who even knew there was a McDonald’s in South Coast?!
top / urban outfitters. skirt / j.crew. bag / cynthia rowley. sandals / sam edelman.
let’s just stay here.
After a few weeks of apartment hunting in L.A., a couple applications to apartments we thought we would love but didn’t (no parking? no thank you), and a lengthy moving pro/con list, Irvine won. Today, we renewed the lease to the place that we’ve made a home.
During this time of hypothetical move planning, I’ve thought about a few things…
1. Timing deserves a mention in any pro/con list.
The first apartment we applied to was a place off Santa Monica Blvd, near the Century City Mall. It had wood floors and a BBQ patio and a tiny kitchen. I thought it was a sign that I found a place so quickly after I started looking. Then was informed after I had spent 2 hours driving to see the place, that our application was second in line, and the first application was already in the process of being finalized with the owner. The second apartment we applied for was one in Bel-Air. It had hardwood floors, huge windows, and, as it turned out absolutely no parking. We’d also have to move in 3 weeks before our lease in Irvine ended, which basically meant paying more than double the rent for the month. Currently, our lease here will end just in time for our international adventures to begin.
2. Don’t get too comfortable.
Our current apartment has a garage. A garage that has been a blessing and a crutch. A garage that has allowed us to stockpile stuff like it was built to be a bomb shelter and not just a place to park the car. But all this talk about moving was a reminder that storing stuff is just not worth it. In about a year, we’ll (God-willing) be moving to China, and we’ll have to sell everything anyway.
4. There is no place in the world where life is perfect.
One thing I learned as an Econ major: there are trade-offs to everything. More time, less space. More greenery, fewer restaurants. A shorter commute on the 405, more time on the bus.
I love Orange County for how laid-back it is, for how close we are to beaches and camping and free yoga and running trails. But I haven’t turned into a runner. And I haven’t developed an appreciation for chain restaurants. Moving to L.A. wouldn’t make me a hipper person. Or even a happier one. It would be different, and that’s all.
6. Creating the life that you want takes action.
Stepping foot into an empty apartment, I imagine myself living there. I imagine where I will make my coffee, where Winston will go on walks, whether there is a window I can read by or a patio for grilling. It’s my imaginary life. In real life, I don’t always read by the window or go to the farmer’s market. I like having options, but the truth is that I don’t always take advantage of those options. Creating real life can be done anywhere. It doesn’t take a perfect apartment or easy transportation. It takes effort. And action.
7. Love where you live.
It’s a cheesy line that comes on the Irvine Co. keychain of our current apartment’s keys. But it’s so true. We have loved every minute of living in our little Irvine apartment. We love that we have a washer and dryer on our very own patio. We love that on our patio, we have chairs, a table, and even a cool, turquoise drink cooler on wheels. We love that we have a dishwasher and granite countertops and drawers that slide right open. We love that our good friends live right next door, that we have three (!) accent walls, and that our apartment leads directly out to a biking/running trail to the beach. We love the green belts in our complex and the palm-tree lined jacuzzi that we’ve escaped to many a (California) winter’s night. We love that right across the street is the grocery store, a Z Pizza, and a Coffee Bean. We love that we actually have sidewalks and that there is a park down the street with fire pits for marshmellow-roasting. Mostly, we love that it feels like home.
We’ve learned that nostalgia sometimes has a way of holding you back rather than pushing you ahead, but other times, it has a way of tugging at your heart strings and reminding you to go with your gut. To remember the good times, learn from the rest, and take the time to create the experiences you’ll want to hold onto.
There really is no place like home.
happy first day of summer!
[photos taken at the Ace Hotel Palm Springs]
june.
oh, hey June. you really snuck up on me, but i'm excited for you nonetheless.
you're like my personal progress marker, reminding me that whatever else i want to accomplish this year, i have 6 more months to do it.
and that i also have 6 more months until i turn 25.
i'm feeling pretty good about everything these last months have brought, but i have a feeling there are more good things in store.
and even though you are mild and somewhat gloomy, you can't trick me out of knowing that summer has arrived.
these longer days are rocking my world.
i especially like how the run rises over my 5:30 a.m. commute and stays up long enough for me to make dinner and do yoga before bed.
you're also the bearer of fun things like my BFF's wedding.
and glad things like my grandpa's trip into heaven.
i'm thankful for the reminder there's a lot to love/do/be in such a short amount of time.
so June, i'm glad you're here. i'll enjoy you while you last.
happy tuesday!
cheersing in this short week with smiles, a café au lait & a maxi skirt worn as a dress.
[skirt/dress / katwalk]
p.s. a thank you from the bottom of our hearts to those who help make this country what it is.
p.s. a thank you from the bottom of our hearts to those who help make this country what it is.
my life as a gyllenhammer [a.k.a. the good life].
hi guys, it’s me, winston! life’s been pretty good over here in the villa. my favorites: daddy. mommy. pugly. pink dog [my girlfriend]. nights when I sleep with my head on the pillow, and mommy cuddles me. leftover corn chowder. bowls that ice cream was in. walks. air head popsicles. my safe place under the bed [crates are for fatties]. CHICKEN. I LOVE CHICKEN. chewing the drawstring of mom’s favorite sweatshirt. puppy naps. pooping on persian rugs at garage sales [mom said they were expensive, so you know, I had to give it a try]. fuzz [especially from the dryer, but also the dust balls I find on the patio… I don’t discriminate].
that’s all for now. more later,
winston gyllenhammer
let’s find some beautiful place and get lost.
happy long memorial day weekend!
I’m hoping this weekend is relaxing and rejuvenating, with lots of quality family time. Commuting to L.A. every day is exhausting [is there anything worse than the 405 during rush hour?], and weekends are pretty much the only time I have to catch up sleep and my to-do list that tends to roll over into the next week… and the next week… and the week after that. In my dream weekend, I would cross off major items like ‘deep-clean the apartment’ and ‘finalize wedding pictures for album’ [I'm pretty sure waiting almost 2 years makes me a really, really bad… and annoying?.. person]. But in my dream weekend, I would also do things like, make raspberry coconut popsicles, from-scratch corn chowder, and homemade pop tarts. We would spend some time in the Palisades and watch endless episodes of Friday Night Lights. We would get the campaign dressers we bought to look like this and finally sell D’s 1966 Dodge Coronet. I would study for the GRE, get some amazing shots for my Photo 101 class and maybe even play around with some Fuji 400 film with my g-saled Holga. We would go kayaking in the Newport back bay and do some early morning yoga at Lululemon. And maybe, maybe, we would even find some beautiful place and get lost.
[explore] beach date at the cove.
I can’t believe I’ve lived in Orange County for almost two years and haven’t been down to The Beachcomber or even down to this part of Crystal Cove! D and I had made plans to head up to the Getty Villa, but a little bit of car trouble (blessing in disguise?) led us on this spontaneous adventure instead.
If you’ve never been, Crystal Cove is a great beach to go to because it’s a little more tucked away. We parked across PCH and headed down this sweet, little foot path down to the coast. We lunched at The Beachcomber, taking photos while we waited for our table. I’m such a planner, but this spontaneous day was a breath of fresh air. With the gorgeous weather being forecasted, we’re looking forward to many more days like this in the near future!
the beach with the teal house.
a preview of our little weekend date... 
beige + poppy
I’m loving the neutral with a splash of color trend… perfect for the spring/summer transition! My ombre hair: completely unintentional. That’s the byproduct of desperately needing to go get my hair did.
An outfit for brunch and the beach: sweater / the gap. shorts / zara. sandals / aldo. bag / cynthia rowley. nail polish / essie tangerine. Inspiration found here and here.
[zach + elise] our friends got married!
Our sweet friends (who just happen to be our next door neighbors) got married last weekend! Zach and Elise got married at Red Horse Barn, which was a gorgeous venue that I had somehow overlooked in my own wedding location search. And their photographer, Levi Christiansen was actually the second photographer at our own wedding. Zach worked with husband, and we met Elise at one of their work events. It’s been pretty fab having them right next door for impromptu double dates and game nights… with many more to come.
Best wishes, Zach & Elise!
We love you, guys.
We were so honored (and of course, ecstatic) to be a part of this beautiful wedding celebration. A confession: I cried… many happy tears. And wedding season is just beginning.
little mister winston.
The little guy is getting featured in the student news feed of my Photo 101 class. Yippee!
sister shoot.
you want somma this?
“Mom likes to call me ‘the little guy.’ So I’m here on the blog to set things straight. I may be little, and yes, I do hide under pillows on the bed when dad decides to vacuum (have you heard that thing? it’s scary!!), but I’m a big kid now. One time, I barked at my cousin Clyde so ferociously that I propelled myself backwards. That was a rookie mistake. I’ve learned to take more initiative with my bark and hold my ground. I now bark at big dogs, little dogs, and ducks (just in case). My motto: no fear. And if that doesn’t work, I’ve perfected this face. I think it says, ‘Don’t mess.’ Talk to my toy turtle if you think I’m kidding… he doesn’t have any stuffing left, and I’m still not done with him.
Well, that’s all for now. I’ll be back later.
Winston Gyllenhammer (p.s. Grandpa thinks it’s funny that I have a last name, but I’m practically a person, so it’s ok).”
[eats] the counter.
The first time Dave and I went to The Counter was Valentine’s Day, 2007, when drove to Santa Monica with a couple of my roommates in D’s 1966 Dodge Coronet. The most memorable part of the night was on the way back when the Coronet’s throttle cable snapped and we ended up on a very narrow shoulder of the 405, one exit away from home, precariously getting picked in a minivan up by his brother & sister-in-law (thank you!) while cars whizzed past us.
We’re pretty thankful that subsequent visits to The Counter have been far less dramatic. Now that one has opened in Irvine, it’s become one of our favorite places to grab a burger. We love the options. And the sweet potato fries. And if their special shake of the month is ever banana split, absolutely order it.
This month, I highly recommend the beef on a multigrain bun with grilled onions, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, sprouts, market selection cheese, and tzatziki sauce. And I really have got to stop staring at the picture I took because I’m a split second away from heading over there right now.
mother’s day.
To all the beautiful mothers out there,
happy mother’s day.
we love you so, so much. words cannot even begin to describe what you mean to us.
[photo by Raya of Raya Carlisle Photography]
p.s. according to husband, puppy mommas count, too.
introducing… the OC Surfer.
While at Roman Cucina the other night, I ordered an Italian Surfer martini (Malibu, Amaretto, pineapple juice, cranberry juice).
Aaaand, it was delicious.
[in case you couldn’t tell from my facial expression]
Husband decided to recreate the drink with the supplies we had on hand last night . Malibu, check. Amaretto, check. Juice of the required form, ummm no. Brilliant man that he is, he substituted the pineapple/cranberry juices with the homemade strawberry lemonade we had in the fridge.
results: amazing.
[we drank half before we even thought to take a picture. whoopsies!]
the mix:
1 part Malibu
1 part Amaretto
2 parts Strawberry Lemonade
Southern California love from our cocktail shaker to yours.
doesn’t husband make a good model?
what a stud.
I sure do love him.
we ate. we adventured. we napped.
[eats] Yen Sushi.
We’ve typically headed to chain-type restaurants for our sushi, but not too long ago, our friends/next-door neighbors introduced us to this well-priced neighborhood gem.
We really like it.
Perk of sitting at the bar: getting to marvel at the slabs of raw fish.
Husband loves his edamame. [I do, too. It’s addicting].
Aren’t rainbow rolls just so, pretty? And those oranges.