eating my way through Old Town Orange

I love discovering local treasures while playing "tourist" within my own town. Having lived in Orange County my whole life, it's a humbling experience to realize that I've driven past some amazing places thousands of time, but have never really SEEN them before. And I'm glad that my eyes are finally being opened, little by little. This past weekend, I got the chance to explore some hidden gems of the Orange Circle as a few friends and I participated in a walking food tour of Old Town Orange. Just so I wouldn't get caught up in "work" mode while hanging out with my besties, I left my good camera at home. But I couldn't resist whipping out my iPhone camera to capture a few highlights as we went along.

Here we go...

First up, I just have to say... I LOVE the Orange Circle. The textures and lines of the buildings are amazing... but I'm glad that I finally got the chance to go a little deeper into the heart of the city.

We met inside of the old Wells Fargo building (which I learned is one of the oldest buildings in Orange County). Just look at the beautiful ceiling.

Jen and I, about to get our grub on...

We began with empanadas and plaintains at Felix Continental Cafe. And having skipped breakfast that morning (oops), I couldn't have been happier. My husband being Colombian, I am definitely partial to this food, and it did NOT disappoint. (Side note: I also highly recommend their Cuban sandwich. Your stomach will make yummy noises.)

Then a quick stop into The Enchanted Florist, where the owner (Kate) presented each of us with a gorgeous long-stemmed rose. I have to say, I was very impressed with this place... and Kate. This wasn't just another flower shop. It is definitely unique, as EVERYTHING is custom made. There are no floral arrangements sitting on the shelf just waiting to be brought home or sent to someone. When you call or come in to place an order, the floral arrangement is created from scratch right then and there. It's pretty magical.

Next up was Paris in a Cup... tea salon, market & boutique. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen. I wish I had pictures of the super-cute tea salon to share, but it was closed for private parties. Instead, we sipped on tea and slurped some baked potato soup, then wandered around their market area inside.

We then crossed the street to Francoli Gourmet... Authentic Northern Italian Cuisine & Specialty Giftstore. I will definitely be coming back. Not only was the food delicious, but the place itself was beautiful, and I felt completely taken care of by Luis, the manager. He is onsite 6 days a week, and says he has a knack for remembering faces and favorite foods ordered. He believes that food is to be enjoyed, and that a good meal should last at least an hour to an hour and a half. (No power-lunches here, people.) And I LOVE how community-minded this restaurant is... all artwork in the restaurant is by a local artist who actually has her studio around the corner. We were thrilled when she actually popped into the restaurant for a minute and we were able to meet her in person!

Next it was off to Watson's Drug & Soda Fountain, which has been an establishment in Orange since 1899. Did you know that it used to be illegal to sell soda water on Sundays? As an alternative on Sunday's, Watson's started selling ice cream sodas minus the soda... which led to what we now know as the traditional ice cream sundae! (You can read even more cool facts here on their site.) While at Watson's, we were treated to some of their famous rice pudding.

We made a quick stop-off in the middle of the Orange Circle, where we learned that the original fountain that used to be here is now resting at the Orange Library & Historic Center. We were also told about how the Orange Circle gets dressed up for Christmas each year, and inevitably... the Baby Jesus gets stolen. So, it's a good thing they happen to keep a couple "spares" on hand. Ha!

Then we were off to The Bruery to enjoy some beer & cheese. I'm not much of a beer person, myself, which was why I was totally surprised to be enjoying our little sampling. I swear it smelled like citrus and was all kinds of yummy.

Next we popped into The Bite Market, a gluten-free and dairy free community grocery store. Bridget, the owner, told us how she has started this market out of necessity... her had been having medical problems where his lungs were filling with fluid and the doctors couldn't figure out why. This issue was ongoing for several months. After visiting with a holistic health provider, she was told that her son was allergic to gluten. And after removing gluten from his diet, his lungs cleared up within 3 DAYS! Wow, pretty amazing, huh? Bridget promotes local products in her store, and we were able to sample one of her gluten & dairy free cookies.

Next up was the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Yum! We were treated to a bite of their "avalanche bar" which contained all kinds of rice krispie and peanut butter goodness.

The next stop was the Orange Candy Co. And this was like a blast from the past... all kinds of candies and characters from my childhood surrounded me.  We all sampled a piece of ZOTS candy, laughing at each others' expressions as the candy started to fizz in our mouths.

We next headed to the Citrus City Grille, where we were treated to french onion soup and their delicious rosemary bread.

Our last stop on the tour was at Cafe Lucca for some gelatto. Because everyone needs to finish with dessert, right? And how sweet it was... I sampled their chocolate-covered banana flavor and was in heaven.

It's a good thing we ended our tour at this time, because we were all stuffed!

If you're looking for something a bit different to do, and want a taste of local flavor, I highly recommend taking this food tour yourself. And if you get Linda as your guide, be sure to tell her I said "HI."

superhero for a day

When I was a kid, it was all about the underoos. Because when I wore them, I wasn't just playing in my underwear... I was a SUPERHERO. (And yes... this really IS me, age 6.)

When I was wearing my underoos, I was strong. I was powerful. I was invincible. And best of all (for me, anyway), I wasn't my SHY self. I was BRAVE, and could express myself and be who I really wanted to be.

But somewhere along the way, we're told that we're supposed to put these childish things away and "grow up." The superheroes we like to emulate and the toys that make us happy are packed away or put up on the shelf where they collect dust. I clung to my childhood for as long as I could, and when I got a bit older, I even decided to reclaim it. Because there were things about it that just made me happy. As a result, I now have a large collection of My Little Ponies, a few coloring books that I still break out on rainy days, and even a fabulous life-like Iron Man/Tony Stark collectible (which was an awesome gift from my husband). And I am still very much in love with the cartoon & superhero world.

And what better place to embrace your inner-superhero than at the pop-culture phenomenon known as Comic-Con... a 4-day celebration of all things "geek chic" held annually San Diego? This will be my very first year attending the event, and I am SO amazingly excited to finally get the chance to go.  (squeal!) Thanks to a friend's quick thinking, my husband and I were both lucky enough to snag 4-day passes before they sold out a few weeks ago... even though the event doesn't even take place till July!

JULY?! That's a long time to have to wait to play...

So when I found out that the company in charge of Comic-Con was bringing "WonderCon" to the nearby Anaheim Convention Center this past weekend, I just HAD to go. A smaller, bite-size version of Comic-Con, it was a great way to get my feet wet in the whole experience. My eyes were boggling and my camera was snapping... everywhere I looked there were people in costume around me. I didn't always recognize the characters I saw, but my husband tried to fill in the blanks as much as possible. Most of the costumes were absolutely amazing... The time and care that people put into their costumes was phenomenal... it was like viewing living art.

And everywhere I turned, I was surrounded by "my" people... people who still embrace the joy of it all. And with the happiness that bubbled up from being there, I felt free. I could have twirled with happiness. I think I might have even jumped up and down from joy a few times. I felt like I was 6 years old again... brave and carefree and ME... just like when I was in my underoos. Being there, surrounded by all these people, I truly WAS Wonder Woman once more.

On the left... my husband, giddy because we're about to enter the convention. And on the right... me with my, um, other man?

Iron Man:

Bumblebee. And look closely at the image on the right... he even had a bumblebee car air freshener hanging on his back! Now that is attention to detail.

Joker and HarleyQuinn, and the Martian Manhunter:

Character from Halo (I believe); and a Storm Trooper with Anikin Skywalker:

The view of the crowd as we entered into the actual convention area:

Players in the Star Wars Universe. The person in the Chewbacca costume had actually put in a soundchip so he could sound like Chewbacca, too... it was pretty incredible.

These faux pumpkins were carved by artist Alex Wer and were pretty incredible.

Captain EO with Zatanna; Hawk Man and Hawk Girl:

Dr. Who... old and new:

Batman and Batgirl; Wonder Woman:

Captain America; Supergirl:

Spiderman scoping out the ladies:

Character from World of Warcraft (I believe), with Captain Hammer peeking out from behind; Nightcrawler and Rogue:

A Ghostbuster with Catwoman; the Riddler with another Catwoman:

And a few fun pop-culture references... Angry Birds on the left; and on the right, a scene from Big Bang Theory!

So when it comes time for Comic-Con this July, you'd better BELIEVE that my superhero-self will be coming out to PLAY. Now I just have to figure out a costume that will accommodate the camera. (I'm open to suggestions, if anyone has one!)

you are beautiful...

I like to people-watch. It's just what I do. I can sit somewhere, serenely sip my coffee, and make up stories about the people that pass me by.  (sidenote: it helps to wear dark sunglasses while doing this, so you don't get caught staring...) I like to watch how people carry themselves; see how they interact with others; see if they seem comfortable in their skin. And most of all, I enjoy the moment when I discover what I refer to as their "hidden beauty."

Let's face it... we're not all supermodels. We come in all shapes & sizes, and most of them aren't a size 0 and don't include washboard abs. (sigh.) But everyone seems to have something about them that just makes them beautiful. And I'm not just talking about INNER beauty, here... but something that radiates to the exterior and can be witnessed and enjoyed. Sometimes it's a laugh that bubbles up to the surface. Sometimes it's the way that someone grooves (ever so slightly) to the music that plays while they're waiting in a long line at the store. Sometimes it's the funny face a stranger makes at a kid to interact with them, or the way a grown man's face lights up like a child's as they spot a puppy.

These are all just random faces in the crowd... little moments that would pass most people by, and yet they are ones that I feel privileged to witness. Because in that one little moment, there is such beauty that radiates from each person...  that I can SEE that person as their loved ones do. Not just a stranger made up of lines and shapes and colors, but a beautiful person looked upon with love.

Because, as I always say... it's real life; it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

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I participated in a photography workshop over the weekend (lots more images of this to come soon). The shoot was "Rockabilly Glamour" themed, with plenty of props, makeup & hair artists and... of course... models. We had 5 models for the day, and most of them actually were professional models.  Not only were they super-skinny, but they knew how to work the angles of their bodies to achieve their best looks.

But there was this other girl...  Shyan. A hair & makeup artist by trade, she had offered her services to us to actually be a model for the day since her look fit what we were after. But this was her first time modeling like this.

And let me tell you... of all the beautiful girls that were there to model for us that day... Shyan was by far my favorite to work with! Why? Because she was genuine. She had confidence and poise and knew how to rock her curves. She wasn't striking all these model-y "poses," but instead, once she was able to relax in front of the camera, her body began to relax and find its natural groove, and her own style and personality shone through.

And it was awesome!

Let me show you why...

my first valentine

My dad has never really been the kind of man to express his emotions... at least not out loud through so many words. But I've never had any doubt of his love. He was always behind the video camera at every school performance. He was the one to come up with crafts for us to create together at the kitchen table. He encouraged us to follow our dreams and cheered us on every step of the way. And then there was his writing. Every day (even throughout high school) he would pack my lunch and include a napkin on which he'd written a note to me. There was nothing too spectacular about the words themselves... just to wish me a good day, let me know he was thinking of me, or wish me luck on my big test. But his words of encouragement, love and support were always something I could count on.

And his notes continue, even to this day.

Even though I'm a grown woman now, he still makes sure to deliver a Valentine gift to me, complete with the sentimental Valentine's Day card. Sometimes the words are his, and sometimes he simply signs his name when he finds the card which already has the perfect words. But either way, he always signs his name with love.

be my valentine?

Since I don't have any kids of my own, I borrow my nieces and nephews whenever I want to play with a new idea. They are more than willing (especially when they get to play with my dog while awaiting their turn in front of the camera). And I love getting the opportunity to capture them in imagery while they're still young. This year, I created Valentine's Day cards for the kiddos to hand out in class. They were super-excited about the idea... especially when they realized that it meant that they'd have EXTRA lollipops left over to share. (Kids will be kids.)

Here is this year's creation:

Love this idea, and want to do it yourself? Here's how:

1. Take a picture of your kid with their arm outstretched and their hand in a fist.

2. Have the pictures printed as WALLET-SIZED prints. (Note: the cards I created were printed as 4"x5" flat cards through Millers Imaging, but the wallet print works nicely, too, and is closer in size to the traditional classroom Valentine.)

3. Leave the photo as-is, or line the back with scrapbook paper (using a glue-stick) to make it extra-pretty.

4. With an exacto blade, cut slits on each photo at the top and bottom of the clenched fist.

5. Slide your choice of lollipop through the paper and "into the fist."

6. Ta-Da!

(Many, many thanks to my friend Paula of R&P Photography for this fabulous idea!)

celebration

She said that it was "just her birthday," that it was "no big deal." But we scoffed at the idea. The 3 of us have been besties for much longer than we haven't. And birthdays are a great way to celebrate each other, especially if no one else does.

So, we surprised her with a day of play. Fun, no-pressure, low-key PLAY.

(note: all photos were taken using the iPhone4 camera and processed using the Instagram app.)

at the El Capitan Theater... to see Beauty & the Beast in 3D

fantastic organist entertaining the audience before the show

hanging at the Hollywood & Highland center

freshening our makeup at the L'Oreal makeover tents

welcome to Venice Beach

Baby Blue's BBQ

about to get our grub on...

pulled pork, beef brisket, sweet mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, collard greens, okra and cornbread. mmmmmmm...

canals at Venice

where people can get permits to tag the walls

artistic tagging

besties

moments like these take my breath away

skater boys

sunset and skater boys

the 3 muskateers

blacklight mini golf at Putting Edge

the coolest friendship bracelets ever

ending our day with nutella churros, dulce de leche & condensed milk churros, cream cheese & guava churros and sipping chocolate from Churros Caliente

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Ready to PLAY along? There's still time to book a MINI-SESSION for yourself, taking place this Saturday.

jasper + the dragon

Just another one of those wacky moments in my daily life that I thought I'd take note of before it disappears.

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Every night, it's the same thing... Jasper will dig through the toybox, drag out everything he can, and spread it across the floor. If he does this while I'm working at the computer, I usually find myself circled by a ring of toys... making me feel like a giant in the village of "squeak-town."

But no matter HOW many toys that accumulate (thanks to my mom & friends for spoiling my fur-baby)... there is ONE toy in particular that will always be his favorite.

His blue dragon. 

This toy has been loved to pieces. Quite literally. (I'm incredibly thankful that it's machine-washable... ick.)

And there is a specific routine that Jasper has with his blue dragon, too. It's quite intriguing. Makes me wish I spoke the language so I knew exactly what was going on in that doggy-brain of his.

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Step 1: Grab the dragon and drag it over to a participant in his game. (If that person is not a willing participant, place dragon on their foot repeatedly until they get the message.)

Step 2: As soon as person grabs dragon to toss it, play tug-of-war with it instead. If person lets go too soon, shove the dragon back in their hands.

Step 3: Play fetch with dragon a few times.

Step 4: Shake dragon in mouth as hard as possible, bending and twisting in incredibly stretchy ways.

Step 5: ...CENSORED... (And yes, Jasper is neutered.)

Step 6: With mouth clamped firmly over the dragon's head, bob doggy head up and down while kneading dragon body with puppy paws.

Step 7: Take a break to lick the dragon's face.

Step 8: Fall asleep with dragon's head in mouth.

It's actually the cutest, strangest, and funniest thing I get to see every single day. (And if someone could please tell me what the heck this ritual means, I would greatly appreciate it.)

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pssssst... have you signed up for my NEWSLETTER yet? The January issue is on its way VERY soon. Be the first to not only find out about cool new stuff, but also the first to be able to sign up for MINI-SESSIONS (hint, hint). To sign up, just click on the red tab on the left and add your info. Easy-peasy.

project 365 (+1)

I received my first diary when I was around 9 years old. It was white with red borders, had an illustration of a teddy-bear, and a lock that could be picked with a bobby pin. But the engraved name plate on the front made me feel so incredibly special. I was smitten... here was a place to record my ever-so-important thoughts and share my incredible stories. And so I made my first entry ever... about how annoying and immature my brother was being. So, while my stories (especially when that young) weren't exactly thought-provoking works of art, it's still incredibly neat for me to go back and READ these entries. These words give me a piece of MYSELF back... they remind me who I was, where I've been, and how far I've come.

I've kept diaries off and on ever since that time, and I continue to do so to this day. This year I've found the perfect way to combine images + words together, to capture my story even better.

Project 365 (+1).

Known as Project 365, it's simply a decision to take one image each day of the year. (And since we're in a leap year... there's an extra +1.) I've always wanted to do this... to add daily imagery to my words, but it always seemed like such a huge undertaking. Till now.

With the help of my iPhone camera, instagram and blipfoto, I've decided to journal my year in a whole new way. Here is MY collection so far: