Friday Link Love and Lovelies

How has September flown by so quickly?  On one hand, I am grateful the semester is whizzing by and on the other I want to say "Slow down!" to the beautiful fall colors.  I'll be hitting the books all weekend preparing for a really challenging midterm, so I'll just be dreaming of a nice dinner with Shug as a reward if I make it through it! *Fingers crossed!*  What will you be doing this weekend?

~ Shug and I arrived in Paris the night this was happening last year. 

It looks so fun!

~ Green.

~ THIS dress...ummmmm, no.

~ Every single one of these dresses, yes please.

~ Iceland, why do you look so amazing?

~ Tres jolie.

~ I am going to make this!

~ This sweater, times infinity!

Now, go get out and enjoy the fall colors this weekend!

Beautiful Pizza at Pizzeria 712

There aren't a lot of reasons for a heathen like me to head to Utah County.  There is a vast shortage of coffee shops and an even shorter list of places that serve alcohol.  READ: the two beverages that make my life manageable.  Ok, ok, maybe not manageable, but I am a girl who enjoys a glass of wine or two with her meals...especially meals I get to enjoy with my husband, who I see about two days out of the week now!

Enter the holy grail of dining in Orem: Pizzeria 712.  Tucked away in an ocean of beige strip malls and condos, this little oasis leaves you positively uplifted with it's cuisine and delicious beverages.  Shug and I started our meal with a pork belly on a bed of tart cole slaw.  The pork belly was so tender we could cut it with our forks.  I enjoyed a seasonal salad with blanched almonds, fresh nectarines, green beans, red potatoes, and a simple vinaigrette.  The highlight of the dinner was definitely the pizza Shug ordered.  While I wasn't able to sample the pizza (damn you, gluten!), Shug reported the fresh mozzarella and basil paired perfectly with the thin slices of summer squash and Pecorino Romano cheese.

The art decorating the walls and the music that was the backdrop to our conversation was the icing on the cake.  Edgy, yet lovely, both the art and the ambiance were greatly appreciated!  If you are ever in Orem...I know, not very likely, but IF you're in Orem, stop by Pizzeria 712 to treat yourself for your travels!

Music Monday: Youth Lagoon

Oh, hai, rememeber me?

I can't believe it's been a week since I've posted!  

It must be pretty obvi that I'm crazy-busy with school, huh?

I haven't really had a ton of time to music-hunt, but the universe must have known that because an old friend emailed me a few days ago with some of his favorite jams as of late!  I couldn't have been more excited!  Not only was it nice to have an old friend touch base, he has excellent taste in music (and pretty much the meanest drum skillz this side of the Mississippi;)!)

I really am liking Youth Lagoon, um, since I'm obsessed with handclaps and echo-y sweetness.

Give em' a listen, I'm sure you'll be smitten before the clip is over!

Music Monday: Barn Owl

Barn Owl - Turiya from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

 Barn Owl has perfected the dreamy desert soundscape.

I want to get lost in it!

Fiday Link Love and Lovelies

Hello!  How was your week?  Cray-cray?  Yeah, I hear that.  I *think* I may have gotten into the swing of things with school and that's a good thing since midterms are just around the corner!  I'm excited for the weekend because I get to celebrate three family birthdays this weekend!  It'll be a birthday blowout extravaganza!

Here's some love for your weekend:

~ This is pretty close to heaven!

~ Poignant and breathtaking photography series.

~ Get these on my feet, quick!

~ Sparkles.  Love.

~ SO excited for this release!

~ Karlie Kloss is so breathtaking.

~ Lovely reminder.

Have a lovely autumn weekend!

$9.95, are you outta your mind?!?

While everyone was losing their collective shit over the Missoni for Target release yesterday (and crashed the site for hours!), I scored three pairs of shoes at Anthropologie for $9.95 a pair.

YES.  You read the correctly, $9.95 a PAIR!!!  

And, I got free shipping.  Srsly.  So proud of myself right now.

These ain't no synthetic Missoni prints!  It pays not to follow the sheep, sometimes;)!

Music Monday: The Holydrug Couple

 

These kids must be reincarnated.

The Holydrug Couple hail from Santiago, Chile 

and manage to sounds super-old and new all at the same time.

Fresh.

In the wee, small hours of the morning...

...is when I really get to dream.  

My morning ritual looks a little like this:

• Get up and let the puppies out.
• Start a mug of hot water in the microwave.
• Slice a fresh lemon.
• Let the puppies in and feed them.
• Plunk a bag of green tea into my mug.
• Steep.
• Add a slice of lemon to my tea.
• Hunker down and catch up on all the beautiful blogs that keep making beautiful posts for me to read.
• Dream.
• Maybe even write a blog post myself.
• Nibble on some breakfast.
• Dream a little more.
• Finish tea.

Now, my little morning ritual is a pathetic cry from the austere Japanese tea ceremony, but I definitely see value in a quiet ritual that allows you to center yourself before the craziness of the day.  No matter how early I need to be somewhere, I make sure I get up early enough to have a little "breather" before jumping in. I think I may have picked this habit up from my dad, he still gets up early to mull over a cup of coffee even though he's retired now!  (I think he may even go back to bed after his early morning cup!  Love that!)

Do you have any morning rituals that ready you for the day?

Source

Friday Link Love and Lovelies

 

Whoa!  I have been completely crazy-busy this week with school...and only school.  This is a big change for me since, in the past, I've been able to balance my education with working and even a little bit of playing.  I am discovering that this program is pretty much a full-time job, with copious amounts of overtime.  I have been more humbled (and a little freaked out!) by the intelligent people I am constantly surrounded by!  From my classmates to my instructors, I have to keep pinching myself!  I really feel so lucky and so challenged with my new direction.  And did I mention I'm a little freaked out, too;)?

Here's some loveliness for your holiday weekend!

~  What to wear in a 100 years in a 100 seconds.

~  I'm a Samoas-4-Lyfe kinda gal.

~  YES.

~  I love me some bobby pins.

~  Love her jewelry and hair!

~  Whoa.  I really needed this tutorial!

~  Holy.  Hell.  NEED.

Have a sunny holiday weekend!

xo.