My Nest: Small Changes in the Entryway

When I last showed you my entryway it looked like this: 

 

Not a totally fair representation, since many of the items piled up were destine for donation. Before the Get-Rid-of-Crap-Spring-Cleanathon the entryway actually resembled this on most (winter) days:  

Functional, sure. Since it is the first thing we see when arriving home each day, and is the first impression guests get of our home I wanted to give this area some love.  As I have mentioned in previous My Nest posts, Ler and I wanted to live in our space with the stuff we already had and feel out how each space served its purpose. Some elements were already working super well for us, so we kept:

Scenes of Summer: Time to Decompress

This week I am out of town for a music education clinic and a dear friend's wedding (congrats Kim!). When I return to Mil-town it's time to get down to business revising the curriculum, reading articles and books, writing essays, designing lessons and projects, and planning concerts. The Lake Geneva Symphony summer series kicks off in July, studio lessons resume, and some family events are also in the mix. Whew!  Knowing that July will fly right by, I made sure to slow down, decompress and savor my week of vacation. Here are some of my favorite moments:

 

Mogget Monday: Sisters, Sisters...

Mogget Tip #4: Spend quality time with your sister, even if she is a pain in the ass.

Fancy That Friday: Sail Away

My dad grew up in Milwaukee, spending most of his childhood along the shores of Lake Michigan. He loved to sit and watch the sailboats tumble on the waves. He eventually learned how to sail, and helped some family friends maintain and build (!) sailboats.

Although my dad moved inland for a fantastic lady, he made sure his kids experienced the joys of his childhood. I have many fond memories of trips to the beach, hanging out at the McKinley Marina, and feeling the cool lake breeze on the deck of a sailboat. I'm quite certain this is why I really, really wanted to live near the lake- it has always felt like home. 

This weeks round-up is inspired by a relaxing Father's day along the marina.

McKinley Marina

A most wonderfully fluid work by Tobias Tovera

Simple Pleasure

A radiant, city sunset as viewed from my window.

Mogget Monday

Mogget Tip #3: This summer bask in the warm sun, listen to the birds sing, and let the breeze ruffle your fur.

Fancy That Friday: Summer Solstice

Next Friday is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year for those of us in the northern hemisphere. For some folks the solstice is just another day, while for others it cause for celebration and bears spiritual significance. During this astronomical event I cannot help but marvel at the awesomeness of our universe. For billions of years this rock that we call home has traveled along its celestial path, spinning and tilting the whole while. With each rotation we living creatures are granted a fresh beginning; each axial shift ushers in a new season. This week I fancy to celebrate the solstice with:

this view of Lake Michigan.

More after the jump!

Scenes From My Weekend: Low Key & Lovely

 

  

 

 

 

 

 1 & 2: Cannot put into words how proud I am of my sister! Her first solo show at Grey Matter Gallery. 

3. Pancakes with Nutella and fresh blue berries. And coffee. Always coffee.

4. Moggers supports my running habit.

5. My sweetheart niece shows me how to blow bubbles and pop them with ones toes.

6. Grades. Done. Must. Go. Outside.

7. About to burst!  

8. Weighed down by beauty.

9. Along the side of my building.

10. Most fragrant lilacs in the neighborhood.

11. Lake front mansion ditches its lawn in favor of vegetables.

12. Sweet, elderly gentleman on a garden wall- poking plants with his cane and critiquing their hardiness.

Mogget Monday: Show Proper Respect

The Don Mogget will grant you a favor.

Fancy That Friday: Randomness

No theme this week. Unless you count utter randomness as a theme, then I guess I nailed it. Enjoy!

These polka dot flats would be perfect with pretty much any outfit.

I cannot verify if these are permanent or temporary tattoos, but they are gorgeous either way. The hair is also pretty fab.

These words. 

Pinch.

 This little dancin' dude.

This lady. Her music is lovely, soulful and perfect for dancing in the living room on a sunny afternoon. 

My Nest: Spring Cleaning & Workspace Update

Spring took its sweet time arriving, but I was already itching back in March to take on some spring cleaning. Back in February Ler and I made some improvements to our odd little kitchen, and we wanted to take a similar approach to our living and work spaces. Again, we wanted to live with what we had for a while and evaluate how we were actually using our space.

I'm about honesty. This what our living room and linen closets were looking like. Just a twee mussy and inefficient.

 

The workspace. It wasn't horrendous, but it felt stuffy. When we moved in we used furniture we already had and a few hand-me-downs to set up shop. Perhaps the biggest challenge for our apartment is the limited number and odd placement of outlets, and this room has only one. Our initial layout did not provide enough space for both of us to work and was a bit cramped for practicing bass. I kept hitting the light fixture with my scroll, or stabbing something with a bow. Frustrating to say the least.  In addition to being unattractive, the lantern light didn't really illuminate the whole room. It made a spot on the center of the floor more fitting for an interrogation scene. Ler and I sat down and made our list of priorities for the room:

1. A slimmer work surface to open up the space.

2. A sharable work space, perhaps a double wide desk?

3. Improved storage.

4. Better lighting.

More after the jump.

Mogget Monday

 

Sleepy.

Lately

Although the May weather was not much to cheer about (days and days of rain and unseasonably cold- hoorah for spiring?), the month itself was filled with fun, celebrations, and delightful quiet moments.

1. Grandma blankets and kitty snuggles always improve the mood when one is under the weather.

2. & 3. Pre-show sake and sushi at Umami Moto with my delightful sister.

4. After dinner Mo and I spend an entertaining evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert. Our view was far better than my lousy photo indicates. I have a long standing fondness for Bourdain- he's such an eloquent crab-ass. However, I must admit to having a new crush on Eric Ripert. How can you not appreciate a man who punches someone "een zee nose" for being disgustingly rude to a waiter?

5. Being a chaise lounge and massage therapist while drinking coffee.

6. & 7.  Channeling Rita Hayworth after a trip to the salon. Being a redhead is fabulous.

8. Sweet little gift left on my desk.

9. Glo-bowl birthday celebration.

10. My darling brother made the most lovely Mothers Day/Mo's birthday brunch. Crab cakes atop sweet potato pancakes, mixed berry salad and champagne with a splash of St. Germaine. Totally indulgent.

11. Brunch was followed up by birthday cake- a six-layer rainbow cake with coconut frosting.

12.  Swan Lake at the Milwaukee Ballet. 

13. My riff on taco dip- Greek dip. One can never go wrong with artichokes, lemon, basil and kalamata olives.

14. The most perfectly fluffy batch of coconut rice pudding (the rainbow cake led to coconut cravings).

15. The. Best. Birthday. Cake. Ever.  My mom is amazing. This little hedgehog was almost too cute to eat. Almost.