The Demise of Summer

Oh quelle dommage!  It's so very tragic to have the realization that it is mid-August and summer is almost over.  I've had a secret desire for years to live off the land, and was able to spend the past month and a half doing just that.  Lauren and I took over a tiny plot of land behind my apartment and planted tomatoes, lettuce, basil, chives, cilantro, oregano, peppers, carrots, beets and cucumbers.    Other than the cucumbers and squash, everything has come up in great abundance.  And I'm sorry to say that my lettuce and tomatoes are now almost done for the season.   Now that I'm so spoiled I don't really want to have to go back to buying fresh veggies from the store.  It's been a yummy season of caprese salads, fresh salsa, amazing pasta sauce and vegetable soups.  Oh, and my next door neighbor has a fig tree that overlaps our fence, that has been exploding with fruit.  This morning I toasted figs stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto.  I promise you, I never eat such decadent things during the off season.  Perhaps tomorrow I will make a fig and gorgonzola pizza...with red onions and a drizzle of honey.  (It's hard to tell that I've already had dinner and am actually not hungry.)

Summer, why oh why must you end?

PS.  The downfall to having a garden is that I've never been so close to so many critters.  It's not uncommon to pick a bunch of lettuce or basil and then find caterpillar or worm cocoons on the underside.  Its a bit of an unpleasant surprise, like finding gum on the bottom of your shoe.  But I guess it's all part of the adventure.

In the Garden...

Curtis asked for a simple tutorial on how to use Polyvore.  So I put together the following sampling...only to realize, I love it all and would most definitely wear the salmon party dress with the boots while mucking about in my tomato garden.  Delightful!

In the Garden... by kikuejewels featuring beach hats

TopShop short ruffled dress
$160 - topshop.com

Top
acherryontop.com

Pan e Tulipani buckle shoes
439 EUR - zenggi.com

Alexander mcqueen jewelry
$420 - zappos.com

Metal jewelry
$12 - topshop.com

Jane Norman beach hat
14 GBP - janenorman.co.uk

Beach hat
$195 - rag-bone.com

iPad2 Giveaway....

I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by MeridaHome at Design For Mankind! I want to win the iPad 2! (and I love Erin’s shoes...and her blog...and well, her style (she's totally adorable!).

Sketches - Thai Frog

"CROAK!" "CROOOOOAAAK!" Rub the wooden stick over the scales on the frog's back to hear the sound of a happy frog, or perhaps it's a frustrated frog sending out an SOS mating call? Regardless, my father bought it for me during our family holiday in Thailand.  We each drew a name, and were given the challenge of finding the best present at the outdoor market on Christmas day for $5.  I got my dad an hour massage, and he bought me this frog and some jewelry.  Dad has a collection of wooden toys that he has picked up from artisans around the world, but the frog has always been one of his most favorites and I've often seen him showing guest how to make it "croak."

Sketches - TeaBag Holder

My dear Aunt MarySue, has the coolest collection of random ephemera and kitsch.  It's a product of a well-traveled life and a discerning eye for art and style.  Truth be told, all of my aunts and mom are that way. There are certain objects, that immediately remind me of my mother and her sisters.  One of them is this little teabag holder, which was given to me by my cousin Nancy, Mary Sue's daughter.   Every time I look at it, I smile and think of cherry pies (MS makes the very best, from scratch no less!), Germany, and yo-yo cookies from Australia.  As an added bonus, it encourages me to drink more tea and less coffee.

Sketches - Blackbird Fly

I don't recall where I first saw the Blackbird Fly, but it was love at first sight and I was completely obsessed. (A 35mm Twin Lens Reflex Camera? Oh my!!!)  Only problem, was that it was only coming out in Japan, and I would have to wait almost a year before it hit the US.  Lucky for little ol' me, my dad and stepmom have a place in Tokyo.  And even luckier, my dad was heading to Hawaii to meet me the same weekend the camera hit stores.  With the time change via flying, my dad and step mom were able to stand in line for the new camera (it was super limited edition, and my dad was freaked out by how many people were in line waiting to get their hands on it!) buy the camera (in canary yellow!) then hand deliver it to me over a sushi dinner in Oahu.  I was so excited I think I actually cried!  Love, love, love my little blackbird fly.

Sketches - Japanese Toothpick Holder

Every year, my mother sends me a toothpick holder that represents the present year's Chinese Astrological sign.  This year is the year of the rabbit.  Last year, was the year of the bull, the year before: year of the rat.  Personally, I'm kind of in love with the year of the rabbit.  By far, its the cutest astrological sign in ages.

Sketches - Thai Tea Pot

My last family vacation, with the whole family (Mom, Dad, Robb, Courtenay, and me) before our parents' divorce, was to Thailand.  Somewhere in Chiang Mai, I found myself in a magical tree house, the type of place that makes one believe in fairies.  And the owners of this treehouse were artists: potters and painters, and I fell in love with their art and energy and bought this sweet little, purple tea set.  Which I love to use to serve beer, because it's too small for tea, but the perfect size for a little shot of beer.  Many a delightful afternoon has started with a pot of beer....and ended with a special brew of hangover tea the next morning.

Sketches - Mustard pot

2 weeks ago, I had an art day with my pal, Max.  Max is amazing.  He's a one-of-a-kind, super talented human being, who sees the beauty in all things kitschy.  He and I spent 8 + hours hanging out: painting and drawing one Sunday.  It had been ages since I had picked up a sharpie, and I had forgotten how zen it feels to zone out on something small and intricate.  So, instead of meditating this week, I started sketching again, just for fun.  I thought it might be cool to focus on the stories behind some of the random objects I've collected via the sketches.

So here is the first one: my jug of moutarde, aka $18 french dijon mustard.  I know, its ridiculous to invest this much money in a condiment when I don't actually eat condiments, BUT this is different.  This is a memory.  When I was a kid, every summer from 4th to 8th grade, my parents sent me to Lac Du Bois: French Camp in the woods of northern Minnesota, where a pot of mustard sat on every table in the canteen, to be used for salad dressing: one part mustard, 2 parts oil, a part vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.  And although my relationship with all things French has been very love/hate over the years (e.g. Olivier my former French boyfriend, aka the first man who ever proposed, albeit with unrealistic prospects) every time I see this pot of mustard, I can't help but smile.  And that's a good thing.  So, I consider the pot of mustard to be an investment in joy and great memories.

Hanami

The best part of my time in Japan was the introduction to hanami, or the spring flower viewing party.  I've always loved flowers, but never truly appreciated the beauty of flowering trees along a hillside or a light breeze that launches hundreds of petals into the air like snow.  Sitting outside under paper lanterns with your best friends, drinking chu-hi and taking in the loveliness of a spring evening is comparable to nothing.  

I saw these trees the other day, while hiking at dusk and was transported to a happy night, millions of miles ago.

Estelle the Great 2003-2011

I traded in my car today.  We've had a rough couple of months, the CD player stopped working, the transmission was on its last legs, the power steering was creaking, the fan vents barely blew the A/C, Estelle was getting old and it was time to let her go, but not without a bit of remorse and nostalgia.  As I went through the glove compartment, I was struck by all the maps, love notes, photos, and random ephemera I forgot I'd tossed inside.  The letters went back almost 8 years, when I first got the car and had been dating Fritz-ky.  I wonder what happened to him?  We lost touch ages ago, when he decided to escape Hollywood and go back to school as a playwright.  I now live a few blocks from his old apartment, and wonder if the current tenants love the space as much as he did.  It was a lovely studio/one bedroom with hard wood floors, bare brick walls, and a bay window, that felt like something straight out of New York.  I suppose it's strange that I remember his place more clearly than his face, but isn't that how it's supposed to be with old loves?  Years go by and you remember the good and the great, but never the bad?

I guess, that is how it will be with Estelle, the first car I purchased all by myself.  Like all great relationships, the beginning was blissful, the middle comfortable, and the end sad and at times rocky.  We traveled almost 100,000 miles together, most of which were solo road trips, just me, her, and the open road.  It's hard to find a great travel buddy and she did well keeping up with my crazy notions.  For that, she will be missed.  Rest in peace, dear friend, RIP.

Walking in my shoes....

While cleaning out the closet, I found these funky shoes and realized I'd only worn them twice.  Decided it might be time to take them out in the sunlight again.  I think they rather enjoyed themselves.  But, you can judge for yourself....

 They were shocked by the vastness of the San Fernando Valley.

Loved the hike to the top of Fryeman Canyon.

Thought the fountain at Tree People was rather delightful.

Dipped their toes into the Pacific Ocean

Spotted a Kayak and asked to if they could take it out for a ride.

85 Degrees in Malibu?  Perfect day!

*Photos by Erin, Heidi, and me

Sammy

Meet Sammy....

He and I had a sweet little date in Griffith Park today.

We walked a bit.

Explored some caves.

Talked for hours.  He explained the difference between Maple and Elm trees (a brilliant professor of dendrology!!!)

We visited the old animal cages.

And made some new friends...

Then daydreamed about clouds and napped.

We were so comfortable together.  It was the most perfect date.

I hope he calls....

*Photos by Jacqui

Yet another snow day in Boulder, Colorado....

 "Off we go thru the dense jungles, then over the Himalayas to find our fortunes."

 "Whatever you do, don't look into the Golden Buddah's eyes...."

 "Oh dear!  Maddie didn't listen, and now he's lost his head!" cried Blythe.

"Perhaps he will be better if we put him on ice.  I hear that it worked for Walt Disney," said Strawberry.

Snow angels

"Oh Madagascar, our fallen comrade, you will be missed."

A traditional Tibetan Sky Burial for Madagascar.  

 Off on another adventure, our two intrepid explorers go...

Past the jungle of the Ivory Buddha,

Through the blades of mile-high grass,

"Watch out for snakes, Blythe!"

Over the shoulders of the Thai Princess Mountain.

Up the tower of elephants, 

They wander until they find their treasure: the Ancient gold, emerald, and ruby-encrusted Goddess of Kandahar.