Smitten (with) Kitchens

If I could do anything I wanted to our kitchen, I'm pretty sure it would land somewhere in a combination between these two rooms.

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I'm thinking these stripes would be a much less drastic option, but would still add some much-needed color. (Have I mentioned that our cabinets are approximately the color of my skin at present?)

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Although this is probably more drastic than anything I'd actually do, I just. love. pink. so. much.

Perhaps I'll just have to break out a sander and some pink paint and see what K and our roommate have to say? ;)

p.s. The title is a reference to one of my most favorite cooking blogs.

Portland's Rose Gardens

After our lovely week in Sunriver, we squeezed in a whirlwind tour of Portland before heading back to the airport. The bulk of our visit was taken up by our stop at the beautiful rose gardens of Portland. Although it was one big space, there were distinct spaces throughout, including the Gold Medal garden and a traditional English rose garden.

Not only was it beautiful in and of itself, but it also has gorgeous views of the city itself.

One thing that I loved were how fun visual elements were combined throughout the space, like this flower-laden lamp post...

And this sculpture.

Of course, the flowers were fantastic and, to be honest, a bit overwhelming. Part of the gardens were the International Rose Test Garden, where they create brand new varieties! There were so many to see that we easily could have spent an entire day looking at all of the different varieties.

They also had some phenomenal archways that were covered with roses.

I loved so many of the flowers, but these were pretty fabulous.

Overall, this was definitely worth the stop and was one of my favorite parts of our trip!

I Want to Ride My Bicycle

Now that I live in a town that is much more bike friendly, I keep meaning to use mine much more frequently than I have so far.

Although I'm currently blaming my lack of cycling around on the heat and humidity, I think it would also help if my bike were even a fraction as cute as the ones below.

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I'm thinking that I may need to at least add on a basket to up the cute factor at least a bit!

(Also, can you believe that second bike is from Target?)

Currently Craving

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This past weekend, while visiting my lovely friends Chelsea and Liesl in Charleston, I had a truly fabulous time. We spent plenty of time sitting at the beach (and getting thrown around by the waves), sampling delicious food, doing some shopping (TJ Maxx and Marshall's/Home Goods have massive, well-stocked stores right near each other. Dangerous!), seeing some live music, and catching up.

Although I would be hard pressed to choose my favorite food from the weekend (aside from the box of frozen cream puffs we devoured...), my favorite drink was potentially the best iced tea I've ever tasted. Since moving to the south, I've learned that such things are an art form, much more serious than the Lipton variety I grew up with in Connecticut.

The secret ingredient behind this particular variety? Cinnamon. Even though I got the unsweetened version (very un-Southern of me), it was so flavorful that I didn't need to add any sugar. It was wonderfully refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day.

I already have plans to recreate this at home, with my fingers crossed that it turns out even half as well!

Simple Studs Get an A+

Happy Monday! I had a fabulous time in Charleston and I hope your weekends were similarly wonderful. I'm already dreaming up fun plans for this coming weekend to make the next few days go by even more quickly.

Recently I've had earrings on the brain, perhaps because I've lost several in the past few weeks (one while rafting and one... somewhere in our house?). After going through a major chandelier and dangly-earring phase (with some embarrassingly large faux pearls thrown in for good measure...), lately I'm loving small studs instead. My recent favorites have been super-neutral, like tiny pearls and silver shapes like the owls I'm currently wearing, which I can easily leave on for days at a time.

When it comes to jewelry, I really like to have some basics that stay fairly constant, like thin, stackable rings, a classic watch, and these earrings, and then add a main focal piece with a statement necklace or bracelet.

While this definitely isn't everyone's strategy, I've found that it works well for me and helps to take the guess work out of getting dressed!

Here are some of the earrings I'd currently love to add to my collection:

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I love that these are so neutral but with a bit of shine and texture. These are definitely earrings that could go with nearly any outfit.

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These are so lovely and feminine and remind me of springtime in NC.

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A combination of an old favorite and a new one- flowers and a nice, deep plum color.

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A subtle bit of sunshine.

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A nice graphic element.

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Two birds on a wire. So sweet and unexpected.

Thought of the Week

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." -Louisa May Alcott

Have an Above-Average Weekend!

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I can't believe Friday is already here! Even though it's been absolutely sweltering out here (why did I leave the West coast?), I'll be heading even further South to visit two of my wonderful friends and sorority sisters in Charleston. I can't wait to catch up with them, explore the city some more, and partake in what they refer to as BBB- beach, bars, and brunch. Personally, I'm more interested in the first and last of those, but I'm just generally excited for the weekend?

What about you all? Any fun plans? Whatever you're up to, I hope the next two days are wonderful and relaxing!

Oregon Adventure

I'm still coming off the high from our fantastic trip to Oregon last week. Having only visited the Pacific Northwest for the first time in the fall (to Seattle/Tacoma), I'm so glad we had the chance to head out there again to do a bit more exploring!

Here are some of my favorite photos from throughout our journey.

Here's a pretty gorge we passed on the drive from Portland to Sunriver. I also love how the suspended bridge looks like it's sitting right beneath the mountains.

Although the subject matter isn't funny, K and I had a good laugh over this sign's image.

We stayed in a house with K's entire immediate family, so there were 11 of us total, including her five-week-old niece. Here's an early morning shot of our backyard. It's one of my faves from this trip.

We also had a nice little view of Mt. Bachelor in the distance and were only a few minutes away from the Deschutes River. One day, K's sister and brother-in-law went into town and got cheap inflatable tubes and we spent the better part of the afternoon floating down the river. It was heavenly. We also got to raft and canoe on other parts of the river during the week!

This is the photo from the top of Lava Butte, which is a cinder cone and part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. This is the crater at the top, and you can see where the lava descended into the forest below. We had several mini panic attacks here, trying to make sure K's three-year-old nephew didn't fall into the crater while running around!

Here's a pretty shot from our day trip to Sisters, a small town northwest of Bend. As someone who was obsessed with Oregon Trail growing up and is still interested in pioneer history, it was really cool to see details like this throughout our trip. Some of my highlights were driving and rafting past parts of the original Oregon Trail, since you can still see some of the tracks from the wagon wheels.

Me, in my traveling clothes, in front of the Three Sisters mountains. From left to right are South Sister, Middle Sister, and North Sister, also referred to as Charity, Hope, and Faith. Although they don't look like a whole lot here, they're the third through fifth tallest peaks in Oregon.

On our way back to the airport in Portland, we swung through Salem to visit Willamette University, K's alma mater. Don't you wish your campus had a pretty river running through it?

Our final stop before catching our flights was the Portland Rose Garden, which I'll be dedicating a separate post to sometime soon. For now, a shot of some of the prettiest flowers I saw there.

So, there's the recap of our trip in nine photos. I'm already wishing we had more time there to explore Portland, Eugene, and the coast. I definitely have plans for us to return eventually! What about you- have you ever been to Oregon? What are some of your Pacific Northwest must-sees?

Road Tripping

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Even though I recently returned from an amazing trip to Oregon (more on that tomorrow), I'm already concocting my next vacation. Right now I think that an extended road trip with K sounds perfect, perhaps with Montana and Wyoming as the ultimate destinations.

Until then, I'll ogle all of these great WPA posters, particularly the ones advertising national parks.

Breakfast Inspiration

Recently I'd been in a bit of a breakfast rut, which often consisted of me grabbing a container of Greek yogurt or some toast with peanut butter before running out the door to catch the bus.

After stumbling upon this lovely blog, aptly titled Simply Breakfast, I've begun to see the errors of my ways. Jennifer Causey makes and beautifully photographs her breakfast nearly every day and has given me so many inspiring ideas. Perhaps even inspired enough to get up a bit earlier and put a bit more effort into the day's most important meal.

Also, I absolutely love her random assortment of dishes and mugs featured in the various photographs.

Here are some of my current faves...

Everything bagel with Laughing Cow garlic herb cheese, sliced avocado, and red pepper flakes.

Greek yogurt with sliced peaches.

Scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomatoes.

What about y'all? Does cooking up something similar sound like a regular possibility? I'm definitely going to put more effort into my morning meals, but we'll see what happens!

A Walk on the High Line

A few weeks ago, while on a quick trip up to Connecticut and New York, I got to spend a bit of time wandering along the High Line, a new public park in NYC.

 

Stretching 1.45 miles and elevated along the West Side, the High Line was filled with stunning juxtapositions between nature and the city landscape.

Built on what was once a freight train line, the park now follows the same meandering path between buildings and over streets. One of my favorite parts was a sunken ampitheater with a plexiglass window directly over a street, allowing visitors to sit and watch the traffic zoom past.

Have I mentioned that I loved all of the flowers and plants? Because seriously, they're just beautiful.

One of the best parts, though? The gorgeous views of the East River and even a glimpse of Lady Liberty herself (you can't quite see her in the photo above, but I swear she's there!).

 

With beautiful views, lush flora and fauna, and plenty of places to sit and relax, what's not to love?

Pretty Mugs Get an A+

Lately, I've had tea cups and mugs on the brain. Perhaps it's because of the sweltering heat I've come home to in NC (after a blissful vacation in Oregon- photos to come!), but I can't wait to be sipping warm cups of tea in cooler autumn weather. Although I've loved my continuous glasses of iced tea, I'm ready to have a nice warm cup of tea in my hands.

I'm also loving the idea of having a cabinet shelf filled with mismatched tea cups and mugs. The ones below are all so cheerful that I think they'd add a nice little jolt of happiness to each day.

 

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Thought of the Week

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"Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself." -Og Mandino

A+ Picks: Summer Tops

As the summer heat has continued on, I've found myself wanting a few new tops to add some new spice to my wardrobe. Since it can be well into the 100's for days at a time here in NC, having things that are comfortable, breathable, and not too tight are crucial.

Here are some of my current favorites...

I spied this top last night at Old Navy and love the sheer, lightweight fabric and the metallic detailing. I also love that it's work appropriate but can transition easily to a more casual outfit. They also have a 3/4-sleeve version that I adore and decided to go with instead, but for some reason they don't have it up on the website quite yet.

I'm also head-over-heels for this shirt by Merona. I wore it to work and then out for cocktails the other day with a plum-colored skirt and got lots of compliments. It also has really soft fabric, which I love.

Lastly, a slight variation on my go-to white t-shirt. While it's a bit late to wear it to any 4th of July celebrations, they also have it in several other color combinations. I think it would be perfect for a more casual office setting, or to look a bit more pulled-together on the weekends. Have I mentioned that I'm also a sucker for a good rolled sleeve? That plus the stripes and I'm basically in t-shirt heaven.

Thought of the Week

Back in college, an advisor I had loved to send his students inspirational quotes on a weekly basis- a thought of the week, which quickly became shortened to TOTW.

In an effort to be more dilligent in my blog posting, I thought this would be a nice thing to resurrect on my blog. So, without further adieu...

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"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom in life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” 

-Lin Yutang