living life in love

fantastic friday.

2011-06-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

its friday! i have a busy weekend ahead of me, so tonight i will be relaxing with my red wine and catching up on hbo's weeds series (which is such a good show by the way). how are you spending your friday?

the city of luzern, switzerland came up with a clever way to get people to notice trashcans. what a fun idea! we need some of these in houston.

i can't get over how awesome the new sherwin williams commercials are. they make me wonder: who names all the paint colors? when i was little i used to go with my dad to pick out paint & we would make up new names for all the different shades. i think it would be a fun job, don't you?

tired of getting up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water? problem solved! pin-up magazine & phillips de pury & company invented a new kind of night stand. i love it.

*thank you, swiss-miss.

teaux deaux.

2011-06-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

what do you do when you're standing at a crossroad? i feel like i'm at this crazy intersection with several signs all pointing me in different directions. how do i know which sign to follow or which road to go down? i refuse to stay stuck for a long time - its time for me to get my rear in gear! i officially deem this summer as project get your life together. first things first (let's start with baby steps) is make a 'to do' list. here's my list from today:

1. run

2. laundry

3. journal

4. research

5. happy hour :)

6. relaxxx

& of course my way of relaxing is to read all of the lovely blogs out there. thank goodness i found out that i'm not the only weirdo who lives by lists. check out the website listgeeks and the to-do list blog. and i discovered this clever iphone app - teux deux! ahhhh organization. i feel better already...

color your summer.

2011-06-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

today i got an email from snapfish notifying me of a fun summer contest: "color your summer." here's how it works: submit a photo according to the color of the week (last week was blue, this week is green) and at the end of the summer, get a free photo book of all the photos you submit! this contest makes me want to walk around all day and capture colorful summer shots - i love it. enter in this 7 week competition and vote for each other... & for me (leahbell48)!

here are some photos i voted for:

my green entry:

...happy summer everyone!

bossa n' famous.

2011-06-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

my boyfriend got me hooked on the "bossa n' " albums. these tracks are a bossa nova twist on songs from classic bands like the rolling stones, bob marley, guns & roses, the ramones, the beatles & madonna. they're so good - check them out pronto.

do any of you know about the tumblr awesome people hanging out together? its my new obsession... here are a few of my favorite photos:

penelope cruz & woody allen

charlie chaplin & helen keller

wes anderson & kanye west

henry ford, thomas edison, warren g. harding & harvey firestone

mother teresa & princess diana

madonna, sting & 2pac

...happy hump day my loves!

derby hats.

2011-05-16T19:29:00.001-07:00

last weekend i went to the one & only kentucky derby. my mini vacay was full of friends, parties, bets & hats!

may flowers.

2011-05-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

may is here! i'm so ready to say goodbye to rainy april and say hello to beautiful may flowers. i love may flowers; they have a way of brightening my day & and making me smile. what do you think of catherine's wedding bouquet? i thought it was lovely. although it looked simple, each flower in her bouquet were quite symbolic. did you know it is a royal tradition to place the bouquet on the grave of the unknown soldier at westminster abbey? how cool is that.

sharing the love via npr.

2011-02-11T16:21:00.000-08:00

as i was reading the latest news from egypt, i couldn't help but click on npr's e-day card selections. these are so creative & clever. my favorite is the bob boilen card (probably because all songs considered is the best). so: click, save & send! & have a great weekend!

be optimistic.

2011-01-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

i adore these parings of fashion & art. miss x moss is simply fabulous.

...yesterday during my thrift & garage sale excursions, i found this old belle & sebastian cd in a pile of ribbon! its unbelievable how catchy this song is - i've been singing all day (& now you will be too!).

*i just returned from the grocery store & subconsciously bought 5 things that have wasabi flavoring... is that bad?

i love it all.

2010-11-29T20:36:00.000-08:00

a tally of two cities.

2010-11-29T16:26:00.000-08:00

i miss my sister terribly. i wish i was in france with her: indulging in cheese, wine, lavender, shopping, the sea...hmmm.

as i was longing for the parisian life, i clicked on a fabulous parisian blog: paris vs. new york. the blogger is a graphic artist & ever so creatively couples the clichés of nyc & paris together. the ideas behind the colors & layouts are brilliant! you must visit to website to fully enjoy.

la décoration

le chanteur

le temple

le journal

le taxi

le café

thank you, swiss miss*.

color pallet.

2010-10-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

i'm decorating my new apartment & getting quite carried away with colors... how could i not be with these awesome rooms as inspiration?

...thank you, solid frog.

buddy holly.

2010-10-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

i wish this was real life.

nobody's perfect.

2010-10-03T20:36:00.001-07:00

... for real.

*thank you, most beautiful darling.

table top letter press

2010-10-02T09:29:00.001-07:00

i'm ready to go out & buy all the supplies needed to create my own letter press. with the help of ready made's 13 step by step instructions, anyone can execute this project. i can't wait to get started!!!

... by the way, if you have a project you're proud of, why not post it on ready made's blog? just become a member & share your creations with others. if you don't already subscribe to the magazine, i suggest you do pronto. i love this magazine for many reasons. it never fails to inspire!

it was the third of september.

2010-09-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

happy september 3rd!

satsuma.

2010-09-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

hello, satsuma letterpress!

travel itch.

2010-09-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

so, i moved to texas last week. i'm jobless & bed-less but i'm surrounded by friends & handsome, southern gentlemen. however, i can't help but scratch my travel itch. ever since i left japan, i've wanted to do nothing but travel, travel, travel. speaking of scratching & traveling... how awesome is this scratch map? i'm seriously considering buying this for my new apartment (which i'm moving into next week - eeek!).

if you had this map, which countries would you have scratched away?

*thank you, a cup of jo.

in ruins.

2010-08-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

fol chen is so great!

whitelines paper.

2010-08-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

do you remember my apartment wall in japan? the one i covered with ticket stubs, post cards, drawings from students, letters from home, etc... ? well, when i moved back to the states i decided to keep my favorite things from that wall & use them in a memorable way. last weekend i bought a whitelines® paper notebook (a must have) & covered it with my favorite keepsakes from my japanese apartment wall. every time i use this notebook it brings back happy memories of my amazing time in japan. i love it!

shore weekend.

2010-06-18T05:37:00.000-07:00

i'm going to the shore & i can't wait to:

*drive the turnpike with my bestest friend

*smell the ocean

*eat everything bagels from my favorite bakery

*hear horrible new jersey accents

*swim!

have a wonderful weekend everyone.

book jackets.

2010-06-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

check out the wonderful work by leanne shapton.

*thank you, wit + delight.

tourists vs. new yorkers.

2010-06-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

this is hilarious! improv everywhere decided to create two different lanes on a 5th avenue sidewalk.

* thank you, a cup of jo.

giving up the gun.

2010-06-12T18:01:00.001-07:00

this just made my night.

missing you.

2010-06-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

its only been a week since i left japan & i already miss it terribly!

here are the things i miss the most:

fuji san.

engRish.

the food (are you surprised?).

my precious students.

trees, moss & bamboo.

beer (& kuni...).

the people.

so long, farewell.

2010-05-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

so, this is my last week teaching in japan & therefore, a week of constant sobbing. i am absolutely heart broken to part ways with my precious students & say goodbye to their mommies. a while ago, i decided to make all my students farewell cards with our picture & a personalized note inside. i figured this was a perfect goodbye/good job present, & also a great way for them to remember me... forever!

onsen weekend.

2010-05-20T05:02:00.000-07:00

last weekend i went with my friend, sandy to a wonderful beach/hot spring resort, shirahama. it was the most relaxing weekend - all we did was go to onsen, eat, relax on the beach & enjoy beautiful japan. sadly, it was my last vacation in japan but a perfect way to say sayonara!

2 hilarious strangers who helped us find our hotel.

the view from our hotel.

an onsen on the beach.

sakinoyu - an awesome onsen, which overlooked the ocean.

ramen for dinner (of course).

our beach spot... amazing!

sandy & i.

the sunset in front of engetsu-to.

相撲

2010-05-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

so, i went to sumo last weekend. it was bazaar. it was confusing. it was loud.

& i loved it!

road trip.

2010-05-13T04:39:00.000-07:00

a few weekends ago, one of my favorite families took me on a road trip to magome & tsumago.these towns are located in the kiso valley (which runs along the japanese alps) & were major road connections between tokyo & kyoto in the edo period. the area is absolutely beautiful & so well restored. it was awesome walking down the cobble stone streets, passing by the ancient homes & shops.

the otani family.

an old cafe.

go (my student) & i in a crazy chair.

missy (my friend) & i with our favorite hats.

buying senbei (japanese rice snack - which is amazing!).

a gorgeous view of the japanese alps & the old roofs.

this lady was 92 & still working! she was the cutest.

okinawa.

2010-05-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

i just returned from the most amazing vacation with my two gorgeous friends, branda & anthea. we went to the beautiful island of okinawa where everything is perfect: the weather, the food, the people, the ocean, the sun, etc... it was an awesome vacation filled with snorkeling, swimming, dancing, eating, shopping & tanning. it was absolutely beautiful & i want to go back tomorrow.

little birds.

2010-04-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

my lovely friends took me to a bird park the other day. i just uploaded these photos & decided i must share.

... have a wonderful weekend!

自転車

2010-04-21T06:12:00.000-07:00

more tokyo bike spotting.

side note: bicycles in tokyo are hot...& so are their owners.

美味しい.

2010-04-21T06:08:00.001-07:00

i ate this today. are you jealous? because you should be.

thomas crown affair?

2010-04-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

last weekend i hit up an amazing art museum in tokyo called the national art center, tokyo. not only were the exhibitions unbelievable but the building in itself is a work of art. i spent a lot of time meandering around the amateur artists section - i couldn't believe how great their work was. i wanted to pull a thomas crown affair move & steal several paintings right off the wall.

...oh, & i'll be in the states in t minus 40 days! eeek!

neckwear.

2010-04-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

how gorgeous is this neckwear from urban legend's shop at etsy? i'm drooling over here!

washoi.

2010-04-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

last weekend i met up with friends in osaka for a hanshin tigers baseball game. although i have been to dozens of professional baseball games in many different stadiums, i have never witnessed a 7th inning stretch quite like this one. all the fans blew up balloons & released them simultaneously into the air while chanting the tigers' fight song. it was unbelievable! apparently, this is traditionally done at both home & away games. how cool is that? anyways, i got some great shots as well as a video (please ignore my screaming...i was too excited). & most importantly : the tigers beat the tokyo swallows 7 to 3. washoi!!!

shades of pink.

2010-04-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

the sakura (cherry blossoms) have come & gone. there are now more pink & white pedals on the ground & in the rivers than there are on the trees, which makes me a bit sad. but, no worries - i took amazing photos of sakura this year. i ventured all over japan, down to the izu peninsula & out west to osaka in order to take as many photos as possible. unfortunately, it seemed every time i planned to take pictures of sakura, it rained. however, i happened to get great shots of these beautiful trees in the rain & fog. isn't it incredible how many different shades of pink sakura have?

鉄板焼き

2010-04-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

te (hand) + pan (pan/griddle) + yaki (grilled, boiled or fried) = teppanyaki (one of my favorite styles of japanese cooking). its basically the version of american hibachi grill, except better, more delicious & more exciting. last weekend my students took me to this quaint teppanyaki restaurant. there were no chairs, no booths; only tatami mats, small pillows & 5 low tables, each with a grill in the center. we ordered yakisoba (a type of fried noodles) with shrimp & japanese vegetables. my students insisted i cooked the noodles, which made me nervous - but it was so much fun! i want to go back right away & order something more exotic. enjoy the photos & enjoy your week!

dog breeds & typefaces.

2010-04-04T02:33:00.000-07:00

i just happened to stumble upon this adorable post on *swissmiss.

dogs as typefaces? yes, please! my favorite is eurostile ...what's yours?

tandem t.

2010-03-30T07:38:00.001-07:00

this tandem t-shirt is great. *thank you, a cup of joe.

geburtstag.

2010-03-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

my mother's love for classical music is astounding. she knows her music history better than me (don't tell my former professors) & can school almost anyone on facts about the various musical periods. ever since i can remember, she has claimed, "bach is my best friend" -- i know this might sound insane to many of you. but, if you knew my mama you would crack up & probably not be surprised at all. a few days ago, she sent me this email:

Hello Everybody,

Yes, today is the day....Johann Sebastian Bach's 325th birthday....turn on your local classical radio station and you are bound to hear the treasure of music he left us...Soli Deo Gloria!

Love, Rose

this is one of the thousands of reasons why i love my madre.

...she's the best! (& so is bach).

築地市場

2010-03-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

the tsukiji fish market is the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. if you are ever in tokyo, you must go to tsukiji - you will be amazed. this attraction has existed since the edo period & handles over 2,000 tons of marine fish every day. the only downside is, you have to get there around 6am (or even earlier if you want to witness the tuna auction) to see the market at its busiest time. yes, you might be tired from traveling - but it will be worth it! last week i dragged my sleepy sisters out of their futons & took them to this market, which turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. we walked through the market, made our way to the warehouse & caught a glimpse of the left over tuna from the auction, saw fish being cut by huge machinery, got run over by fishermen trucks & ate a delicious seafood breakfast. needless to say, it was awesome.

feeling blue.

2010-03-17T05:08:00.000-07:00

what do you do when you feel blue?

fuji photo shoot.

2010-03-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

after 10 wonderful days, my sisters' visit has come to an end. we had the greatest time together and made so many memories while trekking all over japan. one morning we decided to do a photo shoot in my small, rusty city. the photos turned out great (even with the use of a tripod & a camera timer), i hope you enjoy them!

...more posts of the davis sisters in japan will come soon! have a great day...

please enjoy.

2010-03-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

how wonderful is this redundant clock?

*thank you, debonaire.

eye candy.

2010-03-02T04:27:00.001-08:00

caitlin mcgauley can turn anything into a bright & beautiful masterpiece. she's a watercolor painter from nyc who works for one of my favorite websites, daily candy (you should subscribe). watch a video of her profile here & read more about this talented lady here.

007.

2010-03-01T01:08:00.000-08:00

i've been in a james bond mood all day. i'm not sure why--maybe its because of the vodka martini i had last night or maybe its because i can't get over how good looking sean connery was. anyways, i stumbled on penguin uk's re-release of the classic ian fleming james bond novels. these book covers are so retro & i love the typography!

fahrradtaschen für frauen.

2010-02-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

how great is this po campo bicycle bag?

*thank you, stilsucht.

the big picture.

2010-02-25T17:15:00.001-08:00

the boston globe/boston.com has an awesome photo blog called the big picture. this website has done an incredible job capturing the images of this years' winter olympics in vancouver. the photographers are unbelievable--see for yourself!

alexander tretyakov (russia) finishes the men's skeleton event by wiping out (i think this is hilarious).

photographer: jim young

haavard van petersson (norway) gets ready to curl (am i the only one who thinks their pants are super cool?).

photographer: robert f. bukaty

taihei kato (japan) competes in the ski jump.

photographer: al bello/getty images

megan sweeny (usa) shoots down the luge track.

photographer: shaun botterill/getty images

happy friday & go usa!

blake's works.

2010-02-24T17:34:00.000-08:00

check out blake: a painter from atlanta. his paintings just brighten up my day!

mumford & sons.

2010-02-22T02:13:00.000-08:00

my new crush = mumford & sons. this folk rock band from london has wooed me with their vocals & instrumentals (hello, banjo!). hear there story here & listen to a few songs here. do it!

garage sale, anyone?

2010-02-21T21:11:00.000-08:00

this online art garage sale is marvelous. you can find various pieces of art from all different mediums: jewelry, pottery, home decor, paintings, printmaking, fashion & more. i've found some very unique pieces at great prices. check out the site & support these talented, independent artists.

never again.

2010-02-18T03:44:00.000-08:00

date inserted: 2.18.2010

i am so grateful this day will never repeat itself - ever again.

guerilla art (above) is by the wonderful keri smith.

fav4.org

2010-02-15T04:54:00.000-08:00

oh my gooooodness.

you must make fav4 your new start up page: four simple buttons for the websites of your choice. without any sign ups or annoying alerts, this page is the gateway to your internet browsing. there are also keyboard short cuts! just hitt 1, 2, 3 or 4 ... & viola! you're taken to the website. this is awesome.

gruyere & havarti.

2010-02-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

its a cold and rainy morning in fuji city. i'm snuggled up on my couch, hot tea in hand & surfing the world wide web for my daily creative boost. one of my favorite websites, where the lovely things are, just posted about the awesome kilroy & maw print shop. this duo creates flat or screen printed posters, which are so great! as soon as i move back to america, i will definitely purchase their cheese poster (cheese is my favorite food ever!!!). i can't decide which i like better, the grey or the white?

さっぽろ雪まつり

2010-02-10T03:28:00.001-08:00

i'm just returning from a weekend getaway to japan's most northern island, hokkaido. my friend, sandy & i went to the sapporo snow festival, which is one of japan's most famous festivals. we saw amazing snow & ice sculptures, went on crazy rides & ate the most delicious ramen! it was definitely an incredible experience! here are a few of the photos from my winter wonderland weekend:

sandy & i in an igloo:

a temple made entirely of snow!

fish & crabs in an ice house?

sandy & i about to go down the snow slide:

ramen! my new favorite japanese food!

... as usual, i miss you all & think of you every day. i can't wait for june!

owl always love you.

2010-02-06T03:51:00.000-08:00

my obsession with owls has become a problem. during my lesson planning this week, i caught myself doodling owls: owls with bow ties, owls with dresses, owls with glasses & owls holding umbrellas. i simply can't stop drawing these adorable, big eyed birds.

anyways, as many of you know, i absolutely love making cards for birthdays, get well wishes, missing you notes, etc... well, my favorite cards to make are: valentines day cards! as valentines day is just around the corner, i thought it fitting to incorporate my latest owl drawings on my valentines day cards. i finally finished the cards last night (i made 25!!) & can't wait for my loved ones to receive them. they're some of my best valentines cards yet... what do you think?

the boat that rocked.

2010-02-05T17:41:00.001-08:00

i finally got around to watching the unbelievable film, pirate radio. not only is this movie hilarious, the soundtrack is outstanding. if you haven't seen it yet, watch it this weekend. it will put you in the greatest mood... trust me!

iPad.

2010-01-29T00:48:00.000-08:00

this is just crazy.

& i want one. now.

listen #8.

2010-01-27T06:01:00.001-08:00

stop, look, listen & download. the new urban outfitters CD is out & it is more than impressive. the 25 track picks are awesome & have got me dancing in my apartment like a crazy lady. whether you download this album for free via itunes, or listen to it on the website, just promise you'll check it out... its more than worth it!

a few of the featured artists are:

sister crayon

field music

avi buffalo

& many more : cold cave, yeasayer & owen pallett.

she & him.

2010-01-25T04:48:00.000-08:00

zooey deschanel + m. ward = she & him, a very talented indie pop duo whom i love. this march, they will release their second album, volume two. the album will have 13 tracks, one being the song below: in the sun. this song pretty much rocks my world. what do you think?

midori.

2010-01-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

my favorite color is always changing.

today, its any shade of green.

i like giraffes.

2010-01-18T03:43:00.001-08:00

every once & a while i have beautiful teaching moments with my students. i try to log them in my journal, so i'll be able to remember these sweet occurrences forever. i figure it will be a great reward to read these little stories years down the road & in turn, jog my memory, taking me back to these wild 18 months of teaching english to japanese children. last week i jotted down in my journal a precious instance i had with two of my pre-school students. in fact, it was so wonderful, i decided to share it.

i was finishing up a unit on "i like" or "i don't like" with two of my favorite 4 year old, adorably pigtailed, students. in their workbook, there were several zoo animals scattered over the page. under each animal, there was a check mark & an 'x' mark. the students were to circle the check mark if they liked the animal & circle the 'x' mark if they didn't like the animal. the first animal was a giraffe. they both circled the check & said, "i like giraffes." the next was a lion. they both circled the 'x' & said, "i don't like lions." the next animal was a zebra...& so on. you get the idea.

after the page was finished, one of the little girls drew a picture of me. under my picture she drew a check mark & an 'x' mark. she then circled the check mark, looked at me & said, "i like leah sensei!" it was the greatest moment ever!

magnitude of 7.

2010-01-14T05:20:00.000-08:00

please read this!! some bbc news website readers have sent in their personal stories of how the haitian earthquake has affected them. these entries are truly devastating, &, along with this tragedy have left me speechless. my heart, thoughts & prayers go out to the people of haiti & all their loved ones.

*photo via getty images at news.bbc.co.uk.

almost alice.

2010-01-13T04:43:00.000-08:00

so, guess which movie hits the theaters march 5...tim burton's imaginative alice in wonderland (in 3D!). i have no doubt this film will tear up the box office with johnny depp as the mad hatter, helena bonham carter as the red queen & crispen glover as the knave of hearts. this movie is bound to be outrageous.

&, guess which album hits the stores march 2...the soundtrack to this new version of alice in wonderland, almost alice. yesterday, myspace publicized the artists, who the soundtrack will feature. the 2 songs i am most anxious to hear are, "very good advice", which robert smith (from the cure) will perform. also, "the lobster quadrille", which will be covered by franz ferdinand. this cd is going to be m.i.n.e. hands down.

do: don't:

2010-01-12T06:21:00.000-08:00

just in case you were wondering...

*thank you swissmiss.

my life, my wall.

2010-01-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

i can't stand living in an empty space. wherever i move, i immediately unpack my picture frames & wall artwork before unloading my clothes into the closet. to me, a picture frame on a shelf, or painting hung on a wall is what makes a house a home. when i moved to japan, i left my frames, art, photos & books in dozens of boxes in my parents attic (clearly, i didn't have room for these in either of my suitcases). however, this didn't stop me from decorating my japanese apartment.

soon after i moved, i decided to transform one of my apartment walls into a collage/wallpaper/mural. it all started with a single map of my town & snowballed into a gigantic wall of memories. overtime, i tacked various museum brochures, city maps, business cards, photos, gifts & letters to my wall: top to bottom, right to left. what do you think?

daddy dardo

2010-01-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

after my dad came to visit me in japan, i made him a photo album, highlighting the greatest memories from our travels together. i gave him the album for his birthday, & he loved it! here are a few of my favorite pages...

thank you, infographics.

2010-01-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

i've found a new hero. this anonymous person made a new years resolution to make an infographic for every podcast of my favorite program, this american life. whoever my new hero/heroin is: you are the most wonderful person--thank you for your creativity!

here's the first infographic made on january 4, 2010 (which just happens to be my best friend's birthday!). its titled, new beginnings.

*thank you for me, for you.

und das wetter?

2009-12-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

its almost christmas...in other words, its almost time for me to come home for the holidays! i've been counting down the days for months now, i can't believe december 27 is just a few days away. after living over a year in this very foreign country, i can't help but scream/jump with excitement when i think about going home. food. family. driving. shopping. boston. hair cut. being able to understand what the wanker people are saying. buckley. snuggling. boston symphony orchestra. friends. twinkles. sleeping in. baking. ping pong. playing piano...

i can't wait.

one thing i can wait for is the weather. i've heard is terrible this winter--blah. i've been constantly checking boston's weather with this awesome website. check it out! i've made it my daily routine not only clicking on boston, but other cities around the world just to see how their weather is. the pictures are so great!

evian. live young.

2009-12-16T17:11:00.000-08:00

let's observe the effect of evian on your body.

ok--this commercial just made my day.

eat. pray. love.

2009-12-14T18:05:00.000-08:00

i'm currently reading eat pray love by the amazing elizabeth gilbert, a very talented author & journalist. my sister mailed me the book last month, & it is such an inspirational read. i can't help but highlight at least 2 sentences on every page--because her words are just that engaging.

this is one of my favorite passages, which i can't seem to get out of my mind. these are words from an indonesian medicine man, which gilbert met on one of her many journeys.

"you must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, instead of two. that way, you can stay in the world. but you must stop looking at the world through your head. you must look through your heart, instead. that way, you will know God. "

the first days of spring.

2009-12-14T00:26:00.001-08:00

dear noah & the whale,

did y'all write this song for me?

"cause blue skies are calling...but i know that it's hard."

love, leah bell.

bored to death.

2009-12-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

after seeing rushmore for the first time, jason schwartzman stole my heart. i'm not sure what it is about him; but i love everything he's involved in from his films (darjeeling limited & i heart huckabees are definitely my favorite movies) to his music (coconut records--definitely my favorite) & now to his hbo series, bored to death.

jason schwartzman plays jonathan ames, who leads a double life as a writer & a private detective. also starring ted danson & zach galifianakis, who are both equally odd, hilarious & entertaining. this show is seriously amazing...you must watch it. oh, & the theme song is so great (because jason wrote it).

what my heart looks like.

2009-11-30T01:09:00.000-08:00

i do:

*like sushi.

*learn so much everyday.

*cherish my new friends.

*adore my students (some more than others).

*realize my time in japan is flying by.

*enjoy each moment (because of the aforementioned bullet point).

*miss home (because that's where my heart is).

*print society is awesome.

44.

2009-11-16T04:33:00.000-08:00

my president is so amazing. & classically handsome...might i add.

then you can start to make it better.

2009-11-16T03:34:00.000-08:00

my night is complete, thanks to this awesome flow chart & the lovely lady at

far out brussel sprout.

& i do my little turn on the catwalk.

2009-10-23T03:32:00.000-07:00

i'd like to briefly recap the event, which occurred right before my ugly swine flu diagnosis. anthea, a fantastic fashion journalist & great friend, had a VIP press pass to this seasons' japan fashion week & invited me to tag along. it was my first fashion show experience & let me tell you, it was unbelievable. we went to several shows, all of which were equally impressive & inspiring. we even got to party with the models at the kick off event! it was so much fun & i want to go again!

i can't help but post this song (which i can't stop singing). oh, right said fred--thank you for writing such an inspiring song...ha!

i'm too sexy for my shirt too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts.
& i'm too sexy for Milan too sexy for Milan, New York and Japan...

i'm a model you know what I mean & i do my little turn on the catwalk.
yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah i do my little turn on the catwalk....

its so swiney.

2009-10-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

yesterday i had a high fever, left work early & went to the doctor. guess what? i have THE flu, yes, that's right--swine flu. for the next 5 days i must stay locked up in my apartment, away from everyone & everything in order to prevent this crazy sickness from spreading. yuck! instead of wallowing in my misery & pain, i'm determined to take advantage of this time of rest & relaxation. i plan to catch up on my reading, studying, gradschool applying, writing & blogging. yay for optimism! :)

japan has turned me into a huge bike lover. whenever i pass by a train station or grocery store, i am bound to spot a fantastic bike that i can't take my eyes off of. a couple months ago, i started photographing these bikes, which i find so appealing. how great are these bikes? i wish i could have them all...

& last but not least, my bike!

2009-10-19T19:20:00.001-07:00

today marks the date of declaration of dependence, the new kings of convenience album. i can't wait to hear what the brilliant numbers norwegian duo have created. its been 5 years since their last album launch, so i'm sure there'll be many surprises & incredible tracks. their new single, boat behind, is simply unbelievable & makes me smile. check out the video!

la vie en rose

2009-09-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

some days i feel like being swept away...

happy october!

2009-09-30T17:05:00.001-07:00

today is the first of a new month. i've been awake for about an hour & its already been perfect: an overseas

phone call from a true soul, black coffee, fresh avocado & a new podcast from this american life. yep, this month will be phenomenal.

i'm currently reading 'emma' by jane austen. consequently, i've fallen in love with dear mr. knightly. he's so humble & romantic. i read this quote last night & it may be my absolute favorite, "i cannot make speeches, emma...if i loved you less, i might be able to talk about it more."

--mr. knightley, chapter 13.

kohana

2009-09-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

today i went with my friend emi & her daughter kohana to a quaint little cafe. we had a marvelous afternoon talking, playing & eating! i took these photos of kohana while she was eating her dessert (cookies & homemade kiwi/banana jam). i love these because she looks so content & in her own imaginary world.

which photo is your favorite?

2009-09-24T04:51:00.001-07:00

nothing could make my evening better. i am watching o' brother, where art thou, going through my photos from last week's vacation (i'll post them soon), staring at the harvest moon & loving the cool, night air. fall is approaching & i am thrilled! this season is definitely my favorite. here's 5 reasons why:

1. glüwein (even though its traditionally a winter drink, i like to start early).

2. pumpkin patches (photo from we heart it).

3. leaves (photo from we heart it).

4. cool, morning sunlight. (photo from we heart it).

5. cardigans! (photo from hrrthrrr).

...so, a truly happy harvest to you all. x

obenkyo.

2009-09-17T05:16:00.000-07:00

i recently started to study for the g.r.e. & am really excited about it (is that weird?). its really nice feeding my famished brain. check

out these great photos of books from my new favorite website, we heart it.

...what have you read today?

poladroid.

2009-09-13T03:48:00.000-07:00

shake it like a polaroid pictah! so, how much do you love instant polaroid cameras? i do!! i remember using my grandparent's & thinking it was the coolest thing. then, i got a pink, polaroid camera (with sticker film!) for my 8th birthday & was ecstatic. there's something about that noise--& the excitement of waiting for the picture to come clear. unfortunately, polaroid stopped making the film in february of 2008 & the only place to get the film is on the net. but, there are other alternatives! today, i stumbled upon the website,poladroid, which allows you to download a program & turn any digital photo into a polaroid picture. the application is so simple & really fun! check out my favorite photos from my iphoto library,which i tweaked to look like old polaroids.

decor8 this.

2009-09-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

today i feel like painting my apartment walls. i want to shop for secondhand frames & old hardware. i would love to go to papersource* & find a great box to cover. but...i can't. instead, i've been endlessly reading my favorite design blog, design*sponge. this blog is based out of brooklyn, ny & features do it yourself projects, creative interior spaces & home tours. one section of their blog is my absolute favorite: sneak peeks. its basically an inside peek of amazing home interiors all over the world! today, i made an imaginary house & picked out my favorite rooms.

the colors in this living room are my favorite. check out the chair covers!

i love a wall covered in frames...

i'm swooning over the

organization of this office.

the open shelves are my favorite.

if it were my space, i'd paint the walls

the olive color of the desk.

can you picture it?

my dream kitchen=brick wall. no cabinets & completely open ceiling.

usually, pink bedroom walls wouldn't be

my top choice. but, i'm loving this space!

a claw foot bath tub is a MUST for my future

bathroom. i'm also loving these white washed

walls. i want it!

...now, back to reality. i'm in my small apartment in fuji, japan.

saving money for my future apartment in texas...

i can't wait!!