Obsessions

1. Summer Lace - I have been on a lace obsession! I can't decide if I'm being romantic or hippy, but I can't get enough of the stuff. The closest I really get to flea market shopping is TJ Maxx/Ross, and fortunately they have a pretty good supply of unique, romantic lace tops. And, if all else fails and I'm willing to spend a bit more, I can always snag a gorgeous top from here.


2. Lavender - As in, I spent the past weekend in a little Texas town, Blanco, attending their annual Lavender Festival and touring the 4 lavender farms in the area. My shoulders are scorched, but I now have a unique supply of all kinds of lavender products (including lavender margarita mix!). Given how difficult it can be to grow lavender, it is actually pretty special that Texas has this budding industry. From what I understand, even the French are taking notice. Oui, oui!


3. Persuasion by Jane Austen - Yes, I've mentioned this before, but there are some books/movies that I get so fixated on that I just read/watch them on repeat for weeks, months (much to the annoyance of those around me). Right now, both this book and the movies are my fixation. I don't know why some stories just strike exactly the right cord for me, but this one sure does. It's been hard to get out of my mind.


4. Mumford and Sons - Like books and movies, I can also become a bit fixated on music, as well. Case in point - this new British band whose "Little Lion Man" is currently all over the radios. In spite of that, I highly recommend this record. Highly.

Wanna go to Paris?

A free trip to Paris? Yes, please! Check out the link below at Oh Happy Day to see the 4 ways you can enter. Almost 10,000 people have already left comments, but it's worth a shot!

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris

Bonne chance!

dum dum da dum . . .

I really...REALLY...tried to restrain myself about all this royal wedding stuff, but I can't help it. Here is my post on pretty, princess dresses. First of all, I loved Kate Middleton's dress.



I especially loved that it was a modern version of my, hands down, favorite wedding dress a la Grace Kelly.



Even though I am not engaged, with all this wedding fabulousity (yes, I just said that) happening, I couldn't help trying to find other dresses out there that also channel Grace Kelly, but with hopefully a more realistic price tag! :)







And, finally, the dress that I have had my eye on for some time by Lazaro. It combines modern simplicity with traditional lace.

Joyeux Paques!

Happy Easter, friends!I hope everyone is celebrating the holiday weekend with family or friends, enjoying good food and time off of work. Unlike most years, this year brought me a 4 day weekend for Easter, rather than 3 days. Since I can definitely use the extra day out of the office, I'm beyond excited about how to spend my extra time, especially considering how fabulous my weekend has already turned out. Not that anything extra out of the ordinary happened. I'm spending part of the weekend with my parents, which generally entails lounging around the house with our pups, but today I also ventured out long enough to see two exhibits currently showing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston - one on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art and another one on Neoclassical art of the 18th Century (aka - Marie Antoinette's time). The Impressionist exhibit obviously focused on France, Paris in particular, and even had a special shop full of all things French (books, decor, coasters, maps, trinkets). I.was.in.heaven! I snagged just a couple of little Frenchie things for myself. The Neoclassical exhibit was created in connection with the Louvre (enough said). In fact, if I recall correctly, this exhibit is only going to 2 cities in the US - Houston and LA. Both were incredibly special and inspiring - a much needed break from the grind.

persuasion

I just saw the 2007 BBC production of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Highly, highly recommend for any Austen fans out there. I've actually never read this book, which was her last before Austen passed away, but it's definitely on my list now. While, in typical Austen fashion, it ends with a wedding, the main character's emotions she experiences have a much more heartfelt realness than in Austen's other novels. Loved it!

Quote of the Day

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." ~Ernestine Ulmer

This is completely my quote of the day (or week, or month . . .). Enjoy!







All images from here.

Things I Love

I'm tres excited with my new laptop. Surprisingly in this day and age, I have been sans laptop since moving 2 months ago. I'm always super paranoid about spending a lot of personal time on my work computer, so other than my iPhone I've been a little disconnected.

However, I'm feeling a bit jovial this evening, so I thought I'd end the day with a list of things I love:

Paris!
French language (or anything French, really)
hot air balloons
yoga
lavender
pink!
champagne
dark beer
Irish ancestery
my puppies
knee high boots
tutus
ballet flats
organizing
Louis Vuitton
Hermes
church
high heels
books
solitude
frappachinos
red lipstick
shellac nail polish
pedicures
pearls
diamond stud earrings
hand fans (my new random obsession)

Let them eat cake!

Found this adorable image at Seductively French, a new fav blog. Here's to the start of a fabulous week!