Je' N Se Quoi Ooo La La!

Being a tourist in the city I call home.....and a very scary man

2011-04-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those magical days where my love where my love of this city got completely re ignited. My friend Jill and I decided to hop on the train and enjoy the city. I can walk to the train from my apartment so the fact that I don't really ever use the train is a little silly.

The first leg of our trip was....interesting. We are sitting there for a few minutes when we hear them announce over the loud speaker that we are at the South West Museum. I perk up because I LOVE museums. We are bantering back and forth about what sort of museum we imagine this being when the man sitting directly across from us says its an "Indian" museum. Firstly, I don't use the word Indian unless I am talking about people from India. The man corrects himself and calls it the Native American Museum and we spend the next 10 minutes or so marveling and what the Native Americans were able to do without all the technology we have today, like building pyramids. This led to talking about the Great Wall of China. Did you know that at any given time there were 10 million people working on the wall and that it only took 10 years to construct? Pretty amazing. All the while a very umm, intriguing looking man sat and very clearly listened to everything we were saying without giving any input. Imagine a guy, about 6'4 with long white hair and not all of his teethe. Union Station quickly came and Jill and I exited the train and said goodbye to our new friend. I am not 5 ft off the train when the aforementioned traveler approaches me and with anger in his eyes says "Do you really think Indians have any value?" Okay...disclaimer. I am 5'0 and 110 Ibs soaking wet. I am also fearless and know full well that when it comes to arguing about things related to social justice or basic human rights I am pretty equipped to win. I am never what people expect and mostly people don't expect this little fashion girl to have any education or opinion about anything outside of what Louboutin's would look better. I can only imagine that my face got all sorts of twisted up and I said very adamantly "of course I do, they are people and people have VALUE". Reality then kicked in and I realized that this was a very large and potentially crazy man and potentially not someone I could have an educated conversation with. I found a hole in the crowd and quickly scattered away. Half frustrated that I wasn't able to "educate" this man and half relieved to have made it away.

We then made it over to Olvera Street. I had never been before but have always been struck by it from the street. I have been missing out because it is very much alive and a gem in this city that I call home. There were Mariachi's and people dancing. There were Churro's and other mexican pastries and every shop window was filled with vibrant traditional outfits. It was the sort of place that I knew I could spend day at if you let me.

to be continued....

Backstage at FIDM Debut Show-old school

2011-04-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Years ago I volunteered as a dresser at the FIDM Debut Fashion Show. This was before I had anything of any real signifigance on my resume and it was all very new and exciting. At the time this was the largest scale thing I had ever worked on and enjoyed capturing as many moments as I could. I love the atmosphere of being backstage of anything. I grew up doing Musical Theater so being in the wings is something that feels very familar, like sitting on your grandmothers couch. I love photography but don't have any sort of training but during this particular show I had the thought that if I were ever to be a photographer I would want to do photography backstage at fashion shows. The runway is exciting but the true moments are the moments before the women walk down the runway. That is the time when their spirit is revealed. These photos invoke a very familiar feeling to that of Renoir's exploration of ballet. Showcasing these incredibly beautiful women who have these glamorous lives in the less glamorous parts. Something about that is so much more beautiful to me then the moments where they are actually modeling. The bottom three pictures feature dresses by Clay Adler, an incredibly talented designer here in Los Angeles. Seriously, check out his website and re blog him because he is incredible and down to earth to boot. The first dress is from project runway, really beautiful. The whole collection was supposed to be reminiscent of waves and the ocean. So great!

Valetines Day

2011-04-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

These are old pics but I figured now is as good as a time as any as I was failing as a blogger when Valentines Day actually occured. I was working on Valentines which meant that myself and the nugget were each others Valentines. We made heart shaped pizza's and ate them on the beach in our Valentines outfits.

Today is a big day. Good Friday. I never quite know what to do on this day. Its perhaps the biggest day of the year in terms of "wow, thanks Jesus". How would Jesus want us to commemorate this day? For sure with worship but what does that look like? It could mean going to a church service and singing out songs of worship and adoration but it could also mean sitting around a table with good friends having fellowship and praising God in that way. I go to a church that meets in a high school which means that our building in unavailable for us to use on good Friday. So more then likely I will spend the day just meditating on what Christ did for us in a much less formal setting.

MUCH OF THIS

2011-04-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

So here's the thing...I am a part of my life where everything is scary and everything is exciting. In the past 12 months I feel like I feel to the bottom of death valley and climbed mt. whitney. The highs have been really high but the lows have been really low. I am exhausted.

My faith is changing and that is very much something I am feeling. My relationship with Jesus is different now then it was a year ago. I can't quite put my finger upon what is different but its different. I go to an incredible church and really trust our teaching pastor. More and more though I realize that I don't know that the Jesus I know is the same Jesus that so many of my brothers and sister in Christ know. Its so sad to me that people would so strongly judge an author so strongly before even reading his book. I haven't read it either so I can't say how I feel one way or the other but I can say that it sounds a lot like hypocrisy when someone is claiming a book as heresy without ever even reading it. My feelings about women and the church are also getting "thicker". I say thicker because I don't know that they are changing but more that I care more. I can't get behind a pastor who so adamantly denies the role of women in the church and the world. The early Christian church was founded by Lydia, a woman. I hate to say this but I lose some respect for people who I see them posting articles written by certain Christian leaders. Like really? That is who you choose to put on a soap box? Seriously? I find myself feeling personally attacked which is stupid because it has nothing to do with me.

I am starting wondering if I am ever going to finish college. If I am ever going to fall in love. If I am ever going to make it past being an intern. Seriously I am 24 years old and haven't ever been on a truly honest to God date. I have interned for some INCREDIBLE companies and worked with some of the biggest celebrities in the world and yet I have no real job. Seriously, little one in New York who is answering the phone at a certain un named PR agency, stop telling me to email and actually have some RELATIONS with a person. I put my networking skills into overdrive last week and had a producer from a popular nationally televised program email the owner of a large PR agency letting them know I am awesome and they should hire me and they said to give them a call. So I gave them a call and they said I should send them an email. So I sent them an email. I still haven't had any sort of response. If I wanted to just send an email with no response I could have done that on my own. I had their email addresses already, I am not an idiot. I have done my homework. No, I had a producer make a personal phone call on my behalf and because I started at the top and not at the bottom, the people at the bottom don't realize that I am someone who they have been given the okay to correspond with and not a total waste of time. SOMEONE HIRE ME!

Yummy!

2011-01-08T08:31:00.000-08:00

Over the past year or so I have been working towards becoming a healthier version of myself. I have always been very petite but there has definitely been some flab where there should have been muscle. I am fortunate enough that I have never struggled with being overweight but if we are honest that has very little to do with my eating habits or exercise and more to do with having good genes. That being said, I am getting to an age where I need to make taking care of my body a priority. This has shown up in several ways. I have become a runner. I am running a half marathon in March. I have also become my own personal chef. In a town where I am surrounded by celebrities and sample size dresses I often find myself envious of the personal chefs that many celebrities have. I love the idea of someone making a menu for you filled with foods that are going to nurture your body and make you a healthier person. So I have become my own personal chef. I buy local organic foods from the farmers market once a week and make really delicious foods that are also healthy for me. Beyond that, I love making these foods for guests. It is so fulfilling to be able to feed guests not only things that taste good but foods that are going to be good for them. Above is a lunch I made myself the other day using all organic ingredients. I made grilled chicken breasts with sauteed in onions and lemon, sweet potato fries made with local organic sweet potatoes that I cut myself and edamame that is not local but it is organic! So delicious!

listing so far

2011-01-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

What a realistic depiction about how I feel about my life right now. Stylish and fabulous on the surface but all sorts of messy in the background. I am excited for the start of 2011 and the new beginnings that a new year promises.

Things I want to achieve in 2011.

1. Finish my math class

2. Pay off my credit card debt

3. Make 60's style dress with new pattern I bought off of ebay and maybe sell some via etsy.

4. Go to another country. It could be mexico for all I care.

5. On that note...get a new passport.

6. Get health insurance

7. Bake Bread

8. Read at least one book a month

9. Go to Seattle

I Know Now.....

2010-07-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

Things I have learned.....

...I am not good at updating a blog everyday

...Things are never as you expect them to be

...Forgiveness feels way better then anger

...If you don't tell someone something because you fear you will turn a mole hill in a mountain....it will most definitely turn into a mountain.

...I have no idea how to get anyone else other then myself reading this blog....

In the odd chance that someone not named me is reading this I would love if you could visit www.prayfordaisy.com The sweet daughter of Britt Merrick (teaching pastor at Reality Capinteria) is going through her second round of cancer and could really use your prayer.

Things I have learned from the Italians...

2010-07-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

Oh the Italians. To make this make a little bit more sense I should explain that I work for an Italian company.

Things I have Learned since working for the Italians...

1. They like their Holidays! Seriously what other industry has summer fridays?

2. Less is often more

3. ciao means both hello and good bye

4. Madonna never gets old

The Chic-est

2010-07-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

This blogger I just discovered through one of my favorite blogs is like visual candy. Seriously, can I be this effortlessly chic?

Identity

2010-06-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Transition. I am in the middle of of a pretty large transitional phase in my life. In the past things have been pretty defined for me. I go to school, I work at camp. School is what I do and camp is my ministry. I don't work at camp anymore. I always knew this day would come but now as a 23 year old entering the workforce (hopefully soon!) what does my ministry look like? I have made steps towards helping the childrens ministry at my church. I LOVE working in the fashion industry and being part of that family but I don't ever want that to be my identity. First and foremost I want my identity to be that of being a child of God. God doesn't give you deadlines, doesn't send you bills so it is a little easier to put Him in the backseat and not make Him part of your daily routine. I don't read my Bible everyday. I don't have the urgency that I wish I had. Its an exciting slash very terrifying time in my life. I could potentially hit my dreams or I could potentially hit the bottom in the coming months. If you are reading this, could you pray for me? I need it.

More Models Should Be Like This One...

2010-05-07T10:49:00.000-07:00

To me, there isn't a better model the Agyness. She is effortlessly lovely and chic.
She looks fresh and new but also timeless. I once ran into her while waiting to board a flight and couldn't help but let her know that she was my very favorite model. She was thankful in the most gracious way. More models should be like Agyness.

Let Me

2010-02-11T22:20:00.000-08:00

This is what I want more then anything. To be sound asleep on a warm beach with no where to go. Instead I am sitting here on my lab top putting off all the things I need to do before I can fall asleep. I left my house at 6:15 this morning to be at the television studio by 7 where I still was 5 minutes late. Worked there all day before leaving for my second job. My car is a disaster which needs to be cleaned before I leave for San Diego directly after I leave the studio tomorrow afternoon. Really I need to take a shower before work tomorrow but I can't imagine washing and drying and styling my hair when I just got home from my work day at 10:25 pm. My room mates have both left for the weekend and I came home to a note to vacuum the whole apartment before they return on Monday. Seriously with what time? I am happy to vacuum/clean but I can't do it on the busiest 48 time period of my week. There. Done.

Photo Courtesy of The Sleep Book

Sparkly Shoes

2010-02-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

My girliness comes out in full force when presented with a pair of sparkly designer heels. Pure Bliss!

Photo courtesy of Karen Mordechai.

Brooklyn Engagement Photography

2010-02-02T19:22:00.000-08:00

I have become completely OBESSED with this set of engagement photos by photography pair Simply Bloom. If I were to get engaged this is what I would want my photos to look like.

Photo 1

2010-01-31T14:21:00.000-08:00

One of the things on my list was to take at least 1 photo a day. So here it is. I bought these flowers this morning at the farmers market down the street. Not my favorite bunch ever but they will do.

The Until June List

2010-01-31T13:24:00.001-08:00

2010

To say I am obsessed with New York would be the understatement of the year. The city can do no wrong in my eyes. This face makes my California residency all the more unfortunately (despite being a proud native southern Californian).

I meant to make a list of things which I want to resolve to get done at the turn of the year and now at the end of the first month of the new year it seems to be the deadline. However due to life I am going to resolve to not make it a 2010 list but instead an "until June" list. Why wait 11 months to get things done?

Until June

1. Buy more fresh flowers

2. Make lavender shift dress like the one at Jcrew

3. Clear Email Inbox (I once read that most millionaires never have more then 10 emails in their inbox at one time which makes my 627 currently sitting in my inbox look like bad news)

4. Have a truly organized closet

5. Adopt a child through World Vision

6. Take at least 1 picture a day.

7. Send at least 3 hand written letters a week

8. Make a complete meal for friends and host a dinner party.

9. Buy a plane ticket to New York

10. Finish Decorating Bedroom

11. Take a weekend trip to Santa Barbara.

12. Get a massage

more to come...?

Button Boutonnieres

2010-01-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

I am in LOVE with these boutonnieres by yanadesigns on etsy. Saw them or something very similar in Real Simple Weddings and absolutely fell in love. Also you can't beat the price at $9.00USD

Carly Shoe-Kate Spade

2010-01-19T19:34:00.000-08:00

I am totally and completely infatuated with the "Carly" shoe by Kate Spade. They are the perfect example of Je' N Se Quoi or the "I don't know what" quality. Practically perfect in every way.