Say Hello to Avalon

Avalon Sanders sits in front of me in third period. Everyone calls her Avalon Sanders because the Sanders is what makes her famous. Her mother, Candy, is the ex-girlfriend of musician Darryl Hall from the 80s pop sensation, Hall and Oates and her father is the reigning champ and 8 time winner of Reno, Nevada’s annual Oktoberfest Poker Tournament. Avalon Sanders’ dream is to become a Deal or No Deal model and with her popularity in the school reaching an all-time high after winning “Best Eyes” in the 2010 Yearbook, it looks like she may just achieve her dream. Although she maintains a steady 3.8 GPA, reading, writing, science and arithmetic are not her strong points and I strongly believe that she is illiterate. The other day her world crumbled and I saw her begin to cry after she scuffed her new white tennis shoes. I wonder if she will ever know true happiness again.

Meet Lara

My best friend’s mom is named Lara. She is a Fanilow of Barry Manilow, reads self-help books and watches The Antique Road Show. She runs nine and a half miles a day and is allergic to shellfish. When you really tick her off, her right eye slightly twitches and the lisp that she learned to control when she was 7 accidentally slips out. Just when I think I’ve figured her out, she references a Tupac song or reveals her tramp stamp tattoo when she reaches up high for something. Sometimes, I like to guess about what she was like when she was younger, but I know I’ll never know the truth. Does she miss who she used to be or is she content to live the life of the world’s best mom? One time I saw her spiking her morning coffee, but I think I’ll keep that our secret.

Savannah Weather Update

Guys...... I seriously don't know if I can handle this! It's almost laughable how extremely different the weather is from So Cal. At least it will be better by September, right? ....Right? .....RIGHT!?!

Parsons Challenge

So, when I applied to Parsons way back in December, part of the application is completing what they call "The Parsons Challenge." The directions were obnoxiously vague. They were to take time to notice three cohesive things in your life that you typically overlook and do three separate art pieces on them each with their own 150 word description.
At this point in my application process, I had already finished and mailed in all of my other schools and I was not really even considering going to Parsons anymore, but my parents "advised" me to just mail it in and see what happens. So for weeks I considered what I wanted to do for the Parsons Challenge and none of my ideas really satisfied me. Too cliche, too confusing, too basic, or too much effort for what I really wanted to put in (see my last post).
Finally, like most things I do, it came down to the wire and I knew that I just needed to do something, anything to send in and have my parents stop bugging me-- I mean, have it be done so I could greatly improve my chances of getting into Parsons....
One day I just sat down and started drawing (something I rarely ever do because my drawing/painting leaves a lot to be desired) hoping inspirations would just strike me down like lightning so I could get the whole thing over with. After playing with really symbolic and cheesy ideas with weird connections and explanations to my life (taking way more than 150 words to explain) I decided that I would fudge the system a bit. Starting with a man named Mitch, I made up fictitious characters in my life and accompanied them with ridiculous stories about their odd lives and why I typically look over them in my day to day life. The drawings are nothing to write home about and my descriptions are a little rough, but when it was all said and done, I loved what I'd come up with. As basic and flawed as they were, something had to have worked because I ended up getting into Parsons, so that counts for something, right? See, kids-- you too can pull metiocre grades all through school and still get into college because "You're an artist!"
All of this to say, I had kind of forgotten about them until a few days ago when I found them amongst all of my other stored documents that are slowly collecting dust in the dark files of my laptop and I decided I would post them over the next few days.
Here's Mitch:

"My neighbor’s name is Mitch. He’s 52 and single. He drives a champagne colored Buick and smokes cigars in the morning. His mustache is as much apart of him as the Charles Bronson Signature Collection cologne he wears everyday. At night he dons his gold chain necklace and his white yacht captain’s hat and goes out trolling for tonight's lady love. I wonder if he’s ever really loved someone, but either way, I don’t think he minds because the widowed 60 something’s that he brings home every night take quite good care of him. His debonair good looks and irresistible manly demeanor only add to his million-dollar smile and fake tan. Whenever he see’s me, he gives me a look and a wink that is not only endearing, but also slightly concerning. It’s a look that says, 'Watch out for guys like me.' I think I’ll take that advice."

Want to get more people to take the stairs? Simply transform the steps into a step-a-thon piano! "We believe that the easiest way to change people's behavior for the better is by making it fun to do," says Volkswagen, the company behind the project. Genius.
But wait-- OK. So, I was thinking about it and wondering how much of what we know is good for us do we not do because it's not fun? I don't know if it's just me but there are so many things in my life that I only do when it is fun for me. Examples: Working out. Volunteering. Helping out around the house. Anything that inconveniences me.
This just goes on the list of the many things I need to be mindful of.

About to Pop.

I miss blogging. My butt has been glued to the couch for the last two weeks and I'm going extremely batty. And my mind feels all mushy. Blogging would be a great way to pass the time, but my little corner of the couch is one of the only places in the whole house that doesn't get internet access. Across the room, in the uncomfortable chairs, my internet is great, but in my little nest I got nothin. So, when I do make the extra special field trip to the island in the kitchen, I make it count. Like right now.
Today when I was catching up on all of my favorite websites, I came across this awesome series of pictures. And because I'm bored and all mushy, I'm going to make a this hypothetical connection of the picture to my life. So get ready for a stretch:
I am like a bubble. Floating through summer. Getting ready for the pop that is awaiting this autumn.
How do you like that? Two weeks and that's what I come up with. Pretty good, huh?
So, hopefully I'll be making the trek over to the kitchen a little bit more in the coming days and posting more genius statements like the one about bubbles and me.

Blog Lazy.

I'm so sorry for the lack of posts lately. Recent events have stopped me from being as blog attentive as I should be/ have beeen. Although I have, in fact, been quite lazy, it's been the laziness that is making me busy.
But, not to worry; I'll be back and the blog will be running to it's regular capacity quite soon.

Must. Write. Thank. You. Notes.

So, it's been about a month since my graduation and graduation party and the convenient "I'm going on vacation," "I'm on vacation," and "I'm recovering from vacation," excuses just aren't cutting it anymore.
I was blown away by everyone's generosity when it came to gifts. And with all of the joking I made on this blog about expecting amazing gifts and me being mad if I was let down by your offering, I'm a little worried people actually took me seriously!
I hate writing thank you notes because I feel like, although I am very very grateful for said gift, it always comes across as so fake and contrived. I'd much rather just go to coffee with each person and thank them with a single white daisy or a bag of fruit or something like that. But then they might feel obligated to give me a thank you note and it turns into one of those "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" situations. I actually really love the idea of them and in fact, it really bugs me when people fail to write a quick thank you, so I guess that's just another example of me being a total hypocrite.
I've been putting it off, putting off, putting it off so, today I am forcing myself to sit down and write the over 40 cards that have been tickling the bottom of my feet for so long. Even now, though, instead of just hunkering down and doing it, I've convinced myself that a more appropriate use of time is for me to make a really rad house of cards and therefore waste another 20 minutes of my day.

You have to admit, though. It is pretty cool.
Hey, at least I've got lots of cute stationary (Thanks, Lauren and Tamara!)

Mr. Wind.

I think I am in love. Mr. Wind has swept me off my feet. He just melts my cold, cold heart. I don't think I will ever be able to get mad at a windy day ever ever again!

He's just so misunderstood.

Comments, People.

Ok. We need to have a family meeting.
This blog is a blast. I love it. And if it were up to me, I would insert a chip into my brain that transmits a constant stream of my thoughts onto this blog for people to read 24/7, but I can't. I checked. Technology won't allow it. They said something about all the money being used to make Avatar. So instead, I take a bit of time out of my day to gather all of my Brain Buddies to come up with a short written piece about my life, or fashion, or food or ....yea, basically only fashion and food. (By the way, Brain buddies are little mustard colored furry friends that keep all the smart juice in the palms of their hands until I need to use some, in which case they start throwing the Smarts around in my skull. That's how a brain works, in case you didn't know.) So, when I log into my Blogspot account and see that no one has left any love back for me, it makes me feel cheap, dirty and used like a lady of the night. So, let's go through this, just to make sure everyone is clear:
I blog. You comment. I blog. You comment. I blog. And you....? COMMENT! Very good.
Also, if and when you do in fact speak your mind on this lovely site of mine, PLEASE let me know who you are. Anonymous comments are for cowards.
Can you tell I'm in a bit of a snarky mood today? Too much sugar.
Let's use this post as a practice run. There are so many comment-able aspects today. For example, did you notice the snazzy new background? How do you like it? Should I keep it or do we like the white better? Or do you like the idea of a background, but you just don't really like this one. Give me your thoughts!

Ready......GO!

PS- How annoying is this cat? It really bugs me.

In the Haze

Your secret from Jean-Sebastien Monzani on Vimeo.

I’m in one of those moods where things life gets small and I get to thinking about who and where I am. Sometimes the thinking lasts for an hour or two, sometimes longer, but I watched this video this morning and it took me a little bit out of my mood. Or maybe it put me in this mood to begin with, but either way I loved the message of it. Things are quiet around here right now and for some reason, it feels like I’m the only one awake in the world. In a few hours, everyone will wake up, but for now, I’m enjoying the smallness of morning.

Walking on Sunshine

Weather here in So Cal has been so disgusting so far this summer and this upsets me. I have been waiting to wear my summer clothes ALL year but i find myself in jeans and a sweater everyday because of this weird, gloomy chill. So, today i am going to pretend it's a day full of sunshine and happiness (just like these gerber daisies).

So, here's to ignoring the weatherman! Who's with me?

Oh, Honey!

Ok, I love writing on this blog, but there are some posts that I get extra excited about. Today is one of those days. This post is all about Kaitlin and her love for the bees. And, people... she loves the bees. My sister is not only smart, funny and beautiful, but she's got some crazy hobbies too.
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the first annual World Wide Honey Consortium, the brain child of my dear sister, at our home with a group of close friends also with an interest in the nectar of the bees. We sampled honey from around the world and then evaluated their similarities and differences on handmade scorecards ultimately reading them aloud and comparing notes. The night was truly an epic success that left me wanting more. This morning I woke up with so many questions about bees and the underground world of the honey collector. So, Kaitlin and I sat down to talk a bit more and I was amazed at her extensive knowledge. We put together this video to share with you, my lovely readers. It's a little long, but bear with us-- every minute is extremely valuable! ...and you better like it because it literally took me 3 hours to upload online.

Honey, Honey. from julia patton on Vimeo.

I had a blast filming it with the help of two lovely ladies, Megan Meade and Leanne Parsons, and I hope you enjoy and learn. Please comment with your thoughts. They make my day.

Good, Clean Fun.

The 4th ended up being perfect, as expected. My favorites of all time, The Page Family, came over to spend the afternoon at our house after some of them came back from a hike in the Trabuco Canyon area.

I grilled my own burger for the first time in my whole entire life! Momma P provided every topping imaginable and even had the bright idea to put extra stuff in the meat itself which turned out to be very tasty. I added garlic, blue cheese, and A1 sauce to my patty and then topped it off with some fresh ground pepper. Flaw. Less.

After dinner, we walked over to the Castaways for a great view of the Back Bay and a dazzling display of four firework shows.

Poor Tucker. He definitely gets the short end of the stick having to put up with our loud, obnoxious, girliness being the youngest and the only boy of our two families. Yesterday was no exception. I got ahold of his cell phone number and texted him for about 30 minutes pretending to be a new girl at church named Ali Cadabra. It took him a while to catch on. I thought it was funny. Am I being too mean?

I forget every year how much I absolutely LOVE fireworks. I could've watched them for 9 more hours. Something about expecting the unexpected makes me very giddy. So cool.

Chalk this 4th up to one more year of Casey and I celebrating a typically drunk holiday (for most teenagers) together and completely sober with our families. Classic Julia and Casey.

All in all, the 4 B's were avoided and we still managed to have a great time! Imagine that.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

I love the 4th of July. Actually, I just lied. I hate the 4th of July. I love what the 4th of July means and the significance to our beloved country and its freedom, but I'm just not a very 4th of July-ish kinda gal. Living in Newport, the 4th stands for the 4 B's: BBQ, Beer, Bathing suits, and Beach. Which, coincidentally are 4 of my least favorite things. So in order to turn this day's frown upside down, I tend to just get more excited about all the great summer clothes and my love of the color combination of red, white and blue. Take Theory's Spring collection, for example. Any of these looks would be perfect for making grilling various foods or watching fireworks just so much more enjoyable, right!? Yes.

Whether you are beaching it up, brushing up on your American history or eating apple pie, I hope you have a great day.

Number 6: Family.

I love my family so much. We are loud. We are sarcastic. We are honest. We can be challenging. But we love each other so very much. I feel like I've wrote so much this week and I'm kind of burnt out on thinking (it's summer, people. Thinking not allowed). So, I think I'm just going to do quick descriptions of each pic. Because I am a full on lazy bum.

This is the first night the whole family was together before the cruise. We went to this great dinner in Amsterdam. It was not only the kick off of the World Cup, which seemed to be a major theme of the whole trip, but also the start of me eating way too much bread. They don't call me the Carb Queen for nothing.

Here's just a good pic of the fam at Bagels and Beans (still can't get over how great that name is). All looking great despite the incredible jet lag taking place.

Awww. Aren't we great?
I love all these women. I think this was the first trip that I realized how old we all are. I mean, it used to feel like such an age range between all of the cousins and now we are becoming more and more similar in so many ways. Such a talented and beautiful group.

Watching the World Cup is way better in German.

That right there is what really made the whole first week for me. Family.

How do I say this in a way that doesn't sound so incredibly ungrateful, immature, or entitled? ....Europe is amazing. And the fact that I have gotten to go on so many such amazing trips before I'm even twenty is really incredible and I am so, so lucky. But all the museums, churches and castles mean are nothing compared to the amazing time I got to spend just watching dumb movies and laughing with my cousins, the great talks and times of growth with my family, and memories that I'll always cherish with my grandparents.

Number 5: Cheese.

These last two weeks we ate a lot of cheese. Before dinner. After dinner. For lunch. In a restaurant. On the go. Hot. Cold. White. Yellow. Good. Bad. On a Boat. In a Car. In the Woods. Ok. I'll stop now before I completely turn into Dr. Seuss. But not only did we eat a lot of cheese, but in some way I just felt closer to cheese because of how organic everything in Germany and Switzerland generally are. Something I've been looking forward to since my mom mentioned it while looking through tour books in the last couple of months was visiting the Ementaler Cheese Factory (think Tillamook). In my opinion, if there is ever an opportunity to visit a factory on vacation, take it because factory=free stuff. I knew that I would not be leaving Ementaler without about 37 toothpick samples of cheese in my stomach and a smile of satisfaction on my face. So, I got to witness the whole cheese making process from this little guy right here donating his love juice...

to then here where they do all the science-y stuff......

(they gave us a tour to explain it all but I didn't hear a word of it because I was too excited for the samples)
then down to this cheese cellar where it ages.....

(ages is just a fancy word for "waits for my belly")
to here. Sample time! ....

(I pretty much cleaned them out)
And then ultimately, here where the family Patton enjoys slices of cheese with bread, apples and meats....
Like I think I mentioned in my food post, we also got to try local specialties like raclette (basically a skillet full of melted cheese and spices that you eat with potatoes, onions, and pickles...very good) and fondue (which, I love at home but was even more delicious in Switzerland). Thank, Cheese for showing me a good time and filling my tummy with yummy!

Number 4: Hike.

After we finished the cruise with the whole family, the fierce-some four-some Patton clan got to spend another week exploring Switzerland. The whole week was so great, but it's easy to choose my favorite moment. Like I've mentioned earlier, we got to stay in this awesome village called Murren in Switzerland. It took Mapquest repeatedly leading us to a tram station for us to realize that Murren was a carless village that could only be reached by a 15 minute tram ride and then a 15 minute walk from the station to our hotel. We debated changing our plans and staying somewhere a little more accessible but because it was late in the day when we reached our destination and starting to rain, we decided the best idea was to stay for one night and then figure out our next move in the morning. Well, when morning rolled around, the storm had cleared a little bit, and we all knew it would be a major mistake to leave such an amazing place. Still partly hiding behind clouds, out of our windows we saw glimpses of breathtaking Alps completely surrounding the small city. We heard the weather was going to get progressively better throughout the week, so we went down the mountain for two days and did other mini driving trips throughout the country and by Thursday, the weather could really have only been described as perfect. The sky was a piercing blue and the air was crisp and fresh. We took a cog train even farther up the mountain to where a lot of major hiking trails began. I took one step off the train and suddenly I'm in the Sound of Music. Seriously, people. I have never seen anything more beautiful.

We spent about 4 or 5 hours just hiking through this trail that took us back down to Murren and with every twist and turn of the mountain, the scenery became more and more picturesque. After a while, we stopped and ate a tasty lunch of cheese, apples, sandwich meats, and bread while overlooking a valley. In this particular area, there were cows covering the hillside. Don't think a moment could get much more Swiss than that.


Between meeting a creepy old man from England, Kaitlin's love affair with the cows, Dad getting zapped by an electric fence (it may or may not have been mostly my fault...), and me dominating the scariest mountain of my life without passing out, the time spent together that day will not soon be forgotten.
And it made me realize how much I really love hiking. Probably 3 of the top 10 days of my life have been spent hiking. I've already gone once since I've been back at El Moro Canyon. So that's it for hiking-- look forward to another post tomorrow on something I've gained a whole new appreciation for.