at-ti-TUDE!!

I love me some Project Runway, but this Kenley needs a serious 'tude adjustment. Her fancy feather hairpieces will only get her so far, if she can't take constructive criticism she shouldn't be in the business!

falling hard {for Fall}

I took a quick gander in Anthro today, and it it just brimming with cozy Fall goodness. These sweaters are at the very top of my wishlist.

the tail end of the trip

The trip has finally come to a close, a 10 day adventure in our tent trailer (and the ER...) with the family, hopefully the first of many! Thanks for all your kind words, we're all doing great, no more nasty strep. We're so happy to be home and spent the first day nestled in our comfy bed watching TV, ahhh life's little pleasures. image: just as the sun set in Malibu

tales from the trailer {del mar}

Ahhh....Del Mar, the most beautiful of beach towns. Miles of rugged sand bluffs line an endless stretch green grass, all leading into the white sand and impossibly warm indigo water. The mornings here are misty, a cool line of coastal fog that clears before noon. A quaint main street anchors the (insane) beach homes and the (view-errific) hilltop homes, all landscaped with the lushest tropical palms and blooming hibiscus. Pink and orange sunsets bring a day of surfing, shopping, and playing to a close. More to come...this town deserves more than one post.

tales from the trailer {Malibu}

Malibu is everything beautiful & pristine - and then some. Our campsite is huge, shaded with an umbrella-like tree that also blocks out the winds. Tiny squirrels, chipmunks, and bunnies run freely through, some even sit at the picnic table with us in the morning. We walked to the beach this morning for some great shell collecting and a bit of yoga, all as the morning sun warmed us up. The strep throat is slowly fading, we're trying to use the mind-over-matter trick to make it disappear. Ruby loves camping more than anything; upon arriving at each site, she locates the water spigot and the bathroom, then introduces herself to the neighbors. Oh, and she doesn't want this to end, she wants to keep on going. She's such a free-spirit, like a little wandering gypsy. I'm headed to Starbucks for some type of smoothie and hopefully some star spotting. Next stop -Del Mar! xo

tales from the trailer {Strep!}

We've hit a slight glitch on our road trip, Dave & I both have strep throat! Luckily, Ruby has been spared, and we're now fully into the first couple days of anti-biotics, so things are lookin' up. After spending an entire day in a Santa Barbara ER, Dave hooked up to an IV for hours on end, we opted out of the campground for a night and got a pretty Spanish-style hotel room with an ultra comfy bed. Camping and strep throat do not mix. Actually, nothing mixes with strept throat, my throat is covered in tiny white barnacle-looking things and I sound like I have a mouth full of marbles. Food? Not so much. Sleep? Most definitely not. Keeping a smiley can-do attitude? I'm really trying....but I swear it's hard.

tales from the trailer {back to basics}

Camping is a true personality test. Everything just takes more work - no flick of a switch for light, no lovely flushing toilets, no running water within reach. Our biggest lesson so far: camping brings us back to the basics. Days begin with long beach walks collecting shells and rocks, a simple breakfast of eggs and fruit, and then back to the beach for some swimming and sunning. Days end with the sunset, we retreat to the tent trailer for light, a game of cards, popcorn and a good puzzle. There's no talk of TV, not even a mention of toys and no mutterings of the "I'm bored" whine. It's back to basics, we color flowers on rocks and make the alphabet using strips of seaweed. With the exception of Dave feeling under the weather, all is good. On to Malibu today....xo

and...we're off! {road trip}

The bags are packed, boards are strapped down, the trailer is stocked and we're making our way down the Southern California coast for the next 10 days. I'll be posting "tales from the trailer" along the way with my trusty laptop, so stay tuned. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

organizing for Fall

There's something about the Fall and organizing that just go together. Suddenly I want to clear my linens out of the closet and place them all back neatly stacked. Here's some tips if you've got the neat-nick bug too, and extra time of course!

garden seating

Those clever folks at Ready Made created this grassy sofa using grass seeds and a sofa frame. A pretty cool/green idea, but I'd watch out for grass stains big time.

album cover

love this album cover, I may have to download some songs since the cover is so darn cute.

packaging love

Clean & pretty packaging, the way beauty products look best!
via the dieline

I want to be a glass blower {when I grow up}

We went to the Chihuly exhibit yesterday at the De Young Museum. I had no idea how impressed I'd be by the art of glass blowing, but wow, it really is a stunning exhibit. If you go, watch the movie on how he and his team create these magical creations of glass, light and color. There are 11 installations including an enchanted glass garden, an undersea world, and a wall of gigantic flowers (my favorite). Only 2 weeks left, you've got to go!

{happy friday}

Have a lovely weekend everyone, I hope the sun is shining where you are, xo image: the hubby & Ruby riding a vintage cruiser at a Labor Day BBQ

step inside, won't you? {our tent trailer}

Hooray! Our tent trailer makeover is finally (well, just about) complete. "Trailer Sue" has had some serious work done since we first bought her on Craigslist a few months back. Here's what went down: bamboo flooring, freshly painted cabinets & walls, all new upholstery, new counter tops (Ikea), fancy hardware, new tires, and new ceiling lighting. We're all set for the big road trip down the coast, I just have to stock all the cabinets and plan a menu. It's very cozy inside and folds down (just like a puzzle) into a neat 8'x8' square. It's pretty tiny, so it was hard to get a good angle with the camera, but hopefully you get the idea. Come on in, have a looksie!

This is the lovely trailer before the makeover...
notice the icky fabric and funky cabinets

frankly cami {super deal}

The Frankly Cami is on super sale at J.Crew right now - only $14.99. I love these cami's, even in the fall with a cardigan and jeans and a chunky necklace. Stock up!

the man scarf {thoughts?}

The other night we watched an episode of Date My Ex, starring non other than Jo & Slade from Real Housewives of OC (yes, Bravo will give just about anyone their own show). It was painful because of the complete scripted-ness of it all, but I was completely distracted by was all the scarves Slade was sporting. I mean, it's L.A, it's HOT and he has a huge scarf wrapped 3 times around his neck paired with a t-shirt. I'm not sure how I feel about the man-scarf being worn like this (obviously not for warmth, but for trend's sake only). Maybe in smaller doses? Maybe someone needs to speak with his stylist?

a billowy retreat {and why not?}

Years ago my mom and I went on an amazing yoga retreat to Bali. The hotel we stayed at, in the artists colony of Ubud, had all these magical little spots filled with flowers, cushions, billowing curtains, and a view of tropical paradise. These little spots were perched everywhere; along the river, on a the walk into town, nestled into the side of a fern covered pathway. Each day we'd spend time in these little retreats, sometimes with morning coffee and other times to write or watercolor. This article makes me long for my own billowy retreat, right in my own backyard.

{happy friday}

Happy Labor Day weekend, all!
Much more goodness to come next week, my friends, I've been in a tizzy all week with kindergarten and new beginnings....image by Thayer Allyson Gowdy

droplets

It's not often that I find art that I just adore...I mean, these things take time, and generic stuff just won't do. I found these pretties at Thumbtack Press this morning and bought them on the spot. Not sure where they'll hang just yet, but they make me smile, and I love that they're titled "Droplets".

Ruby's bedroom {makeover}

She's 5 and in kindergarten, so it's oficially time for a bedroom makeover. There are so many directions we could go in, but she's pretty sure the bed will be green and the walls pink (rather preppy, no?). These adorable rooms are serving as inspiration, as well as the paper lanterns I bought to hang at different lengths. I'll post pics as it nears completion!

a little blogging {goes a LONG way}

The land of blogging is a buzz today, everyone banding together to help raise money for a beautiful family in need. As many of you know, Stephanie & Christian Nielson, of the NieNie Dialogues were in a plane crash a little over a week ago. They are trauma patients in a hospital in AZ, and with over 80% of Nies body burned, and more than 30% of Christian burned, they are in for a good fight...not to mention incredibly costly medical bills, house payments, rehabilitations, and childcare (they have 4 kids). DesignMom declared that Thursday was NieNie Day, and encouraged bloggers all over the world to donate something to be auctioned off, or to bid for the cause. See the complete list here, and happy bidding.

feeling some kitchen love

I'm feeling some love for this open-airy kitchen - especially the gorgeous island made from a surfboard, gotta love the craftiness of that. image via coastal living

calypso {inpsired by the sea}

If it were possible to embody a brand, Calypso would be mine. Inspired by the sea, India and Morocco, the collection boasts gauzy tops and tunics (always a favorite), yummy sweaters, bright Fall scarves, and some purses that have just been added to my wishlist. Don't forget to check the sale section (for tots, too!).

camp food {road trip prep!}

We're about 2 weeks away from our annual road trip down the beautiful California coast, though this time we'll be livin' large in our newly (almost finished) tent trailer (fresh images to come). The last time we really camped it was just the 2 of us, and food was not exactly top priority;canned soup, pasta, and maybe s'mores if we really put our minds to it. But this year, we've started planning the menu way ahead, and let's be honest, the food from the past really should just stay there - we want gourmet camping! I just ordered Campfire Cuisine which promises that I can whip up a batch of skillet scones, lemony couscous salad or zucchini steak tacos like it's no one's business. If you have a favorite camp recipe, please let me know!

beautiful party!

Check out this beautiful party that Hula Seventy threw for her 8 year old daughter, it's the best. The lanterns, the umbrellas, the favors, and the cupcakes are divine. Something to aspire to! If you thought Ruby's butterfly birthday was something, just you wait, this girls' got serious party skills.

garden party

Why I'm thinking of garden parties as the summer is waning, I do not know, but this sunny table setting would be reason enough to host a savory garden brunch. Fresh herbs, sunflowers and I love that they wrote on the fruit, so clever.
image from toast & tables

don't mind if I do!

These place cards are so witty and cute, they'd look great perched above each place setting at a semi-fancy dinner party. And the scalloped edges - great touch.

and a {happy friday} to you!

Relax, it's Friday! Back with more goodies on Monday. Image: Ruby taking on a hungry dino at the Museum of Natural History in NY.

shifting {into Fall}

J. Crew outfit(left): the copy says the skirt "...flatters everyone it meets", and so, I will buy it.
Anthropologie(middle): just add a cashmere cardigan and we're good to go!
Shopbop(right): A flattering Fall dress is hard for me to find, but this one would look great with tights and boots.

sour cream cake {yes, please!}

A thick slice of this blueberry sour cream cake would be so very tasty with a creamy morning latte, no?

kindergarten {the first day!}

We just walked Ruby to her first day of Kindergarten, and it was the cutest! I'm a total wreck, but it all went so smooth, she turned to say good bye but it was more like "ok! go already!".

style crushes

I have MAJOR style crushes on each of these ladies:
Kate Hudson (for her boho chic natural style) love that tousled hair, beachy fresh tan and long flowy dresses. Rachel Bilson - this girl's just got it, she reeks of originality, and she's a total cutie to top it off. So who's your style crush?

The Hills premiere {they're back!}

Set your Tivo's people, the premiere of The Hills (mock if you must...) returns tonight! C'mon, aren't you the least bit excited?! This season is full goodies; the rivalry between Audrina & Lo is in full effect, Stephanie is torn between her friendship with Lauren and her brother (ewww) - Spencer, Lauren dates a guy named Doug who just may have a thing going with Stephanie, too (no!), Justin-Bobby is still there, like a virus that won't quit, and poor Heidi (still learning how to float with her ginormous implants) gets an indefinite visit from her sister. Can't you just feel the fun ahead?!

{happy friday}

I hope you find yourself surrounded by lush greenery and simple outdoor sounds this weekend, xo