pinning for friday #3

Several times this week, I've found myself tempted to dress in all black. I'm not feeling especially dark and gloomy. Instead, I'm finding something really fresh about all black. I'm feeling drawn to it. And, in images, the contrast in makes against white. I'm sharing a few pins I've made recently. If you want to follow along throughout the week, you can find me here. Happy weekend!

Images 1, 2, 3

and do: get dressed #3

Do you make New Year's resolutions? I know you probably don't want to talk about it at the end of August since they have probably A) blissfully fallen off your radar, and B) it's not like it's December 31st and you feel pressure to make new ones and thus be forced to revisit unaccomplished old ones. Despite the immense personal pressure that accompanies resolutions, I like them. I make them every year. I've got a few on 2013's list that have been hanging out since 2011. But I like them anyways. One year one resolution was to wear lipstick at least once a week. It could be to just run to the drugstore. I didn't accomplish this goal, but for the first time in my life I started considering lipstick as a way to get dressed. To not be afraid to bring a little attention to myself. To "pull it together" if you will. The above image from J.Crew demonstrates the idea perfectly. Even in sweatpants, a girl in lipstick is in an outfit.

Image via here.

make: a statement #1

It's not what you look at that matters. It's what you see. -Henry David Thoreau

You guys. Good quotes are a personal weakness. I have a compulsive need to write down every wise word, inspirational message, and truism I come across. Today's make is admittedly a bit of a cheat. I didn't make this statement. But I can't resist sharing it here. (And there will probably be more.) While Thoreau's statement applies to many aspects of life, I find it speaks particularly true to art. I studied art history and developed a skill set for how to look at a piece; how to pick out characteristics, technique, and meaning. But ultimately, the best part is still the unique what that each of us sees. We all see something different.

Image from here via here.

and do: dive into the september issues

I understand there are people out there who will cite endless page after page of advertisements (before you even get to the table of contents) as a negative to the otherwise glorious September issues. I am not of said camp. The September ads are my favorite part. It's totally appropriate to say I geek out on the them. I am fascinated by the choices designers and labels make when it comes to advertising. There are those that focus on close-ups of the product. Those that choose the high concept art direction route. Those that are consistent season-after-season. (Who wants to take a bet on when a Michael Kors ad will not feature a plane/car/boat?) Often more than oogling the clothes I find myself wondering why the art directors chose certain angles? Why is the model looking straight at the viewer, or glancing to the side? I look at the framing, the background, the balance, and, yes, the clothes.

Different ads draw me in and cause me to linger. Sometimes it's the clothes. Sometimes it's the art of it all. Here are a couple stops I've made so far in Vogue's September issue (and I just made it to the letter from the editor).

Oscar de la Renta (above): The vibrancy of this image is totally lost online. In print it is so rich.


Valentino: I love it when fashion photographers quote art history. This woman could be a portrait from a Dutch master. The still-life on the left didn't appear in Vogue, but makes the 17th century inspiration that much more apparent.



DKNY: This one it was the clothes that drew me in.


Chloe: Again, the clothes here. The outfit on the left is what I wish I were wearing this fall. So easy and effortless.

make: fresh plum sauce

I like to think I am a decent home cook. There are a few dishes I can respectively cook up without consulting a recipe. I like to think I make a decent risotto. I've got the basic steps down. A couple years ago I worked on perfecting a basic tomato sauce. Experimenting with the right ratio of onions, garlic, chile flakes, herbs, and splash(es) of balsamic vinegar. But, right here, I will admit that besides tomato sauce and pesto, I don't venture into the realm of sauces. Last week, I had a lot of pluots. And in my attempt to not bake up copious amounts of dessert, I opened up my browser and searched for savory plum dishes (thinking specifically pluot recipes would be few and far between). Happily, I found this Melissa Clark recipe. I thought it looked tasty. So I continued my search with the terms "vegetarian" and "plum sauce." Not so many hits on that one. Nevertheless, I was determined to make this fresh plum sauce. Or, in my case, pluot sauce. I marinated tofu in it for a couple of hours. Lightly pan-fried it. Steamed some broccoli and added a scoop of brown rice to the plate. It was...different. I mean, I think I liked it. Maybe the pluot for plums wasn't the way to go? The second round of tofu in the frying pan got crispier and the sauce started to caramelize. Definitely yummier. Will I make it again? Maybe. Next summer. When the bounty of fresh fruit is again forcing an attempt to think outside of dessert. Also, next time, I think I'll use plums.

pinning for friday #2

This week, in an effort to not eat my weight in peach pie and other such desserts, I've been in search of savory recipes that make use of summer's bounty of fruit. Luckily, there are some tasty options out there. Next week, I'll share what I did with this fresh plum sauce. I've also been pinning to my imaginary gallery wall. Specifically, I'd love to hang Frida Cola. Contemporary art quoting art history always makes me swoon. If you want to follow along throughout the week, you can follow my boards here. Have a lovely weekend!

Images: Peach Gazpacho from Martha Stewart; Nectarine, Sage and Blue Cheese Pizza from Nutmeg Nanny; Julia Beliaeva's Frida Cola and Richard Brocken's Feet |fet| via Saatchi Online

and do: get dressed #2

Today, I'm dying to pair a graphic tee with a pencil skirt. Remember the movie Hitch? There's a scene where Eva Mendes' character is wearing a graphic tee under a blazer with a pencil skirt. I remember my high school self thinking, "That is how I'm going to dress when I'm a professional woman." For the life of me, I could not find a screen shot of this scene. But I love all the interpretations of it I'm seeing today. And the tee above sums up just how I feel about the whole look.

Image: Peony Lim