Happy Holidays.

I'll be taking the next week off from blogging to spend some much-needed time with family and friends here in L.A. I'll be back on January 2nd - I'm already excited to catch up with you then! - but in the meantime, I thought I'd share a few holiday-inspired links in case you're in need of viewing or reading material during the break.

1. First up, Delicatessen with love, a series of photographs by Gabriele Galimberti that depicts grandmothers around the world alongside their delicious-looking cooking - because what would the holidays be without a home-cooked meal? (Thanks, My Modern Met.)

2. Secondly, John Schabel's beautiful and mysterious photographs of airline passengers awaiting takeoff, because so many of us will be - or already have been - there this month. 

3. And lastly - because, well, it is a wonderful life - a slideshow of snapshots from the set of the classic film.

Also, just for good measure, three 2012 "best-of" lists:

-Memorable memes. ("Texts From Hillary" is my favorite.)
-Influential Corgis.
-"Best Bathroom Books of 2012," according to The New York Times.

Thank you so much, lovely readers, for your support this year. As I've mentioned many times, it's been a hard one, but unexpectedly, it's also been one of the best of my life. I'm so happy and blessed to have been able to share it with you. Have a wonderful rest of the month, and I'll see you in 2013!

Delightful Dolls.

Somehow, I don't remember paper dolls being this cool - or this beautiful - when I was a little girl. Maria Dubrovskaya's gorgeous hand-painted creations have long been a favorite of mine (and yes, that's a "deer with beer" below), 

and I love these winged horses by Emma Kidd. (I'm also a fan of this happy guy; he makes me laugh.)

And how great are these customizable figures by Jordan Grace Owens? She makes ones of pets, too.

See more here, here, and here. Happy Thursday! 

Gifts.

This week on the Equals Record: before the holidays, thoughts on what matters most in a gift.

An excerpt from the latest post: "I spent the first seven years of my life in Los Angeles, in a little gray house on a tree-lined street called Cantaloupe Avenue. My memories of living there are hazy, dreamlike…there were rose bushes that lined our driveway (I’d rip the petals off and run them over with my bike, thinking that, surely, this was how perfume was made), and a mishmash of flora in the garden. Potted plants lined the front porch. One, my favorite, was a single pink flower in a tiny terracotta dish. Oddly enough, I remember this flower more vividly than most other physical details about that house, though its tenure on the porch couldn’t have lasted more than a couple of weeks. After having admired its impeccable posture, the elegant draping of its petals, and that irresistible rosy flush for what seemed like an eternity, I couldn’t help myself. I picked it."

Read the rest on the Equals Record, here. You can find past entries from my weekly column, Looking Forward (about the ups and downs of "growing up" in my twenties), here. Thank you so, so much for reading, as always.

Top photo from last year's tree-trimming party. Bottom image via Confetti Garden.

Through It All.

To start the day, wise words from Agatha Christie.

What a great reminder that through it all, we're so lucky just to be here - breathing, learning, loving, living.

Top image via Chewing the Fad. Bottom image (one of my favorites) by Camila Massu.

Much Loved.

MuchLoved, a series of photographs by Mark Nixon, showcases children's toys that have been hugged, squeezed, cuddled, and kissed to pieces - literally. Each has a name and a story; for instance, "Brownie," third photo down, is over thirty years old and still shares a bed with his original owner (though he's now "old and wise enough not to care what anybody thinks of him anymore," Nixon notes).

I still remember carrying a baby blanket with me to preschool, a mangled shred of which now hangs in my dad's office, as an art piece. There's something strikingly beautiful about objects that have been loved with so much intensity. 

See more of MuchLoved at Mark Nixon's website, here. A big thank you to Laughing Squid for the introduction.

In Friend-Love.

After professing my love for these amazing girls earlier in the week, quite a few people emailed me a link to a comic by Yumi Sakugawa called "I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You." It spans six pages in its entirety; I've pasted the first three below.

I'd say Yumi's captured friend-love - a very, very real thing - pretty darn accurately. Click here to see the rest, and have a wonderful weekend! (Oh, and the next time you hear from me I'll be in LA - if any of you West Coasters have any foodie recommendations for me while I'm there, I'd love to know!)

Good Fortune.

Contrary to what my week of gift guides might suggest, I actually haven't started my own shopping.

I did, however, stop at Caitlin Mociun's beautiful storefront on Wythe Avenue this afternoon, and spent an embarrassingly long time looking at these handmade porcelain fortune cookies (safe to break in your hand). Each comes with its own typewritten message - I think they'd make a sweet gift!

Available for purchase online, or at the Mociun store in Williamsburg (worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood). 

Girls.

This week on the Equals Record: a love letter to a few (of the many) special girls in my life.

A (teeny-tiny) excerpt from the new post:  "People say that when you find true love, you know. Though I’ve experienced this with the opposite sex before, the same phenomenon has occurred—delightfully, consistently, and much more often—in many of my friendships with girls, as well."

See the post in its entirety on the Equals Record, here. You can find past entries from my weekly column, Looking Forward (about the ups and downs of "growing up" in my twenties), here. Thank you for reading - your support is so very much appreciated.

Pick-Me-Ups.

It's been a rainy few days here in New York. Online gems that've lifted me up and away from the gray include the kaleidoscopic wonder that is Kevin Champeny's gummy bear chandelier...

...these 1960s skateboarding photos taken by Bill Eppridge in New York City...

...and, of course, Maru. Always Maru. That face!

Have a happy Tuesday.

Max's Print Shop.

My brother, Max, has opened a brand-new print shop! I've listed a few of my favorites below (I'm particularly fond of the palm trees), but there's even more in the shop, here. I'm a proud sister.

In other news, I hope you all enjoyed the weekend! Mine was food-centric: ramen in Williamsburg; Indonesian food in Queens; and, to cap off the decadence, a single chocolate-peppermint cupcake, shared with these lovely ladies at a party in Greenpoint. Heavenly.

Holiday Gift Ideas: LISTEN.

For music lovers: musical wine glasses; drumstick pencils; a DIY ukulele; and a box of white chocolate, Champagne, and gold leaf truffles, inspired by hip-hop's love of bling.

Clockwise, from top left: Typography poster, $20; Johnny Cash portrait, $40; Music Branch headphone splitter, $10; Beatles iPhone and iPod skin, $15; Ukulele kit, $50; Musical wine glasses, approx. $62; Hip Hop Truffle Collection, $29; Drumstick pencils, $7.95; Karaoke machine, $99.

Three artists I've loved this year:

-Lianne La Havas.

-LP. (Most talented whistler ever.)

-The Lumineers.

Have a wonderful weekend - and stay warm!

Holiday Gift Ideas: PLAY.

For kids - or, in some cases, kids at heart: a book about the wonderful world of words; a cooking set for make-believe crepes; and a pair of sweet snow-white mittens (with claws!). 

Clockwise, from top left: Baby fox print, $25 for 8.5" x 11"; Wool fleece bonnet, $44; Craftspring ram, $32; "Sparkle and Spin," $15.95; Glitter bounce ball, $5; Pancake Shop set, $67.50; Wood camera, $32; Wooden train toy, $98; Animal mittens, $48; Baby bunny doll, $20.

Further, three charities that benefit children:

-First Book, which distributes reading material to needy kids.

-PeacePlayers International, whose mission is to "unite, educate and inspire young people in divided communities through basketball."

-The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Tomorrow, gifts for music fans...

Holiday Gift Ideas: WEAR.

For fashion-minded guys and girls: a handcrafted, moss-green bowtie; a truth-telling t-shirt (the words translate to, I would like to eat something); and a pair of pointy-toed slippers the color of a kiss.

Clockwise, from top left: Herschel backpack, $69.99; Forage bow-tie, $68; Wool hat, $95; Dunderdoon sweater, $179; Anonymous Ism Navajo socks, $28.

Clockwise, from top left: Urban Cricket t-shirt, $32, (it's technically for men, but I'd wear it baggy); Flurry Pouf, $35; "Ta Da" studs, $48; Wallet pouch, $44; Turkish slippers, $45.

Tomorrow, gifts for kids...

PS: This week on the Equals Record, changing my definition of the word "valuable" - as always, thank you so much for reading!

Holiday Gift Ideas: READ.

For bibliophiles: a Frank Lloyd Wright bookmark and and an Oscar Wilde candle, a strap that turns stacks of books into seating, and a golden pig to keep your tomes standing tall.

Clockwise from top left: Tote bag, $18; Frank Lloyd Wright Robie Window Bookmark, $18; Oscar Wilde glass candle, $25; "My Ideal Bookshelf," $16.49; Gold Pig Bookends, $29.95; Field Notes memo book, $9.95 for three; Book Stool, $39.

Also, three books that would make great gifts: 

-"Kurt Vonnegut: Letters." Includes these gems.

-"Bluets" by Maggie Nelson, author of the beautiful poem referenced here.  

-"Who I Am," a memoir by Pete Townshend, one of my all-time favorites.

Tomorrow, gifts for those with an eye for fashion...

Holiday Gift Ideas: EAT.

For foodies: peach jam with an attitude; stroopwafels, perfect for making ice cream sandwiches; the thickest, most indulgent goat milk caramel; and the very best cheese on Earth (according to me, anyway). 

Clockwise from top left: Gruyere de Comte Reserve, $12.99-$24.99; McClure's Spicy Bloody Mary Mix, $12.50; Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. maple kitchen tools, $85-$110; Olivewood Mini Cup and Spoon, $20; Fat Toad Farms Goat Milk Caramel, $12; "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks," $29.95; Anarchy in a Jar Peach Lemon Verbena jam, $8; BrooklynHardCandy Peppermints, $8; The Good Batch Classic Stroopwafels, $15.

Other useful food-related links: 

-Best cookbooks of 2012.

-Classes make great gifts. New Yorkers and Angelenos, check out Course Horse for a multitude of cooking options (I'd choose this one). 

-Ways to give back.

Tomorrow, gifts for readers...

Tweet, Tweet.

A bit of bacon fat on a computer keyboard was all it took for artist Voldemars Dudums to start Hungry Birds, a twitter feed for real-live birds. ("We ended one of the greatest internet injustices of all time and gave Twitter back to the original twitterers, the birds," writes Voldemars.) You can find the feed here, though the last "bird tweet" dates back to March.

Read more about the project here, and have a happy weekend! See you Monday!

Via Colossal. 

Journal Drawings.

I'm so inspired by animation student Tiffany Ford's illustrated month-long diary - or, as she calls it, No Shame November. I'd love to attempt a project like this one day.

 

I also stumbled across this illustration on Tiffany's website, which I love. That high-five demon is one I know well.

See more on Tiffany Ford's "No Shame November" tumblr, here, and her blog, here.

Friendsgiving.

In this week's Equals Record post, reflections on "Friendsgiving." (Below, a few photos from the night - turns out, seating fourteen people in a New York City living room is no easy feat!)

As always, a short excerpt: "To accommodate our many guests, we placed an old desk—which normally holds turntables and a hodgepodge of vinyl records—at the end of our dining table (mismatched tablecloths covered the dings and scratches). A lack of proper silverware forced us to get creative, using spatulas as serving spoons, ladles as ice cream scoops. And the food. There were two stuffings. Six pies. Enough cranberry sauce to feed a football team. This is what happens, I learned, when a group of fourteen collaborates on dinner. It was the first Thanksgiving I’ve ever hosted (or co-hosted, as it were), and the first I’ve spent away from family. With our ever-fluctuating guest list, disorganized menu, and relative lack of space, I wondered beforehand whether the night would end up feeling like a real Thanksgiving."

Read the rest, here, and find the archive for my column, Looking Forward, here. Thank you so much for your support! Have a lovely Wednesday.