Perfume

I have been hearing amazing reviews of Jo Malone fragrance swarming around the internet. There was a new light citrusy-scent out there? I had to try it. But the price for Jo Malone is sort of high. So I bought a sample. Yes, $3.49 is sort of dumb for tiny sample usually given out free, but it was better than spending $70 or $110 on a bottle I didn't like. Jo Malone is not sold anywhere near Milwaukee. Try the Neiman Marcus in Northbrook, IL. I got the Nectarine Blossom and Honey sample from here and really liked it. It's light, a hint of floral, but very fresh. The Christmas List is already forming, people.

photo: bloomingdales

I want to go to there: Chicago's color jam

It's amazing what a little paint can do. On the corner of Adams and State in the Chicago Loop, large blocks of color add some much needed fun to an otherwise uneventful corner (see the before HERE). The public art project called 'Color Jam' by Jessica Stockholder was installed in June and will go through September (so hurry up). Read more about it in the Chicago Tribune.

photos: here and here

Time for: Fall Layers

Apple Hello Dolly Bars, triangle coin purse, orange sweater, leopard oxfords, trouser socks, vintage plaid throw

Last week I could hear the treetops rustling in the wind and knew......it was time to break out the fall layers. Fall is my favorite time to get dressed - because I love my accessories - colored tights, leather boots, textured skirt, a cardigan belted over a shirt. That's me. And since it's been so darn hot this summer, I have been at a wardrobe loss. So here are some of the things I have been eyeing up for fall... to layer of, course.

A Milwaukee Home Tour

My heart skipped a beat when I saw this home tour of Milwaukeeans Scott Johnson and Maureen Post featured on the blog, Home Again (follow the link for more photos HERE). It's a nice change of pace to see a home that is actually lived in and is unique to the couple living there. I'm getting tired of flipping through the pages of Decor and House Beautiful, myself. So I"m excited to see a project/blog right in my own backyard. Three cheers for their awesome home tours! And maybe someday (when I actually pick up all the laundry baskets in my living room) my home might look blogworthy, too.

The window seat

I've been running on all four cylinders for the last couple weeks (hence the light postings). Clinicals for graduate school have started. Work hours were extended. And we just got back from Salt Lake City for a family wedding. And an allergy-induced sinus cold is in full swing. This blog has always been my outlet for the harried nature of my real life. Posting about shoes and pretty pictures was a good balance. Well, I've started doing that same thing in my real life. We got on the plane back home and I was so, very, tired - not many things are pretty about 5:30am. But looking out the window at the mountains, the clouds and enjoying the beautiful view was a nice way to put some balance back into my life.

Pretty as a picture.

I love portraits and these are just beautiful. Mary Sauer paints mostly women on oil canvas. Here's what she says about her work, "These paintings depict women in cold, planned out environments and illustrate how different social institutions dictate our behaviors. They show idealized perfection and reference stale commissioned portraiture as well as the “ideal woman” from illustration of the 1950’s". They may be posed and perfect, but I love looking at all the layers and the expressions in their faces/bodies.

And speaking of portraits....anyone been to the National Portrait Gallery in DC. It's one of my favorite museums.

Fun Times at Blogs & Books

A big thanks to all those who came out for Blogs & Books last weekend! It was so much fun meeting fellow bloggers (Karis, Lisa, Elena, Colleen, and Marisa) and talking about books. Made my week.

We had some great local business giving us a hand: Treat Bake Shop provided some goodies, , fresh design for the flower arrangements, and Monograham paper for the fun notebook giveaways and of course, the wonderful Pabst Theater for letting us hangout!

I can't wait to do it again - I think we'll do four books a year - one for each season. There was a lot of response for Julia Child's 'My Life In Paris'; so let me know what you think. I've been on a real Julia Child kick, myself....just watch this video to see what I mean. My hope is that through this event we can discover new places in the city, discover new local businesses, discover new blogs, support the blogging and blog-reading community, and learn some new stuff. Hope to see you at the next one!