You had best believe that you cannot build what I don't need

Rare thunderstorms in LA are ushering me to Britain today. 

My itinerary-- a year in the making-- has me feeling a bit shot out of a cannon, but is entirely my own doing. I haven't been back to Scotland since the day I got on the bus in that last wind down to the end. I had that taste of London on the way back from Africa, and I'll admit I still associate the place with the only thing in my life I've ever felt like I failed at. I cried on the circle in. I have felt and still feel a rough letting go of that place and the life I saw for myself there. 

It becomes more complicated the more entrenched I get in my LA life; the more I love it. 

As I cross over anniversaries and milestones, unremarked upon, the more I am having to redefine myself against the hardline definitions I had of myself earlier in my life. I can say to myself now--- you've been away from New  York as long as you were ever there. Why do you still consider yourself a New Yorker? You don't really miss it, you only miss Europe. But LA... 

I still feel torn about my intent. My intent to live as one or many of the incarnations of myself. 

I'm scared of falling out of my life here by being gone so long. I'm scared of missing an opportunity that I've painstakingly built a foundation for here. 

I'm scared it's still not enough time to be in any of the places I'm going to settle into the rhythm. Scared it's not enough time to catch back that magic of my life there. I'm scared that the way I was there will be at odds with the way I am now and I won't be able to reconcile them. I'm scared my practice will fall off and I won't chant because of time, and mindset, and my friends' hard disbelief in Buddhism. 

But CHVRCHES has got my back. Giving us all a new song to sing me to Scotland. And a new album this September 25 -- Every Open Eye. 

And I'm going to give it my best go to report to whatever readers are left here. I can't guarantee I'll be able to. I can't guarantee I'll have anything or anything worthwhile to say. But if I do, I'll be here. Hope to see you.

Onward. To the East and to the North. To London, Edinburgh, Bamff, Skye, Uist, Geneva, Provence, Lugano and everywhere in between, to Dublin, to Clare and back again. 

Neil de Grasse Tyson at Rice's 100th Commencement

This past week, Rice graduated it's 100th class,  wrapping up a year's worth of Centennial celebrations. And Rice couldn't ask for a more fitting speaker to bring it all home than astro-physicist badass, Neil de Grasse Tyson. Not only did his wife graduate from Rice (Baker!) but he embodies Rice's marriage to NASA and the American spirit of exploration, commitment to the future, and to the great unknown. 

I don't feel like I live in that America. But I'm glad Tyson is around to remind us to keep pursuing the unknown, the spirit of innovation, of advancing, and of defining the universe-- and thus, the universal. That our pursuit of these things is tied to so many other important aspects of our perspective.

I often miss my time at Rice, and what it represents. But this was one of the most stinging. 

Congrats, class of 2013!

Like The Ceiling Can't Hold Us - Pete & Suzie's Wedding

As you may have gathered, I've been to many, many weddings. MANY. Between 2003 and 2005, I went to 26 weddings in 24 months. And the hits just kept coming as I got older. But this little shindig was one of the loveliest and most packed with adorable details of any that I've attended. And one of the only weddings where I didn't have to travel! What a fun night! 

Food trucks, local jams, streamers and swirly straws, personalized chalkboard mason jar drinking glass labels and a venue with killer ambience. (I don't just mean the perfect LA sunset lighting and exposed brick. This was hardcore LA at its finest. I'm talking hoopties with floor-pounding bass rolling by during the vows.) All this, plus the most unbelievably statuesque bride, and what you had was and unforgettable night. The actual manifestation of the coolest Pinterest board, only better because it had my friends. 

Pete & Suz, I love you guys! I was so honored to be there celebrating young and life-long love! 

I'm gonna dance to this & this today and remember how fun Saturday night was. And all my people say Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah.... like the ceiling can't hold us. 

Wedding!

Let's get Pete & Suzie married!

Bringing Your Pomeranian to a Silver Lake Wine Tasting

Considering just about every hipster, aspiring starlet, and jogger in Los Angeles has a dog  they bring along almost everywhere you go, McC and I didn't think it would be a big deal to bring Latte to this wine tasting/fancy food truck extravaganza at Silver Lake Wine on Monday night. I mean, I brought him to a bar in NoHo on Saturday night and that twink was a hit! 

Much to our dismay, we may have picked the one place it wasn't cool to bring a pooch. wWhile there was outside seating, there was no wine outside and no puppies inside. Latte was still as popular ever with other dogs and humans alike, so at least his feelings weren't hurt and his reputation as the life of the party is still intact.

As a work around, we ate our fancy food truck food (well, some of us had fancy food like brisket and lamb ragoo lasagna 'cupcakes' from Heirloom and others, ie me, had cheap and extremely spicy tacos from the other truck) taking turns watching Latte and then grabbing wine. We sampled two extremely mellow (bordering on boring) wines first-- a rose' and a tempranillo before partaking in an amazing Merlot I meant to get the name of. McC bought a bottle though, so I hope to taste its deliciousness again soon. 

I also cleansed my pallet with a red velvet raspberry cake-let from Cake Monkey. Evening = success. God Bless Silver Lake...where even the fancy food trucks get parking tickets while trying to make a buck.