QUIRKY FRUIT

I have not posted a sketch lately + thought today was a good day to do so. Lately, I've been eating a lot of pineapple, it is so dang good {+ good for you}. It's got a lot of cleansing + detox qualities about it + has the good natural sugar. It also is a symbol of the home + reminds me of a summer cocktail. Other foods that pair well with pineapple are ginger, cucumber, kale, coconut, mango + yogurt. Yay for pineapple {I also love how quirky it looks}. Happy Thursday, almost time for a drink!

Some good pineapple recipes Pineapple + Mango Salsa // Roasted Pineapple // Kale, Pineapple + Ginger Juice

Enjoy!

YES DEER

These are the two little deer antlers that hang above my bed. They are like brothers {one is the tall lanky one + the other is the shorter rounder one}. Regardless they are precious. They were given to me by my uncle, who acquired them from his property, Asphodel Plantation. I love antlers + taxidermy + animal skulls, something about them seems historical + reminiscent. They mix in well with an eclectic  house where you mix + match styles {like my own house}. I'm hoping to update my portfolio house photos soon, as my house is ever evolving {it's a fun but slow process}.

Back to Beauty + the Beast this past weekend. There is a line in a song that Gaston sings "I use antlers in all my decorating…." My friend leaned over + poked me "that's you, that's you," she said. We both giggled under our breath.

HUMP DAY, yay.

GRANDE AMERICANO

I was running a little slow + a little late this morning. So of course I walk the 2 blocks down to Starbucks + grab a grande Americano {it's my fav}. I sip on it as I wait for the bus. It slowly but surely wakes me up + revives me. Thank you Starbucks, I bow in appreciation.

A friend of mine sent me a very sweet email admiring the Sketchbook section of my blog, + relayed to me how much she enjoyed those. So this is for you Claire {+ Starbucks of course}.

Off to work, TGIF people, TGIF.

SPOTTED

Leopard print + fur {or faux} + leather {or vegan} have become a trend lately. I have a small obsession with all 3 {don't worry they don't trump my love of all black clothes}. So thought I'd share some fall + winter picks from some of my favorite shops. 

Faux Fur Long Coat, Zara // Leather Panel Pants, J. Crew Factory // Black Leather Ankle Boots, Free People // Faux Fur Fox Scarf, HotHats Etsy // Vintage Leopard Turtle Neck Sweater, MissMollyVintage Etsy

Yay for cold weather!

THE MATRIARCH

I'm off to Shreveprt, LA this weekend to celebrate my wonderful Grandmother's {we call her Moo} 90th birthday! What an accomplishment so so proud of her and that she is the matriarch of our family. She really is an amazing woman + has lived a fruitful life {and still has more to come}. This is a little ode to her {+ her Bday card}. Happy Friday + Happy Weekend + Geaux Tigers {gators ew}.

I WANT TO BE A FAIRY WHEN I GROW UP

So who is ready {me}? I love love {heart} love Halloween! Just the whole mysticism of it all, skulls/costumes/masks/weirdness {all my fav things in one day, how lucky am I?}. I always plan my costume way in advance + try to make the whole thing myself. For several years when I was little I was a Fairy every year {I think I secretly wanted to be a Fairy growing up}. My dad made me a light up wand with a gold star + everything, I had wings + glitter all over {it was magical, to me at least}. I went on to be a mermaid, Sally {from nightmare before Christmas}, Bat Woman, Indian, + Marie Antoinette. So I still like to play dress up {who doesn't, lets be real}. So GSE for Halloween, New Orleans is always fun with Frenchman or any number of parties that are thrown around the city. If you need a little inspiration you can check out my costume board on Pinterest here. Ta ta.

ME TIME + PIZZA

Lately, my go to meal has been a slice of vegan pizza from Whole Foods on Magazine St {in Arabella Station}. I make an outing of it + walk the 4 miles {round trip} from my house {have a little me time}. I grab some GT's Kombucha {Lavender} + a slice of vegan pizza, post up at the bar {across from checkout} + nerd out on my phone while I chow down {I've come to love this routine}. Now I'm not a vegan, BUT I am lactose intolerant + love my veggies. So the vegan pizza is perfect because it has a cheese substitute {yes it sounds gross/weird but is quite creamy + good}. I posted on twitter last night that I was there enjoying my usual meal + got a good response from people {so heck why not do a post}. Happy Thursday!

THE INHERENTLY GOOD

The Tigers won, the Saints won {thank God}, so we are all happy this Monday morning. The weekend was a success. Something that I've been thinking about since last week, is the inherently good. According to John Locke all of mankind is born inherently good {I too hold this belief}. 

Last week I was waiting in line to order some soup + a sandwich at Between the Bread downtown {one of my favs}. I ordered + the man behind taps me on the shoulder and states he would really like to buy my lunch. I hesitated + looked at him {probably oddly} and say oh no that was not necessary but thank you so much. He then insisted that he wanted to and needed to finish out his business trip meals. So then I very cautiously accepted {of course I'm thinking to myself that there is some hidden agenda, I'm a skeptic}. I waited for him to ask me for my number or ask if I wanted to sit with him. He did not. I told him thank you so much a couple of times, + went to sit with some girls from my office. He simply just wanted to be nice and buy my lunch for me {so nice}.

So this has really stuck with me, there are inherently good people out there, they have no hidden agenda, they just want to be nice. It has made me be more aware of my behavior towards strangers, and I too will buy someone lunch this week to return the favor {semi pay it forward act}. Anyway, hope this has inspired you to believe in the good of people + also in return be good to others {it makes people's day better}. Happy Monday.

A CLASSIC

So, now is summer really really over now that Labor Day has passed? Who knows when the actual end of summer is. BUT one thing I do know is that I spent my summer in this swim suit. I never thought I would convert back to one pieces so soon in my life {from when you were 3yrs.}, but I loved it! When the thought first popped into my head early summer about trying one of these out, I asked a friend what she thought. Her response was "Girl, I've been rockin' a one piece for the past 3 years {we are in our mid 20s}." So, ok this was a good new style venture for me to take. 

The one I landed on was from J. Crew, can't go wrong with this classic {in black tulle}, you can find it here.

I wore it to most events that required a suit {unless I needed some extra sun}, and got nothing but compliments. A few guy friends even noticed and asked if I was bringing the Marilyn Monroe vibe back, yes & yes was my reply. So needless to say the venture was a success, you can wear a one piece in your mid 20s + still be cool.

AND IT BEGINS

So yes I'm a tiger fan {GEAUX TIGERS}. I have nothing but high hopes for us this season {we will beat the shit out of you, hopefully}. That is all. 

Have a wonderful holiday weekend, be back after!

WHAT I SEE

So for the past 7 years I have not been able to live without this pair of glasses. My Chanel glasses are on my face every day at some point {morning, all day, night, etc}. I LOVE THEM. They are part of me {part of my style + essence + personality}. They also help me see {so I don't run into things because I'm nearing blindness}. 

Chanel makes classic glasses, you absolutely cannot go wrong with a pair {they are worth it I promise}. These are probably the closest style to mine that are in their current collection. I'm also thinking about updating and buying a new pair, really love these {now I just need to go try them on}.

A CAMEO

Sit me down with a glass of wine {or two}, paint, + a craft project and I'm happy as a clam. I did just that the other night with some friends {we had a ball}. A very talented fashionable friend of mine {who has a wonderful eye for jewelry} {Mary} created some necklaces out of broken pieces of jewelry. The one she made for me has a pale coral cameo charm + a crystal hanging from it {it was perfect}. Hopefully she will start making more soon, to be available to all {hint hint nudge nudge, Mary}. 

Check them out here on Instagram.

MY BFF

What can I say, I HEART PINTEREST {most of us do right?}. It is my best friend forever, not really {but really}. I started my account when it first came out in 2010 during it's beta phase, a friend of mine had discovered it + introduced me. Once I was sent my verification code, I fell in love, head over heels, obsessed. Since I'm in the creative profession + it is a strictly visual social channel, we were a perfect match.

Now I use Pinterest for pretty much everything, work inspiration, closet go to items, etc {it is part of my daily routine}. I wake up in the morning {hmm what should I wear?} open my Pinterest mobile app, scroll through my fashion board {ah ha, I have something like that} then jump out of bed get dressed + go to work. At work, it is one of my main screens up at all times so I can use it for work project inspiration {along with a little personal inspiration as well}. I also use it to keep up with what is new in the advertising + design world {gotta keep up with the Joneses}. I use it to promote my blog + photos from my VSCO Grid. Then at home later, it is my night time reading {except not reading, pinning} then sleep time. 

I'm seriously addicted {the first step is admitting you have a problem, right?}. Don't know what I would do without it, it's my BFF, not really {but really}. Ok enough raving, follow me here.

P.S. I also curate my company's Pinterest account here + Jessica's account is here. Enjoy!

LATE NIGHT COMBO

Sometimes when you want a good night with friends all you need is some cards {and a little bottle of wine, or big}. Really I've always been intrigued by how many card games there are. Every time cards come out, each person has a favorite game they want to teach everyone that ends up being a hit. Cards {simple, fun, + sometimes last till 4am}. Gotta love it.

THE BABIES

Some people have dogs or cats or both, I have plants {and yes we call them the babies}. I grew up with gardens and a well manicured front + back lawn. Even some Saturdays were spent working in the garden + dragging sticks from the backyard to the street {not my favorite thing, but hopefully it built some character}. Now, I don't have a yard, but a wonderful deck and have grown quite a bit in pots to carry on the garden growing thumb I received from my parents. For the New Orleans summer I have been growing mostly herbs {Rosemary, Lavender, Basil, Mint, Oregano, + Chives}, but tomatoes also love our summer heat. It is fun to cook with my own herbs + veggies {makes you proud + impresses your dinner guests}. My go to here in New Orleans is Urban Roots {on Tchoupitoulas}, they are super helpful + nice. So I encourage all to give it a whirl!

EXIT THIS WAY FOR WEEKEND

Follow the flashing arrow to exit for the weekend. Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend. New Orleans, have fun crashing the French Quarter in your red dress attire, have a drink for me {as I sneak out the backdoor to False River}.

MONDAY NIGHT CLUB

So my Monday nights lately have been filled by tennis lessons {my grandfather would be so proud}. Some friends and I joined together to take lessons at Audubon Park, and our tennis pro coach, Greg, has been great. It's active, it's enlightening, it puts me in a better mood {because let's face it Mondays are pretty much grueling}. So here's to something to brighten my Mondays, hooray for tennis!

DOTS, THOUGHTS, + PRAYERS

So lately, I just have not been able to sleep because my brain has been on non stop! I've been painting, drawing, blogging, tweeting (thanks Allison), I could go on & on. I guess it's been good to have my creative juices on full throatle, I get a lot done. BUT tonight I said a little prayer, "Dear Lord, please turn my brain off just for tonight, thanks, love, Logan." Goodnight

LIFE'S A BEACH

Having a great time at Blog Her 2013. I'm super excited about the VIP Visit South Walton White Beach Party tonight, I've got my all white outfit picked out. It'll be fun to meet even more bloggers and continue the mix & mingle dance. White sand & blue water here I come!

BLOG HER 2013

So excited today to be in Chicago for the Blog Her 2013 convention. We flew from New Orleans to Chicago, and are starting to mix & mingle today. Steve Harvey thanks for my 'stache! I look forward to meeting with fellow bloggers.