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What a week it's been! I've been a bit AWOL here on the blog, what with launching Rue 6, being on the road, catching up on sleep...this weekend I'm doing Blogshop, seeing A B & The Sea at The Independent, and taking some much needed downtime. Thanks for all the Rue love this past week, have a great weekend, and see you on Monday! xoxo
Image: Ruche
I thought I'd share some favorite images and reflections from Rue Issue 6. This was definitely our most ambitious issue to date. I honestly still can't get over the fact that we rented a camel for a photo shoot, and off-roading into the Guadalupe dunes to shoot with Jose Villa and Caleb the Camel (yup, that was his name) will forever stand in my memory as a major career highlight.
Producing an issue that contained exclusively international home tours was a massive endeavor, and I have to give props to my co-founder Crystal and our intrepid editorial assistant Mackenzie for making those shoots happen. This Emily Anderson photo from a gorgeous Icelandic home is my personal fave, but every space in the issue is jawdroppingly wonderful...
Another pinch-me moment? Spending the day at the home of French Master Chef Ludo Lefebvre, his wife Krissy, his mother, and his newborn twins. Photographer Max Wanger joined us and we all spent a quiet day in the family's kitchen and backyard, speaking broken French, eating tomato tarts, and talking about Ludo and Krissy's new show on the Sundance channel. Surreal.
To get the scoop on this incredible Brazilian home, we commissioned the incredible duo at Woodnote Photography. Going to Rio had been a longtime dream of theirs, so it worked out perfectly! Their photos absolutely blow my mind, and the light, the antiques, and the architecture in this brothel-turned-bachelor pad astound me.
Last but not least, our French New Wave fashion shoot at the Chateau Marmont. Photographer Lou Mora and fashion stylist Steph Ashmore really hit this one out of the park. I'll probably blog more about this one later because it's too good not to dwell on. But here's a little image of the goodies I picked up in Palm Springs to spruce up the nightstand at the Marmont. Bonus? I got to keep 'em!
Please! Check out the rest of Rue Issue 6---your support means so much to us! xo
Rue Issue 6 is here. Go check it out! Thanks as always to everyone who made it possible. It really is my favorite yet. Okay. I'm gonna sleep now. xoxo
Photo Credit: The incomparable Jose Villa for Rue Magazine.
I. Have. Terrible. Carma. Breakdowns, break-ins, smash-ups, smack-downs. My bad luck with autos would be funny if it hadn't caused me so much inconvenience in the last five years. So when Nissan invited me to Seattle to drive their new 2012 Versa, I was seriously over the moon. Finally, a chance to get behind the wheel of something that doesn't smell like my dirty laundry!
I spent last weekend in Seattle and the Nissan team--seriously the nicest people on the planet--introduced us to their new iteration of the Versa. Huge interior space, handles like a mo-fo, gets 38 miles per gallon, and a steal starting at $10,990. Kelly from Design Crush was there with me. Nissan handed us the keys and said, 'Explore Seattle'. So we did!
Kelly and I zipped around town, up and down hills, navigating the city's nutty one-way streets like it was our job. We hit the famous Pike Place Market (pilgrimmage to the first Starbucks!) before stopping at Top Pot Donuts for Ovaltine lattes and a smorgasboard of sweet fried dough. It was a wonderful weekend, and we a blast. I'm starting to consider my bad 'carma' much improved!
A note: Legally I have to tell you that Nissan paid for my trip to Seattle. But I'd tell you that anyway because that's the kind of girl I am. And I wouldn't tell you I liked the 2012 Versa, and Nissan in general, if I didn't really love it. But I did. The car and the folks behind it were both fantastic. Read Kelly's post about our trip here--it's a hoot!
Sarah Sanguin Carter has been on my radar for a little while now--she's a fellow Canadian and a hauntingly lovely musician and actress. In support of Sarah's new show Falling Skies, Noa at Feather Love shared these images from a shoot she did with this sublime blonde beauty, and I've fallen harder than ever. Um, can you say girl crush alert!
Sarah's style is a mix of laid-back easy breezy with geniune glitter hippy glamour. Whether she's rocking a flowing caftan, a seashell pink flapper dress, or a Willie Nelson tee, she exudes drama, mystery, allure, and yet feels 'real girl' all at the same time. Wardrobe aside, there's something in her eyes, her smile, they way she holds herself, that makes her feel utterly accessible.
Which was why I was so thrilled to see that Lucky Magazine featured her as their August Lucky Girl! At least I know I'm not the only one smitten with Sarah. And now I can get inside her head (and her closet!) to see what makes her tick. A healthy mix of vintage, Rebecca Taylor, and plenty of jeans? Sounds like a gal after my own heart indeed!
Top three photos: Feather Love Photography.
Introducing Velvet Brigade, the latest testament to the awesome powers of the interwebz! Founded by two fashion industry veterans, this new site aims to revolutionize the traditional method by which clothing reaches consumers. Independent designers (that means you, me, anyone with a great idea!) can submit drawings, then members vote on which ones they'd like to see produced!
Both of these dresses began as the seed of a design that Velvet Brigade members voted into existence. They're available for purchase now, with a 25% savings if you pre-order for August delivery. I'm so thrilled with this concept, with this opportunity to see up-and-coming designers gain exposure, and fashion junkies like us to have access to never-before-seen pieces!
I don't often blog about weddings; there are so many sites devoted to the topic that I figure the subject is best left to the experts. But every once in a while one comes along that I must share. Such is the case with this Arizona backyard wedding from Feather Love Photography. The textures, the colors, the overall mood of love, light, and laughter--I simply had to pass this on!
First of all let's talk flowers and decor. Snapdragons and sweetpeas are my absolute favorites. In kindergarden my mother grew them in our garden outside my window, and I have fond memories of picking these flowers in the spring and arranging them in a teapot just like the one on this table. The sweet, homey sensation simply steals my heart.
Doesn't it feel as though the couple Leanne and Nathan invited their family and friends to the most low-stress wedding ever? Of course I'm sure a ton of work went into making the event look as effortless as it does, but the final effect is breathtakingly lovely. Congratulations to the newlyweds and their happy circle of loved ones!
And Noa of Feather Love Photography was just the professional to capture this special day--her ability to find the mystery and magic that radiates from every angle is utter genius. A true artist, no one does it like Noa. You can see the rest of this wedding today at Green Wedding Shoes and on the Feather Love Photography Blog. Have a wonderful love-filled weekend! xo
P.S. Makeup on this wedding was by Morgan Gates, who I recently had the utmost pleasure to work with--but more on that later...
It's always such an honor to be asked to guest blog, and I'm thoroughly enjoying my monthly gig over at Mountain Living Magazine. Currently up and running: a little Outfit to Room inspired by the magical moments that only the height of summer can bring. Please pop over and say hello!
Image Credits: 1. Toast. 2. Marie Claire Maison.
In the midst of the daily grind, it's important to take a little time for a break. So when Melissa of Ruby Press invited me for a girls' lunch at San Francisco hotspot Crown and Crumpet, I couldn't possibly say no. After all, it was an essential matter of mental health. Indeed, after an hour of sipping strawberry oolong and nibbling homemade crumpets, my soul felt renewed!
And we found ourselves in good company. To our left, a gaggle of five-year-olds celebrated a birthday party. To our right, a trio of grannies toasted lifelong friendship. As I crammed my mouth full of watercress sandwiches (with the crusts cut off, naturally!) and clotted cream, I couldn't help but wonder in awe at the unifying power of a cup of tea.
Of course the design of the tea room only adds to the fun. Chintz, stripes, polka dots and pink abound, and candy is considered a valid decor element. I'm still dreaming of the lemon curd, and I can't wait for an excuse to return. Oh wait, is it Wednesday? That's excuse enough, isn't it?!
Australia. Have you been? I haven't, and I'm DYING to go. The downunder country/continent is at the top of my 'Must Travel ASAP' list! Not only have I fallen in love with every kind, outgoing Aussie I've ever met, but the killer style and laid-back vibe that finds its way up from that part of the world sinks its teeth into me like a great white shark and won't let go. Case in point: Tigerlily.
An Australian label founded in 2000, Tigerlily makes the best bikinis and coverups ever. And I don't say that lightly. I'm a busty girl with hips and a long waist, so it takes some serious magic to make me feel comfortable in two teeny scraps of cloth. Yet with supportive fits, quality textiles, and exotic designs, these suits transform even the shyest sea tortoise into a bounding beach hare.
So naturally I had to pair some fave Tigerlily pieces with a few rooms--because if I don't have a trip to Australia in my near future, reveling in some summery, beachy spaces feels like the next best thing. Can you picture spending the day in the surf, then coming home to rinse the sand from between your toes in a tub like this? Hold onto that image just a little longer with me, okay...?
Fashion Images: Tigerlily. Interiors Images: Marie Claire Maison.
