Strong Women Don't Sit.

Recently I’ve noticed world-changing women popping up one after the other in the news- a trend I couldn’t be happier to see. These powerhouses are challenging standards and standing up for their rights. #emptyseats

First, we’ve got Robyn Lawley telling the fashion world to buzz off with her outspoken “poo poo” to the media’s size 0 standard. She’s considered a “plus size” model at size 12. See below. Now you tell me if you see anything “plus” about Miss Lawley who asks, “What’s so great about size 0 anyways?” #crickets

Next up is Misty Copeland, ballet prodigy who, at age 13, was told she started her career too late, not to mention that her body was overall “wrong...for ballet.” At age 24, Copeland became the  American Ballet Theatre in N.Y.C.’s second black soloist. Boom.
Now, Copeland is featured kicking ass in Under Armour’s new campaign, “I Will What I Want.” #notlistening

Keke Palmer will be Broadway’s first Black Cinderella this September. Apparently being the youngest person in television history to host her own talk show wasn’t enough. #GoKeke

Lastly, the Spurs officially welcomed Becky Hammon as assistant coach. Hiring a full-time, paid female coach is not only a first for the team, but the NBA as a whole. After this six-time All Star retires from her 16-season playing career in the WNBA this month, she'll immediately switch gears as assistant coach. Looks like playing “like a girl” isn’t a bad thing after all. In fact, it’s pretty damn baller.

Which female mold-crushers keep you standing tall and speaking up?
#GirlsRule
XOJP

Being a “Cellar Dwellar” is Pretty Stellar

Who’d have thunk a story about someone working in an underground cellar could be so entertaining?

It's easier to understand when that the cellar is actually Barbra Streisand's own pretend shopping mall built below her Malibu mansion. And yes, this really does exist. 

The idea for this genius comedy called “Buyer and Cellar” came about after playwright Jonathan Tolins read Barbra’s “My Passion for Design.” The book highlights every last detail of The Funny Girl’s dream home in the making, including her faux mall. This tickled Tolins’s obsession with “artificial utopias” and planted the seed idea that would explosively blossom into a critically acclaimed hit.

Tolins told The New York Times,
“I imagined a struggling actor getting hired to man the floor and greet the customer. What would the job entail? Would the lady of the house come down to shop, like Marie Antoinette playing shepherdess in her backyard at Versailles?” 

Entertainment Weekly insists this one-man show is, “Hilarious! It’ll go down like butta’!”
So, it’s probably best for you to get your tickets now, melt into your seat and enjoy the show.

Have you seen this belly-buster yet? RuPaul recently claimed it “twerked the corners of my mind.” So what do YOU think?

XOJP

Last dash for dineL.A.

Have you hit dineL.A.’s Restaurant Week yet?
If not, you better slip on your stilettos and get ready for some serious yum at an even more delicious price, but ASAP: Sunday, July 27th is the LAST day!

dineL.A.'s Restaurant Week showcases Los Angeles as a premier dining destination, highlighting the diversity of culinary experiences L.A. has to offer. Locals and visitors have the opportunity to enjoy a selection of specially priced prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus (cough, cough #deals!) from some of L.A.’s best restaurants. 

Restaurants include Gordon Ramsey at The London West Hollywood, celeb-favored steakhouse BOA and intimately enticing Lucques, to name a few. #hungryallthesudden

Gordon Ramsay at The West Hollywood

Lovely Lucques

I just had an outstanding Blackened Shrimp and Quinoa Salad lunch at as I sat outside the ocean view at BOA Santa Monica and can’t wait to keep the yummy coming. 

Dear BOA, I love you.

Which spots have YOU visited? And which restaurants would you like to see added to the dineL.A. list?

Foodies forever. #nomnom
XOJP

Drop Dead for Red Bread

OMG Red Bread.
If Pinterest were to come to life it would most definitely reveal itself as this place.
Red Bread made me crumble like the top of their Vanilla Peach Pie. The chalkboard walls warmed my heart like the the twine-laced, jelly-jarred tea did my hands. 

Built upon good intentions in Culver City, this social justice based Organic Kitchen and eGrocer “utilizes classic technique and time honored artisan processes in house to bring you the best food possible.” This method is responsible for awards like #1 Cookie and #2 Bagel in all of Los Angeles. #winning

Red Bread just celebrated its big-girl-now 1st birthday and I’m so glad they’ll keep the lengthy-named menu options coming.
(See “Salted Toasted Buckwheat Honet Peach Pie”, “Apple Cherry Caramelized Onion Corn Pudding Muffin”, and “Bubbling Pear Whole Wheat Tarts”. Fancy!)

Oh hey Linda!

Other reasons Red Bread rules?
They use only whole, natural, local and organic ingredients from California Farmers.
A portion of every sale is donated to the L.A. Food Bank.
The menu is ever-changing and harvest-inspired. #neverBored

Have you been to this seriously sweet spot? 
I’ve got to take my Aunt Penny here, she would die… #CPR

XOJP

Be SCENE Not Heard with Silent Frisco.

There’s nothing better than a dance party.
Tell me something I don’t know, right?
Fine, I will.

If you haven’t heard of Silent Frisco yet and you love going dancing (without going deaf), you’re going to FLIP.

Silent Frisco puts on dance-party-concerts-supreme where multiple DJ’s vie for the ears and dance moves of audience members. The kicker is that the music comes through high-quality headphones that light up in colors to represent which DJ you’re tuning in to.
You can dance along with your buds, or to the beat of the other DJ’s drum. As a Libra I enjoy my options, so this obviously floats my boat. 

Yes, I did just get all astrology about it. #welcometoLA

Another cool thing about the silent disco is when you're tired of #twerking, you can simply remove your headphones, take a breather and participate in a real, live conversation and actually hear one another. Imagine!?

I discovered Silent Frisco’s silent disco at Wokcano a few weeks back and have been awaiting their return. Check out how much fun we had.
 

Great job on the vid, Joel Forrest Janacek.

I can’t wait to go again and am already contemplating what form of Spandex to sport for optimized move-busting.
Get your tickets here and meet me on the dance floor.

Don't forget to stretch.
XOJP

Ameoba Music is Marvelous.

Amidst my errands today, I noticed this super groovy-looking building. I had the time, so I stopped to check it out. 
Where was I? Ameoba Music, the world’s largest independent record store. 
And it was RAD!

Check me out with this beautiful painting of Jenny Lewis on the outside of the building!

Ameoba reeks of originality and makes you feel really cool by just being there. The selection of music, movies and more was wall to wall and the staff all (brace yourself!) know what they are talking about. There are concert posters, vinyls and new and resale CD’s everywhere. This is definitely any music buff’s heaven on earth.

Not only can you buy awesome stuff in here, you can meet awesome characters too. Rock on, Mister TopHat!

Ameoba hosts concerts too! I'll be back sooner than later to check one out...

Have you ever been to this musical emporium? Better get to it, because even though music has no expiration date...YOU DO!
#OverlyMorbid?
#RockNrollNeverDies
 
XOJP

Big Girls Do Cry. Especially On Holidays.

 

Breaking traditions sucks.
Holiday weekends can get really tough in a new place, especially when you have traditions that are broken for the first time.
 
This year I DID NOT complete the following 4th of July traditions:
attend a block party
burn my hand with a sparkler
wear a genuine thrift-bought (no, not American Apparel) Honky-Tonkin’, I-Luv-‘Murica t-shirt alongside my childhood pals

But after a(nother) good cry, a long call to Mama and perseverance to slap on that bright red lipstick (no matter how nude-matte I felt), I enjoyed the 4th of July weekend with my new LA homies.  Not saying it was easy or pretty, but determination to focus on the fabulous can really go a long way.

I took a moment to recognize that I had NEW things to celebrate:
Great friends with California-sun-shining personalities
Unparalleled outdoor shopping on Main Street
A beach trip to settle my newly earth-quakin’ soul

 

Instead of focusing on all the things I was without, I took a trip to Gratitudeville and you know…the lack of sparklers didn’t leave me feeling so broken after all.

I'm counting each blessing at a time. And having Mom ship me my dorky I LOVE AMERICA t-shirts so I can continue my homestyle tradition, just from another coast next year…

#countyourblessings #brightred
XOJP