WITH LOVE FROM: ROME

Ciao, it's Jessica, from Life's Little Jems, and I'm here to present a series called With Love From... where I'll be sharing some of my favorite fashion and home decor items inspired by various cities around the globe.

My first destination is the Eternal City: Rome, Italy, where Cassandra should soon be landing! A few weeks ago, I myself returned from a magnificent, much needed vacation to Europe, and Rome was my first stop. Here are a few wonderful treasures inspired by my recent getaway to this beautiful and historic city. Until next time…

1. Elizabeth Cole, Gordian Knot Bracelet 2. Zara, Zip Trousers 3. Mid Century Italian Chairs from Boo Radley 4. SuperHeadz, Wide and Slim Camera 5. Marble Roman Bust 6. Vespa LXV 150 7. Marni, Cannello Sandal 8. Reiko Kaneko Lip Tease Cup and Saucer 9. Ascaso, Dream Coffee Maker

GONE TO ITALY...

Be back in two weeks!! In the meantime,  I'll still have plenty of posts from potential contributors and a few I put together myself to keep you entertained.

And when I'm back, there will be so much to share!! Lots of love... and ciao!

*image via tumblr, source unknown

GONE TO CAPRI...

After yesterday's post on packing for my trip, I promptly booked two nights in a sweet little hotel in Capri and spent a liiiiittle too much time doing some online shopping...

What do you think? I'm pretty sure I could wear this every day of my vacation and feel amazing (until I spill gelato all over that gorgeous white dress). The dress and hat would be fairly easy additions to the wardrobe. The Valentino tote and Antik Batik sandals? A bit of a splurge... but they could be necessary!

PACKING A PALETTE

Whenever I go on trips, I like to pack clothes in a similar palette so that I know I can mix and match pieces as I go. I'm just beginning to think about what to bring to Italy with me - but two weeks is a much longer time than a long weekend to consider just one color scheme! Which is why I may be taking some serious inspiration from this editorial as I select my wardrobe...

I love the mix of rich jewel tones with softer pastels and nudes - there's tons of color, and endless options of ways to mix them all. The hardest part may be what hue to choose for my mani pedi! 

*editorial photographed by lachlan bailey for vogue nippon

ESCAPE...

Good morning, beautiful people! How was the weekend?

As I promised myself, I finally took a few days to relax a bit after all the travel I've been doing and it was absolutely lovely. Of course... this girl can't stay in one place too long, which is why I spent Saturday night researching and making plans for a very exciting destination in June...

Italy!! Exactly one month from today my entire family (mom, dad and sis) will be jetting off for a few weeks in the saturated sunshine of Sicily. I'm already dreaming of the wardrobe I'll be packing and the fabulous hotels we'll be lounging in... 

Not to mention time spent on salty beaches as we make our way up to the Amalfi Coast! It's been years since I made the time to hop across the globe for a real getaway, and I cannot wait. We'll also be stopping through Calabria to visit the small town my father was born in, and - fingers crossed - spending one indulgent night in Capri just me and my sis.

Anyone have suggestions for our little escape? I'd love to hear them!

*images via pinterest, kimberly ayres, pinterest, and flickr

AUSTIN

Well, chickadees, I'm back from my long weekend in Austin and I have to say... for such a quick trip, I certainly felt like it did more for me than my last real vacation. Maybe that had to do with the fact that I felt spoiled rotten by the lovely Camille and her amazing husband (who served us margaritas by the pool and cooked up some fantastic tacos), as we soaked in sunshine and talked life, love and blogging for hours and hours in the sunshine...

Or maybe it was all the fun I had with my girl Beth who toured me up and down South Congress one afternoon (starting with brunch at South Congress Cafe) for some vintage shopping. My favorite shop might have been Feathers Boutique where I found this insane Mongolian wool vest (what do you think!? am i crazy thinking about it?) as well as a few other goodies including a green lame´evening gown that I so wanted to bring back with me.  And of course we had to go boot shopping! I've never seen so many amazing styles in one place before.

Whatever it was - some wide open spaces, time spent with people I absolutely adore, or a healthy dose of sunshine - it was a fantastic weekend that really cleared my head. And now I can't wait (yes really) to get back to work! Thanks to all of you who offered up suggestions for my trip, too - ya'll are the best!

THE COUNTDOWN TO SUNSHINE

I'm sure you're all tired of hearing me whine about the poor Seattle weather we've had this spring (although many of you I think are sympathizing) so I'm happy to report that this weekend I will be heading to Austin where you will not be hearing a peep out of me when it comes to weather complaints!

I'm so happy to be getting a little 80+ temps that I'm already dreaming of what to pack for days spent shopping and dining (can we say texas bbq!?)...

And of course there will be much time spent lounging by the pool! Oh, sure, there may have to be a little work squeezed in there, but I don't think I'll mind as much with the sun shining.

*resources: dress and bikini at h&m, necklace at anthropologie, belt and sandals asos, clutch claire vivier, striped sun hat amazon.com

PACKIN' IT UP...

Today I head home to Seattle after what couldn't possibly have been enough time at High Point Market - there's always so much to see and do that it feels quite impossible to get to it all! My crazy travel day on Saturday didn't help either (flight after flight delayed!) But, I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to make it out here...

For now I'm packing up and jetting off! But, as soon as I sit down with all my photos I promise to be sharing lots with you about some new favorite products and lines, as well as tips and trends! Stay tuned!!



*image by mariano vivanco for vogue russia via fgr

TRAVELING IN TORY STYLE

With all the jet-setting I've been doing lately, I recently realized... I really needed to invest in a new travel bag. I started scouring for some favorites, when a lovely little package arrived for me last week: my very own Tory Burch Robinson Tote!

The bag is perfectly spacious without feeling overbearing (important for a shorty like me!) and so sturdy I know it will make many, many trips with me in the future! I can throw my laptop in, no problem, and the style is purely classic. In trying to steer away from my usual black, I requested the navy, but I really love the luggage, metallic or white versions best - the gold hardware makes a huge difference!

For a little extra love, I also found a pair of Tory's travel socks (they hide in that little pouch, clip into your purse, and when you have to take off your chic heels in the dreaded security line... you whip those puppies out so your bare feet aren't on the floor!).

Thanks to the lovely ladies at Tory Burch for such an amazing gift! Now I'm totally set for my next trip!

HAPPY (SUNSHINEY) WEEKEND

Whew! It's been another very busy week around here at coco+kelley, wouldn't you say? On top of the usual posts, we've been hard at work getting ready to launch the first week of contributing writers starting on Tuesday (SO excited!) as well as putting together a little guest post for our friend Tobi Fairley over at her blog (fashionable summer camp necessities, anyone?).

But what got me really excited this week was yesterday's post on Cote´ Maison ranking coco+kelley as their 4th favorite English design blog in the world ... listed just behind the big boys: Apartment Therapy, design*sponge and decor8. I'm still giddy and astonished! A huge congrats to all the other bloggers who were mentioned as well - it's a fabulous group!

While I wish I could say things were slowing down for the weekend, the truth is there is lots of client work to be done and sunny porch time to be had, so I'm off and running! In the meantime I'll be dreaming of this gorgeous Italian escape with visions of its whitewashed walls and fluffy pillows in my head...

xoxo,
cassandra

*photography via cote´ maison

Chic in LA: Chateau Marmont

If The Beverly Hills Hotel is like Doris Day, then the Chateau Marmont is more like The Doors. Instead of shiny and happy, it's dark and brooding and beyond cool. It was modeled after a royal chateau in the Loire Valley of France and since it opened in 1929, it has been the hot spot for celebrities and rockers to hide out and party. I originally thought about staying at the Chateau but since I just heard that it may be haunted, I'm glad that I stayed elsewhere! I'm more bright and sunny than moody and dark anyway! I did get to have an amazing first night dinner at the Chateau with Christian of Maison21, Lisa of A Bloomsbury Life, and Christian's very chic client Cristina. The food was delicious and we drank copious amounts of prosecco until I looked down at my watch and realized that although it was midnight in LA, my body knew it was really 3:00am in New York! That's when I turned into a pumpkin. Since I can no longer party like a rock star it's probably best that I didn't stay at the rock star hotel! But that's not to say I didn't have fun trying!

Photos from Chateau Marmont website, Google and Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic. By the way, that's Led Zepplin hanging out the window!

Chic in LA: The Beverly Hills Hotel

One of the highlights of my time in LA was brunch with Christian of Maison21 and Becca of Rebecca June Interior Design at The Polo Lounge in The Beverly Hills Hotel. As you can see from my photos, the weather was gorgeous and we were so happy to have a fabulous table outside.

On our way there, my father called me and I practically hung up on him as approached the hotel because I was so excited! It is so iconic and beautiful that I had to pull out my camera!

There is something about all that pink and green that is cheerful and makes me think of Doris Day and Cary Grant! The hotel was opened in 1912 but became popular with film stars in the 1920's and experience it's heyday in the 1940's and remains popular to this day!

The hotel is also in a lovely part of Beverly Hills that makes it quiet and peaceful. You can stay at the hotel or in the bungalows which I can imagine would be very chic!

If you drive up in a fancy car, you get the privilege of having it parked at the front of the hotel for all to see.

I couldn't visit the hotel without photographing the famous Beverly Hills Hotel wallpaper now could I?! It lines the stairs down to The Fountain Coffee Room.

One of the best things about LA are all the leafy green trees and palms and it's fun that they brought the look inside the hotel.

We wanted to use this paper for the powder room for one of my projects but we ended up using a similar vintage paper. Can't wait until you can see it!

This is not the best photo since everyone is eating and I hated to disrupt their meal but you can see how the paper continues into The Fountain Coffee Room. I love the old fashioned chairs too!

Around the corner is a display case with historic photos from the hotel and down the hall is the gift shop where I had to buy a few souvenirs! Don't forget to ask for the matches too!

While we were on the patio enjoying our long, leisurely and laugh filled lunch, we saw this elegant woman in yellow sit down below us. She had on fabulous big black sunglasses and we took turned guessing who she might be. Was she married to a former studio head? Was she a film star of yester year? Was she a beloved regular? We were dying to know and thought about asking her if she minded if we took her photo but that seemed a little weird so we left her alone.

As fate would have it, she and her granddaughter walked down the hall when we were checking out The Fountain Coffee Room! We had to talk to her now! She was so sweet and could not have been nicer! Turns out her name is Gerry Sinclair whose nickname is GiGi is also known as Gorgeous Grandma! When we mentioned that we were all interior designers, she informed us that her husband had founded Sinclair Paints! How perfect is that?! Also, Kelly emailed me after she read my coverage to tell me that she works for the Kor Group who devloped the Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills where I stayed! The story just keeps getting better and better!

She even posed like a movie star! My advice is that if you ever see someone who you think looks interesting or who you would like to meet, go for it! She was a spitfire who even took the necklace her granddaughter Kelly was wearing to lunch! She also told us how there used to be a hair salon on the same level that she used to visit, after which she would head to The Fountain Coffee Room to eat. She absolutely made our day!

On the way out, we had the valet take our photo. If I had know Becca was that tall, I would definitely have worn heels! It was such a fun day and I'm so glad that Becca made the long drive down and back join us!

One last funny story too. While we were waiting for the valet to bring our car, a couple walked up behind us. The husband told the valet he'd take that silver Rolls in the corner. The valet thought he was kidding! No joke, he really was the owner! Only in LA! They were so nice to let me take their photo too! Can you see them in the car smiling? I'd be smiling too if I was driving that gorgeous car home! I definitely recommend a trip to The Beverly Hills Hotel. You never know who you might meet!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic and one by the valet

Chic in LA: The Avalon Hotel

As I've mentioned a million times, I had an amazing time in LA! I didn't think anything could top my trip to Paris but LA came very close! Paris was all about the architecture and beauty of the city while LA was all about the people and design stores. I definitely could not have experienced as much as I did if I had not had LA local Christian May of Maison21 as my tour guide! Not only did he take me to the best local haunts, he also drove me all around town to see the fabulous sites and joined me to meet some wonderful blogger friends including the lovely world traveler Lisa of A Bloomsbury Life, the ridiculously beautiful and thoughtful Taryn of Taryn Cox The Wife, the talented and tall Becca of Rebecca June Interior Design, and sweet and chic Style Curator who would like to remain anonymous for now!

I also owe a big thank you to Andrea Borda Stanford, the Design + Style Editor of C Magazine who planned the most amazing day of design which included among other things, meeting Kathryn Ireland, Madeline Stuart, Peter Dunham, Windsor Smith, and Kelly Wearstler! It was a dream day! I wasn't sure where to even begin but I figured the best place to start on my LA posts would be the very chic Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills that was designed by Ms. Wearstler and was home away from home during my stay in LA.

Uber chic interior designer Kelly Wearstler originally designed the hotel 10 years ago and is now updating it. The lobby and restaurant have already been transformed in her new 70's glamorous style and the rooms are next in line for a make-over.

The hotel sits on a corner lot and is only three stories so you're guaranteed great service! The hotel staff couldn't have been nicer and even welcomed me "home" when I returned back at the end of the day which I thought was sweet!

A fun fact is that Marilyn Monroe and Mae West both lived here in the 1950's when it was the known as the Beverly Carlton.

I absolutely loved the color scheme of aqua and gold in the lobby and that painted ceiling!

The colors remind me of the ocean and look great with the always blue LA sky!

I'm calling these sculptures modern totem poles.

The Oliverio restaurant is garnering rave reviews for not only the design but the great cuisine! It was packed for lunch and dinner during my entire stay too!

You can see through to the pool when you enter the hotel.

All the lounge chairs face the sun for the serious tanning enthusiasts!

I would sit in the sun by the pool every morning while waiting for Christian to pick me up. It was heaven!

The cabanas are the best part of the pool area and can be reserved for lunch and dinner.

I had a great view of the pool when I walked to my room!

For a small hotel, it was full of greenery!

The rooms on the left have little balconies. I'm kind of jealous that I didn't have one too!

I had fabulous weather for my entire trip to LA as you can see by the bright blue sky in this photo!

As I mentioned, the rooms have not been renovated yet so they still retain the mid-century feel of Kelly Wearstler's first design. They are large and comfortable and will only get better if they decorate them in the blues of the lobby. I especially loved the floor to ceiling windows that afforded me a great view of the sunrise every morning! The rates are actually quite reasonable as well. I paid $168 per night plus tax for two nights and was graciously offered two complimentary nights.

My room also looked out over the little building across the street that can accommodate more hotel guests. I really enjoyed my stay at the Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills and can't wait to stay again after the rooms are updated. I enjoyed this trip to LA so much that I think they are going to become a regular habit!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic