5 Surefire Ways to Gain More Flickr Followers

1. Only post photos of girls. If you happen to be a girl, self-portraits also work. Just remember this equation: more skin = more views.

SIDENOTE: If you're going to post self-portraits, ONLY post self-portraits. You don't want to give someone the option of looking at someone other than you.

2. Only post one image per day. Keep viewers wanting more, but be consistent. Fewer photos means more views per photo.

3. Use Photoshop. People often confuse Photoshop with photography skill, so use this to your advantage.

4. Collaborate. People like to see familiar faces, so shoot fellow Flickrites. Be sure to shoot high-profile Flickrites, otherwise nobody will really care.

5. Write interesting captions. Pretend flickr is your blog and make it personal. The longer the story > greater chance of someone relating to you > greater chance of someone leaving a comment.

Good luck and Happy Flickr-ing.

St. Patrick's Day Smoothie

JENA'S ST. PATTY'S DAY SMOOTHIE:
1 handful of spinach
1 orange (peeled)
1 lime (peeled)
1 cup of water
3 tbsp honey
12 or more ice cubes

BLEND IT, BABY!!

Perfect for St. Patrick's Day and every other day...

My Guide to Southern California Beaches

LOS ANGELES BEACHES

El Matador: Gorgeous, secluded, difficult walk to beach. Sometimes littered with naked old men who think it is a nude beach.

Malibu Beach: Surfrider territory, lagoon, small pier. Checkout the Adamson House while you're there!!

Marina Del Rey: More industrial, smoggy, Venice fishing pier. Great if you like looking at boats.

Point Dume State Beach: Clean, diagonal, not free. You pay to park here but can go to Zuma (literally 50 ft away) for free.

Santa Monica State Beach: Tourists, dirty, pier. Awesome bike and walking paths. Please note these paths are SEPARATE so I can ride my bike without dodging you.

Venice Beach: Eclectic, graffiti wall, plethora of bums. Sometimes smells like urine.

Zuma: Flat, volley ball, large parking lot. A popular spot in Malibu.

SAN DIEGO BEACHES

Coronado: Lovely, fighter jets, gold sand. The Hotel Del is A-MAZING.

La Jolla: Scenic, beautiful, cliffs. Sea caves and kayaking galore.

Ocean Beach: Dirty, hippies, bikers. The pier there is the longest concrete pier on the west coast... it's also full of beatnik/hippie/alternative folk.

Mission Beach: Popular, drunken college town, kid friendly. Here boardwalk = concrete area near ocean, not on a pier. And the roller coaster costs $6-7 a pop to ride.

Pacific Beach: Surfer haven, scenic, Crysal pier. Area is full of shops, bars and night clubs. Parking is a bitch.

VENTURA /SANTA BARBARA COUNTY BEACHES

Leo Carillo: Rocky, clean, tide pools. People from L.A. like to go here on the weekends so they can forget they live in L.A. for the day.

East Beach: Sporty, college crowd, volleyball heaven. Look for starfish hanging onto nearby Stearn's Wharf pier. Sea lions are also common.

Oxnard Beach: Dog beach, kid friendly, playground. I wouldn't swim in the water here, but the bike/walking paths are nice!!

Ventura Pier beach area: Scenic areas, lots of pebbles, chilly. Santa Monica feel, only less populated, no rides and more clean.

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day...

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." ~Albert Camus

Since it is such a nasty/gray/rainy day in L.A. and the east is getting pummeled with more snow... I figured we could all use a little sunshine.

Here are two galleries I created, FULL of summery photos from fellow flickrites:

Swimming Pool: http://tinyurl.com/yzwao7t

Sunbathers: http://tinyurl.com/ygpyjj8

Spread the warmth!!

Buddhist Blessing for the New Year!!

I'm not a Buddhist, nor do you need to be to enjoy this blessing. May 2010 be one of your best!! Happy New Year!!

Just as water flowing in the stream and rivers fills the ocean, thus may all your moments of goodness touch and benefit all beings, those here now and those gone before.

May all your wishes be soon fulfilled as completely as the moon on a full-moon night, as successfully as from the Wish-Fulfilling Gem. May all dangers be averted; may all disease leave you.

May no obstacles come across your way and may you enjoy happiness and long life.

May those who are always respectful, honoring the way of the elders, prosper in the four blessings of old age, beauty, happiness, and strength.

~Adopted from the Pattanumodana blessing-chant

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE!!

Did you know the original house used in the movie A Christmas Story was auctioned on ebay in 2004, purchased for $150,000 by Brian Jones, a San Diego entrepreneur and fan of the film since childhood, and renovated to appear exactly as it did in the movie?! After spending $240,000 in renovations and stocking the house with props and replicas from the movie, the house opened as a museum and gift shop in 2007. Staff members give tours every half hour and maintain a well-stocked gift shop.

The house is located on 3159 W.11th St. in Cleveland, Ohio and welcomed its 100,000th visitor in August 2009.

A dozen of my favorite Christmas songs:

1. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
2. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
3. It Must Have Been Old Santa Claus - Harry Connick Jr.
4. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
5. Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby
6. Have A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
7. Dominic the Donkey - Lou Monte
8. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
9. Last Christmas - Wham
10. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
11. Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes
12. Christmas All Over Again - Tom Petty

My Top Ten Favorite Christmas Movies:
1. A Christmas Story
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original cartoon version)
3. It's a Wonderful Life
4. Home Alone 1/Home Alone 2
5. Christmas Every Day
6. Rudolph (the clay animation version)
7. Elf
8. The Shop Around the Corner
9. The Holiday
10. The Santa Claus

Enjoy and Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays!!

KITSCH SIGNS

As you may have detected, I love things from the 50s, 60s and 70s... especially gaudy home decor. There's nothing like a good, vintage novelty sign to make your guests chuckle or question your taste in design. Here are some great kitsch signs I found on etsy this week. Perhaps you'll find their witticisms to be as amusing as I find them. I apologize for not providing links to each item, but browsing for these items yourself is half the fun:

Embarassing Moment

Love this story...

I was pleasantly surprised to be seated next to a very handsome man during a conference. We flirted casually through dinner, then grew restless as the dignitaries gave speeches. During one particularly long-winded lecture, my new friend drew a # sign on a cocktail napkin. Elated, I wrote down my phone number. Looking startled for a moment, he drew another # sign, this time adding an X to the upper-left-hand corner. ~Kari Moore (via Reader's Digest)