I'm back!

Sorry for the not so brief hiatus, I guess I took a little un-announced summer vacation! That being said, I realized I hadn't shared a new place I fell absolutely in love with when I went down to Martha's Vineyard to see my parents while they were in town for a wedding. First of all, the Vineyard is one of my favorite places on the planet...specifically Chappaquiddick where our entire extended family has gone on vacation in years past. It's truly what vacation should be - cell phones don't work and the most dressed up I get is probably a t-shirt dress...if that. Here's the view from the house we usually stay in...

This summer though my trip down to the Vineyard was just for one night and I stayed in Edgartown at one of th emost charming hotels I've ever been to - The Charlotte Inn. Even their website is adorable...I love the line on the homepage - "Behind the times on purpose..."Then within the website they have an online brochure that is all illustrations of parts of the hotel from the check in desk to the patio dining.



Once we arrived I was in love. They have every corner of every room perfectly appointed with antique silver hand mirrors, umbrella stands, stacks of leather bound books, vintage telephones, and old bar sets with high-balls and decanters.
Here's my friend Sohee, who I went with, sitting in the "Green Room" while we waited for our room. I was in love with that horseshoe cocktail table.
This was the hallway upstairs outside our room. Don't you just want to live here?
This was in our room which had 2 adorable antique twin beds with summer quilts on them and then those 2 great club chairs.
My parents room had the best little kitchenette with an antique but functioning stove that fit just right with the cabinets and counter tops.

I was lucky my parents let me piggy-back on their trip because usually I'll take an inflatable mattress on the floor of anyone who will have me down to the Vineyard but if you have a change definitely swing by the Charlotte Inn even if it's just for a drink or dinner...you'll feel like you're in a completely different time.

Collaboration Celebration

I've noticed more and more collaborations that I've been loving - especially because for the most part they make something MORE affordable! Target comes to mind first as it seems like they're really pioneered this whole movement with designers like Zac Posen, Cynthia Vincent, and Rodarte to name a few recently.

Obviously paint has been top of mind and beyond the color I chose for my room I've been obsessing over all of Martha Stewart for Home Depot's colors...


I'm not usually very into light pinks, but I think this color (Ballet Slipper) would be so pretty for a Powder Room or maybe a big closet or dressing room (if you were lucky enough to have one!)

Another collaboration that I just came across was Mike Miller for West Elm. I first fell in love with Mike Miller's silhouettes through the John Derian website and have been pining away for one ever since - now they are in my reach! There's a whole serious of prints and pillows but I'm really loving the larger sized print - especially at a $79 price point for a framed print!


Last but certainly not least - I know it's not exactly news but I'm still obsessing over FENTONFALLON for JCrew. I drool over the cases with Fallon jewelry at Barney's and while the price-points haven't changed much they have edited their look a little to fit more into JCrew's repertoire - I mean, adding pearls to anything means it could be sold at JCrew I guess.

Painted Pretty

Were you all waiting with bated breath? I did it! I finally painted my room and love the color...I did end up going with Sharkey Gray by Martha Stewart and it came out so well! It's the first time I've painted myself and I must say I did a fine job. The best part was definitely that I think it looks really good with the things I already had in my room. I was looking to go with a little bit of a darker color since my bed is white I wanted it to pop off the wall more than it did in my older apartment where the walls were really light.

The other color I was considering was kind of like a coffee ice cream that I liked a lot but I wasn't wild about how it went with this print (above) which I adore. It's a print of the tall ships coming in to Boston harbor that my mom gave to my dad when they lived here in the seventies....and then I stole it!
Also, totally unplanned it matches this Gretchen Dow Simpson print I have of a bulding in Scranton (where I was born.) The mat on the print is almost th eexact color...I also like how the silver mercury glass lamp looks with the gray.
And my obsession with lucite is proven worthwhile again...because it goes with everything!

High Heeled Foot in her Shoes

I think I must have gotten too excited about this because I posted it last week on accident on but it's actually today that I will be guest-posting for Camila at High Heeled Foot in the Door. I'd be lying if I said Camila wasn't a huge inspiration to me and one of the sweetest people I'm fortunate enough to know. So scoot over there and check it out!!

But come back because I do believe I'm taking on the task of painting my bedroom today and as of now (which could still change) I'm going with...drumroll...Sharkey Gray from Martha Stewart's line of paint

Whirlwind Weekend - Part 1

I was home in Columbus over the weekend and am honestly surprised by how much stuff I managed to do in the span of 3 days! The whole trip was really based around Hat Day on Friday which is a fundraiser at the Franklin Park Conservatory to support their community gardening program (more on that in a bit) but the weekend turned into so much more! Starting with the Pearl Jam concert, ending with a Mother's Day brunch and a fashion show thrown in the middle there for good measure - needless to say I'm still tired.

So let's start with Hat Day...this was the 10th Anniversary of the event and it was the 2nd year I had gone, this picture is from the first time I went and is hanging up in my room.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a picture of myself from this year but I do have this great one of my parents!
What's better than an excuse to get dressed up, wear a hat, and help a good cause? Not a lot! There were some really amazing hats and as pictures start to surface I'll continue putting them up...

I Scream, You Scream

I literally did scream when I found this out! Just like me, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams has made its way from Columbus to Boston. I know it was already on DailyCandy this week but I thought I'd give it a few days and then just remind everyone who already saw it or inform anyone who hadn't what AMAZING news this is. My sister has written about it too so if you couldn't' tell my family is very fond of Jeni's. It all started with Salty Caramel at the North Market. Now that's the name of her blog and North Market is just one of 5 locations and a number of retailers (nationally, thank God!)


Opening the email from DailyCandy last Sunday was seriously like Christmas in May. They are now selling Jeni's at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge and hopefully soon at the South End Formaggio as well. Both seasonal flavors, like Savannah Buttermilk, and the classics like Salty Caramel will be available.


I very highly suggest you try them, or if you are in Columbus that you visit one of the actual ice cream shops because they are also adorable.

Images from Jeni's website and Real Simple.

Movin' On Up

I must say I laughed out loud when I went to pick up the keys to my new apartment and the key-tag said "Penthouse"...is that what we're calling a 4th floor walk-up these days? I guess so! Well 13 hours, 4 movers, and countless boxes later we're all in. It was seriously like putting a ship in a bottle and letting it expand and now comes the fun part. It's a Boston apartment so it's old, or in real estate terms "has charm" and it definitely needs a little TLC so you're in luck - you just get to read about it while I do the work!

First order of business is painting, here's what my bedroom currently looks like (without furniture) so I'd like some suggestions on paint colors...





Hopefully I'm not crazy and you'll agree with me that you can't tell exactly what color it is. It's like a greyish tannish white? I also am pretty sure the walls are not all the same shade. To give you an idea what it needs to match here's the bedding I currently have.


So what do you think?? My bed is white so I don't want the walls to be too light because then you lose the the bed against them.

Thanks in advance for you help!!