On a New Album of Musical Genius.

Lykke Li. New Album.  Wounded Rhymes. Get it now. The Deluxe V. so you can watch her sexy moves in action.  Best I-Tunes purchase I have made in the year 2011. I have listened to the album about 50 times and I have managed to declare each track my favorite at some point in time.  I have her first album and I love it, but my she has grown. She has depth. She has light. She is brilliant.  


Another album to write home about is Radiohead's The King of Limbs.  This music will touch your soul. 

On the Summer Salad.

The weather is LA has not been so hot lately. Rain every other day and grey, threatening skies when it is not raining.  All you need to do to get over the weather doldrums is close the blinds in your kitchen, turn the lights up bright, slip into a bikini or some swim trunks, slather yourself in coconut smelling Hawaiian Tropics, and/or simply make the Summer Salad.
In a big bowl combine:

cubed seedless watermelon

crumbled feta cheese

finely chopped cilantro

rinsed and diced strawberries
chopped cucumber (avec or sans skin)

a squeeze of lemon juice 

a dollop of olive oil 

ET VOILA a toss about

Since this is the recipe for a salad, I don't designate precise measurements. No need to get out the Pyrex measuring cup.  Add more of what you like and less of what you don't and you have yourself a taste of sun. 

On Headbands

I am not trying to be Blair on Gossip Girl, I promise. Today I woke up and didn't want my bangs in my face so I wore a black cotton headband to mitigate the issue at hand. Chris Bailey used them in a Burberry show once (Burberry Prorsum Spring 2006)  so I figured I could follow his lead.  Fashion Genius.  Appropriate for the rainy doldrums of LA. I don't look anything like the goddess Lily Donaldson, but hey! 

On Gum Preferences

I am guilty. I am that person that puts two piece of gum in her mouth all at once. Yes, I know I go through the pack twice as fast. Yes, I know that is gluttonous gum chewing behavior, but I cannot help it. I chew gum to keep myself awake during class and to stave off hunger (usually during class). Something about the mechanic movement works wonders for alertness. What kind of gum chewer are you? Do you chew 1/2 a piece at a time just like my mom? My mom has a purse full of half Tridents floating around inside.  She is the worst person to ask for a piece of gum.  I am 26 years old and she still gives me half a piece when I ask her if she has any gum.  That is 1/4 of my usual gum portion.  Are you the spearmint type? I am not. I would chose peppermint over spearmint any day.  Or do you change it up with the cinnamon? Cinnamon gum is more punishment than pleasure. The old fashioned pink bubblegum is really nice, but I don't feel all that professional when I smell like Dubble Bubble in class. Orbitz might just by my gum of choice. Flavor: Sweet Mint. Oh and Bubbletape hasn't lost its appeal. I just don't bring that stuff to school with me. Save it for the weekends when I can stick the whole roll in my mouth when no one is looking. 

On Saltines and Ginger Ale.

I feel icky. It might be because I have been on campus since 9 am and will be here until at least 9:20 pm (over 12 hrs of school time---eeeeeeeek!) Perhaps my ickiness can be attributed to the fact that I ran in a deluge for over three hours this weekend and that the temperature gauge has not read above 60 degrees here in sunny Southern California for days.  All I want is soup broth, my mama, ginger ale, saltine crackers, and a stuffed animal, but I have night class so I am gonna have to man up with my packet of Ricola and some no-brand cold medicine that was priced $5.99 at the campus pharmacy. Four more hours, four more hours. . . . .   

On Text Message Response Time

Face it, I am a texter. To all those who know me, I tend to multi-task so texting is the perfect tool to enable me to continue about my day doing several things at once. Phone calls require undivided attention and as a busy person, I am not always willing to forfeit my divided attention to speak on the phone.  Calls require good reception (which my room lacks, and the city lacks in general ahem highway tunnels = very dead dead-zones) and little to no disruptive background noise (I live in Los Angeles so silence is generally n/a.)  Despite its modernity, I believe texting requires a certain etiquette of the past. If  a text conversation is in the works, don't simply neglect responding without a GTG or a BRB.  If you read a text that elicits a response and you never respond, but your phone is handy, your negligence is rude. Politesse is imperative whereas there is communication.  Not responding to people you care about during reasonable hours in a timely fashion doesn't cut it.  Texting is a form of communication, and inasmuch not beyond the scope of manners. So as my mom would say be sure to mind your P's and Q's as far as texting goes! 

On Running in the Rain

I used to like running in the rain. The swollen drops splashing off the brim of my cap, the trickling coolness of water down onto my legs, and the swish squish noise of my feet (not to mention the attractive curl rainwater gives to my hair), BUT after today, I never want to run in the rain again (not even a mist).  I just finished running the LA marathon in a complete and utter downpour. The rain did not let up once. So as I shower, I will be grateful the water is heated and coming from pipes that have an off switch. 

On Feather Extensions

Trying to Emulate THIS

Not THIS!

 This week my bestie gave me a chop and a fine feather extension.  A touch of hippy, but I like it. When I got home my roommate told me I look like Steven Tyler.  .  .  . 

On My Morning Regime

Rise and shine! It's a few days before the marathon (uhhhhm 2!) and to start the morning right (post-run of course), I am with my MacBook and some coffee and fresh squeezed OJ. I declare that OJ is not official without the pulp. Here I am on break mode, blogging rather than writing a Policy Memo. Spring has sprung here in LA. Tee shirt weather all around. Slacker attack has set in right when I need my end of the school year motivation the most! 
For those of you that haven't been to Larchmont Village, it is a lovely place! I am here to make studying during break a little more glamorous than studying at the school library (even though USC is rated high in glam factor).  Comedy show tonight at UCB in Hollywood and a carb-loaded beer at the Birds before getting in line. Tasks at hand, ta-ta for now!

On Spring Break for Nerds

I have a week of freedom. No class. In lieu of I will be working in Malibu, running a marathon, eating at all my favorite cafes in the city (Urth, Alcove), reuniting with my best friend (Tilly), reading the entire NYTimes (maybe even do the crossword?!), visiting my old office down in SD ( and most certainly Patrick Kennedy), cleaning out my closet to donate some clothes to people that actually need them (not me!), fitting in a few yoga classes, farmers markets (Brentwood), and art projects (waterproof a homemade fountain), and camping at Jamala Beach with the bf, MK.  Not bad, not bad at all.