Dinner in the summer twilight

Simple Family Dinner 

I use to do this thing with my friends where we would plan a weekly family dinner. Often times we would go all out with an extravagant feast. While other times, like last night, we keep it simple and small. My friend Becca cooked chili. We should just call her Chef Becca, really. She comes up with the craziest recipes. I feel like she read my mind this night, the previous night I had a friend order chili and I was salivating because it looked scrumptious. I'm glad that my chili kick was cured within 24 hours.

Once we scooped up, we poured our drinks. I tried a Kalimotxo. A mix of red wine and coke. I remember a man in a wine section telling me about this in South Africa. And it's taking me a year and a half to try it. Then again, I don't normally drink coke or have it on hand. 

After, we went to the outside patio surrounded in twinkle lights and sat around the turquoise picnic table and chattered for a couple hours. It was a perfect summer night; it was one of those nights that I would have loved to capture in photos. But, I didn't think about it until this morning. For a photographer, I often times forget the camera aspect a lot.  Then we all went home at a reasonable hour and tucked ourselves sweetly in our beds.  (This is probably not 100% but it sounds so much sweeter.)

Source: Uploaded by user via Samantha on Pinterest

Damn, it feels good to be a gangster

I'm gangster, you're gangster... 

Black Acura, tinted windows and a sound system. 

Cruising down Newport blvd., stoplight, black sunglasses, roll down the windows and stare down the Escalade because it's on. Intimidation is key.  Word.

Windows always rolled down. The police will pull us over if they realize how tinted the windows really are and realize how gangster we really are. [Mainly the second reason.] The kind of sound system where if you're sitting in the backseat and the reverb of the speakers tickle your back and when the car is off, you can no longer feel the back of your spine. This would be the effect of my friend Jason's car. 

Let's be honest, if we're getting into labels, I'm not typically the kind of girl that chooses to listen to rap music. But everytime I'm in his car, I find myself screaming at the top of my lungs, headbanging. Rapping at every attempt to keep up with the lyrics. At least Subpar rapping.

But everytime, I find myself saying, "I wish I were a gangster."

And everytime, the various people in the car make fun of me because I'm as white as they come and I emphasize there "E-R" in gangster. I like enunciating all my syllables. So, "Gangsta" is not in question.

If only... 

This car does it to you, I mean bethany lomas turned gangster. Ashley Wells (girl in the top left photo) sweet five foot, english major turned gangster. Don't even get me started with Becca.

You can't even handle it. 

Actually my old Honda turned people gangster. Specifically Bethany and I when we devoted an entire San Diego trip to learn Black Eyed Peas Where is the Love. 

What's wrong with the world mama? People living like aint got no mamas I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama Only attracted to the things that bring you trauma Overseas yeah we tryin to stop terrorism But we still got terrorists here livin In the USA the big CIA the Bloodz and the Crips and the KKK But if you only have love for your own race Then you only leave space to discriminate And to discriminate only generates hate And if you hatin you're bound to get irate Yeah madness is what you demonstrate And that's exactly how anger works and operates You gotta have love just to set it straight Take control of your mind and meditate Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all People killing people dying Children hurtin you hear them crying Can you practice what you preach Would you turn the other cheek? Father Father Father help us Send some guidance from above Cause people got me got me questioning Where is the love?(where is the lovex3)(the love2x)

[.a recent conversation with jessi duke.]

"Sam: I'm gangster. you're gangster, let's be friends. i means gangsters? Do gangsters use the word friends?     let's be bros? or is it hos ?hmmmm

 Jessi: I'll be yo ho FO SHO!!! "

Although my terminology isn't up to par, I do have a pretty sweet "b-l-o-o-d" sign.

I do have some pretty gangster friends though.. 

But Sara Saylors is the most gangster of all. 

///edit///
This little gem photo was captured the other night at Madame Zingara.
Thanks to whoever took the photo and thanks Lucia for the sweet edit.

Need I say more?