sushi at the open door japanese izakaya

I'm going through some serious LA food withdrawals and these photos are not helping. Right before I left I finally got to try this little place in the valley called The Open Door in Monterey Park. We tried to go here the last time I was down but the place was so crowded that the wait would have been an hour! This time around we got here right when it opened and easily got a seat. 5-7 also happens to be their happy hour!! I wish I could describe how delicious everything was but all I can really do is show these photos and leave it to your imaginations. The highlights were definitely the salmon sashimi with a garlic citrus soy sauce and the, wait for it, TRUFFLE BUTTER edamame!

If you're in the area, go to The Open Door for dinner! Even with a carafe of peach Chu-Hi it only came out to around $16 per person plus tip and tax. It's definitely not your traditional sushi place but worth a try if you're curious. The people there are extremely nice and the chef is super friendly!

my mind, it's stronger then my heart.

cerealkiller72

You know, it doesn't even matter whether you publish this on your blog or not. I just need someone out there to know my story, even though that someone has no clue who I am.

My relationships with the opposite sex has never been great. I was sexually abused by my mother's boyfriend and my grandfather over a course of several years. My first serious boyfriend was a complete jerk, who constantly told me that I was nothing but a whore. Needless to say, what self esteem I did have was completely battered.

But then I met this boy and I loved him so much. He was so perfect for me and in his arms, I felt safe. I felt beautiful, and that was the first time I had ever felt that way in my whole entire life. For the entire three years of our relationship, we saw each other nearly every second day and spoke on the phone for hours every night. It felt like we had the rest of our lives to be together.

But ultimately, my crushed self esteem would always attack me when I least suspected and this lead to insensitive and selfish behaviour, lots of accusations such as "you think that I'm not good enough for you". But he was always so patient and took it all, stood by me, and reassured me that I was beautiful.

I am so frustrated with myself, with my behaviour and my attitude. So I ended the relationship with him today.

I want that boy to know that I loved him so much that it hurts. That I want him to experience a relationship with a girl who isn't so self destructive. I want him to be happy. But most of all, I want him back.

The problem is that I can't just do that. My mind, it's stronger then my heart.

-anonymous

midnight.blues.

Amanda Norgaard

charles.anastase.

Charles Anastase
A/W 09-10

Turns out the platform oxfords I posted previously were from
this Charles Anastase collection. Man, they make some really
good platform shoes.

Wednesday Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Portland artist Lisa Golightly of Kiki and Polly. She's offering a large print of the Girl in the Yellow Suit. How sweet is that? The print would add a pop of cheery color to any room, from a foyer to a living room to a nursery. (I'd love to hang it above my desk.)

For a chance to win, please visit Kiki and Polly's etsy shop and leave a comment below. Good luck! xo

Update: Parker is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

Espresso maker print

Sandra Juto's new coffeemaker print would look nice in a kitchen.

Baby profiles

German photographer Bettina von Zwehl took this photo series of one-year-old babies at an instant of total (rare) concentration. Aren't they gorgeous? Von Zwehl used toys, dvds and eye contact to get the little guys to stay still. "They sat on a table, looking at me, and I took the picture with a long cable release," she says. Since many of the babes were still too wriggly to photograph, it took more than a year to get six final portraits. And the goal of the project? "I was hoping to present each baby as an intelligent human being," she says.

P.S. Baby mouths are so adorable.

you don't need...

winterstars

leah.

Elle Sweden


Source: tfs

caravan.park.

Anne Sophie Monrad
Marie Claire Italia April 2010

Source: tfs

scent.of.flowers.

Zara TRF Lookbook

Source: Nitrolicious

little.blue.camera.

Alexa Chung

Source: tfs

bones.over.skin.

Abbey Lee Kershaw
Vogue Korea April 2010

This is so good, it's hard to explain it in words.

Source: tfs

first days in Obertauern

zara coat

vintage fur boots

Some pictures from the small, cute town + something I wore to the local supermarket. 

So excited I finally got to wear my snow boots, mom has a similar pair that I used to steal back in the days.. Got these ones from a secondhand store in Finland.. Not everyone loves them but thats ok, I do.