Author: Megan

Music Monday – Amy Winehouse

Posted on by Megan

Music Monday is bittersweet this week.

Amy Winehouse consistently appeared my most played iTunes tracks and this weekend we lost her. She was an incredible talent and it’s terribly sad that she ended up succumbing to her demons.

In her memory, here are a few of my favorite songs from her catalog.

May she rest in peace.

In My Bed – Amy Winehouse

Tears Dry On Their Own – Amy Winehouse

Back to Black – Amy Winehouse

Music Monday – Goody Goody

Posted on by Megan

I had a blog long ago [okay, not all that long ago – more like a year and a half] where I had a different “feature” or “topic” every weekday. After 2 months, it became a chore and I stopped all feature posts cold turkey. Then, as I was telling some friends at Jazzercise about a week ago about an artist I love, I had a lightbulb moment – I’ll bring back Music Mondays to the blog!

 

I now bring you the first installment of Music Monday: Goody Goody – Marie Adam & the Three Tons of Joy. Sit back and enjoy!!

I’ve been tagged…

Posted on by Megan

A friend who shall remain nameless tagged me in a Q&A Facebook note. On Monday.

Today, I’m just getting around to posting my answers. Yes, it’s been that kind of week. I should also state my “shall remain nameless friend” is leaving for vacation tomorrow and I am insanely jealous about this. Consider this your bon voyage present.

Name: Megan

Age: 27

Birth date: June 7, 1984

Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 92 Truths about you. At the end, choose at least 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If you’re reading this and you have a blog, consider yourself tagged. You’re welcome.

WHAT WAS YOUR:

  1. Last beverage = Sweet Leaf Organic Tea
  2. Last phone call = Adam, giving me advice for a grad school paper
  3. Last text message = Twitter alerting me @kerrijack replied to an earlier tweet of mine regarding hammers
  4. Last song you listened to = Goody Goody by Marie Adams & The Three Tons of Joy

HAVE YOU EVER:

  1. Dated someone twice = Nope
  2. Kissed someone & regretted it = Not at all
  3. Lost someone special = Unfortunately, yes.
  4. Been depressed = Clinically? no, but I’ve definitely had a few “blah days”
  5. Been drunk and threw up = Honestly? Never.

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS: (In order)

  1. Razorback Red
  2. Turquoise
  3. Gray

LAST YEAR (2010)

Have you EVER:

  1. Made a new friend = Yep! She tagged me in this note.
  2. Fallen out of love = Nope!!
  3. Laughed until you cried = Of course! Best tears ever!
  4. Met someone who changed you? = I’m marrying him 🙂
  5. Found out who your true friends were = Oh yes.
  6. Found out someone was talking about you = Yep.
  7. Kissed anyone on your FB friend’s list = I’m marrying him 🙂

GENERAL:

  1. How many people on your FB friends list do you know in real life = I know all of them in real life, but only about a quarter do I regularly have the opportunity to get together with in my day to day life.
  2. Do you have any pets = That live with me – no. But I have 2 adorable dogs that live at my parents’ home.
  3. Do you want to change your name = Come October 15th I ‘ll have to…
  4. What did you do for your last birthday = It was very low-key. I had dinner with my parents and then dinner with Adam.
  5. What time did you wake up today = 7:00
  6. What were you doing at midnight last night = Watching episode 3 of Dallas while trying to fall asleep
  7. Name something you CANNOT wait for = My wedding day and subsequent Napa Valley honeymoon
  8. Last time you saw your Mother = Yesterday
  9. What is one thing you would change about your life = Not a thing!
  10. What are you listening to right now = Strawberry Swing by Frank Ocean
  11. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom? = yep, used to work with one.
  12. What’s getting on your nerves right now = Not knowing the whereabouts of my wedding dress…
  13. Nicknames = Meg Tay, Tay Tay, Moose, Meggie, Megs, Meg
  14. Relationship Status= happily engaged
  15. Zodiac sign = Gemini, the BEST one
  16. He or She = He, if it’s talking about who I’m attracted to.  She, if it’s what I am. <—What she said.
  17. Elementary = Prescott Elementary
  18. Middle school = PMS (Prescott Middle School)
  19. College = University of Arkansas. WOOOO PIG SOOIE!!!
  20. Hair color = dark brown
  21. Long or short = longish
  22. Height = 6’2″
  23. Do you have a crush on someone? = I’m marrying him 🙂
  24. What do you like about yourself? My eyes.
  25. Piercings = ears
  26. Tattoos = NO!!!
  27. Righty or lefty= righty

FIRSTS:

  1. First surgery= Jaw surgery #1
  2. First Piercing= [and only] ears.
  3. First real best friend = Lauren
  4. First sport you joined = T-ball.
  5. First vacation = Jekyll Island, GA
  6. First pair of trainers(shoes) = More than likely Nike, bu I can’t remember.

RIGHT NOW:

  1. Eating = Nothing.
  2. Drinking = Nothing
  3. I’m about to = Watch So You Think You Can Dance?
  4. Listening to = Imogen Heap
  5. Waiting for = The weekend and our first official wedding-related party!

YOUR FUTURE:

  1. Want kids? = yep
  2. Get Married? = October 15, 2011
  3. Career? = As long as I can write and work with graphics I’ll be happy.

WHICH IS BETTER :

  1. Lips or eyes = eyes
  2. Hugs or kisses = kisses, but sometimes a hug is exactly what you need
  3. Shorter or taller = As if there is any debate, TALLER!
  4. Older or Younger = Older
  5. Romantic or spontaneous = Spontaneous
  6. Nice stomach or nice arms = Arms
  7. Sensitive or loud = Sensitive
  8. Hook-up or relationship = Relationship
  9. Trouble maker or hesitant = Hesitant, I’m not a good enough liar to be a trouble maker.

HAVE YOU EVER:

  1. Kissed a stranger = Nope
  2. Drank hard liquor = Yep, love a good martini.
  3. Lost glasses/contacts = Who hasn’t?
  4. Sex on first date = Never.
  5. Broke someone’s heart = Probably.
  6. Had your own heart broken = Nope.
  7. Been arrested = That’s a negative.
  8. Turned someone down = Yep.
  9. Cried when someone died = Oh yes.
  10. Fallen for a friend = Sort of. If co-worker = friend, in which case I’m marrying him 🙂 (Are you sick of me saying that yet?)

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

  1. Yourself = Yes!!
  2. Miracles = Yes!
  3. Love at first sight = Yes, [one last time] I’m marrying him 🙂
  4. Heaven = Yes.
  5. Santa Claus = Duh! I want presents!
  6. Kiss on the first date = Depends on how the date went.
  7. Angels = Of course.

Happy Love

Posted on by Megan

Here’s the funny thing about getting older – you become yourself. You get comfortable in your own skin and care less about trying to “fit in”. You realize that when you are yourself people naturally accept you, they enjoy your company and they appreciate what you have to say.

Growing up, I often confused confidence with fitting in. I thought, “if only I could be accepted, X would happen” instead of embracing who I was. Granted, I wasn’t your typical teen. I didn’t enjoy “going out”, “defying my parents” or hanging out in the bank parking lot – it wasn’t me. In fact it’s safe to say I was quite the goodie goodie. [I was voted “Teacher’s Pet” in high school]

Most nights, when I wasn’t playing sports, at dance lessons or cheering at a game, I stayed home or drove around my small hometown by myself blasting whatever music was playing on my Chevy Cavalier’s radio and happily singing along at the top of my lungs. Even though now I look back with fondness on those days, at the time I was desperately seeking acceptance by my peers.

Through college, much of the same happened, though I found friends – lifelong friends – who shared common interests. I finally gained the acceptance that I wished for for so many years. Professors recognized my talents and I received summer internships in AWESOME cities which allowed me to grow into my own skin naturally. I slowly became more of my true self.

Then I entered the “real world” and something clicked. I realized everyone, in some way, is a misfit. Everyone wishes they were someone else. Everyone wants to change something about themselves.

This was a profound realization for me. I realized I could be myself without fear of rejection. I realized that people actually enjoyed my personality and wanted to be around me. I realized, the geeky wannabe from high school might actually be a “cool kid” to some people and if not, so what!

Over the past 5 years, I’ve grown so much as a person. I’m more confident in my opinions. I’m sarcastic. I laugh at myself. I relish the little things. The only person I want please is myself, everyone else is a bonus.

I’m me and it’s the best feeling in the world.

The coolest part? Someone actually likes the real me enough to marry me. I’m not sure how I tricked him, but golly gee I sure am glad I did! I’m the luckiest girl in the world. I’m lucky that he laughs at my corny jokes, smiles when I sing him my awful made-up songs, hugs me when I need comfort and supports me no matter what. I’m lucky that he loves me.

I guess it really is true what they say about love.

You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.

Let the Music Play 2.0

Posted on by Megan

Happy Fourth of July!!!

This weekend was a time of road trips, cookouts, laughter, humidity, buying wedding bands and being us. There was also a little dinner meeting of our parents – wherein I learned a secret about Adam and his family.  It was low-key and perfect, even if Adam had to drive back to Texas today…

Oh well, his loss, as I’ve spent the afternoon watching DVRed episodes of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and cross stitching a sampler for our home. I know he’s jealous.

I also spent today reflecting a bit on my blog. It was during this reflection that I realized it was time for my traditional “30 songs” post. For this post, I put my iTunes library on shuffle and then [stupidly] tell you the songs that play. You may click here for last year’s post.

I’ve told you before that my taste in music is schizophrenic, so let’s see just how random it is this year!

  1. Breakout – Swing Out Sisters. Am I the only person who thought this was Gloria Estefan? Shamefully, I admit I just realized it’s not.
  2. Speak Like a Child – The Style Council. This is 80s pop music at its finest. This song is like candy.
  3. So Lady – Mary J. Blige. I looooove Mary J. Her songs always have a great beat and you can always count on her vocals to be spot on.
  4. I’ll Never Be – Reel Big Fish. You can thank Adam for this one, he insisted I put Reel Big Fish in my library earlier this year. Truth be told, they aren’t that bad – in fact, I might kind of like them…
  5. Irresistible Delicious – Missy Elliott. I’ve loved Missy Elliot ever since high school. I remember wearing out her Miss E…So Addictive album while driving around town in my Jeep Liberty with the windows down during the summer of 2002.
  6. Rumors – Timex Social Club. When I rediscovered this song a little over a year ago I cannot stop jamming to it EVERY. TIME. IT. PLAYS. Have I mentioned I’m a hip hop fan?
  7. Straight Up – Paula Abdul. And then the cat gets let out of the bag. Yes, I have a Paula Abdul song in my iTunes library. In fact, I own every single one of her albums and I’m not at all ashamed.
  8. I’ll Be Doggone – Marvin Gaye. R&B music is the most versatile genre out there. You can dance to it, you can chill to it, you can cook to it and you can drive down scenic highways while it plays in your car. Marvin Gaye delivers every. single. time.
  9. Missing You – John Waite. 80s. Enough said.
  10. I Can’t Wait – Nu Shooz. Yet another hip hop/pop tune from the 80s. Are you sensing a theme yet?
  11. Better be Good to Me – Tina Turner. I would give anything for her legs. Seriously.
  12. Blame it on My Youth – Jamie Cullum. I will take Jamie Cullum over Michael Buble any day of the week. If you haven’t ever heard of him or his music, YouTube him immediately. You’ll thank me and I’ll say, “You’re welcome”. And thus will begin our mutual appreciation of Jamie Cullum.
  13. Graceland – Paul Simon. I was raised on Paul Simon. I will forever be grateful for this.
  14. I’m a Believer – The Monkees. I was also raised on oldies like this. Many a summer vacations were spent stuck in a van [or suburban] being forced to listen to these songs. Now, I’m glad I was – they just don’t make music like they used to. (For the record, I’m 27 not 72)
  15. 1, 2, 3 – Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine. Gloria is my go to karaoke artist. Speaking of which, it’s been over a year since I’ve sung karaoke. Who wants to go??
  16. A Fifth of Beethoven – Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band. Yes, I have 70s remixes of classical pieces in my iTunes library. You don’t?
  17. Heavy Traffic – Elton John. After seeing him live in concert with my sister, I appreciate Elton even more than ever before. He’s a legend, an entertainer and a chameleon. Plus, who can’t resist a guy behind the piano decked out in bedazzled jackets?
  18. Get Up! (Before the Night is Over) – Technotronic. Early 90s dance music = it’s how I clean my apartment.
  19. My Guy – Mary Wells. Every time I hear this song I think of “Sister Act” and sing “My God”. It’s a classic.
  20. Hole in My Life – The Police. Favorite! Band! Of! All! Time!!!
  21. Hate on Me – Jill Scott. After a rough day at work, I get in my car, roll down my windows, open the sunroof and BLAST this as a I drive home. I may or may not also sing along at the top of my lungs. Oh, who am I kidding? I SO sing along. Works. Like. A. Charm.
  22. It Takes Two – Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock. Another 90s dance track – for use when cleaning my apartment.
  23. Joseph’s Dreams – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. After seeing this musical over 4 times, and being of the children’s choir in middle school, it’s safe to say it’s in my Top 5 favorite musicals. I know every word to every song, and I’m close to knowing the choreography too.
  24. Elenore – The Turtles. Another oldie from my childhood. Thanks Mom and Dad for showing Maddie and me what real music sounds like.
  25. It’s Not Right, But It’s Ok – Whitney Houston. In her heyday, she could not be touched. As far as I’m concerned she’s still on top of the pack when compared to most everyone who has followed her.
  26. Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) – Digable Planets. Old school hip hop delivers yet again.
  27. All Day – Lisa Loeb. Ever since the summers of my childhood, when I listened to her cassette tapes in my Walkman while reading The Boxcar Children, I have loved Lisa and the simplicity she has in her music. It’s like medicine to me.
  28. You Got Yr Cherry Bomb – SPOON. Another band I’m thankful Adam introduced me to – or rather informed me that they had good songs other than I Turn My Camera On.
  29. Overkill – Men At Work. Have I mentioned I looooove 80s music? 🙂
  30. I Need A Man – Eurythmics. Actually, I don’t, but this song rocks – as does the band.

Tuxedo or Tuxedon’t

Posted on by Megan

As faithful followers of this blog I’m sure you’ve heard that I’m engaged and will be walking down the aisle to marry this man in October. I couldn’t be happier! So far the wedding planning has been fairly painless – the worst part was finding the bridesmaid dresses – and everything is coming together well! I think.

That is, until I started looking at tuxedos. Uh, I mean we – until we started looking at tuxedos.

First of all, I should tell you that within hours of becoming engaged I had Adam convinced that he and his groomsmen would be donning powder blue tuxedos with ruffled shirts for our nuptials. I described ad nauseum exactly what they would look like, down to the shoes and he bought it hook, line and sinker. Poor guy is so gullible.

Then, Adam began telling me how much he liked the look of traditional tails. But here’s the problem: our wedding? Is in my small hometown in Southwest Arkansas. It’s your typical laid back southern town and I love that, but I also love Adam and didn’t want to deprive him of his dream – even if it was a bit formal for our fête.

So I asked his mom what she thought. She laughed. A lot.

Then I asked my mom. She wasn’t buying the idea, either.

Finally, in an effort to gain a full consensus, I asked the big gun. She doubled over laughing. Literally.

Adam’s dream of tails was dashed – unanimously.

Tuxedon’t #2: [Not] Chasing tails

Then, the Royal Wedding happened and I become enamored with morning suits. They seemed to be an almost perfect compromise for us. Almost tails, but not uber formal. Relaxed yet traditional. Classic. English. It just might work. Then I realized that they are almost impossible to find for rent, not to mention renting one for my 6’8″ dad. So we nixed that idea, but I still love a good morning suit. How could you not?

Tuxedon’t #3: Morning dress: It makes every man look dapper…unless you’re a giant.

At this point, we’re 0 for 3 on the tuxedo front. Which should mean our options are significantly less than when we started almost 6 months ago, right? Wrong. Did you know there are are approximately 3,581 options remaining for picking out tuxedos? Now you do.

Allow me to explain.

While we have now realized that we want the standard tail-less tuxedo, we have to choose the color we want. Do we go with khaki or gray? Black or pin-stripe? Once that’s decided we have to choose the style of lapel. Do we like shawl lapels or notch lapels? Diamond shaped shawl or satin trimmed notch? Then there’s the issue of buttons. One button, two buttons or no buttons? It’s pure torture. And the combinations for all of these options are endless and look different every. single. time.

Once the jacket is decided upon we have to pick pleated or flat-front trousers. Easy enough, since I prefer flat front. Phew. That’s one decision made. I hope.

You’d think at this point the decisions would be easier. You’d be wrong. Again.

You see, at this point in the tuxedo shopping extravaganza the issue of shirt comes into play. Did you know there is more than one type of button-down shirt for tuxedos? I didn’t. There’s the laydown collar or the wing collar. Easy enough to choose between – if you knew what type of tie you wanted.

So once you [hypothetically] settle on the 2 button black tuxedo with satin-trimmed notch lapels, flat front trousers and white shirt with lay down collar you have to choose the windsor tie style. But I’m not just talking colors, I’m talking patterns: paisley, diamond, striped or solid. Then, and only then can you pick a color for the tie. Sounds easy enough right?

Unfortunately, at this point in the tuxedo selection process your brain is so tired from choosing lapels, buttons, and tie style that colors like ecru, mocha, champagne and white cannot be differentiated.

Thus causing you to abandon all efforts and forget you spent an hour and a half deciding between shawls and notches.

Lucky.

Posted on by Megan

That’s the word continually running through my head right now.

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Just before midnight on May 24, 2010 Adam’s parents’ home was destroyed by an EF3 tornado. Their home for 30+ years. The home where he and his brothers were raised.

His parents were asleep when the storm was about to hit. They woke up with only enough time to ride the storm out in the floor between their closet and bed. They escaped with minor scrapes and bruising. It could have been much worse.

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They are lucky they are alive. God was certainly watching over them and I praise him for his mercy.

Lucky they have been able to salvage family photos and other sentimental items.

Lucky they have friends, family and neighbors sacrificing their time to help them however the need it: sorting through the rubble, doing laundry, cutting up trees to get into the 2 hardest hit areas of their house (the kitchen and living room) which are mere crawl spaces now, and showering them with food and supplies.

Lucky their vehicles and farm equipment, for the most part, sustained minor damage and are all still drivable.

Lucky almost all of their clothing has been salvaged. (Including almost all of Adam’s mom shoes)

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Lucky that most (if not all) of the antique turquoise FiestaWare Adam’s mom had hung above the kitchen table survived. Unbroken. (The fate of the table appears positive as well)

Lucky that her KitchenAid mixer is a-okay.

Lucky that their liquor escaped unscathed.

Despite the destruction and scary realization that they must rebuild and start anew, Adam’s parents are incredibly blessed right now. It could have been worse. Much worse. They are alive and that is something for which I thank God.

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Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Posted on by Megan

Last night, along with some co-workers, I went to the Grace Potter concert at the Rev Room. I had recently become a fan of hers thanks to a rocking Jazzercise set, so when I found out that she would be in Little Rock last week I was stoked at the possibility of seeing her live. I introduced her videos to my co-workers and they were sold. We were going.

She strutted on stage wearing a gold lamé mini-dress which showed off killer Tina Turner-esque legs that I long for. Accompanied by an incredible band, she put on a great show. Rocking out in all the right places, slowing it down for only two songs and picking it right back up flawlessly. She is a true talent and a joy to watch on stage. I know her popularity will explode very soon and I highly recommend seeing her and her band live if the opportunity presents itself!

Since there’s not not enough words to accurately describe just how incredibly talented she is, take a look at these videos – not recorded from last night, but almost exactly the same as what I saw live.

Medicine

cover of Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit

Dallas: Final Reflections

Posted on by Megan

I’ll be the first to admit that I was a bit nervous about going on a weekend trip with someone I met on Twitter over a year ago, later friended on Facebook, and spent a collective three, maybe four, IRL (In Real Life) hours with. I mean, I knew we shared a similar sense of sarcastic humor and neither one of us take ourselves too seriously; we both just go with the flow. At least, that’s what I gathered from our Twitter and Facebook statuses. So I hoped for the best, and had a slight fear of the worst.

Why was I worried? Because we are so.much.alike.

We have blogged simultaneously, have unknowingly (well, until one of us posts it on Facebook) listened to the same song at the same time and share an affinity for Anthropologie. Maybe our strong similarities would be too much. Maybe halfway to Dallas I’d want to jump ship…because someone’s driving on the shoulder.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

Except for the shoulder part.

We had a blast! We laughed and gabbed the whole trip. We found even more similarities between us, such as our love for vintage signage, vintage furniture, the houses of Highland Park, Italian food and perfectly tailored designer clothing works of art we can’t afford.

It almost felt like we were old friends. Jen Lancaster even asked if we were sisters. We just meshed. As far as I know, I didn’t get on her nerves – I mean, she’s still texting me – and she sure as heck didn’t get on mine.

So I guess the moral of this trip is that you really CAN become IRL friends through Twitter. Who’d a thunk it?

And Noelle? Thanks to your super cute Jen Lancaster approved skirt and shorts, you’ve now made me OBSESSED with bold print skirts and shorts.

(yeah, we’ve got that in common, too)

Up in SMOKE

Posted on by Megan

Day 3

[click here to see Day 1]

[click here to see Day 2]

For me, the highlight of our trip to the “Big D” was a happy accident. On a whim, and at the recommendation of one of Noelle’s friends, we drove over to North Oak Cliff in Dallas to have brunch at SMOKE. We didn’t know much about the restaurant, except that their pancakes were to die for.

Well, lemme tell you. Only three little words can describe the meal I had.

Oh.My.Gawd!

As soon as Noelle pulled into the parking lot I had a feeling we were in for a treat. I immediately felt transported to another era, because SMOKE is a part of the adjacent vintage motor-lodge The Belmont Hotel. As such, the architecture was spectacular and the scenery breathtaking. It also didn’t hurt that the aroma in the air was scrumptious. My mouth was watering even before we stepped foot in the door.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I entered the restaurant, but what I opened the door to was a pleasant surprise. In a word, the restaurant was Texas. It was perfectly decorated with everything you’ve ever associated with Texas style – casual, vintage, cozy, and stylish. Plus, when the hostess seating you is wearing slightly torn jeans and boots, you know you’ve picked the right spot. It was? Impeccable.

We were seated next to the fireplace at a table for two and immediately eyed drinks we had to try. Noelle picked the Bluebonnet – a mixology she’s STILL combing the Internet for – and I chose The Icepick – which contained my favorite Sweet Tea Vodka in the world. Hands down, it was the best cocktail I have ever tasted: citrusy, southern and refreshing. I can’t wait to recreate it at home this summer.

As we looked over the menu, Noelle decided to go with the recommendation of her friend and ordered the pancakes, while I decided to try out their made to order omelet. I’ll let Noelle speak to her dish, but as far as omelets go, this was the best I’ve ever had. The fluffy eggs were stuffed with spinach, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and pork andouille shredded sausage. Additionally, my omelet was served with a side salad tossed in SMOKE’s own Radish Vinaigrette dressing, which I could easily have drank by the gallon. It was THAT good.

We both also ordered a biscuit and side of bacon. May I just say that this biscuit was the biggest biscuit I have ever seen, and I enjoyed every.last.bite. Additionally, the bacon? Oh, the BACON. It was at least a quarter inch thick, cooked and seasoned to perfection – I’m talking better than Petit Jean perfection (Arkansans, please don’t disown me) and caused me to feel guilty for not being able to finish my serving – I barely ate one piece! I even joked that we should take what bacon we didn’t eat to go and enjoy on the way back to Arkansas. Thanks to the bacon, our relationship came full circle at SMOKE.

Biggest.Biscuit.Ever.

Thickest and Tastiest Pork Belly Bacon Ever.

After stuffing ourselves to the brim at SMOKE, we decided to walk around the grounds of the Belmont Hotel. It literally felt like an alternate universe there. The vibe felt very Palm Springs and I even commented that I felt like I was at The Parker [based on my limited knowledge thanks to Bravo]. We walked up the hill from SMOKE to the lobby entrance and there it was: a pristine vintage Thunderbird convertible. I was in Heaven.

Then? I entered the hotel lobby and saw the stairs. The tile-trimmed stairs. My heart skipped a beat, or 10.

As I rounded the corner of the lobby, meandered through the bar, and walked out on the back patio I encountered what I have declared the most perfect view of the Dallas skyline on this trip. Though, sadly, this picture doesn’t it do the view justice – blame the photographer [aka moi]. Just pretend the skyline continues out to the right of this picture and imagine yourself sitting on the patio, sipping an Icepick and reading Jen Lancaster’s latest book. Stopping occasionally to take in the perfectly overgrown yet maintained flowerbeds, colorful mosaic walkway and the idyllic Dallas skyline in a single glimpse. I can’t wait to go back.

Then we walked down the stairs off the patio and back up to the top of the hill, where more rooms were located, each turn and incline leading to a more incredible view than the last and each step begging me never to leave. The perfectly unadorned architecture continued throughout with pops of vibrant colors appearing in outdoor furniture and hotel room doors.

Then we reached the pool. I have no words and I’ve run out of adjectives so I’ll let these pictures do the talking…

Unfortunately, we realized that we  eventually had to head back to reality and decided to begin our short trek back to the car. After we passed the final Bar Belmont sign, I knew this weekend of complete perfection was quickly coming to an end.

We had only two more stops to make: We Are 1976 and Sprinkles. Or, at least we thought we did, until we saw this:

The yard of this pepto-colored house was jumbled with all types of vintage chairs and we just had to make the block and see what was inside. Turns out the house appears to be under the ownership of four very nice Hispanic men, all of whom appeared to be straight as the day is long and share a common bond in refinishing diamonds in the rough. Every style and condition of vintage chair could be found in this house, along with a plethora of fantastic fabric options and paint finishes. If only I had a house to decorate.

One day, right Adam? 🙂

Final Reflections post to come…

Shelving & Shoes & Signs, oh my!

Posted on by Megan

Day 2

[click here to see Day 1]

Saturday, I introduced Noelle to the shoe Heaven that is Nordstrom Rack. (It only took us 3 doors and 2 stairwells to find our way out of the parking garage…) Nordstrom Rack was having their one day only Large Size Shoe Event which I typically have great luck at, but, sadly, the selection for my size was a bit meager in Dallas. Noelle, on the other hand, had great luck finding gorgeous shoes – most of which were black sandals. 🙂

After browsing through some other shops, we headed off to meet Adam and his brother at IKEA so Noelle could buy some shelving units. Miraculously, we were in and out of IKEA in under an hour and a half! We’re so efficient. We Adam and his brother loaded the shelves into our car and off we headed to an uneventful lunch at Corner Bakery.

Adam channeled his inner Devo in IKEA

After lunch, we said our goodbyes and Noelle and I headed to NorthPark. Essentially, Mecca for shopaholics. We waltzed in and out of stores, fondled handbags we couldn’t afford – Balenciaga for me, Cole Haan for Noelle, swooned over the works of art in Carolina Herrera – and the Argentinean salesman, and obsessed over everything in Kate Spade. Life was grand.

MY Balenciaga Seashore Damier Tote

That evening, we decided to take a walking photography tour of downtown Dallas. May I just say that I fell in LOVE with the downtown? It’s so retro, yet modern and I just ate it up!

After a few blocks, we encountered the getaway of a newlywed couple outside of a hotel. We stopped to watch as the sweet couple were escorted out of the hotel by a trumpet and saxophone playing “When the Saints Go Marching In”. We watched as they said their goodbyes and hugged their families and I teared up a bit knowing that in just a few months that will be me. It was so sweet and so happy.

As we continued to meander through downtown, we came across lots of awesome vintage neon signs and learned that we have a mutual appreciation for them.

There was also an incident with a security guard in a bank building, because Noelle wanted a picture of the lobby chandelier. He left his desk in the lobby to come outside and tell us that because we were on the same side of the street as the building we couldn’t take straight up pictures of buildings.

His reasoning? Heightened security after 9/11.

My response to his reasoning? Yeah, we look like the typical terrorists.

Day 3 to come…