yes, and thank you

If these weren't $305 a pop, I would snatch them up. But, maybe I'll just try making my own pair?!

Thanks Kat for always being on the lookout for rainbows and sparkles for me.

yellow

Yellow is my absolute favorite color. I love this.



Thanks, Addie and Kate Spade.

fall is coming!

We've had two mornings in a row now with temperatures of 65 degrees. Heavenly! And the new fall JCrew catalog came in the mail last week. If those two things don't bring the smell of fall, I don't think anything will.

And for the first time ever, I am even mildly excited about the new season being upon us.

weekend entertainment

This kept us laughing all weekend as we watched Jenny (Buck and Christine's new cat) do somewhat similar imitations of this. Hilarious...and so darn cute!

eye candy

After all the craziness this past weekend from Irene and the endless rain over the last two weeks, I could use some serious inspiration. Thank goodness for the Pinterest app for iphone! I've been using it frequently for my daily dose of beauty and creativity.

preparing for Irene

I just got this photo in an email from a friend with the subject line 'water on our table':

We are preparing for the worst, and hoping for the best... New York City, you never cease to amaze me with what you throw my way. I've been through my fair share of "hurricane weather" in Alabama, but never in a city with 8 million other people, while working in a high-rise building with glass everywhere and being completely reliant on public transportation. We'll see how this works out. We shall see soon enough...

Apple's new CEO

I'm sure Tim Cook (Apple's newly appointed CEO in light of Steve Jobs's resignation) and I have a lot more in common than just this, but this is probably the greatest similarity:

5. He's a fan of Bob Dylan's and a diehard Auburn University football fanatic 
Similar to Jobs, Cook is a Bob Dylan zealot. Yet one of his biggest passions is the Auburn Tigers football team. (Cook graduated from the university with a degree in industrial engineering.) The walls of his home and office are reportedly filled with War Eagle knick-knacks.

Yep that's right. Mr. Cook and I share the same alma mater. Maybe he will give us all free iPads?

[found on People]

i've tried saying this all along

Get off the subway a stop early - 10 mins

Take the stairs - 5 mins

Walk briskly to and from lunch - 20 mins

Get off the bus a stop early - 10 mins

Adds up to a 45 minute workout!

street art

I guess I never get to work early enough to see this kind of thing. Today as I was crossing the street to go into my building, I saw that the gate to the normally hopping Houndstooth Pub was covered with this!

I especially love the Mister Softee ice cream truck painted on it! And, boy, is it tough to get a picture in NYC with no one in it! I tried, but not much luck.

...she found her spot

I think GG has found her spot in NYC. No need to sightsee any more!

rise and shine

I started my day out bright and early this morning when I left my apartment at 7 AM to head down to Clinton Street Bakery for breakfast. I've been wanting to try it out since I moved here 3 years ago, but I was always scared off by the rumors of how early the line formed on the weekend for brunch. Brendan suggested going down this morning before work and getting there when it opened at 8 AM (we actually got there a little after 7:30), and it was well-worth the early morning trek. I got the Southern Breakfast that you can see in the photo. And still made it work by 9:15!

auburn vs alabama in nyc

Setting: Chirping Chicken on 77th and Amsterdam, dinner tonight

[background: I've given Brendan two Auburn shirts over the last few years. One mysteriously went missing for almost two years, and was recently found after I had given him shirt #2. I frequently tell Brendan he should wear the shirt more often - who wouldn't want to wear a shirt that represents such a great alma mater?! When I suggest this, his response is usually the same: "I don't want people to comment on the shirt since I didn't go there.." I always say that won't happen since, afterall, I wear my Auburn shirt all the time and no one comments.]


Random man (enters Chirping Chicken): Sir, I'm going to need you to leave... for wearing that shirt.

Brendan (looks up, confused, points at me): It's her shirt!!

Me (thinking): did that seriously just happen? Did someone comment on the shirt the first time he's ever worn it out?!

Random man (points to his hat... crimson with a white script Alabama 'A'. Continues to stare, doesn't say anything)

Brendan: She went there, I didn't.

Me: Sir, I grew up in Tuscaloosa and I can tell you which shirt he'd rather be wearing! (smile)

Random man: Did we really kill your tree?

Me: YES. As a matter of fact, you did.

Random man: I thought that was a made up story. (continues staring at Brendan)

Me: Nope. Mr. Updyke was actually arrested for that. And, I saw the trees and they are definitely dead.

Random man: Ok. Did you two meet at Auburn?

Me: No, we didn't.

Random man (smiles, walks away)

Brendan (smiles at me, points at the shirt): Never again..


This is a rivalry that runs deep, no matter where you are! So glad I'm a part of that, even in NYC.

automat

As I mentioned, my mom and GG are coming to visit this week! I'm so excited about their visit; my mom usually visits each year around this time, but GG hasn't been to the Big Apple since she was 16 (sorry to give away her age, but that was 1942!!) and her dad was in the Navy stationed in Brooklyn. She's been telling me the story of her visit for as long as I can remember. - she tried cheesecake for the very first time when she was visiting, and she got it out of an automat!

I mentioned this to Katherine on Sunday night and she knew exactly what I was talking about from her love of old movies! Check this out:



I've done some googling to find out whethere there are still any automats left in NYC. I found this one place called BAMN, but it looks like it closed in 2009. If you know of anything, give me a shout.

roadtrip!

My mom and GG are embarking on a roadtrip this morning and headed to... the Big Apple! They're scheduled to be here tomorrow afternoon and I am so excited! I have planned out all the places I'm going to take them, and I am anxiously awaiting their arrival!!!

When I was younger, we used to always play the 'alphabet game' in the car on roadtrips. (I hope Mom and GG are playing now, given they have 17 hours in the car together.) I would have beaten Brent every time if only we had passed by this sign!

[found here]

a texting 7 yr old

My nieces have started to text me from their mom's iphone. And while I love being able to keep in touch with them this way, I have gotten some pretty funny texts in the meantime!

no one told me!

...that the girls in The Help were Chi Omegas!! Lovely surprise while reading.

fette sau

Fette Sau is the most delicious bbq spot in Brooklyn, and possibly all of Manhattan as well. We ventured out to Williamsburg last night with our friends Pamela and John. I had heard a lot of good things about this spot from my boss at work, and that got me excited to try it out. It's the type of spot where you go in and tell the people at the meat counter how many pounds of meat you want - no 'bbq plate platters with 2 sides' available here. I think we racked up about 2 pounds of meat plus some delicious sides and a key lime pie for dessert from this diamond in the rough, conveniently served at Fette Sau. It was worth every bit of time spent on the L train to get there!

(the aftermath!)

this may be true

depending on where the french fries are coming from...

a poem for new york

‘Tis a downturn in markets and all through New York
Wall Street is silent, champagne plugged with a cork.
The Jitney is empty, the hatches battened down
For no one knows what’s coming, we’re all wearing frowns.

And as we get nestled, all snug in our beds
Visions of history dance in our heads.
For all of us wonder, “Could this be our fate
That things could get worse than two thousand and eight?”

Yet there are more visions, more histories to know
Than bad situations and awful bad blows.
Thousands of years before we were here
God made a promise to David that removes empty fear.

He promised to make his throne last for all time
Sustain him, protect him and establish his line.
Doing good to him always, forgetting him not
Loving him forever, as a perfect Father ought.

And though David died, God’s promise lived on
To one of his heirs – a one and only Son.
For Jesus Himself was the king long-awaited
Who suffered and died and then rose unabated.

But what’s this got to do with the markets today?
We’re not in Jerusalem; we’ve got bills to pay!
Is His love still great? Does His promise still stand?
Can He still be faithful when the S & P’s bland?

In Christ, we inherit David’s promise from God
Of love and protection – even though we are flawed.
And His love is certain, His faithfulness sure
Through trials and troubles and trades without cure.

So with a loud voice, we will sing of His love
For it is established in the heavens above.
And He will not move even though we may doubt
Cause His promise to David will always win out.

[written by Bethany at The Park Forum in light of the recent economic meltdown and in reference to Psalm 89.]

caycuts wall art

My friend Caylen has started making THE most beautiful and intricate wall art I have ever (ever) seen! You can check out her Etsy site, too, where I'm sure she'll be constantly posting and updating her work. It is beaaaautiful. And completely hand-made. Isn't this the most fabulous thing you've ever seen?!

[Caylen and I were interior design majors together at Auburn. I always thought she hated the X-Acto knife as much as I did. Turns out, she was a master in disguise!!]

the help

I've heard so many great things about this book. And, I love a book with a movie that follows. I've been meaning to start for a while, but since the movie came out last night, I guess my window is growing shorter. Here goes, I'm starting tonight... I'll let you know what I think. (If you've already read it, let me know what you think!)

tales of a sick girl.

There is nothing less fun than having a terrible cold in August! Sniff, sniff. I've been at home sleeping and lying around all day which on most days would sound very enticing to me... but not when my head feels like it is going to explode! Something must be going around the Big Apple, though, because I've heard of a lot of sickies in the last week. Hope you stay well!

it's all rosy (part 2)

Yes, it is.

it's all rosy

I wish that were actually the case. Instead, it's been rainy and dreary all day in the Big Apple and I've been lying in bed since 6pm with a horrible head cold. These are the kind of days I make use of the beautiful flowers when I pass on every corner around the city. They're enough to brighten my day!

years gone by

3 of them, to be exact. And where did all of that time go?! I've almost been out of college as long as I was in. Doesn't seem possible.

day 30: family

[I snapped this on a video phone call tonight. I loved the unclear, out-of-focus look of the photo!]

I couldn't bear to finish my photo project last night. This has been such a fun adventure, so I postponed the last picture until tonight. I will have to think about doing this again with new parameters.

August 8, 1946

65 years ago today, my grandparents got married! I love this picture of them on their wedding day. Happy Anniversary GG!

day 29: trees

[This obviously wasn't taken recently, but it's just too pretty not to share.]

day 28: transportation

redefining the southern belle

I came across this great article from the Charleston-based publication Garden & Gun: Redefining the Southern Belle. I first saw it when it was pointed out to me that Lindsey Harper, my old boss (!!) when I worked in residential design, was featured as one of the "new generation of women who are redefining the Southern Belle." Even if it gets me funny looks when I say things like "I'm fixing to" here in the Big Apple, I love claiming the attributes of a Southern Belle as something I grew up being taught.

"There are other defining attributes, some more quantifiable than others. Southern women know how to bake a funeral casserole and why you should. Southern women know how to make other women feel pretty. Southern women like men and allow them to stay men. Southern women are not afraid to dance. Southern women know you can’t outrun your past, that manners count, and that your mother deserves a phone call every Sunday. Southern women can say more with a cut of their eyes than a whole debate club’s worth of speeches."

Congrats Lindsey on being included in such a neat category!

day 27: your weakness

Baked by Melissa. I think I may have mentioned this before?

day 26: favorite color

day 25: citrus

A glimpse inside my fridge...

summer, you have flown

It's August. Welcome...?!

...and, I wish I was wherever this photo was taken, by the way.

[from here on pinterest.]

citrus...hmm

Day 25 has stumped me. Looking for inspiration today to come back with something very pretty tonight. Stay tuned...

olde good things

As you saw, I spent most of my weekend organizing and cleaning my apartment, but I ventured out quickly on Saturday afternoon for a neighborhood dinner and, along my walk, I found this store: Olde Good Things. I've seen it many times (they drive a truck all around the city advertising their store with the coolest & craziest things on their truck). I stopped by the window and peeked in since they were already closed. I've got to go back soon...afterall, it is 'the most interesting stores in New York City'.

Cool mirror, huh?