Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Netflix Gems | Orange is the New Black.

Notwithstanding the constantly growing catalog of available content on Netflix Instant, I know there are a lot of people out there who feel like they can’t find anything to watch.   With this periodic series – Netflix Gems – I aim to introduce you to movies, tv shows and documentaries you may not know are hiding in there.  While Netflix is still lagging behind where I think it should be on new releases and current seasons of television, there’s a whole bunch of awesome there as well, so let's talk about it right here.


2013 has definitely become the year of the Netflix Original Series.  House of Cards, Arrested Development and now Orange is the New Black have been met with incredible critical praise, Emmy nominations, and, most importantly to Netflix, increased viewership with each new release (Hemlock Grove being the anomaly here, but every company has to have a black sheep, right?!). 


We care about this because it makes all TV better.  In Orange's case, it also tells stories that we rarely, if ever, see on television and in movies.  Orange is based on Piper Kerman's memoir of the same title, documenting her year in a women's federal prison.  The show is adapted for TV by Jenji Kohan, the creator and executive producer of Weeds. Taylor Schilling plays Piper Chapman, based on Kerman's real life experiences, as a waspy 30-something sentenced to 15 months in an upstate New York women's correctional facility.  As the pilot episode unfolds, we discover how she got there: as a wayward post-grad, Piper entered into a relationship with Laura Prepon's (Donna from That 70s Show) Alex, a drug smuggler who swept Piper into that world for awhile.  Ten years and an engagement to Jason Biggs' character later, Piper is indicted.  


But after that first episode, the best part of the show emerges: through well-deployed flashbacks, each episode focuses on one or more of the other women with whom Piper shares her time and how they came to be there.  I'm going to share what Tom & Lorenzo said about the season, because it's so eloquent:

"...The result is a story about choices and about the losses that come with bad ones. This is why it’s such a good show and why it sticks with you for days; because there isn’t an adult alive who can’t understand how hard it is to make choices and how devastating it is when those choices backfire and the punishments come.
But, in some ways, more importantly, this show isn’t just about general, universal truths. These are clearly and specifically women’s stories; about the choices women have to make in this world and about the millions of different ways the world conspires to rob women of their agency or hold them back from their potential. This is not to say that every character is an innocent flower and merely a victim. No, these are difficult, hard women; and their choices are not always easy to watch, but they are almost always understandable and heartbreaking.
But digging down even further, it’s clear to us that the strength of the tale isn’t that it’s universal and isn’t even that it’s women-specific, but that it tells the stories of the types of women who don’t get their stories told in our culture: black women, Hispanic women, fat women, butch women, bi women, old women, immigrant women, uneducated women – and even a trans woman’s story. When the season is done, you will be astonished at the vast range of women you’ve been exposed to and if you reflect on it, will probably be a little depressed that such stories are so rare in our culture." - via Tom & Lorenzo


As you might imagine about a story set in a prison, it contains strong language, sexual encounters, and some tough scenes to watch for one reason or another, but powerful, beautifully-acted stories emerge.  13 episodes currently await you on Netflix, and the show has already been renewed for a second season in 2014.  

Happy Viewing!

xo. di.

*image 1,2,3-6,7

Monday, July 29, 2013

Grateful | July 29, 2013.


I am Grateful.  

Such a wonderful weekend celebrating the beautiful marriage of beautiful people at the similarly beautiful Bay Harbor Yacht Club in northern Michigan.  
P.S. Happy 30th Birthday to my dear KellKell, the first of our childhood friends to hit that illustrious milestone!

Pictures of the Week.








Links Worth Sharing.
Have a wonderful week.

xo. di.    

*images property of Diane Crary

Friday, July 26, 2013

Summer Fridays | Wedding Season.



We have our very first wedding of the year for a wonderful family friend this weekend (I know, surprisingly late!) in Petoskey, Michigan - one of my favorite towns in the world.  That's right, I said world :)  It's beautiful and precious, with the most amazing views of Lake Michigan.  I'll try to take a lot of pictures for you guys.  

Have a wonderful weekend.

xo. di. 


*image by Andrew Williamson, from my sister's wedding 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Throw Pillow Problems.



I have almost bought new throw pillows for our couches way too many times over the past 2 years.  I don't know why it became the hardest decision of all time, but I am thrilled to say the search has finally come to an end.  


But one more decision must be made: which of the two patterns look better on our side chair?

Number 1:


or Number 2?


Which ties the room together better?



Now I can't wait until it's time for a couch update :) 

xo. di.


*Pillows from West Elm (1,2)
*images property of Diane Crary

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Engagement Gift Guide.



This round-up includes my favorite gifts to give (and some of which I have also been honored to receive)!  It's all about the cocktails for this part of the celebration :) Do you have any go-to gifts for the newly-engaged? 

xo. di.

*images as linked above


Monday, July 22, 2013

Grateful | July 22, 2013.


I am Grateful.  

For time spent with my future in-laws.

Pictures of the Week.

{Pool time}
{A very fancy champagne toast with C's family!}
{Saturday evening sunset from their back deck}
{We drove through the quiet, picturesque colonial town of Newtown on Sunday, which is minutes away from C's family home.  
Yes, that Newtown.  An air of mourning still hangs over it, as you might expect :(}  
{Lovely gardens around C's Pops' favorite diner}

Links Worth Sharing.
Have a wonderful week.

xo. di.    

*images property of Diane Crary

Friday, July 19, 2013

Spring Forward | Hazy.



It is SO. HOT. in Chicago this week!  It's hazy and humid and melty.  Hope you're all staying cool and air-conditioned.  C and I are heading to the east coast this weekend to visit his family so we can sneak in a little more engagement celebration with them.  His parents happen to have a beautiful pool in their backyard, so that's where you'll find me most of the weekend :) 

Have a wonderful one.

xo. di.

*image property of Diane Crary

Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Voracity by Anna Williams.

Pet projects from talented people are almost always worthy of our attention.  Very true of Anna Williams, a successful photographer who created The Voracity in 2010, a place for collaborative, creative and inspiring photography.  In her words:

In 2010 Anna Williams launched The Voracity, a project exploring themes of hunger, consumption and beauty through a wide range of styles and technique.  Meant to push her on both creative and technical levels, each series explores a different visual approach and expands Anna's personal vision.  The project is a collaborative effort involving the work of a large network of artists, stylists and designers.

I've provided a sampling of the project below, but you must go here and go through each one in turn, because they are simply beautiful, and alternately dark, romantic, disturbing, soothing and sweet.








Seriously, go see more :)

xo. di.

*images property of Anna Williams via The Voracity 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Lost in Translation.



Cause I'm feeling a little romantic and sappy, I'm sharing with you today some words about love that have no English language equivalent.  I found them through a random tumblr post, of all places.    
  • Koi No Yokan (Japanese): The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall into love.
  • Mamihlapinatapei (Yagan, an indigenous language of Tierra Del Fuego): The wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to start.
  • Yuanfen (Chinese): A relationship by fate or destiny.  This is a complex concept; it draws on principles of predetermination in Chinese culture, which dictate relationships, encounters and affinities, mostly among lovers and friends.
  • Cafune (Brazilian Portuguese): The act of tenderly running your fingers through someone's hair.
  • Retrouvailles (French): The happiness of meeting again after a long time.
  • Forelsket (Norwegian): The euphoria you experience when you're first falling in love.
Finding untranslatable words like these was one of my favorite parts of learning a foreign language (German, in my case).  Weltschmerz - or "world hurt," the feeling of sadness while thinking of the evils of the world - is still in my vocabulary, for example.  But the above are a lot lovelier than that, so forget I ever mentioned weltschmerz :)

xo. di.

*The Notebook image via; untranslatable words via

Monday, July 15, 2013

Grateful | July 15, 2013.


I am Grateful.  

For the chance to meet one of my most favorite authors in person.  For catching up with old friends.  For beautiful summer weather.

Pictures of the Week.

{Neil, Himself!}
{Saturday afternoon high tea at the Peninsula!}
{Brought my visiting childhood friends to the J.Parker for the beautiful Lincoln Park view}
 {Loving the smell of this new candle - and the last of the peonies (for real this time!)}
 {Summery vignette on the coffee table}
{Lovely congratulatory cards from lovely friends and family}

Links Worth Sharing.
  • New York Mag's take on Martha Stewart: who she is and why she's the success she is was super interested.  In 3 words: zero f***s given.
  • If you happen to be applying for a visa from the UK for the US, Across the Pond should definitely be your first stop - what a resource! 
Have a wonderful week.

xo. di.    

*images property of Diane Crary

Friday, July 12, 2013

Summer Fridays | Celebrations & Visits.



We stopped by a friend's apartment on the way to see Pacific Rim last night at the Navy Pier IMAX (one sentence review: really cool concept, effects and action sequences, all hampered by some truly terrible and trope-y dialogue), and the above was waiting for us.  What a lovely surprise!  Our friends and family have been so sweet and thoughtful in acknowledging our recent engagement - I'm feeling the love :)

This weekend: a little more celebrating, and 2 friends in from out of town to catch-up with! It'll be a busy one, but I am also majorly craving sleep, which has been eluding me all week.

Have a wonderful weekend.

xo. di. 

*image property of Diane Crary

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Netflix Gems | Bachelorette.

Notwithstanding the constantly growing catalog of available content on Netflix Instant, I know there are a lot of people out there who feel like they can’t find anything to watch.   With this periodic series – Netflix Gems – I aim to introduce you to movies, tv shows and documentaries you may not know are hiding in there.  While Netflix is still lagging behind where I think it should be on new releases and current seasons of television, there’s a whole bunch of awesome there as well, so let's talk about it right here.


Alright, this pick was at least partially inspired by my recent engagement, but it was already on my list and I just watched it a few weeks ago, so perfect timing really :)  

So Bachelorette (2012): it's a dark little indie comedy with a great cast: Isla Fisher, Lizzy Kaplan and Kirsten Dunst play bridesmaids to Rebel Wilson's bride (though don't expect Pitch Perfect's Rebel, she mostly plays the straight man here).  They're high school friends who each have their own set of deep-seeded issues.  James Marsden and Adam Scott play groomsmen and were part of the same clique back in high school (though of course they all hate each other now!).  The movie takes place over one night, after one of those implausible decisions to have the bachelor and bachelorette parties the day before the wedding.  

The main 3 ladies are alternately biting, witty, funny, not entirely likable, and rather sad.  And be warned: the movie is fairly vulgar in places.  Of course, it can also be laugh out loud funny.  That's all really par for the course for an indie comedy!    


 {If you thought Rebel Alley was a little insane, Isla Fisher here is...beyond}
{If you watched Party Down, this pairing (and Adam Scott's presence in general) should make you very happy}
{Thems be some mean b*tches}

Enjoy!

xo. di.

*images via 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Grateful | July 8, 2013.


I am Grateful.  

The 4th of July weekend is the best, particularly in northern Michigan (I'm biased, of course).  We had incredible weather, food, lots of time with friends, and the piece de resistance: C proposed to me on Friday evening!  We'd just come in from a day on the lake (hence the no make-up and bun hair in the pics below - ohhhh well!).  My family knew it was going to happen at some point in the weekend, and were ready with champagne and a few lovely presents when it did.  It was a complete surprise for me though :)  So excited!

Pictures of the Week.









Links Worth Sharing.
Have a wonderful week.

xo. di.    

*images property of Diane Crary


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