Not So Basic Basics

When I was growing up, my dad's office was near the Orange County airport.  The parking lot on the backside of the office complex basically looked out on the fields where the runways are, and when we would visit him at work, we would go out and watch the planes landing and taking off.  We take airplanes for granted as adults, they lose some of their excitement.  But if you stop and think about it: hundreds of tons of metal and parts and people and luggage are flying, controlled, through the air.  Defying gravity.  We are not birds, but up there we are.

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I now live about 10 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport, which also happens to be next to the closest In'N'Out burger.  I think it has got to be one of the busiest In'N'Outs (I'd be curious to know if it or the Barstow one, on the way to Vegas, does more business.)  There is a small park of grass next to the diner, basically across the street from the airport.  There are runways several hundred yards away, and the flight path for some of them is basically overhead.  We have gone once before and picnic dinner-ed there with my son, but as he gets older, it gets more and more fun for him.  We went again last night.  And it is amazing to share in the excitement and wonder he is experiencing when the airplanes are coming in over us.  It brings back the excitement I remember as a kid at my dad's office.  It's just such fun experiencing life again with a child of my own.

We took these images in downtown Culver City, across the street from Sony Studios.  Culver City has a long history with the motion picture industry,  and there are little reminders around town, such as this ginormous old reel camera.  Couldn't shoot there without taking a picture with it!

Classy Cut-Outs

Hope everyone had a fun/relaxing/productive/peaceful/whatever-you-needed-it-to-be Labor Day holiday.  We did extended family time on Sunday (BBQ at the grandparent's with my sister and her family), then Monday was just our little family.  We got up early, because with a toddler there is no such thing as sleeping in, and drove to Long Beach for breakfast, then to Huntington Beach Dog beach with the vision of letting the dog off the leash and the toddler splash in water.  But we learned that even just the flow of a crashed wave up the sand is a horrifying thing, and even mommy and daddy shouldn't let the wave water get them.  Even if they're are laughing and having fun. It is not a fun thing to witness, it is very upsetting.

So the dog beach was a bit of a bust, though the dog had some fun. The little guy fell asleep shortly after departing the beach, and took a nice long nap.  Then we were able to salvage the water experience of the day by going to the pool, which little dude loves, and he and daddy splashed there til dinner time.

For the beach I just wore my swimsuit and denim cut-offs.  But after cleaning up, I was loving this new top I got (under $20!)  It is minimalist and modern, with cut outs that reveal a little skin without revealing too much. You can wear a normal bra with it, and it is so easy to dress up or down.  Here, I dressed it up with some wide leg slacks and leopard print heels, keeping accessories to a minimum, to keep with the mono-chromatic minimalist vibe.

If you're on Snapchat, find me there at edstilettos, and you can follow my little family adventures.