merry christmas

simple pleasures

*lightly sweetened iced tea
*watching favorite rom coms over & over again
*mornings in the fall - and everything else: the air, the leaves
*close-to-perfect playlists
*dining out
*sitting on the floor + reading the paper
*online shopping
*making really good eggs
*runs that clear my head
*my white roses perfume
*ramen + udon
*nail polish
*weekend-morning lounging
*shoes
*the medicinal scent of my elderflower hand cream
*magazines + starbucks + airports

[smitten]

from TIME magazine (10.06.08), "Michelle's Gift," about Mrs. Obama:

"And contrary to her claims, Michelle is not the first person of her kind I've seen; she's actually recognizable as a very particular type, though it took me until after the [DNC] to figure out what that type is. I suspect this person will be familiar to anyone who has, in the past 25 years, been a young, college-educated woman in her first real job: you're, say, 22 and somewhat clueless, and you go to work in an office where there's a woman eight or 10 or 12 years older than you who's not only visibly good at her job but also confident and friendly and well-dressed and busy with a life that features a cute husband and a nice house and maybe even a couple of kids. And you think maybe, if everything goes right, your own life could turn out like hers."

magic... in a young girl's heart ~

today was a magical day ~ i was certain of it when my evening was capped by a rainbow so marvelous that it stretched almost full circle !
magical light...
if ever i believed in signs & chance & what is meant to be... it has to have been this summer.

today: praise for an honorable goal, legacies + mentors ~ not a question of what we want to do but who we want to become...

* * *

my little new york getaway...

flew away to new york for the fourth. m & i stayed w/great auntie in jersey. the 3 of us had breakfast together each morning consisting of coffee (freshly ground & brewed), o.j., a toasted english muffin & an egg sunny-side-up.

shopping. dim sum in chinatown. unidentified smells. people-watching. pinkberry, red mango - raspberries, mochi. old songs on ipod driving with windows down. giant crab bag to hold all my things. stuffy subway passageways. tired feet. seeing old friends. gooooooood times.

^little italy
^cupcake date with j.
^magnolia buttercream mmm...
^little italy
^outdoor dining in little italy
^hot dogs on the street
^matching summer cobalt in soho
^dinner w/great auntie @ madeleine's
^moma
^moma: this takes the prize too. ha! look like a bunch of hyenas. june looks cute as a bugs car tho.
^waiting for fireworks
^waiting for fireworks
^chicken & rice on the sidewalk before fireworks
^taboo on fdr drive before fireworks
^macy's fireworks over the east river
^fireworks!
^little t-bone watching fireworks
^mesmerized by the penguins @ the central park zoo
^central park zoo
^brunch @ mesa grill
^red mango MMM...
^fave tunes + driving with the windows down


good ole summertime...

more photos from minneapolis...

^letterpress postcard from lunalux
^i ordered heeeels online... the box itself was a delight to open! ^_^
^just as summer should be
^bff
^lemonade @ the stone arch bridge art festival^peonies @ the farmers market
^sock monkeys @ hunt & gather
^hunt & gather, charming shop for browsing
^french flashcards
^this lovely gauzy dress^grandmothers @ the minneapolis institute of arts
^tied up sailboats in lake calhoun
^some ducks took over that rowboat in the lake
^a view of downtown from lake calhoun

also, i ordered a bag online & can't wait for it to arrive . . . ^_^

still wishing i were elsewhere...

but i do have some photos from this side to share:
^georgetown ^georgetown ^the mississippi, from below hennepin ave bridge ^buttons @ the yarnery in st. paul^knit gnomes @ the yarnery ^kitchenwares on grand in st. paul ^cow creamer pitcher ^chocolates @ the golden fig in st. paul ^by the mississippi^the guthrie theater ^by the river ^lily of the valley @ the mill city farmers market ^brunch @ spoonriver ^by the river ^m & e @ the chambers hotlist - taste of the nation benefit ^the courtyard of the chambers hotel ^w/m @ the chambers benefit
^inside the walker art center
^minneapolis farmers market

so... minneapolis is no london, but it's faring pretty well, all things considered. the walker was lovely, very well done, a nice collection w/interesting + topical temporary exhibits & not overwhelming (i like it more than the tate modern actually). the farmers market was also big and bustling with a good coffee stand, perfect for a weekend morning. the twins game was fun & i'm even anticipating going again. there's plenty of distinctive architecture, charming boutiques & cute eateries scattered around the city, but there is also a lot of ugly in between.

of course i miss london each day that i'm here, but i still have every intention of making the most of my time in the twin cities.

best,

m.