I think my heart skipped a tiny beat when I saw these gorgeous photos from Vanessa Paxton. Aside from the usual elegance I associate with ballerinas, these pictures seem to carry a certain sound within them – the sound of silent movements and sprinkling lights. I feel weightless.
As in these ethereal English fine bone china creations, from MadebyManos.
Every vessel he creates is so balanced, with the right dosages of fragility and strength, white and color, smoothness and texture. I think they would make beautiful jewelry bowls, don’t you think?
Today as I ambled around my neighborhood block, soaking in the warm sun, watching traffic whizzing by, passing the familiar mom & pop shops and bars, it dawned on me that I love this city because I love contrasts.
New York is a city full of contrasts – between nature and industry, between pedestrians and cars, between colors and grays, between harsh winters and boiling summers, between historic buildings and new developments, between people from all walks of life. It’s only when we experience contrasts that we learn to appreciate the value of each object/person/setting’s unique beauty.
How about you? What makes you love your hometown?
Image courtesy of klaradar
Are you a weekend planner?
I used to shun weekend planning because planning is what I did for the other five days of the week. Who wants to wake up on Saturday mornings feeling the need to rush somewhere by a certain time? Well, that worked well in theory. But in reality, I would wake up (late) scratching my head trying to decide what to do. And by the time I figured it out, more than half the day was already out the window.
So lately, I’ve been trying to plan in moderation. I’d pick one big thing to do each weekend that involved advanced planning. Then the rest of the weekend can just unfold on its own. Here is my weekend in 5 snapshots:
1. Screaming My Head Off in Six Flags
Okay the arrow is slightly off the mark. I was more like sitting in the middle section, religiously uttering “I am going to die.” Oh and what you’re looking at is Nitro, the tallest rollercoaster on the East Coast. That drop is about 215 feet. Yep, I screamed like a baby.
2. Strolling Thru Chelsea Market
One of my favorite destinations in the city. The Market is full of cute bakeries, restaurants, grocery marts, coffee shops and cute shops. Here is Artist & Fleas, a collection of local artisan shops selling various handmade items from jewelry to handbags to clothing. I always get an extra motivational kick when I see other people’s amazing work.
3. Getting My Butt Kicked by Cassey
Meet my new best friend. Cassey hosts Pilate Bootcamp on Livestrong Women, aka the cause of every aching muscle on my body right now. I’ve never been a workout kind of person but I swear by her 15 minute routines. They really work, just ask my arms. 
4. The Perfect Match: Coffee & Crime Thriller
Ah my Sunday guilty pleasure: sipping a delicious cappuccino while diving headfirst into my latest crime thriller find, The Man from Beijing. Written in a similar style as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, this story takes place in Sweden but somehow takes you all the way to China in the late 1800s. Yeah, exactly. Another interesting fact: This being the 4th Swedish thriller I’ve read, I am convinced that the Swedes are the most coffee-addicted people in the world. Every other page features a character sipping coffee, making coffee, offering coffee, or thinking about getting more coffee.
5. Putting a Ring on It
Okay, technically Mike has already put a ring on it. But the ever-elusive perfect wedding band finally fell into our laps. Many thanks to Doyle & Doyle, we found this gorgeous vintage gold band with alternating diamonds and rubies. Now the upcoming wedding feels even more real!
When my eyes landed on these amazing color prints, my heart just started singing. These oh so gorgeous prints by NYC based artist Caitlin McGauley showcase a whimsical and magical side of this city. Her mix of colors is genius. I love how bold and confident the strokes are, like she’s sketching with her brush.
Seeing beauty in the everyday…
And last but not least, this is the print I am stalking in her shop. It’s sold out right now but hopefully more will come!
Scents are like songs- one whiff and it instantly carries you back to another time, another place.
So, meet my youth:
I dug up a half empty bottle of this perfume in my bathroom storage bin last night. One spritz and I was gone. Back to college: John Mayer songs on replay, an empty dorm room full of promises & possibilities, stolen kisses, a green green campus (I choose to forget Philly winters), a hopeful optimism that was buoyed by every new face and experience.
I look back to that time with nostalgia. But I would not necessarily want to relive it. Once is enough and you preserve the good times as vividly as you can in your memory bank. A spritz once in a while doesn’t hurt either.
For once, I am not scrambling this year for a mom present. Foresight sometimes does pay off. But it’s always fun to shop for moms (I tend to scratch my head for dad), because the possibilities are endless! Here I’ve put together a quick (and very pink…not by design actually) gift guide for anyone looking for fresh ideas. Enjoy!
1. Rose & Cardamon Bathing Salt from Marble and Milkweed, $20 Bath = Total Relaxation
2. Peach & Gold Dot Dish from Upintheairsomewhere, $28 For the kitchen or for mom’s little accessories
3. Rose & Gold Leather Clutch from GiftShopBrooklyn, $74 Made of vintage table cloth, this clutch is perfect for weekend errands, garden parties, or summer nights out.
4. Silk Pink Peonies from Braggingbags, $20 Yes real flowers are lovely but they don’t last, so consider this beautiful alternative.
5. Art Nouveau Rose Gold Locket Square Keychain from DresdenDollz, $85 This gorgeous piece dates from 1920s Central Europe. Put your baby photo in it for mom’s keepsake. You can also turn this locket into a necklace pendant.
6. Together Necklace from Mica, $32 Do you live away from mom? Gift her this cute 14k gold filled ampersand necklace as a reminder of your togetherness.
