Love Letters

My Dearest Snow:

While I adore watching you fall while wrapped in a blanket sipping hot cocoa and you add a magical quality to Christmas, it is time for us to say our goodbyes until next winter. You see, it is the end of March, Spring has officially begun, and my sundresses, open-toe heels, and light trenches are dying to make their 2011 debut. My winter coats and snowboots are tired after a long winter and have been tucked away to rest.

Step aside and make way for some sunshine, mérci!

Sealed with a kiss on each cheek,
Moi  

Friday Fun

Happy Friday! Can I get a synchronized "Whoo hoo!!!"? The sun is shining, it's supposed to hit 65 degrees (we take what we can get here in New England), and the weekend is so close I can taste it!

Our office closes at 3 on Fridays, and one of my favorite Friday afternoon activities is shopping! Last Friday, I visited an adorable boutique in town busting with designer dresses. I couldn't help myself and bought this lovely number... I am thinking it will be perfect for one of our five weddings we will be attending, oui?

French Connection Dise Dress

I think it might just HAVE to be paired with my "charming" glittery Kate Spades...

Tonight Husband and I are meeting the four girls I lived with my senior year of college and their husbands/fiancés/boyfriends for margaritas and Mexican food! Trés fun! We have a dinner party to attend tomorrow night, and Sunday we are brunching in style to celebrate my big brother's 30th birthday. It will be a weekend bubbling over with fun and lots of food!

Here's hoping you all have a fabulous weekend! Big hugs! XOXO

(Pink &) GREEN: St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Pink & Green Thursday and a very happy St. Patrick's Day to each of you, glam girls! As always, please join in the fun and link up with the fab Trishy - just share your favorite pinks and greens and voila!

Did you all see the gorgeous illustration on Lilly's facebook page this morning? This just made my day!

Are you all wearing your green today? I am! Sadly, I did not have time to snap a photo this morning, but I am wearing:

a navy polo dress

with a lime green cardigan

cinched at the waist with a gold J Crew belt

completed with a gold Amrita Singh bib necklace

and gold ballet flats.

Husband and I are going to the Irish pub in town tonight for some live music and cocktails. I hope you all have a fabulous green-filled day! XOXO

Vogue: Lady Be Good

Have you ladies seen the beautifully 60's mod spread in Vogue of Amber Valletta and her son? Be prepared for lots of bright colors, ruffles galore, and fabulous feminine glamour!

photos via

I am just swooning over all those bright pinks, oranges, and navys! (Not to mention the location of the shoot... I can almost hear the waves crashing.) Have a fabulously glam day!

Princess Grace of Monaco

Happy Monday! Let's start the week off with a little royalty, shall we? It's no secret that Grace Kelly, aka Princess Grace of Monaco, is one of my all time faves. Well, my in-laws had a stack of old LIFE magazines from the 50s, and imagine me shock and delight when I stumbled upon the issue featuring Grace Kelly's wedding!!!

She graced the cover and a full spread inside of gorgeous photos and an article.

From her upcoming real-life fairy tale wedding...

to her movies...

to preparing for her arrival and the royal wedding in Monaco...

to her own preparations at home (ie LOTS of shopping and lots of packing),

this spread was divine!

Here is one of my favorite quotes from the article...

"While her mother, sisters, and aides stood by to offer advice, Grace swept from one expensive store to another, following a planned timetable with clocklike precision. After two days of intensive hunting she had acquired three costly furs, 29 pairs of shoes (including two specially made pairs of wedding slippers which her shoemaker sentimentally equipped with built-in pennies), a trunkful of silk dresses and a jeweled gift for her prince. "
Oh, to be a princess bride! Le sigh.

 

Adventures in Ireland: Ashford Castle

If you were ever a little girl who dreamed of being a princess in a castle, today you are in for a treat! Husband and I spent 3 days and 2 nights at the enchanted Ashford Castle. This was by far my favorite part of the trip, and these photos will show you why. Once upon a time...

I squealed when we pulled up... to die!

Trying to get the whoooooole thing in one photo (not an easy task).

The view out our window... fountains, sprawling greens, the water, scattered islands... le sigh.

From another angle - I took MANY photos of this castle.

The grounds sprawled hundreds of acres of forrest and beautiful discoveries like this.

Drinks after dinner in the drawing room.

Where we had afternoon tea and hors d'oeuvres.

Our gorgeous room... adored that pink and green, of course!

An eye for the details...

Obsessed with all the fireplaces.

His and hers... relaxing like royalty.

The George V Dining Room... fine formal dining at its best all glammed up!

Dungeon Bar... in the castle basement.

Now, I don't want you to think that all we did was lounge around the castle sipping wine and eating fabulous food (although that part was simply divine!). There were activities galore from horseback riding to falconry, golfing to boating, and clay pidgeon shooting to a full spa. We made visits to Ireland's School of Falconry, where we learned all about this 4000 year old sport and even got to fly our own hawks, leather glove and all (OMG!). We also went horseback riding through the forrest to the Guinness tower and took the boat cruise on the Loch Corrib which the castle overlooked. What fun!

My falcon was named Millie! Can you believe it?! We instantly bonded.

Our horses smooching! Mine was tan and Husband was my white knight on the white horse.

Wishing you all the most fabulous of weekends! XOXO

Irish Pinks & Greens

It's that time again...Happy Pink & Green Thursday! As always, you are invited to celebrate with our gorgeous host Trishy - just link up and share your favorite pinks and greens of the week.

Now, we all know Ireland is famous for its sprawling green landscapes galore, but I was tickled pink to discover all the PINK in this beautiful country too! Here is a collection of my preppy-inspired photos from our trip:

Remember the private club in Dublin I mentioned, Lillie's? Well, not only was the name perfect, but the decor was deep pinks and greens... it's no wonder we were drawn to it!

We stopped in Athlone for lunch on our cross-country drive, and the buildings in town were just adorable - look at this side by side pink and green pair!

Adorable shops in Galway...

...and in Connemara!

Ashford Boathouse at the castle... I'm saving the rest of the castle pictures for a special post of their own - you are in for a treat!

I instantly fell head over heels for this door... this MIGHT have to be the color of our front door soon. Tee hee.

 

The pinks and greens hanging in my closet for fine dining in the castle...

And last but not least, look what was in the airport as one last European treat!

Laduree!

Of course, Husband and I had to indulge... delish!

Wishing you all the most wonderful of Thursdays... almost Friday, my dears!