whoa.

that's what you call clean lines. wow. gorgeous. and truly spectacular.

images courtesy of dwell.com

imagine the sound of a summer rain tapping all of those slats or sleeping with the windows and the fresh summer night air breezing through or watching the moonlight dance along the hallway. i wish this was my summer vacation home.

learn more about the florida residence here. 

lay me down to sleep on these warm chevron floors.

stunning floors and giant windows--goodness. i can't even daydream my way into imagining living in such a spectacular place--my life is too [wonderfully] normal and i'm too plain, not fancy enough. scroll down for incredible before and after shots of this paris space. truly a parisian's dream with its juliet balconies, chandeliers, warm woods, and chevron floors. such a fine renovation. 

images courtesy of thisisglamorous.com

this room, immediately above with the chandeliers, looks like a ballroom. a room where fancy parties with finely dressed women and handsome men mingle about or a father proudly announces his daughter's engagement to the finest man in town. 

lots of instagram pretty.

it's remarkable to me how sensitive memories are. i have no personal connection to any of the instagram photos or photographers below and yet a collection of pixels is taking me for a nice wander down memory lane. 

the first photo makes me think of our family cottage in michigan. i loved spending my summers there jumping off the dock into the lake water, climbing the sand dunes, canoeing through the swamp, chomping down on huge ice cream cones from the house of flavors, playing cards and board games, and just enjoying time with my family. those were the best summer days. 

the cow in the second photo triggered a comparison to a similar photo i took of grazing cattle on the hillsides of my parents' farm in ohio. i miss it. i miss the rolling hills. i miss the chickens and goats--such funny creatures. i miss the sunrises and glistening dew on the tall field grass. i miss the thunder- and snowstorms. i miss the smells from mom's kitchen. 

photos have a way of capturing memories, even if yours isn't the memory being captured. i guess maybe that's why they say a picture is worth a thousand words. 

photos courtesy of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

ever wonder how mexican drug lords live?

in large, expansive, ornate houses.

last week, the new york times published an article called "inside the homes of mexico's alleged drug lords". in the article was a slideshow of the homes of presumed and confirmed mexican drug lords. check out some of these places and give the article a read. it's fascinating stuff.

images courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

tahoe house.

with the winter season upon us, all i can think about is snow and all i wanna do is be holed up in a house or lodge by a fire with my dog(s), cozy blanket, cup of tea, stack of books and movies, and a few select people. thus, the tahoe ridge house designed by the california-based wa architects. goodness, i'd love to make full use of that kitchen and every inch of counterspace. i'd make a huge dinner and whip up treats all the day long--when i'm not out with the dogs playing in the snow or soaking in some afternoon winter sun during a nap. i see trays of cookies, a roasted chicken, homemade rolls, maybe a few pies, and other stuff. yummy.

images courtesy of laceandtea.com

would you like to be one of my select people?

178 garfield place, brooklyn, new york.

rumour has it, 178 garfield place is the residence of jenna lyons, j.crew's current president--fashion and style extraordinaire. as i browsed through the photos of this now-for-sale 1880s north slope townhouse boasting 20' +/- wide, 4 stories (within those walls are 7 bedrooms (7 bedrooms!), 3.5 luxury bathrooms, and a private terrace off the master bedroom), and a completely finished cellar, i fell head over heels for the plaster cornices and medallions, aged pine floors, the charcoal gray and white bedroom and bathroom (love love love the charcoal gray and white combination), the claw foot tub, the double-door front entry, the backyard, the fireplaces and yellow-striped ceiling. read more about the magnificent space here. it's jaw-dropping and 100% swoonable.

images courtesy of sothebyshomes.com

drop a comment if you'd like to share your thoughts on the space. i'd love to hear them!

lodge for a winter holiday.

the white birch trees against the bright blue winter sky and snow bluffs.
the floor-to-ceiling windows.
the view.
the exposed beam ceilings.
the clean lines and no fuss winter white decor.
the gorgeous and tasteful charcoal gray contrast wall.

wouldn't you just love to curl up on the sofa with a cup of rich and thick hot cocoa and just lose yourself staring through the windows or stay in that dreamy bed all day cozied up with movies and books and a couple naps to nod off into?

yes, i could easily--and gladly--spend a winter season in aerin lauder's aspen, colorado lodge.

images courtesy of citified.blogspot.com

my heart and soul yearn for snow drifts and bitter cold walks in the winter afternoon.