a new chapter.

Although I’ve been out in Los Angeles for about a month, I haven’t quite gotten into the groove of things. Today we finally signed our new lease and I can’t wait to get comfortable in our own place. In just three weeks, we will be sending out all the rest of our belongings.

Work has taken over the last two weeks and my stress levels are incredibly high. Realizing that we have to pay three rents for the month of December (as well as a security deposit and shipping everything) is not relaxing, at all. That is just an example of the freelance life, making you move before your lease is up. Ironically, I have decreased the yoga over these last few weeks when I probably should have done the opposite. However, December is a month I adore and I hope the second half will be less about work, finances, and all those big kid things, and more about family and fun. Due to missing my favorite Holiday with my family, I am over-eager to get reunited with all of the Dille’s (my mothers maiden name, my middle name, my blog name)  in just a few weeks. Another thing I am most happy about is my friend Emma’s visit to LA. Timing-wise, I am the most busy I’ve been since August, but I still can’t wait to catch up over the weekend (the few hours I won’t be prepping). She is one of those people who I love most and it doesn’t hurt that we both live to travel, keep active, (she owns a bike shop in Guatemala!), and eat delicious food.

When November began, I had planned on upping the amount of blog posts about tasty vegan eats for Vegan MoFo. Subsequently, I failed miserably. Instead of beating myself about it, I’ve accepted the fact that cooking creative vegan recipes and eating out weren’t too realistic this last month. Yes, I will still be very frugal for December, but I will also be with family (and friends!) in New York for at least the last week of the month. There is no way I will be missing an opportunity to eat at some of my favorite vegan places.

I have a whole year (and possibly longer) to explore LA’s vegan fare.

Tomorrow, we will no longer be staying at our friends place and the thing I will miss most are the abundance of pomegranates. Right next to his little guest house is a pomegranate tree. Needless to say, I’ve had my fair share of pomegranate topped oats. Today and tomorrow might be my last bowl of insanely local pomegranates for a while. Today’s bowl were scottish oats cooked in the usual fashion, with coconut milk, chia seeds, half a banana, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and stevia. I mixed in some organic pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice in the last few minutes. On top of the pomegranate, I piled on some peanut butter. I loved this not so typical combo.

So tomorrow begins a new chapter, in a new home, for at least two or three weeks. The upcoming hiatus will be much appreciated, and then I will be back to LA living. Am I in love with this city? Not yet, but I am getting there. I may even pretend like its getting chillier by adding scarves, beanies, and other winter accessories. I just can’t help myself. I do work in wardrobe after all. As a New Yorker in LA, the hardest two things so far are the lack of seasons and the aggravating traffic (subways…where are you…?).

Other things:

- Do you like layering or prefer warmer climates with less clothing? Fall is definitely my season of choice, so layers are what I love. I do gravitate towards simplicity a lot too, but I like the option of putting on more. Winter though, is not a season I love. I like the snow for its beauty and seasonal eats and cheer, but I am pretty miserable when it gets below, say twenty degrees. Thank god I bought that down coat last winter…it saved me when working in cold Michigan and the time I was in NY for the holidays.

- Are you interested in an apartment wish list post? I read home and fashion blogs just as much as food blogs, so I have many ideas about our new apartment. The space is very different. We lived in a large two-story industrial loft previously, and now we will be in a much smaller art deco apartment. Instead of a kitchen island, we now have a dining nook, and I can’t wait to find a cool table and chairs to fill it.