Attack the closet!

This past holiday weekend, in a last stitch attempt to pull myself out of my current "I am bored with my entire wardrobe" slump, I decided to reorganize my closet from top to bottom.  It was quite the undertaking...but... I came out with a few pieces of clothing that I had forgotten about and realized that I, in fact,  did not hate everything as much as I thought. This romper was one of the things I pulled out of the depths.  I love it because it is black but it is also super feminine with it's frilly shoulders and neckline.

The Pirate Boots are also old favorites that I have had for many many years though I only wear them occasionally nowadays...

 

I have been feeling so much better about my closet since the clean up - I also managed to put together a bag for Goodwill which made a big difference space-wise. I highly recommend doing this if you find yourself with the closet blues because it most definitely helps!

outfit notes:
romper - h&m (circa 2010?)
cardigan -vintage
boots - vivienne westwood

stick a pin in it

I just realized how truly, spectacularly bad my blogging has been this month and I have no excuse other than busy life taking the reins.  Luckily, there are some very fun things in the pipeline so stay tuned! Meanwhile, I wanted to let you know (if you don't know already) that I am an active Pinterest-er and you can follow my boards here...  It has proven quite a handy little tool and has helped me make use of  all of those images I had saved chaotically in various folders on my desktop.

In case you aren't sold yet, here is a little peek at a few of my boards. starting with a collection of "gorgeous things"...

 an inspiring gallery of "pretty (& talented) ladies"

 

some incredible "places & spaces"

 and some "film love"

Of course, Tumblr & Twitter are still good places to find me should you find you miss me ;)  Back soon! xdjrd

reckless daydreaming

As soon as I caught wind that Miss Quincy had started designing/constructing her own clothing I knew I would want to own something.  Once I actually laid eyes on Q's Daydream Handmade it was very hard to pick just one thing. But this Gamine Seersucker Playsuit... I was in love! Since it arrived in the post I've been wearing it at every chance so i thought it only fair that I share it with you (bare midriff and all ;) It is perfect for this balmy weather.

 

(this one is a bit blurry but Charlie's facial expression kills me so I had to post it)

outfit notes:

playsuit by Q's Daydream Handmade

hair stars by Alexandra Grecco  

sandals swedish hasbeens for H&M (which were so cheaply made they are now broken! :(

musical notes: I don't think I've posted this pretty video here - this was sort of my spring theme.

Emmylou by First Aid Kit

PS: true to form, I will be adding a couple of things to my West Hollywood post that I forgot to include!

Reckless Daughter's Guide to LA - Part 1: West Hollywood

I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to start this post in the past year and a half (probably longer)!  I've been getting email inquiries about doing a guide to Los Angeles for ages but it always seemed a bit daunting given the sheer size of this city and that fact that there are so many places to go.  After living here for over 5 years I feel like I've only begun to scratch the surface of what it has to offer.   Because LA is more of a jigsaw puzzle of disjointed neighborhoods than it is a proper city I have decided to split up Reckless Daughter's Guide to LA into a series of posts separated by neighborhood rather than one truly EPIC post.  So, let's just jump right in, shall we!?!  I figured I may as well start with the closest area to my own neighborhood which is West Hollywood and the surrounding Hills.  

West Hollywood/Hollywood Hills  

*I had to edit my lists down as much as possible and here is what we are left with...

Eat...

Jones (7205 Santa Monica Blvd - near La Brea)  Italian food: pastas, pizzas, salads.  a few different rooms with tables/booth plus a large bar area - sidenote: it is very dark inside (which I love)! A great place for dinner or drinks. I think that they also serve lunch on the weekdays.

El Compadre (7408 Sunset Blvd.) This is "the Brit" & my go-to Mexican restaurant.  It checks all the boxes a Mexican restaurant should: comfy booths, good fish tacos and cheese enchiladas, flaming frozen margaritas in cactus glasses and a resident mariachi band! Bear in mind, it can get quite crowded on the weekends so you may have to wait for a table.

Pace (pronounced Pa-che - 2100 Laurel Canyon Blvd.) The only restaurant actually in the Canyon tucked away under the Country Store. A bit on the pricey side, otherwise I would go here every night, but has nice Italian based menu and large wine list. They recently expanded so it is not exactly as cozy and bohemian as it used to be but it's still well worth a visit. *make a reservation!

BLD (7450 Beverly Blvd.) BLD stands for Breakfast.Lunch.Dinner.  Modern decor and an eclectic menu.  Everything I have ever ordered here has been delicious. For dessert, try the yellow cake! They also have a good brunch menu.

Joan's on 3rd  (8350 West Third Street) a deli style restaurant but with fancier offerings. They have a gourmet cheese area and bakery so they basically rock.  Nice outside seating area, a few tables inside or you can order to-go. a perfect place to get lunch.

Quality Food & Beverage (8030 W 3rd Street) great little place for brunch or lunch (closes at 3:30pm)  also has a little seating area outside that is dog friendly.  Order a biscuit and I promise you will not be disappointed. My favorite thing is their Eggs Benedict - so good!

The Little Next Door (8164 West 3rd Street)  A small french cafe with a very large outdoor seating area and Parisian style tables and chairs. The food is very good but can be a little pricey considering the portions tend to be on the smaller side.

Honorable mention: Magnolia Bakery (8389 West 3rd Street) actually a New York City import which opened in LA last year. Much bigger than it's NY counterparts and there is almost never a line. Such amazing cupcakes and I'm not even a cupcake person!

Drink...

Bar Lubitsch (7702 Santa Monica Blvd.) Russian themed bar with old oil portraits, antique mirrors and crystal chandeliers. A nice place for a drink during the week but it can get very crowded on the weekends.  This is also where my pop cabaret project Dime Store Dollies usually performs, incidentally.  Lubitsch has a slew of signature cocktails - including their version of the Moscow Mule (vodka, ginger beer, and lime) which they serve in funky copper mugs.

El Carmen (8138 West 3rd Street) a Mexican themed tequila bar - same owners as Jones / Bar Lubitsch so it has a great atmosphere. Suffice to say, they have a variety of yummy margaritas (like Pomegranate and Blood Orange), homemade sangria and about a million and one varieties of tequila. 

Tasca (8108 West 3rd Street) perfect little place to get a glass of wine with your lady pals.  (*they also have a full dinner menu)

Chateau Marmont is an LA institution.  It has more Hollywood stories than almost any other place in LA stretching back from Bogart & Bacall all the way up to Scarlett Johansson who I hear called it home for a while.  It's right in the thick of it but feels very cozy and private. (*they also have a good restaurant but be sure to make a reservation and dress a little more fancy than normal)

The Village Idiot (7383 Melrose Ave.) in the heart of the Melrose shopping district but opened long after the shops close. Personally, I am not a fan of their food (many will disagree with me) but it is a nice place to grab a drink.

Shop...

Wasteland (7428 Melrose Avenue) a mixture of consignment, vintage and new clothing.  I have found some amazing things here from Marc Jacobs dresses to vintage rompers. For all my male readers this shop has "the Brit's" seal of approval.

JetRag (825 North La Brea Avenue) very large reasonably priced vintage store (most dresses range from $18 to $60). If you are willing to dig through crammed wracks brimming with polyester and 70s secretary dresses you can actually find some very lovely things here and have money to spare! they have $1 sales on Sundays in their parking lot - I have not had much $1 luck but I know others who swear by it.

Creatures of Comfort (7971 Melrose Ave) cute little boutique specializing in indie designers like Karen Walker, Isabel Marant, No. 6, Pamala Love & Repetto. They have great sales!

Melrose Trading Post (every Sunday) smallish vintage/flea market held every Sunday in the parking lot of Fairfax High School at the corner of Melrose Ave and Fairfax Ave. Sometimes I find nothing but then other times I find some amazing things like vintage jewelry, artwork and furniture. Entry is $2 and goes toward the high school,  I believe. It is also dog friendly!

Marc by Marc Jacobs / Marc Jacobs / Book Marc (Melrose Ave at Orlando Ave) it's the holy trinity of Marc Jacobs stores in one intersection. how could you go wrong!?

more on Melrose  - see above but here some other shops you will also find on this stretch of Melrose: Vivienne Westwood, Agent Provocateur, APC, Diane Von Furstenberg, Ten Over Six, Urban Outfitters, and American Apparel. Oh and I should mention the Beverly Center (shopping mall) is also not far from here either.

Opening Ceremony (451 North La Cienega Boulevard ) I very rarely buy anything because it is a little expensive but it's such a fun shop to wander around in.

Booksoup (8818 West Sunset Boulevard) I have no interest in going to the Sunset Strip area at all with the exception of this little gem of an independent bookstore. I think it is the only indie bookstore left in West Hollywood.

Explore...

The Troubadour  (9081 Santa Monica Boulevard) a world famous venue.  Elton John got his big US break here, artists like Joni Mitchell and Carol King used to play here constantly in the late 60s/70s and John Lennon and Harry Nilsson famously got kick out once for heckling the Smothers Brothers while they played! It is seriously seeping with history. I have seen many a great show here. The Brit has also played the Troub a few times which is always a treat.

Largo at the Coronet (366 North La Cienega Boulevard)  Another great venue in WeHo.  Largo used to be located on Fairfax Ave. but it has since been relocated to the old Coronet theater. I've seen so many great bands play including: John Brion, Jenny Lewis, Travis, Fiona Apple, She & Him ( ^ ps: there is a strict no photo rule...oopsie)

The Grove / the Farmers Market  I really don't go here that often because it gets pretty crowded but it is worth a visit. Lots of shops and places to eat. It also the location of my closest Anthropologie, Zara, Barney's Co-Op and Nordstroms. They are allegedly getting a Topshop this winter, in which case, I may be there more often.

LACMA (aka Los Angeles County Museum of Art) Technically not in West Hollywood but so close that I figured I'd include it. LACMA has very respectable permanent collections (from European paintings and sculpture to a room full of Picasso and Matisse all the way up to more current artists).  They also have a series of great exhibitions: last year I saw the Tim Burton Exhibit and most recently the Rodarte: Fra Angelico Collection, and In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists which sadly just wrapped up.

It is more than likely that once I post this I will realize an important something is missing and I'll have to update this but for now there you have it - Reckless Daughter's West Hollywood! If you have any questions about LA feel free to email me.  Meanwhile, I will try to pull together the next in the LA series as quickly as possible so stay tuned for that.

xdjrd

oh...hello, May...how long have you been standing there?

Is anyone else out of breath thinking about the fact that it is already the second week of May? Because I am. I know I've done a fair amount in the last five months but it just doesn't seem like we should be thinking about summer yet!

Anyhow... now that I've calmed down... I have been loving this little vintage cardigan of mine and have been throwing it over pretty much any and every outfit lately. The vintage blue dress has made at least one blog appearance but I am fairly certain it was ages ago. I love the color and it is oh so spring-y.

^still not exactly sure why I am making fists in this photo. ready for a fight? :)

outfit notes:
dress & cardigan - vintage
shoes - karen elson for nine west

xdjrd

life according to iPhone & other things

Shall we take a little break from outfit posts and look at the last month according to my iPhone? April was a pretty busy one filled with various friend and family coming into town, multiple trips to art museums, trips to the beach, nights spent out on the town and nights spent in the canyon (some without electricity)....

giant dishes at LACMA                                             LA palm trees

  fancy nails                                                                a crazy black cat

  being mysterious (obviously)                                            dance party in WeHo

               charlie in the dark                                        canyon store shopping in the dark

                   Disney fun with little Brit cousins                                                   rockets!

                            edible wabbits                                                                    oh...hello

                      Venice beach on Easter                                                   sail boat envy

                                                      a couple of April dinners                                                          

                         no caption necessary                                                             stars

                          sitting in the garden                                                       beautiful foliage

                             couch pals                                                              amazing Pulp show
                    miscellaneous creatures                                      drinks with friends in red colored bars


I should also mention I did a fun little interview with StyledOn.com which they posted earlier in the week and which you can find HERE if you so choose.  Have an enjoyable weekend!