Happy long weekend dear readers. It’s my Dad’s birthday today. He would have been 72. There we are above circa 1976 in that amazing wood paneled den. Love you Dad, you will always be the coolest. Miss you and your generosity, humor, big love, wisdom and sense of adventure every day. I hope you are all off to some fun and adventure in the spirit of this holiday weekend. We’re hanging around these parts trying to gussy up this joint. It is taking for-evah. I failed to properly estimate the time it would take me to fully unpack and semi-organzie[…]

  

Just some stuff I’m liking… Like Narwhals. Yep- let’s start with those. 1. Narwhals- because they’re ridiculously awesome. No wonder the hipsters have claimed the Narwhal as their un-official mascot. Has anybody noticed the sudden influx of their likeness, I don’t know… everywhere? The unicorns of the sea are donning the likes of bloggy branding and Pinterest-approved marks everywhere. Please hipsters- don’t overexpose the dear Narwhal- she is a true creature of creatures, I mean how cool looking are these things. I’d like to see one in the wild one day. For now, I just check in with the WWF’s[…]

  

Happy Weekend dear readers. How much do you love this beachy photo? Taken by my dear friend, Amy Dickerson, I need this in my house- will have to talk to her about that. Follow her here for loads of dreamy inspiration. To what great adventures are you off to this fine spring weekend? I am traveling home from that great big apple at the moment. I ran there and back in a day for some work and squeezed in a slice (or two), enjoyed a cold beer in Penn Station (what? how have I never done that before) and smelled[…]

  

Just a crazy cute polka-dotted table runner. If you’re like me and love having a dinner party, you can never have enough of these things. White Polka Dot Runner   Related posts:Present-ing: The Hosts’ Gift GuideGimme ShelterVolatize This! Pink Austrian Bubbles

  

It’s not that it’s new, it’s just my new neutral. Tortoise- I like it. A few bony beauties to ponder: Fabby French Flatware- put a little Paris on the table. (P.S.: This is the best price going for the classic Sabre flatware). A Boxy Tortoise Minaudiére- done. This thing goes everywhere with me after six, that is if I manage to leave my lair. An Old School Wristwatch- it feels like 1979 and that feels good to me. Plus, sometimes… it’s nice to tell time from your wrist. Classic Highballs with a Twist- these things go with every place setting[…]

  

Oh my little blog, how I’ve missed you. I have been most occupied. There have been many sips, some steps and lots of Pooh in my life as of late. Let me explain. As some of you dear readers may know, I am helping the folks at Waterfront Market (namely Alexandria’s honorary mayor, owner Jody Manor and his gal Friday, the genius Rashmi Pappu- an artist/photographer moonlighting as a restaurant maven) with their wine list. It couldn’t be more fun. We are stocking the shelves with artfully crafted, terroir-driven wines, it’s such a dream. We’ve got a rosé sparkler from[…]

  

I love the idea of a stylish and good umbrella. I say “the idea” because no matter how much I really want to be one of those umbrella toting citizens of the world, the truth of the matter is, I absolutely never have one and am always completely soaked when it rains. You’d think living and walking in NYC for 12 years would convert me into one of those readily prepared umbrella-carrying citizens but alas…  If you fall into that prepared/toting category and are in the market for a new little lady to keep your head dry, this striped numbed[…]

  

It’s a lazy spring Sunday day over here in the ‘burbs. I’m still trying to get used to the idea that I’m so ‘burby now. I haven’t lived in a true suburban community since my childhood and while the pros outweigh the cons for us, I do sometimes feel like a fish out of water. I’ve met some fabulous people on my block alone, but of course most of my friends live in DC or Alexandria proper, so I’m feeling the need to start throwing some massive dinner parties just so that I can get my peeps out here for[…]

  

Remember a few months ago when I was waxing poetic about the Languedoc-Rousillon region in Southern France? Well, this my friends is precisely why. I’m always in the mood for a naturally made, terroir-speaking Southern French red and this one hails from Chateau Coupe Roses in Minervois. The Cuvee Vignals is a chomp-worthy blend of mostly Syrah, some Grenache and a dash of Carignan. What I love most about this wine is the sensory overloading wild garrigue that instantly transports me from my Virginia kitchen to the French Mediterranean highlands. Seriously. Sticking your nose in a glass of this stuff[…]

  

Ok, that’s not exactly true. This little miss was certainly not a Zero when I found her (that lattice front and hardware alone are completely gush-worthy), but she had so much Palm Springs swankiness going on that she didn’t know what to do with herself- she was on swank overload. I didn’t want to strip her of her swank, but I did want to do her right. I hemmed and hawed over what to do with her. I knew she could be perfect and shine without being obnoxious about it, but what to paint this little miss? Just look at[…]