The Getty

The Getty is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of LA and USC.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves :)

LA

LA has many problems (smog, traffic, and debt, just to name a few) but it is a very beautiful place.

There really is nowhere like sunny California :)

Instaglasses

via behance

Use your glasses to take Instagram photos, instead of your phone!

Would you buy these?

The Marber Grid

I love books, and I love organization, so I was thrilled to discover that all Penguin books are based off of the same design - The Marber Grid.

via AisleOne

You can read more about it here.

LACMA

such a classic!

these pool balls were up to my waist!

I've always loved Piet Mondrian.

We learned about this painting in my Design I class, so I really enjoyed seeing it in person!

beautiful vase

the aptly named "Levitated Mass"

and again

Rube Goldberg machine

stack of dishes - twice my height!

the requisite "Urban Light" photo

I used to cry at museums when I was younger because I would get so overwhelmed. I did not quite reach that point, but after 7 buildings worth of modern art (yes, I overzealously attempted to see every piece of art in the entire museum in a single afternoon), I was incredibly exhausted and somewhat frustrated.

This picture from a card in the bookstore summed up my feelings pretty well:

After the exhaustion of traipsing around all afternoon, I decompressed by just standing and watching the La Brea Tar Pits for a while - it was oddly soothing.

Although LACMA did not quite live up to all the hype (at least in my opinion) at least I can say I checked off another item on my list of summer goals :)

Summer, Summarized

It was quite a summer. 

Here are some highlights (or low points, as the case may be):

Subletting

All I have to say about this is: 1) make sure you know what you are getting yourself into and 2) overcommunicate with both your landlord and the person you are subletting from.

Learned to cook chicken

I had been subsisting off of quesadillas, sandwiches, and cereal for far too long, and I am pleased to say that I can now finally cook chicken on a skillet. Whether or not I'll have time to continue this healthy habit during the school year is up for debate.

Rode the LA Metro

Love the ease of use.

Love not having to search desperately for a parking spot.

Do not love the sketchy middle-aged men.

Pepper spray might be a good investment...

Spoke on a panel

And I actually made the audience laugh several times, which was quite a confidence booster :)

Renewed my passport

Took two hours, just as I had expected it would. I had planned ahead and brought a book to read, but I couldn't focus on it because I got so absorbed in people watching. The aging actress next to me (replete with caked-on makeup, platinum blond hair with excessive roots, and a matching kelly green skirt and stilettos) would not stop muttering about how she needed to get to LA by 4 for her interview. She was auditioning for a commercial that was being filmed in Japan and needed to prove to the interviewers that she would actually be allowed to travel to Japan...

Learned to surf

Stood up on the first try :)

Purchased internet service

The salesgirl gave me 25% off for the first year. She really took a liking to me and we discovered that we're the same age and have the same favorite band :)

Road trip to San Francisco

Joined Costco!

Day trip to Orange County

Fourth of July Fireworks at Exposition Park

Trapeze class

Mission trip to Belize

Moved into my new apartment!

Got certified as a scuba diver!

(I took lessons when I went to Malaysia, but it took me two years to turn in the paperwork...)

And finally...

(Note: the picture below is not for the faint of heart)

Got barbed by a stingray

The actual wound was small (it's that spot on the left side of my arch - the rest of the dark spots are tar and sand). The pain, however, was awful. It hurt worse than when I broke my ankle playing basketball. One woman in an online forum (of course I had to freak myself out by reading about all the possible side effects) said the pain was worse than childbirth...

Oh, and in between all these happenings, I managed to have time to be an intern :)

Who knows what this fall will hold!

Summer Songs

I posted the songs individually because I like the layout, but here's the link to the playlist if you'd like to listen to the songs straight through :)