placeholder {careless in our summer clothes}

i'm trying to catch up on some sleep as well as edit A TON of vacation pics. here is a little musical apology for not being able to get my blogging butt in gear.

amanda {speaking of someone who needs to get their blogging butt in gear} sent me this link along with the tag "i found you. 2.44" and i'll be damned if the girl in the rearview mirror doesn't look like a bit like moi.

i'd rather...

let's be real.

i just spent a week in hawaii. what do you think i'd rather be doing today instead of going to work?

{i love this man}

i'm in HAWAII!!!!!

no need for an "i'd rather" post today! I'm in Hawaiieeeeeee!!!

taking the week off from blogging. see you here next week with a ton of pictures from HAWAIIEEEEEEEE!!!

image via design crush

new music for friday

i finally downloaded the videos from my phone and found this little gem i had all but forgotten about. enjoy some new Mumford and Sons from their show i attended in May.

i hope everyone enjoys their weekend. i'll be counting down the hours until i leave on sunday for HAWAIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Untitled from the anchor and the bird on Vimeo.

b-day dinner extravaganza

oh, how i love the birthdays of those i love! it doesn't always need to be a huge blowout, but i think everyone deserves a little sumpin, sumpin from time to time so the arrival of Daniel's birthday was just the reason i needed to kick the crap out of my kitchen. and let me say my appliances really earned their keep during the process.

here he is! the birthday boy! one of my dearest and most joyful of friends.

Daniel's is such a doll that even though it was his birthday dinner he let me get all vegan on it. thats right, i'm a vegan now! it's an endeavor for me that took many hours, days, weeks, months of reading books, websites, articles etc. to decide to make the switch. i have to be honest and say {with the exception of cheese} i have truly enjoyed every minute of it. it's such an adventure, but even with all it's challenges I am reaping the rewards. {maintaining a 15lb weight loss is pretty damn easy when your feeding your body fresh fruits, veggies, beans and grains}

the menu plastered on our kitchen chalkboard wall

eggplant and pine nut rolled lasagna

i went into this not sure if i liked eggplant, but it only took one bite to know i did! and it was glorious!

poolish focaccia.

it took 2 days and many apprehensive hours to make, but it was completely worth it.

there is nothing a chef loves more than the happy faces of those enjoying her creations

Of course the birthday boy requested a night of playing our favorite game

dessert! snickerdoodles... oh, god, they were good.

a little photo fun with me and birthday boy...

it's decided...

...i am loving black and white decor!

i want it in my home. particularly on stairs like these. and that black accent wall!? love!

'nuff said.

via design sponge

if you can't take the heat...

tonight is Daniel's birthday dinner extravaganza and i've been slaving away in the kitchen for 2 days {tonight will be day 3} to make this yummy meal. everything is organic, *vegan and from scratch!

i'm very excited!

*did i mention i'm a vegan now? more on that later.

New Ray!!!

the new album is amazing!

it's a bit more country than his previous three studio projects, but i'm not surprised. he's always had folk melodies and his last album {Gossip in the Grain} took a big step in the southern direction. it seems he's planting roots in this sound... at least for now.

Cecilia is a happy girl.

i'd rather...

it looks like it may be a rainy week here in the city and even though i have an amazing vacation to look forward to starting this weekend i'd still rather it be green and sunny.

starting the countdown...

the tickets have been purchased, the condo has been booked and i have a ton of bathing suits ready to be packed. I can now start the official countdown to Hawaii!!!

in 9 days the Mister and i will be sitting on this sandy beach and soaking in the beautiful Kauai sun for the most glorious vacation week of my life and I don't even care that's it's going to take me a billion hours in flight time to get there and back. i'm so ready!

i'd rather...

{the following post should be read in the voice of a whiny child}

i don't waaannaaaa get up at 6am. i don't wanna cram onto the hot, sticky subway. i don't wanna go to work! i'd rather be stumbling in at 6am wearing a short, sequin dress and the smell of a wild night in my hair. i'd rather be making breakfast is said short, sequin dress before going to bed and sleeping well into the afternoon.

and i'd rather have this ladies killer gams.

via fysb

4 pairs of joy

in my quest to find even the smallest traces of joy in my mostly insignificant life I stumbled upon a joyful little end-of-summer shoe sale with a plethora of ballet flats to choose from. it's was not a transcendental experience of course, but every little bit of jubilation helps so here are 4 pairs of joy that i have added to my collection. i'm loving the grey, studded flats most of all. they make me feel dainty and badass all at once.

daily affirmations

what in the hell does this kid eat for breakfast and where can i get me some?

in an effort to bring more positivity into my life i am searching for inspiration and this video was hilariously helpful.

anyone out there have any suggestions? videos, photos, foods, art, websites, movies, books, places, blogs, etc. anything you can think of to inspire my inner cecilia?

inspiration

the air is getting cooler. it starts early in the morning and lasts into the afternoon more and more. the evening now has me wrapped in a blanket with a book {kafka on the shore, midnight's children, easy vegetarian} out on my balcony. the air is getting cooler. I know i asked for summer. begged for summer really because i felt we didn't have a proper one last year and the winter seemed to go on for ages. but, my god, the summer has been harsh. however, the air is getting cooler. maybe it's a good thing. yes. it is. it's a good thing. in a month or so the tank tops will slowly be packed away. thin summer dresses will be pushed to the back of the closet. tights will be pulled from the leather box under my nightstand where they have been patiently waiting to provide much needed inspiration for fall. much. needed. inspiration. the air is getting cooler.

*i have failed yet again at keeping record of photo sources. most come from fysb and la douleur exquise