Some Scenes From The Weekend...

The weekend was all about burgers...

Sure there was also a grown-up night out, our sweet friend Ava's birthday party, a trip to the zoo on the hottest day of the year (because clearly we are brilliant) and a bit of swimming (but not in our pool...don't ask). I also took respite in our air conditioned (albeit empty and still jacked-up) house and made necklaces with the girlies out of wooden beads and fabric scraps that Christine kindly donated to the cause, whipped up a batch of homemade ice cream sandwiches and finished Bossypants (v. funny).

But mostly there were burgers. Three to be exact. In as many days. It was not a good scene friends, but it couldn't be helped. I'm a sucker for a good burger. And it was Memorial Day weekend, which, as holidays go, is rather burgerish, don't ya think?

Suffice to say, it's salads for the rest of the week.

Blogger's Favorites -- Megan of Poem, Sweet Poem

images via poem, sweet poem...

Megan is a poet and a writer (she pens the excellent blog, Poem, Sweet Poem)... She's soulful and smart and observant (prerequisites of being a poet and writer, yes?) She also happens to be kind and immensely lovely.

In my alternative universe, I'm rollin' like Megan -- camping trips in Point Reyes, breakfast in Big Sur, quick trips to Palm Springs. (Yes, in my alternative universe I live in California, good catch.) But her recollections of these experiences -- her photos, her words, her musings -- are the next best thing. I just live vicariously through her.

I love Megan's favorites this week. Her celebration of family, food and nature are a good reminder (for me) that life's true treasures are usually the most accessible and yet often the most overlooked. Thanks Megan for a immensely lovely lead-in to the weekend...

So without further ado, Megan's favorites. Enjoy!

Dreaming of Desolation Wilderness -- This is the story of a place I've been to only once but I can't get out of my mind. Does that ever happen to you? A few summers ago, I went backpacking in Desolation Wilderness, an area perched along the crest of the Sierra Nevada. Known for its granite peaks and glacially formed lakes, this wilderness is the dreamiest stretch of nature I've ever seen. After a long hike in, we set up camp on a heart-shaped lake. With the whole place to ourselves, we swam all day and star-gazed all night. I dream of going back, but these passing thoughts and memories of its magic make it as if, somehow, I never left.

A Taste of the Season -- When I'm at a loss for what to cook, I ask myself: what's in season? Usually, the answer will be my guide. Whether it's peaches in the summertime or apples in the fall, there's nothing more delectable than that first, juicy bite of the season. It's the closest thing we have to tasting earth - if you're into that kind of thing. My favorite place to get fruit and vegetables is the farmer's market (my go-to Saturday morning activity) - where fresh and locally grown produce flows plentifully over rows and rows of farm stands. On the horizon, we have summer. Sounds like stone fruit crumbles and heirloom tomato Bruschetta for me. Yum!

Girlhood -- When I think of my childhood, almost every memory includes my sister, Heather. Our playtime consisted primarily of make-believe, performance and curiosity. Our home in Malibu had a huge backyard. As limitless as our imaginations, it was the perfect place for two young girls to run free. This picture not only defines an era (the two of us as little girls playing on the jungle gym our grandpa built for us) but it defines our everlasting girlhood: caught in a moment of artistic exploration and possibility, we wear our finest and prettiest dresses.

Maine -- I like to think that I was raised in Malibu, but I grew up in Maine. Having spent my college years there and countless summer vacations with family and friends, this California girl can't quit the Pine Tree State. I've walked the jagged shorelines and climbed the tallest peak, canoed in lakes and whitewater rafted down the Penobscot. In my dreams, one day I will have my very own lake house in Maine (kayaks, row-boat and lobster dinner included) -- but for now it's simply Vacation-Land. The lighthouse always brings me back, or is it the countless memories - this place is home to me.

Photo of Marilyn Monroe from here.

Yoga -- It's easy to get caught up in the craziness of life with all of its uncertainties and unknowns. Right as I'm about to lose it, I remember the things that ground me. Yoga is high on that list. Not only is it a guaranteed mood-lifter, but it always makes me feel happy, healthy and fulfilled. It doesn't hurt that three years ago I discovered the dreamiest class in San Francisco. We chant, we flow, we stretch, we twist, we open our hearts. Once we melt into our final resting pose, our teacher massages our necks and feet with rose oil. We wake to the smell of incense and the sound of her flute. I'm grounded just thinking about it and that's all there is to know.

Outerlands -- My favorite restaurant in San Francisco is Outerlands, a quaint and woodsy hub for surfers, artists and musicians. It's also a haven for foodies. On a chilly SF night, I like to order a bowl of piping hot soup (served with Dave's toast - the bread that they bake in-house on a daily basis, see above - and yes, that's homemade butter). They also make incredible fish stew and the prettiest, freshest salads. Sound bite from my last visit: "I'm just eating the flowers and the cheese." Owned by the sweetest family ever, I walk in feeling welcomed and leave as nourished and inspired as ever.

Rise Up Singing -- There is such a thing as the quintessential songbook. Rise Up Singing came into my world during college, when I met my musical soul mates - friends who loved to sing as much as I did. Gathering around this book with guitars and our voices, we found a way to stay warm on long winter nights. An earthy and joyous collection of songs, Rise Up Singing is not a bad thing to have handy for backpacking trips and/or around the campfire. You never know when you might want to sing John Denver's Country Roads under the stars.

Homemade Granola -- Honestly, some food is just better when it's homemade. I wasn't much of a granola girl, until I baked it for myself - and then I was hooked. My favorite recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa cookbook. It works for me because it's simple: a baked combo of oats, coconut, sliced almonds, oil, and honey, combined with dried fruit and roasted cashews. If I'm in the mood, I'll add a dash of cinnamon here and there. Crunchy, sweet and hearty - it's a rare day that I won't have a mason jar full of it on my kitchen counter.

A Walk on the Moon -- If you don't know who the "blouse man" is, I suggest you run off and watch this movie immediately. Set during the summer of 1969, amidst Woodstock and the moon landing, a married woman (Diane Lane) has a lusty affair with a freewheelin' hippie (Viggo Mortensen). Need I say more? Oh, there is something else: the soundtrack is amazing! Classic hits from Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, the Grateful Dead, and Judy Collins will leave you yearning for another era.

Relaxing Outdoors -- On a hot day, I love nothing more than to be outside. Usually, I'll go for a hike or a bike ride to soak in the sunshine, but sometimes I just need to slow down. I've found that one of the best ways for me to re-energize is to do absolutely nothing - well, almost nothing. Once I find the perfect setting (a hammock, a sunny patch of grass, or a spot by the water), all I need is a book and the sounds of the world around me. I know I've reached that prime level of calm and leisure when I forget the little things - like hunger or time, or that the sun has so quietly and modestly slipped away behind the mountains. If I do happen to catch the sunset, nothing could be more reassuring - this thing of beauty will be here tomorrow, and the next day and the next.

Perfect Rooms, Portraits and Picking Paint... (a.k.a some random bits)

This house above from the latest Rue completely knocked my socks off. It's this sort of perfect mix of Big Sur meets Brutalist meets (super warm) Modern...and that big white sectional is such a good foil for all the massive organic wood.

So, so good.

Next up... I loved seeing these iterations of my beloved Chance striped "dress" in their (v. fun) portrait series.

And after seeing how cool Brooke Williams looks in that second photo, I'm seriously wishing I had the guts to actually wear it as a dress...



The three contenders...

And a closer look...

And last but not least, I'm happy to report that I've decided to officially make lemonade out of lemons and use the "great flood of 2011" as an excuse to change up a few things in the house that I've long loathed. Most exciting is the Travertine floor that will replace the really unfortunate developer tile in our entry, bar area and laundry room. This switcharoo alone is (almost) worth the nightmare that this whole experience has been.

Other fun tweaks include new paint for the den, as I've been itching to kick that burnt orange to the curb for a couple of years. We're currently marinating over the finalists above...

Any votes?? I know they're all so drastically different ;-)

B+

I've read a couple of things recently that resonated with me in a huge way...The first was a passage from an interview with the genius Anna Quindlen on Momfilter:


"I think having bright lines and boundaries really worked for us, that it made our kids strong and secure because they were clear on expectations and responsibilities. But I wish I had been better able to combine that with letting things go a little bit. Nobody really needs a bath every night. Nobody really needs a balanced meal for every meal. I should have let the freak flag fly a bit more. It’s hard to be a Type A mom. I wish I could have been a bit more B plus, for my sake and their own."


image via moomah journal

Then there was this quote on the (really fantastic) Moomah journal, by founder, Tracey Stewart:

"Parenting is an incredibly stressful job fraught with anxiety... Too often parenting sites propose an unreal picture of perfection that is impossible to attain...The more we find relaxation, inspiration and laughter the more we can delight in the absolute fulfillment of being a parent."


I think a lot about this idea of "mellow parenting"... I believe with ever fiber of my being that creativity flourishes and the magic happens when you let kids be bored, explore, make messes and just sort of ramble about a bit, and yet, at my core, I am a type A mom. Big time. Art projects inevitably begin with a mental assessment of how hard they'll be to clean up, I still tend to overschedule (despite my continued attempts at laziness) and, more often than not, I'm far more uptight than I'd like to be.

So Stewart and Quindlen's wise words were a good reminder, a re-set if you will. Alongside the swimming and ping pong and outdoor dinners I have lined up for the summer, I'm also going shoot for embracing "type B plus". I'm going to raise the freak flag a bit. Who's with me?

Loving...

The dress that pretty much epitomizes what I want to be wearing this summer.

This insanely gorgeous shot of Mick and Bianca... (via the excellent All Things Stylish)

Alice Garland's perfect ceramics

Yet another Clare Vivier bag (via Michelle's Pinterest) that's made its way to my wish list... The CV thing is becoming an issue for me friends.

Serious mother/son loveliness via J.Crew

This whimsical bench -- a major pop of fun amidst my usual earthy/minimalist tendencies...the girlies would love this.

Ted Kincaid's photos at Marty Walker Gallery via tinyDallas (Lucia's gallery round-ups are the best) ... like walking through a forest in a dream.

Jenn's latest creations -- her excellent "color gradient" necklaces... especially loving the coral one. You rock Jenn!

Luke Irwin's ikat rug -- The rug of my dreams. Seriously. (via 2 or 3 things)

Scenes from The Weekend...Sort Of

It was a bit of a rough weekend, as we spent the better part of it packing in preparation for the continued "operation house destruction/put-back together". I have to say, it's reached a pretty hilarious (in, as my friend Tiffany put it, a "Jack Nicholson laughing" sort of way) point around here. We're now down to 2.5 functioning rooms -- the kitchen, guest room and 1/2 of the dining room, where the girlies and Bryan's mother (who's been staying with us while his dad is in the hospital) are sleeping. We've also had some weather related pool delays, so there's nowhere to escape outside either for fear that one of the girls will trip and fall into a huge, gaping concrete hole in the backyard.

Good times.

But here's the thing, no matter how bad things seem to be, no matter how much I want to scream and cry (and trust me, I've cried...maybe even this morning in the parking lot at Millie's school, to the aforementioned Tiffany), I am reminded that we are lucky. Just when I'm feeling epically sorry for myself, I get a call that a dear friend unexpectedly lost his brother Saturday morning, followed by news from another dear friend that her father had passed away... or I flip on the computer and read about the aftermath of the tornado in Missouri. It's humbling. Truly.

So again, we're reveling in the small (I'm thinking that will be my mantra this year)... a particularly good ballet class on Saturday morning, a slow breakfast yesterday and, maybe best of all, watching the girlies endlessly rally amidst the craziness -- they are hugely creative and adaptable and cool. I could learn a lot from them right about now, yes?

Blogger's Favorites -- Kate of Moodboard

Kate is a bit of a mystery.

Which, given the propensity toward sharing every detail of our lives, is pretty refreshing and attractive. (Quite frankly, I could work on cultivating a bit more mystery myself...)

But, as a long-time reader of Kate's excellent blog, Moodboard, here's what I do "know" about her: She has impeccable taste, an enviable closet (which she regularly allows us glimpses into), an amazing sense of style, serious vintage prowess and, from what I can tell from the occasional peek, mad interiors skills.

Based on our e-mail exchanges, I also know that she's kind and funny. Bottom line...I want to spend the day shopping with her. Big time.

So given her tendency to keep a somewhat low-profile, I was pretty thrilled that she was willing to let us into her world a bit by agreeing to do this week's "blogger's favorites".

Without further ado, Kate's list. Enjoy and have a splendid weekend friends!

Hermes Cuff -- I'm rarely without my Hermes cuff, a gift from my husband. I wouldn't love it nearly as much if I had bought it. My husband always takes the time to read my blog and keeps track of what I'm loving. The cuff was a complete surprise and it makes me smile every time I wear it. I get teased because I've been busted trying to rush out the door late for an appointment, managing to grab my cuff but my wedding set has been left on the nightstand. eep! oops. I just see it as a big ol' wedding ring for your wrist ;) (photography: Moodboard)





Vintage clothing -- I collect all eras but my favorite is the 1930's. I have a hard time leaving something beautiful behind, even if it is wrecked with stains or holes. When I bring pieces into my tailor she normally turns up her nose and orders me to toss them into the trash. I then beg and plead their case, maybe an extra pleat here? An embroidery patch there? I usually win.



L.M. Montgomery – Her descriptive writing changed my life. I think I own every story she has written. (Image via Anne of Green Gables)



Reclaimed barn wood – I love its heft and history. I long for wide plank flooring in my kitchen. (Imagevia Apartment Therapy)



Hot Cocoa -- I love hot cocoa so much that I drink it all year round. My favorite so far has been at Angelina's in Paris, which is much like drinking a melted chocolate bar. (Photography: Moodboard)



Travel -- My husband and I love to travel, and we made a pact that we would go outside of the US every two years. We are taking turns picking the destination, and next on the list is Marrakesh. I'm dreaming of visiting souks and lugging home vintage wedding blankets instead of my suitcase. (Image: Moodboard)



Taylor Tomasi Hill -- Style Director Taylor Tomasi Hill's take on classic mixed with fashion forward pieces is usually pitch perfect. (Image: TFS)



Sarah Moon's photography -- It has a dreamy, darkly romantic quality that calls to my very aesthetic. (Image: Moodboard)



Favorite Movies on Repeat -- The women in my family have an embarrassing habit of watching a favorite movie over and over for weeks on end. My mom and aunt once got hooked on The Long, Hot Summer—both the Paul Newman and Don Johnson versions—which resulted in a mega moviethon that almost killed us. (Images: Amazon)



Elements of Masculine and Feminine in Design -- I like the tension of masculine and feminine elements combined in design, like the soft green chairs paired with metal industrial tables. (Image: Moodboard)





The Home of David and Nicole Page – They own the vintage shop DavidMetNicole. I'm always referring back to this home for inspiration. (image: Moodboard via Vogue Living September/October 2005 Photography Jonny Valiant)