Tag Archives: music

Spring Fever

Love A La Carte features all the little things that make my life just a little more delicious.

Lipstick stains on coffee cups. Gossip. Having really smart friends. Practicing gratitude. Wine tastings at Light of My Lantern Speakeasy, where I can get a good flush in the safety of great company. Lindt’s A Touch of Sea Salt dark chocolate bar. Getting outside in the fresh air and sunshine to plant green, growing things. Twitter DMs. Writing dates. Cherry blossoms. 3 Paths Toward a More Creative Life. Live music (in particular: Great Big Sea’s XX Anniversary Tour). sweetgreen’s spicy broccoli (delicious!). Principal fires security guards and hires art teachers – and transforms elementary school. Practicing not-so-random acts of kindness. John Cleese’s advice on making your life more creative (from 1991 – and it still holds up)! Discussions with friends that range from writing to reading to history to politics to philosophy to relationships and beyond. Finding a state of flow. Finally getting my tattoo finished. Reading this post on how to Be Open to Inspiration: concentrate on what’s right in front of you – and if you don’t like what’s in front of you, change it. Lifestyle, style, fashion, and design blogs. The beautiful and educational History of Typography (video). Burt’s Bees Honey & Grapeseed Hand Cream. This exercise in creativity from Nicole’s Classes. Finally finishing a DIY project I started a while ago. Seeing some of my favorite flowers in bloom on the way to work. Being Totally Honest. Beautiful green leaves on trees, providing dapples of shade throughout the city.

This quote: “You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” ―Brené Brown

Friday, I’m in Love

1 Reply

Love A La Carte features all the little things that make my life just a little more delicious.

The LIzzie Bennet Diaries (a modern take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice told through video blogs on YouTube) ♥ This song, which features samples from both Billie Jean AND Under Pressure. Go listen. NOW. ♥ Daria. ♥ Dove’s new Photoshop action: promoting self-esteem everywhere. ♥ Parents doing amazing things for their kids: Parents and Transgendered 6 Year-Old Battle Her Colorado Elementary School and Awesome Dad Hacks Video Game For Daughter So Pauline Saves Mario! ♥ Some advice on how to combat creative blocks.♥ My Mad Fat Diary, the (6 episode) story of Rae, a music-obsessed 16-year-old in the 1990s who deals with eating disorders and mental illness, as well as everything else that goes on in the life of a teenager. (It’s beautifully done. I can’t say enough good things about it.) ♥ The iced hazelnut latte from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. ♥ A mini-vacation to Arizona for the wedding of one of my oldest friends. ♥ Squeezing in a visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens while in Phoenix. ♥ Spending time with my mum and dad. ♥ Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti, the sequel to Brownies and Broomsticks, by Bailey Cates. ♥

This quote: “You don’t have to get a job that makes others feel comfortable about what they perceive as your success. You don’t have to explain what you plan to do with your life. You don’t have to justify your education by demonstrating its financial rewards. You don’t have to maintain an impeccable credit score. Anyone who expects you to do any of those things has no sense of history or economics or science or the arts. – You have to pay your electric bill. You have to be kind. You have to give it all you got. You have to find people who love you truly and love them back with the same truth. But that’s all.” -Cheryl Strayed

Deep in the Heat of Summer

Leave a reply

Love A La Carte features all the little things that make my life just a little more delicious.

Confession: I have Olympic fever. I’m not usually a sports fan, but these London Summer Games have me constantly watching, Tweeting, blogging and reblogging about the amazing athletes and their stories. I think what gets me is that each person from each country has their own unique and interesting story about how they came to be part of the games, what happens while they are there, and what they take with them from the world stage. I’m particularly blown away by some of the youngest and oldest Olympians out there – the youngest show such poise not usually seen in folks their age and the older competitors show such stamina, such drive. It’s incredible to watch. I loved the Opening Ceremonies, particularly the way London brought together all the countries with the Olympic torch. What a perfect metaphor for the games themselves!

There are a ton of other things I’m grateful for and am loving lately. Here’s a list of just some of them:

♥ Perrier. ♥ Marc Jacob’s Lola perfume (on me, notes of peony, clove and cinnamon spice with just a hint of pepper, creamy musk, and fresh pear). ♥ Brownies and Broomsticks (murder, mystery, magic, baking, running, insomnia, sexy men, and smart women – what more can one ask for?) . ♥ Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. ♥ Drop Dead Diva. ♥ The woman someone should write a book about. Is it me? You? What does she look like? How does she act? She’s one special lady. ♥ Emotional Brilliance by LUSH (I know, I know, I’m gaga over this company. But, handmade vegetarian and vegan products, natural organic ingredients, no testing on animals, and they don’t use palm oil, what’s not to love?!). ♥ The 2012 London Summer Olympians (especially Louis Smith (GB), Jordyn Wieber (USA), Missy Franklin and the entire swim team doing a video of Call Me, Maybe (USA), Zoe Smith (GB), Guor Marial (Independent), Lee-Marvin Bonevacia (Independent), Reginald de Windt (Independent), and Philipine van Aanholt (Independent). ♥ Great and practical post on how to buy and take are of high heels. ♥ Working with Creative Services on design projects. ♥ Project Unicorn. ♥ These guys became human film developers when they ate 35mm film. What?! You have to see it to believe it. ♥ Some advice we could ALL stand to remember: Don’t Lose Your Creativity. ♥

Summer Lovin’

2 Replies

Love A La Carte features all the little things that make my life just a little more delicious.

♥ The above illustration from wishcandy.net. ♥ This makes my heart jump up and down with happiness: the Business 9 Women Kept Secret for Three Decades. ♥ Affordable Care Cat (the Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act was HUGE good news for this country, a huge win for the underprivileged and for women in particular). ♥ How neat is this documentary on the Cave of Forgotten Dreams?! ♥ This article on mental health really made me think: Why Americans Are Anxious, Stressed, Depressed, and Fat. What do you think? Are we addicted to novelty? Is technology too much for our brains? Do you find yourself overwhelmed? I know I do. Sometimes I just have to step away from the computer and the phone and take a breath of fresh air. ♥ Some fantastic combination of art and science: Berndnaut Smilde Makes Real Clouds Appear Inside Gallery (and photographs them). ♥ Making plans for a vacation and getting out of the city for a week for time with my family, relaxation, and lots of time by the water, both beach and pool. ♥ Taking a well-deserved coffee break. ♥ Getting stains on my fingers from fresh summer fruit, especially berries. ♥ Thunderstorms. ♥ LUSH’s Ocean Salt scrub, which is great for tired feet – I use this for at-home pedicures. ♥ Having a really rotten argument turn into a learning experience. ♥ Second chances. Or third. Or fourth. Or… ♥ Candy-colored Post-It Notes. ♥ The Princess Bride (forever a favorite). ♥ Trips to Barnes & Noble because new books are so exciting! (And walking around among books is good for the soul.) ♥ Discovering new music via friends online. ♥ Dressing up for no reason at all. ♥ Looking at photos from past vacations and trips and loving how utterly happy everyone looks. ♥

My Summer Beach Vacation Spotify Playlist:

This wonderful chat between friends about beauty, gratitude, and self-love:

Manic Monday

Leave a reply

Love A La Carte features all the little things that make my life just a little more delicious.

the smell of LUSH stores, particularly of their bath bombs – ahhhhh ♥ free cupcakes from Sprinkles Cupcakes (follow their Twitter feed for the secret word of the day) ♥ ♥ crumpets ♥ PsychologyToday asks and answers: Who Is Creative? ♥ Dana Tanamachi’s stunning chalk doodle cover of Oprah’s O magazine ♥ my friend Karen’s blog - she writes about life, love, friendship, and navigating today’s world with such eloquence ♥ Emergency Puppy! ♥ No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom – after 17 years, it’s still one of my favorite albums ♥ the image above from purple buddha project ♥ Bonobo ♥ hanging out in Barnes & Noble and finding all kinds of books for my to-read list ♥ terrible diner food and great company ♥ being asked to help out a friend from Germany who is writing a dissertation in English (about the assessment of aesthetic appreciation for different types of visual art) ♥ e-mails from my mom “just because” ♥

Oh, Darling, Let’s Be Adventurers

1 Reply

design by Fifi du Vie

Eat Like an Artist in 2012 ♥ my new Wonderland playlist on Spotify ♥ iCal ♥ the above image from Fifi du Vie ♥ Being Erica ♥ Jay Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne ♥ Move and the world will get the fuck out of your way. – <3 Hey Amber Rae ♥ Pinterest ♥ This post about a true adventurer and his 365 photography project (make sure to watch the fascinating and moving video). ♥ the complete works of Shakespeare free for iOS ♥ Shit DC Says ♥ letterpress business cards ♥ John Legend’s cover of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep (can you imagine if they collaborated? OMG.) ♥ Adobe Bridge ♥ mimosas ♥ President Obama singing Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together ♥

What adventures are you up to? I’m brainstorming my own for 2012…

Shiny New Year Love List

Leave a reply

Shiny New Year love list:

origin: unknown (Is this yours? Let me know so I can credit you.)

Pantone and Sephora teaming up for a new beauty line! ♥ SARK at TEDxFiDiWomen ”Succulence is Powerful” (YouTube video) ♥ friends who are always there no matter how many miles or days come between you ♥ Inbox: 1 (as close to zero as I can get realistically) ♥ teaching my mom how to use Flipboard and getting links from her as a result ♥ Janelle Monae ♥ handmade quilts ♥ warm and fuzzy sweaters ♥ The Definitive Color Wheel ♥ these 30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself ♥ light and fluffy snow falling ♥ laughing with my coworkers ♥ my brand new Nook (thanks, bro!) ♥ my new nightstand and lamp from IKEA ♥ starting the New Year off with a fantastic brunch shared with good friends in my new home ♥ having less than an hour commute ♥ using traveling as an excuse to buy my favorite magazines ♥ Rihanna’s You Da One ♥ reading through my old blog entries ♥ President Barack Obama sings Lady Gaga’s Born This Way (YouTube video) ♥ LUSH’s Stimulating Spice Shampoo ♥ Twelve Things You Were Not Taught in School About Creative Thinking (great article on creative thought processes) ♥ some wonderful inspiration from Louise Hay on how to love yourself and why you should start NOW! ♥ research and creative projects ♥ Hyperbole and a Half’s alot (must read: hilarious, especially for grammar nerds like me!) ♥ the fact that it’s Friday ♥ a Lord of the Rings (extended editions, of course) movie marathon with good friends ♥ my new Tumblr theme ♥