current book inventory

books that i am (reluctantly) returning to the library:
1. the other way to listen
children's book about what it means to really listen to the world. beautifully illustrated.
2. nancy silverton's sandwich book
recipes from LA's campanile restaurant & their weekly "sandwich night" tradition. major YUM!
3. living in style: without losing your mind
i wish i could live by this title.
4. a field guide to sprawl
fascinating visuals of sprrrrraaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwl. and some interesting new lingo like boomburb, mall glut, pork chop lot, and snout house.
5. letters to a young poet
simple, real medidations. i'm halfway through. must. finish. why don't we write letters like this anymore?

books recently added to my "to check out" list:
1. the country doctor
2. bird by bird: some instructions on writing and life
3. the cloudspotter's guide: the science, history, and culture of clouds

everything is interesting

keri smith has a new book in the works: how to be an explorer of the world

get a sneak peek here!

i love the way she looks at the world. and how she encourages exploring and creating in everyday life. her blog the wish jar is full of small inspirations.


:: image from keri smith

one two three four

wow. feist rocks AND she plays on sesame street.

and she is performing (for the big kids) at the hollywood bowl on sunday (can't wait!).

recycled fashion

cheers to the start of another season of Project Runway!

for the initiation challenge, the designers created their runway fashion from supermarket supplies.

my favorites:
1. daniel's bright blue mini dress (plastic solo cups)
2. koroto's glowing yellow dress (table cloth with fresh vege detail)

things i need to purchase

a watch. a bicycle. a new cell phone.

relatively simple, right? agh, somehow not in my mind...

i get so hung up on needing to find Just The Right Thing. will be okay in form and function? will i really really love it? or do i just like the idea of it?

BUT somehow i landed myself a new phone tonight. at a reasonable price, it's the closest that verizon will take me to an iphone.

AND thinking about this watch. i first saw it 12+ months ago--it's been on my mind that long? that's probably a sign that i'll be happy with it...

THEN for the bicycle, it's time to just-say-NO to online shopping. yes, i need to go to my local bike shop. the many pretty online bikes are tempting. but with some purchases, there's no replacement for a live in-person test ride...


[EDIT: ha! here's a reality check on design angst.]


images: watch from moma; bicycle from jorg&olif; phone from LG.life's good!

a little backyard party

we hosted our very first bbq this weekend.
here's a little glimpse of the yard as the night was coming to an end...

i love my cafe lights (i found them here!).

seeking homebaked chocolate chip cookies

the nytimes writes about the search for champion chocolate chip cookies. a delicious quest. raw dough or chewy centered or crispy crunch, i'll take these cooies any way i can get them.

best of all, this article's first paragraphs feature my hometown hero Ruth Wakefield, who invented this perfect cookie in whitman, mass. her recipe is published on the back of every pack of Toll House chocolate chips.

and NOW i find out that she also published a cookbook: toll house tried and true recipes. yup, she's a woman after my hometown heart.


image of chocolate chip cookies from nytimes.com

be kind, design

sometimes i think about buying something for a longgggg time.
and some(wonderful)times, my gut instinct kicks in and i just buy it.

i saw this be kind, design T-shirt, and it was immediate purchase.

the magical simplicity of color/font/message made me do it.

available at designismine [etsy] for $19.

summer style: dresses & shorts

i'm feeling the whole summer style spectrum, from comfy shorts to pretty dresses.

i especially love the idea of the shirt and shorts (and shades!) in los angeles.


photos of los angeles and paris from the sartorialist

july july!

july is a favorite month of mine. a swing into summer. sending us to the closest beach. long, sunny days and late, muggy nights. smelling like saltwater or campfire or lakewater or coppertone sunscreen. buzzing mosquitoes. lots of fresh fruit and corn on the cob and grilled hotdogs and tomatoes & basil. flipflops and sundresses. picnics and barbecues. and many birthdays (:

this month in dear LA, i'm excited about saturdays&sundays of beaching, hiking, thrifting, and farmer's marketing. some great [free!] concerts: here, here, and here. evening picnicking with cemetery movies at cinespia & outdoor music at the hollywood bowl. and maybe even a surfing lesson or two...

oh how i do love this summer month of mine!


image of mirror lake from my flickr