rya'n'daphne

hope!

We are ridiculously blessed with friends.  Like Jon and Beth.  Who not only followed through with their desire to visit us here in Cambodia, but brought their 3 children (who, coincidently, just happen to be 3 of the world's cutest kids), and a whole team of fabulous folks (Sherry, Brooks, Phil, Becca, Julie) from our home church in California.

Watch out, because with this group these are some of the things that can happen in just one week in Prey Veng:

- A thousand smiles from kids

- Expert advice for physical therapists serving disabled people

- A freshly painted church in bright green + blue

- Training for our church as they launch small groups

- Hard ground transformed into vegetable beds

- Tasting: dog, red ants, tarantulas, snake, frog, and chilli-pepper ice-cream

- 60 hand-made sock puppets

- Successfully bungee-cording a small child to the back of a bike

And also sharing so much encouragment with Ryan and me.  We are challenged, inspired, and a million times blessed.

...and now to him

who is able to do

immeasureably more

than all we could ask or imagine...

El Matador

A last visit to our engagement beach.  It was almost too beautiful of a day.

Final Taste of Wine

Master Wong

This week I did something I've never done before.  I went to see Master Wong.  Let me preface this by saying that I have come to two conclusions lately: (1) as much as I love my job, humans were simply not created to sit all stiff-like in front of a computer 8 hours per day; therefore, (2) humans sometimes need a massage.

In this case, my shoulders and neck were screaming for a massage.  And the cheapest massage around is in the form of Chinese "foot clinics."  Yep, that's what they're called.  A co-worker recommended Master Wong's Foot Clinic, located in San Gabriel just a few blocks from where Ryan and I got married.

Master Wong's clinic is a large room filled with approximately 40 huge square orange chairs - all smashed side by side next to each other.  They were very large, very fuzzy, and very orange.  A man immediately came up to me and asked, "massage?".  I was immediately led to an orange chair, and just as immediately my legs were dropped into a bamboo-tub-lined-with-trash-bag filled with hot tea.  The tea was orange.  I was also presented with a styrophoam cup filled with the same orange tea.  "Drink!"

There were a lot of towels involved in the massage.  Sometimes wrapped around my legs, then draped over my head for the foot part of the massage.  I was encouraged to watch a Korean movie on the large flat-screen facing me; in the movie, a girl was handcuffed and being led through the mountainous wilderness.

I have to say, the massage was pretty awesome.  It ended with my face stuffed through the head-hole in the fuzzy chair, and the master pressing the bajeebees out of those ever-stubborn knots in my back.

At Master Wong's, a one-hour massage is $15.  Fifteen Dollars!!  For a massage, and some prep-for-Asia.

Big Bearadise

I feel like we've been able to visit lots of really great places during our three years in California.  Coming up with a list of "things to do before we leave California" was more a repeat of past favorites than a mad attempt to squeeze in new places.  At the top of the list was another trip to Big Bear with our friends.  Ryan found a sweet cabin, appropriately named BEARADISE, where the shower curtains and mugs and carpets and coffee tables all displayed a bear motif (with a few moose thrown in for good measure). 

Celebrating Six

Six months of marriage, today.  Who even knows how we'll celebrate our 1 year anniversary in Cambodia!  We got a hint this weekend by spending the day in Long Beach, which actually has a Little Cambodia neighborhood.  According to yelp, Siem Reap is the restaurant of choice.  I tried the lemongrass chicken (yum!) and Ryan had beef lok lac.

From there it was off to Southeast Asia Day at the Long Beach Aquarium.  Yes, there were seals and sharks and jellyfish AND Cambodian dances and shadow puppets.  (This is why I love L.A.)

And to end, check out the amazing bbq chicken-grits creation by Mr. Fowler himself!

 
 
 

Free Dodger Dog Night

Here we are being really American on Ryan's birthday.  It was fun!

Big.Sur.San.Fran.Napa.

Had a fantastic trip up the coast to some favorite places, new and old.  Nothing beats the views and fresh air of Big Sur, few cities are as cool as San Fran, and Napa's wine tastings (our favorite was the free tasting at August Briggs) and rolling hills of vineyards...nuff said. 

Walking around in a haze

I've sort of been obsessed with looking at the mountains lately.  I obsess over them anyway - I love mountains.  But for the past week, every glimpse of the mountains is an attempt to see just where and how the fire has spread.  It's a strange thing to learn about the fires' spread and the history of Mount Wilson on the evening news...from our apartment at the base of Mount Wilson.  Strange too to see photos of the enormous flames, and see only plumes of smoke (and lots of helicopters) from our windows.  Morning air thick with smoke (100 degree air, I might add) and ashes coating our plants and patio.  Firemen with flashlights roaming the ridges in the middle of the night.

News reports are encouraging: the fire is more contained, and many evacuated residents have returned home.  The fires have now pushed southeast, pretty much right above us in Sierra Madre, although they are enough over the ridge that we can't see flames and we should be safe.  Ryan and I are VERY excited to be getting away for a 4-day weekend up the coast, so keep any eye on our place for us, alright? : )

Links

Map of Station Fire

Photos and More Photos

Making Weddings

Several of my friends have recently gotten engaged, and asked for wedding suggestions.  I meant to do a little "behind the scenes" post a while ago of some of the things we made for our wedding, so here goes.  First, I have to admit that no matter how much you make-instead-of-buy, expenses still add up (especially in L.A.!).  However, apart from saving money, the greatest wedding-planning joys were creating a celebration that reflected Ryan and my values, and incorporating the talents of our family and friends.

These are just some suggestions for creative preparations...

Flowers

I love farmer's markets.  I love flowers.  Isn't it only reasonable then to buy ours from the friendly faces I pass each Saturday morning at the Pasadena market?  Sara and I scoped out a tulip vendor and practiced bouquets (though on the actual day of the wedding these were supplemented with some flowers from the L.A. Flower Market), and also made friends with the herb-guy who supplied basil, chives and rosemary for our table centerpieces.

The Dress

I was very blessed when my friend Amber, a designer and member of our small group, offered to design and make my dress.  We removed around downtown L.A.'s fashion district to find beautiful, (relatively) inexpensive lace, had many a fitting, and got to know each other more closely in the process!  I have to say, the result was quite incredible.  If you're looking for a dress, I can put you in contact with her!

Save-the-Dates, Invitations, and Programs

These are all super easy to make!  Cousin Matthew took our engagement photos, which I then made into simple save-the-date postcards printed on card-stock.  A bunch of friends came over one evening to put together our wedding invitations, made from hand-made paper I bought in Nepal.  Finally, to make the programs we printed several pages in b&w on cream paper, contained them in a green cover with a colorful design glued on, then bound the booklets with a piece of cream ribbon (again, with the help of gracious friends).  To top things off, Becky created a sweet welcome sign!

 

Table Decorations

We rented cream and chocolate linens, but created a centerpiece on each table with a single napkin (fair-trade from Ten Thousand Villages) under a basket brimming with herbs and homemade herb-markers labeling each table with some of Ryan and my favorite places in California.  At each place setting was a simple favor: a handmade paper Nepali bag containing a mixture of spices to make chai with; included was a recipe card to make the chai, as well as a thank-you to our guests and our new address.  Seriously, I got these spices from a cheap-o market in Pasadena, and the manager has been my friend ever since.

 

Other Ideas

- Got some inexpensive Costco cheesecakes, then decorated them with fresh fruit

- Had our friend Justin dj with a dinner&dancing music mix Ryan and I made

- Stocked up on cheap wine and had some friends-of-friends serve it