’16 December

December 31

New Year’s Eve at Marsha and Tom’s. Following are pictures of four small surfaces in their house. Please be assured there are 100s more. So so many more, so cool, so unique.

Two.

Three.

Four.

December 29

Darryl, Angela, Rome, and Lilly are at Mammoth having a fine ol’ time in the snow, and skiing too!

December 28

Kathleen is such a sweet neighbor gathering ladies from the ‘hood for a pre-New Year festivity.

December 27

Cynthia, Mike, and Kieran skiing in Colorado, having a fabulous time I’m sure. Looks cold huh, but fresh powdery snow makes it worth it!

c/m/kh.

December 26

Well that was fun. ‘Till next time then.

December 25

Goofy picture, I know, but look at that delicious breakfast we all enjoyed to the max.

The girls, Rome having cut up the pineapple By Herself (except to hack off the ends), and Lilly surrounded by her Santa loot.

December 24

At Brian and Marija’s, the first swelling of children with three more that came later plus a TON of corralling adults. Too fun, and so many 1/4 Croatians!

December 23

Thank you Angela for doing this!

ak.

December 22

Finally one thing on one wall and a place to stash some tchotchkes.

Knobs!…Pulls!…

…Rainbows!

December 21

Lilly hosted a way-too-fun cookie party for her four BFFs. We’re all BFFs she told me.

I was entirely delighted watching Angela make it all happen so smoothly and make it so entertaining for the kids. She got them all stools and they took turns with the recipe, putting in the flour, stirring, running the mixer – aDORable…

…and then they decorated cookies into glorious mountains of icing and sprinkles.

They decorated cookie boxes to take home their creations and they had a craft to make if there was still time, and there was. Good job Angela!

Zoe, Nico, Lilly, Lailha, Roxi

The day before Kailin and her BFFs got together for their Secret Santa party.

All by themselves they decided to do Secret Santa. They drew names, had a budget, and they made such thoughtful gifts for each other.

These two events have made me feel all warm and fuzzy for the Holiday Season. Thank you for doing that!

Emma, Finley, Leila, Nicole, Rome

ak.

December 19

On my chore-rounds today I walked by the relatively new UCLA Orthopedic Hospital and was impressed by how carefully they matched the building style of the UCLA campus itself in Westwood even though this hospital is sitting here on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica.

December 18

Hilda and Raffie, Hi Guys!

Merlyn and Hilda’s place here up in the sky…

…above the Long Beach harbor…

…and looking into town. I take these three exact same pictures every time I’m here because this view is FABulous.

December 17

I went with Bonnie today to the Petersen Auto Museum which was cool, full as it was with shinny shinny things…

…and some interesting displays…

…and a few fabulous hood ornaments.

The building itself is a controversial Huge shimmering candy cane structure right at the iconic corner of Wilshire and Fairfax where everyone my age remembers shopping at the department stores of our youth.

This is from outside the building but inside the decorative shell.

The colors vary with the light but no matter, after the first time you see it you cannot unsee it.

December 16

Sharon had a lovely Happy Birthday Season’s Greetings festivity and made reeeeally good chili. I didn’t take any pictures, so I pulled this one off the internet…from the same recipe though.

Happy Birthday Sharon!

December 15

Marsha and I saw La La Land today and it was very charming indeed with plenty of affection for LA, characters I cared about, and even a story. Plus singing and dancing so although I hope it’s not the best movie of the year, meaning that a better one is in the wings, as far as this year goes it is the best movie I’ve seen yet.

This is the first tree I’ve put up in at least eighteen years, and I like it! (but I do need to buy some fake smell to go with my fake tree…)

I got the box of things I’d kept out of the garage, made some origami cranes, cut up some cards from years gone by, et voilá.

December 14

Rome! You are Holiday Cheer!!

December 13

Bill and I went out to dinner tonight. But who cares about a picture of Bill. Certainly not Bill, not when there’s a picture of Sweet Addie Rose at hand. Awwww.

December 12

My Valley Girls Monday Night Potluck Holiday Extravaganza! We all so look forward to this yearly event at Alicia’s with scrumptious food, a beautiful table and decorations, a helper in the kitchen, and a shower of gifts. (Don’t miss our shower of snowflakes because I think they’re adorable.) THANK YOU LADIES!

Me, Alicia, Ljubica, Lourdes, Ann, Maxine, Becky, Marija, Marsha. Sadly Maryanne couldn’t make.

Yes, I have WATER in the Kitchen – Ta DA!

(A picture from pizza night with the kids.)

December 11

In celebration of JoAnn’s birthday Nancy came down from Santa Barbara, Muriel cooked, and I just showed up, and David was there too of course, to entertain the ladies.

“Out there on the edge of the prairie” (I’m missing Garrison Keillor…) Cynthia and Mike have their first snow cover of the season.

ch.

Mike is chaperoning Kieran’s school ski club. Mike says “70 kids and 9 parents. We got this.”

mh.

December 10

I went out to Korean BBQ with Gideon, Celina, and Steve tonight…

…and here’s me and Ronald, reflect-o.

Today is Saturday, then Sunday, then Monday when I get to move the dishes out of the bathroom and into the kitchen where there will be WATER!

December 9

The guys did, from what I can tell…a great job, CONGRATS. There was a third guy too who did the window ledge and it looks so fine.

The faucet isn’t installed but the guys wedged it in for photos.

What a yummy sink.

This is the stove-side. The stove-side really does need a stove and a hood.

And knobs and pulls. I am SO HAPPPY that I’m not freaked out with buyer’s remorse.

December 8

Thanks Angela for these adorable photos – from a couple of neighborhood Santa visits.

I was all set to Not get the backsplash tomorrow along with the counter and now I Am going to get the backsplash. It’s a backsplash roller-coaster ride around here!

ak.

December 7

Sweet day today with the girls including a school outing to a pizza place mightily enjoyed by one and all.

December 6

I had two rather unproductive days although I did try, but it seems not my best effort since very little got done. One of my stops – Liz’s Antique Hardware on La Brea. Tons, literally, of antique hardware, but none for me.

Oh great, and now the counters are delayed a few days and the backsplash is delayed a few weeks. Sure, there are reasons, there are always reasons…

internet pic.

December 4

Oh Alex, how it is always something. I’m bringing the garbage cans in from the alley now because my neighbors are too tempted by the easy access and fill up my cans within two days after a pickup.

So it was Alex’s idea to put that little lattice fence by the washing machines and hide the cans. Good thinking Alex! Good building Alex!

The little back studio/extra bedroom/work space is 80% finished with what’s on my current list. As if lists are ever finished.

The fence! I think I showed a picture of the fence before but now there is also a pad of the old pavers behind Olivia’s place for bike parking. More nice, and more nice to come!

December 3

MAXINE! She did it again, a holiday party…

…to beat the band.

And speaking of the band, her son brought a whole party setup which was totally fun, As Always!

December 2

Walking home after a haircut I stopped at iHop because I just HAD to have it.

December 1

It’s really really old, and the mirror needs hanging, and where will it go? and what else will go on that wall? Baby steps!