Gatsby

Because it's Friday and we'd all like the day to be over so we can get on with our weekends, let's watch something pretty. Like the trailer for the Baz Luhrmann-directed film version of The Great Gatsby. We'll have to wait for Christmas for this one (which is a shame, because Gatsby is one of my favorite books to reread in the summer), but I'm content with a sparkly trailer for now.



Happy weekend!

(A Roommate's Wedding) Weekend in Pictures

{the calm before the storm: a peony shower on my laptop}

{pie and cobbler baking}

{cake and pie prep in murph's dreamy kitchen}

{rainy day rehearsal dinner accessories + fleet week}

{day before the wedding picnic in brooklyn bridge park}

{married!}

{reception details}

{the action at the kid table}

{cocktails and cookies}

{the dessert spread}

{laughing + twirling}

{and off they go in search of a cab, followed by a very determined caterer}

Remember when I mentioned that my roommate was moving out to become a Mrs.? Well, this past weekend she did just that. They were married on Monday, so the whole weekend was full of fun wedding build up. From baking (cakes and cobblers, and assisting with three peach pies) to rehearsing to picnicking and catching up with friends who have moved away. The wedding itself was just lovely. With seersucker, vintage doilies, a 40s-style jazz band and a table full of pie, it somehow felt appropriate for Memorial Day, without feeling theme-y at all.

Congrats, Megan & Derek!

Cobblers in the oven photo via Murph Holder, program photo via Katy Rose.

New York Bucket List: NY Aquarium & Coney Island

Thanks to a friend with corporate passes, I got to check off another place on my New York bucket list: The New York Aquarium. A friend had free corporate passes tothe Aquarium so it was the perfect opportunity to check it out.





The aquarium turned out to be rather small (it didn't take us more than an hour and a half to see everything) but it was still fun to see sea lions, weird deep sea creatures, and a giant walrus that gently smashed his huge belly into the glass. If you can avoid it, I wouldn't recommend going on a Sunday—it was super crowded!





The Aquarium is all the way out in Brooklyn, near Coney Island. Coney Island is also on my New York bucket list, so we walked around the boardwalk and got a Nathan's hot dog. I'd love to come back for the Mermaid Parade or to ride the Wonder Wheel next time.

Weekend in Pictures

{brooklyn bridge on the way to ikea}

{tacos & margaritas with the roomies}

{a glowing shopping bag in soho}

{thrifting in williamsburg}

{my new blue table on the subway ride home}

{a quick stop at fish's eddy}

{murph's homemade peach pie for the birthday boy}

{balconies in brooklyn & beers in my purse}

{the brooklyn promenade from below}

{brooklyn backyard birthday party}

Thrifting (doing my best to power through my decorating paralysis), wandering through an Etsy pop-up market and a Fish's Eddy antique sale, rushing to Brooklyn to surprise a birthday boy who will be the groom at this coming weekend's festivities, and a trip to the Aquarium (pictures tomorrow). Phew! A lovely, full, and fun weekend. Hope yours was the same!

Tufted Chairs

The first order of business in overcoming my Decorating Paralysis is getting two new chairs to replace the ones that are moving to Brooklyn. My hope is to score one secondhand (from the street or a thrift store) then paint/reupholster it, and to purchase the other new and not have to do much to it. Here's what I've found in the latter category, from least to most expensive. The one up top is my favorite!








Now comes the hard part...convincing myself I won't find anything else out there that will be cheaper or that I will like better. Paralyzing, I tell you! :)

Chair #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8

Decorating Paralysis

When I moved into my apartment nearly three years ago, I was very very lucky that the living area had already been decorated by my lovely roommates. I was lucky not only because they have excellent taste, but because I suffer from severe Decorating Paralysis. If left to my own devices, I will always live surrounded by things I meant to hang on the wall and decorating projects that I'll surely get to someday. As I've mentioned, it's genetic.



My Decorating Paralysis has flown under the radar for the most part over the last three years because our apartment was already decorated. Unfortunately for me, I think it's about to surface again. As I type this, framed photos are coming off the walls, pretty books are being packed away, and soon furniture will be ushered into a moving van—in short, my roommate is moving out and becoming a wife. And with her goes much of the charming decor of our apartment.

So, this seems like the perfect time to confront my paralysis, don't you think? I'm feeling a bit inspiration-less, so I'll be scouring Pinterest & the like and reporting back over the next week or so. And hopefully, posting pictures in the coming weeks of completed projects. Here's to hoping!

Photos: Dean Kaufman for Dwell, Andrea Savani for Yatzer.

Pandas On A Slide

Not a whole lot to say about this other than: pandas on a slide!! Happy Friday :)