Sunny Side of San Diego

Being in the Gaslamp district, there are so many opportunities to dance. People walk by with boomboxes, Hare Krishnas appear with drums on street corners, guys wearing hip hop gear seranade folks with Wonderwall!?

We shared a good Pinot Noir, had fun at the Hard Rock & I adore the Victorian architecture that pops up from time to time.


I don't think we stopped eating all weekend. I like my calamari with tentacles, watching passersby from the Hard Rock bar, & tasted the best hummus of the trip at Masala - an Indian joint.

I have a soft spot for pigeons. (Hey, Banksy does for rats.) We discovered a lovely shop & stayed at the Omni.

Enjoying Mexican food & margaritas at lunch, Dia de los Muertos figures always make me smile, y moi.
...

San Diego, te quiero! (I love you.) A weekend of dancing, music, food, discovery. It wasn't hot, so thank goodness for jacuzzis.

I kept having flashbacks to Nashville, Tennessee. I'm still marinating in our SD experience, so let's talk about Nashville - the last time Robert & I decided on a last-minute trip.

When we went to Nashville, we found a couple of great jazz/blues joints (like Croce's in SD!) but I'm not a big fan of today's country music.

When we stepped into Robert's Western World in Nashville, I found not only authentic country music, but rockabillys.. the guys wearing gelled pompadours & rolled-up jeans, the gals wearing red lips and vintage hairstyles.

Check out some classic country crooners on my playlist. I also added a few spirituals my mom used to sing to me as a baby. The songs were featured in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

If you are ever in Nashville, check out Brazilbilly at Robert's Western World!

My Bad

How ridiculous is Jaime's hair from W&R? My gal always owns it.

So I'm packing right now, but it's not for wine tasting. I swear, transitioning to my new shift has made me lose my marbles. Wine tasting is next weekend. Dios mio!

So what does a gal do when her husband took a special vacation day to fly up north.. only the flight is next Friday? Why, plan a different vacay of course!

Sister got online, booked a hotel & we are off! Here's a sampling of last night's soiree. Fun!

My theme song this weekend: Rolling Stone's Shattered. Love a song that beckons the open road.

Here's an addicting song & video from my myspace buddy Rigo. If you like Shoes, you will love this. It's also inspired by Jaime's fierce do.

No Merlot!

How much did you love Alexander Payne's Sideways? He did Election as well, so the man is awesome.

So I'm going to a wine festival this weekend in El Dorado & I can't wait. We are going with a group of folks who try to break a record in the number of vineyards they visit every year. How fun is that? There's a designated van driver. At each stop, everyone must down a bottle of water. I like the racing aspect.

This is also a group who genuinely enjoys sampling wines & everyone has the most fabulous sense of humor. Isn't humor the most important quality?

Because my post is a bit nerdy & yuppyish, I can't resist a shout out to one of my fave websites, which will hopefully balance me out:

Stuff White People Like

Here's an excerpt:

White people need to learn about wine as soon as possible. Not learning until college puts them at an inherent disadvantage to Europeans and white children raised abroad. It is strongly recommended that children learn about wine regions, vintages, terroir, and tannins in elementary school to give them that all important leg up when they reach college.

Being able to declare “my favorite wine as a child” in a conversation is recognized as more impressive than stories about extended visits to wine regions. In fact, it can only be topped by a story about opening your own vineyard.

(At least I'm not that bad.)

Nothing Comes Between Me & My Calvin

Calvin Harris has the best dance music right now. His glasses aren't as cool as Kanye's, but his music. Oh his music.
I love every song I've heard. The first time I heard Acceptable in the 80's I stopped in my tracks. I had to have it
Merry Making makes me want to throw a house party (and reminds me of Daft Punk is Playing At My House by LCD Soundsystem - yummy.
Feeling a bit of Mario Testino and Ivan the Face Hunter in THIS VIDEO.

Highbrow Meets Brilliant

Alarm Will Sound made the highest rating on this week's Approval Matrix on the New York Magazine website.

To gain cool points, go to http://www.alarmwillsound.com/

It's not too late.

My brother Matt (french horn in AWS) blogs too: http://mattmarksmusic.blogspot.com/

Turkish Delight

Ok, it's not Turkish, but we had lots of delights Saturday. In addition to the art show - so great having weekends off! - we checked out a cool wine bar called Vinum Populi in Culver City. It's like Dave & Busters for wine fans. Bonus - it's near all the great galleries.

If you load up a card with - let's say - $20, you can go around and sample great wines from all over the world. I didn't even touch the $200 a bottle wines, even though the sampling was cheap. I don't need to elevate my palate out of my price range. It was lots of fun while waiting for a table at the restaurant next door.

But who am I kidding? I am easily entertained. See below.

Give us a room under construction, some light, an air hockey table & we are set for the night. Thanks Johnny D!


By the way, I won.

7 - 3. When the puck hit my finger, it was game over.

Update on Vinum Populi. I found out it's being sold. Why?? Please keep it a wine bar.

Korin Faught Debut

Went to Korin Faught's first solo show at the Corey Helford Gallery Saturday night.
I love the glam, dark & somewhat Puritanical feel of her paintings.

She was recently featured on style.com (Vogue's website) and Korin is quite the fashion plate herself. She told me she was wearing LAMB heels & BCBG clothes. Oh & Marc Jacobs purse. Same as my dress!


Saw one of Chris Anthony's works there too... lust!


Hope everyone had a happy Easter! I did :)

My Brother Rocks

Ring the alarm! My brother Matthew's group Alarm Will Sound was a Critics Pick in NY Magazine this week:

Opening Soon
The superbly exciting new-music ensemble, known for its innovative staging and refreshing yet cohesive programs, presents “1969,” a concert of works by a range of influential composers of the late sixties, from Leonard Bernstein to Luciano Berio and the Beatles. — Rebecca Milzoff

He's wearing the gray pants. He composed something for the event at The Kitchen & presented his work... my girl Bjork was in the audience! They've performed on the same ticket with her in the past.

One of their songs is on my playlist originally by Aphex Twin. He's an electronic artist. Alarm Will Sound is classical. He's on french horn. Compare them both, they've interpreted it so beautifully.... I am so proud of my lil bro Mafoo :)

Below is the Aphex Twin video...

David Firth directed this video btw, fab.

Breakfast at Suzi's

Ok, so more like brunch, but who could resist that title? Can you believe, I haven't hosted a shindig since my after-Christmas party? Not only have I been itching to have people over, I have something to celebrate!

What about brunch? Most of my work buds have ridiculous shifts... early morning or late at night & I want everyone to have the chance to visit. Along with my lucky friends with normal work schedules.

I'm thinking... mimosas, muffins, quiche... what else can I serve that's a cinch?

I'm seriously not whipping out an omelet station. It's more of an early-afternoon cocktail party than filling up my guests. They can do that at IHOP. I hear it's all you can eat pancakes this month! :)

I know this is a different type of party.. do you think I should scrap it & go the norm or keep going with this idea?

Thoughts...

Au Revoir Gals

I love Au Revoir Simone.
We had tickets to see my favorite boys - Vampire Weekend - at the El Rey last night, but had to sell them because now I'm a morning show girl. :)
So why not post the most beautiful brunette band on the planet, who performed with one of my favorite men on earth - David Lynch.
He helps writes the music for his films, so I can guess he can boss them around. He is their elder after all. Ha.

New Beginnings

It's Good Friday. Spring is here! It's also the second day of the Persian New Year. It's called Norooz - meaning the dawn of a new day.

Yesterday, I spent the first day of Norooz with a lovely family. They patiently taught me the traditions and rituals of the holiday. Families normally spend 13 days making the rounds to homes of loved ones, visiting, sampling tiny delicious Persian pastries and drinking endless cups of Persian tea.

Here in LA, families don't have that luxury, so it's shorter, but just as special.

My favorite part was talking to the family's daughter, Pegah Ebrahimi. She is independent, vivavious and being girls, we gossiped about current fashions.

In Tehran, women are supposed to wear head scarves and cover their bodies. I learned young women are pushing the boundaries by wearing just a scrap of flimsy scarves - often with cutouts. Their hair is often dyed, ratted & spiked into wild bouffants, outrageous makeup. Tight pants tucked into boots....

I love it! Go ladies!

My favorite part of the holiday - aside from the goodies - was the Haft Sin table.

It's set with seven dishes on display.

sprouts : symbolizing rebirth
wheat germ pudding : symbolizing affluence
senjed, which is fruit from an oleaster tree : symbolizing love
garlic : symbolizing medicine
apples : symbolizing beauty and health
sumac berries : symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
vinegar : symbolizing age and patience

Click here for a short video on a Haft Sin table.

What Am I?

I've seen deer, bobcats & coyotes in our backyard, but I've never seen one of these. He is so cute with his tiny ears and invisible eyes. Is he a mole? He was chilling in our driveway the other morning.

Robert scooped him up & placed him on the dirt of our front yard. He seemed happier there, sniffing around.

I feel bad for the poor thing. I worry he was sick. He just sat there, but didn't know if he was playing possum. We haven't seen him since. Hopefully he just dug a hole in the ground & went about his business...

If you know what he is, let me know! I'm curious.

Delicious Duquette

Tony Duquette was a superstar designer. While he had lavish tastes, I love he could also craft insane pieces with cheap materials.

I love these photos taken at the historic Tony Duquette Studio in West Hollywood. It shows different designs over the years. All of them spectacular! Go to http://tonyduquette.com/ for more loveliness.

Vintage Watches

I was flying from NY to LA not too long ago, sitting next to a writer from the NY Times. She was on her cellphone chewing out someone for not having something ready for her interview with Charlize Theron. The woman scared me. I didn't talk to her, but did admire her accessories.
She had a oversized Goyard bag - I'll take the Barney's exclusive in white - but her watch! I love a great watch.

She was wearing a vintage gold ladies watch. I don't know the brand, but the pic up top is the closest I've seen to it. Hers seemed more glam. But lust!

I also like the idea of a big heavy timepiece. Rolex + Tiffany = perfection!


Here are some other vintage watches that make my heart sing.

Lovely Lily Allen

I can't put my finger on which classic movie this is inspired by. I think of Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina, I think of Singing In the Rain... nothing seems to fit.
The chorus is achingly beautiful.

Dreams, Dreams
Of when we had just started things
Dreams of you and me
It seems, It seems
That I can’t shake those memories
I wonder if you have the same dreams too.

Sigh. I don't know why Lily Allen never made it big here in the US, but I love her just the same.
Let's cheer things up a bit!

Chicks With Guns

After being called out, I must post these photos. I rock. :)

Magnificent Miss Pettigrew

If you're into design by Billy Haines & Dorothy Draper, you must see Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day.
I've been wanting to do my room in greys.. but these icy blues, creams and silvers are much more elegant.
My favorite scene is a portrayal of Botticelli's "Birth of Venus". The star emerges from the water of her bathtub & it just so happens the wall looks like a shell... Gorgeous.

Martinis At Night

After a hard day handling guns, a girl has to put her feet up! Caroline & I are also practicing for our next vacation.

During our lovely meal discussing politics... Don't you love friends you can do that with? We began discussing a trip to Las Vegas. Then I saw the look on her husband's face. He works out of Vegas frequently... & while I thought he'd like the chance to go back for leisure.... all signs pointed to - you all have fun in Vegas.

Poof! Now it's Cabo. I can't wait to get a (real) tan.

We had dinner at the Huntley. I took photos but the quality - oh my. Below is from their website and it was my favorite spot. Deep cozy chairs, warm fireplace, and retractable sunroof up above.