this is it.

I know, I know - I keep obsessing over summer winding down.  But lately, it's all I can think about.  Doesn't it feel like this is the last week of my most favorite season?  I wore white pants today as I say goodbye to a lot of my white this week. 

Autumn is lovely, though.  The weather cools down, fashion is in full force, changes come about and I start to reflect on my past year in order to prep for a new one.  What do I want?  What's next?  What do I want to change? 

we'll see.

*images courtesy of The Swedish Girl, Jaclyn Paige, Design*Sponge, Dandelion and Grey, The Neo-traditionalist

happy list: birthdays

No, it's not mine, but my dearest friend's over at Bubbles & Banjos.  I simply love birthdays.  A whole day to celebrate someone's very existance?  How fun and fascinating!  Excited to celebrate out in Boston with treats, bubbly and general merriment.  On Sunday, Newport to soak up some sun and see one of my favorite bands, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers at the Newport Blues Cafe.  It's sure to be a lovely weekend.  Hope yours is lookin' fun, too! 

Happy Birthday, Drea!

*Images courtesy of hello splendor, where the sidewalk begins, vanessa and valentine & we heart it.

another property mystery

Almost over night, a small parking lot on the corner of Clarendon and Lawrence in the South End became a fabulous new piece of property.  Even on google maps it still says it's a parking lot. 

 (from this...)

Yet now I imagine a lovely couple built their dream home on this tiny piece of property and it looks smart and terribly chic.

(to this! Ta da!)

(front entrance on Lawrence)

(Lawrence, a lovely South End ally street)

What a brilliant idea!  Take a seemingly nothing property and build the lovely two story single family home of your dreams in Boston's hippest neighborhood (if I do say so myself, and I do).  I am envious.  I know home ownership isn't for me right now, but man, do I love a good home!  

But who lives here?  Who made this dream into a reality?  Get on the case, friends.  I'm dying to get inside!

run like a girl

My friend Jessie recently sent me this photo that's almost a year old.  It's me crossing the finish line at last year's Boston Half Marathon.  I hate to sound cliche, but that seems so close and yet so far away.  Hard to believe I've been seriously running for 3 years now.  Watch out - Maine Half Marathon October 3rd!  It's sure to be a blast since I love Maine and I also have a ton of friends running it, too!  Run like a girl?  Damn straight.

if it's the beaches...

The last few days of Boston rain reminded me how summer is truly coming to a close and I am excited to enjoy the next couple of weekends here to soak up the rest this city has to offer during its precious and glorious warm weather. 

If I had to guess, I'd say my first love of summer here in New England is Singing Beach Club in Manchester-By-The-Sea, MA.  I grew up spending my summers there, as my mother did and as her mother did.  We gather there every summer for a traditional family reunion brunch and I try to make it out there with my Grandmum whenever I can.  We joke that it's the only beach club around where you can't see the ocean.  But with lush lawns where people can gather to enjoy lunch and then change in the bathhouse to enjoy the perfect sand that earned the beach its name (when you walk on it, your feet rubbing up against the sand makes a chirping noise, which people say is the beach singing) is exactly what I think of when musing about the perfect summer day.

folk fest love

A day late and a dollar short, but I just found these pictures I took at the Newport Folk Festival.  I was in such a good mood that day - sitting seaside in perfect weather, sailboats on one side of me and fantastic music on the other, hanging, laughing and dancing with new friends and old and walking around visiting different acts and people watching - it was a perfect day and one of my favorites this summer.  I was in such a happy and lovey mood it turns out I was capturing all sorts of other people feeling the love (like a big ol' creeper - guess I couldn't help myself)... Can't wait to go back next summer!

(splendor in the grass)

(canoodling stage side)

(love = teamwork)

(my own loves, The Avett Brothers)

take me to serenity

I am currently a terrible novice blogger.  I haven't posted much these past two weeks because things are quite hectic and changing and stressful.  I hate saying that because in this day and age, who isn't stressed?  But I am coming at the end of a job contract and that means trying to get everything (quickly) tied up and I am at another crossroads.  Everyone always has one question they are always thinking about.  Mine is - what's next?  What's your question?

But I am happy to say I am going back to basics and heading up to Maine today for the weekend to go canoeing and camping with a fun and happy group that is sure to perk me up.  It's exactly what I need right now (and I do mean right now) and I simply can't wait! 

Create a fabulous weekend!

*Images courtesy of beachbungalow8, SeanP, WeHeartIt, & PInterest

still collecting...

...classic books with covers designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith.  My mom gave me a few for Christmas last year and I bought two more.  I know everyone seems to be raving about these books, but look at them.  How could you not want them on your shelf?  Plus, I love a good classic and one is always in my reading rotation.  Makes me regret not keeping my high school literature teacher's "100 Great American Classics" list.  I want to read more of them!

And now Ms. Bickford-Smith has designed a lovely F. Scott Fitzgerald collection, perfectly gilded.

ZOMG - FURBISH!

I am quite the fan of Jamie Meares's blog ISuwannee and ever since she opened her home store Furbish down south, my roommate and I dream about running Furbish Boston for her (can't you see a couple of us Yankee gals selling all her lovely brightly colored furniture, candied accessories and fabulous finds?).  But listen - you can buy her stuff NOW!  She launched her online store ShopFurbish.com.  Delight in her pillows, lamps and all things happy.

hello august

I'm feeling spontaneous and saucy.  I love all the concerts and festivals I've been attending, the ease of the weekends after some pretty seriously stressful July work-weeks and refreshed by an awareness of possiblity.  Also, for some reason, all I want to do is take my clothes off and run around like I was 5 years old (don't worry, I'm not).  The end of summer is brought to you by: amazing friends.

*Images courtest of bippityboppityboo, beachbungalow8 & chanceco

simplicity, adventure, design

A friend of mine sent me a link to Chance, a simple and lovely clothing company, and crazy good advertisement campaign.  The website screams hiker in heels.  A blog about inspiration, whimsical photos, great design - it's totally me.  The cute clothing is just icing on the cake.  Every girl needs a striped shirt in their wardrobe (so french).  Designer Julia Leach (of Kate Spade upbringing as their EVP/Creative Director) pairs with advertising heavy hitter Jay Chiat to take us into their beautiful world.  

"CHANCE believes in line, in color, in form, in consideration, in liberation, in inspiration, in detail, in simplicity, in possibility, in independence, and in the necessity of adventure."