Another Kind of Haiku

I amuse myself by writing spam haiku. Today, Boing Boing directed me to this hilarious "Zombie Haiku" video.

Mary Had a Little Band

The following are songs by Mary, my goddaughter. She's six and wants to have a band called the Lightning Flash or the Lightning Strikes (or maybe the Purple Blues).

Time Goes Fast
I Saved Me
I'm a Different Sister
I Just Can't
Dancing in the Moonlight
I Closed My Eyes Today
Just Don't Call Me
Can I Kiss You?
The World is a Shiny Rainbow
Cherry Tree
Your Type
Lucy
Dancing Raindrops
Be Happy
I Can't Be Fine
I Wanna Be Me

Earthquake Survival Bags

As I type this, the top headline on the L.A. Times website reads, "Ho, hum, another not-the-Big-One" (funny, considering the fact that the L.A. Times was offline for several minutes following the quake—I went to the NY Times website to find out info on the quake in the minutes that followed the rumbling.) Today’s earthquake measured 5.4—that's big for me. I'm from NY, where hurricanes are the big natural disasters, but the good thing about hurricanes is that they never sneak up on you. I was at the office when today's quake hit and I was relieved when my chair and desk stopped shaking. At home, I have an emergency bag that I packed soon after experiencing my first earthquake (a 4-something a few years ago). Water, transistor radio, batteries, vitamins, tissues, toothpaste and floss, canned goods and can opener, nuts, some cash. I know there's more I should pack in it and consulted some online sites today. But I stopped reading when I saw DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! on the Red Cross site (caps are theirs). At the office and in my car, I have nothing. So now I’m thinking it could be good to have a bag packed and stored in the back seat or trunk of my car. Perhaps this should be an excuse to purchase a cool tote bag for such a purpose. Hmmm. (No, it's not necessary to have a reason to add a new bag to my collection, but justification is always good.) Certainly an LL Bean Boat and Tote bag would work; it’s timelessly stylish and sturdy and the colors I've selected here are neutral. I have also recently been obsessing over Rebecca Minkoff’s new Wine & Bread tote, with outside pockets for the wine and bread. Think about it: that's a good place to start....

Shaking in SoCal

These songs have been bouncing around in my head since the earthquake earlier.

To Serve Them All My Dishes

During a recent visit to an historic house, I spotted a book on a kitchen shelf and laughed out loud. "The Way to a Man's Heart" appeared on the cover in large type, followed by "The Settlement Cookbook" (see photo above, blurry because taking photos was prohibited in the house and I took this one when no one was looking, and with an unsteady—and guilty—hand). Turns out the book was published more than 100 years ago (circa 1900) and contains recipes from or for immigrants hoping to assimilate in America. Best of all, it's still in publication and on Amazon. I want to order a copy to go with these other classics I recently picked up for my kitchen.

Mermaid Garden Art 1 & 2

Mermaid 1: Upright, basking in the sun.
Mermaid 2: Head in the sand.

Definitions: French Diet

"French diet" is not in the urban dictionary (if it were, it would appear between French dick heads and French dip). A woman wrote a book on the French woman's diet a few years ago and I will take the liberty of using less than 10 words to paraphrase it: Eat what you want and enjoy, but eat less. Also, walk a lot. "Enjoy" is the key word here. The woman who wrote it is French and runs a champagne company—yeah, she knows how to live. The concept of simply practicing portion control and exercising sounds boring. But living the life of a French woman? Now you’re talking. It's more of a lifestyle than a diet and the key is to enjoy one of life's greatest pleasures: food. You don't simply eat; you dine. This is what I have started to do. The Francophile in me likes it, but I also see it as the only possibility. You get to a certain age and, well…. (My aunt told me when I was in my twenties, "Just wait, it will catch up to you." I was probably on my second or third serving of lasagna when she said this, but I believed her to be a big buzzkill at the time.) Every time I hear of a friend trying out another diet, I tune out—or freak out. No carbs: Are you crazy? What about bread and pasta? No dairy: But what about cheese? Cheese! Atkins: Do you really buy into the fact that cutting out broccoli and greens is good for you? I could go on, but I’ve already tuned out my own rant. I’m going French.

Tuesday Tip: Shea Rules

I found a lip balm I liked that contained shea butter and then I started using Hamadi hair products with shea (the shea spray and the shea pomade are fantastic and none of the line's products are made with artificial ingredients). Now I buy organic shea butter in bulk and use it as an all-purpose moisturizer. It works on cuticles, lips, arms and legs, hair and under eyes. It also naturally provides sun protection. It gets better: I used it on my well-worn leather ballet flats and on a slightly scuffed vintage Coach bag I found on eBay. Mr. MVP likes it for back rubs, too.

Ready, Set, Glow

Photos taken in Santa Monica, CA, at the Santa Monica Pier "Glow" event on Saturday. I was expecting more glow, so I turned off the flash on my camera to get glowy and trippy shots of the ferris wheel and prizes.

Getty Visit Part 3: Perfume Bottles

The "Herculean Woman" exhibit at the Getty Villa featured a case of ancient and beautiful vessels for cosmetics and perfumed oils (and the painting above showing cherubs making perfume!). I have a collection of a few dozen old perfume bottles and a handful of cosmetic compacts, but mine come from flea markets, thrift stores and eBay. None are from B.C. but I'm fond of them all, especially the old bottle of Evening in Paris—the one that started my collection. The story behind it: My father was invited to my mother's sixteenth birthday party and asked my grandmother for a ride; when he told her where he was going, she insisted on first bringing him into town to pick up a last-minute gift and she helped him select a bottle of Evening in Paris perfume. (Is it any wonder I am a romantic?) Most of the bottles in my collection are empty or contain perfumes that are no longer wearable (or ones I wouldn't wear anyway), but I love them for their sizes and shapes and designs. I can only imagine the scents once placed in some of the bottles on display at the Getty and love to think they are timeless and made of scents revered through the ages, like the ones I like to wear today: naturally made (without nasty chemicals) and intoxicating. I’d expect nothing less for a goddess.

Signs: Peace, Please

Photo taken in Venice, CA (from Code Pink).

Getty Visit Part 2: Winged Shoes

Another impressive statue at the Getty Villa: Roman god Mercury (Greek god Hermes), who is shown wearing wings strapped to his ankles and a flower on his sole (because the messenger could travel so fast his feet didn't touch the ground). In other words: the coolest sandals ever. As a former track runner, I'm fond of the winged foot as a symbol. I also happen to be a devotee of the sandal, especially the flip-flop. My collection more than tripled when I moved to LA and I'm continually tempted by new styles. Seeing Mercury in the Getty garden definitely got me thinking. I've got a few sandals in the gladiator style—but none with wings. I'm not necessarily looking for shoes to give me god-like speed or abilities, but I do like the style and would have loved to find a pair of winged sandals in the gift shop. No such luck, and a quick web search for sandals with wings was also fruitless. Close as I could get: flip-flops with a cute wing print and a pair by K. Jacques St. Tropez with a winged thong design. Although a pair like Mercury's isn't at all practical for mere mortals, simply adding a sole would be enough. I'd be sold.

Sign: Quiet Please

Photo taken in Hermosa Beach, CA.

Now, The Police's "Voices Inside My Head."

Goddess Jewelry

Top photo taken during a visit to the Getty Villa in Malibu, from "The Hope Hygieia: Restoring a Statue’s History." Hygieia is the mythological goddess of health and I love the snake draped over her shoulder (a symbol of regeneration and rebirth). I have a fondness for jewelry reproductions from museum gift shops so I got myself the double-headed snake bracelet above, which fits above my elbow and made me feel fierce the moment I put it on.

On the Street: Scrunchies?

Photo taken in Venice, CA. Seeing all the colors and combos, I was almost tempted. I wonder: Is the scrunchie making a comeback?

Fashion Friday: Vintage Summer Clothes

I pretty much skipped the preppy phase of the '80s. When others wore Izod shirts with the collars turned up and khacki pants rolled up with docksiders, I favored faded and torn jeans with a rock T-shirt and Converse All-Star sneakers. I also wore a lot of black (my angsty teen self would quote Morrissey: "I wear black on the outside cause black is how I feel on the inside"). I’ve still got a pair of Converse All-Stars (in black, of course), but I’m suddenly attracted to vintage preppy styles. When I happened upon a warehouse sale for a vintage seller recently, I went right for a box of Izod separates and got a white cardigan and a red tennis shirt. I also scored a white eyelet button-up, a sleeveless tee with blue and yellow tulips and a sheer Vera floral blouse in soft blues and greens. Then my heart started racing when I spotted the box of Lilly Pulitzer pieces. Preppy! Pink! First I found a sheer pink button-up (perfectly paired with denim). Then, the men's pastel-colored floral tie (to be used as a belt). When I saw the Capri pants with palm trees and flamingos on the print (see photo above), I knew I was about to unleash my inner-preppy. My summer wardrobe was made.

To celebrate: a video for the stellar song from the new Bruce Springsteen album, "Girls in Their Summer Clothes." The Boss man still has it.

1, 2, 3, 4, Dance

I was dancing in the driver's seat to this song on the radio and I didn't even mind getting caught by a nearby driver while we waited for a light to change. Unbelievably catchy.

Roadside Photo: Honey

Photo taken on the side of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, CA. One of these days I'm going to stop for some.

Tuesday Tip: Green Sunscreen

I don't like to leave the house without sunscreen but hate the feeling of thick or slimy sunscreen products on my face. I found Josie Maran's new line of eco-friendly beauty products at Vert in Venice and picked up the tinted moisturizer, which protects with an SPF of 30 and goes on creamy (not sticky). Best of all: it does not contain nasty parabens, petrochemicals or fragrances. Hoorah.

Happy Birthday, America!

Here I am appreciating American history in Philadelphia, where I recently went for the wedding of my lovely and amazing friend Leah. We tried to see the Liberty Bell but the line was too long, so we peaked through the window instead. Statues to historic figures were on just about every street corner; a marble Ben Franklin even presided over the dance floor at the wedding reception (that's him, above). In the other photo, I'm standing before a statue of "The Signer" but I had a dyslexic moment when I read the plaque and saw it as "The Singer" (doesn't the bill in his hand resemble a microphone?). For actual singing, watch and listen to the "School House Rock" clip of the lesson on the Fourth of July.

Mermaid Art: Venice Graffiti Wall

Photos taken in Venice, CA, at the Venice Graffiti wall. (Notice the surfer girl on the far right.)

Mermaids: Venice Storefront

Photo taken in Venice, CA.

Friend Art: Wendy's Jewelry

Wendy B's art is jewelry. As a kid, I loved trying on my grandmother's baubles--and I got my first piece of diamond jewelry on my sixteenth birthday, when my grandparents gave me a dainty ring. As an adult, I went to Wendy for advice on where to take that ring to be re-set (this was before she became a jewelry designer). Since then, I've purchased a few pieces from her (and drooled over many others). Of course I am drawn by the metals and gems, but I especially love how many pieces in her line are inspired by historic women--so in addition to the pieces being beautiful, they've got bitchin’ stories behind them (you can read about them on her e-commerce site and her blog). I have the Mignonette flower necklace (popular Victorian flower; above left) and am panting heavily over the Boleyn necklace (named for one of Henry VIII's beheaded wives; above right) and the Isabella Wolf-Fang necklace (above, center). (Photos courtesy of Wendy Brandes, wendybrandes.com)