January 2012
16 tags
#pinning
my favorite recent pins: the ideal living room; the most adorable romper; parmesean potato balls; obsession-worthy jars; a totally doable cork stamp diy.
December 2011
5 tags
good advice.
12 tags
freddy bear's
on our way home from the cheese castle, mom and i detoured a bit in the back country roads trying to find some big chickens. (mom has an affection of roadside critters and is trying to document all she can - i’m trying to get her to blog about them. ahem.)
we didn’t find the chickens, but we found freddy bear’s antique mall. they had a pretty great selection and reasonable...
6 tags
mars cheese castle
one thing i was determined to do while i was home was visit the mars cheese castle. its about an hour away from me, and i’ve driven past it a million times in my life (usually on an ikea journey) but have never stopped. and i love cheese! it just didn’t make any sense.
ha - this guy.
my beautiful mama, and me being skeptical.
they have a bar there too! with spicy bloody...
18 tags
the haul
i’m pretty sure i’m the easiest person ever to shop for. or maybe the people in my life just know me really well? maybe both ;-) (i have a four year old cousin - above is mostly his haul!)
from my secret santa: mustache clips, a camera stamp and ihop in the prettiest bag (i may frame it!) and the most adorable card ever.
a photo a day album from this guy, which i cannot wait...
22 tags
four christmases
make that five, actually, counting last night. i wasn’t able to get a ton of time off work for this visit home, so while i’m here i needed to make sure i see every extension of my crazy family and squeeze in as many traditions as possible. i am fat and exhausted, but if those are the worst of my problems, consider me one lucky girl.
top, pants, belt: jcrew
vest: borrowed...
10 tags
home for the holidays
my gramma’s house is literally a winter wonderland!
santas, snowmen and surprises around every corner!
16 tags
she's a maneater
last night i went out with my mom, gramma and some more family to a little martini bar in town. unbeknownst to us, it was karaoke night. my mom’s hubby was in heaven, as he is a karaoke master. i was indifferent at first, but two extra-dirty martinis later i was singing a different tune. hall and oates, to be exact.
coat: urban outfitters
sweater: banana republic
jeans: seven...
9 tags
all wrapped up
i love wrapping presents. i usually get super cutsey paper and go all out with ribbon curls, but this year i kept it simple.
{above} brown paper and twine for the boy.
something a little more whimsical for my secret santa.
pretty, sparkley ribbon for mom.
7 tags
toms + skullcandy
i work for an awesome company for so many reasons. the most recent being our holiday gift - custom toms + skullcandy headphones!
you should also check out this sweet giving video.
7 tags
not a california christmas
i snapped this photo on my way home from dropping off the mister at the airport wednesday night. i love me a california christmas in a tee shirt and flip flops, but there’s talk of some snow tonight here in wisconsin - which i do (begrudgingly) have to admit, makes it feel so much more festive.
20 tags
fly away home
welcome to wisconsin, folks. it. is. cold. if you follow me on twitter, you know i flew home yesterday and it was basically a nightmare. but it is good to be home with my family, despite the frigid temps. this was my airport outfit - i always have grand plans of dressing up for travel, but leggings always seem to win. easy slip on and off shoes are essential for flying, and a scarf...
9 tags
Ramen Yamadaya
nontra and i love noodle soup. ramen or pho, you name it. when the craving hits, its time to go. i noticed ramen yamadaya setting up in the neighborhood before it opened and since it has been up and running it is PACKED every time i drive by. good sign, right? so we finally made it over there and even though it was pretty late for dinner, we sill had to wait for a table. not long though, and the...
24 tags
A for effort
wouldn’t it be nice to be one of those girls who wakes up and just gets dressed? this outfit may look effortless, folks, (or not? i cant tell) but let me tell you, it was not. i am one of those girls who stands for hours in front of a packed to the gills closet in a bathrobe contemplating not leaving the house because i have nothing to wear. its a sickness i’ve been dealing...
9 tags
cafe crepe: hot apple cider
last night i had to do some last minute secret santa shopping on the promenade. everyone but me was starving, so after i found my gifts, we stopped in at cafe crepe. the crepes looked pretty delicious, but the unanimous decision was that the hot apple cider was the best decision we all could have made.
5 tags
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cookie swap'n
a round up of all the deliciousness found at nicole’s cookie swap! YUM-O!
5 tags
oreo cheesecake cookies
the other night i was invited to a cookie swap. i wanted to impress, so i decided to try something new. i found this recipe for oreo cheesecake cookies on pinterest and it looked amazing.
in a large bowl, mix together 1/2 c butter and 3 oz cream cheese until smooth. add 1 c sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix. slowly combine in 1 c flour and stir in 1/2 c chocolate chips.
crumble up...
5 tags
the sky, recently.
i just love it.
5 tags
clam chowder & oyster crackers
around this time of year, i always crave clam chowder. seeing as i have yet to find a place in la with a chowder worth coming back for, we decided to make our own. along with it - oyster crackers! my mom always makes them around christmas and they are like crack.
for the crackers: combine 1 package hidden valley ranch dressing mix, 1/2 tsp dill, 3/4 c vegetable oil.
drizzle over 1...
25 tags
secret santa
you know the awesome thing about the internet? you can post things like wish lists just because you’re looking for something to blog about, not expecting anything to come from it and then BOOM! people know what you want! which is how i ended up with this amazing coat as an early christmas present from a secret santa. i plan on wearing the shit out of this baby, so expect to...
9 tags
downtowner motor inn
holy cow it has been forever since i’ve painted anything. until i was faced with the dilemma of a wedding gift for one of my best girls. i couldn’t think of anything that would be appropriate for the couple that i could afford, so i figured i would make them something! then i remembered the scene of their budding romance was a dorm at college which back in the day was a motel with...
letti225 asked: I just wanna compliment you on your blog! I can spend hours just browsing through all of your posts! I live in orange county and your blog just makes me wanna head north on the 405!
18 tags
disney lights
let me tell you, having friends that work for disney is freakin awesome. i got to go to the holiday party on tuesday night, which just means they shut the park down for employees and their friends and family, which ultimately means NO LINES!
it was fuh-reezing, and i did not dress even remotely appropriate for the weather, but it really doesn’t matter when you’re walking around...
15 tags
mel's drive-in
los angeles may not have as many recognizable landmarks to the outside as new york does, but one thing it has plenty of is local institutions. mel’s drive-in is one. there are a few locations scattered throughout the city, and its the kind of place you could just sit for hours, drinking coffee with friends, playing songs on the jukebox and chowing down on some delicious food.
(ps - i...
5 tags
baked salmon & roasted potatoes
fish is one of the easiest things to cook. but the first time i ever tried it, i was making baked tilapia and royally failed. i’d never tried baking fish again until now. it was super simple and it came out perfect and delicious.
place each salmon filet on an individual piece of aluminum foil. sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil.
in a bowl, mix 1 can diced tomatoes (drained),...
18 tags
dear santa: reading is sexy
catcher in the rye - a classic i somehow have managed to not yet read.
imperial bedrooms - less than zero was, well, you know. amazing.
unicorn being a jerk - it’s hilarious.
los angeles, portrait of a city - self explanatory.
hollywood babylon - i love me some old hollywood tales of scandal.
simple times: crafts for poor people - amy sedaris is my hero.
p.s. i made this -...
17 tags
three o'clock shadow
my new nutso holiday work schedule sometimes leaves me scrambling to find a photographer every (dress up) day, but i am LOVING the three o’clock light! it’s so friendly and flattering.
this is another outfit pretty blatantly copied from someone else (this time from jessica of what i wore). although now that i look back at it, it isn’t as exact as i was thinking...
11 tags
underground rebel fuckin' bingo!
for awhile now i’ve been dying to go to a session of underground rebel bingo, and last night it happened. complete with dj, open bar, and old school video games, it was awesome.
the countdown.
we were having way too much fun to pass as legitimate hipsters.
most awesome prize: eighties style boom box with ipod hookup.
we will definitely be going back.
11 tags
dear santa: gadgets & gizmos aplenty
cameras and iphones. two of my favorite things…just a couple whozits and whatzits to add to my collection.
lensbaby
holga iphone case
diana mini case
iphone receiver
fossil vintage camera bag
fuji instax
15 tags
once upon a time...
…in a far distant land called savannah, i stumbled upon a guy on the street with racks of vintage clothes, just giving them away! there were tons of tweed jackets, so i grabbed as many as i could carry and ran home before he could change his mind. when i got home i realized they were all for a woman at least three times my size, but i didn’t care - i would have them...
6 tags
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naan noms
it was decided that we would make indian food from scratch, so that is exactly what we did. click through for the chicken jalfrezi and naan recepies!
cut 2 lbs chicken into bite sized pieces and toss with salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 3 tsp chili powder and let stand for 20 minutes.
In a large skillet over high heat add 4 tsp vegetable oil, 2 medium onions, 6 garlic cloves and 2 tsp ginger and...
10 tags
take a peek
with the craziness of the holidays and the long hours of (self-imposed) overtime i work, its important to me that my workspace makes me happy. when i first got hired on at toms a little over a year ago, it was as seasonal help. i wasn’t sure if i would be there after my contract ended, so i didn’t put any effort into decorating in fear i would just have to take it all down. but now,...
15 tags
dear santa: dress me up in your love
a slightly unrealistic list of things i would love to add to my wardrobe. a girl can dream, right?
pins & needles faux fur jacket from urban outfitters
quinn flap bag by fossil
caraz striped scarf from anthropologie
sunday best sweater by markus lupfer
go for brogue jeffery campbell platforms
michael kors multifunction bracelet watch
17 tags
almost famous
in this outfit, a stranger asked me if i was a tv star. why yes, i am. you know the show, with that girl? totally me. it also got me an “oooh, look at you!” so all in all, i’d call it a winner.
top: f21
sweater: banana republic
jeans: 7 for all mankind
necklace: too old to remember :-/
belt: jcrew
shoes: steve madden
bag: 3020 designer resale
photos by...
17 tags
food for thought
as mentioned previously, i am a newly de-flowered chick-fil-a virgin. and now, a devout worshiper. twice in one week! hooray!
there have been many a pleasant evenings lately with this guy, books, and tea.
grilled veggie and goat cheese sandwich. just as delicious as it looks.
gorgonzola walnut ice cream from scoops. CHEESE IN MY ICE CREAM. YES.
17 tags
wanderings and happenings
an evening with friends playing IRL words with friends! i lost big time.
newly trimmed bangs.
downtown for the craft fair meant fabric and trim shopping also.
walking back from the farmers market, i fell in love with this building.
this is about as festive as i generally get, but this year i’m kind of craving a real tree. instead, i’ll probably end up crafting some...
16 tags
oh snap!
how flippin adorable is this shirt? i love that the camera looks like my mini diana (which, by the way, i’m working on a project with and i’m so excited to finish the roll and get it developed soon!).
also, i kind of did my hair! you’d hardly know me if it weren’t for the toms.
sweatshirt: steppie
jeans: f21
glasses: melrose flea market
necklace:...
5 tags
happy holidays!
oh! snap studios was at unique la this weekend and there was hardly any line at all, so nontra, nicole and i had this little gem of a holiday card printed.
18 tags
today is a good day to be a good day
i woke up super early this morning, but didn’t really get going until mid-day. sunny sundays call for a walk down to the mar vista farmers market. we ended up not marketing anything, but there was plenty to fill our empty bellies while we browsed. we started off with some fresh squeezed limeade. it is delicious. and the boys working the stand are super nice. i thought one big glass would...
20 tags
seeing spots
holy moley, is it cold in the mornings in los angeles. time to bundle up in cozy, sweater-y layers.
dress (worn as skirt): puella
top, tights, sweater: f21
necklace, shoes: target
22 tags
unique la: holiday 2012
unique la, the craft fair of all craft fairs is this weekend.
{above} welcoming entrance to the california market center, postcards, and pies.
wristbands, free beer (!), la art.
cassettes, wine bags, and california.
donatello, trinkets, and la!
hollywood, snail, and the cutest cards ever.
22 tags
serendipity
this is what i wore for the chik-fil-a/tmnt adventure earlier in the week. fyi - it was a blustery night. this skirt was an unintentionally dangerous option.
sweater: h&m (hand me down)
blazer: banana republic
skirt, hat, ring, belt: f21
tights: too old to know
boots: toms
necklace: gift
photos by josie
11 tags
heroes in a half shell
it was just another wednesday when it was decided i would have my chik-fil-a cherry popped. we went, i ate (fried chicken sandwich with pickles - who knew?!) and then a crazy series of events led us to meltdown comics where one of the creators of teenage mutant ninja turtles was there signing autographs and sketching for people! the gentleman caller was pleased, to say the least, that we...
27 tags
sweet tooth
not gonna lie, i totally copy-catted this outfit. i saw a pin on pinterest and immediately knew i could do the same thing. hooray inspiration! i don’t know if you can see it or not, but the tote says “i love sweets!! i am happy when i’m eating!” pretty much me in a nutshell.
sweater: target
button up: polo ralph lauren
jeans: armani exchange
glasses: melrose...