Zerkalo

Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky's 'The Mirror' is one of my favorite films.  It is one of the most visually & thematically stunning movies I have ever seen, and continues to take my breath away each time I watch it.
This semi-autobiographical film doesn't follow a specific plot, and instead blends memories, dreams, newsreel footage and poetry to create a stream-of-consciousness.  Much of the film was shot in the gorgeous woods surrounding Moscow.  Here are a few film stills.

Existing

In the 60's & 70's, the Yugoslavian president (at the time) commissioned different sculptors and architects to build structures to commemorate sites where WWII battles took place or where Concentration Camps had been located.  When the Republic dissolved in the early 90's, these amazing man-made structures were abandoned and completely forgotten about.  Their symbolic, decaying beauty has been captured by photographer Jan Kempenaers.  I find these monuments to be absolutely stunning, surreal, futuristic, and even eerie.

All photos via Jan Kampenaers.

Birthday Wishlist

My Birthday is coming up in a few weeks, so I thought I would post my wishlist so people can plan accordingly (just kidding...kind of).

1.  Super 8 Camera - I have about a million ideas for short/experimental films floating around, and a Super 8 would be the perfect camera to capture the the nostalgic dreaminess I have in my head.
2. Turkish Peshtamel - These traditional Turkish bath towels are thin & light, and perfect for Summer.
3. William Eggleston's Guide - I need this book so I can stare at William Eggleston's gorgeous, inspiring photography every day.
4. Moleskin Notebook - I realize time and time again that I need a small notebook to jot down ideas while I'm on the bus or wandering around town.  I seem to have amazing revelations on the bus and then forget them when I return home.  I need to remember to write things down!
5. Neest Cara Mug - This lovely wooden mug, hand-crafted in Japan, would be perfect for my morning tea.
6. Leather Purse - I love the triangle/zig zag pattern on this purse.  Funny thing is, in between the time I made this wishlist and posting this, I had already bought it for myself!  Oops.
7. Topshop Bralet - I can't imagine myself not wearing this (not on it's own!) everywhere during summer.
8. Josie Maran Argan Oil - I absolutely love Josie Maran's eco-friendly cosmetics line.  All of her products are designed to revitalize and properly care for your skin, rather than cover up existing problems.  I keep hearing amazing things about the wonders of Argan Oil, and I would like to try it myself.
9. Full Moon Necklace - I love this hand-made necklace that is accented with authentic porcupine quills.
10. Fresh Products - I just recently started using Fresh products (the soy facial cleanser), and I can personally attest to their greatness.  If I could have all of their products, my skin would be eternally grateful.
11. Black Loafers - These shoes look incredibly comfortable...maybe because they look like they could double as slippers?  I don't think I would ever take them off.
12. Judy Kaufmann Woody Allen Print - Judy Kaufmann's whimsical prints (made in Barcelona) are fantastic.  This Woody Allen print wouldn't look so out-of-place on my wall.
13. Pastel Set - I want to spend more time outside with pastels.  I think this needs to happen this summer.
14. A Massage - All I really want for my birthday is to relax.  I feel like I am always on-the-move, and a back massage would seriously be the perfect gift.

Withdrawals...

It's only day 4 of my cleanse, and I woke up this morning feeling like crap.
If I could explain what my body feels like, I would say that it feels like I'm one of those crazy people who tries to reach spiritual enlightenment by standing on one leg and not moving for 90 days...except I don't feel enlightened at all.
My body feels really weak and my brain is having trouble focusing.
If you haven't seen the movie 'Super Size Me,' it's basically a documentary following Morgan Spurlock, a vegan health-nut who decides to eat only McDonald's for 30 days to see how it would change his body/mind.  On the second day, after eating a McDonald's breakfast, he says he feels like crap.  His body feels weak and sluggish, and his mind can't focus.   I feel the same way now, except it's the exact opposite (not that I eat at McDonald's, like ever.  Gross).  I went from eating what I consider is an average diet (not super unhealthy, but definitely not the healthiest.  I love food, and I can't pass up a delicious sandwich, pasta dish, burrito, or cupcake) to eating an extremely health-conscious diet that has completely eliminated everything I'm used to.
My Mom, who is a doctor, told me that my body is going through a healing reaction.  By eliminating foods that were in my every-day (or weekly) diet, (caffeine, sugar, red meat, dairy, gluten, processed foods, alcohol), my body is freaking out now that it has been shaken up with a completely new diet.
I was shocked when I woke up this morning feeling this way, because I just assumed that by eating lots of kale, broccoli, avocados, carrots, quinoa, apples, oranges, plenty of water, etc, that my body would feel amazing immediately.  I guess your body needs to go through the initial shock of cutting things that you are used to consuming out of it's system before it can allow the nutritional powers of new, healthy foods kick in.
It's very interesting to me how one's body/mind is attached to certain foods.  I wonder if I was 'addicted' to certain foods (cheese? sandwiches? pasta? steak?).
I really hope that I feel better in a few days.  There is no way that I am giving up on this experiment, but I would like to believe that eating the freshest, most nutritional foods truly does make you feel better.

Just say no.

Today is the first day of a month long cleansing experiment of saying "NO" to things.  I won't be drinking any alcohol or caffeine, and won't be eating bread or anything with added sugar (also no dairy, processed foods or red meat).   Honestly, I'm kind of just trying to test my willpower.  I want to know that I can be content without these things.  I don't think I'm as nervous about actually being able to go through with it as I am nervous about how it may affect social situations.  But that's kind of the point.  I hope to update here with my progress in a few weeks!

Home

I tend to get bouts of homesickness when spring comes around.  It makes me miss waking up to the smell of sea-salty air & getting purposely lost off HWY 1.   I've been staring at these photos I took last November, the last time I went back home.  They were all taken on film around Big Sur/Monterey/Carmel.

Flowers Are The Things We Know

Anabela & Geoff run Fieldguided from their home in Canada.  Their screen-printed tote bags are made from quality canvas & ink, and are crafted with lots of love (as if it wasn't obvious enough how much love goes into these creations, the bags are even packaged beautifully).
They also run a blog, which is filled with tons of inspiration & snapshots from around their house of plants, clothing finds & of course, cats!
I ordered one of their totes, with a dreamy quote taken from Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra's "Some Velvet Morning."  I had ordered a few boxes of Rit Dye, which I have been planning to play around with, and being inspired with Fieldguided's own dye experiment, I decided to try dip-dying the tote on my own.

I used tan Rit Dye for a more natural look.  I am really happy with how it turned out (imperfections and all), and I can't wait to use this technique again soon!  Thank you to Fieldguided.
P.S. I was pretty gentle during the dying process and I wouldn't recommend putting the tote in the washer or dryer.  All washing should be done by hand.
P.S. Here is the song that the quote on the bag is from

Tim Walker's Dream World

The first time I saw a collection of Tim Walker's photography, I fell in love.  His photographs evoke the kind of magical dream world that I sometimes fantasize about where I live in an abandoned manor in the South of France surrounded by aquamarine & purple cats, have decadent tea parties with salt-water-taffy sandwiches, take sunset boat rides in a lake full of wildflowers, and go camping under the stars with my friends.  If only such a world truly existed.  Tim Walker's photographs (which have graced the pages of Vogue for over a decade) almost make this dream into a reality.

Tim Walker Photography

Springtime Jams

So much Robyn Hitchcock on my balcony as the sun sets.

When I listen to his music, sometimes I feel like a better person.

Currently...

1. I love the dramatic gradient effect of Ombre haircolor.  It looks really effortless (maybe because it looks like your roots are growing in? hah), beachy, and perfect for summer.  I'm not sure if this coloring would suit me...I'm really on-the-fence about trying this one out.
2. I get really excited when Spring comes around, because the weather is absolutely perfect for hiking.  I've already ventured out on a few, and I realized that when I'm surrounded by nature, I am full of ideas.  Next time I go for a hike, I'll be sure to bring this journal.
3. This hand-painted moon locket is adorable, and I think I need it immediately.
4. When the sun sets, I'm finding myself listening to records & sitting out on my balcony writing, drawing, or reading (with a glass of wine, of course).  One of my favorite ways to spend my time alone.
5. It's California Poppy season, which means I get to finally make a trip to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve to wander around and take photographs.
6. The Communal-Table series of cookbooks really embodies why I love cooking.  Gathering friends together to share a meal is one of my favorite things in the world.  These cookbooks are great & book is illustrated beautifully.
7. I drink a mug of Zhena's Red Lavender Tea every morning when I wake up.  I don't think that I could live without it.
8. Rachel Comey is a shoe genius.  I would buy this pair of clog platforms in an instant if I wasn't saving up for Europe...but the thing is, I think I need these shoes for Europe...what am I supposed to do!? (P.S. It's my birthday next month.)
9. My friend Sara and I just started a new tradition: Lazy Sundays with friends. Every Sunday we are going to have a picnic/bbq/potluck/craft night/game night/gathering around town and invite everyone we know.  Last Sunday, a group of us met at Echo Park Lake and hung out all day.  It was really lovely and we are excited to continue this tradition and let it flourish.

Mammoth Photo Diary

Mammoth was a trip filled with truly natural beauty, new revelations, hilarious best-friend moments, and a rejuvenated sense of being.  To me, there is really nothing more gratifying than being outdoors, surrounded by nature.
Here are some photos from my weekend getaway to Mammoth Mountain with descriptions below.

Maggie and I left Los Angeles for Mammoth on Friday at around 7pm.  We both had work during the day, so a night-drive was our only option if we wanted to be awake for a day of skiing at 7:30am the next morning.  We made pretty good time, and only made one stop for gas near Mt. Whitney.
The Mammoth house was cozy & inviting (so cozy that we both ended up passing out on the couch that night even though there were 2 huge beds we could have slept in).
The next morning we woke up early & had an intense stretching session followed by coffee and eggs.
The house was conveniently located about 5 minutes walking-distance from the gondola that takes you up to Canyon Lodge at the bottom of the slopes.  Unfortunately, I couldn't really bring my camera up with me while skiing, so imagination will have to suffice in lieu of the lack of actual ski photos.  We rented skis, boots (I still think it's funny to watch people figure out how to walk like a normal human while wearing ski boots) & poles from the Lodge and waited in line for our first ski run of the day.
I hadn't been skiing since I was 13, so it felt really strange trying to figure out how I was never freaked out by the idea of going really fast down a giant mountain of ice when I was younger...because to be honest, it seemed pretty scary this time.  Maggie, of course, fearlessly descended down the mountain like a pro, and I made sure to close my eyes while watching her because it was way too scary.
My boots were incredibly tight (I had no other option but to deal with it), and it definitely made things more difficult in the beginning of the day.  Eventually, I got used to them and was able to enjoy the exhilaration of skiing (albeit at the embarrassing pace of an old lady).  I skied by myself for the second half of the day (Maggie was too advanced for me to keep up), and it was really enjoyable to be alone in the quiet of the Mountain.  I made many stops on different runs just so I could take-in the amazing views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains.  It felt really liberating to actually be doing something challenging & enjoyable at my own pace for once (as opposed to work/school/the hectic daily life of living in Los Angeles).
After a long day on the slopes, we each took a much-needed bath & napped at the house.  Later, we went out and spent way too much money on dinner (including Maggie's first ostrich egg shooter).
We attempted to go to a bar after dinner, without realizing that Ski Lodge bars are the snow-equivalent of the Jersey Shore.  After being asked if I wanted to dance/join some random table of Snowboard Bro's (complete with popped-collars & stupid facial hair), we decided to get the hell out of there and go to sleep.
Last summer, Maggie's (amazing, inspirational, hilarious, cowboy) Dad passed away while on vacation in Mammoth.  On Sunday morning, we woke up and drove to the site where some of his ashes were placed.  The snow-banks were too high to reach the actual tree of his site (we attempted to reach the tree, but ended up both getting stuck thigh-deep in snow and having to hilariously try to help each other try to get out).  Instead, we took in the crisp, pine-scented air & left him some notes drawn in the snow.  I thought that it would be difficult for Mags to visit her Dad's site, but it was seriously so quiet, perfect & beautiful where we were standing that all we could do was smile & enjoy being there.  It felt really good.
On the drive back to Los Angeles, we stopped at a few of the small towns along the way (Bishop, Big Pine, Lone Pine).  We bought (expensive!) jerky at a smoked meat shop in Bishop that kind of blew my mind.
I also took way too many pictures of my newest obsession: small town typography. The lettering in these places is always so good!  I seriously took 50+ more photos of type, but I chose some of my favorites for this post.  (Also picked out my favorite windshield bug catastrophe photo, which I think looks like a sign of the horns. Pretty appropriate).
The drive home was full of amazing sunsets/crazy colors reflected on mountains/lots of mad-libs.
This past week has not only made me feel extremely lucky to live in the natural wonder that is California, but has also made me realize that I'm glad I don't take my life for granted.