Wedding Reception, Anyone?

On Friday, I met a group at Mt. Vernon for some touring and beautiful weather. This teacher is one of my favorites--super friendly, dedicated to his students, always positive and looking for ways to make his kids have a better experience, appreciative, etc. They're from California and were being eaten alive by allergies... I guess it's a small price to pay for blooming cherry trees, farm animals, and some left-over dirt from Mr. Washington. 

Spent the night with Caroline and went back downtown on Saturday to explore and soak up the cloud-free skies. Plus, I've been dying to check out the US Botanic Gardens because everyone has told me that it's a "lame" place to send my groups. Let me just say this: every single one of my groups will be visiting the gardens from this point out! I don't know what everyone's thinking--this place is gorgeous. It's a gigantic greenhouse that's sectioned off into different climate zones and plant types. There's a jungle. There's a desert. There was entire exhibit on rare orchids. I could have stayed forever. As Caroline pointed out, "not everyone likes plants as much as you," but I don't see how this can be ignored. It's right next to the Capitol, so no excuses, people! If I had a million dollars, I'd rent this place for a weekend and hold an amazing party. Everyone would have little orchids in their drinks and there'd be hidden benches for people to sneak away and smooch (maybe I just want to recreate Eileen's wedding). Garden party, 2012-style.

Before we hit up the Gardens, we grabbed lunch near Eastern Market at Tortilla Cafe. $7 for empanadas and yucca and plantains!? Yes please. We ate in the grass and it was heavenly.

Botanic Garden what what!

This is where I started to die/melt of happiness.

Happy Lady, obviously.

Finally made it home after being away for three days. Luckily, I wasn't forgotten and managed to fit in some quality Abita snuggling. Thanks again, Dad, for watching her this weekend (and not letting her escape/get eaten by coyotes...)

Back to the grind in the morning, but I'm waking up to fresh roasted coffee, planted peppers, and new magnolias out my front door. Spring in Virginia is where I always want to be.

xoxo,

Hannah

Tiny Things That Are Making Me Happy

Unexpected wildflower bouquets waiting for me at home.

This ridiculous cigar cat-nip toy (Maudie's part cat).

My dishes out in full force!

Happy Monday, loves!

She Lives?

It's been a while and it may be a while, but I'm popping in to say hi! I've been buried under dust and construction, but my tiny kitchen is coming along and it's almost finished (!!). I'm preparing myself for the next step...the dreaded bathroom. Eeek! I've become a pro at indoor camping, and I am loving the wall colors we picked and the way my jars look so nice all lined up in a row. I'm waiting until the final-final product to post some befores and afters, but the pictures can really do no justice, anyway. We've come a long way, baby...

Meanwhile, I've had birthday celebrations--I've worked up to running 7.5 miles!--and I've finally started to get the hang of things at work (...sort of).

 The weather in Virginia has been insane. We had 5 inches of snow on Monday, and by Friday it was 75 degrees, sunny, and we were lunching on the roof.

 Old faithful nom nom...

Jimson weed discoveries at Windy Knoll. 

Down on da farm.

 Perfect nose for smooching.

 Hanging on for dear life.

Steve Keene looking good in every nook. 

Finally got to break out my Pyrex dishes!! And Iced Capp season is upon us, so life is beautiful!

I am so so lucky and thankful to have my wonderful grandpa and all his craziness. He may be old and he may be long-winded, but he has always given everything he has to make sure we're happy and taken care of --I   am more grateful that he probably knows. By the time we're finished, ole Bennington won't even know what hit it. 

Happy Almost-Daylights-Savings,

Hannah

Life Around Bennington

Abita lovin'

I want to paint this behemoth dresser super dark glossy navy (almost black) and replace the pulls with clean white knobs. Thoughts?

Mantle in the making.

Tomtes keeping watch

My good karma keeper.

120's getting there.

Tricks Are for Kids.

So my cousin Jenny just had a baby last week (a boy named Sawyer...love it) and I think the whole infant arrival sent me on a whirlwind hunt for pastel pinks and blues. Not that I think I would ever decorate a kid's room in these colors, but I do love a sweet pastel palette, especially when it's chock full of lush flowers and crisp white backdrops.

Super into the idea of separating little makeup items with this "industrial"-looking tin thing.

I am willing to bet that no children live in this house with this staircase...way too white and perfectly unscuffed for any of that nonsense. Still...lookin' good....

Turquoise. Pink. White. Yes. Yes YES.

Would only look better with a little teal Pyrex peekin out.

Chunky coffee table legs ftw.

Light fixture + marble-ish counter tops + glass-faced cabinets + artichokes at the ready

Yoga tonight. Whining my way out of work on Friday. Cape Charles for the weekend (!?!). Leftover Rio Grande for dinner!!!! And it's not blazingly hot as balls out today. Score!

xxx,

Hann

Summer Breeze

You must know your own beauty. Look at your world: all those roses, saucepans, violet lipsticks, your eyeglasses, your favorite armchair. Study your handwriting. Draw a little yellow house under a November sky. Inquire if you must of your cat or dog or parakeet but no one else. Simply know that with every breath, you are luminescent as rain, radiant as any Northern star, beautiful as a wild garden shimmering before the first frost. 

The Old College Try

So I've been feeling kind of 'meh' with this blog lately. I mean, I have a million beautiful images stored up, a thousand dreamy rooms I want to share, and I just can't seem to find my mojo. Ok, so I've been dealing with a lot of bullshit and simultaneously going on many a gorgeous getaway. Good for me. But--this blog has gone rouge. It's getting a little ridiculous. Maybe because I feel like everything I post gets stolen and posted *ahem* elsewhere, copy-cat style, I feel like 'eff it'. If someone wants to live my life, go for it! I don't blame ya.

But in the meantime, I wanna get back to some fucking beautiful rooms, emo poetry, and occasional random posts. Huzzah!

Peep.this.

I'm all for bright colors, but there's something about this melon-colored goodness and the old-school silhouette that really get my teeth chattering. Plus, I love the Ikea lamp pendant thingies that have been painted turquoise. Thank you for that.

So, this weekend, I toured the most fabulous house in all of DC, complete with rooftop deck, transom windows, and skylights galore!! I died. And I imagine these boots chillen at the entryway.



Speaking of Deli, we're on the hunt for the perfect desk. I want it long, hard, thick, and heavy. Who wouldn't? We're gonna paint it with goopy goodness and make it the most magical desk in all  the land!



Simplest.headboard.evah.

love.



See, a iMac makes everything better. Plus, squares of wallpaper hung willy-nilly make for delicious scenery, yessir.

All right all right all right all right. I know this is an Urban Barfitters couch. But I want to love it. I want to touch it. I could cat nap on this piece until the end of time! The rest of the room...well...we'll get there.

Giant mirror? Squishy couch? Lemongrass paint? Orchids orchids? STRIPES? I think we're done here.

Ok. I'm getting my shit together. Well, today at least. Tomorrow--can't make no promises.

It's Thursday, it's Thursday, gotta get down on Thursday! Plus, woke up with this in my head, so you know I'm feelin' right.

There Must Be 50 Ways...

...to describe my love for Paul Simon.

...and to celebrate that I GOT TICKETS to see him in DC!

Let's just say we've been lovahs since I was a wee tiny babe...we've seen the good, bad, and ugly together, and May 25 can't get here fast enough!

See? Even Paulie's a Hokie at heart...

-----------------

Meanwhile, this is how I'll look whilst counting down the days (13!) till my Caribbean getaway.

Daydreaming of dreamy neutral nooks with wallpaper and blinds and poufs...

Growing out my locks to ring in the summer/new adventures coming my way.

Embracing my artsy side and getting my craft on...

Buying bushels of fresh flowers to fill my everyday delight.

...and contemplating future ocean smooch sessions, mmm...




Did I mention Paul Simon? Slip slide me away because I know what I know--Me and Julio will be celebrating with diamonds on the soles of our shoes with every obvious child out there until our glorious mother-child reunion sends us down the cool, cool river!!!!
STOKED.