Carly White for California

My childhood sing a long idol

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:03:45 -0800

My childhood sing a long idol

rickylinn: I suppose I ought to start.

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:42:13 -0800

rickylinn:

I suppose I ought to start.

rickylinn: brianafahey: Cincinnati, Ohio-based identity...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:56:13 -0800

rickylinn:

brianafahey:

Cincinnati, Ohio-based identity designer Adam Ladd asked his 5-year-old daughter her impressions on some popular logos — my favorite is her response to the Republican Party logo. This is both adorable and some of the best and most authentic field research out there. (via In Brief: 5-year-old Analyzes Logos - Brand New)

Cheetah, cheetah, cheetah, lol.

Pinpointing Ice Cube's "Today Was a Good Day"

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:46:08 -0800

Pinpointing Ice Cube's "Today Was a Good Day"

”The birds around me hopped and played, Their thoughts I...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:18:00 -0800

”The birds around me hopped and played,

Their thoughts I cannot measure-

But the least motion which they made

It seemed a thrill of pleasure” - William Wordsworth

Happy Holidays from Hermosa Beach

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:27:01 -0800

Happy Holidays from Hermosa Beach

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:31:57 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving!

"I’ve never felt a pain that didn’t bear a blessing."

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:27:27 -0800

“I’ve never felt a pain that didn’t bear a blessing.”

- Gene Knudson Hoffman

Coldplay - Paradise

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:42:56 -0700

Coldplay - Paradise

Tabouleh with Quinoa, Corn, Scallion, and Goat Cheese

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:05:40 -0700

Tabouleh with Quinoa, Corn, Scallion, and Goat Cheese

Photo

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:20:26 -0700

Who’s bringing the ‘47 Cheval Blanc?

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 19:57:43 -0700

Who’s bringing the ‘47 Cheval Blanc?

Franklin Conservatory, Columbus Ohio

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 15:47:52 -0700

Franklin Conservatory, Columbus Ohio

In 2008 I found myself in DC, with 15 minutes left in the day to...

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:08:49 -0700

In 2008 I found myself in DC, with 15 minutes left in the day to see Richard Misrach’s On the Beach exhibit. To view the exhibit I was power walking through the rooms, avoiding the guards who were waiting to shout “no running!”. The prints were larger than life, about 6’ x 10’ with such detail you can see footprints in the sand. I was so enamoured by the prints that I called his gallery in SF once I returned home. The curator asked “is this for you or a collection?” It just so happens they start around $50,000…

For years I’ve been trolling for a copy of the book. Only 4,000 were printed, and they’ve been hoarded by galleries, fans and greedy ebay sellers. I finally got a copy this week. You can read about the images and exhibit by clicking here.

The look of the cake, It ain’t always the taste Next...

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:16:06 -0700

The look of the cake, It ain’t always the taste

Next Girl, The Black Keys

26th, Hermosa

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:00:01 -0700

26th, Hermosa

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”

- Mark Twain

Lu Coll

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I purchased Live at Luther College in March of 1999. I was killing time at Fred Meyers and wanted a cd for my drive home. I had just purchased the new Kenwood Excelon system for my old Toyota Celica. (Blue neon dolphins would swim across the face when a cd played). I had heard The Dave Matthews Band perform Ants Marching on a New Years Eve show. I thought they were cool: a violin (which I played) a guitar, bass, clear lyrics with deeper meaning plus a chill frontman. I liked how they jammed the song out and how their energy seemed completely organic. I had grown tired of listening to Legend and 40 ounces of Freedom with rest of the class of ’99.

I’ve been teased on occasion for my love of Dave and specifically, guitar playing guys. If your “first time” was listening to Dave open that album with One Sweet World, followed by#41, you too would be hooked.

The last song on the first disc is Dancing Nancies, which resonated with me greatly at that time of my life. I was graduating from a small town and going to a slightly larger town, and living in Oregon. I had spent my Junior and Senior years passing on debauchery and parties in the woods so that I could get straight A’s and fine tune the 30 different scholarship applications that I submitted. It was about this time that I was harvesting the fruits of my labor. There was a newfound confidence, a presence of stillness, and an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for being no one other than myself.

I began carrying the two-disc album with me wherever I went. In the car, back at the house, at the restaurant for closing or over at Dustin’s house – It became the soundtrack of my life. Dustin bought us concert tickets to see DMB.

I looked forward to the show for a good four months. I passed the time listening to their other albums (Under the Table, Crash and Red Rocks). The date of the show was July 15th, 1999. We drove to Portland Meadows, experienced the sun set, the haze over the crowd, and perched on the shoulders of Dustin Vandehey – I became addicted to Dave. Dave opened withTripping Billies (“eat drink and beee merry….”) followed by One Sweet World, followed by #41. I couldn’t sleep the night before, or the night after.

When asked what album I would take with me if stranded on an island, it’s an easy response “Lu Coll”. Don’t make me choose between the blue and yellow discs…

This Friday I will experience my 26th live show in Seattle. Cari will join me, and Tim Reynolds will join Dave. The Dalai Lama will also join on stage to talk about the Seeds of Compassion Conference. We’ll be in section 111, row 16… I am more excited about this than I ever was about those damn dolphins.

Cinderella Ride 2008

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I haven’t been riding my bike “a whole lot”. When I lived in Santa Cruz, I averaged 25 miles a day. The most recent ride I embarked upon was 2 miles along Crissy Field last Sunday. I was hung over and Mary was helmet-less and it was ridiculously cold. I did not deserve the right to claim my Orbea all-carbon beauty my own that day. As a former coach for Team in Training, this would be classified as a “poor preparation plan”.

Yet, the idea of riding 65 miles with 2,500 women through vineyards was greatly appealing. I agreed to do the Cinderella ride a few weeks ago via text with my friend Gina. We’re tough girls, training shmaining. Let’s roll.

And roll we did. Right pass a whole lot of “nancies”. If they tried to pass us, they probably couldn’t. If they tried to school us, we had another lesson in mind. Together Gina, myself and Sophia sang many classics (Proud Mary aka “Big Wheels Keep on Turnin”, Still Not a Player aka “I’m not a player/I just crush a lot”, Billy Jean, Wanted Dead or Alive aka “On a Steel Horse I ride”). I probably crossed the double line about 180 times. We finished the ride quickly. Our sides hurt from laughing. We embraced the idea of being “biker bitches” rather than “princesses”. It was 65 miles of pure goodness.

My recipe for success was:

a Peet’s latte
one Aleve
two bananas
pink and white animal cookies
one turkey sandwich
a vicodin
m&m’s
GU
another vicodin
water, water, water
8oz of V8
a lemon drop (the candy people, not the drink!)
one packet of fruit snacks

Dream Weaver

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I turned 26 Monday, and for the last two days I have been lying. Not about my age, just lying about everything else. I’ve been looking at apartments in LA. This of course, was for my job. (The lying/info gathering, not the actual apartment). Faux tales must be woven to obtain the coveted info regarding each apartment communities pricing, square footage, etc. I would ask “Do you have a washer and dryer inside the apartment? That’s really important to us…”

There of course, is no us.

Leasing consultants always ask certain things, when really they mean another:
“How quickly are you looking to move?” (When will I get my leasing bonus?)
“What size apartment are you looking for?” (How much will my bonus be?)
“How qualified are you to actually lease?” (Time is money!)

So, to make them sing and fall over backwards for me, I lie. I put on an Oscar winning performance:
I carry a large designer purse. In LA, this means much more than it should.
I rock large, rock-star caliber sunglasses. Sell me on the crown molding and the granite.
I wear my 7-carat citrine suspiciously on my left hand. Society likes the engaged/married kind.
I take detailed notes of all the information “because there is just so much to remember”
I have no price range that I am looking to be within. Sometimes blind squirrels get nuts…
I don’t object to anything. Everything looks great to me!

I therefore, am the perfect prospective resident.

Ryan, a bright eyed leasing consultant in Playa Del Rey said “Can’t you see yourself lying by the pool? Can’t you see yourself living here?” I enthusiastically said, “YES!”

The truth is that the odds of me living there is about as close to the odds of my becoming engaged and moving to LA. And into an apartment community. I’ve never lived with someone whom I’ve dated. And oddly enough, despite my job, I’ve never considered living in an apartment community. All of my own apartments (Bloss, Crown, 2425 Greenwich, Sacto) have been rather unique and un-traditional/un-institutional.

The irony of my faux life has begun seeping into my real life. When in LA, I always stay at the Hilton Checkers downtown. I always grab a Brock & Co. at Seven & Grand, quite possibly my favorite bar in LA. Last night I was there, enjoying my Brock & Co. and hoping to meet a familiar tall, exceptionally attractive, blonde friend of mine. I ended up laughing the night away (not the whole night, people) with a “short, chubby, mexi” (his own self-classification). He was of course from SF, and randomly shared that he likes to drive to Stinson (in his Maserati, no less). And of course, the last time I drove to Stinson was with the aforementioned tall, exceptionally attractive,blonde friend of mine. It was at this point I ordered another Brock & Co, followed by a bottle of Vueve.

If irony took the form of a receipt, it would be the one in my purse from Costco earlier today. I stopped at the Costco in Marina Del Rey to tempt fate and check for a Christian Dior watch that Costco randomly carried two years ago. The band is a stainless steel bike chain, and I pine for that watch insistently. I check every Costco I encounter. No one knows the item number, and no one seems to know how I might find it. I’m the only person who keeps this hope alive. (theme?) I did encounter a polish dog, and then a heart monitor/calorie counting watch, and I purchased both. The checker even commented “wow, that’s ironic”. bitch.

Here, I should note that I wrote everything up until this point on the plane ride home from LA. Stumped at how I might conclude this post, I put my pen down and I began listening to the new Counting Crows album. The new album is very much their sound. Listening to the album for the first time is like meeting up with an old friend unexpectedly – you laugh, you smile, and you sink right back into your usual exchange. Nothing has really changed.

As I walked off my plane in SF, standing there waiting to board my old plane heading back to LA, was my tall, exceptionally attractive, blonde friend. This crossing was completely unplanned and unexpected. We got to chat for a full 5 minutes. I suppose, with this fabulous “coincidence”, the Universe has forgiven me for all of my apartment lies.