All About Art

Last night I got to do one of my favorite activities - interior decorating!

One of my dear friends, Ashley, just moved in with her boyfriend, my dear friend Steve. They now live one block away from me and I love having them in the neighborhood - now it’s so easy to pop over for a quick visit or meet Ashley at Yogurtland or go on an impromptu visit to the farmer’s market on Sunday mornings!

Anyway, Ash has been asking me for a couple weeks to come over and take a look at their new place and help her assess: what do they have that they should get rid of, what are they missing that they should buy, and other general advice on things like rugs, pillows, art, etc.

So last night after dinner, I went back to their apartment and did what I do best - gave my opinion! :)

Their place looks great - their combined furniture matches well and their tastes are very similar, so they easily agreed on some new big purchases, such as a dining room table rug and a new console (which I improved by suggesting they flip it on its side to be long/horizontal rather than tall/vertical. I forgot to take a picture but rest assured, it looks great!). But the number one thing they were asking for help with was for things to hang on their walls - new art.

I love art. I think art is incredibly personal, and my number one rule is to always, always buy art when I fall in love with it - even if I don’t necessarily have the space for it immediately! Over the years I have collected all kinds of posters and prints and paintings, and even if they have to sit in a closet for a few months or years while I wait for the perfect place to display it, I always find one and it’s always worth the purchase. I would rather have unused art that I loved than have to scramble for a poster or print that didn’t speak to me, just so my walls wouldn’t be barren.

Here are some pieces of art that I own and love:

For Like Ever poster

(Just as I mentioned above... it's two years old and I STILL have yet to hang it - waiting for the perfect spot!)

This MASSIVE painting was one of the first official pieces of art

my parents bought when they moved to LA!

It's hanging above my sofa in my apartment.

Coincidentally, this is Stevie - he hung it for me!

Every time I went to Israel last year,

I would stop in this gallery in Tzfat and admire this painting in Morris Dahan's gallery.

On my last trip there, I bit the bullet and bought it.

It's now hanging in my den. Every time I look at it, I think of Israel!

This painting is my grandmother's -

for decades it hung above her dining room table.

When she moved to an apartment from her house,

she had no space for it and told me I could have it - I was ecstatic!

Unfortunately, it's also massive,

and will cost me hundreds to ship it back to LA from NY.

Until I can come up with the funds, it sits all alone in my aunt's basement :(

As for Ashley and Steve’s apartment, I suggested a couple things that I want to share here. First off - the easiest way to dress up your walls ever: you literally need two things - canvas and some fabric!

Lots of my friends did this for a quick, cheap, and easy fix to the blank-wall problem but ended up loving the way it looked and keeping it for years. You simply need to go to a fabric store and pick out a fabric (or a couple different ones, in similar colors, if you want to do a 2 or 3 print situation), and pick up a couple blank canvases from an art store - whatever size you want. Stretch the fabric taut over the canvases and use a hot-glue gun or a staple gun to secure the fabric to the back, and voila! New, interesting art for your walls!

The other suggestion I have for buying unique art is this fantastic website - www.20x200.com. You can read all about the idea behind the website here, but the basic gist is that it sells original, signed pieces of art by well-known and up-and-coming artists for as low as $20! You can sort through the website by media type, artist name, even by color, and you can opt to have it framed by them before it even arrives at your home, too. I’ve bought several prints from the website and think it’s absolutely genius. FYI: my favorite artist featured on 20x200 is Jennifer Sanchez - I own this print by her, below. It’s hanging in my bathroom!

I was happy to help out Ashley and Stevie and I’m happy to help you out, too! If you have any interior design questions or concerns, send me an email - maybe I can suggest something you haven’t thought of.

Before I left, Ash turned to me and said, “You’re really good at this!”

I like to think I am, too :)

More More More - MORONGO!

I’ve begun to realize that I always update yall about my weekends on TUESDAY mornings rather than Monday mornings. That’s because I like to squeeze every last bit of fun from my weekend as possible, so I’m usually out til late on Sunday night, not home writing :) hope that’s okay with yall!

So this weekend Greene Bean and I accompanied my mother to the Morongo Casino, aka the classiest Indian Casino west of the Mason-Dixon line… we arrived late Friday night after a stop at my beloved Chick-fil-A. Despite my pleading they would NOT give me the huge stuffed cow, which I think is rude considering how adorable I look posing with it:

When we woke up on Saturday, we grabbed a muffin and headed out to the pool for some fun in the sun (well, I laid out… poor GB has very pale sensitive skin so she spent most of the day in the shade). I will say that though Morongo itself is super trashy, the pool is lovely – I spent the whole day reading my book on a chaise lounge IN the pool. Delightful!

After some early evening massages/facials at the spa, we trekked into town for dinner at Wangs in the Desert (amazing name, amazing place FILLED with gay men, I was sooo happy). I got a little color on my face – yay for a tan!

Me and mama at dinner!

And Sunday we finished off the weekend with a jaunt to the Cabazon Outlet Mall. You KNOW I love me some outlet mall… I picked up this vase at Saks Off 5th, a fab bracelet and cardigan at Barneys Co-Op, a rhinestone necklace from J.Crew Factory, and two adorable pairs of sandals from Nine West. Very successful trip! We got date shakes at Hadley’s before heading home – GB had never been and she loved it!

I finished off the weekend by reuniting with Rami – he had spent the weekend in San Diego at Comic Con (if you’re interested in nerd-vana – HA I AMUSE MYSELF SO MUCH – check out his blog on his experiences! I have to admit it sounds kind of cool.) Two of his friends were celebrating their birthdays with a big celebration at Dominick’s in West Hollywood, so we joined them for dinner – it was so fun AND I got to wear my new J.Crew sweater (on sale now!), so a win-win for everyone!

Hope you all had fun weekends too :) I promise some more fun posts this week, including one with some embarrassing photos… Stay tuned!

Another Fashion Show At Work!

So I got a ton of comments on my last work ensemble post – thanks to everyone who left one!

With all that love coming my way, I couldn’t help but put some effort into my outfits once again. So, without further ado, here’s another batch of work ensembles for your enjoyment:

Monday:

Old Navy skirt

Bayla Jane blouse (from Anthropologie)

Sam Edelman Navajo beaded sandals

Tuesday:

Banana Republic black dress

Anthropologie cardigan (I get insane compliments on this anytime I wear it)

Vintage turquoise necklace

Dolce Vita Sandals

Wednesday:

Rebecca Taylor leopard print sundress

Forever 21 cardigan

Cathy Jean sandals

Thursday: Okay fine, I forgot to take a picture of my outfit on Thursday. Instead you get a second photo of Wednesday's ensemble cuz I looked so super cute! :)

Once again thank you to my fabulous colleague Melody for her photography skills :) Every day before we go home I say to her, “Wanna go take pictures?” and she agrees with a smile on her face, and even loads them onto our computers for me. She is such a gem – she doesn’t even laugh at my cheesy wannabe-supermodel poses!

Hope yall liked this batch. I'll do another round soon :)

In the meantime, have a great weekend! I'm off to the Indian Casino/Palm Springs with Greene Bean. XOXOXO!

The Color of Summer, Revisited

Once upon a time I wrote a post about turquoise being the “color of the summer.” That was last June and now that another summer is already well upon us, I have to say that I still agree with my original assessment!

In my opinion, there is no other color so perfectly suited for pools and swimming and sun and fun. Here are some fun turquoise things I’m loving lately – it’s only mid-July, so you still have plenty of time to buy and enjoy them while the weather is still hot!

This clutch is actually what got me thinking about writing this post. I love its oversized look and gold hardware!

These earrings are gorgeous and would dress up any outfit. Plus, for $38, you can’t beat the price!

I am kind of obsessed with this bracelet. So delicate and interesting, and I actually have a very similar necklace that I bought in Israel that I love. May need to actually buy this one!

The turquoise/gold combo is everywhere! Check out this fun chunky necklace from J.Crew. I have a feeling my mom is going to run out and buy this.

I can’t think of anything more fun or summery than these espadrille wedges. I am obsessed with anything Missoni! How amazing would these look with a little black dress?! PLEASE go on sale, beautiful shoes!

While we’re talking about turquoise shoes, I need to give these sandals some love also. Look how sassy they are with that fun pom-pom!

And finally, what could be prettier than a little crocheted shift dress? This would be so pretty with nude sandals or wedges and some intense gold earrings. So summery!

I personally rock my turquoise Kendra Scott earrings every chance I get, but I may need a little more of the color in my life…. I sense a trip to the mall very soon!

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted!

WELL. We are back from Scottsdale and let me tell you, I did NOT want to come home!

The trip was so fun. This was the first time Rami and I had gone away together and I am happy to report that not only did we NOT get sick of each other, but we each agreed that we could have easily stayed there a few more days enjoying each other’s company and soaking up the sun! :)

We headed out last Thursday afternoon and made pretty good time. R made an EPIC roadtrip playlist on his iPod (sixteen hours worth of music!) and that coupled with a few hours of “Do, Dump, or Marry” with celebrities kept us entertained until we arrived.

After a stop at Pei Wei (where I nearly wept because my bowl of pad thai reminded me of college, a trend that would continue the rest of the weekend – I never realized that things like cactuses and street signs saying “Pima” could actually bring me to tears), we checked into our room at the Four Seasons.

Ahem. Did I say room? Because I meant HUGE AND MASSIVE SUITE. For years my family has had a timeshare at the hotel and for years NO ONE has used it. That is stopping IMMEDIATELY – the place was gorgeous and could have easily fit 10 people, and we had it all – two bedrooms, living room, dining room, balconies, full kitchen, three bathrooms – to ourselves. Insane!

We spent Friday and Saturday at the pool, reading books (I finished the new Jodi Picoult novel), drinking smoothies, swimming, and enjoying lunch at the pool café. Every morning, a lovely waiter would walk around to all the guests offering frozen grapes in a tiny shot glass, and every afternoon, he would proffer a tiny shot glass full of chocolate/ice cream Nibs. I think this was around the time when I decided I was never leaving.

And now I will share a fun story with all of you: when we sat down to eat, I asked the waitress if the guacamole had cilantro in it. It did, she informed me, and I passed – did yall know I’m super allergic? Well, after we ordered, she came back out to tell me, “I asked the chef if he could make the guacamole without cilantro for you tomorrow and he said he’d be happy to. His guacamole is amazing and I really want for you to try it!” I was basically speechless and SO happy.

Sure enough, when we returned the next day for lunch, Rami said to our (different) waiter, “Yesterday the waitress was kind enough to ask the chef to make a cilantro-free guacamole for my girlfriend-“

“For Miss Silverman! Of course. Coming right out!”

The Four Seasons, man. They’re like the nicest people ever.

Friday night, we ventured out for a fancy dinner at Bloom, where Rami beat my streak of always ordering the best thing on the menu and totally one-upped my ahi tuna entrée with duck tacos. I was very jealous and even now, am mad at myself for NOT ordering the tacos. ROOKIE MISTAKE!

But it was delicious and I was happy we went – Bloom is the sister restaurant of my beloved Wildflower in Tucson, and I knew we couldn’t go to Scottsdale without visiting it for a meal (and a delicious smoked salmon appetizer!)

Saturday afternoon, we headed in from the pool early, showered and changed, and drove out to see HARRY POTTER! Yall. I wept. Like a small child. I can’t believe it’s over. I don’t want to talk about it. After the movie I managed to pull myself together for a brief round of shopping at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (where I scored this gorgey Free People shirt), and then we enjoyed dinner at a delicious place called Cowboy Ciao. People! If you are fans of the humble mushroom, you need to immediately go to there and enjoy their mushroom/polenta dish. It was fucking out of this world. Thank you to my lovely boss JRL for the recommendation!

We had planned on laying out for a little while on Sunday morning, but when we woke up, it was cloudy, so instead we decided to enjoy a long brunch before leaving. Lots of people had recommended Chompies, so before heading out back home, we stopped for brunch. R demolished a corned beef sandwich (always a good idea before a six-hour car ride) and I had a latke/knish situation (double carbs = definitely on vacation) before heading home. We made record time – 5.5 hours, including a stop to gas up AND one at Hadley’s for date shakes!

I’m already counting the days til we can go back. It was seriously a fantastic weekend with my favorite boy and the fact that I came back with an insane tan doesn’t hurt either!

The Happiness List

I’ve had a smile on my face most of the week and I figured I’d share why with all of you! Here’s a little list of things that have been making me happy lately :)

New earrings – on SALE!

I’ve definitely blogged about how much I love my Kendra Scott Danielle earrings – they are so versatile and pretty, and come in such fun colors (I own hot pink and turquoise)! I was blown away when my mom called me from the Nordstrom Anniversary “Behind the Curtain” pre-sale to tell me that she had just come across two pairs – tiger’s eye and black – for $37 dollars a pair! I couldn’t believe it – that’s a crazy steal, considering they usually retail for $60 each. I have the best mama ever – she surprised me with BOTH!

Babies

In the past few months, a few of my really good friends have all had babies, which is just fine with me – I get to hold them and squeeze them and kiss them and spoil them rotten! Anna’s baby Eytan and my friend Rachel’s baby Olivia are only a couple weeks apart, and last weekend I had a BBQ at my house so they could finally meet! The goal of the entire BBQ was so I could get a picture holding both of them at the same time… mission accomplished!

(Bonus baby pictures: here is Eytan watching TV while Greene and I babysat him on Sunday, and here is Olivia looking very serious while wearing a tiny pair of cargo shorts :) how could you look at those faces and NOT be happy!?)

Charmed Scones

I came across this booth a few weeks ago during one of my Sunday treks to the Brentwood Farmer’s Market – the Charmed Scones ladies were there for the first time and told me they would be there every week from now on! I happily tried their scone samples and was blown away – their flavors were seriously delicious! I went back and bought two different kinds last weekend – bittersweet chocolate and English cheddar – and I can’t believe how delicious they are. If you’re looking for a yummy treat, these are so good!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Okay, this one is making me equal parts happy AND sad. I cannot wait to see how they capture everything from the book – I have a feeling the battle scene at Hogwarts is going to be insane. But I can’t believe that after all these years, the Harry Potter movies are going to be over and done with for good. I love every film so much – if they’re ever playing on TV, I immediately stop what I’m doing and watch the whole thing. I’m so excited!!!

Vacation!

Rami and I leave for Scottsdale TODAY! My bags (yes, multiple bags for three days) are packed, he’s made a road trip playlist, and we’ve got the sunscreen and swimsuits all ready to go for a HOT weekend in Arizona. I am so excited!

Wishing you all a great weekend as well. If you’re in LA, stay the hell off the freeways for the next few days :)

No Idea Where I Found This...

...But you know how I love a meme. Can’t help myself whenever one comes my way. (I just like talking about myself! That’s why I have a blog in the first place!) So without further ado...

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

Must turn that straightening iron on immediately and deal with this hair.

2. How much cash do you have on you?

$105, just went to the ATM.

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?

THOR! :)

4. Favorite planet?

I’m partial to the one I live on, thanks.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?

Gerrick. If I’m not on the phone with her, odds are we are either texting, gchatting, or one of us is about to call the other :)

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?

Definitely "Born to Run." Bruce!

7. What shirt are you wearing?

A black DKNY t-shirt with a bubble hem.

8. Do you label yourself?

Definitely.

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing?

Nine West from like six years ago.

10. Bright or Dark Room?

Bright - windows open and lights on, always!

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?

Cannot remember where I found this so I cannot answer but I’m sure he or she was lovely :)

12. What does your watch look like?

I don’t wear a watch. Sometimes I wish I did though, because I have a really nice Michele watch with a hot pink alligator band.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?

I had so much fun this weekend that I was passed out by 11:15.

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?

It was from Bailey. “Jealousssss.” I frequently like to text her and tell her the yummy places I’m eating or who I’m hanging out with in LA. Maybe she’ll come home from New York sooner if she gets really jealous?

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?

I like this question because I was just talking about 7-11! (Free Slurpee Day was yesterday, did any of yall go?) The closest one is a few blocks away.

16. What's a word that you say a lot?

“The hotness.” Unfortunate but true.

17. Who told you he/she loved you last?

Probably my mama!

18. Last furry thing you touched?

My roommate’s soft blanket. I want one of my own!

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?

Advil? I am hardcore, yall.

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?

Clearly this meme was written in 1992. I haven’t developed a roll of film in probably eight years. (Although to be fair, I still like referring to my digital camera as a DIGI-CAM, so I’m not THAT technologically advanced.)

21. Favorite age you have been so far?

Funnily enough, this is question number 21 and I’d have to say my 21st year on earth was pretty fucking awesome. Please enjoy this photo of me on my 21st birthday. In posting this I have realized I have NO SHAME.

22. Your worst enemy?

Um, I have a few. In the interest of remaining PC (I know, you’re shocked!) I will not name them but rather refer you all to this quote by Winston Churchill which I like very much: “You have enemies? Good. That means you stood up for something, sometime in your life.”

23. What is your current desktop picture?

This gem from Anna’s baby shower! I MISS MY FRIENDS SO MUCH!

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?

Greeted my roommate as she arrived home and asked her where she rode her bike to.

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?

WELL. I have some questions of my own. I have an image of Voldemort flying and I am not liking that very much... Is this flying SAFE? Would bugs fly into my mouth? Can I fly quickly or does it take forever to actually get where I want to go? Am I part-bird? Cuz I don’t like birds. Fuck it, I’d probably fly... but I would let people GIVE ME A MILLION DOLLARS to tape me and watch me fly.

26. Do you like someone?

I like many people! Oh, like someone in the 3rd grade way? Yes I do.

27. The last song you listened to?

Maroon 5 “Never Gonna Leave This Bed.” I’m obsessed.

28. What time of day were you born?

I think in the wee hours of the morning. Mother? Care to comment?

29. What’s your favorite number?

18.

30. Where did you live in 1987?

Sherman Oaks, California, with a brand-new very small newborn sister who undoubtedly was irritating and loud.

31. Are you jealous of anyone?

I am jealous of many people and many things, but I wouldn’t say it’s the type of jealousy that keeps me up at night.

32. Is anyone jealous of you?

Maybe? Probably? I get to leave work early on Fridays because of Shabbat. Who WOULDN’T be jealous of that?

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?

On my way to school. It was the second week of 11th grade.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?

Kick them, stomp my foot, scream, angrily put more money in so I can get my Diet Coke.

35. Do you consider yourself kind?

Oy. Should have read this before I SO EAGERLY dove in. Um... no.

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?

I have always secretly loved Eve’s pawprint/boob tattoos. And by secretly I mean I take every single opportunity to get henna tattoos of the exact same thing. So classy!

young and tan and gorgeous. what can i tell you, it was 2005.

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?

Hebrew. And then I would move to Israel and be a happy fancy Zionist :)

38. Would you move for the person you loved?

Yes, if it was someone I loved very much and a place I could see myself being happy in.

39. Are you touchy feely?

Four months ago I would have said no. Now I think I kind of am.

40. What’s your life motto?

I have been waiting for the opportunity to unveil this one on the blog! Here we go: “I am who I am, you can like it or you can love it!”

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?

My cell phone, my camera, and my keys.

42. What’s your favorite town/city?

So many but my beloved VEGAS comes to mind first.

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?

Valet parking.

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?

MRM, it was YOU! (I have a blog penpal who lives in Germany and we have started writing each other letters on real stationery. It’s so fun!)

45. Can you change the oil on a car?

In a word, no.

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?

He is doing well.

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?

I am embarrassed to answer this question because the truth is not much. I need to know more.

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?

What’s FANCY? I am fancy all of the time. On Friday night I thought I looked quite nice and presentable in my new Tucker silk blouse and some suede wedges. Do you agree? (Excuse the silly.)

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?

YES! As I’m writing this I keep itching my left forearm and I can’t figure out why it hurts. Weird.

50. Have you been burned by love?

Ugh, yes.

Now you know 50 more things about me. I’m sure you’ll all sleep better tonight! :)