More Girly time

I've been swamped with design projects. I am definitely not complaining about it, but this means that I've neglected all kinds of stuff like... oh... personal grooming. After getting my hair cut, I looked closer at the mirror and made another realization. I looked a hot mess. I had been tweezing my eyebrows and doing manicures and pedicures at home. I am not the girliest of girls. So, let's say just say I looked like my 10 year old niece gave me a makeover.

So, I called in the heavy artillery - my mother-in-law. I am a very fortunate woman. My mother-in-law (MIL) and I get along like girlfriends. She had Rob when she was very young. So, she is young and doesn't act her age. The extra plus is that my MIL is a former cosmetic esthetician for Fred Segal who went into business for herself. I made an appointment with her at her Santa Monica studio.

We went to grab breakfast at Cinnamon, a Vegetarian Restaurant near our respective homes. It was terrible. The service was slow and the food was poorly prepared. The highlight of it was our "coffee", which tasted like warm milk with cinnamon. Maybe that's how they got their name. Either way, a Vegetarian Restaurant in Highland Park will probably be short-lived. The upside is that it made for some good laughs.

When we finally made it to her studio, my MIL gave me a disapproving once-over. She confirmed it... I was a hot mess. She then proceeded to wax almost every inch of my body. No, she does not give me bikini waxes. I have to draw the line somewhere. She also soaked, scraped and massaged my very beat-looking hands and feet. This wasn't totally without a price. She took the entire time to lecture me about personal grooming. I was a little embarrassed, but in the state I was in I had it coming. If that was the only price I had to pay, I'd gladly take it. Two and half hours later, I felt like a new woman.

In an effort to move outside my box, I selected dark nail colors. Here are some bad shots of my hands and feet.

OPI - Eieffel For This Color


Chanel - Blue Satin

As a parting gift, she handed me this.....

A bag of unused samples from her make-up artist friend!!!

I really am a lucky girl. Now, if I could just remember to keep up my appointments, life would be gravy;)

Snip, Snip

I finally got around to getting my haircut. I had been putting off and putting off. Then one day I looked in the mirror and realized that I looked like a middle-age soccer mom or Rapunzel. Either way, my look did not say chic and fashion-forward.

For a hot minute, I was trekking all the way out to Huntington Beach to see the Sam who did my hair and make-up for my wedding. She is talented, but not talented enough for me to spend $$$ on gas. HB is 36 miles from my house. Prior to Sam, Chuck in Pasadena cut my hair. I loved Chuck. However, the moment he realized I was a technology nerd and Mac cultist, he turned my haircuts into technology advice session. He gave me discounts on my cuts in exchange for my advice. This did not compensate me for the time I lost while sitting in his chair. We're talking hours, people! I would go for a trim and not come home for 2 hours. I looked fabulous, but I felt like I had the life sucked out of me.

This put me on the hunt. A few of my friends and acquaintances have gone for the post bridal-chop. I asked for the names of their respective stylists. I ruled many of them out because they were too far away or they were out of my budget.

Examples of digital perms

So, I turned to Yelp.com. I searched for Digital Perm in Los Angeles. Don't throw tomatoes at me. It's not a Jersey girl perm. It's actually a perm that produces hair that is more wavy and has body. My hair is bone straight. I wanted to try something different. As much as I love short hair and the Victorian Beckham cut that is abound, I wanted to somewhat work with the length I had. After all, I have spent the last 2.5 years growing out. My search yielded Kim Sun Young Salon in Koreatown. They had a fair number of good reviews and the name Robin camed up several times.

Kim Sun Young Beauty Salon
300 N Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-4247

www.kimsunyoung.com

I made my appointment for Wednesday AM. I was impressed. I received great service. More importantly, Robin turned out to be a very honest. She talked me out of a digital perm and into just a great cut and color. She took 3-4 inches off the bottom and put red and burgundy high and lowlights in. She did not try to push one of the salon's other services on me. No massages or additional hair products. Just a cut and color. I am so glad that I ditched the soccer mom look.

Here are the results.

I took these using the camera on my iMac. Please excuse the quality. My hair is actually MUCH redder than the photo shows.

Ok, I'll play along...

I was tagged by Melissa. My instructions are to list 6 random things about me.


1. I went to a Montessori preschool. It's a very interesting method of teaching. One of the things I learned was geography. When I was 6, I could name all 50 United States and their capitals, countries in Europe (before the fall of the Soviet Union), and the countries in South America. My parents pulled me out of the school before I learned the countries in Africa and Asian:(

2. I took piano lessons for 12 years. At one point, I played piano competitively and composed music. I even briefly considered going to a music conservatory. I quit playing when I was 17 when it became more like work. My parents were so mad that they got rid of my piano the next week. I haven't played since.

3. Some people are chocoholics. I am a caramel-holic. If it has caramel in it, I will devour it and I won't share. I think this stems from my childhood where my Grandma used to make caramel from condensed milk.

4. I am not fan of pink. When I was a kid, my mother used to dress my sister and I in matching outfits. I wore pink and she wore yellow. I didn't escape the pink madness until I was in Jr. High. The closest I'll come to wearing pink is fuchsia. That only passes because it's not that far from red.

5. I love athletic shoes. More specifically Pumas. At one point, I owned 24 pairs of Pumas in a variety of styles and colors. Because I'm trying to move outside my box and be more lady-like, I have traded the Pumas for high heels. At present, I only own 5 pairs of Pumas, but that doesn't stop me from eyeballing more pairs.


6. With Apple and Microsoft commercials, it's all about Mac or P.C. I am definitely a Mac. In fact, I've been using a Mac since 1994 when I convinced my then-boyfriend to buy a Mac. I discovered them in the Art Department and fell in love. I got my first Mac in 1997.


The "rules" of the game are as follows:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post

Now, I tag these folks....

- Ali
- Jordana
- Neleh
- Natalie
- Nita
- Nina

{Wow! I have a lot of people with "N" names...}

Counterproductive

Counterproductive: adjective : tending to hinder the attainment of a desired goal

I mentioned working with a personal trainer a few weeks ago. Well, I think that was a waste of my time. Nothing against my trainer. Trainer X is a good guy. He's unbelievably motivated and in amazing shape. However, not the trainer for me or the right route for me. Why you ask? Because I went from working out 4 times a week to once a week. How did this happen? Well, Trainer X pushed me WAY past my limits. I know, I know. My athletic cohorts are going to tell me that it's his job to do that. Yes and No. I actually don't need to be pushed. I'm fairly self-motivated. What I really needed was someone to just design some workouts for me. I really wish I had articulated that better.

Trainer X got all bone crusher with me for our first session. I was on the rowing machine. I did squats, hopped up and over a step, and did planks all in a 25 minute window. I literally thought I was going to vomit. The only reason why I didn't vomit is because I realized that the nearest toilet was all the way over on the other side of the gym. I like this gym. Although it's open 24 hours, I did not want to have to troll in their in the middle of the night to avoid embarrassment. Aside from wanting to vomit, I could barely stand. Never in my sports-loving life have I felt like my legs were going to collapse beneath me. The worst is that I knew I would be sore for a couple of days. In actuality, I ended up being sore for 4 DAYS!! I am not exaggerating nor am I a wuss. I have a high threshold for pain. For 4 days, I could barely move. I hobbled down the 4 stairs that led from my front door to the ground. I didn't leave my house because I didn't want to have to walk anywhere. I tried everything. Ibuprofen, Tiger Balm, and soaking in Epsom Salts. It was miserable. However, I am tough and persevered.
Next session, I told him to take it down a notch. He did. The end result? I was sore for three days instead of four days. It's progress I suppose. It's horrific in light of that fact that I am going to the gym less than before. This has, in turn, caused me to regain some of the weight that I had loss prior to starting with Trainer X. ARRRGGGGHHHH!!! I am so frustrated. I have canceled the rest of my sessions with Trainer X. I think I'm better off floundering on my own.

Next stop, classes at the gym and a few workout books. I'm still doing some research as to what might work for me, but for now... I'm just going to amp up the cardio. Who knew working with a personal trainer would be such an exercise in futility?

A little bit of nature

We had a little getaway. It was fun even though we were rained on most of the weekend. We learned some things. One, our tent is waterproof. (YAY!). Two, Dottie prefers sleeping with me in my sleeping bag. (Note to self, bring extra blanket to cover Dottie.) Three, we own a ridiculous amount of camping gear. Four, our companions like to take LOTS of photos, but never share. (You know who you are.) Lastly, we need to get out of town more often.

Here are a few photos that Rob snapped.


The rain cleared and he snapped these.

An educational Saturday

This past Saturday I attended this....

It was a combination of mental overload and teeny bit of a fan experience. As the above graphic mentions, the workshop was taught by the owners of Rock Scissor Paper. Heidi and Susie Bauer, the owners of Rock Scissor Paper have been in the stationery business for 15 years. I've been a fan of their work for the last 7 years. I discovered and fell in love with their stationery on one of my trips to L.A. before I moved here.

Heidi and Susie Bauer of Rock Scissor Paper

The workshop was held at Lala Press Letterpress Studio in Atwater Village. It's an impressive space with a gorgeous garden. The studio itself has several letterpress printers.

There were approximately 36 of us in attendance. All of us are in various stages of launching or maintaining stationery-related businesses. I hate to admit it, but I did a poor job of meeting people and networking. So, I'm not entirely sure of everyone's exact background in this industry. (Note to self, do a better job of meeting people at workshops.)
When we checked in, we were given these cute name badges made by Heidi and Susie.
The outline gives you an idea of the topics we covered. I wasn't sure what to expect. Sometimes, workshops are useful. Other times, they are a gigantic waste of time. This was definitely a highly informative and entertaining experience. If anything, I was a tad bit overwhelmed. They had so much information to share and were so enthusiastic about educating and helping up-and-comers. (This, sadly, is a rarity in creative industries.) There were moments where I could scarcely keep up. Thankfully, we were also given information packets. I swear these things are worth double their weight in gold. If I had to rely strictly on my chicken scratch notes, I'd be lost.
At the end of the day, I came away with so much information and a better sense of where I might fit in this industry. It also gave me a better sense of what I need to do for myself and my business. All in all, it was the best $200 I've ever spent.

Let's get physical

Sport Climbing in Pyramid Lake, NV - 2002

Whitewater Kayak on Kern River, CA - 2005

Snorkeling (with some help) in Negril, Jamaica - 2006

Zip line Rainforest Canopy Tour in Negril, Jamaica - 2006

Hiking and Bouldering in Angeles National Forest, CA - 2005 & 2006

All the above photos are actually me. Don't misunderstand. I wasn't Queen of the X-Games or anything, but I was active. For years, I was on a quest to try as many new activities as I could. Whitewater rafting? Sign me up. Snowboarding? I'm there. I can't say that I was awesome at any of these activities, but I had fun. Being outdoors or being involved in some kind of athletic activity was a part of my life.

Then, my thyroid stop functioning normally. I was tired all the time. I spent most of my days asleep. No matter how much I slept it wasn't enough. I chalked it up to my commute and being overworked. My enthusiasm for being active disappeared with my energy levels. To add to the problem, the various physicians I saw through my HMO misdiagnosed my illness. It took them 6 months to figure out what was wrong. I had hypothyroidism. I was exhausted, depressed and rapidly gaining weight. The thought of getting up and driving to work was taxing. Going to the gym or for a run seemed daunting. Even with my prescription, I wasn't feeling any better. This lasted over a year. When I got married last year, I was 20lbs. heavier than I was when I got engaged.

Thankfully, I switched health insurance and got a doctor that adjusted my thyroid medication accordingly. My energy levels picked up and finally I set foot in a gym. The scale was not my friend, but worse still the treadmill was my enemy. After 20 minutes at a brisk pace, I was winded and could barely keep up. The old lady on the treadmill beside me was moving twice as fast and was still going strong when I hopped off my machine. My ego was bruised, but I was not completely crushed. I persevered.

Now two months later, my endurance is better, but I'm still not seeing the results I would like. I would love to snowboard this season and get back into climbing. Upon the advice of several friends, I decided to work with a personal trainer. My sessions start this week. I think this is where things are really going to get interesting. Wish me luck. I hope I don't get my @ss whooped too badly.

Food for thought

Because I worked in ad assembly and photo retouching for so many years, I have always contended that advertising really gives women a distorted sense of beauty. I think this Dove ad really drives the point home.

Psssssssst...

There's some design activity over on my design blog..... Go check it out. Sorry for the self-promotion, but I need to drive some traffic over there;)

Other posts, to come:)

Time for something new

I decided it was time to separate my design work from my personal life. I figured that not everyone interested in my design work wants to hear about the misadventures of Anne K. in L.A. Conversely, people who are trying to keep up my life can only view but so many invitations and announcements. Without further ado, I present my other blog.

Please click on the logo to check it out

If the link doesn't work, it's thepaperstylist.blogspot.com

Rob's Birthday

Friday, September 5, 2008

Rob's 32nd Birthday fell on a Friday this year. Sadly, he had a rough work week. When he got home from work, he said he wanted to keep his celebration "low-key". Unlike me, Rob is not a big birthday person.

So, we started out with his favorite brew.

Then, we went out to our favorite hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant. Our buddy Kevin came along for the ride.

Sanamuluang Cafe
5170 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027

If you click on the photo of our feast, each dish is named.

CIMG1421, originally uploaded by RobisCooking.

Because we ate year old cake for our anniversary and felt cheated, I ordered this for Rob's Birthday.

Cupcake Collage, originally uploaded by RobisCooking

I custom ordered it from Leda's Bakeshop. They were delicious, but a teeny tiny bit pricey. Of course, we had to snap a few pictures with the oh-so-cute cupcakes.

I have Rob in the palm of my hands... MUHAHAHAHA

And then we decided to play with our food. We came up with this...

and this....

Couldn't stay away

see more puppies

I saw the above image. It made me laugh and irony of it made me feel a little better. I'll stop wallowing and sulking. I promise.

Now, I have some catching up to do.

All about nothing

It's been brought to my attention that I haven't been blogging as much lately. I'm in the middle of a few projects and have been quite busy. The main reason for the blogging drought is that I have nothing useful to say. I am assessing a few things and the choices that lie before me. Once I figure something out, I'll be sure to share.

Virtual Home Makeover - Living Room

I have not redecorated the pied a terre recently. I have no home projects to post as yet. Between the heat and general malaise, it's been hard for me to find the motivation. Instead, I have been daydreaming about moving to a slightly bigger abode. In honor of my future, more spacious living room here is my inspiration board.

I envisioned the above items for an open floor plan or loft type space. I selected items that were at realistic price points. I wanted a "fantasy" living room, but not necessarily an unattainable fantasy. As evidenced by my inspiration board, I have a fondness for a mid-century modern style. My color palette is comprised of neutrals accented by pops of color. The walls would be painted a blue gray that is similar to the color of the walls in our current pied a terre. I would probably incorporate vases with fresh flowers and live plants for additional color. Originally, I had included a bookshelf for books and tchotchkes, but decided against it for a cleaner "less is more" approach. I felt as though a simpler look would be better for entertaining. I went with the idea that a blank canvas would allow us to dress the place up or down accordingly. Although the furniture looks uncomfortable, it is not. I have taken some of these pieces for a test drive. They are surprisingly very comfortable and very easy to maintain. Scotchguard and washable throw covers are your friends. Another thing to note is that if we were to buy the wood items shown (the bar and TV stand), we would buy them in matching wood colors. Sadly, I couldn't find photos where the wood was of the same shade.

Next up on the Virtual Home Makeover - Bedroom

More visions from Rob's Bistro

This post is for LeeAnn who asked me to post more of Rob's cooking. Her request reminded me that I have been remiss in crediting my hubby for his culinary skills. Here are some photos of some meals he has prepared over the last month. Our meals DO NOT always look like this. I do not always eat everything on my plate. Sadly, I think Rob forgets that I am a small Filipino woman that doesn't need to eat THAT MUCH food. I have been working out, but I do not have the caloric needs of Michael Phelps.

Anyways... on with the show!

French Toast topped with Yogurt, Berries, and Granola served with Canadian Maple Syrup and Abuelita Mexican Chocolate Dip

(Thankfully, I was at the gym when the breakfast was served. I can't have this big of a breakfast)

Seared Albacore Tuna with Brown Rice and Mixed Green Salad

Cheese Tortellini with Artichokes, Peppers and Prosciutto

Tapas - Manchego Cheese with Spanish Chorizo, Marinated Mushrooms, Olives, Sundried Tomato and Artichocke Dip, and Crostini

Mushroom and Spinach Ravioli topped with fresh Sage from my herb garden

Broiled Chicken with Sun dried Tomato and Artichoke Topping, Grilled Artichoke, and Rice Pilaf

Shrimp Scampi with Bow-tie Pasta and Sun dried Tomatoes

Sad Dottie watches us from the living room.
She gets exiled from the kitchen whenever Rob cooks.
Don't feel too bad for her. She usually gets her own treats cooked for her.

Looking at all this pictures has made me full. I think I'm going to have crackers and fruit for dinner;)