A little grab bag of song played rather often in our iTunes recently, even threw some of Will’s in there.

My latest Bits Of My Weekend guest is the always inspiring Alison of Teenangster! Alison has my dream job working for Etsy, is a fellow cat lady, and always finds the most interesting things on her blog and the very best stuff on Etsy. I highly recommend you stalk her Etsy favorites for pocket-emptying opportunities. I can also attest to the fact that she is just as wonderful in person as she is online. I can totally get down with her weekend involving good food and cats.

From Alison:

This was a weekend of party-time. My boyfriend Jeff and I celebrated our third anniversary with cocktails, photobooth documentation and an old school Italian feast in our neighborhood; lots of seafood was consumed, and the novelty of waiters in tuxedos was not lost on me!  Saturday was a gray day: perfect for movie watching and cat snuggling. I (finally) saw Bill Cunningham New York, and it really resonated with me. His approach to fashion is decidedly democratic — society matron, drag queens and secretaries on break are all fodder for his camera lens — and he’s never sold out. As he so poignantly said, “Seek beauty and you will find it.” After a quick disco nap, Jeff and I headed to whisky bar The Post Office for my friend Jaime’s birthday — a great excuse to drink up. (No photo documentation came out of this, unfortunately. Or fortunately, considering the sloppiness and the fact that we got caught in a downpour.) I ended the weekend with a tasty birthday brunch at Le Barricou with Jaime and friends, then mani/pedis — because we’re girly like that (my toenails are now purple, fingernails a sophisticated nude). A Bridesmaids viewing didn’t come to pass, but it’s gotta happen soon!

Hello friends! Today I’m announcing a pretty fun project that I’ve teamed up with some pretty rad ladies from online shop Fancy French Cologne and clothing line Vain & Vapid on. So in the support of “making it happen”, indie designers, and independent shop owners, I’m pleased to announce the Vintage Redux Contest!

The contest invites enthusiasts of vintage fashion to submit an image of their personal fashion icon—be it Jane Fonda a la 1963, or a photo of their own mother looking hot in the ’70s. The photo must feature a dress or top from 1930 – 1980 for a chance to win a recreation of their item, as re-imagined by NY designer Vain & Vapid. Two runners up will also win gift certificates for $50 to Fancy French Cologne, where a limited run of the winning item will be on sale at the end of the contest.

Click on the photos for possibly more info on flickr!

A pitcher of margaritas (bad/great idea), Topanga Canyon (another world), PF Changs with the fam (my suburban fill), The Brick House sale (chair score), Church & State “church on Sunday” meal (empty pockets), plowing through The Hunger Games (getting better!), and bracelet making (yet, bracelets).

A good, way too fast weekend, but I want to address something else quickly about my post on Friday about traveling. Because the possibility of being misunderstood is gnawing away at me every time a comment hits my inbox. London was an amazing, amazing time, full of memories I’ll keep with me forever. I have absolutely nothing against Europe or those who travel to it and love to, I want to more myself. I just simply do not like myself and others being made guilty that we had/have not been able to travel there, or make it our priority to, because you can lead a rich and wonderful life having not done that. I think most of you got that, but I just wanted to clarify. Now go watch the puppy cam because it’s too early to get this deep.

ps. something is wrong with my spam blocker so I pretty much get one spam comment every 15 minutes. Sorry if you click on one before I delete it! Working on it.
pps. stay tuned for a fun project announcement today and a weekend guest post tomorrow!

1. Everything Muji touches is perfect, no? Muji meets Idée rooms, via Make It Easy.
2. Mini buns! Oh to have long hair again… I’m working on it! via Inattendu.
3. Inspired by mine, Erin made a hairpin leg desk with help from her dad, and it’s pretty much 150% cooler than mine because it has a SHELF. Well played, girl, well played.
4. Pretty much jumping up and down excited for Miranda July’s new film, The Future, as she is one of my heroes. I once stood behind her in line at Whole Foods and had a heart attack the whole time.
5. Rose is working on an awesome project called Small Works For Change, and is looking for artist donations that will be sold at the Brooklyn Flea on May 21st. Do it!
6. Jessica and Krista, two of the first bloggers I met when I moved to LA, just launched and GORGEOUS online magazine, Collected, and I cannot wait to pour over every page. The minimalist design makes me weak in the knees, big time. Congrats, ladies, I’m so proud of your hard work!!

Click on the photos for possibly more info on flickr!

I’m not a particularly well traveled person. I grew up poor and by the time I was making enough of my own money to do so, it was never a priority for what I spent my money on, nor do I have much time when most of my vacation is spent visiting the relatives I live so far away from. When I was in college, a British classmate of mine made a comment about how Americans never leave America to travel, and how sad that was. It infuriated me because traveling is expensive (I’m going to be eating that ticket price for a while!) and not all of us are lucky enough to go to places like Europe, or even get the vacation time to do so. But people look down on you for not having crossed the pond, like you’re missing out on an experience necessary for growing and aging. Anabela and I talked about this a lot on our trip, and I was happy to find someone who saw it the way I did. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to go to London, but it didn’t change my life and I will never utter the words “Oh you haven’t been to London? Oh you muuuusttt go!” Don’t even get me started on the Francophilia mania of the blog world… Ahem. I guess I wanted to self consciously get that out there, put it on the table, that just because you haven’t been able to go all around the world doesn’t make you less of a person in my book. I’ve been to three other countries now and I’m done with being embarrassed about that. The internet has this way of making us jealous of ridiculous things. But you knew that already.

Anyway, I realized that spending time with people who live in London changed my traveling experience – took it up a notch. When I went to Costa Rica a few years ago, I didn’t spend a minute with anyone who actually lived there, I spent it among other tourists, so I learned very little about the day to day culture. But spending time with Vic and meeting bloggers who lived in London, I learned all these little things I may have never picked up otherwise. It was pretty great. I don’t know how to replicate that experience in the future except perhaps finding bloggers in any city I visit. Note to self.

London, I miss you already.

click on photos for possibly more info on flickr!

London made me miss NYC immensely. Everywhere I turned I was reminded of New York. But it also had that undeniable distinctly English feel that NYC doesn’t have, which I loved. I was struck by how incredibly well dressed everyone was, especially men, and the fashion sense that I think I may have liked even more than in NYC. Things I don’t encounter much these days in Venice! It helped me think more about what I need in the city that I live in.

I didn’t take any photos of the opening, as I was so jet lag and zombie-fied that evening that I didn’t even bring my camera with me, but luckily Anabela took some amazing shots that you can see here. I met so many great people on the trip – including Brian, Claire, Elle, Siobhan, and a few blog readers that introduced themselves. A special thanks to Zoe for bringing me an incredibly sweet card and warm welcome. I was overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness and my inner thoughts had a British accent up until this morning.

Last part coming tomorrow!

click on the photos for possibly more info on flickr!

Where to begin? I’ll let the photos mostly speak for themselves, but I ate a lot of amazing food, drank copious amounts of delicious lattes because drip coffee may as well be known as toilet water in London, walked for hours and hours looking at beautiful things, and spent time with two people who were practically strangers but quickly went to the top of my friends list. The days are mixed up a bit here because of the two different rolls of film, but there’s the Regents Canal, Borough Market, Shoreditch, the Flower Market, Kensington and the Tate.

Two more parts to come!

Hello friends, I’m back from London – semi- functioning, a lot poorer, but full of goodness. I only snapped a couple digital shots because it was hard enough to finish two rolls of film in just a few days, so this is all I got til tomorrow. London is fantastic – so very much like NYC, but a bit more organized and polite (well ok, not the streets, you guys need some effing street signs, okay?). Vic was an amazing, amazing host who I cannot thank enough for putting on a fantastic show, putting us up, and taking us around for days. Anabela, as expected, is amazingly sweet and we clicked instantly like old friends. When I went through customs the agent asked me how I knew the people I was staying with and I had to hesitate for a second, stopping myself from saying “the Internet” because not many people can understand how okay that is in my book! I’ll tell you all the rest tomorrow, I can’t even explain to you the jet lag I am experiencing.

In other news, I have a guest post up at A Desert Fete about Seattle and one on the Teenage film blog about me as a teenager!

And thank you to Andrea for the lovely Friday Bits. I can always count on her for a top-notch guest post.

Hello again, Andrea here! I’m happy to be back guest posting while Kate’s away on her trip to London. Here’s a bit of recent inspiration from all corners of the web:

1. Salad is not usually my first meal choice, but I’ve found one I love. It’s fast, cheap and delicious. Essentially it’s spinach tossed in a simple vinaigrette with a fried egg on top. This Martha Stewart recipe looks similar, although her version has potatoes.
2. Beautiful and cozy room styling by Rosie Brown, photographed by James Merrell.
3. I love the look of Kilim rugs, but they are often too colorful for my house. I found this muted version at an unexpected place!
4. A modern driftwood sculpture by Paint Square. Dreamy colors, guys.
5. Have I professed my love for Seattle artist Nealy Blau before? She photographs artificial nature, specifically dioramas in museums. They are stunning and bizarre. I might need to add her book to my coffee table.
6. Brown Rice Crispies topped with chocolate? Might be a relatively healthy cure for a constant sweet tooth.
7. Have you seen Moby’s Castle? Oh, come on! I bookmarked his New York apartment ages ago and was excited to see how he transformed this 1920′s Hollywood Hills Castle.
8. A stripey blazer for spring.
9. I like this postcard project by Seattle photographer, Sean Flanigan. Who doesn’t love getting art in the mail?

Happy weekend!