travelogue: cassis, france.

cassis, france was our next stop on our spain/france trip last fall. it sits right on the mediterranean  sea, 12 miles east of marseille. there is just something special about experiencing the french culture right on this beautiful sparkling body of water in this quaint village. cassis wine (white or rose) and the cliffs and the sheltered inlets called calanques are what this town is known for.

we enjoyed the following things while we were here for one night:

1. packing a picnic with cassis wine, crusty bread, local cheese, and figs and sitting right on the beach and watching the sunset. 

2. the farmer's market on friday morning filled with local goodness from the provence region in france. it's all about the food, friends.

3. we did not have time to take a boat tour because we were busy sitting on our behinds, drinking wine and eating local food, but everyone said it was worth it to see the rugged coastline and the calanques.

4. this was one of our most laid back stops on our trip. we really enjoyed taking in all the beauty and sitting at a cafe and watching the boats come in and out of port.

around the house

some images from this weekend. the girls had a dinner and art show at their preschool on friday night. it was lovely to see them so excited about their work. and i found out a little fun fact while i was there that creativity is at its peak in the early childhood years. no wonder i am amazed by my girls on a daily basis with the artwork they create, their ability to entertain themselves with make believe stories, and how they find happiness from living in the moment instead of being attached to electronic devices and superficial things (like i do).

we also got caught up in the moment making hand shadow puppets. the lighting was just right in the corner of our home and the girls loved it. 

and i really lucked out at our public library this weekend. found these 3 fabulous books that i have been wanting to get my hands on for awhile. 

1. chihuly garden installations

2. bringing up bebe: one american mother discovers the wisdom of french parenting. by, pamela druckerman. 

3.  food rules: an eater's manual by michael pollan, illustrations by maira kalman.

my favorite house in the whole wide world-part 2

some more photos from my parent's house in chagrin falls, ohio. 

see the original post here. 

guess where?

 

payless shoe source! who would have thought? i was ordering some ballet shoes for the girls and stumbled upon these fabulous shoes from the following guest designers: christian siriano, lela rose and isabel toledo. i ordered some of the above and can't wait to see what they look like in person. and the bonus is they are all on sale. here are the details:

1. isabel toledo- jet platform black sandal- $44.95

2. lela rose - mapleton t-strap wedge - $44.99

3. christian siriano- michelle ballet flat - $34.99

4. lela rose - clarendon wedge -$39.99

5. isabel toledo - espawind flatform sandal - $44.99

feeling springy

some eye candy  to get you excited about spring! warm wishes for the best weekend too! 

image sources:

1. photograph by ngoc minh ngo. 

2. via bohemian hunter. 

3. thread wrapped easter eggs from martha stewart.  

4. photo from family living via decopeques.com.

5. photo for maryam nassir zadeh store. found via joslyn taylor's pin.

6. hanging egg chair by bonacina nana and jørgen ditzel.

7. photo from reneau deux via pretty stuff.

8. cucumber and avocado summer rolls with mustard-soy sauce from william-sonoma.

9. mother teresa quote from createbyret [art by rachel e twenter] etsy shop.

10. via fox on the run. 

11. sitka collection - stella linen & metallic clutch from grace design on etsy.

12. orchid arrangement from martha stewart. photo by roland belo.

travelogue. the hotel nord-pinus in arles, france.

 one of my most favorite hotels we stayed in while on our trip to spain and france last fall was the hotel nord-pinus in arles, france. charming, romantic, and filled with history. set in a central location in the place de forum. right next to the delightful yellow facaded Van Gogh Cafe where he painted Cafe Terrace at Night.

black and white pictures, books and memories displayed. terracotta. wrought iron railings.  funky chandeliers. this is my idea of the perfect hotel. leaving a lasting impression that makes me dream of it's warm ambiance day after day. 

more about the hotel nord-pinus here.

beach day

hope you all are having a fabulous week! we have been soaking up the sun and playing outside every chance we get. yesterday we packed a picnic and headed to second beach in middletown, rhode island with some friends. crazy,  huh. there were people sporting bikinis and bare chests. in march. i couldn't believe it. we were fully clothed because i did not want to scare people with our reflective white skin that hasn't seen the sun since last fall. that and i haven't shaved my legs in a while.

shades of green

 

we are getting excited about saint patrick's day in our house. the kind of excited where i bribe the girls with the fact that we are going to the annual newport st. patrick's day parade. if they don't wash their hands from the strawberry smoothie mess that is on their hands, face and feet in karoline's case. or if they don't stop coloring their legs, stomachs and lips with magic marker,  i say "we will not be going to the parade". help me out moms. is this normal? i feel like it's my only way to reason with twin three-year-olds. 

anyway, we are definitely going to the parade no matter how they behave (but don't tell them that). i'm all about the threats but no follow through. jo frost would be so upset with me. there is nothing that is going to stop me from missing this 2 hour parade filled with 7 pipe bands, 9 marching bands, 4 fife & drum corps, 3 clown units, and 8 reenactment units. if i am reincarnated i want to come back as one of michael flatley's lord of the dance dancers. so if you see a crazy lady with thrift store green pants on (that she bought to wear to the parade)doing the irish jig on the sidelines, just wave and give her a shot from your flask. she's a stay at home mom that doesn't get out much and gets a thrill from bagpipe music.

image sources:

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

sleek scandinavian

wanted to show you a peek inside swedish photographer jonas ingerstedt's home spotted on OEN. the hans wegner wishbone chairs, photography, clean shelving silhouettes, and smart design of this house captured my eye. jonas ingerstedt did all the photos and you can check out more of his work here: www.ingerstedt.se.