FarmShop

One Saturday morning, Brian and I decided to venture outside our little corner of Santa Monica in search of a worthy brunch.   FarmShop, we decided, was where we'd go.  We arrived at the absolutely charming Brentwood Country Mart, sat down at the bright, rustic-modern FarmShop dining room, and decided it had been a good choice.

Then our morning went from lovely to UNbelievable.  In the sense that I had to double triple check that I wasn't dreaming.

Me to Brian:  What are you ordering?  Savory or sweet?  Sweet or savory?  I'm starving.  How is that possible after what we ate last night?  Ohmygosh everything looks good.  And I love these napkins.  Oh, what about the frittata?  Was that bacon on that plate that just passed by?  I want that.  Or maybe sweet?  Pancakes?  Oooh that lady's purse!  Ok, food.  Ummm...I don't know, you decide.

Brian to Me (after completely ignoring all of the above):  (in the voice of Leslie Mann as the sister in Knocked Up)  I think I'll have some fucking Freeeeench Toast.  

(Play this.  It's only 10 seconds.  It's important, I swear.)

I look up.  A small blonde woman, hair swept up in a bun--jeans-boots-cape-sunglasses--walks right behind Brian.  Could it be?  No, it can't.  I look back again.  No.  I look again.  Yes.  YES IT IS HER.  

YES LESLIE MANN AKA THE FRENCH TOAST LADY JUST WALKED BY RIGHT AFTER BRIAN DID HER FRENCH TOAST LINE IN HER FAKE DRUNK VOICE FROM KNOCKED UP.  

And there goes her husband, who happens to be Judd Apatow (nbd).

LIFE WIN.

So that happened.

But besides providing me with my second favorite celeb sighting ever (this is still my first fave), FarmShop totally delivered in the food department.  Like, can we talk about that scone?  Yeah, the herb goat cheese one.  I don't think I knew what a real scone was supposed to taste like until I had that one.  Generally I think of the scone as the muffin's thinner, more uptight stepsister.  But you guys, believe me when I tell you that this scone was like a biscuit and a croissant and a cheese plate combined-- flaky, buttery, salty, savory deliciousness.  I had the frittata with burrata and wild mushrooms and it was hearty, earthy and just the right amount of cheesy.  Oh, and the French toast didn't disappoint either!  Thanks for that one, Leslie; you made my day.

Skating in SF

My favorite holiday activity.

Grandma

Killing it in vintage Jaeger.

Christmas Photo Dump

A few of my faves from this weekend...

Love my peeps.

Family Photos

You know how you know when you're working too much?  When you only make it to #5 on your advent calendar by the time Christmas rolls around.  Who doesn't have time for chocolate?  Geez, what am I doing with my life, letting important things like advent calendaring slide like that?

Anyway, I'm back from a festive, fabulous holiday break, and feeling like I can finally bear to look at my computer screen again.  And I do have some Christmas recaps for you this week!

But I should warn you, if you're expecting some adorable post about how I went to a Christmas tree farm in my wellies and plaid scarf and chopped down the most imperfectly perfect Christmas tree and then put it up in my effortlessly Crate&Barrel-catalogued (yeah, I just verbed that) apartment while listening to Charlie Brown Christmas or something, you might be a little disappointed.  Those types of Christmases only happen on [other] blogs.  But if you're looking for some real life funny, I've got your back.  Well, really, my whole fam does.  This is what happens when we try to take a family photo:

{please note my dad on the far right, trying to capture this precious moment}

{Tebowing...I give up}

{all you need is a light chokehold to keep us in line!}

Nothing like home for the holidays.

If You're Still Looking for a Present...

Here's one you can feel good about:

{UNICEF via Cool Hunting}

Only $25 for these gorgeous rosewood bangles made in India, AND a portion of the proceeds go to saving babies (via UNICEF).  I mean, what's not to like??  Seriously.  Buy these now (I did)!

Deadmau5

We went to Hollywood on Saturday night, and this is what happened:

(Necessary soundtrack)

{via YouTube}

{thanks to Tim for the tickets!}

If you played the soundtrack up at the top, then you don't need me to explain how freaking amazing Deadmau5 is (and if you didn't, you're missing out)!  The Hard X Mouth Taped Shut concert (and Sony promotional event for Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - CANNOT WAIT) was the most insane, exhilarating, all around most fun party/concert ever!  Like the kind where you can't help but jump like you did when you were 11 at the Blink182 concert but it's ok because everyone around you is jumping and you're all part of a giant pulsing techno mass and you feel like maybe all those feet landing at once might actually be part of the beat and you can't help but be happier than ever before.  You know what I mean?

Thanks, again, L.A. for my second totally unexpected and awesome music experience this week (the first is here)!

A Forgotten Gem

My favorite thing about film is developing that roll you randomly find at the bottom of your purse that you had totally forgotten about, and getting a picture like this.  Made my day :)

The Coat

Anyone watch New Girl tonight?  Anyone??  Did ya see the coat?  You know, THIS coat that Jess (Zooey Deschanel) wears to Schmidt's holiday party?

{via Kate Spade}

Guess who wore the very same coat to her company's holiday party?!

I always knew we'd be friends in real life.

P.S. Have you seen the blog Zooey co-founded?  I<3 her.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall

It's been a work-hard-play-hard kind of week (and my aching feet can attest to it).  In the last six days, I've gone to three cocktail parties, a fundraiser for the Creative Visions Foundation (check them out!), an L.A. Phil concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and to top it all off, I got sworn in to the state bar of California!  I'm afraid I didn't get to take many pictures of all the social events, but I do have some pics from the Disney Concert Hall to share!

I've wanted to check this place out since I moved to L.A., so when I saw the Groupon for tickets to "The Hollywood Sound" in my inbox, you bet I clicked that "Buy!" button faster than you can say "the deal is on!"  As you probably could guess, unlike some of my other Groupon purchases (<ahem> the Bar method that expired four months ago), this one turned out to be money well spent.

The Disney Concert Hall itself is absolutely breath-taking.  It was designed by Frank Gehry, who lives in a crazy-cool house he designed right here in Santa Monica (which I will now commence stalking...I will find him if he's findable).  Everywhere you look, the lines of the building soar up, and around, and then plunge down again.  It's so big that it's hard to take it all in.  I am so in awe of Gehry's creativity.

One reason I loved this concert was that all the music was from old(ish) movies (hence the name, "The Hollywood Sound").  Before each set, the composer would explain a bit about what movies the songs came from, and how they fit into Hollywood history - it was so interesting!  Did you know that each movie studio used to have its own orchestra that would record soundtracks?  My favorites were the suites from To Kill a Mockingbird (the piano and flute solos made my heart hurt - the composer said they are supposed to echo the childlike simplicity of the narrator, Scout) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (the organ gave me chills!).  Brian liked "The Hunt" from Planet of the Apes best, and everyone gave a standing ovation after the orchestra played the Superman theme song as an encore (oh Superman...).

The inside seating area is all wood, and the design feels very Scandinavian.  But somehow, despite it's sleek, modern lines and high ceilings, it still feels intimate and warm (there were no pictures allowed in the seating area sadly).  And the "acoustics"?  All I can tell you is that from the perspective of someone who has used the word "acoustics" maybe three times ever, it sounded like I was standing in the middle of the orchestra and they were playing a special concert just for me, and maybe we were in a field with sunshine and fairies involved.  It was that good.

When I was little, every time I went to a museum, I wanted to be a painter; every time I went to the ballet, I wanted to be a ballerina.  I've grown up enough to know that I'll never be a painter, a ballerina, or a concert pianist, but I still leave every performance, every exhibit, every concert, feeling a little more hopeful, a little more optimistic, a little more like a dreamer. Watching artists perform is still the ultimate source of inspiration for me.

The world was a little brighter after the concert today.  I left feeling honored to have had the opportunity to enjoy such talent, and thankful that I live in L.A., where $47 and a 30-minute drive will get me here.

Weekend Win

This weekend was L.A. living at its best.  A crisp and sunny morning run on the beach, a simple and delicious brunch at FarmShop (insta-fave), a wander through the Brentwood Country Mart, and Christmas shopping for all my favorite people made me smile.  And then there was a tree-lighting, a panattone shared with friends, and a healthy dose of wine for a festive Saturday night.

And a new apartment to start off our Sunday.  Oh yes!  We signed a new lease!  For a place with a view!  We're not moving till January, but I already have so many ideas - it's distracting, really.  But this place is awesome, guys.  There's a loft and a roof deck and a fireplace and a balcony and a microwave and a dishwasher!  A DISHWASHER.  You should come visit.  And use all the plates and cups you want.

{why yes, that is the Pacific over there behind those palm trees}

To top it all off, there was an impromptu stop at Shutters on the Beach for some oysters, wine, and an incredible Sunday sunset.

The whole weekend stretched on like a holiday.  A wonderful, wonderful weekend.

I feel it in my fingers...

Our Christmas cards arrived in the mail this week!

{via SillhouetteBlue}

We ordered them from SilhouetteBlue on Etsy and I absolutely love them!  I can't wait to send them out and officially start the holiday season!

And speaking of the holidays, there's a holiday festival on Main Street in Santa Monica this weekend (complete with Christmas tree lighting, caroling, and "holiday parties" in all the boutiques!), and I'm so excited to go!  I hope you have a festive weekend, too!

Still 18 at Heart

I'm pretty sure this song is supposed to make me at least roll my eyes, or shake my head in disapproval at the degenerate state of youth and the music industry today, or something like that.  But instead, it makes me want to dig a red solo cup out of my cabinets (we always have an emergency supply), raise it valiantly in salute to Toby Keith, and shout "PROCEED TO PARTY!"  That probably says something about my maturity (what maturity?), but for reals guys, this song just makes me so unexpectedly happy.

{OK, I'm not vouching for the video guys, just the song.  Chill.}

I bet this is now the unofficial soundtrack to life on every college campus right now, and ohhhh, how I wish I could be there, singing along, saluting the greatness of a life of irresponsibility.  There's not much I wouldn't trade for a few more years of college glory.

Red Wine Cranberry Sauce

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgivings!  I, for one, might have done a bit too much enjoying, judging by the several pairs of pants that were vetoed as outfit choices this morning for failure to zip...and for that, I blame the cranberry sauce.  I love cranberry sauce.  Every year, I slather it all over the top of my Thanksgiving plate like whipped cream on a pie, and I get seconds mostly just to have something to put more cranberry sauce on (although I should add, I am not above eating it by the spoonful).  For me, cranberry sauce belongs in the same category as bacon and peanut butter -- everything is better with it.

For the last few years, I've been making a wine-based cranberry sauce, and I thought I'd share my recipe with you today!  If you're a red wine lover, then I know you will really like this!

Red Wine Cranberry Sauce

12-oz bag fresh cranberries

1 1/2 c. frozen cherries, cut in half

1/3-1/2 bottle of zinfandel 

1/2 c. brown sugar

Rind of 1 orange

Juice of 1 orange

1 T. rosemary, finely chopped

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. cloves

1/2 t. nutmeg

Put it all together in a sauce pan.  Turn the heat to medium-high until the mixture boils, then turn it down and simmer until it thickens up (about 30 minutes).  When it's thick enough, take it off the heat, cool and serve!

I might start making this year round.  That's how much I love red wine cranberry sauce.

Do you have any favorite recipes for the holidays?  I'm always looking for new recipes and I'd love to hear about your favorites!

5 [Inconsequential] Things to be Thankful For

It's time to give some thanks, people!  This year, I'm thankful for all the little things - the things that usually go unappreciated but without which my days would be substantially less happy.  So, in honor of pilgrims and Native Americans eating turkey together (that's what Thanksgiving is about, right?), I bring you the top 5 insignificant things that I'm thankful for this year:

1. The most comfortable work shoes in the entire world (which I wear every single day)

{picture on left via Tory Burch}

2. My GPS - I'm lost without it (pun intended).  But really.

{lost in Turkey}

3. The sheep emoticon on Microsoft Communicator (gchat for corporate folk)

{the only emoticon you really need}

4. Teresa Caputa (aka the Long Island Medium) - man, I love that woman.  Have you seen the show?  No?!  Go watch it and then tell me psychics aren't real.  I dare you.

{via TLC}

5. Pumpkin pie from Urth Caffe (it really is the best I've ever had!)

Cheers to the small things, my friends!  (Now go eat your weight in turkey and pie already!)