{oh joy eats} breakfast at feed...

While I certainly love to indulge in not-so-good-for-you things that simply taste delicious, I also find myself craving really fresh, healthy dishes that make use of the amazing produce we have available in L.A. I recently had breakfast at Feed, a new spot in Venice full of tasty and healthy bites.

We enjoyed the açaí fruit bowl (like a fruit smoothie mixed with a parfait) and the Southern Mexican bowl topped with tofu and poached eggs. Feed makes its own hot sauce, which has the best mix of spicy and tangy kick'perfect for a savory breakfast dish. Oh, and I'm a sucker for adult sodas, so Feed's natural soda (I got the blueberry and maple) made for the perfect companion to a light and fresh breakfast.

Feed | 1239 Abbot Kinney Blvd. | Venice, CA 90291 | 310.450.5550

{Photos by Bonnie Tsang} 

join the oh joy team!

I've been juggling a million balls in the air, and it's about time I took my own advice and got some help over here (this song has been playing on repeat in my head)! Oh Joy is expanding in fun new ways, and I have some exciting projects in the works. I'm currently looking for two energetic people to join my team who want to grow with the brand.

Both positions are paid and part-time, ranging from 10-15 hours per week, with the possibility for more hours based on growth and stellar performance. You must have your own car, computer or laptop, and be based in Los Angeles.

I'm looking to fill these two assistant positions:

let there be light...

When I was in Philly last week, I found myself waking up tired and groggy, with no desire to get out of bed. I love Philly, but I had forgotten about gray winters and cold weather and how much they really used to affect my mood. I'm so dependent on lots of natural light, and I've come to learn how much happier it makes me. Being back in L.A. really made me appreciate all this sunshine I'm lucky to live in year round.

It's funny, because I'm currently looking at studio spaces for my office, and some of these spaces have no windows (no windows?!?). The person showing them to me would say, "Some people don't want any light."

Say what??? Do you guys crave light like I do, or would you be content working in a dark space?

{Image sources, top to bottom: Melnikov House via Design Squish, Allandale House, Lindman Photography.}

broad strokes of color...

I'm in a bit of an Impressionist phase lately, so I'm loving the work of artist Judith Geher. The mix of modern portrait with Impressionist-like brush strokes...gorgeous...

happy friday + hello from philly...

We've been in Philly for the past week visiting our families. And brrrr...it's cold! I spent 30 years living on the East Coast, and now I can barely take the chilly weather. So sad. Ruby, on the other hand, loves it. She smiles and laughs when a gust of brisk air hits her in the face!

We visited some of our favorite spots to eat including Han Dynasty (the best Chinese food), Franklin Fountain, Tacconelli's Pizzeria, and Spread Bagelry.

But, of course, the best times have been spent enjoying simple moments with family. Ruby's grandparents (that's my Dad above) have been pretty over the moon this week.

Wishing you all an enjoyable weekend full of your favorite foods and your favorite people...

{Photos by Oh Joy}

a spectacle of a {giveaway}...

After seeing how much you guys love rocking your glasses, Rivet & Sway has kindly offered to give away 3 pairs of glasses (filled with your Rx!) to three lucky readers!

To enter, simply visit Rivet & Sway's website and then leave a comment here telling me which three frames you'd pick to accessorize your existing wardrobe. My favorites are the three I wore the other day: Punchlines, All Who Wander, and Core Strength. Entries must be posted by this Monday, February 25th at 8 p.m. PST, and three winners will be chosen at random*. Good luck!

*Sorry, limited to U.S. readers only. Please do not leave your email or web address in the body of the comment, only in the allotted boxes. $597 USD total value for each winner. The three winners will be contacted by email once comments close, and announced at the bottom of this post soon after.

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Rivet & Sway. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting these sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Oh Joy. 

{Top photo by by Bonnie Tsang.}

feeling like a monet...

...with gorgeous colors and painterly prints...

{01. Cooper & Ella blouse, 02. placemats from Leif, 03. Anthropologie heels, 04. Paper Stock envelopes, 05. bloomers by Bobo Choses, 06. Kate Spade Saturday weekend bag, 07. Ferm Living piggy bank.}

letting the good stuff stick...

I was thinking the other day about how I let things get to me'the stuff that doesn't work out like I planned, unkind critiques, or any kind of general negativity (the person who was rude on the subway, the girl behind the register who had a bad day and took it out on her customers). I tend to let myself focus on that. I zero in on the small percentage of people or experiences out there that have put a dent in my day.

But instead, I think we (myself included) should remember the positive. Remember the guy at Starbucks who give you a dollar because you didn't quite have enough change for your morning coffee, or the lady on the the highway you let you into the insane merge lane during rush hour traffic. Remember the incredible goal you accomplished, the dream gig you just got, or the person who took the time to write you a letter saying how much your work inspired her during a sad time in her life.

I am terrible at letting the good stuff stick. But maybe we can all help each other out a little and remember the good times, the best moments, the nice people, and the kindnesses that do come our way...

{Photo by Thayer Allyson Gowdy}

four eyes are better than two...

One day in sixth grade, I couldn't see the chalkboard very clearly. I squinted and squinted until I gave myself a headache. Soon, my parents realized I was becoming near-sighted, and I started wearing glasses. I dreaded having to pull them out in class. Glasses were not cool in junior high, especially in the early '90s (unless you were Sally Jesse Raphael), and as soon as I was allowed to get contacts in high school, I wore them every day ever since and saved my glasses for nighttime, right-before-bed only.

I bet you guys didn't even know I wear glasses, right? I mean, my normal vision is so bad that I wouldn't be able to see you if you were standing in front of me. It's all a blur. However, once more fun frame options became available, I decided to revisit the idea of wearing glasses. I loved the idea of wearing them all day, but with an Asian nose-bridge, plastic-framed glasses rarely stay on my face. It wasn't until I tried Rivet & Sway'a company that focuses on glasses only for women, and those with smaller or more narrow faces specifically'that I was finally able to wear cool spectacles again. These actually stay on my face!

I've since become a big fan of Rivet & Sway, and have joined forces with them today to show you how I now wear glasses as a part of my everyday life'and how they can even be an accessory to work into your outfit.

For everyday, I love adding a pop of color'because when you're in a T-shirt and jeans, it's that extra little detail that feels fun and special.

For dressier occassions, I love a thinner frame in classic black. The glasses make a subtle statement and let whatever you're wearing shine.

For when I'm wearing lots of patterns or in a more bohemian mood, I love neutral, tortoise-colored frames with a twist. They add interest and a little spark of surprise...they're like what your local librarian would wear, but with a kick!

Do you guys wear glasses? If you do, are you a glasses-only-at-night wearer like I once was? Or do you love rocking them on a daily basis?

P.S. Rivet & Sway is kindly offering Oh Joy readers $50 off a single pair of frames (a $199 retail value) through March 31, 2013. Enter OHJOYSWAYS at checkout. (You can try up to three pairs at home!)

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Rivet & Sway. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting these sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Oh Joy. 

{Photos by Bonnie Tsang. Hair and makeup by Danielle Walch. Casual outfit: sweatshirt from Hello Merch, jeans by J.Crew, tote by Mar y Sol, sneakers c/o Loeffler Randall, Punchline glasses by Rivet & Sway. Dressy outfit: dress by Madewell (past season), jacket by Anthropologie (past season), clutch by J.Crew (past season), All Who Wander glasses by Rivet & Sway. Boho outfit: dress c/o Lauren Moffatt, cardigan from A-Thread, Core Strength glasses by Rivet & Sway.

we're having a yard sale...

It's spring cleaning time! I'm joining forces again with my friend Bri over at Designlovefest to have our annual yard sale on Saturday, March 2nd from 10am-1pm in Atwater Village. And, our friends over at Yeah, Rentals will be selling a bunch of fun pieces...so bring your pickup truck!

If you're in LA and can make it, please click here to RSVP, and we'll email you with the exact address a few days prior. Hope to see you there!

P.S. The sale is cash only.

{Photo by Kimberly Genevieve.}

 

a pretty amazing image...

The contrast, the texture, the story...so beautiful...

{Photo by Marcin Ryczek}

ruby kisses...

Once Ruby learned how to give kisses, she likes to give kisses to everyone...mama, daddy, our neighbor's dog, and the baby goat at the farmer's market (And, of course I can't help but kiss her 278 times a day).

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day friends! Hope it's full of kisses from those you love (or at least like!) most...

{Photos by Bob Cho and Oh Joy}

{oh joy eats} guerrilla tacos...

One of the best parts about having good weather year-round are the pop-up carts and trucks that do business on the streets of Los Angeles. Guerrilla Tacos is a pop-up taco stand in downtown L.A. that serves amazing breakfast tacos a couple times a week. I've had a hard time finding tacos here in L.A. that compare to those in San Diego, but Guerrilla really left an impression on me.

And the prices! Seriously, so reasonable and delicious! $3-$4 for probably the best breakfast tacos I've ever had. The chorizo taco was spicy and savory, the mushroom taco was a great vegetarian option, and the tamale'um, out of this world.

It's amazing to me what can be cooked right on the street without the need for a fancy kitchen and equipment. Street food is probably one of my favorite kinds of food because the people who make it focus on one thing, and usually do it really well.

What kinds of pop-up food carts like this do you guys have where you live?

Guerrilla Tacos (at Handsome Coffee Roasters) | 582 Mateo Street| Los Angeles, CA 90013 | 818.640.3033

{Photos by Bonnie Tsang}

Make Someone Happy - No. 06: Write a Song

Last month, we wrote a letter to express our feelings. So this month I wanted to take it one step further and create a song! Now, we're not all songwriters or singers (um, I am completely tone deaf!), but that doesn't mean you can't put some of your thoughts down to a simple melody to sing just for fun. So with the help of my friend, Brooke White, I made a song for my Valentine: my husband Bob.

Here are Brooke's easy song-making tips:

1. Write down a bunch of sentences about your subject to create the lyrics. For example: How did you meet? What does he or she like? What are some of the characteristics you like most about them?

2. String those  sentences together to create a verse. Rhyming is always a fun way to make sentences flow together, so for our song, we'd come up with the first line, then write the next line so that the last word rhymed with the last work of the previous sentence. You can even rap this part, like we did!

3. Create a chorus. Also known as the hook, this is the part of a song that repeats over and over in between verses.

4. Make up one more verse with another set of facts'more fun things to say about your subject!

5. Put it all together with simple melody. We rapped the verses and sang the chorus to a very simple tune. Pull out the tambourine, maracas, or just clap your hands to accompany the song!

I hope this inspires you to create and sing a little song for your Valentine.

P.S. A huge thanks to Brooke for lending her talents (even while under the weather)!

{Video by Modshift. Special Guest: Brooke White.}

feeling like a tropical sunset...

Right around February, I start craving springy things. Especially with the prediction of an early spring, it's a fun time to think about the longer days and warmer temperatures ahead...

{1. Prabal Gurung for Target sweater, 2. Tulisan storage box, 3. Baggu pouch, 4. Madewell scarf, 5. Rib & Hull tote bag, 6. Bobo Choses onesie, 7. Ban.do glitter bomb bobbi.}

little girl, grown-up gestures...

Sometimes I look at my toddler and her chubby baby cheeks and remember she's still so tiny. And then sometimes she does these things that are so adult-like (often things she picked up from us) and that make my mind fast-forward into the future way too fast. The other day Ruby was talking to herself in the mirror, and then pointed to her chest and said, "Boobies!" (I told her once what those are and it obviously stuck with her).

Here are just a few moments lately'taking a "rest" on the sidewalk in the middle of playing, practicing downward puppy, checking out Daddy's computer, and wearing Mama's glasses'that make me so curious (and excited) to watch her personality unfold...

Hope you have a great weekend full of fun peeks into the future!

P.S. If you're looking for some last-minute Valentine's Day inspiration, here are a few of my faves found around the web...

{Photos by Bob Cho}

{valentine's day} floral friendship bracelets...

Here's what you'll need:

Flowers {we used red and pink ranunculas, chamomile daisies, white button mums, and flowering houseplants in pink and red.}  

Clippers or scissors

Cotton ribbon {in varying widths}

Fabric dye {optional}

Super glue

Safety pins {for fastening the cuff versions}

Here's how:

1. Pre-cut cotton ribbon in one-foot-long strips. You can use a range of widths, depending on how you want your bracelets to look. Pour fabric dye into a jar (per the package directions) and dip the ribbon in, leaving it to soak anywhere from a couple minutes to an hour, depending on your desired color saturation. Let dry.

2. Snip the heads off the flowers using clippers or scissors.

3. Arrange your snipped flowers in the middle of a piece of ribbon until you're happy with the composition. It can be a cluster of various buds, a single ranunculas or two, or a row of mums.

4. One by one, squeeze super glue under each bud and secure it in the position you planned out. (You can also add another layer of glue to the undersides of the flowers.) Lightly press down on each bud and hold for a minute, then let sit for an hour, until glue is completely dry.

5. To tie the bracelets on, simply tie with a simple bow, or you can use safety pins for a shorter cuff bracelet.

6. Finally, give them to your friends! If you make them the night before, you can keep the bracelets in the fridge to keep the flowers fresh until the next day. They look super cute worn in multiples, too!

Enjoy!

Special thanks to the girls at Bash, Please for helping me create these beautiful bracelets! (Their new book, The New-Fashioned Wedding, just came out, and if you're in Houston, you can catch their book signing on February 10th at BHLDN.) 

{Photos by Bonnie Tsang, floral project by Bash, Please.}