In the box

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The dogs have been LOVING this giant cardboard box I have next to my desk. I had originally set it out with some old clothes so I could bring it to the donation bin, but the pooches discovered this alternative doggy bed. Now they sleep in it all day long.

Do you know what I have been busy with?

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Yes, that’s right! I never ever thought I would partake in yoga teacher training but 2012 is all about trying new and different things and this was at the top of my list. It’s been intense and fun but worth every penny!

Rick Owens, I LOVE YOU!

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I have been lusting after a Rick Owens leather jacket for about 5 years now. Everything about his leather jacket is perfection: super long skinny arms, tailored shoulders, a fitted structure, soft supple leather. It is anything but the stale leather jacket from the eighties. I never purchased one just because they are so darn expensive but I finally took the plunge. I’ve worked super hard this past year and felt like it was time for a “Dear Melissa…Love, Melissa” sort of gift. Sound selfish? I just call it loving myself and investing in a statement piece that will live in my closet forever and ever and ever…and then I can pass it down to my daughter if I have one :) I was lucky to find this gem for a steal and it’s one of his original bomber designs with the zippers on the sleeves.

Packaging

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Beautiful packaging makes me smile. It shows a sense of pride and thoughtfulness that goes a long way in the world of retail. My brother and sister-in-law picked gave us this special gift from Tortoise General Store on Abbot Kinney. I just love the paper stock and twine rope they used.

Happy Bday!

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Happy bday to my sister :) Look at our Chinese bowl cut bangs! WOW.

…speaking of Chinese bowl cut bangs, look at this matching hair cut my mom and I shared! Yikes! :)

LOVE

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Love is being able to share your happiness with a special someone.

DIY wedding bouquet

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For all you ladies who are going the DIY route for your wedding or elopement, I urge you to try making your own wedding bouquet. There is something charming and pretty about a bouquet that’s not overly done by the florist. I was inspired by a wedding in the French countryside where the bride picked a few poppies near the church and tied the stems together with a piece of lace fabric given to her by her mother. It was incredibly sweet and let’s not forget, inexpensive!

The morning of our elopement I went to Whole Foods for coffee and flowers. They didn’t have a large selection of blooms but these brightly hued dahlias stood out to me. I liked that their stems were clean as I planned on wrapping the flowers with a piece of lace from an old Gryphon jacket I had (I’m resourceful ha ha!) Using a step-by-step tutorial from Flower Girl NYC, I cut the stems a little shorter and tied them tightly together with the lace. I wanted it to look casual and non-fussy.

Here is what they looked like on our special day. I am so glad I made this little bouquet…even if it was for an elopement. Jill Thomas, our photographer, captured this beautifully in the 3pm warm sunlight that we were so blessed with that day.

Pictures!

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Photos are coming in from our elopement. Shot by the amazingly talented Jill Thomas. We wed at Santa Barbara City Hall, which is a beautiful Spanish building flanked by lush trees and plants. I wore a Marchesa Notte dress and J.Crew sandals :)

It was just us and the photographer…no friends, no family (we did get their blessings, though!), no dogs (wahhh!) Chris and I wanted it to be simple and sweet; a celebration of our union. The best part of eloping is that you’re not in debt afterward, it’s super low-stress and it’s just so darn romantic.

Tebow Time

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I, along with the rest of America, have developed quite an obsession with Tim Tebow. If you weren’t watching the Broncos/Patriots game yesterday, there better be a good reason. Even if you don’t like watching football, you’ve got to LOVE watching Tebow and the Broncos somehow pull through in the 4th quarter. So popular is this quarterback sensation that there was even a Tebow skit on SNL this past weekend.

But what a bummer that the Broncos lost. I was really rooting for them.

I was so bummed I decided to make banana muffins.

Which turned out absolutely delicious…

Banana Muffins recipe (makes 6)

  • 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 large bananas, mashed
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 egg, beaten
  • 1/6 cup butter, melted
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.
  3. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Sundays

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There are many reasons why I love this time of year: the holidays, sleeping in when it’s cold and I’m buried beneath layers and layers of blankets, making a fire at home, jumping into the hot tub when it’s freeeeezing at night and Sunday football. I LOVE football season. It’s a tradition at our house now to spend Sundays on the couch in our robes with laptops and dogs by our side while we watch the games and share a cup of coffee and yummy snacks. In other words, it’s a great excuse to be lazy :)

Thought I’d whip up a good breakfast this morning. Eggs + cream + spinach + sausage + cheese + leftover avocado sauce from a Mexican meal we had a couple nights ago. Cook on the stovetop as you would any omelette, but finish it off in the oven set at 425 degrees. I used convection bake for a quicker blast of heat and left it in there for about 4 minutes.

…and this thing :) We spend Sundays snuggling on the couch together.

Q&A with Maria Villella

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I’ve started practicing Ashtanga yoga lately and feel so blessed to have met Maria Villella, a beautiful Ashtanga teacher. Whenever I see Maria, I feel an immediate sense of calm and zen…she’s got that certain quality about her that just makes you feel peaceful every time you’re around her. And she was so sweet to do a Q&A for my blog (which has been suffering from updates, I know!) So here you go:
Hi Maria. What do you typically eat in a day? Hmmm my diet!!! So I’m actually not a vegetarian, I’ve tried many times to switch to a vegetarian/vegan diet but I’ve always felt low energy and weak. The longest I made it was 2 1/2 years but it was a struggle the whole time. I do eat organic, free range, and wild as much as I can. Since I study Chinese medicine I’ve been integrating the philosophy of eating with seasons and using food as we would herbal medicine. I eat much more cooked food then I ever had before and I have to say my digestion is much better because of it. So I always start my day with a large breakfast around 9:30am when I finish teaching my morning classes which run from 6:30-9am. Usually I’ll have eggs, mushrooms, and greens cooked in a caste iron pan with black sesames seeds, ginger, coconut oil, sea salt. For lunch I eat very light because I practice at 4pm and I can’t practice with food in my stomach so I’ll have snack type foods like nuts, fruit or some kind of smoothie with superfoods. Dinner is usually a protein with lots of vegetables; kale is my favorite or I’ll have a soup or stew.
How do you stay in shape/what’s your exercise routine? I practice Ashtanga yoga about 1-2 hours a day usually 5 days a week. I enjoy walking, bike riding, and hiking. I really love being outside and in natural settings, living in LA I find it necessary to retreat to the serenity of nature.
What’s a typical outfit for you in and outside of a yoga studio? Any favorite yoga clothing labels? Other designers? I live in yoga clothes! They are so comfortable and because I’m always teaching or practicing they’re very practical. I don’t favor any brand, I like them all! Yoga clothes are actually pretty stylish these days but my favorite ones are my old ones that are faded and pretty beat up.
What are three things you can’t live without? Only 3!!!! Ok, since you asked about “things” I’m going to narrow it down to objects as opposed to people, practices, or love. My Manduka mat! The original black mat is still the best one I’ve ever practiced on. Raw honey is a staple in my diet and I have it everyday. Acupuncture needles and/or Korean spas!!!
If you weren’t a yoga teacher, what would you be doing? I’m studying Oriental medicine and when I finish my program I’ll be a licensed primary care physician. I love medicine but more specifically the eastern model of health and wholeness. I chose to study Oriental medicine because I wanted more tools in my toolbox to help bring myself, others, and the world into harmony. If I weren’t teaching yoga I would practice oriental medicine full time!

Surprise gift

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I am so lucky to have some of THE best clients to work with.

Look what one of my clients sent me today! A beautiful silver frame from Tiffany’s and a lovely heartfelt note thanking me for all my work. Sorry for not showing the frame…we know it’s all about the Tiffany’s blue anyway :)

“I DO!”

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Sorry if you have to find out this way, but we planned on telling people when we saw them…not via text, not over the phone and certainly not over Facebook.

We eloped. Last month. And it was fabulous.

Pictures to follow soon!

Hump Day juice

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Happy hump day! I kicked off the morning with kale / cucumber / ginger / lemon juice and am feeling sooooo good. I can’t believe I ever ditched juicing; I forget how good it is for you! I clocked in about 9 hours of sleep last night (shocker) after listening to this meditation CD that was recommended by my yoga teacher. All I remember is laying in bed listening to the CD and then it was 7:30am. No asthma attack in the middle of the night either yay!

Bfast

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This is turning out to be my favorite breakfast. Almond milk (I’ve ditched the soy) + Ezekiel almond cereal + banana + raisins. Washed it down with some leftover Starbucks coffee.

Post Pilates Lunch

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Something healthy! I can’t feel like all that hard work on the reformer went to nothing so I whipped up a bowl of mung beans, quinoa, avocado, sea salt, lemon and olive oil. Feeling light and feeling right!

Saturday morning

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Saturday morning involves hiking with the dogs, farmers market and this! Almond butter waffles with banana and maple syrup and fresh juicy honeydew melon from farmers market. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Breakfast in a Baby Le Creuset

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How cute is this baby Le Creuset skillet? Apparently this style is discontinued but we scored a new though somewhat scuffed one from eBay. It measures 6 inches diameter and is so adorable. I made a fluffy omelette (farmers market eggs, fresh tomatoes from our garden, dried basil, parmesan cheese) in it today.

Lunch!

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Fresh green zebra tomatoes from our garden + avocado + sprinkling of Maldon sea salt + pluot from farmers market. Healthy and GOOD!

I WANT!

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I want this pitcher from Design Within Reach. So cool, eh? I think I’ll get it…right…now.

Purchase it here.

Waffles

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I’ve been making these banana-topped-maple syrup-laden waffles lately for Chris’ breakfast. Do you like my new acacia wood plate? I just purchased it from Amazon :)

Green Juice!

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Great way to start the morning: kale/celery/lemon/ginger/apple juice

Kicking the day off with farmers market/yoga/dog walking/WORK!