Friday Bits
It’s been a relatively uneventful week. We started running again, which is great. When you can stare at the ocean’s waves and the sun still straggling up above the palm trees pink and orange while you run, it’s definitely a plus. We grilled lamb kabobs on the communal grill in our front patio (yum!). I discovered a new route to work that winds me up a pretty hill and past a sprawling park. People are obsessed with finding the best route to work here, I’ve noticed. They’ll go to great lengths to avoid a major road, even if it means taking 30 different turns through residential neighborhoods. It cracks me up, but I admit that I love finding new ways because breaking up a monotonous routine is key to my happiness (have you noticed how much I enjoy rearranging furniture? Same concept). In fact, driving to work has become my favorite part of the day. I can crank my music up and sing at the top of my lungs, and I’m never stuck in hair-pulling traffic. The ride home is a little hairier, but at least I have my eye on the prize at that point: coming home to that wonderful boyfriend of mine. Who, by the way, agrees that life is good good good right now, but oh for the love of god, would like to find a job soon.
Anyway, I’m rambling! Onto the goods.
1. NPR reminded me I really want to make my own granola now that we eat it every morning. I like their recipes, but do you have a favorite? I want something healthy, but I’m more into crisp, sweet granola than savory.
2. Beautiful, beautiful Oregon fog.
3. Behind the scenes with how certain tricky parts of Black Swan were done. Fascinating. (UPDATE: Looks like it was already taken down on youtube, but you can watch it here now!)
4. Two blogs this week that I regularly read mentioned my favorite movie when I was a pre-teen, Now and Then. A sign? Yes.
5. Pretty underthings from Gypsy, even prettier photos. What a beautiful photoshoot by Daeja Fallas.
6. Stunning cuff by Fortune Favors The Brave, from their debut line, on Butter + Brass (a new favorite blog).
7. One of the many reasons I need a cast iron skillet: David Eyre’s Pancake recipe. Look at that thing! I don’t even need to taste it to know how good it is. via Sara.
8. BackGarage on Etsy has so many nice vintage stone/pottery pieces that tempt me so.
9. Tiny Bites by Tara, who always brings the beautiful food bar up a notch. I had something similar at The Eveleigh the other night (have you been? so good), where the lovely Joy took me (there are so many great people in LA to meet!), but I bet you a million bucks it wasn’t as good as Tara’s.
Have a great weekend! The highs here will be below 70 this weekend, what ever will I do?? I kid, I kid.
January 28th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
I saw that Now and Then was on instant recently and schemed to watch it ASAP! It’s such a perfect movie for pre-teen girls, I agree.
The Black Swan behind the scenes vid is already down. :( Bummer.
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January 28th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Now and Then was what got me through junior high!!! I LOVED that movie.
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January 28th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
We always bake this granola, found on 3191 Miles Apart. It’s a good combination of sweet and a bit salty.
http://3191.visualblogging.com/archives/11518_1443007713/344995
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January 28th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
I found the Black Swan special effects reel on another site: http://www.movies.ie/Articles/Visual_Effects_Reel_For_Aronofskys_BLACK_SWAN
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January 28th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
I have a favorite granola recipe that I wrote about on my crafty blog: http://www.thingsworthmaking.com/2010/08/making-granola.html
The secret? Applesauce! It makes your kitchen smell delicious.
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January 28th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Morning commutes can definitely be enjoyable – it almost forces me to listen to the music that hasn’t gotten much attention on my iPod.
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January 28th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
I had a 20 minute commute down a rural highway for student-teaching and I LOVED it. Cars are definitely the best place to listen to music.
Also, anything with Young Rosie O’Donnell is the best. Now and Then is such a good movie.
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January 28th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
oh, this post is not helping all the spendy feelings i’ve been having (but shouldn’t be) lately!
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January 28th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Here’s my fav granola recipe, I’m not a huge dried apricot fan so I like to throw in dried cranberries or chopped up figs instead. It’s a pretty light granola and not too sweet. I usually eat it in my fage with honey every morning. I also like the recipe because it was perfected and written by my most sarcastic friend.
http://tenspeedhero.blogspot.com/2008/10/almond-granola.html
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January 28th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Found your blog accidentally, by making a research on jewelry. Attention attracted by the jewelry but also by the cat (I love cats too),your journey and your interest for food !
Nice to discover a country and a life that have some mutual interests with mine but are also very different.
Sorry for bad english, I’m french speaking, from Belgium.
Stéphanie
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January 28th, 2011 at 2:27 pm
I make a dutch baby pancake a lot like that in my Lodge 12″ cast iron. Less than $20 (from amazon), made in usa, and used practically everyday for over 7 years = best purchase ever!
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January 28th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
Three of my favorite granola recipes, in order of obsession.
http://whitneyinchicago.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/good-to-the-grain-a-review/
http://whitneyinchicago.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/weekday-mornings/
http://whitneyinchicago.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/granola-w-almonds-pistachios-and-cranberries/
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January 28th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Mmmm…granola. I love this one, with pepitas. Everyone who’s tried it adores it. The other one that I have recently started playing around with is this one, which includes pistachios and olive oil, but is still sweet.
Also, I think you mentioned you work in Century City? Have you been to Clementine yet (you should!)? I haven’t tried it myself, but supposedly their granola is awesome.
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January 28th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
That oregon fog is absolutely stunning! And also, I’m obsessed for life with Now & Then. for life!!
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January 29th, 2011 at 8:12 am
Great post. Absolutely love getting some behind the scene info on movies like Black Swan! Thanks for sharing.
Erin
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January 29th, 2011 at 10:21 am
So funny that you mentioned Now and Then, because it totally made an appearance in my Netflix queue a couple of weeks ago. When I was younger, I couldn’t get enough of that movie, and went to far as to record it onto a VHS. I must have watched it at least once a week, until my dad accidentally recorded over it with some sports thing….
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January 29th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Ah such lovely Friday bits this week! Too many tasty looking things. Great blog, I check every week and always see such inspirational things, so thanks!
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January 29th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Backgarage is a nice little shop. I love vintage pottery! I collect Fiestaware.
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January 29th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
I have a great granola recipe that I got at the Haramara Retreat in Mexico.
6 C popped amaranth (amazing ancient grain, you’ll likely find it whole and have to pop it yourself, in a super hot dry pan a bit at a time, covered so it doesn’t pop all over the place… if the pan isn’t hot enough, it will burn rather than pop quickly). Amazing nutty flavor and super nutritious.
1 C each of shredded unsweetened coconut, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chopped pecans, chopped almonds.
Toss all ingredients in 1/4 C melted coconut oil and 1/2 C agave nectar. Spread out on cookie sheets and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (mix half way through) or until golden. Cool and store in mason jars for a few weeks (though it won’t last that long).
Best with yogurt!!! Add raisins or dried cranberries after it has cooked and cooled!
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January 29th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
I so enjoyed looking up all of these…and cannot wait until tomorrow morning’s pancake!
smiles…
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January 29th, 2011 at 6:11 pm
i’m making that pancake first thing tomorrow.
and, speaking of food, i think you were the one to share that super quick sea salt brownie recipe, right? i have made them way too many times since reading it. so yummy and too easy!
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January 30th, 2011 at 8:37 am
i’m so glad you found a way to enjoy your commute! it can be brutal out there. when i lived in LA i had to drive downtown to thousand oaks… it was awful, but i carpooled with some amazing girls and on the off days listened to a lot of audio books. thank you so much for mentioning me in your friday bits! XO
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January 30th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Haha I love (and still have) Now and Then! :) And thanks for posting a link to that Black Swan video….it was really interesting!
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January 30th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Mark Bittman’s granola recipe is wonderful.
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/recipe-of-the-day-crunchy-granola/
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January 30th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
oh Kate,
it’s so nice that you are loving where you live. I’m sure it’s so cathartic to be able to drive and sing. I miss that.
XO,
Sam
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January 30th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Geez. You’re making me want to re-visit Now and Then. I always felt like I was Christina Ricci (The tom boy) But I hated that she grew up and looked like Rosie O’Donald…I always thought, “Crap I don’t want to be that one anymore.” As for jobs in Cali I wish him luck. Not to put any negative thoughts in your head, but Mario has been unemployed since I was pregnant…It’s been rough here in the “Golden State” but at least it’s not NEW YORK RENT…GEESH!
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January 31st, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Thank you so much for including us on your lovely list!
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February 1st, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Speaking of #7 (cast iron skillet): have you seen this recipe? Dark chocolate chunk skillet cookie?! YUM!
http://www.sophistimom.com/one-pan-skillet-cookie/
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