Farmer's Choice

I am so in love with my new produce grocer--Farmer's Choice. Yesterday I purchased everything you see above: strawberries, blackberries, green, yellow and Serrano peppers, mixed greens, green beans, broccoli, bananas, vine and cherry tomatoes, mint, lemons, avocados and a lime for...$21.83. Seriously. I don't know if you can tell by this picture, but that bin of blackberries is huge, and it was $2.99--I don't even want to imagine how much that would cost at Whole Foods, or even Ralphs! And this is not just any produce--it's fresh, local and mostly organic. So not only are you saving money, but you're supporting CA farmers and eating really healthy. Best of all, it's in the same parking lot as Trader Joe's--whose produce leaves something to be desired, so you can make both stops in one trip. I can't wait to eat all my yummy produce!

Farmers Choice. 3250 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. 310.450.0707. Mon – Sat: 8 am – 8 pm. Sun: 9 am – 7 pm.

Cinderella...and Me!

Being an aunt is the best job I've had to date. Not only do you get to love some little ones as if they are your own minus the great responsibility, but you get to be loved back and in a way that you haven't been loved before. In two (long) weeks I'll get to see my two favorite little people, right here in Los Angeles! Nothing gets to my heart like those two Z's. My sister has been prepping Zoey for Disneyland, and she is OH so excited about seeing Cinderella, her castle, and the teacup ride. So excited in fact that she has made a paper chain to count down the days. My sister and I used to make paper countdown chains for Christmas, vacations, birthdays...and now I am at the end of a little dreamer's countdown! Here is an excerpt from my sister's email yesterday:

"she is SO SO SO SO SO excited about the whole trip, she prayed tonight for one thing only: 'Thank you for seeing LaLa (that's me!) and the castle when I get to the top' (of her countdown chain)"

Not lost on me: I ranked before the castle. Oh to love, and to be loved in return!

Please Pray for Daisy Love

I'd love it if you took a moment today and tomorrow to pray for this precious little girl.

Jesus is able.

I heart NYC

Today a very dear friend of mine is moving back to NYC after many years on the West coast. It wasn't very long ago that I considered a move to the Big Apple myself, but alas, that is not to be (for the time being). For now I see the city through the amazing, whimsical artwork of Caitlin McGauley. I follow her blog where she writes about her day to day life in NYC--the big difference between her blog and the many others I read about life in the city? She depicts her happenings in beautiful watercolors! For example, when she bought a chair, she posted this picture of it.



When she saw Grace Coddington, she posted this picture. (Go see The September Issue right now!)



If only I could depict my life happenings through cupcakes. Or paper dolls.

pictures used with permission, thank you Caitlin!

PS--I found Caitlin's blog on my friend Cannon's blog! Cannon-loving the Forever 21 posts!

hi there

I just watched this trailer. I'm not gonna lie, I got a little emotional. The music, the conclusion of an epic journey, the fact that I want to BE Emma Watson...


Not to mention that I'm sipping my homemade iced coffee which I now bring to work with me each day (take that Starbucks, can't believe how much money that saves) and glancing dreamily at my new iPhone 4.0 wallpaper. Sigh...

summer

Summer means:

Lots of daylight post work, yay!

Work outs on the beach

Peet's iced coffee...better and cheaper than Starbucks and Coffee Bean

Pinkberry and Yogurtland know my name again

Visits from a few of my favorite people and some very special little ones!!!



Camping

She and Him at the Hollywood Bowl



Eating at lemonade on Abbott Kinney...serioulsy, it's changing my life. Cucumber Mint lemonade, huge amazing French macaroons, and delicious cold veges/salads.

Crushes



Hollywood Farmers Market after church

Dresses and wedge sandals

Coveting nautical home decorations and wishing I could cover some chairs in this fabric

Dreaming of this ring that my gorgeous and talented friend Cannon Lewis designed

Bike rides on the beach

So you Think You Can Dance and the Bachelorette

Dreaming of Africa



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weheartit.com
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boston.com/bigpicture/2009/11/national_geographics_internati.html

Magic!

Last night I read The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selzneick. It's a magical, delightful tale, that is interspersed with lots of drawings--it's kind of cross between a graphic novel, and a typical children's story. I highly recommend it (So do the people over at The Caldecott, incidentally). The story revolves around an automaton, which I had never heard of before. It's basically a machine, sort of like an old clock with sprigs, gears, etc but it ends up looking like a little doll, and when you wind it up it draws actual pictures and writes words. You'll have to watch the video to see how amazing it is--seriously, I know there are iPads, and Roombas, but this is AMAZING to me, not to mention it was happening hundreds of years ago! Check out the demonstration, and never stop believing in magic!
PS-the above pic is not the automaton in the demonstration