a million miles away

This song is beautiful and has been on repeat all day. It is perfect for this rainy weekend here in LA. 

I loved the film as well. If you did not catch HER in theaters definitely do so at some point, preferably as soon as possible. It is a strange premise to start off with, I admit, but the story itself and the characters are strong enough to engulf the viewer and overcome any weirdness one may feel about falling in love with an operating system. I loved the take on Los Angeles of the future, no matter how far fetched (mass density and efficient public transportation… nice try, Spike) and the subtle costumes did not try to shove "the future" down anyone's throat.

My favorite aspect without a doubt is the portrayal of loneliness. I think it paints a very accurate portrait of what it is to be lonely without being a parody or a pity party. It is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. All in all HER is a great story that was incredibly well written in my opinion and I hope it does well at the Oscars this weekend.

-

February came and went in a flash it seems. So much happened, is in the process of happening… very exciting. A much needed trip to New York refreshed my tired soul. Time with my amazing loved ones both there and here in LA made me so joyous and grateful to have such wonderful people in my life. I reconnected with so many people I had fallen out of touch with and it is amazing what a good conversation with old friends can do for you. Sometimes recounting aloud what you've been through and what you've done is the best thing you can do to realize all you've accomplish and how incredible you really are and the massive potential you posses. I am really into positive affirmation at the moment if you cannot tell-- self love, bitches. 

I truly feel that things are starting to fall into place and I am in the midst of getting my shit straight. As cheesy as it may sound, forcing myself into being positive and leaving behind all the shit from the last year has made a world of difference. I took the New Year as a reset button and haven't looked back except to think why the fuck didn't I do this earlier?!

Yeah, good things are happening. Here is an updated list of goals and resolutions for 2014 with progress thus far--

:Proposed projects and resolutions:

Get in shape, finally.

Well, I'm trying. Weekly 5Ks and daily workouts. Booty is already lookin' pretty, pretty good (well, much improved!)

Read more.

Learn to cook. And actually do it.

Eat clean.

Make new friends.

Travel abroad.

Visit New York.

Quick trip for a promising job interview(!) and some much needed fun and quality time with my beloved Brooklyn babes!

Learn Photoshop.

Improve my español. 

Brush up on my français. 

Take a tap class.

Signed up for a community class. Class was a bust, but will try again! 

Develop sleeping habits of a normal person.

Be more grateful. 

Got all Oprah up in this bitch and started a gratitude journal on January 1st. I love it and has surprisingly turned into one of the best things I've ever done. Cannot recommend it enough!

Volunteer.

Improve time management. 

Be more proactive.

Work on blog with more consistency. 

Write.

Stop settling for assholes and losers.

Make my parents proud.

Start my career path.

Start my own business.

-

So for now I will focus on keeping the momentum going and generally heading onwards and upwards.

clear skies, slight breeze

Interesting fact- this painting by Kirchner, Two Nudes in a Room, is now one hundred years old…

100. Cien. A century. 1914 was a century ago.

That is crazy to think about. So much of my favorite art is from this period and the majority of my academic interests hovered from the late nineteenth century to the interwar period throughout college and graduate school. For some reason I always felt connected to this era and it never felt as removed as I suppose it should. Sophomore year I became obsessed with the German Expressionists and this Kirchner piece at LACMA has been like an old friend ever since. The colors are so vivid and actually feel very current. That Ernst Ludvig Kirchner knew what was up. 

Sunlight, Max Pechstein, Oil on Canvas, 1921

Spent the afternoon at LACMA. It is amazing what a few hours alone and inside a museum can do for my sanity. 

Persona Che Guarde, Michelangelo Pistoletto, 1963

Angst/Fear, from Der Golem portfolio series, Hugo Steiner‑Prag, Lithograph, 1915-1916 

 My Shack of Cinema, detail

 My Shack of Cinema, detail

 My Shack of Cinema, detail

 My Shack of Cinema, Agnès Varda, Installation, strips of 35mm film and metal frame, 1968-2013 

 My Shack of Cinema, detail

 1955-H, Clyfford Still, Oil on Canvas, 1955 

On in, Frederick Hammersley, Oil on Linen, 1961 

LACMA is probably my favorite museum in the city. The older buildings are filled with dark halls and nooks and the new architecture (I'm looking at you Renzo Piano) is light-filled and offers great views of the hills. The collection isn't huge, but I've grown up visiting it and so it holds a special place in my heart. 

Why do I get a thrill from sneaking photos at museums? I need new hobbies--> Exhibit A- the nerd alert with the Pistoletto piece. Hmmph. Don't do as I do… gruff museum security officers are not for the faint of heart. Also, I may or may not have bumped into a Bauhaus chair… my art history babe status will surely be revoked any day now. 

The drive to and fro was an epic shitshow as per usual. But my god was it gorgeous out today. Dammit LA, you know how to charm a girl sometimes. Certainly better than hangin' in a polar vortex. No thanks. 

I'm thinking about attempting museum visits all week. Five LA museums in five days. Stay tuned…

des nouvelles

New! New! New!

New Year! New Habits! New Activities! 

Hopefully all leading to a new and better year and better version of myself. 
Peace the 'eff out 2013. You were less than spectacular to say the least.

Onwards and upwards and all the best things for 2014!

I am truly happy for a fresh start, a new year, and all the starry-eyed optimism that is floating around.
Here's hoping it all sticks.

:Proposed projects and resolutions:

Get in shape, finally.

Read more.

Learn to cook. And actually do it.

Eat clean.

Make new friends.

Travel abroad.

Visit New York.

Learn Photoshop.

Improve my español. 

Brush up on my français. 

Take a tap class.

Develop sleeping habits of a normal person.

Be more grateful. 

Volunteer.

Improve time management. 

Be more proactive.

Work on blog with more consistency. 

Write.

Stop settling for assholes and losers.

Make my parents proud.

Start my career path.

Start my own business.

-0-

white rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits

amen.

Smell ya later, 2013. This one goes out to your ugly ass. 

Hope the door beats yo' ass on the way out!

our lives

Blah blah blah. A whole lot o' blah going on over here. To distract myself there has been this-

Fred Astair movies

 and this

fresh fruit and juicing endeavors

and dancing around to this

Love this song!! I am so glad I am past my dating guys who drive vans phase. Good grief. No bueno.

Fresh produce is certainly one of the great advantages of being in California during December. These guys know what I'm talking about. I need a project. My strawberries might just inspire a redux of my fruit blog. Sexy fruit that is. Or at least a weekly post dedicated to fruit? Who am I kidding, I just really love the sound of sexyfruit.blogspot.com

Breaking: Dammit it all, someone else took the name. Sigh, always a bridesmaid.  

twenty and nine; thirty minus one

Another birthday. The cake was good. The company was lovely. Every year I feel less sparkly and this year felt especially lackluster and I found myself to be sans a celebratory spirit. There seems to be a consensus regarding 29, at least in my circle. There is an immense and bizarre pressure, both as the last year of your twenties, thus one should party your face off and live it up, but also as the year before the big 3-0, thus prompting one to get your shit straight once and for all. 

Can I just stick to eating cake, s'il vous plait. 

And drinking bubbly, of course. 

Stills from from Danny William's film entitled "Harold Stevenson" via A Walk into the Sea, 

a great documentary about William's life and work.

weekend bits & bobs

Lovely weekend. The rain let up (went away completely) and it was clear skies and lots of sunlight mixed in with some amazing sunsets to boot. This is certainly my favorite time of the year in LA. While many elsewhere are freezing or under snow we have these beauties hanging over our heads whilst we walk around in cardigans with the temperature lingering in the low 80s. I know, I know. 

Rode my bike to the local Farmer's Market for flowers. Hit up the current exhibition of recent acquisitions at the MoCA-Grand Ave. Vegged out with friends and pizza for some True Blood. Had an amazing brunch with my best bud at Salt's Cure. Came across a new (or at least new to me) mural during an afternoon walking about the Arts District. And best of all had some quality time with this handsome pup. 

<--->

1 & 2) Friday's sunset as witnessed from my front yard. Photos were taken only about 2 minutes apart. 

#nofilter as you kids like to say. (Ugh, I really wish you would stop that).

3) Rodney McMillian, Representation of a Landscape as a Wall, 2012, MoCA, LA

4) Ibid, close up detail

5/6/7) Mark Handforth, Desert Sun, 2004, MoCA, LA

8) Unknown work, MoCA, LA

9) True Blood, bitches

10) Sunday Brunch at Salt's Cure

11) Mural, Arts District, LA (resemblance to ex-boyfriends = uncanny)

12) Lucas. 

All photos by me.

whispers

Very much into soft pink at the moment. Almost mauve, but not quite as committed to violet.  A whisper of a color. 

October came and went and now November is charging by like a wild rhino. The holidays are upon us and I am already sick and tired of the commercialism of it all. 

I shouldn't say that, it might be bad for business. 

It was gray and rainy today and yesterday and it looks like we are in for more tomorrow. I miss Paris. This weather always makes me long for more. Or rather for different. 

Different locale, different time, different life. 

Good weather for running. And thinking. And hopefully for action.