Some Might Call This Illegal, I Call This Conditioning

Our youngest friend, Gus, couldn't wait to get his baby feet to the bar on Friday. Seems he partied a wee bit too much. 

Friday

Saturday

I am so proud.

NYC in a Flash

Our trip last weekend was chock full of familiar faces and dance moves (lucky for us). Friday night Una organized a bar get-together. Highlight? Finding out one of our friends is now Chief of Staff of Corrections in New York City, complete with a fancy-looking police badge. A-ma-zing. Fancy friend took the badge out of my vise-like grip before I could slip it in my purse. I would flash that piece everywhere. Better watch yourself - she'll cut a b*tch!

Fine, Archie is the prettiest, nicest, smiliest, funniest chick and would never do that, which is why she was hired for the job and why I wouldn't make it past security. However, in my police-badass imagination, I will continue to believe she takes down dirty crims regularly. 

Saturday we headed to the wedding of Emmie and Brian in Long Island. The reception was held at Belmont Park (a horse raceway) in a tent on the grounds. Really cool - just before cocktail hour, guests watched the races. Yes, we bet, and yes, we lost every single one. Of course, some groomsmen whacked with the lucky stick won $1500. Rude. 


The bridesmaids all wore varying shades of green. Emmie looked stunning - she is a tiny little thing, with fair skin, dark, dark hair and green eyes - an Irish beauty. I love the veil with her hair, and her dress could be straight out of the 50's - a true sign of timeless taste.

All the paper goods were adorable - this was a sign for one of the buses after the reception.

After taking down the Smile Booth, inadvisedly gambling from the standing booth next to the dance floor, as well as sampling many, many cocktails, Una and I were on an 8 AM train to Manhattan to catch the horrific Giants game v. the Titans in the new stadium. Una's dad, sister Ash and boyfriend Pat joined us for some sausage and pepper sandwich tailgating. And that was the highlight, as Eli and team quickly proceeded to play like trash for the entire game. 

Great weekend for family and friends. We miss you all - come visit us in Milwaukee!
And cheers to the newlyweds!

And Why I Love Gossip Girl

"I'll never understand why men settle for catfish after they've tasted caviar."

 - Blair Waldorf upon spying Serena Van der Woodsen's ex-boyfriend 

kissing Juliet, their new arch nemesis

Photo from here. 

And some people say television has fried our brains. P-shaw.

Smile Booth for Christmas, Please

We're back and Una is totally exhausted (8 days for work in London, two nights of serious partying, a sad showing by the Giants yesterday and a late return to a chilly, chilly Milwaukee). Photos to come - but in the meantime, the wedding showcased the newest version of a photo booth. Which was amazing. Addictive. One of our friends visited it no less than 30 times. And that number is conservative. Introducing: Smile Booth.


Instead of cramming into a small (though cool-looking) old school booth, this style has a free-standing screen placed before a hanging canvas backdrop. It's all open space; a mini-photography studio, if you will. Room to make a flying leap into the photo, stand on your head, fit 10 people doing the pyramid or perhaps throw a karate kick in the direction of the camera. It. Was. Awesome. And I want one for my next party. 


Slash the basement.

Rent one on your own or check to see what photographers in your area offer a Smile Booth option with their wedding/party packages. Worth. Ever. Penny.

Why yes, my plus one is Snickers. She'd like her mouse medium rare. What of it?

Fall & A Wedding

Hello, Fall. I welcome your cozy sweaters, sunny days with crisp breezes, and rusty-colored leaves. 

Photo from here

Yesterday was the Autumnal Equinox, and the first since 1991 to have a full moon (though technically the moon was not full until five o'clock this morning). Keep an eye out for it tonight.


Off to New York City tomorrow for a wedding of two adorable 'Sconsinites (including a fellow New York transplant!) and the Giants game on Sunday. Go Eli!

A New Find: Bassett

Flipping through another home decor magazine, I came across Bassett Furniture, recommended by one of the editors. Though the majority of the pieces aren't my personal style (heavy woods; more traditional pieces), there are some great deals that truly look more expensive than they cost. Check out the following:

Custom Classics Sofa for $1179

Grayson Bed for $594

Woodbury Server (adorable bar!) for $349

Bellewood Cocktail Table for $349

Hanover Desk for $479

Barcelona Headboard for $499

Reese Mirror for $349

Photos via Bassett

Shingles on the Inside

Love the mood of this room by Jeffers Design Group - quirky, comfortable but still elegant. Has that feeling that someone who knew what they were doing put it together, but you know someone still lives in it. Everything can be touched, moved, broken.The red tables, coral curtains, pinkish wood shingles (yep, on the inside) and turquoise lamps look amazing together.

Via Apartment Therapy

A Zig Zag Moment

Watching HGTV's "Urban Oasis" with Vern Yip (really, cuz there was nothing else on as I ate my lunch) I spied a lovely floor in the Haus Interiors shop he visited for apartment accessories.

Via Apartment Therapy

Wouldn't this be great in a kid's playroom, as a dining room or mudroom floor, or even in a back hallway? Along with the FLOR Mag-Neat-O rug tiles, it appears I'm having a zig zag moment. I will also take a Missoni anything (dress, scarf, blanket, bathing suit, sweater). Call me, Margherita!

More FLOR

Floor tiles? The name just sounds bad. Well, stereotypes are made to be broken and I am ready to concede defeat. Rug company FLOR has some pretty amazing and stylish options (and just forget about the prices!). Replacing a single tile for ten bucks versus finding a new rug for $400? I call that good economics. 

Fretwork, available in 4 colors

$18.99/tile

Sophistikat, available in 5 colors

$12.99/tile
(Thanks to Copy Cat for pointing this puppy out.)

Missoni-inspired Mag-Neat-O

$24.99/tile

Side by Side

$12.99/tile

Berber

$9.99/tile

All photos via FLOR.com

On the Hizunt

While on the hunt for a headboard like this one from the other day (minus the bed platform), I came across this adorable, adorable option for $299!

Check out the other fabric options! Dying over the cuteness.

Photos from HSN.com.

Uh oh, I'm back to HSN.

The Right Knight Moves

I've discovered a new blog.


Like me, Kyle loves all things home decor-related. And she loves a good deal (especially when it's a luxury item, the ultimate score). And she has natural blond hair. Again, just like moi. 


And then the similarities stop, because her house looks professionally done, whereas mine is . . . let's call it a perpetual work in progress. And why can't I live near the Wisteria outlet store? Colder's is a horrendous substitute. Fail, Wisconsin. 


But I digress. Meet the Knight Moves abode (see the full post by La Dolce Vita here):

Formal living room

Entry

Den/informal living room

Den/informal living room

All I can see in the photo above is the Hermes blanket. Want. One. Now. Add that to the list of things "that will happen when Hell also freezes over." I will continue to dream and scavenge eBay. Okay, the chaise, cane chair and lucite tray table are fab, too. Also really like the artwork on the wall.

And then there's this little spot of genius, one of her guest bedrooms. Though the layout has changed slightly, the proof is still in the pudding. Where, you ask? Those curtains are from Walmart. And they cost $34. Oh yeah, and they're actually a duvet cover.

Kyle ironed the duvet, attached it to the curtain rings and voila! No sewing required. The bed is beautiful, the garden stool adorable and the curtains are a great pop against the deep blue walls. I'd keep the textured white duvet in the photo above, but that's me. For more on how Kyle got the look, go here.

Photos via Knight Moves & La Dolce Vita

34 dollars!

New York Fashion Week: Spring 2011, Part 2

Based on the overall collections, looks like we'll be wearing a lot of nudes, white and saturated colors this spring! A few more beauties that caught my eye. 

Proenza Schouler - literally, the downtown version of the uptown lady. Love it.

More Proenza.

And one more.

The ballerina look at J. Mendel. Love that the shoes could be heels or flats. Great hair and makeup, soft and sexy dress.

Marchesa

Marchesa again.

Isaac Mizrahi - trompe l'oeuil bow on a classic column gown.

Naeem Khan - over the top, flattering, beautiful colors.

And this year's model of the moment, 16-year-old Lindsey Wixson (check out those lips!):

All photos via Style.com

Buy Lonny!

So you know of my love for Lonny, the online home decor magazine. Well, now the creators have built a website dedicated to their content - peruse pictures of their featured rooms (recognize this one? Hello, Ms. Gilbane!), read their daily blog, 'meet' designers and creators they love and even buy old issues!

A work space from Lonny

And a new online home magazine is coming our way - welcome Rue to the fold. Premiere issue debuting shortly - www.ruemag.com.