Funky Threads

Thinking of picking up the needle and thread sans the grandmother lesson? Summer might be a great opp to make your own sexy, crocheted bikini. Take part in former L.A. fashion designer Jin Kim's very-hip sewing boutique, where she offers everything from funky fresh threads (no, seriously) to lessons galore on making your own vintage shift dresses. Check it here.

 

Let's Not Water Down the Problem

Nothing irks me more than seeing someone brush their teeth or wash their dishes with the water running full blast—I mean where the water is spraying everywhere but NOTHING is underneath the faucet. I didn’t think I had many pet peeves, but that is definitely one of them. If watching fresh, precious water go straight down the drain without any use is not an obvious enough visual to know what waste looks like, I don’t know what is.

Seriously. Where is my documentary on water waste? I'd Netflix that!

But I come from the school of rehabilitation, which is why I’m sharing some info about Pasadena Water & Power offering their residents a free Water Conservation 101 workshop. Not only that, participants receive a free water saver kit ($40 value), and a chance to win a smart irrigation controller ($400 value) to boot. See their snazzy flyer. 

In addition, you'll get tips on what the best water-efficient landscaping is for our Southern California climate (ahem, succulents anyone?), and finally learn how to read your water bill. I signed up for the May 15 class, 9 to noon, but they also have another class on June 12. Workshop will be held at the Salvation Army Pasadena Tabernacle, 960 E. Walnut Street. Call (626) 744-3715 or just register online here. Just be sure to have your PWP account. If neither of those dates work for you, you can always check out their 24/7 online gardening class, which teaches you native plant selection, irrigation basics and landscape maintenance. I may have to check out the Native Nights class, which shows the benefits of using native California plants for a more water-efficient, low-maintenance, year-round blossoming garden. 

Happy water saving and see you (hopefully) at the workshop!

Not sure how much water is actually being wasted in your everyday routine? Check out some quick facts here from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

-Today, some 25 million Californians face an ongoing water shortage (19 million being from southern California)

-Turning off the water when brushing your teeth saves three gallons of water a day.

-Spending only five minutes in shower saves 25 gallons each time.

-Wash only full loads in dishwasher save 15-20 gallons per load.

-Fixing leaky faucets can save 20 gallons a day.

Swimsuit Season Equals Workout Season

It's always funny to me how as soon as the tiniest glimmer of summer season rolls into Los Angeles, suddenly everyone discovers an inner wanton need to exercise till the cows come home. Well, it is Los Angeles and we're not exactly a "layers" kind of crowd if you know what I mean. I'm guilty of this fair weather fan-of-exercise as well. There's no question I get excited for the warmer seasons because that means easy going, comfortable tanks and shorts and breezy dresses. Plus, I get cold so easily it even annoys me that I have to keep an emergency-cold sweater in the car. Good thing for me, it feels like summer comes a little early (and stays a little longer) in Pasadena. It's great until we reach August, but we'll blog about that later ... Today, I was happy to see these workout vids featuring Tracy Anderson, who is pretty decorated in terms of who she's helped tighten and strengthen (Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna). These are great short vids if you got some living room space and 20 minutes. Remember, these should offer a good challenge since it's engaging more than just your core muscles. In other words, don't just swing your legs aimlessly and hope it works. Really think about the muscles you're using and try to challenge yourself where it feels the most weak, whether that's your legs, sides or stomach.

Even if you're a fair weather fan-of-exercise, these options are so short, you'll quickly jump start your endorphin high, and can do them while watching Family Guy -- which isn't half bad as I've recently discovered.

Kick Away Those Love Handles

No Butts About this Workout

More workout vids from Tracy. 

Workspace: A Year and Four Months Later

My mom was right. Time does move faster as an adult than as a child. She used to say stuff like that to me all the time (usually while I rolled my eyes at her) and I never believed her. I guess she just wanted me to stop fretting over the present moment, which obviously is the opposite of my problem today. I'm SO focused on what will (read: should) happen in the next week, month, year, five years, etc.

So what has happened in a mere year? I present my workspace from a year and four months ago. Can you tell just from this photo I took today how much has changed in my life? Probably not. Let me happily expound.

 Big news first, in exactly 19 days, I will be moving into my very own place, a Victorian house in Pasadena's Bungalow Heaven that was split in half and made into two apartments. It's actually my boyfriend's former place (ahem, his place of 10 years). Suffice to say, I know the place pretty well, including the neighbors, who are all great. My new workspace will offer me a window view - instead of me using my mirror for a view of the outside world.

I'm happy too that it will be quiet - a prerequisite for any apartment if a writer is moving in. My current place is often made noisy by the walkway right outside my window (kids running and neighbors pulling heavy equipment) and by neighbors who feel it's perfectly acceptable neighborly decorum to honk for their friends. Added that my neighbor, whom I share a wall with, has totally convinced me to never buy surround sound, unless I like blowing my neighbors' ear drums. Note: No matter how loudly you try to blast KCRW on laptop speakers, hip hop playing from a car - parked outside on the street - with a subwoofer will always win out. However, the new place will be a standalone house, oh yes! No more apartment living.

The coffee cup sits on an appetizer plate, which my sister gave me a dozen of for Christmas. Works great as a coffee cup plate. I already have a serious collection of plateware, so these are just frosting on the cake!

On my corkboard, I put up a card recently given to me by two new editors I started working with this past year. I won't go into too many details, but I was especially appreciative of one comment, "You have brought a great new voice and energy to ..." There's a process to keeping yourself motivated to pitch amid rejection after rejection - posting inspirations are just one very small way I keep my focus and drive.

At right, you'll notice a stack of Domino magazines. Seriously, I never knew how fun it'd be planning out your interior decor would be until I got the opportunity. I'm bookmarking to my heart's delight at Apartment Therapy and The Nest too. Most recently, I signed up for Netflix, it's terrifically easy and has a collection of vids that blows Blockbuster out of the water. I only signed up after my laptop went out of commission. I was using my boyfriend's laptop, which had Netflix available. Only after I returned it and he started getting recommendations for rommantic, foreign, feel-good movies, did he suggest I get my own account. Next on Netflix: Becoming Jane. Sigh.

Speaking of decor, my boyfriend has suggested the idea that my Umbra fotoholder makes my desk look cluttered. OK, sometimes it gets outta hand. Sometimes it feels like I'm making an exhibition of my bills, concert tickets, letters I need to respond to, I even have Forget-Me-Not seeds that I need to plant, handing from Umbra. Is there a better, cleaner way to put all your etc. papers away? What are your solutions? 

Worth Your Gamble

This afternoon, a girlfriend and I took a one-hour tour of a 102-year-old craftsman home in Pasadena. I've lived in Pasadena for a little more than two years, and was excited to know that I was no longer disregarding my beautiful neighboring landscape that is historic Pasadena. The Gamble House today, remains a manse to be proud of. It was originally commissioned as a winter home for David and Mary Gamble of the manufacturing firm Procter and Gamble (yes, the Ivory Soap one). It's important to remember these structures not only as noted architectural icons of our past, but that they literally stand the test of time. Our docent mentioned that this house was built following the San Francisco 1906 earthquake, it was built like a fort with an adjustable frame and was bolted into the ground. But still, 100 years is a 100 years, not to mention California continued to have earthquakes throughout the 20th century. Aside from a chimney lost, it's incredibly impressive to realize a home constructed in 1908 is as structurally sound as it was when it was first built. 

Even more impressive was that the Gamble House design and construction took just 10 months (one month ahead of schedule) - quite an achievement, but definitely not its architects (Charles Greene and Henry Greene) only one.


I picked up some amazing knowledge about this house, which made me want to learn more about architecture. There's always more than meets the eye when it comes to architecture.


- The owner had an fixation with Tsuba, a sword guard seen in Japanese culture. The frame where the key hold went, as well as tables and other furniture fixtures were designed with that Tsuba shape. In fact, the wood-building of the outside structure has a Japanese flair.


-Los Angeles air used to breathable and healthy. The house includes "sleeping porches," it was believed that sleeping outdoors and breathing in the night air was beneficial. 


-During that period electricity was still in its infancy. Mary Gamble's living room electric lamp had a beautiful moth-shaped design hanging over the lamp shade (made of glass). The reason behind that obstruction was that it was thought to guard against the evil of electricity, or so the docent says. 


An interesting history lesson it seems, but also a nice walk down history lane. High recommend. You can check out the tour here. 

Well Noted

Living in Pasadena comes with some perks, one of those being the antique malls and shops that line historic streets like Orange Grove and Fair Oaks, which at one time were driven by horse and buggies. One was even called Route 66.
My boyfriend and I went to an antique store on Fair Oaks. We were rummaging through boxes of old postcards - many with original writing intact. It's curious how interested we became in reading all the little notes and letters written by people before us who we never knew. Strangely, the writing called to me in a familiar way, like I had just received it at my mailbox instead of uncovering it from an old box labeled, "postcards $2." My boyfriend took home some pretty incredibly finds. I still potentially want to put them up on my wall in a cluster of framed cards. Probably saw something on Apartmenttherapy that inspired me. Here are some I found. I love the illustrations and font, plus the vibrant colors used on mine. You just don't see that amount of work put into cards anymore, unless their wedding invitations. In case you're wondering, here's what the first one says: "Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others, without getting a few drops on yourself." And "Troubles are like babies. They only grow bigger by nursing." Kitschy, clever and well noted!  

Here are a couple, which aren't mine, but ones I found to be incredibly humorous for being vintage postcards. They both feature prostitutes. The first one is supposed to be a prostitutes legs bitten by fleas from beds, which we assume, are plenty and varied. The second one is French, obviously, and shows a prostitute stealing from her unaware client.