Monday, February 28, 2011

Oscars Red Carpet Favorites


I think Cate Blanchett's couture dress was my favorite from last night's Oscars - brave & perfect.


 Gwenneth's Calvin Klein dress was gorgeous, but that hip jewel seems strange, no?



You're never fully dressed without a smile.  But the dress is beautiful.


How many months is she?!  And in heels, no less.  Mama's gonna need a foot rub. 

[images courtesy of Getty Images and Reuters]

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Remember the Mountain Bed

I've been listening to Remember the Mountain Bed a lot lately - a Woody Guthrie song, with music by Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) & Jay Bennett.  I was looking for music to play while getting Griffin ready for his nightly bath & Wilco was the only music on our laptop.  (Not surprisingly.)  Then, while trying to stretch Griffin a little longer, I started dancing with him before dipping him in the tub.  And this quickly became our song of choice. It's beautiful.  It's moved me to tears more than once. And I thought I'd share. See Jeff Tweedy perform it live here. Lyrics below. Enjoy!

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Remember the Mountain Bed

Do you still sing of the mountain bed we made of limbs and leaves?
Do you still sigh there near the sky where the holly berry bleeds?
You laughed as I covered you over with leaves
Face, breast, hips, and thighs
You smiled when I said the leaves were just the color of your eyes

Rosin smells and turpentine smells from eucalyptus and pine
Bitter tastes of twigs we chewed where tangled wood vines twine
Trees held us in on all four sides so thick we could not see
I could not see any wrong in you, and you saw none in me

Your arm was brown against the ground, your cheeks part of the sky
Your fingers played with grassy moss, as limber you did lie
Your stomach moved beneath your shirt and your knees were in the air
Your feet played games with mountain roots as you lay thinking there

Below us the trees grew clumps of trees, raised families of trees, and they
As proud as we tossed their heads in the wind and flung good seeds away
The sun was hot and the sun was bright down in the valley below
Where people starved and hungry for life so empty come and go

There in the shade and hid from the sun we freed our minds and learned
Our greatest reason for being here, our bodies moved and burned
There on our mountain bed of leaves we learned life's reason why
The people laugh and love and dream, they fight, they hate to die

The smell of your hair I know is still there, if most of our leaves are blown
Our words still ring in the brush and the trees where singing seeds are sown
Your shape and form is dim but plain, there on our mountain bed
I see my life was brightest where you laughed and laid your head...

I learned the reason why man must work and how to dream big dreams
To conquer time and space and fight the rivers and the seas
I stand here filled with my emptiness now and look at city and land
And I know why farms and cities are built by hot, warm, nervous hands

I crossed many states just to stand here now, my face all hot with tears
I crossed city, and valley, desert, and stream, to bring my body here
My history and future blaze bright in me and all my joy and pain
Go through my head on our mountain bed where I smell your hair again.

All this day long I linger here and on in through the night
My greeds, desires, my cravings, hopes, my dreams inside me fight:
My loneliness healed, my emptiness filled, I walk above all pain
Back to the breast of my woman and child to scatter my seeds again


[Music courtesy of Wilco & Woody Guthrie]

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!


Griffin & I had a little photo shoot last week in preparation for John's Valentine's Day gift, and I just couldn't resist sharing a couple here. Hope they make you smile.

 xoxo
Griffin & Griffin's mom:)

Friday, February 11, 2011

Menagerie by Sharon Montrose


I have a print of Sharon Montrose's hanging in Griffin's room and gave another to a friend.  I love her work (especially her baby animal shots) and cannot wait to get a copy of her new book when it comes out this fall.  Here's the sneak peek cover she just unveiled on her blog.  Gorg, no?

Have a great weekend, everyone.

xoxo

ps - how adorable is that baby porcupine in the middle?  Want to squeeze him.  But not.

[image courtesy of Sharon Montrose]

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Anthropologie goes Bridal

There's a lot of buzz about Anthropologie's new line of wedding dresses, BHLDN.  And rightly so.  It's a fireworks combination.

I love the pleating in this dress above.  But this model is uber thin, so I'd have to think it would make even an average-sized girl look hefty.  Still - the pleats and the color are stunning.

Can't wait to see more.

More first look images via Glamour here.

ps - Joy has put together a great sneak peek from the official unveiling of the collection, which you can see here.

[image courtesy of BHLDN and Glamour]

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Baggu: New Patterns

 I love the stripes, polka dots & elephants from Baggu - right up my alley.  I also have a thing for zip purses.  (I think Baggu calls them "pouches.")  I have a lot of them.  For smallsies - like makeup (which for me is mascara, a Tarte cheek stain, and lip balm) or jewelry for traveling or a little pharmacy in a bag (advil, monthly meds, tampons - you know).  I'm pretty sure that my older sister uses one just for receipts.  The list for their uses could go on for days, but I agree with Jen, that their zip purses would be perfect for keeping stuff sand-free at the beach.  And what better way to do it than with some beachy stripes? 

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Adele Enersen


Adele Enersen takes these photos while her daughter sleeps.  Amazing.




[all images courtesy of Adele Enerson]

Monday, February 7, 2011

Griffin's Room


I finally got around to hanging some things on Griffin's walls this weekend.  I'm so slow to commit to the walls of a room, but it always makes the biggest impact.  These flags, in particular, make me (and Griffin) so happy!

Above, two framed prints: a balloon "L" (a gift for baby Libre from Lizzy, who knows I love balloons) and a Sharon Montrose goose.  I picked up the flags and marquee "G" at Gifted - both from The Great Middle West.  And a little stuffed Giraffe from Patty peeking out at the bottom - Oh, hello Mr. Giraffe.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Valentines for Paperless Post


Our Valentine's Day collection for Paperless Post is up!  Here are a few of my favorites.  I am so impressed with the quality of the Paperless Post process & options.  You know how I love my paper, but sometimes, going paperless is the way to go.  And no one does it better.  Truly.  

Send some fun inbox love this Valentine's Day!  And check out the Linda & Harriett collection on Paperless Post here.



[images courtesy of Paperless Post and Linda & Harriett]

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

About Town: Blue Sky Bakery


I can't believe that it's taken me so long to feature Blue Sky Bakery on my About Town posts.  This is hands down my favorite bakery/coffee shop in all the land.  Maybe even my favorite place in Brooklyn.  Just after I had Griffin, when it took an army just to step out of the apartment, my first stop was Blue Sky.  If I could get here, get my latte & muffin, I was set for the entire day.  And I've never considered myself much of a coffee drinker or one for muffins.  But Blue Sky converted me.  The owner is a super nice guy, as is everyone who works here.  And the muffins are crazy good.


My go-to order?  Large latte and a muffin - whatever has pumpkin in it.  The golden child of muffins?  Well, it's a tie: Pumpkin, Banana, Chocolate Chip and Zucchini, Raspberry, Chocolate Chip.  Runner Up?  A slice of the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread - not your average banana bread! (Hmm, maybe my go-to order should be anything with chocolate in it.)  John likes any muffin with cream cheese in it.  Yes, cream cheese IN it.  Again, it's my favorite place.


If you're in the area, you really must stop in.  Pick up some muffins for you, your co-workers or your host.  Call ahead for an order of 6 or more muffins.  And get a muffin card - your 10th muffin is free.  Enjoy!

Blue Sky Bakery
53 5th Ave
(between Bergen St & St Marks Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11217

(718) 783-4123 
Hours: 7:30am - 1:30pm (opens at 8am on weekends)

[photos, top to bottom: Kingsley waiting patiently outside of Blue Sky while I took the photo; muffins straight from the oven; Pumpkin Apple Walnut muffin]