aloha!

splurging on the convertible Mustang
was one of our favorite memories in Hawaii.

We're back from our vacation to paradise. It was nothing short of fabulous. After spending our days lounging by the pool and swimming in the teal blue ocean, I'm catching up on a pile of laundry and a DVR full of Gossip Girl and Bethenny Ever After. 


Not going to lie - it wasn't easy adjusting to the time change or sitting at my desk today (especially since it was so gorgeous outside), but life off of the island ain't so bad. Can't wait to share all my adventures throughout the week. Mahalo!

walk on the wild side.

What a week! The boyfriend was in New York on business all week (so jealous). And I stayed home with the pups watching way too much Bravo for my own good.  All week I was imagining him wandering the city and checking out all of my favorite places. Even though it's been 5 (can you believe it?!) years since I've lived there, it still odd-ly feels a bit like home. I loved that he'd text me, "What Subway should I take to Greenwich Village?" I'm hoping that we can head to the Big Apple later this fall. There's something so exciting about feeling like a small part of such a large city.

Check out my New York board on Pinterest. Sigh, I miss that place! If only we could all live in adorable brownstones with high-paying jobs and had a dog walker...then we'd totally move.

I want to go to hawaii...build my castle out of sand.

aloha! the BF just booked a week long trip to hawaii in april. I am beyond thrilled to dig my feet into the sand, sip mai tais and bask in the sunshine. our hotel is just our style...I love all of the white!

(via 1, 2, 3)

"Seven Days was all she wrote..."

Today's guest post is from one of my favorite people --Veronica Medici of Veronica Booking. But we go way back. Even though we went to the same high school for a hot second before she transfered, we were only hallway acquaintances. Although I do remember her complementing my Urban Outfitters pants while shutting my locker (random vivid memory). But it truely all started with a mutural girlfriend and an extra ticket to see Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. Flash forward to countless mixtapes, shopping adventures and exploring our favorite city together on our 20th birthday and then again when I spent a semester at NYU while she was in the Fashion District at FIT. Her recent trip to the Big Apple will make you jealous.
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My guy Mitch and I recently flew back to New York City for a quick week of work and visits with friends, family and all the spots we miss so much when we’re away. Luckily we landed in the city right after the thunderstorms and right before the stretch of record heat. Let’s just say, the stars aligned for this trip. Here it is in seven days…

Tuesday: We arrived early on the red eye from Portland, bright with energy (even with 2.5 hours of sleep each). Popped into City Diner for some breakfast, dropped our bags and headed to Central Park to laze in the sun and watch a baseball game. Later, we took a walk through my old college stomping grounds, the midtown Fashion District.



Wednesday: Checked into the Ace Hotel NYC, a fun West Coast transplant hotel. Mitch had his first show with good friend Cat Stephani (Janis in the recent Portland Center Stage Production, One Night With Janis Joplin) at Googies Room on the Lower East Side.

Thursday: Show #1 went great! We spent Thursday strolling through the West Village, then on to feast at one of my favorite eateries at their new location in Chelsea, Westville.

Walked through one of Mitch’s favorite neighborhoods, the Flatiron District, where we ran into an AMAZING 44-foot high statue in Madison Square Park. The sculpture, created by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa is modeled after the Greek myth of Echo (a nymph in love with her own voice). It looks unreal, even when standing directly in front of it. Quite a view.

Friday: Big show #2, I booked my client Nick Dothée for his CD Release Show at Canal Room, very cool venue in China Town, check it out sometime if you’re down there! Mitch plays drums for Nick, so all around a very exciting time! There was a photo booth set up from Dirty Sugar Photography which was of course a fun addition.

 

Saturday: Relaxation after the show #2, and a visit to see the Frick Collection on Museum Row. A little shopping on the East Side, including a favorite of ours Trash & Vaudeville on St. Marks. (My dad used to work there in the late 70’s!) Mitch picked up a couple pairs of perfectly fitted rock star pants, and a red miniskirt for me!

Sunday & Monday: We filled our last days with some family time and visits to every other neighborhood that we had missed. Had to stop in at Bleeker Street Pizza for a slice, and pick up a dirty water dog somewhere in Midtown. Overall, a perfect week, just too short! Already making plans and schedules for the next visit…

 

holiday from real

Alright, who's in? 

The Altitude Design Summit is held in Salt Lake City, January 18-21, 2012. And I can't travel alone! What is it you ask? Well, I can't possibly top the description they provide, so here goes:

Design. Lifestyle. Photography. Fashion. Events. Styling. Art Direction.    

If you're obsessed with lifestyle and shopping blogs, fantastic images, smart ideas and great design — all wrapped up with a social media bow — Altitude Design Summit is the place to be. 

We've created a place where design and lifestyle bloggers in all their forms— foodies, photographers, travelers, product placers, adventurers — come together, share ideas and connect with marketers. There will be discussions on how to grow your site, how to fund your site, how to keep your site above the fray. You'll find panels on blogging etiquette and blogging ethics. People will share good advice for creative entrepreneurs. Friends will be made. Contact books will be filled.

Last year, some of my all-time of my favorite bloggers gathered as speakers. I'm excited to see who they have lined up for 2012 so I can throw glitter in the air and book my trip.

Registration opens Monday, August 1. Let's do it!

how do you measure, measure a year?

Just came across the site 365 Things to do in Portland, and I love it!

I'm all about making lists and exploring parts of the city that I haven't yet discovered.

I wish they had a list so that I could start checking things off, but I guess I'll have to make my own for all of our spring and summer adventures!

What's on your "must see, must do, must visit" places in Portland? I'm dying to know!

Los Angeles, I'm Yours.

took this on our morning walk on the beach!

We're back from sunny California. It was hard to leave the 75 degree weather, the sun and the ocean...especially to come back to grey and rainy Portland, but here we are. And the worst part of it all? My cold that I thought I kicked two weeks ago returned with a vengeance on the trip, and I've been couch-bound for the last 2 days and forced to use up some sick days. 

While I can't breathe or swallow with ease, I'm forced to snuggle with the pups and watch daytime TV. Around here that consists of reruns of Beverly Hills, 90210, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The OC. Is there a theme here? 

We jetted off to Los Angeles early on Friday morning. At least three PDX airport workers said that BF and I looked especially "fresh" for 5am. I think it's the fact that we laid out our cute outfits the night before.

Once we arrived at LAX, we hopped into our sweet rental car (Hyundai Genesis - seriously. Drives, and kind of looks, like a Mercedes) and toured the city until our 3pm hotel check in. 

Driving down Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica to Malibu, we took in the sights, soaked in some sunshine, and made mental notes for next time...check out the Getty Villa in Malibu. Looks amazing.

Some highlights:

(via BizBash)

Our beachfront boutique hotel in Venice, Hotel Erwin. Located just one block from the Venice boardwalk and beach, it also has a rooftop lounge. The modern, artsy, surfer vibe was perfect for our stay in Venice. Our room was bright and had a balcony with views of the sunset on the beach. Plus, I KNEW it looked familiar! It's in a Wheat Thins commercial. My memory never ceases to amaze me.

(google image via Tonsil)

We explored Venice and fell in love with Abbot Kinney Blvd. The first night we were there it was their "First Friday" event where galleries, boutiques and restaurants stay open late. They also had several food trucks lining the street that drew literally hundreds to line up for a late snack - very "Portland." When we walked into a swanky restaurant for a drink and the wait was two hours, I grabbed a card and we went back the next evening. GJELINA did not disappoint; it was seriously delicious and such a fun environment. 

LA people are friendly! Since BF is a Portland transplant, he's always saying that he thinks Portland people can be clique-y, but I understood where he was coming from once we struck up random conversations with the locals. People asked us for directions, they'd roll down the windows and shout, "Hey, which way to the 405?!" We must have looked like locals. 

...more to come.

hotel paper.

I love nothing more than a thought-provoking quote and good design. The Morgans New York Hotel teamed up with The School of Life to leave quote postcards on your pillow. So much better than a chocolate!

(via notcot)

What a genius collaboration. Read about the Morgans Hotel Group and The School of Life's global partnership here. Seriously, you have to. I'm amazed by their creativity. Their partnership includes the creation of a Minibar for the Mind - which offers guests a "midnight feast of intellect, inspiration and ideas." For just $56, you can get a custom-made box containing an intriguing and thought-provoking alternative to the usual minibar fare:
- CONVERSATION STARTERS
Fuel conversation: A box set of 250 cards featuring questions, quotations and provocations.

- COLLECTED THOUGHTS
Feed your brain: A volume of the best columns written by The School of Life's faculty and friends.

- READING PRESCRIPTIONS
Drink in these words: Two tailor-made reading prescriptions from The School of Life's Bibliotherapists designed to evoke moods of relaxation or seduction.

- DREAMS & FEARS NOTEBOOK with WRITER'S BLOCK PENCIL SET
Pour out your thoughts: An open book and a blank page to write down your dreams and fears.

So what is The School of Life? It's headquartered in Central London and they come up with good ideas for everyday living (I'm obsessed with this idea). They tackle life's big questions. Why are jobs often uninspiring? How can we fulfill our potential? Can relationships last a lifetime? Why does community matter?

Has traveling ever seemed so fabulous? I need to stay at these hotels.

los angeles, I'm yours.

Happy February! Where exactly did January go? I'm not sure, but it's gone; and I couldn't be more excited for February. First up? The BF and I are taking a long weekend and jetting down to his hometown of Los Angeles for some much overdue vaca time in the California sunshine. We're staying at a beachfront, boutqiue hotel in Venice Beach, meeting up with some old friends over cocktails, and buzzing around the city snapping up pictures and eating brunch to our heart's content. (Oh, and maybe we're excited to possibly pull the trigger on this couch from CB2. We might have dedicated our trip to San Fran last spring to sitting in it, but hey - if it gets us out of town...I'm all for it. It's so perfect.)


Talk about perfect timing, but have you seen JCrew's latest photoshoot for their spring collection? The effortless models use Tinsletown's iconic landmarks for the backdrop of their shoot complete with fun Hollywood facts. Love!

(images via JCrew)

I hope we can stage our own photoshoot around town that look half as adorable as these photos do. I'll post a recap of our adventures when we get back!

Also, has anyone seen Sofia Coppola's latest film "Somewhere?" I've been dying to see it. Los Angeles films are always eerie, and films that look into the lonely lives of celebrities always fascinate me. (But how can they be so lonely?! Their lives look so fabulous on the cover of magazines and as clips on Entertainment Tonight...right?)

Quick synopsis: Johnny (Stephen Dorff) is living at the legendary Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood. Then, his 11-year-old daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) from his failed marriage arrives unexpectedly at the Chateau. Their encounters encourage Johnny to face up to where he is in life and confront the question that we all must: which path in life will you take?

Bonus: it's filmed entirely on location.