Our New Crib

WE FOUND A NEW PLACE TO LIVE!! So, short back story, my brother is moving to town and is living with us so we needed a bigger, upgraded space pronto. Well, we found one! I had been uber stressed about finding just the right place, mostly uber stressed because I hate apartment hunting with a passion. We lost out on the first apartment we applied for and my spirits were suffering because of it. Jeff and I set out on a Saturday morning determined to turn our luck around. We made a few appointments with renters we found through Craigslist and off we went. The first place was dis.appoint.ing. Very small and very loud and had these strange lamps affixed to the wall in the living room (just like yours, Jess.) Jeff and I said, "No, gracias." And headed to our second appointment. On the way, we passed a gentleman waving an open house sign, and we debated turning around. I thought, what the hey? Let's check it out. We whipped our car right around and went in to take a look.

When we entered the only available apartment in our price range, no words could form, only sounds. I wanted to live there and I wanted to live there NOW! We ran back to the manager and asked for an application. He said, "Don't you all have any questions?" Oh...uh...yeah...I guess we should ask about, ya know, if there's running water and all that... Jeff and I were on a high and told the manger we'd have our applications back Monday. Well, I couldn't sleep that night. I got up super early Sunday morning and tried to wait for a reasonable hour before calling our potential new landlord. 10am finally rolled around and I called and told him we were too excited and we'd drop it off right away. After a stomach in knots Sunday and a anxiety rattled Monday we were told the apartment was ours and we signed our lease!! You guys want pictures? Well, here we go!

Entering the apartment. You can understand my lack of words upon opening the door to the most beautiful townhouse apartment ever made that is perfect in every possible way ever.

Our gorgeous, if a bit off centered fire place. I've only lit one before, so please cross your fingers for us.

The dining area. Can you believe it?!

The kitchen, I don't even care that it doesn't have a fridge. Small potatoes, my friends.

Timmy Tao's Room

Timmy Tao's Closet

Timmy Tao's Bathroom. Gorgeous! 

The stairs leading up to our little love nest. Is it gross to call it a love nest with my brother now in the house?

Our bedroom. It's much longer than it is wide, and is also no longer white! (Stay Tuned)

Our Bathroom.

OUR SUNDECK! I have never had any outdoor space to call my own in Los Angeles. This is a huge personal victory :)

Another view. Also a cute shot of my babe. Hey Jeffer!

Our outdoor storage. Not much to look at, but so unbelievably rare here in Los Angeles.

Welp, so, you must think that's it...but you'd be wrong!

Whoa, what's that? A third toilet in the hizzouse?? You betcha!

We are so blessed to have found something so right for us and a house we're all so excited to make a home. I am beyond intimidated and so nervous to dive in and begin to make it look like us. I want a comfortable, but beautiful and peaceful place where friends love to hang out. I love to entertain and can't wait to start making memories here in our new crib :)

Couldn't leave you without a parting shot...

(don't mind my purse on the floor, it kinda looks like a giant rat)

~AJ

I Love Lamp

To celebrate our three years living in L.A. we went all out and....bought a new lamp! Woo hoo! Our old lamp was just so....college dorm room.

I was embarrassed when we had folks over and this is the lamp they saw when entering our abode. Sad, but true...

I especially hate the black cords running down it. "Why, Ikea?? WHY???!!"

Last weekend on a quick trip to Target, which is never quick and always turns into an all day event, Jeff and I were walking around the Americana at Brand in Glendale and jumped across the street to the much beloved Home Goods. Jeff doesn't even complain when I want to "pop in for a second" at this store. It is a mecca, a 'home goods' mecca. The thing about Home Goods is that they so rarely have floor lamps. They have table lamps aplenty, but rarely floor lamps. However, today was our LUCKY DAY. Sitting there, right in the middle of the isle were two matching floor lamps with....DRUM SHADES!! Drum shaped shades are the only acceptable lamp shade shapes in my opinion. (Say that five times fast!) I wasn't in love with the lamp completely, and I know never to make a home purchase without being so completely enamored with an item that you have.to.have.it., but I liked it well enough and we've been looking for forever (no joke!) So, without further ado, our lamp...

I love the shade, oh yes, I do!

So sexy, so handsome.

It greets me each night as I walk in after a tediously long drive home from work.

Hello, lover. Oh beacon of light that you are...oh, and Jeff too...

So, that's it! We love our new lamp :) The oiled bronze thing it has going on now is fine, but we're pretty psyched to change up our overall color scheme once we've moved. We're searching for the perfect gray rug, so the lamp will most likely be given a fresher, i.e. whiter, coat of paint.

Happy Friday!

~AJ

3 Years Baby!

 Taken from the fire escape of the first studio apartment we shared in Los Feliz.

This week is my official 3 year anniversary living in the city of Los Angeles! Not much has changed and so much has changed. Below are a few firsts that happened during our, you guessed it, first year living in Hell ahem, L.A.

First attempt at decorating the living area of our studio. Wow I thought I was doing big things. But look, we had 1 Room! It had to function as both a living space and a sleeping space and I was doing the best I could. Alright? That satisfy you? Sorry for getting so defensive there for a minute...whew...out of my system. Much of that darling miniature Ikea furniture has moved with us to our one bedroom apartment, but hopefully won't be with us much longer...

First fancy night out. We were celebrating Jeff's birthday and had dinner at the ultra luxe and now defunct Table 8. It was fabulous and Hollywood and all of those great things I had dreamed of a night out in L.A. being.

First DIY "art." Alright, it was a cool stamp and a cheap canvas and I really really loved it. It's so hip in it's two tonedness...right? Edgy, cool, oh yeah, all of that stuff.

First birthday celebrated at my old "new" job. I'd been there just over a month and my coworkers went all out and had balloons and bought me a cake! This was not just any cake either, it was a Triple Berry Shortcake from Olsen twins co-owned Sweet Lady Jane. If you know me and my love of the Olsen's you can believe how excited I was!

Though this didn't happen in the first year we lived here, this is my first attempt at decorating our first bedroom in our first one bedroom apartment. I've changed things up since then, but we're about to change them up a ton more. My brother is moving in with us to begin his post-college "oh my gosh it's time to enter the real world what have I gotten myself into" stage and Jeff and I are happy to help a brotha out. I can't wait to show you our new pad...just have to find it first...

Knock on wood for us!

~AJ