Modern Spread

The Plain Air opening had a really nice simple spread. I love when buffets are understated but surprisingly good. They used a vintage tablecloth in rad colors, fancy potted succulents, white candles, bowls of olives and goat cheese with lemon zest, olive oil, chili flakes, pepper and sea salt. The goat cheese platter reminded me of something similar with avocados and I definitely plan on using it for a summer buffet sometime soon.

Peonies

These make me feel very indulgent and very happy.

What the heck is this chair called?

Is it called a canopy chair? I need one and I need to know what it's called. ANy leads appreciated. Seriously. If you live in LA and you see one and it's less than $175 buy it and I will pay you back.

Blue Kitchen

I love this kitchen. I love blue, I love a little mess, I love exposed shelves, I love little plants here and there and I love those jars. From Inger Marie Grini.

In other news, I'm still beyond sad and this grief seems to have shaken up a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the rest of my life. Advice?

Happy Tea Towels from Jonathan Adler

I'm gonna post about happy stuff for a little while and these retro inspired kitchen towels from J Ad are just what the doctor ordered. I can't find pricing on them, but, honestly, they're the best thing I've seen since the Martha line for KMart.

Opening of Plain Air Outdoor Furniture

Yesterday I stopped by the opening of Plain Air, the new outdoor furniture line designed by Judy Kameon (landscape designer extraordinaire). The showroom looked great and in addition to the mid century inspired daybeds, tables and chairs they carry some Bauer Pottery and other vintage garden pots and great pillows and fabrics. One of the things I love about Judy and her crew is how down to earth they are. Had a great time and it was all a nice break from thinking about my kitty. I also had a chance to meet the Germinatrix herself, Ivette Soler. More on that soon.

Love is here to stay.

For some reason I am in love with the grey on the walls in this image from enormous champion. The kitty cat helps too. But overall I'm really into this palette of grey, cream and red. It looks a little vintage, but crisp and comfortable.

Buy the poster from enormous champion.

Cupcakes seem to be helping.

It's all about the little things.

Moments in the sun

She's been doing a lot of sleeping in the sun. I pet her, she does her best to purr. These are the moments I will remember. I love seeing her giant ears backlit by the sun. I love the fawny color of her fur. I love that she lets me cradle her head in my hand and then shows me where she wants me to pet her. I will miss her enormously.

Update: I let her go today. Thanks for all the kind words. It does actually help.

Oh yeah, I made golden eggs

I totally forgot to share that over easter I actually made those golden eggs. They turned out more gold than I thought they'd be but I wasn't able to eliminate brush strokes. Also, the gold came off on your hands, which in a way was kind of cool.

Entryway update

The other night Abby gave me a pep talk (something along these lines) and I took what she said to heart. I need to make this place in Pasadena my own. I need to nest and I need to feel like I like how things look around me. So I started rearranging and I started with the entry. If you remember, it was looking like this. Using things we already owned I put this together (not entirely true, I bought the boxes ad the rug at Ikea) and feel much happier overall. Though it made me realize what I really really would like to see.


A narrower credenza or table that leaves room for a giant basket for all the shoes or a chair to sit on with hooks above for my purse and the backpacks. Yes. that would be perfect. But for now, this is a huge improvement.

Pretty Flowers

These were some flowers that my friend em and I put together before a dinner party last week. It was fun to do and we ended up adding weeds and mint to the yellow ranunculus and protea. Still want to do something like this , but this was a good warm up.

On the Kitty note, thanks everyone for your kind words, your warm thoughts and your shared experience. It really does help. She's sort of holding at 'bad' but at least better than 'dead'. She sleeps under the bed and still has an appetite, so that's good. Otherwise the whole thing is heartbreaking.

Little Miss.

I've written the first part of about 5 different posts over the last week or so but just haven't been able to finish them. What's on my mind (beside boring jury duty, blech) is that I found out my kitty is sick. She's got cancer and, by the looks of things, isn't going to last a long time. So we're spending time together, she's eating raw chicken and generally getting anything she wants (including full license to drink out of the toilet) and I am oscillating between feeling grateful to have had her and then really sad about losing her. Also, I don't want to be 'that cat lady' who's all upset about her cat. But I am all upset about my cat.

I've had her three years, but she was an Abyssinian Queen breeding kitty for 7 years before that, so she's given lots of litters and probably depleted her little body. She's a good cat: playful, sits in the sink waiting for the faucet to get turned on, a good meow-er, a hunter, etc. Shes had a good life with me, so I have that as a comfort.

on a related note

I want this fan. I just wish it was a little bit bigger. And cheaper.

Tortoise

Tortoise is one of my favorite storesin Venice. They import great finds from Japan and are designers themselves (they make furniture and sell it in their other store on abbot kinney). They've expanded their online store with a bigger selection and much better pictures. I'm lusting after almost everything, but mainly this lemnos clock and this night carafe.