interlude: road trip.

So, I just opened an e-mail with the subject line "NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR VACATION PHOTOS." And guess what this post is about? Ha, ha...I love a bit of harmonic convergence.

Anyway, just wanted to tell you a little about last week's road trip to the Bay Area. I always think I'm going to have this incredible adventure on one of the world's most beautiful coastal routes--all in one day. Then I'm overwhelmed by everything there is to see and do, and how it takes at least a few days to a week to explore just a portion of it.

Sometimes pictures do a better job of telling the story, so here they are. And hopefully there will be lots more to come.

Started the coastal portion of the drive in Cambria

It's been so long since I've passed through Big Sur, I forget how the steep windy roads can make you nauseous. But it's totally worth it. It's just miles and miles of the most breathtaking scenery--ocean and bluffs and green, green trees. My future Big Sur goals include: camping, attending a workshop at the Esalen Institute and visiting the Henry Miller Library.

Of course, I had to stop at McWay Falls and take the de rigeur Big Sur shot.

I mean, come on

I saw some beautiful flowers along the way.

Once I met up with my family in San Jose, we took a trip to Monterey. I reminds me a lot of where I grew up in Annapolis, MD--only with a less colonial and more of a sleepy West Coast vibe.

A stroll down Cannery Row

The reason for our jaunt was to show me the wonderful Monterey Bay Aquarium. My sister's family loves this place so much, she got a job there!

25,000 sardines and one very happy mahi mahi

On Sunday, we stopped at the Campbell Farmers Market. I'm happy to report it was just as wonderful as L.A.'s markets.

One day, my sister and I visited the Montalvo Arts Center and Hiking Trail. We trekked up (the equivalent of 47 flights of stairs) to an overlook with a breathtaking view of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay.

 Behold the mighty, mighty redwoods (and these are just the baby ones)

Driving home, we stopped for ceviche in Santa Barbara and played on the beach at the Ventura County line.

Rush hour, Malibu style

Have a a wonderful week. I'll be back with more to love. xoL.

farmers market.

Lately I've been hitting the Larchmont farmers market on Sundays.

It's much like Hollywood, but smaller and cozier. You can snap up everything in one quick loop.

You can also hit up one of the best beauty supply stores in L.A., grab one of the best bagels and stop by Go Get 'Em Tiger for delicious coffee.

summer.

It's summer! There's much to do this week! And I'm heading into my final round of chemo and feeling the accumulative effects of a deeply lethargic body and somewhat scrambled brain. But I do have to get out of the house every once in awhile, or I'll cut my head off at the neck with a butter knife.

Here are many cool things I'd like to do, of which I may actually hit one or two. But that doesn't mean I can't share them with you, so you can do them, too. Here we go...

The Yamashiro Farmer's Market is in full swing, every Thursday from 5-9. It's one of the few seasonal farmers markets in L.A. (ends September 4th), with lots of food trucks and spectacular sunset views. You can park at the Mosaic Church on Hollywood at La Brea for $2, and take a shuttle up to Yamashiro.

This Saturday is NELArt's Second Saturday Gallery Night. Read: Highland Park's Art Walk. Art Walks usually give me anxiety--because there's too much to do and see--but there are a few shows that I'm excited for this Saturday.

Check out my friend Jeff Newman's work.

Also, the awesome Jen Gotch is showing her Polaroids at ShopClass LA. Her photos inspired me to start taking Polaroids (before camera phones, apps and the discontinuation of Polaroid film made it mostly obsolete) and her My Polaroid Blog influenced me to start this blog. Now Jen is the CEO of Ban.do, and one of the few chicks I'll admit to being a little jealous of. Mantra: don't be envious, be inspired. Repeat.

And Slow Culture is featuring the stunning photographs of Anthony Samaniego.

Photo via Anthony Samaniego.

It all sounds like fun.

And there's more. I would really love to take in The Scandalous Art of James Ensor at the Getty. It runs until September 7th, so I'll be able to make this one. Ensor was part Impressionist and part Avant-Garde painter--decades before there was an avant-garde.

The Skeleton Painter by James Ensor.

Another must-see is the Route 66 exhibit at the Autry Center. I'm embarrassed to say I still haven't been to the Autry, and I'm sucker for all things Americana (it's the Midwestern girl in me), so this is the perfect excuse to get me there.

"East 66/West 66" road sign from 1970s Arizona.

You know what else I'm loving right now--fish soup. I know it's a tad hot out for a big, steaming bowl of soup, but I'll suffer the sweaty forehead. I had the most amazing Ginger Fish Noodle Soup at the Viet Noodle Bar in Atwater Village along with a sweet and syrupy (but sugar-free) ginger iced tea. Ginger! It knocks cancer out.

Next up to try: Chuentong, or Korean ground mudfish stew. Sounds gross, but according to the LA Weekly, it's amazing. A somewhat rare delicacy, it's served at a handful of Koreatown restaurants.

Some other things to love right now:

Violinist Vadim Gluzman. I was introduced to him by Jim Svejda the other night on his show, tearing up the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. I thought it could only be Heifetz, playing at such an absurdly fast speed and was surprised to learn it was a modern-day violinist. I know the Tchaikovsky is a war horse, but I never tire of hearing its endless interpretations. And nobody can play it like the Russians. Guzman totally kicks it old school, like Oistrakh and Milstein, and I'm excited to hear more of his recordings.

Violinist Vadim Gluzman

Love that Barnes and Noble is having a 50% off sale on the Criterion collection throughout July. It's a good time to buy some all-time favorites for my library--like Children of Paradise.

Love this image of a peony and vintage camera.

And I leave you with this pretty lily.

  Thanks for reading, and as always, I'll be back soon.

farmers market.

Yes, there are Farmer's Markets all over LA, and love most all of them, but I still like to come to the permanent one every Sunday. I get there early to get a parking space, and I completely ignore the Grove. I like Bob's Donuts and getting Café de Olla at Loteria. I tried Short Order for breakfast once and it was fine. I like the Dog Bakery. It's all nice before the weekend crowd hits.