A JOLT OF SUMMER FOR A COLD DAY

I am officially tired of all this hangover winter weather! The calendar says it's spring but the thermometer says it's 40 degrees outside. What gives?!

I'm not waiting anymore for a punch of color and fun in the sun. So here are a couple photos that are helping me pretend shorts and summer sun are right around the corner . . . . hope they help pick you up too! Now bring on the ice cream!

image credits: patterned wall | 'F' poster | wooden letter blocks | note to self poster

FRAGILE FROZEN FRACTALS

WOW. These photographs, taken by Washington-based photographer Angela Kelly, are spectacular. Kelly shot these images of bubbles in the midst of freezing before dawn, where you could see each facet of crystallization forming in all their perfect geometric glory. A perfect set of images for a cold snowy day, don't you think?See more of Kelly's work here and learn more about the frozen bubble shots here.
(Like bubbles? Check these out! Or how about these beauties?)

PRETTY IN PINK: SPRING WISHLIST

Where did last week go?! I feel like I blinked and Monday magically transformed into Saturday. Do you ever feel that way? It's frustrating!

Anywho, this week I am vowing to get back on track and that starts with keeping things up to date on here. And you know what I am inspired by this week? Spring! I don't know about where you are, but New York City is finally start to hint at warmer weather to come. This weekend was even almost balmy! That gets me excited about sunshiney outfits and surrounding myself with bright, cheery colors again. Apparently the hot color this season is pink and though everyone is talking about pastels I am more drawn to products in bold colors like magenta and fuchsia. I discovered this photo of a gorgeous bouquet (top) and knew I had to use it as an inspiration for a fresh, playful palette.

Without further ado, here are some of my top picks as we step into spring . . . 

one | usb charging cables, $4.99

two | lacoste luzerne sandals, $75

three | kate spade boardwalk stroll chandelier earring, $78

four | big baggu bag in electric poppy, $12

five | poppin orange medium softcover notebook, $9

six | jcrew petite kami dress in classic faille, $200

Now bring on the sunshine and sandals!

BOTTOMLESS PIT DAY: RECIPE WISHLIST

Have you ever had one of those days when you can't seem to stop eating? My friends and I call those "bottomless pit days"—when your stomach seems like a never-ending vessel that you have to shove food into. We all need those days every once in a while and I had my latest one yesterday, which I spent binging on gummy bears and dreaming of all the delicious meals I could whip up.

In case you need a photo or two to make you salivate, or just a tasty recipe to stave off the winter chill this weekend, here are some awesome options I have round up for you. Which one would you make?

Paprika Parsnip Fries with Lemon Cashew Cream Sauce

Soft Salted Buttered Pretzels

Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce, Toasted Pecans and Sage

Baked Rosemary Basil Zucchini Chips

Honey Parmesan Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Roasted Pineapple with Honey Pistachios

Chocolate Braided Cacao Bread


And now, with a rumbling stomach, I am off to the kitchen! Happy weekend!

THE WINTER BLUES: COBALT

What's your take on winter? According to Punxsutawney Phil, we are in for six more weeks of winter, so hopefully you are on board! I actually kind of love our recent weather with super cold days and beautiful sweeping snow storms. It's fun to bundle up and frolic in the snow!

Anywho, as I pull on my hunter boots for the umpteenth day in the row, I started thinking about winter fashion and how it can get in a rut. We need to bring some pops of color into the boringness of black, brown and grey that tends to seem into our wardrobes come November! Are you with me?

So here's my take on the "winter blues"—a round up of juicy cobalt gear that will brighten up your closet in a matter of moments. Hope you like it!

01. crepe shift dress, jcrew, $148

02. medium cloud loop scarf, rosetung, $180

03. heritage sleeve for macbook, herschel supply co., $14.99

04. super ciccio eyeglasses, madewell, $169

05. medis cobalt headphone, urbanears, $49.90

06. the mira heel, madewell, $168

07. collection cashmere v-neck sweater, jcrew, $188

08. butler please nail polish, essie, $8.50

WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND

Yesterday New York City was made over into a winter wonderland, thanks to an eight inch blanket of snow that fell over the course of the day. I took a quick break from studying to hop over to Central Park and snap a couple of pictures. The scene was so beautiful that I couldn't help but share them with you. Now excuse me while I stuff myself into a snowsuit to go out and play . . . 

p.s. Want to come along on my winter adventures? Follow me on Instagram!

FROM THE ARCHIVES: BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

I don't know about where you are, but here in New York City it is freezing. Seriously, the high will be in the low teens today and, just my luck, I have come down with a bit of a cold. So I am using that as an excuse to hunker down under a quilt and observe the frosty world from afar through my window. Wherever you are, I hope you are toasty!

I am leaving you with these pretty photos of icicles that I took last week in Vermont. Winter up there is so beautiful—every surface seems to be twinkling with snow and ice—that it makes the cold worthwhile. Here in NYC, though, no excuse!

Stay warm!

FANTASTIC FLAKES

Yesterday New York City was hit with a "snowstorm"—really just a dusting—that coated the trees in Central Park all afternoon. It was beautiful! 

Seeing the fluffy flakes falling from the sky, I was reminded of these incredible macro photographs taken by Russian artist Alexey Kljatov. Their extreme detail shows just how amazingly varied snowflake patterns truly are and, in my mind, reminds us of the technical brilliance of the natural world. Leave it to Mother Nature to come up with something so precisely magical.

Even more impressive? The Atlantic and Kljatov have outlined the steps necessary to reproduce these shots yourself. Frankly the process is beyond my humble abilities but still very cool to see! Read the article (and how to) here.

KEEPING IT COZY

Have you noticed it? There is a chill in the air (at least here in the Northeast) today . . . finally! I am ready for the lovely cool weather that comes with the beginning of winter. Not crazy cold, mind you, but just that glorious crisp sunny day requiring a cozy jacket, scarf and a cup of hot cocoa. Perfect, right?

Here are some of my favorite picks for snuggling in and keeping warm as the temperature drops. . . 

one | jcrew factory flannel shirt, sold out!

two | jcrew chevron checker hat, $42.50

three | sperry top-sider shearwater boots, $150

four | restoration hardware snowballer, $10

five | crunchy snowball stress ball, $28

six | popbar dark hot chocolate on a stick, $3.50

seven | patagonia hi-loft down sweater hoodie, $299

eight | boden cable knit scarf, $36

Stay toasty out there!

FRIGID BEAUTY

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in New York today is it freezing. Certainly the coldest winter day here, by far. So I think it might be fun to share some equally frigid, yet superbly beautiful things with you today. The photographs above are of typographic ice sculptures created by artist Nicole Dextras. As she writes,


The Ice Typography series consists of three-dimensional words fabricated in ice placed outdoors that speak to how the viewer’s gaze frames and informs the landscape. The installations have varied from 8-foot high ice letters on the Yukon River to 18-inch high letters set in downtown Toronto. When the ice texts are installed on site, the temperature determines how long it will take for them to change state from solid to liquid. This phase of transition becomes symbolic of the interconnectedness of language and culture to the land as they are affected by time and by a constant shifting and transforming nature.


Pretty cool, huh? I can only imagine they would be incredible to see in person, particularly being able to watch as they melt away. Learn more about her work here and here.


And while I don't completely understand exactly what is going on in the video above, I had to share it because it just looks so darn cool. I believe (but don't hold me to this!) the divers are actually walking upside down on the underside of a layer of ice? No matter which way is up or down in this video, it is still filmed with a great attention to detail: the lighting, the framing and the actions of the divers all make for a surreal scene that is totally captivating. Originally found here, though I have no other information for it . . . if you know more about the masterminds behind this video let me know in the comments!


Stay warm today all!

MUSTACHIO'D!

Baby it's cold outside!  And what better way to stave off the winter blues/blizzards than with a cozy knit number and a healthy mustache?  I love the frank silliness of both of these guys, particularly because they are also so practical!  You could pretty much guarantee smiles all around if you went out to shovel with one of these on.  And they are both handmade!  Can't get any better than that . . . . 

Top: Beard Cap at Scandinavian Grace

Bottom: Accordion Scarf with Removable Mustache at JackRabbit