Cato

Just some new pics of Cato. He is quite a good model.

And he likes to eat bamboo leaves.

Festive

I took this shot on Christmas Eve Day. Thanks, Mom for the beautiful centerpiece. We hung our wedding painting next to the tree.

It was a very quiet Christmas Day. Just Mark and me. Opened a few gifts (Yay, I finally have an IPod!). I cooked, and then we ate!

Hope your Christmas was wonderful!

LA Is Not That Bad

A little while ago my good friend Amy told me that I had better stop badmouthing LA or she may never want to visit. And I thought,"Oh, yeah. And I do so very much want my friends to come visit!" Seriously, you are welcome anytime. I have a real nice air mattress, and I make killer vegan oat-walnut pancakes.

So here is a list of the good things about LA and Burbank. (Burbank is not officially a part of the City of Los Angeles):

1. Beautiful weather, of course.

2. Flowers bloom year round.

3. You see many, many gorgeous models and famous actors.

4. Stunningly beautiful wilderness and hiking.

5. Griffith Park is right next door. The largest municipal park in the country. There is horseback riding, hidden flower gardens, and picnicking.

6. The Pacific Ocean.

7. Many wonderful restaurants to choose from with any type of food you could think of. Peruvian, Oaxacan, Ethiopian, Korean, Vietnamese, Greek, Armenian, Thai, Indian, Tibetan, Moroccan, etc.

8. Great comedy clubs: Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, the Improv, etc.

9. Transvestites.

10. Huge fancy theatres.

11. Short drive to Vegas, Big Sur, skiing, camping, & mountains.

12. Whatever you are into, anything at all, you will find a club or group dedicated to it.

13. Mulholland Drive.

14. You could go to tapings of The Price is Right, Ellen, or Jay Leno. Ellen and
Leno are walking distance from my apt. "Come on down!"

Well, That's off the top of my head.

I hope that makes you want to come visit!

New Year's Resolution

I don't think I have ever really made an official New Year's Resolution before. I have always thought that life changes should happen when they need to happen. But mostly coincidentally, I have decided to make some changes that I will make permanent.

1. Be Happy.

2. Become a Yogi.

3. Make Friends.

Number one seems very simple. Being happy is a choice. I choose to be happy. No longer will I let hormones, society, or jealousies affect my choice to be happy. Anyone who reads this blog knows first hand that I succumb to depression and lonliness way too often. I hope that I did not bring anyone down with those posts. If I did, then you choose happiness too!
I know that I will have moments when the stress or sadness will creep in. I resolve to study exactly why those feeling are knocking, and hopefully learn something from letting them go.

Number two is related to number one because I plan to use yoga as part of my process for achieving happiness. I joined City Yoga a couple weeks ago and have been going almost every day. I have always wanted to follow some physical discipline like ballet, martial arts, or yoga. Yoga was a good choice for me because I find the spiritual aspect just as challenging and inspiring as the body aspect. (It's freakin' hard). I find that practicing yoga combines the spiritual, mental and physical aspects just right. It has been very rewarding. I already feel a lifting of spirit!

And I think number three is related to one and two. I could go on and on about my lack of friend-making abilities. Christy once told me that when we were in 8th grade, people used to ask her,"Why are you friends with Joy? She's so scary." Yes, I was a bitter, angry, scared person. Probably necessary for being an artist, but not good for attracting friends. When I think back to all the friends I have had since high school, I notice that it was the other person who invited me along, and for some reason kept doing so. Maybe I never learned how to actively be a friend first. I notice that it would take me a long time to open up to someone. What am I afraid of? What's the worst that could happen. It doesn't help that I usually work alone all day, and all my spare time is spent at my easel. I would welcome any advice you might have in this department. I feel I need it.

So Happy New Year! I hope that there is a positive change for you and for the rest of the world. Be the positive change you want to see in the world!

Home Again

Friday, Mark, Cato, Clouseau and I were allowed back into our apartment. The kitties sang to me the whole way home in the car. Everything is fine. Got our Christmas tree and decorated it. Yay!

The only problem was that nobody (ahem, the landlord) had the gas turned back on. No heat, stove, or shower. Boo.

I was not going to let that get me down! We had a fabulous time hanging out and eating bagels and coffee with our wonderful downstairs neighbor, Tom. Yay!

Here is a pic of the cool motel we stayed in. Oops, I mean, the motel in which we stayed. Cato on the bed, perfectly calm, and Clouseau wedged in between the headboard and wall, where he hid most of the time. Also, Cato took some time to study the artwork in the motel room. And here is a pic of our apartment building tented. I drove by to see it that day. I thought it was weird how nobody parked in front of the building. I guess people are still afraid because 4 years ago a building exploded when they fumigated. Eek.

It feels so good to be home again. The kitties are happy! I appreciate a shower so much more than before, and we are ready for Christmas!

Christmas Cheer

Mark, Cato, Clouseau, and I are in a motel room for 3 days because our apartment building is being filled with highly toxic gas in an attempt to kill termites, and any other living thing that has the misfortune of being there. I have to say that I do not like the idea that everything we own is going to be permeated by this toxic gas. The 'bug guys', as we like to call them, told us that there is no danger, that the gas evaporates completely from everything. But make absolutely sure you double bag and securely tie all food in these special bags. And baby mattresses especially. Okay, what about adult matresses? Not them? I don't feel confident.

So after days of bagging all food in the fridge and cabinets(and pillows), we are all at the Safari Inn. Clouseau spent most of the day wedged in between the bed and the wall. Cato is fine, of course. I am a little stressed because the motel has a policy that pets are not allowed to be left unattended. So I have been in the motel room most of the day. Not too bad. Watched Law and Order reruns on TNT.

Until today, though, I have not been feeling any good Christmas spirit. Mostly because 5 days before Christmas we have been kicked out of our apartment, having poison gas sprayed on all our stuff, and staying in a motel room. And no Christmas tree.

I usually run around all day, with no spare time. So, with all this time on my hands, I decided to send a little 'Happy Holiday' note to everyone on my email list, make a few phone calls, and balance my checkbook. When I checked my email later, I had received so many sweet responses to my little e-note that I was struck with a burst of Christmas Spirit. Thank you everyone! I was actually going to post today about how I needed help getting into the spirit, but now I don't need to. Don't get me wrong , I still long to hear from you with anything you could say.

Mark and I are planning on decorating our tree this weekend, listening to Christmas music, do some last minute shopping (which I actually love, as long as a mall is not involved), and I am going to make all our favorite foods! Yeah, Christmas Spirit!

Friends

I miss my friends.

I miss my high school friends. I miss seeing you everyday in class, eating lunch in the cafeteria, going to the movies, cruising around in station wagons and Escorts. I miss the endless amount of time available to hang out and do nothing but talk and laugh. I miss feeling like I can take a ride over to your house and stay a while in the easy, fun, and accepting warmth of your friendship.

I miss Kitty and the hours spent in her amazing garden, learning about flowers and martinis. I miss pesto-fests on soft, warm evenings with the ladies from Pearl Paint gathering on the full moon.

I miss painting and drinking with the best artists in New Haven every Friday night.

I miss dancing and playing Cranium with Sherie and the most interesting, creative folks in CT. I took for granted how easy it was to find you and enjoy your company.

Thanks to all my friends! I treasure you. I am better for knowing you.

Sketch Class

This is Gina, another great model I had the privelege of studying the other week before
I contracted the plague.

Wedding Painting

I asked my good friend Ted Tihansky to paint Mark and I as we got married. He set up and painted as the ceremony was happening. It was something Mark and I always new we wanted. And the result is absolutely Ted, and does convey the beautiful light and magic of the day. We have something that is so unique, is so sentimentally valuable and precious, and will be historically valuable someday. Something we can pass down. It is an immense gift and treasure for us.

Thank you so much Ted!

New Haircut

While convalescing, I had some time to contemplate a new haircut. I have an appointment on Tuesday. Let me know which one you like.

Flu

Last Friday I started feeling a little dryness in the back of my throat. Little did I know that it was the first sign of the horrifying battle to be unleashed on my immune system. The same immune system that I once thought to be super-human and worthy of scientific study. The same one that kept me from contracting every childhood disease and sickness, even when my sister had it and we slept in the same bunk as children.

Don't get me wrong, every 2 years or so, I have had colds that usually last a few days. This is the first time since I was 10 that I have had the FLU. I have had a week to ponder the diabolical nature of the virus. They are fascinating and from the devil, I am sure of it.

So I apologize for not posting this past week. I was horizontal for most of it. I watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, plus all bonus material, A Room With A View, and Return of the Jedi. I took about 90 pictures of the cats, and drank many kegs of tea.

Now poor Mark has it. We share everything.

House Hunters

Back in the days when I had cable and spare time, I loved to watch House Hunters on HGTV. You get to follow someone as they look at house after house for one they like enough and can afford. Then at the end of the show the suspenseful phone call from the real estate agent telling them if their bid was accepted. You know that they are real people and not actors by the way they 'pretend' they are talking on the phone. And I love to see how the agents try to describe a gaping hole in the ceiling as an opportunity to put in skylights.

It's also exciting to see if the house hunters pick the house you like. Ooh, or are they going for the condo? Noooo! Go for the cute bungalow!! It had leaded glass windows and built in bookshelves! What's the matter with you?
How could you pass up that ultra-cool mid century mod architectural gem? Just because it didn't have a pool? Wah?
Oh, no, their offer was rejected!

Well, it's big drama, as you could imagine. So yesterday, after Mark and I went to the laundromat, we passed an open house sign for these new condos that are almost done. We were in just the right adventurous mood, so we thought 'why not?'. Now, we are not planning to buy anything right now. We just bought a couch. That's a big enough investment. We were just curious.

We asked to see the 2 bedroom sample unit. The salesman, nor any of the literature stated the square footage of the units, but they were pretty small. A tiny kitchen, tiny kitchen nook, tiny living room, and 2 tiny bedrooms. Our apartment is bigger. They had it decorated beautifully, with Bette Davis artsy photos, and Old Hollywood 40's themes. Half a million dollars and it could be yours!
It was fun pretending that we had a half a million dollars, and that the place was nice, but 'just too small for our needs'.

So we decided to drive around the neighborhood, and saw another open house. This time it was an actual house. A very cute house on a nice little quiet street. We would have loved this house. It had a lemon tree, orange tree, and a flagstone terrace in the back with a two car garage. A washer and dryer, and something rarely seen in LA, a refrigerator. Ooooohh. Four bedrooms, and a huge living/dining room area. The kitchen needs major updating. (The dishasher had fake wood veneer on the door.) Something must have been structurally wrong with it because it was listed at only $700,000. Or maybe the market is dropping. The agent there asked if we had been pre-aproved and if it was in our price range. We just said,'well, just a smidge over our price range'. Ha-ha!

A little while ago this experience would have made me sad. I would walk around staring longingly at houses, with tears in my eyes, telling myself,'we will never have a house.' But I decided that I think anything is possible. We can have a house. We deserve a house.

Not that I think starting a life and a family in an apartment is so bad. Millions do in New York. I like our apartment, love the neighbors, love the neighborhood. I just hate the idea of giving our weird landlord money every month, and getting no return.

What's your opinion? Is an apartment okay to raise a child? I grew up in apartments and condos, and I turned out pretty well.

Sunday Morning

A couple of Sundays ago, I went out painting in the morning. It was about 7:30am. I went into Priscilla's to get a cup of coffee, and I heard this rumbling and felt a shaking. 'Earthquake' of course was first to mind, since the only other one I ever experienced was also on a Sunday morning. I looked around and nobody else was freaking out, so I couldn't think, 'what could this racket be?'

Of course, a huge pack of motorcycles! Not just your everyday kind. No the kind that makes a sound that sets of car alarms and frightens animals. I found out later that they were all going to a charitable function of some sort, but I still couldn't believe the noise I heard at 7:30 on a Sunday morning!

Luckily, I had a camera handy. I think the rider in the closeup looks like my Dad.

Wedding Photos

Here is a tease for the professional photos of the wedding, which will be available soon for viewing! The photographers, Nikki and Esra, were so amazing. It was fate that Mark and I would be so very lucky to get them! Nikki lived downstairs from us for a while, and her brother, Josh, is still our neighbor. She is such a talented artist!

There are so many truly astounding, magical pictures. I can't wait to share them.

New Couch

Here is the new couch. I was able to get a shot while all the cat-claw protective blankets were off of it. It is so wonderful, with down cushions. It has put everyone who has sat on it to sleep within 20 minutes.

House on Haunted Hill

Friday, after our friend Marc recovered from food poisoning, we went out to see some famous Hollywood landmarks, specifically, the Nightmare on Elm St. House, and the House on Haunted Hill House. It is one of Mark and Marc's favorite movies, and it was a thrill to see the house in person. (The pictures here are of the Haunted Hill House.)

We zig-zagged up these windy, steep, narrow roads, hoping and wondering if the house was visible from the road. Well it couldn't have been any more visible! I believe it is a Frank Lloyd Wright creation. It is in terrible condition, and it lost it's Northside retaining wall in an earthquake. There is a fund started to try to save it. Even if it wasn't in a movie, it is a very interesting structure on it's own.

Then we went home to eat more Thanksgiving food.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was really small and intimate this year. Mark's best friend, Marc, came out from Arizona to stay for a few days. To celebrate we went out to PF Changs Wednesday night to eat and give Marc food poisoning. Yes, food poisoning. Poor Marc. He was horizontal most of Thanksgiving Day. It was mild, but that's bad enough.

After 8 hours of cooking, baking, roasting, the feasting began. And, of course every lunch and dinner since has been turkey dinner leftovers. The menu: turkey, gravy, cheddar and sage mashed potatoes, herbed bread stuffing, orange cranberry relish, green bean casserole (from scratch), and rosemary cornbread . Wine was a 2003 La Crema pinot noir. For dessert, blueberry pie and cherry pie with vanilla ice cream (Ben and Jerry's), and some Merlot.

We were asleep very soon after dinner.

Luckily Marc was all better Friday, so we were able to get out of the house for some more fun. Will tell you all about that next post.

The Celebrating Has Begun!

Last night my neighbors Tom and Ben, along with Tom's sister Sarah threw a pre T-day party. It was amazing and all-out with everything you'd expect from a Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatos, green bean casserole, sweet poatoes with marshmallows, dinner rolls, salad, pecan pie pumpkin pie, cupcakes and cookies. Yeah, I know.

Most of all my neighbors were there(group picture). In the group pic we have : top row, left to right: Ben, Rich, Sarah, Tanjareen, Tom, and Mark. Bottom row, L to R, is: Moira, Josh, Veronica and me. Everyone is fun, oh so good-looking and creative, and everyone is an awesome person. Mark and I feel so blessed!

Rich, Moira, and Tanjareen are all actors. Josh and Veronica both work in production for movies, TV, etc. And Tom is a very talented singer/musician/songwriter. And I know Ben is a very talented musician too! The pic of the two handsome men is Tom and Ben, who are also responsible for the incredible decorating. We had a blast! And the food was so yummy!

Christmas Painting

Family Guy is holding a winter themed painting auction to benefit charity, and they let me submit a painting. It is due tomorrow, so I had to do something quick. This was a composition I stole directly from my plum painting I did a couple of weeks ago. Painting it really got me into the Christmas spirit. "It's Beginning to Look Alot like Christmas" kept rolling around in my head as I was painting it.

Sketch Class

I had the pleasure of drawing Amy Wednesday night. She was so lovely, and had that kind of perfectly smooth skin that seems unearthly. And she gave off that energy that I can't describe, but just makes for a wonderful session between model and artist.

You can't really get a sense from the drawing, but Amy was costumed in a great flapper-esque getup. A sparkly cap, silk kimono, and peacock green eyeshadow, exagerated lipstick, and cat-eye eyeliner. Beautiful and moody.

It's Good to Come Home

This was the scene that welcomed me the other day when I arrived home. It made me stop and smile and think how lucky I am.
Also, notice the couch. It will be gone soon. Friday, a new, a really brand new couch, an actual grown up couch is coming! Goodbye to the IKEA clearance special that has served us well, and has served as the world's biggest scratching post.

New painting

I have been very lazy lately with the outdoor studies. But here is one I was able to squeeze out after I almost gave up and wiped out my first painting attempt.

I posted more things you haven't seen on my painting blog.

Kitties

I felt it was time for a kitty update. I wanted to carch the kitties by the window with the fall color behind them.

And then I came across Clouseau in his usual sleeping position of shocking cuteness.

Notice the couch. That revenge was executed while we were away for what was, I guess, too long of a time. Now the search for a new slipcover.

All Dressed Up

Christy asked what I wore to the Family Guy party, so I thought I would share a few more pics from the evening.
I wore all black (big surprise there). Nice black pants, my new comfy black strappy shoes (which I actually wore for 3 straight hours), and a sparkly halter top. It was warm, so I didn't need a sweater, which I ended up carying around all night.
Mark looked so handsome in nice jeans, a blue button down, and a new jacket in a microseude kinda material.
I regret that we don't have a picture of the two of us together, but I bet someone Mark works with took one.

When You Are Married to a Celebrity...

Last night Mark and I went to the Family Guy "What the Deuce are You Staring At?" Art Show and DVD release party extravaganza at the Museum of Television and Radio. It was amazing! I love the huge martini glasses with limes for olives on all the tables! There were musicians who were playing the Family Guy tune and assorted heavy metal in classical instruments! Hors d'oeuvres were noodles in little take out containers with chopsticks, grilled cheese and fig sandwiches, red velvet cupcakes, shrimp thingies on artichoke leaves, and mini hamburgers. Two bars with great wine, killer gimlets, and signature Family Guy drinks like 'Toilet Water', which was gin, blue Curacao, and lemon twist. Plus there were larger than life Brian and Stewie walking around!
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But the Big Deal was the artists! Fox invited a select group of artists to paint a picture inspired by Family Guy. This show of paintings will travel the world, including New York, Australia, and even Arizona!
Mark was interviewed by all the paparazzi on the 'carpet' outside the museum. And had his picture taken by his painting, which depicts Stewie in his crib dreaming that he has killed Lois in a gladiatorial match.
It was the coolest thing! I have always known that Mark is the best artist in the world, and deserves credit for that. It felt good to see him get some recognition. I think I could get used to be married to a celebrity!