IMG_5832, originally uploaded by shanaj67.

I hadn’t had a chance to post a few shots for the 4th of July! I had a nice weekend with my brother. Here he and Judy are manning the grill!

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We are halfway through the Starlight Bowl concert series this weekend! This should not be confused with the Hollywood Bowl! The venue is smaller and the acts are very different. We see the Mariachi Divas tonight! We bought a box (very cheap) with our friends Patty and Erik. We split up the cooking. One week, Tim and I cook and she and Erik bring the wine and appetizers and then the next week, we flip it. This week I am on cooking duty so I am bringing a cold salmon salad. I also made mini cheddar and jalapeno muffins and chocolate chip cookies.

We are going to the Hollywood Bowl next week with some friends and I am really excited! I love the Bowl. We bought two nights back in May.

Tim has been updating his studio. He put up new curtains and planned to hang them on a wire. But the wire wasn’t strong enough. I asked him if we could take the wire and hang it in the hallway so I could put pictures, cards, etc. that we get during the year. Every year on New Year’s Eve, we sit down and write out the events that were special to us. I thought every year we could collect the items that we hung and it will help us remember! I’m really excited about it and hung up some things that I have been saving!

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Last Thursday, we were lucky enough to see the American Ballet Theater perform Sleeping Beauty! It was a stunning production at the Dorothy Chandler pavilion in downtown LA. I love the ballet so much. The American Ballet Theater is Baryshnikov’s former company. In fact, the first ballet that I saw was the TV production of the Nutcracker that he performed with Gelsey Kirkland. Gelsey was a choreographer for the performance we saw last Thursday.

Before the show, we ate outside at the Patina restaurant in front of the Dorothy Chandler. It was super hot – so of course, we needed a nice glass of white wine!

Hands in the hall, originally uploaded by shanaj67.

Tim took this! It’s too funny.

photo.jpg, originally uploaded by shanaj67.

Yesterday we drove down to Anaheim to visit David, Steven and Adam. They were on vacation for David’s birthday. It was so nice to see them! We ate at Goofy’s Kitchen. I was a little concerned because it’s a character dining experience. So I figured the food would be kind of bad, but it was really good. And they had a table of kids foods that was so cute! Hot dogs, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets. It was too funny! We didn’t go in to the park. It’s been incredibly hot down here! It’s been hitting close to 100 every day. The weird part is that it doesn’t cool down until late in the evening. We went to the ballet the other night and when we left downtown LA at 10:30, it was still 86!

P4290051, originally uploaded by shanaj67.

My wonderful brother-in-law JR is celebrating his birthday today! I just wish we were celebrating with him!

IMG_0059, originally uploaded by shanaj67.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve really come to love the 4th of July. We usually spend time with friends and family and cook a lot! This year is no exception. Tim went to Oregon this year to visit his family (I miss him like crazy!!). Last night he hung out with David, played music and went to a party. His family has a party every year and he’s missed it since we moved. We talked about going together this year, but I don’t have vacation time! Lucky for me, Rich came down to LA. We went to see “Eclipse” yesterday and then out to dinner with Anneliese. She recommended this amazing Mexican restaurant in Montrose that had potato flautas! Their mole’ sauce was to die for!

Today, we are hanging with Judy and Michael. When you cook with Judy, it’s not just regular barbeque food! She’s making her famous vodka cherry tomatoes, beef teriyaki kebabs and she is duplicating the grapefruit cake from the Brown Derby. Rich and I are making grilled bread with asparagus and brie, twice baked potatoes, grilled veggies and marinated tofu. I’m so excited! I do have to work tomorrow, which is a bummer!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!!!

1999 Rich and Tim Santa Monica, originally uploaded by shanaj67.

1999 was a momentous year for us. We moved to CA. It amazes me that we did it. Neither of us had jobs, Tim had a plan, but I sure didn’t. And we thought we would try to make it for a couple of years and go back if we were unhappy. A couple of years has turned in to 11 and we both really love it here. When we first moved, I loved the fun of LA. And while I still do love the fun, it’s now our home. I scanned a few pictures from the move and the first year.

God Help Us!!, originally uploaded by shanaj67.

My brother turns 40 on June 24th! I can’t believe it. How did we become middle aged! This is one of my favorite pictures. It was in the cab when we all arrived in London! I believe he has it framed on his desk.

The plan is to travel to Hong Kong next year to celebrate Rich’s birthday. This year, he will have to settle for dinner. He is coming down next weekend for the 4th. Tim will be away, but Rich stayed over a night so we could celebrate.

He is a wonderful, wonderful brother and I love him!

Lucina Fletcher (stand) Rose Mary Fletcher(sit Gran’s Gran), originally uploaded by shanaj67.

I am continuing to scan! What an undertaking, but it’s awfully fun. I’ve been sending these on to my Uncle in Raleigh too. This picture is of my great-grandmother (on my mother’s side), she is standing. Her name was RoseMary.

Wish me luck – I’m trying my hand at making homemade egg rolls and coconut rice. My friend Monique makes egg rolls perfectly, but mine always fall apart! I’m on a quest to be a better cook. I am trying to stretch myself this summer. I do the same things over and over! Since we don’t eat meat, recipe books and magazines are often lost on us! But I’ve picked up a couple of new books and am working through them.