As guests were greeted in the entry rotunda of an empty bank at 20 Exchange Place in the Financial District, they were asked to select a small black envelope and meet the calligraphy artist who would write their names out. I wrote 70 names throughout the cocktail hour and into dinner, hoping that the gold ink wouldn't blob too much and that I could do every name justice. The envelopes acted as each guest's namecard as well as an activity for later in the evening... 

It wasn't until after five savory dessert courses with drink pairings and several comedic and musical acts later that the guests were instructed that they would have 5 minutes to get up, open their envelope, perform the task on the card inside, and to sit in a different seat than where they began. Tasks included things like "Kiss the Cook" (Ben Mims), "Hug the Bartender", "Give your phone number", or my favorite "Cut a rug with Amy/Patrick" The parlour game worked wonderfully and after everyone was seated, seven fluffy Coconut Layer Cakes were placed along the table for everyone to enjoy, family style. 

I'm surely falling for this new found medium and was so happy to get to play a part in the magic of the SSSS dinners that Patrick and Amy create. Mr. RaeChild was happy to see my new found obsession have a home outside of our own. 

The colorful shop, the personalized place setting, a friend by my side, and Jenna's sweet instruction made the workshop into my version of a day at the spa. I was surprised that we were able to write full words by the end of the hour and a half long class. I think anyone who knows how to write in cursive could excel at calligraphy, although Jenna emphasized "practice, practice, practice" - which is exactly what this brisk fall season will be perfect for.  

Jenna's workshop details and stunning calligraphy is featured on her website: MonVoir.com

For this weekend away Mr. RaeChild and I tried our first shared apartment experience via Airbnb and were happy we did. For one, we graduated with two of the three Airbnb founders and appreciate the business they have developed, and also the host was a fellow RISD Architecture Student whose apartment is blocks from my favorite college-years coffee shop: Coffee Exchange. This shop is a community hub for academics and locals and is always abuzz with interesting chatter. My favorite part is the extensive selection of pay-per-pound beans, roasted on site! I was thrilled when "Ben The Roaster" gave me an impromptu coffee lesson as he roasted a unique heirloom bean - I had no idea how much science is involved in my daily brew.

If you are considering visiting Providence, RI for a weekend I would suggest stopping by the RISD Museum. I am definitely biased, but this museum has one of everything. The breadth and range of work they show surprises me every time. This visit I discovered a room of custom sized, openable drawers filled with vintage textiles, gowns, purses, shoes and tortuous corsets. The Pendleton House wing is like stepping back in time with period furnished rooms complete with historical wallpaper. There is plenty to see and appreciate throughout the museum but I can't deny how excited I get to see the impressionist wing, and in particular this classic Monet painting. No matter how overly commercialized his work has become (think fridge magnets + thank you notes) it brings me back to discovering fine art in my adolescence. 

As I hoped this post might help generate ideas of places to visit while in Providence, I might mention to schedule your visit during a Water Fire weekend. Stationary baskets of wood are lit in the middle of the canal, appearing to float while dramatic symphonic music plays. There are many tempting food vendors. 

Speaking of food! Here's a list of some of my favorite college digs (the ones that still exist):

- Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches - Sandwiches such as the "Godzilla" can and should be ordered with extra "Dragon's Breath" Also, there are free pickles, you can go in just for pickles if you want. 

- Eastside Pockets - Best falafel. Just go and try and you'll be really happy you did.

- Cablecar Cafe - Highly caloric ham and cheese on croissants, perhaps more appreciated in my younger years. Doubles as a cinema so catch a film while you're there!

The vast, wood paneled space of the Standard Room on the 3rd Floor featured swanky low couches and casual dining areas, all accented to perfection with smart, youthful props. I felt one cocktail/cigarette combo away from a Mad Men set, which is fitting considering the growing amount of post modern Herman Miller furniture featured on that show. Fast company wrote all about it here. 

The showroom extended onto the terrace where the company's growing portfolio of outdoor furniture was featured. The Eames Aluminum is one of my favorite indoor pieces, so I was happy to see it's outdoor cousin debut. 

As if I hadn't already been spoiled with great design, they also set up an Alexander Girard pop up shop located just around the corner (at 446 West 14th Street) to feature archival pieces as well as reissues which will be produced in the fall. This more intimate show will be open until May 28th and is a "must see," if not for it's inspiring artifacts, unique color palette and 70's mexican music, then for the espresso bar, La Columbe, in the back serving complimentary cortados! Dwell magazine features more information here. 

A brief video for a taste of the music... it was wonderful!

I truly am a lucky gal to work at a company with such a tremendous design legacy. To be inspired everyday by unique stories, stunning visuals, and equally wonderful people is a humbling thing.

I set to work creating a sitting area upon arrival, complete with an Eames Lounge and Ottoman and vintage turkish kilim, a place to rest amongst the mayhem. But it didn't take long for the sanity of a sitting room to be overruled by loud drilling, banging, and heated bathtub, faucet, and tile talk; three highly emotional subjects in my book. I've been spending a lot of time researching and carefully selecting each of these as we are currently focusing on renovating both the main bath and half bath. I'll take you through my design process in a series of posts. For now, here's my take on bathtubs...

I hands down wanted to salvage the existing cast iron tub, easy! ...Not so easy. Cast iron bathtubs weigh over 300lbs so fitting them back into a demo-ed space requires extra man-power on site, meaning our plumber was going to charge us more for the labor alone to re-install the cast-iron tub than the costs to purchase a new one and install it together. Not to mention his concerns about potential leaking around the fittings. This was frustrating as it meant that the tub area became an open slate to pinterest ideas for several days... I would have opted for a large open shower with partial glass door and omitted the bathtub altogether, an ever increasing choice amongst homeowners; bathubs are becoming extinct. However, this is the only full bath in the house so after much deliberation we decided on a simple new tub. 

Bathtub material options include either plastic (fiberglass or acrylic) or metal (steel with porcelain enamel finish or cast iron with porcelain enamel finish). I'm a purist and of course wanted metal. As it turns out, steel bathtubs (the metal option on the market today) extract heat from the tubwater causing your bath to go colder faster than a cast iron tub because unlike steel, once cast iron heats up it stays hot, whereas steel continuously cools and continues to extract heat. This information left me preferring a plastic tub. Within the plastic category, acrylic is less likely to crack than fiberglass and also more commonly found, so this is what I settled on despite all attempts to spiff up the existing American made cast iron tub...

The home-ownership learning curve has been extreme with this many tasks under way, but seeing so many healthy improvements to an old house is very satisfying. Below are some progress shots of the Full Bath as it went through an entire floor to ceiling gut job. It's in a much better state now, with a dead level floor. We found a door in the wall (!?) and some vintage sailboat wallpaper under many wall layers. And don't think these 100+ year old floorboards were tossed, this girl now has a wood heap, after all, it was my birthday!

Purchasing a plane ticket just four days before the tournament is something I never would have done if it weren't for my Kentucky friend's passion for UK basketball, and my Dallas-based long time friend, who I've have been dying to visit.  

"Dallas Kate" is born and bred Texas. Which means, she knows a little something about southern hospitality. One of the highlights of our weekend together was getting takeout from "Del's Charcoal Burgers" - an adorable Richardson, TX based burger joint. This place had me swooning the minute I stepped out of the car. They've been in business over 60 years and their authentic "Texas-proud" decorations let you know you've landed somewhere special. The tables inside were filled with older local gentlemen enjoying a quiet Saturday lunch. We ordered a little of everything (which included a fried twinkie!) and were handed homemade rootbeers in frosted glasses while we waited. I felt like a kid in a fantastically Texas decorated candy shop. This is the kind of small town, good food, great service, spot I relish when on a NYC getaway. 

In the end, UK made it to the Championship game, but didn't win, which only means I'll need to find a new lucky something for next season. Apparently my faux Princess Di ring wasn't lucky enough. 

I loved visiting Dallas, if not for all the basketball excitement, but for all the friends I got to visit while I was there. It's great to have people in your life that encourage you to step outside your comfort zone, try something new, and be spontaneous! You never know what kind of adventure you may end up on! 

...I didn't mention I scalped my ticket. SCALPED. Good thing my friend, "Kentucky Miller's" dad showed her the ropes at a young age, I had floor seats!

I'll be posting dramatic before and after photos as work gets under weigh. For now, Mr. RaeChild and I had our first dose of homeownership responsibility handed to us after 22" of snowfall-turned-ice rendered the driveway unusable. I made very good friends with a metal shovel, and three bags of this stuff:

My pinterest "Business Time" board is where I stash office inspiration images + potential purchases as I'm cruising the internet. Collecting these images over time has helped me shape the look I'm going for in this space: clean + bright. I hear a lot of "wasted time" jokes about pinterest but it's a great tool for brainstorming and visualizing a project in it's entirety. These are two pinterest kitchens that got me thinking about a grey storage credenza and antique rug combo for my office: 

So what do I do? Do I stay true to my original intent and splurge on a colorful antique kilim, like the one shown above from Amber Interiors? Or do I compromise on a basic cotton dhurrie, like the b/w herringbone patterned one shown from World Market, which would get the job done with a graphic punch? "You need to get that look for less." was Mr. RaeChild's statement upon seeing the $845 kilim price tag.

I'm not a graffiti connoisseur, but I've always loved this sign. I like to think of it as an anonymous person out there believing in us gals and whatever lie in store for us.

That day I looked up at the sign and thought of Christine, the toughest gal I know. She is not only the definition of girl power, she multiplies it. She instills courage, laughter, and love in her community of friends with her uplifting, inspirational, goofy spirit all the while battling stage four colon cancer for over six years. Her maiden name is Rock, so her nickname is naturally Rocky, mostly because she rocks it - I can't think of a time I didn't laugh my butt off hanging out with her. She does an outstanding job at life and I just want her to know, "YOU GO GIRL!" (with yo bad self.) 

Please send her your love, prayers, good chi and thoughts as she explores her options for overcoming this.

Not to be missed is this video her besties made for her:

I'm excited for this upcoming year's surprises and developments. Last year I learned about the discipline it takes to write a blog while managing all of life's other necessities and I'm happy I started; it's hard to know what something will be like until you try it. My resolutions for 2014 are not anything I can't tackle: to continue to nurture my creative side with some juicy projects (more on this to come), to try my hand at calligraphy, and to smile more (oh yes, while sporting adult braces). 

My holiday gifts consist of a few simple traditions: dry humor postcards, jam thumbprints, and spicy pecans. If your lucky, you get all three, but that's a rare achievement. Here I unveil the secret behind the addictive little nut nuggets...

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup -plus- 1 Tbs Brown Sugar (dark or light works)

1 Tbs Water

1 Tbs Unsalted Butter

Pinch (or more) Cayenne Pepper (omit if you can't handle the heat)

1 1/2 - 2 Cups Raw, Unsalted Pecans

Special Equipment:

Parchment Paper - forget this step and you'll be scraping sticky bits off your sheet pan instead of kicking your feet up and munching pecans.

The Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

2. Melt brown sugar, water, butter, and cayenne pepper (to taste) together in a medium size pot over medium heat

3. Add in your pecans and stir to coat

4. Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes

5. Remove from oven, toss to coat once again and bake for an additional 5 minutes

6. They're done, let cool, share if willing.

PS - I've heard these go great on an Arugula, Goat Cheese, Beet Salad!

With the first anniversary of my friend's passing upon me, I was left with a lot of anxiety about how to acknowledge this day. I wanted to create a small tradition I could uphold, so after some thought, I decided to start a "Memory Tie Banner."

I sewed a small piece of fabric with decorative stitching to tie onto a length of cotton webbing. This way each year I can take a moment and add another tie, reflecting both on the painful significance of this friend's passing as well as the many years of life ahead that I look forward to experiencing fully while carrying his spirit on.

Winter vegetable soups are a cozy essential for these months of hibernation. Leeks, part of the onion family, add an elegant and mild flavor when paired with potatoes for this simple to make soup. If you've never tried to make homemade soup before, I recommend this one as a starting point, you'll surely impress anyone you share it with!

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking, here's my take on the classic:

• 3 Tablespoons of Butter
• 8 Leeks (the lower white/light green part only - peel away outer layer and wash thoroughly)
• 3 medium potatoes (peeled and sliced)
• 5 Cups of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• Salt + Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream or 1/2 + 1/2 (optional, but recommended)
• Chives (optional, but recommended)

Equipment needed: 

• Vegetable Peelers (these are the #1 best peelers - Kuhn Rikon from Switzerland - found in specialty food shops or available here they are worth it and would make an excellent gift for the cook on your holiday list.)
• Soup Pot
• Blender or Food Processor

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a soup pot, add the chopped + rinsed leeks, cook about 20 minutes over medium heat until tender.

2. Add the sliced potatoes and stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for approx 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. 

3. Transfer everything to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, adding salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Add about 1/2 Cup of cream to the blender/food processor at the end, if desired. This technically changes the soup from Potato Leek to "Vichyssoise" - the French version. It's delicious. (Note: I would leave the cream out of any portions that you may be freezing.)

5. Serve immediately and top with snipped chives, because you're now an accomplished chef, that's why.

Stay warm out there! xoR

After living in NYC for 8 years, I'm no longer a novice at "the swap" and decided to add one more layer of OCD to my routine: p-touch labels to the outside of the stowaway boxes. This will help in the ensuing months when I've forgotten what box has what in it and need to dig into them for lighter weight pants or sandals, but am not yet ready for the next full-on swap. 

It took me about 2 hours in total, which is a time commitment considering I wasn't swapping for a family of five, but the payoffs are worth it. I like having some wiggle room in my drawers and enough hangers for all my clothes. Not to mention the clarity it brings in these dark, cold, wee winter hours of the morning, when a turquoise and lime green tunic is just not going to fly come 9am at the office.

Here are the supplies I found that helped me:

- Clear Storage Boxes by Container Store // I measured the bottom of my closet, checked the sizes online, and requested them to be ready at the store for me when I arrived. I used (2) of the "Our Jumbo Box" size. These are reasonably priced but note that they aren't air-tight.

- P-Touch Label Maker by Brother // I have nice handwriting, so this was an appliance I thought was completely useless until I caved and bought one for labeling my file folders. Now I prefer how easy these labels are to read compared to my handwriting, although I still like handwriting notes.

Now that I've said goodbye to my summer palette for real, I'm welcoming my cozy winter bolds and will be taking a trip to Good Will with those items I know I didn't wear last year, or the year before, or the year before that... I'm sure you all feel warm and fuzzy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pitfalls: 

- I thought I could easily post once a week if not twice a week. // Creating quality content takes more time than I expected. If I plan on giving DIY directions for a project I'm whipping up, then I have to take extra time out to make sure I'm capturing images that can explain the steps for a post. 

- Real time posts that coordinate with real time social media. // I'm always working on something creative that gives me an "aha!" moment of wanting to share, the hard part is documenting, drafting, editing and organizing it into a story. I've found that I tend to have a two to three week real time delay. Professional bloggers have production schedules so they can put forth a seamless narration. I'd like to get better at coordinating these, for example when I post a video of sewing on instagram then the associated tutorial on my blog should be posted soon after (they're especially difficult to explain...)

 - Selfies in Mermaid Costumes are hard. // I may or may not have fallen off the posting wagon soon after a failed attempt at a post I had my heart set on - my mermaid halloween costume. It was impossible to capture myself in costume in any (dare I say) natural way that may have been tempting to the neediest of pinterest users. We'll see about next year... 

Pats-on-the-back: 

- I can now begin to see my posting patterns. // Although I don't have a large quantity of posts and my topics have varied (widely) since I started, I can now see what I'm better at, what I should exercise more of, and how to mix it up.

- Styling and finding creative places to photograph still-lives in my tiny apartment. // This has been what I've enjoyed the most - although it may be my biggest challenge. As with any photography, lighting is key, so I have to use my weekends carefully.

- Creative outlet that pushes my writing skills. // Finding a voice through writing is not something I have had much experience with, in fact writing has never been my strong suit. My content may not be world changing, but it's been a great exercise to practice writing to a great unknown audience. If you haven't tried writing anything in awhile, I highly recommend it - a funny story, a recipe, a diary entry, it can be very satisfying!

Since this is a work in progress, I'm especially grateful for everyone that has encouraged, given feedback or simply put up with my shameless self promoting of images and posts - thank you! And please, feel free to weigh in on my review - let me know what you think I may be doing right or wrong, I'd love to see comments! xoR

Rolling ocean waves might not be the seasonal standard but neither are Starbuck's bubblegum pink coozies (for their La Boulange launch, not Breast Cancer awareness). And besides, it's my blog I can do what I want. It's my blog I can say what I want.

I digress. I was spoiled by great friends and great views and finally great lobster. But mostly, I swooned at the sight of this adorable moated sand castle made by two sisters, simply finished with feathers in the rooks.

If you're in the area and looking for a quality Lobster Roll, I can stand behind  

Monahan's Clam Shack by the Sea at 190 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882

or

Aunt Carrie's at 1240 Ocean Rd  Narragansett, RI 02882

Here's a sweet video of a house that sits in the middle of the Narragansett Bay, kept up by work weekend contributions of many friends... this guy's got it all figured out.

And finally some more glorious beach views...

Building on my last post regarding my trusted coffee mug, I thought I'd take you to a land filled with uber cute glassware and graphic housewares galore. If you're looking for a treasure trove of gifts (for self or others) Fishs Eddy is a sure bet; located on Broadway and 19th Street near Union Square in NYC. This vintagesque shop carries both their own unique lines as well as staples like white diner-ware and open stock flatware. 

I'm a big fan of the Charley Harper + Todd Oldham Bird Collection and could see incorporating novelty pieces like this large tray into a kitchen for cookies during the holidays. The illustrations are by celebrated illustrator Charlie Harper, known for his "minimal realism" of wildlife and brought to life on dishware by famed designer Todd Oldham. 

The store experience is not to be missed, but come prepared with a hot beverage in hand and leave the little ones at home, you'll inevitably be sucked into every nook of the shop spending far more time ogling vintage creamers and milk glass cake stands than you ever expected! 

Pics of the shop interior below...

I like things and have always been a collector but try not to put stock in inanimate objects. I'm not usually one to freak out when said thing plummets to it's impending doom. Like say my coffee mug. Last week my trusted coffee mug broke for the second time, super glue was no longer an option, I was due for a replacement.

It was easy to find a replacement at Anthropologie, I'm really liking the easy breezy watercolor pattern. I like to think this special morning mug can send me off into my work day with good vibes, but really I know that while balancing work, evening classes, and a social calendar, it's my daily 5 minutes to gather my thoughts and give myself a pat on the back. Perhaps even say "Go get em tiger!" or "You go girl," (insert your favorite mantra here) before venturing out into the big city. I guess this is my morning ritual in a hectic world that I didn't even realize I had.

Any other curious morning rituals out there? Any zen "omm" chanters? Any Full English Breakfast eaters? Calories permitting, I would totally join the Morning Bacon Wakers.

You don't have to be a certain age to wear friendship bracelets. In fact, the older I get, the more I appreciate a great true-blue and am ever more ready to sport this age old tradition of the wrist, even if that means pushing corporate casual boundaries. Start by making this Chevron Style bracelet and you'll be able to downgrade to the Single Angled Row easily.

Materials Needed: 

// \\ Embroidery Floss // \\ Scissors // \\ Heavy Card Stock or Chip Board // \\ Friend // \\

• Embroidery Floss is available at any craft store, just pick your colors. I suggest 3 - 10, the more colors you have the wider it will be. Also, the more colors you have the longer your threads need to be before starting. 
• There's no science behind how long to make your threads before cutting, I would start with about 72" in length, then fold it in half and tie a knot - so that your strings are each 36", you have a loop at the end and two of each color.
• Cut a 1" Slit at the top center of a piece of chip board (could be the back of a notepad) Tape your loop and knot behind this, leaving your strings dangling in the front. 
• Cut several more 1" Slits along the bottom of the chip board about 1/2" apart - you want more slits than you have strings so as you work you continuously have a place to secure your string.  
• Arrange your strings according to how you want them to show up in your bracelet. The ones along the outer edges will end up meeting up in the center, so alternating these gives a variegated effect (as I've done in the photos) 

• Now that your ready to start, here are a few tips: You're always going to start on the Outside and work towards the inside and you'll essentially be making (2) knots on each string using the string that you have picked up. 
• Pick up the first string and start the 1st knot... Create a sort of "4" going over the string your about to tie a knot on, then going under, and then back up through the loop you just made. 
• Pull that string up and through and viola! You've made your first knot!  Now you'll just be repeating that twice on all strings until you get to the center...

• Then start on the other side, again, working from the outside in...

• Each round makes one set of stripes on your bracelet, so you just have to keep going - perfect for a long car ride!

I wish you luck on your friendship bracelet making, let me know if you need clarification with any of these steps by posting a comment! 

Deciding on a craft or two to bring before embarking on the long drive up coast is no easy feat and while I was tempted to toss my sewing machine in the backseat, I settled on a more conservative knitting project for the sake of our carpoolers. 

I've had this baby moccasin bootie project half-started and stashed away for several years now, all the while booty-less babies were being born. It just wasn't right. So the night before setting out I called on the knitting talents of a great friend, who was willing to spend her Friday night teaching me all the new techniques I would need to know to get through the pattern.

It took her four hours to help me half way through the pattern, it took me another four days to complete... the first bootie. I dreamt of returning from camp, pockets rich with booties, babies lining up for adorable alpaca moccasins. Boy (or girl) was I wrong.

I have a bit more practice to go before I'm churning these out overnight but my knitting vocabulary has expanded exponentially. Here's a list of the techniques that you can plan on learning while making these if you start out as I did (a talented flat scarf knitter with some ribbing experience):

• reading a pattern
• knitting in the round with multiple separate needles (although the pattern could be adapted for using the type of needles that are connected)
• switching colors
• ssk (slip slip knit) - a left decreasing stitch
• using stitch markers
• "picking up" stitches
• Kitchener Stitch
• and my favorite part, the "Duplicate" embroidery stitch for the toe decoration

While incredibly challenging, it was satisfying to see the little foot shaped sock emerge. I'll update once I've completed the set... For now I'd like to ask baby Clara, Reid and Ellis to stop growing your feet for awhile.