So how was your week?

Mine was spent surrounded by tortilla chips on the table, long talks with best friends, laughter and acrobatics from my adopted niece and nephew, dessert, impromptu dance parties, homemade breakfasts, brainstorms, chocolate, window shopping, inside jokes, and more dessert. I've been in Texas all week (Houston, mostly, with a side trip to Austin) visiting Courtney, Dave and family--four of my favorite people on Earth.

We 4th of July-ed it up Texas-style, complete with a neighborhood parade, barbecue with Courtney and Dave's friends Elizabeth and Shane (several of these pics are of Elizabeth's homemade magic), and sparklers before a big fancy fireworks display in town.

It was a wonderfully memorable and totally relaxing trip. My heart is currently full of love, gratitude, and mucho queso. Thank you, my lovely friends...

Necklaces by Kristina Klarin

Anyone who is around me on a regular basis these days knows that I am currently OBSESSED with necklaces by Kristina Klarin (so much so that I even interviewed her yesterday for my latest "Playlist" post for Herman Miller). I can't tell you how many compliments and comments I get when I wear one of the, er, four pieces I've already bought from Kris (I know--I totally overdid it).

Kris is based in Milan and also has an amazingly inspirational blog called Kris's Color Stripes. Go visit! Now!

(They even come in cute reusable bags.) (Come on! I clearly needed all four of these!)

Annnd I’m Over It: Mustaches

First they made me look. Then they made me laugh. Now, sigh, they make me annoyed. My latest nomination for the trend I'm over: anything mustachioed.

(Unless it's the real real thing--honestly, that can still make me laugh.)

Hot Time in the City

Here's a few scenes from the city that have nothing to do with each other, except for the fact that they were taken over a few recent melt-y kind of days in Manhattan and Brooklyn. (But life is just random like that sometimes, you know?)