On my last trip to NYC I revisited the historic Fraunce’s Tavern in the Financial District. A cannonball supposedly went through the roof during the revolutionary war, and George Washington gave his farewell address upstairs.
Lately I’ve been making my favorite Fraunce’s cocktail at home, and it has been a hit this autumn. Here are the ingredients:
Prosecco
Lemon juice
Angostura bitters
Brown sugar cubes
Chambord
Pour the bitters (only use a little bit) over the brown sugar cube, then add prosecco (the body of the drink), lemon juice and Chambord to taste.
Joy Cho’s new book, Blog,Inc. has been an instant success. Here’s a virtual chat where Joy discusses balancing her popular blog, ohJoy! (which is her full-time job) and her life:
>>>Joy Cho Virtual Chat<<<
P.S. – Joy happens to be the designer of my favorite wallpaper of all time. I WILL have a statement wall of it whenever I own my first home.
What I’m munching on:
What I’m crafting:
What I’m watching:
What I’m drooling over:
It’s the most wonderful tiiiiime of the… wait, no its not. I’m not going to start thinking about Christmas for a few weeks, on principle, but Bloomingdale’s already has (so has Sunny FM, ugh). Instead of sending the usual Christmas catalog, they sent adorable little booklets. I can’t find the designer, but they are adorable!
Love her, love H&M. Quite the winning combination.
P.S. All these sixties-inspired looks are making me miss Mad Men. I LOVE YOU BETTY DRAPER!
I’ve been following Young House Love, the Richmond-based blog, for a few years now. John and Sherry Petersik have turned blogging into a true full-time career, a feat not many can claim, and now they’ve released a book chock full of DIY projects, home decor advice and their signature quirky writing. Here’s a pic so you can see for yourself the adorable cover:
Here’s a peek into one of my favorite projects in the book – I’ve been dying to get my hands on some gold leaf for several projects. Can’t wait to try this:
John and Sherry’s blog is addictive. If you check it out, make sure to go to the Young House Life page, which documents their non-blog pursuits (mostly super-cute stories about their daughter and chihuahua). They are currently doing a book tour, but sadly I couldn’t make their Richmond event. Order the book here to check out more Virginia-grown ideas!
Election ads got you down? Here’s the perfect prescription: a Stout Float.
Grizz and I used:
Guiness stout
Kahlua
Amaretto
Chocolate frozen yogurt
Milk
Mix in a blender (or with a spoon) and voila!
I just discovered “The Magazine” section on Anthro’s website and I’m instantly hooked. The first page, “The Versatile: Fancy Meets Functional” shows clothes from Anthro dressed up v. dressed down. I love this idea – whenever I shop for staple pieces it’s important to me whether they will work in more than one situation or season.
The “At the Desk” section provides a sneak peek into the spaces of their creative team members. Right now they’re featuring their Visual Director Tami, and her office dons the drool-worthy wallpaper we’ve all seen and loved in the blogisphere from Cole & Sons:
I’m sold. Adding it to the blogroll. Magazine roll? Anyway, check it out for more inspiration and also for some ideas from designer/collector Sibella Court and blogger extraordinaire SFGIRLBYBAY. For now I’ll leave you with this adorable fall drawing…
“Brilliantly colored flowers are ranunculus’ chief attraction, and they are indeed special. They most often come in multiple layers of delicate, crepe paper–thin petals, looking like an origami masterwork. Ranunculus (R. asiaticus) excel in southern and western gardens, and make terrific container plants everywhere. They also make long-lasting cut flowers.” Michael MacCaskey, National Gardening Association
These beautiful, architecturally intricate flowers have been popping up lately in bouquets, design and even apparel. I for one am not complaining – I’ve always been drawn to their circular shape and vibrant colors, like the flowers of childrens’ drawings.
Rifle Paper Co. has been featuring them for quite some time in their stationary:
Anthropologie’s new ad features some very colorful ranunculi:
Forever21 offers several ranuncs (because we’re on a first-name basis) to be donned dans les cheveux:
For $2.80 per pair, snagging every color is on my to-do list. I already have prints by Rifle that I love, and as for Anthropologie I will simply state my continuous love for their styling. Cyber kisses to you, Anthro!
(Click each photo for source)
When it comes to film there is only one critic I fully trust: Roger Ebert. So, when he wrote in his review that Cloud Atlas is “one of the most ambitious films ever made,” I knew it was going to be something spectacular.
I felt I had a bit of an advantage in following the complex plot – there are six storylines, each in a different era – because I read and loved David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas in college (you can read my raving review of it here). Jason went with me and loved it just as much as I did. He has only read half of the novel, so its safe to say it’s something even the non-reader can enjoy.
When I initially read the reviews for the film, I was slightly annoyed by how many critics attributed the unique and complex narrative to the filmmakers. While they did an excellent job bringing Mitchell’s novel to life and certainly showed ingenuity in the ways they visualized the work, it was Mitchell and only Mitchell who crafted the original piece that challenged boundaries of genre and form. That said, directors Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski siblings brought innovative ideas to the table: they use actors in many different parts in which Mitchell had suggested similarities and they interweave the scenes to create a mosaic of time where Mitchell was more straightforward.
Ultimately, Ebert was right to call this film extremely ambitious. Like another favorite film of both mine and Ebert’s, Tree of Life, the film is not “about” the plot. Instead, it suggests certain philosophies or take-aways through its mechanics. In a brilliant film such as this, no transition is insignificant, no character represents a singular being, and much of the dialogue speaks to the themes as well as the subjects.