quilts galore

there's really nothing like going to the V&A on a sunny day. the inner courtyard is bustling with people drinking tea, eating sandwiches and soaking up the sun. it was especially sweet to see children excitedly prancing around in the wading pool.

the Grace Kelly exhibition was incredibly packed, so we decided to check out the Quilts exhibition. Quilts have always drawn me in... the love that goes into making them and the way that they can be so simple and classic but still so beautiful. someday i will definitely have a closer look into quilting and try to start one myself. looking at all these quilts from the 1800's is definitely a good motivator.


juxtaposed to all the historic quilts are modern quilts. although i didn't surely enjoy seeing a quilt dated 200 hundred years old sitting next to a quilt dating 2 years old, i still enjoyed seeing the ideas behind modern quilters. the one below is by Caren Garfen, who takes a strong feminist approach to quilting.


there is a lot to look at at this Quilts exhibition at the V&A. i highly recommend it for a lazy leisurely day, and don't forget to get some tea and cake with it in the courtyard.

Quilts is open til the 4th of July
iphone photographs by me

stripe a go go

hanneli is one of my favorite go-to's for street style inspiration. she posted this one just today and reminded me of some striped shorts i also own. the photograph got me excited to break mine out for some warm sunshine in the summer.

photo by hanneli

everything vintage or secondhand

"I Got Nailed in Sweden"

Feels like I've been sitting around all day today waiting for Mr. UPS man. I've drooled over these shoes for a little under a year now and never could decide on a style/color that I would love forever. Three weeks ago I finally decided and they were happily shipped over from beautiful Sweden.

These shoes are very happy to have a new loving home. I would like to thank Linda from Swedish Hasbeens for letting me know when to buy them and thank you Mom for listening to me rant about them way too many times to count.

Peep Toe Super High in Nature
Swedish Hasbeens

cats with bow ties

i bet quite a few people already own this dress, seeing as the print is almost an exact copy of a Miu Miu SS10 print. but then, that's why i love it. it's affordable, fresh, and fun. i barely ever buy anything at zara... but how can you say no to cats in bow ties?

drop-waist dress: zara

robot gear

it's no surprise that i'm obsessed with robots. mainly old tin toy robots. i even did a project on it last year in my fashion class. it doesn't help that i've been seeing cute robot housewares everywhere - i just want to collect them all!

a robot sits on a ledge in my room.


first off, i've had my eye on these mugs for ages. i first saw them in a cute shop here in Amsterdam, and then they followed me to Magma in Covent Garden.

these amazing mugs are designed by Big Tomato Company. you can get them straight off magma.com here

and then i was browsing homewares on urbanoutfitters.com (...as i do) and stumbled upon these little buggers:

robot salt and pepper shakers! a must. you can get them here.


last but not least, the same shop i first spotted the mugs in have been selling these robot USB sticks for awhile. sadly, i can't justify forking up the 30 euro to purchase one. but then i found them on this website (cheesy, but on sale for $25!)

this is really only the beginning of the awesome robot stuff i find. i'll keep updating if i stumble upon anything else (and please let me know if you see any cool robot stuff!)

nowhere boy

yesterday afternoon i ventured to the Tuschinski with mom and sister to see a post-queens day film. we picked Nowhere Boy, a fairly recent film focused around John Lennon's days before the Beatles.

going to the Tuschinski is always a treat. built in the 1920's, it's quite the place to see a movie. the combination of architectural styles creates a beautiful yet dark atmosphere when you step into the lobby. there's nothing like an old theater to get you in a comfortable movie-watching mood.

lights in the tuschinski

i've always been a huge Beatles junkie. i think my obsession started around the age of 13, and continued for a solid two years. Beatles round the clock. it was the only thing i listened to. i wanted to learn the guitar. i wanted to visit Liverpool (..and i did). i wanted to live in the 60's just to witness their beginnings in real-time. now, everyone has their favorite Beatle. mine was definitely George. but John came in to a close second. i knew little of his bringing up before we walked into the theater... and in the end it was a truly touching story.

the cinematography alone is enough to watch the film. i was excited to hear it was directed by Sam Taylor-Wood, one of my favorite artists.

the costumes, music, and warmth of the movie really make it worth seeing. i know i'll for sure be going to see it again sometime soon.

photos of the film from nowhereboy.co.uk
photos of the tuschinski by me

koninginnedag en amsterdam

queens day in amsterdam. april 30th.
think...

orange everything
party boats
beer
cheap no-tax junk
endless ear-blasting euro-music
ridiculous hats
drunk
happiness
crowds
loempia
friends

to some, this may seem like an unusual holiday. but it's the unusual ones that are always the best.

while some choose to start getting obliterated at 10 o'clock in the morning, i woke up casually and wandered the negen straatjes met mom. i've never bought anything on queens day that i absolutely loved, but this one was different. there were some great vintage dresses out and about as well as some fantastic hats! (i snagged two.) can't wait to wear them in the sunshine.

later i met up with one of best friends, riet. we dangled outside her window on the weteringschans, ate delicious focaccia, and drank some heineken (in true queens day fashion).

photos by me