a happy sweater for the cold days

One of my dear friends, Mikey, thrifted this sweater for me as a birthday gift when I turned 19 years old, and it will always hold a special place in my heart & my wardrobe. With its cheerful image of a zany gal riding backwards on her bike, it’s the perfect pick me up sweater for those chilly winter days. This has been a particularly cold winter in California (at least that’s what my bones are saying), and I need happy clothes and good times to get me through the dreary days.

My weekend was most ideal, making this winter season seem not so bad at all really.  Most of my weekend was spent in Santa Monica and its environs. Friday night was spent listening to funny man John C. Reilly and friends perform country music at the Sanctuary, a quaint little church with high ceilings in Santa Monica. The vibe was perfectly old-timey, like something out of Oh Brother Where Art Thou, with the performers singing on a raised stage into an old fashioned microphone. The acoustics were heavenly.  I was pleasantly surprised that one of the guest singers was Willie Watson from the Old Crow Medicine Show.  What a voice! Speaking of amazing voices, John C. Reilly also did several duets with one Becky Stark (of Lavender Diamond & the Living Sisters), whom I’ve never heard of before, but she had the voice of an angel, reminiscent of Anita Carter. She did the most beautiful rendition of Dolly Parton’s “My Blue Tears.” John C. Reilly and friends also sang covers from The Stanley Brothers, Faron Young, and the Everly Brothers. And it was a donation only event, which is way cool in my book. On Saturday evening, Pete and I again rode the 405 Fwy to watch outlaw country artist Steve Earle perform at Royce Hall at UCLA.  He is one of my favorites, and I never tire of his gritty, gravelly voice. Coincidentally the Living Sisters, of whom Becky Stark is a singer, opened up for him. She has such a beautifully versatile voice; at times it reminded me of Dusty Springfield and sometimes Margon Timmins from the Cowboy Junkies. Apparently, the Living Sisters have garnished a lot of attention with their version of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”  I couldn’t be happier that Los Angeles is embracing roots music, and that we have a pretty amazing country music scene all year round.

Sunday, we again traversed the 405 Fwy to hike the Santa Monica Mountains at the Will Rogers State Park. Gosh, it was a gorgeous hike, offering views of the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Palisades, even downtown Los Angeles could be seen in the distance. This year, I want to hike a whole lot more, and my hike in the Santa Monica Mountains (probably 3 miles) was a pleasant start. After our hike, Pete & I went to the Apple Pan (Thanks Mr. Tiny for the tip!) in West Los Angeles. I never eat burgers, but I made an exception for their famous Hickory Burger. I give it a 10 out of 10!  And of course, you know I had the apple pie (yum!).  The Apple Pan is a tiny joint with limited seating, but Pete & I were lucky enough to arrive when there were plenty of seats available. Major score!

I usually don't fare so well in the winter time - I battle with seasonal depression, but this winter has been different. I have tried really hard not to complain too much about the cold and the lack of light. Instead, I've just tried to go out more, have fun, get exercise and remain positive. At one point during the performance, John C. Reilly, quoted a priest who once inspired him with these words "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness."  I believe this is also a Chinese proverb. In any case, I am really going to try to live by these words for this winter and beyond.

Did you do anything fun this weekend?  How do you deal with the winter chills?

Outfit: 50s wool skirt ($10 at Vet’s Flea Market), vintage knit sweater, vintage plaid shirt, vintage sandals (thrifted), Hue tights.