six months.

Hi there! It's so good to be back.

So, this has been one of those times when real-life, non-virtual things come up and I lose sight of the blog for a bit. Like, I started a post and (as is often the case) by the time I got around to finishing, it didn't feel relevant anymore.

But something else has happened along with the surgery from which I'm recovering. I wasn't sure whether to address it on the blog, but I've decided to do it. So here it goes: I've been diagnosed with cancer--Stage III Ovarian Cancer, to be exact.

Needless to say, having cancer and adjusting to chemotherapy puts a damper on blogging. But there's no way I'm letting it go. Nothing stops the blog. I also thought this might be a good place to add some thoughts about what I'm going through...you know--write about it--like everyone keeps telling me to.

Here's the deal. I have six months of chemotherapy--the title of this post--18 sessions, of which I have completed five. I'm not going to lie to you, readers. The past two months have been rough. The side effects have left me exhausted, nauseous and bald.

But I also want you to know life hasn't stopped. I've managed to get out and about (a little) since my diagnosis, and I would like to share some of it with you in this post. Let's take a look.

I finally got to attend a concert of the Da Camera Society's Chamber Music in Historic Sites. Courtesy of my lovely friend Vivian, we were treated to a special night at L.A.'s super private, members-only California Club. As Curbed L.A. noted in a recent post, "there is an old adage that goes 'The people who run Los Angeles belong to the Jonathan Club; the people who own Los Angeles belong to the California Club.'"

The night included a delicious supper followed by a concert of "Thomas Bloch and Friends," featuring a rarely-played instrument called the Glass Harmonica. Created by Benjamin Franklin, the glass harmonica features a series of glasses attached by a metal rod. Slightly similar to a harpsichord, the glasses are operated by water-moistened fingers and pedals, creating ethereal, merry-go-round-like sounds. 

The concert included works by Benjamin Franklin(!), Mozart, Debussy and more. The star of the show (in my less-than-humble, totally-violin-biased opinion) was violinist/violist Cindy Wu, who blew me away with Saint-Saëns' "Fantasie for Violin and Harp."

Another treat was a visit from my best friend Dan, who flew in from NYC a couple of weekends ago. We hooked up with our other high-school bestie (also named Dan) and had quite a time--we always do. After a month and a half of being housebound, it was wonderful to enjoy dinners at two of my fave restaurants: A.O.C. and Crossroads...

Wow. Look at all that hair I had a couple of weeks ago. 

No wonder I was surrounded by cute guys.

...plus an amazing concert by the Jacaranda Music Series in Santa Monica. As part of the L.A. Phil's Minimalist Jukebox program, the night featured my two favorite chamber groups, the Calder and Lyris Quartets, joining forces on Philip Glass's score for Mishima, a film by Paul Schrader. The second half of the show included actor Franz Hans, backed by a horn band, narrating David Byrne's The Knee Plays, 14 pieces that were composed as interludes between the acts of Robert Wilson's opera Civil Wars.

And just a few more fun things to share with you: I discovered (and became a bit obsessed with) the Waterlogue app, which transforms this stunning photo...

...into this beautiful watercolor...

...and this little mutt into...

Isabel Archer, Downton Abbey style.

I binged watched a TV series--eight episodes of Broadchurch, starring David Tennant and the WONDERFUL Olivia Colman. Man, I love this lady.

I got lost in a new book. Congratulations on the Pulitzer, Ms. Tartt. Even if not everyone agrees.

 I developed a mad girl crush....

...on the gorgeous Rosamund Pike, who wowed me as Paul Giamatti's wife in Barney's Version.

...and will soon be seen in David Fincher's Gone Girl. EXCITED! EXCITED! SO EXCITED!

I know Ben Affleck is in this, but still, I am shaking with excitement.

I attended a fascinating art exhibit at 11:11 A Creative Collective  in Tarzana...

...and fell head over heels for the photography of Erin Stone...

From "Returning" by Erin Stone.

...and just enjoyed my beautiful, Mid-Century Modern neighborhood.

Now I'm off to do a little wig shopping. See you soon--and I promise it won't be long.

work, work, work + lobster.

Man, it's been almost a month since I last blogged. What a bummer. But that's how busy I've been with work. It's just been crazy, working all hours and every Saturday. So, not only do I not have time to blog, I have nothing to blog about. I know, I know. Everyone get out their tiny violins. But no more, excuses--I'm back.

One bright spot in all the drudgery has been the discovery of this amazing little place right in my home town of Toluca Lake, the SweetSalt Shop. It's another one of these little French market-type places, and let me tell you, it is worth the trip to Toluca Lake.

My friend Kim and I both splurged and got the Lobster Roll, and let me tell you, it was something else. I've had the one at The Hungry Cat, which is supposedly the best in L.A., but I beg to differ. Of course, neither are as good as the one I always have at Gregg's, when I visit my sister in Providence, but come on, how can you compare an L.A. lobster roll to a New England one? It's just not fair.

I also had a Celery Fennel Soup which was out of this world, and Kim ordered a bread pudding drizzled with a salty caramel sauce, which knocked us both on our asses. Seriously, it was one of those meals that you never forget. It ranks right up there with Alegria, which consistently serves the tastiest food, and Lucques, where I had most memorable L.A. meal ever.

So now I'm back, into the blogging mode, but I have to go home and relax with the new episode of Jersey Shore.

flora.

Life is an arboretum, at least life in Southern California is. That's what my dad said, and there is a guy who loves his trees and flowers. We took a little spin through Toluca Lake, and I snapped everything in bloom, and it really just amazing and so beautiful. Plus, it smells like orange blossom and jasmine--sigh. This is going to take a few entries, but it will be worth it.