Amazing, Amazing Gift I Received

I always grew up in a bedroom with a quilt.  In fact, I don’t think I realized that bedrooms didn’t have to have quilts until I went to college and got a chambray blue Ralph Lauren comforter at TJ Maxx.  (I also had those cloud printed jersey sheets, which were all the rage in the fall of 2000, and I still think my college dorm room was pretty cool.)  I stayed quilt-less in adulthood, but had been hankering for a clean quilt in a crisp classic pattern with a lot of saturated colors.  I didn’t have much luck finding one at my price point, but the yearning remained.

Imagine my delight, then, when Ann, a dear family friend, offered to make me a quilt as a wedding gift.  (Very sweet also because when I was 10, Ann taught me how to quilt, and everyone got placemats and potholders from me that years as holiday gifts.  My mom still has the potholders, and I’m pretty sure they are awesome.  Especially if you like Williamsburg blue and small apple prints on a black background.  Which you do, I’m sure.)  Ann sent me to pick up a few inspiration fabrics, and she did the rest.

Guys, the quilt is in.  It’s insanely beautiful.  I love it.  Basically the sweetest gift ever.

Look at this – it has our names and wedding date!  So cute!

These colors are just too wonderful…

And let’s take a little side trip to my nightstand… 

Sneak Preview!: I’ll be reviewing all these books shortly.  (Also this is basically every hardback book I’ve ever bought.  Don’t get any ideas.  I don’t live in a house made of gold bricks, people!) 

Also, if you are feeling the quilt love, the adorable Emily Henderson has a great quilt roundup post here.

Bye!

Some things that are making me glad lately

sisterwolf, via adventures-of-the-blackgang

Husband's mention here as one of the Funniest Twitter Users You've Never Heard Of makes me smile. (And a Jack Handy reference!)

A wonderful article for anyone who's at all Feminist-y inclined.

It's the holiday season!!!  I can't wait to make these!  (I add more cayenne pepper for a bit more kick.)

Wow!  I love strange time-consuming art!

A riveting documentary that held me in rapt attention and gave me a whole new set of heroes.

Remember this feature from Lucky Magazine?  It's been a guilty pleasure of mine in blog form for a while now...

My Favorite LA Breakfast Spot: Wendy’s Place Cafe

If someone told me it was okay for me to eat eggs 10 times a week (and that person would cut the toppings and wash the pan for me), I would.  Easily.  Basically there are three great foods in the world.  They are: lasagna, Thai food, and breakfast.  If you are one of those people who doesn’t like breakfast, I don’t get you.  Seriously, what is your deal?

While I am strangely okay with standing in line at Huckleberry, even on a Saturday at 9:30am, and I enjoy the poshness of brunch at Joe’s, to me, the single best breakfast in the greater Los Angeles area is found at Wendy’s in El Segundo.  I realize most of you won’t make the trek out there just for breakfast, but think about mixing it into your schedule next time you are going to LAX in the morning (mere minutes away!).

Wendy’s isn’t “old fashioned” or “classic”… it’s just… old.  Like it was erected mid-century, and literally nothing changed about it, except for the waitresses who are youthful and adorable.  Check out these dishes. 

Eating action shot!

And these Rockwell prints, like, from Rockwellian times.  (The wall décor is all Rockwell prints or Rockwell puzzles, laminated and framed.  Awesome.)

Wood panelling!

If you’re looking for a unique breakfast menu, don’t come to Wendy’s.  There are, like, four omelet choices, which I think are just some variation of eggs with cheese and/or bacon and/or vegetables.  (But seriously? What else do you want in an omelet?)  Then there’s the option of pancakes or French toast or just eggs, cooked to order.  Nothing fancy, but it’s all done right, and in an environment you simply can’t find in Los Angeles (or at least no where that I’ve found).

 So excited to eat... I have a meerkat face!

So check it out.  Order the Spanish Omelet or Jose’s Favorite, with hash browns (with peppers and onions) and an English muffin.  You will love it.  Cash only.

Wendy’s Place Café

107 W. Grand Ave.

El Segundo, CA 90245

But enough about Wendy's... What are your favorite LA breakfast spots?

Simmer Down Now... with This Cool Silk Thing

Do you guys ever have that thing happen to you where you're driving a rental car 60 miles from home and realize you're running low on gas and don't know how sensitive the gas gauge is on the car, so you think you're fine, but then look down and you have, like, NO gas, so you exit to find gas, and have a really hard time finding a gas station, but when you do, all the on-ramps to the 405 are closed and then you accidentally wind up in a town called Hawaiian Gardens, CA and have no idea how to get home?  And then you get home, and you just need to chill?

Well, the next time that happens, you must check out this very groovy, relaxing website -- weave silk.  I can't really explain, but you just click and drag your mouse and make these jellyfish like undulating designs, like this, only cooler, and moving.  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.............

Advice: Gifts for the Newly Engaged

My friend Lisa wrote me to ask a two part question: (a) would it be weird to give a newly engaged friend a wedding-related gift for her birthday and (b) if not, what inexpensive gift would I suggest?

My answers were (a) not weird at all; it's way fun to be a bride, and (b) I have just the thing!

My all time favorite engagement gift is a ring dish.  I keep mine by my nightstand, but I wouldn't mind having another one to keep by the bathroom sink (hint, hint!).

I treated myself to this one, from Anthropologie, which makes me smile when I look at it.  (The ring goes in the goldfish's mouth -- how cute is that?!)

Also from Anthropologie, and very darling (even though I think raccoons are the worst animal in the world [ed: I was going to link to some freaky raccoon images and stories about raccoon attacks, but I decided not to.  You're welcome.]):

A lovely modern option from West Elm:

All great choices, all under $20!

Bye!

Wine not?: A roundup of wine-related puns

Guys, I love wine puns.  (And whine wouldn't I?  My bachelorette party was themed Chardy Cardi Party... you go to wineries, sipping Chardonnay while wearing your cutest cardigan.  Duh.)  Basically, in my life I'm always thisclose to buying this t-shirt:

Because I'm not quite up for that purchase (and also because I know it's going to fit a little weird and a little 2002-ish), I've decided to fulfill my desires by compiling a small list of wine-related puns for your enjoyment:

• You should lock up your wine in a cabernet.
• Resigned to my fate, I bought 24 cases of red.  It was a case of syrah, syrah.
• Stop and smell the rosè.
• Forgive me, for I have zinned.
• I like to cook with wine.  Sometimes I even put it in the food!
• How "merlot" can you go?
• Wine: It's why I get out of bed every afternoon
• Women cannot live by chocolate alone.  That's why there's wine.
• Wine is the answer.  What was the question? [ed: this is my favorite -- I like to say it with a lot of expression, like I really mean it.]

Alright bye, guys!  And by "bye" I mean I'm off to "bye" wine!  Muahahahhaha!!!!

Some lovely places

Guys, I wouldn't mind going to any of these places... nope, not one bit!

:: a grove of Aspens ::

:: a library in Stockholm :: 

:: Bjork's private island off the coast of Iceland, via the Chive ::