Our friend's little boy had his 1st birthday party in the park today. It was packed with families doing the same. The June gloom (1 day early) wasn't stopping people from going outside. I came across a strange flowering tree...

Today was a good mail day today. My new Nani Iro fabric came in the mail! I'm already dreaming of what to make with it (My friend the cactus helped me with this post).

Good week in the blogging world as well! Jenny Gordy of Wiksten wrote about my work!
I can't tell you how excited I was. Thank- you for all of your kind comments about my sewing projects. It really means a lot and keeps me going.

My friends Amy & Adam of Every Little Counts had a good week too!
xo
-J

Corner View: Cityscapes

Many people think of the Hollywood sign when they think of L.A. Not me. It's not a part of my everyday experience here. I live in a totally different neighborhood from where the Hollywood sign is located. Highland Park is where I live. I think cities are all about the little neighborhoods they are comprised of. Walking around. Finding the quirks and secrets of your neighborhood. When I think of Los Angeles...I think of all the murals and graffiti. I think of all the little houses in the neighborhood, and the greenery and the taco trucks...these are some images from around my neighborhood, work and commute.

** Edit: Sorry...I just realized that we were to go to the highest point in the city and take a picture. Not even sure where that would be! Griffith Observatory, maybe?

click here for other Cityscapes!

I had the idea for this dress for a little while. It's basically two parts seamed together. Very simple. The bottom is a little more bell-shaped than I expected, and I may modify it.
Once again, I made this simple to showcase Naomi Ito's wonderful fabric: "Fredonner un Chanson." Shown here belted, and not. More shots can be seen on Flickr.
If anything, it will make a great beach cover-up...something a little nicer than just a plain T-shirt ...as suggested here.
Since this is a fashion-y post: have you seen this?

Potato and Pesto Pizza, and a Pizza Margarita.

While Tomory cooks (my job is clean up crew/ dishes) I often wander around the yard and take photographs. There is always something new to see.
Our Prickly Pear is flowering!

I've been unexpectedly cancelled from work this weekend. I always take it when they offer it to me. It means less money, but more time to do other things. Like pizza night with Tomory!
We used our new pizza stone on the grill last night. Inspired by this cookbook.
Afterwards, we watched Jacques Tati's "Playtime." Such a brilliant film- and a lot of fun.

Corner View: Coffee, Los Angeles, CA.

Still life with coffee, oleander, and book: "Animal Sketching" by Alexander Calder.
Once again, my Corner View is a day late...I always work Wednesdays, so it's difficult to blog that day. My apologies... So, coffee. I love it.
I had to give up drinking coffee for awhile, but now it seems o.k. again! Hooray! It certainly makes the mornings easier.

The book I picked up on our honeymoon in Paris. It is a reproduction of the original text that was published in 1926. I believe it was published in conjunction with the Calder exhibit which was going on at the Pompidou. It's a wonderful book, and gives me the itch to do some sketching...

click here for more Corner Views

The beginnings of tomatoes and corn from our garden.

Tomory made this delicious Roasted Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa recently. Highly recommended!

Tomory made another amazing dinner last night. Linguine with white truffles (thanks John!) in a cream sauce, and prosciutto with sauteed peas from our garden. We ate it using our beautiful Heath dinnerware that we received as a wedding present. It was my last night of vacation. Today it was back to work at the hospital. It was so busy! I'm exhausted right now...

** Almost forgot: Two of my favorites, together: A.P.C. and Liberty!

Photo: Courtesy Taylor De Cordoba Gallery/Jeana Sohn
I am a flower II, 2009
gouache and acrylic on panel
11.5 x 16 inches


If you live in Los Angeles, you should go see Jeana Sohn's gem- like show at Taylor De Cordoba Gallery. The show also features Jeana's first foray into sculpture that is quite haunting.

Photo courtesy of Happy Lion Gallery
Monique Van Genderen, Installation View, Happy Lion Gallery 2007

Also on view in Los Angeles are Monique Van Genderen's luscious paintings at the Happy Lion Gallery in Chinatown. Images of the show as of this writing are not available...but you should just go see it!

Last but most certainly not least, my friend Cheryl Cambras recently updated her Etsy Store- featuring the adorable bag pictured above. Also available in a drawstring version. Cheryl is currently offering her cute amigurumi chicks via the store as well!

Surprise

Tomory and I came home from Paris to a surprise- there is a momma kitty with a litter of four kittens (two pictured above- there is also a little grey one with white feet and a cream colored kitten) living under our porch!
The mother is a feral Siamese mix that lives in our neighborhood. I knew that she was pregnant and had given birth to her litter somewhere before we left on our honeymoon, but while we were away she took the opportunity to move herself and her brood into a quiet spot under our front stairs. The kittens all appear to have an eye- infection of some kind. The nurse in me wants to intervene, but so far I have restrained myself and I am just providing them with a fresh water supply. It will be interesting to see if the mother keeps them under our house or moves the litter...

Parisian doors...I only wish I would have taken more photos!

Paris

We are back. Jet- lagged, but happy. Once my circadian rhythm is a bit more in line with what it was pre- Paris, I'll post more images. Next week I'll participate again in the Corner View. Thank you all so much for your congratulatory wishes! Hope you are all well. xo.

Two of my favorite finds in Paris: Simrane and Lothantique

Update: Like our wedding photos, I am slowly adding more Paris photos to my Flickr account.