9to5 | businessiscasual

Number 1?

2012-02-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

doesn't it look like little one is giving either the finger or the devil horns here?

Whats up party people. I finally took the plunge and joined Top Baby Blogs. Drea's leading the pack inspired me! If you would be so so so kind and click to vote for me, it would be so very appreciated! Thanks for the love...

Friday random photos

2012-02-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! I plan to sleep 12 hours tonight. I'm exhausted and crabbbbbbyyy. Sleep will fix it! Since I've got nuthin to share other than a few photos, here they are! I've got to get the DSLR out and start taking some pics.

1. 21 week bump. Soon my toes will be memories. / 2. An elephant for the mobile I'm making for little one. Inspired by Drea's amazing work. / 3. Blowing bubbles at my desk. Watermelon bubblicious is delicious.

It's a... guidette?

2012-02-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

Haha I FREAKING HOPE NOT! But from this pic, it looks like baby girl is fist pumping big time.

So yesterday I had my 'anatomy' scan ultrasound, where they measure the baby's arms and check all the internal organs. The tech gave me an "a" in babymaking, since she was perfect. I love when people give me props on something I did no work on! Anyway, for the scan you are supposed to drink a liter of water before hand so they can see things better. Apparently I drank a little too much, because the baby would not stop moving for the tech to measure anything. Luckily, after a (very grateful) trip to the ladies room, baby girl chilled and posed for some beauty shots, like this one in which she is fist pumping like Snookie.

Due date is definitely June 25th. Four months to go!

Pretty Freaking Cute

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Shoes by Sourpuss...

Some of my favorite blogs...

2012-02-07T09:53:00.000-08:00

I've been blogging (haphazardly) for a while now, and I've had a lot of blogs come and go on my google reader. These five ladies have consistently been daily reads of mine. They are funny, smart, and of course, have awesome things to say. If you haven't already, check them out.

Jess from I Rock So What is one of the funniest lady-mom-bloggers I know. Her instagram pics have me constantly laughing and her son Wyatt is the cutest. Also, she has some amazing lipstick wearing skills.

Nova from Four Eyes Rella is awesome and hilarious. Her bus riding stories are magical and terrifying, but always entertaining. She has incredible tattoos and posts great 'Things I Love Thursday' links you will love.

Danielle's blog, Sometimes Sweet, was one of the very first blogs I started reading years ago. It's so cool to see how it's grown into an empire! Okay maybe not yet an empire, but she's big time :) Her blog has awesome features, like Tattoo Tuesday (yours truly was featured), and great recipe ideas. Plus her little man Henry is super adorable.

Drea's blog is one of my favorites for many reasons. Drea is an amazing single mom raising what is probably the most gorgeous baby girl (Marlowe) I've ever seen. Not only that, she is uber creative in cooking, decorating and of course has awesome taste in shoes.

James' blog Bleubird Vintage is one of the blogs that's new to me. I spent hours one day getting lost in a 'What We Wore' wormhole. This Texas-based blended family has the best style I've seen on the internet.

These are just a few of my favorites... I'll definitely be posting more in time. Hope you enjoy these ladies as much as I do! Happy reading.

My favorite Super Bowl commercials

2012-02-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

Chevy Sonic's commercial featuring 'We Are Young' by Fun. I love the song and of course, love Rob doing a car kickflip.

This dog bribing his owner with Doritos.

Seinfeld doing what he does best for Acura.

Weekend

2012-02-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

1. I put this crib together all by myself and I did a killer job! No parts left over and it only took me two days.
2. Saturday night dinner. If I look like I'm about to fall asleep, its because I was.
3. Friday at the DMV. They have some weird art there. A portrait of Elvis and one of Mohammed Ali. What?

Lately...

2012-02-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

1. Native Foods Salad, 2. Not matching, 3. Sunset, 4. Sunrise, 5. Comfy dog, 6. Braids

Lame ladyhating.

2012-02-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

Danielle wrote a great response to this lame article. Read them both. The one point that bothered me the most was Ms. Khoury's assertion on tattoos being pointless.

"Has this tattoo, for instance, caused you to learn something new about yourself? Has it challenged you? Has it led you to self-growth? Nothing comes out of getting a tattoo."

If you are a reader of mine, you know I'm heavily tattooed. You also know I chose to become so because I loved the way art looks on my skin. I have one or two small tattoos that actually have meaning to me. The rest are basically art pieces I've collected. But to assert they mean nothing, haven't changed me or challenged me is unfair. Whether I meant for it to happen or not, having tattoos, especially visible ones, has caused me to learn a great deal about myself. About other people's and society's misconceptions of me, as I look now. And unfortunately, Ms. Khoury just reinforced the ideal that I come up against on a daily basis: that I have 'no class' because I have tattoos, am a thief, drug addict, criminal... when in reality I am none of those things. I'm a professional, I'm intelligent, I'm honest, I'm kind, but most of all I'm ACCEPTING. And tattoos have nothing to do with any of those things.

So thank you Ms. Khoury, because with your short article, you've reminded me that indeed, my tattoos have made me a better, more accepting person. And if you don't want to know me because of how I look, then that's fine with me.

Three random photos

2012-02-01T08:22:00.000-08:00

1. Bluebird Vintage 2. ForMe-ForYou
3. WeLovePastel

First Aid Kit

2012-01-31T10:40:00.000-08:00

Perfect music for sad times... is it strange that sad music makes me feel better when I'm down? Anyway, check out First Aid Kit if you haven't heard of them already. A pair of Swedish sisters that do some badass harmony folk.

This just happened

2012-01-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

Yep, I purchased a $25 sweatshirt for my unborn child. So what. It's Gwen Stefani for Target, I justified it to myself.

New developments... of the fetal kind.

2012-01-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

Excuse the boobs... 18 mo gut/bump.

Baby Vans

Sooooooooooo. It's been awhile! I've gone through updating this blog in spurts and stops over the past 5 (wow) years and it's nice that's I've had some consistent readers. Thank you random 50 people! This blog has reflected the various stages my life has taken, and while I was annoyed with myself for not keeping a consistent direction, now I'm kind of pleased it's taken on a 'scrapbook of my life' sort of feeling. In 2007, it started as a fashion blog while I worked in that industry. Later, when I began working as a graphic designer, the blog morphed into more design and art. Recently its been all over the place, as have I! And now with my latest development, I can see where this is headed.

I found out I was pregnant recently, but I've sort of hesitated on blogging about it for many reasons. The main was I wasn't sure how I felt about this. It was VERY unplanned and quite a surprise. It took me a good month to really wrap my head around it. And now that I have, I'm so excited. It's a weird thing. I never wanted kids, hell, I didn't really even like them in a 20 foot radius of me. And now? I can't wait to be a mom. Which sounds SO WEIRD to say. A mom.

I have to say, as much as I love blogging, one thing about preggo blogging makes me nervous. OK, many things, but one thing I think about is losing my identity. I worry that I'll lose myself in all things pregnancy/mommy related. Lots of other blogs I've read seem to be only focused on baby, breastfeeding, pooping, etc. And no offense, I love reading them, but sometimes I feel a little... drained. Or like I'm not into the whole thing as much as I should be.

Now not ALL babyblogs are like this. Drea, Danielle and Katie's bogs are amazing inspiration for how I want my space to be. I think they balance babies with the rest of life...exactly how it should be. And I know all these things will be a part of it, but I'm going to make a conscious effort to keep a little of my random crap in there. Not baby crap. You know, cat videos. The important things.

So I guess stay tuned... should be an interesting 4 months! And 18 years I suppose...

Tumblr

2012-01-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

I'm super fucking lazy so I've only been tumblering lately. If you care, here: http://theheartisdeceitfull.tumblr.com/\

Silence Tiny Human

2011-12-20T07:37:00.001-08:00

Merry Chrismakwanzika or whatever the hell you wanna call the holiday.

2011-12-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

I stole this little questionnaire from Jess, mainly because I'm lazy, but also because I love Christmas.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? HOT CHOCOLATE.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps AND sits them under the tree. Wowza.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope. Isn't it poisonous to dogs? Mine would somehow find a way to eat it.

5. When do you put your decorations up? If I wasn't so lazy, December.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Fudge. Sugar-coma-teeth-rotting-fudge!

A vintage Christmas photo from the vault. Me and my sister probably circa 1988. I'm on the right, with our bears Bunky and Radar. (I was a huge MASH fan. And a 6 year old weirdo).

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Bombing down our HUGE neighborhood hill on my brand new bike when I was 10 and wiping out. OK maybe a little traumatic also, but I still love that memory. The bike was with me through COLLEGE! It was white with neon pink and green Jackson Pollock-esque paint splatters. Super cool in 1992. I think it got thrown off a cliff my senior year in college. I could not get rid of that bike; I'd leave it unlocked, and no one would steal it.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think my parents told me around 10... and as the eldest I dutifully destroyed my younger sister's Christmas as well.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Just one. We celebrated Hanukkah also, so that usually was before Christmas.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? My parent's tree always had our handmade ornaments and these cute sculpture ornaments my mom got us every year- they were representative of my sister and I and whatever we into that year (volleyball playing ornament, surfing ornament, etc.)

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? As a Southern California lifetime resident, I've only had one white Christmas and I have to say it was pretty epic. I used to enjoy a surf every Christmas morning but someone its not quite the same.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, I was decent when I was a kid. We have ice rinks out here in malls and such.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Probably a doll house my mom made. Pretty rad. I still have it.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? See #6.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas morning present opening, gorging on food all morning, then afternoon Christmas dinner with family and friends.

17. What tops your tree? An angel of some Eastern European origin.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Tough. Obviously when I was a kid, receiving, but now that I'm an old, I kinda love getting someone something they love. It's awesome to make someone happy.

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Meh. I like the rainbow ones. Those are bomb!

20. Favorite Christmas show? A Christmas Story. We watch it for 24 hours straight. You'll shoot your eye out!

21. Saddest Christmas Song? O Holy Night. Haunting and sad. But beautiful.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? Christmas by Darlene Love

2011-11-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

I'm listening to all this Motown/Phil Spector stuff lately. I do not know why, but Mr. hates it. Sorry babe.

Frankie Lymon- Why Do Fools Fall in Love

Jackie Wilson- Your Love Keeps Lifting Me

The Crystals- The Do Ron Ron

And because I'm a weirdo, enjoy my first exposure to Jackie Wilson courtesy Ghostbusters (starts around 1:40)

I hipster paper dolled myself.

2011-11-16T15:05:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly accurate. Make one here...

iWeekend... photos of recently enjoyed things

2011-10-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

Mostly from our weekend trip to Seattle/Tacoma... it was chilly but gorgeous. Can't beat fall in the PNW.

Yes, I was a nun and he was a Priest. Judge away...

LFW: Spring 2011

2011-09-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Photos: Craig Arend

Color Palette: LFW

2011-09-21T15:12:00.001-07:00

Photos: Craig Arend

Chaw Chee Chaw

2011-09-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Holy macaroni you guys! This year's New Yorker Festival is really upping its game this year with the announcement that the Best Show Ever is reuniting for a special panel at the three-day event. That's right: the beloved faces (blue and otherwise) of Arrested Development are getting back together, if only for one night.

It's really an excuse for me to post this video. Again.

Business Is Casual

2011-09-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

My fav emmy looks... Nina Dobrev in Donna Karan and Katie Holmes in Calvin Klein.

Afternoon Links

2011-09-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

Kendall Jenner models in NYC FW (CocoPerez)

Fellow blogger-named-Danielle's Sometimessweet.com gets a writeup in the Phoenix Newtimes!

Great Proenza Schouler article in the Wall Street Journal.

Hell yeah: A 49 year old mom/former model made the Pepperdine swim team (NCB4)

Rachel Zoe's fashionweek list (Styelist)

Fashionista says Puplum skirts are back. Ew. (Fashionista)

Good lord, Lindsay Lohan is on a path of destruction in NY. (TheCut)

Nicki Minaj's crazy puffball dress is basically a ripoff of another designer. Why would you copy that hideousness!? (Fashionista)

STYLE STAR: JESSICA SZOHR

2011-09-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

My latest fav celebrity style is Jessica Szohr. I never watched Gossip Girl, but I love her red carpet style... her candid stuff is pretty cute too. Plus she has amazing blue eyes and black hair. I would die for that combo.

Front row at Herve Leger

2011-09-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

Although I feel like the bandage dress thing is done, Jessica Szohr kinda makes me love it again.

christian siriano spring 2012

2011-09-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

photos: Style.com

I am DYING. Christian Siriano's spring show was full of the most INSANE hues of deep orange, chartreuse and coral. Siriano claimed screen-legend Katherine Hepburn as an inspiration, and the reference is clear in the tailored sheath dresses and vibrant trousers. Siriano's affnity for dramatic gowns was evident in his use of tulle, ruffles and fabulous feathers.

LOVE IT ALL. See more here.

NYCFW: Street Style

2011-09-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Photos: Refinery29

I love the color blocking trend continuing throughout Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2012. The two ladies pictured above are the bloggers Geri from because I'm addicted and Jessica from Tuula. Both have great personal style and of course, are great at color blocking.

New Hand Tattoo

2011-09-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

I took the plunge and decided to finish my hand piece. I really like it... and to be honest, I don't regret it at all. However, that said, people's reactions have been mixed and very interesting. My friends and family who know me well appreciate it and see it as just another addition to my 'collection.'

Colleagues and acquaintances who don't know me as well are either shocked or appalled. It's frustrating; to me, my tattoos are just an outward expression of the art I love. And I choose to wear them forever. It's not something you would do, fine, but as my mother always said: if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all.

I wouldn't choose many of your choices; but I would never dream of telling you that to your face. Your hair, your clothes, your car, your life... it's not my place to tell you why I would never choose any of that.

But for some reason, strangers and acquaintances alike feel the need to proselytize their beliefs on how my tattoos affect THEM. I don't care. But I still smile and nod, and in my head, I think, maybe it was a mistake to get visible tattoos, only because I don't want to hear YOUR opinion.

But as I look down at them while I'm typing, I'm struck by how happy they make me. And I know, in my heart, it was the right thing. For me.

FUCHSIA: PMS 813

2011-09-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia: "Fuchsia (pronunciation: /ˈfjuːʃə/, few-shə) is a vivid reddish or pinkish purple color named after the flower of the fuchsiaplant, itself named after the German scientist Leonhart Fuchs. Fuchsia is a synonym for magenta.

There is also a somewhat redder and slightly less saturated hue termed fashion fuchsia that is used in women's fashion (it is also called Hollywood cerise).

The first recorded use of fuchsia as a color name in English was in 1892.^"

I love the way fuchsia looks on all skin tones and hair colors. Especially redheads (Michelle Monahan killing it at LAX).

Photo: WWWDaily

wednesday wear

2011-09-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

Tommy Ton for Style.com

Loving this Fashion Week in NYC. Produces THE BEST street style photos I've seen in a LONG while.

Quick App Picks

2011-09-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

Digging the new Camera+ app for iPhone. It lets you crop, rotate, colorize, and add flash to your photos. It's like a little mini photoshop for iPhones!

Fashion Week NYC: Collection of the Day

2011-09-13T20:05:00.000-07:00

My favorite from today's collections was Victoria by Victoria Beckham... I know, I know. Pick your jaw up. Her collection of 20 dresses was a great little dress collection, featuring modern prints, poppy colors and a sixties mod silhouette. I loved it (and the shoes were to die for).

Victoria by Victoria Beckham Images: Style.com

Beauty Favs: On the Cheap

2011-09-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

My favorite products are just like me: cheap and last forever. Haha, j/k. That's not exactly what I meant.

But seriously, these products are all under $10 (except for one) and work as well (and in some cases better) than their pricey stepsister. With the way I lose things, accidentally melt lipsticks in my car, and let my hubby use my conditioner on his mohawk, I had to find cheaper substitutes.

Enter drugstore.com. Maybelline is an insanely good buy with the best products. For the longest time I was a Bobbi Brown tinted moisturizer snob. Until I got sick of shelling out $58 (?!?!), and found FIT foundation by Maybelline. It is only $5, lasts all day, and has a great blend-able formula. And I have super sensitive skin, and this doesn't bug it at all.
Maybelline FIT Foundation ($5)

Maybelline also makes my most favorite mascara ever. I used to be a Diorshow freak. $30 a tube! And I'd lose it every time I switched bags. So I grabbed this Maybelline Falsies after seeing the Eric Wasson commercial (I'm such an advertising sucker). Long story short: now, I buy three at a time. I will buy all stock in this if it EVER stops being made. Doesn't flake, goes on PERFECT, and makes my lashes rival Marilyn Monroe's.
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara ($6)

When it comes to hair, my fine blonde (okay, bleach-blonde) locks usually look like straw by the end of the summer. I use a mix of Kerastase (it's pricey, but you only need a tiny bit- this bottle lasts me 6 months) and once a week I use good o'l Alberto VO5 Hot Oil. You microwave it, let it sit a minute, and your hair comes our like you just spent $200 on a Keratin treatment. Minus the salon gossip.
Kerastase Nutritive Conditioner ($30)
Alberto V05 Hot Oil ($6)

Lastly, is my favorite lipstick of all time. I used to die for MAC Russian Red. But I would literally want to die when I'd let it melt in my hot car! I found Revlon's Matte lipstick and now I buy one in every shade. For $6! You can't go wrong.
Revlon Matte Lipstick ($6)

Hope you enjoy my frugal beauty finds. And if you've got a product that you can't live without and feel like sharing, leave me a comment with a link.

Trend Boards: Channeling 'Casino'

2011-09-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

For this week's Trend Board we are channeling Sharon Stone's Ginger Makenna from the 1995 Martin Scorcese film Casino.

Sharon Stone is all hair, gold jewelry and makeup in this mobster flick, but I am loving the 70s glamour. Rachel Zoe's Spring 2012 collection is a modern take on the look, with Zoe's trademark maxi lengths and structured jackets.

A faux fur, oversized gold link pieces and of course a trip to Vegas in a vintage convertible complete the look.

Now if only Maggie's story had a happy ending :)

1. Menbur Clutch 2. Vince Natural Fur Coat 3. Sportmax Trousers 4. Louboutin Mago Pump 5.Michael Kors Oversize Chain Necklace

More Kardashian business

2011-09-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

I can't help myself. I went to Sears to buy a steam mop and ended up with a Kardashian Kollection. The bags were really great for the price point, and so were the shoes (even thought they were a LITTLE too tall for me). The clothes were so so... fabric looked a little flimsy for the prices, but I ordered a couple things online, so I'll update later.

Here's a (blurry) pic of the bag... retails for $84 but was on sale (already?) for $58.

Here's a link to all the handbags.

Rachel Comey Spring 2012

2011-09-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Tuesday: Custom Page Links

2011-08-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a couple emails on how to customize the page links for your blog. If you are using blogger, its as simple as creating custom images, uploading them and then inserting code. Here's a quick how to:

1. To begin, under the 'Posting Tab' click the 'Edit Pages' Tab...

2. Create a new page...

3. Publish new page

4. View the new page you just created.

5. Copy the URL for the new page.

6. Go to the 'Design' Tab in blogger and click 'Add a Gadget'.

7. Select 'HTML/Java Script' and insert the following code:

The highlighted portion is where you will place the url link you copied earlier from your page.

The highlighted portion is where you will place the url of the image you wish to use. I use imageshack to host my images, which is great because it is free and also resizes them to a web preferred size.

Now that you've entered the above code, click save. You should be able to view your blog and see the custom image links for your pages now!

I hope this tutorial works for you; if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section.

Thanks for stopping by!

These things.

2011-08-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

These Earrings.

These clutches.

These vases.

8 Hours in Brooklyn

2011-08-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

8 Hours in Brooklyn from Next Level Pictures on Vimeo.

Abstractly Speaking...

2011-08-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

I love abstract expressionism. And women painters. So here are three of my favorite female Abstract Expressionists!

Helen Berman is a Dutch/Israeli painter, who survived the Holocaust as a young girl .She was a textile designer in the 1960s and has been a painter and occasionally an art educator since the 1970s. She is well known in Israel and has exhibited also in Germany and the Netherlands.

Alma Thomas was an African American painter and art educator who lived and worked mainly in Washington DC. Her studies in color are some of MY FAVORITES. Also, her work 'Sky Light' is hanging in the Obama private residence.

Mary Abbott was part of the "Downtown" group of the New York School of Abstract Expressionists. Her family lineage traces back to John Adams, the second president of the United States, who was a great, great.... great grandfather. While Mary's childhood was one of privilege, her family was not all interested in politics. Her mother Elizabeth Grinnell was a poet and syndicated columnist with Hearst newspapers.
.

2011-08-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

So I had this great post coming up with a TON of photos from my weekend. We went to the Orange County fair and saw the coolest stuff. On one of the rides, I got SOAKED (thanks ride operator who told me its not that wet.)

My phone apparently did not survive. I lost everything.

SO. I'm leaving you with the one photo I took today on my new phone, which I had to buy. I can't live without my iphone. I tried and lasted one day.

This is our puppy, Pia. She's a hellion. Not afraid of anything. And she has a uncanny resemblance to Rudolph the raindeer...

New Suit

2011-08-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

Just bought this new suit from modcloth.com... just in time for the end of summer.

I'm a procrastinator about EVERYTHING. But I can't wait to wear it!

DIY: Cement Planters

2011-08-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

Having just moved into a house with a backyard, I cannot WAIT to try this DIY on cement planters from ReNest. Plus, I have always wanted to play with cement. It's like mud pies for grownups!

iweekend

2011-08-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

I call this iweekend because they are my iphone photos from my weekend... enjoy :)

From the top: Lunch and shopping at the Camp, Beach day, new pedicure (much needed, yikes), new glasses (the Audrey from readingglasses.com), new puppy (brought home by the bf as a 'surprise' three days before moving. yay. ), Moving.

Beach bound

2011-08-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

Love that in August in Southern California, I can go to the beach after work and still have hours of sun to enjoy. Viva la summer!

Shorty

2011-08-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

I love jean shorts. These are perfectly destroyed. Now I just need to tan my pegs.

It's not you, it's me: My love affair with gluten ends.

2011-08-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

Bread was my favorite food. And a few months ago, when I stopped eating it, I thought I was going to be sentenced to a lifetime of misery.

Before I get into that, I’ll explain WHY I stopped eating bread (and pasta and all things with flour). Six months ago I started getting REALLY bad headaches daily that didn’t respond to any painkillers- advil, Tylenol, motrin, aspririn, Excedrin, aleve…even non-narcotic pain killers that were Rx strengrth didn’t help.

They came on every day at about 11. I decided to do some research before I spent a gazillion dollars getting MRIs and CT scans. I found a lot of things, but one thing that kept popping up was allergies. I’ve never had allergies, but recently I had started developing major sneeze attacks and random itchy eyes, so I figured this might be it.

An online friend told me body chemistry changes every 7 years… and it had been exactly seven years since I got my dog! But the headaches were still bad even after I banished him to the backyard.(Sorry Dagwood!)

Well, one day at work I’m supervising an interview with a woman who owned a gluten free grocery store. The reporter asked her how she began her business and she said “I started getting headaches every day at the same time. I went to an allergist and they determined it was a gluten allergy. I’d get them as soon as I’d ingest gluten.”

Lightbulb moment for me. I ate cereal (gluten FILLED) every morning. Right after, headaches would begin. So I decided I’d try a gluten free diet for a few days to see if it helped with the headaches.

Lo and behold, the first day my headache was gone. And I haven’t had one since. In addition I've lost some weight and generally feel better and have more energy.

I’ll be honest, being gluten free sucks but it’s so much better than being in pain. Sure, I have to take my own gluten free bread to a sandwich shop, but there are more and more places offering options for me.

So what is gluten? Gluten is a specific type of protein, but one you won't find in meat or eggs. Instead gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Going gluten-free means avoiding these grains. A gluten-free diet is essential for most people with gluten allergies or celiac disease, a condition which causes intestinal damage when gluten is eaten.

Gluten is a specific type of protein, but one you won't find in meat or eggs. Instead gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Going gluten-free means avoiding these grains. A gluten-free diet is essential for most people with gluten allergies or celiac disease, a condition which causes intestinal damage when gluten is eaten.

Perhaps the most difficult step in a gluten-free diet is bidding farewell to bread as you know it -- that includes white, wheat, marble, and rye. Also off limits are bagels, muffins, croissants, hamburger buns, scones -- you get the idea. Yes, even pizza. But don't despair. There are alternatives.Many health foods stores and some major supermarkets now carry gluten-free products, including an assortment of breads. These are often made with rice or potato flour instead of wheat products. Just check the label to make sure it says "100% gluten-free."

NovellaRoyale

2011-07-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Love this bag from http://novellaroyale.com/

6.8.11

2011-06-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

6.7.11

2011-06-07T16:41:00.001-07:00

languid

2011-06-07T11:04:00.001-07:00

From Planet Blue's Lookbook...

New bracelets...

2011-06-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

New bracelets I've been working on...

Book Review

2011-06-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Jack Grisham: An American Demon

This book was insanely good. I might be biased, seeing how I love me some Jack and TSOL, but if you have ONE book to read this year, make it this one.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Demon-Memoir-Jack-Grisham/dp/1550229567

Jesse James: American Outlaw

Pretty quick read. Interesting guy. Seems a teeeeeny bit remorseful for what went down, but not that much. I mostly read it being as I was interested in his earlier Orange County-life. He seems like a very, very smart business man though.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Outlaw-Jesse-James/dp/1451627858/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1306947340&sr=1-1

I just finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett last night; it was great also. And now I'm onto Water for Elephants, looking forward to reading it.

I just have something in my eye

2011-05-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Man, I cried within 10 seconds; see how long you go on this sweet marriage proposal video.

A man's opinion: "I hate when other guys make ALL us guys look bad."

LUCK - NYC Wedding Proposal from Aria Melody DJ on Vimeo.

Homemade Goat Cheese

2011-04-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

When I told my friend Jamie I was making goat cheese, she said she pictured me and a goat in my kitchen getting ready to get down to business.

Luckily, goat cheese is pretty easy to make. No goat necessary.

You'll need:

A quart of goats milk- I found this at Whole Foods.

Lemons

Salt and Pepper, or your preferred seasoning.

Plus, Saran Wrap, Cheesecloth and some sort of thermometer

Bring the goats milk to 180 degrees F. over medium-low heat. It took about 15 minutes. I used a candy thermometer to monitor the temp.

Zest a lemon... set aside.

Squeeze a couple lemons until you get about a 1/3 to a 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Once the milk reaches 180 degrees, remove it from the heat. Then stir in the lemon juice, starting with a 1/4 cup. If the milk doesn't start to form small curds after a minute or two, add some more lemon juice. It's not going to look like cottage cheese or anything, its more like a filmy look.

Once you achieve the right amount of separation, let it sit for a few minutes until it looks thick. Then pour it into a double or triple layer of cheesecloth lining a collander.

Its going to take a few hours for all the liquid to drain. Once it is mostly solid, gather the corners of the cheese cloth into a bundle and tie with a string to a wooden spoon. You can hang this over your sink or a bowl or whatever to let the rest of the liquid drain out.

Once the sold has reach a consistency that is somewhat spreadable and to your liking, you can add seasoning (like the lemon zest!). Salt and pepper and a tiny bit of crushed garlic is how I like my cheese.

Form it into a log and wrap in saran... Let this chill in the fridge overnight and by the next day you have insanely good and fresh homemade goat cheese. It'll keep for up to a week, but I doubt it will last that long without being eaten!

On tattoos and pain...

2011-04-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

As a (very) heavily tattooed female, I’m asked at least once a day if getting my tattoos hurt. Seems like a pretty straightforward question with a yes or no answer. And usually I just give a quick ‘yep’ and move on. I’ve said this before, anyone who says tattoos don’t hurt is a liar. They most definitely do. I’ve heard the odd ‘I love the pain’ or ‘it’s an adrenaline rush’. And maybe for them it is, but for me, it’s not a fun process. However, the outcome is worth the suffering. I’ve never had a baby (and from what my mother says, it’s like defecating a 7 pound pineapple, spikes and all) but I would imagine getting tattooed is somewhat similar to childbirth, obviously on a way different scale. The pain is a means to a very pleasing end, and is somewhat forgotten as time goes on. Until you set for your next one.

After having some discussions with my artist on pain and tattoos, he pointed something out to me that always pops into my head now when something hurts. There is a reason for pain. Pain is the body telling you something is not right. Once you accept it as a biological way of alerting you and realize this pain is not going to kill you, you can work through it. And it really works. Once the panic subsides to realization that pain is just a part of functioning, it makes it much easier to deal with.

Yep that's me trying to look like I'm totally not in pain. Convinced?

I’ve been trying this with my last few tattoos and it really works. Although I’m about to embark on a chest piece, so we’ll see how fast this goes out the window J

So what do you do to deal with pain, be it having a ~~pineapple~~ baby or getting tattooed, or simple stubbing your toe?

New painting in progress

2011-04-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

My boy's getting this on his neck. Sorry for the shit photo, my iphone camera is a JOKE.

The Russian Tattoo My Mother Hates

2011-04-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

My mother is not a fan. ("Is that a noose?") But I AM!

Sorry for the crappy photo, its not very easy to take a self portrait of your arm.

Thanks a bunch Chas!

Inspired By: Half Broke Horses

2011-04-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

I'm back after quite a hiatus... thank you for the well wishes and hopefully for staying interested in what I have to say!

I wanted to make a note that the address to my blog has changed... its now businessiscasual.blogspot.com. My domain name expired and some creepy company snatched it up before I could renew it.

And now they post gibberish for the sake of seo. Which I cannot believe google has allowed into the algorytm, but I digress...

So, if you wouldn't mind clicking the follow button over in the sidebar >>> , or just updating your links, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Now onto the post...

If you are like me and LOVE a good book about a strong willed woman with an amazing sense of self, you'll LOVE Jeanette Wall's Half Broke Horses. It's an amazing true story about her grandmother Lily Casey's life as a mustang breaker, schoolteacher, ranch wife, bootlegger, poker player, racehorse rider, bush pilot and mother of two.

I couldn't put it down, and it inspired me and reminded me that fitting into the boxes society creates for women is completely overrated.

And because I imagine Lily having amazing personal style, I put together an 'inspired by post. Enjoy and thanks for reading :)

The Art of Slacking

2011-03-01T16:51:00.001-08:00

I'm dealing with a health thing right now. Lots of pain, so its hard for me to concentrate on blogging. To tide you over (and lessen my guilt) here's a sweet new bracelet I got off ebay for .99 cents!!! Bargain hunter yo.

Random photos from my desktop

2011-02-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

Why? Because.

I cleaned off my computer desktop, you reap the rewards. You are welcome.

Tiny Houses

2011-02-24T13:53:00.000-08:00

I love this story on tiny houses. They look super cute but in reality I don't think my shoes would fit in this house.

However, the idea of buiding your own eco-friendly home from salvaged materials is something I can get behind. Now I just need to buy that beachfront property :)

Blog Roundup

2011-02-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

I do a post from time to time sharing what has been inspiring me in the blogosphere. Here’s my latest favs:

Oh dear drea
I love this blog about a gorgeous single mommy and her little babycakes. She’s crafty, vegan and inspiring. Take a look if you haven’t already 

Might as Rella
Nova is the best at being modest. I love that line. Nova is a gorgeous tattood lady with a love of linguistics. That’s an alliteration! I’m such a nerd. Anyway, she posts amazing photos and HILARIOUS bus related stories. Bookmark her now or you’ll be missing out on some good stuff.

The doe or the deer
Oh jeez, like you haven’t been to Jess’s blog yet right? I doubt it since she is hilarious, beautiful and amazing and has the best wardrobe in the history of blogging. On the off chance you have been missing out, visit her but be prepared some of her posts will have you laughing so hard coffee comes out your nose.

Hope you enjoy these blogs as much as I do!

Happy Humpday all.

Xoxo,

Six Confessions

2011-02-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is me, pre-tattoos, with my horse Brody. He was HUGE and THE SHIT

I usually dislike these list things, but this one seemed kind of cathartic. Enjoy!

1. I obsess over ice. Everything I drink has to have it, even milk. I chew it all day long. My dentist hates me. And if I can find that crunch ice? It’s so rare; I just get a huge cup full and stick it in my freezer for later. So weird.

2. I hate wearing jeans. They drive me insane. It’s not the actual jeans themselves, but the fact that they are so uncomfortable! I prefer cords any day.

3. All the foods I hated when I was little, I love now. Tomatoes, pickles, asparagus, mushrooms. I don’t know if my taste buds changed or if I just decided to try new things, but now I LOVE the stuff I couldn’t stand when I was younger.

4. I had an eating disorder. It was after a stressful year of loss- family members, a relationship. I didn’t see it then, but it was a total grasping to have control of anything. Luckily with good therapy I overcame it no problem. And now I have a good balance of things.

5. I love COPS. Not the people, the show. I TiVo it. It either makes me laugh or makes me feel really good about my life choices.

6. I learned how to surf when I was 8 and was on the high school surf team. I grew up in a surfing town. Basically you didn’t do anything but go to the beach and surf growing up. Even if it was winter. That was life. I haven’t really been in the water in a while, but I’ll always have a love for the sport. It’s crazy where it is now for girls/women. When I started I was a novelty, which can be tough for a little girl. It’s so nice to have seen the sport grow. But I wish I had access to girl wetsuits back then- lets just say they are shaped a little different 

Golden Oldies

2011-02-22T19:22:00.000-08:00

I love Irin Werning's Back to the Future project. She recreates childhood photos with the original subjects. If you haven't, visit her website. There's some great stuff on there.

Guacamole!

2011-02-22T14:01:00.000-08:00

It’s just about spring and to me that means going to the beach without a sweatshirt, fresh flowers and guacamole! Arriba bitches!

Avocados are pretty much my favorite fruit (yes it’s a fruit). And come spring and summer here in southern California, they are bountiful! For a short time I lived in Fallbrook, the Avocado Capital of the World (true story, they have a little avocado man on the welcome sign). When we lived there, we had an acre of avocado trees. Mysteriously my dog gained 20 pounds in a month- turns out he was scarfing all the fallen avocados. He had a nice shiny coat though!

So here is my family’s recipe for guacamole. The nice thing is you can make it to taste- more garlic, less cilantro, whatever you prefer.

Guacamole de Danielle

Makes about 2-3 cups, depending on the size of your avocados.

Ingredients:
4 Ripe avocados
1 Tomato
1 Jalapeno (or Serrano if you be crazy)
1 Red Onion
1 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 Lemon
Salt & Pepper

First, pick the ripest avocado you can. For Haas Avocados (my preference) they should be dark, dark green, almost black and should be soft but not mushy to the touch.

Cut the avocado in half. The easiest way is to drag the knife around lengthwise, until you’ve circumvented the whole thing, then twist and voila!

Remove the pit, but don’t discard right away. Keep it in the bowl where you are mashing the avocado. It helps the avocado stay green.

Use a spoon to get out all the flesh. Mash up to your preference. The avocado should be pretty easy to mash with just a fork- if it’s not ripe it will be too hard.

Chop about 1 tbsp of cilantro. Chop garlic. Chop the onion. I use about ½ cup.
Toss together.

Get ready to add the jalapeno or Serrano or whatever pepper you prefer. I like hot, but not make-you-sweat-and-cry hot. I also do not like burning eyes after accidentally rubbing them an hour later, so I wear rubber gloves when chopping peppers. The hotter ones can actually burn your skin.

Cut lengthwise and remove the stem.

Remove the seeds. They make it hotter, so if you want, keep em. I don’t like them in my guac though.

Chop the jalapeno and tomato into cubes. Add to the already chopped cilantro, onion and garlic and combine.

Add the mixture to your avocado mash, and stir until everything is well combined. Add some lemon juice to keep from browning, and salt and pepper to taste.

Muy Delicioso!

I don’t have an actual picture of mine because we ate it before I could take one, so pretend this is mine!

OH ASHLEY LOVE

2011-02-15T17:06:00.000-08:00

I'm in love...with Ms. Love! Well her work that is. It's amazing, innovative while still being traditional, and just all around CLEAN.

Check out her tumblr and don't say I didn't warn you!

Daily Funny Cat Video*

2011-02-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

*Im going to make it daily. I swear.

Tumblr for ya

2011-01-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

Random photo. But funny right?

God how many times has that title been used? Well whatevs I'm using it.

I gots me a tumblr! If you are so inclined you SHOULD FOLLOW ME!

That is all.

Apothecary Home

2011-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Ever since I stayed at Dylan Hotel (formerly the NY Pharmacists Club) in NYC a few years ago, I've loved the idea of incorporating apothecary for home. Maybe its all the cool creepy jars and mini drawers remind me of something a witch would have, or maybe it's the medical family I have. Who knows.

Anyway, I've gathered a few images from around the web that I want my house to look like someday. When I win the lottery. That's right. I SAID WHEN! (Positive thinking!)

Meow

2011-01-25T16:05:00.000-08:00

Since Cats are the official pet of the internet, I'm celebrating with a blingy cat ring. It is something my work style icons the K sisters would wear I think.

Also, told to cover tattoos for speaking engagement. I get it, but I still can't wait until my generation runs the world.

My name starts with K too

2011-01-24T13:54:00.000-08:00

I have a confession. OK, a Konfession. I'm addicted to the Kardashians.

Let me start with the explanation that I never thought I could even stomache a show about nothing. Or about people who were famous for...being famous? And I really don't get the whole sex tape, 'oh no don't talk about my sex tape, but I'm going to slyly bring it up periodically' thing.

But I watched. And now, I can't stop.

They are funny! Not like contrived funny, but they crack me up. It's sweet how they truly love each other. That's one thing you can't fake on reality tv. Even IF Ryan Secrest is involved. Gag.

And lastly, I like (most of) their outfits.

OK, feel free to judge me.

2011-01-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

helllllsss yeah. Finally finishing this biatch. Not sure why I'm talking like some white trash kid from Illinois. But hey, roll with it.

New stuff and crappy photos

2011-01-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

Apologies in advance for these crap photos. It's kinda hard to take photos of your own neck. But... over the holiday my buddy Ike gave me a nice California Love tattoo on me neck... It's really behind the ear but I like saying neck.

AND, I'm finally finishing my amazing sleeve by the amazing Chas. I can't wait to get color this weekend. He really is a genius.

That's all for now, hopefully I'll get off my lazy ass and take some real photos soon. Hope everyone is having a great 2011 so far!

New Year's Heave

2011-01-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

So we rang in the new year in traditional fashion... with two thousand other people watching NOFX in drag.

Youth Brigade also played, and from what I remember (which is not a lot after four peach schnapps) the show was great. Not so great is my lack of photos. Here's one crappy iphone pic of the show. If you look VERY close you can see a pink wig on El Jefe.

I did however manage to enjoy my red orange hair until Sunday, when it was died back to boring blond. Bleh.

More posts to come this week, here in socal its rainy and poopy out and it's making me very sleepy and lazy. TGFTI (thank god for the internet).

Happy 2011 everyone! Make it a good one.

Hook, line and sinker

2010-12-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

OMG I'm such a BAD blogger. BAD BAD BAD me. But my new years resolution is to be more consistent with the b-word. Blogging.

So...Christmas was great. My hair is now orange red.

This is what it looked like before I got crazy with dye.

I got a new tattoo behing the ear but I like saying neck cuz it sounds SO HARD CORE. Ha. AND I'm finishing my sleeve. Pics when I am not a lazy loser.

Oh and I gots engaged. I trapped me a man, I did! Even with all these hideous tattoos!!! (Novarella knows what I'm talking about. Read her story here which I freaking love here: http://novarella.blogspot.com/2010/06/buthow-will-i-ever-catch-husband.html)

Sidenote: HOW GROSS are fingers when photographed at close range? FREAKY. But here's my ring anyway.

He picked this out ALL BY HIMSELF and I normally am SO not a diamond ring kind of girl (I wear no jewelry. I'm decorated enough.) but this is a BLACK diamond ring!!! Hello amazing? He knows me through and through.

He is everything to me. And he has great hair. K mushiness done.

Here's some more randomness that I collected over the last week.

Alaska Airlines is THE SHIT. I love them and their tasty snack packs.

What would a post be without coffee? Pretty pretty mocha!

Hope ya all had a great holiday season!

Love, me.

Pretty Things

2010-12-15T12:49:00.000-08:00

Things that I've been inspired by the last few days. Top is Mia from Gilded Atrium and her fabulous bangs and hair. Jealousy. Middle is a photo I found on Caroline's blog. Inspiring me to use glitter in a photoshoot at some point. And then there is the gorgeous Casey Loza, showing off her flawless skin and eyelining skills.

Also: Nyquil, thank you for sleep. This cold/cough/eyegoop thing is wearing me down.

Images: GildedAtrium, Carolineinthecity, Filthyego

Tattoo Tuesday

2010-12-14T11:19:00.000-08:00

Danielle's Tattoo Tuesday feature is up on SometimesSweet... check out the real life tattood snow white Tiffany she has on their. She is too cute, and has a few nice pieces as well.

Pharrell Williams x the Selby

2010-12-14T08:42:00.000-08:00

These images make me want to be somewhere tropical. Which is strange because I despise heat and sun. But I must say, Miami is gorgeous.

Pharrell has a great contemporary collection going on. Love the Murakami stuff!

Images via the selby dot com

Tattoo Tuesday

2010-11-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

I'm back from T-town with more work! My mom is going to kill me.

I got an all-seeing eye by Evil Ike at The Ink Spot. He's the singer of one of my favorite bands, the Broken Oars. If you haven't listened to them, DO IT NOW.

Also, I was featured on Danielle's Sometimes Sweet Tattoo Tuesday so check it out here if you want to see more gratuitous photos of moi.

PS- Congratulate her on her handsome little man she just popped out! Welcome Henry!

Driving in LA: Everyone is an a**hole.

2010-11-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

So, if you live long enough after driving for a while in LA, you pretty much see people doing anything and everything behind the wheel. It’s the one saving grace of traffic jams and sig alerts. I like to play “what the hell is that guy doing- oh my god, is he waxing his back in traffic?” and other games.

This morning I saw a man flossing his teeth with a fast food drink straw. He is the MacGuyver of dental hygene. Now I’ve seen vehicular teeth picking with the old business card, and the pedestrian toothpick, but a straw never occurred to me. I’d love to see what he does with the cup that straw came with.

I’ve seen women applying full stage makeup while driving 90 in the fast lane, while talking on a cell phone. And eating.

I’ve seen the old ‘it was a scratch!’ in every way, shape, and form. I’ve even seen it eaten.

I’ve seen the masturbators, the scratchers, the sleepers, the readers.

I’ve seen the air guitarists and drummers. Once I was driving with my mother when she spotted a man having a full scale turrets episode. I decided he was just drumming to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

Satan says Defrost

2010-11-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

My microwave is demonically possessed. As I was getting ready this morning, I began hearing a strange Morse-code like beeping. I figured my neighbors two year old had some horrible new toy like “Big Boy Banker” or something.

I went into the kitchen and witnessed my microwave worshipping Satan on my kitchen counter. The monitor, I shit you not, displayed 66:66. And it was beeping at me. Furiously. And it would clear no matter what I pushed, and then as if some demon ghost was programming the sign of the devil to microwave popcorn, 6, then :66, then 6:66 then 66:66 and over again.

I unplugged the thing and it stopped beeping. Thank god. I was ready to throw that thing out the window and/or call a priest if it kept it up without electricity. So now I’m trying to decide if I should perform an exorcism on my microwave or just go with god and hit Wal-Mart for a new one on sale.

Marilyn Monroe's Diet

2010-11-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

I don't know why but this is super fascinating to me!!!

Via Jezebel:

From a late shopping list, we know her diet was wholesome and that she cooked for herself — if simply. Clearly, she liked to eat proper meals. Even her weight-loss plan was not insubstantial. Again, via Loren Stover's paeon to the bombshell:

Breakfast:
8:00 A.M. Orange juice or stewed prunes
Cereal, well cooked
Toast (white), 2 slices, crisp, with butter
Milk or weak cocoa, 1 cup

10:00 A.M. Milk, 1 cup, and 1 cracker

Lunch or Supper:
1:00 P.M. Choice of:
Egg, 1 (boiled, poached, shirred or scrambled)
or cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons

Choice of:
Potato, 1, baked or mashed
or spaghetti, boiled with tomato or butter (no cheese)
or noodes, 1/2 cup (boiled), add milk (no cheese)
Toast or bread (white), stale, 1 slice, with butter
Jell-O or cooked fruit

3:30 P.M. Milk, 1 cup, and 1 cracker

Dinner:
6:30 P.M. Choice of:
Lean beef (boil, broil or roast)
or chicken
or lamb chop
or sweetbread
or fish
or chicken liver
Potato, 1 (any way but fried)

Choice of:
1/2 cup tomatoes, beets, carrots, spinach, string beans or peas, pureed or strained
Bread (white), 1 slice with butter
Dessert: junket, custard, tapioca pudding or rice pudding or baked apple

11:00 P.M. Eggnog

And this was her DIET meal plan!!! Oh the carbs. True, carbs were still different in the 1950s but holy carbfest.

Dig the eggnog though.

Two new ones

2010-11-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

Two new ones to share.

My water heater is broken. I've been taking cold showers. It's exhilerating!

OK, I'm lying it sucks!!! But trying to stay positive.

Marilyn and her Monsters

2010-11-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

If you read this blog consistently, you know I love Marilyn Monroe. This month's Vanity Fair has an interesting read about her private diaries and letters that are going to be published this month. I've got mixed feelings about reading something she obviously wanted kep private; however, this insight into her is a great treat for fans.

Read the online version here.

Redhead

2010-10-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

freaking amazing.

via the sartorialist

Nom nom nom: Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-10-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

I know what I'll be making this weekend. Oh actually, next weekend. I'm moving this weekend. Barf.

Anyway, back to the yum:

Pumpkin Pancakes
serves 4

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons fresh pumpkin puree or canned
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus additional for griddle
1 egg
apple compote (recipe follows)
whipped cream, optional

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together milk, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Melt some butter in a griddle or skillet over medium heat; pour about 1/3 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side and serve with apple compote and cream.

Recipe via jewelofNY

Back to Olympia

2010-10-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

More from the Washington trip. I can't begin to describe how amazing this trip was. I fell so hard for a few different things on this trip. A place, a man, a different way of life.

Tacoma

2010-09-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

I went to Tacoma. I went Camping and saw some sick bands play in the woods. It was pretty much the best trip of my life. More photos to come, once my ears stop ringing.

New Music- Sleigh Bells

2010-09-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Couch Toss 2010

2010-07-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

Out with the old, in with the new! It was way past due time for a new couch, and moving it into my apartment was such a pain, we decided to just do what normal people do: throw it out the window.

So I present photos of "Couch Toss 2010". That's me in the center, showing the world what I think of said couch. My neighbors wanted to leave it in the driveway for parties, but I didn't think the landlord would enjoy it.

So, this week it's ikea time! Can't wait to lose hours of my life trying to decipher ikea instructions.

Contemplating...

2010-07-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

Real hermes wings tattood. Can only imagine the pain, but this picture is insanely inspiring.

via seablanket (one of my new favorite blogs!)

Summmmmmertime

2010-06-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

Erin Heatherston x Marie Claire Italia

2010-06-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Shorties

2010-06-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Nobody rocks the denim shorts like the Bos.

kristy hume x dazed & confused

2010-06-18T10:17:00.001-07:00

LOVE. Still looking gorgeous.

boot lust: kate bosworth's ankle booties

2010-06-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

kate's are isabel marant (last season).

These are pretty close, yeah?

Ali Does Summer

2010-06-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

ALI does her best to make me jealous of her perpetual tan and gorgeous posing ability.

photos: 4thandbleekerblog

Dree+Lorenzo

2010-06-09T09:27:00.000-07:00