Interiors :: Deborah Needleman's Country Home

The 18th century country home of T Magazine editor Deborah Needleman is an absolute retreat. Designed by Rita Konig {LOVE her!}, the former one-room inn was carefully restored by Needleman and her husband to be an oasis for casual entertaining. From the breezy beadboard bedrooms to the farmhouse sink {we have one too!} to the gorgeous collection of antiques to the amazing vegetable garden and pool, everything about her home just feels charming and welcoming. Side note: Deborah also wrote one of my all-time favorite interior decorating books - The Perfectly Imperfect Home. I highly recommend you checking it out!

Interiors :: A Dream Farmhouse Tour

Oh. my. gosh.  I need to prepare you for this one.  This Oklahoma farmhouse is overflowing with warmth, charm, pops of color, and rustic elegance.  I love the gorgeous views, the sprawling porches, the whitewashed walls, the outdoor spaces, and the stunning kitchen.  But my favorite part of the house?  The two adorable reading nooks!  For more photos read the full article on Style Me Pretty Living.

My Life :: Date Night at Trader's Point Creamery

This past Friday I surprised Ryan by taking him out for a night of food, bluegrass, cocktails, and ice cream in the country.  We headed to Trader's Point Creamery, a local organic farm that specializes in all things dairy {cheeses, ice cream, milk, and the most amazing yogurt} for their weekly "Summer Dinners on the Deck."  The farm-to-table dinner consisted of peach mojitos, grilled chicken and peaches, three-bean salad, chilled peach and tarragon soup, grilled corn, and homemade ice cream for dessert.  Afterwards we listened to musicians play bluegrass music while watching the sun set over the woods in the distance.  Don't get me wrong - I love being a city girl, but sometimes a few hours in the country are just what I need to relax and recharge.

Interiors :: A French Chateau

I know this week is all about Paris, but this morning we are going to venture out into the French countryside to visit an insanely gorgeous restored chateau in the Loire Valley.  Giuseppe Laviani and his wife Giacomina purchased the 17th-century 'La Socelière' chateau for $500,000 and invested another $500,000 to restore it to its former glory {while taking great pains to "give dignity back to the house without overdoing it."}  Laviani decorated the home in a mix of high-low French and Italian antiques, adding to it's casual elegance.  The property, nicknamed 'The Barefoot Chateau,' is so relaxed that all four generations of the Laviani family go shoeless when they visit in the summer.  Such a dream!

PS - Stay tuned this afternoon for another tour of a stunning Parisian apartment.

Images via The New York Times via Honestly WTF

Travel :: Colorfully

{Saguaro Hotel}

Inspired by Kate Spade's "Live Colorfully" campaign, and the fact that we all need a little bit of color to brighten up a cold winter, this week will be filled with inspiration of the most colorful sort.  So first things first, travel.  Whenever I am traveling I feel like my senses are heightened and I find inspiration nearly everywhere I look.  I would love to visit any {or all} of these beautifully colorful places, especially the striped beach houses of Costa Nova do Prado and the rolling fields of lavender in the South of France.  Heading out for a colorful holiday?  Some of my favorite travel picks are below!

{Hearst Castle Roman Pool}

{Costa Nova do Prado, Portugal}

{Lavender Fields in Provence, France}

{Cinque Terre, Italy}

{Moroccan Bazaar}

{San Fransisco}

{Santorini, Greece}

{Burano, Italy} 

Images via {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} {7}

Blog Crush :: Mimi Thorisson's Manger

Well hello there!  I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving.  Are you waking up early to brave the crowds and find some Black Friday deals?  Or are you doing your holiday shopping from the comfort of your bed?  I have never been much of a Black Friday kind of gal, but may stop by a few local boutiques in my hometown today {two of my favorites being Whispers and Preen}.

Since I am still dreaming about our fantastic meal yesterday, I'd like to share with you one of my favorite food/lifestyle bloggers -- Mimi Thorisson.  Her blog, Manger, follows her and her family's life in their gorgeous French farmhouse.  Looking through her posts, I absolutely fell in love with her effortlessly chic style, family, recipes, home, love of nature, and the fact that she has 14 dogs {I mean, could you imagine?!} She spends her days exploring the beautiful French countryside with her six children, antiquing, visiting winemakers and food artisans, and creating delicious recipes inspired by her time in France and Hong Kong.  And not to mention the fact that she is absolutely stunning, has a photographer husband who captures each moment and dish just perfectly, has an American book deal, and a French TV show.  Did I mention that she has 14 dogs?! 

Ok, so suffice it to say I am a little envious, but she seems so down to earth that it's impossible not to love her.  And after you look at the photos of her beautiful family, home, food, and life, I'm sure you will too!

Images via Manger and Bon Appetit

Travel :: Driving the Chianti Road

Our last day in Tuscany was one to remember.  We woke up early, and after a quick breakfast at Villa Campomaggio were on our way to drive the infamous Chianti Road, a beautiful stretch of Tuscan countryside south of Florence that is littered with wineries producing Chianti wine.  While I have never been much of a Chianti drinker {I have always associated it with cheap table wine in straw-wrapped bottles} I was absolutely shocked by the amazing variety of Chiantis, some of which were wonderfully elegant.