Happy Halloween!

Ah. My most favorite holiday ever. I should be spookin' it up in SMA with all the Day of the Dead festivities. But honestly, I'm totally bummed I can't be two places at once. This is my favorite holiday to be with my ridiculously creative friends. I wonder what they're coming up with... miss you guys.

R.I.P., GBM

What happens to Ginger Bread Men when they die???

Last Minute Halloween Ideas...

Haven't come up with anything yet? Martha Stewart has some amazing no-sew ideas for costumes. I'm obsessed with all four. It looks like the white couture-clown is coffee filters? The rose garden is sweet and simple. I love the white picket fence headband; if only I had those curls to pull it off! I think I'm going to go with Medusa myself, it looks the easiest and I haven't had a creepy costume in a long time.

Halloween on the Runway

Last minute inspiration.....


image from Fashionista.com

Boot Scoot

With Fall/Winter in full swing, boots just might be a part of your everyday wardrobe. The 2 Bandits makes these awesome boot accessories to dress up your kicks.

The2bandits.com

2007 San Miguel Interiors

I should be in San Miguel. I don't know if I'll be blogging from Mexico, but I set up a few posts for the this week. Here's a peek from my trip to SMA last year...



I went to San Miguel for Spring Break with two of good friends from college. My grandmother, who dabbles in real estate down there, was asked by friend if she could house sit while she was in the states. It was great timing, because the week this lady needed a house sitter, three poor college students arrived by bus and saved the day. We got to stay at this amazing casita for free:) TRES ANGELITAS!

I'm going to try to walk you through the house.. Here's the front.... We pretty much died when we fund out our house was green and purple.


Walk into a nice outdoor courtyard, loved the cobalt blue chairs.


Looking up from the courtyard...


Step inside the first room: view to courtyard & fireplace...


Look to the other side of the room and see the interior courtyard with fountain...


Next room: adorable, tiled kitchen...


Kitchen table with skylights...



Going upstairs with cheerful walls...


Master bedroom, where we all slept and sometimes watched weird television ....



View from the roof...



and there you have it! I'm going to try to get some good pictures of my gramndmother's house. It's much more muted and mature, without losing its Mexican flavor. Adios chicos.

Be Back Soon!

Well, tomorrow morning I'm peace'n out for a 20 hour bus ride to San Miguel de Allende (SMA). I'm really excited/nervous to see what's in store for me. My grandmother, who has lived there off and on for 15 years, says you basically have to create your own jobs in SMA. I'm hoping I'll come back with a few opportunities in mind and some new friends my near-future home.

I'm not sure if I'll have the chance to blog from Mexico this week, but I assure you I've set up a couple of posts for next week so you guys don't forget about me. The nerd in me is really pumped that Mexico move will give me more interesting things to blog about. Have a great weekend! Adios my loves.

Photo from SMA 2007 by Chelsey Dyer.

Hey, It Stopped Raining...

So, for the past two months I've looked up the weather forcast for San Miguel and every single day has had a little rain/lightning icon. So I looked up when the raining season would be over and to my luck and surprise it's this very week. Clear skies from here on out. Looks like I'll be packing my sunnies and leaving the umbrella at home.

I am soooo excited. I feel bad for my traveling sidekick, he'll be sitting on a 20-hour bus ride with a broken ankle and crutches. He insists that the show must go on. What a trooper.

Superficial Crushes

Wow. These last days at work are making me want to end my life. I. Am. So. Bored. Hey, here's some candy:

This Weekend in Houston....

Retablo Exhibition
October 20 - November 8, 2008

Lawndale Art Center is pleased to present its 21st Annual Día de los Muertos series of programs, a celebration of the art, music and practices of Mexico. Lawndale invites Texas artists to create their own interpretation of the traditional tin devotional painting practice in Mexico known as the retablo in this annual exhibition.

Anthony Bourdain Captures Spain, My Heart

Yesterday I saw Anothony Bourdain: No Reservations - Spain. This is by far one of my favorite shows on television. I wish I could find more information on all the chef's he visited with while in Spain. Bourdain describes the Spain episode as "some of the purest, hardest, straight-to-the-action, food porn."

Obviously, it was the chocolate segment that really did me in. Choclatier Enric Rovira of Barcelona sculpts, shaves, airbrushes and melts his chocolate into art. It's basically Easter eggs for the rich.

Neon Slicees

How could you go wrong with these neon Wilmotte Forge de Laguiole knives from France?? The ones shown here are a ridiculous $750. We came across some Forge de Laguile knives (characterized by their sweet little bee details) while we were in Champagne in September. It caught our attention because my Mom had given Jon some for Christmas last year, based on the advice of her Williams-Sonoma-loving boyfriend.

Knowing my Mom's budget, she didn't shell out loads and loads of money for the knives. She found them at Marshall's! It's funny because they have a cult-like following in France, but some people in the US are like whatevs--which is why you can find these fancy knives on the cheap and that is awesome. Win Win.

Grey Gardens

So, I Netflix'ed Grey Gardens a few weeks ago and..man, crazy? I didn't know if I should feel sorry for the Beales or just laugh at their humor. It was clear that they didn't really care what others thought about them, but their reclusive nature was due to previous exploitation. What good would a documentary do for them?

Little Edie had a good time dressing up. I enjoyed seeing her crazy outfits throughout the film. She did have good grasp on color and proportion, which is odd because she also looks like she dresses in the dark. It's kind of eerie to realize how much they have continued to influence today's fashion. I can't wait to see what the Hollywood adaptation will be like. It better bring the sass:

Edith 'Big Edie' Bouvier Beale: Oh, look. That cat's going to the bathroom right behind my portrait.
Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale: Ughh, how awful.
Edith 'Big Edie' Bouvier Beale: No, I'm glad. I'm glad somebody's doing something what they want to do!

Weekend Images

I had a pretty decent weekend. It was my neice's 10th birthday so I got see her and the little nephew. I am obsessed with watching my nephew grow up, learn new words and mimick everybody. He know sexactly when everyone is watching him and he gets away with everything because we're all like, "Oh haha how funny that he's trying to light a match." Eeek.

On a yucky note, boyfriend hurt the hell out of his ankle playing soccer:( He's getting it x-rayed this morning. Poop.

Wishful Packing

San Miguel de Allende by explauren

I'm beyond excited about my "checkin' it out" trip to San Miguel. It looks like we might be there for 8-10 days and for Day of the Dead. Unfortunately, that region of Mexico is experiencing the rainy season, but at this point I cannot be picky. I'm definitely looking forward to cooler weather. I've packed my dream bag-- a debt-inducing jumble of items that would keep me dry walking through the cobblestone streets and a little delusional considering some of these items are 4X my rent.

peacock umbrella
Vanessa Bruno T-Shirt Dress
Burberry Privet Trench Coat
Olympus Stylus 850 SW waterproof camera
Marc by Marc Jacobs square-face watch
skinny jeans
chunky scarf
Longchamp Pliage waterproof bag
Wellington boots

I'm accepting donations :)

A Coincidence?

The DAY after I ordered these books, Thinking with Type and Designing Brand Identity I received the news I was being laid off.

When my boss told me the news, I literally felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. The weight of working in an industry I wasn't passionate about. Having just decided I wanted to shift the focus of my career from PR to graphic design, it's perfect timing.

In addition to buying these books, I hunted for a Adobe Creative Suite CS3. I finally got it last night. Whether I bought it, found it on my doorstep or downloaded from the Internet, it's going to be a big help in order to hone my skills(and theys need some honing!).

Does anyone have suggestions for staple design guides?

Kate Lanphear ...

....has great style. The layers of greys and blacks looks effortless and cool with her platnium hair.