November 30

November 29

Playing with my button stash some more. Does anyone want a button brooch for Christmas?

November 28

I've had a productive and creative day today; I was up at five and working by seven, and I only just stopped at ten thirty p.m. But it was all stuff for clients, so I can't show you yet. So I will leave you this, one of my rejected Christmas card designs. I like it, but it'd never make it through them mail.

I also want to share a poem by Maya Stein that really spoke to me this morning, here.

November 27

November 26

Thanksgiving is over. It's cold enough for a fire. This weekend we'll get a tree. It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

November 25

Walk 3 from Walking L.A. explores the office parks and fringe light industrial areas of south east Santa Monica in and around Bergamot Station. (My favourite haunts there are the Gallery of Functional Art and Hiromi Paper.) I love the colours in this shot, and the way the painted wall echoes the hue of the Boston Ivy berries. You can see all the photos here. I went a little hog wild photographing numbers -- there were so many cool ones! While the book touts the many nice eateries on the route, none of them were open on a Saturday morning. We ended up driving downtown after our walk for pizza at CPK. Could I possibly put more links in one post??

November 24

The Christmas cards are finished -- and I really like them!

November 23

My goal is always to have my Christmas cards (50) made by Thanksgiving. So today I got busy while the turkey cooked and the rest of the family watched football. I haven't figured out what to use for the star yet -- I'll make a trip to the craft store tomorrow to see what they have in quantity.

November 22

November 21

Boys, boys, boys.

November 20

I walked exactly a mile (according to my pedometer) then sat down and drew what I saw.

November 19

Last year our family came up with the great idea of visiting restaurants of different ethnicities as a way to expand our palates. We selected well-rated establishments within 20 miles of home, put the names in a hat, and started randomly drawing them. To give the youngest, fussiest member of the family more incentive to try new foods, we posed as restaurant reviewers and put up a blog to inform the world of our opinions.

Great idea, but somehow between me starting Weight Watchers and not wanting to eat out, and Ian spending weekends with his friends, the plan fizzled. However, last night, with a little fanfare, the Meltzer Gang sallied forth once again to sample the fares of a local ethnic restaurant. Our random selection was French, but a quick phone call revealed that they were booked out till 9 pm. So the next draw was Mexican, and off we went to visit Señor Fred. You can read the review here.

While waiting a LONG time for our waiter, we put our reviewers' pads and pens to good use. Here's a sampling of the mutual portraits Lauren and I produced.

November 18

Walk 2 from Walking L.A. explores the "rarefied air north of Montana Ave" in Santa Monica. Yvette and I saw beautiful houses and ocean views, and the sweaty butts of many people slogging up and down the extremely steep staircases that link Adelaide Ave and Entrada Drive. After brunch at a nice Montana Ave restaurant, we got our fill of tactile pleasure at L'Atelier. Once again, a lovely morning; you can see all the photos here.

November 17

It was a gorgeous day today, and I am feeling SO much better. I walked down to Trader Joe's and took the long way home, passing this piano frame at the gutter in front of someone's home. It's been there a while -- the grass is growing up around it. I would have stayed longer and drawn more detail but the icecream was melting.

November 16

I caved under the nagging of my dear husband last night and started a course of antibiotics. My dreaded lurgy must have been at least partially bacterial, because I'm feeling a lot better today. Not exactly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, mind you, but well enough to notice, and be bothered by, the dust bunnies in the hallway. Also alert enough to feel the returning pressure of All The Things I Have To Do ... a Pol Sci quiz, that damn Leadership Project, the web site job I accepted last weekend, on top of the graphics for Josh's show. And to wonder why there's no food in the house, and what the heck do I feel like eating anyway.

So here's the question ... do I use my little reserve of energy to clean the house somewhat, hoping that it'll make me feel even better and give me renewed strength for the Other Stuff? Or will an hour spent vacuuming and putting stuff away and maybe even cooking a meal wipe me out for the rest of the day?

As you can see, I'm floundering. Lucky there's always another option. Make art.

November 15

I took a slow walk to the post office, and on the way home heard a loud, unfamiliar bird call. Finally I spotted this large creature atop a distant telephone pole. I'm not sure, but I think it was the red-tailed hawk that lives in our neighbourhood.

November 14

A birthday card for a special little friend. It'll arrive late (sorry, Eve). I haven't been on top of the birthday card situation since saying good-bye to Mum. I haven't been on top of so much ... my eating and exercise habits, especially. Right now I'm on Day Three of a cold, so I'm particularly feeling it -- I haven't been taking good enough care of myself. Screw the birthday cards -- I need to prioritize my well-being.

November 13

November 12

November 11

This morning my friend Evie and I did Walk #1 from the book Walking L.A.. We explored the Castellamere neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades, enjoying wonderful views, fresh sea air, and some gorgeous gardens. This tree is in "Nana's Garden". What a great way to start the day. Thanks so much for the book, Annette. I can't believe it's taken me so long to start using it.