2.28.2013

inspiration diary: February

my current uniform of marant boots, indigo skinniesPS1, everyday necklaceeverlane sweatshirt, marant coat 

"You've got to invest in the world, you've got to read, you've got to go to art galleries, you've got to find out the names of plants. You've got to start to love the world and know about the whole genius of the human race. We're amazing people."  –Vivienne Westwood

so beautifully put by VW. in my Q+A series, i often ask the interviewees who or what inspires them. perhaps i'll start a habit of documenting some of my own notes on the matter. this month feels particularly full of discoveries, and not merely in a beautiful-interiors-on-Pinterest-kind-of-way.

visual // humans of new york, a wonderful photoblog by Brandon Stanton. he has the eye of Bill Cunningham and the spirit of a journalist.


sartorial // in the mood to wear grey cashmere and a fully accessorized wrist, all the time.


culinary // i made this for dinner the other night, and it's honestly the simplest and most delicious tomato pasta sauce recipe ever – Marcella Hazan via smitten kitchen.

social // last week, i met up with Fleurette, Lindsay, Jennifer, and Koko for a blogger dinner – the first one i've been to since i started les anti-modernes*. we laughed and chatted long after the plates had been cleared about food, fashion, travel... i'm still feeling buoyant from that evening we shared, kindred spirits all.

how about you? what has inspired you lately?

23 comments:

  1. Yes! Please do more sharing! Let's hang out again soon! Oh, and re: the Marcella Hazan pasta sauce...sometimes we change up the recipe a bit by adding italian sausage or whatever leftover meats we have in the fridge. It works especially well with slow-cooked pork.

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    1. :) oooh good tip. will have to try variations next!

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  2. You guys should come over here so that we can catch up! Tranh, Lindsay and you together. Must've been quite a night!

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    1. that would be so fun! i'll let you know next time i'm in Londontown :)

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  3. We have a freezer in the basement is chock-full of Marcella Hazan's ragu just in case there is a nuclear disaster, I want my last meal to be that ragu, some pecorino and tagliatelle.

    The blogger dinner sounds/looked terrific. Perhaps an even bigger crowd next time - a whole bunch of A.P.C. clad bloggers dashing through Williamsburg looking for pop-up stores.

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    1. ha! i'm already thinking about making the ragu sauce/pasta again this week. still can't believe how such a simple and low-cost recipe could be SO GOOD.

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  4. what color is your everlane sweatshirt?

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  5. The meetup sounds like it was a great time, if only I could have been there - I'm sure you all had insightful things to say and sharp senses of humor!

    Also I really like the idea of an inspiration diary, I might have to try it myself. Nonetheless, I hope you do more of them!

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    1. thanks! :) i will definitely start making this a regular series.

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  6. The second I saw your tomato sauce photo, I thought of Marcella Hazan's recipe and clicked on the link. And yes, it is the best ever. Also delicious with bread or frankly, on its own. Her book is my favourite Italian cookbook - in ten years I have never seen a recipe go wrong.
    How fun does your blogger dinner sound! I am a tad envious ;)
    At the moment I am inspired by work, which is a good space to be in. Also, by a pile of books and stories written by friends and colleagues - always inspiring to see hard work pay off :)

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    1. as Amanda noted, i think i'm going to have to make this in larger batches and freezing it!

      you know, lindsay and i were just saying that you're overdue for a NYC visit this year :)

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  7. I love the bracelets - are they the Chan Luu ones? I had one quite similar years ago from another designer called Cherry Chau and I loved it. I loved it so much I made my own and do that now with pearls and stones. I love the button like fastenings as I use that a lot in the jewellery I make.

    What a wonderful blogger dinner you must have had and to meet people like Lindsay and Fleurette who I follow on their blogs. I would love to have been a fly on the wall - actually, I would have rather just joined you in person but hey it's another country and London was far enough for me this time for my bloggy meet.

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    1. yes! ooh i love that you started making your own DIY ones. do post more of them on your blog?

      next time i'm in London, i will definitely ping you ahead of time!

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  8. That blogger meetup sounds wonderful! My awkward and slightly socially inept self would probably end up having an anxiety attack over such a thing - thankfully most people aren't like me ;)

    I have been inspired by the return of sunlight. It is no longer pitch dark when I walk to work in the morning, and it is such an extra energy boost for the rest of the day.

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    1. aww, if you were here with us you'd have seen that it really was a gathering of friends. :)

      the sun is setting a bit later now, which makes a huge difference!

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  9. One of the best Marcella Hazan pasta sauces ever. You should invest in one of her cookbooks for the pasta sauces alone.

    Sartorially, I'm feeling inspired by Dries s/s 13 - loving the insouciant mix of plaid and florals. Can't wait to shed all these winter layers and trade in my uniform sombre hues for some color!

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    1. you know, i think i will. everyone here seems to give her recipes such rave reviews.

      Dries sounds perfect - it's a dream of mine to one day own one of his pieces!

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  10. Awe man, I am also a bit envious I couldn't hang out with all of you ladies. I need to get my butt to the east coast one of these days. Maybe one year for the NYC marathon...maybe.

    I'm still really into chunky knits. leopard prints, but I'm also seriously craving mint. Maybe a mint colored blazer or shoes of some kind.

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    1. chunky knits, yes! and leopard prints :) are you wearing your leopard coat?

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  11. Fantastic quote from Vivienne W!

    I'm feeling inspired by the Rochas A/W 13 collection pictures (I always seem to like Marco Zanini's aesthetic). And some of the Pantone colors that were chosen for this spring (Linen, Alloy, Tidal Foam, Poppy Red, Lemon Zest, Tender Shoot, Nectarine, they're all so pretty). And just the advent of spring in general...

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    1. the fact that there is now a Pantone color called 'linen' just makes me happy. it's so cold today that i'm ready for jacket weather to get here!

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  12. I always love hearing what inspires others. Especially what inspires designers and those that truly have an appreciation for aesthetics.

    I felt the same way about our blogger dinner. I was inspired for weeks after too. There's nothing like great conversation with like minds. I would say that I have been inspired (and exhausted) lately by work and one of my former colleagues and friends who recently published a memoir. I keep thinking that we're way to young to have memoirs but it has inspired me to be more fearless.

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