urban farm

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Rachel

If this doesn’t make you want to grab a healthy snack, I don’t know what will. One trip to Suzie’s Farm and I was determined to add more green to my every day life. The wrap you see up there was beyond amazing and jammed packed with radishes. Never did I think I would enjoy radishes – of all things – so much. I had an amazing time hanging out at the farm, which is no surprise to this native New Yorker. I was raised on a high vegetable diet and spent several summers running around my aunt’s farm in Puerto Rico. I actually felt quite at home. A bit of nature and a bit of urban comforts all in one, as the farm is surrounded by San Diego city life. A few miles away, tucked into the city, we got to taste these veggies all dressed up in spices at The Linkery c/o of Prius, who spoiled us with good eats and equally delicious cars for coastal perusing.

Thank you Toyota, The Linkery and Suzies Farm.

(I was selected for participation in the TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post, or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of the Toyota)

so fresh & so clean

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Rachel

I’m back with a skincare obsessed post. This time, I have a secret to tell. I’m 38. No, that’s not it. My age is not the secret. The issue is that I’m 38 and still get acne. What’s up with that? I suppose that’s nature’s trade-off for the no-wrinkle thing? Well, not yet anyway. My day will come, but as my mother always says “Si no es Juan, es Pedro.” So, for now zits (aka Juan) has been an on-going daily thing for me. Prior to working with Neutrogena through LBC, I used their products to keep break-outs under control and to help with “las manchas.” My never-ending goal has been to walk out of the house without foundation on my face, a bit of mascara, shiny hair and done. Is that too much to ask for? My skincare regimen consists of washing my face before bed followed by a Vitamin-A cream (this is a confession, by the way). I wash again first thing in the morning and use toner and SPF moisturizer. I don’t smoke. I’m not much of a drinker. I’m not the sun bathing type. Wow, this is starting to sound more like “top ten reasons why Rachel should not be invited to an island vacation.” Anyway, what can I say, it was never my thing. However, caffeine is my poison of choice and likely contributes to my acne but I’m not giving up my cafecito.

Neutrogena invited me to learn more about how they’re working with the Latino community, which always makes me happy to know that someone is on top of our particular skincare concerns, including cancer. It is so important to put that SPF on folks, and it’s equally important to continue re-applying as the day goes on. My son leaves this house slipping and sliding sometimes but the sun in LA can get brutal during the summer. I will be writing a post for LBC with all the skin-protection details shortly. In the meantime, tell me about your skincare routine, including what you do (or don’t do) to protect your skin from the sun.

Thank You Neutrogena for the The Difference in Beauty invitation at The London.

observatory

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Rachel

Hello from the star-lit skies of Los Angeles! Well, actually, no. I’m punching keys and sipping my 100th cup of coffee while explaining to (aka nagging) my son about the importance of eating vegetables. However, that’s all about to change. A friend of mine is visiting from NYC, and I just can’t illustrate how happy it makes me to see friends who have been in my life for…eesh, let’s just say…a lot of years. This one in particular has been my friend since the 9th grade. We met at Freshman orientation in HS and immediately clicked. She said she liked to bake. I said I liked to eat. And, that was that. A friendship was born. I was at her house that weekend, eating muffins and listening to this new hip-hop group called De La Soul. To be more specific – Potholes in my Lawn – is officially “our” song. Oh, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t throw in a 1991 youtube clip of the the Best Cheerleading Capt I ever had. Tiph, I love you.

But, wait … What does any of that have to do this picture? Nothing. It was shot during a recent trip to the Griffith Observatory. But there’s something about a peaceful night sky that makes you appreciate friendships … and life.

pb & j love cookies

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Rachel

I love Valentine’s Day. Love. It. And anyone who knows me would tell you I’m so full of it. OK, I’ll admit I was never really into this day but … when you have kids it’s a whole other story. I see it as a day to do something out of the every day. For example, eat an insurmountable amount of pink and red sugar. I mean, really. When would that ever be acceptable? Valentine’s Day, of course. I’ve been adding cooking/baking time into my son’s schedule, and who better to have a baking session with than Nicole? We used this recipe. Sugar addition – totally our idea. We also switched it up with heart shapes and apricot jam. Très yum!

Have a sweet Valentine’s Day. It’s a great day to make some art, cook and eat candy (alone, with friends, family, your cat, whoever you love or like). My son requested we bake apple pie together to celebrate our love for apples. Sounds like a date!

the trench

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Rachel

Here and there, I’ve added personal style posts. My goal this year is to increase the number. Not because I think I’m some fashion-forward guru (ew, did I just say guru?) but because I love clothes. That’s all. I’m not a stylist. I’m not a fashion insider. I love style. And when I say style, I mean anything that you want it to be. What makes you feel good. What fits your lifestyle. What fits your body. I like to take ideas from magazines and add my practical “but I live in the real world” spin on it. As much as I yearn to wear Jeffery Campbell’s (the full on glitter ones), it’s not the kind of thing I can get into right now. I totally would but that darn “mom voice” always creeps in. I’m always seeking the art show-meets-mom balance. Day to night finds. The mix of highs and lows. A great sale. No fuss. But always, always chic. At the end of the day, whether it’s casual or evening attire, it must be chic and it must classic. That’s my thing. What’s yours?

(shirt, shoes/Zara, coat, bag, necklace/H&M, pants/urban outfitters, lipstick/chanel rouge)

california nights

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Rachel

There’s nothing like a candle-lit dinner on a starry night by the ocean. Pour the red wine, please. These nights are perfect for gazing into each others eyes and holding hands as we talk lovingly about how we need to build the bookshelves for our home classroom ::record scratch:: Yep, shelf building and books. But, here’s where it gets weird. We enjoy it. Planning home projects, a good art documentary, the next family trip, our health, the environment and how can we make the every day richer and fuller while squeezing in much needed relax time – are all tops on the grown-up talk list for me and the hubs. Precisely why I enjoy meeting people from different walks of life, who share similar passions and have a fantastic sense of humor about this thing called – life. This is exactly what happened during a recent trip down the coast. Oh, and throw in a pair of comfortable animal print flats and here’s to an awesome evening out. Now, could you please pass the crab cakes?

Thank you Toyota for the trip to La Jolla, Estancia for your hospitality and Cali weather for the perfect evening.

discover the arts

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Rachel

I’m gonna go ahead and cut it out with the “I’ve disappeared” as if it’s shocking for a mom who works from home (or anywhere) and homeschools (or just has kids at all) to find herself with her head straight down into her plate of dinner instead of sticking to her “editorial calendar.” I’m thankful the cat licks the spaghetti sauce off my face to wake me up in enough time to photo edit and add cutesy type to pictures. Otherwise, where would the day go? However, one of the beauties of what I do is that I get to enjoy museums and all that LA has to offer culturally any time of the day. Can’t think of anything better than hanging out at the Disney Concert Hall watching an Ozomatli performance between deadlines (that email can wait) and Social Studies. And even if I did not have that luxury, there are over 100 museums in Los Angeles offering all types of fun things to do every day of the week. Whether you want to listen to jazz and take in the city views or you want to enhance your child’s school curriculum with hands-on activities, it’s at our finger tips. It’s Los Angeles arts month, which means dozens of museums are offering discounts. . Two for one deals and gift shop breaks, for example. Go ahead and carve that art day out for yourself. Yeah, yeah, we are all busy. Traffic? You live in LA, get over it and invest in some good music. Culture awaits!

Thanks so much to RL Publications for the invitation to the Discover the Arts Kick-off.

in wonderland

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Rachel

There’s something about being in the presence of Frida Kahlo’s work that sends a chill up my spine. It taps into every human emotion imaginable. Boo to the guard who didn’t let me photograph her work during my visit to LACMA yesterday. But, all the better. I stood in front of Las Dos Fridas for a substantial amount of time – cameraless – alone with my thoughts and the work. I had forgotten just how powerful this piece was in person. Can you imagine several galleries of Fridas and other greats like Dorothea Tanning, Alice Rahon and Lee Miller? And when I say the greats – I’m referring to the Women of Surrealism. Although men take the credit for this movement, female artists play an extremely pivotal role in the visual narrative of this time. Not as a muse propped on a chaise fulfilling a fantasy – but as powerful voices seeking to reconstruct their identities. In Wonderland is the first exhibition completely devoted to female surrealists from Mexico and the United States, which I found to be fascinating as I really was not aware of how much it had grown from its European roots. The show goes up January 29th and will be on view until May 6th.

Thank you LACMA

The Art Muse