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today feels like a ______ kind of day.

Today feels like a macarone kind of day. It's snowing?!...and school/tutoring is winding down, so this Marie Antoinette vignette seems nothing less than perfect to me today. Could not love this idea more: Louis XVI pale blue bergere chair with feathers in my hair and french desserts everywhere. Thoughts?

a thought for tuesday:

mad men fashions

I have been feeling very inspired lately by the fashions, hairstyling, and sets of Mad Men. Let's face it, the 60's were something special-I could not have lived during that time, but women and men dressed so well when compared with today. I am very jealous that this was the standard then.  Mad Men has an amazing costume designer and stylist!  With watching faaaar too much Mad Men this week, I have been taking some cues from January and Christina.  I'm trying to get some ideas for modernized styling from them.  So here is some eye candy for you all from Annie Liebovitz's Vanity Fair shoot:

two little words

halloween in pink

The theme of this Halloween had to be pink. We ran Race for the Cure on Saturday of Halloween weekend, a sea of pink!  I threw together a homemade cupcake costume at the last minute for a costume party. Josh of course threw together a costume and went as Mayhem from the insurance commercials. It was a fun weekend, the costumes at that party were pretty amazing. Happy belated Halloween!

my playlist this week

Love. This. Movie. It was amazing and refreshing, Josh and I laughed the entire time, go rent it. It doesn't hurt that I love Andy Garcia and there is a cute boy on it.

My playlist for the week is all I can think about or listen to, so I'm sharing it:

• Robyn-Dancing on my Own (Gossip Girl)
• Robyn-Hang with Me, acoustic
• Rihanna-Only Girl in the World
• Florence + the Machine-Dogs Days are Over (from the Eat, Pray, Love trailer)
• Florence + the Machine-Between Two Lungs
• The Temper Trap-Sweet Disposition (from 500 Days of Summer)
• + the entire Lungs album

to upholster or not to upholster?

These Kartell Ghost Chairs have been one my hot list for some years now ever since learning about them in history of modern design.  My love intensified when I did an entire interior design semester based on the designs of Phillippe Starck in the Lower East Side.  This picture above defines my style pretty well.  In the words of my beloved Vegas friends Donny and Marie, I'm a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll.  Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl has the Ghosts upholstered in her Upper East Side penthouse....I love them both, now what shall I do?

xoxo

fall in knoxville

Kabocha squash with Azuki beans

Cades Cove

Lookout Tower

Lookout Tower, Smokies

Cades Cove

Birthday!

lovely little southern weddings

Although I feel completely ridiculous posting anything about a wedding (seeing that I'm not engaged) I am so in love with these images, I had to share them to brighten everyone's day. These are so simple and beautiful, and because I wish to pursue this for a career in my dreams, I may start a lil' tradition like my sister of In the Land of Sugar's Wedding Wednesday. These images are from Green Wedding Shoes, Snippet + Ink, and Once Wed. Enjoy!

hitchcock cinema week

In honor of Halloween (and because I will not watch horror movies), we watched these two Hitchcock films this week, one on Market Square for my birthday and one last night. Hitchcock is so exciting and original...you can't miss these. There are so many things that he does so well-I mean, just look at those covers. Every shot is graphically perfect and the protagonist as Jimmy Stewart doesn't hurt. Rear Window is actually perfect. Next up-Strangers on a Train.

why i want to be more like carrie bradshaw...

For some time now, I have simply wanted a life that is 1/10 as fabulous as Carrie Bradshaw. I dream about frivolously purchasing shoes and designer clothing....then I remember that I live in Knoxville and no one dresses up.....one day, one day.  I have been choosing new paint colors to go in the loft and I can't stop referring to her beautiful remodel on the first movie...

This is Benjamin Moore Electric Blue (and I love it).  I've also been looking at these colors for a more airy bright feeling and a more intimate color in my bedroom. I've settled on a low VOC Benjamin Moore line, Aura and I'm really excited to "green" my life a little more.

Probably will only use a couple of these. What do you think? I also need vegetarian potluck dish ideas for Sunday!

knoxville's hidden charm

I wanted to share a few of my new favorite places in Knoxvegas.  It has taken about 5 years, but I feel like I have finally found some of the hidden gems in this city. Two are local groceries, which are becoming evermore popular, but Knoxville did not have many options downtown.  Three Rivers Market and Aisle Nine Grocery answered the call.  Three Rivers has been around for a while and is a co-op and organic market with tons of veggie/vegan options on Broadway.  Aisle Nine was opened recently in the Old City by a former professor of mine and also has a surprising selection of organics and fresh food.

The other two are restaurants that I tried this week in honor of birthday week.  Josh and I tried The Night Owl Cafe for the first time last night and it was a sweet surprise.  They have amazing vegetarian food if you're searching in Knoxville and a great quaint atmosphere.  Owl artwork adorns the walls and the tables are chess boards. All organic and local fare, this restaurant is a rare find in this area. I had a pumpkin sandwich last night. The other is Rouxbarb, which we are trying tonight for my birthday.  I have heard great things about it; they also serve organic and local, but upscale so we are anxious to try it.

Enjoy.

ibuprofen overdose induced blogging

Part 1: Who needs recovery time? So that ^ is me for now. After a never-ending amount of non-solid foods, I think I am sick of all of the following: applesauce, yogurt, protein shakes, soup, but not ice cream (yet).  Friday was....let's just say rough (for Josh mainly).  Let's just hope he didn't tape anything and doesn't remember, because I sure don't!  I don't think I got as crazy as the gospel-music singing unicorn girl. A huge thank you to my boyfriend, who amazes me everyday and took such good care of me this whole week. My Waring Pro blender has been really great to have this week, it will be your favorite too.

....but at least I've had this to look at all week...

I censor for a reason. He is so inappropriate.

We went to see the Social Network this week and were pleasantly surprised at how well it was done.  The one thing everyone said about it was true: they talk super fast, almost inaudibly fast.  It's called: Nerdspeak.  My sweet boyfriend does it.  Nonetheless, Jesse Eisenberg was amazing.  Also, found out that coincidentally Mark Zuckerburg (and Steve Jobs) are both vegan.

Part 2: Banana Puddin Festival, Centerville, TN with Hayes family-We had such a great weekend, one of the best I remember this past week when my sister Natalie and boyfriend, Matthew came to visit. Sampson and I drove to Franklin to partake in the fun.  I miss my family; it was so good to get to spend time with them and introduce my boy to Natalie.

This picture is priceless to me.

Sister Natalie, Mom, and my new haircut

Matt & Nat

p.s. It's BIRTHDAY WEEK, cause for weeklong celebration. As celebration part 1, I did not have tutoring today so we took the boys to the park and laid under a beautiful oak while flipping through a book planning our hikes through the Smokies this weekend. 

One can dream about Stella McCartney's vegan bags near her birthday, right?

I hope my surgery goes a little something like this.

I have dental surgery today and I am a tad nervous, but I know everything will go fine. I have some amazing friends and family praying for me...but in the meantime, I hope this is what the day ahead of me resembles....enjoy.

the whole world is going vegan

Even ex-presidente Bill Clinton. This is pretty neat, watch it.

Not to mention a couple of my favorite vegans, trainer Bob Harper, Alicia Silverstone, Penelope Cruz.  I should probably fully jump on the bandwagon.

weekend update.

This week has been out of the ordinary. It has been really busy, but a lot of things have gone wrong for no reason at all.  Have not been able to update because I have the unfortunate situation first penned by Carrie Bradshaw as the "Sad Mac."  I am afraid my computer is going out soon and my hard-drive also went out this month!  What is going on with my technology?!  Anyways this is my week(end) update and things I love this week all in one:

Sampson pic of the week: Sampson graduated from puppy classes this week!  Very proud moment.  I got some delicious produce at the farmer's market this weekend.  We have been eating so many delicious veggies.  Had a wonderful time at my great aunt Helen's 90th birthday party this weekend. Got to see wonderful extended family and cook together!  

Josh and I finished the Heroes series after a borderline obsessive few weeks of watching 4 seasons.  We are intrigued by superpowers and the hero's journey so it was heartbreaking to let this show go! We miss it (thankfully Glee filled the void).

I watched the movie Waitress recently, it is a must see.  So original!  Also reading, Committed, spurred on by the release of Eat, Pray, Love in theaters.  It almost lives up to the prequel, but that is a huge undertaking. 

Love this dessert table. Want to make this into a career somehow.

I will go ahead and warn that I will post most of the things I bake.  Made my friends and family pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon maple butter-cream frosting.  Did I mention that I love seasonal themed baking?

Why can't I stop thinking about these Badgley Mishcka's? 

For now off to Tomatohead to lunch with Josh's parents and headed to Franklin for the weekend.  Sure to get some great pictures to post.