pink rickshaw

february loves

"It's Leap Day. Real life is for March. Nothing that happens on Leap Day counts."-30 Rock

Happy Leap Day! How do you plan on enjoying this whole extra day that only comes around once every four years? Perhaps if you're a lady, you'll use Irish tradition to propose to your beau (don't act like you haven't seen the Amy Adams movie Leap Year) or have a baby so that he or she can be part of the Honor Society of Leap Year Babies. Or maybe if you watched 30 Rock this week, you'll just wear some blue and yellow and hope Leap Day William pays you visit. The possibilities are endless folks, it's a whole extra day of fun. Among other things, I will use this 29th day of February to wrap up the 9 things Pink Rickshaw loved this month.

 

8. Salsa
For the end of February, we have been getting some unseasonably warm temperatures (yes, even for Texas standards). Which has made it perfect patio weather for enjoying my husband's latest hobby: making salsa. Inspired by some friends that are salsa making pros, homemade salsa is fairly easy to make and is so delicious, it is worth the minimal effort. RM uses this recipe and uses mexican style canned stewed tomatoes, jalapenos instead of green chillies and adds one extra fresh tomato. Give it a try and you are ready for a fiesta months ahead of Cinco De Mayo.

 

9. Brunch
I was so excited to come home and see this month's D Magazine feature the best brunch spots in Dallas. I agreed with a number of their choices and cannot wait to try some spots that are new. The idea of brunch is just a happy one. You never brunch on a weekday. It's always leisurely and drawn out. Brunch=happiness. I am sure in the future we'll all be taking our Jetsons' dietary pills to replace meals and the idea of eating eggs at 2pm on a Sunday will just be a distant memory. So, let's brunch while we can. What are some of your favorite brunch spots? Here are a few of mine:
Some Dallas spots that didn't make the D Magazine list but are worth noting: Jonathon's, Dream Cafe (an oldie but a goodie), Penne Pomodoro, Company Cafe (Katy Trail location is great for brunch outside)
Houston: Benjy's, Empire Cafe, Backstreet Cafe

So, to recap, the list of February loves:
1. Jason Wu for Target
2. Hearts
3. Oscar Shorts
4. World Snack Series
5. A clean purse (is a happy purse)
6. Gowns
7. Baubles
8. Salsa
9. Brunch

Hopefully to celebrate February, you'll do something/eat something/buy something today that you love. Remember, real life is for March.

-SD

february loves

"I love free gowns."-Courtney Love

6. Gowns
I loved that the Oscar red carpet this year did not disappoint.  There was plenty of color, dramatic trains and jewels. Some of my favorites were:
-Gwenyth Paltrow in Tom Ford (Very simple but chic. It will interesting to see what the fashion police say, but I think most will have mixed comments about the cape. I think we could have all done without it.)
-Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton (Hello tangerine tango!)
-Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli
-Angelina Jolie in Versace Atelier (I'm usually not a fan of her choices and while this was definitely sultry, it was super glam. Did anyone else love how the Descendants writers mocked her sexy stance while presenting. Now, to mock Angelina..that takes guts)
Other notables were Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji, Ellie Kemper in Armani Prive and Jessica Chastain in a custom Alexander McQueen.
What were your favorites? 

7. Baubles
{House of Harlow necklace, Francesca's Collection Taking Shape necklace and Francesca's Collection Mint necklace (old)}

 
image source: fabsugar.com, SD

-SD

february loves

"Love is the power to see similarity in the dissimilar."-Theodor Adorno

Continuing with what we're loving this month...

3.The Oscar nominated Short Films (Live Action)
Are you excited about the Academy Awards Sunday night? I am trying to get all of my work/errands/chores out of the way so I can enjoy the red carpet fashion and celebs from the very beginning. However, like every year I vowed to watch all of the nominated (full-length) films and like every year I fell short. (Some years I just luck out and the one film I happened to watch does win i.e. King's Speech, Slumdog Millionaire. I'm afraid I missed the mark this year with only having seen Midnight in Paris.) So, this year, in the spirit of falling short again, I literally went short (inspired last year from here and here). As in watching the five nominated live action short films and what a treat.

Every year the Academy bundles the five short films and in less time than watching one feature film, you get five morsels of goodness at your local indie theater. My favorite to win is the German/Indian film Raju. The short film set in Kolkata tells the story of German couple that adopts a young boy only to lose him in the hustle and bustle of the City of Joy. The story that unfolds is riveting and it is amazing that it is all done in less than 30 minutes. Two of my other favorites were Norwegian film Tuba Atlantic about the forced relationship between an old dying curmudgeon and young girl trying to comfort him in his last few days and Time Freak which was created by a UT alum husband-wife team. (While I am rooting for Raju, it would be nice to see some Longhorns win an Oscar.)

Also, it is not too late to have a last minute Oscar party. Find inspiration here and here.

4. World Snacks series
Raising a picky eater is seriously lame. Amy Wilson Sanger's baby board books allow parents to start introducing international yummy foods to babies before they can even say dim sum. These fun, colorful books teach little ones all about foods from various cultures and include a dictionary of food terms at the back of each book. They are the perfect guides for chatting about chaat and understanding the soul in soul food.  So, when your little one requests sesame balls with his goldfish crackers, you will know that you have raised him right. Also, makes a great gift for any future foodies in your life.

5. A clean purse (is a happy purse)

{J.Crew Brompton Mini-Hobo, Lomography Fisheye 35 mm camera (an awesome bday gift from my brother), Missoni for Target cosmetics bag, Francesca's Collections' compact, Fresh Sugar Lychee perfume rollerball, MAC Lipglass (Lovechild), Kate Spade iPhone case, Jess LC coin purse, Shantiniketan style butterfly pouch (from India), Deena and Ozzy wallet (Urban Outfitters-old), Ray Ban Aviators, the best pen ever courtesy of my hubby, Smythson of Bond Street "Pretty in Pink" notebook, Forever 21 bracelet-old, Mudlark Lola stationery}

image source: raju-film.com, amazon.com, SD

-RW(world snack series); SD(Oscar shorts/purse)

art: map prints

"A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there."-H. Stanley Judd

One of my favorite parts of starting any new year is making a list of places I am looking forward to traveling to. But between now and hopping on a plane, some lovely hand drawn map inspired artwork is a great way to stay excited about an upcoming journey. They also serve as good mementos of places you call home, love and have visited in the past. So whether you are packing your bags for a trip this long weekend or just getting ready for a staycation, here are some lovely illustrated maps from around the web to get you inspired.

City Series by Jim Datz (pictured above)
If like many fashion lovers, during the last few days you have New York Fashion Week on the brain, you'll love Jim Datz's city print of Manhattan. He combines fun signs and 1950s inspired illustrations for that print and ones of other glam cities like London and San Francisco.

february loves

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."-Henry David Thoreau

I majorly heart February. I do not even try to hide my utter and unabashed love for this month as can be seen here and here.To honor the great month, PR is sharing 9 things that we are loving this month over the course of the 29 (leap year woo hoo!) lovely days of February. Starting with one and two today.

1. Jason Wu for Target
You pretty much have to live under an unfashionable rock if you did not hear about the much beloved designer Jason Wu's collection at Target being available this Sunday. It was not just Super Bowl Sunday, folks, it was Super Wu day. While the collection is simply darling (inspired by French New Wave films: think clean lines with navy, red and pops of mustard) the reality of getting your hands on some of these cute pieces was just as tough as everyone thought it would be.  Here's how it went down ladies. I had my eye on the mustard peplum top and poplin dress in navy (both pictured above), cap sleeve pleated blouse in cream,and pleated shift dress in blush stripes. Ambitious, right? Before Madonna started lip syncing to Vogue at half time, I was able to report 50 percent victory. Two items scored. Well kind of. I managed to nab the cap sleeve blouse online (at 3am Sunday morning after snoozing the alarm I had originally set for midnight several times) and the peplum top in store (in an XL though (that's where the kind of victory comes in) so hoping Mom can hook a girl up with some alterations) The dresses were pretty much impossible. A girl I chatted with at my local Target said she had been to four stores that all showed the navy dress in stock but she had yet to see one. On a bright note, unlike some disappointing designer Target collections in the past, Mr. Wu does not let a fashionsita down.  Everything I did see in person at the store was really lovely and made of good quality material, so I hope you got a chance to snag a piece or two. Did you try to get your hands on anything from the collection? And if so, what is your favorite?

2. Hearts
With Valentine's Day merely days away, hearts for everyone. Make your paperwork more loving with these adorable heart paperclips. Measure out some love in these measuring cups. Send your Facebook friends some snail mail that's straight from the less than three and if you're feeling really ambitious, try a heart in your honey's morning latte. (Every Feb, I've always wondered how the talented baristas at my favorite coffee shops do this...mystery solved...although I'm sure if I tried, it would just be a blobby less than three)

image source: target.com, paper-source.com,The Wallaroo shop at Etsy (the greeting above is sold out, but you can find other ones with the same text at Etsy), matches via pinterest

-SD