Take A Hike: O' Melveny Park
Monday, June 3, 2013
My most recent hiking trip to O'Melveny Park in Granada Hills. One of the easier trails there.
Look at that LA smog layer of atmosphere.
On the third trail. I know it looks innocent in this picture, but I couldn't finish it because it was too steep. Going down should be the fun part of hiking, but this trail felt like a vertical drop could happen at any moment.
I felt like Frodo climbing Mount Doom, basically.
___________________________________________________________
Chalk Board DIY
Materials needed: Chalkboard paint, roll brush with the tray, a frame of some sort with the plexiglass or regular glass attached, & steel wool. For the frame, there are far more superior inexpensive vintage style frames at thrift stores. Go for those instead. I just had this one lying around.
- Lay something down to protect the surface you're working on. In my case, I used plastic bags to protect my carpet.
- Paint your glass/ surface of your choice. Allow approx. 1 - 2 hours for the first layer to dry, unless if you have a fan directly drying it. Then paint the second coat. Repeat this step for a 3rd and a 4th coating.
- After it completely dries, use the steel wool to sand the surface for a smoother surface.
- Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe the surface.
- Reattach the frame.
Final product! Not too shabby. I'll most likely use this to write down my grocery list.
My apartment doesn't allow the tenants to paint the walls, so this is a good alternative.
___________________________________________________________
Terrarium DIY
They have a pretty diverse selection of succulents at Home Depot for a fairly inexpensive price. I believe the smaller ones costs $1.50, and the bigger ones were roughly $3.
Succulents are highly sustainable. You can water it once in a while, and just leave 'em near a window for ever. That doesn't mean they won't die, though. One of the succulents already died on me. Just breathe and tell yourself it wasn't your fault while laying down in the fetal position.
I bought three of the little ones, and used an old candle jar. (I keep all the jars I bought that originally contain shit like pasta sauce, jam, candle, etc. Wash them, and use "Goo Gone" to remove the label and the glue. It's good to have jars around and recycle them for other projects, and you'll never have to buy cups ever again.)
Don't forget to buy some soil, or dig up dirt somewhere. It's SO ridiculous buying soil, when it's part of our eco system waiting to be dig up. That's how I also feel about flower shops.
Why buy flowers, when you can steal them from your neighbor's garden? *ahem*
It's good to have something alive, other than yourself. Seeing something green and alive can be good for the mental health if you're a homebody.
_________________________________________________________
Summer Reading List
There's this bookstore near me where everything costs $10 and under. They have a pretty decent collection of books, movies, music, and little knick-knacks.
I've already started reading
the Convalescent, and it's pretty interesting so far. It's about this short Hungarian man who sells meat from a bus and Hungarian history.
___________________________________________________________
Resizing a button-up
I've had this shirt for over a year now. I've worn it a couple of times, but it always looked way too baggy. Since I wasn't in a gang, or plan on joining one, I attempted to resize the shirt. I mean, how hard can it be?
* It was actually very difficult and took half a day
I originally bought it at a thrift store for maybe $1.50 bucks, so I didn't feel any remorse for hacking it up.
I know very little about sewing, so I tried to educate myself via Youtube. I didn't really find anything helpful, so I just wing'ed it, and it turned out pretty good!
"Never half ass two things. Whole ass one thing." - Ron Swanson
_____________________________________________________________
Healthy foods, under 10 minutes
*If you're looking for something fresh and spring-y.
Dressing ingredients: Honey (1 tbsp), sesame oil (1 tbsp), half a lemon, salt & pepper (pinch), and red chilly flakes (optional)
Taste: Sweet, salty, sour, all in the right places. Your taste buds will thank you.
Ingredients: Turkey bacon, garlic, s&p, cayenne pepper, sesame oil, and brussel sprouts.
Directions: Cut up the damn bacon in squares. You probably won't need to grease the pan, since bacon is already fatty. Fry the bacon, add the minced garlic after 5 minutes of bacon cooking.
Cut the brussel sprouts in half. Move the bacon to the side of the pan, and add the brussel sprouts. Drizzle the sesame oil over the brussel sprouts. Season it accordingly. Turn 'em over after 5 minutes on medium heat. Try to move to bacon bits over the brussel sprouts. And that's about it!
This is a good side dish to your main course.
According to Wikipedia:
Brussels sprouts, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have potent anticancer properties. Although boiling reduces the level of the anticancer compounds, steaming and stir frying do not result in significant loss.
Labels: Book, Brussel Sprouts, Chalk Board, diy, Food, hiking, O'Melveny Park
Take A Hike: O' Melveny Park
POSTED ON Monday, June 3, 2013 AT 1:03 AM \\
My most recent hiking trip to O'Melveny Park in Granada Hills. One of the easier trails there.
Look at that LA smog layer of atmosphere.
On the third trail. I know it looks innocent in this picture, but I couldn't finish it because it was too steep. Going down should be the fun part of hiking, but this trail felt like a vertical drop could happen at any moment.
I felt like Frodo climbing Mount Doom, basically.
___________________________________________________________
Chalk Board DIY
Materials needed: Chalkboard paint, roll brush with the tray, a frame of some sort with the plexiglass or regular glass attached, & steel wool. For the frame, there are far more superior inexpensive vintage style frames at thrift stores. Go for those instead. I just had this one lying around.
- Lay something down to protect the surface you're working on. In my case, I used plastic bags to protect my carpet.
- Paint your glass/ surface of your choice. Allow approx. 1 - 2 hours for the first layer to dry, unless if you have a fan directly drying it. Then paint the second coat. Repeat this step for a 3rd and a 4th coating.
- After it completely dries, use the steel wool to sand the surface for a smoother surface.
- Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe the surface.
- Reattach the frame.
Final product! Not too shabby. I'll most likely use this to write down my grocery list.
My apartment doesn't allow the tenants to paint the walls, so this is a good alternative.
___________________________________________________________
Terrarium DIY
They have a pretty diverse selection of succulents at Home Depot for a fairly inexpensive price. I believe the smaller ones costs $1.50, and the bigger ones were roughly $3.
Succulents are highly sustainable. You can water it once in a while, and just leave 'em near a window for ever. That doesn't mean they won't die, though. One of the succulents already died on me. Just breathe and tell yourself it wasn't your fault while laying down in the fetal position.
I bought three of the little ones, and used an old candle jar. (I keep all the jars I bought that originally contain shit like pasta sauce, jam, candle, etc. Wash them, and use "Goo Gone" to remove the label and the glue. It's good to have jars around and recycle them for other projects, and you'll never have to buy cups ever again.)
Don't forget to buy some soil, or dig up dirt somewhere. It's SO ridiculous buying soil, when it's part of our eco system waiting to be dig up. That's how I also feel about flower shops.
Why buy flowers, when you can steal them from your neighbor's garden? *ahem*
It's good to have something alive, other than yourself. Seeing something green and alive can be good for the mental health if you're a homebody.
_________________________________________________________
Summer Reading List
There's this bookstore near me where everything costs $10 and under. They have a pretty decent collection of books, movies, music, and little knick-knacks.
I've already started reading
the Convalescent, and it's pretty interesting so far. It's about this short Hungarian man who sells meat from a bus and Hungarian history.
___________________________________________________________
Resizing a button-up
I've had this shirt for over a year now. I've worn it a couple of times, but it always looked way too baggy. Since I wasn't in a gang, or plan on joining one, I attempted to resize the shirt. I mean, how hard can it be?
* It was actually very difficult and took half a day
I originally bought it at a thrift store for maybe $1.50 bucks, so I didn't feel any remorse for hacking it up.
I know very little about sewing, so I tried to educate myself via Youtube. I didn't really find anything helpful, so I just wing'ed it, and it turned out pretty good!
"Never half ass two things. Whole ass one thing." - Ron Swanson
_____________________________________________________________
Healthy foods, under 10 minutes
*If you're looking for something fresh and spring-y.
Dressing ingredients: Honey (1 tbsp), sesame oil (1 tbsp), half a lemon, salt & pepper (pinch), and red chilly flakes (optional)
Taste: Sweet, salty, sour, all in the right places. Your taste buds will thank you.
Ingredients: Turkey bacon, garlic, s&p, cayenne pepper, sesame oil, and brussel sprouts.
Directions: Cut up the damn bacon in squares. You probably won't need to grease the pan, since bacon is already fatty. Fry the bacon, add the minced garlic after 5 minutes of bacon cooking.
Cut the brussel sprouts in half. Move the bacon to the side of the pan, and add the brussel sprouts. Drizzle the sesame oil over the brussel sprouts. Season it accordingly. Turn 'em over after 5 minutes on medium heat. Try to move to bacon bits over the brussel sprouts. And that's about it!
This is a good side dish to your main course.
According to Wikipedia:
Brussels sprouts, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have potent anticancer properties. Although boiling reduces the level of the anticancer compounds, steaming and stir frying do not result in significant loss.
Labels: Book, Brussel Sprouts, Chalk Board, diy, Food, hiking, O'Melveny Park
