Hitchcock Blonde

The Holidays Are Here

I haven’t blogged in a while. This semester has been the busiest yet, but also one of the very best. I recently registered for my final semester of college, and have felt extremely sentimental about what I have been doing since. Whether it has been going out with friends or spending late nights in the library, I can’t help but wonder what I will be doing a year from now. Only time will tell, but with supportive family and friends behind me, and keeping a positive attitude, I know that everything will work out the way it is supposed to.

 I spent my Thanksgiving break relaxing at home, eating too much food, and catching up with friends. The best way to spend it! Now that we are officially in the Christmas season, I plan on listening to lots of holiday music, baking festive treats, and enjoying the decorations in Los Angeles before exams and returning to Northern California for Christmas break. 

{Three generations (Mom, me, Grandma) at Thanksgiving}

{Pie (and coffee) situation after Thanksgiving dinner}

{Stanford vs. Notre Dame football game}

 

{Coco showing off her Christmas sweater}

The Mean Reds

One of my favorite questions to ask people is what their favorite movie(s) is/are. My favorite movie of all time is It’s a Wonderful Life, which I watch every year on Christmas morning with a box of tissues nearby, and recently I have been really into When Harry Met Sally.

In general, I love films set in New York City. There is something about the city being a character in itself, and I am fascinated by the stories each street, person, taxi, etc., tells. Which brings me to another one of my favorite films: Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

I adore Holly Golightly.  She is equal parts glamorous and tragic, the quintessential “hot mess;” anyone who can make an oversized men’s dress shirt look fabulous deserves such a title.

The scene from the film that has stuck with me is Holly’s “mean reds” monologue. The definition is somewhat ambiguous, but there are times when I – and I am sure others – know exactly what Ms. Golightly means.

In a conversation with a group of friends, I realized we were all suffering from the mean reds. I blame mercury being in retrograde, but I also attribute it to senior year. With so much uncertainty about the future, it is easy to be afraid and not know what you’re afraid of.

A trip to Tiffany’s – or wherever that equivalent is for you – is all that is needed. For me, that place is Disneyland. Mercury will be out of retrograde on October 9^th, and I think a celebratory trip to the Happiest Place on Earth is in order.

What is your Tiffany’s?  

Bittersweet

Now that I am a senior in college, walking around campus is bittersweet. I have until May to take in and enjoy all that LMU has to offer, but I still feel a sense of urgency to “do it all” before graduation. I have yet to succumb to senioritis, but I am experiencing a serious case of senior F.O.M.O.  

The best piece of senior year-related advice came in a text message from a friend: “Enjoy it, definitely goes by quickly, you will be fine, don’t worry.” Whenever I feel overwhelmed, reminding myself of these words gives me some perspective.

When I walk by my freshman dorm, I can’t believe how much has changed since I moved in with my parents four years ago. Once my mom and dad headed home, I remember how scared, lost, and unsure I felt about what was in store for me. I would love to go back and remind my freshman year self that everything has a way of working out, and to not worry so much about the future.

I want to do as much as I can my senior year, while remembering that everything really does have a way of working out. It might not be in the way I think it should, but worrying about what is beyond my control only takes away from enjoying the moment.  There might be bitter moments in the months before graduation, and even those that follow, but I have no doubt that there will be many sweet ones, too. That’s just the way life works, and it always has a way of coming together. 

{On LMU's bluff for the first day of senior year.}

S'more Summer

Summer has been flying by. My friends and I have asked ourselves what we did over the summers when we didn’t have jobs, summer school classes, or other commitments that make up the bulk of our weeks. I remember summer reading lists, walks to the local ice cream shop, afternoons by the pool, and family vacations. And s’mores. Lots of s’mores. 

I have had two internships this summer, one in the sports industry, and one in entertainment. Internships are a great way to see if a specific industry is for you, and I have found that I always learn much more than I anticipated – both good and bad – by the end.

I’m working towards a family vacation in a few weeks, but despite my work schedule, I’ve made sure to find time to do some fun things. Looking forward to more days at the beach, exploring LA with friends, and, if I’m being honest, more s’mores. (Can you tell what my favorite summer dessert is?) 

{Hearing Vin Scully speak while volunteering at the Dodgers All-Access.}

{What Staples Center looks like without an event going on.}

{Du'par's pancakes lived up to the hype.}

{Fourth of July in Lake Arrowhead.}

{Life-changing peanut butter s'mores. Just add PB to the graham cracker!}

{The happiest of happy hours at Trader Sam's in Disneyland.}

Disneyland's 60th Anniversary

It’s no secret that I love Disney, especially Disneyland. My favorite ride is Pirates of the Caribbean, though lately I’ve been partial to the Haunted Mansion. My favorite treats are Tigger Tails (found specifically in Critter Country), but I’m also big on the park’s rice crispy treats. My first trip to Disneyland was when I was 6 years old, and I did not go back until my 13^th birthday; I credit my current obsession to years of deprivation that I’m now making up for. I’ve since been more times than I can count!

Along with money and my ID, I hardly ever leave home without my Disneyland Annual Pass. I also keep a pair of mouse ears in my car, just in case I ever find myself on a spur of the moment park visit. Disneyland allows me to forget any stresses or troubles in my daily life, step back in time, and become a kid again. Sure, large crowds, long lines, and Anaheim’s hot, dry summer weather can sometimes be a bummer, but I wouldn’t trade any of those for a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.

I went to Disneyland with my mom (my fellow Disney-obsessed partner-in-crime) a few weeks ago, just before the 60^th Anniversary celebration officially began. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and their appearance on nearly everything within the park – even the treats, but especially the castle – is fantastic.

I can’t wait to go back and see the ride and show updates, but here’s a taste of what’s to come for the yearlong celebration: 

Napa Valley

Now that I’m 21, I feel as though my right of passage into adulthood has become “official.” As part of the celebration, my parents took me to two of their favorite wineries in Napa Valley. Both are on the Silverado Trail; the first was Reynold’s Family Winery, and the second was Silverado Vineyards.

My parents have loved Reynold’s Family Winery – and their wine – since they discovered it a few years ago. I’d describe their wine tasting as laid back and casual, and it felt like we were drinking wine with family. The tasting was also informative. I learned the rights and wrongs of holding a wineglass, how to swirl the wine successfully so it “opens,” as well as how to smell the wine correctly. I didn’t realize drinking wine was such a process!

The second winery we visited was Silverado Vineyards. The winery itself is beautiful, and looks like a castle – fittingly, as one of the winery’s owners was Diane Disney Miller, Walt’s daughter. The only “give away” that the winery is Disney-affiliated is a large Ratatouille poster when you walk in. The wine tasting is less intimate, but still enjoyable. Also, the views are just amazing.

Napa is only a little over an hour away from my house, but it felt like I was way further. Such a fun day, and I loved being able to experience it with my parents! And if you were wondering, I prefer reds to whites. (Sorry, teeth.)

{Taking the Golden Gate Bridge to Napa}

{The Silverado Trail}

{Reynold's Family Winery}

{Lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni}

{Silverado Winery}

Junior Year Recap

While I no longer have to worry about taking SATs and ACTs, AP tests and college applications, I am instead concerning myself about what I want to do a year from now when I graduate college. There are so many jobs I can see myself loving and doing well, but deciding where to live and what to do have definitely taken over as my main concern.

Over the last year, I realized the importance of living in the moment. It’s so easy to be concerned with all that lies ahead, that I often forget to really be present in the now. I can be incredibly harsh on myself, even feeling guilty for relaxing fearing that I’m not doing enough to get ahead for the future. My goal for senior year is to just enjoy it, knowing that I’m doing all I can to get where I want to be.

One of the highlights of junior year included my sorority winning Lipsync, a dance competition involving all of the fraternities and sororities at my school. Having my brother at school with me was also one of my favorite things about the year. Being able to help him through his freshman year is something I’m really happy I was able to do, and his being down here means more to me than he thinks. Many visits to Disneyland, formals and date nights, a ‘Friendsgiving’ for my sorority’s pledge class that my house arranged, and discovering cool new places around LA also stand out as highlights from the past year. Who you choose to surround yourself with makes all the difference in anything you do, and I am beyond grateful to be surrounded by such caring and supportive friends and family.

I’m excited to be spending the summer in Los Angeles, and can’t wait to see what I learn, do, and see over the next few months. Good books, movies, friends, television shows, music, food, and more are just some of the things I’m looking forward to sharing with good friends and family – the best accompaniments, always.

{DGs take Fallapalooza}

 

{With one of my best friends, Marissa}

{Marilyn's words, not mine; I love venturing to Hollywood Blvd.}

 

{I love LA!}

 

{In my opinion, Delta Gamma has the best sorority colors}

 

{I adore the LACMA, and would go every day if I could}

 

{Dinner at Mel's before "Cinderella" at the The El Capitan}

 

{Three's a crown on Abbot Kinney with my brother}

 {Fireworks at Disneyland} 

{LA sunsets are pretty tough to beat}

Monday

Last week of classes before exams week!    

 

All images from Tumblr. You can follow me here. 

Food for Thought

I eat to live and I live to eat. I’m a busy person, but I always make time to sit down and eat a steady, balanced meal. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; it’s also my favorite. Even if it means waking up earlier than I have to in order to sit down and enjoy a plate or bowl of whatever with a cup of coffee, I do it.

Food is a priority for me, just as it has been and continues to be for the rest of my family. The entire Hitchcock household knows the importance of food’s nourishment of the body and the soul, especially my mom. Waking up to gourmet restaurant-worthy breakfasts and going to sleep filled with food so good you dream about it is the norm when I go home for breaks. I hate goodbyes in general, but besides my parents and pets, my mom’s delicious meals are also hard to part with. Fortunately, she always sends me back to Los Angeles with food and treats for the following week. After Thanksgiving break a few years ago, she sent me home with a full spread of leftovers that lasted nearly a week. Her latest parting gift trend is a batch of homemade biscuits. 

I read Theresa Brown’s “Love, Death and Spaghetti,” which verified my knowledge that food is just as fulfilling emotionally as it is nutritionally. When my digestive system stopped working (yes, that can happen) in fifth grade, I physically could not eat or drink anything. I vividly remember my mom returning from my restaurants with my favorite foods, begging me to eat. Once I was treated and recovering from a week of IVs and tests in the hospital, my mom made it her job to assure I was eating everything I needed to fully recover. Malt-O-Meal, chicken broth, and sourdough rolls were pretty much all I could eat for the first few weeks. I remember finally being able to eat real food, and think there were tears in both of my parent’s eyes when they saw me devour a black bean, rice, and cheese burrito after weeks of being sick and on an insanely bland diet.

I never had issues with food before moving to Los Angeles for college. “Green juice” was foreign to me, and I didn’t realize that carbs were “bad.” I have come to appreciate a good green juice every now and then, and understand the difference between “good” and “bad” carbs. But I enjoy everything in moderation. Surrounded by girls who refuse to eat even when they’re hungry, who will order a salad begrudgingly when they would much rather enjoy a sandwich, who frequently “cleanse,” and see pasta dishes as satanic are all too familiar to me. My mom and I basically ate our way through New York City a few weeks ago, and at most meals I caught myself saying, “So-and-so would never eat this!” or thinking about how much time exercising I’d have to put in to work off what I was enjoying in the moment.

The only time I want to think about food is in the context of enjoyment – as a means of fulfillment in either realm of nutritional or mental fulfillment. Julia Child said it best: “People who love to eat are always the best people.” Enjoy your life and enjoy your food. There are more important things to worry about besides counting calories and wondering if one cupcake will make you fat. Eating good, delicious food is a privilege many, especially in Los Angles, seem to take for granted. Have some spaghetti and enjoy life, food and all, for as long as you can. I guarantee it will make you (and your mom) very happy. 

Crystal Renn for French Vogue (Terry Richardson)

New York City

It’s been a tradition since I started college that I go to New York City with my mom for Spring Break every year. She knows the streets and sights better than anyone I know, and there’s no one I’d rather explore my favorite city with.

Our most recent trip was extremely motivating. I’ve always been interested in the potential of moving to the East Coast, and New York City is easily at the top of my list. Especially as my senior year of college approaches, I’m excited to consider options and opportunities for post-grad life as they present themselves.

The trip was fast-paced and brisk, just like the city itself, but we managed to see, eat, and do a lot in the few days we were there. 

{The window display for Macy's Flower Show}

 

{The bagel scene at Zabars}

 {Lunch at Laduree in SoHo}

 

{One of the few taxis we took - we walked most of the time} 

 

{The Sinatra exhibition at the New York Public Library} 

 

{Spotted street side: the movie poster for one of my favorite films}

 

{View from One World Trade Center}

 {The wall at Sardi's}

 

{Insanely delicious lunch at Russ & Daughters}

{Had to stop at the Lilly Pulitzer store on Madison Avenue}