hey, zac posen, i love you.

Wow. How Refreshing. Read this article and you'll know what I'm talking about. A round of applause to the handsome, stylish designer and his new line, Z Spoke. Here's lookin' at you Zac.

fall twenty-ten ready-to-wear.

yep. I just died a little inside. Adam Lippes, designer behind the I-want-his-pieces-in-my-closet-now, created an amazing collection for his line ADAM. His fall twenty-ten looks are the perfect ingredients for any mouth-watering fashion casserole-- and baked to perfection I might add. I'm in love with the color palette he choose- something I've been trying to emulate in my daily wardrobe. The juxtaposition of earthy tones with bright tangerine and rust hues are to die for. Oh, and the layering? Perfection. Those jackets... swoooon.

    

sigh.

Sigh.
Shoulder shrug.
Siiiiiigh.
It was a stressful weekend- and I'm exhausted.
The rjd2 show was pretty awesome, besides the fact I lost my purse.
Argh. My wallet (oh, my beloved, buttery-soft leather, BOTTEGA wallet) is history. Oh how I'll miss you. Apparently, someone needed you more than I did.
Life goes on...

I'm praying this week will go by q u i c k l y. My lovely Mum and Dad are coming to Austin this weekend to visit. Yay for free meals and lots of love! I'm looking forward to spending time with them- I havn't seen them since Christmas!

On another note, Friday I had orientation for volunteering at the Town Lake Animal Center. I am so excited to have the opportunity to give pups some much needed lovin'. I think it will be a great way to get out in the community and use my time in a way that helps others-- one of my New Year's resolutions... Check!

I'm kinda brain dead so I think I'm going to call it a night- I hope everyone had a great weekend and a marvelous Monday! Bon Soir!

rjd2 tonight!

Getting ready to go see rjd2 + Kenan Bell + Happy Chichester at Emo's toniight! 

going tribal

For a while now, I've been really into textiles and the process of creating, dying and wearing them. At CCA in California, I took an amazing  textiles course that introduced me to the world of weaving, natural fibers, natural dyes, spinning, knitting and endless techniques and processes dealing with textiles. 

Now that I'm at St. Edward's in Austin, I still find myself inspired by all the things I learned last year in California. I'm currently taking an intro painting class which I have a love-hate relationship with. Below, I listed some reasons...

Here's why I love it:

• Wally, my professor, is laid-back, encourages me to solve problems on my own (but if I need his help, he's always there) and his office is FULL of amazingness. Animal antlers/skulls, vintage posters, and art work by his friends from college just about make his office the most inspiring place on campus. 
• I'm super excited about my upcoming project (which I have amazing ideas for.. keep reading..)
• The conversations in class are awesome
• We get to jam to grizzly bear, beach house, old 60's rock and anything else we're in the mood for
• This is my first official painting class.... so learning something new about paint every tuesday and thursday is pretty rad

Now, hate to be a downer, but here's what I don't love about it:

• Class is at 9 a.m. Yeah, no fun.
• Still lifes... ARE SO BORING. 
• Drawing is also held in the painting studio, so we have to move our isles back and forth  after class (this is annoying because sometimes its hard to find where you were the previous class-- which throws off your whole painting!) 
• Class is only two hours long! Not enough time!!

Okay, so on to my upcoming project/ idea..

Speaking of textiles... I've always really been into tribal prints (which are a big trend right now in fashion and home decor) but lately, I'm interested in their origin and the meaning behind them (I'm in the process of doing some research.) 

So, my idea: 

I bought a humongous canvas for this project (which I'm excited about, larger pieces always have more of an impact in my opinion) I'm thinking about painting the pattern onto the canvas and then incorporating weaving yarn into/over certain portions of the pattern.. So, basically, a "weavpainting"  Get it? 

Here are some of the prints I looove: 

By Artist Marla Mallett

Elle Decor

I don't love the colors in this piece but I love the design

I'll keep you posted on the process of this project.. Hopefully my vision can be translated into reality.

living walls

I don't remember where I discovered this amazing website that is home to Wooly Pockets but I am currently obsessed. 

Wooly Pockets are essentially fabric gardening containers that are made of felt derived from recycled plastic bottles. Wooly Pockets are ultimately the coolest "green" and sustainable way to garden (no pun intended.) The best part of Wooly Pockets? You can hang them inside  your home... that's right people... you can have living walls!! Because the containers have waterproof lining, this allows your walls and floors to stay dry. No mess, no hassle. I'm dying for one of these babies so I can finally plant/ grow my own vegetable garden- INSIDE my apartment!   Check out Wooly Pocket  yourself and fall in love like I did! 

Here are some amazing photos from their gallery: 

Olsenboyes... thoughts?

The ever-so talented, multi millionaire, beautiful, actor + fashion designers Mary- Kate and Ashley Olsen debuted their new, affordable fashion line, Olsenboye on Good Morning America February 3rd. Each season is inspired by various cities around the world.--New York for fall+ spring, LA for summer,  then London for "home for the holidays," which I'm assuming is winter?
I have to say, I'm not thrilled about their logo, I think they could of come up with something a lot more creative.. bummer.. I think MK&A thought about their Elizabeth and James + The Row customers when including classic pieces like a cropped jean jacket, bags and footwear. As one of the blonde beauty states, "these pieces are ageless." I have yet to see the line in person, but I'm hoping the duo took quality into consideration because it's an important aspect of any collection even it is more affordable.. My fingers are crossed...
Here are some of the more timeless/ageless pieces in the Olsenboye collection:

                                                                                                                                             photos courtesy of Olsenboye

check out their interview here:
MK&A Olsenboye interview

what are your thoughts?

a lovely saturday

Yesterday I spent the majority of my saturday at Barnes and Nobles (one of my favorite past times..) and snagged some amazing books. Oh how I love the Bargain section... Here are a few I picked up..

Matisse by John Jacobus

Frank Lloyd Wright by Taschen

Ideas that Changed the World by Felipe Fernandez Armesto 

The Impressionists + Modern Architecture + The Surrealists 

by Diana Newall 

This series called "Art in Detail" dissects and examines the style and technique of each movement. These books have various peep holes, if you will, that invite you in to study each Pièce de résistance. It's a really awesome concept that enables you to have a better understanding of the works included. Here's an example of what the pages looks like:

pretty awesome huh? 

JBM + Sondre Lerche Show

Wednesday night, I went to The Parish to see JBM + Sondre Lerche perform and  man was it a good show. JBM opened for Lerche and sang a couple of songs from his album Not Even in July. JBM who consist of one band member, Jesse himself, sounds like a mix between Bon Iver and Ryan Adams. His performance was short and sweet but nevertheless, fantastic. I love his voice and the combination of instruments he used during his show. Oh, and how could I forget, Jesse is incredibly handsome (swoon) and his style is impeccable.. that perfect combination of grundgey+lumberjack+novelist... perfection.

I also had the pleasure of meeting miss Krista De La Rosa from San Antonio. An avid fan like me, Krista drives down to Austin for shows and drives back to San Antonio the same night! She was snapping away with her DSLR all night and took some incredible photos of the Sondre & Jesse. Check them out on her way-cool blog, krista and the whale. 

As for Sondre, he was equally as awesome. He has such a quirky, easy going personality. His sound is really unique and his talent is evident in his sensational guitar playing. My Dad would of loved his teal-turquoise Gretsch guitar.. 

I'm charging my camera as we speak so pictures will be posted soon! Stay Tuned!

darvin jones.

I stumbled upon local artist, Darvin Jones' work the other day while visiting Viva Day Spa, another go-to, here in Austin. His pieces have an organic feel combined with a geometrical influence. My personal favorite series of his are called eco-art. At first glance, Darvin's canvas play with your eye. Constructed from wood, Darvin is able to create a three-dimensional plane that gives his work a modern yet simplistic touch. Oh, did I mention that eco-art is living art and completely sustainable? According to Jones himself, "the use of organic materials brings living matter to the work, which grows, evolves and dies over time giving the work a temporal dimension." Now how cool is that?

photos by darvin jones

 The approach for his canvases remind me of Maya Lin's landscape installations- so beautiful.

 

click here for more info. maya lin

p.s. I'd like to give a shout-out to my dear lady friend Ingrid... She turned 21 today! Happy Birthday Iggy!

my top five in both STATES

San Francisco- Oakland- CA


1. Pizzeria Delfina - SF 3621 18th Street 
This little pizza joint has hands down the best pizza 
in the city. Thin, crispy crust with the most
delicious cheeses and gourmet toppings. 
click here for more info:
Pizzeria Delfina 
2. August- OAK 5410 College Ave. 
August has been one of my favorite stores since 
stumbling upon it almost three years ago... The 
stores atmosphere is amazing-
open windows let in cool, crisp California air and the 
occasional Jeff Koons-esque sculpture in the middle
of the sales floor adds a quirky touch to the otherwise
clean lined, simple feel. 
click here for more info:
August
3.  Bakesale Betty- OAK 5098 Telegraph Ave. 
My mouth waters just thinking about this
local establishment. Their fried chicken sandwich is
perfectly seasoned and melts-in-your mouth. Of course, 
Bakesale Betty's only uses the freshest ingredients
which means that all of their pastries vary depending
on the season... (strawberry shortcake in the spring/ summer- delish!)
I highly recommend this place for a good finger lickin' ! 
click here for more info:
Bakesale Betty
4. Cha Cha Cha- SF 1801 Haight Street
Cha Cha Cha Restaurant and Tapas Bar is
such a great place to go with a big group of 
friends. Tapas, which are small plates can
be shared among the table and are perfect for getting 
a little taste of everything. The sangria is always
fresh and comes by the pitcher- this spot is the
ultimate place for great food and friends! 
click here for more info: 
Cha Cha Cha Restaurant and Tapas Bar
5. Erica Tanov- BERKLEY 1827 Fourth Street 
This little boutique has the most beautiful things. 
The racks are color coordinating, which makes it
easy searching for the perfect periwinkle hued top or
blood orange dress... I especially love this shop for 
their well edited hand made jewelry... Everything is
so beautifully executed and unique. 


Austin, TX 


1. La Condesa- 400- A West 2nd Street
La Condesa is by far one of the most 
beautiful restaurants in Austin. Winner of the AIA/LA 
Restaurant Design Awards, Architect Michael Hsu + 
designer Joel Mozersky really outdid themselves.
Not only is the architecture and decor amazing but
the food is outstanding. I recommend the acelgas taquitos, 
(vegan option) and the mexican street corn- but really, everything
on the menu is to-die-for. Make sure to try the watermelon- elderflower
martini- the agave nectar adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
click here for more info:
La Condesa
2. By George- 524 North Lamar 
Racks full of noteworthy designers like Lanvin, Balenciaga,
Marni, Dries Van Noten, and Bottega Venetta (just
to name a few) make this local shop stand out amongst
the rest of Austin's boutiques. Plus, they have the best
sales ever!
click here for more info:
By George
3. Perlas- 1400 South Congress
This seafood and oyster bar has by far the best
crab cake I have ever eaten in my life- and trust
me, I have had many a crab cake... It was
served with perfectly dressed mixed greens
and piping hot.. I took my first bite
and it melted in my mouth.. absolutely delicious.
click here for more info:
Perlas
4. Gallery D- 436 West 2nd Street
Gallery D's interior is stunning (thanks to Jaime Chioco)
 and the clothes are equally as beautiful. Hard to find designers
like Zimmermann and Lauren Moffatt adorn the racks at this
locally owned boutique.
5. Bows + Arrows & Spartan- 215 South Lamar 
These two "sister shops" have the best of both worlds-
Spartan, which carries a mix of jewelry, art, and home decor
and Bows + Arrows stocks up on only the coolest, most modern
designers.
Click here for more info:
Spartan
Bows + Arrows