final west coast holiday.

Holidays are very nostalgic. At least for me they are. I always seem to make it a point to either discuss or make a personal mental note to myself of what exactly it was I was doing the year before on whatever holiday it is I'm celebrating. Where I was. What I was wearing. How I was feeling. Who I was with. Who I wasn't with. The reflections are often tender, as for me, I've found myself in places quite different from one year to the next.

Last year, for example, I was hiking in the Laguna Canyon with my friend Kendal. We ended up walking a good five miles post hike to get to what I thought was the nearby beach (ha, my sense of distance can be so terrible.) I remember I took a long nap after that, and then just hung out at home by myself for the evening. Sounds sad, but it was actually quite nice. A gentle calm before the storm to come in the months after. At the time, I was getting ready to move out of my beloved college Irvine apartment into a home in Dana Point to be closer to my restaurant job where I had been recently promoted to management. It was a month filled with stress, fear, and excitement. My college era was over, and I was starting a new chapter in my Orange County adventures: The one where I was a full-time working CAREER WOMAN! I had high hopes. And at the time, I thought it was exactly what I wanted for my 24 year old.

Until I realized it wasn't.

It took a few months for that realization to show up, and then a couple more months to act on it. But ultimately it got me here. Back in Ventura. And basically, it's just crazy how much can happen and change in one year.

I have no idea what next year's Fourth of July will look like. (Or all the days leading.)

But this year's was great. My last real holiday on the West Coast and I spent it with my sister and her friends. We drank and we laughed and we ate candy. And we hopped a barbed wired fence to climb a mountain, for what was definitely the best spot to catch the fireworks show. (total rebels, I know.)

I missed my own friends in LA & OC, but hugging Ventura+my family as tightly as I am in these final hours.. well, it only seems right. I'm going to miss this little home town of mine.

And I couldn't be more proud of myself for the brave distances traveled from the last fourth to now.

I hope you all had a nice holiday as well! See you tomorrow at Blog Brunch? Say yes.

And Then the Cake Was Gone. And it Was Time for an Update.

Ah, life is happening so fast right now and there is so much goin' on, people!!! Which means MUCH to blog about! I want to apologize in advance if this post ends up being a cluster fudge of many THINGS.

I have to, have to, have to, start off first with a big YAY. Like truly, the biggest YAY ever.. be-cause, my incredible blog friend Sheri has chosen my blog to feature in her rad blog series titled, "BLOVE". Personally, I have been obsessed with the series ever since I learned about it, let alone obsessed with Sheri and her blog, ever since I learned about her. Sheri's vibe is incredibly warm and down to earth, and she also happens to be pretty flippin' cool. Yeah, that's right--homegirl's got swag. For real. And she's been one of my strongest supporters ever since I entered the blog world in January. It is a blessing and it is an honor. Thank you, Sheri, for such an amazing feature. You encourage me through and through to keep on writing! I love you!

The past few weeks my blog life has taken a bit of a toll as I've attended several social gatherings revolving around potlucks, Disneyland passes, Mother's Day and my sis' 21st bday last night (yes, I am reporting live from a place of hang overs and a colorful  buffet of pain killers at the moment). Not to mention, lots of working at the job, and just taking in every free opportunity I have to spend time with my friends and family.

For those who may just be checking in with me and my space here for the first time, (Hi!) I am preparing to do an epic relocation from Ventura, California to NYC this summer. It will be my first time living super far away from home, and I am moving simply for the desire to live in the city. Not for school, not for work, not for a dude. For me. For my own some-day New York Times Bestseller autobiography. (Ha, here's to trying to make my life as exciting and interesting as possible.)

After the completion of college in Orange County, a series of restaurant jobs, a year long adventure in LA, and a seven-year journey through some bizarre and messy relationships, it's time to embark on a new chapter in my life, and I'm excited to share all of it with you! Yes, things are certainly going to get interesting when I start blogging about all my dating experiences (when I start dating again), and hopefully not my starving experiences. (I'm taking off with a very small amount of money in my pocket....and probably a prayer bible in my suitcase.)

Just to clarify some of the questions I've been getting: 

Yes, I have been to New York before :) At the moment, I have a whole school of college peers out that way, including a few new friends I'm made through blogging. How great! If you'd like to read more about my previous trips to New York and how I've come to decide I'm destined to live there, you can do so here.

To start off, I will be staying with my cousin Marni in Old Tappan, New Jersey while I look for a job and housing in the city. I have stayed with her in her house before and not only is it a beautiful home, in a very charming city, but it's only a twenty minute train ride into Manhattan. Not bad at all. My cousin also has a set of twins, Jaiden and Mateo, who are probably about seven now? They are adorable and I cannot wait for all of you to meet them thru mass photos and instagrams. Just wait.

I'm looking to find housing in Brooklyn. It's my first choice of location, but if not then maybe Harlem or Astoria. I've never been to Astoria before, but I hear it's nice and affordable? And I stayed in Harlem several years ago and thought it was pretty safe and nifty (apparently it's cleaned up quite a bit the past decade.) If any of you have lived in the city or are familiar with all the neighborhoods, I would love to hear any recommendations/opinions you may have as to where is a good place to live. Honestly, I haven't done much research. I've just gone based off my own experiences and the experiences of my friends. Haha. I should probably be doing a lot more of the "figuring things out exactly", but eh. This is where my tale gets it's EDGE.

As far as a job goes, I will be looking for either a serving or bartending job to begin with to support myself, but ultimately, I want to be writing plays... and getting them produced (that part is crucial). In addition to seeing where all of this blogging-ness can take me. I really just want to be writing one way or another. It's going to be a struggle, no doubt, being a "penny-less writer", but this is what I want to do. And I'm going to do it. Call me naive, and maybe you are right. But maybe you haven't met me and my determination. I work hard for the things I want, and making a career out of writing is what I really want. With that being said, wish me luck.

I leave July 26th... two days after my 25th birthday and a week before the epic Blogher conference which I will be attending in hopes of meeting somebody fantastic who maybe wants to offer me a job. Oh yeah, and a bunch of really awesome bloggers! If you are going, say WHAT UP. This marks my first conference of any kind ever, and I am a bright cocktail of scared and excited.

Thanks to my cool little counter there on the right, I know that I am 70 days away from the big move. And guess what. Make that an even BIGGER cocktail of scared and excited. Honestly, I'm scared shitless. Don't tell my family that, but the closer it gets until I leave, the more I am freaking out. And really, it's not the part where I'm moving far away from my family and my town that scares, (tho it does make parts of me very sad, as the move approaches).. it's more the financial part of it all. I really am going out there with very little money to get by. I mean yeah, I have a place to stay right away, and that helps a lot, but it's not in the city and I don't want to reach a point where I'm overstaying my welcome or becoming imposing on anyone, even if it is my own cousin or friends after. I like to fend for myself completely in most cases, and it's hard for me to accept help from others. I take it where it is needed, and I'm incredibly thankful for it, but I don't like doing it. It's definitely a pride thing.

70 days left to gather up a decent wad of money to take off with, and it's scary. I've progressed by leaps and bounds in my finances since the new year, having paid off almost all my debt at this point, but my savings situation is still a joke. I have a little time left to hustle, yes, but it's not much. And it's going by FAST.

Needles to say, it's Go Time.

I'm going to try and keep up with the blogging as best as I can, but for the next two months my main focus will be preparing for my move. It's time to start saying my goodbyes, and taking advantage of every last minute I have here in California. In addition to robbing a couple of banks.

Bear with me as my posts may be less frequent and/or less eloquent. I'm still here and I'm still pretty much always on Twitter 24/7, so don't be a stranger, my friends!

Before I Seacrest out on this one... here's a few snapshots of my sisters before the bday dinner last night. They are so darn pretty. I can't help but to take their pictures like every five minutes and upload them everywhere. They've definitely got the "photogenic" down. Heh, unlike me. Despite what any of you might think, it takes a good 28374 pictures of me to weed through before I find a decent keeper. Then comes all the filters. Ay yi yi.

You can't have it all! At least I can write ok. That's what they're saying anyway.... :)

Happy day/life.

top: Shannon (or as we call her in Portuguese, Shaninha. She turned 21 yesterday! weee!)

bottom: Michelle (or Misch.. she's the middle sis!)

I'm going to miss laughing with these girls on a daily basis. 

I SMELL BIRTHDAY CAKE.

Happy Tuesday to you, friends! I have lots of goodness coming this week including a film club review post (it is coming, i swear!), an update on my NY move, and a guest post for Ms. Aubry of Practically Perfect in Every Way. Eeee! Can't wait to share all of it with you! But for now, I smell birthday cake.

Prolly because it's somebody's birthday. Somebody like this cute little fish right hurrr. 

Her name is Shannon. If you don't know it already, she's my youngest sis. And my best friend. 

Today she is 21. 21!!!! The exclamation points aren't even necessary because if you're a human being then YOU KNOW what a big deal this is. Not just for her, but for ME. I can now force the babe sis to hit up dive bars with me before I go make dumb choices (purchases) at Target. Or stalk celebrities in popular Hollywood bars and night clubs. (I don't really do this.) (Mmmkay.. I do.) Or get some good old Mimosas the morning after a long night of Mimosas. (It happens every now and then...with me.) Basically, I legally have a new wing lady. And it's my super duper awesome sister. YAY!

AND FOR THE LOVE OF CAKE! YAY for birthdays in general. Here's a little snap shot of heaven for the evening:

I die. 

In short:

You're beautiful. And I am so happy to celebrate this special day with you! 21 is going to be a great year for you. I. just. know. it.

Let's drink.

We'll be having ourselves some play time and din din in LA tonight. We're thinking Brazilian food @ Fogo De Chao. If you baby cakes are on Instagram, give my sis a follow and wish her a happy bday! @shansobel 

:)

A Supper Photoshoot in the Meadow

The other day my baby sis Shannon proposed that we have a vain afternoon with one another + our iphones. As if she doesn't know the answer to such proposals already. DUH.

So we headed for Ojai and found a gorgeous flowery meadow beside a winding road. It was perfect. And I have to say, I'm quite pleased with how these photos came out! God bless the Instragram.  

By the way, my very first post of my new series, Punky's Picks is up. It's a link up dedicated to my favorite instagrammers! Would DIE if you joined in and added your own collection of faves. The link-up is open all month, so you have all kinds of time and then some to put something together. Put a smile on this girl's face and share the love!

I need a tan please.

Spring Time in the Beach Town.

Happy Spring, babies.

I woke up to a beautiful day and decided that I was going to put on some real clothes.. some make up even and go outside. I brought Michelle with me.

We decided it would be kinda cute to get all nostalgic and visit some of our past hang outs. So guess what. We did!

Our little journey started at the epic Arroyo Verde Park where we spent our summers ice blocking and attending cross country practice. (We enjoyed/reflected more heavily on the former.) Here's a few snapshots. Isn't this park huge and amazing? It's even bigger than it looks in the photos. Awesome hiking/running trails and grassy knolls for dayssss.

Had to hit up downtown of course---because that's what you do on a sunny day in the 805... you go DT Ventura and enjoy all the fine shops and pastel colors it has to offer. I think our city council is made up of people who believe in Easter colors year round. This speculation hails from the fact that 60% of our city's buildings/houses is painted as such. I do not object. At all.

(Can you tell we are seesters?)

Considering it had been awhile since I'd been up to the Cross, I said, "letsssss gooo!" To which Michelle said, "ooooook!" And so up we went! Brought back a lot of memories of burrito picnics and ex-boyfriends. Good memories on both accounts !

I'm pretty proud of these shots. I have to say thank you to clear skies and Instagram for really making me feel like a talent today.

We had to pick up Shannon (sister #duex) up from work shortly after we left the cross, so while we waited for her to end her shift at the mall, we decided to cross the street and pay our middle school campus a visit. Wow, was that a flash back. Strange how long ago that feels, that very awkward time where I attempted to play the oboe in the school band, and wore the same Hurley sweatshirt everyday, to not match my multi-colored fat shoe laces on my beloved pair of pink adidas. That time when, all I wanted was to be cool and popular and liked, and secretly (but not secretly) admired by boys named Jordan, Wesley, and Stanley. Jordan especially. That kid had nice hair. I have no idea where in the world those characters of my youth exist now, but in my memory they return to me so vividly. Ah, middle school. It was a time filled with P.E. numbers, arctic freezes, lip sync contests, weeples, seagull poop, G.A.T.E., slam books, hundreds of notes in class and really just no idea what was yet to come in this little 'ol life of mine. And still, who knows what is yet to come. Life is really something, ain't it.

Ballin' artwork! Always loved our very colorful campus.

We picked up Shannon and brought her back to partcipate in this very important Sobel sisters public announcement:

Can you tell that I'm not joking around?

Somedays I really do go back and consider being a school teacher just so that I can take care of all the little ones that get picked on. Boy oh boy, would I love the heck out of them. And protect them like no other. For real.

After Anacapa, we migrated to Thousand Oaks to grab some dinner, purchase some Apple products for Michelle's new macbook (lucky biatch) and to also touch a bunch of shoes at Nordstroms we all wish we had the money to buy right now (Oh hey Oxfords...FIND A MAGICAL WAY TO GET INTO MY CLOSET, WON'T YOU/THANKS.) We would have taken more photos, but......our phones died. Ha. Poor us, we had to look at each other's faces not through an iphone lens, and actually talk to one another! Who does that anymore these days??

It was a wonderful, beautiful day spent with wonderful, beautiful sisters :)

And Ventura---You are a wonderful, beautiful place to call home. I'm sure gunna miss ya when I leave for the city. That's all I gatta say.

A Little Oscars Recap.

Here is Sister Michelle. Posing for the camera pre Oscar party. She decided to go Tyra Banks with this bright and spectacular one-sie. I liked it! 

One-sie: Rachel Roy. Shoes: Report

Me and Shanny. Keeping it real on the 101, on our way to the LA party. 

Show highlights:

- Meryl's acceptance speech. It was perfect. 

- George Clooney. Always. Anywhere. Everywhere. I love him. No, not love. LOVE.

- The ladies of Bridesmaids-hilarious.

- The ladies of The Help-non-stop inspiring. 

- Robert Downing Jr.

- THAT RIDICULOUS CIRQUE DU SOLIEL PERFORMANCE. Were they joking? No but really. WERE THEY JOKING.

- And of course, Angelina's twig like arms, and HEY LOOK AT ME! thigh. As if it wasn't enough to be sitting front row center at the Academy Awards with Brad Pitt. She just had to show off some thigh too. Hey Angie, how about YOU GO EAT SOME CHICKEN THIGHS. A whole box of them!

Some things are a little strange to me. And by things I mean people. And by people I mean Angelina Jolie. BUT, all attention slash meat-seeking thighs aside, that was a pretty sick dress she was rocking. And by sick, I do mean amazing. I really don't mean to bash the woman entirely, I just wish she would eat something. Really. 

Also, I do have to say that Michelle Williams is absolutely darling. I'll always remember her as the pretty new girl in town in Dawson's Creek who went by Jen instead of Jennifer. And how this inspired me with great excitement, as a twelve year old, to do the same. True Story. Ha. I have gone by mostly only Jen ever since! And yes, as a tween I did obsess over shows like Dawson's Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was definitely your standard boy-crazy, make-up wearing, "MOM PLEASE LET ME SHAVE MY LEGS", sassy, gum-smacking, popularity-seeking tween. Um yeah, it was fucking obnoxious. But I digress. MICHELLE WILLIAMS. Look at the woman now! She is just stunning. But in a very serene and gentle sort of way. Like a bouquet of daisies. Love her.

All in all, it was a good show this year. Sigh. I do love the Oscars. So very much so. Maybe one day I can be a seat filler. Wouldn't that be something!

Happy Monday to you.

Ventures in Venice.

What a happy Thursday it was. 

The seesters and I took a little field trip to LA today with Papa Sobel to meet with our step brother Mitch, his wife Melissa and their darling little Lucy for some lunch. We met at some hole in the wall Korean restaurant where we got to cook our own shrimp and octopus right at the table. All you can eat for only fifteen buckaroos a head. Papa bear never fails to offer up a nice buffet of culture at a bargained price. And oh, how cultural it was. I stopped asking what it was exactly I was eating at a certain point. Just made sure whatever it all was, it was cooked to a temperature that seemed safe and then drenched in whatever fancy pools of sodium were available before I took to consuming. The shrimp was very good. That much I could identify and can state with certainty.

Aside from probable cow tongues, it was a fabulous little reunion with the bro and his crew. They live in a far away land called Canada where daughter Lucy is in kindergarten, soon to enter GRADE 1. Sisters and I had not met her prior to today's meeting, since the last time we saw Mitch (circa '09), he was visiting solo. She was quite the doll. Freckly face just like her mama. And super excited to have three (super awesome cool hip) aunties greeting her. I remember being that age and just being in awe of my older cousins/young aunties. I just wanted to follow them around and paint my nails the same color as theirs and be like their mini sidekick. It's really a shame that we have so many neat relatives that live so far away. My dad's side is literally sprawled all over the continent. And my mom's entire side is a whole continent away. It makes for some great destination opportunities, sure, but there's so many years of potential growing alongside and really getting to know in between that don't get cashed in. And it's kind of a bummer. 

Luckily, in my quest to become a New Yorker, I'm also giving myself the opportunity to spend more time and get to know my cousin Marni and her adorable twins Jaden and Mateo better. In fact, I will be living with them the first month of my arrival. I can't wait to make like a mommy blogger and take 28347 pictures of their precious faces and post them all over this blog as if they were my own offspring. It's definitely happening. You can count on it. Not just because my face is going to need a sub eventually (real soon), but they are some cute kids. You'll see.

So lunch came to a closing. We gave big hugs goodbye to Mitch and co. and then sisters and I decided that since we all had the day off... why not stroll on over to Venice Beach for the afternoon? 

And so we did! And it was a marvelous time. And I'm proud to say I didn't spend any money. No incense or super awesome eclectic jewelry today. It was a close call, but I stuck to my save-my-money-for-new-york mantras, and to the Instagram. The Instagram never fails to keep me supremely occupied and/or distracted from any lesser or greater evils. Here's some winners for the scrap books. 

Group shot with Mitch, Melissa, and Lucy. Are we cool or are we cool.

Evening ended with a final stop at the cinema for a showing of Hugo. I cried. A lot. The cinematography alone, not just in this movie, but so many movies lately is just becoming more and more overwhelming. Like in a very stunning and awe-inspiring way. My little artistic soul can't help but to be moved in ways that show shamelessly thru heavy tears and loud sniffles.

It's going to be quite the Oscar party on Sunday. 

I can't wait. Can you?

xyzoo.

So yesterday my baby sis and her boyf went to the zoo. Here's some cute photos she brought home to me.  Elephants+giraffes+instagram, um yeah. How could I not wanna share.

Today was my first day at the steakhouse. It went fine, but my gluten-free/dairy-free diet is fucked. Let me show you how I mean.

See, when you start a new restaurant job, there is no arguing with statements such as, "Well you gatta try everything on the menu.. how else are you going to know what it tastes like? Here. JUST TRY EVERYTHING. FOR FREE."

So there's the piece of walnut chocolate chip pie I took home. And scarfed down.

I'm thinking tomorrow I'll go with the rubarb. Did you know that rubarb is a vegetable? I did not know this.

My room is a mess again.

And I'm sleepies. Just wanted to stop in for a quick HEY HOW YA DOIN.

I'm officially a full-time workin' lady again. And by full-time, I mean full-time. Seven days a week.

GAME ON, five grand. I'm coming for you.

Confessions of a Wannabe Blogger.

Taken yesterday in Santa Barbara. Shannon and I had a lovely time strolling the charming streets & doing all of the following:

1.  Taking samples from every food joint that offered, including the ones that didn't (we asked).

2. Spending the standard unnecessary amount of time (but luckily, not the standard unecessary amounts of dollars) at Urban. 

3.  Searching high and low for any misplaced Black Sabbath vinyls to return to Shanny's beaufriend's home collection.

3. Eating way too many carbs for lunch. 

4. Scoping out deli/bakeries ISO some delicious pastries for dessert (to keep consistent with the massive intake of carbs), only to settle on a box of ginger chews from Cost Plus World Market (because we decided consistency is not friends with our thighs in this case).

5. Debating over face masks creams at some fancy soap store where I was involuntarily called out for abusing my skin and adding thirty days of age to every day in which I continue to not give two, three or four shits about applying expensive moisturizers to my face. (Uh, duly noted, SALESlady...I'm still not buying your overpriced product. But thanks for your free educating. And all the free samples.) We decided on a single container of reasonably priced face masking cream and went on our merrily way.

5. And, of course, getting way out of control with the iphone instagram, as any vain set of sisters should. (Scroll to the end of the post for some more winning shots starring yours truly. And her fabulous sister.)

[End ridiculously long photo caption]

Essha Maria. Heyyy. 

I'm feeling lame. And overwhelmed. Not in my life (at the moment), but in my blogging endeavors, oh yes.

Boy oh boy. 

It goes without saying, I'm falling short of sticking to my posting schedule, I knows. BUT. In my defense, I have been doing some heavy field research into this whole foreign world of blogging and it is absolutely mind-boggling. I don't think I've ever wanted to know more about something I know so very little about. I actually thought I knew a great deal about blogging, but man was I wrong. And it's both exciting and overwhelming. I have become so engrossed in reading and tapping into a resevoir of so many outstanding blogs (mostly all written by outstanding women) and I am so impressed and also intimidated with what I've found. It's the kind of intimidation that makes me feel remarkably less capable of baking so many sweet pies of quick wit and vivid content, but also inspired and determined to give it all I've got. 

This whole blogging movement is pure and utter madness. And I want in! I wanna be a blogger! 

And I wanna go to this Alt Summit extravaganza. I managed to learn of this event and other events of the like and I just thought, are you kidding me???

I feel like I've just stumbled upon the greatest calling of my lifetime. (Yahtzee!) Finally, something more concrete to do with my creative mind, my pen abilities (however great or small), and my love for networking, self-expression, and design. 

It would be presumptuous of me, of course, to think that any of this is going to be easy or that I will successfully be able to gather the same kind of following that so many of these other bloggers have. Or that I could even make a real living off being just that: a blogger. 

But man does my heart skip beats at the thought of it.

I have so many questions though.

How do these women find the time to post such thoughtful, entertaining and poised information on a daily basis? Are they all best friends with photographers? Or were they photographers themselves already? Or did they become photographers for the sake of their blogs (the route I'm most likely going to have to take). And for the photos that aren't their own, do they know most of the artists they are crediting, or do they have pending requests constantly to showcase work in their posts? Again, how do they have the time? Most of these women are mommy bloggers which only baffles me further. HOW DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?!? I'm sitting here, no kiddies of my own what so ever, mostly unemployed and I feel so crammed for time to sit and make sense of all my thoughts, to come up with a clear and precise purpose for each individual post, with the balanced amount of humor and offerings of wisdom & truth, with the perfect follow through in the form of a artsy, captivating image that isn't copyrighted, or just my face every time. (I do love my vanity, but it's probably not for everyone.)

Realistically speaking, I don't think it's my time here that's the enemy, so much as my discipline is. Discipline or no discipline, I'd be lying still if I didn't say this whole world of blogging is scary intimidating.

 But all the same time brilliantly inspiring. 

I do have much to learn. And much to type!

And my vow is to stay diligent. And stay true to me. Jen. Punky. Miss twenty-something with big dreams and determined spirit.

I do hope I can acquire an audience, and eventually a profession perhaps outta something like this, AND I do hope I can be at Alt Summit next year...holy canolies, that would be super duper neat.

But for now I shall carry on in my amateur blogging ways, and pray to God for the discipline to stay super close. 

All the while, I must be careful not to get too consumed in all of this just right away as I do have other priorities at the moment. I.e. getting my finances in order and getting to New York. These are still at the top of my list right now and still remains my main purpose here-to track most specifically that journey, but I'm sure getting quickly preoccupied and entranced in all this blogging business. I've been especially busy (and overly obsessive) putting my very humble html skills to work here. I think I'm content with the present look. Thoughts? (If you're reading this, tell me it looks GREAT. Quick, before I start feeling otherwise and spend more minutes [aka hours] changing it all up again.) (Thanks.) 

Of course there is still the restaurants I want to open, the books and plays I want to write, the husband I so truly want to locate someday, the kids I wanna produce, that cover of Maxim I wanna land (probably before the kids) and the whole world I wanna travel slash take over. But I'd like to officially invite "become a professional blogger" to the list. I think it is my right as a 21st century American woman to be ambitious as fuck, and so. There you have it. 

Yes I can. And I will ! :) 

Cute sister pants. I really love her.