My New Bag. A Dream Come True.

Today I think I received my dream handbag. It is a "Junco" by Ashley Watson, an enterprising, green-sensible young woman residing in one of the most wonderful cities in our hemisphere, Vancouver Canada. She makes remarkable handbags from old leather jackets. At first, I was skeptical of what the quality would be. I thought, "OK, they'll be ironic and goofy" or "They'll be poorly constructed and reeking of amateur seamstress." Neither of my cynical assumptions were correct now that I took possession of my fabulous, small (it is actually rather large at approx 16"wide and 12" tall) JUNCO tote in a forrest green leather. Ashley is an artist, a sculpto-seamstress. One would never suspect this jacket once likely warmed some high-class Canadian prostitute circa 1990 or a wealthy teen of the same era with a penchant for shocking her parents with her scary taste in color and leather. Yes, the leather is super soft, super strong kid and Ashley took full advantage of the diagonal, topstiched front pockets of the jacket, which are now the diagonal, topstiched front pockets of my handbag. And did I mention, it is RECYCLED? Go get yours (no two are exactly alike) or another design more to your taste at www.beklina.com.

Denwave Saves Lives.

Put together a lil $$$$ for some new Fall threads and while browsing the damn internets, checked out Hazel and Genevieve's goings-on (yeah, OK, I miss PDX) and noticed several new items that had to be owned. For starters, the above handmade cotton yarn and brass necklace by the inimitable Hazel Cox. $68 please. Hazel also had a killer $28 copper and cotton yarn necklace I had to have; I mean, IT'S $28! Then, of course, there is Genevieve Dillinger to be be reckoned with. I bought a flowing, light grey rayon tunic/tee ($68) and was easily talked into a gorgeous linen dress; best I can describe the major signature of the fabric is "bed ticking". It is just like everything from Genevieve: Simple, elegant and completely chic.

OH MY.

Bad, bad lady! I have taken quite the extended blogging vacances, so now I am back with that odd Guilt Post formerly known as the Guilt Entry when I used to actually use a device with ink to scribe my boring goings on.

Ryan and I hit a serious wall with St. Pete/Tampa. Bottom line, we bored of it here. I love the beach, the tennis courts, the skies, the big rain and whatever, but what was happening in this area when I was last here (early 2000's) has been replaced by a glossy, suburban ideal. Independent "funky" business were displaced in the hopes of making big condo dollars; this never happened in certain areas so an entire block sits abandoned. The new businesses may be owned by locals but many smack of a chain; almost like they hope and strive to one day be a chain. I can't get into this. And what the fuck happened to the screens that would show the indie/foreign/unusual films? None are around. I love the people I have met so far, but I am not quite sure if it is all enough to make it worth sticking it out for the long haul.

Sad but true. We'll see what happens. We are here for another year anyway and hell if I am not going to enjoy it to the fullest.