Can I register for it?

That's been my question lately for everything I need but don't want to buy. Can I register for a vacuum? Our dustbuster just can't keep up with the dog hair anymore. What about towels? I'd love to not have to do laundry so much. Or my current favorite -- luggage. We've been doing lots of traveling this summer, and my luggage (which dates back to my freshman year of college, I do believe) has seen better days. It's still hanging on -- gotta love Samsonite -- but I'd love a new set. Here are some of my favorites:

I don't know much about luggage, but Tumi is supposed to be one of the best kinds out there. This kind is molded so you know your stuff will never get squished -- and the yellow would be hard to miss on the baggage carousel!
This blue one from Victorinox is pretty too -- and expandable, which is very important if you plan on doing shopping wherever you're going (which is almost always true for me).

Who knew that Diane Von Furstenburg made luggage? Ack. Diane, I expected more from you. Maybe you should stick to wrap dresses, those are much cuter.

But I seriously might need this:

Yes, a hand-held luggage scale! Not that I ever have problems with overweight luggage. Right.

Is it Friday yet?

I have a one-track mind this week. All I can think about is vacation. I'll do my best to post about other things, but they may be South Carolina-related. It was cold in NYC this morning -- like sweatshirt-weather cold -- and all I could think of was, I'm not ready for summer to be over yet! I need one last vacation to savor the sun, beach, sleeping with the windows open, fresh fruits and veggies, white wine, sundresses, sandals and iced coffee. Then maybe I'll be ready.

cookie heaven

no better way to start the day than with cookies...it's my read the last page of a book first and always, always, eat desert before dinner. these yummy cookie sandwiches from the cookie sandwich company look delish



the red velvet one is for barclay:)

Dear Mom,

The Charleston house needs a breezeway like this:And a kitchen like this with plenty of room for us to all hang out in and drink wine while we cook:

If I was designing my own house, I'd make room -- but I'm not. Think you can work it in? :)

From my favorite new design blog, The Inspired Room. Love.

sent with love (and a little oomph)

i'm a firm believer in sending mail...real mail. the kind with stamps, and signatures and oodles of love. call me old fashion but i think real mail is fabulous...and what could be more fabulous than real mail? mail you can really put your mark on...like these carvable post cards from A+R

I love Target.

For some reason, NYC does not have a Target in Manhattan (there are locations in the Bronx and Brooklyn, but that's beside the point). I miss it terribly. So imagine my excitement when I heard that Target is bringing four temporary pop-up stores to Manhattan during Fashion Week in September. They will sell merchandise from their "design partner" lines, including stuff from designers like Anya Hindmarch, John Derian, Sigerson Morrison, Thomas O'Brien -- the list goes on and on. They're calling the locations "Bullseye Bodegas," which is bit cheesy, but what can you do. Beggars can't be choosers, so I'm not complaining!

ditto on the frugal stuff

my picks from forever...belts people, belts!

forever frugal fridays

It's almost Labor Day, which means summer is almost over. Yes, it will still be hot for a good month at least, but Labor Day means I'll have to put away my seersucker and madras in exchange for more transitional colors. But I'll still wear white jeans (I'm a rebel like that). So here are a few end-of-summer pieces I'm loving...

Yes, another maxi dress. But this one is dark purple, a really hot color for fall. Might have to see if I can find it before we leave for our trip - would be great to travel in. Or, if you're really itching to start your fall shopping, this dress is a great find:

It has just enough of an a-line that it won't stick to your tights (very crucial, trust me).

Can. Not. Wait.

I have a ten-day vacation to South Carolina coming up exactly one week from tomorrow. That means lots of dogs, beaches, wine, good food, laughter, sleep, family and hopefully lots of sun. Shift will be coming too. Yay. Is it August 29 yet?

call me...kinda

remember the call me cards? another fun "hi i like you" product from blue ribbon general

Ode to a cupcake

While in Indianapolis over the weekend, my mom introduced us to the wonderfulness that is The Flying Cupcake Bakery. Now, I live in NYC, land of 100 gourmet cupcake stores, and none of them are even HALF as good as the cupcakes we had from Flying Cupcake.These little babies are called the "Red Velvet Elvis," a red velvet cupcake with chocolate chips and cream cheese icing. As midwesterners, we're picky about our red velvet. But this was A-MA-ZING. I could eat one every day. Maybe it's good I live far, far away.

Reason #26 why I love my job

Next Friday is Bring Your Pet to Work Day! I think Lucy would make a great assistant.

It's only for four hours (we have a half-day before Labor Day weekend), but it should be lots of fun!

weiner shoes

obvious joke aside, these shoe clips from erica weiner can give any shoe a little excitement...

rugs

i'm a firm believer that accents make the room. perfect example? these rugs from stitch

hermes and free in the same sentence

download and make your own hermes bag (not even kidding...pick you language and then do "travel the world" to start the fun)



thanks creature comforts!

get crafty...decoupage

how about orange has a great tutorial on how to decoupage...get crafty everyone. get crafty.

little of this...

apologies for barclay not posting...she had to stuff a dog in a bag and get on a plane...

i'll keep things interesting by posting this little diddy from alicia bock...


interesting and beautiful art @ an extremely reasonable price

call me

um... would it be jinxing it if i bought some "calling cards"? i really like them...

from hellovader

from bemi designs

from annacote

from angelinepetal foot

Dogs on planes?

Miss Lucy and I are headed to Indy later this week for some much-needed...wedding planning? And family and shopping and naps and long walks. Fortunately, Lucy is small enough that she can come on the plane with me and go under the seat in front of me. Unfortunately Lucy has to travel in a not-so-cute airline-approved dog carrier, but I think she'd love this sweater to keep her warm:She gets really cold on planes (don't we all? it's freezing!) so at least she should be able to look cute while staying warm.

coveting

its tuesday morning and i'm lusting after these embroidered travel bags from mick margo...



*love*

I want this!

Genius! A cupcake in an ice cream cone = conecake. Never heard of it, but I'm sure I'd like it... Apparently there's a truck selling treats (called the Treats Truck, naturally) that sells these in NYC. I just might have to go track it down.

shi(f)t's ten

after reading other bloggers lists of "ten things that make me happy," i'm jumping on the band wagon and tagging barclay... try not to judge...

abc (otherwise known as the best pinot noir in the whole wide world), weiners (giggles), the closer, coat rack, south carolina (given), slinky (because everyone loves them), miles, pretty clutch, feather earrings, and last, but in no way least, cheese...

I hate Mondays.

Not only is it Monday, but it's rainy, stormy and cold in NYC. Add all that up and you've got a definite case of the Mondays. Maybe that's why I'm loving this room:It looks so comfortable and lived-in and summery. I especially love the punch of color from the peonies and leather-covered cubes with brass nail details as coffee tables. Summer can't be almost over, I'm not done decorating yet!

dont be dirty

i don't get to the dry cleaners as much as i should...

i know my black work pants need dry cleaning.
i know my a few of my tried and true cardigans are in need of loving.
i know i know i know.

my solution? the laundress! pricier than regular detergent and wont iron themselves but laundress detergents work like dreams and are eco friendly.

i highly recommend the wools and cashmere shampoo.

forever frugal friday

I think the key to shopping at Forever 21 is to find the pieces that don't look like they're from Forever 21. Exhibit A: This top:

The beading detail at the neck looks waaaaay too fancy to be from Forever. Florals are big for fall, so wear this now with white pants and then pair it with skinny jeans and a long cardigan once temperatures drop. So cute!

join the party.

My sister and I sometimes like the same music, but I knew when I told her the band I was going to see play yesterday, she's have no idea who they were. I believe "the who what?" was her exact response. The band? Bloc Party, a sort of high-energy rock-punky-alternative British band. They played at Webster Hall, a great small music venue here in NYC. The lead singer said to the audience, in his cute British accent, "So everyone here is talking about this football player who's coming to town - Brett Fahv-ruh. Is that how you say his name? Fahv-ruh?" Everyone went nuts. It was great. And so was the music. Go download some - it's great for playlists to get you going in the morning or for working out/running.

feels like fall

its 60 degrees. and even though thats no where near "cold," i feel fall coming on....and you know what that means....jackets!


shes from language and looks like she is having a good time.

if you only knew...

i laughed out at the thought of bone thugs and my sister in the same sentence...and adding "work" into that sentence was like christmas morning...

i love inappropriate thursdays

awkward moments at work

One of my greatest discoveries of the summer was Pandora, a website/program that allows you to sort of make your own radio station that plays exactly the kind of music you like. You enter songs and/or artists you like, and it plays songs by those artists and other similar artists. Most of the time, it's genius. I enter Coldplay and U2, and it plays Jack Johnson and The Killers. But it's not perfect. I also entered Justin Timberlake (I know, I know), and somehow it decides Notorious B.I.G. should be next on my playlist. Of course Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Crossroads" (circa junior year in high school) comes on just as my boss comes to my office to go over some paperwork. WTF is that all about? Sorry Justin, I might just have to remove you from my list.

keeping track of booze

i'm not a party planner. those little ring things for wine glasses are something i would not purchase (or lets be honest, have it together enough to use). that said, this rubber band idea from my friend martha is genius!

i have no words...

for how gorgeous this is:



















love the outdoor chandeliers! would be great for any party - birthday, anniversary, wedding, you name it.