Qlocktwo
Simply gorgeous, and quite clever: a clock that literally tells you the time. Via Uncrate.
- Gift ideas | Shopping | Travel
Shag: The Store
As if we need another reason to visit Palm Springs… SHAG The Store has just opened there. Loves me some SHAG, and can’t wait to check this place out! Shag: The Store.
Great Vegan/Veggie Dining in Los Angeles – at a DINER!
Those following this blog for some time know that my husband and I try to follow a predominantly animal-free diet. We do this for health reasons. We occasionally and selectively enjoy cheese, ice cream, and very occasionally some seafood, poultry or meat. But our preference is for fruit, veggies, legumes and grains. Our college-student son,…
Luggage Lifesaver
I snapped up this Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale before heading back East to bring my son home from college for summer break. Since bags over 50 pounds can incur hefty ($50 and up) surcharges, I wanted to make sure our luggage stayed within the weight limits. The $20 I spent on it more than paid…
My Top 10 iPhone Wants
I unapologetically love my iPhone. Having said that, it’s not perfect. Here’s what would make it better for me. (I believe a number of these fixes may be on the way in the next OS/hardware update… but that won’t help me as I’ve got a 3G and don’t expect to upgrade it for another year…
9 months on
For those following along at home: this morning was my 9-month post-surgery checkup with Dr. Friedman, my amazing oncologist. He pronounced that things are coming along “perfectly” and sent me away until my one-year checkup in August. I’ll drink to that.
Close to the Chest
Women possessing anything north of the most modest bosom know well the discomfort that any high-impact exercise can cause. Not only is the bouncing uncomfortable (and, some would argue, unsightly), but it can be damaging to breast tissue. The protective stance one assumes in trying to mitigate the bouncing can result in less-than-optimal posture for…
- Charity | Restaurants | Wine
Vintage Hollywood 2010
I’m a founding board member of a non-profit called Vintage Hollywood Foundation, which raises money for charitable organizations that work to improve the health and well-being of Southern California’s diverse community. Our flagship annual event, Vintage Hollywood, will be held on Saturday, June 12 (just 6 weeks away!) from 6:30-9:00pm. It features two dozen prestigious…
From the Home Office
My friend Alex almost always signs off Twitter of an evening with a goodnight message. They tickle me, these tweets, because in them she regularly invents new words to refer to her collective followers. No pedestrian “tweeps” for Alex. Among my favorites: Goodnight, Tweepsicle …Tweetson (sometimes Tweeterson). … Twitches … Tweepsies … Tweetiepop … Tweetifer…
Dinner, April 25
Thanks to the marvelous Miss Whistle, I read the Guardian’s article previewing 15 recipies from Ottolenghi’s upcoming cookbook. Tonight I made his “Chickpea, tomato and bread soup,” which is quite similar to a Tuscan ribollita. Let me just say that even though there are just two of us, there were no leftovers.
Photo Blog: Upper Ojai Valley, Springtime
Ever few months we’re lucky to spend a weekend at Lavender Hill Farm, the home of our friends Sims and Steve in the picturesque Upper Ojai Valley. Here are some pictures we took on April 16 and 17. We picked vegetables from Steve’s extensive gardens and prepared them for lunch and dinner. Artichokes are in…
Love is…
… when you and your spouse are trying to remember the name of an obscure place in New York, but can’t, so you give up. And hours later, one of you remembers the name, calls out just one word across the house, and the other answers, “right!”
Negative Space That’ll Turn Your Head
Here’s another brilliant, unique gift. Looks like a wooden chalice, or perhaps some sort of stair newel or decorative table leg, right? Look again. Look to the left of the shadow. (I’ll wait.) Is that the coolest silhouette portrait you’ve ever seen? The folks at Turn Your Head have figured out how to, from a…
Timothy Richards Bookends
While living in the UK in the 90s, my husband and I became fans of Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta. Behold this stairwell in the home he designed for Emile Tassel, regarded by many as the first Art Nouveau building: Happily Horta’s own Brussels home, now the Horta Museum, is in superb condition and…
My Follow Philosophy
Everyone has his or her own policy about following people on Twitter. Here’s mine: I follow accounts that speak to my personal and/or professional interests. They can be news feeds; fellow entertainment and media types; punsters; those who share my hobbies and passions; public figures I admire; friends of friends. But there’s always a specific…
CAR! by Gary Larson
One of my favorite cartoons, ever:
Some favorite recipes
For the past five months, my husband and I have been eating a largely vegan diet. I know that saying “largely vegan” is akin to saying “somewhat pregnant,” so let’s just say that we severely limit the amount of animal product we eat, and save it for very special occasions. Let it be known: I…
Corkage
Once upon a time, my husband and I published a wine newsletter called Swirl Wine News. (We plan to resurrect it as a blog someday… more on that another time.) This afternoon on Twitter, a lively discussion broke out among several of us about corkage policies at restaurants. It brought to mind a piece we…
The Guppy, by Ogden Nash
Whales have calves, Cats have kittens, Bears have cubs, Bats have bittens, Swans have cygnets, Seals have puppies, But guppies just have little guppies. Amazon.com: The Best of Ogden Nash.
swissmiss | Tea Sub
How freaking cute is this??? swissmiss | Tea Sub.
Earthquake-Ready Your Car, Too
The recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile have spurred many to update (or establish!) their home quake preparedness kits. That’s good thinking. While you’re at it, make sure you have a plan for the members of your household to communicate with one another in case you’re not all home at the time. For many Southern…