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Allergic to Magic

Do to the falling-apart-ish-ness of my life right now, I'm having a lot of trouble keeping on my big girl face at work.

This bebe, however, is quite composed recounting the terrible tale of crocodiles and evil witch powers that can make people "stay dead in heaven." I think if I had a little french nugget to lay on my belly and tell me stories, it would be much easier to face the day.

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

Found via Her name was Lola

Radiolab

"Radiolab believes your ears are a portal to another world. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience. Big questions are investigated, tinkered with, and encouraged to grow. Bring your curiosity, and we'll feed it with possibility."

A good friend recently introduced me to Radiolab and I can't stop thinking about it. It's a live streaming show from WNYC and definitely one of the best public radio programs I have ever heard. The concept of the show is fantastically simple; they take an idea/theory/culturalism/whatever and have experts explain it from the points of varied scholarly fields. I can't even begin to do the show justice but I swear your mind will be blown if you give it a listen. Show topics range from parasites, laughter, race, to the musical qualities of language. I suggest going for a drive or sitting outside with a cup of coffee and giving your undivided attention; you won't be disappointed.

Radiolab New York has an online podcast.

On Turning 21

This birthday has been particularly reflective for me. I can't even begin to count the ways I have changed in the past three years; how the things I value most have slowly and sneakily morphed. I've come to place more importance on reputation, ethics, and living based on principle than I ever thought. And more miraculously, I'm coming to some sort of middle-way understanding of life; attributing any radical nature to immaturity and insecurity.

I'm in a relationship that I work for, that bears weight, that feels frighteningly important. It's the first one in which I have not allowed myself to lose my head, finding the loss of "self" scarier than any loneliness I can conjure. The sustainability of things (relationships, earth, money) is more a concept in my life than it has ever been as I'm sort of veering away from the hurriedness that is youth (though both of our tongues are dripping with promises promises promises). Not so much grasping in the dark at everything and everything.

I think what I have learned can be boiled down to this: I'm no longer so afraid of being let down by life. It's undulations, the waxing and waning of things, feel less jarring. I simply want to be good, feel good, do good, make good. Yes, I want to see the world, and wear pretty clothes and eat fine foods but I think, all of my other beliefs inevitably lead to those perks. It's a miraculous cycle.

It's hard for me to remember, sometimes, to sit back and listen to the Cicadas, to let life ebb and flow the way it should.

Photo: Grace Kelly

Shop your Closet

In the face of a particularly blase economy, everyone's tossing about the phrase "Shop your Closet". This weekend, I gave both my blouse/pants closet and my dress closet complete overhauls and found the true meaning of the command. Organization really does make your clothes more fun; when I can see what I have, I feel like I have more to choose from. I even went so far as to buy clear storage boxes for all of my heels! I just couldn't stand the guilt I felt from gorgeous red suede Weitzman's moping around my bedroom floor. Now I'm having so much fun getting dressed in the morning which results in a put-together outfit, leading to a confidence boost, and directly resulting in me being way jollier thus nicer to everyone. Ahh the beautiful zen cycle of organization.

I think Joe put it nicely this morning when he said "Don't you feel good? You just can't tell what's wrong until you organize everything, and then you realize, you can relax." So true.

However: I do this thing every time I clean where I get overwhelmed with all the prints in my closet (my style in highschool/early college might be described as "funky bohemian" erghhh) and end up getting rid of EVERYTHING. Well, one big cardboard box and three garbage bags! I'll probably sneak back in my trunk and pull out a few dresses but...still...I'm proud!

The only problem is; I realized how few practical dresses I really have now. I have some fabulous silk numbers and short little cocktail dresses and sweet sundresses but I'm pretty lacking in the "go out to brunch with your parents" department.

Let's do a little dreaming:

Elizabeth and James, Safari Laurent Dress, Diani Boutique

Skies of Blue Dress, Dahlia, Modcloth


Silk and Wool Printed Dress, See by Chloe, Net-a-porter

Grand Island Dress, LA Made, Anthropologie


Printed Silk Dress, Anna Sui, Net-a-porter

I'm trying to stay away from crazy prints right now but I couldn't resist the Anna Sui. Look how sweet the back is!

I can do anything good.

I'm pretty sure everyone saw this forever ago but as Joe and I quote it at least five times a day, it just has to make an appearance here.

Dreamery

Joe called me with the tiniest voice this morning to warn me that he may be dying. We think he has the flu, as his whole family had it last week. His dying wish was "orange gatorade." Poor babe. I'm taking off work early so I can bring him a Chocolate Almond Blackberry Currant Liqueur Torte I made last night and some Echinacea blend. Whew. There's probably something horribly wrong with me happily sipping away at my fresh coffee and planning my dream wedding (don't worry, all, just for play...as Elizabeth Taylor said "All girls do!") when his last text said there was a "50/50" chance of him holding on long enough for me to get my paycheck and blow this Popsicle stand. But in just an hour or two I'll go home and scratch his head while we watch Casablanca and eat torte. I've never heard of an illness that couldn't be cured with such remedies.

The flowers are from Saipua, a soap and flower shop in Brooklyn that I can't wait to visit. Dress is gorgey porgey from Vera Wang and it is on sale pretty reasonably (if you're thinking in bridal terms) at Gilt group right now. Lingerie is the SWEETEST in the whole world, in my favorite weird wispy foamy green, by Marni, of course. It's available at net-a-porter. Also, HOLY CINQUE TERRE. I really need to get there. Southern Coast of Italy, put on some clean undies, I'm coming to town.

THE Bag

You are the one I have been waiting for.

Paris Two Ways from Ilemi

Valentino does prom?

Ok, am I the only person that was immediately FREAKED OUT by how young the Valentino Resort 2011 poster baby looks? I know that it is simply an industry standard but this little girl just exudes "someone's child". I'm so distracted by it that I can't even concentrate on the collection (though what I did note seems oddly 90's; mint green lace?). I recently read an awesome Jezebel article on a sort of make-shift campaign both Anna Wintour and Michael Kors are on to get more healthy, adult, models on the run way. "Girls dressed up in their mother's clothes? Guess what, it's not attractive," Michael Kors quipped in an interview. I guess no one over at Valentino got the memo?

Everyday Opulence

Chanel Bocce Set at Chanel, $?


Luis Vuitton Beach Blanket at Luis Vuitton, $1,090

Chanel leather pillow at 1stdibs, $?

Martha Stewart for Kitchenaid, about $600 at Ebay (I NEED THIS.)


Hermes Beach Towels at Bluefly, $477

I am currently obsessed with things that are needlessly extravagant. It's so easy to be wooed by superfluity in fashion; it mocks itself with a seamlessly straight face. Luckily, my boyfriend is intrigued by the concept as well, so my constant dithering about how badly we need a Chanel bocce ball has yet to phase him. Part of the allure of such things is that they're so absurd they feel taboo, I think. My father would probably cry into his callused hands were I to express my dreams of owning a lawn bowling set that costs as much as a semester in college. But tra-la-la! It's the internet and the internet was made for dreaming. For more insanity, scour Chanel's website; you can get everything from a logo snowboard to fishing pole!