I’m in a bit of a somber mood today.

Yesterday I was having tea with two new friends at my favorite cafe in L.A.
We were casually chatting outside in the late morning sun, when we witnessed two cars collide.
That would’ve been scary enough, but after the collision, one of the cars, who was going quite fast, swerved and was headed straight towards us and the two other tables filled with people.
All I really remember is seeing a black car coming straight at us and thinking, “this is it.” It was stopped by a cement light pole in front of the coffee shop and came literally a few feet from hitting the first table.
Chairs flew, potted plants shattered and we were all covered with dirt and debris. Here’s a photo of the aftermath.
Luckily we are all ok, with the exception of a few bruises and cuts.

All things considered, I’m doing great.
But the emotional impact was something I wasn’t prepared for.

A few weeks ago, I was riding in the car with my love when I told him that I always had wondered what it was like, in that split second, or moment when you knew you were going to die. Call it a sick fascination, but I have always been oddly curious about it. Be careful what you wish for.

Seeing your life flash before your eyes, thinking that this is your last moment, is profoundly sad and yet serene. I wasn’t scared until afterwards. I was a deer frozen in headlights, watching an event unfold that I couldn’t control. And so I had no choice but to accept the present moment.
It was intense.

So today, I’m staying in my PJ’s all day. Sipping chai and cuddling with my furballs.
Thanks for indulging me as I told you this story – it might explain some of the heavier bits inside this week’s Miscellany.
But not to worry, it’s not a TOTAL downer. There’s plenty of stunner’s, so dig in!

My takeaway from all this is a powerful lesson, which I hope you carry with you into your weekend:
Be grateful for what you have. Always be in pursuit of your dreams. Love like you mean it. Life is sweet. And short.

Love x hugs,

THIS WEEK’s MISCELLANY

• Gorgeous artisan crafted furniture in LA. Now all I need is a house to put it in.
• New music discovery :: Craft Spells. Thanks to Catherine for the heads-up. Sidenote: All of the artists on the Captured Tracks label are bomb.
• Everyone has a story. A beautiful post by Marianne Elliott.
• It’s Etsy meets Craigslist. Just what I needed . . . another shopping site!
• A feminine take on productivity. Beautiful + genius!
• Not sure if you should share your art with others? Use this.
• A super helpful tutorial on how to create a classic eye w/ makeup pro Bobbi Brown.
• Eater is doing a great event featuring young, up-and-coming chefs from around the country. And it’s here in L.A. Score!
• This work, by an 18-year old girl, left me speechless.
• Are we more connected now that we have social media? One woman took a journey to actually connect in person with her online “friends” when she grew increasingly lonely despite having thousands of “friends”. Looks like an interesting concept for a film.
• Injecting HIV to cure cancer? Wow, this is incredible!
• There’s something about the light in Florence . . .
• A really interesting look at body modification. What are your thoughts on the subject?
• 5 cities for foodies (that don’t include NYC, Paris, Rome, San Francisco or Spain). I can personally vouch for #4, which is my favorite spot in the world for food (so far).
• If you use Google Reader for reading your RSS feeds (blogs, news, etc.), it will be going bye-bye on July 1st. Here’s a roundup of alternatives. I would add Bloglovin’ to the list – which is what I use (and so does Radical Self Love Queen, Gala Darling). It’s the best!
• This poor woman’s pup got attacked by another dog + she’s seeking help paying for the $3k+ vet bills. I wanted to post it here, in case one of you feels the need to give a few bucks to her. What can I say? I’m a sucker for animals in need.
• This girl is one of my style-heroes. So it made me feel oh-so-good to read that we both share a love for the BEST tee ever. Seriously it’s the best. And on sale right now too!
• Hanging beds? I’m SO putting one of these in my future house!
• I love that this designer is rethinking her role in design. I hope we all have the courage to rethink our lives – or at least ask questions.
• How to live to be 100? Hint :: move to Greece!
• I never fancied myself a bird person, but I might re-think it after seeing this amazing creation!
• Get ready to witness something remarkable. In fact, it’s downright horrifyingly funny. Poor little things.
• This family’s story shook me to the core. It made me re-think what family means. Prepare to be inspired!
• And the campaign that created this video, have made others. Live generously.