FEELIN' FALL

Perfect fall gloom via.

I'm so in love with the "Anxiety Ghost" pin by Matt Darling.

This Zipper Denim Coat is the perfect everyday fall jacket.

Surreal autumn color palette via.

A rainy day contemplation quote about life via. 

Music of the Day: La Luz

I cannot get over how much I dig these girls! I may be a little late to the game, but I can't stop listening to La Luz's 2013 album "It's Alive". Choosing a favorite song is next to impossible- they really are all that good. I'm sharing this one because I also love the styles rocked in the low-key video. Something about their sound makes me feel like I'm being filmed film-noir style while surfing just off a Texan coast somewhere. This is certainly going to be one of those albums that keeps me going all year long! Hope you enjoy it, too! 

Music of the Day: Jessica Lea Mayfield

Jessica Lea Mayfield's latest album "Make My Head Sing" is quite possibly one of my new favorite albums of all time. Her voice has such a haunting, ephemeral beauty and I just cant get enough it. I've easily listened to the album more than ten times now, but I can't even begin to count how many times I've listened to this song. "Standing in the Sun" is definitely one of my favorite tracks from the album, and although I would encourage you to listen to the studio version, I adore this live version and Jessica's unequalled style.

Check out the full album on Spotify! I love that it fits just about any mood, so you can play it anytime, anywhere. Today, I've been listening to it while I pack all of my stuff into boxes (I still don't know where we're moving to yet). The album is pure perfection!

Exploring Frederick Meijer Gardens

These are just a few of the photos from my trip to Frederick Meijer Gardens here in Grand Rapids. It's such a beautiful place and I wish I could post all of my photos, but I don't want to do a huge photo dump here on the blog. These were some of my favorite photos, either because I loved the nature, the artwork, or both! We arrived at the gardens about an hour before closing time and now I really regret not getting there earlier. We only got to see about 3/4 of all that was offered and had to practically jog through the parks just to get to see that much. I can't wait to go back with enough time to really experience everything this place has to offer! 

Illustrations That Tickled My Fancy This Week

My parents are both artists and thanks to them I've grown up with an intense appreciation for all art forms. Over the years, I've developed a love for illustration. I like to play around with it myself sometimes (I'm sure I'll post something of mine at some point), but I am constantly baffled by the amazing talents of others. Here are just a few illustrations that I've stumbled across and fell in love with this week:

This collection by Rebecca Mock has been floating around the web as of late, and if you haven't seen it yet, you should definitely check it out. It's so clever and beautifully done! Each piece is equally mesmerizing and serene- I just think it's such a wonderful concept!

I found this illustration on Pinterest and it took me awhile to track down it's origin. It's by the artist Adrian Tomine, who you may recognize from familiar New Yorker covers (click the link for examples). Something about his style just makes me want to stare for awhile- it's as vivid as actually going people-watching.

I cannot get over Emma Dibben's delicate style. It was hard to choose just one piece to show you, but as a fan of baking and desserts, I think I can safely say that this is my favorite. I wish all of my kitchen ingredients could look like something from her illustrations!

I love this illustration so much, but I'm still struggling to track down it's origins. I believe it's from a book called Chii Sakobee, but I can't find much information on it through the American web, aside from the foreign site I linked to. I'll put a reward on it- all my love and something special (to be determined) if you can tell me more about this book!

Music of the Day: Chairlift

"Bruises" is one of my favorites tracks from Chairlift's 2008 album "Does You Inspire You".

Back in the day, I listened to it all the time- usually on repeat. I decided to play it again today, and I instantly remembered how wonderful it is. It makes me so happy and I feel like it's my duty to share it, just in case you've never heard it before. It's definitely one of my favorite summer songs, particularly the parts that talk about frozen strawberries and grass stains.

As long as Chairlift is playing, I can pretend that my heart is not breaking from the snow on the ground outside right now!

Music of the Day: Yumi Zouma

This has been my play-on-repeat Sunday song ever since it premiered from the label Cascine back in January. I just can't stop listening to it! The other songs on Yumi Zouma's self-titled EP (which was released on February 11th) are great, too, but this one is by far my most played.

One of my favorite music blogs, Gorilla Vs. Bear, describes the song as "wistful" and "shimmering". I couldn't have said it better myself, and it's thanks to them that I found this lovely song. The New Zealand group has a variety of sounds, from this soft, romantic dream-pop to a light funk that's present in their other tracks, like "A Long Walk Home for Parted Lovers".

If you dig this song as much as I do, I suggest checking out the rest of the album! Just prepare yourself for a little less dream and a little more funk and you'll be a Yumi Zouma fan in no time.

Music of the Day: Habibi

This was my "don't worry, it's almost the weekend" jam this morning. While rushing to make it out the door in time for a meeting, I danced around in a swirl of clothes, makeup, and rain boots. Needless to say, I left in a better mood than usual.

"Habibi" means "my heart" in Arabic- a fitting name for this all-girl band from Brooklyn that has certainly captured my heart. The band was founded by Rahill Jamalifard and is influenced by her Persian ancestry and 60's Motown sounds. (For more information, read this interview with V Magazine.)

I love this album and sincerely recommend checking out more if you're interested!