It's My Birthday

The big Three-One is here!

What a year this has been. I think it's true what they say about a woman in her thirties. It's just better (despite some of the crappier things that have happened). Today I'm busy starting work on the art department of a tv show, working a bunch of freelance photo and staging projects with some amazing people and attempting to get more rest. I've shot magazine covers and spreads all year, reconnected with family and taken a lot of risks.

Looking forward to taking stock and laying some plans out for the next year.

What birthday rituals do you have?

(Image from the stellar floral designers at Dandelion Ranch)

Langues de Chat

My Aunt came back from France with a little gift for me: A box of Langues de Chat from La Duree (recently most known for their Macarons). Of course the packaging is amazing (the cat! with its tongue out!) and the little butter cookies inside are delicate and delicious.

Standard Magazine's Tastemaker's Dinner

So I jumped off the plane from New York, changed my clothes and ran off to the hollywood hills (to this house) for a spectacular evening with Kelly LaPlante and some of the contributors to Standard Magazine for one of the best dinner parties ever. The mix of people (from the folks at Fire Clay Tiles to James Saavedra to Gabrielle from Design Ecology to David Metzler) were intelligent, thoughtful and interesting. We were served an incredible meal by Chef Michael Garner, waited on by a great serving team and it was just low key and fun.

You can see a little sneak peek on the Standard Blog.

My favorite thing (besides that Kelly had found all the serving ware and dishes second hand and so the table was a beautiful mix of mismatched vintage) was that we each had a little card at our seat with a multiple choice question and an essay question. Kelly put so much thought into each one and we read them aloud to get to know each other (and even though I normally hate that, it was great) -- they'll be printed in the next issue of Standard.

I felt so official seeing my name in print (and even spelled correctly). Everyone at the dinner was so accomplished, it really felt like a treat to be included.

Apartment Therapy Offices

I finally made it to the new AT offices to meet some of my blogging compatriots face to face. It was great. I got sandwiches with managing editor Aaron and Sarah C and even had a chance to visit with Maxwell before he jetted off to Brazil!

The office is exactly what you would expect: it feels clean and organized (it was so quiet too with everyone tap tap tapping!) and there is great light, a great view and even plants.





(this one was an experiment with a new tilt shift app for the iPhone).

Anthology Magazine + New York Update

Update from New York. Had a great afternoon glass of champagne with Anh-Minh at the Crosby Street Hotel in Soho to celebrate the launch of Anthology Magazine--a collaboration between Anh-Minh and Meg Mateo Ilasco, two incredibly talented and ambitious women. I got to thumb through the mock up copy and all I can say is that it's amazing (there's a sneak peak on AT, too!). I'm so glad I got to work on the magazine and if you haven't already ordered your subscription, do it now, it's limited run and you don't want to miss out on it. I mean, have you seen their stop motion video?


Here's a preview shot of the venice home I shot for the magazine. Love that wallpaper, it even inspired a mock up of my dream bathroom.


Now I'm off to check out the new AT offices and get lunch with the team, then tonight, the Rue Launch. I'm loving New York, the weather is still warm with the edge of Fall creeping in.

My Shot Made the Rue Magazine Cover

Drum roll please.

Rue has leaked their cover image on Apartment Therapy today and It's my shot that made the cover!!

I'm over the moon to be a part of such a great endeavor and so far, everyone I've met has been inspiring, together and overall awesome. It was a great shoot day and wonderful to meet Crystal and the designers who put together that great space (I won't go into details about them and the space until the mag is out--thursday!) Can't wait to meet everyone else in New York next week! (I bought the dress, now have to find the shoes, arg.)

Check out more of my photo work here on my website or in one of the other spreads out this month: here and here!

Get Ready

For big news tomorrow!

I Heart Merchandising

Happy Friday Everyone! My week ended up being packed with a lot more than I thought it would be, including helping my friend merchandise her storefront. I only have this crappy iPhone picture but we had so much fun rearranging the space and I had forgotten how much I love physically putting rooms together (and not just photographing them). It was a nice change of pace (to not be glued to my chair in front of a computer and photoshopping all night long).

Next month there will be an official launch of the showroom so I'll keep you posted so that you can go there, too.

I also nailed down plans to go to New York for the launch of Rue Magazine (did you see the latest sneak peek on coco and kelly?) and get some East Coast in me before the long hard California winter. Also, before I turn thirty one. Yes. Thirty. One. Sigh.

Also, have you guys seen what Morgan has been up to? Yes, she is finally officially offering design services. Hit her up, she will school you (in a nice way, I promise, she's really very nice).

And for those of you obsessed with tomatoes (I mean, who isn't?) check out Emma's gorgeous post on the subject.

Happy Weekend Everyone, stay out of trouble!

New Spread in Standard Magazine

September might not be so bad after all. A bunch of work I did over the summer is making its way into the public starting with a spread I shot for Kelly LaPlante's new online magazine (with a focus on green): Standard Magazine. I got to shoot this incredible home in the hollywood hills that married indoors with out. It was for a piece called "The Modern Man's Guide To Hillside Living' and it starts on page 66.

Here are some of my favorite shots (including some outtakes that didn't make it into the spread). See the whole thing in the new issue of Standard!.









Thanks to Kelly for the opportunity to shoot such a great place!

John and Mary

Recently watched this movie John and Mary with Mia Farrow and Dustin Hoffman that I had never heard of before. The film was made in '69 and I would die to have the apartment that John is living in in New York. He works as a furniture designer and yes, he designed the leather sofa.










Love all the white light fixtures, the space, the leather, the olive green cups, the windows, the weirdly angles ceilings and narrow kitchen. Almost the whole movie takes place in the apartment, but there's one flashback scene that I love that's just over-the-top colorful with Mia on the beach:

I Heart Cake

Hope everyone had a great labor day. I spent some time with friends and family out in Palm Springs. Thanks for everyone's suggestions for dealing with heartbreak. If I can offer my insights so far:

1) See friends often
2) Wear nice clothes (don't just sit around in sweats)
3) Exercise
4) Watch funny things (like this and this and this.)
5) Keep Busy (thankfully I've gotten a chance to work with some amazing people recently: from Kelly LaPlante to Rue Magazine to my old boss Nadia Geller).

Once I have my own place again I would love to get a series of these amazing Cake Paintings from Paul Ferney. They make me so happy.

Rummy Bears

If you don't know the blog Rummy Bears check it out. It's a couple of incredibly stylish Aussies with an adorable baby documenting their day to day. They take beautiful photos and always look put together and basically picture perfect. I love them and envy them all in one.

Spread in Nesting Newbies

Thanks for all the kind words, it really does help (even though you're technically strangers, right?) You know what also helps? I shot this great project for Upward Bound back in February (maybe you remember this?) and it's now a pretty big spread in the most recent issue of Nesting Newbies.

It was awesome to work with such great designers and a big shout out to Nesting Newbies for doing such a great job with the layout and the story!

See the whole thing here (the article starts on page 155).

You can see more of my work on my website.