I adore them. I wonder what style of homes in Seattle will have me drooling equally?

A few weeks back, I went for a hike along Runyon Canyon with a girlfriend while both girls were at school... and it just about killed me. Partly due to declining fitness levels (after my main weight loss last year, I switched my cardio workouts to yoga classes), but I also think it was because I simply hadn't hydrated myself enough beforehand (I also woke up the next day with a killer sinus infection, which may be why I wasn't feeling so great either).

We got there around 10am, and the temperatures were already in the high 20s (ºC), with little to no shade along the main trails. In an effort to avoid major traffic at the southern end, we unwittingly made the mistake of starting at the northern end - ie at the top, off Mulholland Drive. It was easy cruising downhill... then we had to hike uphill to get back to the car. I was too ashamed to admit it to my friend, but I was this close to vomiting from the heat and dehydration. Lame, right? Adding further to my shame was the sheer amount of 'beautiful people' along the way - barely breaking a sweat, it seemed. Botoxed armpits? Who knows. My friend and I were talking the entire time so I didn't take a great deal of photos, but the views were pretty amazing. The Hollywood sign was much clearer than the below photo shows.

There's an outdoor shopping centre/mall only a short drive from home, and because of its proximity to the main library, its green lawns and kid-friendly activities, large Barnes & Noble bookstore, and Pinkberry frozen yoghurt, I go there fairly regularly. Such a mall rat, I know. But check it out:

It's a little like if Disney made a shopping mall. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are piped through speakers in the trees and there are regular choreographed fountain shows. An old style trolley car does a loop, which the Faery and Miss Pie can never get enough of riding on. Ding ding! 

And notice those multi-storey buildings? All apartments. The residents' pool is fancy schmancy, and I only know this personally because I have a couple of friends who live there (the pool shots I posted last month were taken there). One of these friends is the same friend I hiked with, and we've recently (in lieu of hiking) started going to the free yoga classes held on the lawn at the mall.

Doing downward dog and looking at that Tiffany & Co. store upside down each time was, well, surreal. I had to sneak in a photo right at the end of one of the classes. Incongruity aside, it's been enjoyable to do yoga outdoors for a change (under the dappled shade of a jacaranda - even better).

The above shot is one I had to throw in here, simply because I like it. It was taken on a road that runs parallel to the road I live on, just a block away. You know, I still don't understand the physics of these palm trees. How the hell do they stay upright?

As for the above hedges, it made me smile when I stumbled across it on a walk last week. Did the gardener forget his ladder one day? Did the owners fire the gardener half-way through the job? Are the owners paying homage to Dr Seuss? Tim Burton? Or do these hedges simply grow faster and more more wildly from the top? Who knows, but I'm all for whatever makes me smile.

The girls and I are flying to Seattle for the upcoming Memorial Day (and long weekend) so the countdown is on for when we all get to see J again. Five more sleeps...

Ending April

By the time I get around to some blog time at night, my brain is a little tipsy mush. So this time, I'll let you invent your own stories for these photos from the past week.

I think you'll agree, I'm less likely to embarrass myself that way...

Head above water

Today's post is just going to be some pretty photos. April has mostly been a non-stop run of stressful events, with my phone's water damage only the tip of the iceberg (the car needing roadside assistance - twice in two days, sick kids during health insurance change over, more poo chaos). I've been oscillating between the foetal position while thinking it's all too hard to do on my own, or telling myself to suck it up, princess. 

Today? I'm sucking it up and sharing the nicer moments and things that please my eyes.

January snippets

I have at least four complete posts written in my head, but we've had the usual wintery illnesses going round the home lately, making it tricky for me to commit to sitting down and just writing, writing, writing. I have a million things to say, and I'll get them out... eventually.

In the mean time, I'd like to share my favourite photos from January. Winter's not too bad in these parts, but I'm still looking forward to spring. Yes, I am a wimp...

2012 on the grid

If 2012 has been anything to me, it's been the Year of Instagram.

These last few days of December, Instagrammers have been posting collages of their favourite shots of the year. What can I say? That's right up my alley, so below are my pics of the year. And yes, I know how sad I am that I couldn't select nine photos for just one grid... no, I had to make several. But hey, at least they're themed, right? Mostly themed. Anyway...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Snippets

The end of daylight savings is always depressing but on the upside, I've been able to take advantage of the gorgeous late afternoon light by ditching a weekend gym visit for brisk uphill walks to watch the colours change over the city below - while J wrangles the kids into the bath. I call that winning.

I've had a thing for tulips for most of my adult life - my wedding bouquet consisted of white ones. I've always dreamed of seeing the tulip fields in the Netherlands, and have travelled there several times... but always the wrong time of year. Oh well. I did get lots of good cheese out of those visits. At the moment, I love that I can get bunches of tulips from Trader Joe's for under $3. Since we moved into our current apartment, I've made sure that there's always a mason's jar of flowers on our table - usually tulips or gerberas, as they look so cheerful.

More powerlines. This was taken from the rooftop of the parking structure at J's work, overlooking Griffith Park. Those lucky bastards had the best view of the Endeavour shuttle recently, as it flew right over them on its way to LAX, looping overhead a couple of times (I also got a glimpse, but was at home and had a narrower view of the sky from our balcony).

Last week, J and I attended a crew wrap party and preview screening for Rise of the Guardians. It was fun. Also, it was pretty dark so I didn't bother taking many photos. This time, we were sensible and didn't drive in - no arguments about whose turn it was to be designated driver. Instead, we shared a stretch limo with a group of his colleagues, and used the taxi vouchers provided at the end of the night. Let's just say the cocktails were extra enjoyable.

Rain! Well... some, anyway. The never ending streak of hot weather seems to have finally passed, and the chilly mornings/evenings have arrived. Last week, it poured with rain for a few hours, the temperature dropped dramatically, and then I noticed snow-capped mountains in the distance a few days later. I'm going to start looking into accommodation at one of those mountains for a few days over Christmas, so that the Faery can maybe have her wish for a white Christmas come true.

The day after the heavy rain, the sky was full of beautifully heavy clouds. Ones like these always remind me of the wallpaper in Andy's bedroom, in Toy Story.

For a city that's famed for its freeways, I seem to have very few photos of them. I don't actually spend much time on them (I avoid them at all costs when I'm driving - something I need to get over), so I'm always the passenger. I think I'm getting closer to working up the nerve to drive on them... but sheesh, there are some moronic drivers out there! At such high speeds, I'm intimidated.

What can I say? I'm just a sucker for shining, sparkling water. This was taken at a fountain in a large outdoor mall that's nearby. I take the girls in now and then for a run around the fountain, a play in the outdoor play area, a browse around Barnes & Noble, frozen yoghurt (in summer), and a ride on the touristy 'trolleycar' that does a loop around the mall (I'm sorry, but my brain will always refer to them as trams). It's kind of the Disneyland of upmarket shopping areas, in the over-the-top way that America knows how to do best.

Last, but not least, I had to include a shot of the girls, right? For a laugh, I thought I'd attempt a shot of them standing against a large wall that we walked past yesterday - emulating the hipsters' photos of their kids that seem to dominate my Instagram newsfeed (my fault for following so many damn hipsters in the first place...). Anyhow, the joke was on me because the girls were more interested in facing the wall than looking at me. Still - cute, yes?