Red lips

photo courtesy Peggy Wolf Design

I saw this print on Etsy and swooned immediately.  I envision it hanging on a turquoise wall in a simple frame. I keep looking at her eyelashes. To.Die.For.

White on white

photo sources unknowkn {anybody?}

I've been trying to figure out what design aesthetic suits me and I am finding it to be really challenging. On one hand, I want to paint everything white and flank every table with white accents. On the other hand, I want vivid colors like turquoise and orange and wild patterns such as zebra rugs. Then, my inner demons tell me I need to think practical. But is practical that fun? A friend told me she thinks my taste is called "Hollywood Regency" which is basically a mix of ornate and contemporary. I am not sure but here are two images I am loving right now...

My staycation paradise

This is my parent's backyard. For reals. And now that Summer Solstice is upon us, I have to tell you...I count the days till the weekend so that I can make that hour drive and just...breathe. Even a city kid loves a little peace and quiet.

Bronze, bronze baby

photo courtesy Sam Bisso Photography

Stunning isn't it? I love the look of her bronze skin. Unfortunately for me, I am as fair as they come BUT I am considering a spray tan with Ortanics. Ever heard of them? For $45 I can get a customized spray tan performed by a Recipe Specialist and come out more golden than orange. Know what's even cooler? 5% of of each sale they make goes towards skin cancer research. Check them out at the Equinox Fitness on Clark.

Have you guys ever tried it? If so, what did you think?

Equinox/Ortanic
1750 North Clark Street
Chicago
(312) 587-0774

Little people

Little people...are just so darn little. And funny! They will tell you when to talk and when not to. They would much rather have ice cream than pork. They are up for flying kites. They hate sand in their pants but love Cheetos. And as one nephew so eloquently expressed..."I really care about your quality of life." Yep, he's 4. I think little people are actually ahead of the curve sometimes. Don't you?

And a big Happy Birthday to my Pops! Love you to pieces!

An uplifting Friday!

I hope you have it!

Today turned out to be a GREAT day after a particularly exhausting work week. A big contract to close out my Friday brought a giant smile to my face AND I am looking forward to: a special dinner with a special friend, my poppa's birthday tomorrow and high tea with my boss, momma and girlfriend. These weekends have been the bee's knees. I hope the trend continues.

Happy Weekend!

A coat of hearts

photo courtesy Modcloth

I don't think this coat could be any cuter. That's all.

Things that make me smile...

photos courtesy Martha Stewart Living via Daily Cup of Couture

This week's edition of "Things that make me smile" is from the author of Daily Cup of Couture, Caitlin! Our West Coast gal has an exquisite eye for beautiful, delicate images of fashion, design and decor. She shares the most unique images of daily life for all of us to enjoy. And despite being new"er" to the blogosphere, my hunch tells me Caitlin will grow in popularity quite quickly. Here is something that makes Caitlin smile...

"There are so many little things in life that I absolutely adore, but there is nothing that makes me happier during this time of the year then perfectly pink peonies. This flower will forever be my favorite and with it's romantic charm it will always brighten any room. If setting my peonies in a vase I prefer to use a silver mint julep cup. However, if giving them to someone else I will always adorn them with a simple satin ribbon.

The satin ribbon reminds me of my next joy in life ... pretty packages. Giving gifts to others truly brings me great joy, but I must admit the best part of the gift giving process for me is always the wrapping. For those of you who are from San Francisco visit "The Ribbonerie" in Pacific Heights for the most exquisite selection of ribbon imaginable! xo, dCc"

Thanks for playing, Caitlin! One can never have enough peonies around the house and giving is truly better than receiving...most of the time. {wink, wink}

Ballerina Girl

photo courtesy LA Times

Fashion has definitely taken a few pointers from the world of dance these days. From ethereal dresses to leg warmers, tights and wrap sweaters; I can't help but be inspired and left channeling my youth from the dancing days. Lucky for us, ballet and fashion are a happy marriage and here to stay. Here's my ballerina-inspired look tapping into pure nostalgia and my inner fashionista...

Ladies lunch.

In my humble opinion, this is luncheon perfection by none other than my mama. She has a true calling. Doesn't it look like something out of Martha Stewart Living? Just gorgeous!

Good to the last drop...

Find it on Lulu's! For under $20...we all should have one.

Happy Father's Day

photo courtesy Jen Kiaba Photography

Happy Father's Day to all the poppas!

To my Dad - thanks for being the most supportive, loving, honest, hard-working and fun-loving father a little girl could want. And...thanks for letting me dance on your feet on Saturday mornings, too. I love you!

SuperFly Ladies.

photo source unknown

Today I am hanging out with my superfly ladies. I know this day will be a "10". We are talking champagne lunches, lounging in the sun and coronas in the evening. I can't wait to get the camera out. What are you doing today? I hope it's filled with lots of laughs and cocktails as well!

A happy Friday to all...

photo courtesy Tea and Bisuits

I am really excited about this weekend's activities which include laying low on the couch, a fun-filled girl's day, Dad's Day and some live music outdoors! I hope you have fun things planned as well. It's gonna be a scorcher in Chi-town.

And as always, thank you for your lovely comments. They brighten my days. xo

For my Pops on his special day...

photo courtesy DLK Designs on Etsy

Father's Day is coming up and I am usually left scratching my head for gift ideas. I found these on Etsy and fell in love. And DLK was more than willing to rush my order for this weekend. I was able to customize them to suit my dad's taste...cufflinks featuring maps of Chicago and Comiskey Park as a tribute to his beloved White Sox. I really hope he likes them and more importantly, I hope he doesn't look at my blog before Sunday!

Things that make me smile...

This week's edition of "Things that make me smile" is from a fellow Windy City gal and dear friend, Shawn. Shawn can make me feel lazy on some of my most productive days. She is a marathon-er, techie extraordinaire, cupcake lover and all-around great girl. She's fabulous for more reasons than I could list in one post but most of all, what I appreciate about her is that you can call her up spontaneously and she is game for anything.  Whether it's catching SATC2 or trying out a new cupcake stop; {did I mention that we are both passionate about cupcakes?! oh yeah, we like 'em!} she's my go-to-gal. And here's something that makes Shawn smile...

"My adorable niece Laney, sushi with my girlfriends, snuggling in bed with my boyfriend (wait, future husband!), laying poolside in a fancy hotel, a day off of work, a long run or swim (!) on/in Chicago's lakefront and tackling a difficult triathlon.

But the thing that makes me smile the most are my PARENTS. They celebrated their 40th anniversary this past march, the day Scott proposed to me! Their love and affection has not changed in the 30+ years I have spent with them. They are an inspiration to what I want my marriage to be like. Not only are they great partners in life, but they are the best parents anyone could have. They always put their children and grandchildren first, when I say first, I mean, the drop everything to be with us. My favorite moments with my parents include: family vacations to our ever-favorite spots, trips to my BMX races with the tent, pop-up camper and trailer, Christmases, visits to my college, visits to Chicago and watching them enjoy their 3 grandchildren.

But most of all, they are always there for me when I need them the most: when I stole mail from the neighbors when I was 6 years old, when I suffered a bike accident that took me out of BMX racing, when I didn't make Rockettes in high school, when I couldn't decide on Ohio University or Florida State (they paid for orientation for both schools!), when I moved to Chicago (and about 5 different moves in Chicago!), when I have trouble deciding whether or not to take new jobs, when I broke my engagement off and when I call home crying about problems with friends, boyfriends or work. Thanks Mom and Dad!"

Shoon...you know I got nothing but love for ya. Thanks for playing!

What I wore to the festival...

photo source unknown

Street and music fests upon us again, it became apparent I needed to reorg my closet and start thinking about extreme heat, beer that stays cold for 2 minutes and transitioning looks from day to night. My #1 must-have item you ask? A big bag to carry bandaids, extra waters, lipgloss, hand sanitizer, blotting tissues, extra layers and another set of shoes. Next year I hope to make it to Coachella. Here's what I would wear...

Happy Sweating Fashionistas!

New nuptials

I can't do this wedding justice because it was that gorgeous and vibrant and delicious. On top of it, my camera crapped out on me hence the blurry, Blackberry snaps. BUT, Indian weddings are a blast! Miniature, gold elephants adorned the tables. Champagne flutes with hibiscus flowers sat at every table. Amazing smells and packets of spices were gifted to each guest. Orange, teal, pink and gold saris draped the women and the dancing...oh my! Just a very cool wedding, people.

And of course...congratulations to Neil and Sarah! Lots of love going on between these two.

AKA: Caliente

photo courtesy Burberry Prorsum

One word: hot

Floral frenzy

My home is filled with flowers and I love it. Peonies from a home grown garden, roses and tulips from a sis and my leetle gerbers from the grocery store. I love all the scents permeating through the place. Note to self: buy more flowers!

And...a special congrats to Aren and Clara on their engagement this weekend! Yay!!!

Braid How-To Guide

If you're anything like me...you've fallen hard for this season's braid trends. And thanks to GOOP; {Gwyneth Paltrow's blog} you will be able to achieve the loose, messy, romantic braids that some of your favorite supermodels are sporting down the runway. Enjoy Orlando Pita's tutorial above. I haven't mastered it yet but I am determined to rock this look to my next street festival. xo

Two things:

+

WIN!

Have a great weekend!

Here, here for Halston!

A la Carrie Bradshaw. Halston for Bakers. Sweet, sweet adoration.

Things that make me smile...

photo courtesy Martha Stewart

This week's edition of "Things that make me smile" is from one of my blog faves - Justine! Her blog, Fetching Fashions, was one of the first I discovered and it has now become a daily read for me. {after hours, no worries Pretty City} I gravitated to her blog for the following reasons: A. she has a great sense of humor B. she actually writes like she talks or at least I imagine C. she takes risks with fashion and I like her creativity D. she's inspired me to relook at my own closet E. she loves shopping and has unlimited knowledge on websites, deals and styling options. Here's something that makes Justine smile...

"First, thank you to Johanna for this lovely happiness-inducing series. Instead of focusing on one thing that makes me smile, I figured I would list three somewhat “everyday” things that are sure to put a smile on my face.

The sunshine. Never fail, when I wake up to a sunny, blue-skied kind of day, it puts an extra pep in my step. I don’t care if the air is hot or cold—I love the sunshine. Guess that’s a part of the reason I decided to stick around Texas for a little while longer!

Black cats. I know a lot of people think they’re bad luck, but I love black cats. I think it’s partly the added sense mystery to an already mysterious kind of animal, and mostly the fact that they are just too darn cute for words. Cats are funny… they may need some time to warm up to you, but once they do, they’re your pals through thick and thin. I totally miss my cats and can’t wait to get one of my own!

Packages. Whether it be Christmas, my birthday, or just a random Tuesday, I love seeing packages! Of course, it’s always better when they’re addressed to me, but there’s something infinitely exciting about a goodie all wrapped up, waiting to be torn open. Even when I know what’s in there (I ordered it, I should know!), it makes me feel like a giddy kid all over again."

From one online shopper to another - thanks for playing Justine! You always make me laugh out loud which is somewhat embarrassing when I am by myself. Cheers.

Bedazzled...

by Miu Miu.

Song of the week.

The ultimate summer album by Life of Leisure.

Happy feet.

photo courtesy WWD

This looks like a store every female must see. United Nude on Bond St. in New York.

We waited long enough...

and Summer is finally here in Chicago. That's what I call a beach!

P.S. Shandi, you WON!

A little slice of heaven.

Let's play a game. Where in the world is Johanna?

Prize awarded in the form of three must-have beauty products for the first to leave a comment and get it right. Have a delightful Saturday!

Housekeeping

photo courtesy Italian Vogue via Daily Cup of Couture

I don't know about you but I am ready for the weekend and some more warm weather. And a special thanks to you for all the sweet comments as of late. I really enjoy reading them!

Last bit of business: "Things that make me smile." My series is coming to a close in that I only have 2 more week's worth of submissions.

Would you like to see it continue?

Do you have any recommendations for new candidates?

Would you like to participate?

Leave a comment and let me know. I am curious to hear what you think! Happy Weekend!

Discovering The Family Jewels

I haven't been thrifting for awhile but last week whilst in NYC for work it just so happens this little gem of a shop was perched right next to the salon I was meeting with. The Family Jewels Vintage Store. Albeit a bit pricier, the selection was a visual explosion. Vintage frocks, belts, boots, jackets and well, yes...jewels! I managed to walk out with a yellow, nipped-waist blouse and a Pucci-esque print mini dress. To boot, they were a steal and on sale. Wearing the blouse today and the dress is getting altered. I will try to grab some snaps. Check 'er out!

The Family Jewels Vintage Clothing

130 W 23rd St.

New York, N.Y. 10011