college girl

Gigie and my mom had a great trip to Berkeley and Portland, and, after touring Cal, Lewis & Clark, and Reed College, Gigie has decided to accept the offer from Cal! I am super excited for her! I can't wait to visit her, and take her out to eat at one of Kevin's and my all-time favorite restaurants, stroll down College Ave., chai lattes in hand, on sunny weekend mornings, head into SF and spend long days exploring the city, go hiking in the gorgeous Berkeley Hills, and catch some concerts at the awesome Greek Theatre --- woohoo!

She will start at Berkeley in the Spring of 2010, so after her graduation from high school, on June 10, she'll be free to travel, read, paint, go backpacking, play music, and visit her sisters (yeah!), for the next 6 months - lucky duck!

Congrats, Peanut, this is the start of something absolutely wonderful.

happy birthday, gigie!

Happy 17th birthday, Gigie! I still remember the first time I ever laid eyes on you - Mom and Dad came to the door with you in their arms, Mel and I had been waiting so excitedly for hours to meet our new baby sister, and there you were, one tiny package of sisterly perfection. It was absolutely love at first sight. I can't believe that was 17 years ago!

You are a beautiful person, an amazing human being with the capacity to do so many wonderful things in this life - do them!

Life moves so much more quickly than we are ever told - SEIZE THE DAY and LIVE WITH JOY and PURPOSE. I love you and I am so very proud of you, peanut.

portrait of the artist as a young woman

About a week ago I mentioned that my younger sister, Gigie, recently won first place in an art show. Her painting, Revelations, absolutely blew me away. I told her that this painting officially turns her from a kid with a lot of talent, into a bonafide artist.

Revelations, by Gigie Hall. 

In true James Lipton fashion, I decided to interview this lovely and talented sister of mine.

1. What's your full name?
"Gigie" Jeremie Maija Hall

2. What are you most afraid of?
Not pursuing what I really want to do. Missing out on something because I was too afraid to do it.

3. What was the last movie that you saw in a theater?
Suprisingly, Mad Money. I know. Katie Holmes was amazing. (*Haha, Gigie.)


4. Place of birth
Mexico City, Mexico

5. Favorite food?
Homemade tacos with chicken and fresh cheese and avocados and tomatoes, mmm...

6. Ever been to Alaska?
Nope.

7. Ever been toilet paper rolling?
Yes

8. Been in a car accident?
A mini one.

9. Croutons or bacon bits?
Probably croutons, if they're good.

10. Favorite day of the week?
Friday or Tuesday. (*Tuesday? Really, Gigie?)

11. Favorite restaurant?
IN-N-OUT!!!!!!!!!! (*It's true! For a rather small girl, Gigie sure can put away the In-N-Out double-doubles.)


12. Favorite sport to watch?
FUTBOL! Especially Beckham.


13. Favorite drink?
Thai iced tea, chai, milk, hibiscus juice, any kind of tea, coffee, etc.


14. Favorite ice cream?
Chocolate or chocolate peanut butter. (*A girl after Kevin's heart.)


15. What color is your bedroom carpet?
Ugly Brown. (*I've seen this carpet, and yes, it is ugly. Hideous, in fact.)



16. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
I haven't taken it yet, I'm too lazy, I don't even have my permit! (*Thank God. Whose idea is it to let teenagers drive, anyway? Wait until you're 22 and your friends finally drag you to get your license, and in the meantime mooch rides off of all of your friends and boyfriends. It worked great for me!)


17. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
College Board (SAT question of the day). (*Aww, don't let the man get you down! You're more than a number! Yeah!)

18. What do you do when you are bored?
Play piano, play the guitar, play soccer, draw, paint, do these quizzes, watch a good movie or a bad one, eat.

19. Bedtime?
10:30 or 11:00

20. Favorite TV show?
PROJECT RUNWAY!!!!! And yes, Frasier. Sex & the City. The Office...I love you Jim!


21. Last person you went to dinner with?
My soccer team after a big 6 to 1 win. We went to Ojai Pizza.


22. Who do you think will be President?
Barack, baby!!! I agree, Tam. (*Tammy Shevlin, bringing the children of moderate conservatives over to the moderate left, since 2008. Just kidding, Mom and Dad!)

23. What are your favorite colors?
Mustard yellows, white, red, sage.

24. How many tattoos do you have?
None


25. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Definitely the chicken.


26. What do you want to do before you die?
AHHH! Soooooo many things! Play piano with an orchestra, play piano in a jazz bar in New York, play piano in a blues bar in Nashville, jam with no one I know, play drums with John Bonham's son, play a blues guitar solo, travel the world, have my paintings in a gallery, save a life, have kids, go to a jungle, play bossa music in Brazil, dance the cha cha, study philosophy and history, play soccer in Barcelona, own a bakery when I'm old, have a daughter and name her Paloma, have more kids, and the list goes on and on...


27. Have you been to countries outside the U.S.?
Only Mexico.

best in show

In honor of my beautiful, gloriously talented, and fabulously sophisticated younger sister, Gigie, I am posting this very artsy photo of her. She called me tonight to tell me that she won best in show in an art show! She entered one drawing and two paintings and one of her paintings was named best in show out of all 600 (or so) entries. Woot-woot for Gigie!

I am continuously amazed by the incredible human being the "runt" of the family, our little peanut, is turning out to be. She's artistic, musical, athletic, scholarly, kind, genuine, stylish, interesting, unique, and funny. To me, she's a breath of fresh air in a world where lot's of young people (and old people too) are more concerned with the latest celebrity trends than in becoming people of substance and worth. Also, she makes me laugh really hard. I just love this kid.