RESPITE
"Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for."
Maya Angelou
***Where is your place of respite?
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Sunday, July 24, 2016
CREW BLUE
I had been looking for a new pair of navy blue shorts for some time now (you can never have too many), but couldn't find the right pair. I was getting a bit frustrated, because I'm always looking for the right color, the right look, the right fit, and the right price. Not always an easy combination to find.
However, a week ago, I found the perfect pair - J. Crew's Stanton shorts. First off I love the look of them, and the fit is amazing. The soft, garment dyed cotton fabric, makes them both comfortable and sturdy at the same time. The color isn't quite as dark as I like, but is very workable. Truthfully I really do love these shorts, and right now they are on sale, so what better time to give them a try?
***What are your favorite brands for navy shorts?
Thursday, July 21, 2016
FIRST SCHOOL
One-room schoolhouses once dotted the rural countryside throughout America. These "country schools" educated thousands of farm children in a day when consolidated public schools didn't exist. This particular building served as my mom's (and my her brothers') first school. This photo, taken in 1963, shows how many of these wonderful one-room schoolhouses fell into disrepair with the advent of public consolidated schools. Their legacy, however, still lives on.
***Have you ever seen any of these rural schoolhouses?
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
LOVE STORY THE MOVIE
Last night I watched the movie Love Story again. The more I watch this movie, the more I like it, for so many reasons. For those of you not familiar with it, the film was released in 1970 from a screenplay by Erich Segal, and directed by Arthur Hiller.
Love Story starred Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'neal as Jannifer "Jenny" Cavallari and Oliver Barrett IV, two college students from vastly different backgrounds who meet and fall in love. Oliver is from an upper class family, is heir to a fortune, and attends Harvard where he plays hockey. Jenny, on the other hand, comes from a working class family, and attends Radcliff where she studies classical music. The two couldn't be more different, and yet love takes hold.
Oliver's family doesn't approve, and his father severs ties with him when he decides to marry Jenny. Without his father's money, Oliver and Jenny struggle to pay his tuition to Harvard Law School, but their sacrifice and hard work pays off when He graduates third in his class. Oliver accepts a position with a law firm in New York and two settle into a new life there, with hopes of planning family, however, not all things turn out happily-ever-after.
The scene where Oliver and Jennifer first meet, contains one of my favorite movie character interactions.
Oliver: Why do you think I went to prep school?
Jennifer: You look stupid and rich.
Oliver: Actually, I'm smart and poor.
Jennifer: No, I'm smart and poor.
Oliver: Why are you so smart?
Jennifer: I won't have coffee with you.
Oliver: I wouldn't ask you.
Jennifer: That's what makes you stupid.
They go for coffee.
Jennifer refers to Oliver as "preppy" throughout the movie, and some say the term was coined by Erich Segal. Whether he coined the term or not, he certainly is responsible for making it part of our general vocabulary.
When Paramount Pictures picked up Erich Segal's screenplay, they asked him to adopt it into a novel to be released prior to releasing the film which he did. The book came out of Valentine's Day, February 14, 1970 and became an instant bestseller. It was the perfect way to pre-publicize the film, which was released on December 16, 1970.
Love Story is slowly becoming one of my favorite films, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend that you do. It's an all time classic, well, love story.
*** Have to seen the film version of Love Story.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY
Enjoying a Thelma's ice cream sandwich for National Ice Cream Day.
***Where did you have ice cream for National Ice Cream Day?
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
GUIDEBOOKS
I bought my copy of Lisa Birnbach's book, The Official Preppy Handbook, back in college and fell in love with it. It was a defining source as I fine-tuned my clothing style. It built on the traditions taught to me by my father, while allowing for some wonderful experimentation with color. It was, in a sense, a bible to good taste and good manners.
Thirty years later Birnbach revisited the topic with the release of True Prep. True Prep brought these traditions current, as we look at the role they play in our lives today. It also introduced a whole new generation to the original book. I'm always amazed when I read posts online from young people who have ordered and received copies of The Official Preppy Handbook.
This ability to reach multiple generations is what establishes Lisa Birnbach's books as classics. The information is as timeless as the style and clothing.
***Do you own The Official Preppy Handbook and True Prep?
Monday, July 11, 2016
SUPIMA BLUE
A few years ago I mentioned how much I love Brooks Brothers supima cotton sweater vests. At that time I had just purchased four of the vests and was very pleased. Since then, I've added several other sweater vests from various brands, but always come back to the Brooks Brothers vests.
I love sweater vests and wear them often, even year round at work. For me they seem to complete an outfit, giving it that extra polish. A few weeks ago, I visited my local Brooks Brothers store and finally pulled the trigger on this vest (I had been eying it for some time). I was looking for a light blue sweater vest, and this one was perfect, plus the supima cotton gives it the durability I love, and it is easy to care for.
If you're looking for supima cotton sweater vests, you can't beat Brooks Brothers. Their quality and colors are first rate.
***What are your thoughts on supima cotton sweater vests?
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Saturday, July 9, 2016
FLASHBACK 300
(Yes I know it's Saturday but I was having trouble posting this yesterday)
One of my favorite places in Minneapolis, is 300 Clifton, a restored Georgian Revial mansion that is now a bed and breakfast. The mansion has a wonderful story and history, but what is perhaps the most intriguing is its conversion from a Victorian Queen Anne style mansion to an amazing Georgian Rival home. Since this is Flashback Friday, I'm flashing back to May, when I attended the Preservationist: 300 Clifton event at this beautiful home.
John gave a wonderful presentation of the history of the Carpenter Mansion.
The Mansion was originally built in 1887 by C. M. Douglas, who was the owner of a coal delivery business. As I mention the original design was in the popular Queen Anne style, complete with grand porches and a turret. Three years later, in 1890, the house passed to prominent banker, Harvey Brown, who lived there until his death in 1904.
Merrette Carpenter.
Following Brown's death, the mansion was purchased by Eugene and Merrette Carpenter in November of 1905. The Carpenters owned Carpenter-Lamb Lumber Company, and needed a home to reflect their success. By the early 1900's the beautiful Victorian designs had fallen out of favor, and so the Carpenters hired an up-and-coming young architect named Edwin Howley Hewitt, to take on the monumental task of converting the mansion to the more popular Georgian Revival style. No small feat to undertake.
Eugene Carpenter.
Hewitt turned this beautiful Queen Anne Victorian Home . . .
. . . Into this amazing Georgian Rival mansion.
A vist the 300 Clifton's web page, and we learn that, "Hewitt removed the roof, moved fireplaces, built additional foundations, moved interior and exterior walls and rebuilt the the carriage house from the foundation up all in time for the family to move in by September 1906, 10 months after the purchase." Even by today's standards that timeframe is impressive.
After surviving several owners over the years, the mansion was eventually partitioned into several smaller apartments, and was later converted into office space as part of a larger complex. Finally, by the 1990's the home had fallen into considerable disrepair, and members of the Loring neighborhood group (Citizens for a Loring Park Community) decided to paint the house, rebuild the twenty-foot retaining wall, and invest $30,000 dollars to fix the roof, in an attempt to save the building.
I finally got to meet this Instagram friend in person. Such an awesome lady.
In 2006, John Steele, who saw the house's potential as a residence again, came onboard to help with the restoration, by painstakingly restoring woodwork, reestablishing the original floorplan, and undertaking several other major jobs. In 2013 John and Norman Kulba purchased the property with the intent of finishing the restoration, and creating the beautiful bed and breakfast space it is today.
I was first introduced to 300 Clifton last December when I attended a holiday fundraiser there sponsored by Citizens for a Loring Park Community, and I immediately fell in love with the home. The Preservationist: 300 Clifton event, was designed to create awareness of the need to save and restore the beautiful old mansions of Loring Hill. John shared in-depth information on the home's history, and about the need to save and preserve the few remaining homes of Minneapolis' early leading citizens.
300 Clifton is one of the most beautiful homes in Minneapolis, and provides a welcoming and hospitable space to all who visit. I definitely encourage you stop by or attend one of the many events they host throughout the year. John and Norman are always happy to share the Carpenter Mansions story with you.
***What are the great bed and breakfast venues in your community?
Thursday, July 7, 2016
MARKED LEATHER
Two week ago I attended an Open House hosted by Marked Leather to celebrate their new space at North Co. I was first introduced to Marked Leather about two years ago, and must say I love their products, especially since I'm all about supporting and promoting local small businesses (it's easy to support them when they offer such high quality products).
Some of the beautiful bags created by Marked Leather.
Food options included fresh, handmade pizzas.
Founder and maker, Scott Loeser, started Marked Leather in 2011, and it's reputation has continued to grow. Based out of Minneapolis, it offers hand cut, hand stitched tote bags, satchels, wallets, tablet cases, and more.
Thelma's ice cream and cookie sandwiches were a tasty and cool treat.
Justin was on hand to help us sample these delicious ice cream sandwiches.
A quick visit to their website displays a number of amazing products for purchase, but you can also find their products at several local merchants and gift shops in major art museums. Even better, if you don't find exactly what you're looking for, Scott will personally create a custom, one of a kind, item just for you.
North Co. is truly an amazing space.
One of my favorite local bow tie manufacturers shares this space.
Chris from Great Lakes was on hand to show us some their products as well.
Some of the Products . . .
. . . From Knot Clothing & Belt Co.
The Open House also featured several other local small businesses that share the office space, some of whom are favorites of mine. Supporting and buying from local small businesses is very important to me. In this era of mass produced, low quality, items from national big-box chains, it's refreshing to see such quality items produced and offered by local small businesses.
It was a very pet friendly gathering.
Scott Loeser from Marked Leather, makes one of a kind,
quality products that you won't want to miss.
Scott Loeser and Marked Leather represents the quality of products offered by local businesses. A quality unsurpassed by anyone else. When it comes to practical products or fashion accessories, Marked Leather should be your new go-to brand.
***Have you purchased any of the great products from Marked Leather?
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