I’ve had a bit of a cloudy disposition these past couple days because the sun has decided to boycott Los Angeles, despite it being July and us saying “sayonara!” to June gloom days ago. What’s up with that?! I am all for a bit of cloudy weather, when the time is right, but right now I’m in need of some serious rays of sunshine. To help brighten YOUR day, here are a few fun things I’ve found this week. Happy Hump Day!
How dainty and delicate are these ruffled sheets? I promise, not as ugly as they sound. I love!
These rosette pillow shams are also really sweet, but it looks like something that could easily be DIYed. Any takers?
Observations of spending based on income. Sad to see how much “General Shopping” goes up whilst “Charity” stays about even, until people reach super high income levels (and probably start to feel guilty.)
In the name of avoiding consecutive blog posts series containing dates in the title, I’m officially moving Bits & Pieces to Wednesday instead of Saturday. What’s that? You didn’t even notice they are always posted on Saturday? Well ok then. I love you too, and hope you enjoy these super cool tidbits I’ve collected the past few days.
this open letter to men by Christina Hendricks (of Mad Men) is really making it’s rounds. I spotted it on Gala Darling’s blog first, then on Sarah Wilsons. Perhaps it is because it’s so very true?
I need to seriously limit my posts that contain the date in the title. It’s kind of irritating and not very pretty, one after another. So what’s on the agenda this weekend? A little BBQ with friends, finishing LOST once and for all (so we can get back to normal life), trying my hand at baking rolls from scratch, with a lot of errand-running and relaxing in between. Sounds like a plan! We love plans!
SHTUFF:
Summer in Paris – Ah, I already miss it!! I really hope to go back sometime soon when the weather is warmer. Despite our honeymoon being in mid-May, the weather was cold, cold, cold. And rainy. And cloudy. What’s the point of bringing cute clothes if you’re covering it up with a coat the whole time? These photos make me happy.
Ever stop to look around at your wonderful life and think, “something bad is definitely going to happen soon.” You’re not alone. Jon Acuff wrote this spiritually-driven piece about that belief and why we should stop worrying and simply enjoy the goodness in our lives.
American Migration Patterns – where are people moving to and from these days? These illustrations are awesome, and very interesting. Sidenote: I am jealous of all the people getting out of LA.
Why I Quit A Six Figure Job – don’t get any crazy ideas, I’m not quitting my job. But the pros & cons measured in this quick and to-the-point blog post do a great job at illustrating the benefits and draw backs of working for yourself vs. working for someone else. I want to add an important note here: the reason this guy COULD quit that job? He has two years worth of living expenses saved up. He also seems to live a pretty low-maintenance lifestyle, something most of us could try and imitate a bit more. (Thanks for tweeting this, Chris!)
4 Tips For a Less Stressful Morning – I could definitely take some of this advice! I tried the playing music bit and it really did help! So does taking a few minutes to do something that is totally not “getting ready to head to the office.”
THE LITTER BOX. This isn’t cool and/or pretty, but it’s still worth posting for any cat owners who have ever experienced their kitties boycotting the litter box. Seeing as this is one of the BIGGEST reasons people banish their pets to the animal shelter (or worse), it’s worth taking a look and seeing what you can to to rectify the situation before resorting to extreme measures. HINT: CLEAN THE DARN LITTER BOX MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK. Would YOU want to use a port-o-potty for a week straight? Thx!
Black & White Delight is a really neat blog, if you’re into home decor, black & white, and damask.
Abandoned Hotel photos – before and after. This is so cool! I am obsessed with looking at old, abandoned (and might I add, sometimes hideously designed) buildings in LA and wondering what they looked like back in the 60s, 70s, or 80s (or even before!) when they were hip and happening. Even in a young city like this, there’s still so much history. So curious!
My girlfriend, currently living in Naples and about 17 months pregnant, sent me these PRECIOUS baby photos from a local photographer. If you don’t love babies and cute things, don’t bother looking. If you do, enjoy.
Conventional, Organic, Local, Whatever. Just eat it! Let me summarize this brilliant article for you – the benefits of eating product FAR outweigh any risk of contamination by pesticides. It beats the alternative, which is avoiding fruits & vegetables and snacking on chemically-ridden processed foods. (P.S. Thanks to my sister-in-law Jes for finding this one!)
Jacaranda Trees in LA – one of the little pleasures about living in this region. The bright purple flowers always brighten my day for these few short weeks.
Hello, weekend! It’s only been five days, but my how I’ve missed you so. Today, we’re brunching with some friends and heading to the theatre in our 3D glasses to see what Toy Story 3 is all about. I haven’t even seen the sequel, but something tells me I’ll be alright. Perhaps we’ll get a little sunny beach action on Sunday. As for you, just sit back and enjoy this fine bunch of links I’ve wrangled for you this week!
If you like home decor, Florida, fluffy furniture, taking vacations, eating key lime pie, well-lit rooms or even just think one of those things MAY be neat, you need to take a look at this incredible Key West vacation home. I would die to live there.
Fed Up With School Lunch is a blog that features photos of what public schools are really feeding kids these days. Let’s just say my cats eat better. Except for the restaurant tacos on the first page, those look pretty alright.
A group is recreating the bible on film – 31,173 different people saying 31,173 different pieces of scripture from the Bible. Cool idea, but would you watch this?
June is Adopt A Cat Month, according to my favorite animal rescue non-profit, Kitten Rescue. Buy some mega cute jewelry and 50% will be donated to ASPCA, my other favorite!! Eee cats & jewelry yes. For bonus points, check out your local shelter – your new furry friend could be waiting for you.
What Really Spoils Our Children? John Robbins is a super smart cookie, I’ve read a couple of his books. Read this article, if only for the sweet poem inside.
Pet penguins = awesome. Pet penguins wearing stuffed animal backpacks = the best thing in life. (P.S. KitsuneNoir is my friend Bobby’s super cool art/culture/design blog. You’ll read it if you know what’s good for you!)
Billionaires Set Out to Change the Face of Philanthropy. This is a pretty inspirational story. The group of high-rollers includes Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Oprah and David Rockefeller, each who are on a mission to get every billionaire in America to pledge 50% of their wealth to charity. This would mean a potential $600 billion for charity! Buffett alone has already pledged to give 99% of his wealth. Let’s just pray the benefiting organizations aren’t greedy squander-ers.
After all this time, I am still totally in love with Amy Poehler’s web show, Smart Girls At The Party, for which she recently won a Webby award for.
Now that I’m married, I can freely gush over other people’s weddings without worry that I should “totally use that idea.” Here are a few that were recently featured on my girl Amanda’s blog: pink garden, gold country, vintage books
This New Yorker cartoon is an accurate representation of Julian and I at home:
Ahahaha, just kidding. How funny is internet fame, though? Like where does it really get you, 99% of the time?
Someone made a “How Deep Is This Hole?” app based on Julian’s hilarious video One Bad App that mocks Apple’s iPhone app approval process. Lols. Actual video below.
AAAAAAND finally – this is pretty stinking incredible. And you thought YOU were talented. P.S. I love how he’s wearing a full white tuxedo.
Ahhh, four day weekends. There is nothing better in life. Don’t harp on me about how I just got back from my honeymoon – this new Mrs. is tired from all the action! Just zip it and enjoy these little gems I found for your entertainment. Xoxo, Sarah
Body scans of two women, both different weights – pretty eye opening when you see it from the inside!
Short slideshow of some of the oldest “jumping photos.” The photographer, Phillipe Halsman, was the first to use this popular method, and used it on people like Richard Nixon, Marilyn Monroe, Salvidor Dali, and Audrey Hepburn (shown below).
Interview with Molly Rogers, partner in crime of Patricia Field’s – the brilliant lady behind the fashion in Sex and the City – about the second movie (which I’m going to see tonight, despite terrible reviews! It’s gonna be great!)
Love Gives Me Hope – collection of short and touching tales of love and hope. Must-read for anyone who needs a pick-me-up. This one is by far my fave.
Really interesting piece on Hidden LA about the hidden, underground oil rigs in shopping malls and hollowed out office buildings in LA. Watch the video! It’s part of VBS.tv’s series “Uneven Terrain,” devoted to “urban exploration and uncovering the hidden, underground and forgotten corners of the world’s leading metropolises.” So hard to believe this is going on all around us.
Bicycle rush hour in the Netherlands. How cool is this?! Ooooh I really really need a bike! Driving 3 miles to work is a disgrace.
Be still, my heart! The Pioneer Woman is holding a contest for the best cat photos. It’s pretty much the best thing I’ve seen online all week… if you are a cat lover like me, you’ll want to check out these photos. And these. And these and these. I wish I had some better photos to submit of Scout & Pep!
I love everything about this whimsical and playful wedding! From the Tim Walker-esque parade, to the colors (magenta and navy), to the stage, to the vintage photo booth. I am so jealous. But mine will be super fabulous, too.
A Mystery Science Theatre 3000 haiku. I recently fell in love with this show thanks to Julian, though my Dad has been a fan since the beginning of time.
Leave it to BestWeekEver.tv writer Michelle Collins to provide the most hilarious Oscar awards recap, ever. She said all the things us less-witty-people wanted to say.
How to Organize Huge Copywriting Projects: A cute, clever and believe it or not, practical way to organize your data & thoughts before jumping into a big copywriting project. I love the image of index cards and clothespins.
5 Rules For A Better Life: I love this! Among my faves: “Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about” and “Life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum.”
A 26 Gigapixel panorama of Paris. Thankfully, I’ll be able to explore the city on foot in exactly two months from today, but if you aren’t so lucky, feast your eyes on all 2,346 of these photos, which add up to a high-resolution panoramic view of Paris.
The Sex and the City Guide to Blogging: As Julie Roads points out, if SATC premiered in 2010, Carrie would have been a blogger. This article takes dating advice dished out by Ms. Bradshaw and applies it to the current blogging industry. Not nearly as silly as it sounds – read it!
L’Oreal has a new ammonia-free hair dye system called INOA. Supposedly, it allows you to dye your hair without all the yucky damaging side effects. It does cost about 15% more, and is being tested in about 200 salons. I’d love to see how this pans out. I am obsessed with pastel hair right now.
HAPPY SUNDAY! I’m not so happy today, because my fiance is out of town for the next week (sad face), but at least I’ll have plenty of time to catch up with my girlfriends and…. blog. Ugh. Come back, Julian! In all reality, I’m looking forward to making a dent in my reading list and watching shows and movies he’d begrudgingly agree to watch.
Here’s a list of random stuff that will hopefully distract you from the list of Sunday chores you should be doing right now.
- New app tells you what music is hot on MySpace right now. Say what you will about MySpace, but one cannot deny their reign as King of the music world. We Are Hunted created a new radio app that lets you listen to MySpace artists that have had the most playing action in the last 60 seconds. It is a phenomenal tool for discovering new music. And it’s not nearly as pop-heavy as you’d think – quite the contrary, actually. It also comes in iPhone and Android form. Try it here.
- Easter Bunnies Will Steal Your Soul. Just like the creepy Santa photos blog, but instead of child-molester looking Santas, you’ve got rabid looking Bunnies.
Terrifying.
- Food, Inc. director wearing organic tux for Oscars ceremony – and I truly hope he gets to show it off! If you haven’t yet watched this film, get on it. It will enlighten you. Don’t stop there, if you’re moved by the documentary – there is a wealth of information out there about our atrocious food industry just WAITING to educate you!
- Norway’s luxury prison/spa has more amenities than my apartment does. A gym, training room, chapel, library, family visiting unit, football (possibly soccer) field, a school, and, most unbelievably, a sound studio.
- Nerd Merit Badges – I think everyone was going gaga over these a couple weeks ago, but I just found them. They’re like little FourSquare badges, only they’re REAL, and they err on the side of nerdiness (i.e., a badge for reaching Inbox Zero). Back in 8th and 9th grade, I used to go crazy over some patches on my bookbag.
- This picture of Darth Vader riding a white cat into battle with a light saber is also moderately funny.
- The Cat Hammock Coffee Table – Sorry for all the Geekologie links, but I couldn’t not include this baby. My cats would looove to lay on this – even more so because they can be adored while lounging – the top is made of glass. Julian- don’t think I will forget that you said we can get this.
- Dating Tips from 1938. Some of these are still very important and hold true today, for example, not passing out drunk in the middle of your date (never a good look.) Some others, however, not so much:
- A tweeting bike that shares your location as you cruise around town. It was created to encourage and aid social media connection for an upcoming festival in London…. sounds cool! And only a little bit dangerous!
“Love is tender, and any real relationship is based on forgiveness, compassion and vulnerability.”
- Martha Stewart pitches new TV show, ‘Help Me, Martha!” – I imagine this would be something like Clean House, but instead of Neicy Nash’s tough love, slobs would get a dose of Martha’s honey-dipped words of wisdom and a how-to solution for their toughest household problems or entertaining disasters. If I had cable, I’d watch, because I love anything Martha.
- There’s going to be a live-action/CGI film version of The Smurfs? And Katy Perry will be the voice of Smurfette? Well, ok. I guess I’ll add it to my Netflix queue – this will be interesting. So, what else can we raise from the dead and remake? The Snorks? Fraggle Rock?
A parody of the incredible Old Spice commercials that Julian is now obsessed with. Being the Apple lover he is, this must have sent him over the edge.
Al Pacino as Han Solo? John Travolta as Forrest Gump? Animator Dan Meth presents clips from classic movies, if actors once considered for important roles had been selected.
- Unhappy Hipsters. Need a break from your day? Read it & laugh. Or cry.
- What’s Your Excuse for Not Saving? Great post by my girl FB about the lame justifications people make for spending frivilously instead of investing in their future. Just FYI: you do not NEED a mansion, a gardener, a luxury car, a weekly french manicure or a $500 pair of shoes. Especially if you are in debt.
- LA Tech vs SF Tech – My favorite line has to be: “However, while both crowds love to love the city of San Francisco, San Franciscans love to loathe Los Angeles, which is understandable in some regards. Traffic here is tragic, and this IS where buttock implants were invented.”
- Also relevant… Why You Should Start A Company In LA, the latest in Fast Company’s look into startup appeal in cities other than Silicon Valley.
- Six Word Memoirs by famous authors. My personal favorite is Frank McCourt (author of Angela’s Ashes, Tis, etc): “The miserable childhood leads to royalties.”
- Award-winning cookies – perfect for Oscar parties, which I am hoping to partake in this coming weekend! Check out the Best Actress selection below. Wonder if they taste as good as those women can act? Also adorable, Oscar statue cookies!
- Empty bellies do not beget genius. – Brilliant piece by the bold and beautiful Gala Darling on female body image and why you should say “screw you” to the pressure to be stick thin.
- I Want That Hoodie So Bad. I really do. It has nothing to do with the fact that my fiance designed it and that it’s modeled after his latest sketch, which you can see below.
- Gummy Worm Chromosomes – if learning about DNA was this delicious, I might have taken a more passionate interest in biology in middle school. Imagine me as a biologist. Solving medical mysteries. Mixing things in a lab. Not wearing makeup. All jokes aside, I did briefly consider a career as a veterinarian – until I realized it’s harder to get into vet school than it is to get into med school. And that my heart would break everyday watching animals suffer.
- Top 10 Books Perfect For The iPad. Haha…. this one is for Julian, who thought he was doing me a favor by suggesting I get an iPad instead of a laptop. PLEASE.
- The wedding invitation of our friends Kayla and Tyler, who are getting married just a couple months after Julian and I. It’s the sweetest and most creative wedding invite I’ve ever seen – plus I got to watch Julian and Tyler making it while they were in LA!
- Kitchen of the Year. I’d say! That place is making me salivate, it’s so gorgeous.
- ChatRoulette is all the rage these days. Even Ashton Kutcher is on it, and one math student in Calgary took a screenshot of the convo he was having with Mr. Aplusk. I can see the appeal of the site, that randomly connects you via videochat to people around the world, but I don’t see why I would use it. It would have provided hours of fun in college, though.
- Butch Cupcakes – this bakery in NY designs cupcakes with men in mind, because everyone deserves to enjoy a nice cupcake, but how masculine is it to eat a pink cupcake with heart sprinkles? Camo or wood-grain patterns are so much more macho.
- Study shows cat owners are more educated than dog owners. I’m feeling a bit of justice to all women who have unfairly been called “cat ladies” now. By the way, I love dogs too. Just not as much as kitties.
- Another new study about how awesome Boulder, CO is. This particular one states it is the happiest city in all the US. Apparently Boulder knows how intellectual, healthy, bicycle-friendly and clean their city is, because I found a hefty list of credentials on their website. Proud, maybe. But I’d still move there in a heartbeat.
- Speaking of awesome places to live, check out this little house on a cliff in Iceland. Talk about breathtaking!
- Depths of the Ocean, Scaled to Human Size – this is both crazy and terrifying, especially for people like me who get the heebie jeebies about deep, dark water. What’s DOWN there?!
Lauren, who is in Hawaii this week, requested we play this loudly in our office on repeat. For the record, this is on the wall of our office:
I thought this video of two koalas bickering was super cute at first, until one of them provokes the other and it breaks out into a nasty fight. My maternal/animal-lover instinct kicked in and I wanted to scoop up the babies to protect and calm them down. Then I realized, they’re just like kids… fighting and picking on the other for no good reason.
My Little Ponies performing musicals – LIVE! MLP hold a special place in my heart, even if this is extremely strange.
Ready for some super awesome and mind-blowing random stuff that will send you down a rabbit hole of internet clicking? Hold onto your keyboards ladies & gentlemen, it’s time for Bits ‘n Pieces! Man, there is always so much I could put in this thing – I could do one every single day. But then when would I have time to work, and cook, and sleep, and brush my hair?
- How AMAZING do these Pie Pops look?! I want one in every flavor, but especially cherry!
- IGotNoTV – Ever since I gave up evil cable TV, I’ve been reliant on Netflix and Hulu for entertainment. It’s not half bad. Aside from not getting to watch the Grammy’s, but I’m sure I could have streamed that online if I had cared to even look. IGotNoTV is an alternative to Hulu and streams classic and new shows for free, online. Why preach about giving up cable if you’re just going to watch TV online, you ask? To that i say, shut up and watch the entire first season of Beverly Hills: 90210 with me.
– Bill Gates Foundation Donates $10 Billion in Vaccinations. This just goes to show you how long I’ve been trying to get this Bits ‘n Pieces up – this news is pretty old. But giving BILLIONS of dollars to help obliterate some of the world’s most deadly diseases will be worth talking about for years to come! This is almost as cool as when good old Gates released a jarful of mosquitoes on a room of TED attendees. He was illustrating the urgency in finding a cure for malaria, btw.
- Ever feel like you’re the only one working while everyone else gets to take a load off? Me too.
- I think I could really get into these Argentinian espadrilles by MYMU this Spring. Why are South American girls so undeniably chic?
- Here’s one way to cut costs on your wedding – DIY fabric flowers. Way presh, but I think I’ll stick with the good old fashioned kind this May. Could be super cute around the house, though!
-So they’re making another Free Willy movie, only this time, Steve Irwin’s daughter, Bindi, is the star. Apparently this time there are Pirates involved. File this one under “ENORMOUS WASTE OF MONEY.” My only question is – based on the DVD artwork – WTH kind of pirate wears Teva sandals?
- It’s funny how you never realize how badly you need something in your life until all of the sudden one day it magically appears and you wonder how you ever lived without it. That’s kind of how I feel about black glossy doors.
- A reality show about hipsters in Silver Lake? Oh brother. This is going to be ridiculous. I love that the ad for cast members specifically calls out rich 20-somethings who dress like they are homeless. There are a LOT of these in LA, take my word for it!
- I love fashion, but I rarely follow Fashion Week or new collections from designers. Who has the time? I did manage to catch a glimpse of Chanel’s SS10 collection, and all I have to say is, I wouldn’t turn ANY of these clothes away from my closet.
- Still trying to figure out why Julian didn’t give me the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond for an engagement ring. It’s touted as the most expensive diamond in the world and all 31.06 glorious carats are on display next to the hope diamond in the Smithsonian for the next eight months or so. First public appearance in 50 years! Just like JD Salinger! (ok, bad joke, bad joke)
- Business Advice in Three Words – my man Neil Patel brings it again. Reading his blog makes me understand how he became such a rich and successful VC by his early 20s. Even if he is super annoying at parties and tries to (physically) pick me up too much (creepy).
- The Bike Book Caddy – Quite possibly the worst idea ever. Whatever happened to “staying alert” when you’re riding a bike alongside much-more-powerful cars driven by much-less-aware people? SAFETY FIRST! ENTERTAINMENT SECOND!
- The Dirty Dozen – a list of fruits and vegetables that you should ALWAYS buy organic. Everyone knows that things like bananas and avocados have thick enough skin that you can get away with buying conventionally… but things with thin skin, like tomatoes and LEAFY GREENS should always be organic. Unless you don’t mind ingesting pesticides.
- The Bible of Fashion according to Cornell’s Pi Phi Sorority - This is hilarious but terribly true, I’m afraid. They make some good points – “No satin dresses. No one looks good in satin dresses unless they are from Betsey Johnson or Dolce & Gabbana, you weigh less than 130 pounds, have spanks [Ed: I think she means "Spanx" the brand] and it’s New Years Eve.” Also, no “Muffintop” and “No Sleeveless, unless you have really great arms.” Great find, FB!
- New Alice In Wonderland stills. I can’t decide if I’m getting more or less excited about this movie. One thing is for sure, the “unofficial official” soundtrack Almost Alice is kind of disappointing. Really? Avril Lavigne? These stills, however, are darling… especially this one.
- Cupcake knit hat. Cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Spotted on a little boy at Griffith Park a couple weekends ago and made J get all paparazzo so I could show my cupcake-loving-former-roomie-who-also-happens-to-be-incredibly-cute-and-sweet, Jacqueline.
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.
