June « 2010 « Covet Living

(This is a little preview of the room, taken with my janky camera. Professional ones I swipe from the professional photographer to follow as soon as I can lift ’em. Sources: Pac-Man… ok, Sawtooth Tufted Ottomans, Console, and Lamp Shade – Mecox Gardens. Lamp base – Circa Lighting. Nude sketch – Celadon Home in Mt. Pleasant, SC. Carved wood mirror – George Lowell.)

To say the last few days have been a hot mess would be an understatement. For one thing, I actually don’t remember the last time I washed my hair. For another thing, my light fixture still isn’t hung (uh, oosies) because the bomb diggity one I’d chosen months ago somehow just didn’t come in. An awful lot of scrambling, rigging, troubleshooting, cursing, and favor-soliciting went on this week, but I think it just might turn out alright. It always kinda does in the end, right?

COLOSSAL THANK YOU’S to my favorite 3-men-and-a-little-lady at Mecox on Clark (Josh, Brad, Ken & Annabelle) for letting me pirate their store… to wonderful, WONDERFUL Don at Jayson Home & Garden for his endless patience and kindness… to cool, creative Pam at Urban Totem for lending me a last-minute, GOR-GEOUS Italian chandelier and fielding my frantic phone calls… and to sweet Carlos, who’s meeting me at the house in about 5 hrs to hang said fixture out of the goodness of his heart. I also may or may not’ve baited him with peanut butter cookies. Oh, and a big grazie mille to most determined Michael at Home Depot on Halsted who, at 7:00 a.m. this morning, whipped out a hacksaw and made my almost-disastrous, ill-fitting tension rods work. I really love it when people do stuff like that.

The showhouse opens tonight at 7pm and runs through July 3rd. There will also be a TON of great workshops hosted by local leaders in architecture, design, yoga, green living and all kindsa feel-good stuff. House tour AND workshop tickets can be purchased online at: www.1046sheridan.com – all proceeds go to Designs for Dignity, and the Citizens Lighthouse Land Trust of Evanston. Make a day trip of it (!!!) After you see the showhouse, you can meander into town and pick up some GREAT jewelry at the Mexican Shop (801 Dempster) – known for their cool, funky, unique accessories at insanely reasonable prices… marvel at Urban Totem’s antiques (1937 Central)… and last but not least (!!!) swing by the Sixteen Candles house (3022 Payne – marked “B” below). Tell Long Duck Dong and Farmer Ted I said wassup. “Dang ma I GOT my headgear on!”

Gitty up!

(via the incredibly talented lovelies at Joielala – thanks Taryn!)

So a few times in the three decades leading up to this point in my life, there’ve been quite a few moments when I feel so happy, I could almost pinch myself. Life at that very moment just seems sooooo good, and I don’t want the moment to end.

Like…

During Christmas, when I’m surrounded by the people I love the most in the whole wide world – for a whopping two week vacation!

Or, through an amazing twist of fate, when my job leads me to a country I’ve only seen on TV before. Hello, Roma’s Trevi Fountain! Let’s make a wish, shall we?

OR, while I’m away on a vacation in a tropical location with people I love… CUE SONG: Beach in Hawaii

(via)

Such was the case for Memorial Day weekend a couple weeks ago. Meant to be a nice, long weekend in paradise spent with both my BF (who had QUITE a few tricks up his sleeve – more on that later)…

…and my ever-sassy counterpart Jonathan…

…the paradise that is the island of Maui became even more meaningful to all of us.

Because our collective karma is obviously WAY intact, the three of us managed to stay at the magnificent Grand Wailea for free. Don’t ask how… we’re just good like that.

The waterfall upon entering the grounds.

The lobby of the hotel.

And the lush gardens with exotic plants and flowers everywhere you turn.

For four days, armed with magazines, pineapple drinks and sun block (which yours truly didn’t quite utilize as often as she should’ve), the three of us baked by the pool…

… and enjoyed the grotto/swim-up bar (shout-out to Richard, THE most easygoing, sunshine-y hotel swim-up bar bartender one could ever ask for).

We ate fresh seafood at restaurants like the famed Mama’s Fish House. It is TOTALLY worth the hype. Amen to macadamia nut-encrusted Mahi Mahi.

And we spent some quality time in the hotel’s yummy spa.

It seemed like quite the vacation, right? Oh, but that wasn’t ALL that happened on this four day jaunt to the Islands. Oh, no.

You see, said BF had known about this trip for a few months. He wasn’t going to let the weekend pass with just the usual spa treatments, pool lounging and other standard luxurious activities. He needed to ratch it all up a bit. Make this vacation one to truly be remembered forever.