ASTRID CHAIR

A. I wish my name was Astrid. B. I wish this chair was sitting in my breakfast nook by the time I move in. From Anthropologie, of course.

















Clemantine UPDATE: I may be receiving a little money back from an over-paid medical bill. If this actually happens, I think I'm getting this chair. I saw it in person today and it's really cute!

A SMILE THAT EXPLODES

Joseph Arthur {musician and artist}, A Smile That Explodes is ethereal and sweet - I recommend getting a copy. Joseph was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the 90s and quickly signed to Gabriel's label Real World. One thing that cannot be missed is Arthur's art; plastered all over his website, and first exhibited in 2006 at the Vertigo Gallery in London, it's fascinating...

MANI-PEDI

If you've had a mani-pedi, anywhere, anytime, you will relate to this. Thanks Doc Beyers!

FRONT PORCH BLOUSE

It's snowy and cold tonight. I was walking to my car, slipped on some black ice and landed hard and old lady-like on my right elbow. I might have even grunted a little when I landed. As I type I'm wincing while the pain spreads through the right side of my body {and let's be honest, when you fall, you wake up with whiplash}. I'd love to leave a kind message on my manager's voice mail that says something to the effect of, "I need the day to recover from a bad fall. And I'm not pressing charges because I did so on work property". But I won't.
What I will do is show you this darling "porch swing blouse" from Anthropologie. Imagine it, 8pm on a summer evening, a distant lawn mower growls, cool breeze blows in off the lake, and I'm sitting on my porch swing with bronze skin and this voile tunic.

SNOW STORM APPROPRIATE MOVIES

When it snows or rains I always daydream about staying home from work and cuddling up to someone and reading or watching something. Today, in respect for the uber storm we are experiencing, I decided to put together a list of movies appropriate for such a cuddle. It's important to note that a movie inspiring you to get out and exercise is not a good choice on a day like today {sorry Chariots of Fire}.

1. About a Boy
2. Dr. Zhivago
3. Persuit of Happyness
4. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
5. Out of Africa
6. The Power of One
7. Cinema Paridiso
8. Any Jane Austen done by BBC
9. Rear Windown
10. Heart Burn
11. The Mission
12. The Way We Were
13. Season 1 of The Office
14. Jazz Singer
15. Amelie
16. Calendar Girls
17. The Thorn Birds


What am I missing?

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

I think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder. We are in the middle of a huge snow storm and when I drove to work in the haze of of snowflakes and storm clouds this morning I felt like hurting someone.
Who can I hurt?

BREAK UP APPROPRIATE MOVIES

This is an essential collection to have. Very useful {obviously} when your heart is broken by the one you love, but equally meaningful and soothing when you fight with your spouse, miss your mom, or experience a big let down.

1. Bed of Roses {I watched this one every night for two months a few years ago}
2. Up Close and Personal
3. Someone Like You
4. Out of Africa
5. Pride and Prejudice
6. One Fine Day
7. Must Love Dogs
8. The Way We Were
9. Under The Tuscan Sun
10. Love Actually
11. The Notebook
12. High Fidelity
13. Legends of The Fall
14. The Break Up
15. Breaking Up
16. Message in a Bottle
17. Garden State
18. Wicker Park
19. Say Anything

Note: please do not doubt my cinematic depth by the movies on this list. When you are breaking up with someone you need to watch the sappy, cheesy stuff.

CUTE SPRING FLATS

I like the materials and design of these darling peep toe flats from Enzo. Now if only I had some sunkissed feet to slip inside...

I LOVE NATE!

Last year around Valentine's Day Nate and I visited Jordan and Paul in San Francisco. I think Paul took this picture and I love it because you can tell by my face how much I love Nate.

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO...

Here are a few of the beautiful people that managed to inch my self esteem down just a bit tonight.
Reese Witherspoon {I applaud women who recover fabulously after shedding themselves of a lousy ex}
Kate Winslet {loved her earrings and the color of her dress}
Rachael Weisz {Nate is in love}
Gwyneth Paltrow {the color...lovely}
Helen Mirren {everyone is in love with her}
Leo Dicaprio {not normally a fan but he looked cute tonight}
Penelope Cruz {never can understand what she's saying...but her dress was beautiful}
Cate Blanchett {so elegant}
Jessica Biel {my goal for 2007 is to shape my body to look like hers}

A VERY FINE HOUSE, OUR HOUSE IS!

Nate and I made our weekly sojourn to Daybreak to visit the future location of our life together. So pretty. There are lots of little ticky tacky things to fix like paint chips and scratches, but they assure us it will all be done by Thursday. As the light filtered through the windows and I stood looking at the shiny walnut floors and my cute husband, I had to wonder if I deserve any of it! Take a look. If you click on the individual photos you'll see them much bigger.

{top to bottom: curb side, greatroom, dining room, kitchen, office, greatroom}

HELLO LOVER!

Thanks to Drew Barrymore in Music and Lyrics, my new infatuation has a little something to do with red hot nails. After Nate and I saw the movie a week ago I visited Just Beauty in Sugar House and got OPI's O'Hare and Nails look Great, a truly lovely shade of rosy red.
After wearing red nails for about four days I had accumulated several compliments and too many chips to endure. This is the conundrum for certain; how to keep your red trampy nails looking chip less and, well, somewhat sophisticated?
By the way, didn't Drew look fabulous and doesn't she continue to look fabulous?

PROUD OWNER

Emily called me yesterday from Target in New Jersey. She noticed the mirrored side tables I blogged about here, were on sale. A significant 75% off sale! I'm now the proud owner of two of these fabulous items and I only paid $25 each. I think they'll look just perfect sitting next to my chocolate brown, velvet obsession. Thank you Emily!

AMERICAN EAGLE: AT LENGTH

I'm glad retailers, taking a clue from American Eagle Outfitter, started making tops longer in the torso. I've grown accustomed to tugging on the hems of my knits in an attempt to save anyone from having to see my undies peaking over my waistband {and with the lowrise pants it's likely a common site}.
I'm a fan of the AE weekend apparal - I picked a few I'd like to be wearing this weekend.

POLKA-DOTS ARE THE BEST ACCESSORY

I'm dreaming of weekends and spring weather. Though a weekend is just around the corner, I'm afraid I'll have to wait a while longer for the spring weather. Come April or May, I'm hoping to find myself wearing the AE boardwalk pedal pushers, a weekend hoodie and some polka-dot flats--relaxing lakeside atop this pretty polka-dotted throw from West Elm {probably sleeping like a kitten in the sun or reading one of my favorite books}.

COACHELLA HAS GONE MAINSTREAM

Last year when Kanye West and Madonna performed at Coachella the cat was out of the bag; Coachella had gone mainstream. It's kind of disappointing. I've been the last two years which, for some, probably isn't considered enough to be spouting off about it; but, I know a bit about indie music. I know what to expect from the artists, the patrons, and food vendors at these types of venues. And one thing you should never see is the likes of Kanye West...headlining.




















This year Coachella got even bigger; expanding to three days instead of just two. The line-up was pretty good; and I was trying to decide whether to go just two days or all three. But then I checked out the site today and found that it's mostly sold out. SOLD OUT!
Divine intervention has made up my mind for me. Looks like Nate and I will head to the midwest this year to enjoy Chicago in July. Pitchfork Music Festival...here we come!