Pijja Palace is a sports bar on Sunset 10 minutes from Dodger Stadium, but I went there the night of a Padres/Braves game, so these Angelenos didn’t give a shit. I’m sure it’s much rowdier when there’s a Dodgers game on.
The only other restaurant I’ve been to on here is Guelaguetza, and I can confirm that you can still hear me over the live mariachi band ๐
When your boss’ name is ‘Gaye’ and you have the sense of humor of a 12-year-old boy ๐ I’m the most senior web designer after my director, so she always puts me in charge when she’s out.
Also, is this offensive to the LGBTQIA2S+ community? ๐ I was going to remind the team that Iโm Gaye on Monday, but now Iโm rethinking my approach…
My toxic trait is doordashing iced coffee every morning and not finishing it, then letting the cups accumulate and having to rinse them all out at the end of the week. Relax, I’m not a completely disgusting human being, I recycle ๐
I get my lashes done once a month by this lady who lives in Arizona. She lives part time in Tucson to help out with her grandkids, but she still has a lot of clients in SD, and she comes to my sister’s or Christine’s house so it’s convenient for usโYes, Christine and I have the same Brazilian waxer and lash artist. I’ve even gone to her eyebrow lady when I needed a serious threading in a pinch. If you don’t share the same estheticians, are you even friends? ๐
We were trying to schedule our October appointment at our last session, and I wanted my lashes to be refreshed for my Halloween costume, so I was like, ‘Are you available the week of Halloween? Will you be with your grandkids?’ and she was like, ‘Oh, I don’t celebrate Halloween. I’m Christian.’ ๐ณ
I also finally saw my neighbor today. Everyone else around me is still there from when I lived in the building before the stroke, but my next door neighbor moved in while I was gone. I smiled at her and said hello because I was coming when she was going, but she just grimly smiled at me and kept walking. She probably saw my Halloween decorations and was thinking, ‘Oh, so you’re the witch who lives next door.’ She’s lucky she’s quiet, or else I’d put a curse on her ๐
Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month, and today marks the end of Jessie’s treatment, so we are celebrating this weekend! ๐ฅ I am so grateful to have two of my dearest friends still with me after they both survived breast cancer ๐
I got this card from five dot post, who continues to promote cancer awareness after her husband passed away from cancer a few years ago ๐
After we went to the Rams game, we took the bus out of traffic because it was impossible to get a rideshare at the stadium. The last stop was in Playa del Rey, down the street from Chef Brooke Williamson‘s resto, Playa Provisions. We were gonna grab dinner there before heading home, but they had a private event that night and weren’t accepting walk-ins, just reservations! I forgot you either have to make a res or wait in a ridiculously long line to eat at a good resto in LA ๐
Anyway, I would never choose to have Indian for dinner, but I’m also easygoing and down to try anything (except baby animals and Highland cows LOL). I avoided all the lamb dishes, of course, but the malai rigatoni was def something to write home about (@ Pijja Palace)
It was like an Indian take on perfectly al dente vodka pasta. Maybe I like Indian fusion, because I really enjoyed the Tandoori Chicken Poutine at Maneet Chauhan’s restaraunt in Nashville, too.
This place was also oddly a sports bar, so I got to catch the Padres playoff game during dinner. They won again and swept the Braves to win the wild card series!
People were asking me if I was gonna go to a playoff game at Dodger Stadium, but the last time I went to a Padres/Dodgers game at that stadium (last week LOL), Padres lost big time, so I don’t wanna jinx them ๐
The series is best-of-five in a 2-2-1 format, so game 3 will be in SD. I’ll be in SD next week, but game 3 falls on my dad’s birthday, so I’m hoping the Dodgers don’t sweep, and there’s a game 4 I can possibly go to in SD.
Also, I might have to go to a game if someone’s able to find me this cute ass Padres jacket Alex Morgan (SD Wave soccer player) wore to a game last month ๐ฅ
Because I’m still in love with you
On this harvest moon
After dinner, we went to Larchmont Village for Jeni’s ice cream and cookies from Levain Bakery, and this guy was playing ‘Harvest Moon’ on the sax on the street. It’s a Neil Young song, but I only know it because Lord Huron did a cover ๐
On the way home, we saw the coolest house decorated for Halloween in Highland Park ๐ค
My cousin from LA went surfing in SD this weekend, so she stayed at my sisterโs last night. We walked to this KBBQ place nearby, partly because she loves KBBQ, but mostly because she loves to get her steps in (@ Sura Korean BBQ)
Whenever people compliment me on my perfectly pulled soft serve, I tell them itโs because I used to work at Mcdonaldโs when I was 16๐ฆItโs just one of my many skillz ๐
When I went to the Dodgers/Padres game, I mused aloud, โThereโs a guy named โMookieโ (Betts) on the Dodgers. Thatโs a weird name.โ My phone mustโve been listening to me, because this popped up on my feed today. Is โMookieโ a common name in baseball? I googled it and both players had different government names, but chose โMookieโ as a nickname.
One time, we had a computer glitch at work, and everyoneโs email reverted to their government names. Mine stayed the same because I use my government name (Marion) at work, but our print producer Nick Nickersonโs name changed on his email. I was like, โWait, Nick isnโt his real name? He chose to be called Nick Nickerson???โ We also had a guy named โRobert Robertsโ at my first job when I was fifteen. Did he choose to be called that, too? Did he know Iโd be blogging about it 27 years later? ๐ (Yes, I was fifteen 27 years ago. Do the horrifying math).
I found this Airbnb in Canada that has Highland cows on the property.
Nori’s been to Scotland, but she didn’t get to see any Highland cows (they’re from the Scottish Highlands) while she was there. I found some places in North America you can see these cute hairy cows, and then I went down the google rabbit hole wondering if they slaughter them here.
I love BBQ (smoked beef ribs are my favorite), and now I feel like I have to ask what kind of cow I’m eating at restaurants like in Portlandia ๐
As a rule, I don’t eat baby animals (lamb, veal or suckling anything)โjust adult animals who have lived a full life LOL. And now I have to add Highland cows (at any age) to that list ๐
Get you a work bestie who makes you shrimp ceviche, and a work bestie’s mom who makes you nopales (cactus) salad ๐ฆ๐ต Yes, I was good and ate it with grain-free tortilla chips, and yes, I’m pretty sure I was Mexican in another life.
I put my Etsy shop on hold after the stroke, because making sales and mailing shit out was the last thing on my mind. When Chel saw my Halloween decor and found out I made the door hanger on my Cricut, she was like, ‘You should sell these!’ I fucking should, huh? There’s gotta be other disturbed people out there ๐
My cousinโs birthday is coming up, and she and my sister both did so much for me after my stroke, so I treated us all out to our first football game at SoFi Stadium, VIP style โจ
Did I just meet my future husband? ๐
Garoppolo is the new Ramsโ backup QB, so he was suited up, but didn’t get to play at all, and McCaffrey (my cousin’s favorite Niner) wasn’t even there because he’s been out with a calf injury since the season started. Oh, well. We were there for the 50-yard line club seats and complimentary food and beer at The Gallagher Club!
The guy at the tri-tip station saw me holding my plate of nachos, so he cubed up the meat and put it on top of my nachos without me having to say anything. I love this silent understanding between me and the tri-tip guy ๐
They not like us
AJ Mclean of Backstreet Boys was at the game, so they featured him on the jumbotron when they did stadium karaoke to I Want It That Way. Lebron James, Dalton Knecht and Chuck Lidell were also at the game.
The Niners were leading up until the final two seconds when the Rams scored a field goal and won. It was such a good game!
Partly because parking was $100, but mostly because our tickets came with free alcohol, we just uberโd there. It was impossible to get a rideshare after the game, so we took the bus (my first in LA!) out of traffic to the last stop in Playa del Rey, and took a 15-minute uber home from there.
We had reservations to go to Pizzeria Bianco in DTLA for my birthday last year, and I texted my cousin who also lives in Redondo and was like, โI donโt think I can make it. I had a stroke and Iโm in the hospital.โ ๐
We ate at the one in Phoenix when we were there for the inaugural Innings Fest, and were so stoked to hear that they were expanding to LA. We finally got to go and it was just as good as I remember it being ๐ Now if only theyโd open a Cornish Pasty Co in LA so we could get our PB&J pasty fix!
Pammie ordered Goblin Snot (an iced matcha with white chocolate cream) and I got Phoenix Tears (passionfruit and mango sparkling refresher with lemonade topped with edible gitter). Phoenix Tears have immense healing powers (according to Harry Potter Wiki) โจ
The cafe was cute, but my sister has better Harry Potter decor in her house ๐ They could definitely work on their marketing and branding. Our iced cups, for example, should have stickers with their logo on it. ‘Snot’ and ‘Tears’ were just scribbled on our cups with a sharpie ๐ My graphic designer eyes are very judgy ๐
The news of Dave Grohl came out that he had a baby outside his marriage. It’s unfortunate for his wife and kids, but it doesn’t make me like the Foo Fighters’ music any less. I think The Strokes frontman, Julian Casablancas, is a total asshole (I’ve been to a couple of their shows where he proved it by walking off the stage early), but I still love The Strokes’ music and his side project band, The Voidz.
I’m not completely forgiving, though. I don’t listen to R. Kelly or Diddy’s music anymore ๐
Said I know that it’s somebody’s birthday tonight somewhere
And I know somebody’s gonna celebrate tonight somewhere
My birthdays haven’t been the same since R. Kelly was convicted of child sexual abuse in 2022 ๐
me: When did we go to that Foo Fighters show in Phoenix? Last year? Pammie: No, two years ago. We didn’t go to Innings Fest last year. me: Why didn’t we go last year? Pammie: Because you had a stroke! me: Oh, yeah ๐
Frozen pierogies from the ‘Meals for One’ section at Target are my new guilty pleasure. Just kidding (they aren’t in the ‘Meals for One’ section. Just because I could eat all of them by myself in one sitting doesn’t mean it’s a single serving ๐ ).
My sister lives in the โburbs, so I felt relatively safe walking around her neighborhood by myself in San Diego. When I walk around my apartment in LA, though, I bring my pepper spray and box cutter and wear my Dodgers hat ๐
A few years ago, my new neighbor hung a letter and bag of candy on everyone’s door introducing himself and his dog to the building. I remember throwing away the candy and thinking, ‘This is LA, man. We don’t do that here.’ LOL. I still don’t remember his name, but his frenchie’s name was Stella ๐
When I made the door hanger on my Cricut, I asked Pammie if she could help me weed it (the vinyl stickers). She was like, ‘I’m already disturbed. Please come in.’ I was like, ‘I know what it says… I said, ‘WEED’ it. Not read it.’ LMAO. I know I sound like a baby sometimes after having the stroke, but I haven’t developed an Elmer Fudd speech impediment. I can say ‘read’ ๐คฃ
Anyway, I hope my Halloween decor thrills all my gentlemen callers doordash delivery guys ๐๐ค
I was woken up today by an earthquake in Malibu. I just went back to sleep, partly because it was 4:22 in the morning, but mostly because the earthquake was only 3.6 (when it comes to earthquakes and boys, I only get up for a 6 or above ๐).
I had to use the stove last night, so I moved my new air fryer toaster oven from on top of the stove to on top of the fridge and pushed the glass canisters of sugar and flour to the edge. ‘They’ll be fine up here as long as there isn’t an earthquake,’ I thought.
This reminds me of the time I moved out of my apartment in La Mesa. Shi and I set my bed frame on its side to see if I could get it out of my bedroom without having to break it down. After finding out it could fit through the door in one piece, we left it propped up against the wall.
This is the conversation that followed:
me: Arenโt you gonna help me put the bed frame back down? Shi: Just leave it. Itโll be easier to move tomorrow. me: What if it falls on me while Iโm sleeping? Shi: Itโs NOT going to fall on you! me: But what if thereโs an earthquake? Shi: Thereโs not going to be a damn earthquake, crazy!
Can you guess what woke me up the next morning? I survived the earthquake, obviโฆ no thanks to you, Shirley May!
I had just eaten my breakfast sandwich and was going to go on a walk to get my steps in and get some iced coffee. Pammie was gonna come with me, but she kept forgetting shit (her sunglasses, her keys) and the house is 4 floors, so I just waited downstairs while she kept going up and down for whatever she forgot. I wear a continuous glucose monitor, and it alerted me that my glucose levels were low. Theyโve never actually been low when it has alerted me before, it usually happens when I put a new device in (every 10 days), and I just have to test my blood and recalibrate it and itโs fine. This time, though, I was sweating (even though the A/C was on in the house) and I felt off, so I tested my blood and my glucose levels were really low. Good thing I start getting ready for Halloween in July, so I had candy on handย ๐ย I ate some and felt way better! I walked to Casa de Otay for iced coffee after and didnโt even break a sweat (I hardly ever sweat, so that also tipped me off that something was wrong earlier).
I have a continuous glucose monitor device that alerts me on my phone if my levels are too low or too high, but there are service dogs who are trained to also alert you. I ignore my phone notifs all the time, but I would never ignore a puppy ๐
Just a friendly reminder to listen to your body! ๐
There were a lot of call backs to the original film, so I loved it. I feel like if you weren’t a fan of the first movie, you wouldn’t like this weird ass sequel.
For those who asked about the shirt I wore to the theater (literally no one), yes, I designed it on my Cricut, and yes, it glows in the dark ๐ค๐
No one commenting on my shirt reminded me of last Halloween when Jess helped me carve a Beetlejuice pumpkin, and Christine thought we were carving Albert Einstein ๐คฃ
Just before my stroke, I was gifted an Our Place Perfect Pot. I forgot how nice it was to cook with quality nonstick pans. My sister has a fancy gourmet kitchen, complete with two KitchenAid ovens, a KitchenAid stove, KitchenAid dishwasher, KitchenAid fridge, KitchenAid wine cellar, and a huge quartz waterfall island (she bought the biggest model home), but, like our mother, she doesn’t cook ๐ Her husband cooks sometimes, but he either uses the gas grill on the rooftop, the pans he got for free from the casino LOL, or what’s left of the Calphalon cookware set we won nearly 15 years ago on Ellen DeGeneres’ 12 Days of Giveaways!
I’m like the jambalaya fairy, because I made extra for Nori & Sachi, Pammie & Dennis, Christine & Francis. Many have eaten my food, few have died. Just kidding. (Not that many people have eaten my food.)
I meal prepped so I don’t fall into old habits (doordashing breakfast and dinner everyday and spending a gazillion dollars on food ๐ ). I still go out to lunch with Nori during the week, though (a bunch of new restos opened in the south bay while I was gone, and I have to try them all).
It was Nori’s dog Kona’s birthday over the weekend, so I brought her some toys. She loved them all, especially the piรฑata stuffie ๐ฅฐ
Nori’s icon status at Nordstrom, so she invited me to join her for a complimentary dinner at Ruscello. We were treated like celebrities LOL!
We were able to find primo parking at South Coast Plaza with my handicap placard, and her mom and sister were like, ‘You’re invited to go out with us anytime!” ๐
Her mom gave me one of her long ass shoe horns when she saw me struggling to put on my shoes ๐ They make slipping on my Vans a breeze ๐ต๐ป
I was gonna buy a new oven a few years ago, because the one in my apartment is tiny and electric. But since I was in the market for an air fryer, I got this Breville Air Fryer Toaster Oven combo. I have zero counter space, though (the kitchen in my studio is smaller than my bathroom at my sister’s house LOL), so I have to set it on top of my oven ๐
The first thing I made in it was a personal pizza.
The power turned off a few times in the 15 minutes it took to cook the pizza, and I had to flip the switch in the circuit breaker a couple times. It probably couldn’t handle the A/C and oven on at the same time, but I was like, ‘Come on… Don’t make me choose between A/C and pizza.’ ๐
Yes, that’s turkey pepperoni and yes, I know I need to calm down on the olives ๐
Jessie sent us this pic of baby boy at his first Padres game. He wears a little helmet to gently shape his head, and Jess found a place that customizes cranial bands, so she got him a Padres wrap ๐ค๐
File under: Reasons I’d want a child (there are very few LOL).
I doordashed breakfast from Urth Caffe this morningโan iced Spanish latte and a Sunrise Pizza. The poached egg that came on top of the breakfast pizza was way overcooked again (the yolk was cooked all the way through!). I went to Urth with Nori for lunch before, and I ordered the same thing. I was like, ‘Get this shot, Nori’ before I cut into my poached egg expecting a runny yolk, but the egg was cooked solid LOL.
I love a good breakfast pizza, and my favorite one is from Big Sur Bakery (I just saw it burned down a few months ago!). I still ate the pizza without the solid ass egg ๐
Another time, I was at brunch with Jessie and we both ordered chilaquiles, but I ordered my eggs ‘over easy’ while she ordered hers ‘over medium’. I was like, ‘WTF is over medium?’ She was like, ‘Where they flip the egg, but the yolk is still runny.’ I was like, ‘Isn’t that over easy?’ She was all, ‘Don’t they not flip it when it’s over easy?’ I was like, ‘Nah, that’s sunny side up.’ She was like, ‘Let’s see how they come out.’ We got our order and our eggs were cooked the same ๐ Apparently, they don’t know the difference between over easy and over medium at La Sabrosita, either!
Here are some helpful charts:
Update: Jessie studied abroad in Spain and is married to a Mexican guy, but she’s the whitest Asian we know ๐
While I was away, they opened a Salt & Straw in Manhattan Beach and a Magnolia Bakery ghost kitchen in Torrance, all within doordashable distance to my apartment. This does not bode well for my blood glucose levels. Or my waistline ๐
And if you have a minute, why don’t we go Talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end of everything So why don’t we go somewhere only we know?
Keane – Everybody’s Changing
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game I try to stay awake and remember my name But everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same
Keane – A Bad Dream
And when will I meet my end? In a better time you could be my friend I wake up, it’s a bad dream No one on my side I was fighting But I just feel too tired to be fighting Guess I’m not the fighting kind Wouldn’t mind it If you were by my side But you’re long gone Yeah, you’re long gone now
Keane – We Might as Well Be Strangers
I don’t know your thoughts these days We’re strangers in an empty space I don’t understand your heart It’s easier to be apart We might as well be strangers in another town We might as well be living in another town We might as well We might as well We might as well be strangers
Keane at The Greek and street dogs. It doesn’t get more LA than this!
Thank you Nori and Sachi for making my first day back so amazing ๐ฅฐ
I bought this portable A/C unit during the Great Heat Wave of 2022, and it’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made (to be fair, I’ve made a lot of bad decisions).
Me: Look, that guy’s wearing a cape! Pammie: That’s not a cape, it’s a robe. Me: Well, that other guy’s wearing an actual robe *points at guy wearing a bath robe* LOL
As Rob Riggle commentated before they started, ‘My heart’s on Kobayashi, but my moneyโs on Chestnut!โ ๐คฃ I knew Joey was gonna win, but I felt bad for Kobayashi and the crying Japanese fans in the audience ๐
The last time I had sangria slushies was at Las Hadas downtown after a Padres game, and Christine was also with me and reminded me of some very bad decisions I made that night ๐ We also ran into Pammieโs brother-in-law that same night and he told her his now infamous line, โTell your sister she was sloppy.โ Although some knee-dropping chismรฉ came out during brunch, none of it had to do with me this time ๐ Ask me again in 10 years ๐
This brunch was way overdue. We were supposed to get together when I came back from Spain, but I caught Covid. Then we rescheduled, but Pammie caught Covid in Vegas. Weโre all healthy now, but work has been stressing us all out while Shiโs over here starting a book club at her work ๐คฃ
I suggested Flama Llama because I saw it on instagram. I love llamas, so liking these fuckers fucked up my algorithm ๐
Everything was so amazing and flavorful. Iโve had Peruvian food before, but this was exceptional. Just ask Shi (she ordered 4 entrees LOL).
Jambalaya is like everything I love in one dish: Shrimp? โ Sausage? โ Rice? โ Heat? โ
I followed this recipe and added some Flatiron Pepper Co Four Pepper Blend for extra spice, and it was *chefโs kiss*. Not to be dramatic or anything, but it was only the best thing I’ve ever cooked. Someone make an honest woman out of me already ๐
My sister’s husband requested I make another batch before I go. I have a concert in LA with friends this Thursday, so I’ll be going back to my apartment in LA later this week. It’s been real โ๐ป
Spooky Nugs and tots for dinner. Dennis was like, ‘What are you, five?’ ๐
Um, would a 5-year-old illegally download a PG-13 M. Knight Shyamalan thriller and eat kettle corn out of a Mcdonald’s Boo Bucket??? (Don’t answer that).
Since I started Stepbet last month, Iโve walked a total of 243 miles and won a whopping $25. Sure, the membership fee to join Stepbet was $60, and I spent more than my total winnings alone at Starbucks this week, but at least I walked to Starbucks ๐
When I was 12, I was busy watching My So-Called Life, while other kids my age were watching soft shit like Sailor Moon. This show is the reason I love Jared Leto, men who wear flannel, and Violent Femmes ๐
Thereโs this sharp ass agave plant under the doorbell in front of my sister’s house. When I was installing the Ring, I dropped one of the screws and couldnโt get it because it fell into the plant, so I had to order spare parts. Before the spares arrived, my dad tried to get the screw in the plant even though I warned him the plant was really sharp and it was impossible. He ended up poking himself on one of the sharp ass plant spikes and asking for Neosporin. It’s a good thing my sister’s my father’s daughter, because there was Neosporin and sanitizer in her bathroom. I can guarantee you there’s no Neosporin in my apartment in LA ๐
I go to baseball games for the food and post-game fireworks. Also, on my walk this afternoon, this guy who always says hi to me asked me if they won. I was wearing my Padres hat, but mostly to protect my face from the sun ๐ Just like I only wear my Dodgers hat when I have bedhead, and I never wear my Padres hat in LA and vice versa. Good thing I looked up their stats for this chat string, because I was able to tell the guy that they have a night game today, so they haven’t played yet, but they won their last three games ๐
I had a shitty day at work today, so I took a walk to Starbucks, got my steps in, and got my new favorite drink: an Iced Mocha Latte with no whip and 2 pumps of Cinnamon Dolce Syrup (it tastes just like a Mexican mocha!). I feel so much better, but I might have a menty b later, IDK.
Whenever I’m having a shitty day at work, I just remind myself that at least I’m doing better than the people my sister had to lay off today because of a company re-org, and remind myself how much I’m getting paid to put up with this shit ๐
Even though I used to think he was an asshole ever since he jumped on the cutting board during an Iron Chef battle against Chef Morimoto in 2000 (I was more offended when he yelled, ‘Raise the roof, yo!’ tbh) and he’s since been thrice-divorced, but I kinda like assholes ๐คช
Update: I got the stamp of approval from Pammie, Dennis, and my sister’s brother-in-law, Paul, who dropped by for dinner. They finished the rice! I’m finally redeemed from when Pammie and her husband said my adobo was too salty two years ago. Their hurtful comments still keep me up at night ๐
My dad isnโt handy at all, so Iโve always built my own furniture and put shit together myself.
One time, I got this Article Caliper Shelf delivered to my apartment in LA. It was huge! I had to piece it out in the lobby, because the box wouldnโt fit in the elevator and I live on the third floor. Several of my neighbors offered to help, but I declined them all. As much as I wouldโve loved the assistance, I hate being mansplained even more ๐ Plus, I wanted them to just think of me as โthe nice, quiet girl in 332โ and Iโve seen putting furniture together test too many relationships!
It was worth it in the end, though. Itโs one of my favorite pieces in my studio.
Pammie got a stand-up desk while I was in Spain, so I couldnโt put it together for her. She said it took her five days. When Shi found out, she was like, โDennis didnโt help you?!โ Apparently, itโs Shiโs husbandโs job to do that kind of shit. But my sisterโs husband is even less handy than she is, if you can believe it. Even though I donโt need a man to build furniture for me, I can’t imagine being married to someone who isn’t good with their hands ๐
All that to say, my sister ordered new mattresses and theyโve been sitting in her living room for weeks. Theyโre those adjustable ones where each side can sit up or lie down, so she also bought new bed frames that are adjustable. She has to break down her old bed frame and mattress and remove it, so she can put the new bed in her room. They were gonna get rid of their old mattress, but decided to keep it and put it in the guest bedroom where I sleep. I currently sleep on the full bed that came with the house (my sister got the model home). My feet hang over the end of the bed and I can literally feel every spring in the mattress ๐ฅด My sisterโs old bed is memory foam and king-sized, so all my sleep-related problems would be solved ๐
Pammie hired the community handyman to break down her old bed and set up her new one, but he got sick the day he was supposed to come, then she came back from Vegas with Covid when he was rescheduled to come, and now she and her husband are vacationing in Hawaii.
Partly because I wanted to do something nice for my sister, but mostly because Iโm tired of sleeping on this god awful bed, I broke down her old bed frame, set it back up in the guest room, and set up her new bed up in her room.
This memory foam cali king is nice, but I miss sleeping in my own bed. I have a nice pillow top dream cloud mattress at home, and a bed frame the delivery guys from CB2 assembled in less than 10 minutes.
I also set up Pammieโs Ring Video Doorbell that’s been collecting dust in her closet for 2 years. I’m only the best sister there ever was ๐
I wanted it to be a surprise when she came back from Hawaii, but I didn’t know where she kept the Ring or where the tools were to disassemble the bed. I was like, ‘Do you know where the 3/16-inch short arm hex key is? Also, what is a short arm hex key?’ ๐
I’m babka tired now, though… The first and only time I made babka, it turned out sooo good. But I didn’t realize how time consuming it was going to be (the dough has to rest and rise twice!), so I didn’t start till 11 at night. I was up at 3 in the morning tired as fuck and near tears (just kiddingโI was openly sobbing). So whenever I’m exhausted now, I just say I’m ‘babka’ tired and Pammie knows I’m not fucking around ๐ด
Anyway, I just doordashed a pizza, so I’m gonna eat it and sleep for a gabillion years โ๐ป
A good way to insult me is to say I look darker LOL, and I have never once been mistaken for a local in Hawaii. I’m too fair-skinned and much too loud ๐ (my Cali vernacular screams tourist vibes).
Also, I should clarify that I only got drunk in Christine’s pool because she and her husband were there watching the kids. I don’t drink when I’m watching children (mostly because people never leave their kids with me).
Ever since I repotted our coin plant, most of the leaves have fallen out and it has been slowly dying. My sister texted me this photo of this luscious coin plant at her hotel in Hawaii, and it’s a full moon tonight, so I’m charging my crystals on the rooftop and put the coin plant next to it so it can receive its energy LOL.
It would’ve been my grandma’s 93rd birthday this weekend, so we had a potluck at the cemetery. She would’ve loved these treats I brought. She was diabetic and always sneaking sweets ๐
From the last birthday we celebrated in 2020 with grandma ๐
What, your family doesn’t celebrate dead people’s birthdays with food at the graveyard? ๐
Today I walked to Mcdonald’s to get my steps in and say hi to all my dog friends, made cookies for my grandma’s party tomorrow, drove by myself (for the first time since the stroke and didn’t kill anybody!) to Christine’s club pool, and went swimming with her, Francis and the kids. They brought beer and seltzers, and I was way too drunk to drive home, so Christine drove my car home while Francis followed, all the while Dylan was screaming in the backseat, ‘Thank you for the cookies, Auntie Mayan!!!’
You have a secret lover for five years and no one ever lets you forget it ๐
My dog friends:
My sister and her husband are vacationing in Hawaii for the week. Partly because I didn’t want to schlep all my work shit to my parents’ house (I have to bring my gigantic work-issued desktop, because IT won’t let us access the server from our personal laptops anymore), but mostly because I’m a grown ass woman who doesn’t need supervision, I’m staying at my sister’s house by myself.
No secret lovers here! But I will be walking around in my chonies ๐
When I was trying to eat ‘healthy’ before, I’d order a wrap from Chick-Fil-A, but still get a side of waffle fries and wash it down with a large sweet tea ๐ Nowadays, I don’t drink drinks with calories (unless it’s alcohol or iced coffee, so no soda or juice).
We watched It Ends With Us at the theater, and I didn’t read the book or watch the trailer beforehand, but Justin Baldoni directed and starred in it, and I’ll watch anything he’s in. If you don’t know who Justin Baldoni is, he was Raf in Jane the Virgin and the love of my life.
I’m just gonna leave this here ๐
This movie def made me cry, but Christine was crying throughout the entire movie, even the parts that weren’t sad LOL. She was already crying before the movie started when they showed the trailer for We Live In Time. To be fair, I also cried during that trailer.
Christine loves Justin Baldoni, too, so I asked if she’s seen Five Feet Apart, another movie Justin directed but did not star in, and I sobbed through in 2019. She found it streaming on Prime, watched it alone at home, and has been crying all day ๐
When Jessie suggested this restaurant, we thought it was at the mall across the street. I’ve been practicing driving, so Pammie had me drive to the mall, but it was closer than we thought. We could’ve walked there ๐
I should’ve walked because I ordered a mimosa flight thinking I would share it with the table, but Jessie and Pammie had cafe de olla and Christine drank all day yesterday and is done for the weekend (or possibly forever), so I had to polish off the mimosa flight by myself ๐
This StepBet challenge is finally over. In 6 weeks, Iโve walked 162 miles and won $11.56 ๐ The number of steps I had to do increased by 2% every week, which I didnโt think was a lot when I signed up, but man, am I bad at math ๐ 2% of thousands of steps is a lot!
When I was walking back from Vons last week, someone kept honking at me as I crossed the intersection. It was my right of way (I always use the crosswalk because people always blow through stop lights hereโIโve almost gotten hit!), so it wasnโt because I was crossing when I wasnโt supposed to. A ton of people I know live in this area (including an ex), but I feel like they wouldโve texted me after if it was someone I knew. I wasnโt wearing anything cute (just my Michael Myers shirt, black leggings, and a Padres hat), so it wasnโt a catcall (and if it was, I donโt respond to such advances LOL). I just turned up my Deftones playlist in my earbuds and sipped on my Starbucks iced green tea and went on my way. So if you see me walking around and think I’m ignoring you, I am ๐
Shi read that I was in a mood on my blog, so she offered to come down and walk around the neighborhood with me this morning! She never fails to lift my spirits ๐
I haven’t seen Shi in a couple months. We were all supposed to go to lunch when I came back from Spain, but I got Covid. We rescheduled to last weekend, but Pammie had Covid ๐ท This was long overdue!
Of course she drove down at an ungodly hour while her kids were still sleeping so I was up earlier than I wake up for work ๐
Me: What in the death metal band is this shirt? Shi: They’re Klingons ๐๐ป
Sometimes I forget how much of a Trekkie this b is ๐คฃ She got this shirt at a Star Trek pop-up at Comic-Con one year.
I can’t wake up this early on a Saturday and get my steps in without rewarding myself with an iced Mexican mocha (@ Casa de Otay)
The last time I saw the Foo Fighters was a couple years ago at Innings Fest just a month before their drummer died. Jessie asked me if I wanted her extra tickets, but I’ve been in a mood. If I would’ve known she had a suite, I would’ve snapped out of my mood real quick ๐
As it turns out, nobody wants holiday cookies in the middle of summer, so I made some regular chocolate chip cookies ๐ I followed this recipe and I canโt stop eating them. The sea salt and chocolate combo is *chefโs kiss* ๐ช
Itโs not the season for cranberry bliss, but itโs ant season, so Pammie made me clean out the cupboards because those little fuckers were getting into everything. I had all the accoutrements for the cranberry bliss cookies I never made last Christmas, and the craisins expire next month, so I made some holiday cookies in the height of summer ๐โ๏ธ
I woke up late this morning and missed the cutoff for McDonald’s breakfast (I still walked over there to get my steps in and get iced coffee since it’s available all day), my sister came back from Vegas and tested positive for covid, my sunflower sprout died while I was away this weekend, and I just found a big ass bug in my room. I think it’s a cricket, but IDK how it got in here since I’m on the third floor, there’s no food in here, no trash, and my windows have been closed for weeks because my sister keeps the A/C at a cool 68ยฐ.
Mondays, amirite? ๐
Update: I tried to do the humane thing and trapped the bug in a jar and let him outside, but he 127 hour‘d himself in the jar and is now hopping around outside with one leg.
I’m scared he’s gonna somehow find his way back into my air-conditioned room and jump on me while I’m sleeping.
I went to a party yesterday, and spent most of my time with this sweet boy. Heโs 14-years-old, scared of stairs because he slipped and fell down some last year, and somebody spilled spaghetti on his fur at the party ๐คฃ
Whenever I see someone my age with facial piercings, I’m like, ‘Is that what I look like?’ ๐ณ
When I was younger, I thought I’d love things forever (as evident by the glow-in-the-dark stars still on the ceiling of my old bedroom at my parents’ house that I stuck up there with permanent adhesive). I used to have my tongue pierced, but only took my tongue ring out after I had my lip pierced in my early 20s. I was in the Mcdonald’s drive-thru during covid, and I briefly pulled down my mask, and the guy taking my order made eyes at me and was all, ‘I really like your lip ring.’ I pinned him with a look and was like, ‘This piercing is older than you, kid.’ ๐ต๐ป In unrelated news, I’m still single. I seem to only get hit on by seedy tow truck drivers and kids who work at Mcdonald’s and were born after I graduated high school ๐
I would take the lip ring out, but I don’t think the hole will close. I got my ears pierced when I was a baby, and I hardly ever wear earrings, yet the holes are still there. I’d like to have a plastic surgeon remove the scar tissue and sew the lip ring hole up. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a good plastic surgeon in LA ๐
My favorite instagram cat died and I am unwell ๐ฟ
Chel sent me this post earlier this morning and then I sent her the same post when I saw it closer to the afternoon. I never got a notification that she sent me the same post because I have my โdo not disturbโ on at such an unholy hour ๐
My sister and her husband are in Vegas right now, and I stayed behind in SD, partly because I wasnโt invited LOL, partly because theyโre there celebrating my exโs ex-girlfriendโs birthday (sheโs married to my sisterโs husbandโs childhood friend now), but mostly because itโs hot enough to melt crayons over there ๐
And we could live so happily If no one knows that you’re with me I’m just kidding, but really, really, really Please, please, please don’t prove I’m right
Jessie’s looking for a nanny and they must be flat-chested, unattractive, located in San Diego, and good with dogs (in that order) ๐
Also, they filmed You down the street from my apartment in LA. I stopped watching after the second season because it was getting too far-fetched and crazy. I’d rather watch true crime ๐
I woke up and broke my glasses (I always fall asleep with my glasses on, and the metal hinge finally snapped this morning), so I ordered another of the same pair, but it takes a couple weeks to make. I walked to Vons in this hot ass weather to get my steps in and decided to reward myself with a venti iced unsweetened green tea, but the Starbucks inside Vons was out of green tea. We were supposed to celebrate Christine’s husband’s birthday tonight downtown at Basic, but Pammie’s been seeing a chiro and doing PT and she threw out her back, so instead I’m in bed watching old Bones reruns, wearing my prescription sunglasses at night like an asshole, and migrating my old work Mac to the new Mac they sent me. Another wild Saturday night in!
It’s also a full moon tonight. Do with that information what you will ๐
I’m Team Apple (I have a work-issued Mac Studio Desktop, a personal Macbook Pro laptop, an iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch), but I’ve never been more envious of PC users before today ๐
My wandering soul Found solace at last I wanted to know How long it would last
Blue Merle – Every Ship Must Sail Away
Oh, change is in the air And you wear it oh so well I asked you if you cared If you care, I couldn’t tell
Josรฉ Gonzรกlez – Heartbeats
One night of magic rush The start a simple touch One night to push and scream And then relief
Novo Amor – Faux
Shown You swoon in your lace run Brooding, a quilt tongue Pining me
When I don’t have Food Network or ID on while I work, I’ve been watching old Bones episodes because they’re always showing it on BBC America and WeTV for some reason. They also have a channel called ‘ALF‘ that only shows old episodes of Alf 24/7 LOL. I used to watch Bones when it was on nearly two decades ago. I forgot how much I loved all the sad music ๐ค
My favorite breakfast burrito in SD is from this place by my old apartment in La Mesa called Super Oscarโs. I recently found out they closed down and turned into a Better Buzz Coffee, which Iโm not mad about, because I love that place. Iโll take SD Mexican food over LA Mexican food any day. My favorite place by me in Redondo to get a breakfast burrito is Phannyโs. When I asked for hot sauce, though, they gave me a dang Tapatio packet. -1 star for their lack of homemade hot sauce, but 4/5 stars for this view, though ๐
Anyway, I recreated my favorite breakfast burrito from Super Oscarโs with tater tots, eggs, ham, cheddar, and turkey bacon, all wrapped in a carb balance tortilla. What has become of my life?
My sister finally picked up the key to their community pool. You would think a sign like this wouldn’t be necessary, but despite all the dog parks, ‘clean up after your dog’ signs, free dog waste stations, and trash bins on every corner, people still let their dogs shit all around this neighborhood.
Pammie used to take a trash grabber and trash bag with us on our walks, and fill it up in one go. I was like, ‘You should bring three bags: one for trash, one for recyclables, and one for compost.’ She was like, ‘I’m not trying to fix all the world’s problems.’ ๐คฃ
More recently, we were on another walk, and I could hear this kid having a tantrum behind us. I turned around to give him a death glare LOL and saw a whole ass family (parents and three kids) in swimwear. We were walking back from the grocery store, so we had to drop off the groceries at the house before continuing our walk. While walking past the community pool, we saw the same family outside the gate, and the dad was trying to reach over the gate and open the door without a key, but he couldn’t do it. The kid who was throwing a tantrum earlier starts crying again because he can’t go swimming. Pammie nods at my lanyard of keys and was like, ‘You have the pool key. Want to let them in?’ I was like, ‘Not on my watch!’ ๐
My sister pays a ridiculous monthly HOA fee (half my rent!), and access to the community pool is an included privilege. I also take pictures of cars illegally parked in red zones and houses with decorations still up well after the holiday. ‘What are you gonna do with those?’ she and her husband asks. ‘Keep them on my phone in case I need a reason to report them to the HOA.’ ‘You don’t even live here!’ ๐คฃ
One of my absolute favorite breakfast sandwiches is the Farmhouse Egg Sandwich from Einstein Bros. Bagels, only second to the Bacon, Eggs -n- Cheese at Eggslut. I’m p serious about breakfast, I even bought a Bacon, Eggs -n- Cheese shirt in Bone Thugs -n- Harmony Old English the last time I ate there:
I only have it when Iโm flying out of Terminal 1 at SD Airport, or when I pay the additional expanded range fee to have it doordashed to my sisterโs house. I looked up the ingredients, and thought, โI could make that.โ
Einsteinโs sells some of their shmears in tubs, but not the kind that goes on this particular sando (country pepper). I sub’d Whipped Garlic & Herb Philadelphia Cream Cheese. I also used uncured turkey bacon instead of real bacon because thatโs what I had on hand. I always get my Farmhouse on a jalapeรฑo cheddar bagel instead of the default cheesy hash brown bagel, because I like a little spice in my life.
It turned out amazing, and I will def be making it again!
There was an assassination attempt on Trump over the weekend, and I thought, ‘How is this only the first time someone tried to kill him?’ I also thought of this quote from The Wire:
How did that kid shoot him and miss? Lee Harvey Oswald was able to assassinate JFK while he was in a moving car.
Also, in unrelated news, I saw this shirt at the mall:
(306 total players – 264 eligible players) x ($10 buy-in) = $420. $420/264 eligible players = $1.59 LOL
I may have won less than $2, but the health benefits are priceless ๐
StepBet allows you to participate in 3 challenges at a time, so I’m doing 2 other challenges that are a bit longer (6 weeks) and the pots are much higher ($94,000 total). Hopefully, I’ll win more than $2 ๐
I always get sparklers for my holiday gift bags from TOPS Malibu, and I always buy a ridiculous amount because I refuse to pay extra for shipping LOL. They always send a free surprise gift with their orders, and this last order came with a small pouch of sunflower seeds.
They remind me of the gorgeous sunflower fields I saw in the countryside in Spain:
I planted one of the sunflower seeds and this little sprout grew ๐ฑ It’s supposed to mature in 3-4 months! ๐๐ป
I want you to stay
‘Til I’m in the grave
‘Til I rot away, dead and buried
‘Til I’m in the casket you carry
Obsessed with this song.
I once went to a Billie Eilish show in 2018 when she was only 16 before all the Grammy awards. 16-year-old artists have 16-year-old fans, though, and my ears are still ringing 6 years later from all her young fans screaming. I vowed to never see her live again, but I like to listen to this song while I’m getting my steps in (if I’m not listening to my twerkout playlist).
I once ordered ‘carne asada chips’ at the taco shop near my apartment in LA, and the cashier was like, ‘You mean, steak nachos?’ What in the gringo ass taco shop?
Another time at the same taco shop, I had called in my order for pick up. I went there and there was no parking. I waited 5 minutes for a space, and this guy swoops in and takes my spot. I was so hangry, I parked behind him and blocked his ass in and stormed inside. We were stuck in line together, and he apologized for taking my spot. I said I was just picking up an order and leaving, so he’d be able to leave later. I took my food, walked back to my car and released the breath I didn’t know I was holding in. People have been murdered for less in LA! Let alone carne asada chips ๐
Sometimes I have to remind myself, ‘Youโre in your forties now. You need to calm the fuck down.’ After that incident, I started doordashing my carne asada chips, and now I’m making them at home! ๐
I was watching DDD earlier and they featured Mrs. Potato. I had a sudden craving for chili cheese fries, which I used to doordash all the time in LA. ‘Where do they make good chili cheese fries down here?’ I asked Pammie, and she was like, ‘IDK… Wienerschnitzel?’ LOL. I’m not a food snob (JK, I totally am). I just instacarted all the accoutrements, and made it my damn self! (I also had a Power Day and did over 10K steps today. Get off me.)
My Spiritual AF card of the day says, ‘Revenge is wack and petty and gives you wrinkles.’ Well, Asian don’t raisin, and my nightly skincare routine keeps me young, so I may be wack and petty, but at least I have no wrinkles ๐
I was at the post office earlier this week mailing 4th of July goodie packages to a couple of my friends who don’t live in SD, and I mused to myself, ‘What’s the next holiday?’ Pammie’s like, ‘Labor Day. Remember we have that Harry Potter Padres Theme Game that night?’ ‘I meant the next holiday I make gift bags for. Ooh, Halloween!’
My doc appointment with the hematologist last week went well. I donโt have cancer ๐ฎโ๐จ He said that the normal range for white blood cells is 4.5Kโ11K and mine has been consistently 12K the past year, but everything else was normal, so heโs not concerned. He said it looks like there were some abnormalities in my T-cells, but that would only concern him if my other numbers were low and they werenโt, so he just wants to see me in 6 months to make sure my numbers are the same.
He was like, ‘Any questions for me?’ and my mom was like โHow old are you?โ LOL he looked hella young. He was Asian and maybe in his 20s or 30s. He also said his babyface can be attributed to his skincare routine ๐
He was asking me a bunch of health questions and then he was like, ‘So what do you like to do in your free time?’ and I was like, ‘Uhh go to concerts,’ and my mom was like, ‘She just saw Justin Timberlake. Twice!’ and he was like, ‘Before his DUI or after???’ Don’t judge me ๐
The only bad news I got that day was when I stepped on the scale in the doctor’s office, and found out I gained a few. I’m still skinnier than I was when I had the stroke, but I’m straying further away from my ‘DMV weight‘ LOL, and I’m sure my primary care physician will have words about it when I see her in a few months.
My friend knows how competitive I am, so she suggested I try this StepBet app. I joined this mini 2-week challenge to start out. The buy-in was only $10, and if you complete the challenge, you split the pot. Over 300 people have joined this challenge, so the pot is $3,000+. Nothing motivates me more than winning, so I might as well make some money while reaping the health benefits ๐
In my day (LOL), โrawdoggingโ meant something completely different and way nastier ๐ Fucking Gen Z and their jargon. I donโt even โrawdogโ on a 45-minute flight to Vegas. In fact, we take bets on whether or not weโll even get refreshments on such a short flight. Sometimes the flight attendants claim โturbulenceโ and say they need to remain seated for the duration of our flight and canโt do beverage service. I always get an iced coffee and bottled water after TSA, no matter how short the flight is, because this bitch is always thirsty ๐
