Blogger's Favorites -- Trina of La La Lovely

I had the pleasure of meeting Trina at Alt Summit earlier this year and was instantly taken with her...She was wholly genuine and kind and immensely lovely -- one of those women you wish lived next door to you so you could meet-up in the afternoons for coffee (or a cocktail...or in Trina's case, tea) while your collective kiddos dreamed up kiddo adventures underfoot.

In another words, I like Trina. A lot.

So I invited her to spend the day in this space, sharing some of the things she loves best...and it also happens to be her birthday, which makes it even more fun.

So without further ado, herewith Trina's favorites. Enjoy and have a splendid weekend!

left image via bakerella/right image via the hermitage

Tea + Chocolate -- Tea for me, please. I love a good coffee but tea can be taken at any time as far as I’m concerned. Not only is it a drink, but also it’s a time -- tea time [currently loving this tea]. As for chocolate, I can’t lie; I pretty much can’t go a day without it. Dark is my chocolate of choice. And I especially love luxury chocolate makers like Vosges, which will take your taste buds on a world tour [my all time fav: The Barcelona Bar. Salt + chocolate = a girls best friend]



image via we heart it

Walking -- It started out as an exercise thing for me but now it is my sanity. Time to be alone, time to hear myself think and always time to be inspired. I find that ideas come and nagging thoughts go. Walking does wonders for the inside + out. Double duty is a good thing.



Letter Writing -- My sister and I have been writing letters to each other for over 5 years now. It’s true that she lives in the same state but that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with it. Sometimes things can be said in letters that just can’t be said in person. We both love to write and most days like to think we are the sisters Bronte (another one of my favorites) Between our travels (well, mostly hers) even the paper and envelopes tell a story. And the way I see it, we are going to have some pretty great words + interesting stories to pass down.



left image via tumblr / right image via bobbi brown

Bath -- I’ve got to throw a beauty product in because I love a good product that delivers + adds even an ounce of luxury. But what I usually don’t like is perfume. I’ve never been a fan of overpowering smells but I’m definitely a fan of smelling good. My all time favorite scent is Bobbi Brown’s Bath. It’s clean, fresh, light and lovely. I suppose it would be my signature scent.



Dreaming of Far Off Places -- This quote, by D.H. Lawrence, pretty much sums it up for me. “She was a romantic in being homesick for somewhere else.” I like to travel, even if sometimes only in my head. I know we should be in the now and in this very present and I’m trying to practice that more than ever in my life. But sometimes a song flutters by or a photograph captures my eye and suddenly I’m reminded of a trip I once took or one that I someday long to take.



left image via succulent love designs / right image via design sponge

Tabletop Gardens -- I’m kind of obsessed with all of these little tabletop gardens, made of succulents, that I’m seeing here and there and pretty much everywhere. It’s cold for the greater part of the year, where I live, so this a good way to get my greens!



image via so freely fly

The Perfect Kitchen -- Is there such a thing? I don’t know but it’s always on my mind. If I could go all out in one room this would be it. And why not with a fireplace? It’s the heart of the home, after all.



image via the glow

image via kris atomic

Moms -- I’m in love with this new wave of mom blogs/sites like The Glow + Momfilter. And I’m even more in love with . . . Moms that are crazy about their kids. Moms that have something to say. Moms that are super stylish. Moms that aren’t afraid to try it all, knowing all the while they can’t “do it all.” Moms that haven’t lost themselves along the way. I want to be “That Mom.” [other mom favorites = my mom and being a mom].

An Outfit (Deconstructed)...

Two outfits in a row featuring printed dresses...Watch out, I'm living the crazy life here friends.

This particular frock was a result of the one of the recent shopping expeditions with my mom. Truth be told, we were both a little freaked out by the print...it's pretty intense, but, reasoning that the "meh" I've been feeling about my closet of late might be due to the absence of any excitement to balance out all the black and grey and stripes, I took a risk.

There's also the fact that the dress (despite my general aversion to "loud" clothes) just made me...happy, which is really reason enough to take the plunge, yes?

Ok, the details:

• Dress -- Madewell
• Yellow & White Bead Necklace -- Madewell
• Gold Necklace -- Vintage
• Bag -- Vintage Coach
• Shoes -- J. Crew

Creative Enablers (The Good Kind)

Ben Martin/Getty Images via NPR

image via WNYC

Behind the legions of amazing artists and writers and musicians, there are the "enablers" -- the people that champion and encourage, the people that support (both financially and emotionally), the people that consume and then come back for more...

Growing up with a musician father, I experienced first-hand the importance of this ecosystem, and several of the people that encouraged and supported my dad's craft (and somewhat unorthodox non 9-5 lifestyle) became extended members of our family and are still very much a part of our lives today. I think that experience has instilled in me a desire to be a massive champion for creative pursuits.

On the way home from work last night, I heard a story on NPR about Kathleen Annie Pannonica de Koenigswarter (or "Nica"), a wealthy baroness that devoted three decades of her life to helping jazz musicians, including greats like Charlie Parker, Art Blakey and (my beloved) Thelonious Monk. She was the ultimate artistic enabler and did so at a cost to her own comfortable life. It was brave and highly admirable on many levels if not infinitely fascinating.

Hearing the story was also timely, as I've been thinking and talking to others (hi Lucia) about what it takes to make Dallas into a great "creative" city. We now boast a formidable arts district, and there's a wealth of creative talent tucked into Dallas' nooks and crannies. But I think we need more enablers... It goes beyond financial support or visiting museums and galleries and buying art (although that's certainly an essential component). It has to be a sort of passionate commitment to a creative culture. It's has include fiercely supporting our talented local designers, attending creative events and activities (and helping to concept new ones in a sort of grass-roots way) and encouraging a general sort of soulfulness to balance Dallas' reputation as a hotbed of consumerism... This city is just so much more than the sum of our shops and restaurants.

So to that end, I wanted to highlight a couple cool creative things/happenings in Dallas on the off-chance that you want to help "enable"them a bit ;-)


image via The Criterion Collection

First up, the screening of Bottle Rocket next Thursday the 28th at Oak Cliff's Kessler Theater (part of the brilliant movie series Dallas, Outlaws, and The American Dream)... So much goodness packed into this one friends. First and foremost, Bottle Rocket is (in my humble opinion) one of the truly genius movies, and it's utterly local (created by locals, acted by locals, filmed locally). And then there's the matter of Oak Cliff and The Kessler Theater...both gems, (again my opinion) among the very best of our city.

Be an enabler... go to this screening. For sure.






Next is my dear friend (and partner in crime) Christine. I recently watched this video of her creating her Spring 2012 collection for Little Bean and was just, well...hugely inspired. Christine is a force -- her kid's clothing line, her shop (which is unequivocally unlike anything else in Dallas), Small Magazine... I am endlessly in awe.


Ok friends, now it's your turn. Share in the comments something or someone creative you'd like to help promote/enable. I'll pick a few from your suggestions and share them here in the next couple of weeks.

Loving...

My dear friend Sam's gorgeous paintings for her newly launched Summer Project... Every single one is stunning. I'm so proud of her.



Pretty summer hats and hair and bathing suits... (via Ashley Helvey)



Domestic Construction's "Toolbox" on Design Sponge, which has me dreaming up all sorts of fun little paper projects* to do with the girlies.

(*indoor projects being essential of late, as we're entering our 18th consecutive day of triple-digit temperatures here in lovely Dallas...)




Kinfolk. Yes, I realize it's been getting a lot of play in blogland the past couple of days, but it's just so, so good...I had to include.



This room (perfectly executed by the super-talented Tia Zolden). It's just the right mix of hip + whimsical -- a dream "tween" room. It's definitely going in my "idea file" for the girlies...



This brilliant mash-up of luxury and art. (Via My Vibe My Life)





The seriously cool interiors of this taqueria in Paris*... (via Remodelista)

(While a bit of a seemingly unlikely combo, "tacos" and "Paris" are two of my all-time favorite things, so I'm totally intrigued by this place.)

Some Scenes From The Weekend...

mom and bryan hanging out at the DMA...







My mom is in town from California for a summer visit, so the weekend was a pretty mellow enterprise. We had all sorts of big plans, but after a huge middle eastern dinner at Ali Baba and a trip to the DMA for Late Night on Friday, we decided it would be more fun to hunker down at home for the rest of the weekend.

What commenced was lots of cooking and eating...highlights included pork tacos based on Jora's super-easy (and tasty) recipe, corn on the cob tossed in olive oil, kosher salt, rosemary and parmesan cheese and then roasted in the oven, and a pretty rockin' berry crumble. We also logged quite a few hours in the pool hanging out and chatting (which was especially nice when it was just the two of us floating around after dinner).

Amidst all the at-home goodness, the two of us did manage to sneak in a couple of quick shopping trips... My mom is really the best shopping partner -- she's super-honest, pushes me a little {but not too far} out of my comfort zone and is encouraging but not overly-enabling, so of course I had to take advantage of her prowess, right? (I'll post the fruits of our labors over on Operation Simplicity soon.)

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend friends!

Blogger's Favorites -- Cheryl of Still the Sky is Blue

images via Still the Sky is Blue


Every once in a while I come across a new (to me) blog and get a little well...obsessed. Sometimes I discover said blogs through comments or a track back, sometimes I'm on one of those sort of blog binges where I end up clicking links like a mad woman and eventually find myself on some wholly magical site.

Cheryl's blog, Still the Sky is Blue, without a doubt falls into that "wholly magical" category.

In fact, I was so completely enamoured of her aesthetic that I *may have* even clicked through her entire archives in one late night sitting...(but I'm not saying for sure, as that seems a little odd, yes?) I'm so happy to have found (yet another) immensely inspiring space in this little online world.

So without further ado, herewith Cheryl's favorites. Enjoy and have a fantastic weekend* friends...


*(Here's a little peek at what we're up to in case you're interested.)



image via Pierrot le Fou


On The Sea: (On The Sea, my favorite poem by Keats about the sea.) Something about being next to the sea is both frightening and calming. There has been two short periods in my life that I have not lived by the sea (one of "short periods" is now...but hopefully not for too much longer!). When something that vast and spectacular is gone it is easy to miss. Definitely one of my favorite places.





top image Natasha of Popcorn Plays / bottom image Tina of A Journey Through Gastronomy


Food: I love food...i am the kind of person who does not believe in a diet, which requires of omitting good wholesome food, and that includes seasonal pies! I believe in eating healthy, but I will never (unless my life depended on it) stop eating the food I love. Two bloggers who constantly inspire me to cook are Natasha, an amazing music/food writer who pens her blog Popcorn Plays and there is Tina, private chef and cook extraordinaire of A Journey Through Gastronomy. She recently started her own catering service. Both Natasha and Tina's passion for food is so refreshing, and they continue to inspire me to run to the farmer's market and whip up something delicious!





top image Rennes / bottom image SFS


Made with Love: With major chain stores and their alluring sales seemingly around every corner. Some times the saying "Quality over Quantity" goes a long way. Personally, I enjoy acquiring fewer pieces that are made by individuals who put their heart and soul into their work. My favorite designers are Julia of Rennes for her beautiful bags and clothing, Beatrice Valenzula's hand crafted shoes, Jenny of Wikstenmade for her beautifully constructed clothing, Shabd's mesmerizing tie dye work, Shinobu Sering of SFS lovely vintage inspired pieces at Gravel and Gold, and Shino's lovely ceramic pieces for Mociun.



Spending quality time: Beyond a favorite, my daughter is the joy of my life and I love spending as much time with her as possible.







top image Shelia Hicks / middle image Matthew W. Taylor / bottom image Sholea Asgary


Art: A few of my favorite artists: Helen Frankenthaler, Paul Klee, Sholeh Asgary, Cy Twombly, Shiela Hicks, and last but not least my husband Matthew W.Taylor who continually inspires me.



image via Nicolette Camille Floral Design


Flowers: Having a bouquet of flowers in the house is definitely a favorite!

Four is a Magic Number...

photo by Allison V. Smith via Small Magazine

After looking at Allison V. Smith's family photos from Maine in the latest Small Magazine, I'm dreaming of a family getaway... something mellow and totally unplugged and (this is the biggie) involving just the four of us.

I love to travel with other families, I do. It’s nice to be a part of village-style parenting in terms of taking care of the kiddos. It's nice to have other adults to share conversation (and a glass of wine) with at the end of the day. It's nice for the girlies to have other kiddos to play with. It's just a nice deal all around. But I’m seriously craving some core family time. It's just something we don't do enough of lately (and we're desperately in need of).

When we sort of retreat into our little family cocoon for a few days, I always emerge feeling refreshed and somehow more...sane. All the obligations and worries that seem so essential and important tend to melt away as we re-group as a family. Plus (and this is a major bonus) the girlies are easier and more chilled-out (likely because they haven't been competing with a multitude of distractions for our full attention).









For all this to happen though we have to actually get away (it can't just be family time during a "staycation"), and it has to be easy, otherwise the stress of the all the logistics and planning eclipse our "relaxation potential"... We were brainstorming a bit last weekend about how to make this happen, and I came across photos from our family trip to Marfa a couple of years ago. It was seriously magical and easy, so now we've got our sights set on on going back for a few days in late August...one last hurrah before the new school year starts.

I'm thinking that exploring the sleepy town, visiting Chinati, gorging on pizza at The Pizza Foundation, swimming in the springs at Balmorhea State Park and stargazing at McDonald Observatory is a perfect way to reignite our family mojo a bit...

Do you guys have a favorite family re-charge tactic?