perfection

welcome to my dream house. i mean, my honest to god, dream house.

it's the cozy new hampshire farm house of the genius behind emersonmade, emerson, and her husband, ryan. i just want to move in rightthisverysecond.

see, this would be my lovely little entryway.

this is where i would do my laundry.

a library for all my very favorite books.

and this perfect kitchen with a farmers sink and a butcher block.

it's heaven, actually, heaven on earth.

boyfrienddddd

i found this a few months ago over on the sartorialist and holy moly did i have a total and complete freak out.

anyone who knows anything about me knows i have this totally weird thing for the "boyfriend" jean. i respect they are in no way flattering. its cool. yet, some how this lady makes them look effortlessly chic. it could be the shoes, but i'm seriously doubting all her coolness is dependent on those oxfords. i'm pretty confident, it's because those jeans are the greatest things i've ever seen.

i bet she is french. all the chic ones are.

catchupppppp.

things i've been doing these past couple months.

one. visiting this dude.

we spent last week bopping around manhattan, and man oh man was the big apple just what i needed. i even wore make up on saturday night (see above, so artfully next to the granola...) so you know a good time was had by all.

two. going to maine.

or, as some people like to call it, heaven.

three. playing dress up.

what is your senior year of college without a few costume parties? the bright red lipstick added a little shock value. now, if only i could charleston.

four. tailgating on saturdays with the greatest roommate of all time.

last tailgate of college is on my birthday. so. psyched. november 20 can't come soon enough.

life has been sweet more often than not, sure missing gt is hard, but you just make do with what you get, blips of bliss here and there.

i'm good at the big picture. reminding myself that all days have potential to be perfect days. we only really get one shot, so i'm just going to keep smiling big and feeling lucky, because, all in all, life is good.

ps. i'm committing to hadleigh-on-sea again. it is going to become a daily destressing technique. inspiration is important, it helps you remember who you are when life gets in the way. i'm excited to be back.

schoooool.

i've left new york and my heart is aching. just nine months until i'm back in the thick of it, and those days seem both so so close and so so far. but, wallowing for yummy meatballs at 2 am, free fridays at moma, walks up 5th to work in the morning to work, and through the village for stoop stealing at night won't do me any good.

i'm back to the land of the pines to finish up my degree, and there are plenty of perks to living senior year to the fullest. tailgating in sundresses every weekend this fall, celebrating my birthday with my amazing friends (and lots of champagne!), comfy sweaters to fill my caffeine dependent late (late) nights at the library, and plenty of trips back up to the big apple to see g.t.

bring it on wake forest. i'm ready.

helloloveliesss

have been getting a lot of grief from g.t. for slacking on this sweet little blog as of late. "still only one blog for the entire month of august? someone has been a bit distracted." enough lip sweet boy. i'm back.

maineisforloversss

i got to spend my weekend in this heavenly spot. my first trip to maine was beyond.

i learned how to eat lobster like a true mainer, jumped off the boat in the middle of the lake because i just had to swim atthatverysecondinthatveryspot, watched an amazing sunset, and fell a lot more in love.

leaving to come back for my last week in the city was unbelievably hard. as much as i love new york, taking everything down a notch for a few days reminds me of a different sort of life, one with what feels like lots more time. so, for these last few days, i'm going to make an effort, to remember every little moment. because, no matter where i am, moosehead or manhattan, i've never felt so lucky.

sweetlifee.

have y'all heard about this hysterical site, catalog living? i just discovered it, and honestly have been in a fit of giggles ever since. it's "a look into the exciting lives of the people who live in your catalogs." it's just too much.

so far, this is my favorite:

"oh that? that's my wish plant. it's where i clip pictures of people who i want dead."

shabbychicccc.

i am completely obsessed with rachel ashwell. i mean, honestly. i love her. how can you not when her philosophy is, "for me, the secret to living well is to surround myself with beautiful things that are practical and deliciously comfortable."

rachel, if you are, for any reason, reading this silly little blog, will you hire me? will you love me like i love you? can we make beautiful white spaces together with fresh flowers, sparkley chandeliers, beds that look like clouds, and little wellies leaning against exposed brick walls? please say yes.

mamaaaa

my mom was in town this weekend, she just left this morning, and i was so sad to see her go. seeing her is always the very best thing. it's strange to think that i'll never live in the same house as my mom. that for the rest of our lives we'll be visiting each other in our respective cities. it's wild. i can't be so grown up yet.

adulthood aside, it was a girls weekend fit for real queens. manicures and pedicures uptown followed by hours spent lost at the met. a day in brooklyn at the flea where we bought so many books we could hardly catch the train home. a night under the stars in bryant park watching monty python. all the while eating so much sushi, i swear we might get mercury poisoning.

as she bordered her plane today at lga, i got the sweetest bbm (i know! carol ann is so hip!) saying, "i'm such a lucky mom." lady could not be more wrong, i'm such a lucky daughter.

ps. when i was a little girl my mom used to make me drink chocolate milk every night at dinner. i absolutely hated it, maybe one day i'll thank her for my strong bones, (never broken one once!) but not anytime soon. i still hate that stuff.

hey dono, you're rad.

world, meet dono, she is almost even beyond rad. my little sister in tridelt, the two of us are an unstoppable duo. little buddy just jumped ship to africa for an adventure and my heart is already aching. for the next 6 months i'll have to fend for myself when i need a partner in crime to dance it out when i'm feeling sad or to eat my body weight in zack's frozen yogurt.

she keeps sending little daily updates about her explorations, (she has already done so much, from climbing cliffs to crossing waterfalls!) and i'm feeling so so proud.

so, dono, i think you're really rad. i couldn't ask for a better person to slap me around when i need to hear sense but also to hold my hand when i'm really needing it. we'll be saving your seat at family dinner until january. i already can't wait.

ps. i love this photo of us. my face is so purposefully awkward, but that embrace could not be any more loving. come home safe bug.

modernnnnloveee.

the other day i was flipping through an old copy of elle and stumbled across this sweet interview with mark duplass and katie aselton. it was a whole bit, young new york couples who are madly in love, but their particular interview was the most memorable. i think you'll see why.

elle: how did you meet?

ka: in a car.

md: on the way to ....

ka: a new year's party. he had just gone through a break up. and i put back the pieces.

md: she glued me.

elle: what is love?

md: i feel like the essence of love is, "do you like the way the other person smells? if you do, you'll get through anything.

elle: what does katie smell like?

md: katie, you smell like, um ... god, i was just about to say something incredibly corny. but it's true. you smell like home.

adlerrrmanifesto

isn't this dual-sided vase hysterical? it's brand new by jonathan adler and called "williamsburg." i've always thought jonathan adler was way hip, but when i walked by his greenwich ave. store the other day and saw his manifesto, i knew that we would could really be bffls.

here were some of my favorite parts:

we believe your home should make you happy.

we believe in being underdressed or overdressed always.

we believe celebrities should pay full price.

we believe colors can't clash.

we believe in irreverent luxury.

keep on believing johnny. i'm right there with you. and know, if you and simon ever need to fill an empty seat at a dinner party i'm so there.

ps. you've all seen simon and jonathan's rad palace in the new book by todd selby, right? if not. check it out. now.

heatwaveee.

ways i've survived the newyorkheatwave 2k10 with no air conditioning:

1. spending time with my greatest friends over a long weekend away where we ate way too much chips and salsa at my favorite mexican restaurant in the entire world. (i've been eating there since i was 4!)

2. taking the ferry to governor's island for some stoop stealing in the old historic district and having a mr. softee (or three...) at picnic point while looking out at the statue of liberty.

3. taking advantage of g.t.'s central air and watching mad men marathons and documentaries on the history channel.

4. discovering that trader joe's has the most amazing mint chip ice cream in the entire world and then eating it by the quart.

5. becoming weirdly obsessed with these goofy things called, silly bandz that i think are meant for 7 year olds yet i can't stop wearing.

6. constantly reminding myself that even if its hot and sticky, life has never ever been sweeter.

stoooop

how perfect is this house? one of my favorite things to do is walk around the west village on a nice summer night and scope out brownstones. last night was perfect night for stoop scoping.

sometimes, i'll even borrow other people's stoops to eat gelato or have a quick sandwich and pretend it's my very own stoop.

maybe one day, but for now, i love this sweet flower covered row house in london. you can't see it, but i bet it has the very best stoop of them all.

independeeeence.

hope that everyone had the most amazing fourth of july. i spent it with friends in the district. it was filled with lots of dancing, cheesing in front of the memorials, and the very best butterscotch ice cream i'd ever had while watching not one, not two, but THREE different fire works shows.

happy birthday america.

carolinaonmymindddd.

g.t. and i wondered into billy reid on bond street this afternoon, and, let me tell you, that southern gent not only knows how to cut a shirt, he also knows how to design a store. it was the perfect worn in prep that ralph lauren over does.

nothing was too much, but nothing was understated, just like the south itself. i honestly could have spent all day there watching g.t. try on linen shirts while i read garden & gun magazine.

made me itch for a glass of sweet tea and the carolina sky.

momsarethebesttt.

growing up my family has always said, "rabbits, rabbits, rabbits" on the first of every month. my dad told it was a british tradition, but while living in london, no one else had ever heard of it. whatever it is, it's a tradition i love.

so, this morning, when i woke up to a sweet e-mail from carol ann wishing me "rabbits, rabbits, rabbits" for july it left the biggest smile on my face. no matter how old you are, mom's are the very very best.

ps. i know, i know, zebras and rabbits are apples and oranges, but this picture is too much.

chalkedddout.

how much do you want to live in this bedroom? i saw it here this morning, and instantly fell in love. reminds me of the tom's architecture wall in 500 days of summer, but better, because instead of imposing buildings, we've got dainty chandeliers and frames to inspire.

dream on sistaaa.

hiatusssss

sorry for going MIA.

life got a little crazy in the best way possible, and my sweet little blog fell by the way side.

hope you all have been beyond stellar, because my life is looking really rad.

i'm about to escape the city for the long weekend and am looking forward to some quality time with the people i love the very most. i'm thinking lots of picnics with lots of wine, live music, and maybe if i'm really lucky, some kite flying too.

welcomeee!

remember kelly ann? my best friend extraordinaire?

well, lady is (finally) committing to her blog, chienne riche, and you all should too! don't let the title push you away, yes it translates to "rich bitch" but KAC is hardly one.

she says, "the blog title is somewhat of a misnomer. i'm not a bitch. i'm just rich in life."

well, my life is a bit richer with her around, and i'm so excited to see what she has to say.

twopeasinapod,etc.

how obsessed are you with this weeks cover of the new yorker? it is just all sorts of adorable. i want to find a print of it to hang on my wall to make me smile every single day.

i love the fire cracker with the match and the quill with the ink well, but my very favorite is the dust pan and the broom.

messy spots need a little love too.

inittowinitttt.

how sweet are these charm necklaces? kcon and i discovered them at the in god we trust on the lower east side over the weekend. they say these obscene phrases, but they are so dainty, you'd never guess it.

at only $40 bucks a pop, i'm thinking this is what everyone will be getting for their birthdays from now on -- custom fit by personalities. garvs, my sassiest friend, will get "talk to the hand" where, gabs, my friend with the great ass will get "big butt and a smile."

i'm crossing my fingers i get "in it to win it" for my brithday. hint. hint. it's only november 20, no pressure dudes.

injurrrry.

that is my father in his modeling days. i'm dying. the 'stach, the ultra suede, the plaid.

i sprained my ankle two days ago, and have been really struggling. i don't do pain well, at all, and with an ankle the size of a grape fruit that at one point was actually purple, my demands are becoming excessive. lucky for me, everyone is taking good care of me, and by taking care of me, i mean putting up with me. g.t. even picked out all the m&ms from the trail mix bag.

with that and pictures like this? i'll be all better in no time.

wowwwwiewow.

what a weekend. so much so, its only now sinking in that it's back to the real world. visiting best friends do that to you.

kelly ann arrived friday night and it was off to the west village for yummy pasta and then a long walk with kgarvs. we even went and stalked the novogratz house on the west end highway. debated taking pictures outside, decided against, and then instantly regretted it. if you're going to stalk, might as well go all the way out.

saturday was spent mulling around soho and then that night we went out in the east village. some of the most fun i've had yet in new york. the best part? watching the sunrise while munching on an appetizer sampler at my now go-to diner.

KAC and i had a killer brunch sunday, where, for the first time ever, i tried eggs benedict and am now certifiably obsessed. we spent a lot of time getting lost in the lower east side afterwards, but not before we checked out zarin fabrics hoping to spot jill. for dinner we met up with casey and her co-worker neely, the genius behind fossil's fantastic blog, and had the greatest time swapping stories at this gem of a spot.

whew. it was the happiest of weekends dudes. i wish it never had to end, but dc in two weeks with conlin and co. should make for one hell of a fourth.

ps. kelly and i are actually incapable of taking a decent picture together. this gem is from three years ago. isn't my mardi gras mask TDF? (to die for, duh.)

hey dad, you're rad

my dad is the raddest dude i know.

there are about 14 million reasons why that is true, including, his ability to make an amazing cup of tea, the way he says the word 'tuesday' with a 'ch' at the beginning, how much he loves my mom, and the way he ends all phone calls with, "okie dokie, bye bye for now."

this is one of my very favorite photos of him. on a trip to england in 2008, he became obsessed with the yellow vests worn by construction workers while on the job. he insisted on buying ones for himself and my two brothers to be worn for all future building projects stateside. sure enough, every time there is a job to be done, these vests come out of hiding.

as i've gotten older and moved away, my dad and i have gotten much closer, i love calling him when i'm walking around new york because he always says, "where are you now? new york city? remember when you lived in london? god. what a life."

have the most rad father's day daddy. i'm sorry i can't be there, but i know you'll have a perfect day filled with lots of world cup watching and a few too many biscuits.

needitnow.

some sequin lust to start my friday off right.

inspirationoverrrridee.

some jak and jil inspiration before i head off to bed.

all three of these looks are really sexy, especially the middle one. there is just something about the back that seems so perfectly ordinary, yet so perfectly naughty.

sweet dreams everyone. xoxo

blondiebaby

when i was a little girl i had the blondest hair. the sort that was white at the ends and would turn green every summer. after the horrific sun-in incident of '01, aka dying my hair orange in steph waugh's bathroom, it was just never the same. artificial 'blonde' felt like such a farce after my true days as a toe head.

my sophomore year of college i decided to hell with it all and died it dark brown. i accidentally become a goth for a few weeks, it slowly faded and now all color gone, i'm au natural. no longer blonde, but instead something impossible to describe -- sort of this chestnut with blonde highlights that looks red in certain lights.

i don't hate it, but, i still miss those carefree days of being a total blondie like this cool chick.

i bet she never was an orange-head, thats for sure.

(i stand corrected. the sun-in incident in fact occurred in meg lowry's hippopotamus wall papered bathroom. steph was quick to point out she had nothing to do with my orange hair.)

tweeettweeeet.

since arriving in new york i've seen a few celebrities -- jlo, cameron diaz, beyonce. i see them, i think, "damn, they look ________ (stunning/botoxed/FIERCE)." and then continue on my way.

apparently, last night john mayer played a 3 am set at the village underground that he announced only on his twitter. i live like THREEBLOCKS from the village underground.

when i was little, i was that girl about jmayer. the one that was always front row, always hyperventilating. while, i've become far more normal with age, i'm still so bummed i missed out. battle studies was my go to jam of choice this past winter.

no bother, i'll see him some other time. i guess this is just a lesson in why people twitter.

140characters4lyfe.

weddddingbelles.

my beautiful cousin sarah, who got engaged last october, has finally set a date for her big day! june 11, 2011 in the south of france.

sarah and her sweet fiance, luke, live in london. i loved nothing more than visiting their little house on sunday nights for take out and the strictly come dancing results show last fall.

she just started looking at dresses, and yesterday sent me a link to the amsale bridal collection. i'd never looked at their gowns before, but ashley and i have been beside ourselves since devouring their website. so far these are my two very favorites, the ella and the coco. (don't you just love when clothing has people names?)

their flag ship store is on madison avenue, and i promised i would check them out soon and send a report across the pond. is it weird that i can't wait?

morning inspiration.

just a few beautiful images to give me a little pick me up this morning.

yesterday was so so lovely. the weather was painfully perfect, it was impossible not to spend time outside. i (finally!) crossed the brooklyn bridge, had the yummiest pizza on the other side, walked back all the way across manhattan and ended up watching the sunset in battery park. it's absurd how much i love this city.

happy wednesday, only a few more days until the weekend. we can do it!

simpleee

i bought my simple diary in january. it was a new years gift to myself. i promised to write everyday, and of course finally (sporadically) started at the beginning of june.

hardly a diary, its instead a series of questions, that you must appropriate to the day you wrote.

for example, was today, a) lacking experience, b) bedazzled, or c) a sure thing? it then asks you something like, "and what is somewhere over the rainbow?" and in the end it always gives you a quote.

todays?

a sunrise has no stage freight.

hey tonis, you're rad

meet one of my very best friends, tonis. she is super.

tonis likes to read harry potter books, eat mint chocochip ice cream everyday, and say really witty things. she lives in dc now, working at a nonprofit and saving the world. every friday she sends out these hysterical recap e-mails. they are always so funny they make me cry. last week it was all about her adventures in grocery shopping. only tonis could turn buying string cheese into a saga.

and, not only is she way funny, she is also way smart, way compassionate, and a way good listener. for my brithday last year, she flew to london to celebrate with me. we spent the day just wondering around the tate modern, drinking tea, and planning our livess.

so, tonis, i think you're really rad. i hate not being able to hang out everyday and pretend like we're hippies, but your 'district' emails make you feel not so far. can't wait to see you on the fourth and live like its earth day.

ps. tonis has a fedora. and she looks cooler than cool in it. told you girl was rad.

whitegirlproblem.

so, i bought a fedora.

i look completely ridiculous when i wear it.

let me repeat. completely. ridiculous.

i tried to wear it to brunch last weekend, and i ended up taking it off and putting my hair into a messy bun, per usual, before i even got my coffee.

how do you wear a fedora without looking as dumb as i know i do? do you take it off inside? do you wear your hair down or up? do you have to wear a plain t-shirt, or is a pattern better?

perhaps i should count my blessings that these are the questions that keep me up at night...lord help me though, because i'm getting sleepy.

whirlwinddd

new york is such a whirlwind. i feel like i stumble back to my computer after a day out, and i'm so overwhelmed with happy thoughts.

what a sweet new york weekend this was. lots of exploring, pubs for the world cup on the lower east side, the Hudson River walk way until the wee hours of the morning, a yummy brunch in the west village, and then to the met for the american woman exhibit.

please pinch me. i feel so lucky.

ps. isn't that a neat picture? times square in the 1950s. i can't stand time square now, too many people all looking up, but everything was a bit more glam back then i think. even craning your necks.

hey casey, you're rad

this is my sister-in-law casey. she is way cool. i mean, way, way, cool.

casey started dating my older brother, phil, when i was in 4th grade, so she has been around forever and ever, but i like it that way. she is so creative it hurts all over. she is now super important at fossil and gets to travel all over the world to shop and scope out trends for upcoming seasons. (told you her coolness hurts.)

when she isn't at work, casey and phil love to take their dog boomer on walks, eat yummy vegetarian food, and watch american idol with their cat pee wee in their perfect little house. casey is an amazing interior designer. their house was even featured on d*sponge! (and if that isn't enough, check out the business she runs from home in her "free time.")

so, casey, i think you are really rad. i'm super happy phil was smart enough to catch you when he did, and that you love him as much as you do, because you make thanksgiving and christmas a lot more fun. i absolutely can't wait for you to come to new york this summer.