It's Valentine's Day!

photo and quick recipe via cupcakeproject

Hello there! I'm sorry I've been missing in action:/ I have been off on big and little adventures and just returning to reality but did not want to miss the opportunity to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day!! Do you have any Valentine's plans? The Mister made reservations at one of my favorite restaurants so we'll be heading out in just a bit. Before I go though, I wanted to share this recipe I found via cupcake project for the cupcakes in the photo above! You can make just two of these in your microwave!!!! In less than 10 minutes! Why not whip up a quick little dessert?! Have you ever "baked" in your microwave? Please let me know if you try this out, I'd love to know how they turn out!

Hope you spend your evening in great company! 

Love, 

Lilly

This Week: Spouts and Pouts

photo from Blanaid via pinterest

It's a perfectly rainy day on Miami Beach. Perfect because it's Saturday and I don't really have to be anywhere. There are tornado warnings for all of Miami-Dade county so it's absolutely okay that I have spent the day lounging on my sofa reading and watching TV. Aren't rainy days like this the best?! How are you spending your Saturday? Is it rainy where you are? So this week...

1. My lovely friend, Yelsi invited me to go with her to Sassy City Chicks Fashion Bash 2011 on Thursday night. It's always great to spend some quality girl time with friends! Well at the Fashion Bash I had the pleasure of meeting Shira Kastan, owner of local company/brand Robbie Lip Gloss. I am quite obsessed  with Rosebud Salve but I must say, Robbie lip gloss is pretty amazing! The fact that it contains vitamins and isn't sticky makes it feel as good as Rosebud with the added bonus that it also looks all glossy and pretty and smells great!  I tried Pomegranate  you can check out the rest of the colors here. PS: We won our tickets to the Sassy City Chicks Fashion Bash on Kelly's Kloset.

2.  We went to watch 50/50 and it was excellent! We laughed, we cried and left the movie feeling great. I highly recommend it!

3. We had a great start to our weekend! We enjoyed a lovely dinner with friends last night! We sipped on Mint Juleps while our friends prepared the most amazing Asian pear and steak salad! Aside from the delicious food it is always great to spend a Friday evening in great company:)

4. I am so excited that I'm attending the opening night of Elle Decor's Miami Showhouse! Are any of you attending too? 

5. I bake a lot, all the time but have found it quite challenging to make a chocolate cake I love:( I made my very first one for my husband's birthday and didn't love it. I think it was the chocolate butter cream frosting I made with Cocoa Powder that I didn't like. So I'm going to try again tomorrow for my sister-in-law's Birthday!  So this time I think I'll make this recipe with the milk chocolate frosting I found in this recipe. Wish me luck! PS: Please send me any amazing chocolate cake recipes you recommend! 

Have a lovely weekend! Stay dry! xo

Fall 2011: Bamboo Pantone 14-0740

Summer may be behind us but that doesn't mean there isn't a fun shade of yellow to surround ourselves with. Bamboo Pantone 14-0740 isn't a Summer sunshine yellow, it's more subdued but still pop(py) enough to brighten one's day! Here is the peppy Bamboo in Interior Design, Fashion and pretties as well as a little shopping guide I whipped up on polyvore! So...do you love Bamboo Pantone 14-0740? Will you be wearing it or using it in decor this Fall?

Living Room design by Michael DePerno and photo by Laura Resen via Elle Decor

The Great Gatsby, Mini yellow centerpiece via Martha Stewart

 

Look by Monique Lhuillier via Marie Claire

 

 

Velvet Sunnies and Vintage Chanel Clutch

Bedroom scene via Rue Magazine

photo and Lemon Meringue Bar recipe via Martha Stewart

Bamboo Pantone 14-0740 by lillyphunq featuring platform boots

 

This Week: Pretty in Pink

photo by me

Look at the lovely present I received from my sales representative at Knoll Textiles! The nail polish color is called Cato Pink. It was named after the Cato fabric pattern in the photograph in celebration of Cato's 50th Birthday! I think it's such a clever, creative way to celebrate  a textile's birthday, isn't it? Speaking of nail polish, I absolutely love  Glitter Guide's idea of having a girly manicure tea party! Does that sound like fun to you?!  Have you tried an ombre manicure yet? I really think I'd like to host one but wonder if anyone will actually be interested in attending. What girly things do you do with your girlfriends? I am looking for something that does not require as much commitment as a book club but still requires quality girl time that we can all pencil in on a regular basis, any ideas? So this week...

1. Last week one of my favorite blogs, Oh Joy featured a Tortellini with Lemon and Dill recipe by Cooking Channel's Kelsey Nixon and I spent all weekend wishing the recipe was available on her site so I could make it. And this week, ta-dah! It's up on her site and I am so going to make it!! Doesn't it sound delicious?! Please let me know if you make it!

2.  I think plastic is fantastic and was so excited to read about the Plastique Ludique exhibition at Les Arts Decoratifs! If only I could make my way to Paris to see it!

3. Missoni's collection for Target will be available in exactly one month! Here's a sneak peek of the collection. What do you think?

4. There isn't really a fall season in Miami:( It's quite sad since it's my favorite season and I get all excited about Fall Fashion and the idea of wearing sweaters and blazers come September but can't do so comfortably in 80-something degree weather (or hotter!). But I am in love with this cardigan (among other pieces) from Banana Republic's new Mad Men Collection and am going to get one even if I can't comfortably wear it until winter.

Hope you have an amazing weekend!! xo

This Week: Clouds and Marshmallows

photo from sevenspoons on flickr via weheartit

Have been so busy that I'm late to post about this week! I'm not the craftiest person, but find some pleasure in sitting calmly making stuff with my hands. Would love a space dedicated to crafting and/or working with a nice big table and lots of space to store all the supplies needed to make things. Without a space it's just a big mess and while enjoyable it kind of becomes chaotic when there is no room to seperate a project from one's day to day life (i.e. my dining table is my craft/work space).  Do any of you have a crafting/work room/home office to craft/work in?  I have painted and cut and stamped and hole-punched and I even made clouds (check out a tutorial from ohdeedoh here!) to hang above the candy buffet I put together for my sister-in-law's baby shower. So this week...
1.  I've been wanting to make homemade marshmallows ever since my lovely lunch at Daniel Boulud's fabulous DB Bistro Moderne. The ones I had there were orange-blossom flavored and amazing but I still haven't gotten around to making them. I'm inspired all over again after coming across this recipe for Neopolitan Marshmallows  on pinterest. Don't they look and sound delicious?! Have any of you ever made marshmallows? 
2. I got to spend some quality time with my childhood best friend and her husband and 2 lovely girls. I absolutely love seeing her, and love that she is such a great mother, especially since I've known her since we were 7 years old and it still seems surreal that she is all grown up with a family!
3. My friend and former Professor, Tracey shared this video on facebook a while back, have been meaning to share it. Isn't it beautiful?!
4. Am watching Project Runway and loving it even though I don't yet have a favorite designer. Design Star on the other hand...is it me or are they all kind of lame? I usually always have a favorite (and they win!) but this time, eh...I'm not loving anyone so much. Which is a shame because I was kind of excited about the show's new season since I loved Emily Henderson so much last season. Are any of you watching? Do you have a favorite on either show?

Have an amazing week!! xo

This week: Literary expatriates and preparing for Bastille Day

  photo by me

I finished reading The Great Gatsby and even watched the movie (the 1974 Robert Redford version)! It was an enjoyable re-read and I had never seen the movie which was great except for the cheesy twinkle effects everywhere (I mean actual stars in people's eyes ha!). Both left me wishing for fabulous summer parties and wishing that I could buy an entire fancy wardrobe for summer has gotten a lot more casual since the 1920's. Bastille Day or La Fête Nationale is coming up on July 14th! In the spirit of missing France (soooo much), and having a summer reading list that consists of books either by or about some of the Literary Expatriates in Paris in the 1920's I think I want to learn how to make a Croque Monsieur! Here's a video cooking lesson by French food blogger Kerry Saretsky! Daily Candy sent it out this week along with a link to her wonderful site, you must check it out here! I also want to make Pink Provençal Sangria! So this week...


1. Madewell opened up nearby!! If you're in Miami you can visit the new store on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach! Here is the address and a map.
2. We are in love with Bernie's LA Cafe! It's not new but for some reason or other we just got around to trying it last week and have already visited 3 times! It's Chef Bernie Matz (of Books & Books) restaurant. The menu is healthy fare with some cuban twists, soooo tasty! 
3. Check out the new fiat! 
4. Last night at dinner I was complaining that I never got to go away to summer camp as a kid and had never been to the Hamptons. My sister insisted that there is no way I can pass for 16 so summer camp was out of the question and then I came across this article about  Ruschmeyer's in Montauk NY not really camp and not really the Hamptons but pretty close!! I want to go!! Did any of you get to go away to summer camp as kids? Was it as wonderful as I've always imagined?
5. The Design Sponge Book, Design Sponge at Home is available for pre-order!  Grace is not stopping by Miami for her book tour but you can check if your city is on the list here as well. Congratulations to Grace and Design Sponge!! 


Hope you have the BEST weekend!! xo

This Week: Summer is suddenly promising to be a whole lot sweeter and refreshing!

photos by me

I've had the loveliest day! I spent the afternoon with one of my best friends and I had lunch with two of my best friends! Quality time with girlfriends is always a treat on a weekday:) And I got the loveliest birthday present too! Crate & Barrels Ice Pop Molds, a Popsicle Recipe book and a Popsicle kitchen towel! I am so excited about making Popsicles, all of the recipes sound delicious and refreshing!!  I think homemade Popsicles will be the perfect treat on these hot and humid Summer afternoons! The recipe book she gave me even has cocktail pops recipes...Mmmmm:) So this week...

1. My lovely friend, Kaelsie has shared five things she is loving for Summer with us!! Read the post and see her beautiful watercolor paintings here.

2. Am excited about a new restaurant opening on South Beach!! Jeff McInnis the Top Chef who left Gigi is opening his own restaurant, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar. Can't wait for Fall to indulge in some Southern delight!! 

3. Oh to spend the weekends in East Hampton preparing delicious meals and decorating! Check out the designers of Roman and Williams (responsible designing wonderful spots like the Ace Hotel and the Boom Boom Room) Montauk, NY weekend retreat here. Be sure to check out the Hibiscus Flower Punch recipe at the end of the article!!

4. We went on a lovely double date with friends! We started off the evening at a gallery in Downtown Miami followed by a lovely dinner at a wonderful little restaurant called Soya & Pomodoro! The place is great, as soon as you walk in you just feel like you're somewhere else, on vacation, away! Nothing beats an evening of art, delicious food and great company:)

5. So excited to go see Conan O'Brien Can't Stop a documentary about Conan after he left NBC! 

Have an amazing weekend!! Indulge yourself with delicious, cold treats to stay cool! xo

 

Summer 2011: Welcome, Summer!!

Cover of January 1952 issue of Harpers Bazaar via Matchbook Magazine's blog, photo and recipe of homemade snow cones via My Restaurant Guru blog, Evelyn Maillot swimsuit from Anthropologie

Summertime is here!!! Yay!! This year is going by sooo fast, isn't it?! This summer I plan to: have some bbq lunches/dinners with friends, take advantage of the fact that the beach is only four blocks away and go at least once per week, treat myself to delicious, summery goodness (i.e. fruity desserts, gelato, snow cones), escape the heat and go to the movies on hot, humid afternoons, get some projects done around the apartment, and find the perfect, not-too-sweet Rum Punch recipe! What are your Summer plans?! Hope it's off to a great start! xo

This Week: So long Spring!!

photo of Proseco with Watermelon Sorbet and Lobster Sandwiches from Food Fashion Friends by Fleur Wood

Can you believe Spring is almost over?! I love Spring, I really do! Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about Summer, it's great, but as I've already started to remember, Miami's Summers are soooo HOT! Here's to the last days of Spring! So this week...

1. Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Dads!! Be sure to spend time with them and treat them to some quality time and a little something special:) If you're stuck on what to get your dad/husband/brother/friend perhaps my Father's Day Gift Guide might help!

2. I Learned about a new amazing little spot in Miami!!! It's Chef Michelle Bernstein's latest project, Crumb on Parchment (isn't that the loveliest name?!) in the Miami Design District. They serve coffee and sandwiches and teas and offer the most lovely array of baked goodness!! With it's shabby chic inspired aesthetic of mismatched chairs and sofas in the most unexpected spot, it's the most pleasant little escape from the daily grind, check it out if you can!

3. We're heading out to lovely Palmetto Bay to partake in some Miami Food Truck action with the family!! There's plenty of other Food Truck spots tonight, find them here!

4. Don't forget to shop Tigerlily Dream on Etsy and receive 20% off your purchase by entering Coupon Code: HAPPY at checkout through Sunday, June 19th, 2011!

5. I want to try this Grilled Goat Cheese Crostini with a tangle of marinated roasted peppers recipe  (found on pinterest) for our Father's Day gathering(s)!!

Have a lovely weekend and squeeze your dads tight!! xo

This Week: Visiting 1920's Paris

photo via Walrus Magazine

How was your week?!  It was a pretty exciting week, it went by so fast! I'm designing a Pent House in this building and spent the week preparing for our presentation. So after an exhausting couple of days, I was happy to spend a day of leisure with a friend who I recently reunited with that up until then I had not seen since Elementary School! We had a lovely lunch and went to watch Woody Allen's latest film, Midnight in Paris. It was soooo great! I walked out feeling as though I had visited Paris....in the 1920's!! Now I'm inspired to read Hemingway and Fitzgerald and maybe this book to learn all about the time they spent in Paris. I want to listen to Cole Porter and Josephine Baker and to be in Paris again, hearing accordions in the background as I walk down the street! I don't want to give too much away but you absolutely must go see it! So this week...
1. Our friends gave us a bunch of Indian River oranges so I put them to good use and baked this Orange Cake recipe with them! I used the cakes to build a trifle with berries and the cream cheese-whipped cream from this Martha Stewart  recipe (see step 2), it was sooo yummy:)
2. I fell in love with the Cesca, Elbow dining chairs and am torn between those and the Wishbone and the Era chairs as my current favorite! Which one do you like best?!
3. Design Miami Basel opens in Basel Switzerland next week!
4. Friends with You's Rainbow City opened in the lovely High Line Park in NYC!
5. Tigerlily Dream is sponsoring a giveaway on Lilly Pond(ering) blog!! Click here to enter to win this lovely necklace! Be sure to leave a comment to officially submit your entry to win!!

Have a relaxing, lovely weekend!! xo

This Week: Counting down to Summer!!

 

photos from left to right, Beach Ball via Cinemaretro, Reasons to wear swimming caps via yummy bubby, Healthy summer popsicles via Fit Tip Daily

As Spring comes to an end, I find myself excited about a new season once again!!  And so the countdown begins!! 19 days till Summer!! I'm excited about sunny pool/beach days, popsicles, ice cream, gelato, BBQ, Miami Spice, margaritas, lemonade, sun tans, bike rides, and the overall more relaxed feeling that comes along with summer! First on the agenda for this season is to buy a new BBQ, tan my legs (so I can wear dresses...they are too pale), and come up with a few delicious cocktail recipes inspired by all of the amazing concoctions I tried in NYC. What are your plans this summer?! Are you excited about it yet? So this week...

1. Check out some delicious popsicle recipes from Country Living here.

2. I found out David Sedaris will be visiting Miami Beach in November! I want to go!!! See the rest of his tour dates here!

3. Am falling more and more in love with bird cages lately, this one is lovely!! Wishing I had a spot in my apartment where I could hang a little cluster of old bird cages.

4. My friend, Cristina shared 5 of her favorite things with us! See them here!

5. Tigerlily dream has offered to sponsor the first ever giveaway on Lilly Pond(ering) Blog!! One lucky reader will win the necklace featured in this post!! Pop in here on Monday to enter to win!!
Have a lovely, sunny weekend!! xo

This Week: The Unofficial Start of Summer

Swimming Cap by Greg Lotus via NIBA

And just like that it's Memorial Day Weekend! This year is flying by, isn't it?! As of this weekend, it officially feels like Summer. We have left sunny South Beach and checked into my mom's house in the suburbs for the weekend. Our plans consist of lots of lounging, BBQ, a graduation party, splish splashing in the pool and visiting with friends. So excited to have three whole days off! What are your long weekend plans?! I'm excited to wake up to a big breakfast made by my mom!! So this week...

1. Daily Candy and NPR released Summer Beach Reading lists, I'm not sure if I'll read any of these but perhaps you'll find it useful if you're stuck on selecting a light easy beach read;) 

2. I watched The Hangover 2 and was terribly disappointed:( I figured it would not live up to the first, why even try? Have any of you watched it? Thoughts?

3. Sofia Coppola is getting married!! 

4. Am craving some delicious Rum Punch, it's so yummy that it sneaks up on you, doesn't it?! Bobby Flay's Rum Punch recipe sounds delicious:) 

5. Am about to start reading The Happiness Project. Have any of you read it? Will let you know how it goes:)

 Have a safe, happy, looooong weekend!!! xo 

Spring 2011: Lavender Pantone 15-3817

I have had a long love affair with lavender! In short(ish) phases but in large doses. My wedding palette consisted of many tones of violet including lavender and since then, I've been a little over lavender and other tones of violet in general, but I think I am in love all over again!  So tell me, is Lavender one of your favorites?! Next week I'll be posting about Silver Cloud, the last of Pantone's Top 10 color selections for women's fashion for Spring 2011!

 

info about and photo of Lavender via Viable Herbal Solutions

Model Jessica Stam's Living Room designed by Rafael de Cardenas, photo by Roger Davies via Elle Decor

 

photo by Ngoc Minh Ngo via House Beautiful

Wisteria Halter Dress from Anthropologie

from left to right: photo and Lavender Icing Recipe from Martha Stewart, photo of beautiful Hydrangeas by Eric Piasecki via House Beautiful, photo and recipe of Lavender Lemonade via Sunday Suppers

 Lavender Chiffon Gown from Elie Saab's Spring/Summer 2011 Haute Couture Collection

photo and table centerpiece ideas and DIY project from Martha Stewart

 

 Rainy day accessories- Clear Bubble Umbrella from Urban Outfitters, Rain boots via Rainbootsonline 

look from House of Holland via Style.com

Home Library designed by David Kaihoi, photo byNgoc Minh Ngo via House Beautiful

Spring 2011: Lavender Pantone 15-3817 by lillyphunq featuring platform stiletto heels

*Click on image to shop Lavender!

This Week: High Five!!

 photo by me:)

Did you know that April 21st, 2011 (or the third Thursday of every April) is National High Five Day?! It's a cool idea and a great cause, check them out here if you have a couple of bucks to spare:)
On Sunday we celebrated our one year wedding anniversary! We had a lovely brunch at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink in the Miami Design District, it was AMAZING!! The servings are tiny which is great because we got to try so many of the selections! We had their homemade pop-tarts, the homemade doughnuts, the lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry compote, the spanish tortilla, the fried egg sandwich on homemade rosemary crumpet, and the fingerling potatoes and sipped on the local strawberry-basil caipirinha followed by their delicious coffee! You absolutely must go, it's sooo good!! Since paper is the traditional thing to gift on one's one year wedding anniversary, I wrapped all my "paper" gifts in newspaper and my wonderful husband gave me a personalized book from LoveBook, normally this kind of thing might seem sappy but it was soooo funny! It was a great first wedding anniversary, here's to many many more!! So this week...
1. We had a lovely time with friends that are in town visiting! It was so great to get together for dinner with a bunch of friends on a week night!
2. I am soooo excited I will get to see the Festival of Ideas for the New City!!!
3. Am thinking of making this cake for a get-together with friends tomorrow night! Am hoping I'll have enough time to whip it up after work.
4. Am getting excited about our Easter Sunday plans with the family! We're having brunch at my brother's house. I think I'll make this delicious Champagne Punch! Doesn't it sound so refreshing?!   We plan on decorating eggs with my niece and nephew! I'm excited about decorating eggs, I haven't done it since I was a kid and think these are so adorable:) And how cool is this idea for Peep S'mores  I found on Poppytalk?!
5. Am in dire need of adding healthy delicious recipes to my repertoire. The older I get the more picky I get about healthy foods:( Have you any great, healthy, low-carb recipes you'd like to share?
Hope you have an absolutely lovely weekend!! xo

This Week: Cupcakes, Books, and Lip Gloss

photo by me

April is going by way too fast, isn't it?!  But what a lovely week it's been! Starting with a lovely birthday party at a park, cocktails with friends from out of town, a meeting with my favorite clients, an office birthday celebration, some more Spring cleaning (this time I tackled my closet!) and an early Easter supper with the family since my mom will be out of town on Easter Sunday. How was your week? Any great weekend plans? Sunday is our one year wedding anniversary! This time last year I was scrambling with all the last minute details that come along with planning a wedding and just like that a whole year has passed! I am looking forward to celebrating our anniversary, we're having brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, will tell you all about it next week:) So this week...
1. I baked two batches of Strawberry Cupcakes! One batch for a co-worker's birthday and the other for our early Easter supper. Sooo yummy:)
2. I love Tina Fey so was thrilled that she was on NPR talking about her life and her new book! You can read the interview here.
3. For years now I have been OBSESSED with Rosebud Salve! If you ask anyone who knows me they will confirm that I cannot be without it, so my curiosity was piqued when Garance Dore was raving about Dior's Creme de Rose Lip Balm! Have any of you tried it? Is it worth the extra $20 for lip balm?
4. Am dying to get a copy of Chef Michael Schwartz's (of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink) new book, Michael's Genuine Food: Down-to-Earth Cooking for People who Love to Eat!
5. Am seriously considering purchasing a Luxe City Guide for my iPhone for my upcoming trip to New York City, mostly for good foodie spots. Have any of you ever used Luxe City Guides in your travels? Do you recommend them?
Hope your weekends are lovely and feel very looooong!! xo

Spring 2011: Silver Peony Pantone 12-1206

It's pink, it's neutral, it's feminine and so sophisticated, Silver Peony 12-1206 is the daintiest of Pantone's color selections for women's fashion for Spring 2011, isn't it?! I love that it is a more grown up pink, delicate but not too girly. Are you loving Silver Peony? I must say...I'm smitten;)

Christian Louboutin Simple Patent Leather Pumps via Saks, Look from Chloe's Spring 2011 Look book for Bergdorf Goodman, Peonies via kaleido's Polyvore

photo and chair via The French Bedroom Company

Elegant, chic French living room via decor pad

Marled Yarn Pullover via Free People

Dining Room designed by Timothy Whealon photo by William Waldron via Elle Decor

  Runway looks from Nina Ricci and Stella McCartney via Harpers Bazaar

 photo by Gary Medlicott via The Age

Living Room designed by Stephen Shubel, photo by Jeremy Samuelson via House Beautiful

photo and recipe for Rose Melting Moments Cookies via Martha Stewart Weddings, Essie Nail Polish in Allure, Shoe from Loeffler Randall's Bridal Collection

Silver Peony Pantone 12-1206 by lillyphunq featuring tulle dresses

Click on the image to shop these items!

This Week: Spring Cleaning and Flowers Just Because

Hydrangeas from my love, photo by me:)

Aren't my flowers beautiful?! I was so happy to come home from a long day of work to find these beautiful Hydrangeas in the kitchen. Flowers just because are the best, aren't they?! So I started (a little bit of) my Spring cleaning today! I grew up in an always impeccable household and I don't know how my mother did it! Aside from regular cleaning, today, I cleaned the top of our upper kitchen cabinets and washed all of the cake stands, trifle bowls, vases, pitchers, etc. that we keep up there, next up is my closet space! I have a serious magazine problem. I have such a hard time throwing them out and they just accumulate and become impossible to store properly. They are so pretty and shiny so I justified keeping them last year and went the magazine holder route and now all of my shelves are full of magazine holders, where do I put the rest? How long do you wait before you throw them out? I have referred to old magazines so many times, I'm afraid I'll want to see/read something in one and then realize I've tossed it. Do you ever regret throwing them out? How do you decide which ones stay and which ones go? So this week...

1. I ordered a copy of Tina Fey's new book Bossy Pants!! I cannot wait til it arrives!! 

2. Am dieting so I have been fantasizing about all kinds of naughty food like cakes, Big Macs and pancakes. As soon as I take a little break, I'm going to make pancakes with this delicious-sounding/looking Easy Cinnamon Apple topping recipe by Midtown Mama and this Apple Pear Cobbler recipe by Annette Joseph!

3. Have ordered two lovely gifts for my upcoming 1 year wedding anniversary but am still trying to come up with a few more paper surprises. Any suggestions?

4. So as I mentioned here, I think I want to try to make French Macaroons. So I was so excited to come across this recipe by chef Daniel Boulud, the chef whose restaurant I raved about here.

5. I would love it if you followed Lilly Pond(ering) Blog and/or "liked" Lilly Pond(ering) Blog on Facebook!

Have a lovely Spring weekend!! xo

This Week: Spring is in the air!

 photo by me:)

I know it's officially Spring but I worry that Miami might have skipped Spring and gone straight into Summer. It was 93 Degrees this afternoon and we're still in March! And I must say that even the evenings are getting a little sticky around here. The good news is that the evening air smells of night blooming flowers! Several nights this week, on my way out, I picked Gardenias from our Gardenia bush at work. They make our apartment smell sooo lovely! So this week...

1. After a facial and some girl time with my sister, we went shopping and I finally visited Casa Ideas! It's a great shop, filled with inexpensive, colorful goodies for the home. They also have a fabulous stationery department. I did not LOVE everything but came out with a beautiful tin to keep my tea, a pastry brush, a bath mat, a runner for our dining table, a rug for our kitchen and 2 kitchen towels, not too bad!
2. Interior Designers in Florida are fighting to remove Interior Design from Bill CS/HB5005. Our Governor is looking to Deregulate several Professions inorder to create more jobs. The Interior Design community has come together to fight this possibility. As a designer at an Interior Design firm who spent many years and many (MANY) dollars to study Interior Design I am worried that this ridiculous bill might be passed and that just like that an entire profession will be wiped out on a whim:( You can read the bill here. If you have a little minute, please sign the petition. You can read about how you might be affected and/or how else you can help here.
3. We started dieting:( But as soon as we take a break from our regimen (very ambitious, aren't I?) I am totally making these Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies I found on pinterest! Have any of you tried these before? I love the idea of a sweet/savory treat! I cannot wait!!
4. I read the lastest issue of Rue Magazine, you can read it online (for free) here. There are so many pretties to see, including a Milo Baughman chair upholstered in that Sarah Morris fabric I raved about here and a lovely spread titled, "Tea by the Sea" styled by David Stark!
5. I came across "Paper Cuts" an article in T Magazine about Anna Wili Highfield an Australian artist who makes animal-free animal sculptures as an alternative to taxidermied animals. They are so lovely (look at that Pegasus!!), you can see more of her work here. I love so many of them, the horses, the birds, the owls! Which is your favorite?

Have a WONDERFUL, sunshine-filled weekend!! XO

I fancy: A spot of tea

photo credits top photo and a little tea history via Adore Vintage, bottom photo by Claire Richardson via delish

Lately, I have been enjoying tea more and more. My babysitter introduced me to tea when I was a very little girl. She would serve me tea with a splash of milk and sugar with cookies or toast and I remember enjoying it so much. I would love to incorporate a tea time into my afternoons. Do you observe an afternoon tea time on a daily basis? I love the idea of taking a little break and kicking back and relaxing while enjoying a cup of tea and some baked delicious treats or tea sandwiches! Speaking of tea sandwiches, I want to try these recipes, they all sound amazing! Have you any amazing tea sandwich recipes to share? I think I am ready to begin working on my tea sandwich making skills so I can host a proper tea party soon. So my first step towards beginning a tea time ritual....to buy myself a dainty tea cup, of course! I will begin the search tomorrow, will post pictures once I find THE one:)

 photo credits (from left to right) Martha Stewart, photo of Pink Rococo Tea Set via thisnext, One-lump-or-two-lamp via Anthropologie, pink and gold tea cups via Weddingthings

 tea party photos via Country Living

 

French Tea Bag and French Madeleine prints by magalerie via etsy