strategic style

refinery 29 may have cracked the code to getting noticed by the sartorialist and making street style history. a scarf or quirky hat, a pop of color, menswear, or a vintage bike just might increase your curb appeal.

clippings

like lacework, each piece is linked to give strength to the delicate off-white rice paper artist bovey lee uses in her paper cutouts - letting light and shadow give dimension to the semi-translucent sheets. each piece is dense and intricate, with images rich in cross-cultural references that seek to contemporize and preserve the ancient artistry of chinese paper art.

tender, juicy, and tasty

i don't have a green thumb, or at least not a very good one, but the hot sun and local farmers' stands make me want to get my hands dirty. luckily, according to monkeys always look, anyone can keep a succulent alive. these hearty little plants are low maintenance and are growing in repurposed containers that would be perfect for a kitchen windowsill or deck bench. with sweet names like baby toes, topsy turvy, calico kitten, and hens and chicks, who could resist?

human-like

humanoid's summer collection looks so light and airy, with layers of jersey and voile, it might be the only clothing line that can withstand a humid midwest summer. in august, i've decided to wear nothing but cotton.

day pack

when ben and i were back in los angeles last week we were so busy seeing friends, moving, and finalizing a million details after being gone for a year that we didn't have a chance to go to the beach—we even rented an apartment in venice just to be close to the the hot sand and salty water. i was so disappointed. if we had gone, i would have packed up all of the necessities in my trusted canvas bag. 

here are some of my favorite totes from around the web: (1) anatomical heart, (2) kindling, (3) paris map, (4) letters, (5) bingo, (6) blue lace, (7) permanent vacation, (8) pillaging protection, and (9) snarling fox.

the heartland

i'm back in minnesota for a month. back to writing. back to family and friends. back to the lake and the garden and the place i called home when i was fresh faced and sun kissed. memories make my heart ache - riding bikes to the store on sundays for homemade donuts, catching turtles in the bay, sunbathing on the roof covered in baby oil and lemon juice, sneaking out of my bedroom window past curfew, laying on the dock at night watching the stars, waiting endlessly to grow up. now, wanting nothing more than to go back and stay a little longer.

(photos by: erin)