Introducing Hollie

Where do you live?

Just a few blocks from the beach in Venice, California

Do you have any hidden talents?

I used to be a singer but no one really knows I can sing anymore because I stopped singing in public.

Name two things you consider yourself to be very good at.

I’m stealing Jenny’s answers – sewing and cooking.

Name two things you consider yourself to be very bad at.

I am an awful artist. I can’t paint and I can’t draw even though I wish I could. And I am horrible at team sports. I’m a klutz. On the basketball team in Jr. High no one wanted to pass the ball to me… ever.

Do you have any siblings? What are they like?

My younger sister Kimberly is married to a retired baseball player and they have two little girls. She and my nieces recently moved from Phoenix, Arizona to Northern California to be closer to my parents and because they want to raise their girls up there. Her husband is a pitching coach for the Rookie Ball League and in the off-season he is able to be up north with Kim and the girls. Kimberly and I are very, very different. We were never really close growing up. She was popular and I was the weirdo. Now we have a much better relationship.

My baby brother, Grayson, lives in San Francisco but he’s thinking about moving down to Venice (Yea!) or San Diego around the beginning of the New Year. I secretly hope he picks Venice. Gray is a bar manager at a restaurant in the city and he’s still looking for the right girl. He’s young. He’s got time. Grayson and I have really become great friends in the past several years. There is a 7 year age gap so I was gone by the time he was coming into his own. We really enjoy each other and have a ton in common.

Have you ever won a trophy?

I used to ride horses competitively so I won a few ribbons back in the day. Do those count as trophies?

Name one thing that not many people know about you.

Well, outside of the Flickr and Blogosphere not many people know that I am as crafty as I am. I work a pretty stressful job and my friends see that side of me, but every so often I surprise one of them with a handmade gift or by wearing a dress I made and occasionally my secret leaks out.

What is your earliest memory?

Sunday mornings with my Grandpa Ray. Every Sunday morning my parents would take me over to my grandparent’s house. My Grandma Mary would disappear with my parents into the living room but my Grandpa Ray would have a chair set up in the front room waiting for me. He would hide jelly beans in his shirt pocket – the black ones separate from the other colors because I hated licorice – and he would read me the Sunday comics while I ate jellybeans. Peanuts was our favorite comic. He died when I was young and never lived to meet my sister or brother but he made a significant impact on my life. I even made a student film about it when I was in film school.

What was your favorite musical group when you were in Junior High?

I loved Prince, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. I would put on my roller skates and skate around the garage to Purple Rain, Material Girl and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An actor. Musicals, Shakespeare, theatre – not a movie star. And I actually was a working actor for 20 years before I “retired” at the ripe old age of 26.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about my fiancé, my friends, travel and photography. I usually include my job in that list but I am realizing that the stress it creates isn’t always worth it. I do love it though, most of the time.

Who is the person you respect the most, and why?

My father. He is the most decent and fair human being I have met. He lives his entire life to serve others.

What outdoor activities do you like to do?

Hiking, biking, running, camping, gardening, kayaking, skiing…

If your house was on fire and you could grab only 3 things before leaving, what would they be?

If my fiancé and our dog, Jack were safe then I would rescue my childhood teddy bear, blanket, and the external hard drive we use to back up all of our photos. I have had the bear and the blanket since the day I was born, though they live in my closet now.

Which is your most favorite place on this earth?

That’s a tough one. We love to travel. We work to travel, so we have been to some amazing places and it’s hard to pick just one. I love the beach, I really do. So anywhere there is a beach might top the list.