Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Cute beyond words!  I just had to share.  Have a great weekend :)
(via Chris)

Recycle and Reinvent

Love these chairs made from repurposed suitcases by South African interior designer Katie Thompson Recreate and recycled map envelopes by Chris Ryan of New England Cartographics.

(via Gypsy*Diaries and TalkGreen)

Crazy for Coffee

Today I had the craving for an autumn appropriate Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks.  I was a bit shocked the Tall latte was $4.01 (without whip cream, even!).  Is it just me, or is that more than usual?  The company recently announced they would “implement targeted price adjustments on certain beverages in certain markets”, so, maybe I live in one of those markets.  Maybe it’s time I start exploring other options…

Just what are my options, you ask?  Check out this map from a Boston.com article on Dunkin Donuts vs Starbucks – the little orange dots are Dunkin Donuts, and the green, Starbucks.  The city of Boston has 67 Dunkin Donuts and 32 Starbucks alone.  I always felt like there were a lot of Dunkin Donuts nearby, but I never realized it was this saturated!

Where do you get your usual caffeine fix?  :)

Under the Weather

I apologize for the break – I have a nasty head cold that just won’t go away.  And now for some first-hand advice: avoid flying if you are congested… it takes the pressure to a whole new level of hurt!  :(

(photo by Roberta Ridolfi via Studded Hearts)

Room with a View

Researching hotels is one part of my job that I really enjoy.  That’s how I stumbled upon this Room with a Vew website from Starwood Hotels.  They have live feeds from webcams at various Starwood properties around the world.  You can check out the beach in Aruba or watch the sunrise at the Great Pyramids.  After all, when choosing a place to stay, it’s all about location.  Too cool!

Singing Beach

For those Bostonians without cars, finding a suitable beach to sunbathe, let alone swim, can be a bit of a challenge. Ask anyone where the best beach is and most will direct you to the Cape.  But I just knew there had to be something more accessible, something the train could take me to.  After asking a few friends for advice, Mark and I took the Commuter Rail to Manchester-by-the-Sea to see what Singing Beach was all about.

The beach was filled with sand like brown sugar, emerald waves, and beautiful people... I was beyond thrilled!  Considering it was only a 40 minute train ride away, this secluded gem is one of the best beaches on the North or South Shore.  The strict parking rules, $5 per person entrance fee, and the number of BMW's in the parking lot let me know that this town takes the quality of their beach seriously.  My only disappointment?  That I discovered it right at the end of summer!

A proper beach day includes a stop for ice cream

Why the name "Singing" Beach?  Because of the noise the sand makes when you walk on it!  Press play (and turn up your volume) to find out for yourself :)

Birthday Game

I had no idea what to get my boyfriend for his birthday.  I knew he would be coming to visit for the long weekend, so I figured we could do something while he was in town to celebrate.  The only problem was, the more restaurants and local activities I Googled, the longer my list of ideas became, and the less I knew how to choose something he would really enjoy.  Then, it dawned on me - I could make it into a surprise game to play throughout the weekend!

Round 1: practice making cards

First, I bought gold envelopes and white index cards from Paper Source.  I narrowed down my categories of grouped items into things like: Brunch, Dinner, Rainy Day Activities, Sunny Day Activities, etc. and had 3 or 4 envelopes for each category.  I even tossed in a "You Decide" card, to give him the option of opening two cards in one category (in case he didn't like the first card's suggestion).

Round 2: the final product

After writing on one side of the card, I realized the back of the card was the perfect spot to do an illustration.  The pasted cut out faces were just too funny to resist including.  The result?  We had such a really great time and it was so exciting not knowing what was next!  By Monday evening, he opened all the envelopes just to see my illustrations.  Happy Birthday Mark! :)

Labor Day Weekend

I'm so exhausted, but I can't wait to tell you about all the fun activities Mark and I did around Boston this past weekend!  The weather was fabulous so we enjoyed the last days of summer the best way we could - swimming, hiking, and kayaking.  Did you have a nice weekend?

PS - Because it isn't officially September until Fashion Week... tomorrow I'm dying to see what Bensoni whips up :)

What a Difference a Day Makes

 

There's something about the angle of these beach shots by French artist Christian Chaize that I just love.  And below that, are a few snapshots from a series called "Same Hill, Different Day" by Paul Octavious.  Both have similar styles, returning to one location and capturing how different variables within that location have changed.  I'd love to be a part of either of these dreamy scenes!  Both artists have prints for sale on 20x200.