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.

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.

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.

Palm Springs Photo Diary

I just returned from my 2 night stay at The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs for Brian's birthday.  I have to say, it was truly one of the few vacations I've taken in my life where I actually felt like I got to relax and enjoy doing absolutely nothing.  I feel completely rejuvenated!
Here are a few of the photos (with descriptions below):

The drive to Palm Springs was beautiful- the desert landscape was just beginning to bloom with color.
It was Brian's 30th birthday.  Besides the stay at the hotel, I bought him a David Sedaris book & an organic old-fashioned shave jelly (it smells like whiskey & pine trees!) from Portland General Store.
Our first night was spent drinking beer & playing Bingo, which was hosted by an amazing older woman who serenaded people in-between games.  We didn't win (we would have won if the girls next to us hadn't been cheating!), but it was still really fun.
The following morning we woke up early and rented bikes from our hotel (rooms at The Ace include free bike rentals!) and took a 5 mile bike ride around town.  It was a great way to start the day.
We got ready for a day by the pool (lots of sunscreen, straw hats, sunglasses, 'The Collected Stories Of Lydia Davis', film camera, and of course a leopard print swimsuit) and then had brunch at King's Highway.  I had the breakfast ALT, & Brian opted for 2 eggs any style.
After brunch, we spent the entire day by the pool.  Brian even took a 2 hour nap (and I took creepy photos of him while he slept).   Later, we snacked on a mezza platter & a chicken salad.
It was hot outside, but the heat was offset by a cool, spring breeze.  The pool was also pretty much empty, which was ideal for us (and it didn't hurt that they played great music outside).
That night, we were tired from sitting in the sun all day, so we stayed in our room and watched movies & ordered room-service.  We pretty much spoiled ourselves.
This morning we checked-out and had brunch at my favorite Palm Springs breakfast spot, Cheeky's.
Brian had oatmeal (boring!) and I had the smoked salmon & avocado eggs benedict.  It was the perfect end to a great mini-vacation.
Driving away from Palm Springs reminded me just how much I love living in Los Angeles.  Visible in the distance, away from the palm-tree studded, 80 degree desert roads, were mountains covered with snow.  It's pretty amazing that LA is surrounded by so many beautiful and different places that are so easily accessible.  (And the fact that at the beginning of this week I was in Palm Springs and this weekend I will be skiing in Mammoth, is amazing!)
Coming back home is never, ever hard when you have the 2 most adorable kittens waiting for you...I still can't believe how big they are getting!