LA Trip

Chris and I escaped to California last week. Specifically, Los Angeles. The hotel we stayed in was this fun and funky place called "Custom Hotel" in the Playa Del Rey area.

 It wasn't that expensive (sure, a step up from nice motels, but it was our anniversary. We had to up the ante just a little!) and I I'd like it to be our "go to" hotel next time we head to LA. It had a 1960s Avante Guard "Modern" vibe to it (what "modern" looked like in the 1960s). 

Of course I was not happy when the weight room didn't have the treadmill they promised. We even called ahead to make sure they did.  There is an LA Fitness right next door, but a day pass was $15 a day. 

I sucked it up, however. Luckily, the last day I was to pay for the day pass at LA Fitness, the nice kid at the desk told me just to go on in. Score! He said not to tell anyone though. Too bad I can't boast to LA Fitness how awesome that young man is, because that poor kid would get into trouble for allowing me to work out without paying. I tried to tip him $5, but he wouldn't take it.

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. We went to Los Angeles because Chris had 3 days of business commitments and it coincided with our anniversary.One would think I would be bored with Chris in classes and training for three days straight, but no way. I had a plethora of art to work on, and this was the perfect opportunity to work in the zone! No kids, no schedules, no interruptions! 

Heaven. 

A Mess, but Controlled Chaos.

Ornaments that were completed and shipped off.

I almost didn't get to go on this trip. With most of our family flying the coop out of Arizona about 8 years ago, it was hard to find someone willing to play house with our kids for five days. However, my cousin Ashlee came through!

An unsuccessful art "selfie". Whatever.

We left our family car with Ashlee and rented a car to take to California. Why our rented car we picked up from Phoenix had a "Utah" plate, I don't know. So here we were, trying to navigate the streets of LA and every time we screwed something up, all I could think was "oh great...and they think we're from Utah..." :face palm:. 

It's one thing to have an Arizona plate. A lot of Californians don't like us 'Zonie Tourists', but we are from Arizona, so it is what it is. But I had a problem looking like I was from Utah. 

I know, I'm alienating any of my Utah readers. Please see the humor in this and try not to be offended.

The irony is early last month when our car was being worked on (again. Remember that long ordeal?) the rental car I was given that time had a California plate. It would have been nice to have that California plate on the crazy streets of Los Angeles. That way, we'd still look stupid, but locally stupid.

This trip was also important because even though next year is our big 2-0 (:gulp:), we're not sure if we'll have the opportunity to really do much to celebrate it, as we'll supposedly be in a newly built house in Wickenburg. I doubt a celebratory getaway will be in the cards. I also especially doubt I'll be able to talk Ashlee in coming all the way over to Wickenburg to stay with the kids too! lol

Anyway, The first full day in LA (and the day before Chris was committed to his classes and training), we went to downtown Burbank for lunch and when we were tired of walking around, we saw Thor: The Dark World in one of the three AMC theaters they have right there. 

Two things I took away after seeing Thor:

1. The London scenes with overcast and winter clothes looked like paradise to me. This kind of stuff is why I don't get people making a big fuss over sunsets. Go figure. 
 
2. Hemsworth (Left, Thor) is hot in an obvious way, but I keep finding Loki (Hiddleson) sexier and sexier. I remember the first time I saw Hiddleson as Loki. I tilted my head and thought, "...who is that?"

Conjugal visits, Loki?

However, talking about the men of Thor does remind me of a funny story from sometime last year. Chris was watching the first Thor on DVD and Chris Hemsworth (the obvious good-looking one, but his hotness does get boring after awhile, unlike Hiddleson's who continues to make me swoon over and over) was looking especially sexy in one of the scenes. I was walking through he room and I said, "Man, he's hot." 

Chris replied, matter of factly. "I agree."

A bit taken aback, I said, "What?"

Chris said, "He's a beautiful man." 

LMAO! 

I feel kind of guilty shifting subjects to the temple after my man-lust comments and digs on Utah. However, I'm not big on coming up with clever transitions. 

The day we left LA, we spent the morning bumming around the grounds of the LA Temple. I couldn't get enough of the red roses.

In fact, our temple photo stop put us way behind schedule in making it home at a decent time. Between losing an hour driving back to Arizona and our slow start, we didn't arrive home until after 10pm Friday night.

I did accomplish quite a bit on my 3-day art marathon, but sadly not all I had hoped to accomplish. But that's okay. This morning, I sent these four pieces off to my loyal repeat customer in Canada (the bulk of two of them working on last week) and while still in LA, I sent out nine ornaments she ordered. 

The most recent completed one. I think this is my favorite color combination around the sun!

More work to do! 
Until next time...