And she dances on the sand

Just 5 more weeks till the big day...which means 5 weeks and 2 days till the honeymoon and I am so excited. A couple days ago Garance Dore turned me onto Lisa Marie Fernandez, and my first thought was how perfect her swimsuits and dresses would be for the Rio portion of our trip. It's a little bit out of my budget, but a girl can dream.

Packing for Rio by matrioshkaDC featuring Lisa Marie Fernandez dresses

But it's not just the dress. I'm gonna need some options, right? I will definitely need some great sunglasses while laying on the beach, and what better than Prada's futuristic butterfly ones. And if I want to keep my scalp from burning, I believe a great panama hat is in order. Since my skin is going to be a nice brown, I will also want some warm colored gold accessories, like these 18 karat gold feather dipped earrings.

Having blown all my money on accessories, I better find a swim suit that is more proportionate to my budget, like this awesome one from bodyglove. I am also seriously considering those hot pink sandals from Dolce Vita (which is one of my favorite shoe brands). I could throw those in a nice nautically striped bag (naturally, yellow) for the evening while walking around in my Havianas during the day. And...I just want that Ella Moss skirt... I'd wear that in any country.

Rose Colored Glasses

Gotta get 'em

via 100 Layer Cake

lusting for acapulco

It's almost the end of summer and we still haven't managed to outfit our new balcony. To be honest it's just way too hot to sit outside anyway. But as fall approaches, I know I'm gonna want to enjoy a nice cocktail at the end of the day. And there is only one chair that seems appropriate....the Acapulco Chair. It totally conjures up images of (now) vintage resorts and glamorous looking movie stars in their wayfarer sunglasses lounging and drinking margaritas.
Available at Green Point Works

images via Mod FruGal, Madame Herve, M. Design Interiors, The Diversion Project

Guess Who Got Married?

I hope we get to see even a snippet of her wedding...Update: First snippet seen on Le Blog de Betty

via The Cherry Blossom Girl

Working with What you Got

Our apartment is not totally my favorite aesthetic. That is, no, it is not a Parisian apartment with chevron wood floors and beautiful paneling, nor is it in Brooklyn with exposed brick and industrial lighting fixtures...but very few people's are. No, our apartment was built in the 80's and features yellow cabinets and mirrored doors everywhere possible. But I don't know, maybe it's just because we've already made so many good memories there, it's home. But I digress. Because my canvas is unique, I have to change my style of painting slightly. I've started going a bit more glamorous (I mean we've got those mirrors), brighter, flashier than some of my favorite muted spaces. But, it is a fine line (a subtlety, anyone?) to not go overboard. I was feeling a bit lost in all the contrasting black, whites, and yellows and wondering what I was doing when I stumbled on this apartment.

This space is modern, bright, and bold without being...too 80s, too bold. It's refined, airy, and fun. I think judicious use of white and lots of striped pillows, rugs, and lamp shades helped.

images via The Diversion Project

Where Have You Been? The Diversion Project

I know I've talked about this phenomena before. Where you see a picture or a pair of shoes or hear a song and you're like...that's it. That is you. There is something so subtle about that thing that makes that one thing totally line up with your own taste. From a clothing standpoint that definitely happened to me when I came across Ascot Friday. But for design, my big bang moment came when I discovered the Diversion Project. I love the pictures, I love her cute title posts, and I've already bookmarked like every store she has mentioned. I mean, how can you not love this?
It's clear Jules loves black paint, industrial spaces, a mix of high glamor and lower thrift store finds and striped rugs. All my favorites.
Then there was this picture. When I saw this couch.... I realized that I will forever be unhappy with any couch I ever have because it will never compare to this couch. My perfect outdoor patio: retro wire furniture and bright bold colors.
Tons of little tidbits that gave me some serious decorating ideas and that made me covet.



Diversion Project...you complete me.

Canadian Tuxedo

I would be totally okay with denim on denim if I could rock it Chanel style...

Via Stockholm Streetstyle

Look! At this straw bowler hat

Gotta get me one of those. That and one of the Erin Fetherston variety.

via Vanessa Jackman

Deep Breaths

Okay...I've calmed down, the infection has subsided. Last night, PB and I had a friend over and started talking about all the fun activities we're going to do the week of the wedding (rehearsal dinner, a little out of towners happy hour, BBQ) and I realized in the scheme of things how little I cared about all of this in the scheme of things. Another friend told me over lunch today that she doesn't even remember all the things she worried about before the weddings. Thank you friends for reminding me that it's just silly to get so stressed.

ps. I really really really need confetti.

photo via Snippet and Ink

It's happened

Suddenly, as we approach the 6 week mark I have been infected with the bridal virus. Case in Point: I went online to look at flowers and suddenly I decided, I don't even like flowers. I should have just done wheat or succulents, branches, broaches. Suddenly every single flower looks cliche and over done. And then I realized I just rushed into a color scheme...didn't give it nearly enough thought. Why had I picked these colors? I didn't like any of the flowers these colors came in...NONE OF THEM. I am really hoping this passes soon. Oh, here's some bouquets that when I calmed down, I realized were quite pretty.

Images 1 through 3 from Style Me Pretty, 4 through 8 from Martha Stewart Weddings.

Wedding Look

I am loving the side bun, dark eyes, and pink lips this model is rocking. I think it would make for an editorial wedding.
Image via Belkina

L.A. Ladies Choir

Have you heard or heard of the L.A. Ladies Choir? I used to be very involved in several choirs growing up, so I was so excited to read about them in my last copy of Elle. Especially because the group was started by Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond (a group I fell in love with when the opened for the Decemberists) and Aska Matsumiya (of several other very cool bands) and counts several other creative artists and even the model Frankie Rayder among its members. The women dress up in vintage Laura Ashley--another sign of my past--and get together to sing beautiful folk music and apparently eat very delicious food. Sounds a bit more Laural Canyon hippie than the sort of classical music gray knee socks vibe of my old choir, but I could totally get into it. Is anyone down to start a DC chapter?

images via T Magazine and A Capella News
http://www.facebook.com/pages/LA-Ladies-Choir/205636440300

Band of Gold

I've been doing a lot of ring browsing lately (we are closing in on 6 weeks) and after much careful analysis, I determined that we had to head to Brooklyn for our wedding bands. There just seem to be so many awesome jewelry designers doing really unique work that is really quite reasonable Namely:

Catbird

Designers: Elisa Solomon, J. Lingnao, Bittersweets NY,

St. KildaConroy and Wilcox (available at Stuart and Wright)

Whoops, were those all gold. I guess my own preferences clouded my "objectivity". Aren't these gorgeous?

Words

PB and I started looking working on what exactly is going to happen during those 45 minutes where we become married. It's ridiculously easy to forget about the most important part amidst all the small details. Does anyone have suggestions for inspirational words?

The photo above is from our awesome photographer, Matt at Our Labor of Love. I can't wait to see what he'll do with the Golden Gate Bridge!

Petticoat Junction

I'm not sure where the idea came from. Maybe it's my new Mad Men obsession. Or possibly the womanly silhouettes coming down last spring's runway that evoke Bridgette Bardot. It might even be the plethora of circus inspired wedddings. Jane from Sea of Shoes has them, as does Sandra from Niotillfem. I'm sure that Suzy Bubble has one but I just can't find a good picture.
But for some reason, I really want a petticoat Or maybe it's just a crinoline, I honestly don't know the difference, but I want my skirts poofy. What do you think?

click the pictures to be taken to their original sources