Lounge

Lounging days are so few and far between. This is one reason that I love holidays! Those days that are set aside for us to sleep in, eat, hang out around the house, and just relax. Colder weather means snuggling under blankets, drinking hot chocolate and tea, and putting on layers. I love these pieces from Anthropologie. Lounge pants and robes aplenty! I have what some may call a small collection of robes, I love them. I have four different cozy wraps and I just keep wanting more. 

Chick Flicks Forever!

Everyone has movies that they watch over and over again. These movies are the "chick flick" movies that I discovered when I was a teenager and really spoke to me. I love to watch these movies on snowy winter days, days when I want to hide out and knit, I like to play them in the background while I clean the house, or just when I have alone time and want to hang out by myself. Fried Green Tomatoes , based on the novel by Fannie Flagg  starring Jessica Tandy , Kathy Bates , Mary Stuart Masterson , and Mary Louise Parker , is an awesome story about best friends, finding yourself, and family. While it is kind of a chick flick, it still has a really good story, a murder mystery, and a loving community in the 1920s south. It is sad yet joyful and so inspiring. Foxfire is one of Angelina Jolie's first movies, released in 1996 and loosely based on Joyce Carol Oats novel by the same name, this movie is about a sort of sisterhood bond between a group of girls who beat up a teacher who sexually harasses female students. It has a great 90s Grunge soundtrack and also stars Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis and supermodel Jenny Shimizu. I think this movie genuinely changed my life. Angelina Jolie's character hitches rides from town to town and thinks for herself. I wouldn't have been the same pain in the ass teenager without this movie!   How To Make an American Quilt stars Winona Ryder (I miss her, why'd she have to steal those damn socks?!), Maya Angelou , Ellen Burstyn , and Anne Bancroft .  This movie is about a group of women in a quilting circle who advise Winona Ryder, who is about to get married, about being true to herself. They each share their stories about finding their soul mates. It is sad, real, lovely, and funny. If there are any of these movies you haven't seen, add them to your queue! 

Refreshing Summer Cocktail

I found this recipe for an Air Mail Cocktail and I think it sounds unbelievably refreshing and delicious. I wish I was sitting by the pool sipping one right now.

chilled wine glass

2 ounces Mount Gay Special Reserve White Rum

1 ounce fresh lime juice

3/4 ounces honey syrup*

2 to 3 ounces well chilled sparkling wine, such as Prosecco

Add the rum, lime juice and honey syrup to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Pour into wine glass and top with sparkling wine.

via: Forbes.com

Vintage Inspired Swim Wear

I don't know what its like where you live but here in the middle of the country we're experiencing our first summer sweltering heat wave. It is unbearable already and all I can think about is laying by the pool, swimming in the lake, and sipping some tasty summer beverage (Gin and Tonics anyone?) I am so happy that these vintage inspired bathing suites are so easy to find now. I fell in love with this top one from Anthropologie , it reminds me of 1930s Atlantic City, the next one you can order from Mod Cloth and is so 1950s pin-up. The third is from J. Crew and i love the color, such a modern take on the vintage classic. You can find tons of high waisted two pieces, one piece suites with boy cut legs or hip-covering ruching. These suites are classic, modest yet sexy, and you'll be totally comfortable wearing them in front of your boyfriend's parents.

Wonderful Getaway in Tuscany

While I was over in Italy, one of the highlights of my trip was staying at this gorgeous apartmen t. Located just outside of the wonderful town of Pontassieve in Tuscany, this place was exactly what I was looking for. It was just outside Florence and we rode the train into Florence one day. We had planned on going again but loved this place so much we decided to hang out here instead. I found it on homeaway and it was everything I hoped for. The apartment we rented is one of five on the property. This building was a watchtower that was built in the 16th century, it overlooks vineyards, olive tree groves, and the town, nestled between the mountains. I stayed in the studio apartment which was the perfect size, it had a bed, a bathroom with a great shower (which was well appreciated after hostel showers, train rides, and dragging my suitcase all over town), a small kitchenette, and a terrace with a wonderful view. I absolutely loved the town itself too, if you don't mind walking you can get to the town in about 45 minutes or less (we did stop to take lots of pictures.) We felt truly immersed in Italian culture, we were the only tourists there, we hung out outside the cafe on the square and watched as the kids got out of school, the people got off work, and the old men gathered to talk and watch the bike races inside. Everyone was very friendly and we really enjoyed our time there. Jane, the lovely woman who owns the property with her husband was a wonderful host and went out of her way to make us feel comfortable. She has the sweetest daughter, Vita, who was a joy to talk to and Peggy the cat, who made appearances and really made me feel at home. If you get the chance to go to Tuscany, this is the place to stay, wonderfully priced, homey and clean, you'll never want to leave!

The Unexpected Greatness of Iowa

I am lucky enough to have a family who built a cabin by Lake Okoboj i in northwestern Iowa. My Grandpa, uncles, and some friends of the family all put in a lot of time and muscle to build our well loved cabin. Although not all of us get up there as much as we'd like, anytime we're there we have the best time. For Grandma's birthday that's where we held the festivities. We went out on the boat, grilled out, and had all the fun you'd expect to have on the lake. Anyone who hasn't been there needs to go, the Lakes are all very clean, they have a great amusement park, Arnolds Park , which boasts The Legend, a wooden roller coaster built in 1927 which is still going strong, a super fun log ride, lots of shopping and you can take a ride on the Queen II, which tours the lakes and looks like an old time steam boat. There are also golf courses, mini-golf, tons of flea markets to scavenge on rainy days, and concerts in the park. If you live anywhere in the midwest, or really anywhere at all, you have to experience the wonder that is Okoboji. You'll want to try and figure out how you can stay all summer.

See You Soon!

I am so excited for my vacation but I also have something to look forward to when I get back. My lovely boyfriend, Chris and I will be moving in together! We just went to look at an apartment today and we both really love it.  It has my mind on overdrive with all things domestic.  The apartment we looked at today has TWO patios! Container gardens, patio sets, sipping tea. Baking cookies and muffins, knitting and sewing blankets, pillows, and quilts. What a great thing to look forward to after vacation. I don't know if I will have time to post tomorrow, as I will be spending time with my lovely mother on Mother's Day, and some time with my wonderful boyfriend, who is taking me out for a nice dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, The Justus Drugstore . So if I don't get to post again before I leave, just know, I'll be back soon and I'll have lots of wonderful pictures from Italy and France to share with everyone!

European Vacation

A week from today I will be on a plane to Rome. This is a trip I have dreamt about my whole life, it is coming up so fast now, it feels surreal. I cannot wait. My best friend and i will be going all over Italy as well as visiting Paris. Here are some pictures of the tourist attractions we will be going to see. The Colosseum, The Parthenon, a lovely view of the city of Florence, this awesome hide out on the Mediterranean my friend found, Cinque Terre, and of course the Arc de Triumph in Paris. Two glorious weeks of Europe. Can't wait!

Soak till you're pruney

When was the last time you took a nice relaxing bath? I used to be a real bath person. When I was younger, I preferred them over showers but now, it's a lot harder for me to relax in the bath. I get bored. I love these bathtubs though, the top picture looks about as relaxed as one could possibly get, a nice, large, outdoor bathtub! The second one was designed by Marco Tallarida, and I thought it was a creative and beautifully modern take on a luxery bath, and of course the old claw foot Victorian bath tub would make you feel like a princess no matter what. Some good tunes, some delicious bubble bath, and a nice warming face mask (I am in love with this one from Be Fine) and you can be magically renewed after a rough day. Here are a few tips on how to make your bath tub experience a real treat.