Away From My Desk

Hi all, I'm currently away from my desk...

And blogging from the Ace Hotel in Portland! I'm going to be here through the weekend for my ex-roomie's epic wedding / college reunion. Naturally my camera chose yesterday to breathe its last dying breath, but I'm hoping I can capture some of the week's events with my iPhone... this hotel is one design epiphany after another, so I can't wait to share!

For now, keep your eyes on the blog, we've got a few tidbits to share while we're off galavanting in my second-favorite city on earth.

XoXo from Portland,

Elizabeth

Dare to Dream: Dress-Up

How is this for job search motivation?

Linen Dress Form from Urban Outfitters

For now I'll just dare to dream of taking this $300 chunk out of that elusive next paycheck.

The To-Do List

Adam is off on a business trip to Chile, which means that...

a. Calling my boyfriend would set me back $3.49 per minute. 

b. I'm home alone with a demanding cat and an even more demanding to-do list.

c. I better get one helluva souvenir.

It's not all bad though, because...

a. I'm going to eat all of the ice cream I want.

b. I'm going to sleep diagonally.

c. World traveler Adam has forfeited his right to veto the paint color for the living room. Ha.

Anyway, I'm treating myself to a leisurely morning before I crack open a can of paint. Leisurely but productive, as I'm researching options for coat storage.

The Twig Coat Rack from Pottery Barn, $199

 The Twig Coat Rack from Z Gallerie, $139

 The Twig Coat Rack from Grandin Road, $99

I think we have a winner with that last option- definitely an improvement on our current practice of stashing coats on the backs of my dining room chairs.

A Vanity- For Him

Last week I spotted this beautiful photograph by Helen Norman featured at Good Measure.

Photograph courtesy of Helen Norman, Via Good Measure blog.

It's an antique gentleman's shaving stand- one part utilitarianism to one part narcissism. Perfection. A quick search turned up a few other results, some of which are actually in the Bay Area (though none of which have the pared-down elegance of the inspiration image). 

Victorian shaving stands in various levels of frill.

Of course, since Adam's rocking a mountain man beard a shaving stand would need to find a new form of employment around our house. I'm thinking that it would do quite nicely in our little entry- for that last lipstick touch-up and a practice smile before I grab my keys and dash out the door to an interview.

Definitely something to add to my flea market scouting list!

Thanks to Le Petit Cadeau!

I'm beyond flattered- One Must Shock the Bourgeois has been featured at Le Petit Cadeau!

Lisa is a classmate from Holly Becker's BYW e-class and the craftsperson behind Le Petit Cadeau on Etsy. Her handmade felt and fabric creations range from fluttery floral pins to a fanciful take on traditional cameo brooches. She's reviving the Victorian aesthetic with wearable accessories infused with a sassy sense of humor...

Thanks again to Lisa at Le Petit Cadeau!

Ending Monday on a High Note

This keeps making me smile, so I had to share.

Afternoon sun and a bunny of another color.
(Thanks, Mom!)

Setting the Table: Easter Weekend

Adam and I spent Easter celebrating a completely different religious holiday: the resurrection of baseball. We went to our first game at Giants' Stadium in San Francisco to watch the Mariners play. The few fanatics who turned out for the game huddled under the upper decks for five innings of pouring rain, freezing wind, and very sloppy baseball. I said a secret hallelujah when the game was called!

Easter is the one day each year when my obsession with rabbits is in the least bit acceptable. Luckily we held a Good Friday dinner at our apartment and I got to indulge in a bit of Springtime decorating. 

The bunnies were out en masse.

I went for a picnic look with lots of flower pots.

Great Grandma's pretty party napkins.

Some finishing touches.

Fresh greens and pastel colors in Adam's salmon alfredo. 

We've been having awfully blustery weather in the Bay Area, so I'm doing my best to bring a garden party feel to my dining room!

Hope everyone had a happy (and dry) Easter! I'm sure this Monday morning found you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, right? Ha. If you're feeling anything like I am, you're wishing you could skip out of work and hop right back into bed...

PS: For a few more bunny posts, try here and here and here!