Sunday

It's Sunday morning. Lots of stuff on my to-do list today, and I'm not feeling so hot... hoping to perk up soon! In the meantime, enjoy:

- The cutest.

- Do you know the difference between Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act?

- McDonald's sells sustainable fish.

- One of the greatest contributing factors to happiness.

- Accessible post on beauty products to avoid. (For more, check out the Environmental Working Group... though be warned, there's no turning back! The more you know, the more you'll want/be scared to know.)

- A 28 year old Fiona Apple sings one of my very favorites.

- I'm loving this collection of authors talking about food (and other things).

(photo: mine, on flickr here)

Before Dawn

My very favorite Story People print. I was so happy to find the print for sale in Cambria when we were on our anniversary trip! Now I just need to figure out where to hang it.

Feeling nostalgic

"But then fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you." - Stephen King, Salem's Lot

Someone seems to have forgotten to tell Southern California that it's time for fall. So, tonight I'm feeling nostalgic for the midwest and its crisp October air, pumpkins, changing leaves, school supplies...

Quinoa and Grilled Sourdough Salad

Last night for dinner, I made Quinoa and Grilled Sourdough Salad from Yotam Ottolenghi's beautiful veggie cookbook, Plenty. I'm typically not much of a salad gal, but this one was fantastic. Filled to the brim with fresh, local tomatoes, persian cucumbers, red onion, cilantro, parsley, quinoa, olive oil, and sourdough bread. Charlie ate it with a smile and only picked out a couple of cilantro leaves. Slowly but surely, I'm winning him over :)

A couple notes:
- I'd post the full recipe, but I'm still navigating the whole area of recipe attribution when I didn't really change or adapt a thing. Just check out the cookbook instead! You won't regret it.
- The recipe calls for mint, but I forgot to grab some at the store. I found that I didn't miss it.

(My untouched iPhone photos - that color and juice is all real.)

Welllll well well. I'm back. September has been busy!

Since I left you, I've been enjoying cruising around and listening to XM radio (the Loft! the Coffee House!) in my new car, keeping busy at work, cooking a lot, and letting Orange is the New Black take over my life. Charlie and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary with a long weekend on the beautiful Central Coast, and I've now officially worked at AB for over one year (my fantastic boss sent me these to celebrate!).

I have a bunch of posts I want to write - an anniversary trip recap, cookbook and recipe updates, new music reviews, an ode to pilates - but you'll have to wait for those. In the meantime, take a look at some of the things I've been enjoying around the web:

- A valuable take on 7 important financial decisions made in your 30s

- Real men in underwear ads

- Almond Butter Cocoa Truffles, oh my

- Moby talks about LA

- How to taste water

- My new favorite ad

- The best day

- Everyday ballet dancers

- Thinking about buying this and eating our way through LA

- My next project: a DIY grass shoe tray

- Obsessed with these dresses... now I just need a black tie affair to attend :)

Have a wonderful weekend!


(photo: mine, cyprus tree at the awe-inspiring Hearst Castle)

New Car

"Spend your money on the things money can buy. Spend your time on the things money can't buy." - Haruki Murakami

I leased a new car! We got a great deal on a fully loaded CR-V this weekend, and now I'm excited to spend our time exploring in it.

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili and a Catch Up

Well, shucks! I could have sworn that I posted between last Tuesday and today, but apparently not. While Charlie was out of town last week, I kept busy with a girls' throwback movie night, happy hour, pilates, and many walks filled with Lucy pulling me to three discarded slices of pizza in bushes nearby.

On Sunday, we hosted a small game night at our house. I tried my hand at making Vegetarian Quinoa Chili for the first time and thought the results were pretty delicious, despite the inappropriateness of chili in 90-100 degree weather. I was the only non-meat-eater of the bunch, but everyone else still seemed satisfied :) Our friends also brought mozarella, basil, and heirloom tomato salad and a decadent (but airy!) chocolate pudding/cake dessert. Wavelength and Cards Against Humanity were our favorite games of the night, and I can't wait to repeat soon... Any suggestions for future game nights?

My parents are in town, so tonight, we are headed out to meet them for dinner at a Peruvian restaurant in Hollywood. I can't wait for the ceviche mixto (and to see Mom and Dad)!

Jalapeño Fingers

I made some really delicious guacamole last night, but this morning, I'm still dealing with the painful aftermath of chopping up and removing seeds from jalapeños with bare hands. I should have learned my lesson the last time I made green curry and wanted to cry from burning-hand-syndrome for a full 24 hours, but, alas. I had no gloves at home and once again thought I was invincible.

I've heard that milk, tomatoes, acetone, shampoo, oils/lotions, and a mixed bag of other things help to remove or reduce the capsaicin-induced sensation of hell, but I've had poor (read: no) success with any of them. Any other suggestions?

Lazy Sunday

Happy Sunday morning! I'm relaxing for a couple of hours and waiting for Charlie and Lucy to wake up for coffee before I head to pilates. If time allows, we might go test drive some cars. I'm thinking about leasing or buying a new car - haven't totally decided yet - and am excited to start looking.

This afternoon, Charlie is jamming with a friend (Charlie is guitarist and overall musician extraordinaire), and I'm looking forward to hanging out, tidying up around the house, and planning some trips (!). I bought these yesterday... so maybe I'll also make some kind of popsicles to beat the heat.

Enough about me! There's been some good stuff on the internet lately:

- 40 Maps that will help you understand the world. Super interesting.

- I can't believe I'm sharing this (because I don't want anyone else to buy them)... but tickets are back on sale for The Book of Mormon at the Pantages theatre.

- Apartment Therapy's Survival Guide to Life in Los Angeles. I love the produce, flea markets, jeans, and that LA is a morning town!

- If you're looking to buy happiness, purchase an experience.

- Oh my, this.

- Cities by their Starbucks locations. I scored a grande.

- I really loved this look at American vs. French cheese.

- .... Sad/funny/true

- Beautiful photo.

(photo via Sprout Home Chicago's facebook page. I used to live down the street from this fabulous plant/flower wonderland and highly recommend them for any of your greenery needs.)

via pinterest

Friday Fresh Air

A couple breaths of fresh air to start the day off: Towsley Canyon (above), one of my favorite - and the nearest! - places to hike, and, Volcano Choir's deep yet dreamy Reprave streaming in full.

Happy Friday!

Book Recommendations?

image via pickle me this

On my flight home from Chicago, I finished up The Interestings, which I give two enthusiastic thumbs up. Now, I'm searching for a new book to read. Any suggestions?

My top book recommendations include The Corrections, The World According to Garp, Gone with the Wind, The Book Thief, On Beauty, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and Interpreter of Maladies.

(p.s. More on The Interestings and judging the book by its cover here.)

Back (Again)

Good morning! I'm back in Southern California after a wonderful, albeit quick, visit back home to Chicago. I spent a few days staying at my parents' house in the suburbs, where I drank copious amounts of coffee from their Jura espresso maker and lazed around with my mom and their Wheaten Terriers. We got in some good shopping and nostalgic eating (did you know there are no Noodles & Co or Potbelly's in LA?). I was also thrilled to see my brother, sister-in-law, and my adorable 8-month-old nephew who I hadn't seen since Christmas. He is growing like a weed - such a good eater and overall very happy, good baby. He doesn't even really cry, just dramatically whimpers. For the sake of my future self as a mother, I can only hope that his sweet disposition is hereditary :)

I spent Saturday in the city with one of my best friends, Libby (an acupuncturist and blogger). The drive downtown was insane; no matter what people say, I still think Chicago has worse traffic than LA. But, it was well worth it to wander around my old neighborhood, Wicker Park, and catch up. We hit up some of my favorite spots, including lunch at Jerry's (the salmon and crawfish burger with seafood topping ohmygosh) and Alliance Bakery for a baker's dozen of passion fruit macarons (I also highly recommend their almond croissants).

Now, back at home two days later, I'm still having trouble adjusting to the time change. It's only a two hour difference from Central to Pacific time, but it still throws my body all out of whack. Up two hours early this morning! Oh well, it's back to work again, and I'm crossing my fingers that I don't crash this afternoon. In the meantime, check out some of the Instagram photos from my trip below (and follow me here).

Chicago

I'm leaving for Chicago in just a few hours now, and I'm pumped! I can already tell that the trip will be too short as I straddle my time between work, suburbs, and city. Weather.com tells me that we may see isolated T-storms tonight and tomorrow morning, which I will welcome with open arms and watch with a cup of jura coffee through the french doors of my parents' house. Photos and updates to come...

Side note: I just turned 28, but 30 is looming around the corner. This wonderful article by Olivia Wilde just made me much happier about that.

And.. it's August

Hi friends! 

Can you believe it's August already? This summer has been flying by. I've been really busy at work and play lately, so my posts have been kind of sporadic, but at least I'm here, eh?

This past week...

I saw The Conjuring with some friends in Hollywood, and it was REALLY good (if you're into that sort of thing).

I ordered a new linen duvet cover and sheets - perfect for both warm summer nights and cool autumn evenings.

And I really loved a handful of things from around the web:

Hearing test disguised as an eye test (turn up your computer volume!).

Can't stop watching this video. Cutest thing I ever saw.

Is it really so much to ask to be safe, happy, rich, and comfortable?

George Saunders's inspirational advice to Syracuse University graduates.

Boring but perfect love story.

Portraits of the elderly.

p.s. A few posts ago, I mentioned that Charlie and I were going to go see The Way Way Back. To update - it was fantastic! A strong recommend. And an exciting thing about living in Los Angeles is that sometimes you go to see a movie, and there is a surprise Q&A with the writers/directors afterwards.  And this happened to us that night! Super enjoyable and genuine guys.

Right Now...

... I'm buried at work and listening to this and thinking about the last episode of Weeds.

Composting

Do you compost at home? I've been interested in composting for a while now, and I finally decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. Each week, we recycle a lot, and we've found that most of our non-recyclable waste would actually be compostable. So, I ordered this compost tumbler on Amazon, and Charlie put it together last week. I chose that one because I wanted something that sat completely closed off above the ground and that I could easily agitate. So far, so good, though assembly was a beast.

Once it was all put together, we threw in bags of dry clippings that we've been stowing away from around the yard - branches, spent flowers, dead plants. We now continue to add food waste - banana peels, eggshells, etc. - to the pile. It still actually smells pretty good, probably due to the dried lavender :) When I get a good little layer of "wet" materials going, I'll add my compost starter to help everything cook up quickly.

Any good composting advice for me?

And I'm back!

I just got home from Lake Tahoe yesterday evening, and man have I been beat. This past week has been filled with lots of learning, sunshine, and wine. My team and I stayed in Tahoe City, and we had a view of the lake from our rooms. I absolutely loved the area. When standing on the beach or dock and looking all around ourselves, the view seemed so expansive that we could have sworn we saw the curvature of the earth. We spent an afternoon biking along the Truckee River in awe: huge, towering evergreens, beach, mountains, crystal clear water... I wish I had my phone or camera at the time.

I felt like we packed a lot into each day while in Tahoe, and now that I'm home, I feel like the days are long and empty. What do we typically even do to fill the time?! I'm feeling motivated to paint and work and get out and explore. Alas. 

Check out some more iPhone travel photos after the break...

Saturday

Lucy facing off against Roomba (instagram)

It's Saturday! What are you up to this weekend? I'm so happy to have a lazy morning at home. I'm looking forward to open-faced egg sandwiches, reading (this and this), and a long walk (before it gets too hot!). Charlie and I also can't wait to see this movie at the ArcLight Hollywood. It seems like a funny new summer classic that all ages could relate to.

Tomorrow, I head to Lake Tahoe for a work conference - the Conference on Implantable Auditory Prostheses. Super nerdy, but I'm excited for a week of learning, bonding with coworkers and friends, and cooler weather. In the meantime, check out a handful of links from around the web:

Can't stop listening to this and the rest of the album on repeat.

Ulric Colette has created a super fascinating set of genetic portraits. I'd love to see one of my mom and I.

Justin LeBlanc, a cochlear implant recipient, is set to appear on this season of Project Runway. Might have to watch!

Revisiting Samantha French's paintings and feeling inspired.

Loving this lazy hammock.

Finally - some packing tips here, here, and here.

Cyprus Trees

So dreamy. I really love all the photos on Lost, but especially this.

Home

In a few weeks, I'm heading back to Chicago. I just booked my flights today, and now I can't wait! Just thinking about the city is making me all nostalgic. I can't believe that we moved almost 10 months ago now, and we've only been back once - at Christmastime, and only to the suburbs.

Some things I miss about Chicago:

- Friends and family close by

- Watching my nieces and nephews grow rapidly into one-year-olds and toddlers and miniature adults

- Cute boutiques and cafes outside my doorstep

- Changing seasons (fall, mostly - not actually winter at all)
- Almond croissants, Intelligentsia coffee, and passion fruit macarons from Alliance Bakery
- Starfruit smoothies
- Rain

My visit will unfortunately be a short one, as I'm actually traveling for work. I'll have two and a half days open to visit with friends and family, a day and a half of work, and travel days. How much do you think I can pack in?

I really love California, its scenery, and its easy access to beach, mountains, wineries, and desert, but after over 27 years in Chicago, I can't help but think I'll always call it home.

The Terrible Tragedy of the Healthy Eater

Veggies at the Naschmarkt, Vienna (mine)

As a pescetarian, internet self-educator, and lover of all things Michael Pollen, this clever article made me laugh.

ASL Interpreter Steals the Show

I'm a little late to the game here, but at the Bonnaroo festival a few weeks ago, an ASL interpreter named Holly Maniatty was assigned to interpret for the Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys, and others. She absolutely rocked it. Check out the clip above, as well as a full article about Holly on Slate. As Killer Mike told Slate, "You wonder how they can even keep up... That's an art form; that's more than just a technical skill."

Perspective

via kottke.org and unified pop theory

Are these really four different photos or just absolutely perfect prop styling and perspective? Super cool.

WELCOME!

Augarten in Vienna, Austria (mine)

And so it begins (again). Hello and welcome to my blog and internet home!

I'm Lauren. I live in sunny and dry Southern California with my husband, Charlie, and our rescued wire-haired Jack Russell terrier, Lucy. Over the past year, I had neck surgery, got married, moved across the country, started my first real person job post-graduate school, and bought a house. Phew! I'm tired.

This blog is a simple chronicle of stuff that I like and think you might like too. Visit often, and please say hi!