lovely tuesday: a BHLDN garden party

whenever i draw couples, i can’t hardly wait to compare their photographs to my finished illustration. it’s a creative moment that i cherish and rarely share with anyone other than michael. but...

delicious monday: southeast sprouts

when i posted my first brussels sprouts recipe, i joked that you would never find the vegetable in asian kitchens. well, mark me wrong— we ate asian-inspired brussels sprouts at the monterey, one...

Photo

2013. neon signs. linen studio sweater by madewell. zara shorts....

2013. neon signs. linen studio sweater by madewell. zara shorts. kaysa clogs by loeffler randall. the first day i wore this sweater, michael said, “wow, that’s a pink sweater.” i said, “a pink...

2013. make + take: for the birds. materials: acrylic craft...

2013. make + take: for the birds. materials: acrylic craft paint, paintbrushes, small wooden birdhouses (found at craft stores), newspaper one of our neighbors has a tree filled with real...

lovely tuesday: october or bust

guess what? michael and i set our wedding date. in october, we will get married and celebrate with the best bunch of our family and friends. wedding planning hasn’t been a cake walk. several venues...

Photo

2013. LWD. late afternoon dress and boardwalk sandals by...

2013. LWD. late afternoon dress and boardwalk sandals by madewell. thrifted sash. rebecca minkoff bombe bag. on saturday we worked in the yard— michael got two truckloads of mulch, and we spread it...

delicious monday: compact caprese

whenever we have guests, i think of two appetizers: potstickers (dumplings) and caprese. i don’t serve them together; they’re just terribly easy to make. michael and i usually make caprese the...

dearest thursday: silk sophisticates

every couple of months, i receive emails from readers inquiring about silk blouses. when i moved to texas, i began buying more silk and cotton tops to help with the summer heat. as fashion editors...

Photo

2013. may days. louben blouse. j.crew factory skirt. kaysa clogs...

2013. may days. louben blouse. j.crew factory skirt. kaysa clogs by loeffler randall. apolis market tote. i wore this outfit last week in between two unusually cold and windy days. but i’m not...

lovely tuesday: porch suppers

it took a long time— almost three years to be exact— for michael and i to pick out furniture for our deck. everything we liked cost the same as “real” furniture so we finally settled on a classic...

Photo

2013. polly pocket. stitchview cardigan by madewell. la la...

2013. polly pocket. stitchview cardigan by madewell. la la leaves dress by marc jacobs. thrifted sash. gloria wedges by bed stu. i’ve owned this dress almost as long as i’ve been blogging. it’s a...

delicious monday: kale soup

my parents eat kale and other dark, scary greens regularly. in elementary school, the cafeteria served steamed, chopped kale and i couldn’t bear taking a bite. now i don’t mind it for two reasons:...

2013. friendly friday: if grandma wore j.crew. sharon (of if...

2013. friendly friday: if grandma wore j.crew. sharon (of if grandma wore j.crew) is one-third of hunt.gather.style and one of the nicest bloggers i’ve ever met. she’s so friendly and super...

delicious monday: shrimp bake

sometimes michael and i crave foods from different cities we’ve visited or inhabited. last saturday, we got chicago style hot dogs and cheese fries for dinner. two days later, we went northeastern...

Photo

2013. linens and things. blythe blouse by j.crew. corey lynn...

2013. linens and things. blythe blouse by j.crew. corey lynn calter muslin skirt. swedish hasbeens super high clogs. apolis market bag. polka dots are like potato chips; i can’t have just one. this...

dearest thursday: flat out

sometimes friends back east ask (sarcastically) if i wear boots in the spring and summer in texas. i usually reply with an indignant “no!” then “yeah” then “sometimes.” but the majority of my warm...

2013. hunt. gather. style: we love vera. see that preppy scarf?...

2013. hunt. gather. style: we love vera. see that preppy scarf? it’s a one-of-a-kind vera by legendary american designer vera neumann. a few weeks ago, i found an armful of vintage vera scarves and...

lovely tuesday: living it up

when my parents visited us last year, my mom was surprised that we— i use we loosely because y’all know i wear the decorating pants in our family— chose grey for the living room. i love white space...

Photo

2013. perfect vision. joie rancher tee. LOFT skirt. boardwalk...

2013. perfect vision. joie rancher tee. LOFT skirt. boardwalk sandals by madewell. william rast sunglasses. if i could wear this outfit everyday, i would. the classic colors, fun sunnies, and...

delicious monday: beef pho (noodle soup)

i’ve been eating pho (southeast asian noodle soup) for most of my life. whenever we had company, my mom cooked pho or curry in large steel pots. she bought noodles in armfuls and kept condiments on...

"the best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas."

“the best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” - linus pauling

2013. linda’s picks: treasure hunting. since my big closet...

2013. linda’s picks: treasure hunting. since my big closet purge, i tend to think of shopping more as treasure hunting. no matter where you buy an item, buy it because it is well-made, because it...

Photo

2013. pink mochi. stitchview cardigan by madewell. j.crew dress....

2013. pink mochi. stitchview cardigan by madewell. j.crew dress. vintage judith lieber belt. swedish hasbeens super high clogs. hand printed grocery tote. i wore this ladylike outfit several weeks...