catbird. my one stop shop for Christmas this year. this little Williamsburg mecca of all things pretty, feminine and classy with an indie edge is my new favourite online shop.
They have perfectly curated gift sets including beauty products, candles, jewelry, and household goods. If you have great taste and little efforts or time, you will adore what they have in store for you. Check out the best thing ever, a whole section dedicated to gift sets and get your hands on the good stuff:
www.catbirdnyc.com
While you shop for the perfect trinkets, you can pin all of their fantastic engagement rings to your secret pinterest for that non-existent future wedding.
C’mon, we all have one!
219 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Why I love ‘Girls’
You know, the show. Last week I came out of my comatose state on mars and got pulled into the Brooklyn chic, meets Sex and the City, meets my actual life as a twenty something in the year twenty something dram-com. Lena Dunham is the writer/director/leading lass who brings you on her character, Hannah Horvath’s journey of being an aspiring essayist and going absolutely nowhere in her professional or personal life. Misanthropic, much?
At first glance, this show is absolutely what the fuck worthy. Hannah’s circle of friends includes the 22 year old virgin Shoshannah, delightfully neurotic Marnie, and free spirit Jessa. Not to mention her macabre mannered yet undoubtedly sexy boyfriend Adam. There’s a lot of sex, whining and intermingling narratives between the characters. It just works. The characters are well written and each episode brings you chuckling with a sense of familiarity to your own life, as if you’re that third wheel BFF lingering in the back of the shot.
Lena (26) has been dubbed the “voice of a generation” by many critics recently, even more so, earning the title of the new Woody Allen by few. I see it, the fixation with NYC, starring in your own works, and sex. It suits her scathing sense of humor and salty take on the dilemmas of life in the city which we see played out in her writing on Girls.
I highly recommend this show. There’s a lot I will never relate to such as being a well to do college grad living in the city on my parent’s dime, the STI from your recently gay boyfriend (knock on wood), or some of the mindless drama that the characters bring to the screen that I’ve never been silly enough to partake in. There is however, just something about this show that strikes a chord of comfort in the cynical, and often meaningless black hole of my twenty something brain, while reminding me through the weaving character plots that everything is going to be okay, and that I will survive my twenties. Plus, I’m in a current love affair with NYC. I’m going to move there one day. You probably already knew that. Despite my creative slump, this post is right on time for you, as Girls Season 1 is out today on DVD & Blu Ray. Get to it, girls of the internets.
It’s easy to think of 50 reasons NOT to partake in the worldwide kink phenomenon that is Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L James. Let’s start with Twilight fan-fic, grammatical shitstorm, and mommy porn. So, how did this book end up on top of my nightstand, now above my current readings of the brilliant Murakami and recent pickup The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters? Well, this novel, good bad and worse, has a spellbound effect on women (and probably men) everywhere. Many readers around the globe quote that they enjoy the E.L James trilogy as a mere “escape” from their own mundane lives; I am seeing that this book is simply equal parts hilarious and awful. It’s a fun read. While I haven’t decided if I will read the following two books (I am hardly past chapter five, or the Red Room of Pain), I am relieved to have finally eased my curiosity about this smut piece of fiction. While I am turning pages rapidly, fascinated by the domineering and elusive Christan Grey, nothing, not even a pretend billionaire boyfriend, is more satisfying than googling “50 Shades of Grey” and reading the headlines for a good midday chuckle or two.
Snips via Gawker.com
The world is going bonkers, y’all!
A week full of art, geekery, friends and laughter, SDCC, it was! Using the Canon Rebel I spent x-hundred dollars on last year is so passe. Check out a few of my favourite moments of last week a la Instagram, so 2012.
Staying slim, it’s important. I must say, about 7 months ago I was on a running kick, running 4-7 miles a day through beautiful Balboa Park & DTSD right out my front door. Whoa. Well » to present day, I live in DTLA. It fucking sucks in terms of working out daily. Can’t run without having to dodge skid row, cracked out bums, or side streets reminiscent of Tijuana. I don’t pack heat, and weekend workouts only aren’t cutting it, so thankfully my new hangout neighborhood in LA, Silver Lake, has introduced me to a local barre/ballet workout studio called Pop Physique. I must say that the nice ass on their American Apparel-esque billboards is quite a selling point. Well, $20 a class is a bit steep on the twenty something, credit cards to pay off budget. Pop Physique just released their DVD home workout series for $29.99, an investment that will clearly pay off with my new workout restrictions in the BIG city of LA. A sturdy chair, light hand weights, and optional thong & stockings and you are ready to do some high impact, hardcore ballet barre moves right in your living room! As my boyfriend so clearly stated, I will have a PhD in “assanomics”
Get your butt school on and order the complete Pop Physique DVD collection here.
Time is rapidly flying, and another San Diego Comic Con is creeping upon us. The first cool tidbit for 2012 is the celebration of the 100th issue of The Walking Dead, done only in the finest scary-as-fuck fashion, a full blown zombie infection evacuation zone set up at Petco Park. For $70, you can be a “survivor”, ropes, crawling, and obstacle courses included. Oh, yeah, you also get an exclusive copy of the 100th issue, if you get to the safety zone at the end. What scares me more than being thrown into a stadium to play with zombies, is that there are also “spectator” tickets available, with a wait list. Sounds like they’ve got a good show planned. Do you dare?
Every day can be so blase. A while ago,I discovered the fantastic designs of black + blum living goods based in London at Pigment boutique in North Park/San Diego.
Put the kibosh on the plastic bagged lunch & invest in one of their chic box appetit boxes. I’ve never “brown bagged” it so much in my life.
A splash of style into your mundane lunch breaks will stretch that $22 very far, my friend.
Next on my list, the highly sought after PH balancing Eau Good water bottle. Such a miracle.
If you’re feeling brave, once you get the cafeteria covered, visit www.shoppigment.com to drool over apartment furnishings.
Thank me later.
x
art walk
Living in DTLA has it’s ups and downs. One particular dividend is the monthly art walk held every second Thursday of the month that spans through blocks of the historic core and draws many-a-folk to the city. Having been in the neighborhood for a few months now, even for love of art, I hardly find myself inspired to sift through the zombie homeless, as well as underage girls walking piss-ass drunk, and, barefoot (ew) down spring street. Feeling perkier than usual today, I decided to brave the streets, tune out the crowd, and explore what April has to offer.
Discovery part une. the neighborhood cafe, equal parts art gallery poppin’ with an awesome street art show featuring a grip of the cities finest street artists.
Exhibition runs daily from 9am-7pm, go grab a cuppa joe and enjoy these fine works. I found this show to be highly representative of the streets of Los Angeles.
Discovery part deux. *there’s no place like home, tap, tap!* While everybody in DTLA tries to dress like next season’s highlight issue of Vogue, which usually entails pretty much wearing all black, I miss the kitschy unpretentious style of my old neighborhood Hillcrest in SD. I stumbled upon an adorable eco friendly pop up shop hidden in the corner of the Medallion retail spaces that fill during artwalk. Pop Lux Eco, eco-friendly style brought to you by Ivy Glass, Shelley Smatana & Allison Tarcelli. Side note, fuck you, taxes, I would’ve at least dropped a benjamin to these cute gals if I didn’t have to throw my money to the system. They had me at crochet dreamcatchers, floral porcelain “whisky” charm necklaces and indoor glass garden bubbles, when the Talking Heads “Once In A Lifetime” started playing, I was feeling quite nostalgic and in love with their little shop. The prices are reasonable and the shop stands out amongst the rest by being unequivocally stylish in that crafty chic way.
This was their first artwalk. Shop with me next month and keep up with them on the internet here.
Just another day in LA, folks.
My favourite sound. New tunes, paired with an equal parts insane, and brilliant video from Swedish trio Miike Snow. <3 Latest album Happy to You dropped 3/27.Don’t deny it, despite the video highlighting a playground full of dead kids, this tune is damn good.
hear ye, hear ye
It’s been a hot minute. I must say, I’ve found myself in the city of dreams, in a complete rut. One day I woke up completely abased, and I haven’t tangled my way out of being stuck in a state of self absorbed depression.
Some days are undoubtedly worse than others, but THIS day will surely be one to look forward to…
Buff Monster’s work is known to be highly representative of my new love-hate neighborhood, Hollywood, Los Angeles California. Uniquely, this show takes a turn east in which “Legend of the Pink Cherry” will feature new acrylic on wood pieces drawing inspiration from the Renaissance era. This show will also be featuring the debut project of sixty collectable trading cards honouring the Garbage Pail Kids, this project is known as the “Melty Misfits”.
In an effort to suck it up and own my new Los Angeles residency, for what it’s worth, I will proudly be at this event to support my most cherished, and pink, artist!
oh, Wes.
This week, I thought it terrible that my wireless router had given out on me after 4 years of solid signal. Little did I know, an impromptu trip to Best Buy would lead me to two things, my first celebrity sighting in Los Angeles this year, the ever so high-larious Jason Mewes from Kevin Smith’s smashing hit Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, as well as a disheveled end cap of Criterion Collection films. Though I feel quite challenged in keeping my blog current, hip, and with the times, I do feel the need to pay overdue homage to the November 2011 addition of Wes Anderson’s Rushmore to the Criterion Collection. This discovery turned a daunting errand into another worthy charge on my credit card. (I say another, as earlier this week it was Jeffrey Campbell shoes)… Yes, it’s a bit late, although to reword Herman Blume, Rushmore’s my Rushmore.
For a more current bit of happening, tune back to summer 1965 on an island off the New England coast in Wes Anderson’s 2012 film Moonrise Kingdom here.
this pocket sized elevating treasure was stumbled upon at a japanese bookstore recently. iconic media theorist Marshall McLuhan x Shepard Fairey (cover art) equals brilliant.
There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.
Happy Monday, y’all.
this weekend: the affordable art fair
Oh. Hai. I love living in LA. While I’ve been choking up various ideas of things to tell you about, I’ll admit, I’ve been in quite a (good) funk lately that I’ve encountered some writers block. I am currently a new resident of DTLA, and have had to conveniently put forth little to no effort to find cool shit to do. I.e, artwalk, every second Thursday of the month, outside my door. BAM. Endless galleries and shops, less than 15 minutes away. Heaven. Not to mention the streets themselves, infiltrated with art. It’s great. What’s better is when all of artists, organizations, and supporters join forces and have events such as The Affordable Art Fair, which will be held at the deck at L.A. Live January 19th-22nd. My most anticipated gander will absolutely be the Thinkspace spot at the event.
Tomorrow afternoon (January 19th) on the event deck at L.A. Live, the Affordable Art Fair will kick off their Los Angeles showing with a goal of presenting contemporary art priced from $100 – $10,000, hence their name. Among the booths we will be viewing, one of the highlights for AM will definitely be the lineup at Thinkspace featuring the likes of Adam Caldwell, Audrey Kawasaki, Brian M. Viveros, DABS MYLA, David Cooley, David MacDowell, Jacub Gagnon, Jason Thielke, Jeff Ramirez, Linnea Strid, Mari Inukai, Meggs, Pakayla Biehn, Pedro Matos, Sarah Joncas, Stella Im Hultberg, and Stephanie Buer.
More preview shots after the jump including a look at the beginning of a Dabs Myla mural…
via Arrested Motion
check out the rest of the Arrested Motion preview of Thinkspace Gallery @ Affordable Art Fair, here!
Resume, adjustment period/unpacking/laziness.
Be Back Later!
