{Chronicles of a Country Girl: Banana Boat}

This last winter my family discovered:

"Banana Boats"

You gather marshmellows {not present in the photos below... we were unfortunately out of marshmellows, oh summertime....} chocolate chips, 

peanut butter and of course a banana!

Stuff the banana with all the goodies, wrap that sucker in aluminum foil and stick it in a fire for a few minutes, 

{you'll just know when it's done}

 and enjoy the melted, delicious, sugary goodness!!!

{one could prob. do it in an oven... but a fire is more fun!}

On Monday of my spring break, I came home after spending a few {cold} hours doing Lifeguard Recerts and just wanted to be cozy and reboot with a sugary snack. 

Making a Banana Boat came to mind,

but I didn't want to build a fire to just make one....

d.i.l.e.m.m.a.

As I was rounding the corner home I noticed smoke, but not coming from the chimney.... so in a little bit of a panic I went to inquire where the smoke was coming from

and discovered the day's burn pile!

d.i.l.e.m.m.a solved.

I then set off to make my new favorite snack. 

Yum. 

{train time}

As soon as I decided to go to school in LA I had been pining over taking the train home- 

at least once...

However, taking the train home is no small ordeal:

First, I have to get myself to Union Station {thank you Lauren!}

Then, it is a whopping 12 and a half hour train ride. 

yeah, a little more than half a day. 

Then, it's still an hour+ car ride from the train station to home.
yikes. 

I was crispy by the end of the day- but I loved every minute of it

 {seriously}

I had a really nice window seat, where I got to look out the

 window all I wanted til the sun went down.

 My seat partner resembled the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. She was all in black, rather gruff and when I asked her where she was going she sighed- as if I was twisting her arm- and explained that she was on a long journey ending up in Copenhagen.... and that really she was a nomad and lived her life in airports. It was clear she didn't want to be chatty, which was fine by me 

{last time I took the train up to SB, I had a REALLY chatty older fellow....}

What on Earth did I do for 12.5 hrs?!?!?

I read, slept, readsomemore and sleptsomemore. 

I stayed in my cozy spot {the train provides pillowz... without an extra fee!!!} 

and  really only ventured out to the dining car- 

where I was seated at the "youngin'" table with two other college aged kids. 

The science nerds' opening line was: 

{he works at a biotech company developing cancer tests....} 

*glimmer in his eyes* 

"If you could choose two animals to combine to make your ideal ultimate pet, which ones would you choose??? I would choose a cat and a tiger.... so you would have a miniature tiger!"

{If you're wondering: I chose a mini lap-giraffe, but then 

discussed how we could engineer it so it wouldn't be super fragile.... 

yeah, two can play that game....} 

Anyway, I had the honor of seeing California- 

beautiful, beautiful California. 

♡

{home}

Last weekend was President's Day holiday and I can't think of a better way to spend it than going home. Even though my momma wasn't there this time, I had a great time 

hanging with the boys. 

and catching up on Shameless...

Diamond Mtn. Road
every winter the trees lose their leaves
and you can really see the beautiful and simple
arches the tress make over the road
it's like a welcome home tunnel

Mustard.
E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E.

Bennett Lane, Calistoga
Mount St. Helena in the background

It was really great to see my two amigos Chloe and Sydney. Though we couldn't 

get all three of us in one spot at the same moment... I loved seeing each of them.  

Since Sydney didn't come home last year, it was a great surprise and delight to see her. She and her two apartment-mates drove {DROVE} the 12 or so hours all the way 

from Provo to Calistoga. 

This photo is crazsy blurry but I loved the romantic whimsy feeling it invokes

Her friend Steph made the cutest video documenting their trip and I was 

delighted to have a cameo.....{frolicking in the mustard around 4 mins in} 

On my way back to L.A. I looked down to see the Golden Gate Bridge peaking out as the 

afternoon fog rolled in from the sea.

Had to take a photo because I don't know when- if ever- I will see this again.

♡

{happy valentine's day}

Since it is Valentine's Day- thought I would share a few of the heart photos that I have been collecting along the way. 

Happy Valentine's Day and hope you are sharing it with the ones you love.... 

if you can't be with the ones you love- hope that you have let them know 

that they're in your thoughts today. 

Palais Royale, Paris

This was written outside of Hotel St. Vincent- where I stayed

last time I was in Paris.

C and G

 are my parents initials

Shakespeare and Company, Paris

They have a tiny little room with a desk in it where you can 

write quotes, share stories, wisdom....

and leave it for the next person to stumble upon. 

Home.

I think it is the barn on Mora....

This photo was taken a year ago (can't believe it has been that long!)

Chloe and I were home for Pres. Day and went to Jim Town

and on our way back there was a DOUBLE RAINBOW

 "all the way across the sky"

yeah. 

Tree on the Trail to Table Rock. Home.

 Mural from Alley in Mission District, S.F. 

This mirror is on my wall in my dorm room. 

Also on my wall.

This may be a bit of a stretch- but I thought it 

looked like a heart.

It's from Danny's portable Hookah stove.

Happy Valentine's Day y'all.

♡

{you'll find me at the Chateau Marmont}

To celebrate Anjali's birthday {really part two of the birthday shenanigans.... see previous post} Allison, Anjali and I ventured out that Friday into Hollywood for a girls night adventure. We had a grand-old time. 

First we ate at Toi- Rocking Thai Rood. Super fun place... they have two TVs 

{one is a giant projection on the wall} showing continuous cult classics. 

Things {creatures, dragons, Star Wars battle ships, lights, etc...} 

are hanging from the ceiling. The bathroom is completely covered in graffiti. 

They even have a table were you can sit on the floor to eat. 

The food was really, really good. But I unfortunately ate {of course...}

a hot pepper half-way through my meal and my mouth was ON FIRE- felt terrible, like my throat was going to fall off... and was heart broken that I couldn't taste the rest of my meal.... 

guess I will just have to go back. oh darn. 

slightly blurry

Aren't my roomies adorable? 

Then we walked a mile and a half down sunset 

{parents, if you are reading this- it was pretty safe... 

we talked to every police officer we ran into- they made sure we were alright

on our little adventure}

A firetruck even honked and waved as they were off to rescue someone... haha. 

Anyway, we moseyed on over to Kitchen 24 for dessert. 

OH. MY. SO. MUCH. DESSERT. 

First of all the place is adorable! Diner style but über modern and open 24/7

{and they deliver!}

- need to make this a regular destination. 

Dancing while we wait 

Strawberry Short Cake: ROUND ONE

Waffle Sunday with Chocolate Ice Cream. 

Our server, Randy asked if we wanted the full waffle or the half.

Of course we wanted the full waffle, duh. 

It was huge; but we accepted accepted. 

We decimated that thing. 

We had Randy, our server join us in our photo. He had really nice handwriting- 

he insisted on writing out the entire order- no abbreviations. 

We had him write 'Happy Birthday Anjali'

but then we forgot to keep the order... oops. 

On the bus back from Hollywood, there was a really adorable Asian designer-type guy

sketching in his notebook sitting near us in the back.

As he left- long coat sweeping behind him- he turned to us and said:

'Have a nice night ladies. You'll find me at the Chateau Marmont.'

One day we will find you mysterious sir, one day....

Hence the title of all of our upcoming adventures. 

♡

{Anjali's Birthday}

{WARNING: not for sensitive eyes...}

Jan. 30th was my roommate, Anjali's 20th birthday!!! We had cake... lots and lots of cake. Her friend Kelley made her a GIANT delicious German-chocolate cake 

in the shape of a heart. 

And since we can't light candles in our room {regulations? fire hazard? what?} 

we draw them.... a flame on one side and then just the candle on the other so it looks like its been blown out.... haha, sometimes, just sometimes we are clever. 

Our friend Danny {he's a fireman... therefore we should be safe using candles, right?}

from down the hall made her a penis cake... hilarious. 

Really funny story: he went to Ralph's in Westwood and bought all the supplies to make the cake (cinnamon rolls, etc.) and asked the bakery section if he could assemble a 'rock shaped cake for his engineering friend.' Hahaha, they let him do it! {It will probably be the last time anyone else is allowed to go into Ralph's and make their own cake- at least we were able to enjoy it the one and only time!} Ralph's employees figured

out what he made, but he just said 'nope, its a rocket ship, I don't know what you're

talking about' and left.

It was a very lively {and delicious} birthday.

I made her a little collaged card:

{it has math on it- felt pretty clever.... and it was ridiculously satisfying to tear out pages from my stats solutions manual...just saying}

Happy Birthday Anjali! So happy we are roommates this year! 

{Young the Giant at the Wiltern}

Last night we had another adventure: 

we went to see Young the Giant at the Wiltern 

{Wilshire and Western...get it?.... thought it was pretty clever....}

Beautiful art-deco theatre. 

No Charge this Print - loved the colors of this photo even though

it's crazy blurry. 

It was a great night. Great, great band. 

Lighting was ahhmazing, they had

these purple/pinkish box/lantern lights

and shooting star lights with old-style bulbs. 

Opening act was Walk the Moon from Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Sometimes openings are a "hit or miss" but they were actually really good. 

YOUNG THE GIANT

Julia, Hassan, Anjali and Allison. 

Great friends, great music, great night.