30 day photo challenge:day30:self portrait


Day 30.  Thank goodness that's over!
I was feeling a bit stressed doing this challenge every day and it will be nice to go back to taking pictures just for fun! 



*photo taken with iphone photo booth app

Summer Must-Haves


Cat eye sunglasses and NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream.


Greetings From Los Angeles

What Are You Reading?


I got a bunch of great books at the thrifts lately and in a fit of crazy, started reading all of them at the same time.  I go from Kansas in the 60's in "In Cold Blood" to Detroit in the 70's in "The Virgin Suicides", then jump around to M.F.K. Fisher and Joan Didion.  If I'm feeling girly I dip into Bergdorf Blondes for my fix of the gossipy New York fashion world.
On another note, remember how important libraries were when you were a kid?  It was my only source of entertainment and I loved going there.  I hardly ever go as an adult.  My friend Polly recently participated in a live reading in an attempt to stop the city of Oakland from shutting down 10 of their 14 library branches.  It got me thinking about things, read more about it here.

Broome St. General Store




Love, love, love.  I'm in love with Broome St. General Store!
Cutest place ever.  They have coffee (Gimme! Coffee) and goodies to eat but then the rest of the place is a wonderfully curated shop.  Foodstuffs, thermoses, light bulbs, glassware, dishes, fancy bloody mary mix, Bob's Red Mill products (including gluten-free mixes!), my fav corn chips, Weck jars, and even plastic banana holders.  I wanted to buy everything in sight!  All of my future meetings, chats, hang-outs, etc. will be held here.  I had wonderful company today in the form of lovely Lauren.


I bought some Fleur de Sel and plan to make all sorts of yummy caramel desserts with it.

30 day photo challenge:day27:from a distance


The Hollywood sign taken from the trails at Griffith Park.


*photo taken with iphone camera bag app, fisheye filter

30 day photo challenge:day26:close up

Close up of my morning glass of water.


*photo taken with hipstamatic iphone app

500 Posts!!!


If you had told me in my younger days that I would have written 500 paragraphs or so about things that I like I would have laughed for hours!  For some reason whenever I try to write I get all freaked out and can't handle it but blogging is perfect for me, it's easy to just write a little bit here and there about things I know.  And since I never thought anyone would really read this, there wasn't any fear involved.  Well here we are years later, lots of people I don't know read this (thanks everyone!), and it has given me confidence to keep writing and trying new things in every aspect of my life.  Yay for blogging!

Terrariums

I have been trying to make some terrariums lately for my space but with mixed results.  I don't think I'm particularly good at designing them.  I even threw a "terrarium making party" and even though I had a great time, I wasn't super pleased with how mine turned out.  Have I mentioned that I'm a perfectionist Virgo and don't even want to try and do something if I don't think it will be perfect? 

Anyway, I made another last night and liked it a little more but am still not completely happy!  I think I need to find a much larger container and look at some photos online of terrariums I like.  Eventually I'll get there, with some help and inspiration.

30 day photo challenge:day20:bokeh


Bokeh- a Japanese term for the subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of a photographic image.


*photo taken with iphone cross process app, edited with idarkroom app

Portland Food

The first stop was Tasty N Sons.  This was my first time at the restaurant but I have heard great things and I am a big fan of their sister restaurant Toro Bravo.  This is the bloody mary with housemade beef jerky & pickled veggies and it was ah-mazing.

Toast with teleme cheese and jam.  Loved the combo.

Cobb salad.

Burmese red pork stew with rice and eggs.

Also went to Cafe Nell for lunch with my ladies.  Another fantabulous bloody mary with pickled veggies, cheese, salami, and shrimp.

The burger salad at Cafe Nell.  So tasty and carb free!

Sofia champagne/late night girl talk.

Toasted coconut and strawberry cupcakes at Saint Cupcake.

Don and Laura's world famous grilled pizza.  My fav combo is shrimp, bacon, and caramelized onions.


We tried to go to Laurelhurst Market for dinner but the wait was way too long.  So we ate at Lucky Strike and then went back later when it was less busy to get this drink I was obsessed with trying called the smoke signal.  They boil water over hickory chips and then freeze it into large ice cubes, then put the cubes into this yummy drink with scotch, lemon, pecan oil, and sherry.  As you drink it, the ice melts, it becomes smokier and smokier and is an experience in itself.

Risotto cakes with poached eggs at Petite Provence.


The dining scene in Portland is so vast and so incredibly good that I didn't even get close to eating at all the places I wanted to.  I even ignored some favorites like Higgins and Voodoo Doughnut in an effort to try something new this time around.  Someday I hope to know and love all the restaurants in LA as much as the restaurants in Portland.  If you ever need any recommendations, hit me up!

30 day photo challenge:day19:orange


All of the orange titles from my bookcase!


*photo taken with ishakeit iphone app

{Random} Portland Photos








photo challenge:day18:shoes


I finally found some sandals for summer!
The black pair are Frye's take on the huarache.  I heart them, so comfy.
The tan pair is a brand new to me- OTBT.  I found them at Lizard Lounge when I was trying on eyeglasses in their Warby Parker showroom.  My favorite frames were the Miles & Crosby, with the Huxley coming in a close second.  Wait, wasn't this supposed to be about shoes?


*photo taken with iphone, edited with idarkroom app, cp red & bokeh1 filters

30 day photo challenge:day17:technology


Tooth Unicorn.  Yep.
My friend Krista had posted a photo on facebook that her son Alex drew for a class assignment, and he made up a prehistoric animal called a Tooth Unicorn.  I was kind of obsessed and so when I was at my friend Lauren's house her daughter Ruby asked me what she should draw on her Wii drawing game.  Of course I said a Tooth Unicorn, and I had to take a picture.  There is a lot of technology going on here, the TV, the DVDs, the video game consoles.  In direct contrast with the prehistoric Tooth Unicorn!


*photo taken with iphone camera

Reunited and it feels so good....


I was so happy to get home last night and be reunited with my Strudel (after my flight getting delayed and having a claustrophobic freak out inside my head on the plane).  She "talked" to me for about two hours and I gave her lots of kisses and belly rubs.  Shout out to Whitney for taking such good care of her while I was living it up in P-town!  The best text I got on vacation was when Whitney told me that her boyfriend Chris was obsessed with Strudes and taking tons of pictures of her, photoshoot style.  Loves it!

Airplane Times


Yay!  Today I get to go to Portland for a hot minute and visit my friends and family and eat lots of food.  I wish I could go for a month but maybe when I finally win the lottery I can be on vacation every day!  I will miss you Los Angeles, but I will be back very soon and we can spend a sunny day together.
XOXO

Thrift Score


I haven't had a decent thrift score in ages and it totally sucks. 
I did start grabbing planters here and there and when you put them all together, it adds up to a decent little haul.  Now I just have to decide what to plant in them.  Perhaps some succulents would be nice!

30 day photo challenge:day11:something blue



*photo taken with iphone cross process app

30 day photo challenge:day10:childhood memory


Glittery mary janes.

*photo taken with iphone camera bag app, plastic filter

Ob-sessed

(photo via clare vivier)

I saw these bright orange nails on See Vivier a few days ago and have been obsessed ever since. 
I just can't get enough of orange these days!

Other obsessions include:
Double Le Creuset pan
Crafty sticks
Neon accented clutches here and here

Have a great weekend y'all!


Party Apps


This is my favorite plate of appetizers to serve for a dinner party or get together.
The items are all from Trader Joe's so you can do one stop shopping and it's easy on the wallet. 
Everyone loves it!

Rice crackers, dried Turkish apricots, St. Andre triple creme brie,
Marcona almonds with rosemary, seedless green grapes.