Saturday, September 3, 2011

thedigitalbird is MOVING to Wordpress

I'm moving to Wordpress Y'all!!

You can now find me here:

Thanks for following this far!
xo lisa




Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Dip Dye Hair

Hair. It's powerful stuff. Long, short, blonde, brunette, ginger, highlights, I've done it all and if I dug hard enough, I could post proof of them all. We all can relate to the feeling of feeling restless, needing a change and I'm sure that 9 times out of 10, most ladies can recall making a visit to their stylist to for something that makes you feel new and different. I had been rocking the feather trend for the last 9 months, and although I have love for the feathers, it was time for a change. As my friend, Lizzy stated in her blog here, once Steven Tyler, Dog the Bounty Hunter and little girls are all rocking the same trend, we may have to step away from the fowl.  

I was inspired by this photo of LC, or Lauren Conrad to those of you who don't go way back to her high school days. ;) 

Images

I have had my love affair with Manic Panic back in the 90's, but this is on a completely different level. The colors are kinda easter eggie and oh so pretty. I was witness to a couple of ladies getting it done at Sabia Apothecary & Spa and I booked my appointment with the lovely Kacy Bear Carpenter. 

Here is what happened....

 

Color me IMPRESSED! (sorry couldn't help myself ;)) But, seriously, she did a fantastic job. Thank you Kacy, you are a dream! 

If you are in the Austin area and want to get this look, call Sabia to book. 512.469.0447.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch at Whole Foods Fish Grille

P41

Tilapia and Mahi Mahi fish taco. Cabbage, ancho sour cream and pico de gallo served on a whole wheat tortilla. I don't normally go the tilapia route, but this is pretty delish! $4.99 - not a bad lunch. Yum!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

BBQ Review - Live Oak Barbecue & Beer

So, I'm not a BBQ head or anything, nor am I a regular food reviewer, but lately, and by lately I mean like this past year I really like BBQ. Perhaps, it's that I was a vegetarian (and not a real smart one by any means) from the time I was 14-21. When I 'came back' as my dad used to like to say ("She came back to us!' He was also in the cattle feeding business...so you get the gist) I was living in California at the time. I lived in LA up until four years ago. Although, LA can be a foodie paradise, BBQ is just not one of the things that I remember running into too much.
Living in Central Texas....completely different story. Proponents of the True Barbecue experience will argue that you have to leave Austin proper and head over to Lockhart, Luling etc...(more on that later) and they are probably correct, but the capital has some joints that are definitely worth the visit. So, if you want some tasty barbecue in town, I suggest you visit Live Oak Barbecue & Beer. I've been three times and so far...not tired of it. The atmosphere is kind of dark and dank (I guess the place used to be an Eastside Bar that seems like it was a pretty good time in its own right, if you peruse the left over photo album that floats around the joint) and luckily for me, Social Distortion seems to be on general rotation as far as tunes go, which suits the place. It's a little punk rock if you will. The guys are pretty laid back, have tattoos and seem like the types that you may run into at a show somewhere on Red River. They also know their stuff. The proprietor, Tom, seems to have spent his time honing his recipes prior to opening up the brick and mortar. He's super friendly and will always find time to sit down with you for a chat. Everything is by the pound, my favorite by far is the brisket. The chicken is second runner up, it is so smoky delicious and it is JUICY! Oh MAH GAWD! As for sides, they change periodically, but they keep the staples like potato salad etc. And the sauce is PHENOM. It's like an au jus, so mellow and light but filled with flavor. Honestly, you can't go wrong with anything here.
Live Oak BBQ & Beer is located on the Eastside at 2nd & Pleasant Valley and open from 11AM - Midnight daily. Just go....

There it is....





The Menu


The sauce is an au jus and mouth watering



Melt in your mouth mmmm mmm good!!!!


Saturday, August 6, 2011

Just finished reading...

P28

This gem and it was pretty friggin cute, funny and genius. My favorite chapter is 'Don Fey' about what a badass Tina Fey's dad is. She makes me laugh.
Ps - my stupid iPhone took the picture upside down for some reason, but it's not like you haven't already seen the familiar cover with the 'man hands'. Thank you Jerry Seinfeld for the best reference ever.

Friday, August 5, 2011

New favorite blog this week - SURI'S BURN BOOK

To quote 'TIME' Magazine:

Suri's Burn Book takes so many of our favorite things — Mean Girls attitude, celebrities and snarkiness — and rolls it all into one amazing Tumblr. The titular Suri is, of course, Suri Cruise, the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Tumblr Suri is kind of a jerk — and a surprisingly literate jerk, for a 5-year-old.


Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/08/02/tumblr-of-the-week-suris-burn-book/#ixzz1UAmhH5oI

This little blog is just delicious and hilarious. Go Now.

http://surisburnbook.tumblr.com/

 


 

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Paris through my eyes...rewind ten years...

When I was living in Paris, on Rue Vieille du Temple in Le Marais, it was 2001-2002. Digital cameras were barely emerging as new tools, so going over to study photography, I had my dad's old Nikon F2, which, if I'm not mistaken, is the same age as me (you figure the math...because I will not!) I still have it and long to shoot more film, but the advent of digital and the easy workflow that comes with it, it makes shooting film more like a hobby. A chore that you have to set aside time and money which is quite sad really. 
There is nothing quite like the feeling of shooting a roll of film: Choosing what you want to shoot with: color, slide, black & white, figuring out the speed etc. Then you get to unwrap it and load it into your camera. You smell it (or at least I always did) cause it smells funny, you know? Carefully loading the little sprockets into the camera, tightening, closing the cover and advancing your film. Then you are ready to rock & roll. 
Older cameras are heavier and the click sounds just lovely to me. 
If you are lucky enough to have access to a darkroom, the journey continues after the roll is finished. You get to wind your film back into the roll, unload and then develop it, even further you get to make your own prints. I've been fortunate enough to do all of that. I hope to do it again sometime soon, because nothing helps you appreciate the art of photography more so that doing everything from start to finish. 
I scanned in some old prints from my days in Paris, since I am feeling especially nostalgic on this Bastille Day. I was a big proponent of the cross-process back in those days (hence the greenish hue), so enjoy....

Le Marais 

Jardin du Luxembourg

Right bank viewing Left

Jardin du Luxembourg

Le Marais

Jardin du Luxembourg

all photos by moi: the digital bird 
no photoshop
straight up cross-process

It's Bastille Day! Let's give thanks for all things French.....

I once lived in Paris. I studied photography in the early 2000's. Wow, it doesn't seem so long ago, but ten years! My my my, how time flies! I have a love for all things French, the people, the food, the culture, the architecture, the cheese (did you know that there are more French cheeses than there are days of the year?), the stylish french women, the history....I could go on and on.

We really have to thank the French for so much, high fashion, haute cuisine, umbrellas...even street lighting! I found all of this out when a friend gifted me 'The Essence of Style' by Joan DeJean. The book basically states that without Louis XIV, we would not be living as we do. It's really a great read filled with all sorts of cultural goodies and fun factoids to impress your friends and other people that you just want to impress ;).

Here is a link from 2005 on NPR of the author, Joan DeJean discussing the book with Renee Montagne upon it's release.

Photo Courtesy of: Amelie Dupont / Paris Tourist Office

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Girls Girls Girls

Roundtop-9 by thedigitalbird
Roundtop-9, a photo by thedigitalbird on Flickr.

This was a painting that I got a close up of, I always admire the look and shape of a beautiful woman's image, but these colors were what attracted me to the art first.

Warrenton, TX
Spring 2011

a lady bust

Roundtop-11 by thedigitalbird
Roundtop-11, a photo by thedigitalbird on Flickr.

Wandering the white tents of Warrenton at the Round Top Antiques Fair, I snapped this photo, but almost got my head bitten off in the process!
Apologies to the lady who owned the pop up shop, I was merely admiring the quirky weirdness of it all.

Rendered Pork Fat

Roundtop-12 by thedigitalbird
Roundtop-12, a photo by thedigitalbird on Flickr.

Rendered Pork Fat
Round Top Antiques Fair
Spring 2011
(we tried to buy this to no avail..the owner was NOT giving it up!)

Roundtop-16

Roundtop-16 by thedigitalbird
Roundtop-16, a photo by thedigitalbird on Flickr.

Green + Gold
Round Top Antiques Fair
Spring 2011

Roundtop-17

Roundtop-17 by thedigitalbird
Roundtop-17, a photo by thedigitalbird on Flickr.

Lawn Ornaments
Round Top Antiques Fair
Spring 2011

Roundtop-18

Roundtop-18 by thedigitalbird
Roundtop-18, a photo by thedigitalbird on Flickr.

Red Arrow
Round Top Antiques Fair
Spring 2011

Round Top Antiques Fair - Check

I've got another notch in my bucket list belt. I went to the Round Top Antiques Fair a while back and I FORGOT to post about it...bad bad. Alas..here I am reporting. I love antiquing. I think I take that from my grandmother, Lydia. She loves a good bargain hunt and used to spend like 2-3 weeks in the Texas Hill Country doing just that. So, Round Top, for those who don't know, is a tiny little town due east of Austin, just past La Grange. For years, I have only associated La Grange, with the most kick ass of Rock & Roll songs by my favorite trip, ZZ TOP, so here is a link to their video just cause it's awesome and I love them.

Anywho...Round Top has this FABULOUS antiques fair twice a year. According to wikipedia, the town actually just has like 77 people, which is beyond me. But, twice a year, vendors from all over come and set up shop underneath giant white tents and people come from miles to soak it up. Spring was in the air, and once we took the turn from La Grange, it was the cutest picturesque two-way street and then...wait for it..TENTS! White Tents for days! I was gasping in disbelief and excitement because I could see old wagons, vintage telephone booths, a Bob's Big Boy, stained glass windows...you get the picture. If you are in the central Texas area in the Spring or Fall and love looking through junk, do your self a favor next time and GO!

vintage windows & stained glass for sale

Bob's Big Boy is adorable!

RED


Sparkles


splurgedesign.com

I think I died....

and made it to heaven when I found these sweet red cowboy boots! They are mine now!

Dave Lennard Inc.

bad ass skulls at www.davelennard.com 

safety first!



all images by me: the digital bird | lisa munoz
some of the nice vendors I met who allowed me to shoot in their pop up shops:
Robert Nicholas of Splurge Design
Dave Lennard of Dave Lennard Inc.