MONDAY MUSINGS..

Sources: Arm Party, Christy Turlington, Texas, Zebra Print, Fashion Photos, Candy Quote

Happy Monday Ya'll! How was the weekend? I am so excited the Olympics are on and admit I spent some quality time watching the swimming and women's gymnastics yesterday, they were amazing.  You might have seen this circulating today, but since I clearly like a good "Call Me Maybe" parody, the latest one "Call Me Lochte" is pretty funny and while I'm sure the rivalry between Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps is no where near as ugly as the parody makes it out to be, I would imagine there likely is a large amount of competition between these two incredibly talented swimmers.  Watch the video and enjoy a good laugh on this Monday afternoon! 

Starting the week off again with images that are inspiring me for this week.  Loving that arm candy and really into bracelets, all shapes and sizes at the moment.  And that image of Christy Turlington photographed for Vogue's 1990 cover is just beautiful, she is timeless! What's inspiring ya'll this week?  Hope today is fabulous! 

HAPPY WEEKEND!

A few of my favorites this week:

Remember the scene from Miss Congeniality where Sandra Bullock's talent is playing the musical glasses, well if your dream was to master the art of musical glassware, you're now one step closer making that a reality with the creation of these musical glasses, love these! 

Elle Woods, right here in NYC, you heard it first.

Loving this arm candy and this Bauble Bar bangle at the moment.

I'm sure you've seen your fair share of Call Me Maybe renditions this summer, the latest one to pop up online of the USA Olympic Swim Team includes a small cameo of Ryan Lochte, and hello, in case you forgot y'all, today is the start of the London Olympic Games, so take a few minutes and watch it here.

Loving this song right now-Ho Hey by The Lumineers-

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TINY BITS OF TRUTH...

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CLOSET STAPLE...

I absolutely love Equipment Blouses year round they are the perfect top for any occasion.  So when I saw the latest collection from this line yesterday on over on Shopbop I was thrilled to see such beautiful silk blouses in their pre-fall collection.  I have several of the signature blouse in solid colors that I've worn a million times, so I'm thinking for fall it would be nice to incorporate a fun print into my otherwise boring solid color wardrobe.  The red or fawn/geraldine sheer top above is quickly making its way to the top of my fall wish list.  Wouldn't it be perfect for day with a skirt or black pants and night more casual with jeans? Love everything about their latest collection.  Which style is your favorite from these new additions?  Do ya'll have an Equipment favorite? You can check out the entire Equipment collection on Shopbop here.

COUNTDOWN IS ON..

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So the Bachelorette is over, and might I add finally-after what was by far the LONGEST finale ever... and you're probably wondering what in the world are you going to watch on television at night now? Not to worry ya'll, because your televisions are about to be taken over beginning on Friday with the start of the Summer Olympics in London.  Woo Hoo! I am so excited, and love watching the Summer Olympics.  The Opening Ceremonies, in case ya'll don't already have your dvr set, are this Friday on NBC, and from what I can tell they are going to be a bit delayed for us here in the U.S. with them set to come on beginning at 7:30p.m. (EST).  Four years ago, the Beijing Olympics liteerally took the opening ceremony to the next level and set the bar high for London this year, so I look forward to seeing what they have in store for us.  

While I'm mentioning the Olympics, I have to tell ya'll that you must read this touching story about Dominique Moceanu and her sister, Jen Bricker.  I absolutely love watching gymnastics during the Summer Olympic games, and remember Dominique Moceanu when she was a member of the 1996 gold-medal-winning U.S. women's gymnastics team. This heartwarming story is incredible, and amazing and definitely worth taking a few extra minutes to read.  

Oh and hope ya'll enjoyed the eye candy above, I mean does it get any better than the amazing Ryan Lochte? Absolutely not...he's gorgeous! Yes, I'll be tuned in to any and all of the televised men's swimming events if only to catch a glimpse of this guy with his shirt off.  Happy Tuesday!

COME AND KNOCK ON MY DOOR...

Yellow/Pink/Orange/Red/Green & Yellow/Pink

I've found myself recently drawn to colored front doors, seems they are everywhere these days.  While I do not have a colored front door here in NYC, certainly doesn't mean I can't dream of what color my front door will be one day, right?  It's been said the colors we surround ourselves with-in our homes, clothes, cars, or accessories-represent more than simply a color choice, but reveal a little bit about who we are as a person.  There even has been research studied on this very subject to determine what a specific door color says about the kind of person we are.  I automatically am drawn to red front doors anytime I see them, primarily because for as long as I can remember I've always had a red front door at my parents house.  According to color psychologists, those who pain their front door red are saying "that the home within is a vibrant place, full of life, energy, and excitement." Well, I couldn't agree more with that assessment.  So I want to know, if you have a front door that is painted, what color is it? Or what color would you paint your front door if you were going to?

MONDAY MUSINGS...

Umbrella/ Brilliant Ideas/ Vogue/ Fashion Sketch/ DVF Flats/ J.Crew Black & White Clutch/ Sorry, Out to Live/ Welcome to Today/ Ray-Ban Image/ Queso

Happy Monday and welcome to the start of a brand new week! Hope ya'll had a wonderful weekend. Decided to start the week off with a mood board of what I like to call my uniform- or very favorite go to color combination, black & white, and of course the occasional pop of color,typically pink or red.  Absolutely love the crisp and clean feel of black and white at home too.  If only my kitchen happened to be half the size of the one pictured above and then half as neat and clutter-free, keep dreaming on that one! 

I also love the hand lettering work of the incredible Matthew Tapia, as shown in the Sorry, Out to Live print above.  I absolutely love his work and amazing intricate lettering design. Check out his tumblr to get a glimpse of Matthew's current work.  

Hope today was fabulous and a great start to the week! 

HAPPY WEEKEND!

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Friday, yes I do love you. Happy Friday Ya'll!
A few of my favorites this week:

How many times have you thought, I wish I had a light jacket or worn less clothes the minute you stepped out the door?  I know for me being in NYC it happens all the time, and now there is a solution to the problem of dressing chic for the weather....Wevther's new site provides accessory and clothing recommendations that are not only fashionably chic but also weather appropriate, ensuring that you'll not be the one person dressed like there is a snowstorm coming when in fact, it's the first time in 50 years a heat wave has hit the city in the winter!

It's no secret I am a big fan of Kai Oil so when I'm thrilled to hear about the new Kai deodorant, adding that to my wish list.. Yes, Please!

7-Eleven has taken their fan favorites, the slurpee, and attempted to continue to ride that gravy train to the bank... literally.  This week video of 7-Eleven slurpee machines in Singapore serving up mashed potatoes & gravy went viral, and you can check out an image of the mashed potato & gravy machine below and see the video here. I'm hoping these don't make it to the U.S. anytime soon.  The last thing we need is to be serving up mashed potatoes & gravy on tap for a quick, cheap, hearty meal. Yikes!

If your dream is to live in New York City or you've ever lived in the city, you will enjoy reading this post.

Stephen Covey, author of the 1989 bestseller "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", died on Monday at the age of 79.  My dad encouraged me to read his book several years ago, and I am very thankful for that recommendation because even 20 years after the book was originally published, Covey's pearls of wisdom known as the "7 Habits" still remain true and pertinent and 7 habits still remain true. If you haven't read the book yet, it is an absolute must read, more than once, and often kind of book that I would recommend reading.  A few great articles remembering Stephen Covey can be found here, here, and here.

In case any of ya'll were still waiting for the prince on a white horse to come sweep you off your feet, do yourself a favor and take note: Attention Ladies: Prince Charming Does NOT Exist... 

Finally, this is just comical to me, you can check it out for yourself, Rich Kids of Instgram "They have more money than you and this is what they do."

And...That's all folks! Hope ya'll have a great weekend!

TINY BITS OF TRUTH...

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This was too funny to not share with ya'll:
A new PSA launched by the Oregon Dental Association is taking brushing your teeth to the next level with the video "Teach Me How to Brushy" sung to the tune of the all to familiar "Teach Me How to Dougie." With lyrics including, "Pull out your string and it's time to get your flossy on.. All my teeth love me because I do the brushy" kids everywhere are running to join in on brushing their teeth, or are they? What do ya'll think about this PSA? It's pretty funny, you can see the video for yourself below:

PASS IT ON...

One of the greatest things about blogging has been that you really do feel like you get to know other bloggers by what they reveal about themselves in their day-to-day posts.  That being said, I was really excited to see a comment on Saturday from Mckenzie over on Bluegrass Bred saying she nominated me for the Liebster Award, (on a side note,  I'd love to hear from you, makes my day when I get comments on the blog!). The rules for the Liebster Award are as follows:

1. Each person must post 8 things about themselves. (I hope the blogger police don't come after me because I'm changing the rules up here, posting 7 instead of 11)
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create 7 questions for the people you've tagged to answer (changing the # from 11 to 7) 
3. Choose people and link them in your post. 
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. Remember, no tag backs

So without further adieu, 7 facts about me & of course Boo Radley too:

And now onto the questions from sweet McKenzie (go check out her blog Bluegrass Bred if you haven't already, it's fabulous!):
1. What's your go-to makeup item that you cannot live without?
I have to have blush at all times, I have it with me at all times and typically own all forms of blush-the powder, cream, liquid.  
2. What is your favorite memory from the past year?
Oh wow, really I feel like waking up every single day in NYC I mean it's amazing & different every single day, couldn't pick one single memory over the past year. 
3. If you could bring back a former President dead or alive for another term who would it be?
I have to plead the 5th here, simply due to the fact that I absolutely know how heated political discussions can get and boy have I accidentally entered into them in the past with family and friends, so just going to keep silent on my political views :) 
4. Who's your celebrity crush?
I have a few that I think are just gorgeous including Ryan Gosling, Paul Rudd & Ryan Reynolds.
5 What's your biggest pet peeve?
While I'm sure I'm guilty of this sometimes too, my biggest pet peeve is when people don't follow through on doing whatever it is they say they will do, whether it is meet you for lunch or make an appointment for you, or send something in the mail etc. I can not stand having to ask a million times for the same thing.
6. If you could marry a professional athlete, chef or CEO which would you choose?
Professional athlete, yes please.
7. What's your biggest accomplishment?
Biggest accomplishment is a VERY broad subject, I think it changes as I've changed, definitely have different accomplishments corresponding to the various stages of my life so far.
8. What is your bedroom color scheme?
I tend to stick with very neutral colors and REALLY like black and white, so bedroom currently is black, white and with a few red accents, incorporating a John Robshaw red tribal print as well.
9. What's your favorite television show?
I love Gossip Girl and just started watching Mad Men this season but have caught up on the previous seasons and love that show!
10. What's your favorite sports team?
Texas Longhorns- of course! A huge sports fan, but my favorite has to be football and doesn't get any better than watching Longhorn Football in the fall. 
11. Favorite drink?
Alcoholic: Margarita (preferably sitting on the beach in Mexico) Non-Alcoholic: Diet Dr. Pepper is my vice, soo good, and hey, it started in Waco!

My questions are below and absolutely don't feel obligated to do this too if you're tagged, it simply means I'd love to get to know you more!  
1. What inspired you to start blogging?
2.What's the one quote that most closely describes your life at the moment?
3. What is the one thing you always enjoy doing when you have a free afternoon or few hours?
4. Do you have a favorite holiday tradition? If so, what is it?
5. What are you most afraid of?
6. What supernatural ability would you most like to have and why?
7. What's your dream job?

And now the fun part, the blogs I nominate for this award:

One Fine Day

Last Year of Twenty Something
A Pop of Style
Live Simply by Annie
 Enamored and Elegant

Thank you again McKenzie for thinking to nominate me for this award! Hope ya'll are having a fabulous Friday!

CRAZY FOR....

I have been a huge fan of Clare Vivier handbags since I first bought her original messenger bag in black back in 2008.  At the time I discovered her amazing bag I discovered it via a blog and went online to her small shop to purchase the messenger bag directly from her site.  Since then, she has grown into a go to source for the classic, timeless leather handbag. Clare was a journalist working for French television when she was traveling with her laptop and for lack of anything cute in the marketplace, so she fabricated her own padded envelope, and the rest is history.  I particularly like that from conception to fabrication her line has been made exclusively in Los Angeles since 2008, consciously engaging in ethical manufacturing practice without compromise. I've had my original black messenger for over 4 years now and I can personally tell you that it is still in amazing condition and held up incredibly well since I admit I'm a little bit hard on my handbags.  Currently on my wish list is the gorgeous La Tropezienne, isn't it fabulous? You can find Clare Vivier's messenger bags and clutches here.  You should also take a look at her website and blog to see her latest collections.  

WEEKEND WRAP UP...

How was your weekend? I hope ya'll had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed your Sunday! A little fun fact for ya'll about this past Friday, did you know that it was the last Friday the 13th of entire year? Yes you read that right, the last Friday the 13th of 2012 has come and gone.  Pretty unbelievable to think that we are more than half way through 2012!

I spent this past week in St. Simon's Island in Georgia with my parents and grandfather and had a wonderful vacation! Below are just a few pictures from the trip.  On a side note, if you haven't tried boiled peanuts, they are amazing and addictive and you must try them out sometime. Delicious! I prefer them with a little spicy kick myself, so if you happen to have a good recipe or know where I could find one for boiled peanuts with a little kick, let me know because I'd love to try them out!

Did you happen to notice both my mom & I practicing our "hand on the hip pose" and I'm just not sure I'm loving the super pageant like look of it now that I'm seeing it online.  Seriously though, how in the world do ya'll pose in pictures and achieve a balance between not looking super awkward (a.k.a. the hand on hip pose my mom & I demonstrate above) while at the same time not pressing your arm against the side of your body, which for the record will not look good on anyone, ever.  Do ya'll have any tips for looking your best in photos? Do tell, I'm clearly in need of them!

Finally, a few of my favorites from around the web this past week:

• Tonight on 60 minutes, a great revelation by Steve Jobs' that one of his defining moments came as a kid when his parents told him regarding being adopted that he was not just abandoned, but chosen by them to be their son.  Check out the entire recap here. 
• You won't believe what they've turned into wi-fi hotspots here in NYC now.  What will they think of next?
• I can never have enough arm candy, and these bracelets are the perfect addition to my growing collection of fabulous bracelets, not to mention a great deal!
• An interesting article on making friends as you get older from the NY Times, particularly the finding by scientists of the three conditions "considered crucial to making close friends: proximity; repeated, unplanned interactions; and a setting that encourages people to let their guard down and confide in each other." 
• I'm dying to do this next month here in NYC, but it appears to already be sold out, so sad! The Color Run is described as the happiest 5K on the planet, with the only rules being that you wear white, and prepare to get head-to-running shoes covered in what they call "magical color dust", have ya'll heard of this? Sign me up, ASAP! 

VACATION BREAK....

Happy Friday Ya'll!! I've been on vacation the past few days with family and it was such a wonderful time to relax and spend time with them at the beach.  Hope ya'll have had a good week and are having a fabulous Friday! I've got a short post for this Friday on the acronym you'll love to hate, YOLO.  I literally had NO clue what the phrase YOLO meant, but I can tell you I've heard it EVERYWHERE and increasingly in the past 6 months.  If you are like me and have no earthly idea what I'm talking about you can check out the Urban Dictionary definition for YOLO which is an "acronym for You Only Live Once."  Just a warning, you better believe now that I know what it means when I see #YOLO blowing up my twitter feed, I'll be throwing out my fair share of #YOLO's as well.  So this all got me wondering, have I been living under a rock and the only one who is just now discovering this popular acronym?  I came across this article on The Washington Post discussing the widespread use of the acronym YOLO.  It even points to an article referring to President Obama's press conference on the Supreme Court's healthcare decision back in April as his "YOLO moment." Yes, really!  Have ya'll had your own YOLO moment?  If so, what was it and is this an acronym you use frequently?

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ESSENTIAL STATEMENT PIECE

I stumbled across the most amazing necklaces by Roarke NYC and I am in love with their entire "Le Charlot" collection.  Every necklace in this collection is the perfect statement piece to complete any outfit, and no doubt will catch the eye of everyone in the room, which of course is the reason for a statement piece in the first place, right?  The versatility of Roarke NYC's iconic bib necklace is endless, and would be perfect with a casual tee for brunch or at night with a strapless dress at a cocktail party.  I have this necklace at the top of my wish list and hope to add this to my wardrobe in the future.  Which of the necklaces below is your favorite? 

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GET THE LOOK...

Hope ya'll had a good weekend and your Monday is off to a wonderful start!  I saw this photo of Kelly Ripa online recently and absolutely loved the entire look she has going on here, not to mention her killer legs! This outfit can easily go from day to night.  Now if only I can snag a pair of those cute pink shorts from J.Crew, looks like that might be a challenge since they're already on sale online.  What do y'all think?  Would you wear these shorts from day to night? 

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TINY BITS OF TRUTH

LOVING THIS JULY...

Happy 4th of July ya'll! Hope you are having a wonderful day & celebrating the holiday with family & friends.  Four days late, but didn't forget to put together the things I'm loving this month.  
I'm looking forward to the Olympics which begins in London on July 27.  I always love watching the gymnastics and reliving my glory days (ha!), yes at one point in life I was majorly into gymnastics, and those girls who make it to the Olympics for gymnastics are amazingly talented.  Then there is the swimming, and I think it goes without saying those guys have incredible bodies, and who doesn't like to watch that? Seriously though, check out the picture below of swimmer, Ryan Lochte? Wow.
  
Those who know me well (and if you don't, well you certainly should get to know me..) know that I love to throw out the phrase "Why So Serious" more than I should... I'm not one to quote anything from movies. Ever. As in I'm NEVER able to remember movie quotes or name that movie, unless it happens to be from Dark Knight, and it happens to be the phrase, "Why so serious?"  Not to mention, one of my favorite songs Pink's "Raise Your Glass" even quotes the great Heath Ledger's phrase, that definitely makes it quote worthy, right?  Well, get excited because the final Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, comes out this later this month and it's sure to be a huge hit.  You'll have to wait until July 20th to see the Dark Knight Rises in theaters, but you can check out the just released trailer here.

(source: Fireworks Image, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Dark Knight Rises, Catalpa NYC)

BABY YOU'RE A FIREWORK...

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Celebrate the 4th in style with a few last minute outfit ideas for whatever you have planned to celebrate  Independence Day tomorrow!  Blake Lively of course can do no wrong in anything she puts on.  Absolutely love this patriotic photo of her.  Do ya'll have plans for the holiday? Wherever you are tomorrow to celebrate, I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July!

PARTY IN THE U.S.A.

Hello, Monday and a very happy July to ya'll! Party in the U.S.A. brings me right back to the Miley Cyrus hit from a few years ago, and for those of ya'll who can't recall that #1 chart topper, you can check it out here: 

I put together an inspiration board for a 4th of July themed party and shared some of my favorites below.  If you're looking for the perfect last minute treat to beat the heat on Wednesday, try out the dipped ice cream sandwich recipe! Do ya'll have any fun plans for the 4th?  I can't believe it falls on a Wednesday this year, it seems a bit strange to have it fall mid-week. Let me know if you have any fun plans or have come across the perfect Independence Day inspiration! 

(sources: Cute Food For Kids, Chandon, Catch My Party, Atlantic Pacific, Baked Bree, Sow Kindness. Gather Love.)

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