frenzy

Oh dear, this week before x-mas = nuts. Too much going on! What say we all save an evening this week for a cup of tea, quiet contemplation, and painting our nails? :)

*image from kaitlynmeanspure

snowflakes

Had a fun little crafty Saturday with my two girl friends - we made these snowflakes. We were actually attempting to make some last week but our folding was all wrong, so I was very thankful that Design*Sponge read my mind and posted that project. We ended up ditching doilies for silver tissue paper though - it was just much easier to cut and ended up looking wintery and airy.

BTW, just bought a new Fuji Instax Mini and it is the cutest lil camera - I can't wait to take it to Palm Springs! My first picture with it is this shot of one of my snowflakes in the window. :)

palm springs

I'm headed to Palm Springs soon and can't wait to relax for a little while. If anyone has any recommendations for things to do I'm all ears!

*image from danske

jolly

Dear, oh, dear. I've got the holiday spirit bad. I don't think I'm the only one either - this economic & political climate has a lot of us grasping for something jolly and festive, no? My mom put up Christmas lights before Thanksgiving for goodness sakes!

Playing 15th century Christmas carols at my desk every day is probably a little overkill, but I'll take my kicks where I can get 'em. :)

lazy sunday

I've been a bad photographer and haven't been practicing at all lately, so I made a point to go out and shoot on Sunday. Didn't really get anything I loved (not as fun if there are no friends to photograph), but the act of getting out there is important in itself. And generally it felt great to get outdoors and pick some herbs and lemons from our garden. I love fresh rosemary!

row your boat

A little late in posting this, but I went for a fantastic rowing adventure in Julian a couple weeks ago. It was picture perfect day. The weather was sunny and 75, the food divine, and the wind had a slight fall nip. Heaven. 

Oh, technology.

My laptop pooped out on Sunday, so I'm using a friend's backup computer to get me through. In the mean time, I'm going to take a little break from blogging until I have all of my materials again. Have a great week!

*image from Jacob...K

natalie wood + new york =

perfection.

*image from DeanStreet

longing

Boy, do I feel like visiting NYC again. I'm thinking I need to make a bi-annual pilgrimage - it's like living there, but without the wretched cold!

slides of slides

Sometimes when I'm feeling stressed out or low, I just take a look at this kodachrome slide of a parrot going down a playground slide. Game changer.

*image from Jacob...K

What fall is complete without a pumpkin outing? Coop & I went to Bates Nut Farm - a San Diego institution. My favorite parts were probably the little kids playing in the pumpkin patch and the animal pens - how obscenely cute are baby goats?

polka face

Don't know about you, but I am polkaing tonight! Woo! Bratwurst, beer & the chicken dance - Get it, Oktoberfest. :)

*image from pastorfuture

shall we dance?

Just watched Shall We Dance? for the hundreth time, and I must say, I always get googly eyes for Ginger Roger's dress in the "They All Laughed" number. The sun-like pattern is so stunning and vibrant on film - I always forget I'm watching a movie in black and white!

As with all of her dance dresses, the design of the piece is not only beautiful, but moves beautifully as well. The choreography just wouldn't be the same without Ginger's skirt floating around in that dreamy way. :)

*images from here

morning air

I've started taking little 10 minute walks around the neighborhood in the morning, and wow! Amazing what a little fresh, dewy air can do to brighten up your whole day. Why in the world didn't I start doing this before?

weekend

I think I'm finally going to see The Informant this weekend and have dinner with the boy's lovely parents. Doesn't hurt that his dad is an incredible cook! Oh, and that they have an awesome wine cellar. :)

Hope you have a relaxing weekend!

state bird & flower

Enjoying the state prints from dutch door press. :) nice, subtle way to give a shout out to where you're from in your home.

{via Oh Joy!}

I know it's still the work week and I'm not supposed to have any fun, but dang it...I want to go outside and have a picnic & some wine tonight. :) Gotta enjoy the light while I can - starting to get darker earlier!

Think I get to go to Northern California this week for business - sure hope I have time to take some pictures. :)

*images by Franco Folini & Kathryn in SF

tennis shoes

Been debating on whether to get a pair of Bensimons for fall or Tom's shoes new Cordones. I own a pair of converse, but that's the extent of it.

I still love the Bensimons, but the slim fit and arch support of the Tom's win in the end. Plus, the gray is nice & versatile for fall.

Autumn, I'm ready for you now. :)

weddings

Went to a friend's wedding last weekend and oh, what fun! The Antoine tie from fieldguided looked spiffy on Coop. Anabela is always wonderful to order from; she puts so much care into what she sends you. :)

* Pics by Miller & JJ

weekend

I think we're all due for a relaxing weekend full of giant fish, don't you?

*image from Jacob...K

harbor living

More shots from last week...

smokey days

I heard someone say last week that we only have 4 seasons in Southern California: "Winter," Spring, Summer, and Fire. Yikes.

Thankfully San Diego has made it so far with only a few burns here and there (knock on wood), but I am freaked out by the images coming out of LA.

Walking downtown last week I took a shot of the harbor because it seemed so bright and fresh -
the film obviously saw things differently.

have a good weekend

And enjoy the last days of August. :)


* image from Jacob...K

al fresco

Wow, guess Summer heard my last post loud and clear. So deliciously hot! Tonight is perfect weather for some al fresco sangria and tapas downtown. Love you, San Diego.


*image from Jacob...K

hey, you

...summer! Where do think you're going? What's this cloudiness, m'am? We've got at least another month together, ok? Ok.



*image from Audrey1.com

aquisitions

Seeing as the decor in my bedroom hasn't really changed in...oh, 15 years...it was time for some changes.

First, I switched out the vanity I'd had since I was 4 with this baby blue art deco vanity from the 30s. The panels swing out and originally were draped with fabric and used as coverage for the ladies who wanted to be modest. :)

I also got the large painting below - I love how up-close and honest the portrait is. Hard to tell from my crappy cell phone picture, but the colors are very vibrant. The original frame was this out of place Baroque thing that stole too much attention from the painting, so I took it off and left the bare canvas. My mom hates the painting, but I love it. So he's staying. :)

dance

Just stumbled into this quote from Mark Twain about dance. Love the way he describes spinning around...

I was exceedingly delighted with the waltz, and also with the polka. These differ in name, but there the difference ceases — the dances are precisely the same. You have only to spin around with frightful velocity and steer clear of the furniture. This has a charming and bewildering effect. You catch glimpses of a confused and whirling multitude of people, and above them a row of distracted fiddlers extending entirely around the room. The waltz and the polka are very exhilarating — to use a mild term — amazingly exhilarating.

*image of Fred & Rita from Flixster 

99 cent camera

Some shots from Erin's 99 cent camera - she helped me replace the film inside with my own roll of good film. The camera kinda broke after I was done taking pics, but I guess that's part of the charm!

These shots are from seeing 42nd Street at Moonlight Ampitheatre (so good!), hanging out at Balboa Park, and clicking around in my neighborhood.