happy friday!

Photo of Oprah and puppy courtesy of Examiner


Hope your weekends are filled with joy! I intend to make this one festive, though I'll also be making some time for taking some portraits. I also must do lots of studying. Any tips for staying focused? Delve into some of my personal favorite finds from this week here:


Karina has been writing for The Examiner in Albany, NY. Check out her work here!


A blog about how dads were the first hipsters? Yes, please.


Fun striped tablecloths at this Connecticut wedding!


Piccsy.com is filled with beautiful, off-beat, ironic and fun images for your browsing.


This week, I simply can't get enough of MGMT's "Electric Feel"


Captivating kitty eyes, via my friend Clare's blog exez&ohhz


Joanna expresses her sympathy to Prince William (no, nothing to do with his brand-new marriage!)

royal wedding tomorrow!

I think the entire watching world combined has just as much pre-wedding jitters as the couple themselves today...

How about this fun Vanity Fair story comparing this to the previous wedding of our lifetimes?

puppy cam

In my freshman year of college, I lived in the dorms, which was great for gossip but less convenient for studying. I had a floor full of super fun girls who were always discovering crazy fun things on the inter-webs. One of these was the puppy cam, which we visited several times a day for about a week. Guess what? It's back.

P.S. more puppies here.

to be a fairy princess

a spring dream.

Image of Emma Watson courtesy of Style Frizz

raindrops

I have been blessed with a most joyous rainy weekend. All day Saturday, at my parents' house, the rain fell. I love rain anywhere, but sometimes I think it might be best there. Sometimes, when rain begins to fall, the pitter-patter on the leaves is so soft and crescendos so slowly that it could just as easily be a strong wind blowing through the branches of the trees of the surrounding woods. We can't know if it's raining or not unless we look at the surface of the lake and see the patterns of the raindrops.


On Easter Sunday, my parents and my grandmothers and I played cards in a quaint little sunroom all afternoon as the rain came down. Springtime rain makes me feel so vital. And fortunately, it followed me back to school yesterday. This photo is of my deck this morning, with little petals in the little puddles. The best song to go along with a bouncy, lively, wet spring day (for me, anyway) is James Taylor's "Up Er Mei." (Unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding anything other than the Amazon clip to listen to on the web. But it's on his album called "Hourglass," for what it's worth.)


See more rain-love here and read a cute little poem about rain by Shel Silverstein, after the jump.

Photo by Shanti Knight

Rain

by Shel Silverstein

I opened my eyes

And looked up at the rain,

And it dripped in my head

And flowed into my brain,

And all that I hear as I lie in my bed

Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly,

I walk very slow,

I can't do a handstand--

I might overflow,

So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--

I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.

happy friday!

Portrait of Barbra Streisand courtesy of Last.fm

What are your weekend plans? I'm making a special trip to see my family for Easter. I'm excited to wear a spring dress!

Here are some little nuggets of artistry from around the Web:

enthusiasm + high activity levels + loose skin = cute basset hounds

1 year ago: Tina Fey's big night out, via Esquire

an almost outdoor shower

young and old, preserved in crazy life-like sculpture

a farm journal, for when you need a break

musings on living your best life

at one with the earth

Photo by Ibai Acevedo via My Modern Met


The sky was light and the land all dark

The sun rose up over Central Park

I was walking home from work

Gaia

The petal sky and the rosy dawn

The world turning on the burning sun

Sacred wet green one we live on

Gaia

Run run run run said the automobile and we ran

Run for your life take to your heels

Foolish school of fish on wheels

Gaia

Turn away from your animal kind

Try to leave your body just to live in your mind

Leave your cold cruel mother earth behind

Gaia

As if you were your own creation

As if you were the chosen nation

And the world around you just a rude and

Dangerous invasion

Gaia

Someone's got to stop us now

Save us from us— Gaia

No one's gonna stop us now

We thought we ought to walk awhile

So we left that town in a single file

Up and up and up mile after mile after mile

We reached the tree line and I dropped my pack

Sat down on my haunches and I looked back down

Over the mountain

Helpless and speechless and breathless

Gaia

Pray for the forest pray to the tree

Pray for the fish in the deep blue sea

Pray for yourself and for God's sake

Say one for me

Poor wretched unbeliever

Someone's got to stop us now

Save us from us Gaia

No one's gonna stop us now

(listen)

I love the earth, and in honor of its own special holiday, here is one of earth-lover James Taylor's greatest anthems to the planet. Walk somewhere today. Pick up trash. Help an animal. Buy a hybrid. Call your representatives and tell them you care, and you expect them to defend the planet. No matter where you stand politically, it's all we've got.

P.S. If you're in New York, check out this Earth Day activity list.

P.P.S. Check out Earth Day Network.

P.P.P.S. Check out Anthropologie's Earth Day celebrations.

swirl bun

Isn't this just lovely? I love it's tiny imperfections but ultimate flowing motion. A style like this could work beautifully for just about any occasion you can dream up.

via The Steward

bright

celebrating springtime

photo by John Wright courtesy of My Modern Metropolis

coachella fashion

If it weren't for Little 500, I would really have loved to have beeen in Indio, California last weekend, kicking it at Coachella Music and Arts Festival. Michele went last year and had a great time celeb-spotting and hearing great tunes. It looks like such a laid-back, good-time chill-fest.Plus the line-up included Ms. Lauryn Hill, Yelle, Kanye West, Ratatat and the Strokes. (Fun fact: Wiz Khalifa performed here for Little 500 on Friday and then went to California for Coachella on Sunday. So it's safe to assume at least a little Hoosier dirt got to Indio.)

Some of my top outfits:

Peachy button-up linen dress with a little lace on top. Add a black fedora and grab your boyfriend. Let's go!

Isabel Lucas, via Zimbio

Simple, straight to the point. An easy-going little white dress, black sandals that won't fly off, and a medallion necklace. Ready!
Alexa Chung, via People

I swoon. It's completely perfect, top to bottom. Minimal hair and makeup tricks— just beach hair and a great tan. White tank with a ruggedly printed American flag + pristine white shorts, folded up so the pockets hang out. Bracelets on both wrists balance it and the functional brown leather hiking shoes finish. Just enough clean, just enough dirty. Doesn't she look pretty? Doesn't she just look ready to have a good time? Nobody will have to wait for this girl to fix her makeup. She's already out the door.
Kate Bosworth, via People

If it weren't Coachella this would be overkill, but given the situation, it's just right. Crochet top? Check. Feather earring? Check. Stonewashed denim? Check. Bare feet? Check.

Get her super sexy and completely rad leg garter here

Vanessa Hudgens, via People

I love the simplicity of this. Short hair, a functional bag, and a long, goes-with-everything knit dress. She's elegant and chill all at the same time.

Amira, via Vogue

Not to play favorites, but I'm particularly in love with the look on the left— a dainty corset with roughed-up jean shorts? It's a little Golden Hawn and a little saloon. Tell me, what's not to love?
Andrea Florescu and Kelly Thiebaud, via Elle

It's edgy, it's outrageous, it's positively perfect.
Kimberly Pariente, via Elle

a timely reminder

giggle.

via The Paris Apartment

ducks

Some beauty for a Tuesday.

via The Steward

awe

This is what springtime feels like.

Photo by Elizabeth Messina at Kiss the Groom

reese witherspoon in may vogue

Is Reese Witherspoon not the most endearing woman in Hollywood? She is so genuinely sweet and she has that lovely accent. And then there's her gorgeous face.

Now, she takes Vogue to promote Water for Elephants. I love how these images (by Peter Lindbergh) feel so old-worldy, like The Fantasticks. Will you be seeing Water for Elephants? I'm hoping I get a chance. It looks romantic and beautiful.

happy friday!

Photo by Shanti Knight


Have a fantastic weekend! Here are some of the cooler things I found on the internet this week...

Totes wish I could be in London on the 29th! If I were, I'd be doing this.

Ah, Savannah! (via Jamie Beck)

Janis Joplin's take on music.

The new J. Crew blog.

Symbolic mid-day revitalization.

I saw Lil Wayne live this week. Here's the story of how an Indiana college town got on his tour.


For art people.


Being disagreeable.


Everybody loves a mud puddle.