** Happiness Is...**

So You Think You Can Dance

Is anyone else as amazed by these kids as I am? Their talent truly moves me...to tears a few times. I heart Russell the most. His guardian angel dance last night was beyond words. I can't wait to watch the finale tonight.

If you watch...who are your favorite dancers?

{Images by SYTYCD}

Naughtiness?

Have you been bad this year? Locher's Paris wants you to email your naughty doings to Bad Santa. The best letters will be posted anonymously on the Locher Facebook fan page. The top ten letter authors, as decided by Facebook "likes", will get to choose anything they so desire from the fabulous Locher's store. Some of the letters are quite hilarious. So does this mean we no longer need to be good for goodness' sake?  :)


{Images by: Locher's}

My Kind of Bachelorette Party

Can you imagine? Best girlfriends. Vast open desert. Whiskey bottle invitations. Camping in teepees. Fully catered feast. Hand-made merit badges for games. Songs, sword fights, face-painting and ghost stories. Tribal dancing around the campfire. Sleeping under the stars.

It was cleverly designed by Bash Eco-Events and Yes, Please. Forget Vegas. This is my kind of bachelorette party!


{Images via Lovelorn Unicorn and Utterly Engaged}

Frozen Records

Have you heard of such a thing? I am so intrigued by this concept of freezing records. Berlin installation artist, Claudia Märzendorfer, creates an ice mold of a vinyl single. When played, it makes an eerie yet strangely beautiful sound for about 10 minutes until the ice melts away...a metaphor for the impermanence and fragility of art and life.


{Image via Black*Eiffel}

Tutus & Petticoats

Tutus and petticoats are my newest fashion love. I was in the fabric store the other day when I spotted a little girl in a ballerina tutu. An older woman commented on how pretty she looked. I was secretly jealous of the little girl. I'd wear a tutu everywhere. I see nothing wrong with sporting these beauties on the street, on a carousel, on a bicycle (or unicycle), in the woods, or lounging around at home. They are fabulous.

{Images via 1. Violet Eye, 2. This Is Glamorous, 3. Karla's Closet, 4. Faking Fashion, 5. Pearls and Tea, 6. Alcholado, 7. Audrey Hepburn Complex, 8. Gippo, 9. Audrey Kitching, 10. Shock Horror, 11. FFFFound, 12. Toronto Foto Bug, 13. Le Fashion, 14. Darling Dexter, 15. and 16. The Coveted}

60's French Classics - Online Film Festival

I'm so looking forward to this. Starting tomorrow, Stella Artois will be presenting Recyclage De Luxe, a free online film festival featuring a different classic 60's French film every day for the next week! Here is the line-up:

Tuesday 12/15: Lola

Wednesday 12/16: The 400 Blows

Thursday 12/17: Jules and Jim

Friday 12/18: Masculin Feminin: 15 Faits Precis

Saturday 12/19: Vivre Sa Vie

Sunday 12/20: La Jetee

Monday 12/21: Hiroshima, Mon Amour

{Images via The Auteurs}

When It Begins To Look a Lot Like Christmas...

 

 

 

I guess it has been looking like Christmas for the past two weeks. But not in my home...until now! As promised, here is our fabulous faux retro tree, decorated to perfection in my eyes. This is my very first adult Christmas tree. I think the white goes well with our aqua colored walls. Do you like it? 

Notice our Star of David tree topper...gotta represent the Jews for Hal, of course. The orange slice ornaments were a fun project. I got the idea from Young House Love. I just cut up some oranges and limes, baked them for a few hours at 225 degrees, attached ornament hooks, and viola. They make our place smell like citrus and will supposedly keep Bailey from ripping the tree down...although I still see the entire tree swaying from time to time.

We also had my family over for dinner. I was feeling very domestic and made a blue cheese potato gratin and grapefruit avocado salad. It was quite tasty. We had such a lovely time. I hope you all had a nice cozy weekend as well!

BlogLovin'

I'm thrilled to announce that ** Happiness Is...** will be featured on BlogLovin' for the entire week! BlogLovin' is my favorite way to keep track of y'all.

Welcome to my little home of inspiration, BlogLovin' lovers. I hope you stay awhile and get to know me. I am so excited to have you.

{Artwork via Igor + Andre by Danny Roberts}

Decorating The Tree

It's weekend time! With the help of my folks, I finally found the perfect Christmas tree for my apartment...to be topped with a Star of David for my Jewish man (happy first day of Hanukkah!) The tree is white. Only cost $20. And is full of fake kitschy retro fun. I'll be sure to take photos. Does anyone know of some good pine tree-scented spray? We'll be decorating it on Saturday, baking cookies and listening to old holiday records.

Enjoy your weekend my dears. Until Monday...here are some links for your amusement:

The cutest and coziest slippers on my Xmas wish list.

Who else would like one of these Vioski chairs in their living room?

Have you seen these tiny terrarium rings?

A fabulous Tim Burton-esqe fairy tale fashion editorial.

Why I won't do holiday gift guides...because these are so darn good!

This first photo might be my favorite "Parents Were Awesome" picture.

A gift for the serious cheese connoisseur...me, me, me!

If there's such a thing as warm winter heels, these would be them!

Someone send me this owl Christmas card to display on my fridge.

In honor of the cold...icebergs as art.

{Image via Poignant}

Lyrimage: "Dream Alive"

During last week's Lyrimage, I had a request from sweetie Eileen to do my song, "Dream Alive", for this week's Lyrimage. Eileen, I took you up on that challenge...here it is! You can listen to the song here.

My inspiration in writing this song was a t-shirt I own...it has an illustration of a hand reaching to press the snooze button on an alarm clock, with the words: "keep the dream alive". I loved that concept of two types of dreams...the literal ones you get while sleeping, and the dreams you strive to achieve in life. Because (a) I don't like to wake up, and (b) I have to constantly remind myself to not give up on my aspirations.

The music industry is a very difficult one, but there is nothing I want more than to be able to inspire others through song. And for you, whether it be blogging, writing, art, or design, I hope you never stop pursuing what you love. You just have to WANT it enough  :)


{Images via: 1. Maia Kristine, 2. Boggancs, 3. Lace and Flora, 4. Margaret Durow, 5. Tatielle, 6. Obsession MIA, 7. Lilly & Rupert, 8. Just Angel, 9. Polarnna, 10. The Drifter and the Gypsy, 11. Tumblr, 12. Depois Dos Quinze, 13. Just Forgive Me, 14. Roc 21, 15. Reverieee, 16. Darling Let Me Go}

Warm Winter Drinks

When it's blistery cold out like it has been this week, sometimes layers, blankets and fires just don't do the trick. For me, a hot drink is the only thing that truly warms my bones. These four drinks look mighty soothing...

1. Hot Apple Toddy:

• 1 oz to 2 oz Applejack (or Brandy, Whiskey, etc.)
• 1 to 2 natural sugar cubes
• Hot water
• garnish with cinnamon stick, star anies, or other warm spices

2. Peppermint Chai: 

• 1 cup vanilla soy milk
• 1 cup chai liquid concentrate (Oregan Chai brand)
• 1 Tbsp soy creamer
• 1 candy cane smashed to bits
• 1 dash of cayenne
• 3 dashes of cinnamon
• 1 black tea bag
• 1 chai tea bag

3. Hippocras: (Medieval spiced wine):

• red wine
• 2 oz cinnamon
• 2 drams clove
• Various spices I've never heard of
• 2 drams nutmeg
• 1/2 dram white pepper
• 2 drams cardamum

4. Peanut Butter Hot Cocoa:

• 4 cups 2% milk
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2/3 cup of creamy peanut butter
• Salt to taste
• Whipped cream (optional)

{Images by: 1. Married With Dinner, 2.  Healthy. Happy. Life, 3. Lost Past Remembered, 4. Wasabimon}

Elephant Friends

Can I please be this girl? A dream of mine has been to frolic with elephants, or e-phants as I like to call them. They are such gentle loving souls. Artistic too! I'm even strongly considering a volunteer vacation to Thailand to help take care of them in elephant sanctuaries. I think photographer Elisabeth Toll captured their playful spirit perfectly, don't you?


{Images via LUNDLUND}

Succulent Love

For those of us destined to kill our house plants, these succulent succulents...I love words that double as adjectives and nouns...are so easy to keep. Kelly planned her own succulent themed wedding and was so inspired by the little plants, she opened up shop soon after. Aren't they lovely?

P.S. Or if you don't do succulents, remember the eternal gardens?

{Images by Succulent Love}

A Mother & Daughter Duo

I wanted to share with you an inspirational mother and daughter duo. Valerie and Camilla are each others' muses. They have a shared sense of style and aesthetic. Camilla beautifully models vintage fashions for Valerie to photograph and put on their blog.

I admire them for being able to collaborate so well together. My mother and I are very close, but I think we'd kill each other trying to pull this off. Hi mom!

P.S. Doesn't Camilla remind you of Blake Lively of Gossip Girl?  :)

{Images by A Butterfly By Day}

Glass Homes

I really want a glass house one day. To be warm and cozy inside a room with floor to ceiling glass walls looking out into nature sounds like heaven. But I don't know if I'd ever get over the fear of being watched by someone outside lurking around in the dark...could you?

P.S. Speaking of...The Glass Castle may be one of my favorite books.


{Images by: 1. Follow Alena, 2. Lake Jane, 3. Apartment Therapy, 4. Luxist, 5. Jebole}