Weekend Laundry List

Why is it called a "Laundry List?"  Does anyone know?  Like do people list all the laundry they have to do?  Anyway, irrelevant.  

I do actually have a lot of laundry that needs to get done, but it's not likely to get done this weekend.  Instead I have a whole bunch of fun things going on that I figured I would share with you - Some you can even take advantage of yourself....

** Shop the special early access sale at Jigsaw London

 - Use the code BlogLove0506 to get an additional 20% off all Sale Items.  I can tell you that this brings some of the prices down to the lowest they'll ever go and it's only good through Wednesday night, so hop to it and shop! 

** Apply for a new Apartment 

- It's becoming increasingly more apparent to me that the boy and I need a change of scenery.  I still have warm feelings for our place in Beverly Hills, but it's time to change things up.  We found a place on the other side of LA that we love.  It's definitely a step up from our current place and it would put us in a whole new area with a really artistic community, which I think we need.  I just hope we can get it - fingers crossed!

** Have a crafting night with my friend Caitlyn

- There will be yarn and scrapbooks.  Wine.  Maybe a Hayley Mills movie.  Need I say more? 

** Catch up with my Personal Blogging 

- It's been on the back burner for a while and it's time to show a little bit of love to this blog again

**Go on a Burger Quest

- Simply because that is what we do! 

What are your plans for this weekend?

Time to make Lemonade

Last week was just one of those weeks.  I was incredibly busy and felt rather scattered and stressed out.  This week may be just as busy too, but I am hoping to recharge and go into it with the best attitude possible.  

One thing that was particularly upsetting last week was that I lost a whole bunch of my photos....Pretty much every photo from Labor Day to now.  We had a lot backed up, and the boy had quite a few stored on his computer, but there was a good amount that have been lost forever.  

It brought up a particular flaw of mine that I really need to work on - I am digitally messy.  I don't properly label my photos, I am bad about organizing them and I take so many.  This little mishap of accidentally deleting my entire photo library, only emphasized that I need to be more  organized with my photos and I need to be better about limiting the ones I keep.  

It's so easy to take photos of everything, and believe me, I do.  I'm constantly taking photos for my blog, many of which I forget about and get lost in the shuffle.  I've been thinking more and more about the days when I would only use disposable cameras - before digital took off and back when I actually didn't own a camera.  24 exposures and that was it.  It a way, I miss having that preset limit on my photography.  

I am setting myself a new goal this month of reorganizing all the photos I currently have, getting more printed and limiting the new photos I keep.  I still plan on taking plenty of pictures, but I am going to try to be better about deleting the bad, or unimportant shots, especially if they've already been blogged.  

If anyone out there has any tips or tricks to organizing your digital photos please share!  I could definitely use some insight into the best ways to stay on top of this goal!  

Spring Sweetness

The weather has been warming up here on the west coast and even though it's supposed to cool down again over the next few days, I am already all set for Spring.  I'm ready for sandals, spring cleaning and fresh starts!  Transitioning from one season to the next always holds such positivity and excitement for me.  I can't wait to start wearing my sundresses again...Sans tights.  

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

This weekend, the boy and I embarked on an apartment hunt.  And it was...Challenging.  I guess in a lot of ways we were confronted with many of LA's issues.  You see, there are so many different areas in this city and while, they all have lots of perks, they also have many set backs.  

We looked at a couple places in Venice, literally right near the beach.  But they were all overpriced, sort of scary and there was no parking to be found anywhere.  Plus then our car overheated and we had to get towed back to Beverly Hills.  

Then we looked at a few places near Franklin Village and, while there were some cool spots, I didn't feel particularly at home in any of them.  I am still looking at a couple of places in Beverly Hills over the next couple days, so hopefully that will lend a bit of perspective to the mix, but the whole adventure brought a few things into perspective.

Firstly, it made me realize just how nuanced this city is.  Also how spread out it is and how lovely it is.  It also reminded me just how lucky the boy and I have been with our apartments.  The places we've found and the deals we've snagged...It's all pretty amazing.  I realized how comfortable I am in Beverly Hills and I also realized how spoiled I've become.  I realized that I have been really fortunate to feel safe in my neighborhood, like super safe, but I also came to realize that I have gotten perhaps a bit too safe and unwilling to try new things.  

The boy and I have some thinking and decision making to do this week and I don't think it's going to be easy.  But at the same time, I'm excited about the possibility of a fresh start....We'll just have to wait and see.... 

Our car getting towed from Venice

New Decade, New Blog

So, I actually kinda started a new blog.  And yes, I feel a little bit guilty about that.  But in the interest of honesty, I felt like I better come clean about it.

The thing is, upon turning 30, I felt like I started a new chapter in my life.  I feel like things are changing and I wanted to make something of a fresh start to document it.  But that's not to say I am abandoning Lilac & Lace.  Heaven's no!  I will keep this blog strong with burger quests, ballet and crafting galore, but my new blog, Heather Hearts, will be my new outlet for fashion and my personal style as I redefine it in my 30's.  I plan on keeping it more personal and more photography heavy.   

Currently I only have one follower, but I'd like to change that.  That's where you come in.  Check out Heather Hearts and follow along if you feel so compelled.  I think you may enjoy it and I'm looking forward to carving out this new little online space.  Come by and say hi if you can! 

This Week...

I met up with one of my favorite fellow dancers, Jackie.  We shared some fries and dished over burgers and wine at the Bowery.  

I attended my office Christmas party and discovered that some of my male co-workers actually have some pretty impressive dance moves.

I wrote another DIY Guest post for Little Tree Vintage blog for a 12 Days of Christmas Embroidery Hoop project.  You can view it by clicking here.

 

I helped the boy to make a delicious lentil soup on Wednesday and we have been enjoying the left overs ever since.

I received this snood from Arthelias Attic on Etsy and I am pretty much obsessed.  Why did snoods ever go out of fashion?  

I've been watching Hart of Dixie on Netflix and I am pretty much hooked.  Rachel Bilson's wardrobe is so chic, yet fun, I think I've found a new TV style icon!

I discovered this wonderful blog, which sources wardrobe sources from all my favorite shows.  Love it!  

I'm finding that having bangs requires a bit more primping in the morning.  I'd like to say that I'm fine with that, but I'm just not a morning person, so it's been a bit challenging this week.  

 This weekend the boy and I are celebrating Christmas with my parents since we won't be at their actual Christmas celebration this year.  I must admit, I like spreading out the festivities!  

I also hope to take a tour of my home town tomorrow night and see some Christmas lights.  As much as I love living in the city, we are definitely low on Christmas lights.  Though, not on Rodeo Drive, which has a massive tree, live carol singers and even bouts of fake snow....It's like a mini Disneyland, but instead of selling Mickey Mouse sweatshirts, they sell Versace dresses.  Potato, Pototto.  

Hope you have a lovely weekend!  

Weekends are sort of like Feathers....

They just float on by and before your done enjoying them they're gone.  Not that I really mind going back to work, it's just that I enjoy sleeping in so much!  

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This weekend was fairly uneventful.  We paid rent, we went down to Santa Monica and got an Advent Calendar from the English shop (it's literally like Wee Britain down there) then stopped by Father's Office for a pint and beet salad....And sweet potato fries.  Saturday night found us at our first holiday part of the season and now I've been spending most of my Sunday tidying up and trying my best to get things ready for the week, but, typically, am not making as much progress as I'd like.  

This week I'm expecting a few packages of Christmas goodies and I plan to finish up a couple holiday projects.  Friday we're having a few people over, and honestly I'm a little bit nervous about it.  We've never had more than a couple people in our apartment at a time, mainly because it's so small, but hopefully people will be cool with a "cozy" atmosphere!  

What are your plans this week?   

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?  

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!  

Rock the Vote and A is for....

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First off, I just want to say thank you to all of you who left sweet comments and sent me heartfelt notes about my late puppy Max.  You all are so thoughtful!   Secondly, I really hope all of you lovely folks are visiting the polls today and exercising your democratic rights.  I don't really want to get political on this blog, but I do think this is a really important election, especially when it comes to women's rights.  There is so much going on in politics at the moment that is bent on limiting the civil liberties of women across this great nation, and personally, I can hardly believe it's happening.  I was perhaps naive in thinking that I'd never have to fight for my civil rights, but I still am slightly stupefied by everything that has happened over the last eight months that has diminished the equality of women in this country.  There is so much going on that, as far as I can tell, serves no purpose other than to make women feel ashamed and inferior and, in 2012, isn't that a bit old hat?  Did these politicians not get the memo that girls run the world?  

Anyway, in the spirit of women's liberties, I want to share a very important organization with you all.  A is for... is an organization committed to protecting women's rights and liberating us from the negative connotations placed on women who are merely exercising their basic human rights.  Watch the first video below to get the inside scoop (and you may even catch a glimpse of me in there)  then watch the second video to see what I think A is for.  Visit their website to learn more and see how you can get involved.  (Sorry the sound is a bit weird on the 2nd video, my computer was acting up!)

Ladies - Let's rock the vote and continue kicking ass!

 

My Max

This past weekend was pretty somber for me, as my family dog, who has been a huge part of my family's life for the past decade, moved on to a bigger and better dog park in the heavens.  (Cause as we know, all dogs go to heaven!)  

Max was a wonderful dog.  He was a nurse, an athlete, a cheerleader, a greeter, a wiggler, a barker, a guardian, a cuddler, a sleeper, an eater, a squirel-chaser, a confidant, a sweetheart and a friend.  I know it's a bit strange to say, but he was a really great friend of mine.  He was supportive and caring when I literally felt like I didn't have a friend in the world and he helped me overcome several difficult times in my life...I will always be grateful to him for that.

But he was also important to my whole family.  He was a vital cog in the McGreevey household and was the source of so much frustration and joy for my parents.  I know we are all really going to miss him.

I wasn't going to blog about this, but I had recently taken these pictures when the boy and I last dog sat for Max two weeks ago.   It was the last time I saw him.  I am so glad we spent that weekend with him.  We had fun together and it's a good way to remember him.  

I really miss Max already.  I feel a bit heartbroken knowing that he's gone, but I also know that he lived a happy life, enriched the lives of my entire family and his sweet legacy will live on. 

Santa Ana Winds!

I know they reap havoc on the town, tree branches and fire safety, but I really love the Santa Ana Winds.  It makes it feel more like fall when the air is whipping all around you and leaves are flying everywhere!  Last night they were particularly strong and as I came home after a late rehearsal it really did feel spooky outside - It felt like Halloween!  

This week has been what feels like a lot of catch up and a little bit of drama.  Maybe I should blame that on the winds too.  But now that it's Thursday I feel like I can see the light of the weekend and I'm already feeling more relaxed.  

So here's a quick run down of what's been blowing around here....

Sonia Rodriguez in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Photo by Bruce Zinger

My review of The National Ballet of Canada's production of Alice in Wonderland posted on DIY Dancer. Go check it out for the complete inside scoop!

I've been taking a lot (for me) of ballet classes to try to prepare for a fundraising gig I'm participating in...Where I yet again will be performing my spotlight variation in this costume. 

They're already putting up Christmas decorations in my town, which I think is just swell!  Too early?  Not if you ask me!  Bring on the Christmasing! 

What have you been up to lately? 

Life in the Fast Lane plus Pizza

This week has been really rather crazy.  The boy and I have both been working late or have had events to attend every single evening.  And even though it's all been fun and exciting, we're both feeling a little exhausted.  And when we're both this busy, a lot of the "normal" daily chores get sort of pushed aside.  Dishes need to be done, mail needs to be sorted, bed needs to get made...you get the idea.  

We also tend to go the lazy route of ordering food in when life gets like this (something we rarely ever do.)  But I think that sort of makes it more fun and special.  The other night we ordered a pizza and it was delicious.  Only problem is, the boy is something of a speed eater.  By the time I had just finished my first piece of pizza, this was all that was left...

Ok, maybe I am also a slow-eater.  But seriously.  How can anyone put away that much pizza that fast?  I am starting to suspect the boy is part anteater. 

Sweet Surprises

There is nothing better than a bit of unexpected sweetness in life, don't you think?  Over the last week I've had a couple sweet surprises come my way, the first being these beautiful Paint by Numbers paintings I received from my fabulous Aunt Jeanette.  

Jeanette is one of the best vintage shoppers / interior decorators / treasure hunters I know.  She proved it the last time we visited her in Portland, OR.  She knew all the best vintage shops and with her help, I found two of the best vintage dresses of my life!  So it's no surprise that she had these two gorgeous paintings in her home.  I had told her I was collecting Paint by Numbers and if she was looking to off load some of hers to send them my way.  Well, imagine my excitement when I found these two lovelies waiting on my doorstep last week!  I love them and they add so much to my "collection,"  which, until last week consisted of two paintings.  

The second lovely surprise of the week was that my blog friend Lizette nominated me for the Liebster Award!  Lizette writes a wonderful blog called Creativity Lizette and I am just honored that she likes Lilac & Lace enough to recognize me in this way.  Thank you Lizette!  

As part of the award stipulations I am supposed to answer 11 questions from Lizette and then give 11 new questions to other blogs.  But I am kind of lazy, so rather than write out all my answers, I made a little video.  Now isn't that a lovely suprise?  Y'all get to hear my beautiful voice!  Enjoy!

 

Times Square and Muppets

Another snippet from my recent maiden voyage to the Big Apple.  I must admit, I was expecting to feel a bit more excited when I strolled through times square...I mean, I love theater and there I was in the heart of 'ole broadway.  I was excited but not overwhelmed like I thought I might be.  

However I did get accosted by a pair of Muppets...At least I think they were Muppets.  No kidding.  

The Muppet situation began....

The Muppet situation ended!

Actually, just in looking at these photos, I feel rather impressed by this collossal microcosm of advertising madness!  Times Square, you are pretty rad, even if you are overrun by Muppets!

If I can make it there....

It's hard to believe, but just two weeks ago I made my very first trip to New York.  It was something I'll always look back on fondly.  We stayed in a wonderful hotel, around the corner from Grand Central Station and the New York public library.  We were right there at 42nd and Madison Avenue.  We went to Tiffany's and FAO Schwarz.  We walked through Central Park, took a carriage ride in the evening as well, saw Lincoln Center and Times Square and we walked up and down Broadway. 

I often think about New York and how, if I had made a few different choices in my youth, I could have easily ended up living there rather than Los Angeles.  I was always a bit intimidated by the place, but in reality, I felt very much at home there right from the start.  I think I would like to live there someday, even just for a little while, just to say I did.  

Our first destination on the trip was the top of the Empire State Building!  Cheesy, I know, but we wanted to get the lay of the land.  It was rather hazy, but I actually think my pictures captured the view better than I remembered it. 

 

Happy Labor Day!

Hope you're not laboring too much today!  Enjoy a day off!

Life Lately

I feel so guilty when I'm not posting regularly on this blog.  I've always managed to get posts up no matter how crazy my life is, but this summer I've been battling a major case of blog block.  I've just been so uninspired and frankly burnt out.  

But I'm hoping that my upcoming trip to New York and my attendance at the IFB convention will help to spark a bit more of my blogging enthusiasm again.   

Offline, I've been really working hard on redesigning our apartment and actually have made quite a lot of progress, but I am still searching for the perfect piece of furniture to put our TV and media stuff on.  I have a definite picture in my head of what I want and really don't want to settle for anything less, but it may be a while before it all comes together. 

Here's a few snapshots of life lately!  

An example of the weird things you can find at a car wash...miniature sleeping kittens?

First signs of Fall! 

My car needed a wash like something awful!

Lots of cups of tea

Now the rest of my weekend will be about continuing to clean, putting away laundry and hopefully getting a bit of time to journal and catch up on my favorite blogs!  Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

Aloha!

Hello Blog.  I'm back.  Though, to be honest I feel like I need even more of a break.  I had a marvelous vacation with my family to Kauai and sort of fell in love with the island and their laid back way of life.  So the above picture is something of a motto I plan on adopting!

I've been seriously wondering if this blog is something I still want to keep up.  I've been doing a great deal of thinking about the value of this outlet along with how much I want to pursue it.  I've been also pondering the psychology of blogging and why I do it.  Why any of us do it.  It's a concept I do want to pursue further, but I also think I am going to slow down the posts a bit and use this opportunity to redefine this blog.  

As you can see there have been some changes around here to the template, and I am still toying with it...Be warned that it may change quite a bit more, as I am just experimenting.  The thing is I have so much to share - A lot happened this past week so there is quite a bit I want to blog about, but I'm afraid it may be a bit slow going for a while.  

I hope you will bare with me as I continue to regroup and get it together.  I plan to have a whole bunch of fun things for you soon!  And in the meantime, here's a shameful plug for work - Jigsaw London just marked down a whole bunch of wonderful clothes and accessories as part of their annual summer sale - so treat yourself to some massive deals for Independence Day!  Read more about it here.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!