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Some recent Instagram pics

Our Nanny gave Hank a half-ponytail and he loved it

Hanging out with the big boys 

Saying Cheese

Demonstrating that Chivalry is indeed not dead 

Starbucks sipping 

In Defense of Crying Babies on Airplanes

Tomorrow Hank and I are headed to Chicago to visit family and help throw a baby shower for my best friend. The two of us have now flown many times and our experiences have been everything from people stopping me at the end of the flight to say how wonderfully behaved Hank was to me literally yelling at someone who kept staring at my crying child  - and yes, he cried the entire duration of the flight, and no, it wasn't my finest moment. In fact my brother who was on that nonstop crying flight told me at the end of the trip that he was never having children. Yep, Hank and I squashed his desire to procreate in one airplane trip.

I am never 100% sure what I am going to get. It's always stressful. Nearly every flight I endure some kind of sigh or cruel stare when someone realizes they will be sitting in close proximity to me and my little guy. That is why I cannot get over the balls of my friend Annie. She recently flew from New York to Los Angeles with her two daughters. At some point during the flight she realized that the woman sitting behind her was comedian Judy Gold and that Judy was actually tweeting out nasty remarks about her crying child. So my friend created a twitter account for said baby called @Jetbluebaby4A and fought back. Check out and follow JetBluebaby here. I am going to cross my fingers for an awesome flight tomorrow with Hank but if he cries I will just channel Annie and her amazing daughter JetBluebaby4a. 

New Fiona Apple

It's been seven years since Fiona Apple released "Extraordinary Machine," which is pretty hard to believe. I have distinct memories of visiting friends apartments in New York when that album was released and listening to them belting out the various songs from that record as I knocked on the door. It was definitely a soundtrack to a moment in my life and that moment doesn't feel that long ago but I guess it was. She will finally release a new album on June 19th. You can listen to her new song " "Werewolf" here.

Outdoor Movies

If you've read my blog at all you know that I am obsessed with outdoor movies. I love the idea of having them in our backyard. We still haven't done this yet but I swear it's going to happen. In case we can't make the backyard movie thing happen this summer luckily there are all sorts of options in Los Angeles. The best one is of course the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. New York has Bryant Park and we have a rather odd cemetery tucked into a dodgy corner of Hollywood. If you go I recommend you get a friend to hold you a spot in line. People line up hours before the doors open and have a picnic before everything even gets started. Once the doors open you wander past the airbrushed images of people on their gravestones (seriously!) and head to an open field and enjoy the sunset. While you wait there is usually music and all sorts of people milling about. Everyone brings a picnic. The smart people bring some kind of low chair with back support, or at least a pillow. Once the sun goes down the movies begin. They always have some amazing classic Hollywood films, eighties classics, and of course a horror movie or two (after all this is a cemetery). I think this is such a quintessential LA experience that everyone needs to do at least once. There are other smaller options. Atwater Village even put on some movies last summer for the neighborhood. If you do go to the cemetery I highly recommend you go to the bathroom before the movie begins. There is nothing more terrifying then trying to locate your friends in a dark sea of people after a glass of rose. Trust me.

Dance

This is a promotional pic from SYTYCD It is not me in my Zumba class  

I am not the best dancer on the block. I don't think I am the worst either but I am definitely not the best. I did some jazz and ballet growing up. I have noticed that as I get older it's harder to remember routines. This weekend I joined my friend Avi and attended my first Zumba class. It's not a traditional dance class by any means but wow it was a serious workout! Who knew? You literally do not stop moving the entire class and there is definitely a lot of dance incorporated into the movements. This class was so much work. It was also a blast. I took it at this local place called Heartbeat House where anyone can watch you in the windows as you move. The twenty-something version of me probably would have been embarrassed about onlookers watching me struggle at times but thankfully the thirty-something me could care less. I was just having so much fun, and its so much better than running I can't believe it. If you have a chance I encourage you to check out Zumba. It is seriously an incredible workout.

Josie Maran

During my very first year in Los Angeles I had to go to Larchmont Village to interview people on the street about whatever the story of the day was (I think it had to do with why girl's go through puberty so much earlier these days). This is a part of my job that people dread. I mean we literally fight each other to not have to do these interviews because so often people say no and don't want to speak with us at all. Also there just aren't that many places in Los Angeles where you find people walking on the street. While literally begging people to speak with me this gorgeous mom with a baby in a sling happily stopped to chat with me for a while. She was lovely and engaging and basically made the assignment and it was Josie Maran. Since then I have become a devotee of her cosmetics. I love that they are safe and natural. I use her Argan Daily moisturizer with SPF every day (ok almost every day b/c sometimes I just can't remember) and it's great: 

I was so excited to see that she is the latest Mom featured on The Glow. 

great daily moisturizer

The feature is of course lovely because come on she is stunning. The Glow is definitely aspirational mamma eye candy but I love it all the same. 

Sans Husband

This weekend Mike will be in Vegas whooping it up for his good friend's bachelor party. That means Hank and I will be flying solo this weekend so I am trying to think of some fun activities for us. To be honest my husband isn't always as much of a fan of a super-planned weekend as I am so since he is gone I can plan, plan, plan without fear of cutting into his relaxation time too much. So get ready Hank. So far I am thinking we will go here  because we just became members and here  because frankly it's the most lovely botanical gardens ever. Seriously if you live in Los Angeles and have not yet visited the Huntington Gardens you should stop reading this and go now. We also have plans to have a picnic with the other moms I know who are flying solo this weekend, and maybe just maybe Hank and I will get our flea market on this Sunday at the Pasadena City College flea, which isn't as big as the Rose Bowl but definitely has some treasures.

Huntington Gardens 

Huntington Gardens 

Huntington Gardens