Lilacs, made glamorous.

At my parents' house in Connecticut the flowers are always late to bloom. My mom refers to our yard as "a funny little microclimate," where the forsythia pop a week behind everyone else's and the lilacs finally burst into color sometime in late May. But clipped from soccer fields and the sides of highways, our house was always full of whatever wasn't quite ready to bloom in our own soil. As a result, we had lilacs plopped into pitchers on mantlepieces and bedside tables for approximately twice as long as every one else.

These lilacs came into my apartment in the city way, slung over my shoulder and carried home from a nearby flower shop. Tasked with making a bouquet inspired by Daisy Buchanan, these plumes became part of an arrangement just minutes before the rain poured down and turned the Brooklyn sky black on Saturday afternoon. Yesterday, they made the perfect backdrop for a tiny mother's day gathering in our tiny apartment. Two moms, one sweet bébé and three admirers.

I'm still learning the arts of flowering arranging, but for a little peek into my process for this Gatsby-inspired bouquet, you can head over to Gardenista.

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my week in objects (mostly).

five little things that made my week.

1. my neighbors' wisteria vines.
{because they're totally unkempt, and totally beautiful}.

2. this little package.

{because delivering photos is much more fun when they're tricked out in business cards and washi tape}.

3. this tea.

{because if it's doing half as much for my brain function as it is for my taste buds, i'll be happy}.

4. these tiny bells.

{because they're making my apartment smell so sweet. more over on gardenista}.

5. this book.

{because even though i'm only halfway through, and despite what criticism people might have, i think it's a must-read for any woman thinking about her career. blogger, executive, or otherwise}.

other things:
i want to do this with my 3 sisters.
grandmothers & food.
yikes.
trimming the fat.

things by me in other places:
clean air!
make your fridge smell good.
lily of the valley.
woodland wonderland, inside.
mid-may posies.
first night in a new home.

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make-believe: springtime wardrobe.

I'm a creature of habit. If you've been reading these tea leaves for awhile, you know this. I relish in creating rhythms and routines, but in general it doesn't take much for me to decide that something that I'm doing needs shaking up. When I went off to college, I took a few classes that touched on modern agriculture and I decided to change my food purchasing habits. I read an article (or four) about parabens and phthalates and I started paying closer attention to the stuff I put on my body. Watching this documentary was all I needed to convince me to curb my reliance on single-use plastics.  I worked on a sustainable farm and decided that eating animals--even ones that are happily raised--isn't something I want to do. Those Green Mountain Energy guys? All they had to do was look my way and I signed right up. Okay, you get it.

Coming around to slow fashion has been a harder pill to swallow. It's not for lack of interest or understanding, but where I've been able to absorb the additional costs of organic food and natural beauty products, buying into sustainable fashion has been more difficult. First there's sticker shock and then there's my perpetual desire to "get something new."

Sometimes it is hard to break habits. The clothes above are what I'd be wearing this spring if money wasn't an object. They aren't all made here in the United States, but from what I can gather they've been made thoughtfully, without overt exploitation of people or the environment. This year I'm hoping to finally go in for a few investment pieces; beautifully-made clothes that will last and last. I'm also taking a page out of the book of my French friends and not giving a damn if I wear the same pair of jeans every day of the week. Quality over quantity. Michelle has the right idea.

1. Ace and Jig Button Tee 2. Maria Highrise Jean 3. Emma Grey Stripe 4. Everlane Tees 

5. T-shirt dress 6.Discovery Dress

*There are a few links to stories on slow fashion in this post from last week. I'm still waiting on someone to return this book to the library.

PS. This just in.

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< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

Create a common space, even a tiny one.

As the weather gets warmer, coming back to our tiny apartment has a way of making me feel just a little bit hemmed in. Where I don't really mind the closeness in the wintertime, warmer evenings have me longing for more expansive vistas.

As delighted as I am with afternoons spent in the park, I've been itching for just a little bit of outdoor space that's closer to home. I have elaborate daydreams that include reading on a chaise lounge, elderflower cocktail on a side table next to me. In my daydreams, I imagine a private little space with just enough room for me and James and whatever plate of dinner we choose to enjoy. But lately I've come to the conclusion that sharing wouldn't be so bad either.

Designs for new micro-apartment buildings usually include some kind of common space. Architectural renderings show open terraces with communal tables where stylish young people gather in the evening to play card games and drink wine.

When I first began to see these drawings, I was skeptical. Aren't New Yorkers known for their particular brand of coolness to strangers? Would neighbors really invite each other to the terrace for a rousing game of Hearts? But I'm warming to the idea. After the first few weeks of warmer weather, I'd share my terrace with just about anyone.

Our building didn't come with any promise of common space. "Micro-apartments" here were an afterthought, sectioned off from what were once much more spacious apartments. This spring I'm doing a little experiment and doing my best to beautify what common space we do have. Those two crumbling flower boxes next to the trash bins? Filled up with sunny marigolds and violas, you don't even notice their chipped edges. I don't imagine that the neighbors will start inviting each other for glasses of wine next to the pile of recycling, but I do think that the tiny pop-up gardens help to foster a tiny sense of place. Which is very much better than none at all.

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home, anywhere.

For every bit of me that's itching to travel, to pack things up and head out for some grand new adventure, there's a part of me that really likes to be at home.

It's not that I have to be in my own home exactly, but I like to feel settled. If my things have a spot--even if it's just a corner to prop a book I'm reading--I feel comforted by extension. When I travel I like if it's to a place that I can ease into. I like to unpack my bag, rest my toothbrush on a shelf, hang my towel up to dry. Stay awhile.

This month, I wrote a piece for The Neighborhood about the first thing that I do when I move into a new place. The piece is really about settling into a new home, but I think the ideas work as well for places that are less permanent.

Here's the one thing (or two) that can make wherever I am feel a little bit more like home.

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dinnertime.

It's going to be hard to think of reasons why we shouldn't pack up the kitchen and head down to the park every single night this summer. Last night: grilled asparagus and mushrooms, homemade hummus and blackened pita bread, delicious homemade "lime juice," and ice cream cones to finish things off. We took big bites of those baby cheeks, too. Couldn't be helped.

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my week in objects (mostly).

five little things that made my week.

1. these cherry blossoms.

{because there are so many in just one spot. go this weekend}!

2. this blanket.
{because it's perfect sleeping weather these nights. cool enough for an extra blanket, warm enough for turning off the heat}.

3. these painterly annuals.

{because even though i wasn't early enough for the good stuff, these guys were just 50 cents a pop. grandmotherly-looking flowers, i'll take you}.


4. this new home for the watering can.

{because it's always in the way, but this spot seems good. also: the prettiest daffs}.


5. these herb tables.

{because even though our little window doesn't really get enough light, we're trying out basil just to be sure}.

other things:
ethical fashion (really worth the listen).
now i want to read this.
glad to see everlane's tee factory.
oh, to slip into this each morning.
i want to make this.

thing by me in other places:
mint juleps!
summer hats!

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