Ballet & Tuesday

Dance classes often get me through the week.  It's like a vacation or a party; something to look forward too.  With the main exception being, I try not to sweat up a storm on vacations/ at parties.  Really, vacations/parties that require as little exertion are probably the best in my book.  Anyway.  Getting away from that simile, ballet brings me back to center.  It de-stress-ifies meh.  Probably should be going every day : )

Also soothing is Lina Moreno's photo stream on Flickr.  So many great dace shots.  They're bliss for you eyeballs.  (She's got a rad blog too!)

Coffee Enthusiast Shame

I just found this amazing photo at Desserts For Breakfast.  First thought was, "Dang.  Wish I was visiting Portland soon, I'd definitely order up one of these suckers at Stumptown!"  Then I realized... Stumptown's world famous NYC location is just 10 blocks north my office.  That's an 8 minute walk in flats/jay-walking (12-15 in heels/ observing pedestrian laws).  Keehee, oops.  Shame on me.  Really got to check that place out.  Maybe in 2 weeks.  Little brother*, sister and I should take a sibling excursion there.  We three love, love, love our coff-ee!!!

* My brother just bought a super incredible JCW Mini Cooper in NYC!  He's going to fly out here, hang out on a mini-vaca and then take it back to California via road-trip.  Doesn't that sound like the most fun and amazing adventure?!!!

Pssst, my fave chocolatiers use Stumptown roast in one of their divine dark coco bars too : )

No FfF

Hi guys!
Sorry, no 'four' today.  Just some apology flowers.  Friday totally got away from me; work is completely nutz-o.  I hope y'all have a great weekend.  I'm going to sneak in a few fun things.  (An Ethiopian dinner to night with my sis and drinks at my favorite beer garden!  And a double date brunch with friends!)  Other than that, I'll be tied down in the office, furiously sketching away.  See you Monday!

Blooms from Floret Cadet, aka my happy place.

Modern, Danish Modern

Yeah, I dig the Danes. I like the contemporary takes on mid century modern too. One of the master furniture furnish-ers, Jens Risom has collaborated with Rocket and Benchmark to reissue amazing pieces from the 50s and 60s. Oh. My. Gawd! Want. It. All!!!

If you're like, "Hugh? I don't grasp the gravity. Re-issued Risoms for sale? It's just like... chairs and stuff?" Let me explain. People, his furniture is at MOMA! This is art.

Pretty Palette/ J'ai la pêche

I spent the weekend conjugating irregular French verbs and memorizing a few idiomatic phrases.  Hence, "J'ai la pêche!"  I'm peachy!*

On another note, I get really bummed out when the winter merriment is sucked from the atmosphere, post December holidays.  No more twinkling lights or tinsel.  No cheery bells or carols.  Boo.

One way to keep the winter holidays rockin' on?  Peachy parties!  Personally, I'm thinking 'party of one'.  Me, a couple champagne cocktails, a batch of pink hued cookies in the oven, and a freshly re-potted poinsettia bloom in the window sill.  ('Course you could totally use this rosy-glow-meets-winter-white theme for a real party!  Pretty!!!)

All this bush is a perfect segway into February's holiday.  Yep.  Valentines is nearly upon us!!!

Images clockwise from far left:
- Sequin & color block dress By Malene Birger, on sale at Shop Bop  (Psst, wear it to work with this and these!  Transition to evening with this, this and these in black!!!)
- Poinsettia photo by Sandra Juto, on Flickr- White Chocolate & Cherry Shortbread Cookies from Love and Olive Oil
- Pink heulandite ring from Adina Mills, available on Shop Bop
- Bellinis from What to Drink

* Technically, it's "I have the peach."

Today's Duty

Jury Duty today.  Grrr.  (Just because it's my civic obligation doesn't mean I have to like it!)  I'm only half serious.  If I wasn't supposed to be furiously sketching up "Holiday 2012" at work I wouldn't be growling about reporting for duty.  : ) 

I have a post saved up for later today.  Come check back a little later!

Print available on Etsy

Riding the Monday 'Coaster

I'm having a tumultuous, roller coaster type of Monday. 

On the one hand it's Monday (ugh).  I did have a wonderful, relaxing weekend, plus it snowed (yay)!  Today all the pretty snow is nasty slush and hard-packed ice (total ugh).  I did find out that my company is sending me on some international travel; Seoul and Hong Kong here I come (yay).  Unfortunately,  I have a huge deadline this week (ugh).  And I have jury duty tomorrow.  Probably Wednesday too (double ugh).  I'm going to be able to make dance classes after jury-ing though (yay)!!!  Which means I have to eat bananas and drink coconut water so my feet and legs don't cramp (ugh-GAG).

Dog daydreams by Scott King on Flickr

Four for Friday

Sorry I was MIA yesterday, peeps!  Thursday sort of ran away from me (seriously, like a cheetah).  But I'm back to say farewell to you and "Jan week 3".  I hope you make the most of the weekend!  Happy (almost) Chinese & Korean New Year!

- Head over to Refinery 29 for an awesome loft-space feature.  Blogger Erin Heimstra of Apartment 34 shares some style Q&A, plus 20 pics of her place.  (It's really, really cool!)

- I soooo want to visit Abu Dhabi right now.  Jamie Beck of From Me, To You is covering Puma's ocean racing competition there now!  Look through all the photos!  Beautiful colors!  Warm weather!!!

- New find?  Of A Kind!  The two lady-bloggers, Claire Mazur & Erica Cerulo, work with emerging designers on limited edition collaborative pieces.  Chic duds, yo!  Go take a lookie!  Featured on A Cup of Joe.

- One of my favorite illustrators, Bernadette Pascua, of the blog Decade, just launched a new portfolio site.  Go visit all her gorgeous renderings!

Mademoiselle Bagatelles

I've been living "Holiday 2012 Research Mania" for the past three weeks.  Overwhelming?  Yes.  Overwhelming trend?  Deco is back, baby!  Fashion is roaring with 20's influence.  From seamed and garter-ed stockings to drop waist dresses, the jazz age is blowing up.  I'm loving these retro-look clutches in pretty deco prints and Jacquards.  Visit Mademoiselle Bagatelles for loads more of these pretties!

Snow Bouquet, Pretty Please?

The weather in NYC is yuuu-cky!  And I have a headache.  In my moodiness, I want to tell the sky, "Rain is so last season!!!"  I'm sure Mr. Weather wouldn't appreciate my snide comment.  I'd probably get another bucketful of gutter water splashed on my feet.

Oh snow.  Where are you?  You should show up later with a bouquet of flowers for me.

Image from 100 Layer Cake, by Sarah Culver Photography

Interior Lust/ Office Space

These are the four desk's that make up Public School (a creative studio comprised of designers, illustrators and photographers based in Austin).  I love clean, eclectic creative environments.  Chalk boards and a sleepy Boston Terrier?  Major Bonus : )  Check out more fab offices at From The Desk Of.

Found via 101 Cookbooks

Four for Friday

FfF pre-prose are gonna be concise.  I've got a ton of stuff to wrap up today.  TGIF people.  Enjoy that upcoming weekend.  Lord-y knows, I will!!!

- A coworker told me about SF Girl By The Bay eons ago.  What can I say?  Lil slow to join the par-tay.  But I'm a joiner now!  This blog ROCKS!!!

- Honey Of A Thousand Flowers is floral-blog paradise!  Sarah Winward crafts magnificent tangles of lush blooms.  Though based in Salt Lake City, Utah, she's available for travel!

- It's been a while since I visited Sunday Suppers (thanks for the FB link Benny!).  I'm digging the sound of this chocolate creme & lavender pie.

- I recently re-discovered Alberto Cerriteño.  This talented Mexican designer conjures up all sorts of fantastic creatures and in charming dream-scapes.  Peruse his print shop!  I've got this design as a gela skin on my phone!

Color Crush

I've been viewing a ton of Pre-Fall collections this week.  Loving the combo of hot pink and basic brown that keeps popping up!  I love, love, love electric pink but cannot handle when it's back to black.  Too vamp-y for me.  A neutral skirt, pump, or printed coats makes this ultra-pink pink very wearable!

Looks left to right: Nina Ricci, Peter Som & Yigal Azrouel

Pretty Picture/ Sasha Prood

Funny story...

I had this blog post saved up.  For a while.  Like, it's probably been in my drafts folder for two months.  

Then Monday, January 2nd rolled around and the BF and I finally celebrated our Christmas.  Halfway through the gift exchange I unwrapped this lovely print.  He knew I'd love Sasha's work without my ever mentioning her name.  He had actually be emailing her and waiting for this prints edition to debut for over a year.  (What a sweetie!!!)

Sasha Prood hails from Philly and now resides in Brooklyn.  Her art includes hand and computer rendered typography, illustrations and graphics.  Prood enjoys subjects of the organic, natural and scientific kind.  I'm a super fan of her various plant themed designs.  Her obre-hued water color fonts are favorites of mine too, not to mention all her branding work with Madewell and J. Crew! Check out her portfolio and what's for sale in the print shop.  You're sure to fall in love with something!

I discovered Sasha's work via Wit & Delight

Trinkets/ Brassy Bars

This necklace is soooo cool!  The bar beads are a super mod shape and the brass color adds a lovely natural element.  They will look incredible as they begin to age, gaining a crusty green patina.  (Of course you can polish them back to new anytime.)  Don't you dig how some beads are powder coated pink, white and black? 

Necklace by Iacoli and Mcallister, available on Sight Unseen
Found via You Are My Fave

Pre-Fall 2012

I know.  This is sort of a recycled post with new photos.  But hey, that's fashion.  Recycled ideas, colors, fabrics, trims.  Hopefully that's convincing enough to render this post "new subject matter." 

So.  OMG.  I love Erdem's floral prints.

Erdem Pre-Fall 2012 collection via Style.com & floral arrangement of Poppies and Amaryllis by Amy Merrick, first featured on Design Sponge

Four for Friday

Howdy there and a very happy Friday to you all!  I cannot wait to be a lazy bum this weekend.  (So excited!!!)  The only thing on my to-do list is this movie.  Oh, and maybe eat some pumpkin pie (made by the BF).  Besides that, it's gonna be lay-zeeee-ness all the way!  See you Monday, when I'm back to being productive : |

- Wanna whip up a chic dish or drink?  Head over to the Sassy Radish!  Brooklynite Olga Massov (who hails from Russia) offers up some stunning and I assume splendid tasting recipes.  Quinoa with Brussels Sprouts and Pumpkin?  Gonna get myself to the market!!!  Psst, she's hilarious too- read about her beguiling drinking adventures here!

- The Small Object is the cutest lil place, you ever did see!  The shop is filled with bitty trinkets galore.  Owner, Sarah Neuburger specializes in fashioning little wooden figurines (wedding cake toppers!) and there are lots of other quirky items too, including the most adorable rubber stamps ever!  (I own this stamp and I want this print!!)  For some extra fun, check out Sarah's blog too.

-  The Purl Bee has me thinking that I should start knitting again.  Oh how I would love a sheer tee, this matching neon cap and cowl or a chunky 2-color throw.  Can I fit another hobby into the cold weather months?  Perhaps.  I mean, these knitted suckers are stinkin' cute!  I'm feeling inspired.

- Get lost in a land of pretty, at Eat Drink Chic.  This blog is definitely getting added to my Google Reader list!  I discovered these gorgeous little holiday tags.  A must for next year!  I'm crushing on these puppy pillows too! (Mugs by Sono Design)

Getting Card-ed

Check out my beeeeea-utiful new business cards!!!  I love thoughtful gifts that can be put to good use, are shareable, and well designed.  These were a perfect Christmas present.  I have yet to hand out my first one... but I sure am excited!  An enormous "thank you" to my incredibly talented, sweetheart of a boyfriend!  To see more of his work visit his site.  If you too are a super-fan of his style and need a little design work done, send an email!

Jetting Off (For Another Day)

No sooner do I return to my sweet city, than I find myself flying off again.  Oh, woe is mine.  I'm visiting a snow-covered Ohio today.  Hopefully the flurries are gentle!  I will be a very grumpy gal if my return flight is grounded this evening.     

May your day be warmer, less stormy and demand less travel than mine.  Talk to you all tomorrow!

Paper plane wall decal available on Etsy

Belated Happy Birthday Wishes!!!

While I was in California, both my dad and sister celebrated their birthdays!  I was so happy to spend 10 days relaxing with them; work and blog free.  But of course, they can't go without getting a w&w birthday shout-outs!  Happy, happy birthday to my papa and little snow-face-foo-foo!  Wishing you all the best in the year to come.  Love you both so sooooo much!!!

Photos left to right,
- Flower photo by Corbin Gerkin on Style Me Pretty, found via Pinterest
- Cupcake photo by Paul Barbera on Marlein Overakker, found via Chica Bu
- Balloon image via Gala Darling

Bonne Année!

Happy 2012 dear friends!  I hope you had a lovely holiday season. 

I'm back from winter vacation.  California was beautiful, sunny and often brisk.  The past couple days have been much the same in New York, just much, much brisk-er.  It's still pretty-winter.  No muddy slush yet : )

The last week has actually been super stressful for me.  A lot of inner turmoil.  Mostly just making mountains out of molehills.  But, the past couple days I've been thinking... I don't really do resolutions- maybe that should be the first change of 2012?  So I've written a few things written down.  They're goals.  (Resolutions can be so ambiguous.) 


I'm starting out with 5 items.  They're not crazy-challenging.  (I'll be continuing to "study French" and working to "enjoy winter".)  I think I'll be able to tackle them without getting freak-out-intimidated.  Off to a good start!

What about you?  Big plans for 2012?  (Best of luck!!!)

Sparkler star pin available on Etsy