Places I'd Still Like To Visit In LA

If you know anything about me, you know much I love the City of Angels. I don't always like what it represents when it comes to the industry, but it's a gorgeous city, and there is so much to see. I'm down there all the time, but it seems that we tend to go to the same places whenever we visit, and the older I get....I want to explore! I thought I'd make a list of some of the things I'd still like to give a try in the very near future:

1. Pinz Bowling Alley- I've been inside several times while eating at Jerry's Deli, but I've never actually bowled there, so that has always been on my list of things to do. It also wouldn't hurt to run into Nick Jonas who used to be there quite frequently. 
2. Huntington Library- I've never been near the Huntington Library, but I've seen pictures of it and I've heard it's gorgeous. Not only is it a library, it's a botanical garden area with beautiful scenery! It's not exactly something you would picture in LA, but sounds like a nice escape.
3. The Getty Museum-My parents and I have been talking about going to the Getty for years, but we've just never made it out there. It would be an incredible view of the city, though.
4. LACMA- The LA Museum of art has been featured in several films, and has a lot of cool interactive exhibits, and just looks like a neat place to lose track of time. I also wouldn't mind running into Shay Mitchell (Pretty Little Liars) who seems to be there quite frequently.
5. Hollywood Bowl- I can't tell you how many times we've been by this establishment on our various trips down to the Hollywood area, but yet we've still never been inside for a show. Mainly because it's SO expensive for concerts or any other shows that take place, but WOW! I can imagine the sound out there, as well as the atmosphere. Perfect for a summer night, that's for sure!
6. Urth Cafe-I've always wanted to try this cafe, because it just seems like one of those chic little places to check out when you're in that neck of the woods.
7. Lemonade- Another restaurant I've wanted to try for the same reason and that they have healthier items on the menu. 
8. Farmer's Market- I've been to the Farmer's Market at The Grove, but it's very different from the street style ones that set up all over town on Sunday's. I've heard about one close to Hollywood Blvd, and I've heard they have a lot of great fruits and veggies to choose from, as well as things like caramel apples and the like. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday than just browsing around. 

I'm sure there are plenty of other places I could think of, but these are the main focus at the moment. If you have any suggestions or have a list similar to this one, let me know on Twitter or in the comments! I'd love to hear from you :)

That's all for now,

Shelby

The Weekend Review

Saturday, I slept in a bit, got ready, did my quiet time with God (the Lord knows I NEEDED it) and as soon as my dad got home from running errands, I went with my parents to look at wood flooring for our house. We were there for a little while, getting everything finalized and setting up an appointment for them to actually do it. Finding time was the harder part. After everything was good to go with that, we headed down to LA for the day.

He is all we ever need, and right now I think I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that at times.

You'll have to wait to see what floor we picked.

TRAFFIC SUCKS. 

Had lunch at Bob's Big Boy in Toluca Lake. I was hoping to run into Nick Jonas, but that didn't happen.

After we finished eating, I text my friend, Kathryn, because she said she was just at the Starbuck's next to Bob's the night before. I thought maybe we could meet up somehow, if she wasn't busy. We were both heading different ways, but we're trying to plan something to meet up for a Partners (Sophia Bush) taping and maybe me hanging out at WB with her for a little bit. She's interning at a production company inside of the WB lot. That would be so much fun, so I really hope October works out after some of the craziness here dies down.

My parents and I ended up driving around Toluca Lake, when I saw a tweet about the Creative Arts Emmy's at Nokia Live. We used to hang out by the red carpets for the award shows, but finally there were just too many to keep up with. Anyway, the Creative Arts Emmy's are actually more exciting, to me, because it's a lot of the younger stars from Nickelodeon and Disney. Unfortunately, by the time we drove over there, they'd already stripped everything down, except for the red carpet, but everyone was already inside. We drove around downtown LA, checking out Chinatown and the Fashion District. You can see a lot of interesting people down there. I'd love to take my camera sometime, just to photograph people that really stand out, or talk to them about their business/life. 

People of LA...dressed up like superheroes. Maybe they're doing something for FIDM or a film class?

By that time, it was time to start heading over to Dodger stadium. We still had plenty of time to kill, as always. We walked around the lower levels, got something to drink and headed up to our seats. No one special sang The National Anthem, but we did see Magic Johnson and Rick Fox, with his wife, Eliza Dushku. The game started off a little slow, in my opinion, but it really picked up towards the end. There were a few really great plays, by Kemp and Cruz, when it came to catching the ball, getting someone out, and of course, winning the game. The Dodgers had been behind the entire time, then they tied up, and in the very last inning pulled it off. I was so afraid it would have to go into extra innings, but it didn't, which was great. I thought it was even cool, that during a game when someone got hit with a bat, Magic Johnson walked over to them, gave them a signed baseball and talked with them a long time. Rick Fox even went over there for a few minutes too. I thought that was really nice.
It was a little sentimental knowing it's our last night game of the season, and there's only one more after this! WHOA!
During the game, I got a text from one of my friends in Nashville saying she met Colton Dixon at the Kelly Clarkson concert that night! I couldn't believe it! Moments like that...I wish I lived in Nashville LOL. But, I went back to just enjoying myself at the game and being happy for her that she got to see him again.
It was SO hot during the day. LA is never that bad, and it was in the 100's, and didn't even cool down much that night. I think that has to be the first time none of us brought a sweatshirt. It should be getting into cooler weather, and it's getting hotter by the minute. Something is wrong with that picture.

After the game, we went to our usual stop of Del Taco in Valencia, then headed home. I was quizzing my dad on One Tree Hill trivia, asking the names of the characters, and things like that. It was hilarious to hear some of the names he'd come up with. It's little moments like that I'll always remember.

Sunday:
Yesterday, I woke up around nine, got ready for church, and off we went. The service was so good, about loving completely, and forgiving others. Holding onto our bitterness and anger, does nothing for anyone, including ourselves. Our pastor, Lydia, spoke because her husband is preaching over in Ethiopia right now, which I think is so cool. Anyway, she showed a couple clips of October Baby, and now I really want to see the movie. After the service ended, I bought my ticket for the Women's Conference coming up in a couple weeks, and I am so excited about it. The theme is going to be "Freedom Without Fear," which sounds incredible, and after hearing about some of the big plans they have for it, last week...It's going to be so much fun. I also know that God is going to be present all three days, and is going to bring healing to so many hearts. I'm expecting BIG things to happen that weekend.

After church, we had lunch at a local restaurant, Getaway Cafe! We sat down with our drinks, and I went to grab my cup, but somehow my key necklace caught the edge, knocking it on my lap and leaving a big spot. I don't consider myself super klutzy, but wow...What a moment. Luckily, by the time we left it had pretty much dried. My shoes were still a bit wet, though.
The rest of the afternoon was pretty boring. I worked on homework a bit, got distracted by ideas on Pinterest, and watched Gilmore Girls and One Tree Hill on Soap Net. Yup, I like to live life on the edge.

We decided to call some family friends of ours to have dinner, but no one could think of anywhere to eat, so we ended up at Denny's. Go figure! It was a lot of fun; we don't always get to hang out together as much as we'd like a lot anymore, but it's always a blast when we do. We ate, talked (about cars, houses, Carrie Underwood, South Carolina, and other little things in between). Then, they showed us their new car, and we talked a little more outside. The weather was really nice; felt like it was actually starting to cool down a bit.

Just some words of wisdom I saw on Instagram! Love it! 

My parents and I stopped at Sonic for drinks, then came home. I spent the rest of the night watching The Kardashians, Married To Jonas, and working on a story I'm writing. It was pretty low-key, which is good, because this is going to be one very BUSY week.

That's all for now,
Shelby

Have a fantastic week! :)

Weekend Review

Yesterday, I slept in until almost 11, got ready...blah, blah, blah, and eventually my parents and I went down to LA for the day. We couldn't decide on where to eat, and I wanted to try something new, so we decided to try this burger place in Burbank. We've driven past it quite a bit, but have never been there. I hadn't been in the best of moods, which is no shocker, unfortunately, but lunch really perked me up. We were laughing at the dumbest of things and it was great. I don't even remember what all we said, but somehow we found it hilarious. 

 

After just watching the episode of OTH where Brooke's attacker Xavier follows her into the parking garage, and waits for her as she gets out of the elevator...This was a little eerie.

After lunch, we walked over to Urban Outfitters. I could seriously live there! I loved just about everything I saw, which would be a real issue if I actually had money, so it's a good thing I'm broke. However, it gave me some outfit ideas for trips coming up, and just my style in general. I ended up getting some new Oxford shoes, which I was really excited about! I can't wait to wear them more for fall. We were pretty clueless about what to do after that, so we just drove around town, throwing out random ideas, but not really coming up with anything. We ended up driving through a different area of Griffith Park, and it was really gorgeous through there. There were horses walking up the mountains and the sun was beaming through the trees. It was the perfect summer drive! As we were about to turn a corner, we saw what we thought was a kit fox, and it ended up being a coyote! He was adorable! And it was almost like he kept posing for the camera as soon as I took it out. When I was done, he crawled up into the bushes. 

Finally, after a little while, we made our way to Dodger stadium with some time to kill. We ended up hanging out on the level beneath us for a bit. I needed sugar, so I got some cotton candy and an ice tea, then we went exploring. We looked around the dugout, and waited for the National Anthem and all to happen, since there's a better view, then headed back up to our seats. We even got to see the US Water polo team that had just played at the olympics! That was really cool.

The game felt really long, but it was actually done pretty quickly...The innings just lasted long! There were no celebrities in the crowd, which is weird, because there's been someone at every game, but oh well. It was still a lot of fun, of course. And the Dodgers won, which helped too! :)

When the game ended, we had dinner at one of my dad's favorite places, Ernie Jr's. He practically grew up eating there, since he was from the area. We were one of two tables out of the entire place, since they were getting ready to close, so it was almost like we had it to ourselves. Again, for some reason we were all in a great mood, laughing and joking around, making fun of each other, and I was planning out the One Tree Hill episodes I want my dad to watch. I can't wait! 

We got in the car and headed home, rocking out to Taylor Swift, saying "What?!" as I recited the rest of the song. It was a blast, and I love that my dad seriously tries to get into the stuff I'm into or at least puts up with it, even if it isn't his cup of tea. He's seriously one of the most selfless people I know! It was a fun car ride home. 

Friends Fountain at the 2nd WB lot...One of these days I will get in. I am determined!

                                   

This morning, I woke up and headed off to church with my parents. It was such a great sermon on making decisions on having an "I will" attitude. I really needed to hear that, because I've been feeling discouraged, and just slipping back into old habits, forgetting what I've been working so hard on this year. I want to remember all that God has already done so much in my life, and the things that He promises, He is going to follow through with. I have to believe that and do something about it. This is MY season, and I am choosing to trust God with whatever comes next. Instead of having a negative attitude, I want to choose to look on the bright side of things again. I want to have a joyful attitude rather than a debby downer one...Because she's no fun to be around. 

When church got out, we grabbed Panda Express, and took it home. The rest of the afternoon consisted of me watching random shows on Netflix, scoping out Calabasas (aka where the Kardashians live), and hanging out. I think I've got it all mapped out. A little while passed, and as I was sitting on the couch, I got a phone call from one of my really close family friends, telling me that she wanted to go back to Washington D.C during Thanksgiving break if plane tickets were cheap enough...Would I be interested? Absolutely! However, it would mean missing Thanksgiving day with my family, so I'm not sure. It would be so much fun, though...And it would definitely make me feel like an adult, having to miss the holidays. So, we'll see what happens. 

Around 6, we headed up to my grandparents house, after picking up KFC for dinner. I seriously need to do a diet before we go to South Carolina, because I want to be able to eat a lot of southern goodness back there, and right now I've been eating way too much. Oh, summer...We made it up to my grandparents house, ate dinner, enjoyed one another's company and watched an interview with Mitt Romney. I found it extremely interesting and helpful with this election coming up. 
We spent a few hours together, then came home. My last official day of summer. I caught up on some recorded shows, edited some pictures...The usual. And now, it's time for classes to start up tomorrow. Ah! It feels like we were all just talking about summer, and here we are starting up again. Summer classes can really throw things off a bit, but I'm so glad for it...Because it gets me that much farther ahead. I was going to try not to stay up too late, but, that didn't happen. I decided I'd stay up super late on purpose just for the heck of it. You're only young once, right? Someday soon, I'm gonna miss these moments or not get the chance to just sit around, so I thought I'd take it as it comes. 

That's all for now,
Shelby

The Weekend

Its been a really good weekend! I was able to sleep in quite a bit yesterday and just hang around the house for a bit, which was nice. As I was finishing getting ready, my friend, Steph text me about a Nick Jonas tweet. Well, the rumors are true about him possibly being a judge on American Idol...We couldn't be more thrilled. I think he's PERFECT for it; he's so talented, and will draw in more of the age group that they're probably aiming for. Then, I went with my parents to LA. We had lunch at Lucille's in Valencia, which is on the way, and I think it's possible it just might be my new favorite restaurant. I tried the BBQ chicken salad this time, which was really good. But, I would've been just fine with the rolls and sweet tea. YUM! There's also a really neat store right around the corner from the restaurant, that has some adorable clothes! The two times we've been in there, I've found a ton of stuff.

We made it to LA, but then came the million dollar question of...What now? You'd think for as many times as we've been down there, we'd come up with more exciting things to do, but ...Ya know, routines are hard to break. We ended up in Toluca Lake, drove around the area, then ended up at a few stores on the main street that we'd never been in. We went into the Discovery shop for a few minutes, and another boutique across the street. I knew it was a good sign when we walked in and they were playing the One Tree Hill soundtrack! AH! Then, it was time to head to the Dodger game.

This is the perfect fairy tale looking house!!

We got to Dodger stadium, and decided to go to the lower level, hoping to see whoever was singing the National Anthem up close or see if we could spot any celebrities before the game started. Well, they had a Karate type thing set up in honor of Japan. It was really cool! But, unfortunately no one we'd heard of sang the national anthem. Eric Stonestreet threw out the first pitch, but we've seen him before...So, pretty soon after, we went up to our seats. The game was pretty good! For awhile there, I thought they were going to tie it up, but the Dodgers pulled it off! They're coming on strong again.

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! I'm so okay with this.

Quote of the night:

"Somebody start the wave, I'm getting bored here!" (boy a couple rows behind us at the game...He had a lot of great lines).

We headed home after the game. It took a little longer getting out of the parking lot, because of traffic, but once we hit the freeway, things cleared up a bit. I always love the car rides home. I do a lot of thinking in general, no matter where I am, but I feel like when I'm in the car, I can just listen to music, and to some degree tune out the rest of the world for a little while. We stopped at Del Taco for dinner, and only had about 45 minutes-hour drive home from there.

An idea struck me for a story, so I started writing in my notes!

I'm always wide awake when I get home, no matter how tired I was previously. I took a shower, then decided to do some writing, which turned into listening to music, which turned into looking up American Idol interviews on YouTube. Finally around 3 I got to bed and watched Full House for awhile, and off to sleep I went.

This morning rolled around, and of course I didn't hear the two alarms I'd set, so my dad had to wake me up! HAHA. I got ready, then we went to church. It feels like the most normal Sunday I've had in awhile.

My Elise Testone inspired outfit for the day!

I feel like the series we're starting at church is seriously meant for this season of my life that I'm in right now. Last week, we had a guest speaker who talked about God moments, or E-moments that happen in our daily lives. This week, our senior pastor spoke on "Divine Coincidences", which is something I've been thinking about. I've been wondering about the life that God has planned for me, and whether the things I do can stray me off course from the life God has planned. I got the word that I needed to hear on that.  "You cannot miss the will of God if you are open to the leading of the Spirit." That really changed my perspective on the way I've been holding on so tightly to some things, but when I'm open to God's plans and ideas, I'll get there no matter what. There really are no coincidences, and I've always believed that, it was just a matter of being reminded as I figure out what this next phase of my life is. I'm getting some things going, and I know that all these little moments and things are starting to be put together piece by piece for the greater good. Little by little, I do see some things working out, and I'm excited to see where they lead. For now, I'm trusting God that He knows best and everything will fall into place from there.
After church, we had lunch at Chili's. I filled my parents in on the crazy night I had last night of watching American Idol videos, and some of the things I learned from them. I also gave my dad a rundown of One Tree Hill, trying to prepare him for the episodes I want him to see before Wilmington. My mom wanted to go to Michael's, so we ended up going there. I always forget just how much I love it! They have so many things that get my creative juices flowing. My mom and I are going to start making bracelets again. I also got some really cheap scrapbook paper-lots of great deals they had going on.

Bracelet I made with a couple things from Michael's! "With God, your problems are always light as a feather."

I want one of these backpacks for school!!! 

We came home; I listened to music, wrote some, uploaded pictures to get developed, then ran to Sam's Club with my parents. We came home for a little while, then ended up having dinner/dessert with some family friends at a local ice cream shop! Its been around for years. It's nothing fancy or spectacular, but it's a fun place, and they have great ice cream. I love hanging out with them; lots of great stories to share and reminisce on. They filled us in on some travels, an anniversary party coming up, and other things...and of course, it wouldn't be complete without a few laughs. We even made plans to hang out again Saturday! Can't wait :)

Now, I shall sit and write...and make plans for the rest of this week. I'm tired of dilly dallying, wondering why things aren't happening for me...Because I'm not MAKING them happen. I have plenty to keep me busy, so we shall see what this week holds.

That's all for now,
Shelby