The Adventures of Lesalina

A Semi-Charmed Life.

The Adventures of Lesalina header image 1

Play: Universal Studios

April 11th, 2012 · travel

This is me with Fivel – you know, the one who went west?

It’s pretty much my new most favorite picture ever.

Why? Despite my questionable sartorial concoction (even the most well-dressed woman struggles when it comes to amusement parks with a child in tow) I’m absolutely, positively, in a state of pure happiness. While I try and maintain a child-like sense of curiosity and humor every day, it isn’t easy. There are deadlines, and responsibilities, and living beings to feed, and all the other things that go along with life. However I think it’s a serious mistake to allow our adult selves to lose touch with the kid inside of us all.

Through our day at Universal, we watched as Baby Beau yelled in excitement every time she caught glimpse of one of her favorite characters in costume. Sponge Bob, a tried and true childhood favorite for her, was a must while I think The Lorax, recently seen in theaters, was more of an ‘of the moment’ thing. I’ll admit, I silently thought she was over-reacting about the characters who were clearly too young for her very-adult ten years of age.

I owe a silent apology for that.

Because I did the very same thing when I saw Fivel. I probably should have been embarrassed at shrieking in the direction of a man dressed inside this small plush costume. Not to mention the fact that I was terrified of most characters when I was young – oddly, not because of their costumes but I had some strange insecurity they would say no if I asked them for an autograph or picture. I suppose I figured they were too terribly busy.

This day, it surprised even me as I ran over to the line, yelling back to Beau to retrieve the camera. It was as if I were a small child again, sure this would be a defining moment in my world. The difference being when I was little, I probably would have been too shy to take the picture. But no, not this time. I wasn’t going to miss out on a cuddle with the mouse whom I celebrated my third birthday with.

My furry friend sent me away with a kiss. But it wasn’t just a kiss – it was a reminder to live, laugh and love like a kid again.

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Eat: The Ivy

April 10th, 2012 · Food and Drink, Restaurants, travel

What’s the best thing you ever ate?  I can quickly identify two dishes that stand out for me. The first is the Black Truffle Fettucini from Pelago in Chicago. The second is the homemade lobster ravioli at The Ivy in Los Angeles (What can I say, I love carbs).

Located off Robertson Ave. (a shopping-must!), The Ivy is known for many things – their gimlets, celebrity sightings and colorful floral decor. But if you ask me, the real star is their pink sauce which is also found on their rigatoni with peas and sausage. The homemade lobster ravioli is pricey for an everyday lunch ($29.75) so it’s probably great for my wallet and my rear that I live nowhere in the vicinity of this restaurant.

It’s that good.

The foundation is basically a vodka sauce but I can’t quite put my finger on what make this particular version so good (believe me, I’ll die trying). Beau had the same thing while his offspring went with the homemade fresh spinach ravioli, served with a butter sage sauce. That was tasty but nothing compared to the plate of heaven before me.

As I mentioned earlier, the gimlet is also a major attraction for Ivy diners. I opted for the raspberry gimlet this visit and I couldn’t have been more thrilled with that choice. I like my mixed drinks with a lot of garnishes (a bloody mary is nothing without a celery stick at minimum), the raspberry gimlet did not disappoint.

Full, happy and ever-so-slightly buzzed (just me, not the other two) we set off through the afternoon sun to explore the La Brea Tar Pits. Because nothing balances out a fancy, flowery lunch like animals dying slowly in stinky, black tar.

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Stay: The Beverly Hilton

April 9th, 2012 · travel

It was nearly midnight before Beau, his little one, and I checked into The Beverly Hilton after a long day of traveling. While the gentleman at the desk was terribly polite, I just wanted to order room service and face-plant into a pillow. I never made it to the phone to order – I fell asleep as soon as we settled in.

Beau arranged for a poolside room as we planned to spend our first full day in LA relaxing and swimming (minus Beau who worked and worked and worked and worked). It was a simple room but I found it far more comfortable and cozy than many rooms in the ‘trendier’ hotels.

We woke up bright and early the next morning (one of my favorite things about traveling to the west coast) and reserved a cabana for the day. I’d forgotten how refreshing a crisp, bright, beautiful LA morning can be…open blue skies and birds chirping everywhere. After a full breakfast in the cabana bed, bathing suits on, we were ready to soak up some sun. Baby Beau, of course, was already busy making friends with our neighbors – one being Quinton Aaron from The Blind Side. Who, by the way was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. I may or may not have told him I wanted to hug him and then keep him in my pocket forever. I may or may not have been dead serious.

He gave me a “10″ on my cannon ball.

About that same time, a film crew started setting up for a TV show that was being filmed by the pool that afternoon. The show was Mistresses, a new drama on ABC. The show stars Alyssa Milano (one of four leading ladies) who between shooting scenes spent time with her new baby boy, Milo.

Note: there’s a cute slim-fitting navy dress under the white t-shirt.

Baby Beau was equally enthusiastic about meeting a random woman across the pool from Fishers, Indiana.

Kids are so strange.

That evening, we took a walk around the hotel and explored the ballroom where the Golden Globe Awards are held. The halls are covered with black and white photos of Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, The Rat Pack, Audrey Hepburn, and Sophia Loren. I couldn’t help but think of Whitney Houston often during our stay but not one single part of me cared to go stare at a numberless door. The thought alone is haunting enough.

Despite the TV show filming, celebrity spottings and OBNOXIOUS Playboy Golf Girl behind us ranting loudly on her cell phone about Rodeo Drive (I’m talking to you, Boston) it was a delighftully relaxing and enjoyable day.

We’re off to England this week but stay tuned for more posts on the rest of our LA adventure! 

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The Adventuress Begins

April 6th, 2012 · adventure, Food and Drink, local

Hello and happy Friday!

Beau and I spent the week in LA with his little one so I’ll have a report on that next week but for now I’m pleased to share an exciting announcement with you. Yesterday launched the first article in a new column I’m writing for the Indianapolis Star called ‘The Adventuress’. It’s basically what I’ve been doing here for years but specifically at places around Indianapolis that reader’s can visit, see, or experience for themselves. We kicked off with something I’ve always been slightly terrified of (as it relates to my mixed feelings on vegetarianism) – a hog butchering class at the Smoking Goose on Indianapolis’ East Side.

It was an incredible experience, something I think all meat-eaters should pay witness to.

While it’s always been my objective to find adventure in the everyday, I think we can always find ways to force ourselves just a little bit further out of our comfort zone. For me, that’s what the column is about first and foremost. Second, I think it’s a crying shame when I hear anyone, whether they live in Indianapolis or Arkansas, complain that they have nothing to do. There is always something to do. Don’t believe me? Follow my adventures and we’ll see about that.

The Adventuress will appear regularly in the weekend section of The Indianapolis Star. You can also follow my adventures on Twitter – @Lesalina! 

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World Traveler, Crap Packer

April 2nd, 2012 · adventure, travel

Hi! This post was meant to run on Friday. However, due to a mild concussion last week I was a little backwards and forgot to hit publish. The good news is, the girls and I had a safe and fabulous weekend in Chicago. The bad news? I didn’t bring any shoes. 

Tomorrow kicks off what is sure to be a long, albeit exciting few weeks of travel for me. First stop is Chicago for my dear friend Katy’s bachelorette party (stop by and check out her new recruiting blog!). For three days, 15 of the most diverse women I know will gather to celebrate this blushing bride and frolic through the windy city. I’m not going to say anything cheesy here – like, “Look out Chicago!” or, “You’ve been warned”…but seriously. Chicago? You’re on notice.

Arriving home Sunday afternoon, I come home with enough time to switch bags and join Beau and his offspring for a few days in LA. Admittedly, neither of us, who both spent time living there, are entirely sure what to do with a 10 year-old in Hollywood but so long as the Beverly Hilton has their pool open, we should be fine. I suggested a crazy night with the boys of West Hollywood but that idea wasn’t a huge hit.

After that, we’re home for a day or so to catch our breath and re-pack then it’s off to England for my Grant’s (long story but more or less my Aunt/Grandmother) 90th Birthday. We’re joining my parents for the trip so I’m looking forward to my Dad’s tour of his old stomping grounds and hearing about his days as a young chap. This is like a bed time story for me….in a pub.

It all sounds just lovely right? Well, yes but the problem is that my packing skills have gone down the crapper. Here’s an example. Upon arriving at our friend’s guest house in Miami earlier this year, Beau and I unpacked our luggage. Here’s a sample what my ‘side; of the room looked like:

Mind you, that was more or less just my carry on plus a few miscellaneous items. That was one trip that I had plenty of time to organize and pack for. And then there’s Beau’s ‘side’ of the room.

I wasn’t always this way, I used to keep things neat and orderly. But somehow I became one of those people that crams everything into a suitcase and then sits on it to zip. While I hate to admit that he’s right, Beau may be onto something with this organization thing. If we’re being completely honest here? My skills are a hot mess.

So, dear readers, tell me – what are your packing tips?

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Fitzgerald, Gilbert, and the Gremlin

March 26th, 2012 · Books and Writers, creative, Social Media

Have you ever had the feeling of ‘waking up’ and finding yourself on a website without the foggiest clue of how you got there? Perhaps you’re experiencing that feeling at this very moment. “WHERE AM I?,” You’re thinking. Don’t worry, I promise you’re in a safe place. Relax, stay a while.

Now that we have that out of the way, I’ll get back to my point which is basically that some days the internet can be a big fat time suck. Others? It’s as if some divine source dangled carrot after carrot in front of your face until you arrived at the place you were intended to find. Here’s how that happened for me today.

This afternoon one of my favorite sites, BrainPickings, tweeted this:

"I really believe I have hit it." Fitzgerald sends This Side of Paradise, released 92 years ago today, to his editor http://t.co/5lNqoQSm
March 26, 2012 5:15 pm via BufferReplyRetweetFavorite
@brainpicker
Maria Popova

 

The title caught my eye as I had, without knowing anything about the anniversary, bought that same book just hours before. Always and forever delighted to soak up anything about “The Lost Generation” (Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Stein), I clicked on the link to learn more about Fitzgerald’s methods of Mastering the Muse.

Within that post was this link to a TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert on genius and mesmerizing the muse.

Well, I’ll be gosh-darned if that wasn’t just what I needed to hear today. If you’re a creative of any kind, I’d highly recommend watching the video. If you’re a writer, I insist you watch the video.

The thing is (I’ll admit it) there are moments when I’m so frustrated with writing that a gin and tonic doesn’t sound half bad at 9 o’clock in the morning. Then there are these other moments. These moments when the urge to create something -- anything is so strong that I’d crawl out of my own skin to grab a computer, a pencil, a camera, knitting needles -- whatever tools are in reach to get it out.

In her talk, Ms. Gilbert suggests the ancient Grecian and Roman concepts that creativity did not come from humans but that “creativity was this divine attendant spirit that came to humans from some distant and unknowable source for distant and unknowable reasons” -- a ‘damon’ or a ‘genius’ if you will. Not genius in the sense we use it today but rather a sort of genie inside of us that is responsible for what we create. The theory is that the human ‘self’ is not the sole-owner or master of creative works. I don’t know if this is true and for some reason she sounded a little less wacky saying it than I feel now writing it. Nonetheless, her words resonated with me.

Writing can be lonely. Maybe it’s a nice thought to know I’m not riding solo all day. Or maybe it’s a silly thought that subconsciously alleviates the anxiety that comes as a result of writing words that people, strangers even, might actually read.

Even if it does sound crazy, I like the thought of this little gremlin running around stirring up creativity. I’m glad it found me and I hope that when you most need it? It finds you too.

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Oh, the Confusion

March 22nd, 2012 · satire

Life can be confusing. So why is that our brains insist on setting up mental road blocks on some of the simplest tasks? At least mine does. There are a handful of things, that for some reason or another, will not sink in.

My mom used to say that I didn’t remember certain things because I didn’t want to. That may have been the case when I was 12 and didn’t want to clean out the kitty litter but honestly, what would I have against remembering how long to hard boil an egg?

This is the best hard boiled egg I’ve ever made. Yes, it was last year and yes, I took a picture.

I have to look it up every.single.time. Is it 12 minutes? 17? If you asked me right now, I still wouldn’t know and I’ve made *hundreds*.

The list goes on. Exhibit B. Growing up, my job was always to set the dinner table. As an adult, I do this every day. I love the art of dining and etiquette. So WHY can I never remember which side of the place setting the fork goes on?

Another one – this kills me as a writer – I cannot for the life of me remember when to use italics and when to use quotation marks. It’s elementary school grammar.

I used to spell ‘awkward’ and ‘portobello’ incorrectly all the time but I just wrote that without spell check so I suppose there must be some hope for me yet.

Oh, and if anyone has tips for hard boiling an egg? I’m all ears because I’ve already forgotten how I did that one.

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Book Worm: Food Rules

March 20th, 2012 · Books and Writers, Food and Drink

Lean in and listen closely because I’ve found the secret to a fit and healthy body. You will never have to try another fad diet or ridiculous cleanse again. All you have to do is follow these three simple steps:

1) Stay active

2) “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

3) Read Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

Sound too good to be true? I promise it’s not. Unless you have a medical condition, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say something that usually isn’t very popular to say on the internet. There is simply no reason to be overweight or out of shape. Excuses? Sure. But cold, hard facts? No way.

I naturally have a fairly slim physique but I’m certainly not maintaining it by eating fast food everyday for lunch. I work out a minimum of three days a week on average and I cook healthy meals at home. My philosophy has always been to live as cleanly as possible, which is what Food Rules is about. Author Michael Pollan looks beyond the studies and recommendations of scientists and government and offers tried and true rules that he says, if you follow, will lead to happier, healthier lifestyle. I highly suggested the illustrated version which includes 19 additional food rules and yes, beautiful illustrations by artist Maira Kalman to oogle over.

 Avoid Foods That Have Some Form of Sugar (or Sweetener) Listed Among the Top Three Ingredients

Place a bouquet of flowers on the table and everything will taste twice as good

I’m not a doctor, or a nutritionist, or a scientist. I’m just a girl who loves fried chicken and wants to have the body of a super model. If you combine what you read in Food Rules with at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, you’ll see a healthier happier you. If you’re already thinking “But I don’t have time”, stop it right now. I used the say the same thing until recently, I came to a point where I stopped believing my own excuses. Instead of watching an hour of TV, go for a walk. Instead of meeting your girlfriend for cocktails, ask if she wants to do a yoga class first. Too busy to cook on weeknights? Spend Sunday afternoon preparing food for the week.

There’s always an excuse waiting just around the corner. It’s up to you whether you want to huff and puff your way to it or run right past it.

Images: “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual” 2011, Penguin

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Hey, It’s OK…

March 19th, 2012 · Magazines

Gemma Correll via WoodenToyPublishingCo.

Every month, I look forward to finding Glamour magazine in my mail box. As an avid magazine reader – yes, actual magazines – I appreciate their mission to empower women and their lack (usually) of stupid cover stories about how to be the best you can be in the sack.

While I take my magazine reading seriously (you won’t find any leisurely flipping here, I read front to back), I’ll occasionally break my routine just to read the ‘Hey, It’s OK…’ page first.. For years, I’ve been keeping my own “It’s OK” mental list and thought I’d finally write them down here. I’m definitely not the first writer to do this, in fact you’ll find a thousand other bloggers online with their own lists – which I think is awesome. In fact I think everyone should have their own list, whether it’s written an concrete or changing every day.

Read on for my go-to reassurances then leave a comment with your own below. You can also Tweet them @glamourmag with the hashtag #HeyItsOK.

…to realize you haven’t shaved your legs in weeks as soon as you sit down for a pedicure. They’ve seen worse. Much worse.

…that you still haven’t figured out how to fold a fitted sheet. WHY is it so difficult?

…to use a different laundry detergent, gynecologist, and face cream than your mom did.

…if you don’t want to do a juice-master-Acai-liver cleanse. Ever.

…that you don’t own a potato masher, an immersion blender, and an avocado slicer. They’re called a fork, a spoon and a knife.

…to buy the $50 foundation over the drug-store stuff, if it’s in your budget and does a better job (even if that part is only mental.

…if you break into hives at the thought of wearing vintage clothing or owning a house in suburbia. Not that either of those has happened to me.

…to skip to the ‘Hey, It’s OK…’ page as soon as you open Glamour.

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An Unperfectly Happy Friday

March 16th, 2012 · satire

Happy Friday, lovelies!

I’ve spent the last two weeks evaluating a lot of things – hold it right there – I promise this won’t be one of “those” posts. The reason it isn’t is because I really haven’t come to any sort of conclusion. Wait, that’s a lie.

I came to two.

Number one: it’s time to simplify. De-clutter. Get down the the basics. Whatever you want to call it, there’s too much “stuff” crowding my life, my brain, my living environment, and my work life. Sound familiar? I’m not going to sit here and give you tips about how to do that because you can find a million resources online but mostly because only you know what you need to do – whether that’s clean out a closet or create some distance between you and a toxic friend. For me, this has meant heavy consideration on quitting this blog.

Number two: nothing is ever going to be perfect. Look perfect. Happen at the perfect time. DO IT ANYWAY. I am *so* sick of waiting for everything to fall into place because it’s not just-so. I’m sick of not writing blog posts because my photography isn’t what I want it to be. I’m sick of not wearing the outfit I have in mind because I don’t have that perfect shirt. I’m sick of not going to yoga or volunteering for my favorite cause because it doesn’t fit in my schedule at the right time.

As a result of the the second conclusion, I’m not going to quit writing here after all. There are some bloggers who write to make money. To feel popular. To spread a message to an audience. I never started writing with those intentions. I’m not saying the thoughts haven’t ever been on my mind but I don’t have it in me – what it appears to take to have (what is in my mind) a perfect blog.

Or a perfect life.

So here’s me. Unshowered. In a sweatshirt that I stole from my mom three years ago to walk our dogs. Wearing no make up. At my messy desk. In a photo I took with my iPhone. The first shot, not the 15th.

Writing.

 

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