When I found out that the infamous stair car from Arrested Development rolled into town, there was no way I could skip out on it. So on Sunday, John, my brother Andy, and I headed down to Santa Monica for a Bluth mobile sighting and a walk around town. The beach, the buildings, the Bluths…what more could you ask for on the day of rest? (Ummm…how about more parking?)
The countdown to the BIG PREMIERE is on! George Michael, I’ve missed you so…
There’s really nothing in this world that I love more than a good treasure hunting excursion (obviously). I mean, what could possibly be more fun than digging through others’ discarded junk and giving it new life?! (Uh, just about EVERYTHING is more fun than that, my mom would say – ha!) Thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales – bring it on! So on the fourth Sunday of every month, I love to attend the Topanga Vintage Market in the San Fernando Valley. This market hosts a wide variety of vendors + vintage products in all different price ranges. Of course I’m always on the lookout for unique glass + tableware, but even if I don’t buy anything, it’s worth it for the visual inspiration alone! Here are a few of the awesome items I spotted the last time I attended:
One of these days, I want to purchase a giant sign like this and work it into a lush outdoor landscape. I love when urban + natural aesthetics collide, a la my beloved Grow.
The wooden crate! The orange tackle box! The yellow lawn chair! Everything about this photo makes me want to dig in.
If I had a few kids + a few hundred spare dollars, I would definitely snatch these chairs up and put them in a playroom or on a patio for outdoor dining. You could even use one as a place to stack books or blankets! Aren’t the colors just perfection?
These handcrafted glass beaded necklaces are amazing. Not only would they be great for wearing, but they would also look fantastic if they were tied into a loose knot and displayed on a dresser or coffee table. So many possibilities in so many beautiful colors!
P.S. If you make it to the market, be sure to stop by booth F-20 and say hello to my lovely future in-laws! (:
What are your favorite things to look for when you go treasure hunting?
A few weekends ago, John and I decided to venture up north and take a little day trip to Ojai. Can you believe that in the twenty-plus years I’ve lived in Southern California, I had never visited this amazing town before? That’s just crazy to me now that I’ve experienced the wonder that it truly is. Everything about Ojai (well, except maybe the overuse of Papyrus…I’ll try to look past that – ha!), is perfection. We spent the first part of the day exploring the main street, dining at an awesome Mexican food joint, and strolling through the park. As the sun began to set, I knew we had to head up to Meditation Mount (after reading this post!) and take in all the soft colors and citrusy smells from the top of the city. My instincts proved correct…it was spectacular.
Ojai, you’ve won us over. Well done.
P.S. Hey locals! Any ideas for adorable SoCal towns that I need to visit? I would love to hear your suggestions! xo
This past Saturday, Elise and I attended Elsie + Emma’s “Crafts + Cocktails” party hosted by Ruche and Zooey Magazine at the Seychelles’ showroom in LA. In three words? IT. WAS. AMAZING. I must have have done 50 laps around the place in an effort to take in every last detail!
True to the party’s name, there were crafts, cocktails, cupcakes, and so many stylish people in one beautiful space. It was such a treat to meet Elsie and Emma in real life and see just how friendly and down-to-earth they are (I love when that happens!). And! I even had a conversation with Joy the Baker! (I live for her podcast, you guys.) All of the details that went into this party were beyond inspiring, you can bet your bottom dollar I will be swiping them for my own future celebrations. But really, the time spent with this impossibly cute little mama was the highlight of the whole trip. She’s such a gem.
San Luis Obispo has a way of making me regret filling in “Architecture” as my major of choice on my Cal Poly application back when I was eighteen. I mean, architecture, Ann-Marie??? Really??? Needless to say, I did not spend my college years in endlessly charming SLO. (I spent them in endlessly charming San Diego, so I’ll survive.) But now that I have long since graduated (sans architecture degree) and scored myself a cute fiance, San Luis Obispo is the perfect place for two twenty-somethings looking for a weekend adventure. Because when you break it down, this town has it all: beauty, brains, and a whole lot of thrifting! We’ll be back soon, SLO…
Despite being in five different states, three different time zones and unpredictable levels of Internet cooperation (Jamie – we’re coming for you!), my friends and I were able to hang out on Wednesday night + it was the greatest thing ever.
Okay, so maybe not “hang out” in the same way we do when we take over Starbucks or stand in Jaymee’s parents’ kitchen until 2am or gather together for our annual holiday parties, but still, so good. Amazing actually. I mean, can you believe that with a few clicks, you can SEE + HEAR + TALK TO someone thousands of miles away? Or better yet, six different people all at the same time?! I can’t even…
Nothing better than good friends, good conversations + ridiculously amazing technology.
While in Salt Lake last week for a lighting-fast business trip, I had every intention of taking lots of photos of all the things that I miss most about living in Utah. The snow-capped mountains. Waking up to fresh powder outside my window. Rows + rows of thrifty goodness at the DI (oh, the DI). All of my amazing friends whom I miss terribly. The reality? I filled up my memory card with TONS of images from my breakfast at Eva’s Bakery in downtown SLC. I mean, I couldn’t help myself! Everything about this place is what designer dreams are made of, from the blue and yellow patterned flooring to the calligraphed labels in the bakery case to the gorgeous menu typography. I was in heaven (literally…this is Utah, after all).
Oh, and the food? DIVINE.
xoxo
When Saturday rolls around and John and I are looking for a fun way to spend the afternoon, Ventura often seems to top our list of places to go. And why not? It’s such an underrated little beach town so close to where we live. The weather is always nice, the parking is always plentiful and FREE (take note, LA!), and there are so many fantastic thrift shops on Main Street that we could spend hours wandering though. Oh, and we’re totally getting married there in October! Needless to say, we love it.
On the way home, we stopped at our wedding venue to see what it looks like at night. Despite my previous concerns that the lighting wouldn’t jive with my vision, I am happy to report, it looks SO GOOD! Warm, cozy, and ready for an all-night fiesta! Am I killing you with the wedding stuff yet? My apologies friends, but we’ve got a loooong (but not that long – ahh!) way to go! And speaking of wedding stuff, lately I’ve been sending e-mails with potential vow material to myself whenever a poignant thought crosses my mind. This includes, but is not limited to, grabbing my phone to write out my thoughts in the middle of the night while still half-dreaming (nightmaring?) about arriving at the ceremony only to realize that I forgot to write any vows…! (P.S. I woke up the next morning to some surprisingly decent work!) I am LITERALLY writing these vows with my eyes closed. If only the rest of the wedding planning could be so easy!
xoxo
On Sunday, I convinced John and my brother Andy to go with me to Disneyland, partly because the weather was springtime perfection, but mainly because I wanted to test my new 50mm lens in the most colorful setting possible. Mission accomplished.
As far as camera equipment goes, this macro lens is such a steal considering just how fantastic it really is! The sharp depth of field blows my mind every time… even if does force me to stand a mile away from my subject to get more than just their nostrils in the shot – ha!
xoxo
Last week I got a fun e-mail from Urbanic letting me know that I had won their giveaway from The Cream…! I can’t even tell you how excited I was, especially about this wedding planning binder that I’ve had my eye on for quite some time. The truth is, I didn’t even get a good look at the prize while I was at the event, but as a matter of principle, I always throw my name in the hat if Urbanic is hosting a giveaway. Always.
While I was down in Venice, I decided to wander around a bit, pick up a latte from Intelligentsia (even if I do feel entirely uncool while I’m there), stop by Firefly (another great little boutique!), and take a bunch of photos before the braving the 405 at rush hour. Totally worth it.
xoxo
