Another dress idea.

DOES THIS COME IN WHITE??!?!?!?!?!
{Dress: Oscar De La Renta; PC: simple + pretty}

Erin, get on Etsy!

I've said this before, but I'll say it again...

Erin, from reading my tea leaves needs an Etsy shop!
{Er, are you listening? Maybe you can do my Save the Dates.}

Hilarity

This is an email that my friend Allison sent me last night titled "Things I Love":

the fact that your mom is on facebook and you're friends with her
the fact that your mom leaves you facebook messages a 12:30 am

the fact that your mom uses WTF

{It's true!}

Vogue loves your body, but only if it's a size 2.

I love fashion. I spend too much time on fashion websites, spend too much money on clothes, and read 5329804 different fashion magazines.

HOWEVER (and I've said this before), the fashion industry is one UNHEALTHY industry to be in, and I can only imagine that if I worked in it, I'd be riddled with massive insecurity. Usually, every mainstream fashion magazine, Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, etc. has an annual "shape" issue, in which they pay homage to women with "every" type of body...Except Every. Single. Model. Looks. The. Same. And guess what? The body type? SKINNY. Not slim, not slender, not curvy, not athletic, not full. Skeeeeeny. Even the "curvy" models {read: euphemism for FAT} come in {at their largest} at a size 6.

Beyonce, who is not a model {but not exactly a "real" girl either} is on Vogue's April cover. Beyonce is a size 6, yes, but she's also 5'7" and, if you see her in real life, she's SMALL. She is also a woman of color {yes this matters, because WOW, different ethnicities have different physical characteristics} Guess what? We brownies have curves in different places. Why do you think there are so few models of color? Coincidence? I think not.

Here's the thing- I'm brainwashed. Yeah, I rant and rave about how horrible the fashion industry is, but I read all of the magazines, and subscribe to their image of beauty. In fact, after I read the article on Beyonce, the only thing I could think was "Damn, how does Beyonce handle all those big ol' curves?"

Also, Victoria's Secret model and great beauty Doutzen Kroes is featured in the issue as having an "athletic" body type, because her thighs are slightly too big for runway. OMFG.

Oh, and FYI Vogue? Will nude heels lengthen MY BROWN LEGS? Probably not.

Maybe it's about time I stop reading these magazines...

{Ranting post courtesy of Jezebel's Cover Lies}

Vedding Dresses

I LOVE how this wedding dress doesn't scream "WEDDING". This dress above would be perfect, especially for a summer wedding {with a headpiece, of course}. The designer works with each bride to create a unique wedding dress for their special day.

I found this designer {Samuelle} courtesy of A Cup of Jo, whose author, Joanna, is my resident girl crush.

Rock Candy

While I would never ever wear these shoes {due to my crippling fear of heights...and the fact that I could find 18902357894 different ways to break my ankle/leg/femur etc. in them}, they are Ahhmaaaazing. Who wouldn't want rock candy on their heels?

{Photo credit: Jak&Jil }

Hyacinth Blooms

Such beautiful hyacinth blooms.
{photo from my new favorite blog obsession: what were the skies like}

Happy Spring

A new Etsy store.
She eats dessert first.
A sweet love note.
Beautiful blooms.
Because I will always believe in love.

Happy weekend. xx

A Photographic Dictionary

I just discovered The Photographic Dictionary, a dictionary and an art project all in one. A photographer submits a picture, and the picture is then matched to the word that best "defines" it.

Though some illustrations, such as cloud {above} are literal, there are several words for which the picture requires a more discerning eye {or sense of humor- see cyclops}.

Such a great idea!

An easy Indian stew.

Don't know what to make for dinner? Try this delicious and EASY Indian stew. Meatless, it's perfect for vegetarians (and those who just love their vegetables), but it's easy to throw in chicken or beef for those carnivores out there (I'm posting the vegetarian version).

Ingredients

1 cup of long grain white rice

2 TBSP vegetable oil (try safflower oil, it's great)

1 medium onion (minced)

2 garlic cloves (chopped)

coarse salt and ground pepper
1 TBSP curry powder
1 TSP ground ginger
3 cups of homemade tomato sauce (or store bought)
2 cans of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1 TBSP fresh lime juice
1/2 cup of plain, low fat yogurt

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; cover, and keep warm.
2. While rice is cooking, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add curry powder and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add tomato sauce, chickpeas, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve stew with rice and yogurt, garnished with lime wedges and a pinch of curry.

It only takes about 25 minutes to make. Serves 4.
{picture and recipe from Martha Stewart}

Headgear

{ban.do bridal}

{jennifer behr}

Here is the one thing I'm sure about: I will be wearing a fantastic headpiece for my wedding.

Net Disaster!

Oh, the joys of being bored at work. You sit and stare aimlessly at the 75 million tabs you've opened, you've exhausted the contacts on your gchat list, and you spend a lot of time examining your cuticles. What to do, what to do...

WELL, I have your answer. I just discovered Netdisaster, a website that lets you "destroy" any given webpage with crazy things like snails, scribbling babies, or mold. SO AMAZING, and perfect for anger management. All you need to do is type in the website's URL, choose your disaster, and click GO.

Awoohoo! But, errr...be gentle on Sticky Candy, will you?

Sticky Candy goes to France...

...and I come back engaged to the love of my life.

{Centre Pompidou}

{View from Sacre Coeur; Le surrealisme, c'est John; Bateaux}

{Apres nos fiancailles; Goofing off; Dinner at Chez Julien}

{WHERE IT HAPPENED; Love}

I am one big smiley mess today.

A bientot mes cheries

I'll be taking a weeklong hiatus from posting while I visit the city of love with my love.

{who can be viewed above}
{tee hee}

Expect photos of pastries and pretty things when I return.

xx, danielle

This is too funny.

Posted on Jezebel today:

"As part of its never-ending quest to be both exploitative and irrelevant, PETA has hired professional strippers for their "I'd rather go naked" campaign, thus rendering the entire thing totally nonsensical."

{snicker snicker snicker}

Neko Case

Neko Case's voice is so bloomin' beautiful. I've been waiting for her new album with baited breath. Middle Cyclone comes out today, and on it, Case offers up a whole batch of gorgeous, heartbreaking, beautiful love songs.

You can listen to all of Middle Cyclone here.

The question I dread most in the world.

Though there are several questions that send me running to push the panic button, one pops out as being the most stress-inducing, wet-your-pants scary question of all time.

"What are you?"

Yeah, that's the question. As a woman of {indeterminate} color, I get this question at least once a day. No, I'm not exaggerating. What a loaded question! For those of you who can't understand why I would get upset at a question like this, I want to put it this way:

Imagine that your identity is questioned Every. Single. Day. Imagine that when you explain your background to someone, they don't believe you. Don't believe me? Oh yes, it's happened.

Imagine that you're minding your own business on the subway, and a person interrupts you to ask "Where are you from?" When you answer "Oh, I'm from Connecticut (or MA or CA or IA)," they give you a confused look and say "No, I mean, where are your parents from?" When you explain that your parents are Canadian citizens who now reside in Connecticut, they get even more upset and then finally ask "What's your ethnicity?" or, incorrectly, "What race are you?".

Imagine that when you explain your intensely complicated racial background, this person's face morphs into a look of disbelief. Imagine that people come up and ask you where your lips are done and when you say that your mother made you this way, they don't believe you. Imagine that when your hair gets blond streaks in the summer, people don't believe you and say that you're trying to hide the fact you dye your hair. Yes, these things are minor, but believe me, they add up.

I understand that people are curious, and I don't mind if a friend asks me to explain my identity, or if a stranger is truly interested in where I'm from. What I don't like, and what makes me panic, is when I feel like I'm being interrogated; like I'm on trial for looking the way I do. I CANNOT HELP THE WAY I LOOK.

So please, ask this question gently, because I'm telling you, it's not a simple one for some of us.

And yes, all of this stemmed from a woman asking me what my background was on the T this morning.

Dreaming away.

Les Macarons

Petit gâteau rond à la fois moelleux et croustillant, le Macaron est le produit emblématique de la maison Ladurée. Chaque saison nous lui rendons hommage en créant un nouveau parfum.

La nouveauté Automne Hiver 2008 :
Le Macaron Mangue Jasmin

Les parfums permanents :
Chocolat - Chocolat amer - Vanille - Café - Pétales de Rose - Pistache - Framboise - Cassis violette - Caramel au beurre salé - Griottes - Fleur d’Oranger - Réglisse.

Les parfums d'été :
Noix de coco - Menthe Glaciale - Grenadine.

Les parfums d’hiver : Citron - Marron - Praliné

Les Créations spéciales & éphémères :
Abricot Gingembre - Muscovado - Barbapapa - Havana - Ambre blanc - Rose Indienne - Anis - Orange Safran - Muguet - Pain d’épice - Fraise coquelicot - Poivre de Java - Citron vert Gingembre - Rosanis - Epices & fruits moelleux

The caramel au beurre sale (salted butter caramel) is my faaaaaaavorite.

Paris, ma choupette, je t'adore.

{Photos courtesy of Your Destiny is Stone Golden}

I leave for Paris in 5 days and it couldn't be at a better time. It's snowing yet again in Boston, after flirting with the first brief kisses of Spring, and I can't begin to tell you how stagnant I feel. I need to suspend my real life for a little fantaisie.

Bonbon Oiseau of Your Destiny is Stone Golden is in Paris right now and her photos are making me excited. There are flowers blooming, and the sun is shining. It's also a good 20 degrees warmer there than it is here. Even if John and I weren't to do anything but sit in our hotel room, it will be nice to get away.

I used to live in Paris so this vacation is more of a homecoming. We're staying 3 streets away from where I used to live, in a quiet little arrondissement, far from the hustle and bustle of the big city. I like it that way. Though I won't be able to visit my little attic garret (from which you could see the Eiffel Tower), my old memories are sweet, and I have no doubt that the new memories I will make will be even sweeter.

Oh, I'm so close.

It's 11:19 p.m. and here is my one thought:

pleasenoworkpleasenoworkpleasenoworkpleasenoworkpleasenoworksnowdaysnowdaysnowday.

Yep, all one thought.

Night.

The greatest watch there ever was...

expandable wrist
gold
$40
digital
awesome
chronograph

AND TOO FREAKING BIG FOR MY TINY BABY BIRD WRISTS. A sad day indeed.
{photo courtesy of Timex}