What to do this weekend!

To do: SPOTLIGHT DANCE PARTY 2010 on Saturday, May 1st in Downtown, L.A. Party Scammers has teamed up with dance advocate Ryan Falkner on a brand new dance party. It's a night where you can request your favorite music, command the dance floor, and show off your moves! (instructions: buy your tickets for $5, rsvp on facebook and request tunes in advance, and dance the night away!)

To eat: The Casbah Cafe in Silverlake(instructions: order an orangina and chocolate croissant and perhaps a delicious caramel and apricot canelle if you're feeling decadent. make sure to check out the textile shop in the back (it's hidden!))

To listen to: Sia's new album WE ARE BORN. (instructions:grab your dance shoes and bangle bracelets and play you've changed on repeat x three)

To see: NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (instructions: grab someone you can hold hands with to see this flick. if you're s a scardy cat - try a daytime screening! get spooked and have fun!)

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Breaking Upwards

Breaking Upwards follows a young New York couple who decide to intricately strategize their own break up. Sound gloomy? It's actually incredibly infectious and charming and I may have shed not one but two-seven tears. The trailer is below and it's in theaters now. I'd have to say the best movie I've seen in a while. Check it out!

Artist Profile: Fay Wolf

Fay Wolf grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, attended Boston University and now resides in Los Angeles. Fay is a musician, an actor and a professional organizer. Her songs have appeared on both Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill, her first EP Blankets came out in November and she's releasing a live album this summer. I had the pleasure of seeing her show at the Hotel Cafe this month, and lucky for me,snagged an interview with her afterwards. Check it out below!

You are a both a musician and an actor. Can you tell me what made you want to become a performer?

I have a memory of asking for a piano when I was two years old. I think babies sometimes know what their jam is gonna be. So my parents gave me a toy piano. Fair enough. At six, I got a real one. Acting and singing both started at church I think. Taking "real" lessons after that always seemed like a natural progression. Beyond that, it’s kind of unexplainable, yes? The feeling that one gets. Performing is the thing that gives me my...feeling. That sounds dirty.

On a daily basis, what inspires you?

The bright orange wall in my apartment. I'm pretty convinced that it gives me some sort of magical fairy dust creative energy surge. My piano closet is housed behind and surrounded by the orange wall. It's powerful shit, this orange wall, I'm telling you. Otherwise: Friendship. Family. Weather. Vulgarity. People saying what they mean. Beards. Meditation. Productivity tools. Sugar. Wit. Stretching. Did I say my Orange Wall yet?

Who are some of your favorite musicians?

There’s so much music out there now. Like never before. This answer is constantly changing. And I wish I knew more. Historically, I listened to so much Tori Amos and Ani Difranco as a teenager that the music I write is a pretty clear hybrid of the two. Right now, today, I am on board with The Xx. Florence & The Machine. Whitney Houston. John Gold. Alice in Chains. Nina Simone. Rachael Cantu. Eastern Conference Champions. The Outfield. A band outta Austin called Dead Black Hearts. (Which I think is a wonderful band name!)

I hear you have an organizing company as well. Can you tell me a little about that?

I do indeed. I’ve got a company called New Order. I've spent the last four years marching into people's homes and murdering their clutter. It's not a perfect science, but that's what makes for some pretty profound experiences. There's quite a lot of deep emotion wrapped up in our possessions. At the risk of sounding like a complete tool, it feels really nice to help people.

What is your best advice for artists trying to make it in Los Angeles?

Surround yourself with good-hearted folks. And make shit yourself.

Dig Fay's vibe? This gal will be performing at Cafe Muse in Los Angeles on May 20th and The Living Room in NYC on May 25th! And, to check out some more of Fay's work, please visit her website here.

What to do this weekend!

To do: It's PROM NIGHT 2010 on Saturday, May 1st in Downtown, L.A. and guess what? YOU ARE INVITED!! (instructions: buy your tickets and 80s jumper ahead of time here!)

To drink: The new Thirsty Crow Bar in Silverlake(instructions: sit at the bar and order the mint julep (comes in a mason jar with powdered sugar on top. attempt to only have one.)

To listen to: Jakob Dylan's new album Women and Country (instructions:put on cowgirl boots and play everybody's hurtin' on repeat x three)

To see: The true underdog superhero movie; KICK ASS! (instructions: grab old Halloween super hero suit. a toy water gun. have a blast!!)

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Happy Earth Day!

It is April 22nd today, alas, let's celebrate the earth today!



Also, take a moment to check out these 10 easy ways to help save our environment below!

1. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
2. Compost your vegetable scraps.
3. Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.
4. Plant trees to shade your home.
5. Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible.
6. Put leaves in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away. Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to a yard-debris recycler.
7. Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions.
8. Keep your thermostat at 68 in winter and 78 in summer.
9. Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs.
10. Use recycled wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and prevent erosion

A corner of your world

My adorable friend A wrote me with an exceptional idea on LPC the other day as a fun posting; she suggested having everyone submit a picture of their favorite corner of their home and then I shall post them all for design inspiration! I think this is idea is so lovely because we all have those special nooks and crannies that we spend hours re-organizing/re-arranging/re-obsessing over in our homes - and these NEED TO BE SEEN! Here is my favorite corner (more like a wall!) in my home that took me about a year to get right.


Snap a quick photo via iphone or fancy camera, and email it to katsarsul@gmail.com by next Tuesday, April 27th! Thanks A for the awesome idea and have a great day!

You're a Rich Girl

Happy, Happy Monday! So an amazing thing has happened: The Bird and the Bee (one of my all-time-faves) has come out with a new album which is 100% Hall & Oates covers. WHAT?!?! I have been tappin' my toes to this c.d.a all weekend and will share my favorite track below.



I suggest listening to this via ipod on the subway, in your car with the windows down on your way to work, or setting it as your wake-up alarm track! Enjoy and have a good week!

Happy Birthday, bigBang!

Today is my best friend's birthday and I may be even more excited than when it's my birthday! (AHHH!) Ms. Lily Stockman of bigBang studio turns the big 2-8 today and I hope she's off frolicking in her joshua-tree desert backyard filled with balloons (just like this adorable photo below) I'm not going to say anything else about any particular birthday surprises - however - I will say that it may involve paper crowns, a home-made baked cake and lots of post dinner dancing ....


As your birthday present to Lily; go over and check out her fantastic blog and leave a birthday message and/or become a follower!

LILY I LOVE YOU! Happy Birthday, Beautiful!

xoxox

Magic Juice

I have recently decided that my new DIY-improve-one's-apartment project will be the creation of a vintage style mini-bar in my dining room. I spent a significant portion of the weekend scouring the pages of this awesome book, as well as collecting good cocktail recipes to add to my dinner party repertoire. Here is one of my favorites below, gras a the lovely design*sponge. I can't wait till summer gets here to prepare this!

Ingredients (makes two drinks):
6 hulled strawberries
1 peeled orange
5-7 mint leaves
1/4 peeled cucumber
4-6 oz gin, depending on taste
8 oz fresh lemonade


Methodology:
Dice, then muddle fruits and mint
Pour gin into fruit mixture and let sit for 10-15 minutes
Strain over lemonade and ice
Garnish with fruit slice or mint leaf

What to do this weekend!

To do: Build a fort in your living room (instructions: see picture above. copy. enjoy)

To eat: Barbrix Tapas in silverlake (instructions: sit at the bar for cocktails then sample their fine fine fine Spanish cuisine. i highly suggest the brown sugar pear salad and the chocolate espresso brownie with strawberries and creme fraiche)

To listen to: Florence and the Machine's Lungs (instructions: play dogs days are gone on repeat x three)

To see: The two best worlds ever collide! Tina Fey of 30 Rock and Steve Carrell of The Office star together in DATE NIGHT (instructions: buy tickets, popcorn and a soda pop. laugh. a lot!)

HAPPY WEEKEND!

What do you think?

Hello, World!

Are you out there? (this is said with the same tone as: Hello God, It's me, Margaret!) I have been LPC-ing for the past six months now and I just wanted to check in with you all about how you're doing! What do you like? What can the choue bring more to you?


I started this bloggert for the sole person of spreading the love and I hope that's how you're feeling! If there are things you would like to see *more of in the near future or things you'd like to have keep on' comin', leave a comment below! In the meantime, thanks so much for checking me!

Love,
LPC

Can't stop listening to...

If I still had a cool 1990's cd 3-disc changer, here's what would be in my current rotation:

1. Broken Bells: Broken Bells
{soundtrack to: twilight skips & living-room fort creations)


* fave song: the ghost inside

2. She & Him: Volume 2
{soundtrack to: sunday morning drives & farmer's market spelunks}


* fave track: in the sun

3. Kitten
{soundtrack to: putting on lipstick and ripped stockings before hitting the the dive bar)


*fave track: kill the light

A Girl on a Vespa

I recently spent the weekend in San Francisco with friends and had the pleasure of taking my very first Vespa ride. I have to admit, I squealed like a schoolgirl for the first 15 minutes of the ride; trying to figure out if I was in pure heaven or scared silly. After I relaxed I realized one thing; I need to own a vespa, and I need to own one now.


I know, I know. "It's very dangerous" and "I could really hurt myself", but you know what? LIFE IS DANGEROUS and short and honestly, my neighborhood is way too perfect to NOT have one. As one of my favorite authors, Rebbecca Wells, once said "It’s life. You don’t figure it out. You just climb up on the beast and ride." So I'm on the craiglist Vespa hunt. I have paired down the color choices to Mint Green or Navy. I am excited. I will keep you posted. Have I convinced you that this is a good idea from this post? I hope so. I also hope to have this girl's hair/outfit/sunglasses while riding said Vespa in the future.

The aquisition of a camera

I need your help! I have decided my big treat to myself this year will be a new camera. I am currently the proud owner of the classic polaroid camera, the diana camera, and (my fantastic christmas present from my brother) the fuji instax instant camera. I'm addicted to the toycamera application on the iphone, as well as shakeitphoto and most recently, hipstamatic. All of those are well and good, but I'm ready for a big girl, bad-as*, no foolin' around camera. Ya know what I mean? I'm starting to educate myself on lenses and the whole nikon vs. cannon debate, but I'd love your opinion if you have one! Leave a comment below and many thanks in advance.

Happy Hippity Hop!

Happy Easter, everyone! Today is the day I miss home the most; the neighborhood Easter egg hunts and rush to find the golden egg (in which you win some amazingly fantastic surprise like an "Easter" themed barbie or something), homemade Easter dresses with lots of bows, ribbons in girl's ponytails, lamb with green jelly for dinner, and a house filled with tulips and family and oh, Easter Baskets!

I found this adorable Easter project via poppytalk and can't wait till' this holiday rolls around next year so I can try this! How cute!













I am off to the Los Angeles Arboretum (they have PEACOCKS there!) on an Easter picnic with friends! Hope you and yours have a lovely holiday!

xoxo,
LPC