Author: Orblogdo
Hommemaker.com creator, writer, interior decorator, and artist who resides in Los Angeles.
Drawingtimez: I Think This Was an Idea for a Photograph at Some Point in My Life
Drawingtimez: I Hope You Never Die
Drawingtimez: I Don’t Like My Nose?
Bolando!
Dear Diary, Being that I grew up in a national park and went to high school in a horsetown, I’ve seen a whole lot of bolo ties in my life. I know most people think they’re kind of gross, but I’ve always loved them. I got my first bolo tie at the Yosemite Village Store (a gift shop for tourists) when I was 7 and I’ve been into them ever since. I’ve been finding cute bolos at flea markets and thrift stores while shopping with Emily, so it’s come to my attention that I need to start wearing them again….
Drawingtimez: I’m Not Coming to Dinner
Fake Joan Didion Quote of the Week: Former Child Star Tells All!
Scene: 2007. Opening night of the theatre adaptation of Didion’s book The Year of Magical Thinking, front row. Mayim Bialik (former star of the blockbuster TV hit “Blossom”) to Soleil Moon Frye (former star of the beloved “Punky Brewster” series): “More like GROAN Didion!” *Mayim Bialik never actually said this (to my knowledge).
Drawingtimez: Neighborhood
Fleamarketingtimez With Emily: Pasadena City College
Dear Reader, Part of my job as Emily’s assistant on Secrets From A Stylist is to help her shop. And here’s a (non) secret: she loves vintage! Where do we find all this glamourous, story-filled vintage furniture and accessories? That’s right, the flea market. Every Sunday, we go to whatever flea market is happening. If you’re not sure which is coming up, I find this guide to be quite helpful. Anyway, because Emily hates the idea of anyone snagging a great piece before she can, she shows up at 6 AM. I usually show up after her but I can…
NYSee: My Trip in 1 Drawing, 25 Photos, and 1 Genius Music Video
Dear New York, I came to visit you recently and look what happened: I took the redeye and awoke bleary-eyed, hopped on the AirTrain (my favorite thing about flying into New York because I love public transit). The first thing I saw when I emerged from the subway was the glorious sun, glinting through the budding trees of Central Park. Very romantic. After a delightful breakfast with my friend Misako and her husband Doug, I was already itching to get out of the city to one of my favorite places on earth, the Dia:Beacon. So we jumped in the car…
Drawingtimez: Let’s Go Tanning!
Drawingtimez: My New Car
Whut? Ty Pennington Designs Fabriques?
Dear Ty Pennington, A month or two ago Emily and I saw you at the Rose Bowl Flea Market and we both, like, totally freaked out. We chased you around for a while before we realized we had no actual plan to talk to you. Then, the other day, we were at Michael Levine Fabrics downtown and we saw that [GASP!] you have a fabric line. Now, I have no idea what it means for Ty Pennington to have a fabric line. Do you actually design it? Or do you walk around the design studio with a megaphone screaming in…
Hungrytimez: What To Eat When You’re Downtown and You Don’t Know Anything!
Dear Diary, I have to go to downtown LA a lot for work a lot, usually to go to Michael Levine to buy bargain (yet high quality!) fabric for our makeovers on SFAS. One thing I’ve learned is that you should never go to a crazy ass giant fabric store when you are starving, because it’s IMPOSSIBLE to choose nice colors when your stomach is eating itself. Michael Levine is downtown, and I don’t really know downtown very well. The weird thing about that part of Los Angeles is that one block feels like fancy uptown Manhattan and the next…
Hommegirl: Anjelica Houston!
Dear Diary, Today, whilst shopping in Santa Monica, Emily and I discussed our first celebrity sightings. Emily couldn’t remember her first celeb sighting, but I totally remember mine. The first celebrity I ever saw in person was Anjelica Houston, and seeing her was the beginning of a one-sided love affair that is still going strong. My Aunt Julie and her partner, Jules, lived in Three Rivers, California across the street from Anjelica Houston’s country home. We used to visit there from time to time to enjoy the countryside, horses (which I rode a few times and was totally terrified), the…
All Hail Hail.
Dear California, It’s been rainy, windy, stormy, and haily for more than a week. Thus, I took some pictures of the hail balls that fell from the sky while I was up in Windsor, California visiting my brother and sister-in-law. I love succulents (and hail balls). Love, Orlando
I Want It: Dave Eggers Folio
Dear Dave Eggers, I was in a delightful little bookstore in Healdsburg yesterday and I came across a wonderful folio of your drawings entitled Is It Right To Draw Their Fur. I kind of want to buy the collection of drawings, have them all framed, and hang them in my now-empty living room. It’s basically an instant art collection. The drawings are humorous but also rendered sensitively with beautiful tiny strokes. I love them. Cover art: Folio collection: I love these so much I want them RIGHT NOW! Love, Orlando
SOS: Sights of Sonoma!
Dear My Mother Catherine Soria, Thank goodness you finally got to Sonoma County, where I fled to after I wandered around San Francisco for a few days. We’ve been coming to wine country since my older brother attended college here. Sadly, I never got to partake in the wine tasting fun because I was too young. I always love coming to this part of California. It’s so calm and green and full of overpriced, yet somehow totally comforting grocery stores stocked with fancypants organic products. Anyhoo, today we wandered around in a charming town called Healdsburg and here’s what we…
Worktimez: The Site Measure.
Dear Homme & Garden TV Viewers, Ever wonder how Emily magically comes up with the two styles on Secrets From A Stylist? Well, here’s a secret, she thinks about it for months before coming up with the styles she announces on air (i.e. “Mad Men Bohemian” or “Industrial Kitsch Loft”). While she does think of the style names on-air, she often has a good sense of the homeowners’ tastes in her head beforehand. Months before each episode tapes, we do site visits with couples to meet them and figure out exactly what kind of makeover they want. We also measure…
“Just Give Up.” And Other Treasures.
Dear Diary, I recently bought these “just give up” sweats from Toddland. Love them. I’m also into this wallet, but I think it’s slightly too teen for me. Oh my god. And this. SOMEONE PLEASE BUY THIS FOR ME! I didn’t know much about this Toddland company before, but I like what I see. I want everything. Love, Orlando
Hedi’s Heads
Dear Hedi Slimane, I’ve noticed you like taking pictures of the backs of peoples’ heads. I like it. Love, Orlando
A Yosemite Vacation, Sans Yosemite
Dear Travel Journal, I woke up Sunday morning with a purpose. I packed my car and headed to Yosemite. There was a huge monsoon in Los Angeles and I basically hydroplaned all the way from Southern California to the Northlands. A drive that normally takes 5.5 hours took 7, and by the time I got to the park boundary I was in no mood to find that multiple rockslides and massive amounts of snow had closed all three roads into the park. A sidenote (which I’ll explain in a future post) is that my parents live within Yosemite National Park…
Take a Look: Rodarte
Dear Kate and Laura Mulleavy, I heard you on The Madeleine Brand Show this morning and learned that you currently have work on exhibit at MOCA’s Pacific Design Center annex. I had no idea that you were California designers and that you lived in Pasadena (one of my favorite places in the world for its uberglamourous suburbanity). Like all shows at the Pacific Design Center annex, yours is small. But the pieces on display (including many of the costumes you designed for Black Swan) are artfully crafted from feathers, leather, lace, and other gorgeous materials. It’s definitely worth a look, and…
Five Haute Things for the Homme: Dressers!
Dear Diary, So now that I’ve moved into my gross West Hollywood Hills apartment and I have no furniture, it’s time to get cracking on buying stuff. Luckily, I find myself shopping for the show almost every single day, so I have ample time to look around and research things I might like to add to my place. Right now, finding a dresser is my biggest priority. Firstly, because I have a ridiculous amount of clothing, and second because all my socks and underwear are in shopping bags in my bedroom. It’s totally impossible to get dressed every day. Thus,…