Feminine Touch

I like my home to be a mix of masculine and feminine elements. That said, it is a treat to see a space that celebrates girly touches. This London home, featured in House to Home, is filled with pretty lamps, fresh flowers, pops of pink and more. I quite like it!

Photos from here. 

Shaking Things Up

Typically, my Sunday evenings are pretty low-key. I like to relax and reset for the week to come. But last night, my husband and I met up with my sister, her husband and their little boy and hung out at the terrace by the lake. It was wonderful! My nephew ran around and fed birds, and we all got to talk and laugh. It makes me rethink my approach to the end of a weekend.

Photos by me. 

Let the Games Begin

The 2012 Olympics start today, and I'm quite excited. I love watching the different sports -- getting caught up in the competitions and learning the stories of the athletes. My favorite summer events are track, swimming and diving, and gymnastics. But I like basketball, sailing, cycling, tennis, volleyball and equestrian events too. How about you?

Photos from here. 

Square Dance

There's lots to love about this Los Angeles home: the soothing colors, the abundance of natural light. But one of my favorite elements is how squared and angular many of the components are, from the windows to the bedframe to the living room furniture. Have a look!

Photos from here. 

Don't Forget

Nice inspiration for the start of a new week, don't you think? Happy Monday!

Photo from here. 

Storied Places

Don't you love the library? There's something so special about a place filled with books, an entire building devoted to stories that can teach you anything or take you anywhere. I recently saw this roundup of the world's most beautiful public libraries, and it got my imagination running. Here are a few, from Rome, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Stuttgart and Paris.

Photos from here. 

Sunshine

I just ordered this adorable print series from the Ink Society for the nursery. My mom used to sing this song to me when I was little, and I hope to do the same with our little girl.

I also have my eye on these beautiful prints from the Etsy shop!

Pretty sweet, no?

Photos from here. 

Summer Dressing

The temps are sweltering, I'm eight months pregnant -- and I have no intention of wearing anything but sleeveless, knee-length dresses for the rest of the summer! These pretty frocks, all from Piperlime.com, in their refreshing hues and perky prints, are giving me major inspiration.

Photos from here. 

Pattern Play

On this sunny summer day, I'm loving these vibrant, playful patterns by Ashley Goldberg. Don't they just brighten your mood?

Photos from here. 

On the Lake

This weekend was wonderful. It was so nice to spend time up north, in this land of forests and lakes. And I'm excited to say my parents just bought a house up here. It's right on a lake and came with a big pontoon boat. I can't wait to come up to enjoy the water and woods peacefulness, and to keep our connection to this beautiful area that means to much to my family.

Photos by me. 

Family Time

This weekend, we're headed up north to visit family. I've spent a lot of time here, especially at my grandparents' home, which has always been a natural -- and very lively -- gathering spot. We often came up in early July to celebrate my grandpa's birthday. He would have been ninety this week, but he passed away a few years ago. Still, when my grandma, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sister, and all the spouses and kids come together like this, we tend to feel like he's still with us. Here's a photo of my grandparents in their younger, carefree days. Weren't they cute?

Have a great weekend!

Away from it All

Wouldn't it be nice to have a weekend retreat? A place you could escape to with the purpose of unwinding, relaxing and literally getting away from it all? This Hamptons home, featured in Architectural Digest, would be pretty nice. The only problem is, I don't think I'd be able to leave that amazing pool and patio come Sunday!

Photos from here. 

A Dazzling Night

Happy Fourth of July! Last night, our city held a fireworks show. While I was too tired to go out to the park to watch it, my husband and I discovered we had a pretty good view from our house. Sitting on the bed in the nursery, we looked out the windows past roofs and treetops and watched dazzling fireworks light up the sky. It was amazing!

Photo from here.

Happy July!

It's the height of summer and this month I'm hoping for sunshine, outdoor parties and swimming. We may no longer get summer vacation but we can still have fun, carefree days. Let's jump in!

Photo from here.