Weekend Wear - Wedding Season

Yesterday after a stay with my sister for my nieces birthday I had some time to kill before I picked up my husband at the airport. Naturally I went shopping and had such a nice afternoon all to myself strolling the village of Greenwich, CT. I stopped at one of my favorite stores Intermix to try on this dress that I saw in the window {didn't work because of the tear drop in the front, way too much cleavage for a chesty gal like myself}. What did work was the black and white stunner below. I absolutely fell in love and was almost out of the store with the beauty in tow when I realized I do not have any weddings to wear it too! I wish I could hop in the delorean and go back in time to the summer of 2008 where I had eight weddings in a three month span and had so many fun new dresses to wear. However when you hit your mid thirties the wave of weddings does slow down, so till I have a fabulous event to don such a gown, I will be dreaming of this lovely dress. 

Parker Dress // Tory Burch Sunglasses // Zara Sandals // Kayu Clutch {more colors available} // Nars Satin Lip Pencil // Dannijo Lovisa Earrings

Baby Art

I have shared my complete admiration for Mr. Boddington's paper product perfection on the blog before so this may feel a bit repetitive to share again but I simply could not resist these adorable ABC posters for the little humans in our life. Almost everyone I know is prego or recently had a little bambino so I felt this was totally worth revisiting. I have yet to decorate a nursery or babies playroom but I think it's really easy to get carried away with the same old baby stuff that has been around forev's.  If my day comes I much more prefer a twist on the classics and these little lovlies below are just that, to boot they feature your favorite city where maybe your from, where your baby was born or any other sentimental place that is close to your heart. I obviously would have Boston and New York for the love of where we grew up and where we plan to grow old. 

Boston

New York City

All Other Cities

Oh and can we discuss the cuteness overload of these two prints featuring the sea and paris. Love!

Wouldn't these make the best new baby gift??? 

Don't forget to check out all there other fabulous baby goodies below!

Announcements // Tag // Birth Certificate // Book Cover

Thirsty Thursday - Rock Lobster

If you were a fan of the show Friends like me then you likely remember "she's your lobster" episode. When I saw this last week on our Nantucket vacation, I was inspired to have a lobster cookout, something that certainly isn't easily executed in the city. A traditional boiled lobster is definitely one of those meals I have always enjoyed eating at home allowing myself to get as messy as I wish. However this little luxury of a meal can also be very stylish when entertaining. Just check out all the chic lobster goodies you can put together to host a fabulous lobster bake in your home. So in light of my usual cocktail concoctions I usually share, I thought I would keep it simple with a simple glass of chilled champagne for an inspired lobster dinner.

Whether you are on the water or not this nautical champagne is the perfect accompaniment to a seaside dining experience and a little lobster cocktail adornment never hurt anybody. A fun "how to eat a lobster" print adds some fun decor. A lobster pot is a necessity for cooking numerous lobsters at a time, while a roll of kraft paper is easy clean up for the messy meal. Bowls for the discarded shells and butter are a must as well is a tray for serving the lobsters. Seafood tools like a cracker for the shell, a long fork to help get out the hard to reach bits and a bib help make the meal more fun and of course you will need lots of lemon to clean off the smell of the sea and chic napkins for drying your hands.

Check out more nautical inspired dining like the images below here.

Signature Scents

Statement necklaces aren't the only items I like to layer on one another, I also adore doing this with my perfume. I often find myself wearing the same scent for years and years till it's either discontinued or I just can't take the fragrance any longer. I feel perfume is an important element in a beauty routine and I never leave home without a spritz on my neck and on my wrists. Fragrances are also interesting in that they always smell different on everyone. I personally love mixing complementing scents to create a unique scent that is all my own. I know my cousin who is a professional "nose" in the perfume industry is cringing as she reads this. She has always told me that it's insulting to the maker as incredible amounts of research and science is behind each and every perfume but I gotta be me and make my signature scent, some of my favorites for mixing are below. 

You probably notice a trend with my selection. I am always partial to anything vanilla and think it works well with soft floral scents. However in the summer time, nothing beats coconut and vanilla with hints of apricot. Every time I mix these two people ask what I am wearing. Together its a little bit of tropical sun kissed goodness. My newest water and petal scents are more of an elegant combination of which I like to use when I am dressing up. Finally my long time favorite lavender and vanilla from Calypso St. Barth is my everyday go to fragrance that is warm and not overpowering. Even their candles are heavenly. 

What is your favorite perfume???

Style & Real Estate - Back Bay Edition

My very first blog post was a "style and real estate" featuring a townhouse in our neighborhood that I had a serious crush on. Since then I have posted many other homes in this series with celebrity homes, vacation homes, homes of fashion designers, country homes and crazy ridiculously fabulous NYC apartments that leave me weak in the knees. Well today I came across this gem of a penthouse in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood and I knew it had to be shared in this series. It's sleek lines and contemporary design is something you dont often see in New England and while it wouldn't be how I would necessarily build my home, I do appreciate how unique this home is top to bottom. Just take a look at the gorgeousness below.

Id make good use of this roof deck with outdoor fireplace, tv & outdoor grill. 

open concept living - so difficult to find in the city

sleek white kitchen with a massive island to compensate for the lack of counter space

marble bathroom

more photos & full listing

DIY - Tissue Garland

I am so flipping in love with todays DIY brought to you by Becca of Petal Floral Design. I first met this talented New Englander at Blogshop over the winter and again at Cocktails & Conversations and she was a total doll offering to help any of the women in the group as much as she could. I was thrilled to get a present in my inbox while on vacation last week and saw the stunning party decor she had created and gave me the green light to share with all of you! I am completely obsessed with every pretty little detail when it comes to any type of soiree or entertaining and this gorgeous garland is just that. I love that you can customize this garland to match your desired color palette and place wherever you wish. I personally adore how Becca styled the garland in her stylish studio but I think it could also work brilliantly as a ceremony backdrop or even as decor over a dessert or gift table among many other creative places at your special event. Where would you hang this beauty???

Check out all the details on how to make this little lovely for yourself!

MATERIALS USED

 Scissors (I got these amazing babies at Grey's Fabric Shop in the South End)

Heavy-Duty Thread

Tissue Paper

Embroidery Hoop

Sewing Machine

Washi Tape (I get all of mine and so many other goodies from the amazingly brilliant women of Gus & Ruby Letterpress)

STEP ONE

Cut your tissue paper into whatever shape you wish.  I love doing squares, they always look nice, and float beautifully with a breeze.

STEP TWO

Thread your machine and make sure the tension is where you want it to be for your tissue paper to run through, then start sewing your cuttings together, until you have your desired length.

STEP THREE

Tie your garlands to the embroidery hoop.

STEP FOUR

Start taping with washi tape, one piece at a time, until you feel that your garland looks just how you wanted it to look.

then...

STEP FIVE

you're finished, now enjoy!!!

A BIG Thank you to Becca for sharing this amazing design with us. I cannot wait to see what else you have up your sleeve down the road!!!

Weekend Wear - Lilly Pulitzer

Today we are departing this enchanted little island and I literally want to throw a tantrum like a toddler  kicking and screaming so I dont have to go but I will refrain and be on my best behavior as I am also feeling extremely lucky to have had this amazing week away. We just had the best time, weather, food and relaxation that I know my husband desperately needed and deserved. One thing I am bringing back from the trip is a few new Lilly Pulitzer items. I have to admit, while I did grow up with some preppy duds, this brand wasn't one of them. It was all a bit too watermelon-y for me. However as an adult I have fallen in love with their cheery patterns, bold color combinations and classic silhouettes. I picked up this beauty during my stay and plan on wearing it all summer long with white denim and gold sandals. This sparkly tunic had a great tailored fit and the beading was extremely intricate... never mind that it was my favorite neon color. However come summer, nothing is easier then a dress that can go from day to night, check out some other Lilly favorites including this fabulous vintage number! 

one // two // three

one // two // three

one // two // three

{all dresses are on sale via bloomingdales, ends 6/23!}

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sales Galore!

Happy Friday friends...I am so sad to be wrapping up the most amazing vacation. I am also literally in the worst place to ever write a blog. The wireless internet is so temperamental and anything I do on my phone uses three times the battery life which means by the time I have something worth sharing my phone is dead, so needless to say, todays post is a short one. What is working is my inbox and it is chock full of sales from some of my favorite stores. It seems now is the perfect time to build your summer wardrobe without breaking the bank. Afterall today is ofically the first day of summer!

Juicy Couture {summer sale} - neon yellow dress // sunburst dress {own & love} // black & white dress 

J.Crew {25% off your purchase, code NEWSTYLE} - pineapple swimwear // tortoise statement necklace // big spot dress // green sandals // pleated chiffon top // gold foil cork clutch

Calypso St. Barth {$50 off every $175, code GCSUM13} - eyelet cotton dress // floral clutch // crystal sandals // embroidered mini // flower printed poncho // pink skirt // belt // lavender tunic 

Other great sales are at Bloomingdales & Anthropologie I would be sure to pick up this summery tunic, easy day dress & adorable apron for cooking in style. I recently picked up this flowy tank and easy breezy beach dress. What summer items are you adding to your wardrobe???

Have a great weekend & Happy Shopping!!!

Thirsty Thursday - Cranberry Cocktail Spritzer

Nantucket is known for many things, beautiful shingle style homes, hydrangea covered lawns, cobblestone streets, whaling and cranberries to just name a few. Naturally this weeks cocktail had to be   inspired by these things as we are at the tail end of our vacation. What I love about this one is that the cranberry vodka has such great flavor by itself that the cocktail only needs a splash of cranberry juice for color and a little added flavor. It is a light, refreshing and all the ingredients are from New England, definitely my favorite cocktail when on this magical little island.  

Ingredients

1 oz Nantucket Triple 8 Cranberry Vodka

Splash of Nantucket Nectars Big Cranberry Juice

1/2 cup Poland Springs Lime Seltzer

Fresh Lime Wedge for garnish

Directions

Stir & Serve over ice

Cheers!

Inspired by the preppy playground that is Nantucket, I thought I would put together some fun nautical accoutrement for your bar cart or home cocktail area that ooze summer and happy times!

gold cocktail shaker //anchor stacking cocktail ring // fish bottle opener // rope ice bucket // iikat tray with nautical inserts // dot cocktail napkins // bottoms up tote // striped glasses // custom swizzle sticks

For the Love of Etsy

Morning friends! I am back again with another installment of "for the love of etsy". A few of my favorite bookmarked items are below ranging from home decor to party pretties. I not only love the idea of supporting a small entrepreneur but also the thrill of finding a unique item that isn't mass produced in the big box stores. It is so rewarding to find something that really adds that special touch to your party or decor in your home that can't be found anywhere else. Do you have any etsy finds worth sharing??? Please do let me know!

Decorating with books is nothing new. I however love that the work of finding perfectly color coordinated batches of vintage books is done for you with this etsy seller. The green beauties below would be so pretty on a well organized book case. 

I love clutches. They are always my go to for a night out. This pale aqua and metallic gold beauty had me weak in the knees the second I laid eyes on it.

You know I love me a cocktail...almost as much as I love a cocktail decoration. The geometric neon adornment below needs to be on my bar cart pronto.

I have a major love affair with beautiful paper goods. These banner labels

for sealing your envelopes is no exception. The best part is you can customize it to coordinate with whatever occasion you like. I personally would order a batch to say "thank you".

All you need is Love. Especially in gold leaf and in an adorable size. I would place these in a child's room on a shelf or use at a wedding on a gift table. 

I have already shared my complete admiration for everything fringed. This piñata decor is no exception. I adore the punchy colors mixed with the metallic gold. It's such a good piece to base an entire soiree around. 

I have been seriously coveting a blog redesign filled with water color details in soft colors. This adorable business card would be a good start.

Year Two

Two years ago today I married my best friend. We were given the wedding of our dreams on the most beautiful day in Newport, RI. I have so much to be thankful for in my life and I will never ever forget or take that for granted. I was torn about sharing our full wedding video on the blog as I did our same day edit on our one year anniversary but I am total sucker for a good cry and our video gets me every single time.  Since I haven't been able to share this film with a lot of our friends and family in person I figured this was the best avenue to show the very best day of our life. I will however forewarn you that this is a 10 minute video so if this sort of thing isn't your jam, I would exit the blog now :)

p.s. the above is a mobile version, to see a better quality version please visit here & enter ANTICIPATION as the password :)

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life, you are my everything!

What's in my bag - carry on edition

It's safe to say that I am the worlds worst packer. I always want to bring everything I own so I have options for numerous outfits throughout my trip. Luckily for me my mother in law is the same way when it comes to travel and paved the way for me and my husband just thinks this is just how all woman are and instead of fighting me on it he just let's me be my ridiculous self. I knew he was a keeper when on the honeymoon my suitcase was triple the size of his and cost us a small fortune on the overweight scale upon checking in at the airport {he did however immediately throw away that suit case upon our return home so I never have the option to pack that much again}. Since we flew to Nantucket for our vacation I thought I would challenge myself to being an organized packer and bringing only what I needed...at least that is for the carry all. Ill save the luggage for another post. 

1. A large tote to hold everything. I was gifted the neverfull on my birthday last year and it's my constant go to bag for any travel.

2. I never ever check any of my jewelry. I insist on carrying it on me at all times and love having it all organized in a travel jewelry box. Mine was gifted to me on our wedding day {video coming to the blog tomorrow} but I love this one which has all the organizational compartments and a friendly price.

3. I always pack a back up outfit, shoes, clutch & swimsuit in case my luggage gets lost {unfortunately has happened to me half a dozen times}. This way I am all set for a day or two when its hopefully returned to me.

4. I often travel with my lap top so I like to make sure its in an appropriate case to protect it from everything else, then of course the charger, mouse & oh so very important headphones for in flight entertainment. My phone charger {not shown} is also always packed.

5. A large scarf is a must have for me. My husband loves the temperature at our seats to be arctic cold so I usually use this as a wrap or blanket to keep me comfy. On longer trips a neck pillow is a must. 

6. I am blind as a bat without contacts so my eyeglasses and sunglasses are a necessity.

7. I have been busting my butt at the gym lately so I always try to have a healthy snack like a granola bar on me so I dont indulge on some ridiculous calorie splurge that I didn't even want. I always like to save my extra calories for good vino. 

8. A cosmetic bag to hold travel sized beauty favorites again in case anything is lost. Inside you would find my favorite gloss, concealer, bronzer and mascara. Oh and a tide pen because my one of us always gets something on ourselves. 

9. Finally when traveling to warmer weather I always pack a hat. Thanks to endless tanning in my younger years and the horrific dark spots that are now appearing on my skin so I insist on covering my face when in the sun. I need not to look like Magda when I am older. 

all ready to go!

What are your essentials for your carry on luggage, am I forgetting anything???

Happy Fathers Day!

A very happy fathers day to all you daddy's out there. I hope you have the best day with your family celebrating and are spoiled with lots of love. 

card

To my sweet pops - thank you for giving me everything I ever could have wished for and teaching me to appreciate it, supporting me in my numerous career changes and always having my favorite wine chilled whenever I walk come home. You are the best dad a girl could ever wish for. I am so happy to be your daughter and can't wait to celebrate next week!

My pops & I in Croatia

The fathers day we gave him Khloe 

two years ago giving me away