All Growns Up: Birthday

25 got off to a great start. Pre-birthday festivities with best friends and a shopping and lounging day with the boyfriend...

Remnants of birthday eve

Lemon ricotta pancakes in the making

Flowers from beautiful people

Lamp hunting

Birthday lunch in Silver Lake.

Typical Colombian dish, Bandeja Paisa = perfect cure for birthday eve

Shopping at friend's boutique, Samira's Closet

View of Pershing Square from Samira's

Birthday cupcakes from BIGMANbakes. So moist, so good.

R+R the rest of the evening. My pick on TV: Thoroughly Modern Millie.

And it's only Saturday afternoon :)

Vintage Shopping Manifesto...Kinda

I was asked via email for my advise on getting past the intimidation of vintage stores and what I typically look for when shopping. Here's what my quick response turned into. It may not be beautifully written but I sure enjoyed writing it...

Yeah they can definitely be overwhelming!

I find it helpful to walk into places knowing the types of things I like/need and are easy to add to my existing wardrobe and home decor.

If you aren't looking for anything specific then just go when you have the  energy and time to simply browse. There's nothing worse than feeling tired or crunched for time in a vintage store. There's simply TOO much to look at but also know that its OKAY to not see everything. I fly past the ceramics and toys because I know I'm not interested. Things related to fashion and home decor stop me in my tracks.

If you like fashion accessories, necklaces, purses, scarves and handbags are great to start out with. Most of what's out in stores today is based on old styles so it's always fun to get the original thing. They are often of better quality too. Accessories may help you feel like you can "pull them off" because they are so easy to mix into what you already have.

I would avoid getting into clothing until you feel more comfortable sifting through alot of "stuff". Many vintage clothing items require alterations and understanding of fabrics and construction (to scout the real winners for quality and comfort at least) so that may be too much for starters.

My hunch is that this may also be the stuff you feel like you cant pull off? Vintage clothes can be intimidating but if it's priced well for you, think about how it can be incorporated into your everyday wear (or special occasions) seamlessly rather than trying to convince yourself that you will wear it. Just because it's trendy and looks like the latest designer styles doesnt mean it's worth buying, especially if its not "you" already. You wont ever wear it or pull it off if it doesn't feel right to begin with.

What I've been shopping for lately have been items for the home since I just moved too. I make a mental list of what I need/want so that everytime I step into a shop, those things catch my eye immediately amidst all the clutter. For example, I needed a small portable table mirror so that I could do my makeup by my window. I found an amazing metal one within two minutes of going through a store, and for 6 bucks!

Think of it as a treasure hunt for something unique and it will become like a game. Just take the first step inside and see how you feel...your eyes will lead the way :)

Sewing: @ Home...Finally!

My machine is back in commission and it took its first stitches in its new home tonight! I've been anxious to bring it out and use it on my new table.* So far so good!

*This table is amazing. It's another chrome piece from Virtue Brothers of California with side panels that drop down to form a smaller table. It's been super functional and practical in my loft space. One of the best buys from REVIVAL Vintage yet :)

Fave Creative Space: Common Thread Studio

My home sewing machine was acting up so I decided it was the perfect excuse to do some work at Common Thread Studio in my hometown, South Pasadena.

It was my first time using the work spaces and I will definitely be going back. Seriously fell in love with the character of the place: creative, hip, clean, stylish, personal, and fun.

The owner, Jin, was awesome and brings a lot of design experience and enthusiasm to her space. I spent a good three hours there so I was thankful that she was blasting the likes of Beck, Kings of Leon (their old stuff), and Arcade Fire on the iPod. Made me feel like I was working from home.

If only this place had been around when I was in High School! She has classes for all levels of sewing and also offers a screen printing area, how cool is that?

WARNING: chances are that you WILL buy something from her shop area. It's curated with great gift items for babies, crafters, and even the most discerning creative and stylish people in your life.

Sunday Score: Vintage Fabric

Nope, not talking about the Super Bowl score.

I was busy doing what I do best on a Sunday: scoping out Revival Vintage's latest inventory.

Scored this sweet piece of fabric with a quintessential mid-century square design. It has an interesting micro-velvet hand and it is pretty heavy duty. Would be great for a tote bag - fall 2010 collection anyone?

I guess I'm now officially collecting vintage textiles. I bought this huge cotton piece a few months ago at a yard sale in Hancock Park. A girl cant help it ...

SALE: 25% off ANAMU through February 10th!

Because you are beautiful and unique.

Fellas, this is what you tell your lady

Ladies, this is what you tell yourself

Indulge a little this Valentine's Day.

To redeem this offer, go to www.anamu.etsy.com and note VDAY in "message to seller" at checkout. Discount will be applied after full payment is received.

Barbie goes designer: I revert to being ten years old

If only my Barbies had such stylish options when I was growing up! Fashion accessory designers team up with Barbie to make one-of-a-kind outfits that are up for auction on Ebay through February 7. Proceeds benefit the Council of Fashion Designers of America's (CFDA) educational initiative and scholarship programs.

I would definitely have played with the Devi Kroell and Subversive Jewelry ones. Well, I hardly ever played with them, it was more about the dressing up :)

New Doc Film: Teenage Paparazzo

Sundance USA screened the new documentary film by Adrian Grenier, of HBO's Entourage, at Downtown Independent tonight. Found out about it through the theater's weekly emails and was intrigued by the subject of the film: a teenage paparazzo.

Having grown up in LA, I just don't care too much about celebrities to be honest - they're "just like us" right...according to Us Weekly or something? Sure, I admire their work and love seeing what they wear on the red carpet but photos of them grocery shopping or playing with their kids is something the world could do without.

Teenage Paparazzo was done from Grenier's desire to understand what makes a teenager, and paparazzi in general, turn to a career of capturing people's personal lives - including his - in the most public of ways.

The kid, Austin, to his credit is very smart.  It was extremely enjoyable to see him evolve from an overly confident tween paparazzo to a more humble and respectful celebrity photographer, as I think he put it.

Through celebrity interviews and participatory research (Grenier at one point tries his hand at snapping the photos), the film took on a social anthropological angle by dissecting the why's and the how's of our society's current obsession and sense of personal connection with the people we see on our TV's and glossy magazines. It then ties it back into how it all relates to Austin and his obsession with his job. Just like any good documentary should.

I got some good laughs out of this one and was glad that it came from a celebrity's vantage point rather than an outsider's looking in. Highly recommend it.

Furniture Design: The Originators

As I sit on my IKEA chair I'm reminded of an exhibit I visited in NYC last weekend, The Future at Home: American Furniture, 1940-1955, at the Museum of the City of New York. I expected to see some great mid-century modern pieces, and that I did, but I didnt expect to learn exactly how modern this stuff really was.

We talk about pre-fab designs today as if they are something revolutionary and about how modern and affordable IKEA is. Yet the featured designers were creating furniture that really was forward and fresh thinking. Furniture and fashion designs do not follow the same credit today: styles are hardly ever new and original, rather they are recycled silhouettes, textures, and color pallets based on what was once new and original.

Now, I'm okay with that since there were some beautiful things that came out of the twentieth century. What shocked me was that the high-priced and coveted mid-century furniture we find today, were originally designed and produced with an IKEA type philosophy: simple, flexible, cost-effective, and good design for all.

The photo below is of a TIMES article on a DIY living room set that I would love to find today.

I wonder if 60 years from now my plastic Oleby chair will sell for $2,000 at a vintage store....

Featured: ANAMU on EcoStiletto!!!

ANAMU's first press hit is none other than the fabulous EcoStilettoonline magazine! I am beyond thrilled, and honored, to be included in their upcycled fashion piece along such amazing designers (I've always admired Ashley Watson's reclaimed leather bags). They even used an ANAMU image for the homepage "What's New" section :)

Subscribe for your chance to win an ANAMU envelope clutch and other eco-designer goodies!

Thank you EcoStiletto!

More Art: off to a resolved year

Okay, so I lied. I do have one resolution: visit more museums and design exhibits. This weekend will kick-off a more artsy and designed infused 2010 with a trip to NYC.

I've got my new boots (Nike Air + Cole Haan = most comfortable shoes ever! Definitely worth the three year search) ...

and am ready for some serious gawking at works by Kandinsky (Guggenheim) and architect Eero Saarinen (Museum of the City of New York).

Must be some kind of crazy to leave 72 degrees in LA for 20 something Manhattan!

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