Uh it's been awhile since a Tuesday Top 5, eh? Don't hate me! I have been so busy with weddings and the new website! And you know, going to Hawaii! So for this week my TT5 is getting a bit of the Aloha Spirit! Hope you don't mind!1. The Kahala. The Kahala hotel on Oahu is like one of the BEST PLACES EVER. They have an amazing, amazing beach that I LOVE. I love beaches where the water is pretty flat. I'm a tiny girl and I don't really like being pushed around by the ocean. The Kahala also has some seriously DELISH places to eat! And the best high tea ever! The tea they use is by Mariage Freres and it is the most tasty, flavorful tea ever! The Marco Polo tea tastes like TROPICAL HEAVEN! Wow, yowzas. It is good. I also love the grounds of the Kahala. The landscaping is beautiful and the architecture and interior design is luxurious yet welcoming. Honestly, it would be my DREAM to shoot a wedding here! It is THAT amazing.2. Leonard's Malasadas. "Mala-what-a's?!" you may be saying. Malasadas are this Portuguese doughnuty type treat found in Hawaii. They were brought to Hawaii via the wave of Portuguese immigrants during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. All I have to say is THANK YOU PORTUGUESE PEOPLE. Cause malasadas? They are AMAZING! Leonard's makes, hands down, the BEST malasadas on the island. They are so very good because they are FRIED TO ORDER. And if you know anything about fried food, you know it is ALWAYS tastiest hot and fresh from the oil! The best way to describe malasadas would be like a cross between a donut and a beignet ONLY BETTER. They are warm, doughy, yet light, and buttery. I love the original style, but I also like the Haupia malasada that Leonard's makes! It is a regular malasada stuffed with a coconut custard! DELISH. Dang now I am craving one! Too bad I'd have to fly 3,000 miles to get it!3. Lani Kai beach. We stayed with family in Kailua, which is probably my favorite area of Oahu. It is very lush and green and a whole lot less crowded than Honolulu! The best part of staying in Kailua though (besides visiting my fun family) is LANI KAI beach!!! This beach has been voted many times as one of the Top 10 Beaches in the world, and I can clearly see why. The water is warm and never to choppy. It is more of a locals beach (not even a parking lot) so it never gets too crowded. And it has two tiny little triangular islands floating in the not too far off distance. So you just look at the crystal clear turquoise water, and you see the horizon, and you see these two little islands, and you feel like YEP I found paradise. It is seriously so beautiful! I could lay on that beach and swim in its waters for hours.4. Turtle Bay. I also LOVE the Turtle Bay hotel on Oahu's North Shore! I stayed there the last time I was in Oahu, but this time we just made a day trip out of it! What I love about this hotel so very much is the setting. It's pretty secluded on the North Shore and they just own acres and acres of land. There is hiking trails and horse back riding, and TONS of secluded shoreline. There is SO much natural beauty at the hotel. They also have a great calm swimming beach which of course I LOVE. I have even seen turtles swimming at the beach! Nothing better than swimming near little cutie sea turtles in Hawaii!! Turtle Bay also has a restaurant called Ola's which is right on the beach. The food is just okay to be honest but the view is worth the mediocre eats! LOL! But yeah my favorite part about this hotel is just being able to really walk the grounds and explore nature and swim at the beach! This hotel would also be a GREAT place for a wedding! Definitely another place on my dream destination venue list!5. Bubbie's Mochi Ice Cream. This place was named by Oprah as one of her favorite things, so you KNOW it is good! Bubbie's serves up homemade mochi ice cream in a plethora of DELISH flavors. It is unlike any place I have ever been on the mainland. I seriously WISH we had a Bubbie's in Los Angeles... I think it would do superrrr well here! Hello, look at how well Yogurtland has done! Think about it Bubbie's peeps! Anyways there isn't much to say other than the mochi ice cream is nom nom nom. I really like the lilikoi flavor and the guava flavor. Oh and the chocolate espresso! That is pretty bomb too! Man, I could really go for one right now because it is so hot in my apartment! Bubbie's....Culver City has some open real estate ready and waiting for your west coast debut!! ;)
From left to right: Leonard's Bakery box from Leonard's Bakery official website, sushi-like Mochi from Bubbie's official website, Mariage Freres tin from Mariage Freres official website, Kahala Resort from Kahala's official website.
This past week finally felt like SUMMER! 80 degree weather. Sunny days. Swimming pools. Love it all. Except when you are shooting a wedding outdoors in 90 degree weather, that IS a little rough. But still fun! Today it seems to have cooled off a bit, which I welcome because I'm too busy to swim this week. And if there is one thing I hate it's a perfect swim day when you're working too hard to take a dip. So continue week of coolness, you can stay till Sunday! ;)And now its that special time of the week...another round of Tuesday Top 5!1. Swimming. Well what is summer without swimming anyways? I am very blessed that my mommy who lives about 5 minutes away from me has a lovely swimming pool. I get to use it pretty much whenever I want and it is no doubt the best way to relax and beat the heat! The party really gets started when AJ & I get to swim with my niece & nephew too! I cherish these summer play days with them! Makes me feel like I'm in grade school on summer break...even though I'm not!2. California Gurls. Yep, I have caught the bug. I am obsessed with Katy Perry's "California Gurls" just like the rest of America! It's one catchy jam, no? The video is kinda crazy and over the top, but I kinda love it too. Maybe I should start sporting a blue wig...JUST KIDDING!!!!3. Man V. Food. Do y'all watch this show? If you don't you're missing out because it's AWESOME!!! When it first came out I was prepared to hate it. I thought "great just what America needs. A show about a chubby guy trying to eat massive amounts of food. Most of which seems like junk food. Greaaaaaaat." BUT I gave the show a chance and learned I was wrong. Yes, Adam Richman could stand to lose a few pounds. And yes, he does sometimes have to eat mass amounts of less than healthy stuff. But the show is more about him traveling to different American cities and finding some awesome awesome food. Also Adam Richman is hilarious and it is pretty entertaining watching try to take down the food. I would say 50% of the challenges aren't even about big portions, many challenges just require him to eat something SUPERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR spicy. Anyways it a fun show and I suggest you watch it!4. Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Yes ladies you heard right. The BEST sale of the year is happening now. Brace yourselves and your bank accounts! You may ask why the Nordy Anniversary sale is THE best...And I will tell you! Because this is the one sale where you aren't getting out of season items. Nay, you are getting the HOTTEST FALL STYLES ON SALE before the season even starts!!! Amazing! The only tiny issue is that it is a little hard to be in the mood to buy boots in July. But still. I already scored some Seven Jeans and a Miss Sixty Jacket. And it is taking all the strength in the world not to buy MORE. But that it was husband's are for. To keep your shopping habits in line. Hehehe ;)5. Being a busy photography bee. July has been without a doubt my busiest month for weddings as well as portrait sessions so far! I have been LOVING it. I am getting a major taste of life as a true full time photographer and I never ever want to go back. It's great having so many fun shoots and really breathing photography on a daily basis. I want my life to be like this ALL the time. So I am super anxious for those 2011 bookings to start rolling in!! I have made it my duty to ensure next year is even more awesome than this year, if possible!I will leave you with two shots AJ grabbed of me shooting my most recent engagement session! It was HOT and bright out which required me wearing a summer dress and sunglasses atop my head. Obviously.
...I was showing my client how to pose in that picture. Yeah it's silly but it's awesome too. In a giggly way.Here I'm just rocking it out with my camera. Clickin' the shutter and smiling. Because that's how I roll. With sunglasses atop my head.
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Hey everybody! I'm back from DC and my photography filled weekend! Which means, the office is back on track and we're rocking and rolling like never before! I've been so busy this past 5 days, but I'm LOVING it. Busy is a good thing ;)So DC was amazing, though hot. I really had fun exploring the DC food scene with my hubs and I definitely feel a lot smarter & cultured from all the time we spent in museums! And the two weddings I shot this past week were AMAZING. They were both so different but so so so fabulous! I am on a high. A wedding high. I can't believe how amazing my clients are, how much love is in the world, how awesome my job is! I am a lucky lady!So now onto Tuesday Top 5!1. Volt. If you said, "what was the best meal of your trip Ashleigh?" I would say. "going to Volt! Duhhhh!" Yeah it was that good. Volt is Bryan Voltaggio's (of Top Chef fame) restaurant in Frederick, MD. And it is truly a-maz-ing. We had the 3 course prix fixe lunch. It started with in-house baked sealt-rosemary breadsticks, in house baked bread, and in house made sea salt butter. The waiters present your food to you in perfect form, making sure your flatware is appropriate, and that you know all the delectable components to your dish. Very much like how the chefs present their dishes on Top Chef. For my appetizer I had the yellowfin Tuna Tartare which was to die for. It was wrapped in a thick jasmine rice paper and finished with cilantro oil and a soy foam. Um AMAZING. AJ had the goat cheese ravioli with wild mushrooms and it was in this insane sauce. The raviolis melted in your mouth. Mmmm baby. For the entree, I had the halibut with pea puree and carrot risotto. Everything was so uniquely presented and perfectly cooked. AJ had a homemade pasta with braised lamb sauce. We finished with dessert which we shared. First for our anniversary, they brought out an orange-mint semi-fredo which was quite refreshing. Then there was Textures of Chocolate. Yes the dessert was called Textures of Chocolate which is as fancy and delish as it sounds. It was a chocolate ganache that you could mix with other chocolate textures on the plate, such as chocolate syrup, chocolate ice cream, cocoa powder, crunch chocolate and more. It was very interesting and wonderful. Lastly was my favorite-- cheesecake with sour cherries. The cheesecake was deconstructed which was an unexpected twist. The flavors were spot on and I loved the cherry ice cream! Seriously every dish was a presented in an original and unexpected way. Yet the flavors were spot on and divine. I'm SO glad we made it to Volt! It was a totally fab experience!2. Good Stuff Eatery. Another place we ate in DC that I am still drooling over is Good Stuff Eatery. Owned by another Top Chef contestant, Chef Spike Mendelsohn, Good Stuff Eatery is like slow food fast. Good food. Farm fresh, organic, earth friendly ingredients in a fast food, burger joint set up. If fast food was like this everywhere, I would not hate it so much. So Good Stuff is a burger place and AJ said the burger was legit. But y'all I ate the "Vegetarians Are People Too Shroom Burger" and it was AWESOME. Fresh baked bun. Pickles. Good Stuff sauce. Lettuce, tomato, onion. And the piece de resistance....A portabello mushroom cap, stuffed with cheese, rolled in panko and flash fried as the patty. WOW. Eating this was so satisfying and tasted so meaty. But it was vegetarian. But it had all the great classic burger flavors. It was GREAT. I only wish I could eat it all summer long!!! I hope Spike will expand Good Stuff and bring it to LA. I know I always say I hate chain restaurants...but Good Stuff Eatery seems like the kinda chain I could get behind, if did in fact become one! I love the principles of this restaurant and I love the food! Oh and I almost forgot...they have AMAZING milkshakes! The toasted marshmellow shake is mind-blowing. Seriously.3. Landing Safely. I love traveling. LOVE it. But flying? It makes me a little nervous. Not like I need to take a valium nervous. Just a tad nervous. I actually never used have nerves at all. But when I met AJ and fell in love, all the sudden I'd get nervous flying. I got afraid of something bad happening. I think it's because I love him so much and I love our life and I'm so excited for our future...so I don't want that to end...you know? But I try to disregard these nerves. Because I know deep down it will probably be okay. And life is about LIVING and not being afraid. And I should see as much of the world as I can during my short time here! I know all this. I do. But still. The whole flight there is always this little pit in my stomach. So when the plane touches down and we are all safe and good, I get really happy. I thank the universe and feel a big sigh of relief! Anyone else feel this way about flying? Anyone? Bueller?4. Seeing my kitties. Basically from the second we left for DC I missed my cats. Call me lame. Call me a crazy cat lady. Tell me to get a life. Whatever, ain't no thang. Cause I know that me and my kitties got something very special going on. Every night in DC was hard to sleep. I am so used to having my nightly kitty-cuddles and feeling them curled up by my feet while I sleep. On the plane back to Long Beach I kept thinking "almost time to see those sweeties!" So finally we were home. And I saw there sweet faces. And I was so very happy! And ever since I have been in cuddle city. Because apparently they really missed me too. Like I said, we have a special thang going on, those kit-kats and I!5. My Seriously Amazing Clients. Besides being creative and getting to take photographs for a living, one of my favorite parts of my job is getting to meet, know and work with so many amazing people. My clients continually blow me away with their kindness, and with their warm and genuine hearts. This week especially so. Pam & Justin's wedding in Maryland was so lovely and so fun. I truly felt like I was amongst friends all day...and honestly that's because I was! Then there was Ryan & Kristina's wedding on Saturday. Another couple who are just so welcoming and caring and feel like old friends. I was so giddy all day long for them! Then I came hone to such a sweet thank you note from the lovely Serene & Mike! When my couples take the time to thank me, it means so much! Because really, I thank all of you for allowing me to live such a dream! And lastly, there was the sweet Patricia & Matt on Sunday. They bought me & AJ a funnel cake after our session, which was so unnecessary but oh so very very awesome!!! And it was great to just chill with them over deep fried goodness and develop even more of a friendship. You see, 4 days packed with wonderful client interaction that melts my heart! I really am so ecstatic about all my weddings and all my clients, and so thankful for everyone of you. I can't wait to see who the next generation of awesome clients will be! But I'm sure they will rock just as much! Because I really do run my business based on the philosophy that my clients should be friends! It's just so good that way!
Another evening edition of Tuesday Top 5 is here! In just a few weeks these will be back to early postings I swear! But hey for now, better late in the day than not at all, right? So here goes!1. Swimming...or should I say FLOATING. Because let's be honest people, the kinda swimming I do is a sorry attempt at the doggy paddle. When in the pool you will most likely find me floating upon a fun-noodle. And I like it. It's truly what I call FUN! I'm so happy summer is arriving and we have started to go fun-noodling at my mom's pool! I look forward to it every Spring and enjoy it every summer! Fun fun fun!2. Bare Escentuals make up. I hate wearing make up. And yet its kinda necessary, especially when I'm shooting someone's wedding! I hate make up mostly because of how complicated and time consuming it can be to put it on. All that blending and precise placement of color. Ugh. I am LOVING my new discovery of Bare Escentuals! There foundation & concealer is a no brainer to put on and so speedy too! Best of all I have been getting more compliments than ever before! Heck yeah!3. Old photos. Wowza. Whilst cleaning out my grandparents I have found some majorly old photos. Like a scrapbook my great grandmother made in 1914 (10 years before my grandma was born)!! Or formal portraits that seem to be even older. I wish my grandma had showed me them while she was alive and I knew more about the people and places. But still its so amazing. I cherish these! How rare to have photos not just of your parents lives and grandparents lives but of your great-grandparents lives!! I guess photography was ALWAYS important to my family! Finding these pictures really proved to me the power of photography and makes me feel kinda amazing. Maybe one day a great-grandchild of one of my clients will find their wedding album or pictures and be so amazed and thankful. I am preserving family's histories and wow that's a crazy thought! But one that makes me ridiculously giddy!4. Pinches Tacos!!! Holy Moly Guacomole!!! New amazing discovery in my hood! Pinches Tacos! Went there last night and boy oh boy are they delish! Their fish & shrimp tacos BLEW MY MIND! And the rice was delish. And the CHIPS AND SALSA! Oh lord in heaven, the chips and salsa! So fresh! So crunchy! I am in love with Pinches. I can't wait to go back and try their mexican corn on the cob and if I can wake up early enough for breakfast the chilaquiles! Num num num.5. Family. Family, it's like the most important thing EVER. I have always known that. I have always loved holidays and family get-togethers. I was never a kid or teen who hated to hang with my fam. But lately it's just been proven so much, how much my family has my back and I am forever thankful. Like my bomb uncle who always helps me with my taxes. Or my uncle the doctor who answers all my hypochondriac concerns (and are there ever a lot because I am nuts). Or my bro who today talked to me about 10 times about how to fill out DMV forms to sell my grandpa's car. I mean, he walked me through it a lot. Cause government forms scare me! Or Aunt who has given up the last 2 months to help me clear out my grandparents. Or my in-laws who have graciously offered to help the hubs pay off his student loans! I am so thankful to all my family for all they continually give to me & AJ. <3 Family first and always.
You have to forgive me for my tardiness lately with TT5 and for totally skipping it last week. I hate excuses. But here's an explanation, just so you guys know what's up. I am the executor of my grandparents estate (being the only child of an only child is awesome...that was sarcastic) and I have to have their stuff cleared out of their apartment by June 29th. And apparently my grandma saved everything!! So it's literally been a full time job. Spending all day at my grandparents working, packing, getting dusty...and then I come home and I'm pooped! Plus its full swing wedding season so I have a lot of things to edit. TT5 has kinda become a burden.And I really didn't even think people cared about or liked TT5...but apparently you do! Because there have been many sad emails as to what's going on with it! And that makes me sad that I'm letting my readers down! So I will try my darndest this month to keep up with the Tuesday Top 5 postings, but please forgive me if they are a little late. Anyways...I'll stop whinin' and get down to biznass.1. Etsy. I have been obsessed with Etsy for some time. I discovered it back in 2008 when I was planning my own wedding. Brides, if you don't know about Etsy then whoaaa you need to learn!! It's a site where craftsy, artsy peeps can sell their awesome handmade goods or vintage treasures! It is AMAZING! Want art for your house? You can get it on Etsy. Want a wedding ring? You can get it on Etsy. Want clothes, accessories, and amazing hair adornments? You can DEFINITELY find it on Etsy. I <3 Etsy forever.2. Hawaii. OMGGGG. So my mom & I are taking a trip to visit our cousins who live on Oahu this summer. We last visited them in 2007. So it was definitely time to see them again!! Though Oahu isn't my favorite island, heck, I sure will take it! Plus we are staying in Kailua which I know I will enjoy more than being in the hustle and bustle of Waikiki! We will be close to Lani Kai...one of the world's most GORGEOUS beaches! So I am pretty friggin' stoked!! I actually am DYING to organize a stylized Mr. & Mrs./Trash-The-Dress session while there so if anyone knows any newlyweds on Oahu or even some awesome Oahu based vendors (planners, florists, etc) please send them my way!3. Sex and the City 2. Yeah I loved it. Yeah I am obsessed. I am a modern chick, what can I say?! I really had a fabulous time watching this movie and I laughed my pants off! I love Carrie and the girls. Always have, always will. And the fashions?? Amazing! I gotta say I get jealous of all the luxury! That trip to Abu Dhabi?? FABULOUS. I'll fly on that first class suite any day! ;)4. Kitty Lightshow Laser Pointer. The hubs was an awesome kitty-daddy this week and scored a free laser pointer thingy at our pet store! The cats LOVE chasing the laser light so much! They go bananas. And honestly? It's THE FUNNIEST THING EVER!!! It's like having a live youtube video in my house! LOLZ forever. It's so cute because now the second we pick up the pointer, before we even turn it on, they are BOOM-- right there! Ready and waiting with the widest, most excited eyes you have ever seen. It's awesome.5. The Bacara. OMG, I shot a fab wedding at Bacara last Friday and it was amazetastic! I have been dying to go to Bacara since I saw a Great Hotels with Samantha Brown episode highlighting the resort back in 2005. Okay, yes, I am a dork! But seriously! What a gorgeous place. And the gardens are everywhere and smell SOOO good. Man, now I wanna go there for a weekend getaway. I must! I must!And now here is a picture of me being a superstar photog at the Bacara. I look cute eh? Anywho, I will be blogging this wedding soooo sooon! Soon soon!!
Yo peeps! I feel like an awful blogger. I haven't been updating and I have two weddings and two engagements that need to get blogged stat! Yikes! I have been in a whirlwind trying to clean out my grandparents apartment and close out their estate. And my daddy is in town to help me. So that's where I've been. Wish it was more exciting, like I was on fantastic trip or something...but nope. I've just been going to banks, paying bills, closing accounts and filling garbage bags with TONS of stuff to donate!!But I don't want to leave my buddies without a dose of TT5. That's my new abbreviation of Tuesday Top 5. Plus, it is still technically Tuesday!!!So here goes:1. Awesome Italian people & last minute bookings! Last Friday I got a call from a charming Italian fellow, asking if I could take engagement pictures of him & his fiance...the next day! Because she would be leaving town! Crazy! But I'm SOOOO glad Andrea & Barbara found me, because they are like the coolest people ever. It doesn't hurt that they are Italian and have amazing Italian style and adorable accents. And they are so sweet & fun! I had a great time! I am so glad they found me & the last minute shoot worked out! It was fun & spontaneous and I will def be blogging there pics THIS WEEK!2. UCSB. Also last Saturday, AJ and I headed to his hometown of Santa Barbara for an engagement shoot with my superrr awesome couple Tyler & Christine. Believe it or not, I never have been to UCSB before. I actually was accepted there for college, but I was dead set on going out of state...so I never even looked at the campus. Did you know that....UCSB is like the MOST GORGEOUS CAMPUS EVER?!? Like oh.my.gawdddd! It's got this lagoon and all these birds and nature and marshy-ness and bluffs and beach and wow. The dorms face some crazy good views. Dang...I almost regret not going there. Except not, because going to school in Boston was awesome too and I met my lovey at college. But still...wow. UCSB...who knew you were so cool!!!!3. Headbands! Headbands are my new obsession accessory. I hate to admit it but as much as I love dressing up and looking pretty, I kinda suck at styling my hair. My hair is very fine and stick straight. And I just don't have the patience to try to curl it. Ever. And it barely holds anyways. And cool buns and side swept do's?? Uh, ladies, HOW DO YOU DO THIS? I suck. I can't get my hair to ever look cool. I can't even accomplish the messy-effortless-up-do look. And that's supposed to be messy and effortless. Take away my girlie membership now! But cute headbands? They are a LIFESAVER. A boring, hair down look can be instantly glamorous with one of these beauties. And I love it. Easy, breezy, fo' sheezy. That's how I roll.4. "Easy, Breezy, Fo' sheezy." DID I JUST MAKE UP THE COOLEST NEW PHRASE EVER??? Yes, I think I did!5. AJ. Because he wanted me to write about him in my top 5. I guess he hasn't noticed that I mention him on this segment, like, all the time!! I think he just enjoys reading all the gush. If I write about him anymore his head may not fit through the front door! But really he is awesome. Because he goes with my on shoots and helps me out. And carries my bags! Because they are heavy!! And because he gives me kisses all the time. And because he takes pictures of me in action.Check it out. Ashleigh in action over the weekend. By AJ! Do you see what I mean about UCSB being AMAZING?!?? By the way, this was the WINDIEST shoot ever! And the most adventurous (I climbed a bluff)! Yes, I am so lame that climbing up a bluff and surviving wind seems adventurous to me. Don't hate. I'm a city girl. I'm sooo LA. Anyways, I digress. Picture below!
Whoa dudes! What is up with this gloomy weather?! I feel like its winter and all I wanna do is hibernate. But there is WAY too much to do to hibernate! Like, for example, it's time for another round of Tuesday Top 5!1. Escalate Live Broadcast! Did I ever mention, I LOVE a good deal? ;) Well, over the last two days a really cool photography conference that was a couple Benjamins to go to in person...but then they decided to live stream it for FREE! That's free knowledge guys! Love it!!!! So the past two days I have been multi-tasking, doing editing and chores while listening to all the good info being preached by Becker, Jasmine*, David Jay, Dane Sanders, Jessica Claire, Jerry Ghinois and more! It's awesome. Getting smarter, saving money, and getting things done. BOOM! That's awesome.2. Sentimental Finds. So I have been tasked with the overwhelming job of cleaning out my grandparents' condo. Well, I am the co-executor of the estate with my dad...but he is only coming into to town for a week since he doesn't live here so I needed to get a head start...my grandparents had SOOO much stuff! As daunting of a job it is to clean out someone's whole home, someone's whole life basically, but there have been so many good memories unearthed along the way. Found photos. Found figurines I used to play with. The doll they bought me in Arizona. My baby clothes that they saved. It's crazy emotional but so sweet at the same time. It's weird how a simple object can bring up so many memories & sentiments. But its wonderful too.3. Vinatge Cameras! Speaking of finding stuff at my grandparents...I found two really old cameras! One is like hella old, you know the kind that looks like basically a black box with a pinhole? Sweet! I also found something called a Kodak Instamatic, which apparently is an old school point and shoot. I don't think either one works, but they just look cool! I will definitely be treasuring them & putting them on display.4. HGTV. I go through phases where I am into HGTV. Sometimes I get sick of it and will not watch for 6 months or more. But right now I am back into it. My favorite thing is watching the shows about selling & buying since buying is like a may-jah goal for me in the next 2-ish years. Now, I'd like to ask, where the heck does HGTV find the people to be on the shows?!!! They are SOOOO stoopid! Yes I spelled "stupid" as "stoopid" to hilight how lame these people tend to be. They will see a house and its perfect, in their price range which by the way isn't too high, spacious...and they hate it because of paint color, or cabinet facades or even worse the bathtub needs to be cleaned!! Seriously, a dirty bathtub is gonna ruin this sale?!! Get yo' self some comet and scrub it homie, and it will be fine!!!! Ughhhh. It just really bothers me. But it also makes me laugh hardcore.5. Peaches. I love a good peach. Or plum. Or apricot. I enjoy stone fruits basically. But only if they are sweet! It sucks to bite into a flavorless stone fruit. Majorly disappointing. But one of my husband's student's gave him a bag of fresh picked peaches. And they rule! Num nummy nummers nummerton! I love them!And now here's a very teasey teaser of a wedding I will be blogging soon! Stay tuned, friends!
It's Tuesday again! Woohoo! I am actually very excited because tomorrow is Wednesday and on Wednesday I will be working on something I am super excited about! Expect results soon!!! But you didn't come here for cryptic messages about big plans, and things that excite me...you came here because it's time for Tuesday Top 5! So here goes!1. Babysitting my nephew. On Friday, I was left with a big responsibility. Pick up my nephew from school (it was a half-day) and babysit him till around 5:00pm. Now, I babysit my nephew all the time. But pick up from school? Oh man, that part sounded scary. That's what moms do! You gotta drive all extra safe. You can't forget him and accidentally leave him there (once someone forgot me at school and it SUCKED). But all went smoothly. I was like the best aunt ever. Picked him up on time. Took him to Victor Jr.'s for a little pizza pie lunch! Took him to the playground and got him a popsicle. Please file me under Best Aunt Ever! Seriously, it was awesome. And I had a blast with my favorite li'l guy all day. Because my nephew is HILARIOUS and ADORABLE!!2. Watching Kids Perform! This week was like my kids week. You see my friend Brooklyn directs a kids musical theater program and I went to see their final performance of Annie. Then the next day, I saw my niece perform in her spring school recital, which also was a musical theater theme. It kinda warms my heart to see the kids get up there and give it their all. When I was a kid I was in like a gazillion musicals. I loved seeing a full house and watching people clap & cheer for me (and you know the whole cast)! It gave me so much confidence. And so going to these shows is kinda a full circle, giving back thing. And it gives me the warm & fuzzies.3. The Culver City Car Show. On Saturday it was just lovely outside! So AJ & I decided we should take a stroll over to the annual Culver City Car Show. To be honest I am not really like a "car person." I can appreciate a classic car or a nice car but I don't know..it doesn't really excite me. Still, I had fun looking at the cars with AJ and being goofy. I decided of all the classic cars, my fav is a Chevy Bel-Air. Two tone please. It is a pretty hot car! :)4. Mother's Day. Lots of people asked me what I did for mother's day. Well, I spent it with my momma. At Dim Sum. All day. Because we waited for two hours to get a table. Because apparently that place took reservations and we didn't know. So two hours of sitting & waiting & hunger. BUT when we got to eat finally it was delicious!!! Plus I got to be with my mom and laugh and just be. And that was nice. On a sad note, it was really hard not having dinner with my grandma or buying her a card. Mother's Day was like superrr important to her...so to not be doing anything with her was just strange.5. Spring Weather. Okay well minus the days it has been really windy, it is finally starting to get all springy & warm! The Jacaranda trees are in bloom which I love! And the sun feels so good! It just makes me excited! I can tell summer is around the corner and that means swimming and bbqs and fun! Love it!I will leave you with a quick picture I snapped of AJ & my nephew, Leo, back in February. I never posted it because its not a perfect shot. AJ is a little out of focus. But I dunno I kinda love this shot. Despite AJ being out of focus. So there.
So for those of you who don't know, my grandfather died 16 days after my grandmother passed away. To say April was a hard month would be an understatement. My April consisted of hospital visits, a funeral, taking care of my grandpa while he was in hospice care at home, and another funeral. Needless to say, blogging and editing were so far down on my to do list. So I am behind and I feel terrible about it. I am way too type-A to be this behind!! Plus, I have left y'all in the lurch for way too long! And that makes me sad! The good news is, it's May. It's a new month, a fresh start so to speak, and I am getting myself back on track. Blogging will return to the regular 2-3 days a week posting, and I am working like a busy bee to catch up on all the editing that has backed up! I am looking forward to getting back to life and to doing what I love!!!So what better way to kick off my return than with a Tuesday Top 5 eh? Here we go:1. Sunny SoCal Days. I love living in LA. The weather is so beautiful...and the warm sun? I cannot get enough! Feeling the sun on my skin makes me feel so happy and so alive. There is nothing better to me than just laying out and soaking it all up. Too bad its terrible for my skin...I will probably be a splotchy & wrinkly old lady, but I can't get enough sun!!2. Sunday Brunch. I usually brunch with my mom on weekends when I am not scheduled for a shoot or a wedding. It doesn't happy every week, but when it happens its so nice! This Sunday my husband, my mom, my other grandparents (her parents) who live in Palm Springs, and my Aunt Betty and I all went to brunch together at John O'Groats, one of my favorite LA brunch eateries. I love just being with family, chatting over coffee and eggs, and just enjoying the leisure of it all! Bonus points to the delish Artichoke Eggs Benedict that John O'Groats serves up! 'Tis mighty tasty!!3. Bobby Fay the Spider Killing Cat. My black cat is named Bobby Fay after Iron Chef Bobby Flay...It's a long story...but anyway point is I love my cat for a million reasons. He is sweet and cuddly and smart and curious and funny and loving...and one more amazing thing. He kills spiders for me! I HATE spiders. And sometimes I am home alone when one appears on the wall. Spiders the size of nickel. SICK. But there goes little Bobby cat. He spots that spider and plans a strategy of attack. Then POW! He kills that spider. When AJ is home sometimes he just alerts AJ to the spider's presence...he doesn't want to take away AJ's role as man of the house. But when daddy's not home little Bobby goes and gets that spider for me. Its amazing. I have never had a cat quite skilled and practical as Bobby. It makes me love him that much more.4. Singing in the shower. Did you know the shower generally has the best acoustics in the house? No wonder my voice sounds all divalicious while I am in there. I used to sing in the shower all the time. Often prompting my stepdad to bang on the bathroom door yelling "SHUT UP!!!!" :) But I stopped in college...dorm living=not so good for shower concerts. Then I moved in with AJ and I was just super embarrassed to sing in the shower while he was home. I am actually still embarrassed. So I wait until he's GONE, and then I sing out loud! Muwahahaha! My only concern is that the neighbors my hear me...hopefully they don't mind the entire soundtrack to Cabaret or Lady Gaga's "Speechless" over and over and over ;)5. Treme. As a crazy huge fan of HBO's The Wire, I was super stoked for the new show Treme to come out! Can I just say, David Simon does it again! Treme is a really good show! I love the characters and the way it goes about telling the story of New Orleans trying to put itself together after Katrina. Each Monday I am already anxious for Sunday so I can see another episode. May I also add that I really am digging Steve Zahn on this show. He is so underrated! If you have HBO, I suggest you check out Treme...but start at episode 1...you can't start mid way through the season ;)And now here is a teaser of an engagement session I am currently editing! The lovely Zoe + Nima!!
Wow, wow, wow. I can't believe how exhausted I am from everything in the past week. I really want to thank everyone so much for their kind words, support and patience. I know it took me a lot longer to respond to emails than usual and I really apologize for it! I believe I have responded to everything though now! Phew!So its been a tough week obviously and I don't know if I even have 5 good things to write about. My days have consisted of visiting my grandpa in the hospital, going over paper work and their finances, and trying to figure out what the next step of care for my grandpa is. You see I am the only grandchild, and my dad is the only child, but he doesn't live here...so everything that can't be done on the phone is something I need to do. It kinda sucks...but I shouldn't grump and just do the best I can right guys?Sooooo I'm going to try to think of 5 good things...here goes:1. Growing Up. Growing up kinda sucks sometimes. But its also a good thing. So many times in life I don't really feel like an adult. I feel like a kid. I don't know why. I just sometimes still feel like I am in college or high school or something. Well this whole experience has definitely made me feel older and feel my responsibilities more. I guess that is a good thing, despite that it stems from such a sad situation. Everyone in my family, husband included, said they are really proud of how I am dealing with things and how they definitely see me "growing up" in a good way. So maybe that's a yay for finally being an adult.2. My mom. My mom is an amazing, wonderful lady and I am so glad to have her in my life. I am not going to lie, she can really drive me crazy sometimes. Sometimes so much so that I forget to stop and really see how awesome she is. The truth is, my mom always has my back. She supports me in everything I do. She knows when I am in a hard time and helps as much as she can (even during her busiest work week of the year). She makes sure I am ok. She is always here for me. And she is always selfless when it comes to me. And I'd be pretty much lost without her. So, mom I love you. Even when I tease you, or use that tone of voice you hate, I really really love you. And I do see all you do for me!3. Realizing life is a journey. I have always been a super competitive person. I'd say until very recently life, I was definitely about the destination and not about the journey. I wanted to be the BEST at whatever I did, and if I wasn't the absolute BEST then I wasn't happy. A few years ago I started trying to accept the fact that life is about so much more that "winning" or being "the best." Everyone really does have their own path, and its so important to go about life finding joy. Its also important to let go of negativity and remain positive about wherever you are at (especially if you are at a place you didn't want to be). My dad thinks I am a total California-Hippie-Yogi-Freak for believing that life is a journey. But I am starting to not care. If you can't enjoy the ride of life than what is the point of living? I of course still am competitive and would love to be the best at what I do, but I am really understanding that there is a lot more to life than just that, you know?4. My husband. I talk about him too much, huh? But he is really amazing. I must have done something REAL good to deserve him ;)5. Photography. While reading through all the sweet comments and emails I have received I realized that photography has opened up so much for me. It isn't just about the pictures anymore, though of course I do love taking amazing pictures! But its about the people too. Its about the connections I have made with clients, and peers, and mentors. Its about reaching people through art and capturing something special for people. I knew photography would be a fun job, but I didn't know it would be an incredibly heart-warming job. Each one of you reading my blog has touched my life in a way you will never know! I am really amazed by all of you and so thankful to have connected with so many wonderful people. You all make me feel sooooo blessed.Wooohoo! I did it! I came up with 5 good things from this terrible week. I know that the road ahead is going to be a lot more difficult and I have a lot more responsibilities now than ever before. But as long as I can remain positive I will be okay. And meeting all you awesome people and capturing moments of joy with my camera definitely makes me happy and counteracts the sad and difficult parts of my life! I know I will come out of everything a stronger person and much better photographer. So in the end this will all be worth it!
Homies! This is my 100th post!!! Woooohooo!!! And what better way to celebrate than with a Tuesday Top 5!1. Sea Harbour Dim Sum. Ohhhh man you guys. I have always loved dim sum! Always. Its one of my favorite ways to start off a weekend morning. My whole life I have gone to Chinatown for dim sum. And I like it. And its good. But it had been pointed out to me by many a person that for the best and most authentic dim sum in the city, I must get myself to the El Monte/Rosemead/San Gabriel/Arcadia area. It finally happened! My mom, my step-dad, my beautiful niece who is growing up way to fast, and I hit up Sea Harbour Dim Sum in Rosemead. It was DELISH!!! The shrimp har gow was big, juicy and the dumpling skin was so soft and tender. Also loved the Shrimp in Rice Noodle, and Shrimp & Chive dumpling yummmm. But my favorite had to be Shrimp & Dry Scallop dumpling. I will say "dry scallop" sounds scary, and I am not sure still exactly what it means...but it is TASTY. YUM. Then we finished off the meal with hot milk bun for dessert. I have never had that before but it rocked! Warm, doughy, sweet, creamy center. Oh boy. So now the question is...when can I get back??2. Hubby On Spring Break. My hubby is on spring break right now and its great having him home!!! I am so glad he works a job he loves and inspires little middle-schoolers to think and write amazing poetry and expand their minds. But you know what, I am kinda selfish and want him home with me!! I just like looking at him. And forcing him to laugh at my jokes. So I am trying to enjoy every single moment of his break! Because he rocks my world!3. Bastide. Last week was my mommy's spring break! Which meant ladies lunch! Holla! My mom & her friend/my honorary aunt Barbara and I went to an amazing lunch at Bastide. Barbara picked the spot, which is always good because Barbara has the BEST taste in food and knows the best restaurants in the city! Did I mention I LOVE fine dining?! If I ate meat I could have loved being a food critic! Because me and LA's dining scene? We know each other well. So back to Bastide. The courtyard is gorgeous- it definitely feels very European! Oh and the cute french waiters didn't hurt either (AJ, you didn't read that). But what I was there for was food. And boy did we eat a lot of amazingness. We split yellowtail sashimi with radish and green beans, oysters, roasted beet salad, and smoked salmon tartine and ahi tuna nicoise! YUMMMM. The yellowtail and oysters were my fav but really everything was so good. The food is just fresh, clean flavors and delicate. I like that! Anywho...then we had dessert Apple Tarte Tatin (one of my favorite desserts ever) and Beignets with 3 dipping sauces! BOY OH BOY it was all so good! I am spoiled for sure!4. Hawaii Fever. Aloha, my name is Ashleigh and I have Hawaii fever. It happens every spring, I get the craving to go to Hawaii. Because Hawaii is amazing. Beautiful beaches, warm clear water, stunning sunsets, mai-tais and lava flows, trade winds, ahi poke, coconut & macadamia nut breakfast concoctions, tropical gardens, lush scenery...I could go on and on about why I just LOVE Hawaii! Sadly I doubt its going to happen this year. But Hawaii is definitely on my mind!5. Amazing Clients. You might be annoyed because all I do is talk about my amazing clients. But can I help it if the people who work with me are fabulous?? Last Thursday I shot a boudoir session and the bride blew my mind. The bride brought so many cute outfits, fierce accessories and props! Girl took my tips on what to bring for a session and ran with it! LOVE that! Then this weekend I shot Syl & Christina's engagement session and they blew my mind as well with their cuteness! It was an amazing colorful session with lollipops and laughter! Can I ask for anything more?! I feel so so so lucky to be working with so many awesome people! People who wear their hearts on their sleeve. People with their own unique, fun style that they rock with confidence! People who laugh hard and smile bright! I love these people, these clients, these FRIENDS. I am the luckiest. You all rock my world more than you know!And now check out a teaser from Christina & Syl's amazing session!
Its Tuesday again, and you know what that means! Another round of Tuesday Top 5! This week I promise not to brain-fart and only write four things!1. Soul-"people." I believe in soul-mates. I believe that inexplicably the universe can bring someone so perfect, like a missing piece of the puzzle, right to your door (or dorm room as the case may be with me and AJ). And there is no way to explain this magic other than fate and destiny. That is the definition of soul mate. But the thing is I don't think soul-mates are just for significant others. I believe that sometimes people--friends, family, mentors, pets-- fatefully can come into your lives as well. And these people make your life. And they feel like part of your destiny. I so believe this. I totally have soul-cats, soul-friends, my soul-nephew and soul-niece and now I am beginning to think I have soul-clients. Clients who seem so perfect for me. Clients who I come to love as good friends. Clients who make me the photographer I am. And yet they find me so so randomly it seems. But I love it. I LOVE having soul-clients, because as I said they become good friends. And that makes my job so amazing!2. Spring! I love that Spring is here! I love seeing green on the trees and on the hills when you drive the 405! I love the sun and I love the warm weather! I love how people just seem happier. And I really love that summer is right around the corner! And I really LOVE Summer!3. Santa Barbara. My husband is from Santa Barbara. Born & raised! And his parents still live there. So needless to say we visit a lot. To tell the truth I have had a love/hate relationship with the town. Its drop dead gorgeous and the food is excellent...but I am allergic to it. NO LIE. I have terrible nasal allergies to pollens and plants and fresh air. And something happens every time we stay over night, and I get SO sick. Like weezy, sneezy sick. So that makes it very hard to enjoy. However, my last few trips (like the one we made for this weekend's wedding) we have just gone up for the day, which means no allergies! And I can fully appreciate the beauty!! YAY! And dang, when I'm not sneezing really it is an amazing place to be! ...when I'm not sneezing! LOL4. The History Channel. I watch the history channel almost every night as I fall asleep. Except, before you think I am a really smart, savvy, history buff let me say what I watch is mostly not very historical. I tend to watch shows about mysteries, like UFOs or The Bermuda Triangle or Nostradamus or The Knights Templar. Now you are probably either thinking I am nuts. But hey, I love a good mystery or conspiracy theory! And I also need to fall asleep watching something just interesting enough to be tolerable while I drift off to slumberland, but just boring enough that its no loss when I do fall asleep before the show is over. Plus the dude who does all the narrations has such a soothing voice!! ;)5. Fresh laundry! I gotta ask, is there anything better than a load of freshly washed laundry?! Okay yeah, somethings (like kitties and eating sushi) are better than fresh laundry but it's not a long list! I love the smell of clothes after they come out of the dryer. I love seeing my drawers & closets full again! I love putting on PJs or using a towel when its still hot from the dryer! Yep laundry is great! If only I could get a robot to fold my clothes and put them away in my closet after they are cleaned. 'Cause that part of laundry does suck.Speaking of fresh...here is a sneak peak image from the gorgeous wedding I shot this weekend! Stay tuned for more from this FAB wedding! The images will be out THIS WEEK!
Tuesday, Tuesday. You always sneak up on me! But it's okay because it means its not Monday anymore, know what I mean guys? I'm actually stoked for this week to roll on by because Saturday I will be shooting a wedding in Montecito! Pinch me, is this my life?! Perhaps I may run into Oprah and she will yell in her Oprah-goddess voice, "Ash-leigh, you are fab-u-lous! Here's a bag of goodies!!!" Okay I don't really expect that to happen, and Oprah is obviously not going to this wedding...but one can hope, eh?Okay Tuesday Top 5.1. Oprah. I don't know why. Just cause. The woman is an inspiration, and I really appreciated her Food Inc episode which replayed last week! I appreciate her shedding light onto the important issues, and I appreciate how real she always comes off. I don't watch her on a regular basis and I am not an Oprah freak, but I truly do appreciate this amazing woman, and when I do watch her show I always walk away with something (knowledge, inspiration, more appreciation for my own life, etc). So why not give the Opes a big shout out this week?! Here's to you O!2. Hide Sushi. It had been awhile. Too long. But Friday it happened, I got to get my sushi on with my momma at Hide Sushi on Sawtelle. This place is no secret, there is often a wait at dinner time. Its cash only, no frills kind of place. You won't be getting any soy-paper wrapped, fish on the outside, fancy rolls here. Traditional maki & ngiri only. But its good. Very good. Its also pretty affordable as far as sushi goes! Score! My favorites include spicy tuna (some of the best in the city), scallops special (ooooh the japanese mayo, drool), yellowtail belly (which has spoiled me from ever being able to eat regular yellowtail, its so buttery and divine) and monkfish liver. I said it. Monkfish. Liver. Sounds gross. Tastes delish. When it comes to sushi, I'll eat anything ;)3. The Pacific. I think I've waxed poetic about my love for HBO original programming before. But its SOOOO good! Soooo good! Well crafted, beautifully shot, amazingly acted, well paced. A piece of cinema on TV.4. I didn't write a number 4. Because I brain-farted. Brain farts suck. But they do make a good segue into number 5....5. Park's and Recreation. Okay, this next one is really the highlight of my week this week. Because I do not know when I have laughed so so hard. This show is always full of lolz (how can it NOT be with stars like Amy Poehler & my boyfriend on the side Aziz Ansari)?! But this week? Hot damn! I laughed so hard my husband thought he had lost me forever. I'm going to preface this clip of **the best** part of the episode by saying, I love comedy! If it's crass? Good! If it involves a fart joke? Awesome. Yeah, I have no shame in admitting it. This girl LOLZ at fart jokes. And without further ado, the funniest thing I have EVER seen:
Ah! the return of Tuesday Top 5! I bet you guys thought I forgot...BUT I didn't!!! Last week, as you know, I was in Vegas having a blast at WPPI! And then when I got back...I got sick! That was a bummer. So I'm sorry I have not done a recap of WPPI, that is coming! And I'm sorry I have left you in the lurch for a week without a post. I really am! And I will try not to do it again!Okey dokey...it's time for our regularly scheduled programming...and that is Tuesday Top 5! Here we go:1. Cauliflower Ragu. OMG, you guys. While in Vegas we ate at Mario Batali's restaurant Enoteca San Marco, and my friend Jenn ordered Rigatoni with Cauliflower Ragu for her entree...and it was SO GOOD. All meal long I wanted to eat her food, not that mine wasn't delish (because it was), but this cauliflower sauce was sooo unique and creamy! Ever since I have been researching recipes for cauliflower pasta so I could make this at home, and I think I might have a good one. I will be doing a test run soon!!2. Daylight Savings. I have always loved daylight savings! Who doesn't right? That extra hour of sunlight is sooooo enjoyable and makes you feel as if there is extra time in your day! As a wedding photographer its great because it means more light for pictures!! Yes I love daylight savings! It makes me happy :)3. Dancing! You guys, I love love love love dancing. Like booty-shake dancing. Like get-low-shorty dancing. Preferably to electro-pop music, or the dirtiest rap you can find. Yes the dirtiest, un-edited, rap. The more references to bootay-slaps the better. I can' tell you why, it just is better to dance to! In Vegas, we got to go to the KISS/Pictage/Shoot-Q party which was at Studio 54, and I got to dance to this type of music and it was awesome! We danced til 2:30am...so for like 4 or 5 hours. It was great! I really gotta do that again soon! Any takers?4. Accomplishing goals. Back in early February, after attending Justin & Mary's Spread The Love Workshop, I created a list of 10 goals for my business in 2010. I'm super excited to say that not only have I scratched one goal completely off the list, but I also am making a ton of headway on several others! And its only about a month later! How awesome is that? I have to say it is a really good feeling to see myself getting things done! And I know it will make this business I've created stronger, better and more successful! So cheers to that!5. Organizing. I have a love/hate relationship with organizing. When it comes to my work, I am like anal. Very organized. I have to be, because that's my work, yo! But then there is all my personal stuff. Like my apartment. And there my policy is kinda-- throw the crap in a pile and call it a day. I have always been that way. Gross, I know. Clothes on the floor, towels never get hung up right away, papers and books in piles, never clean out cabinets. Eeeesh. It ain't good! I hate living this way. I do. When things are clean and everything has a spot (and is actually in its spot) I feel better. So last month we started re-furnishing our apartment, via Ikea, so we'd have more storage space, and now we are actually putting stuff away and getting organized. There is still along way to go, but its getting there. Yay for spring cleaning and organization! Hopefully by the end of April we will have the nicest apartment on the block!And now since I can't leave you without a picture...I'll give you a snippet of a boudoir session I recently shot! I have been doing lots of boudoir & lots of engagements lately so please come back this week to see more good stuff!
I have been debating whether or not to write this post. Whether or not to get this personal. But so many of the photographer's I admire are pretty much an open book on their blog. And I admire them for that. So I have decided to go out there and open up.This week has been hard. On Thursday my grandfather was admitted to the ICU. It has been a long road, you see, my grandpa has been on dialysis for 5 years. And in those 5 years he has fought hard and done his best to get the most out of the last years of life. But every few months there would be a complication. Literally at least 10 times in the last 5 years my grandfather has almost died. No one thought he would overcome, but he would against all odds. He was like a miracle man, one of the toughest and bravest people I have ever known. But every near-death incident would take a toll. He grew weaker. And weaker. The last incident back in December took so much out of him that he was no longer able to walk. But still he kept fighting. Until Thursday. Another infection landed him in the ICU and things turned for the worst. Somehow, again against all odds, my grandfather has managed to hang on by a thread. But now his question, and I guess our family's too, is what for? He has fought and fought and fought. But now he is so tired. He has been through so much and now his quality of life is very low-- he can't walk, hear, sleep in his own bed, eat very much, and sadly can't even go to the bathroom on his own. It is easy to understand why he said yesterday he'd like to discontinue his dialysis treatment...Because this decision is a permanent one, the doctors will be asking him today again if he really wants to discontinue treatment. I don't know what he will say. I don't know what I want him to say. But I know that I don't want him to suffer. I don't want him to be in pain. If there is one thing that breaks my heart, that I can't stand to see in the world, its suffering. I hate seeing anyone suffer. I really hate to see an animal suffer. But seeing a family member suffer? Its a horrible thing. And it's frightening. Because it makes me wonder, is this what getting old is? Is this what dying is like? Will I be subjected to a similar fate? Its awful. And though I'm not a very religious person, all I can do is pray for peace. Peace for everyone. But especially my grandpa. And if he decides it is time, and I do believe it is his decision and should be honored and respected, I pray he goes quickly. Without pain. Without suffering. He has been through enough.So considering all this grief and sorrow I am grappling with, I think its extraordinarily important for me to continue with Tuesday Top 5-- for me to reflect on 5 things that remind me of the Joy that life still brings. So I remember that life is good. So here goes.1. My Husband. I hate to admit it but some days I do take my husband for granted. But I shouldn't. EVER. Because that man is my rock. He always goes out of his way for me. He always makes sure to listen, to hold my hand, to say what I need to hear. He is the type of guy who stays up till 1:00am and holds me while I scream and cry, even though he has to get up at 6:00am. And he never complains. He builds Ikea furniture for me. He cooks dinner when I am too tired. He lets my grandma cry on his shoulder. He never acts selfishly. I don't know what I did to deserve this man. I really don't. But I have him and I am so blessed. And I don't want to ever take him for granted. Because everyday with AJ is a blessing.2. My cats. My cats are people. They are little furry people with four legs and who speak "Meow." They are non-human people. That's how I feel about cats, dogs, and all animals really. But let's talk about mine. My Stella knows when I am sad. She is very sensitive. She always is sure to sleep next to me or spend extra time in my lap when I am distressed. She has a way about her, like a caretaker, and its so sweet. Bobby and I have this routine. Our morning cuddle. Every morning when I wake up he jumps on bed and says "Not so fast mom it's time for our morning cuddle." And then he lays it on. The world's best and biggest cuddle. Its amazing. And then at night we do it again. That's our Nighttime Cuddle. These cuddles warm my heart and rejuvenate my soul. My cats do not need to cuddle me, you know? Yes we provide a roof for them, and feed them the best organic cat food, and scoop their litter, but really. Cats don't need a leader. And our cats don't need affection from us because they have each other and they give each other a lot of affection. My cats want to cuddle me and show me affection. They want my companionship. And that makes me feel so special. That they love me for me. And I feel so lucky to have that love. I can't imagine life without my fabulous Cat People.3. Food. Yep. Food. Simple, but oh what pleasure it brings to my life! I guess I should specify that I mean good food. Cause yeah bad food kinda sucks!! But food. I have definitely found a lot of solace in it this week. And I know when I die, I pray I can go down with something really tasty in my tummy. And since that is my feeling, I have been bringing my grandpa foods he really likes to the hospital...even though its "not allowed" (though his doctor did say at this point, I could bring it in anyways!!). He can barely eat more than 3 bites of whatever I bring. But I see him enjoy it and I feel a tiny bit better. At this point whatever life's pleasures he can have, he should have. And if I can bring him a hot dog or Brisket Sandwich. Then that's what I'll do. Food. Yes, food. I may be a glutton but it truly is one of life's biggest joys!2. Laughter. It has been really hard to laugh these past few days. But I still have found stuff to giggle about. I have to. Life without laughter is pointless. And when you feel down the best thing you can do is laugh. I make jokes. Maybe things I shouldn't joke about, but I go there. I watch comedy on TV. I make up funny names to call AJ or my Dad or whoever. I just work hard to find something , anything, to laugh at. I have to.1. The knowledge that life does go on. Yesterday while leaving the hospital, I saw a new mother in a wheelchair holding her new baby. She was in awe just looking into this newborn's eyes. And her mom was there cooing at the baby too. And then the dad rolled up in his car and loaded his new family up. And I almost cried. It took so much not to. It was just beautiful. Watching this family's big moment in life. And I thought how ironic, seeing this new life start and then to think of another life ending. And though its hard, it is kinda calming. To know the circle of life. That after sorrow is joy, after joy perhaps sorrow. After life is death, but then life comes around again. I find comfort in knowing that world is moving and going forward and this pain won't last forever. And one day I will have my own family. And when my own time comes, hopefully I will have future generations live on after me. And that makes me feel okay about it all. This moment is sad, it is horrible. But joy will come. Life will go on. And something good will happen. And that knowledge is a joy in itself-- as totally meta as that sounds.
What a week! As you saw from my last post, last Tuesday I attended the J* workshop which capped off my "February Workshop Learning Extravaganza!" It was incredible and totally complimented off what I learned at Justin & Mary's Spread The Love Tour! I also this week attended my first ever LA Smug Meeting, where I got to hear Lawrence Chan aka Tofurious speak for the second time! It was totally free but his nearly 2 hour talk could've have really been a workshop as well! It was a real treat! So this week, has really been full steam. And my brain is like whirling and pumped with ideas about how to make 2010 a life changing year, where dreams come true!!! Which brings me to my Tuesday Top 5...5. Inspirational People. I gotta admit I'm not a cheesy-mantra-loving-chicken-soup-for-the-soul-reading kinda gal. I'm not at all. But sometimes you just meet amazing people and hear their stories. Hear the major struggles and obstacles they faced. Hear how they overcame the hurdles and now are mind-blowingly successful. And how can you not get the warm and fuzzies? How can you not want to go out and change your life and the world around you?! I feel like, as mentioned above, this month I have gotten a huge dose of inspiration and have been lucky enough to meet amazing people like Justin & Mary, like Jasmine Star. And then there is the Olympics. I absolutely love the little stories on some of the featured athletes. These people have HUGE risk-it-all dreams, and they have often overcome a lot of difficulty in their personal lives, and here they are at the friggin Olympics. INSPIRING. I hope to be half as awesome as these people one day ;)4. Speaking of the Olympics. THE OLYMPICS are sooooo my number 4 pick! Not just because of the inspirational stories, that maybe I secretly tear up hearing, but because of the sheer fun of watching the events. I'm not really a team-sports gal...I can't get into it at all. And I'm not sporty or athletic at all. But I have always had a weird thing for the winter Olympics. I love watching the luge, bobsledding, the moguls, the speed skating (APOLO OHNO PEOPLE!!), and of course THE FIGURE SKATING. Oh my gosh. Love love love! I still say there is nothing better than a dude in a bedazzled outfit skating his heart out! Nothing better...except for you know, my cats and husband...LOL3. HDTV. So pretty much since I met my husband, all he talked about, all he wanted, was a nice big flatscreen HD TV. And when it came time to propose, he spent his TV fund on my engagement ring. He had to think "Ashleigh" or "TV"...and he chose me! Awwww. LOL. So it was back to square one. Saving. And this week was the week. The deal was right, the money was there, and we went all in and bought that dang TV. And he is so happy about it! I love that it makes him so happy! Something so simple! But I gotta say, it IS pretty nice. It's like having a home theater! Not too shabby!2. Hot Tub Time Machine. OK I HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE. I just keep seeing the commercials. And I gotta say, I'm so confused how this movie ever got made. Or maybe I'm not. I used to want to be a filmmaker and spent a year interning at a production company-- mostly my job entailed reading scripts and deciding whether they were good enough for someone more important to look at them. I was like the script filter. LOL. And I just can't imagine this concept getting past a filter. "Ok so these dudes get into a hot tub, that turns into a time-machine! It's like Back to the Future meets Wild Hogs, but with a hot tub!"Riiiiight. On the other hand, there are always crappy movies that get made so I shouldn't be so shocked. As much as I'm perplexed by the title and concept for this film, I shouldn't dog it. The commercial does make me chuckle a bit. Maybe it is somewhat humorous, despite how formulaic and just plain bizarre it appears!1. Tracey Ullman's State of the Union. Have y'all seen this show? It's on Showtime on Mondays and its amazing! I have always LOVED Tracey Ulman! She is so good at creating different characters and being just plain hilarious. And the way she does her impersonations is spot on! I love this show especially when she makes fun of "celebrities." My absolute favorite is her Dina Lohan impressions. TOO DANG FUNNY. If you all don't know who Dina Lohan is, then bless your heart. You obviously don't get caught up on perezhilton like I sometimes do!Now here is a preview of some wedding-y goodness coming VERY soon!
