hello yellow, part 2

obsessed with this color scheme. you know how i've loved yellow, and i seriously adore it mixed with rich brown and some black and white. then there's this mary mcdonald room that swaps out brown for taupe.

it's amazing how much the brown and taupe changes and intensifies the look compared to when it's with gray and white like in deborah needleman's bedroom...

or with black and white alone as in jenna lyons' home below.


why is yellow SO AWESOME?

top image, mary mcdonald image, deborah needleman and jenna lyons images

come fly with me

i've been waiting to share the pictures from my sister's engagement party with you and i think these cold, dark days of winter could use a shot of color, so here we go...

when we started planning the party to be held at my parents' house, we decided on a black, white and yellow color story with a 60's mod vibe. with black linens, white serveware and yellow accents, it was a really fun look. we had my favorite cocktail napkins for pre-wedding celebrations...i've used them for showers too and they always get smiles -- they capture that OHMYGOD feeling when a wedding is coming up, but they seem to be unavailable now! these are a cute alternative.



we played standards and lots of cocktail music by gilberto and getz inside and outside, which set the perfect mood. you know that moment when a party becomes a party? it was this song that did it, along with the setting sun and twinkling lights we strung all through the backyard. the yellow lava lamps (sadly not pictured) helped too.

in addition to the standard bar, we served the love potion, a tangy citrus tequila cocktail (otherwise known as a margarita) because we wanted peoples' glasses to act as moving points of color throughout the party. it worked! and of course, we had the servers circulating with fresh-poured glasses throughout the night.

we served classic fare reminiscent of a 60's cocktail party, some passed, some tabled - pigs in a blanket, cocktail meatballs, cheese and crackers, italian meats and deviled eggs which my dad expertly whipped up that afternoon. then we added in my family's favorite wings and a mashed potato bar, replete with crumbled bacon, sour cream, cheese, scallions, gravy, crispy fried onions, jalapenos and some other goodies.



the piece de resistance was definitely the cake and cupcakes, made by the amazingly talented christina barry. people were DYING over them, and with good reason. the adorable cupcake wrappers from etsy sealed the deal and the fact that it was all right in front of a hanging trio of big black and white photos of the happy couple made it even sweeter.


it was almost a shame to cut into the beautiful cake. almost.

even though we had meticulously planned every detail of the party, there were a few things we didn't plan that made the whole thing feel meant to be. look how the wrapped gifts, one partyer's colorful top and some fancy footwear pulled it all together!




love when things like that happen!

most photos courtesy of danielle barbieri

everything is going to be ok

i believe it, do you?

and i love the cover of this feel-good book enough to pre-order it.

here birdie

how sweet is this little ceramic bird?

and how about his little brother in black?

to me, there's always something charming about little bird figurines...i think because you get the sense of looking up close when he or she is perfectly still which so rarely happens in real life, even for the most avid birdwatchers.

especially on a cold, snowy day like today here in new york, it's nice to be reminded that warm-bodied little birds will soon be back in town to forage and flap their way into spring.

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tiny treasures...a tall glass of water

raise your hand if you don't drink as much water as you should. okay, don't raise your hand, you'll end up looking weird. but let's just say we're all on the same page. so here's what i'm thinking...if we pour it, it will come. feel me? for this week's tiny treasure, let's all treat ourselves (for $5 or less, like the selections pictured here) to a really lovely glass or cup or water bottle to keep at our desks, on our counters or in our cars -- wherever we spend the most time. my theory is if it's there, and it looks pretty, we will use it. yes? worth a try, right?




all images

strike it up

i've long been a proponent of beautiful matches because they elevate the experience of lighting a candle or a fire to a different place. i love when each step of a process is a source of beauty and enjoyment, and lovely matches over mundane ones is just such an easy upgrade. of course there are candle-lighters too, but there's something so timelessly romantic about the sound and smell of a match. so imagine my excitement upon seeing this chestnut, the jonathan adler pipe match strike. the texture of the base ignites light-anywhere matches, so of course the first question that comes to mind is "where do you get light-anywhere matches?" the answer is, you buy them here, or in hardware stores.

i imagine wearing one of these, listening to great music like this and lighting amazingly scented candles like the capri blue aloha all day long.

on a similar note, i love JA's fabulously packaged fireplace matches, which would make a lovely gift for almost anyone, or would perk up a drab bookshelf next to a candle in two seconds flat.

save money, live better (in the words of walmart)

do you know about the norma kamali line at walmart? it's kind of awesome. first, my adorable colleague brandy was rocking a cardi/wrap/infinity scarf situation which she procured for $15. so that led me to this suit for $35, and then the walmart website where brandy's inifinity situation is regrettably not found (though still might be in stores). but check out these other scores, many of which are available in womens' and plus sizes:

the jersey maxi lounge dress, $12 - $14:


the trenchcoat, $24:


the all-in-one jersey dress, $15:




the batwing cardigan, $18 - $20:

the oversized french terry v-neck dress, $6:

the strapless jersey dress, $10:


the jersey wide-leg sleep pants, $10 - $12:

many of the pieces are marked down on clearance from their already scandalously low pricepoints. my favorite is the jersey v-neck dress, marked down to $6 from $7. you could buy one of each item pictured here for under $100 total. which leads me to...

i've always been torn on walmart...on one hand, it contributes so eggregiously to sprawl and puts small businesses under...but on the other hand, it provides over a million jobs and enables many millions of people to shop for their families affordably.

what do you think?

a fresh bouquet

have you ever made a bouquet garni? ever since i heard about them, i've been charmed by the idea - it's so sweet and fresh and cozy, a tied together or wrapped collection of fresh herbs used to season soups and stews, and its neat little packaging makes it easy to remove it when the cooking is done.

traditionally, bouquet garnis include parsley, thyme and bay leaves, but can include absolutely anything you'd like, and if you go the cheesecloth route, can even include hard-to-tie items like cloves, garlic and dried herbs.


i love the idea of going to the farmers market or produce store and seeing what looks and smells delicious, and finding a recipe (in your head, even maybe!) for flavors that would meld well. finding perfect pairings can be a real exploration, and to aid in the exploration, i love the concept of the flavor bible, discussed here.


i also love the idea of giving a bouquet garni as a gift when you're a guest at someone's home for a weekend or an evening...perhaps with a pair of footed soup bowls or these sweet soup & sandwich plates.

images from here, here, here, here, here and here

january stream of consciousness

my mind is in a zillion places this week, and there's so much i want to talk about with you that i have to just give it over to a stream of consciousness post...hope you're cool with that.

holly, of decor8 fame, says it best here on her other blog haus maus about the rush of thoughts that comes with the new year.

so, mitchell did an incredible job of organizing and decluttering at home while he was off from work last work, including my most favorite thing of all - he repurposed our now not-in-use bar cart as a "mancaddy," (his word. love.)

i have once again discovered the virtues of a light mani. loving mademoiselle right now. so sheer, so pale, almost too much so, but not quite. instead, it's perfect. next time, i plan on using an extra dose of top coat for super shine. i got said mani and threw in a pedi too, the first winter one i've had in a few years, i have to say, and it was glorious. the hot water and hot steam cloths felt even more luxurious with snow piled up outside. the pedi was totally necessary because...

i was starting yoga and had been forewarned that it was practiced barefoot. i took my first class with both of my parents (my mom almost couldn't control her laughter at one point) and it was great. so much harder than i thought it would be, but very gratifying too, and something i'm looking forward to getting good at. we went to a lovely little studio called om sweet om where they offer many, many yoga classes, acupuncture, chiropractic and meditation and reiki, which you might rememeber from my pre-surgical reiki healing circle experience. i loved all the yoga talk of balancing, sharing the weight of each pose evenly throughout one's body and quieting the mind while strengthening the body.

afterwards, we sat for a cup of coffee at sweet comfort cafe, a coffee shop in town that is so cozy and nice, and has the added appeal of providing employment opportunities for developmentally disabled adults, a population which has a 92% unemployment rate in new york state.

aside from copious amounts of decaf coffee with lots of skim, one of my favorite snacks has become blue diamond's 100 calorie packs of wasabi and soy almonds. spicy, a little sweet and very satisfying.

jennifer aniston's favorite snack is white peaches and string cheese. no wonder she looks like this.

and speaking of string cheese, have you tried the fresh mozzarella sticks from trader joe's? great invention.

and speaking of trader joe's, have you seen these cookbooks? we all know how great TJ's is, but these clever books aggregate some of the best TJ's finds and instruct on how to use them for easy cooking and entertaining. loves it.

another great healthy thing i've discovered, thanks to my loyal reader and awesome aunt jackie, is plain nonfat greek yogurt with some sugar free (or low sugar) jelly or preserves mixed in. since i haven't fully experimented with fresh fruit yet since my surgery, this is a great solution.

another jackie suggestion is exclusively recording shows you love in the room where you work out so you have to work out to watch them. desperate housewives here i come. and most of the own network lineup, you too. i also plan on recording khloe and lamar's show in there, with the rest of its kardashian brethren (or sisterhood, as it were).

and speaking of the treadmill, i was on it at 9:30 at night on new year's eve. now THAT'S the sign of a new year, i'd say.

namaste.

what are you thinking about this week?

top image, yoga image, sweet comfort image, jennfier aniston image

mad gab

mad gab is the most fun ever. it's a game where you read the words printed on a card which, when sounded out, actually say something else. that was a terrible explanation - here's an example:

card says: canoe key pace he grit?

hopefully you eventually figure out that it says: can you keep a secret?

these cards are a totally uncomplicated way to play, and mitchell and i are, without fail, laughing hysterically within moments of whipping it out. it hits the funny bone the same way some of the ingenious me talk pretty one day does. it's mainly funny because you hear your playing partner trying desperately to figure out what the hell they're saying, and it's usually totally obvious to you what it is...so they sound like they're first learning english and putting the acCENT on the wrong syLLABle. take my word for it, it's hilarious.

you can even play it online if you feel like you're going to blow a gasket at your desk and need a mood lifter.

cranky mood? mad gab. bored? mad gab. trust me on this one.

ikan't resist the ikat

love love love. and i actually have a director's chair that is aching for this ikat back and seat. it's true, it told me so. and for a sale price of $8 (plus about $5 shipping), this deal can't be beat. it pays to have friends who can spot your style instantly - thanks kelly.

do you love ikat too? check out this eddie ross spread, these lovely bowls, and for good measure, you ought to feast your eyes on all this suzani too. and just WAIT until you see my latest ikat acquisition later this week.

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