Walt Disney World

taylor turns 4 in may and the girl talks about cinderella nonstop...it's time we take her to the castle.  but every time i go to book the trip, i get soooooo overwhelmed.  please help!!  i need advise:  where to stay- in park vs. outside of park, what to do if we are going to be there for 4 days, where to eat/ should we do a character dinner, if we should rent a house, take a stroller, bring food into the park, splurge on the dress up princess thing, which parks to visit w/ a 4 yr old, transportation to get to the park....whatever you feel the need to tell me, please do!!
y'all helped me so much yesterday w/ the mailing....hello, why did i not know that?!!!

*images courtesy of pigeon + pudding, disney world

i love this quote....seriously.  i'm pretty sure that all moms that stay at home w/ their children probably feel the same way.  a working mom has to learn how to juggle things.  it's taken me a while....but i am learning.  what am i learning?  well let's take today for instance- by the time 10:00 got here, i have already: feed myself and the kiddos, showered, bathed my kids, got dressed, dressed my kids, dried/ straightened my hair (the only reason i did this was b/c my hair needs to be cut so badly i'm running out of options), loaded the kids in the car, loaded 15 boxes into the car, dropped tay off at school, had an impromptu paint consultation in the parking lot of the school, drove to the post office, carried 15 boxes and walker into the post office, mailed 15 boxes while i sat walker on the counter at the post office (i debated the floor but i thought people would judge me), had a conversation  w/ the postal worker about how to be more efficient w/ my mailing and what to do w/ a teething baby (i guess she felt the need to give me advise b/c walker was eating my keys and drooling all over the counter), did a major victory dance when i left the post office b/c i mailed 15 boxes by myself w/ a baby on my hip (i do this every day and it is seriously the most challenging part of my day), drove home, paid the mortgage, gave walker a bottle, put him down for a nap, did a post at the designer's attic, and now i am finally sitting at my desk getting ready to answer emails....thank you lord for providing coffee and work.  i love being a mom and to have work in this economy is a blessing.  i know that all of you moms out there probably go through the same kind of things on a daily basis.  it makes me feel proud.   you should too....try doing a victory dance (i did it to florence + the machine this AM).  it's very powerful.  and everyday when i leave the post office, i say- i did it...all by myself :)

*1st pic taken by taylor (she's 3 and can't quite get the camera in the right position)

Honda 3R-C Concept, 2009

Honda 3R-C Concept, 2009

 

 

The Honda 3R-C Concept, a revolutionary three wheeled battery electric vehicle concept, shows what a future minimal urban transport vehicle for one person might look like. The battery electric drivetrain is mounted low in the three wheeled chassis, therefore keeping the centre of gravity low and thus improving stability.

The Honda 3R-C Concept has a clear canopy that covers the driver's seat while it is parked and not in use. When 3R-C vehicle is in motion, the canopy becomes an enveloping wind-shield that provides the pilot, who sits low in the vehicle, with significant protection from the bodywork and doors.

The high sides of the safety shell seat give greater safety to the occupant, reducing the threat from side impacts and improving weather protection. In front of the driver is a lockable boot area, which gives significant secure storage for luggage or other items. The Honda 3R-C Concept's designers created a flexible cover that surrounds the upper torso to reduce exposure to bad weather and improving comfort.

The Honda 3R-C Concept study was created by European designers working at Honda's Research and Design facility in Milan.

do you ever find a song and it's just totally you....i do it all the time....and then i listen to it on repeat for an entire day and then i am tired of it.  this weekend, this was my song....still not tired of it (but i am probably pushing it).  on a different note, i just got a lulu dk chant pillow on ebay...if you love lulu like i do, check it out (someone needs to buy that twin duvet cover)!!  happy, rainy monday.

*bottom image courtesy of brown dress w/ white dots, the urban farmhouse, kml design, kristen panitch gramercy

yes please.

*images courtesy of pretty stuff, the decorista

my husband totally gets me....he called at lunch and here's our conversation:
me: our house looks like a bomb went off, seriously....i think, i will go into the bedroom and dump out our drawers just to make it look a little better.
hubs: it's awful.
me: i know.  i am suppose to have a play date this afternoon....we are totally going to the park. no one can come into our house.
hubs: if someone knocks on the door, just run outside and start crying and act like we got robbed.
he's a genius :)

*images courtesy of camilles styles, design darling, the alternative bride, traditional home, shelter

i spy...

well, i'm officially off of my sick bed (thank you for the emails checking to make sure that i was not kidnapped by the strange van in my neighborhood...i totally left y'all hanging and i apologize).  i caught some awful bug from walker and have passed it along to just about everyone i know.  so i realize that i was going to show y'all my demilune purchase from scotts (please note: my house is a work in progress) i still need a mirror, lamp, to paint the pot the orchid is in, an entry way light, and i want to have my wallpaper lady cover the outlet w/ leftover wallpaper...but money doesn't grow on trees and i like the process of finding things so that's how i roll :)

and "i spy" isn't fun w/ just one photo, so i thought i would show y'all taylor's headboard...yes, i made it months ago and i forgot to ever show you the full thing....again, not styled....just a made up bed (kind of rare)....her room is also a work-in-progress!!  happy monday y'all!

Honda Accord EX-L Sedan, 2008

Honda Accord EX-L Sedan, 2008

 

The all-new 2008 Honda Accord moves the world of mainstream transportation in a refined, dynamic and sophisticated direction with an expanded range of innovative technologies designed for more power, greater efficiency and enhanced safety across the entire lineup of sedans and coupes.

Completely redesigned for 2008 with increased dimensions for a more spacious interior, the sedan styling theme expresses a powerful presence with sharp and strong character lines. The coupe is further individualized with an aggressive stance and unique proportions that create a muscular, sporty demeanor.

Sedan trim levels range from the well-equipped Accord Sedan LX and plus-featured LX-P (177-horsepower 4-cylinder engine), to the nicely-equipped Accord Sedan EX (190-horsepower 4-cylinder engine or 268-horsepower V-6 engine), to the premium and upscale Accord Sedan EX-L (190-horsepower 4-cylinder engine or 268-horsepower V-6 engine). Coupe trim levels range from the well-equipped Accord Coupe LX-S (190 horsepower 4-cylinder engine), to the nicely-equipped Accord Coupe EX (190-horsepower 4-cylinder engine) to the premium and upscale Accord Coupe EX-L (190-horsepower 4-cylinder engine or 268-horsepower V-6 engine).

Interior
Premium quality with a simple, modern and spacious design describes the philosophy behind the Accord's interior. The larger Accord Sedan total interior volume of 120.0 cubic feet (+3.3 cubic feet compared to 2007) moves the EPA classification from the midsize sedan class to the large sedan class. The additional space is intended to provide "equal" seating comfort for front and rear passengers. Rear legroom of 37.2 inches (+0.4 inches) approaches the impressive second row legroom of the Honda Pilot SUV (37.4 inches). The wider interior (+1.5 inches) allows the front seats to be positioned farther apart to allow for a wide center console more commonly associated with the finest luxury vehicles.
 

Exterior
Intended to convey a prestigious presence, the Accord Sedan embraces a traditional three-box shape that emphasizes both a dynamic and athletic feel with the sophistication of a timeless sedan form. Dimensionally, the Accord Sedan's overall length of 194.1 inches (4-cylinder models, V-6 models add 0.2 inches for front spoiler lip) is 3.0 inches longer than the 2007 model. The width of 72.7 inches is 1.1 inches wider, and the height of 58.1 inches is 0.9 inches taller. Even though the size is larger in every dimension, the vehicle's torsional rigidity has increased by 20 percent as a result of advanced body construction that uses 48 percent high-tensile steel - the most high-tensile steel by volume of any Accord to date. A significant benefit to the advanced body construction is that total vehicle weight increased only by approximately 5 percent despite the larger size, greater rigidity and added features.

The Accord Coupe styling radically breaks from the sedan with a uniquely aggressive image. Its long hood, sleek roofline and muscular lines suggest power and a heightened agility compared to the sedan. Dimensionally, the Accord Coupe's overall length of 190.9 inches is 3.2 inches longer than 2007 model, its width of 72.8 inches is 1.2 inches wider, and its height of 56.4 inches is 0.6 (LX-S) to 0.7 (EX, EX-L) inches higher. Compared to the 2008 Accord Sedan, the Accord Coupe is 3.2 inches shorter in length, 1.7 inches shorter in height and 0.1-inch wider.

Powertrain
All 2008 Accord engines deliver increased horsepower across the board, along with high fuel efficiency and low emissions. In total, these power plants represent the most powerful and advanced technologies of any Accord in history, and are also projected to deliver excellent real-world fuel economy performance. All engines only require regular unleaded fuel. Powertrain highlights include:

    * 2.4-liter, DOHC, i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine (Sedan LX, LX-P)
          o 177 horsepower at 6500 rpm, 161 lb-ft. of torque at 4300 rpm
          o 5-speed automatic transmission or 5-speed manual transmission
          o Estimated EPA fuel economy of 21/31 mpg City/Highway (Sedan, Automatic)
          o PZEV or ULEV-2 emissions
    * Accord Sedan EX, EX-L; Coupe LX-S, EX, EX-L includes:
          o High-flow exhaust system with variable-valve silencer
          o 190 horsepower at 7000 rpm, 162 lb-ft. of torque at 4400 rpm
    * 3.5-liter, SOHC, i-VTEC V-6 engine (Sedan EX V-6, EX-L V-6; Coupe EX-L V-6: 5AT)
          o 268 horsepower at 6200 rpm, 248 lb-ft. of torque at 5000 rpm
          o 5-speed automatic transmission
          o V CM for improved fuel efficiency
          o Estimated EPA mileage of 19/29 mpg City/Highway (Sedan)
          o PZEV or ULEV-2 emissions
    * 3.5-liter, SOHC, VTEC V-6 engine (Coupe EX-L V-6: 6MT)
          o 268 horsepower at 6200 rpm, 248 lb-ft. of torque at 5000 rpm
          o 6-speed manual transmission
          o VTEC provides two intake cam profiles for increased low- and mid-range torque
          o Estimated EPA mileage of 17/25 mpg City/Highway
          o ULEV-2 emissions

randomness...

i didn't sleep well last night....i don't know why....okay, maybe i do.  i saw a beat up van drive down our street, twice.  so at 11:00, i create scenarios of why it was driving down our dead end road.  i hate that about myself.  i am the biggest scaredy cat.  i double check the alarm, peek at the baby monitor, turn on the TV....and pray, a lot, that my scenarios are not real.   maybe i should paint my nails hot pink and that will make it all better.
i went to scotts this past weekend.  i LOVE scotts.  it rocks.  lots of my bff's live in GA.  i always try to meet up w/ them when i go.  this past friday, we all got together for dinner and drinks.  there is nothing like good girlfriends.  we ate at the ivy.  i kept asking if this was the same "ivy" as in LA but no one knew.  i definitely didn't see any celebrities and in my head the ivy was a lot more glamorous in LA.  i woke up on Sat. and made it my job to go to sephora.  that place is like crack (more on that later).  lenox mall didn't open until 10:00 but as i drove, i passed several yard sales....in a high end neighborhood in atl.  so i had to stop.  one lady tried to get me to buy a fox or maybe it was a mink.  i saw this picture and it made me remember....

yep, it was pink like the one above.  i told her i was a mother of two small children and that i had no where to wear something like that.  maybe i should have gotten it....do you think spit up would come out of it easy?
by 10:00, i was at sephora.  hello, that place is super dangerous.  i wanted new foundation.  i got a lady name karen, who pointed out a lot of areas i need to improve on when it comes to makeup.  in my head i hoped to leave looking like this:

but, if for some random reason you are still reading this, remember that i went out the night before w/ my girlfriends.  so i didn't leave looking like this.  instead, i got a lecture on how i shouldn't sleep in my makeup (which i swear, i usually do not do).  and i was convinced that i need to spend a lot of $$ on NARS makeup.  i was even told that i need to do homework...yes, sephora is a store that sells makeup.  my homework was to buy a good eye cream (should i be insulted) and use a mild exfoliator when i wash my face. any recommendations....b/c i was too broke when i left there to get the expensive eye cream!
okay....that is enough randomness...can you tell i have had a lot of coffee this AM!  tomorrow i will show y'all the demilune i bought at scotts!

*images courtesy of moth design, everything fabulous

i wish i could slip on those warm socks, curl up on the sofa and read all my design magazines i haven't had time to catch up on (okay, and maybe one trashy US weekly)....instead i am running around like a crazy woman trying to play catch up (the time change always throws us off)!  i hope y'all are having a happy monday!!!

*images courtesy to sheepish knit crochet, black eiffel, katie fine, design addict mom, lonny, the diversion project

is it spring already?  i'm over winter and rain....

*images courtesy of vogue, house and garden, everly true

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, 2011

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, 2011

The Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible further strengthens Bentley's supercar range, following the introduction of the Bentley Continental Supersports Coupé in 2009. The new Supersports Convertible, with the same 630PS (621bhp/463kW) twin-turbocharged W12 engine, is the fastest, most potent drop-top Bentley has ever built, offering the ultimate Bentley driving experience in the world's most dramatic convertible.

The inspiration for the 'Supersports' name is the 1925 Bentley Supersports, a race-bred version of the iconic Bentley 3-litre, that delivered 85bhp when more ordinary cars were equipped with a modest 15bhp. It was also the first production car to reach 100mph - extreme performance in its day.

The new, muscular four-seat Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible is unmistakably Bentley in its design and craftsmanship but its interiorsignifies a dramatic re-interpretation of Bentley luxury. Satin-finished carbon fibre,Alcantara™and 'Soft Grip' leather create a unique ambience with a distinctly sporting and contemporary style.

All models in the Continental model range, including the new Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible are now capable of running on both petrol (gasoline) and E85 bioethanol or any combination of the two, reaffirming Bentley's ongoing commitment to make all its cars bio-fuel compatible by 2012. Pioneered by the Supersports Coupe, this FlexFuel technology offers a reduction of up to 70 per cent in CO2 emissions on a 'well-to-wheel' basis, a measure of a fuel's net contribution to the atmosphere, not just tailpipe emissions.
Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible

To ensure seamless power delivery, the on-board fuel supply system detects the blending ratio of the fuel in the tank and ensures that power and torque remain constant regardless of the ratio of petrol to biofuel.

The Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible - In Detail
The new Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible is a car that must be driven to be fully understood. Behind the wheel it is immediately clear that a Supersports Bentley is a 'fusion of extremes' - the ultimate in extreme performance, every day practicality and unrivalled hand-crafted luxury.

Bentley's Supersports programme began as an 'under the radar' project exploring the possibilities of weight reduction on the Continental GT Coupé but with more power and torque. The largely experimental project soon crystallised into an official new car programme, driven by the passion and enthusiasm of a small group of Bentley engineers and designers. Now the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible has received the same focus and the results are equally dramatic. Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board, Engineering explains the thinking behind the project:

A highly focussed, pure Bentley driving experience
With 630PS (621bhp) and 800Nm (590lb ft) of torque from its pioneering FlexFuel engine and new 'Quickshift' transmission, the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible is the fastest drop-top Bentley has ever built. It accelerates from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds) and, conditions permitting, can continue onto a top speed of 202mph (325km/h).

The increased power and torque are transmitted to the all-wheel drive system via an uprated and rapid six-speed Quickshift transmission, which more than halves shift times (to just 93 milliseconds) and maximises the new Convertible's enormous potential. The revised gearbox also has the ability to deliver double downshifts (sixth to fourth gear, for example) and improves acceleration across the entire gear range. To cope with the additional power and torque, the planetary gear set of the ZF transmission is also strengthened.

Positive torque during downshifts is achieved through engine and gearbox electronic controller interaction for extra throttle and fuel injection during the overrun. During transmission upshifts, fuel and ignition are cut momentarily to give faster mechanical shift times through torque reduction, also improving shift quality and durability.

The extreme performance of the Bentley Continental Superports Convertible is matched by precise, agile handling, while retaining class-leading levels of ride comfort and refinement. Developed from the GTC Speed, chassis enhancements include retuning of the electronic Continuous Damping Control (CDC) system, stiffer front suspension bushes and uprated rear anti-roll bar. The Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible also shares its ride height with the GTC Speed, sitting 10mm (0.4in) lower at the front and 15mm (0.6in) lower at the rear than the standard GTC.

The front suspension trailing lever features a new design of hydraulic bush, 33 per cent stiffer than those of GTC Speed, for improved steering response while the uprated rear anti-roll bar provides improved body control and turn-in response.

The retuned CDC system provides enhanced control of body movement to strike the optimum balance between agile handling and ride comfort during all driving manoeuvres. Agility is further sharpened by a 40:60 rear-biased torque split for the all-wheel drive system which reduces understeer during hard cornering and allows the experienced driver to modulate the car's line and balance via precise throttle control.

The 9.5Jx20-inch forged alloy wheels, shared with the Supersports Coupé, offer a weight saving of 10kg (22lb) per car, reducing unsprung and rotating mass while the open 10-spoke design offers superior brake cooling. The rear wheels have a 25mm (1 inch) greater offset resulting in a 50mm (2 inches) increase in the rear track, further benefiting handling and stability.

The lightweight wheels are fitted with 275/35 ZR 20 Pirelli Ultra-High Performance tyres, providing excellent steering response. The standard-fit tyre monitoring system allows the driver to select tyres type and speed range parameters. As well as monitoring pressures, the system warns drivers if their speed is too high for the tyre pressures or if tyre speed ratings are exceeded on winter tyres.

The Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible features an advanced electronic stability programme (ESP) that moderates intervention at low speeds, exploiting the potential of the more powerful engine and enhanced chassis, improving driver interaction and control. The new ESP also provides faster reinstatement of engine torque after intervention, giving the spirited driver greater control. The target slip is increased at greater than 90 per cent throttle to utilise all available longitudinal grip. Corner exit agility is thereby also enhanced for increased driver involvement. Together the chassis, tyre and track changes deliver improved grip, turn-in and agility.

Carbon ceramic brakes are standard fitment and provide a reduction in rotating and unsprung mass of 20kg (44lb) from the front axle, benefiting steering response, grip and ride comfort. The large diameter (420mm front, 356mm rear) lightweight discs and eight-piston calipers offer fade-resistant braking performance with minimal disc distortion under high thermal conditions. Pedal feel is also improved with shorter travel, high effectiveness and a precise pressure point.

Designing the 'extreme' Bentley convertible- where form follows function
The evolution of the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible's design is very much a case of form following function, with new purposeful sculptural forms signalling the engineering changes beneath the skin. Key engineering-led design changes to the Supersports include:
    * Revised front air intakes and new bonnet vents to improve airflow and cooling
    * Flared rear wings to accommodate wider rear track
    * Discreet bootlid spoiler benefitting aerodynamic balance at high speeds

The increased power and torque of the W12 engine necessitated an additional 10 per cent airflow to the twin turbocharger intercoolers and cooling system. With extensive use of Computational Fluid Dynamics techniques, Bentley's designers responded with a purposeful and dramatic style, featuring large vertical intake apertures. Twin bonnet vents were added to ensure positive air extraction.

Similarly, all-new flared rear wings that accommodate the 50mm (2 inches) wider rear track are designed to emphasise the powerful stance of this ultra-high performance Convertible. The resultant Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible style combines the looks of the graceful Continental GTC with a wide, low and muscular appearance that reflects its more extreme character.