Driving Across West Texas

photo via Bygone America

As we drive across West Texas I wish gas stations looked like this.  Conner told me the reason the gas pumps were clear at the top was a result of gas being so dirty back in the day and the tops were clear so that you could see the quality of the gas before you put it in your car.  Great idea and I so wish they would bring these back; it would make filling up that much more exciting.

Happy 4th Of July

Jasper Johns

Happy 4th of July!  Conner and I are in Marfa, TX on the way up see my folk in Silver City, NM.  Marfa is cute as a button and despite the fact that almost everything is closed today, I think we're going to hit up all the good restaurants and Donald Judd's Chinati Foundation first thing in the am.

Beatrix Ost: Artist and Writer

I saw a couple pictures on Style Like U of this lady with blue hair and a take-no-prisoners approach to personal style and I became intrigued.  Born in 1940's Germany, she's gone on to become a writer, artist, designer, theater producer, and actress and now lives in NYC and Charlottesville, VA with developer husband, Ludwig Kuttner.

 

via Nina Subin.

via The Wallstreet Journal. 

via Architektur & Wohnen.

There's a rather in-depth article about Ms. Ost at Virgina Living and a cute video at Advanced Style.  When I get older I hope I have this much adventurousness in my style!

Franks, Austin

This past Sunday I ventured out again in search of the best Bloody Mary in Austin; this time we went to Frank's, a rustic-chic hotdog joint that also hosts some excellent traveling bands on the weekends.  The folks at Franks have a good thing going in their branding and ambiance; I will readily suggest meeting some friends for a quick quick cocktail and a bit to eat purely on the basis that it's a super cute, yet chill, place to hang out.  Despite the fact that I love meat, having taken on my adopted city's penchant for all things with muscles, I am not super thrilled with the food here.  It's decent but not a place that warrants a stop on food tour of Austin.  

 

Photo via Method & Craft

The Bloody Mary I had was good-probably number 3 on my list so far, under Rio Rita's and Hillside Farmacy, but above Easy Tiger.  Redeeming qualities: thicker consistancy, bacon infused vodka, thickcut slab of bacon.  Detrimental qualities: where's the rest of the toppings?  I always think of my Bloody Mary as a pre-breakfast and this leaves me wondering where the rest of the munchies are. Also, lack of heat and spice. 

Photo via Swanksalot 

One of the founders of Franks, Christian Helms, is originally from North Carolina and as my man can safely say, I adore three things more than any other: style, Germans, and extolling the achievements of my fellow native North Carolinians.  He also does some excellent design work, including this hand-stiched Come And Get It sign.  So I suppose the fact that he's from my old stomping grounds should also be added to the Redeemable category.

Daily Outfit: 14

Fremont Shirtdress and shoes from Anthropologie, necklace handmade by Conner Finn, huge ring from Ebay, and little ring from my Grandma.

Lemmy's Shorts Story

My man and I were about 10 minutes into watching a music documentary called Lemmy,  before I realized that this was indeed, not a mockumentary like I had thought, and more of a serious documentary.  After a quick awkward moment of "hey, wait a minute, I thought we were going to be seeing something like Spinal Tap...oh, this is real?", I relaxed and settled into the real life of Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister of heavy-metal band, Motorhead.  This was my favorite story of Lemmy by Scott Ian of Anthrax...bring on the shorts!
I liked this interview with Lemmy at The Guardian, "Growing Old Disgracefully: Lemmy on heartbreak, ageing and his penchant for Nazi memorabilia."

The Civil Wars: Billie Jean cover

Emma Stone in Vogue

I love Emma Stone's look in the July 2012 of Vogue!  I confess that I went to the market this afternoon and grabbed some the colors that she used for the shoot-mainly Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Just Enough Buff.  I'm absolutely going to have to try my hand at recreating look this weekend and add it to my weekly repertoire.

The Queen's Coronation

photo via The Londonist

 

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is going on now; including a recent trip to Northern Ireland to extend a peaceful hand to the leader of the Irish Republican Army.  It's amazing that Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne for 60 years and still enjoys as much popularity, if not more, than she did 40 years ago.  This portrait from her Coronation, photographed by Cecil Beaton is still amazing...that dress, those colors, that architecture!

The Mast Brothers Chocolate

The Mast Brothers from The Scout on Vimeo.

I adore this video through and through. This short film about Mast Brothers Chocolate is beautifully filmed, the brothers seem like amazing people, and I love that they want to go sailing in search of chocolate.  Some times when I just dream without trying to figure out if it's plausible or not, I think of getting a boat and sailing around the world--or at least sailing in a tropical place for a couple months.  It sounds amazing and challenging all at once.

 

photo via Inspiration Lab