thx thx thx...

"thx thx thx", by Leah Dieterich is so good.

Her author's bio really sums it up well: "Leah Dieterich's mother always told her to write thank you notes. So she does. To everything. thxthxthx is her daily exercise in gratitude."

I knew Jeffrey would love this. I mean, how do you not giggle at: 

"Dear farts, Thanks for being so funny." 

 It's both light, and sweet, but also a deeper lesson in daily gratitude... finding joy in the little things.

This book is perfect for him!

I take a lot of joy in small things, but we can all use a reminder to smile at life sometimes. :)

house bunnies...

The broken, the chocolate, the stuffed, 
and the hoodlum.

baby hair...

Did you keep a lock of your baby's hair? Would you?

The dilemma about it is- I don't want to be a pack-rat/what the heck do you do with it/does an adult really care that a piece of their baby hair was kept/will your kids feel obligated to keep stuff like that? As family keepsakes go, I feel like sometimes we all feel obligated to hang onto things simply because our parents or grandparents hung onto them. Generational junk that just sits in a box somewhere in your house just because... and then you see it once every few years when you're organizing or moving and you think, "oh that... well, I can't really get rid of it..." It's a vicious cycle!

I wonder if my great, great, great grandma even cared about that dumb hair comb.

Anyway, I've probably trimmed Elliott's hair 4 times in almost 8 months. The very first time, when he was about a month old... and yes, I kept a tiny piece. Ugh! 

dreaming of Summer...

Gorgeous image by Christian Coigny via Spoonful

cinnamon roll heaven..

Have you guys been to Stewart & Clark yet? Jeff and I became regular vistors when I was pregnant with Elliott, but I just tried their cinnamon roll for the first time this week. I've always liked cinnamon rolls, but I've never actually fallen head over heels madly lunatic in love with one.

Meet my cinnamon-y soulmate...

The first time I tried to get one, they had already sold out by 10AM!

So this time I got serious and called ahead to have 2 set aside just for us.

Tracy and Glenn are two of the sweetest people I've met in SLO. She's an expert chef and caterer with years of experience and accolades. I recommend you try her amaaaazing handmade marshmallows (the raspberry rose are my favorite) and triple chocolate cherry cookies (oh my gosh)! Jeff loves the hot cocoa they serve up- super thick and ridiculously rich. I like to pick up mini containers of their potato salad for the kids as a special, indulgent treat. They're really using the term "salad" loosely here- as it's full of cheese, and bacon and... I don't even know what else, but it's just incredible yummy. I'm both sad and grateful that they're not downtown. I'd never ever lose the baby weight.

On a scale of 1-10 I'd give Stewart & Clark ohhh... a 20! You should definitely try them out for yourselves. Menu varies daily, so join their email list. Stewart & Clark Fiero Cafe offers:

breakfast, lunch, desserts, and "to-go" din dins. YUM! :)

d.i.y-not? Terrarium fun!

I love terrariums so much- I think they're beautiful and classic.

And there's something about a happy, thriving, little self-contained world that just makes me feel relaxed.

From Victorian Belljars, to unconventional modern shapes, to mason jars... the possibilities are endless.

And endlessly fun!

I've been so inspired by these guys and this little upstart in the heart of Brooklyn. I love that they're not taking themselves too seriously. They've really elevated the process to a whole new level of living artistic expression.

I mean, look at this:

Amazing.

A few weeks ago, Beverly's had a great sale on large-scale glassware, so I thought... why keep dreaming about my own little terrarium world? It was time to act! Wanna know something about me? I love all things teensy and petite. So anything in the diorama-family is right up my alley. I had so much fun painting tiny people, creating outfits and expressions on them... inventing scenarios, and arranging them.

As you can see, I actually made two terrariums. One enclosed, and one open-topped. I gave one to a friend. In her terrarium-scenario, she and her husband are dressed up for a night on the town- but they end up in a beautiful park instead. He's arranged music, and lights, and a private glittering dance floor just for them, but it's behind her and she hasn't discovered the surprise just yet.

***FYI: My friend keeps hers on her desk at work, and even though

she's usually a plant-killer, her terrarium is thriving and looks gorgeous! YAY!

In my terrarium scene, Jeff and I are holding hands, hiking around the Mountain behind Madonna Inn. The last time we did this in real-life, it kind of turned into a cluster-cuss, so in my perfect mini-world we just hold hands endlessly (superglue, yo) and enjoy the view. We never get tired and my dumb cesarean scar never aches or burns and makes me whine and walk back to the car 5 minutes from the top of the mountain. Ahhh, to be the diorama-me.

This project has made me so happy. You know how watching fish swim can make you feel calm and relaxed? That's what my terrarium does for me. ♥

Ready to make your own? Here's what you'll need:

1. Glass container. Any size and shape works, but make sure you can fit your hand into it for easy workability.

2. Plants. I used Scottish Moss, which is a really basic and common terrarium grass. I also put a little baby cypress in mine- crossing fingers that it will thrive.

3. Rocks. These are your bottom layer. Larger than the charcoal pieces. Decorative. Sand works for succulent variety terrariums.

4. Moss. Some people like to add the moss between layers, and I think that looks great- but I chose to just use it around the top edges of my terrariums.

5. Activated Charcoal. This is so important. It acts as a drainage barrier between the water and the plants, to keep them from molding in the warm, moist air.

6. Soil. Nothing fancy. I just used a potting mix I had leftover from my window boxes.

7. Plants! This website was an excellent resource for determining the best plants for a terrarium and the lighting conditions each plant needs. If you're planning to do a succulent variety terrarium- you'll find a great tutorial here.

8. Diorama! This is the super fun part. I bought the 1.5" men and women mix. They start out completely stark white, but clothed- and from there your imagination can just run wild! I also used a package of very tiny flowers in multiple colors. They were kind of like the icing on my terrarium cake. :)

9. To lid or not to lid... Care is slightly more complicated for the enclosed terrarium, but I really enjoy the look of the lid. More info here.

I hope you have a chance to make one too!  ♥

custom portraits...

Oh my gosh, how cute are these?!

I love them so much! Patricia at Memi The Rainbow, is a very talented artist from Italy- currently living and studying in Paris. She did these super sweet drawings of Pascal and I together for the blog. The best part is that she illustrated both Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer versions! She's amazing.

Visit her blog for wonderful Paris insights, great DIY's, and lovely artist profiles. Then promptly head over to her etsy shop for adorable hand-cut stamps and other teensy accoutrements that you simply cannot live without. ♥

girl walk // all day...

Have you seen this? I'm so in love with it.

This video is part 2/12 that make up the film Girl Walk //All Day

Here's a peek at what the New York Times had to say about the project:

"It is no surprise that people go nuts for the trailer. It is weird and joyous, popping with youth and energy. At first, Marsen looks more like an enthusiastic and slightly dorky amateur than a trained dance pro. She wears regular tennis shoes and worn gray cords and an oversize, multicolored jacket, and at one point she falls off the railing of an escalator. It’s not until a minute or so in, as she twirls and gyrates through the ferry’s upper level, staring down the camera with a sly smile on her face as sleepy commuters pretend not to notice, that you start to suspect that you’re watching something more than a little magical." Read more...

What originated as a grass-roots effort, became a craigslist call to artists... gained steam (and fans) on kickstarter, and has gone on to dance its way into countless hearts worldwide. I've seen a few references to this film, calling it "The ultimate love letter to NYC", and I think that's pretty accurate. The dancers play through the City like it's a great, big, architectural jungle gym. So many amazing landmarks, cultures, and events are represented here; heck, even the less-amazing ones are elevated to cool ranks, just for their inclusion! I dare you to watch and not feel like getting up and dancing like a crazy, happy, lunatic yourself. Jeff secretly wants to dance through the streets of SLO. I'm afraid that people here would call the cops. You gotta love the majority of jaded New Yorkers, who totally ignore Anne Marsen's awesomely enthusiastic grooving. I so badly want to be on the subway ride-turned-inpromptu-dance party in part 7 of the film.

While I appreciate a good free-form dance through the streets of New York as much as anyone, I was immediately struck by the soundtrack. I mean, struck- like lightening struck. This is hands down the best mix/mashup/audio-soup I've ever heard. Ever. Ever. Ever.

372 overlapping sample tracks from Iggy Pop, Rick Ross, Bananarama, Aphex Twin, Arcade Fire, Beastie Boys, Pat Benatar, Notorious B.I.G., The Clash, John Lennon... it just goes on and on and on. You'll be like "OH MY GOD, I LOOOVE THIS SONG!" and "YESSS! I HAVEN'T HEARD THIS IN SO LONG!" and even a few "WHAT IS THIS? I LOVE IT!" It would make the best running mix of all time. This incredible 71 minute track is seamlessly (and expertly) mixed by Gregg Gillis aka Girl Talk. What's even more incredible? The entire track is offered as a FREE DOWNLOAD from the Illegal Art Record Label site. What are you waiting for? Go get it now!

The Girl Walk crew has taken the show on the road with screenings and events across the country. I'm super jealous of everyone who gets to go see them in L.A. this week for the final stop on their West Coast tour. If you can't make it to an event, you can visit their website and shop to support the project.

I'll be Girl Walk'ing through town in the skeletank, trying not to act like The Creep. ♥

comfort food...

What's your idea of comfort food? In our house, it's fideo. It's like a bowl of cozy.

Elliott helped me make a big pot of it this week.

We start with fideo noodles. Basic semolina pasta, broken into little pieces.

I buy these bags for about .50 cents each, but you can break up your own pasta

in a big ziplock bag too. I used to toast them on the stovetop,

stirring constantly- labor intensive! Now I just

drizzle a bit of olive oil in a baking dish, pour in the fideo, and toss them

around so the oil coats all the noodles, and then pop them in a 350º

oven for around 10 minutes. They come out perfect. So easy!

Elliott and I are using 2 bags (7 oz. each) in this recipe.

Don't be afraid if your noodles look very dark. The fideo will be delicious!

Next, we chop and sauté one onion, with a few cloves of minced garlic- about 5 minutes.

Add 2 tsp. salt, and the toasted fideo noodles. Stir.

Add a large (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes (undrained). Stir. Let simmer 5 minutes.

Fill the empty tomato can with water and add to mixture (twice).

While the pot comes to a boil, chop up 2 bunches of fresh cilantro. It smells SO good!

We like ours with lots of cumin. I use a whole 1 oz. package of it for one pot.

Add half of the cumin now.

Add a tablespoon of black pepper.

Add half of the chopped cilantro right away.

Let the pot boil until the fideo noodles are cooked through.

When the noodles are tender, I turn off the heat, add the remainder

of my cumin and chopped cilantro, and give it all a good stir.

Lastly, I add a large container of chicken broth (32 oz.).

Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add extra broth, as needed- it will thicken.

This soup is SO forgiving. It's our favorite. :)

Chola'fied...

I'm sick. Suuuuper duper icky sick. We all are...

Well, so far James has dodged the bullet- but ugh...

it's sooooo rotten. Our house is plagued.

But my best friend sent me this link earlier today and it totally cheered me up.

Celebrities... CHOLAFIED!

Oh my gosh, Brad Pitt is my favorite! So what's a sicky to do?

Chola'fy their family of course.

Dear family, I'm exempt from this because I have bangs.

*Addendum: I really hope this doesn't offend anyone.

I feel uniquely at liberty to make fun of cholas

because when my grandma was very

young, she was one. Seriously!

Razorblades in her hair and all. Whaaa?

SO CRAZY!!!

When I saw you, I fell in love...

and you smiled because you knew.

mmm... brussel sprouts!

I think brussel sprouts have an undeserved reputation for being... icky. Even my MOM doesn't like them. I was like, whaaat?

I've been on a biiig brussel sprouts kick this past year or so. I make them weekly for a yummy, easy lunch- and then squish one a bit to share with Elliott. He knows what's good. :)

Here's our super simple lunchtime routine:

First I give them a little rinse and chop each one in half lengthwise.

Next I brown a knob of butter in a small pan, and add my brussel sprouts.

Add a bit of salt and pepper.

Give them a good stir, to evenly distribute the butter...

Let them brown and soften just slightly

(about five minutes on a high heat, stirring frequently).

Now I turn the flame down a little...

Cover, and let the brussel sprouts steam for about 5 minutes or so...

until soft- meaning a fork slides through them easily.

Sprinkle with a little Gruyère cheese.

Serve steamy hot.

YUMMY!

Morning in the studio...

I love Jeff's studio in the morning. The light, the colors, the big, ancient easel and the pile of "in progress" paintings... It's so pretty and behind-the-scenes. When it's empty and quiet like this, I always feel the need to tippy toe. :)

New books!

How much do you love new books? Am I a nerd for asking that? I love love looove new books. Mmmm... SO much. I treated myself to some great new picks, and loved them, so I thought I'd share. These are the books currently in heavy rotation on my lap, on my counter, in my tub, and on my nightstand...

Shhh... don't tell, but I'm giving these two to Evelyn for Valentine's day.

"Just being Audrey" is the very sweet story of Audrey Hepburn and her journey from gangly ballerina, to war survivor, to Broadway star, movie star, mom, and humanitarian. It's just a very lovely, very Audrey, little book.

"Different Like Coco" is such a great, inspiring little bio on Coco Chanel- and beautifully simplified for children. Both of these books highlight the advantages of being different and how to embrace your quirks. Also they're both illustrated so well, and perfectly intriguing and informative for little readers- but I've honestly enjoyed reading them too.

"Chicken & Egg" is one woman's journey from food stylist and egg lover, to backyard chicken keeper. The story follows the relationship she develops with her three hens, and includes tips, recipes, and great facts- all chicken related. While there's nothing in your face about this book, it still tells a great story of food provenance. Having raised chickens myself, I harbor no secret wishes to raise backyard birds again anytime soon- but I've loved reading and re-reading this book, and pausing to think deeper about our relationships with food and the animals providing it. Beautiful book.

"My Lady Scandalous- The Amazing Life & Outrageous Times of Grace Dalrymple Elliott" Phew! Huge title... If you know me, you know that I have an unhealthy preoccupation with the French Revolution, and all things relative. There's just something about the monarchy, the poverty and excess, the uprising, the insanity, and the recovery... I can't think of a more intriguing subject. Anyway, this book is the story of a royal courtesan who survived the revolution (just barely), and her unique perspective on the period. Very unique, as the list of people with any monarchial involvement in France during the revolution, whom managed to escape the guillotine with their head intact- is nearly non-existant. Her first-hand account of the royal family, the prisons, the river of blood through the streets... wow. Major page-turner.

"Murakami Versaille" Yes, this is just another extension of my crazy French Revolution obsession... but in a really amazing/modern art sort of way. This book is particularly special to me because Jeff and I actually saw this exhibit in person. Seeing Takashi Murakami's work in person, at Versaille, was without question, one of the most incredible and monumental experiences of my life. Seriously. I've been a huge Murakami fan for so long, and only seen his work in person twice before. And this was my very first visit to the Versaille Palace. Needless to say, it felt like this installation was tailor-made for me. Anyway, the book... This book is a stunning, and comprehensive feature of the entire collection. I really hate all that composition/juxtaposition/duality art speak mumbo-jumbo that goes along with major exhibitions like this, but I can't think of a more appropriate way to explain Murakami's work in the Palace, the fountains, and gardens of Versailles. Japanese Pop Sculpture craziness-meets 16th Century opulence. Plastic and glossy-meets historic and distressed. It was mind-blowing. So yeah... special book.

Super special. ♥