Riders on the Storm

Loving the emerging equestrian look for this year's fall fashion... It seems to be everywhere from Anthropologie to West Elm. I think it's a more natural way to ease into Autumn, by adding a touch of plaid, brown tones or leather (or "pleather for the animal friendly) to both your home and wardrobe. These people know what I mean...

(I can't wait to start wearing socks again)

Anthropologie bringing the cape back, circa 1900's

(Dude, talk Derby to me! Minus the belt, this guy's doing a lot right...)

And for your home life:

Pendelton Wool Plaid Throws

1950's cast-ceramic base lamp, and a framed Paint by Numbers Horse Picture

From Country Living's Vintage Finds page

Nice vignette by Ruby Lane

P.s- I want to go HERE, wherever that is.

Prescription Living

This week I am lucky enough to be part of the Summer Salon Series at the San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) in Balboa Park, which is an on-going event coordinated by the curators at SDMA in conjunction with my friend Dave White's art space, Agitprop.
Every Thursday night since May they have opened the doors to the museum for extended hours to showcase some of San Diego's emerging artists for events that aren't typically shown in this sort of "traditional" arena.

On Thursday August 26th from 5pm till 9pm, I will be co-hosting an interactive project there with my good friend Josh Bellfy. As a sort of spin on 'Lucy's advice booth', we are encouraging friends, families and strangers to come out and have a quick conversation with us, where you will receive a free numbered edition piece of advice, customized to your specific question and presented in an authentic Prescription container. We are calling the event Prescription Living, with hopes that everyone will come as you are and help us, help you.

There are several other events happening that night with more local Artists, in addition to the museum's current collections, including the new Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit which is now open. There is a small fee to get into the museum ($12 adults/ $8 students), but every person that attends allows the museum to see that the new generation of 'Artists' is not limited to those with a degree, background, or trust fund to exploit, but simply a collection of everyday people who are interested in making a small difference in their surroundings, and in the lives of others.

As a San Diego native, I am especially honored to be involved in this beautiful historical building, doing something so contemporary. I hope that you can make it!

Nagi Noda

Ever get the feeling you're being followed? Happy Friday the 13th... some inspiration for the weekend by Nagi Noda.

Selections at Solo: Solana Beach

This weekend I stumbled upon a stellar selection of vintage and re-purposed treasures at Solo in Solana Beach. Cedros avenue is home to a range of unique boutiques and art galleries, which make up the "Design District", some of which aren't notable and some which are.

Those worth seeing include David Alan's custom wood work gallery, which has massive hand made pieces of furniture from beautiful polished wood. He also creates colorful, aged ornaments out of scrap wood from old boats. Although they are pricey, the beauty of the untouched wood would make a gorgeous addition to any home, granted you have a ton of space to fill!

However, on a smaller scale I loved these trunk potters. What a great way to re-use firewood in the summertime, or just simply make use of abandoned pieces of trees you see everywhere.

Just past his studio you'll find Solo, an upscale consignment shop which showcases about ten different collectors. A treasure trove of curio's, each little shop vignette has it's own style, yet all together the warehouse feels like a one-stop shopping destination for everything from office-wares to stuff for a kids room.

One booth called Saint A's smelled wonderful, and was stacked with tons of European soaps and lotions, body care products and soy candles. It was decorated with an array of religious statues, vintage perfume bottles and various collectible glassware. Everything here had a very Parisian, feminine quality about it.

Especially loved these old chemist flutes and apothecary bottles...

In another area, adorable stuff for kids at Em & Me. With bins of sock monkeys and other knit characters, wooden pull toys, and vintage modern mobiles, it's a great spot to shop for a unique baby shower gift or to add some color to a kid's room. Look at these ballet flats, so cute!

And these miniature messages in a bottle are fun, but would also be a fun project to create on your own with a child.

Towards the back area was an entire section of stuff I wanted... and drooled over for quite awhile before being able to take it all in.

The collection of Jennifer Price included awesome vintage industrial furniture and knick knacks suited for an eclectic office, work space, or loft.

Yet very masculine, I loved the organic, sort of rough edge design to everything, including these metal stencils, military style tags and zinc alphabet letters which could be used for anything.

Check out this genius way of recycling an old mattress spring into a photo holder...

She even has Bell jar's! These globes make anything look good, and could serve as a funky way to memorialize a souvenir or piece of artwork. They make even a scrap piece of paper stand out, very cool.

More machine-made and old academic decorative/ functional pieces with these articles of signage, lighting and notepads...

Plus, an adjacent display of raw, garden inspired relics. I liked the driftwood mixed with metal, and brown bottled glass. Many of the wire storage containers reminded me of the farms in Kansas, and the tools in my Dad's old butcher business.

Another Eco-friendly approach to gardening with these recycled paper pulp pots...

By this time I was pretty over stimulated, and didn't get enough time in some of the remaining booths, but on my way out I did notice these cute seed bombs at Ruby Lang's collection, (which fulfill my a Johnny Appleseed fantasy) alongside more religious ornaments, and organic collectibles including handmade jewelry and coin purses.

A neighboring vendor displayed retro sunhats with a golden skull, and I took it as an ode to a slightly Gothic summer. Again, genius!

Solo had even more shopping opportunities with a variety of nice Architecture, Interior Design and Art books, in addition to stationary, wrapping paper and greeting cards.

Now that I know it's there, I will be back with more time to explore the ever-changing treasures. Plus on Sundays, Solana Beach hosts a Farmer's Market on Cedros that may be as promising as it looks.

For more information:

Cedros Design District
Solo
David Alan

Mad Men: Season 4 is finally here!

This Sunday (July 25th) starts Season 4 of the best show on T.V- Mad Men! I'm going to tune in and celebrate by making some of my favorite 1960's inspired cocktails... and you should too.

The Dirty Martini

Ingredients
2½ oz vodka
1½ oz dry vermouth (optional)
½ oz olive juice
3-4 green olives, stuffed with blue cheese (or garlic)InstructionsAdd dry vermouth to the martini glass, rinse and pour out. Pour vodka, olive juice and ice into mixing glass and shake until chilled. Strain in the martini glass and drop the 3 to 4 olives as garnish.

Old Fashioned

Ingredients2 dashes aromatic bitters
½ tsp sugar dissolved with water and bitters
1½ oz of bourbon
1 cherry
1 orange slice
1 lemon wedge
Instructions
Fill glass with ice. Add cherry, orange slice and lemon wedge. Pour in bourbon. Serve in a rocks glass over ice.

Moscow Mule

Ingredients1¼ oz vodka
3 oz ginger beer
1 tsp sugar syrup
¼ oz lime juice
1 sprig mint
1 slice lime
Instructions
In a copper mug or cocktail glass, pour vodka over ice. Add sugar syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with mint sprig and lime slice.

Manhattan

Ingredients
1¾ oz bourbon
¾ oz of sweet vermouth
1 dash of aromatic bitters
1 maraschino cherry
Instructions
Pour bitters, liquors over ice in mixing glass. Stir and strain into martini glass, garnish with a maraschino cherry.

For more drink recipes, or to 'Mad Men yourself', go to the Official Mad Men site

Pixie Salon hosts exhibit by local Artist

For the next 6 weeks, Pixie Salon in South Park will be showing The Flintstones Series by local Artist Tina Frantz. Tina is a very talented and charismatic edition to St. Madeleine Sophie's Center, the work program for Adults with Developmental Disabilities that I work for. She has a very unique style of drawing and topics, mostly cartoons from the 80's (specifically Scooby Doo, the Care Bears & The Flintstones) as well as her favorite WWF wrestlers.
As part of my Disability Services Management class, I wanted to give Tina the opportunity to showcase her work in her first independently integrated Art show. She has 10 colored pencil pieces up, which are nicely framed and for sale at only $50.00 each. Pixie Salon rotates their artwork monthly, and is graciously allowing Tina's work to be shown without charge, so 100% of sales go back to the Artist and supporting Sophie's Gallery where she creates some of her work.

Also, Pixie offers hair services alongside facials, waxing, and makeup sessions by appointment. They are a smaller sized shop, with a friendly all female staff, and are located directly behind The Whistle Stop Bar in the heart of South Park.

Please stop by and support an emerging Artist, or treat yourself to a little revival at a Salon that deserves business!

Tina's work in lobby of Salon

Pixie carries Bumble & Bumble and Revlon products

Hair cuts with a blow dry start at $50.00

Please visit Pixie Salon for appointments and directions

Wheel & Deal: Bar Carts

Bar Carts! Another economical incentive to stay in and drink... These portable canteens of cocktails can be moved to where the music is, or to divert the crowd OUT of your kitchen (if you live in a shoebox like me, this is always a problem.) Or, stock up on the essentials and take the party outside!
Here is some inspiration:
Images:
Maison 21
The Errant Aesthete
Elle Decor