happy friday!

Photo of a painted harpsichord by Alexandra Roberts Photography, from Caroline and Cornelius' wedding day


<3 Michael McRobbie and IU <3


omg, you might just pee your pants when you see kitlers (thank you, Lynn)

beautiful trail :)

revisiting marcel

afternoon with an elephant

In the spirit of kale-eating, my future-dietician, cooking former-roommate Augusta was wearing this t-shirt when we most recently Skyped. Have you seen them? Apparently, there's all sorts of courtroom drama because Chick-Fil-A got all riled up about "Eat More Kale," saying it sounds too similar to "Eat More Chicken." If you can, buy a t-shirt to support the cause. (The nutrients cause, of course.)

how did I get a degree in journalism without ever having heard of the Proust Questionnaire?

wanderlust

I wanna see it!

The community in this movie kind of reminds me of Dancing Rabbit, to which I've never been but I would love to go. My friend Travis has been several times and it sounds like so much fun. Next step? I don't know...

happy friday!

Nothing like a storm cloud to make you feel really, really small.

via The Steward


Jane Austen-esque wedding portrait

happy friday!

I love these laughing eyes of a true New Yorker, Robert de Niro. via The Steward

tips for paying student loans (I have to start thinking about that now...)

 a glass for one who's ever the optimist

feeling free with these cliff-diving images

remember "Back to the Future" from Irina Werning? Here's a behind-the-secnes look at her work (watch the video; it's great), and part of her latest project with pro athletes

I want this easy-breezy little pink dress so badly!

a genius way to get closer to nature

sometimes you just have to laugh... it's just too easy. thank you, mr. vice president, for having such good intentions. but also for being so entertaining.

happy friday!

ready for adventure! via The Steward


It's my final weekend in Japan. Wait, what? I've been working-working-working and spent today in Kyoto, but still managed to find some exciting tidbits from around the webs...


gorgeous custom leather luggage tags
I got this fun mug for my papa for his birthday last month! (Canon, of course.)

inpsiring travel quotes (sets 1 and 2)
my friend Chelsea Sanders is selling her sweet little house in Bloomington, Indiana. If you're looking to move, you should most definitely check it out.

a fascinating breakdown of the recent events in the Middle East

101 revolutionary ways to be healthy
a report on food in Turkey and global meat consumption makes  a case for quality and conscious eating (I unfortunately picked up the habit again this winter after being 4 years clean... now I'm working on weaning myself back off!)
great news for Representative Gabrielle Giffords!
please please please do what you can from wherever you are to help in the search for Lauren Spierer (visit findlauren.com) (And congratulations to the Indiana Daily Student on the great feedback they're getting for their on-the-ground reporting)

Also, today is a very special day for birthdays! Leah, Katie and Karina, you June beauties add warmth to my life! xoxo

marine-life monday

all three images via The Steward

camping

It's been way too long! I crave a campfire, a canoe, stars above and warm bodies surrounding me. I've found myself daydreaming about plaid shirts and good fleeces and tents and canteens. Last week, my friend Liz recommended SierraTradingPost.com for overstocks on outdoor gear, which is hugely tempting considering the outrageous prices often attached to decent gear. I've visited it a few times, but I still have some adventures to save up for in the meantime...

Also, this gypsy tent is not enough and a little too much all at once, don't you think? I want to replicate it in my yard. And I could do that without overstock discounts!

via Scotch and Scones

dive in

Oh, the ocean. Summer.

Photo by Stephan Zirwes courtesy of My Modern Metropolis

via Corey Fishes

via Zoe Claudia

Purchase a print of this photo by Laura Bell at 20x200

Image by Ibai Acevedo courtesy of My Modern Met

Image by Ibai Acevedo courtesy of My Modern Met

Image by Ibai Acevedo courtesy of My Modern Met

via Slumber Designs

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.

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.

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