I never expected an octopus to appear graceful. Pretty cool. We were definitely captivated.
Bottomless pit
laelene Post in general blog，
10
April
2012
For the past two days I feel like I have been eating non-stop, yet I can’t seem to get hungry. I’ve tried cooking a filling meal with eggs and veggies on noodles, devouring a bag of chips, powering through multiple plates of smoked salmon salad, munching on a variety of snacks, chugging cans of soda, and enjoying some fruit. All stuff I love and crave, but somehow I don’t feel full.
I’ve always eaten a lot, but this is weird. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a schedule to follow, so there are no “triggers” to tell my body when it’s time to eat. But then again, the issue isn’t that I’m not eating enough. Maybe I’m actually eating too much! I always did say that by eating small portions constantly, my metabolic rate was kept up so that’s how I don’t gain weight. Or maybe what I’m eating just isn’t heavy enough. At first, this seemed like the case, but then I started cooking and that always provided me with a more hefty meal.
Or perhaps I am actually full, but my stomach isn’t sending the right signals to my brain to tell me so…
Macaroons in a fancy box
laelene Post in photo blog，Tags: food, pictures
07
April
2012
Panda and I went back to Bottega Louie for a second time and I decided to give their famous macaroons a try.
If you get a set of five you get this lovely box.
They come so artfully presented I just had to keep the box, but what to put in it??
And then I took glamour shots of each to post on Foodspotting…
Grand Cru macaroon on Foodspotting
The Grand Cru (I think - not sure what that means and I had to use process of elimination to figure out the flavor).
Strawberry macaroon on Foodspotting
The strawberry.
Matcha macaroon on Foodspotting
The matcha.
Chocolate orange macaroon on Foodspotting
The chocolate orange.
Lemon macaroon on Foodspotting
The lemon.
Bumblebee stalker
laelene Post in video blog，Tags: animals, behavior, observation, panda, videos
05
April
2012
Panda seems to have a bee stalker friend – it’s huge and apparently obsessed with his window. Or maybe it’s trying to tell us something with its dance…
Ice cubes
laelene Post in general blog，Tags: food, observation, pictures, travel
03
April
2012
Riddle me this: why are ice cubes on airplanes circular? I mean, calling them “ice rings” or “ice tubes” might be more appropriate. It makes me wonder how the ice is molded that way. Perhaps a tube with a pole in the center rather than the traditional trays we’re used to in our homes. Or maybe strange trays with round openings and something sticking up out of the center of each.
A quick search online led me to some interesting results and I’m inclined to believe that there is a scientific reason, like it’s faster to freeze them that way. However, that then makes me wonder why it isn’t a more widespread shape used for commercial industries. I generally get flat, thin pieces of ice at restaurants and I can’t recall an occasion where they used these types of ice cubes.
Maybe it has to do with the elevation or cabin pressure or something wacky I can’t even think of. Whatever it is, I wouldn’t mind seeing more tubular cubes (haha that sounds funny) – after all, they’re fun to play with! I even heard the kid behind me say, “Look dad, check out my ring!” No doubt she was able to stick her finger through one for some entertainment. I’ve always been a fan of having fun with your food. 😛
Last night
laelene Post in general blog，Tags: cats, future, travel
02
April
2012
It’s my last night here before my adventures start! I can’t wait to be flying around a bit and finding a rhythm to work in. As soon as the dust settles, I’ll need to start tackling the goals I laid out. I’ve been spending a lot of time with my precious Missy, who is just so fun to play with. It’ll be sad to wake up without her, but hopefully we’ll be reunited before long. I’m looking forward to change and that’s about all I can think about now.
Cops on a mission
laelene Post in video blog，Tags: observation, police, videos
01
April
2012
I’ve often wondered what exactly cops are rushing off to when they cross territories… shouldn’t there be someone else on duty in the jurisdiction that they’re heading to? But then again, maybe they don’t only cover their own city.
Ritzy living
laelene Post in photo blog，Tags: experiences, hotel, panda, pictures, service
31
March
2012
When Panda and I had the fortune of staying at the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey for a few days, I was excited to document the experience. Here are some of the highlights from that stay; click on pics for the full size.
A fancy and cool take on the "Do Not Disturb" sign - California Dreamin' (makes me wonder what they have for outside the state).
They've branded their own water!
Whether you like your hot drinks in the room or to go, they've got you covered.
Yum, Ritz-Carlton chocolates.
Sitting enjoying the silky couch and pillow.
A nice fancy iHome alarm clock was playing soothing music when we entered.
They had a nice display of all the things you'd need in the restroom.
Oooh, a fancy glass scale! I was afraid of breaking it when I stepped on - it just seemed so fragile.
Hmmm, now what do you need a phone for while in the restroom?
Should I be surprised that the toilet paper got branded too?
What a beautiful morning and a spectacular view overlooking the marina!
Looking inland towards downtown, you get a pretty great view as well.
They've got an awesome saltwater pool and hot tub. If water can be more slippery than itself, that's what it feels like.
The cleaning people usually leave my pillow and baby panda like this on the bed when they make it.
I couldn't resist going for a quick swim in their pool. It felt so comfortable!
In the morning as you leave, you'll find a newspaper hanging from your door handle.
Dream schedule
laelene Post in general blog，Tags: experiences, los angeles, opinion, panda
30
March
2012
My, how time flies when you’re enjoying yourself! In my first week of scheduling freedom, I have started most days around 8:30-9 in the morning, when I wake up naturally. I then spend the morning whiling away time enjoying an episode of The Voice or some Plants vs. Zombies gaming action. Around noon, I packed up and headed out in search of places where I could sit and read or go online while enjoying the sunshine. Sometimes I ended up hanging out in my car and oftentimes I found myself driving around to various parts of LA – Culver City, Santa Monica, Westwood…
I filled up my tummy for lunch, then spent the afternoons first online, then reading through the first book I plan to cross off my reading list: Switch. Before I knew it, 5 o’clock would roll around and Panda would get back from work to find I wasn’t around. I’d head back to meet up with him for a brief break to decide where to eat and off we’d go. By 9 or 10 we’d be back for the night, winding down the day. All in all a very relaxing and leisurely schedule for me! Perhaps because it was so nice, it went by in a blur and suddenly I find myself at the end of the week wondering where all the days went. Luckily, I now have the weekend to enjoy and more weeks of working online and reading offline to look forward to.
Lego music
laelene Post in video blog，Tags: experiences, legoland, legos, music, videos
28
March
2012
Ever want to play a Lego instrument? Well here’s your chance! Just jump on circles on the ground and BAM, music! 😉
