Recipe Swap: Taffeta & Tulips Meyer Lemon Cocktail

I'm excited to share that today Kate, of Taffeta and Tulips, and I are doing a recipe swap featuring one of my favorite spring ingredients—Meyer lemons. Kate is one of my long-time blog friends and I couldn't be happier to be partnering with her again. Kate's effortless sense of style translates perfectly to her recipes which are always simple, elegant, and fresh, and her Meyer Lemon Cocktail recipe is no different. Enjoy Kate's delicious cocktail, and be sure to check out Taffeta & Tulips for my Spring Vegetable Tartine recipe.

Miguel Vallinas‘ Roots

Spring is officially here, and what better than to celebrate with photos of dreamy spring flowers from Miguel Vallinas? His latest collection of work, entitled 'Roots', shows a series of flower heads and explores the development of personal identity. The photographer explains, "Roots searches once more in human nature for what we believe we are, what others think we are, what we really are and what we would like to be." Everything from the fashion choices to the bouquets to the model's poses feels intentionally styled to be uncomplicated yet beautiful—a way of reminding us to return to our roots and embrace the simple pleasures in life.

My Juice Cleanse Experience

Last week I mentioned that I was in the process of completing a three-day juice cleanse, and a few of you reached out to see if I would post on my thoughts and experiences. I purchased the Level One Cleanse from our local juicer—The Garden Table—and since I had tried nearly all of their juices before {they are delicious} I was extremely excited. I had been eating very clean for the past few months, but after a few weekends away, visitors, and dinners out, compounded with stress, I was left feeling unmotivated and overall pretty 'blah'. I decided a cleanse was just what I needed to jump start my healthy lifestyle and inspire me to back on track.

Happy Friday!

I don't know about you, but I couldn't be happier that it's Friday! I'm on the final day of a three-day juice cleanse and overall think I'm doing pretty well, but if you ask me again in five minutes I might have a different response :) Tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny, and I plan on spending the morning at the farmers market picking up some ingredients for a very special blog post {stay tuned next week} and the afternoon outside with Yoda. On Sunday I'm going home for the day to work on wedding invitation designs with my mom which I couldn't be more excited about, especially because Oakwood is always extra beautiful this time of year. What are you up to this weekend?

A Rustic Chic California Home

One of the best parts about planning a destination wedding is being able to squeeze a couple extra vacations out of it. We spent about a week and a half in California last summer checking out venues from Northern Sonoma down to the Central Coast, and we will be going back about a week early to explore Santa Barbara and Central California Wine Country. All this time in California has really allowed me to start to appreciate the rustic, laid-back Cali lifestyle which is evident in everything from the fashion to cuisine to decor. To me - this feeling of casual elegance is perfectly captured by designer Wendy Bellissimo's Hidden Hills home. More from Lonny...

Montreal, Canada

I started this blog in October 2012 to document my experience of traveling through Europe solo. Two weeks before that, my mom and I spent four days exploring Montreal and getting a taste of France in North America. From the cobblestone streets to the unique art scene to the unbelievable cuisine, Montreal is a great place for a long-weekend getaway. A few of my musts are:

Honeymoon Style :: Lake Como

Black Halo Raina Dress || Cat-Eye Mirrored Sunglasses || Zimmermann Bikini || Paul & Joe Top || Beach Towel || Evil Eye Bracelet || Loeffler Randall Gladiator Sandal || Straw Hat || Club Monaco Shorts || JCrew Striped Heels || Bobbi Brown Highlighter

It's Monday, and I'm busy dreaming about our next warm-weather getaway - our honeymoon! Ever since seeing Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones in 2002, I've dreamt about visiting the beautiful Lake Como that was featured prominently in this film and in Casino Royale in 2006. While we have been to Italy several times, we just never seemed to have the time {or budget} to visit the famed lake...always hoping that someday we would go back for our honeymoon. So, we're doing just that and spending three days at the beautiful Grand Hotel Tremezzo.

An Eclectic Chicago Loft

Chicagoians Graham Kostic and Fran Taglia know how to decorate. Just take a look at their seriously gorgeous renovated loft {it used to be a soda factory!} that's chock-full of eclectic ephemera. From their collection of vintage oil paintings to their fearless use of wallpaper {including the Carlton Varney's stunning palm print which can be seen at The Greenbrier} to a constellation-painted ceiling, these two aren't afraid to be bold. While some of the pattern is a little more than I would like in my own home, I think Graham and Fran were able to curate a space that feels completely unique and individual - which is a feat in itself these days! My favorite space has to be the grapevine-enveloped courtyard, isn't it magical?

Amy Judd's Birds of Paradise

I recently came across the work of London based painter Amy Judd and have fallen absolutely in love with her mysterious, feminine, and stunning oil paintings that feature images of women with natural elements such as birds, butterflies, and feathers that act as symbols of female strength. The gallery that represents her, the Hicks Gallery, explains...

Guest Room Inspiration

Smokey Rose Wallpaper || Vintage Trophy || Vintage Oil Painting || Industrial End Table || Hanging Bulb Pendant || Bed Skirt || Iron Bed || Jute Rug || Coral Sheet Set and Duvet || Throw Pillow

I've had this photo saved for years, so when we moved into our new house last January I decided to use it as inspiration for our downstairs guest bedroom. We had this wallpaper installed {which I am in love with} and still need a few finishing touches to pull the room together. While I am leaning towards a wood nightstand, this industrial piece reminds me so much of the one in the inspiration image, plus I love how it contrasts with the feminine wallpaper. 

Grand Hotel du Palais Royal

This past November we decided to book a spontaneous trip to Paris for New Year's Eve, and decided that we wanted to check out a new hotel. On past trips I've tried out several different AirBnB's and hotels in Le Marais, on the Ile Saint Louis, and in St. Germain, but for this trip we decided we wanted to stay in the elegant 1st Arrondisement. Thanks to the gorgeous views, chic decor, and near perfect reviews we decided to stay at the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal, and couldn't have been more pleased with our choice.

Cold Shoulder

Tibi || Cupcakes & Cashmere || Rebecca Minkoff || Alice + Olivia || Mara Hoffman || Tularosa || Amanda Uprichard || Rebecca Minkoff

While I wouldn't consider myself a very trendy person, every so often a look really resonates with me. One of the biggest trends on the spring/summer 2016 runways {and my personal favorite} is off-the-shoulder tops and dresses. I love how these tops feel relaxed yet feminine, without showing too much skin or feeling too bohemian. My absolute favorite is this adorable striped number by Mara Hoffman {how cute are the matching shorts?!} which I think would be absolutely perfect for our honeymoon in September.

Napa Valley Travel Guide

My mom and I spent five days last spring in beautiful Napa and Sonoma looking at wedding venues. While we ended up deciding on a venue in Central California Wine Country, we had an absolutely fantastic time eating and drinking our way through one of the most spectacular wine and food destinations in the world. If you're thinking about going to Napa in the future I've shared some of my recommendations including wineries hand-picked by my Napa based wedding planner whose husband has worked in the wine industry for 20+ years. Cheers!

Wedding Invitation Inspiration

This past week has been an absolute whirlwind. On top of a busy schedule at work, I've had several appointments, a baby shower, a wedding shower, and went home to Dayton for the weekend. I haven't had much time to blog, but as we're in the initial phases of designing our wedding invitations I wanted to share some of my inspiration. I love the look of handmade paper, watercolor washes, a pale color palette, and loose, modern calligraphy. What are your favorite kind of wedding invitations?