Fanny pack-ing it.

Have you gotten into the fanny pack trend? A while back I wrote about some of my favorite belt bags, but it’s been interesting to see their direction returning to the sling shape of my youth—only this time, more often styled as a cross-body bag.

I used mine (albeit around my waist) all throughout our trip to Disneyland, and was reminded how utilitarian they are. Here’s some looks that have caught my eye for this spring, worn both at the hip and at the chest…

Keep Reading >

5 Things: A Local’s Guide to London, England

In “5 Things,” we ask some of our favorite insiders in cities all over the world to share insider travel tips on where to eat, shop, stay, and play in their neighborhoods (plus, what to pack to make the adventure complete). Since spring is just around the corner, we are excited to feature Rebecca Sterling of Roses and Rolltops, and her beautiful guide to London. All of her hints—from the delicious food to must-see shopping spots—are sure to be on my list if I get to cross the Atlantic! See if you can catch the words with the British English spellings.

5 Things: London, England
by Rebecca Sterling

My husband and I love to travel. We often pretend we’ll move to somewhere hot and sunny around the globe; but in reality, London will always be home for us. We both met and grew up in the same village, just outside London in Hertfordshire. We’ve since moved back there to be closer to our families and be able to have a house with a garden and to start a family of our own. Our first baby is due this summer! We have the best of both worlds with London only half an hour away and we travel to the city for both work and pleasure at least once a week.

London holds a special place for us as I studied law at London School of Economics and we bought our first flat there and made our home together. It’s also a city made up of different villages, which we love. The architecture is incredible, with a mix of very old and new skyline. We still enjoy the buzz of going into the proper city occasionally, but mostly now, we get our London fix these days surrounded by greenery somewhere like Primrose Hill, Kew or Notting Hill.

Keep Reading >

Best Sources for Organic Ceramic Dinnerware

by Suzanne Fletcher

A few days ago, I noticed a chip in one of our porcelain dinner plates from CB2, and just yesterday I found another in a Heller bowl we use for cereal and salsa (and it’s not easy to chip Melamine!). This, plus a conversation with Ashley, got me thinking about beautiful, organic ceramic dinnerware and where to find it.

In my search, I learned a little bit about the differences between stoneware and porcelain. Stoneware has vitreous (glass) material added to it for strength. It’s thicker and more opaque than porcelain, and can have a shiny or a matte finish. People think of stoneware as more earthy than porcelain. Porcelain is fired at a higher temperature and is made of fine-particle clay. It’s thinner and more delicate-looking, but also more durable. Porcelain has a reputation for being a bit more formal than stoneware, but it can be dressed up or down, depending on your needs.

Here are seven online sources for stoneware and porcelain plates and bowls—with not a chip in sight!

Keep Reading >