how now brown cowch

we went with brown this time, to avoid getting another white couch that will turn brown within six months. so our initial purchases included a dark brown entertainment center, espresso shelves, cafe noir couch, dark wood table with black leather seats and modern italian three legged chairs. the walls were bare and white, and with the new flatscreen, our new digs were beginning to look like a bachelor pad nightmare. nate was ok with it. i was climbing the dirty snowflake walls.

you'd think with our last experimentation with psychadelic orange in nyc that we'd learned our lesson. but we made another attempt at coral, and two hours after painting an accent wall in our living room, we plop down on the couch, now completely fabulous with $10 hot pink IKEA pillows and something $$$$ orange accent pillows from Antik (Sherman Oaks). What? You think I'd tell you what I spent? I'm trying to forget about it.

the coral we chose this time was just right. we're still looking for that special something to round out the room and take the focus away from the mighty TV, but for now ... it's inspiring and fun (and just a little girlie ... more reasons for why my nate takes the cake!)

speaking of cake, i just celebrated 33. who me, ashamed? look, if you squint, i could pass for 23. that's all i'm sayin'. if you squint, which i've obviously been doing a lot of since landing in sunny california. for my birthday, nate sent me to bliss, a spa at the W, where my esthetician told me emphatically, STAY OUT OF THE SUN. ok, ok. sunglasses, check. sunblock, check. sweet billowy hat? i'll get to it.

my birthday cake this year was made by the lovely laura, a co-worker's girlfriend. chocolate cake, chocolate icing, fresh strawberries and purple pansies. it was dairy free, and one of the yummiest cakes. we celebrated early, since i had to work on the big day. it's hard to believe that it's been a whole year since we first came to LA and I pouted about having to wait to move here.

now i miss ny. go figure. but tonight i walked my dog in our neighborhood (the prettiest place i've ever lived) wearing capris and a thin shirt. i feel like holly golightly most of the time. that's how i know whatever path we're on now is a good one.

here's my advice for the week: happiness is a choice, no matter where you live. so paint your room orange or green or black, but don't wait for good things to come. go get 'em.