Holiday Celebration at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

One of many photos I have to work on from this afternoon. The husband had a bunch of work to do, so he opted out of attending with me. Instead I wandered downtown (and up the hill) by myself to attend the festivities.

I left around 230pm and got there around 3 o'clock. By the time I was seated, I was sent up to the 4th floor with the rest of the folks making their way in. Actually being there was nice. I know I could have stayed back at the apartment and watched it on tv, but the balcony, despite being far away, gave a good vantage to the set up and how the show was hosted and filmed.

Up on the 4th floor it was hot though and the seats were.. close. Maybe too close. It got to be a little warm up there for me. Also, after getting poked a few times with a lady scavenging in her purse one too many times and dealing with the odd issue of my hearing, I apologized and headed out. It seemed the best place to be was outside with the multitudes that didn't get in (or were in this never-ending queue to get in).

Being out on the Plaza was wonderful. The air was good, the sky blue.. Families, couples, singles and all sorts of people were everywhere. Children laughed and skipped through the fountains despite the security trying to discourage them. People out on dates took pictures of each other. Little boys stomped and splashed. Little girls danced with their moms.. Grandmas or Aunts giggled and pointed at the large screen set up to broadcast the KCET program when they saw their nephews or grandsons. So much scampering, clapping, singing, talking.. and the air was nice. It was good to be outside with it all.

I headed back down Grand Ave around 530 after the "Kultura Phillippine Folk Arts" performed and got back just in time for "Klezmer Juice" at 6pm. I know it's not the same as being there, but I got to sample a lot of good times and positive energy.

So now I'm going to finish working on those photos.. I just wanted to write some of it down before I started to forget. It was all good. I hope some other folks I know were able to go at one point or another.. It was well worth it and hope you had at least as much fun as I did, whatever you chose to do for the holiday.

Best Wishes,

Meeko

Happy Yule.. Happy Christmas! Happy Birthday..

I'm pretty open to all of them. I come from a family of die hard Christmas people.. Ok.. so my mom is crazy about Christmas (can't say as much about the rest of the folks) but from October to January.. it was always festive if nothing else, (stressful is the 'if nothing else'). Since then the holidays tend to get me a little down.

Tomorrow I'm thinking (oh tomorrow is today.. *sigh*) I may end up going to the Holiday Celebration over at the Music Center. I read about it on BlogDowntown and it sounded cool. It takes a while to find out that tomorrow is just another work day for some of us, but not me. I asked him if he wanted to go, but SeanYoda doesn't sound as enthused. 10minutes of each performance maybe isn't compelling for him, but there's bunches more going on so we'll see when I can drag myself up the hill and over there. Sooner than later, I would think. Why watch it on tv if it's right there in my back yard? (ok I don't have a back yard). It's not like I have to walk all the way over to WeHo or something. *grin*

But it's nice to be around people that are celebrating too. I need to soak up some happy energy, even if it's from a distance. Then again it might make me depressed for all those over-decorated, over-gifted, over-fed holidays. LOL My needs are few.. Just enough food, just enough festivities without making an ass of myself, and just enough kindness to go around.. One must take all the kindness one can get I would think: let make merry. =) Christmas is once a year.

I guess that's when I'll get some sleep too.. (next year).

cleaning up the internets...

I finally did it. I deleted all my useless stuff.. no more myspace, no more tribe, or friendster or any of those weird things all over the place scattered like useless html refuse. I ended up delete some 4 different random social places and instead have this, (the blogger that is) and the Live Journal.. oh, and that FACE BOOK thing.. but hey, I got rid of FOUR other social sites. *go me!*

when the party's over..

Well, I survived the holiday party. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I met some folks who I've only seen in the elevator (and kind of recall their name(s) and faces) We took some photos when we remembered to, and although the settings were once again off, were able to shoot a few decent shots (probably less than I should have posted on flikr). Not sure if I drank too much. I had two glasses of wine (2buck Chuck white) and feeling kind of like the floor was moving on me. I know my limits fortunately and switched to some diet coke. =) I think I should have nibbled on more solid before that though, the watermelon wedges and spinach quiche I had wasn't compensating for the drink. =) Suffice to say you won't see any pix of me in that flikr group. (LOL) Neither photo was flattering (Not to mention the light was off). Granted I have a TON of weight to lose (ok more like 50lbs) but having folks get you with your eyes closed or looking kind of messed up doesn't help.

Of course at the time I was too festive to really care. OTH, I did miss out on whatever caroling was going on at the Music Center. Seeing a couple of our longstanding residents was good though, as was chatting up our Leasing Manager, who still is trying to rent out that unit. *grin* Good Luck with THAT. ;P

christmas parties

Our building is having a Christmas party this Friday. I can think of other things going on I'd rather be at. For one there's a Holiday Sing Along downtown that sounds like fun. Oh well. This isn't the place for me to complain but yeah, I'm in a weird place of feeling I've been more social in a really long time and not really wanting to deal with strangers either.

We used to know some of the people in our building. The names anyway allude me but the faces were familiar and they all either moved up or out when their lease came due. I've seen the guy next door once and he was giving us an angry look. He only lives here during the week and commutes to his home every weekend. I'm sure he has plenty reason to be angry but not at me. I really hate how I can just soak up people's emotions sometimes. It's like reading in all caps or something. bleh..

I'm posting here more than normal. Probably because I've been using my blogger for more commenting than I really should be. I do exist! I just don't tend to go anywhere and when I do, it tends to be a draining experience eventually.. sort of like doing 15mile walk with no training. I'm out of practice. =)

If it wasn't cold & wet outside right now and there was somewhere to go, I'd probably be up for it. Just not, you know.. 15miles. Maybe a short walk.

Walking home in the rain..

Holiday lights outside Casey's Irish Pub. Rainy street. Coming back from the Bloggers on Ice meet (would have wanted to stay longer but the rain and the cold was getting me down) needed to be somewhere warm where more than just my paws, tightly wrapped around my hot chocolate (which was being downed pretty quick) wouldn't feel the chill so much.

For $3 that was one good hot chocolate. =)

no retail but new retail..

just not our retail. I really don't post too often here at all. The last time I posted in my own blogger was in June and I was saying something about a rumor to have a dry cleaner. Well, it's November and we don't have a dry cleaner. I'm actually ok with that. I don't use dry cleaners and I personally think they use a lot of chemicals one doesn't necessarily need to be using in a residential building. I'm not big on ironing either.. wash and wear you know?

OK.. so if you had dry cleaning you can take it to Ralph's Fresh Fare as they seem to have a drop off pick up place there.

OTH, Coffee Bean & Tea has opened at the Market Lofts.. The Pastagina is on it's way in and there are more shops in the South Group buildings. Downtown is looking very shiny lately. It's still the same place though. Just shinier.

downtown crosswalks & other retail fun

So living downtown we notice a lot of the streets getting torn up for whatever reason. Luckily I don't drive otherwise I might be more annoyed.. thankfully not. We did notice that the new brickwork that went in over in South Park is the same that 5th & Main St. seems to have gotten as well. I'm just glad the big hole over by the Starbucks is now filled. It makes the area look closed for business.

Speaking of business, while I wasn't feeling too hot myself, my spouse went to a rooftop party in our building and found out a couple things. The jackhammering that was going on for a week below our apartment wasn't for naught. Seems we may be getting a dry cleaner in that unit. One of those drop off/ pick-up places. It's a small retail unit so I personally was hoping for a boba tea place or maybe a newsstand. The way the building it set up one can't really expect a lot of conversion options other than maybe a tea place or a hot dog stand. Well, I know it's not a cafe or a L&L (my personal hope is for a L&L Hawaiian or another Weeneez or possibly a Peet's Coffee cause I would totally go for that). Obviously being renters we don't have a right to choose what sort of retail we get.

So in the better than nothing, I guess I can stop complaining about not having retail in our building. *sigh* Still, it would be nice to have something that isn't upscale but isn't a McDonald's type fast food joint. (L&L isn't that fast food, people, and we could use something besides the Starbucks and the jacked up GAS STATION.. maybe another famima!!) oh well. what do I know?

Sunday Downtown

the i5nomads were in downtown LA Sunday checking out the progress of the new abode. We were there putting in the color request for the accent wall. How odd to be choosing an accent wall for what is essentially an apartment?? It's a loft but it's a rental... and it's very dark despite the new lights that were put in and the huge windows and patio doors (that seem to rise to the ceiling almost!)

SeanYoda took measurements while I pestered the leasing guy about stuff like I dunno the granite counter that seems to be a thorn in my side regardless of liking it.. and not really caring that they (whoever they are) put the counter in over the biggest drawer (perfect for silverware & gadgets) and cabinet in the entire kitchen. The thing that I guess is really getting to me is the granite counters themselves.. who knew they would be so hard to keep clean and that we'd have to keep them covered from heat and cold.. (well heat at least). I'm not a trivet person. I guess I'll have to be.

What we want to do is get one of those IKEA freestanding units to compensate for the lack of cabinetry.. (Sean wants to earthquake proof our dishes) and since there's no pantry, we might need one of those. so either way.. we can put the cans in the cuboard instead of the dishes, or the food in a freestanding (but matching) pantry of some kind.

I feel very spoiled knowing we have these sorts of decisions to make. =) Going from having really junky cabinets and carpet to having little cabinets & no carpet is somewhat frustrating and liberating at the same time. I really will miss the fridge though. I realize we don't need to bring it but it's only 2years old. At least the fridge they put in there is something of an upgrade.. but we didn't need an upgrade really. I guess I'd really be upset though if we had moved somewhere that had the EXACT same fridge (only in black) as we have now. I love the fridge we have here. Too bad I hate the rest of the kitchen. =P 3weeks.. til we move and I'll have to say good bye officially to current kitchen & the wonderful fridge. (secretly I am so excited!!!) New ADVENTURES!

raccoon in the city for REAL!

This morning we got some good news. We were approved. =) i5nomads in the city.. soon very soon. more places to walk and find coffee. More Starbucks per square foot.. more privacy and space (well same space but no walls).

Today is a good day to be a "i5nomad".. (or a napping Alexander kitty) and it makes me not so upset that I burned out the blender motor trying to make smoothies this afternoon. Still annoyed, but it's only a blender. One more busted thing I won't be bringing to the new place if I can't get it to work. ;P

Only thing I still have the munchies!! (today was supposed to be my liquid day) so maybe yogurt without the frozen fruit. sigh.

raccoon in the city for real??

Saturday last weekend SeanYoda & I spent the day in the city and where did we end up? Taking the Downtown Housing Tour with the downtownla.com folks. They sure are an enthusiastic bunch!

While we can't say we remember anything we saw in the various lofts & high rises (5 places and a bus ride around the city in circles) and the fact that this raccoon doesn't seem to know how to make shorthand of the the info they do give lends ourselves to being memory impaired. Husband likes to take pix. I must say he was very good about putting up the LOFT TOUR and here it is.. located on Meeko's live journal gallery.

DOWTOWN LA HOUSING TOUR


How wonderful is that?

Oh and we have an appointment set up to go take a look at one of his favorites. I might have to change the name of my blogger thingy.. *grin* Would you like to see those galleries?? or maybe I ought to put them in the other place??

BIG THANKS TO Bruddah Mike & the downtown blog-LA-sphere in helping us find out more about the FREE tour that downtown gives on saturdays.. FREE is good. =)

What is better is finding a cat-friendly & affordable place that has mass transit and easy commute for both raccoon & tired husband. Wherever we end up, I hope I won't have to leave bread crumbs.. Best is not having to wait 4hrs for my SeanYoda while he commutes from Culver City to Anaheim. That one is priceless.. =)