If you ever get the chance to move in with your best friend who also happens to be a chic urban writer, I suggest you do it. Go big or go home. Then you can literally do both together. ALL THE TIME.

For those of you who don’t know. My best friend is the incredibly talented poet Victoria Lynne McCoy. She is widely published and viciously gifted. Her poems have appeared all over the damn place, including Blackbird, the Offing, and the Paris-American. (I know, right? All those places that keep rejecting you over and over? Like I said: super talented). (They are also rejecting me, I didn’t say that to make you feel bad. We are in this together!!).

Because I’m nosy and nerdy, I always like to see where and how writers live and write. Anytime Aimee Nezhukumatathil posts a photo from inside her home I’m like: hmmm, omg do we have the same throw pillows?? (The answer is no, we don’t. Aimee Nez is fabulous and untouchable). But I always take a look-see, usually disregarding the purpose of the post and snooping in the photo’s background. Sometimes writers post intentional photos of their homes or their desks. I love these! Do this more, writers! Put a #whereiwrite hashtag on there for me so I can find your space on Instagram. *insert just-the-eyes-creeper emoji here*

I call our place a Princess-Tower because we live on the 4th floor, which is really the 5th or 6th story above ground. Compared to actual high-rise buildings this is nothing, I know. But for me I feel like I live high up, and I’m afraid of heights so any higher and I wouldn’t be able to look out my windows.

This is our patio:

See the buildings in the background? Urban!

Now I’ll take you through the rest of the house.

This is our cozy living room. Victoria does the flower arrangements. She is so lovely. A true lady.

That’s a copy of the Missouri Review under the flowers, when you apply to their contest and absolutely do not win it, they put some of your entry fee towards a subscription. Isn’t that nice of them?

We love to read, so books account for the majority of our “decor.” But I feel especially good about this shelf. I gave this ‘Weapons of Mass Creation’ print to Victoria for her birthday a few years ago when she still lived in Brooklyn. And this little dude next to it is a septopus. I rescued him from the bargain bin at Home Goods because he reminded me of Hank from Finding Dory (see above where I mentioned I’m a nerd).

The photo next to our septopus is the transitional space between our living room and dining room where we put some bookshelves and filled them with books and wine. We call this the library. As ya do.

I’m going to save a full photo of our dining room for another day. The lighting wasn’t quite right for photos in there this afternoon so I couldn’t get a great shot (and in reality we had a poetry salon at our place last night and the table was a mess).

But here is our pride and joy: THE BAR CART.

Why yes, that IS a little dingy bell that says ‘Drink Please’ and yes we do ring it when we walk in from work on those-kinda-days. ( or EVERY DAY).

This artwork is an original Leigh White. Since it’s a little obstructed by the Jameson, St. Germaine and Rumchata I’ll let you know that this is a painting of Emily Dickinson and the quote says “The brain is wider than the sky.” I fucking love Leigh White. She is an amazing activist, poet, and visual artist and I suggest you visit her upcoming show at Max Bloom’s Cafe Noir in Fullerton that opened March 3.

Now, don’t take this the wrong way, but let’s move into the bedroom…

Most of this stuff is from Ikea, Home Goods, and Target. I’m not saying we are fancy lady poets, but we do pinch pennies, spend cautiously (except at Target, Target destroys us), and we keep our place in good shape. I get a lot of gratification in coming home to a place that I’m proud of and comfortable in. Also, decorating and cleaning are great ways to procrastinate!

Even though I’ve shamefully filled my room with big chain store purchases, I do like to support local artists by buying and displaying their art. Shout out to that David Bowie print, which is a drawing by a ridiculously talented dude named Dave Van Patten. I’m very excited that his art is also going to grace the cover of my forthcoming chapbook!

I have to end this post soon, because I’m running out of snarky things to say.  All I got here is: I love lamp. (Because I do. I LOVE that lamp).

And, DIRECTIVE? Because of the plants… (These are corny inside-jokes with myself from Anchorman and Wall-E, so yes, I understand if I’m losing you.)

Only one more thing to add, and probably the element of my living space I am most giddy about…(though, I do really love my Nasty Woman t-shirt that I turned into a piece of art to go above my desk). And that’s this part of the closet area where I’ve stashed my lightsaber:

If you’re wondering what color that glows when you turn it on.

Well. Clearly you don’t know ya girl at all.