Spring 2012: My cup of tea:)

cup of tea composition by me via polyvore

Spring has arrived! It has been a long couple of weeks around here. A fresh new beginning is just what we need. I am excited about the change of pace that comes with Spring and Summer and am so ready to:

1. kick back and lounge on the beach

2. get a tan

3. enjoy warm afternoon walks to get ice cream

4. do some spring cleaning around the house

5. recharge, refresh and start anew!

What are your plans for spring?! Do you feel it's time to freshen up too? Here's to a happy Spring! 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

Spring 2011: Russet Pantone 18-1235

So Pantone's Russet is a little less Springy than the rest of Pantone's color selections for Women's Fashion for Spring 2011 but a lovely neutral to throw into the mix, isn't it?! It's richness reminds me of delicious things like chocolate and potatoes! Mmmm:) Is Russet one of your favorites from the Top 10? Have you any lovely Russet pieces for your Spring wardrobe? Do tell! Here is the lovely Russet in Photography, Fashion, Interior Design and delicious treats!

photos (left to right): photo and french chocolate macaroon recipe via epicurian.com, Christian Louboutin Beauty Bow Pumps via Saks, Chocolate Pencils by Nendo via dezeen.com

photo by William Waldron via Elle Decor

Photo of David Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth, 1976 via Style.com

Maison Martin Margiela Spring 2011 Runway via Elle

Russet Pantone 18-1235 by lillyphunq featuring leather satchel handbags

Restroom design by JZA+D at Waku Ghin Restaurant in Singapore via arch daily

photo by Eric Roth via Elledecor

Marc Jacobs bag via Bag Snob, Russet Potatoe via itspotatoes.com

Susana Woven Romper via Forever21

photo of Natural History Museum from A Few of My Favorite Things blog found on pinterest-originally pinned by Lynn Goldfinger Abram

Spring 2011: Refreshing Splashes of Citrus

I know it might seem early to say so but Spring is almost here!!! I am very excited about so many things about this Spring and what better way to experience the fresh newness that Spring brings than with the bright, fun citrus colors that will be popping up everywhere?! Here are a few images of these lovely citrus colors in Fashion, Interior Design and Photography, including a photo of two beautiful chairs by my friends at Surface Workshop (see #23)!! Have you started thinking of places to use these fun citrus colors this spring? Do tell! I'm thinking definitely in my wardrobe and maybe a fun throw pillow or two on my sofa...we'll see where else it pops up:) I hope you find these images to be refreshing too! XO

  Photo Sources: 1. Photo by William Waldron via Elle Decor, 2. Photo by Grey Crawford via Elle Decor, 3. Dress from Forever 21 4. Photo by Jonn Coolidge via Elle Decor, 5. Photo by Pieter Estersohn via Elle Decor, 6. Large Stacked Jewelry Boxes via West Elm, 7. Marc by Marc Jacobs Preppy Straw Rosa Tote via Shopbop.com, 8. Diane Von Fustenberg 'Pandora' Espadrille Wedge Sandal, 9. Photo via Lucky Magazine 10. Photo via Brand Calculus, 11. Photo by William Waldron via Elle Decor, 12. Photo by Thomas Loof via House Beautiful (see slide 25), 13. Dress by Marc Jacobs via Bergdorf Goodman, 14. Michael Kors coat dress via Bergdorf Goodman 15. Photo by Laura Resen via House Beautiful, 16. Photo from Domino Magazine via The Glam Lamb,  17. Photo by William Waldron via Elle Decor, 18. Photo by me, 19. Photo by me, 20. Photo from Slaves To Fashion Blog via glamour.com,  21. Photo by Erik Johnson via Elle Decor, 22. My favorite nursery ever, from Domino Magazine via Brides.com, 23. Photo and beautiful chairs from Surface Workshop, 24. Marc by Marc Jacobs dress via Lucky Magazine, 25. Dior "Tahiti" Platform Wedge Sandals via Nordstrom 26. Photo by Antoine Bootz via Elle Decor 27. Photo by Reed Davis via House Beautiful (see slide 13), 28. Photo by Ken Hayden via Elle Decor 

This Week: Looking forward to spring!

photo by me:)

Spring is almost here!! I know some of you are sitting in a winter wonderland reading this but Miami/Miami Beach has been sunny and hot all week and I am giving up on my hope for a few more cold fronts. I am fascinated by how perfectly we transition from season to season. I was so excited as Fall and Winter approached (even if our winter is hardly wintry), I was in the holiday spirit,  pulling out sweaters and jackets, baking pumpkin desserts, making soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on cold week nights. And just like that, Winter has grown old and I am excited about Spring! About the fun citrus colors that will be everywhere very soon, pretty spring dresses, the warm weather, pool days (still too cold to go to the beach), suntans, bbq's, lemonade, brunches and all the other fun things that come with Spring. Are you excited about Spring yet? What about Spring are you looking forward to the most? So this week...

1. My beautiful niece, Mia turned 4 years old! We're working on some ideas for her crafting birthday party!
2. Am so excited about citrus colors everywhere for spring, am putting together a post, check it out next week!
3. Today I watched Martha Stewart's Citrus Show! She had guest June Taylor teach us how to make Candied Meyer Lemons, such a great way to put lemon skin/peel (you would normally toss) to good use, check out the recipe here. You can purchase June Taylor's hand-made marmalades and other delicious treats  on her website and if you live near Berkeley you can sign up for classes too!
4. Are you a college student? If so, then you can enter The NY Times Modern Love Essay Contest! The winner gets $1000 and his/her essay published in a "Modern Love" column on May 1st, 2011.
5. Tickets to see Philip Johnson's Glass House are on sale now! I once got a tour from Mr. Johnson himself (on TV) and though I will definitely make it a point to go see the Glass House in person, it was so nice to hear all about it from him.
6. So I am embarrassed to say but I have pretty low standards when it comes to TV:/ Please don't judge, I just love some really crappy shows and even watch crappy shows I don't love, pretty bad, huh? So did you watch the first episode of The Real Housewives of Miami?
7. If you haven't already heard, I am happy to announce that H&M will be opening an online shop for the US!!  Too bad it won't be up til the end of the year because I'm dying for these 2-tone shoes with a gold heel I saw on a blog (can't remember which one so no link, sorry), those along with the rest of H&M's dreamy Spring 2011 collection are available in April!
8. Attending a Stella & Dot trunkshow at my friend's house tomorrow night, love girly gatherings!
9. I think I want to join or start a book club! Are any of you part of a book club? Would you be interested in joining one? I worry that it's hard to commit to reading whatever comes up since I'm a little moody when it comes to my book selections. On the other hand, it might be kind of nice to read something I wouldn't have necessarily picked up. I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with book clubs.
10. I would love it if you would please "like" Lilly Pondering Blog on Facebook! You can click on the like icon (see it in the margin>>) or click here to go to the facebook page and click the "like" icon! Thanks:)

Hope you have amazing weekends!! XO