House Beautiful

Friday Faves

1. THIS absolutely perfect jacket (found here):

Fall’s knocking on our door, people.  And this BLANK NYC jacket, with its zip front, draped neckline and ribbed sleeve panels make it fashion-forward without a too-hefty price. Perfect to bundle up in in early Fall.

2. THESE Acrylic Diamond Goblets (found here):

They may look like glass, but these Maison Midi gem-colored glasses are made of acrylic and are super durable.  And just $4.95 each! Use them to dine al fresco this summer, or put down your Valley of the Dolls-type “candies” (you gotta read the book) and use these instead as your little wintertime pick-me-ups.

3. THESE super cute and super cheap cabinet knobs (found here):

		
		
			
			
		
	

Soooo I’ve been living under a rock and only recent discovered World Market, where they have these charming knobs for a fraction of the price of the ones found at other home decor stores.  Put a fresh slab of paint on some dressers, twist these puppies in and call it a day!

4. THIS adorable summer get-up (found here):

I randomly came across this summer outfit on Pinterest and fell in love with it.  Then I tracked down the store in Auburn, Alabama – Ellie Boutique – and equally fell in love with the Southern sweetness of the people who work here.  ANYwho, the lace detail and design of the shorts, the beading on the bank of the tank top… I love it all.

5. THESE earrings (found here and here).

		
		
			
			
		
	

(Left): Not only are they vibrant, but each one is made by a fair trade artisan group in India that creates avenues of employment for the economically disadvantaged. (Right): These are, uh, just, uh, pretty and cheap.  Hee hee.

5. THIS dope mash-up.

‘Cause Ginuwine’s been MIA for too long.  And because this song mashes up up the quintessential high school Spring Break masterpiece that takes me back to Bradenton, FL in March ’97.

Have a great weekend everyone.  Steph and I are actually meeting up in NY this weekend for a bachelorette bash.  GIDDY UP!!!

And PS – Be sure to check out our next post for the Rent the Runway blog on Monday!

xoxo,


Scenes From A Wedding Weekend

Ever been to a wedding where, after it was over, after the vows had been recited, after the chairs, tables, and decor had been taken down, after the dancing had concluded… you still felt these lingering, warm, sweet memories of the happiness the weekend exuded?  Well that’s exactly what I experienced at the most perfectly perfect wedding of my friend Stephanie (the other Stephanie in my life) recently.  The setting was San Diego (at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe), the vibe was rustic beach chic, and the bride was the most beautiful bride I’d ever seen.  On the drive home to LA and during the days after I just felt a happiness from it all… And it didn’t hurt that the whole shebang was artfully and lovingly designed by the bride’s cuz, Nathan Turner.  Below are some pix of the big day:

(Steph with her dad, who’s not only the sweetest guy, but also the most Instagram-proficient man I’ve ever met)

(The hubby and I started the wedding day in La Jolla at Brockton Villas, home of the Coast Toastif you’re in San Diego, get you some)

(Aaaaand then we ended up poolside, sipping on watermelon margaritas OH-KAY)

(I had a handful of Steph and Chris while getting ready…)

(I got to wear an all-time fave Rent the Runway dress… hey gurl…)

(The Hubs got to be in the presence of some football greats, even if they did photo bomb a ton of our pix.  Exhibit A.)

(Then it was time for din-din…)

(We took in the gloriously elegant and lush-yet-simple table settings.)

(Sprigs of rosemary and mint surrounded bouquets of garden roses.)

(The bride and groom made their entrance.  Via)

(And pulled off a first dance that’d make any Pulp Fiction fan real, real proud. Via)

(We danced…)

(And danced…)

(Then headed to the next stage of the wedding – The After Party…)

(Where – you guessed it – we finished off the night dancing some more!)

Sigh… Justperfection.  How about you?  Ever been to a wedding which was so special you caught a happiness high for a few days after?

Oh and PS, the bride and groom are so awesome, not one but TWO wedding videos were made for them: one put together by Steph’s brothers, and another by yours truly and Mr. Nathan Turner himself!  Both are below: