It's not just for breakfast anymore

It's for lunch, it's for dinner, and snacks! Damn you cleansing juice!

DAY 11!!

I hate you Mr. Master Cleanse! I am drinking the lemonade yet again today as I still have a fur coat on my tongue. Aparently I am VERY toxic! I have had years of practice after all. I am good for two more days,tops and if my tongue is not a lovely pink shade, tough! I am not going to do another day as I have to be eating solid food by Tuesday night when we will be attending a dinner party thrown by a chef for a chef, hello, not missing that one for anything. I will eat everything on my plate and then some so please, please, Master Cleanse take the fur coat away...I beg you!

I Love this man!

James is comming home today! Yay! I can't wait to see him and plan next week's meals!

The green ones are people

Last night I was watching KCET and they were showing Utah's state parks. I have been to Bryce Canyon, Zion & Monument Valley and I think Utah is a gorgeous state, Salt Lake City not so much. We used to go fishing and motorcycle riding at Panguich Lake every year. It was also a place where I experienced salamanders falling from the sky, man eating ladybugs and what had to be, ufo's. (cuz there was nothing that could fly like that) I chalk all of it up to the atomic bomb testing that went on above ground in Nevada and the wind that carried the radiation next door.
As I was watching the program with the lovely classical music they had playing along as they showed a field of wild flowers, I had a flash of one of my favorite Charlton Heston movies, Soylent Green. It was the scene where his buddy was going to die and was watching a movie with scenes of the beautiful past that once existed before the world was overpopulated while he slipped away only to be sent to the bakery to be made into delicious crackers to feed the masses. Great movie along with others of Chucks like Omega Man and of course Planet of The Apes. I once saw Roddy McDowell at a plant nursery, actually I heard him and knew that voice could only be him, it was and as most actors are, he was short. I also saw Morgan Fairchild at the same nursery but I digress. If I think about it I can say that I love most of Charlton's work. I still enjoy watching Ben Hur, Moses and any other epic he stars in. Too bad he is an NRA kook. Anyway, just thought I would share that and you are probably wondering why I have dog biscuits in my office. I have them for the dogs that come to the office next door every day. Yeah, that's it. Not that I would ever eat one. After all, I still have ONE DAY left of my cleansing diet!

What the Hell?

I was talking to Anna Saturday as I was walking to Erewhon to buy the overpriced organic lemons and purified water. She said that it was pouring rain in Big Bear and that that they had had a hailstorm and had to pull over until it stopped. Hail? Is it not a bazillion degrees there too? How the hell does it hail in tropical weather and why didn't this weather stop and dump some relief at the bottom of the mountain? Just a few drops of rain (acid I'm sure) would've been nice but nooooo it was sweltering all weekend long.
The cats and I hibernated inside for the better part of the weekend. We watched movies and I watched them eat food and I took great pleasure in flipping channels to catch all the food commercials.
Yes, today is DAY 7 of the cleanse aka starvation diet. I wonder if my teeth are getting soft from not chewing food? Hmmm I guess I will find out in a few more days. I can't just pick up a turkey leg the day after (not that I wouldn't love too) I will have to drink orange juice one day and then vegetable soup and then the happiest moment will be to sit down and re-learn how to use a fork and knife again! I am already trying to deciding where to go eat my first supper. Chao Krung Thai food or Al Gelato pasta or Nova Express pesto pizza? I might have to go try out the new to the neighborhood , Jinky's cuz the one in the valley used to be so good, maybe a bowl of soba at Mishima or the veggie chilaquiles at Swingers? So many favorites to choose from. Ohhh Fish and Chips at Kings Head in Santa Monica. mmmmmmmmm

Dexi's feeble attempt to play
Moments later she vaporized the toy with her laser beam eyes and took another nap.

Cat Melt Down
Mmmmm tuna melt...DAY 4. Yes, I am still drinking the special lemonade and I have not killed anyone..yet. Luckily James won't return from New York until the last day of my cleanse but I can't guarantee that I won't eat him when I see him.
As far as the cats , I have entertained the thought (like in cartoons) where DC and Dexi suddenly look like a couple of roasted chickens and they would be good eatin if only I could locate some flesh under all that fur. I will just have to wait it out as between the two my apartment has become a fuzz bunny breeding ground and habitat . I'm thinking that they better hide for all of Day 7!!

Some Like It HOT!

And they are truly idiots! Yesterday was my half day at work. I was going to head to the Grove to enjoy the air conditioning and a movie but there wasn’t anything that I truly had to see and it just wouldn’t be natural for me to sit through a movie without a big greasy tub of popcorn, Goobers and a soda. I decided to retire to my cool room thanks to my new air conditioning and relax until evening when it would cool off, not.
Michele came by at 7:00 is and it was still nasty hot so we headed to the Farmers Market for a little Stitch and Bitch and to hopefully find some relief. We did, at about 9:00 when the breeze came through but along with that cool breeze came some stench and with my heightened sense of smell on this cleanse, I had to hold my breath from time to time. I also can’t take some food smells, as crazy as that sounds coming from me! How is a gal supposed to knit with such gross smells all around ? I hope next week doesn’t stink!

I Love you food!!! I miss you so.
Hour 36 with no solid food. The detox headache is a dull pain and hopefully will go away soon. I have only opened the fridge out of habit once last night. I quickly closed it and grabbed my tea concoction. Whew.
I will not open this fridge for a week. I will not open this fridge for a week. I will not open this fridge for a week... only to feed the cats and throw away the rotting food and maybe smell the chocolate ice cream.
Just to make sure it isn't spoiled...

Chef Fox goes to NYC.
I tried to tell him that fashion week is over. Ha ha I won't be cracking jokes by noon so laugh while you can! In the absence of my wonderful, loving man and kick ass personal chef, I will be starving! Technically I won't starve with the fluid mixture that I will be ingesting .Yeah whatever.
I have been looking into this Master Cleanse diet for a couple months and had decided to start the day James went to visit New York. I'm trying this crazy diet for many reasons but mostly to see if I can stick it out for the health benefits. The fact that I have nothing but rotting leftovers in the fridge and it is too hot to leave my bedroom with the air conditioner helps and I have knitting and tv and comfy pillows and sleepy cats on my bed. No problem! Hey I have will power, yes I do. This will be a piece of cake. (mmm cake)

Might be a Spy
They're everywhere. shhhh, they might be near by. The SnB world is very small indeed. Upon leaving (3lbs heavier) the Griddle Cafe Saturday and taking the, closer to the car back door, we walked past some VIP dinning rooms hidden at the back of the restaurant and I hear "Darcy" and lo and behold, Jeffrey the stitch master was dinning with his enterage. I said hello to all but was quickly moved along by the bouncer..

Cut to the Hollywood Home Depot, 32 hours later. I have a new air conditioner (yay) plants and dirt in my cart as I stand for days in one of the 2 longest lines in retail history as again I hear "Darcy" and it's Karyn sporting her cute and sassy new haircut. I can't be sure but I think these folks are after my new bag design...right.

So, Anna & Brad came down the mountain Friday and we went to Al Gelato for dinner. I love carbs and sugar!! Woke up the next morning and went to Griddle Café for the French pressed coffee and another giant plate of food. Yes!! Brad ordered the peanut butter French toast. Hello! How I never saw that all the last times eating there is a mystery, I’m getting careless. When the food arrived the French toast was clearly a treat that somehow crossed over from the desert menu and as Brad summed it up in anticipation of breaking every rule for starting the day with a healthy breakfast, “It’s like I am 5 all over again!” I know what I am ordering next time…..after the starvation diet this week. If I make it for the full 10 days. More on that later.

Bag in Progress
Okay, I learned to crochet from Ellen at last Thursday's Stitch n Bitch and here is an attempt at a bag that I am not too thrilled about. I'm thinking maybe I have to make some flowers to cute it up..

So you have no need for an afghan or potholders nor do you see taking the time to make baby clothes when, by the time you finish, the kid will be too big for them and buying a sweater takes an inth of the time that making, tearing out and making again will take. But was there ever more of a reason to start knitting when you can make your own Joey Ramone and Henry Rollins dolls? I think not. You can be the first on your block to have a Joey and nothing says stalker more than showing Henry your Henry when you run into him at Trader Joes in Hollywood! So pick up those needles and start rocknknit! Gaba Gaba Hey!  

I'm Brenda!
My mom is Karen and my dad is Joe . Dad is in a rock band called Linkin Park. I am practicing my singing so I can be in the band too! Oooow oow owwwww

Still there
Today as the temperature creeps up in the high eighties on the west side and triple digits in the valley, the mudslides are a distant memory for most as Laurel Canyon has been re-opened for a couple months. (Unless you count last week when a giant sink hole closed the canyon from Mulholland to Ventura Blvd.) This was one of the latest homes built along Laurel Canyon about 5 years ago. The house was up for sale and I didn't blame the owner as the noise from the canyon traffic must have been a drag. When the rain came down for days and days in winter this was one of the homes that suffered mucho damage from a huge wall of mud that came crashing down the hillside. There was a house sitter and his 2 young sons in the home and luckily they all got out okay. (That must have been a nightmare they won't forget anytime soon.) It is shocking to see the pile of what used to be a house still sitting there but I guess the insurance and litigation process forbids them from cleaning up the mess. I'm thinking this should be a reminder to all those people who have to have a view and be king of the mountain that life back down on Earth with mere mortals is just fine.

Daddy I Want An Oompa Loompa!
Here is a perfect example of nepotism people. In a town full of talented and experienced people waiting for that one big break, we have the non talented and non experienced and quite frankly, not the sharpest tool in the shed, Kerri Kasem (L) the daughter of Kasey Kasem. (American Top 40 radio host forever) This is a billboard for Kerri, a playboy bunny and a Jillian Barberi look alike who have a show on 97.1 where they discuss such intelligent things like, how to date a Playboy bunny. Yeah. We'll all be sure to tune in.

Slightly better than soup
I noticed this big guy living alongside an apartment building on my walk home from work. I visit him but it is so heartbreaking to see such an amazing creature confined to a small area with no vegetation or stimulation. He is clearly bored and stares through the fence most of the time at the next door neighbor's huge garden that he wishes he could cruz around and sample the greenery. He would be better off in a zoo where he could at least be with his kind.

These are a few of my favorite geeks
Saturday night at the Hollywood Bowl for The Sound Of Music Sing Along lived up to the hype.
Who knew the yearly event was such a hit. The film is 40 and still loved by many young and old.
The costume competition was hysterical and the winner was dressed as a carburetor! (the nuns stole it from the Nazi's car) The MC was a funny lady and she was accompanied by none other than Liezel (16 going on 17) all grown up and retired! People have clearly been there before as the amount of props would attest to, very Rocky Horror Picture Show! The place lit up with cell phones (lighters are so pass') when Captain Von Trapp sang Adel vise. And oh how the place sang along (about 18,000 voices!) and hissed at the Countess. Too funny. Now let's talk about the food! Chef Fox spent all morning preparing lemon tartlets from scratch (yum!) and seafood skewers and barbeque ribs that melted in your mouth. Mai brought her delicious pot stickers and Michele brought snacks of cheese, olives & hummus. Raquel brought champagne and wine. We were well stocked as singing always makes me hungry! I would highly recommend that next year you break out the lederhosen, pack up the strudel and head to the Hollywood Bowl for some laughs.

3 Babes!
(L) This is an anonymous friend's anonymous daughter.
( R) This is my first great friend in LA, Danielle, and her and Johnny's first child Jared when he was a (big) baby. I always thought and still think (as he is soooo cute) that Jared should be in pictures. I can only imagine that when he grows up that he will be quite the heartbreaker. Daughter Tessa is a little cutie too and she is always cracking Danielle up. Danielle told me that when Jared was small, he would see Cher on tv and say Darcy. Funny and scary all at the same time!

I Love the London Underground
I have a good friend who remembers being a little girl down in the tube with her family during the Nazi blitz. It was the reason many more Londoners didn‘t perish. The London underground is about 160 years old and is still running like a champ. (unless there is a strike, then it sucks) Why would anyone inflict such pain and horror on the good people across the pond! Hasn’t the world’s innocent people suffered enough! Here at home and in Madrid, Israel and the Congo etc.. Horrors beyond belief. So Sad and scary is our world today, when will the madness end? In the words of another favorite Brit. tragically taken from us, All we are saying is give peace a chance.

A Lighter Note (get it)
Here is how the last 9 months have looked in the music room until last night. The guys were rockin'! BOBBY's BACK! Our bass player has healed from the knuckle replacement surgery (done on both hands) and he is happy to be back and excited to be playing and learning all the new stuff. It won't be long til we are playing some shows! Yay

Expanding Universe!
Yep folks, this lovely handbag used to fit my bum and I finally decided that I must let go of the thought of ever getting back into them. They are very happy to be useful again. Pockets are perfect for holding ipods and cigarette cases as you can see. I have more jeans if anyone is interested and more designs to come. (ipod cases, etc.)

Levi's Recycled 

Tami
Young friend of 15ish years. Tami and Dave have 2 gorgeous boys Jake and Luke. I always tell her that they look like cherubs. Ian said Jake looks like Nikki Sixx's son. There must be a cute gene that all the kids of musicians get!?

Shawn Cripps
I met Shawn and Tami at the old Hits in the old Hits building. They were there when I was hired away from Metal Blade Records and Shawn's son Ian was a baby! Last night at the 4th of July barbeque at Kyle's (Shawn's mom's) beautiful home in Larchmont, I was talking to Ian about his car and driving. Wow, I guess time truely does fly.
So the 4th weekend was great and I ate and ate. (great spread and loved the cobbler, Kyle) Yes, I did some shopping, hiked Fryman and had a Thai massage and did I mention that I ate. Here is another coincidence for you. My neighbor (Reggie) that moved out about a year ago had bought a home in Larchmont and as I was getting a ride from Mai (other neighbor) to Kyle's, I said "What if Reggie and Kyle live by each other" and they do, same street, same side of street, 1/2 block away! I will have to introduce them. Funny stuff.

Making Progress (Lori, Karyn, Me & Michele)
It is amazing how necessity forces one to figure out and fix a mistake and it was definitely necessary that I not unravel half of what I had finished for the 5th time! (apparently counting to 20 over and over was not working) I am proud to say that I can now pick up dropped stitches or change ones I knit when should've purled and vice versa using my trusty crochet hook! Next week I will be learning to crochet more than one stitch so I too can make toys for my cats! I will keep working on the blankie and I have about 1/4 finished unless I run out of yarn first. If the unthinkable really does happen, Michele will be wearing this lovely veil at her wedding!

New Project
This is 2 weeks ago. (The night we said farewell to Carrie) I decided to take on a checkerboard design blankie. I figure the soft yarn (is it synthetic or did it come from a worm's butt? Jury still out.) would be very cuddly and I'm sure the cats will think so as well. One benefit being that DC's fur will be virtually undetectable!