Boo 2009

A Happy Halloween to all! I live a few houses down from the West Hollywood Carnaval spectacle and plan on prowling the boulevard with my camera to capture some of the insanity. We are expecting a crowd of 500,000 revelers. Oh my. (My tiny skeleton is sitting atop my treasured photo of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera from the NY Times Photo Archives.)

Get Down with Your Inner Wizard

Whether channeling your inner wizardry or looking for an alternative and fun way to change channels, this whimsical buttonless Kymera Magic Wand universal remote must be most entertaining to use. The website design looks like an ancient tome with hidden links, worth a visit even if wanding your TV isn't your thing. I probably would end with with some kind of wrist whiplash but I'd love to try performing some magic!

Urban Candy Corn

Street artist Diabetik has been leaving candy corn traffic cones on the streets of Washington, D.C. Art like this just gives me such a chuckle and a smile!

Tiny Travelers

I know these are for kids but I so want an orange one! These mini vintage styled suitcases are from the Land of Nod and would make for a very good studio storage container.

Papering the Walls

I’ve never really been a fan of wallpaper but lately I keep stumbling upon examples that are very tempting to play around with. Darkly elegant, the flocked skull wallpaper is by Barbara Hulanicki and produced by Graham & Brown. The palette of urban concrete textures from Bentontapete is so refreshing as an option for wall coverings that I might have to try to find a way to use it other than on walls.

Food Tells a Story

It’s no secret that I love good food, typography and great graphics. When the two collide and tell a story, it becomes an art event mentally, visually and on your tongue. Chef John Sedlar is making magical and thought-provoking dishes such as these at his restaurant Rivera in downtown LA. From Rivera’s website: “Food tells a story. One sight, one scent, one taste, one bite and it can evoke whole worlds of memory and transmit experiences and truths that words cannot convey. We eat with our eyes and minds as much as with our mouths. Food is powerful. It sustains body and soul alike. It captures the essence of entire cultures and countries. Food unites us. A shared experience, it overcomes differences and distances to form common bonds. It is a dynamic vehicle for human understanding. These are the principles that guide Rivera. Through food and drink, the restaurant relates and celebrates the story and spirit of Latin culture around the world, from the past to the present day and on into the future. It aims to empower both body and spirit, to provide a convivial experience that leaves its guests pleasurably transformed.” Love the whole concept and execution, after having had the pleasure of eating his food at prior restaurants, I really am looking forward to a meal at Rivera.

Seasonal Impluses

Whenever I go to Target to stock up on household staples and cleaning supplies I try really hard to limit my impulse spending. This becomes nearly impossible during their seasonal offerings such as Halloween. I was overwhelmed with the cool choices of goods emblazoned with skulls and bones. The best part is I will use these things year-round, skulls stopped being a Halloween-only home accessory. My favorite so far are the red dish towels with a black skull applique and the green flannel skull pj bottoms which are awfully comfy. Find more choices here and at your local Target.

Attitude Adjustment

Had to get out of my funk this weekend and clear my head, so I headed off to the beach and Getty Villa with my camera that had been collecting cobwebs since last May. I ended up spending most of my time by the fish ponds taking photos, enjoying the first cool weather of the fall. Dinner with friends later at Top Chef Stephan Richter's LA Farm was great and the food was exceptionally attractive. My dining friends & I have become food paparazzi, unable to control ourselves when waiters bring course worth ooing and ahhing over. The table lights up with flashes of light and at least here, in Los Angeles, restaurants now know that bloggers are busy photographing every dish that hits the table before actually consuming the food. Sometimes this results in a great photo, my oyster shot being one of those. That oyster perched atop a bed of salt with an emerald "pearl" of absinthe gelatin just knocked me out in it's presentation. Result of days' activities, a slight attitude adjustment in the right direction.