rodeo drive

It just seems that life really doesn't stop. I know, I shouldn't be shocked by this.
The past two weeks have been packed with traveling all over our great county- the USA.
First a trip from North Carolina to Ohio then Chicago and Milwaukee then a flight to Salt Lake City then Las Vegas, followed by a road trip to Los Angeles to Hollywood to Beverly Hills to Santa Monica to Arivaca, AZ to the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam and finally landing back in Las Vegas for the flight back.
Of all the places I was fortunate to see, I had the most fun in Hollywood/Beverly Hills- specifically inspiring was the shopping on the famed Rodeo Drive.
I have a slight obsession with store window displays. Each a work of art, they constantly inspire me and usually turn up in my own artwork.

I probably shouldn't have been so quick to announce my return to the internet. Hopefully, I'll stay put for a while. :)

Prada

PradaLouis Vuitton

Dior

Dior

Chanel

Chanel

no worries

close up of Record
mixed media
2008

Dialects and accents have always fascinated me. And I'll be the first to admit that I am not great at imitation, but ever since meeting Dylan (pictured below) in FL, I've been inspired to learn the Australian accent.
Mid-conversation one day, I asked him to imitate an American accent. Momentarily his beautiful Australian accent was turned off and he began speaking with a Boston accent. I collapsed in laughter. Even more impressive was his feat of taking on the Southern American accent. Even funnier.
Then it was my turn to imitate his Australian and I failed miserably. Each time my accent turned British sounding, not Australian. This greatly amused him. In an effort to help, he'd slowly say a phrase and I'd repeat it. The tiny little nuances of sounds were incredibly difficult.

dylan

To my great excitement I found the Speech Accent Archive. A site full of sound recordings from people all over the world saying the same little paragraph. An accent is always a classy way to dress up your speech. :)

chinatown at your fingertips

One of the things I look forward to most when visiting NYC is exploring Chinatown. I must have been in high school when I was first let loose in the city. All the shops, the beads, the little ladies whispering, "prada...gucci..." as you walk by. Since that time, I've had my share of adventures and I've learn a thing or two about shopping there. (One time I was sure I was going to die, as I was led down a little tiny staircase to the basement of a building....but that's another story.)

For several years now, my favorite item to pick up is cheap jewelry. There are stands where all sorts of jewelry....shapes, sizes, colors..... are just two dollars each! Granted, it's all cheap in quality, but many times that is just what I want....something to layer or spice up an outfit. The best part is grabbing a handful of interesting necklaces with funky beads and then remaking them into my own creation when I get home. In the end it's cheaper than buying the beads individually.

So, when I stumbled across 2dollarsjewelry.com, I was thrilled. Once again, it's like Chinatown....lots of stuff...some interesting, some ugly, but it's definitely worth checking out!
The only difference is no bartering and a shipping charge. But then, a shipping charge isn't bad compared to a flight to NYC. :)
Although, I'd never trade the real experience of the city, this is definitely a good in-between trips option.

and we're back!

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.

There are very few times in life you can just drop everything and go. The past two weeks have been just that for me. A cruise to the carribean proved to be a much needed break in the midst of this seemingly never-ending stretch to spring.
Our first destination spot was Key West, Fl. An almost instant love with the "Conch Republic" ensued. The beautiful city sparkled with color and a personality unlike any other I have seen before.
Two major observances I had while strolling the city streets were, 1. no one was on a cell phone. ( I almost felt guilty for using mine) 2. no one was dressed what i would consider "fashionably".
These people were all so laid back. Extremely laid back. Nothing really mattered to them. All that thought and planning that I had put into my outfit for the day seemed in vain....frivolous even compared to the care-free atmosphere. Don't get me wrong. I didn't regret being put together, but I couldn't help but notice that no one else but obvious tourists cared much about presentation. My mind ping-ponged for a while until the thought struck me. "Maybe this is a whole different style I just don't understand because I don't live here. It is an entirely different climate, way of life, etc" It was then that I purposed to try a simpler tropical fashion with my own little twist, inspired by the vibrant city. Enter paint pants stage right.

old navy top, custom-made paint splattered jeans, ae sandals,
handmade necklace (gift!) bracelet unkown

Bonus advice gleaned from trip to key west: If you ever are having a low self-esteem point in life, vacation in key west. I have never received so many compliments in one day at one time....hair, eyes, outfit, etc. The friendliness of the city guarantees conversations! :)