Halloween 2011: 60's chick

I don't really like Halloween, but I'll take any excuse to dress up as a 60's chick. Actually I'm not sure what era this is, but I love this garment. I picked up these maxi pants jumper (onezie!) at an estate sale a couple of years ago. So glad i hung onto it! 

Avalon of the heart

One of the highlights of our summers here in the US is getting to spend time with our friends in Avalon, NJ. We can always be guaranteed good laughs, mighty-fine food and engaging conversation (not to mention heavy-duty exercise). Avalon is one of my favorite places to take photos!

We were there last weekend. We had a few nice hours on the beach and some great games on the tennis court. But mostly it was a stormy weekend, with amazing colors and light.

Nina basking in the sun.

Ginger keeps watch.

Early morning at the beach

This is one upset seagull

Beach

Nina swimming

Nina fetching her ball in the surf. 

Beach buddies.

Storm moving in

View from the balcony

Regatta redux

My sisters and I, back in the day, spent a lot of time at the river when our brother was a big rower. We were there, we said, to support our brother, but we had ulterior motives: to swoon over my brother's crew friends. We were so goofy and obvious; we bugged our poor brother to death wanting to know if this one or that one had a girlfriend (or, even worse, "liked" one of us).

This past Saturday, I was once again on the riverbanks to watch another rower: our son Charlie. He did a crew camp for one week and they had a mini-regatta for the parents. It was so fun to see the kids in the boats. Charlie said he learned a lot, and he really seemed to like it.

Watching him race, I was reminded of my brother. They could be twins separated by a generation.

Hangin out in Stockholm

So fun to see old friends! A couple shots of the day Karolina and I did the rounds in Stockholm. We started with a latte (of course!) at Stureplan and ended the day at our favorite old hangout - the Salvation Army Shop in Ropsten (I'll show off what I thrifted later!)

Karo in the tunnel....

And me in the tunnel

Smelling the soaps in Gertrude, a very cool shop for bed and bath and home stuff.

What to do with your letters? Hang them up!

Love the cups on the wall and I'm nuts about these chairs!

An old-fashioned hair stylist shop in Hjorthagen, near the thrift shop.

All dressed up in vintage

I hope I don't seem vain for posting two pictures of myself, but I was all dressed up for a party this weekend and I LOVED the dress I wore. I know my expression is goofy, especially in the second photo, but I want to show the back. 

I purchased the dress at flea market a few months back and was dying for an occasion to wear it. I couldn't resist buying the dress although I am not frequently invited to balls and gala affairs! 

Alas. 

The dress was a Bob Bugnand (for Sam Friedlander), who according to Couture Allue Vintage Fashion, was a French designer active in New York in the 60s and 70s.  This dress felt super sixties. It was, um, a tad too tight, but I went with it anyway. I decided to be true to myself (shoes, hair and makeup) so it wouldn't look Halloweeny.  

Everyone looked fabulous. We had so much fun and danced nearly till dawn!!

Greetings from Camp Naomi

Dear Mom and Dad, Visiting Marybeth at overnight camp in the Poconos is a hoot. There are plenty of activities here at Camp Naomi. We especially like the slide. Please can I stay longer??



Me, getting ready to go down.

Splash

Fun!


And here comes Debbie...


Fun!


And finally Marybeth.

Fun!


Morning hug, Evelyn and Marybeth


Morning coffee

The best tennis dress ever

This is the cutest tennis dress; I'd wear it in a second if it really existed, especially if my legs were really that skinny! It's designed and drawn during a coffee date ("fika!") earlier this summer by my enormously talented friend Susan, visiting from Sweden. She doodled this sketch of me on a napkin in about 30 seconds. She is always dreaming up cute stuff. I wish she were here to have coffee with me every day! I wish she would start blogging so we could see what she's dreaming up next.


Back to me and this blog. I have many lists awaiting in my head to be blogged. I've been gone so long I think because I've been feeling sorry for myself. Lame, I know! Stay tuned!


And all those wanting to come to a sewing craft day, raise your hands please!

20 reasons to treat yourself

These are my feet and those of my friend Debbie after our pedicures the other day. (Hers are on the left.) Debbie is the ultimate do-it-all woman. She manages her family, work and social life with the ease most of us just pray for--and makes it all look so natural. (But she is a true expert on work-life balance so I guess it would be odd if it were any other way. Read an recent article in Forbes where she is quoted giving sage advice to soon-to-be moms with a career).

She called me to see if I wanted to get a pedicure with her so we could catch up--we haven't seen each other in quite a while. She wanted/needed a pedicure before her trip to Amsterdam. She likes the idea of pairing something "necessary" with something social.

We sat side-by-side in our massage chairs and enjoyed an hour of chit-chat--what a treat!

This is Michigan...

I'm in Michigan visiting Cole and her family. They live in a house on a little lake called Lake Loch Erin (I swear it is really called that!). It's lovely here and I'm having a great time (although I am very much missing my own peeps).

What is Michigan? Here's a list, and then som pics!

Sun
Water
Food&drink
Laughs
Chill
Skiing
Marguritas

















Cole's sister Lindsey with new baby (cute!) Elijah

Elijah

Steve (Cole's dad) doing his thing

You gotta paint your toenails!

Elijah and Lindsey

Tattoos!

Yummy Marguritas

Asian Monkey Koroko

Egg yolks for making homemade ice cream, incredibly delish

Scrabblelicious!

On the deck

Five reasons to love Emma

Since it is Emma's birthday today, I'm taking the chance to list the reasons she is so great. I met Emma only two years ago when I moved back to the States. She is an incredible person. Here is why:

1. She took me completely under her wing when we met.
2. She is tons of fun, always up for whatever adventure you suggest. And she's pretty good at finding fun in the daily ratrace.
3. She is a good person. She never talks about anyone in a negative way. And she gives people the benefit of the doubt.
4. She is very generous, not necessarily with money, but with her time, energy and just herself. Sometimes she comes over with apple spice cake or Swedish cheese from IKEA. Just for the heck of it.
5. She encourages me to exercise and eat right, just by setting a good example, not by lecturing me.

Emma, if you are reading this, happy birthday!! Much love to you...