Brickhouse

I met my Toastmasters mentee for lunch and discovered a new-to-me art gallery, The Brickhouse. The owner graciously let me take photos with a few of the outdoor murals. I’ll be back for the big Day of the Dead celebration on my birthday!


Vest, Tinseltown (cut form a consignment jacket). Shirt, Passport. Skirt, Madewell. Boots, Steve Madden. Sunglasses, Marc by Marc Jacobs. Bag, Rebecca Minkoff. Necklace, thrifted.


The murals (from left to right) are by artists @bamr_theartist, @r2romero, and @lisa.elias.

Mural Fail

I headed to Arden Way and Del Paso Boulevard today to check out a mural recommended by Colour Me Classic. I was hoping it would become a new picture spot for me, but the location is too exposed (I need shade or at least back-lighting) and heavily trafficked. It’s definitely a future possibility on a cloudy day with backup (Beefy). In the meantime, I returned to my old haunt under the Watt Avenue bridge.


Vest, Sasson (vintage). Dress, Ella Moss. Belt, thrifted. Shoes, J Crew. Sunglasses, Coco Sunglasses. Earrings, Stardust Remembered. Bag, Aldo


Traffic was so heavy that I didn’t even get a chance to take a picture of the target mural, but I did spot this little gem on Franklin Boulevard:

Roar

This is the third place I tried outfit photos. The first two had lovely murals, but the light was not kind to my monthly body dysmorphia. I try to be all “I am woman, hear me roar,” but sometimes it’s more “I am woman, hear me bitch.”


Shirt, Mossimo. Skirt, Bass (thrifted). Belt, thrifted. Boots, Steve Madden. Earrings, Francesca’s Closet. Bag, Anne Klein (thrifted).

Blue and White Life

I blame my time in Japan with starting my blue and white dish obsession. I outfitted my kitchen with blue and white plates and bowls from the 100 yen store. I picked up tumblers, mugs, and sauce dishes at the nicer shops. As they’ve broken, or I’ve needed more dishes, I’ve had fun thrifting blue and white pieces in the US. I love having a variety of patterns and styles, all united by the color palette.


Vest, AC-3998 (cut from a thrifted jacket). Sweatshirt, Forever 21 (I washed it in cold water and laid it flat to dry and it still shrank!) Tee, Mossimo. Skirt, London Jean. Boots, Ariat. Sunglasses, Meow Meow. Earrings, Delia*s. Belt, thrifted. Bag, vintage.




As fun as it is to slowly cobble together my blue and white dish collection, I am still tempted by displays like this one, at Williams and Sonoma.


I just try to remind myself that even if I had the cash to buy all the pieces new, and at once, it would not be as satisfying as my treasure hunt.

Less Watching, More Writing

After I finished my final 40 B4 40 item (my birthday party), I began six weeks of utter slothfulness. I kicked it off with a nasty cold that started an even nastier Gossip Girl addiction. I sniffled in bed, watching Netflix and slowly working my way through the glut of alcohol left over from the party. My dreams of working on my book during the holidays were discarded for marathon sleep sessions, hangovers, and more Gossip Girl. By the new year, though, I was ready to switch my screen time from watching to writing. I’m on a productivity roll and even made it to a writer’s group on Saturday. (Plus, I drank all the booze and refuse to buy more.)


Jacket, Obey (customized by my sister). Denim shirt, Levi’s (thrifted). Tunic, Forever 21. Sweater, Joseph A (thrifted). Leggings, Express. Boots, Style & Co (thrifted). Bag, Steve Madden.


Today’s 365 is my favorite of the television screens depicted in this mural. It’s no Gossip Girl, but it’s pretty cute.

Some Kind of Supermodel

Usually, I have this amphitheatre to myself. Today, I arrived to find a man testing the outlets, hoping for a live one to charge his phone. After he was unsuccessful, I explained that I was going to take photos here, but he’d be out of the frame. I expected him to leave. Instead, he sat down and watched the show.


Vest, Tilt (cut from a consignment jacket). Dress, Banana Republic (consignment). Shoes, Seychelles. Sunglasses and bag, Target. Earrings, Charming Charlie.

To make matters even more awkward, I had forgotten my camera remote in the pocket of the vest I wore on Tuesday. Instead of a smooth series of poses and clicks and a quick exit, I had to use my cumbersome back-up method:

1. Set up camera and tripod.
2. Place purse where I intend to stand.
3. Take a picture of the purse using the autofocus.
4. Check that focus is sharp.
5. Lock focus.
6. Set auto-timer.
7. Press shutter button.
8. Stand exactly where the purse was.
9. Wait a few l-o-o-o-o-n-g seconds while 10-second timer counts down.
10. Pose and hold.
11. Go to camera and check image.
12. Make adjustments as needed.
13. Repeat steps 6 - 12 ten more times to get images I find marginally satisfying.
14. Repeat steps 1 - 13 if I change position or location.

About half way through, I got the only comment from my observer: “You must think you’re a supermodel or something.” To which I replied, “Yes,” and thought, “I’m super something.”

Scary Clown

I spent too long attempting to decipher the subject and message of this mural. I think it’s a hobo clown with lightning pouring from his eyes. He seems sad or maybe angry. Could he be expressing his grief over the general misunderstanding of clowns today? I think he’s just scary.


Sweater, thrifted. Dress, Prabal Gurung for Target. Boots, Ariat. Sunglasses, Toms. Necklace, Heart Boutique. Bag, Imoshion.