Links I Love

1. Around the world in 31 pools. (sousstyle.com)

2. The 50 best things to eat and drink right now. (GQ.com)

3. Praising the undone beauty of women in Woody Allen films. (nymag.com)

4. My friend who has stunning skin recommended this cheek gelée in Poppy Paradise, so naturally I scooped one up immediately. (sephora.com)

5. How to get the J.Crew messy bun, straight from the source. (intothegloss.com)

6. Why skipping breakfast is so bad for our health. (forbes.com)

7. This office is awesome. I especially love the neon sign and pink walls, naturally. (architecturaldigest.com)

8. This DIY to spice up jars reminds me of summer camp. (sugarandcloth.com)

9. I’m glad to report: punches are having a major moment. (tmagazine.com)

Grey and Blue

Although it’s smack-dab in the middle of summer, I’m already getting excited for fall and playing around with some darker hues and minimal silhouettes. I’ve been particularly drawn to shades of grey and blue with pops of a warm gold accent. Here are some of my top trend picks using the grey meets blue color palette:

Cozy color blocked sweater

Quilted heather skirt

Textured envelope clutch

Ankle booties

Sleek choker 

Navy belt 

Icy shadows 

Structured bag 

Statement ring 

Ballet inspired flats 

Five Things

{Vintage scarves for wrapping in my hair or tying on a bag}

 It’s been a while since the last time I spent a weekend with girls – hanging out by the beach, gossiping, having spontaneous dance parties, and eating our body weight in chips, guacamole, and margaritas. Here are a few of the things making me happy right now and I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

{Beauty products I'm brought to the cabin}

{Parmesan Truffle Popcorn: always a good idea}

{Cute collar stays}

{The cutest party favors my friend made: salt water taffy in sweet little jars}

Crave Or Save

I’m a firm believer in making smart purchases when it comes to fashion, saving on some things, splurging on others (which is why I am starting this series in the first place). As far as leather jackets go, I think they’re meant to be splurged on, as high quality leather and the construction largely influence the way it looks and feels. I love the Anine Bing biker jacket since it’s a classic cut, made of buttery soft leather, with just enough of detailing to make it special. This Topshop alternative, which is faux-leather, is about as close as you can get, with well-placed zippers, quilted shoulders and a slim cut.

Links I Love

1. Ten secrets for extending the life of cut flowers. (designmom.com)

2. Fall 2013 hair trend report: I’m all about the side faux bang. (harpersbazaar.com)

3. Photos that reveal what it’s like to have anxiety issues. Woah. (mymodernmet.com)

4. This sleek choker makes me want to revisit a trend I loved in 1998. (shopbop.com)

5. This homemade buttermilk ranch dressing is my new favorite. (food52.com)

6. Insects love me, so I can’t wait to try this homemade rosemary bug spray. (thechalkboardmag.com)

7. Interesting article on what nostalgia is good for. (nytimes.com)

8. A look at the season’s most interesting art books. (wwd.com)

9. Martha Stewart’s best advice: don’t give a damn. (nymag.com)

Reading Not So Lately

I've been on an extremely non-literary reading binge lately so there isn't much to discuss from the last few weeks (polished off Justin Cronin's The Twelve and then followed it up with a massive amount of re-reading from my mystery shelf).

But before that, I read two books back to back and my reactions were so strong that it's taken me a while to get my thoughts down.

{images from publishers}

We the Animals had been heavily hyped but the excerpts I'd heard were so gorgeous I couldn't resist. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it blew me away. Torres whisks you through a childhood that's rough and messy and pierced with moments of intense beauty.

I'm a sucker for stories about childhood but writing about your life is difficult and writing about that time is particularly tricky. There's a tendency to simplify your emotions and, in some cases, to work to solicit sympathy. The book was powerfully lyrical which initially made me nervous. Overly lyrical writing can so easily veer into gimicky territory and it sometimes obscures weaknesses that might otherwise get called out. But here the form furthers the function, allowing Torres to describe the brutality and tenderness of his family without judgement. He doesn't let his parents off the hook but neither does he vilify them and the result is honest and remarkably touching. I devoured the book in one sitting and then immediately wanted to read it again.

It's probably pure bad timing that the next book I read was Joan Didion's Blue Nights. It was a sharp contrast and it suffered by comparison. Both works deal with childhood, although Didion's book has a very different perspective because she is writing about her daughter's childhood in the wake of her death, which really means she's talking about herself as a parent. I'm not sure how to explain how uncomfortable it made me. The pain and loss are evident, but the lyricism of her writing, with short spare sentences and frequent repetition, serves to make the emotions feel at once strangely distant and too close for real reflection. It seemed overwrought and circular. I'm squirming as I write this, but self-indulgent was the word that kept coming to mind. I know critics have praised it as honest, but I felt like I was an observer being held at arm's length throughout.

The frequent name dropping (of people, brands and places) didn't help. Didion, apparently aware of the impact this will have, spends a lot of time trying to refute the implication that her daughter was privileged and that happens to be a pet peeve of mine. Tangent - I don't understand the reluctance to admit privilege. It isn't a crime. Privilege doesn't mean you are guaranteed a charmed life. It does mean that when bad things happen you at least have a few more resources than other people might. The world isn't divided into two categories, privileged or not. There is a vast scale along which we all fall and most of us reading here are already in the upper echelons compared to the majority of the world's population. It doesn't negate your efforts in life to admit that you started from a place of relative advantage and it doesn't mean you can't own your successes. It's just perspective. End rant.

It seems hardhearted to criticize a memoir but it's a published work and Didion is a literary force. I still feel a little squick-y about it, though.

Food Fantasies

I have a somewhat embarrassing confession: a few years back, my friends and I were talking about our favorite foods (a popular theme amongst us) and decided to turn it into a game, of sorts. We each would describe what an ideal food day would look like, not taking into account calories and making sure it was filled to the brink with our most indulgent favorites. Besides being wildly entertaining, it was fascinating just how different our days looked. Mine, unsurprisingly, is loaded with sweets and carbs, whereas my boyfriend (who also participated) had barbecue at virtually every meal. Though I’m slightly ashamed of my ideal day, here’s what it would look like, from my morning hash brown to a classic chocolate cake at night.

Mexican Iced Coffee

I wouldn't call myself a coffee addict, but I really do savor and rely on my one-cup-a-day habit. When it comes to flavors, I’m definitely more of a purist, foregoing syrupy concoctions in favor of a rich, dark roast; but after reading Deborah Schneider’s recipe from her fantastic book Amor y Tacos, I had to give it a try. The flavors are definitely strong, but this dessert drink balances everything perfectly. It won’t replace my regular cup, but it’s worth indulging in when you’re in the mood for something different.

    

Loving Right Now

Images via: 1, 2, 3, 4

Public Service Announcement

Just thought you should know that the avocado pasta recipe from Oh She Glows is ridiculously good.

{avocado pasta}

I was apprehensive, because the idea of heating avocados icks me out. But for this recipe you toss the creamy avocado sauce with hot noodles and while it just heats through, it doesn't really get hot.

She warns you to serve it immediately, but I don't think that's completely necessary. It's great fresh and I certainly wouldn't re-heat it but it tastes perfect straight out of the fridge. You know how creamy sauces are gross cold because the fat congeals? This doesn't happen - the sauce stays perfectly creamy and doesn't harden when cold. So, so good.

I used wide noodles and modified only slightly, by adding a few handfuls of arugula to the bowl before pouring the hot pasta over it and then adding the sauce. As you mix it all together the arugula wilts and I like the slight bitter contrast it adds.

I will say this - the recipe recommends using a food processor but when I tried it I found it messy and not very effective, and I'm normally a huge fan of the food processor. The volume wasn't big enough and the oil splattered everywhere. The first time I used my little blender and the sauce turned out creamier {I think because it emulsified better?} so I'm going to stick with that. 

If you have an avocado surplus around, you know what to do. And it doesn't take any longer than boiling a pot of water and cooking the noodles.

Just Finished Reading

I normally wait until I have a round up for you but I really loved this one and had to share. I'm torn because I came to this book cold and I think it might be best experienced that way. But I know some of you would prefer to know something about it before you decide to read it, so I'll just try not to say too much.

I'd read Behind the Scenes at the Museum a long time ago and enjoyed it. I also really liked Case Histories,which is a beautifully written crime novel and therefore hits two of my sweet spots. Kate Atkinson is an exceedingly clever writer and I know some readers probably felt Life After Life was too much an exercise in cleverness but I devoured it.

It's a bit like an adult choose your own adventure, except you get to see how all the adventures turn out. This thrills me to core, since I'm a terrible overthinker. In real life, this is a disaster. There are infinite ways in which things could have gone differently and it generally doesn't pay to sit around thinking about them. But in a novel? I found it so satisfying. You get to see the protagonist live several different lives and you see how a small decision changes the course of her story.

A book with this structure has the potential to be extremely tedious. Atkinson is constantly backtracking, retracing steps, re-exploring covered ground. The book is long {over 500 pages} but somehow I never got tired of it. You see the same events but she manages to approach them from slightly different angles each time, which takes the repetitiveness out of it.

My one reservation is the denouement, which gets a little intense and involves Hitler. {I've tried to re-word that sentence so it makes more sense but I don't want to give too much away so I'm just going to leave it as is - it's a fair description, even though it doesn't do the book justice.} I think it was intended to be the thread that holds the book together and makes the plot a little more traditional, but I'm not sure I needed it. I would have been fine with the book just winding down.

I think this novel might require a certain type of reader. I'm happy to read dozens of iterations of the same story, provided it's done well. Atkinson does it well and makes it interesting.

.

 As soon as I'd finished I wanted to force someone else to read it so I could discuss it 

immediately but a 500+ page book is a hard sell, especially when you're all on vacation.

Summer Essentials

 

 

 

 

 

Here |I have compiled some of my favorite pieces, so I rounded up some of the summer trends I’m loving right now. They’re all simple, versatile and most importantly wearable, which is pretty much my main concern in warmer months.

 

1. Topshop

 

2. Love Leather (this is a nice alternative in the color Mauve)

 

3. Club Monaco (this woven blue one is great too)

 

4. Club Monaco (also love this)

 

5. Alice + Olivia

 

6. Diane Von Furstenberg

 

7. Free People (also love this)

 

8. Gorjana

 

9. J.Crew

5 Things

 

 

 

 

 

 {Connie and Ted’s epic lobster roll}

 

This week I was sitting in a waiting area for some nine hours (I was never called in). Initially I panicked at the idea of not being able to be productive. But once I settled in, I found the whole experience to be quite entertaining. I watched strangers become friends, I listened to some of the most unique ringtones I had ever heard, squeezed in some reading, and in the end, found it oddly comforting to have no control over my own time. Regardless, I’m happy to be finished and am looking forward to a warm weekend with friends.

 

 

{New favorite game night addition: Cards Against Humanity}

 

{The only logical thing to do with leftover chocolate ganache: pour it into fruit-shaped molds}

 

 

{Love my new laser cut-out shirts from Forever 21}

 

 

{Borrowed idea from Haus: wrap twine around a pot for added dimension}

Flora + Fauna

Foxes and insects and rabbits, oh my! Succulent blooms and critters of the woods are united beautifully in Kari Herer‘s still life's. I've been swooning over Kari Herer's photographs and illustrations for so long that I need to just bite the bullet and finally purchase a few. She’s now working with a medium format camera, which means these gorgeous still life's are available in larger sizes. What am I waiting for?! They’re so delightful, I’d love to walk past a series of these prints in my hallway everyday.

Sparkle Tray

My interior design philosophy is that you can never have too many trays in your home. I probably own close to a dozen and use them to corral flowers, hold candles, create pretty spaces for jewelry, for breakfast in bed, as a mail organizer, and for serving cocktails. This tray, in particular, is one of my favorites since it’s sleek and modern, but plain enough so that you can customize it with just a couple of simple steps (plus it’s only $22). For an afternoon cocktail gathering I had, I decided to make mine feel a bit more festive with some glitter tape (the width matches the tray perfectly) that I ran along the edge and twine that I wrapped around the handles to offset the sparkles. I love how it came out, but am perhaps even just as excited about the fact that if I want a holiday-inspired tray in several months that I can easily re-do the entire thing.