If any of you ever peruse the sidebars of this humble little blog, you've probably noticed that I have a running (and ever-growing) list of fellow bloggers who bring lots and lots of happiness into my days. One blog in particular, Slow Southern Style, does a fantastic job of keeping up with what's going on in the New Orleans fashion and retail world--quite a daunting task considering the abundance of boutiques, specialty stores, and emerging designers in the city. I'm always checking for the latest updates, tips, inside scoop, and my favorite, "Mannequin Mondays," which features window displays and mannequins from stores around New Orleans.
So, you can imagine how incredibly thrilled I was to read that the author of SSS, Christy, is hosting her official launch party (so fancy!) with another great website, iHeartNola, with support from screenprinters extraordinaire Skip N' Whistle, and the Capri Sun for adults, Cordina's Mar-Go-Ritas. An added bonus is that the event is taking place in one of my favorite parts of New Orleans, the newly revamped Oak Street. The only thing that could make this event better would be shopping, music, and free drinks.....wait....you guessed it...ALL HAPPENING.
Moral of this story: head over to The Factory at 8314 Oak (next to the Maple Leaf) on October 7th @ 8pm to shop, sip, and groove til you drop.
($10 tickets at the door, $5 pre-order from http://shop.iheartnola.com/)
"15 Days of New Orleans" via Daily Foodles, a project by designer & illustrator Megan Pendergrass documenting through illustrations and typography something or everything she eats in a day. In her words, "Daily Foodles is a merging of food love and a passion for drawing/doodling/creating. I will do one illustration a day (M-F) for a year."
Hey Megan, if you ever need help with "research" let me know!
The new Zac Brown Band album--You Get What You Give--came out on Monday, and if you haven't purchased it yet, you need to immediately. How could you not love him? He's a t-shirt and beanie wearing, down to earth kind of guy who seems totally uninterested in "making a splash" and more concerned with writing and performing fantastic music. I wore out my copy of the band's first CD, and know this will be the case with their latest release. Enjoy two of my favorites--a version of "Free" from the first album, The Foundation, mixed with a little of Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" and the song "Let It Go", which was featured as a live recording on the first CD, and was recorded in studio for the band's second. It has some of the best, and most straightforwardly honest lyrics I've come across in a song, and reminds me to just simply, let it go.
Spent the night with a friend of mine and a handle of good whiskey
We picked guitars and talked about how the glory days we missed 'em
And it didn't take too long to find the truth inside that bottle
Cast a-sea so long ago was a message from my father.
You keep your heart above your head and you eyes wide open
So this world can't find a way to leave you cold
And know you're not the only ship out on the ocean Save your strength for things that you can change
Forgive the ones you can't
You gotta let 'em go
Looking back now on my life I can't say I regret it
And all the places that I ended up not the way Ma woulda had it
But you only get once chance at life to leave your mark upon it
And when a pony he comes riding by you better set your sweet ass on it
You keep your heart above your head and you eyes wide open
So this world can't find a way to leave you cold
And know you're not the only ship out on the ocean Save your strength for things that you can change
Forgive the ones you can't
You gotta let 'em go
Like a sweet sunset in Georgia let it go
And like the fear that grabs ahold ya let it go
Let it go
Let it go
You keep your heart above your head and you eyes wide open
So this world can't find a way to leave you cold
And know you're not the only ship out on the ocean Save your strength for things that you can change
Forgive the ones you can't
You gotta let 'em go
I love love love twinkle lights, vintage-looking lightbulbs, and anything sparkly and glow-y, especially when creatively coordinated with organic materials, thin paper structures, and beautiful decorative settings. I'm getting so much inspiration for how to adorn the carriageway of Latrobe's just by looking through images like these. Think: delicate paper in wedding white, folk-y cut designs, the ceiling of San Antonio's Mi Tierra, and soft glittering lights waving softly above guests heads as they enter the reception. It's a concept I've been planning out in my head for quite some time now, and I can assure you that it might just take up residence in our first home together. Who wouldn't want to feel like they're entering a glamorous celebration every time they come home? Enjoy these delightful images as well as a little tune by one of my new faves, an electronic music duo actually called "Pretty Lights."
P.S.....I just realized that this is post number one hundredon my little ol' blog! In my mind, this is quite the milestone. Thanks to all of you, however many that may be, for encouraging me to indulge my whims and talk about all the beautiful, joyful, and even those not-so-important things that I love. Your sweet words and comments make my days bright and sparkling with happiness!
My abundance of posts over the last few days has probably clued you in on a few facts: a great day off & free time actually spent being free to do what I please. So, for good measure, I thought I'd toss one more solid quote about life, living, and doing what you love into the mix (I can't take credit for snagging this one...I've seen it on about 5 blogs just today. So you know it must be good.) Plus, a sweet Airstream trailer that I would die to use on a cross-country road trip with C. (If you know us, you know how much we love road trips. We're talking the whole month of May in the car.)
Hope everyone's Thursday and beyond is more than wonderful!
I heard about the film "The Romantics" a few weeks ago, and thanks to EA's blog and Katie Holmes currently on Letterman, I was reminded of how excited I am to see it (and read the novel it's based on!) Not only were the powers-that-be GENIUS to partner with J.Crew for a promotional campaign (dressing the entire cast head-to-toe in casual fabulousness surely inspired by Jenna Lyons, and perfectly targeting their key market--i.e. people like me--so that we now have no choice but to see the movie) but the cast is full of fantastic people, some who make me a little nostalgic for their TV show pasts (Katie Holmes from her "Dawson's Creek" days, or HELLO Seth Cohen--I mean Adam Brody--from "The OC") and others that I just love to love, like Josh Duhamel, Anna Paquin, and Malin Akerman. Treat your eyes to some pretty people wearing pretty clothes, and sneak a peek at the trailer:
The gorgeous new bedding I scored at a ridiculously amazing price. Can't wait to snuggle up in these tonight...they're bound to give me sweet dreams, don't you think?
THE SAINTS return (officially) on Thursday and I'll be losing my voice along with the rest of the Superdome as we watch them in a very, very exciting re-match against the Vikings. Can't wait for tailgating, the Dome, and singing "Stand Up and Get Crunk" about a thousand times. WHO DAT!
Things are falling into place for the wedding, and Corey and I get to be married and celebrate at two of the most incredible places ever. Academy of the Sacred Heart Chapel is one of the most gorgeous spots in Nola, and is where we'll have the ceremony. It holds a very special meaning for me and my family--all of my dad's sisters were Sacred Heart girls, as was his mother (a teacher). I know Maw Maw is elated and dancing with joy over this decision. Latrobe's on Royal is where the reception will take place, and words really can't begin to describe how much I adore this place. I honestly would move my things in right now, if I could, and be perfectly content living there forever. Oh, and Carrie Underwood filmed a music video there (I know, stop it, it's just too much.)
My heart just can't handle it.
One of my all-time favorite songs, sung by two of my all-time favorite artists, "Beautiful World" by Dierks Bentley and Patty Griffin. I just love, love, love the video...don't both Dierks and Patty look like two of the coolest folks to hang with? The lyrics to this song are so special and I try to take them to heart each time I hear it. Reminders to appreciate our lives and the beauty of what's in them are woven into each and every line.
All the noise and the voices are screamin'
What they have to say
And the headlines and sound bytes are givin' me
Demons to hate
And the man on TV
He tells me it's ugly
But if you ask me
It's a beautiful world
It's a beautiful world
There's tears and there's fears and there's losses and crosses to bear
And sometimes the best we can do is just to whisper a prayer
And press on because
There's so much to live for and so much to love
In this beautiful world
Say what you will but I still believe
It's a beautiful world
It's a beautiful world
And I know (I know)
I'm not dreamin'
I just choose (choose) to believe it
So I hate that I sometimes miss what's right in front of my eyes, oh
And I know at the end of my road I'll be wantin' more time
Just another sunset
One more kiss from my baby
A smile from a friend
In this beatiful world
It's a beautiful world
Yeah, it's a beautiful world
Say what you will, but I still believe
It's a beautiful world
Yeah, it's a beautiful world
Oh, it's a beautiful world
It seems to me that Bristol Palin had two options:
1) Use every spare ounce of energy to parlay her status--the daughter of a controversial small-town Alaskan politician's daughter, who happened to wind up as a single mother, whose fiancee happened to pose for a scandalous nudie-mag, who happened to begin a very public feud with each other, and then happened to announce their "engagement" via the tabloids while keeping it a secret from said mother--into so-called "fame" by American standards, clawing at any bit of attention thrown her way if it means getting into the spotlight (including an appearance on "Dancing With the Stars" in an outfit that is a far cry from her promises of "modest")
2) Raise her child with dignity and grow into adulthood gracefully, as difficult as it might be.
Everything about this picture and B. Palin's quest to become famous saddens me about the people and virtues that Americans seem to exalt. Why are we so fixated on a teenage single mother from Alaska who seems to care more about being famous than about her infant son? Where are the real heroes, those people sacrificing everything to make this world a little bit better every day?
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hattie sparks
living and loving in the big easy. enjoying life and all the adventures new orleans brings. trying to be the best friend, wife, daughter, sister, and dog-mother possible. owner of Hattie Sparks on Adams Street in Uptown NOLA.
