Modern Family

My closest friends know that I absolutely LOVE this show! I cannot fully tell you why but when I have a bad week, this show (airing on Wednesdays), totally changes my outlook and cheers me up. Their weekly lessons or messages inspire me, my husband and friends. I think their chaotic but fun life makes my chaotic life less dramatic and just seem more fun. Not sure. I just love it.

Oh and my favorite character in this show is Cameron played by Eric Stonestreet. He may not be the most handsome or hottest guy (no Brad Pitt or whoever) but that is exactly why I love him. And oh my, the shirts his character wears are fabulous...expensive but more than just fabulous. Cameron has great taste in fashion, style, and is just sooooooo funny!!! LOVE.

So yes, enough about this show.
Oh, did I mention the  new season starts tomorrow again?
No?

YES it does.
I am excited!!!

One more day and finally my favorite TV show of all times airs again....

Weekend Update

Okay...I clearly don't write as often as I want to. Blogging is not easy. Writing is one thing but keeping up with everyone and everything on here, reading, commenting, etc etc. How are you guys do this? Any tips?

I have been super busy and also very tired, but today I found time to link up again with the Weekend Update Ladies: Leeann, Sami and Dana.

I went to Palm Springs for one full night. It was my husband's aunt's birthday week so she wanted to go to Palm Springs and celebrate some more. So we went. Sunday morning we drove back and all I wanted to do when we got home was sleep. I took a long nap and felt somewhat refreshed but still so exhausted. We then BBQed, went back inside and watched the Emmy's. All I wanted to see (and hello, I did!) was Modern Family!
If you knew me, you'd know that I am a huge Modern Family fan. I love that show and I cannot wait for it to begin again. So, obviously, I was hooked on the Emmy's just to see my favorite actors from my favorite show. And who won?! Exactly.

Quite honestly I didn't take many photos. Though felt now the urge to share with you one of my favorites. Early morning photos with the world slowly waking up...awwwwwwww. The best time to take the best photos. Enjoy.

Isn't this gorgeous???
Pure nature, pure freedom.
It was a perfect way to start the day.

Perfection.
I just had to go home that morning, sleep some more and work hard for Local Living! ;)

Happy Monday!!

Hooooooohhhh!

I let you in a little secret: I love owls. In this post I told you why and I basically would have to repeat myself. They are indeed compassionate, and intelligent. Wherever I go I see owls. May it be at Old Navy, Target, Macy's or even just a CVS...owls are everywhere. Loooooove them!!!

And my friends are awesome too, send and give me things with owls on them. So today, I'm just sharing with you my love for these fabulous animals.

 I really want this cover, but unfortunately I am not an iPhoner! I LOVE my HTC Android and would never give it up. Sorry iPhone users...I will never ever give my Android up. Ever!!! ;)

I clearly love jewelry and when I find jewelry and owls...score!! Can I have all of the above?!

And I really would not mind changing my entire dishes to all owl dishes, but I think my husband would have something against it. Or on second thought, maybe not at all! :)

Hope you are having a great week so far.

Marjan



Weekend Update / mad and happy at once

Hello everyone.
Hello new followers. I'm so glad you found me and read my random posts these days. Love to hear from you.

Okay, I figured blogging is a great outlet for me to share what I love or don't. Not everything is perfect! And if you were wondering...new and fun deals are coming up soon so you can purchase something new or just tell your friends about it. You won't regret it. So stay tuned...I promise they will be coming your way. We are working hard these days, hence my lack of posts or motivation to write. But, I love writing so this should not hinder me, should it?!

Today I'm linking up with Leeann, Dana, and Sami for their Weekend Update.

My weekend started Friday afternoon. You all know I have a new job that I love and we sometimes get off earlier on Friday afternoons which is amazing. Also, if you live in the Los Angeles Area you know how hot it was so to get off earlier was perfect. My co-worker and I went hiking!! Can you believe this? In this heat? Yes, we did. We survived and had a lot of fun.

In the evening I went to a birthday party held at 3 Thirty 3 in Newport Beach.

Let me tell you I was disappointed; it may have great reviews but oh boy I am still mad. Atmosphere was great but that is about it. Drinks were not as good and I had to practically run after the waiter to get her to take our food or drink orders. Well, she never came so we had to go to the bar and order there which turned out to be a mistake too. But what were we supposed to do? Sit and wait for no one to come by? No way! I made reservations, and told them that half of the party will come in earlier and then the rest about an hour later which actually happened exactly that way. Though, well, the one that took my reservation should have known where to put us in the first place but apparently did it wrong and who gets blamed for it? Yes, me!! I talked to the manager and she sort of told me off which wasn't nice. I mean, when I call and tell you that we will be coming in for drinks and appetizer then you as the restaurant should know where to put our party. It is not my job to tell you where to put me unless I have a specific request. Worst of all then was that they brought the Birthday Cake out while the Birthday girl was in the bathroom, and I specifically pointed the Birthday Girl out to the manager. Who does that?????
SO much for lack of enthusiasm and effort. Our waiter was rushing us out the door...we did not even ask for the check but she was there within 20 seconds. Really? Who does that???

I know, you didn't want me to go off here but there are times you need to let people or you in that case know. If an establishment or just anyone for that matter doesn't know what is wrong, that place will never know. It is up to them to work on improvements. It just would not be fair if I swallowed my pride and said nothing.
After all we paid for it all, and it wasn't cheap!

One more thing: the bathroom sucked. No toilet paper, dirty and just gross. When I told the manager she tried to talk herself out of this situation blaming the Newport Taste thing on it. That is not an excuse for a dirty bathroom, let alone that event cannot be blamed for your establishment's bathroom to be disgusting. Sorry!! Hello? Never heard of health codes and hygiene?!
I spare you with the pictures.

On a much brighter note my best friend R. came down to Orange County from Ventura County. Remember last weekend when I went up there, now it was her time to come down here. She is still looking for THE perfect bridal dress. No real luck so far. She found one alright but it was over her budget...wedding dresses are no joke people. Sooooooooooooo expensive. She came down with her cousin, and me, my husband, my sister-in-law and Selma all went bridal dress shopping in and around Irvine. It was fun and exhausting at the same time. :(

Since I'm already on a customer service writing rush...the best customer service we received Saturday afternoon was by Blush Bridal Couture in Tustin. Let me tell you they were soooooo nice and soooo friendly. They let us take pictures (they did not let us pictures in Santa Barbara or Ventura County!! - is that normal???), brought us glasses of Pink Moscato (the BEST), had cookies for everyone and were just super nice! Here's a few pictures we took...eehmmm or Selma took for me because my battery on my phone died. I was using it too much to document my friend's bridal dresses.

A fun pen to write with...loved it!!!

That really was a great place!!! Highly recommend it.

So, that was it...my rather mixed weekend update.
Hope you liked it.

Marjan

Fall Happenings!

Fall is around the corner people. Temperatures drop hopefully soon here in southern California. My favorite time of the day is when the breeze at night gives you a slight chill but not too much so you can still walk around in a T-shirt. I then just love walking my boys and enjoy beautiful Orange County.

With fall around the corner Halloween is coming up too. I cannot wait. I am a chicken and don't really like anything scary but it's nice to know that people decorate their houses or enjoy the change of season. I'm glad I have a husband I can hold onto when I feel scared. Or maybe it is the other way around?!

What is your favorite thing about this season?!
Are you into fall and/or Halloween?
Do you decorate your home?

I definitely want to go HERE.
I sent this to my friend too and hopefully we can do this.
Best of all it's free and it's right here in Orange County. Talking about local.

And with the fall season starting I am looking forward to buying cute owl decoration too.
All from Sur La Table!
Aren't these cute?

Have a wonderful day!

Marjan

P.s. Local Deals Coming Up soon again!

September 11

Cannot believe it's been eleven years.

I'm back - Weekend Update

Hey everyone.
I don't even know who reads this blog but I'm determined to make it happen here in this beautiful blogland. Well, lots has happened with me and with Local Living. This summer I got a new job which I love and with Local Living we are doing a great job as well. I am so proud of my husband, and proud of what we have accomplished so far. Nonetheless, besides work I have been enjoying this summer and life immensely. I also neglected this blog a little. I hope you understand.

In April I promised myself I would keep writing because writing is my passion. I want to keep this promise! I want to share my love for life, and living locally. So, today, thanks to Selma over at Crazy Little World of Mine who told me I should write about my weekend, I am for the first time linking up to the Weekend Update by Join The Gossip, Sami's Shenanigan and five30three.

My best friend is getting married next year and I drove up to Ventura County to go bridal dress shopping with her. Let me tell you dresses are not cheap. She found one but unfortunately it was not in her budget. Bummer! So, we stopped the shopping and drove north to visit some wineries. :) Sometimes that's the best way to relax and think about cheaper dresses. It was a hot and beautiful day and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Cannot wait to go back up there!

Excuse the bad picture quality or our faces, but we clearly had fun. This is me on the left and my friend's cousin having a fun time at one of the wineries.

We tried a little of everything and were treated differently each time but had a good time. Though let me tell you another thing...driving from Orange County through Los Angeles, over a hill to Ventura County and then all the way up to Santa Barbara and back home south is tiring! I am exhausted. All I want to do is sleep; preferrably the whole week long. Unfortunately I can't do that.

Hope your weekend was fun, too!

Marjan