sunset in the park

May 23rd, 2013 | Posted by jm in personal style | Threads - (1 Comments)

I haven’t been back long and yet already find myself settling into the usual rut that home so often brings, which — despite stemming from the comforts of said home — can be stifling nonetheless  There’s a big city in this peninsula; with so many people to meet and so much to do, but with all the miles and hills and frustrating public transportation in between me and that new or old destination, I so often opt to stay home, often venturing no further out then to the market for a sandwich and then the park to eat it. My world is a two block radius.

Until the day comes when a friend invites me to meet her two neighborhoods over, which was just close enough to tempt me outdoors, and — as it turns out — just far enough away to make me realize what I’ve been missing. I sailed down all the busy streets in a cab and ran two blocks in my new vintage boots before ducking into the crowded little cozy bar for happy hour and grilled cheese. The sun began to set; my companion and I parted ways, and I walked back slowly, pausing to catch the last of its rays from this hilltop in Alamo Square before they melted below the buildings, the trees of the Golden Gate Park, the horizon. In the pale dark I walked home with the big, silent, bay window eyes watching me; just another passerby they’ve witnessed in the steady stream of time that breathes so thick in the air here. There’s just no substitute for getting outside, and doing things.
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Boots: Vintage/Dress & Scarf: Free People

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much ado about los angeles

May 21st, 2013 | Posted by jm in Bones | personal style | Threads | Travel - (0 Comments)

One quarter of one century living in the so-called city of angels has given me the rights to disparage it for the rest of my years (and don’t think that I won’t), but there is one great thing Los Angeles has that can’t be found elsewhere. Family and friends are here, along with almost year round summer, and that means shedding all my winter layers at last over hugs and kisses, home cooked meals, familiar cats, dogs and even chickens always underfoot, warm nights spent telling stories as late as you want outside on the porch or in the garden, and sneaking off to Yogurtland with the brothers as often as possible. There’s also the LA connection — a little known law of science requiring everyone I know to at some point pass through the city at least once in their life. This time it was the lovely blogess Haleigh, who was also traveling through at the same time that I was preparing to return North. You can wonder what coincidences mean, or you can just make the most of them and take advantage of what LA does best — LACMA, happy hour, and fresh civiche.

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Kaftan: Morocco/Jeans: Free People

The weekend is here and what better excuse to stimulate the mind and senses with something new. This week, my recommendations are:

weekend- Try out a new tune… or eighty. Rdio is the only way I listen to music anymore — new users can stream for free for six months, and virtually every album or song known to mankind can be found in their extensive library and streamed in full. Like Pandora, you can also pick a song or album you like and create a radio station, although I honestly find Pandora’s genius superior. Rdio’s strength lies in the ability to listen to any album through, or mix and match songs into custom playlists. Do it right, and curl up with your headphones and a good book — or just a good cup of coffee — in your favorite park or cafe.

- If you’re in San Francisco, this weekend is (of course) the infamous bay to breakers race. This wholly San Franciscan event is like Halloween and Christmas combined, only instead of opening presents, the surprises come from counting how many naked people you see. Do it right, and find some friends to wear matching super hero costumes with. Somehow I’ve never been in town for it these past three years, but as I’m completely out of excuses I have several friends to support in the race, I’ll see you down on the sidelines to watch all the ignominy take place. After all, 101 years of history can’t be wrong.

- If not in San Francisco, the summer movie season has officially started and right now there’s two good excuses to drop some dollars on the big screen. Star Trek and Great Gatsby are out, and despite the various issues either adaptation will undoubtedly have, you know they’re both bound to be visually out of this world (and literally, in sort of both cases). Make it a double feature (ie. buy tickets for one, sneak into the other, as neither film is really worth the full price of admission, despite their respective merits), and do it right — bring a flask.

– image pinned from one of my fav blogs — Ulicam

renewable fashion

May 16th, 2013 | Posted by jm in personal style | Threads - (0 Comments)

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Jeans: Free People/Jacket: Secondhand Zara Mens/Boots: Charles David

A simple outfit for a simple stroll around the neighborhood. I’m always on the lookout for more cropped jackets; my closet leans  towards longer lengths where pretty much all of my coats are concerned. This chunky sweater was gifted by a friend cleaning out his closet and is the both length and texture of my dreams. I’ve gotten some of my best pieces from fashionable friends in unexpected places. What’s your favorite piece of clothing or accessory that’s been passed down or on to you?

the house detective

May 15th, 2013 | Posted by jm in Bones | Gardens | Home | personal style | San Francisco | Threads - (3 Comments)

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I thought I’d share with you this glimpse into my life of glimpses into other people’s lives. No, not private eye — real estate appraiser. But that does make you some sort of double voyeur. If my travels have taught me anything, it’s that people are people everywhere — but the people in San Francisco sometimes get to live in really amazing spaces. This home was not the nicest or most historically intact I’ve seen, but their views of the Bay and North Beach couldn’t be beat, nor can their location on one of the few terraced step-streets in the city. And their cat was pretty great too. The back end that you won’t see, however, involves me preparing a professional estimate of what this house is worth, which is almost impossible to predict in a city full of unique properties. Which is why I’m blogging about it, instead of working on said report. Now you know everything.