a weeknight beachside picnic

last night, Nicole and i drove to Malibu for a mini college reunion with our friend Peter, who lives in Santa Barbara. we decided to meetup for a beachside picnic halfway between SB and LA at Leo Carillo State Park. we met on the sand with picnic blankets, food, and wine, and talked until long after it got dark.

the sky was beautiful at sunset, and then the moon was full and so so bright. here's to more excuses for nighttime beachside hangouts!

city: june gloom

each year i'm been amazed when june arrives, and southern california descends into a dark fog of june gloom. just when my new england mind is ready for sunshine and summer heat, i'm left with morning drizzles and cloudy grey skies.

sometimes california seems very backwards.
but looking forward to sunnier skies tomorrow...

listening to: here comes the sun by the beatles (listen)

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

city: cemetery screenings

an outdoor movie and a picnic with friends. the perfect combination for a summer saturday night, yes? and in LA, we then add: a DJ for pre-movie music, a crowd of hundreds, traffic jammed in all directions, and a big open field at the hollywood forever cemetery (thanks to lack of green space and/or twisted sense of humor). and as odd as watching a movie in the middle of a cemetery sounds, it's one of my most memorable summer activities in this city.

on saturday night at the first screening of the season, we feasted on yummy wraps, pesto, fava beans, german chocolate, fresh lemon cake, boont amber ale...and then watched the glorious paul newman in cool hand luke. and by the end of the night, we were already making plans for next week.

screenings are every saturday night--plus special sunday screenings on holiday weekends. if you're in LA, it's certainly worth checking out! find more information and a listing of upcoming movies at cinespia.org.

:: top photo from chotda; bottom photo from lillieinthecity / flickr

listening to: gobbledigook by sigur ros (listen)

composting adventures

recently i went to a free composting workshop hosted by the city of Los Angeles (along with my food&craft&newmedia-loving friend alex of viva.le.mani). these workshops are offered once a month for LA residents and give a helpful overview of the art/science of urban composting. plus, they offer super deals on a variety of composters at city-subsidized prices. (i got an earth machine composter for $20!)

when i was growing up, my family always had a compost in our backyard, so the practice wasn't foreign to me. but doing it in the city seemed a bit more intimidating, so i really appreciated the boost of confidence from this little workshop.

a few new-to-me tips that i took home...
for a healthy compost, be sure to keep a 50/50 balance of browns-to-greens. not enough browns? try adding some shredded newspaper. to keep away critters, never include anything that was cooked in oil/fat. and to keep away fruit flies, bury new fruits and veggies under the old compost in your bin. and if it starts to smell funky, you're doing something wrong! i'm still getting started myself--so for more details, check out the LA city composting guide.

and let me know if you have any composting adventures or tips to share!

listening to: let it be me by ray lamontagne (listen)

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

my first letterpress adventure

earlier this month, i went on a one-day letterpress adventure at the international printing museum in carson (printmuseum.org). their introduction to letterpress workshop (which was i was psyched to attend) was a great mix of fun, informative, and inspiring--and the museum itself is a hidden gem for anyone interested in printmaking.

the day started with a guided tour of their museum and a brief history of printmaking. and then we dove into the type room, learned the the basics of typesetting, and got to work on two basic printing projects. the museum has an awesome collection of type fonts and woodcut images to explore. for my name print, i couldn't resist this woodcut of a windblown cypress tree (for love of the california coast).

if you're in the los angeles area, the museum offers lots of classes about letterpress, book arts, and printmaking. i'm hoping to be back for their intermediate letterpress workshop on april 18. more printmaking soon!

see a few more letterpress pics at lillieinthecity / flickr.

listening to: feeling good by nina simone (listen)

sun after the rain

it's hard to stay grumpy in los angeles. even though it's been raining here off and on for too many days. and the heat in our apartment is only sometimes working. and it's february, the dreariest month of the year, agh.

but even after it rains all day, the sky here clears up just before the sun sets. and in that moment, you get the most gorgeous views: blue skies, soft clouds, golden rays, and a glimpse of the snow-capped mountains that surround the urban jungle of LA.




hope your days are ending with a little bit of sunshine.

listening to: for beginners by m.ward ( listen)

:: photos from lillieinthecity / flickr

thanksgiving in los angeles : a day in photos

:: thanksgiving breakfeast with holiday magazines.



:: out for a walk - glorious cloudy blue skies.



:: crowds at the grocery store.



:: apron from grandma.



:: pie from nana. my first solo pie-baking : success!




:: sunset - more gorgeous clouds.



:: giving thanks chez schwartz.



:: and one more slice of pie.


see more photos of my thanksgiving day in LA at lillieinthecity/ flickr.

photo: blazing sunset

it's 90 degrees in november, the full glory and perennial curse of southern california on fierce display. devil winds, hill-hopping infernos, smoked mansions, torched trailers, barren freeways, and brilliant sunsets lingering in low-hanging canopies of burnt dreams. (latimes)

:: image from our kitchen window tonight, myflickr

in the city: a visit to the nursery

hoshimoto nursery
1935 sawtelle blvd
los angeles, 90025
hashimotonursery.com


:: images from myflickr

around town: artbites

another card picked up at the local coffee shop... artbites: cooking art history.
sounds like magic, huh? "think rachel ray meets sister wendy"


link: artbites.net

in the city: silverlake salvage

a new-to-me LA discovery is silverlake salavage where i found an incredible collection of everything and the kitchen sink--old cabinets, tables and chairs, moldings, hardware, windows and doors, tubs, and on and on. the place is HUGE, and the collection endless and constantly changing.

i didn't come home with anything on my first visit (a bit overwhelmed by possibility), but i will definitely be heading back soon.



Silverlake Salvage
1085 Manzanita St.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323-667-2875
open daily, 11-6


:: images from myflickr

park[ing] day

More than 70% of most cities’ outdoor space is dedicated to the private vehicle while only a fraction of that land is allocated to open space for people. (parkingingday.org)

today is international park[ing] day.

for one day, people are encouraged to transform parking spots into "pocket parks" to generate conversations about how more public park space would improve both the environment AND the civility of the city. the park[ers] bring chairs, tables, umbrellas, astroturf--and they feed the meters as they go.

and according to park[ing] day LA.:
...Populations whose income is over $40,000 have access to 102.9 acres per 1000 people within quarter mile buffer. (USC Sustainable Cities/GIS Study, 2002)
...Population whose income is under $20,000 have access to 1.6 acres per 1000 people within quarter mile buffer. (USC Sustainable Cities/GIS Study, 2002)
...[BUT] 33% of children in Los Angeles County live within one-quarter mile of a park. (Trust for Public Land Study, 2004)

for los angelenos, check the map and see if there is a park[ing] spot near you!!

and check out the how-to manual on the official website.


:: image from park[ing] day how-to manual

exploring the rose bowl

we explored the rose bowl flea market today...

left || this cabinet locks shut with a big key, and each section folds up for excellent storage. [zoom]
right || i love that abstract orange/red/yellow landscape in back.

left || tulip chairs. sigh. (the purple cushions are questionable.)
right || another abstract print to inspire.


:: images from myflickr

sometime this year

camping in joshua tree.


:: image from apartment therapy

road trip

allison & i took a road trip over the weekend.


:: images from myflickr

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

free wheelin'

the santa monica ferris wheel was sold recently on ebay (!!!) for $132,000. it's now headed to its new home in oklahoma city.

jess gonacha is selling her ferris wheel for under $100.
check out her new series of daily paintings.


:: photo from p-kittye

another morning at the farmer's market

this beautiful sunny morning was by far my best yet at the farmer's market...
i didn't buy much, but what i did get was absolutely perfect.
- five of the best EVER nectarines
- a bucket of sweet cherries
- an enormous ruby red grapefruit
& a bunch of lilacs

and then to complete my perfect morning, i went to booksoup and let myself buy one new book... the art of simple food. the author Alice Waters is a major advocate for farmer's markets & seasonal/local/sustainable foods, opened chez panisse in san francisco in 1971, and is pretty much amazing.

and this new cookbook of hers is just as inspiring.

from the introduction of the art of simple food:

I'm convinced that the underlying principles of good cooking are the same everywhere... They are the principles of a delicious revolution, one that can reconnect our families and communities with the most basic human values, provide the deepest delight for all our senses, and assure our well-being for a lifetime...
- eat locally & sustainably.
- eat seasonally.
- shop at farmer's markets.
- plant a garden.
- conserve, compost, and recycle.
- cook simply, engaging all your senses.
- cook together.
- eat together.
- remember food is precious.

:: image from thomas hawke

hot hot heat

hot hot heat wave rolling through LA this week.
a good excuse to lounge in the shade.
enjoy the weekend~


:: image from myflickr

los angeles, i'm yours

i've been waiting (too?) eagerly for this day to come.

the mapper/designer/miracleworkers at ork posters have finally released their LA neighborhood map!

squeezing in 111 neighborhoods, it's pretty huge (24 x 36") compared to the Boston map that I hoped to pair it with (oh well).

looking forward to finding a very large spot on the wall for this one.



makes me think of charming lyrics
from The Decemberists...

there is a city by the sea
a gentle company...
an ocean’s garbled vomit on the shore
los angeles, i'm yours