allibakes

long time no talk

2011-11-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

i've got good news!

i've moved

hop on over to

design from a to v

xo!

speaking of loving...

2011-10-13T11:58:00.001-07:00

i know he's my husband

but man i love this guy!

this shot is from our dear and talented friend

sir dalton tarver

okay he's not officially a sir but he should be

not only is he a photographer for fossil

he also moonlights as a freelance photographer

who wakes up for his art

literally

check out these amazing images

that were all taken in the wee hours of the

morn at white rock lake

the way he captured the light,

the hubs' sexy 5 o'clock shadow

the whole bit

genius sir dalton

genius!

why is taylor having oh so fancy photo shoots

in the fields of white rock at sunrise

sporting the latest and greatest in mens' wear?

because we have to make mortgage people

kidding..ha- kind of

ACTUALLY...

these shots are to promote

something pretty major

his second album

releasing 10.22.11 on itunes!!!!

the V album

tell

yo friends, yo wife and yo kids

like i said before

it's pretty major!

hope you all enjoy it as much as i do

here is a little preview

LOVING...

2011-10-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

LOVING...

HOMEMADE COMFORT FOOD

recipe

A CUP OF TEA

literally every hour

THE RAIN

calms me,

puts me to sleep,

and texas needs it desperatley

BUBBLE BATHS

i have not found anything they can't cure

UNIQUE PLANTERS

planting is my therapy

and i love these fun shapes & colors

luke time

2011-10-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

guess who i got to spend 2 days with?

LUKE BAKER!

the cutest nephew

e v e r

how can you not love this little man?

he loves apples and elmo

playing outside

helping aunt alli water the plants on the back porch

handing me toys

(while loosing his pants:)- HA!

taking big boy steps to his cool green chair

sweet snuggles while reading

he also loves guac at mi concina

photo credit: my dear friend AND our lovely lunch date rachel j

playing pillow pile and tickle time with uncle tay

his favorite game- what he aptly calls

AIR

who knew an air filterer was so entertaining?!

playing car car at central market

and the drums while eating at R+D

these are just a couple of snap shots of the massive

amount of fun we had with this little one

he is such a bundle of energy and a bright blessing in

our lives! special thanks to his parents for

letting us borrow their sweet kiddo

XO-AV

2011-10-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

i think this is beautiful

Bili Bidjocka interview from Ecriture Infinie on Vimeo.

when is the last time

you wrote something by hand?

happy birthday laura!

2011-09-30T08:45:00.001-07:00

happy birthday laura!

for a chic that rocks

literally

not only does she rock out with the black frames...

she rocks a romper at the winspear AND she rocks at being a friend!

we started out as co-workers, then we became friends

now i'm lucky to call laura more than just a friend-

yoga bud, book club gal, music maven, fashion femme(the girl has style!),

brunch, lunch & dinner date, fellow crafter and neighbor

(and for the record- those are just a few of her roles- she is multi talented

and wears many hats- seriously it's pretty amazing- i can only take notes in hopes to keep up)

happy birthday buzz

hope you have a beautiful day!

love ya!

xo-alli

let it go

2011-09-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

and

LET GOD

this passage

(from CRAZY LOVE by Francis Chan)

tugs at my heart strings

it speaks to me

and my everyday struggles

with needing to control,

plan and yes.... worry&stress

about life

no matter how many times i read it

believe it

and meditate on it

it still is difficult for me

to put to practice in my own life

CRAZY LOVE

is such an amazing book!

i'm smack dab in the middle of it

and i love how challenging it is

of christianity

of faith

and of god's love in our life

i love yall' like crazy

:-)

xo-av

uno dos tres quatro

2011-09-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

happy thursday!

this video for the

LANVIN FALL 2011 campaign

is awesomely awkward

and i love it

enjoy!

xo,

i surrender irene

2011-08-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

i find it kind of funny that my last post

was about surrendering

to the summer heat'

when this past weekend

i learned the full meaning of surrendering;

from natural disasters, traveling SNAFUs

{basically being stuck in ny 3 extra days}

and lots of other ridiculousness beyond my control

HA! that's pretty much everyday life-right?

but more on that later

until then

i leave you with a song

by the late and talented

Gil Scott Heron

the title seems appropre

:-)

New York Is Killing Me

XO-AV

i surrender

2011-08-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

for real yall'

i'm waving a white flag to surrender the summer

i can't take the heat anymore

i need fall and winter to come quick

i'm ready for stacks of cardigans and sweaters

for snuggly blankets

and lots of cuddling

for campfires and smores

and for long hair(grow faster dang it)

and blazers, jackets and scarfs!

it's an official summer surrender

is anyone else as done as i am?

stay cool lovelies!

xo-av

quote, cardigans, blankets, camp, blonde

wedding time

2011-08-23T08:05:00.001-07:00

taylor and i are attending a wedding this weekend

in cooperstown, new york

we are so excited for the ceremony

which will be held at the

otesaga resort

on the southern shore of lake otsego

oh so fancy-right?!

for the ceremony, the guests are encouraged

to wear seersucker& outlandish hats?!

HA!

so fun

this is my dream dress

(i'm actually wearing something i already have)

and i LOVE the hat she's sporting

i guess that would be as outlandish as i get

besides the fabulous wedding

the weekends' festivities also include

a tour of ommegang brewery-taylor is sooo excited!

volleyball tournament at the lake

a ride in a pontoon boat on otsego lake

the welcome bbq dinner the night before the wedding

and get this......

after the wedding/reception there will be a quote

'karaoke showdown'

at the otesaga's hawkeye bar

now thats' my kind of PAR-TAY!

can't wait- i will for sure take lots of pictures

to share with you all

have a great day!

xo-av

images of resort

dear coffee,

2011-08-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

dear coffee,

I LOVE YOU!

our relationship started about a year ago

i would entertain the thought of you

in the mornings

here and there

but we became truly involved;

HAD THE OFFICIAL DTR

when my favorite barista

aka husband

began making you every morning for me

then i became hooked

recently though...it has come to my attention

that i may need to cut back

{gasp}

i know the horror!

life is also too short to live without

YOU

there is no way i could turn you down

when you are chemix made

BUT

i am just cutting back

we aren't taking a break per se

just maybe taking some time apart

but please don't be sad

for you will always be dear to my heart!

yours truly,

confession friday!

2011-08-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

confession friday

i'm a type a, super planner,

and somewhat of a control freak

my husband gave me the nickname

'super schedule programmer'

like i'm a base camp or something,

aligning our future with the touch of a button

so into sci-fi that guy

i'll admit it though

despite my careful planning of each day

i lay awake at night worrying about the unknown

stuff that i really need to just let go of- and let god!

last week when i was enjoying vacation beachside....

i was able to let go,

{thank god!}

relax and become more of the laid back person i strive to be daily

i realized that there is so much joy

that can be found in the unknown,

in the unplanned moments.

truth be told-those are the most beautiful moments,

full of bliss and awe.

during my time off, i felt free from my demons.

the fact that we didn't have an official bedtime, an alarm clock,

a work schedule, pdfs to send, deadlines to make,

meetings to attend...that helped too of course.

the day to day grind was absent from our lives and we were grateful.

being a non-partisipant in the everyday stuff

made me feel quite enlightened.

but don't get me wrong- i'm not saying to quit your day job and live on a beach.

but if that is an actual job-where can i sign up?

r i g h t !

a little time away stirred some new found inspiration and creativity in me

this weekend we are having a little painting project at our house.

the 30x30 canvases have been bought

and i can't wait to fill them.

i'm a graphic designer by day

for me the devil is in the details

i align type,

make things point 125 of an inch smaller or larger,

lead and kern

jpeg, pdf, high res, mpeg

i could bore you for days...

but my point is-i'm letting my inner perfectionist take a break

i'm ready to embrace my inner messiness.

this little art project

is inspired by living life in color

outside of the lines

with no plans

no order

all chaos

carefree

even if it is messy

and i couldn't be more excited!

just a bit of my inspiration

to get things started

i can't wait to share the finished piece with you!

until then- have a fabulous weekend

filled with lots of joy

and maybe some unplanned blissful moments too!

xo-av

oh happy day

2011-08-18T09:09:00.001-07:00

if you dislike romance...

hit esc now :-)

you can join me in celebrating 4 years of marriage

happy 4 year anniversary taylor!

my beloved is mine and i am his

song of solomon 2:16

august 18, 2007

oh happy day

1 year

glen rose, rough creek lodge

2 years-maui

look-we're maui-ed

sorry i couldn't resist

3 years - santa fe, la posada

one of the 2 locations we plan to split our retirement

you know- no big deal- winter in marfa, summer in santa fe

we will hang will our old hipster friends in marfa

where v gallery I will be

sorry- i think i'm dreaming out loud

and come to sante fe for the summer

obviously to run v gallery II

4 years baby!!! st.croix tide pools

the steamy hike was worth it for this view and THIS kiss

happy anniversary to my husband and partner in crime

honestly if we spent it celebrating in a card board box

YOU would make it special

you would build a fort out of the boxes and sing to me

and we would laugh till we peed our pants

ok maybe only i would pee my pants

i digress...

every moment with you is special

i could go on and on but i'll save the really romantic stuff for later

;-)

i'm off!

2011-08-06T20:28:00.001-07:00

hello lovely readers!

i'm so excited to be leaving tomorrow for

a week of vacation

i'll be doing some beach time

some outdoor adventures

some exploring....

and a whole lot of this.....

ahh.....

haven't even departed yet but

i feel more relaxed already

can't wait to share some pics with you when i get back

:-)

xo-av

bittersweet

2011-08-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

last night i finally finished

the last few chapters' i was saving to savor every delicious word of

bittersweet by shauna niequist

do you ever get so sad when a book ends

but then so exited to page back through it

and read all the amazing bits over and over?

bittersweet was that kind of book for me

i was telling rachel at book club

in fact we practically said it in unison

that in every chapter at least one paragraph(and then some)

struck a cord with me

the martha stewart (perfectionist/control freak) in me

doesn't allow for turning down pages

but with bittersweet i caved

there are too many passages i wanted to re-read and remember

i'll admit it, i dog eared the heck out of this book

after reading this book i want to grab coffee with shauna

{no big deal- we are so friends ;-) }

what i respect most about her is her honesty

the way she candidly speaks about her hardships, struggles,

faith and everyday life

i hope the following passage touches you as much as it did me

and if not then go buy the book today and see for yourself!

there are so many juicy nuggets of wisdom,

humor and reflection that i know

every woman can identify with

from the last chapter in bittersweet

your story must be told

the big story really is actually being told

through little stories,

and by sharing our lives,

not just sermons,

we're telling god's story in as reverent and divine ways

as it has ever been told.

god's story was told in hebrew and greek,

and i believe that it's also being told

in whispers and paintings and blogs

and around dinner tables all over the world.

***

there's nothing small or inconsequential about our stories.

there is, in fact, nothing bigger.

and when we tell the truth about our lives---

the broken parts, the secret parts, the beautiful parts---

then the gospel comes to life,

an actual story about redemption,

instead of abstraction and theory

and things you learn in sunday school.

major girl crush

2011-08-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

let me introduce you to my current girl crush

the singer-songwriter

OH LAND

yes she is modelesque(a word i just made up) pretty and danish

but talk about personal STYLE and THAT VOICE

this tiny dancer can sing!

her injury in her former creative life as a dancer

led her to singing

i love how when one door clothes, another one opens

especially in creative avenues

beautiful fleet floxes cover

of white winter hymnal

love this live version

and the balloons?

genius!

it's obvious

that i'm girl crushing in the usa!

but technically it's a european girl crush

since she is from denmark

when i googled her for like the 100th time

{not in a creeper way or anything}

i learned she currently resides in brooklyn

another reason this chic/gifted artist is so cool

any new tuesday tunes you are crushing on?

around the house

2011-08-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

happy monday

after being gone the majority of last week

for my girlfriend erins' beautiful wedding in breckenridge

{pics coming soon}

i have a major nesting bug

although my trip was wonderful

i always appreciate my home and comfy bed

so much more after being away

i took some shots around the house

of the little things that nourish me when i am home

i love the quote on the oak cliff coffee roasters' beans

'coffee is not simply about what you consume, but what you create'

waking up with this stinker

never gets old

and yes that is our messy garage:)

i mean come on- what a cute rugrat!

i love the amazing smell of mint at our dining room table

and even more so when it's picked fresh from my herb garden

i'm such a proud mama that i've been able to keep my green herbs alive

in this crazy triple digit heat

texas summers are such scorchers!

my take on a green thumb

new succulent planter on our back porch

i never get bored of pics around the house

i love seeing peoples' home environments and surroundings

one of my favorite sites

THE SELBY

never ceases to inspire me

with the amazing photographs of peoples' places and spaces

i could spend hours looking at

HOME IS WHERE THE COUCH IS

such great design and amazing rooms!

enjoy!

KEEP YOU

2011-07-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

do you ever have a weekend so good...

YOU NEVER WANT IT TO END!?

the feeling of freedom,

unplanned but awesome surprises-

which of course result in the best kind of authentic fun

splendor and wonder

all wrapped into one?

okay that rhymed a bit :)

i wish i could bottle that feeling, hold on to it as tight as i can

and when lifes' everyday frustrations and annoyances hit

i could use it as anti-venom and an instant smile

& extreme amount of calm and delight would flow through me

like sweet nectar

this song (and title) explains it perfectly

KEEP YOU

by class actress

Footage is from "Anna" (1967) starring Anna Karina

what do you strive to keep from the weekend?

green with love

2011-07-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

what does

GREEN

mean to you?

for some fashionistas, an occasional choice in color

for that extra pop to your ensemble

GREEN

as in

gods' green earth

doesn't this forest look so lush?

i just know frodo is in there

being

GREEN

re-cycling, re-using,

less impact on the earth and our environment

for me

being

GREEN

means using certified organic products

better for my body and overall health

using natural and organic ingredients

with no harmful toxins or chemicals

better for the earth

less waste and recycling as much as possible

better for the environment

here are my latest favs in

GREEN

beauty products

i am loving the clean fresh scent

of this face wash!!

this hair serum

smells edible!

don't worry i have not ingested any...yet

and again another beautifully smelling product

i literally get excited to wash my hair because of the divine smell

taylor and i aspire to be more green everyday.

i'm no bono...yet:)

but i'm trying

i think the more we learn

the more we can help lessen our impact

on the earth, recycle and re-use where we can

any GREEN tips

to share of your own?

i've recently added a few

GREEN

websites to my daily reads

check em' out!

ECORAZZI

who knew there were green gossip sites?

GREEN IS SEXY

the actress rachel mcadams

and her gal pals site

for tips on being green

SUPERFOREST

our friend jackson

and

one of my bestest girlfriends

melissa snyder

write &run this amazing project and positivity blog

melissa also happens to be

a gifted photographer

check out her portfolio here

that wraps up this

GREEN

friday

i hope to be writing more about

GREEN LIVING

in my everyday posts

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND GUYS AND GALS!

and remember go green or go home!

MIA

2011-07-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

i'm sorry i've been mia these days

it's been one of those weeks where i'm pretty busy

trying to get all my design work out to my clients

and finish up all the projects i can before i leave next week

for my girlfriend erins' wedding in colorado

lately i just feel like i have nothing interesting to say

or maybe i'm just too tired to try

either way- i promise to come back from the mountains refreshed

and full of great ideas to share

thanks for being patient

xo-av

this and THAT!

2011-07-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

good day sunshine!

last night taylor and i went to an amazing

cd event(release) at fellowship church downtown

IT WAS AWESOME!

this week begins week 2

of the crossfit fitness/nutrition challenge

(check out the deets here)

last week i did crossfit 5 times!?!

normally to be able to walk in the morning, like out of bed

i usually do 3 classes a week

{and i'm not kidding about the walking thing-it's painful}

i'm trying to look at the bright side,

because honestly 8 weeks feels pretty long right now

hence this quote

had some fun this weekend trying this

'alternating hues' style of painting

my ring finger on both hands is an essie purple

(i'll spare you the visual- my cuticles aren't ready for their close up)

it's a great accent for displaying some bling

speaking of BLING

CONGRATS TO GABBY&CRAYTON!!!

they got engaged on friday

and i'm so thrilled for the happy couple

pssst: when's the big day?

kidding! (kind of)

i love you GABBY!

how was your weekend?

what's going on with you today?

for me- i have the hubby home from work

(he has the day off:)

i have some design work

and a meeting this morning

might squeeze in some fun adventures this afternoon

xo-av

loving....

2011-07-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

this shot of Hotel du Cap Eden Roc gives me a case of wanderlust

a cute birdie i know posted about it yesterday

i love yoga humor-it never gets old

found

this room and the art on the wall makes my heart sing

you know how when you meet someone new and right off the bat you like them

that's how i feel about this room

type humor

it never gets old either

architectural pottery is genius

see more of these beauties here

theSHALLOWend

how simple and lovely is this piece???

by anthony zinonos

the hair, the deer, the sunshine and the woman

so tender

random...the colors remind me of the 1986 film crocodile dundee

my brothers and i would watch it when we had a babysitter

a vhs favorite

what are you loving today?

i'm loving my hubby for his constant positivity

it keeps this constant worrier in check

oh and at this very moment

COFFEE

TUESDAY TUNES

2011-07-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

CHECK THESE TRACKS OUT

APPLY BY GLASSER

RING

COMFORTABLE, COMPARABLE

BY HOORAY FOR EARTH

MOMO

THE WHOLE EP BY ACTIVE CHILD

CURTIS LANE-EP

THE EVERLASTING BY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH

the everlasting

speaks to my heart- these are worship songs we sing every sunday

at fellowship downtown

taylor- the hubby-is a part of the worship team

these amazing musicians volunteer their time every sunday

not to mention the rehearsal time

during the week and in the wee hours sunday morning,

all to make the magic happen and to lift people up

in worship during sunday services

track favs- magnify, the everlasting

but honestly the whole album moves me

it's available on itunes

TODAY!

trust

2011-07-11T09:20:00.001-07:00

well said

found

what is ART???

2011-07-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

JUST FOR FUN

CLICK HERE!

have a great weekend filled with many laughs:)

mantra(s) for summer

2011-07-07T05:18:00.001-07:00

hello lovelies!

how are you?

in my ongoing quest for less

tv and i have decided to

KILL OUR TV

it will cut down our bills

and with hulu

we won't be missing out

on our favorite shows

the plug is officially pulled at the end of july

luckily last night i caught up on some

kardashian- not exactly in the 'soul nourishing' cateory

but we also watched the hbo film

temple grandin

that leveled out the trashiness of the previous choice:)

claire danes is awesome as temple

and it is a very moving film and i highly recommend it

(you can kill your tv and watch it online)

i love everything about this manifesto

all perfect mantras for fun summer activities

i love how one word can apply to so many areas of life

grow spiritually

grow in truth

grow in love

grow healthfully

grow green!

found this list of things to enjoy about summer

l o v e e v e r y o n e

what is your summer mantra?

XO!

fashion no more

2011-07-06T04:44:00.000-07:00

found

i have a confession

i heart fashion magazines

they are my guilty pleasure

lucky and nylon

are my number one pics

but to be completely honest

i buy many others on a regular basis

it's a problem

every year i make a resolution to stop

so on my current quest for less

i like the sound of that

i have decided to give up

BUYING

fashion magazines

THIS IS HUGE FOR ME

taylor an i have been talking more

about starting a family

and the environment

we would want to raise our children in

i know i wouldn't want my daughter

reading fashion magazines

and they don't exactly fall into

the soul nuturing category

i am trying to challenge myself to find more worth and truth

in life and focus on the things that really matter

PRADAS' new fall line doesn't really matter

PLUS really no one needs

to know about the latest and greatest

in designer wear

(it might be an added plus but not a need)

as a designer who loves all things print

i can admit that the pictures are really beautiful

but if i really need my fix

i can grab some tea at a book store

camp there and read more 100dollars worth without buying

all those glossies to end up

stacked up in our house taking up more space

so cheers to less!

anything YOU are doing less of

in order to have more??

i need inspiration to stay on track

xo-av

less is more

2011-07-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

lately taylor and i have been focusing on

living within our means

for us this means

LESS IS MORE,

being more green

and re-using when we can

(as well as recycling-of course)

i've even made the switch to all green household products

most are filled with yucky toxins that make us sick

no good

i stumbled upon this quote

and was so inspired

i wanted to share it will all of

YOU!

"To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion;

to be worthy, not respectable,

and wealthy, not, rich;

to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages,

with open heart;

to study hard;

to think quietly,

act frankly,

talk gently,

await occasions,

hurry never;

in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious,

grow up through the common - this is my symphony. "

William Ellery Channing

lissie featuring ellie goulding

2011-06-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

'everywhere i go'

if i was musically gifted

wish i was but i'm so not AND i'm okay with that:)

this is how i dream of sounding

simply beautiful

2011-06-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

i'd like to share this image and link with you

a young jason bateman (far left) and a young bikram

GOOD STUFF

click here for bateman on bikram

funny stuff

have a great weekend everyone!

i'm leaving for chicago today

where the creative juices

will be flowing at HOW

any must see's or do's?

i would love any recommendations of fun stuff to check out in chicago

while i'm there

sidenote: my mom gets really worried

when i leave where i'm going for the weekend on the blog

she thinks strange men will read my blog and follow me there

i told her - my supposed 'stalker' would have to work really hard

to get a flight and come find me in chicago

her response 'you never know'

i love you mom!

loving....

2011-06-22T06:00:00.001-07:00

bettula etsy shop

unique green home decor and jewelry

bianca's chic short hair

i'm loving short no fuss curly hair for the summer

especially in this heat

spotted on into the gloss

standing pretty

this italian beautys' summer outfit

and how easily she is sporting it

kirstens' easy breezy summer digs

lulu addict blogspot

a forum for all lulu fans to post pics of

the latest gear and wear

and discuss their favorites

skindeep

you think your skincare routine is organic?

believe your makeup to be all natural and non-toxic?

think again

this site is amazing

you type in your makeup or skincare product of choice and it rates it

you are shooting for a 0-3 range

what are you

L O V I N G

today?

catch up

2011-06-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

hi guys!

i promised i have not fallen off the blog wagon

sometimes life takes over- know what i mean?

but i'm back and i'm playing a little catch up

here are some pics from the weekend

loved hanging out with this cutie

on friday at my moms' for a bit

taylor and i had a yoga date friday night

yes that means we take yoga together

it doesn't happen very often

but i enjoy it so much when we can squeeze it

into our busy schedule

afterwards we met my parents at la duni and mister luke

what a handsome dinner date

i wouldn't want to spend my friday night any other way!

went to 10am yoga on sat-

i normally do the 8 but just sleeping in until 9 felt like heaven

met taylor for a late breakfast/lunch at good 2 go taco!!!

we are big fans of their coffee (and of course tacos)

pictured is his expresso flight(they nicknamed it 2x2-cute?!) on the left

and my iced coffee on the right

saturday afternoon we spent hours in the yard

planting our herb garden

setting up our brazilian hammock

{a gift from a really cool brazilian- taylor's brother in law- raph}

it was nice to get my hands dirty plantin' away

the best part was admiring their perfect little rows of

green after they were all planted

whew

the texas heat zapped me for sure

enjoyed relaxing with these 2 lovers!

on sunday after church

we celebrated fathers' day with taylors' family

by enjoying a lovely brunch

it was delish

especially my sister-in-laws' homemade pastries

with nutella and fruit

seriously rayne

when does your bakery open?

their will be a line out the door when it does!

sunday evening we went with my parents to fearings'

to celebrate my dad on his day

LOVE YOU DAD

check out the lovely flowers in the lobby

their version of banana pudding

honestly-not a bad way to end the weekend

this week i am getting ready for my trip to chicago on friday

for the HOW design conference

i'm super excited to be attending for the second year in a row

the conference is such a inspiration and motivational tool

for anyone hoping too make a living using their creativity

in the best way possible

HOW 2010 was what inspired me to take the step from being a 'freelancer'

to starting my own design company

so who knows what kind of inspiration i'll find this year?!!

honestly i can't wait!

old school

2011-06-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

i apologize in advance to my few

but extremely important and respected male readers

please don't think any less of me

happy friday ladies

(&gentlemen- if i haven't already lost you:)

from old school nsync and yours truly

sorry but i just had to

you know you need some dirty pop on friday

i'm feeling kinda silly*crazy#tired&wacky today- but i'm excited it's friday

and i wanna dance

don't think i didn't bust some moves to these retro tunes

it took me way back

what has inspired me to listen

to boy band hits from early 2000?

i blame it on the full moon last night

enjoy a little justin this friday

after all he is the ultimate triple threat

xo-av

loving....

2011-06-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

i love this artists' visual account

& participation of the sketchbook 2011 project

inspires me to be more creative

every single day

check out this bon appetit beauty

this summery light dish is officially on my list!

that just means i really like it :)

an easy lovely dish that takes less than 20 minutes

what a dream this room is!

i would love to lounge by this window with a book and some tea

can i be transported now please?

pretty in pink

when i first saw this painting titled DHELIA

i swear it made my type a personality take a back seat

there is something about the lack of order

that calms me

and last but not least my favorite tumblr

THAT KIND OF WOMAN

has re-vamped her page

loved it before, love it now

tuesday tunes

2011-06-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

my tuesday tracks in full rotation

HOORAY FOR EARTH

PLAY>TRUE LOVES

BASSNECTAR

PLAY>TIMESTRETCH

ALEXANDER

PLAY>TRUTH

FREELANCE WHALES

PLAY>GENERATOR(FIRST FLOOR)

TIMBER TIMBRE

PLAY>BAD RITUAL

GIL SCOTT- HERON

PLAY>NEW YORK IS KILLING ME

of course

i had to throw in one non-indie fav:)

ELLIE GOULDING

PLAY>LIGHTS(BASSNECTAR REMIX)

what tracks are

Y O U

listening to this tuesday?

xo-av

happy monday!

2011-06-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

because it's monday

i thought i would share some one-up ing

laughs with you

at two different social outings this weekend

we were recalling the hilarity of

penelope (kristen wiigs' character) on SNL

click HERE for the greatness

SO MINT

confession

2011-06-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

confession time

i've been cheating on bikram

although i've practiced bikram yoga for over 5 years

i've been unfaithful the past 2 weeks

i know

the scandal

to be completely honest

i am loving my yoga class at exhale spa

i've been attending the music yoga flow class

i think i feel in love yesterday

somewhere between warrior to hits from bieber

while in downdog to old school destinys' child

just when i thought it couldn't get any better.....it did

the absolute highlight of class

during a challenging CHATURANGA hold

was when TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE started playing

I ALMOST LOST IT-YOGA and THE JAM?!

what more could you ask for?

it gave me the strength to yoga on

FO SHO

teach me how to dougie

NAMASTE

this and that tuesday

2011-06-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

happy tuesday everyone

today i don't have anything extremely profound to share

when do i?

ha- kidding...

so i thought i would do a bit of this and that

here goes

how magical is this ensemble?

love the hair

love the necklace

LOVE the top

what do you think about this chop?

i love it and i'm going for it next week

i wanted to go shorter but i know i have to play it safe

and do 'stages' of shorter for me

alexa chung pulls this off quite well!

i'm crushing on this lovely handmade bracelet

by GOLDhearted

great bookcase

AWESOME message

has anyone seen tree of life yet?

i think it looks like a beautiful film

i'm excited to see it-i've heard interesting reviews

can't wait to have a post movie chat with the hubby

on our date night

another film that looks pretty amazing- super 8

taylor is dying to see it and it comes out this weekend

might have to make it a sunday funday evening cinema see

have a lovely day!

summer lovin'

2011-06-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

'summer lovin'- had me a blast'

any grease fans out there?

i can't tell you how many times i've sung that song

wishing i was sadie from grease

HA!

found

summer is here!

can you believe it?

in dallas it is very easy to get

discouraged by the triple digit temperatures

making you want to stay inside hugging your ac or icebox

but i'm determined not to get beat by the sun

here are a couple of local happenings i'm excited to attend

movies under the moon

barefoot at the belmont

cool thursdays at the arboretum

sunset movie series at central 214 restaurant

ok locals

who wants to join me?

know of any other summer festivities

that are a must see or do in dallas?

happy friday

2011-06-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

found

happy happy friday

my cup of coffee couldn't be deeper this morning

it's been a busy busy week but i'm ready to unwind at the ranch

a limey beverage, my book and lots of relaxing pool time

is calling my name

to be honest

life at the vieger casa

work, friends&family, church

basically LIFE

and our everyday schedule has swiftly gotten

BUSY

what happened to lazy summers?

don't get me wrong though- life is very good

but lately the quiet moments have been few and far between

this pic is a healthy reminder

that everyday, every moment,

IS A GIFT

i should relish and celebrate the craziness

and take a moment

to breathe in the small pockets of calm and quiet

whenever i can

i have to remind myself

god never gives us more than we can handle

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

-xoxo-

yayandyay amen

2011-05-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

found

hello everyone!

sorry i'm off to a late start- instead of my home office

i'm working from a coffee shop today

and i've had a productive morning

Y A Y

i have some really exiting projects in the works

and i can't wait to share them with you

avdesign is back in full swing!

ANOTHER YAY AND A

A M E N!

any amens on your unofficial monday back/tuesday day?

S T R E T C H!

2011-05-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

over at the vieger casa

we've been dealing with some major pains

A PAIN IN MY NECK

no actually it's taylor that is injured

over a week ago he pinched a nerve in his neck

which traveled and created MAJOR

pains and sensitivity in his back

difficult to stand up straight or walk pain

AND

for over a week he's been getting on my nerves!

just kidding...kind of ;)

SERIOUSLY

i can't encourage the importance of stretching enough!

this vintage beauty demonstrates some

excellent facial stretching as well as back and shoulder stretches

if you want to scare your co-workers, children

friends & family, or strangers even

i would try these amazing facial stretches in public

after all it is friday- we all need a little laugh

found

guest blogger: coco in austin

2011-05-24T08:12:00.001-07:00

hello friends- i'm happy to

introduce my bestie from austin-

GABBY

aka COCO in austin

i'm excited to have her as a guest blogger

enjoy!

Here is a little blurb about a day in the life of

COCO, in Austin TX!

My very cool Aunt Cheryl came in town, from NYC,

and we had a full day of enjoyment and entertainment lined up!

We began the day with a late afternoon lunch at Lambert's downtown,

right across the street from City Hall. Side note,

I just adore their brunch on Sundays,

buffet style for the main fixins: ribs, pork, brisket, biscuits, salads,

sides and desserts.Then they have a made to order menu with single serving sizes

of omelets, steaks, french toast, smoothies, and more.

Its my favorite brunch (for food AND drink) in Austin.

Some other brunch spots are fun for just drinks.

After lunch, we shopped around some,

went in St bernard sports for a few fun dresses.

Then we had dinner reservations at my FAVORITE new dinner spot,

El Arbol, which means "label the tree" in spanish.

Honestly it was the most PERFECT night, about 65 degrees with a slight breeze-

fabulous patio weather. We sat under the big tree.

The best dish, hands down, is the Escolar with herb manchego gnocchi,

which I've mentioned before. But my aunt and my boyfriend were BOTH

getting the escolar entree, so I opted for my second favorite dish- the Vieiras Doradas.

Also known as the day-boat scallops, avocado, fried brussels sprouts,

yucca chips, saffron-cayenne aioli, citrus gastrique. YES, it's as amazing as it sounds...

After dinner, we stopped off at Cipollina,

a little bistro in the hood, great menu with PHENOMENAL desserts.

There are no other words for this little explosion of awesomeness

other than WOW. LOVE this dessert, I love grapefruit in general.
This was the grapefruit trio: shortcake, buttercream, supremes.

Yes please.

After dessert, we went to the infamous

Continental Club

on South Congress.

The main attraction was none other than the very talented, Edie Brickell.

Its been a long time since Edie played in Texas,

you could definitely feel her excitement to be back home (she is originally from dallas.)

The New Bohemians were with her, as well as Charlie Sexton- an amazing guitarist.

IT was PACKED, and the line was VERY long.

Luckily we were on the guest list!

Not the best image below: Charlie is on the left,

Edie in the middle and a few bohemians on the right.

The iPhone 4 is my camera of choice, as usual.

But what a great show! She played some new stuff

and of course played the popular "What I am."

You can see it filmed here, courtesy of me.
One of my other most-liked songs is the relatively new song,

"They've got a pill for that."

watch Here
And finally, as I was walking to my car from the show,

saw the sign below, on a SOCO shop door.

Why is this funny and sad? Either way, I thought I'd share.

Hey, I'm just trying to keep Austin safe!

XO,

COCO in Austin

please don't stop the music

2011-05-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

today i'm craving a music festival

in a major way

not just any music festival

i've been eyeing

the ACL one day pass for sunday

ARCADE FIRE anyone?!

plus those are the only tickets left

i could wear this light gauzy easy breezy top

pin my hair back in this messy bun

become inspired

like i am when i look at this painting

Paul Klee. Double Tent. 1923

can you tell i am trying to convince the *cough* husband

we should go to ACL?

any outdoor venues planned for your summer???

monday monday

2011-05-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

good morning lovelies!

i usually wake up on mondays feeling like this.....

then i take a sip of coffee and i can channel a bit more

after all

such a powerful verse!

just reading it - i feel empowered this morning

and ready to seize the day and my to-do list

how do

YOU

feel this monday morning?

p.s. if you need a laugh- you have to check this SNL skit out

or as the canadians say it ooouut

going to the country.....

2011-05-20T09:13:00.001-07:00

happy friday!

in a few i'll be headed to the country

to ranch it up

i hope you all have a lovely weekend

filled with friends, family, fellowship and fun!

and

A VERY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to the MAN, MY DAD

STEVE BAKER, GPA, SHAKEY BAKES....

the list goes on!

you are so many things to so many people

but i'm so thankful to call you my father

i love you dad

how great is this song

going up to the country

by canned heat

with images from woodstock '69?!!!

bridesmaids!

2011-05-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

last night i saw bridesmaids the movie

i went with some of my girlfriends and as miley c says

it was 'purddy cool'

seriously though- we have to see it again!

we were laughing the entire movie and missed some of

it because it was THAT funny

how cute is kristen wiigs' outfit?

this red number was my fav!

loved the blazer n dress combo

even her travel style was stylish!

and workout gear too!

seriously-although i was laughing out loud the whole movie

i was also admiring kw's adorable look

it was feminine yet indie laid back casual cool!

made me want to chop my long hair for a wavy bob!

but as taylor says 'no mom cuts!'

have you seen bridesmaids yet?

texas state cookoff

2011-05-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

this weekend i will be attending the annual

TEXAS STEAK COOKOFF

located in

you can learn more about this gem of a town

with the motto

'everyone is somebody!'

FYI

two years ago the Food Network was on site

to give the event national coverage

you can watch here

HICO is also home of one of my favorite stores

WESTERN OTTER!

blogged about here and here

love the old buildings and painted type

food prep

it's a big deal yall'

ready for some steak!

and when i went to find more info about the wine tasting

the part of the weekend i'm looking most forward to

look who popped up on the front page?!

my very own dad

steve baker-the man!

i'm glad to see he's officially VIP

when i emailed him to let him know he's on the vip page he responded

without missing a beat

What’s next? An MTV reality show maybe?

ha! love you dad!

california

2011-05-17T06:36:00.001-07:00

good morning!

the sun is out and i could not be happier

i'll admit it-i'm a bit of a sun worshiper

i apologize for my lack of posts

i was in LA visiting my brother clark

this furry man

lovely succulants

shared lemon drop with my mom

and that pose

runyan!

enjoying the view from the top of the hike

getting our FIX on

the best coffee place i've been too in a long time

we loved it so much we went back for more

and i brought some beans home for my favorite barista!

i promise to share more pics soon

but overall the whole trip was a lot of....

any plans involving

some rays for

YOU

today?

can you tell i'm trying to avoid the stack of to do's on my desk

and the many orders that have to go to the printer today?

what should i read next?

2011-05-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

every month

in the ladies book club i'm a part of

we read a different novel

(this months' pic- little bee seen above)

we usually get together a list of books to vote from

and the most popular one wins!

well this morning i stumbled upon

WHAT SHOULD I READ NEXT?

yes the website isn't exactly well designed

but it's a really cool idea

type in the author you are currently reading

and just like that you have a list of other books,

suggestions and recommendations to read next

kind of like the side shopping card

if you like this

then you will like this

or other shoppers who bought this

got this

what do YOU think readers?

would you use this site?

i had some fun and typed in green eggs and ham:)