i'm the hero.

beautiful tattoo via cup of jo + inspired quote from hero by regina spektor

diy rocketeer

how cute and clever is this rocket man costume? i want to make one with gold paper, pronto.. up, up, and away!

photoshop madness.

when i stepped into my passion for photography a few years ago, i knew nothing about f-stops, white balance, or which lens does what.. and i definitely knew very little about retouching/photoshop. as i move forward, i keep returning to a desire to truly know photoshop -- its such a cool program and has so many ridiculous features.. a sort of art in itself. so i enrolled in a class at rayko.

i'm excited to start my class and to learn how to craft proper layout, develop some graphic skills, and manipulate lighting in photos from bright day to mood lighting, from 2011 to 1978, etc. people like this dreamy shift and i do too - it allows us to play, to explore new territory, to imagine different possibilities (examples). i am excited to start my class but also weary of it all... remember that demi moore fiasco? this article in the times + this video after france proposed laws of disclosure?

photoshop, you are way cool and also such a crazy motherf'er.. 

image of madonna's before/after + a photo of my neighbor in brooklyn.. untouched + beautiful.

waking early

on this foggy morning, i sit peacefully as our day gently rises here in the bay and open why i wake early by mary oliver. as i read it for the hundredth time, still no less powerful, i am reminded of the many gifts in my life.. this morning silence, the sweet fruit from not-so-far away, the chai tea in my mug rich with cream and honey, the movement of folk above and below choosing to begin their day, the way the sun blankets our living room with warmth and light, and the last few moments of snuggling with my beloved before leaving for work. 

isn't life amazing? good morning, good morning, good morning.

image via my eyes, they wander + cold play's yellow.

advanced style.

as we grow older, we must discipline ourselves to continue expanding, broadening, learning, keeping our minds active and open.

thanks to mr. clint eastwood and to these fashionable ladies who keep it colorful + playful along the way - i love, love, love this site..

ballet flats.

one of the first women i met in the art world here in san francisco was a fellow new yorker - chic + sharp + blunt.. we talked about thin crust pizza, walking versus biking, and the dreaded comfort shoe. she told me that six months into her life here on the west coast she begrudingly gave up her four inch heels, knee-high boots, and ballet flats(!) in favor of comfortable clogs - think mauve, boxy, and heavy. she was convinced that i would give them up too eventually.. well, i never wore four inch heels or owned many knee-high boots but ballet flats? sorry lady, i don't do sneakers.

its been a few months and while i've stood strong and strolled lightly, my poor flats have succumbed to the pressures of rough hills and rocky hikes.. pictured on the left are my dead zara flats (boo) and below are my thrifty replacements (yay).. 

emerald repetto from crossroads - $17.50 (original price $245)

brown h&m - $12.95 (similar to these from j.crew)

p.s. at h&m i also picked up the coolest match-it set for my niece and nephew with proceeds to benefit unicef! happy shopping, happy cause.. i like.

laughing diaries

i've had a pretty rough day and was desperately in need of a good laugh.. aren't these images hilarious? 

best of all the one on the right is practical too - baby got to work for those expensive diapers and organic peas!

let's hope the week gets a bit lighter.. for now, happy monday while i mullet all over..

native chic

digging the colorful and tribal vibe of south western style lately...

perhaps it's time to sport my antique squash blossom necklace, turn on some meditative flute tunes, & make a dream catcher necklace to honor my cherokee blood (true story)..  

images via pinterest                                                

blood, bones, and butter.

gabrielle hamilton is awesome. i listened to her on city arts and the conversation that unfolded about her decision to let go of a life long dream of being a writer in favor of stepping into her role as the chef/owner of prune. 

i am in the midst of a pretty huge transition/crossroads and it is hard to close doors on familiarity, to let go of big dreams or expectations of how my life should be, and to step into unknown territory - super f'ing hard! listening to gabrielle's story was a great reminder of the many ways in which exercising trust offers gifts of self-discovery and fulfillment. she closed the door on being a writer, stepped fully into her role as a restaurant owner, and received an offer six weeks later to write a memoir. life is so strange and miraculous.

thanks to gabrielle for sharing her story.. letting go of my imagined identity is challenging and often painful but i am leaning into patience and trust on this sunday afternoon and hopeful that i will discover treasures in this mysterious, new place.

image of gabrielle via nytimes.

kis·lev

i grew up in an orthodox (chabad) community and while i am no longer living in it, i still feel aligned with and inspired by many of their rituals. one of these rituals involves blessing and honoring each new moon - the possibilities that are presented to us throughout the lunar cycle, the specific energy each month brings to the world, and the unique opportunities available to us with its arrival.

tonight marks the new moon and first day of kislev, the 9th month of the jewish calendar year. according to tradition, the heightened energy associated with this winter moon is active trust which provides deep relaxation + healthy sleep when exercised. i could use a bit of help in the trust/relaxation department and feel grateful that there is space to engage with this work.

good night, new moon.. so happy you have arrived.

for further inquiry: an article which describes the sense, body part, color, and astrological sign associated with kislev + a clip which is somewhat esoteric but quite interesting.

sleepy image via moon to moon

brunchluck + easy-peasy frittata

this year, n and i invited a couple of folk to partake in our very first post-turkey "brunchluck" + muddy hike in the hills. it was such a wonderful way to usher in the weekend and also a fun opportunity to taste some flavors from different thanksgiving feasts.. swiss chard with pine nuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, vegan pumpkin cheesecake, quinoa with squash, and apple pie with fresh yogurt were among some of the yummy contributions.. o, and a frittata cooked up by yours truly. life is good, the belly is full, and the pants are streeetchy!!

ingredients for easy-peasy frittata: smudge of butter + 1 tbsp. olive oil + salt + pepper + dried dill + 2 cloves garlic + 1 large leek + bunch of broccoli + 1 summer squash + 1 c. leftover sweet potato/roasted squash (or cooked turkey, stuffing, etc) + 12 eggs + 1 tbsp. cream + goat cheese.
directions: preheat oven to 400. heat large oven-proof skillet and saute first seven ingredients until leeks are soft and translucent. add next two ingredients and cook for five minutes while whisking all 12 eggs + cream in bowl.  turn off stove, sprinkle sweet potato + squash in skillet, pour egg mixture over it all, and transfer to oven for 10-12 minutes.
serve with: iced coffee + mixed greens + fresh berries

thanksgiving.

big thanks to wonderful friends*, beautiful food, happy children, peaceful tunes, and my awesome partner who just happens to make a mean turkey.
*including two of my favorite la residents pictured second to last.. david & dana

hello, weekend.

weekend agenda:

• thanksgiving dinner with dear friends from la + local folk in the east bay - we are bringing the turkey and gravy, courtesy of n, and also our towels for a jacuzzi after-party
• brunch-luck at our place + hike in tilden park - maybe a left-overs frittata?
• sweat lodge goodness - the first one in quite a long time
• a run or two on the treadmill with top chef texas
• and (hopefully) some time to lazy about, stretch a bit, and absorb all of the fancy food and good company..

happy travels and safe returns,

chev

p.s. gratitude is not just for thanksgiving - we can and should sport it all year long. :)

thanksgiving dinner at the salvation army nursery, c. 1953 via ucla library (nice knife skills!)

diy gratitude crowns + garlands.

i love the pre-thanksgiving energy - the air is crisp, the markets are busy, the roads are full of folk returning to their loves for thanksgiving, and gratitude is all over the place.

i've been sitting in the kitchen for a bit and thinking about the insane menu for tomorrow and wondering if we are going to eat like kings and queens, why not wear colorful crowns?! i like this one, that one, and these two. i also love the idea of creating a gratitude garland like this one. i say ask the kids (at heart) to go outside and gather real leaves for crowns + garlands as you finish up the gravy and pumpkin pie - crafting and garden clean up in one, now that's something to be thankful for!

hair stories.

everyone has a story about their hair - it covers us up, exposes our fantasies, tells the story of our origins, and acts as a fantastic accessory. i used to hate my hair - my sisters have fairly wavy, perfectly shiny hair and mine has always been wild, unruly, and sort of coarse. as a kid, my hair was affectionately known as "the bush".

it took years to appreciate the thickness of my hair, the insane amount of it, and how very temperamental it is given the day of the week, the weather patterns, and what's going through my heart. i've had hippie dreadlocks when i was living in jerusalem, wore it super short during my second year of college, unsuccessfully dyed it blonde when i was living in tahoe, cut quite a bit off after my broken engagement, and have been known to give myself bangs after late night parties. 

my hair is simple now - below my shoulder, dark brown, and without much style or layers. my life right now - transitional, loving, creative, and filled with many unknowns. i'm ready for a new do to reflect my state of being but not sure how to proceed.. to be bold and boyish or to remain long and add color. hmmm, big questions.

 photos via neuewave and fuckyeah-hair + diy rainbow hair (so cool!!)

annie leibovitz

i had the privilege of meeting annie leibovitz three years ago when she spoke at the 92y where i worked as a programs manager. she arrived early, gave a fantastic talk, and graciously agreed to sit with me for a few minutes after the program to share some thoughts and advice. i don't quite remember all of it but i do remember the words patience, vulnerability, and courage returning more than once.

annie is an icon and true warrior - dealing with major public scrutinity of her financal woes as she mourned the loss of her partner, mother, and father in a short period of time. annie is in san francisco this afternoon to share a new project and, while i cannot attend the event, i am happy to be reminded of our conversation and her influence in my decision to shift gears and engage with my creative spirit. what an amazing woman and role model.

i love so much of her work but here are two favorites: patti smith + louise bourgeois

invisible bridge.

invisible bridge by ro koster and ad kill architects via mirkomirko. wow.

autumn bread.

i was craving something bread-like last night so i put on my favorite apron, turned on the national, and began to experiment..

ingredients: 1/2 roasted red kuri squash + 2 tbs. olive oil + 2 eggs + 1/2 tsp. baking soda + 1/2 c. almond flour + 1/4 c. arrowroot powder + 1 tsp. kosher salt + sage + goat cheese.

directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees. mix first three ingredients until smooth. combine next four ingredients in a separate bowl and mix into first three. fold in sage + goat cheese and pour into oiled pie dish. place in center of oven for 30-40 minutes.
serve with: n's famous cabbage salad* + cured olives + hard cider

*mix together shredded purple cabbage, thinly sliced onions, salt, pepper, cumin seeds, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil and let sit for at least an hour though best after a day or two.

occupy love.

i was listening to npr this morning as uc davis faculty discussed the horrific and disturbing pepper spraying incident last friday on their campus. it is so upsetting that the message of occupy wall street has been twisted, manipulated, and met with so much resistance and violence.

i believe in the power of both the ninety-nine and one percent to open our eyes, move past judgement, and expand our circles to include all beings and i am grateful for the professors and students who have the courage to confront police brutality and corruption.

this short via day + peaceful protester by ian mckenzie.

paper art.

how cool are these copy paper sculptures by aleksandra domanvic? i like, i like.

laughter + love.

these photos of paul newman + joanne woodward, who were married for 50 years, sit in an inspiration file on my desktop.. joanne once said, sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades, but being with someone who makes you laugh all the time, ah, now thats a real treat! 

and a video of a man entering a train in paris.. a reminder that laughter and joy is contagious. 

refrigerator diaries.

i really dig mark menjivar's photo project - especially because the fridge acts as a portrait of the people who use it. so here is a portrait of our household right now (i'm actually kind of proud of us) -- frozen berries, chia seeds, compost, homemade vodka infusions, raw almond butter, loads of fruits and veggies, pre-cooked naan, schug, some white flour for challah, and random bits like rosewater, cod liver oil, and digestive bitters.

we are what we eat.. and it turns out we are also what we throw away. have you seen wasteland? i just saw it and was blown away and super inspired.

geometry class.

i've always liked geometry and it seems to find expression in all sorts of cool, new ways - her perfectly patterned look + diy necklace + magical shoes (i'd totally rock these if i wore heels) + funky nails.