{show & tell} LA souvenirs

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Anamu

The best part about traveling? Coming home and unloading your loot! I’ve had my mind and eyes on a few things so I took advantage of being in LA to tick them off my list. And here they are….

The Old:

An antique hourglass from my mama that she dug up when we went through her storage. Joe always played with it when he was at my folks’ house so she let me bring it back for him. Aawwwww…

An old brass bottle opener in the form of a Pre-Columbian figure from my grandpa. The last time I visited him in Colombia I asked him to take me to wherever they sold “old stuff”. He thought I was crazy but now he gets me.

Plastic Plates from POKETO that Joe bought for me when I moved into my own apartment (oh how I loved my DTLA studio!). Now they’ll be perfect for our BBQ meals by the pool and if you like them, they’re still in stock!

The New:

I was so excited when Everlane launched their collection of luxury basics several months ago. Not just because everything is under $100 but because most (if not all?) items are made in the USA. They don’t currently ship internationally so I ordered a tank for me and a t-shirt for Joe but I really should have stocked up!

It’s still bikini season where I am so I was on the look out for a new suite. I found my perfect set at Undrest by the Sea in Venice. Since the bikini was on sale I splurged on the shorts. I love the knit fabric and the Brazillian cut – and they’re each made in LA so extra extra brownie points, had to support! I think the swimwear sale is still happening online so hurry, click click click!

I recently got new Moo business cards so naturally I needed something to put them in. The EAYSRLEE wallet is perfect in design, quality, and function. I’ve completely ditched my big wallet for it since I can stuff it in my pocket and go. I bought it through Of A Kind so you just know that it’s 100% indie-designer goodness.

Chunky or statement necklaces are what I’m good at collecting but sometimes a girl needs something simple. I’ve been searching for a small pendant that I could wear every day and I fell in love with this golden nugget necklace by Timka Jewelry. She has a table on Abbott Kinney in Venice and is there every weekend selling her designs at 30% off. SOLD!

And last but not least, my new travel companion: the awesome upcycled leather passport holder by ECO PARTY MEARRY purchased at POKETO’s new shop in DTLA’s Arts District (see, here’s proof that I was there!) I’ve been wanting one easy place to keep my boarding pass stubs and receipts while traveling and this one does it all in style!

The new case will come in handy tomorrow when Joe’s packs me in his suitcase for a business trip to London (eeee!!!) I can’t believe that we get to go back to visit our other home city – it’s going to feel so great. Better dust off my sweaters, polish those boots, and, of course, make sure to save some room for more souvenirs ;)

golden

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Anamu

I had a new let’s getaway post scheduled for today but being back with friends, family, blue skies, and golden sunsets made it difficult to dream up another holiday destination. This snap taken from the Metro Gold Line into Downtown LA is my favorite from the week – I love riding it during golden hour and catching scenes like this.

sights

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Anamu

Just a few of the places and moments from my week about town. Mid-century buildings + signage, taco lunch on the beach, and towering palm trees that complete the SoCal skyline … making the most of it all.

friday pic & pin

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Anamu

It’s been a great week of catching up with friends all over town and getting local things done. I’ve literally been all over the map from orange county to the valley and Sunday will take me to the westside for a brunch in Venice. Each area has different memories and associations for me so it’s almost as if each chapter of my life is a different zip code and I’m flipping through the pages as I drive along. It’s a trip.

We’ll see what stories are created this weekend.

Have a good one!

(image left: Downtown LA skyline from LA State Historic Park by Ana Maria Muñoz, right: Pin via Delovely Arts)

{monthly mix tape} road nostalgia august

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Anamu

I was a big-time commuter in LA before moving closer to work and public transportation options. While I can’t say that I miss having a car, I do miss the long periods of time when it was just me and my music. There’s something about driving that makes everything sound and feel better, isn’t there? To satisfy my driving nostalgia I decided to create a playlist of songs from my college days to now that would make me smile, bob my head, and cheer me up even in the worst of traffic jams. That’s why there’s 17 tracks instead of the usual 10 ;)

Click here or the sidebar player to tune in. Enjoy!

1 Patient Patient   The Morning Benders
2 Turn on Me The Shins
3 Benny and the Jetts TV Girl
4 Haiti Arcade Fire
5 I Can Go White Arrows
6 Home Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
7 Ocean Breathes Salty Modest Mouse
8 Awake  Electric Guest
9   Get It Together   Go! Team
10   Let’s Call Ig Off (Single Mix)  Peter Bjorn & John
11   Emergency Call Matt Costa
12   Disco Friends Just Jack
13   Cause=Time   Broken Social Scene
14   The Bucket Kings of Leon
15   Long Distance Call Phoenix
16   City Sky Thao Nguyen
17 Out of Tune Real Estate

(image: LA by freeway by Ana Maria Munoz)

{show & tell} LA souvenirs

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Anamu

la show and tell

After returning from our visit to LA a few weeks ago it really hit me that London is my new home home. Los Angeles is where I’m from but when I unpacked souvenirs from the trip like gifts from friends and found storage items, I did so in our London flat – our home. It’s been really strange to go back and forth between calling LA and London home…I only really ever had one to consider. When strangers ask me where I’m from they inevitably follow up with “which place do you prefer?” That used to be an easy question to answer but I genuinely love and enjoy different things about each city. Also, they’re apples and oranges so it’s practically impossible to give a straight answer. I often think back to the metro rides to/from work in LA while Joe was living here for a month before I joined him. I would listen to Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zero’s song home on replay and remind myself why I was leaving the only home I had ever known. Now when I look at some of the goodies I brought back from LA (and Joe’s hometown, Anchorage) I think yes, “home is wherever I’m with you” but it does help to have a few personal mementos to remind you of your roots…or at least from the shops where your roots are ;)

Images from top/bottom left/right:
card by The Great Lakes Goods bought at Lula Mae
prescription glasses, frames by Chanel bought at Specstacular
1986 Ovation guitar, gift from Joe’s parents
ballet flats by TOMS, gift from friends (no a child will not receive the same ballet flats, click here to learn about TOMS’s One for One)
vintage dress bought at Shareen Vintage
art square by a former co-worker’s talented mother
childhood photo of Joe, we’ll get the entire album next time
joe’s ID bracelet from when he was six years old. fits me perfectly
and of course…an awesome CA necklace from one of my besties, Vikki

los angeles design, i <3 you

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Anamu

decorative flags, olvera street los angeles
decorative antique fire engine wheel, fire house number 1, los angeles california mission style, olvera street los angeles
crosswalk pattern, los angeles bold and modern, fillmore gold line station, pasadena los angeles
simple pattern design, pasadena los angeles
art deco facade, old pasadena los angeles

pattern, eagle rock los angeles

retro diner, eagle rock los angeles
garage design, manhattan beach los angeles
retro apartment, redondo beach los angeles

Hola, how was your weekend?

Ours was all about traveling and settling back into our flat; man does it feel good to be home!!! One of the things that I love about London is that the architectural details are so different from everything that I grew up with in LA. When we moved here I became obsessed with noting the tiny details of building facades and period characteristics of the 1600′s onwards.

Los Angeles is obviously much newer so going back for a visit after being away for a while proved to be super inspiring. Everything from the Mexican and Spanish Colonial details around El Pueblo/Olvera Street, the Art Deco facades in Old Pasadena, to the simple retro lines of the beach communities … they all hint to the diversity of design in the City of Angels. I admire and respect the ornate and elaborate styles of traditional European design but when push comes to shove, simplicity and basic geometry always captures my heart. It wasn’t until this trip that I realized how much my hometown had influenced my personal design tendencies. I guess sometimes you really don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone…or at least leave it then go back :)

happy friday! + see you in a bit palm trees

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Anamu

The weekend is finally here and for us it means one thing: LA! We fly out this afternoon and I cannot WAIT to see this view again. It’ll be evening by the time we arrive but we have every intention to head straight to In-n-Out to stuff our faces for a proper “welcome back” dinner. Mmmmmmm…I’m drooling just thinking about it!

I will blog while away but I may keep posts to a single photo per day. I’m hoping that I’ll be too busy chasing after my little nieces to do anything else, really.

Off the blog you can join me on twitter and instagram for tidbits of my hometown adventures and probably lots of photos of Mexican food and two little munchkins named Juliana and Isabella. Oh, and I’ll be celebrating my birthday with some serious style so you won’t want to miss that.

Have a fantastic weekend!

P.S. i absolutely love reading your favorite souvenir comments for the marrakech souvenir giveaway – keep ‘em coming!!!

2 nights of fashion

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Anamu

EPIC. Photo via Expensive Deathstyle

A bit overdue but here we go!

Night 1: had the pleasure of meeting some rad gals at LAFW 2.0, a gathering of LA fashion bloggers at the beautiful Broadway Bar.

Hosted by Dedicated Follower of Fashion and the lovely Kelsi Smith of Stylesmith, the night consisted of fashion talk, industry tips, and just good ol’ mingling. We all left with a swag bag full of goodies, purses stuffed with business cards, and new friends. View photos of the night here.

Night 2: Stopped by the grand opening of EPIC, a new fashion c0-op in Echo Park that is for LA local designers only. LOVED IT! The space was huge, perfect to fit their 400+ turn out who donned some of the most stylish (and interesting) outfits I’ve seen in a while. Only fail for the night was the long line for the photo booth…no silly b&w photos of Joe & I to share this time, but above is a great overview shot from Expensive Deathstyle. Can you spot me in my colorful vintage dress?