Pleasure Notes

In this abundant universe we call the blogosphere, these are some of the active people and places that hit the spot:

A Beautiful Perfect Mess – Rebecca share’s her artist’s-eye-view of Colorado and life with grace and wit.

Ally B Speakin – Another Coloradan in the mix, I just kinda adore this chic.

Anh Minh – This woman’s daily design discoveries are frequently completely in line with my aesthetic. If I lived in San Francisco, I’m sure we’d be fighting over the same items in a yard sale.

Apricot Tea – With wisdom beyond her years, a keen sense of fashion and a disarming honesty, Ev’Yan is a kick-ass fellow Angeleno whose words I love to read.

Blah Blah Blah – If I lived in Chicago, I would book Molly for hours of coffee talk time. Honest, funny and a librarian to boot.

Book Line and Sinker – Natalie’s love of books makes for a great read.

Bryce Widom – Bryce leaves his soul on the canvas and it is a stunningly beautiful soul. A profoundly caring man, he is a delightful artist and friend.

Cattails – This woman makes me laugh, cry and cheer as she lays her life bare. She also gives me a welcomed taste of what life would be like in a place a tad less urban than L.A.

Chocolate & Zucchini – Clotilde Dusoulier makes me want to move to Montmatre and be her next door neighbor so I can eat what she cooks. The french idioms she shares are as delightful as the recipes.

Cleavage – Kelly Diels makes me think. I don’t always agree with everything she says, which is why I love her. This blog challenges me to fine tune my beliefs – about love, sex and money.

Dooce – Heather Armstrong makes me laugh and think; she’s a master of the form and a continuing inspiration.

Gary’s Real Life – A whimsical, illustrated recounting of an average Joe’s Gary’s life, created by the super talented Josh Beggs.

Gwen Bell – Social media maven, friend and mentor. Gwen is a powerful, calming and caring force of nature, as awesome to behold as the Flatirons from which she may draw inspiration.

Jen Castle – A longtime, rock-star friend, Jen is a gorgeously talented photographer and observer of life whose enthusiasm is contagious.

Jurgen Nation – I discovered this delightful NoCal chica at a very intense moment, and she’s blown me away ever since. A damn good writer with an awesome heart.

Just Like the Number: Six – Just like candy, Angie’s stories make me feel good.

KCRW – The best radio station, on- or offline, bar none.

Lacochran’s Bloggery – This woman makes me snort with laughter, pows me with insight and throws a bit of bawdiness in for good measure.

Lifelounge – An extravagantly creative orgy of art, fashion and pop culture.

Mildly Creative – Ken Robert’s talents as a writer, poet and observer of life blow me away; a truly gifted man.

Mocha Momma –  Kelly is a powerhouse of goodness – hilarious, witty, opinionated, and profound. And she has a laugh that just makes the world a better place.

Scientific American – An aggregator of fascinating scientific discoveries and news, the stuff I learn here keeps my jaw on the floor.

Shutter Sisters – This group of women share their incredible talents, passions and hearts in a way that is simply scrumptious.

Square-Peg Reflections – Karen Caterson can send me into guffaws as easily as into tears; brilliant sweetness.

The Barefoot Heart – Jeanne is like the tooth fairy, sprinkling magic wherever she goes; a luminous, wise, witty and beautiful soul whom I treasure.

The Girl Project – An inspiring, educational and illuminating photo blog highlighting phenomenal female photographers, in support of a movement that places cameras into the hands of young girls so they can document the world as they see it.

The Gospel of JP – I like to think of JP as this century’s version of a renaissance man. He’s probably wishing I’d just called him Casanova with tats instead of tights.

The Life of Monkey Boy – Egan talks about the joys and trials of being a dad, and just being, with matter-of-fact charm.

The Mindfulist – A peaceful spot for a daily check-in that keeps my feet feeling the earth.

This American Life – I have no idea how Ira Glass finds the stories and he and his crew recount, but the world is a better place for the shared discoveries.

Unabashedly Female – Julie Daley’s integrity and authenticity can leave me gasping for breath.

Whip-Smart Wordsmith – Emma Alvarez Gibson talks social media and life, with cleverness, kindness and wit.

White Hot Truth – To be perfectly honest, I kinda wish to emulate Danielle LaPorte’s current career, with my own twist of course. But that’s not why I read her blog. I read her blog because she’s inspiring, thought-provoking and authentic.

Whole Self Coach – Alana Sheeren reveals every illuminating step in her journey to be the fullness of her self. She has incredible insight. She is also a dear friend.