and so.. January 20, 2012

I usually go about 6 months before I finally make the time to update my blog, but.. seems like more time has slipped away this time.. like a year.. ha.

I am still residing in New Orleans, fondly called NOLA, in my lovely apt at the Compound.  The compound is getting better and better as we now have a chicken coop with 4 lovely chickens that are laying eggs! and we are working on having a spectacular compost system and gardens!

Me and THUMPER!

Since I last wrote I have acquired a lovely red beta fish, which I named Sassafras, and an adorable, sweet, giant rabbit named Thumper.  I adopted him from the Magic Happens Rabbit Adoption Agency based out of Baton Rouge.  He’s so great and gentle and I even have a harness and leash and occasionally  walk him like a dog in the yard… or I should say he walks me, because he likes to weave in and out behind bushes etc. I’m sure watching would be quite entertaining.  It’s pretty funny and great.  He lives indoors mostly with me, roaming around my apt like a cat, and is litter box trained. I love him.

I am still working at Sylvain,  the awesome restaurant in the French Quarter, on Chartes Street near Jackson Square.  I typically work there 3-4 shifts a week.  I still love it, although doing something in my field is always in the back of my mind, so..I am still teaching private art lessons to a little boy, Lyle, in my neighborhood.  He loves art and is sweet and very talented, so that is fun.  I have not made much art lately as I’ve been busy with work and school- taking Psychology pre-requisites for graduate school at Univ of NO, church stuff, and having a social life.  I also took some classes at Delgado year.  I was going to apply for grad schools for this coming Aug/Fal 2012 semester, but since I will be applying to multiple schools and was super busy with school and work this semester, I decided it was best to wait and postponed grad applications for  Aug 2013 Fall semester.  I will be working on all the applications, prerequs, and gaining experience this upcoming year. I hope to apply to quite a few schools, all over the US and one in Canada as well, for their Masters in Art Therapy programs.  I am considering applying for an internship in Greece this summer with the A21 Campaign, an organization that victims of human trafficking industry.  This would be an excellent opportunity for me to gain experience assisting people in a recovery program, and I could hopefully implement some art therapy type programs/practices… and I could get out of sticky, hot, gross La for the summer.. and spend it in GREECE! so.. that is very appealing.  However, it is an unpaid internship, so I’m praying about whether or not this is where the Lord would have me this summer.  I want to be wise with my time and resources.  Prayers are appreciated!

Been very involved with my awesome church Vintage Nola, http://www.vintagenola.org.  Its a great smaller church that really focuses on individuals and their relationships with Jesus and each other and those around them.  Very community minded.  Its very much a family that I have grown to love here and feel a part of here.

I just took  a little trip to OK for the New Year with my NOLA besties, Matt and Keeva O.  Got to see some of the MidWest, including Arkansas and Missouri.  Pretty cool places and always nice for a change of scenery and pace, although whenever I travel now, I realize how much I enjoy living in my own place, completely independent.  I guess I get used to my routine and way I live… Never thought I would like living alone as much as I do.  I can stay up at late as I want, sleep in, eat when and what I want..I guess I’ve realized its pretty fun to be in control of all that. Simple things.. ha.

cool nola building downtown.. would someday love to own it and make it something amazing.. dreamsss

yum yum yard fresh eggs!

I took a few trips this summer, but I’ll make that a separate posting as this is already a bit long. Til next time!

music, travels, and that bit November 29, 2010

going to share a few fun things that went on lately.  my dad came out to new orleans for voodoo fest, a big music festival in city park, near my house.  he loves ozzy osbourne and had mentioned he wanted to see him, so he bought us both tickets. i was able to go all weekend, thanks to pops! and he came for the whole day Sat. the  bands i got to see that i really enjoyed and made an impression on me were: Muse-fantastic show and very talented.  Jonsi- solo project, lead singer of Sigur Ros. beautiful music.  Florence and the Machine- rockin girl that can SING!  my dad even liked them.  My Morning Jacket- we listen to them at Sylvain and they get stuck in my head for hours..  and it was great to watch my dad while he enjoyed Ozzy Osbourne.  he LOVED it. whooping and hollering and singing along with the band. it was pretty great.  I had never really done anything like that before.  He slept over in my sweet apt and we had a good ole time.
Ive been trying to get more involved with the arts markets and what not.  Ive been selling my Hair Flairs and accessories, jewelry etc. at Freret St market the first Sat of every month along with my neighbors and their various creations.  i def do feel like NOLA is home now, and love it, and when im gone for more than a couple days, miss it and want to be back at my little place in biking distance to just about everything. i love that there is always something going  on, esp musically, or art wise.  im trying to figure out a balance with working lots and doing all these other fun things and getting involved more with the arts etc.  if youd like, check out my facebook page to see what ive been creating. my hair flairs and accessories make great stocking stuffers and Christmas gifts! i can do custom orders, for special bridal parties, bachelorette parties, formal and or outfit matching..adult and baby headbands.  if you are reading and live in the lafayetteish area, i sell them at Monroe’s Dress Shop in Breaux Bridge, next to Cafe Des Amis.  and if reading from NOLA, at Freret st market every first sat of the month, or from my house. i am currently working on getting in some boutiques!
HAIR FLAIRS and accessories by dominique
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hair-Flairs-and-Accessories-by-Dominique/108893682508745
i recently went to Louisville, KY to visit my cousins Joy and Stefan and their two kiddos, Luke and Ella, as well as my prospective grad school Univ of Louisville at KY.  I have taken and gotten the score i needed on the GRE for the art therapy program there and have finished my application.  now i just have to sit back and wait to see if i get accepted.  i tried to meet with the director of the dept, but they are terrible with communicating and was not able to.  thanks to joy and stefan  i was able to  see the school. they gave me a tour. very nice facilities, nothing too spectacular, but pretty and nice overall. kinda reminded me of UL.  where my cousins live, there is an unfinished part of their basement where they could finish a room for me. there is already a finished bathroom and her pilates studio down there as well as a tv/living room area.  their house and the area is very nice, kinda out in the country.  its reallly strange but there are fleur de lis everywhere! so kinda felt like i was at home. ha.. there are def more hills though, which i like.  it would just be a big adjustment for me to go back to living far away from everything and having to drive lots.  louisville is very spread out, so..it would be hard for me at first im sure.  we got to go to this really cool church my friend had told me about that my cousins actually go to as well, Sojourn church. i enjoyed the service and could myself going there.  we also got to go to churchill downs where they have the KY derby. we watched the horses race. first time id gotten to do that. ive always wanted to. it was really fun!  and my good friend Esther was able to come to Louisville the same time i was there, so it was really nice to hang out and share all that with her too!
more pics on facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2109949&id=68602654&l=6569a75f91

Sylvain and such

I finally feel as though I have a moment, as well as something worthy of blogging, so here goes.

I was in a bit of a slump for a while.. I was not enjoying my job at a restaurant in NOLA, and was not making any money at it either, so it affected my whole morale..I was beginning to feel as though I could not enjoy living in NOLA.  I had no money or freedom to do anything, so it put a damper on everything.  Summer time/ July-Septish is very slow in NOLA. Its so hot, so not many tourists, and the BP oil spill didnt help any with business, especially  as  server at a seafood restaurant.  BUT… about a month ago I started my new job at Sylvain, this fantastic gastro pub on 625 Chartres St.  I had always been hesitant before to work in the French Quarter because parking is such a hassle and its lots of “obnoxious tourists”.  All my neighbors knew I was not happy at my previous job and had been looking for months for a new one, but to no avail because it was so slow everywhere..My neighbor Joanna had gotten a job at Sylvain via Craigslist, and told me about it.  In a matter of a week I had like 5 interviews at different places.. Well I had been applying and interviewing before, and in NOLA there seems to a quite the demand for jobs, esp in food service industry, so, the likelihood of getting called in or actually getting a job is kinda slim.  At Sylvain, I interviewed and literally 2 hours later the manager called me to give me my fixed schedule!  It was great.  At first I was hired as a backwaiter mainly, with one server shift, which I wasnt thrilled about, but the restaurant was brand new, hadnt even opened yet when I got hired, so everything was evolving and I was just ready to get out of my old job.  I am SO happy I took the job.  It is a wonderful restaurant with fantastic management, food, atmosphere,chef,  coworkers, etc.  The food is all made in house with local produce and sustainably raised, vegetarian fed animals.  A few of the very popular menu items: shaved brussel sprout salad: literally shaved raw brussell sprouts, like gourmet shredded cabbage with cubed apples pieces, shaved pecorino and toasted hazelnuts.. SO yummy.  Entrees: duck confit, cured over night then cooked in its own fat, pan fried crispy, leg of dug served with roasted beets and arugula salad and stewed white beans. everytime i serve it, all i get back on the plate is  a bone.. amazing! also have craft cocktails, housemade syrups, fresh squeezed juices. delicious.  you should def come check it out if you are in nola. you WILL not regret it 🙂  sylvainnola.com.

i am also working very part time at Cafe Beignet on Bourbon st.  Ive always wanted to work at a coffee shop, and they were really cool about me being so part time.  Co workers are cool, its pretty slow and def ALL tourists as customers, but its pretty fun.  Right across from the Royal Sonesta Hotel.  Its got courtyard seating and full menu all day long, including out BEG NETS, as most people mispronounce them, and out Cafe O LETS… ha.. I try to humor the mispronounciations, as I  hope i will be a tourist to many more places in the future, esp EUROPE!!!… ..someday.

i was able to move into the apt upstairs that I mentioned in my last blog.  so i am still living in the fourplex at the compound with all my awesome neighbors. my apt is super sweet.  its a shot gun, with a front room, middle room with a mantle, lofted bed, and lots of shelving and craft stuff everywhere! ha.. then my kitchen with my tub in the kitchen,and then my toilet basically connected to my balcony.  its a great eclectic space.  i have a few more little projects, shelves in my kitchen, and painting my front room walls before i take pics.

recently put in some carrot and radish seeds in the garden.  also have lots of lettuces, kale, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, cilantro, fennel, and dill planted as well. the weather is sometimes warm, sometimes cool. ha. very inconsistent. but not miserably hot.  ive been loving biking to work in the quarter. its a nice little twenty minute ride or so, and then i dont have to deal with parking! perfect! 🙂

well. that’s all for now.  ive got a few more things to write about, but ill put those in a few more posts so its not too lengthy

The Crescent City August 2, 2010

cutesy little kitchen looking out at the community backyard

I have been in New Orleans for a little over two months now.  When I decided to move out here for my job teaching printmaking to middle school kids, I figured I was going to either hate the city and move after my job as soon as possible back home, or wherever.. or love it, and want to stay longer.  Well, the latter is reality.. I love it in New Orleans, surprisingly.   I never thought I would want to live here, but it is such a beautiful city.  The old, historical brick buildings with so many stories, the people from all over, the artsy creative areas, the emphasis on local food and products.. Wonderful.  I live in an area known as the “compound”.  Ha, its really a great place, as negative a name as that is, in Mid City.  All of New Orleans is divided into “Neighborhood areas”.. Mid City, Uptown, the Marigny, the Bywater, CBD, etc.. I really, really like Mid City.  My neighbors at the compound are great, very creative folks, we all hang in our yard on most warm mosquito filled warm nights, talking and sharing food we each cook. I love it.  I was worried about cooking for one, but.. not necessary… i just share 🙂  Everyone has been very inviting and living alone has been great, as it allows me my own space and freedom, but I have all my neighbors so close and inviting me to things and what not, I never Have to be alone, unless I want to.. I bike to my job teaching art to kids in a hot sweaty warehouse in the CBD, the New Orleans Glassworks and Printmaking Studio.  Its open all the time for visitors, so if youre in the Magazine, Julia and Girard Arts area, come by and say hi!  You can see art in action.  Since I love it so much here, I feel as though I would like to stay at least another 6 mo., hopefully in an apt just upstairs of where I currently live, which would be WONDERFUL… still waiting to see if i get the place. Its a very coveted place to live in (the compound), as I have found out more and more, talking to people from around here.  I love walking or biking to the farmers market right by my house every thursday.. get the best peaches, blueberries, veggies, goat cheese.. all that yummy local fresh goodness. Fairgrinds is my fav local coffee shop, City Park is my fav for biking and exploring, hanging etc.

So.. NOLA for the next 6 mo most likely, then either move home to Dad’s for a while or.. to Louisville Ky to get acclimated, if i get accepted into the Univ of Louisville’s Art therapy grad program. I still have to take and pass the GRE even before I finish my application, so.. that’s a bit of a process.. but that’s the foreseen future.. well see!

love with the fam at sculpture park in city park

well, that’s all for now. if youre in nola, give me a ring!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2094118&id=68602654&l=6d62b25a27

more photos on facebook!

NOLA bound May 3, 2010

I am stoked to be  living and working in New Orleans this summer!  This is a little scary for me, as I have never lived in a big city before, and never, in all my life, lived alone!  So, it should be quite the experience.  I got a job teaching printmaking at the Louisiana Glassworks and printmaking studio on Magazine St.  I feel so blessed, as this is a job in my field, teaching middle school kids printmaking, specifically linoleum block printing.  I think it will be a great environment for me as an artist and teacher, as I will have access to the studio and i will be working with other young artists/ teachers.  I will hopefully learn a little of glassblowing and just be inspired like crazy to make some great art.    I am SO excited about the place I will be living; I am subletting from a girl this WONDERFUL little shotgun 1 br apt, with a community garden, hammock, and separate room for artmaking/my very own studio, which ive never had!  and all for a great price.  Totally a God thing.  I saw/found it on Craigs list after searching for weeks for a place and going and looking at places, which none seemed like a good fit.  Then.. i saw her post and immediately wanted her place.  I contacted her and thought it was surely taken, she didnt reply.. then week or two later I asked her about it again and she did reply.. and long story short, i got the place!!! so.. if anyone wants to come visit, i would love it!!! i will need someone to eat all the food i cook.. im really bad at cooking for 2 people now (my Dad and I), so im sure ill be even worse about cooking for 1.  its located in midcity, near the amazing nola city park and near downtown and uptown etc. and of course, there is always great music in NOLA.  Just went to Jazz fest for the first year. Lots of great bands and people. gonna be a great summer. i think and hope!

summer is a comin’ April 6, 2010

I saw and felt my first June bug today, as it smacked into my shoulder while I peeled leftover boiled crawfish outside.  Lovely summer is surely on its way.  The crickets and cicadas have begun to make their lovely music, and the AC in the house has been turned on…I want to be stay outside all the time and plant things, but.. alas, I must work.

I am currently student teaching at Paul Breaux Middle, art to 6th-8th graders, until April 30.  I do not love it, but i dont hate it either.  Parts I like: teaching kids about art, the funny things they say, going to work at 8:30 and finishing at 3:45, seeing the ideas and different approaches the kids have to the same project, when the kids learn something I have taught them and apply it.  Things I do not like: going to work at 8:30 and finishing at 3:45 everyday, ha.., the annoying, disrespectful things kids say, to me and each other, having only 20 min to eat lunch and do anything else you might need to during the entire day, how draining it all is, and all the work after work.

I have definitely learned a great deal from my kids, my cooperating teacher, and through my mistakes and research.  I do not think I am quite ready for a job with a schedule as fixed and regular as the regular educational system.. Someday I will, but I still feel too young to be so settled.  I guess the artist in me is overtaking the teacher part.  I had a feeling this was how it would be, but it has now been confirmed.

I did a La Linoleum block printing project as my first lesson with a class and they came out with some really neat projects.  Here is the link on facebook to their projects.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2087948&id=68602654&l=68bb5b956f

new horizons January 2, 2010

Happy New Year!! 2010 is finally here… or already here… seemed like a far off time in another land not too long ago.  well here it is.

this year holds many, many changes for me, and it all begins right at the start.  i’ve been working at great harvest bread co…. amazing bread co. with wonderful people in lafayette for the past year http://www.greatharvestofacadiana.com. i have also worked at cafe des amis,www.cafedesamis.com, a wonderful unique little, cajun, cafe in downtown breaux bridge as a server and server manager.  both places have been amazing places of employment where i have made some lasting, beneficial relationships and learned a great deal about  myself, cooking, people, and all kinds of other good stuff.  i will soon be leaving them both for the most part, while transitioning into a role of teacher rather than student, which i have been for the past 18 years of my 25 yrs of existence.. i will be student teaching beginning jan 13 at paul breaux middle school, with a cooperating art teacher.. wish me luck. this will be the most regular schedule i have had since high school.. not extremely excited about that.. not even sure i will like teaching or that whole bit, but i am going to give  it a shot. i will complete my teaching certification requirements after i student teach this coming semester, so i will be able to decide from there if i hate or love teaching art and whether or not i can really do it.

i am also applying to the univ of lousiville, ky to their masters program in art therapy.  i would most likely not start that until the following fall or spring or maybe even later, but.. i really feel as though i am called to do this, at some point in my life and i am still in the school mode, with nothing to hold me down or back in LA, so.. why not now?

this new year will have many changes, some welcomed with open arms, others pushed away, but.. Lord willing, i will learn from them all  that i need to learn.

make it a good one

a quickie June 13, 2009

so i know.. shocking. i just wrote a blog less than a week ago, and here i go again!  ha. but i just had to share about the wonderful day i had the other day. i went to a farmer’s market in baton rouge, with my sis and bro-in-law. it was most amazing!!! especially after reading animal, vegetable, miracle, which talks mostly about eating locally as to encourage your local economy, local farming, better products, less fuel used, etc

Red Stick Farmer's Market

The book talks about the deception of “organic” produce and other items. Here are a couple of really good quotes. Hopefully it will encourage you to read it!

“A chicken may be sold as “free range” if the house in which it’s confined (with 20,000 others) has a doorway leading out to a  tiny yard, even though that doorway remains shut for so much ofthe chiken’s lives, they never learn to go outside. This is not a theoretical example.  A national brand of ogranic dairy products also uses confined animals- in this case, cows whose mandated “free range” time may find them at home in crowded pens without water, shade, or anything resembling “the range”.  The larger the corporation, the more distant its motives are apt to be from the original spirit of organic farming0 and the farther the products will likely be shipped to buyers who will smile at the happy farm picture on the package, and never be the wiser.- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, p. 122

“But “locally grown” is a denomination whose meaning is incorruptible.  Sparing the transportation fuel, packaging, and unhealthy additives is a complelling part of the story, but the plot goes well beyong that.  Local food is a hadnshake deal in a community gathering place.  It involved farmers with first names, who show up week after week.  It means an open-door policy on the fields, where neighborhood buyers are welcome to come have a look, and pick their food from the vine.  Local  is farmers growing trust.” Animal, Vegetable, Miracle p. 123

Marketing jingles from every angle lure patrons to turn our backs on our locally owned stores, restaurants, and farms.  And nobody considers that unpatriotic.  This appears to aggravate Tod Murphy. (a farmer) “We have the illusion of consumer freedom, but we’ve sacrificed our community life for the pleasure of purchasing lots of cheap stuff.  Making and moving all that stuff can be so destructive: child labor in foreign lands, acid rain in the Northeast, depleted farmland, communities where the big economic engine is crystal meth.  We often have the form of liberty, but not the substance. “

summer sweetness June 6, 2009

nothing says summer like sunflowers!

pesky pests...

So the summer is well on its way here in sunny, southern LA.  The humidity has yet to become overbearing, which is great.  I finished out this past semester with an A in my art education class and  a B in my special ed class, so that went pretty well.  The break from classes and homework etc has been most wonderful.  Gives me more time to do fun, random things that i’ve been saving up… painting,  crafty projects of hair feather headbands and the like, cooking, pleasure reading, trying to learn the guitar!, tending to my garden, swimming, working out. blah blah blah. ha. probably more than you wanted to know. but.. nonetheless. what i’ve been and hope to be doing, when im not working.  still at cafe des amis as a server, and great harvest bread co.

a few unexpected turn of events had happened in the last few months.  some were pleasant, some not nearly so much.  but.. one of the pleasant surprises was when my fellow GH co-worker/long distance cousin, Dallas Begnaud, told me he had nominated me for the Best Artist in Acadiana in the Times of Acadiana, a local magazine that is produced.  mostly focuses on local arts and culture/music scene etc.  every year they have a best of category for lost of different things. bakery, cajun restaurant, boudin, nursery, dr etc. lots of different categories. well there’s a couple of weeks where names are submitted, then after that the times selects 5 or 6 of the people, then people have to vote on who they think is the best in acadiana for whatever category.. so.. my name made into the finalists actually! i was quite suprised.. we will find out next week who won. the bakery was in for best bakery, and cafe des amis was in for best chef and best bloody mary.. i really dont think  won, but it was great publicity to get my  name out there and now… i get to display some of my artwork at cafe des amis because our owner realized i was an artist. so that’s pretty exciting.

im kinda coasting through the month of june and some of july doing all the above mentioned. ill also be volunteering with bridge ministry, a tutoring/ summer program in lafayette for a really poor area.  im getting the serious travel bug and hopefully will be visiting a friend in idaho/oregon in july and then the family vacation at the beach in august! cant wait for that.

herb drawer: onion tops and basil from seed

green beans! quite lovely how they climb

grape tomatoes!! yum. my fav

the garden is doing pretty well. pepper plants of all sorts, squash, tomatoes, green beans, onions, tomatoes, and hopefully the cukes and okra will pull through! been struggling with those. and of course herbs. i recently made a new flower bed by our house and lined it with wine bottles. it looks pretty cool..:) ha.

tabascos.. love that La!

the wine bottle bed

ive been reading “animal, vegetable, miracle”, a great book about eating and growing local food. amazing read actually. i highly recommend it.

April 7, 2009

the Royale's fleur de lis'

me and Monet’s waterlilies!

Charity and I

This past week i went on a trip to Missouri.  My cousin, Paul lived there for a few years and his wife, Charity, is from there.  They just had a baby, sweet, little Kyan Asher Trahan, so they wanted to go visit Charity’s family and invited me along for the ride.  So.. it worked out and i couldnt pass up a road trip!  It was a lot of fun and I got to see a lot of things while there. It was a great getaway.  Dustin, Charity’s brother, and I hung out a good bit and he was a great host.  He showed me around all of St Louis pretty much.  The first evening we went to/drove around a bunch of areas in St Louis. The Loop which had  this great record store, hippy clothing store,t and resale clothing shop, among other things.  We went to some other areas as well, but i dont really remember their names…   Then we went and ate at this place called The Royale, and they had fleur de lis painted on the sides of the building and their name is French. This was the first time I’d ever seen the fleur de lis anywhere other than in La.  Apparently, New Orleans and St Louis are quite similar, except St Louis is a little more family friendly, little less of a  crazy/party town.  The city was founded by King Louis XIV i think, and so it has a few French names and what not.  But no French people live there anymore.. Next day the whole family went to the St Louis Art Museum, which was amazing! and it’s FREE all the time!  It was huge and had a lot of great art, and the grounds were beautiful too, but unfortunately it was raining, so I didnt get to explore outside very much.  There are these great, large, grassy parks everywhere throughout the city. They were really nice and literally there was one every time you turned around.  Then Dustin and I ate at this cool little place called the Shaved Duck.  Its located in an older building with old brick walls like the cafe i work at.  We didnt actually eat any duck, even though it was on the menu in a couple of different forms.  The chef/owner would come and bring out the plates of food to the tables! it was so weird but really cool that he would do that. He  was from Scotland and seemed really chill and cool.

The Arch

The next day we went to see the Arch.  We ran out of time and were not able to go up it.   I also got to see the Mississippi River.  Just like in New Orleans, there were  horse drawn carriages and river boat tours!  Then Dustin took me to see this  huge wall that goes on forever that is full of graffiti.

the GiANT graffiti wall

The mayor allows it and its been there for a long time now, but people just come and paint on it/tag it and it was very colorful and huge! Really neat to see.  Never seen so much graffiti in one place.  Then we to REI, great place! Too bad we dont have them in LA.  Then he had to go to work so I went out on my own and checked out the Great Harvest Bread Co. in St Louis.  It was similar to ours, but different in some ways.  I met the owner, Steve, and he was very nice and generous, as every GH owner has been that I’ve met.  Sent me off with a bunch of free deliciousness.  Then I also went to Trader Joes! Love that place and got some of my fav pineapple salsa from there 🙂  LOVE IT.

Paul and I as tree people

Next day we started off the day with breakfast at First Watch, a local breakfast place. It was very good.  Then we  went to Missouri Botanical Gardens which were huge and beautiful! So many flowers in bloom and flowering trees. Tulips and daffodils everywhere.

this patch smelled delightful!

flowering cherry blossom trees. tres lovely

It was a lovely, sunny day as well.  It is really big, so we walked around some of the place, and the Japanese Gardens, but there was a ton that we didnt see.  Then we went and ate at a little place called Mom’s Deli, a sandwich shop similar to Olde Tyme Grocery in Lafayette.  After that we had frozen custard from Ted Drewe’s. It’s a really popular place. It was also really tasty.  After that we went to my favorite place of the whole trip…. The City Museum.  The name doesnt do it justice.  It was this incredible outdoor/indoor play place for adults and kids all made out of recycled/junk materials. Old firetruck, old planes, rebar, glass bottles, etc. SSSSOOOOO amazing. and FUN! i loved it. i unfortunately did not get any pics from this because we left our cameras in the car so we could play. but there’s a website. i totally want to build one in LA and like every state! it’s that amazing. http://www.citymuseum.org/phototour.html  you really should check it out.

So that was most of the trip, in a semi nutshell.  Charity’s family is very sweet and generous and I enjoyed myself. It was a worry free trip for me and now I must return to the normal daily grind…
More photos on facebook at :http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065679&id=68602654&l=64ca4a5879

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065697&id=68602654&l=c9ca3269c9