reinventing the wheel

it escapes me how time has whizzed by since my return from India, not a single blog entry to be found since and here we are on the dawn of 2010, only a few days left to go....



through the highs and lows of wonderment in the Himalayas and the Golden Temple and being down for most of the season as a result, it seems like i have finally found a renewed vigor and am AMPED for this new year to be rung in!



in a nutshell, what i got from my voyage to the other side of the planet, is that less is more, quality always over quantity and there is always something new to be found in the tried and true.

most recently, i just returned from a most sacred Christmas of laying real low in Seattle with my family at my sister's apartment overlooking Lake Washington and Mt. Rainier in glorious sunshine and 40 degree weather - so much to have been thankful for, even though i got slammed with a nasty cold/allergy attack. it was a blessing in disguise as i loved every minute of pajama and tea time, reading Spontaneous Evolution by Bruce Lipton and being with my family and eating none other than my Mom's famous stuffed cabbage rolls, polenta and salata de boeuf, sans boeuf, Romanian-stylie.

so far, we have this tradition every Christmas and no matter where we are in the world, my Mom brings the goods with. i wonder how i will ever take over this culinary extravaganza one day when my Mom won't be around to make the magic happen. and that is why i have come to the conclusion that "making it your own" is just as beautiful as keeping to the strict tradition.

i have already improvised one of the staples in Romanian cuisine - mamaliga cu brinza si smintina - polenta with cottage cheese, feta and sour cream. basic peasant food, really. and add a soft boiled egg and you've got a meal. so homey. in the spirit of comfort food with a twist, i have come up with my own version of this that only takes 10 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to eat!



-Pre-made polenta from Trader Joe's - 2 or 3 1/4 inch slices - sauteed in olive oil in a frying pan until ever so lightly crisp on top and bottom
-steamed lentils from Trader Joe's, just add some red wine vinegar, sea salt or himalayan salt, fresh lemon juice and olive oil and mix in a bowl
-place polenta cakes on top of lentils
-scrambled, fried or sunny side up eggs, whatever your mood on top of polenta
-top with the bomb ingredient: Mediterranean cheese style yogurt from Trader Joe's - this is like magic - the cottage cheese and sour cream taste all in one!

what i love about this reinvention is the lentils. and the kick from the lemon and vinegar is the key to what makes it so great - the traditional preparation is so heavenly fattening and to-die-for tasty, but tends to be really heavy and fatty. the acidic layering on the texture of the lentils cuts the heaviness of this dish and scrambling or frying the eggs is so much quicker than trying to perfectly time soft boiled eggs.

i know 2010 holds unbridled creative potential and i definitely intend to take everything to new levels of exploration, in all realms of creative endeavor!!!

rise of the scorpion

i know that it is birthday season when the pumpkins start to appear on doorsteps and i start to feel like changing my look. maybe because i was born on halloween or because scorpio is the sign of transformation, ruled by pluto, god of the underworld managing death and rebirth. this season, i landed the deal of the century when i found my alain mikli starck biocity eyeglasses at the bargain basement discount of 75% off! way too cool for school.



since I will be in India for halloween this year and won't get to play with the trick or treaters for my birthday, i got to go to the pumpkin patch with my dear friend and her babies - the cutest ever!







more inspiration has followed as pomegranates outside my window are ripening and I am discovering this mystical fruit it seems for the very first time by actually picking it from the source to opening and wondering what will unfold...

ask and you shall receive

this morning the lesson in yoga was a reminder that we are all creators of our own reality and that if we know how to ask for what we want, it is really just a matter time before our wish becomes true. i had to smile as i sat with my newly smooth and polished 'do, not worrying at all if i would break a sweat because no matter what, my hair will not get frizzy and will look "just like I stepped out of the salon" for the next 3-4 months.

about a month ago when I last went to get my hair cut, I posted an entry about my fabulous hair dresser and how I wished I never had to leave the salon because I wanted the look to last forever. Well, miraculously, the universe AND my sister heard me. For my birthday present (a little early as I am soon off to big escapades in India for my birthday), my sister arranged a smoothing treatment for my hair with her hair stylist Ani down in the OC at Tease iT Studio. It's called the Brazilian Blowout and it is pure magic. Basically a solution is applied to the hair after it is washed and then it is blown out straight. The secret is then flat ironing the hair as straight as can be to remove any curl, wave or frizz. The hair is rinsed out and then voila! Let it air dry or blow dry naturally without any fuss and the hair will miraculously sit smooth, straight and frizz/curl-free - for 3 to 4 months!!!!! my sister has really thick and wavy hair and this would be perfect for her. She understands the pains of getting a good blow dry. so I almost felt like she should spend the money on herself because i don;t need this nearly as much as she does with her crazy schedule. but i graciously accepted the gift and now when I am off galavanting in India, I needn't worry about not having the perfect hairdryer , or having one at all! thank you for an utterly fantastic birthday treat Joana!!!

mission accomplished

two years ago, i not only fulfilled my dream to take a woodworking class, but also embarked upon an endeavor that was quite an ambitious undertaking. i decided i was going to build a dining table that was featured in an Elle Decor article, and recreate the kitchen island/bench that was a part of it. at that point in time, we had broken ground on the construction project where said dining table & kitchen island/bench would be housed and projected another 6-8 months until it would be habitable. i figured 3 months for the class to complete the project plus another 3-6 months until the building was ready for the table to be used, no problem! boy, was that a major miscalculation!

here we are, 2 years later, and the table has finally come out from its hibernation in pieces, awaiting final assembly. and boy was it worth the wait. luckily, i had help with this, as being the visionary and perfectionist that i am was not enough to manifest this dream. i was told by contractors that the island/bench could not be done, as well as my parents asking where i would find a table to fit this so-called island bench and me responding with, "i'll make one!" (yeah right!). soon their disbelief was toppled by shear wonder as to how this was actually happening - their daughter and her then boyfriend, driving out to Otis College of Art & Design in El Segundo out from Huntington Beach 2, sometimes 3 times a week - me, an absolute beginner and him, having had some exposure observing as a young child in his grandfather's wood shop - a total recipe for success if i don't say so myself!

not only did we take on the largest project the teacher has ever seen, especially by beginners, but we also made something work that the teacher was not totally sure would! i had the magazine cutout and the will to make it happen no matter what and Conor had the engineering mind (it helps that he is a guy) and good sense of adventure. together we made it work and finally this weekend we put it all together: a 7 1/2 ft. long solid walnut table with stools. tada!!!!!

architect's paradise

today i had an hour and a half between appointments downtown. i finally made it to the los angeles central library, a work of art unto it's own, to check out the richard neutra exhibit of sketches and drawings. wow. so inspiring. an hour was not enough and i must go back. it made me so happy to see his renderings in pastels, one of my favorite mediums.



i also had my nifty polaroid on me and snapped this amazing chandelier of the globe hanging from a magnificent dome, celestially hovering above as if we were in outer space perceiving the constellations from beyond.



leaving the library, i noticed so many details about the architecture of the grounds and surrounding cityscape. i love my polaroid. and the iphoto editing feature.

hail mar(c)y

tonight i was reminded yet again how much i love getting my haircut at hairroin salon in hollywood. the haircuts just keep getting sweeter and sweeter. my hairdresser marcy rules. i wish i never had to "step out of the salon" so i could keep the perfection going for eternity. the haircuts are always exactly what i want at the moment and I never have to worry about a thing because marcy knows how to please. but i am especially in love with the latest and greatest and had to capture the moment in the salon boudoire:

striking a pose



so shiny



seeing this makes me smile every time



next time?



which inevitably may lead to...

late summer days

the overwhelming heat has simmered down (at lease for the moment), labor day has passed and the light crispness of indian summer air is awakening to welcome fall, my favorite time of year.

a few highlights from the last days of summer:

girls gone wild - our san diego getaway! (pre-polaroid days cheating with poladroid)

steaming hot mamas in our hotel room shower


sipping tea at the spa



i actually bought the Polaroid SX-70 SLR Vintage Land Camera i set out to get almost 3 weeks ago and have been getting acquainted with it, especially at my parent's new home, the one we have been laboring over for 6 years!

garden oasis









my friend layla's baby girl came with the full moon on september 4. name yet tbd, although i have a hunch it may have something to do with lily, the moon lily...

sprouting up

i can't believe i have not been to the silver lake farmers' market yet. today it happened. it could not have been more perfect. on my way home from the office today on labor day weekend, just as i approached the market, i thought to myself, i want to go to the market!" i saw a guy carrying a watermelon on his shoulder and i have been insanely craving watermelon lately and wanted to buy some. magically, a car pulled out from a parking spot on sunset blvd. right in front of me. i had to pull in, there was no excuse!

wandering down the market, the first stand that drew me in was the display of sprouts - all varieties, and i had to check it out. the lady proceeded to tell me all of the different kinds of sprouts she had, but honestly, i was so engrossed in the idea of having finally made it to the market and how it brought back so many memories of being in Healdsburg and being inspired by the daily fresh pickings, i phased out what she was saying. i remembered the mustard greens we used to make sandwiches and salads with. fading back into the present moment, i managed to record a couple of the names - alfalfa, bean, spicy mix - she said they would be great in a salad with tomatoes and I asked if she could prepare a mix for me, thinking of the last bits of butter lettuce i had in the fridge. i love simple salads. the simpler, the better. herbs and lettuce are my favorite. why not sprouts and lettuce?

off i went to venture through the rest of the market and then i saw these cherry heirloom tomatoes that looked divine. remembering the sprout lady's suggestion, i grabbed a bag of the mini tomatoes.




i am so thankful for that inspiration. why don't i do this all the time? the salad was perfection.

-prepare a simple vinaigrette in your favorite bowl large enough for the whole salad:
-red wine vinegar, olive oil, fresh cracked sea salt and the secret ingredient: fresh cracked citrus pepper
-cut cherry heirlooms in halves and toss in bowl
-add mix of sprouts
-tear some butter lettuce leaves into bowl
-toss all together

fashion forward

i have been meaning to post something about this magnificent store Confederacy in los feliz for some time now. ever since i bought my Vena Cava dress, Opening Ceremony shoes and Whitely Kros jumpsuit, i am totally in love. it just keeps getting better and better as i unravel the inner makings of this fashion world unto its own.








for starters, ilaria urbinati co-founder of confederacy and style maven extraordinaire, is beyond inspiring. secondly, i just came across Vena Cava's blog, by way of ivanhoe books blog and connected the dots that i have one of their designs, purchased in Confederacy! but my heart skipped a beat and my jaw dropped when i came across this on Vena Cava's blog - utterly mineral forest! the crystalarium collection

diamonds in the rough

echo park may still be a little rough around the edges, but when it comes to fashion and design, step aside. the new kids on the block are going to blow your mind (i know they have mine!)



ladyboy (6 years in the hood) is the perfect example. just visiting the website alone makes me smile, but if you ever catch yourself on Echo Park Avenue, you must stop into Megan & Robbie's world - the dynamic duo owners have captured everything rad about the 80's when it comes to foot ware. I can't wait to buy my own pair, or two!






i have not yet been to mohawk general store and i know i will beat myself up about it forever when i finally do manage to make it because i know in my heart of hearts that this place will rock my world. the shoe collection alone is reason enough to shop here. but the rest of it is equally amazing and i think the blog is pretty awesome as well.

design therapy

there's nothing like stepping into the quintessential design boutique. i feel like i grow wings and take flight as every corner has it's own unique feng shui. everything is perfectly placed and it all flows. i am in heaven. nothing can go wrong when i meander through the mock living spaces and treasure all of the accessories, the way they are arranged. it brings me back to my childhood, when all i would love to do was play "store" with my sister. we would set up shop, so to speak, and our bedrooms would be the the playground, the boutique, if you will. anything was up for grabs and we would barter. it was the exchange of stuffed animals for little trinkets, books, even furniture pieces. I couldn't wait to play store. the anticipation elated me. i would arrange my book case as if it were a display cabinet in a chic designer boutique. i would dust and place everything just so, as if i were the proud proprietor of this imaginary storefront.

i found one of these enchanted kingdoms on my trip to Seattle, in Ballard, my favorite neighborhood. it's a family run business with a fantastic selection of modern vintage and recycled furnishings and home accessories.

Collective
5339 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 782-1900







i've always fantasized about living in Silver Lake, in a mid-century modern home nestled up in the hills just off Silver Lake Blvd. and within walking distance of the reservoire. since the early years when i first discovered this alluring neighborhood (back in college!), i knew there was something to this place, and sure enough, it has blown up in terms of trendiness and is now officially on the map of advante-garde design. funky and ultra cool retail stores have then since sprouted up and i am speechless as i am discovering these gems one by one.

last week it was Yolk - "free range design" is their slogan. i absolutely fell in love. i immediately went into "nesting mode" as i dreamed of wedding and baby shower registries. everything is darling, adorable, and just plain rocks. leave it to those swedes to know how to do it up!





but when it comes to serious design, of the not so "within reach" kind, (ie. for the serious connoisseur and serious pocketbook), there is lawson-fenning. this one caught my eye two-fold: i had seen the storefront on my way back to the car from Yolk last week and saw books - really neat and groovy books, of the coffee table sort. i mentally filed it in my "places to go" but didn't realize how urgently i needed to make a visit to this place until today when after stopping in Yolk to buy a wedding present (thank you Jamila & Patrick for a reason to shop there!!!) I noticed the words "lawson-fenning" stenciled on the window. this rang a bell and like a dog zeroing in on just the right spot to mark it's territory, i marched straight in and was entranced from the very moment i entered. (cue angels singing accompanied by harp) not only is this the most orgasmic design boutique I've been into in a while, there is a killer bookstore in the back to boot: ivanhoe books : art and design. pure bliss.



and the lawson-fenning website has several links to equally glorious and like-minded designers and artists like this one: atwater pottery. i think i was a potter in a past life, because something inexplicable happens to me when I see this work.