ACCORDING to MOI

New Blog: The House on the Park

2011-07-14T16:47:00.001+09:00

Please check out the new blog!

www.thehouseonthepark.com

xoxo,

Marisa

Moving to New Blog

2011-07-08T14:04:00.002+09:00

Hi all. I've been thinking of starting a new blog and saying adieu *deleting* According to Moi. I think we had a good run, but it's time to move on. Or, I just think I need to start over.

I will post my new blog info here soon because I wouldn't know what to do without all my steadfast blogland GFs (you know who you are).

Beach House Chic. With a little Vintage to boot. Finally.

2011-06-27T16:06:00.003+09:00

Happy Sunday / Early Monday! Well, the Library / Bar / Old Dining Room is finally finished. I don't think there's anything else I would add or take away from it and I'm happy with the way it turned out. What I wanted in the space was a beachy, modern vibe, where I would feel relaxed when I walked in, and I think that's what I got. I scoured Craigslist for 1950's / 1960's pieces in great condition to keep the space feeling fun. But the upholstered pieces, like the slipcovered Mitchell Gold sofa and the rattan chair's cushions had to be nap-worthy. I wanted the space to be comfortable and enjoyable, and one can't enjoy if one's butt isn't happy in its chair.

I had been waiting for my vintage 3-strand rattan chairs to be re-upholstered in this print from Waverly. I love the groovy edge it brings in to the space.

A $50 Craigslist find, this 1960's Lane buffet was the perfect piece for me. It holds all our bar needs, as well as extra china and vases. The beach feel extended to the coral lamp, a Pier 1 find. The sea glass colored print on the wall is by artist Heather Brown and is flanked by family photos.

I found old window frames at the local salvage / renovation store and reclaimed them. At a $1 each, they got gussied up with some old paint we had in the garage and now hang above the couch. A friend had given me a gift certificate for my birthday for one of those canvas photo prints, and I put it to use on one of my favorite photos of my son. The throw pillow I ended up choosing is by Thomas Paul.

I come home from work, peeps, and I literally just want to be in this room all evening. That's got to be a sign of success, right?

Dreaming of Nurseries - What's Your Baby Style?

2011-06-24T16:48:00.002+09:00

As my library / bar comes together, my focus is on the nursery --- hard core like, peeps. 7 more weeks to go before Keanu's arrival and I'm envisioning a bright, somewhat seashore/beach-ish nursery fitting for a baby with a Pacific Ocean view from his lanai.

**Yes, that's one lucky little boy.**

Loves the blue and greens -- and that light!! I love it!!

The ultimate baby closet right here. Hubs is a "closet" man.

I've got to share this one with him.

What do you all think? Are you more traditionalists when it comes to baby rooms? What's your Baby Style?

Classic Hawaii Homes

2011-06-22T16:09:00.004+09:00

Here's a home in the Old Pali neighborhood in Honolulu. I would love to live in Old Pali, peeps. This house has it all - charm, character, space, close to downtown, but far away enough to "get away." The price tag? $1.399M. Um, yes, there's an M at the end. It's Hawaii.

As Rachel Zoe says, OMG, I die.

Classic Hawaii Home

Neighborhood: Old Pali

Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4

Square Footage: 3,481 on 36,045 square feet of land

(That's basically the equivalent of a plantation in Hawaii standards)

Built: 1930

But wait! Check out this Garden Lover's gem in the Honolulu neighborhood of Manoa. This one is also minutes from downtown Honolulu and Waikiki, set back near the University of Hawaii, in a neighborhood of classic homes. Can you just see yourself, all green thumbed, sitting amongst your plants and flowers like a regular Martha Stewart. The inside of this home is filled with antiques. & lots of them. So I've spared your eyes of the clutter. Good thing the furnishings go with the sellers! & you are left with the spaces and plants you see here. Asking $1.595M.

There's that pesky M again.

Queen Anne Revival

Neighborhood: Manoa

Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2,471 on a 7,500 square feet lot

Year Built: 1902

Loving... Reclaimed Wood

2011-06-20T18:03:00.004+09:00

There's something about the lovely look of bringing something older into your home. Is it the character it has, or the history? Or both? In keeping with my beach house feel and in a fit of Etsy-driven satisfaction, I've found that I'm loving...

This Sea Breezes Wood Wall Frame, in all its beachy goodness.

Etsy - kraftworx

17 and a 1/2 x 15 and a 1/4 frame with a 5 x 7 opening.

This mosaic recycled wooden frame

Etsy - Apple and Pie

9 and a 1/2 square frame with a 3 and a 1/2 square opening

& this one in its Sea Foam color, made of reclaimed wainscotting after Hurricane Katrina.

Etsy - Second Line Frames

13 x 16 as a frame with a 5 x 5 and a 1/2 opening

I don't have the wall space peeps, but I'd make room for these.

Which do you prefer?

Ode to the Perfect Man.

2011-06-20T02:16:00.003+09:00

This is the Hubs --

Supportive and patient of the many J.Crew- and Craigslist-infused phases of my life, and the best Daddy of two lucky boys.

Well, one's still baking. The technical tally is one and a half.

Fire Captain by day...

& most impressive chicken griller by night.

Everything a girl needs, in a 6'2" package.

This is your day, Babes of mine.

Enjoy!

Scenes of an Unfinished House

2011-06-16T11:52:00.002+09:00

So close, but yet so far, peeps. Patience is a virtue that I've yet to learn. Here are some images of the house thus far. Just a glimpse, as I work my way to the finished product. Happy Hump Day!

The Hangover... According to Moi.

2011-06-04T08:07:00.005+09:00

Longtime followers of this blog know I am overly analytical, aka, I am incapable of making split decisions. Deciding things on a whim is just never going to happen for me. Today, folks, I feel like I just got up from a bad hangover. Oh, I totally know what those guys were going through.

In a haze of shopping euphoria today, I walked out of West Elm with a pair of 108" curtains for the french doors in my library/bar. I present to you, Exhibit A, below.

Concerns (because you know I got 'em) :

1) I was supposed to walk out of there with a pair of white, sheer linen panels. The ones I'd been staring at online for the last 2 months. The ones I'd told myself were going to work in the space. Of course, when I saw them in person, I thought they were on the thin side. I mean, yes, I get that they were sheer, but I wasn't expecting ultra see-through.

2) Grommets. These curtains have grommets. Nuff said.

3) Did I mention that my mind was set on plain, white curtains?

Now here's the kicker - I've actually looked at these curtains over and over, too. Oh you know I did. I'm not that spontaneous that I could have bought these without some thought over them. & no, they're not a terrible print or even crazy colors. But I'm so worried the room will look overwhelming!

So what do you think? Do you think they'll be too loud in the room? Do you think they won't "go?" I've over thought everything and stayed pretty sober in putting this room together and this one shotgun move has me woozy and light-headed. I just keep thinking, I was supposed to get sheer white, linen curtains!

Maybe this is the panache I need? Am I that boring that panache is delivered in the form of khaki ikat? Oy vey...

The Perfect Throw Pillows

2011-06-03T14:20:00.002+09:00

While I waiting for the UPS man to drop off my gallery wall shelves and my new favorite man "Romeo" to reupholster the cushions for my vintage rattan chairs, I'm contemplating the perfect throw pillows for the library room. I've found some that I absolutely really love. Now I just have to decide which will go with rattan chairs once they're recovered and the other accents on the first floor that can be seen from the room.

I love Thomas Paul. The other pillows in our family room are Thomas Paul and I love the whimsy, character and brightness he brings into our lives! This throw pillow is no exception and is on Amazon right now for $73.26. It's 22 inches square --- nice and huge! --- and 100% linen. The feather / down insert is included and the edges are piped. I like the espresso and white color and I think it would merge the turquoise and charcoal we've got going on in the library, with the lavender and khaki we've got in the family room.

Oh but peeps, look at these pillows from Cooper Grey on Etsy. I found this shop tonight and I can't believe how beautiful these pillows are! This one is called High Voltage Chevron. It's 22 inches -- love that size! -- and is all handmade in linen. The fabric is by Schumacher and I think the pillow has been done so beautifully. It also features a feather / down insert. The colors are similar to the Thomas Paul above, but I love the vibrancy of the chevron print and particularly the scale of the stripes. I love the edging! Check out the Cooper Grey blog at www.cooper-grey.com. It is really awesome!

Hold onto your seats. I think this is my favorite. Also by Cooper Grey, this is another 22-inch pillow done in Kelly Wearstler's Katana fabric in Teal. This might just be the perfect teal color, peeps. It's vibrant, can work with the rest of the house, and yet it still feels calming. The problem with teal sometimes is that it tends to take over and be the spotlight. I love this for its muted tone!

Dreams! I love all of them...

Jet Lag Aids Blogging.

2011-06-02T14:04:00.007+09:00

Peeps what do you do when you're away from home for work, jet lagged out of your mind and missing your beloved Hubs and babies? I don't know about you, but I obsess over design. Hmm. Doesn't sound any different than a regular day at home.

I got back to my hotel room this afternoon completely pooped from a long day of seminars and sessions and completely crashed -- Ralph Lauren dress and all -- on my fabulous hotel bed. I normally don't show these types of things for fear of being too personal but you HAVE to see this bed. It's fabulous.

Oh well. Back to the Olioboard. I've been wanting to put a more realistic Olioboard up of what the room is really turning out to look like and I finally had the chance to get to it tonight - after waking up from my 4 hour coma, taking a fabilis hot shower, and ordering room service because my preggers behind was too lazy to walk downstairs to get food.

I'm pretty happy with the way the room is turning out. I ordered some white shelves for my gallery wall above the couch, along with a stretched canvas photo I took of my Little Guy last year on the North Shore. I love this photo of him and I love that it hasn't been photoshopped and still looks great. :0) We were poolside and he had ordered a virgin "fancy drink."

On the wall above the turquoise buffet, I'm thinking of finding salvaged white, window frames I saw recently for a whopping $2 each at Reuse Hawaii, a very cool, green salvage yard in Honolulu.

Wouldn't they be a fun weekend project? I don't think I'd keep the glass or screen. But I like the distressed finish to the frames and the peeling white paint (which would be gently sanded down, bien sur). Part of me wants to take a piece of plywood and paint it with chalkboard paint and frame it with the window. I love the vintage beach feel.

Oh well. Enough for one night. I seriously need to get some sleep. It's 7:30pm in Hawaii, it's 12:30am where I am, and I have a full day's schedule starting tomorrow at 7:00am. You gotta love travel! It will kick you in the butt, but sometimes lets your creative juices flow.

Changes in Just 6 months

2011-06-01T19:48:00.002+09:00

I was going through some photos and had a good little laugh at the decor changes we've made in just the six months since moving in.

Here's our living room now. & I can tell you that lamp in the foreground is already replaced by a Jamie Young tripod leg version that I heart so much more.

Here's the Before version. While the Thomas Paul pillows, coffee and side tables stayed, the couch was nicely replaced and what a difference it made! I love, love, love our massive white sectional. We can literally have the whole family over and have enough seating for everyone. Plus it looks fabilis. The leather set we had before sat just a few people and was seriously bulky. The only plus it had? I didn't have a fit if the dog tried to sit on that. Nowadays? Cardinal sin for Rocky to even try to jump on my massive white behemoth of a sectional.

Speaking of Before photos, here is the room with the most change since we moved in. It was originally supposed to be a dining room, but we are a family that doesn't "dine." So Hubs and I decided it should be a library-slash-bar. & it's first evolution? Very Mid-Modern, Mad Men, complete with a cowhide on the floor. Rocky liked Bessie.

Ah, but that didn't last very long. Numero uno, Hubs hated the Mad Men look. He wouldn't step in the room at all, except to make a quick exit to the front porch through the french doors. Something had to be done, so here is the After.

Comfy, beachy, but still a little vintage in the feel. Now that the big pieces are in this room, it's just coming down to the accessorizing and we'll be done! Can't wait!

Wrinkled White Denim Never Looked So Good.

2011-05-31T13:49:00.004+09:00

Ohh peeps. Wrinkled white denim never looked so good. Over the weekend, I found the *must have* for my library, at the top of my wish list -- A slipcovered, white denim couch. & I was lucky enough to find a Mitchell Gold couch at that for a song on -- where else? Craigslist. Adding the couch to the front room / library / bar has really started to pull the room together.

Quick! Let's revisit the Olioboard for this room:

White couch? Check. Vintage 1950's Hawaiian rattan chairs? Check. Turquoise buffet / dresser? Check. Premier Prints Slub in Charcoal to recover the rattan chairs? Check.

Quirks and detours from the plan include the rug. I had ordered two of these sea grass rugs in a Gilt-infused frenzy one morning. Well now that I have them, I'm inclined to use them as Hubs has so delicately explained to me when I broached the subject of yet another rug.

Him: But didn't you just get this rug?

Me: Yes, but it's not on my Olioboard.

Him: Olio what? Didn't you just get this rug?

Me: Am I speaking Chinese?? Yes, I did, but...

Him: No more rugs. This one will work with your room just fine.

*Sigh* The big ka-bosh on the grey kilim I wanted... Oh well. Soon, honey, you will be mine. Hubs just doesn't know.

The start of the accessories. I found these two great, white vases at Ross and a frame at Pier One. & what couldn't be better -- the turquoise coral from the olioboard. God bless Pier One!

Upcoming - The gallery wall with recently ordered shelves from Pottery Barn and what to do with the wall space above the buffet!

Let's Talk Baby: The Sip & See

2011-05-29T12:08:00.003+09:00

While my mom busily prepares my second Baby Shower, I'm considering have a Sip & See once the little one is born for everyone else who can't attend.

Peeps, I had no idea what a Sip & See was. My Little Guy is almost 8 years old, and the Sip & See wasn't even a glimmer in her daddy's eye way back then. Apparently now they are a practical -- and fun, need to throw that out there -- way of introducing Baby to the galloping hordes of older aunties, lady friends and cousins who can't wait to meet your little bun, freshly baked and out of the oven.

{My attempt at invitation making. I'm not the most creative, but sometimes I try!}

The MIL is encouraging me to have one, and I think we're going down that path for one main reason --- I hate the Pop In. I do, peeps and I'll admit it shamelessly. While I love, love, love my dear family and friends, I selfishly don't want the occasional stop over to see my newborn. Awful, I know. This is where the Sip & See comes in. Everyone comes over at one time, gets to see the little one, and I avoid the majority of drop-in visits. It's win-win, I tell you.

Anyone else have a Sip & See for the little bundle of joy? Any tips or pointers? I've got Grandma hosting but it will be held at our house, of course and most of the organization has been volunteered by moi. If you have any tips or hints even if you didn't have a Sip & See, let me know! I'd love to hear!!

House Progress - The Wine Fridge Debuts & the Library Comes Together

2011-05-27T15:37:00.003+09:00

Just a few random photos of what's been going on at my abode this week. First, we got our under counter wine refrigerator installed in the island and I LOVE it. I make excuses to walk by it, just to stare. I turn the light on inside and marvel at the shadows. Of course I won't be taking anything out of it for a while, but I can live with that. Oh, because you know I already have bottles that are in there, snug as a bug in a rug.

I've been playing around with the pieces we've gotten so far in the new library space. It's basically turning out to be a cool, beachy sitting room, and I'm happy with it.

Here's the Olioboard just as a reminder of where I'm going with the room.

& the progress in real life...

So far, the turquoise buffet is sitting dead center between those two windows and I'm really excited about the scale. I positioned the vintage Hawaiian rattan chairs next to a mid-century table my grandma gave me. The rug is sea grass. I'm still waiting for my new cushion covers to come. Once they do, those chairs are going to look pretty cool, let me tell you. I can't wait to get all the bigger pieces in there so I can start pulling it all together. I honestly have no accessories in there at all and it's so humble looking.

One thing I am worried about is the white, slipcovered couch I'm supposed to be getting for opposite those chairs. I don't have it yet and I'm wondering when it will ever get here... Boo. I know I'm being impatient but I've got a house to put together in 11 weeks. Baby arrives soon and I'm pretty sure I'll be busy then...

The Price of Paradise: Classic Hawaii Homes

2011-05-24T01:22:00.007+09:00

One of my favorite things to do is look at houses that have come on the market for sale. It's the dreamer in me and the planner - I always want to know where I'm going to land next and I'm dreaming big. I'm going to try to start this as a regular series of posts because I am constantly coming across houses that I absolutely would move into tomorrow and want to share with all of you. These are three of my favorite on the market right now in established Honolulu neighborhoods. Which is your favorite?

Classic Hawaiian Style Bungalow

Neighborhood: Manoa

Price: $825,000

Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2

Square Footage: 1,405

Built: 1925

This is the smallest and least expensive of the the three, on a beautiful street of classic and historical homes, 10 minutes from Waikiki but tucked in a historic neighborhood in walking distance to the University of Hawaii. I love the bungalow shape, the built-ins, the original hardwood floors.

English Cottage in Hawaii

Neighborhood: Manoa

Price: $1,195,000

Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4

Square Footage: 2,425

Year Built: 1928 & on the Historical Homes Register

This English cottage, also in Manoa and on the Historical Homes registry, is on a beautiful street at the beginning of a cul-de-sac. It is full of gorgeous touches - leaded glass windows, lava rock fireplaces, and beautiful hardwood floors. Hubs says this is his favorite!

Hawaiian Style Home

Neighborhood: Pacific Heights

Price: $1,085,000

Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3

Home's Square Footage: 2,148

This home is located in Pacific Heights, centrally located in Honolulu on a mountainside. I ADORE the living room space, the windows, the built-ins, the floors and the breeze!! Look at that lanai!

Transforming a Lane Mid Century Buffet...into Turquoise Loveliness Part II

2011-05-22T17:26:00.004+09:00

Peeps here is my very own turquoise buffet! It's simple, it has great modern lines, and some eclectic touches, like the satin nickel and glass handles. Just because I'm a sucker for glass handles. This was the first attempt at taking a Craigslist find and re-vamping it.

What do you think?

Here's where the process started - some sanding of the original piece.

Rocky, my Assistant, giving some positive vibes our way. He knew this was our first attempt at painting furniture, too, and he wanted it to go well!

My mom even came over and got into the sanding act. Here she is sanding down the Mid-Century coffee table that was part of the Mood Board I created for the library/bar. This piece was a hand-me-down from my grandmother and I love the Mid-Century lines on it, but it's seen better days and was definitely in need of some TLC.

Hubs getting into the act. The original buffet didn't have handles, and we wanted to add them on, so he built a template so we could easily get those handles on there once the paint had dried.

Dragon pots from Chinatown were our very technical ways of holding down the drop cloth in the Hawaiian breeze.

My job: Ensuring my mom had ample supply of Riesling. I was official wine supplier.

We used paint with primer, and the color went on really smoothly. I was crossing my fingers I'd be happy with the color - I chose Lagoon by Martha Stewart at Home Depot. They were able to custom match using a Behr base with the primer included.

Waiting for the paint to dry... Added the handles that I love and couldn't wait to get it in the house! I was definitely happy with the results! Can't wait for the next dresser project to present itself!

Transforming a Lane Mid Century Buffet...into Turquoise Loveliness Part I

2011-05-21T15:24:00.008+09:00

This awful quality photo is of a Lane Mid-Century Buffet I was lucky enough to find on Craigslist for $50 this week. I can't even tell you, peeps, this is Craigslist gold. For $50 and from a nice man named Bob, I got his very cute piece for the Library/Bar.

(BTW, If you're looking at those doors on the left and crinkling your nose, I'm not offended. I did the same. More on the doors below.)

Here's an example of the same type of buffet I found online.

Adorbs.

Now here is the actual piece again, this time, with the rattan doors gone and wearing its matching wood doors. Ha! The doors are something like the dress on my Peaches-n-Cream Barbie I had in 1984... Reversible! If you had that Barbie, I'm your soul sister. But back to the doors and their reversible abilities... How mod, I swear.

But the buffet is so solid, peeps, and was in such great condition. No veneer, it is all wood. There were some watermarks on the top, but the drawers glide like buttah.

& my favorite part? Those legs.

*Sigh*

I'm a sucker for Mid Century Modern legs!

Now here comes the tricky part. The piece is GREAT, but if you remember my blog post about the library / bar, it's part of a grand plan! & I want to paint it turquoise. My inspiration comes from pieces like these:

A great turquoise dresser from Primitive and Proper. Check out Cassie's blog. I've only recently discovered and I love it.

Another gorgeous piece featured on Cococozy. Coco offers daily eye candy for me and I love seeing what she finds!

Well, with all that in mind, here are three shades of turquoise I've narrowed down that I'm thinking of for the fab mid-century buffet to put in the modern-esque pacific coastal room I'm putting together.

No.1 Tropical Tide from Behr.

No. 2 Surfer from Behr

No. 3 Lagoon by Martha Stewart

Very subtly different. I'm leaning towards Martha's color. Up close - and I'm not sure if it shows up in the photos - it has a grey-ish cast that tones the color down a bit. If you don't know, I'm afraid of color. I'm one of those people. But I'm breaking out of my shell, peeps. I'm embracing the turquoise.

So... which do you like?

A Lil' Something Something

2011-05-19T13:37:00.007+09:00

My material for my vintage Hawaiian chairs have arrived! I chose Premier Prints' Chipper Slub in Charcoal, which ran me just under $7 a yard and I have to tell you the initial reaction is positive. I wanted something that ran a little "Ikat," plus go along with my Library/Bar idea.

I put the material against the chair and I really like the contrast it brings.

I'm digging the modern pacific coastal vibe that's coming together!

Speaking of coastal vibes, how fabulous are these lovely jewels from Target's Calypso St. Barths line? The vibrancy in the colors just drew me in and had me at hello. I literally saw the sparkle off the glass from the corner of my eye and made a beeline straight to them with my shopping cart making tracks in the process. Under $4 a piece for these cute little tumblers? Worth it! Makes a glass of water feel absolutely dramatic and relaxing at the same time!

Even the living room got a little somethin' somethin' this weekend. My lamp order from Gilt.com arrived and I am so happy! Jamie Young Tripod Table Lamp.

Up close and personal. I love those tripod legs!

Even the yard got a little pick me up. Here in the tropics, what is "normal" may not be so for most peeps. We got a wax ginger shrub put in our yard. It adds a little pop of color, and the flower is so pretty.

My Little Guy decided to start a little container garden. Here, a spotlight on his baby arugula.

My Little Farmer's cache.

When Fiscal Reality Butts Itself into your House Design Dreams

2011-05-12T15:13:00.000+09:00

Peeps, don't you hate it when fiscal reality butts itself into your house design dreams? I do. I soooo do. So I've come to a final choice in the libary/bar/sitting room situation and it was definitely, hands down, the turquoise and grey combination that had me at hello. I've refined the original Olioboard to come to something that revolves more around what I would love to be surrounded by.

Now what I'm pretty proud of is that I've sourced the Pottery Barn slipcovered loveseat (remember, this was a large dining room, but it's still a smaller space overall), the vintage Hawaiian rattan chairs, and the mid-century modern Monkey Pod wood coffee table either off of Craigslist at a steal of a price, or by the hand-me-down method. I plan to do the same with the dresser and source it off of Craigslist and distress and paint it myself.
As for the rest of the room, I'm sticking to a recent philosophy of raising funds. I believe in The Clean House Method of financing, peeps. Meaning, to bring something new into my home, something else needs to go. I just need a big 'ole flower in my hair like Niecy Nash and I'd be ready to go. In the past, I've Craiglisted, I've garage sale'd, I've sold pieces to friends. Hubs being the neat freak he is completely approves of this method, bien sur.

Niecy you go girl!

One thing about Olioboard -- and Polyvore was the same way -- I tend to choose pieces that I like just by looking at it, vice finding something that fits my budget. So somehow in my extremely budgeted little space, I've added a $700+ light fixture and a garden stool / side table that runs somewhere above $349. WTF. Don't you hate that???
*Hair Toss*
Anyway. It means now I'll have to scour, peeps. I'll have to search my little heart out for pieces that are budget-worthy and swoon-worthy at the same time. Beyond those two extreme-priced items that are waaaay out of my budget, I'm proud to say the rest of the room is coming together within budget. The killer white and charcoal grey fabric to recover those rattan chairs? Under $7 a yard and made of cotton duck --- not bad. The turquoise and white fabric I'm choosing for a throw pillow here and there? $8 a yard. Again, a deal! The dresser has a budget of about $100 or less. The majority of the budget is going to the area rug ($258 at Shades of Light) and the electrician who'll be installing those track lights for the family photo Gallery Wall.
Well, I better start planning my next Craigslist purge. I've got some rooms that need to be prettied up!

Which Do You Prefer?

2011-05-07T17:18:00.002+09:00

Watch out, peeps! I've discovered OlioBoard! It's basically Polyvore for the home obsessed. Where I have been all this time and why didn't I know about it earlier? No matter... Let the mood boards begin!

I'm still obsessing over what to do with my former dining room space which I'm turning into a library-slash-bar-slash-general-place-to-hang-when-people-come-over room. I've gone with a white, slipcovered Potterybarn loveseat and a pair of vintage Hawaiian-style rattan chairs. The chairs are currently a cream color, but I plan to recover them. The other large piece in the room will be a similar-to-this white sideboard that will function as a bar space.

So here I am, presenting two possible ideas for the room. Which do you all prefer?

OPTION No.1: Grey & Turquoise Love.

Includes a grey/white fabric to recover the rattan chairs, a pair of turquoise Thomas Paul lovebird throw pillows, a grey patterned area rug, Potterybarn shelves and track lights over the loveseat, and a cheeky but sweet turquoise poster framed in a white frame over the bar.

OPTION No.2: Chartreuse, Sunshine and a Touch of Blue.

This option features a chartreuse fabric to cover the rattan chairs with maize-yellow puffer fish throw pillows by Thomas Paul. A Dash & Albert cotton rug in a chartreuse color scheme is set on the floor, and a Tad Carpenter poster featuring Jack Johnson would hang over the bar, also in a white frame.

So which do you all like? Even at this point, the mood boards have helped tremendously. The chartreuse/yellow/blue theme was my original intent, but putting the together the grey and turquoise room was more appealing. Even looking at the two options now, I'm inclined towards the grey/turquoise. Are you too?

Raging Pregnancy Hormones Bring on the Weirdest Cravings...

2011-05-03T16:29:00.003+09:00

Like for rehabbing furniture. Forget pickles and ice cream. I want to take this random Craiglist find:

& turn it into to this:

Photo from sfgirlbybay's gorgeous blog. Her post today on the shades of turquoise in a home is an inspiring color that only makes the cravings worse!

Alas, Hubs says I have too many projects on my plate right now and I hate it when he's right. So I'll have to file this one for later remember this glorious color and find another awesome piece like this when I don't have twenty million things already going on.

Gorgeous Non-Maternity Choices for those In the Family Way.

2011-05-02T12:02:00.005+09:00

Ugh. Tis to the thought of having to dress up a big tummy, peeps. Have you SEEN what is out there for the mommies to be of the world? SERIOUSLY - and yes, it's completely worthy of the all caps. Most of the clothing is blah. & I have to point this out, but for peeps like moi, who are small-busted normally and stay that way through pregnancy - those maternity dresses with HUGE tops in the bust area are trop matronly, and so not in a good way. I also hate the thought of dropping the Benjamins on dresses I'll only wear for the next few months, non? Better to invest in pieces that you can wear again and again!

Here are some non-maternity pieces that I'm dubbing Moi-Approved for those in the family way this summer. I'll admit I'm dating a few.

All from Anthro. God Bless Anthro.

I seriously HEART this peach/dusty pink dress. I love the flow, I love the color, I love the sleeves, I love the neckline. Plus, how cute will this be later? Yes, maternity (and non-maternity) never looked so good.

Budding Dahlia Dress, $258

What to wear with such a fabulous dress??

Look Through Wedges, $178

Hey, Mommies-to-Be still need to get their summer swim on and I'm not too shy to show off a little baby bump. With some sun screen on the belly, bien sur.

Okay, hate me if you must, but I am so intrigued by this striped, off-the-shoulder dress! This is Hawaii, completely. With the hat! One must have the fedora with it. Love it.

Okay, and the best for last... How gorgeous is this dress??? How ridiculously fabulous is this dress? The only thing that could utterly compare? The serious price tag, that's what. Ugh, but if the shoe fits... and it makes the belly look good? & you can totally rock this with a baby on your hip and still feel like a million bucks? Sooo worth it.

Spellbound Maxi Dress, $358

I think the Budget Police, aka Hubs, would be okay with 2 of the three dresses and either the wedges or the bikini. So which do you think would make the cut?

Tell me which you'd go with!

Visions of Easter

2011-04-29T16:43:00.002+09:00

See these candies, peeps? All gone already. Amazing!

Some pretty tulips that brightened our Easter morning.

Envisioning...

2011-04-27T15:25:00.003+09:00

I've got a few pieces I've been thinking about putting together in the library. Remember, I want a happy, vintage, Hawaiian type library bar, with Jack Johnson music echoing and mai tai mix nearby. Picturing these on the soon-to-be-found vintage Hawaiian rattan lounge chairs.

Pillow: Thomas Paul, Velocity Art and Design, $94

How is this very cool Jack Johnson poster by Tad Carpenter? I happened on it the other night and am purchasing it with another art print for the baby's nursery. I like the happy colors! & hellurrr, Jack Johnson is from Hawaiiiiiii. We must represent.

Tad Carpenter poster, 18x24, $20 hand signed and numbered through 150.

Since Bessie, my cowhide, will be moving along for greener pastures (Ha! I crack myself up), I've recently come upon Dash & Albert cotton rugs at Pacific Home in Honolulu. I have a major home crush on Pacific Home, but I digress. Let's dish about the cotton rug. I like this color and think it would go with my inspiration Thomas Paul pillow and the happy times-invoking Jack Johnson poster.

Dash and Albert Birmingham Stripe Rug in Green, Velocity Art and Design, 6x9, $208

The library isn't the only room I have on my mind. I've got a nursery to plan, too and I can't forget about that! I spied this Tad Carpenter art print at Land of Nod for $59, framed. But Tad Carpenter's website has the 11x14 unframed version in all its adorable awesomeness for $12. Hubby loves this thing and wants it for the baby's room. Anytime my husband likes something I like... I have to get it.

Tad Carpenter Art Print, $12, signed and numbered

Now to find pieces that coordinate....

Getting Retro and Colorful in the Library-Bar!

2011-04-26T04:57:00.007+09:00

New Idea for the libary/bar -- How about some color?? I know right, why didn't I think of this before? The room right now is blah and just doesn't fit in with the rest of the downstairs and I need it to flow, peeps. There's no flow. & no color, either. So to solve that, I've got to re-think the room a bit. Here's the room in its current form. Blah, blah and more blah. Issue #1: Bessie. Bessie just has to moooove along.

Now, this being Hawaii and all, I'm going with something I'm going to call, Vintage Pacific. That's my fancy-pants way of saying I'm going to be on the look out for 1950's vintage, hawaiian style rattan chairs and re-cover them with something more modern that goes with our (very basic) current color scheme. If you remember, I have lavender/violet Thomas Paul throw pillows on our sectional in the family room, so I need the library bar to be cohesive with that. I think a chartreuse green would go great against that color and still play nicely against the white walls and dark wood floors. What do you think of these Thomas Paul samples below?

Here is the type of vintage rattan chair I'm looking for. Again, very Hawaii, very Where's My Mai Tai. But with a modern fabric, I think a pair of these chairs would create the Pacific vibe I'm going for, without guests having to ask where my vinyl record copy of Tiny Bubbles is. I'm partial to the first and last print. What do you think?

The black chair that's currently there, my Don Draper chair, is probably going to go. But I'll keep the couch and the mid-century modern mango wood coffee table. I'm envisioning a clean looking area rug to lighten up the space, and a white ceramic garden stool in the middle of the two rattan chairs. A tropical cocktail or two for guests (mommies-to-be will refrain, bien sur), and we'll be good to go!

Losing Followers is no Fun!

2011-04-21T15:43:00.002+09:00

Since switching subject matters, I've seen a number of followers fall off lately. Boo! I hate that! :0( Of course I'd be happier talking about houses and furniture and have lots of followers, but if it can't be, then it can't be. Hoping that you'll consider staying!

House Tour - Progress!

2011-04-18T15:36:00.002+09:00

Thought I would share some updated photos of our Hawaii house. It's coming along and I have to say we've made some progress with decorating this week. If you remember we bought in a newly developed neighborhood, chosen from a number of different models. The exterior is cookie cutter, but I was hell bent on making sure the interior was not. So we chose floors, counters, etc through the developer's extensive design house choices and I was pretty excited with getting the bones right, but I've been waiting to get the furniture pieces to my liking, and I think I'm getting close. Below, a small tour in recent photos...

Living room and kitchen. We just got this great, huge and WHITE washable sectional. The couch pillows are Thomas Paul. Those big, wood screens are actually antique doors from China. The table is also a Chinese antique.

The Library/Bar comes along, but still needs work. I need more shelves, more books, more barware. & I especially need more color in here. It's pretty monotone right now, so I need some cool accessories to keep the feeling young and also to tie the room to the rest of the house.

The kitchen, with a view of the french doors in the library/bar.

A view from the main hallway/entryway.

I'm super excited to have the house come along so far! What do you all think?

The Vintage Mid-Century Modern Sofa is Mine, All Mine

2011-04-16T01:41:00.003+09:00

Hello! Just a quick line I wanted to drop with some up-to-the-minute photos of the library/bar. My hunt for a vintage mid-century modern sofa has come to an end with this awesome brown vinyl/pleather/not-really-leather sofa below with the great lines and awesome wooden legs. The room needs fun things in it now to keep it from feeling stodgy, but the bones are to my liking!

Have a great day!

Do you think Don Draper would approve?

2011-04-12T00:53:00.006+09:00

Sofas are a crazy thing. Vintage Mid-Century Modern ones even more. For whatever reason, I have to have the real deal - must be vintage, no recently made lookalikes. Which means I must live with imperfection. But you know me, I find the beauty in that. Here is the latest sofa find I'm thinking about for our library/bar. I am in love with the lines and the legs on this thing! Worst of all, Hawaii is so, so small that finding a vintage piece is not the easiest task. I'd rather wait than get something I won't really love, but I think this piece would look great with the right touches. We're still in the dating phase, so I can't get my hopes up completely because she is technically not mine, but I think she'd look fabulous in the space. What do you all think?

I'm planning to put together a board that would combine the pieces for the library/bar. I'd like to keep my other mid-century modern find in the room with it. This is the chair I wanted to re-cover in cowhide, if you remember from a previous post. I spoke with an upholsterer after getting nervous about doing the job myself and the cost seems a little high for two cushions. Alas, the chair will stay as-is for now, but I have hope! It would look great either way, and if I can't cover the chair in Bessie, the cowhide can live on the floor and would still look great in the space.

By the way, I'm seeing cowhide peak out everywhere, most recently at my favorite source of inspiration, Restoration Hardware. Here are some pieces that I'm ogling at the moment. But alas, usually with Restoration Hardware, I can only ogle from afar. Their prices freak my wallet out more than the J.Crack ever did.

1950's Copenhagen Chair Hair on Hide Front, Restoration Hardware

Brazilian Cowhide Pillow Covers, Restoration Hardware $69 - $99

I'm picturing some book cases, preferably a thin tower version, on either side of the Don Draper sofa, to be filled with bar accoutrements and books to complete the theme. I like the two shelving units here.

Vintage Industrial Tower, Restoration Hardware

Reclaimed Elm & Iron Leaning Shelving, Restoration Hardware

Must go now and get the Little Guy ready for school, but drop me a line and let me know what you think so far of the bar/library? Is it the vintage feel I'm going for?

Another Boy in the House

2011-03-27T03:05:00.002+09:00

If I were living in China a few hundred years ago, I'd be a revered wife for having so many boys. Another boy is making his debut soon into our abode. He's healthy and pretty darn cute, so far, I must say. The boys in the house are excited for this one. They think one more male will change the tides and create a democracy that swings their way. They have no idea the house is going to be a monarchy! With moi as the Queen Bee. As a mommy, you have to love your boys. They take care of you, those little lovelies of puppy dog tails. Can't wait to meet our newest little one!

Cowhide Chair Redo

2011-03-24T15:50:00.004+09:00

I'm thinking of taking on a new project, peeps. A girlfriend has dubbed me the "most productive pregnant lady" she knows. I guess it's a nesting phase, but it's got me in its clutches pretty bad. With that being said, let's unveil the idea!

The Inspiration: Le Corbusier Cowhide, metal and leather chair. A great homage to the original is on Room&Board for $749. I say, we can do this with what we have!

The Victim: Mid Century Modern metal and leather chair found on Craigslist for a deal. Sure, it's got some rust on the bottom stand. That I can fix and clean up. But the leather cushions are showing their wear, and they need to be recovered.

Why not recover them in cowhide? & worst of all, I have a cowhide folded up nicely in my storage closet. Good 'ol Bessie... she was supposed to be a great floor cover. She should be seen!

What do you all think? I'd keep the leather on the arms, which would continue the look in the inspiration piece. It wouldn't be an exact replica of the Le Corbusier chair, but it would look pretty darn cute!

P.S. - The Travel link is now up! Hope you like the photos there!

The Photography link is up!

2011-03-22T17:11:00.003+09:00

Hope you enjoy going through some of the photos I've shared on the blog! Click on the photography tab above to check them out!

Feeling Organized and Fancy Free!

2011-03-21T11:35:00.005+09:00

Organization is a good feeling, peeps, especially when it involves making sure that 10,000 tiny lego pieces are all picked up and put out of the way. Little Guy's closet system is in, and with a few touches via storage bins from my favorite French store, Tar-jhey, a little boy's crazy mess is now contained.

I have to admit there was some level of drama, most likely due to pregnancy induced hormones, where I panicked when the wall of shelves I thought would be on the right ended up on the left. Luckily Hubs swooped in, with his cool, level-headedness, to snap me out of my perfectionist paranoia. After some obsessing, I've decided the closet worked out well and happy with its ability to hold ALL -- literally -- of Little Guy's things. You have no idea how much space is in the bedroom now.

Close Up: Hot Wheels and Bakugan can live harmoniously with storage bins from Target.

On the opposite end of the closet, Little Guy's existing bookshelf was organized for books, sketch pads, and art supplies. Little Guy keeps his most prized possessions in that beat up shoe box. No amount of Mommy pleading to toss it would be heard by the boy. New closets were in no way a reason to dump his beloved old shoe box. Oh well. Pick your battles, Mama.

Above the bookshelf, legos find a home on shelves in primary colored bins next to some hanging clothes. Below, the rest of Little Guy's surf-themed room.

We went with Potterybarn Kids a while ago for the bedding. Little Guy's pint-sized surfboard can be seen in the background, below. & yes, I guess there's no real reason anymore to call him Little Guy, is there? & so, Kelly makes his debut in the blogosphere!

Last photo from today... The remnants of a loverly springtime brunch with the extended family. Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa omelets, cheese danishes, and fruit salads with vanilla yogurt were served up this morning alongside some bellinis for the non-preggers women in the audience. What a perfect Sunday!

An Organized Life!

2011-03-16T16:17:00.003+09:00

Peeps, this Type-A mom needs organization in her life, and I find where I need it most is my son's room. The younger they are, peeps, it seems the more stuff they have to put away. Especially if yours, like mine, loves toys with little, tiny pieces. So we are organizing, peeps. We've gone with a company called Organized Hawaii to put together a custom closet system for all of Little Guy's little stuff. It's sort of a cross between this:

& this (but a boy version, of course):

Something that will hold school uniforms, clothes, Legos, Beyblades, Bakugan and all the other accoutrements that surround my 7 year old. Photos of the final version forthcoming!

Exciting Upcoming Changes

2011-03-15T02:10:00.002+09:00

Peeps as the blog changes its look, the content will change with it! I can't really call this a fashion blog or even a J.Crew related blog when I haven't talked about that in about 4 months. I've become really involved in putting the house together, finding perfect pieces for the house within my budget, and doing it all creatively. In the meantime, I'd like to post random photos I like, talk about what's going on with the family... I hope you like it! It's a move in the right direction for me and I'm excited about what's coming up!

Excuse the Blogger changes

2011-03-14T17:33:00.000+09:00

I'm in the middle of a transition, peeps. Please pardon the construction mess!

My Very First DIY: 1930's Norman Bel Geddes Vintage Metal Dresser

2011-03-14T03:09:00.005+09:00

Scrolling through my new favorite, Cracklist -- oh my bad... Craigslist, I found an awesome, two-toned, rather beat up metal dresser. The guy wanted $20. I had to have it. It had these rounded edges and good genes. I knew it had potential.

I primed and repainted the bad boy in a hammered metallic black finish, and threw on some spanking glass knobs to give it a little something. & I love how it turned out. :0) Those girly glass knobs really look cool against that industrial, utilitarian dresser. & the best part is if I get tired of the look, I'll just change them out!

Next time, I'll take lots of photos of the process. I wish I had kept photos of what the bad boy looked like originally. It wasn't pretty.

What I did find, is a manufacturer's sticker with company name and found similar dressers online... those rounded corner edges really gave it away. The dresser was designed by a man named Normal Bel Geddes in the 1930's - 1940's. Geddes was an industrial designer who brought the streamlined metal look to fruition. He believed in form following function and perfect aerodynamics. I also found dressers that are in original condition selling for more than MacBook Air.

Well, I spent $20, invested in a few cans of paint and glass knobs, and I love what I have. It makes the entry way look amazing and I feel like I have a piece of history! But now... this DIY thing is catchy. Looking for something else to restore and repurpose!

Fine & Well, Feeling the Blogosphere Love

2011-03-14T02:17:00.002+09:00

Peeps, I want to thank you all for checking on me. A few of you asked how we were during this week's earthquake & tsunami after effects and I want to tell you how much it meant that you all had my back in the blogosphere.

First, we are all fine. Oahu was spared with some minor damage and everyone has the feeling that we dodged a huge bullet. Parts of Kauai, Maui and the Big Island weren't as lucky and sustained some real damage to roads, harbors, boats, and some near-shore spots. No one suffered a loss of power, though cell phone reception was basically nil for 24 hours.

Most of you know the Hubs and I just bought and finished building a new house. Well, the house is also about 5 blocks from the ocean and we're at sea level, so when the emergency response system alarms went off at 10pm, we packed our things and evacuated our area and spent the night with the in-laws who live about 30 minutes away up hill.

It was definitely sleepless worrying about family elsewhere on the island, friends in Japan who also had to evacuate, and this house we just invested in. Spent the night between watching the tsunami effects in Japan and our local news coverage. At around 3:30am, I caught footage of the ocean near Waikiki pull back and saw the exposed reef. The generated wave and water level was minimal, but you can't imagine how freaked out we were watching that usual placid and beautiful beach scene get sucked back like that.

We got the All Clear at about 8am the next morning and can I tell you how beautiful that Friday morning was? Clear skies and shining sun. Our family was fine, friends in Japan were spared and safe, and there was zero damage to the house. You would have never thought the night before was such a freak fest.

My heart goes out to the people of Japan in Sendai. I can't imagine what they're going through right now.

Travel is Good For the Soul - Seattle

2011-03-02T16:02:00.004+09:00

One Woman's Trash is Another's Treasure

2011-02-28T07:29:00.004+09:00

Ah, the beauty of Craigslist, peeps. This weekend has pushed me from casual peruser to *in my own mind* seller extraordinaire! I have officially wandered into the dark recesses of Craiglist and put up my first ads. Um, no they weren't personals. Instead, it's home deco all the way, baby! Here's a sneak peek!

Small, Japanese glass floaters I bought and collected in Japan. Lovely, but not loved. So they must go. & go they did! I had a number of interested people in these within the first hour of posting. If anything, I've learned that as a buyer, I better be quick with the phone call if I want something I think others will want just as much as me!

The "old" bar stools that are making their way into a new home today. These were gone in the first hour as well. I'm sure it has much to do with my pricing, which I believe was fair and a little low, but I needed them to go. There's nothing worse than having tons of stuff in your garage because you're trying to make an extra $5. I have enough in my garage, thank you very much.

Dark Plantation Shutters Debut & the Retro Couch that got Away

2011-02-27T04:46:00.004+09:00

First, thanks to everyone for chiming in on the counter stools. I agree that a back rest would have been ideal, but I ordered a single Restoration Hardware stool for a desk area and when that baby came in, all bets were off. I ordered 2 more and they are on their way. I liked them for their swivel, their roomy seats, and their vintage industrial look. I admit I chose them for style and function came a close second. But I'm happy with my choice and I can check that box as done.

On to the next. Our wenge wood plantation shutters arrived and I have to admit I love them. They pop against our white walls and look great against the dark, hardwood floors. A small tour:

The dining room - slash - bar - slash - library. I'm hoping to find some interesting shelving, and a great retro, vintage couch as starting pieces. Perhaps I can turn the inside of the Chinese armoire in the photo to the bar? Thoughts?

The living room also got its windows dressed up. We put plantation shutters on the tall, thin windows that flank the entertainment nook and white linen curtains on the big window over the couch. I'm not a fan of that couch. If I can find something with more clean, minimalist lines, I'd be a happy camper. Craigslist, it is.

The kitchen comes along. Those stools at the counter now? They will be going. That stool at the desk will have friends soon and the swivel action will make them all tall enough for the counter height. Am waiting patiently for their arrival. In the meantime, the kitchen is still a work in progress. I'd like to do a white subway tile backsplash treatment but have never done tile work before.

Alas, the retro couch I missed by 10 minutes this morning at a semi-garage sale in Honolulu. It would have been FABULOUS in either room that is calling for a retro couch, and I actually like the lime green color. It could also have been slipcovered in something more subdued, but you really lose the retro feel when you take away that great color!

Deciding on Counter Stools for a Clean & Simple Beach House

2011-02-14T03:28:00.011+09:00

Who knew picking a counter stool would be so difficult, peeps. I mean, it's a counter stool, not a couch, or a dining table, or any other significant piece of furniture. The way I used to nerve wrack over J.Crew purchases, I've somehow channelled that anxiety and overthinking into my counter stool purchasing. It's good to see neuroses never die!

First, let's talk about the stool requirements and the set the stage a little bit. I'm in need of 3 counter stools, around 26" in height, for my kitchen island. The kitchen and family room are right next to each other and form a large open space. If I could have a theme running through the house, it would be, "Clean, Simple Beach House." Everything needs to go with what we already have, peeps. But I've come down to some common elements in each of the rooms downstairs:

1. White walls

2. Dark distressed wood floors

3. Distressed wood antiques of the Asian variety.

4. Lighting fixtures with clear bulbs.

5. Touches of bronze in ceiling light fixtures and floor / table lamps, and drapery rods.

6. Stainless steel appliances in the kitchen.

7. Dark wood plantation shutters and white, long drapes on the windows.

Now that we got that straight, walk with me down counter stool lane and I'll go over the finalists I've got on the brain. I'm in need of some direction, ladies. Some serious, Come-to-Jesus-style direction.

The Modern Industry stool from Sundance Catalog. $125.

Me Likey: The white metal contrasting with the dark wood floors and the way the stainless seat would pick up the accents in the kitchen. I also likey the price.

Not So Much: It seems to lack warmth and doesn't look that comfortable.

Modern Times Factory Stool, Sundance Catalog, $195.

Me Likey: Again, the white / stainless combination. In particular, I like how much more this one is distressed (chipped paint and all), and I love the swivel seat.

Not So Much: It looks unsturdy and slippery. & again, it seems to lack warmth.

The Lyon Fixed Height Industrial Stool, available online for $83.

Me Likey: The stool on the right. & I'm seeing it spray painted a funky color, like an interesting green or something. It would be a pop of color in my very color-neutral house. It also looks more sturdy than the other stools so far, and I love me the price on this one.

Not So Much: It looks too industrial. Definitely lacks warmth, and may not go well with the distressed wood we have elsewhere in the house.

& Finally, the Colby stool from Potterybarn, $99.

Me Likey: It would add the warmth I think is missing from the other stools and add that depth of distressed wood in the kitchen and tie the other rooms' antiques together. It would definitely add that "beach house" element I'm going for, with the rough hewn look it's sporting. I'm relaxed just looking at it. It also seems sturdy and the price is right. Where's Bob Barker at when I need him?

Not So Much: It doesn't have that "industrial" tie I'm looking for, and is a bit of a safe choice.

A final contender: Restoration Hardware $169

Me Likey: The swivel wood seat. Brings in that wooden, vintage feel to tie in the antiques and add warmth to the kitchen, while keeping the industrial vibe I so adore. Adds dimensions of the black colored oiled bronze we have going on in each of the adjoining rooms. The metal accents would tie nicely with the stainless steel in the kitchen and it would contrast nicely with the dark wood floors and white kitchen cabinets and walls. Overall, my favorite for its balancing act of price, requirements, and aesthetics.

Not So Much: The max height is 25.5 inches and I'm worried about how sturdy it is "under pressure" at that or at 24 inches high. It's RH, so the quality should be great, but you never know. The seat diameter is 13 inches. That's a lot of possible rumpus hanging off the edges.

The choices are maddening!!! So now that you've seen all the finalists in the line up, which one would you go with?

More House Fixing Up

2011-02-07T10:57:00.002+09:00

I have house on the brain. I admit it. I'm almost no fashion, all house these days. Thought I would snap a few pics and show what's been new in the house decorating department.

Pillows: Thomas Paul, bought from Gilt

Glass Sea Urchins: Roost

Pharmacist's desk lamp: Target

Spider Mums: Whole Foods

BTW, I am in LOVE with these sea urchins.

Pendant lamps: Roost

All installed and with some great Edison bulbs to boot. I think the next set of bulbs will not be as strong. These were 60 watt. I'd like to see the filaments! Hello! That's why I spent more on the bulbs!

Pendant lights off. I think they add to the clean palate I'm trying to go for.

What do you all think?

The House Comes Along

2011-01-31T14:55:00.002+09:00

Ok, so I don't deny that I'm moving at a sloth's pace when it comes to getting the house in order. By "order" I mean, "Up to my fantastical standards of fabulousness," bien sur. But slowly, the pieces of the puzzle are coming together. Thought I would share some of the happenings going on with getting our house ready for Housewarming next month. It's an uphill battle, for sure.

Here's a sort-of ghetto fabilis photo of our kitchen, thus far. Pretend you don't see the coffee press on the counter or the mac book air.

We decided to go with these pendant lights for over the kitchen island, three of them to be exact. They are by Roost, and were purchased at the Sundance Catalog. BTW, if you haven't gone to look at the home section at Sundance, you are missing out. They have some pretty terrific finds. Sundance calls these their Meridien pendant lamps, and Hubs installed them pretty quickly with some Edison bulbs to advantage of all that clear glass. They add such a great, clean touch to the room. Photos of course, to follow when the house is Dwell / Elle Decor ready.

Purchased a new console table from Hawaii store Pacific Home. Check it out, they carry great things and I love going in there to just glean ideas. I'm hoping that design ideas will just seep through my pores, osmosis-style, by my just being in their shop. They have a great, laid-back style that I'm trying to capture in my house. This piece is called the Parisian Console table by Carina Sherlock. It's supposed to be modern meets French Country, which is somehow working with my clean, beachside, Pacific vibe. Hubs had decided to install in-wall speakers, which has inadvertently made my Chinese plasma console unusable. Thanks. So now that bad boy is on Craigslist waiting for a new owner and I'm going to throw my TV on this baby. It seems random at first to put the TV on this table, but with baskets underneath in the living room, I think this is going to be a good fit.

Last random purchase while at Pacific Home last night, Roost's glass sea urchin vases. Peeps let me tell you they are so freaking adorable. At $12-$15 each they were an affordable indulgence and with candlelight in the background? Soooo pretty. One of my favorite purchases in a long time.

Alas, I have no J.Crew to share. It's a recurring theme of late. No fun fashion purchases. But hopefully you'll stay with me and be interested in the crazy things going on at the NoJcrewinJapan House!

Happy Chinese New Year and Year of the Rabbit to everyone and enjoy your February this week!

The GAW post on jobs and kids.

2011-01-11T13:03:00.002+09:00

A dear friend, an old sage at heart, called today to give me some wise words of advice after seeing my last blog post on the idea of taking photographs as a job. She apparently wants me to keep my day job. I hope she doesn't kill me for blogging about this, but alas, peeps, I must. It's time we all had the GAW talk. For those unfamiliar, that's Grown A.. Woman, which we all know we have to be at some point.

First and foremost, we here at According to Moi are not chickens without heads, and put a lot of thought into the choices we make. & we are pretty left-brained here as well, which means no life-changing decisions - especially when one has children and a mortgage - can be made at the drop of a hat. Research will go into this possible career addition, and in no way would I walk away from the fortunate situation of stable employment - akin to jumping off a cliff with my baby and house in hand. GAW don't do things like that, though sometimes we fantasize about it aloud and in the blogosphere.

& you know, I'm a GAW and can handle criticism. Not everyone's going to like me. & I don't care. :0) I'm happy to do my thing, my way, when I want to. If that means fewer offers and more time in between jobs - great. I can spend it with my little guy and my hubby. & if it all doesn't pan out, I'll still take photos. Because I like it and I want to. & that's the beauty of not being motivated by money or empire-building - I get to do what I want because I like it. & that's a Grown A.. Woman talking.

Beach Wedding and a Budding Idea.

2011-01-10T06:26:00.003+09:00

My sister-in-law, pictured here looking gorgeous, got married this past weekend at a secluded, Hawaiian North Shore beach house amidst a small gathering of close family and friends. My job? To follow the actual photographer around and take photos for my mother-in-law, aka The Mother of the Bride. I did this because because we all know that MOBs are hella busy on their daughter's wedding day, tending to the bride(zilla), and they need some family member to take tons of photos of their only daughter's special day. & also because we all know that MOBs are highly impatient and in no way capable of waiting for the actual wedding photog's edited photos to grace their in-boxes a ridiculous 2 weeks post-wedding. P'shaw! So here are my first attempts at photographing a wedding. [As a note, I'd love to share more with you, peeps, but I don't want to post the bride or her party all over the blogosphere. I'm sure she'd love to do something like that herself, so I'm posting just one of her and a couple shots of her flowers, which are all un-edited because I just don't want to edit for the blog right now... Terribly lazy of me, I know, but I know you all understand.]

Now an interesting thing has come of this. My own mother asked why I don't do this as a job. A job?! I am a serious analyst! I am busy defending a budget that is going to be hammered in the near future and besides, I'm not that good of a photographer. Hmmm. But I have to say the idea stuck with me this week. The other oddity, a co-worker saw my photos and asked what I charged, and if I could come out to the beach today to take photos of her family. I had no idea what to say, peeps, which is a rare thing for me. Ultimately I said yes, gave her a quote of my fees, and suddenly, I find myself a photographer. I'm heading out to a beach in front of Obama's vacation home in about an hour, and am playing with the thought of creating a portfolio to actually do this on a part time basis.

The thought of a job that allows me to the flexibility of a SAHM during the week, especially with a little one on the way, is tantalizing. Especially when this is something I would love to do for free. I know my weekends would be full, but I'm fortunate to have both my MIL and my mom just 20 minutes away if I needed someone to watch the babies.

I have a lot to learn, both about taking my work from casual, hausfrau photographs to professional, and about setting up a business. Any suggestions? Any thoughts on it? I'd love to hear from you all who have set up a business and what it took to get there. I've spent the week researching photography websites and the market here, which is ripe for a boutique-style company.

What do you think?

Wishing you all the best in 2011!

2011-01-01T03:02:00.002+09:00

From our family, Happy New Year!!

Scenes from a lazy Christmas Day

2010-12-27T09:17:00.004+09:00

Hopefully by now, Peeps, you've all cleaned up the torn wrapping paper, you've turned off TBS' marathon of A Christmas Story, and you've had your fill of fabulous Christmas goodies and foods. By now, I hope you've cozied up on the couch to watch a football game, with happy kids and their twenty-million gifts surrounding you in a fabulous, cluttered, turkey sandwich-induced coma. Ok, well that's my Day After Christmas Dream for you, anyway.

Thought I'd share some of our favorite images from our Christmas day here in Hawai'i Nei yesterday. I keep thinking last Christmas we were in Rome, this Christmas was in Hawaii... What does the next year hold? We'll just have to see!

A glass seahorse ornament on our tree. I *heart* this thing like you just don't know and I pity the fool who tries to take it down before New Year's Day.

An ornament we bought in Europe at a Christmas Market last year. It made its Christmas Tree Debut this year and couldn't be prettier...

Christmas morning cupcakes for my Little Guy.

Little Guy's masterpiece of a gingerbread village. It's a little rough, but still so sweet!

Conspicuous Consumption at its worse. Now you know where my J.Crack dollars went this year.

*Sigh* The life of an only child, though not for long!

Santa brought a Little Guy-sized surfboard this year. Now he can catch some waves with Daddy.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Kelly's Mad Science Birthday Party, the New House & some crazy news.

2010-12-23T10:51:00.004+09:00

What a week, peeps. I need to sit down and have a drink just thinking about it -- but I won't, and more on that later. Well, first we moved into the new house and that has been hectic. We had two moving trucks show up with all our furniture and belongings from Japan, and then two days later were barraged with two more moving trucks filled with things we've had in storage for the past 4 years -- aka, everything that we had decided not to bring to Japan when we moved there. I am awash in boxes.

But despite that little setback, I spent the first week setting up the public spaces and the most important private ones. So I'm proudly here to say that my living, dining, kitchen and bedrooms were set up and ready for use. Above is a photo I took of our family room set up. While living in Japan, we (ironically) acquired tons of Chinese antiques, so we tried to mix them with our furniture from the pre-Japan days. I've thrown in a cowhide for flair. I've always had a flair for the dramatic.

Speaking of dramatic, after 7 days of mad unpacking skills, we threw the Little Guy a Mad Scientist birthday party. Here's a photo of his Candy Lab. We had a mad scientist come and enthrall the kids with great feats of chemistry, including making cotton candy and their own slime.

I had found some beakers online, and filled those and some plastic, kid-friendly test tubes up with jelly beans, m&ms and other fun goodies. The kids had a blast and the Candy Lab got wiped at the end of the day.

& if that's not enough to make you tired --- We found out we are expecting another little one! Peeps, our Little Guy is 7 now. Hubs and I were President, Secretary and Sergeant-at-Arms of our own One-&-Done Club. I'm sure it's like riding a bicycle and we'll get right back in the swing of baby things, right? We're excited to no end and really surprised, but we feel so blessed! We get to top off the year with exciting news and a growing family.

& if it's a girl, there's a Crewcuts wardrobe waiting for her. :0)

I Want to Get Off the J.Crack

2010-12-09T17:56:00.003+09:00

Ladies, is J.Crack a "Gateway Drug?" & I mean this with all seriousness. This is something I've wanted to post about for awhile, but haven't had the time to really sit down to discuss with you all. As I sit here amongst a closet full of Tory Burch Reva ballet flats, Kate Spade suede wedges, and Gucci sunnies, I am pondering how I went down the path of $300 sunglasses without batting a Latisse-infused eyelash. It all makes sense, right? I mean, J.Crew is at the mall, it's not a "serious" fashion brand, it's a mall brand -- a catalog at that. But the Crew's prices are steep sometimes, and their Collection items can cost a pretty penny.

So when you buy a pair of J.Crew ballet flats, for instance, at $190 (just throwing a number out there for argument's sake) and a dress for just under $200, the numbers start to blur. Well, I know for a moment in time they blurred for me. & I thought nothing of doing this on a weekly basis. So when your shopping budget is in the arena of $500 - $1000 a month, you find yourself moving on to the next level --- Diane Von Furstenberg starts looking like a decent price. & you wonder why you haven't paid more attention to the sale rack at Neimans before. & then at some point, you move on from the sale rack and are moving on to bigger and better.
I've found myself here, peeps. I start to think I'm slumming it when I go to the Gap. Or when I land in Banana Republic! P'shaw!! They're dresses are $150 at Full Price!!

At some point soon, and I'm so ready you have no idea, I want to get back to reality. When I thought that $98 for a polka-dotted pencil skirt that wasn't lined was absolute highway robbery. Or when I thought that $68 for a hammered silk tank was just for suckers (do you even know how many hammered silk tanks lie in the dimly lit recesses of my closet?). I want to be a simple girl! I want to get off the J.Crack.

Santa Baby, Slip a Tiffany & Co. Handbag Under the Tree, For Me...

2010-11-22T17:16:00.002+09:00

Absolutely, hands down, the number one gift I'm pleading with Santa to bring me.

TRT: TIFFANY REVERSIBLE TOTE

Reversible tote in suede and metallic leather with palladium-plated solid brass hardware. Detachable zipper pouch included. Leather tab closure. Double strap, 10" drop. Size large. 14.5"W x 5.5"D x 13"H. Made in Italy. SKU 26499763

$595

Available online and at select stores.

A Glimmer of Hope: J.Crew's Holiday Roll Out

2010-11-12T02:53:00.005+09:00

*Sigh*

There may be hope yet, peeps, for J.Crew. I'm going to go on the record and say that Holiday 2010, though not 100% fabilis, is a standout compared to the rest of the year. I may just want to buy a few things full-price. I haven't said that for 11 months, so this is a day that may just be my turning point. It's like that scene from the first Sex in the City where Miranda and Steve have to meet on the bridge. She's hoping he's there, he's hoping she's there, and then... well, you know the rest. Let's hope there's a glimmer of that hope for the Crew et moi.

*Cue the Al Green music!

Dusted Sequin Shift Dress, $275

Perhaps I've been watching one too many episodes of Boardwalk Empire, but this dress is a fabilis, fabilis option for a Holiday Party. I find it tres speakeasy. With hair done in a loose, side-done chignon and red lips, this is something I would consider. I also believe it's Collection. Always an added plus for a J.Snob.

Starry Night Cardigan, $128

I know we've seen (and own) a plethora of sequined cardigans, but I like this one for the jacket effect, and the dreamy chiffon at the edges. I also like the three-quarter sleeves and the punk way the model's styled with just black moto pants and a grey tee. I would want to wear it with a white tee, those moto pants, and a pair of fab heels for a sit-down party, or slouchy and flat moto boots if I'm expected to stand all night.

This, peeps, is wearable. Finally.

THIS is wearable?

2010-11-10T17:27:00.004+09:00

Really, now. Really. This, peeps, is being sold as wearable. This is something I am supposed to covet. In my humble opinion, if I was 15, and Urban Outfitter's website was down, and I was desperate for an outfit that was different, I would still despise this. This is what I get for not paying attention to the website for a few months. I get this. I don't even know how to describe this outfit, but I can tell you, this is probably the most flattering angle. & there are a lot of outfits like this on J.Crew these days. I wouldn't touch it with 40% off. I wouldn't touch this if Charlotte Russe made a knock-off for $24.99. & $248 for this skirt alone, peeps? Do you know what I can get at Ann Taylor for $248? Lots, peeps, lots. & the Hubs wouldn't make fun of it, either. Well... the hubs could. But for damn sure, he would make fun of me less for a teeny fashion faux pas at Talbots or ATL before I don this number.

Just Call Me Johnny Cash

2010-10-03T11:47:00.004+09:00

Contrary to what I post on my blog, in my real wardrobe life, I'm like the Black Widow. All black, all the time. It's the root cause as to why my blog posts on outfits are few and far between --- because I'm usually in black --- and its the reason that I'm thinking about creating a strategic plan just for my wardrobe choices. Because how many black dresses does a girl really need? Someone needs to do a gap analysis on my closet. Tell me what I'm missing and then remind me why I shouldn't buy anymore black dresses. But Lord knows I just can't help it.

Secondly, everyone knows, black doesn't photograph well. It looks boring. It can come out grey. Or it can be like my sorry photos: out of focus, blurry, and down and out crummy.

[Please to excuse my blurry and crummy photos.]

My rule of thumb has been that if I wear a black dress, I pass on the outfit post because a black dress is no fun and I've had no good luck with photographing them. Today, I had to make an exception to that rule, because this dress, ladies, was worth the trouble. At $80 on the 40% off sale rack, I won't go into how long I've been stalking this dress. In my work world, the black shirt dress can do no wrong. & this one hid 95% of all my bumps I would want camoflouged and can keep it business during the day or make it fabilis at night.

[Using my Jedi Mind Tricks, you will ignore my dirty mirror. Pretty please.]

It's an Ann Taylor shirt dress, lined, and with sleeves that roll up three-quarter style. It has a draped assymetrical cumberbund across the waist. It does not wrap, button funny, or have odd buttons running down the front of the skirt. In essence, it is my perfect black shirt dress. & take it from me, ladies. I am the Queen of the Black Shirtdress. I have millions. But this little pretty, it's my favorite. This week. He he.

Changing the subject, I thought I'd photograph some of the orchids blooming in my mom's yard. How gorgeous are these??

Purple dendrobiums, you complete me!

♥

Serengeti is a Neutral, I'm Sure of It.

2010-09-28T12:23:00.003+09:00

I'm very sure this is a neutral color. Either that or I've gone off the deep end and am considering it so in my off-kilter universe. These are my patent leather Serengeti Juliet pumps from J.Crew, of course. & I wear them with everything from white dresses to eyelet skirts, to anything with a solid color. First, comfy as all heck. Second, I never fail to get a compliment out of these. Hawaii women love these shoes!

When this particular pair dies, I'll have to go scout eBay for another pair.

Worn with the Schuyler dress, a J.Crew flower cardi, and my much destroyed and loved J.Crew men's belt.

♥

Dusty Rose Spectator Pumps: You Finally Belong to Me!

2010-09-28T12:08:00.003+09:00

I have to show off my Fall 2008 Spectator Pumps in Dusty Rose I got off of eBay for under $10, still new. Ladies, you have no idea how baaaadddddly I wanted these shoes when they first came out. & I stalked them on eBay season after season, thinking of their dusty pink perfection. You could almost call them neutral. Couldn't you? Or is that a stretch?

♥

The sequin cardigan from last fall, with some bling-eriffic necklaces.

Paired with a simple back skirt from Ann Taylor. Their tropical weight wool? Perfect.

The Case for the Harem Jumper... in 2010, in the Fall, at a Baby's 1st Birthday

2010-09-21T12:49:00.005+09:00

Yes, I wore a harem jumper. Say it with me, ladies. Harem. Jumper. With the bubble necklace! I sometimes act trendy on rare occasions, even though technically, harem jumper is not in my preppy-love-jcrew lexicon I've become fluent in over the last few years.

On another note, this was worn not-in-the-summer, after Labor Day, and with a cardigan.

mm. hmm. You're really feeling it now, I'm sure.

But Ladies, I have to say, there is a place and time for the harem jumper.

I think it's actually cute!

& can I tell you I was comfortable?

Like very comfy? & I felt very free and cute?

& I got compliments.

Let's not forget I am in Hawaii (perpetual summer, hot, humid, tradewinds that necessitate a cardigan from time to time)... We have no fall months. No changing colors of the trees. No seasonal changes. But instead, the upside is that I get to wear harem jumpers in every season of the year!

Harem Jumper: BCBG

Sandals: BCBG

On a festive note, how cute is this candy bar at the party? The theme was sweets and cupcakes and I think the candy bar fit in perfectly with the party.

Great ideas for my own shindigs in the future.

I had a blast. So did the jumper. Consider it, ladies! It's outside of the norm, it's trendy, but so are candy bars at parties, but they look great!

♥

Fashion Night Out in Honolulu, plus New to My Closet

2010-09-21T12:25:00.006+09:00

First, I'm going to apologize for being MIA. With going back to school, my Little Guy and his myriad of activities that I am primary chauffeur for, and oh yeah, that little thing called work, I've been a little bit preoccupied. But I'm here and I've got a bunch of posts lined up that will keep me present in the blogosphere for the next couple of weeks.

First up, Fashion Night Out was a couple of weeks ago and moi, being of a fashion-minded nature, had to attend. Between some lovely champagne bubbly at Club Monaco (love that store), great deals at J.Crew, and an excellent cause at hand, Fashion Night Out was a hit and I can't wait to attend next year!

Live models in the window at Louis Vuitton. Ugh, to be tall and thin and modeling such gorgeous bags!

Hubs trying his best Zoolander impression, whilst carrying my purchases and keeping our Little Guy busy. You gotta love a man who can multi-task like that!

A copy of the flier that acted as our map. It outlined every activity, deal and highlight of the night.

My purchase of the night at J.Crew. A great dress that was on the sale rack. I went right by it at first, thinking I didn't need a dress like that. I had just told myself earlier that day that I needed to stock up on basics, not fabilis pieces. (hmmm... writing that down just now, it didn't sound as great as it did in my head when I originally had the thought. Not the best wardrobe strategy.)

Well, with a simple black eyelet dress in hand, I strolled around the rest of J.Crew looking for pieces that would go with this dress instead of the one I had in my hand. At that point, I knew it was meant to be mine, so I put the other dress back and grabbed this one instead.

With some help from the CS, I found the most perfectly destroyed leather belt. Why oh why, ladies, do we covet things that look this old and ugly. My saving grace is that it was on sale. But I find myself reaching for it over and over since I've bought it, so, perhaps it wasn't a crazy purchase after all.

Paired with a cardi from Tar-jhay, my Fashion Night Out purchase makes its debut.

♥

We spend our Labor Day with Sea Turtles

2010-09-08T00:57:00.006+09:00

Besides grilling burgers and celebrating the end of summer, Hawaii has its own little regional quirks. Like sea turtles basking in the sun. We spent the morning at a beach on the North Shore of 'Oahu amid tons of sea turtles. Wanted to share some of these with my friends in the blogosphere.

Hubs and The Little Guy, striking a pose

Enjoying the View

Another one, enjoying the water, looking for a seaweed sandwich

Having the run of the beach

Happy Labor Day!

Yes, We're Dating. Out with the Old and in with the Anthropologie.

2010-09-03T10:37:00.009+09:00

In typical NoJcrewinJapan overthinking, I am contemplating aloud what I've got in my cart. Yes, we're dating. Me and this glorious outfit pictured here. I am so enamored it's borderline ridiculous. I can only tell you, my bloggy gal pals. Even the Hubs will think I'm off my rocker. Ever loved an outfit so much you visit the damn website habitually -- daily even -- just to see the outfit? The last time I acted like this? Fall 2008, J.Crew ---> when spectator peep toe mary janes, thigh high grey socks, and bug pins ruled.

Now, I find myself under the spell of:

The Van Wrinkle Sweater, $118

and the

Tweedy Leaves Dress, $158

In particular, I think I'm drawn to the fall colors of both pieces, as well as the skirt on the dress. In theory, it should work with my body shape, which leans towards a pear-shaped apple. I like that the dress nips in at the waist, but is easy in the tummy and hip area. & I love the look of that sweater open, a la the styled look in the first photo. It's something different I can add to my wardrobe. & did I say how much I love the look with the tights? *le sigh*

Next up:

The Distant Chirping Chemise, $58.00

Let us discuss the absolute dress-like qualities of this piece -- too cute!

Can you picture with a cardi or little sweater? & I have tons to go around, given my J.Crack addictions of the recent past (As my logic goes, any gal who's got an affinity for J.Crew has more than her fair share of cardigans in her enviable closet). I am envisioning with my distressed brown men's leather belt, also from J.Crew, and a pair of very cute sandals.

& finally:

The Pittore Dress, $158

The Pittore Dress gets an honorary mention. Style, cut and everything else in between, it is my hands-down favorite. I am in loooooooove with this dress. The issue comes from my body shape and the straight cut of this dress. We just weren't meant to be, and for that I am a bitter, bitter lady.

What do y'all think about the Anthro roll-out? Anything on your wishlist?

Paris on the Brain

2010-08-25T16:00:00.003+09:00

Recently went through some photos on our external hard drive and found some beautiful photos of Paris the Hubs took this past Christmas. *Sigh*, just looking at them makes me want to hop on a plane (or three, I'm in Hawaii after all). I need to plan the next trip, but with buying and building the house (where prices are definitely not modest), it's just so hard to think about travel. But I still have Paris on the brain... Where are my Carla Bruni cd's? Maybe that will suffice for now... Enjoy!

A Few of My Favorite [Home] Things...

2010-08-20T16:16:00.004+09:00

Building a house has me with home interiors on the brain. Thought I would share some of the eclectic pieces I'm seeing out there that I'm drawn to.

Vintage-looking Bus Roll Signs on Etsy... Don't know which one I like better.

Upscale Speakeasy Pendant Lamp from Anthropologie.

Halo Pendant/Chandelier found on Anthropologie.

Girls Night Out in Sequiny, Sparkly, Bling-Encrusted Shorts

2010-08-15T01:43:00.005+09:00

It may just be me and my obsesh with J.Crew that has me seeing no issue with wearing sparkly, sequiny shorts to dinner and a movie with the girls. Either it's that, or the whole fashion world now tolerates the bling-bling while the sun is still out.

I have not problem with them. They are NOT J.Crew because though I thought the sequined bloomers were amongst the few and far between, cult-worthy items in the Fall roll-out so far, I missed the boat pretty quick on them. Talk about a quick sell-out! But instead, I made my way into the dark recesses of Charlotte Russe --- a place I swore off when I turned 30 last year. All the way in the back, on a random circular rack that the J.Snob in me thought you would never, ever see in J.Crew, I found a pair of black, sequined shorts for under $25. I am in fear of washing them.

But look at the sparkle, ladies!! Just look! It is a subtle sparkle on a relaxed short. I couldn't ask for more. & for under $25. Needless to say I wore them with a $3 Charlotte Russe tee, a $6 Charlotte Russe trendy owl necklace, and an old J.Crew cotton long cardi I've had for a while. The whole outfit may not last long, but that is the beauty of spending $34 on an outfit --- it's OK... but I hope the shorts last me just a hint longer than this season. I really do like them!

Girls Night Out was a lovely, Thai dinner followed by a movie - Eat, Pray Love. Can't get more girly than that. My gal pal said she loved the sequins and wished she knew I had dressed up. I wanted to tell her that Jenna Lyons practically wears this stuff to breakfast!

Ahi Summer Rolls

Tom Yum Khung Soup, sticky rice in a basket, and a glass of Pinot Noir.

To finish - Iced Thai Coffee. ♥

The House Stands Up!

2010-08-08T09:11:00.004+09:00

On most occasions I try to blog about fashion, but sometimes real life steps in. We are in the midst of waiting for our house to be built here in Hawaii. It's gone from just dealing with floors and counters to now seeing the framework go up. Seeing the real deal today was very exciting!

The house is a 2 story, 2100 sq ft island home with a detached 2 car garage. This development puts all the garages at the back of the houses, with small lanes to get access to the garages. It means the front of the homes are very inviting, instead of seeing a behemoth of a garage in plain sight. Like that.

If you can look aaaaaalllll the way in the distance, that little sliver of blue in the background is the Pacific Ocean, which we're in walking distance of. The development will also have a swim club, a marina with boat slips, and a canoe club. Obviously most of it is under construction so right now we'll have to keep the image in our heads of what it may look like. The front of the home will have a long, linear park down to the swim club. This is supposed to be a little different, since most of the homes are located on traditional streets. But I've seen other little pockets in the neighborhood where the houses are located on little green parks and it is soooooo cute.

View from the kitchen window of the West Oahu mountains.

Putting our mark near the front door.

♥

Lululemon's Manifesto

2010-07-26T06:03:00.004+09:00

Alas, I've given in to Lululemon's marketing. It's positive and upbeat - and makes my cynical side just want to wretch. But given my slight touch of PMS today, emotions are running high and my sentimental side is coming out. *sigh*

J.Crew Fall 2010 Lookbook Arrived. Want it?

2010-07-23T01:02:00.002+09:00

The Fall 2010 Lookbook just showed up on my door the other day. The images are available online to view. Coincidentally, my PS also sent a note my way to let me know to check in with the website soon to see all the new goodies. & though what I see is very fall, very luxe - furs, sequins, fishnets, baubles and sparkle-encrusted-fill-in-the-blanks galore - I find myself missing the days of the hints of prep.

Here's one of my favored looks from the book. The shorts appear to be reminiscent of the Shakespearean era; there appears to be elastic bands around the leg openings of the shorts. I like the look of the fishnets with the shorts and how it looks completely grounded by the socks / boots at the foot.

Did you receive the lookbook? If you didn't receive it, would y'all like mine?

If you would, leave your email address in a comment and I'll contact you for your address. If more than one gal is interested, I'll pick a lucky recipient tomorrow.

Oh the Days of the J.Crew Charm Bracelet

2010-07-21T01:17:00.005+09:00

As we swim in crystals and baubles and tangled chains of necklaces with, lest we forget, a tie-dyed ribbon or two, let us remember the sweet days of the J.Crew charm bracelet. I still have mine, peeps, and an evening spent on Memory Lane-slash-Ebay has made me think about putting down the mega huge crystals and once again picking up these vintage charmers.

Do y'all remember the Seafoam Treasures bracelet? This was my first J.Crew piece of jewelry. It was over the top. That starfish on the left? It was atleast 2.5 inches across. Aaah, the days of learning that J.Crew doesn't mess around with the size and proportion of its jewelry pieces. I still have this piece and it brings back such great memories of the seasons / rollouts of that time.

Here's the Seaside Charm bracelet. I swear it had been marked down into oblivion and despite that I could never get it to stay in my cart (that disappearing / reappearing feature of hot items I've come to know so well). Which is sad because I still really think it's cute. A friend has it IRL and I have to say those polka-dotted beach balls are rather massive. Still, I think the colors are preppy and pretty.

Last one for today, the Acorn charm bracelet. I do have this one and love to wear it with browns in the fall. It's such a simply designed piece and I always get tons of compliments when I wear it.

Have any jewelry pieces from J.Crew that you couldn't live without? Do you have any of these bracelets? Still wear them?

J.Crew Carly Dress: Polite Summer Ruffles

2010-07-18T04:47:00.005+09:00

Ladies, my Little Guy is on vacay with the grandparents. So here I am, a mommy who suddenly has quite a bit of free time. Do I go to the gym? No. Yoga? No. I blog, peeps. Thought I would show you a few snaps of the J.Crew Carly dress I bought a while ago -- FP, damnit. It's now since been marked down to $59.99 in Final Sale and was an additional 20% off a few days ago. Quite a deal. If you don't mind drying it flat.

I'm going to say right now, this is a very comfy, flattering dress. The sleeves don't cut you off at the fattest point on my arm. Instead, I find them a very nice length. The ruffles are, goodness me, wonderful at hiding what you don't want others to see. A year ago, I put myself on a ruffle-ban when I had just had it up to *here* with J.Crew's ruffle-addictions. But either I've mellowed out on my ruffle outlook or ruffles out of cotton are exempt from the ban. Haven't figured which one it is yet. Did I also mention the shift shape is very cute? Me likey very much.

A quick focus on the shoes, which is new to my closet and happily living amongst new brothers and sisters here.

They are Saks Fifth Avenue, happily picked up on Clearance with an additional 50% off from the Off Fifth Outlet. I believe my final price was about $75. When I posted last month about the few pairs of shoes I brought with me initially to Hawaii, I was lacking a cute wedge/platform heel for summer. & I've refused to settle for something that wasn't perfectly what I had in mind. I wanted something that was comfy, interesting, could be worn casually or used to dress something basic up. & I wanted a color that would work with lights and darks. Oh, and I needed the darn thing to cover my foot. This was no easy mission to find, but I'm happy to say I was very pleased to see these.

These sandals are very, very comfy and I love the heel -- totally different than anything I already have. I love how it covers quite a bit of my foot. & the back is very flattering. & did I mention the quality is great? All in all, a very good buy.

Ok, now back to the Carly dress. One thing about this dress that works for me is the length. I'm about 5'4" and I never find dresses that hit at a flattering point like this one. If you're taller, this may not be your bag - you may need something a little longer. For me, this is a great casual length. Not something I'd wear to work - the cupcake factor of the ruffles coupled with the length wouldn't go over well in my work "casual but conservative" environment. But for a Saturday of lunch or shopping, this is such a great summer buy. In my opinion, it is the ultimate white summer one-piece. Another love? Do not be afraid of the VPLs, ladies. The ruffles ensure that your derrier is covered and safe. :0)

But buyer beware: Ruffles have a downside. When this baby comes out of the washer, be prepared to lay flat or hang, and tame those things. I can't imagine putting this thing in the dryer. I actually fear Hubs being *nice* one day and doing this exact thing. The ruffles would be out of control. & we can't have that, Ladies. We need polite ruffles.

Anyone buy this dress? I tried styling it with a belt but it hasn't worked for me. The belt seems to get lost in the ruffles and then I get befuddled. & befuddled by ruffles? No.... we can't have that.

NoJcrewinJapan Approves this Fat Day Message

2010-07-16T14:06:00.009+09:00

Ladies, please to be introduced to my Anthro bathrobe - I mean sweater - that makes all my worst fat day nightmares go buh-bye. Some days when I just feel blah and meh, I wrap myself in the comfy hug of this baby, relax the boa-constrictor-hold I usually have on my mid-section, and have myself a Nojcrewinjapan-Approved fat day.

Wearing Today:

No Name black camisole

Anthropologie tie front wrap cardigan (If you know the name, please let me know!)

J.Crew wool black pencil skirt

Shoes are J.Crew Serengeti Juliets

A very appreciative shout out to Kathy & Seashell at Two Hands Full of Daisies for the beautiful and perfect J.Crew pearl cluster bracelet I'm rocking today. They recently had a giveaway on their blog and I was the lucky recipient! I can't tell you how many times I've reached for this one since getting it in the mail. It is a new favorite and I thank those 2 ladies so much!

We here at According to Moi have a seriously busy weekend ahead...and it's only Thursday, ladies. I haven't been this much of a social butterfly since my early 20's! I usually keep it low-key, home-based and early-to-bed. Will keep you posted with some photos of the festivities when I can.

Well, I've hit my hyphenated-word quota for the day, ladies. I must bid you adieu here. Have a wonderful Friday!

♥

It doesn't get much more girly than this...

2010-07-14T16:47:00.002+09:00

Ladies do you not hate it when you've gone and written an entire post and then your internet connectivity goes from warp speed to slow crawl right at the exact moment you're trying to hit Publish Post? The stars have to align for that to happen. It means the cosmos didn't like what I wrote and the heavens wanted a re-do.

Niiiiice.

Perhaps they didn't like this OOTD. Perhaps they found it too feminine. Perhaps they thought I should have scrapped the photos and just waited for a better styling opportunity to come my way. I wouldn't say this is the strongest OOTD I've ever posted, but it's certainly interesting.

The cosmos aren't getting the best of me today. I'm showing off the lace, the pearls and the sparkly-sparkly. & then I'm going to find an LBD, some serious black pumps and take my camera out. Perhaps they'll like that outfit a little better. :0P

What Was the Moment You Fell ♥ InLOVE ♥ with the Crew?

2010-07-11T02:12:00.004+09:00

Fall 2008, Ladies. That was the moment I lost all self-control and went full-speed ahead with a 99.99% J.Crew filled closet. I dabbled before that, peeps. I started to get the itch that summer and fell for a very cute skirt/top/cardigan look. But Fall 2008 is what got me.

Hook. Line. Sinker. Put a fork in me.

This was the release that included the infamous bug pin, the over-the-knee socks, spectator open toe heels, the super popular rose tee that we are still seeing versions of, the silver shot metallic tweed dress and skirt...

The rose print abstract poplin dress, the double-serge pencil skirt that I still love to this day... On and on, folks. I could wax poetic forever on this one season. Which leads me to two conclusions to ponder:

1- Do you think that first season you really went gaga for the Crew was their best season / release ever? I mean, are we biased to believe that was *the one*?

and

2- Did you ever feel the crazy need to covet the entire collection? Do you scour eBay looking for pieces from your favorite season? Do you literally die a thousand deaths when a pop-back hits Final Sale?

I know I'm not the only girl who does this crazy $h*t. If you are also similarly suffering, tell me:

What was the season / release you fell in love with and knew there was no turning back?

New Mommy for my 1st Baby

2010-07-10T12:24:00.003+09:00

Peeps, meet my first baby, Kaya. He's a Shiba Inu from New Zealand (Australian Kennel Club) that came to us at 8 weeks old. He's a sweet, soulful dog who's now 9 years old. He has given me so much grief over the years. You have no idea. Well, tomorrow he'll be moving in with my sister. She's adopting him. & I'm sad, ladies. She has a yard, and patience, and a girl dog (Kaya is intimidated by boy dogs and will pee everywhere to show them who's boss) to be his friend.

I adore him, but I think its for the best.

4th of July for Posterity

2010-07-07T15:54:00.002+09:00

4th of July at the NoJCrewinJapan abode in Hawaii was a simple family BBQ, complete with slip-n-slide action.

We are lucky to live in a country that allows us these freedoms. Thank you to everyone who stands on that wall for me and my family.

Everyone have a great week! It's a short one!

What a Great Friday!

2010-07-03T15:38:00.003+09:00

Feeling flirty and funky on an easy Friday at the office before Independence Day weekend, I opted for the newest -- and few and far between -- J.Crew box that hit my doorstep yesterday. I had ordered the Schuyler dress in white cotton, the Rose Vines blazer and a few other pieces that tickled my fancy one evening. Feeling very good that I had indeed NOT gone on a J.Crack rampage recently, I thought the purchase to be sane and reasonable.

I was feeling a little Miami Vice with the blazer sleeves rolled up. That is, if Don Johnson were to venture into grey rose vines prints. I still plan to have the sleeves hemmed to "bracelet length." I really liked how the jacket felt - very light, crisp and summery. I can see reaching for this over the summer.

At some point I wasn't sure about the blazer and the dress. I have to say I really like the blazer and will keep it, just didn't feel that I liked the combination.

I decided at the last minute to also try the Schuyler dress with my Joe's Jeans denim jacket. I love this jacket, ladies. It has been my go-to over the last month or so. Don't know when Jean Jackets came back but I'm so feeling the vibe. I do like the dress. Makes me feel very crisp and simple. I kept touching the cotton on the skirt because it felt so nice and soft. I would have to say this is more friendly to the girls who are on the smaller side up top. The v-neck is pretty low and if you're shy about your girls being out, this one may need to be passed on.

Completed the look with the J.Crew Serengeti Heels (not shown), but could have easily been worn with flip-flops. The look felt young, summery, and very fresh. & beyond all that, comfy.

Have a wonderful 4th of July!

Museum Worthy? The Curator Pant Rears Its Ugly Head

2010-07-02T14:42:00.005+09:00

I actually had a PS stalk and find these pants for me. Then there was the drama over the size... PS could only find 1 size smaller, I wanted the usual size I always take on the bottom. Then PS found said perfect size. & then.... I got them. & my first thought was... WTF.

I mean, honestly, they are not all that when you first see them. They are capri pants that zip up the back (gag- 1990's central) and then are baggy around the thighs and tight around the leg. However, they aren't baggy enough around the leg for you to feel chic or edgy or anything in between. To be honest, you feel like you're in an MC Hammer video, wondering how come you can't dance like Cameron Diaz in the Charlie's Angels sequel. Hammer Time!

But if you hike the pants up around your calf (and you have to some calf to hike them up on, so this is where God was generous with me, I guess) - you will feel a semi-cool vibe starting. & I have to say, if you start wearing the rest of your Crew pieces, you find yourself in this alternate universe, where Downtown Kid-Meets-Prepster. & it's L♥ve, peeps. Or atleast I thought so this morning when I was getting dressed.

The Maya was worn... again. It offset everything in rainy day perfection.

Jewelry and shoes were all J.Crew.

Wearing Today: All Flowers and Bubbles

2010-07-01T06:00:00.001+09:00

On a recent shopping trip to Off Saks, I found this cute little Rebecca Taylor dress that my grubby hands had to get a hold of. I've never bought Rebecca Taylor before but I've always liked her pieces. Everything is feminine in a very relaxed way. You're allowed to feel like a girl without being corseted up. And I say, a dress that you don't have to wear Spanx with is a dress worth buying.

Worn with the infamous J.Crew Bubble Necklace. Though ridiculously expensive for a piece made of what to me is just *fancy plastic*, I tend to wear this necklace a lot and I get tons of compliments every time.

Flowy sleeves. I'm not usually a fan of the flowy sleeves. But I went there.

Perfect length, and I'm short. Worn with my Ann Taylor platform heels a J.Crew cardigan.

♥

Happy Hawaiian Holiday

2010-06-30T15:07:00.004+09:00

The hubby is finally back, ladies. Finally. Can I get an Amen?? OMG, 2 1/2 months of loneliness and long distance-ness and late night phone calls has finally come to a bittersweet end. In celebratory fashion, Hubs and I decided to take a "Stay-cation" to Turtle Bay Resort on 'Oahu's North Shore. This is so not Waikiki; it is country, folks. But it's still gorgeous and fun in such a perfectly relaxed way. Here are some great photos from our stay.

Little Guy came the first day we were there (Grown-Up time followed after Grandma politely excused him from the party). Here he is enjoying his "fancy" poolside smoothie.

Here's the view from our room. Just exposed reef in the low tide morning. Perfect way to wake up!

Surfboard "Art" in Haleiwa, the cutest little town on the North Shore. Well. Maybe the "only" little town on the North Shore. So fun and rather "hippy" vibe. You just feel care-free and fun.

Country views. You know, barbed wire can be beautiful.

An old church in Haleiwa town.

Old is beautiful, too.

Just the Bare Necessities: A Few Pairs of Shoes

2010-06-27T07:26:00.004+09:00

While Hubs, Little Guy and I wait for most of our things to be shipped from Japan to Hawaii, I am living on a limited number of shoes, ladies. Which for fashionistas like ourselves, is akin to water rationing or some other similar personal sacrifice for the greater good. What I've done to "prepare" for this, has been to limit the shoes in rotation to a few pairs that can work overtime, look fabilis in a number of different and varying situations, and just work it for momma. So here they are, all lined up and ready to go.

(L to R): Nine West Nude Platform Peep Toe Heel, Ann Taylor Black Platform Faux Snakeskin Heel

I find these two in heavy rotation at the office. The nude peep toe for $60 on sale at Macy's was a smart buy. It perfectly matches my skincolor, makes my legs look a mile long (and my self esteem 50 ft high), and goes with everything. I have a hard time holding back from wearing these every day. The Ann Taylor Black Platform heels are comfortable, elegant and were also on 40% off clearance. Can't go wrong there. Every gal needs a perfect black heel.

(L to R): Marciano for Guess Black Peep Toe Bootie with Lace Up at the Back Heel and Cut Out to look like Eyelet, BCBG black braided sandal

Aaah, these are the fun girl shoes. These are the pairs momma wears out on the town, which doesn't happen too frequently. However, have you ever noticed that Girl's Night Out always seems to sneak up on you, and then you're stuck infront of the closet going What am I supposed to wear??? I get that alot. But oh not anymore, ladies. Not with two pairs of fun shoes ready and willing to go out. The bootie is SEX on a stick. They are on-trend, make every outfit look fierce, tones down the girly effect of whatever dress you've got on, and perfectly juxtaposes that feminine-masculine balance in an outfit. I love them. But they're not appropriate for every public foray. That's why I have the BCBG's, because sometimes, I really want to look like a girly girl. & here's the pair that makes that happen.

Jeffrey Campbell Brown faux snake skin flats with Wood Trim.

I bought these at an upscale department store in Bangkok a few years back and I just can't part with them. I recently just sold two pairs of TB Revas on eBay, and yet these stayed perfectly safe in my closet. I think they are so adorable, and not too mention comfortable. You always need a pair of ballet flats. With white jeans this summer, this pair will up the ante on any outfit I decide on. They are the perfect go-to flat.

J.Crew Serengeti Juliet Heels

A mainstay. A classic. Always there to spice up a black dress in the perfectly elegant way. The wood heel is the perfect height, the patent exterior never looks bad and wears very well. I've had these for over a year and they still look great. That's not easy to say for most pairs of shoes that are similarly priced. For those days you just want to say ROAR, ladies, these are what you need. Another shoe that goes to the office frequently and gets me compliments just as often.

Ann Taylor Platform Black Faux Snakeskin Platform Peeptoe Sandal with Hood Heel

A fun shoe for the summer, and such a great deal. Originally priced at $198, it was marked down to a final price of $35 when I bought them. They are well made and fun in young, resort sort of way. & I'm in Hawaii, so these are great for when you want to sit (because truly, standing is tortuous in these) and look fabilis with a mai tai in your hand and a flower in your hair.

What can I say? J.Crew Flip Flops with the Platform Heel.
Comfy. Casual. Perfect for the beach or running errands. I've made toe marks already.
♥

New to My Closet: Yes, I Went There.

2010-06-25T18:40:00.004+09:00

Oh I soooo went there. Head first, peeps. Not just like a little splash in the shallow end of the pool.... the DEEP end of the pool, where the big girls swim.

This dress was just too freaking cute to pass up. It's flowery and summery and wedding-y and baby shower-y and every event in the middle. It can be dressed up with heels or covered up (with the Jackie cardigan I got in matching Lavender... Oh, yes, I did go there) for those more demure moments. Or when the summer breeze is just a little to much to take bare-shouldered. I've never gone for the bare shoulder look before. I usually like symmetry, peeps. Either 2 shoulders covered or 2 shoulders exposed. This look is going to shake things up a bit. But me likey. Me likey very much. I need a little shaking in my life and my closet right now.

This dress, though quieter, I think will look fabilis with a my Joe's Jeans denim jacket. It is cropped and little and will look so cute against the white backdrop. I'm in need of a little summer lovin' not-so-serious pieces, and I think this will do the trick.

Ok, now why wouldn't I go for the cotton jacket in the adorable rose vines print?? Seriously? & for $60, I so went there. I want to have the sleeves hemmed to bracelet length and I want to wear it just like you see here, with denim cut-offs. I am so looking forward to this jacket. This is a little fun and doesn't look very hot. Perfect for the next few months.

You know sometimes a little shopping is a good thing. & when the pop-backs start up, I just had to!

Outfits of the Week: Randomness is my Middle Name

2010-06-25T17:29:00.006+09:00

So here is where the week started, ladies. With the new bag, recently swiped from my mother's third bedroom / closet. I started off a little casual, with a Maya cardigan in the great pale pink color as a cover up over my sloppy white tank and khakis. I thought blankly this week that if I threw on a crystal necklace - HECK - people at work would be brainwashed into thinking I was actually dressed up. Yup.

The khakis are Ann Taylor and I have to say are great pants. They are so comfy and I love the wash and wear. I haven't had a pair of pants I like so much as these in a long time, and these are petite so I didn't have to hem them up. Even better! I love how the Maya cardi photographs. It actually makes me appear to have something of a waist, which peeps, I most definitely do not have. God was slow to give me anything in the waist department.

Day 2 of the week? I made up the sloppiness from Day 1 with my favorite dress, the Serengeti. I tell you, this dress can do no wrong. I may not look fabilis, but I feel fabilis, and that's all that matters! (Notice Little Guys' Nerf gun in the background with rubbermaid full of foam darts).

Wore the dress with a rosette cardi from J.Crew Fall '08 (?) that I love. It has the nicest little glass buttons. The attention to detail like that is what brings me back every

time.

A shot with the shoes. Ladies, I have found the most fabilis pair of nude peep toe pumps from Nine West... on sale, Macy's. It matched the cardigan and the purse. I went for all over primness. Love the way the pumps make my legs appear thin. Gotta love that lengthening effect! Even if just for smoke and mirrors!

Lastly, an outfit thrown together where I felt all monochromatic and happy for it. A full-skirted mushroom color dress, with a matching J.Crew cardi belted in patent black. The cardi had a little bit of bling on the placket and was just enough to raise my spirits on hump day.

Purchased today fro Off Saks: A new Rebecca Taylor dress. Can't wait to wear it tomorrow, ladies! OOTD's to follow!

For Sale. It's Time to Bid 'Adieu'

2010-06-24T00:47:00.004+09:00

It's that time, ladies. Where my loverlies are no longer my loverlies and I'm ready to purge the closet of some gorgeous pieces. I have them listed on eBay right now and there is about a day and a half left in the auction. Take a look when you have a moment.

Sequin Jaspe Jersey Sweatshirt, NWT

Current bid: $102.50

Watercolor Leopard Sheath, Pre-Owned

Current Bid: $15.50

Liberty of London for Target, Pre-Owned and Never Worn

Current Bid: $15.00

Other items for sale: Double Serge Pencil Skirt in Plum ($16.50), Tory Burch Revas ($40.00), Super 120's Black Dress ($15.00), and tons of other great stuff. Happy Hunting.

Shopping Mom's Closet: Cole Haan Handbag for Moi!

2010-06-21T07:49:00.005+09:00

Ladies, you know what's the best part of having a mother with good taste? Shopping HER closet! Now usually my mother keeps me out of there with a ten-foot pole, but somehow I made it in, promising to help her weed it out and put some things on eBay. That's when I came across this little baby.

First, it's Cole Haan Collection. Second, it's braided leather -- nude braided leather -- akin to something I might swoon over at Bottega Veneta. Third, it has the most adorable handles that fit into the crutch of my elbow in an ever so perfect Grace Kelly sort of way.

For the days when I must channel my inner Audrey, Grace or Jackie O., this baby is coming out to play.

♥

The King of Hearts Liked It. Make Dad a Raspberry Tart!

2010-06-21T06:53:00.004+09:00

This may seem like a simple jump in the pool to most of you ladies, but for moi, I did not get the cooking gene. I am surrounded by excellent cooks and am usually very jealous of their ability to whip up anything and everything and have it turn out AMAZING (All-Caps, even). I am usually loathesomely jealous of the girl who can be the absolute center of the party and have everyone cooing because she was able to put flour, sugar and water together and have everyone weak at the knees. I am the worst cook. You can ask my husband. There is little I can not mess up.

What am I good at making? Drinks, usually. & salads. I'm like Cher's character from Mermaids. Do y'all remember that movie? That was the one with Winona Ryder in her young, pre-shoplifting, angst ridden years; Christina Ritchie before Addams Family; and Cher as their mother, for the limited point in time when she put down the box of Ogilvie and had the cutest retro hair-do. Anyhoo. My point about the movie is that Cher's character can't cook. She only makes finger foods and ka-bobs everything. I hate to admit this, but I usually fulfill that role. It's agony. But this week, peeps, Costco turned my world upside down and put me on a path to try something new. They offered raspberries in the mega Costco-sized container for $3.77! $3.77 is an amazing deal in Hawaii for 3 cups of raspberries. So my idea was to enlist the aid of my Sister in Law and get to work on a simple raspberry tart. Yes, peeps, this is 101 for most of you but seemed like Mount Everest to me!

Our starting point was the Joy of Baking (it came up first in the web search) recipe. It looked simple enough to not intimidate this remedial baker. Here was the starting point:

Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon
(2 grams) salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice water

Filling:
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon (15 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until the pastry just holds together when pinched. Add remaining water, if necessary. Do not process more than about 30 seconds.
Turn the pastry out onto your work surface, gather it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour to chill the butter and allow the gluten in the flour to relax.
Once the pastry has chilled, remove from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into an 11 inch (28 cm) round. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness). Transfer the pastry to a parchment paper lined baking sheet
and sprinkle the pastry with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Leaving about a 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) border all around, cover the pastry with the raspberries, stem ends down. I like to start at the outside edge and work toward the center of the pastry in concentric circles, making sure the raspberries are placed close together. (If possible, use raspberries that are of uniform size.) Gently fold the edges of the pastry up and over the filling, pleating as necessary, being careful not to squash the raspberries. Brush the edges of the pastry with melted butter, and then sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over the raspberries and crust.

Our product before baking.

And after! Ta-da!

Being a Saturday night and having no energy to go buy vanilla ice cream, we served it with some whipped cream and Snickers Ice Cream, LOL.

But it was yummy. & self-esteem boosting. That doesn't happen together quite often, so I enjoyed it and lapped it up. Every. Last. Crumb.

For the recipe first hand, go to the Joy of Baking. Enjoy!

It had to be posted!

2010-06-16T17:36:00.002+09:00

Warning! This is NOT me. But I've been helping my sister-in-law take photos for her baby shower invites and I thought I'd share! Have a glorious day ladies!

Stella Ain't Got Nothing on Me

2010-06-15T15:13:00.003+09:00

Ladies I'm feeling like I got my groove back, blogging-wise. I think what it took was a good break from the blogosphere, time to get over the newness of my *old* location, time to visit with all the friends and the family my heart and schedule could fit in, time to visit all the stores I hadn't had a chance to go into over the last four years.

[Little Guy at the beach in Honolulu. Pail and watering can ready for sand castle engineering perfection.]

& also, a new blog layout! How are these fabilis new backgrounds and templates blogger is pushing our way? Loverly, if you ask me. I needed something to wake me up and I'm loving this new background. It is my summer sizzle, ladies! Pass me a mai tai-tini (Never had a mai tai-tini? Oh you must)! I'm ready for a little fun in the sun!

Building a Better Cart: Great Sale Items that are Calling My Name

2010-06-14T04:20:00.005+09:00

"Yooohoooo! Hey you! Lady who hasn't shopped with us for a while! Did you see this? Did you? Come over here and check these out!" Y'all I swear that is what I'm hearing from the J.Crew website.

I haven't been in forever. I actually made my first purchase from J.Crew since I've been to Hawaii only yesterday. That would be the first in 2 months. Please don't let that fool you into thinking I haven't shopped in eight weeks. Pshh! Ofcourse I have, but my world has been full of random Nordstrom purchases, Ann Taylor 40%-off deals, and great Target finds. & I'm proud to say, all in moderation.

But one little purchase seems to open the flood gates, do they not? So here I am, one purchase deep so far, and I find myself in less than 24 hours perusing the website and building a cart full of items from Summer Sale that are rather fabilis, if I must say so myself. & while I am supposed to be saving for my house and all the awesome accroutements that come with it, here I am, in J.Crack-land.

Stretch Flannel Banquette Dress, $129: How gorgeous for work. I have it in black but this fabric with its Heathered Grey color is amazing. J.Crew calls the color Heather Graphite. I call it fabric perfection. But mind you, it's for us girls who are not well-endowed. It cuts rather low.

Gabriella Dress $59 in black. I have it in Navy. Aaah, do you see the pattern arising? I already have this one and here I am buying in multiples. But I'm in Hawaii, peeps. Hawaii. Where the sun shines 99% of the year with a cool breeze keeping the temps roughly at 80 degrees. All the time. Everyday is beach day. & thus, I justify the multiple purchase of this great dress. Plus it hides the rolls and focuses on the upper chest-a-ses area, therefore highlighting the good and camoflouging the bad. Yes. A worthy purchase indeed.

The Surf Blossom Shell: I love this for its ethereal 1920's feel. Like I'll feel 20lbs lighter in it. I'm envisioning very cute with distressed jeans (like below) or with a black pencil skirt and smart heels for the office (please, a blazer or cardi as a cover up. I have a rule about bare arms). Or with black skinny jeans and sky high heels for an evening of dancing with the girls. Me loves.

& finally, just a great pair of jeans that are a deal at $39. Matchsticks, which look great with flat gladiator sandals for day. I actually have siphoned my closet free of any light colored jeans after going through a few seasons of dark-dark midnight washes and blackest-of-the-black denims. So this is a great way to offset all that darkness. Let there be light, peeps! Let there be light!

But... And there is a BIG but in this. None of these can be mine, peeps. None of them. I have enough willpower to say no and back away from the shopping cart. I have a house to purchase. Floors to choose. Off-white slipcovered couches to buy. Chinese antique cabinets to display. I can not get distracted by these glorious items. Because you don't go in the hole by massive items. Those we all tend to budget for. It's the little items like these that pick away at our savings! & I just can't have that right now! I need to focus!

... But I still needed to talk about them. These loverlies. So thank you for being my sounding board! Have a great Sunday!

The Final Choices - Interior is Coming Together!

2010-06-09T14:09:00.003+09:00

Here are some of the final choices for the new house! Kitchens will be white cabinets, dark wood floors, corian counters that are a dark grey, sort of colored like concrete / honed dark granite. Bathrooms will be limestone floors on the first level. Banisters will be a dark wood color.

The master bath will have an octagon and dot tile, with counters to sort of match, with white cabinets. Can't wait to see it all together!

So Excited!