Lip Balm

Lip balms are one of life's simple little comforts. Savannah Bee's Earl Grey is my top choice of all lip balms. So soothing and tastes just like the tea!

Foot Rubs (Post for March 27, 2012)

Robert Frost

Design

I found a dimpled spider, fat and white,

On a white heal-all, holding up a moth

Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth-

Assorted characters of death and blight

Mixed ready to begin the morning right,

Like the ingredients of a witches' broth-

A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth,

And dead wings carried like a paper kite.

What had that flower to do with being white,

The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?

What brought the kindred spider to that height,

Then steered the white moth thither in the night?

What but design of darkness to appall?-

If design govern in a thing so small.

-Robert Frost

(March 26, 1874 - January 29, 1963)

Going to the Movies (Post for March 25, 2012)

We dashed on foot, in the rain to make it to the 1:20pm showing of the Hunger Games at the Laemmle NoHo7.

Shopping Therapy (Post for March 24, 2012)

Every now & then, I save up enough to treat myself to a couple of things (which usually end up being clothes or good food). I like to think of it as therapy by way of shopping. Most women can probably relate ;) It's a luxury that I can only afford on occasion, but it's one that I try not to take for granted.

Faces on Inanimate Objects

Olivia

Being an aunt is one of the happiest things I've ever experienced, especially when one of your nieces is this little girl. Happy birthday, sweet, giving, funny, loving, playful, affectionate, wonderful Olivia.

Spring

The season of newness, love, growth, & warmth is here =)

Soul Dog

There is a little hot dog joint down the street called Soul Dog, that serves delicious soul food on perfect, snappy franks. On the menu tonight was the Braised Short Rib Dog, but the go-to is The Original: All-beef hot dog, sweet potato puree, crispy bacon, & collard green relish.

Organizations that Help & Heal (Post for March 19, 2012)

Here are just a few:

Rainbows

You can almost always count on rainbows to stretch their iridescent arches across the sky after the rain, but that doesn't make them any less awe-inspiring. I missed the opportunity to photograph the rainbow we had yesterday after the storm hit, so I'm posting a picture someone else captured & a song about rainbows =)

Guinness Extra Stout (Post for March 17, 2012)

For St. Patrick's Day, what could be more appropriate than a post about Guinness. Not only is it a treat to drink, Guinness Extra Stout is also fantastic in food. It went into the Shepherd's Pie that I made for my family last night.

Pre St. Paddy's Day Hang Out (Post for March 16, 2012)

I am extremely grateful that I could relax at an Irish Pub with some friends tonight for a pre-celebration of St. Patrick's Day, and be able to completely avoid tomorrow night's inevitable craziness. I hope everybody celebrating St. Patrick's Day tomorrow has a very safe & very enjoyable time =)

Netflix

"Wouldn't it be cool if......" was something we'd say as kids, often followed by some invention that we thought was so far-fetched, that we'd never see it in our lifetime - like roller-skate shoes! Netflix (especially the streaming feature) is one of those creations we only dreamt about back then, and now, we have it. We take Netflix and other advanced technology for granted because it's so accessible, but I'm still amazed by them & how they evolve every day.

Surprises

Surprises are awesome, especially when they come in the form of cake!! This surprise was for my co-workers & me as a thank you from our good friend, Connor. Sooooooo gooooooood.

Water

Composition Notebooks

I have dozens of notebooks lying around my apartment. Half-used, well worn; they're full of ideas, lists, stories, thoughts, doodles and random scribblings. I quite like & get the most use out of composition notebooks. There's something about the size, the shape, the feel of these, that I take a shine to.

Tea Houses (Post for March 11, 2012)

Having afternoon tea with a small tower full of warm, scrumptious scones, delicate devonshire cream, and dainty finger sandwiches is the perfect way to unwind on a Sunday afternoon. Although I skipped the scones & cream this Sunday, I still fully enjoyed a nice, piping hot pot of Chado's Milky Oolong tea.

Overgrown Lots

In North Hollywood, there are many lots that are not in use, concealed by bright blue tarp slumped over chain link fences. One of the things I like best about these lots, is that they're usually hiding a sizable meadow of overgrown grass, teeming with ladybugs; a jungle of tangled plants that don't seem to belong in LA's concrete world.

Etsy.com (Post for March 9, 2012)

Etsy.com is wonderful place on the web, where you can sell the delightful things you create at home. We've had such a fulfilling experience with Etsy so far, and can't wait to have many more.

Here are some of our (Stacey & my) favorite shops - ours included ;) These shops are, in my humble opinion, very much worth taking a look at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/JessicaIllustration

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShinerInternational

http://www.etsy.com/shop/yellowfield7

http://www.etsy.com/shop/EyePoetryPhotography

http://www.etsy.com/shop/IlluminariumBath

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PoppyandPearlCo

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SwirlingOrange11

Monica

Every once in a blue moon, you meet someone who is not only a friend, but also a mentor. They teach and inspire you to be a better human being. Monica Khudan is one of those mentor/friends whom I've been extremely lucky to know. Tonight was Monica's going away party at the Backstage Bar by the studio where we work. I don't have a picture of her to post, so I chose a photo of something we share a mutual love for: Coca-Cola. Monica will be missed not only by me, but by our many co-workers. Good luck, Monica. I hope all the good things you wish for, find you.

The Sweetest Bird

This is my sweet cockatiel, Professor Butters. She loves being gently scratched all over her face & likes nuzzling her beak against my cheek.

Massage Ball

This little guy melts my stress away. Get your heads out of the gutter ;)

Clean Laundry

I could spend all day with my nose buried in a pile of freshly cleaned laundry. I especially love snuggling into crisp, smooth sheets right out of the dryer.

French Lavender

With its many uses, lavender is one of my favorite herbs. This picture reminds me of a place I've never been to (at least in this lifetime), with endless fields of sweet lavender, abuzz with tireless honeybees.

Skinny Cow Ice Cream (Post for March 3, 2012)

These are a life-saver when the cravings hit & I'm not allowed to eat junk food =)

Ella Fitzgerald

In my eyes - or ears - her voice is the definition of perfection.

Hilarious Hats (Post for March 1, 2012)

I can't get enough of these funny hats (as well as the funny guys who wear 'em) =)

Aspirin & Dayquil Cocktails (Post for Feb 29th)

Aspirin & Dayquil? What peculiar things to be grateful for - but after the high fever that left me in painful shambles on Tuesday night, I am down-on-my-knees-kiss-the-ground-praise-the-heavens thankful for the respite that this combination gave me from intense aching & chills! Now, to make up for the lost days of blogging!