Fort Bliss

If our homes are refuges against the greater world, places where we can relax and escape, I can't think of anything that would make for a more peaceful retreat than a tented lounge area in a backyard...

Twig Hutchinson

Unless, perhaps, it were a permanent fort inside the house.

House & Home

Like a treehouse, a fort appeals to the child inside me, but it also seems a fitting place to get lost in a book, as it speaks to adventure and imagination and can transport you to a different place or time, just as a great story often does.

It is easy to picture evenings and weekends passing slowly tucked beneath the folds of canvas and accompanied by a good read, great company, and a favorite drink.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

It's grey and storming, which seems a fitting end to what has been a very long week! Between taxes and my car being towed, I am certainly saying TGIF and looking forward to the weekend.

{here}

{here}

We are hitting the road tonight and our drive will surely look much like these photos by Anna Ura, minus the lovely foothills in the distance.

Whatever your plans are this weekend, I hope that you have a wonderful one! See you next week my dears. xo

At Your Leisure

My list of dream vacations is long and continually expanding. Some places are closer to the top of the list than others and some have long-held their spots, but all are vacations I'd love to experience one day.

One item on the list is to cruise the canals of Europe on-board a hotel barge, like the Golden Odyssey, a private barge-yacht available for charter out of Flanders, Belgium.


This setting looks like perfection. I might not be much of a morning person, but I would love to watch dawn break from the deck chairs.


I'll happily meander through quaint villages as we weave our way through the countryside.


I'm content to dock in small towns


Or larger cities.


A glass of wine as we cruise through Paris? Why, I'd love one. And you?


The deck is a perfect place to relax


And take in the sights... oh,look! It's Notre Dame ahead on the left.


When the night air gets chilly, we can retreat below deck with our glasses of wine and sit by the roaring fire.


With three cabins, including one with twin beds, there is plenty of room for friends.


We'd even have our own bathrooms, as each cabin has one en-suite.


Now, don't mind us if we turn in early. There's champagne waiting, and I hate to keep it waiting long.

To Each Her Own

Last March, when I was searching for thank-you gifts for my bridesmaids, our mothers, and my other close friends who worked diligently to ensure our wedding came together, I knew I wanted to give each woman a present that was fitting to her personality and style. If possible, however, I also wanted to give them all something in the same vein.


Enter Dogeared. I was instantly smitten when I began searching through their jewelry, specifically their necklaces. I knew I had found the perfect solution to my gift quandary.


Dogeared offered positive and charming messages on their packaging, and they had a wide variety of jewelry, in both sterling silver and gold, which allowed me to consider each woman's unique sense of style.


I was amazed to find pieces that felt truly representative of all the women in some way or another, and I loved the process of picking out each gift, reflecting on how the selection reminded me of each woman and what she meant to me.


In the past year, Dogeared's selection has continued to grow, and I love perusing their site to look for new additions. I constantly find items I would love to gift to friends as life circumstances change and new situations arise.


I couldn't have been happier with my decision to use Dogeared for my thank-you gifts, but, in the time since, I have found myself wishing there was one person I had thought to include on our wedding day.... me!

Sparkle + Neon Glow

I love wearing dresses and skirts during all the seasons; in fall and winter, they are perfect paired with boots and tights, and there is nothing like an effortless dress with bare legs and sandals in spring and summer.

As we march further into spring, I've found myself drawn toward bright, cheerful dresses, like these from Matthew Williamson's Spring '09 collection.

I like the shortened version of this dress at Net-A-Porter

Love the necklace paired with this dress on the runway.
Runway Photos via Style.com

I love the attention to detail in the embellishments and beading of these pieces and was a bit surprised to realize I was drawn to the neon in the prints. I didn't think neon was a trend I was completely onboard with, but perhaps once a child of the '80s, always a child of the '80s...

While all of these pieces are sadly out of my price-range, perhaps something in Matthew Williamson's collection for H&M will strike my fancy. Now, if only there were an H&M close by!

Among the Trees

When I was little, I was captivated by the Disney film "Swiss Family Robinson." I loved the storyline and the characters, but what I most loved was the idea of living in a treehouse.


Treehouse life seemed utterly romantic and adventurous, and I can remember thinking that Fritz and Roberta were wise when they decided to stay and begin their joint life on the island.


While I can't say that the idea of full-time treehouse living seems quite as fantastic as it once did, I still love the idea of a treehouse escape.


It seems like a perfect tranquil place to step away from the hectic pace of everyday life, whether in your own backyard or perhaps even as a quaint vacation home. I would happily load up with books, magazines, and snacks and sneak away to read and nap in this treehouse featured on Cote Maison.

Should you tire of being among the leaves, a daybed close to the ground would be a perfect accompaniment to your getaway in the trees.

Photos by Jean-Marc Palisse

Abstract Paisley

I keep going back to the abstract paisley necklace from Hello Fabulous, and while I am not sure exactly what keeps calling to me, I do know I love the shape and colors. It makes quite a statement and would likely look as good with a cocktail dress as a simple t-shirt and jeans-- gotta love a piece that's skilled at multi-tasking!

One With Nature

While looking through the portfolio of California-based Backen Gillam Architects, I was taken with one project after another, and one of the things that struck me most was how connected each space felt to its surroundings.

There is a blurring of lines between indoor and outdoor living spaces in their work, and I love the wide expanses of windows and doors that tie living areas to nature.

Napa Valley Residence

Stags Leap Residence

Diamond Mountain Residence

Oakville Residence

Portola Valley Residence

St. Helena Farmhouse

Yountville Residence