smelling

on a really big fragrance kick lately, and i think it has to do with the fact that spring has sprung. i loved my "winter/holiday" scent, which was Tom Ford Tuscan Leather. i was obsessed with it but no one ever smelled it on me, which was good? i guess? but ultimately disappointing because i just wanted someone to say "wow, you smell good."

regardless.

since it's spring, i clearly need something lighter. i've found that rose water spray adds a lovely, refreshing scent after the shower. i buy this one from whole foods:

even though i know it's stupid easy to make. i live in a studio apartment. i literally re-potted plants this past weekend in my bathtub. i'm not going to get all crazy with botanicals.

i also found an amazing sunblock the other day - it is lavender scented, so it doesn't smell like chemicals. i'm a big fan of Alba products, so was quite excited to find it.

who knows if it works - i've only worn it for two days. BUT i got a new tattoo last week, so i needed something more natural than, say, Coppertone. and i should know shortly if it doesn't do it's job as my brand new tattoo will look three years old if it doesn't. naturally i got it right before the hottest week of the year. i'll post a photo/video of it someday. that day is not today.

i've also been exploring home fragrance, and just bought one of those ceramic oil burner thingys. it's not pretty, but it works. i've been using lily of the valley essential oil because I AM OBSESSED WITH LILY OF THE VALLEY. i love them. they remind me of when i was a kid. someday, i'll get a lily of the valley specific tattoo. only issue is, after awhile my apartment tends to smell a bit like an 80 year old woman lives there. so... does anyone recommend a good scent to pair with the lily of the valley scent? go!

i saw this poster by Phantom City Creative at Gallery 1988 on Melrose in LA for their Breaking Bad show. it was sold out. i was severely bummed. maybe this will be the tattoo?

inspiring

the amazing work of Jen Stark.

Jen Stark came on my radar a few years ago, whilst working for the Museum of Craft and Folk Art. i was toying with the idea of putting together a paper show. we had done one when i first came on board, which i loved, and it was successful. so, i started culling together different paper artists. the bright color, the sculpture, the bright white (or deep black) outsides all make Jen Stark's work intriguing to me.

Cosmic Distortion, 2012

The Whole, 2012

Recently, she's been working with holographic paper, which adds a new dimension to her work. this incorporates light sources, and reminds me of crystalline structures and geodes.

Holographic Circle, 2012

performance

Marina Abramović

travelling

Jeanne Susplugas

a trip to paris, perhaps, to see Les Bains RÉSIDENCE D’ARTISTES.

PS: Uniqlo has Ladurée tee shirts available now. très chic. okay, maybe not chic, but très adorable. i almost bought one the other day (pictured below,) but then i remembered that i don't actually wear tee shirts, so i bought a cute dress instead.

isn't it cute? i love boston terriers

also, whilst i'm on the parisian kick, i picked up the Marie Antoinette tea (of course) at Ladurèe in NYC last september. it's very fragrant and lovely, and incredibly floral, which i quite like in a tea.

and really, who can resist this packaging?

inspiring

when i first saw the work by artist Keng Lye on This Is Colossal, i thought, omgod, someone trapped live fish in resin. what a horrible, horrible thing to do. and then i read the post, and scrolled down... and was amazed. Alive without Breath is a series of work that is made by layering resin, paint, and other objects to create lifelike images "floating" in bowls, buckets, and bento boxes. ridiculous.

illustrating

not me, but some other inspired illustrators working in the world right now.

Olympia Zagnoli. her color blocking is ridiculously off the chain.

David Ho, The Predator. i love the muted / ethereal colors in his work.

Jonathan Burton, Folio Society Cards. love the vintage imagery.

listing realness

the original, of course. absolutely still relevant / amazing as it was when it was released. caused a scandal when the public found out that funds from the NEA were used to help produce it, around the time the NEA was supporting controversial artist Robert Mapplethorpe.

this. show. is. amazing. all the back seasons are on netflix.

mossing

i found the moss graffiti project on Apartment Therapy a few years ago, and have been dying to do it myself. unfortunately, i live in a box, with no outdoor spaces of my own. so, instead, i've done a round up of some awesome examples of this "green graffiti":

the only thing problematic about moss graffiti, is it seems you'd only be able to do it on a space you own, as it takes a few tries to get the moss seeds (?) to stick in a unified form. regardless, i think it's magical.

inspiring

"Batty Boy!" Kings Cross Station, London.

The Pansy Project, by Paul Harfleet. From his origin statement:

I had observed the tendency to place flowers at the scene of a crime or accident had become an accepted ritual and I considered a similar response. Floral tributes subtly augment the reading of a space that encourages a passer-by to ponder past events at a marked location, generally understood as a crime or accident; my particular intervention could encourage a passer-by to query the reason for my own ritualistic action.

i am incredibly inspired by The Pansy Project. i think it's a great example of non-destructive street art, much like yarn bombing, or moss graffiti (more on that tomorrow!) not that i find spray painting particularly "destructive," after all, i'm a huge graffiti fan. i just find projects which have a growth component to them particularly smart. growth projects add a different dimension to street art - after all, it's working with the nature that is found in our urban areas. in the art world, we talk about "public art" as a thing that needs to be invested in, as a huge sculpture in front of a building. but i find there is art EVERYWHERE, and truly public, in these quirky, and deeply meaningful, projects.

weekly cleansing ritual

i. love. baths. i only take one bath per week, and i reserve it for a weekend afternoon where i can fix myself a gin & tonic and soak, read, and listen to music. margot tennenbaum has got nothing on me. i feel it's the ultimate indulgence. every other "bad habit" i have, i can "work" through. i.e.: the hours i spend watching netflix, i'm usually drawing, or embroidering, or crocheting, or on the internet finding inspiring things, so i don't feel absolutely lazy. in the bath, there's no choice but to be nonproductive. once, i even dragged my computer (i have a desktop that's perched on a rolling desk) to the doorway of the bathroom so i could watch a movie while i was in the bath. talk about indulgence!

baths also allow me to ramp up my beauty regiment. in the theme of the previous beauty posts, here's what i do during my marathon baths.

this Rare Earth Clay Mask from Kiehl's is AHMAHZING.

makes my skin feel super silky soft and lovely.

um, am i still a 15-year-old girl because i still use Bioré Pore Strips, and i still love them? what can i say, they get rid of my blackheads.

sometimes, instead of my Rare Earth Clay Mask, i bust out these Kracie Japanese Mask's that i bought in japantown. you can find them in practically any japanese drug store, and some of the chinese ones as well. i bought the "variety pack" because i don't speak japanese, and wanted to try them all out. they're all fantastic, and it's awesome that you can pretend like you're buffalo bill wearing someone else's skin. YEAH, I'D FUCK ME.

also, i put essential oils into the bath, typically lavender or eucalyptus. i also put vitamin e oil in, and mix it around a whole bunch. makes my skin feel soft and lovely, but if you don't mix it in the bath well enough, it kinda sticks to your skin, and you get out of the bath feeling like there's an exxon valdez slick on your skin. SO USE IT SPARINGLY. it can be found anywhere.

what is your ultimate indulgence?

listing

best meals i've eaten in the past two weeks:

smoked trout salad, la boulange

steamed mussels + chorizo, claudine

steamed mussels + aioli + bread, 15 romolo

salad niçoise, the butler and the chef

avocado curry + shrimp, noodle bar and grill

take your face off

since i posted about my morning routine the other day, i thought i'd post about my nightly routine. i know you're thrilled! i promise as soon as i get a lovely picture of myself, i'll post it, and you'll be like YES, THERE IS A REASON WHY SHE'S BORING US WITH HER ROUTINES. plus, i'm obsessed with beauty products, and love sharing, and hearing, tips and tricks.

first, i cleanse. i use this:

i really love this polish. the beads are super tiny, so it's not as harsh as other exfoliators. it's even light enough that you could use it every day, if you like. not sure i recommend that, however. i concentrate on my nose the most - i have a tendency to get blackheads - ew.

and sometimes i use the whipped cleanser i told you about the other day, and then i finish with this:

it's meant to be used after you cleanse. it has teeny tiny micro-exfoliators that really clean out the pores. it can also be used on your lips, which i absolutely love. the bottle says to only use it twice per week, but i use it more like three or four times.

after that, i typically end my routine using this:

this is what i imagine heaven smells like. you may think it's weird to use oil on your skin, but it's totes not. in fact, i was just reading in Allure about how you lose a lot of your natural oils as you age, causing wrinkles. anyhow, i'm not sure it's for everyone, but i love the way it makes my skin feel, especially the next morning, and especially after i've been exfoliating.

last, i slather this on my eyes:

i swear on everything that is unholy that it is the best for dark circles. remember this tip from The Beauty Department, when applying eye cream.

and that's all she wrote! if i'm feeling like i need more hydration, i use Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. i like to keep mixing up the products i use, so my skin doesn't get complacent. it's kind of like going to the gym - you always have to keep tricking it to being the very best it can be.

what's YOUR night routine that you love?

visual referencing

or, what i paw through when i need a brain jolt.

Christian Marclay: Things I've Heard

Urs Fischer, Shovel in a Hole

Lula, Issue 16

Nick Cave, Meet Me at the Center of the Earth

AnOther Magazine, Issue 24

beautifying

i've been changing up my makeup routine to use LESS makeup, but get a better effect. i've also been attempting to get a good cleansing ritual down, to not overly aggravate my acne-prone, reddish-undertoned skin. it's also very important to me that my makeup last as long as possible, as i refuse to carry it with me throughout the day like a sherpa. so, here are my tricks!!

first, the japanese know what they're talking about when it comes to beauty. buy this. you can get it in japantown, in any japanese drug store. you only need a pea-sized amount (or smaller!) and it whips up into a lovely lather. cleanse for one minute. yes, one whole minute. you'll love it, i promise:

second, i use tea tree oil toner. i'm not picky on my toner, and i actually prefer to use the oil itself. (they sell this at Trader Joes/hippie shops)

third, i'm a primer gal. i love all sorts of primers! prime me! primers all the time! BUT the best primer for putting on your face is this:

yes, it is 45USD. yes, that's a lot of money. yes it erases your pores. you're welcome.

i can't show you my fourth step. lately, i've been developing my own foundation, since Kiehl's discontinued my favorite tinted moisturizer, and my skin is pale. very pale. in fact, it's rare that i "match" any particular color. so, to make up for this, every few weeks i squeeze BB cream (some i got at the drug store - nothing fancy - i think it's L'Oreal?!), Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, primer (lately, Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer,) moisturizer with SPF (again - nothing specific, but i love Kiehl's everything) into a little jar and mixing it all up until it's a color i like. the benefit of this is that not only does it match my skin, it's also significantly lighter in weight to a traditional foundation. it's infinitely buildable as well, which i love. get creative - try it out. especially on a weekend. go to japantown and buy cute little jars from Daiso to put your new foundation in.

fifth, i just started using the multiple that's been around FOREVER from Nars. i love it. yes, i still wear "orgasm." no, i'm not 22. it looks the best on me, what can i say. it comes in a lot of lovely colors, and can be used on lips, and THEY claim eyes, but i find it makes my eyelids greasy.

sixth, i use Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder. i actually mix that with bare escentuals bronzer that my mom gave me once, for the teensiest bit of shimmer/color over it. again, i like experimenting to find just the right balance and the right color of makeup.

seventh, i do the EYES. yes, the EYES have it! lately, i love highlighting the inner corner of my eyes with a white liner for a bit of brightness. i also use this just below the brows. then, i use a simple nude eyeshadow (one from smashbox) to finish the eye look. if i'm feeling particularly fancy, i line the upper lids with the same Aqua Eyes pencil in black from Makeup Forever. i finish off with as much mascara as i can humanly put on my lashes before they get sticky. loving the Buxom Lash by Bare Escentuals lately, but i am not loyal to any mascara, since they all kind of suck.

i finish off the brows with Anastasia Brow Wiz. this is the bomb.com, no lies. i have patchy eyebrows and this is super easy to use and looks natural.

another VERY IMPORTANT BEAUTY ITEM is the following:

warning: this is like rubber cement. once you put it on, whatever you put on top of it will stick. forever. you will need makeup remover if you mess up, so i only recommend it if you have a steady hand. THAT BEING SAID it's amazing, and makes your eye makeup last all day/night.

what AMAZING products do you have in your arsenal that i need to know about?!

consuming: kitchen edition

Anish Kapoor espresso cups

Louise Bourgeois mugs

David Shrigley drug shakers

Ali Miller tea set

inspiring

this was not in the show, but it is awesome

went and saw the Christian Marclay show at Fraenkel Gallery here in SF.

the show runs through 25 may and i highly recommend that you hightail it over there to see it. THINGS I'VE HEARD gathers visual documentations of objects that make music and a whole host of other sounds.

CHRISTIAN MARCLAY: THINGS I'VE HEARD

also very exciting is The Clock, at the SFMOMA. i have yet to see it, and i haven't seen it before, so i'm quite looking forward to going to it. you can check out wait times for The Clock, here.

what i enjoy about Marclay's work is not only the spontaneity, but alternatively the deliberateness of his collage. using found objects, he "remixes" items to create something new and/or unseen. his photographic work is brilliant; Marclay finds the extraordinary in the mundane, and finds quirky moments that people usually ignore.