Escapism

Me: Bedraggled. Bedridden.
This photo: Beguiling.

I spied this on thesartorialist a few days ago. I love every inch of this Vogue editor's look. It must be nice to have the pick of every designer for free! Note to self: Next life, find a job in fashion.

Her shoes are my favorite part of this look. I had a pair of chunky black heels last winter that are still en vogue, yet I fear I've worn them into the ground. These below are Marni.. the same designer she's wearing...

Love these YSL shoes. I'm strangely drawn to the blue!

I love these Christian Louboutins.

We've Only Just Begun

When I tell people about my hometown, there are two sources of pride.

1. Downey is home to the oldest McDonald's. It was built in 1953. I believe they still serve the original fried apple pies. Yum.

2. It's where the Carpenters grew up.

I learned the Carpenters' former home may be razed. It was featured on their album cover "Now and Then."


Without going into detail, I'm sad to hear another piece of history might be erased. About ten years ago, there were plans to demolish the old McDonald's and the locals fought for its preservation. It's still standing.

Last year, Johnie's Broiler (originally Harvey's Broiler) was demolished without warning or permits to make way for a used car lot. It was a popular filming location for movies like Heat, Pulp Fiction, The Game, Reality Bites, What's Love Got to Do with It?



I'm still sick with a cold. Coughing, sniffly. Thanks for the well wishes.

Sad Side of Suburbia

Gregory Crewdson's photographs are stunning and unsettling. They remind me of the film American Beauty. Broken people in quiet towns.

David Lynch comes to mind. A bit of fear and madness. Crewdson takes great care in creating these photographs, shooting them just like film, with with huge sets and crews, actors & elaborate lighting.

These images fit my mood. I'm sick with a cold.

His works are available at Guy Hepner and Luhring Augustine.

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannolis

If I were gonna whack someone, I'd do it at Miceli's.
Down a dark street. Check.
Seasoned waiters who will turn a blind eye. Check.
Piano player named Phil Palermo. Check.

That's Phil at the keys. I love that there's always something new (to me) in our neighborhood.

Miceli's has been around since 1949. Its ambience is bigger than the food.

I can't get over the thousands of wine bottles suspended from the ceiling. I asked our waiter how to get a wine bottle up there. He said just buy the house chianti, but we don't have it right now. It was a really bad season. How about our Zinfandel?

I get it. He was in no mood to haul out the bottle and magic markers. Then, stand on a chair and (risk throwing his back out) strap it up there like he's undoubtedly done countless times before.

Mi Roberto.

Gallery Brown

The name betrays Gallery Brown. It's about the most colorful & lust-worthy gallery I've seen in a long time. Is this not the cutest pillow from Murakami? I spied a row of them sitting pretty in the window. They were just a teaser. I had no idea what treasures lay hidden inside!How about diving into this David Hockney?

I have always loved Andy Warhol's After the Party.

My other new favorite by Warhol.. Life Savers!

Robert Indiana's Numbers is fun....

These images are just a tiny sample of their Gallery Brown's collection. It's a tiny & rich space.

Visit Gallery Brown's website or visit them in person at 140 S. Orlando Avenue, LA 323.651.1956

Good People

*updated*

My lovely designers & dear friends Ron Woodson & Jaime Rummerfield worked their magic on Christina Aguilera's nursery. It's featured in this week's issue of People magazine. Their very own Patrick Ediger was quoted throughout the piece.

The room is so cool. The mural is Japanese animation and there are classic touches throughout the room. I love the soft blue and green. Christina is into Banksy too.. Can't wait to see the rest of the house!

Click here for a peek into their showroom... I just discovered the name of the Marques sofa?! 50's inspired. Tres chic. It's our living room couch. :)


As most of you folks know, they're designing my home. (When does one ever stop?)
I am so happy for them. They are a dream team! Check out my past posts on them.... here!

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Robert sent me roses. I have been pining for red and fuschia roses for years! The bouquet rode shotgun with me. With my precious cargo, I didn't even valet for lunch at Mr. Chow.
I drove up the street and parked myself cautiously to protect them from falling over.

When I got my bouquet home, I poured it some fresh water, talked to it and nuzzled the soft petals with my nose.
Someone who is usually poured fresh water, talked to and nuzzled didn't share my joy.
There was a flash of fur.There was some friendly sniffing. Then I heard crunching.

I don't know how long the roses will last.

I did wear my cupcake necklace today. It's safe for now.
The roses are (were?) from Empty Vase. Lovely!

A Valentine From Yelapa

There's a magazine called Sunset.... Do you know that song by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy? It's catchy. (The best part of the video is about 30 seconds in.. wait for it!) I always hum it to myself when I spy the magazine.

Ok, let's get to the point. I read a wonderful article that transported me to a tiny village in Mexico called Yelapa.

Samantha Schoech wrote it with such love, you can tell how proud she is of her little slice of paradise. Her energy jumps off the page.

Click here for the full text, but I excerpted it below....

We stash our luggage and make for two lounge chairs under a thatched-palm palapa. It takes about five minutes before a piece of my Yelapan past comes to us.

"Pie, señorita?" A stern-looking woman, with a giant plastic container balanced on her head, is blocking my sun, and I am grateful. It's Augustina.

Yelapa is famous for its pies, baked by two competing local women who strut up and down the beach balancing lemon meringues on their heads. About a million years ago, I used to sell pies after school for Augustina's sister, Juanita, to earn pesos for Cokes.

She unloads her wares, but I don't even have to look. Without hesitation, I go for a slice of chocolate coconut. Pete nearly has a breakdown trying to decide, but finally settles on apple. Don't worry, I tell him. If there is one certainty, it's that Augustina will be here again tomorrow.

Is that delicious? It's my valentine to you, dear reader.

The photos are from http://www.hotelyelapa.com/ where the author stayed.

Thomas J. Story took the beautiful photos for the magazine.

p.s. I didn't recognize Wilco at the Grammys and Robert is still depressed.

Happy Hearts Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I love a holiday that celebrates the ones you love... whether it be through a sweet note or an over-the-top gesture of love. Flowers are on their way to my mom... Robert gave me a gift today so I can wear it on V-Day. He picked it out himself & is such perfection I can't stand it.

He mixed together some of my favorite things....

Cupcakes+gold+delicate necklaces+pink sapphires= genius!

Ok, so I didn't really know about pink sapphires before, but sapphires as frosting? Love.

Doesn't the Valentine's Day Owl Snuggly from etsy just beg to be snuggled?

I didn't get a flashy gift last year, so I must be doing something right this time around?

Grammys Glam Slam

Here's the red carpet at the beginning of the night... The awards are sitting in cases, draperies sweep over the carpet, the walls are lit up with fabric and strings of gold beads. There were big vases of flowers behind the facades that kept getting tipped over. By the way, notice how there's two rows. The foreground is the actual red carpet. The back is where regular folks enter & also where stars can sneak by & avoid questions from the media.

The best detail! Chandeliers that ran the entire length of the carpet. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Grammy Awards.

Check out Kermit the Frog interviewing Wolfgang Puck! Kermie was there for the Craig Ferguson show.

Below is Colbie Caillat. She sings that song Bubbly.... I love the flower in her hair & her little canary yellow Cynthia Vincent dress. Fergie chose canary yellow too, but I didn't get a shot of her or other huge stars. Too busy scoring interviews with them!

I wore a short bright orange DVF... quite apropo with all of the color happening. Welcoming the warmth back to Cali!

The end of the night. We were there til the end. The last crew to leave. It was so much fun.
Best moment: Interviewing Ringo Starr !!! Ahhh!!!!! A BEATLE!
Runner Up: Feist. She was so cute & breezed down the carpet while security was yelling, "The carpet is closed!" I asked her if it was her first Grammy's red carpet. She said yes! I said what's it like for her? Manic! It's unbelievable! Did you see her acapella version of 1,2,3,4? Fab.

Gearing up 4 Grammys

Covered Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy party at the Beverly Hilton tonight. Super fun. I got to sport a new dress from DVF. I'm going to wear an orange one tomorrow for the show. Can't wait!

My favorite moment: Dave Grohl raving about Barry Manilow's performance a few years ago. He said Barry did a 20-minute music montage that moved him and the rest of the band & even the guys from Pearl Jam were tearing up! (I love Copacobana, don't you?)

Sorry my posts aren't daily lately... I have a different schedule. It's mornings and nights.

More Office Obsessions

These pages are ripped out of the latest issue of Ready Made. I have to get this wallpaper for our office! With delight, I discovered it's Two Woods wallpaper by Cole & Son. I posted about the company not too long ago. I've seen this wallpaper before, but seeing it in an office is perfect! It goes with our wild backyard.

Below is a lovely vintage desk I spied in Silver Lake. I can't remember the name of the store, but I could find it again. After all, it's on a small stretch of Silver Lake Blvd. near Rubbish, another great vintage shop I love to visit.

Out of Audrey

Just got word from Copro Nason that all of Audrey Kawasaki's originals are sold out for the current show.

There were over 300 people on the list and only 17 paintings! Opens tonight... runs through March 1st.