On What I Will Do for Halloween

Let's face it, I am extremely low key these days. My ideal night is probably dinner out and a movie or cooking at home or a glass of wine out and then cooking at home. All of the aforementioned options are not what my peers would call very risqué but that is me, and that is how I do it. 
I am not going out in costume this year (doesn't mean I won't ever). I will not drink hard liquor (not this year, not really ever). I decided about a week ago to host a low-key girls' night of art and crafting for Halloween.  It is Monday night, after all and I am sure traffic to go out anywhere is a royal @%#4! (400,000 are expected in West Hollywood tonight, and there are road closures, uhm, I am staying in!)
I have just pulled my place together. Soon, it will be time to get crafty! I have paint, I have canvas, I have cardboard, mason jars, buttons, golden markers, and a hot glue gun. Not to mention, wine, beats streaming from Pandora, fresh-out-of-the-oven pumpkin bread with chocolate chips, dark chocolate, olives, cheese, bread and candy corn (because even though it is kind of gross, it only comes around once a year!).  
Happy Halloweenie! 

On What I Eat in Lieu of Clif Bars

My fabulous cousin clued me in on a little snack recipe for athletes.  I call it: The Nugget.  It is my go-to when I have a sweet tooth and deep runner hunger pangs.  It takes about 10 minutes total to cook, cool, and eat, which is somewhat of a miracle when it comes to baked goods.  It has four ingredients: chocolate chips, peanut butter, milk (almond, soy, or dairy), and raw oats.  Here's the prep:
1. Mix 1/4 cup chocolate chips (or baking chocolate, dark chocolate, your choice), 2 tablespoons milk, and 2 tablespoons peanut butter In a saucepan and stir on low heat.  
2. Once the chocolate has melted and everything has smoothly come together, add 3/4 cup oats.  Take the mixture off the heat.  
3. Stir. 
4. Ball the batter and place in the fridge. Wait for about 8 minutes and munch away.  
5. Approach your next workout feeling fueled and satisfied.     
For the original recipe:

http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000002002350,00.html
Must give credit where credit is due. Oh and thanks to my cuz.

 

On Turning Up The Heat

A hot yoga studio has locally established itself. Go Moksha! I am on cloud 9.  The weather is getting nippier and, alas, I have a steamy place of refuge to practice my vinyasa.  Hot yoga has got me hooked--there is nothing like listening to your sweat drip off of you as you twist and turn and move and hold still and then move again. 

 The best part is when you step out of the studio doors after a tough class and the blast of cool evening meets the more lucid and lighter post-yoga you.

On What Came in the Mail Today

Score! 

On the Los Angeles Lunch

Out of all the things to do in LA (there are tons!), one of my favorite is to dine. When it comes to lunch, Joan's on Third cannot be rivaled. Best Sandwiches ever (I go for the basil, mozzarella, tomato, on a baguette.  It is perfectly peppered). Tons of people watching (and star sightings. Jeremy Piven was a lunch companion one day). The pastry case is among the best I have seen and the cupcakes are not to be missed.  My personal favorite: Classic Vanilla.
It makes me think of Meryl Streep's restaurant/cafe in the movie It's Complicated (as pictured below).

 

On Ways to Enjoy the Weekend

Where I will be tonight.

Hello all, remember! 
Enjoy the weekend, but how could you forget?

Besides doing my homework researching this, I will be running here, seeing this, doing my shopping here, drinking this, and spending time with this lovely cousin of mine.


Confused by this blog? Just click on the links!


Happy Weekend!

On My Autumn Obsession

Anything, and I mean anything sweet and pumpkin. I am an addict. In the morning, I typically take coffee from my French press strong and unsweetened, but when October and November kick in I spring for pumpkin lattes (with half the sweet, heavenly, but artificial stuff, an extra shot of espresso, and extra hot). .and pumpkin bread, and pumpkin scones, and pumpkin cupcakes, and pumpkin pancakes. Oh, heaven!

On The Look Book

I keep a scrapbook called the Look Book.  It is full of magazine clippings that capture various looks or outfit ensembles.  It is a very handy resource for when I need help getting dressed in the morning or for when I am out on a shopping excursion (usually for me, vintage hunting).  I have created an abbreviated, online version to share with you.

The Prairie--scarves, denim, rugged plaids, boots

The Art Gallery Goddess--glasses, tweed of some sort, black & white, silver jewelry

The Academic- men's shirt, oxfords, stripes and regal colors

The Hipster-skinny. . . as in everything.

The Artiste--splattered or ripped jeans complete with a wrist stacked with bangles and some red lips

The Hip Urbanite--blazer, hat, booties, rich colors and some edge

 

On How To Spend Your Free Time

Last week I paid a visit to  the LACMA.  

 

 

 

Go spend the afternoon museuming. Southern California is ripe with visit-worthy exhibits now that Pacific Standard Time (PST) has launched. We have six months to discover more about the place that we call home and more about the incredibly cool people that have lived here. Ruscha, Warhol, Kienholz, Neutra. PST is a celebration of the origins of art and culture in LA and has really inspired me to spend my unscheduled afternoons at the museums.

On The Color of the Season

 I just bought a chunky red sweater from Anthropologie. Whenever I pass my closet, its vibrant hue catches my eye.  Red makes such a statement.  It is bold but it is appealing (not like orange, orange doesn't work for me).  Something is very classic about a rich red.  

Which red piece would you like to add to your fall collection?

Photos courtesy of J.Crew

On The Albums of the Moment

I am sure I drive my neighbors crazy, but I have two albums on constant repeat these days---- Little Dragon and Feist (their latest). Both albums are completely different. Little Dragon is more up-beat and celebratory while Feist is melodic and melancholic.  Despite their very different styles, these ladies' voices fill my studio with strength and purpose.  Just what I need right now. Take a listen.

On Feelin' Like a Kid Again

Do you want to feel great? Go find your bike and ride it. 

 I woke up feeling iffy this Sunday, I was not sure if I wanted to partake in a city-wide event.  I was full of excuses, had plenty of schoolwork to tackle, but I ended up going to CicLAvia.  Now, I want nothing more than to spend my Sundays riding bikes.  

CicLAvia will be marked on my calendar from this point forward.  I will anticipate it and never possibly think of any excuse as to not attend this event.  The streets were closed to vehicles (well some motorscooters seemed to be among us).  The shops, bars, and cafes lining the route were spilling out into the streets.  People were joyous! A group of hundreds of joyous, light-hearted people in LA, you ask? Totally possible, just get them on bikes.  I couldn't wipe the grin off my face all day.  In fact, as  the California sun pierces through my windows, I am still smiling.

On Being Inherently Good

I had a closer encounter with a crisis on Tuesday night. After being on campus for 9 hours of meetings, readings, and class, I got out of Architecture lecture early.  I was checking in with the prof about my research paper topic while digging through my bag for my keys.  No big deal I thought when I initially couldn't find them, my school bag is huge. Things tend to get lost in there. Ok. I end my conversation with my professor, still nothing. Hmmmm. There are a lot of books in my bag, I reason, keys are under books. I take everything out of my bag. My heart is pounding, and nothing. Phone. Enough pens to restock a Staples. Bobby pins galore.  Tupperware from my lunch. Wallet, check. Notebooks. Three textbooks. The Style Section of the Sunday NYTimes, BUT NO KEYS! 
That would mean, I can't get home. I can't get in my house if I do get home. I can't check my mail ever again.  A myriad of obstacles and difficulties and locked doors that I cannot get into would be my future. 
What to do. I called a friend who I knew had night class too and left a half panicked, half incomprehensible message, "Hi, it's me. Problem. Keys. Can't find. Can I get home with you? Can I just sit in your car and cry for a moment? Ok thanks. Call me. Bye." 
Next I call my landlady (who is far too young and hip to be called the landlady, but I can't think of an alternative title in the midst of recalling this gripping story).  I made sure if I could get home that I could get into my apartment and would not have to spend the night in the hallway on the moldy carpet which would surely be soaked by my stale tears if I was nestled up in a heap in front of the door to my house, but not IN my house.  Yes, she had a spare key. Phew! Crisis not the worst of the worst if keys were truly gone.
 I take a breath and decide to walk back to my scooter. Like my mom always says when I lose something, "Retrace your steps." So I went back to where I had started the day 9 long hours earlier parking my scooter in the lot with all the bad asses that ride motorcycles to school.  My helmet was there perched on my little moto.  I picked it up and I heard the jingle of keys. KEYS! My KEYS! 
Next to the keys was a business card and a note handwritten on the back,"You left your keys in the ignition.  I put them under your helmet.  Call me if you have any questions. Eddie."  
Since, I have gotten home and back to school a few times, I have locked and unlocked my door, I have slept in my bed and not in the hallway, I have checked my mail, and my life is back to normal.  Importantly, I have gotten in touch with Eddie. He calls me scooter girl and told me he was nervous about putting my keys under my helmet because he didn't want anyone to think he was stealing my pink helmet. Ha. People are good. There are good people out there. 

On the High Bun

I love this 'do.  The High Bun. 
Ballerina gone edgy. 
I remember when I didn't wear my hair any other way than in a bun. I went through the neat phase and then the messy bun phase, but I have yet to try the high phase, and I think it is awesome. It looks so adorable with glasses too!
You can tailor the look to what suits you.  
Feeling daring? Pull your hair really taut and your bun really high.  

 


Romantic? Loosen it up and let some wisps go. 
  

Is this last one too high?