Orblogdo – Page 7 – Orlando Soria

Apr / 15 / 2015

Am I Plotting My Own Demise?

In California, it always feels like a disaster is right around the corner. I know this from growing up in Yosemite, where I constantly wondered if a rockslide was going to cause granite slabs to fall on top of the house and smash us all. I know this from living in Los Angeles, where at any moment there could be an earthquake that causes the ceiling to fall. It is my belief that what makes California so beautiful is the subconscious understanding that it could fall apart at any moment. In a wildfire, in an earthquake, in a tsunami, in a tragic…

Apr / 7 / 2015

That One Time in Europe

Dear Travel Diary, Since graduating school I haven’t done a lot of world travel. I’ve never had the time and the money (at the same time) to go on extravagant world adventures. And honestly I haven’t really missed it. I’ve gotten to travel around the US and that has been wonderful and felt luxurious. Because of how I was raised, where I went to school, and professional luck, I graduated into a class of people who seem to take international travel for granted, as if not going abroad is some kind of hardship. I guess this has always kind of irked for a…

Mar / 20 / 2015

Simple Flower Arrangements for Brunch

Photography by Daniel Collopy Dear Los Angeles, Now that everyone has gotten over their outrage over the time change (“Spring Forward” always makes me want to gouge my eyes out so I was elated to be abroad when it happened so my equilibrium could be destroyed by glamorous jetlag and not mundane GOD-I-HAVE-TO-WAKE-UP-AN-HOUR-EARLY anger). Driving home from the airport last week I had the urge to put on swim trunks and run around drinking rose outside in the sun. In some areas of the country, it’s still winter. But here, we’ve given into the drought apocalypse and it’s summer time. Being…

Mar / 18 / 2015Mar / 18 / 2015

Help! I Need an Intern!

You Guys! My previous assistant has moved up and is now Homepolish photographer so I need a new assistant/intern. Help!!! The position has a stipend and is a great opportunity for someone who’s interested in learning about the interior design/startup/photoshoot world. A small caveat: it’s my job to make things look fun and easy, but schlepping furniture around and working long hours on design projects and photoshoots isn’t for the faint of heart, so liking to fluff pillows and stare at pretty pictures doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be into this job. It’s gonna involve lots of fun tasks like working on…

Mar / 18 / 2015

Behind the Scenes at the Scout Sixteen Makeover

Photographs by Claire Esparros Courtesy Homepolish Dear Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, One of my favorite parts of my jobs is meeting creative people and asking them endless questions about how they work, what they do all day, and what types of foods are there favorites. I’m kind of like a third grader in that respect. I could literally ask people “what’s your favorite color?” all day and be perfectly content. Justin Livingston, whose blog Scout Sixteen has been one my favorites for years, is one of those creatives I’ve been lucky enough to meet. So I was stoked that he…

Feb / 20 / 2015

Hosting An Oscarparty The Lazy Way

Photographs by Daniel Collopy You Guys, It’s that time of year again. You know. That time of year when traffic is super bad because Hollywood Boulevard is shut down because they’re setting up for the Oscars and it’s super annoying but also kind of exciting because it’s so glamorous to be stuck in traffic thinking about all those fancy ladies wearing fancy dresses and all those dudes wearing totally boring suits (sidenote: formalwear for guys is snoozeville, will someone please do something about this? In my dreamworld every man would show up to the Oscars wearing this amazing Mr Turk Suit:…

Feb / 9 / 2015Feb / 9 / 2015

Jack Be Quick: A Boy’s Room Makeover

Photograph by Tessa Neustadt Courtesy Homepolish You Guys! I did it again! I decorated a room for kids! Well, one kid specifically. I’m not going to tell you his name, but it MIGHT be somewhere in the photo above. If you look hard enough you might be able to find it. Wanna learn more? Check out the full post on Emily Henderson’s site. But hurry. Childhood is fleeting, and beautiful, and doesn’t last forever. Love, Orlando FULL POST HERE >>>

Jan / 28 / 2015Jan / 28 / 2015

Whut Glamour: Anna Ullman’s Beautiful Art Studio

Photographs by Orlando Soria Dear Art Peepers, You know how sometimes you wanna go to a party but no one invites you so you just invite yourself and go anyway? I basically did that over the weekend when I invited myself to Anna Ullman’s studio, where I spent over an hour ogling all her crazy beautiful work and chatting with her about her life. She was incredibly welcoming and told me all about her life and work. Sometimes people who meet me are taken aback by my 200-questions approach to talking. I ask a lot of questions because I’m interested…

Jan / 26 / 2015

Homepolish Highlights: David Hopkins’ Enormous Glamourmansionapartment

Design by David Hopkins, Photographs by Dustin Halleck courtesy Homepolish Dear Reader, As a Creative Director for Homepolish, I am exposed to brilliant work by talented designers on a daily basis. This week I’m featuring the work of Homepolish Chicago’s David Hopkins, who transformed his one bedroom Chicago apartment into a six-bedroom glamormansionapartment. I’ve lived in one bedroom apartments in different cities for my whole adult life, so I can’t imagine what you’d do with all that space. Not a problem for David, who has like 47 living rooms and the biggest dining room you’ve ever seen in your life. Read on!…

Jan / 23 / 2015Jan / 23 / 2015

Pop of Gold! A Girl’s Room Makeover!

Portrait by Sean Gin Photographs by Tessa Neustadt courtesy Homepolish Dear You Guys, I’ve done it! I’ve written another guest post for my secretwife Emily Henderson. In it, I describe the harrowing transformation of one little girl’s bedroom from terrorizing to terrific and tell the earth-shattering story of one kitten who saved a family from doom and damnation. CHECK OUT THESE PREVIEW PICS YO: Check out the full story on Style by Emily Henderson! But hurry, a small kitten’s life depends on you! Love, Orlando CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY>>> PS: But wait! There’s more! Check out even more photos…

Jan / 21 / 2015Jan / 21 / 2015

Pottery by P. Lyn Middleton

Photographs by P Lyn Middleton & Orlando Soria Dear Travel Diary, It’s been a whirlwind year so far, which has left little time for writing (sorry!) but I had a magical discovery over the weekend that I just can’t keep to myself. I went to Ojai with my boyfriend and some of his homies and one of the first shops we wandered into was the wonderful studio of P Lyn Middleton, a ceramicist who makes the most amazing avant pottery and runs P Space Pottery on Ojai Avenue. Growing up, my best friend’s mother was a potter who made (and makes)…

Dec / 27 / 2014Dec / 30 / 2014

A Fizzy Glamourdrink to Ring in The New Year!

Photographs by Daniel Collopy Dear New Years Resolvers, I have to admit it, I’m not a huge New Years fan. I don’t know if it’s the reminder that another year has passed, that super depressing Auld Lang Syne song that makes me want to shove wrapping paper in my ears whilst sobbing, or just the fact that I’m usually over the holidays by the time it happens. Whatever the reason, New Years has never been my favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t totally hate it. But if I was on the Titanic with New Years and all the other holidays,…

Dec / 23 / 2014

Creating A Glamourbedroom for The Zoe Report

Photographs by Tessa Neustadt Courtesy Homepolish Dear Fashion Friends, Do you know Rachel Zoe’s glamorous lifestyle site The Zoe Report? Well recently Homepolish teamed up with them to do a gorgeous makeover for an even more gorgeous lady and her double gorgeous husband and baby (designed by me!). Megan (pictured with me above) is one of my favorite clients ever because she was so sweet and easy to work with. You can see the full write up of her home makeover, along with one funny joke and like seven lame ones, at Homepolish Magazine. Love, Orlando FULL STORY HERE>>>

Dec / 18 / 2014Dec / 19 / 2014

How To Make Handpainted Wrapping Paper That’s So Simple It’s Stupid

Photographs by Sean Gin Courtesy Homepolish Dear Rapper T.I., I don’t know you, or want to know you, but I do know that you love rapping. And you know what? So do I! In honor of my love for rapping, I made my own wrapping paper this year. And so can you! All you’ll need is paper, paint, scissors, and courage. Also, you’ll need to make sure you have an outfit that color coordinates with your paint colors. Hurry, T.I., those presents aren’t going to wrap themselves! To read the full DIY of how to make wrapping paper that will knock…

Dec / 16 / 2014Dec / 17 / 2014

Williams-Sonoma Grand Opening

Photographs by Sean Gin Dear Chuck Williams, I grew up being dragged to Williams-Sonoma constantly by my mother, who has an addiction to buying kitchen gadgets and beautiful linens. And tea towels. And basically everything else your company sells. I love going into Williams-Sonoma stores now, because it reminds me of all the time I spent there with my mom, learning things like what a lemon-zester was, and why we needed one. Thus, you can imagine my delight when Williams-Sonoma invited me to visit their freshly-opened store at South Coast Plaza, which is distinct amongst Williams-Sonoma stores because it features the Williams-Sonoma…

Dec / 13 / 2014

D.I.WHY? How To Make A Wreath That No One Else Has

Photographs by Sean Gin Courtesy Homepolish Dear Holiday Crafters, Look at me. Holding that wreath like a psychopath. Do you want your own wreath that you can hold like a psychopath? If so, check out my glamourous how-to on Homepolish Magazine. In it, I’ll give you step by step instructions on how to make this wreath all on your own, as well as a few tips on how to live a life filled with erotic delight. Just kidding. What are you waiting for? Hurry on over to Homepolish Magazine and check it out! Love, Orlando FULL STORY HERE>>>

Dec / 8 / 2014

10 Ways to Make Your Holidays Sparkle Without Looking Like The Huge Nerd You Really Are

Photograph by Daniel Collopy Dear Reader, It’s very important that you drop everything, even if it’s a baby, and read my latest post on Homepolish Magazine entitled 10 Ways to Make Your Holidays Sparkle Without Looking Like The Huge Nerd You Really Are. It features all the glamour and glitz of my Crate and Barrel holiday makeover WITH EVEN MORE TIPS on how to make your house horrendously happy for the holidays. Hurry! Orlando FULL STORY THIS WAY>>>

Dec / 4 / 2014Dec / 4 / 2014

Literally No One Is An Insider

Photograph by Andy Fillmore via Filth & Wisdom Dear Lea Michele, A few years ago, I experienced for the first time being seen as an insider of sorts. I’d written a post about body image, which somehow aligned me with a group of body-neurotic, waxy Weho boys (for you non-gays out there, basically a “Weho boy” is a mean popular Gay who is accepted by all the other mean popular Gays, at least as I understand it). A lot of the comments on that post seemed to be coming from the perspective of people who felt alienated from the mainstream body-obsession…

Nov / 19 / 2014Nov / 19 / 2014

Crate & Barrel + Hommemaker Holiday

Photographs by Daniel Collopy Dear Reader, Christmas. It’s always been a big deal for me. Maybe because I have always loved making things. Maybe because I grew up in a cabin that looked like a gingerbread house. Maybe because as a child I loved stories about weirdos who made their own Christmas decorations. My favorite was A Christmas Memory, the Truman Capote story about how his whole family hated him and how he and his best friend made Christmas tree decorations out of candy wrappers. Moral of the story: with a little creativity and imagination, you can make your Christmas celebration truly magical….

Nov / 17 / 2014Nov / 17 / 2014

A Christmas Miracle Came Early And Is Going To Make Your Eyeballz Explode Violently From Their Sockets

Photograph by Daniel Collopy You Guys, Something is happening on Wednesday that is going to make your eyeballz explode out of your head, bounce off the wall across the room, and then plop back into your eye sockets just so that you can look at what’s happening on the internet. What’s happening on the internet is the Crate and Barrel has chosen me to be one of their inaugural Holiday Bloggers this year. For the next few weeks, Crate and Barrel will be featuring the amazing work of seven of the internet’s most creative writers, who will be covering everything from cooking, to crafting, to…

Nov / 11 / 2014Nov / 15 / 2014

Watch This Infomercial for Meth!

Dear Potential Meth Addicts, PUT THAT METH DOWN AND WATCH THIS VIDEO! A few weeks ago I found myself watching one of those home shopping network channels at a hotel in Carmel and I couldn’t get over how ridiculous it was. It was October 30th and they were selling these crazy snow globe lamp things that were literally the ugliest, worst thing I’ve ever seen. But maybe not quite as bad a meth, which my friends Jeffery Self and Drew Droege make a case for in this parody of an infomercial. It’s actually a PSA for NOT doing meth, but…

Nov / 11 / 2014

Fresh Feelings For Your Eyeballz: Fall Colors In Yosemite

Photography by Orlando Soria and Your Mom. Just Kidding His Mom. Dear Autumn, There’s something about you that makes me miss Yosemite. Growing up, fall was my favorite time of the year because it meant all the obnoxious summertime tourists were finally gone. Finally, I could ride my bike to the store without having to weave through sweaty tourists in American flag t-shirts eating ice cream and feeding Doritos to the animals. Fall is a magical time in Yosemite for other, more obvious reasons. Mainly that it’s disgustingly gorgeous and so romantic you’ll want to gouge your eyes out with a pumpkin…

Nov / 4 / 2014Nov / 4 / 2014

New Simply Framed Graphic Art by Erika Gragg

Photographs by Sean Gin Courtesy Homepolish Dear Art Oglers, One time, when Erika Gragg and I were freshman at Cornell, I called her a Barbie in painting class. She never forgave me. She brings it up a lot. We’ll be just eating lunch somewhere random and she’ll be like “REMEMBER WHEN YOU CALLED ME A BARBIE?” And then everyone in the restaurant will drop their forks and glare at me, knowing what a horrible person I am for calling people Barbies just because they have blond hair and laugh a lot. Since being traumatized by me in college, Erika has gone on to create…

Oct / 30 / 2014

That One Time A New Living Room Gave Me A New Reason To Live

Photographs by Sean Gin Courtesy HomepolishDear People Who Are Excited For Halloween To Be Over So We Can Start Writing Letters To Santa Asking For Stuff, Christmas came early for me this year because LOOK AT MY NEW(ish) living room! In celebration of the fun updates I made in my home, I wrote a potpourri of posts, the first, most riveting one for Emily Henderson’s lovely site and the second, more sobering and hard-hitting one for Homepolish Magazine. Highlights include: This luscious new coffee table from Crate & Barrel. This saucy side table, also from Crate & Barrel. AND THIS MESMERIZING…