Russ & Ang's Wanderings

Blogs, Blogs and More Blogs

2010-01-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ever since discovering the power of a "blog", I/we've taken full advantage. Most recently though, we started a blog to track our progress on a major home renovation. The primary focus of this new blog is to share with the "world" our adventures in renovating a major fixer in the heart of LA. I will continue to update our "couple" blog but not as frequently as I only have so much time. Maybe Mr. Kerwin will grace us with a post or two but until then....you can folllow the house specifically at http://www.arealrenovationreality.blogspot.com/

3800 square feet +, 10,000 square foot lot, big ol' project - - Priceless

This picture will give you a pretty good idea as to the scale of this house...it's a beast.

Praise the Lord for providing us with a house and with able bodies to fix it up! God is good.

Tightening our belts and cooking a bird.

2009-12-31T00:22:00.000-08:00

Most of you know the continued saga of us attempting to buy a home in Los Angeles. Our lender keeps telling us, "it's gonna close tomorrow". It's actually become a joke to us. Good thing we are so easy going...or, so I've learned to be :) We have been assured that we do own the house but there is one remaining technicality left to resolve. I am reluctant to pop the champagne just yet as we don't want to count our chickens before they hatch (thank you mom for this saying it's perfect). Let's just hope that it's ours soon especially since we've re-roofed the garage, tore up the upstairs floors, purchased two refrigerators, a stove and planks of new hardwood floors are lying everywhere!

In light of this major purchase and the fact that only one of us brings home the bacon (I know, you're shocked - the South Beach Diet commercial from over a year ago did NOT pay me $1 million dollars) we do have to be a little more conservative. I'm not going to lie, I've been informed that I might need to start tightening my belt (ughh) and worse yet maybe get a "real" job. If by real we mean working from home and/or starting my headshot photography business then we are in luck! Honestly though, it's about high time we started coming back down to reality and getting our priorities in order. Oh, I had you didn't I?! I can just see my mom muttering "ya" and pumping her fist in the air. But I'm just kidding.... reality shreality (is that a word?) we're gonna keep rockin it like it's 1999 until we can't party no more. Yet, our definition of "kickin it" may be more like a six-pack and a sander than a bottle of Cristal at a club (who am I kidding, we've never had Cristal but it's the only drink I could think of that starts with a "c")

In all seriousness though, I am quite a bargain shopper (thank you again Kathy Brink - - she's getting a lot of props in the entry). And, in the spirit of saving money on groceries I purchased a big ol' 10 lb. turkey at the Ralph's day after Thanksgiving sale. With an impending move date of January 15th and our lack of desire to have one more thing to transport to the new (not to be confused with "great potential") house, I decided to cook that darn turkey. Heck, I even made the infamous Aunt Jo rolls (by way of Carol Abo, by way of Nancy Kerwin), stuffing and a salad. I know, sometimes I even impress myself. Just when Russ thought he couldn't eat another bite, he gets a second Thanksgiving meal. And to that I say bring on the leftovers! Cold turkey, turkey sandwiches, turkey noodle soup, turkey quesadillas and anything else that I cook over the next two weeks to get rid of this turkey!

Life is exciting right now and you'll be happy to know that I purchased a great little lens to help document the home renovation and all the other glorious little events that will continue to happen - - otherwise known as our lives.

Lastly, Happy New Year all you crazy people we love you mucho! And in the vain of Garrison Keillor (a shout out to Dave-O) "Be well, do good work and keep in touch".

Please keep in mind, I had to use my stupid camera phone on these pictures (remember I broke my lens). Have no fear though, you can prepare yourself for some better photos in the near future. I'm not sure how buying a lense fits into my newly tightened belt but it's an investment right? Hello my little 1.8, 50 mm lens I'm coming to get you!

Sydney's 3rd Birthday

2009-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

I love that our niece Sydney's birthday happens to fall on the 22nd of December because we've made all three of her special days! I only wish that our other nieces and nephews birthdays were close to major "Brink" gatherings too because Aunt Angie and Uncle Russ LOVE cake (whether it be Dora the Explorer cake or Hot Wheels cake) and we especially LOVE snuggles and kisses from our little tribe of nieces and nephews.

Note: I had a little incident with my SLR camera in LAX...namely, I tripped over my own foot (typical) and broke my lens so these pics have been generously sent to us by my sister-in-law and I do think they are quite cute :) More pics to come of the Holidays - - I managed to use my point and shoot and manipulate my camera so a few pics actually turned out.

Baby Maddox!!!

Perhaps the cutest thing about Sydney is her love for her uncle Russ. She's going in for a "movie star" kiss...he's getting more comfortable with the smooches. I have to say too that I love Russ more and more because he is such a generous giving person and uncle to all of our nieces and nephews. Russ really "took on" the "Brinks" with gusto and love.

Thanksgiving in San Diego

2009-11-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

We are spending a great weekend in San Diego with the Kerwin's. Yesterday, we started off our day with the Father Joe's 5k run, which was perfect because the big meal didn't feel so fattening. We'll post more about the weekend later but thought we'd share this adorable little link for ya'll to take a look at. Do you recognize the dog? Beba is more of an "actor" than her mommy.

Click here to see Beba's big television debut

We are thankful for our friends and family!

With the Kerwin's listening to reggae in the Gas Lamp District (San Diego)

This is probably one of my favorite photos to date...it was taken with my little point and shoot. Russ and Beba -- my greatest joys. xo

Halloween Weekend in Sonoma with Friends!

2009-11-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2009 is sure to go down in the books as one of the best in history. We traveled with the Hills down to San Francisco last Thursday and met up with the Abo's, Von Stroh's, Williams', and Fraser's on Friday in beautiful Sonoma, California. The weather was gorgeous and the leaves were at their peak. The vineyards were picturesque and we were ready for some wine tasting.

With the Hill's at St. Francis

In total, we hit up about a dozen or so wineries over three days and it was a blast. On our way to pick up the Abo's, we hit up Gloria Ferrar and St. Francis wineries. Gloria Ferrar, while good bubbly, was pretentious and snooty (skip it) but the folks at St. Francis were awesome and the wines were delicious...especially the Chardonnay. We were running a little late to pick up the Abo's so we met up with them at Woodenhead and then we all headed over to Iron Horse, stopped for a quick pit stop to Porter Creek (a shout out to our precious little godson Porter Abo) and ended at Twomey Cellars. Then, it was off to the grocery store and then to our great little house on Dry Creek road. We got settled and relaxed a bit and then it was off to Barndiva for a delicious dinner and to meet up with the rest of our crew. We wrapped up the night with some shuffleboard at John and Zeke's.

Twomey Cellars

Saturday was a riot. After a morning run, we all loaded the party bus/limo at 10:30 am and toasted the start of our wine tasting adventure with some champagne. We hit up White Oak and Stryker wineries and then enjoyed a nice tour and picnic lunch at Medlock Ames. We capped the day off with a visit to Hanna and Field Stone wineries. Kudos to JJ and Dod for organizing such a wonderful day! All in all, we loved Hanna and White Oak wines the best but we also appreciated Medlock Ames' small sorganic/eco friendly approach (complete with goats, vegetable garden and solar power). We wrapped up our tour at about 5:00 pm and then it was "go time" for our Halloween themed dinner that Piper organized. Each couple had to dress like their course and it was such fun.

10:30 am "Before the wine tour "

5:00 pm "After the wine tour"

Appetizers - Hill's - Greek Appetizers - They dressed like Sandy and Danny from "Grease" ha!
Salad - Von Stroh's - Sauteed spinach - The dressed like Olive Oil and Popeye
Primi - Fraser's - Spinach/Cheese Fondue - Also dressed like Olive Oil and Popeye (so funny)
Main Course - Abo's and Williams - Mini burgers and french fries - Dressed like 50's
Dessert - Kerwin's - German Chocolate Cake - Dressed like Germans :)

Other than the ribbon and socks, I had everything at home to put this German thing together!

Despite Russ' dislocated thumb, it was a super fun night of friends, food, wine, hot tubbing and dancing. You know it's a good night with the cab driver decides to come in for a quick dance party right? I know we are all adults but sometimes its nice to pretend we are still in college.

Bella Winery, in the Cave

Sunday was pretty low-key. We had a lazy morning and then headed out to Yoakum Bridge, Unti and Bella wineries. I absolutely loved Bella and their wine cave is pretty cool. We said good-bye to everyone after a quick stop to the Dry Creek Store and then it was back to LA with the Hill's. We are already going through withdraws (both from our friends and good wine) but we were sure to stock up and are already looking forward to the next gathering.

Thanks again to the Abo's and Fraser's for organizing such an incredible weekend! I think Tuscany should be our next stop :)

I took a lot of photos so I had to post a few more below:

Russ' Birthday Weekend

2009-10-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

October is a month full of birthdays! Two weeks ago we celebrated my sister, Tricia's, birthday at Musha in Santa Monica (pics posted soon) and this past weekend, we celebrated Russ' 31st! I remember when I took him out for his 20th...wow, time flies!

Hiking is Russ' favorite thing to do and so I thought it appropriate to find us a hike in the San Bernardino Mountains. Only one short hour away from LA, we may as well have been across the country. We hiked the Momyer & Alger Creek Trail. It's a short hike but it was pretty tough...the altitude made a big difference (about 7,100'). We hiked in about 4 miles to Alger Creek and spent the night in a great little spot right next to the creek. We spent the better part of Sunday morning taking baths in the freezing cold creek and hiked over to Dobbs Peak. The hike offered beautiful views of Mill Creek Canyon and Yucaipa Ridge - - it was really beautiful. While the country is dry, there are many trees and with the fall colors changing, it was a perfect time to go. The best part is that Russ woke up on his birthday in the woods, a place where he feels most at peace.

We managed to make a quick pit stop in Oak Glen to buy all things apple. We bought apple cider, apple butter, apple pie...I only regret that we didn't make it in time to buy apple cider doughnuts...next time.

We made it back to LA to meet up with a small group of friends at Spring Street Smoke House to enjoy Russ' favorite...burnt end ribs with lots of sauce! The perfect ending to the birthday weekend was the Baskin Robbins ice cream cake...again, Russ' favorite. I feel really blessed to have such a wonderful husband and while, he doesn't like making a big deal about his birthday - - he's a big deal to me and deserves a day/weekend that is all about him. I'll have to start planning next year's adventure soon!

Seattle Weekend - Porter Abo's Baptism

2009-10-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time in the Northwest this past weekend. The focus of our time there was to meet our "newest" friends/babies (Cora and Porter) and to participate and support the Abo's in the baptism of our godson, Porter Abodeely. It was truly one of our best weekends "home".

I flew up a day early so that I could travel to Leavenworth to visit the Torrey, Jenelle and baby Cora Landgraf. I also had never seen the "new-ish" Mapel store! Yes, it had been almost two whole years since I was in Leavenworth! This is something I won't let happen again because it is such a quaint, picturesque, fun little town. Next year, we are going to try and make it up there for Oktoberfest! Baby Cora was as precious as her pictures. It was also cool to see Jenelle and Torrey as mom and dad and they really make a great team, which was nice to see.

Our little Godson, Porter!

Mama Kerwin and Russ

JJ and Russ debating the best way to remove a red wine stain

I headed back to Seattle pick up Russ late Thursday and we spent the better part of Friday catching up with mom and dad Kerwin and enjoying the beautiful lake view at their sweet little house. I also managed to catch up with a good friend and former colleague, Shannon Boldizsar, at the Westlake Starbucks! We then headed to the Abo's to meet our godson, Porter Abodeely, for the first time and then it was cocktails for all and a night out on Capitol Hill. .

Roomies, Me and Annette

Saturday was another beautiful day and Mom and Dad Kerwin took us to get foot reflexology/massages for our birthday presents. After that, we headed back to Seattle to have dinner at our favorite restaurant and old neighborhood hangout, St. Clouds. I was mostly excited for the Penne Pasta, Pork Tenderloin/bacon dish and of course, the hot fudge sundae! Not to mention, our good friends, Jackie, Annette, Jeffrey, Emily Gretchen and Andre joined us so we had a chance to catch up. Porter was a little rockstar and is such a good baby! We could be convinced, if I knew our kid would be as easy as he is.

Andre, Gretchen, Jackie, Russ, Jeff and Me at Madrona Ale House

JJ, Emily, Russ, Annette, Jackie, Piper, Ang, Jeff and Rett (Porters sleeping behind us)

We ended our weekend with the big finale! Russ and I are honored to be Porter's godparents and we participated in the baptism ceremony. The service was really beautiful and the message was about caring for all children, a fitting topic given the baptism of Porter. The service made Russ and I internalize our committment to pray and care for Porter for the rest of our lives and we look forward to every moment of it.

Katie (Godmother), Piper, Porter, JJ, Russ and I at the baptism

One of my favorite pics of Piper and Porter at the post baptism brunch

All in all, a great weekend. We both commented on how it was a perfect balance of rest, relaxation and friends. We are already gearing up for the next friend-weekend extravaganza, which is fast approaching! Napa Valley 2009 in three weeks! Six couples, one house, many bottles of wine, one party bus and costumes to boot....priceless!

Welcome Maddox David Brink!

2009-09-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah, we have another adorable addition to the "Brink" Family!

Stats: Maddox David Brink; 9/21/09; 8 lbs. 2 oz.; 20 3/4 inches; Riverbend Hospital

Ellie, David and Sydney welcomed Maddox David Brink to the world on Monday, September 21, 2009! The whole family is doing great and Sydney is very excited to have a "real" baby to help take care of :)

What a beautiful family. I can't believe she has just given birth in this photo.

During my time in Oregon, I had a chance to briefly visit with David, Ellie and Sydney at their home. I admire many things about them but I am particularly impressed with Ellie's organization and decorative flair. The entire house is already decorated in beautiful fall colors. Complete with wreaths, leaves and a scarecrow to welcome guests. Ellie is also a master at printing out photos, framing them and hanging them in their entry. I always feel like I'm walking into a "home" when I arrive and love that they are intentional about creating a "homey" space.

David showed me his ultra-fancy shed that he's been building (with Sydney's help of course) and it is truly great craftsmanship. Leave it to David Jr. to construct the mother of all sheds...maybe he has a career as a contractor. Similarly, inside the house, Ellie has everything in tip-top shape. I think she should be an assistant to Martha Stewart because her design sense (it may help that she is an interior designer/architect also) is fantastic. The nursery is absolutely adorable and I wish I had a photo to post. She made camouflage, green, brown and even a photo of my brother with his record breaking elk look masculine/chic and cool. Of course, Sydney's room is also precious complete with pink, pink and more pink! The contrast between the two rooms is stark, yet fitting.

All in all, the family is doing great and we are so incredibly happy for them all. We can't wait to see little Maddox in-person! We are already looking for flights so we don't have to wait until Christmas!

Note Sydney's shirt "Big Sister"

And off to Heather's house for a few days!

2009-09-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

I spent the rest of my trip to Oregon hanging with my sister Heather and her four kids:Austin; Cole; Peyton and Talia! Your just gonna have to settle for pictures of baby Talia's bath that I gave her. She is a delight and a joy!

Who loves her Aunt Angie?

She loves her hair washed...just like Auntie ;)

It was so nice to just relax and spend time at Heather's house as I hadn't really spent a long amount of time holding Talia since her birth. We've met her a couple of times but everyone wants to hold her and so I was always relegated to just a few minutes here and there. This was ample snuggle time and we even spent some time at Starbucks together while mommy had her dentist appointment. It was so nice to spend some quality sister time with Heather (and her babies).

But at least she looks cute...

Parents in LA and back to Oregon

2009-09-15T00:46:00.000-07:00

My parents came to LA for a nice relaxing weekend and to see my show. We hit up my favorite spot, Malibu Winery (again), they spent some quality time with my sis in Santa Monica, came to my show and ended our weekend at church and a dinner with the Hill's.

I decided to head back to Oregon with my parents on Monday and spent some time with my nieces. A highlight was definitely harvesting veggies from the garden with Sydney. AND, in less than one week...we'll be aunt and uncle again to baby Landon (David and Ellie's second child)! I'll keep my fingers crossed that he is born before I leave on Friday :)

Picnic at Malibu Winery

Dancing is always appropriate - - I mean, look at these moves!

Dad showing Russ some of his art finds...Timber posters he found on Montana Street.

Whoa...big zucchini

Look, a tasty tomato!

My girls! Talia and Sydney post-bath

to be continued...

House and my birthday!

2009-09-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

A lot is going on in our world lately. Namely, we put an offer on a house and it's been "accepted". Now, we are just trusting that the Lord sees the offer/inspection/appraisal etc...through to a good finish. We've been slowly scoping LA out and we know a couple of things that we want in a home. First and foremost, we want to remain close to downtown because commuting in LA is horrific. Second, we want something that we can add value to (i.e. a fixer upper). Third, we'd love a home that, if/when we move abroad, we can rent it out without too much difficulty. We believe that this home fits the criteria but it has the potential to be a little "too" much of a fixer....LOTS of work but oh, so much potential.

I'll try to post pictures soon! Until then...my birthday pics will have to do :)

Probably my most favorite place in/around LA - -Malibu Family Winery. Free concerts and delicious wine every Friday and Saturday in the summer. The band, Uncle Daddy, was actually fantastic!

After my show, a small group of us headed to Delancey on Sunset to celebrate! It was a nice celebration with beautiful friends. This decadent chocolate cake was delicious (thanks Tricia)! mmmm. The next day, my sis also took me out after my matinee show for drinks and lunch for some quality girl time at the Cat N' Fiddle...I really do have the best sister(s) in the world!

Time apart = bonding with the boys and sassy time with senoritas

2009-08-10T22:15:00.001-07:00

Well, we did it! Russ and I managed to spend 11 days apart and most of those were without talking (he didn't have cell phone coverage). The old adage is true, absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. We missed each other like crazy but both of us agree that the time apart was good for our souls and our friendships.

For 11 days, Russ biked through the Canadian Rockies with 8 other guys to celebrate his mentor and good friend, Larry's, 50th birthday. I'll let him write about this - - if he ever gets around to it (he's bogged down with rock post-vacation)

While he was gone though, I decided to do some girl bonding of my own. Over the first weekend, my sister, Tricia, invited me to see Guys and Dolls with her at the Hollywood Bowl. Jessica Biel was fantastic and she is an excellent singer - -I was blown away by her talent! It was a fun night and Tricia's first (and last) time on the subway. We had some good bonding time - - aided by a couple bottles of savignon blanc :)

Guys and Dolls with Tricia (taken with crappy camera phone but whateves)

For the next weekend, I invited some ladies over for some Senoritas and Margaritas by the pool and we ended up on the rooftop deck (which, Russ and I totally under-utilize). It was a good time and I feel really blessed to have adopted Tricia's friends as my own and for friends that I meet through our church.

Meg's and I post- a long day by the pool. Yes, that is Franzia box wine in our glasses - - classic yet delicious. xo

Anniversary Weekend - Belated

2009-07-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

Our anniversary was technically the 19th of July and while we were in Oregon, on the very same bluff overlooking the Umpqua Valley, where we partied the night away 6 years ago....we were busy building a tree house and hanging out with family in a different celebratory way. Fun, but not necessarily an "anniversary" weekend :)

Instead, we celebrated one week late and it was superb! We went to dinner at La Poubelle, had drinks with Grant and Ryan, rode bikes along the beach and enjoyed some delicious margaritas (Russ' favorite). A great way to celebrate 6 years as husband and wife (11 years total...yikes!)

Kangaroo Paws are some of my favorite little flowers...not your typical "flowers" but pretty

Although we decided not to do gifts, Russ bought me some flowers and a desk a few weeks ago, which has been a lifesaver - - I LOVE it! I gave Rusty a big ol' kiss and a couple cards over the course of the week.

Enjoying a drink at Grant's

The theme of our wedding so very long ago was "Opposites Attract" and this is still true but, as my in-laws card that they mailed us said, "some things were just meant to be together" with a picture of salt and pepper on the front...I think we are very opposite in many ways but that's what makes life so interesting!

My beautiful little desk...yeah!

Taking a break to enjoy the sunset at Venice beach. Who knows what the next year(s) will bring but we feel very blessed to have each other.

Brink Family Weekend in the Burg - Baby Talia

2009-07-22T00:19:00.000-07:00

We just returned from Roseburg where we had a fun-filled weekend of friends, family and food! Russ and I met our neice, Talia, for the first time and she is too precious for words. Russ also used his handyman skills to construct a treehouse (phase I). I'm not sure how mom and dad plan to complete phase II and III without Russ but we'll see...

The whole Brink/Tyner/Kerwin Family

One of dad's cows

Baby Talia...don't you just want to snuggle her!

Sydney loves her Uncle "Ress"
Peyton enjoying the slippy slide

Dwayne, Russ, Mike, David Jr., Dad, Larry and Troy built the best darn treehouse in the world!

Sydney and Grandpa Mom and Lisa young at heart

My two favorite neices

Dwayne and Cole

Austin and Cole-y Bug (note, Cole's Vulcan hand...what a goof)

Ellie, David Jr., Sydney and baby boy Brink (due in September). Still working on my lighting but a good photo of the family I think.

Childhood friends, Trisha and Amy stopped by to see the family and catch up.

This is the best shot of the treehouse I managed to get. Russ and dad finished the ladder after this picture and mom has plans for an expansion already!

Grandpa and Grandma and all the grandbabies...too cute!

Meghan's 30th Birthday!

2009-07-20T23:52:00.000-07:00

We've been busy and haven't had a chance to blog and a lot has happened. Most importantly, Meghan Hill turned 30 years old on July 13th! We were excited to share her special day with her. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so these photos with my not-so-hot blackberry will suffice. I love the one of her and Travis smooching because it looks like an antique...ah, they are so in love. Happy Birthday Meg's!
We started her big night out with a couple brewskies at a great little dive bar downtown, La Cita, where Russ met up with us after work. We then made our way over to The Must wine bar a couple blocks away, which is FANTASTIC and delicious. The waitress even brought Meg's a piece of ice cream cake with her very own candle (Russ was having a hard time holding back because he loves ice cream cake). We ended our night close to home at the Weiland Brewery. All in all, a fabulous celebration for a very dear friend.

Two cute love-birds!

Jackson's visit to LA

2009-07-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

Another outdated post but one worth noting. My longtime friend, Jackie aka "Jackson", came to LA for a nice long girls weekend. Since she spent a couple of years in Los Angeles, she actually showed us a thing or two. Why had I never heard of Diddy Reese's in Westwood? I mean, $1.50 ice cream sandwiches with warm cookies? A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! Thanks Jackson!

Jackie and I spent a whole relaxing day at Glen Ivy Spa. Note the red clay dried all over us - - this part of the spa is called "Club Mud". So fun!

Enjoying some sangria at Cobra's and Matadors. Can you say bacon wrapped prawns mmmmm

Such fun! Thanks for coming Jackie, we miss you already!

Raven & Lily

2009-06-29T12:21:00.001-07:00

Russ and I had the opportunity to attend the Raven & Lily fundraiser and silent auction held in the beautiful back yard of Kirsten and Brandon Dickerson's house this past Saturday night. Under twinkling white lights, and amidst the DJ's hip tunes, around seventy-five guests gathered to celebrate the first-ever Los Angeles based event of Raven & Lily.

As taken from their website, Raven & Lily is a non-profit studio dedicated to empowering impoverished women through design partnerships and micro-enterprise opportunities. Essentially, it's all about serving and empowering women. You can read more about their incredible vision and mission via their blog and/or web-site http://www.ravenandlily.com/ or http://ravenandlily.wordpress.com/. The event was an opportunity to sell one-of-a-kind creations from the LA and India (Sneha) collections and to share the vision and mission of Raven & Lily with the Los Angeles community.

I became involved with R & L through a friend who invited me to one of the local volunteer parties and I've been hooked ever since. It's great way to spend an afternoon - - sharing community with other women, while also helping to make a difference. This group of women are so welcoming, creative, loving and cool and I feel really blessed to have found them here in LA and look forward to continuing my support through these volunteer parties and in other ways.

Raven & Lily is a remarkable organization that is truly organic and spirit lead. It is exciting to see how God is opening doors and helping to create strategic partnerships with women around the world. One very important guest at Saturday's launch event, was Nivedit (pronounced Ne-vade-it like "you-made-it"). She is a woman from India who, together with her husband, Edwin, are leading efforts throughout the state of Garhwal to share the message of Jesus and serve the under served. The women whom she works with created and sewed many of the items for sale on Saturday (you can find more on the website too). Russ and I were impressed with Nivedit's strong faith and her giving heart. We will continue to pray for her and her husband as they pioneer this uncharted territory in India.

We encourage you to check out the Raven & Lily web-site and buy a gift or make a donation. Every single dollar will go directly to women in need. All of the merchandise is handmade and takes a long time to make, which is why it may cost a little more than something from PB or Crate & Barrel but guess what, it's all about a fair wage and empowering women. I look at it like I'm giving money to a great cause and that the item I purchase is icing on the cake! Not to mention, the merchandise is really really beautiful.

Some of the handmade items from India!

This was an exciting event and our eyes were opened to the service opportunities that are out there. For now, we look forward to serving through prayer and we hope you can remember Raven & Lily and Nivedit and Edwin in your prayers too.

Santa Barbara, Solvang, Buellton and Los Olivos Weekend

2009-06-22T00:54:00.001-07:00

We haven't posted in a while but I figure I'll start with last weekend and hopefully get to this past weekend tomorrow. Last weekend we ventured about 105 miles North of Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, Solvang, Buellton and Los Olivos for some site seeing and wine tasting.

We headed out on Friday afternoon. Shortly after making our way up the Pacific Coast Highways, Russ and I decided to stop so that we could soak in the last rays of sunshine and watch the surfers across from Neptunes Restaurant. We arrived in Santa Barbara around 7:00 pm and checked into the cute Montecito Inn (no we didn't run into Oprah - - she lives down the road ha ha). After dropping off our bags, we ventured out into the cute town and finally found excellent Indian Food on the main drag. It's surprising how difficult it has been to find Indian food in LA! The next morning, we jumped on the hotel's cute beach cruisers and made our way down to the beach and took a nice ride along the scenic coast. We decided that we'd love to live in Santa Barbara one day, preferably in a big beautiful house on the beach :)

Beautiful little flowers along the beach

Later that afternoon, we met up with the Hill's in Solvang, an adorable Danish town about 25 miles from Santa Barbara. It is always fun when we are with the Hill's! We enjoyed beers and Brats and then it was off to Buellton and Los Olivos. All of these towns are adorable. So much character, cute shops and tons of wine tasting rooms. Unfortunately, we missed the last of the tastings but made up for it at Matt's Tavern. To make the day even more perfect, we ended up being on the receiving end of left over cupcakes from Enjoy Cupcakes ! The owner came out and gave us a whole pan of gourmet cupcakes because she was closing up her shop for the evening -- who doesn't like FREE cupcakes! They were delicious.

Beers & Brats in Solvang

We made our way up to the top of Mount Figueroa where we set up camp and made a fire. We even enjoyed the thoughtful bottle of wine given to us by the Abo's with a special poem asking us to be Godparents on the back of it..ahhhh (I had to take a photo to commemorate the special occassion).

Delicious Washington Wine...In the Santa Ynez Valley of all places - -we miss the Abo's

I love this photo (I wish it were more clear but it's cute)

We parted ways with the Hill's on Sunday and Russ and I hit up Gainey Winery for a tasting and then headed home. We loved the Chardonay and Pinot Grigio but weren't crazy about the Syrah...maybe it was the 80 degree weather? All in all, it was a quick trip that was full of adorable sites. We'd highly recommend it to anyone looking to get out of LA for a quick little getaway. Before you go, be sure to watch Sideways again so you can check out all of the little places in the movie. We watched it afterwards, which was fun too. We hope to do a similar trip in about a month for our 6 year anniversary! We'll see...

xo Ang n Russ

Welcome Baby Talia - Our Precious Neice!

2009-06-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome Baby Talia - -Aunt Angie and Uncle Russ can't wait to meet you in person!

My sister, Heather, and her husband, Dwayne, added a fourth baby to their nest and it's a beautiful baby girl! After three boys, Heather was content with her life and accepted that God had given her all she would ever need - -three healthy and precious boys. While she would have loved a daughter, she was content knowing that all was as it should be...and then He answered her prayers when she was least expecting it. The Tyners found out they were expecting another baby and this one was a girl! Sometimes, the greatest joys come when we least expect them right?

We still can't believe she has Talia! Heather keeps thinking that she's gonna wake up from a dream but it's true, this little blessing is here to stay and isn't she a precious little gem.

Talia Kathleen Tyner

Born: June 16th at 11:14 am

Stats: 8lbs. 5 oz. - 20.5"

Conquering a Mountain!

2009-05-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

A long-time goal of Russ' and an ambitious challenge for us both was accomplished this past Memorial Day weekend. We made it to the top of Half Dome at Yosemite National Park and it was truly a remarkable experience!

We arrived Friday afternoon with a good part of the day left and so we drove into Yosemite for a little site-seeing and enjoyed drinks on the Pizza Deck before heading back to Oakhurst. One of the highlights of Oakhurst is that we managed to find the best Mexican food we've ever had! El Cid Restaurant isn't much to look at but they make a killer carne asada burrito and strawberry margaritas. It was the perfect way to fuel up before the big hike.

We took off early Friday morning to avoid Memorial Day weekend traffic. It was a surprisingly quick 4.5 hour drive mainly because it's a straight shot on I-5 for the majority of the way and, Russ had remembered to download a few episodes of This American Life for us to listen to. Our plan was to spend the night in Oakhurst, a little town outside of Yosemite, on Friday night and start the 20+ mile hike first thing on Saturday morning.

Taken at the beginning of our hike from Glacier Point. The Panorama Trail curves around to the right, across the waterfall (Nevada Falls) in the distance and culminated at the big perch of granite, also known as, Half Dome on the left.

A beautiful butterfly that wanted to go with us.

Stopping at Nevada Falls for cheese, salami and crackers...everything tastes better on a hike.

Nevada Falls

The next morning, we started out strong. The first two+ miles are largely down hill and then it's uphill for a few miles and a beautiful hike along the ridge line where the views are spectacular. The scenery in Yosemite is so beautiful and breathtaking that it almost looks fake, it is truly one of the most majestic places we've yet to see. We ended the day in Little Yosemite Valley, a place for backpackers to camp, and made sure to secure our food in our bear canister. I was originally terrified of bears but realized there is nothing to worry about and we actually found ourselves hoping one would roam into our camp so we could get a closer look.

This little Stellar's Jay was a friend of ours and loved to perch himself next to our tent.

The next morning we headed out for the most exciting part of our adventure....making it to the top of Half Dome! We hiked the 3. 5 miles up hill and used the cables for the last 900 feet to the very top of the Dome. It was a little nerve-wrecking at times but overall, it was a piece of cake!

You can see the cables lining the way to the top of the Dome.

A 45-60 degree climb, yet we manage to take photos :)

We returned to camp, made some dinner, and savored the adventure. We look forward to conquering many more mountains in the years ahead!

The top of the Dome! Standing on the Diving Board...it is very high up 4,737 feet above the valley floor and about 8,900 feel in total elevation.

Brink Family Weekend Extravaganza! Portand, OR

2009-05-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

A few pictures from a celebratory weekend in Portland, OR. Mom's surprise 60th birthday at our friend TJ and Dwayne's restaurant, Roux, can you say delicious! With dad's help and a lot of white lies, we managed to surprise the pants off of mom! It was a beautiful celebration for a beautiful woman.

Dad giving a very nice welcome and toast for the big birthday girl! Good work dad.

A delicious and "ginormous" cake to help celebrate the occasion!

Then it was up early the next morning to help celebrate Heather and Dwayne's soon-to-be baby girl "Talia". After 3 boys, we are excited to buy Heather some pink.

It was truly a lovely shower thrown by Crea McKeen Willis and Lisa McKeen. No detail was overlooked from the delicious salad and quiche, to cranberry "pink" champagne, the delicious petits fours and champagne gellato, to the and cacao parting favors and thoughtful "blessing/yarn" circle. It was really a beautiful celebration and LOTS of pink was to be had.

The Hostesses - Crea and Lisa

Grandma Lynn offering her blessing to Heather and baby Talia

Loving the Sun and Family

2009-05-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

Russ and I have been pondering how happy we are that we are Angelenos. While we miss our friends in the NW, we are very lucky to live in the land of sunshine, which in "Seattle Language" means lots of visitors. We like to think that everyone really wants to see us, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the sun may have something to do with our ever-inflated aerobed :)

This past week, we were lucky enough to have our "mom" (well, Russ' mom but she's mine too) come to visit. I like to call her "Nancy Pants" and she actually started her visit with MacKenzie (Russ' sister). They arrived via ultra-green mass transit (i.e. the train) early Tuesday and were able to enjoy a couple of fun-filled "girl days". We ate a fantastic lunch at the new-ish Urth cafe and even went to the Ellen Show, which was actually very fun. We were dancing fools and our row almost won t-shirts for our "innovative" dancing abilities :) It would have been even more fun if we would have been guests to show #1000, but settled for show #998 and Michael Douglas. We had a great time and Nancy wins the award for most dedicated visitor yet...she spent at least five hours helping me with a mailing (thanks).

Runyon Canyon Hike

The other great thing about having company is that we are forced to explore places we haven't visited, most notably...restaurants! We tried three new places - Urth Caffe (but I won't go into this one, it is a definite "must" for coffee or lunch), Reservoir in Silverlake (I would recommend) and Church and State in the old Nabisco Loft building downtown (I'd recommend for the cool ambiance and the steak frites but it gets dicey if you order the fish). Both were lovely and had great atmosphere. We aren't huge fans of the food at Church and State...very French, very odd combinations, and pretty expensive for the amount of food you get. It was fun though and we'd go back for a glass of wine and maybe even split the steak frites because this was a delicious dish (hard to mess up and who doesn't love a good steak and potatoes soaked in grease/salt!)

Outside Reservoir

Kenzie, Nancy "Birthday Girl", Russ & Ang

It was a really nice visit and we are very blessed to have such great family. Speaking of family, we also helped my sister move into her own super-cute place in Santa Monica. Hello beach parties and hanging out on the west side! It's uber cute with adorable coved ceilings, crown molding, lots of awesome hardware from Anthropologie and the living room looks just big enough for Russ and I to crash on post a long day at the beach :)

We also had a chance to meet up with our friend Emily down in Hermosa Beach. Unfortunately, we couldn't visit as long as we'd have liked because we had a birthday party back up North but it was great to see her and spend some time catching up.

We finished our weekend off with a game of tennis, of which I kicked Russ' butt! He seems to think it's possible to beat me but let's face it...I'm a machine :)

Ang "the machine" and Russ picnicing post tennis match

Balancing

2009-04-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

Since arriving in Los Angeles about a year-and-a-half ago, we have attempted to get out as much as possible and soak in all this city and its surroundings have to offer. When I say "all" I mean, concerts, plays, hiking, exploring other communities etc... If I had to give us a grade on how well we've done, I'd say we deserve a "B." A solid grade but one that can be improved upon.

We have managedto attend more concerts than ever before and have wedged in a few plays and hikes. But, I'd like to do better at quick, weekend camping trips (I should work on overcoming my fear of bears). Last time we went camping, I made Russ pitch a tent in the middle of a desert because I didn't want a bear to eat us.

I credit the frequency of our stellar entertainment to a couple of key factors: being KCRW members and not owning a house. We are huge KCRW listeners and so we decided to become members (besides, they guilt you into joining during their phone-a-thon). One of the perks of our membership is that we can call in during contests and try to win tickets and Russ ALWAYS wins! In fact, we win so often that we had to get separate memberships because the rules state that a member can only win once every 90 days. Winning too often is an excellent problem to have.

I'd also attribute our "go get em" lifestyle to not owning a house. When we lived in Seattle, we were attracted to the real "fixer uppers" and spent every spare moment sanding, cutting, painting, planting, building and cleaning up our home(s). While we desperately miss house projects, we've had to learn to relax and find other ways of connecting. This has been great for our relationship and for our faith. Honestly, for the first few months it was like we were paralyzed on the weekends. We had no idea what life outside of house projects looked like...if not a trip to ReStore (in Seattle) what should we be doing? We've been stretched and have learned to think out of the box, be focused on the present and honestly, the quiet has allowed us time to reflect on the bigger picture of life (a much longer blog entry...to come :)

Our newly remodeled home in Madrona. Everything was redone: deck, siding, painting, walkway, floors, walls, plumbing, staircase, kitchen, bathrooms completely gutted, backyard, fireplace, etc.. It makes me itch just thinking about it - - o.k., I wasn't always the happiest camper every weekend and every evening but am glad we did the projects - "balance" is the title of this post for a reason :)

Russ working on the walkway

Kitchen before

Kitchen after (notice the bowling alley counter - that was sad to leave)

We are slowly testing these waters of non-house projects and are finding ways to involve ourselves in our church, with our friends and of course, we are finding all sorts of time to take advantage of free concerts! Last week it was Dengue Fever (a Cambodian Rock Band) and this week it is Conor Oberst - - woo woo! We also have a couple of bigger hikes planned for the summer - - Catalina Island and Devils Gulch!

Malibu Family Winery - Ang's 30th Birthday

At Dengue Fever at the EchoPlex - Free tickets are best!

Hiking at Lone Pine, California (not too many bears up here)

It seems glaringly obvious now that living a good life is about finding a balance. Nonetheless, I am glad we've had the two extremes of house projects and endless entertainment because, hopefully now it'll be easier to spot the middle - where the balancing takes place.

There is nothing in the world like witnessing the transformation of a dodgy dwelling to a beautiful abode and knowing that your sweat and hard work directly attributed to this change. As well, our favorite date is sitting on the grass at an outdoor music venue, drinking a cold drink, eating good food and listening to great music. Perhaps these dates are all the more rewarding after a hard days work of remodeling.

Babies and Birthdays, oh my!

2009-04-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

Shifting gears from one side of the world (SE Asia) to a whole new world...Babies!

We just returned from a whirlwind trip to Seattle where we helped our best friends celebrate some siginificant milestones. JJ's 30th birthday, we hosted a couples cocktail/baby shower for JJ and Piper and I helped with a shower for my dear friend Jenelle (she and Piper's due-dates are only 5 days apart). I know, it was a lot to experience in three short days but it was a blast!

It seems that everywhere we went, there were babies or babies-to-be-born! In fact, our good friend Niki (and Mike) welcomed their newest member of their family, baby Rocco, this past Saturday (Congratulations!!!). Russ and I counted, and between our family members and all of our friends, we know at least a dozen people who are getting ready to experience the joy of all things baby or, who are adding to their brood.

I debriefed the weekend with my mom and recounted the couples cocktail shower with my good friend, Jackie, and apparently, "people are beginning to wonder when Ang and Russ will have kids". It even progressed to, "do they want to have kids?" territory. So, for the record, YES, we want to have kids, but now is not the right time for us. We are over-the-moon-thrilled to be able to support and encourage our friends and family members as they enter/re-enter this new chapter of their lives but this is one area we aren't ready to venture into just yet.
I was reading through one of my favorite websites, http://www.thenest.com/ and it explicitly stated, "even if ten of your friends are having babies, it does not necessarily mean that the time is right for you to have a child". Thank you The Nest!

While the idea of having a baby of our own is very exciting, we have our own set of twins that we are attempting to birth down here in Los Angeles. The names of our babies are "Acting Career and Adventure." I don't mean to say that one can't have these things and have a baby, but I think it would be exceedingly difficult for me to pursue acting full-heartedly and be a good mom. I'll be honest, I am hoping and praying that I book a series regular role on a network television show so that I'll have some sense of order and predictability. This would also create a more stable environment in which to have a child but, only God knows if and when this may happen.

Actors are notoriously self-centered and moms are not (or should not be). I'm a little self-centered...there, I said it. More importantly though, I don't want to be focusing on myself when I should be focusing on my child. I do plan on having some sort of career when we have a child and I'd love this to be in acting but who knows...I don't know what I'm doing next weekend let alone in a couple of years.

Also, I should note that there are always exceptions to every rule. I don't want any of you actresses, who are great moms and who can balance it all, raking me over the coals on this point. My fabulous sister, Heather, manages to be an administrator of a school, have three adorable boys AND she is pregnant with a fourth baby (a girl!!! yeah!!!) and she is a GREAT mom. So, I think it is possible to have a career and kids but I think an acting career is very different than a traditional career. Moreover, L.A. is an expensive city and acting is unpredictable and unstable. I think we need just a little more time to find our stride in both acting and in adventure before taking on yet, another endeavor.

So, cheers to all our "peeps" who are busy making, growing and birthing babies. Russ and I can't wait to join in on the fun for "round two" of the baby adventure. For now, we will relish the role of godparents and auntie/uncle to our nieces and nephews. xoxo

Lots of love!
Ang n Russ

SE Asia Continued

2009-03-20T02:36:00.000-07:00

After a couple amazing weeks of travel, we are about to begin our journey home. We are leaving Cambodia today, returning to Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) from which we fly out tomorrow 17+ hours back to LA. While there are plenty of memorable details that Ang will surely fill in, here are some general impressions…

Since it’s our first visit to SE Asia, it is truly remarkable, unlike anything we’ve seen other parts of the world. It is all that we had hoped it would be: a mix of adventure and much needed relaxation in a place that is visually stunning, authentic and rich culturally. There are many beautiful hotels in the cities and beaches, but the vast majority of the population (which is quite poor) seems to exist culturally the same as it did hundreds of years ago. It does not seem to be “spoiled” by tourism, but rather co-exist with it. Before coming here, we were cognizant of the challenge of this economic disparity and prayed about how we could have a positive impact on the population that has faced so much hardship, namely from wars. We’ve found that just our presence is greatly appreciated, as the artisans, tuk tuk drivers, etc are starving for work. In Siem Reap, tourism is one of the main industries, and we were told it is down roughly 50% from last year (due to the global financial crisis). It is amazing how much each person appreciates the business we give them and find it unexpected when we tip even a dollar or two. But more than our tourist dollars, I think our greatest benefits of our visit will play out over time as a result of having a greater understanding and affection for this population, caring more about what happens here, seeing the impacts of war, and realizing how blessed we are in so many ways, not the least of which, is having reliable employment.

Vietnam & Cambodia

2009-03-16T02:57:00.000-07:00

We've been in Vietnam for about ten days and we have a little less than a week until we head home. Originally, we thought 16 days would be too short to truly experience Vietnam and Cambodia and we were right. We nixed Cambodia (for now, we have been planning this trip as we go and it's worked out relatively well). I'll try to give some highlights but not yabber too much about anything:

Day 1 - Flew into Hanoi, the Northern part of Vietnam and it was a culture shock. This was our first introduction to SE Asia and it was indeed eye-opening. Most of the population ride motorbikes, which makes for many interesting photos but can get a little taxing on the lungs. We stayed at the Golden Lotus Hotel II and walked around the markets. After about 40 hours of being awake and absorbing as much of Hanoi as we could handle, we headed back to the hotel to crash.

Day 2-3 - We took a beautiful tour of Halong Bay. This is a must if you are considering visiting Vietnam. Definitely a highlight. We stayed in a beautiful Junk boat and enjoyed delicious seafood, kayaking, and tours on the various islands. We were the only other couple on the boat and it was absolutely perfect.

Evening (3) - Upon returning to Hanoi, we went for a bite to eat at Bar 69 and then headed to the Water Puppet show. We liked this but it was very touristy. Nonetheless, it is worth going to enjoy the artistry of the puppets and the skills of the puppeteers.

Day 4 - Flew to Nha Trang, the beach baby. The northern part of Vietnam tends to be cooler than the south and so we were itching for some sunny beaches. On our way from the Da Nang airport into Nha Trang, we passed the Diamond Bay Resort and saw that last year they hosted the Miss Universe pageant. Of course, we took a photo because it was just too funny. We enjoyed the beach all day, got massages, and found a fantastic pool right on the beach where we rented a cabana for $2 and ordered drinks all day (Louisiane Cafe - order the Thai Mussels).

Day 5 - After waking up to the sunset, we rented a scooter and drove about 45 miles South to Doc Let (Yoc-Let) beach. If you are looking for seclusion, this is a great place. We swam a bit and walked the beach and then headed back to town for some dinner. Russ ordered a drink called "the bucket" and you can just imagine what is in this...lots of red bull and lots of alcohol - yuk but he liked it.

Day 6 - Hoi An. Truly one of the most picturesque towns we have ever visited. The French influence and architecture are stunning as are the hundreds of silk lanterns that line the river and are lit throughout town. We spent a good part of our day getting fitted for various clothes - -dresses, shirts and Russ got a nice suit. We were a little surprised that the prices were more than we thought but still, a custom made dress for $25 isn't bad at all. I am most excited about my Asian inspired dress and Russ' fancy suit. We stayed in the An Tuy Hotel in Old Town,which was great and near the action. But, if you have more time, we'd recommend also staying at the gorgeous Victoria Beach Resort.

Day 7 - Hoi An. Again, lots of final fittings for our clothes and we did some more shopping, ate delicious pineapple and got a drink at Brothers Cafe, a beautiful restuarant situated along the river - - it's something right out of the movies. Speaking of movies, The Quiet American was filmed in Hoi An.

Day 8-11 - Hoi An to Phu Quoc Island. This was the most random and unplanned part of our trip but was definitely a highlight! We stayed at the beautiful La Veranda Resort for our first night and it felt like a honeymoon. Truly one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever stayed in. They were booked after the first day so we satyed at a little villa on the beach at the Saigon Phu Quoc Resort. We rented bikes, swam, laid out, hit golf balls, and went on an amazing snorkeling tour off of a couple different islands. We think it would be fun to get scuba certified but we'll see. We depart tomorrow for Ho Chi Minh City and we'll see if we feel up to traveling over to Cambodia once we have a day under our belts in HCMC.

Day 12 - We landed in Ho Chi Minh City and were at our hotel by 10:30 am. We spent the day at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, ate lunch and then visited the War Remnants Museum. This museum was compelling and contained many extremely graphic photos about the attrocities of war. We were both moved and walked away with a sick feeling in our stomachs and greater sense of compassion for the innocent victims of the war (on both sides). After walking shopping and exploring more, we decided that we definitely had time to make it to Cambodia. We purchased our plane tix and headed back to the hotel to get some rest.

Day 13 - We arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia around noon and checked into our hotel, the beautiful Prince d'Angkor Hotel and then it was off to town o check out the Central Market and grab some gelato in the VERY hot and humid heat. We were most excited though to hire a tuk tuk driver and make it to Angkor Wat to watch the sunset. It was miraculous and is one of the seven man made wonders of the world. We then headed back to town to Pub Street to enjoy a couple of drinks and then ended our day getting massages.

Day 14 - Morning came too soon. The sunset over Angkor Wat was beautiful but we had heard that to truly experience all the Temples had to offer, we needed to arrive by sunrise. That's right, we woke up at 4:15 am and were en route by 4:45 am. We saw the sunrise and spent the next couple of hours walking around Angkor Wat. Then, it was back to our hotel to catch a couple hours of sleep and then more shopping! Around 3:00 we hired a guide named Sothea to take us back to the temples and he took us to Taparom Trees, Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple, Terrace of the Elephants and Leper Kings, Heavenly Jail, and ended with a hike to the top of Bakheng Temple/Moutain to watch the sunset. We then headed into town and watched some beautiful Apsara dancing and enjoyed some Amok, a Cambodian fish dish, and a couple drinks before heading back to the hotel.

Day 15 -We finally had a chance to catch up on our rest and spent the majority of the morning in the hotel and then headed out for a cappuccino and to finish up some shopping. We flew back to Ho Chi Minh City and had a great meal at the night market and headed back to catch some much needed rest.

Day 16 - We made it to the airport and took off for home! An awesome adventure and we are already looking forward to the next one. Maybe...Greece, New Zealand or Spain? - - let us know where we should go, we'd love to hear from you.

xoxoxo
Ang n Russ

The Beginning of Great Things...(or the Continuation of)

2009-03-11T21:27:00.001-07:00

I've (Angela) always considered myself relatively good at keeping in touch with our friends and family. We send the requisite Christmas cards, emails, make phone calls, send cards when appropriate and visit as often as possible. Russ, on the other hand, feels that he needs a little improvement in this area. In the past, our communication methods have served us relatively well. Today though, is different for a couple of reasons. We live in a technologically advanced world and we also moved to Los Angeles, a city roughly 1200 miles from our friends and family who live in Seattle and Oregon.

In addition, we are also pretty terrible about journaling. We have tried many times and many times have failed. Throughout our home, we have journals scattered about with only a few, good intentioned, pages written on. Perhaps blogging will be more conducive to our "style". So, we start this blog, again, with the best of intentions. One, to share our experiences with our friends and family and two, as a journal for ourselves to remember our journey through life with more vivid details.