Supper at the Semrad's

On our trip back to Texas, Jonathan and I made SOLID plans to attend a dinner party at Paul and 

Sara Jane Semrad's. If you don't know, both members of this couple are kinda Dallas Dynamos. We were lucky enough to go to a lot of these parties when we lived there, and I miss them. They are down-right-proper-dinner parties, assigned seating and all! Not to mention the homemade food usually prepared by Paul, who was a personal chef in a past life. 

If you reside in Dallas and have not supped at the Semrad's, you're missing out. There are 3 things that will always happen at one of these gatherings:

You will eat delicious, creamy homemade hummus. 

You will find your handcrafted name tag on their dining room table amongst floral vintage plates and vintage linens, and that is where you will sit. 

You will meet an amazing person (most likely with a creative mind) you've probably never met before.

It's the last thing that I like most about their dinner parties. I think SJ plots out her seating arrangements with great care, placing name tags where she thinks the resulting conversation will be most amusing. 

Lastly, if you've never been to their house before, you will most likely get the "art tour" which coincides with your typical "house tour". Because of SJ's work and passion for artists and the scene (see: Art Conspiracy, La Reunion, KXT) their collection is pretty damn impressive. 

Homemade hummus and Paul and SJ at the head of the table as always...wearing their crowns from our New Year poppers, one placed at each seat.

New friends we met that night and Scott and Nicole Horn (one of the best looking/most artistically talented couples in Dallas. Really...cut it out guys). 

The name cards are always themed, and Eva (her daughter) usually makes them.  SJ showed us her collection of every single one ever crafted. My favorite was the cat butt theme...stickers....of cat butts. 

I'm not going to explain this one. 

Art Conspiracy on it's 8th year, yes?

SJ's vintage camera collection, and scattered holiday cards...GAH we get it guys, you have friends!

One of quite a few pets, including chickens. 

Eva likes to do drawings. Yuri likes to do legos...and tell jokes. 

Group shot: Way to get into it PAUL!

 Eva, girl genius, plays piano. 

I wish I had the gusto to pull off dinner parties like these. Do you do dinner parties? If so, how the EFF do you pull it off!??!

On Resolutions

(This is a peaceful landscape photo to reflect my peaceful-2013-innerself landscape)

In the spirit of the new year, 2013 (by the way my favorite Christmas present was that I won't EVER have to see a sarcastic facebook post about the Mayan Apocalypse again) I thought I'd write on resolutions. 

I'm not a huge fan of strict life changes. Unless it's heroin or something like that. Then I'm all, "Cold Turkey, mofo!" But generally I'm more of the type that eases into things. With that being said there are quite a few lifestyle changes that Jonathan and I have decided to make this year. 

Firstly, since I have moved to California I've been styling Jonathan for the show he does for Billboard Music. I get allotted a substantial amount of money a month to spend on his clothes. With this money in hand I have realized I very much have a voice in the retail industry. Lately I have been trying to avoid fast fashion retailers with poor business practices. It is not only an ethical issue, but an issue of the quality of the threads we choose to put on our backs. Plus there are tons of small business retailers that could use support! So this year I will try my damnedest to invest in quality instead of quantity. 

The big one: No more cigarettes. I am still, however, getting my nicotine fix with an electronic cigarette. Thus far it's doing the trick. 

JUICE! We're trying to juice every morning. This is absolutely necessary to take place of the coffee and cigarettes...seriously....we juice to poop.

Then there's all the personal stuff: 

Stay present.

Volunteer.

Start speaking positive things into existence. 

Shoot more.

Write more.

Ease up on the self-guilt.

More phone calls, less facebook.

and so fourth. 

Does this seem unobtainable? What are your resolution(s)?

xo.