My holidays, my cameras

These were shot using either the rebel t2 or the lc-a. Would you believe me if I said that the color pictures were taken with 400 speed CVS brand film?

Porches

first picture
second set

third picture

fourth picture

fifth picture from some weird stock photo site. but what a house!

Elegance in a coat

I recently purchased a Calvin Klein coat that looks almost exactly like this one by Hanii Y, featured on Swirl today.

This style is so elegant and timeless. Every time I put it on I feel dressed.

Do you ever feel like you are sitting on this chair?

because I do.

via mia rae

Tabitha Bianca Brown, Artist

 just stunning...

Buy them here.

GREAT STUFF: Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling, and Dharohar Project

Should I be surprised that the entire Mumford & Sons youtube channel is engrossingly entertaining? No. Am I? Yes. I had no idea the band was this globally-minded. I sort of assumed they were another folky group of guys with beards who live in Brooklyn. Which they probably are, but they also went to India and recorded an EP with Laura Marling and the traditional Indian folk group Dharohar Project. (It's only $3.89, buy it!) I like to believe that people (bands included) are more than the sum of their (its) parts, and these guys seem to serve as a testament to that very sentiment.

What happens when I clean out my iTunes, you ask?

I discover the Poetry Foundation.

"You Can Bring Me Flowers" [any time]

The original of anything is practically always better than the redo, the re-conceptualizing, or the re-thinking of it. Ray LaMontagne originally wrote "You Can Bring Me Flowers" as it sounds in this video, but for some reason recorded it slower and stranger on Till The Sun Turns Black. I never saw the appeal of the latter version; in fact, it was a big turnoff when I listened to the album. It sounded like he was avoiding doing his usual thing for fear of sounding redundant, instead of just doing what he does best – good, solid folk music. (It never sounds redundant to me, and judging by how successful Trouble and his new LP God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise have been, the public seems to feel similarly.) The original version of "You Can Bring Me Flowers", it turns out, sounds so much more natural. Go figure. This is the Ray whom I love. It is his original idea/ plan for the song, as it should be. The addition of the Secret Sisters is the extra (though completely necessary) whipped cream on the cake. 

On iTunes (here: Live - Fall 2010 EP) you can find a terrific version of the following...

Mia Rae of BeWakeful

I fully support Mia Rae's incredible design aesthetic. It's funky, colorful, and totally unique. It's easy to see that this is a creative person who does what she loves every day. We need more of these types!

all images mia rae's flickr

purchase at her etsy shop

Did you forget to buy a calendar, too?

 No worries! There's still time!

Invincible Summer 2011 Calendar by Nicole Georges

Alpine Songs Weekly Planner by Lart C. Berliner

2011 Anek Calendar by anek on Etsy

Jack and Lulu Calendar 2011

2011 Calendar Funny Bird by ModernPop on Etsy

 

 And my personal favorite...

The Floral Leaves Datebook by Jill Bliss

Fleur Wood

It's been so cold here, and though I'm enjoying getting thorough use out of my sweater collection, I can't help but think about how nice it would be to bask in the warm sun. Or even just to have the sun stay out past 4:30.

Yesterday I discovered Fleur Wood's website, and I think her beautiful designs are what propelled me even further into my pining for sun and sand.

Then, completely coincidentally, I was looking at Anthropologie's site today and saw for sale a book she's written about party planning and decor. (I swear I didn't see the advertisement on her homepage for the book – at that moment all I was interested in were the pretty dresses!) It's titled Food Fashion Friends: Recipes and Styling for Unforgettable Parties, and I want it. I don't care that it's $50 or that I have no place to throw a party. I'll throw unforgettable parties one day, peut-être. I hope. J'espère.

So I guess it's no surprise that this has been floating around my head for the past three days...

I had never seen the video for this song until now, and hot damn, it's not what I expected. Though it's very cool (and I can't imagine what the set looked like while filming / the crazy editing process), it's not what I would have done with the song.

I think the girl who posted the highest rated comment said it best: "this is so not what I imagined when listening to this song, I always thought of like beach vollyball and stuff." 

Priceless.

Wishful Thinking

I expand and live in the warm day like corn and melons.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Useful French Phrases for the Foreign and Confused: Installment No. 4

 

I hope I get at least one letter!

and:

This series will continue into the new year and throughout my four months in Paris.
Have a warm, happy holiday, everyone!

FOR THE RECORD:
I googled "confused french person", just to see what would happen, and this happened:

A coincidence considering I watched that E! special on Gwyneth Paltrow last night (and immediately signed up for Goop)? Probably not. Big Brother is watching.

But hey, happy holiday!

Where I was last night

Not my video, I was too busy rocking out to take a video. But I'm glad a few people did because this is a great memory. Look at that crowd! Such good vibes.

Ed. note:

 I found this picture a few weeks late, but how true it is! Source here.