PUBLIC BIKES

It was 85 degrees yesterday and so of course my first thought was, "YAY, summer is here!" seeing as Chicago tends to skip seasons. Daniel and I decided to stroll through Hyde Park and indulge in the weather and new blooms (flowers make me so happy) and somehow during the course of our walk and me daydreaming about all of the awesome things we plan to do this summer, I came to the conclusion that our activities would be 10 times better with bikes. So, as soon as we made it home, I hopped on the interwebs and started to do a bit of browsing and stumbled upon these delicious bikes from San Francisco-based cycle company, PUBLIC.

Can't go wrong with good quality and design from good people, right? I'm smitten on this M8 and can't wait to check out the brick and motar while I'm in the Bay Area this fall...

A few favorites:

01. Sierra Club // $595

02. M8 (2012) //  $795

03. D8 (2012) // $795

04. V7 (2012) // $650

Check out the rest of the bike collection from PUBLIC, here. Which one is your favorite?

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+ Speaking of bikes, check out this awesome blog.

ON REPEAT

I've been discovering some really good music lately, and thought I'd share a few artists that I've had on constant repeat: Chlöe Howl, T. Williams, Jessie Ware, Boom Clap Bachelors, Yadi, Thundercat, AlunaGeorge, Kendrick Lamar, and Lion Babe.

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+ My favorite online pop-up shop is finally open for the Spring!

+ Go see The Place Beyond the Pines.

+ For your music / fashion / visual pleasure.

LATELY ...

Happy Friday, folks! I don't know about y'all, but I'm pretty happy that the weekend is here. Despite this little blog being a bit more quiet than usual, there's been a lot going on lately...

I have to admit that it's really hard living so far away from family and friends. We've been in Chicago for a little over 3 years, and I'm more homesick than I've ever been (the ridiculously cold weather hasn't helped either.) So, on a whim last week, Daniel and I booked a trip to Los Angeles to visit some loved ones. Long story short, our week long stay was AMAZING (thanks Valentina, Aaron, and Yumi!). I'm pretty certain the combination of warm weather, familiar faces, and the vibe of my beloved west coast, made me the happiest I've been in a while. I really couldn't have asked for a better way to mentally/emotionally re-energize, and the photos above serve as an awesome reminder (more soon!).

We had a horribly bumpy flight back to Chicago, and kept asking ourselves (as we tried to hail a taxi in the pouring rain) why we never considered LA as place to live after leaving Seattle. It didn't take much for us to start a serious conversation about our future in the Midwest. I always have a difficult time explaining it, but there's just something about the west coast (and the people there) that get me. I don't know what the future holds for us, but lately we've been spending our afternoons dreaming about the life we could build back on the coast where we first met...

PS: So proud of Daniel for booking his first international editorial photo shoot with the European magazine and online store, Camp David!

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+ Have you seen this campaign? (!!!)

+ I love a good remix.

+ If you're in the mood for something sweet.

Photos: Instagram (@modernmix)

JOINERY NYC

Remember when I told y'all about my new favorite shop? Well, it's Joinery NYC—basically the lovechild of clean design and quality craftsmanship at an affordable price. The strong presence of wood, neutral fabrics, and woven textiles makes everything seem so light and airy, + it's the perfect collection of furnishings to make for an interesting and cozy apartment. In addition to their online shop, there's a brick and motor in Brooklyn, so if you're in the area, be sure to check it out...

PS: Sending my love, thoughts, and good energy to all the folks in Boston. We're with y'all.

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+ A fresh perspective of one of my favorite cities through the lens of @trashhand.

+ Check out this awesome project.

+ My favorite spring purchase yet.

MODERN MIXTAPE VOL. 3

I've been playing a bit of hide-and-seek around the internet lately, but I'm happy to be back with a brand new Modern Mixtape for y'all. It's a nice blend of trip-hop tracks to help you start off your Monday and groove right into the rest of the week. Hope y'all enjoy!

1. The Roots // DillaTude The Flight of Titus

2. Waters // Electric Wire Hustle

3. Yesterday // J Dilla

4. Light It Up // Nicolay

5. Fantastic // Nicolay

6. Love and War // 9th Wonder

7. Oooh Baby // The Stuyvesants

8. Coming Around // The Stuyvesants

9. Old Day // 9th Wonder

10. Spottieottiedopalicious // Outkast

♫ LISTEN: 8Tracks

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+ Literally have had this song/video on repeat the entire weekend. (Also, homegirl is a total babe.)

+ What are y'all listening to these days? I'd love to hear some new tunes!

Mixtape Artwork: Trashhand