If i could live anywhere in the world

California Living

When I first moved to LA, I drove around with my friend, we went everywhere, Hollywood, the Canyons, the Valley, and then we went to the Beach. AS soon as we crossed the invisible border between LA and Santa Monica, I knew I had found the place I wanted to live. That’s a lie. There are so many beautiful, exciting, secret, and not so secret, places in Los Angeles that I would happily live at…it just works with my story, sort of. I did end up living in Santa Monica, I was even a waitress at beach side cafe, took Spanish at SMC and rode my bicycle around the own…and then I got married, and had kids and moved to the valley…(The funny thing is  I had my kids at the hospital in, you guessed it,  Santa Monica…LONG STORY…) and driving there from West LA with contractions 3 minutes apart…I did not love SM at that moment…) and you know how it is, we don’t got THERE, and they don’t come HERE….the 405 is the mother of all borders- you don’t need a passport, you need patience!

I love seeing how other people live and so does Oprah…and I have my own little Nate Berkus in my head, so be warned- If I am visiting your house, know that in my mind I am moving walls, changing furniture and adding some color to your living room …So when I got asked to shoot this condo for sale, my heart missed a beat, and while shooting it I was imagining my life as a single lady by the beach, with my modern, toy-free life…aaahhhh…thank god for our imagination… SO if you can still live in a  one bedroom (beautiful) condo in Santa Monica….feel free to contact Stephanie at Step@BestSideoftheWestside.com

So if I lived here, this is what my life would look like…..

I can watch whatever show I want

I don't cook, that's why my kitchen is so clean

I take my coffee outside for some vItamin D

I can sleep with my door open or closed!

I can meet my neighboours in the lobby

I tell everyone where I live, come on over for dinner!

the party at Guy’s North

TIK TOK!

You might have gone bowling at Pinz in studio city, with your friends or with your 6 year old’s friends…or had Matza Ball soup at Jerry’s Deli, with your friends, or with your grandmother’s friends…but the REAL party is upstairs, at Guy’s North – a perfect modern, hip, happening, and whatever other definition there is for something really cool…TV screens, dim lights, hot music, great DJ, tattoos, fake eyelashes…and lots and lots of friends made for a fun fun night! Here are some of my favorites.

Getting Ready

Hollywood Style

Mom is where they get their beauty

Some details

M sewed her own dress!!!!

Guy's North

Years of Mac photobooth shots were displayed on TV screens all night

Waiting for KandM

Girlfriends

Mom and Dad wishing Happy Birthday

Is everyone waiting?

Here we go!

Always goofy!

Hitting the spotlight

Group hug

I just love this shot.

Hold on

They designed the cake together

No, you first!

Just hanging out...

and if you made it this far and would like to see more, click on this slideshow – I think you’ll enjoy it!

If you were at the party and you want to see all the photos, and I mean ALL of them, you can go to this password protected site.

K and M SNEAK-PEAK

You’ve met them, you’ve seen their moves, and you’re very close to the party…here’s one photo of these gorgeous girls on their big night, look all glamorous, old Hollywood style  – check in soon for the photos from the fabulous night!

Girls

Candy land

Happy Birthday!

Some people think candy doesn’t affect kids..I’m here to tell you that it does! Big time…I’m also here to tell you that there’s nothing better than candy to get a kid out of a blue mood, to calm them on a plane, or make them clean up, and to support pediatric dentists around the world…but it sure makes for  a fun fun fun party- so sweet! so yummy, so delicious in my tummy. Mia’s mom really brought Halloween back for one more day in January, and she had the most amazing candy decorations, inspired by the classic game of candy land. Even I couldn’t resist- and if you come to my studio one day, you’ll see my very own candy land bucket filled with…healthy stuff?!?! P-L-E-A-S-E.

Candy Land

Cake Land

Run run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man

Rainbow

Candy doesn't hurt

Birthday balloons

Cracking UP!

Wild About Balloons

Shellyann of www.wildaboutballoons.net made THE most amazing balloons I have EVER seen- and as allergic as I am to Latex, I really wanted one- they were just so fantastic!!!

Pink unicorn

Before.....and after

You can view more images from this sweet party by clicking on the slideshow

Pink and green

Getting Ready

Getting ready for life that is….Turning thirteen can be a scary time for PARENTS, but K and M are just fabulous responsible, fun young ladies! I sound old to myself when I say that, but working with them on their book has been fun,  TWICE the fun….

And it’s easy to remember who is who, I came up with a system….since one likes pink…and the other green (I use Lime as a substitute..) I came up with pink-K, and Lime-M…from there it’s easy to remember….

Thank you girls for being so good, so cooperative, so original and creative! You made my “job” uber easy (do teens talk like this?)

I can’t wait to post the photos from your Bat Mitzvah that I I know is going to be rockin’!

"don't Smile Now"

Just Kidding

M

K

Mind the Gap

Feels like Fall

Maybe because it was

Project Runway

Sport Spice

4 little teenagers jumping on the bed....

Sibling Rivalry

Bliss

Saturday

It used to be, that I got to sleep in on Saturdays, and my husband, on Sundays…once I gave up control and “allowed” them to spend the morning watching TV and just relaxing, I really enjoyed the whole sleeping in thing- so what if by the time I rolled out of bed my kids were square eyed and mind numbed, so what if once we switched the box off I was left with two screaming monsters, so what if the day was half over before we were able to leave the house…I GOT TO SLEEP IN!!!!!!

But lately, things have changed, during the week, my husband gets up so early in the morning, it is still the middle of the night for me, so come Saturday, I just want to let him sleep in….the guy is working really hard. Now, I just have to let go of my control, and let them watch TV so they can stay quiet and let their Dad actually get some sleep…I guess that is the secret to my sleeping in on Saturdays, peace and quiet, bought, paid in full, cash, by watching Saturday morning cartoons, an american tradition as old as thanksgiving dinner and 4th of july barbecues…

One thing  that hasn’t changed since forever, is Saturday Mornin’ biscuits; Biss-Bliss, with a POP that could wake up the dead (or those sleeping in the next room) I open a tight air industrial package and use the toaster oven, follow the instructions to lay them in the pan touching each other, and before I can finish making my coffee I have 10 little sweet rolls..

As I said, it’s not too often that I get to see this miracle, since I still like to sleep in on Saturdays, but TV or not, biscuits are served…

POP!

Lay them together, touching!

Bake in a toster oven. A wedding gift.