Have a Happy Weekend!

Hi, friends.  What will you be up to this weekend?  I am taking the opportunity to enjoy a little staycation, relaxing at home and maybe enjoying a dinner with friends.  Hope that you have a lovely few days ahead.  xox

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I walked by Barcelona, a new tapas restaurant on 14th Street, last weekend.  It is gorgeous.  Like, I might want to move in.  Strong Yelp reviews, too.

Alternatively, if you are in Madrid (Some of you are!), you may like to check out Marta Argüelles's exhibit at La Portegna's store in el Barrio de Salamanca next Thursday.  Find details on La Portegna's Facebook page.

Not Martha's hilariously suspenseful Kinder Egg A Day series.

Products to keep your winter boots and shoes looking new.

What to expect from Game of Thrones's fourth season.  Gulp.

I have been listening to this throwback on repeat since hearing Alison Krauss's CMAs performance the other night.

The robin's egg color of this sweater is refreshing. 

Why isn't there a filtering water pitcher (Looking at you, Brita.) as pretty as this carafe?

I'll play my Native Southerner card and say that D.C. still needs good barbecue.  Here's hoping that DCity Smokehouse delivers.

A whole lot of delicious uses for cinnamon.

(Image is Urbano 12 by Marta Argüelles.)

Happy weekend!

What does your weekend have in store?  I'm going to head over to the District Flea for the first time since it launched two weeks ago.  It'll be fun to check out the vendors and see how the District Flea distinguishes itself from D.C.'s other open-air markets, Eastern Market and the Georgetown Flea Market.  I'm hoping for a healthy mish-mash of independent junk sellers and local artists.

Here are some links for your reading and browsing pleasure!  Hope you have a great weekend.

Churchkey will host a beer garden at the District Flea, starting this Saturday.

Saturday night, check out Art All Night in Shaw.  It's modeled after the Parisian Nuit Blanche and will showcase D.C.-based painters, sculptors, dancers, and other artists across multiple gallery spaces.

On Monday evening, an event organized by CrowdTrust will discuss how new SEC regulations impact start-up fundraising.  RSVP here.

With cooler weather on its way, I can't wait to try these Indian restaurant-inspired recipes.

Hopefully, we won't have occasion next week to listen to the City Paper's soundtrack for a government shutdown.

Hang on to some summer brightness with a watch in winter white.

Beauty bloggers have been raving about this eye shadow palette.  The last time I bought Wet 'n Wild cosmetics was probably when I was in middle school, but I'm tempted to try these shades! 

Jimmy Fallon's completely hilarious lip-sync battle.  The nine-minute video is very worth your time.  I cried with laughter.

For the New Yorkers out there:  A handy field guide (maybe a bit too generous a term) to Central Park fauna and some flora.

(Photo via Apartment Therapy, Fallon video tip via C., and CrowdTrust event tip via B., and Art All Night tip via J. :)

Diane Keaton on Style

Diane Keaton in Los Angeles, 1975, via Diane Keaton Fan.

People recently featured a great mini-interview with Diane Keaton.

I've always appreciated Diane's style point of view -- she seems practical, irreverent, and unabashedly herself.  Amidst a 1970s sea of bold-print polyester, Diane chose muted menswear.

Photo via Yahoo! Shine.

In her People interview, Diane articulated her preference to wear color in brief shots:

"Colors as accessories punch more.  If it's the whole show, count me out.  I don't want to be in that show.  I mean, do you?" 

Diane's stance on color speaks to my own affinity for neutrals.  This topic probably deserves a post of its own, but, to give you an idea, an overwhelming proportion of my closet consists of neutrals.  I, too, prefer wearing color in concentrated doses. 

Do you have style "rules"?  Do any of them fly in the face of trend or convention?

Happy Holiday Week!

Fourth of July at Mnemsha, Martha's Vineyard.

Things at home base got busy at the end of last week, causing a bit of a delay in posts. Sorry about that! Hope you had a great weekend and managed to beat the heat. Here's some link love to get your Monday going.

Another simple, lovely hair tutorial, courtesy of Joanna. 

A cotton, geometric panel dress that would be fun to wear for the Fourth.
Dinner, or your Independence Day meal, on the grill.

Cocktails for those of the beer persuasion. (While I am not normally a beer fan, I had a michelada last night at Bandolero. Delish! Lighter than a bloody Mary, but with similar pizazz.)

For summer coolers sans alcohol, here's a slew of creative lemonade recipes.

Metallic cut-out sandals to kick your holiday wear up a few notches.

Affordable nail salons in D.C. I'd add Dupont Circle's Mimosa to the list.

Wild Poppies 2.0: DIY Dried Poppies.

Baby in a play tunnel. Doesn't get much cuter than that.

In case your Fourth of July dessert table calls for lemon meringue pie.

Neon

I'm a little obsessed with neutrals. I joke (well, half-joke, because it's true) that I could pick any two items from my closet, and they'd match, since my closet is full of black, white, beige, navy, olive, and gray. This palette makes for a convenient backdrop for my jewelry, which tends to be colorful and bold. It also works well as a counter-point to neon accessories, which have made a triumphant return from the eighties stylebook.

Here's a smattering of some poppy flourescent accessories to mix with your neutrals, or your not-so-neutrals.

Clockwise from top left: Melie Bianco clutch, Pop nail polish, ASOS watch, Cole Haan slippers, Mystique sandals, Rebecca Minkoff clutch.

Strappy Summer Sandals

Gladiator sandals and spin-offs have been a thing for a few summers now. I never really caught the gladiator bug, but a new-to-me style (styles, really . . . read on!) has planted a seed that just might grow into a full-fledged craving.

Moped slide-style sandal tied into gladiator.

Moped slide-style sandal tied with scarf.

Moped slide-style sandal.

The surprise? These are all the same shoe! Mohop's Moped customizable strappy sandals come with several ribbons of different colors and textures that you can tie into styles to match your outfit or mood. They come in slide (shown above) and thong versions, each of which offers slightly different style options. What could be better (and more fun) than endless strappy sandal possibilities?

Summer Totes

The simple shape of tote bags and their dependable utility make them my favorite type of handbag, no contest. For summer, totes make it easy to pack a pair of flip flops in your work bag or to carry a towel, beach read, and sunscreen on your way to the shore. Luckily, there's no shortage of beautiful, functional totes out there, if you're looking for a trusty bag to get you through the warmest months of the year. Here's a small selection of a few that caught my eye.

Clockwise from bottom left: Makr Carry Goods, cocosheaven, Joanna Maxham via Boticca,
Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent via shopbop.com, Lorenza Gandaglia via L-atitude, Design Africa via L-atitude, L-atitude.

Do you have a favorite summer bag? Do you like a big, roomy tote, or do you prefer a different style?