Friends Spencer and Regina were married this month and gifted wedding guests with jars of honey (with honeycomb), plus bags to fill with Bit-O-Honey candy. Sweet.
Bit-O-Honey, Lots-O-Love
DIY Before & After: Denim Chair Cushions
Another upcycling project for old pairs of jeans: covering seat cushions on antique chairs. I was given two of these from a friend with a love of chairs who was cleaning house (after finding another couple of antique chairs…). I simply sanded and oiled the wood and recovered the cushions with strips of denim from a recycled pairs of jeans.
Leftovers Recipe: Caprese Pasta
We picked up some beautiful heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese to make caprese salad the other night, using fresh basil leaves from the garden. But we made too much and I put the leftovers in the fridge.
Yesterday:
Caprese salad
Leftovers:
A couple of slices of tomato and mozzarella
Today’s Leftovers Meal:
Pasta with caprese
Pasta with Caprese
Pasta of your choice
Mozzarella
Tomatoes
Basil
Olive Oil
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Saute a few cloves of chopped garlic in olive oil. Add al dente pasta and the chopped tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Enjoy.
Carmageddon Weekend Detour: Smurfs?
It’s Carmageddon weekend in Los Angeles–two days of planned road work on the 405 freeway that prompted the city (and media) to go into full panic mode. So when I saw these sign posters from the distance yesterday, I thought, What? Another road closure? No, just a promotion for the upcoming Smurfs movie.
We Smell Good: Sweet Pea Flowers
Photo taken at the Saturday Portland Farmers’ Market.
Worth It For the Cover
I’ve been collecting old paperbacks with great covers for years. Seeing this at Powell’s Books in Portland made me believe even more that it’s one of the best bookstores.
Love in the Park: Husband and the Handbag
Love walks by; a gentleman holding his lady’s handbag at the Portland Japanese Garden.
Baseball Shirt DIY
Upcycled baseball shirts sell well on my Etsy shop—to girls like me who don’t like to wear boring and boxy tees to show support for the home team. So when I was given last-minute Dodgers tickets yesterday, I remembered I had set aside a thrift store Dodgers shirt for myself. I sewed on the denim braided neckline detail (denim from a discarded, recycled pair of jeans) in the passenger seat of the car, on the way to the game.
You Are Beautiful
Nice thing to see when walking near the office.
Skateboard Bag Holder
I love a bar that has a hook for a lady to hang her handbag. At the Venice Beach Ale House, they have recycled skateboard wheels. Here’s my vintage Coach hobo (a recent thrift store find).
Rock-n-Roll Graffiti: Peace and Love
Shout-outs on the wall to rock legends Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. Photo taken at Sycamore Canyon beach.
Comfort Rules
There are no style rules when it comes to camping. (Or: this is what happens when you forget to pack Uggs for a camping trip).
First Day of Summer Lunch
First day of summer and I walked by a Ben & Jerry’s during lunchtime. Oh yeah, ice cream for lunch.
Style Rebel: Documented by Dad
Like a lot of teens, I liked to rebel with my style. I wore a lot of black while my contemporaries were wearing bright neons, and I decided to wear my black lace-up ankle boots to my high school graduation ceremony. I recall both my grandmothers expressing confusion about my choice and trying to talk me into wearing “nice white pumps.” (Nice white pumps were not in my closet and would never find a place there.) It may be that my parents also talked to me about it, but I don’t have memories of them trying to mettle. What I do recall is the close-up photo my father took of my white graduation gown, black dress, and black boots—and then finding that photo in a frame. Dad has a great sense of humor, and (like my mom) has always been loving and supportive. On the occasion of Father’s Day, this makes me a very lucky girl.
Upcycled Find: Vintage Tins as Planters
Vintage food tins used as planters at Venice Beach Wines.
Under-the-Bar Skate Bag Holder
Recycled skateboard truck and wheels used for an under-the-bar bag holder at Venice Beach Ale House.
Joy of Eating
You know you will have a good meal at a friend’s house when you find something like this on a bookshelf.
World Oceans Day
Happy World Oceans Day. “Flowers by the Sea” by William Carlos Williams is a poem I carry in my wallet as a reminder of its beauty and majesty.
Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup with Lime
There’s a delicious chicken tortilla soup at a favorite local restaurant, Tlapazola Grill in Venice. What makes their soup so special is in the name; it’s listed on the menu as lemon chicken tortilla soup (and they’re generous with the lemon juice). We tried it at home with leftover chicken and used fresh lime juice.
For our version of chicken tortilla soup with lime:
Add leftover chicken to a simmering pot of homemade chicken-vegetable stock, with roughly chopped celery, carrots, and fennel. Simmer until vegetables are softened but still firm. Before serving, add the juice of one or two limes and chopped avocado, then finish with broken tortilla chips. Optional: Add queso fresco (i.e. Mexican cheese) and cilantro. Serve and enjoy.
Kitchen Sources for Beauty: Corn Starch
In my quest to eliminate unnecessary products and waste, I have tried to cut down on shampooing. I’ve actually tried to stop shampooing altogether (google “no poo” and you’ll find tons of testimonials from those who have successfully stopped shampooing; there’s even a “no poo” Wikipedia entry), but I lost patience during the dirty, greasy hair phase. So now I try to shampoo once or twice a week and get through the in-between days with corn starch. There are plenty of dry shampoos on the market and I tried a few from the beauty closet when I worked for a fashion magazine, but most of these products contain artificial fragrances and other ingredients I won’t use. I read that straight-from-the pantry corn starch could be used and I’ve found it works just as well. I keep it in the bathroom and dip my fingers in the jar to apply to roots on non-shampoo days. Hair maintains its natural shine from healthy hair oils, while roots get a quick de-greasing. Until I try quitting shampoo again….
Stef McDonald 