Brimfield 2012 Here We Come!

It’s that time of year again when I will be trucking up to the Brimfield Antiques Show in hopes of finding the greatest treasures! I’m looking for both work and my home and the expectations are high this year. The week began on Tuesday (5/8) and I’m sure those who were lucky enough to be there on day one have already snatched up the best pieces. Luckily though, there is plenty to go around and I still think I have a chance. I’ll be tweeting and Instagram’ing great finds – probably many that I won’t be able to take home.  I hope to see you there and most of all enjoy! Wish me luck! Here are a few of my favorite finds from last year’s shows.

Purple Bottles

French Ticking Galore

Doll Body Parts

Rocking Horse

Oversized Safety Pins

All photos by: Lauren Gries ©2012

 

Chic in Chicago: On a Budget at Longman & Eagle

Photo credit: Lisa Elbert on Young & Pretty

I just booked a hotel room for our trip to Chicago in June.  The total cost was under $350.00 for 4 nights!  I’m so excited about where we’re staying because it was just a few weeks ago when we decided we were going and the next day, I randomly heard about Longman & Eagle Inn.  Not only is this Inn located in the bustling neighborhood of Logan Square, the gastro pub style restaurant  downstairs has earned a Michelin Star.  Additionally the rooms at Longman & Eagle are aesthetically beautiful, “Casual yet considered.”

Take a trip to Boston

The Rubbish Bin

This weekend we headed to Boston for a short birthday trip.  Since my birthday was on January 2nd and most of the museums were still closed from the holidays, we decided to wait until this weekend to celebrate.  I booked a room at the Ames Hotel, which is a luxury boutique hotel that opened in 2009 after renovating the historic Ames skyscraper.  Usually, we wouldn’t be able to afford such a room, but thanks to Living Social we stayed in the Deluxe One Bedroom Suite (room #303).

Upon entering the room you are presented with a light filled open space.  The arched windows are floor-to-ceiling, and the decor of the room is crisp, chic and grand.  I especially loved the juxtaposition of the 19th century architectural details with the modern furnishings.  Even though I typically am drawn to more traditional spaces, this design of this space provided an opportunity for me to really feel like I was on a vacation.  The hotel room in itself would have been a terrific birthday gift in itself. But to make our trip worth while, we took to the streets to visit museums, soak up some history and window shop.

The Living Space

The Bedroom and Bathroom – Loved that Tub!

A guide on what to wear in NYC: The Winter Addition

1. Funnel Scarf – Uniqlo 2. Coat- Zara 3. Knit – Uniqlo 4. Dark Skinny Jeans – Uniqlo 5. Lace-up Boots – Nine West 6. Leather Satchel – Zara 7. Driving Gloves – Madewell – Fashionable Looks – Uniqlo

I know I’m a bit late for the height of NYC’s tourist season since Christmas and New Years just passed. The famous tree at Rockerfeller Center will soon be coming down along with the beautiful window displays on Fifth Avenue.  Even so, I felt it necessary to write this post because I’ve been seeing a lot of tourists that look either un-chicly comfortable or trying to be chic and very uncomfortable. This post is for anyone who wants to visit the city and feel a little less like an outsider, because whenever I travel I always try to ‘dress like the locals’ or as the saying goes . .  ”Do as the Roman’s do.”

For starters the greatest NYC tourist fashion faux pas in my opinion are:

  • Under dressed girls/women- ie. short shorts, short skirts too thin leggings (no one wants to see through to your underpants)
  • Crocs even in winter, the worst is when they’re paired with socks!
  • Lots and lots of fleece
  • Extremely over sized accessories that included backpacks, camera bags and umbrellas
  • Ugg boots

*Please note: if anyone is offended by that list, you probably do not have the same fashion taste as me, so don’t keep reading.