Curious Bird

Hi there,

A quick hello before beginning the long holiday weekend. We have visitors arriving very soon and lots of plans are in the works. I'm looking forward to learning a little more about the city of brotherly love -- I find that I explore a lot more when I'm showing people around.
Also, if you live in Philly and know of any amazing spots or happenings this weekend that aren't to be missed, please pass them along.

In other news, last night I met up with some friends at the ICA to see the Sun Ra exhibit and later watch the Sun Ra Arkestra perform, and guess who won the Arkestra raffle? Well, wouldn't you know, it was me! I do not remember ever winning a raffle, so I was really surprised to get the call this morning. Not exactly sure of what loot I won (a big basket of stuff), but I am looking forward to biking over to the ICA to bring it home. 

Loving this story I saw in the Times today.  I hope to have a little cottage fixer-upper someday...
For starters, I would put the new print that just arrived up on the wall first thing.

Have a great weekend.
Be safe with those sparklers and roman candles,

-l.

daily ritual: noticing the love between m + m (and photographing it)

it is no secret that I love a couple of boys named mortimer and motown, and that I photograph them often.  I am not too shy about expressing my feelings for these two. I am also not shy about posting photos of one or both of them in this space and over on flickr on a pretty regular basis. what can I say, they are rather photogenic and I'm a bit of a crazy cat-lady. could be worse.

funny thing is, I never lived with cats until mort and motown. I grew up in a family that preferred dogs to cats in a big way.  I had two very sweet dachshunds for most of my childhood, and never really put much thought into the possibility of spending my days with a cat (or two).  I remember a neighborhood cat that liked to sleep on our back porch, and honestly, I was a little scared of him. back then, cats were weird and unfamiliar, and they didn't seem interested in people or all that loving.

somewhere along the way, my ideas about cats changed, and now it is hard to believe that mortimer and motown haven't been around forever (only thirteen years). they have been shuttled across the country in the cab of a moving truck twice and spent some time in the care of our great friend while we traveled throughout india and southeast asia. they have destroyed a favorite vintage chair, and have made me get out of bed earlier than I wanted countless times. motown has eaten my plants. mortimer has gotten the flu and barfed in the middle of a party we were having. they have delivered really big bugs to me as gifts, and they also have a litterbox that requires cleaning (probably the true daily ritual of this post). I haven't minded cleaning the litter, the early mornings, or even the bugs, and we have a pretty good thing going thus far...as long as they keep allowing me to disrupt their naptime to photograph them.

more daily ritual photos can be found here.
join in if you like.

-leya

we like snacks + how many times can I say chip in one post.

we eat a lot of chips and salsa at our house. a lot. another thing we do a lot is forget to purchase chips when we go to the supermarket -- I really think our chip forgetfulness problem is mostly due to the chip section at our Whole Foods being very poorly located. just sayin'.
although upon discovering our lack of chips the other day, I decided to take the giant package of corn tortillas we can't seem to make a dent in even though we have taco night nearly three times a week and turn some of those tortillas into chips (not sure what took me so long to finally do this -- most likely laziness).  the experiment was a success, a warm-out-of-the-oven chip success. 

forget the chips? have tortillas? here's what you do:

preheat oven to 350 degrees
you will need approximately 10 or 12 corn tortillas for the big bowl of chips above
put a bit of oil on both sides of each tortilla
stack the tortillas up, then cut into triangles
spread the triangles out on a cookie sheet -- it's okay to overlap just a bit
sprinkle with salt or other seasoning your prefer
bake about 10 or 12 minutes  (they should be crispy, not chewy and not too dark in color)
be sure to check your chips at around 7 minutes and give the pan a full turn

a taste test will be your best bet when determining if your chips are done.

I recommend taking them straight out of the pan and into a bowl of salsa or guacamole. yes siree. 

more soon,

leya 

p.s. eleven times

june 29

Things I learned yesterday:

Making salad rolls can be hard work (and very messy).
Good music makes cleaning up a lot more enjoyable.
I'm not very skilled at coming up with names for boozy drink concoctions.
I seem to have a knack for predicting the weather.
Our backgammon game is misplaced.
My friends all love barbecue.
I should try the banana pudding at that new place in the Italian Market.
and...
I'm smack in the middle of my Summer break --two months to go. Man, I hope it passes slooooow, but doubt it will.

Take it easy,
l.

good days

Hi. Hope you're having a nice weekend -- just felt like saying hello.
Today has been lovely, very lazy and productive -- I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true. It has been one of those nice days made up of getting stuff done as well as taking lots of lazy breaks for refreshments and little space outs on the sofa with kitties. Days like this don't come around that often, so I am trying to do a good job soaking it up. The weekend isn't over yet -- there is still an afternoon picnic with friends tomorrow. I'm looking forward to making some snacks and a batch of my new favorite boozy drink to share.

Here are a few snaps from my weekend so far...

 

 

 

 

Cheers to Summer weekends!

-L

a breeze. a snap. a cinch. part two

In my opinion skirts are essential for summer -- almost an every day occurrence around here. I made this one the other day, using some fabric I have had for quite a while, but had the darnedest time deciding how I wanted to use it. Pants? A skirt? A dress? Pillows? A bag from this book? After thinking it through and realizing I probably had enough yardage to make one of everything, I cut into it and whipped up this comfy skirt, using the a-line skirt pattern from Betsy Ross. So glad I did.

In other news, I think Summer is here to stay. I haven't really minded the rain we were constantly getting because I knew it was keeping everything cool and breezy. And now that it's gone, things are sticky and hot. July is almost here and you can feel it. Although sticky and hot isn't my favorite, it is perfect weather for taking a couple of small-fries to a cool new park, one with water shooting up from the ground and  overflowing from places high above. Fantastic.

Have a great day,

Leya

daily ritual: a little makeup

I remember watching my mom put on makeup when I was young. The whole process fascinated me, especially when she applied her mascara. It seemed kind of dangerous, yet very exciting and worth the trouble.

Nowadays I have my own daily makeup routine -- nothing serious, just a bit of rouge (as my dear grandmother would say -- love that), some concealer for my dark circles, a little lip color, and of course, mascara. 

More daily ritual photos can be found here.

I interrupt my regularly scheduled programming...

To introduce and possibly find a really amazing home for Flash.

Here's the deal. My dear friends are in search of a new home for their sweet border collie, Flash. They had a new baby boy (Isaac!) about nine months ago and although this decision breaks their heart, Flash is just not a good fit for a family with small children. They love him dearly and want to find him someone who will love him and care for him as much as they do.  If you or someone you know wants to spend your days with an amazing border collie, please contact Lauren at lgoldwert(at)yahoo(dot)com

Here are the details Lauren sent my way:

FLASH: A 7 year old Border Collie, Flash is a good natured, balanced dog who has had lots to do and enjoys it all. He hikes off leash beautifully around dogs, deer and wildlife, trained to stay with his person.  He has basic obedience skills and knows lots of tricks too, eager to learn anything new.  He has experience in agility, freestyle and tracking games searching for scents. Besides all the activities he loves to do, Flash loves everyone and his full body wag is his signature hello.  He loves belly rubs and hugs and gives lots of kisses, too.  He is a really sweet, smart Border Collie. He's also been a star, in Milk Bone magazine ads and on a TV show.  He is great with dogs of all shapes and sizes that he meets on his daily hike in the park.  Flash loves to play fetch and tug games, too.  He is not good with cats.  Like most Border Collies, Flash will do best in an adult home without small children.  He is in his home in Clifton NJ and will be placed from there. His current guardian is a dog trainer so will be glad to introduce Flash to an appropriate adopter and share all the years of living with him.  Flash is a beloved family member.  He will need a lifestyle similar to his current one, where he hikes each day and has lots of toy play, which is exactly what all Border Collies need

productivity

okay, so I didn't make a dress before sundown. I did, however, make a tunic out of really wacky fabric instead. I didn't have enough fabric to make a dress (besides I think it would have looked like a muumuu) but this fabric has been screaming out to me for a few years, so it had to be used. had to.

man, two posts in one day. I need to relax...
been meaning to share some links and today seems like as good a time as any.
-----------------------------------------------

braids are everywhere. I found this braid tutorial  to be really helpful. I am terrible when it comes to braiding my own hair (Dustin actually braids it for me), but I'm getting better. (thanks, anna allen)

very enchanted by this photograph available at 20x200. perhaps a trip to the beach is required.

planning to download this free sundress pattern from Heather Ross. so cute.

having fun looking at i can read

and finally, one gorgeous food blog. the photos, oh, the photos.

until next time, take it easy,
l.

a breeze. a snap. a cinch.

Loving my new gingham dress. It hasn't been in my closet that long, but I would guess I have already worn it at least three times. I tend to do that with stuff I really like. Doesn't everyone?

I used the Built by Wendy Simplicity pattern #3692, the same one that I used way back when. But unlike last time, this one was a breeze. The sleeveless version makes it great for layering, although, Dustin informed me this morning that he likes it better without the little tee under it. I will take that into consideration. Thank you very much.

I can see another one of these dresses in my future.  Quite possibly by sundown.

More sewing adventures to show you soon.

Have fun,
L.

 

rooftop access

 

Um, I think I just stumbled upon the best litter box on the planet. It is called ModKat.
Of course I do not have, nor would I shell out such a hefty amount of money on a litter box, but it is an amazing creation. If I ever win the lottery (kinda need to play first), Mortimer and Motown will definitely do their business in a ModKat. No question.

found via apartment therapy

More soon,

L.

Cheers to you on the longest day of 2009. Happy Summer Solstice!

farm livin'

Before taking off to meet up with the mister in Ithaca (he had spent the week before doing smarty pants stuff at Cornell), I took a quick trip to see my favorite ladies up in Queens. We had such a good time together, AND as if seeing them wasn't perfect already, they had just rescued two very sweet kittens named Taco and Cricket.

It has been so long since I have been around kittens -- my own feline friends are practically old men, although they don't seem to act like it, well, except for the constant napping and occasional set-in-their-ways bossiness. All I can say is if you haven't been around kittens in a while, go find one to snuggle up to. Talk about heart-melting...

After spending the morning eating bagels and snuggling kittens, the girls and I ventured out to Queens County Farm. If you live nearby, you should definitely make a trip out there. They also rent the place out for weddings -- it would be such a sweet spot to get hitched.

We were too early in the season for buying produce or fresh eggs (stuff becomes available in July) but we had a great time walking around the farm soaking it all in. The peacocks were almost too beautiful to look at for long -- talk about a ridiculously gorgeous creature.
But...on the other end of the spectrum was the crazy dude a couple of photos below. He (I think he is a white-crested black polish rooster, but I'm not sure) was TOUGH. Do not mess with him...

See him running around back there? He means business.

After the farm, we went back to Queens for good turkish food, some very interesting drinks (those girls are mixologists) and a raucous evening with more friends. A very good (albeit too short) trip indeed. 

I'll say hello again sometime soon. And if the sun will ever come back out, I will photograph a couple of new sewing projects I recently finished.
Also, in case you forgot, I'm still posting over at habit for the month of June.

Have fun,
Leya

daily ritual: preparing and eating lunch

I feel so lucky to have a schedule which allows me to make and eat lunch at home everyday. Some days I make something thoughtful and even a little bit time-consuming (depends on my daily schedule), other days I make nothing and eat something silly like two hard-boiled eggs, a handful of pretzels, some carrots and hummus, and a bite of dark chocolate. Whatever my lunch ends up being, I always try to slow down and enjoy it. And music is required.

More daily ritual photos here.
Join in if you like.

it's true what they say about Ithaca

Hi there.
We are back from a lovely camping trip near Ithaca, NY. It was such a great time full of beautiful waterfall hikes, gorges, campfires, wineries, and amazing blue skies -- each day was perfect for some outdoor livin'.

Of course, it wouldn't have been one of our normal trips without a night-time visit by a curious skunk. Luckily he was just passing through and we were of no real interest to him. Honestly, I want to thank him for allowing me to spend a few days in his neighborhood. It was terrific and I hope to return again in the future.

I'll be posting my regular Daily Ritual post sometime a little later.

Have fun,
l.