I'll take one of each

I just discovered Totokaelo.  It's an amazing store, and I wish I could buy everything.  Really!

boozy fruit

This summer was my first time experimenting with booze-infused-fruit preserving (arguably, you could this fruity-booze OR boozy-fruit... there's no right way).  It's really great because it's hard to mess-up and takes like 20 minutes (instead of hours).  I still want to try cranberries (with vodka? gin?) which are just coming into season now.  I wonder if this is possible with like walnuts or hazelnuts... how DO they make those infusions?
Here's a great source for ideas and instructions... Spiking Summer Fruit in Order to Preserve It

image via NY Times article

Fall is best

Fall is my very favorite season, and this fall has been the best ever in Michigan.  Sunshine nearly everyday, amazing colors, mild cool nights with balmy afternoons...  And today is the first day with the prediction of snow flurries (super delayed from my Michigan experience*), so I am very excited.  I love snow.**

LL Bean Signature's fall collection captures it all so well...  Just lovely.

  

*My first winter in my current job, I planned an outdoor fashion show for October 3; there was a snow STORM October 3.

**Remind me that I feel this way in March... or in mid-April when  it's STILL snowing in Michigan... but for now I will enjoy the newness of it all!

Simply the best

Regresty.

Oh, it's real.  Hours of entertainment are waiting for you.
(thanks KVGR, who has a special flair for finding amazing websites based on the word "regret")

Thursdays

Me knitting last winter (my hair is WAY longer now! But I'm still working on the same project as then.)

Thursday nights Daniel teaches and I have nothing going on, so they are my one alone evening of each week.  I love walking Conrad, watching TV, knitting, eating a real dinner (sometimes my only real dinner of the week).  So, while my Thursdays are blissfully unsocial, I love these ideas for more social evenings...
Thursdays.  These ladies have recipes paired with crafts for an evening with friends.  And the photos are amazing...

A much sexier knitting photo from Thursdays

I love blue sea

This is the coolest idea.  Sustainable seafood direct... makes sense for a midwest girl who knows it's all being shipped-in anyways. I really want to buy some oysters!!!

i don't need these... I don't need these

I really don't need these---- oh, why do I want them so? (need supply co... nice name. very tricky).

what are you doing this weekend?

I'm always super ambitious for my weekends... but here's my list of what I'd love to do (plus a little of what I have to do):
make lavender-honey ice cream (oh my!)
have a fire in the fireplace
read my homework
finish knitting a cashmere scarf (lace pattern)
See the next movie of the trilogy (The Girl Who Played with Fire)
bike ride (if the weather cooperates)
laundry
ArtPrize (opening weekend!!!)
brunch at Sarah and Andy's house (pre-artprize brunch)

Think I can do it all?  And SLEEP?  When the weather is teetering between cool and warm, I have to try and get-in as many warm weather activities as I can before it's too cold to move anywhere except between my bed, the hot shower, and place I have to be in order to keep my job.

Pour Porter

One of my favorite blogs, Pour Porter's store is simple and creative.  And the new Fall lookbook is amazing!!

tory burch

I want to blog about fashion so much but I just hardly have time to keep up with everything else in my life, much less blog about it!  But it's never too late to start....

My friend, kvgr, found this book, The Thoughtful Dresser, and I just can't stop reading it.  But I want to savor it... there are so few good books on style and clothing.

Check out the Tory Burch collection... LOVE everything. (I've never loved her stuff in the past, so this is surprise).  I'm thinking orange-red is a fun color right now... very optimistic and classic somehow.

Eric Wilson's short commentary on the Isaac Mizrahi "IM Xerox" is thought provoking... In the meantime, did you know that Xerox is trying desperately to rebrand?  I'm wondering how they feel about the title of the collection!

On this cloudy Michigan day, these colors are inspiring and refreshing... (via Jak & Jill Blog)

love love love

These are SO beautiful!  I have a weakness for geodes.  What can I say?

i love living in Michigan

Today I'm going on a much anticipated retreat with my book club ladies (even though I didn't come close to finishing the Brothers K... that's what grad school will do to you, I guess) to enjoy a sunny day at the lake, and cool night by a bonfire.  Michigan can be unbelievably perfect this time of year, or manipulatively grumpy and humid.  But, still, when I see this restaurant on Dwell's website I want to move to California when I read about places like Farmstead Restaurant.  Or, maybe I should open one myself here!

oh sophia

this is too exciting....

strawberries, hmmmm

Yesterday Leesh and I went strawberry picking and came back with about 10 lbs each!  for $1.25 a pound, it's hard not to get greedy.  Now for the big question: what next?  I could freeze them, and I LOVE strawberries in smoothies.  But, I want to make JAM! here's the two recipes I'm going to try out....
Ready for this?  Strawberry Basil Jam and Strawberry Provence Jam.  Pretty fancy, eh?  Well, don't count your chickens before they hatch, Erin.  Pectin is a scary thing at times.

having a blast

Daniel and I are home-bodies who tend to like to lose ourselves in our own little world(s).  We have demanding jobs that ask us to give of ourselves all day, so home is haven of rest for the two of us, and we love it this way.  That said, we also have some amazing friends and people we'd love to be closer to.  Now that it's summer and we don't have to work our normal hours, I find this blog post from one of my favorite daily reads, Giver's Log, so inspiring.  Especially the ideas in the comments section - I can't wait to try a few!!  Like the 24-hour rule party, where you are only allowed to bring what you had in your home at the time you received the email invite 24-hours prior.  So fun and laid-back.

(photo from giverslog)

favorite things about summer....

this is where Daniel and I will go this next week...

so that we can go here to taste Michigan wine

Plus we'll be kayaking, biking along the coastal trails, and resting.  Oh! and can you believe this place...
The Cherry Bowl Drive-in!! 
Our little staycation.
For another person's amazing summer plans and inspiration, check out this blog: Summer Goals

Iceland anyone?

Inspired by Iceland Video from Inspired By Iceland on Vimeo.

sunshine is finally here!

Michigan Mays are always a total gamble.  Last week it got so cold, I could see my breath while walking Conrad.  And my basil, which I foolishly planted in a pot on my back porch, is completely burned to a crisp by the late night frosts.  But I can replant new basil because the sun is out!  And maybe I can plant my garden soon too.  Pepper plants, zucchini seeds, and carrot seeds are waiting in the wings, and soon the farmers market will have heirloom tomato plants.
Right now, I'm dreaming of hosting garden parties with this cart...

And I'd wear this dress...
(sorry, no pic)

so cheeky

What do you think?  Via Jak & Jil Blog

Loving and listening

I am:
loving this artist.  She's playing at the Ladies Literary Club this week on Thursday night... if you're in Grand Rapids, please join us!!

wishing to go on a road trip with my girlfriends to Columbus, OH for this ice cream

waiting anxiously to plant my garden for the summer!!  I've already planted sweet peas, but my raised beds need a lot of work.  For inspiration: remodelista