{Weekend Update}...Taste of the Valley

 Warm breezes, blue skies, fluffy clouds and a bit of rainfall made this weekend perfect for cool treats and sweets. Nick and I drove to Chippewa's locally owned Olson's Ice Cream Parlor with his Grandma Rose; what a blast we had. I delighted in licking a delectable three-flavor (and three scoop, oh my!) combination of orange pineapple, strawberry, and classic vanilla. I expected the orange pineapple to be more like a tangy sherbet, but it was a creamy, straight up ice cream resembling a dreamsicle filled with pineapple bits. I also made a variation of this bean salsa with bagel chips. It's the perfect complement to hot summer days! Last but not least, The Taste of the Valley dominated Phoenix Park in Downtown Eau Claire. As always, it was characterized by rich smells, live music and great vendors! I sampled the cheese curds, BBQ wings, iced caramel latte and a giant Betty Bar! Needles to say, I was stuffed. As if my weekend wasn't lovely enough, our family had a good ol' bonfire and Nick surprised me with my favorite flowers in a sparkly bouquet. I hope you had an equally tasty and fragrant weekend! Happy Monday!

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Celebrate

Yesterday kicked off birthday month for me! I know, it seems strange that I have birthday month. I don't demand present everyday or special treatment. But I definitely make sure that for the entire month I have "me time" to relax and rejuvenate. I hang with friends, eat good food, smile & laugh a lot. I take time off. So if blog posts are few and far between, it's because I'm celebrating life. 

It's crazy how busy we make ourselves! It seems like there's so much to do, and then forever in a day we're not getting enough done. I realized I was busy when I scheduled breaks & relaxation time. Doesn't that seem backwards. So happy June, happy Summer, happy Birthday! However you celebrate, whether you eat your weight in cake or have a glass of champagne or go on a shopping spree, enjoy it! There is so much great stuff in life - we should be jazzed! Go out and have a good time! 

p.s... How great is this model's hair and makeup. She is styled so perfectly!

photo via

Vertical Gardening

Woah! How sweet is this? Vertical gardening in Madrid has to be the coolest thing I've seen in a long time! I'd love to know how long it takes to engineer and landscape it. The design is incredible. Think how amazing it would be to walk around a paved street lined with concrete & brick buildings to then be struck my a lush, green masterpiece! Breath-takingly beautiful. And here is a great web site if you're curious and would like to know more! Perhaps you'd like to start one, or you just want to know how it works. 

photos via

Into the Woods

Sometimes I dream of living in L.A., Santa Monica, Orange County. Other days I see myself in Maine, New York, New Haven, Providence. Then I look outside my window and see lush grass, large oaks and dozens of woodland creatures just hanging in my backyard. Sure, the bunnies and chipmunks eat my flowers and the deer run down my vegetation. But I can't think of anything better. This beautiful wallpaper is just rustic enough without being overly cheesy. I'd love to see it on a wall with a shimmery glaze over it. The print reminds me a Snow White in a way. 

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Seeing Double

Facing the conundrum of growing out my hair, I fell in love with this photo spread in Elle Korea. This messy pageboy is so chic and cool. I'm just so into this spread. Their makeup is fresh (great lip color) and the styling is great. I really love how they play up the twin element. I'm a twin, so naturally I love seeing twins featured. And how rad are those sunglasses? They remind me of these. Feeling inspired.