Butter goes to...

A visit to Los Angeles just would not be complete without a trip to the beach! We always seem to end up at Venice beach (the part off Washington, not so much the boardwalk). It's less crowded than the touristy Santa Monica beach and there are lots of fun places to visit near by. We usually end up taking a stroll down to the boardwalk but quickly return once we are feeling overwhelmed by the masses of people, body builders, and smoke scented air. If you are feeling hungry I always enjoy C&O Trattoria just up the street- their garlic rolls are amazing! 

As you can see the weather was perfect and it was great to spend some time relaxing in the sun (with sunscreen, of course!). Julian was the only one brave enough to enter the water this time (it was very cold!) but even that was a short lived adventure. I ended up burying him in the sand after just so he could warm back up!

Nothing quite beats the California coast.

To Infinity and BEYOND!

In all of my years spent in Los Angeles I am surprised to say that I never actually visited the Griffith Observatory. When I first arrived in the City of Angeles it was under renovation but I remember there was a big to do when it reopened. I have visited the park on numerous occasions but this, my friends, was my first trip the the observatory itself. 

We went with the intentions of viewing one of the planetarium shows about vikings and the Northern Lights (sounds amazing, right??), but much to our surprise the place was packed. We had to park so far away that we practically got in another hike. We missed our viking show and had to settle for one about the Mayan prediction of the end of times. It wasn't nearly as dramatic as we had anticipated but very fun indeed!

I think my sister fell in love and this is her new favorite place/soon to be second home. She was quite smitten with the Tesla coil and the Cafe at the End of the Universe. I even caught her pondering the ways of the universe with Albert Einstein. 

Another must see next time you are in Los Angeles!

Until next time- May the force be with you.

(Yes, I am aware I am a total nerd.)

Butter goes to...

My sister is living the fabulous LA life and just happens to live down the street from Runyon Canyon. What is Runyon Canyon, you say? It's the hot spot in LA to go for a run. We used to visit Runyon frequently when we lived in the Hollywood Hills and I have fond memories of walks taken there with my mom and Greg. I don't know why on earth I ever stopped going!

There are a couple of courses to choose from in the Canyon, and one happens to be very steep and quite the challenge. As you can imagine, I was feeling pretty accomplished after reaching the top. My brother Julian patiently waited for us at the top and then we ran back down as one happy little family. 

But the views! Oh, the views- you must see them! You can see the entire city and quite a good glimpse at the Hollywood sign. Plus, it's excellent people watching up there. Hardly anyone is wearing proper work out gear, and I spotted numerous women attempting to "exercise" in bikini tops. 

It's a fun little adventure if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods! 

California Dreaming

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to sneak away for the weekend to visit my brother in Los Angeles for a few days. I bought a very last minute plane ticket and took off for sunny California for a long overdue visit (it had been 2 years since I last saw him!). 

The first night I got there we went to the Hollywood Bowl to see the BBC/Discovery Channel's Frozen Planet in concert. The Los Angeles Philharmonic provided the tunes and there were big screens displaying scenes from the documentary. It was amazing! We were given polar bear masks at the entrance and you better believe we had fun with them!

It was my mom and sister's first trip to the bowl, and I think it was a hit! My best friend Liz joined us for the evening as well. One of my favorite things about the Hollywood Bowl (besides the amazing view) is that it is picnic friendly! We brought a nice spread of wine, cheeses, fruit, and veggies to snack on. I am always amazed that even though the bowl is in the heart of Hollywood, it is so peaceful once you are inside. I spent a lot of time there in high school, and it had been years since I last saw a show there. It was such a treat! The only thing missing was Mr. Butter (he had to stay in P-Town and work).

Can you tell I was excited to see my Lizzieloo?? 

Anytime you are in LA during the summer you should definitely catch a show at the Hollywood Bowl! 

Happy Father's Day!

Happy (belated) Father's Day to all of my wonderful fathers! I am lucky enough to have three fathers in my life- my father, my step-father, and my father-in-law. I love them all so very much and am grateful for each and every one of them!

Oh how I love my daddy! When I was growing up all of my friends were envious of how cool my dad was. :) He loved to go shopping, bake all kinds of delicious treats and we would stay up late watching all kinds of movies. And they are right, he is pretty awesome!! I miss him so much and wish we lived closer together so we could still go shopping, cook together, and have family movie nights! He has always been so supportive of me and I am so thankful for him!

My step-dad Greg has been a part of my life for a long time now and I am so thankful for him taking on the role of my second dad! He's always been there for me and our family, and I feel very special to have two wonderful fathers in my life! He's a very talented fellow with so much knowledge to share! I have learned so much from him and could listen to him talk for hours. I miss him so much too!

The day Tim and I got married I also got a third dad, my father-in-law Tim! He has welcomed me with open arms into the Donahue clan, and I feel very lucky to be part of their family! He introduced me to Rambo and oh-so-many crazy food concoctions (that I'm still not so sure about!). He's an inspiration to all of us, and I can't wait for all of the fun times ahead!

Thank you all for being such wonderful fathers! I am so thankful for your love and guidance. 

Here's a few more fun photos!:

xo!

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Butter Goes to the Beach

Yesterday the Donahue clan spent the day at the Oregon coast. It's always lovely getting to spend time with the family, especially a pretty day by the sea. Here's some photos from our little adventure!

This fella decided this was a perfectly good spot to take a nap. Good for you, buddy!

We were taking a few obligatory couple shots when Mr. Butter's father thought it would be a good idea to photo bomb us. Well played, well played indeed.

We played a round of mini golf and Mr. Butter scored a hole in one on the first two holes! In the end though it was a pretty close game. 

We also went for a ride on a surrey. Last year all six of us went for a ride, but the bike that was supposed to seat six of us this year was not quite large enough for all of us...We were holding on for dear life! But it was fun as always. :) 

And of course, a trip to the beach wouldn't be complete without some taffy! I love roaming the aisles to see all of the different flavors, but I really only enjoy the hot cinnamon. 

I already can't wait for our next trip over to the coast! 

Wrigley

I came across this amazing photo of Tim's family dog Wrigley when he was just a pup. It makes my heart happy. He's so little here (he's practically a giant now), and look at those ears! Plus, he looks so genuinely happy. I wish I knew him back in the day when he was just a little fella runnin' around like this!

But I sure am glad I know him now! He's a funny fellow. 

Dear Mom

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful, beautiful, fantastic mom! I am forever grateful for her love and support. She has always encouraged me to chase my dreams and make them a reality, and has inspired me to be brave, strong, and to live a life of love. Thank you mama for being such a great example for us girls and for always believing in us! I am so thankful for you and couldn't ask for a better mother. 

And happy mother's day to all of you mothers, moms to be, grandmothers, and mother figures! As an extra bonus of marriage, I now have another mama in my life! Happy Mother's Day to Kim, my mother-in-law! Thank you for raising such a wonderful son, and for your strength, courage, and love you show each and every day! You are a truly inspiring woman and we love you so so so much!!!

Here's some more wonderful mama photos:

Mama D and her Mama.

(I'm tellin' ya- Tim's family really nailed it with the professional photos! I wish we had more gems like this!!) This is so wonderful it melts my heart a little. 

Yes, my amazing mom wore a cute waiter outfit and served fake champagne and cakes in the shape of martinis for my 17th birthday party. It was 1960s themed- you had to come dressed according to the theme and my wonderful mother made us all a four course meal. Still one of my favorite birthday celebrations ever!

Sister, mama, me.

Tim's favorite photo of him and his mom. :)

xo!

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