New York Poem

My birthday is two weeks from tomorrow. Christmas Eve is two weeks from Friday. Christmas is two weeks from Saturday. And New York, well, New York follows all of that craziness. How did it all come so fast?

I am going to New York after Christmas and I am still in awe of the fact. I probably will be until I land there, and then my awestruck-en-ness will continue throughout my whole trip. I am debating first, which camera to bring...mine, or my dad's. And I am debating what to pack, which is always the dilemma with traveling. I have gotten better over time.

Usually when I travel, I do a lot of lounging, and I think this trip will be the opposite- it'll have me on my feet quite a bit. Any tips? I will have to dress warm. And because I know I need to be somewhat fashionable in one of the most style savvy cities in the world, I ordered a J.Crew pea coat in my very favorite color for my time exploring the city. I can't wait for it to be delivered!

Whites too blah?

All of the interior pictures I was saving for a while from different blogs were pure white rooms with only subtle pops of color in accents. I still find myself drawn to that look, but a part of me is attracted to boho-chic, eclectic worldly style-blends of faded jewel tones, worn in textiles and antiques. And I think that's more naturally me. Not that I need to define myself under a certain style at all, why do people always do that? I somehow feel obligated. Probably the Catholic in me or something. I don't know. Anyway, while I was watching Hanna Montana with my eleven-year-old sister after dinner tonight, I pulled up Anthro's sale section and found this gorgeous Mila rug. Thinking it fits in with that whole boho-chic theme? Makes me think of Mandy Moore's house a little in the movie Because I Said So. I love the way they styled her and her life in that movie.

Hey! Put some new shoes on

The unthinkable is finally happening. A promotion at work I was promised back in March is actually, physically GOING TO take place. Never thought I'd see the day. I'm going to be a NAM. At the office, that stands for National Account Manager, and let's just say I have a pretty bomb account. I'll tell you one thing- my account jives on coffee beans.

I painted my nails tonight, and somehow that makes me feel prepared for the big day. Don't ask me why. And, no, I don't have new shoes for tomorrow, but the idea of "filling new shoes" is what I was getting at. I swapped all my stuff over to my new office space before leaving work this evening. It's your standard cubicle, nothing special. But the whole process of cleaning out one space, and moving to the next is exhilarating in the same sense as decorating a pristine white room is in a new house. It's the whole blank slate thing. Tabula rasa. The same mentality that makes people seek simplicity in January after the new year has set in and fresh goals have been engineered. You know what I'm talking about? In any case, I can't wait!

The Happiness Project

Saturday morning of this past weekend, my MR. and I walked to a park near his neighborhood. If there's one thing that I particularly like about the location of his new home, it's that he's within walking distance of some really great places. Not to mention his parent's house. Not too far off from Everybody Loves Raymond, actually. This particular Saturday we decided to go for a morning stroll to Centennial Lakes. While its not your natural kind of historical pretty park, it really does have some positive elements. The first is that it's a really manageable walking distance, unlike some parks where you're walking, walking, walking and build up anxiety over wondering when the path is ever going to end. The second is that a fair share of elderly couples live in the town homes surrounding the path. Whenever Matt and I go, we without fail see an old couple holding hands walking. I get such a heart warming sensation over seeing that. It's one of my favorite things. No matter how hard of a week I've had, when I see an old love like that,that can withstand time, nothing else seems to matter. The third really great aspect to the park is that at one point of the path, the sidewalk veers directly towards a couple small shops. One is West Elm. I took my MR., my latte, and my beaming attitude right into that gorgeous store and oh boy was I enthralled. Outside of offering home furnishings that tempt you around every corner, in the middle of the store is a small gadget and book area where I found myself starting to page through this book called The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin. The concept caught me at once. I have plans to buy this book soon, with a gift card my generous cousin gave me, but in the meantime I've been reading the author's corresponding blog. Check out this post on 12 tips for getting regular exercise, and the benefits for happiness and fitness...I've listed this 12 tips below- pretty genius! As the author says, the first key to happiness is plenty of sleep and regular exercise!

1. Always exercise on a Monday
2. If at all possible, exercise first thing in the morning
3. Never skip exercising for two days in a row
4. Give yourself credit for the smallest effort
5. Think about context
6. Exercise several times a week
7. Find a way to exercise that doesn't require you to shower afterward
8. Look for affordable ways to make exercising more pleasant or satisfying
9. Think of exercise as part of your essential preparation
10. Dont let the perfect be the enemy of the good
11. Suit up
12. Don't kid yourself

sketching again

Vintage posters like the above always make me inspired.
I'm starting to collect images of a particular style to use as reference for a painting.
My Mr. has asked me to paint something for his new house, and, well, I'm kind of freaking out.
It's a lot of pressure!

wishing...

Wishing.

There are experiences in my life that make me grateful for what I have, and cause me to think that I should live with less and appreciate all of the small things. To be creative with my resources, and focus my money on charity and on savings for the future.

Then, there always comes that longing for something new. Something you crave. Something you saw on someone else that you just have to go buy for yourself. Something you saw in the latest J Crew catalog that for a split second you really think you won't be able to live without.

Then your senses hit you and you realize you can't spend $300 for whatever that item is. So maybe you get the knock-off or cheaper version at Target or some sort of thrift store. Then, since cheap things usually perform cheaply in the end, you end up with a purchase that doesn't withstand wear, or fades, or frays around the edges. So, I'm asking-wishing- I knew when to spend my money and/or splurge, and when to save. There are thousands of blogs about this very topic but I feel like I can hardly ever relate to their writing. Help!

I'm trying to think of something I've paid full price for that I've never regretted in the end. I can't! Can you?

Poppy

There's a restaurant named Poppy. Check it out. Put it on the to-do list for Seattle trip...2011?

autumn leaves of a gingerbread tree

Check out Mila's Daydreams! What a cute little baby fantasy world!

Apartment 34

Apartment 34 wrote a post earlier this month on all the things she's loving for home decorating trends. Like her, I spend a lot of time dreaming about all of the endless opportunities out there to choose from for your house. It can really be overwhelming. It's an investment, so in some ways it really has to be practical- but of course it has to be reflective of you- and for me, that means really creative. In her post, she narrows down seven ideas that bring her vision together. It inspired me to do the same, and actually- a lot of mine are similar!

Hers:
1. dark floors in bright white kitchens
2. tufted ottomans in living rooms
3. an eclectic fireplace mantle
4. vignettes in unexpected places
5. perfectly packed gallery walls
6. subtly sultry bedrooms in her favorite shade of grey
7. a girl's dream closet

Mine:
1. (any) kind of wood floor in a bright white kitchen (plus lots of natural light)
2. a tufted ottoman with gorgeous (inspirational) books and vase of flowers in my living room
3. definitely an eclectic fireplace mantle- with a HUGE colorful painting as centerpiece (need to work on getting a fireplace first- thinking electric? which is sad, i know)
4. a vintage settee or chaise lounge....in a room...with a gallery wall!
5. an inspirational work space with lots of hanging wall space (for pictures and clippings)
6. a vintage- looking chandelier that is the center point and awe of a room
7. a loooong kitchen table with mismatched cloth-covered chairs and a bench on one side

what i ate: august 2

Dinner for one: whole grain bread with flaxseed, cream cheese and fresh dill.
Love the fresh aftertaste of dill long after you've finished your dinner.

what i ate: july 13

My girlfriend Mary and I went to Barbary Fig on Grand Avenue in St. Paul in the middle of July.
The hummus and fresh bread above hint at the Mediterranean feel- definitely worth trying! I had a lentil salad that I forgot to photograph (somehow) and Mary had a green salad. Patio was very airy and secluded. The service was friendly-they almost grateful for business! But what a hidden gem! Barbary Fig has their own parking behind their restaurant too- and if you ask me, you can't beat convenience. It's all about hospitality.

what i ate: july 23

Broder's Restaurant: Edina, MN

Broder's restaurant is located just minutes from 50th & France in Edina. So, if you can hunker your boyfriend into taking a short trip to Anthropologie before making it to this restaurant (a later dinner is more romantic anyways, plus you beat the traffic) I'm guaranteeing you'll have a positively exquisite evening.

The service is warm and bubbly, the crowd is artsy and casual and the food is really going to be sing-song in your mouth. Broder's even offers half-bottles of wine in pretty little carafes with stemless wine glasses. These little things are what make the simple foundation- good food, natural settings- of this restaurant shine. Out on the patio they offer small plates like olives and rosemary roasted almonds- then you can pick on the menu a few cold plates and a few warm plates to share with your other half.

If you're lucky like me last night, you'll be surrounded by happy families with little babies in buggies on all 3 sides of your table, and you'll be transformed into this complete ga ga state of euphoria that you just won't be able to imagine a better way to your night.

stars like dust

...some evenings i'll sprawl on our porch and stare up at the stars- there are so many, without city lights to obscure them, that it seems as if powder has been dusted across the sky-and i feel like the luckiest girl in the world...

it {is} about how we navigate our lives. life, {i} determined, is not about avoiding mistakes. if {i} had chosen to stay put and stifle {my} urge to change, {i} would have done so out of worry and fear. and these were not the stars {i} wanted as guides.

perfect wedding bouquet

everything is right in this room!

the summer life

beach sultry....as if

some juicy new findings

1. mi mi : a wedding planning org that has the most beautiful pics
2. copycatchic.com : just what it sounds like- designer looking home furnishings for half the $$
3. riescreativity : my cousin is a graphic designer, and this is her blog

living color

MY STYLE

CREATIVE & ECLECTIC:
- proclaims a free-spirited, lively personality inspired by both the past and present
- one of a kind, pretty vintage and artisan objects, no matter their pedigree
- sets the stage for casual self-expression that infuses a mix and match look with endearing charm
COLOR:
- have a hard time picking a favorite- try to layer a paintbox full of informal brights
FURNITURE:
- new pieces and matching suites bore me
- happier with exuberant patchwork of eras, styles, upholstery and finishes collected over time (i.e. a new traditional tufted sofa with old-painted wood flea market finds)
PATTERN:
- my artist's eye hasn't seen a check, polka dot, stripe or paisley it hasn't liked, florals are a must
(what will I do when I need to live with a boy?!)
FABRIC:
- collected bits of handiwork, like laces, embroidery, crewel and appliques (some new, some old), reinforce a 'whimsical cottage' look
RUGS:
- comfort above all. must meet the "treat your feet" test
WINDOWS:
- sunshine recharges my creativity
- like translucent fabric, on soft shads or charmingly embellished curtains, to let the light stream in
ACCESSORIES:
- anything handmade speaks to my center
- group collections of paintings, sketches, collages or pottery to achieve a mismatched look

just the most heavenly get-up i have ever seen

white white white

All I can dream about lately are all white rooms, sans one brightly colored painting.

buttery lellow

do not let your fire go out

excerpts from a homemade life, by molly wizenberg (orangette)

molly wizenberg writes with such whimsy in this section, that i just had to post a couple excerpts from this chapter to my blog:

la boule miche (pages 59-64)...on molly's first trip to paris

" our hotel was on a skinny street lined with tall stone buildings that seemed to sit too close to the curb. they reminded me of men in starched suits, puffing out their chests. our room was a sparse, compact cube crammed between a spiral staircase and a central courtyard. it had the usual amenities, but each looked somehow askew, sort of muddled in the translation. the bedspreads were dusty brown, and i'd never seen a bathroom so small. you couldn't open the door without scraping the knees of the person sitting on the toilet or smacking the rear end of someone at the sink." (describing her hotel in paris)

" he pointed through the window to a shelf where flat, floury discs were propped side by side, like books on a shelf. 'but boule might also be short for boulangerie. that's what they call a bakery.'" (molly's dad introducing her to a parisian bakery)

"we stepped inside. a gray-haired woman was standing behind the cash register, busily arranging a stack of long paper bags, the sleeves that clothe baguettes when they are sent out into the world."

"'he pulled a few coins out of his pocket. 'deux croissants et un pain au chocolat, s'il cous plait," he (molly's father) said haltingly." " on the wall opposite the pastry case was a copper counter with a long mirror mounted above it a row of black, velvet-topped stools squatted in front of the counter like spindly mushrooms. we sat down, watching ourselves in the mirror, and ate our pastries: the croissants for him and my mother, the pain au chocolat for me. it crackled when i bit into it, but underneath the shattery crust, it tore into dozens of stretchy layers and strands. the chocolate inside was still warm, and it oozed out the side until i caught it with my finger and brought it back to my mouth. i was sold."

"each morning after that, while my mother was getting dressed, my father and i would walk around the block to the backery. it was always the same order for me: a pain au chocolat and a chocolat chaud. i'd perch myself atop one of the black mushroom caps, kicking my feet against its stem, and lean over the counter to sip the hot chocolate from its white ceramic cup."

"sometimes, for an afternoon snack, he (her father) bought me one of the small, oblong breads-pain passion, they called them-from a basket by the register. later in the day, if i got hungry before dinner, i would stuff a little square of chocolate, the kind they give you in cafes when you order coffee, into itts doughy center. my father beamed."