Studiopatró.

I have a bit of an obsession with tea towels. I'm not going to lie, I truly can't get enough of them. And judging by the number of stacked drawers in my mother's kitchen at home, I'm just going to go ahead and say that this is clearly a fixation that runs in the family. Needless to say, when I stumbled upon the incredible shop Studiopatró a few weeks back, I was instantly smitten.

Based out of the San Francisco Bay area, Studiopatró is a small, but well-oiled, producer of beautiful kitchen linens-- tea towels, aprons, market bags and the like. Hand-printed with an ink-on-cloth approach, the Studiopatró team is rooted in the creation of textiles that are simple, sustainable, and downright special. And boy have they hit the nail on the head. Here are some of my favorites--

So here's my question-- is it ever too early for one to start building out a holiday wish list? Roger that. I didn't think so either :) To see more of the beautiful Studiopatró line, click here: SHOP.

Mixtape. (No. 10)

It's been a good long while since I last found a second to share some music with you all, but after having the following on constant shuffle around these parts for weeks, let me just say that if there was ever a mix that was worth the wait, I promise this is it. While I'm not sure exactly what it is about this particular compilation that has managed to so perfectly speak to both my head & my heart at this particular junction in time, all I know is that amidst this season of irregularity, this mix just feels all sorts of right. From those late nights toiling away at the office and long layovers between flights to the slow weekend mornings spent experimenting in the kitchen and late afternoons browsing through stalls at the Flea, this mix has been a bit of a constant companion to me as of late.

A mix of the regular cast of characters alongside some new found favorites-- shout out to UVa alums/Charlottesville-based group The Hill and Wood (!!)-- this playlist has proven to be everything this season of life has called for, and more. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Happy listening, friends.
xo

No. 10 from joie.de.vivre on 8tracks Radio.

Love Lost -- The Temper Trap

Bloodbuzz Ohio -- The National

Flowers in Your Hair -- The Lumineers

Make a Noise -- Katie Herzig

Rebellion (Lies) -- Arcade Fire

And the Boys -- Angus & Julia Stone

Helena Beat -- Foster the People

Slow and Steady -- Of Monsters and Men

The Call -- The Hill and Wood

Take a Walk -- Passion Pit

I Found a Way -- First Aid Kit

Where I've Been.

Just in case my one, singular (and incredibly lonely) post from this month hasn't dropped a rather large hint as to how crazy this summer season has been, something tells me my complete absence from all things blog related has surely spoken volumes. Yikes. Sorry for straying so far from posting daily, or even weekly for that matter, friends. This whole cycle of irregularity that I seem to have subconsciously fallen into has been frustrating. And for weeks, there has been a scratching at the back of my brain, desperately asking to be to rectified, but alas the timing just hasn't been right. There were too many interruptions already written into the calendar, too many roadblocks down the road still yet to be hurdled, but hey- such is life, right? Well, here we are. And I could not be more thrilled to give you all a big, warm hello. Boy have I missed this little space of mine.

So with that, and before looking onward, I wanted to share a little bit of where I've been these past few weeks (apologies for the constant reliance on Instagram; I promise the dust will be blown off of my Canon oh so very soon)--

The beautiful coast of Southern California where the air was salty and the sun was strong

An open air theater in San Diego where a little FUN. filled my heart and awakened my soul  

The streets and landmarks of Coronado that have felt like home to me since I was young

Charlottesville, VA where I wished with all my might that time might stand still for a few days

Lexington, VA to celebrate a sacred milestone in the life of a dear friend from high school

My dear New York where spending a lazy Sunday in places like Fish's Eddy reminds me of all the many reasons I love this city

And finally to the little cafes and ice cream shops here in Brooklyn that have allowed this borough to firmly establish itself in my heart for a good long while.

It's been a busy, but wonderful, couple of weeks over here, friends. And I hope you've been well. Looking forward to checking in again soon. 

xo

A Retreat.

Well hello there, friends. My gooodness, it's been a while. Apologies, once again, for checking out these past few weeks. As seems to be the case a bit far too often for my liking, life has proven to be a bit tricky to navigate as of late. (sigh). Between the general stress of work and travel coupled with a few of life's unexpected and rather humbling hard knocks, I came tumbling out of July last week in a state of exhaustion that just about knocked me flat out. It was time for a break. Time to find that much-needed release that both my mind and body had been so desperately craving for weeks. And the time to do it, was now.

Well, come Friday night, I found just that. With a dear friend at the wheel, a set of directions pointing due North, and a spontaneous urge pushing us onward, we took to the road and left reality far, far behind. Four hours, a belly full of laughs, and a few wrong (but highly memorable) turns later, we pulled in next to the white country farmhouse we were to call home for the next two days and stepped out under a beautiful Vermont summer sky. The air was crisp, the grasshoppers loud, and for the first time in a long while, my head was clear. It was the perfect start to a weekend spent enjoying every last bit of life's simple pleasures and that wonderful, but often fleeting, gift we call time. 

Vermont, here's to you. 

 

More to come soon, friends.
xo