The Company of Cats

It's raining today in Los Angeles and things are really unsettled at work. I'm relying on old comforts: the touch of warm hands of loved ones and the weight of my giant cat Coco draped on my shoulder. I couldn't resist putting together this little collage of black cats. We have two of them, Coco and Kali (named after the Indian goddess of destruction). They are my constant companions.

Everyone have a wonderful day!

(Photo credits, link backs and more wonderful pictures of cats on my I Heart It page.)

UPDATE! A comment from my husband posing under the name "Tiburcio" "I love cats, too. Except for those really needy cats that sit in front of their food bowl, bitching and crying to be scratched. I'd just like to say to those cats: "Hey, you're not the only one with problems! Why don't you try to do something productive around here instead of just spitting hair balls all over the place?"

(He's joking, by the way. He's a cat man.)

Hands

This is such a lovely picture by Franck Juery. Several generations of women perhaps? Those little hands are so sweet.

dear (fill in the blank)

Another captivating typewritten message by Jackie Young. I love the lines about dinner fogging up the windows and people from Philly naming their pets "gatorade and veronica."

Jackie is the photographer who created the "here is your key" photo that's been making the rounds on the Internet. A few days ago, she posted a comment explaining how the key message originated. (It was ruined love.) But wait till you hear what became of that little note...! {Scroll down 10 posts or click here!}

Frosting

Need a mid-week pick-me-up? This cake looks delicious. It's by Martha Stewart, of course. (Who else could get frosting so perfect?)

(Via Mary Ruffle.)


xoxo

Skyward

I'm so enthralled by the architecture of trees. (Taken this weekend at the Huntington Gardens in San Marino.)

Ballerinas on Break

I love these old Life magazines photos of the ballerinas on break at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet in NYC. I was horrible at ballet as a child, but kept wanting to sign up for classes simply because I loved tutus. (I eventually gave it up because I was always tripping over my own feet. I decided to try Disco instead. The results were equally horrendous. ) Now I love the ballet for, yes, the tutus, but for so many other things as well....

Blue

I took my Polaroid camera with me this weekend on my various outings, and this is how one of the photos turned out. Completely blue. Some weird underexposure thing I guess. (I was trying to take pictures of flowering trees.)

The color makes me think of the French film Blue, starring Juliette Binoche. I noticed that several of my blogging girlfriends have the movie listed as one of their favorites. (It's one of mine too.) What is it about that film that resonates so much with women?


From Miranda:
"I think Blue is a kind of essay on a woman's intrinsic power to rediscover hereself in the emotional chaos of total loss. It's an enduring tribute to the power of the feminine. . .plus she's lovely to look at."

Ode to My Flats

Because life is too short to have sore feet.

UPDATE! I love this comment from Little Gray Pixel!

"OH! We are kindred soles (pun intended). I love my flats -- and yours, too. Where can I find yellow ones like yours?"


They're Kate Spade from a few seasons ago. I suspect there might be a pair or two on ebay!

Prada

It's nearly midnight here in Los Angeles and I'm up, combing the wires for every image I can find from the Prada show in Milan. I'm just going to say it straight out: I'm a Prada junkie. Not that I can afford it. I can't. But Miuccia captured my heart when she rolled out that 1950s Ivy League, college girl collection a few years back. (I drove 120 mph to Beverly Hills when I got the call that there was still one Milano souvenir skirt in stock.)

Prada had me through the jewel brooch stage, the robot stage and now this: the bad-ass boot stage. I guess they're called waders, these gigantic boots. They look big enough to eat a Mack Truck.

I don't care. It's all beautiful. I just wished the models looked happier. Maybe the actresses donning the new collection will be more cheerful.

Cathy Horyn, as always, is brilliant on the subject in the NYT {here}.

Seven things about me...

I was tagged by the gorgeous Lolita to list seven random things about myself. So, well, here goes:

1. I love pink cotton candy and carnival rides that spin.

2. I prefer wearing ballerina flats instead of heels.

3. I keep the slips from old fortune cookies in my vintage Japanese jewelry box.

4. I always carry my passport and 50 euros in my change purse. That way I'm sure I'm going back.

5. My favorite piece of clothing is a pink Jacques Fath cape with leopard-print lining, bought at a second-hand store in Paris.

6. I'd rather read the news in a newspaper than on the Internet.

7. And I'd rather be Maud than George, because we all know Yeats loved her best.

I pass this on to:

rummage
paper & pins
un envie de sel
Daydream Lily
The Clever Pup
Cafe Cartolina
and
giulia geranium
Oh, and pugly feet too. that cutie.

And anyone else who wants to answer!

(Photo from Amelie)

Sunday Collage

Hello. Happy Sunday everyone. It's a beautiful day here and we're getting ready to visit the Huntington Gardens. But first, I wanted to share a little inspiration collage with you. I love the color of the old phone. See you later tonight!


(Photos and link backs on My Heart It.)

Vogue

I love these photos by the legendary fashion photographer John Rawlings (1912-1970). It's hard to pick a favorite, although I'm very fond of that leopard print coat. Has anyone seen François Truffaut's film "Bed and Board"? There's a line in the movie that will forever change the way you look at leopard print...

The Key

I know this little photo, by Jackie Young, has been making the rounds out there on We Heart It and other locales. I wasn't going to post it, but I can't stop thinking about the sentiment expressed with just a few typewritten words. I've been thinking a lot about loss lately, I guess. So here is your key.

UPDATE: From Jackie, the creator of the key picture!!

hi.
i made this key image about a year ago after (you guessed it) my boyfriend of 6 years and i called it quits.
i never sent it.
eventually, the key went back on my keychain. the tag attached to it sat in the cupholder of my car for about 3 months. finally, it was so yellow with coffee spills that i threw it away.

sigh.

i'm glad you all like it. i almost didn't post it, but i'm glad i did.
xo.
j.



(You're famous, girl! Bloggers around the world are talking about your key note! xoxox)

Friday Night Treasure Hunt

All the goodies found tonight at the Blue Bell Bazaar on Etsy. I showed tremendous restraint, I think. I only bought one of the glove molds for my tremendously ridiculous collection of clunky costume cocktail rings. Someone grab the toy phone!

Friday

By the way, happy Friday everyone! What are your plans this weekend? I'm hoping to make a visit to the sprawling, beautiful Huntington Gardens in the tony town of San Marino with my Polaroid camera. So many lovely trees are in bloom -- many of them pink. The tulip trees are my favorite.

Of course, I'll be blogging all weekend. (It's my preferred form of recreation, really.) So please stop by!


Above photo by the fantastic Corrie Bond. (No, that's not me in the little pink dress and white gloves. But I really wish it was.)

PS: I was just over visiting Abbey Goes Design Scouting.  Abbey reminded me of the outstanding work of photographer Francesco Lagnese. For a little respite, flip through his online portfolio {here}. The photos will make you swoon. (Also visit Abbey's site. Gorgeous, babe.)

xoxo