It's the Simple Things

I'm so used to being on the go all the time, but lately I've been trying to adopt a slower pace of life, where I can really notice and appreciate the small, everyday pleasures. It's been a quiet week, and I've been able to slow down and soak in more.

Here are a few of the 'bloggable,' and therefore more surface-level observations of late:

I'm officially addicted to patterned tights,

I've felt inspired in my sewing ventures, and have become determined to 'glamorize' my window. Here's a preview of my new homemade curtains/window beautification project,
I had a sudden urge to find yellow nail polish a few weeks ago, and finally did, at urban.
Yellow toenails scream summertime!
I'm in love with my new chair! I spent a lot of time tidying up my room last week-- it was an overwhelming task, so I did it in stages.

I'd love to hear from you--- what are some 'everyday pleasures' you've been enjoying lately? You know, the little things that so often go unnoticed?

Swine Flu Anxiety

By now you've surely heard about the swine flu epidemic. I've been reading up on it, and I have to admit, I'm kind of nervous about the whole thing. It's probably my own fault, since my home page is BBC News, and so every time I come online I am met with new headlines about the WHO raising the pandemic alert level from 3 to 4, and then from 4 to 5 today (one level away from a full-blown pandemic), the US' first swine flu death in Texas, and an approximated 150+ deaths in Mexico. A few things I've picked up in my research that I'd liek to pass on:
---Swine flu does not come from eating pork. People laughed at Paris Hilton for making that mistake, but I think a lot of people assume that when they first hear about it. It's a mutated form of three (bird/swine/human) flu strains in one. It is said to have developed in pigs, thus the name. It spreads the same way as the 'normal' flu: human to human contact (sneezing, coughing, etc). Click to enlarge the following diagram,

---If it comes to the point where we need to wear masks, they become ineffective if wet, or after a few hours. I might stock up soon, since there's a shortage on masks in Mexico City, the center of the outbreak.
---It's not the flu itself that is killing people, it is complications from having the flu. These complications usually come in the form of pneumonia.
---While there is no vaccination yet, it is supposedly quite treatable when caught in the earlier stages (ie before complications begin)
---Medical authorities strongly urge practicing good hygiene (wash your hands more than is 'normally neccessary '), avoiding touching your eyes and mouth, and avoiding close contact with those who exhibit flu-like symptoms (coughing, sneezing, feverish).


I hope this post was helpful and not alarming.
You can find more info at the following sites, where I found my facts for this post:
Mapping the outbreak
Country Responses
Q&A

Design Finds

I've been spending a lot of time browsing design sites and sites with unique gift offerings. Here are a few of my favorite discoveries from my explorations.

Wood rings and wall hooks,A welcome mat that doubles as a not-so-welcome mat,
Twisted taxidermy wall hooks,

Smoked Root bowls, which have a special place in my <3,


'Wonderland candlesticks,'

These Newspaper Doilies me want to have lots of tea parties and discuss current events,

These are hilarious to me. I can imagine doodling out lots of comics with a mustache pencil,just the sort of random/unneccessary/awesomeness that clutters my room,
What a cute way to save the environment by not using cardboard sleeves (who decided those were terribly excessive, anyhow? "Oh, woops, didn't bring my coffee thermos--but hey! I brought a knit sleeve, so , every little bit, right?")....anyway, i'm a sucker for knit stuff,All of the above available at Better Living Through Design

I love these pretty-but-blunt little pouches,
Both available at Blue Q

I bought a 'teastick' for a friend a few years ago, and meant to get myself one eventually. That still hasn't happened. Sigh, It's beautiful, is it not? And it's available at Gamila.

The funny and adorable plush organs at I Heart Guts,
I've especially partial to the plush uterus, even though it was recalled as a children's toy, due to the risk from the ovaries detaching and being easy to choke on.

Jordan,

come home to me babeeeeee <33>

art by kate neckel

The Art of Thrifting

I go through periods where I want to hit every thrift store in a 50 mile radius, and other times when I'm disgusted with the amount of junk and clutter I manage to collect and the thought of taking in someone else's junk makes me even more disgusted.

Lately, I've been in the former mood.

I went thirfting alone on Saturday, with a mission: find the perfect wooden desk chair.
I usually avoid having 'missions' when thrifting; going to a thrift store with something in mind to buy is like going to a garage sale, hoping there will be a Paula Abdul workout video from 1989 (which, by the way, I did find at a garage sale a few years ago, but very unexpectedly). Sometimes you're better off going with absolutely nothing in mind; that way, you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you do end up finding-- you know, all the things you never knew you needed.
Anyway, like I was saying, I went with a mission to find the perfect wooden desk chair, and I did! I lucked out and found it at the very first store I stopped at.
Isn't she beautiful?
It was marked $15, and my goal had been under 20, so I felt satisfied. I also discovered something for Jordan that I can't describe because it's a surprise, and a little leather purse marked $5,

I should back up a little.

When I go thrifting, there are things I'm drawn to:

1) I always look at the furniture, even though I don't have any free space to fill. I can't wait to have my own house or apartment some day and FILL it with amazing thrift store furniture. This is why I got so excited once I decided I needed a new desk chair.
2) The "bric a brac" section. This is something I used to be embarrassed by, but I've learned to embrace this about myself.
3) Things that are made of wood (this applies to sections 1&2, heartily-- wood nightstands, carved wooden lamp stands, wood trays, oversized wooden pepper grinders, etc etc)
4) Things that are made of copper (section 2-- copper cake molds, copper canisters, copper tea trays with little copper pitchers and little copper sugar dishes)
5) Belts. They are usually cheap and unique. It's kind of hard to go wrong with a belt, if you wear it right (waist vs. hips; depends on outfit)
6) The movie North (1994 with Elijah Wood. I loved it as a kid and now it is no where to be found. Apparently it was a box office 'flop.' Blockbuster tells me it hasn't been transferred to DVD format yet, so I must find it on VHS). I always find other gems on VHS while searching for North.
7) Things that are dirt cheap (especially when they fits into sections 1-6)

Ok, to continue the story: I found the chair, the purse, the surprise for Jordan, and these two VHS movies I scored while looking for North,

Clearly, looking through movies on VHS makes me nostalgic. These are two others I loved as a kid. A lot of people I've talked to don't know much about The Lorax, which is unfortunate. I think it's one of Dr. Seuss' most pointed and poetic pieces. Ooh, look at me call a Dr. Seuss book a 'piece.' Like art, which it certainly is.
Harriet The Spy was another favorite; I read the book in elementary school and decided a spy/writer was the life for me. I started a spy journal, and even had a 'spy route,' for a brief period. (Fun fact: I saw Michelle Trachtenburg, who played Harriet in the movie, at an LA club about two years ago. She was one of the first 'famous' people I ever saw).

Ok, to continue the original story: the chair, the purse, the surprise for Jordan, and the two movies all came to an 'expected total' of around $30. I was pleased at this number; I felt I was getting the better end of the deal.
WELL, something miraculous happened, that often happens in the unpredictable world of Thrifting: an unexpected "Sale Price."
This time, "50% OFF STOREWIDE" !!
How did I miss the signs? Well, that's another thing about thrift stores: there are signs everywhere. It can be confusing.
So I left with all that loot, and paid HALF of what I thought was already a good price. I only wish I had known about the sale sooner, I might have gotten more. As it was, I was in a time crunch and had to leave. Then again, it might be a good thing that I didn't know-- that way, I left with only what I "needed."

Like I said above, I get in moods where I want to go to as many thrift stores as possible, so when my friends Priscilla and Chelsea were up for a thirfting adventure today, I was estatic.
We went to four. Here are my finds:

Stop 1: Good Will (total spent= $9)
a little dress that has a cool print and fits well. The tags are all cut off, so I'll never know the brand. Found while looking for North,

Stop 2: St. Vincent's (total spent= $4)
the skirt that wanted to be a dress, and the belt that wanted to go with it,
it might be hard to tell, but the skirt-turned-dress is an awesome orangey rust colored silk. 100% silk. What luck.

Stop 3: Saddleback Thrift Store (total spent= 54 cents)
I've never seen a scarf like this (there was some conjecturing between Chelsea and I that it was actually a bow tie), but I love the print and how it looks when I put it on like this,

Since we know I love scarves, and it was only 54 cents, I went for it.

Stop 4: Salvation Army (total spent: $6)
Another surprise for Jordan that I will hint at,
Carole King's Tapestry on vinyl,
I'm still pretty amazed at this find; the record section at the Salvation Army is quite large, and I usually only go through a couple piles and give up without finding anything. Well I told Chelsea and Priscilla that it would be GREAT if I found Carole King's Tapestry, and literally two minutes later, I found it in the only pile I looked in!* To make it even better, they played Gloria Estefan's cover of "It's too late baby" over the intercom a minute or two after my discovery.
I also found 'NSYNC's first album on cassette and bought it for 25 cents for Priscilla. We spent the drive back belting out all the words to "Tearin' up my heart" and "Here we go."

What fun.
Another day well spent thrifted :]


*When I got home my dad told me he already owns Tapestry, and that it sold 7 million copies in the early 70s....so I guess they're not as rare as I thought...

Oklahoma native Singer/Songwriter
Annie Clark (St. Vincent)

Wild hair, simple color palettes, classic touches,

Can't stop listening

to Department of Eagles.

Especially the song "Phantom Other":

Oh man, you're not the only one
Oh boy, with that phantom other gone
Now'd be the right time
To send us all away
It'd be a good time
If you just go away there


Incidentally, they have a quite beautiful, tasteful website.
And it gets better! Free downloads from their Daytrotter session last fall!
Thank you Jordan, for this new addiction.

Still waiting for the Union Line session to be posted on Daytrotter....will let you know when it does!

"Weather-wise, it's such a lovely day..."

Maybe you've seen this before (I think I may have too, but didn't have time to take much note of it), but it's truly the cutest weather site out there.

Click the city////check today's weather////check tomorrow's
The weather images are quite lovely,



Just a little something to inspire you today. <3

Sunken City

A day or two before Jordan left for the West Coast tour he's currently on (to Canada and back with The Union Line), I took him on a little surprise adventure. I didn't tell him where I was taking him--- which, in retrospect, wasn't the greatest idea since the drive was almost an hour--- and zipped him away in my little '92 Corolla.
I took him to Sunken City, a magical, 'off-limits'* place in San Pedro.



You really should just click on the link for a better explanation of the place, but here's mine, in a nutshell: A large portion of coastal San Pedro sunk off a cliff. If you go there, you'll find uneven slabs of concrete once used for driving/parking/sustaining houses now covered in graffiti and vegetation. It's rad.
thee perfect day for such an adventure,


thisiswhyifreakingloveyou,
deep,
actually, this is the best(/most focused) "self shot" I've been able to get with the 50mm lens,
Jordan liked those yellow flowers ,these trees are in a losing battle if you ask me,
you can't tell, but i'm wearing my new granny boots from ebay,
This was an accident, but--- how glorious,

*It's technically 'off-limits,' what with all the NO TRESPASSING and TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED signs, but I've been here three times over the last three years or so, and every time I go, there are other people mulling about and exploring. There's always a gap in the fence, and every time a gap gets patched, a new one is created. It's worth the risk, if you ask me. Well-intentioned trespassing is an old hobby of mine.