Squarectomy

because this isn’t paris.

Grace — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:08:32 +0000

Sometimes its hard to believe I get to live the life I do. If you’re already over my impractical optimism, you might want to get off this ride–because I am pretty sure it isn’t stopping anytime soon. I am settled in my new Los Angeles home, finally! Everyone knows how in love I was with my first apartment, and somehow I’ve managed to upgrade. (Pictures coming soon!) I mean, I get to watch the sunset over Downtown LA from my balcony every night! Magic. I’ve also been putting my creative mind to work. My first children’s book is in the illustration process. And I’ve already started collaborating on another book series with a dear friend. On top of that I’m finally getting around to wrapping a script I started some years back. With all these balls rolling, no doubt that I will soon be able to make some serious progress on a major idea I want to share soon with the world. And unrelated, but totally related: do any of you fellow Los Angelenos know the best place to get loose leaf tea? Thanks millions.

Wear: AA Tank//Vintage Jewelry//UO High Waisted Cropped Jeans.

oh hi coachella.

Grace — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:35:12 +0000

I’m a firm believer in you get what you give. Send negative vibes out into the universe and a dark cloud will hover over you. Pump positive into the universe and the sun will shine on you. My weekend perpetuated this belief. Thursday evening, I get a call asking if I could be free Friday through Sunday. Curiosity took over me, as it so often does. And I say, YES. Next thing I know I’m being whisked off to the desert and given a free VIP pass to Coachella. Now, I’ve never been to Coachella. And if there was ever a year I wanted to go, it would be this year since Jarvis Cocker was to be in attendance! But the whole trip ended up being much more than music for me. I left inspired and ready to take on the projects I’ve been planning (and some that have been dragging on too long). The desert did me good!

I realize that I should be touching on the fashion of Coachella, seeing as I am sort’ve, maybe, quite possibly a fashion blogger. I saw a lot of bikinis, furry boots, and long silk bed jackets. I opted for my trusty rain boots, since the weather forecast was cold/rain. No way did I wear them with jeans though, sheer nylons all the way! And the most adorable little dress with daisies, that is somewhere between Juliet Capulet and 1993 Drew Barrymore. I will shoot it soon for you guys. And the other days, well I wore clothes, sorta…

propensity for all things verbose.

Grace — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:22:54 +0000

As I grow older, it’s becoming more apparent how cyclical everything is. Yes, we grow, change and shed old skin–but we always come back to ourselves. There are patterns we repeat. I’m starting to recognize some of my own. Throw myself into a new and challenging situation. Struggle. Persevere. Learn. Overcome. And then the quiet after the storm, the contemplation period. Yes, yes, this is all very vague and one of those ‘fortune cookie’ moments where you are thinking, ‘but that is universal, and just humankind across the board’. Yeah, you are right.

BUT, I’m going to pull blog master’s right, and go on anyway since I am now in that contemplation period. It would seem this would be the easy point, the hard work is temporarily done, you may be reaping some of the benefits, and you get a moment to pat yourself on the back. Not so in my case, instead I’m left wondering what’s next, what’s bigger, how much more can I give to the universe. The answer: a lot.

Only six weeks ago, I had decided that I was going to leave the United States once the summer was out. I was going to search for something bigger than myself. And after buying any and every book I could on relocating to France, it hit me that I was just panicking about the imminent contemplation period. I slowed down, and took the next month to reevaluate, as I so often do. I made list after list (another obsession) of what I wanted out of my life and what I wanted to give back. I’ve worked really hard the past year and accomplished more in Los Angeles than I thought possible. And there is still so much more to be experienced!

I’ve had the good fortune of meeting the beautiful and talented people I have. And for the first time in my life, I don’t want to go at it alone. Which is a beautiful thing for me. I want to collaborate with like-minded creative individuals. I want to create something out of nearly-nothing with my own hands, and other people’s. I want to explore all there is to be explored with other adventurous souls. I want to share my talent, and vice versa. Basically, I am more than excited to wrap my first year living in Los Angeles with this optimism as I enter the next stage.

Can I just say that life is MAHvelous?

let’s pretend we don’t exist.

Grace — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 05:21:33 +0000

Wearing// Vintage Slip (as dress)//Borrowed Masque//Vintage Jewelry.

I think I’m finally overcoming my Virgoan tendencies to get overly engrossed in my work. That doesn’t mean I won’t continue to be engrossed in my work–just not overly so. Which really is a huge step in the right direction. More time to pursue other creative endeavors. And even better, more time to spend with real life people. You know, the kind that don’t just exist in that 30″ Mac display that seems to be emitting a constant blueish glow across half of my apartment.

And no, these pictures have no correlation to my blurb. Other than I’m happy with both.

throw out the maps.

Grace — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:24:26 +0000

UO Bustier//Vintage Quartz Necklace//YSL Art Ring//ASOS Cage Ring.

Do you know that call that comes from within? That unexplainable urge to get up and do something? The voice telling you to quit that job that makes you dread waking up every morning? The urge to run up to a complete stranger and kiss them hard? The desire to see foreign lands and taste risky foods? The need to become a stranger? The longing to try something that almost inevitably will fail, because those are the things with the greatest reward?

You can spend your whole life planning your life.

Instead take the universe into your hands and be the creator of the life you want.

super sparkly sunday.

Grace — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:10:40 +0000

Sometimes all it takes is a little sparkle. And in this particular case, by a little I mean a nauseatingly obscene, traffic-stopping, headache-inducing, don’t-ever-lose-me-in-a-crowd, sort of little. I generally have two approaches to dressing: as streamlined as possible with sleek mixed metals, or as tactile as I can manage (the latter being a motif in my living space). It seems that today my tendency to decorate my apartment with any and all things that reflect/absorb/manipulate/emit light, has bled over into my wardrobe. I don’t have New Year’s Eve to justify my clothing choice today (one of the few occasions where taste and sophistication can be damned0. But heck! It’s super something sunday! Why not super me?

[es]sential living.

Grace — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:16:12 +0000

There are aspects of my personality that seem to be in conflict. For instance, I like nice things but I believe in living a simple life. I’ve spent years struggling with this. It wasn’t until recently that I learned how to appease both sides of my seemingly schizophrenic values. A dear friend recommended a lovely read called ‘Sensual Home’. The content went much further than interior decor. It opened my mind to this lifestyle, this mindset, of allowing all of your senses to be satisfied. Surround yourself in things that make you happy, that make your space beautiful. Master the art of bathing. Allow your bed to become your nest, a safe-haven of sorts. Let yourself enjoy rich, wholesome foods that do something for your taste buds that processed foods couldn’t even dream of doing. Since I have applied some of this to my life, I seem to get a lot more enjoyment out of things. And I don’t have any of the guilt that I thought I would. By no means am I overindulging in the trivial or materialistic. I am simply, no longer denying my senses. These are the things that have made my life that much more enjoyable:

+ flokati rug.

+ wide assortment of non-synthetic blankets.

+ crystals to cast light rainbows across my apartment.

+ patchouli, sandalwood and jasmine essential oils.

+ fresh mint for my morning water.

+ 100% silk slips to wear as nightgowns.

+ the perfect pair of jeans.

life is never what you expect.

Grace — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:38:11 +0000

Wearing: Boutique Cape//UO Sheer Dress//JC Shoes.

Nothing is stagnant. Or I should say, life isn’t stagnant. People can choose to be. Although, as you will soon [soon being subjective] come to agree, this isn’t the suggested route. You’ll quickly find yourself left behind. People should be ever growing. Ever learning. Ever evolving. It’s great to have a plan of action for your life–but you have to exercise your control for those inevitable hurdles. Sure, panic and self-pity may seem like the easiest medicine to administer. You will be digging your own grave though. Pick yourself up, re-route and grow. [My] life is ever changing.

sun sun sun

Grace — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:44:27 +0000

There’s no kind of high, like the high of spending time appreciating nature. Disconnecting from more humanistic creations and technology [camera and tripod excluded]. It’s a great way to recharge. Which is so essential when you live in a fast-paced whirlwind of a city, such as Los Angeles. Not that I don’t LOVE living in the city. Quite the opposite. Sometimes you just need to ground yourself for a second before you jump back into the thick of it.

H&M Sweater Dress//Thrifted Wannabe-Hunters//Borrowed Necklace.

hi new year.

Grace — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:09:20 +0000

So last year I made this bold assertion that I was going to be happy all the time. Turns out it wasn’t so bold after all. Just takes some determination and being proactive when it comes to your thoughts. And no this isn’t new age, hippy, psychic [insert any number of poorly chosen adjectives meant to be used in a derogatory way] babble. Yes, I may have a growing obsession with crystals, prefer candles or string lights to overhead lighting, burn incense like its going out of style (by the way, its not), and stare at the sky in utter fascination for hours, but I really think I’m on to something here.

In fact, I have three moleskins and all of 2012 dedicated to this project. Which, I’m sure will end up becoming my life thereafter. The plan mostly is to focus my life on things that I love. Such as creativity, yoga, nature, writing and music. Fortunately for me, nearly all those things are one in the same. Oh yes, and Squarectomy! I’ve missed this creative outlet. AND I finally have a camera again. Meaning, all of my dear readers will get to see countless self portraits and California sunsets.

Happy Reading! And Happy 2012! And thanks for sticking it out with me.