NKLA Super Pet Adoption Fair at the La Brea Tarpits

May 3-5, 2013

5801 Wilshire Blvd  Los Angeles, CA 90036

Food trucks * Vendors * Special lower adoption fees * over a thousand pets looking for homes

May 3-5, 2013 La Brea Tar Pits Free Admission Over 50 shelters and rescues Open every day at 11 AM All Shelter adoption fees less than $100 FREE microchips courtesy of Found Animals Foundation 10+ of LA's hottest food trucks onsite Plus tons of pet-friendly vendors!

In a few hours, I will be volunteering at a huge adoption fair at the La Brea Tar Pits.

Over 80 shelters and rescues will be present, featuring over a THOUSAND available animals looking for their forever homes.

Shelters are reducing their adoption fees to less than $100 and that would include spay/neuter and their shots. NKLA is a movement where we are trying to get LA to be a "no kill" city. 

We do have an overpopulation that we need to address and one of the ways in facing that issues are education and promoting adoption over buying. 

Recently I took in a foster from one of the local rescues. I just went in to look at the adoptables when I saw this one particular pup. He was a small shih tzu and he looked very uninterested in what was happening at the fair. The minute I picked him up he melted in my arms. 

The rescue volunteers asked me if I would like to foster him. He didn't have a foster parent and he would go back to boarding. Well, even though he was saved from the shelters, being boarded would still be the same as it was in the shelter- being crated and not being part of a loving home.

I took him in and with a couple of hours, he felt right at home, even getting along with my other shih tzu, Koki. I felt he had a lot of hair that was just growing every which way so I took him to my dog's groomer who does amazing work. 

This is him before the grooming

and this is him after

I didn't realize how young he was until they took out all of that hair. Also, it turns out that he is a white and grey brindle and looks like he has tiger stripes. As much as I love him fluffy, I felt that he needed a change of pace and cutting off all that hair allows him to be more comfortable.

As the weeks go by, it was a natural decision to go ahead and adopt him, making him a permanent family to my home. 

These guys are instant brothers and I couldn't be any more happier! I am extremly blessed to have such great dogs.

This is why I am now volunteering some of my time and skills to these rescues. I want to do my part in making sure that we do our best as a community to not add to the high population of domestic animals and overflow of shelters. 

and to think, THIS is him on death row right before the rescue came in and saved him.

So happy to have this guy in my life

Koki Shakespeare

Meet my newest family member, Koki Shakespeare. Koki means "pug nose" in Hawaiian and Shakespeare is what they call him at the rescue.

I have a tendancy of networking dogs online. I am a huge advocate of adopting over shopping (I understand people want a certain dog but if I can help with the overpopulation of pets being homeless and eventually euthanized, then I will do my best.) I saw Koki in one of the postings on Petfinder.

He is a cute shaggy dog which reminded me of 5 of the dogs my family had throughout my life.

When I first met him, he was unapproachable. Very independant and seemingly non-emotional. I can see how other folks overlook him and tend to go to the higher energy dogs.

But something told me to really go for him, despite of the lack of connection and my budget. I bit the bullet and went for it.

The day that I adopted him from the rescue, I had the priviledge of speaking with his foster mom. She told me everything about him and has seem to be right. He is quiet, doesn't bark, doesn't lick, very independant but at times can be the biggest cuddler!

It's been a wonderful three days so far getting to know this little guy. My family and boyfriend love him! He is going to be well-loved. No more shelter life for you, little man.

Going home with me.

 

Close up of his face

 

After a 2.5 mile walk. Site-seeing in LACMA

 

 

 

Groomed and handsome after his trip to the groomers! Orange Bone did a great job!

 

 

This guy makes me so happy!

 

Celebrating Love: Michele and Chris

Wedding Watch 2012 continues on. As I earlier posted, my man and I went to the East Coast to attend his college friend's wedding. The trip was memorable as I wouldn't have seen that part of the US had it not been for this event. I had a wonderful time discovering a new area of the country and getting to know where he had grown up.

Now back home, long time friends/loves finally tied the knot at what locals called the "Glass Church." Located in Rancho Palos Verde, we drove all the way up the hills over looking the ocean to this beautiful spot where Michele (a writer and teacher and vintage fashion boutique owner) and Chris (a graphic designer and fellow Beatrock artist) made their vows.

I love how recently, weddings are more so about labors of love, creativity and personalization. It used to be weddings were  all about being flashy and excessive, bigger is everything and this puts couples in huge debt for a celebration that is bigger than the real true message. The money saved can be now towards a honeymoon, a house or just a nice nest egg for them to secured with. 

engagement photos

waiting to make her entrance

handmade felt roses

photobooth bookmarks

handmade number table plaques

mr. and mrs.

clinking our glasses for them to kiss

mark canto and i drawing on our doilies

my bf was working so i brought one of my best friends

Now, michele and chris are part of my reading joy!

Nifty Gifty

Tonight was the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture Kick-off and fundraiser at Isla Cocina in Eagle Rock. One of the Board of Directors from FilAm Arts got a gift bag with items... including two little sculptures made out of resin. These are cake toppers and they come in different ethnic backgrounds. And not only are they cute but they are also interchangable for couples of different ethnicities.

Super cute and simple, these make the perfect gift! They are almost available but check back their site for their anticipated launch, Nifty Gifty.

Black Friday Sale: DnA Creations

The Holidays are coming up and I am formulating a game plan. My friends and family have everything they ever need and for the most part we are aligned with shunning away the idea of consumerism Christmas and trying to envelope and re-embrace the Spirit of Christmas.

But I still love giving gifts.

Folks are either getting something that is either cooked/baked/painted/sculpted by me. If I were to buy anything, it would be of something that is handmade or by a local artisan.

So I am making a list of folks to turn to on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

One message I got this morning is by a wife and husband creative team called DnA Creations. They mainly make work revolving around the Mexican culture, pin-ups and Day of the Dead Memoribilia.

Until I saw the following pictures and I just completely smiled.

Now I love horror flicks; as of late, I have been watching more zombie flicks than any subgenre of the genre. I know numerous couples who would LOVE these cake toppers.

So for all my zombie-lovers, here are zombies in love...

If you are interested in these items or any DnA items, please go to :

http://dnacreations.etsy.com/

From Turkey Day til Monday, enter the code BIGSALE for 25% off your purchase.

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