Raise a Toast to You...Mums!

In honor of mothers day tomorrow I just want to mention how awesome mums are. Mine is amazing, I am told I am my mother's daughter through and through and I am more than happy to take that honor!

I also want to give a little shot out to my sister who is also an outstanding mum. I spend a lot of time with my nephews and they bring me such joy (mostly because you never know what is going to come out of their mouths). I still remember the day when Zach (3 years) called me a babe. Made me want to cry, who needs a man when I have him to give me all the affirmations I need!! And just tonight after he said I love you, I said I love you more and he said "no Tia I love you this much" and then he threw out his arms that then hit the wall which didn't even bother him because he was demonstrating his love for me. Cutest little dude EVER!

So Happy Mother's Day to all you mum's out there, I don't know how you do it! It's a 24 hour job and if anyone argues that give them your kids for a weekend and see how they look at the end of it!

Need I say more...

The all time cream of the crop, numero uno, utmost favorite place to get a cup of coffee (or tea, or bagel or acai berry bowl for that matter) is Kean coffee on 17th. It is a favorite to the locals here in Newport and I place that I splurge on at least once a week. I used to get my usual sugar free vanilla soy latte, but I have recently been introduced to the soy lavender infused latte. Yes I said it infused (said in a fancy drawn out way).

Knowing that I would want to blog about Kean someday I have been racking my mind how I was going to convey to my audience the magnitude of it's greatness. There are so many reasons why one would be attracted to their coffee shop and justify paying $4 or $5 for a cup of joe. Maybe it's the funky urban feel, maybe it's a leaf or a heart they skillfully design on your foam or the fact that all of their coffee is fair trade thanks to the coffee aficionado and owner Martin Dietrich.

For me it's the memories I savor there. Memories of my roommate and I strolling across the street to our old friends at Kean to pick up a cup of coffee, enjoy the sunshine and wander back to our apartment. Or the memory of when I met my sister there and she pulled out a little black and white photo to tell me about the new baby in her belly.

I love when my mom or sister call to say they are going to be there knowing that I will drop what I am doing to run across the street to meet them. Now that I think about it those poor barista's have seen me in every stage of my day, morning, afternoon after a work out, and night. And well let's admit it...my morning after look as well!

Below is a photo my roommate took on the beach at Corona Del Mar on a 80 degree day in January. I think it is the best depiction of my love of Kean simple yet oh so enticing!

The Final Count Down...

Ok so I have a mixed feeling of anxiety and nerves. Today I took my luggage out of my closet and laid it open on the ground thus officially beginning the packing process. I have bought things I think I might need like snacks for my walking adventures, new clean white socks and things my uncle has asked me to pick up like a salad spinner and goo gone.

How does one prepare for an adventure of a lifetime? I think I have everything I need but am not sure and I guess I won’t know until I get there. But that is precisely the point of me going, to make sure that anyone to follow will have the knowledge of what to pack, where to go (and NOT go), what to expect, where to eat and what to do. This is truly my dream job!

I am preparing as best I know how. From what I have read the greatest and most memorable way to get from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is to take the train, then you can experience the country side and towns throughout your one and a half our trip. Also a good tip is to purchase travelers insurance, they cover medical, dental as well as luggage loss…very important!! I have also bought the Discovery Channels book Guide to Israel; who would know better than discovery channel they made the show Earth after all! Next I checked my in-flight entertainment and I am happy to announce they will be showing Twilight. (Don’t groan, roll your eyes or have any negative thoughts it’s an amazing book and you should read it too!!) I have purchased a box of Kashi Go Lean bars for those moments when I am out and about and starving and wouldn’t have a clue where to turn for a kebab (more research for the trip, apparently the local common snack is a kebab aka gyro).

The final preparations is to make of list of items I need to pack to make sure I am not forgetting anything, put aside things that I need to bring to New Zealand only because don’t forget I will be going there 36 hours after I get back for Israel, spend time with co workers at my going away party on Wednesday, also spend quality time with my nephews and family. And last but not least make sure my roommate does not feel like I am abandoning her in anyway. (We have joked for the last couple weeks that I am going to come home with my things in the courtyard, my room rented out and locks changed.)

All in all I have to just keep telling myself that I have prepared for this the best I can and that though I will be by myself most of the time while touring I am just going to walk around looking like I know exactly where I am going and what I am doing. Self confidence? That won’t be too hard at all! Count down is T-minus 2 days 15 hours!

Hello World!

It is an astonishing thing what a new baby can bring. There is a sense of excitement and something new in the air.

I went over to my sister’s house Tuesday night after picking up some frozen yogurt which was a craving, for her husband, to find she was having contractions. One would find this uncomfortable to watch and though it was hard to see her in pain, it was a different feeling because I knew that the baby was coming. So it was more of an exciting anticipatory feeling rather than a negative one.

The last time she had a baby I was living in Seattle and so I missed most of her pregnancy and moments before the birth. This time was much different as I was able to watch her grow and go through those pregnancy moments with her, also fortunate to throw great baby shower with her dearest friend. Now nine months later I am an auntie (or Tia as Zach would call me)again to a beautiful new baby boy, Mason Charlie.

I am even more excited now to have children of my own in no less than 10 years. I am excited to share those precious moments with my family and friends. I am also excited to go shopping and register for all the fun things that the baby can use and wear. Some things that I am hope that will not happen when I have my babies are as follows. One that we will not be in a recession, two that my sister will not be too busy with her 15 children that she will be too busy for me, three that my parents won’t be living more than 20 minutes away from me at any time before, during or after the birth, and finally four that I won’t gain more than the baby weighs. My only hope is that I can look as good as my sister does after giving birth because I’m pretty sure there was an extensive list of people who thought she looked amazing after the birth of both her sons!

I wanted to add photos of the little guy to this posting but didn't want to spoil it for his parents, so photos to come!

Golden Birthday

Happy 50th Birthday Barbie!


You might wonder why I am wishing Ms. Barbie a Happy Birthday. Well this falls under the savoring the memories category. Recently my mom decided to get rid of all the things at her house that belong to me, which includes a box of my old barbies and accessories. I was going through the box and came across two barbies that had me giggling for quite some time!

They had pink lips and obnoxious purple and blue eyeshadow circa 1980's. Interestingly enough one was bald and the other had a failing attempt for a short cut a-la Zach Morris from Saved by Bell. Memories came flooding back to the fact that I wasn't allowed a Ken doll, therefore defying my parents by cutting my barbies hair instead to make them Ken!!

Needless to say after my run in with my past I picked the fanciest dress I could find in the box, put it on the Barbie, took it home to my apartment, propped he/she up on the mantel place so my roommate could see it with a sign next to it saying NO on Prop 8!

I actually owned the barbie below which was featured on most memorable barbie looks on LAtimes.com! I am pretty sure she was one of the ones who had her locks cut off!