Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Trick or treat

Happy Halloween, everyone!  Where I grew up, when kids trick-or-treated, you would have to tell a joke to get candy.  You'd walk up to the front door (undoubtedly all bundled up, your awesome Halloween costume completely obscured by your winter coat -- like the year I was a hula dancer and no one could tell, tragedy!), ring the bell, and say "trick or treat!"  The grownup at the door would always act so surprised that these ghosts/goblins/ninja turtles/fairy princesses were at the door, and then say "Okay, let's hear your jokes."  You'd volunteer your comedic gem -- something like "Knock knock.  Who's there?  Orange.  Orange who?  Orange you going to give me some candy?" -- and only then would you have "earned" your candy.  We used to swing back at our house halfway through our trick-or-treating to ask my mom if any other kids had told her good jokes, so we could use them at other people's houses.
After college, I moved to Chicago, and the first Halloween I lived in my apartment, my roommates and I got a few trick-or-treaters.  I kept asking for their jokes, and they all looked at me like I was sort of nuts.  I chalked it up to them being bashful, but after it happened about three times, my roommates asked what on earth I was doing.  And that's how I found out that nobody does jokes except for in St. Louis, where I grew up.  Isn't that funny?  I always assumed everyone did it, and it had something to do with the "trick" part of trick-or-treating.  
Anything like that ever happen to you, where something you assumed everyone does turned out to be a locals-only practice?  (I also learned, after I moved to Chicago, that St. Louis is the only place that has Provel cheese!)  

And what are you (or your little people) being for Halloween?

(Top image of Carl from Up by Auburn Soul Photography via My Modern Met; middle image of Spider-man by Amy Stein via My Modern Met; bottom image of Powerpuff Girls by Amy Stein via My Modern Met.)

Monday, October 29, 2012

Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Hello there everyone.  Lots of being a lawyer for me this weekend, but I did get a chance to see Argo -- it was really good!  Hope you were busy doing fun things.  For anyone getting ready for the Hurricane Sandy Frankenstorm, good luck and stay safe.  Some reading for you, while you're holed up (if you still have internet and power), or for the rest of us, while we're doing regular things:



Fascinating Picasso infographic.

Ten great coffee tables.

James Bond cried!

Gorgeous red hair (and red lips!).


Did you know Rent the Runway is using regular girls instead of professional models?  Interesting.


Dog Halloween costumes (I know.  Ridiculous.  But still.  Amazing.  Also, our local dog daycare/shop had a costume contest yesterday and one dog was dressed as the Romneys' car.  How hilarious is that?)


Again, be safe, everyone.  Take care.
(Image by Kari Herer via The Neo-Traditionalist; bottom image by Lisa-Marie Kaspar via Note to Self.)





Thursday, October 25, 2012

Honest dad.

Speaking of weirdly-affecting ads, this one is technically for the travel website Expedia, but at bottom, it's an incredible story about a great dad who loves his daughter (and daughter-in-law).  
You can see more of Expedia's "Find yours" campaign here.  It makes you want to get on a plane and go somewhere, doesn't it?  (Totally unimportant to the message involved here, but how gorgeous is the dress with the flower detail at the neckline?)

PS: I'm in no way stumping for Expedia -- just thought this was an incredible story that was worth sharing!  And thanks to Jen for the heads up.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Feel better.

In case of emergency, click here.

(Via swissmiss.)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Hope you had a lovely few days!

Hello there -- hope you haven't missed me too much.  It's been all work and no play (or at least, no writing for fun) around these parts lately, and I fear that conditions won't be improving much in the near future.  But don't fret, because I'll be doing my best to keep you supplied with a somewhat steady diet of fun things and interesting reads.  Case in point: some links from the last week or so.  Hope you enjoy!
Now that's a big dog.

Adorably nerdy pants.

What a great gift idea: send famous local foods nationwide.



Insane interview with a former art thief (via @brainpicker).  (And the flip side.)

Genius tip for painting.

Heartbreaking essay about dogs and babies.

What did you think of the Project Runway finale?

Foxy!

(Image via Sous Style, original credit unknown.)

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Calming music.

My commute last night had all the makings of a hellish, road-raging, two-hour disaster: rain, terrible traffic, the stupid new iPhone maps app that won't tell me how long it will take me to get from A to B, and with every passing minute, the impending closure of our neighborhood dog bakery where I had to pick up one lucky pup's birthday "cake."  And then the one thing keeping me from losing it, my audiobook (the Fug Girls' Messy, which is completely mindless fun, by the way), ended.  

On the brink of a total meltdown, through the magic of Spotify, I stumbled upon what can only be described as a soothing balm for road rage: Ed Sheeran's The A Team.  Only four songs, but they're soothing and wonderful.  Crisis averted.
05

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Devil in the details

taking a moment to chalk up our board. #hellodubai
This picture from Kate Spade's Tumblr of the new store in Dubai (can you even imagine?) caught my eye today.  It looks like they're using the company's vintage ads on the walls, which means it must be ridiculously charming because their ads are so pretty and graphic.  The real kicker: my favorite old ad (I remember I was in college when I first saw it) is down in the lower right-hand corner.  And just in time for Halloween -- how cute is that little devil?  (And the bag's rather lovely too -- a good reminder to invest in not flashy, classic, beautiful things.)
Every once in a while, I just fall in love with an ad or a commercial, like this one: the darling little kid, the expression on the mom's face, the mom's outfit -- it's just so perfect.  Is that totally weird, or does it happen to you too?

(Top image via Kate Spade's Tumblr; bottom image by Kate Spade via Love with the Proper Stranger.)

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Proof that dreams really do come true.

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are co-hosting the Golden Globes.  Verdict: FABULOUS.  This is going to be so much fun.  And to this list of seventeen other things they should be in charge of, I would add: the National Spelling Bee, hemline lengths, and the Oscars. (A commenter suggested the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.  Genius.)

Monday, October 15, 2012

Black and white.

9to5Chic: And Off Again
"Pop of color" has really stolen the show lately, but there is something so chic and cool about black-and-white outfits.  They're graphic, sleek-looking, and put-together, but make it easy as can be to get dressed.  (Bonus: black is oh-so-French and beautiful with red lipstick!)
i sometimes forget how timeless and chic all black is.

(Top image by 9 to 5 Chic.  Bottom images: unknown, via Pinterest, and  Vanessa Jackman.)

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Have a lovely weekend!

Rainy day greetings, readers.  Hope you're warm and dry!  Any exciting weekend plans?  Seems like a good weekend for a movie, doesn't it?  My mother-in-law is visiting from Florida, so of course the weather here is terrible -- it never fails!  We'll be hunkering down in a warm bar watching football today, and hopefully we'll get to do some shopping and walk around a bit more tomorrow.  Hope you have some fun plans.  Take care and talk to you Monday!







Doesn't this movie look good?


The best macaroni and cheese for cold fall nights.


(Images by Little Brown Pen and Garance Dore.)

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Today's mantra.

I need to tattoo this to my forehead.  Or perhaps the backs of my hands would be a better spot, since it would be more visible.

While I'm doing that, check out other ladies' strategies for Getting [Things] Done over on Mimi + Meg (which apparently involves a lot of white desks, Apple products, and beautifully styled workspaces.  Perhaps my problem is that my office is ugly?); or swissmiss' excellent suggestions for carving more time out of your day.    

(Image by Bekka Palmer.)

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Fall things

Our first fire of the year has me in the fall spirit (and my freezing cold office has me pining for scarves and sweaters).  Here are a few things I've got my eye on for fall and beyond.  Happy sitting-on-the-couch-with-a-fire-and-a-dog-season!   (And if you missed them, check out spring things and summer things.)

Heart mugs for enjoying warm beverages.
Brown and Teal Ceramic Cup- heart design by RossLab
And a slouchy-cool dress to go with it.

Feminine loafers (no, really -- they exist! Small sizes available here).
A quilted jacket (that comes in regular, tall, and petite, hooray!).
Eyeliner for making the perfect fall face (this comes recommended by my friend whose eyeliner is always perfect). 
super cozy fuzzy-lined robe that I have to imagine you'd never want to take off.
And finally . . . red hair.  I keep thinking about just doing it.  If not in the fall, then when, right?
* wit + delight

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Marissa Webb, pinner extraordinaire.

Marissa Webb, fashion designer (or do we have to say "Fashion Designer" to signify her status?) and former head of womenswear at J. Crew, was Refinery29's Pinner of the Day last weekHer Pinterest boards are just lovely.  My favorite is one called "style it."  No real rhyme or reason, just general fabulousness.
Is it weird to wish that someone lived in your closet and helped you get dressed every day?  Yes?  In that case, I certainly do not wish that Marissa was hiding in my closet behind my work suits.  With Tim Gunn.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Have a lovely weekend!


Hope you are having a nice fall weekend.  We spent yesterday tailgating at the Notre Dame football game that was in Chicago -- lots of fun and lots of encased meats, ha!  Today has predictably been spent lying low and recovering from the festivities.  What about you?  The fall weather dictates that tonight will be our annual chili-and-monkey-bread fall feast, so I'm off to the store for ingredients.  Enjoy these links and have a cozy and relaxing rest of your weekend! 



Hilarious: The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary, a compilation of modern office life terms (via swissmiss).








Sad trick-or-treaters.  Don't they know how cute they are?

Vintage Hudson Bay 4 Point Wool Blanket - Midcentury Camp Cabin


(Top image via here, originally from the 2010 Meet the Hilfigers print ad photographed by Craig McDean; bottom image via  Etsy seller blueflowervintage.)

Friday, October 5, 2012

Beatlemania

The Beatles' first single, "Love Me Do," was released fifty years ago today.  (Fifty!)  Life Magazine just released these previously unpublished photos of their first American concert (two days after their famous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show).  Aren't they incredible?
At least this was for the Beatles.  I probably looked like this at my first New Kids on the Block concert circa 1990.  I wish I could say I have better judgment, but if I was fourteen today, well . . . I'd probably be doing this.  

Who were you wild for?

Pretty pixie

Dear Anne,
GIRL TALK photo | Anne Hathaway
Please stop looking so cute with this haircut, because even though I never looked this good, you're making me want it again. 

Sincerely,
Tall and Salty

PS: congrats on the wedding, you looked pretty!

(Images via People/WENN and Tom and Lorenzo.)

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Any of these look familiar?


This "piece of work" says thanks, Bill!

(Via Explore.)

Fall for feet

100312Bag8775Web
Shall we take a moment to do some fantasy fall shoe shopping?  Yes?  Fabulous.

For play:

For dates:
Product Image

Boot(ie)s made for walking:

Boots made for looking hot (and for looking hot at a bit more reasonable price):
Loeffler Randall Viola Pull On Boots
What do you have your eye on?

(Top image by The Sartorialist.)
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