Isn't She Lovely? - Stevie Wonder

And suddenly, we had no idea how we lived our lives without her.

Avery Quinn
August 30, 2011
8 lbs, 20.5 inches

Beautiful.

Repitition - Charlie Parker

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See? I told you guys we'd all survive. Now let's get back to the important stuff.
The first time I picked up one of Marion Vidal's necklaces in the Anthropologie accessory store, I quickly put it down, due to the price tag. But then I quickly picked it back up again, because it was simple yet stunning. The type of piece which takes an all black ensemble to a level of gee-I-wish-I-Dressed-like-her instantly. I mean these are some swanky looking baubles. The necklaces keep popping up various places and I still want one and the price tag still makes me choke. And so on.




(Photos: La Garconne)

String Quartet In F Major (Second Movement) - Ravel

So you might have heard there is a storm hitting the East Coast as I type. So far all we've seen is drizzly rain and a drop in the temperature. Otherwise all is fine. It's amazing how crazy everyone gets. I went to the grocery store yesterday (yeah, I know I'm feeding into it as well) and the shelves looked like the zombie apocalypse had already arrived. People were grabbing and snatching faster than the employees could put stuff out. It all made me feel kind of silly. My agenda this weekend is to listen to this song a couple more times and finish Jonathan Franzen's How To Be Alone, which I've been reading for the past month. I'm slow with reading essays. What's your hurricane plan, if you're in Irene's path?

Summer Clothes - Animal Collective

Saturday was a nice, low key day for barging on the lake. (You didn't know I live on a lake)? And barging pairs perfectly with floppy sunhats and beer. My roommates and I even picked up a couple of stragglers along the way.



I'm already planning next summer's wardrobe and I've decided I definitely want a pair of shorts from Orlebar Brown if my bank account will allow for it. I'm convinced due to the price that they must be made out of magical unicorn hair. Or maybe they just fit perfectly. Either way, I want 'em.

Everything was going honky dory until it was time to get out of the water and we realized our borrowed barge didn't have a ladder! Uh oh. My roommate and brother-in-law (James) offered me a two armed pull out of the water, except they didn't pull hard enough and I ended up slamming into the side of the barge. One leg on board, one leg in the water. And yes, you know what I hit.

I scrambled up on the platform and whimpered for a minute or two before announcing that I was "okay". But my older sister (who can never leave well enough alone) had to lean in my direction and whisper in a low tone "So, does your ______ hurt?" I looked at her and replied with an impish smile and a wink, "Not as much as yours' will in a week."

Planet Home - Jamirouquai

Source: None via Kelly on Pinterest

There was an earthquake y'all. I was wearing these Chloe sandals. Important details, guys.

Source: yoox.com via etoilee8 on Pinterest

Putting fashion aside for a brief moment, nothing too terrible happened. When I was in the moment, I was surprisingly calm (it was the thought of a more powerful quake which freaked me out later). I first had thoughts of displacement because it felt like airplane turbulence (my old nemesis) and then I thought "this is an earthquake and you need to get off twitter now".

I turned to my roommate Alejo and said "Grab the dog, we're getting out of here". So he put on Sasha's leash and we shot out the door. In the cul-de-sac of my neighborhood, neighbors were gathered and talking nervously among themselves. My Mum had Piper who was digging her claws into the ground refusing to budge (the dog may never poop again, she was so terrified). The phone lines were tied for at least an hour so it was hard to get through to people. The only real positive thing I can say about today is that it's an amazingly humanizing experience. Suddenly every stupid thing is pushed to the far corners of your mind and all you want to do is hug your loved ones and be happy no one was hurt. You comfort your neighbors. You hug their kids. You laugh about your "first response". But above all today made me pay respect to the all powerful earth, who sometimes I believe just barely tolerates human kind.

Flying Overseas - Theophilus London feat. Devonte Hynes & Solange Knowles

Can you believe summer is nearly over? Me neither! It always goes by too quickly. And you know what else goes by too quickly? Fall! But you know who overstays their welcome ALWAYS? Winter. Winter is the house guest you hide from when you see them rolling up with a six pack of beer.

Around this time of year I always start feeling some sort of entitlement to a trip to the beach. But it doesn't look like this year's beach trip is going to happen either, so I leave you with living vicariously through this video which looks like a cross between a malfunctioning video cassette tape and a strange acid trip. Enjoy!

8 - Guillermo Scott Herren

You might have already seen these here and there but as a child of the eighties with a penchant for Nintendo games, I could not not post them.

(From: Here)

You Can't always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones

Ain't that some sh*t?
But in those rare moments when I quit whining and complaining for a second, I realize I have nearly every thing I need.

(Photo: Pantonism is my new favorite blog).

That's The Way - Rita Marley

She's Having A Baby
The good friend edition.
My dear sweet friend in Norway gave birth to a little boy yesterday. But not before she sat through twelve hours of contractions only to find nothing was going on. Her water had not even broke. Frustrated and tired, she was told by the hospital the best thing she could do was wait it out, at home. "Home" was two hours away, so ever a girl after my own heart . . . she went shopping instead. She bought a coat, a sweater and some mascara all while having small contractions. Then she went back to the hospital and pushed that little boy out like it ain't no thing. I don't think her picks looked anything like this but here are a few items I enjoy in order to illustrate her story. Dior Show I keep at the sink so I know to apply it before leaving the house.

I love, love, love my friends because I gain valuable insight from all of them. This friend in particular has the keen ability to just get through life while never making a large fuss about anything. I want to adopt her attitude towards pretty much everything.

Mood Indigo - Charles Mingus

These shots from T by Alexander Wang Resort 2012 make me not entire heavyhearted that the bittersweet cooler months are on the horizon. I think more people need to wear bright colors in the winter and I think I shall make that my new goal. Less black and neutral, more blue and yellow. What about you? What will you wear this winter?

PS- I'll probably promptly forgot about this when the winter months do arrive.



(Photos: Style.com)

Portia Sloan - MGMT

No wonder she now needs an assistant. Manrepeller is slaying. Whenever I hear about a blogger collaboration there's a morbid side of me that wonders if it will come out horrendous or whether the final product will even reflect any of the personal tastes of the blogger. But in the case of Manrepeller for Dannijo, I'd say she nailed it. It's as perfect as the pairing of Liberty London Girl with Hunter Boots.

(Photos: Refinery29)

Four Women - Nina Simone

Went to see The Help today with my sister and a few people we knew.
Pass the tissues.
I was just barely holding down fort and the woman across the aisle from me (who happened to be white) was letting them rip. She was like a river or a gushing fountain. There were times when my eyes were so blurred, the only thing which eased the sadness was placing my hand on my sister's swollen belly and telepathically saying "don't worry, you won't have to deal with any of this, but never forget those that did."

This film came at quite a timely moment in my life where emotions already run rampant and high. I was listening to Four Women in my car last night and that song always makes my voice crack just a little while I belt out the lyrics with passion. With every year I gain more and more insight into the lives of the strong women I came from. There's still a lot of anger there but the human heart is resilient and unstoppable. Having just returned from Mobile, Alabama to visit my 84-year-old grandmother, I have arrived back home with the usual feelings of disappointment and guilt. The older I get, the more my Grandmother opens up to me. She was a maid her entire life, similar to many of the book's characters. On top of that, she raised nine kids (not to mention the ones which weren't her own). The only kind employer she speaks of is the one who would urge her to take home dinner leftovers for my Mother and her siblings. (Which proves that even when times are rough, there is always kindness to be found). If I had any wish for my Grandmother, it would be that she could just have a little fun without worry. I feel mixed emotions of sadness and guilt for how easy things have often come to me and my constant inability to be happy or satisfied despite the trials fought by those before me. I live in a cozy house with roommates where I have my own bright, beautiful bathroom (no outhouse for me, ever). And yet you can find me crying into my soup on a regular basis over many a stupid boy. It all makes me want to grab myself by the shoulders and shout,

"What the fuck, A?"

See how that works? You feel guilty for everything because nothing will ever be as difficult as those times (and the many long years before them).

I used to be uneasy around my Gran because the contrast between our lifestyles is so large and stark but I now see our similarities for what they are. We're stubborn, we're strong and she shops for a church hat (or "church crown") with the same joie de vivre in which I scour Neiman's for Marni shoes on sale.

Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp: Pastorale - Debussy

Source: tumblr.com via etoilee8 on Pinterest

The other day, the sun was quite right and the afternoon was hitting that point where it is acceptable to roll down all your windows in the car and try to stay cool without the A/C. Upon halting my car at a stoplight, my ears were assaulted by the noisy racket of loud rap music playing in the car of the guy on my left. I will never understand people that listen to music. That. Loud. It doesn't make you look macho and it doesn't win you any girls. You're just a nuisance in a beat up car. At least turn it down a little when you get to the light. A smidge? Maybe? Okay, no. But wait, to my right, a GIRL pulls up next to my car blaring some godawful metal. Smashed between these two bozos and their awful music I was left with no choice but to crank up the classical piece I had been listening to at maximum volume.

And that friends was when I realized, "I'm old. But dammit, I kind of like it"

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go chase some kids off my lawn.

Sutphin Boulevard - Blood Orange

Blood Orange - Sutphin Boulevard from Blood Orange on Vimeo.

Thanks darling Swan. I love this song too!

Moanin' - Charles Mingus

Sorry about the lateness darlings. I never forget about you but sometimes life becomes exhausting. I moved. My sister moved. My parent's house got cramped, I went to Mobile, Alabama to visited my dear M'dear (Grandma). I've had to be very flexible and mobile. Now that my little niece is coming quickly, I want to buy her a mobile too.

"Welcome to the family baby, it would be in your best interests to be very mobile and roll with the punches. Things get a little hectic sometimes".

These mobiles from Flensted are on sale at Design Story. If you haven't gotten an invite, holler at your girl. We'll change that.