Garden

evenings in the garden with tracy reese

Working in retail has taken me to a new level of loving clothing. Since I have so many options before me, I try to be very selective about what I welcome into my wardrobe. It has to be as wearable as it is remarkable. This Tracy Reese Petite Exclusive dress for Anthropologie is one such item, equal parts romantic and modern.

This piece is from a collection that she designed exclusively for the Petite Anthro customer, tailored to flatter her femininity in an artful way. The silhouette feels tailored for my frame (I happen to prefer petite sizes in general) and I can wear it casually just as easily as I can wear it formally.

I’m going to have to limit the number of times I wear it, to preserve its beautiful condition. Every time I wear it, I feel like a garden goddess.

Anything that makes you feel like a goddess, confident enough to pose for photos in the middle of your own neighborhood, is well worth having.

tracy reese dress / anthropologie
albeit lip color in poppy / anthropologie
earrings / anthropologie
shoes / steve madden
rings / free people

sunday in the park at oakland cemetery

If you aren’t familiar with Atlanta landmarks, you might think that spending the day in a local cemetery sounds strange or morbid. But at Oakland Cemetery in Grant Park, you’ll find that it can actually be quite the opposite. This year’s Sunday In The Park event was divine perfection; the sun was shining and the garden cemetery was full of growth, vibrancy, life.

Out of the multitude of festivals and fall events, this is definitely one of my favorites. It’s a “Victorian street festival”, where you’ll find vintage cars, steampunk costume characters, food trucks, and more. The mausoleums and monuments are also open to the public, inviting visitors to explore a little bit of the history of those laid to rest there. The air is filled with joy and lightness.

cafe jonah

There are so many adorable breakfast/brunch places up in the atl that I don’t even know where to start. This is just one of many reasons why I can’t see myself being able to live anywhere else but here.

Cafe Jonah is one of my most recent favorites and it resides in a little converted cottage in the heart of Buckhead. That right there already gets you, doesn’t it? Well, get ready for more.

On Sundays, Cafe Jonah has a “pay-what-you-like” brunch in which you literally pay whatever you want. There’s no catch whatsoever, just faith in the good of your heart. And whether you’re eating in or taking to go, there’s a plethora of delectable options to satisfy both your sweet and savory addictions…

meet me in st. louis: gardens and grove

Thanks to the generosity of my beau’s parents, I had the pleasure of visiting St. Louis at the end of July. Let me tell you, St. Louis is a hidden gem. I had no idea that one weekend there would pack so much lovely sights and entertainment! It didn’t hurt that the STL heat seemed mysteriously absent the minute we got there. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and everything was beautiful. I couldn’t contain all of this within just a single post, so I’ll start off sharing two highlights: Tower Grove Farmer’s Market and Ben’s mother’s garden.

This market was pretty darn wonderful. Nestled within a park beautiful on its own, the farmer’s market was everything you could ever really want or need out of a farmer’s market. There was an abundance of seasonal fruit, adorable families with puppies, and even a jazz band to brighten your mood. Though I wanted to buy a truckload of food, I just went with my morning usual of a french baguette. I do love me some bread.

discovering east lake atlanta

There are way too many effin cute neighborhoods in Atlanta. It’s wonderfully overwhelming and keeps me feeling alive to discover all the little gems scattered inside the perimeter. A recent Saturday took me to East Lake in search of Thread Count, a unique vendor’s market focused on raising awareness for local craftsmanship, sustainability, and design. In other words, it pretty much had my name written all over it plus there was no cover charge at all. I expected the typical Atlanta craft market experience where you come, covet, eat, and leave. Little did I know that East Lake’s neighborhood would charm the pants off of me. Why?… Just look.

On the way to Thread Count, Ben and I stumbled upon the East Lake Urban Farm. Due to our impending move to a duplex unit with a backyard begging for a garden, I’ve recently become obsessed with nurseries, farms, and vegetable gardens. Perhaps it’s the farm to table trend seeping into my blood. Perhaps it’s my desire to save money. Either way – it’s a healthy new interest and I’m looking forward to what I might be able to pull up from the earth with my own two hands. In the meantime, I’ll just keep ogling cute places like this.

The event was held in the East Lake Community Garden which is filled rows of blooming vegetables and a den of weed-eating goats (even little ones). Though there weren’t many vendors in total, each one was dripping with a genuine desire to share the love of their craft. Not to mention there was also free beer from New Belgium. Did I mention that I like stuff that’s free?

I met a number of darling artisans who were just beginning their creative journey. Like KJo – audiologist by day and jewelry maker by night! She scavenges for vintage items and reclaims them into sweet little pieces to wear. Her display felt like the awesome attic of an eccentric aunt who has a taste for the feminine along with the slightly strange.

And Rachael of Neva Opet, who hand-crafts elegant leather accessories. She’s an absolute doll and more on her later!

Do you need any more convincing to go see East Lake for yourself? Just a little drive around the neighborhood will do you a world of good, but a visit to the garden and farm will be enough to make you want to plant your own roots here.

sunny stuff

We’re officially in the dead heat of summer, but cool stuff keeps happening.

Stuff is blooming.

Stuff is ripe.

Stuff is going on sale.

Stuff is .. festival’ing?

Stuff is sunny.

the industrial organic

I’ve lived in Atlanta for about three years now so you can imagine how many art festivals and markets I’ve been to. After a while, everything starts to look the same to me. Not in a bad way – just in the fact that I’ve seen all the local vendors already. Thankfully, I was recently and pleasantly proven wrong when I stumbled upon MDC Interiors at ARTlantis.

In their sweet and humble booth full of tiny treasures, I met the warm and ever-so-lovely Mona Patel. She and her partner, Mike, began MDC Interiors to craft custom objects that are visually striking as well as beneficial for the environment. While I didn’t get to see their furniture pieces (due to the limited amount of space), I absolutely fell in love

may daze

This month has gone by way too fast. The older I get the more convinced I am that time is speeding up. That being said, let me take some time to share these moments from some wonderful memories made in May.

Kirkwood Spring Fling

Free fun? Who can say no! This was one of my favorite festival-type events to date. Not for any singular reason, but just because it felt so perfectly simple. It was small yet held a lot of quality vendors and I enjoyed getting acquainted with the Kirkwood area. The food stars of the day were Nectar and Atomic Ice Cream Sandwiches. Again, who can say no?

Chai Pani

Finally got a chance to sample the Indian street food delight in Decatur. While I definitely enjoyed what I ordered (kale pakoras and a mango lassi), I walked away still feeling hungry. The menu is set up in a tapas style and so the best way to go is with a huge group. All in all, it was quick and easy, but not the best option for just two. Side note – I was completely enchanted by the vintage Bollywood movie posters on the walls.

Robert L. Staton Rose Garden

Nestled right next to Fernbank Museum of Natural History, I’ve driven past this garden for three years and only discovered it because my mom pointed it out from the road. Best of all is that it’s free and open to the public every day!

in the garden*hood

Atlanta continues to surprise me by how much I’ve left to discover. A few weeks back, I stumbled upon Garden*Hood Atlanta while driving around the Grant Park area. One could say it’s a run-of-the-mill nursery, but to me it was like uncovering a treasure trove.