Factories.

These ceramic "factories" from Etsy shop PearsonMaron are so cute and clever, aren't they? I've always wondered what a rainbow or a heart factory might look like...

...a hippo factory, too, come to think of it.

The shop also stocks a very festive balloon factory, though the owners are quick to note that "technically...it is a factory that manufactures celebrations. Parties, shindigs, ragers, festivities, new 
arrivals and homecomings."

See more at PearsonMaron, here. Have a wonderful Thursday!

Feeling Small.

In this week's Equals Record post, I wrote about what it's like to pursue a creative career in a city that teems with talent. Is working here inspiring? Absolutely. Is it also intimidating? Without a doubt.

An excerpt from the new post: Brooklyn is a wonderful place to be young and creative. Everyone (well, maybe not everyone, but it seems that way) is an artist, a writer, a musician, a designer. The place bristles with energy. Imagination. New ideas. It’s exhilarating, for sure. But sometimes it can be downright intimidating. Everyone seems so cool, confident, and creative, it’s easy to feel discouraged about my own burgeoning career as a writer. It’s easy to feel small.  Do I stand out? Is my work good enough? Is my writing terrible? Worse, is it boring? 

See the rest of the post on the Equals Record, here. As always, thank you so much for reading!

Photo: "Up!" by Aleksandr Malin.

Giethoorn.

Just added to my ever-growing list of places to visit in the world: Giethoorn, a centuries-old Dutch village that's completely without roads.

To see more, just google "Giethoorn" - doesn't it look like paradise?

Via All That is Interesting. (Know the photographer? Please share!)

Swag.

Happy Friday! To celebrate, a few shots from the brilliant Tumblr, "Children With Swag":

What are you up to this weekend? I'm going to a picnic in Central Park and may finally get around to seeing this documentary. We've had rain (and lots of thunder!) this past week in NYC, so I'm crossing my fingers for a little sunshine!

Via My Modern Met.

Cut-Out Cards.

Ashley Pahl's cute-as-can-be cards may be just what I need to get started on my goal of writing more snail mail. (This one, in particular, strikes a chord.)

Shop more on Etsy, here.

Home.

This week on the Equals Record, I wrote about the notion of home - and how that's changed for me as I've gotten older. Despite the fact that I've lived in New York for three years, I still think of L.A. as home - it's where my parents are, after all. It's where I was born. But I love living in New York and spend 99% of my time here - at what point, if ever, will it really become home to me?

An excerpt from the new post: I often tell people that New York feels like “The One”; that I love its noisiness and smelliness, its history and cultural mishmash. I live here and work here. Most of my friends are here. For all intents and purposes, my life is here. And yet, it still feels a bit funny to refer to New York as home. In fact, it’s a strange concept for me to think of home as anywhere other than where my parents are. Is home defined by family, I wonder? Parents? Friends? Or is it where you work? Play? Lay your head at night? I’m not sure. 

See the post in its entirety on the Equals Record, here. Thank you so, so much for reading!

Photos of L.A. and New York by Max Wanger.

Twins, Traffic, and Trees.

A visit to Judy Kaufmann's Etsy shop is a guaranteed pick-me-up. Through her illustrations, the Barcelona artist pays colorful and quirky tribute to twins, traffic, trees, and much, much more.

I especially love her "Famous Prints" series, which includes portraits of Frida Kahlo, David Bowie, Woody Allen, and one of my all-time personal favorites, Leonard Cohen. 

See more at Judy's website, Etsy store, and blog. Enjoy!

Candy Cravings.

A few charming chocolates, just for fun. Favorites include a set of dark chocolate goose eggs stuffed with bacon caramel, French hot chocolate on a stick, and Jackson Pollack-inspired "Art to Eat".

From top to bottom: "The Goose's Golden Eggs: Bacon & Eggs," $22; Chocolate Googly Eyes, $10; French Dark Hot Chocolate on a Stick, Service for 2, $7.50; Berkeley London chocolate bar; Avant Garde chocolate bars, $25.

Also worth noting? These chocolate-filled toadstools, and a beautiful box of candy-coated "river rocks".

Hope your week's off to a sweet start!

Words & Pictures.

I just spent a good hour scrolling through Ransom Riggs's "Talking Pictures" archive on Mental Floss, which features found photos along with their original - and often very funny - notes and captions. There are so many great ones, but my favorite has to be that cute couple in the middle ("I am saying to her - 'ah cut it out'"). See much, much more, here. 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! I'm looking forward to visiting the farmers' market, getting a much-needed haircut, and trying my hand at making pasta from scratch - wish me luck!

Found via Pink Shirts and Car Wrecks.

L.A. Eats.

Memorable meals from my trip to L.A. included a "New York breakfast sandwich" from Joan's on Third (still one of my all-time favorite L.A. eateries), a baked Meyer lemon custard pancake from Canelé (many thanks to Kathy for the recommendation), and tacos from Loteria at the Grove. 

I also paid a visit to the much talked-about Sprinkles Cupcake ATM, which didn't disappoint. Did you know it sings?

But of course, home-cooked meals were the highlight. One night during my stay, I asked my mom to teach me how to make a Japanese chicken and egg dish called oyako-don, which is one of my favorites. As I've mentioned before, she's an amazing cook who makes everything look effortless. I did my best, but I'm not sure I'll be able to recreate it quite as well on my own!

Anyhow, it was fun to help. The dogs enjoyed my lesson, too. 

Thank you again to those of you who so kindly offered recommendations for my trip! I didn't have time to do everything, but I'm keeping a list for next time. On my future agenda: Huckleberry Cafe, Tavern, Chego, Proof Bakery, Sweet Rose Creamery, and Bottega Louie. Can't wait to visit again soon!

Over-thinking.

The second post of my Equals Record column, "Looking Forward," went live yesterday. (The Equals Record is the brainchild of Elisabeth Fraser and Miya Hirabayashi, and features a diverse array of women's voices on a wide variety of topics.) My column focuses on my life and the challenges - and joys! - of growing up. This week, I wrote about over-thinking.

An excerpt from the new post: "I read a passage from Charles Bukowski’s Factotum a few weeks ago that made me laugh. Then, when I finished laughing, I wrote it down, cut it out, and taped it to my wall. 'If you’re going to try, go all the way,' it reads, 'Otherwise don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives, and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail'...For most of my life, I’ve put a fair amount of effort into avoiding mistakes. From big ones (should I move across the country?) to small ones (is that comma in the right place?), I’m something of an over-thinker. Sometimes it’s a tendency that serves me well. Other times, I worry so much about the potential consequences of an action or decision that I err on the side of caution – or don’t end up doing anything at all."

Read the rest on the Equals Record, here. Also, thank you so much, as always, for your support and encouragement on the first post. Getting personal can be scary - your kind words meant the world!

Laurel Canyon Love.

I'm minutes away from boarding a red-eye flight back to New York City, but in honor of a wonderful week home in Los Angeles, I thought I'd share one of my brother Max's recent projects - it's one of my very favorites to date. It's a home tour on the fabulous website Freunde von Freunden (if you haven't checked it out, do!), and it profiles the beautiful Laurel Canyon abode of creative couple Ai and Cedric Bihr - who are pretty easy on the eyes themselves.

The images capture so many things I love about LA - the light, the greenery, the easygoing lifestyle. I've pasted a few of my favorite shots below, but you can see the full post - complete with interview by Aya Muto - on Freunde von Freunden, here. Enjoy!

Photos by Max Wanger. Via Freunde von Freunden.

Bear Suits & Butterflies.

Gorey with a teddy, Sontag in a bear suit, Nabokov chasing butterflies: Emily Temple's Flavorwire slideshow, "Extremely Silly Photos of Extremely Serious Writers," is chock-full of gems. Click through to see the full post, which includes a priceless snap of Hemingway doing a high kick.

In other news, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and Mother's Day! Mine was delightful, though of course it felt too short - tonight, I'll be getting on a plane and heading back to New York. Saying goodbye to family is always hard, but I'm hoping to be back soon for another visit - after all, I have to make it to all of the amazing restaurants and shops you recommended! Photos to come later this week!

Gorey photographer unknown; Nabokov photo: Carl Mydans from the Life photo archive; Sontag photo: Annie Leibovitz.

Happy (Early) Mother's Day.

My mom's one of the coolest and bravest people I know - she moved from Tokyo to San Francisco when she was 24 to work as a rock journalist, cooks the most amazing meals you've ever had in your life, and blasts the White Stripes and Arcade Fire while driving. Mom, you're the best - I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have you!

What are your plans for the weekend? I'm wrapping up my LA trip with a visit to the East side - I can't wait to see my brother and sister-in-law's new house and have a meal at Canele. (Thanks to those of you who suggested it!) 

See you back here Monday!

Treetop Turf.

This beautiful "Hemloft" (read: treehouse in a hemlock tree), built by Joel and Heidi Allen in Whistler, makes me want to drop everything and move to the forest. I'd love to work in that bright little nook, pictured below. Come to think of it, maybe a backyard treehouse is just what I need - could there be a more inspiring home office?

Photos by Joel and Heidi Allen. Found via the Dwell article, "Dream Hatcher" written by Carren Jao.

The Equals Record.

Today I'm so excited to share my involvement in a new site called The Equals Record, which was started by my friends, Elisabeth Fraser and Miya Hirabayashi. The blog centers around the thoughts, lives, and issues of women, and I'm honored to be a regular contributor. Each week, I'll be authoring a column called "Looking Forward" about my life, growing up, and being directionless but loving the adventure all the same. 

An excerpt from my first post: "Ask me my age, and ninety-nine percent of the time, I’ll hesitate before answering. This isn’t because I’m embarrassed to admit the number (I’m twenty-six); rather, it’s because I actually have to think about it to make sure I’m getting it right. My age at heart and my age in reality are two completely different things. I may be twenty-six. I feel eighteen."

NOTE: I know it's impossible to read, but the words on my knuckles (written in washable ink!) read LOVE LIFE.

Read the rest of the post on the Equals Record, here.  And, of course, don't forget to check out the rest of the site! Contributors include Brooke Fitts, Ashley Muir Bruhn, Mara Kofoed, and Cheri Lucas. I'm thrilled to be a part of it!

Lively Legwear.

These hand-dyed ZIB* leggings are so beautiful, I'm crossing my fingers for one last wave of cool weather before summer. 

Shop more at ZIB* Textile, here. Oh, and a huge thank you to those of you who shared LA tips with me yesterday. Very, very much appreciated!

Smile-Worthy.

Three things that made me smile this weekend: this "Anticlock" by Olivier Vadrot, 

this quote (found here - if anyone knows the original source, please share!),

and this face, which belongs to Henry, one of our family dogs. (I'm home in LA for the week, so I've woken up to this every morning since I arrived - lucky me!)

Speaking of LA, does anyone have any must-see, must-eat, or must-do tips? I'm here so infrequently, I'm pretty out of the loop. If there are any new shops or restaurants, or any attractions I just might not have heard of, I'd love to know!

Math Magic.

How cool are these photos by Robin Moore, of high school students in the eighties learning math via string figures? (Read more about that from their teacher, James R. Murphy, here.) Growing up, I was never good at anything having to do with numbers - but I'm sure I would have loved this!

Wishing you all a happy weekend - what are your plans? Tonight, I'm getting on a plane and heading home to LA to visit family. I'll be there for ten days, and I couldn't be more excited. Sunshine, home cooking, these furry faces - ahh. I can't wait!

See you Monday!

Photos by Robin Moore. Via Wolf Eyebrows.