HELLOmynameisHeather

Fresh Eggs

Our new bookkeeper brought some fresh eggs for us today. They are so stinkin' pretty. Why is that? What makes a simple egg so appealing? I had to snap some pictures.

I would love to keep chickens at some point. Now I have someone I can go to with my chicken questions, as well as my accounting. Checks and chickens. This bookkeeper is a keeper.

Quilt-Store Dreaming

Have you ever dreamed about being on the front lines of the sewing movement? Talk about jumping in with guns blazing. Fabric Nosherie, one of the coolest quilt stores around — is for sale.

If you have a hankering to live in the friendly midwest and you have what it takes to command and inspire a growing community of modern stitchers, have a closer look at this rare opportunity. Classes are in progress, fabric is on order, customers are bustling in. The business has grown beyond what Shannon can manage while also raising four very young boys. She's decided to auction the store so it can continue to grow while she re-focusses on her family.

For more background on the store and its founder, Shannon Robinson, click here. For details on the auction in progress—ending March 25th—click here.

Let's Get this Show on the Road

It's time to hand out some show tickets and a C.D.

Angela — you've got it — two tickets for Thursday night's show are all yours. Thank you for your enthusiasm. That always wins points with me—ask my kids.

And — surprise — Rachel, we have two tickets for Friday night's show for you as well.

I'm going to send Wendy your email addresses and she will send you the details. If you don't hear from her right away, email me your contact info.

By random drawing, the C.D. goes to... Elizabeth S. Email me your shipping address, Elizabeth, and we'll drop your present in the mail right away—along with a few HB extras (!!!).

Wendy!

As we wished—yay!—Wendy is game to offer two tickets to her show in New York City next week at The Metropolitan Room, featuring songs by composers as diverse as Cole Porter, Joni Mitchell, and Wendy’s collaborator, Michele Brourman. This exciting event celebrates Wendy’s debut album, Breathing, and is tied together with entertaining vignettes from Wendy’s colorful family—a fun and personal show.

Wendy is my fiercely-fabulous sister-in-law. She is both a talented singer and a charming storyteller. She’s hilarious, in fact.

...And it’s killing me that we missed her opening night last week in Los Angeles! Anyone want to go to the New York show in my stead? I’ll sit on your lap in spirit.

As Mitch Ellis of the performing group Chambers, Herbert & Ellis put it, after seeing the Los Angeles performance last week, “Wendy Lane Bailey's show was truly grand... Under Michele Brourman's artful musical direction she put on a really terrific show. Beautiful song selection, sensitive phrasing, clear storytelling and a warm rich voice. Kinda the whole package.”

 

Wendy performs on Thursday, the 21st and on Friday, the 22nd at 7pm. I have TWO tickets to give away—and a C.D. Comment to enter. Please indicate in your comment if you want to be entered into the TICKETS drawing; otherwise, I'll assume you're in it for the C.D. If you're in the greater New York area and you don’t win the tickets giveaway, head to The Metropolitan Room for a exceptional show nevertheless! You’re sure to have a great night. And the cover charge is only $20.

One more time, that’s The Metropolitan Room at 34 West 22nd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues) in New York City. Reservations can be called in at (212) 206-0440 or made online at metropolitanroom.com.

Discover more about the show here, and stop by Wendy’s blog at WendyLaneBailey.com.

Update: Winners announced — click here.

Rose Bowl Treasure

The Rose Bowl Flea Market makes me gitty. Wendy and I were like two magpies, combing the aisles for sparkly treasure. She has a great, vintage-20s, flapper-deco aesthetic. It was fun to see what trinkets called her name—definitely a great way to get to know each other on a new level.

I highly suggest it.

One vendor offered metal letters of every size and color, including polkadots. I sorted through his alphabets for a good 20 minutes—they were comically hot in the bright sun. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a website or even a business card. If someone’s looking for at Etsy opportunity, track this guy down. He’s a Rose Bowl Flea Market regular. And we all need his letters. 

With our car trouble, we had to leave the trailer behind, so my blinders were on when it came to furniture. That was a bit painful. However, a hunt for small treasures brought an interesting challenge. In the end, my eclectic loot included: plastic chicks, pink buttons, a rhinestone buckle, embroidered ribbons and silks, a green vase, a red scarf, and a sequined gold and black vintage circle skirt. If you're a treasure hunter too, The Rose Bowl Flea Market marks the spot. In charming ol' Pasadena, CA.

@ Los Angeles

We just returned from a week in Los Angeles. My super-talented sister-in-law, Wendy Lane Bailey, had flown out to L.A. to perform at the Gardenia. We were supposed to arrive in time to watch her sing, but our van's new transmission had a different plan. Even though the transmission was only a couple of months old, it gave out on our way out of town—big time. Needless to say, we started out on a different adventure than we had planned.

I'll just say that we got to know the truck stop really well. And after a few hours we made our way to a pizza place near the mechanic’s, camping there for most of the evening until we had secured a rental van to pile into. Nine hours and $700 later, we were back on the road to L.A.

Unfortunately, we missed Wendy’s performance. A serious bummer. But, we tried to make up for it once we arrived. We stayed in a beautiful hotel in old-town Pasadena, one of my favorite areas.

Our first stop was to visit old haunts in the Fashion District with the kids. When we lived in Hollywood, Elijah was about the same age as our little one is now. It was bizarre—and pretty cool—to see him, at 6-foot-3, push our youngest around in a stroller just like I used to push Elijah around the Fashion District in a stroller, years back. What a serious time warp.

We ate at Pink’s hot dogs for old-time’s-sake, spent a day at The Getty Museum, shopped at the Rose Bowl Flea Market (my favorite!), toured our old neighborhood—which has changed quite a bit, yet is so much the same—had cocoa at The Grove, and received a driving tour of historic Venice, CA from Wendy’s friend, Jessie, who has lived in Venice for the last 40 years.

I’ve been to Venice many times, but I had no idea that a large part of the city was originally built along canals. Instead of driving to a neighbor’s house, they would canoe. I love it.

As for The Getty, I adore it.

If you can believe this, I never did visit The Getty when we lived close-by. We even had a friend who was a curator there at the time, yet I still didn't make it. Back then, Isaac once went on a private tour of the museum before it opened. Where was I at the time!? Seriously.

It was fantastic. I am awed and inspired. And ready to find a portrait-painting class to take. Know of a good one? We’re back home now, but part of me wants to turn around and head right back to The Getty. If you are ever in Southern California, get yourself there. Don’t miss it.

The mechanic repaired the transmission without charge. However, I’m still sad that the fiasco cost us our chance to see Wendy’s show. She has two more shows coming up in New York City next week. Perhaps I can round up a couple of free tickets to give away and send one of you in my stead.

All photos are from my Instagram feed—hallelujah for functioning phone cameras! We forgot to pack the big camera on this trip—ack.