Saving the Light

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So thankful for more light today despite getting one hour less of this divine weekend. In more important news... next Sunday Dara returns home to us! Happy Daylight Savings y'all :)

HT

Tilted World

Thanks to the adorable blog that is Old Sweet Song, I am now incredibly addicted to the iphone app, Tilt Shift Generator. You can affect any photo by shifting levels of saturation, brightness, etc. and point of focus. Above photo taken on iPhone from my office window. LOVE it.

xo Haley

Words To Live By

Photo by Toni Frissell, Harper's Bazaar, 1947

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect, and beginning the work of becoming yourself."

~Anna Quindlen

la la la.....

RE: this previous post, I did indeed order the blue floral version.

(don't even know what to say about the quality of that pic...yuckus)
I might even like it more than the plaid I originally bought! This is the perfect dress, for serious. In other news, the other 2 pieces I bought to supplement my free shipping.....either a) I'm gaining the freshman 15 in grad school rather than undergrad (makes sense; my metabolism ain't what she used to be) b) their clothes are now meant for 14 year olds with 21 inch waists c)all of the above. Luckily, this little guy fit.

Backpackin'

Today, as I strolled from my house to my boss's (which is about the distance I hope to live from public transport in San Francisco) with my messenger-style Apple-store-issued computer bag slung across my body, I realized I'm going to need to find a bag that helps me out a bit on the equilibrium front - and that is maybe a little better-looking. This brings me to a whole new sector of back-to-school fever that I really hadn't considered: What kind of backpack should I get??
In this corner, we have a bag from the new Jansport Heritage Collection (thanks, miel et cannelle).

Very minimal and vintage-inspired; and really, who can argue with Jansport?
In THIS corner, we have the ever-present Fjallraven backpack (thank YOU, for me, for you and creatures of comfort!).

Also clean and vintagey; though how I would ever decide between putty, graphite, and forest green as a color is beyond me.
So perhaps we ought to turn to Etsy.

This little lovely (here) is a mere $40; though I'm not sure how well the vintage canvas would stand up to inclement San Franciscan weather.
Finally, we've got your Duluth Pack daypack (I already use the standard shell bag as a daily purse).

They have a backpack that's specifically designed for laptops, too, but I don't know that I can swing $155 right now.

So...what say you, friends? Opinions? Suggestions? I open this highly important topic for discussion.

--Dara

Enjoy Cupcakes

So, you know. You're camping at the top of a mountain, at the base of which rests Neverland Ranch and the winery town of Los Olivos. You're going to do two things; take pictures of the crazy posterboard offerings in front of Michael Jackson's secluded former home (see fig A), and you're going to attend some wine tastings.

(fig A)
So we headed to Los Olivos. The first place on the agenda was called "House," an adorable little boutique wine tastery (©Dara Weinberg 2009) that boasts a highly covetable decor and shares its space with the potentially even more adorable Enjoy Cupcakes. Kevin, who was very sweet, allowed us to take photos to our hearts' delight, and there was even a CUPCAKE TASTING (which Haley participated in but which I, woefully, missed out on).


There are some pretty wild flavors, like Chocolate Blackberry Syrah and Vanilla Marscapone Chardonnay (they are surrounded on all sides by wine tasteries, after all). How delicious do they look?? If you're ever channeling "Sideways" in that neck of the California woods, I HIGHLY recommend.
More info here.

So.....we camped.

Sleeping Under California Stars

Tonight I will be heading up the coast to join Dara and a bunch of our closest pals for a weekend of camping fun! There is really nothing quite like the joy of sleeping outside, under the stars in the summertime. Major props to Dara for making sure it all came together :) Let the fun times begin!



(photo by March's friend :)

moving on up

I went apartment hunting in San Francisco last week. It was really too early to find a place for September 1, but I did get a good idea of which neighborhoods I like/are logistically possible while remaining near public transport/are financially feasible. So that's a start.





San Francisco feels like a complete 180 from Los Angeles right now...very exciting. But I'm starting to feel a preemptive homesickness for the city that's taken me somewhat by surprise. It's obviously 90% based in how much I will miss the incredibly talented, driven, and fun people I've surrounded myself with here. But maybe, just maybe, there is something about LA after all. Or maybe I'm romanticizing (not something I EVER do, right?). Trepidation and excitement have been tempering each other enough to bring me to a fairly balanced state for now...we'll see how I feel once I'm all moved in.
1 month left......


--Dara

For the birds

The other day, I stopped into Feeding Birds, a store that carries Enchanted Royals in Echo Park, to check out the goods and pick up a check. HAD to take some pictures; this store is just too cute!






--Dara

Caitlyn Love

I wanted to wish a very HAPPY (however belated) Birthday to my dear friend Caitlyn! Isn't she just the picture of beauty? May your weekend be full of fun times and lots of lovin lady! Miss you like crazy. xo


(photos by the talented Kim Duncan-Mooney)

Rainbow Connection

I've been loving my rainbow-coordinated bookshelf since moving into my new place.

Of course, these photos (via Freckle Farm) put mine to shame.

Are you going to San Francisco?

(photo by me; reason for inclusion unclear)

I will be heading to San Fran in about a half an hour for my first round of apartment hunting. A friend that's looking for places with me and I had a bit of a discouraging bump in the road when a great-seeming couple backed out of living with us, but if my life hasn't indicated to me that things are more likely than not to fall into place, then I'm not sure what it has done. I'm excited and terrified and will most certainly keep you apprised of the outcome. I hope all you lovelies are having a great week!
--Dara

And special it was.

My transition into the late 20's was rendered painless- yea, one of the best birthdays in recent memory- by some of the best buds a Duchess could ask for and one giant Hostess-style cupcake.

A Very Special Dara Day!

Today my friends, is a very special day, being none other than my darling pal Dara's birthday! Not only is she the Duchess of Enchanted Royals land, but also the heart and soul behind this beauty of a blog! She is a constant inspiration and a force to be reckoned with, be it in design, fashion, cooking, crafting, or simply being the life of the party! Dara, you rock my teenage party world, and I am so very honored to be partners in crime with such a talented gal as yourself :) May your day be filled with lots of laughter, balloons and cupcakes galore!

Love you lady,
xox
Haley


Balloon Photo by Harpy