true blue beauty

my pintrest via Ksymena G

I know, I know, this is not Kate Middleton (who, like the rest of you, I’ve been admiring all day….since my alarm went off an hour earlier to catch the walk down the aisle), but I came upon this photograph on pintrest this morning and I just can’t stop looking at her (her being Ukrainian model Alina Baikova)!  The expression, the perfect shade of blue, her dramatic yet simultaneously natural eyes, that hair! Or maybe it’s because I can’t get enough of cobalt/sapphire blue, which I’m wearing today. It’s like an exotic version of navy, and equally chic when done right.  Almost a little Catherine Deneuve-like, right? I’m in love.  

tw♥years

Brian and I just hit our 2 yr mark. All I have to say is wowza….and that I love you as much as I did 730 days ago. 

I made him a super sappy yet coffee table appropriate book by blurb for our anniversary.  I will post on this later. Until then, just wanted to share some more Max Wanger photographs (remember these?)– spectacles of beauty, aren’t they? ♥

better in hawaii?

{photographs by Mark Holladay Lee, Hawaii}

On options...

Lately I haven’t been able to kick this Hawaii bug – I think about it at least once a day, and keep discovering more neat people via their blogs, beautiful art and other cool things that come from here.  Besides being heaven on earth, the slower lifestyle appeals to me more and more with each passing second.  I am so happy to feel the sun right now in New York, which I know we’ll have an abundance of in the summer…..so this feeling inside of me to make a move and to take a chance is about more than just weather.  It’s about wanting to be in an environment where people aren’t so tough on themselves and where life is simplier.  I love this big, scary, wonderful city of New York, but man, I’ll tell ya—it’s a tough place.   Unless you can afford to enjoy a lifestyle that makes the day-to-day easier, it’s a tough place to live, a tough place to breath, a tough place to work, and (I’m going to go out on a limb here), the TOUGHEST place to experience your morning commute.  I’m all for the lesser carbon impact of public transportation, but so over the frustrated mood I’m in before even entering my office.  The thing is, growing up, New York was the only city I ever wanted to live in.  It was kind of like a no-brainer to me—in so many ways I still find it so magical.  And I’m so glad I’ve done it, and also wouldn’t be surprised if I spent some more time here.  I’m writing about this because I want to acknowledge a notable change lately in what I thought I’ve always wanted.  Ya know that feeling?  It’s like your mind is suddenly in a place between the old and the new.  The “now” isn’t so sure – which is okay and I suppose even great, as it’s like I can feel my mind growing and my ideas shifting toward new horizons.  Horizons that are just as possible as my childhood dream of moving to New York was – I did it, I conquered.   It’s %50 awesome, %50 terrifying.  And believe you me, this change-resistant girl is moving like a snail, but I’m moving….

Some people say it’s not where you are but who you’re around that really matters (thanks dave mathews), while others would prefer to skip around the globe by themselves…..I’m not sure exactly where I fit in these two extremes, but I also don’t think I need to chose one.  All that I do know is “we are where we’re suppose to be right now” (I love when my mom tells me this) and that really, we can do whatever the hell we want to with our lives.  Live big, like small, move there, stay here, raise a family, settle for less, keep hoping for more.  THIS is the coolest gift of life, don’t you think?  New York doesn’t have to be the answer for me, but it is where I am suppose to be right now….you are where you’re suppose to be right now…..

…..and maybe Hawaii isn’t too far away…… I guess it’s nice to know we always have options.  

2spaces

so, this is where I’ll live

and this is where I’ll play

are these DREAMY or are these dreamy?

happy sunshine day ♥

{image one, the cover image of Dwell’s new book, Undecorate / image two + three, Sweedish apartment spotted here} 

free advice

{via stay fancy free}

isn't it the truth. 

what is important to you?

Before I Die, designed and installed by Candy Chang.

My list is so long, but I can't stop thinking about how I'd fill just one of these lines given the chance. I think it'd be something along the lines of "UNDERSTAND" and "be ok with not understanding" (image 4).  I also loved "see my grandkids do well." I still have goosebumps.

"What is important to you?"


{All photos by Civic Center}

seeing chevron

If this optical illusion hasn’t already made you feel like you’re about to pass out, and in case it’s not clear by the above page, I just wanted to spread the news about how much I love chevron! Chevron pillows, chevron rugs, chevron trays….it’s a chevron life lately on my end.  I know this page is bleeding the black and white zigzag mark, but it’s also kinda amazing in yellow, reds, blues and oranges. Ok, now I’m getting dizzy…..

check out these spaces to see how stylish this power print looks when applied to interiors.

Tranquil meets hip bathroom / DIY chevron drapes

Happy pseudo Friday friends! ♥

{west elm rug / curtains from etsy / west elm bath mat / tray from etsy / urban outfitters duvet / image via}

job perks.

Strolling around the D&D Building last week (my place of work) with my fantastic friend Jennan, the blog editor (and so much more) for Go Design Go, we happened upon Brooke Shields.  BIG DEAL. The day this stops becoming a big deal.....well, actually it won't.  And I thought the day I met my childhood dream crush, Ross Gellar...I mean....David Schwimmer, was a big deal.  David, you'll never know how much I enjoyed our moment, but hey, you weren't in The Blue Lagoon!  In all seriousness, Brooke was really fabulous and charming and normal, and was extremely patient and willing to chat with Jennan and I. I know, I know, the picture is kind of awesome (a minor camera malfunction explains my "so over this" look, which I was so NOT), but you've got to check out the rest of Jennan's article(s), too.  So there ya have it....two talented ladies....one posing with me, the other writing a story with my and Brooke Shields name in the same paragraph. I guess you'd call that a cool day......

here!! -> my star studded second

xo (thank you jennan)

the art of looking cool

photo via

and again, via

....almost too cool for school. some of my favorite looks for spring, and life. kind of perfect, no?

"but your soul you must keep totally free"

this song always sets everything straight for me, and so does reminding myself of this everyday. cheers to your soul and mine.  xo

future secret garden

I have decided that my absolute favorite part of thinking about the future is thinking about the garden I will keep for my family and me.  I have yet to figure out where I’ll want to settle down, nor do I feel the urgency to do so at this time in my life, but besides the one constant factor about my future (this being always being near the people I love), the only other thing I know for sure is that I was to make my own secret garden…..secret garden slash patio/veranda/porch (a girls gotta be practical).  I think the years of anticipating my Mom’s floral scheme for the porch every year, and basking in her beautiful creations on summer afternoons initially planted the seed for me.  That, and taking the annual tour around my Grandmother’s garden with her, learning about bleeding hearts and petunias as a child.  And oh yes, how about all of the stellar wine (late)nights spent under the stars with some cool people….(insert dreamy smile).  I can’t wait to see my future kids playing in my future garden, and can’t wait for my future husband and I to listen to Van Morrison late into the night in the shadows of viney leaves and overgrown morning glories.  I can’t wait to drink coffee with my Mom in the early morning here, and to prepare lovely dinner parties on sticky, hot summer evenings for my friends.  I just think these kind of moments are the best thing ever, and the garden/patio is the best stage for them to unfold on. I know I sound like such a lofty, whimsical dreamer – but in a life in which there is so much we cannot control, I see no harm in fantasizing about and fulfilling the small and simple luxuries in life….and keeping your eyes on the sweet little dreams that make your heart go pitter patter.  OKAY, so a dreamer and extra sappy today....what can I say?                 

my grandmother diane + my cousin emily, 1995

via pinterest, here

"As long as you have a garden you have a future and as long as you have a future you are alive." 

- The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

daffodils

Daffodils by Alex Mogilevsky

One of my favorite ways to spend my time while living in New York City is to spend it with the unbelievably wonderful 10-year old girl I babysit, Alice. I've always loved being around children, and have always been particularly fond of their company.  I really like who I am around them—I feel like I shine, like this is what I’m good at. I’m super lucky to have spent my days with some exceptional ones. Here in NY, Alice is just that: exceptional.  While babysitting her last night for the first time in a while, we decided to take a walk her upper east side neighborhood and then continued our chat in her courtyard, taking a seat on a bench with our backs facing a perfectly manicured row of daffodils.  Alice’s face lit up when I identified the flowers as being daffodils, as she had been preparing all week for an in-class presentation of William Wordsworth’s poem about these very flowers.  Being the cutest, sweetest gal that she is, she snapped two daffodils up from the ground and insisted we both hold one while she recited her poem for me. It was beyond cute.  We then got into talking about spring, and nature, and how magical the patterns in nature are (she actually said, in an existentialist prose, “yah, like what is a zebra?”), and I couldn’t stop smiling thinking to myself: what an old soul.  Here is this born and raised city girl, surrounded by a bajillion images and advertisements and toys and fancy sofas and clothes perennially displayed in store windows, the positive/negative side effect of living in this urban atmosphere that have been getting me down lately, and for the first time in a while, I returned to earth (figuratively, of course) and stopped thinking about all of the “stuff.” All of the stuff that I see everyday (again, another positive/negative side effect of working in an industry and building surrounded by pretty things, but nonetheless things), and all of the stuff that I suddenly find myself wanting – things that didn’t matter to me yesterday and things I can’t take my mind off of now.  It’s hard to draw the line between being creative and being obsessive—the two often go hand in hand and healthy doses of both often results in success….but when obsessive takes over (hello!...spending hours obsessively looking on the internet for the perfect and perfectly priced area rug that this 20-something can actually afford) it’s exhausting, draining and perspective-skewing.  As silly as it may sound, this sweet, lovely New York moment that I had with my fave 10 year old literally yanked my mind right out of a material rut, and back to the daffodils.  

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed--and gazed--but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

- william wordsworth

A host, of golden daffodils;

these are a few of my favorite things....

(1) ROSES. photograph of Mona Vale, a homestead and rosegarden in New Zealand. photograph barrowed from one of my new favorite blogs, this paticular post featuring the favorites of Keya Matthews (the PR for Lonely Hearts). I'm so glad I read this post today, as this picture alone made my day...as did her love for Stevie Nicks.

Hi friends! In case you’ve been wondering where I’ve been….well, me too! Between having 3 wisdom teeth yanked late last week and being cooped up (comfortably, as you can imagine) in my apartment for 4 days straight – this can’t be healthy—I just haven’t been in much of a blogging mood lately….I wouldn’t go as far to say that I’ve been in a blah mood….more just wrapped up in everything going on.  I’ve missed writing, and missing visually lettin’ some of my creative freak flag fly….but sometimes the moment, the day, just seems to be enough.  My darlin mom always says that a girl should never spread herself too thin.  So I’m sorry I haven’t been sharing more, but I’d rather do when it’s some quality love I’m spreading…..

....in the meantime, hope these things of beauty rub off on you, too J Speaking of: (2) STEVIE NICKS, in all of her glory......

....which brings me to numero (3) the eternal coolness and importance of personal style. this gal nails it, right?



pants by celine, image via





 

the promised land

hi friends! rainy/snowy day here in new york. it's spring somewhere, but until that sun rears its glorious head, here's the music that's running through my head, substituting that feeling we're all waiting for, the feeling of spring, and what it brings. man, i love how music makes you feel. and spring. and e. e. cummings.

(this song always reminds me of a fantastic, silly memory....scene: bonnaroo 2008, walking around the wonderful, sun drenched grounds looking for a concert to set up camp at for a while.  somewhere between "that tent" and "which tent" (no, really) the sweet sounds of rilo kiley were heard in the background, and my best friend eugenie, who was so stoked to see this rad band in concert, just started running.  running straight to jenny lewis. everyone was like "hey wait, where's eugenie going!" and all that i can remember is seeing her bolt to the stage, arms outstretched and backpack flapping in the air behind her. i love witnessing these moments of true, free, uncontrollable happiness).

happy weekend, everyone.  keep on keepin' on, spring is coming.