GET OUT!

No, really, I mean, get out!

Not as in get out because I don’t like you but more like let’s go outside.

So, last year we bought a little house. An adorable, well-loved house. And in the past 9 months we’ve turned the house into a home, complete with a brand new interior and a color treatment that makes me weep tears of joy. I mean that literally. Take a quick look.

It’s not my intention to keep any of this a secret because a) I’m a blabbermouth and b) I love our home and its interior design thanks to the amazing Christian May.  But acknowledging how we all like to look at interiors these days (“Before/After”, “The Big Reveal”, “Move! That! Bus!”), I’m choosing to hold off just a bit before sharing it with the world. If you’ve been over then you’ve seen it taking shape, slowly but surely. And if you haven’t, well, check back shortly because we’ll be ready to share it with the world soon enough. Maybe here, maybe somewhere else. Who knows 🙂

Oh, but back to that Get Outside bit.

Ever since moving to California 17 years ago, I realized one thing: I am happiest outside. Bright sun, cool air (and sometimes not-so-cool and yes, smoggy) and views of the Pacific on one side and mountains on the other have fueled me and made me a very happy man. And I made a promise to myself when I first got to this Golden State: set up shop, make a home, and entertain with abandon. While a few of those things have come true over the years, we’re only now realizing that last part with the actual dream of being homeowners who just happen to want to throw a party in the backyard every now and then.  And a few months ago we began the process of turning our yard into something magical, a place where friends can stop by for beer and cocktails, enjoy a bbq or a pizza from the wood-fired oven, take a quick dip in a little pool and sit around next to a fire, wrapped in a blanket under the stars and talk about things until wee hours of the morning. Or until Adam tells me to get to bed and makes everyone leave. Or stay. Whatever.

In a nutshell, I’ve dreamed of turning this…

Into this.

And while the firepit with its seating is complete, there’s still quite a bit of construction left to be done. In the next few weeks I’ll be documenting the process, sharing images and progress, and eventually uploading the quicktime movie I’ve made of the entire project (from demolition to completion because yes, the camera tech geek in me couldn’t resist).

I also must perfect pizza doughs and learn to cook in a wood-fired oven and I’m sure there will be plenty of mistakes. Maybe I’ll document those too (if I don’t eat them first!)

But lastly, I want to say one thing.  A huge part of me never wanted to take this leap of faith (and part with the hard earned cash) to make something like this come true. In a way I never thought it was possible or that I should do it, for whatever messed up reason. Deep down inside I still feel like a modest kind of guy. But in light of realizing that so much in this world can disappear in an instant and that life is meant to be lived and shared with others, well, I’m just going to stop analyzing it all and just be. And I hope you’ll be there with me to come over and eat.

So let’s get out, shall we?