Oh, The Places You'll Go!

It is funny how things that have been around you for so long and have meant not too much suddenly take on Huge New Meaning when you are growing a baby or being a parent. It is truly life changing. Watching this video was one of those sneaky "things are different now" moments for me. Maybe it will be for you too?

Wrap it up

Finally the cold weather of California is coming!!! I love to bundle up. I love wearing scarves and jackets and pants and tights and all things cozy and warm. But the thing about scarves is I get a little lost as to how to wear them beyond the usual knot. Sometimes I am given scarves as gifts - the large square ones, those really get me lost. Well, I am found now. No excuses for not having a little extra winter style this year.

30 days

What are you going to do?



PS- My mom sent me this. She is the best.

Be your own Swan

Mary Helen Bowers was the graceful power house trainer behind Natalie Portman's ballet body. Now you can have your very own Ballet Beautiful body too with out needing any previous dance training. And if you are like me and miss being a kid in dance class this with let you feel like that again. There are two streaming workshops that currently cost $8 each and both run 15 min. Who doesn't have time for that?! Swan Arms and 15 min Ballet Beautiful Body.



What a perfect way to start my day. I am working such long hours these days and have been mourning my loss of yoga/workout time. Well it looks like yet another dream has been answered.

The smallest feminist

This made me laugh and giggle and then it kinda made me a little sad. Maybe some lessons go a little too far. Exchanging one extreme for another is not better. But this is still stranger and funny.

Can you Handle that?

via

Every where you look there is a cool or not so cool guy sporting a mustache. Heck, I even married one. At weddings it is nearly a requirement to have a bucket of fake staches on a stick for your must-have photo booth. Some guys look pretty good and some guys don't. And yet they still try. Some very few actually look good with and with out. Lucky! But you are wrong to think these hipsters with their ironic facial hair are first parody-ing Magnum PI or are even playing cool with Penny Farthington and his original big wheel. Oh no. There is group who started it all was The Handlebar Club.


"The club was founded in April 1947 in the dressing room of comedian Jimmy Edwards at The Windmill Theatre in London. There were 10 founder members, including Jimmy Edwards, Raymond Glendenning, and Frank Muir. The minutes of that first meeting are in the Club archives and it appears that although there was a goodly number of founder members they were outnumbered by chorus girls!

The object of the Club was, and still is, to bring together moustache wearers (beards being strictly prohibited) socially for sport and general conviviality. The aim of the Club was to assist by all means at its disposal, any worthy charity or cause, particularly those devoted to ex-servicemen. This aim still remains today and we have helped particularly with children's charities."

So the next time you see a mustached man you tell him he better be doing it for charity!

photos via

Holiday Gift Guide #3

Get Active! I am a big fan of getting gifts that teach me something. So today's gift guide will be focused on just that - A new skill!

first up - The Artful Winemaker
Make and bottle your own vintage. Looks fun and easy. And After making the first bottle I know I would start getting a bit inventive. A perfect gift for the foodie in your circle.

Be sure to get a set of bottle too!

Second - special for the ladies or budding Drag Queen is The BirchBox - A monthly delivery of 4-5 luxe beauty samples from some of the top brands in beauty. A fun way to try new products and styles with out having buyers remorse. $10 a month or $110 for the year.
They have beauty tutorials on their website too!
Third - Learn to be sew cool with a Sewing class from Common Thread in South Pasadena. I was not lucky enough to have a Home Ec class in high school, though I am sure I would not have wanted to go then if I did. But NOW - I would be early and sit front and center with all my homework and extra credit done! Common Thread is an adorable sewing school and shop. Fun creative people like you teaching you fun creative things that will make over spending at the holidays a thing of the past. Mom would always rather have a gift you made.


Fourth - Check out your local college. Extension school is a great thing! You can always pick up a new skill and give yourself that great feeling of pride and accomplishment. That more a gift for you.

Happy Holidays! xoxoxox

Time to Kill with magic

Potsch turned me on to Robot Unicorns Attack last night. I am not a gamer in the slightest but I could not run from the tempting death magic that is a Robot Unicorn. As soon as I got to work today before checking email or getting coffee I played a round of Robot Unicorn Attacks and achieved my highest score. If you are looking to kill time and do it with magic and a great song I highly suggest you go here.

The Art of Manliness

I am a huge fan of this book, "The Art of Manliness".
I bought it on a whim at xmas for Potsch as really just a funny throw away gift. Turns out it was the best present for him AND me!
Potsch is having a great time reading it and learning all the wonderful ways one can be more manly which is really just being more of a gentleman. Potsch now goes and gets him self a proper Cut and Shave at a glorious old barber shop in Silver Lake, Sweeney Tod's. He has learned about the true man friendship and what a proper bachelor party is and where it originated from.
If I had the funds I would buy this for all men! It is a fun read and has fun drawings. The Art Of Manliness even has a cool Blog! Definitely worth checking out. Also, the book is on sale Here for only $11.55.

How to apply your make-up

I could not resist posting just one more video. I also wondered how girls learned how to do their make-up. There are always some girls that just seem to be total wizes at it. I was also always intrigued at how every photo of my granny and your sister and friends and any other other girl from the 40's always seemed to have amazing skin and clean perfect make-up. Now I know. They had these instructional videos.

Wives and Lovers

I was listening to my Ella Fitzgerald Pandora station while I worked and I was suddenly struck with the most offensive and yet insightful song I have ever heard. Definitely from the time of MadMen but still true today. If you have a moment this is definitely worth the listen if not for the lesson then for the giggles. Now I better run before Potsch comes home. I still need to put my face on.

Protect yourself

This past Sunday night Potsch was attacked by a stranger with a gun. He was just getting off work in Hollywood after building a set for a friends play from 6am to 2am. He and two other guys locked up the theatre and walked together to their cars. Friend #1 said his good byes and went to his car a bit further down the road and Friend #2 got into the drives seat as Potsch was getting into the passenger side. Just as Potsch is closing the door a man, who had passed them a bit earlier now headed straight to Potsch's door grabbing the handle and pulling out a gun. Potsch pulled the door shut and yelled at Friend #2 to "Drive!". Outside of the car the Stranger Pointed his gun at Potsch. Potsch suddenly kicked the door open at the guy and jumped out. The Stranger was not read for a fight. Potsch hit and kicked and faught hard. And so did the Stranger. Potsch finally kicked the guy in balls and the guy pistol whipped Potsch right on the top of the forehead. Blood started flowing fast and a lot. The guy started to run away after yelling a lame made up excuse "Sorry, I thought you were someone else!"
Friend #2 rushed Potsch to the Emergency Room where he got 7 stitches and a cat scan. I rushed to his side and we stayed at the ER till about 5am.
He is doing great now. And has gotten so much support and love from family and friends. The stitched will be out early next week. You can always talk and guess how you would be in a moment like that but you never really know until it happens. Potsch is very proud to know he is fighter.


Here is a message to all of you. I have gotten those emails about how to walk to your car or get gas or what clothes to wear so you don't get raped. I usually delete them with out reading. I also don't watch the news because it seems so picked over and untrue that I just can't trust it. I like to think if I keep the negative away then it just won't exist. Obviously Life is going to happen. That does not mean you need to victimize yourself or dwell in the "bad" stuff. What it means is you need to be prepared and awake. Don't take anything for granted. I talked to my brother, The Fireman, and he told me that there is far more crazy stuff happening everyday everywhere than you have any idea of. You must prepare yourself. If someone asks for your wallet - hand it over. If someone tells you to come with them or tries to put you in a car or tries to take you somewhere - YOU FIGHT!!! You fight even if you are going to die doing it. Cause if they take you away you will die there too but after they do whatever else they want to do. It is just not worth it. Scream. Yell. Fight.

My last thing is trust your instincts and feelings. They are right. Don't second guess yourself.

Noon Years Eve - Pretend Kids on a whole new level

Tomorrow I will be working at Kidspace Children's Museum Pasadena for their annual Noon Year's Eve. Since kids are usually in bed by the time it strikes 12am, they miss out on all the celebrating fun. Kidspace thought a great way to get the youngsters involved would be to celebrate at noon. So, from 9:30 to 2pm I will be making glittery glasses and noise makers and toasting kids with sparkling cider while balloons fall all around us. Sounds like tons of fun. And I am totally nervous.
I have been so baby crazy obsessed lately I thought it would be a good idea to cool my jets by volunteering to work with kids. Maybe by over saturating myself in tiny people I will be able to hit my biological snooze button. This may have a reverse effect considering I will be making crafts with kids all day.
Oh boy. My lil'bit of social anxiety is kicking in. Wish me luck.

It helps to familarize yourself with the culture

A few of my friends are taking off for European holiday adventures. I am totally jealous! P and Me wanted so badly to meet up with them in Munich and maybe spend New Years in Paris. Oh what a dream come true. Alas we shall be in the states and will have to schedule our worldly rendezvous for a later date.
But I do want to send my pals off with some cultural information.
I have learned that people, all over, really like when you at least try to speak their language. So this is for Nicole who has been studying French and a little visual recognition can only help.


And for Margaret, who loves the eighties no matter what decade we have reached, a little German Pop.


Are you doing anything fun for the holidays?

Cats are great

Did you know that Hitler hated cats?! Did you know that Abraham Lincoln kept 4 cats in the White House? These and many more facts you can find here. I knew I was on to something. Cats truly are awesome!

*** having photo issues*** should have some up in moment.


PS- Thanks Dana for the site!

Diary of a Vintage Girl

My new blog obsession has to be Diary of a Vintage Girl by Fleur De Guerre. She is absolutely stunning in all her 40's brilliance. I love staring at all her images of modern day takes on 1940's style. I find something so romantically fascinating about people who love an era that is not the present so much that they make it their reality and everyday. To love something that much just moves me. Life really is all how you look at it. It can be whatever you make it. Fleur De Guerre is my daily reminder of that.

photo by Tobias Key

Another reason why I have fallen head over boot heels for her are her YouTube instructional videos. I have always been perplexed by the pin-up girl rolled bangs. Thanks to Fleur and her lovely British accent I now know exactly how to do them for myself. I also know what a hair rat is. Thank you Fleur.
If you love vintage, Diary of a Vintage Girl, is definitely a place you need to stop by.

Learning how to sell a product and yourself

I am starting a three class commercial workshop with the famous Jill Alexander. You might not know the name but I bet you know the face. Jill has been in over 50 national commercial in the past 9 years and that is not including all the other TV and Print appearances she has had. I am super excited to learn from the best. So excited that I have started doing research just so I have some of the basics down when I get to class. I have been out of the commercial world for a bit so a refresher is needed. Thank god for youtube!

Crucial Conversations

I found this book on Amazon tonight- Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High. Have you heard of it or read it? I am highly intrigued. Potsch and I were talking the other day about passions. Seems I am always on the search for what it is I just can not live without. I came up with an answer - Talking/Arguing/Debating/Heated Discussion - I find those are one and the same. I love really "getting into it". I recently found out that it is a trait of the Capricorn as well. Makes sense. I would love to get this book and build my skills but it could be dangerous for everyone else in my life.

Makin' pretty prettier

I am compiling my xmas list now. Not of the things I want to give to others but of the things I want to get. Yes I am still a 6 year old who can't sleep as she waits to hear Santa and his reindeer on the roof. I love giving gifts and is it bad to also love getting them? I think not.
So, I am adding "The Original Totally Rad Photoshop Actions" and "TRA II (The revenge)". Now that I have found these life changers I don't know how I will be able to go on working with out them. Totally Rad is a collection of photoshop plug-ins and filters. By overlapping and combining them you can achieve endless gorgeous possibilities. Totally Rad's website also offers tutorials, free samples and user submitted recipes. The images below are all user submits. The price ain't bad and considering how much stuff you can do, I am thinking it is worth it. Yeah presents!!!

It's on - Ayn Rand style

I just finished my new favorite book "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand. It was amazing. It is a big read and a mind blowing read. Definitely a must. I am even thinking about naming my children after characters in that book. I told my brother about that (he is the reason I read the book. He loves it to death) He was not thrilled with me. I may have to save that kid name or else figure out some deal with him. Anyway, like always after i finish a great book I feel lost. What am I supposed to read next? How can I take a chance on anything else when I know what what true love and happiness is? Sometimes it is a chance I am just not willing to take. But thank god for prolific tendencies. I went to my beautiful huge old Pasadena Library (if you have not been there - you must! It is like the big old ones in movies) and check out a stunning ginormous first print edition of "Atlas Shrugged" by the lovely and brilliant Ayn Rand. I am giddy with joy and anticipation!!!! I love that books still give me a happiness unmatched by anything else. Let my obsession continue.
How stunning is this vintage cover? I love the colors and the graphic. Definitely scanning this in before I return it.

This is a very interesting 3part interview with Mike Wallace and Ayn Rand. She gets a bit bullied but always keeps her cool. if you have the time it is definitely interesting.