In case you are sick of xmas music....

My friend Ryan has been a good source of new music since we met. He has a way of finding small bands that are up and coming/small to the music scene.

The first band he introduced to me was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I was lucky enough to see the band play 3/4 times for free in tiny TINY venues all over LA. Now you can hear their songs just about everywhere you go and the band played Lollapalooza this past summer in Chicago. Not so small anymore.

The latest band he has suggested I listed to is The Red River. This band has now become a daily go to band on my ipod = i'm loving them.

Somehow Ryan was able to invite the lead singer of the band to his house this past Thursday night to put on a private living room concert. It was such a special night. These are the small joy moments I love about living in LA.
You start listening to a band...they live in the same town as you...you meet...and then they come over and hang out/play a private concert in your home. Just like that, no big deal at all.

There were about 30 people that came together to watch the lead singer put on a little concert. A few of the songs were filmed and I thought I would share my favorite song I leave on repeat often...enjoy =)

Tis the Season...

For Holiday Movies on TV!

In no particular order my favorite Holiday movies that I will always stop to watch if on TV...

A Christmas Story - who doesn't waste their entire day re watching this moving when the 24hr marathon comes on?!

Family Stone --- 1. because i love the house! 2. i love the cast and 3. i will always remember my dad calling me the second he came out of the theater to tell me to go and see it. he never does that, but for this movie he did.

National Lampoon XMAS Vacation -- i use to love, Love, LOVE the opening song of this movie when i was a kid. i should check itunes to see if it can find it...hip hip horray for xmas vacation.

Meet Me in St Louis -- is it a xmas movie? is it not a xmas movie? not really sure. but the one big scene i loved growing up was when ester and rose go to the xmas dance. i thought this is what every girl did when they grew up...wrong.

Home Alone -- Macaulay Culkin will have a place in every 20something's heart for the rest of our lives. I also just like to remind my mom that the night we saw this movie, my parents had forgotten to pick me up/mixed up who was picking me up. it was fitting.

Love Actually -- xmas rom-com? yes please! i have no problem at all watching this one over and over.

Kicking off Turkey Day

My office put on the annual Turkey Day dinner today. I decided to get creative and make these turkey cupcakes...you get the idea.

Our alley is used for many fun fridays, event/parties during the year. But this could be the best set up ever. I love the idea of one long single table. A staff over a 100 all having a seat at the same table...not a bad to be at work.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinners to come in the next few days ahead!

The LA bucket List

I marked another thing off my LA bucket list last week...Going to a Lakers game.

I have tried for the past year to go to a game. But either tickets are way too $$ or just not available. At all.

I'm not a Lakers Fan or an NBA fan, but I'll enjoy going to any sporting event with fans that get into the game and love their team.

One thing about the game that stuck out, is that they would play music while the ball was in play. Does this ever happen? Maybe its an NBA thing? But the players would be playing and music would keep coming on...just a little odd.

Time to update the bucket list since I have pretty much crossed everything off.

You can run, but you can't hide

I have been in LA since Jan 2009 = almost 23 months next week.

For 23 months I have not been sick and I have not had to deal with the dreaded allergy season that would take over my body each fall in Missouri...till now.

At this moment my head is a balloon floating away from my body. A big balloon of gunk.

I felt like a true adult yesterday at Walgreens filling up my basket with every allergy pill possible, a bottle of OJ and a few jars of chicken noodle soup. There is nothing fun about any of these purchases. I should have thrown in a copy of the new In Style or People just for kicks.

Are the pills working? Who knows. I just keep taking them, thinking that they have to be helping in some way. I thought there had to be hope with one of the magic boxes since I was carded to buy it.

I'm really bummed LA has proved me wrong and that I thought I was allergy free here in this city. LA you have failed me!

LA - 0
Allergies - 1

San Fran Weekend

I was only back in LA for 6 days after my Shoe Drop and It was time for a weekend get away =)

I had made plans previously since it was a good chance to meet up with a few friends that would also be in the Bay area for the weekend.

Friends visited...

Claire and Devs -- Two friends from my TOMS internship who have recently moved up to San Fran. Devs just started working with Google in August and I was able to go visit her at work and have an AMAZING Google lunch.

Shamus -- On his marathon tour with Nike, he was in town to run the many Nike events that weekend. I was able to visit him at the Nike Expo on Saturday...the guy is kind of a big deal now.

Justin -- A friend from STL just moved to Sacramento to begin a teaching grad program. We spent all day Saturday touring the city and even took a ferry ride around the Bay.

Emily -- One of my oldest and dearest friends from back in the Jr High/High school days is also up in North Cal as a grad student at Berkley. We were able to meet up for lunch on Sunday after a year of not seeing each other.

Over all a PERFECT weekend. I have been to the city before twice, but this trip I really enjoyed being in the bay area. Hopefully I'll continue to utilize the friends that live there and make more trips. Enjoy the photos from the weekend below....

GAME DAY! GAME DAY!

Its Homecoming in Columbia and for the first time ever ESPN Game Day has come for a visit!

Missouri brought 18,000 fans out to the Francis Quadrangle Saturday morning, breaking the Nebraska Huskers' previous record of 15,800.

I'm watching from my TV in LA and will be going to the Mizzou bar down the street for the game. As much as I would love to be in Columbia celebrating with everybody else, it is really fun to watch on TV. THe Quad looks perfect with all that black and gold covering it.

The crowd looks great and I have a feeling the team will look good too when they take the field. Fingers crossed Mizzou keeps the streak going of beating the number one seed this week. Ready to have some fun tonight.

GO Tigers, M...I...Z...Z...O...U!!

Halloween Feed Bags

I sent my Mom one of these cute pumpkin bags for Halloween...
http://www.feedprojects.com/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=49404

Such a good price and a great cause!

FEED Projects goal is to reach hungry children through the sales of our FEED bags.

FEED bags raise much-needed funds for WFP school-feeding operations and awareness of the problem of child hunger.

All FEED products are made as eco-friendly and fairly as possible. Our bags are produced with high-quality, 100% organic cotton and natural burlap. We work with only audited and certified fair labor facilities. It's important to us to visit the places our products are made AND the places our donations are going.

The goal of FEED Projects is to market and sell as many FEED bags as possible and to FEED and educate the world's 400 million hungry children.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

The week is done!

I found a new apart in WeHo

Everything from Santa Monica to WeHo has been moved

and my away message is up at my work computer

Argentina here I come!

I have packed one large backpack and i have one small/purse carry on. That is it! Whatever I have is all I will have for the next two weeks. My biggest concern? underwear! I guess I'll just have to get by.

I leave LA at 9am tomorrow and 17hrs later I'll be in Argentina!

Cheers to a great trip ahead!

I Know That Girl!

Many of you may have seen this pop up on your computer screen if you visit InStyle.com.


The model/the InStyle intern they took a picture of one day at work and now have used this picture for the past 4 years, is my friend Ashley.

The funny thing is, Ashley didn't know they were still using this photo. She had no clue. Obviously, they are for sure still putting this photo to use all over the world wide web.

Daily (thanks to cookies) I get a pop up of Ashley on my computer screen. Sometimes she has Jennifer Anniston hair, Emma Stone hair, or today she had January Jones hair. Its kind of fun to play with the site and change the hair and make up on your friend.

Ashley really should be making some profit from this....right???!!!

Check it out here; http://www.instyle.com/instyle/makeover/?action=showMakeover&tab=hair&hairId=2747

Things To Do List (in the next 8 days...yikes)

Sign a lease for a new apartment in WeHo
Pack up old apartment
Move 85% of current apartment to new apartment
Go to Target and buy travel items for my trip
Decide what the HECK to take on a 2wk trip to Argentina
Start taking unscented garlic pills
Get a hair cut
Plan 2nd week of travel in Argentina
Work 4 full days
Pack for trip
Leave for trip
Try not to go crazy...

Yep, all of this in the next 8 days
No big deal at all

My parents are traveling Europe right now.

Sorry Mom, but I have no idea where you are. I have no idea what happened to your trip destination email, but i hope you are having a great time!

I do know they were in Rome, because this photo was sent to me from their friend Mark yesterday.

Since I was in 4th grade, my parents have been traveling with long time friends the Leverenz (Karen and Mark). I love that they have this friendship with this couple. IF I ever get married, I hope I also would have a friendship with another couple that do as many things as they all do together.

My parents next trip with the Leverenz is a big one = they finally invited the kids to come along too!! First time in history our families have ever left the state together. We are traveling together for Thanksgiving to...Las Vegas! Why not spend the holiday in Sin City??? =)

I have a feeling we are going to see a whole new side of our parents that we have never seen before. Should be a good time!

M...I...Z!

Happy College Football Day!

To celebrate the Mizzou Tigers from LA, i have gotten up early for the game (9am here on the west coast and why i look sleepy in the pic = not an early bird). The great news is the game is on TV here in LA!!!

I'm sitting here on the couch with my Mizzou blanket, my Football game shirt and drinking out of the classic plastic Berg cup.

Cheers to a new season (and hopefully a good one) for the TIGERS!

can...not...stop...watching.

I dropped the blog ball again. Here are pics to make up for not posting and what I was doing instead...

Spent two nights at this house. Night One for an Engagement Party and Night Two was for a listening party (Terra Naomi) . The owners of this house are amazing people with huge hearts to entertain, hence the house. How can they not have a party every night??




























I got my car washed! I only share this because my car was DIIIIIRRRRTTTYYY. A bird has now taken a big dump on it, but look how it shined...















Spent the day with Miss Bitt Sanborn up in Malibu. Our first stop for the day was Malibu Wines...















and our 2nd stop was Paradise Cove...lovely places to spend the day along the PCH















Went to Bark in the Park at Dodger Stadium with my friends Whitney and found out that pugs can over heat. When they do, you stick them in a pan of ice and they look like Thanksgiving Dinner....















Kate (roomie) has been out of town since the 18th. Our apt has turned into a hotel over the last week and 1/2 for a few special people such as the Bohannons....



















Boss Man Blake had another Birthday and that means a really fun Birthday Party. The theme this year....Silent Disco (= why everybody has head phones on)
P.S.
The blonde head in the bottom right corner = Charlize Theron =)















And,last a group of us went out to celebrate Caitlins bday. I forgot how nice all girl dinners can be.


















Hope you all had a good weekend!

Charity Water

Thanks to living in LA and working for TOMS I learn about more and more great organizations and non profits every day.

I had head of Charity:Water, but not till a few weeks ago did I really learn about Charity:Water.
I was able to help out with a house party to help educate and raise support for this organization. Such a great night to be able to be apart of this presentation and to meet the founder, Scott Harrison.

Charity: Water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Right now, almost a billion people on the planet don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water. That’s one in eight of us. The presentation and the testimony from the man that started this non-profit just blew me away.

Click on the link below and you will find so much more information about this group;
http://www.charitywater.org/

Also fun fact: A Mizzou friend, Chris Schomaker and his wife Mo Scarpelli, work for Charity Water at their HQ in NYC! Small World...

I spent the day in Huntington Beach. Huntington is about a 45min drive outside of LA. Drove down to meet up with my friend Amy Graham who is visiting Southern California for a few days from Denver.

Amy went to high school with me and we have stayed close over the years thanks to TP email chains, love for new/indie music and gmail chat.

Always fun when bits of home come to visit!

I Know That Guy!

http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_reporter-en_US/2010/08/07/on-your-mark

Shamus and I met at TOMS last Summer. Obviously he has moved on to new bigger things, but we have still kept in touch.

Very proud of my fellow Midwestern friend and can't wait to continue to follow along!

Congrats Shamus!

My August Playlist

Magic -- B.O.B ft. Rivers Cuomo
White Winter Hymnal -- Fleet Foxes
Something Good Can Work -- Two Door Cinema Club
Disappear -- The Gabe Dixon Band (why am i just now finding out about this band?!)
How it Ends -- Devotchka (little miss sunshine will never get old)
Shed a Little Light -- Foy Vance
Lover, Lover -- Jerrod Niemann
The Chair -- Ingrid Michaelson (great harmony)
No You Girls -- Franz Ferdinand (my go to top down song)
It Dont Matter -- Donavon Frankenreiter
Stuck Like Glue -- Sugarland
Can't Go Back Now -- The Weepies (my life soundtrack song right now)
Faithfully -- Glee Cast (just counting down till September 21st)

Drinking For A Good Cause

I was at an event a few weeks ago and was introduced to One Hope Wines

The idea is simple: OneHope, a for-profit company based in Irvine, Calif, tries to sell as much quality wine as possible, and 50 percent of its profits go to charity. Sales of the merlot go to AIDS research, the sauvignon blanc supports the environment, and the zin goes to causes that support U.S. troops.

Visit the website here; http://www.onehopewine.com/

Dear Blog,

I have not forgotten you. Lately I think of you daily and I'm sorry I have ignored you and have not used you to document the summer or thoughts I'm having.

I promise from here on out things will be better. I'll post more pictures. I'll share more links on cool things I learn about/see around LA.

Yep, time to return back to the blog.

Stay tuned.

Another Plug...

In case i could not update you all more about the wonderful company of TOMS Shoes, i give you the site for One Day Without Shoes...

http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/

One Day Without Shoes is the day we spread awareness about the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child’s life. On April 8th, we ask people to go the day, part of the day or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand, and inspire others at the same time.

This is a TOMS holiday. Our entire office will meet along with other LA fans Thursday morning to walk barefoot for a mile in Venice, CA. We then will continue our work day spreading the word of ODWS (one day without shoes) however we can.

Spreading the word that...

• In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.
• Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
• Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
• In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
• Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.

It's Only One Day
One day to kick off your shoes and go without
One day to understand how important shoes are
AND
One day to be apart of the TOMS movement!

If you kick off your shoes, take pics and send me those feet -- would love to see where/how you went shoeless for the day =)

Check Out Company #6!!

Fast Company

MARCH!!

Ahh March. How I love this month.

Yes, there are no signs of Spring here in LA (looks the exact same every day of the year....sorry, but it's just the truth)

Why do we love March and look forward to the weeks ahead...

1. March Madness. Duh. I'm on a mission to make sure this year my office does have a bracket pool. Even if its me and two other people, there will be one.

2. Visitors!!

• Devika from our intern class has been in town for the past 5 days.
  
• Katie Bolt arrives on 3.5-3.12
• The Messamores on 3.15-16
• Christie Key 3.24-3.27
• and i was able to have dinner with Sarah Turner this past Sunday night down at Huntington Beach
  

3. A weekend to Vegas! Kate's family is having a little reunion and she has invited a few of us from work to join her for the weekend. Can not wait to get away and hopefully it will be start to warm up in the desert since the pools open this month.

4. OSCARS. To be honest, I have low expectations. Not a banner year for movies (boo Avatar) and it's never the same when I'm not at my parents house for the night. Also the traffic is TERRIBLE in LA all weekend. I have to remember to go nowhere near Hollywood Thur-Mon.

I'm still getting more involved with non work things. I'm on a Monday night kickball team in Venice, joining in a girls booze and book club once a month and I even may start to volunteer for a non profit animal shelter.

Do be sure to check out the new TOMS website and the site for our upcoming One Day Without Shoes

Reason # 197 why i love my job...

I am now a believer that you can surf and ski all in the same day in California
Who knew California had mountains that were 11,000 feet up?? In Mammoth they are and they are beautiful!
I just spent the past weekend with 60 something people I work with on a company retreat to Mammoth, CA.
A 4 day get away of early mornings, late nights, lots of drinks and time in the snow.
The trip was above and beyond what I expected it to be.
Who knew a trip with EVERYONE you work with could be that entertaining and such a good way to appreciate your job.

Pics of the trip below

Happy 1 year in LA to me!