Everyday Obsessions {18} - Laura Leton, Cherrypatter

At least a few times a week I take a little mental trip to NYC courtesy of Cherrypatter...Laura covers all the best little places to eat and drink in the Big Apple and is now my go to for all future trips! The last time I was in town she was kind enough to send me a complete list of recommendations that were so spot on ...and as you can see below so are her Everyday Obsessions...any girl who loves pink shoes, colorful bedding and Friday Night Lights is tops in my book...so check em out and then take a little trip over to her blog for some NYC daydreams...Thanks Laura!!

In My Closet:
tee – Sad to say I tend to rely on the Gap. A little boring but I just use them up one summer, and move to the next. I have a few other little ones that I often pick up at Goldy + Mac which is one of my favorite, easy shops in the hood.
jeans – Built by Wendy are my favorites right now.
on my feet -  Am loving my Loeffler Randall sandals, and I just got a pair of hot pink open toe pumps from Tenoversix from Bird.  Super cute and surprisingly comfy.
accessory – I am a little purse obsessed with Rafe a long time favorite (they have the best sample sales), and I’ve also been carrying around a lightweight beauty from MZ Wallace.
jewelry - I was a huge fan of Boucher which sadly no longer exists as a cute quaint shop in the meatpacking district though I understand the designer is doing some custom orders.  More recently, I’ve gotten a gorgeous super long delicate chain of baubles from Layla.  My everyday wear includes two Elsa Peretti classic Diamond by the Yards necklaces (single diamond each) given to me by my parents, my wedding ring by Cathleen Bunt, and my grandmother’s engagement diamond that I had made into a super modern ring with a broad platinum band at Karen Karch.

Beauty Secrets:
skin – My mother has the most fantastic skin, and if I had only listened to her growing up I would not have sat out in the sun for hours.  Nevertheless I am now trying to make up for my many sins with Shiseido creams that she relies on (I use the Benefiance Nutriperfect eye creams and day and night creams (I can get it from Amazon, and it’s not too crazy) and I also really love Yonka cleansing lotion that I was introduced to at Bliss Spa but fortunately can now get it locally for about 2/3s the price.  And lastly, I don’t go anywhere without sunscreen.  My go-to-kind is incredibly light and effective – Anthelios XL Fluid Extreme by La Roche-Posay.  If you can get someone to bring it to you directly from France it is well worth it (about $20 to $30 less a bottle).
makeup – I’m a little boring in this department. Mostly just blush (I’ve been using a rub-on cream from Clinique) and then a lip pencil from Mac. And I also often use a base from Mac as well that is pretty light and provides good coverage.
scent – I have never been a scent girl.  Too many allergies unfortunately.

In My Kitchen:
cookbook – When I have time, I love the Sunday Suppers at Lucques cookbook but her recipes can be daunting.   For everyday, I often use Mark Bittman How to Cook Everything, Smitten Kitchen (she is the best), Amanda Hesser’s Cooking for Mr. Latte and her new site Food52 and I also have a notebook full of clippings from Gourmet.  For parties, it’s Ina Garten all the way. Her recipes are full-proof and usually super easy. 
gadget – My rice cooker and cherry pitter. image C et V
30 min easy recipe – Couldn’t pick just one. A toss up between this everyday obsession and this super easy supper.
can't live w/o ingredient – Ginger.

Home:
walls – We collect our art very very slowly so each piece means something to us and this also means we still have a bare living room wall.  We have a huge painting of a cow by Utah artist Susannah Kirby that my mother gave us, a collage by my mother’s friend Kate Nelson and a large colorful painting by Myungchin Chung that my grandfather had in his home in Dayton, Ohio.  We also recently purchased three super cute map cutout prints by Famille Summerbelle. 
bedding – We like color.  If only I could afford it, I would do our entire bedding in Layla or John Robshaw.
flowers – I love ranunculus in all shapes and sizes.
favorite design source – This is so eclectic. I read Dwell. I loved the room designs in Cookie and House & Garden was great. And of course I read all sorts of blogs. 

Pop Culture Extra Credit:
on my nightstand – Rocket Men, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, The Good Soldiers and Between Parent and Child (in the hopes that I will understand my nearly 7-year old girl!). 
on my tivo – Friday Night Lights, Lost (still in Season 5) and the Good Wife
in my ipod – I know it should be music, but these days I tend toward political podcasts. Favorties include It’s All Politics by NPR, Slate Political Podcast and The Political Scene by the New Yorker.