To-Do List

My To-Do List is becoming unmanageable. 

workisnotajob

I am moving on Sunday. Packing has barely started.

But good news -- I have a wonderful place to stay for the month of May while I'm apartment shopping!

ohsobeautifulpaper

Also getting pretty worried about being away from my sidekick for three weeks. :-(

xo

The Royal Schmedding

I have a confession to make.

While the rest of the world has been preoccupied with William and Kate's wedding, I've been thinking about my own. I had a great time hanging out in SC with my mom, dad, and little (but super tall) brother. There are lots of questions to answer about this thing: hip vibe vs. old-fashioned charm, firehouse vs. plantation, church vs. Polo Field!

I never considered myself a huge "wedding person," but here's my second confession: I was so excited after finding good sites with Mom that I thought I would burst. It's so exhilarating to think about John and our life together - so why not celebrate it with a really special day?! We're on the same page when it comes to style and design, which makes it an absolute pleasure. 

Sneak Peek - Near our Wedding Site

Blue.

J + L by laurenmax on Polyvore.com

Down South, Folks

 

Hi my friends!

This morning I flew to South Carolina, where I'll be spending the next three days doing some wedding planning with my mom. Yay! I feel fortunate to have this time before the whirlwind of Summer Festival Life takes off to get some big things out of the way. On the docket this week? Choosing a venue. 

I'm totally excited about our possibilities. Ranging from the Old Medical College of Georgia to Southern Plantations to historic hotels dating back 200 years, they let no opportunity for Southern charm go to waste. Combine that with a little bit of John's laid-back hip and my mantra - eclectic is best, and I think we'll have our match. We're excited! 

The street above is my favorite street in my hometown, South Boundary Road. Hopefully I can show it to you sometime.

xo

Lauren

"What."

Really Good People in a Really Good Town

Hello, sweet friends.

So not having a job this week is really fun. Like I said, I've been visiting my favorite vintage and thrift shops in Cleveland "one last time," and seeing my few - this is a case of quality over quantity - good friends in town before leaving. This includes the coach of our football team Shawn, who led my trip to Cairo in 2004, and Donna, my very dear friend and mother of my good buddy Lauren.

Donna and I had lunch at Umami, meaning "delicious" in Japanese and seriously living up to its name. I had a seared Tuna and Ginger and Edamame Salad that was incredible, while looking longingly at several other things on the menu. Afterwards, we hung out at a little design studio with a very New York feel, featuring a neverending, eclectic collection of inspiring pieces. Never before have I felt a greater need for a cool loft apartment to decorate. This place is fantastic.

The reasons to re-visit Cleveland in the future are coming together in one really irresistible little pile!

three.home

Donna and I did a little style consignment style scouting - she was made for this - and then I stopped by Anne van H. to pick up moving boxes. It was such a pleasure to share the week's stories with Anne, Marilyn, Erica, and Marina that I realized I've been pretty lucky - I ended up with a job that I didn't think I wanted - but that I still want to visit when I'm done. Funny how that works, isn't it?

I'm excited about Vermont. I really am. 

But I really feel blessed to have had my life touched by Cleveland -- and people like Donna and Lauren.

Things I Love Today

Trader Joe's sells this at $2.99 for a six pack. Seriously. It could be a case of packaging over product, but...it tastes pretty good. Great for cooking because of the price (put it in your Chili - trust me). And most importantly, it recalls the infamous Beer Light Days of Baltimore Pride.

via Shelterrific

Fun Vintage shops in Cleveland.

I've been putting off packing by looking at things from the past - under the pretense of wedding shopping, of course.

Scenes from Brattleboro

John and I are getting really excited about this next phase of our lives. 

Vermont is so clear and spacious and peaceful. 

It's going to be lovely!

He has a couple of job leads and is working on applications - fingers crossed.

Yesterday was my last day of work here in Cleveland's Little Italy. It was sad to leave a couple of friends there, and my boss Anne, but I'm too excited about what's to come to be upset. We celebrated right after I clocked out with Martinis and The Little Italy Pizza at Maxi's. It was perfect.

via flickr

via chesterfieldoutdoors.com

Quiet Weekend, please.

Hi friends.

I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend with John. We have no plans, which is exactly what I want right now! Hopefully it'll be some cooking, some yoga, some movies -- bliss. Calm before the storm of packing and moving!



letterpress

 

Sometimes it pays to work in fashion...

Maybe you get these for free and your boss encourages you to wear them every single day!

How fun and comfortable, especially with a little sock.

Maybe they won't be so practical in Vermont. But that's okay.

by 80%20

Pleased to announce!

pic

+

Barn

Yellow + Barn = Job!

The decision's been made, my dears. I'll be joining Yellow Barn Music School and Festival as Production Manager in May. 

Herbie and (especially) John have been wildly supportive. I feel like a very lucky girl. 

The job at Apollo's Fire had plenty of appeal, but we have a great feeling about Yellow Barn. A serendipitous turn of events led to this, and I'm thankful. 

I can't wait for visitors in gorgeous Vermont. 

I'll take you hiking and horseback riding and biking and syrup tasting and to hear great folk music --- who knows!

xo

Lauren

Tuesday Loves

Lilith - France

Gorgeous little French pieces of clothing....on consignment!

Lentil Soup at the Murray Hill Market on my lunch break.

Dream Bike

Daydreaming about buying a bike off of Craigslist to take to Vermont with me.

Whirlwind Over

Although another one will begin soon...

aligned stars

After over a year of (sometimes desparate) job hunting, the stars aligned and I have an offer in Cleveland and in Vermont. I'm so grateful to actually have options. It's hard to believe after often feeling at a total loss this past year, sometimes willing to accept almost any job thrown my way. But you have a little faith and suddenly things come together: maybe your vocal cords are a little messed up, but as it turns out, eventually you can find a stable job in the industry with two voice degrees. Who knew!

So after eight months in the Midwest, it just might be time to try out another part of the country. We'll keep you posted. :-)

xo

Lauren

Wallpaper's Comeback

This weekend I had the real pleasure of working with Currents, my friend Donna, and a fantastic photographer named John Bashian.The site was Romo, a contemporary wallpaper and fabric studio. Friends, let me tell you: this stuff was amazing. The space was incredible, and the fabric beautiful....but the wallpapers! I have never seen wallpaper like this. The texture was amazing, and the design exquisite. I wish I had more pictures to share with you. Whether it was wallpaper that looked like bubbled off-white leather, or metallic textured striped designs that change based on the light, it was fantastic. I wanted to move a bed in and stay. 

The $10,000 espresso machine didn't hurt, either.

Vermont at Sunrise

I woke up to these scenes this morning in Putney, Vermont. 

The big, clear sky took my breath away. 

Putney is gracious, serene, and picturesque -- in that perfectly rustic New England way.

The sense of community is unlike anything I've ever experienced. The people in Putney love their town...and each other. 

What a lovely trip.

Crazy Week

This is me this week. On the road and even trying to look serious.



found @ Loveology



Ready, set, go:

L in Vermont

J in Ft. Wayne

J Conducts Oberlin

J Covers Cleveland Pops

L Back to Work

FGI Event @ Work

Mom and Josh visit!

The Plain Dealer Fashion Flash

Currents Spring Shoot


And meanwhile, somehow I'm doing a little wedding planning! But just a little.

Baltimore Recharge

VC Vintage

My heart longs for Baltimore.

First of all, my fiance and my friends are amazing. Friday night was a whirlwind of fancy dress, the Helmand (best ever), and a surprise triple party - the lovely Patrick's birthday, my birthday, and our engagement. Champagne was flowing, and some of the best people I know were there. Absolutely perfect.

Big, huge thanks to Megan for knowing how to throw one hell of a party. Her blogging partner Lauren deserves a thank you, too, for making the best truffles I've ever had. When they open their bakery/bar/cupcake/coffee shop/whatever it's going to be, I'm going back to Baltimore to move in above their shop and be that girl who's always there. It's decided.

Baltimore has style. Cleveland doesn't. I tried to find it in Cleveland, but it's just...lacking. The East Coast buzz is calling my name. Cleveland's attitude is way different, and you can feel it, especially on a Friday night at a "hip restaurant." And until we figure out our next stop, an East Coast weekend here and there will just have to do the trick.

Saturday was for more friends and Hampden. Although I'm back in Cleve now, I'm already plotting my next visit. John I would be totally fine with finding great jobs there and...

Thank you, everyone, for being so wonderful. Hugs all around!!

On the road.