On Being Excited

I get excited. A lot. I can't tamp it down (although I've been told on more than one occasion that I should). I am happy, enthusiastic, upbeat...

All of this, in theory, is good, I mean there's an entire genre of books aimed at upping ones happiness quotient, and yet, being perky isn't the most revered of qualities. It's seems more respectable, cooler even, to be harried, cynical, sardonic.

I'm holding firm though. I don't mind being uncool...being cool is overrated. I'm not afraid to walk out of situation that was magical/fun/interesting and be excited about it (really, really excited). I'm good with that.

Over the past two days, I've had the opportunity to sit down and chat with a design icon, have dinner in quite possibly the most stunning, soulful home I've ever encountered (above), and share lunch with a wholly inspiring and talented woman. It was a good two days.

I am (really really) excited.

Paula Greif...

images via Remodelista

I'm not quite sure what to do about the issue of Paula Greif, but I am completely obsessed... Her work alone is enough to spawn a full-on girl crush, but then there's this via Remodelista:

"Brooklyn-based Renaissance woman Paula Greif set herself a creative goal: to make everything in her kitchen by hand. Greif views her working life as a horizontal line—she started as a graphic designer for magazines; later, she directed music videos and commercials; more recently, she's turned her attention to ceramics. Greif's house in Brooklyn is a project on that continuum; filled with her own hand-hooked rugs and distinctive pottery. Her inspiration? Alexander Calder (specifically, the book Calder at Home), who "extended his creativity to every corner of his existence." After reading about Calder, Greif began to make things for her own home; rug hooking led her to pottery, and ultimately, a desire to remake everything in her kitchen by hand."

Oh and then this from her site:

I'm at a loss.

Thanks a lot Michelle ;-)

The Process of Falling in Love in Five Steps

1. Spot a cluster of lovely ceramics on Pinterest.

2. Click through to Design*Sponge (the source of that ceramics image) from Pinterest to discover that said ceramics were created by Angela Hodgkinson (one of my faves).

3. Click over to Angela's blog, Various Projects, and catch up.

4. While catching up, become obsessed with photo of Solange Knowles at The Louve.

5. Click over to Solange's "Damn Blog" and proceed to obsess over everything before falling... Hard.

The interwebs is a magical place, yes?

A Quick Bit of Random Loveliness to Offset the Crazy

Today was a doozy of a day... multiple mishaps, work craziness, and an epic anesthesia-induced, post dental surgery meltdown by Audrey.

It was good times.

So I'm just going let these lovely paintings hanging in the T Room at Forty Five Ten be my temporary happy place (despite their air of mild melancholy). Cool?

Ship and Shape Goodness...And a Giveaway

I am a huge fan of pretty much everything about Ship & Shape -- the aesthetic sensibility, the design, the carefully considered goods...

The ladies behind all this goodness, Erin Smith, Maddy Nye, and Annika Kaplan, are designers and makers that wanted to create an online space to showcase quality, handmade goods. Each season, the ladies carefully curate a mix of their own works alongside unique handmade products made by their favorite artists.

It is seriously good stuff.


And because they are so lovely and kind, they've offered up the little trifecta of goodness above to one of you, including:

Annika's SHIP & SHAPE Studs: Sterling silver studs inspired by the SHIP & SHAPE logo. Hand made. Easy everyday studs or second piercing accents.

Erin's Mini Plant Hanger: Hand built stoneware slab pot with hand painted detail, hanging from a knotted waxed cotton cord. Perfect for air plants and tiny succulents.

Maddy's Yeah! Notecard Set: Lively notecard set, digitally printed on recycled paper. Brighten up your friend's day with a note written on one of these.

(Is it bad to say that I want to win my own giveaway?!)

Just pop over to Ship & Shape to check things out and then leave a comment here telling me what your favorite item is from their new Spring Collection by Sunday, April 8th at midnight CT. I'll announce the winner on Monday. Good luck!

The In-Between Time

A few quite moments snapped at b. gover last week...not necessarily insomnia related but pretty nonetheless, yes?

Ok, first things first, you have to give me a pass on any nonsensical ramblings or glaring grammar mistakes, as I'm writing this one in the midst of some rather epic insomnia...

The insomnia situation is a pretty common occurrence for me, usually striking every other week or so on a night when I need sleep most (i.e. the night before some incredibly important task), thus freaking me out even more than it might normally. Here's how it goes down: I'm startled awake by something at say, 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. (usually Millie padding into our room and crawling into our bed); I spend 30 minutes or so trying in vain to fall back asleep; I finally give-in and (try to) revel in the possibilities of being awake in that in-between time when everyone else is snoozing and the house is peaceful and quiet and dark.

My friend Tim actually inspired this reveling. We were talking a couple of years ago about his tendency to regularly get hit with insomnia at 3:00 in the morning. When I asked what he does, how he falls back asleep, he told me he just embraces it. He gets up, watches a little television, maybe reads. Sometimes he goes back to sleep, sometimes he doesn't. No biggie. (There's nothing like a good display of nonchalance to put things in perspective...)

So in the the in-between time I try to chill. I read the magazines that I never have the chance to get to, I write (albeit not well), I look at pretty blogs and eat buttery toast and drink (lots) of coffee, I stare out the window. It's goodness.

I'm wondering, are you guys on the insomnia train? If so, do you give into it? Do you fight it? What do you do in the in-between time? Spill.

Simplicity, Work and Enjoyment

"My secret for long life is simplicity, work and enjoyment."

This video by Julia Warr might be one of the loveliest things I've come across in a long time... (Spotted on my friend Jane's pinterest.)

"Shot in Fire Island, New York, this film captures the secrets of eternal youth as Maia Helles, a Russian ballet dancer turns 95 but still remains resolutely independent, healthy and as fit as a forty year old. Made by Julia Warr, artist and film maker met Maia on a plane 4 years ago and became utterly convinced by the benefits of her daily exercise routine, which Maia perfected, together with her Mother, over 60 years ago, long before exercise classes were ever invented."

Focusing on the Details...

This image of Oscar de la Renta following his show runner and fixing the strings on each gift bag as she puts it down (spotted via wife & 2 kids) is perhaps one of the best things I've ever seen, on so many levels.

First there's the fact that (to me) it epitomizes humility and the importance of rolling up your sleeves and doing a job well no matter how (seemingly) menial the task. I mean, honestly it's Oscar de la Renta people, I'm sure he has someone to tuck-in those strings for him, but he's doing it...himself.

Then there's the attention to detail factor, which, really, is what takes a situation (any situation) from good to unforgettable. All of my most poignant moments in life are inevitably accompanied by some memory of a perfectly thought out detail -- a little bit of going above and beyond (and it doesn't have to be extravagant) to make things feel magical.


Food & Thought at SFMOMA with Meatpaper and Blue Bottle - "Still/Life"

Case in point: Earlier this week I was at a shoot for work. I arrived at the studio to the photographer's wife making a pot of lightly sweetened cuban coffee and fresh squeezed juice involving carrots, ginger, apples and some other crazy yummy but not quite discernible ingredients. She set the beverages out on a large table where we all sat and enjoyed them together before the shoot. Then she went off and lit a few candles, turned on some music and kept tall glasses of water filled for us all day.

The gestures were simple but thoughtful and lovely. And they turned an otherwise normal day (ok, not totally normal, it was a photo shoot after all...) into a "burned on my brain", totally memorable moment.

It's been a harried week. I'm rushing through tasks, trying to get it all done, frenetically crossing things off the to do list. The details are suffering. Big time. So I'm going to take a deep breath and try to get them back a bit. I think it's too important not to.

Happy weekend friends.

Disco Balls, Shaggy 80s Sweaters and Sweet Surprise Gifts (AKA: The Random Bits)

Ok first up, I bought a big disco ball. That one above actually. Why on earth, did I buy a big disco ball, you ask? You know, I really don't have a good answer for that one friends, so I'm just going with, "it's pretty" and leaving it at that... Cool?


Isabel Marant Spring 2012 © Vogue.com

Ok next I'm a wee bit obsessed with Isabel Marant's groovy shaggy sweaters, but (even if they were remotely within my price range, which they aren't) sadly it's just not a look I can pull off...



If, however, I did possess the sartorial chutzpa to don one, I'd snap up one of the Marant-esque numbers currently taking up residence in this etsy shop tout de suite. (Heather Taylor, I think you need to buy one, stat. You could totally rock either of these bad boys.)


And last (but definitely not least) I opened the mail a couple of days ago to this surprise drawing of the girlies by my lovely friend Kelly Christine. Just so, so sweet. Thanks Kelly. You made my month!

BOOK / SHOP

Every once in a while something comes along that is so compelling and interesting and cool that it merits more than mere mention in a "loving list" or a tack-on to a "random bits", rather its sheer awesomeness deserves a full-blown love fest (a.k.a. it's very own post).

BOOK / SHOP is one such thing.

The thoughtfully curated online shop sprung from creator Erik Heywood's books-related blogs where he features a mix of "books & the things that go with them". I'm enthralled by the careful mix of "quality over quantity, usefulness meets beauty, art plus function", including curated book collections, exclusive furniture, art and broadsides.

But I'm especially enthralled by BOOK / SHOP's "manifesto" below:


We're committed to the reading experience. The surprise of one page turning to the other. The little luxury of sitting in a great reading chair, inhaling the scent of a beautifully made book. The luscious heft of three or four good reads in a sturdy bookbag as you head out into the world. The hundred discoveries waiting at a used bookstore; the refuge of a library.

We believe that gadgets are exciting, but that experiences with real books run deep, and give more to our lives. We believe that books made with care, that were the best of their kind upon publication, will only beautify with time and never become obsolete.

We believe that a well-made reading environment encourages us to take our time, to have those experiences with books that modern life tries to replace with a rush of empty conveniences.

A Girl Crush Times Three

I was flipping through the (excellent) No. 6 Spring lookbook and found myself instantly scheming ways to be friends Adrienne, Jaclyn and Teddy (above). They just look so confident and interesting and fun... total girl crush material.

Their photos also made me think about something I read recently on The Littlest about raising girls, as encountering poignant images of compelling woman inevitably gets me thinking about my own girlies and the adults that they'll one day become. I loved Elizabeth's thoughts on the attributes she hopes her daughter possess when she's older:

confident, playful, kind, creative, adventurous, unafraid, compassionate, intelligent, nonjudgmental...

Ditto Elizabeth. Ditto.

Millie's Pins

Friends my Pinterest addiction has reached a bit of an all-time high.

I need some pinning action right before bed; I'm jonesin' for it the minute I wake up... I'm going to eventually need help. And if that wasn't enough, now I'm pulling my loved ones down with me, as (after partaking in a few pinning sessions with her on my lap) Millie's hooked too. She calls it the "pinning game", and she asked me if we could play it before school this morning.

I've sunk to a new low.

There is, however, an upside. These joint pinning sessions have forced me to let up a bit on my staunch rule to only pin things I absolutely love. So now amidst all my beloved pins there might pop up, say, a dog wearing a pom pom topped party hat or a row of ballerinas sporting neon pink tutus. I figure what I'm giving up in aesthetic rigor I'm gaining in my attempts to be a more laid back parent. (At least that's what I'm going with.)

Millie now officially has her own board, aptly titled, millie's pinnin with me. She calls it "her gallery". Man the apple didn't fall far from the tree with that one did it?

Some Awesome (Sartorial) Simplicity

I had a wicked case of insomnia last night, resulting in madly clicking through fashion week street style images at 4:00 am. Suffice to say, it was a bad scene friends.

It could have been my bleary eyed exhaustion, but, after a few minutes, all the outfits started to just sort of blur together in a giant mash-up of cobalt blue and Celine bags and dashes of neon and brightly painted nails and wrists full of bangles...

Don't get me wrong, there was some major sartorial eye candy happening in these formidable ensembles. And certainly I admired the wearers' boldness and fearless embrace of color and pattern and accessories (boldness and fearless embrace in matters of dressing not being my strong suit), but because everyone looked exactly the same, nobody looked fresh.

I was quickly bored with all the excitement.

But then that image above of Vogue editors Meredith Melling Burke and Hanneli Mustaparta popped up, and I was shook out of my visual stupor. They just look so modern and easy and, well...awesomely simple. Not overthought or self conscious or uncomfortable. They look like women there to notice rather than to be noticed. I've been thinking about the image all day, which is not something I can say about any of the other photos (and there were hundreds friends, did I mention it was a bad scene?) I came across during my early morning Internet-fest.

Hmm...

Happy Makers...

Five things making me (especially) happy today, in no particular order:

1. That action above is across the street from my new office. Across. The. Street. It's blowing my mind friends. I'm not gonna lie.
2. Participating in this little "Design Duel" over on Hello Splendor with my dear friend Sam.
3. Discovering two baby owls tucked into the branches of the tree in our backyard last night with the girlies. (Really just the sweetest thing ever.)
4. The crazy beautiful weather happening today in Dallas...
5. The clear Iittala Vitriini box that I scored for 40% off at the Nasher on my lunch break.

What's making you happy today?

Trusting My Cape

image via thank you, ok...

Yesterday was my last day at my old job.

I don't start my new job until Monday, so for the next few days I am officially "in between", and it feels at once exhilarating and strange, as I haven't perched on the precipice of something really big in a long time (if ever). I play it safe. It's my M.O. -- my response to an adventure, uncertainty filled childhood.

So embarking on this new career is big for me, and honestly (and not to be boastful in any way), I feel proud. It's one thing to tell your kids to dream big and take risks and follow their bliss. It's one thing to nod in vehement agreement when you watch that video (for the umpteenth time) of Steve Jobs giving the commencement address at Stanford. It's one thing to pin a bunch of lovely motivational notions to your "wise words" board (yes, I have one, don't laugh). But to just jump and (as my husband says) "trust your cape" is, for me, an entirely different beast.

I do feel like I need to pause for a minute in gratitude for what my old job gave me over the past 13 years. I grew personally and professionally, I travelled, I learned, I gained confidence, I gained confidants, I felt secure... I may not have been "following my bliss", but I worked alongside some of the most lovely, smart, kind people who were there for me unconditionally. Some of them were at my wedding, some of them were at the hospital when the girls were born.... They saw me cry and listened to me swear (a lot). And I am truly thankful for what that phase of my career afforded me. I have zero regrets.

But I am ready for the next phase... Here goes.