summer weekend.

what are you up to this weekend? simon and i are planning a quiet evening in, (since we splurged last night and devoured beef stroganoff at a french restaurant). i'm also looking forward to getting things done, going swimming in the lake and sleeping in on sunday.

have a wonderful weekend, and in the meantime, here are five things that i am loving right now:




1. this perfect summer song: mat kearney's hey mama

2. eco-friendly cork-topped nail polish bottles from megan miller

3. tina fey's book bossypants: interesting and funny.

4. lightweight summer shawls like this one.

5. and lastly, yogurt that tastes like red velvet cake. yes, seriously.




(photo credit: aivilo)

things i love thursday.

this plant in the sunlight almost makes me believe that spring is right around the corner. huzzah!

cappuccinos served with animal crackers.

my new favorite snack. (and sometimes i add the juice to my sparkling water.)

the good 'ol days when we owned music that wasn't on our computers.


this song.

what are you loving lately?

right now.

i am listening to norah, dreaming of trips to france, and waiting for my coffee to brew. 

this week has been a little blah. but i am grateful for decadent lunch dates with friends, late-night glasses of cabernet, smiling yoga students, and a husband who has been working from home for two straight weeks. 

my goal for the weekend: pick up my camera. you?

p.s. it is freezing here today. when the "feels like" number is a single digit-- like today--it's only a matter of time before i hide under a pile of blankets, close my eyes and pretend i am on the beach in california.


(photo credit: lesliee) 

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? 

happy weekend.

i stumbled on this picture the other day, and remembered that once upon a time, i walked the streets of this little town. it's called hallstatt and lies right near the border between austria and germany. on the weekend that i visited, it was covered in snow just like this photograph. pure magic.

tomorrow, i am going to enjoy my own little town and visit quincy market with a friend. clam chowder in a bread bowl here we come. :)

finally, thank you to everyone who entered the music giveaway! i was so touched to see so many comments. without further ado, the winners are: robyn, morgan, and laura. and since a few of you asked, below is the playlist. enjoy!

(photo credit: lexyman01)

a special giveaway.

my dear friends,
i've been spending a lot of time in the car lately, driving to and from yoga classes. so, last night, i decided to entertain myself by making a new music mix. and well... it turned out so lovely, i've decided to share it with all of you!



the mix features some of my favorite new tunes, including songs from the amazing albums above.

all you have to do is leave a comment on this post by friday, january 28th, and i will randomly select three (yes, three!) winners. good luck!    

give love.

hello friends! are you all ready for christmas? in our house, the cookies are baked and we are getting our bags packed to drive to maine. i'm signing off for a few days, but i will see you again next week!

in the meantime, enjoy this song. it's one of my favorites, and love that it was recently referred to as a "yogi christmas song".

here's wishing you the the happiest of holidays! xo.

p.s. thank you, heather. :)

green and red.

all i want for christmas is permission to keep all of our holiday decorations on display until next year. what do you say, simon? :)

p.s. this is my new favorite holiday song. thank you, lynette, for sharing it with me.

p.p.s. the second photo is from a shop window. those gorgeous candlesticks aren't mine... yet. :)

happy december!

today i'm taking a little break from gift guides to share my new favorite song. i heard it on the radio in the car yesterday and immediately started humming along.

now that i am teaching yoga more regularly, (more on that soon), i've been having so much fun building playlists and coming up with songs that are yoga-appropriate, while still not being too new agey. *

mind you, the video is odd. but i still like the song, so here you go!

junip - always from city slang on vimeo.

* i actually don't mind new agey music in moderation.

have a sunny weekend!

my loves,
what are you up to this weekend? simon and i are off to a wedding. huzzah! simon is the co-best man, so i am excited to see him in his tuxedo.

i hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and in the meantime, here is one of my new favorite song writers, in la blogotheque style.

the first song is the one i adore, but trust me... it's worth watching the whole video - josh rouse is phenomenally talented and the video itself is pretty cool. it makes me want to go back to barcelona!


josh rouse - i will live on islands.


p.s. if you're unfamiliar with la blogotheque take away videos, check them out! they are incredible. my favorites are sigur ros, bon iver, and of course, phoenix.

(photo credit: dirtyfeet)

have a fabulous weekend!

friends, what are you up to this weekend?

tonight i'm going to pamper simon since he's been feeling under the weather, and tomorrow we are going to hang out with my family. huzzah.

in the meantime, here's a lovely song for your weekend. enjoy!

(swim until you can't see land by frightened rabbit)

(photo credit: jek in the box)

a lovely tune for my lovely readers.

(kandi by one eskimo)

everybody wants to be loved.

this ingrid michaelson song is so feel-good; it makes me want to prance around barefoot in the grass and blow kisses to strangers.

happy friday!

my new favorite song. :)

relator.

i'm not usually a fan of scarlett johansson, but this song rocks. enjoy!