my cinema engagement

On a Friday night this past June my sweetheart Manny took me to a movie. We went to a six o'clock showing of A-Team but before the feature started something else came on the big screen. He nudged me and whispered  "I forgot to tell you, I made you something..." and then this came on.


HWY 9: A Story About Love from Manny Marquez on Vimeo.

He got down on one knee with that ring and I said/cried/shrieked "YES!", the crowd of around twenty in the theater and also the whole theater staff were there clapping and congratulating us. Obviously we didn't stay for the show, there was celebrating and phone calls to make! We walked a couple blocks from the theater to Manny's office where he had gathered all my family and our friends for a surprise engagement party complete with champagne and sweets. We showed the film again, and there wasn't a dry eye left in the place. Thank you Skylight Theater and Jeweler on The Roof it was movie magic!

giraffe love

My love of giraffes has been steadfast since my first stuffed animal, a giraffe named Geraldine.When I saw this DirecTV "Opulence, I has it" spot I got all giggly inside, and also jealous, not for the gold bars but for the pygmy giraffe!

It also reminds me of my dream vacation to the Giraffe Manor  in Nairobi.

and my go to baby shower gift, Sophie the Giraffe

The Umbrellas of Seattle

Alicante, Spain - via (Placidiappunti)

It's almost the hottest month the northwest ever sees and I'm yearning for a day of rain to come. Any excuse to purchase a cheerful umbrella from this lovely Seattle bumbershoot connoisseur. Which one will I choose... 

This could go with everything...

but this just might brighten even the worst rainy nw day! 

View the pare*umbrella site to see more amazing rain shelters. Style and fabric designs change every season and are all produced in limited editions so get them while it's hot!

re: my blogs neglect

Dearest Blog,

  I'm so sorry for my failure to update on all the changes and beautiful things happening in my life. I have since moved to my hometown, said yes to the sweetest marriage proposal ever (story coming soon!!!), said goodbye to my cherished laptop, quit my day job, and the animal children have grown. I hope to have more time to post. Things are well, I'm full of good news and lovely things to post.

cheers, loveleigh!

my little Sundance

My kitty Sundance is at the vet overnight for the second time in 3 weeks. His urinary tract is not so perfect and I don't even want to go into detail all that he's gone through. Hopefully my little one can come home tomorrow. I miss his little sweet face.

-update- Sundance is doing well! 

He is one year old now and with a daily dose of 

natural carpon tablets his ph levels are stable. 

LA salad homage "MASA"

My homage to MASA of Echo Park in LA. Mixed greens, medjool dates, granny smith apples, manchego cheese, and caramelized pecans with La Vecchia Dispensa fruit balsamic and oil. It was so good and made me miss all our old Masa friends!

pancakes and westerns

Quite a fine breakfast was had today using my American Spoon goods that I received for Christmas. Buckwheat pancakes with blueberry spoon fruit and Michigan maple syrup while watching Bandolero! An enjoyable morning for sure. Now off to work, boohoo...

LA salad homage "AMMO"

My homage to AMMO Cafe in LA. Golden beets, black beluga lentils, toasted pepitas, and goat cheese salad. With spicy sweet potato fries on the side. Yum-O dinner was good!

nye day

 these flip flops feel so good!

twenty ten

It's 2010 and my resolution... to hit the blog again!

dylan + santa = funnest party ever

Loving the new Bob Dylan Christmas album and not just because all the profits go to charity. Click HERE to watch the vid to my favorite song off the album!

oregon next weekend!

I'm Oregon bound Thursday morning through monday night. Coffee will be drank, strolls will be taken, hugs will be everywhere, and my  suitcase will come home stuffed with Juanita's Corn Chips!

 

I hope to have coffee with all these faces and more. A visit to the new animal reserve near The Dalles is in order to see my most favorite animal of all, giraffes! A stop in for a hand painted cookie is a must at the new  La Petite Provence bakery. I'll spend a day soaking up the lovely Apple Green Shop with my sister paying my tab for the delicious candle and tableware she's got me hooked on! Of course the two biggest events will be seeing top of the class miss Isabella's ballet performance Saturday night and then an after party thrown by super astronaut robot fireman Daniel in my honor. Cupcakes and hide and seek have been promised and I'm holding him to it!!!

saturday love

Manny and I had a fun day... slept in, made egg white scramble with peppers asparagus and veggie sausage, wrote the bean blog, watched a great John Wayne movie The Shootist went to Lucky Baldwins in Sierra Madre and split a chip medley. What is a chip medley? it's chips (fries), with sauteed mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, onions and Heinz baked beans. I fell in Heinz bean love. Santa Barbara Brewery started pouring this week and it was black as the night. We headed to Amoeba Music to peruse the westerns. We picked up a nifty barely used talking heads cd/dvd/book collection called Once in a Lifetime. While I listened, read, and watched my new purchase Manny edited a video together with old footage he shot in Art Center to a song we really enjoy, soldier on vimeo, a memorable memorial day weekend video. Now on to our current obsession The Wire to end the day.. so long farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight.

what to do if your closet is too full...

you buy a new dresser of course! I got this at a thrift shop and I'm working on making it look nice. I sanded it down to get off the primary colored Jewish clowns. Seriously, I should have taken pictures before but I forgot! Just imagine clowns with yamikas and balloons. It will soon be "Ralph Lauren Mexican Feather Grass #NA69"!

biscuits and beans

we LOVE 'em here. The biscuits were so good at Cowboy Fest that it drove me to bake some up myself. I baked and baked and baked until the recipe was tripled and we had 55 biscuits. Then my secret cowboy beans were made. Now all I need is a dutch oven for mastering peach cobbler!



okay fine, here is my secret beans recipe...
These beans will take a few hours to cook so leave enough time before your bean crazy friends start arriving! It usually serves Manny, Freddy, and I for two days whatever that means!

1 bag of pinto beans (soaked overnight)
1 big pot of water (10-12 cups)
1 stick of butter cubed (I know excessive amount but SO good)
1 medium yellow onion chopped up
6 cloves garlic smashed up
1 can of green chilies
3 tbs. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 bunch of cilantro

rinse your soaked beans and put them in a pot. along with them add all other ingredients except the cilantro. Put that on the stove and add your water so it covers all your ingredients. cover the pot with a lid and turn the stove on high until it starts boiling then turn down to medium heat and stir. For about the next 4 hours you will need to stir the beans pretty much every 45 minutes. make sure there is always enough water covering all the ingredients. if the water gets low add more. for the last 30 minutes of cooking add the cilantro. why add it last? because it turns brown and lifeless if you add it in the beginning! pretty much that is it. If your beans are still tough and hard cook it longer! I serve them with shredded cheese, Tapatio, and biscuits of course.


the biscuits are just a simple recipe

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg (slightly beaten)

preheat your oven to 400 degrees. mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. cut the butter into the flour mix until it turns to coarse crumbs. add the milk and egg and stir until just combined. use a floured surface and knead the dough gently until it comes together. make sure not to knead too much though or your flakiness will lack. pat out your dough so it is a 1/2 inch thick. cut out biscuits with a round cookie cutter and place on a ungreased baking sheet. bake for about 10-15 minutes on high rack. serve with butter and strawberry jam!

cowboy fest 2008

We did Cowboy Fest for 2 days this year. The first day we went with Freddy and Sean, on Sunday with Paul and his gorgeous daughter Sephira. We all had a good time, the weather was perect and we got to see everything we wanted to. Once again the chuck wagon peach cobbler was my favorite part!

more photos on flickr here

cowboy links in case you couldn't make it...

my favorite chuckwagon

manny's new clothier

gordy the banjoologist

dave bourne the piano man

buckaroo bobbins

two great things

...Barack and Battlestar together...

So recently Manny and I have been pretty obsessed with the show Battlestar Galactica. Adama is the commander of the great military vessel Battlestar Galactica, commander of the refugee fleet and military commander of the evacuees of the twelve colonies. Anyways Adama is just about as great as Obama. Obama could totally crush a Cylon war. and yes Manny and I are pretty weak at photoshop but we tried!

look out young son

My most favorite music video to date has been released. Manny has made another masterpiece come alive with help from our friends Randy, Julian, Mike, Julia, Melissah, Morgan, Jen, Chuck, and Skinner!



the write up's have been flowing on the blogs, just a few of note...

ew.com
welikeit.indie.com
thetripwire.com
pressherepresents.com

best boots ever

So these are the boots. My first pair of boots. My most favorite boots ever. The perfect birthday present with the perfect fit from the perfect love Manny. I love love love them and I've already broke them in!

holy bananas

Growing up in the fruit orchards of Hood River Oregon I have a serious love for fruit trees. These bananas hanging over our driveway amaze me as do the lemon and avocado trees. Oh how I love the California climate!

get ready........

it's almost time for the
santa clarita cowboy festival!!!
at melody ranch aka deadwood
april 23rd-27th

tickets are $20 and it's so worth it!


biscuits, beans, corn on the cob, peach cobbler, cowboy coffee, cowboy church, behind the scenes, melody ranch motion picture museum, cowboy art, cowboy poetry, cowboy storytelling, western mercantile vendors, western tailors, and free bottled water cause it's 100 degrees out!

easy sunday morning

Raffy stopped by for a little coffee and some tunes this morning. 

It was the perfect Echo Park morning so I made a little Sunday 

morning music picture video...

ps. first time final cut pro project! thank you Manny and Jen!

five stars two thumbs up

Things are well in Los Angeles. Sunny hot days, great neighbors, finally some healthy cats, and an amazing music video about to be released directed by Manny for "Grand Ole Party" my current favorite band!

photos, music, friends, film, family, echo park, cooking, crafts, handywork, habits, travels, likes, and loves.

first blog... check!