Song of the Day

It's official.

Date night, nerds!

My daughter's sleep-over arrangements are etched in stone. The Jack Purcells are going under the bed and I'm pulling the peep-toe sling-backs ("grown folks' shoes") out of the closet. The tank is full of gas and Matt and I are headed to L.A. for dinner and a show.

What — you may ask — is the first show you will be seeing in four long months? The Dirty Projectors & the LA Philharmonic (though, probably not simultaneously) at the Walt Disney Concert Hall! Their sound may be a little too hyper-idiosyncratic for some, but I think it'll translate well live, especially in such a grand venue. Remember when I posted this? Can't wait.

(Ed. note: Okay, this crazy rain and a tsunami warning may be throwing a little salt in my game...)

Eraser Crumbs — Well, More Like Paper Slivers This Time

The other day I mentioned my budding paper-cutting skills. Here's my most recent attempt. Pretty simple, but I found myself with more inspiration than supplies.

This was done using these Cutter Bee scissors I picked up at Target. They were on the scrap-booking aisle and real life, grown-up paper artists might scoff at them. But they did the trick (more, or less). I just bought this Fiskars craft knife today and, with any luck, I'll be able to use it on the trickier stuff, like letters. I'm slowly working my way up to X-acto knives, which, for some reason, seem so professional and unapproachable for a novice such as myself.

For reasons I'm sure a therapist could easily elucidate, I never seem to do these projects for myself (or, for money). The only thing that gets me motivated is the need for, say, a birthday gift. This one was done by request for an almost-3-year-old homie of mine.

I'll make you one, too, if you like*. I'm stocked up on supplies now and the first person to ask for one in the comments will receive a customized cut-paper piece (it doesn't have to be letter-, or mermaid-specific). We'll sort out shipping behind the scenes.

*Um, for practical reasons, I probably won't be making offers like this in the future. I just need the practice, so...

Being Crafty Is On My To-Do List

I spotted Home Ec. during my last visit to L.A. and wanted to go in, but they were closed.

Browsing around their site, I found out it's a crafting workshop studio that opened last August. (What used to be there? I want to say...a second-hand shoppe.)

Not only can all-thumbs wannabes like me buy designer Heather Ross' fairytale-inspired fabric there...

...they can also enroll in an in-house class to teach them how to make it into something. Funny...I bought some a year ago on an impulse and never imagined it could serve any other function than gathering dust.

March 14's Kid Class: Spring Egg-stravaganza jumped out at me immediately. And I got even more excited when I found out super-cool mom and crafter par excellence, Clare Crespo, was one of the teachers, I was all ready to sign up.

Then I scrolled down the course description and found it was only open to kids 8-12. Boo!

All the same, if you (adults) want to learn embroidery, or modern baby quilt-making, or if you're just in the market for wooden buttons from Japan, check it out.

For the Love of Lists — The existence of these things gives my brain gas

In truth, this list could easily extend to biblical proportions. But for the sake of brevity, i'll just offer up four things I've recently encountered that fit the bill. Such is the state of my mental discomfort over these things, that I can't even really write scathing commentary. Feel free to hit up the comments and give your best shot (or, hey, defend 'em if you feel inclined!).

1. Juicy Couture Monopoly (I recently saw this at TJ Maxx, but apparently, it was once worthy of Neiman's, shelves.)

2. Burger and Friends' high-waisted spandex "Pursuit Shorts" (No, I don't believe these are meant to be warn under clothes.)

3. Aristabrat Swarovski crystal pacifier (They're $120 each...only $10 more than the matching rattle.)

4. "Vajazzle" is now a word.

Watch This

When he's not playing the buffoonish jock on one of my new favorites, "Community," Donald Glover is one-third of Derrick Comedy. The troupe brings their limited release debut film to L.A. next month.

While this one-off promo might not exactly entice you to head to the NuArt* for the screening, it may take the edge off if, like me, you're salty about being deprived of prime time funny by those never ending Winter Olympics.

*The site doesn't yet have details for the engagement — which runs for a week, starting March 12 — but their latest movie guide flier backs me up on this.

New On the Shelves

Check out these cool new additions (hopefully) to your kids' libraries.

What with "Race You to Bed" joining his previous title, "Monster vs. Bedtime," Bob Shea must be vying for a monopoly on the 6-and-under set's nightly reading roster. Like your kids, this adorable bunny is way too riled up to settle down for sleep, preferring to climb, leap and dive its way into slumber. But after 40 pages of hyper-activity, the bunny finally gives in (hopefully, like your kids). The rhymes are cleverly written and each page has more visual pop than the last. Resulting dreams will surely be cute.

We have a copy of Tao Nyeu's serene, wordless "Wonder Bear." Her new one "Bunny Days," contains mini stories featuring a handful of bunnies who are up to shenanigans and a clever bear who keeps them in check. I peg this as a cross between Margaret Wise Brown and James Kochalka. I'm not really the type to buy kids Easter gifts, but this would be a good pick for just such an occasion.

Mo Willems' Elephant & Piggie series has pretty much launched my daughter into full-fledged literacy. His new "Cat the Cat" books (man, this guy is prolific!) are too simplistic for kids who can sound out words on their own. But for three- and four-year-olds just getting started with reading, the word repetition in these books is a plus.

In Mark Rogalski's picture book, each letter of the alphabet is represented by its own circus bill-style illustration. To be clear, the book is more form than function.

"Belly Flops! Karate Chops! Weasels Pop! The Hippo Hop!"

Yeah...nobody's going to learn anything about the letter H from that right there. This basically strikes me as a travel book — something to hand the kids when you set off on a plane or rode trip to keep them engaged while you take deep breaths.

Early Morning Eye Candy

The new issue of Small Magazine posted today and this feature caught my eye. Guest editors from Tada!Shop drew inspiration from one of my daughter's favorite books, "The Curious Garden," to present spring kids' goodies. It's a darling little feature that, for my purposes, neatly juxtaposes two sites I intended to write about anyhow.

Small (and its blog) have more or less filled the hole Cookie magazine left for me when they closed shop. It's far less informative than Cookie, but the Small world does give good fantasy. The pages are beyond busy and there are more soft focus despondent moppet fashion shots than you can shake a Made in China plastic wand at. They do, however, give good shine to indie design-conscious brands and up-and-coming artists.

Likewise — if inaccessibility is what you crave — Tada!Shop is an e-commerce emporium that fills all your over-priced frock-gawking needs. Once you start browsing the Pink Chicken swim caps and Elephantito mary-janes on their Create-A-Look page, you can kiss a good half-hour away.

Together, these sites are about as practical as Dwell is to the average homeowner. But if you have some time to kill and you're tired of looking at those grubby little Old Navy separates in your laundry basket, give a click.

3 Hours in L.A.*

*Actually, it was more like 2.5 hours, thanks to I-5's congested traffic all the way up the connect-the-dumps stretch from Santa Fe Springs to City of Commerce.

This morning, I threw caution to the wind and journeyed up to L.A. for a haircut. I know, I know...that undermines my project. But I have to look fresh and clean for Saturday night (you'll have to check back this weekend to find out why!)

Factoring in an hour drive each way, I had precious little time to "do me" before I had to be back in Orange County to pick up my daughter from school.

First up was Rudy's Barbershop, where they practically scalped me (just the way I like it), slathered my head with tea tree goodness and sent me on my way. While at Rudy's, I noticed that what I knew to be the historical Vista Theater was now wearing an unsightly new facade and a huge sign that read: Ogden Marsh Cinemas. I shook my head and lamented the stately Vista's loss (even though my Mommy status prevented me from seeing anything other than "The Simpsons Movie" and "Dreamgirls" there). Online investigating after the fact revealed that it was a publicity stunt, left up from last night's premiere of "The Crazies," that small town "28 Days Later"-looking horror flick that wild horses couldn't drag me to.

[Ed. note: How tired was I when I typed this? What I meant to say about the Vista was not that it was gone physically, but bought out by some nameless, faceless chain and, thus, gone spiritually.]

Now, onto the next spot on my whirlwind tour. If you've spent much time east of Hollywood, you may recall Sunset Junction cafe and bakery, Town & Country.

Well, it's now gone (alas, few are likely to be lamenting its loss). My friends and I wanted so badly to like it — nice owner, free parking lot, great people-watching. But comfort food is supposed to bring you...you know, comfort, not consternation. Erroneous orders, slow service, sold-out everything and food that only sounded good were all the norm.

Well, someone must've burned some very potent sage over the space because its new incarnation, Forage, is the kind of place where I'd love to be a regular.

T&C's kitschy, bright colors have been white-washed and the focus is all on the food.

I worked it out with this pork belly sandwich, which — once you managed to penetrate the fierce armor of bread — was mouth-watering. The garlic aoili, crunchy cabbage and fennel pickles were the perfect accents to what I felt to be a stingy portion of Niman Ranch pork (there is never enough pork belly, you guys, especially when it's this good). My sandwich came with an inhale-able potato and cabbage soup that was velvety, rich and savory, despite its Depression Era sound and appearance. My lovely lunch companion, Susan, loved her faro and lentil salad so much, she went back for seconds. The desserts looked all kinds of beautiful, but time was not on my side. We vowed to go back soon and Susan even stopped to tell one of the chefs she was so glad they'd moved in to remove the curse that had been on the building.

BTW, they do a weekly harvest call for for folks to bring in their best seasonal produce to be used in their rotating recipes — everyone from local farmers to area gardeners with bright green thumbs. How cool is that?

I spent my last half-hour poking around Yolk. I went frugal and only bought a copy of the Indie-Rock Coloring Book. (There's too much to say about this purchase, really, so just check the link.)

Here's what I reluctantly left behind...

Slick cups from Marimekko's In Good Company collection. They would make my macchiatos taste so cool. Sigh.

I also passed on their super-soft Mini Rotation toddler shirts...

...and Global Mamas' adorable fair trade dresses...

Let's see...what have I forgotten? I had the requisite "do I know her, or is she on TV?" sighting. And, of course, I saw Silver Lake's shirtless walking guy. Oh, and the drive home afforded me a glimpse at a billboard even more nauseating than a Spearmint Rhino ad. While Toyota's recalling everything, it can go ahead and include that dreadful "Mommy Like" campaign for its Sienna mini-van. As if the pun on the already dreadful phrase "Daddy Like" wasn't bad enough, it's perpetuating the lame mom-as-minivan maven stereotype. Yuck.

A far more pleasant roadside spotting? A "What Would Mma. Romotswe Do?" license plate frame. Too cute.

Man, I need to make trips like this longer and more frequent. (And for the sake of blogging, it might help if I take a fully functioning camera along with me.)

Art I Heart — Papercuts...of the Non-Ouchy Variety

Over the past year, I've been trying my hand at paper-cut art. I lack the patience and tools to be extremely good at it. All the same, I find it to be a strangely hypnotic and satisfying past-time, so I keep at it.

A short while back, the family visited a group show that featured this piece by Rhode Island's Allison Cole.

My daughter said, "Mommy, that's like what you do." "Mine isn't that good," I said. "Well, just practice," she replied, adding, "I have an idea. You could practice doing it everyday. Okay?"

She's a genius, I tell you. And, while I'd be lying if I said I followed her advice to the letter, I have kept at it in dribs and drabs.

I've also been following others who do it well, like Sacramento artist, Jayme McGowan.

Poketo features her work in their new papercut wallet series and her Etsy shop is full of Wantables, such as these two above. And her blog has helped to bulk up my bookmarks folder with new-to-me paper-cutting resources (hello, Paper Forest!).

My infatuation with paper-based art actually started with the god-like Rob Ryan. We have a small collection of his work, including his book, "This Is For You," which I managed to salvage from a dusty clearance shelf at Urban Outfitters. I mean, can you imagine this once being a whole piece of paper?

And, um...hello...how many breath-taking, Vogue-commissioned paper dresses do you see on a regular basis?

His new site just launched last week and, from it, I have learned that the next time I'm in London, I absolutely have to visit his shop, Ryantown. (Incidentally, if you are a friend or admirer and happen to beat me to London, I'll gladly accept gifts from the shop.)

Mellow yellow...

Yesterday's mood was beyond bad, hence, no posts. Today, I doubled up on the espresso and grabbed a few bunches of the first daffodils of the season. The best way to greet spring, as far as I'm concerned.

What's that incredible art in the background, you ask? Why, that's none other than my daughter's own multi-media artwork. Two spectacles in one post. You're welcome.

Watch This

My jaw only just got back to its rightful place after having discovered this (new to me, anyway). You can go ahead and get as excited as everyone else about Ricky Gervais' new podcast-cum-HBO show. But I find his earlier work way more spellbinding...

OC Oasis — milk + honey

Twice this week, I've popped over to milk+honey. It's a bit of a trek (I have to take a freeway and a toll road to get all the way to Costa Mesa). But the last time I went to my usual haunt closer to home, neither of the two new girls behind the counter knew how to make a macchiato. So, there you go.

milk + honey is located on the edge of The Camp (which, along with The Lab, make up "The Anti-Mall"). It's the kind of humble, yet stylized independently-owned coffee spot I don't often find in Orange County.

Even though I usually go for a red eye, or straight espresso, I like their adventurous take on coffee drinks. The English Toffee latte made me smile and I plan to try the PB&J mocha next. They do the standard drinks well, too (Matt gave his macchiato the thumbs up).

Inside, there are only three small tables — not exactly ideal for lounging, though the sweet oldies and indie rock mix and stack of board games entice you to stay a while. (It was a little too crowded to take pix inside, btw.) Outside, there's a small "garden lounge" of sorts. A hodgepodge of sofas, tables, succulents and Christmas lights that all remind me of Austin's Spider House and reminded the girl sitting beside me of Berkeley.

The patio atmosphere is almost relaxing enough to make you forget that just beyond the wall is a busy corner gas station. (Almost.)

The last time around, I ordered the honey tarragon tuna sandwich out of sheer curiosity and I'm sorry to say it fell flat. The sweetness over-powered even the taste of the tuna and the tarragon flavor was lost completely.

Luckily, my cucumber-ade was exactly what I'd hoped for. It was the kind of mild and mellow drink you enjoy at a spa.

Maybe I'll stick to beverages here for a while, or at least, keep food orders as simple as a bagel.

As soon as temps start rising above 70, I plan to try some of their funky sounding cold treats — maybe the M+H Chai Delux, which is the bonkers-sounding combination of Japanese-style chai tea-flavored shaved ice with a NY cheesecake center, topped with strawberry, mochi, kiwi and almond slices.

If you're in Costa Mesa making an Ikea run, or doing some luxe shopping at South Coast Plaza or Room + Board, this is a worthwhile addition to your itinerary. It's just across the 405 from those big-box attractions.

Their site is down for a re-design, but their new hours are Monday-Friday, 7a to 9p and Saturday & Sunday, 9a to 9p.

Watch This...

I'm sure this freshly-premiered video will be damn-near inescapable within days, but I had to post it. I have more love for this Vampire Weekend video than I have had for any music video in a while. Are the guest cameos gimmicky? Perhaps. But Jake Gyllenhaal gives his best performance since "Donnie Darko" (sad commentary, there) and I actually found myself caring about a Jonas Brother for once. Plus, a magical Matrix Rza and a dapper Lil Jon with French subtitles...what?!?. Oh, and the song is catchy, too!

Wantables — Bracelets

My oh-so sweet mom just gifted me these Rosena Sammi bangles, which ignited a sudden craving for more and more bracelets. (With warm weather around the corner, bracelets may just replace my current scarf fetish.)

I love the super-heroine vibe coming from this vintage bracelet (at one of my all-time favorite L.A. shops, Lady).

My buddy, Susan, hand-crafted this mixed-media statement piece using vintage bamboo and clay beads. I could see wearing it with a little sundress, some leather wedges and gold hoop earrings.

This double chain cuff calls to mind those plastic Ricky Schroeder bracelets I used to pile on in the fifth grade. It comes in a bunch of great colors and all of Sparkling Sage's bracelets are on sale here.