April 29, 2014

things I love (a great distraction // 8)



Why it's so hard to learn English. Ha! Truth.


What would you practice for 100 days? So cool.


Would you recognize your own family?


A beard grows in Brooklyn and 25 other epic hipster book titles.


Ha. Hilarious. And just so you know. I'm "a little bit hipster". 



love.lauren 

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April 26, 2014

places I love (ojai).


It was due time for a road trip. 

Lindsey had escaped the islands, so naturally before she had time to settle in we packed up the car and headed somewhere new. 

I had heard such good things about Ojai, CA. A little town a few hours outside of LA. So off we went. 

You guys. 

I immediately fell in love with our tiny, intensely hip, renovated motel. The Ojai Rancho Inn is a place I can't wait to come back to. It was perfect. 

If you go (and you should), here are a few of my favorite stops. 

Eat a pixie (or 12). We got ours at the Ojai Farmer's Market. But they are everywhere. 

Make the drive to Meditation Mount. Do it before sunset. Walk to the grassy viewing point, put your bare feet in the grass, sit down, and wait. Trust me. 

Swing by Bart's Books. Outdoor. Bookstore. That's all you need to know. 

Eat at Knead, Jim & Rob's, Ojai Beverage Company, the Scratch truck if it's around, and any of the other delicious spots (there are far more than you'll have time for). 


Explore the bike paths (if you're staying at Ojai Rancho, get up early and claim one of their adorable Linus bikes). 


Shop at Modern Folk Living and Summer Camp. Try not to buy everything. 

I could tell even before we got there that I was going to love this gem of a town. Sitting in silence on Meditation Mount, I looked over and saw a few folks from one of my very favorite bands taking in the sunset - and it sealed the deal. I'll be back Ojai. A lot. 


love.lauren 



































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April 17, 2014

things I love (a great distraction // 7)




The weekend is so close I can taste it! My sister's in town for work, but we're off on a quick adventure first. Happy Easter friends! 


Why you need to be interesting


We're old


Who are your happiest friends on Facebook? 


Who could say no to this?! 


These two ladies. Kill me. 



love.lauren 


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April 11, 2014

things I love (a great distraction // 6)



Happy Friday! 


I want to live in this totally rad studio. A trap door?! Sign me up. 


Lessons learned from living alone. So true. 


This is awesome. I would die to go to a taping. Sigh. Someday. 


What's your cocktail spirit animal? I got mojito. 


The king of nerds. Love.


love.lauren
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April 6, 2014

things I love (a great distraction // 5)




Paris is magic as it is. But you can sleep in this bookstore. I repeat. Sleep. In A. Bookstore. Be still my heart. 

My two favorite Swedish ladies are releasing a new album. And I cannot wait. 


Arcade Fire and Motown Philly. What? 


Nick Offerman did an AMA. It was good. 


One of my favorite websites made a little mini-movie with some rad bands. About Johnny Cash. 



love.lauren 
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April 5, 2014

places I love (a great place to sleep).

I love a good hotel. I've been known to plan entire adventures around some weird place I found on the internet. How do you think I got to Marfa and Big Sur

It doesn't have to be fancy (but that menu of pillows at the Trump Hotel didn't hurt), it just has to have a little spunk and a lot of character. 


First, five of the very coolest places I've stayed. 



El Cosmico (Marfa, TX) - This place. It's so very Moonrise Kingdom. When you book your spot you have teepees, vintage trailers and safari tents (our selection) to choose from. Or if camping is your style, you can set up your own spot. The gift shop rivals some of my very favorite boutiques, there's a hammock forest (a HAMMOCK. FOREST), a fire pit, a stage for the occassional jam session, and even outdoor claw foot tubs in the bathroom. I mean. 


Treebones (Big Sur, CA) - Big Sur is magical. Like for real. When we headed north for an epic road trip there was only one place I wanted to stay. Nestled on a hill overlooking the ocean (!!!), at Treebones you'll find a dozen or so yurts in the sky. With fireplaces and front porches, it's the perfect place to just be outside. Add to that a great lodge with fireplaces and board games, a pool and spa, an organic garden and a MAKE YOUR OWN WAFFLE BAR and I never wanted to leave. 


VN Guesthouse (Kanchanaburi, Thailand) - I first read about this town and this place here. I knew if I ever went to Thailand, no matter what, a side trip had to happen. Right on the River Kwai, Lu's guest house was one of my favorite parts of my Thai adventure. We stayed in floating rooms on the river, woke up to roosters and sunrises unlike any I've ever seen, and the very best part was the restaurant. The food was delicious (I'll never love anything more than their banana pancakes) but the views. We spent hours sitting on the floor and watching the boats go by. It was perfect. 


The Ace Hotel (Portland, OR) - A room wallpapered in band posters? Bunk beds? Sign me up! All the Ace outposts are unfathomably hip and cool. Put one in the middle of a city that is also unfathomably hip and cool and your brain might explode. There's a photo booth in the lobby, you can rent a record player for your room and the restaurant downstairs has won awards for it's epic food. So. Go. 


The Nolitan (New York, NY) - I already wrote a whole post about this hotel. Long story short, the neighborhood is awesome, there's wine and snacks, and...well that's all you need to know. 


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There are so many great places to stay in this world. Why waste your time somewhere that doesn't have a little quirk? My next adventure is taking me here. Another town I picked just because the hotel looks cool (and I have a sister who just goes with it when I ask her to take random adventures). 

Here are five more places on my list. I can't wait to visit! 


The Graham & Co. (Phoenicia, NY) 
The Madonna Inn (San Luis Obispo, CA) 
Base Camp (Lake Tahoe, CA) 
The Amado (Palm Springs, CA) 
Hotel St. Cecilia (Austin, TX) 

love.lauren

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