Happy City

There has been a lot of buzz about this book. Now a city dweller myself, I find the premise quite intriguing: Award-winning journalist Charles Montgomery writes about the intersection between urban design and the ideal of happiness, while navigating through some of the world's most dynamic cities. I often think about how my life would be altered if I chose to live in a foreign country. It is remarkable to think about how where we live has such a profound affect on all of the other variables in our lives.

Purchase the book here.

Gracious Green

Regrettably, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary to celebrate Earth Day. In fact, I came down with a case of strep throat. Glorious. However, I did discover a new app called iRecycle which suggests locations near you where you can properly dispose of things such as old phones, batteries, metals, paint and plastic (the list goes on) you want to part with, in a respective, mindful way. Check it out, here. Above: Landscape architect Miranda Brooks and her children. Be sure to view her incredible portfolio of green landscapes.

Keep It Cool

I'm loving Brazilian bombshell Alessandra Ambrosio's laid back look. Although I don't follow trends, it seems cricket sweaters are à la mode as of late and I'm a sucker for espadrilles...Her sweater you can find here, however I'm also loving the one below.

via

Sweet Pea

A beautiful bunny made a surprise trip to my nest on Friday with the most delightful bounty. It was quite touching and the perfect send-off to a wonderful Easter holiday in the city. After marveling over the delicate floral scent from my bedside and attempting to preserve every jelly bean, I came to a conclusion: Sweet Peas, may just be, my new favorite Easter flower. The annual flower has been around for over 300 years, originating from Sicily. Characteristically, they are known for being tricky to grow as they are slow to germinate. If you so choose to grow the jasmine-honey scented species, be sure to pick them in the morning when they are fresh with morning dew - their scent is sweeter. Below, I leave you with a poem from one of my favorite pastoral poets about the flower:

Sweet Pea (Delicate Pleasures) "Here are sweet peas,on tip-toe for a flight With wings of gentle flusho'er delicate white, And taper fingers catchingat all things To bind them all aboutwith tiny rings." –John Keats (1795–1821)

Bravo to J.Crew

A good friend tipped me off to this article she thought I'd enjoy (thanks, Babs!) and sure enough, I dig it. The above is a full page ad in NY Mag's The Cut this week in which Jenna Lyons (J.Crew creative director), addresses the J.Crew customer who wrote an open letter to her last year. The customer, Jenni Avins, requested that the retail brand would resurrect its scoop-back tank swimsuit that seemed to fit Miss Avins just so. After Jenna responded (see below), her team went to work and sure enough, they delivered in a big way. You can't argue it's a clever and honest marketing technique but there is indeed something so refreshing about this story. We have a world of choices as consumers and it's nice to know that some actually listen and make proactive decisions to keep their customers happy.

Wisteria

I stumbled upon Wisteria just a few short years ago. I ended up ordering their acrylic glass-top coffee table for my apartment here in San Francisco. It was a bit of a stretch for me aesthetically, as it was stylistically, more modern than I would ordinarily gravitate toward. I was drawn to the table for a few reasons, but one includes the staging photograph in the catalog. Most everything about this photo (below) was "me" and thus, I decided to take a walk on the wild side. I'm very happy with the table and continue to go back to Wisteria's site. Currently, they are offering a promotion.  

On The Market

  Sotheby's describes this listing as a "superb blend of historic and contemporary" and I would have to agree. This beauty is as quintessential as it gets when thinking about San Francisco landmark mansions.  Almost 10,000 sq. ft., the home commands nothing but  grace and gusto. Astonishingly, the home includes a garage that can accommodate 4.5 cars, which is unheard of in San Francisco. Although almost every inch of the home is unquestionably remarkable (you're paying $1,044/sq. ft. by the way), I think my favorite feature of the home is the kitchen and outdoor space. See the full listing here. MLS #: 415441.

Sea & Sea

It seems everyone is getting away for a little escape lately. Mark Sikes has been posting about his musings from Punta Cana, and this recent article in the NY Times had me thinking about photographs of the iconic Veruschka often with the sea as a backdrop. Above, my own tribute to the sea and the pleasures that come with its seduction. Whether it may be enjoying a paperback read, fresh summer fruit or a revitalizing swim, I find myself yearning for my own escape with the sea (and salt! and sand!).

Images via

The Allure That Is San Francisco

I'm often faced with the question "What made you move to San Francisco?" from friends and acquaintances. While I wish I had a juicy tale to tell, it is really quite simple. I traveled to San Francisco quite frequently in college for sailing regattas, which included extensive training for a national championship. I was instantaneously drawn to the energy the city possessed and the paralyzingly beautiful landscape. I knew in my heart, I'd someday come back on a more permanent basis. Several years after college, I decided it was time to move out of Rhode Island and conquer city life as a young adult. I flew to San Francisco for a "trial weekend" to see if the city still spoke to me. That particular weekend, I went for a walk in the Pacific Heights neighborhood where I was absolutely enamored by the landscape around me. Never before had I felt so invigorated. It was a natural high I wanted more and more of and was determined to make it a constant fixture in my life. It single-handedly sold me on San Francisco.

Two years later, now a resident of San Francisco, the allure continues. My walks are still one of the most invigorating experiences.Yesterday, I was memorized by the fragrance of wisteria, hyacinth and rose, while watching a tanker ship enter the bay from a long journey overseas. The fog was slowly and elegantly folding over the golden gate bridge and the streets were peaceful and desolate. I get great joy from always seeing the old white-haired woman in her periwinkle colored nightgown peering down from the top window her Edwardian mansion, almost as if she has never left her post. In a life that is often complex and trying, my walks speak to me. They will always be one of the greatest components to my love affair with San Francisco.

Scenes from the Savannah

As weekend plans heat up, I leave you with remarkable photographs courtesy of Wired from Zack Seckler's Botswana series. Zack's collection of bird's-eye photographs are thanks to an ultra-light aircraft, offering him breathtaking views of the country from 50 to 500 feet vertical from the African savannah. A majority of his photographs depict striking views of the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world's largest salt flats. Very few animals live here - the salt flat primarily serves as the home to a thin but abundent layer of blue-green algae.

Be sure to view more photographs from his collection here.