Jackson Hole, Wyoming

So sorry. So sorry. I definitely did not mean to leave y'all hanging like that.  My brain has been functioning at subpar lately.  I blame the heat.  I sort of didn't acknowledge that we were actually leaving town until right before.  Pure procrastination on my part.  Again, I blame the heat.  Anyway, we are finally back from a wonderful trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for my husband's cousin's wedding.  It was one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever been to, and Jackson Hole is one of the most beautiful places - real America, The Beautiful, if you will.

Of course, I 'll share a few pics with you because I know you are all dying to see my vacation photos.

Our view outside our hotel in Teton Village was gorgeous.

I loved the rustic look of the rehearsal dinner table setting.  The flowers were perfect and whimsical.  It was really lovely.

This is the view behind the altar at the church in Teton National Park where the bride and groom married.  One of the most stunning places I've ever been.

The reception was held at a place called Shooting Star in Jackson Hole.  I mean, look at that back drop!

The pool looked very inviting.

Edward thought so too.

My husband's super talented aunt made all of the table clothes so the lucky bride gets to keep them.  I loved the buffalo check and, of course, the blue and white color scheme.

Stunning view of the Grand Tetons as we drove to Yellowstone for the day.

Another gorgeous view of Jenny Lake, where we hiked one of the days.  And by hiked, I mean I walked with Edward for about 10 minutes until he became so overtired he threw dirt in my face, at which point I had to turn around and go back to the Lodge and have a fancy lunch so he could sleep.

Ok, I won't bore you with anymore beautiful views.  But here are two more of Edward's first mountain climb.  He dominated that rock (and later the tree behind him).  He's definitely a climber.

That's just a small bit of my trip.  Jackson, Wyoming is a really fantastic place.  Even if you're not outdoorsy, the town has so much to offer.  The art galleries alone would require a full day of exploring. It's definitely a very fancy, upscale town disguised as the Old West.  It's kind of like Aspen's laid-back, tomboy sister who doesn't wear make-up, but is still super pretty and can get dressed up for a fancy dinner with diplomats and their sons after eating ribs for lunch and cleaning the stalls at her daddy's stables all day.  Know what I mean?


Ok, have a lovely day!

Happy Birthday, My Love

That right there, that's my husband.  He's rull handsome and rull nice.  He treats me like his princess, and as he pointed out the other day when I started getting all bossy, he never criticizes me (it's true, he really doesn't).  I got lucky.  He's my soulmate and I would have taken him with a lot more flaws because I know we were meant for each other, but fortunately, I didn't have to.  Soo today I wanted to wish him the happiest birthday because he deserves all of the happiness in the world.

Mister, if I had a trust fund or received royalties from a song I wrote and put on youtube and then tweeted to Justin Bieber who signed me to his record label, I would rent us a nice little villa in Tuscany at the Castiglion del Bosco where we could relax and drink wine and eat spaghetti -- wait, sorry, not my birthday, start over -- where you could play golf while I relax and drink wine and eat spaghetti.  You can invite some golfing buddies and we'll all have a grand ole time.

(that first picture is the club house, I know, right?)

Hog Heaven.

Happy Birthday Mister!

Speaking of Paris ...

* Photos by Paul Ferney on Instagram

Sometimes, I have moments of sadness that I can't just pick up and go to France and walk around Paris with my skinny jeans, scarf and pixie haircut (I'm 110 lbs in this dream) and just be all like annoying and independant - The Ethereal Weirdo if you will (see Mindy Kaling's article "Flick Chicks" in the New Yorker or better yet, read her book).  I'm just being dramatic, I don't really ever have actual sadness about it, but I wonder what it would be like.  Fortunately for me, I have embraced technology and have a little app on my phone that you all know and love called Instagram (said in an old Jewish lady's voice).  I also follow fabulous artist Paul Ferney.  I'm dying to have one of his Little Paris Paintings (ahem, Kip).  Anyway, he walks through the streets of Paris, snaps pics on his phone and Instagrams them for all to see.  This is why I love technology.  I can be sitting in line at the DMV, look down at my phone and see Paris through the eyes of an artist.

Oy!

I need to be on this beach stat.  Edward has had pneumonia, which is why I'm declaring defeat and starting over again next week.  He's on the mend, but nothing is worse than seeing your child sick or in pain, and I am mentally and physically exhausted. We have watched Thomas the Train approximately 65 times. I'm hoping it encourages a British accent in Edward.  I also know all of the dance routines from Sid the Science Kid so this week hasn't been a total wash.  But seriously, how beautiful is that beach?  I literally want to eat it (in Rachel Zoe's voice, so pronouce it lit. rally).  It is so yum. It is now my life's goal to get there.  Sooner rather than later.

I'll be back on Monday!

San Francisco, Part 3 & Springtime Purchases

Ok y'all, here's the last of my pictures.  Just a few.  I was so inspired by the Victorian homes and their fun colors that I spent last night looking for fun pillows to whimsy up my living room.   I feel like the people who live in these fabulous colorful homes in San Francisco probably know how to have a good time.  I mean, you can't take yourself too seriously when you live in a purple house.  I like it.  I like it a lot.

I loved the yellow door on this grey house.

That purple house is The Grateful Dead house, where the band lived for two years.  Purple houses = fun times.

This city really captured my imagination and reminded me not to take things so seriously.  I'm constantly trying to balance my love for simple traditional rooms with my equal appreciation for color and whimsy.  I don't think I'll ever perfect it.*  My interiors are going to change with my my mood, and right now I'm just in the mood for some happy times in my decor.

I'm also in the mood for spring.  So in an effort to force spring to stay permanently, I picked up this table cloth at Marshall's for $15 and it's transformed my entire living room.

It's kind of silly how much I love it.  To balance out the girliness, I headed over to one of my favorite online shops Furbish and ordered this blue ikat throw that I can't get out of my head.

I also ordered some gray, white and citron pillow covers on Etsy to bring in a younger more contemporary look.  I'm normally a lot more traditional, but I'm craving something different and fun for summer.  These were super inexpensive so I don't have to feel tied to them forever.  

It sounds like a lot going on, but they aren't all going to be in the same spot and they're pretty small.  You can find all of the colors except for the grey in the floral table cloth which will anchor the room. And the grey will pick up the grey chairs in the kitchen which is open to the family room.  Basically, for less than $200, I'm totally revamping my family room for spring and summer.  We'll see how it turns out.  It may be a total disaster.

Thanks for bearing with me as I workout my ideas on my blog.  It's like you're reading my diary.  If I had a diary it would probably be mostly filled with design entries, pictures of puppies and elephants, why I love Edward and Kip, and reasons I need a pet fairy.  Unlike my college diaries, which I found recently and could barely read.  They made my brain hurt.  I was so deep and serious back then.  Oy vey, I wish I could go back and tell college me to settle down, it will all be ok.  Word to my college readers.

Wow, this is a super long post, so I'll let you go.  (That's how The Suze likes to get off of the phone when she's tired of talking.  It's her polite way of pretending she's talking your ear off when really she stopped listening to you 10 minutes ago and is rearranging her china cabinet.  It's like a Jedi mind trick)

Have a lovely day y'all!

*P.S. The book Big, Easy Style by Bryan Batt is becoming my favorite resource for the fun, colorful but traditional design dilemma.  He chose gorgeous rooms that definitely strike a perfect balance of tradition and fun.  See my post on it HERE.