Boo! It’s Halloween, L.A. style!
Happy Shalloween!
Boo! It’s Halloween, L.A. style!
Halloween on Halloween
Happy Halloween Guys!
The plan tonight is rather low-key: a night in with my boyfriend, indulging in some take out on the couch watching the original Halloween. It was just released on Blu-ray for their 35th anniversary edition (and was unexpected purchase while at Target last week for something completely practical. Happens. Every. Time.).
Play safe tonight,
Candice
Spooked
What: Sherwood Scare
Location: 8856 Encino Avenue, Northridge
With the exception of the fact that pumpkins and pumpkin spice everything made an appearance with the turn of the calendar page to October, it hasn’t felt much like Halloween this year. I can’t pinpoint if it’s the general atmosphere, how chaotic life has been lately, or the very peculiar weather over the last few weeks, but I can’t say I’ve been very festive this season. In fact, for the first time in years, I didn’t even carve a pumpkin!
I have been making it a point to incorporate a horror flick here and there to try to shake things up, but when it comes to a good scare to really get in that Halloween state of mind, I knew I needed something new and something within budget,
Enter the power of a Google search.
Then enter Sherwood Scare.
An impressive promo trailer on their website (below), along with a reasonable fee, and 5 star rating on Yelp…and I was on-board!
Deemed one of the best D.I.Y. mazes in town, I couldn’t get over the mere $3 donation benefiting the Big Worm’s Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Not only was it an affordable excursion to get into the Halloween spirit, it was also for a good cause! Win. Win.
The plan was to head out the weekend before last, but I couldn’t make it. Knowing that the maze is only on for two weekends before Halloween, this past Saturday night the decision to hit the heart of the valley to locate that missing festivity and find a good scare was all I could think about. I knew I found it the moment I turned onto the eerily darkened residential street, filled with expansive homes, and a light fog in the air that lent to all good things spooky.
Muffled screams from inside the maze filled the atmosphere as I waited in a short line outside. I got to chatting with the guy working the front door and learned that Sherwood Scare, themed differently every year, is designed and produced by movie industry professionals who create sets. They develop and build the intricate and highly produced maze over what is essentially their basketball court in the backyard of their massive private home – a feat that took over 2 months of planning and construction alone.
2013’s theme, “Camp Sherwood,” welcomes guests into a room where they are introduced to Head Counselor, Skip, before engaging in an orientation video designed to entice visitors of Camp Sherwood’s awesome outdoor adventures…until the once happy-go-lucky campers somehow went missing, returning that fateful night not quite so happy-go-lucky. Thus begins the next 10 minutes of pure terror.
I can vouch that The Sherwood Scare is as awesome as you read about. One almost forgets that you’re simply in someone’s backyard, supporting a good cause. The actors were dressed head-to-toe in horror and stayed in character, successfully creeping me out the entire time. The production value of the scenery was detailed and far superior to what I’d even expected from a $3 admission.
Understandably, photography is not allowed – though you’d be too damned scared just getting through the 2,000 square foot maze to dare attempt to document any aspect of it anyway.
All I can say is, “Bravo! What fun!”
This maze easily rivals and outperforms even the high-end haunts I’ve been to over the years. I can assure you, my lacking Halloween spirit was revitalized by the time I left. I was happily spooked.
The last night to indulge in the dark side at Camp Sherwood is on Halloween Night, this Thursday, October 31st from 7pm-Midnight.
Highlights
The last two weeks have been quite the whirlwind…and not necessarily in a good way. I suppose the silver lining is that with every complication comes a lesson to know better, and do better next time. Aside from not feeling so well, the last few weeks have been extremely draining mentally and emotionally – in a way that I can’t seem to really get back on track with. The bottom line is that I would love to get away, even for a long weekend and completely unplug. And while there’s value in a stay-cation (and trust me, I’m a huge supporter of those!), I’m talking about a real trip. It’s to the point, I’m about to pack up my car and head somewhere solo for a few days. I just need a break. A real one. In fact, just looking at this picture above makes me so incredibly happy, it’s the highlight of a rather not-so-swell week. Perhaps it’s because you get to leave your problems behind for a while and open yourself to new surroundings that appeal to me. And not necessarily to merely escape, but as a method to rejuvenate your spirit in such a way that you’re ready to revisit and tackle those everyday life nuances more refreshed.
So what’s the source of some of this thought? Well, I’ve been spending a lot of time recently thinking about what I want in my life and why certain things don’t seem to be measuring up to get even a little bit closer to that vision, thinking carefully about my role in particular. I know that the goal in life is to be grateful for what you have and find happiness in that, and of course, this is something I often tell myself when I get down about something. But, such as life, things have been off. The frustrating thing is that I know what those things are, but not necessarily what to do about them – though I’m taking steps to try to address them. You can’t sit around and complain, you have to do something, right?
Since no one wants be around a Negative Natalie (even online) there were moments that brought a smile to my face and from the most simplistic of things recently. I’ve been spending some time watching old horror movies, to get into the Halloween spirit – even putting up my old go-to pumpkin lights and turning them on at night has been so much fun when I’m lounging around at home. I’ve been enjoying my new Chromecast – getting sucked into an array of new TV shows, (Hostages and Sleepy Hollow seem to make the cut); while easily falling into Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. While I can’t say I want to do something quite as drastic as her story at the moment – I do wonder what it would be like to pick-up and have that type of adventure that seemingly offers her the chance to reflect and re-balance her life. If I were do ever do something like that, I’d channel more of an Eat, Pray, Love story and head to Europe for awhile (minus the whole messy divorce/mental breakdown it took to get there). 🙂
So until I get to my version of the picture above, I’ve taken a friend’s recommendation and jumped on a great deal to a day spa in town through Amazon Local where I fully intend to veg out in the near future for a few hours, telling myself to always remain grateful. And don’t mistake me, I know that I am. But what’s wrong with wanting something a little more?
Have a great weekend!
Candi
*click picture for image source.
A Day in the Garden
Where: The Huntington Library
Location: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino
The sky was cloudless, piercing blue, and perfect. The sun shining ever so brightly and ever so presently at (a not-so-temperate) circa 93 degrees. It was the definition of a beautiful day. One of the most relaxing afternoons I’ve had all month was when I found myself taking advantage of what I thought was the final stretch of an extended LA summer (but really wasn’t) and headed out to San Marino to experience one of the most breathtaking estates in town, The Huntington Library.
While world renowned for its fine European and American permanent art collections, changing exhibitions; as well as its rare books collection establishing an equally renowned research library – I have quite the soft spot for their stunning botanical gardens!
Curated in such a way that literally takes you through geographic recreations of gardens around the world, spanning 120 acres among the massive 207 acre property, I spent a Saturday afternoon strolling a colorful Rose Garden into a lush green Japanese Garden, complete with the popular moon bridge (pictured above); through stalks of large bamboo, completely encapsulating you as you walk along the concrete path somehow finding yourself in an open Australian garden. Not too far further, lily ponds appear, leading you up to the Subtropical terrain and into the humid Jungle Garden.
My favorite memory from this day was simply taking a moment to sit on an unassuming bench, thick stalks of bamboo all around – sitting in silence, listening to the low chirp of the birds while watching the squirrels frolic in the trees. The world seemed so far away and in that span of time, I was completely present to my surroundings.
The museum closes pretty early (4:30pm) and we arrived a little later than planned. Rather than to rush through the galleries to appreciate the fine art collections and their special exhibition, we arrived in just enough time to leisurely indulge in perfect nature. What a day…in the garden.
{Rose Garden.}
{Japanese Garden.}
{Chinese Garden.}
{Rose Garden. // A photo op in the shade.}
5 Reasons This Week Will Rock
Happy Monday! A few things that I’m looking forward to that should make for an exciting week…
1. An impromptu visit to the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica this weekend brought a few new treasures to play with all week long. These big brown eyes of mine will have a little more drama than usual thanks to an old gal pal’s recommendation for Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara. I’m in love! Bonus points for cashing in on my Sephora rewards points for Victor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb – my new signature scent this week. Hello, gorgeous!
2. Starting a new read for my new book club. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed is on my Kindle and ready to go!
3. My Chromecast will be here in a few short days and I’m beyond excited to expand my entertainment options. I jumped on this gadget the moment I saw the email announcing its awaited release. A small step for those of us who refuse to pay for cable…at least for the time being.
4. Looking forward to getting into the Halloween spirit this coming weekend. A visit to the Sherwood Mansion for the annual Sherwood Scare is sure to set the tone. Beware boys and girls!
5. Netflix has done it again. Like my recent addictions to Thirty Rock and Friday Night Lights, I’m discovering juicy new entertainment (that’s been off the air for ever and I’m just now getting to it). I’m sure any time I have to myself this week will find me in front of my TV devouring Gossip Girl.
xoxo,
Candi
What I’m Lovin’ Right Now
“Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.”
― Maya Angelou
I’m in the mood for a little sharing of wisdom today. I came across this great quote from Maya Angelou and the moment I read it, it spoke to me. The more I thought about it, the more the words rang true – and not purely from the perspective of building an intimate relationship with someone (which is sound advice), but in every single relationship in our lives (that so-called “friend” that always flakes on you comes to mind). This message, while pertinent to all, is particularly important for us gals – who have a tendency not to honor our worth at times and just take what we can get.
This theme also runs through a great blog post I came across yesterday, Hannah Brencher’s 25 Things Every Woman Needs To Know. She poignantly and humorously touches on this concept throughout her entry and reading her words brought some light to my day. I hope Maya and Hannah’s advice bring a spot of inspiration to yours as well.
Here’s what I’m lovin’ right now…
- 25 Things Every Woman Needs To Know.
- A little bold liner, red lips inspiration.
- One of my favorite photos of Wendy Nguyen from Wendy’s Look. Simply Breathtaking.
- Apple Pie Sandwiches. Recipe from tasteofhome.com.
- Essie Nail polish in Bangle Jangle – perfect for fall!
- Franco Sarto Celeste Riding Boots.
- Light Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Recipe via People.com.
Highlights
I’m the type of girl who likes to get shit done (pardon my French). It gives me great satisfaction to cross things off my to-do list, sooner than later, and even greater satisfaction to deliver on a given promise well before you’d even expect it. I’m on it. You can depend on me.
As I’m writing this post, I can’t do that and it irks me to no end – in part, because I’m waiting on sometime else to do something that directly impacts my ability to deliver. Not the best case scenario when you’re a self-proclaimed perfectionist who likes to get shit done.
This has been happening a lot this week.
And being the analytical “what’s the lesson in this” type of person I also am, I suppose I’m being trained on a healthy dose of building patience. Particularly, when something is out of my control and not going the way I want it to. Yippee.
Aside from these minor frustrations, it’s been a good week that solidly rocked. Boots and scarves have been on steady rotation and as the weather continues to cool down, I find that I’m ready for fall. Until I checked the weather moments ago and noticed that we’ll be back up into the 80’s over the weekend. Oh well. I’ll unpack my sandals for one last hurrah (who am I kidding, I never pack away warm-weathered anything, a heat wave could strike at any moment).
The highlights (aside from permission to indulge in a little fall fashion) were quite simplistic much of the week. While I do relish checking out a film after a long day at work, there were a few nights where I got to head home, eat left over pizza every night (after another indulgence that lead to an online order with Pizza Hut), and sit on my couch with my Netflix queue or my Kindle and a candle for a little ambiance. Ah! I do love a night alone to just be quiet every now and then.
When I did make the trek out – it was filled with lots of new films. Mother of George, while an intensely stunning film, full of innovation, and a compelling narrative, ultimately turned flat about 20 minutes before the film ended, which disappointed me because it’s so well-crafted. I’m not saying it was a terrible experience, far from it, but I am saying that the film should’ve ended about 20 minutes before it did. It would’ve been much stronger in my opinion.
Last night I saw, Inequality for All, which couldn’t come at more appropriate time. While the film speaks largely to the causes of the continuing economic gap between the rich and the poor, it also highlights what’s wrong with the distribution of wealth; how astronomical amounts of money are influencing our decisions in Washington, seeping into politics and legislation. This is timely, given the US government’s shutdown earlier this week. I do want to go on a bit of a rant here and say that I cannot for the life of me fathom why this approach is even allowed!!!
“We can’t come to a consensus, so we’ll just shutdown until we do.”
WTF?
Do you know how many businesses and relationships would fall apart day-to-day, all day, everyday, if we all just said “screw it – we can’t agree, so let’s just leave it be…for now.” (Then again, perhaps this is why we have such a high divorce rate in this country.) People are not willing to compromise, though egos are inconveniencing millions of people, and it’s happening in plain sight. The more I think about it, the more I just don’t understand.
The good news is that tonight I’m finishing up the week with Gravity. It’s getting solid reviews, so we’ll see what happens. I’m already happy that it’s only an hour and a half. I would be worried about a 2.5 hour film set in space.
Other than that, I’m looking forward to pulling out those sandals that I didn’t pack away, and will take a trip the Huntington Library to sit in their gorgeous gardens with a spot of tea. I’m really into a book that I’m having trouble putting down so will likely finish by the end of weekend, and I want to put up something festive in salute to Halloween at my place. Most importantly, I need to spend some time just decompressing over the next two days – so that I can get back to the shit I couldn’t get done (pardon my French) a bit more relaxed.
Despite the nuances of the week, life is good and I can’t complain. I’m blessed. Have an amazing weekend! I’ll see you next week 🙂
Birchbox Review | September
What Birchbox does well is help a girl get in the mood for the changing of times. While fall hasn’t made an official appearance here in L.A. quite yet (it’ll likely take a few more weeks for the weather to catch up to the calendar), Birchbox sent along color palettes and products that as soon as I opened the package made me feel like fall had arrived. This month’s selections were a nice nod to the autumn season…well, when it finally gets here in a more official capacity. You can also join the Birchbox fun by using this link: http://birch.ly/17KUjbn.
Here’s how September shaped up…
*product review from left to right*
- amika Blow Up Spray – A line of products that have been fun to experiment with since my relationship with Birchbox have been the amika product line. I always like their intention – infusing their products with high quality ingredients and I tend to rave about how great everything smells from this line. However, I have yet to ever purchase anything full-sized. Their Blow Up Spray would also apply to this train of thought. I personally didn’t find my hair to be any more voluminous from using this product on my wet hair, but it has a nice twist in acting as a hair spray on dry hair which didn’t leave my hair too sticky or flaky. The caveat for me is that I’m very happy with what I use to cover this need at a fraction of the cost, L’Oreal’s Elnett Satin Hairspray. It made me a believer in a great hold without the residue early last year, making amika’s product a pass for me.
- Caudalie Make-up Remover Cleansing Water – I’m not a huge fan of make-up removers and don’t use them. This is in part because I’m a firm believer in the old soap and water trick to really remove the day’s make-up. In my book, this task comes from a good facial cleanser (preferably that one that foams so I’m more fooled into thinking it’s really getting deep down in my pores) and a light toner afterward to get anything left behind. Caudalie’s Make-Up Removing Cleanser claims that you can simply use this product to remove traces of make-up without having to rinse. I didn’t find this to be the case. At. All. This might be nice to use after already having washed your face in a toner capacity, but as a pure make-up remover where you’re encouraged not to rinse – I still had to wash my face to get that “completely clean” feeling. Pass.
- RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer – It seems I’m always getting the same color palette when Birchbox sends me nail polish and it’s in the green color family. It’s getting quite annoying given the amount of colors there are in the universe, but for the sake of it being “fall-inspired,” I’ll let it go. This time. RUFFIAN’s Nail Lacquer in Hedge Fund is a rich olive-green hue. Though fun to play with a color I wouldn’t normally wear, I cannot say that I was any more or less impressed with this nail polish than brands that I normally use. I did think that the design of the top handle was unique and provided more control when applying the lacquer. What I wasn’t impressed with was having to use two coats of a high shine clear polish over this color to get that extra gloss I like (I hate matte looking nail polish), so Birchbox’s confident assertion of a “glossy high-end nail polish” seems a stretch to me. My experience with this product is neutral overall – though I’d use my sample when I want to shake things up on my nails.
- Coastal Scents® Neutral Mirage Palette Set – This sample arrived damaged when I opened my package. One of the eye shadow palettes had shattered in transit so it didn’t photograph well above. Birchbox was quick to respond to my inquiry and kind to re-ship me another sample, but it hasn’t arrived as of writing time. I did experiment with the messy sample so that I could go ahead and get my post up. The 4 color palette held deeper shades more appropriate to the change in seasons – rich green, gold, bronze, and blue. The colors were vibrant and long-lasting, though I did use these a primer when working with the sample. In short, I was impressed with this product. I was especially happy to see that the full-sized version is a large eye shadow palette holding 88 different shades! I don’t own a huge eye shadow palette like this because my fear would be that I would use a small handful of the colors and leave the rest – making it an unnecessary purchase. However, taking a closer look at the different shades and my positive experience with the sample palette, I’m reconsidering. I have a hefty amount of Birchbox points that I could use toward this purchase, making it a steal. This was my favorite product of the month.
- Egyptian Magic Skin Cream – Call if a judgement, if you will, but I was leery about this product before I even opened it. Anything deemed “Magic” is not only completely cheesy in my opinion, but rarely true when it comes to beauty products that claim so. And I was right to be biased about this. The Egyptian Magic Skin Cream smelled horrible and was rather greasy. Two no-no’s when it comes to anything I put on my skin. Aside from the no-no’s, my hands did feel moisturized…but I wouldn’t go so far as to say “magically.” The total deal breaker? It has the consistency/texture of Vaseline – which I would just use instead of this if I needed something like it. Don’t waste your time. Nothing magic here.
5 Reasons This Week Will Rock
It’s Monday – boo! But it’s another beautiful day and there’s much to be grateful for – yay!
I read once that the best way to beat the Monday blues as you transition back into a “work week frame of mind,” is to make plans and/or think about all the fun things that you’re looking forward to during the week that keep you excited about something. Essentially, just focusing on the good – be it a large event or a small mundane pleasure – instantly puts you in the right space. So I thought this would be a fun new series of posts to experiment with occasionally (similar to my Mixtape Mondays that I do every so often) to see if the mantra of always having something to consciously look forward and be excited about gets you in a celebratory mood…for a Monday.
5 reasons this week will rock…
- Hello!!!! The new season of Scandal returns in t-minus 3 days! (Damn you Netflix for causing this new addiction I really don’t need).
- Three new movies are on the theater palette this week – Mother of George (on Monday), Inequality for All (on Thursday), and Gravity (on Friday).
- V.I.P. parking at work. Not only does it start this week – this indulgence lasts the WHOLE month of October (and yes, this is a HUGE deal for me).
- Buy one, get one free at Yogurtland is happening at some point in the very near future – thanks to the random coupon I got in the mail.
- A trip to the Huntington Library to spend an afternoon among the most gorgeous of gardens with my favorite person.
I hope this week gives you much to look forward to in your own world as well.
Have a great week guys 🙂
All That Glitters 