The Fete Blog

Apologies for the Facebook and Twitter absences– I am away for a few days in China and completely forgot that those networks are blocked over here! Whoops. Luckily blogging is still an appropriate use of internet here, so we’re on track, if not on the same schedule.

Image via Behance

Shanghai is the largest city in China (at least, that’s what one of my fellow athletes told me), weighing in at a population of 27 million people. I can’t even wrap my head around what that number actually means, so I’ll move on; it really doesn’t even feel like a foreign country– the traffic is much like New York City, there are some pretty, shaded suburban areas like Washington, D.C., and a ton of oblivious pedestrians like Charlottesville.

Unfortunately, my “exploring” time in Shanghai is limited; when you’re visiting foreign countries for competitions, you don’t really get to wander around and sightsee. But while I’ve been a bit out of the loop for a few days, I did spot some incredible links from around blogland to keep us inspired for the weekend ahead. Without further ado, link love for your weekend–>

Olympic watch: The only running-related link this weekend– Vogue profiles a few incredible and beautiful Olympic hopefuls.

Color board: Loving this all-white inspiration board from Camille Styles– would you dare style a party or room in all neutrals?

Styling: Miss Moss styles a “Food/Fashion Mash-Up” with Bon Appetit– these outfits are stunning!

Wedding envy: Karen & Armin’s Australian wedding by Jonas Peterson is incredible– the fashion, the friends, the emotions! via Miss Moss

Link Love updates: I just edited up our “Link Love” page and added some new friends– Borrowed and Blue, Beyond the Flavor, Camille Styles, The Everygirl, and Junkaholique. All are daily must-reads!

Happy Saturday! xox

Yup– I am speechless. This snap by JMK Photos is incredible. Gotta love a great dance party– but a great dance party with a bride who literally flips for joy wins every “Awesome Wedding” award in our book! Plus, I am so impressed that this bride was able to be so flexible in that dress. This is one reception we all wish we could have attended!

Obviously I have a few requirement when it comes to shorts– if I’m going to wear shorts (and not a skirt or a dress, which feels way more natural to me), they better be a. COLORFUL; b. of a cool texture; and c. feminine. Cut-offs and jazzed-up denim is totally fine– but to be honest, I rarely ever wear shorts because I just don’t feel pretty in plain ole jean shorts (running shorts obviously don’t count), so if I’m going to invest in a pair for the warm summer months, they better rock my world.

This summer, it’s all about the wow factor anyway– so while keeping a good number of trusty ole denim shorts are perfect for throwing over bikini bottoms or biking around town in, class it up with a beautifully detailed pair as well. Lace not your style? Try sequins! Glitter too much glitz for you? Go with a loud print. And if all else fails, at least get them in a surprising color (red, yellow, pink!).

1. Highwaisted Lace Shorts, Free People  2. These are the the little black dress of summer shorts– never discount the impact of a pair of beautiful legs and some tiny black shorts! Shelter Interior Design  3. I need these so badly. Design Mom  4. Antique Paisley Shorts, J.Crew  5. These are just incredible. I love the big button detailing and the pretty color! Prepfection  6. Micro trend! Highwaisted skirts. Just say yes. Highwaisted Printed Shorts, Free People  7. Another incredibly feminine way to wear a classic shorts shape. Pinterest

Kristen Kammann & Jesse Pappas
May 12, 2012
Ash Lawn-Highland

I absolutely cannot think of a better match made in heaven– and no, I’m not just talking about Jesse and Kristen! The chemistry between them is apparent, but the combination of this gorgeous couple and the rockstar photographers Jason and Tammy Keefer must have been written in the stars. The Keefers just have a way of capturing beautiful, sultry people and making them iconic! Kristen and Jesse’s engagement session at the breathtaking Swannanoa Mansion is complete visual poetry– grab a chair; you’ll want to be sitting down for this one!

{photography by Jason Keefer}

Her: U.Va administrator  Him: Ph.d student at U.Va (graduating this May, yay!)

Our love story: We first met about four years ago through mutual friends in Charlottesville. It wasn’t until about three ago that the timing was right for our paths to cross again and we started dating and really hit it off.

The proposal: Jesse popped the question at 3:40am right before we were heading off on a vacation to Costa Rica. He definitely picked the most unsuspecting moment possible!

Design Inspiration: Our color palette included peacock blues, ivories, and soft metallics like mercury glass. We’ve used the term “clasual” (classy and casual) to describe the feel we wanted at our wedding.

DIY: We wanted our wedding to feel personal, so we included lots of DIY touches, like escort cards, petal cones, votive jars, giant yarn letters and straw toppers.

What surprised you the most about planning a wedding? We were really surprised by how many wonderful choices of wedding vendors that Charlottesville has to offer. We’ve been so pleased with everyone we’ve had the opportunity to work with.

Honeymoon plans: 5 days on St.Lucia and then 5 days on the tiny island of Bequia in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

I’m already in summer mode– maybe because everyone is blogging fabulous beach-inspired fashion or because school’s out (for good! Hooray for graduating!) or because the outdoor racing season is in full swing (running in sports bras every day– great for your comfort, terrible for your tan lines!). But for whatever reason, I’m skipping spring and heading straight for the blissful summer season. It’s going to be a really strange time for me, because my plans are so up in the air– everything depends on how I race at the Olympic Trials or what races in Europe I can get in to, how we’re doing with wedding plans, etc. But I’m attempting to give myself a few “must-dos” for Summer 2012.

Summer 2011: Fishing in Oregon, cruising in the Bahamas, racing in Switzerland.

In 2012, I’d like to:

1. Start re-designing John’s bachelor pad apartment into a home for two.

2. Race at least two new places in Europe (let’s keep those fingers crossed that includes London).

3. Buy a new bikini for the first time in, oh, three years. And then try to use it.

4. Read a minimum of one new book a month– I don’t know how to read for pleasure anymore!

5. Finish up 75% of our wedding DIY projects. Take that sewing machine on the road with me!

6. Get in a decent quota of nights on the Downtown Mall– a glass of wine, a few girlfriends, live music.

7. Let John teach me how to play FIFA and beat him in tournaments (this one is 99% a joke).

8. Watch 4th of July Fireworks somewhere with John.

9. Help plan and attend my future sister-in-law’s baby shower in Florida!

10. Run far and run fast– faster than I ever have before.

What are your plans for Summer 2012? I’d love some suggestions! Get out a your Moleskine planner and jot down some ideas for inspiration!

We all need to hear this sometimes. And it’s true– you can be great. Don’t ever forget that. Use this as motivation to push just a little harder in whatever it is you’re working on right now and it will pay off. Just be patient and have faith.

And hey– I hear ya! This is one of those moments where I need to take my own advice. I love this window for the adorable strands of bunting, the solid red and blue color scheme, and that incredible illustration. It reminds me to be who I want to be right now, in this moment.

Image via hellojenuine

I spent a summer in college studying at Oxford. We had every Wednesday free and weekends off as well. In addition to enjoying life in “the city of dreaming spires,” I had a fantastic time exploring the rest of the country. I hiked along the south coast and was smitten with the wild ponies (not so much the stinging nettles). Took the train up to the beautiful Lake District for hiking and boating. Danced until my feet ached at a brewery in Edinburgh. Was entranced by Les Misérables at a London Theatre. And of course enjoyed many a cold pint at various pubs.

Do you have treasured memories of Great Britain? Or dreams of visiting one day? Can’t make it across the pond for the Olympics this summer? No worries. Bring a little bit of Britain into your life at home.

t-shirt | I love the Charlie + Sarah line of shirts for toddlers and babies. Simple graphics paired with the Brit’s words like lorrie, wellies, chopper, and others.

art | Artwork is one of my favorite ways to document places. I’m particularly drawn to the clean modern graphics of this piece from the Weavers of South Sea shop. I especially love the pop of the red double decker buses.

gifts | There are so many fun ways to use this playful tape displaying the London skyline. Available at Thread Drawn by Tobyboo.

book | Books are the next best alternative to a plane ticket. I love the classic look of this edition of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes collection.

print | I do love a good accent. And a funny print. This one is from Ex Libris Journals.

home décor | The Union Jack is one of the most stylish flags out there. This photo is a great example of how to work it in to the scene without being too over the top. DIY your own pillow using a guide from Pop Soup Supplies.

–kim speer

This may just be a quirk, but one of my favorites signs of summer is the abundance of delicious fresh fruit! I know– fruit should be a part of a balanced diet 24/7; but who remembers to make fresh berry smoothies or delicious fruit tarts in the dead of winter? There are so many delicious things you can do with fruit in the hot summer months– and if you, like me, just can’t get enough of it, you can wear your food with just as much class as you eat it! Fruit prints should totally be all the rage; who wants to make it the It style with me this summer?

Some of my favorite fruit recipes for summer munching:

Rose Water Pistachio Fruit Salad, by Joy the Baker
Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling, by A Beautiful Mess
Plum and Rhubarb Crisp, by David Lebovitz
Grapefruit Margarita by Eat Make Read
Breakfast Fruit Smoothies, by Whole Living

1. Blackberries, by Brian Ferry via Design Mom  2. My favorite– raspberry tart! David Lebovitz  3. Homegrown blueberries. Cupcakes and Cashmere  4. Holy berries, watermelon, grapes! Get in my belly. Joy the Baker  5. If you’ll be in the kitchen at all this summer, investing in this gorgeous Citrus Grove Apron is a must! Anthropologie  6. AND if you won’t, never fear– wear your fruit with this pretty Very Berry dress! Modcloth

Any other fruit lovers out there? Pass along some of your favorite summer recipes!

It’s Mother’s Day weekend here in the U.S.! How do you plan on fête-ing your mother(s) tomorrow? I, sadly, will not get to see either my mom nor John’s, but I’ll be sending them (and my several “surrogate” mothers) lots of love from afar! Having strong female influences in my life has been huge in my continued growth as a woman– without the guidance of many kick-ass ladies, I wouldn’t be the girl I am today.

The iconic mother, via Cape Cod Collegiate

Other inspirations to fuel you through the rest of the weekend–>

Icons: Children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendack passed earlier this week– I love this 2011 Vanity Fair interview with him. Such a cool character.

Art: Camille Styles features the artwork of Ideal Bookshelf– and yes, it is just like it sounds: pretty illustrations of your ultimate bookshelf. What would be on yours? Hmm..

Home inspiration: Elsie of A Beautiful Mess gives us her top home organization tips! I definitely bookmarked this for when John and I start our new home together!

Photography + Surfing = Love: 100 Layer Cake features this awesome portrait session of a surfer family. This will certainly be in my future…

Awesome Woman Feature: Forbes featured Kellee Khalil’s Lover.ly this week! Such an inspiring entrepreneur, such a fabulous wedding tool!

Second Awesome Woman Feature: The Everygirl (site that I can’t believe I wasn’t addicted to before!) features Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty this week! Another beautiful feature– so excited to see wedding women get the publicity and praise they deserve!

Happy Mother’s Day weekend! xox

How do you know it’s summer in Charlottesville? When Friday’s After Five, the free concert series at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion, starts up! You know the drill: Right around 5pm, a Virginia-based band (of any genre– we’ve seen Beatles cover bands, local indie rockers, big swing groups) starts jamming, while locals flock to the party (ahem, see above). Best of all: it’s FREE and any concessions you buy goes to local non-profits. Win!

I’m completely in love with this shot from John Robinson– THIS is what Friday feels like to me! That Pavilion has made such a mark on the downtown landscape and I love seeing it in all its grandeur here. Head over to Facebook and give Robinson Imagery a like to get more goodies like this! PS– see the Fridays After Five schedule (through June) here and get out to the Downtown Mall tonight.