Spade in Spring

There is so much that is right about Kate Spade's spring collection, the colors, the patterns, the shoes. And don't even get me started on the New York-centric captions. Now all I need is spring to arrive. That's when the money trees start to bloom, right?

Hang Tight

I spent five minutes this morning in complete frustration searching for a pair of black ribbed tights. I can solve this problem by spending five minutes this weekend getting organized.

Film and Family

Sofia and Francis Ford Coppola have given us some pretty great things over the years: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, this commercial, Lost in Translation, sparkling wine in a can, but my current favorite is this Louis Vuitton ad. I hope my dad and I are this cool one day. Actually, maybe we are, we just need Annie Leibovitz around to capture it.

Burst Your Bubble

I don't know that I could ever justify spending $50 on bubble bath -- I mean that's what Johnson & Johnson is for, right? But this gorgeous bottle and the idea of rice flower and warm coconut milk mingled with notes of mandarin and jasmine petals almost changed my mind.

Rubbernecking

I was immediately drawn to the bold colors and shape of these vases. Upon further inspection, I discovered that they're not ceramic, but rubber! It seems like such a great idea if you have kids running around or dogs with wayward tails. And you can fold the neck down to create a cute, little bowl shape. Brilliant.

Thoughts of the Week

I am so ready for spring.

I think Shaun White and I have the same haircut.

A lemon tree and a green cabinet probably make life better.

White chocolate brownies exist, and they need to be eaten by me. The real question is should we call them whiteys?

A bedside table is the second most important thing you'll wake up next to.

Some days I feel like this, but monkey bread can fix a world of problems.

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!

Geek Chic

I'm strangely drawn to these over-sized abacuses (abaci?) from CB2. I love the color palette and the interactive art aspect, but I think it may have something to do with being married to a math geek.

Also, Aubrey of High-Heeled Love is the giveaway winner!

Common Thread

Isn't it amazing how beautifully thread photographs? Sometimes inspiration comes in the smallest forms.

[Spotted on: frecklesfairytales; Emmalynne; janeheller; AmeliaKayPhotography; Emmalynne]

PS -- Enter the giveaway if you haven't already!

His and Hers Cupcakes

The Valentine's weekend sweet-tooth-indulging extravaganza included a pair of beautiful Trophy Cupcakes labeled "his" and "hers." His, an unbelievably moist chocolate stout with caramel buttercream, and hers, a cheerfully sweet pink champagne. Although in reality, they ended up being "hers" and "also hers."

A Lovely Giveaway!

Update: Aubrey of High-Heeled Love is the winner!

"Together they stand on the hill, telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs. And that, my friends, is how it is with love."

Hello friends. I wanted to share a sweet, little book with you. It's called A Lovely Love Story. I bought it a few years ago, and it still makes me smile every time I pick it up. I like it so much I've decided to give away a copy.

Just leave a comment below before midnight on Wednesday, February 17th, and you could win. Followers get two chances to win, so let me know if you are one. One lucky recipient will be chosen at random. It's my valentine to you. Have a lovely weekend with the people you love!

Lovely Lemon Cookies

So last week, I claimed that owning a lemon tree would make life better. Well, I didn't buy a lemon tree, but I made lemon cookies, and yes, I think they made my life just a little better. These cookies are soft, pale, chewy, and have the most delicate lemony flavor. If I were prone to throwing tea parties, I would serve these on every occasion alongside green tea with mint. Thanks to Sarah for leading me to the recipe!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis and Food Network

Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Makes about 44 cookies.

Happy 101

me, happy

I've been tagged for a few blog awards lately, but I'm terrible about following through on them. Here's my first try. The multi-talented Rachel of elephantine passed along a Happy 101 Blog Award. The rules of the award: list 10 things that make you happy, then pass the award along to 10 great bloggers (it was so hard to choose just 10).

10 things that make me happy in no particular order:
1. warm towels fresh from the dryer
2. voicemail messages from my mom
3. landing on old episodes of "The Office" and "Arrested Development"
4. walking home with my husband after work
5. slicing a pomegranate
6. row boats
7. Jimmy Fallon's thank you notes
8. Earl Grey lattes
9. brown boots
10. doing a (terrible) Christopher Walken impression

And I'm passing the award on to:
Nicole at Everyday Ebullience
Sarah at Sarah and the City
Chelsea at Triumphs and Blunders of a Kooky Gal
Megan at pink o'clock
Katelyn at The Magnolia
Lauren at pen.ny
Abigail at gus & other things
Caroline at Coeur de La
Happenstance
Lovely Little Things

In Bloom

I ordered this dress from Anthropologie yesterday in anticipation of spring. It seems so lovely, and it has pockets. I can't wait to get it. I'll let you know if it works out.

[Spotted on: you are my fave]

Chai and Chai Again

I spent the weekend on the couch fighting a nasty cold, my hoodie pockets stuffed with Kleenex. I found blips of relief through episodes of "30 Rock" and warm soy chai. The drink was just the right balance of spicy and sweet and so soothing to my pathetic, sickly self.

Chai Tea with Soy Milk
Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

3 cups water
10 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
5 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and quartered
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
1/3 cup honey
4 black tea bags, such as English Breakfast
1 1/2 cups soy milk

Place the water in a small saucepan, and add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla bean and scrapings. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until mixture is aromatic, about 15 minutes. Whisk in honey, and drop tea bags in pan; turn off heat, and let steep 3 minutes. Strain tea through a fine strainer or a coffee filter into a warmed serving pot. Heat soy milk in same saucepan over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes; do not let it come to a boil or it will separate. Pour into serving pot with the tea, and stir well to combine. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Hearts Aflutter

February brings with it so much cuteness. I definitely need more hearts in my life.

[rings: lilyja; dish: PrinceDesignUK; romper: Anthropologie; tote: PaisleyMagic; pennant: Happy2you]

Salt Water

I only take showers, but something about these SaltWorks bath salts has me craving a nice long soak. It might even call for multiple baths to choose my favorite scent. There's grapefruit eucalyptus, lavender vanilla, neroli bergamot, spearmint rosemary, tangerine sage, and white tea ginger. And each blend includes Dead Sea salt, which is magical or something.

Menagerie

This is not my bird, but he is rather cute, isn't he? He belongs to my friend Anna, and he lives in an apartment in Queens. He has a cage, but he prefers inhabiting the entire window. He is noisy and cheerful in the morning, and grumpy and just a teensy bit scary at night.

Do you have any pets? I'm guilty of a goldfish triple homicide and have had puppy fever for over a year. It might be time for a dog. They seem easier to keep alive than fish.

Make Lemonade

Sometimes I wish I had a lemon tree in my apartment. It seems like it would make things like waking up on Monday mornings tolerable.

[Spotted on: flickr]