los angeles

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my los angeles routine was this:

wake up at 8ish, force myself down into the dark dungeon-y gym in my hotel, run, put my face on, and then park it in the big grand fountain lobby to work on my computer for however many hours i had. coffee happened in an untimely manner because there were no coffee pots in the rooms, but i made do with minimal complaining to twitter, and eventually started buying coffee the day before and leaving it on my nightstand so that i'd have it first thing in the morning. is that gross/are you embarrassed for me?

at some point in the afternoon i'd eat, usually from the little french cafe down the block, or if i was extra lucky, i'd go in a car with a friend and eat at the grand central market or bread lounge or a surprise yogurt event.

then i'd change into my black clothes and walk up a large steep hill to disney hall where i'd play an opera.

sometimes there was a cast party afterwards, sometimes i'd make my own party, sometimes i'd go the f to bed. 

that's it!

it was crazy, it was a lot packed into one small week, but it was so great to play the opera and really great to see my people, old/new/related.

here were places i went and loved:

eggslut // i've known about this place for a long time but i was always too afraid to tell eggboy about it because what would he think? would he want to move to l.a. and be with eggslut for the rest of his life?? whatever, it was fine. no, it was more than fine! the fairfax. the fairfax with bacon. oh snap it was good. 

madcapra // i shared a delicious falafel (square falafels!) with whitney and her adorable fam. that's them up there in front of the eggslut sign, aren't they cute??? 

bread lounge // mmmmmm jerusalem bagels + labneh + catching up with my willy wonka friend evan. i would go here every day if i lived nearby. 

lemonade // i would also go to lemonade every day if i lived nearby. it makes me want to eat vegetables.

bottega louie // my pops came to town towards the end of my stay! we brunched at bottega louie with eggboy, had a great grand macaron, and we did not stand out at all when my dad took a million pictures. that place is so instagrammable.

hedley + bennett // there was a sample sale at their headquarters (which has an indoor swing!!!) it was so much fun, i updated my apron fashions and met ellen, the owner, who is the sweetest.

poketo and alchemy works // two really cute stores on the same block!

pie hole // there was a pie filled with macaroni and cheese and i took three minutes off of my life with it and it was worth it. 

faith and flower // it was the *perfect* environment to hang out with a bunch of bloggers and eat whatever the kitchen wanted to bring us. it's also where i began to overcome my fear of hollandaise sauce because they have an eggs benedict pizza! 

break room 86 // it's an 80s themed bar with karaoke rooms, a michael jackson impersonator, and ring pops in the bathrooms. go there, don't drink "the purple rain," but do get up and dance. 

sqirl // we ordered everything. it was a break-the-diet meal for one of the singers, who had to spend a few months playing a starving 13-year-old girl in the opera, so it was a nice crazy way to break back into the world of carbs and cheese and i am very happy that i got to be a part of it. honestly, that ricotta toast is so extreme. or maybe you prefer the word iconic. it's both. 

-yeh!

ojai, day one

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i awoke like i often do: to birdies chirping, the sun shining, and with a britney spears song stuck in my head. my routine bedside instagram and twitter checking was just that--routine--until i noticed the mountains and palm trees, staring at me, all vulnerable in my genghis barbie t-shirt.

in a pre-coffee fashion, i fumbled around, cranking up the shutter speed faster and faster until i could snap that bottom photo, right from my bed! (jealous yet, woodpecker?)

when i loped downstairs at the wee hour of 8 for me, 6 for them, my host farmer took me on a stroll around his farm to meet his crops and sample the herbs. there were orange trees, green vegetables, and many kinds of basil. purslane and amaranth... more on this later.

the day continued on with extraordinary versions of everyday things:

my daily exercise, done not on a treadmill in front of orange is the new black, but up hills lined with yards where ostriches and lamas played.

a burrito, not at the town qdoba, but out of doors, with a beer, a joe, and three new friends.

and a chocolate o'clock photo session that came complete with two very special assistants, one being my host farmer, who dashed out to his farm mid-shoot for the healthiest mint leaves i ever did hold and the prettiest blue flowers called bachelor's buttons. they're edible, so naturally they found their way to my almond butter cups.

the too-hot-for-pants day turned into a chilly night during an outdoor opera rehearsal, and then over quesadillas and bacon we sleepily drank our beers before bidding the mountains goodnight.

oh hi, ojai.

-yeh!

 

THE CHOO CHOO

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another quick hello from new york! i'm at the back of the b.a.m. theater right now, eating almond cake and listening to new lieder. (i think this is gonna be a good show!) 

have i mentioned how exhausting this city is?

how do eight million people do it?

how did i do it for six years?

whatever, tomorrow i am going to eat a turkey donut and then on saturday i am going to play drums and on sunday we will go back to the midwest for farmland and latkes and driving everywhere in cars.

oh! i almost forgot. these photos are from when egg and i journeyed from north dakota to chicago before we left for new york. i think i love the train (and its cute breakfasts).

-yeh!