Adieu, For Now

photo

Today I drove away from the place that has been my home these past six years. During this time I've been a ski bum, found creative passion and fulfillment, learned how to telemark ski, gotten married, got struck by lightning, become an aunt, and have grown into an adult. Driving away, I looked back at the mountains in my rear view mirror through teary eyes, took a deep breath, and then shifted my gaze and looked forward. On to a new chapter of life: to a new city, to a new self, to new adventures. All I have to do is jump.

{Taking a little hiatus while I move to California. Be back Monday, June 8th! Be well, everyone!}

Literary Lions -- Virginia Woolf

"Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths are straight, the trees regular, the sun shaded; escorted by gentlemen, protected by policemen, wedded and buried by clergymen, she has only to walk demurely from cradle to grave and no one will touch a hair of her head. But on the other side all is confusion. Nothing follows to a regular course. The paths wind between bogs and precipices; the trees roar and rock and fall in ruin."

-Virginia Woolf, "Harriette Wilson", Collected Essays

Let's embrace the confusion, then, shall we?

I LOVE this house

I love this house. I mean, folks! This is exactly what I want my new house to look like. To a tee. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. Plus, the owners, La Famille Summerbelle, seem super cool. {Seen on Design*Sponge}

Eames Molded Plywood

When we move to San Francisco next weekend, we will moving without a coffee table. I've been looking here and there on the internets, and have now become mildly infatuated with this Eames molded plywood beauty. Too bad it is waaaay beyond my budget.

pink balloons can only mean one thing...

photo

On a personal note, my sister had her long awaited second baby last night in England. And it's a girl, Olivia May! Welcome to the world my little dumpling. We love, love, love you!

Cosy Georgian House

photos from Living Etc.

I think this house does an excellent job of mixing old architectural details with a newer, cleaner look. It seems elegant yet relaxed, with carefully chosen pieces that somehow still seem cozy and inviting. As you guys know I love the all white look, but this house seems like it's actually lived in, you know?

Bike Love

There seems to be a whole lot of bike love going on around the blogosphere these days. So here's my dream bike, all the way from Germany, the Retrovelo. Isn't it just gorgeous? I just love those thick white tires.

Night and Day

wild poppies

There are wild poppies that grow outside my front door. They make me smile each and every time I leave the house. Everything is just beautiful around here right now. So green and bright, the trees are full and heavy with buoyant limbs that bounce in the breeze. The windows are wide open, and even long after the sun has set and it is dark. I love summer darkness. It's mysterious and ripe. I like to listen to Coleman Hawkins' sexy smooth sax and close my eyes. It amazes me, as though I've never seen this not quite spring not quite summer before. Damn, Colorado, why you gotta be putting on the charm, right before I leave you? I can feel my heart tearing a little.

Garbage Never Looked So Beautiful

but Sophie Cuvelier makes it look like this:

all photos by Sophie Cuvelier

Mission Accomplished

poster

It was one of the crazier weeks of my life, but it was all worth it. We are officially moving to San Francisco for the next two weeks. (!). Now how to start saying good-bye to the place that has been my home for so long?

Was walking around the Oakland Rose Garden today and couldn't resist snapping these. It's a beautiful, beautiful place this time of year! Have a great weekend everyone. {P.S. - that toy camera trick pony on the iphone is cool beans!}

Inner Peace

Hello, friends. Apartment hunting = painful. Crossing my fingers that it doesn't last too too much longer. I'll be back on Monday with lots of inspiration. In the meantime, I'm holding the vision of this Hiroshi Sugimoto photograph to bring on the inner peace.

Perfectly Blue

photo

I'm gasping at just how beautiful the blue walls of this kitchen are. {via Design is Mine}

Lipstick Queen

I'm a little bit enamored with Poppy King, the woman behind the brand Lipstick Queen. I like this woman's style. She's been enamored with lipstick since she was a little girl, and has created the most fabulous range of red reds that according to many, look good on everyone. Not sure if I can pull off the red reds, but my mother has worn red reds for as long as I can remember, even to the gym.

photo by Antoine Bootz

I had hoped to write so much more this week. But it has been a busy week in my home, with family visiting and celebrations to be had. I'm finding myself really energized and inspired by so many things right. It makes me so excited! I'm also beginning a really, really cool project that I hope might turn into a sort of side career... More on that down the road. So have a great weekend folks! See you on the flip side. {P.S. - I don't know whose atelier this is, but I'm jealous of the beautiful, beautiful colors. I think it might belong to Sophie Cuvelier?}

Cool, Calm, White and Bright

I heart this house in North London, big time. The story, from Living Etc., is entitled, "Cool, Calm Renovation." It is, without a doubt, one of the coolest living spaces I have ever seen. One, day, I will paint my wood floors white... I especially love the kitchen picture with the cute brown lab!

An Almost Full Moon

Because I Love Her

And because I love her bluesy style. And because, in my next life, this is who I want to be:

Need a Getaway?

Tickets to Rio de Janiero are at an all time low! From $345.oo at Travelocity. Oh, I would be so pumped to skip down there for a bit...

Cindy Sherman

Unititled Film Still #14, 1978

Today feels like a Cindy Sherman day. I don't know why, it just does.

Husband is a Funny Word

{photo}

I don't know about you but I have a hard time using the word husband. Even though I love being married, it sounds... well, how to put it, foreign to me. Like an acquisition. I've been married for almost a year now, and have tried using it now and then but for the life of me I just can't get used to it. Fiancé was worse. Ugh, I hated that word, so much so that by the end I was introducing my A. as "my boyfriend, partner.... We've lived together for six years and um it's been great and, oh yeah, we're getting married in a few months." I might as well have thrown in our address and our social security numbers while I was at it. So what do I call my significant other, then? The term I prefer? My Alex. Because that's who he is. He is my, mine, my very own, unique, A.

100 Abandoned Houses

I am a big believer that houses have personalities and stories, just like people do. That's why I'm in awe over these photos of 100 abandoned houses in Detroit by photographer Kevin Bauman. Each is so different, and each has its own history. Looking at them I can't help but burn with curiosity about that happy and sad times that each house's wall have seen. {via the coolio blog, Hearthrobs & Villains}

Yippee Yi Yoh!

{photo}

Today is May 4th. May 4th just so happens to be the birthday of one of the coolest women around who also happens to be my bestie, Marcella. Happiest of happy days! Hope it's sunshine and smiles all around. (See, your the one with the braids, and I'm the one holding the ballons!)

Donna Hay

When I was in high school, my mother taught me how to cook. My very first cook book was Donna Hay's The New Cook, and it is full of recipes I still use frequently. The pictures and styling are beyond gorgeous, and the recipes are really, really good! I've just ordered her New Food Fast. Can't wait to try it out! In the meantime, here's one of my favorite recipes, which is great for when the weather gets warmer. It's easy and fast, too:

Rare Beef and Cellophane Noodle Salad serves 4

1 lb thick rump steak 6 1/2 oz. cellophane noodles 1 mango, peeled 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves (regular basil works, too) 1/2 cup mint leaves 1/3 cup cilantro Dressing: 4 Tbs lime juice 3 Tbs Soy Sauce 2 Tbs brown sugar 1 green chilli, seeded and chopped

Heat grill or frypan on high heat for 2 mintues. Place steak in pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until juices are sealed in and meat is cooked medium rare. Set aside. Place noodles in boiling water and allow to stand for 5 minutes before draining. Chop mango finely and combine with noodles, basil, mint, and cilantro. To make dressing, place lime juice, soy sauce, sugar and chilli in a bowl and mix to combine. Slice steak thinly, and toss with noodle mixture and dressing. {photo by Con Poulos for Donna Hay}

May Day

burst by Paul Solberg

Happy Weekend, everyone! Hope you enjoy. {p.s. - don't you just adore this photo?}

Pretty Blues

I love this sneak peek, over at Design*Sponge. The house is full of pretty pastel blues and reminds me a little of a French Country house.