DTLA

I want to tell you the names of places so alien I believe they exist only on paper: 

Auckland 

Oshkosh 

Tibet 

Brixton 

Brighton 

Kerry 

Odessa 

Santa Fe 

Kiev 

Brittany 

Osaka 

Kun’lun 

Tyrol 

Trieste 

Zanzibar 

Big Sur 

The sum of my feelings about each of these places begins and ends within its name; the few pictures thart name gives-off. Kent: mint sprig over the back of a fast horse heading toward the gravesite of her rider in fog. Dover: when the air tasted the way blue paint does licked off a bleached seashell.

My best friend recently sent me a collection of poems by a brilliant man named Marco Maisto. The above excerpt is one of my faves from the series because of the way Maisto masterfully manages to juxtapose nothing against everything. He opens with a list of places that have no meaning to him followed by sentences that further highlight his apathy and then he turns the tables on you and presents two places that have more meaning than you can ever grasp. You know this because of the very specific/quirky/enigmatic way he writes about these places. He wants to show you his ghosts but only in a way that you'll never 100% understand because can anyone truly understand someone else's ghosts? Do you want anyone to truly understand yours? Plus, they're not on the list. I had to go back and double check, which is why I love Maisto so much; reading his words is like walking through a maze of hidden gems, you're constantly backtracking to make sure you didn't miss something spectacular and when you go back you always find something mind-blowing. 

After reading these lines, I was hurled into my own haunts. Into my own Kents and Dovers. 

Carlsbad. Chicago. London.  

It is beautiful and it is tragic. The way a place can haunt you. For a while I was scared to go back to some of my places because it's hard to confront the memories you still want to live in. But recently I've learned to embrace the haunts. The places my subconscious self and my physical self always end up going back to. There's something poetic about it or maybe I'm just an emotional masochist. Who knows these things. As a cosmophage, however, I'm also voraciously exploring new places. Places that will perhaps, one day, serve as sources of ghostly memories themselves. See above for photos of me in those places. All shot by photographer extraordinaire Nicole Toczauer. 

Oh, and here's a list of songs that haunt me. 

Ordinary Girl by Rebelution

River Flows In You by Yiruma

Realize by Colbie Caillat 

Come Together by The Beatles 

Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin

xx

Circle Circle Dot Dot

Sweater: Esprit

Dress: Wholesale Buying

Flats: Nine West 

Ate brunch with one of my dearest friends at Bottega Louie today (check my Insta for the respective snap; the food there is amazing and don't get me started on the interior decoration). She told me my style has evolved. More refined, she said. I explained to her that I was, indeed, trying to become more Man Repeller meets French-girl-cool in attire. Replacing trends with more timeless patterns (polka dots, stripes) and adopting a strong affinity for the turtleneck sweater as well as (gasp!) basics. I know, I know. I never thought I'd be into basics either, but here I am, a young twenty-something in search of the perfect crisp white button-down and pointy-toe ankle boots (cough cough these ones from Acne Studios). I also, believe it or not, wear denim jeans with a V-neck at least once a week now. Ah, adulthood. 

Thus explains my outfit of the day: a creme turtleneck sweater from Esprit teamed with a polka-dot pinafore dress from Wholesale Buying and Nine West flats. I felt like a British librarian in the best of ways. 

If this look has inspired you to pursue the pedantic way of dress, the pinafore I'm wearing above is only 6 bucks from Wholesale Buying. You can pair it with a turtleneck, cable knit sweater, button-down or even a casual tee. The options are endless! Style it in whatever way you please and then scurry off to The Last Bookstore. It is so, so cool. Went for the first time today and plan to spend most of my LA weekends there, especially since it's literally down the street from my apartment. 

Music 

(Because I forgot how much I love Enrique Iglesias)

Hero

Escape

Do You Know

xx

Sunday Lover

Top: Forever 21

Pants: GCGme

Sandals: Street Market 

I met up with my high school best friend for the first time in over a year the other day and he told me that I seem more “fashiony” now. Not sure I buy it slash not entirely sure what more “fashiony” even means but this outfit makes me feel quite “fashiony” in the editorial sense. I think it’s the high-waisted trousers which GCGme recently sent me. I’m such a sucker for anything high-waisted so when I saw these pants on their site I immediately fell in love. The vertical stripes elongate my legs and the voluminous silhouette creates a light and breezy feel. V reminiscent of The Row without the ridiculously expensive price tag.

If you’re currently looking for a pair of wide-leg, high-waisted trousers, then these ones are it. I can’t say anything bad about them. In fact, they’ll probs be my go-to pants for the rest of the year since they’re extremely versatile. Can’t wait to wear em with a chunky, oversized sweater and booties once it’s actually fall in LA. It’s still 90 degrees out here, sigh. I just want to bundle up in knits and knee-high socks and drink my pumpkin spice latte in the crisp autumn air!!

Anyways, check out GCGme for more chic pant options. They also sell jumpsuits and maxi dresses online as well so lurk away! Sunday’s the perfect day for sitting at home and shopping, is it not?

P.S. On Friday I was invited to the Troubadour in West Hollywood to check out this bluegrass folk band called Fairground Saints. Drove from DTLA to West Hollywood in stressed-out terror (I hate driving in LA & only drive to work & Uber everywhere else but decided to give it a go this time around), but it was 100% worth it because this trio is all the emotion you could ask for on a Friday night. My favorites are Ain't Much For Lyin', Still and Sunday Lover. Put everything away for a few minutes and just listen to this sound. It's exactly what your soul needs. 

xx