Holidaze

Recap 3: Christian Styles

True facts: Even though I self-identify as Jewish, I'm a halfie.  This has only benefited my life, since I get two sets of holidays and a greater cultural understanding of how religion affects people.  Catholic school still didn't make sense because my other half is Episcopalian, but whatever.  I know the Hail Mary and how to read Hebrew and I get 9 days of presents in December (unless Hanukkah falls late in the month).

This also means we had to leave the Anniversary and Hanukkah celebration two days early and drive up to our Christmas celebrations in San Francisco.  My family has a very VERY VEERRRRYYY rigid holiday schedule- so this meant we had to arrive by 5:30 for dinner.  Xmas Eve waits for no man.  Jesus sure as heck didn't...wait, no.  He died for all mans.

Grandma and Grandpa's Xmas eve lasagna dinner:

  I totally didn't see Mike making that face.

The old kids table.

Tha Sibs!!!

We had a good (delirious) dinner, then went home and wrapped gifts while watching the Pope do his Vatican thing.

Then the earth turned, and sunlight once again streamed down upon us, and it was Christmas Day!

Cool dudes and Christmas tree at dad's house.

Gifts!!! Fun times.

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Then we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's for more exchanges of gifts.

Mid-day snoozing.

Delighted confusion.  The outcome of a successful gift.

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Other outcome, total Zombie annihilation

Dad and Laura

Auntie Karen is the coolest. 

What started as his inappropriate joke at the dinner table turned into an epic gift opportunity. 

Hah. Four feet of Fingers.

Protecting the 'living' room from the undead.

Making dinner.  Dylan pranked me too!

Christmas was fun and exhausting and full of family and love and good treats!  We stayed in SF for the day after Xmas, and started our journey back home...

Skrillex Stole My Mind

My holiday recaps will resume after I gather my brain off the floor and cram it back into my head, and get a good night's sleep to settle it all back down.  After last night's bro-step show, I feel like I've sustained a trauma.  It feels not unlike post-car accident body pains.  I have never been so physically accosted by bass and crowds.

We went to Cinespace to see the first night of Skrillex's Los Angeles venue marathon.  It was packed to the rafters with ravers, club kids, hipsters, bass junkies, and bros.  It was a different crowd than Low End Theory- but not qute a normal Cinespace crowd, either.  The strange blend made for an uneven dance floor experience.  There were thrashy nerds and bros that wanted to mosh.  It was aggressive.

The opening acts were good- KOAN Sound and Alvin Risk.  Both were quality on their own, without the spectre of Skrillex looming over their careers.   Alvin Risk looked like Harry Potter if he was into graphic argyle and filthy bass:

Oh, wait sorry.  All that comes up if you search 'Alvin Risk Cinespace' are pictures of freakin' Skrillex.

Yeah.  It was all about the Skrillex.

An LA Weekly blogger wrote about it here.  That recap is better than anything I can muster up.

Watching these videos will help one understand why I hurt.  Oh, and maybe its a mix of getting up at 6:30 a.m. to run 8 miles after staying awake until 2 a.m. the night (morning!) before.  Oh.. and having a few whiskeys at the Sony/ATV film & TV event.  Whoops... It was Palihouse!?  I couldn't say no. 

The end.  Bedtime.

Holidaze

Recap 2: Epic Travel Day

So, after the anniversary party- we woke up and packed up again and set out on a 10 hour drive to San Francisco.  Objective: arrive before Christmas Eve dinner.  I pretended like I didn't have a wild turkey and 4loko headache and tried to rally the troops with my fake enthusiasm.

Haha, yeah right.  I feigned no enthusiasm.

But giant dinosaurs tend to perk me up a tad.

Even when they avoid direct eye contact.

Luckily I married a true snackmaster, who procured many provisions for our journey.

My husband is a level 10 snacker.... He chooses products with care and precision and a sharpened palate.

And yet- this bag of pork rinds almost defeated him.

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It was the attached skin.

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Oh look, Lardo Highway... which is exactly where we went after 2 candy bars, a bag of takis and an energy drink.

Dylan also found us a spirit guide while hitting the snack stop in Cabazon.  

The 'I-tol-youuuu-sqwrl'

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Look at his majestic stance as he guides us along the 5.

Such wisdom and leadership can only be taught by a most experienced traveler.

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His journeys have brought him far.

After we had exhausted philosophical conversation, MSG was no longer appealing to our taste buds, conspiracy theories grew dull, and I had gone completely travel mad, we rolled up in lovely Burlingame, CA for Christmas Eve dinner.

To be continued in the next segment....

Holidaze

So, I never got around to sharing my grand holiday adventures.  Probably because we were moving constantly for the entire week between Christmas Eve's Eve and New Years.
Its taken me three weeks into January to fully recover from vacation.  And an extra week to feel like blogging again.  Has it been four weeks?  Did I ever learn to count?

Recap 1: Anniversary Party
Phase one of holiday road trip started with a drive to sunny Palm Springs, CA to celebrate my Grandparents' 60th Wedding Anniversary.

60 years ago 12/23 - Chicago, Il - Mar & Jer 4eva!

Cheers!

And luckily, we didn't have to go to Chicago to celebrate- we got to stay in the warmth.

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Because the desert in December can't be beat.

Hotel Room hijinx

(and now Mona G, look away..)

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Yeah, killer windmills.  Keep arms and face inside the vehicle.

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(Ok, no more windmills- all safe!)

Quick stop at the outlet mall for emergency fancy clothes

Sometimes you need to try on $300 formalwear jumpsuits.

A  quick drive in the blinding sun....

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And then its partytime!!

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Chillin' at the cousin table (BEST TABLE!)

Lighting the Hanukkah menorah!!

The venue made them a surprise ice sculpture.  Cool!

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Dylan was the star of the evening- the slideshow was incredible and made everyone cry.

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I, on the other hand- got recruited to serve as bartender due to some venue technicalities.

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(most of my photos from the night reflect this)

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A title that carried over to the hotel afterparty, where I became the sommelier...

For a most foul-tasting beverage.

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Yes- it was Aaron's private reserve original 4loko.

The recoil.

Even though we were only there for a day, it was awesome hanging out with the family in Palm Springs.  Next time there will be 100% less 4loko.

  

Happy New Year!

It's world destruction times-- Apocalypse WOW!

I hope everyone has a year full of happiness, health, friendship, fulfillment, growth, accomplishment, and complete avoidance of Kim Kardashian, Snooki, and any/all Real Housewives.  My goal (NOT resolution) for 2012 is to shut out the nonsense and focus on what matters.  Bye, meaningless pop culture icons.  I seriously don't care anymore.  I need to make up for lost time by paying real attention to current events, economic news, government happenings.

Even if the world doesn't end on December 21st, I'm pretty sure we're in for some major transitions.  2012 already has a deep feeling of urgency (you know- beyond the doomsday fears, rampant political unrest, and overarching socioeconomic panic).  Us first-worlders feel disillusioned and betrayed, and are finally questioning the system by taking to the streets (..loudly...with cameras) and being more thoughtful about where and how we spend our money.  Which is reflecting what we honestly feel is valuable. Which is awesome.

Our new climate brews revolution- and not just the government kind.  We can hopefully look forward to some social evolution too, as people unite to protect the human and environmental interest and start taking responsibility for careless and selfish actions.  Internet dictionary defines revolution in a few ways, but my fav is 'a sudden, complete, or marked change in something.'  2012 will most likely not be the end of the world, but will surely mark a period of exciting and uncomfortable changes.  


And I am ready for it, and hope to do my best in taking new risks and doing what's responsible and kind and right. 

Wow.  That got real ranty, real fast..

Now I'll sign off with some shallow comment about making resolutions to lose 10 lbs, read more, and drink more water?   Naw.  I hate resolutions.
But I'd love to lose 10 lbs!  
-rimshot-