Pin Frenzy

I've been pinning up a storm lately. I think finishing a mondo-creatively-draining freelance project left me parched for inspiration, and thanks to Pinterest, the waters are flooding again. Here are some of my top pins this week...

Photo via Coco + Kelly from Anthropologie

Gorgeous cocktail styling by One Sydney Road

Pinned from the inspiring Armonia Decors

Pinned from Eat Drink Chic

Wall-map inspired room by Lisa Sherry via Elements of Style

Shape Up or Ship Out

I'm a modern girl with an affinity for all things mid-century. We know this about me by now, right? I may have a full-time job, but it doesn't mean my heart doesn't long for a time when I could have been a Donna Reed type housewife...I'm grateful that our sisters of the Womens' Liberation came before us, but you won't find me burning my bra anytime soon. And now that shapewear like Spanx or Skweez Couture are back and very much in demand, I have to ask myself, Isn't this just a girdle, but ugly? Clearly after the freedom of the seventies, eighties, nineties and aughts, the women of America aren't quite as stifled by the idea of squeezing into their underthings again. And while mid-century style girdles have found kind of a...fetish niche, I am wondering if beautiful, luxe, and sexy underwear that provides a bit more shape to the female body could ever make a comeback. Just a little something I've been thinking about...

Original Maidenform Advertising campaign

Sweet and Shower

Pardon my blatant 500 Days of Summer reference there...I just wanted to let the world know how enamored I am with this gorgeous shower curtain from Anthropologie. I kind of have a 1950s retro/clean look in my bathroom right now, but I am jealous of a person out there with a gorgeous clawfoot bathtub and a beautiful shower curtain just like this one...sigh. Also, I've been thinking a lot about doing a decorating overhaul on my apartment, since I've officially decided to resign my lease for another year...Any suggestions, tips or inspiration for a quick and cheap way to transform a rental?

Cocktail Hour: Xanté Cucumber Tease

It's the happiest hour of the week! Fifteen minutes till we're off the clock, and mixing up the cocktails. It's been a few weeks since I've felt like celebrating my Friday Cocktail Hour, but I am back in full swing with a refreshing and delicious treat I know you are all going to love. It uses Xante, an all-natural pear penetrated cognac that is miraculously only 35 Calories per serving. Pair it with diet Ginger Ale instead for an even lower calorie cocktail. Now that I've tried this drink, I am completely hooked. And there are a ton of other recipes to try, here! Enjoy your weekend, and as always, drink responsibly. Cheers! 

For more great Cocktail Hour posts, click here!
And if you love cocktail recipes, check out my Swell Sips at Monkey in Los Angeles.

Summer Soothers

Coming home from my trip to Providence, after being in a 12-passenger van with 10 people for fourteen hours, did nothing to help my lingering cold. In fact, I was bound to pick up a few new germs...It seems like I've ben sick this entire Summer! But either way, the wonderfully sweet Eva from Monkey in Los Angeles has put together a perfect list of Summer Soothers for you all. Pick up any of these items and you'll be sure to cheer up that special sicko in your life! Thanks, Eva!

1  Tea Bouquet gift set from Dean & Deluca

2  Clothbound Penguin Classics from Anthropologie

3  Thayers Slippery Elm Lozanges 

4  Cotton Slippers from Muji

5  Josephine Pyjama set from Toast

6  Illume Spring Eden candle from Anthropologie

7  Honey Pot Gift Set from Terrain

8  Ethopian Striped Throw from Toast

To check out more of Eva's lovely Gift Guides click here. And to see my Friday posts on her blog, click here. 

And while you're clicking up a storm, be a darling and follow me on Bloglovin! 

The Steel Yard

You guys are well aware that I took a blogging/working hiatus and spent all last week in Providence, Rhode Island. Now I want to tell you all about the exciting things I was doing, learning, and experiencing there. I spent the week as a faculty advisor to a group of amazing college students from Ohio State through Buck-I-Serv, a program where students give up their Winter, Spring, and Summer breaks from school and spend a week doing service. It's an amazing program, and because the students who want to participate are giving up a chance to spend a week at the beach working on their tans, you are really left with the best students with the biggest hearts, who really take service seriously.

We spent our week volunteering at The Steel Yard, a non-profit organization based in an old Steel Mill in Providence that now offers courses in welding, metalworking, jewelry making, ceramics, and lots of other disciplines. They also work with local kids, teaching them skills they never would have had the opportunity to learn otherwise, giving them a sense of confidence and pride. And believe me, since we had the chance to learn skills like welding, cutting steel with an oxy-acetelaine blowtorch, using a hacksaw and circular bandsaw to cut steel, building shelving, glazing ceramic paver tiles, and even replacing and glazing window panes in the studio space, we left with an incredible sense of confidence as well. It was a great week and I met a lot of incredible people both on staff at The Steel Yard and in our group. And helping out this organization was well worth the minor back ache of sleeping for 7 days on the floor in a sleeping bag...

Photography by Holly Choi

Cocktail Culture

Most of you know by now, but there's nothing I love more than a well-mixed cocktail! So it was a bout of fortuitous timing that I found that during my time in Providence, Rhode Island, the Rhode Island School of Design's RISD Museum was featuring an entire exhibit on Cocktails! It was a collection cocktail attire and accessories, as well as fabulous vintage glasses, shakers and other accoutrements from the 1920s through the 1970s. As I walked in, old movies were projected on the entry wall, and when I stepped into the room, my heart nearly dropped into my shoes. This exhibit was made for me...from originals by Coco Chanel, dresses that could have been worn by Donna Reed, all the way the sassy 70s numbers ready to step inside Studio 54, there were amazing things to look at from every corner. There was no photography allowed, so I grabbed a few photos from across the web so you can see what I mean!

Images from top to bottom, left to right
1  2  3  4  5  6  7 

Alabama, Arkansas...

I am HOME. When I say home I mean Ohio, Columbus, my job, my desk, my shiny iMac, the internet...and most importantly my blog. I am back from my trip to Rhode Island, where I spent the week volunteering my time at The Steel Yard, an amazing artists community for metalworking and all kinds of other amazing trades. I was truly touched by my work there, and it was saddening to see the huge poverty problem in Providence. But I know that through this organization, they are giving skills and a sense of confidence to the local kids through the camps and classes they offer. Anyhow, I am super excited to be back from Rhode Island, and my week of being sick, and New York City, and my mountain of freelance projects that's been accumulating. Well, those are still there, but I am going to dedicate much more time to Jenna Sais Quois starting TODAY.

Photo from Pinterest

Cheer Me Up, Kate

Still sick, folks. But at least I managed to drag my tired bones to work today. And leaving the four walls of my living room and moving myself off the couch definitely made me feel a little bit better. But a little online shopping at Kate Spade helped too! Here are a few dresses I definitely wouldn't mind adding to my closet...

Under the Weather

Yep, some of you may have noticed the radio silence coming from this blog for the past 2 days. And the words "Under the Weather" are quite an understatement. My prognosis is a sinus infection with some strep throat thrown in for good measure. Or just to make me extra miserable!! I'm not one to use this blog to complain, so my request is to just stick with me until I recover! There will be lots more lovely content when I'm feeling more...well, lovely! Thanks, dolls.

Via Friends of Type

Eva Sais Quois: Birthday BBQ

This Saturday, we're gearing up for a good old-fashioned "Family Reunion Style" Birthday Picnic in honor of my best friend, Cate! And Eva over at Monkey in Los Angeles has created a fantastic assembly of chic picnic items, just for this very special occasion. So, grab your blankets, your frisbee, or in our case your water balloons (so excited) and head to the park! Enjoy your weekend!

1  Lemony Lickit Cupcake from Real Simple
2  Cantaloupe Quartz Pinata from Confetti System
3  Fishtail BBQ Basket from Terrain
4  A Pinch of Salt from Terrain
5  10 Cane Colada Fresca
6  Galvanized BBQ Basket from Terrain
7  Oasis Dessert Plate from West Elm
8  Golden Corn Picks from Michael Aram

To check out Eva's other Gift Guide posts, click here! And check out my Swell Sip for today, the Lemango Lemonade! Now, while you're surfing the web, be a dear and follow me on Bloglovin' too!
 

Chit Chat

Another amazing meal shared with friends during my weekend in New York City was at the fabulously quirky Chat 'n Chew. Located on 16th street, between 5th Avenue and West Union Square, it is nestled in  the Flatiron district of Manhattan. While the Frying Pan ran on ambiance and view, this restaurant had me singing its praises for the fantastic eats. After a long morning of walking and theatre-ticket-purchasing, we were salivating for their appetizers, including macaroni & cheese and sweet potato fries paired with a spicy ketchup! For my meal, I had this fantastic vegetarian chili, topped with guacamole, and surrounded by a perimeter of homebaked tortilla chips. I can't speak highly enough about this restaurant. For you Columbus folks, it reminded me a lot of Betty's. It was far and away my favorite meal in NYC.

Photos clockwise from top left
1  2  3  4  5

I'm On a Boat

This restaurant was probably my favorite experience in the city, for the view alone! Sunday evening, after a failed attempt at getting tickets to an Upright Citizens Brigade show, we all decided to head toward the Hudson river to a seasonal restaurant/bar called Frying Pan. And when I said "toward the Hudson," I meant on it, because this is essentially a floating restaurant, built on a salvaged Lightship from 1929. The ship actually sank and spent 3 years at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay before being rescued. This boat has certainly lived a lot of life...

And now, it's dreams have come true. It's been turned into a floating burger joint where Manhattan's twenty-somethings go for delicious garlic fries, burgers, and buckets of Corona between the months of May and October. It's completely open-air, so it's operated on a seasonal basis. And if you can make it through the crowds and score a table on top of the barge, when the sun sets you get a 360 degree view of the city lights of New York and New Jersey. It was incredible. So if you're visiting NYC, please do check it out at Pier 66, at 26th street and the West Side Highway.

Photos clockwise from top left
1  2  3  4  5 

My Heart

I'm back in Columbus, Ohio! But, you should know, my heart is still very much here:

Photo from {this is glamorous}

My weekend was amaaaaazing, and I plan on sharing a few of my exciting adventures with all of you throughout the week. Once I get over that "back to reality" feeling, of course.