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Image via TownandCounntryMag.com
This week has certainly been a busy one! Here are a few great finds I've recently discovered:
- With Summer vacation on the horizon, check out how to travel in style.
- I love a Bronte sister classic. Recently I'm all about Wuthering Heights. Oh, Heathcliff.
- A how-to guide on creating Instagram-worthy vingettes.
- How clean is your home, really? Check out this site for achieving a seriously healthy clean.
- My India Hicks style crush continues. Here is a look into her stylish childhood home.
Image via RedDoorSpa.com
This past Christmas, Mr. C gave me the perfect gift, a complete spa day at the Red Door Flagship Spa in NYC. This past weekend, I finally scheduled my day of pampering with my mom. It was the perfect Mother-Daughter day! From the moment you walk in, it's a completely indulgent experience. You're welcomed and enter into a series of hallways that brings you to the Ladies Locker Room. It's all white and nude tones, without feeling cold or medicinal, and you're given the most plush robe ever. (Where do they get those?!) Afterward you're escorted into the waiting room that feels both relaxing and chic at the same time, decorated in slate tones. As we sipped on lemon-water, we were called in for our treatments - massage (lovely), facial with eye contour (incredible, especially with the diamond micro-dermabrasion!), manicures (I opted for Essie's Fifth Ave, after all when on 5th) and makeup touch-up. It was the most wonderful afternoon and definitely a do-again! Check here for available spa packages.
Image via RedDoorSpas.com
Image via RedDoorSpas.com
Image via RedDoorSpas.com
Here are a few things things I'm loving this week:
- Everyone wants to achieve that chic French Girl Look. Consider this your cheat sheet.
- Serious morning motivation. #Iwokeupthisway Time to start body brushing.
- This Easter floral arrangement.
- Sales here mean never going home empty-handed.
- I like low effort, big taste meals for during the week. This one is an absolute favorite!
Enjoy the weekend!
Image - The Ghost of the Mary Celeste,’ by Valerie Martin (Doubleday. 306 pp. $25.95)
I heard about this book a while back in the Times, and finally got my hands on it!
Image via Sperry
I love heels as much as the next girl, but when the weather gets warm, it's all about flats. Nothing says summer weather like espadrilles. Flat, but totally beachy-chic, these rope sandals instantly add a dash of Mediterranean without looking out of place. In fact, they tend to look like you are heading to some envy-worthy beach locale!
Image via Ralph Lauren
Originally designed for foot soldiers in the 13th century, espadrilles have evolved (in materials and comfort, I'm sure!), but kept their roots with their natural-colored soles and easy-to-walk-in design. This season, I'm especially loving those in bright, poppy colors or fun patterns. One word of caution when shopping for espadrilles, look at the inner portion of the shoe and see if that part also features the rope. While this does pay homage to the shoe's traditional feel, this can irritate after a bit. Instead look for those that feature some cushion for maximum comfort.
Nothing is more welcoming or uplifting than fresh-cut flowers. Bold and bright or pale and demure, a well-place bouquet instantly breathes freshness into a room. However, after a few days, the bloom may be, quite literally, off the rose. Extend the life of your next arrangement, even by just a day or two, with a few easy tweaks.
- Change the water daily. Seems easy, but it's also easy to overlook. Just think about how your skin would feel without water for a day. Enough said.
- Trim the stems everyday. Be sure to cut them on an angle, preferably under a running faucet. I like to use kitchen shears for a precise cut. Be sure to remove leaves after they start to look limp.
- Add a pinch of sugar. Flowers need food to stay alive. By adding a bit of sugar to the water, which is drawn up through the stem, you're giving the flowers the energy it needs to bloom.
- Drop in a penny. The copper in a penny helps ward off bacteria, which can cause flowers to die more quickly.
- Switch up the vase. As the arrangement gets smaller and the blooms get wider, switch out a tall vase for shorter, rounder one. This play on proportion makes the flowers look artfully full.
- Keep flowers out of the elements. Seems a bit counter-intuitive, but freshly cut flowers do best when not in direct sunlight or excessive wind.
The importance of writing thank you notes has been drummed into me since childhood, and honestly, it is likely one of the "life lessons" I use most often. Whether it was writing a thank you for all of our wedding guests or a simple holiday card, I've developed a bit of a stationary obsession. (So much so, that Mr. C. gave me new stationary for our first anniversary - it is the year of paper after all!) Taking a moment to write, in our time of emails and texts, shows that extra bit of effort that really does make a significant difference. Here are few options that I'm swooning over.
Photos via SugarPaper/KateSpade/TimblePress/ThimblePress/CraneandCo./SugarPaper/SugarPaper/SugarPaper
Need writing inspiration, check out this how-to guide or this piece on the resurgence of thank you notes.
Photo Source: BlueHillFarm
One of our favorite ways to spend the weekend is going for a drive. This Sunday we visited some family upstate and made our way to Stone Barn near Tarrytown. Originally a working dairy farm for the Rockefeller Estate in the 1930's (so they could have fresh milk at all times), Stone Barn Center for Food and Agriculture opened in Spring 2004 to help build awareness about everyday food choices, increase awareness of seasonal, sustainable food and train farmers in restorative techniques. Stone Barn is surrounded by 80 acres of idyllic green pastures filled with lambs, cows, chickens and geese, in addition to incredible gardens and stunning true-to-name stone buildings. You can check out the cafe for seasonal, fresh-from-the-garden treats, take a self-guided tour through the grounds, take a class (this one and this one could be great for families) or sit down at Blue Hill at Stone Barn, an amazing farm-to-table restaurant where the menu is ever evolving to what looks best that day. It's the perfect spot for the whole family and a special date-night for foodies.
Entryway - Photo Source: Mr. C.
The Black Sheep of the Family
Inside the Silo
