I thought I’d dedicate today’s music to someone who means a lot to me because I heard through the grapevine that she is currently working on her fourth album. Now, at the risk of sounding a bit dramatic, no other musician has had such an impact on my life like Fiona Apple. Sure, she guided me through my most angst-filled and impressionable years, and I didn’t end up being a singer just like her like I wanted, but things that impact you at that age are lasting. I still happily put any of her albums on and sing along to every word. And even though she can be a bit out there at times, I love her for staying true to herself and not being turned into some ridiculously made up pop idol and still holds onto some of that angst. Knock on wood?

(click on the photos for possibly more info on flickr!)

This may as well be titled “Bits Of My Weekend: Good Food I Ate”. I actually can’t think of anything I ate that sucked. Delicious food was had (click on the photos for more details if you’re drooling!), out and at home, with Will and with my old coworker Rebecca who I discovered is my neighbor. No epic adventures were conquered this weekend, I was in full jewelry sweatshop mode (stress mode), trying to get as much as I could get done before Andrea comes next weekend(!!). We did manage to go to an art opening on the east side, where we thought once again that maybe that’s a better side of town for us to be on. I love Venice, but it’s like an island out here. An expensive island no one will come visit! In other news, I started the 30 Day Shred a week ago per Andrea’s suggestion and it’s kicking. my. butt. Is anyone else doing it or done it before? I knew I was insanely out of shape, but had no idea to what degree. But! At the start I couldn’t even do a push up (shut up!), and now I can do a handful of ‘em. While crying only a little bit. I gotta say though, I kind of like the way it’s kicking my butt, it’s a good kind of terrible feeling. Ha?

Instapaper, the place I save all of my links throughout the week, was down for maintenance while I was trying to put together Friday Bits, so I couldn’t do my usual thing here. Luckily I took some photos recently to document some typical moments of our mornings, my favorite time of the day. Mornings have changed for us drastically since moving here. I have never been a morning person in my whole life, we both used to stay up til 12 or 1 and get up with barely enough time to get ready and run out the door, but now we go to bed around 10 and get up with at least two hours to read, eat, and get ready nice and slow. Every Friday morning we get up extra early and walk to the farmers market, my favorite ritual and plus of living in this weather. I wish the mornings went on forever.

ps. the photo of Wendy was just a total lucky shot I caught while trying to photograph a rainbow on the wall behind her that the acrylic chair creates. She turned and yawned just at the right moment. I laughed so hard when I looked down at the photo I had just taken.

pps. Happy Birthday, Audrey Imogene! I told you to stop growing up, but you just won’t listen to me. I can’t believe you’re already two. My, how time flies. I can’t wait to see your mom next weekend, I will probably talk her into spoiling you rotten.

Have a great weekend, friends!

(I wrote this Thursday evening, but I now know this post might seem a little silly in light of recent events. Having been in an few earthquakes myself, I can’t imagine experiencing one so large in such a compact place. Being one is the scariest feeling of losing all control. Any easy way to help: text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.)

As you may remember me mentioning before, my quest to find a simple desk for my studio (well, “studio”, who am I kidding?) has been laughable. I searched far and wide and couldn’t find a single thing that was both affordable and/or small enough for the tiny space up in our loft I’m using. Everything was too large, too many drawers (don’t need ‘em), or just plain hideous (lots of glass and veneer-covered particle board). Ever since Silvia shared her DIY coffee table with hairpin legs, I’ve been wanting to make one myself. It hadn’t occurred to me until recently that you could buy taller, three-rod hairpin legs for something like a desk or dining table. Thus a dream was born inside my head of the perfect desk. I ordered the legs in raw steel (they came eight business days after ordering) and we had a piece of pine cut at the hardware store. I sanded the edges smooth and then stained it with Minwax Polyshades in Antique Walnut. I didn’t do the world’s greatest job staining it, but it’s nothing too noticeable. When the hairpin legs came, they were covered in grease, something I wasn’t expecting. I had to spend a long time cleaning them, and then finally Will screwed the legs in for me and we were ready to go. The whole thing cost me just a little over $100, was incredibly easy to make, and I also have stain leftover. It’s super sturdy yet pretty lightweight so it won’t be a pain to move. I’m extremely happy with the results and excited to get down to making jewelry on it!

Next up, when our furnished sublet is up and we have to get our own furniture, I definitely want to make a dining table in the same style! I think a round one would be beautiful.

Somehow I missed Music Monday yesterday. My mind is preoccupied lately by too many little things floating around inside my head, wrecking havoc on my already terrible memory. Needless to say chill music is on constant repeat.

Toro Y Moi – Still Sound (lovelife remix) by Paola by paolamusic
(Sarah emailed me this Toro Y Moi remix that herself, her husband and brother worked on, like, ages ago. I was like, sweet, I’ll post this on Music Monday! And then poof, lost in the gmail woods for over a month. I don’t mean to be a dick via gmail, but sometimes it happens. Again with the preoccupiedness…)

A simple, satisfying weekend. A sunshine-filled Saturday that started off with a very long walk around Venice, including the canals, which are rather magical. I picked out the house I wanted to live in. Now to break the news to the owners… Then we walked out on the pier and watched the surfers for ages, which is hypnotizing. Drove around listening to 2pac, letting the sun melt away all my stress. We ended the evening with Indian food and a movie with a friend, seeing a very strange Thai movie called Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. The parts that were good were simply amazing, but I’m not going to lie – it was the slowest movie I have ever seen. There were scenes of people doing things like taking a shower or walking down a road that went on for so long I thought I’d jump out of my skin I was so restless in the theater. Therefore I’s day it’s worth a watch, but maybe not if you have ADD, and maybe wait for it to come out on DVD. The branding for the film is pretty fantastic, by the way. Anyway, now that Will works on Sundays, I have my jewelry making Sundays back, so you’ll be happy to know I set up a studio in our loft (I’m building a desk! More on that next weekend when I finish it) and got right down to business, which was perfect for a cloudy day. I’m officially legally ready to sell in the state of California, so I’m excited to get ready for a shop update, hopefully in the beginning of April! I really need to pay back my savings account for a new camera I bought (more on that once it comes!) and that plane ticket to London, so phew, especially need this one, ha!

I have to admit that I’ve been in a pretty crummy mood this week, maybe due to the gloomy weather we’ve had, or a few frustrations that caused me to miss NYC, or Adele on constant repeat (kind of a downer, those beautiful songs), or maybe there is no excuse and it just came along to make me appreciate weeks of good moods. So, I’m really looking forward to a weekend with a sunny forecast, brunch plans, and buying more plants. Monday Will said four magic works to me that made me remember why he’s the one for me: “We need more plants”. I suppose “you need more shoes” would be the ultimate observation, but I’ll take plants as #2.

Some internet goodies:
1. Beautiful handmade pottery by Ralph Nuara, via Danica’s Pinterest.
2. Between the rain and Molly Wizenberg’s awesome guide on Saveur, I’m quite homesick for Seattle lately!
3. An incredibly impressive, beautiful handmade shelf on six orange carrots, a great blog Lily introduced me to.
4. From Me To You (a name that constantly makes me do a double take, haha!) has been blowing my mind lately with her subtle animated gifs of fashion week. Between that and the amazing blog If We Don’t, Remember Me, subtle animated gifs are my favorite right now.
5. Ruth emailed me about her lovely jewelry made from coconut, which looks very similar to wood. Amazing!
6. Fieldguided totes are on sale for a cool $15! In related Fieldguidedness, Anabela and I are meeting in London for a little vacation together in May and staying with Vic. If this sounds insane, you are correct. We are crazy awesome insane. And we have never met in person before (I have met Vic before though!). I’m so excited I want to jump out of my skin just thinking about it. Fact: I have never been on a vacation before without a significant other or family member! One of my new year resolutions was to “Take action more”, to take more risks. I think this qualifies. Just do it. Step out of my comfort zone.
7. Speaking of Britain, British magazine Selvedge looks rather wonderful on Folkloric. Maggie is another person who makes me homesick for the Northwest!
8. The most incredible jewelry by FAUX/Real, via Renee, which is sold at Stand Up Comedy. Seriously, my heart started beating so fast looking at their line!
9. I love Olivia Bee’s series of photos of her friends’ bedrooms. It made me so nostalgic for my ridiculous teenage bedroom walls. My very no-rules parents let me draw and paint all over my walls, which makes it all the more cringe-worthy, yet still amazing, to recall in my mind. This girl pictured would have totally been in my crew of friends.

This was a ramble-y one, folks, thanks for reading! Have a fantastic weekend.