Nars Schiap

Summer is here, time to break out my favorite nail polish!  I'm off to get a pedi...and off to the desert mind you!  I love 3 day weekends!

Peonies

My new favorite thing to do on Saturday mornings is to walk little Barron in the stroller up to San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood.  First, we grab a grande coffee at the 'Bux and then we stop in for fresh flowers at Whole Foods.  For the last 2 weeks in a row, they've had pink peonies, my favorite flower.   

 Last weekend, I decided to splurge, and went for the $25 peonies!  There's a reason these babies are more money, they are absolutely wonderful!  I am beyond amazed at how gorgeous they are and each day the pink changes colors. 

They are now becoming more of a lighter coral pink.  It's so inspiring to find colors in nature that are so uplifting.  I am loving the energy they have brought into our home this week!

What's your favorite flower?

Hair 'Do of the Day

Chick can do no wrong in my book.  Debating going blonde again, but hate the maintenance.  

Daydream

Guess what I'm doing this weekend??  Absolutely nothing and I like it!  Oh what I would give to wake up (late) on a saturday morning with fresh air blowing through my room, with a view like this, and coffee, a croissant, my favorite reads, and the sun shining on my face.  Oh wait a minute, I hear the baby crying and the laundry needs to be done....if only in my dreams, this is what heaven looks like to me these days.

Need to Chill

Damn this week flew by!  I barely had time to breathe, let alone think, so I am ready for the weekend.  My apologies for the lack of blog posts, I've literally been eaten alive by corporate America and Motherhood.  I've got a couple of tricks up my sleeve so stay tuned!  Have a super weekend everyone!

xo,

Vanessa

Definitely a 'Do

Who doesn't love this side-parted shoulder skimming perfectly coifed hair 'do???  Done and done! The bangs are getting grown out and this is my new hair inspiration!  I love changing it up!

Image of Karlie Kloss at the Met Gala via The Vogue Diaries

Crushing on Commune

I was first stopped dead in my tracks a few years ago when I saw this Hollywood home in Domino Magazine, designed by Commune Design, and have had it in my "dream home" folder ever since.  If someone was to ask me what my dream home looks like, this is the exact picture I would show them.    

I'm constantly browsing real estate websites in search of my dream starter home.  I look at so many and try to envision if they have the potential to be painted dark gray (or black) with white trim and many of them do.  For me, this graphic combo is it!  It's also so easy to do and recreate, yet you rarely see it.  I could totally see a valley Ranch style home or English Colonial in this combo.  

I love how versatile this combo is with many different architectural styles.  The addition of perfectly manicured hedges and crisp white planter pots is simple and chic.  I could totally see doing a yellow or red front door here too! 

For the backyard, I would definitely do chaises with big bold black and white striped cushions!  The water sculpture is beyond!  Seriously, so calming, peaceful, and serene.

Here are a few of my other favorites from Commune....

I am coveting that tan leather Chesterfield sofa!  Another thing to check off the list!

This chilled out Venice Beach pad is speaking to my inner Bohemian...

 ...and this Hollywood loft makes me happy with all the poppy colors!  Notice the yellow curtain?  I've been wanting to do yellow curtains in a room, reminds me of the sunshine pouring into the room!

 Again, I spy the leather Chesterfield and I really dig this Hollywood and Vine loft!

Images via Commune Design and Domino

Working for the Weekend

We made it to friday! The weekend always feels so much more well deserved when you've worked hard all week!  I'll be spending this weekend relaxing, hitting the open road for a little cruise with my baby and the hubs. Life is pretty damn good right now....

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!!

PS- I seriously want a little vintage Benz-y weekend driver to cruise around town this summer!

Snapshots From the Weekend

My first Mother's Day was really sweet spending time alone with the Little B!  I took Barron and Sophie for an early morning stroll to Starbucks in Brentwood. 

We picked up some pink peonies at Whole Foods (my favorite flower).

 We spent the evening having dinner with my family in Manhattan Beach.  

 I was playing around with the Hipstamatic app on my iphone and absolutely love how the pictures look with the sun setting in the background!   

Taking pictures is so much more fun now with this app! 

My Mom (with Barron in the stroller) and my Dad in the background. 

...and the peonies made it to my desk.

It was a good day.

Fascinating

Wedding Guests of the Year: 3 ladies in their fascinators at Will and Kate's wedding.  

Thirsty Thursdays: Cinco de Mayo

I love Cinco de Mayo!!!  It's pretty cheesy and amateur, but nevertheless always fun!  It got me thinking how much I love a good cold Mexican beer with lots of limes and of course Margies! 

Here's my recipe for the most perfect simple and cheap margarita:

1 can of Limeade concentrate

a few mexican Beers

and a lot of Tequila

Enjoy with lots of salt and limes in a backyard with all your friends!

 I'll drink a shot of tequila to that!    

Image via We Heart It

Where I'm at Today: Hustle Up

Today I'm guest blogging over on Shannon Flaherty's HUSTLE UP!!! I met Shannon through my day job as a Creative Recruiter. She is a Copywriter for the fashion brand Bebe and I help find her really talented creatives to freelance for various in-house projects. Shannon is a lot of fun! She has a big personality and when we started chatting more in depth, I found out that we have a lot in common in terms of our career goals, what we want to accomplish in life, our interests, and that we both write blogs.

Hustle Up showcases all different kinds of people and their careers.  When I started reading more I was immediately intrigued by all the different kinds of people and what they do for a living.  I finally feel like I am at a stage in my life where I love what I do, but I am constantly thinking about the future and "what I want to be" in the next 5 years.   So check out my H-U-S-T-L-E today!!!!

What's your hustle?  I would love to hear what you all do!!!

Images via Hustle Up  

   

Laura & Diego Garcia's Apartment

I've seen these pictures circulating around the blogosphere and I couldn't resist posting them! I'm totally enamored with Laura and Diego Garcia's New York apartment. The talented photographer, Claiborne Swanson Frank, captured the couple's home beautifully. I always love seeing how other people live and again this one is going into my "when I design my chic city apartment/condo" folder. More and more I'm thinking a small space may be the answer to our "family" home. A smaller space means less junk to store, I mean really, who needs more stuff???   

So here's what I spy that's been on my eye:  purple amethyst geode in the top pic, Tom Ford book, black painted dining room walls, casual guitar again out in the open, chrome and glass table, white walls, and lots of family pics.

Have I told you I have white furniture on the brain, especially a plush white leather couch?? Well, I do and I think this would make one of the best pieces to have with kids...no stains!!! Plus, white is so easy to change up with lots of different throw pillows. Seriously coveting that piece of art - I want it!

I'll sit at this computer any day! This glass or lucite desk is perfect to float in the room. Often times with apartments rooms have to function in a couple of ways. I love the living/family room/office combo. Who needs a million rooms in the house??? Keeps everyone together and able to hang out in one space which is more fun!

I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw baby Georgiana's room! The giant neon pink picture of Liz Taylor is genius! And set against gray walls with lots of white accents is it for me! I'm swooning!

 Hmmm...if I don't one day have a baby girl's nursery to decorate, then I'm just going to put this neon pink pic in an entryway...I really love it that much and when you love art that much, you must surround yourself in it!  

Images via Vogue

Music is My Boyfriend

I want to buy a turntable, receiver and amplifier just like this.  See, I grew up listening to my dad's record collection and lately I've been wanting to hear all that old music.  Now granted, I have most of it downloaded on iTunes, but it's just not the same.  

I miss moving my fingers through the albums and looking at the cool art work.  I felt more connected to the artists when I could see a physical album vs. nowadays quickly downloading a song, only to really never play it again.  I used to play albums over and over and over again with my friends.  I miss that. 

    

Here are some of my personal favorites that I want in the collection...