Petit Post: Terns in Africa


Petit pics from our trip to Africa. These cute little ones are terns (I don't know what kind, but I'll find out and let you know) that were using our ship as a rest stop. Such little cuties, I love the little white bit on the beak.

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Looking Up


Talk about your silver lining! I took this outside my office the other day. 
I love Fall weather... le sigh
I think I need to paint this... or commission someone... like my friend James Willis. Maybe he'd do it for me. *hint hint*

Project Adventure/Mom's Garden: Baby Shower


A couple months ago, my friend Jin and I embarked upon the time-honored tradition of planning and hosting a Baby Shower. It was very lucky that Jin & I have a similar taste in decorating ideas, otherwise, things could have been a total disaster. We planned and plotted our strategy via the perfect vehicle for creative inspiration, Pinterest. We scrambled and sorted until things were just right, picked and positioned the best from Mom's Garden, crafted and created all we had imagined. Saturday was finally the day. 
I have to say, I think it turned out perfectly.
The super cool and effervescent Kara, of Mi & Mo Photography was there and captured the most gorgeous shots anywhere. Man, she made it look so professional, it's hard to believe that it was ours! Those kind of images just make you all dreamy-eyed with endless party decor possibilities. She even did a blog post on it, if you'd like to take a look at the awesome pictures.

One things for sure: hosting parties of any kind are a heck of a lot of work, but man, are they fun.


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Project Adventure: Photoshoot


Just a sneak peek into a photo shoot I got to do with Obie recently... don't want to give away too much because some of the photos will probably end up as my Christmas card. {reality check: not really motivated to create my card from scratch this year} 
I got an email from my local Anthropologie about a fun event benefiting the Humane Society. Bring a toy and you get to take portraits of your pup! I said, it's for a good cause, why not!? {besides, the rate that Obie is growing, he might not fit inside the store much longer, ha ha ha} 
Photographers were the fabulous Kristina Michele and Kara Moreen of Mi & Mo Photography. Seeing how they had to deal with a new puppy model about every 15 minutes, they were super patient and gracious with all of the canine shenanigans going on around them. In hindsight, I should have taken Obie for a 10 mile walk before we did this... but, it turned out pretty awesome anyway.
If you want photos of your pet or need a wedding/event photog, look up Mi & Mo, they have a super clean style and are really nice chicas.
Thanks ladies!
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Project 365: The End


So, the day came and went without much fanfare, but I've finally finished Project 365.
It may sound cliche, but it really seems like I started taking pictures only last month. How time does fly. I'm not really sure what I expected to get out of this project... if anything, it's pretty cool to go back through the photos. I am not kidding when I tell you I remember taking every. single. one. I may not recall every second of that day, or even the day it was taken, but I do remember pausing for those two seconds to take out my phone and snap a picture. Interesting how that works.

Curious to which iPhone apps were used throughout this project?
Polarize
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Project 365: Milestone Day 320!


I haven't really been talking about it much, but I've still been going strong with the Project 365 stuff. I do take a picture everyday, but I don't always post them on the same day... {guilty grin} Day 320 will be tomorrow - I can't believe that there's only 45 more days to this project. Seriously seems like I started it only a few weeks ago.
Anyone want to peruse my last year in pictures? See them here

Mom's Garden | Iceland Poppy & Anemone


Today's Mom's Garden is all about a couple of my most favoritist flowers: Iceland Poppies and Anemone! Mom and I planted these little suckers sometime in early October. Growing up from bulbs, they have been going gang-busters for the last couple of weeks, signaling the start of spring! I believe they are flowering a bit early because of our warm weather... normally they come up in April and May. 
My parents have peacocks in their neighborhood and they love to snack on the petals, so I decided to snag a bunch before they're gone and share them here.


I love the bight colors and the crepe-like texture to their slightly translucent petals. Such delicate things! These are flowers that even look good while wilted and dying.

Go out and find some - these little things are guaranteed to brighten your day.



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Project Adventure | The Backyard

So, I recently found this really cool iPhone app called Pano {on sale for half-off!}. It lets you take photos in succession and then automatically stitches them together. So easy.  So, I thought I'd share this awesome photo from last night. {No, I'm not trying to make any of you in 30 degree weather jealous. Well, maybe a little.}
click the image for a larger view
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New Section: Looking Up

One thing I noticed while living in New York was that people never looked up. I'm not talking about being pessimistic, I'm talking about literally looking upward. Toward the sky, aloft, to the heavens... you get the idea. With that thought, I wanted to start another category on MyLifeEclectic. Looking Up.
Next time you're out and about, try it. Look up. You might spot something cool.
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New Year

Happy New Year!
I know this picture may be a strange one to start off the New Year, but I thought it was funny. 
I guess this  is the way people in my neighborhood get rid of their Christmas trees.
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Mom's Garden | Flower Mart: Narcissus Papyraceus

Another reason why I love the end of the year is because it signals the appearance of one of my favorite flowers. Narcissus (or, Paperwhites). Yes, I know you can force them in a jar all year, but there's something so much fun about having paperwhites when it's cold and gloomy outside.
Of course, they smell ah-mazing. 
And, did you know? Put them in the sun. They sparkle... how awesome is that?
I snagged some paperwhites from the Flower Mart as well and thought I'd share. 

And being a kind of Greek Mythology geek, there is of course a version of the tale of Narcissus. A vain boy who was very beautiful, spurned many women. One woman prayed to the goddess Nemesis so that he may always know unrequited love. The goddess cursed Narcissus so that when he was out hunting one day, he saw his reflection in a pool and fell in love with himself. He stayed staring along the waters edge and wasted away. Narcissus flowers are said to have grown where he died.
There's your Greek Mythology lesson for the day. 
Moral? Keep your ego in check, otherwise, keep away from mirrored objects. 
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Project Adventure: LA Flower Mart


Round about this time of year, Mom & Dad venture out to Downtown LA to get tons & tons of poinsettias to decorate for the holidays. Every year Mom invites me to go, but inevitably I don't because getting up at 5am never, ever, sounds like a good idea. This year I agreed to go one day because, hey, it may be early but how can I resist warehouses full of flowers?
 I didn't know this, but apparently the LA Flower District has been around for almost 100 years! It is also the largest flower district in the country! Wow! Back in the 1900's, local flower growers used to drive their horse-drawn carts downtown to sell at the product market. Can you imagine heaps of flowers on a horse-drawn carriage? So cool. Can you imagine what time they had to get up in the morning?
Find out more here
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Project 365: Milestone Day 162!


One hundred and sixty-two days of adventures.
It's kinda hard to believe that I started Project 365 so long ago! 
Honestly, it only feels like a week... well, maybe a month. Surely not 162! Wow.
And, a lot of you have been along for the ride too. Thanks for an awesome 162 days everyone.
You can catch up on my daily pictures here.
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Afternoon on the Moon

Today is one of those days out of the year when we get crazy winds that last all day. They create clouds of sand and dust that float over PCH. They erase footprints & smooth out the sand into perfect ribbon patterns. Feels like you're on the moon... a sand-colored moon... or, maybe the Arabian Desert. Anyway. It's cool.
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Scenes from the Weekend

I had a great Halloween weekend. Thanks to everyone who came out to our little shindig - I hope you all had a blast!
Seriously, tho' - if and when I decide to host another party, I probably need an over-achiever monitor on my shoulder to keep me from going overboard. 
Either that or I need to have more parties so I don't try to cram all my ideas into one event.
Two things I really wanted to try were Old Lady Fingers and Boo! Cake Pops. Another thing I found later was the cute Ghostly Pretzels. Since I already had the white chocolate, I figured why not?
I definitely need to fine tune the technique {the chocolate wouldn't melt thin enough} and rethink my tool usage {I was late in purchasing the edible markers}.
But, overall, they were fun to try out.

New Views

I'm finally getting a bit more settled out here on the West Coast. I've relocated to Orange County and despite the fact that it has been rainy, it's pretty awesome. 
I'm super excited to get my life going out here, but it's a bit strange after living in NYC for 8 years {all the space! No carrying groceries 5 blocks!}. 
I'm excited but a bit anxious. I know it'll all pan out well in time.
PS. The photo above is my first sunset at my new place. No color correcting. None. Not kidding.
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Project Adventure: Road Trip Vol. 2

Things I learned on this road trip:
1) Extra pillows and free breakfast (even powdered eggs) makes all the difference.
2) Mall of America isn't as big as expected. Go early in the morning, it'll seem smaller.
3) It's not a rumor, people in the middle of the country actually do prefer to watch Fox News.
4) Unless you're a parched, dehydrated and shriveled traveller, Wall Drug's free water tastes disgusting. 
5) Standing underneath Niagara Falls is like getting an amazing deep-tissue massage.



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