My Yard Exploded While I Was Gone...

So today, when I got home from work, I noticed the most stunning development in my postage-stamp yard. It literally exploded into bloom. I've added some pictures so you can take a look at the tulips that have started blooming (they close up at the end of the day). My faves are the ones in back. They're called Queen of the Night and they are the only technically "black" tulips in the tulip repertoire. So emo, I know, but finding black in nature fascinates me since it's so rare.

The vines on the fence are also all in full bloom. I wish my yard could look like this year-round. It would be a gorgeous thing.

Just Got Home From... Home.

As a transplant from Southern California to Seattle, I'm still trying to make sense of the adjustment of the context of the word "home." For the majority of my life, "home" has always been somewhere in the expanse of Orange County. Now, for the last seven months, "home" is a city that I only ever visited once for a couple days when I was 12. But as soon as I caught sight of that iconic skyline from the light rail train bringing me in from SeaTac, I felt like I could relax for the first time in five days. I'm sure most of it's tied up in the fact that all of my "stuff" is here in Seattle now, and it's just easier to have it all at my disposal. And also that I have a massive network of friends/family that I need to attend to when I am in SoCal, which can be exhausting. But it's an alien feeling, coming from that network of people that I love to a place where I know very few people, and still feeling... comfortable. I think part of it comes from the plane in my life that I hit when I came up here. I've been on my own financially since I graduated college at 21, but I've never been really "on my own" in the fullest sense of the word. Moving up here is the closest I've ever gotten to doing that, and I think something changes in you when that happens. A different facet gets added onto the person you've shaped yourself into thus far into life. OK, getting far too philosophical. Stop that, Jenn.

Sadly, I come home to an empty house, as Cole and ALL the animals (yes, cat and BOTH dogs) are in Spokane. So I don't even get a furry snuggle-buddy on my first night back, which is kind of depressing since my dog has been my "security blanket/boyfriend stand-in" for the last four years and two failed relationships, and not having even that comfort is a bummer. I guess I'll just have to dance around the house in my underwear singing loudly off-key since there will be no judging eyes.

Leaving SoCal

Winding down from a whirlwind 3 day trip home in Orange County. I should have been asleep three hours ago since I have to be up at 4:30 a.m. to catch a flight to San Francisco, but whatever. Minus the hangovers, it was a wonderful weekend. I think when I have less time to spend here I am more efficient with my time, and manage to see/spend time with everyone I want to.

Looking forward to a couple of days in the great city of San Francisco. Hopefully I'll be able to make it out of Moscone Center for a few hours and remind myself how gorgeous the city is. Either way, I get to live on my company's dime for a couple days, which is always a plus. Looking forward to client dinner at Foreign Cinema and possibly drinks at Bourbon and Branch, if my client is afraid of the Tenderloin. And then... back to Seattle. And reality.

Love you all!

Farmtown and Fields of Tulips

One of the more amazing things I've seen since moving to Seattle: Hundreds of thousands of tulips in a few small acres. Incredible. A few photos are below.

Also amazing: Drive about 50 minutes outside the city and you're in legit hicktown farmville (and not the lame Facebook application). Literally, they make their own cheese, grow all their food, and still have room for tulips. Makes me want to say fuck all and buy a farm and make a living hanging out with cows and goats. Of course, Raquel tells me I'd last a week before I'd start screaming "Put me on a conference call - STAT!" But that's just her opinion. Enjoy the photos, and you can be jealous that I live here. Sometimes I am too.

iPad, Meet iMaxi

I'm loving this spoof on the iPad. It appears that now, to protect your precious Apple-hipster investment, you can purchase the iMaxi, a convenient, absorbent protection case, complete with wings! To help prevent those uncomfortable "data leaks." Very clever! Link!

Pilates = Death

So I'm taking Pilates classes from a studio that opened a few blocks away from my house in Seattle. Let me tell you, I am the only one in the class that seems to find it impossible. These machines are simply modern torture devices. They literally look like the Rack, almost. Regardless, doing it makes me feel like I'm not a total blob, and also will help with the post-winter and non-smoker lbs. I've added the last few months. But the chicks in these classes are somehow able to hang with lifting, pulling, and contorting their bodies in unspeakable ways for 45 minutes, non-stop. And somehow I'm the one falling off the machine and needing to take small "breaks" throughout. How embarrassing. Here's a pic of the studio, so you can envision my torture, and if you're local, here's a link to the studio. Enjoy!

Does this look similar??

Easter! ... or Christmas?

Just before we left for Spokane to visit Cole's mom, I decided to get a shot of some of the blooming tulips in our yard (below).



Then, as we drove up into the Cascades to cross the great state of Washington, we ran into... THIS:



First snow I've seen this winter! It was beautiful, so I took a few more shots for the masses. This much snow in April just can't be normal, but we'll take what we can get! Enjoy the photos!

Good Friday

I think I know what suffering on a cross for three hours feels like now, Jesus... maybe an 85 hour, pure insanity workweek? It could be that the latter is worse, since the pain lasts longer and is more drawn out.

Kidding.

Now that I'm going to get struck by lightning today, I thought I'd let you all know that dog goes to my mom, I'd prefer to be cremated rather than buried (the holy lightning might take care of that for you already), and my sisters can take whatever clothing they want from my closet. Raquel can have my shoes.

Eeek! I'm glad this week is finally winding down, and all essential work is done. Cole and I are going to head to his mom's this weekend in Spokane for Easter, unless its snowing in the Cascades, which we have to drive through to get there. And it's been storming here for the last week so...

Hopefully we'll make it. I absolutely adore Seattle, but it might be nice to get out for a weekend and not have to drive past my office if I want to go anywhere.

Happy Easter all!

Fave Cheap Cab (Under $10! How Can You Say No?!)

Since wine means more to me than a pleasureable end to a day (it's a bit of a crutch in stressful times, now that I've quit smoking), I thought I'd let you all know that I've found one that I really love for it's value and versatility. I can find this for about $7 most places, and $9 at the la-di-dah fancy supermarket by my house. And while it will never rock your world, it easily goes with almost any meal and is just fine by itself. I present to you: Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon, from (gasp) South Africa. Who knew? Here a link to a quick description. You should check it out! Link Here. And a pretty picture of the bottle, since pictures make for good blog posts.