Summer Travels

The past couple crazy weeks have got me really excited 

for my upcoming travels!  Weirdly enough these travels are for 

work and not pleasure, however I'm pretty sure they are going to 

feel like a fantastic vacation from the insane realities of my life.

Every weekend I am either traveling home or going to see friends..

and as much as I feel so grateful to have my family and friends I am mentally 

and emotionally exhausted.  Life can just be too much sometimes!

These business trips.. I will be on my own, experiencing new

cities and countries, focusing on myself and my work and I am really

looking forward to it.  I can take a deep breath and regroup!

I leave for Chicago in a few days!

Besides meeting with some people for work, 

my only hope and mission is to photograph myself in "the bean".

I also would love to enjoy a really nice dinner at a restaurant that I've

only heard about on the Food Network or Bravo.  

Big plans!

After Chicago is {drum roll please} Stockholm!  

When I'm there I want to look like the girl in the photo above.

After Sweden I am off to Chicago again, home, New Hampshire,

 upstate New York, LA, DC and probably home to Boston again.

I would also love to fit in Charleston, SC.. maybe for my birthday.

This summer will be filled with new and beautiful experiences. 

I have only dreamed of having a career that allows me to travel and be creative.

I never thought it would actually happen.  I am so very excited.

A walk in the park.

My shoulders and forehead are pink.  Summer is on its way.

Can't wait for ice cream cones and sundresses.

So many pieces hanging in my closet that are excited to feel the warm weather!

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Table for one, outside please.

 Today was lovely.  I went to Central Park to lay out in the sun,

then went and sat outside for an early dinner.   It was what I needed after 

such an intense whirlwind of a week.  Just some time to myself.

Sometimes I need a meal, outside of my apartment by

 myself to collect my thoughts, eat and have a nice glass of Riesling. 

This week was great hanging out with the Swedes.  They taught me a lot 

about life in general.  To take time for yourself.  That it's ok to step back and take

a time-out to gain creative inspiration.  Everything I grew up knowing, but all of

that was pretty much erased the second I went to college and got a real job. 

I think I just need to take a deep breath, find balance and feel inspired.

The Ivy League Event

The Ivy League book signing event was a great success on Thursday night!

Our little Prince Street Rugger store was packed with people.

A huge congratulations to the author Daniel Cappello!

This was my first legitimate event I have designed professionally.  

I must say I was a proud mamma! I had such a talented team helping me

and such a beautiful space to work in!  I have found that event design is definitely

something that excites and inspires me.. I haven't felt so proud of something in a 

really long time.  I am definitely a lucky girl.

The interesting/fun part of this was figuring out how to make a 

garden party both masculine and "Ivy League" appropriate.

The direction we went in was keeping our floral elements green 

and our decor rustic, clean and linear. 

Succulents are beautiful and masculine.  

They're graphic and provided texture and pattern to the environment.

The lanterns had a great balance of a modern yet vintage look.

Again, the party was absolutely wonderful.

There was so much character to be found in the details. 

Our servers wore our Yale oxfords with the new Gant Rugger aprons from our 

FW12 collection.  The music playing throughout the event were 

a capella groups from different Ivy League schools.

Cheers to a great night!

Flashback Friday

I mean.... this is pretty sweet.  Look at those big wheels!

We're like a biker gang.  I was so cool.

A Rugger Garden Party

I was digging in the dirt in the rain all day yesterday

 preparing for my first legitimate event!  

A book signing event with author Daniel Cappello for his book 

The Ivy League will be held at 25 Prince Street today at 6pm.  

More pictures to come of my beautiful garden party creation!!  

Please stop by if you're in the area! 

A little piece of Oklahoma

I've had a really rough week so far... and it's only Wednesday.

I came home from an after work drink with the roomy last night and there was
a lovely surprise waiting for me... it was just what I needed! 

Yes.  I am 26 years old and I have a pen pal.  Jealous? I bet you are!

It is a modern day friendship fairytale!  I remember it perfectly.

I was out for drinks one night at this Texas themed bar with my man.

He was being entertained by some friends while I, of course, was playing on my phone.

I had stumbled upon this "Taryn" girl's Instagram (the name was purely a coincidence) 

and completely fell in love with her photos!
I started liking her stuff, she started liking mine. You know how it works!
The next thing I know I get a message from the adorable gal
and we started discussing our extremely similar creative eye and the rest is history!  

Now we send cute little cards and gifts to one another
and this is what came for me yesterday! 

My little piece of Oklahoma that her and her husband found at a vintage store 

to go along with my little piece of New York that I found 

while cleaning out my visual storage space at work.  I love old Polaroids.. 

This was the last care package I sent to her (and her hubby)!

She even documents things like I do.
And now there is confetti all over my room and I love it.

Social Media is pretty magical but pen pals are the best.