Mommy and Me

Lou Lou and Louis...

p.s. - It comes in pink...

Don't say I didn't warn you...

One scoop of each...a little luxury in your ice cream bowl...

Naga and Pandan ice cream by Vosges

Hope you treat yourself to something indulgent this weekend...xoxo

A Movie, A Memory, an Outfit, and some tunes...

Went to see Crazy Heart this weekend, Jeff Bridges & the soundtrack are amazing; just a great, quiet movie...left me feeling totally nostalgic for my childhood  - even though it's set in the present, Bad Blake's wardrobe was so on the mark for a certain era of good old boys in Texas....the thin, short sleeve western shirts that need a v-neck undershirt, poly blend slacks with cowboy boots and big belt buckles, and of course perfectly faded chambray shirts and jeans...

takes me back to country music's crossover heyday in the late 70's early 80's...  riding around Austin in my PawPaw's truck drinking Big Red, singing Elvira, On the Road Again, and the entire Urban Cowboy soundtrack (my fave - I so wanted to be the big city cowgirl Pam with lurex western shirts and feathers in my hair).  I loved poring over my parent's album covers...just revisiting these got me totally inspired - wasn't Linda Ronstadt gorgeous? and Emmylou Harris - divine! 

what would a  modern day country/hippie chanteuse wear?...perhaps this Winter Kate Eden Jacket, over some faded out Current Elliott Skinny slouch Jeans, Loeffler Randall's Kat Cowboy Boot**, an Urban Renewal Vintage Leather Belt, Lace Trim tank, layers of LowLuv x Erin Wasson jewelry...and of course hair in a big,messy, topknot...
excuse me while I turn on the Seven Year Ache and get ready for a night at the Broken Spoke...


** I bought these about 5 yrs ago from LR's 2nd collection and they are my FAVORITE boots ever...so comfy and cute...happy to see they brought them back for Spring '10...wish they weren't so damn spendy...

If you need some tunes to get you in the mood I'd spin these:

Willie Nelson, Doug Sahm, and Lucinda Williams

Everyday Obsessions {5} - Jane, Simple + Pretty

In the midst of all the Fall Fashion happening on the runways it only seems fitting to check in with Jane over at simple +pretty for this weeks Everyday Obsessions...I count on her to keep me up to date with all the new collections and adore her lovely ephemera picks as well! Thanks Jane!!

In My Closet:
tee - mostly gap
jeans - various iterations of a tailored boyfriend look
on my feet - black ballet flats
accessory - right now i'm all about scarves
jewelry - engagement/wedding ring

Home:
walls - farrow & ball paint for fabulous depth of color
bedding - white sheets
flowers - peonies! (photo via five lovely things)
favorite design source - the newsstand (and ina garten's paris apartment)

 Beauty Secrets:
Skin - philosophy skincare works for me
makeup - bobbi brown tawny blush + fresh sugar rose balm
scent - le labo rose 31

In My Kitchen:
cookbook - everyday food by martha stewart living
gadget - onion chopper (fewer tears!)
15 min easy recipe - marinated tomato/mozzarella/basil with pasta (must be summer tomatoes)

Pop Culture Extra Credit:
on my nightstand - piles and piles of magazines
on my tivo - 30 rock, parks + rec (so good this year!), daily show
in my ipod - right now a lot of phoenix + vampire weekend

Catch even more of Jane's pretty paper and pretty things on Twitter, Tumblr, and Formspring

Sweatin' in Style

I'm pretty intrigued by the whole sweat pants as fashion thing...if there's one thing I love more than looking stylish it's being comfy...here are a few interesting picks...will you be rocking this trend?

T by Alexander Wang Pants, Vince Slouch Pants, Splendid Crop Harem Pants, C & C California Fleece Slim Joggers

I'd wear it this way...(if spring ever comes!)...some great flat sandals, a slightly flowy shorter tee and a statement necklace to keep it from being too rolled out of bed... 

T by Alexander Wang Seamed Rib Tee, Elizabeth & James Bindi Trousers, K Jacques Caravelle Sandal, Lizzie Fortunato Jewels New Dawn Fades Necklace

Do This...

Wear these...Gold Slip-ons from Toms

Live here...dressing room via Style Redux

Plant these...The Balcony Gardener seed packets via Design Sponge

Play Here...Storytelling Playscape via the gorgeous Next Door to Magic

Read These...new blog love - fellow MPLS girl wit + delight and unbelievable eye candy @ Mrs Lilien

Preorder this...The Selby Book...Can't wait!

Hope you're having a lovely Monday...

xoxo Michelle

Making a list...

We've now been in our house in MPLS for almost 9 years...longer than I've lived anywhere!...and we've yet to really do any home improvements or decorating...just never expected to be freezing our $^% off for this long in the Midwest...but it doesn't look as if we'll be moving to sunnier climes anytime soon so maybe if I put it out there in the universe I will finally do something...here are a few things I've had in my design file for years...I saw this wallpaper in Domino (sigh!) ages ago - Zebrine by Rose Cummings - and I think it would be perfect in a small space...

I'd love to retile our bathroom with these gorgeous Fez cement tiles from Granada Tiles...

or use these Mosaic House Fleurs Tile somewhere...of course I like the pink :)

 but I think my first project will be to finally order some Delia Shades for our bedroom...

Thoughts?

Miss K's Picks...

Just checking in with my friend Miss K - a tall, gorgeous, redheaded Texan with amazing taste who lives in NYC and has worked for some of my favorite designers...here are her current must haves...Happy Weekend!  xoxo Michelle

Melissa Joy Manning jewelry-she did all my wedding rings and I wear all her stuff all the time

Citizens of Humanity Super Stretch Avedon Denim Leggings -you can eat and eat and not get a muffin top!They are the best thing ever invented!

Virginia Johnson scarves--I literally have i think about 10 of them--all different fun characters and shapes. I have camels, elephants, ducks, birds, etc.

Current Elliott--skinny holey jeans and the bell bottom holey jeans--fit great

Frye short carson boots--have 2 colors..LOVE!

Also, this is really weird but Dr. Pepper chapstick.  I have always worn it because I used to LOVE dr. pepper when I lived in Texas (they don't have dr. pepper up here) but my mom sends me regular packges full of this chapstick.  Apparently all the big makeup artists use it too? Who would have guessed..It smells good and it gives your lips a little tint.

The World as it Should Be...

This man...

lives here...

and all is right in the world...

(via Black Eiffel)

Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne's house designed by Fitzsimmons Architects

photos by joseph mills

Sweet Dreams...

My lovely friend Bridgett just gave birth to a baby boy named Oz at home in what sounds like an amazing waterbirth experience.  For her shower Jennifer C made her a gorgeous Mala using stones from friends and Barb put together a lullaby CD comprised of all the songs the women in our playgroup love...we listened it to it in our pre-brunch yoga session and it was so perfect and relaxing so I thought I'd share the track listing for you to enjoy!!  What are some of your favorite lullabies?
pictures by Honeybee & Peony

Goodnight Sweetheart - Sha Na Na

Stand By Me - Ben E. King

You are my Sunshine - Carly Simon

Baby Don't You Cry - Quincy Coleman

Sweet Baby - Macy Gray featuring Erykah Badu

Go On - Jack Johnson
Lullaby - Dixie Chicks
Sweet Dreams - Jewel
Godspeed - Dixie Chicks
Lullaby - Jack Johnson
Hallelujah - Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris
Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
To Ra Loo Ra - Kenny Loggins
Let it Be - Carol Woods & Timothy T
In My Place - Rockabye Baby Coldplay
One Love - Rockabye Baby Bob Marley
Claire de Lune - Claude DuBussy
Naima - Angelique Kidjo with Carlos Santana
Sanctuary - Donna De Lory
I Am - Guru Singh & Friends


A special thanks to Barb for putting this CD together!! xoxo - you are amazing!!

Crayon Rings

Oh, here dear...just use my ring...

Timothy Lilies @ The Future Perfect

Aloha!

It's actually pretty gorgeous here in MPLS today (which means 32 and sunny!) so I'm a little less sad that we're not taking a beachy vacation this month...We usually hit Mexico but after a couple of bouts of stomach viruses, run-in with the popo, and our height of swine flu visit last year we decided to take a break...However, If money was no object I'd be on a plane to the Four Seasons Hualalai...we've traveled all over the world but our most magical vacations have been to Hawaii...every island has so much beauty - the lush tropical forests of Kauai, the bleak but beautiful lava flows on the Big Island, the insanely stunning road to Hana on Maui, the laid back surfer vibe on the North Shore of Oahu...sigh! I would love to run away there, sell pineapples & banana bread on the side of the road and wear nothing but sarongs and flipflops...

Where are your favorite warm weather spots?

Since this is a fantasy vacance I'd take along this Zero Maria Cornejo Dress I was dying over at Barneys last week:

and the whole Suno s/s Collection

Herriott Grace

I'm a huge fan of Nikole from the gorgeous blog forty-sixth at grace and keep trying to get my hands on some of her lovely wood kitchen items...they usually sell out asap but her shop has an update today at 5pm est if you can make it there in time to grab some goodies...Good Luck!!

Everyday Obsessions {4} - Erica, A History of Architecture

Next up in our Everyday Obsessions is Erica from A History of Architecture...her cool & clean aesthetic is always spot on and often has me reworking and adding to my shopping lists so I was especially keen to find out her picks...let's take a look!

In My Closet:
top - Saint Grace ribbed tank top + Steven Alan button down shirt (any will do!)
jeans - R13 skinny jeans
on my feet - No. 6 buckle ankle boots
accessory - Virginia Johnson camel print wool shawl
jewelry - Verre initial necklace with "L" for my son Leon

Beauty Secrets:

Skin - Korres Watercress Potent Moisturizer
makeup - none!
scent - North Atlantic by CB I Hate Perfume

Home:
walls - prints by Camilla Engman and Lena Corwin
bedding - new Frette sheets 'Modernismo' topped with a baby alpaca Emma Gardner throw
flowers - Anemones (image via D*Sponge)
favorite design source - http://www.evencleveland.blogspot.com/

In My Kitchen:

cookbook - NYTimes' The Minimalist
gadget - Baratza burr grinder for evenly ground coffee beans
15 min easy recipe - Stir-fry broccoli, garlic, and shrimp with freshyakisoba noodles, sriracha hot sauce on the side
can't live w/o ingredient - Sesame seed oil

Pop Culture Extra Credit:
on my nightstand - Adam Bede by George Eliot
in my ipod - Woody Guthrie, Dust Bowl Ballads

California Dreamin'

I was lucky enough to get to take a solo trip out to San Fran a week ago and now I'm jonesing to go back and check out Serena Mitnik-Miller's new General Store...I'm in love with her artwork and want to plaster my walls with her gorgeous watercolors and beach photos...(via poppytalk)

So fun to hang with my oldest friend Lara, indulge in a boozy night out at La Trappe, enjoy the gorgeous sunshine while having brunch at Greens, walk the Marina and zip around town...Here we are stopping in North Beach for a midnight (?!) cappuccino after 4 am wakeup, champagne flights, belgian beers, mussels, fries, soaking up the vibes, and buying some books (Kerouac of course) at City Lights...(Lara left et moi on the right)

Hmmm...looking a little sloshy but no worse than at the end of a day running after a 2 yr old...I feel compelled to mention that we became friends in the 6th grade when I moved to Arlington, TX in the middle of the year and sat next to her in music class...I was awestruck as she pulled out a tube of mascara and expertly applied many coats of electric blue maybelline...ah! The 80's!