Three Thrown-Away Tales

In the gutter, a mis-matched pair of shoes wonders what became of their mates.

Yet another used latex glove, kept company by two shoe inserts and a used cigarette.

The liquor store window seems the perfect place to find a used mini-vodka bottle.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Magical Ten of Clubs

As I was walking past the lawn of the Magic Castle in Hollywood (visited friends staying at the hotel), I spotted this single and slightly beat-up (gnawed perhaps) playing card, all by its lonesome self, as if rejected from the magician's pack for a mysterious infraction... or maybe it was just making a break for it.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Quickie Post - Shrimp Tacos and Sex in Los Feliz

After spending a lovely afternoon with friend Julia and her beau at their groovy new pad in the Los Feliz hills (OMG the view), Sweetie-pie and I went for some shrimp tacos at Best Shrimp Taco in Ensenada (and I ordered in Spanish-yay!) where we were in for a show with our dinner...

We parked on the side street, off Hillhurst, and as I was preparing to exit the car, a hot-and-heavy couple (in a Dodge... really?) making out caught my eye, and I caught theirs, apparently. What is it about "caught" couples acting indignant and staring back? Like I cared... but I did get a chuckle. It's been a long time since I've seen that level of PDA, especially from people who looked 30ish.

On to two yummy shrimp tacos and then back to the car, where it was difficult NOT to notice, the Dodge still there, steamy windows AND a zebra-print blanket rigged to give "some" privacy. Zebra print? Really? There has GOT to be a story here...

4 shrimp tacos and 1 shared Diet Coke - $9

Noticing taudry sex in a Dodge on a Los Feliz sidestreet, in front of a taco stand, with a classy zebra-print blanket - PRICELESS

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Messy Bed in Abstract

Experimenting with my Messy Bed series in the new bedroom.

Loving the colors and light, the varying focus and the odd 12 in the upper right.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

A Tale of Two Bedrooms

New view from the bed - pure heaven.

When a noisy douchebag moves into the building next door, one can either continue to get angrier and angrier by the day (which is what happened first) OR accept the situation for what it is (AFTER threatening them at 4am with HOLY FUCKING HELL) by switching the bedroom with the much-quieter office. A blessing in disguise, this much cozier space has beautiful afternoon light that filters through my neighbor's trees and better lends itself to naps, reading in bed and taking photographs. Wish now I had done this years ago... Merci Mr. Douchebag.

When a douchebag developer makes your life a noisy and dirty affair for the last 18 months, with no end in imminent sight, one can either... WHATEVER!!! Having a well-known penchant for bringing home "found" treasure, I absolutely could not resist picking up this sign that was laying in the gutter at the end of my street. As I was carting my disobedience home (hey, I'm not the one who wrecked the thing in the first place), a woman who lives right next to the construction site, saw me and cheered. Felt good. Now it lives in the new office space and inspires the artistic outlaw I aspire to be...

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Autumn... at Last!!!

If you decorate, autumn will come...

October has always been my favorite month, with Halloween (and the Great Pumpkin!) being my favorite holiday. There's something magical about October sunlight and I think after an especially punishing hot summer, the cool breezes that wafted through the apartment this weekend were appreciated on a whole other level.

And what better way to celebrate the changing colors of autumn? Tomorrow I get a pedicure with my new Teal nail polish that arrived yesterday!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

A Little Autumn Glamour

The buzz buzz buzz has been all about Chanel's new Jade nail polish, but my taste goes a little darker, and NO wait list! Ordered online last night and soon to be seen peeking out of my new-to-me Donald Pliner cork wedges (courtesy of Crossroads Trader)...

Teal by Rescue Beauty

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Mercury in Retrograde...

Dearest Darlings!!!

I just haven't been able to get my mind into blogging lately... I've got my nose to the writing grindstone as I work on re-writes for a pilot script I've been trying to get off the ground for over two years, and apparently I can't write and chew gum at the same time.

I'm still posting tidbits here and there on Twitter and Facebook.

I plan to get back to this in about two weeks, I'll be done chewing gum by then.

Merci Amis for all your patience, I promise to make it worth your while...

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Le Jardin et Le Chat

Que Sera Serrano - the first fruits of my gardening labors!

Close-up of Molly - the cause of my recent bloodshed

Billie belongs to a neighbor, protects the property, keeps me company as I garden/water/read/nap and has gone fearlessly to battle against wasps that were menacing me for a couple days last week. Even now he goes over and checks out that area to make sure it's safe for me to water. He's more than a cat, I'm convinced.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Gemini Dream

My first foray into in-camera double exposure yielded an interesting result with the shadows intersecting instead of being bisected by the street sign. Chaos is the sauce of art...

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

BBQ and Fuck You...

Some moments cannot be ignored and this one just screamed out for immortality...

This pic turned out even better than anticipated, with the frame within frame and the male counterpoints.

Love it when this happens!!!

Strangely enough AND I"M NOT JOKING, when Sweetie-pie and I left the restaurant (Baby Blues BBQ in Weho), another guy walked by us in a different shirt that just said Fuck You on the back.

I took this pic the day of my foot accident... Were the gods trying to tell me something???

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

We're Having a Heatwave...

These flowers are wilted and so am I...

It is hot hot hot in LA, and I'm dreaming of cool autumn evenings and the sound of rain.

COMING SOON

• An ode to Ludobites and my three amazing meals.
• Pics from that roll that sat in my camera for two months.
• Part two of my foot-healing saga - The Natural Healer Strikes Back!
• A tale of two bedrooms OR how to make life better by re-arranging the apt...
• Plunder from Crossroads Trader and a few wonderfully re-worked vintage finds.
• Fruits of my garden labors and the cat that is my backyard protector.
• Anything the heat is making me forget!!!

A breeze, a breeze... my kingdom for a breeze!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

At Least It All Matches... part 1

Repeat after me... Always wear shoes when gardening! Always wear shoes when gardening!

I haven't written in so long, merci for being patient!!! In the interest of catching up I will be semi-brief:

1. The second week of July, I totally lost my mojo. No photos taken, no new gardening, no writing, no blogging, no inspiration, dealing with noisy douchebag neighbor... you get the idea. According to certain esoteric traditions, the time of Leo (mid-July/mid-August) has some of the most negative energy of the year, and honestly I have found this to be true year after year after year. Most of my life's most negative events have taken place during this part of summer.
2. One glorious exception (to be blogged soon) to all this ennui were three transcendent dinners at Ludobites. Oh Mon Dieu.
3. 18 days ago (still in Leo) I was having a perfect day... Sweetie-pie took a day off and we were preparing to spend an overnight in Ojai, had a great lunch at Baby Blues BBQ, then shopping at Crossroads Trader (found gorgeous Donald Pliner cork wedges with the softest black leather upper and a cute Marimekko top that I'll nip/tuck), followed by hour-long $25 reflexology at JB Natural and then frozen yogurt right down the street (Robertson) at Toppings. Pretty nice day I must say.
4. We also picked up some gardening supplies (dirt/organic fertilizer/shovel) for some late afternoon gardening needing to be done before the trip. I had seedlings and plants that needed repotting and some general tidying up that I had put off. The sun was going down, my ipod was playing Rise by Herb Alpert, I was almost finished, moving a new plant (named Molly cause she's pink and pretty) to the plant stand in the corner of the yard and when I went to put the pot down... I missed and dropped/shattered the pot, causing a large shard to drop and pierce the top of my bare foot. Good thing for me, I don't panic and I grab my foot tightly, already bleeding more than a small cut and oddly leaving two identical marks on the pavement that won't wash away, forever leaving my mark (see kids, pain can be artful!) and here's the funny part (yeah real funny), the color of the pot matched my toenail color and matches the color of the bloodstain (see kids, pain can be stylish!). I then raised my foot above my heart to lower the pressure and called (between swearing up a storm) up to SP to bring down something to stop the bleeding (and I was a bit woozy by now, the initial adrenaline wearing off).

In the next installment, I will regale you with how I didn't go to the hospital/doctor and healed this on my own (no infection whatsoever) with nothing more than Tumeric, Lavender Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey, lots of cut-up socks and patience.

So my mojo has returned and we've entered Virgo, sigh of relief.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Hot Toes in the City

After years of azure being my summer toe color, a violet phase begins.

Not much happening these days... summers have that effect on me. Brain just... what's the word? My point exactly.

Too hot/bright for photo wandering (or any wandering), as I literally gave myself a hot ass last week when I sat down (on Formosa again) to take a pic of a dead bumblebee (yep I brought it home) on the sidewalk. Hopefully I'll get the 12-shot roll finished off by the end of this week.

Been removing more dirt from the backyard in the early evenings, that I'll replace with good soil, then plant sunflower seeds. I can't wait for the garden grotto to bloom, as it will also provide some privacy from the ugly condo next door.

There's a pair of birds, swallows I think, that are protecting a nest in the trees behind the apt. from anything that gets remotely close, namely Mr. Squirrel, with whom they have numerous and LOUD skirmishes that the birds always win. Who needs tv?

No acting work in the immediate future... so if Mr. De Mille is out there... I'm still ready for my close-up!

Had lovely air-conditioned lunch with friend Julia at Le Pain Quotidien last Saturday, followed by heavenly $25 hour-long reflexology foot massages at my latest pampering discovery, JB Natural Foot Massage on Robertson, just north of Olympic. The $25 is a special rate that lasts until August 10th, though I suspect the price won't jump too high after that, since they're surrounded by very inexpensive nail places that do massages for cheap. Though the focus of the massage is the feet, it starts (as feet are soaking in hot water tub) with temples/head/arms, then feet (and really not sure of details cause I was THAT relaxed), then you turn over as the chair converts into a massage bed (this was way cool) for neck/upper back. Yes, I call this a deal.

• They take walk-ins, though there seems to be only 8 massage chairs, so you may want to call ahead.
• They take credit cards, though they didn't include a place for tip, and I had no cash, so I felt like a heel (can't help a good pun), but I will find a way to make up for the karma and bring cash next time for tip.
• They give you a punch value card, after 10 massages, you get 2 free!

Sweetie-pie wants to go with me next time, this weekend perhaps?

Stay cool until next time... Miss Absinthe

JB Natural Foot Massage

329 S. Robertson Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

310-657-3888

Backyard Redux Initiative Success

Progress.

Will blog soon... summer has slowed me down and the backyard beckons.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Virginity Down the Drain

Celebrated July 4th with Sweetie-pie by seeing Public Enemies (suited for the rebel in me), followed by late lunch at Umami Burger (where we witnessed a group of stoners toking up in the parking lot as they waited for their food), for one of my favorite burgers, the SoCal (no tomato). After satisfying my primal and nostalgic carnivore cravings, I found this strange crown-shaped pic of one of the virginal Jonas Brothers (Nick) looking up from the disintegrating gutter/street. I leave it up to you to interpret the message.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Squirrel on the Move

The backyard wall is sort of a highway for squirrels, possums, and raccoons. Whenever there's a rustle in the trees, I usually jump up to see who's traveling where. Can't help it, I'm a geek for nature, especially when it comes to wild creatures in my trees!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Found on Formosa Street

Walking on Formosa, just north of Santa Monica Blvd, I discovered this abandoned black knit hat, with a bright red eye-catching tag, upside down in such a way as to suggest it fell so hard it cracked the asphalt. I sat and took this pic, then crossed to my car and got in. Not one minute later, an older (say 60's-ish), stout and burly-looking gentleman, riding a bicycle south on Formosa, stopped at the hat. I, in my car across the street, grabbed the camera and tried to focus, unsuccessfully (cause he kept looking over at me!) as he bent over and looked at the hat, lost then regained balance on his bike, took off his shirt to reveal quite the gray fir coat on both sides and then rode off. I was sure he was going to take the hat with him! You'll just have to take my word for it... it was funny and sublime and real.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Smoky Sweet Salty Spicy Rich and Decadent Piggy Love

I have nearly perfected the taste of love/happiness (non-vegetarian variety). After two years of trial and error so yummy I didn't care, I have taken humble organic smoked bacon, organic brown sugar and spices and transformed them into such deliciousness, words can never truly describe the euphoria involved when devouring/consuming/stuffing your happy mouth, but as an example, Sweetie-pie took about 20 minutes to lick the foil that had remnants of caramelized pig fat and sugar hardened onto it and he nearly growled when I tried to pry it from his hands. I'm telling you this stuff really appeals to the primal child in all of us.

After I candied the bacon, I took the rendered fat, the sugar/spices the bacon marinated in for two days, and the little bits too small to make into candy pieces and reduced them into a luscious caramel that I then poured into candy molds and refrigerated.

Due to the strong addictive nature of this magical porky goodness (like there will be nothing left after tomorrow and that's a lot of piggy), I only make this 2 to 3 times a year to prevent early heart attacks.

Today as I was in the kitchen, this came to mind:

Homer: Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Lisa, honey, are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad! Those all come from the same animal!
Homer: [Chuckles] Yeah, right Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Portrait of Irie

Met Irie the dogess and her owner as I was wandering the neighborhood near my laundromat with my camera, and I asked and was given permission to photograph this very noble and beautiful, yet rarely still creature.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Michael Jackson Reflection, a Beer and a Cigarette on Fairfax

Walking down Fairfax Avenue (for lunch at Golden State Cafe) the day after MJ died, I found the strangest (like my life would have it any other way) poster equating MJ's death with Christ (no comment), so I took this reflective self-portrait to mark this surreal and historical (hysterical) occasion.

Further down the street I found the remains of someone taking a moment for themselves...

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Historical Treasure

A few years ago I was poking about in a run-down little thrift store in Grover Beach, CA (near Pismo) when I grabbed a bundle of vintage wooden coat hangers, paid my $1 and threw them in the back of the car until home in LA, where I discovered among the others... a coat hanger for the now-demolished Ambassador Hotel (and Coconut Grove nightclub), site of more history (Hollywood and int'l) than almost any other LA landmark, yet preservationists still couldn't save her. It makes me happy and sad every time I look at it and wonder what tales it could tell...

It's a reminder that there is treasure to be discovered in the unlikeliest of places. On to the next!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Vintage Holy Grail

What do the New York Times, Goodwill, my grandmother, my birthday and Tippi Hedren have in common?

Let's start with Tippi Hedren, who I watched as a child (and often now on TCM) in the movie, The Birds, and in it she wears this gorgeous 3/4 length champagne-blonde mink coat, along with her one green outfit throughout the entire movie, and never looks... ahem, ruffled. For years ever since, I've been on the lookout for an affordable vintage champagne mink swing jacket, since I prefer that to the longer coat.

(Quick note on fur wearing - only vintage (over 40 years old) for me, there's so much of it out there, just collecting dust doing no good at all AND only mink, no rabbit/fox/chinchilla/snakeskin/alligator/eel etc. I don't expect everyone to agree/understand or like it, but c'est la vie. Seriously do you want those poor little minks to have died in vain?)

then

Grandma sent me $100 for my birthday, which she does every year, since I'm her only grandchild.

then

On 6-11-09, I read an online NYT article called, Look Who's Shopping Goodwill, that discusses how Goodwill is thriving in this economy by paying attention to fashion, quality, labels and targeting Recessionistas, AND that they had an online auction site, Shopgoodwill.org worth checking out.

then

I checked it out.

then

There it was, THE coat, my furry holy grail... my size, lined in silk, with the former owner's name embroidered on the inner pocket (Anne Boyd from Portland area) and velvet lined pockets... and still at a price I could afford.

then

I watched for days and waited... then 15 minutes before the auction ended, I bid... and bid... and bid, and on my last bid, over $60 from my original bid, I got it! I got the coat, paid for shipping and had three dollars left over from Grandma's birthday $$. Not bad.

then

It came in the mail a few days ago and all I can say is...

• Merci Tippi Hedren/Edith Head/Alfred Hitchcock!
• Merci NYT online
• Merci Goodwill
• Merci Grandma!!!

Wait a second! Did you hear something?

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Portrait of Phil

Sunshine + Santa Monica Blvd + Seated Phil = Second Portrait

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Still Life with Beer and Litter

My favorite taco in town is the fried shrimp taco from Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, which is actually on Hillhurst, just north of Sunset in Los Feliz. For $5 I get two tacos and fantastic fresh salsas, a can of diet coke, and the most charming owner Joseph or his lovely mother, at the register. Last week I took friend Amy for the first (not the last she says) time, and I implored Joseph (not exaggerating) to set up a shop somewhere within walking distance of my apt... there is an open space on W.3rd, across from Cedars!

On the way back to the car I saw this nearly-full beer and pinkish wrapper, keeping each other company on the curb in front of the auto repair shop next to BFTIE, sat down in the gutter and took the shot.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Cause Three Out of Four Ain't Bad...

1. Saw Star Trek again - check (first time I've been to a movie twice since I was a kid and still loved it!)
2. Ate two fried shrimp taco's at Best Fish Taco in Ensenada - check (and the owner was soo charming)
3. Took three pics - check
4. and BH Farmer's Market - yeah well... felt like sleeping in, so next week for sure - uh huh. ;)
5. BUT I did spend two hours today in the back yard removing more dirt, planting some mint, lavender and spider plants, and one of my neighbors' threw out a small particle-board bistro table that will be perfect for having my morning coffee at, so I took it and moved it to our side of the yard, having to feng shui/re-arrange yet again the motley crew of old furniture. I've scored so much from what my neighbors throw out!
6. Did I mention the pain au chocolat from Breadbar? Simple pastry heaven.

Was sitting in the living room today, watching Born Yesterday w/ Judy Holliday & William Holden (major crush), feet up on coffee table and afternoon sunlight streaming though the windows and vintage wood screen, casting shadows on my toes, so I asked Sweetie-pie to take a pic...

It turned out better that I had anticipated!!! My toes look like candy and my feet are bird-esque, perhaps a peacock's pedicure?

Five points to anyone who gets what today's blog-title is a reference to. Prizes to be determined... uh huh.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Loving My Golden Birthday Month

Sweetie-pie wonderfully struck again with another golden birthday surprise... a vintage gold purse sold by one of my favorite flickr/etsy photographer/bloggers, Elle Moss. She sells some of her used props on Etsy and not only is the purse what the French call, Super Cool (imagine the accent s'il vous plait), BUT she included one of her beautiful pictures and wrapped the whole package in the prettiest paper!!! And her prices are beyond reasonable, so please check her out.

June is almost over and I have one more birthday gift to share with you, but I'm awaiting its arrival... I bought it for myself with $ my grandma sends me every year for my birthday (I'm her only/the only grandchild). Stay tuned.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Red Bird with Shadow

Afternoon light casts a lovely lattice-work of shadows on my red bird pillow, that graces a vintage 50's/60's rocking chaise in the living room.

Ah, the weekend is here...

Planning to:

• See Star Trek for the 2nd time (yeah it's that good) with friend Amy.
• Have 1 or 2 fried shrimp tacos at The Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, which is actually on Hillhurst in Los Feliz.
• Really make it to the BH Farmer's Market Sunday, instead of flaking out, like the past 5 weeks (no joking).
• Take a pic or two or three...

Have a great weekend darlings!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Dirtlife Diptych

Items found in the backyard dirt + dead tree + rusty iron grate = art meets archeology.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe