see you soon

Image by The Big Harumph

sad mac

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

-Steve Jobs

what i did on my summer vacation part 2

Been well traveled and well caffeinated. Sorry to disappear for so long. xo

Image by Perris Drey Petrozzi via A Well Traveled Woman

sweet summer lovin'

Off to see Dolly Parton at the Hollywood Bowl tonight. Truly an extraordinary songwriter and story teller, I can't wait to see her live. As she likes to say about I Will Always Love You, "Whitney is more famous for singing that song, but I make more money from it." Love you Dolly.

Image by a l'allure garconniere

day after a long weekend

happy 4th!

Image by Clayton Austin via Ruffled

what i did on my summer vacation

Becoming reacquainted with this old friend in my time off from school. Hopefully new music to come.

Image by Favim

summer school

Image by Reuben Miller

photobooth

Elvis and Sophia

Image by Bob Willoughby via Awesome People Hanging Out Together

rave on

Rave On Buddy Holly comes out today and I was lucky enough to get an early preview. Some of the tribute covers are better than others, but True Love Ways by My Morning Jacket and Dearest by The Black Keys are definite standouts.

You can listen to the whole album here.

Image by HJT Blog

matthew & the atlas

Discovered these guys at pilates of all places yesterday, when mid-plank I asked my instructor who she was playing. One part Fleet Foxes, another Ray LaMontagne mixed with a little Mumford & Sons. Love.

Image by This Music Wins

cleaning house on a sunday morning

...with Radiohead.

Image by The Big Harumph

abbey road

Totally mesmerized people watching on the webcam at Abbey Road Studios.

Image via LastFM

mix tape: jenny lewis edition

Went to see Jenny and Johnny at the Music Box on Saturday night and since then my Jenny Lewis favorites have been in heavy rotation.

Image by KevChino

heartstrings

Just when I thought I couldn't love Eddie Vedder more, he drops Ukulele Songs on me.

Image by Fresh Ditties Daily

sunday chores

Photo by Awesome People Hanging Out Together

more than a pinch

I spent a good amount of time perusing the selections at The Meadow when I was up in Portland a few months back. It's the most lovely little shop that sells salt, bitters, chocolate and flowers. What else do you need? I'm coveting one of their Himalayan salt blocks that you can use to cook on directly your stovetop.

Photo by The Meadow

this time last year

My favorite summer driving song from last year.

Image by Love is Not a Competition

under the stars

So I know I say it every year, but I really want to go camping this summer.

Image by Groundwork

travel daydreams

Just booked my trip to Asia in October. Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok and Koh Samui. Can't wait!

Photo by Insatiably Curious

silverlake, take note

I love the tumblr Dads Are the Original Hipsters so much. Dads were rocking beards, wearing cut offs and playing guitar all before we were even born. They invented hipster.

Images by Dads Are The Original Hipsters via A Cup of Jo

song of the summer

Still searching for what will be that great windows rolled down, BBQ cooking, night swimming song of the summer. It'll surface. It's only a matter of time.

Image by Just A Day Dreamx

bossypants

"The show doesn't go on because its ready. It goes on because it's 11:30."

I tore through Tina Fey's hilariously funny, smart and self-deprecating memoir in two days and could not recommend it more. Anywhere she is, I want to go to there.

Image via Frank White

happy derby day!

Between this and the royal wedding, it's been a big couple weeks for hats.

Image: Clara Bow at the Kentucky Derby, 1937 by Clara Bow Archive

on my way

Image by LolasRoom

yes, yes i do

Image by Judy Kaufman

eggy fun

Did you know that you can color eggs with silk scarves or ties? Martha does. All you need is some silk scraps, some plain cotton and twist ties. Or you can be lazy like me and order a kit from The June Bride on Etsy. Just wrap your silk scrap around your egg, cover with the plain cotton and tie it tight with a twist tie. Then put them in a pot and boil them for twenty minutes or so until hard boiled. So your eggs are cooked and colored all in one step and they don't even need to dry. Plus you're recycling and creating great unique designs you could never get out of a box of Paas. Pretty great right?

happy friday

Image by Caroline Royce Design

my favorite little corner

I've been spending a lot of time writing and studying at my new favorite coffee shop, Coffee Commissary. And now they have put in the gastropub The Fat Dog next door, which not only has a great beer list and chicken pot pie, but it's dog friendly so you get to relax out on a patio full of pooches. And did I mention amazing butcher shop Lindy & Grundy on the other side? It's the best little slice of Fairfax. If I moved into the apartment building upstairs I would never leave.

Image by Eater

never let me go

I watched this over the weekend and am still thinking about the haunting performances of Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley. Watching these three friends coming of age so aware of the little time they have is thought provoking, sad, and moving. Highly recommend.

Image by Fox Searchlight

i want to be a part of it

Off to New York for the week!

Pillow by Magpie Lovely

dear ipad2

You took a long time to get here, but I love you already.

Image by How About Orange

weekend dreaming

This song makes me want to roll the windows down and drive out to the beach this weekend.

mind your own beeswax

I picked up a set of these beeswax candles from pollenArts on etsy today. This sweet couple hand makes all their candles in a stove in their 1975 winnebago. How fun is that?

Image by pollenArts

where the wild things are

Image by Dear Colleen

little joy

This is making me anxious for summertime adventures

song of the day: leftover cuties

Image by Songs for Film and TV

small batches

First there were microbreweries, now it's the cocktail that's becoming homegrown. Such terrific small batch distilleries and liquors are popping up everywhere. While more challenging to get your hands on, when you're looking to make a good drink, go local.

I first tried Root by Art in the Age at the Unique LA show back in December and it's become my go-to host gift. Certified organic with a rich root beer flavor, it's tasty with bourbon and a little ginger beer.

While up in Portland, we had delicious drinks at Grüner all made with local infusions from Clear Creek Distillery. The Kirschwasser's crisp, clear cherry flavor is not overly sweet and I will be shaking their Douglas Fir eau de vie into drinks come Christmastime.

Finally, the warm LA weather this weekend means margarita season and you can get an extra kick from Tanteo's jalapeno tequila.

Your local happy hour starts now. Mix away!

Image by Art In The Age

school supplies

I love having the excuse to buy school supplies again. These are the latest acquisition.

Image by and available at Reform School

happy first day of spring

Image by PennyWeight via FieldGuided

cheese please

I just picked up this fun print for my kitchen on Etsy. I think it's excellent advice.

Image by Funnel Cloud

pouf! it's gone

I really, really want this fantastic pouf from Urban Outfitters for my living room yet, alas, they won't deliver to California. Someone else should snap it up.

Image by Urban Outfitters

more adele love

Recorded at home. Sigh.

happy st. patrick's day

Image by Dirty From The Rain

portlandia

I'm off to my first trip ever to Portland this weekend. This is my vision of what it will be like. Plus Voodoo Donuts.

the smile

Had an amazing dinner at The Smile here in NYC last night, catching up with one of my most favorite old friends.

Image by Wool and The Gang who also happen to sell their supercute kits there

the thrill of the fight

This weekend my accounting professor played a little "Eye of the Tiger" to motivate us before a big quiz. Nothing like an 80s power jam to get you ready to take on opportunity costs. I love my classes so much.

By Neighborhood Studio via DesignLoveFest

mix tape: the second coming

Who says the mix tape is dead? NPR just ran a piece on Matthew David and Mark McNeil who run a label called Leaving Records which releases albums on cassette tapes. It's just one of many small labels popping up with the same model. McNeil says says the format also fosters a natural sense of community: its followers rummage through dusty old shops and garage sales, talking to people and sometimes making new music out of the old stuff they find. Hear hear!

Listen to the full NPR story here.

Image by MixTape

reunited

One of my favorite ladies is in town from London for a few days. So excited to catch up and have a raucous good time!

Image by Life Magazine via 13bees

bacon jam

I made this savory treat by Not Quite Nigella over the weekend. And it was all gobbled up before I could take a photo. Mix yourself up a batch and eat it on crusty bread with some goat cheese or (like I was lucky enough to be given) some homemade ricotta. It's bacon. It's jam. It's delicious.

a caveat

Headed back to LA, I stumbled across this print on Etsy and thought it summed things up just perfectly.

Image available here

winter in new york

I'm all bundled up for a blustery week in NYC. Look how pretty and peaceful Central Park was yesterday.

pop of color

After gloss dominating for years, I'm so excited for the triumphant return of bright bold lipstick. Definitively girly and an accessory all on it's own. I've been rotating Clinique Red Red Red and Christian Dior Star Fuchsia.

Image via We Heart It

friends will be friends

Just a great photo of Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury to start your morning.

Image via United Monkee