DECORATE

Sorry for the delay first the Canon goes all fuzzy then someone ;) accidental spills water all over the keyboard and the H and D don't work (funny how often you use certain letters and don't realize). Anyway where back in business and I have a couple of fun posts starting with this one here! I went to a fun book signing for decorate (decor8) at the Anthropologie in Soho. Decor 8 is a blog on my daily roster, so I was super pumped. I even gave her one of my patented felties as a gift. I feel that if someone inspires you they need to know it, right?! She was so super sweet and seemed to really love the gift. This felty (as pictured) was inspired by her mentioning in a post how she missed chipmunks after moving to Germany from Boston. Growing up in another country myself , I can identify with the weird things you miss. I missed Oreo's and peperoni pizza (I was 8 when we left), and American TV! I was stuck with German and British MTV! Now some of it was good, but considering I liked Nirvana and The Red Hot Chili peppers (still do) the Aqua songs, and Take That just where not cutting it! I guess I am showing my age how many people recall Take That? Iam pretty sure most people try not to ;)! I wouldn't trade my childhood as a third culture kid growing up overseas for anything thought! In fact given the chance I would jump on a plane right now and move almost anywhere!

BONBONS

Just a little sweet treat to get you through the day! I painted these Bon Bons on a couple of weeks ago! They are the tiniest canvases, the actual size of real Bon Bons so they are extra adorable.

LOVIN OVEN AND TWO BUTTONS

I forgot to mention that last weekend we went to Frenchtown, a cute little town along the New Jersey side of the Delaware river. While there we went to brunch at this beautiful and delicious restaurant called Lovin Oven (cute name right) they have a really cool artsy vibe with a fun paintings and furniture, and the dessert was soooooo out of this world. I split the chocolate salted caramel pie with my beloved and it was AMAZING. Salty and sweet, chocolate how can you lose! Right next door is a Southeast Asian imported goods store where I bought these wonder afghan carved wood stamps. It just so happens that the store is own by the Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert and her husband.

LAVENDER DREAM

There is a beautiful spot in bucks county where lavender grows. From the winding rural road you can see rolling hills of lavender, the scent floating on the wind into your car calling you to come and idle in this purple and green, peaceful paradise.

So we gave in and on Saturday, busted foot and all we walk through hills of fresh lavender, took too many photos and had a wonderful time. Each bush of lavender was filled with butterflies and bees of different varieties. Of course there is a shop with lavender products including lavender honey and dried lavender, which I purchased, but there are also animals. There are llamas and roosters, chickens and horses and as you can see donkeys.

I never thought I would think that donkeys are cute, but they are with there disproportionate body to leg ratios and their big eye lashed eyes. Plus they where being feed donkey cookies (no idea whats in 'em) but they of course put on the charm for that reason!
If you are in the neighborhood on a Saturday (only day they are open to the public.) checkout Carousel Farms.

JULY 4th

Hope all you had a great fourth of July! For me fourth of July is all about the fireworks! I love fireworks, whats not to love about be loud pops of exploding light and color in the sky! the photos above and below are from a mix of past Fourth of July's , spent in PA, Hoboken and Upper East Side.

Of course you cant forget the BBQ on the fourth and this year my job was a dessert. I was inspired by Creamsicles (my moms favorite) so I made a patriotic version with homemade raspberry ice on top, vanilla ice cream in the middle and homemade blueberry on the bottom frozen layer by layer in a cup mold. Simple, no bake and super delicious!

THE JEWISH MUSEUM

The Jewish Museum has some wonderful exhibits going on right now. I was having brunch at Sarabeths and decided to take a stroll and noticed that its free to enter the Museum on Saturdays, So I popped in and to my utter delight the Maira Kalman exhibit (here) I had missed in Philly, which I have mentioned before on this blog, and the Coen sisters art collection (here). The collection included wonderful textiles and post impressionist and impressionist work that was wonderful! Oh to be a rich art collector strolling around paris in the times of Van Gogh and Monet.

ANTHROPOLOGIE AND KEITH JOHNSON

I went to event on May 6th, Sorry for the late post, its been crazy getting the kid-o's to the end of the year for Project Fashion, to see Keith Johnson talk at the Anthropologie in Chelsea Market and it was so wonderful. His life must be so amazing, traveling the world in search of amazing art, artists, designs and finds. I always have had a bad case of wanderlust, so I am super jealous. Turns out he was super sweet and friendly too, a lot of the times when you meet someone you admire, there jerks, but he seemed like a truly nice guy to hangout with. He told us wonderful travel stories and about his father being an antiques dealer and bring home a carousel, which I thought must have been so magical, living amongst theses storied things.

I also got there fully intending not to speak, I got really self conscious since originally I was going with someone and now would be there alone, But I mustered the courage and even made a comment about going to Budapest on his next adventure for the show Man Shops Globe ( I love that show). Then my courage waned and when he asked for suggestions after the talk of place to go in BP I choked and me and my beau hustled to a late dinner, I blame my hunger on my lack of follow thru. Anyway above and below are pics of the beautiful store in which he gave a guided tour of all the objects after the talk.

I love these blue tiles with the hot pink flowers.