be still my heart (and feet)!

Hoo, boy. You know how something, sometimes, is so perfect, so acutely aligned with your interests and loves, its like it was made for you? Like Charlotte Olympias Cosmic Collection, whose Birthday Shoes effectively combine my love of (specifically flat) footwear, and of the symbolic catalogue of the zodiac. So inexpressibly superior to birthstone jewelry. Heres a closer look:

aries, taurus, gemini, cancer; leo, virgo, libra, scorpio; sagittarius, capricorn, aquarius, pisces

£495 each. Available for pre-order at Charlotte Olympia

Can you even imagine? These are the best! Actually, some of them are. Certain people sort of get the short end of the stick when it comes to the aesthetic of their star sign. Its all to do with their subject matter, which fall into three categories: objects, animals, and people. As a gemini, Ive always sort of felt that the humanity of my mascot, while an apt representation of the qualities of the sign itself, nevertheless limits the appeal of its artistic expression--like here on these shoes, for example: Id chose that (beautifully nautical) emerald and oyster-pink crab over those two ladies in profile any day. Putting a face on a sign makes it too specific and familiar, no longer purely symbolic. Animal and object signs tend to fare better in their myriad depictions. The hierarchy goes like this: people, animals, objects. Who wouldnt choose, for example, the intertwined fish of Pisces over some lady with long hair (which is somehow, always, supposed to connote virginity)? And are not the balanced scales of libra or the bow and arrow of sagittarius, in their lack of animate qualities, infinitely more mysterious and mystical than that silly bulls head? But of course, really, I love them all. Ideally, I would own the collection in its entirety and wear them according to which star sign was currently rising. Its all part of the upscale, park-avenue-sorceress look Im secretly, and ineffectively, trying to cultivate. Sort of a spin on gypsy prep? Anyway, Im working on it. Maybe Ill tell you more about it, later. 

via refinery29

best backpacks?

Along with Felixs impending trip, thoughts of preschool (and grad school?) and, oddly enough, thinking about autumn as a direct consequence of thinking about spring, have got me questioning our luggage situation. Talkin bout backpacks upinhere. Now, Felix and I each already have a bag, its true. But they each have their specific and pertinent problems, Felixs being that hes getting too big for his adorable turtle-shell backpack (sniff!) and anyway you cant carry much in it so its not so useful for an overnight trip anyway (its my belief that children should begin carrying their own luggage at an early age); mine being that my beloved, erstwhile diaper bag leather tote is perfect and perfectly lovely and I love it--but you just cant wear it while riding a bicycle. And once the weather warms up for good, this weekend, Im going to be riding my bike quite a bit! Anyway, you get the idea. We need new backpacks. And, dont you think it would be better if we had matching coordinating ones, like the besties we truly are? For example, we spoke recently of Herschel Supply Co--theyve got a solid, stylish, relatively affordable model, in classic colorways for big and small. But Ive found a few others I like, too.  Which ones do you think are the best? 

big & little Settlement from Herschel Supply Co ($55, $50)

big & little nylon cordura Schoolbag from American Apparel ($42, $28)

big & little Kanken from Fjäll Räven, ($75, $55)

I like those last ones the best, but, are they maybe too boxy? And how about the fact that for less than the cost of the big (and more important) one, I could get both from American Apparel? Also, we have an AA right down the street from my work so I wouldnt even need to pay for shipping to get them. This is not to say, of course, than any actual purchasing will be going on any time soon. That, probably, is not happening. But a girl can dream of luggage, no? Actually, now that I think about it, the HSC ones really are the best, after all. We want them!

Oh, dear!

Bon Voyagie, Felix!

After all the visitors weve hosted, Felix has been pretty excited about the whole concept of travel (especially all the suitcase action). Now he finally gets his day in the sun: tomorrow, Felix is off on a four-day, three-night weekend with his grandparents in Ohio. As is typical in this situation, Im nervous and excited. This will be my first baby-free weekend in the city--and whats more, my first baby-free weekend since I had a baby, almost two years ago! Its pretty big news. But also, obviously, Im scared! Felix has never been away for a whole weekend! But, hell be fine! Right?! 

Anyway, I just got done packing the adorable little duffel Im lending him. Ive often wondered: why are packing and unpacking so delightful? Does everyone feel this way, or is it just some people? Because, I cant be the only one. Packing a suitcase (less so unpacking) is one of my great joys in life. Beyond that, I realized that packing for a stylish little boy plainly trumps packing for oneself, as A, his clothes are cuter than mine, not just because theyre smaller and B, everything is so much smaller! Folding baby laundry is one of the most precious thing because you think about how little they really are. And you can get so much of his stuff in the tiniest bag!

In a somewhat related note, Even though I dont like unpacking as much (maybe because its not as challenging) I did like this editorial photographed by Eric Guillemain for Elle Korea, starring the beautiful Lea Seydoux, unpacking her suitcase in a presumably french hotel room.

 Do you think the average Korean reader can easily read that english title? Im sure they can. But how many english speakers, do you think, could read a magazine headline in Korean? Funny. And dont you love all her lipsticks? I wish I was going on a trip! But Im oh so unbelievably excited for my baby-free weekend. I really cant even imagine what it will be like! Chase will be working mostly in the daytime, so Im going to have plenty alone time to explore the city without the ticking time bomb that is a toddler out on the town! It will be so relaxing! Im going to do everything! 

omgicantwait!

images via FGR

a young Marlon Brando knows what Im talking about

via retronaut

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter you guys! I Hope you have the day off and are relaxing. Felix was pleased to find that 'Mistah Bunny' left him lots of special treasures, including some Thomas stickers, an elephant watering can, a sweet new pair of shades, and best of all, chocolate chip teddy biscuits! Its cool to have your own house and your own family, and decide how you want your own holidays to be like. For easter, I love the idea of focusing on bunnies, eggs, and chicks; daffodils and pastel colors; smoked salmon eggs benedict and white wine spritzers (breakfast this morning)--in short, treating it like the pagan spring celebration it is, and being glad that winter is finally on its way out. Daylight savings and the official start of the season didnt really make a difference for me (or the forecast), but now that Easters here, whatever the weather, in my heart it will be spring. What a fun holiday! The light at the end of the tunnel!

Enjoy yourselves!

top image via here

take my word for it!

We had a true Pittsburgh Day the other day. Its nice when people come to visit because you can use it as an excuse to do the touristy things you havent had a chance to do yet as a recent transplant. Once a certain amount of time goes by, the momentum you have to visit things like that diminishes, in a way. Plus, I like to save the museums for when its so hot in the summer and you need to go some place with air conditioning and stay a few hours. You know what I mean?  Im not sure what the nearest approximation is of The City Museum is here in Pittsburgh, because theres no better setting for that. Anyway, the other day with Ben, after giant sandwiches at Primanti Bros (I had the pastrami) we headed across the river to the Andy Warhol Museum. It was really cool! 

It was really cool, but. Heres a little piece of advice I learned first hand just the other day: do not take a toddler to the Andy Warhol museum unless you really trust them. Especially if they skipped out on their nap earlier. I cant emphasize that last part enough. In theory, it seemed like a particularly appealing gallery for a toddler, what with all the bright colors and familiar subjects (like these cows felix remembered from one of his favorite baby books). But if you think about it, thats exactly the trouble with it; the entire museum is a living nightmare for the parent of one so sticky-fingered--literally and metaphorically. The very first thing Felix did upon walking into the museum was nearly topple an entire pyramid of Brillo Boxes. What a nightmare. After that, naturally, I couldnt relax. It didnt get any better on the seventh floor, where thre were more brillo boxes, giant cigarettes, and one installation consisting entirely of a pile of rainbow-colored sweeties spilling out of a corner of the room...

While we both (and I think Ben as well, though he would never say it) found the experience a little frustrating, it was also generally enjoyable. We liked the portraits of the Queen, and the giant stuffed dog, and the one of all the green bottles. I really liked Nine Jackies. But our favorite, by far, were the Silver Clouds! Imagine a dark room, lit only by the projection of a looped video of floating Super Mario Clouds, with a breezy circle of fans sending giant silver balloons lazily around it. It was so relaxing to be in there, and not just because it was the one place where you were actually supposed to touch things--gently, of course. We could have stayed there all afternoon! I hope Felix dreamed about it that night. I wish it was my bedroom! Maybe theyd let me sleep in there, like Tilda Swindon. 

nine jackies; silver clouds; mario clouds

the best light luggage

Now, I havent picked up any tricky tips from him yet, but our friend ben, too, is many things, and one of the things he is for sure is stylish. That boys got good taste, and he knows what he likes. I have been so coveting his carry-on travel bag, from Herschel Supply Company--apparently, its the bag to have these days. Or, the luggage to have. Or, whatever. You know what? Its a really nice bag! So sturdy, and exactly the perfect size for a week-long trip. The Strand, I believe its called, and I love it in the bright yellow shade Ben has--despite my natural inclinations, I think luggage is one of things where its better not to go with the dark, neutral tones one tends to favor. Brightly colored bags are easier to see and harder to mix up or forget. Of course, a print does the trick nicely, too; I dont play tennis, but I do so love their invitational collection. Isnt it the preppiest, cutest thing for spring? Though I think Id prefer it in a navy...