Hey, Nook & Sea readers! I (Sara) am always trying to get the most wear out of the pieces in my closet and love finding creative new ways to wear old things. One of my favorite challenges is taking a look from casual to dressy with just a simple change or two. For the first look, I took a comfy, casual maxi dress of mine and dressed it down with some neutral accessories and a fun necklace. You could even tie up a plain white T-shirt over it or throw on a long cardigan to keep the casual look as well.

For a more refined look, I just added my favorite white button-down (J. Crew), and a more classic accessory to make it a look I could wear to work or out to dinner with friends. I evened it out with some flat sandals, but any shoes could work!

There are definitely lots of ways to play around with maxi dresses, so I encourage you to get creative as we head into spring and summer. Have fun – and happy spring time!

xoxo
Sara B

Outfit Details: Dress – Heavenly Couture | Necklace and Chain Bracelet – ILY Couture | Brown Belt – Forever 21 | Wedges – Target | White Button Down – J. Crew | Sandals – T.J. Maxx | Chain Necklace – Forever 21 | Sunglasses and Watch – Target

I remember the first time I watched The Holiday. Seeing Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet trade lives and submerge themselves in each other’s homes seemed like the ultimate vacationers fantasy. We’re always so curious about how other people live and imagine what it’s like to walk in their shoes. Celebrity or not, this curiosity is finally being cured by one amazing idea that breaks down the barrier between fantasy and reality. One Fine Stay, the self-titled “unhotel” service, coordinates traveler’s stays in private homes while the owners are out of town (yup – awesome). Think you’d rather play it safe at a friend’s place instead? Think again – these aren’t your average apartments.

Based in the UK, One Fine Stay’s unique draw doesn’t stop there. Each home is easy to book and serviced like a normal hotel: spick-and-span upon arrival, decked out with fancy toiletries, with an optional maid service (if you so desire) and even a personal suggestion of local activities from the homeowners themselves. It gives you the chance to experience their world, and create your own memories.

And with an exclusive collection of private homes in NYC, your choice of Uptown, Downtown or Brooklyn are not the only options at your fingertips. How many bedrooms would you like? Would you prefer an elevator? Garden? Tumble dryer? Private cinema? A place for kids? Iron included? Check out a map of the local area, peek at features of the home and flip through availability all in one place. Amenity choices are easily searchable and the list of unique properties is constantly stretching to accommodate more fabulous “unhotel” options. If it were up to me – this is how I’d like to travel!

Have you picked out your next NYC stop yet? (Here’s mine)!

1 East 8th Street, East Village

2 3rd Street, Carroll Gardens

3 York Avenue, Upper East Side

4 West 28th Street, Chelsea

5 Judge Street, Williamsburg

6 The Bowery, NoHo

7 East 95th Street, Upper East Side

8 Hudson Park, Tribeca

Although born and raised in Southern California, I (Jillian) ended my time on the island of Oahu just shy of 6 years; the same amount of time I spent in any one California city. “Hey, this is Jill…my friend from Hawaii”, is now the standard introduction I am subject to (awkwardly enough, another way I’m categorized off the island is by the lack of grace I exude when taking off a wetsuit – having learned to surf in 84 degree weather, my ease is lost in anything more than a t-shirt and two-piece).

What possessed me to leave behind the warmth and transparency of Hawaii’s ocean is far more than the promise of a new beginning. During the summer of 2009, I received my first taste of a completely new world. Floating on board an eighty-foot Phinisi traveling off the Western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, the Mentawai Islands is a reality which I have yet to wholly let go of.

That summer I spent 12 days breathing in the distinct smells of a tattered third-world country devastated by numerous earthquakes and record-breaking tsunamis. But amongst the chaos, I spent those days melting into a culture which I am now determined to call my home. I’ve left behind what most people consider to be paradise – temporarily trading my bikini for a wetsuit – all for the surety that my next step won’t leave me awkwardly peeling off neoprene. The awaiting adventure, beginning in just a few short months, will lead me toward a new paradise – Bali, Indonesia.

As the travels begin, I humbly invite you to become my sea mates; accompanying me across the oceans and into dynamic cultures which will surely strike your every sense. For if you cannot wake up to a salt-sprayed morning you can join me here and we will roam the world together.

I’ll be SEA-ing you.

I like breakfast (and when I say “breakfast”, I mostly mean french toast). So when I had the chance to dig into some seriously tasty bites at Bonjour Cafe in DP, I did. Check out my review of Le French Toast en Brioche at the Clever blog – with the claim of being the best french toast dish in Orange County.

P.S. – Yes, this is a latte. Why spoil the glory of the french toast now? Head on over!

The portable home office

Let’s face it: office life can really wear you down. Whether you’re on the corporate clock (or even working from home), the daily grind has the habit of making you wish you were somewhere else for the moment (desktop wallpaper, anyone)? Sometimes the best cure for your “same-ol’-same-ol’” is a fresh take on your workspace. Perhaps it’s adding a colorful bouquet of flowers, taking a few moments to enjoy that cup of joe (in that mug you’ve always wanted, of course) or simply wiping clutter out of sight. Whatever it is, it’s bound to brighten both your space and your mind, and may even give you a burst of energy sufficient enough to get through the day. A few helpful reads from Australia’s HomeLife to get you going:

4 top home office decorating tips

Decorating gallery

Small space solutions

Best ever organizing tips

What are some ways you like to freshen up your space? Happy working!

woven runner | tumbler | napkin rings | egg tree | pitcher | patterned napkin | charger

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? I can’t believe Easter is right around the corner (March 31st, to be exact)! I’ve been searching for tabletop ideas for our family get-together and spotted some amazing picks at World Market this season. My criteria for holiday decor is simple: timeless, contemporary and a fresh take on the standard pastel palette. Spring will be looking lively with pops of unexpected chartreuse and wasabi, and an egg tree is the perfect conversation-starter with a whimsical touch.

As if preparing for Easter wasn’t reason enough to run to WM for stunning decor picks, rack up an additional opportunity for World Market goodness by entering The Great and Powerful Sweepstakes in anticipation for Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful, in theaters March 8th in IMAX 3D. Here’s the scoop:

• Grand Prize Package: A private movie screening for you and 50 friends, free IMAX tickets for one year and a $1,000 World Market gift card (score)!
• Three First Prize Winners: $500 World Market gift card
• Enter online at worldmarketsweepstakes.com

Don’t miss your chance to win wondrous prizes and celebrate a world of adventure (and Easterm of course)!

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and World Market, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #WorldMarket. http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

Dark walls in this funky Austin home

A collection of wood tables (the first one is my faaaave)

A modern makeover to the World’s Ugliest Condo Bathroom

Candles in the fireplace – in the summer!

Today is my “Friday”, and a beautiful one at that! The weather is so cool and crisp, it makes you want to skip work altogether and snuggle up with a cup of coffee and walk the beach (mmmm). This weekend I have some time to myself and am looking forward to giving the house a good clean sweep (and probably a thousand re-arrangements, thanks to pictures like these)! What are you inspired by today?