Long Weekend To Do List

Let's all watch To Catch a Thief this weekend, shall we?

I always love this part in the movie where Grace Kelly and Cary Grant drive up those steep, curvy Riviera roads to have their picnic of friend chicken and beer. So summery and elegant. And how beautiful are those white driving gloves? Sigh....

Happy long weekending, ladies! xo

C'mon get happy!

Love this ring! I'm totally digging how the design is clean and graphic, yet kind of unrefined at the same time. Plus turquoise and amber are two of my very favorite stones. And what's more, something about it gives me a strong Partridge Family vibe. Gotta love that, right?!

(via Bella-Bijou Jewelry)

Lonely Legs

Wow. Isn't this a gorgeous photograph from Jacqleen Bleu? The lighting, colors, and those lonely legs feel very Edward Hopper-ish to me.

(via Jacqleen Bleu's Etsy shop)

Pretty Pink Pedi

I got a pedi at lunch today (I'm treating myself to a pedicure every two or three weeks this summer since already I can't reach my toes!!!) and stepped out of my polish comfort zone to try OPI's Elephantastic Pink. All my toes have seen for the last two years is OPI's Over the Taupe, so this is really a radical departure. But I'm loving it!

It's bright, but not too bright, and it's the prettiest corally-pink. It would look amazing with a tan, but alas a girl can't have it all.

Have a lovely weekend, ladies! xo

Bea Arthur Haunts McDonald's

Have you seen this ad? Isn't it awesome?! Chicken is probably the meat with which I take biggest issue. Commercial farming practices for chicken are beyond nightmarish. So yay! for PETA's clever use of this bequest from Bea Arthur.

p.s. I want those earrings!

The Innocence Mission

Does anyone else remember the band The Innocence Mission? I guess they are still around, but I only have one of their albums, Glow, that I bought my freshman year in college. It's a great album, but it seems like I only want to listen to it in spring. I think it's because the song Bright as Yellow reminds me of forsythia!

The redbuds are blooming! The redbuds are blooming!

There are two things I eagerly anticipate every spring: the blooming of both the forsythias and the redbuds. The forsythias all popped out two weekends ago when we had three or four days of 80 degree weather, but yesterday was the first I noticed the redbuds just starting to peek through. They are such a sweet, delicate tree, and the vibrant magenta blossoms make a striking contrast to all that chartreuse spring growth exploding everywhere.

Several people in our neighborhood have redbuds, and I conspicuously slow down when I drive by to oogle their lovely foliage. Since that always makes me feel a bit stalker-ish, over the weekend I gave my boys--and their dad--a big hint that next year, for my first Mother's Day (how crazy is that???), a redbud sapling would make a wonderful gift!

(via BillCPhotos)

Pretty Movies

While spending most of January and February laying in bed was frustrating, it did give me a chance to catch up on several movies that had been sitting in our Netflix queue for ages and ages (fyi...the Roku is the best thing EVER when you're under the weather--you don't even have to get up to change the disc in the dvd player!!!).

Three flicks I enjoyed immensely were the 2008 version of Brideshead Revisited, because I love a good doomed romance (and I love the book!)...

the 2007 adaptation of Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes because I can't resist a good tear-jerker about hard-on-their-luck orphans who triumph in the end (and I love the book!)...

and the 2000 version of Love's Labour's Lost. Shakespeare + Cole Porter + Kenneth Branaugh?! Oh yeah!!! And Alicia Silverstone was surprisingly good, too! (Plus, I love the play!).

But what I enjoyed most about all these movies is that they are set in the late 1920s/early 1930s, which means the costuming is just glorious. From the flapper frocks to the school uniforms to the ballgowns, I want to wear them all!!! As someone who has to fight the urge to be matchy-matchy, you can imagine my delight at how the costumer for Love's Labour's Lost used a consistent color scheme throughout the entire movie for the wardrobe of each couple. I'm alllll about the signature color, so this subtle touch tickled me to no end!

What are your favorite "pretty movies"?

Unhappy Hipsters

Have you seen the Tumblr Unhappy Hipsters? I'm obsessed. It's so clever and sardonic. Plus, being the lover of modernist interiors that I am, the photos do make me drool a little bit. I mean, how awesome is this fireplace?

Seriously, add this blog to your daily reads if you haven't already. You'll get at least one good chuckle a day, I promise.

(via Unhappy Hipsters via Dwell)

LBD Love

I just got out of the house to do some spring/maternity shopping two weekends ago, and I just loveloveloved the plethora of navy I saw everywhere. Navy has become such a staple for me over the past few years. It's slowly replacing the black in my closet because it just seems so fresh and cool and preppy. That said, I have purchased two maternity l.b.d.s (I'm praying they are slimming!!!), but isn't a little blue dress just as versatile?

I've been patiently waiting for this shirt dress from Gap to go on sale, and now that it is, it's mine, all mine!!! I can't wait to wear it with the collar popped and a pair of stripey espadrilles once the weather warms up!

LBD Love

I am not a Walmart shopper. No offense to anyone who is. I just find going there to be an incredibly depressing experience, and I want to feel good when I shop--not sad and icky. However, I've been wanting to take a look at the Norma Kamali for Walmart line for quite some time and haven't worked up the gumption to go to our local store to see if they even carry it (which I doubt). Then it dawned on me: DUH! Just go to Walmart.com!

And I'm glad I did, because how cute is this black sweatshirt dress?! And--it's only $15!!! I'm in LBD love for sure!!!

Tips for Staying Well this Winter, Part III

I'll admit that I'm a little bit obsessive-compulsive when it comes to keeping my hands clean. My mom was a dental assistant and every year she'd go to their mandatory OSHA training and come home with terrifying details of all the places disgusting germs can hide. Apparently I really committed that information to heart because I am now one of those crazy people who washes her hands constantly, opens doors with my sleeve or elbow, and always, always, always carries hand sanitizer.

But a few years ago I started reading about how hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial soap could actually be doing more harm than good by killing the good bacteria that lives on our skin along with the bad. I cut out using anti-bacterial hand soap in favor of Kiss My Face's Organic Grapefruit and Bergamot Liquid Soap and started looking for a natural on-the-go hand sanitation alternative. The natural hand sanitizer I like the best is made by CleanWell. It's a spray--not a gel, has a light citrusy scent, and doesn't dry my hands out at all. But the best part? I can now be as OCD as I want!

Tips for Staying Well this Winter, Part II

I cannot say enough good things about Alkalol. I love this stuff!

I have the world's most temperamental sinuses, but the combination of Alkalol, a nettie pot, and regular chiropractic adjustments has almost completely pulled me out of a cycle of one sinus infection after another. If you are feeling a little sniffle-ish or dried out from the raging heat in your office (like I am), try this herbal-infused wonder! It breaks up mucus, kills bacteria and moisturizes your sinus and nasal passages gently and naturally. You can either order it directly from the family-owned company that produces it or find it at your local pharmacy.

Team Conan

Ahem...(stepping up on soapbox)

Just to go on record, the Brahler household is staunchly a member of Team Conan. I hate Hollywood anyway, and the longer this silliness goes on, the more incensed I get. I don't understand how someone as smart, funny, and downright nice as Conan can get shafted so badly. Is there no justice in that God-forsaken town?

(stepping off of soapbox)

(via fanpop!)

Faves of 2009

So I've been listening to the Top 25 Albums of 2009 on Pitchfork.com, and it inspired me to share a rundown of some of my own top picks from last year, spanning from music to movies to shoes I bought. Here we go...

Song: Spaceman, The Killers - Great lyrics, wacko video featuring a super cute lead singer, catchy melody. Works for me!
Honorable mention: anything by Gaga; Empire State of Mind, by Jay Z featuring Alicia Keys

Movie: Watchmen
Honorable mention: Star Trek - Now you all know what a sci-fi nerd I am!!!

Shoes: Dolce Vita wedges - I've already expressed my love for these shoes here and here. There's nothing more to say really. My best purchase of the year.

Honorable mention: Corso Como Key sandal

Album: New Moon Soundtrack - I know this seems like a dorky choice, but seriously, the line-up of bands on this album is insane. And I love how dreamy and melancholy the mix is--it totally fit my mood this fall.
Honorable mention: It's Not You, It's Me, Lily Allen; The Blueprint 3, Jay Z; The Resistance, Muse

Accessory: the hair bow
Honorable mention: the hair bow - That's how much I love it!

TV show: How I Met Your Mother - Although this show has been out for several years, we didn't discover it until last January, when we spent the entire first eight days of the new year slamming the first four seasons on DVD. Barney Stinson rocks.
Honorable mention: Golden Girls - Another non-2009 debut, but as I mentioned in a few posts last fall, we spent a lot of time since September escaping to Miami Beach circa 1987, so I couldn't leave it out!; V

Food: scallops - I decided in the spring to try eating seafood again after about seven years, and for some reason I decided to start with scallops even though I had never eaten them before. Seth grilled them for my birthday, and it was love at first bite! But the maple bourbon seared scallops we made in the fall really look my love to a whole new level.
Honorable mention: celeriac - Terrifying to look at, but totally worth getting past the fear.

Book: Time Traveler's Wife - I don't typically read "new releases," hence why I just got around to reading this book last summer. Definitely in my top 5 faves EVER.
Honorable mention: The Historian - The Dracula saga revisited and beautifully written--what's not to love?

What were your favorite things of 2009?

LBD Love

It's still snowing and still freezing cold, so you can bet that I wish I were wearing this breezy little eyelet LBD today instead of the layers of sweater tights, wool dress, velvet blazer, etc., etc., I'm wearing instead...sigh....

That said, JetBlue is have its big winter sale right now--$109 flights to Bermuda!!!--so maybe I'll be baring some skin sooner than I think! Check it out!

(via Like Neely O'Hara)

LBD Love

I'm such a sucker for ruffles and bows. Don't you think this would be the perfect LBD for sipping champagne and ringing in the new year with friends?

(via LOOKBOOK)

Two places I'd love to spend Christmas (other than home, which is always the best)

I don't know where this house is actually located, but for some reason this picture conjures up images of an extravagant Christmas in Newport, and I'd totally be down with that. (FYI...just learned this week that the Newport mansions get even more dolled up for the holidays and they do special holiday tours...doesn't that sound like a fun way to spend your Christmas vacay?)

And don't you just love the idea of spending Christmas in a lighthouse?

(via Sweet Home Style and sskennel's photostream)

LBD Love

What a cheeky LBD!!!

(via belladivine's photostream)

Holiday Giveaway #4: Arbonne Sea Salt Scrub

About ten years ago the hubby got me my first tub of sea salt scrub for Christmas. It was from Origins, and I felt like it was one of the most luxurious gifts I'd ever received. I loved the glass jar, the citrus-y scent, and that the scrub inside was like a miracle for my winter-chapped hands. I've been a devoted salt-scrubber every winter since.

I still very much love the Origins scrub, but my friend sells Arbonne, so a couple of years ago, I switched to their version. It works just as well, and I like to get it in the Awake essential oil blend so that I can still enjoy a hint of citrus while I exfoliate. Plus, as much as I'd like to get a manicure every week, my budget doesn't think that's a very good idea, but I swear after I use the scrub my hands look like I just had a fresh mani.

All that said, by now you've probably guessed that for my fourth and final holiday giveaway, one lucky reader will receive a jar of Arbonne's Awake Sea Salt Scrub!

Here's how to enter:

• Leave a comment below
• Reblog or retweet for an extra entry
• Do it by Saturday, December 26, at midnight! Winner will be announced Monday, December 28.

Good luck, ladies!