gossip girl in paris?? ooh la la!!

inspiration: gossip girl fashion
location: paris francais
what i love: the chicness....oui oui!

i know it's lame, but i've told you guys that i watch gossip girl. and it's not really about the story for me, but it's about the costume and set design. i'm a little obsessed. but it's ok...i've received medication and i'm in therapy so that i don't talk about it ALL the time. :)
but today, i found an article at celebuzz detailing with photos the shooting that's going on in paris, and i must say that i'm obsessed. the clothes are just beautiful...and if you know any of the designers of the clothes, LET ME KNOW! i found a dress that i WANT, but you'll have to fill me in on where to go!!! hee hee

this is the dress i'm OBSESSED WITH!!! if you know the designer, let me know!

love the styling on this outfit!!

i mean, really...so sexy!!

 



















all images can be found here...enjoy, and can't wait for gossip girl season 3!!! (i'll most likely be obsessed to see what they create in there too!!)

do you like tarts with your art?

inspiration: tart cafe
location: 4411 montrose
what i love: it's so yummmmmmmmy!

so connie and i had lunch today at tart cafe...it was supposed to have really good salads and it was close to work. i was thinking, eh. but i was more like "AHHH!!" when we left. we went in and ordered at the counter, but i couldn't decide what i wanted to eat...the menu looked too yummy. but i thought i wanted the spinach salad, topped with roasted mushrooms, goat cheese, and prosciutto bits (like fancy bacon bits), but then i saw the chicken pesto tart on the menu, and since it was my first time there, i thought i would try that.

i was blown away! the flavor was really delicious, with its basil pesto and herb crust...it was served with a side salad, simply greens and some dressing...it was delightful!!! and of course, the company was wonderful as well! 

so go by when you get a chance...here's the exterior of the building, and enjoy some really awesome goodies!!!

you guys give up, or you thirsty for more??!!!

alright...i feel like i've been on a movie kick lately, but whatever. it's entertaining, and this one is part of a series, so here goes.
so i little while ago, i wrote about john hughes movies. i love them, and in fact, this is the third installment of my favorites... they are the best rainy day/sunday afternoon/sick day movies in the world. one of my other favorites is home alone. if case you've been 'cast away' living and have somehow missed it, the story goes like this:

an 8 year-old boy wakes up on christmas morning to find that his family is gone. he thinks he has made them disappear after being a pain in his tushie, but in all actuality, they have left for family vacation without him...and they don't realize it until they're on the plane over the ocean. so the rest of the movie contains his struggle to make some petty burglars leave his house alone, his mother trying to make it home to get back to him, and the continued mystery of the man with the snow shovel. now, i know its july, and it's not christmas, but just work with me people. i love this movie so much....i'm even watching it right now...

"buzz, your girlfriend, woof!"

"look what you did you little jerk."

"keep the change, you filthy animal."

"a lovely cheese pizza, just for me."

"This house is so full of people it makes me sick. When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone." (just think about it. you'll get there.)

"I took a shower washing every body part with actual soap; including all my major crevices; including in between my toes and in my belly button which I never did before but sort of enjoyed. I washed my hair with adult formula shampoo and used cream rinse for that just-washed shine. I can't seem to find my toothbrush, so I'll pick one up when I go out today. Other than that, I'm in good shape."

kevin: Is this toothbrush approved by the American Dental Association? 

lady: Well, I don't know. It doesn't say, hon. 

kevin: Well, could you please find out?

kate mccallister: This is *Christmas*. The season of perpetual hope. And I don't care if I have to get out on your runway and hitchhike. If it costs me everything I own, if I have to sell my soul to the devil himself, I am going to get home to my son. 

"Ma'am, I'm eight years old. You think I would be here *alone*? I don't think so."

"Marv,  I think we're getting scammed by a kindergartener." 

kevin: I wish my grandparents did that. They always send me clothes. Last year I got a sweater with a big bird knitted on it. marley: That's nice. kevin: Not for a guy in the second grade. You can get beat up for wearing something like that. Yeah, I had a friend who got nailed because there was a rumor he wore dinosaur pajamas. 

"Bless this highly nutritious microwavable macaroni and cheese dinner and the people who sold it on sale. Amen."

Kate: Have you ever gone on vacation and left your child home?
Gus Polinski (John Candy): No. But i did leave one at a funeral parlor once. Yeah, it was terrible too. Uh, we were all distraught, and me and the wife left the little tike there in the funeral parlor, all day. You know, all day. When we went back, when we came to our senses, and there he was. Apparently, he was there all day alone with a corpse. Pfff, he was okay. You know, after like six, seven weeks. Came around, started talking again. But he's ok, you know, they get over it. Kids are resilient like that. 
Kate: Maybe we shouldn't talk about this.
Gus Polinski (John Candy): Well, you brought it up. I was just, you know, trying to cheer you up.
Kate: I know. I'm sorry I did.


(p.s. all photos were found on public domain websites...for info, just search yahoo images for home alone movie)

lobster killer...qu'est-ce que c'est?

inspiration: julie & julia child.

location: my dvd player

what i love: her. all of it.


so when i was a small child, i watched a lot of pbs. i'm not really sure why, outside of a deep desire to potentially see grover run 'near and far,' or watch bob ross talk about happy trees, or become mister rogers' neighbor, or maybe to watch old episodes of 'the french chef' with julia child. who knows...but those are the four programs i remember being fascinated with at a young age from pbs. and i mean really fascinated.
so much so that i would not only impersonate grover's opposites, i would try to enter the puppet world in mister rogers' neighborhood, and i even painted a piece of furniture in my room, trying to imitate bob's style of trees (and i needed a bigger canvas). but the elusive one of those had to be julia child. she was mesmerizing. i could watch her and listen to her talk for hours. i just loved her voice, and the fact that she looked like she could be my grandma, and she always seemed to make the world sound relatable, like she was explaining something so that i could understand it. i loved that. and i still do.
somehow when julia would explain something, it just seemed to make more sense. that she is quite consistent, it's one of my favorite things about her instruction. and she always started at the beginning. "now when you go to cook a lobster, the first thing you need to do is...." it all seemed so doable.

you can find some clips at this link...it's a youtube video from pbs...enjoy!

so in honor of a modern version of julia, today's inspiration is julie and julia, which i have watched today for about the 100th time, cause it's about as close as i can get....well, without watching all the dvds of 'the french chef' that i have....(true confessions, i guess.)
so remember that lobster i was talking about...well, enjoy this clip of the julie and julia version:

i loved seeing some of the things i read about in julia's book, my life in france, come to life in the movie...and seeing what it looked like to create seemingly crazy things, like aspics, in the modern cooking age. or like this moment that julia realized that food was her true love:

some of my favorites of 'the french chef' include her episode about roasting chickens, making omelettes, and the cuteness of this episode about a chafing dish dinner!! enjoy it! and let me know if you need to borrow julie and julia...i'm happy to let you! 

...and i hope you are enjoying julia as much as i do!

...and i guess i should read the book at some point, so buy julie and julia and give it a shot! i will  too!

ARTY!!!!!!

17 july 2010

inspiration: the birth of art
location: tyler?
what i love: that my friend art is another year older

today is arty's birthday!!!!!! so pumped! so today's inspiration is just a simple happy birthday wish for arty!!!

happy birthday dude!!!

HAPPPPPPPYYYYYYYY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYY AAARRRRTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!

so i don't normally do this, but today i'm re-blogging.

that's right. i'm not feeling very creative today, but after going through my blog updates, i came across a posting that made my heart ache.

i miss italy so much. the everyday walk from school to home. the noises outside that made my ears perk up over the excitement in the street. the smells from the restaurant, il sasso di dante, outside our open window. i can close my eyes and be transported back there in a heart beat. so when i saw this blog posting from the sartorialist, i just had to repost it here, because it literally took my breath away.

seeing something so simple, but so very italian. this is one of the things i miss the most about life in italy. simplicity. a willingness to let the world pass by. people that own a business NOT open 24 hours a day, but open when they want to be.
now ask me how badly i want to go back.

photo and link courtesy of the sartorialist.

so fill this out and send it to 10 people, or else....

inspiration: hattie's particulars

location: la computadora

what i love: it's reminiscent of all those surveys we filled out when the internet started....ah, nostalgia...

so i was reading on some of my friends' blogs today, and i was struck by my friend hattie's. she's so cutie and i love reading about what's going on with her, and i got a little inspired by her particulars, so i decided i would fill them out for myself. cause i love questions. and i love to talk. and isn't a blog just another way to talk about yourself??

PARTICULARS

FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD: Rome, the quiet part. QUOTE WORTHY: “All human wisdom is contained in the words wait and hope." - The Count of Monte Cristo. I COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER (AND OVER!): Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Troop Beverly Hills, Summer Magic, High Fidelity, Coming to America, Wayne's World. BEST PIECE OF ADVICE: “love is all you need.”-the beatles. CLOSET STAPLE: probably toms. and jeans with t-shirts. ON MY IPOD: Citizen Cope, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Timbaland, Teddybears, MIA, Led Zeppelin. BLOOM DU JOUR: Peonies. REQUIRED READING: The Count of Monte Cristo, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wuthering Heights, Like Water for Chocolate, The Sun Also Rises, The Lovely Bones. SIGNATURE SCENT: Marc Jacobs. FAVORITE HAUNT: Gallant Knight, Houston (i dig live music). ALWAYS IN MY PURSE: iphone, NARS lipgloss in Female Trouble, green Orla Kiely wallet, wayfarers, plethora of bobbypins. ALWAYS ON MY WRISTS, FINGERS, NECK AND EARS: ESQ watch, David Yurman sparkly diamond ring, necklaces by ginette ny or something else crazy, diamond earrings (25th bday present from momma). GREATEST DISCOVERY: sounds cheesy, but my relationship with God (a continual discovery). BIGGEST INDULGENCE: fish and chips with a pint of beer (from the Black Labrador, ideally in Houston).  RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENT: finishing Wilderness Ranch hike...20 miles in the wilderness. yeah, really. MOMENT I LOOK FORWARD TO: my ah-ha moment. i don't know what it's going to be yet though. CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS: this blog, man.

grillin ain't necessary, but it's easy.

so the one true advantage to the uber hot weather is that it's the perfect time of year to be outside grilling!!!! and my only question is, what should i grill next?!

i have some ideas.....

bourbon-glazed baby back ribs

vegetable kebabs

grilled zucchini pizza

grilled sweet potatoes with lime-cilantro vinaigrette










and for dessert.....

grilled pineapple with brown sugar, coconut, & rum

where do you go to shop???? - home edition

so sometimes, not often, but sometimes...people ask me where i find the stuff i put in my apartment. they either like my style, or ask me out of pity, or just actually dig my finds. so in addition to coming photographs of said space, i'm going to include some websites for some of my favorite shops. i have either shopped, browsed, or stalked these stores in both my many travels, or just in home-towning there for a while. so enjoy the browsing, and please let me know if you find anything good there...i love me some feedback.

in houston:

first off, there's always anthropologie. it is not only a former employee of mine, but also one of my first true loves. i first discovered this store about 6 or 7 years ago, and i have never looked back. it makes my favorite christmas gifts, my favorite rainy sunday shopping, my favorite surprise gift bags, and i miss it when i'm not in the store. (i think i might be a little co-dependent....or obsessed. you pick.)
after anthro, i have to say that my mom is another source of inspiration/style/booty. now before you get too excited mom, just know that i am very inspired by your style, but in a different way than you might thing. my mom owns a business, and through that business, i have had WAY more exposure to the world of retail than i probably should have. this includes, but is not limited to, 10 years of buying at market, 6 years of doing window displays, and about 2 years collectively of creating things and signage for the store. she has spaces at both heights antiques on yale, and the yale pharmacy...all there for your shopping needs.
i love shopping in the heights. there is so much eclectic stuff out there...from vintage home wares to persian rugs, old stuff, new stuff, and everything in between....you can find it all in the heights. my fav store was The Homestretch, but Maura closed up a little while ago, and moved stock to heights antiques. so it's like one stop shopping...you can shop my mom and Maura, all in one parking job.

there's the cardinal boutique - with their super fun mexican imports, and never a shortage of mexican colored floral dresses, you can always find something fun and unique in this cute little store. and about 90% of the store features handmade stuff...not too shabby (chic). there's also the texas junk company, where you can find some cool salvageable pieces, and if not, you can always find a crazy colored pair of cowboy boots. cause it is houston after all, and you will need them at some point. another really cool place is adkins architectural antiques and treasures on fannin. it's worth the dig, and if you're looking for glass knobs or depression glass, this is the place.

other places:

LA -
apartment number 9 - the design in the santa monica store is so inspiring...i just love it. just go there. it's on 26th.
eurochic llc - love it.
hollywood at home - amazing interior design. the textiles are pretty incredible. you won't regret that one.
i draw a lot of inspiration for outdoors from patio culture...but the prices are a little beyond my means, so i take some of those vibes to places like ikea and pier 1 and really let the style aspect shine through.
west third street - one of the places i miss the most about living in LA...i loved just shopping it out on 3rd (both w third st and the third street promenade in santa monica...oooh, and montana st...i think there are too many to list...)

NY -
i miss brooklyn flea. i have had such a blast over the years picking up stuff there...my only restriction being that i would have to fit it in my suitcase...heehee brooklyn
brooklyn general store - they have great stuff for home improvement, especially if you're going a little retro....milk paint, vintage fabrics, curtain rods, yarn, etc. it's all so adorable and stylish.
i haven't been yet (def. on my next trip to ny), but i'm hearing awesome things about brooklyn indie market....great items and amazing designers working on some really kick-ass artisanal items!


OTHER -
french quarter linens - some of the most beautiful linens ever. simple. beautiful. elegant. sophisticated. what more could you ask for?
if you can sew at all, you should consider these fun modern designs from marimekko...they are phenomenal and really hit the mark for pops of color in any room as well as providing super fun and dynamic patterns!
i love cath kidston's design...her little boutique in nyc is adorable, and the store in london is awesome. check it out if you have the time.
based in london, graham and green is one of the only stores that i truly hate. meaning, i HATE that it's not here in texas. i mean really. couldn't they just open one in my neighborhood??
and don't even get me started on mint's gorgeous store display. i only wish my house looked like it.
the lollipop shoppe - such cool accessories. just don't even doubt me there.
the portobello market and the spitalfields market are great places to browse. i love just walking and not only people watching and shopping, but also grabbing a coffee and talking with the stall vendors. i love london.
tate modern shop - great gift shopping, but they have some wicked cool stuff for your flat as well. cool teapots, small rugs, and all the kitschy art knickies you could think of. it's so fun!

i also get really inspired by set design. i don't know if it's the art lover in me, or the registrar in me that pays so much attention to details, but i always notice the little details whenever i'm watching a movie or tv or whatever...so i don't know how to tell you about set design or where to find it, but it's really inspiring to me whenever i look around. so i guess just pay some attention when you watch a rerun?

so that's it for now...let me know if there are more questions. i'd love to talk interiors shop with you. and hopefully, i've given you a head start on some great finds in a city near you!!

Despicable Me - A Despicable Good Time. Featurette

10 july 2010

inspiration: agnes from despicable me

location: edwards' marquee

what i love: the cuteness!!! it's so FLUUUUFFFFFYYYYYYYY!!!!

i know the featurette doesn't contain agnes, but it's a cool one. check out the movie on youtube or something and get to the theaters to check it out, cause it's great!!! (there was even a single tear rolling down my cheek...like when the grinch's heart grows to three times its size and breaks that measuring device...)