hello Mr. Huntington

Last week, the two loveliest girls in the world (Olive and Alexandra) and I finally had ourselves a little adventure, and we chose the dreamiest locale for it... the Huntington Gardens & Library in Pasadena, California. The gardens are so huge that even after spending nearly four hours there (well, minus one in the dreamiest gift shop), we still didn't cover all of the grounds (which only means we need to venture back sometime soon!). It was a beautiful January day, and I still can't think of a better way to have spent it than how I did: traipsing around rose gardens and through a great, palace-esque mansion decorated with Mr. Huntington's incredible art collection. We also had tea and pastries outside of the garden tea room, and spent the late afternoon wandering around old town Pasadena, thrift shopping and discovering tiny bakeries...

x

Alexandra quite naturally channeling some magical fairy-like being. 

Olive.

x

A land of gorgeous, gorgeous architecture... 

x

Olive's gorgeous, delicate Edwardian blouse. 

Alexandra channeling some wonderful 70's folk movie...

x

the occult

Late January is very far from All Hollow's Eve, and, in fact, has very little to do with anything spooky or mystical, but all of a sudden I'm absolutely enamored with all things Halloween related and supernatural (not to mention spirit photographs, which I'll have to save an entire post for some other time). I suppose it's fitting, since I've always planned for Halloween (costume-wise) months in advance, for as long as I can remember... for instance, this year I'm dead set on being either Cruella de Vil, Frida Kahlo, or one of those lovely twins from The Shining, and we still have nine months to go...

x

x

x

x

x

x

treasures & trinkets

This is a very, very belated holiday post, but I'm certain I don't need to explain how awfully hectic things can be around December and January. I just had to document all of the lovely trinkets surrounding Christmas this year, though - and wish you all a belated happy holiday season, and a wonderful New Year! xxx

 Presents I wrapped for friends and family members. Needless to say, everyone hated me because they woke up the next day with glitter in places they didn't even know glitter could appear....

My third year receiving Chloe Eau de Parfum, which smells like absolute heaven.

I bought myself two small gifts to celebrate the holiday season. I don't normally purchase or use designer make-up, but I have been lusting after both of these products for quite some time (Yves Saint Laurent Rouge lipstick #17 and Christian Dior Creme de Rose lip salve.) Plus, I've heard that Yves Saint Laurent beauty products will start to become more valuable now that the company is being re-named...

I received quite a few gift cards for Christmas, to some of my favorite stores (which all happen to be stores that middle-aged women might shop at, instead of 19-going-on-20 year old girls, but that's beside the point), and was able to choose some of my own lovely treasures, including some pretty plates and a beautiful book on taxidermy museums, as well as a gorgeous memoir of Ms. Chanel....

A book on the 60's, The Book Thief, House of Leaves, and box after box of vintage botany and Vanity Fair cover postcards.

More treasures from various stores (all sorts of lovely scented bath products and candles, a star lantern, and the ever-so-brilliant Grace Coddington memoir!)

xxx

pretty boys, pouty lips

For as long as I can remember, my mother has been telling me stories of herself as a teenager in the late 1960's, when she was madly in love with Mick Jagger (complete with poster-kissing, and the like). I always thought she was hopelessly silly for that, since, up until recently, I didn't find Mr. Jagger at all attractive (and, when looking at his present-day self,  I still don't)! But recently, something changed, and those puppy dog eyes and big pouty lips seem to win me over every single time. I also recently watched the lovely film Nowhere Boy, a biopic of John Lennon's teenage life, and I am once again in love with him and all of the young Beatles. But oh, Mick... and oh, every other pretty sixties man. x

x

x

Mr. Harrison is a dream... 

And look at those lovely pastel suits! 

John x

He's got the most pinchable cheeks. 

Despite being a fresh-faced Mick Jagger fangirl, I will never stop loving Mr. Presley (just look at that cable-knit sweater! And that gorgeous hair!) 

x

(For any male-appreciation post, Special Agent Dale Cooper aka Kyle Maclachlan must be included). 

Don't get me started on those sixties girls! 

x

x

Lovely, lovely, lovely. 

pinafore days

When it comes to winter outfits, there's one thing I always come back to: the "pinafore look", or a dress layered on top of a long-sleeve shirt. It's always cozy, always cute, and makes me feel like twirling around in a sixties-era kitchen supply commercial, or something.

I bought this beautiful, beautiful faux-fur leopard coat from the sixties today. I'm absolutely in love with it! I feel a bit like Mrs. Robinson, minus that whole sordid affair with Dustin Hoffman thing. 

And I got these lovely red velvet mary-janes as an early Christmas gift from a friend... I'm madly in love.

x

x

x

x

Dolores on the dotted line

“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita."

see here: 

(black velvet collard dress, cream boating hat, heart lollipop, black bow knee socks, patent white mary janes, tarot cards, cream silk lingerie set)

x

x

x

x

 x

x

street style

I'm absolutely infatuated with all of these outfits (no more needs to be said). 

x

x

x

x

x