onward and upward

as sad as it makes me, it's time to say goodbye to this little blog. it was born out of a desire to counter my tedious graduate school work with something creative, and has lead to so many wonderful opportunities. but now, as i approach the one-year anniversary of earning my master's, i'm craving change and a fresh start.

my future is very much up in the air, but as i explore more creative opportunities, i need a site that reflects my commitment to professionalism—an organized space to house my growing collection of writing samples. i've been working behind the scenes to create my new site, and it's finally ready to launch. i sincerely thank you for your readership and hope you'll continue to follow me as i embark on this new adventure!

here's the new url: http://laurenkodiak.com/

recent photos

1. so much yellow
2. margherita pizza with arugula (and pino noir rose!) at ken's artisan
3. she found the one sun patch in the apartment
4. more signs of spring
5. stained glass
6. rifle paper cards
7. practicing my calligraphy strokes
8. pink trees!
9. grapefruit mimosa at tasty n sons
10. penny and drew, being adorable

frank ocean for band of outsiders

i always look forward to the band of outsiders campaigns (the michelle williams one was my favorite). frank ocean is the celebrity of choice for their latest, and i'd say it's a match made in heaven.

all photos via band of outsiders

pop of yellow

these are birthday flowers from my coworker. i never (ever) keep fresh flowers in the apartment because i'm one of those people who lets my cat dictate my life completely, and most plants are poisonous to our little feline friends. but such a thoughtful gift prompted me to let go a bit, so i snipped the ends, put them in water and set them atop our highest shelf (which happens to be in the kitchen, so it gets pretty decent light).

the bright pop of yellow, especially with our green wall as a backdrop, brings such joy into the space that i think i'll keep up with a weekly bouquet of something colorful and beautiful. as long as penny doesn't figure out how to get up there, that is.

march

hello, spring flowers! around this time every year (my birthday's tomorrow), i become highly introspective. i assess my status—in terms of happiness, health and goals—and often feel i'm coming up short somewhere; that i could do a little bit more, or approach things a little bit differently. but, all this new life popping up around me serves as a reminder that my future is full of promise. there will be disappointments and uncertainties, but if i handle them with grace, i'll (hopefully) learn a few things about myself—things i can apply to the fresh opportunities that await me in my twenty-fifth year.

moosewood

this past weekend, i came across an original (and cheap!) copy of moosewood cookbook by mollie katzen. i'd been meaning to add it to my collection for quite some time, as it's essentially the vegetarian bible, so i grabbed it.

the recipes (hand-lettered and illustrated by mollie herself) are straightforward, simple and timeless—all things i appreciate and strive for in my own kitchen. the book is in pretty rough shape (it was published in 1977), but the various stains on the worn pages just signal that it's been well-loved over the years by messy, hands-on cooks.

 

for my first (of many) recipes made from moosewood cookbook, i kept things easy with standard guacamole. normally, i throw some avocados in a bowl with fresh lime and salt and call it guacamole, but the addition of garlic and lemon in this recipe really made all the difference. i'll never go back to my lazy girl's version again!

recent photos

1. vibrant plants
2. i'm a sucker for string lights

3. morning writing at woodlawn coffee
4. big bucket of oranges
5. the wood brothers
6. valentine's macaron
7. penny, on the kitchen table
8. woodsman market flowers
9. pendleton couch from remnant at the portland flea 
10. my two cuties

sunday crafting

i spent the better part of sunday afternoon working on this little project. it was cold and drizzly outside, and i was glad to have something to keep my hands busy while my mind sorted through some heavy thoughts that have been looming lately (my 25th birthday is right around the corner, and like clockwork, i've been having a bit of a quarter-life crisis). painting these brightly-colored wooden spoons cheered me right up! another thing that eased my twenty-something existential woes? watching the latest episodes from season two of girls.

terrain

my parents live dangerously close to the connecticut location of the home and garden heaven, terrain. mom and i spent the morning there, drooling over the beautiful jewelry, greenery and kitchen supplies. there's a cute cafe if you feel like shopping with a latte in hand, and an exquisite farm-to-table restaurant if you work up an appetite for lunch or dinner. i managed to walk out of there with only one thing—this linea carta linen wall calendar—that i'm praying will fit in my already overstuffed suitcase. i can't wait to hang it up in my kitchen in portland!

thoughts

i normally try to keep my content light and happy on here, but between the clackamas shooting right in the backyard of my portland home, and the newtown shooting right in the backyard of my connecticut home, i feel compelled to post about all of this senseless tragedy that has plagued so many innocent souls over the past week. i am left feeling helpless, disenfranchised and terribly heartbroken for all the victims and their loved ones. barring any sweeping political statements about gun control or mental health, i can safely say that our country is broken—something needs to change before more people commit the same horrific acts. i'm still having a hard time collecting my thoughts completely, but i think this article from the onion pretty much sums them up.

since you brought it up

the equals record's "since you brought it up" column encourages us to embrace our flaws, anxieties and doubts instead of tucking them away until the holiday season (and all the pressure that comes with it) subsides. ashely first shared her experience with unemployment, and i was so inspired by her honesty, that when she asked if i'd be willing to contribute, i couldn't pass it up! thanks ashely, for inviting me in to such a supportive and genuine community—it felt great to get that off my chest.

you can read it all here.

image via the equals record

obama

i am one happy (and relieved) girl today!

image via pinterest

vote

i voted! did you? image via pinterest

kanye wes

have you seen this kanye wes tumblr? kanye lyrics on wes anderson stills (or sometimes wes anderson quotes on photos of kanye). here are just a few of my favorites:

1 // 2 // 3 // 4

dearest

i mentioned earlier that i scooped up a banner at spoken for, and here it is, hanging over our bed. i was initially drawn to the sweet floral print, but the impressive handiwork is also worth noting: owner molly pringle cuts the patterns with a laser!

scenes from spoken for

i had a lovely time at spoken for! i brought my friend jill and we sipped on some signature cocktails while admiring the beautiful handmade goods. we were completely obsessed with the banners from dearest and each bought one (i'll share a picture soon).