post-op love.

Hello, friends. I was released last weekend from the hospital and am now housebound for six weeks. I thought I would blog, blog, blog all weekend long. However, I've learned that bouncing back from a major abdominal surgery is not exactly playtime. I'm going to be here a few more weeks, so my posts will be heavy on things I've watched, read and spotted on the internet, while light on beautiful photos from around town. Just wanted to give you a heads up on that.

Here are a few things I'm loving my first week out of the hospital.

1. I love this photo of my nephew reaching up for some blossoms in Minneapolis. In his wee life (born January 1, 2013), this little fella has already lived through two brutal Minnesota winters. Like my mom said, everyone there is grateful when "the air doesn't hurt." I love the look of joy on his face. Even his binky can't hide it.

Photo by @brrrrrrrrrian

2. I love this article on the February 20th issue of the New Yorker about Isabel Toledo's costumes for a new Cotton Club-inspired show called After Midnight. I'm fascinated by married couples who collaborate and share their passions, and Ruben Toledo's illustrations always bring the joy.

All that jazz. Illustration via the New Yorker.

3. I feel grateful to call Cedars-Sinai my hospital. From what people tell me, Cedars is as good as it gets. The nurses are all grandma-worthy, the rooms are private and tranquil, and the food isn't a complete nightmare--although I didn't have much of an appetite for it. But one of the things that makes Cedars so unique is their commitment to modern art. Works by contemporary artists line the walls of every wing in the hospital.

The Boston Symphony Centennial commemorated by Robert Rauschenberg.

When I finally had to get up and start walking--and I was that person who looks so sad and disheveled in a hospital gown, clutching an IV while shuffling the corridors--it helped to focus on the art and made the whole experience much less depressing.

4. I love Death Valley Girls, Patty Schmel's new band. They have an awesome L.A. garage band sound with a healthy dose of ol' fashioned Riot Grrl goodness. You can check out their new demos here. 

 Death Valley Girls.

5. I'm loving artist Tait Hawes, who's also a friend of mine here in L.A. Check out his site here. 

6. I love my neighbor Chad's dog, Mika. She and my Isabel like to wrestle in the front yard. I particularly adore this shot of her atop Mount Baldy, just outside of L.A. Look at all the beautiful snow!

Majestic Mika atop Mount Baldy. Photo by Chad Engels.

7. I love the cumulus clouds in the sky these days. I took this photo at sunset. It made me really happy to be out of the hospital and back at home.

That's all for now. Look for more love coming soon.