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An Addendum, By Kendrick

wait, there's one more thing. (ok, three. maybe four.)

Kendrick was super annoyed that he forgot to include some of his very favorite picks on his original gift list, so here is an addendum. If you're still trying to find an unusual gift for anyone who is even marginally interested in music and/or history: here you go. (All of these picks arrive before Christmas if you order ASAP. As in right now.)

P.S. Everything below was written by Kendrick. I henceforth absolve myself of responsibility for spelling errors and/or links to stunningly inappropriate websites.

ENTREES

Chicken Thighs with Capers & Artichoke Hearts

Hmmmmmmmm.

My favorite meal on the planet is the "Trust Me" menu at Sugarfish, a sushi place with a couple of locations around the Southern California area. The menu has some a la carte options, but really you have three choices: the "Trust Me," the "Trust Me Lite," and the "Nozawa" (a.k.a. "Trust Me Mega"). You tell your server how hungry you are, and then you sit back, trust, and allow the joy to happen.

That is what I need you to do here. Trust, and allow the joy to happen.

Lifestyle

A Pretty Thing With An Unpretty Name

Francesca at Body Electric Tattoo | Los Angeles, CA

You may have noticed that I no longer have a nose ring. It's because of the show I was filming over the summer - the network called on Day 1 and said "errmmmmmmm can she lose the nose ring please?" And unfortunately the answer was "well...no." Because when that request was made it was made via cell phone while I was in the middle of nowhere. And I was set to be on camera about five seconds later. And the only way to take out one of those continuous rings is to use pliers. My feeling was that taking pliers to my face moments before shooting a network television show had the potential to create less-than-desirable results, and so I did something I almost never do: I said "Sorry, but no way."

And then, just before I headed back to St. Louis for the second time, I went ahead and took it out per the network's request...which means that in the final cut, I have the nose ring in some shots and not in others. So when (one day in the far-distant future, because TV is weird like that) you see this thing, please make sure to watch it with a beer in hand and drink every time you spot my nose ring. (Is it terrible that I think it would be amazing to have my very own drinking game?)

SWEETS

It’s Beginning To Feel A Lot Like…

I always have a little trouble accessing my Christmas Spirit. It was easier when I lived in New York City, I think, because I was always out in the world, wandering through subway stations filled with shoppers and down streets past Santa after Santa. I actually left the house at night, and saw Christmas lights everywhere I turned.

Leaving the house after dark isn’t a thing I do very often these days; once we get back from our afternoon activity and start dinner, that’s usually it for me. And it’s for a good reason: there is literally nowhere in the world I’d rather be than in my own living room (which is usually the case, but especially at this time of year). We’ve been decorating, and cooking, and lighting a fire every single night, and watching Christmas movies and making forts and baking cookies. And with each night that passes, I get just a little bit more into that lovely-but-elusive holiday state of mind.

Did I mention that my efforts to make our home feel all Christmassy are also resulting in considerable cookie consumption? Oh my goodness so many cookies. The problem, of course, is that one type of cookie just won’t do: we have to make sugar cookies so that they can be decorated, and we have to make chocolate chip cookies because obviously, and we have to make Santa’s Favorite Cookies because even though Santa may not technically be on his way yet, practice makes perfect, right?

Lifestyle

Want To Play Secret Santa? (You’re Going To Love This)

My friend Kelly Van Halen - whom I've written about here before - makes the coziest, softest, most adorable baby blankets on the planet...and she's giving them away. Like, a lot of them. For free.

If you know a baby or a mom-to-be who could use a little extra love this holiday season, just go over to KellyVanHalen, enter the recipient's information, let them know whether you'd like to send the gift anonymously or sign it, and they'll send over a blanket valued at $100...free of charge (while supplies last, of course). Really; there is virtually no catch - and I know this sounds too good to be true, but Kelly just wanted to do something really special this holiday season.

Happy Holidays. Go play Secret Santa for someone who needs it.

Lifestyle

On Tuesdays, We Post Possessed Cat Videos

I don't typically post stuff like this, but this is Francesca's cousin's cat and I feel very strongly that you need to meet him. This video will make your morning, and perhaps your entire year, and 2016 was shit...so let's make it better with videos of possessed karate cats, shall we?

Anxiety

Why I Drive

In the apple trees | Somewhere on I-5

I get asked about this (ancient) sweater all the time, and fiiinally found a similar one.

Whenever I make the drive down to L.A. - as I have at least once every two months since we moved to San Jose - I make up excuses to explain why I'm going. This time, for example, my excuses were: 1) I have a couple of meetings scheduled, 2) Francesca and I always have our own little mini-holiday celebration together, and 3) I just took a "special trip" with Goldie, and wanted to give Indy a special trip of his own.

Lifestyle

Links & Love & Stuff

When your lollipop matches your lip balm. (This was part of a mailing sent by Korres to promote their lip butters, and I just want to call it out as an example of truly excellent marketing: they packaged the lip butters with matching lollipops, and the whole thing was so pretty and visual that it practically screamed "Instagram me.")

 These look like nursing shoes and I can hear my mother making fun of me for liking them from all the way across the country but whatever: CUTE.

 The pose! The colors! The ripped upholstery! This article is FASCINATING.  (Why Time's Trump Cover Is A Subversive Work Of Political Art, via Forward.)

Lifestyle

Gifts For The Girls (And For You)

A couple of weeks ago, Kendrick asked me what I want for Christmas this year. The truth is that I want a flushmount light for our dining room (this one, if you're curious, although this one is the one that I actually am considering purchasing because even though it's teeeeechnically not a flushmount it could be adjusted to hang close to the ceiling and is way cheaper).

But enough about my flushmount fantasies. I literally cannot think of anything less romantic to ask for than "a flushmount light," and Kendrick is nothing if not romantic, so I'm going to buy the thing myself at some point and give him options that won't make him look at me like this.

This year, of course, the focus is on the kids - because they are at the cutest possible age for Christmas excitement (and I totally want to capitalize on this by getting my son a kitten, because he would explode, but that would mean that I would have to actually own and care for a cat, so...no) - and I don't want Kendrick to spend too much time (or money) on me, so I passed a couple of ideas his way, neither of which include the word "flush" in the title. And in the course of coming up with these ideas, I came up with lots and lots more...and posted them here for you, in case you need some ideas of your own. They start at just $12, and I love each and every one. (OK, I love the last one the most.)