atl::virginia highland

This weekend Keith and I finally got the chance to do a bit of exploring. Since Atlanta is filled with many unique neighborhoods we decided to begin with the wonderfully charming

Virginia Highland

This area reminds me a great deal of Melrose, Venice and Silverlake all rolled into one. It is home to fabulous restaurants and spas, cute boutiques, cool neighborhood taverns, coffee houses and plenty of live music. I have to say...I fell just a little bit in love...take a look

paper source

urban outfitters

the atlanta cupcake factory

youngblood (my fave)

coming up for air...

so here's the rundown of recent events:

discovered my local Target

unpacked the wine and drinking copious amounts of Malbec

Also discovered my local Kroger

Whole foods is next

I know some of you are awaiting shipments....what can I say...I'm only human

The kitchen is unpacked....everything else is not

I adore Ikea

Akira peed in the guest room

Roasters across the road is magic...pure magic

I need a pedicure...Jaimi...are you reading this?

I caved and bought a pair of Uggs...actually, they're knockoffs, so let's call them fuggs

I still need to do some address changes

Direct TV is better than Comcast

My wireless is not set up yet

ITS NOT SET UP YET

did the caps convey my frustration?

I am only documenting my December daily through photos

Words and craftiness will come later

that's kinda it for now...oh...I'm doing Facebook

don't judge

our new digs

So our brief visit to Atlanta has come to an end and we have returned to LA safe and sound. I must say that I was not prepared to like the southern city nearly as much as I did. Perhaps my love has to do with the fact that it is still shrouded in mystery. Newness makes every love affair a bit nicer, no? Anyway...a bit about the city from a first timer's standpoint:

We stayed at the Intercontinental, but I would have been pleased as punch to halt the apartment hunting and just live there.

Atlanta has more trees than I could have ever imagined. If I had to describe it I would say, it looks like a blooming city built in Central Park amidst trees, bridges and small creeks. This photo was taken from my hotel room on the 20th floor. Incidentally, rumor has it...Bill Clinton was near by aiding Senator Martin. We also had a nice chat with Mayweather on the elevator...at least Keith did. I had no idea who he was.




The service and food are spectacular. We dined at a couple different restaurant and they were all exceptional. I especially loved the prices.

Rick Hamilton. Amazing. If you ever need a realtor in the Atlanta area he is the best. He took us to ten different locations and was responsible for helping us find our new home. He even took us to a little soiree at the Adac to celebrate his friend's new store. By the way...his house was around the corner form ours, but man. whoa. Architectural Digest material. SERIOUSLY FABULOUS.

We are now in serious pack mode. The movers are coming on Monday to survey and will be back to load on the 4th. Akira is getting used to her transport crate and we are trying to decide...to drug or not to drug...any suggestions?

We are intending to purchase new furniture...so that is taking up a bit of time. It's all good...we are super excited. Oh and if I owe you an email, it is forthcoming...I just need to get my bearings.

how did i not know about this...

it opened in October. I think they're following me...or at least my pocketbook. Thanks for letting me know Charlie...even though I didn't believe you at first.

on a weekend of fecundity...

...the creative sort to be clear. Keith and I have been hard at work trying to discover our next domestic situation from afar. It is a trying endeavor to be sure.

The issues are as follows:

#1 Many of the homes in the area near the agency look like this....



for the record...this is NOT in our price range

#2 The younger professional crowd live a bit further south in hip happening urban communities such as this...



which is also beyond my budget (understatement)

#3 I don't trust craigslist because what they describe often ends up looking like this:



which is in my price range...way in

So what's a gal...and guy to do. We've already run the gamut of excitement...until we discovered apartmentratings.com which resulted in a brief state of melancholy ...then a return to excitement tempered by caution and low expectation. Frustration has led me to threaten violence. Keith has suggested I relax several times. Incidentally, I despise being told to relax. I hope that my active nature and his passive one serves us well during this shitf!ck of a process. Yup, I said it...and I'm actually restraining myself.

We have a list and several appointments but feel as though we can't really do much until we get out there. Thankfully the agency will be flying us out on Wednesday of next week. Then we have exactly two days to find a place to live.

two

days.

shitf!ck!

foe-show

Yes. it is now "for sure" and officially official. I am outta here folks. By out...i mean relocating and by here... I mean California.

Keith and I have spent the last 10 months interviewing, and contemplating, waiting and sometimes refusing, hoping and dreaming and then we stopped. We got tired of it and decided to just do our own thing. Well last week he got a call...then he flew out for an interview and less than 24 hours later...they made an offer. The one we were waiting for, the agency we were waiting for...but not exactly the city we were waiting for...

at first.

But after some investigation...we are excited and happy to announce that this will be our new home:







A few more deets:

we are going to be moving into the Buckhead area of Atlanta and it will all happen very quickly. I have spent an inordinate amount of time on Craigslist...but you know how that can be. The company is offering to fly us out for a weekend to do some home hunting...but with the holiday...not too sure how to fit it all in.

Of course, I am writing lists galore and feeling a bit overwhelmed since the initial giddiness has subsided. There's so much to do in very little time and Keith will probably have to depart earlier than I...which leaves me to do the packing.

Like a dude...he's all "let the movers pack it." But I won't hear of it. Moving, in my opinion, is an excellent time to purge and there's no way I'm hauling all my crap clear across the country. Much of it I am passing on to dear unsuspecting members of my family. The rest will either be donated or discarded in a more ruthless fashion.

BTW...if I haven't told you the good news and you're wondering why you had to find out about this in a blog post....

it's either because you didn't answer your phone, failed to return my call or text, have yet to hear your messages or haven't checked your email. So don't get huffy. I tried.

As for everyone else...this blog may be absconded by a lady who can only write of moving and packing and having fits and tantrums until the move is complete. I will try to throw bits of craftiness into the wild. I hope you will join me on this little journey, for it will be far easier with your support.

Incidentally, I was going to start a whole new blog to chronicle my exit but I thought that might be a bit lame. First...not enough people read this blog to take the high and mighty approach of "now they will read my other blog." Second...who has the time to juggle two...i can barely handle one...but I will be happy one day that I spent a bit of time documenting our journey. So NO, I will not create a blog 2 with a cheesy title that is a stupid play on the word peach...I won't do that.

Last thing...If you're wondering...yeah, I'm sad, but trying not to dwell on leaving my mommy and daddy. My mother faked happiness really well...my father isn't as good an actor. My chest gets tight whenever I think of it. I have lived within ten miles of my birth my entire life. For those of you who are out there missing your families...how do you do it? I will need your help and of course once I get everything pretty...you may all converge on Atlanta and bring your sleeping bag:)

xo