fall fragrance

A new season calls for a new fragrance. After all, we can't be nearing October still smelling of "beach" now can we (sorry, Kramer)?

New York fragrance brand D.S. & Durga's Pomelo Blossom is my current jam.

The duo (D.S is a fella while Durga is a dame) create their exclusive scents in-house using raw materials. Sounds fun, no?

Pomelo Blossom mixes the smell of  floral and citrus peel with a soft almost masculine musk. I usually gravitate toward lighter, sweet scents, but something about the weight of this option feels perfect for sweater weather.

(image via pinterest and fragrantica)

currently cooking: olive oil, lemon and poppy seed cake

When I first came across the recipe for olive oil, lemon and poppy seed cake, I could hardly wait to whip up a little loaf cake of my very own.

Don't let looks deceive you. Though this might look like a cake you've seen a million times, the olive oil really sets the flavor apart. Instead of being a heavy, dense pound cake, this cake was light and fluffy with a bright taste. In short, it was crazy delicious.

Here's the deal:

Whisk the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and milk together before...

adding in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt).

Mix well to create the batter before...

adding in the poppy seeds.

happy weekend jams

Happy weekend (at last)!

Still mooning over a lovely, fall-inspired date night last evening that included red wine in the twinkle-lit garden of Rumors, a hearty dinner at Lockeland Table and a charming soundtrack of slow jams.

As it happens, the very same playlist is seeing me across the finish line of this busy week.

Just in case you're also feeling a chill vibe on this sunny September afternoon, here are a few faves for your listening pleasure.

 (original image via tkow)

dino

Here's a pic of a dinosaur being delivered to the Boston Museum of Science in 1984.

How wonderful is this? Can you imagine how exciting it must have been to look up and spot a dino flying over downtown?

I know I'm probably wrong, but I can't shake the feeling that there must have been an easier way to get the big guy home.

(image via arthur pollock)

mexican wool blankets

It's a sunny and brisk 47 degrees here in Nashville this morning. This morning's weather leaves little doubt that today is going to be one of those beautifully autumnal days that we look forward to all summer long.

It's the perfect morning for sipping something warm on the porch wrapped up in a cozy blanket. I vote for  a vintage Mexican options. Aren't they just groovy?

Though they are perfect for snuggly porch sitting or afternoon picnics

these wool blankets also make the perfect transitional binky for the bedroom. What a wonderfully simple way to take a cool white bedroom from clean and breezy to warm and snuggly.

Urban Outfitters offers the above options for only $24, but Etsy is filled with tons of vintage offerings certain to fufill all of your cuddling needs.

(images via urban outfitters, etsy, purple mainly)

special weekend snaps

This weekend has been a special one. Our pals LD and AK are in town visiting from Chicago. Since it's their first trip to visit us here in Nashville, we had tons to do.

 Here are a few snaps of the highlights. We miss you already!

breaking out the new snakeskin loafers

Sipping Mississippi's own Lazy Magnolia brew at The Pharmacy's Biergarten before...

heading over to our fave 5 Points dive The 5 Spot to hear awesome local band Little Bandit.

A Saturday morning walk through Germantown and Bicentennial Park where...

the leaves have begun to fall.

Hair of the dog at Whiskey Kitchen means a glass of rose with...

fried chicken sliders (served with pomegranate butter and honey), obviously.

a row of guitars in Corner Music

These tiny baby jeans in imogene + willie made me giggle.

A late night stop to the speakeasy Patterson House where we ....

promptly broke the "no standing, no loud voices and no cell phone" policies. By we I mean...us.

Our handsome dates (right after L asked S to be in their wedding).

Sunday Funday at Fanny's House of Music where there was a vintage fair. We found a box of old work shirt name tags. Fun combos abound!

The perfect afternoon pick-me-up? Rose and cardamon marshmallows dipped in chocolate from Nashville's own Bang Candy Company.

In short, I would say they now definitely "believe in Nashville." Can you blame them?

profiles

Did you see them? Look very closely...

Artist Kumi Yamashita uses colorful Japanese paper and a single lighting source to create these stunning shadow profiles. Aren't they gorgeous?

I love how each one is different.

Speaking of shadows, remember this post from March on artist Rashad Alakbarov's shadow "paintings"? So cool...

(spotted on swiss miss; images via Kumi Yamashita)

a swell getup for...an afternoon of antiquing

Fall is by far my favorite season, and I'm chomping at the bit for sweater weather.

Daydreaming about leisurely Saturday afternoons spent exploring my favorite antique shops on 8th Ave and in East Nashville.

A cozy yellow sweater paired with a flirty polka dot skirt gets those creative juices flowing. Worn with broken in ankle booties, this cute yet comfy outfit feels right for browsing stacks of old records, vintage glassware and jewelry from other decades.

Top with a big brown satchel, a chunky grey cowl scarf and super rosy cheeks....it looks like you're ready to pick.

The ultimate compliment to this colorful fall getup? A pumpkin spice latte, of course!

Get the look below.

Sweater: J. Crew wool knit merino, net-a-porter.com, $80
Skirt: pleated polka dot skirt, J. Crew, $148
Scarf: cableknit cowl, John Lewis, $48
Satchel: Dooney & Burke, zappos.com, $368
Ankle boots: The Zipcode Boot, Madewell, $198
Tights: Opaque navy, Top Shop, $12
Bracelets: Dinny Hall Toro Loop bracelet, Ashley Clarke, $200 and Gag & Lou Seven Bead bracelet, $62
Cuff: Charlene K Small Druzy and Gold, maxandchloe.com, $173
Blush: Tarte Cheek Stain, Sephora, $30
Lipstick: Rouge Dior Lipstick in Nude, $32

(top image via pinterest)

currently cooking: smoky chicken meatballs

Ever since stumbling across Deb's recipe for Baked Chicken Meatballs on Smitten Kitchen a few years ago I was desperate to whip up a batch of my own. The problem? Our old NYC apartment lacked an oven. How sad is that?

When it came time to make dinner on a recent weeknight, I was pretty pumped to discover ground chicken in our freezer. A light bulb went off as the choice became clear. Meatballs for everyone!

Since we didn't have all the makings for Deb's version, we needed to improvise a bit with the ingredients. Instead of pancetta (which we coincidentally did not have lying around the fridge...who do you think we are? Mario Batali?), we used diced Benton's bacon. It was quite the combo.

The meatballs were plenty moist (disgusting word alert) and crazy flavorful. I highly recommend the combination.

S couldn't keep his hands off of them. Note the missing meatball in the below pics.

After some searching, I came across this similar recipe which also calls for serving your meatballs "naked" (which only means without pasta, pervs).

stacked

These Black & Tan heels by Schuler & Sons found their way into my closet this weekend. Cut out in all the rights places, this combination neutral block shoe makes me say va-va-voom.

Perfect for transitioning from late summer to fall, these babies would also look rocking with a pair of black tights. Don't mind if I do!

Black & Tan heels, Anthropologie, $148.

(images via anthro)

two thumbs up

Monday, again?

Let's keep things upbeat with two thumbs up creations from the always clever Marc Johns.

I feel better already. Don't you?

(images via marc johns)

lip butter, baby

I love a bold rose lip. Doesn't it look chic?

Recently discovered Korres's Lip Butter ($12 each at Sephora). The texture is somewhere between lipstick and lip gloss and hits lips with a moisturizing saturation of color that actually shows up.

Wild Rose is a most lovely shade.

To achieve the pretty pout of the dish above, combine Wild Rose with Korres's hot pink shade, Pomegranate and pucker up!

(images via lisaasioux, inc pinterest)

happy friday (and a cocktail recipe)

Happy Friday, friends! It's finally starting to feel like fall around here. I couldn't be more thrilled.

Our household is gearing up for a classic autumnal weekend complete with cozy blankets, comfort food and lots of football games. On that note, I can't think of a better excuse to whip up the seasonal cocktail below.

The recipe comes courtesy of the cats at Billy Reid here in Nash. This libation was the drink of choice during a recent shindig, and I've been craving it ever since. Loyal readers might recall this post from a few weeks ago.

Here are the details for mixing up your own version of "The Billy" at home.

Can you think of a more ideal combination of flavors to compliment your tailgating adventures? I didn't think so.

clare vivier striped clutch

Like most gals, fall shopping has been on my mind lately. While I know I should be practical and invest in boots and jackets, I'm seriously coveting clutches.

California designer Clare Vivier's striped clutch has it going on. Get a load of this baby!

Spotted on two of my favorite daily reads, Cupcakes and Cashmere...

and Tomboy Style.

For an extra $50 you can have your tote personalized. Isn't it a charming look?

Available at Shopbop for a cool $173.

P.S. Remember these tribal screenprinted clutches from a few weeks ago? These would also make a great compliment to almost any fall ensemble!

(images via shopbop, cupcakes and cashmere and tomboy style)