Roost + Cultivate Wines
I love photography like the above… that dinner table in candle light… I have an obsession with shots like that. So it’s particularly awesome when those shots also include your wines!! Coco from Roost blog captured the Outstanding in the Field event at Blackberry Farm where Cultivate’s wines were poured! The shot on the left features Dream Walking, our California Chardonnay.
I’m also so glad to have discovered her blog, it’s another healthy food (no sugar or grains) blog with seriously gorgeous photography!
My New Roots
I have a new obsession: this food and nutrition blog called My New Roots. It’s been around for a while, but I just discovered it, and I’ve been staying up at night reading it. Seriously. In addition to being a chef, the author, Sarah Britton, went to school for holistic nutrition, so the blog has a whole-foods, healthy-eating slant that I love. 
With the recipes, Sarah explains the nutritional elements as well, so in addition to your mouth watering, you get the sense that if you make these dishes, you’ll be doing your body major favors.
She doesn’t label herself as vegan, or gluten-free, or raw-foodist, but rather takes a laid back approach to nourishing your body with as nutritious food as you can, and I’m already on board with that, but now I’m finding myself thinking maybe it wouldn’t be that hard to sprout my almonds or make my own almond milk (see video below, it’s really nicely done!). Ha! Things I’d never considered, but now think sound like a really good idea, and not that hard.
For those of you thinking that sounds pretty weird, she does have tons of recipes that are much more normal sounding! It’s just that I’m really loving her nutritional info and tips too! I feel like I’ve already learned so much from reading her blog. I’m currently dying to make this fig-lavender-thyme jam, black quinoa corn muffins, and four corners tomato-lentil soup,
Atlantic-Pacific
I’d been seeing images of this chic lady flying around on tumblrs and such, and I finally figured out who it is! Her name is Blair, she blogs her outfits at Atlantic-Pacific, and, she lives in San Francisco! I’m going to be keeping my eyes peeled around town for this new girl crush… Doesn’t she have loads of style??
PS – Today’s post is a double feature! My friend Leo sent me these videos and I had to share with you. Filmmaker Tyler Cullen went around NYC asking people what song they were listening to and made a video out of it, and it inspired a whole series of these throughout the world! It’s such a fun peak into these cities, both for the street life you see and for the musical choices of its residents!
And, sometimes the answers are really surprising… don’t you always wonder what people are listening to on the street and kind of try to guess based on their outfit or mood or whatever? Well, many of these I never would have guessed! And I wonder if some of these folks would have ever admitted that they listen to some of this stuff otherwise. I’ve watched a bunch of them, and let me tell you, Lady Gaga truly is everywhere.
Rog Walker
Loving the photography blog of Rog Walker. It’s like a street style blog meets personal style blog– it’s mostly of him and his girlfriend (whose hair I’m obsessed with) and his friends in various locations, many industrial, around New York that create awesome backdrops. I love the settings, the colors, the outfits, and the mood. And in kind of a creepy way, I like the chronicle of his relationship with his girlfriend.
Also love the fact that his official name is Rog. It’s pretty awesome to make a nickname, one that’s a shortening of your name, not the kind of nickname that’s another name, like Nick from Nicholas, your official name.
The Burning House
A couple of years ago, when I was living in Santa Barbara, there were crazy wild fires that required my sister and I (amongst many others) to evacuate and actually go through, in real life, the imaginary game you sometimes play with yourself about “what would I grab if my house caught on fire.”
This clever site, The Burning House, asks people to submit a photo of the things they’d take. It’s so interesting to see what people would grab and to wonder if you can imagine what they’re like based on that.
(Also, beyond it’s literal assignment, it’s also inherently an exercise in photo styling, so with a few I wonder, would you really grab that or did it just look good?)
What I realized, when forced to confront this scenario, was that there was very little I truly cared to take. I looked around my apartment, expecting to go into a frenzy, and then the frenzy just didn’t happen. I calmly finished baking the pie I was working on so we’d have something good to eat in our exile, put a few things in a duffel, and walked out the door.
This prompted two epiphanies: 1) hooray, I’m not as materialistic as I thought, and 2) so, all this stuff I’ve bought is pretty meaningless. It was the kind of realization you’ve always known to be true (how many maxims have you heard about “what matters in the end”), but you sort of don’t believe it fully until something hits you over the head with it.
In the end, all I took were my box of letters from family and friends, a box of plane and event tickets I’ve saved my whole life, and photo albums from the pre-digital age– only things representing relationships and experiences– the two things you do hear over and over that make you.
(I also grabbed a small and really poorly thought out selection of clothing that meant I was wearing leather loafers- no socks- for 4 days on a hot dusty ranch where we stayed to ride out the fires.)
Call Me Cupcake
To balance out the masculinity of the last post, here’s some feminine frill for today.
I just went on a major food porn bender on Call Me Cupcake, a pastry blog out of Sweden with the most beautiful desserts! Baking is already such a labor of love, and the level of detail she goes to with her pastries takes it to another level (I love those layers of gradient color in the cake above!). My birthday is next week, and I’ve already asked my sister to make me this cake, but now I’m reconsidering… (don’t feel bad for her, she’s the world’s best at birthday cakes.)
PS – Did anyone watch the Bachelorette last night? Because I find it ironic that I came across a blog by this name today after last night in the episode, Ashley H. told one of the guys that she’s always wanted someone to call her cupcake as a nickname and thinks “the man she marries will call her cupcake.” Did anyone else throw up a little bit in their mouth when she said that? I cannot staaand Ashley H.
(And yes, I know the show is terrible and I have no right to expect anything quality out of it, but my roommate and I do a Bachelor fantasy league with a draft and everything, and it makes the show extremely entertaining when you get points for the various absurd things that happen.)
Work.Place
I spent a good long while absorbed in the blog Work.Place last night, which documents the working environments of Portland creative types. As one who is not patient enough to ever be a true creative type, I love getting a peek into the setting in which artists and artisas do their thing, where I imagine them abosrbed for hours in their craft… something I’m far too ADD to ever do. The photographer and blogger is Carlie Armstrong, and she takes the photos on a twin lens reflex camera, resulting in a quality (occasionally wonderfully grainy) that I love that seems to add even more mystique to the settings she documents.
I’ve also never been to Portland and am loving the impression of the place that this blog is giving me… now want to go visit even more!
If you like this blog, also check out Ginny Branch‘s column on design*sponge called What’s in Your Toolbox.
Could I Have That?
I’m excited to introduce y’all to Samantha Hutchinson, who blogs about style and other fun stuff at Could I Have That! Sam and I met in Santa Barbara, where she writes for Santa Barbara Magazine, amongst other fun freelance gigs, and I love her style (that is her on the above left!), so I asked her to share with us a bunch of her favorite things and inspirations. You know, one of those “my essentials” kinda things I’m strangely addicted to… So here’s our Q&A!
Where do you go when you need to experience wonder? The desert. There’s something about the dry heat and vast open spaces. I love going to The Parker or La Quinta Resort & Spa for a weekend of R&R. [elc: I've been obsessed with the idea of a dessert vacation ever since hearing this from Sam...]
What blogs/sites do you visit when you need to find inspiration? Garance Dore, Jak and Jil, We Live Young, P.S. I Made This, Smitten Kitchen, and Dress Design Decor [elc: these are some of my faves too!]
Favorite daydream? I daydream a lot. But I have to say the one that pops up the most is playing the piano (or any instrument) really, really well.
Best gift you ever received? My red hair. I have my parents (both gingers) to thank for that one.
What music do you listen to when you want to feel inspired? Depending on my mood, I’ll turn on anything from Sigur Ros, Ray LaMontagne, La Roux, Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Bon Iver, Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams.
A film or person whose style made an impact on you? Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. The clothes, the music, the setting and the story I just can’t get enough of. Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo are a few that always know how to look effortlessly chic. [elc: agree all around!]
Essential item(s) you will buy over and over? J Brand Jeans, OPI’s Bubble Bath (it’s the perfect pink nail color), Moroccan Oil, YSL under eye concealer
A visual memory you will relish forever? I was a ballet dancer for 16 years and I’ll never forget the view from performing on stage.
Ideal picnic: location, food, company, etc. The Figueroa Farmhouse in Santa Ynez is so beautiful especially during wildflower season. I’d set up my giant striped picnic blanket in the meadow overlooking the valley and pack tri-tip sandwiches from the Los Olivos Market, a bottle of wine and chocolate dipped strawberries.
Favorite words? Electric, demure, stellar, amour, fringe
Ideal vacation? Somewhere in Baja California with the beau in our own casita next to a deserted, white sandy beach. Days would be filled with catching some rays, reading (me), surfing (the beau), margaritas, carnitas tacos, swimming and exploring.
Go-to outfit? I have a few go-to outfits that are in heavy rotation. But it usually goes something like this… skinny jeans or an oversized dress, short boots, an oversized mens oxford shirt, a scarf or sweater and my aviators. Here’s a few favorites…
Favorite house or room you’ve ever been in and why? Last summer we stayed at a house for a week on Martha’s Vineyard and I fell in love with it. Between the paint colors, cozy living rooms and quiet surroundings I felt like I could have moved in and lived there forever. Since we had all kinds of weather during our stay (rain, thunder, 80º and sunny) we took advantage of the pool, fireplace, beach access and beach cruisers parked in the barn. The design of the house was that of a simple country home with crazy cool antique pieces and custom wood work. I think my most favorite thing about this beach home was the amount of light inside. A few pics of the house and our trip… [elc: I love these pics!]
One surprising thing about you? I eat a lot! People are always so surprised by how much I can actually eat.
All-time favorite shoe? My Ash cutout platforms. I always wear these when I need to up the ante. Seen here.
Guilty pleasure? Junior Mints
Item you will always splurge on? Handbags. I love good quality leather that will last and get better with age.
Always in your handbag? Tom Ford’s Blush Nude Lipstick, my Moleskin notebook, hair pins, aquaphor, an antique silver mirror compact, Girl Meets Pearl by Benefit, usually some sort of candy, cash and a sharpie or two.
Check out more of Sam’s style and favorites over at her blog!
Right now I’m loving…
I’ve mentioned before that I’m pretty sure everything looks better when it’s in a collage, but I’ve looked at these pretty closely and I don’t think it’s simply the collage format that is causing me fall in love with these ensembles by Fleurette, a Norwegian style blogger.
Fleurette’s five outfits she created around a Balenciaga jacket (one above, more in the gallery), and really her whole style in general, are so fitting my fashion leanings right now.
Outfits where the basics are basic — simple, staple tops (tees, button-ups, sweaters) in either a solid or stripe, with a nice fit or drape (oxford cotton, silk, sheer jersey, etc) with jeans, trousers, or a skirt– and the emphasis is on a great jacket, shoes that set the tone, and accessories.
Very Emmanuelle Alt, no?? In fact, I happened to just come across this quote from her!
“Forget trendy designer labels. Jeans, a sweater or a t-shirt worn under a jacket that seems welded to you. When it’s just right, when you don’t see the effort, it’s irresistible.”
Emmanuelle has certainly embodied her own adivce, as that is exactly how I would describe her style!
Check out Dead Fleurette for more, she is very articulate and particular about what she does and doesn’t like if you want to hear more about her style!
The Rad Mixes and Album Art of Brian Gossett
I am obsessed with the blog and work of Brian Gossett. Gossett is a freelance designer/art director/illustrator, and he also happens to have great (and eclectic) taste in music, which he has parlayed into a series of mixes created around different moods, themes, seasons, or whatever the inspiration might be that week.
The “album covers” above are from a series of mixes Gossett imagined as soundtracks for heist movies set in various international cities, each with their own little description like the one below. The descriptions of each mix are another thing I love about the blog, I love them like I love reading the description of a dish before reading the ingredients.
Another series, apparently very popular in the blog world (I figured I must’ve been late to this party, this stuff is too good to have gone unnoticed this long), was inspired by Take Ivy (you’re really late to the (blog) party if you missed that boat…) and A Continuous Lean and features solid mixes of current favorites like Phoenix and Grizzly Bear with classics like John Lennon and The Kinks.
I’ll leave you with a new favorite song off one of his mixes that will jumpstart your weekend…
And a more mellow tune if you’re still waking up this Friday…
