Hitchcock Blonde

Family First

I was lucky enough to have my parents come down recently for LMU’s parent weekend. I love doing touristy things, and having friends or family in town is the perfect excuse to venture out among the different sections of Los Angeles. I recently started a new internship at a fashion/lifestyle PR company in West Hollywood, and the area has become one of my favorites. West Third Street and Melrose are just a block or two away in both directions, so I’ve had to exhibit serious self-control to avoid dining and shopping there on my lunch breaks. I took my parents to the area; we walked through The Grove, checked out the Taschen Gallery’s Rolling Stones exhibit (my dad’s a huge Stones fan), and ate very well. My fascination with all-things Southern includes Southern food, so trying The Hart and the Hunter’s take on shrimp and grits (amazing) and biscuits (also amazing), was a great choice for lunch.

 The older I get, the more I realize how important my relationship with my parents is. They are my greatest supporters, advocates, and friends, and having them down here – even if just for a few days – was so special. My dad was sure to wear his Golden State Warriors gear everywhere we went, and I’m sure that played a part in how well Curry and Thompson did at the All Star game this weekend. The West won, but are we that surprised? West Coast, best coast! 

{Hitchcock family selfie}

{Biscuits at The Hart and the Hunter}

{The Rolling Stones photography exhibit}

{New favorite candy store, Sockerbit, on West Third St.}

{Nasty Gal store on Melrose}

{Piranha wall art at The Huntley in Santa Monica}

{New Orleans iced coffee at Blue Bottle on Abbot Kinney}

{Walk along Venice Beach}

Writing Release

Sometimes I think writing is the greatest thing in the world; sometimes I think it is the worst. As Taylor Swift sings in “Welcome to New York,” one of my many catchy tracks off her latest album, “Like any great love, it keeps you guessing / Like any real love, it's ever-changing / Like any true love, it drives you crazy / But you know you wouldn't change anything, anything, anything.” My love for writing is unparalleled, and though I do wish my math skills were better, I am so grateful for the teachers and family members who encouraged and helped develop a love for writing that has stuck.

 Although I love to write, I often have trouble conveying my thoughts on paper. I have made significant advancements in the “saying what you feel” category as of late. I realized the true brevity of life while studying Buddhist teachings in my Asian Cultures class last week, and the impact was profound. Expressing oneself in any way is always rewarding, and while I’ve improved verbally, I want to take my writing to the next level in the same sense. It’s not always easy to find time to write on my own, as the reading and writing I do for school takes up a large portion of it, but it’s such a great release.  

*I was inspired to write this post after reading this article on NYTimes.com. 

Highlights From Home

Fresh from a fun and relaxing Christmas break, I’m back in LA and ready to take on what the next few months bring. I feel that the second semester of each year always feels like it’s over before it even begins, so I’m determined to make every day count. The first few weeks back are pretty hectic, especially with sorority recruitment coming up, but I’m taking things as they come and hoping 2015 is my best year yet! Here are some highlights from my break at home:

{View of SF from Coit Tower}

{Christmas decorations at home}

{Mint Chip and Candy Cane scoops from Bi-Rite Creamery}

{Keith Haring exhibit at the de Young Museum}

{New Year's Eve with my sorority sisters - I didn't get the memo}

{Trip to Japantown}

{Insanely beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge}

Recovery Mode

I finished the first semester of my junior year of college, meaning I have just three left until I graduate and enter the REAL WORLD. It seems like this semester just started; yet here I am in recovery mode after a brutal week of finals. I personally think finals should be a week before the last week of the semester. That way, the final week could be relaxing and fun instead of exhausting and far from a form of enjoyment. In any case, I survived. I even made it to The Grove on Saturday – a true feat. I made it out without being trampled, and spent wisely: a celebratory hamburger at Umami. Usually I come home right after exams finish, but it was nice to have an extra day or two to hang out and start to get in the holiday spirit. In the past 24 hours that I’ve been home, I’ve listened to four classic Christmas albums, and watched one and a half Christmas movies. I also baked seasonal cookies. At the rate I’m going, I might turn into an elf by Christmas Day. I’m ok with that. 

Sermon on the Bike: My First SoulCycle Experience

“Now is not the time to give up. All of us chose to be here; we are a team united together in this room.” These were the wise, empowering words spoken by Kara, the SoulCycle instructor I had for my first experience at Kelly’s Rippa’s mecca. The bathroom was decked out with photos of and quotes from the LBT (Little Blonde Thing), proving her dedication and loyalty to the cause. Apparently Lena Dunham is a fan, too, according to a cutout from “Us Weekly.”

Serving as one of two co-editors for my school's chapter of HerCampus.com has its perks, and receiving a HerCampus Back-to-School Survival Kit this year is one of them. Though the BOGO Chipotle cards were tough to beat, the nine free SoulCycle passes were the most coveted items. So, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, five of us from HC staff went to Santa Monica and had our first SoulCycle experience. Here’s what I learned:

1. You don’t know what sweating is until you’ve done SoulCycle. The shower I took when I got home was the best/most necessary I’ve ever had.
2. Upon departure, you will understand the science behind endorphins. I left SoulCycle in such a good mood that I nearly skipped to the parking structure across the street. 
3. You will never appreciate a dimly lit room more than you will at SoulCycle. Who you become in a SoulCycle room is not who you are outside of one; no one needs or wants to see anyone ‘tap it back’ (SoulCycle lingo) in a well-lit area.
4. You will want your instructor to be your best friend. Not only was Kara fun, fit, and fabulous – she was life-changing. Or at least she was for the hour I sat on my bike. If Kara-ism was a thing and she asked us to convert mid-cycle, I’m sure we would have done so happily.
5. You will want to live a SoulCycle life. The clothes, sessions, accessories? I wanted them all after the class. SoulCycle even has its own candle that I would happily burn in my house.

Would I go back to SoulCycle? Definitely. Will I become a regular at SoulCycle? Probably not. I can see myself going every once in a while, but its location and pricing makes it a little hard to justify doing consistently. I also love working out on my own. Kara was an awesome instructor, but running on my own is my favorite way to unwind and workout on a day-to-day basis. However, now that I’ve gone to a class, I can justify wearing SoulCycle’s awesome workout wear. I might even cave and get the candle. 

Fall, Finally

The weather seems to be cooling down in Los Angeles, a welcomed change from the hot and humid days that have been plaguing us down here the past few weeks. I was able to spend last weekend at home, and could not have asked for a more fun or relaxing time. A tour of the Winchester Mystery House and lunch in Santana Row was an ideal way to spend a Friday afternoon with my mom, and enjoying homemade pizza and watching the Giants games with my family were also highlights. 

The movie I’ve helped promote for my internship comes out this Friday, and I am so excited to see how audiences respond to it. I have interned for the same company since February, and have become really invested in the projects I have had the chance to work on, people I have met, and the experiences I have gained thus far. I feel so lucky to have my position there! 

It’s not over yet, but as October comes to a close and the holidays do approach, I am especially grateful to be surrounded with such amazing family and friends. School – social and academically speaking – can get so overwhelming, but taking time for yourself and doing what makes you happy (like spending a day in Disneyland, which I did this weekend with some of my best friends) is such a great motivator to keep things moving forward.  

{Dash and Coco - my favorite pups to come home to!}

{Pizza lunch with my mom. How cute is she?}

{Creepy-cool Halloween decorations in my living room.}

{It's not hard to see why I left my heart in San Francisco.}

{On the job for my internship.}

{Disneyland with friends.}

{The Halloweeniest Place on Earth!}

Checklist for Fall

October 1st marks the official start of fall in my book. Here is my checklist of things to do now that buying pumpkin butter in bulk (among other seasonal opportunities) is appropriate:

Enjoy a pumpkin spice latte. Now that it’s October, I will finally allow myself to give in.

Buy fall-themed items at Trader Joe’s. I buy pumpkin butter in bulk and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

Go to Disneyland. Though Christmas at Disneyland is my favorite time to go, it’s second to Halloween. The decorations are awesome, as are the seasonally themed rides.

Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos. I have always been a fan of this holiday, and loved celebrating it in my Spanish classes in high school.  Pan de Muerto is as creepy to look at as it is to eat, but the sugary coating and airy texture make it hard not to. I know the Hollywood Forever Cemetery has a Dia de Los Muertos event, so I would love to check that out, too.

Watch Halloween movies. Mom’s Got a Date With a Vampire, Halloweentown, Hocus Pocus, and The Nightmare Before Christmas are easily some of my October favorites, but I plan to face my fear of scary movies this year and add The Shining, Silence of the Lambs, and other creepy classics to the mix.

Embrace fall décor. Pumpkins, glitter skulls, bowls of candy corn, and rustic (faux) leaves are just a few of the decorations I want to put up around my house.

Cook/bake seasonal foods. If my Pinterest is any indication, pumpkin everything/everything (consumable, that is) is very appealing to me. Pumpkin bread surely tops my list at the moment, as does pumpkin curry. And pumpkin pie, of course.

Go all-out with Halloween costumes. Due to procrastination on my part, I always end up with a relatively mediocre costume(s). This year, I plan on having everything ready to go ahead of time, so I’ll be proud to show off my costume trick-or-treating (are you ever too old?) or at a Halloween party. 

Life, Lately

{The Lilly Pulitzter Summer Sale was so worth waking up at 5am for.}

{Fun card at Bountiful on Abbot Kinney.}

 

{These Sprinkles cupcakes were almost too cute to eat.}

{DG sisters and new roommates.}

 

{Insanely delicious pizza at Gjelina.}

{Grits, greens and an egg at my new favorite restaurant.}

Wrapping Up the Summer

I’m so glad I was able to go home one last time before the end of the summer. I loved being able to do summer traditions with my family that I missed out on, having lived in Los Angeles for the majority of the it.  My mom and I are big fans of Woody Allen movies, and seeing his summer films together is something we’ve done for the past two years; “Magic in the Moonlight” wasn’t my favorite, but I’d still recommend seeing it if you’re a fan of Allen’s films. Grilling pizzas in our backyard is another summer tradition my family likes to do, as is Sunday brunch at the Olympic Club. Surprising my best friend for her birthday was another highlight for sure. I had her completely fooled, and she cried when I arrived for her birthday dinner. I hadn’t seen her since April, so our reunion was definitely overdue! Being able to just hang out at home (re: on the couch, watching Netflix with my dogs) in addition to all these other fun things was such a nice way to begin wrapping up my summer. 

Jackie O

She would have been 85 years old today; a style icon nonetheless. Here are some of my favorite looks: