Retro heels

Aside from wanting to move into any one of their beautifully appointed stores, Antropologie always has the best shoes.  I'm loving these new retro-inspired heels for fall.

(open wing heels)

(milly peep toes)

(bouquet-of-roses heels)

(stacked smoke heels)

(Photos via Anthropolgie)

Dress, red shoes, belt...check!

I absolutely adore this dress (um, and shoes)!  So whimsical and pretty.  The belt is a perfect finishing touch. 

(Photo by The Sartorialist via A Cup of Jo)

Genius DIY calendar

In the latest installment of "why didn't I think of that," take a peek at this genius DIY project over at little brown pen.  It's a collection of photos displayed as wall calendar, that you resort as the months pass.  What a sweet way to celebrate a new hometown, cherish memories of an old one, or document travels abroad.

(Photos by little brown pen)

Shoe perfection

These shoes are absolutely stunning.  I can only imagine how they'd perfectly complement a wispy and flowy  gown or cocktail dress.  I also love how they're paired with an unsuspecting grey t-shirt dress.  I only wish I knew who made them!

(Photos by jak & jil and garance dore, found via Apartment #34)

New Jersey

Confession.  I'm obsessed with New Jersey, and intrigued enough to actually consider setting up shop there. Not the Turnpike, people. The green New Jersey. (Well, also the New Jersey that's close enough to New York so I can get my city fix.)

We contemplate where we'll "end up" often enough -- as if there's only one location! We like SF and LA, home for both of us, but other front-runners include: Brooklyn (Park Slope, love), North Carolina, upsate New York, Austin, and the surrounding DC-area. E says Boston, too, but that's some serious cold. 

These pictures make a very compelling case for New Jersey, don't they?  We just don't experience fall like this in California and I love every bit of it. 

(Photos by Nichole via litte brown pen)

Enchanting

(homeward bound)

(eternal)

(enchantment)

(dawnman)

How lovely and ethereal are these photographs?

They remind me of the briskness of fall, just edging on winter.

Moody and crisp, but at the same time

so warm - and romantic!

Beautiful.

(Photos by futureancient via The English Muse)

It DID brighten my day

Just look at this heart warming photo!  It's aching with sweetness.  I love it when something this simple brightens my day.

(Via Cup of Jo and via Emily)

Project Weekend: Part I

I'm lining up some fun DIY projects for this weekend.  Fall puts me in that indoor home improvement kind of mode.  I was so exicted when I saw this one over at Design*Sponge.   Britt McMaster from Cumbersome authored the idea of replicating this gorgeous mini chest from Anthropologie.  Genius!

It looks relatively simple and I can't wait to get started.  I know exactly which nook this pretty little chest will call home in our bedroom.

(Photos via Design*Sponge)

Beauty find: Moroccan Oil

This stuff is amazing!  I have naturally wavy hair (read: prone to major frizz).  It's perfect when I want the beachy wavy look, but most often I just want the flexibility and smoothness of straight hair.  So, that means blow drying and straightening with a variety of unfriendly looking tools.  Enter Moroccan Oil treatment. 

I've tried many silcone-based hair products, most of which are fine though nothing to write home about.  But this stuff is incredible!  It's also silicone-based and contains Aragan oil, which is the key ingredient.  It is super light and incredibly moisturizing - perfect for heat-styled hair.  I ended up with light, smooth and uber soft straight hair.  And it smells fantastic, warm, tropical, a hint of vanilla, I think.  It reminds me of that dark coconut suntan oil I've never been able to use with my fair skin.

Le sigh, I want to go somewhere tropical now. 

More Wild Things

One of my favorite authors, Dave Eggers, has a new book, The Wild Things. But get this: it's an adaptation of the movie, which is an adaption of the book we all knew and loved as kids, Where the Wild Things Are. No huge surprise seeing that Eggers co-authored the screenplay.

I can't wait to dive into this one!

P.S.  You can even grab the fur covered edition!

Santa Barbara Love

We spent the past weekend in Santa Barbara

and gazed at a beautiful sunset.

And since the Avocado Festival was held that weekend,

the theme was all about avocado. 

But I guess that isn't much different from

any other day in California, with our

delicious year-round Haas Avocados.

Yum!

We made fresh guacamole, grilled salmon tacos with

avocado-tomitillo salsa, and an amazing

guacamole, hearts of palm, dill and grapfruit salad.

Well I did anyway.  E is no fan of fish

or grapefruit (tragic), so more for moi! 

He had turkey.

Plus, we went to La Super Rica Taqueria. 

Oh my gosh, this

place is sooooo good!

You have to go if you're ever in Santa Barbara. 

The fresh house-made tortillas are

amazing.  I have no idea what they do,

but it's incredible!

I heart Santa Barbara.

Every time I go, it makes me think just a little bit

more about really going for it and attending

photography school.  Hmmm.

(Photos by me)

Tea and Whodidily Cupcakes

This weekend we did the usual cupcake-hunting rounds and found Whodidily Cupcakes in Montecito, California.  It's a kooky little cupcake shop that immediately smacks of a Willy Wonka-esque vibe.  That, or I guess the "Wonka" cupcake gave it away.  Hot pink boas, sparkly chandeliers, frilly skirts hanging from the ceiling, it's like being a girly girl's dress up closet. 

But back to the cupcakes.  I had their version of the classic Red Velvet, the "Whipple Scrupmptious."  It was perfect.  Light and flavorful cake and fluffy cream cheese frosting.  I was tempted to try some more, especially with names like Waffleicious, Sunday Stroll and Love Spell.  I give it 4.5 cupcakes out of 5. 

(Photos by me)

Beauty find: Rodin Olio Lusso

I first heard about this amazing beauty product months ago on daily blog favorite, A Cup of Jo.  I've never looked back since.  She's right, it's a wee bit on the pricier side of fancy facial products but it IS so worth it.  Check out more product detail on Rodin's website. 

It smells amazing -- uh-mazing! -- though E would disagree with that statement. (But he's a boy, and sometimes the boys just don't understand the lure and excitement of the perfect beauty find.  It's ok, it's just one of those girlie things.) 

I think it's the jasmine oil that gets me, I'm sucker for it every time.  It truly does make for perfectly dewy, fresh skin.  It also contains soothing jojoba oil and arnica.  Love!

It's a little hard to find.  I usually hit up Fred Segal in Santa Monica when I'm visiting LA.  Otherwise, you can find it here online, which I've also done in a pinch.  Try it and report back! 

Dinner for Breakfast, or Breakfast for Dinner?

I'm wondering, dinner for breakfast or breakfast for dinner?  I think there's fairly strong contingency of breakfast-for-dinner peeps, but I am an unwavering dinner-for-breakfast kind of girl.  A bowl of cold cereal or pancakes for dinner just isn't right; it's morning-only fare. 

But give me some leftover Indian takeout, last night's lasagna or the classic pizza for breaky (warm, not cold), now that's a fantastic start to my day!  I think comfort foods work best -- meatloaf, mashed potatoes, pasta, pizza, leftover Chinese, mac n' cheese. 

Can't let go of my morning cuppa jo, however.  That stays.

Do you have a preference? 

(Photos via Martha Stewart)

Beachy weekend

This weekend we are taking a mini road trip and heading to Santa Barbara, and cozying up in a cute little beach house.  Like truly-on-the-beach beach house.  We plan to read books, listen to waves, drink wine, fire up the grill, eat oudoors, maybe even kayak if the water agrees.  I'm so excited to get away to one of my most favorite places ever. 

(Photo from Gourmet via Abby Goes Design Scouting)

Where The Wild Things Are

I cannot wait to see this movie! 

How sweet and whimsical is this photo? 

And, I bet the soundtrack is going to be pretty awesome - look who's behind it.