Say Hello to my Little Friends!

They aren't really little...They're LOVELY!  This is the very first time I've ever had sponsors on this blog, and I have to say, I'm extremely honored to support such wonderful bloggers!  Read on to get to know couple of this month's sponsors a little better!

Hello, my name is Sabrina & I blog over at cattails + cardigans. Cattails + Cardigans is a lifestyle blog where I share my daily life with my readers. I talk about my life as a paraplegic, a mother to a beautiful kitten named Gregory and sometimes share things that inspire me.

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Hi! I'm L.M. Sherwin and I'm a fantasy author who loves blogging in her spare time. My blog, Unearthing Words, is a writing and reading focused site that hosts book reviews, writing articles, and information about my novels. I'd love it if you'd stop by and join in the fun!

Blog | Twitter | Good Reads | Facebook








 If you'd like to sponsor Lilac & Lace check out my super cool Sponsor Page.  I also just expanded my Sponsor Swap options - so if you're up for swapping ads let me know! 

Snow Globe DIY Post & Christmas in my Locker

HI Pretties!

It's raining and gloomy here today in LA and I absolutely love it!  I am wearing my Hunter boots to work and (for the first time) I am trying out the new bangs full force (that is, I'm not pushing them to the side or covering them with a headband.  They are way out in front for everyone to see!)  Like this...

Also if you haven't seen it already I did a little guest post over on Maria's blog yesterday on how to put together these little beauties...

Go check it out and while you're in the Holiday mood, be sure to check out my Do They Know it's Christmas Collection over on Lockerz.  I've been finding so many cute images, inspirations, craft and decor ideas all over the interweb, and have been compiling them all on Lockerz - It's so much fun!  And with Lockerz you earn points for every item you pin, which you can then use to purchase items at a discount.  So with my points from this Christmas Collection I was able to purchase a couple Christmas presents!  Not too shabby huh?

You can join Lockerz too by clicking HERE.   Hope to see you there! 

Anyway, hope you all have a marvelous day! 

Burger Blitz - 4 Burgers for the price of 1

So you may have noticed I have gone a few weeks without posting a Burger Quest post.  This isn't due to a lack of burger tastings.  Oh no, quite the contrary.  The boy and I have been on so many burger quests over the last month that frankly, I got a little overwhelmed with posting about them.  There were some tears, some strongly emphasized words...Suffice to say, I needed to take a little break.  

But now, naturally, I have even more burger reviews to write since before my little hiatus.  Isn't that always the way?  You take a day off and enjoy yourself so much, only to find double the work waiting for you when you decide to come back.  Not that burger quests are work...

Anyway, to make up for my slacker ways I am bringing you a little Burger Blitz today - Four Burger reviews in one quick, easy to swallow post.  Ready?  Here we go!

Blue Palms

This place is a bit of a dive, but in a cool way.  Right next door to the Music Box Theater, Blue Palms is a proper, no nonsense place to grab a beer.  And the burger ain't bad either.  A good balance of meatiness to sauce and flavors.  What makes this place so good is it's obvious lack of pretentiousness.   The boy took me there after I saw Frankenweenie, so I was a bit bleary-eyed through most of the meal.  

Scores:

Meatiness - 5

Succulentiousness - 5
Bun -3

Flavor - 4
Stay Togetherness - 4 

Joint - 4

Oaks Gourmet

This was one of the most succulent burgers we've tried yet!  The boy took me here after I gave a somewhat failed ballet performance and needed a bit of cheering up.  The meat was so tasty and tender, the bun so sweet and soft.  All the ingredients were fresh and delicious, making this Franklin Village Market the place to go for one of our favorite burgers to date.  The joint is definitely a market and not the most comfortable place to sit and eat.  Get the burger, but take it to go!  

Scores:

Meatiness - 5

Succulentiousness - 5
Bun -4

Flavor - 4
Stay Togetherness - 4 

Joint - 2

Lucky Devils

I think I liked the decor and the music playing in this Hollywood Boulevard joint more than I expected.  This was a really delicious burger.  The meat has a wonderful flavor and it wasn't overcomplicated with too much of anything else.   The decor of the joint may be a little mixed up as they are clearly going for a sort of trendy gourmet biker bar vibe,  but they were playing radiohead when we walked in and continued to play great tunes throughout our meal.   The meat made this burger stand out,  but the slightly spicy secret sauce was yummy too.  It was juicy without being drippy, and the burger didn't fall apart.  My red wine and rosemary fries were also good, making me suspect that there are lots of tasty things to try at Lucky Devils.  It's a place I want to go back to again, no question!  

 Scores:

Meatiness - 5

Succulentiousness - 4
Bun -3

Flavor - 5
Stay Togetherness - 4 

Joint - 4

Juicy Burger

We ht up  Juicy Burger right after Lucky Devils and perhaps that was a mistake, because Juicy Burger tasted awful in comparison!  The Juicy burger had no personaility and was far too drippy.  It consisted of iceberg lettuce, lots of Thousand Island dressing, concealing a bit of meat that was fine, but didn't add much to the flavor.   The bread-y bun looked better than it actually tasted and while it was a satisfying meal, we deemed this as a Hangover burger at best.  It's decent for the price, but not the best burger by miles.  I also hated the joint - it's a tiny place playing crappy dance house music that made me desperately want to leave, I was so uncomfortable.  Not recommended.  

Scores:

Meatiness -3

Succulentiousness - 2
Bun -2

Flavor - 2
Stay Togetherness - 2

Joint - 1

Ruche at the Ballet

I absolutely love the clothing site Ruche.  Everything they have is so perfectly demure and lovely with a hint of vintage style.  Plus the prices aren't too shabby either.  Suffice to say, I'm a fan and I was particularly excited by their new holiday lookbook, which is ballet themed...

Now of course, I am thrilled that ballet seems to be cool and impressive enough (at the moment) for brands to want to try to incorporate it into their marketing.  And as we know, several brands have done just that over the past few years.  But I still can't help but hate when I see images of ballet done really, really badly, like say by a model, who clearly never took a real ballet class in her life.  

Just to start off, what the hell are these ribbons about? 

And could someone not run over and fix her arms?  Just pull her hands apart!

Is this supposed to be a posse or something?

Just no.

This may pass for a turned-in modern dance type pose, but no way in hell is that a ballet arabesque!

I know that, once again, I am being a ballet snob and I'm sorry.  I truly love the styling, the composition and much of the photography in this collection, but shots like these just make my skin crawl.  And while the background ballerinas are pretty decent (clearly serious students) even some of their positions could have used a helpful fixing in several of the shots.  But it's not them I take issue with...  In fact, their professionalism and technique actually makes the model's lack of ballet skills all the more apparent. 

I mean, my gosh look at that front foot! 

The thing is, ballet is hard.  Photographing ballet is really hard too.  And I can't help but get annoyed when it appears that people don't understand that.  They think it's ok and that nobody will be bothered.  Well I'm bothered.  Young dancers have to work really hard to get their pointe shoes and many dancers aren't even able to stick it out to that pointe (pun intended.)  I remember it being a really big deal when I finally got to put on a real professional-style tutu, but like my pointe shoes, it was something I earned with sweat and sacrifice and blisters.  

Anyway, I don't mean to be a negative nancy.  But as a former dancer I wish to implore all these brands to stick to clothes and leave the dancing to the professionals....Not non-dancing models.  There, I said it.   But the clothes are all really nice!  All images from here.   

It's that time of year...

I think all weekends should be 4 days long.  Think about how much happier and well rested we'd be if that were just the norm?  I know it's a long shot, but sometimes I really wonder why things are the way they are and if they could ever change.  Like why did it become that weekends were going to be 2 days?  Why not 3?  Why are work weeks 5 days?  Why not 4? 

We spent Thanksgiving Day at my Aunt Christy's house where there was food, drinks and football a plenty.  Then we stayed with my parents for a couple days in the valley.  My younger brother was home and we all hunkered down for a marathon of leftovers and movies.  

Then the boy and I headed back home where I proceeded to unpack all our Christmas decorations.  We put up the tree, which is now lit and tinseled.  All that's left to do is trim the tree with our assortment of funky ornaments from Christmases past.  I've been working on a few different crafts and projects which I hope to share in the weeks to come, but I also tried to spend a bit of time this weekend vegging out and watching silly Christmas movies.  Here's a few snaps of our apartment decorations...

But the long weekend wasn't all fun.  I did have a bit of a freak out on Sunday and decided that I'm done with facebook, so I deactivated my personal account.  It's something I've been thinking about doing for quite sometime now and already I feel like it was the right thing to do.  I still have my Lilac & Lace page so if you want to stay in touch with me through that be sure to check it out and "like" the page.   

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what you're thankful for and to be honest, I probably could have done a bit more of that.  I am so incredibly fortunate and am so lucky to be living the life I lead and in the weeks to come I really am going to try to keep that at the front of my mind.  

Oh yeah, and one more little tidbit from the weekend - My cousin Kaitlyn cut my hair!  I now have full on fringe!  

I'm still getting used to it and the boy is not the biggest fan, but I think she did a really amazing job, don't you?  

Happy Thanksgiving

From the boy and I to you, hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  I am so thankful to have this little online space and interact with you all.  I am taking a long weekend off, but I'll be back next week with all kinds of Christmas goodies!  Until then, Happy Turkey Day! 

Disneyland According to my iPhone

Last week, the boy and I were lucky enough to attend KOST 103.5's holiday kick-off party at Disney's California Adventure thanks to our dear friend Mark.  It was so much fun!  After the park closed, a limited number of guests were allowed in to ride the rides and enjoy the festivities.  We went with my parents, and were able to go on all the rides (some multiple times) without having to wait hardly at all!  We also got a chance to explore the new Car's Land and see all the beautiful holiday decorations first hand! 

Then as a birthday gift to me, my parents put us up at the Grand Californian Hotel for the night so we could all go to Disneyland the next day.  It wasn't too crowded and decorated so beautifully for the holidays - We all had an amazing time!  And I must thank my parents once again for their generous gift!  I love you guys!

Anyway, the whole time I was taking snaps on my phone (if you follow me on instagram, you basically got to see all of these throughout the weekend!)  Here's a look at just a few of my photos from the trip....

I already feel like I want to go back.  I was given a little bit of teasing from some of my work mates about going to Disneyland when I don't have any kids and am nearly 30.  And I realize they have a point.  But I just don't think they understand.  I grew up going to Disneyland (as most Southern California kids do) and it resonates in my memory as being something consistent in my life-- even as I change and grow over the years, Disneyland has stayed basically the same.  And it always makes me smile and feel like a kid...So I like it.  I think it's good.  In fact, I put together a special Disneyland Folklore Map about a year ago over on Scathingly Brilliant.  Go check it out to find out some fun facts about the Happiest Place on Earth! 

Thankful

I spotted this Blog Hop Link Up over on Rouge & Whimsy and I knew I simply had to take part!  So much of my time is spent thinking about what I don't have, what I haven't achieved and it's nice to take some time to concentrate on just how fortunate I am in my life.  Here's just a brief list of the things I'm grateful for...

1.  The Boy - He is just the best creature ever to grace this planet; plain and simple.  And I really, really love him!  He does so much for me - He works so hard, he makes me laugh and he is so kind and considerate!  He's my best friend and my reason for getting up in the morning.  I know I am extremely lucky to have met him and feel so fortunate for every day we get to spend together.

2.  My Family - They are the people who have always been there for me.  They love me unconditionally and are just so important to me.  I love them and they bring so much richness to my life.  We help each other through thick and thin and we always have fun together!

3.  My Health - I'll be honest, I'm a little bit of a hypochondriac, so I often think that there might be something wrong with me when really there's nothing to worry about.  But when it really comes down to it, I am so thankful that I am able to move and dance and play.  I'm incredibly grateful for my health! 

4.  Music - It may seem like a strange choice, but music is so important to me.  It helps me every single day and inspires me over and over.  It's an easy thing to take for granted, but it's the source of so much joy in my life, I really am so thankful for music! 

5.  Gel Toe Pads - There is no way on earth I would still be able to dance on pointe if gel pads hadn't been invented.  They take away so much of the pain of pointe work and while I'm glad I had to go through the barbaric traditions of dancing on pointe with no padding (definitely made me stronger) now-a-days I am thrilled that I ca dance on pointe minus the blisters! 

Stacey Tookey's New LA Based Dance Company

So a little over a week ago, I got the opportunity to cover the red carpet and premier performance of Stacey Tookey's new contemporary company Still Motion for DIY Dancer.  The whole evening was a lot of fun and a completely new experience for me...I've never "covered" a red carpet and really had no idea what I was doing.  But it turned out to be really interesting.  I got a chance to talk to a few of the dancers and Tookey herself before enjoying the hour and a half performance they had prepared.  

Stacey Tookey is a well-regarded contemporary choreographer from Canada who has become a household name thanks to her consistent work on So You Think You Can Dance.  Check out my full review over on DIY Dancer and let me know what you think! 

photo by
Michael J Moore

Thanksgiving Lanterns DIY

I know the temptation is to go full on Christmas already...I mean decor is up all over town, stores are already playing Christmas music, yeah I know.  But in the spirit of Thanksgiving, here's one more autumnal themed craft for you - My third and final variation of the mason jar lantern concept, this time with leaves! 

This craft is so simple.  Literally all you need are some fake leaves (you can buy packages of these at most craft stores)  mason jars, candles and some Modpodge.  

Modpodge the back of your leaves and adhere them to the jar, working your way around and layering them to your liking.  Add a coat of modpodge over the top to help keep the leaves attached.  Add your candle to the jar and your done! 

 I tried one with the leaves totally flat against the jar, and another where I let the tips of the leaves pull away from the jar, giving it a more natural feel.  Not sure which I prefer, but they both would make a festive centerpiece for your thanksgiving dinner table! 

I am so thrilled that we have a short holiday week.  I just love having extra time to spend at home with my family! 

Jigsaw's Holiday Handbook

Last week at work, I was particularly busy trying to produce a Holiday Gift Guide and handbook for Jigsaw London.  Now while I wish that I had more time to put this together, I have to say I am really so pleased with the result.  It's a complete digital guide filled with pretty holiday styles, fun craft ideas, delicious recipes, holiday decor and bits of British-ness thrown in.  

You can view it below or click through to the link and download it as a PDF!  I do hope you enjoy it and would love to hear what you all think!  

Happy Holidays!

Long Term Goals and Growing Up

I suppose I've always been a goal maker.  And furthermore, I've always believed that if you set your sights on a certain goal, you can get it.  It may take longer than you want, but you can definitely get there.  That's why I started making my annual birthday lists of things I want to accomplish over the course of the year.  

 In previous years, this list has helped me stay on track with not only extremely important goals, but also goals that are meant to remind me to live in the moment and not take life so seriously.   For various reasons, I've gotten a bit off track with my goals this year.  And I'm not exactly sure why.  Maybe it's because I put a few lofty ones on there that weren't really all that realistic.  Maybe it's because I was presented with completely exciting (though time consuming) opportunities that I just didn't expect.  But regardless of the reason, I have a bunch of tasks that need to happen before the year is out!  

Here's my 30 before 30 list as it stands now...I crossed off a couple items that I know I am not going to be able to complete and actually don't have the ambition to complete anymore.  I don't think that's a bad thing though.  Ambitions change sometimes, and that's good!  

My 30 Things Before 30 List

1.  Learn to sew, properly
2.  Make something with paint sample cards
3.  Do some volunteer work
4.  Read 5 books
5.  Have a craft weekend with friends and family
6.  Take a course in something new that I'm interested in
7.  Start a dance company
8.  Get started on a masters program
9.  Submit something to a real magazine
10.  Dye my hair a fun color
11.  See a new place
12.  Do some scrapbooking
13.  Start a home design journal / look-book
14.  write 3 poems
15.  work out a new blogging schedule
16.  go to the dentist
17.  Do a major cleaning of my clothes and closet (aka get rid of a lot!)
18.  Make lots of new Desolation Dance Videos
19.  Meet one of my blog friends in person
20. Organize my digital photos
21. Buy and start using a tripod
22.  Roll down a grassy hill like I did as a child
23.  Get all of my stuff out of my parents house (hopefully)
24.  Ride a bike at the beach with the boy
25.  Learn to play an instrument (I'm thinking the ukelele)
26.  Wear more lipstick in fun colors
27.  Reconnect with an old friend
28.  See at least 1 concert
29.  Try to overcome 1 of my fears
30.  Make it a habit to look for the goodness around me, rather than focusing on the negative

If you have any suggestions or ideas on how I can accomplish any of the above before December 23rd, let me know!  

Australian En Pointe

The Australian Ballet has been putting out a slew of fantastic videos lately!  Here is one of my recent favorites, focusing on pointe shoes and all the distinct preferences dancers have when it comes to their shoes.  Enjoy!

1960's Style Starburst Decor

Good Morning Darlings and here we go another week!  Today I wanted to share a super easy and fun craft for you that adds an unusual and retro vibe to any living room wall.  Essentially, I wanted to create a retro-style 3D wall hanging for my front room.  

I found these plain wood squares at Michael's and knew they'd be perfect for this project.  I bought two small and one larger square to create some contrast when I finally hang them.

The first step is to paint the squares with some wood stain.  I chose a medium colored wood stain, but you could select whatever grain you prefer.  Using a sponge brush, paint the squares with the stain, let sit for desired length (the longer you wait, the darker the color) then wipe off excess stain and let dry in the sun.  

Be sure to properly discard your used rags, as wood stain drenched wool has the potential for spontaneously combustion.  Read this post on Devon's blog for the full details on how to dispose of the used cloths properly.  

Then, after your wood blocks have dried completely it's time to decorate.  I chose a simple starburst design that was easy to draw freehand and recreate on all three blocks.  I practiced my design a few times on paper to be sure I was happy with it, then used metallic Sharpies in silver, gold and copper to draw it on the wood squares.  

And voila!  I used Command Wall strips by 3M to attach these lightweight squares to my wall.  I hung them in sideways, so it looks like a collection of diamonds, and I have to say, I'm pretty smitten with starburst design!  But let me know what you think, and if you try this DIY yourself be sure to send me a link!  

Happy Monday!