It’s that time of week again! Let’s stop griping about our jobs, boyfriends, finances and first world problems for a minute so we can appreciate all the GOOD, positive things in our lives. You know, all that stuff that goes otherwise unnoticed because we’re way too jaded to realize just how good we have it! Happy Things I Love Thursday!
Museum day. This past weekend we ventured out to get a peek at a side of our city we hadn’t seen yet. Saturday was a little museum day – we visited the La Brea Tar Pits to see all the old bones, the pits where archaeologists dig (even to this very day!) and learn a bit about LA history. It was seriously cool! Then we headed to the LACMA next door for a different type of cultural experience – art! We caught a tour of the John Baldessari exhibit, Pure Beauty, and it was amazing. Baldessari actually gave up painting in the 60s (70s?) and CREMATED all his previous painted art (save for a few pieces that his sister had stashed in her garage – they are on display) to “rid his life of accumulated art.” The ashes are a part of the exhibit, complete with a headstone. His more recent work is done in more conceptual art forms like video and photography. If you live in LA or another city where his exhibit comes around, I urge to to check it out! Very inspiring.
Naps after getting out of the shower. Is this or is this not the best feeling ever? Especially after completing a 5 mile hike in Temsecal canyon. Your entire body is exhausted and you feel so relaxed. Your hair is still in a towel but you can’t help but pass out in the afternoon light. I woke up sandwiched between a husband and a cat, which was the sweetest part.
Fresh, unwritten-in notebooks. I LOVE new notebooks. So clean, untouched and full of potential. Office supplies in general make me pretty giddy (inherited that love from my Mom), but new notebooks (and writing instruments) are on the top of the list.
hiking the entire 4.5 miles up and around Temescal Canyon – serious views up there! • chugging water • work parties • finally getting to spend more than half an hour in the direct sun… it was glorious • kitten kisses • fajitas • the way LA is super quiet on weekend mornings – except in our favorite donut shop • watching Arrested Development while eating said donuts & drinking coffee • foster kitties at the farmer’s market, though it makes me extremely sad that I can’t take them all home! • a fridge stocked with fresh fruit & vegetables • crying happy tears in church • the elderly female museum docent that gave us a tour of the Baldessari exhibit – hilarious • getting scolded for taking photos in the gallery and having the guards follow us around the rest of the time • the way my 7 and 8 yr old kitties turn into kittens when you pull out a piece of string • game nights with our neighbors • hole-in-the-wall pizza places, cheap and TASTY • watching YouTube videos of piglets, chicks, and baby penguins • lemongrass chicken banh mi (Vietnamese baguette sandwiches) from EatPhamish • Best Week Ever • quiet weeks at the office when people are on vacation • when Scout takes naps with me under the covers • really good sneezes • when Virgin America has sales, therefore I am able to buy tickets for necessary trips home at half the cost (TOTAL SCORE) • freezing dinner ahead of time so I don’t have to cook • planning my birthday party menu (it’s going to be fantastic!) • doctors offices • watching more Law & Order SVU than is healthy • making fun family plans for our trip to VA in October • cute things in costumes.
It’s only Wednesday? You’ve got to be kidding me. This upcoming Labor Day weekend will be my saving grace, friends. How about you? What’s getting you through the week? Some fun stuff below.
* I loved it so much, husband and I danced our “last wedding song” dance to Jefferson Starship – Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us. There were bubbles. It was magical. And for the second time today… NO SHAME!!
FIRST things first – HAPPY SEPTEMBER! Love September, it’s by far my favorite month. Yes, I realize I say that every other month but 1 – It’s my birthday month. 2 – Back to school memories. 3 – FALL! Is anyone else already feeling pangs of desire for fall? Sure, fall fashion has been on everyone’s lips for weeks now, but these past few days there has been just the slightest hint of chill in the morning air, confirming that fall is in fact coming soon- and it’s made me more eager than ever for the changing seasons.
By the way, that’s got to be one of my favorite moments of the year – the minute you realize something smells different, feels different, looks different – and fall is on its way. I remember the exact place I was last year when I first felt that, it was around this time of month – though about a week later. You may argue that it isn’t really fall in LA until November, but I trust my instincts and darn it, fall is on its way.
Aside from my birthday party (autumn themed, naturally), I’m really looking forward to spending cozy mornings drinking coffee wrapped in blankets, sleeping without the ceiling fan on, cooking heavier dishes and not feeling guilty about it, walking to the coffee shop for our favorite seasonal drinks, and of course planning for the holiday season. Yep, I’m that girl that is ready to start decorating for Christmas in October. No shame!
What’s your favorite thing about fall? And you aren’t allowed to say “sweaters and boots.”
Edited to add: Just heard another heat wave is on its way tomorrow.
If you need a little jolt of laughter today (and I mean, who doesn’t, it’s a Tuesday that feels like Thursday), I think this video of a golden retriever dancing the merengue will do the trick. I would cry ‘animal abuse’ but he (she?) really seems to enjoy twirling around in what appears to be a recycled Ice Capades costume.
Look at that hip-shaking action! From :51 on is basically better than anything I’ve ever seen in an LA dance class. I’m pretty sure this dog could sweep every last one of the new Dancing With The Stars contestants I heard announced on the radio this morning. Bristol Palin and Mrs. Brady have nothing on this perro, as he’s backing it up better than Beyonce.
Remember a while back when I posted that great educational animation about cosmetics and how potentially harmful and toxic they can be? Well, I recently got to discussing hair products with two of my female colleagues (specifically about how often we wash our hair – some of us daily and some of us once or twice a week) and was reminded of this wonderful little cosmetics database I found that can help clue us all in on how chemical-laden our cosmetics are. I’ve been meaning to share it with you so you can be enlightened.
It’s called Skin Deep, Environmental Working Group’s cosmetics safety database with listings for pretty much every product out there, each with a grade (from 0-10) based on how toxic they are. It also has a nice ingredients glossary so you can see why that particular product is harmful (it causes cancer, allergies, etc.)
A little experiment
To show you how simple it is to use, let’s check out the toxicity of my favorite tinted moisturizer by Laura Mercier. Ever since I found this lovely product over a year ago, I have completely depended on it. I’m not big on foundation, but this is a wonderful lightweight formula that achieves that nice balance between providing even coverage and being non-orangey or cakey. Needless to say, it’s a staple, and something I use often. Often enough that I would be thoroughly bummed if it’s full of nasty chemicals seeping through my pores.
So, I typed “Laura Mercier” into the database and found they have 21 product listings for that particular brand, ranging in toxicity from 2-8. That’s a pretty wide range, now I’m intrigued. And scared.
Opening up the brand page, I found a list of conditions that could potentially form from use of the ingredients found in Laura Mercier cosmetics – everything from developmental/reproductive issues, cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, and loads of more fun things. I also saw a nice little summary showing that the brand uses 266 different ingredients, has not signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, and is unknown for using animal testing. That last one is a big one for me, so I’m already turned off. But it’s better than being a blatant “yes” – right?
Moving on, I found the specific product I was looking for: Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20 (non-illuminated, which for some reason, has a lesser score on the toxicity scale). I was relieved to find the score was a 5, not an 8 like I imagined. But still – a 5? On a scale of 1-5, that’s not too great – according to the site, it poses a “moderate hazard.” That means I’m spending $42 a bottle to put only a “moderate” amount of chemicals on my face most days. And that’s just one product!
As you can see, it also tells me that 50% of foundations on the market have less toxic chemicals in them, and 56% of moisturizers have lower concerns (it also gives me a link to buy them. Hah.) Along with this disheartening information, the product page lists every ingredient, instructions for use, and package warnings, has user reviews (though no one seems to be using this – what a shame, it could be a great place to share safe cosmetics reviews), and more.
Though I’m not sure what my next move is re: Laura Mercier and her moderately hazardous tinted moisturizer, I suggest you all go take a minute to look up the products you use on a daily basis – not just makeup, but cleansers, moisturizers, shampoos, the whole lot. I’m curious, though – what do you think your toxicity score threshold will be? Anything above a 5? Above a 3? I’m curious to know how much the average lady would be willing to potentially feed her body in the name of beauty.
I was completely moved by this visual love story of Danny and Annie, two elderly Brooklynites completely & totally in love. Their interviews about their 27 year romance were publicly broadcast the same day Danny died of terminal cancer. Incredibly sad, but at the same time, profoundly inspiring to anyone who has a special someone in their life. For me, it makes me want to be a better wife, a better sister, a better friend, a better daughter. It makes me want to cherish the little things more, to create our own unique little everyday rituals and traditions, and to never forget to be eternally grateful that I found someone who makes me feel so loved every single day.
And I’m just saying now – you’ll probably cry watching this. So grab some tissues!
Completely in love with these images by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggett in W September 2010 issue. The colors are outstanding! So bold, fresh and alive. It’s like being resuscitated.
Things I Love Thursday:
• Upcoming visits with family and friends. My social calendar is filling up for the fall and I couldn’t be more excited. Not only is my birthday coming up, which guarantees a boatload of fun with my nearest and dearest, but my brother is also coming into town (for my birthday, mind you), my high school reunion is the first weekend of October (Virginia in the fall = heaven) which is another opportunity to hang with my family and oldest friends, Julian’s cousin will be in town in September, and in the very near future – pizza & game night with our fantastically fantastic neighbors tonight!
• My HTC Incredible, which continues to have phenomenal service (I’m living in a dropped-call-free world and it’s wonderful, ladies!). All those months of going back & forth over whether or not I could LIVE without the iPhone were just prolonging the sweet nectar of freedom I’m feeling right now. So far, no gripes about it. My favorite app is the Task Manager, which can auto-kill any and all apps you are running to save battery life. It’s crucial.
• Waking up on my own every morning. Before my alarm clock (also known as my husband)! I’m not sure what I’m doing to get better sleep at night, but these past few days I have been up & at ‘em earlier than I usually am, and without needing to be forced out of the tangle of sheets. This pleases me greatly because despite my love for sleep, I have always had a strong desire to be a morning person, and there are few, few things nicer in life than a cup of coffee and hours of solace just after the sun comes up. Right? Pray my early streak lasts.
WORLD ROCKERS:
finding cute and well-fitting white tanks on sale for $3.50….and promptly buying six of them • slow cookers • white cotton • meyer’s lavender dryer sheets • bell peppers • exposed brick • real-life magazines (not of the digital nature) • wood floors with area rugs • my cats’ fur after a good brushing • watching funny cat videos on YouTube with Julian • finding out my brother will be in town for my birthday – the first time in YEARS we’ve spent my birthday together! • painting my nails on my balcony • watching my kitties roll around outside • friendly neighbors • croissants • old men wearing white pants • breezy summer Saturdays with all the windows open • things organized neatly • tea cakes • birthday parties with friends • Scott Pilgrim vs The World (so great!) • fitting into jeans I wore when I was 21 • Scoutieeee! • “Everybody do the Pep-per dance, get a worm, eat it, and put it in your pants” • living in a world where Advil exists if you really need it (I really needed it Tues) • pasta of all kinds • iChat • old internet friends • Yankee Candles • massive sales at Anthropologie • getting iTunes receipts in my inbox from my 13 year old sister and 10 year old brother’s song and app downloads (they are linked to my account) – is it wrong that I get a little choked up from this? I find it so cute. • talk radio, specifically AM 980 here in LA • cooking at home, which 90% of the time, is better than eating out.
And so I ask, sunshine, what’s making you cheerful today? If you can’t think of anything worth getting giddy about, here are Five Ways to Become Happier Today (taken from Gala Darling, my original inspiration for Things I Love Thursday and a fantastic source of inspo for anyone seeking more self-love)
I’ve never been more excited for it to be Wednesday in all my life. I heart hump day. The beginning-of-week-spaz-outs are over, you’re fully transitioned into “weekday mode,” the weekend is only a couple days away, and on top of it all, I get to finally share all the fun, cute, interesting and educational things I’ve found across the web with you fine people.
3 year old reciting gorgeous poem – you MUST watch this adorable video, quite a welcome change from toddlers reciting Bob the Builder or other cartoons.
Wonderful, you found my blog! I'm Sarah, a writer, activist, believer, artist, lover of pretty things and cats. I'm also a newlywed (aww). To learn more about me, just click here. I hope my blog brings you a little bit (or a lotta bit) of happiness today.
