I see your tracks

Bob & I went to a big work party last night and man did we have fun! More on this later.. but the point is, I'm SO tired today and whatever my mood is, I've been listening to a lot of Laura Veirs. This one in particular is really pleasing to my ears today :)

Have a lovely weekend.

iz

My Gardner-White blog for a grand.

Gardner-White is calling all Michigan bloggers to enter a contest. As most of us can relate, we all have a tired piece of furniture in our homes that we want to replace, yet it always goes to the bottom of the list, mostly due to cost. If I have an extra $1,5000 laying around, I'd rather take a trip to Europe than buy a new sofa (yes, perhaps I'll grow up someday). BUT Gardner-White is holding a contest for Michigan bloggers to showcase a piece of furniture in their homes that needs replacing, with a piece from their show room!

So, here is my living room.

Meet my couch.

 

 

This is the same couch I've had since my sophmore year in college. It's a mid-century butter yellow vinyl couch. It's spent summers in my parents garage, in other friends apartments and is now on my third apartment with me. Now that I am well employed, I have been thinking I need to upgrade but I really want to maintain the same aesthetic, including the studs on the sides of the couch- so chic. As my readers know, I'm obsessed with grey (click here for proof!) I've done about three blog posts on the color alone. So what better color to add to my home than a gorgeous grey sofa.

 

Fingers crossed, meet my new couch.

It's grey and studded. Gorgeous!!!

 

I would want this rug to pair it with to add some brightness to the room...

 

 

In addition, meet my dining room area.

 

Yes, I have an Eiffel Tower lamp on my kitchen table. I'm dying for a cute floor lamp but cannot seem to find one that goes with my mid century design aesthetic AND is affordable. While searching on the Gardner-White website, I found this beauty...

 

would this be perfect or what???

 

The little lamps would go right over my dining room table, providing ample light AND maintain the mid century modern look that I love.

 

So, thanks Gardner-White for the chance to replace my decades old "vintage" couch that's falling apart with a new piece that fits my aesthetic, is my favorite design shade of late (grey!) and has the studs I've been searching for!

iz

 

 

 

 

belated weekend update

I'm a little late to post photos from my weekend, but some are just too great not to share. It was a busy weekend. I spent most of my Saturday at the Rustbelt Market where my Mom sells her jewelry hanging out and eating Thai food and drinking coffee. Saturday night my wonderful girlfriend, Danielle, who I adore took me out to dinner to celebrate my promotion at work. So sweet.

 

Sunday after church, Bob and I went with our friends Dan and Anne to the annual Renaissance Festival. This is a touring festival but it stops in MI for about 6 weeks in August and September. There was some incredible people watching, mermaid watching, jousting, turkey legs and a few black and tans.

 

 

The whole subculture of "renni's" is beyond me, but I love that I can walk through the woods and enter a village from the 16th century where people refuse to break character and simply are living through imagination. It's strangely inspiring in a way.

iz

 

lust of the day

I've fallen hard for this necklace. It's classic and quirky at the same time with a touch of sparkle, probably my most favorite design combination.

 

I first spotted the necklace on blogger, Emily Schuman from one of my

daily reads, cupcakes and cashmere.

 

The necklace is by Chicago born artist Sandy Hyun and can be purchased here.

 

happy monday (?)

iz

 

to 5 or not to 5

So... I love my iPhone 4 and basically plan to buy the 5 in October when I'm due for an upgrade, but these commercials by samsung are so good, I have to admit, it makes me think twice. They are so spot on. I especially love the way they portray people who buy apple products. Props to agency 72andSunny for creating a great campaign. It's nice to watch a commercial and actually laugh.

 

 

nah, I'm still getting the 5!

I'm such a sucker for apple.

But for once, samsung has Apple beat at something, a better ad!

 

 

Have a good weekend!

iz

 

dream

I've been having very intense dreams lately, and in talking to my friends, they have been having strangely lucid dreams the past few weeks as well. It's caused me to think a lot about the meaning of dreams. In one dream, I was crying and I woke up with tears in my eyes, clearly I was working something out via dream. And on Monday night, I had a dream that I got a promotion at work and on Tuesday, I got a promotion! Crazy, right?!

Naturally, I started googleing dream meanings and I find this site to be a bit more legit than the average, Dream Moods. One of my most vivid dreams in the past few years had the biggest, most awe inspiring whale in it and we were on very good terms, it was magnificent. I looked up "whale" and found this:

 

To see a whale in your dream represents your intuition and awareness.

You are in tuned with your sense of spirituality.  

 

 

 

 

dream away friends!

iz

 

 

the tagers

My Great Grandma Ada always used to call the Tigers the Tagers. She was born in the late 19th century, in Indiana and moved to Detroit before she had children so my Grandpa grew up in Palmer Park, Detroit. She LOVED the Tagers. We always think of her every time we go to a game. Last night, my Dad took us to the Oakland A's game, our seats were right behind home plate and the game was fantastic! We got to witness a GRAND SLAM!!! Go Cabrera!

 

Can you tell it's getting very chilly in Detroit?! It was a true fall game.

 

iz

Lizzo's bday

We celebrated Lizzo's bday last night with the traditional trip to Redcoat. Have I mentioned Redcoat Tavern before? Pretty sure I have, because it's fricking fantastic and hands down my favorite burger I've ever tried. Half of the Mervak clan was present to celebrate. We all had burgers and beers. Pretty much an awesome evening.

Pat (mrs. mervak), Lizzo (the bday gal) and Jimmy.

This is the gift we got Lizzo for her bday. Bob picked it out, flowers and all.

He's so good and getting gifts for people.

Vase is from Anthropologie.

The weather if finally getting chilly in Detroit so I finally got to wear one of my Alaska sweatshirts I got from our trip! Parts are covered by my PUFFER VEST (yes!) but it's a traditional Alaskan drawing of a bird, I'm guessing an eagle and it says Alaska in gold glitter! We found this old tourist shop in Fairbanks that was filled with souvenirs, many from the 90's. This sweatshirt is so 1992 and was brand new! never worn. I was pretty much thrilled when I found it.

 

iz

a saturday adventure

Saturday, all I wanted to do was to attend the grand re-opening of the Belle Isle Aquarium. My friend Anne agreed to go with me, our first try was unsuccessful due to the HUGE bike ride that was going on in the city, Tour De Troit so to avoid the thousands of bikers, we took a pit stop and went to Eastern Market.

 

 

Our second attempt to visit the Aquarium was also unsuccessful, we did make it on the island and drove around quite a bit before stumbling upon the blocks long line to get into the Aquarium! eek! So, I decided we would go another time and I was a bit bummed but at the same time SO happy to see Belle Isle bustling with so much excitement and life. Anne and I finally agreed- Detroit was overbooked for the weekend of the 15th.

 

The rest of the day was spent at Ferndale DIY festival with friends and family, drinking beers, eating tacos, watching live music and walking through booths of local craftsmen/women. All in all, a pretty fantastic Saturday, where yet again, I felt like a tourist in my own beautiful city--- what a treat!

 

iz

Sam turns 5!

Bob's nephew Sam turned 5 recently and had a party! We had pizza (me a grilled chicken sub, no cheese), played lawn games and ate birthday brownies. Here are some cute pics from the day.

Bob's nephew Charlie played us a song he wrote, it's called "I Try".

I love that the present is nearly as big as he is!

It's really starting to feel like fall around here, it was sunny but chilly at the party. This is the first year where I've been sad to see summer on it's way out. Fall is my favorite season, but this summer was SO wonderful and filled with so many adventures and steps in the right direction/forward movement, I'm sad that it's over.

All I need is a trip to the cider mill and my summer blues will be cured!

 

iz

Lust of the Day

Ok, how perfect would these Kate Spade beauties be for the working girl?! (me!)

 

You can buy them here.

iz

 

ps- I'm a 7.5!

 

Ask Amy

I knew I loved her.

iz

50/50

My Mom (aka the Pinklady) and our friend Dan co-hosted a wonderful event this week and did it 50/50 style. Half of the donations went to the comedian, J Chris Newberg and the other half went to local non profit, Humble Design, which provides home furnishing for families in Detroit who are living in section 8 housing. They had a great turnout, some great laughs and donated some money to a great local organization trying to better the lives of Detroit families in need.

 

Overall, a fantastic evening!

Bob & Iz & Jim impromptu performance/jam

 

These events are SO easy to put together, people brought bottles of wine and 6 packs, we provided snacks and appetizers. Guests can donate what they want and the host gets to choose a local performer (comedian, musician, artist, etc.) and a local charity to give to. It would be a great idea for a Holiday party, if you're sick of doing the same old thing.

 

iz