safety tips from a seasoned source.

bamboo in line - my yard - napa, ca

many of you have heard that i was involved in an accident early saturday morning.  i was the sole passenger in a taxi, not wearing a seatbelt, and a drunk driver collided with our car head on.  in a matter i seconds, i'd badly chipped my front teeth (we're talking seventy-five percent gone), bit through my lip, and slammed into the side of the car, leaving one hell of a bruise and a sore noggin behind.  i'm so lucky to be alright--though the retoothing process is far from over--so i'm encouraging all of  you to buckle up on your cab rides. and of course, don't drink and drive.  it's selfish and fucking stupid.  keep your teeth.  keep your life.  and let's keep on keeping on in 2009. 

eve[ning].

rainboots - my yard - napa, ca

i made a run to vallejo's value center today to see if i could find a last-minute, kick-ass present for a couple pals. there really wasn't anything life-changing to be found. but i did come across a most ludacris thing: a camel colored cashmere coat priced at $700.00. wtf?! actually, i've noticed that about the vc. the overwhelming majority of items are fairly priced--often underpriced--but sometimes i'm utterly shocked. i bet there's an employee who adds a couple extra zeros to keep me--the bargain-hunting consumer--guessing.

merry christmas eve!

bloob bloob bloob bloob.

persimmons - my yard - napa, ca

the rain is here, and i love it.  everything looks better and fresher when covered in little wiggly droplets.

bright with christmas delight.

twinkly lights - the floor of my room - sf, ca

it's the monday before christmas, and all throughout the room. not an object is stirring, not even my broom.  the lights are all tangled, my closet's a mess. everything in disarray, that i can attest.  but it really doesn't matter.  oh i honestly don't care. because even a mess is joyous and merry, when holiday spirit is in the air!

strut to the sounds and wait with the waves.

so so clear - my city - sf, ca

i once fancied myself an anti-ipod-bubble person.  but i've become a walk-to-and-fro-to-a-tune tottie as of late.  the moment i step onto the landing of my staircase the music starts.  and it doesn't cease until i cross the threshold of neiman marcus.  it really makes life quite simple.  i can't hear the chatter of passersby.  strangers seeking directions look elsewhere for a point toward union square.  the strange man sitting across from me doesn't bother to ask the time or where i'm headed.  then again, where's the fun in that routine? walk walk. half a song. flip through overplayed august 08 playlist (that actually contains december songs). walk walk listen walk listen walk.  but today when my pod died, i was reunited with the merriment of this city's buzz.   

when you angle it just so the magic happens.

close to dark - the presidio - sf, ca

as much as i love my little digi, i'm starting to have qualms with the digitilization (i made up the word just now) of photo taking.  seriously, i'm so sick of viewing album after album of girls standing in a row, their right-angled arms propped on their hips.  there's no spontaneity, no life in those pictures.  and what's the point of having eighty versions of you and your three sexy girlfriends all looking perfect?  borrrring.  there are just so many more interesting subjects to focus on.  so many different perspectives to capture a moment from.  so work on it people.  and get back to me when you do.

p.s. ms. laura hyatt is my first official blog follower.  i don't know how she did it, but i encourage everyone to do the same.  thanks laur!

of course you spend your winters in the french alps.

the euser christmas tree - napa, ca

i went to a seriously swanky christmas party last night.  a group of guys rented out a restaurant--i'm blanking on the name--in the soma.  four-hundred people.  many of them live versions of chuck bass himself, scarf and all.  and as my friend rachel so perfectly put it, the crowd was the creme de la creme of douche bags.  nonetheless, the people watching opportunities were endless.

the perfect shade.

algae wallpaper - near marin headlands, ca

i ran into an issue with a missing camera cord, but i'm back with so much to share.  getting super excited for christmas, my utmost favorite holiday.  amy grant on repeat.  a little john denver and the muppets.  and a wee little christmas tree to sparkle in the window.  one thing i still have to conquer though is the annual euser christmas letter.  i've written it since eighth grade.  the pressure is pressing.

thanks[to you]giving.

winter white blooms - napa, ca

thank you, thanksgiving, it was a delicious day.  and though i love stuffing and all things pumpkin-flavored, i can't wait to invite the christmas spirit into my life.  eggnog=my favorite.  and lights.  and christmas trees.  and cozy sweaters and gift-buying.  can't wait.  

in the spirit of today, i'm thankful for:

1. you

2. my family

3. my friends

4. my ultra-comfortable bed

5. my art wall and its contributors 

6. my job

7. my dogs 

8. and all of the things that make my day-to-day worth an f-ing hurray. 

can you believe that one brain can carry and contain it all?

cranes, big ones - from the ferry - vallejo, ca

five things:

1. when i pass a person with an ipod, i want to know what they're listening to.  

2. it pisses me off that all san francisco parking signs contain a grammatical error: no parking from 2am-6am everyday.  every space day, people.  every. space. day. i've been told that i need to relax about it.  i think the city should consider hiring a copyeditor.  hell, hire me.

3. i'm going to start asking people to guess my name.  i feel like the answers would be interesting.  and for the record, i tell creepy guys that my name is holly.  i've never been questioned.

4. when walking through the stockton tunnel on my way home from work, i choose a person far ahead of me to secretly race to the end.  i normally win.  i have considerable stride advantage. 

5. yesterday while at trader joe's i overheard a man and a woman discussing how unripe the avocados were.  terribly so.  he then said to his curly-haired companion, we'll just put them in a brown paper bag with an apple.  magic!  i totally need to eavesdrop more often.

oh vinni, everything about you is positively glowing.

beams - Qs - santa barbara, ca

i've always classified myself as an overthinker. i toil with ideas until they are so tired, so exhausted in my head. take now for instance. i just sat in front of this screen for at least ten minutes with the featured photo just staring at me, thinking, what the hell should i write? what have i been thinking about lately that is at all relevant to this picture? when really, all i want to discuss is my favorite little neighborhood man. first, he wears strictly khaki-colored clothing. normally chinos with a beige golf shirt and tan loafers. second, he jogs while crossing the street. and i use the term 'jog' to convey his bodily movements. the word is not meant to imply that his pace is anything quicker than glacial. it is a most absurd scene--the arm-pumping, the unnecessary lifting of the knees. third, i've named him vinni. he's totally someone's round, smily uncle--the kind of man who tells the chubby girl how pretty she looks. he is what i've coined, human sunshine.

a message to my mama.

hoodies - my closet - sf, ca

my mom recently began reading my blog.  hi mom.  i love you.  

bak dau. bak dau. step dow.

washed up - dp beach - isla vista, ca

i have a pretty substantial fear of face planting on muni.  the following scenario is one that i play in my mind each time i flash my monthly pass: i climb onto the thirty, both hands gripping shopping bags.  i anticipate the bus's acceleration, but underestimate the driver's pent up rage.  i take ginger steps toward the glossy, burnt orange seats.  the driver guns it.  my small-turned-giant, stomping steps can't compensate for the zero to thirty in two seconds.  so i take a dive face-first, into the sticky, trodden, rubber flooring.  and all of the little chinamen laugh at once. "beeg laydee faal daun." the horror.  i've never seen it happen, but i'm sure it has.

women in menswear and the power of it all.

beauty and the (bow tie) beast - MAiSONRY - yountville, ca

for the past two weeks, fashionistas san francisco-wide have been gushing over the yves saint laurent retrospective being featured at the deyoung museum.  without question, the man was a genius--a visionary and creator of an empowered female silhouette.  i had the opportunity to see several of the looks featured in the collection, and i was shocked that my ysl knowledge was so lacking.  i've only been familiar with the late-eighties, early-nineties collections.  the iconic power suit and brilliant colors that are still most present in what has become of the house.  but there was a time when the label was a brilliant combination of boho and glamour. of carefree and polish.  let's just say mr. laurent has a knack for remaining relevant.  cheers to that.  and cheers to cheersing all weekend long!

imagine if those were your rights denied.

two in one - my garden - napa, ca

pretty bummed about the passing of prop eight.  i just don't get what people are so averse to.  love is love is love is love.  and to say otherwise is all kinds of ignorant.  f that.

congratulations america. thank you, obama.

a little sacrilege never hurt anyone - yountville, ca

i woke up this morning three hours before having to go to work.  not because i'm an early riser--many can attest that i'm quite the opposite-- but because i've never felt so invested in a single election.  when i drew that black, felt-tipped line to complete the arrow pointing to obama, i closed my eyes wanting to remember that very moment for the rest of my life.  and i think i will--voting in someone's garage has such an unbelievable charm.  and the camaraderie among voters waiting in line is quite strong in a place like san francisco where many people uphold my love for my man barack.  so thank you everyone for voting today.  

let me have an AMEN.  hell, i'd like a HALLELUJAH as well.  tomorrow is today is our future right away.  yes we can.

the storm before the storm.

droplets - peju winery - oakville, ca

what better to do on a rainy--i'm talking pouring--day than take a trip to cheap pete's for a little framing assistance?  come november 19th i'll have three new additions to my ever-growing art wall.  

more importantly, tomorrow will be one for the books.  one that i'm quite positive will be a topic of conversation well into our eighties.  i'm going to wait as long as i have to in order to cast my vote for obama.  and i might even be listening to john legend's if you're out there on repeat while waiting in line.  

why yes, i would love a glass of wine.

giant olive oil jug - MAiSONRY - yountville, ca

i believe in bringing reusable bags to the grocery store.  okay, you do it too.  practically everyone does.  but do you write "for a good time" in place of your name on the trader joe's raffle ticket?  i didn't think so.  in any case, i'm still waiting for the call.  i'm beginning to think that the whole fifty dollar gift certificate deal is a huge fraud.  

other than that, i had an interesting weekend.  made most enjoyable thanks to my personal sommelier slash conversationalist extraordinaire, evan.  his sitch over at coit liquor is pretty great--tons of foot traffic which grants me plenty of opportunity to talk to strangers.  or at least observe them from a friendly distance.  take tonight for instance.  i met a couple from italy--paolo (a serious wine connoisseur)and enza (a computer science professor)--and after talking for a while, they asked when i was coming to lake como.  i said, "soon" (lie).  which led to an open invitation to visit.  if only i had more dollars in my life.  then came luke, a waiter from boston who just so happens to work at de lucci's restaurant directly across the street from my house.  p.s. the place serves the best bloody mary i've ever found--perfectly spicy, a celery-salted rim, and a shrimp, celery, and olive garnish to boot.  oh, and then there was the douchbag who literally rolled into the store on his skateboard.  dude, you're not cool.  we're not impressed.  get the fuck out.  he felt the wrath and decided to "buy [his] beer elsewhere."  good riddance, bro.  

grey days and similar conversation.

brrrrr - from the ferry - san francisco, ca

i heard a statistic years ago that i never bothered checking but have reiterated time after time: seventy-five percent of small-talk conversations are about the weather.  every time that i get wrapped in awkward elevator silence, i resist my human instinct to say, "man, it's chilly today, isn't it?" because doing so would feel like such a cop out.  and what's the point, really, in stating the obvious?  it's so pointless. but it happens. 

so this is me encouraging all of your to take notice of your weather talk.  note: natural disasters, hail, and flooding all warrant plenty of chit chat.  

bark bark bark.

thickest rope i've ever seen - artefact - somona, ca

so by now you might have gathered that i'm unconditionally in love with my dogs.  like the type of love that consumes your brain and cinches itself around your heart until you can hardly walk straight.  it then makes sense that i notice and acknowledge every dog that i come across.  but lately i've been burdened by a terribly un-p.c. thought.  every time i pass a chinese woman walking a dog, i scream "run!" inside my head.  

think about it. 

sizzle sesh in a smoking hot pan.

koi - robert sinksky winery - yountville, ca

i've been listening to morgan page's longest road on repeat for the past two days. almost literally. while driving. while organizing my room. while cooking dinner. while writing this very sentence. at some point it's going to repulse me, but for now, i'm pretty obsessed.

in other news, my love affair with ahi tuna continues. seared, please. and quite rare.

keep your dime. keep that dozen.

peony on my desk- my favorite - san francisco, ca

i just want to put this piece of information on the table: i don't dig roses. never have. sure, the smelly ones are pleasant, but they're predictable. if red, cliche. and there are so many blooms that are far superior to the thorned-stemmed flower. however, i will concede that they do rank higher than carnations. carnations hurt my feelings. they are the hoochie heels of the floral world. so this is me encouraging everyone to choose wisely. and should i ever acquire an admirer, i certainly hope he'd know me well enough to take the garden path toward lilies and lilac and peonies, si vou ples.

ginger root and chicken feet. fifteen cents a piece.

china town - san francisco, ca

i feel most grateful for being as tall as i am when i'm walking home from work through china town.  imagining being at eye level with so many passing faces completely freaks me out.  claustrophobia dot com.  plus, being a head and a half above everyone else makes maneuvering a whole lot easier.  now if i could only figure out how to defend myself against the combined smells of fish, peking duck, and fried won tons.  not my favorite.

to remember the days from then to here.

my work-in-progress art wall - my room -  san francisco, ca

see. told you it was cool.  i'm again encouraging anyone interested to contribute to my art wall.

 

in other news, taco tuesday was a a huge success.  and today in general was pretty fabulous.  after a hard day at work, i had the opportunity to attend the elizabeth locke trunk show/cocktail hour.  met the designer.  had a glass of champagne, and then hiked it to the marina to meet up with a lesser shi-shi crowd.  best of both worlds.

swear like a sailor. drink like a fish.

blue angel dust - north beach - san francisco, ca

fleet week was pretty ridiculous.  my sister was in town.  the blue angels were flying like maniacs all over and around the city.  sailor sightings became quite commonplace (i expected them to be sexier).  and i had a fucking great time.  

tip-toeing into the chanel ocean.

steps to dp beach - isla vista, ca

and to think, just two months ago i was lounging beachside in isla vista.  now i'm on the fast track to retail prowess.  i'm of course flattering myself beyond belief.  becoming the newest chanel assistant has been somewhat intimidating, but i've done my best to take everything one step at a time--and i've been taking pages upon pages of notes on the way.  

so here's my day in a nutshell:

*get dressed.  no joke, choosing an ensemble can take up to an hour--but i do so religiously the evening prior.  "this goes with this.  no this would be better with that.  oh, i wish i had those kate spade flats, they would make 'x' skirt and blouse look so much more put together with 'y' necklace."

*eat breakfast while listening to my daily npr podcasts.  i'm starting to realize why all the women around me are so waify.  sometimes i'd much rather sleep fifteen more minutes than eat a couple pieces of toast.  but i do.  because i'm far grouchier when hungry than when sleepy.

*make lunch.  i'm on a budge.  no room for spending $10 per day.  i'm currently consuming a ton of lentils, avo, and tomatoes.  bomb dot com. and trader joe's cat cookies too.

*hop on a bus for eight to ten minutes, depending.  normally plagued with stares from little chinese women who wonder what planet i'm from.  by the way, what is it with chinese women and their affinity for prom shoes--like jeweled, satin, strappy sandals--with casual clothing.  i don't get it.

*exit bus.

*walk two blocks.  along the way passing all of my new construction worker friends who are working on the new gucci store on stockton that had forcasted to open this month.  they're behind.  probably because tool-belt tom and jackhammer jason are spending too much of mr. gucci's money greeting passersby.  thought i do most appreciate the gesture.  

to be continued...i'm exhausted

a festful weekend.

peace house - up a winding road - santa barbara, ca

i had such an unbelievable weekend.  oktoberfest and lovefest in a single day?! nuts.

highlights:

*pre-parting at susan, heather, and audpod's.  very few things are as fun as being buzzed in the morning.  

*running to catch the thirty only to meet an amazing kid with purple and black checked pants.  

*oktoberfest in general was a blast.  but seeing the one and only ms. lindsey mitten transformed the day from fun to fucking fantastic.  

*tripping out over the mini sb reunion.

*treking to lovefest.  rescued a girl from her sidewalk disaster.

*running into people i haven't seen in days and days.  years even.

*powering through with the help of coors original.  

*seeing taylor and bailey in the marina.  obviously impressed that we were each still on top of our games.  

*meeting up with amanda at circa.  only to meet her football-star suitor.  biggest man i've seen  in my whole entire life.  no joke.  get lifted.

today has been a lounge-fest.  lots of laundry, cleaning, and relaxing... you know the drill.  from what i've heard, friends from all around have shared in the weekend-to-end-all-weekend insanity.  le'ts just be glad that we've all survived.

oh, and one other thing.  i've been made aware of the blue grotto of the island of capri.  i need to get there as soon as possible.

kind of like the railroad.

white roses - spec entertainment - new york city, ny

i'm finally finished with my intensive four-day training.  now that i'm well-versed in all things neiman marcus--working cash registers included--i've been deemed ready to rep the company and assist the chanel buyer/stylist/shopper extraordinaire.  nervous?  sure.  but i'm pretty sure i can smile and schmooze my way through any conversation.  plus, we're not talking life or death here, people.  i'm wishing myself luck.  follow in suite if you so please.

p.s. no joke.  tina turner's simply the best is SO my jam right now.  

split pea. minestrone. chicken noodle doodle.

models need nourishment - fashion week january 08 - new york city, ny

tonight was a night that will birth nights like it in the future.  tonight was the advent of what i like to call, the soup group.  that's right people. the soup group.  though three friends were invited, only lindsay and i were present to enjoy homemade butternut squash and apple curry soup with homemade, whole-wheat croutons and field greens over heirloom tomatoes.

we've decided that each week the soup group will meet at a new location (one of our four houses) and will feature a new soup.  i'm stoked.  let the broth ferries and bouillon-cube cupids prepare their haunches for a hearty helping of warm, savory goodness.

(more info about my new career later.  for now, i love it.)

obe.thethed.

st. peter and paul church - north beach - sf, ca

my sister is the end-all-be-all of sisters.  today at orientation we had to divulge facts about ourselves.  here's what i said:

1. i was born and raised in napa.

2. i went to ucsb and studied writing and still hope to be a writer someday.

3. i have a younger sister, and i'm absolutely obsessed with her.  she is amazing.

4. i'm a firm believer in eating organic and promoting local, sustainable farms.

and there you have it. 

so many books, mr. frog. and only two arms to carry them home.

freduardo - before he hopped away - isla vista, ca

tomorrow marks my induction into the workforce.  whooo!  this weekend was pretty life-changing if i do say so myself.  went out friday night only to see so many people who i've been meeting to meet up with.  north star bar really is a prime place to connect and reconnect and plan future connections.  saturday i hopped up to nahmyo's new nob hill apartment--so her.  and we then braved it up a treacherous ladder to reach a rooftop with a million views--the perfect place for a chat-chat-chat-catch-up sesh.  

today was the last day of the big book sale at fort mason center.  AMAZING. imagine a warehouse full of books--completely overwhelming, but it a totally positive way (all for under a dollar, mind you).  long story short, nahmyo found split pea soup and sea serpents, without a doubt the worst children's book ever written--but brilliant in its awkward absurdity.  and i found a couple poetry books that are going to escort me to work every morning.  all in all, the day was grand.  

gallery in my bedroom. get in the mix.

dusk (not b/w film) - aptos, ca

so happy to be back in the city, officially.  now that i'm back, i have quite a few things to accomplish.  first course of action: reestablish my city relationships.  second: people watch like it's my job. third: watch the debates tomorrow night. fourth: find vintage picture frames (for cheap). fifth: find a way to encourage all my artist friends to contribute to my bedroom's art wall.  thanks to cleveland motley and my mom, it's coming along quite nicely.

ready your engines.

jack and his favorite car - danville, ca

so the first obama/mccain debate is this friday--i'm trying to find a bar in the city that'll be showing it.  what fun: friends, politics, and drinks.  plus, there've gotta be a handful of gorgeous democrats in sf.  come out, come out wherever you are.

and if you're wondering, the little man above is jack (whitney's son).  and he encourages everyone to vote for obama.  he would know.  his mom is a political advisor.

sunbathe today because tomorrow will be brisk.

fall colors - two years ago - oakville, ca

fall is upon us!  i went to google this morning and smiled at their homage to the season change.  and how beautiful the days have been and will continue to be until all the chameleon leaves are on the ground. 

touch your toes.

rusty joints - isla vista, ca

now that i've completed my contracted duties for the hall harvest party--which was a definite success--i can triumphantly return to the daily dosage.  my goal this week: improve flexibility. plan: stretch it out.  keep it healthy, people.

.......vertical

along the way - john muir trail, somewhere, ca

i just finished watching god grew tired of us, a film about the 'lost boys' of the sudan.  please watch it.  please educate yourself.  please realize that the atrocities that have happened and continue to happen there are beyond comprehension.  i can't stop crying.

ca[llie]lalal[educ]alalalalala.

bow and arrow - le beach house - aptos, ca

today friends, i celebrate one of my dearest.  miss allison abson leduc turns twenty-three--or as she prefers it, eighteen for the fifth time.  and though she is miles from here, i'm sending so much love in her direction.  love and a couple wishes in a bottle that will get to her eventually.  calalalalalalalala.

scarves are from mars.

le runway - bryant park promenade - new york city - ny

i caught up on all of my nylon tv fashion week episodes, and each and every one makes me super excited about spring 09.  but for now, i'm getting my coats, scarves, and boots ready.  fall/winter are the best seasons for getting dressed.  there's just so much more to work with.  on that note, i want everything in the jcrew catalog.  but what else is new?

the in-between.

kite ship - rio del mar beach - aptos, ca

a wondrous world, why that it is.  tides do turn, as do the winds.  even daylight shares earth with its dark friend eve.  and inhales become exhales in order to breathe. there's always that moment.  that in-between.  where silence and stillness neighbor pale blue serene. so at dusk i hope you open those eyes. because magic is upon you right there in the sky.

sparkles and spans over sparkling water.

my jcrew flats - the pool - napa, ca

every time i cross the bay bridge i trip out.  i don't even know how to describe the feeling.  it has nothing to do with emotion at all, more so the fact that i look over at the mass of little cubes and realize that my house is one of them.  because when i'm sitting in this amazing north beach home, i feel like this neighborhood is so quaint.  but it definitely aint.  

the steamboat went to hello operator.

winking sunflower - my front yard - napa, ca

my sister currently "kid-sits" for a family.  when i call her in the afternoon to ask what she's doing, she replies "hanging out with my friend marshall."  at first i thought that the repeatedly mentioned marshall was a new love interest.  low and behold, it's the boy she babysits.   she refers to him as such at the request of his wacky mother.  to her--the mother who is likely named linda or kathryn--i have the following message: kids need to toughen up.  your child can handle when my sister says the word babysitter.  might as well break 'em in because before long, he's going to be on the third grade playground.  and that means the introduction of swear words (the first place i ever read the word 'fuck' was on the slide--it was written in the dome portion adjacent to the takeoff point).  and anymore, i wouldn't be surprised if boys as early as nine were discussing who they were hooking up with the weekend prior.  just saying.

seven years later.

9-11 memorial tiles - west village - new york city, ny

new york, those lost, those who survived, and those who bravely served through the collapse and following: today we remember it all.  

little dots of light under a purple fog.

my view - dmb concert - the greek theatre - berkeley, ca

dave matthews, his band, and i were finally reunited after a two-year drought.  while waiting in line i met a woman named kris who gives forty a killer name.  not only did she offer margaritas and crackers, but she showed me the best booze-sneaking trick to date.  rather than shove water bottles down her shirt, kris filled plastic freezer bags with the margaritas and placed them in cracker boxes.  cracker boxes!!  genius!  once we finally got in the greek, it was a rush to the pit.  we situated ourselves twenty feet from the stage.  amazing.  and the situation was bettered even further by fabulous company around me.  my favorite neighbor being jeff--a college student from wisconsin backpacking the country.  he had the most incredible positive energy.  within ten minutes we were chatting and nodding and otherwise stoked on the night.  loved him.  

the concert itself was incredible.  i will say that seeing dave without my sister can never be the best, but it was pretty fantastic.  at one point, i looked up to the dusky sky and shook my head, absolutely humbled by how damn lucky i am.

no peace in a mccain/palin presidency.

meadow - ellwood butterfly preserve - goleta, ca

so much information is buzzing in my little head.  i caught up on hours and hours of npr podcasts while stuffing and stamping envelopes for the friendship bridge fundraiser my mom is organizing.  strangely, i so enjoy seemingly monotonous tasks where i can compete with myself to see how efficient i can possibly be.  let's just say that i've become a master at the art of assemblage.  and just as i love the soft sound of a breeze passing through blades of grass, i oddly enjoy the ch.ch.ch. sound created when cardstock meets its envelope home.  weird. sure.  but i believe it imperative to recall what i'm thankful for in instances where i feel frustrated. the whole political climate has me stressed.  we cannot let mccain--and palin especially--into the white house.  have you seen the upcoming cover of newsweek?  apparently she who totes a rifle, promotes offshore drilling, and mocks ambition to better our planet--among other denouncable things--is appealing to a whole bunch of people.  to be completely honest, every word that comes out of her mouth fills me with an insatiable urge to scream.  i cannot wait until the debates.  i hope she gets knocked on her ass.

if you're happy and you know it.

pick a hand - artefact - sonoma, ca

raise your hand if you're ready for some exciting news.  check later today.  there'll be something worth seeing/reading.

y[i dislike]mca.

perfect pink chair - on the street - utrecht, the netherlands

i've been in tahoe for the past couple days attending to things related to my cousin's wedding. we're staying in an awesome cabin with a view of donner lake, and the weather has been unbelievable. pictures to come later when i'm back with my computer. long story short, the wedding is over, isaac has a wife, and i've decided that ymca will not be allowed at my reception. nope. sorry.

sprinkle[er]s.

vintage vision-check - artefact - sonoma, ca

i love small poppyseed-like sprinkles even though they hurt my teeth.  and i can decisively say that i enjoy them most when paired with chocolate frosting--preferably atop an old-fashioned doughnut.  the last time i had one, i was sauced on steiner in sf at midnight.  never tasted better.  

now that i think of it, sprinklers, and running through them, is also quite satisfying.  perhaps pairing the two--sprinkles and sprinklers--would be sensational!  to do.

blue balls against blue sky on a sad tree.

wire chandelier - artefact - sonoma, ca

about a decade ago my dad did the landscaping for cornerstone gardens,the first gallery-style garden exhibit in the us, located in sonoma, ca.  in its time, the cornerstone place, which houses the gardens, has become quite the tourist attraction--most recognized feature being claude cormier's blue tree.  i've always intended to drop by but never made the time.  finally today i stopped to take a gander.

the heat deterred me from the outdoor exhibits--i'm saving those for a day in the future.  but i did wander inside artefact design and salvage.  the owner/buyer does an incredible job.  some of the salvaged pieces were genius--who gets rid of all that amazing stuff?  i need to get myself to the junk yard immediately.  more photos in future posts.

put it all together as you see it in your head.

braided tule - headband factory - napa, ca

i hope you all read the sartorialist.  people with insane personal style blow my mind.  

it takes tule to tango.

fun with finishings - my sewing table - napa, ca

blaire waldorf might be a fictional character, but her fashion sense is all kinds of real.  she has reignited my love for the mighty headband.  so i've been cutting, gluing, and stitching up a storm.  the response to my finished products have been fantastic, and i've considered turning my hobby into a cash-flow endeavor .  i'll post pictures of final pieces eventually, but for now, only those most worthy will receive an l.c.e. original.