This week has been all about the finishing touches, those small details that make the WORLD of difference. In retrospect, these little details and finishing touches hit nearly every area of my life and lead to one of the best, most productive, and happiest weeks I feel like I’ve had in quite a while.
From returning to yoga practice (after missing two weeks), checking out the Silver Lake Farmers’ Market for the first time for fresh strawberries; frolicking around Universal City Walk in search of the best popcorn ever (see my new favorite flavor here), finally giving in to the use of a make-up primer, to a few sweet surprises from a sweet guy, and stopping to enjoy a small treat a friend brought back from Paris – it’s been a week full of finishing touches, little details, and small pleasures. It’s making the world of difference.
To be perfectly honest, I’m struggling a lot lately with the concept of perfect timing. There are three big things in my life that I know without a doubt that I want to do right this exact moment, but somehow keep putting off for the proverbial “right time.” As they say, “there’s never going to be a right time.” The conflict I have is also thinking about the proverbial saying “that everything is as it should be.” So I ask you: if there’s never going to be a right time to chase your dreams and goals, yet everything is as it should be, which philosophy do you subscribe to?
This does not imply that I think you should just sit back and let life happen because that’s how it should be. Nor does it imply that I think forging ahead and ignoring the pace of the universe is the answer either. I suppose the bigger philosophical understanding is knowing when to stop waiting for the perfect moment because that’s how it should be. Perhaps it’s as simple as when these two universal truths intersect that you have your answer. Aside from the realization that I believe my “intersection” has come and big changes are on the horizon for me, I’ve also been having other philosophical understandings… in many not so deep nor complicated ways.
here’s what i’m lovin’ right now
|| Wise words. ||
|| The perfect casual LBD. // American Vintage Jacksonville Dress. ||
I’m a big fan of killing two birds with one stone. What I love about this particular D.I.Y. is combining two important passions of mine: fresh produce and flawless skin. Not too long ago, I stumbled across an article about how to make your own facial masks using natural ingredients. The best part when reading the simplicity of the lists, is that it contained items that I typically already have in stock in my kitchen. Thus came the “two birds.” I adored the concept that not only is it completely satisfying that I’m making my own facial masks, but what a great idea to do when you realize that avocado is ripening much faster than when you’ll actually get to around to eating it. With these simple homemade facial mask recipes – I’ll not only never throw out another wasted piece of fruit, my skin will appreciate being drenched in moisture, exfoliated, and refreshed through the undeniable blessings of being naturally pampered.
– 1 buff puff
– 6 wild strawberries
– 1 liter sparkling water
– 1 6 oz. serving of plain yogurt
– ¼ of a lemon
Directions: Stand in a sunny window for 30 seconds to warm the skin. Gently crush strawberries onto buff puff and, after testing on a small area of your arm, massage into the face for 30 seconds (microdermabrasion). Rinse liberally with sparkling water. Mix the yogurt and lemon juice and slap a thick layer onto face for five minutes (fruit acid peel). Rinse with warm tap water and apply a gentle moisturizer.
Directions: Steam face to open pores (or take a hot shower) and place mixture on skin for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, then cold water to close pores.
If you haven’t noticed, mint green is THE hot color of the season and I’m totally into this particular chroma trend. While I do like to keep an eye on all things fashion and indulge daily in fashion blogs (Wendy’s Lookbook is my addiction right now), I’m not one to go out and personally buy a lot of expensive stuff that lasts one season (but talk to me in a few years when I’m loaded). In fact, I have a love/hate relationship with shopping in general. In a nutshell, I love the idea of finding the perfect piece and adding it to your collection. I certainly adore fabulous clothes, handbags (my fav!), shoes, and jewels as much as the next girl; but if I were to be perfectly honestly with you, I hate the physical process of shopping. In particular, the trying things on in a fluorescent lit dressing room only to get frustrated that it looks better on the mannequin than you part. Ugh.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate a good fashion trend. I can’t think of a more refreshing salute to spring than the subtle yet vibrant shade of mint. And since I don’t have anything in my collection representing this craze, I’ve been dreaming of fun, yet affordable ways to incorporate this beautiful color into my look. I have a feeling this color might last longer than a season. Perhaps it’ll inspire ways to find you dressed in mint as well.
EARRINGS| Mineral Teardrop Earrings // Francesca’s Collections // $12.00
Boy, did this week go by fast. So fast, in fact, that some of my things to do…went seemingly undone. I managed at the very least to give myself a spring pedi before rocking my new sandals and finally stopped talking the talk and joined the Brita family (yes, I was a slave to bottled water). No worries though, sometimes you just need to take it easy. Something that doesn’t come naturally to my slightly O.C.D., perfectionist-driven personality. I have to say, one of my favorite nights this week was simply coming home making my famous (Pinterest stolen) baked garlic chicken with a chopped side salad for dinner and settling in to watch Lolita, one of Stanley Kubrick’s films that I wanted to catch-up on after checking out the current exhibition at the LACMA a few weeks ago.
While the week went by fast, it halted altogether when I heard the sad news of Roger Ebert’s passing. My heart raced as I absorbed the headline and was instantly transported to when I used to sit and watch him agree to disagree (or agree to agree) with Gene Siskel and later Richard Roeper on Sunday nights “At the Movies.” With much bias, I tended to trust his judgement whenever he gave a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” in his film analysis. I was deeply saddened when I realized the balcony really is closed. Rest in peace, Mr. Ebert. From one film enthusiast to another, I always enjoyed being “At the Movies” with you.
It’s been nearly a year since I moved into my own place. I can’t tell you how much I’ve relished this time in my life. No roommates to think about. No coordinating of schedules for kitchen and bathroom time. No worrying about other people’s guests, cleanliness issues, people stealing/eating your food, or bringing personal drama into our shared home. Move over, L.C. – my sophomore year of college should have been a MTV reality show with all the drama we had in our on-campus apartment!
Don’t get me wrong, as with everything in life there’s a time for certain experiences and I’m glad I had those periods in my life living with roommates. It was fun to have someone to hang out with, to chat to, or watch a movie with on an otherwise ordinary weekday night. But boy was I ready to step out on my own years before I could actually afford to do it.
Everything in my home represents me: dramatic dark wood furniture, lilac colored painted walls – with a large heather (purple) accent wall, lots of DVDs, books, candles, a little salute to Marilyn Monroe (after delving into her biography), vases of fresh flowers, and I’m a huge fan of wall quotes.
I’m just about finished with my apartment. While it’s not huge or expensively decorated – I love walking in the front door every single day. It’s cozy, it’s comfortable, it’s tranquil, it’s modern, it’s timeless, it’s me. There are a few finishing touches that I need (or things that I want to replace) to finally bring it all together. Here are just a few visual ideas that I’m playing with. Some are the actual item on my must-have list, while other’s are just examples that I love but intend to find something comparable.
{click image to enlarge.}
1. Nate Berkus Herringbone Black Lampshade // finishing touch: for my desk // $29.99
2. Threshold Mosaic Lamp Base // finishing touch: for my desk // $27.99
3. “Angel City” 5 piece Gallery-wrapped Canvas Art Set // finishing touch: for the large accent wall // $127.00
4. Jonathan Adler Universal Phone Dock // finishing touch: for my desk // $48.00
5. West Elm Espresso Wood Tray (rectangular – small) // finishing touch: for the coffee table // $32.00
6. Ethan Allen Corner Batik Area Rug (black & ivory) // finishing touch: for the living room area // $1,044.00
As I have gotten older, I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for natural things and natural beauty. Be it in the simplicity of a bright red fresh sweet strawberry; to the breathtaking colors and fragrance of a vase of stargazer lilies – life somehow feels more connecting and beautiful when you make it a point to take in and surround yourself with its natural resources.
Of course, when working with fresh produce in your meals or placing a vase of flowers on your desk to brighten your space, there comes a time when all good things must come to an end. As such, I find myself scrambling to not be wasteful by trying to eat all of the produce I bought at the farmers’ market and feeling a twinge of sadness when that vibrant vase of flowers begins to wilt and die. Such is the consequence of Earth’s natural beauty.
Suffice to say that when I can find ways to enjoy produce in bulk (i.e. fresh strawberry smoothies in the morning and in frozen yogurt for dessert) so as to not have to throw things out, I get excited. And when coming across Flores Del Sol’s dried flower shop on Etsy, it also sparked my interest. I hate fake flowers, but was inspired by this approach of using real flowers to create lovely dried arrangements. While this will never replace fresh cut flowers or a blooming bright orchid in my book – it is longer-lasting and more cost effective. Perhaps they’re worth a try. Here’s to celebrating natural beauty and natural resources as much as possible. This, among other things is….
Location: 2000 Avenue of the Stars #1000, Century City
I walked into this exhibition expecting at the very least to be emotionally challenged when coming face-to-face with the realities of war violence in a very direct and visuallycompelling way; to see a side of photography that I have never personally explored outside the occasional graphic or heart wrenching photo released in the media.
WAR/Photography: Images of Armed Conflict and its Aftermath is the newest exhibition at The Annenberg Space for Photography that examines the imagery of war and its consequences. 75 photographers whose lenses have captured war as early as the Mexican American War in 1847 to the Libyan Civil War that ended in late 2011 are profiled.
What I appreciated about this moving experience, was the structure in telling the narrative. Rather than displaying photos together by specific wars, the curators opted to tell the story of conflict, collectively, as an arc. As such, the presentation begins with the advent of combat, disclosing images that illustrate the exact moment that provokes a war; to memorials and remembrance, sharing the aftermath of destruction, death, and survival. Between these concrete bookends of beginning and end, the show spends time forming a powerful narrative arc by navigating areas such as: recruitment, rescue, the fight, daily life, post-traumatic stress disorder, medicine/triage, prisoners of war, refugees, impact on children, how faith/religion are handled, and even burial procedures among many other dynamic themes.
One of the first questions that came into my mind when I was first introduced to WAR/Photography, was why? Why do these photojournalists put their lives and mental well-being on the line to capture an image during live combat? Do we really need such graphic and melancholy pictures to know that war and violence is inherently bad? This is not to disrespect those who do choose to pursue the honorable career of war/military photography and have died in the process or any subject highlighted in the photos, but merely an honest thought that crossed my mind when approaching the content. I found my answer when watching the 30 minute short documentary complimenting the exhibition that loops in the main gallery space. When one photojournalist said that his aim was to “personalize war” in an effort to “mature society” a light bulb went off in my head. The point, of course, is not only to document what’s happening (this I knew); but to visually humanize faces, names, family members, lives, cities, countries, people. This makes absolute sense to me. It’s a raw portrait of humanity.
Luckily, I watched the documentary before roaming the gallery. Having understood this fundamental observation for war photography straight from their mouths, I looked at the images in front of me with new eyes. Not to say that I wouldn’t have understood, appreciated, and respected the exhibition and its message without this explanation from the video; but I think getting to know some of the people behind the pictures and their purpose for risking their lives (and almost certain PTSD diagnosis) after having lived through such an ordeal for their mission to capture the story was inspiring.
I don’t know if it’s because it was the first set of photographs exhibited or perhaps because it’s still such a vivid memory in my lifetime as an American; but the 4 part picture series of the second plane heading toward the World Trade Center on 9/11, the North tower already in flames, capturing the exact moment that lead to the on-going War in Afghanistan, affected me immediately and set the tone for what would be a heavy experience as I made my way through the gallery.
I encourage you to see this exhibition. Beware, it’s graphic in nature – but an experience unlike anything you’ve seen. It’s disturbing, it’s infuriating, it’s moving, it’s humanizing. The exhibition runs until June 2nd.
{A trailer for the documentary complimenting the exhibition is below.}
Today will be my final All That Glitters blog entry. I find that I’m just not passionate about writing anymore and feel my talents could be best used elsewhere. As they say, all good things must come to an end and I’m ready to move on to the next creative chapter in my life. It’s been a blast opening up and sharing my life and love of Los Angeles with you. Thanks so much for reading!!
April Fool! (Okay, I admit I probably didn’t get you!)
Happy April Fool’s Day!
It crossed my mind to use April 1st as an excuse to play a practical joke on my landlord by intentionally writing my rent check out for $1.00. Some of us in the office even entertained the idea of all calling in sick to work today and then all showing up anyway. It might even be fun to call my brother and tell him I’m pregnant. While these aren’t the best practical jokes you’ve ever heard, the point is to be extremely careful of anyone who drops a bomb on you today. Don’t be a sucker and beware!
In honor of April Fools’ Day, I scoured the internet and put together a few fun practical jokes to share. Enjoy! But Beware!
We Didn’t Start the Fire: “A friend has been visiting me in LA from the east coast. She left the morning of April 1 to go back home. When I returned from work that day I noticed she had left her cell phone charger and it was still plugged in. I called her and asked if she had left her charger plugged in. When she said yes, I told her my place had burned down and the fire department said it started where her charger was plugged in. I told her I had no insurance and all my things including my guitars and all my clothes were gone. I let this go on for about a minute before I asked her, ‘Do you know what the worst part of this is?’ She said no choking back the tears. ‘That it’s April Fool’s on you.’ She didn’t talk to me for a few weeks but now laughs about it.” — David
Prank Your BFF
Go into the contacts in your pal’s cell phone and change the name associated with your number to a TV character, celebrity or person from her past. Send her ridiculous texts from your phone — she’ll wonder how Mr. T became an entry and why he needs her to join the A-Team. If your friend knows your cell by heart, this may be a one-trick idea. If she doesn’t , you’re in for hours of fun.
After a rather hectic week of “fighting the man” in various areas of my life, I’m so looking forward to the next three days off to recharge. I’m the kind of person that will fight when things need to get done and I won’t let it go until it is (I don’t care if it’s over a dollar – it’s the principle!). While I always try to retain a level of diplomacy and politeness – I have no problem calling, emailing, stalking, and generally speaking my mind when something needs to be addressed. One of my pet peeves in life is when another’s personality is quite opposite to this and they’re not being responsive. I like people who get *crap* done! (I really wanted to use the other word, but want to keep things PG here). 🙂
As cliché as this statement has become, I’m a spiritual rather than religious person. Easter as a young child usually involved a huge Easter basket and a special homemade dinner where preparations started earlier in the day. I also recall watching parts of “The Ten Commandments” on afternoon TV – not fully understanding what the heck I was watching because it was so long and they “spoke funny.”
Sadly, as an adult, I don’t have a ritual for this weekend, but totally respect those who do. It’s always nice to take time out to celebrate and reflect on what you believe in. If I had a choice, perhaps I would tackle watching “The Ten Commandments” again (with the subtitles on for clarity) after a leisurely Easter Brunch at Cafe Midi.
Have a great weekend and whatever your beliefs, I think this is a good time, as ever, to reflect on them.
Myweek’s highlights as we bid goodbye to March…
TREAT| gelato
{Indulging in a few bites of my guy’s gelato. You get the treat without the guilt!}
EAT| cafe midi
{Finally, I had brunch at Cafe Midi – it’s my favorite new place.}
SPRING| flowers
{My first floral purchase for Spring // The Spring Project is now underway.}
SHOP| farmer’s market
{I’ve been on a serious farmer’s market kick lately. I enjoy starting out my Sunday mornings visiting a local farmer’s market and stocking up on fresh produce for the week.}
All That Glitters 