My Real Life Adventure!

Pink Hair

2011-06-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

I finally did it! I dyed my hair pink. I have been thinking about it for a few years now, but I've never been actually done it because of my job. I didn't think the partners at my firm would be thrilled if I showed up at work with pink hair. And so - the even bigger news - I left my job! And the day after I left, I dyed my hair. So much fun. I feel like I'm at the beginning of a new life adventure. I am starting my own practice and spending more time with Colette. It's a great day.

Jessica O.

Happy Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

My first mother's day was so nice! I received such an outpouring of cards, calls, texts and emails to say happy mother's day. It caught me by surprise, but it made the day special to know that so many people were thinking of me. Matt made me the most wonderful video that includes videos and photos from my pregnancy all the way through now set to music. It made me cry to watch it and think that he made such a thoughtful gift for me. Alisha also made me a wonderful video with pictures she's taken of Colette. I cried watching this too! What a day! I posted Alisha's video below.

I hope you had a great day too.

Jessica O.

Weekend

2011-04-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend was both great and difficult at the same time. It was great because we spent time Saturday on a big beach towel in our lovely front yard on our lovely street. The weather was perfect, Colette was amazed with looking up at the sky and the trees and Odin was happy to be out with the family. Matt and I read and enjoyed the time together. Sunday family time was even better. We walked to the beach, and I put Colette's feet in the sand for the first time. She and I were both wearing hats, and she thought it was funny when the hats would touch. So cute. And the weekend was hard because we started teaching Colette to fall asleep on her own. We are doing what I think of as the gentle version of sleep training - when she cries, we pick her up. But when she stops, we put her back down. This is really difficult for her because we have bounced her to sleep since she was born. And difficult for me to hear her cry so much. I just love her so dearly and I never want her to be so sad or frustrated. But this is life! And I know that this is better for her and us in the long run. We can't keep going on forever without sleep.

Jessica O.

Baby Love & Fun with Friends

2011-04-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

Since I've been back to work (about two weeks now), life has been busy! So I wanted to share this recent photo of Colette - right after she flipped from her back to her belly for the first time, this video of Colette's new bath that goes on the sink (and saves tons of water) and this photo from our trip to the Dodger game. We went with our friends Jen and Peter last Friday and had a blast. Hope you are having a great weekend.

Jessica O.

Last Days of Summer

2011-03-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

I had to laugh at myself this morning. I realized I had been wearing my sweatpants backwards and my tank top was only over one shoulder. Wow, I thought. Who is this woman? That may have been rock bottom for me in terms of keeping it together, but it was funny.

I'm going back to work next week, which is making these days feel like the last days of summer. It's the feeling of still being on vacation but knowing it's about to end. So I'm still trying to enjoy my time with Colette, but there's a lot to do before I go back. First and foremost, we are still looking for a nanny. We are also unpacking and settling into our new neighborhood. On the fun side, Erin comes to visit tomorrow. I can't wait to see her. We are going to have a girls' night out in West Hollywood since I was pregnant when we celebrated her 21st birthday in Vegas.

Have a great weekend.

Jessica O.

A Little of This, A Little of That

2011-03-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

Our move on Saturday went well, and we are slowly getting settled in our new house. It is so nice! It feels like we have a ton of space and it's really great that Colette has her own room. I have been feeling a little homesick, which sounds funny because we just moved across town, but it's true. I'm okay with feeling a little sad. I think it's because it feels like I'm beginning a new era in life. On Friday night at the old apartment, Matt and I had a drink and a toast on the balcony looking out at the Hollywood Hills. We agreed that this move felt like the end of one period in our lives and the beginning of another. So change is hard. I have always liked change (this is the fifth home we've had since we moved to LA about six years ago), but it's still hard sometimes.

On a brighter note, Colette is getting so big! Sometimes I look at her, and I just can't believe it. Today is the first day she started reaching for things. Matt's face this morning in bed, her toy today while playing on the floor and the chair I was sitting on while we nursed. It is too cool to see her growing and developing - each day has a new highlight.

I read an article on Oprah.com this morning about being busy. (Click here to read it.) It said that being "busy" is a state of mind. Really another article about mindfulness. It said that during times when there's a lot to do, it's the way you do these things that matters. I really like that concept, especially now when our house is like an insane asylum and it's hard for me to get a moment to do anything about it. The old me (before Hoffman, which I will, dear friend, write more about soon) would have been so stressed about the state of our house and sacrificing everything, sleep, time with the baby, etc., to get it in order. The new me is practicing every day to do one thing at a time to, to focus on what I'm doing and most importantly, to prioritize what's important to me in life (i.e. time with Colette is much more important than getting another box put away). It is so much more relaxing than racing around thinking about what needs to be done next as I frantically try to get as much done as possible. Now this isn't easy for me, but I'm getting better every day. And I like it.

Jessica O.

Moving Day

2011-03-12T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today is the day. We are moving from LA to Hermosa Beach. I am mostly excited and a little sad. The sadness is in part because we have loved living in this neighborhood so much. We walk everywhere - Trader Joe's, into the neighborhood for walks with the dog (and now baby too), to the Grove for dinner at the Farmers Market, Whole Foods, around the Palazzo for a change of pace on the walk, to the Coffee Bean for early morning coffee, around the corner to pick up tailoring and drycleaning. We have gotten the most out of living near all of the restaurants, shops and clubs in West Hollywood and Hollywood. There's also our beloved Golden Bridge Yoga and the fact that we really are right in the middle of LA. Really we have so enjoyed this neighborhood. The sadness is also because Colette was born in our apartment. And it was such a great experience. So in honor of this new beginning of this new adventure, I am posting the story of Colette's birth. I wrote this over a few months after she was born for her baby book. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Cheers to this new phase in life!

Jessica O.

The Story of Colette’s Birth

We had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new baby for weeks. Davi, our fabulous midwife, had told me that I would probably go past my due date. So I had gotten into the mode of enjoying each day that I had off of work: meeting friends for lunches, relaxing in our apartment, and getting things done before the baby came. On Saturday, December 11th, we went to our friends' Jen and Steve's house for a Christmas party. No one could believe that I was due in four days. I felt good and Matt and I sat together outside by the fire talking to other people who were there. We had an amazing meal at a beautifully decorated table with great conversation. We got home at 11 that night and went to bed. I woke up at 1:30 and went to the bathroom. My panties were wet and I thought my water had broken. I changed them and they got wet again. I knew the baby was coming! I was shaking - both nervous and excited. Matt called Davi and she said we should go back to bed, or, if we couldn't, we should drink a glass of wine and go back to bed. I couldn't sleep. I lay there for over an hour until I finally woke Matt up and we went out to the table to have a glass of wine together. This was my first glass of wine in almost 9 months, and I got a little buzz and went right to sleep. We woke up around 8am. We were supposed to have an open house at 12 to rent one of the units at Grafton Street, so Matt went over to open the house and leave the rental applications. I sent out a few emails (one to a friend to cancel lunch the next day and one to tell a potential tenant that I wouldn't be there since I was having a baby that day!). Throughout the night and the early morning, I was feeling light contractions, but nothing that stopped me from cleaning up, moving around, writing emails and making calls. I called my mom and dad to tell them I was going to have the baby soon. They were bursting with excitement. All during this time, my mind was getting fuzzier and fuzzier. Over the course of the day, it got harder to think - to use my intellect. I think this was my body slowly closing out the outside world to gear up for the birth.

Matt got home around 11am, and I was definitely feeling the contractions. It was getting harder for me to concentrate on doing things around the house or talking to people. We went for walks and I especially liked pacing back and forth in our house. I was listening to my hypnobabies CDs on the ipod and talking to the baby, telling him/her that we were going to go through this together and that I would be there the whole time. Matt was timing the contractions and they were getting closer and closer together. I was focused on trying to minimize the discomfort, and walking felt best.

Ofelia, our doula, and Davi came over at 2pm. We waited as long as possible to call them because I was really enjoying the time with Matt. Davi was dressed up (in her usual eastern-looking clothing) and I told her how lovely she looked for the birth of our baby. Davi checked me and said that I wasn't even in active labor! I was so surprised. I had been feeling like I could handle labor (although it already felt intense) but this meant I wasn't even close. Davi said she wanted me to focus on my body opening up - my cervix opening for the baby to come through. This became my mantra during the contractions - "open, open, open..." Ofelia was by my side for the next few hours. I lay on the couch while she massaged my legs; she, Matt and I went for a walk outside; I sat on an exercise ball in the shower with hot water pouring down on me; we took a walk around our floor of the apartment complex; I sat on the toilet and I got back into the shower. All the while the contractions were increasing in intensity. The craziest part was that in between contractions, I was just fine, as if nothing had happened. But Ofelia was constantly reminding me to relax in between. I was breathing heavily and keeping my body tensed up with the memory of the contraction. She kept reminding me to stay relaxed and to take a deep breath and relax in between. When the next contraction would start, I would tell Ofelia or Matt it was beginning and then go inside myself. I’d go so completely inside so that I could stay on top of the wave (as Davi was constantly reminding me). And it felt exactly like a wave. A bigger and bigger wave as time went on, but a wave nonetheless. The sensation begins, and increases and increases until it peaks, and then subsides. Sometimes it felt like the next one would come right away and sometimes it felt like I would have long periods in between. And all the while (when possible) I was talking to the baby - telling the baby, that I was here and that we were doing this together. I was here for it. There were times when I was so very tired that I wondered how I could possibly go on. It was a deep exhaustion that I have never felt. But then I would think that I could, or Ofelia would remind me how strong I was. I would go on and I would forget about being so tired.

Finally Matt started putting up the pool in our bedroom at the foot of the bed. At some point, Ofelia called Davi and asked her to come back earlier than she had planned. At one point, I remember laying at the foot of the bed with Matt spooning me. We were alone in the room and it was really nice to have him there. I felt like I wanted to tell him that, to thank him, but I couldn't really say what I wanted to. Maybe I felt like I couldn't break my concentration or I couldn't use the energy to put it into words. And then someone suggested I get into the pool. It was the most perfect, wonderful thing ever. So nice and warm and really helped me to relax even more. I was hanging on the side and Matt was sitting on the outside. Our heads were side by side. I would tell him when a contraction started and he was there, peacefully, by my side. I put my head down and put everything - all of my human effort- into staying on top of the wave…into remembering that I was stronger than the wave and that it wasn't hurting me. It was only getting my body ready for the baby to come out. It seemed like Davi was there to remind me of this right when my confidence was faltering.

And SUDDENLY, I had the overwhelming, absolute need to push. It possessed me. And I shouted out, "I feel like I need to push!" And Davi, Matt and Ofelia said "Do it!" And I started to push. Wow! So intense. So unbearable at times. All I could think about was getting the baby out. No matter what. At one point, Matt and Ofelia were each holding one of my legs from outside the pool. The second time my low gutteral pushing noise became a scream, Davi said "Jessica, that is not productive. It's not helping you push the baby out." This brought me back to myself. She also told me to push against the contraction, to push even harder than I felt the contraction. This concept really helped. I also started to think the baby was stuck - like it was taking so long and the baby wasn't coming out. I told Davi and she had me reach down and feel the head between my legs. What a weird feeling! I could feel my soft body parts on the side and a hard head in between. Then I knew the baby was coming.

For some reason, Davi told me I needed to get out of the pool and onto the bed. I still haven't asked her why, but when she said this, I said I couldn't, it was impossible. She said "No, you are going to get up and get out of the pool after the next contraction." And somehow, I listened to her and did it. She was such an amazing guide. She was always understanding but firm when I needed it. So I got onto the bed and tried to push once on my hands and knees, but I didn't have enough traction for the pushing. I turned around onto my back but I was propped up with lots of pillows behind me. Ofelia and Matt took one leg and I kept pushing. I remember seeing the head coming out and thinking that my body parts didn't seem like mine at all. It was so surreal. Suddenly the head popped out. And I pushed again and the shoulders popped out. And Davi said "Reach down and pull your baby out!" And I did. I would have done anything in the world at that point to get the baby out. Anything! I pulled her right out and up onto my chest. Matt and I were so overwhelmed with joy. We were crying and touching the baby. And then the baby let out the tiniest little cry. It was so precious and Matt and I laughed with joy. It's a sound I hope I will never forget. Someone covered the baby and me with blankets. It seemed like some time passed until I remembered we didn't know if it was a boy or a girl. So I asked. Davi said that we should look and see at the same time that Ofelia whispered that it was a girl. We opened the legs and sure enough! It was a girl! Literally one of the biggest surprises of my life. I had been so sure it was a boy, I just couldn't believe it. The next bit of time was a blur, but Matt was right there holding us - we were all holding each other and we were loving the baby. She was so perfect and right there with us. What joy! What an amazing journey it had been! After a while, I felt like I needed to push again and I pushed the placenta out. That wasn't really hard, but it was a relief. More time on the bed snuggling and loving on the baby and each other. Matt and I kissed a lot. So sweet. Such a joyous time. The pink lights in our bedroom were perfect for enjoying this time. Soft and sweet. At some point, Jo, Davi's assistant, had arrived to help. After a long while, Davi showed us that the cord had stopped pulsing. The placenta was in a bowl which Davi brought around to the side, and we both felt the cord. It felt almost like a hose - really strong. Matt cut it and the baby was officially part of our world!

After that, I had to have stitches, which was so very painful. It turns out the baby came out with one fist at her cheek and one under her chin, which made for a lot of stitches. They couldn't figure out where I was bleeding. The baby was on my chest the whole time and Matt was right at my face helping me through it. I also had an IV since I had lost a lot of blood.

After more time together, they weighed and measured the baby. Everything about this time was so nice. Davi didn't do anything without asking us whether it was okay (even things like the vitamin K that we had agreed upon in advance). I loved seeing the baby get weighed with Davi's scale. They put the baby in a little cloth, which was attached to a device that could tell her weight. Davi asked Matt to hold the device so she could see the weight.

By 3am or so, everyone left and we were alone with the baby. We took turns having her sleep on our chest. I knew I should be tired, but I felt so wide awake. She was so little and precious. We still hadn't decided on her name (we didn't until the end of the next day, Monday, the 13th). We talked about that and all about the birth. How amazing it was and what Matt and I each experienced.

Overall, I feel like giving birth in our home was really one of the most amazing experiences of my life. My most special memories are of the quiet whisperings of Matt and the women who were here helping me. Everyone supported me in every way possible, gave me the strength and confidence to keep going. It was a special experience between my baby and me - ultimately it was something that only the two of us fully experienced together. There was also a certain curiosity of the whole thing because I had no idea what was coming next, even between the birthing waves. When would it return? How would it feel? When would the baby arrive? Everything was so foreign and new, which made it easy to be in the present moment. I am eternally grateful for all of the help I received and that I had a healthy baby. The fact that she was born in the loving space of our home was a beautiful bonus. I wish that all women could have the gentle birth experience that I did. I have never felt so grateful or so empowered.

I'm Back!

2011-03-10T10:37:00.001-08:00

My dad wrote the other day to say that he was going to watch The Cove and that I hadn't written in my blog in a long time. A total understatement! Almost a year to be exact. And wow! So much has happened. I don't even know where to begin. Most importantly, around the time of my last post, I found out I was pregnant. And now we have a beautiful baby girl, Colette! She was born at home (yes, in our apartment) in December. I will write more on that later, but it was one of the most amazing experiences ever.

Last July, I attended the Hoffman Institute (also more on that to come). And this weekend we are moving to Hermosa Beach. These are the highlights that come to mind for the past year. Each of these experiences has been or will be (for the move) life changing. I have so much to write. I am also starting back to work on March 24th, which I'm both looking forward to and dreading. I've decided to give it five weeks to see how things are being back. If it doesn't work out, I'm going to start my own corporate practice. So, with all of that, I am going to post some pictures of the baby and let you know - I'm writing again. Hope you are well. I'm looking forward to reconnecting.

Jessica O.

The Cove & The LA Marathon

2010-04-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

Matt and I watched the most amazing movie the other night – The Cove, which won best documentary at the Oscars this year. I cried at the end! Out of happiness by the way. And it takes a lot to get me to cry at a movie. It was so touching, and I would definitely recommend watching it.

Life has been turned upside down. So much is going on! I haven’t been feeling well, which is why I haven’t written in a while, but Matt and I are otherwise doing well. Matt has had several interviews and is working hard to find a great job. The biggest news I have is that I’m going to the Hoffman Institute on May 7th! www.hoffmaninstitute.org It’s basically an 8-day retreat in Napa Valley where you look into thoughts and behavior you have that isn’t serving you well. Last year, our life coach recommended that if Matt and I were interested, we should go before we have kids. Apparently it helps you avoid passing your crazy behavior onto your kids. Anyway, we decided that it’s now or never so I’m going in May and Matt is going in June. I am super-excited for the opportunity to do something like this.

A few weeks ago, Matt and I ran a mile of the LA marathon. What a trip! We did this with an organization called Sunshine Kids, which holds fun, confidence-building events for kids with cancer. Each kid gets to run/walk a mile of the 26 miles of the marathon with a torch, their family and at least one volunteer. It was so cool to see these kids take part in the marathon. The other thing I couldn’t believe is how many people are there running! It warmed my heart to see people of all ages, races, shapes and sizes doing such hard-core exercise. Especially when you see and hear about so many people who don’t take care of themselves. I loved being there. The route this year was also fab. It went from downtown LA, through West Hollywood, Hollywood, Beverly Hills (down Rodeo Drive) and then out to the pier at Santa Monica beach. Our mile was #10, which was right in the heart of Hollywood. I told Carla, the girl I was running with, that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get to run down Hollywood Boulevard in the middle of the day.

Last but not least, I am dying to read a good novel, and I would love your suggestions. Old or new, obscure or popular – I’m open to anything you recommend. Hope you are having a great day.

Jessica O.

2010-03-10T22:11:00.000-08:00

Things are really looking up lately. So nice!

First and foremost, I finished 60 days of yoga on March 1st. We went to our 60th class and Matt and I were the only ones there! I told our teacher that we were celebrating the 60th day, which was even more fun. And I've been keeping it up. I can't tell you how good I feel when I leave the studio. I feel so good, I drag myself out of bed at 6:20 to go to class and we spend either a morning or an afternoon at the studio (usually) both Saturday and Sunday. I love it, and I feel like it has become an integral part of my life.

Another thing that is so great is that Matt and I are working on paying off all of our debt (well, all but the investment property which is currently paying for itself). But when I say all of our debt, I mean everything. Including our student loans that started at around $140,000, our prius (lease) and credit cards. And we will be no longer leasing a car. In December when our lease is up, we are going to buy whatever car we can afford - hopefully the prius, but we'll see what we have saved. We have actually paid everything off except for the loans, but we are working on my private loan right now.

And this is such a different way of thinking about money. My way, and what seems to be the American way, has been thinking about whether or not we can afford the monthly payment. The new way is thinking about whether we have the cash to buy the thing or not. So different.

And can I also tell you, I love spending cash! Before this, I put everything I spent on a credit card. At first using cash was difficult because it's a lot harder to turn over two $20 bills than it is to give your credit card, but can I tell you that I appreciate every single thing I buy now. I'm not kidding. I know what it took to earn that cash, so I only buy what I really want, and I really appreciate that I have it.

Did I mention we cut up our credit cards? I know this sounds crazy, but we took all of them out of our wallets and cut them up. Here's proof. It was scary to do, but I haven't regretted it once.

Now I know that it's not really socially acceptable to talk about money in public (especially on a blog), but you are my friends and family. I really wanted to share all of this with you because it has made such a drastic change in my life. We have been on this plan for a few months, and I can't tell you how much peace it has given me already. I didn't realize it, but having debt is stressful. The mere thought of one day having no debt and only spending what I choose to each month is so exciting, I almost can't believe it. And I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The lovely light of freedom.

I can't claim that I made all of these major life changes on my own. Matt is totally in on this too, but we were both inspired by reading a book by Dave Ramsay called Total Money Makeover. It's super-easy to ready and full of really great information.

I added this photo because this is how I feel inside. That's all for tonight. Sleep well.

Jessica O.

2010-02-22T15:05:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and family! I’m still here! I have been out of commission for so long because life has been busy. Really busy. Work has picked up, which barely leaves time for making meals and daily yoga. On that note, I have done 53 days of yoga as of today!! It has really been the most fantastic experiment. Matt and I are doing both kundalini and hatha yoga, which is a perfect mix of working out, meditation and spirituality. I definitely plan to keep it up after 60 days are over.

I have also been busy with visitors. My mom was here two weeks ago and my brother and Laura have been here since Friday. It is the best to have family here!

Other than that, life is good. I’ve been feeling so peaceful and centered the last few weeks. A lot less stress, racing thoughts and guilt than I usually have. I think it’s because of the changes in eating, but it must also be the yoga. A few weeks ago Matt and I were taking a walk and I told him that for the first time (maybe in my life!), I find myself thinking that life is really good right now. It’s not that I’ve ever thought I had a bad life, it’s just that I have always wanted more, bigger or better. I am still reaching for those things, but I feel like I am in a place right now where everything is ok just the way it is – even if the situation is not what I would choose if I were given the choice. I have been spending my time how I want to and with the people that I want to, and I’ve been feeling comfortable with who I am. It’s a nice feeling! And I’m just so grateful for everything. Sometimes I get the feeling that I am overflowing with gratitude. So I’m really enjoying the ride for now. Thanks to you for being a part of it.

Jessica O.

Alicia Silverstone rocks!

2010-01-28T13:55:00.000-08:00

I watched Oprah yesterday, which was all about food – where it comes from, what we are eating, and why our food is the way it is. Oprah talked about Food, Inc., a documentary on food in the US, and showed clips from the movie.

Her first guest was Michael Pollan, who wrote the Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food. Both fantastic books. Pollan was also featured on Food, Inc. He gave tips like "eat all the junk food you want as long as you make it yourself" and "don't eat anything that your grandma wouldn't recognize as food." Such simple suggestions but super-helpful for making healthy choices at the grocery store.

Alicia Silverstone was the next guest. She talked about why she became vegan (she loves animals) and about her new book, The Kind Diet. She was so excited to be on the show and talked all about how before she became vegan, she thought giving up animal products meant being subjected to a life of tasteless food. But now she has come to realize that there are so many ways of preparing a wide variety of healthy (and tasty!) dishes. Her book is about a vegetarian lifestyle and includes recipes.

So I think Alicia Silverstone is the best because she is a spokesperson for healthy eating and for taking care of yourself. But even more so, she is living an inspired life. Her excitement about this way of eating beams through everything she writes and talks about. She has a genuine passion that she is encouraging others to explore by using a positive message. Could there be a better way to inspire other people? Not using fear or anger, but through excitement and enthusiasm. Such an inspiration! If you are interested in reading more, she has a blog called The Kind Life.

I was so excited that Oprah did this show about food because it's something that I've been talking about with anyone who will listen for a while now. (Including you!) It seems like people across the country are becoming more conscious of what they are eating and how that affects their bodies and our planet. Such a fantastic development!

On the food note, our macrobiotic eating plan is going well and getting better every day. Honestly I feel great. I haven't been doing the plan perfectly - by any means- but generally I have been eating tons of whole grains and lots of veggies. Last night we ate radicchio pizza with truffle oil, which was AMAZING, and we have been trying so many new foods. Even when I eat a lot (like last night), my stomach doesn't hurt.

I do still crave sweets and cheese. But I read yesterday that cheese actually triggers something in your brain that gives you a mini-high, just like sugar! I didn't know that, but it sure explains my cheese obsession. So besides my occasional cravings, I feel good physically, and it's so nice to eat as much as I want without worrying about fat and calories.

Overall, after 11 days, I am feeling great about our macrobiotic experiment.

Jessica O.

Doughnuts for Breakfast

2010-01-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

Don't let this photo of Matt at our first macrobiotic meal deceive you, I ate a doughnut this morning! My office has bagels, doughnuts, and fruit on Fridays, and I caved!

It started this morning when I woke up and told Matt I was sad I wouldn't get to eat a bagel at work. He pointed out that macrobiotics was about freedom, and that I could have a bagel if I wanted - just as long as I enjoyed it while I was eating. Well that bagel turned into a doughnut once I got to work. It made me feel pretty bad after (physically), but I'll admit, I enjoyed every bite while I was eating it.

I guess after all of my talking about macrobiotics I felt the need to disclose my slip, but I'm ok with it. And I'm back on track! In fact, we are getting together with friends this weekend, and we asked them to come over so we could cook for them instead of going out.

The other two photos are of the graffiti we saw near Annie and Cortney's house in San Diego. I thought it was lovely.

Enjoy your weekend!

Jessica O.

Everything New

2010-01-20T14:25:00.000-08:00

This weekend we went to San Diego to see Annie perform in the annual Cabaret dances. On the way down, we stopped in Carlsbad to meet Mieke, Nate, and Natalie for lunch at the Pizza Port. It was such a nice afternoon – we at outside, had fantastic pizza, good conversation and beer made there at the restaurant. (I also ate cheese sticks, which I couldn’t resist seeing that we were starting the macrobiotic diet on Monday!)

From there, we drove to Annie and Cortney’s and hung out for the afternoon until we went to see Annie dance at the 8:30 show. She was amazing as always! After we went back to their house and talked and laughed for hours. It was one of my favorite visits with them yet. On Sunday morning, I was up at the crack of dawn. So I took Odin out to the beach and let him run around. He had the best of times rolling in the seaweed, running up to the water but not quite going in, growling at other dogs, and just running around. So cute! Matt met us there and we walked over and took some pictures of the coolest graffiti art, which is right around the corner from Annie and Cortney’s apartment. We visited some more and then made it from San Diego to LA in record time – exactly 2 hours!

On Monday, we spent hours shopping for new ingredients for macrobiotic recipes. We went to Trader Joe’s and Erewhon, a natural foods store, both of which were like new experiences. Erewhon actually has a macrobiotics aisle if you can believe it. The whole day was slightly overwhelming because we had a huge list for many recipes and because we were buying so many things that were new – many that we had never even heard of before. Even for things we had bought before, it was like a whole new experience looking at ingredients to make sure they were all actually foods. We finally made it home and started on two recipes. Luckily, we bought a prepared packet of brown rice and a bag of beans from Trader Joe’s that you can heat up on the stove (still macrob. with nothing but the rice and beans in the packets). So we had that with a veggie for dinner. We ran out of time for a homemade meal since beans have to soak overnight and rice has to soak for a few hours before cooking. This involves lots of preparation, people! But we did make two dishes that we have been eating for the last few days. We also had a homemade bean soup in the freezer that we are eating as well. So as of day 3 we’re doing well!

Yesterday was the first day of 60 days of yoga that I almost didn’t do it. I had a terrible day and by the time I came home, I was depressed and not at all in the mood. Luckily, I was able to pull it together enough to do 25 minutes of a DVD. So I’m still on track for yoga. This morning in class I also realized that today is day 20 of 60! One-third through! We also started at a new yoga studio on Monday called Golden Bridge Yoga Center. Most of their classes are kundalini yoga, which seems to be more meditation and moving poses. It’s really interesting and very different from the studio we were going to in Larchmont.

The only other news is that it has been pouring rain in LA. We have so little rain that when it does rain, it makes you feel like curling up in front of the fire. Actually, that sounds pretty good. I think I may do just that tonight.

Jessica O.

Our Apartment

2010-01-19T15:55:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our new apartment. I woke up at 5am for some reason last week and saw the loveliest sunrise. So, the photo above is the sunrise from our balcony, and the one below is of our building. (You can see my tiny plants on the balcony.)

Jessica O.

Macrobiotics Is Not What You Think

2010-01-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

The cooking class this weekend was so interesting! It lasted five hours, and I was exhausted when it was over. But there was tons of information, so it was well worth it. The first part of the class was about cooking and preparing several macrobiotic dishes with protein (mostly beans). We watched while Warren Kramer and several others cooked and discussed food preparation, different recipe options, the art of cooking (and the creativity involved), and macrobiotic principals. Then we had lunch, which was great because I got to talk to several people who are macrobiotic and several others who are thinking about trying macrobiotics (more on that below). After lunch, Warren gave a speech called “10 Steps to Strengthening Health,” which I think was basically the principals of macrobiotics. The beginning was about macrobiotics generally –that it is a way of finding balance through the food you eat and the structure in your life. Here are the principals and what macrobiotics is all about.

1. Meals. Sit down to eat and eat at regular mealtimes.

2. Eat slowly, chew well. Chewing stimulates the brain and gets digestion going.

3. Don’t eat for 3 hours before you go to bed.

4. Try to have soup at least one time per day. It relaxes the body.

5. Have variety in what you eat. It helps to keep the body relaxed and ensures that it gets enough nutrients.

6. Have a whole grain and vegetable at every meal.

7. Body rub. Fill the sink with warm water and use a cotton cloth to lightly scrub your body. Especially in the areas where skin cells and toxins collect like the elbows, knees, between your fingers, etc. Over time, this is supposed to release toxins that your skin holds.

8. Take a walk every day (apart from your exercise).

9. Wear cotton whenever possible.

10. Put a green plant in your bedroom, which provides extra oxygen as you sleep.

I think the most interesting part of the whole thing was talking to people who are macrobiotic. The thing that I noticed instantly is that everyone looked so healthy and much younger than they actually were. Since I used to be a make-up artist, I always notice people’s skin. Each one of these people (ages 25-55) look amazing. Gorgeous, bright, clear skin. Each person also talked about how they have energy (both physical and mental) like they’ve never had it before. The energy part sounded like something that is almost indescribable to someone who is not macrobiotic. People have been cured from terminal cancer by eating a macrobiotic diet.

Anyway, I was so inspired by this, that I decided to try this way of eating (and the lifestyle) for 90 days. Another macrobiotic nutritionist who was there said that if I ate this way for 90 days, I wouldn’t want to go back to how I eat now. I just have to try this out.

For anyone who thinks this sounds like craziness, I have a few things to say. It sounds slightly strange to me too! But, think of it as trying to eat and live more naturally. There are also some other things. First, I can still go out to eat. This way of eating isn’t so rigid that you have to go to a vegan restaurant or not eat out at all. (Some macrobiotics do eat fish and there aren’t things that you have to eat, besides a grain and a veggie, at every meal.) Second, and sort of going with the last point, the idea with the diet is not eating processed foods or sugar and of course, having a whole grain and vegetable at every meal. Finally, it’s only for 90 days! If it’s the worst, I’ll go back to how I eat now in 3 months.

I’ll admit, I get a little nervous when I think about it. The idea of giving up my occasional treats (cookies, cupcakes, whatever my sweet tooth calls for at the moment) makes me a little sad. I’m also nervous about finding a variety of dishes that I like and that don’t take hours to cook. I often eat Trader Joe’s premade meals for dinner…so, I’m sure I’ll write about it all here. New year, new me! I’m going to think about this as an adventure, as something that could really make a positive change in my life.

Here is an interesting account of a woman who decided to become macrobiotic (click on these words): Macrobiotic Diary

Also, my friend Erika has a fantastic blog and wrote a post about food, eating, and her experiences with healthy eating and losing weight. If you’d like to read, here it is: Erika's Blog

Jessica O.

Friday!

2010-01-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

It’s Friday! I am so excited for the weekend. Tonight Matt and I have a business meeting to talk about goals, planning, 2010, etc. We are on a roll with this! Tomorrow I am going to a macrobiotic cooking class (again with Warren Kramer) and of course, to a yoga class.

I watched a DVD yesterday with a presentation by Wayne Dyer. He is a self-development author and speaker who is really fascinating. At the end of the presentation, he actually had the audience sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and went on to describe it as an analogy to life. His points were that we all need to be rowing our own boats and not trying to row anyone else’s, and that we should be moving forward with the current of life and not against it. (Singing this nursery rhyme sounds a little nuts as I write this, but just know that it was really effective after everything that he had been talking about.) Anyway, it really struck me that I haven’t been very good at rowing my own boat. Matt and I talk endlessly about our goals, his work, etc., but I have not really figured out with myself where I want my life to go. What direction I, as an individual, am heading. And then I realized that it’s a lot easier to try to row someone else’s boat (that is ultimately an impossible task but uses up so much energy) than it is to figure out what direction I want mine to go in…and to take it there.

Enjoy your weekend!

Jessica O.

What is Macrobiotics?

2010-01-07T15:47:00.000-08:00

Last night Matt and I went to hear Warren Kramer speak about macrobiotics. It was so interesting! I thought macrobiotics was some scientific way of eating where you had to be vegan and eat mostly raw foods. Not true at all. Macrobiotics means “great life” and is a structured approach to life, health, and living well in the environment in which you live. It is a way of eating and overall healthy living that gives you the freedom to do what you want in life. The study of macrobiotics also includes health care, cooking, health problems diagnosis (using external cues from the body), and body work (shiatsu, acupressure, etc.).

The other thing that I couldn’t believe was how healthy each of the people’s skin was who practiced macrobiotics. It was like their skin was dewy and glowing. So, Warren is hosting a cooking class on Saturday, and I decided to go. I'll write more this week.

Jessica O.

2010-01-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

"We understand how dangerous a mask can be. We all become what we pretend to be.”

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I finished this book last week and was struck by this quote. We all become what we pretend to be. If I pretend to be someone I don’t necessarily want to be (i.e. to impress a boss or a friend or to get ahead at my job or to get my way), this idea suggests that enough pretending may turn me into the very person I don’t want to be. On the other hand, if I pretend to be someone I do want to be (i.e. successful even if I’m not actually there yet or vegetarian even if I like meat), presumably I will eventually become just that. The concept also struck me because I know plenty of people who don’t like what they do for a living. They feel like it’s a way to collect a paycheck, but beyond that, they are really unhappy with their profession. Does this mean that they become unhappy? That the profession becomes a part of them no matter how they try to avoid it? What about success or happiness? Does wearing a mask of happiness over time cause you to be happy? Either way, I think it’s a great point on how important it is to be true to yourself and to always, with others or alone, work towards being the person you want to be.

Today is day 6 of 60 days of yoga – 10% down! The classes don’t seem like vigorous exercise, but I have been sleeping like I’m in a coma. Seriously. After 8 or 9 hours of sleep I can hardly get myself out of bed. I really like doing this project. It’s strange having this activity that I have to do every single day, but it also feels good to challenge myself to keep up with it and to challenge my body in such new ways. I have definitely done yoga before – DVDs, at the gym, at a studio. But I’ve never done it regularly. Another benefit I’ve noticed is that I’m thinking more clearly. Maybe I should say I’m able to focus more. The yoga combined with the new year has made me think about what’s important in my life. It’s starting to put a lot in perspective. I like it.

I began with a quote, and I’ll leave you with a quote from one of my favorite renaissance men:

“The greater danger is not that our hopes are too high and we fail to reach them, it’s that our hopes are too low and we do.”

–Michelangelo

Jessica O.

New Year's Eve 2009

2010-01-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun on New Year's Eve! Our friends Jen, Steve, Jen, and Peter joined us to celebrate.

Everyone brought something and we had a great dinner, lots of champagne, interesting conversation, and confetti at midnight. Lots of confetti at midnight...I was in heaven!

I actually couldn't have enjoyed myself more.

Yesterday Matt and I started off the day by going to our first yoga class at Liberation Yoga. The instructor spent most of the class talking about new beginnings and reflecting on the challenges of 2009. It was so uplifting - a perfect way to start off the new year. My favorite thing that she said was that 2010 is a blank book. We have 365 empty pages - how do you want to fill them? I loved hearing that. The year is ours to make whatever we want out of it.

After class, Matt and I walked to the Grove to eat lunch at the Farmer's Market and talk about our goals for 2010. We also talked about what we have learned in the past year. Then we spent an hour in Barnes and Noble picking out magazines for our visualization boards. I will post a photo of mine when it's finished. Overall, I have such a hopeful feeling for this new year. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have a chance to start over, even if it really is just a mental reset. The year is already off to a great start.

I hope you had a wonderful new year's celebration. Off to yoga.

Jessica O.

2009-12-31T11:35:00.000-08:00

Well this is it! The last day of 2009!! Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy 2010!

With love,

Jessica O.

I'm back!

2009-12-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

It’s been so long, I know! Too long, in fact. So much has happened. Most notably, Matt and I moved! We are on Cloverdale in Miracle Mile and loving life in our new apartment. Three fabulous friends, Suzan, Peter and Eric, helped us move on what was literally the rainiest day in LA. Such great friends! This first picture is the view of the Hollywood Hills from our bedroom window.
Here are several other highlights since the last time I’ve written:

We saw Christmas Carol in 3-D.

We went to several fabulous holiday parties including a champagne open house at Suzan’s and an intimate dinner party at Steve and Jen’s.

We saw Avitar in 3-D – a must see while it’s in 3-D. A very special film.

We got to meet baby Feldman and spent a Saturday night with Annie, Cortney and the Bartletts.

We went to Portland for Christmas – a classic trip with the Olmons spent eating Swedish traditional smorgasbord on Christmas Eve, reading, watching Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation, eating some more, shopping, cooking, and out to a fabulous dinner at Maggi and Gary’s favorite restaurant in Lake Oswego. We also saw the most amazingly decorated house with Christmas lights. These pictures don’t really do it justice, but it was enchanting. We made multiple drive-bys around the house at night.

So, 2009 is finally coming to an end. The strangest thing is that most people I know (myself included) are happy this year is ending. Is it a bad thing that we want to wish a year away?

For some time now, I’ve been lost in the feelings that life isn’t going the way I want it to. But on Christmas Eve, we sat behind a young woman in a motorized wheelchair at church. The only thing I could think about was how lucky I am that I’m not in her situation. It really made the things that “aren’t going my way” seem small. That inspired me to start some change in my life so that I can start thinking bigger. Thinking about more than the way I wish things were. So, the first big change is that I am going to try 60 days of yoga beginning January 1st. Getting busy thinking about something else! There is a great yoga studio near our apartment, and I’m going to give this a try. For days when I don’t feel like going to the studio or if we have plans in the evening, I have a few DVDs to use in the morning. Matt is on board with me. Between the physical challenge and the mental stimulation, I’m really looking forward to giving this a try. The second is that I am going to take on a major volunteer project. I haven’t decided what it is, but I will write more as soon as I do.

All in all, I am ready for 2010! I have this feeling bubbling up inside that 2010 is going to bring great things. Great change.

Jessica O.

Thanksgiving in Ohio

2009-11-30T16:42:00.001-08:00

We had the best of best visits in Ohio. We arrived in Cincinnati on Tuesday and went to Marissa and Nate's house for a glass of champers. Their apartment is even more fab than I expected it to be (and I had high expectations) so I am super-impressed with Marissa's interior design skills. From there we went to the original Skyline Chili. What a treat! Even with the sticky air and impatient waitress, what's not to love about Skyline?? Ok, I was almost sick afterwards (I was so full), but it was a memorable event. It was great to see Marissa and Nate and their new apartment. From there, Matt and I drove to my dad's in Columbus. We had planned to stay overnight in Cinci, but I was still feverish from the flu so we left early. Highlights of our visit included the champagne toasts, seeing Marissa's little home, Skyline!, and of course, Marissa and Nate's tandem waiving performance as we left.

On Wednesday, Erin, Matt and I went to look at the Jackson, the new condos in the Short North. The condos aren't finished yet, so we had to wear hard hats. It was like going through a construction site, but it was really fun to imagine how cool the apartments will be when they are finished. It was also great to have Erin with us to start to bring her into (hopefully!) our real estate investment business. She seems really interested and is already excited about real estate as a junior in college. Fab! At the end of the tour, I actually asked the realtor to take our picture. From there, the three of us met my mom and Tina at Northstar Cafe for a festive holiday lunch.

That night, I got to see Katie & Jay at their salon. Our visit was too short, but as always, it is so refreshing to visit with them. They are the type of friends that are never judgmental and always keep you thinking about something new. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will have a visit with them next summer.

From there, I went back to my house to see Uncle Dick and the rest of the Pursglove family, who had arrived that afternoon. Wednesday night and Thursday were fantastic and just how I imagined they would be. Talking, eating, drinking - everything required for a Pursglove family Thanksgiving. It was my favorite Thanksgiving yet. This year I got smart at the meal too. I filled half of my plate with stuffing and only sampled the rest of the food. Of course I love to try everything, but honestly, I just can't get enough of Nannie's stuffing recipe. Because of this new plan, I wasn't overwhelmingly stuffed, which was a nice change from the usual Tgiving food coma.

I was also happy that my dad agreed to get a farm raised, antibiotic and hormone free turkey. I am generally not eating meat out of protest of how animals are raised. But I do really enjoy meat sometimes. So, if the meat is humanely raised (i.e. allowed to roam around, not spending its entire life standing in its own waste, not trapped in a space in which it can never move until the day it dies, etc.), I am happy to eat it. I was really proud that Joe agreed to the turkey. He pointed out that he could basically get a regular turkey for free at the grocery store, whereas he would have to spend around $75 to get the turkey I wanted. But after we discussed the benefits of the good turkey, he agreed. He even drove across town to pick it up.

On Thanksgiving night, we all went out in the Short North for a drink. What a blast! Everyone was there - even Marissa and Nate, Marissa's brother Mark and his girlfriend, and Aaron Smith met up! I couldn't have been happier enjoying such great company.

The next day Matt and I drove to the outlets (half way between Columbus and Cincinnati) to meet Karen and Michael. Bob Evans is the only restaurant choice off the exit we meet, so we (unfortunately) had to eat there. But as usual, the conversation was great, and it was so nice to see them.

From there, we spent the rest of the weekend at my mom's. Eating, talking, relaxing, shopping, baking, and celebrating Christmas. It was really an ideal visit.

On the Christmas note, I was so grateful this year that my family agreed to do "thought gift Christmas". This partially came about because Sam, Laura, Matt and I won't be in Columbus this year for Christmas. Matt and I are going to Oregon and Sam and Laura are going to New Orleans (where her family lives). But it also came about because I wanted Christmas this year to be about what's really important. Spending time with family and friends and showing people how much you love them. For that, a thought gift is perfect. And I just can't tell you how much I enjoyed giving and receiving these gifts. Grammie gave me an antique plate from her house, Tina gave me a book she loved, Dad gave me a fabulous coin set for my collection, Neetie gave a Christmas pop-up book (also for my collection)...I could go on. Everything was so meaningful and warmed my heart in such a special way. So I appreciate that my family was willing to try something new this year. I hope we can try something new next year (when we will be there for Christmas) - all in the name of making the holidays more meaningful and memorable.

Now that December is here, holiday plans are in full swing! This is definitely my favorite time of year. Getting dressed up, going to parties, seeing close friends and friends you have hardly seen, wonderful food...plus I'm moving!

I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving!

Jessica O.

Happy Birthday Max!

2009-11-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

Matt was in St. Louis for his actual birthday (Thursday), so we celebrated on Friday and Saturday. We were going to go to dinner Friday night, but I had to work until 8pm and by the time I got home, Matt was exhausted after barely sleeping the night before and getting up at the crack of dawn to fly back to LA. So we ordered a pizza (at one of our favorites - Nicky D's Woodfired Pizza) and ate cake. The cake might be the most tasty I've ever made. It's called Melted Ice Cream Cake and includes a pint of melted ice cream in the recipe and is topped with Chocolate Marshmellow Frosting. Matt and I have been eating cake for most meals for the past three days (even though Alex and I gave up sugar)! I am not counting the cake as sugar...

After a full day of apartment searching on Saturday, we went to Bella in Hollywood for dinner. It was more a place to be seen than it was a restaurant with exceptional food, but we enjoyed the meal and each other's company. Lots of toasts and dreaming about what the next year holds for us.

Because Thanksgiving is this week, Hollywood was empty. It was eerie to drive down Hollywood Blvd. without traffic, but it really fits the makeup of our city. LA is full of people from all over the world, but almost no one here is actually from LA. I think that's one of the things that makes LA charming.

We also got an apartment yesterday! We narrowed it down to two - one in Miracle Mile and one in Santa Monica. In the end, we decided to move back to Miracle Mile. We got a 4th (top) floor apartment in a beautiful building that is really close to where we used to live. Matt and I both wanted to get this apartment, the only thing holding us back was the fact that we would have loved something new. Especially exploring Santa Monica and Venice. But in the end, the location of the apartment we were considering in Santa Monica wasn't great and I would have had a much longer commute, so we decided to get the apartment in Miracle Mile. We are moving in on December 12th, and I will post photos. It is a fantastic apartment with a beautiful view of the Hollywood Hills. I am just ecstatic!

Jessica O.

We have renters!!!!!!

2009-11-18T12:31:00.001-08:00

Today is the day!! We finally have renters for our apartment! I just can't tell you how happy I am. Matt and I have been looking at new apartments both in Miracle Mile and in Santa Monica. We are going to move out of our apartment on December 12th. The fact that it was so hard for us to find renters is good for us now that we're looking at apartments. Lots of great deals! We are going to see a place on Saturday on 6th St. in Santa Monica, and we also have several great options in Miracle Mile (near West Hollywood and the Grove). The apartment on 6th is 3 blocks from Main Street (cute restaurants, shops and bars) and 6 blocks from the ocean. The only downside to Santa Monica would be my commute downtown. Only time will tell where we'll live, but it is such a GREAT day! I am leaving Echo Park! Only to return to keep our property looking good...

Last weekend, our friend Derek was in LA. It was great to see him. We went to Chaya (a new restaurant downtown) and to the Standard for drinks on Thursday. We saw him again on Saturday for brunch in West Hollywood at Taste. After brunch, we went to his friend's house in the Hollywood Hills for a glass of wine. The house had the most gorgeous view, and these photos were taken from the balcony.

Matt and I loved seeing Derek. We haven't seen him for years, and then we saw him in September in Paris and in November in LA. So nice!

I am also so excited about Thanksgiving. We are flying into Cincinnati next Tuesday to spend the evening with Marissa and Nate. Possible plans so far include: eating at the original Skyline Chili, trying to keep Odin away from their cats and going out downtown. From the photos I've seen, Marissa and Nate might have the most fab apartment of anyone I know. I can't wait to see them and their new life in Cinci. On Wednesday, we are driving up to Columbus to stay at my dad's for a few days. It will be a classic Pursglove Thanksgiving with Joe, Tina, Rudy, Sam, Laura, Grammie, Uncle Dick, Aunt Sandy, Samantha, Melanie and Alexandra (our cousins) as well as at least 4 dogs. It doesn't feel like a real Thanksgiving without the Pursglove family in town, Nannie's turkey and stuffing recipe, dogs everywhere and a house full of loud family members constantly talking and laughing.

On Wednesday we have appointments to see two condos that are potential investments, and Rudy (Erin) is coming with us to see the properties. I can't wait for time with her because I just think the world of her! I think she must be one of the most fun, interesting, just overall lovely people I know. (I'm off on a tangent.) On Friday, we are meeting Karen (who lives in Chicago) and Michael for brunch and then going to my mom's house for the rest of the weekend to bake, talk, eat, and hang out. Could I ask for more???

Jessica O.

Michelle & Justin's Baby Shower and Deep Thoughts (by Jessica O.)

2009-11-10T10:42:00.001-08:00

We had Michelle and Justin's shower on Saturday, and it was so much fun! It was a cocktail party at Michelle's friend's house in Pasadena and there were about 25 people.

Highlights included: seeing Annie and Alex (time with all of the cousins together), adorable (and of course always fashionable) pregnant Michelle, seeing Mr. and Mrs. Feldman's excitement as Michelle and Justin opened gifts, fabulous Chinese lanterns hanging outside, meeting Michelle's new sister-in-law, baking a cake from scratch with Matt, party planning with Mieke and entertaining. Every time I throw a party, I realize how much I miss entertaining. We always had people over when we lived in W. Hollywood, and I am looking forward to starting that up again as soon as we move.

After the shower, Michelle, Justin, Annie and Alex came to our house for drinks. It was so nice!! Really a highlight to have cousin time, and we always have the best time with the Pursgloves. This was no exception.

Matt and I are STILL trying to rent our house. Only 5 weeks have passed since we put it up for rent, but it seems like a lifetime. Where are you, renters??????? Now that we've lowered the price to $1595, we've had a lot of people come to see the place, so I think it's at least around the right price now. But at least 5 people have said that they love the house and would move in immediately except that we don't have hardwood floors. I had no idea that hardwood floors were such a big deal to people. Is this an LA thing or a renter's thing? I actually prefer carpet because hardwood floors hurt my feet, but apparently I'm in the minority. Live and learn.

I have also been thinking a lot about adjusting my expectations of how I think my life should be. I guess in the past, life has generally gone the way I planned for it to go. This past year (besides our fab trip) nothing has gone the way I planned for it to go. I have been fighting this tooth and nail, all the while just thinking, if I work harder or push more, things will turn out the way I want them to. I guess life is trying to teach me a lesson. Well, I hear you loud and clear, Life!! A year later, I am finally coming to accept that right now, my life isn't how I want it to be. Things aren't going "my way" but believe it or not, I am finally starting to accept it.

Matt and I were laughing last night because yet another thing that we had such high hopes for was falling apart. We were laughing because at this point, it doesn't even upset us. Really. It's more like I'm just watching everything happen in my life from some third person point of view. It's so unbelievable because I keep thinking that this must be it. Pretty soon things will start to turn around. They have to right? What more could we possibly do? I guess they don't, and all I can think is that I've got to be learning something from this experience.

I had a conversation related to this topic with my friend Nate on Saturday at the shower. We were talking about how hard this year has been for both of us. The best part of the conversation was that we agreed that it is during the hard times that your true character really comes out. It's easy to be positive, to work hard, to be a great person, etc. when life is going your way. It's much harder when life is challenging, but it's only during the challenging times that you really grow as a person. It's during the challenging times that you have a chance to prove to yourself who you really are. And do you choose to rise to the occasion? Can you still be positive (or at least accepting), work hard, make goals, move forward?

I hope that's what I'm choosing to do. It may have taken me this whole year to do it, but I am finally choosing to accept what I can and can't change in my life. I'm trying to be a supportive wife and friend. I'm trying to be honest about who I am without being a Debbie (Downer for those of you who don't know). I trying to continue to work towards my dreams. Am I succeeding? I have no idea. All I know is that I'm doing better at those things than I was earlier this year. And I guess that's good enough for me right now.

Jessica O.

Spooky Scary Halloween

2009-11-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

Marissa came to visit last week and we had such a great time! It was really hard to work while she was at our house because I kept thinking about my little Bebekins being here, but luckily I got to leave early both Thursday and Friday. It was an ideal trip filled with lots of talking, fun and good food. On Friday, Max and Marissa came downtown for lunch, and we ate at my favorite pizza-by-the-slice restaurant. That night we went to a fab Halloween party.

It was at the Skirball, which is a museum on the West side. There were probably about 1,000 people there and everyone was SO dressed up. People went all out, which made for a fantastic Halloween party. From Superman to the boy from Up (complete with the boyscout outfit and balloons) to Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman to Smurfette (blue skin and all) to the Angel of Death (who danced all night and never took off his mask) - the people watching was amazing.

We were there talking, walking around and dancing until 2. We spent most of the next day relaxing. Relaxing included Marissa and I getting a Thai massage. Then we went next door and got Thai food to go. So much fun! I can't wait until she comes to visit again.

Jessica O.

YOU Can Change the World

2009-10-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

I read this editorial in the NY Times yesterday, and I wanted to share it.

Changing the World
By BOB HERBERT
Published: October 26, 2009

"One of the most cherished items in my possession is a postcard that was sent from Mississippi to the Upper West Side of Manhattan in June 1964.

“Dear Mom and Dad,” it says, “I have arrived safely in Meridian, Mississippi. This is a wonderful town and the weather is fine. I wish you were here. The people in this city are wonderful and our reception was very good. All my love, Andy.”

That was the last word sent to his family by Andrew Goodman, a 20-year-old college student who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan, along with fellow civil rights workers Michael Schwerner and James Chaney, on his first full day in Mississippi — June 21, the same date as the postmark on the card. The goal of the three young men had been to help register blacks to vote.

The postcard was given to me by Andrew’s brother, David, who has become a good friend.

Andrew and that postcard came to mind over the weekend as I was thinking about the sense of helplessness so many ordinary Americans have been feeling as the nation is confronted with one enormous, seemingly intractable problem after another. The helplessness is beginning to border on paralysis. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly a decade long, are going badly, and there is no endgame in sight.

Monday morning’s coffee was accompanied by stories about suicide bombings in the heart of Baghdad that killed at least 150 people and wounded more than 500 and helicopter crashes in Afghanistan that killed 14 Americans.

Here at home, the terrible toll from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression continues, with no end to the joblessness in sight and no comprehensible plans for fashioning a healthy economy for the years ahead. The government’s finances resemble a Ponzi scheme. If you want to see the epidemic that is really clobbering American families, look past the H1N1 virus to the home foreclosure crisis.

The Times ran a Page A1 article on Monday that said layoffs, foreclosures and other problems associated with the recession had resulted in big increases in the number of runaway children, many of whom were living in dangerous conditions in the streets.

Americans have tended to watch with a remarkable (I think frightening) degree of passivity as crises of all sorts have gripped the country and sent millions of lives into tailspins. Where people once might have deluged their elected representatives with complaints, joined unions, resisted mass firings, confronted their employers with serious demands, marched for social justice and created brand new civic organizations to fight for the things they believed in, the tendency now is to assume that there is little or nothing ordinary individuals can do about the conditions that plague them.

This is so wrong. It is the kind of thinking that would have stopped the civil rights movement in its tracks, that would have kept women in the kitchen or the steno pool, that would have prevented labor unions from forcing open the doors that led to the creation of a vast middle class.

This passivity and sense of helplessness most likely stems from the refusal of so many Americans over the past few decades to acknowledge any sense of personal responsibility for the policies and choices that have led the country into such a dismal state of affairs, and to turn their backs on any real obligation to help others who were struggling.

Those chickens have come home to roost. Being an American has become a spectator sport. Most Americans watch the news the way you’d watch a ballgame, or a long-running television series, believing that they have no more control over important real-life events than a viewer would have over a coach’s strategy or a script for “Law & Order.”

With that kind of attitude, Andrew Goodman would never have left the comfort of his family home in Manhattan. Rosa Parks would have gotten up and given her seat to a white person, and the Montgomery bus boycott would never have happened. Betty Friedan would never have written “The Feminine Mystique.”

The nation’s political leaders and their corporate puppet masters have fouled this nation up to a fare-thee-well. We will not be pulled from the morass without a big effort from an active citizenry, and that means a citizenry fired with a sense of mission and the belief that their actions, in concert with others, can make a profound difference.

It can start with just a few small steps. Mrs. Parks helped transform a nation by refusing to budge from her seat. Maybe you want to speak up publicly about an important issue, or host a house party, or perhaps arrange a meeting of soon-to-be dismissed employees, or parents at a troubled school.

It’s a risk, sure. But the need is great, and that’s how you change the world."

The article inspired me to take action. Granted, the action I took was to write a letter to my congresspeople encouraging them to pass legislation to prohibit cell phone "exclusivity deals" (meaning when you buy a particlar phone, you can only get service from one company). But I did take some action. And I don't think I would have done anything if I hadn't read this article.

Do you feel like you have the power to change the world? Our country? Your neighborhood? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a great day.

Jessica O.

Matt's Newest Art

2009-10-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite interior designs in our last apartment was Matt's painting on the wall. For anyone who didn't see it, here it is. It covered the entire wall of the room right when you walked into our apartment. When we moved, Matt had to paint over it - such a bummer!

Now that we own the property on Grafton Street, we decided that Matt would paint another mural on the wall and that it would stay as part of the apartment when we moved. I came up with the idea of him painting a picture onto the wall and hanging a frame around it, which fits much better in this space than a full wall painting. Here it is!

How fab does this look?! Matt is so talented. And I absolutely love how the picture looks like it is set back in the frame because it is actually painted onto the wall. So far, we've gotten a great response from potential tenants when we tell them that this comes with the apartment.

On that note, I would love to hear anyone's suggestions (realistic, crazy, imaginative, anything) for new ideas on how we can entice a tenant to rent our apartment. We are renting it for $1695, which, believe it or not, is below market rate for a house in Echo Park. We are currently offering a free painting of two rooms any color and a $500 flat screen TV or Best Buy gift card for a 2-year lease. The most difficult parts of finding tenants are that it's October (not many people moving this time of year) and that there are so many units for rent in LA. Erika told me yesterday that this is the lowest apartment occupancy in LA since the 80's. So, I would love to hear your ideas. Anything goes.

Last night I watched Annika and Blythe, Erika and Evan's daughters. They are so adorable!! I was really happy to spend some one on one time with them and to get to know them better. My nana always used to tell me a story about the first time she watched me as an infant. Apparently I cried and cried almost the whole time until my parents came home. As soon as my dad took me, I stopped crying. I remembered this story last night watching the kids. Blythe (who is 4 months old) was the most delightful baby all evening - smiling, laughing, happy until about 20 minutes before Erika and Evan came home when she started crying and just couldn't stop. As soon as Erika took her into her arms, she stopped right away. Definitely a mama's girl and so cute!

The other good news is that Matt is launching a new company on November 1st. It is called Kaizen Imagery and provides head shots and demo reels for actors. This is a hugely under-served market in LA (everyone wants to be an actor but not many companies think of servicing them). The most innovative part of their service is that they will provide a consultation with each actor to help him/her determine what type of roles they could be cast in. This will help actors focus their careers and audition for rolls that fit their look, acting skills, etc. The company is a group effort between Matt and three of his friends, and Matt will be running the demo reel department.

I got a Crate & Barrel catalogue yesterday, and I got so excited for the holidays! We are going to Ohio for Thanksgiving (and already have so many fun plans) and then to Portland for Christmas for a wonderful, laid-back Olmon family Christmas. I can't wait!

Have a great Wednesday.

Jessica O.

The New Optimalist

2009-10-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

I am a perfectionist, which I have only just realized. I mean, I always knew that I like to keep my house clean and there are a lot of things that I like to be a certain way, but would I have described myself as a perfectionist? No, not really.

I told Marissa and Jill about it and they laughed with disbelief that I was just now realizing this. Oh the lovely state of denial!

So this has all come about because I have been reading The Pursuit of Perfect. (Such a good book by the way and I recommend it to anyone who thinks they may have perfectionist tendencies.) The best part about the book is that it shows that by being a perfectionist, you are actually setting yourself up for a life of negativity and disappointment. No one, no event and no situation will ever be perfect. I will never be perfect. Even more, a perfectionist always notices the parts of a person, situation, etc. that aren't perfect, which can lead to a very unhappy life. The other part of perfectionism is believing that there is one path to reach a goal, a straight line from Point A to Point B. That there is one way to accomplish something.

I was reading the book last weekend, and I was up on Sunday night, laying awake in bed thinking about it. It seems to explain so many things about me, my life, my personality. I think of reaching a goal as having to take certain steps to get where I want to be. Of course, there are times that this is helpful, but there are many times where life has pushed me in a different direction and I have gotten really frustrated. This also explains why I sometimes feel like I am a negative person. Now I realize, it's not that I'm a negative person, it's just that I'm looking at everything and seeing what's not perfect or right about it. Also being a perfectionist is why I try to control events, people, my future...lots of things in my life. The beauty of this all is that I've somehow gotten the clarity to see my life in this new way. It's like being able to see a part of myself for the very first time.

According to this book, the solution is to work towards being an optimalist. An optimalist can also work towards goals, but realizes that the journey from Point A to Point B may go in a different direction than you had imagined - it's much more complex than the perfectionist straight line seems to be. By realizing this, the optimalist can enjoy the journey to Point B and is present enough to see new avenues or opportunities as they may arrive.

All I can say is that this week I have been seeing my life through a different lens. It is weird and exciting and hard. Hard because I'm still seeing things the way I always have but now I also see how this viewpoint is impacting my life. After each realization, I try to think about the new way. Instead of noticing what is wrong, I try to notice what is right. I try to remember that no one is perfect and I will never be perfect. I am trying to let things happen as they are, rather than trying to make them happen exactly how I think they should. Most of all, I'm trying to experience life as it is rather than trying to change it into how I think it should be.

Jessica O.

Odin's Sling

2009-10-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

At Sam's request, here are some pictures of Odin in the sling. Even when I put him in it last night, he became really calm - just dangling by my side. I think he loves it. No, I'm not going to start carrying him around in the sling! But it's perfect for a mini dog in a busy airport.

Fab LA Weekend

2009-10-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, Matt and I went on a date to see District 9. So good! I won't ruin the movie for anyone, but it is frightening to watch because you can really imagine the plot of the movie happening in this world. It was also cool to watch because of the story behind the movie. Peter Jackson (director of Lord of the Rings) wanted to produce Halo (super popular video game) with Neil Blonkamp as the director. The studio was worried about having a first-time director direct such a big film, so Peter and Neil made District 9 instead. The movie cost $30 million, which is practically nothing considering the special effects. It has already made well over $100 million. A Hollywood fairytale for a movie that is different, creative, and suspenseful. I love it.

On Saturday morning, Matt and I got up early to remodel the little garden in our yard. Some of the plants had died, and it looked terrible. So we bought plants (on sale!) at Home Depot and spent the morning digging, cleaning and planting. It was really nice because the day started out overcast, and then it became a beautiful sunny day. I found some ancient artifacts that looked like they had been buried for years - a permanent marker, a bottle cap, a lid, etc. - lots of garbage (but more fun to think of as artifacts). The first photo is our newly planted garden.

Last night Kate, Erin, Fawn and I took Maria to Gordon Ramsay, a restaurant at The London hotel in West Hollywood, to celebrate Maria's move back to New York. Maria and I recently became friends, and I am so sad she is moving back to the East Coast. I can tell she is someone that I could be great friends with - super fun and always interesting. The lighting in the restaurant was fab. We had champagne, tasted a variety of foods, and enjoyed the ambiance at the restaurant.

Today we had an open house for our apartment...we're so ready to move! We just need a renter.

Have a great Sunday.

Jessica O.

Living in the Present

2009-10-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

One of the things that has been most important to me in the past year has been learning to live in the present moment. So simple yet so illusive! My mom sent me this story, and I wanted to share it here:

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.. 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made....How many other things are we missing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw

I wonder how many people passing by were so caught up with the chatter in their heads that they didn't even notice the music. How many times have I done that?

So, I propose you take a minute right now to appreciate the moment - where ever you are and whatever this moment includes. I am too.

Jessica O.

Spending, Spending, Spending

2009-10-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

I just read a book called Your Money or Your Life. I strongly recommend it. The premise is that we all choose to spend a certain amount of our precious time here on earth working (i.e. earning money). Therefore, every time you buy something, you are basically exchanging a certain amount of your time on earth for that thing. Because the time that we have on this planet is limited, it should go without saying that we should be super-conscious of what we spend. The book goes on to help you figure out how much you really make per hour (after you include commuting, clothes for work, therapy (if needed from work!), lunches, etc.). After you have that figure, each time you go to spend money, you can think, is this item worth X hours of my life? If not, you don't buy it. If it is, you can buy it and enjoy it even more knowing that it is a worthwhile purchase. There are many more details and many other parts to the book, but this is the basic idea.

It really makes me think differently about that coffee I loved to get in the morning before work. Or that dinner I went to with friends because I hadn't seen them in a while and I felt like I should. What I most appreciate about this philosophy, is that it makes you much more conscious about spending. Much more thoughtful about whether something is worth buying to you rather than buying because you feel like you should or because you supposedly need this item. Very enlightening and a great new way of thinking.

Jessica O.

Mini-Trip to Columbus & LA Living

2009-10-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

I had such a fabulous trip home to Columbus. The perfect end to my vacation. I got in on Thursday night, and Neetie picked me up from the airport. We went to my dad's where I got to see Odin for the first time in over 3 months! He was so excited - it was something I will always remember. Tina had also made a birthday surprise for me with a balloon, little pastries that I love, and a dish with 30 candies (which my mom and I promptly dug into). So thoughtful! The other highlight was that Odin could now be a show dog. My dad taught him to jump through a hoop. Seeing Dad's excitement and Odin performing the trick were priceless.

Mom and I spent the next day relaxing and the afternoon in Half Price Books. I love that store! She introduced me to the Clearance Section with a bunch of books piled up for $1 or $2. Excellent browsing and so very nice to be together.

And that night was my 30th birthday party! It was at Mom and Bill's house with Dad, Tina and Marissa. We had pink balloons, a champagne toast, chocolate covered strawberries (a gift from Erin!), my favorite mini-bread appetizers, fabulous Italian food, chocolate cake and gifts. To top it off, at the end of the evening, we all went outside and sat around the fire pit in the backyard. (This is one of my favorite activities at Dad and Tina's). I really could not have had a better time or enjoyed myself more. Really.

Then Marissa and I left and went to the Short North for a drink. It ended up being just us, and we did a mini-champagne wine tasting and just talked into the night. What a birthday celebration!!

The next day, Dad and I went to Waffle House. Oh, so good. Does this trip sound like it included a lot of eating? It was. But I loved every minute of it. Even more, I loved every minute of the family (and friend) time. It felt so good to be home. Odin and I left that afternoon. I bought a life-saving device, a sling, on the internet to travel with Odin. He absolutely hates to be inside a bag or carrier. So after lengthy searching, I found a sling online where his legs and head can dangle and I have straps over my shoulder. I'm sure it's a sight...but probably one of the best purchases of the year.

Lately I have been considering the option of moving back to Cbus. (Well, ideally, it would be traveling the world and/or living in Paris first and then moving to Cbus.) This is the craziest thought because I have never ever thought that I could live in Columbus or Ohio for that matter. Really, I have always thought I wanted to live in a big city. I don't know exactly what it is or why I've been thinking this, but it is on my mind. I'll keep you updated.

So, for now, I'm back in LA and back to work. The best part of being back to life is that our required year has passed and we are ready to move out of Echo Park!! If you don't already know, this year has been extremely trying to say the least. Echo Park is an up and coming neighborhood, which means that it is still gritty and dirty with some parts that are nice and some parts that aren't. We have dealt with everything from barking dogs - so many barking dogs, to living next door to our tenants (not advisable), to living in an apartment with no sunlight, to snarling dogs behind fences that scare Odin and us while we walk, to living far away from all of our friends, to moving away from a fab apartment and a walkable neighborhood, to...well, you get the point. We haven't been the happiest.

So our year is up, and we're ready to go!

We are having open houses and doing everything possible to rent out our unit so that we can move to a new place in November. Our options are Venice (on the beach) or Miracle Mile (where we were living before). So keep your fingers crossed that we find the perfect renters.

Another big change that has come about is that Matt and I are into super-saving. We have been living it up in LA for the past 4 years - mostly doing what we want to do, and now we both feel like we want to save - For Paris? To buy another apt.? Only time will tell. But we are moving forward with the plan. It's a new way of life for us - an experience that I plan to share the ups and downs of right here on my blog.

I hope that you have a great weekend.

Jessica O.

Ancient Rome

2009-10-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

Another fabulous tour by Context Travel!! Our guide, a Roman history expert, took us through the Palatine (the ruins of the emperors' palaces), the Forum (the ruins from the ancient city center) and the Colosseum (where the gladiator games were held). This was a four hour tour that began at 3pm. The first area we went to was the Palatine. I was thrilled that we had a guide because there are only some brick walls standing, tiny groupings of what was once gorgeous marble floor, a small museum and some other random pieces of buildings. But she made the area come alive. She explained that the area was once covered with the palace of the emperors of Rome (around 100-400 AD or so) with the most luxurious accommodations. The ceilings were 3 stories high, the floors and walls were covered with marble that was imported from the most distant lands of the Roman empire, there were underground tunnels for the slaves to move around the palace, and there were beautiful fountains with running water in courtyards within the palace. If we hadn't had the guide, I probably would have walked through in 20 minutes with the the history in mind.

We got the same type of information about the Forum. The most interesting story from the Forum was that ancient Rome had something called Vestal Virgins. These were women that were picked (at age 6) from wealthy families to keep the everlasting fire of Rome burning. Apparently this was the highest honor for a family to have, and the virgins were almost treated as well as the emperor and his family - including being given the best seats (opposite the emperor) at the Colosseum. These women had to be virgins until they were relieved from duty at age 29 (literally old maids by then). If they had sex while they were Vestal Virgins, they were buried alive, and the man was stoned to death.

The other interesting part of the Forum was that there are still several buildings standing. Just amazing. Really the only ones that survived were ones that were turned into churches. The guide also showed us drawings that show that even through the 1700s, most of what has now been uncovered as ancient Rome was buried beneath the city.

Our final stop was at the Colosseum. We arrived at sunset, about one hour before it closed. Again, it was virtually empty! Super cool. Even though the Colosseum is something that you see images of all of the time, it was the least interesting historically. It was built by the Flavian emperors (who were a different family than the original Caesars) to win over the people of Rome. The Colosseum was a huge stadium for gladiator and animal games. Of course, it was also an architectural feat of the times and fascinating in that most of the structure still stands today. The best part of our tour of the Colosseum was that it was almost empty and it was sunset. It was like being in a museum at night, and you could almost feel the history in the silence.

That night, we had our final meal in Rome. We both ate pasta and went home to relax before our early flight to London and then to Los Angeles. With the time difference, we left Rome at 8am and arrived in LA at 3pm. How fab!

I left the next day for Columbus. I'll write more soon.

Jessica O.

Dirty 30!!

2009-09-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

We started off the evening with a glass of wine on our rooftop. It was so nice! We talked, watched the sun set and just enjoyed our apartment.

After a short nap, we left around 11:30 to go to a club called Goa in the neighborhood of Trastevere, which is known in the tour books as the real Rome. It turns out there were many clubs in the area, most of which didn't have signs. So we heard (what we thought was) good music at one club and I went to the front of the line. My Italian isn't good at all but I said "due" (two), the bouncer asked me who I was with (in English), I pointed to Matt (who was of course super-cute with jeans and a black corduroy jacket) and he let us right in. We were so pumped about going to the front of the line and getting in that we didn't think of asking what kind of music they had. So we went in and it was hip-hop. Not my favorite. We stayed for a while and Matt said we should go. I probably would have stayed since we had already paid to get in and we didn't even know where the other club was, but we left, which turned out to be a great idea. One of the door people told him that Goa was around the block.

We got to Goa around 1, which is apparently the time to go to a club because there was a huge crowd trying to get in. No line, just an enormous bunch of people. We got into the bunch and slowly moved up. I saw people taking out IDs, and I took out my ID and held it up with the California part showing. The bouncer saw that and let us right in! Yeah California!

The club was one of my favorite I've been to. It wasn't very big (maybe 1/4 the size of the Vanguard) but it had cool lights everywhere, a video DJ and lots of cool people with different styles. Everyone looked great, but really different, which was a breath of fresh air from the usual in LA, where it seems like women's syles are so similar (which I also noticed in Paris). The best part about the club was the mood. Everyone was just having a good time and seemed happy to be there. Really open to each other (people do make eye contact), dancing, talking, etc. Matt and I were in our own world since we basically couldn't communicate with anyone, but we had the best time. The music was great, the club had dancers with multiple costumes (one was like a mime with multiple masks, one like a bird with a slinky but still classy feather outfit) - so much fun!

From there we decided to walk home. We walked for a long time towards the Colosseum. At one point, we heard loud electronic music coming from over a huge garden wall. We tried to go up the exit to get in (we were already dressed to go - why not?), but the door person said they were closing.

After some more walking and help from some friendly Romans, we came upon the Colosseum. So amazing at night!! It was lit up from the inside and the area was deserted since it was so late. It was a sight to see and the first time we had seen it. We walked around there and then (thankfully) found a cab. The perfect end to our night.

The next day we went to a huge lunch and then back home to our couch for an afternoon of movies. I was a little torn about spending an afternoon relaxing, but it was ok after we discussed the fact that we were out so late the night before, and we have been traveling, learning, doing new things every day for 16 days straight. We were just exhausted. It ended up being really nice just to be together in our apartment. We had also bought some treats on the way home from lunch, which we snacked on the rest of the day.

Yesterday was my 30th birthday! We woke up and Matt sang to me. We slowly got ready and traveled to see the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps. In between, we ate a pizza at a cafe and window shopped. Window shopping is a lovely past time that the Europeans have and I think I am going to continue it in the US (even though I know window shopping at Urban Outfitters and Banana Republic won't be the same...)

We spent the afternoon relaxing and reading in our apartment, which was actually a highlight of my birthday. The cool air and lovely evening light streaming into our room, relaxing in the afternoon/early evening.

Then we went to our rooftop terrace and had champagne. We talked about our trip and looked through our photos. I couldn't have asked for a better 30th birthday! That night we decided to go in search of a pizza restaurant that Claire, the woman we interviewed, recommended. Yes, we had pizza TWO times on my birthday! We coined this our eating adventure. We had to take the bus and the metro to an area that is off of the tourist maps of Rome. It took much longer than we anticipated and ended up being more of an adventure than eating. We did find the restaurant, and we did have pizza, but we had to rush to eat since the metro closed at 11:30. All part of the traveling adventure.

On the way home, Matt stopped and got us a dessert to go from a restaurant a block from our house. We took it home and he set it up with two candles from the apartment (near the dessert) and sang to me again. What a day!

I would have to say that it is really strange to be 30. Almost surreal. I had mixed feelings about it yesterday until Matt looked at me at one point and said "don't worry, Pix - being 30 is a really great place to be and I know you'll like it" I instantly felt better. I'm not looking back - 30 here I am!!!

Today we are doing another Context Travel tour to see the Colleseum, Pantheon, etc. - the sights of Rome. Tomorrow we travel back to LA. We leave here at 8am and get into LA at noon. Traveling back in time!

I will write more and post photos/video when we get back to CA.

Jessica O.

Siena & the Vatican

2009-09-29T01:35:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Siena was short and sweet. We took the bus there and got to see the Italian countryside. It was very picturesque and looked exactly like I imagined it would. Rolling hills, old buildings, lots of trees and grape vines. Entering the city of Siena was surprising because it looked like a small town - almost like Athens, Ohio. It had a Blockbuster, McDonald's, etc. I guess I wasn't expecting Siena to have entered the 21st century. It was a city whose peak was in the early 1300s, but the plague in the mid-1300s killed 75% of the population. Now it is a relatively small town that is known for its mid-evil style buildings and its annual horse race between the teams for each of the town's districts. The bus took us into the city center, which was much more like I had imagined it. We walked through small streets, up and down steep hills, saw mid-evil looking houses/buildings, and basically got lost in the intricate maze of the center of town. We finally found the huge palazzo where the horse races are held. After a glass of wine, we decided to take the bus back to Florence to have dinner.

That night, we had one of the best dinners of the trip. Salad, pesto fettuchini, Florentine steak and an amazing dessert. All in a place called Ristorante. So much fun. Apparently Florentine steak is a Florence specialty from cows that are raised a certain way. I haven't been very excited about meat these last few years, but this was one of the best steaks I have ever eaten.

The next day we had a cappuchino and we were off to Roma! Upon arrival, we navigated the bus system and went to our fab apartment. It is on the top floor of a building in the back streets of Campo di Fiori, which is an area near the Tiber River known for its daily farmers' market. We have a balcony off of our room looking out into a courtyard as well as a terrace on top of the building where we can see out over the whole neighborhood. We met the owner, who gave an extremely long presentation about the apartment (I was ok with this until he went through a list of apartment rules) and then we went to meet a potential writer for the travel website. BTW -we now have a name for the website jetsetdarling.com! How cute is that?? Matt came up with it the other day, and we got the website yesterday.

So after the extended apartment intro, we met Claire, an Australian who just quit practicing law and moved with her husband to Rome. She was great and even better when we found out that we have the same birthday! What are the odds? From there, Matt went to meet another candidate. I went to the grocery store to get some food, but I was so very exhausted that we had a quick dinner and went to bed.

The next afternoon was our tour of the Vatican. We went through Context Travel, which gives tours by art/architecture professors or historians with no more than 6 people in the tour. It was fab. Our guide was an American who has been living in Rome since 1991 and teaches art history at a university. We learned so much about the art collection, architecture and history of the Vatican. The guide told us that if you spent two minutes looking at each piece of art in the Vatican, it would take over 14 years! Highlights were: an extensive discussion about the process of painting and meaning of the paintings on the Sistine Chapel (including the fact that Michaelangelo hated doing the job), seeing the beautiful sculpture (including Michaelangelo's famous sculpture, Pieta), and learning about the 120+ year process of designing and building St. Peter's Basilica. It was also interesting to learn that Bernini designed the high altar in the front of the basilica and used bronze taken from the Pantheon.

After the tour, Matt and I went back to our neighborhood for dinner. I tried bruchetta and spaghetti al pomodoro. Bruchetta is bread with topping (could be tomatoes, olive tapenade, artichoke tapenade, etc.) and spaghetti pomodoro is spaghetti prepared with cream, egg and bacon. They were both interesting and Roman specialties that I wanted to try. (Have you noticed how much eating is involved in this part of the trip? Frightening!) We went home to nap because Matt had planned a fab night out for my birthday!

I'll write about our night out in my next post.

Jessica O.

Fierenze and Pizza

2009-09-24T05:18:00.000-07:00

Our last two days in Paris were so great. Traveling by myself is something I have always wanted to do, so Matt and I decided to spend a day on our own and then meet up for dinner. I went to the internet cafe and had an espresso and wrote. Very leisurely. Then I went over to Jardin de Luxembourg. One of my best experiences in Paris! It is a huge park in the heart of Paris filled with gardens, sculptures, fountains and people. There are hundreds of chairs around the park so that people are chatting with groups of friends, reading by themselves, spending time with family, people-watching - basically just being there and enjoying a Sunday afternoon. The park is huge, and I only saw a small part, but I also saw another area where they were selling giant balloons and cotton candy and had a merry-go-round for kids. Apparently they also have a mini-replica of the Statute of Liberty. It was like something out of a movie. I walked around for a while and then pulled up a chair and people-watched and read.

One thing that I noticed about the French is that it's ok to look at other people. When we first arrived in Paris, I thought everyone was staring at us because...we were foreign? Looked like tourists? Who knows. But after being there for a week, I realized that everyone is constantly looking at each other. The only thing about it is that once someone realizes you are looking, the thing to do seems to be to look away. In other words, you don't really make eye contact with strangers. But it's ok, even normal, to look at other people. In fact, cafes and bars are often set up for people watching. So different from the US.

I had a list of three things that I definitely wanted to do in each city. In Paris, eating oysters was on my list if they were in season. They were! So Matt and I met at 7pm in our favorite neighborhood at a fab restaurant for oysters. They had a menu of 4 different kinds and then each kind of oyster was available in 3 sizes. So we ordered the oysters, had a bottle of wine, and chatted. Really enjoyed our last night in Paris to the fullest.

The next evening, we took an overnight train from Paris to Florence. We chose to take the train because Matt loves trains and we thought it would be a good way to see some of the French/Italian countryside. We had also taken an overnight train in Thailand and it was super-fun. Well...this train wasn't as great. We left late - after dark - so we didn't get to see much and it was a little claustrophobic. We also went to eat in the dining car and there was terrible energy. Lots of seemingly frustrated people packed into a little space. So, we ended up eating a cold ham and cheese croissant in our little room and went to bed.

When we got to Florence, we went straight to our hotel. So exciting! We are staying in the Grand Hotel, which used to be the palace of a wealthy Florentine family. It was converted into a hotel about 200 years ago and was just remodeled using traditional Florentine decoration and architecture. Needless to say, it is one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed in. Even better, I had told them that we were on this trip for my 30th birthday celebration so they upgraded our room to a top floor suite. It includes a balcony with a view of the Duomo and red rooftops of Florence as well as the Arno River. Just amazing!! To top it off, after we got into the room, they delivered a bottle of complementary champagne. Heaven!

After we spent some time relaxing, we set off to explore Florence. We went to a bookstore and bought a city guide and then walked over to the Duomo. The Duomo is the crown jewel of Florence. It took over 100 years to fully build and is a giant church with a dome at the top. In the 1400's, they couldn't figure out how to build the dome, so they had a competition with a prize to the person who could figure it out. Brunelleschi made it his life's work to find a solution to this architectural puzzle, which was to be the most extraordinary and daring achievement of the times. In the end and after 16 years of construction, they built the massive dome that appears to rise towards the sky without any means of support. We also climbed to the top of the dome where we saw the most amazing views of Florence. The climb was a little scary (especially because I was wearing flip flops) and reminded me of climbing up the Statue of Liberty. But well worth it. So beautiful and peaceful from the top, where you go outside to a giant balcony.

The next day, yesterday, we went to two museums (including the Uffizi) and the Boboli Gardens. I have never been really excited about art in the past, but after all of our study for this trip, I have been so looking forward to all of the art in Florence. The thing that fascinates me the most is the history of the Renaissance. It was a time period in which the most wealthy families showed their riches by commissioning the best artists to paint, sculpt, design new buildings, etc. It was also a time when the artists first felt free enough to move away from religious art (which was all that was accepted up to this time) and into all types of creative expression. They believed that their abilities to make beautiful art were gifts from God that should be used for the betterment of society. In this way, they were making art for God. So lovely.

So all of the museum touring was amazing but exhausting. The best part was seeing all of the paintings and sculptures that we've spent so much time learning about.

We went home and napped and then went out to what we heard was the best pizza in Florence. I will admit that I am addicted to pizza. (We briefly considered traveling to Naples just to try what I had heard was the best pizza in Italy.) Needless to say, I was pumped. We went to a restaurant that was across town out of the tourist areas, and had the BEST pizza I have ever eaten.

So amazing I can't put it into words. Definitely a highlight.

Today we are off to Siena. We are taking a bus there and plan to spend the evening walking around the small town. I'm excited to see a smaller city in Italy as well as the countryside on the way.

Jessica O.

Bonjour Paris!

2009-09-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

We arrived on Tuesday in Paris! So fabulous! We took the eurostar train from London that travels at around 180 mph and got here in 2 hours. Our introduction to Paris was the wine and dainty meal served on the train. I was so excited to get there.

We arrived at a grand train station around 3pm, got on the metro and found our apartment. It is a cute studio in Le Marais (in the 3rd) with two art galleries on the first floor of the building.

Paris is so exotic. It is actually much harder than I thought it would be not speaking French. Thankfully Matt speaks enough to get us around, order food, etc. Anyway, we still had terrible jet lag (Paris is 9 hrs. difference from LA) so we slept for a few hours. From there, we got up, and took the metro to Champs Elysees, which is a long road that is the upscale shopping district in Paris, which, I found out later, is really only used by tourists. The Arc de Triumph is at the end off the road, which was a beautiful sight all lit up at night. I wanted to look fabulous to go to this area, so I somehow thought it would be a good idea to wear heels. Not a good idea. Lots of walking and I didn't feel very fabulous anymore...

Matt and I went to a restaurant that was a few streets away from the touristy area of Champs Elysees and ordered wine and a cheese plate. You can imagine my joy when the restaurant owner brought out a serving-tray sized plate full of cheeses and set it down next to Matt. So we ate the most fantastic cheese that night chosen by the owner. They left the huge plate next to Matt for a while, which was so distracting! The cheese!!

We spent the next day exploring Paris including Palais Royal (in search of Didier Ludo, an upscale second-hand handbag store that wasn't as great as it sounded) and Saint Germain. We couldn't seem to shake the jet lag, but we made plans to meet Sam and Laura at the Louvre at 9:45am the next day. After being up for almost 4 hours that night, we woke up at noon. The alarm didn't go off, and we were so bummed! We had no idea how we were going to meet up with them again since they didn't have a phone, and we weren't staying in the same area. In London, we had decided that if we didn't catch up before then, we would all meet at 8pm on Thursday under the Eiffel Tower. We hoped that was still the plan, even though we had missed meeting that morning.

So Matt and I set off to the Louvre around 1:30. Fabulous! It was overwhelmingly crowded, but it was so great to see the Louvre in person after all we had learned about it. The Louvre was actually the French royal palace for hundreds of years, until one of the King Louis decided to move it to Versailles. It started out as more of an estate, and then generation after generation of kings added to it to make it more grand. One of the halls is so long that kings used to have horse races down the hall. And the art! The sculptures, the paintings, the moat (an excavated part of the original moat that was used to protect the Louvre against invaders) - and we didn't see most of what was there.

The other exciting part of the Louvre was that Matt was famous! No less than 4 groups of people took pictures of him. Some people tried to hide that they were and some people just walked up to him and snapped his photo, but we figured that he must look exactly like someone famous. I'm married to a star!

After several hours there, Matt and I raced over to meet Sam and Laura under the Eiffel Tower. At about 8:20pm, we figured they weren't going to come, but we decided to wait anyway. It was so surreal, I felt like I was in a movie - just waiting to meet someone special under the Eiffel Tower. Matt was walking around looking for them, when suddenly, Sam was walking towards me! You have no idea how happy I was! We waited around until 9 to see the *glittering* Eiffel Tower, which was the BEST! The four of us went to dinner at an Italian restaurant and then off to a cafe for drinks.

On Friday, Sam, Matt and I got up early to go to a market near Sam's hotel. It was part permanent market (inside), part farmers' market (outside). A highlight of the trip! We went to the meat counter, the cheese counter, the fruit counter, the bread store - at each one, you wait your turn, and then the proprietor spends as much time with you as needed. Answering your questions, painstakingly cutting your portions and wrapping them. Everything is done with such care and purpose. Just what I had hoped to find in Paris! (Sam and I also daydreamed of getting into a ring with each other and battling it out with giant hamhocks that were hanging from the ceiling - the photo of us also has the hamhock.) We saw people carrying huge half-pigs around and lots of older French people grocery shopping. The most impressive part of the whole event was when I went to buy figs, and the woman hand-picked the best figs for me. Can you imagine?? Lovely!

From there, we took our picnic on a bus to Versailles. It was beautiful, but I eventually was bored seeing room after room that is so overwhelmingly big, ornate, and really just over the top. The audio tour was also super-boring - mostly discussing the paintings on the ceilings rather than the history of Versailles, the kings/queens, etc. This is one tour that I actually wished we had gone through a company so that we could have gotten more information. The best part of the day was when we went into the gardens and set up our little picnic on the grass. It was the first sunny day of our whole trip and we just ate in the manicured lawn of Versailles. Matt, my brother and me.

That night we saw Sacre Cour (a beautiful church on a mountain top) and sampled "onion soup" which is French onion soup to us. It was much lighter than our version, but oh so good.

Finally, yesterday, Matt and I met up with our friend Derek and his boyfriend, Ramion. I went to high school with Derek and Derek and Matt actually studied in France together in college. So we both knew Derek separately, which was cool. The four of us spent a few hours catching up at a cafe in the Marais (our neighborhood) and then walking around. That night, Derek and Ramion took the four of us to Djoon - a restaurant that turns into a club. We were definitely the only non-Parisians there, which was super-fun. I just had the best time with everyone. I got to ask Ramion a lot of questions about the French. Before we came to Paris, Matt explained to me that the French are much more solemn-faced than we are. You don't really smile at strangers here. This has been so hard for me! I feel like I'm always trying to be serious or hold back a smile. Ramion told me that it was actually ok - sometimes he thinks it's refreshing to see people smile. Good news for me!

My main goal was to go to each of the cities we were visiting and to relax and spend time in the city like the locals do. But in the process, I realized that the first time you visit a place, you have to see the tourist sites. Otherwise, it's much harder to appreciate the culture and history of the city. Since that realization, we have embraced being tourists! Of course, we have also relaxed at cafes for much too long, window shopped, strolled around town - all just like my beloved French - but we're also packing in the tourist experiences.

Overall, I must say that I absolutely love Paris and I can appreciate the French attitude. Ramion put it best when he said that the French "live naturally" They don't have to be at work at a designated time - they just come between 9 and 10 and then work accordingly. They aren't fake and aren't overly polite - they're just themselves. It may not come across as being really nice, but you always know where you stand with a French person.

The best of Paris: French language, saying Bonjour every time you enter a store, imagining Sam and I dueling with ham hocks, listening to French, the way the cafes set up the tables outside for people watching, Derek and Ramion, pan au chocolat, really all of the food we've eaten, lingering in cafes, being on vacation, the super-convenient metro, dreaming about moving to Paris.

Lots to think about...but so very much to love about Paris!

Tomorrow we leave on an overnight train for Florence. I'll write more soon.

Jessica O.

London: Land of Pubs, Dreary Skies and My Kin

2009-09-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

September 12, 2009

We arrived in London after a 10 hour flight from LA, got on the tube from Heathrow to Piccadilly Circus. Piccadilly Circus is like the Times Square of London only all of the buildings are super-old, beautiful and grand. We met Sam and Laura in the hotel lobby. So good to see them! One of the things I've been looking forward to the most about our trip.

After getting showered and ready, the four of us set off in search of a pub called The Harp. This was recommended by Kim Loeffert's boyfriend, Peter, who lives in NYC, but is from London. (He sent us about 3pgs. of inside info. on things to do in London, which was so fantastic and also one of the inspirations for our website.) So his notes give vague directions to where we're going and say that the pub is down a street two feet wide. After some wandering around the area that seems to be part theater district (like Broadway) part porn/sex shows (red light district), we found the tiny alley that we later found out was the skinniest street in London and went into the backdoor of The Harp. It was full of Brits - always a good sign. I had a Guinness, which I have been looking forward to in London. So much more fresh and almost a little nutty - tasty!

We hung out there for few hours and Laura and I had some great conversation about living in the present moment. She has read A New Earth and Awareness, which as you probably know, have been life-changing books for me. We also talked about the fact that by doing this practice, the "challenges" that come up in daily life seem so much less important.

At the Harp, we also learned that you don't tip the bartenders in the UK. We did, and after we asked, a British woman kindly told us that instead of a tip, you can actually offer the bartender a drink. If they are allowed to drink on the job, they would have half a beer, compliments of you.

We all wanted to try Indian food, which we had heard was amazing in London. So Laura turned on her sweetest Southern charm for some Brits and asked where we should go. We ended up at Maharashi in Soho (yes, London has a Soho too!) where they have white linens and tablecloths. Much different than the Indian restaurants we're used to, which are usually more Indian decor and less fine dining. But the food was so good! It was actually spicy, which the Indian, Thai, Vietnamese restaurants refuse to do for the non-natives in LA, even if you ask for it. Besides the spice, I was surprised to find that our Indian food in LA is just as good.

After dinner, Laura and I went back to the room and Sam and Matt went for another drink. I was so tired (even though we slept almost 8 hours on the plane), and I passed out at 11pm (3pm in LA).

After spending half the night WIDE AWAKE, Matt and I got up at 8am to see Buckingham Palace, the home of the Queen of England. It turns out that the Palace is only open to the public 8 weeks of every year, which just so happened to be the time we were in London. I know that my writing skills could never do justice to what we saw, but the palace was just divine. Glittering gold ornately carved designs on stairwells and ceilings, plush fabrics with bold covers on furniture, wallpaper that is so rich it looks like it has dimension, color coordination in each room down to the last detail. My favorite of all were the marble sculptures - busts of kings/queens/dukes and carvings in the curvature between the walls and the ceilings that either tell a story with the carved figures or just add to the grandiose character of the room. The other stunning part of the palace is that many of the rooms look out onto acres of green lawn with a river in the back. Right in the middle of London!

From there, we sped over to a super-fab restaurant, Bob Bob Ricard, in the trendy part of Soho. This was our first interview with a writer for our website, and the restaurant was suggested by our interviee, Louisa. For each person we are interviewing in London, Paris and Rome, we asked the writer to meet us on a certain date and time at a place they would review on their travel guide for the website. So Bob Bob Ricard is a cute restaurant with an air of exclusivity that is all aqua-colored including the booths, curtains behind the booths, server uniforms and walls. They feature "The Toaster" where the server brings you a toaster (plugged into your booth) and a bowl of bread for you to toast your own bread. Very cute, fun and different. Louisa is not only an experienced writer, (most recently under contract with Virgin Media), she was also extremely personable and seemed to be just the type of person we are looking for.

From there we went to meet Sam and Laura for the "original tour" of London. I am absolutely horrified to admit that we each paid 24 pounds (about $40) to go on a double-decker bus tour of London. Now this is a prime example of "never say never." I am the first person to gawk at tourists on these tours in LA. I may wonder aloud, "Why in the world are they on that bus?!" or "Such a crazy, touristy view of LA!! How lame!"

My only justifications for this tour in London are (1) we were only in London for 48 hours and (2) there weren't any specific sites I was dying to see. I know, still lame. Anyway, it worked out well, and I promise, I will try to never again knock the tourists on the double-decker buses in LA.

We saw Big Ben/Parliament (shout out to Chevy Chase's European Vacation!), many monuments, the Tate Modern Museum, London Bridge, Tower of London (a castle dating back to 1100 where Henry VIII had his wives beheaded), the London Eye (giant Ferris wheel), Tower Bridge, St. Paul's cathedral, Westminster Abbey (enormous Gothic cathedral), etc. Pretty much all of the sites in London.

From there, we went to London's east end, to a bar recommended by Louisa. Very hipster. Ironically, I think she thought Matt and I were hipsters because of the way we were dressed. The best part of the bar was being there with Matt, Sam and Laura and that we were the only tourists there. We all wanted to eat fish and chips before leaving London, so we went in search of Ye Grapes, which was recommended by both cousin Ben and Peter. True to London style, Ye Grapes was closed, but we found a restaurant nearby still open. The restaurant had short ceilings and dark wood paneling. It also had real candles on each table, which made me feel like we were in London in the old days. It reminded me that London is the land of my kin! I wouldn't race to eat fish and chips again. It was basically fried fish and french fries - nothing special but I'm glad I tried it.

The next day, Matt and I were up again early to go to Harrod's, the department store in London that can famously get you anything in the world. There is a story that the first President Bush went into the store and asked to order an elephant, and the clerk replied "would you like African or Asian?" We saw everything from clothes and cosmetics to fossils, antiques, dollhouse furniture and "children's formal wear".

Then we raced back to the hotel to get our luggage and go to the train station. Off to Paris!!

Overall - Best of London: Realizing I was actually on vacation, exploring the city with Max, seeing Sam and Laura, super-polite people, knowing that this is the land of my kin (spoken with an O Brother Where Art Thou accent) and the tube. Worst of London: JET LAG, the food, and gloomy, dreary skies.

I'll write more soon with pictures and video!

Jessica O.

Vacation Eve

2009-09-12T00:06:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family! I am so sorry I have been out of touch for such a long time. Life has been amazingly busy lately and so, I decided to start a blog to keep everyone up to date on my adventures!

Today is my vacation eve - what a day! I have been literally working around the clock to get everything settled at work for my almost three-week European adventure. Matt and I have been planning this trip for over a year - well, we've been talking about it since our trip to Thailand three years ago. We decided to go now to celebrate my upcoming 30th birthday, based on the fact that September seems like a nice time to go, and because I have been practicing law for 3 years. That last item is just shocking - I never thought I would be saying that.

Anyway, we have been reading books, watching movies (especially PBS, National Geographic, BBC and yes, I'm sad to say, two Rick Steves videos), researching online, etc. all about the history, geography, people, food/wine, anything we can find about the places we are going - London, Paris, Florence, and Rome. I've never actually done so much research about a place I was traveling to, but it is making the anticipation of the trip all the more exciting. All of this planning for at least the last five months, and it's here! Even more fantastic is that Sam (my brother) and Laura are meeting us there! They will be in London and Paris for a week of the trip.

Matt and I are also in the middle of creating an internet company. It involves a website for 20 and 30-something travelers (just like us!) who want to experience cities like locals do, who don't have kids, and who aren't backpackers but aren't luxury travelers. We are going to start with writers from 12 cities who will write about their cities in a booklet that can be downloaded (for a small fee) as well as regular updates on the website. So, we are taking the opportunity to interview several people in London, Paris, and Rome. We posted ads on Craigslist, went through tons of responses from people all over the world, and sent a letter back to people we wanted to meet for an interview. We asked them to pick a location that they would review in their booklet/blog for the interview and said we would meet them there. We are looking forward to meeting these people, who all seem super-interesting. I'll keep you updated on that as well.

We have reserved our hotels/apartments, a tour of the Vatican and tickets to the Uffizi in Florence - otherwise, we are playing everything by ear. My goal is to go to each of those cities and explore, sit at cafes, live like the locals. We decided to only go to those four places so that we can settle in and wander, rather than just rushing through many cities. The world is our oyster! So fab!

I would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts or if you would update me on your life. Hope all is well with you.

Jessica O.