Creativity Tuesday: Poetry.

Negotiating Western. 




I saw her yesterday

The sun bright and low

I trusted not myself behind the wheel

I paused

Staring

Gaping




She was bewitching

Her skin kissed in fractured light

Freckles seasoning the bridge of her nose

her hair had a life line

golden

wispy




She was perfection

What life must she lead?

Children turning their faces

Supposing they've encountered angelic presence

Women hesitating to meet her glance

Men opening her doors with a soft swoosh




A nod from the baker

A wink from a teller

A stolen sniff from a teenage boy,

standing behind her, 

awaiting the water fountain




Has she heard the word no

uttered from the lips of another?

Could she define the word disappointment?

Does she know what it feels like to be:

Embarrassed?

Silly?

Plain?

Overlooked?

Generic?

I dare say nay.




She embodies what I feel my soul

would reflect materialized.

My shell quite vanilla and quotidian

I shrug my shoulders 

Pretending

Wishing 

I hadn't seen her at all.

Culture Club: Van Gogh a Failure?

Did you know that Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting in his entire life time?  The solitary piece was sold to one of his friend's sister for 400 francs {approximately $50.00}

Blossoms in Pasadena.

The blossoms on a certain tree in Pasadena were glorious yesterday.  I couldn't resist her charm. 

Busy bee.

 

And she's off. Off to an audition, then a house warming party, then work.  This is a photo from a failed project this week.  {Le sigh.}  It's fine.  The next batch will be better.  I'll be so glad when my top secret project for my website is complete, and the way I want it. 

Ticket Worthy: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.

Last weekend I went to see a comic book translated to the film medium.  It is fantastical cinematic voyage.  The colors.  The effects.  The true essence of comic-esque playfulness.  The larger than life characters.  The comedy.  I belly laughed at this movie folks.  Belly laughed!  Michael Cera portrays Scott, the lovable dweeb, that we know and love.  Surrounded by his love interest, Ramona, and her 7 exes.  Scott must  combat and defeat each ex to win Ramona.  Our hero is surrounded by hilarious friends and bodacious situations.  My favorite being his room mate Walter {Kerian Culkan}.  Who is a gossipy, flirtatious, brilliant supporting role.  Please go see this film.  You'll love it.  The preface sounds odd, I'll admit. But, check it out against your better judgment. You can thank me later. 

For a moment, I was in Paris.

Yesterday I went to the Crepe Maker and had a crepe filled with warm Nutella and fresh berries.  It was life changing.  As I happily gobbled my dessert breakfast, I thought about visiting France some day.  And how that would look and feel like.  Next to me two lovers were sipping coffee and chattering with vivid, lively tones.  I realized they were bickering in French!  For a moment, I was in Paris.  And it felt oh, so right.

What I Wore Wednesday: A Dress From High School.

I bought this purple wrap around dress for my high school graduation.  I wonder how many times I've worn it.  Hundreds, no doubt.  I think at one point all my room mates from college wore it as well.  Wrap arounds flatter every figure.  Hugging where they should, forgiving where needed.  




Ingredients: 

Purple dress:  $35.00 Vintage Express

Waist Belt:  $28.00 Anthropologie

Gladiators:  $22.98 Target

Gypsy earrings:  Gift from Aunt Evvie

Creativity Tuesday: Dream Role Anne of Green Gables.

Can I please be the next Anne of Green Gables?   Let's set it in a current context.  How about Ashley of Silverlake, California?  It's all about a sweet lady that strives for do-gooding, and her search for kindred spirits.  She botches up plans and stumbles.  But her kindly nature always saves the day, and gets a laugh.  Let's be honest no one would produce it.  But, wouldn't it be adorable?  I love Anne with my whole heart.  I say "delicious" when describing things that aren't food, like fall, love, and babies.  Because-that's what Anne would do.

Culture Club: Which glass is mine?

A question that I'm often asked during the dining experience is, "Which glass is mine?" Great question. Your glass is ALWAYS going to be to the right.  If you're a wine drinker, please note the order of stemware in the formal dining chart:  Water, Red, White.  If you don't care to drink, you may silently indicate by turning the glasses over. Stay classy San Diego. image found {here.}

Rentable: CoCo Before Chanel.

This is a great film for practicing French and folding laundry to.  The script was dry and borderline boring.  But perhaps my expectations were too lofty?  Be that as it may, I enjoyed the fashionable journey.  {Much like Sophia Coppola's MARIE ANTOINETTE}  I think I'm more interested in the story of Coco after Chanel!  Regardless, I enjoyed musing over the undying vitality of Coco's designs.  They remain as chic and current today as they did in the twenties.  Now that's a noteworthy designer!

What I Wore Wednesday: Miss Frizzle is your new teacher.

With the promise of fall, and in the spirit of back to school I decided to channel my outer and inner Miss Frizzle.  I think I might be enjoying the role of teacher.  

Ingredients:

Chevron Cardy:  Forever 21 $23.00

Polka Dot Blouse:  H&M $22.00

Garbage Sack Denim:  Anthropologie $70.00

Sixties Flower Pin:  Thrifted $2.29

Leather Oxfords:  Thrifted $25.00

Bag:  Husband's

Scarf:  Gift from Aunt Evvie

Creativity Tuesday: Ashley Yazzie's Summer Acting Update.

Happy
Summer!

Today it's piping hot
outside.  And if you strain to listen, I'll bet you can hear the sound
of pop can's being cracked all over Los Angeles.  This summer has been
jam packed with exciting acting events. 


Here are some updates:

• Completed my first demo reel!!  Click {here}
  to preview.


• Read lead role in a
  writer's workshop for Leslie Andrew's
  exciting, new screen play.  *Affiliated with "We Make movies."


• Attended Christinna Chauncey's "Auditioning for Network
  Television" workshop.


• Participated in
  work shops associated with BACKSTAGE Working Actor Series


• Attended SAG Life Stream event taught by David Ackert


• Landed call backs for "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress"


• Oodles of credits and updates added onto my talent resume 


• Hosted Actors Anonymous meeting; "Representation:
  Nailing the Meeting"

This month I'm thrilled
to begin my 8 week on-camera intensive with Christinna Chauncey.  By
August's end I'll have my website;  www.ashleyyazzie.com
up and rolling in preparation for a busy fall season.  I'm excited to
see what develops!


In other breaking
news:  My husband and I just got back from hiking the Aztec ruins of New
Mexico.  It was thrilling to explore a once thriving metropolis that
existed over a thousand years ago! 


Thank you for
supporting me, and being the cinnamon sugar to my churro.



Warmest Regards,


Ashley

Culture Club: Mini Vacations.

On Friday night we packed up the family and two wonderful friends {the Nobles.}  We made our way towards the beach house of our dreams.  What I like about vacations is that they are relaxing.  It's nice to spend time with my husband without the strains and stress of "life."  We can just be.  All of our cares are left at home with the furniture to muddle through.  Our tiny two day vacation brought such a sense of renewal.  I'm grateful for it. 

Hello from the beach.

The family and I enjoyed an amazing weekend at the beach.  Through the generous offer of a friend, we stayed at a remarkable beach house on Seal Beach.  It was literally beach front property.  This is the view from our window.  I know.  We lounged.  We played games.  We relaxed.  We grilled.  We had the time of our lives.  Family photo to come.  How was your weekend?

Figaro Polaroids.

Saturday brunch with bunnie at my favorite restaurant, Figaro's Cafe.  Why is it so wonderful?  Hmmmm.  The food.  The atmosphere.  The decor.  The macarons.  The close proximity.

This weekend bunnie and I are going to the beach with some friends.  It will be Soba's first sea side adventure!  I'm looking forward to recharging after a very long, tough week.  {Soba was super sick and we had to take him to the vet, and emergency vet.  It was a $600 adventure.}  Cripes.  Oh, well.  We're just glad he's okay.  He's a member of our family for pete's sake. 

A smattering of all things grilled...

I'm BACK! Wow, its been tooo long since I blogged last and BOY have I missed it! I have been doing a bit of everything in my time away: remodeling my kitchen, starting a new job, helping my dad recover from brain surgery, and curing cancer (3 truths, one lie - you decide). I've been cooking up a storm, and I have so much to share, I'm not sure which recipe to share here tonight.

I've been doing a lot of grilling, since my energy plan includes on-peak hours from 3PM to 6PM and our AC is set to 84 degrees (read: hotter than hell and last thing on my mind is cooking ANYTHING). Consequently, I have been honing my grilling skills to near perfection - totally kidding. I was never much of a "griller" (this word sounds like one of those words that may have an alternate cultural meaning of which sheltered-me is unaware...), as my dad was always the grill master in my home, and I never wanted to sit outside and sweat while I watched him cook.

I really don't know how effective it will be to write about how to grill though... I am a teacher by trade, and it makes me ashamed to say: I am a bad cooking teacher. I never measure, I never time things, I never have any foolproof way to set someone up for success. I taste test, I watch the food, I try for good color, and somehow I never end up butchering anything too badly, or burning anything, or serving something undercooked. I think the gods and goddesses of cooking have smiled upon me, and for that, I am grateful (and so is my full-bellied hubby!)

I tried some awful things on the grill this summer, including my "Keilbasa, Chicken Tomato and Garlic kabobs." Because I have to keep my weight and calories down due to my osteoarthritis, I choose not to add fat/sugar to anything I grill (read: no butter, very little basting sauce). These kabobs were so dry, I thought I was chewing on sawdust with a nail here and there. They were terrible. However, I did recover some grilling dignity with chicken...

Chicken is my go-to protein. White meat is lean and nutritious, not to mention quite tasty when prepared correctly. We try to stay away from red meat (although, what's the point of life without the occasional steak?!), and I don't think I've EVER bought pork. We also LOVE fish: Mahi Mahi, Orange Roughy, Talapia, and Cod are some of our faves. I have had success with all meats on the grill this summer, but chicken is by far the most convenient way to go. Since the installation of our second income (hooray!), we have had enough money to shop like we've always wanted (read: how I'VE always wanted) for food. I love to by local, in-season, and organic - but it's expensive, and sometimes not very accessible. However, I have been able to find most of what we want between Sunflower Market, Sprouts, Trader Joe's and the Guadalupe farmers market (if you haven't been there... GO!! With a buddy, ladies.... it's a little sketchy).

All that to say, we have been living off fresh, local fruits and veggies and organic, grass-fed, free range chicken for the last month (why yes, I DID just take a job in Scottsdale, lol!). And do you know what? I can tell a huge difference. The chicken has better flavor and consistency, it cooks more evenly and the portions are more appropriately sized (processed chicken breasts are about DOUBLE the portion size you should have = 4 oz.). The veggies are crisper, and though many don't have the "right colors" on the outside, the inside is tasty and delicious!

Grilling veggies is a snap, and it has become a nightly staple in our home. Crank up the grill to medium high, and chop up some of your faves. Toss them in a bit of EVOO and whatever spices you like, throw them in a grill basket and let them brown. They will blow you away! I always try to include some garlic cloves (halved) and separated pieces of quartered onions to intensify the flavorings of the more bland veggies (zucchini, cucumbers, etc.).

Also, you can't go wrong by marinating chicken. Take it out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight. Throw it into a bowl with your favorite marinade - I like Lawry's Baja Lime Chipotle (reserve a little for basting later!) and let it soak while you're at work. When you come home, fire up the grill and go for it! It will be easy and satisfying... and it will keep your home form turning into your own personal sauna (as mine is apt to do).

I also did a few crock-pot masterpieces (as my husband says) this summer while I was prepping for the new job. One of which was "Garlic Chicken with Italian Beans." I cannot take credit for inventing this one (thanks, Betty Crocker!!), but I did modify it a bit - don't I always?? I served it for 18 people in my home last Monday, and get this: I was not home all day! I know croc-pots are "set it and forget it" appliances, but when is that really the way it works? Usually there's SOME prep and post work to do, but not this time! I walked in the door, changed clothes, welcomed my guests, and served dinner! AWESOME! I think this one deserves a post all to itself though, so I'll have to leave you in what is, I'm sure, mouth-watering suspense.

So, if you haven't grilled this summer, give it a go! You'll save some $$ on energy, some time on dishes (nobody has to wash a grill!), and it'll look like a million bucks (especially if you can learn to make the little cross-hatched grill marks). I am SO glad to get back to blogging again, and I can't wait to post my back-log of recipes! But for now, you can bet that grilled veggies and chicken will be on this kitchen table for two tonight!

Latest Addiction: Pretty Little Liars.

With my favorite shows on hiatus:  GOSSIP GIRL, THE OFFICE, and 30 ROCK, I've been super bored with the telly as of late. Hence watching gobs of movies.  However, I found an amazing underground biscuit {as my friend Amber would say.}  Have you seen PRETTY LITTLE LIARS? It is sinfully fun.  It's the perfect recipe of part scandal, one cup mystery, two parts fashion, a teaspoon of friendship, and broiled with fun.  All ten episodes can be watched online for free.  I watched all ten episodes within two days. It is addicting, and genuinely scares me. Thoughts? Have you seen it?

What I wore Wednesday: A Bikini....gulp.

I thought long and and hard about whether or not I should post the bikini picture.  But, I decided to have a little courage, and go for it.  See my phobia of two pieces {here.}  Because guess what folks, my body isn't perfect.  And I decided that this summer I would shed my fears of imperfection, and love what I do have.  I always encourage my friends to love their bodies.  So shouldn't I do the same for me?

The above pictures are from Laguna Beach.  It is an exquisite must visit location.  I'm currently plotting my return.  Think of emerald waters, trimmed with cliffs surrounding the sandy shores.  Oh, and did I mention NO PEOPLE?!!  Cindee and I decided to start taking some day trips once a month, to enjoy a day-cation.  It's amazing how a half-a-day well spent with a friend can truly rejuvenate a girl.  

If you need the best destination for food in Laguna, go to Sapphire for lunch.  Lunch there sent my taste buds into another stratosphere.  Hand made ricotta tortellinis paired with artichoke hearts, sauteed spinach with shallots, and poached jumbo shrimp, drizzled with a light buttermilk sauce.  I die.  Thanks for a wonderful weekend Cindee!  

Creativity Tuesday: If it's not nailed down.....

If your childhood home was like mine, every thing had it's place.  Including the decor.  In my home {particularly in the last year} I switch things up all the time.  For example, Bryan's globe was purchased this summer and it's already lived on our buffet, stove top, as a center piece on the kitchen table, and presently it resides in the powder room.  Right now I'm loving the globe's specific location.  It adds a dash of color and visual interest.  But who knows about next week!

Your challenge:  Switch things up!  If it's not nailed down, try using your chotchkies in new locations.  It keeps the decor fresh, and people guessing. 

Culture Club: Christina Hendrick's Wedding.

Last month I finally got on board with MAD MEN.  I just finished season 3, disc 1, so please no spoilers!  My favorite character is Miss Joan Halloway, of course.  The character is strong willed, clever, talented, creative, and fearless.  Plus, she always looks drop dead gorgeous.  Christina Hendricks the person, is my new hero for 'loving what your mama gave ya.'  She recently married her sweetheart.  Theirs was a dream wedding, right up my alley.  The vintage touches added a terrific clamor of warmth and personality.  {Images via Once Wed, by way of STYLE Weddings.} 

Most Re-Rentable: PRETTY IN PINK.

PRETTY IN PINK is the
archetype for love conquering over the odds....in the eighties.  Our
heroine, Andie Walsh is an intelligent, interesting girl from the wrong
side of the tracks.  She is all things beautiful, and studious.  More over,
she completely owns, and rocks a unique style.  Her bourgeois peers
take note, then torture her accordingly.  Andie has a circle of rad
friends including the illuminating Annie Potts, and Duckie, her love
sick side-kick.  Andie works at the totally tubular Trax, a record
store.  It's there she meets and speaks to the dreamy, richie-rich
Blaine.  He likes what he sees, and romance riddled with conflict
begins.  I cherish this flicker with all my heart.  Do yourself a favor,
rent it + love it.