9/11/15

do it anyway


last week the song "anyway" by martina mcbride came on as i was listening to my music on shuffle. i then listened to it on repeat, probably ten times. i'm not a country music person, but for some reason i love this song. on a whim, i googled it and found out it's inspired by the paradoxical commandments by kent m. keith, which was one of mother teresa's favorite poems. coincidentally, on that same day i saw emily weiss post that poem on instagram. AND ten minutes later, i clicked on an article on My Domaine about how to stop fear in it's tracks - guess what - it turned out to be dedicated to the book Feel The Fear...And Do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers.

remember when oprah said that life whispers to you all the time? well, i certainly heard the whispers loud and clear. in researching how to improve this blog, i've read a lot of articles that say, it's silly to start a blog in this already over saturated blog market. that you need to offer something special, and serve it to your readers in a proven formula of "the 5 _____ you need to be doing," or "the 10 things you shouldn't have in your house when you're 30," or "this _____ will change your life." that you need to assert yourself as an expert on something. but, that's not what i want to do. so the self-doubt comes creeping in. the inner voice that says, this is silly. why are you doing this? so, my new answer to that voice is, who cares, i'm doing it anyway.

i want to write about things i love, things that interest me, and hopefully be able to have a conversation with people about these topics and images that strike a chord with me. i want to share my paintings and collages and use this platform to push myself creatively. i want to learn and practice photography and editing, so i signed up for the at home blogshop and i'm going to pull the trigger on a new camera soon. i may never be the best photographer out there, but i want to learn anyway. i want to become a better writer and use this space to help define my voice. this blog may not draw in a million visitors, but i'm going to write it anyway. i love, love, love reading, so even if no one joins my book club i'm going to have monthly "meetings" anyway. seeing a beautiful interior is so inspiring and fun to me, so even if you can also find the images i'm sharing on pinterest or a million other blogs, i'm going to share them anyway.

in short, i want to work on keeping perfectionism at bay, and focus on putting myself out there in spite of all the reasons i can think of not to. if you've ever felt like your efforts are in vain, but you've forged ahead regardless, i applaud you. if you have a song in your heart, you should sing it. even if nobody hears it, sing on little bird. sing it anyway.


image via on fourth street

9/1/15

book club - september 2015 issue


can i just say (of course i can, this is my blog and i can say whatever i want), i am so unbelievably ready for fall. i'm ready to slow down and enjoy some soup. and a ... good book! i started reading the good girl by mary kubica, and it is so good. i was actually sad that my train ride went by without a delay "because of train traffic ahead of us." it revolves around a girl who has been kidnapped and is told from various perspectives from either before or after the event. plus, it has the word "girl" in the title, so if it's anything like gone girl or the girl on the train, then i'm in for a good ride. i smell a twist coming, but i can't figure it out and it's driving me ca-ray-zy.

last month i read What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love by carole radziwill. i cried on the train a total of four times, but it was definitely worth it because it is such a wonderful and inspiring book. if you're looking for juicy kennedy inside information, this isn't the book for you. it's a humble, sincere, loving, and beautiful love story, and has little to nothing to do with the fame and fortune of the people it is dedicated to.

have you read either? if so, i'd love to know what you thought. if not, i'd love it if you joined me!


image via: French by Design


8/31/15

interior design, seventies style


AND, because i can't help it...

i'm sort of obsessed with hunting down the perfect pair of flared jeans right now (these or these?) and obviously, fashion is very 70's inspired at the moment. it got me searching for seventies interiors, and i think i found some real gems. i mean...that ikea catalog - i'm sorry, katalog - it's like an instagram straight out of portland. mid-century modern has been the dominating trend for the past few years, but i wonder if we will see a more 1970's specific look arise soon. like, full on avocado hued shag carpeting. wall to wall. and futuristic modular furniture. and thick mustaches? what do we think?


images via: 1. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. *2, 4, and 9 from an expired link from ebay. i guess we missed the boat on the cool vintage architectural digest sale :/  


8/27/15

room + playlist - reading in bed edition


george ezra BARCELONA benjamin francis leftwich SHINE the head and the heart LOST IN MY MIND bon iver HOLOCENE nick drake PINK MOON the swell season LOW RISING glen hansard & marketa irglova THE MOON interference GOLD jessie baylin LITTLE SPARK blind pilot THE STORY I HEARD the avett brothers I AND LOVE AND YOU alexi murdoch THROUGH THE DARK the weepies WORLD SPINS MADLY ON priscilla ahn DREAM mikky ekko SMILE 

access playlist after the jump | image via sf girl by bay

8/26/15

this artist is awesome - mia christopher

what happy art! the colors are so joyful, and i really appreciate the playful movement and energy. in a word, mia christopher is awesome. 



8/24/15

an amazing kitchen


why it's amazing: the chunky white counter tiles. a perfect shade of white paint. that red glazed vase. wood spoons. perfect pops of turquoise. so many lemons. it just is. 


images via Mother Mag




8/23/15

five podcasts you would like

my not-so-secret obsession with podcasts is growing. my life is like the perfect storm for such an obsession, since i a) commute on the train to and from work everyday b) don't have enough space on my phone for more than ten songs in itunes and i'm sick of all of them, and c) enjoy multitasking. 

who's the "you" in the title of this blog you might be asking? "is she talking about me? she doesn't even know me. what a presumptuous lady." except for i probably do know you. you're most likely my mom or my friend laura. and if you're not, well, welcome! and how did you get here? do you like podcasts?

anyways, i've been listening to a few amazing new ones while i not-so-patiently wait for season two of serial. 

1. StartUp - one man's journey of starting his own podcast network told from the very beginning. my favorite episode - all of them. but, i particularly enjoyed How To Name Your Company

2. Detective - a retired detective with an intense "old fashioned man" voice speaks about what he's seen during his 23 years on the field. my favorite episode (and only one so far) - Murder in the First

3. Mystery Show - frivolous mysteries that are fun, cheerful, and surprisingly gripping. my favorite episodeCase #1 Video Store

4. How To Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black - my obscure and hilarious celebrity crush interviews really cool people.  my favorite episode Tavi Gevinson

5. Thinking Sideways - very entertaining investigations on unanswered questions. my favorite episodeKubrick's The Shining


image via Garance Dore