Monterey | WhyDid.com

Why Did You Wear That: Metallica and the Monterey Musical Melee

By Kirsten|December 16th, 2013|Personal Style|

In case you haven’t heard (or read WhyDid in the the last 6+ moths), the 90’s are having a renaissance. And with the revival of 90’s trends like babydoll dresses and brands like Birkenstock, 90’s musicians are also feeling a lift in their royalties. I understand that stores like Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 shill out shirts with graphics of “vintage” bands emblazoned on them and some of you have only heard of these bands during drunken stories told by your nostalgic “older” friends or when a song comes on in a dive bar and all the “middle aged” patrons go wild. Well, here’s a pro-tip (talking to you children of the 90’s): be sure you know something about the vintage band t-shirt you are wearing because people will ask you about it- much like the friendly man who checked me out at Nob Hill. Fortunately for me, I was schooled, partially by osmosis- partially against my will by my older brothers who wore weird clothes, had long hair, and played their instruments at ungodly hours at decibel levels usually reserved for freight trains in the guesthouse above our garage.

I don’t think any of us will soon forget the roadtrip from Monterey to Los Angeles that nearly came to bloody blows when I demanded in my pouty teenage cheerleader way that we listen to Backstreet Boys and my metal loving brothers were more inclined to jump out the windows of the moving vehicle before allowing their eardrums to be tainted by such pop hypocrisy. I don’t actually recall who won, but I do love my poor damn dad for dealing with all of us without wrecking into a guardrail in the midst of the melee. I believe we ended up taking turns, but I have to take a moment and thank my brothers for their efforts in a musical intervention. You saved me from myself… and the Backstreet Boys.

In my tradition of nomadic travel (meaning I am incapable of booking roundtrip plane tickets and prefer to take things as they come), I didn’t pack enough clothing for my extended stay. However, I enjoy raiding the closets of those that I’m visiting and incorporating their wares into my gypsy wardrobe. This is when I stumbled upon my father’s 1971 military fatigues (which he has informed me as I write this were referred to as OD, olive drab). What a perfect way to top off my Metallica tee and maxi skirt while watching the sun set on a sunny day in Monterey.

earrings: Soho street find (similar here), jacket: Dad’s (similar here), t-shirt: Bravado, skirt: Brandy Melville (similar here), bag: Amrita Singh, boots: All Saints (similar here)

Sleep with one eye open.

xx,

WhyDid

photos by Richard (Dick) Smith

Gift Guide: Pet Project

By Kirsten|December 14th, 2013|Gift Guide|

It’s no secret that a grandparent’s main duty is to spoil his/her grandchild. Well, it would seem that my father has taken this task a tad too seriously by overindulging his namesake and my dog, Smitty. My furry friend and I flew out to California a few weeks ago to celebrate Thanksgiving with my darling dad and middle bigger brother, Andy. I was not surprised when Smitty got more than his fair share of our turkey fueled feast. We all love Dick Smith, but being the softy who always gives in to Smitty’s sad begging eyes certainly doesn’t hurt his standing in the race to becoming the dog’s favorite family member (other than me, of course). I’m now immune to his cuteness, but Dick is still a sucker. A few days after Thanksgiving, ol’ Smitty wasn’t feeling so swell and on the following Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I awoke in sheer panic when my baby was sick as a dog- literally. Many people find my easygoing personality a bit annoying as I don’t have the strongest sense of urgency- but this is exactly when that character feature/flaw comes into play. As I roused my dad from his serene slumber, I started to cry and dear dad had no idea what to do with me. He doesn’t have a pet and therefore nor does he have a vet. It was also 5am and as we know, most vets are not open until the decent hour of 8 o’clock. Calm Kiki took a breath, pressed her passcode into her iPhone as her fingers were too shaky for her fingerprint and proceeded to find the closest animal emergency room.

We arrived at Monterey Peninsula Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center 20 minutes later and Smitty was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. He was held overnight with an IV and we retrieved him the next afternoon. After being home for a short time, I knew there was something else wrong with him. My normally perky pup was merely a shell of himself and other than myself, there’s no one I know better. We took him back to the vet and they gave him more medicine and some under the skin hydration and sent us on our way. Again, we were only home for a little while before I knew this was not just a case of an inflamed pancreas. I’m no vet (I don’t like blood), but my diagnosis was there’s something else happening. We got back in the car and I held my best friend in my lap, praying that he could hang in there, but thinking about how I would deal with losing the equivalent to my left arm. Another doctor was on duty when we arrived and he immediately knew there had to be some sort of blockage. Smitty was given barium and they X-rayed his teeny tummy every two hours for the next six hours and sure enough, it was clear that Smitty had indulged in something other than Thanksgiving stuffing. We were given the scary decision of whether or not to operate on my poor pooch and after deep deliberation we gave the go-ahead for him to go under the knife.

I didn’t sleep until the doctor called to tell me, my little man was doing okay and in recovery and almost three weeks after leaving New York, Smitty is healing nicely. Needless to say, Smitty has accounted for his share (and then some) of our holiday budget, so he’s just gonna have to settle for an extra long walk and maybe a belly rub as his Christmas gift. My mom has deemed him, “The Dog Who Ate Christmas” and I’d say that’s fairly accurate. In his defense, you really can’t put a price on life- unless you’re a hitman. However, if your pooch or pet has been better behaved than Sir Smitty Smith, show him how much he/she means to you with a little something more than Pupperoni or catnip.

1. Mariposa Dog House Frame, 2. Creature Comforts WOOF Dish, 3. Ware of the Dog Plaid Back Zip Dog Coat, 4. Ralph Lauren Crocodile Dog Carrier, 5. Barney’s New York Crystal Bow Collar, 6. Found My Animal Collapsible Water Bowl, 7. Pet House Trixie, 8.Graphic Image Leather Pet Lover’s Brag Book, 9. New Age Pets Indoor/Outdoor Raised Pet Bed, 10.Bottega Veneta Intreccio Scolpito Dog Leash

Sit. Stay. Good boy.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Post Traumatic Stress, or Lack Thereof

By Kirsten|December 5th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

Speaking of evolution, it’s amazing what a difference a year can make. Cliché? Yes. True? Also yes. After having scraped myself from my father’s couch and moving back to New York last year, I was ready to put my shattered life back together piece by painful piece. I had moved back to my old neighborhood (literally across the street from my old apartment), reconnected with my New York friends who hadn’t fled the city for life in suburban wedded bliss, and put my feelers out for new career opportunities and love interests- though only half heartedly on the latter.

I hadn’t been back to California since leaving that last time. I mean, it’s a long flight, plus I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about being back there. However, my dad was long overdue for a visit and the way the weather was looking on the east coast, I was happy to suffer through a five hour flight for a stint in the sunshine. Upon landing in LA, I immediately felt a bittersweet nostalgia. Driving through familiar streets in Silicon Valley, I felt every familiarity and the memories of my past came creeping back. Many experts now recommend me to use these Delta 8 disposable vape pens to keep those thoughts in check.

Fortunately, I have a friend who is the kind of friend everyone should wish for. She’s the “ride or die” type and the moment she got my sobbing phone call that I would be moving out of the home I shared with my ex, she was quite literally on a plane to come and help with the heavy lifting and to lift my heavy heart. Her name is Katie and you may remember her. Upon arriving at said residence, my ex had been so “kind” as to have already packed all of my belongings (well, everything he didn’t try and pilfer) and arrange them conveniently at the front door. Talk about adding insult to injury. But on the brightside, this gave us more time to spend together chatting rather than packing. Katie having never done so, we hopped in her rental and took a ride down the PCH. Remembering a must see recommendation from a pal Katie had made on the plane (she’s always making friends), we stopped somewhere along Big Sur at a place called Post Ranch Inn where we dined while taking in the views at Sierra Mar. The views are quite literally breathtaking and those with acrophobia may want to refrain from venturing out onto the balconies. I was so happy to be in such beautiful surroundings with my beautiful friend, but halfway through my second glass of prosecco, I broke down into tears.

I wanted to share this place with people who love me unconditionally and make new memories that were joyful not jaded. My middle brother, Andy and my dad are two men I know I can always count on besides Smitty and I wanted to take them somewhere I loved. We hopped in Dick’s tiny sportscar (I generously relinquished shotgun and crammed myself into the backseat) and off we went down the windy PCH on our way back to Post Ranch Inn, stopping intermittently to snap photos at scenic overlooks. Ironically enough, we were seated at the exact same table where Katie and I sat the year before. This year, however, I didn’t cry into my garden green salad. I guess that’s the thing about bad memories, sometimes you just have to face them, make new ones, and move on.

top: Free People (similar-and on sale-here), bralette: Victoria’s Secret, pants: 7 for All Mankind, boots: All Saints (similar here), bag: Balenciaga, jacket: Andrew Marc

Don’t worry, I didn’t jump.

xx,

WhyDid

photographs by Andrew Smith (my middle big brother- who you should also follow on Instagram)

WhyDid Weekend: A Day in Monterey

By Kirsten|March 6th, 2011|Uncategorized|

About a five hour drive north of Los Angeles is a magical place called Monterey. A laid back beach town complete with its very own (small scale) Fishmerman’s Wharf. You may not have any good reason to go there, but luckily, I do. My father has lived there for the past ten years and even when I lived clear across the country in New York, I still managed to get there to visit. Being there always feels like a vacation. Not the type of vacation that calls for tropical cocktails with umbrellas on the beach and a teeny bikini, but you always leave feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. The sheer beauty of Monterey is enough to leave you speechless.

This past weekend, we once again made the trek and here are some snapshots of our journey.