a diamond, a dozen

Brilliant and beautiful. I currently use a silverware caddy in my drawer as a jewelry divider but this one is so much more fun. This way everything won't slide all the way to the back when pull the drawer open. Another way to organize without adding bulk to the top of my already full dresser.

vacation meets stay-cation

Every year at the end of January I seem to think winter is almost over. I cross my fingers and toes that soon it'll warm up enough to wear sandals and be able to walk outside without getting hit with a cold blast of air. And every year, it never happens because the season is only half way through. So this is also the time where I start planning my dream escapes and adventures. LA, Thailand, Spain, Paris, etc. etc. I just want to hop on a plane and say 'adios' to the gray weather in NYC. I've been so terribly busy at work and with moving that I am planning a stay-cation. A blissful weekend of doing all those things that I say I'm going to do but never find the time to. Ice skating, back to back spin classes, trips to MoMa, coffee shops galore, reading the stack of unread New York Mags and lots and lots of sleep. Hopefully this stay-cation happens sooner than later, I need some R&R even if that means right here in my new Upper West Side apartment.

wash me away

If you know me as a designer, you know that I love watercolor washes. I can sit for days bleeding colors into one another. It's the imperfection, texture and transparency that I absolutely can't get enough of. While working on some washes for a client yesterday, I went home to search for some long lost swipes of color. I found a zillion but there was something about this little piece that I really loved. What a perfect shade of blue, especially that little bright spot on the middle left hand side. Straight to my heart.

a new york minute

While waiting for friends, I stopped to have a glass of wine and enjoy a New York moment at Todd English's Ça Va. Sitting in the lounge in a floor length black dress and heels that set me up to 5'9'' (comically because I'm only 5'4''), I was able to have one of those wonderful wow moments where everything seemed to line up perfectly and I actually felt like I finally fit in this crazy city. A perfect way to start a wonderful evening and weekend.

country chic

Two of my favorite things are in this photo, a gray horse & a chandelier. Safe to say that if I were still riding I'd be bugging my father to hang one in the barn. I've been an equestrian for going on 14 years now. My mother introduced me to the sport and a mere month later I had my first pony. She looked much like the pony in this photo. She was a DuPont pony who had more fire in here than I knew at the time. She always took good care of me though, only dumping me off a handful of times, never too hard. Although that's easy to say now with all the bumps and bruises healed. From her it was a spiral of horses; Libby (Thoroughbred), Digger (Quarter horse), Michael (Thoroughbred although he looked more like an Appendix) and for a few months there was Groovy (Thoroughbred) who was a random Christmas gift from my mom. I think back and growing up in the middle of horse country I thought it was pretty normal to have the luxury of riding my own horse whenever I wanted. Now I understand how lucky I was to have, and still have, this experience at my fingertips. With the weather as terrible as it is right now, I'm looking forward to the spring and trips back to Pennsylvania to ride.

it's black, it's white

Seems like the theme of the week is black and white. Every photo I am drawn too, every illustration, my own wardrobe, everything - black and white. I find this humorous because if you know me personally I'm much more of a bright pink (sassy pink as some of you know) type of person. I think it may have something to do with the snow lately. Everything looks so stark and clean. I love waking up early to see the perfectly covered rooftops and balconies out my window. Above are three pieces that I pulled today which back me up. I really want a dress like that; so simple and so beautifully cut in the back. Wishing everyone safe travels home this Wednesday evening. xx

snow delay

It's all over the news that a huge snow storm is rolling in this evening. I'm hoping for a snow day from work to spend all day in bed. Who wouldn't want to crawl in next to this guy? A girl can dream...

finding time

I can never find enough time in the day. For example, not being able to update this blog as much as I'd like. One thing I am trying to make more time for is thanking my friends and family for their endless love and support. Dropping a little letter in the mail to my sister to remind her of how proud I am or cooking dinner for a friend who traveled all the way to Hoboken (it's not that far!) to hang out goes a long way. It amazes me how many genuine people I have in my life. Being able to pick up the phone to work out a problem, issue or just to have some company means the world to me. Last fall I started a 'blessed journal' where every night I write down 5 things I am blessed to have in my life. These things range from 'a good cup of coffee' to 'my mother's endless support and advice.' It's such a simple thing to do and it makes me realize, no matter how long, testing or stressful my day has been, there are good things all around me that I am grateful for. I'm not a religious person but these are silent thank yous to the people around me and reminders of how wonderful I do have it.
A very special thank you to those four of you who follow my blog, thank you for your encouragement and sweet feedback! xo

shades of white

While my illustrator saves a project I thought I'd pop over for a Friday hello. It's been snowing all day here in NYC leaving the city pretty, quiet and very movie-esque. Above is a mood board for the day. Too cold to wear something like this but it reminds me of what snow looks like when it falls; shading everything white but still being transparent rather than opaque. Have a wonderful weekend. xo

things that bump in the night

For two years now I've delt with the pitter-patter of feet and 3 am wake up calls from crying and tantrums, otherwise known as the upstairs neighbors.The hardwood floors in our apartment are beautiful but seem to be paper thin. We've learned to remove our shoes once we get home and to be cautious when moving around early in the morning or late at night, however the neighbors upstairs have not been so polite. Yes I understand there is only so much you can do to keep a child from making noise and that I may feel different once I have children of my own but here's what it breaks down to: I pay way too much money in rent to listen to your child throw itself on the floor and scream bloody murder because she isn't getting her way. We've tried to bang on the ceiling slightly when it gets out of control, we've spoken to our landlord and talked to the mother but to no avail, the running, screaming, tantruming continues. The phenomenon of how this thirty pound child can make this much noise blows me away every time I see her. The building I live in is of young professionals ages 23-32. We all have friends over and are sometimes noisy but also making sure those around us have notice and openly welcome kind reminders to keep the music level appropriate. The only excuse I get from the upstairs neighbor is "but I have a child" with a hand to her chest as if she's explaining that my twenty-something brain can't possibly grasp this great sacrifice she has made. I usually smile and politely excuse myself from the awkward elevator rides or laundry room confessions. I'm hoping for normal, barely there neighbors in the future and dare I say it, no children.

what'll it be?

I'm always envious when in a movie, there is a perfectly stocked bar in an apartment. Would you like a nightcap? Done. Would you prefer a gin or vodka martini? Tada. So this post is a simple list of how to easily stock your own personal bar with the essentials. The list was taken from a few blogs, additional websites and my own minimal bartending knowledge. There were a lot of hardware items I've left off, I hardly use a cocktail shaker but I figured this may be useful for others. I also didn't include any juices because none of my friends or I use them as mixers. Tonic and club soda fly fine with us but make your own amends and of course comments and tips are always welcome and encouraged! Cheers!

Hardware:
If you want to measure out your cocktails a really great set of hardware can be purchased here. I'm more accustom to free pouring which breaks down to a count per 1/4 oz.

Standard Shaker - Metal is best. The shakers with rubber for 'better grip' just stick and become more of a mess than anything.
Corkscrew - Go with an original design and nothing fancy. Odds are you're going to break up the cork with anything special and who wants cork with their wine, not me!

Spirits:
A bottle or so of each. If you drink more of one than another, double up on that and do a small bottle of the others. No need to overstock, no one (in Manhattan anyway) has extra room.

Vodka, Gin, Bourbon, Tequila, Whiskey, Scotch or Rye and Rum - light or dark, your choice of poison

Liqueurs:
Cointreau/Triple Sec - Depending on what you want to pay
Dry Vermouth/Sweet Vermouth - Depending on how you drink your martinis

Wine:
Again this depends on your personal taste. We drink more red than white but it's good to have both for company.

Other:
Simple Syrup, Grenadine - Rose's is my personal favorite, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice - Again, Rose's it's the best!, Tonic, Club Soda, Martini Olives, Maraschino cherries and Coarse Salt

self resolving

resolving: to reduce by analysis {resolve the problem into simple elements}
I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions. Usually if I do they are simple and attainable. Last year it was to drink less soda and to take care of my skin and body. Well having that I don't drink much soda as it is, that was easy. I began a new skin regime and worked on cooking more at home and eating out less, as well as running more and then joining a gym once the weather dropped. This year, I'm simplifying even more: be polite. Open doors, hold doors, say thank you, say you're welcome, say bless you, offer more help, hold your tongue, smile more, become more aware of those around me (don't zone out on an ipod, interact instead), etc. I think that by simply saying, be polite, covers a lot of areas in my life that I'd like to work on. There will always be small resolutions like swear less (obviously that doesn't reflect in this post) and dance more but I think that being polite is one of the most important traits a person can work on. Here's to a healthy and happy 2011!