Head-To-Toe

My wallet is going to be in serious trouble come Fall.

Lights Out

I drove back to Austin yesterday and passed the defunct Starlite Drive-In in Brenham, TX. The theater closed in September of 1985, but the gorgeous typography on the still-standing screen makes me smile each time I skip by. I'd frequent the Starlite ad nauseam if it was still operating.

The Neverending Shower

After ogling numerous outdoor showers, we finally built our own with the intent for it to be simple, private and functional. We started here:


And that lead to an entire Sunday of shopping, building, staining, connecting and mounting:


At this point, the only thing left was to connect the hot water heater to our pipes. That night I woke at 2AM realizing the pipes were hooked up backwards. Another few days were spent redoing the structure and pipe connections, as well as replacing our entire breaker panel to fit the addition of a 10 gallon water heater in the garage. Pandora's Box.

Now, the only bits left [we think] are to repair holes and get our backyard grass in order. Living in a one bathroom house, this extra shower will get loads of use! And just to clarify, our neighbors can not see from their windows. Mom asked.

Cottage Living

Since Slovenia may be a bit farfetched, I'm now looking at Godeffroy, NY to fulfill my lakehouse cottage dreams.



Hope, ME could work as well and even comes with its own guest cottage. Wouldn't take much to spruce either of these rustic places up for the ideal hideaway.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

My favorite means of recycling is repurposing vintage furniture and architectural finds. Historic Houston is a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and resources. They deconstruct and reclaim building components such as old doors, windows, floors, interior shiplap, exterior siding, lighting and plumbing fixtures by saving them from Texas landfills. Historic Houston’s Salvage Warehouse provides an outlet for the public to reduce, reuse and recycle.


We recently stopped in and I couldn't take my eyes off this doorway. The horseshoe is still perfectly positioned [facing up to contain the luck], waiting to bring good fortune to whomever walks through!

Bar Tab

The more rundown a building, the more I love it. Seeing old landmarks repurposed into new endeavors fuels me, and there isn't a day that goes by where I don't visualize my dream of one day living in an old post office.

During my recent jaunt to New York City, I found myself standing on the corner of W Broadway and White Street smiling from ear to ear. I was at the locked-up entrance to an old Tribeca staple, the Liquor Store Bar. As the name suggests, it was a liquor store-turned-tavern housed in an 1825 townhouse. And it's the only preserved landmark townhouse in NYC zoned for the sale and distribution of alcohol.


It's been closed for a while and a new store is moving in. I couldn't help but chuckle at the cheekiness of the paper covered windows that read, "A GUY WALKS INTO A BAR AND ORDERS A MADRAS. HE WALKS OUT WITH A PAIR OF TROUSERS."

What better way to announce a clothing store is en route?


After browsing J. Crew's updated website, I discovered they are opening their first-ever Men's Shop in, you guessed it, the old Liquor Store Bar. The original wooden bar is still intact and come August, it will serve as the perfect backdrop for streamlined blazers, tailored slacks, and hand-picked collectibles. Upon opening, I imagine there will be steep bar tabs in part to their fine assortment of vintage watches and first-edition books.

27 on 27

It's my Golden Birthday and this handsome devil threw me one heck of a surprise party. I couldn't have imagined a better way to celebrate turning 27 on the 27th!


Knowing what a fanatic I am about invitations, J hand delivered paper invites to my nearest and dearest. Lucky for me, my parents were in town and lured me out of the house for a few hours [who could turn down manicures and margaritas with Mom?]. I came home to a festive house, lots of delicious food and my very best friends. It will most certainly be a birthday to remember.


Everyone had a blast with the Polaroid...


And finally, the most important thing to consider when presented with your birthday cake: Will the paper under my tart catch fire?

Go, Dog. Go!

One of my favorite childhood books is Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman. Perhaps this book is what peaked my interest in dogs on the move.

Daytrippin'

Sometimes it's nice to force yourself outside on a rainy day, and yesterday we did just that. My parents and I took a little road trip to Austin where we scoured antique stores, ransacked a candy shop, smiled at this food truck, and ate at a darling cafe that's been harvesting its own organic vegetables and herbs for 15 years. It was like being back in grade school and taking a field trip for just a few hours!

Free Labor

If you've ever interned to kick-start your creative career, this post [from the always hilarious Stuff White People Like] is a must read. I had serious déjà vu from my first few months in New York City. And, yes, I too was generously offered $24,000 and "...I earned it."

Wet Bar

As I walked down W Broadway on Saturday, I spotted this sink nook in Tribbles. Take away the big black trash can and I could easily envision myself planting and doing projects in an area like this, all the while surrounded by lush greens and succulents.

Pucker Up

Growing up, I lived at the neighborhood pool all summer long and I'd eat myself sick on Pucker Pops from the snack bar. I just found them online and already purchased a box; I'm gonna be ill.

It's A Draw

Erika inspired me to pull out old artwork and revisit some of my past sketches, circa 2000-2003. What pieces do you still have lying around? We want to see your picture perfect drawings!