Apr 5
First Aid Kit, Stockholm based singing sister duo is my current obsession. I can’t stop listening to them + talking about them – all of my conversations lead back to First Aid Kit + I sound like Rain Man, making all my friends crazy. Read more
Jeff left to go back home to Vancouver today. Yes, we are married + still live apart. Yes, we STILL haven’t turned in our immigration paperwork. Yes, I know, I know whatarewewaitingfor. I’ll tell you what: immigration paperwork sucks big time. That’s what. Read more
Oct 3
Who get’s to celebrate his birthday for an entire weekend? Jeff does. He’s 45 y’all.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1ST – Jeff’s actual birth date
A present from yours truly.
Tobin’s new chapeau. All the rage with the kids.
Bent plywood magazine side table/stool!!! How moderne!!!!
Later, I had Matt + Tobin help me with some decorations for Jeff’s birthday party for the next night. It was a group collaboration, not without a couple creative differences. We had to stop every once in a while + re-group with a board meeting. 
Serious teamwork.
That evening, I took Jeff to Deep Cove to have dinner at a great restaurant called Arms Reach Bistro. It was tasty + stylish without being pretentious – so very Canadian!!!!
We got into a little fight before we reached the restaurant. Here’s me expressing my discontent in a very mature manner.
Jeff caught my very discreet expression + so I obliged him with a reluctant stiff smile. Not bad, right?!
I couldn’t stay mad at Jeff! He’s too cute!!! We hugged it out after a little talking + we enjoyed our dinner. We had a beef carpaccio appetizer (Canadians call it an “appie” as in a beef carpaccio appie – funny, right?) which I’ve never had before. It was UNBELIEVABLE!!!! OMG it was so good, like melt in your mouth good. 
http://www.armsreachbistro.com/frame.htm
After dinner we went for a movie. FYI, Canadian movie theaters really need a serious makeover. Ever heard of stadium seating? Surround sound??? Consider it, Canada!!! They’re all pretty small + outdated + make me feel like I’m in middle school at the Janss Mall going to see Beetlejuice. 
I can’t wait for the Muppet movie to come out!!!!! Oh, Fozzie bear, you charlatan!!
I wanted to go see Moneyball, but since it was Jeff’s birthday we went to see Ryan Gosling in Drive. I mean, who doesn’t want to see a movie about baseball + statistics?! Let’s just say Drive was highly lacking. Jeff enjoyed it for some reason. The actors were extremely good, but there was absolutely no character development + the storyline was majorly weak sauce. When we got back to Tom + Deb’s, they were still up so we shared some bubbly to celebrate Jeff’s 45th year on the planet. Tom just got back from a trade show in Europe + bought this perfect Mr. T shirt for Jeff in Spain. Pity the Fool. Pity the Fool.
What are we doing here in this picture? I don’t know but it looks like a bunch of ballyhoo to me. Stay tuned tomorrow for Jeff’s 2 Day Birthday Festivities Part 2.
Sep 23
How’s it going, eh?! It’s been great to be back in Vancouver at Tom + Deb’s. Matt has transitioned from geckos to salamanders. Tobin + I have transitioned from sand castles to Lego villages. Yesterday was Jeff’s brother Benjamin’s birthday. Jeff + I stopped by the most awesome british butcher recommended by Steve to pick up some burgers. This place was my dad’s dream. Tongue, haggis, kidney pie, blood sausage, 12 different types of bacon, hooray!!!!! 
Look at the dolls they had for sale!!! I was like, “WHAAAAT!!!!????”. I had seen them before because Jeff + his family grew up with these minstrel dolls called Golliwogs which was a character from children’s books popular in England during the late 19th century. AND they had a Golliwog clock on the wall!!! I just couldn’t believe they had them for sale on their counter, right up in front!
Jeff’s grandmother owned the original 1895 publication of this exact book.
Anyways, we all enjoyed the burgers – Steve, Liz, Keiko + Hana came to join the festivities as well!!! It was awesome being with everyone again! 
The Salamander Whisperer + his face painted assistant, Hana the Amazing!!!
Keiko patiently waiting for her burger to be cut.
Tobin lost his two front teeth!!! Look at his superb cowboy hat + vintage suede cowboy vest. Courtesy of Uncle Thrift Store Jeff. It’s one of Tobin’s favorite looks to go shirtless with the vest.
One totally rad dude. Ready to rip it up to the extreme. Jeff said now he really looks Canadian. Really? I didn’t know Canadians were toothless.
I thought Tobin was channeling Bunker Spreckels, infamous surfer from the 70’s who inherited $50 million from the family fortune (his grandfather was a sugar baron, publisher + railroad tycoon). He partied hard + had really great style. Oh yeah, + Clark Gable was his step father. 
Someone is anticipating cake time! 
YAAAAAY!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE BENJ!!!!
Today Jeff + I had a phone consultation with an lawyer to discuss our immigration paperwork. It is going to be alot of work, but she told us that if we have all our documents in order, it will take 5-6 months to process!!! Very good news!!! Chin chin!!!!
Well, Vancouver is already damp + drizzly. I’m going to buy a car load of Vitamin D when I move up here. I’m going to get Seasonal Affective Disorder y’all!!! We took the bus to pick up Jeff’s car from the detailer in downtown. 
The bus!!! Very exotic for an Angeleno.
After picking up the car + on the way back home to North Vancouver, we were driving through what Jeff + I call Cracky McJacky Town. Very unsavory, but I could still eat Canada’s crack addicts for breakfast when comparing them with Los Angeles crack addicts!!! But look at what we saw!!! 
Girl fight!!!! The little one was dragging the big one by the hair!!! Then they both stood up + the little one was throwing punches like a pro boxer! It was on the driver’s side + I was hitting Jeff + yelling, “Take a picture!!!!”. Jeff wimped out + didn’t even roll down the window to get a good shot, so it’s blurry. To all my American friends, you probably thought Canada was all maple syrup + baby deers?! Well, think again!!! The mean streets of the Great White North!!! Voila!!!!!
how's it going, eh? 