Located in a revamped old motel called the Lido Spa on Belle Island between Miami Beach and the Design District, The Standard is one of my favorite places in Miami. It’s far enough from South Beach that you don’t get annoying crowds, but close enough that you can walk or bike there.

Walk through the mod/scandi lobby through lush gorgeous gardens until you reach the pool area.

On a sunny day, the grill is such a great place to have lunch. It’s rarely crowded and…

…there is even a raw dish on the menu — “living” lasagna — hooray!

In the distance, you can see the building where I used to live.

If I still lived here, I would definitely join the club. Sunrise Yoga, Bayside — ummm, yes, please.

For dessert I just had to try the Vegan Ding Dong, which was a bit heavy for my taste, but still very good.

After that and a glass of cold rosé, I was definitely ready for a nap in the sun…

Last weekend, we took a walk across the Williamsburg Bridge and checked out some exhibits that were part of the Festival of Ideas for the New City.

Some cool stuff.

Every day should be a festival of ideas, however small they may be. (Like: Walk more, drive less. Brilliant!)

Did you have any good ideas this weekend?

Nature at it’s finest, at the Sakura Matsai cherry blossom festival at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden this weekend. Gorgeousness everywhere I pointed my camera—it was nearly impossible to take a bad picture. Photobomb, flowerbowb, cherry bomb!

Good luck, outside the Baltimore Tattoo Museum.

Crabcakes, everywhere.

The Chesapeake, in the Chesapeake Bay.

Waiting.

Ice, custard or happiness? I know what I would pick.

Be open.

Perfect mashed potatoes.

“From the Land of Pleasant Living.”

A few things in Baltimore that inspired me.

I was very inspired by all the great lettering and signage I saw all over (what little I saw of) Baltimore. Painted, carved, drawn, rendered in neon, on wood, on concrete and on stone. Sometimes deliberate, sometimes unintentional. Always present.

Gorgeous video for Dannijo’s Fall ’11 collection, shot by my friend Petter (who is now in Russia, visually documenting inspirational artist John Forté’s From Brooklyn to Russia With Love! tour—so cool).

Love the “little rich hippie girl on the prairie” vibe. Oh, and the jewelry looks pretty fab too.

You will find it where you least expect it—as a coffee stain on your shirt or inside the onion that made you cry, all you need to do is look… Happy Valentine’s Day.

Second image via Native Kee.

This is what I want to look like this spring. The lookbook is from LF Stores, but I’m thinking these looks can probably be recreated pretty easily with what’s in our wardrobes already. Don’t ya think?

At an opening at MoMA last night. I just had to snap a photo in this red cabaret-ish spotlight on one of the walls. How could I resist?

Wish I would have worn a sailor cap, or a bowler hat and cane to match…