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love for the city: fall


continuing with the 'love for the city' series

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when the leaves start to turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red, you know fall is here. and while there is definite appeal to seeing fall's majestic colors against the backdrop of a winding country road, i love to watch this transformation unfold in the city.







all pics by me



pretty stuff, right?

this year, the leaves haven't quite got to this point, but it's coming. and it's something i always like to capture it on camera since it's gone in a flash.

if you can't get out of the city but want to take in some of this seriously gorgeous fall-ness, i recommend taking a walk, run, or drive (if you have a car) through rock creek park.

the district in the fall: it's one of my favorite sights.

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for more reasons to fall in love with dc, check out the entire 'love for the city' series, right here.

minimalist

movie posters tend to be overdone, over photoshopped, and even a little obnoxious at times.

but what if they weren't?

here's some beautiful examples of minimalism in movie (and tv!) posters, all sourced from here.


by forest knauff  
by andrew millen
by ojasvi mohanty
by korju (aka karl) 
by travis english
by daniel keane 
by josh fenn 
by oliver shilling
by hunter langston
by the 8th mm




pretty good stuff, right?

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oh. and have you heard of that last one? the king of kong?

it's incredible. and this is coming from a person who could care less about the entire video gaming industry. but it's just one of those feel-good movies where you find yourself rooting for the good guy and loathing the villain. it really draws you in. i can't recommend enough. 

watch a preview here.


call of the wild

who's up for animal sweaters?

my take? 

this is one of those things where i'm really surprised i like it as much as i do. but i'm really loving this wave of kooky-but-cool sweaters that are hitting the market these days (and slowly making their way down to the realm of the reasonably priced).

let's face it: sweaters can be super boring. i love to inject a little bit of humor and personality into my wardrobe, and these sweaters with their quirky prints and somewhat kitschy vibe really work.


polyvore set here



in the early fall, try pairing one of these sweaters with shorts and some ankle boots. or maybe a flowing pleated skirt. a cool pair of colored jeans or a pair of cropped pants (patterned or not) would also be awesome here.

it takes a little bit of careful styling to wear something like this that could easily come off as childish, but i can't wait to incorporate one or more of these into my fall and winter attire.

dollop





have you ever tried it? 

it's my favorite. salsa on its own is fine too, of course.

but the next time you find yourself with chips + salsa, add a little scoop of cream cheese (provided you like the stuff in the first place!) to the bowl. super delicious.

also, it helps to let the cream cheese sit out for about 30 minutes to get the chill off. much more chip friendly when it's not solid as a rock.

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come to think of it, i bet you could make a pretty snazzy appetizer spread with this little snack plus my spicy pineapple salsa, ranch dip and not-so-basic shrimp cocktail.

hey-oh! let's pour that wine! 

i feel a party coming on...

potw: lovely lace

lace is one of my favorite things. so feminine and delicate.

and i think it's a nice textural element to bring to print pieces.

behold:


by aimee o'boyle for bella figura

by steel petal press

the two invitations pictured above mimic the texture of lace, while the two examples shown below marry the fabric and print worlds beautifully.

by zenadia design

in fact, covering the back of an invitation entirely in lace has got to be one the best things i've seen in a while. for the right event, it adds a really special touch.

here, the designer has used it in place of traditional photo corners. so smart.

by a&p designs
if you're not in the market for a printed invitation or announcement of some sort, there's always this little blue lace heart.

by heartfish press


isn't it lovely?

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looking for more letterpress goods? check out my press of the week series here. a new potw is posted (almost) every monday.

time goes by

a tree at our neighborhood park
the moon peeking out early
possibly my new favorite snack (sliced baguette, smoked salmon, cream cheese, and tomatoes)
penn quarter/chinatown action
savoring the very last of the summer heirlooms
a gloriously sunny sunday
lucy + her shadow



september, my friend, you have been one fast-moving month.

i can't believe it's going to be october in a week. 

the weekend was pretty good, not too much happening. i did try a pumpkin bomb (pumpkin ale + a whiskey shot!) on saturday. pretty good stuff and not as harsh as it might sound.

i'm also hoping to get back to the apple harvest festival this year. that's always a good time.

here's to a great week!

it's a bird


i'm about to step outside and start enjoying the sunshine.

i took this picture a few years ago when the boy and i were stuck in crazy traffic on the way to nats park (go nats btw!) 

that bird just looked so free to me while i was decidedly not at that moment. 

anyways, hope you're able to experience some of that freedom this weekend, whatever you're up to. 

happy friday!

go team

i was never a true football fan until college.

my whole family was always pretty into sports, and when football season came around, my st. louis-born parents always cheered for (first) the cardinals and then the rams after the cardinals moved to arizona.

i could watch the games with a mild interest, but i didn't really care that much who won or lost. that all changed in college.

to give you an idea, my dad likes to tell (and re-tell) this story about the summer before my freshmen year: i got something in the mail from UF about student season tickets. i wasn't sure if i wanted them, so i didn't pull the trigger. and my dad swore up and down "you'll change your mind when you get there." 

um, ok, old man.

he was 100% right. 

once in gainesville, football fever hit hard and immediately. i'll never forget that first saturday home game. the electricity, the excitement, the way the whole town came to a stand-still to tailgate until kickoff. i saw how wrong i'd been. 

it was easy enough to get tickets to most of the games that year, but every year after that, i was a season ticket holder. there was no question. and as the years progressed, i started to understand the game, to follow college football nationally, to hate teams from baton rouge, tuscaloosa,  and tallahassee more than i ever thought possible.

i lost my voice, amassed an impressive collection of orange and blue clothing,  sweated to death in that steamy 88,000-capacity swamp, and loved every minute of it.

and in the south, getting dressed for a football game is an art in itself. you don't just toss on a jersey and head out; you wear an outfit and likely that outfit is a dress. and i grew to appreciate that. 

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when i moved up here in 2004, i got my first taste of a land where pro football was king. 

the ap poll? college game day?

pssh. just ways to pass the time to get to the main event on sunday.

my husband's family puts mine to shame in terms of die-hard fandom. TO SHAME. i experienced my first NFL game with them, and it was quite a different experience to say the least, right down to the game day clothing choices i saw around me. 

i don't need to get into the merits of college versus pro: they've both got their strong points and less desirable aspects.

but i stil wanted to look cute at the games, dammit. and since it's been a while since i've done a very necessary post, i thought i'd share with you my must-haves for game days, no matter who your team is.

polyvore set here

on the left side, we have the look: comfortable, layered clothing that should get you through the day. a light jacket, a shirt that shows your team spirit, and some coordinating accessories. this outfit is perfect for fall game days. i'd definitely check the weather before deciding on shoes though: there really is nothing worse than wet feet.

now, on the right side, we have the things that really matter. the stuff that makes you prepared for anything, even porta-potties. 

starting from the top, we have blankets. because although it's not too chilly now, once october and november hit, it can get cold in those metal bleachers. so if the stadium policies allow it, bring a blanket. 

i also never bring a purse with me. unless you're in a suite of some sort, there's absolutely no where to stash it once you get to your seats. on the floor beneath you? ok, but watch out for falling beer and peanut shells from above. i prefer some sort of credit card wallet that will hold ONLY my essentials: ID, credit cards, cash. there's less to lose and less to worry about that way.

now, a flask isn't absolutely necessary, but if you're a whiskey snob, you may want to bring some of your own. completely optional. but it looks cute, doesn't it?

lastly, i'm offering the same advice as i did for road trips: bring your own toilet paper and seat covers. even if you avoid the horror that is porta-potties, those stadium bathrooms are usually disgusting. being prepared always helps. i also threw in a tide pen since tailgate food tends to be messy. and you don't want those stains to set in.

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so there you have it. my tips for a no-fail good time at the tailgate.

who do you root for?

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check out my other 'very necessary' posts hereherehere, and here.

the penguin

it never really goes out of style, but black and white is having a bit of a moment.

all images via style.com


here's some ways to relish this classically chic color combination.

polyvore set here



that iphone case in the style of a composition book is just too cute for words. or maybe it just takes me back to getting new school supplies at the beginning of the year. i'd always crack open my new notebooks and take a deep inhale.

guess i've always loved the smell of paper.

potw: watercolor


incorporating dreamy watercolors into your print pieces really makes them something special. and because they're done by hand, each piece is its own one-of-a-kind work of art. i'm all about a good labor of love.

here are some beautiful examples i dug up:

by the aerialist press
by juniper and juno
by lennah press 
by jessica jones via how about orange | also available as a free download here 
by paper krush 
by printerette press 
by linda and harriet via minted





transparent, airy color alongside the deep impressions from letterpress? it's beautiful.

i'm working on a baby shower invitation for my sister, and this technique is being given some serious consideration at the moment.

what's your take?

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looking for more letterpress goods? check out my press of the week series here. a new potw is posted (almost) every monday.

just gorgeous

the weather here in dc this weekend was nothing short of perfect. here's what i did:

rode down north capitol with the top down
checked out the scene at union market 
tried kiwi berries for the first time (if you like kiwi fruit, these are a must try!)
marveled at the beautiful rowhouse details yet again
pigged out at boundary stone
baked bread for the first time using this too-easy-for-words recipe (no kneading!)
enjoyed a quiet sunday morning
played fetch with lucy
...for a while
devoured some gorgeous tomatoes from union market


i always thought i disliked september weather. maybe it's been cooler in previous years or maybe my memory just isn't that great, but i'm all about these temps right now. it's perfect for sitting outside.

hope your weekend was fantastic wherever you were!

 

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