i <3 ny

image from hsteckba on flickr

I really miss new york. I miss the sense that everything is possible, the energy and the vastness of possibilities. I miss discovering unusual foods (like orange blossom water) and watching street vendors making jewelry. I miss sample sales and window shopping and watching girls taking knitting classes at purl soho next door. I miss dashing out in the snow to get organic coffee or chocolate pear tarts. I miss wash and fold laundry. How can I feel homesick for a city I swore I would hate forever? I think that is part of the magic of the New York. It wins you over and pulls you in slowly, its charms lie in the space between crowded subway cars and thimble sized apartments. They're in the hidden treasures that take a bit of extra effort to find, the amazing vintage boutique, the street singers with huge talent, the perfect pizza and charming restauranteur, the small acts of kindness that are so much more valued because they are so unexpected.

DC is great, and I really like it, it's beautiful and green and historic, and it has loads of culture and interesting people, but it is so much more serious and restrained and it just feels different. But, I'm new here and I haven't learned any of the city's secrets yet, over time I will gradually find more and more gems and learn to love this place too, but I will keep reading the blogs of darling city girls and I will always ♥ NY.

click your heels together three times ...

image by Corrie Bond via Absolutely Beautiful Things

Tomorrow (bright and early) I am going home (yay!) for the long weekend. I will be imagining that I will be travelling as stylishly as this girl, but in reality, I will be a far cry from getting whisked off in chauffered pink luxury, or even via sparkly red ruby slippers ... at 6 a.m. I am more the ponytail and track pants sort, with a book on tape, trying not to spill coffee all over my car.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

sam & ashley

Meet the Brockintons from ashley brockinton on Vimeo.

via rockstar diaries

love post

via creature comforts
Once in a while, the post office totally redeems itself!

affirmative!

via designcrush
Today was a great day. At work we have a client, a stylist starting her own business, whose main instruction to us was "be creative and take risks!" I designed one out of three web site concepts that we presented her today, and being given free reign, my design was one that I personally LOVED. The client did too! She even had tears in her eyes! She and her partners will select the design they want later this week, and my co-worker's work is great so they can't go wrong, but I really really hope she picks my design! Once it is finalized (or rejected) I will post a link! But right now I am just so happy to have made someone else so happy!

charmant

by studio violet via thepaperplanes
This is so charming and creative! In real life I hate the circus (fear of clowns / the elephants make me sad) but in non real life I think they are super. You should also check out the Calder circus ... I saw it on exhibit at the Whitney ... amazing and so clever!

A whale of a ... belt

$175 from A+R
It's Friday! I may have found a place to live AND I get to go to Chapel Hill and see my family this weekend because my sister is graduating! oh, and I thought this belt was cool.

marais

image via marais usa, via scout holiday
This looks like a fab company - darling and affordable shoes in all kinds of colors! All the girls that run the company are my age (24) so I'm thinking that I need to get it together! Also, this photo reminds me of my life right now, living out of a suitcase, with waaaaay to many shoes (even though I keep wearing the same comfy ones every day ...) Finding a summer apartment is turning out to be much more challenging than anticipated, but I guess I can use some of the rent money I'm saving to buy some of these shoes!

somewhat true and kind of funny

Spiteful gnomes, top hats and caped crusaders ... my best friend has started a blog about the funny things in life ... I made her a banner so now that she is all official, check it out!
somewhattrueandkindoffunny.blogspot.com/

teensy tiny

via kate pruitt for design*sponge

I love these tiny little gardens. DC is pretty lush but I am going to buy some altoids tomorrow so I can make one for my desk. Of course I have a stash of tins at my parents house in my art closet, so I should probably just wait to get them next time I am home, but patience has never been my strongest point.

work is ... work!

via frolic

The good news is, I really like my new job and my new city, the bad news is, a new job and a new city is a lot of work! My sweet aunt and uncle are letting me stay with them until I find an apartment, and they live on a gorgeous Northern VA horse farm, but the commute to the city is awful and I am so not a morning person! Tomorrow marks my 2 week anniversary though, and it's time I get back to fun things, like blogging! and that brings me to this image, which is definitely motivation to find a little home to decorate!

Signs

via le love
Darling.

sweet dreams

via beautiful/decay
Kristen Lepore’s Sweet Dreams

my baby sparkles and shines

image via refinery29 from Zac Posen, Doo.Ri, Miu Miu F'09
I really REALLY want some of these fun embellished tights. Dreamy.

another lovely miss dior ad

via jezebel
I love swans and I think they are beautiful. When I lived in England, there was a swan family that we watched as the parents built the nest, laid the eggs, hatched them and then set of swimming and diving around the canal. (remembering this makes me miss england A LOT) I especially love this swan's necklace, and the colors, and the typography.

spring fling

via creature comforts

Loving this spring fling wreath from etsy shop Dana and Carol.

working girl

via 2 or 3 things

I got a job! And it's the one I (really, really) wanted!!! I will be working as a graphic designer at a small firm in D.C. ... driving distance from N.C., a short trip to N.Y.C., and down the street from 2 of my most favorite girls! I am so excited, but also sort of freaking out!

Mrs. V

photo by Kevin Millard Photography

This weekend was crazy busy, but so much fun being Maid of Honor for my very dear and very beautiful friend Kelly. It was great seeing so many friends from college and seeing everyone so happy to celebrate this marriage.

tulip skirt

image by wendy bevan via design for mankind

O.K. so, I know this isn't a tulip skirt, and the flowers on it aren't tulips either, but still, it is a skirt of flowers, how fantastic!

Grey Gardens

imdb.com

I'm looking forward to the remake of Grey Gardens, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. What a fascinating story ... when I was little I really wanted to grow up to be an eccentric old lady ... now that I'm a bit older I think I'm well on my way! I'm planning to watch the original this weekend if I can find it at the library (most of their film collection is from the 70s so I expect they will have it!)