if i didn't know better

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

I've had the last two weeks off. The first being my official vacation and the latter being my furlough. I return to work on Monday ready to start the grind all over again. I didn't get as much done as I thought I would during this time. At first two weeks seems like a long time but the reality is that it all goes by so fast. Here are the highlights of how I spent my time off.

01. Thanksgiving in GA with family & friends
02. Adopting Mr. Bozley Jon Bozley
03. Cleaning my apartment
04. Decorating my tree & apartment for Christmas
05. Exploring South Beach
06. Shopping at Sunset
07. Numerous trips to Midtown
08. Catching up on my shows I missed
09. Spending time with Mr. Bozley Jon Bozley
10. Relaxing

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

black plastic

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Every time I come home from my sister's we pass the infamous Don Bailey image painted on the back of the store off of I-95.  And every time I keep saying I need to take a photo of it but I never do. Well, a few weeks ago my sister called me to tell me that she say a blog entry about said image on dlisted.  There's even a picture of Don today in the same pose celebrating the 38th anniversary of the ad. Check it out here. For some background on the ad campaign check out this article. It features the original Burt Reynolds laying naked on the carpet ad as well as Mario Lopez. Just where will I end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well

victorias y ganancias

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

I'm falling in love with my neighborhood. It's by far one of the more interesting places I've lived and the more I venture out the happier I get. My morning was spent walking around Wynwood shooting pictures for my blog as well as working on my ongoing photo project "Doll Parts"(title subject to change). What I love about early morning outings is the lack of people out and about making me feel like I have the scenery all to myself.

While walking on one of the main streets, I was asked by a woman out photographing graffiti if I would pose for a picture. Not one to turn down a chance to be photographed and discovered, I gladly obliged asking what exactly she wanted me to do. Basically, it was a simple task—all I had to do was walk back and forth in front of the mural on the side of the building.  She had me do it twice.

Once I was finished with my mini-model photo shoot, I continued with my own photo shoot until my camera battery ran out of juice. There is so much art/graffiti to see in this neighborhood that one never gets bored. During my outing I stumbled upon the "fashion district" although I didn't get to check out any of the shops because they were all closed. A lot of places seem to be closed on Sundays. I'm definitely going to have to return during the week just to see what these stores are about.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well…

run 2

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Hurricane Sandy came and went bringing with it high winds, heavy rains, & much cooler weather to Miami. Unfortunately, Sandy is making her way up the east coast. I hope all my east coast peeps stay safe.

On Friday, the Herald played host to the boys & girls club who came to our office for trick or treating. Our conference room was turned into a haunted dining room where the kids came in to get their treats. A few of us were dressed up so we stood around the table scaring them. They seemed to have a good time. Only one girl busted out in tears.

Another event going on was a pumpkin carving contest. Two girls from our editorial department took on the task in hopes of winning us a pizza party. And they succeeded! Their entry far exceeded my expectations. It was basically one pumpkin pulling out the brain of another pumpkin. It was pretty cool and put any of my previous pumpkins to shame. I didn't take any photos but if I come across one I'll be sure to post it.

Since the weather was so nice, my sister and I decided to do something with the girls outside. We settled on going to the Everglades Holiday Park to check out some gators. The park turned out to be bust. I thought it was going to be like Gatorland in Orlando but it was merely an air boat ride followed by a gator show. One of my nieces didn't want to go on the hour long boat ride so we walked around the gift shop, looked at gators through a fence, saw some peacocks and then left.

This morning on the way back to my apartment my sister and I went to Diner 84 for breakfast. There's nothing like good diner food to start off your day. Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

listerine

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Another weekend gone, another weeks begins. I can't believe there are only 10 days left of October. Time really does seem to be moving along quite quickly. I haven't even begun to think about Halloween. Will I dress up? Will I go out? Who knows. I should probably do some investigating to see what my options are. What's everyone else doing for the spooky holiday?

Overall, my weekend was pretty uneventful. Since my cold was still lingering I decided my best option was to lay low and that's what I did. Watched a lot of TV, took a stroll through the neighbor, signed up for Car2Go, made Orange-Glazed Pork Ribs, etc. Next weekend I'll head up to my sister's. I haven't seen them for a month so that will  be nice.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well…

seville

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Are the extremely hot days of summer behind us? It definitely felt that way this weekend. Although the sun stilled shined brightly, the temperature in Miami dropped a bit bringing with it a breezy windy weekend. It actually felt good being outside. Unfortunately my time outdoors was mostly spent walking to the grocery store. I spent the rest of it inside fighting off a cold. Poor me!

After work on Friday a co-worker and I headed to South Beach for a much needed happy hour. Three white sangrias & 6 appetizers later we were very happy. Once we were done stuffing ourselves we walked around Lincoln Road, the hot spot of South Beach, window shopping. Along the way we stopped in a few shops that peaked out interest. I wanted to buy a pair of pants at this Japanese boutique but didn't want to spend $400. The weather that evening was amazing. This is the Florida I love, not the "welcome to hell" days of summer.

We also checked at an exhibit, 101 Dresses: Adriana Carvalho, at ArtCenter/South Florida. I'm not an art critic so I'm not about to describe her work except to say that the dresses showcased were made out of various types of material from can tops to brillo pads. It was pretty amazing.

Besides the gallery space at ArtCenter/South Florida it also houses artist studio spaces where you can get a glimpse of the various artists work plus see things that they are working on. If you're lucky, the artist just might be in their studio and you can meet them. It's really great that places like this exist. More people need to exposed to art.

As I mentioned earlier in this post I'm fighting off a cold so my Saturday consisted of a Top Chef Masters marathon and nothing else. Today, I got up and went to the store to get ingredients to make Chicken Taco Soup which I believe is done now so I'm going to end this post. Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

round & round

deery-lou
previously on the e-list…

Well, it's a rainy Sunday here in Miami. Before the rain hit, I got a much needed haircut. I was starting to look like a very shaggy dog. Back at home I decided to spend my rainy day decorating for Halloween. This huge apartment of mine made be realize how sparse my decorations are. It always looked like I had a lot in my tiny studio. I just might have to go get more. :)

Yesterday I was completely exhausted after a very long work week. The majority of my day was spent in front of the computer watching TV. I made another crock pot dinner this weekend—hearty beans & beef. It was actually quite good. Tasted like Sloppy Joe's with various beans.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

i've tried to reach you

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Did a bit of exploring around the Design District on my way back from the bank the other day. There's a lot of interesting shops which I can't wait to check out next time. Plus a Jonathan Adler store is opening on Oct 5. It was pretty dead for a Saturday morning which was kind of surprising. It was kind of hard to figure out if some stores were coming or going. I guess I'll find out once I go back.

During my walk from the bank to Target, I noticed a lot of interesting restaurants. I made sure to take pictures of their signs so I wouldn't forget. The one thing I love about Miami is finding all these spots in places one would never think to look. That's one of the main reasons why I like to walk around even though the heat kills me. It finding those obscure places.

This weekend I managed to put together the TV stand I bought last weekend. Yay! Now I just need to get a TV and I'll be all set. I got up early this morning and headed to Publix to get ingredients to make Chicken Adobo in the slow cooker. While I was there I stopped by their bakery and picked up some ham croquettes which were so good. A part of me wished I didn't do that because now I'll be stopping at the bakery every time I'm there.

There's a new addition to my apartment—a new piece of art! I'm sure many of you thought I was going to say I got a cat or fish but you're wrong. Although I am thinking about getting a kitty in November after the holidays. MEOW! Anyway...so I got a new piece of art and it already made its way to my wall.  For those of you who care, I present my new piece of art:

just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

i walk the line

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

I'm so happy! I've found a Korean market where I can now get homemade kimchi and other good stuff. Granted—it's not within walking distant but at least there's one to go to. We stopped there the other day on my way home from my sister's. I walked out with two giant jars of kimchi (one radish & one mixed), cucumber soap, some spicy pre-made chicken, citron tea, & noodles. Little does my sister know but she'll probably have to stop there every time she's taking me home.

It was my sister's anniversary on Friday so being the good brother that I am I watched the little ones on Saturday so that my sis & her hubby could spend the afternoon together and go out to eat. Before the dreaded rain storm hit, I took the little ones to Party City to look for Halloween costumes. Party City was pretty much a bust. We only ended up getting a few things there. We made a few other stops before going home but they were a bust too. One thing I did realize is that shopping with 3 little ones is not so much fun.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

patriarch on a vespa

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Cleaning. Cleaning. Cleaning. That is how I spent my Saturday. I also made ribs in the crock pot which turned out absolutely delicious. Weekend cooking has become my new thing and I like it. :) Today I went to Target to grab a few things and when I returned home I hung up some more artwork. Slowly, my loft is coming together. I spent the later part of my afternoon watching Paradise Lost 3, the final installment to The West Memphis 3 trilogy. If that's what you want to call it. I remember watching the first one but don't think I ever watched the second. I thought the documentary was well done. It definitely makes you think twice about the case. All righty, I think that just about does it. It's going to be a short post this weekend. I hope every one has a fabulous week. Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well…

the blind men and the elephant

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Miami hosted dwntown art days this past weekend. I decided to checked some things out only to realize that when I arrived at Bay Front park at 1 pm, the event wasn't starting until 5 pm. Oops.  I walked to Bay Front park so by the time I got there I was completely drenched. I found a chair that was shaded by a palm and decided to take a seat while I finished drinking a peach smoothie and stared off into the bay. After I had cooled down I walked over to The Historic Alfred | Dupont Building where there were suppose to be two exhibits going on.

The window display exhibit that I eventually found was just that. If you happened to blink as you walked by you would have missed it. It was only one window. What made it harder to view was the partial gate that stood in front of it. I had thought there was a photo exhibit there as well but when I asked the guard inside he told me the only exhibit was the one outside. I later discovered that the photo exhibit I wanted to see was somewhere else (I need to pay better attention to details). Feeling underwhelmed I decided to call it a day. Plus the heat was getting to be a bit much. Dwntwn arts day was a bust!

Overall, I can't really complain because at least I got out and did a bit more exploring of the city. On my way home I discovered a couple of restaurants as well as Discotekka and Will Call, which looked promising for a sports bar. The rest of my day was spent relaxing and trying to cool down. It's seems that one application of sun block in the Miami heat is not enough. In my three hours of walking around with sunblock on I still managed to get burned. :(

For dinner I made a fall harvest chowder in the slow-cooker which turned out amazing. I also watched a very interesting documentary called Cocaine Cowboys about the drug trade in Miami during the late 70s and early 80s.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

ode to la

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

It's hard to believe that I've been in Miami now for 6 months. San Francisco seems like such a distant memory. I truly miss my days in SF hanging with great friends, exploring the city, and drinking at my favorite bar, which I heard is coming back. But with each passing day here in Miami I'm growing to love it a little more.

One things that has significantly changed is my reading habit. I seem to be reading a lot more lately. Perhaps it has something to do with a lack of friends. Whatever the reason my be, I'm actually enjoying it. So far since I've been here I managed to finally finish The Color of Summer by Reinaldo Arenas (which I started in SF) plus I've read The Way of the Shadow by Brent Weeks, Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis, Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx and then over the weekend I started & finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. That's more than I've read in the last two years combined.

I was surprised by how much I really enjoyed The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It's funny because it's one of those books that I remember seeing all the time when it first came out but for some reason never caught my interest. After reading Imperial Bedrooms, the sequel to Less Than Zero, I started thinking about the books that I've read which I liked a lot: Generation X, American Psycho, Bright Lights, Big City, City of Night, The Secret History, etc. That's when my google searching lead me to The Perks of Being a Wallflower an unread book from my past. Seeing that a lot of the themes of these other books dealt with troubled youth I figured I'd give it a try. And I'm so glad I did. It's one of those books that even now I'm still thinking about and a part of me didn't want it to end.

When I wasn't kicking back enjoying my book, I was entertaining my nieces. Here's a rundown of how that went: playing Barbies followed a photo shoot (pictures TK), going to the park (twice), a game of hide and go seek, playing dead, more Barbies, pretending we were at a spa, etc. Who knew kids could be so tiring.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

baby don't go

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

This pretty much sums up my weekend…

I did manage to make it out of the apartment briefly on Saturday in between the patches of rain. This morning, however, I wasn't as lucky. I woke up craving pancakes and after looking outside and seeing bright blue skies, I decided to head to Publix. Halfway there the sky turned black, the wind picked up, and the rain came down in full force. Luckily, I made it under an awning but not before I got completely drenched. I did have an umbrella but due to the winds it wouldn't stay up. Once the rain died down, I decided to skip Publix (sans pancakes) and returned home before the next patch of rain set in.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

darlin

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…


While at my sister's house this past weekend, I discovered a bunch of my matchbox cars in my nephew's closet. Of course I had to get them down. Memories of my childhood flooded through my mind as I pulled each car out of the case. I used to spend hours playing with cars whether it was inside with my Hero City or making roads in the dirt outside. Among the cars were two bat mobiles, a 007 car, a Superman van, & a Charlie's Angels van. I ended up bring all five home with me.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

start

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

It's been a fairly quiet weekend. On my Saturday morning walk, I discovered Morningside Park, which is tucked behind a very quaint neighborhood along the bay. The park itself is pretty big with lots of open spaces, basketball courts, tennis courts, a baseball field, a playground and a pool. At least that's all I've seen so far. I only walked half of it. Will definitely go back and check out the rest.

The rest of my Saturday was spent running some errands and having a Fringe season 4 marathon. That show is so good. I'm sad that I don't have any more episodes to watch until the start of season 5. Oh, well. I'm sure I'll find something to watch.

This morning I took another walk. During my walk, I stopped at the City of Miami Cemetery and took some photos. I didn't walk as long today because it was much hotter than yesterday. On my way home I stopped for an iced coffee. Oh how I love iced coffee. Once home I quickly changed into my bathing suit and headed up to the pool. There's no one at the pool at 10 am which was very nice. I love having a pool. :)

For dinner tonight I'm making a spinach-pesto lasagna in the crock pot. Hopefully it'll turn out. I'll be sure to let you know.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

lacuna

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

I managed to score a pack of Charlie's Angels trading cards for my babysitting duties this weekend. I'm hoping within this little package of treasures will contain some of the cards I need to complete my set. Keep your fingers crossed!

Here are some highlights of my weekend at my sister's:
1. dinner at Mario the Baker
2. playing Life with my niece & nephew
3. a few rounds of backgammon with my sister
4. New York Market, the best Asian supermarket so far in South Florida
5. walking around the antique mall (where we found the CA trading cards)
6. playing canasta with my sister
7. some good old family time

Before the weekend arrived, my sister came into town Thursday night with our friend Tracy. We went to The News Lounge for some cocktails and then headed to Boteco for dinner for some great Brazilian food. What more could one ask for.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

there's a moon in the sky (called the moon)

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

It's another hot weekend here in Miami. I started the weekend off going to The News Lounge with a co-worker for happy hour. After a few drinks and some appetizers we headed over to Andiamo! for some pizza. Andiamo! used to be a car wash that's been converted to a restaurant. It has a great atmosphere with lots of outside seating, plus their pizza is absolutely delicious.

My sister and the twins came down on Saturday. We took a walk around Wynwood looking at the graffiti. It was great introducing the twins to street art. We grabbed some lunch and then took a drive to North Miami Beach. Before returning home we hit up a couple of thrift stores in my hood.

After running some errands this morning, I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. For some reason I have zero energy.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well…

party crashers

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

This past weekend was spent at my sister's. I hadn't seen them since our vacation so it was nice to be with family. It was a pretty chill weekend. My sister and I checked out a few asian markets in the area then headed over to Target where I finally got a rug for my living room. When not out running around I was playing games with my sister and my nieces and nephew. Games played included: Backgammon, Monopoly & Life. Life was one of my favorite games growing up. It's gone through a make-over since the 1970s. Not sure I like the new version as much as the older one but it's still fun to play.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

found, found, found

deery lou.
previously on the e-list…

I spent the weekend cleaning my apartment which was way over due. Cleaning is my least favorite chore. I used to think it was bad cleaning my tiny studio apartment in SF and now I have a  2-story loft here in Miami. I basically broke it down into 2 days—day 1: ground floor; day 2: second floor. During the cleaning process, I was also reorganizing things to make room on the various bookshelves to accommodate some of the contents of the plastic container that I got from my dad's.

Going through one's past is quite interesting. The container was obviously packed by my mom many years ago and left to sit in their attic. It was bittersweet going through the stuff especially knowing that the last person to handle all of these treasures from my past was my mom. My treasure chest included the following:

collection of Hardy Boys books
Wolf Cub Scout book (which I can almost guarantee is out-of-date)
graduation cap & high school diploma
prom memorabilia (engraved champagne flutes, dried boutonniere, photo, program, key chain)
giant Mickey Mouse head bank
various books (celebrities of the 70s, Snoopy, Return of the Jedi, etc.)
yearbooks dating back to elementary school - high school
artwork
stuffed animals (an elephant, a dolphin & a dog)
a collection of Ranger Rick magazines (mom placed them in zip lock bags)
a scary paper mache clown
a vase (not sure it was mine)
some college beer mugs (again, not sure they were actually mine)
a report card from elementary school

Among the artwork was various school assignments. One of which was a poem I wrote. I'm not sure of the year.

Snow Flake
There was a snowflake laying on the snow.
A strong wind came up and blew the snowflake away.
The snowflake blew on a car.
The car started and went far-far away.
Finaly, the car stopped.
And the snowflake fell off and layed on the ground.
The sun came out and the snowflake melted.
The End (I copied it as is and decided not to fixed the obvious spelling mistakes)

The last piece of treasure I want to share is a Christmas List I made. There's no year on it but I think it was either 1982 or 1983.

Christmas List
Intelavison cartridges
1. Donkey Kong
2. Dungeons & dragons
3. Zaxon                                      20. pitfall for intell by Actavison
4. Bowling
5. Football                                    19. Demon Attack
6. Garfield book 2, 3, 4
7. things to add on to gerbil cage
8. G.I. Joe people
9. cords
10. O.P, lighting Bolt shirts


Choose Your own Adventure
11. Survival of the sea
12. The Abominable Snowman
13. E.T. storybook
14. E.T. paperback
15.  jeans
16. gray jogging suit
17. electronic Donkey Kong game & watch
18. electronic D&D
(I'm assuming that the things crossed out on the list were things I received)

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

faces

deery lou.
previously on the e-list…

Oh, summer vacation how I love you! Yesterday, I returned from my summer vacation at New Smyrna Beach. My sister and her family go every year and this year I was lucky enough to go with them. The weather could not have been more perfect. My days were spent swimming, sunning, playing wiffle ball & drinking. We had a great group of peeps with us making it all the more fun. What more could one ask for.

I usually started my day with a walk on the beach with my sister. Every morning we'd see dolphins swimming. Some days one of the children would accompany us and we'd gather shells as we strolled down the beach.

I went out to lunch a few times with some old high school friends which was great. It's always nice to be able to catch up with people from your past especially when they mean a lot to you. I had some great eats along the way: steamed shrimp & fried clams from The Breakers, rock shrimp, crab balls & hush puppies from JB's Fishcamp as well as one of the best greek salads ever from Manny's Pizza Beachside. The adults even managed to get a night out for some drinking at Beachside Tavern to celebrate T's birthday.

The fireworks on the 4th were amazing. This ranks as one of my top viewing spots for fireworks. There's just something about seeing fireworks on the beach. I'm definitely looking forward to next year.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

heart cooks brain

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

It's so strange not being out celebrating Pride weekend in SF. I hope all my SF peeps are having a blast. I need to make sure to mark my calendar that pride happens in April here so that I won't miss it next year.

It pretty much rained off and on all weekend. I did manage to make it to Target on Saturday to do a bit of shopping. It's so nice being in walking distance of one. And that was pretty much all I did besides watching mindless television.

Today, I work on some projects that needed to get done. At least I was somewhat productive. I need to start making an effort to go out more. This staying in business is starting to drive me nuts.

Just where will I end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well

1st instant/last report

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

I need to remind myself that I'm not in my twenties anymore. Staying out late and drinking definitely has its repercussions the next day. I feel like I wasted my Sunday. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

Last night I went out with K&H. I haven't seen them since the Wynwood Art Walk back in April so it was nice to catch up with them. We started off the evening with wine & dinner at Bengel Modern Indian Cuisine which happens to be a couple blocks from my apartment. On the menu: garlic nan, chicken samosas, & shrimp shaag. The food was really good. It's definitely a place I'll return to.

After dinner we headed to Brickell Village for some drinks. We walked around a bit until we settled on going to Perricone's Marketplace & Cafe. They have a nice little covered bar that faces the street. We had two rounds there and then decided to head over to Wood Tavern in Wynwood. The Wood Tavern has an amazing outside space. It kind of reminded me of Zeitgeist in SF with all the picnic tables. Another spot I'll definitely return to especially since it's in my hood. We had two rounds there as well.

We finished up the evening at Churchill's, a dive bar that has live music 7 days a week. We caught the tail end of the last band who sounded pretty good. This is definitely my kind of place. The vibe was very laid back with a great jukebox and variety of peeps. It reminded me a lot of the bars I used to go to in my college days.

Most of today was spent doing absolutely nothing. I tried to rally but really couldn't be bothered. Instead I finished watching season one of Magic City which takes place in Miami circa. 1959. It's a pretty decent show.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

team mate

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

It was another hot weekend here in Miami. I spent the weekend at my sister's house since she is heading out of town next week. On Saturday we did some marathon shopping. I ended up getting some curtains for my office, a frying pan, and a queen air mattress for when I have guests. Today we spent the morning lounging around and then went to my nephew's baseball game. Did I mention it was hot? I felt like I was sitting in a sauna while watching the game. It sure is nice spending time with family. Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well…

a promise

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Can I please rewind my weekend? I felt like I didn't actually have one since all my time was spent in front of my computer trying to save files from my faulty external hard drive. Computer maintenance is no fun.

On the bright side, my new recliner arrived on Saturday via my brother-in-law. Yay! Now I don't have to lay on an air mattress when I want to watch movies on my computer. I'm absolutely loving my new comfy chair. Only two more major purchases until my apartment is complete.

Today, I did manage to take a mini-break from computer stuff and took a little walk in my hood. It was freakin' hot out. When I got back, I immediately changed into my bathing suit and headed up to the pool where I spent the rest of the day.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

stay out of trouble

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

We are heading into storm season here in Florida and I'm loving it. Florida thunderstorms always make me think about my youth. It's been a long time since I've lived in Florida and the storms are one thing I'm looking forward to. I'm sure that just might change once I have to start walking to work in the pouring rain but for now I'm simply going to enjoy them.

Seeing that I forgot to blog last week, I'll catch you up on what's been happening since the last post. Last weekend I decided to be a bit adventurous and walked to South Beach. It took about an hour to get there which isn't too bad. The worst part about the walk is the heat but I made sure to be prepared and brought water for my journey. The walk across the Venetian Causeway Bridge was quite pretty. There are a lot of islands along the way that have some pretty amazing houses on them. The bay that day was filled with boaters. During one stretch I saw a bunch of giant lizards that look like dinosaurs sunning themselves on the rocks.

Once I reached South Beach, the first thing I did was make my way to Lincoln Ave to cool off in one of the many shops. After pretending to shop for a little bit, I made my way to the beach where I walked in the cool ocean water. There were a lot of people at the beach and my only regret was that I didn't wear my swimsuit. I spent about 4 hours in South Beach. By the time I was ready to go home I decided to take the bus back. The bus trip took about 15-20 minutes tops. After arriving home I quickly changed into my swimsuit and spent the rest of the day at the pool. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

This past weekend was spent at my sister's house. While my sister and brother-in-law were at my nephew's baseball game, I dragged my nieces to Old Navy so I could pick up some tank tops. They helped me pick out which colors and size looked best. :) It's fun having little personal shoppers. My nephew's team won their game so once they got back we all went out to lunch to celebrate. Afterwards, my sister and I did some furniture shopping. We went there to check out these chaise lounges they had but instead of getting one of them I ended up buying a recliner which felt as if I was sitting on a giant puff cloud. I can't wait until this Saturday when the recliner will actually be in my apartment. Watching TV will be so much fun now! Aside from furniture shopping, we also managed to get some movie watching, pool time, and reading done. I'm really enjoying being able to spend time with my sister and her family.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

thank you boys

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

OMG! Last week was the week from hell and mainly because I had to spend 5 hours at the DMV. Yes, you read it correctly 5 hours and I ended up having to go back the next day. I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Why didn't you make an appointment?". Well, I did have an appointment and things we're going smoothly until the system went down during my turn. Apparently, it not only went down at this branch but throughout the state of Florida. REALLY! Of all the days for it to go down it had to be the day I was there.

Since getting to the DMV via Miami public transportation is not the easiest thing to do, I wanted to sit it out. They made it sound like it would only be an hour or so. Eventually they were able to do some things but they weren't able to process new drivers licenses. Finally, around 3 pm they called me up and said it wasn't going to happen today and gave me a pass for my next visit. The thought of having to do this all over again did not sound like fun. I felt the best thing to do was go again on Friday and that's what I did. Lucky for me, the second time was a charm and I walked out of there a valid FL driver. Yay!!

My sister came down on Friday night and I took her to Cafeina in Wynwood for a birthday cocktail. She was a bit skeptical at first due to the neighborhood but once inside she really seemed to enjoy the atmosphere. It got even better once the outside patio opened and we moved out there.

I spent the rest of the weekend at my sister's to celebrate her birthday & mother's day. As always it was a great visit. We discovered some awesome bbq at this nursery we went to and later that day I picked up some fixings to make bloody mary's. There's nothing like a good bloody mary. Yum!

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

teeth in the grass

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Spent a fabulous weekend with my sister and her family. My sister and I spent Saturday morning doing some shopping and then that evening we all went out to dinner at Islamorada Fish Company. The food was really good and my bloody mary came with its own garden salad: pickles, celery, olives & a shrimp. I ended up having two. :)

On Sunday I went to my nephew's baseball game. I forgot how serious some of the parents can take the game. Afterwards my sister brought me back home and I spent the rest of the day hanging stuff around my apartment. Only six more pictures to hang up! Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

i'm afraid of americans

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Another week has passed and I'm slowly making progress on my apartment. I actually hung some photos, placed others, and started the organization of the walk in closet. It rained off and on this weekend which helped with getting things done. Besides working on the pad, I squeezed in two movies: The Muppets & 50/50. I was pleasantly surprised by both flicks especially the Muppets. Watching the muppets made me think of my youth and how I was so jealous that "BJ" had a Miss Piggy Puppet. I had always wanted one. "BJ" was nice enough to let Miss Piggy have a sleepover at my place. I'm sure my constant nagging had nothing to do with it. In return, I managed to destroy poor Miss Piggy's hair returning it in a frizzy state. Needless to say, I don't think "BJ" let me borrow anything else after that.

On Sunday I met up with someone that I went to high school with so many years ago. It was great being able to catch up after all these years. We had lunch at Sakaya Kitchen at the midtown mall. The food wasn't bad. It was Asian fusion (Korean, Japanese, Chinese). They had kimchi eggrolls which were absolutely delicious. At least I know these somewhere close by to get my Korean fix. I still need to find a more authentic place.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

dragon queen

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

Here's a midweek post about some things that I've observed this past month living in Miami. Miami definitely has SF beat as a dog city. Cats roam wild throughout the streets. A film crew has been in my neighborhood twice. I just might get discovered after all. Pigeons beware! I've witnessed a homeless man grab a pigeon and walk off. Hopefully, he didn't eat it. It's definitely a HOT area and I'm not talking about the weather. People are generally friendly. Shopping at the grocery is like being in a bumper car. It's always blue skies & sunshine.

Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well.

the visit

deery lou.
previoulsy on the e-list…

I've been so wrapped up in my unpacking (yes, my stuff actually arrived) that I almost forget to do my weekly blog update. This will probably be a quick one since I can hear my bed calling me.

Work is going really well. I'm so happy to be back in the creative world. It's amazing how the day goes by so fast when you actually enjoy what you are doing. Looking back at my old job, I'm not sure how I managed to last there as long as I did. The Experience Bermuda book that I did some layouts for came in this week. It looks good. It's so nice having my work in print again. Right now I'm in the middle of working on both the English & Spanish editions of Baptist Health's magazines. I love having different projects to work on.

As I mentioned above, my stuff arrived on Thursday. I was bit stressed because Wednesday night I got a text from the driver which said, "The address is Miami??". I immediately thought that he was somewhere else besides Miami and didn't sleep at all that night. My sister showed up around 9 a.m. and we sat on my balcony until the truck arrived. The move went off without a hitch and my sister helped me do some unpacking before she had to go. I ended up getting a lot done on Thursday.

My sister brought my nephew over on Saturday so he could see my apartment since he wasn't able to come last weekend. We went to Target (surprise, surprise) so I could get a few more things for my place. It seems like I've been dropping a lot of money there lately. Oh, the price you pay for moving into a much larger apartment then before. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my place. I do! Even though it will probably bankrupt me.

I spent most of today unpacking and decorating. All of the boxes have been opened and emptied. Now it's a matter of taking care of all the little things that are now scattered all over my floor. Hopefully, I'll take care of that throughout the week and then the next big thing will be to organize my giant walk in closet which is now filled with the stuff I don't want to deal with. : )

I'm on the look out for either of big cushy chair or chaise lounge for my office. If anyone has any ideas of stores to check out online let me know. Just where will I end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well

somebody that i used to know

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

It's another beautiful day in Miami—blue skies & sunshine! This morning I ventured out to Panther Coffee in the Wynwood Art District. It's a bit of hike but differently worth it. I have a feeling this will be my Sunday morning routine. It's always great to find a local coffee establishment to support. There is so much art to see in Wynwood which has me excited.

Last night I went with some friends to the Wynwood Art Walk which happens every second Saturday of the month. It's such a great feeling to be a city where art thrives. We stopped in a few galleries, hit the food truck area and then ended up at Cafeina for cocktail. Before heading home we got a night cap and some nibbles at Boteco.

Earlier in the day my sister and nieces came over to celebrate my birthday. We headed to the Target in midtown where I picked up some patio furniture. Yay! I actually have somewhere to sit now that isn't the floor. We had lunch at Mario the Baker, took a walk to the bay, and then came back to my apartment. My sister and I attempted to hang some curtains but it was bust because the tension rod wasn't working out to well. We returned to target where I exchanged the tension rod for a sturdier rod. My sister baked me some birthday cupcakes—vanilla with orange icing. Yum! I got lots of goodies from my sister & nieces. It was a great first birthday in my new pad.

I had my first experience riding the bus this week. The public transportation is nothing like SF but at least I know I can get somewhere far if I need to. It also looks like my stuff will finally be arriving this week. Double Yay! I'm so ready to get my apartment in order.

Just where will I end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well

generations

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

I'm back bitches! It's been a long time since my last post and I thought it was about time that I got back to my little old blog. A lot has happened over the past three months. I was offered a job at HCP Aboard, a custom publishing company of the Miami Herald, and decided I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get back into what I love doing–graphic design. It was definitely bitter sweet saying goodbye to San Francisco, a place I called home since 1998 and leaving all my friends but I simply couldn't pass up this opportunity.

I left SF in early February and moved in with my sister while I searched for an apartment in Miami. I'm so thankfully that I had family in the area. It definitely made the transition a lot easier but it nice to be able to spend some quality time with my sister and her family. I stayed with my sister for about two months taking over my niece's purple room. Needless to say, she was quite happy to get her room back.

I moved into my new fabulous loft apartment on April 1. My stuff won't be arriving until April 19 so in the meantime it's just me, a bed, some clothes, my computer, and an air mattress which is posing as my temporary sofa. I'm looking forward for my things to arrive so I can get to decorating this place. This the first time in my life that I have an apartment that I absolutely love. There's a Publix, Target,  a Starbucks, and lots of restaurants while walking distance from my apartment. What more could I need!

I've adjusted quite well to my new life. It is really beautiful here. I'm in walking distance to the bay and literally a bus ride from the beach. Things are going to be good! Just where will I end up next is any one's guess.

stay gold & be well

p.s. Be on the look out for my new blog my life on the e-list: the miami snapshots

plateau

deery lou.
previously on the e-list…

Last night had to be one the best unexpected New Year's I've had in a long while. There's nothing like ringing in the new year with friends. Originally, I hadn't planned on doing anything that night but things just sort of fell into place.

I spent the earlier part of the day with d&j. We went to Target in search of a Christmas tree but with no luck. So instead, I bought some non-Christmas essentials. Afterward the three of us went to grab a bite to eat in Noe Valley. Then we finally had our Christmas together. Having a late Christmas is always nice. I scored some sweet gifts from the boys.

That night I had dinner with kiki & her #1 gal. I always enjoy going there for dinner. They have a way of making you feel very welcomed. After dinner we were joined by d&j as well as r&d for a round of cocktails. Around 11:40 we headed to Dolores Park to watch the fireworks. This was actually the first time I've ever watched the fireworks in SF for NYE. We had an amazing view of the them. Watching the fireworks with the city in the foreground was simply breathtaking.

There were quite a bit of people out in the park celebrating. Two guys decided to get naked and run across the park once midnight struck. How typical for SF. There was also a guy behind us you kept saying, "Holy shit, it's 2012", which has now become the official motto of 2012.

I hope everyone else had a great new year's as well. Just where will I be next is any one's guess. Happy New Year's!

stay gold & be well