Category Archives: Cool

Station Fire – Images from the Bridge

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The La Canada Station Fire continues to gnaw it’s way through the Angeles Crest forest, high atop the ridge, along La Canada Flintridge, and into Altadena. We can see it quite clearly from our patio, which is just a short distance from the Rose Bowl. As of 1am this morning, the fire is only 5% contained. It’s been burning for more than 24 hours. Needless to say, the air quality in Pasadena is pretty horrendous. I’ve been doing my best to stay indoors, we cleaned and replaced all the air conditioning filters in the house and are keeping the windows closed. I mostly worry about the cats and their precious little lungs. I’m also dosing up on Vitamin C, Olive Leaf, Silver, and drinking tons of water. This is the kind of air quality that gives a person heavy bronchitis – no jinx.

After spending a good 20 minutes looking through wedding invitation designs, AJB, Mom, JCS, and I had dinner. Afterward, as we drove North on Fair Oaks Ave. in Old Town, you could see these massive flames leaping above the mountaintop. We decided to detour our route home and head up a little further on Fair Oaks. We couldn’t see much, so we came back home. There was, in fact, a better view from our patio and I took a few unremarkable photos.

A few moments after Mom left, she called and informed us that the view from the Holly St. Bridge (just around the corner from us) was spectacular. I grabbed my camera and tripod and out we went. Immediately upon arrival, you could see an impressive panoramic view of the mountains all ablaze. It was indeed, as Mom said, spectacular. Almost too spectacular. Mesmerizing, even.

Elliot, a man who’d found his way to the bridge from a road trip to North Carolina was also taking pictures. Passersby stopped and looked out their car windows, several students took pictures down a ways from us. We chatted with Elliot about everything from tofu recipes, government conspiracies, and 2012 to the fire in general. He was a nice guy and we enjoyed talking to him. It’s interesting the people you meet on a bridge at midnight while photographing one of the most breathtaking fires this area has seen in 50 years. During our conversation with Elliot, we also witnessed 4 quick bursts of bright orange/white light from behind a ridge. We couldn’t tell what they were, but guessed they were either trees exploding (as they do) or a transformer blowing. Pretty amazing.

In other news, my wedding dress arrived today. It, like the fires, is spectacular.

Here are some of the photos I took. AJB took image #7.

Photos: Kristen Simental www.kristensimental.com

Catching up is Caught

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As usual, I don’t manage to write for a while and so much happens in between posts that I can’t figure out how to fit it all into one bite sized chunk. I then worry that I have so much to say, I’ll just end up writing a 2000 word post and annoy my two readers.

*sigh*

What I end up doing is summing up and I think I really miss the point of this blog. That is, to capture the events of my life as they unfold. The events have already unfolded and are now a bit wrinkled.

Over the last two weeks, my Mom, JCS and I have been busting ass to assemble my Save the Dates. I lie, mostly, it was Mom and JCS. They really came through. Mom spent a week at my house, staying up late, cutting out little skeletons, punching decorative bats into envelopes, addressing, and doing other miscellaneous tasks. JCS came over everyday and helped a whole lot too. I helped as much as I could, but guess what? I took a bad fall down the stairs and was out of commission right in the middle of the project. Luckily, I didn’t break anything, but I was beaten up and bruised. My legs and knees still hurt, even though I’m mobile. I spent several days in bed.

Over Mother’s Day weekend, my sister and sister-in-law came into town and got wrangled into a couple of all nighters. They’d originally came down to see Star Trek with me and celebrate Mother’s Day, but as it turned out, Mom had a wedding to attend and was gone for 3 days. Even though I was aching, I forced myself to the theater to see Star Trek. I could write an entire post on that movie. For now, I’ll just say it was good and I liked it. A lot.

We managed to get 95% of the Save the Dates out on time. You see, we’d bought these amazing Edgar Allan Poe stamps, but as fate would have it, the price of postage went up today. Rather than attach a stupid 2 cent stamp, we set a deadline which only gave us 10 days to finish. All I can say is, my family really came through for me. I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to have a family that will stay up all hours of the night getting hand cramps cutting out skeletons, attaching brads, punching lace, and stamping. This was the Project Royale – the project of all projects and my family brung it! We still have a few more to send out as addresses trickle in, but those will wait a few days and get 2 cent stamps.

And while all this is going on, I’ve started an internship with a super famous, amazing photographer named David LaChapelle. I don’t think the gravity of this position has sunk in just yet. Firstly, this is an outstanding opportunity for me. As a photographer, to watch a master at work…well, that’s priceless. And when I say priceless, I mean, I’m not getting paid. But I look at it this way: Interning is like going to school. They don’t pay you, you pay them. I’m getting a one of a kind education here and all that is required is my time. Besides, I happen to know that plenty of photographers would give their right arm to intern for this guy. Furthermore, aside from cleaning and answering phones, I’m also being given the chance to see how a lucrative photography business is run from behind the scenes. No college in the world teaches you that. When it comes to advanced lighting technique and organizing a grand scale photoshoot for Rolling Stone…well, they don’t teach that at Brooks. I mean, what does it take to get where he’s at? How did he get there? Granted, he is an amazing talent and while I’m good at what I do, I’m not that good. Truth be told, photographers on his level have a lot of help. Me? I’m on my own.

Today was my first day. So much happened. I will write about it, just not tonight.

Toilet Sink Combo Saves the Planet!

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In my life-long quest to live more efficiently and eco-friendly, we’ve purchased and installed a toilet/sink combo. Undoubtedly, you’re asking yourself why anyone would need a toilet/sink combo. What’s the point and why would you wash your hands with toilet water? I find myself answering (as best I can) these questions to just about everyone. The first thing people tend to think is that you’re washing your hands with dirty toilet water (grey water).

Here’s the basic gist: When you flush your toilet, water flows from the tank into the bowl, moving your waste into pipes, out to the street, etc. The tank and bowl refill with fresh water for the next flush. The toilet sink combo acts as a middle man during this process. When you flush the toilet, fresh water is rerouted through a faucet into a small basin that drains back into the bowl, ready for the next flush. While the water is flushing and refilling, you wash your hands.

What’s the point? Think about this: Most toilets use about a gallon and a half of clean water to flush your waste into city pipes and out into the septic system. This is clean water, the same municipal tap water you walk over to the sink to wash your hands with. By cutting out washing your hands in the sink and using toilet water you save water; which over time, adds up to gallons and gallons over the course of a year (depending on how long you wash your hands for). You’re not using extra water to wash your hands. Get it?

I never quite feel like I’ve explain it very well, but it does make sense. In the end, it’s a better use of water. The water that ends up in the toilet bowl is the water you just washed your hands with. It’ll be a little soapy, but your poo doesn’t care. I figure, you get more bang for your buck this way. Plus, it’s a lot more pleasant than the “If it’s yellow let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down” method. I also can’t help but wonder if the soapy water will eventually keep the pipes cleaner. *shrugs*

The savings here are small, but green living is about doing small things that add up. I’ve always sort of thought that toilet flushing was such a waste of water. All that water, just to move your poop out of sight. Sure, the modern toilet is a miraculous invention, but it’s hardly efficient. Like I said, most toilets use about a gallon and a half of water to flush. That’s a lot. How many times do you flush your toilet everyday? Double that on Burrito Night and that’s a whole lotta water.

If I haven’t accurately described the wonders of the toilet sink combo, you can find more info here: Sink Positive

Toilet Sink Combo Saves the Planet!

Toilet Sink Combo Saves the Planet!

I Just Made Dinner…

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I was sort of thrust into an unfamiliar role: Soon to be step-mom for 3 kids; one of which is a teenager and the other two are soon-to-be teenagers. Many people have called my situation a “ready made family”, but there’s nothing ready made about it. In fact, I’ve come to realize that making a family takes a great deal of effort and patience. They’re not my kids and I have no real obligation to do anything with them or for them. Thing is, I love AJB’s kids. They’re 3 of the greatest kids I’ve ever met and I feel as though I’ve really lucked out. Granted, there have been bumps along the road, but nothing that a little logic and patience can’t overcome. Or perhaps it’s the other way around?

That said, I’ve always loved cooking. I love experimenting and making food that results in yummy noises at the table. I have a fairly exotic palate, but AJB will eat whatever I place in front of him. I’m also a vegetarian with vegan tendencies. AJB’s kids are not and do not. Unlike most kids, they’ve seen the world and have done a great deal of traveling. Although, like most kids, they also enjoy just about everything that’s bad for you, filled with sugar, loaded with carbs, and made on an assembly line. They enjoy easy food that is wrapped in too much protective plastic and slathered in far too many preservatives. If that wasn’t enough, AJB’s twin boy is an extremely picky eater and doesn’t handle change very well. I, however, believe that food directly effects your health, mood, and longevity. Good food from good sources means you’re in tune with nature, your community, and your body.

So how do I balance my needs and the desires of AJB’s kids? It hasn’t been easy. They visit every Wednesday and two weekends a month. On those nights, I try to cook, but sometimes it’s just not possible. We end up ordering take-out or pizza for the umpteenth time. In order for me to cook, I need to prepare rather heavily. This means shopping once a week and making a meal plan. I also work best with recipes or items I know and love. I’ve also figured out that if I introduce organic/vegetarian meals that look and taste like the bad foods they love, the reception is a lot better. For example, tonight I made organic, homemade pizza followed by organic/macrobiotic poppy seed cookies. Both went over very well. If I were to say “you know, you’re eating macrobiotic cookies,” first of all, I’d have to explain what macrobiotic is. Secondly, they might not like them as well. AJB’s twin boy always seems to ask me what’s in the food and I tell him, but I never use terminology like “vegetarian”, “vegan”, or “gluten-free”. It’s not important. What is important is that they enjoy it and so far, they have. Once or twice they’ve commented that the pasta was weird, but they ate it anyway. So, there you go.

Learning to feed 3 children with 3 different personalities has been a challenge, but it’s one that I’ve grown into and have come to enjoy. It’s a far cry from where I was a few years ago – wondering if I could handle it, having mild panic attacks at the thought of being a step mom, and fretting that I might blow a quiet fuse. You know what? It’s all gone so well that I can’t say I have any complaints. What I really want, besides feeding AJB’s kids good, healthy food, is for them to recall these days with fondness. To recall that their future step-mom was pretty cool and she always made good eats. When they go off to college, they’ll think back and miss these home cooked meals. It’s so important to sit around the table and eat together. It’s the foundation of a happy family and I’m more than content to do my part.

It’s funny, people have always told me I’m good with kids and I guess I am. I often wonder about having my own kid(s). I’ve stepped into the step mom role rather well and am trying to maintain a good balance between being cool and being responsible. It’s a lot harder than you think.

* I want to start taking pictures of the food I make. Some of it actually looks really nice.

Making your way in the world today, takes everything you’ve got…

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Tuesday morning, anticipating rain, I shot the weekly Enid and Egar shoot in my garage. It ended up being clear skies all day, but a little cold. The model was sick and arrived an hour late. We got through everything well enough and even though I hit a few lighting snags, usage of the garage as a studio is underway. It’s not quite as cleared out as I’d like, but I can see it taking form.

After Enid and Edgar, I shot over to Silverlake to pick up some product for Epitaph Records’ merchandise division. On my way back into town, I stopped at Target and picked up an outdoor solar light to help light the area near my studio and a cheap battery powered press-light for the door. AJB and I got side tracked playing with a set of old “wireless” intercoms (which sort of work) along with his amazing new Flip HD video camera.

I waded through hundreds of Enid and Egar images and took a dinner break around 8pm. Father Nature! The Epitaph Records items were a rush because for some reason, I told the guy I could have them shot and edited by morning. Somehow, my brain neglected to remind me that I would be shooting still shots for a web series pilot in Santa Monica at 6am. Or maybe I remembered, but I imagined I could actually do that much work in so little time. I’m also highly aware of other people’s deadlines rather than my own.

By the time I started working on the Epitaph images, I was already tired from being on the go all day. By midnight, I was dragging. Exhausted, my mind was starting to fuzz over like a moldy peach. I powered through. I encountered several challenging items that required a level of thinking my brain wasn’t capable of at the moment. Frustrated, I began to unravel. AJB made every attempt to help me, but I was too far gone. Angry at myself for saying I could do heaps of work in a short amount of time, annoyed with anyone that talked to me, tired, fuzzy-brained, I lost it more than a few times. It’s not that I didn’t realize that in the grand scheme of things, missing a deadline isn’t half as important as say…world hunger, but no matter how I tried to convince myself, the exhaustion absolutely took over and I was irrational.

By the time I finished everything up, it was after 3am. I needed to be at a bar in Santa Monica by 6am which meant by 4am, I had to shower, get my equipment together, and leave the house by 5am. AJB convinced me to take a short nap on the couch after my shower. I could have slept all day, but I got up, got my gear, put on some make-up, downed a big fat cup o’ coffee and drove to the coast. I got there in record time. It’s always so disorienting when you don’t sleep and somehow, you’re on the road in the wee hours of the morning and the moon is still out. That’s Winter for you.

At the shoot, I was only half lucid. At times I found it difficult to communicate or say certain words. My joints ached and my head was stuffy. Regardless, I had a great time. This was my first experience on a real film set, even if it’s just for a web series. I got to see how things work, who does what, and why it takes so many takes to get it right. I haven’t looked at my images yet. I expect I won’t do that until tomorrow. I joked around with one of the extras that because I was so delusional, I will have imagined that I took the best shots of my life, but in actuality, I’ll find that I spent 4 hours shooting pictures of a strange hot dog statue that was on the set. It was funny. You had to be there. Or perhaps I was so delusional, I only thought it was funny.

The producer, the guy who “hired” me, was abundantly thankful, pleasant, and easy to get along with. The cast and crew were a mixed bag of actor types, laid back extras, and miscellaneous crew. Most people were nice although it was immediately apparent that everyone hangs out with their own group. Who knew film sets were so cliquey? The director was a really nice guy and I marveled at his ability to direct. As a director, you really need to be comfortable with ordering people around and do it in a way that doesn’t make you seem like a douche; which this guy did.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s shoot. More of the same. I basically just get to walk around and take pictures of whatever I want. Sure I’m not getting paid, but it’s not about that. This is one of those times where the experience outweighs the financial gain.

Tonight, I have even more Epitaph merch to shoot. I’ll get as much done as I can and try to be in bed by 10pm. At 33, I no longer have the stamina to go two days without sleep…as much as I wish I could.

Good-Bye Saturday Morning

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It’s 10:30am on a Saturday morning and AJB’s kids are still asleep. Their eyes are not glued to the set watching 4 hours of uninterrupted Saturday morning cartoons, the way I did when I was little.

superfriendsWhen I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to get up Saturday mornings. It meant all the cartoons you could sink your teeth into. Sometimes I’d get up too early and end up watching Villa Allegra – A Spanish educational show, sort of like The Electric Company – or the New Zoo Review; both of which were syndicated 70′s shows and sort of creeped me out. After that, it was a flurry of animated shows that came and went faster than I noticed. I watched it all, but my favorites were Looney Tunes, Superfriends, Shirt Tales, The Smurfs, Turbo Teen, Monchhichis, The Littles, Dragon’s Lair, Ewoks, Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies, Droids: The Adventures of R2D2 and C3PO, Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, Misadventures of Ed Grimley, Superman, Plastic Man, Rubik the Amazing Cube, Thundarr, Pac Man, and CBS Storybreak. I’m sure there are more, but there are the ones that come to mind.

The decline of Saturday morning cartoons came towards the end of the 80′s and into the early 90′s. I was in junior high, starting high school. Once I got into high school, I remember not waking up so early anymore, but when I did, I still watched whatever was on. I remember thinking that I had to watch them or else they’d disappear forever – as if my watching made a difference. I knew I was getting older and the shows weren’t that great anymore. In fact, by the early 90′s, the era of Saved by the Bell (which I hated with a fiery passion) was dawning and Saturday cartoons were already waning. It coincided with my becoming a teenager and being more concerned with The Cure, The Smiths, and Siouxsie Sioux.

I was born in 1975, so by the time I could get myself up to watch TV, the glorious Saturday morning routine that 80′s kids recall with such loving devotion was just getting started (about 1979). I, along with everyone else in their mid-30′s, were given this unique gift that no other generation will know. I see AJB’s kid rise after 10am and immediately turn on the Wii. When I was a kid, rising at 10am meant missing all the good shows and it meant only another hour or so of animated programming. If, for some reason, I awoke late on a Saturday, I was bummed all day. How could I miss the cartoons? How awful! It was horrible. Kids on Monday would be talking about them and I would have to say I missed it. So, no, I rarely got up late. I also recall feeling sad when the final cartoon came on. Once that song for Saved by the Bell came on, we turned off the TV and played with our toys. Of course, back then, my parents liked to clean the house on Saturday so we did everything we could to get out of it.

It’s funny how kids change from generation to generation. AJB’s kids watch cartoons, but on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. At 12, the age of the twins, I was watching Teen Wolf, Muppet Babies, and Mighty Mouse. The twins watch something called Total Drama Island (which is actually fairly mature), Robot Chicken, and Spongebob. No wonder, I just looked it up and Spongebob is on 6 times in a row on Fridays and at least 4 times in a row during the week. That’s a lot of Spongebob.

There are very few new cartoons that I actually like. I don’t like Spongebob, even though some adults think it’s great. Occasionally a gem like Powerpuff Girls comes along, but it’s not like the old days when even the shows that sucked were good. They were good because they were cartoons. Good because Saturday was your day, a day for kids. AJB’s kids will spend the day playing Wii, Club Penguin, and Nintendo DS – all in separate rooms. AJB might round them up and take them out, but it’s been raining and a it’s a bit soggy outside.

It’s now 11am. If this were 1984, I’d be watching Mr. T followed by The Incredible Hulk and Spiderman.

The Art of Ju Jitsu

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I’ve never been a sporty person. In 6th grade, I tried out for the softball team and was so terrible, the coach asked me never to come back. In Junior High, I hated P.E. so much that as soon as I hit the blind spot behind the handball courts, I’d jump through a hole in the fence other P.E. haters had made. I’d leave for an hour and show up like nothing happened. It was brilliant. My parents made me take soccer when I was about 11/12. I hated it. Most games, I just stood there and looked at the clouds. If the ball ever actually came my way, I’d try to kick it and fail Charlie Brown style. I didn’t merely dislike sports, I was magnificently bad at them. I was an artist. I drew, wrote, and took pictures. I was sensitive and I hated jocks.

So why on Earth have I signed up for Jujitsu classes? I answer myself and say, “I don’t know, why did I?” I immediately realize that it’s because I need to. AJB travels a lot and sometimes I’m alone in our big, spooky house. I can rationalize all I want that the noises I hear outside are raccoons and not burglars, the footsteps in the main room are ghosts and not a real person, or that someone isn’t lurking in the bushes ready to strike. I can do that, but it doesn’t work. I’ve found that when AJB leaves, I don’t sleep. I’ll stay awake, checking the doors, watching the windows, and listening for sounds until I finally collapse with all the lights on. The next day, I’m a zombie and I don’t get anything done. Furthermore, when I was in college, I’d walk home and just about every night I’d get followed home or asked if I needed a ride by some pervert. A model friend of mine goes jogging every morning and sometimes gets followed by creeps. You hear stories, you’re bombarded with bad things in the news. Girls get kidnapped and raped in broad daylight. Sadly, the world isn’t safe.

It’s not paranoia, but these things do happen and to say “it’ll never happen to me” is being delusional…because it really could. In fact, I think all women should take a self defense class. You just never know when some cracked-out PCP addict will decide you’re cute and rape the shit out of you. How do you defend yourself? How do you get out of a choke hold? If someone is pinning you down, how do you turn the tables? That’s what I want to know! I want to know these things because I’ll sleep better at night knowing that I have a skill that my (potential) attacker doesn’t.

I attended my first class last night. I learned how to fall sideways, forward, and backward. I’m not good at it, but I will be with time. I also learned how to avoid someone who’s going for you and how, if someone’s punching you, to push them out of the way. First night and all, it was a lot of information, but instantly, I learned that with very little pressure, you can actually do a lot of damage. We learned this twisty wrist thing and I kept feeling like I was going to hurt my classmates. I also leaned that despite being deadly, Jujitsu can also get you out of sticky situations without any harm done to you or your opponent. Already, I feel empowered. I also realized that Jujitsu, like dance, is an art and of all the martial arts is perfect for right-brained people. I like that.

When I got into my bright, white uniform and no socks, I felt like I dork. There I was with my blue pony-tail, learning how to take down an attacker twice my size. Wow. Weird, right? I never thought in a million years I’d be doing something like this. Never. Ever. I instantly conquered my dorky inhibitions and decided to enjoy the class. All the students are really great. I’m not sure who’s who and what’s what, but there is a good vibe at this school and I feel like I belong. Everyone is really cool and helpful. Students from all walks of life attend this school including a female Pasadena police officer and a 15 year old kid that was getting picked on by classmates. Apparently his grades and self esteem have gone up since he started the class. I also like that this school doesn’t have a competitive nature. It’s all about education.

I might never get attacked in a dark alley by a cracked-out PCP addict, but knowing that I will be prepared comforts me. You see, being scared isn’t my thing. It’s bothered me. I’m an intelligent person so why I am scared to be alone in my own house? I’m also a proactive person and I’m all about getting passed by own personal hurdles. Life is about making yourself a better person and learning as much as you can. So why not learn this?

Baby Pictures

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My baby brother sent pictures of his newborn son today. Cute kid. I can’t help but notice he looks more like his mother.

These pictures were taken by my brother’s girlfriend’s mom, who apparently doesn’t know how to take pictures. Ah, whatever. Most babies are cute anyway and even though I can’t be there (and despite this recent sendage of images) I still feel like it’s happening to someone I don’t know. And only two pictures? Wow. If it were my kid, I’d have about a billion images just from the first day. Apparently more are on the way. We’ll see. And yeah, that’s what you’ve want after you’ve spent x-amount of hours being pushed through a slimy hole, getting all worked up about it, having a quick/painful snip of your gentleman’s equipment…what you really want is a BRIGHT flash in your face.

Le sigh. I love that baby. I have not one bad feeling about that baby, even if it doesn’t look like my family or my brother. I’m hoping that once he gets a little older, he’ll look more like my handsome brother, but it will probably never know it’s half Mexican. I’m interested to see how this little life progresses and grows. I cross my fingers in hoping that his parents don’t fuck him up and that he has all the chances he’ll need to succeed in life; despite his geographic location. If I could do it, so can he. Good luck Michael. You’re gonna need it. And hopefully, when you’re a little older, you can visit your cool Aunt Kristen in California and I can show you a wonderful world beyond Elkhorn, Nebraska. Just remember, when life is tough and you feel like you can’t stand it anymore, give me a call and I’ll send you a plane ticket. You’ll always have a place to runaway to.

Gingerbread Latte Time

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I was never a huge fan of Ginger-anything until I got older. Not Ginger Snaps, sushi ginger, gingerbread, ginger ale, nothing. Then all of a sudden, it was like this revelation: Ginger rules. I frickin’ love it! I can pretty much eat anything with ginger in it cause it’s so good.

One of my favorite times of the year is Starbucks’ Gingerbread Latte Time. While I make a minor effort to ignore the convenience of Starbucks and visit local coffee cafes, I find that since Starbucks has put most of them out of business, it’s just easier this way. Besides, as a global conglomerate, they’re not half bad. Along the lines of Apple Computers and Whole Foods. They’re not perfect, but they try and I do appreciate that they use free trade coffee and simply by their presence, make a neighborhood nicer. Yeah, yeah, they’re evil. I know. I also mustn’t forget that their so-called “free” Wi-Fi means buying a Starbucks giftcard which means it’s not really free and then, once you do go ahead and buy the card, you can’t get online anyway.

I digress. It’s Gingerbread Latte Time. On Saturday, while in Vegas, AJB and I walked into a Starbucks and lo, there it was! Gingerbread Lattes…wait…what? Ginger Snap Lattes? What the? Changed? Why? I asked the girl what the difference was and she explained that it’s exactly the same except that they now include crystallized ginger in the mix. Hurm. Lame. I’d try it anyway. Yeah, it’s exactly the same except with the crystallized ginger. *shrugs* However, at the end of your beverage drinking experience, you end up with these gummy little balls of ginger which are odd after a warm latte. Reminds one of Boba Tea with those tapioca balls that always catch you off guard.

I’ve been laying off the soy lattes for a while now. I was once heavily addicted to them and would partake in their comforting warmth at least 4 times per week. I’m now down to about one a month. I hadn’t anticipated Gingerbread Latte Time. I now face a serious predicament. I love Gingerbread Latte Time and it makes me happy, but I fear that my vegetarian addiction to soy might be actually harming me on a hormonal level – at least, that’s what they’re saying these days. It could all change next year.

As an added bonus, Coffee Mate releases a selection of holiday favorites including Gingerbread. My fave. I’ve also started laying off the Coffee Mate cause it’s fattening and full of all kinds of harmful sugar-free, fat-free, made-up foods. Yeah, but it’s so frickin’ delicious. And Gingerbread Coffee Mate always sells out, so I tend to stock up. No, I couldn’t resist. And you know what? I don’t feel bad about it. Well, no. I take it back. I do feel a little bad. I’ve been really trying to eat better and get healthy, so Coffee Mate sends me back a step or two. I’m not going to give up coffee and apparently, I’m also not going to give up Coffee Mate holiday faves.

All this means that the holidays are here. Yikes! Old Town Pasadena already has their effiminent holiday deers perched on buildings ready to strike holiday cheer into your still beating heart. “Hi guys,” it seems to say. “Thanks for shopping in Old Town Pasadena today! See you soon!” There it sits atop a gigantic red Christmas ball, waving merrily down at you, except you can’t hear the way his voice sounds in my head. Think Paul Lynde meets Carson Kressley with a dash of Ethel Merman. Oh, like you’re so special? Why? Cause you have gigantic Christmas balls? Oh deer, it’s not about you. It’s that your owners put you up two days after Halloween and totally ignore Thanksgiving. The crafts stores are already ablaze with holiday lights and Christmas music. *sigh* The holidays come much too quickly for my taste. I can’t seem to bring myself to shop anytime before December 1st. I also refuse to listen to Christmas music until that time. So there. Take that, merchants of the world!

MMM. Gingerbread lattes. It’s like a warm hug on a cold day.