lost underground art show

I'm usually not a big tv watcher, but I love LOST. Unfortunately, I just found out about the now closed LOST underground art show at Gallery 1988 but here are some of my favorite pieces...it will have to tide me over until February 2nd when the last season premieres!

shameless spouse promotion (with booze!)

Check out this amazing video that Jeff made for YumTV about sparkling wine. Cheers!
(The format is a little funky in Blogger, so the video is best viewed on the YumTV website).

the tar pit

The Tar Pit is a bar and restaurant that just opened by my house. I havn't enjoyed their $12 cocktails yet, but in the meantime, I am enjoying their clever logo.

recent thrift store treasures

I did a little thrifting over the long weekend at my new favorite thrift store. I went with the intention of looking for furniture but was quickly distracted with everything else. Among my scores for the day were a somewhat trendy globe (above) and bone china plate (below):

Printed wool scarf:

Brass ship bookends:

and navy acrylic sweater.

bread pudding

For Christmas dinner, I made Panettone bread pudding with bourbon-pecan caramel sauce. Jeff said it was the best thing I've ever made.

31 rue cambon

31 Rue Cambon was the fabulous flat of Coco Chanel, situated above the Chanel boutique in Paris. Today, the apartment is used for press interviews, fashion shoots and haute couture clients. There is a lovely story about the history of the apartment on NPR by Susan Stamberg. To listen, please click here.

mid-century modern field trip

We took a trip to Long Beach's Retro Row this past weekend to scout out used furniture for my new (and still fairly empty) apartment. There were tons of beautiful things, however not even close to the bargain I was hoping for. In fact, to say things were outrageously expensive would not be so far off. ...sigh....At least lunch was reasonable!







We visited Deja Vu, Xcape to a Vintage World, and a couple places that don't have websites on East 4th Street.

winner winner chicken dinner

Who says you never win anything? I just found out that I am the winner of the Chronicle Books Creature pack giveaway from Apartment Therapy. Yea!

little miss samantha brown

Samantha Brown isn't born yet, but when she is, she'll be my step-niece and hopefully, she'll wear this bonnet and booties set I made for her.

Close-up of the yo yo detailing:

Ravelry: Super Quick Baby Bonnet

diamond foam and fabric

I rode my bike over to Diamond Foam & Fabric to get some finishing materials for a project I am working on. They didn't have what I needed, but I did enjoy seeing the juxtiposition of the different colors and patterns together.

biking in LA

The irony that I choose to start riding a bike in LA, whereas when living in San Francisco I completely refused is fairly amusing...I bought my Nishiki from a weirdo on Craigslist, got it tuned up in the shop last week, and yesterday, took it out on the town. Ok, so I rode less than a mile. It was scary! But fun, and it was beautiful out (it is LA after all), and my new helmet doesn't look nearly dorky as I thought it would.

art goes on the wall, not the floor

Got some more boxes unpacked this past weekend, and made a feeble attempt at decorating. It should come as no surprise to anyone that knows Jeff or I that we unpacked the bar first. Above, flower poster from the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the plate was a wedding gift and the shoe painting is from Julia Rothman; orange tray, wine bottles, glass vase and bar cart and painting (below) belonged to my grandparents.

I also scored two nondescript bookshelves from Goodwill ($20 each!), which really helped the cardboard box situation:

Black and white photos by me.

happy hanukkah!

Hanukkah starts tonight! Latkes, and dreidels, and menorahs, oh my!
Dancing Dreidels card designed by me. Available here.

not-so-secret santa

I am missing the actual company holiday party due to my recent change in local, but I was still very eager to be part of the annual gift exchange. Since I work with a bunch of creative types, making something handmade is highly encouraged (and a little intense!). With the move and not knowing where anything is my new/old city, I was both strapped for time and materials. I had previously made the Good Luck Cowl (pattern from here), and was quite pleased with the results. I had also made an ill-fitting sweater that did not yield as pleasant of results....with a little unraveling (and a fair amount of patience) one ugly sweater became one fabulous cowl! Ha! Now I only hope the recipient of this gift is as pleased with it as I am!

handmade red flats

I want.
From here.

clone cone

From Mashti Malone's.

bikes and berns

In an effort to maintain our one car household, I recently purchased a used bike (currently at the shop - photos soon!) and this Bern helmet, so if I end up looking like a douchebag while riding, I only have myself to blame.

view from my office today

date night

I'm still getting organized from a busy weekend of running errands, shopping and getting our apartment in order. In the meantime, this is my favorite photo from the blogosphere this weekend - my friend's daughter excited to see her all dressed up for a date with her husband. So sweet!

it's the small things

Since I have been feeling like our new place will never get unpacked, I've been trying to relish in my small accomplishments, like this area for some of my design/knitting/inspiration books in my office. Cabinet from Therapy, canister is Julia Rothman for Urban Outfitters and I found the mannequin hand on the street.