Utilitarian Chic

Earlier, I pondered what type of weekender bag I'd love the most if I were getting one for my road trip today. I considered some bags with fun prints, but I equally love the idea of utilitarian-chic totes with buckles and leather...

When I look at each of the following bags, I can imagine exactly how I'd want to travel while carrying them. I'd be driving a lovely vintage car or hoping on-board a private plane, perhaps one I'd pilot myself.

Jonathan Miller

I'd wear a crisp white button-down with a well-cut pair of linen pants (ones that miraculously never wrinkle, natch) and a pair of bronze metallic sandals. And I'd have a pair of aviators to shield my eyes from the sun.

This outfit is pretty close, and I wouldn't complain about looking like her!
Jonathan Miller

And, of course, I'd be jotting off to some exotic locale, such as Morocco for a long weekend (never mind that such a trip wouldn't likely entail only a weekender-size bag for me...)

Above and below photo- Tripod Agency

Where I'd take a glass of tea under this rooftop tent and watch as the sun set.

Marie Claire Maison via The Style Files

-Sigh-

Oh. Right. The bags!

I carried a white bag nonstop a few summers ago, and by the end of the season, it was definitely showing its wear. I know how impractical a bag like this is, especially for travel, but I can't help but lust after them all the same, including this lovely one from J.Crew.

I'd more than happily carry the gorgeous Balenciaga Giant Weekender in Sahara or almost any of the multitude of colors in which it is available.

The six-pocket extra large travel bag by Valhalla certainly looks roomy enough to carry all the things I could throw in it, yet it retains a stylish appearance too.


I love the Mulholland Safari Bag in waxed canvas; the bag, like many of its Mulholland counterparts, makes me a little weak in the knees-- a bit masculine, yes, but still oh-so-chic. And I'm positive it's a bag E would be happy to carry too.


I saw this tool bag mentioned months ago on Urban Grace; with its canvas and leather exterior paired with an interior full of pockets and dividers, I was instantly intrigued with the idea of it as a weekend tote-- I have been ever since.

I am about to hit the road, sadly, without any of these beauties, but I am excited all the same. I love a little roadtrip with some good tunes and a sunny day!

Packing Light

I am a horrible packer.

I don't lack the ability to arrange things well in my suitcase or car, rather I seem to lack the ability to limit what I bring. I always wonder what I'll actually be in the mood to wear and even sometimes what array of activities I might do, so, it is rather inevitable-- I overpack.

Chris Everard

I'm getting ready to head home for about a week (to work on our house as we continue getting it ready to put on the market.) While normally a trip of this length would entail stuffing my large suitcase to the brim, since most of my spring clothes are still at our house, I don't need to take quite as much with me this time.

Marisa Crawford Indri- stylist

I would love to have a new weekender-size bag to throw my things inside, and I can't quite decide which of these bags would make the final cut if I were getting one for the trip (ok, so I might actually need two...)

I might love a bag with a fun print...

This bright orange and white bag from Anny & Me seems perfectly suited for summer.

I adore this DrikaB bag; even with its print and detailing, it still appears neutral enough to pair with a variety of outfits and color palettes.

I don't love looking at this many cars while sitting in traffic, but I do love looking at them on this Orla Kiely travel tote.


I'm not sure which of the above Virginia Johnson bags, available at Beklina, I would want the most, but I am sure if I were taking a trip to the beach, I would love to have either at my side.

Stay Tuned-- more possible bag options later today!

The Silver Lining

I've always been a firm believer in the saying "Everything Happens for a Reason," a belief instilled in me by my mom and Nana. I repeat that thought during perplexing and surprising moments, but most often, I repeat it during difficult times.

I always seek comfort in the belief of a reason, although, many times, when in the midst of a challenging period, it seems impossible to see what the reason is.

Keep Calm Gallery

"Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining," is a phrase that sums up the belief in a different way, and last night, E and I were discussing our own recent "silver lining" in life-- a missed job opportunity that at the time was devastating, but which we can now clearly see was a tremendous blessing in disguise.

As E and I try to navigate this new piece of life we've begun carving out, this poster would make for a very perfect reminder that a year from now, we may well look upon other silver linings still yet unseen.

Gliding Down the Rails

I love to travel as much for the destination as for the trip itself. Although I am always excited to arrive at my journey's end, I enjoy the process of getting there as well. I've mentioned it before, but I love airports and planes, and I adore a good road trip.


E & I watched this movie over the weekend, and I have been thinking about train travel ever since. I have only traveled by train a handful of times, and while I loved each trip, none were as glamorous as the one depicted in these photos.

Photos by Greg Sorensen

The romance associated with rail travel (and air travel as well) from bygone eras doesn't quite exist in today's harried society, with travel more closely linked to delays and long lines, but I still am captivated by the idea of a grand adventure spent in luxurious clothing, with scenery flying by, as a train races down the tracks towards its next destination.

**And in other news, we are still without Internet at home...

A Sweet Escape

The past few days have been punctuated with a grey, dreary drizzle, and this home in the Bahamas by Tom Scheerer looks like the most perfect place to escape. It seems to have all the necessary elements for a relaxing getaway...


A charming backyard in which to linger over a meal and a bottle of wine with friends.


A lovely fireplace by which to warm yourself should the night air get chilly.


In the morning, you will have a plethora of straw hats and towels to choose from on your way to the beach.


When you return to the house in the afternoon, you can toss your iPod and keys on the console.


In the living room, you can finish another chapter in your book before heading upstairs to the bedroom.


A most perfect place to take a nap.


Once you are rested, you can grab clothes out of the dresser,


And head into the bathroom, to soak in the tub as you prepare for your evening company to arrive again.

Just a Note

You might be an Internet addict when... you discover Panera Bread closes earlier than you'd expected on a Friday night, so you decide to try to get the Wi-Fi signal from your car before leaving. Yes, I made E sit with me for 30 minutes on Friday while I got online before the WiFi signal was shut off by the staff!

Trevor Dixon via Desire to Inspire

As many of you know, E & I have been in the midst of a move over the last few months. I am happy (and rather embarrassed) to say that we finally moved into an apartment last week, which we will have for the next six months.

Sarah & Brian-Meg Perotti (photographer) via Elizabeth Anne Designs

As happens during moves, I am at the mercy of companies waiting for installation of services, and it is absolutely killing me to wait for an Internet connection. I am suppose to have service starting this upcoming Friday, but until then, my posting (and commenting) may continue to be a little sporadic. Just wanted to let you know where I've been this last week and why I may be rather absent this one as well.

Lindsey & Gym- Jessica Johnson Photography

I have decided that I am hopeless without my computer and Internet access; I feel as useless as a typewriter is in modern society without them. I am, however, still enamored with the idea of typewriters, so I figured that, for now, I'd leave you with some of my favorite typewriter images as of late.

A Labor of Love

Copy Cut Create

A well-crafted mix, a compilation of songs carefully selected to tell a perfect story, has always been a gift of considerable thought. It's a gift that is as easy to bestow on a best friend as a lover, and it's always a bold move to bestow one on a crush.

The Argyle Academy

Technology has advanced the art of creating a mix; cds and mp3s have made it easier to fine-tune selections, to rearrange songs until the mix tells the exact story you want. While I can't complain about these advances (for I'm certain I spend more time now than ever before trying to achieve the perfect song order,) as surely as I date myself writing this, I can say nothing quite compares to the labor of love that was a mix tape.

Mix Tape USB Stick. I love these- they appeal to the mix tape fanatic who still lives inside me.

When making a mix tape, you often had to catch your favorite new songs on the radio. When they played, you waited patiently for the dj to stop talking, hoping he wouldn't talk too much over the beginning (or the end) of the song because you wanted to catch as close to the original versions as possible.

SparklePower

When you did catch a favorite song or when you were recording music from another cassette or a cd, you listened with the greatest of concentration; you wanted to stop the tape at the exact right spot-- not too soon and not too late. Knowing that spot was a well-honed skill that made a mix tape flow more smoothly from one song to the next.

SparklePower

Playlists were compiled with care to make sure they not only conveyed the right mood, but that they were also split acceptably between Side A and Side B; if you weren't cognizant of song length, you might find an unintentionally abrupt stop to the music at the end of a side.

heatherjeany

Before embarking on recording the mix, you also had to be fairly confident with the order of your selections. Once a song was sandwiched between two others, a change was only possible if you could find a song of equal length to fill the space or if you were willing to re-record everything after the change in selection. Once an entire side was recorded, there was often no turning back.

InvitaPaperStudio

Choosing the title of the tape, as well as the right words for the stickers on both sides, felt monumentally important. Fitting the entire playlist on the allotted spaces of the case liner was a creative challenge, and sometimes the cover of the case liner turned into your own work of art.

Messenger Bird Press

When the last song had been recorded, the liner notes written, and identifying stickers placed on each side of the tape, you'd slide the cassette into its case. The finished product you then held in your hands was not just a mix tape, but was also a labor of love.

Because I still have a huge collection of my old mix tapes, I love the idea of this product!

L-O-V-E spells...

As a lover of Scrabble, I always find it sweet when a wedding incorporates a nod to this classic game, and I absolutely adore this ring shot!

Real Wedding- Kait & Robin. Photographer Kella MacPhee via Brooklyn Bride

Luphia Loves- Beauty Interview

I was interviewed by Tina, the sweet gal behind the blog Luphia Loves, as part of her Beauty Tuesdays; my interview is now up, and you can read about my beauty secrets, including my favorite products (and let's just say I am a bit obsessed with the ones that are meant for lips...)

James Christianson Photography

Thanks, Tina, for including me in this very fun series. And, if you don't read it already, be sure to check out Luphia Loves, which always features an incredible mix of design from fashion to interiors!

Little Boxes of Love

Everything Brooke Reynolds posts on Inchmark is sweet and inspiring, and these Valentine's she made with her kids (to hand out to their classes) are no exception. I am absolutely smitten and would adore receiving one of these myself! Love. Love. Love.