afternoon.

i'm currently sitting in a comfy chair and the rain is pouring down outside. i decided it was time for a little break, so i brewed a pot of decaf and watched this amazing video. if you're in the mood to be inspired, check it out. 

my favorite line is: "i collect bad wines. because if the wine is ready and the person is there... i'm opening it. " isn't that great? :)


(photo credit: stephanie cb)

beginning anew.

over the weekend, simon and i had a little painting party. our dining room and kitchen walls are now brown teepee. (of course, i think the color looks like 'creamy coffee.' yum.)

we also rearranged the furniture, moved the art around, and made piles of old textbooks and novels to donate to our local reading tree.

it feels so good to mix things up in the dead of winter, don't you think? now all we need is a little sunshine.

(photo credit: allie bishop pasquier)

getting through winter.

today is another snow day in boston. i'm beginning to forget what our sidewalks look like. so, in an attempt to stay positive, here are a few of the things that keep me sane during the cold, dark days of winter.

1. books. it goes without saying, but curling up with a new novel is one of my favorite things in the world. thanks to the suggestion of meredith, i am now hooked on indie bound. i also downloaded the indie bound iphone app that helps me keep track of all the books i want to read. love.

2. thick, wool socks. i wear them inside my boots, around the house, and sometimes even to bed. handmade ones are the best, although these look pretty cozy too.

3. hope in a jar. i'm not usually into expensive cosmetics, but this lotion is divine. it's light, non-greasy, hydrating, and smells really good. goodbye dry skin.

4. knitting. it keeps me busy when i'm cooped up inside, and the gratification of finishing something is nothing short of glorious.

5. tea lights. we have them all over our condo, and they make even the gloomiest of days feel just a little bit cozier. fun fact: did you know that they were originally created to keep tea pots warm? :)

6. crosswords. every night, simon and i climb into bed, turn on our bedside lamps, and try to solve the day's crossword puzzle. i have to confess that every once in a while, i fall asleep before we finish. but it's one of the best parts of my day.

7. messenger bag from moop. it's big enough to haul around all my winter gear: hat, gloves, extra scarf, tissues, book, and even a snack. i don't know what i would do without it.

8. pretty mugs. whether it's for my daily cup of coffee, my afternoon tea break, or a hot chocolate with marshmallows, i firmly believe that mugs should be fun to look at. this particular one is from here.

9. good radio. i feel so lucky to live in boston where we have emerson's station, "music for the independent mind" and another independent station called "the river". what else is there to do on a snow day, but listen to incredible tunes all day long? of course, there is always wait wait, don't tell me, too, which never fails to entertain.

so, tell me, what do you do to stay sane during the winter? 

cinnamon and snow.

boston has officially reached a whole new level of snowy. and i am apparently mastering the art of frumpiness by puttering around the house in a pair of faded, old yoga pants and a sad excuse for a ponytail.

i just wish people were skiing down the streets. (that would be awesome.)

in other news, if you're in the mood for a fun twist to your usual cup of coffee, try adding cinnamon to the coffee grounds. i'm sipping a soy-cinnamon-coffee concoction as we speak. and it's scrumptious!

(photo credit: enzo & lulu)

monday morning.

lesson learned: a cup of coffee tastes even better when served in a vintage county fair drinking jar, accompanied by a tiny candle, and while watching the street scene outside my window.

today is going to be a good day.

on coffee.

(a scene from this morning)

my love for coffee is about so much more than the caffeine. even, dare i say, the flavor. although, the flavor is divine: rich, rustic, and earthy goodness.

my morning cup of coffee is a ritual of pausing. a moment to acknowledge the start of a new day.

i measure the grinds, pour in the water, listen to the hissing steam of the machine as the coffee starts to drip, drip, drip. then the swirl of the cream, slow deliberate sips, the warmth of the mug, and my thoughts.

of course, some days, simon does all of the above, (he he) and the cup of coffee delivered to my hands becomes a ritual of love.

together, we drink coffee, side by side... talk about the day ahead. and we cheers.

a cup of coffee, a new beginning. it really is quite wonderful.


p.s. lately, i have been educating myself about fair trade coffee, and if you're interested in learning more, please visit here.

a sweet wedding idea.

the other day i heard about the following adorable, coffee-inspired alternative to a wedding guest book and swooned!

the bride and groom invite their wedding guests to write something on the inside of an individually wrapped sugar cube - a wish, a joke or a love note. then every time the newly weds have coffee or tea they can open up a sugar cube and read the message! how adorable is that?

can you tell i have weddings on the brain? :)

some day i will learn to take pictures of things other than coffee cups.

remember how i recently told you i want to learn how to take better pictures? well, i have a secret... my father is a photographer. and i've always been curious about photography, (and love looking at his work) but i've never really spent much time on it.

you're probably thinking i should have him teach me, right? yes, but he lives in norway, and we only see each other for short visits here and there. and we're usually too busy talking about life and drinking wine to focus on photography. :)

truth be told, i was hoping it would just come naturally to me. maybe it's genetic, right? hm, maybe not.

every day i'm so inspired by all the artists, designers and photographers in the blogosphere. i love it when bloggers share bits and pieces of their lives through photography. you are all so talented!

so, i'm curious, do you have any tips? tricks up your sleeves? genius recommendations for where to begin? thank you!
xo.

p.s. simon and i both recently got mugs with our initials on them from anthropologie. aren't they fun?

this morning...

it has been snowing in boston! it's been so very cozy. aside: if you want to read a beautiful little description of what it's like to wake up to snow, go here.

anyway, for some reason, i was so drawn to this desk today. maybe it's because i think my snow hat, and my snow boots would be a perfect little addition to this room. and of course, a big mug of coffee. and a sleeping dog. and oh... a space heater for my little toes.

isn't it so calming?

where do you wish you were today?

(photo credit: living etc. via tea for joy)

i heart chemex coffeemakers.

ohhhhh, i wouldn't mind getting one of these for christmas. (hint, hint, simon.)

this beaker-like coffee maker is not only chic, but it's also famous for changing the way americans think about coffee-brewing. you can read more about it here.

yum.

happy monday!

good morning, loves! how are you?

sorry i was away yesterday, but simon and i spent a long weekend in maine. it was so nice to be snuggled up by the fire and playing with the dogs...

now i am back to work, with french vanilla coffee in hand and my space heater on. it's definitely fall!

first things first: the winner of the beautiful art from last week is... elizabeth from oh eliza! congratulations! :) thanks to everyone for participating and providing such great comments. piia is so grateful and happy for all the positive feedback.

second, i want to say a special welcome to all of my new readers! yay! you are all so lovely for supporting this journey of mine, and reading my little posts. you truly make my day. thank you for being here!

i have some fun posts for you later today, so stay tuned. :)

(photo credit: concrete and honey)

craving cozy.

this morning was a wee bit emotional and stressful for me. for reasons that are both silly and justifiable, i suddenly felt my eyes welling up.

so, my friends and i went for a quick starbucks run. their company along with a pumpkin spice latte cheered me right up.

that's not to say, that i wouldn't feel even better if i could also put on some sweat pants and snuggle with a cat or dog...

too cute, huh?

so, tell me, what do you do when you want to be comforted and cozy?

sipping yumminess,

(photo credits: ug and dream beam)

a different kind of mug shot.

as you all know, i am a coffee snob.

but the truth is, my snobbery doesn't end there. i am also a mug snob. that's right. i believe that coffee should only be sipped from design-licious receptacles.

so, imagine my excitement when i saw these amazing tea and coffee cups. quick! someone save me from myself before i buy them all!

absolutely genius mug from brookish, inspired by the pride and prejudice scene when jane gets engaged to mr. bingley. a lady's imagination is very rapid, you know!

i love traveling by train, so i did a little dance when i saw this train window mug from esther coombs. and the yellow is sublime, no?

this mug is red and has a bicycle on it. need i say more? by circa ceramics.

it's seafoam green and retro-tastic? oh my! from milk glass vintage.

now i'm curious...do you have a favorite mug that you use every day? what do you love about it?

xo,