flash mob proposal.

this is one of the best proposals ever. love. love. love.

keep calm.

what a first week back from vacation...an earthquake and a hurricane! wishing everyone a safe, dry and happy weekend.

Source: None via Regina on Pinterest

addicted.

florence + the machine. addicted to love. need.to.dance.to.this.

spa castle. nyc.

instead of buying holiday gifts for each other, my college friends and i have created this tradition of a girls trip to nyc. usually for a day of shopping, cocktails and of course food! this time we decided to do something a little different and have a spa day. after months of narrowing down a day, we finally made our way to spa castle in college point, new york. we had been planning this day since christmas!

this spa is not your typical day spa, it is a unique combination of asian, european and american style. throughout the facility you cannot wear shoes and a uniform (which was provided) must be worn at all times unless on the bade pool decks. there were seven amazing saunas ranging from an iceland sauna (it really had thick ice on the ceiling!) at 55 degrees to an extremely cleansing jade sauna at 181 degrees. in each of the two pools there were massage jet chairs and benches, some with powerful spouts on the pool deck that poured water on your back/head creating an unbelievable pressure massage. you also could book various massages, manicures, and pedicures if you  felt the need for even more pampering! alcohol was served for those of age in a few locations, however, you were limited to a three drink minimum. needless to say, we were beyond relaxed after the six hours we spent lounging in the sun and testing all of the water massages and saunas.

after the spa, we headed to a quick dinner at zigolinis pizza bar before we had to catch our bus home. along with a refreshing pitcher of rose sangria, we shared two of the most delicious pizzas ever. it was a great day of pampering and yummy treats. can't wait to go back to that spa...

team melanie.

totally rad.



#doublehashtagbuck

happy two.

happy two year anniversary to one of my bestest (and longest friends) erin and her fabulous husband keith. e + k you are the best, hope you have a happy day! e1sw2howu :)

happy weekend.

Source: etsy.com via Danielle on Pinterest

promise.

saw this on pinterest this morning and thought i would share.

before + after.

finished another diy project from my list! since we moved into our house (almost 2 years ago!), i have been searching for the perfect piece(s) to go above our tv in the living room. i didn't really know what i wanted up there, artwork? a mirror? i had no idea. i just new i wanted something with a graphic pattern.

last fall, i was shopping in target and came across this really great collage photo frame. it definitely had an interesting pattern and i imagined two of them in the space and i thought it was perfect!

before: the frame was black with four openings for photos. size 19.5" x 19.5".

after: i removed the glass from the photo openings, primed and spray painted the frames a creamy, off white satin paint and hung on the wall.

misty blue.

yes.

brand new day.

pretty music. brand new day. by joshua radin.

before + after.

my mom and i finally finished one of our projects!! (not the bedroom set, that is almost done....promise!) i needed a client chair for my home office, so we re-finished a piece from my grandmother's 1960's asian inspired dining room set.

before: the chair was black and gold with a pea green and very dated patterned cushion (pictured below along with my then 6 year old mother).

after (51 years later): it is now a beautiful white glossy chair with a vibrant, funky patterned seat (fabric from ikea)!

thank you stacey tookey.

love. love. love.

from last night's so you think you can dance

boys + girls.

so so excited that so you think you can dance is back for the summer. last night they revealed the top 20. loved. it. although, where is alex wong?!

top 10 boys. (amazing)

top 10 girls.

on repeat.

totally obsessed with these two ultimate summer songs. they have been on repeat non-stop!

number 1: party rock anthem by lmafo. can i be a dancer in this video?! (dedicated to miss nicole bean)



number 2: by miss nicki minaj. makes me think about driving around with my friends in the summer back in high school!!

easter brunch.

just wanted to share a few pics from easter sunday. it was very low key and just a beautiful day. my parents came over and we enjoyed a delicious meal of creme brulee french toast, fruit salad, mimosas and of course apple cupcakes for dessert...my mom made those! while breakfast was cooking, we sipped the mimosas on our back patio and enjoyed the sunshine and amazing weather. i found the french toast recipe on allrecipes.com. here are baking instructions:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 6 French bread
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon brandy-based orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier®)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Remove crusts from bread, and arrange in the baking dish in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla extract, orange brandy, and salt. Pour over the bread. Cover, and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the dish from the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature.
4. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until puffed and lightly browned.

enjoy!

google again!

google is on a roll this week! today's animated logo is in celebration of choreographer martha graham's birthday! it was illustrated by ryan woodward. brilliant!

have you googled today?

i am loving the google logo today! there are 16 various doodles reflecting the mr men and little misses characters. it is a tribute to their creator, roger hargreaves, for his birthday! everytime you visit or refresh the page, a new drawing will appear! reminds me of my childhood books! enjoy!

mom.

love you mom. so much. hope you have a fabulous day.

happy mother's day to all the moms + moms-to-be!

p.s. thank you to alison conklin for this beautiful image of my mom and i!