Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Plans
I had plans. Big plans. Ones that involved decadent pastries, lounging on the couch in a vintage silk slip, and This American Life. I was going to tell myself all about the things I liked to do, show myself how to knead bread made from scratch or slow dance in the living room to old records. The kinds of dates that you see on dating shows and films from the fifties.
But then one thing after another got in the way, as is almost always the case when it comes to Plans and Being Grown Up. So now, on the eve of the first day of May and with just a few hours under the deadline for the April Pink of Perfection Project (and not wanting to disappoint darling, inspirational Sarah), I have a new plan. A last minute, scraped together effort to sweep myself off my feet: spending the night making butterscotch pots de creme (a favorite recipe) and sneaking hot spoonfuls over the sink as they cool. When I finally planned this out, I realized the best dates I've had have been these kinds of last minute, stolen moment affairs. Including with my most dreamy current paramour.
And in a not-so-last-minute effort, I had bought flowers for myself at the farmers' market today. A dating forever and always must. (I especially like the unusual ones). Swoon.
 Labels: inspiration, pop project
To Do in May
- update personal site content (inspired by this entry)
- make 5 paintings
- work on 2 portfolio pieces
- write two short stories
- finish reading a book
- bring lunch at least 4x a weekLabels: lists, to-do
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
New Life Goal: To Have a Swimming Pool Filled with Butterscotch Budino
Last night we went to Pizzeria Mozza for Ryan's birthday. It lived up to a lot of the hype out there, even though you have to make a reservation a month ahead of time to get in. The one downfall of the whole place was the lack of space -- we sat nearly elbow to elbow with the people at the table next to us, and heard much about the forty-something lesbian couple's experience getting Myspace pages. I find it frustrating that a lot of trendy restaurants in Hollywood are like that -- I hate hearing more of my neighbors' conversation than my own!
Fortunately, the food was pretty worth it. We started with fried squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta, which were incredible. Ironically, the pizzas were okay. Not month-reservation-in-advance worthy, but the crust was just as described on Yelp! "both a deep-dish and a thin crust". It doesn't make much sense now, but when you take a bite, that's exactly how you'd describe it. Ryan had the margherita, which wasn't flavorful enough, and I had a mushroom pizza, that was too salty. And then came the part I had been anticipating all night...
the Butterscotch Budino. The Butterscotch Budino. Recipe published in the NYT, raved about foodie blog-wide, the highly anticipated dessert did not fail short of expectations. The flake sea salt between the layer of delicious caramel topping the creamy, cold butterscotch pudding, the mascarpone cream on top that smoothed the edge off the complexity of flavors...if I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life and this was it, I would be the happiest girl on earth.
This alone is definitely something worth making reservations for a month in advance, and a lovely way to cap off a special birthday dinner.Labels: foodie call
Monday, April 28, 2008
Vampire Squids for a Golden Birthday
Today is Ryan's birthday. I got the idea for painting the wrapping paper for his gifts when all the paper I found at Target was totally lame, and then stumbled across a roll of plain brown paper. Like most of the time, I get my best ideas at the last minute (Saturday). Since he has a penchant for Vampyroteuthis Infernalis, aka Vampire Squid from Hell, I painted a few on. I really love the way they turned out. Now I can't wait to go out to dinner tonight!Labels: arts+crafts, holidays
Friday, April 25, 2008
What I Drew This Week:
I find I do better drawings while talking on the phone with out-of-town friends. It just works better on a subconscious level. Maybe that's true of everything, you just respond to what's instinctual rather than over analyze everything (as for anyone who knows me, knows that I'm apt to do).
Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all have fun and restful weekends planned, I know mine is pretty chock full but I'm still trying to squeeze some quality time in to just bake and clean out my closet and run some last minute errands for Ryan's birthday weekend extravaganza ;) Perhaps even some time to take myself out on a date. I need to be wooed.Labels: sketchbook
Thursday, April 24, 2008
We're All Mad Here
A good way to start the day: reading this NYT Magazine interview with Dita Von Teese. I totally want a Devon Rex now. Not just because she has three, but also because I like to surround myself with animals that look like they came out of a 1920s children's book.Labels: inspiration
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Has anyone in this family ever seen a chicken?
Daphne, 12" x 18", watercolor
Finally finished! I'm really starting to develop an affinity for watercolor; there's more freedom and zen in it. Less is more. Now I'm going to spend the night watching Arrested Development, eating pasta shells made by Ryan, and taking a long walk. It's been one of those long days.
P.S. I can't wait to start a new painting though. I need at least five personal projects going on at the same time, otherwise I go stir-crazy.Labels: artsy girl
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Menagerie.
I can't wait until I have a little cottage of my very own so I can start my menagerie of cuddly animals. That's really the ultimate dream.
 
 
(all dogs pictured are available for adoption through the Lange Foundation)Labels: wishbox
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Classics
So here's another sketch I did last night while I was on the phone with Laura. I thought she'd be a perfect compliment for a post about my desire to read more classics. In college, we were never required to take any proper literature classes -- I skirted by on a diet of film studies classes since, well, I love film. And there was that whole Film major thing going on the first few years. So while I saw Breathless and Un Chien Andalou about three times each, and wrote extensive term papers on the merits of The Graduate and The Matrix, I never once touched a Hemingway, Wharton, or Steinbeck (for class, anyway). These are the hallmarks of a hippie college founded on the scripture of John Muir and a writing department founded on the second wave of the New York School.
So now, in these next few years between Right Now, art school, and then Grad School, I want to read a solid grip of (modern) classics. Here's a list to start:
1. Madame Bovary, Flaubert
2. Timequake, Vonnegut
3. On The Road, Kerouac
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde
5. Vanity Fair, Thackeray
6. Middlemarch, EliotLabels: books, sketchbook
IF: Fail
"She failed to get her head on straight."Labels: illustration friday, sketchbook
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
This is Not A Test
Full reveal of the painting I previewed a week ago. I'm almost done with her, but I want to let it sit around for a few hours while I decide on some finishing touches (i.e. fully blending the background, integrating more leaves into her hair). It's one of my final pieces for my painting class tomorrow night.
I'm listening to She & Him's Volume One and Tristan Prettyman's Hello...x (thanks for reminding me about both, Paul). Really reveling in some new music, finally!Labels: work in progress
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Hello,
This is your life.
What are you going to do with it?Labels: shortstory
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Ann Hears A Who
I've been, in some ways, jumping right back into business as usual this week. Yet things feel different; there's a new stillness in my mind right now. Which is good -- to tune into responding to my body as opposed to my head dragging my body behind it. I will walk more, meditate daily, and pick up yoga again. I also plan on eating more conscientiously so that I can keep off the 13 pounds I lost in the first two weeks of being sick. (In a healthy way, of course). Peace comes from shedding the albatross of guilt and insecurity I (and I'm sure some of you) wear around a lot. So over it.
The surprising outcome of this is that I'm more productive than ever. In the past two days, I checked off some major looming to-dos, i.e. reporting the sidesweep-and-run on my car to insurance, going to the bank, picking up books on hold and paying fines, filing papers with HR, emailing admissions officers, etc.
So last night I saw Horton Hears A Who, which was adorable! I really missed going out to a theater and finishing the red vines before the previews are over. Hopefully we'll get to see My Blueberry Nights this weekend; I'm so looking forward to Wong Kar Wai's English language debut (!!)
I'm reading If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland (which was highly recommended by Marta), and I'm so in love with it so far. Ueland has the voice of the most encouraging, accomplished writing professor you've ever had. I had also started Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, and quite honestly I'm not that enchanted with her writing. Maybe something was lost in translation.
Finally, a psst...I updated the archives and I've been posting frequently again at Things We Wore.Labels: books, films, site update, twentysomething
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Violet, you're turning violet!
Just checking in on Sunday night with some new work I started today. I'm really starting to get the hang of watercolors. It's fun to try something new to get out of a rut. Still not sure I could make it as a freelance illustrator full time though...I don't think I have the capacity for uncertainty in work/cash flow, nor do I really want to work from home all the time. These past three weeks at home, though mostly accompanied by a hunched-over-animating boyfriend and a sweet pup, I've started to go a little bonkers from limited social interaction. I'll probably eat my words tomorrow.
But for tonight, I'm going to enjoy curling up on the couch with a movie and my boy. Have a great week, friends.Labels: work in progress
Friday, April 04, 2008
Baking as Therapy
Today I made a simple lunch at home for the first time in weeks. It's nice to feel well enough to use the kitchen again, though I'm still struggling to make myself eat and not be nauseated by everything. Maybe soon, I'll finally be able to dive into the Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites cookbook I got before all these stomach shenanigans started.
I did finally get to bake though, which is therapeutic. Inspired by Heidi's vegan version of caramel butter bars, I made my own. I had just a cup of light corn syrup left over too, from a pecan pie recipe awhile ago, so it was kismet. Baking kismet. A bit way too sweet for my still-sensitive stomach, but wonderful nonetheless.
Have a great weekend, friends! I'll be cleaning, drawing, stocking the fridge, and resting up to get back to my normal life come Monday.Labels: domestic goddess
Save Me!
I've been playing with Illustrator again, so I drew up my poor little stomach for this week's Illustration Friday prompt "Save". Somehow the message hasn't seemed to have channeled out to the doctors yet.Labels: illustration friday, me + my ulcers
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
dress your family and bird houses
This little birdhouse in a tree on my street always makes me laugh. An M Cafe is opening up within walking distance too, which also puts a smile on my face. I'm looking forward to long summer days, with daylight extending its fingers far past 5pm.
In the meanwhile, I read Mary Poppins & Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. I forgot how quick and pleasurable David Sedaris' essays are to read. They make every day feel like Sunday morning.
Mary Poppins is a book I never read in my childhood (I blame Disney) -- and my, did they keep the good stuff out of the film. My favorite chapter involves an after-hours zoo birthday party. Although I'd have to say that Mary Poppins is not nearly as loveable as Julie Andrews is in the film; she's quite snooty and cold. What can I say, I don't like to work for affection.
In other news, this entry on decor8 and this one on Pikaland (thanks, Annie!) really resonate with me right now. Oh, trying to figure out what your ideal life looks like in reality.Labels: books, photolog
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