I heart...

This driftwood heart by HEARBLACK. Their oh-so-lovely blog is definitely worth a gander; I need friends that build sweet little teepees and have picnics on the beach. Sigh.

Road Trip!

Hello all! I know it's been too long, but I just got back from an amazing road trip to L.A. and San Diego. It was a professional development outing with my department at the Aquarium and we were lucky enough to visit some spectacular places that are also doing wonderful things in education! The pictures above are not mine (I try but I just can't take decent photos), and they are only a small sample of the sights we saw and enjoyed. The Getty Museum on the upper left corner was stunning, not only the artowrk inside the museum (I gawked at the Degas for a good while) but also the Museum's architecture itself is just gorgeous. The bottom left corner is from Pacific Beah in San Diego, if you're ever in that neck of the woods I recommend staying at the Tower 23 hotel-- I felt uber trendy the moment I  got there! And finally on the right is the Santa Monica Pier. We didn't get to ride the ferris wheel, but it was a great sight. Altogether, it was a great trip and I'm looking forward to going back and maybe camping on the beach in Malibu and soaking up the SoCal sun.

Images via flickr: Getty; Pacific Beach; Santa Monica

One day I'm gonna whistle...

It just doesn't get much cuter than this.

found via heather ross

A little warmth

I love all the prints in Katie Daisy's shop. They make me feel warm and cozy in this oh-so-cold weather.

found via vintage simple

Baby!

There's a cute, new addition at the Aquarium. Just this weekend a baby African blackfooted penguin was born in one of our exhibits. It's the first time we've had a penguin birth here and needless to say, it's very exciting! It's hard to catch a glimpse of the little cutie because it's always snuggly tucked under papa. Here's a little peak of him/her (we won't know until later if it's a boy or a girl):



image and video via monterey bay aquarium

Taking a look...

I hadn't really realized it until I got a Christmas update from a good friend describing all of his 2010 adventures, but I've had a BIG year! It feels like I've been in California for so very long, but I only moved here last March and it's been a tornado of craziness (and awesomeness, and just a teensy bit of sadness) ever since. Despite the major boughts of homesickness I experienced early on in my move (if you're curious about the cure= Grey's Anatomy marathons), I've absolutely enjoyed my cross-country move and I must give myself a proud little pat on the back for being brave enough to take this big step in my life. This year though, I'm allowing myself to be not-so-courageous and just take a moment to really enjoy everything (and everyone) around me. My New Year's Resolutions are few but they all fit one oh-so-important criterium: FUN. Number one on my list (the genius of this one blew me away): Spend New Year's Eve 2011 in New York. Now, this may seem kinda weird to many of you, but it's always been a dream of mine to watch the ball drop in NYC. So this year I'm just going to suck it up and go! Numero dos: Get to know this great state I now live in. Yup, I'm going to explore the heck out of California this year. And then...that's it! I always try to keep my Resolutions List short and sweet because who wants to start the year off with a stressful, mile-long list of things "to do." What about you? Any resloutions for this lovely upcoming year?

photo of suki and me on the 17-mile drive

Big Ups to 2011!

I wish you all every happiness for the upcoming year. Big hugs and best wishes!

image by me at Flamingo Gardens (if you're in the South FLA 'hood, I definitely recommend stopping by!)

Warm Wishes

Sending you all warm thoughts from sunny Florida! Hope your holidays are chock full of yummy goodness.

photo by teddo, inc.

Happy day!

I'm looking forward to all of the birthday shenanigans this weekend! Hope you enjoy your weekend too!

image via miss molly

Happy Monday!

I know, I know, those two words (Monday + Happy) don't usually go together but I'm actually excited about this week for two specific reasons. First of all, it's the week before I go home for the holiday break (hooray!) and secondly, it's my birthday this week! I usually plan something for the big day, a fancy night out on the town or an ugly Christmas Sweater Party, but this year I'm feeling a little lazy so I'm just going with the flow and being spontaneous about the whole thing. Anywho, hope your Monday isn't too terribly dreary and if it is, I hope this little print makes your day like it did mine.

image via that's happy

A Hand-made Christmas

This year I decided to go handmade for the holidays. My goal next year is to go toally handmade with not only my own wishlist, but all the presents I get for everyone. Santa Mum and I have developed a fabulous (and very efficient) Christmas system-- I submit my wishlist early in November and she gets to pick and chose whatever she likes. Number one on my wishlist was anything from Emerson Made. To narrow things down (and not insist on $300 jeans), I picked these gorgeous flower pins. I've been lusting after a Forest Bound bag since I stumbled onto their shop, which is like heaven because not only are things handmade but they're handmade from recycled materials (I just died a little). Everytime I send anything in the mail, I stop and think how much cuter it would look with a Primele stamp on it. And finally, I obviously need something ocean-themed to round out the list and I love this little sea star necklace by Starfish and the Sea.

So, what's on your wishlist this year?

Tenenbaum Tuesday

Just a little tribute to one of my all time faves. Hope your week is going oh-so-well!

margot image courtesy of c.p. (unknown source); richie image by nan lawson

Friday Fun

This kid totally rocks my face off.  Who can resist busting a move when they hear this song? I friggin' love it!

found via another passenger

Holey Cow!

Pardon me sir, I do believe there is a large hole in your tummy. Ha! This is one of the new art pieces at Fairchild. I haven't been a huge fan of the art collections they've had over the last couple of years (Lichtenstein just didn't tickle my pickle), but I must admit that I actually like this year's exhibit. This is one of the pieces by Claude & Francois-Xavier Lalanne. There are also sheep, bunnies, owls, stags, and other lovely creatures frolicking through the garden. Next time I'm in Miami I'll take a few more shots to share with you all or if you're in the neighborhood, stop by and take a gander for yourself!

image taken by teddo, inc.

Too often...

Does anyone else suffer from this dilemma? I find that it happens a lot when I'm watching football on Sundays. My urge to eat simply cannot compete with the couch and my extreme laziness. I haven't turned into a skeleton and died yet. Let's keep our fingers crossed on that one.

image via the daitny squid