Yo, that thing's going to crawl away.

Monster Monster Monster laptop stand.


Happy Halloween!!!

Just to separate ourselves from pen and ink a little further....

Font Capture.

I'm officially a nerd.

love,
Dara

(found via folkloric)

Uppercase Magazine

On my way home from school today, I stopped into tthe Curiosity Shoppe (best place ever) and picked up a copy of Uppercase Magazine.

The cover, which features the Best Made Company axes we talked about back in May, was what initially caught my eye; but when I started flipping through it I had to buy one. It's a magazine for, about and by designers, illustrators, photographers, musicians etc etc etc, and it's so beautiful and inspiring. They're based in Canada, and come out with issues quarterly. I highly recommend. A little on the pricey side ($16 USD) but totally worth it if you're looking for inspiration. Also check out their blog, which they call their "scrapbook."

--Dara

quick and easy Halloween costume ideas

I'm not entirely convinced that I'm doing anything for Halloween this year, though if I do, I plan on going as the Utz potato chip girl:

ie wear my hair the way it usually is, MAYBE blowing it straight if I'm feeling saucy, sticking a bow on my head, red dots on my cheeks, wearing a red cap sleeve dress I already own, and buying a bag of Utz potato chips to carry around/snack on all night. For a former costume designer, not particularly impressive, but no one in San Francisco needs to know/cares. Also, it's in keeping with my apparent total aversion to all costumes pop-culture related.
The quick and easy Halloween costume list on Refinery 29 is pretty funny, but my personal favorite is the Mac spinning beach ball:


Any other exciting costume ideas?

Treasure Island Music Festival

It's always a bit of a downer when Chris has to leave, but this was a nice long visit. He came up for the Treasure Island Music Festival on Sunday, but upon his arrival on Friday night, we drove to Port Costa, at our friend Kate's instruction. When we met her in that remote part of California, we found some seriously insane stuff:





Chris and I then proceeded to get lost on the creepiest winding road of all time while listening to the CREEPIEST MUSIC OF ALL TIME. So, you know; kind of intense.

Sunday was an entirely different breed of intense. The festival was great...to me, the highlights were Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and the amazing ferris wheel that I couldn't stop taking pictures of! Yo La Tengo, Beirut, Vetiver, and the Decemberists weren't too shabby either.






How cute is she? For serious.

As the night wore down, we opted out of the Flaming Lips in favor of Where the Wild Things Are, because we'd been at the festival for 9 hours and I was trying to limit my debauchery to one day before settling in on my homework. I was pleasantly surprised...though I wish I hadn't found Lauren Graham and Catherine O'Hara's voices so recognizable. I thought it was beautifully done, though...go team!

Postal Press 2010 Calendar

I just love Postal Press, an independent custom letterpress company based in Portland and run by Alyson of the blog Unruly Things (one of my very faves). She just announced that next week, Postal Press' 2010 calendar will be available for pre-sale! Sneak peek photo above...it promises to be a beaut!

--Dara

ways Apartment Therapy keeps me from finishing papers.

West Elm.


Supercool DIY project

Now, that's what I call a thesis project.




Fun artists' home in Sunset Beach, SF.

My LA Weekend

The trip to LA was as delightful as I had hoped. Immediately upon landing, I was escorted directly to dinner with Carol, Josh, Haley and Chris. Chris and I saw A Serious Man, which was seriously superb.
Saturday, Chris and I caught up on regular couple normal hangout time and he made me delicious almond pancakes with strawberry compote and bacon (uncrispy because that's how it tastes best. Sorry). That night, we went to a great bud's house to play drinking games with his extended family, who were visiting from Boston.



And ate the world's largest pizza.

And hung out on the fairy-light-ridden porch and sang bluegrass songs until the wee hours.


On Sunday, we had a lady brunch, and thankfully made it in time to the Where the Wild Things Are display at Space 1520 that I'd been so anxious to see.


Afterwards, Haley and Carol gave me a sneak peek of the rough cut of the new Enchanted Royals short. Truly, I cannot wait for you to see. It's a thing of beauty; it was hard for me to keep it together while watching it, and I only had Bon Iver as a soundtrack. Once Chris has written and recorded the score...I'm just saying. Get psyched!

I'm back in SF again, wrapped up in my afghan. Weekends as lovely as these should be more common.
--Dara

I know what Haley wants for Xmas

Blogging from the airport, where it seems every flight going anywhere is delayed (disconcerting. oh yes.) I'm taking a break from my obsessive research paper writing to bring you this bit of info I just heard about on the scrolling news overhead here at the gate 30 waiting area....

Yeah, that'd be a cupcake car that's selling at Neiman Marcus for $25,000 this Christmas. Thanks, Burning Man.

more here.

--Dara

There is a city by the sea.....

(parking lot of Val Surf, North Hollywood)

(Echo Park, Sunset Blvd)

(Larchmont Village)

(Malibu)

(my boss's back porch in the Hollywood Hills during August's fires)

(Alcove in Los Feliz)

(view from the hike in Griffith Park)

(Griffith Park Observatory)

(Haley's neighborhood in Echo Park)

This weekend, I'm making my first trip back to LA since the move. I'm so excited to see my much-missed partners in crime; some of the best people in the world.
--Dara

(all photos by me)

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

We had quite a time at Hardly Stricly Bluegrass this year....now that the word is getting out it's getting a mite crowded, however. Highlights included Neko Case (obviously...though we had to leave early because the crowds were too much. Luckily, we could hear her from up to a mile away as we trekked out of the park and several blocks further to cab hunt), Dr. Dog, and Billy Bragg. Can't wait for next year!
--Dara

Annual Home Brewers Ball!

{Brew labels by MT's Barley Pop}

The coolest party of the year is happening next weekend, and if I were in Colorado, I wouldn't miss it for the world! THIRTEEN different home brews, plus burgers, brats and good times overall for a mere $30 suggested donation. If that weren't enough, the big hearted home brewers, aka the Roaring Fork HAMS (High Altitude Mashers) are donating all proceeds to support the Glenwood Springs Youth Hockey. If only drinking beer were that rewarding on a daily basis :) So for those in and around the Roaring Fork Valley, support your community and go drink some home brew with all your pals. All the details HERE.