Blogger Interview: Naomi of Rockstar Diaries

If you haven't read Naomi's blog about her life with her hubby(formerly in NY, now DC) then after this interview you will. It is one of those blogs that you read to just put a smile on your face, and you feel like you are instantly friends. We are so excited Naoimi was able to particate in our May installment!

How did you and your darling hubby meet?

Josh and I met in New York City. We share the same faith and met at church. We were both students at the time {he was studying at Columbia and I was at Juilliard} and instantly became best of friends. We did everything together with NYC as the backdrop, it was lovely. Our relationship really didn't turn romantic until months and months after our friendship blossomed, and we did everything backwards once it did. The "I love you's" came long before the "relationship status talk" and we were tentatively scheduling a wedding date before our family and friends knew we were even serious. But I think that is why it worked out so perfectly... we were so in love we were silly.

The Here’s to happiness series has caught on like wildfire..I have stumbled upon countless blogs that have been inspired by this(ours included!) What are a few things that are making you happy today?

I am so thrilled the happiness series has been well received and built upon. I love reading each list. They inspire me like crazy! A few things that are making me happy today? Homemade potato Gnocchi, my new tea cup, husband's 3 day old scruff, and an upcoming surprise from husband I shouldn't know about but do {I'm bad like that}.

NYC seemed to be the third person of your blog..exploring that great city leaving no where unturned…were you sad to leave? How are you adjusting to Washington DC?
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Oh I was so nervous to leave NYC. It was such a big part of our lives and I had dreams of living there forever. But oddly enough, the transition to DC has been so smooth and we both really feel at home here. I know we were both ready for a new adventure and change, and I think DC is proving to be just as adventurous and magical as our last city {with a little more space and a few extra closets!}

Your etsy shop is filled with gorgeous headbands of your making..how long do they typically take to make?
They don't take long to make, but I always feel like they do when it's time to update the shop {sometimes I can be so lazy!} Currently, I'm trying to expand the shop by collaborating with a friend to start a new accessory line for men and am hopeful to get some vintage dresses in there too. We shall see how it all pans out, but I'm excited!

Any final thoughts??
Nope, but thank you so much for having me!! This was fun!

When One Door Closes

I was going to do a reflective post in a few weeks, when it was 6 months until my 25th bday and I was going to reflect on all the things I thought I would be by this point. Well, I guess I can do it today, since I joined the 11% of the California workforce that is unemployed. Well, "I can choose to work, but they cannot pay us for June, and there's no guarantees" so yeah, I am unemployed.

As I sit at my desk and try to organize everything, I see my summer plans going out the window. Hamptons in August..bye bye. Weekend in Napa..nope. Kitchen Remodel..on hold. General fun...blah.

To try to be optimistic, I have been trying to change careers since the new year, and as my mom said, this is the push I needed to get out. Now I can focus on this transition.
It has just been a rough two weeks. I guess it is right that bad things come in three..in the last 12 days I've had a breakup, the loss of my pup, and now this. I told my dad last night my life lately is a sad country music song. He said it can only go up from here. I hope so.

Sunny Days

After the wonderful and much needed long weekend, the lovely warm weather is back in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I want nothing more than to run through the sprinklers with my nephew (who just turned two on sunday), instead I am stuck in the office...hopefully I can convince my lovely coworkers to join me with some gelato on our lunch break.



On a side note, this classically elegant skirt is on sale at J Crew, and I have been lusting over it for a while. Once I get my paycheck later this week, I am going to have to run in and snatch it up.

Mad for Mad Men

I seem to be the last person to watch Mad Men, but i rented Season One over the weekend and am hooked on the story, the characters, the decor and the style!

Lucky for me, I have the body type for the pencil skirts and sweaters, and am so excited to start to incorporate the looks this fall

Here are some Mad Men Inspired Looks I found while searching for this post:

mad men by Carolina36 featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

I adore this Black halo Jackie dress Joan is wearing

Check out the lovely Sarah Danielle's post on the fashion as well! We used some of the same pics! I knew we were blog soul sisters...

Happy Friday: Memorial Day Reflection

The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots. -Randy Vader

Happy Friday dolls! Hope everyone is excited for the unofficial start of summer this lovely 3-day weekend! Any fun plans?

Sara and I wanted to pay a special tribute to the men and women who have given their lives for this country, who we honor on Monday. I come from a military family, and luckily, I have never had to endure the pain of losing a loved one in war. We cannot express our gratitude for their sacrifice.

Two years ago, while Sara and I were in our evening, three hour public relations course, I was flipping through an issue of Newsweek I grabbed from the family I worked for. The entire issue was dedicated to the fallen, and included last letters that every solider writes, just in case. Well, as Sara can tell you, I was a blubbering fool in the back of the room, crying just reading these, yet at the same time, gave me such hope that we have such strong men and women doing what they do. Here is where the issue is online

So, hopefully in between the bbqs, beer, and baseball games that we all love about Memorial Day weekend, we can take a moment to pause, and honor those who this holiday is for.

We'll be back on tuesday!

Trina Turk for Clinique

I went into Nordies the other day to buy pressed powder from Clinique, and saw this adorable make up bag with fun goodies. Everyone loves a giveaway right? I still needed to spend $4 to meet the $25 gift requirement so I threw in a lip gloss (juicy apple-I love it) and I now have foundation, lip gloss and a fun new make up bag!

P.s. Don't forget to check out the half yearly sale while you are there.

Hair Envy and a Sad, Sad Goodbye

I have a love/hate relationship with Miss LC...I hate her in the sense that she pouts, based on her interviews should never have a job, and the release of the excerpt of her book makes me want to cry its so bad.

I love her hair. love. love. love. love her hair. I have such envy its not even funny...does it ever look bad?

In very sad news, we had to put our beloved lab Bubba down yesterday, after he apparently had a stroke sometime Sunday..my entire family is devestated(I am getting very teary eyed as i write this at the office)..the only comfort i really have is that he is up in heaven(yes, I do believe dogs go to heaven), probably in his favorite spot, under the kitchen table( I don't know who would have a kitchen up there, but i'm sure there is one) love you pup...

Outfit Dilemma: Friend's Graduation

The Saint Mary's Graduation is this Saturday, and even though I graduated last year, I am venturing back to my Alma Mater to celebrate with my boys. These guys have been in my life for the past four years, and I am so proud of them all. But now I have a problem...what do I wear? So i put together a couple of outfits (based around Forever 21 and cheap accessories--I have only been out of college for a year) that I thought have potential.

Option 1

Graduation 1 by sweetnothings04 featuring Forever21

Option 2

Graduation 2 by sweetnothings04 featuring Forever21

Option 3

Graduation 3 by sweetnothings04 featuring Forever21 accessories

Option 4

Graduation 4 by sweetnothings04 featuring Forever21 accessories

P.s. it's going to be in the 80's on Saturday, I hope I can handle the heat okay.

Keep Calm and Carry On

About a month ago I posted this cheeky keep calm wall decal; well my mini project this weekend was to set it up in my office

Here is the result:

I really hate my digital camera..anyone have suggestions(it needs to be a small one, though i really want a Nikon, but i feel like that is not going to be fun to take with me dancing)

Happy Friday:Look of the week

Is it normal to envious of a toddler's purse?

Happy Weekend dolls!

Wine Country Wedding

It's about that time of year to catch wedding fever! I already have three wedding on the agenda for 2010!!

While browsing Snippet&Ink, I came across this gorgeous Napa Valley Wedding..It was at the Carneros Inn, where I will be attending a wedding in September, so I was eager to take a peek...This affair was stunning...but then again, when the bride wears Valentino, it can be nothing less than gorgeous.

What have you done for me lately?

I was watching sister act 2 the other night, and they cleverly incorporated janet Jackson's "what have you done for me lately?" into the final choir performance. It reminded me how much I love janet's music and immediately made an iTunes playlist. Sadly I only had about 6 songs, so I downloaded her decades greatest hits cd and have been listening to it ever since, I mean who doesn't love "nasty" and "pleasure principle"?

Shades of Grey

Here are the pics from my weekend project! I TOTALLY forgot before pictures!! ahh, I'm so sorry..next time I will do it!

I also am totally going to go for the z gallerie light fixture! My dad thinks there may be an issue with taking down the ceiling fan (see below) but is going to try anyways..now I just need to save my pennies!!

had to include the lovely flowers from Sara!

I'm trading tvs with my brother next week, how sad and small does it look there! :(

the next HUGE project to take place towards the mid-end of summer is a TOTAL kitchen re-do! I am sooooooo excited you have no idea. ..Thank Goodness my dad is amazing and can do 90% of it all himself, I am going to save so much money!

I also wandered into Kohl's this weekend, and the Vera Wang bathroom key stuff was 75% off, so I swooped up this shower curtain and a few hand towels for display for my bathroom.

I am hoping by the end of the summer( or by end of September, since Oct 1 is my two year mark in the condo) to share a full, home tour with you gals!!

Mother's Day Feast

My mom, dad, uncle, and aunt jetted off to Hawaii, so we had an early Mother's day celebration on Saturday night. I invited my sister, brother-in-law and nephew to join us too. To give my mom a break from cooking, I decided to make one of her fave meals: salmon burgers, with roasted asparagus (recipe courtesy of Danielle's fabulous mother) and brussel sprouts, potatoes, and a fresh salad.

my prep work

with my mom and nephew

my sister, mom and nephew

She's Somebody's Hero

Somebody's Hero

by:Jamie O'Neal

She's never pulled anyone from a burning building
She's never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans, screaming out her name
She's never hit a shot to win the game
She's never left her footprints on the moon
She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride, around the world,
No, she's just your everyday average girl (but)

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero

oh oh
She didn't get a check every week like a nine-to fiver
But she's been a waiter, and a cook and a taxi driver
For twenty years, there at home, until the day her girl was grown
Giving all her love to her was her life's ambition
But now her baby's movin' on, and she'll soon be missin' her
But not today, those are tears of joy runnin' down her face

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her daughter in her wedding dress
She gave her wings to leave the nest
It hurts to let her baby go down the aisle she walks right by
Looks back into her mother's eyes
And that smile lets her know oh oh oh
She's somebody's hero

Thirty years have flown right past
Her daughters' starin' at all the photographs
Of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that
Oh, but she already is

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her mother in a rockin' chair
She runs a brush through her silver hair
The envy of the nursing home
She drops by every afternoon
Feeds her mother with a spoon
And that smile lets her know oh oh
Her mother's smile lets her know oh oh
She's somebody's hero

Wishing every mommy out there a fabulous weekend