happy friday, to you

it's raining here in LA and i'm starting to imagine how we'll spend our weekend. here's a few ideas for those of you who are daydreaming of what the next two days will bring...

1. head to a local bookstore and pickup a copy of this for some guaranteed laughs.
2. up for a movie? 50/50 looks like it might be funny and great. 
3. the santa monica flea is happening on sunday (for my locals)
4. this recipe is similar to something i make regularly during the winter, it's so satisfying when i'm chilly.

*photo above the last of our austin vacation photos (by lou). this is me at the bbq place that we shall not speak of.

staying in austin: hotel san jose

we stayed with our friend's matt and alysha, but paige and kevin stayed at the hotel san jose. we hung out on the patio one sunny afternoon eating hibiscus mint popsicles soaked in red wine and feeling hip. it's a converted motel {thin walls}, so if you're a light sleeper it might not be best fit for you on weekend nights. but it's within walking to lots of tasty food and shopping and as you can see from the photos, pretty darn charming. 

dogs in austin: ivy

this is ivy. she's matts owner, and as long as she is cute.  

playing in austin: barton springs

by far my most favorite thing we did in austin was spend an afternoon at barton springs, a gigantic spring fed pool surrounded by grassy hills for lounging. it's the go-to spot for locals to get cold in the texas heat, and the diving board is a rad little community in itself- everyone from teeny tiny kiddos to really impressive pro-like divers hang around it, taking turns bouncing off the board and pulling out every trick in their pocket as they spin their way into the water. it's pretty fantastic. *last photo by lou