Raison D'être

My raison d'être is to first love and be loved, and second to enjoy life.

I enjoy little things like a latte, looking through old magazines for inspiration, putting a record on (currently Sigur Rós), and planning adventures. I am trying to decide which city we should explore next. Independence Day is coming up and I've got Georgia on my mind.

How are you making today special?

Figs

What's the fig idea?

You should probably know that I love a good pun. This is my first time having an actual fig, and I absolutely loved it! I watched a video on information about how to pick the right figs as well as the best ways to eat them. You can check it out here.

Have you tried figs? Do you like them?

Corners

Jason and I usually travel out of town over the weekend, but Black Betty (our Prius) is feeling a little under the weather. So, I decided to snap a few little corners of our happy home.

What are you doing this weekend?

Making Plans

Two years ago Jason and I traveled from Phoenix to Manhattan, and both of us completely fell in love with the city. Over brunch we finalized our plans to make our second trip out there. We leave New Orleans on September 18, and will be spending a week in the city so nice they named it twice. Exactly three months from today we are off!

Are you planning any big trips? Do you have any favorite places in NYC?

World Cup

We are watching the World Cup, and tonight it is the United States verses Ghana. The first thirty seconds proves that Clint Dempsey is a manimal.

Are you following the World Cup?

Father's Day

This is the first Father's Day that Jason and I will not be in Arizona to celebrate it with our dads. So today I am going to listen to the Righteous Brothers, see if there is an episode of X-Files on, and call him to tell him how awesome he is. I love you dad!

What are you doing to celebrate Father's Day?

Dot

"No one is an artist unless he carries his picture in his head before painting it, and is sure of his method and composition." -Claude Monet

I have been thinking about this painting for a couple weeks now, and finally today I sat down and painted it while sipping coffee and spinning MSMR. I am so glad I am getting back into painting. Oddly enough this is the first painting I have done since we have moved to Louisiana. 

What have you been listening to lately?

Eames Hang-It-All

"Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose." 

-Charles Eames

Charles and Ray Eames created the Hang-It-All in 1953. This mid-century design is timeless and now finishes off my favorite corner in our apartment.

How do you feel about mid-century design?

Houston

We went to Houston, Texas for the weekend. Two days full of coffee shops, records, and parks with a beautiful skyline. I wanted to share the local coffee shops we visited: Blacksmith, Southside Espresso, and Inversion. Blacksmith had the best atmosphere, Southside had the best latte art, and Inversion had the best meaning behind their name as well as local art for sale.

In case you were curious, I created a list of all of the coffee shops Jason and I have gone to since we have been married. You can see the list here.

Also, we totally scored on an original Star Wars record at Half Price Books! We listened to it as we put together our new dresser. It is easily our favorite album. Ever.

Did you find any nifty gifties?

*100 gold stars if you can name that reference.

Artek Stool 60

“Beauty is the harmony of purpose and form.” –Alvar Aalto

Eighty years ago Alvar Aalto designed the Artek stool 60, and now I have one of my very own. The simplistic design is a constant reminder that less is more.

Do you own any Artek pieces in your home? 

Monochrome

“Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple.”

-Charles Mingus

This picture depicts my life lately. All these little pieces show what I'm watching, where I've been, what I've made, and also what I'm interested in. Some are little treasures I've picked up on recent adventures, and others keep me inspired to never stop exploring.

It was rainy in Louisiana this weekend. Jason and I spent Saturday in New Orleans. We went to a few new stores // Design Within Reach, Modern Market, and Sucré. Basically the rest of the weekend was spent watching movies, snuggling on the couch, and drinking tea. We finally watched Despicable Me and An Education. I highly recommend both if you have not seen them.

How was your weekend? What was the weather like where you were?