hamper quest!

well well..we finally!! got the courage to throw out a hideous old (beyond broke down)wicker hamper that was staining my daughter's bedroom. so now we are in a marvelous predicament of how to replace it, and with what? i have always longed for a hamper/something from Hable Construction in their classic dotty canvas fabric..but my angel said no-not! and at $275 why push it?

i know this is the obvious answer.. baskets..but meh! not a fan.

i do like the tidiness of geometry..what about box-y bambooish?

boxy-not bamboo?

industrial chic?

french/chateau/les miserables?

i like-y the canvas/industrial vibe here..picture my loft..and me playfully rolling thru..cooing.."hey laundry here! gitcha laundry!"

more les miz ish from restoration..but i could fall for it. it says FRANCE right on it!!

finally a fave..chic and simple and bright white sturdy canvas..from the laundress..will miss dorothea like this? more on that lates-er.

{in search of} the perfect backpack

i do own the perfect (well almost perfect) nylon backpack from baggallini..BUT! ugh it is now only held together with 2 rubberbands..no not kidding..AND they do NOT make it anymore!!

i am in a panic now..because once you use a lightweight nylon backpack handback..suiitable for a lady..you will never use a regular handbag again! there is this new one (below) from le sport sac..nice and very functional..but the color..meh!

it is just that i feel too encumbered by holding on to the handles of a handbag..and if all the weight is on one shoulder..i get ache-y on that side.

so a feather light back pack it is..but oh! not too many to choose from..just longchamp (not really functional for everyday..with just one pouch), tory burch(won't the taupe get filthy instantly?), prada (super pricey!), and kate spade(cute but only comes in black).

what to do?

oh dear.

Richard Russo {I heart u}

this year on our spring break my literary companion was rchard russo's Empire Falls.

(last year i read his Bridge of Sighs. loved it.

back in 2005 HBO made this pulitzer prize winner into a paul newman/joanne woodward mini series..anyhew.. i love richard russo! his books just get me completely wrapped up, and i can't put them down. he definitely likes himself an old worn out upstate new york/new england dead factory town..one that has seen some much better days, and empire falls is no exception. add to the mix a manipulative grande dame who enjoys watching her pawns squirm, and lording it over everyone in the town, and you have a hell of a great yarn!

suffice it to say that the pulitzer committee knew what they were doing when they gave out the prize that year.

beach kurtas

taking walks on the beach for the last few days, i have learned a couple of tricks.

sunblock is on everyone's "yuck" list..so i try not to use too much because who knows what they put in the stuff?

next i wear a hat..and sunglasses..otherwise i can't see a thing..and i know most of my face is shaded.

next i put on a kurta. i have 2 from See Designs Donna Gorman..who offers a very lightweight super soft cotton that breathes in a cheerful marimekko-ish print.

but in a way, i think you cannot have too many of these tops..because they look great in a number of other places other than the beach.

and there are some other great designers who make them..namely rikshaw, and roberta roller rabbit!

do you have some that you want to share?

meet cute

on our morning beach hike today we listened to one of the cutest "meet cute" stories of all time..her, "i know that you are leaving for singapore tomorrow and that i go back to london, and so i just thought i'd tell you that i've fallen in love with you dammit" him,"well that's good news because i've been in love with you for 9 years!" and they lived happily ever after..

this conversation was followed by a discussion about whether the expression is a "cute meet" or a "meet cute"..i guess it's meet cute..because i just found the blog!

and it's awesome

just love the assortment of vids pix and signs.

ya got me.

aqua and orange

my son and i are on holiday in grand cayman, and all this aqua water has me dreaming about my favorite color combo this season..

aqua and orange! when i first spotted trina turk's spring colors i was struck by this fresh new twist on the classic combination of coral and turquoise.

it is true, i haven't met a combination that uses orange that i do not like..but this mix of carribean sea with punchy tangerine is so right on..i just had to put it on all of our new work!

..and i love the results.

surfers

our family has been enjoying a week in the hot sun of costa rica in the surfing town of jaco. i love riding waves but these babies have been blowing my mind! i guess i shouldn't be surprised as normal here are 20 footers..ow-ch.

it turns out that i am not ready for the big kahuna though..nor really cut out for this climate. i would love to say i will return with the ultimate coppertone tan..but in reality i am covered in mosquito bites, as well as one enormous bullet ant bite on my right shoulder that was the most amazingly painful experience of my life. but enough whining.. it has been fantastic to be in the warm weather..but it turns out that back home it's in the 80's today..ironic..no?