What the Font?

· handmade love ·

2012-02-14T21:56:00.007-05:00

This year I made a few simple valentine's and sent them to my parents, my brother's family and my best friend. I'm not good at doing this every year, but this year I found some simple hearts at paper source that I liked. I hope my recipients enjoyed them!

Here's what I did a couple years ago for valentine's day.

· i spy ·

2012-02-10T16:54:00.013-05:00

Who wasn't mesmerized by the wedding photos of Lauren Bush and David Lauren in Vogue magazine?! I know I definitely had wedding envy while flipping through their gorgeous photos. And then my eyes landed on the bracelet Lauren is wearing in the above photo...
because it's my bracelet! Ok, so it's not "my" bracelet, but I do own a very similar bracelet. I'm kinda wondering where she got her bracelet, because unfortunately I have no idea who made the bracelet I have. I received my bracelet from my mom who brought it back from a trip she went on a few years ago...either from the Caymans or Florida...I can't remember. Does anyone have any idea who designed these pretty bracelets?

(top and middle photo by Bruce Weber)

· shiny & bright ·

2012-02-06T16:33:00.006-05:00

This gorgeous odette arrow cuff bracelet in brass and this leather baggu small pouch in a limited edition yellow.

· pink on pink ·

2012-01-30T16:47:00.003-05:00

Just a little cuteness for your Monday afternoon...my 5 yr old niece in her pink tutu, pink leggings, pink puffy jacket and pink star socks (whole outfit not pictured). Oh childhood...sometimes I miss you.

· love ·

2012-01-26T15:15:00.004-05:00

If you're not already familiar with Odette NY and MCMC Fragrances...well, you should be. I am fortunate to know the two lovely ladies behind these companies and I am always blown away by the beautiful things they create. In their shared studio in Brooklyn, Jennifer designs and creates stunning and unique pieces of jewelry and Anne creates beautifully fragrant perfumes and oils. For Valentine's Day they have collaborated to offer two of my personal favorites from their collections: Love perfume oil & Arrow ring in brass. What a perfect combination for that special someone...or even to show a little love to yourself!

(Image via Odette NY)

· in my bag ·

2012-01-23T21:10:00.006-05:00

I have to admit, I am totally one of those people who likes to know what items people carry around with them. That's why I've always enjoyed "in the bag" posts and I can't believe it's taken me this long to do one myself. So without further ado... the bag I'm currently carrying is this red quilted Banana Republic bag (from many years ago), I consider it my Christmas/Wintry bag, and it's probably the largest purse that I own. And although I own several purses/bags, I really don't like switching out my bags from day to day, so throughout the year I try to keep my everyday bag fairly neutral and also fairly small. But since there is plenty of room in this bag, I have quite a few items to share with you:

• madewell polka dot fingerless mittens
• eos hand lotion
• smith's rosebud salve in a tube
• revlon lip butter in fig jam
• fresh sugar lip balm in plum
• clinique chubby stick in chunky cherry
• too faced glamour gloss in flirt & perfect lips liner in perfect nude (free gift with purchase from ulta)
• cg wetslicks amazemint in freedom of peach
• stila lip glaze in red apple (purchased on sale at j.crew for $5)
• my warby parker prescription frames in colton sandalwood matte (love this company!)
• sephora pop-up travel brush
• silver id case/wallet
• pill capsule (must have advil on hand!)
• anthropologie sunglasses
• madewell pocket wallet
(I use this wallet to hold gift cards/coupons/discount cards)
• flip & tumble reusable bag
• the seven year pen
• traumeel cream (I gotta bum shoulder.)
• gum

(p.s. I may have a slight problem when it comes to purchasing lip products.)

And here are a few of my favorite "in the bag" posts by Ashley, Lauren and Tessica.

· weekend goodness: a baby shower ·

2012-01-19T00:58:00.016-05:00

This past weekend I attended a surprise baby shower for my good friend Keli. Thankfully it went off without a hitch and she was very surprised! The theme of the shower was "Cute as a Button", and the hostesses did such a lovely job with the decorations. I love the simple (yet very creative!) use of colorful buttons...you'll notice them scattered around the room, incorporated in the cupcake frosting, used to create framed artwork and glued to pretty ribbons. I may have to steal their ideas for future showers!

It was a delightful afternoon showering Keli with love and gifts! And we can't wait to meet this little bundle of joy that will be gracing us with her presence very soon!

· 200 ·

2012-01-16T14:06:00.024-05:00

Last week I realized that I was about to hit my 200th post. I don't really keep track of what I do around here, but I know I average about one post a week and since March marks the four year anniversary of this here blog...that number kinda makes sense.
So here's a little round-up of some of my favorite photos that I've posted over the years.

And thank you to everyone who stops by to say hello...I appreciate your interest in this little blog of mine. :)

· fall to winter ·

2012-01-12T22:02:00.008-05:00

Somewhere along the way the seasons changed and we went from fall to winter. Wow, time sure does fly!

· pasta night ·

2012-01-08T13:36:00.009-05:00

I met Brandi back in November at this pop-up shop in NJ, where she provided several yummy treats...the most favorite of the treats being her Dark Chocolate Dipped Citrus Olive Oil Cake (so good!). After chatting with Brandi I learned that she had just moved to DC, so she's practically my neighbor! We soon had made plans to get together, and since she loves to cook, she offered to have me over for homemade pasta. So the week before Christmas Brandi kindly prepared an awesome meal for us, which included linguine with garlic and basil...easily the best linguine I have ever had. I didn't get a photo of the dessert, but it was also quite yummy, brandied apples with vanilla bean ice cream and a cup of hot apple cider...perfect winter dessert.

Thanks again to Brandi for being such a generous hostess, I really enjoyed getting to know you better and I look forward to our next meet up!

Visit Brandi at: not your average ordinary, and at her food blog pizzelles.

· christmas ·

2012-01-02T13:54:00.010-05:00

So I guess I took a little Christmas siesta...I didn't exactly plan it, but I'm not gonna lie, it felt good. It was nice to just focus on the season and enjoy being with family and friends. My family had a nice Christmas; we enjoyed watching my brother's five kids open gifts, play with their new toys/gadgets and as kind of a family tradition, we sat around the dining room table playing "Say Anything" late at night. It was really nice. Oh, and my mom and I got a good laugh on Christmas morning when the monkey bread went a little crazy...never-mind how it looked, it was quite yummy! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...here's to a new year full of possibilities!

· wishlist 2011 ·

2011-12-14T10:29:00.009-05:00

Christmas 2011 by kscott featuring stripe socks

A few items on my Christmas list this year. And yes, those are dunkin' donuts k-cups and a coffee grinder...because sometimes you want good coffee fast via the keurig and sometimes you want good coffee slow via the french press.

What's on your wishlist?

{here's what I wished for in 2010}

· i want ·

2011-12-06T22:58:00.002-05:00

Did you see these over on design sponge? I love pigeon toe ceramics and shanna murray...and now they're collaborating...beautiful. I just wish I could go to the Portland Bazaar this coming weekend, but alas, I'm in DC. :(

p.s. I'm loving my shanna murray wall decal.

· weekend goodness: a christmas festivity ·

2011-12-05T02:44:00.002-05:00

My roommate and I kicked-off this holiday season with a little Pre-Christmas Christmas gathering. We had fun decorating, baking, cooking and lighting the many candles that adorn our cozy place to prepare for our friends to arrive. We wanted to make sure we had a good mix of sweet and savory foods, so we included the following items on our menu: bite-size grilled cheese and tomato soup, sweet & sour kielbasa kabobs, mini cheesecakes, camembert and pear slices...and the usual suspects like veggies & dip, mixed nuts and olives. Our featured beverages were two cocktail mixes: a traditional Pimm's Cup Cocktail and a sparkling mix of champagne, goldschläger and apple juice that we coined "Golden Fizz".

In such a busy time of the year, I'm thankful to be able to set some time aside to relax, laugh and fellowship with friends...it was truly a fun and memorable evening!

· the pies & a reminder ·

2011-11-29T23:01:00.006-05:00

I make the pumpkin pie, my sister-in-law makes the apple and my mom makes the pecan. It was a tasty Thanksgiving! And a little something I applied to my wall as a daily reminder...because sometimes we need a reminder.

· nyc underground ·

2011-11-22T20:45:00.007-05:00

Out of all the times I've been to nyc, this is the first time I've actually snapped photos in a subway station. Surprisingly the lighting was perfect.

· weekend goodness: pop-up shop ·

2011-11-16T00:06:00.017-05:00

This past weekend I got to tag-along with Jennifer to a pop-up shop in Maplewood, NJ hosted by these two lovely ladies: Melissa & Marichelle. Melissa's home, which served as the "shop" location, is a beautiful Victorian style house full of character and charm...seriously, they have gorgeous stained glass windows throughout their house (!). The ladies did such a wonderful job setting everything up...not that I needed anymore enticing to make a few purchases. It was such a fun time, I met some great new folks and got some early Christmas shopping done...

Pop-up shop sellers:
Odette NY
Shanna Murray
Leah Duncan
Clementine
Flores del Sol
Stepanka Ceramics
Secret Holiday
Susy Jack
Hadley Hutton
Alicia Bock
And yummy treats provided by Brandi.

· the goods ·

2011-11-07T19:26:00.005-05:00

I may have made a few purchases recently...

{1} funnelcloud, {2} anthropology 1-2-3, {3} baggu, {4} NARS

· tea for two ·

2011-11-04T16:18:00.009-04:00

Last week my mom and I took a drive out to Aldie to enjoy some tea and treats at the British Pantry. We've been wanting to try it for a couple years now and after seeing some other local bloggers post about it, we decided to finally make a reservation. It's a cute (albeit a little kitschy) place to have afternoon tea and sandwiches; and they have a small market area with a fairly wide variety of hard to find British goodies...candy, beverages, dry goods. I was actually really excited to see that they carry Belvoir Fruit Farms pressés, so refreshing! I'd definitely go back!

· weekend goodness ·

2011-11-01T22:30:00.012-04:00

My weekend started with another great brunch with these ladies at Kramer's on Saturday. We decided to have a little polish swap and I ended up with two great colors to try: this essie color and this american apparel polish in mouse. When we left the café we were greeted with white fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky...which is quite odd for NoVa in October. It was actually quite pretty, but I don't think I'm ready for the cold...I'm still getting over the end of summer.

· seasonal brews ·

2011-10-24T19:15:00.008-04:00

On Friday I joined some friends for some good seasonal brews. Everyone brought a seasonal beer with them, so we had a pretty good selection of fall-themed beers. It was a fun evening of reconnecting with some old friends, meeting a few new folks and an unexpected reunion with a gal who went to college with me in Alabama (it's such a small world!).

Tell me, what's your favorite fall brew?

· fallness ·

2011-10-21T16:18:00.005-04:00

things i'm liking this fall: freja. beautyberries. french vanilla.

· sweetness ·

2011-10-19T22:37:00.010-04:00

A few weeks back my friend, Morgane, was in town from London and I got to visit with her for an afternoon. I took her to my favorite coffee shop where we enjoyed some yummy cookies and a cortado. Morgane spends a lot of time in France with her family (she's half french, how cool is that?) and she kindly brought me a jar of craquamel...I like to pronounce it "crack-a-mel"...as in sinfully addictive caramel. But this caramel has these toasty nut bits in it, that may sound weird...but trust me, it is scrumptious! Those french sure know how to do sweets! Thanks Morgane!

· weekend goodness: she's five! ·

2011-10-17T14:47:00.011-04:00

The "baby" of our family is my sweet niece, Ailyn, who is now five! She is a funny, smart, caring, energetic little girl who continually entertains our family...seriously, she is such a ham! She refers to her three older brothers as "the brothers", as in "Where are the brothers?". Lol. She is the youngest of my brother's five kids, and she is dearly loved by her four older siblings. We are so blessed to have her (and her brothers and sister) in our family.

p.s. That last photo is my absolute favorite!

· weekend goodness: c'ville ·

2011-10-12T22:36:00.010-04:00

Whoa, where did the week go?! I'm a bit behind on this week's weekend goodness. So without further ado...I spent some time with my brother's family in Charlottesville (aka C'ville) over the weekend and the weather was gorgeous! My photos were taken at the barn where my fifteen year old niece takes riding lessons. I tell you, I am really impressed with this gals riding skills, she can take horses over jumps and stuff. To be honest, I'm a little nervous around horsies cause they're big and because I fell off one when I was 9 and got a concussion. : ( But despite that little mishap, I still think horses are truly beautiful and graceful animals that I love to watch (from a safe distance, of course).

Hope you all are having lovely weeks!

· weekend goodness ·

2011-10-05T00:44:00.008-04:00

My weekend was decidedly low-key and lame...but much needed. I spent most of this chilly weekend planted on the couch wearing my striped/fuzzy/aloe-infused (oh yes!) socks watching Felicity on netflix. Very exciting! But you know, sometimes you just need weekends like that.

· lots-o-lashes ·

2011-09-29T15:51:00.004-04:00

Ok, this is just a quick product review, but I bought this mascara a couple weeks ago because I got sucked into the cool shape of the brush (yes, I have a problem). Let me preface this by saying I normally buy pricier mascaras because I've found that the formulas really are smoother, less clumpy and last longer...but, like I said, I wanted to try out the brush. The short and sweet is that I like it a lot...especially for the price. The brush really does get every lash and makes them look longer. I'm not a huge fan of the mascara formula itself, I find that the majority of cheaper mascaras tend to clump and flake, and this one isn't any different, but overall I like the way this mascara made my eyelashes look. So if you're looking for a new (cheap) mascara, you may want to give this one a try!

So tell me, what mascara do you use, I'd love to know!

· weekend goodness: bloggers who brunch ·

2011-09-27T22:37:00.012-04:00

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to meet-up with a bunch of great ladies! A few weeks ago I rsvp'd to a local Bloggers Who Brunch, organized by the lovely Ashley. I was really excited (and a tad nervous) to meet these gals for brunch, but it didn't take long for my nerves to melt away as I quickly felt comfortable chatting and laughing with this bunch. I wish I had snapped some more photos (I didn't get a photo of everyone, sad face), but I'm not yet completely comfortable with my new camera lens. I'm sure some of my brunch companions got some good shots: Ashley, Lisa, Sarah P., Sarah Rosemary, Becky, Tessica, Lauren, and Rachel.

Ladies, it was a pleasure...and I'm already looking forward to the next time we can meet-up again!

· well if i have to ·

2011-09-26T15:05:00.005-04:00

I don't have much in my fridge right now...so when breakfast rolled around I didn't have much to choose from, but that is when I remembered I had some of these waffles in the freezer. Ummm, they are SO good! Like unbelievably good! I can't believe something that tastes this good can be ready to eat in a matter of seconds. The outside of the waffles have this "caramelized pearl sugar" on them that gets all crispy and crunchy, and the inside stays soft and chewy. Seriously, run don't walk to your nearest Whole Foods or Safeway to pick up a box...and thank me later! :)

· baggu : leather ·

2011-09-22T11:22:00.006-04:00

Have you seen the new leather bags by baggu? Aren't they simple and lovely?! I really want the pouch in apricot (be sure to check out the snapshots because the pouch is larger than it appears above)! Hmmm...how to work this into my fall fashion budget...?

all images by baggu

· weekend goodness ·

2011-09-19T21:50:00.012-04:00

I had a nice weekend that started with brunch at Old Ebbitt Grill with my friend, Noriko, and her husband. Noriko and I haven't seen each other in 23 years! We met back in elementary school, but she moved away when we were ten. Believe it or not, we wrote to each other up through college and then we emailed and then connected on facebook. So it was really sweet to be able to catch up after all these years.

The top two photos were taken at Iota where I enjoyed another great show by Melodime on Saturday night! And to round out the weekend, lunch at my favorite local coffee shop/café.

· buzz ·

2011-09-15T23:07:00.006-04:00

The other day my mom and I stopped by buzz bakery to enjoy some treats before seeing The Help (must see!). We each enjoyed an affogato with malted chocolate ice cream and we split one of their signature cupcakes. I think the photos are self-explanatory...but I'll add one word: YUM.

· weekend goodness ·

2011-09-12T13:39:00.015-04:00

The rain finally stopped and we had a much needed sunny weekend! Some of the things I enjoyed this weekend...yummy bread from here, tasty beverages from here, beautiful scenery here, and outside evening ambience here. Hope you all had lovely weekends!

· it's raining ·

2011-09-09T11:44:00.011-04:00

It has rained all week in the dc area...which let me tell you, isn't a mood lifter. So since I already miss the sunny days of summer, this weather has been quite the downer. Next week looks promising, sunny days in the 80s, I need my vitamin D! I sadly don't have anything exciting to post, so I'll leave you with my favorite casual end-of-summer outfit.

Hope it's not raining where you are...have a great weekend!

top: anthro, shorts: martin + osa (*tear*), bracelets: by me,
shoes: old navy (similar), nail color: sally hansen

· beach 3 of 3 ·

2011-09-03T13:35:00.016-04:00

I CANNOT believe it is already Labor Day weekend and summer is practically over...I already miss it so much! Fall is just around the corner, which means the cool air will be here before we know it (this makes me sad). But, I hope everyone has a lovely holiday weekend...enjoy the last bits of summer!

More of my beach photos can be seen here and here.

· diy bracelets ·

2011-08-30T22:05:00.013-04:00

It's official, I'm hooked on making these bracelets! Above are the three I made while at the beach, but I've made a few more since and I plan on buying more embroidery floss soon. :)

· beach 2 of 3 ·

2011-08-25T23:46:00.007-04:00

· beach 1 of 3 ·

2011-08-22T22:49:00.001-04:00

Last week I spent seven glorious days in Isle of Palms, SC with my parents and my brother's family. We've been heading to the Carolina shores for many years, we love the charm and beauty of the Charleston area. I think I might retire to this area one day...

· roadtrip craft ·

2011-08-17T22:37:00.003-04:00

I needed a good craft for the 8 hour drive down to the beach in South Carolina...I'm here for a week with my family. I wanted something I could do in the car and also do with my nieces and nephews. It's surprisingly relaxing and addictive! I used this tutorial which I spotted here.

· richmond ·

2011-08-11T18:09:00.014-04:00

Good times in Richmond with friends...we drove around the city and made stops at the beautiful Maymont Park and Hollywood Cemetery.

p.s. that little furry white cutie is Tashka...Maymont Park doesn't allow doggies, but we found a way to sneak her in. :)

· end of week and weekend ·

2011-08-01T21:35:00.013-04:00

It is hot in the DC area, I mean HOT, like 95 to 100 degrees with heat indexes of 110! So most of my days are spent indoors trying to stay cool. And my favorite way to stay cool is by enjoying an iced coffee...which I crave every day during the summer. So I kinda hop from café to café to keep cool and satisfy my craving. Thankfully there are many great coffee shops in and around DC...so I have a lot of great places to choose from. Here's a list of some of my favorite places: Cassatt's, Northside Social, Open City, Caffé Amouri...and that is just to name a few! How about you, how are you staying cool this summer?

p.s. that baby bunny in the last photo is one of the many bunnies that live in the courtyard at my apartment complex. so cute. :)

· shoes & coffee ·

2011-07-24T19:06:00.006-04:00

After reading Ashley's post about Shoes Cup & Cork Club in Old Town Leesburg I decided to head out in that direction after church to try a cup. I went with the Shoes' Mocha Peppermint Coconut, interesting combination, but tasty all the same. I forgot my camera (bummer), so I borrowed my friend's iphone to snap a few shots. Such a cute café/coffee shop with a lot of character. I will definitely be back. Thank you Ashley for sharing!

sidenote: While I was in the area, I also visited my favorite Leesburg restaurant, The Wine Kitchen, for lunch. I didn't snap any good shots while I was there, but I highly recommend the place for tasty wine and food.

· brooklyn weekend 2 of 2 ·

2011-07-11T18:00:00.013-04:00

· brooklyn weekend 1 of 2 ·

2011-07-07T22:58:00.013-04:00

· tryst ·

2011-06-27T22:56:00.008-04:00

Tryst. A favorite place in dc to enjoy great food and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.

· terrain at styer's ·

2011-06-21T19:50:00.019-04:00

Dreamy.

· annapolis ·

2011-06-14T23:47:00.015-04:00

Last week I spent a day in Annapolis with my good friend/college roommate and her husband who were in town from Florida. It was a beautiful day to walk around the harbor and enjoy the sunshine (plus there was low humidity, yay!). I was very excited about the tasty crab cake special at the Boatyard...seriously some of the best crab cakes I've ever had and for only $16! Annapolis is such a cute water town and a perfect day trip from the DC area...I plan to go back soon.

· 3 reasons for fighting ·

2011-06-07T23:42:00.018-04:00

I have been following Melodime since before they were known as Melodime. And boy have they just continued to amaze me with their talent. The lead singer of the band, Mr. Bradley Rhodes, is the younger brother of a close friend of mine...so I'm lucky enough to actually know the members of the band. These photos are from their concert and cd release party last Friday at the State Theater in Falls Church, VA. It was such a fun and awesome show...I love to see how far they've come...the place was packed with people dancing and singing to all the songs (including myself!). If you get the chance, check out their newest album: 3 Reasons for Fighting.

· somethings new ·

2011-06-01T22:05:00.005-04:00

These in sandalwood matte and this. :)

· memorial day weekend ·

2011-05-30T23:54:00.012-04:00

Complete with: little kid cuteness, patriotic paraphernalia, sun, friends and a bbq. Yep, summer is here!

· weekend goodness ·

2011-05-23T23:12:00.010-04:00

Family time in Charlottesville this past weekend.

· b-day loot ·

2011-05-08T19:22:00.012-04:00

A few birthday presents I received over the weekend that I'm pretty excited about: a new odette necklace from the minerva divinus collection, maui by mcmc fragrances and wild mint lip balm by phoenix botanicals. It was a lovely birthday weekend spent with good friends and family!

· tillandsia ·

2011-04-29T13:07:00.008-04:00

My newest tillandsia (aka air plant) from sprout. I try to pick one up whenever I'm in Brooklyn...this is my fourth plant and first one that has blooms. Air plants are perfect if you don't have a very green thumb. Isn't she pretty?

· warby parker try on ·

2011-04-20T16:15:00.012-04:00

I need your HELP! I ordered five pairs of frames from Warby Parker for a free home try-on. But I can't decide which frames suit my face best. I do have a couple favorites, but I'd love some feedback from anyone who's willing to give it (please be kind!).

p.s. Jenny told me I had to post some photos, so I obeyed. Check out which frames she tried on...I think she looks cute in all of them!

Images #1 and #2: Sinclair
Image #3: Colton
Images #4 and #5: Miles
Images #6 and #7: Webb
Images #8 and #9: Roosevelt

· odette ring ·

2011-04-19T11:11:00.009-04:00

One of the benefits of having a close friend who is a jewelry designer is getting to see new pieces before they are available to everyone. And sometimes I even get to purchase a piece before it's added to her shop. So this weekend when I was in Brooklyn visiting Jennifer, I had an opportunity to see some of the pieces she's been working on. Well, I was instantly drawn to this sweet "yet-to-be named" ring, and I knew I had to have it! Thankfully she had several made and one in my size. This ring has already found a permanent home on my right hand stacked with this ring. I love it!

· bk winery photo booth ·

2011-04-18T19:07:00.004-04:00

A little photo booth high jinx with Jennifer, Jenny and my mom at the Brooklyn Winery Wine Bar in Williamsburg. My mom and I had a fun weekend trip to NYC, despite the unseasonably chilly weather and losing my voice. Hope to have more photos to share soon!

· tiny glass ·

2011-04-12T14:38:00.007-04:00

These tiny hand-blown glass pieces by kiva ford are simply beautiful and cute at the same time. I am impressed at the scale at which he works. So cool!

(spotted over at from charlottesville with love)

· garden & gun ·

2011-04-05T22:44:00.011-04:00

If you've read some of my past posts, you know that I love Charleston, SC...so guess where this magazine is created? As soon as I spotted the cover I instantly felt that g&g accurately embodies the spirit of Charleston; it's charming, historic and hip...all at the same time.
I can't say I'm particularly interested in gardens or guns, but garden & gun magazine has beautiful photography and great design...which is what initially drew me to the magazine. I was introduced to g&g by accident when it was delivered to my place of business...and it's a good thing we had two copies delivered because I totally confiscated one of them for myself. Inside the over-sized, welcoming, beautifully-photographed cover you'll find articles on food, music, design, travel, fashion...and, of course, gardens and guns. Pick up an issue if you get the chance and check out their web site.

· crumbs ·

2011-04-04T22:10:00.004-04:00

A yummy cherry cobbler cupcake from Crumbs Bakery with my dear friend. Happy Birthday, Tinsley!

· trying out ·

2011-04-01T23:03:00.004-04:00

...a new haircut and lip stain in wild berry wink.
Have a great weekend!

· gnome's water ·

2011-03-30T00:32:00.004-04:00

Quite possibly the most refreshing cocktail I've ever enjoyed:

eatbar's gnome's water: lavender syrup, english cucumber, hendrick's gin, fresh lime.

(image by eatbar)

· saturday brunch ·

2011-03-28T13:28:00.005-04:00

Complete with pancakes, eggs, bacon, grits, biscuits & gravy, hashbrown casserole, sweet tea...and some vintage candy in the country store. I was craving a big breakfast from Cracker Barrel and realized there is one only 25 minutes away. Now I can satisfy my craving without waiting for our next family road trip down south. :)

· going down to the bayou ·

2011-03-18T19:48:00.011-04:00

Beignets, grilled pimento cheese sandwich and Counter Culture iced vanilla latte at the Louisiana-style Bayou Bakery. Oh, and the Food Network was there to do some filming...I'm anxious to see what will come of it!

· aerie ·

2011-03-17T12:25:00.010-04:00

Hmmm...I may have to keep my eye on some of these things for spring. I'm still not happy with ae for closing martin + osa, but their other line, aerie, has some promising pieces.

item 1: chambray sundress
item 2: military romper
item 3: harem short
item 4: chambray shortie

· brilliant color ·

2011-03-15T23:05:00.009-04:00

About the only thing my little old Canon Powershot Digital Elph is good for is taking shots on the macro setting. But I love it for this! I snapped these photos of some gorgeous flowers this weekend...does anyone know what they are? I thought they were poppies, but I don't think they are. Just seeing these bright flowers made me so excited for Spring...and then Summer! Nature is dressed with the most beautiful colors...bring it!

· middleton place ·

2011-03-11T11:19:00.008-05:00

I've been vacationing in the Charleston, South Carolina area every summer for over five years...and I am in love with it's charm! But how is it that I just recently found out about the Inn at Middleton Place? When I saw some photos on a friend's facebook page of a recent trip, I was in awe of the architecture of this inn and the way it blends into it's surroundings. Although my trips to Charleston involve my whole family, including my brother's five kids (whom I love dearly!), I wouldn't mind the opportunity to try out this place with a smaller group...or even just one other person. Oh, Charleston...you hold a special place in my heart!

· bun-bun ·

2011-03-04T11:05:00.005-05:00

I have a serious weakness for cuteness. And there is no doubt this Lil' Bunbon falls into that category. How do I justify this purchase at my age...hmmm, saving for future children? Yeah, that will work.

(images by woodzies)

· game night treats ·

2011-02-24T12:26:00.006-05:00

I'm looking forward to attending a game night with a bunch of friends tomorrow night hosted by the lovely Emily and her husband Drew. I will be making a batch of these for the occasion. I was introduced to these yummy treats at a recent birthday party where, get this, they were calling them chewbaccas. Whatever they're called they are super yummy...the perfect mix of salty and sweet!

(photo by Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen)

· red toes & valentine's ·

2011-02-14T12:51:00.004-05:00

i thought i'd get a little festive with my polish color.

happy valentine's day. ♥

· pretty simple ·

2011-02-11T14:22:00.006-05:00

Etsy is so dangerous...in a good way. Aren't these simple rings lovely?

· breakfast-y lunch ·

2011-02-04T14:09:00.006-05:00

Simple, yet so good: cheesy eggs, ezekiel 4:9 toast, yogurt smoothie and frozen grapes. Makes my tummy happy.

· polished ·

2011-01-31T15:48:00.004-05:00

I've been on a bit of a hunt for this polish since I saw Joanna mention it on a cup of jo. I picked the color all hail the queen, it has a bit of sparkle with a pretty mix of gray, silver and gold. I was determined to find it locally, which I did here, but there are numerous online sites that sell it. I'm impressed with how easy and smooth the polish is to apply, and how long it lasts without chipping.

· winter skin-saver ·

2011-01-25T13:53:00.004-05:00

I don't know if you're like me, but in the winter my hands get severely dry...we're talking to the point of cracking...eeps. I have tried LOTS of different hand lotions (e.g. aveda, eucerin, kiehl's) and nothing heals my dry/cracked skin like Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula. I know I sound like an advertisement, but seriously this stuff has actually made my hands soft again. I figured there may be some other people out there who's hands suffer like mine...and since this has been a rough winter for most of the country, I thought I'd share my skin relief! Oh, and did I mention it's less than $5...SCORE!

· good fortune ·

2011-01-19T14:19:00.004-05:00

How cute are these? I could use some good fortune in the new year!

(spotted over at greedy girl)

· nye + sparkle ·

2011-01-07T00:17:00.011-05:00

For nye I had the good fortune of attending a sparkle-themed party hosted by the creative Fay & Ben - they have such a cool home. To make us sparkly for the occasion, Jennifer created beautiful star head pieces inspired by these. Aren't they pretty?

(images taken by Jennifer)

· merry christmas ·

2010-12-24T15:39:00.001-05:00

· oldies but goodies ·

2010-12-15T23:29:00.004-05:00

I have been placing these ornaments on our family Christmas tree since I was little and I love all of the wonderful memories that come flooding back as I hang them on the tree.

· a few christmas wish items ·

2010-12-04T13:39:00.004-05:00

Christmas List 2010 by KScott on Polyvore.com

· autumn swap ·

2010-11-19T00:49:00.013-05:00

I seriously think my autumn swap giver, Shelley of oiseaux noir, has been secretly spying on me from across the country. I mean, how else can you explain that everything she included in my autumn swap package is pretty much perfectly tailored to suit me?! It was so much fun to see that package sitting there waiting for me to open, and I had no idea what was inside. And then when I opened the outer package there were all these lovely individually wrapped gifts inside!

Shelley, thank you for all of my autumn swap goodies...I will enjoy every single one of them!

And...I'm very pleased that my autumn swap receiver, Maria of i believe in smiles, received her package from me earlier this week...all the way in Denmark!

{missed this year's swap? follow etre-soi to participate in next year's swap!}

· a pink lip ·

2010-11-17T22:33:00.003-05:00

Strawberry delish.

· delaplane cellars ·

2010-11-15T21:09:00.010-05:00

A truly beautiful vineyard with some seriously tasty wine.

· color ·

2010-11-12T14:06:00.008-05:00

As the leaves change color and start to fall from the trees, I'm starting to miss the bright colors from summer. I pulled some photos from my library that remind me of warmer weather and sunshine.

· getaway ·

2010-11-06T17:28:00.013-04:00

As promised, more photos from my weekend in Brooklyn...a book signing, fun with flowers, good times in williamsburg, fairway lobster rolls in red hook, dobbin mews floral design studio, the makings for a cilantro stinger, the high line and my view on the way back to the district.

(photos 1-4 & 7 by Jennifer)

· for you love me ·

2010-11-04T11:21:00.002-04:00

Postcards From Italy from ForYouLoveMe on Vimeo.

I love this video of one of my favorite bloggers and her husband. I especially love that it was filmed in dc...right across the bridge from where I live.

· candy corn ·

2010-10-31T11:18:00.005-04:00

Happy Halloween!

(image by ilickyou)

· floral ·

2010-10-29T12:59:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I took a last minute trip up to Brooklyn. The above shot is from Nicolette Camille's floral design studio. She was working on some lovely arrangements for an upcoming wedding. Such a treat to see all of the gorgeous flowers. I'll post more images from my trip later...but for now, have a joyous weekend friends!

· vintage kicks ·

2010-10-18T15:51:00.006-04:00

I'm so thankful my mom saved some of my grandmother's old shoes...and that I have the same shoe size! I can't wait to put an outfit together and wear these shoes out on the town.

· hair did ·

2010-10-14T23:31:00.007-04:00

I attended a wedding of a good friend of mine this past weekend and I decided to get a little creative with my hair (I'm not usually very good with hair). I was actually pretty happy with the way it turned out, but the whole time I was thinking that a custom flower hair piece by Nicolette would have completed the look.

{p.s. still wish I hadn't missed this party}

· wish list : shiny things ·

2010-09-29T20:16:00.013-04:00

A few lovely items I have my eye on...
odette ny fox claw bracelet · prismera flag pendant necklace · elephantine libra rings

· tie (dye) ·

2010-09-19T18:42:00.006-04:00

Back in July (doesn't that seem so long ago?), my good friend Jennifer and I took a day trip to Charlottesville. One of our stops was at the cute boutique eloise on the downtown mall. While chatting it up with the friendly staff, we spotted a bowl of these colorful hair ties. And as it turns out, you can find them on etsy too (spotted by Jennifer) . Yay! I love these hair ties...they are cute and so comfy.

(Image by Mane Message)

· the small stakes: fotc ·

2010-09-08T16:09:00.005-04:00

Above are all of the The Flight of the Conchords posters by The Small Stakes that I've missed out on. I especially love the last two posters with the birds. Well, you know what they say, you snooze you lose. : (

· inspired by the silver screen ·

2010-08-12T22:56:00.005-04:00

Engagement Shoots Inspired by Movies. Love.

· little astronaut ·

2010-08-03T22:02:00.004-04:00

I'm sure you've seen mint parcel mentioned out in the blogosphere. I just ordered this cutie today and can't wait 'til he comes in the mail! I had a hard time choosing between him and the little prince. Plus, I found out that the designer, Amy, lives in my town...so we're practically neighbors! How cute would her prints be in a baby's room?

You can check out mint parcel on etsy, as well as, here and here.

· summer fun & refreshments ·

2010-08-01T19:32:00.012-04:00

top to bottom:
• 'Red Berry Sangria' at DuMont.
• Beer Flight at Fry's Spring Station (photo courtesy of Jennifer).
• The Roberto at Fry's Spring Station.
• Iced Lemon Mint Tea from The Boot-Panini Bar.
• Nutella & Strawberry Crepe from the Charleston Crepe Company.

· granita fresca ·

2010-07-10T20:40:00.005-04:00

At the beach earlier this summer, we made watermelon granita...it was oh so good and so refreshing. Perfect for a hot summer afternoon!

Watermelon Granita (based on the Food Network recipe)
Ingredients
* 4 cups seedless watermelon chunks
* 1/2 cup sugar (we made a simple syrup by adding the sugar to a 1/2 cup of simmering water until completely dissolved)
* Juice of 1 lemon

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into a shallow, wide pan and freeze for 1 hour. Rake mixture with fork and freeze for another hour. Rake and freeze for one more hour. Rake and serve in cups (we served it with creamy vanilla ice cream...sorta like a gelati). Enjoy!

· just passing thru ·

2010-06-23T00:21:00.003-04:00

I snapped some photos out the car window while passing thru Sullivan's Island, SC last week...I really like the way the colors and shapes turned out.

· beach ·

2010-06-17T22:24:00.004-04:00

· worthwhile ·

2010-06-14T14:24:00.001-04:00

A little cute something I picked up for myself while shopping at worthwhile in downtown Charleston.

· things i like ·

2010-05-26T22:49:00.006-04:00

1. cupcake stand
2. bobbi brown beach body oil
3. elderflower syrup (introduced to me by jennifer)
4. owl bank

· fun with props ·

2010-05-15T00:18:00.002-04:00

A snapshot from my b-day weekend in Brooklyn...we had a little fun at the pop-up photo booth at the Brooklyn Flea.