All posts by Alix

The Week in Pictures.

Real Life : Alix

Our week vacation is coming to a close and we’re all so sad to go home. Greg just packed up the car with Sammy and is driving back. Wolfie and I leave tomorrow. We had a terrific time as always—even though the weather turned and it was POURING these past couple of days! Here’s our week in Instagram pix. I swear I rarely use a real camera anymore. I’m a little sad about that, but its pretty fun to share photos so instantly! {By the way, I’m @galexina if you want to follow along!}

Of course, Greg and I snuck off to do a little thrifting. It was a bit hit or miss, but while there were lotsa so-so things, there were also some totally faboo treasures to be found. My favorites? Vintage kid’s books (natch), some old skool lawn darts (yay!), SPACE CHESS! (who knew??) and this vintage little majorette/ballet costume. I think I might frame it!

Of course we also spent a lot of time swimming and boating around the lake and just running around outside. Since Greg drove, he brought Wolfie’s bow and arrow and they set up a little archery range. Bringing Sam was a luxury (and a tad crazy) but we all agreed it was sooooo much fun to have him here! We also saved on the kennel fee (which can be pretty pricey in Cali). He was confused and nervous that first day, but after receiving an ENTIRE PORK CHOP from my dad the night we grilled, he decided this place was pretty awesome.

Greg and I also had our traditional date-night in Ann Arbor. We went to a few vintage shops and then we FINALLY saw “Moonrise Kingdom”. Like the rest of the blog-o-sphere, I’m pretty much entranced by anything Wes Anderson does! Have you seen it? I loved it.

Alas, for the last 3 days its been raining cats and dogs. So that just meant lotsa hunkering down with a good book, ping pong tourneys, board games and going to the movies! Wolfie was thrilled to discover one of the theaters carried those big soft pretzels he’s crazy about.

Goodbye Michigan! We love you!

Summer Time at the Lake House.

Real Life : Alix, ,

You might be having a little bit of deja vu friends! I know you guys all just chatted up about your love of lakes a few days ago. Well the irony is that I’m actually here at the lake house on our summer vacation, dipping my toes in the fresh clear water. I can tell you for a fact….it’s marvelous!!

Every August we leave the sunny west coast and head on up and over to the thick warm summer air of Michigan. It’s so pretty and relaxing—and honest-to-goodness SUMMER! We love it. Being a lakehouse girl is something of a recent thing for me—and really, I have Wolfie to thank,

I grew up in Michigan, but spent every summer in Santa Cruz, California so we never went “up north” or hung out at the lake, like most Michiganders. Around the time that Wolfie was born, my parents decided rather than buy a new house in our home town (they still live in the house I grew up in), they would look for a pretty little piece of lake front property. My mom said she had this dream of Wolfie growing up with the lake as one of his summer memories—going out on the boat, swimming and running around in the warm grass. My Uncle Max had a small boat back in the day, and my whole family has really fond memories of swimming at the lake. No one in our family actually ever owned a house on the lake, though, so this was amazing news. We were all so excited that first summer, when we saw the place. It was perfect!

My favorite part of the house is the huge deck, overlooking the water. Sitting on the porch-swing with a good book, listening to the leaves rustling in the breeze….birds chirping….watching the water gently rippling….sippin’ a lovely drinkie, it’s a little slice of heaven, I tell ya. It’s my favorite spot to lounge. As for Greg….well he’s more of a hammock kinda guy.

I think the location here is incredible. Most of the lakeside communities in this part of Michigan aren’t little woodsie cabins, they’re more houses in little neighborhoods. My parents have a place on a small lake (it’s almost like a cul de sac) and you can cruise down a little canal-like area into the larger “sporting” lake. A sporting lake is a lake where you can have Jet Skis and speedboats and all that jazz. Technically the sporting lakes are the primo real estate, but I love our gentle, quiet little lake so much better. Of course we head to the big lake when we want to swim.

Michigan is called the Great Lakes State for a reason. We have over 11,000 named lakes (sorry Minnesota! I know you are the state of 10,000 lakes) and four of the five Great Lakes border the state. That would be: Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. Pretty amazing huh!

So, the heart of any good lakehouse experience, is THE BOAT! You need to get out on that lake and explore! We have a little pontoon boat, which is perfect for puttering around in. Let’s take a ride….

OK, we’re on the “big lake” now. Let’s pick up a little speed and  find a place to swim! Hold on fellas….don’t go TOO fast!

Lakes rule. I can’t tell you that lakes are better than the ocean though, it’s like comparing apples to oranges. If I’m being honest, being by the beach is pretty phenomenal—walking along the sandy shores, breathing in the sea air and just observing the power and majesty of the waves crashing down, well, it’s pretty spectacular! But lakes absolutely hold their own kind of magic. Swimming in freshwater and taking in the serenity of a smooth-as-glass body of water is every bit as wonderful. I’m so thrilled that the lakehouse is now part of Wolfie’s childhood memories. He loves swimming and going out on the boat so very much. It’s a pretty special gift.

We only have a few more days here and then back to the “real world”. I’m going to be so sad to leave…what have you guys been up to this summer? Do you have any traditions or special trips you take? When I was growing up, we had an annual summer road trip from Michigan to California. No lakes in site, but an AMAZING time and probably some of my top childhood memories!

Retro Rainbow // Color of the Week is YELLOW!

Retro Rainbow

Hola, Kiddos!

It’s Wednesday and I think you know what that means. It’s time for the Retro Rainbow! This week is all about a happy little color called SUNNY YELLOW! I don’t know about you but I find it impossible to be grouchy around yellow. I don’t think I own a stitch of solid yellow clothing (I think I was told from an early age that it just wasn’t “my color”) but I do have plenty of pretty yellows sprinkled throughout my home. The entryway of my house is painted yellow, and I can tell you, it’s one happy place!

So, I have a wee confession: I’m starting to get a little sad about our summer series winding down. We’ve got just three weeks left after yellow, sniff sniff!! Alix and I have had so much fun treasure hunting around our houses each week and it’s been so cool to see what she comes up with, from the kooky Space Age Panties (Mi Lady!) to the amazing Jaws game (one wrong move and the jaws go snap!) to allllll the amazing and groovy mid century finds that have us all drooling and running to Etsy to start a treasure hunt of our own.

Of course this is no time to be sad, friends! Not when SUNNY YELLOW is in the spotlight! So… let’s get happy and on with the show! And as always… head on over to Frecklewonder to see what treasures Alix has to share this week.

Happy Wednesday, kids!  Jenny

 

Ooooh lala! Everything is so pretty and fun. I loooooove the drinking glasses and that wall paper?? Bananas. I’m amazed week after week at what fabulous-ness will appear in my In Box! I have to say I’m in the same boat as Jenny, and I’m already feeling sad that this series will be drawing to a close! It’s been SO much fun. I think we need to plot “Retro Rainbow Part 2” don’t you??  Join us next week when our color will be…..????

{Psst! The Retro Rainbow is a fun project where Jenny & I “shop” our home and photograph our own personal collections, in a weekly color.  If you’ve missed any of our past Rainbows, you can find more of Jenny‘s here and mine over here!)

Friday Link Hootenanny :: Fun Olympic Things to Browse

Link Hootenanny


image: Jordan Cheung

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you been watching? I swear nothing makes me prouder. I’m so un-athletic that these Olympians totally impress the hell outta me. The gymnastics and swimming have both been among my favorites! Here are a few fun things to check out as we round out the weekend….and the home stretch of Olympic Fever!

1.BANKSY

Artist Banksy unveiled some cool and provacative Olympic grafitti. Check it out here.

2. I SEE LONDON

These photos of the full moon in London are rather spectacular. Did you see? Take a look.

3. CARRY A TORCH FOR YOU.

This look at Olympic torches throughout the years was fascinating! Summer-1952-Helsinki, Summer-1984-Los-Angeles, Winter-1956-Cortina-DAmpezzo, Winter-1976-Innsbruck.  See the rest of them here.

4. OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY GONE WILD.

I have to confess that I thought the Opening Ceremonies were a tad WIERD this year (the extremely long “industrial revolution”….the  “let’s celebrate Britain’s Health Care AND Children’s Literature!” segment….the huge scary “villain” puppets? the giant inflatable baby? the endless “love story” that had us watching people TEXTING?? yeech!). Then again, take a look at Holland 1928. Very unusual! See more here.

5. SPEAKING OF OPENING CEREMONIES

I love seeing what uniforms the different countries wear. That’s Netherlands and England up there. I’ll let you guess which I thought was most stylish. This commentary on this list of the “Best and Worst” had me cracking up. See ’em here.

6. LONDON IN A BOX.

I thought this little Olympics in a Box kit was so cute! See it here.

7. UNDERGROUND OLYMPICS

The Olympic Committee is notoriously strict about their logo useage—you can’t even say Olympics. You have to say “Summer Games”. It’s a tad annoying and not really in the spirit of THE GAMES. So some artists took it upon themselves to design alternative posters. Rather clever!  Check them out here.

8. 70s OLYMPIC GLAM

Juvena (a swiss make up brand) were the official make-up artists of the Munich Olympics. Who knew they had make up artists?? I must research this more (via Vogue August 1972)

9. STICK IT….STICK IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please tell me you watched this video. It was SOOOOO funny!!! You realize that the parents of Olympians are nearly as stressed as their kids!  Watch it here.

HAPPPPPPY SUNDAY!

 

Retro Rainbow // Get Outta Town BROWN!

Retro Rainbow

Hey, kids! Freckle here and I’m super excited for this week’s edition of Retro Rainbow. Say HELLLOOOOOO to the BROWWWWWWWN! And yes, I shouted that like Oprah. I’m that excited, cause you know what? Brown surprised me. I mean, totally surprised me. I loved me some aqua (ok, and pink! and tangerine!) but when we settled on brown, Alix and I both kinda giggled and felt like the challenge was really on. We *are* a couple of crazy color lovers, after all. I ended up finding so many great options that I had to hit the breaks at a dozen items. Brown just might get it’s own special bonus round when this series wraps up! So check ’em out, and of course please head over to Frecklewonder to see Alix’s amazing finds. Really, really great stuff that will have you guys zipping over to Etsy and Ebay for a little somethin’ somethin’ of your own.

Happy Wednesday, y’all! xoxo Jenny

Sooooo, Jenny I forgot to tell you that I invented a new rule. At the end of every rainbow, I get to keep 3 of your items! So you know, if you want to just pack up that dressie, the poodle Enid Collins bag and maybe the kitty S & P shakers, that would be JUST fine! What? I forgot to tell you about this new rule? Hmmmm.

Friends,….how fun is this?? And in BROWN no less! I swear we were both really thinking that this would be super tricky and maybe end up with a littles less  “pizzazz” than our usual—but this post is Pizzazz Central! I love it. OH, and if you would be so kind, please skedaddle on over to frecklewonder so you can see what brown goodies I managed to scare up. All together now: “BROWN!” {jazz hands!}