Wish I Were There

(Photo via Battery Carriage House website)

Maybe it's just a touch of cabin fever, but I've been feeling the need for a change of scenery. I wish I could hop on a plane for a quick getaway somewhere, anywhere (well, as long as it's relatively warm). I need to relax and recharge. Austin, Charleston, and L.A. all sound just grand right now...here's what I would do in each city:

Austin: 1) scope out the thriving food truck scene; 2) stay at the Hotel San José; 3) check out some sculpture and have lunch at the Nasher Center; 4) eat real Texas BBQ at The Salt Lick; 5) catch some live music.

Charleston: 1) eat at the Hominy Grill and Jestine's; 2) stay in a cozy B&B; 3) get my fill of red velvet cupcakes at Sugar Bakeshop; 4) spend an afternoon browsing at Blue Bicycle Books; 5) take a self-guided bicycle tour of historic downtown.

L.A.: 1) see what all the fuss is about at Sweet Lady Jane; 2) hear the L.A. Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall; 3) hunt down the Kogi taco truck; 4) have a "500 Days of Summer" moment on Angels Knoll; 5) find a hotel pool with affordable day rates where I can lounge under the sun.

*****

What will I actually be doing this weekend? Most likely reading Cranford, watching what's left of the Olympics, maybe doing a little baking (I have a craving for some sort of chewy, oat-y cookie), and praying for the mercury to rise. Spring cannot get here soon enough...

Bag Lady

Anthropologie has a bevy of beautiful leather bags right now that would be just perfect for spring...

Here-There-Everywhere Bag, $178

Fresh Leaves Shopper, $158

Imperative Satchel, $278

Zing & Tart Bag, $290

Braided Perimeters Hobo, $335

A Dream of Spring

We got the tiniest glimpse of spring over the weekend, and even though I have enjoyed this very wintery winter, I am starting to daydream about the change of the seasons. I'm ready to swap my wool coat for a cotton jacket, boots for open-toe wedges, and sweaters for floaty blouses. Unfortunately, in the words of our local news, we are in for another "paralyzing blizzard" over the next few days...so I'd better not put those boots away just yet.

(Photo via Anthropologie.)

You're a Superstar, Yes That's What You Are

Have you seen Tina Fey on the cover of the March issue of Vogue? She looks so fresh and pretty! Take note, Elle...no more awkwardly-posed waifs, please.

(Photo by none other than Mario Testino.)

Yes, I Judge Books by Their Covers

I was just browsing Amazon for books, and it looks like the first few titles from the second series of Penguin clothbound classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith is set for U.S. release on March 10th...woohoo! Keep an eye out for Emma, The Odyssey, Treasure Island, and Lady Chatterley's Lover to hit bookstores in the next few weeks. We will have to wait until September 28th for the remaining titles, which include Oliver Twist, Little Women, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I'm practically giddy!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

I'm trying out a new blog header...whaddya think? I guess I'm feeling the desire to revamp everything these days. Also, totally randomly...how delicious do these cream biscuits look? (Spotted on The Kitchn. Photo by Sarah Rae Trover.)

Karen O'Leary

While searching Etsy for affordable art for my bedroom, I discovered the work of artist Karen O'Leary. According to her profile, Karen is "an architectural designer with an interest in all aspects of design." Her offerings on Etsy include both hand-cut and pen-and-ink city maps and range in price from $15 for high-quality prints to $400 for originals. It's amazing how something so simple can be transformed into something so bold and graphic. I would love to do a grouping of these on a wall or a shelf in my future apartment.

Bedroom Makeover: The Dresser

Since moving into this house, I have been searching for a dresser or chest of drawers for the empty space adjacent to my closet. Even though the closet is large, I wanted extra storage for T-shirts, PJs, and other items. New dressers can be quite expensive, so I checked Craigslist frequently and last week I finally found this beauty:

My new dresser

I absolutely love the design of this dresser. The clean lines are very modern and the cabinet on the bottom gives me space for books, magazines, and papers. It's actually two separate pieces that stack on top of each other, which I think is very cool. You can't really tell from the pictures, but the surface of the dresser is not in perfect shape, so I will most likely refinish it when I move into my own place. For the time being, though, the wood adds a bit of warmth to the space.

Hardware before polishing

One of the things I really like about this piece is the decorative brass hardware, but it was pretty tarnished when I first brought it home (especially the little cabinet door pulls on the left, which were practically black). With a little Brasso Metal Polish, a cotton cloth, and A LOT of elbow grease, I was able to get the hardware relatively clean, and it makes a big difference.

Et voilà!

With the addition of a mirror and a few accessories, what was once dead space and a dumping ground for laundry is now a lovely and useful corner of my bedroom. All I need to complete this project is a lamp for the top of the dresser. (This part of the room is sort of like an alcove, and it doesn't get much light from the ceiling fixture above my bed.) I'm really happy with how this room is shaping up!

(Sources: Dresser - GRQ Used Furniture, $60; Mirror - Target, $34.99; Orchid - Home Depot, $14.97; Terracotta Planter - Ten Thousand Villages, purchased for $8 in 2005 or 2006; Accessories - vintage)

Contenders

I still haven't purchased any fabric with which to recover my chair, but I have found some good options:

Calico Corners "Diamante" in Seamist - $20.99/yard

Calico Corners "Diamante" in Flax - $20.99/yard

Waverly "Lovely Lattice" - $14.99/yard

Robert Allen "Floored" - $17.49/yard

Amy Butler "Imperial Fans" - $7/yard

Ralph Lauren "Fretwork"

...or I could take the really easy way out and buy the chair I saw at the antiques store today that was already painted and reupholstered to my liking.

My New Favorite Blog

As I mentioned the other day, I have had decorating on the brain lately. Unfortunately, I have almost no budget to speak of, so I have had to be resourceful in outfitting my bedroom. Enter Little Green Notebook, a fantastic blog by interior decorator Jenny Komenda. Jenny's blog is chock full of DIY decorating ideas for the cash-strapped, and I already have a few projects bookmarked, including DIY roman shades, silver leafing, and lacquer boxes. What a great find!

White Out

All of this snow (we must have close to 2 feet by now) is making me want to surround myself with white...

Anthropologie "Abundant Callas" Necklace, $228

J. Crew "Cotton Papillon" Blouse, $79.50

CB2 "Shaggy White" Pillow, $39.95

Red Valentino "Tiered Ruffle" Dress, $895

Staub "La Cocotte" Cookware Set, $298

Kimchi Blue "O Ring Crossbody" Purse, $38

DIY: Refurbished Chair (Before)

For the past couple of weeks, I have been immersed in decorating my bedroom. After three years of living in a studio apartment and sleeping on a futon, I'm enjoying having a separate room (and a real bed!) to sleep in. At the moment, the only furniture in my room is a bed and a nightstand, but I found this vintage chair on Craigslist last week, and I'm planning to give it a makeover and use it as an accent piece/occasional seating. Here are a few before shots:

Not too bad for $30.

I really like the Chippendale-style design.

Close-up of the horrible seat fabric.

I am generally not a fan of dark woods, and because my bedroom is painted a light green with white trim, I think I am going to paint the chair frame white. I am also going to reupholster the seat, because the fabric is hideous and stinky (the chair came from a very smoky home). It might take me a couple of weeks to complete this project, depending on how long it takes me to find a fabric that I like, but I will post the "after" shots here just as soon as it's done!

P.S. I know I probably could have haggled the price of the chair down a bit ($30 is a little much for a Craigslist find), but I just wasn't in the mood that day. I'm usually the bargaining queen!