reasons why I love the farmers market

One of my favorite things to do in September is visit the farmers markets near our house. There's a really good one about ten minutes away from us in East Greenwich that I try to go to each week. (We went yesterday, but these photos are all from last week.) I took a few shots of everything we went home with, all from Barden Family Orchard in North Scituate.

candy colored cherry tomatoes - perfect sliced in half, sprinkled with sea salt, and on top of cottage cheese

white raspberries - a novelty! We ate them all before we even left the market.

yellow peaches - delicious in a smoothie or just as they are

A few more things that make me love this market in particular:

1. There's a playground on the other side of a big grassy hill from the market, so after we shop Ezra can play for a while.

2. Tallulah's Tacos, a food truck selling, you guessed it, tacos! Made with ingredients sourced from Rhode Island farms, of course. Might I recommend ordering the carnitas taco. 

3. Seven Stars is there selling all manner of delicious baked goods. I picked up a baguette last night for a special lunch I plan on making this week.

Do you have a favorite farmers market I should visit?

licking the windows | where to shop in Paris

Before I dive into my few favorite shops in Paris, let me say that I am loving this fall weather! New England is cool and crisp today, but the sun is shining which makes it even more perfect. I feel like wearing boots and drinking apple cider. Maybe we'll head to the farm this weekend to pick up a gallon. Anyway, I titled this post 'licking the windows' because that's what the French call 'window shopping.' Well, really they call it faire du lèche-vitrine, but I can't pronounce that. When we arrived in Paris I had a list of shops to visit as long as my arm. Sadly, some of them were closed for vacation (August is typically when Parisians go on holiday) and others had funky hours so we missed out on a few, but there was still plenty of shopping to do! Here are some shops I could have browsed in for hours - 
MUSKHANE, 3 rue du Pastourelle - felted wool everything. I especially liked the little mice and the polka dot balls.
the Collection, 33 rue de Poitou - pretty little ceramic pieces for the home, gorgeous wallpaper selection, modern children's furniture and home accessories
ie boutique, 128 rue Vieille du Temple - beautiful fabric sold by the meter, handmade children's clothing
Chou Fleur,  21 rue Monge - they sell children's accessories, toys, and clothing and host craft workshops for kids, too. A lot like kreatelier, for those of you who are local.

L'Autre The, 40 rue Mouffetard - huge selection of teas and little tea room all in one, they even serve fresh juice!
Le 4, 4 rue Mouffetard - gourmet foods (think oil, vinegar, spices, tea, and chocolate), candles, vases, and funky children's items

Then for open air shopping, you have to visit Les Puces, the biggest flea market in the world. Jordan has a great map of how to get there right here. Now I feel in the mood for some online shopping...

peek... | favorite little clothes

Ezra wears this Dewey Decimal System shirt at least once a week because it's my absolute favorite... the rule is basically this: as long as it's clean he's wearing it. I just can't get enough of it, and it seems others agree. Everywhere we go, from the playground to the mall, Ezra is complimented on his hip tee. It recently occurred to me to check the tag so we can buy more clothes like it. The tee is by peek..., which is available at Nordstrom. Let the online shopping begin.

images via Nordstrom

the day after Valentine's Day, or why I want more gold necklaces in my life

Unfortunately for me, last night was a bit of a bust - dinner didn't go as planned (read: raw puff pastry and the worst oil splattering you've ever seen in your life), and Matt had band practice which I secretly thought was his way of covering up a Valentine's Day surprise but was really band practice. So I spent the night with Ezra and ate chocolate mousse (which Matt made for me) while reading The Happiness Project (which I am loving) after he went to sleep. I don't want to make Matt seem like a bum though - he wrote me a sweet note and booked me a massage which I plan on scheduling asap. My mom got me a Valentine's Day gift, too - one of the necklaces I wanted. I put it on immediately, along with the Italian horn that I got in Florence when we were on our honeymoon and gold coin that I was already wearing. Now I want to layer gold necklaces every day. Here are a few I have my eye on...

My friend Briten wears the infinity charm necklace from Stella & Dot minus the bird and the stone. I love how pretty the single vintage coin looks.

This simple gold circle reminds me of the charm I already wear with the horn, but the little diamond is such a great addition. It's the oro necklace by Leslie Lewis.

A gold bow necklace (by Avishag Kroizman) would make a nice gift, wouldn't it? Your sister, your best friend, your mom... who wouldn't love it?

I'm loving all of Alex Monroe's designs for anthropologie, but this pedal pusher necklace is my favorite. 

J.Crew always gets it right, and this pretty locket is no exception. Plus it's named after one of my favorite paintings - it's the starry night locket necklace. 

Here's another one from Stella & Dot, the ever after necklace. I love it paired with the on the mark necklace.

Kate Spade's anchors away pendant is perfect for a Rhode Island girl like me.

Looks like I can already start my birthday wishlist. 

i heart cookie cutters

(image via amazon

That Martha gets me every time.  I went to Macy's armed with a gift card and intentions to pick up some summer clothes for Ezra.  However, the Martha Stewart Collection was conveniently located on the same floor as the children's department.  I went home with a pile of onesies, a new pastry brush, and the above cookie cutters.  Sugar cookies will be on the menu this week, I'm sure.

stripey bag

Why is it that all the bags I fall in love with (like this one) are so dang expensive?  The Cabana Stripe bag looks like the perfect fit for summers with a baby in tow.  Bright stripes give it a nautical feel which is always appropriate here in Little Rhody.  Kate, I love you but this bag would put a serious dent in my savings.  Maybe I'l have to make my own. 

anthropologie photo documentation

 As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I visited my new local Anthropologie on the day it opened, February 25th.  This post is for those of you who haven't made the trip yet.  Eye candy was everywhere, as you can imagine.  I'll let the photos speak for themselves (for the most part) ...  

 

a cork and thread installation

 

 

 

shelves lined with green glass jars serving as miniature topiaries

 

 

 

This wall reminds me of my Valentine's Day gift to Matt

 

 

 

a bucket of pinwale alphabet letters

 

 

 

 an antique Parisian bench, actually for sale!  I think it was $1200...

 check out that Rhode Island pillow!

 

a detail shot of the wall art featured above the bed

 one shelf of the tiny kids' section

 

 

And finally, Ezra, who was a good sport as we explored the store.

i heart tulle

(image via gap)

I'm starting this week off ogling this gorgeous dress I spied at Gap over the weekend.  Time to start saving my pennies!

tied & true

Denyse Schmidt was the first modern quilter I had ever heard of.  I borrowed her book from my local library when I wanted to make my second quilt, the one I made for my cousin's sweet little girl, Leah.  Pretty soon I noticed Denyse Schmidt popping up all over the place - here at Burke Decor, here, here, and here at The Land of Nod - and now I've found her at Pottery Barn, too.  It is my belief that one can never have too many quilts... I only wish there were more seasons in the year to require so many sets of bedding.  If you're in the market for a new spread, consider this pretty quilt which showcases Denyse's trademark style, a blend of the eclectic and the traditional. 

Matt, you said you wanted a new quilt, right?

makes scents

image via Creature Comforts

Once again I'm swooning, this time over a combination of candles and, you guessed it - packaging.  With names like Velvet as Night and Score from the End Credits, Lollia's new line of boutique candles are enough to make anyone feel faint.  Some other favorites include Sleeping under the Stars, Sunspots on a Photograph, and Ezra's current favorite, Staring at the Ceiling.  Cue laughter from anyone who's spent any amount of time with an infant lately.  Now to convince Matt that we need a $30 candle. 

via Creature Comforts

P.S. Did you know you can find tons of free printables and downloads from Creature Comforts author Ez right here?

pretty packaging

If Matt thought I was obsessed with buying tea already then he should brace himself in case I ever find these in a store.  I have recently been accused of making purchases at the grocery store based on packaging alone and I find myself guilty.  Who can resist when gorgeous boxes like these are staring back at you from the shelf?!  And in case you were wondering, these were designed by Stuart Kolakovic for Marks & Spencer.  Lucky for us, the calming and reviving infusions can be purchased here.  On that note, have a great weekend!  I hope it's filled with moments that call for a hot cuppa shared with friends.
via Creature Comforts  

two things

1. I love everything about this diaper bag.  
2. I never thought I would love a diaper bag.

trunk show chic

Another fun event this weekend was the grand opening of the Trunk Show Chic showroom downtown at the Providence Piers.  Trunk Show Chic is a company that sells their own line of new and vintage jewelry, Zoho Couture, and other brands including Chicklet, Varadian Beaded Couture, One Language, Alex and Ani, and In Bloom.  Matt, owner of blueflash photography (and my husband) brought the bluecube and it was the hit of the party, second only to all the gorgeous jewelry.  Here are some photos from the bluecube... don't you want to rent it for your next party?     

As for the jewelry, I can personally vouch for its awesomeness.  I drooled over a piece at one of his photo shoots that Trunk Show Chic was providing jewelry for (hair accessories provided by In Bloom) and he very sweetly remembered I loved it and bought it for me for Valentine's Day.  It's a Zoho Couture piece, Lucky in Love, and I LOVE it and get tons of compliments on it.  I love that it has the Italian horn (that way I can ward off the Malochia) and a giant piece of quartz.  Rachel has designed a lot of other fabulous bracelets and necklaces that are equally eye-catching, including this one, which I love because one of its charms is a rhinestone-studded whistle.  I also have a set of Alex and Ani expandable bangles, some with charms and some without.  For now I've got my eye on this canvas tote screen printed with a bicycle by One Language.  Check out the Trunk Show Chic site or book an event at the showroom to take a closer look at all the designs, and visit blueflash to view the rest of the bluecube gallery.  So, between the evening of enchantment and this par-tay we had a very busy weekend.  I'm looking forward to a low-key couple of days - a work project with the youth group during the day and movie night on Saturday, and church on Sunday.  What are your plans for this weekend?