Retro Swimwear

It's 95 degrees outside, and I'm getting thirsty for some waterside revelry. Time to find a darling new swimsuit! I'm partial to vintage styles. Here are some favorites I've scrounged up online:































































































(this one's only $975....) !!!




























(Love the little collar on this one!)












































I also recommend a big-brimmed sun hat and parasol for those lucky women of the fair complexion. :) Happy swimsuit hunting!

Slinky Kitteh!! (Obsessed with LOL Catz)

Paper Dress

My sister tied the knot last summer, and the wedding was tres shabby chic. Lace practically dripped from the ceilings -- lining the tables, adorning candles and vases, hanging from chairs, bunched into faux rose bouquets... Post-wedding, we had boxes of the stuff just sitting around. So, when my digital art class assigned a "paper sculpture" project, I decided to put it to some good use.

Beautiful antique lace + scanner + photoshop + GINORMOUS industrial printer = scads of lace-printed paper with which to make a rather crinkly (terribly sexy) wedding gown. First I made a "sewing" bust by duct-taping my entire mid-section, from neck to buttocks (see Etsy Labs for more details on how to do this!). Then I made the dress around the form, wrapping and scrunching paper where I saw fit. Feast your eyes!

Rediscovering My Inner Chef

When it comes to cooking for myself, it takes all the effort I can muster not to grab that box of Cocoa Puffs and call it a day (or night...). *See charming Jezebel blog about cooking for one* With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, however, I've begun to revisit my passion for buying, concocting and indulging in good, healthy fulfilling food. My family has charged my siblings and I with the task of cooking a Tgiving dish, so I've been tearing through various culinary blogs in search of the perfect treat. Is there such a thing as "chef's block" because I think I'm plagued! There are too too too many options. So I'm going to make a list and see if that helps me come any closer to reaching a decision.

My Top 3 Choices (THANK YOU Smitten Kitchen and Orangette for your amazing recipes and images!):

1. Rosemary Flatbread:













Perfect for mopping up the last dregs of stuffing and cranberry sauce, and delicious on it's own. Could be paired with a sprightly Chardonnay?

2. Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons













This is the perfect cozy appetizer to sip before digging into the heavy stuff. Mmmm!

3. Cranberry Chutney with Crystalized Ginger and Dried Cherries













My family doesn't get terribly involved with cranberry sauce. (Usually it's out of a can...gasp!) They like to focus on the big stuff, so I propose rectifying this by stirring up my own berriful concoction.

Nico Vega

Nico Vega is an up-and-coming indie rock band based out of L.A. Those looking for a truly different sound should pick up their just-released self-titled debut. Lead singer Aja Volkman's voice is the driving force of the band -- moving effortlessly from sultry smoothness to growling scream-yells, respectively reflecting Chan Marshall of Cat Power and Brody Dalle of the Distillers. Coming out of the woodwork in a gust of punk-infused revelry, Nico Vega is fierce and infectious. The only weakness is their lyrics, which are disappointingly sub-par; but most of the time you'll be too wrapped up in the frenetic catchiness of their melodies and instrumentals to really focus on the words. (Myspace Records) Check them out at www.myspace.com/nicovega.

Nora Ayogi

New discovery! Nora Ayogi's darkly captivating works of art -- which include paintings, woodcuts, and comics among other mediums -- transport viewers into a fairytale world of magic and mysticism.

An average-sized list of big things that come in small packages:

1. Nerds - the candy (So tiny, yet so delicious)

2. Shakira (The sassy wench is only 4 ft. 11 in.)

3. Cupcakes (The new dessert. Less than a slice of cake, and a million times cuter.)

4. Mini Coopers (Two words: Bourne Identity.)

5. Bacteria (It’s everywhere!!!!!)

6. Polly Pockets (…rocked my childhood. How ‘bout yours?)

7. Weener Dogs (Freakish proportions, yet freakishly adorable.)

8. Post-its (Tiny sticky pieces of paper = genius!)

9. Birth control (because it...controls...birth...yeah.)

10. iPhones (even though they scare me...what the hell is an accelerometer??)

Think of more and send them to me!