Have a great weekend!

Doves, it's been grand, but I'm off for a girls' weekend in New York. We're truly taking advantage of the Columbus Day hoiday and staying through Monday, so we'll have an entire extra morning in the city. Woohoo! I doubt we'll actually be riding bikes around town like this adorable girl, but it seemed like such a fun (and fashionable, in this pic!) way to flit about the city that I couldn't not include it.

If we're lucky, we'll see fall in full force like this:


Though I'd even settle for moody evenings like this:

Either way, I know I'll have a great time with friends, running around the city, eating, shopping, and talk, talk, talking. Oh and did I mention eating? Can't wait!

Hope you have a great weekend. Since we're staying in the city an extra day, I'll see you back here Tuesday!

xoxo, r.

Photo credits: 1- Topaz Page-Green on her bicycle (photo by Elizabeth Lippman for The New York Times); 2- via 6th Street Design School; 3- by Jamie of From Me To You.

Nap. Snazzily.

Hey Snuggies, move aside. There's a new product for relaxation and it doesn't need sleeves...'cuz it's SNAZZY.



Okay seriously, how could I NOT talk about this on here?!

Has anyone else seen this Snazzy Napper thing? I laughed for a solid five minutes when I saw the ad. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it essentially a blanket with a nose-hole? But oh is it snazzy... ;)

I reneg. I think it may be more scary than snazzy. If you saw this scene what would you think?

I'm pretty sure if I saw this scenario on an airplane, I'd be deeply concerned that someone had died mid-flight and the stewardesses were trying to cover up the corpse. Either that or a snazzy terrorist had boarded the plane.

Maybe it's more appropriate for use in a car?

Oh wait, that's totally insane too. Kids, don't try "snazzy napping" while driving, k?

How about in between two total strangers?

I love that these guys are not paying any attention to the woman donning an ill-fitting burka next to them.

Are you all loving the Snazzy Napper as much as I am? Good, 'cuz you're all getting one for Christmas. You can thank me later. ;)


Want more ideas for portable nap spaces? Check out the Sleepyhead mattress cover and the cocoon chair. Nap away!

Proof.

While we're on the subject of Maine...

Lest you think - from reading my daily musings on fashion, design and home goods - that I'm just a frilly, sissy, only-types-with-manicured-nails, style blogger who never gets her hands dirty, here's proof that I'm actually an outdoorsy, DIY kinda girl:

See that stone wall? B and I built it. With our bare hands. And a wheelbarrow (whatevs, I loaded those rocks into said wheelbarrow with my bare hands so it counts, right?). How very rustic of us.

Guess I do indeed have some Irish potato-picking, toil-in-the-field genes in me somewhere. ;)

The scent of Maine (hint: it's not lobstah)

All this rain has me thinking of Maine...

Photo by Anne McClain for MCMC Fragrances

There are several specific places in the world that feel magical to me. New Zealand was one of the first places that spoiled me day after day with sheer amazement of the natural beauty that abounded everywhere. The Amalfi Coast of Italy made me squeal at every turn as we Vespa-ed around the gorgeous (and steep!) mountainous seaside. Cape Cod feels like home and nostalgia and happiness wrapped into neat summer packages. And the coast of Maine to me sings of relaxation, fresh air, and the sea.


My aunt owns a house near Boothbay Harbor, Maine, that is all at once beautiful, inspiring and creaky (it is over 100 years old, after all). The cheery blue ceiling of the huge wraparound porch beckons you to relax the moment you walk in. The back looks out onto the water, and the sounds of seagulls and lobstermen conjure up classic American novels and old whaling stories. I love it there.


We don't get up to Maine very often due to work, schedules, etc., but I just read about a possible new lifeline - it's a perfume called "Maine." It's made with sage, seaweed, beach plum and pine. I wonder if they were able to bottle the crisp sea air.

Originally spotted on A Cup of Jo.

Feeling nautical

Folks. I AM BACK. :) I've missed you all! Fo reals. Did you all have nice Labor Day weekends? Ah, the last holiday weekend of the summer. When did it get to be September?? I feel like summer just started and now it will be over - officially - in 19 days! (Though Labor Day weekend really feels like the true end of summer.) Boo.

In the meantime, I'm grasping on to the last semblances of summer, which to me right now is feeling like a nautical tone - for the home, clothes and accoutrement. Here are some of the nautical items inspiring me right now:

Room by T. Keller Donovan (as seen in House Beautiful), via SHELTER

The above living room really started off this seafaring feeling for me. I don't like an overly "theme-y" room, but this one is done nicely and without getting too crab shanty. The striped rug, the tufted ottoman and the pseudo-leopard stripe pillows are killing me with goodness. (Also this room kind of looks like a much more chi-chi version of my own living room, so of course I'm in love.) ;)

Sheets from Land of Nod, as spotted on Design*Sponge

These sheets are totally nautical with a touch of French provencal - and would be perfect in any crisp guest room. Can't you just picture visiting the coast of Maine, sleeping in a white and blue room, with a lovely ceiling fan overhead and a seabreeze through the window? These would be the sheets I'd imagine gracing that bed. Ahhh....


Photos by Amanda Pratt, spotted on Full House

I would wear a stripey sweater every day if it wouldn't be just plain weird (and slightly dirty, no? or require tons of washing...). Oh yeah, and I'd happily float around all day on a lovely boat in Napoli, too, but that part may be a little less realistic than just rocking a sweater daily...


Illustrated print by Jon Contino, spotted on Soolip

I'm gaga for the look of the whale print above - the hand-written text is so beautiful (and done by a dude!).


Knot door stopper from Jayson Home & Garden

35 buckaroos for some seaside style in your house isn't half bad. I'd snap this up instantly if we had any doors that needed holding up (I don't think my bathroom door or the front door would work...).




From The Deep dinnerware from Anthropologie

I saw these dishes in person the other day and they are amazing. They're reasonably heavy-weight and the illustrations on them are gorg. They're a little pricey and maybe a bit much for everyday (the octopus tentacle handle on the teacup is both genius and creepy), but I still love 'em.

Sperry docksiders from J. Crew

I mean really. Who doesn't need a pair of gold docksiders in their closet? I know I sure do. (Also please note that I had an identical pair of these when I was in elementary school. They were fresh to death and I wore them allll the time. Such a trendsetter at 10. [haha])


Sammy the Seagull, by Wayne Pate, originally spotted on Design*Sponge

And finally, this fun guy was too cute not to include. We all need a little whimsy, especially when doing nautical, and this guy is pretty good. In fact, I would wear his outfit anytime.

So what do you think? Is this nautical route way too overdone these days? I'm not planning to run out and buy all of these accoutrement anytime soon (or any, likely), but I did love the breezy and clean feeling these pics gave me. Hope it helped you hang on to summer just a wee bit longer!

Being "Euro"

Very Euro car, at merci in Paris; photo by simple + pretty.

My friend Sara, who is now engaged (yay! let's all wish Sara & Dan congrats for the big news), was complaining about the lack of posting (I know, I know, I'm still coming back soon, I promise!) here on sea*life*style.

She then kindly suggested maybe I was just being "Euro" about it - you know, taking off the entire month of August, as Europeans do. Yeah, that's it. That's what I'm doing.

With that being said, I'll be back soon - when "holiday" is over. (European holidays wrap up by Sept. 1, but I'll be back after the American Labor Day holiday.)

Hope to see you then!

xo,
r.

Sleep with the fishes, literally

I featured a floating, underwater cabin a bit ago here, but it just got totally schooled by this:

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, a luxury hotel in the Indian Ocean, is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its underwater restaurant by turning it into a private two-person suite temporarily. Private champagne dinners and breakfast in bed are only part of the perks, though I imagine that sleeping under the ocean is pretty cool in and of itself.

Looks like sunglasses are required during the day.

I'm in.

Spotted here.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday, y'all! It's absolutely beautiful out today, but we're supposed to get rain allll weekend and into next week. B and I are going out of town this weekend and it looks like we may do some serious standing in the rain, since we're supposed to be tailgating at a Penn State football game tomorrow. Better bust out the wellies! I wish I were wearing an incredible dress like the rainbow one above - isn't it amazing??

Wherever you are and whatever weather you're having, hope your weekend is a good one!

xo, r.

Dress by Alexander McQueen (RIP); photo via Brooklyn Bride

Rainbow trees

I've recently developed the most intense desire to visit Hawaii. I think it would be the best honeymoon locale ever. Watching LOST every week doesn't help squelch this desire either.

I just saw pictures of these incredible rainbow eucalyptus trees from Maui over on Benign Objects and had to share. Aren't they amazing?

I didn't even know trees like this existed. They're absolutely beautiful.

First wish: an engagement. Second wish: two tickets to Maui to see these (and all the other amazing stuff Hawaii has to offer), please!

Jackfruit-wha?

The fabulously funny Sarah Von from yes and yes recently posted about her efforts to try 31 one new things, one of which was tasting a horned melon. Hmm. Ookay. Lucky for me though, she also talked about some other exotic fruits she's had and mentioned the jackfruit. Here's her description (hope she doesn't mind me sharing):

"I became addicted to jackfruit while backpacking through Thailand. Despite looking like a flower, it tastes like bubble gum. Truly! If Willy Wonka invented a fruit, this would be it."

Genius! Now I am desperate to try one of these jackfruits. I do, after all, love me some cotton candy, and if I can get it in the form of fruit (See, body? I don't hate you after all! Now shush and keep chewing those deep-fried french fries!), then it's even better!

Does anyone know where I can get a jackfruit? I am going to have to hit up Whole Foods in search of one of these...though every time I go into WH looking for something exotic in the produce section (remember my persimmon obsession?), some 20-year-old granola head gives me the stinkeye when I ask about said weird fruit. Oh well, for cotton candy in the form of fruit, I'll take a visual lashing from a treehugger.

If you've ever had a jackfruit, or if you know where to get one (in MD), let me know! Thanks! And thanks, Sarah, for the inspiration!

Dreaming of getaways

With my return to work, I think my brain is already in vacation overdrive. I've been dreaming of exotic locales and awe-inspiring trips to take for days now. Luckily for me, the blogosphere provides plenty of inspiration. Here are three interesting idylls that have caught my eye lately:

1.

At the Utter Inn in Sweden, it's just you (and perhaps one other person, preferably someone you like a lot) in a typical Swedish red house. This red house floats one kilometre out on Lake Malaren (where you're brought by boat). You can have dinner delivered to you by boat, or use their inflatable canoe to visit a nearby uninhabited island. You can also swim and just relax in general. And oh yes, and the sleeping quarters are below the water level, so you fall asleep with fishes swimming around you and eying you suspiciously. Kinda weird, kinda cool.
Spotted on mix tape.

2.

Villa Else is not too far from Utter Inn - it's located in Denmark in the middle of Søllerød Nature Reserve and facing beautiful forests. This bungalow is so cozy and cute:



Photos by Stuart McIntyre. Spotted on Walking Around.

3.


Perhaps the swankiest of all. The entire page was in Spanish (or Portugese?) so I don't have too much info on this house, other than that it was photographed by Romulo Fialdini. Sorry. Pretty, though, no?
Spotted on Aubrey Road.

Ahh, to get away. A girl can dream... Until then, I'm excited for today - it's supposed to be 82 degrees! Hello, summer! (Wait, where did spring go?...)

P.s. If you think sleeping in a treehouse would be more your style, check this out! And don't forget about the possibility of swimming on the edge of a waterfall - yikes!

Spring has sprung!

Via Fairy Tale Diaries

This weekend was lovely. The official start of spring on Saturday did not disappoint; even though I was up north on Cape Cod, we still had absolutely beautiful weather both days of the weekend. I even got to walk on the beach! Hanging with family, eating tons of food, walking in the gorgeous sunshine, reading and relaxing...I am recharged and ready for Monday, despite the rainy forecast. Showers bedamned, flip flops here I come! (And more posts to come, so check back...)

Have a great weekend!

Photo of Jessica Stam by Sølve Sundsbø, via Bits of Beauty

I have to head out a bit early today as we're heading up to the Cape to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday (whew, way to go, Nana!) with family. It'll be 10 degrees colder there (booo), but hopefully nice and sunny nonetheless, so I'm hoping to sneak in a quick trip to the beach.

Here's wishing you a fabulous weekend, whether you're just hanging around outside (ha, see photo - baaad pun) or booked all weekend like me.

I'll be back bright and early Monday - hope to see you back here then!

Have a great (rainy) weekend!

Photo via Absolutely Beautiful Things

I am running out the door with a million things to do before this evening sneaks up on me. We have a busy, busy (rainy) weekend, starting with the second-ever Annapolis Wino Club tonight - for which I need to bring some tasty treats (and haven't even thought of what to do yet!). Tomorrow we head up to Phila for a friend's birthday party at a country western bar; yes, you read that right - and we're trying to squeeze in a pit stop to the Erin Express on the way. Yikes.

Don't forget to set your clocks forward tonight before you go to sleep - Sunday is Daylight Savings! I'm shuddering to think of losing that hour of sleep, but at least it means an extra hour of sunlight for the days. Hurray!

(Oh and don't forget the unveiling of the new Liberty of London line at Target this weekend! If I wasn't going to be running around PA, I'd be there at door's open on Sunday!)

See you back here Monday, when hopefully this rain will be gone and the days will be longer and bright?

Gone to the City of Brotherly Love...

Photo via The English Muse

Ms. M and I are headed to Philadelphia today to check out the Philly Flower Show, to have lunch with this amazing woman, and to do a site visit to an event venue in Baltimore on the way home, among other things. I might have a little something still yet to come today (holla atcha girl!), plus I'll be back here tomorrow as per normal.

Have a good one (and wish me luck on not getting stuck in excruciating I-95 traffic)!

Pizza cones (an even lazier way to eat pizza?)

Have you heard about pizza cones yet? I'm feeling an odd mix of intrigue and grossed-out-ness by them...

At first I thought "amazing! awesome!" (because who doesn't love pizza?) but then I read some reviews of this new pizza hot-spot and now I feel kind of skeeved about it. I've heard they're expensive, take a long time (5 minutes is about quadruple the amount of time you'd usually have to wait for a slice in NYC), and don't taste that good.

Ah well, it was a fun idea while it lasted. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going to try it for myself next time I visit New York - maybe after my obligatory NY-visit stop at pinkberry.

Besides, is it means being able to eat a tasty slice without dripping grease on yourself, good on ya.

A-sea

As seen on Mary Ruffle

Lovely.

And here are two little sea-worthy things I saw and liked recently, especially since they're nautical without being too over the top (as in a giant plastic crab, crappy ship replica or mound of buoys on your wall):

Saipua's ubiquitous go-to-hostess-gift: seaweed soap - made with nori seaweed, crushed sea salt, and rosemary - with the prettiest packaging to boot.


This chair is wicked good. Love how the knot totally makes what is an otherwise classic (and slightly boring?) chair into something so good. 214K chair by Thonet, as seen on Oh Joy.

Olive you will want this olive oil dipping dish

I bought this olive oil dipping dish from a local pottery store a few years ago for a friend and thought it was a wonderful gift (I hope the recipient did too!). The ever-fun blog greedy girl featured it last week and reminded me how much I liked this gift/home good. Sadly, the vendor provided for this on greedy girl, Cox & Cox, doesn't have them available again until March, but the website for the designer, Mary Judge Designs, has several links for where to buy the dishes, both in person and online, so hopefully that could serve as a resource.

I love that these little dipping dishes are simple and pretty on their own, but when filled - when you can see a series of concentric rings of lovely greens in descending tones (due to the depth of the oil in the dish) - they become even more artful. The below picture shows the variation in color a bit more deeply:

Paired with some crusty bread and a good bottle of olive oil, wouldn't this olive oil dipping dish make an awesome hostess gift? A little piece of Italy right at your friend's door...

Tibi-tibi-bo-bibi-banana-fana...print dresses!

I saw this dress from Tibi in a magazine this month and then again on the interwebs and it stuck with me. I love the colorful dahlia print, plus the flattering cut - can't go wrong with a ruched sweetheart neckline, fitted waistband and flouncy skirt!


Doesn't it make you want to buy it immediately and trounce off to a tropical vacay? (And the aforementioned forgiving fit is perfect for giving you room to imbibe a few pina coladas without even looking preggers!)

I knew of Tibi, but didn't really know the line all that well, but it turns out they can rock a print dress like no one's business. Check out these gems I dug up:






I'll take all of them, please (despite the model in the last pic looking annoyed as all get-out).

Love you, new fashion-friend Tibi! Thanks (and darn you at the same time!) for getting me in the summery spirit!