Sorting Through the Muchness -- August Edition...

salad image via sunday suppers

A while back I read a post on Even Cleveland that discussed the idea of sorting through "the muchness", and it just stuck with me...

Between all the lovely blogs and pinterest and twitter and magazines and catalogs I feel like I process an insane amount of stuff each month -- images, pretty things, thought-provoking things, information, snippets of information. So I thought it might be a good exercise if I regularly took the time to think about what's really resonating out of the muchness...what I'm really loving, using, thinking about endlessly.

It's not intended to be a lofty exercise (as underscored by the fact that one of the things I'm thinking about this month is lip balm), but I'm hoping it'll sort of force me to sort through all the clutter and settle in a bit on the things that, well...stuck.

And because you know how I love "the sharing", I thought it would be fun to create a little monthly series based on the 3-5 things that bubbled to the surface.

Here are my "August Things":

Simple Greens:
I am all about salad...I could eat it at every. single. meal. and usually prefer it jammed with nuts and cheese and any number of other sundry tasty bits. But in August, on three separate occasions, I was served a perfect salad that consisted of essentially just really good greens and some herbs (dill was key) tossed with a little homemade dressing (usually some combo of high quality balsamic vinegar, a little oil and some salt and pepper). The salads were game changers. And as such, I've been consuming lightly dressed greens non-stop (occasionally even at breakfast).

Clare Vivier Messenger:
Bryan bought me a navy CV messenger bag a few years ago for my birthday, but it had been out of rotation for a while... It resurfaced during the recent "great closet clean-out", and I proceeded to carry it exclusively the entire month of August... (It was equally at home on the streets of Manhattan and in Marfa's dusty dessert, which I think says something about a bag, yes?) I love this purse. I do.

Burt's Bees Lip Balm in Honeysuckle:
It's not lipstick or lip gloss. It's not fancy or goopy or shimmery or shiny. It's just a sort of simple, beigey lip balm. But I'm addicted to it.

Magazines:
After the folding of all the (seemingly) great ones (i.e. Gourmet, Cookie, Domino, Blueprint...), I was feeling pretty meh about magazines. They were just not doing it for me. But with all the flying I did this month, I ended up giving in and reading almost every single one on the newsstand, and friends... I think magazines are roaring back. Of specific note are Martha Stewart Living now helmed by former Cookie editor Pilar Guzmán (Cookie and Momfilter co-founder Yolanda Edwards is also at MSL now, so double bonus), Stefano Tonchi's W, Partners & Spade's re-branded Lucky, and Bon Appétit, which, under new editor Adam Rapoport, is starting to (almost) fill the void that the closing of Gourmet left in my heart (not to be overly dramatic of course ;-)

I'd love to know...was there anything that stood out for you guys in August? Any favorites you'd like to share?

Loving...

Claire's bright orange nails... Despite loving them on everyone else, I've never had the guts to actually pull the trigger on bright coral or red nails. I feel a "living on the edge" moment coming on...


Jane's beautiful shop...the walnut boards are especially lovely.


This perfect vine-covered studio by Scott Lewis via Remodelista... (I've been having lots of "having a studio" dreams what with all the branch wrapping and fabric garland making and necklace constructing of late.)


And speaking of studios, I'm loving the peek into the Odette NY studio for Jen's awesome "The Makers Project"...


Caitlin's "brand new week" posts...love her little vignettes.


This beautiful "work lunch" via kinfolk journal... let's just say it's far lovelier than most of my work lunches.


McSweeney's new children's imprint...because there is nothing better than beautiful, artful, smart kid's books. Nothing...



This baby shower (via Jesse Kamm) -- by far the coolest, most stylish baby shower I've ever seen. And for the record, I think piñatas are needed at more adult parties, because really how satisfying is it to smash open a piñata!!?

Some Scenes From The Weekend

After spending the better part of last week in a conference room in Chicago experiencing PowerPoint overload, I was seriously craving some concentrated time with my girlies + a dose of "hands-on" goodness to temper the technology overload... Luckily we had a giant "to do" list of projects for Audrey's upcoming birthday party, so there was plenty crafty stuff to keep us busy.

I started working on a centerpiece for the "cupcake table" using a branch from the backyard + some tissue paper, ribbon and embroidery thread. It's a time consuming enterprise (I'm thinking it'll take me the better part of the week to finish), but wrapping the thread around the branch is really zen, so that's a plus. And, I'm really digging the way it looks, which is usually not the case with my DIY endeavors.

We also managed to hammer out the fabric garland...actually I should say that Audrey managed to hammer out the fabric garland, as she made the whole thing 100% by herself. Huge. When she first started, I could feel myself getting all Bossy McBosserton... all "you need to cut the strips smaller" and "why did you clump all that yellow together", but then I quickly squashed my control-freak tendencies and just let her go for it. It was her gig, and she was so freakin proud, which is the whole point, yes? And for the record, her laissez-faire attitude resulted in an end-product far cooler than anything I could have made.

Other weekend highlights included lots of swimming, Bryan's (really yummy) homemade manicotti -- because nothing says 100 degree weather like a steaming pan of cheesy pasta ;-), and more necklace making (the necklace thing might be getting a little out of control...just sayin).

Hope you guys had a fantastic weekend!








I had to include the photo above that Audrey took at Sam's art show on Friday...she was tapping into her inner sartorialist.

Friday...

has arrived...Finally!

The week has been a bit nutty with all the work travel, so no blogger's favorites this week (but I have a good one in the queue for next Friday!)

We're headed to Sam's art show tonight, having a little dinner/swim with buddies tomorrow and Audrey and I are going to try our hand at those fabric streamers (wish us luck) + I'm planning on making more clay beads, as we're awfully addicted to the necklace making of late...

Hope you guys are up to all sorts of good stuff this weekend!

Embracing our "Inner Hippies" -- A Peek at The Planning

Some evidence of the obsession -- my Pinterest inspiration board for Audrey's party...


image from Australian Harpers Bazzar/jmireps via Table Tonic

In between our trip to Marfa, my work trip to Chicago and the start of the new school year, Audrey and I have busily planning for her 8th (!) birthday party next weekend…

My “obsession” with planning the girlie’s birthday parties, tends to elicit a little, well... joshing from my buddies. I get it; the whole deal can seem a little nutty for what is essentially a couple of hours of sugar-fueled kiddos raging against the machine. But I love a good birthday party, I love all the planning and dreaming up the fun details… It’s my thing, and I think it might be Audrey’s thing too, as the two of us can happily wile away the better part of an afternoon dreaming up ( in grand detail) future parties we want to throw.

But beyond the pure creative aspect, I love how the process of creating a special “event” for the girls honors their birthday in a memorable way. Birthdays are important -- I think they deserve a little pomp and circumstance and effort. For me, it’s never about material extravagance or being excessive, rather it’s about lavishing creativity and time and effort on my girlies to mark the day they entered our lives…


Audrey's invites in progress...


dreamcatcher via Creature Comforts...


the "stretch goal" cupcakes via Lori Hernadez

To that end (after much joint brainstorming), we collectively decided to celebrate her special day this year with a sweet, mellow hippie/boho themed shindig. It’ll be a “girls only” affair at a little art studio where the guests will make dream catchers and beaded necklaces while listening to Joni Mitchell… kidding about the Joni Mitchell part, sort of ;-)

We’re also planning to use our teepee and IKEA sheepskins and (stretch goal #1) some homemade streamers modeled after Casey’s to create a little photo backdrop/hang-out space for the girlies. And, since it’s an afternoon party, we’re just serving lemonade and cupcakes, so I want the cupcakes to feel especially festive, thus stretch goal #2: attempting to somewhat replicate goodies that look like the ones above…I’ll let you know how that goes. ;-)

Some (Firsthand) Lessons from The French

The ultimate in French girl style...Charlotte Gainsbourge (via Who What Wear)

I’m currently in Chicago at a Global planning meeting for my day job and just finished eating lunch next to a French colleague. Two observations I felt compelled to share:

1. While most of the room was sporting some take on (the ambiguous and somewhat unfortunate) “business casual”, French colleague was wearing a pair of dark Levis rolled at the ankle with simple black wedges, a slouchy black knit top and a pair of Warby Parker-esque glasses…totally simple and basic and pretty much 100% chicer than every other person in the room (no offense to any of my other colleagues of course).


2. My lunch plate contained two small slices of thin-crust veggie pizza and a large green salad, which, given the the majestic array of “Americana” fare on offer (cobb salad and cheese steak sandwiches and hot dogs and three different types of pizza and chili...), was making me feel pretty virtuous. French colleague sat down next to me with a plate containing the following (all perfectly arranged): a small mound of romaine lettuce, a small mound of avocado, a couple of gherkins and a small mound of grilled onions and peppers. Oh and she had a glass of water with no ice too.

Duly noted super chic French colleague…duly noted.

Scenes from Marfa -- Part Two

As promised, I’m going to share a little guide to visiting Marfa for those of you that might be considering a trek…

I’m a big believer that one of the things that makes a trip somewhere new most special is what you unearth and discover on your own… But it’s always helpful to go into the “unearthing” with a little head-start, yes? I also feel compelled to mention that Marfa isn’t obvious or slick in any way; rather it’s sleepy and subtle, and, if you're willing to sort of “go with it”, it will completely blow you away. Here goes…


STAY:

• El Cosmico – Liz Lambert’s latest genius project is (in the words of Austin architect and El Cosmico Project Manager, Jack Sanders) “part yurt and hammock hotel, part residential living, part art-house, greenhouse and amphitheater" … It was too hot to stay there in August (at least for us), but I think it would be total magic for a spring or fall visit.


• The Thunderbird – Probably the most oft-recommended place to stay in Marfa, The Thunderbird is a revamped motor-court similar in aesthetic to one of my all-time favorite spots, Austin's Hotel San Jose.


• El Sueno – We opted to rent a house on our visits to Marfa to allow more room for spreading out with the girlies, and El Sueno was our go-to for both trips. It consists of a large main house which we comfortably shared with another family on our first trip and a cozy casita where just the four of us stayed this time.
  


• Hotel Paisano – Most well-known as the place that Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor called home during the filming of Giant, The Paisano is old-school in the best possible way. Even if you don’t stay here, you’ll want to hit up the bar at least once for the stellar margaritas and Shirley Temples (which, much to the girlies’ immense delight, were heavy on the cherries).

EAT:

• The Get Go – By far our most frequently visited spot in Marfa…It’s like a perfect über miniature gourmet store meets Whole Foods. It’s a bit pricey, but being able to get organic plums, good wine + cheese, homemade bread and (the almost impossible to find) Dr. Bronner’s Rose soap in the middle of the West Texas dessert makes it more than worth it.
  


• Cochineal – Beautiful, simple, spare and really, really excellent food. (It’s sort of the culinary equivalent of Donald Judd’s art.) You have to make a reservation for dinner, but the equally excellent breakfast is a pretty low-key affair. We rode our bikes over there for big plates of French toast, breakfast tacos and eggs benedict both mornings of our stay.


• The Pizza Foundation – Maybe the best pizza I’ve ever eaten…Truly.


• Food Shark – A mobile operation that serves (a fantastic) lunch a few days a week in the pavilion in the center of town... Each day we were there, we witnessed a crowd form promptly at 11:30 when the truck opened and the pavilion stayed packed with locals until the truck pulled away a few hours later.


• The Miniature Rooster – An artful "diner" that serves interesting, “elevated” Southern food infused with some Indian influences…(trust me it works). I had a crazy good trio of beet and arugula salad, roasted cauliflower with capers, and shrimp and grits topped with a poached egg. As a side-note, I caught a glimpse of the contents of their glass-front, walk-in refrigerator on the way to the restroom and it was as beautiful as a Flemish still-life.

DO:

• Art -- Part of what makes Marfa so special is the ability to view high art in the middle of a such a vast and rural place (and decidedly outside of its typical urban environs). It’s startling to move between the stark desert landscape and the series of six army barracks that have been renovated to house Dan Flavin’s giant fluorescent light sculptures or the huge space filled with rows of Judd’s aluminum boxes all reflecting an ever-changing sky. Ultimately it’s this hugely beautiful mash-up that makes Chinati different from anywhere else I’ve ever been. The girls are completely mesmerized by this place.
  
  Unlike traditional “museums” you can’t just visit Chinati and walk around on your own, rather you’ll need to book a guided tour in advance. They have several options, from hour-long sessions focused on a single artist to a full-day tour that takes you through the entire property. You can also book tours of Judd’s personal studios, libraries and his former home through the Judd Foundation. We’ve yet to do this for fear that the girls are a bit young, but it’s at the top of our list for our next visit. In addition to the profusion of Judd’s work in town, there’s also Ballroom Marfa as well as a number of small galleries.


• Nature – One of my most blissful moments of our trip was riding our bikes home in the dark after dinner and pausing to gaze up at the star-filled sky (there’s really nothing quite like the majesty of a star- filled west Texas sky). In my core I am drawn to loamy, misty environments rife with fog and towering trees, but somehow Marfa just rocks me in the best possible way. It is achingly beautiful. I would highly recommend carving out an afternoon to drive to Balmorhea State Park for the scenery alone, but, especially in the summer, swimming in the icy cold springs is a must.


• Shops -- Similar to the restaurant situation, there are just a handful of shops in town, but each one is artful and special (there’s no schlocky pandering to tourists). Don’t miss Buck Johnson and Camp Bosworth’s brilliant art shop, Wrong, Marfa Book Co. (which is unsurprisingly heavy on gorgeous art and architecture tomes), Fancy Pony Land studio and store and Tienda M for beautiful Mexican pottery, textiles and ethereal Dosa dresses. In addition, JM Dry Goods and the tiny gift shops at El Cosmico and The Thunderbird all boast a nicely edited selection of treasures (Bolivian rugs, Turkish towels, candles, cowhides, peasant tops, straw bags, found items, etc…) that feel totally reflective of the region.

Scenes from Marfa -- Part One

* update -- if you want to hear some of the tunes we were listening to on our eight hour trek to Marfa, I have a little "Roadtripping" mix up over on K.I.D. Collective...











the beautiful shop Tienda M...





There's just too much goodness that I want to share with you guys from our trip to Marfa, so in an attempt to avoid (completely) photographic overload, I'm going to split my "scenes" up into two posts... I'll share some of the highlights of our trip today, and, since several of you have asked for tips on visiting Marfa, I thought I'd include a little "stay/eat/do" guide with tomorrow's photo extravaganza in gratitude for indulging me.

I realize it's a bit simplistic and obvious to characterize Marfa as "magical", but really in every sense of the term, it is pure magic. It's this shimmering little mirage in the middle of majestic West Texas...all high art and good food and interesting, smart, creative people tucked quietly amidst beautifully broken-down buildings and eerily empty roads. Being there is restorative and inspiring and inevitably prompts every person I've known who's visited to dream of packing-up and reinventing themselves in that seemingly limitless landscape.

Our trip consisted of mostly ambling about... We spent a lot of time with our dear friends Buck and Camp at their amazing house, ate some excellent meals (the restaurants are few but stellar), visited Chinati and marveled over the Flavins and the foresight of Donald Judd, swam in bracingly cold spring-fed pools at Balmoreha State Park (and were in awe of the crazy "finger mountains" on our drive there that the girlies likened to "drip castles made by God") and rode our bikes everywhere.

I'm always heartened by how the girlies come alive in environments like this. They were literally never bored, never complaining; despite the fact that there were very few of the trappings typically deemed "essential" to occupying kids. They roamed and explored, played with the dogs that were hanging out at restaurants, put pennies on the train tracks and delighted in searching for the little flattened pieces of copper the next morning, wrote in their journals, climbed trees, invented games. In this space they could be wild and inventive and free...

But most important, in this space, they could be kids -- a state that has become far too rare.












millie and our friend Buck sharing a moment...



a shot by Audrey who demonstrated quite the photographic prowess on this trip...