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}.

TEA BOUND

{No, that's not what you think it is}. I love tea + I love growing herbs, so of course the thought ran through my mind {hmm wonder if I could make my own tea?}. As soon as the thought went through my head my fingers were at the keys typing away into google {TA DA YES YOU CAN}. 

Bonnie from Going Home to Roost gives you a play by play here. So I have started the drying process. Here {from left to right} I have Thyme, Lavender, Rosemary, Basil, Curry, + {last but not least} Mint. I'm thinking a Curry Lavender mix would be good {I'll let you know how it tastes}. What do you think?

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

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.

DRUMMER BOY

This weekend a dear friend of mine and his band {STARTISAN} had their first CD release party + show at The Varsity Theater in Baton Rouge. 

So I have to admit I went to see my friend do his thing {but I have not listened to any of his music before, Buck don't be mad} + they were so incredibly moving. Really such a great show {I was impressed}. Congrats guys!

So give them a listen here. Happy Monday

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

SUMMER REMINISCING

Summer is over {wait when did it start, I must have missed it, it drove by like a bat out of Hades}. Oh well, we have fall + football to look forward to. But to look back, I enjoyed the dinner parties + get togethers I had with family + friends the most. It was relaxing in it's own way {but too short}.

I most enjoy being at home in Baton Rouge, and having a big dinner party in my family's garden. I usually spend the afternoon setting up a table and ten canopy out of old sheets, hang flags + banners, + decorate the table with whatever is available in their garden. Here, I shaped some chicken wire into round tubes to hold some shrimp flowers, berries, river cane, + babies breath {it continued the length of the table}. It was a warm night but candle lit none the less. Bye summer {you will be missed}.

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

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!

JUST LETTIN YA KNOW

I love all the typography you see outside of small delis, cafes, + convenient stores {they let ya know what they got}. Found this type in the Irish Channel, the city is full of them {I think they are beautiful}. 

This leads into my next thought, so {hopefully} everyone knows what Breakfast, Lunch, + Po Boys are. And most of us {again hopefully} know what Hot Plates are, BUT every once in awhile I hear people say what the hell is a hot plate? {Only the best thing you will ever have for lunch}. It usually consists of a main dish {hot} {fired fish, fried chicken, red beans + rice, étouffee, etc} then a small side salad, then an optional side {corn, mashed potatoes, green beans, etc}, then last but not least either a roll or corn bread. IT'S AMAZING + HOT. So for those of you that don't know, now you do {you are welcome}.

So lately my favorite place for a good hot plate in the CBD during lunch is Louisiana Products on Julia St {it's a hole in the wall, but great, just lettin ya know}.

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

THE COLOR TURQUIOSE

{I have been on a hiatus} One thing that I so adore about New Orleans is the architecture + colors. There are so many different styles + bright colors {very Caribbean esque}. No matter where I am in the city I'm constantly starting at the buildings and houses on every street, whether old or new {makes driving a tad harder, don't tell my mother}. I find everything so inspiring and beautiful in it's own way. So if you are ever bored {which is hard to be in this city} just drive or walk anywhere and contemplate color + structure. 

This building is on Magazine Street I spotted while eating at Rum House {amazing fish tacos}. Happy Tuesday!

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

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.

NEWEST MEMBER OF THE FAMILY

His name is Murrey {after his hunter}, and he presides over the area we call the living room. I have a small obsession with taxidermy animals {I just love the whole vintage/natural history museum thing}. I have been in search for him for awhile, and finally found him at The Royal Standard in Baton Rouge. He started his new life {on a mount} in 1970 and is from Devil's Swamp, Louisiana. I am honored he has come to live with us.

Now I know there are some out there that squirm at the thought + sight of taxidermy animals, and I sincerely apologize if this made you jump. I personally enjoy the beauty of these animals, and think that perserving them in this way is an art form. So try to think of it as a piece of art {hopefully that will lighten the blow}.

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

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!

RAIN + WATER

This weekend was wonderfully calm + thought provoking, spent with some truly great people. There was sunshine + rain {I honestly think I prefer the rain}, it's quiet, cool, + whispers to you. We also spent a good part of Saturday night mapping out the stars and pointing at planets {you forget how many there are when you are in the city} it's a whole new sky that looks beautifully freckled. The short time spent outside of {at times chaotic} New Orleans was prefect. Thank you to the Mohrs for letting us enjoy their camp at False River, and we send our best to Michael {dear old friend} you will be missed.

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

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}.

CAUSE IS THE NEW BLACK

One thing that Jess and I are so passionate about is having a purpose or meaning behind everything we do. Working for or towards a cause is something we strive for on a daily basis, whether it's personal creativity or helping others.

One thing we have learned from Mama T {Mother Teresa} is "If we worry too much about ourselves, we won't have time for others." This is so true and is a mind set we constantly remind ourselves of.

We recently stumbled upon a company that combines creativity with helping other {two in one} with their cause apparel.  Sevenly is a social good lifestyle brand that partners with a new charity each week, promoting and selling limited edition graphic tees and other lifestyle products. Seven dollars from each sale goes towards the charity of the week, helping raise funds and awareness. Sevenly's foundation is that People Matter, and since their launch in June 2011, Sevenly has continued to lead a generation towards generosity, raising over 2.4 million dollars to date. 

{Special thanks to Caroline + Mary for styling + supporting us in our fashion endeavors, they are the style queens}

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

WAKE UP CALL

When I get up in the morning and go to work, coffee is a must for me. I zombie walk down my street to the Starbucks on the corner {which is my favorite place for coffee} sleepily wait in line. Sometimes they spell my name right on the cup, but usually not, most of the time it is an oddly spelled version of what they think I said. After, I go back across the street and sit on the tiled stoop of Coquette {a beautiful restaurant with wonderful food + wine} to wait for the bus to go downtown. Coffee you complete me {in the morning} thanks.

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

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!

THE GIRLS

So, White Linen Night was a total success. Here we are trying not to smile {as per my direction} and no one really accomplished that except dear Joan {who is hysterical I must say}. We so enjoyed playing dress up in our full White Linen Night regalia. Family + friends were in town from all over the place, and the French Quarter sure did love us this weekend. Thank you to the Bentons for hosting us at their condo, it is always a pleasure. So here's to the end of the summer + the girls!

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.

VINTAGE + WHITE

So who is excited about White Linen Night in New Orleans this Saturday? Me! Me! Me! So of course I want to wear something fun + vintage. I have an obsession with vintage clothing, and it has become something that I meticulously collect. I went to Lili Vintage Boutique {which has become one of my favorite shops} on Magazine St {I buy something every time I go in} I found this dainty 60's lace mini dress, that I am over the moon about, cannot wait! So if you are looking for something vintage or pretty go to Lili's {across the street from Dat Dog}, see y'all on Julia St. Saturday night!

All photographs are taken with an iphone 4 + VSCOcam app.