Pink Hair

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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

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

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.