Neck of the woods.....

We enjoyed our last road trip so much that we are hitting the road for a long weekend.  Destination:  A perfect little cottage on Lake Huron in the "thumb" of Michigan...we were there three years ago and looking forward to our return.

So, here's to hitting the highway and fingers crossed that we can go a few hours before the highly repeated, "Are we there yet?"

Besties, what are your plans for this last weekend in July?

Photo Complete

Have you seen this floating around the web?  

Times have changed yet stood still at the same time.

Father and son at shuttle start and end

A special welcome to my latest followers:

longdistanceloving

freshoutoflemons.com

in a shoe box

the sandals

i've been without my favorite black sandals (made by this cute little italian man) all summer until yesterday.  and you know where i found them?  in a shoe box.  IN A SHOE BOX!  i've torn my closet apart looking for these all summer long and they were neatly stored in a shoebox.  makes me think i don't even know myself.  who is this impooster?  am i more organized than i think?  doubtful, but isn't it funny when you find something right where you so perfectly placed...who would've thought?  do you surprise yourself like that?  think that i would've found them faster in these closets?

oh, eva, yes, your closet is amazing..i get it.

via the shoe girl's blog

via km2shoes

here's to the set designers of cher's rotating closet...you know the movie.

xoxo

Primary Textiles

It's Fashion Friday..you can link up with other besties at blondeepisodes today!
Loving these fun patterns in primary colors!  Kinda boho, hippy, southwest, all in one.

curly in the city clutch

ace & jib field maxi dress...madewell

layer on a few a things fun madewell market weaver bracelets @ $10 each

happy friday, besties!

xo

It's in the bag..A market post!

What's more romantic than a tote with a baguette, bottle of wine and flowers emerging from it?  It all scream romantic picnic!   Just a few tote shots from the market....because you gotta bring it all home in somethin!

Random thoughts for a Tuesday morning

I have a shoot this week, so not much time to post until Thursday.  Just a few random thoughts until then....

1.  I don't read news websites very often...in fact, I make a point of it.  The articles are too depressing, scary, or just add to my mom paranoia.  So I simply avoid them.  BUT, the other day I was reading an article and this is what the box at the bottom of the screen said:

Other articles you may enjoy

Michigan man admits to having sex with a horse 

Now, the internet seems to know me pretty well, targets me with j. crew ads, mommy stuff, etc... I'll mention a restaurant in this blog and the next day that same restaurant ad is appearing on my FB ads...SO, WHY ON EARTH DID THEY GET THIS ONE SO WRONG?



2.  I came home last night to discover my husband on the phone with the Banana Republic card people, pretty much almost yelling at them about the additional late fees they are charging.  Oops.  You see, I pay the bills, and sometimes, bill paying is just not my priority because things get too busy, and just sometimes I get behind.  It pretty much ended in him handing me the phone, saying that they need the cardholder (ME) to cancel the card.  "Just cancel it please"  So, I am holding the phone and am silent.  Kids are super loud and running around in the background.  Husband is super ticked at the credit card people and I am frozen.

Covering the mouthpiece, "but this isn't just Banana, it's Gap, Old Navy, Athleta...I get points, they send me reward cards, I get discounts all the time and stuff for the kids."  Response:  "Just cancel it."

I can  only imagine the picture that the customer service rep was developing in her head..kids screaming, it's 8:30pm, husband ticked off at her...and now me.  I couldn't help but make a joke to my husband but more for the rep, "She's gonna call the local womens safe house to come get me" (Did anyone watch Curb Your Enthusiasm Sunday?)  Anyway, it was a big mess and led me to several thoughts:

1. GO PAPERLESS...I don't need to be wasting paper with these bills slash little proofs of my disorganization.
2. Put all bills on AUTOPAY directly from by debit card.

I didn't cancel it...

3.  And finally...I sat down the other day to actually read some articles in a music magazine, ok, it was Rolling Stone.  I was thinking that I should just sit, relax, and read something actually on paper, you know, old school.  So I read a few articles and let me tell you, they were not well-written, boring, uninformative and a waste of time.  When I casually mentioned this to my husband, he totally agreed as he has read the same articles, so it wasn't just me.  I would've much rather have read all of your thoughts, friends, and caught up on some blog reading.  So I just want to thank you all for your voices, opinions, words, thoughts, photos and everything you share...you are the real writers.

Enjoy your week!

Ray-ban invasion

There was a serious Ray-Ban Wayfarer invasion at the market last Saturday.  Everywhere I looked, Wayfarers..mostly Ray-Ban, some look alikes...like the Besty Johnson pair, lower left.  Just when I am thinking that I may pay up for some Aviators, I see this old school style back in action.  And guess, what?  That girl, with the Betsy Johnson shades, ended up being a babysitter and is looking for work.  Sometimes fate steps in.  So, now, I've picked up sitters at Lori's Shoes, Trader Joe's and now, the street.  I am wondering if there is a match.com for sitters...

Small disclaimer...I got permission to take most of these photos.

happy friday, besties!

we are in the heart of summer now, enjoy.

xoxo

i wanna be a princess when i grow up

Have you been awing over Kate's perfection?  My favorites from the North American tour.  From glam to crew to cowgirl, of course, she looks fab in everything.

images via huffington post

Questions for the Fashion Gods....

What do you think about this feather trend? I'm not in.

via

How might one wear these?  I do love them, but having difficult time envisioning the outfit..

via j crew

How may one do this fun sexy beach hair?  I am working on it...

Vacation night

Don't you just love when you are out and the setting makes you feel like you are on vacation?  This is how we felt the other night at the new Paris Club rooftop...maybe it was the Delano hotel curtains blowing in the breeze...or maybe it was the palm tree like plants...it doesn't really matter what it was...it just mattered that for a few hours, we were transported to that vacation state of mind.



And a special thank you to Ana at liveandenliven for livening up my neck that evening with my Shabby Apple feather necklace that I won!  So many compliments on it and the only reason I am posting this not so great photo of me...just look at the necklace please.

Like a good neighbor....

Our neighbors hung a hammock in the courtyard in front of their unit...and then they hung this sign.

So after the Saturday morning market run...we leisurely lounged on the hammock

Add caption

Strawberry Margarita blur on my toes - OPI - definite goodie

My baby!

The other day,  I was giving my soon to turn five son a back rub before bed.  He was exhausted from a huge day at the beach and needed a little extra love before giving into sleep.  He was on his tummy, head turned to the side on the pillow.  He little face was squished just right so that I got a precious glimpse of his face as it was when he was a baby. And in that instant, his five little years and five changing faces all flashed in front of me.  And even though he is turning five tomorrow, he will always be my baby.

I didn't have time to take a lot of photos from our birthday celebration...but here are a few.

happy weekend!

Throwback!

Can we talk about the throwback Pepsi products?  The old school label is enough to make me want to throw one back.  Just seeing it on my desk makes me smile.

And speaking of throwbacks....Lipsmackers finally listened to us 30 something ladies and brought back the FAT STICKS!  No, they don't have the key chain on them, but I'll take one..in Dr. Pepper and Watermelon please.  For the record, they are now called biggies...I did buy it in Dr. Pepper.

And the fat lip smackers always brings me back to thinking about the rest of the bunch....

And these...

And my old John Frieda beach spray that has the most fantastic summer beachy scent....does anyone remember this line?

and, finally, this line....which a friend of mine says is now back on the shelves..old school scent and all.  I could see the giddiness in her text that she sent me...from Walgreens...moments after laying her hands on this.  And that's why she is one of my besties...

Just a  little nostalgia for you on this summer Thursday morning.  Now, I am off to produce my son's 5th birthday party...I have definitely turned my original idea of a small back alley birthday party into a rather large production and I'm having fun doing it.  

Morning off!

What you do on a morning when they kids are away at camp Grandma's

• Sleep in until 7am (yep, that's sleeping in)
• Check email and social media without feeling guilty
• Run to get something out of the car (in the city, this is a luxury because you don't have to drag the kids down the street to grab one thing out of the trunk)
• Go for a run, followed by the gym
• Stop at the store and shop like you are single

• Enjoy coffee on the porch
• Do a blog post, again, without the guilt
• Shower, get ready for work

And before you get really jealous and start thinking I'm a total bragger...I'm not totally alone. Since my washing machine leaked all over my kitchen floor last week, the flood specialists are here cleaning it up, still, five days later.  Ruining my morning of silence.....and that's why God invented coffee..and to-go cups.

....and it's only 8:40am!

Drink and be merry...and capture it.

Some of you may not know this little fact about me, but I have produced a fair share of food commercials in my career.  This translates into my real life as I find myself snapping photos of my food and drinks.  But I also think its the setting that I want to capture, the vibe that I don't want to lose and do want to remember....

like coffees on the beach...

and wine at sunset....notice the cute little crab on the wineglass

it doesn't get better than this....and while I am spilling coffee in my car tomorrow as I am running late for work, I will remember just one short week ago I was slowly sipping coffee while watching the kids jump in the waves.

Happy 4th friends!

xoxo

bestie