who does this?

just saw this on my yahoo email splash page - i can't imagine saving all my emails - seems kind of creepy actually.

cuz everyone knows girls love to play games

cool stuff over at toss designs

lookin good

rustoleum has a great website with lots of inspirational ideas and how-to guides for paint projects around the home. you just tell them what type of finish you want, or what you're starting out with, and they tell you exactly what type of paint you need.

NC

just got back from my trip to cary and apex, north carolina. cary is all that they say - very new, very suburban, and everybody is from somewhere else. it's a suburb of the RTP so its a very educated and diverse population with a high median income. its very family oriented - suburbia on a grand scale - with huge golf courses, man made lakes, water parks, tons of pools and recreational facilities. all this and very affordable new housing compared to the baltimore/ dc area. this brand new bungalow style townhouse in a really gorgeous little neighborhood was 140K!



it was really hot so we spent alot of time in the car driving through neighborhoods trying to get the lay of the land. we looked at lots of houses the first 2 days and went out in the evenings for indian food. one place had really bad 80's strip mall ambiance but with jaw dropping awesomely authentic food made by a young nepali chef - we all agreed it was definitely one of the better indian meals we've had this side of the ganga. the other place was uber stylish and swank but with really disappointing cuisine. dinner conversation the 2nd night was a heated debate on whether a restaurant's atmosphere is more important than the food...

we also went to the raleigh farmers market - its open every day all year and when we were there - it was just a bounty of goodness and peaches everywhere!





they also had a garden and antiques type place that was heavy on the buddhas and indian type stuff. they also had these cool french looking(?) bottles. most things looked like reproductions but they were expensive!





then we visited apex and strolled the shops. i loved this little plaque - i'd never heard this saying before - and they already had a halloween display!




then we stopped at the firehouse and had a late great southern lunch - fried green tomatoes and a heirloom tomato salad - both were awesome.





on the way back we stayed with my sis in roanoke and i saw this crazy cool bedazzled car at the farmers market there.



it was a fun trip but like most vacations i didn't see all that i wanted to so i think i'll go back down in the fall. while hanging out with my sis back in roanoke we were talking about vacations and how they are changing - so we came up with the following categories:

vacation: your normal getaway
staycation: when you decide to stay close to home and relax
stuckation: when you end up somewhere you hate

that last one made us laugh. an irrational amount of laughter, really. i think it was the heat.

cheesy

i think i'm the only person on the planet who didn't like the movie - but the discussion of the phone with with a friend had us laughing so hard i almost couldn't drive. and we're still diggin' it.

desi panera

i'm planning a trip to NYC this fall and the indian bread co. is definitely on my list of places to go. they have sandwiches made of indian bread and ingredients like paneer and chicken tikka. can't wait - it seriously sounds like a desi* panera.



* desi = indian

ouch

funny but mean cards for someone who shares your sense of humor :)

currently coveting

these modern square sconces by west elm. i only wish i had seen them 2 years ago - before i bought this monstrosity. and while we're coveting, if money were no object, i would absolutely have this.

a feast for the eyes

gourmet magazine has the full length episodes of diary of a foodie available on their website. interesting viewing and they're free :)

headed south

going to raleigh durham for a few days where i imagine it will be hotter than it is here in b'more. ugh! me and the dog days of summer are not friends. anyways, house no. 8 will be on autopilot until then. hope you have a great week and stay cool!

sailing away

went to annapolis last monday night for a sunset sail on the schooner woodwind, which was the sailboat featured in the movie wedding crashers. i had a great time but i never realized how much a little sailboat tips when the wind blows - sometimes it felt like we were at a 45 degree angle to the water which was kind of unnerving. we had drinks and then dinner here, and did the sail in between. we also tried a beer named small craft warning which was kinda cute for a boat ride. i hadn't gone to the annapolis waterfront in a few years and i forgot just how great it is on a warm summer evening.

ik glassy

hard kaur's new punjabi drinking song - have a great weekend !

umbrella

i love the rain so i also have a thing for umbrellas. loved this one that features some of the great female authors - perfect for a literature loving girlfriend.

cork pendant

stumbled across the lime and aqua studio blog and saw this gorgeous cork pendant that ms. brie made. i am so in love with it and the story that goes with it!

cute

wouldn't these luggage tags and this book make a great gift for your favorite couple?

green by the bay

here near the chesapeake bay we love all things nautical. and if they're also environmentally friendly - all the better. thats why i'm loving these napkins by ortolan - they're beachy keen and made of 100% organic cotton.

loving it

8pm in baltimore

india pillows

check out these basmati rice bag pillows from cb2. thankfully these are printed on smooth jute b/c the real deals are made from non pillow friendly scratchy burlap - i know b/c i have been saving a real one wondering what i could do with it...

addicted

i have been taping and watching every episode of this show for the past 2 weeks. its amazing how the people start off so unhealthy and then 8 weeks later (with the help of a brutally honest holistic nutritionist) they turn their lives around. it's really inspiring.

like its not hard enough

5.25 sudden summer downpour as i am trying to make my 5.30 gym class...

having fun and being lucky

i was in hampden - home of the honfest - a few weekends ago and saw a store named have fun be lucky. u know that caught my attention -- i collect tees that have the word lucky on them.

paper house

my friend has this awesome paper sculpture that i've wanted ever since i saw it. she said we might able to make a template so i can have one of my very own.

headboards

awesome photo headboards at hotel anemi in greece.

happy 4th of july!

have a great holiday!


image from capitol concerts.

patriotic

a little country decorating for our country's birthday :)








images by better homes and gardens.