Pumpkin Fever

Oh Fall, how I love thee. I was driving through Highland Park this weekend and was inspired by all of the beautiful fall entryways and decorations. Granted, the residents of HP have quite a bit more disposable income than I, so I will be sticking to a traditional pumpkin or two for now. Here are a few entryways to get you inspired and a fun DIY!

1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6

I found this super cute DIY on Luella and June last week, and can not wait to attempt myself. Make your very own sparkle pumpkins, by going to the this link.

Sip and Listen

Method:

First, make the rosemary simple syrup. Combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water and add two sprigs of rosemary. Bring to a boil, and take off the heat and allow it to steep for about 10 minutes. Next, juice your lemon, and add the juice as well as the syrup over the berries. With a spoon, smash a few berries. Allow it to sit for at least an hour in the fridge to macerate. Add 8 ounces of gin, 8 ounces of club soda, and a cup of ice. Taste and adjust. If you are feeling feisty, add more gin!

There is always an exciting new band discovery at ACL, and this year was no different. Thanks to my friends, the Totahs, I was introduced to The Head and the Heart. An indie band out of Seattle, their sound is a bit folky and in the perfectly coined words on Danny Totah, “americana”. The vocals alone will make you listen to the album over and over, such talent! Oh, and this video is obscenely beautiful.

Bring on the Sparkle

It’s off to Vegas we go! In two weeks my very best girlfriends and I will be strutting around Sin City celebrating my last single nights. Whether you like sparkle from head to toe or in modest doses, just make sure you have some.

1. Alice + Olivia Sequined Dress $600 2. BCBG Sequined Oversized Clutch $128 3. Sequin Crystal Frontal Statement Necklace $109.90 4. Haute Hippie One-Shoulder Sequined Silk Dress $895 or (get it on Rent The Runway for $150) 5. AllSaints Paloma Skirt $270 6. Gold Snake Rhinestone Cuff $88 7. Alice + Olivia Vista Beaded Tunic Dress $495 8. Matthew Williamson Sequined Suede Clutch $730 9. Rachel Zoe Bianca Sequin Top $275 10. Sequin Bodycon Dress by TOPSHOP $118 11. Warehouse Sequin Clutch $45 12. Betsey Johnson Sequined Bangle Bracelet $35 13. French Connection Golden Samantha Dress $298 14. Haute Hippie Bias Sequin Miniskirt $395

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

Okay, well not really Christmas, but with the release of the highly anticipated Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, it certainly does seem to be around the corner. Every year, the marketing masterminds of the influential retailer compile the top gifts of the season. However, few presents are as enthralling, as the fantasy list. Neimans’ out does themselves every year, and it never ceases to amaze me.

Without further ado, a few favorites from the Fantasy List

The Ferrari FF – seats four adults and comes with a matching custom luggage set for $395,000.

The Neiman Marcus-Edition Hacker-Craft Speedboat – Your new boats name will be painted in 23-karat gold leafing and you can cruise around while smoking a cigar from your monogrammed humidor. $250,000

Johnnie Walker Private Scotch Tasting – Accompanied by 20 of your closest friends, you will sample five premium whiskeys whilst being serenaded by a Scottish bagpiper. $5,000

Assouline Custom-Built Library --The celebrated publisher will construct a one of a kind catalog in a room of your choice. $125,000

Every year, there is one gift that sits far above the rest. Sometimes for price point, and other times for its pure outlandishness. This year is no different, with the Dancing Fountains from Wet. For a cool $1,000,000, you can have your very own Bellagio-esque fountains constructed in your home. Seriously? Pretty sure I would rather have 100,000 pairs of Brian Atwoods, but no one asked me.

Images via: Neiman Marcus

The Coveteur takes on a Mah-jor Space

Get ready, we are about to step into the chicest office space of all … do you have your Louboutins on? Stylist and style icon, Rachel Zoe has opened her doors to the ladies behind Coveteur for a drool worthy feature that is sure to leave you inspired. We have all seen the space on The Zoe Project, but this intimate portrait series gives us a deeper glimpse into the glamour. From the rows of shoes, to the racks of vintage goodies, you won’t be left disappointed.

New decorating tip – throw some statement necklaces and bracelets on a side table for an instant glam touch.

Adore the clever placement of cocktail rings

Has a Mac keyboard ever looked so stylish?

A glimpse into her vintage collection, which she states “is the greatest source of inspiration when designing new looks. Reference the past to see what does and doesn’t work.”

As a personal reminder to one of her most remarkable challenges, the parking pass from the Academy Awards when she dressed Anne Hathaway in a record 8 outfits, sits upon a shelf.

Source: The Coveteur

Sip and Listen

How delicious does this look? I am ready to say goodbye to summer, and hello to Fall themed cocktails! A batch of these will surely put you in the mood for the cozy months ahead.

Method:

Mix pear juice and vodka in a pitcher or shaker. Split open the vanilla bean, and scrape the seeds into the juice and vodka. Add 1 cup ice, then give it a shake. Pour into martini glasses and serve with sugared rim. Serves 4.

Oh man, the song this weekend is pure greatness. I am always apprehensive when promising new artists release their sophomore albums. It will go one of two ways, the disappointing Matchbox 20 / Wallflowers path (understand, now?) or they will release an album, that much to your surprise, is even better than their first. If this single, says anything about the rest of the new Florence + the Machine album, we all have a lot to look forward to.

Game Day Style: Notre Dame

When your best friend asks you to style her an outfit, it creates no ordinary challenge. There is a balance of creating what you know she will like and challenging her to push herself towards trends she may not like. With this in mind, and me being the option oriented person I am, I clearly created three choices for the perfect outfit for her first Notre Dame tailgate. One for the prep, one for the girl who teeters back and forth and one for the fashionista (biased).

Preppy Irish by ering890 featuring skinny leg jeans

Fighting Irish by ering890 featuring wool coats

Glam Irish by ering890 featuring kitten heels

Cake-spiration

I made a decision earlier this year to hold off on writing many posts regarding our upcoming wedding. This was mainly due to the fact that I am super excited about all of the little details we are planning, and I want to keep them a surprise for our guests. However, it’s time for me to make a decision on our cake, and I am being a little indecisive on which direction to go. The options these days are incredible and overwhelming at the same time. If I have learned anything in this process though, I will more than likely combine a few of the below and create my own version #highmaintenance.

Here is some of my inspiration below, any favorites?

1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6  /  7  /  8  /  9  /  10  /  11  /  12  /  13  /  14  /  15