Summer Breezed By.

Well my darlings, the summer is quickly coming to a close, at least the more relaxing portion is, but I wanted to give you an update on how my goals for the summer panned out. I did in fact accomplish most of what I set out to do, and for the things I did not finish, I certainly gave them a whirl. So here is the list and I hope that you all got to fulfill your wishes for the summer as well. xoxo

1. Sew Aprons.

This one took a while, but was certainly the most fulfilling. I made them for three of my sweet friends who just moved into a beautiful blue house together. They made a nice pancake and waffle breakfast the other day for our friends and they wore their aprons, so cute.

2. Go to Labels Frequently.

For those of you that live in the Atlanta area who have not heard of Labels and I have not told you about it, I am deeply sorry I have wronged you. I am sorry because this is the best designer consignment shop in Buckhead. I have found so many great things at Labels since I heard about it in January and it is definitely a shop worth exploring. Since going there, my sister has found a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo shoes for next to nothing and I have found a handmade Kimono in the sale section and a Yves Saint Laurent couture gown (which I kick myself for not getting) for a mere $300. Straight from the runway in Paris. Crazy. So these are two of my finds. The top shoes hold a striking resemblance to my beloved Stubbs so I felt obliged to buy them.

Just go. That is all I have to say.

3. Read like Mad.

Okay. This one I have a good excuse for. I began to read these fantastic classics with every intention of finishing them, but they were just soooo booring. F. Scott has written much better stories than This Side of Paradise. The Great Gatsby I could handle, but other than the ivy league life that awaited Amory Blaine, there were no redeeming qualities in the book to keep me awake. Brave New World, a little too much like all of the other futuristic books written in the first half of the 20th century. It just reeked of thoughts about a dim future and I am already reminded of that in the news as it is. As for you Mr. Joyce, another day my friend, we shall meet another day and I am sure you will not daunt me so. Also in the stack pictured above is the Diving Bell and the Butterfly. That one I liked. The story was compelling and the imagery was fantastic. Bravo, Monsieur Bauby, you are remembered and loved.

4. Learn to play these instruments: Harmonica, guitar, banjo.

This one I did not take advantage of as much as the others. I did try my hand at the harmonica and can play a mean solo of "Piano Man" and also some bluesy tunes, but that is the extent of it. I didn't learn the other two, but I did find a really cool looking banjo pin in my mom's jewelry box and I consider that an accomplishment in and of itself. This is just a picture of me in Charleston serenading a bird with my harp.

5. Be employed.

I had the grand opportunity to work at J. Crew this summer. My coworkers were fantastic as was my manager Terry pictured above. He is a perfect example of a refined modern gentleman and I am so honored to be a part of the J. Crew family.

6. Grow Longer Hair by eating peanut butter (protein!).

Well, fortunately even without gorging myself on peanut butter, my hair did grow. Hooray!

7. Take more pictures and make a movie.

I did take a LOT of pictures and boy was it fun to take them! I went on loads of adventures with family and friends and I couldn't ask for more. Here are the videos I made this summer and there are more to come so stay tuned!

Well, that concludes the list and I suppose this post concludes the summer. I start my fall classes tomorrow and I am onto a whole new list of goals to accomplish. Here's to starting fresh and accomplishing dreams.

The Destin Nation.

Well, I've at least marked one thing off of my summer list. I accomplished #7, make a video. Now the video isn't very long, but I tried to incorporate some cool elements. The color palate is mainly blue and green and then I have a pop of red in every shot. Sounds a little like Amélie, no? It's sort of hauntingly beautiful with the song, but I feel they come together well. (Oh and the couple towards the end were my mom and dad, so I promise I'm not being a creeper.) So here it is. No purpose, no message, just glimpses into the more captivating moments of my trip to the beach. Enjoy.

The song is Alanson, Crooked River by Sufjan Stevens.

the destin nation from Joanna Sullivan on Vimeo.

Beachy Keen.

Nothing quite beats a good day at the beach. I have gotten to spend this week with my family in Seaside and Destin, Florida and boy is it lovely! There are so many brightly clad children and everything seems to be cast in hues of blue and tan. One place that is especially fun to visit is Modica's Market, which has to-die-for red velvet cake and was frequently featured in the movie the Truman Show. Next door to the market is the quaint Sundog Books which is one of my favorite parts of Seaside, and upstairs is the extensive record library of Central Square Records. There were hundreds of gems like the latest from Coconut Records, good stuff. Overall, you simply must visit this part of Florida, just prepare your eyes for the perfection of what will be your new favorite sea haven.

Quail, Vogue, and DVF.

This has been by far one of the best weekends of my life. It all happened by chance really.I happened to have a conference with my school newspaper on the weekend after my birthday and it just happened to be in Athens where my sister Elaina goes to school. So, I came down to see her on Friday and we had the most fun filled adventures. She was busy at her internship that afternoon so I got the privilege of getting to explore downtown in the blustery rain. Despite the bad weather, I enjoyed the wonders of Toula's, which houses beautiful pieces from all around the world, like their Moroccan chandelier and their 19th century French dress form. This is probably the best decorating shop destination in all of Athens and it's right in the heart of downtown.

Toula's Home, Garden, and Gift

So I scurried in the cold in my bright red trench coat and brown galoshes to a few other stops like McColly's and then met up with the sis for our dreamy 4 star dinner at the National. To die for. I had my first encounter with quail in a light butter sauce with cranberries and arugula. I felt like I should have been listening to the No Reservations soundtrack while eating to thoroughly appreciate it.

The National

Next was birthday present time! And what was my gift from my sister but the Vogue tome called "In Vogue". A splendid book, the most elaborate and special I have ever received. I am looking at it this very moment and am still giddy about it.

From there we got to explore Athens historic home district while listening to the tunes of the Kate Spade CD (you must listen to it). We got to see a really cool friend's house and all of her beautiful oil paintings. It was breathtaking! The house is lovely and Victorian with wooden beam ceilings and Bible verses taped all over the walls. It was the most life filled home I've even been in! This event was followed by an inspiring trip to the bookstore and a quick trip to the local market Krögure.

The center picture is called "Intercessor" by my friend who

is a senior at the University of Georgia.

The next morning, after my newspaper conference, Elaina took me to this lovely place for brunch called Mamma's Boy. I got the warm peach french toast which is my official favorite and Elaina got the omelet with smoked grits.

Last fall at Mamma's Boy receiving pointe shoes from the American Ballet Company (hence the face)

Then she quickly showed me her art building and all of the cool artwork in it. Very modern and sleek, needless to say, a well designed building is a happy building.

Univeristy of Georgia's Lamar

Dodd School of Art

Our last stop before we were forced to part ways was a little store called Blonde which was having a big sale. Here I found the icing on top of the cake of my already wonderful birthday weekend. A cheetah print Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress perfect for a winterview and was a shocking 75% off. Unheard of. So as a kind birthday gesture to my already spoiled self, I splurged. That in a nutshell was my inspiring weekend. Now I am back at my small school typing in a slightly drab dorm room dreaming of all my happy thoughts.

Sources 1, 2, 3

Urban Renewal.

Garden Theatre in 1919

The theatre present day

I want you to ask yourself a very important question: if you had your very own version of the 7 wonders of the world, what would they be? Well, a few years ago I discovered one of my own "wonders" in a lovely renovated theatre that was converted into an Urban Outfitters. This theatre is called the Garden Theatre located on King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. This was my fourth visit to the store and needless to say it is lovely. The former backstage is now used as a dressing area and the balcony is used as the sale and art section. The molding is out of this world and the chandeliers are stunning enough to make you fall back into one of the store's ornate vintage settees. Now mind you, this is not the only grand attraction that should bring you to this city. Practically all of the best restaurants in the south are located here. Nothing can compare to places like Poogan's Porch (a favorite spot of Giada de Laurentiis) and FIG (given the 2009 James Beard award). Also, the whole of King Street is an excellent shopping area including the most hospitable Louis Vuitton you have ever been to, a homey Ralph Lauren, a hotspot for Italian leather at Farushga shoes, and of course the innovative Japanese inspired Worthwhile. By visiting Charleston, you will be captivated by the old charm of the cobblestone streets, but refreshed by the modernization of the city as well. Visit and be invigorated.

Elaina and I next to an old house covered in vines

on the streets of Charleston next to some

very lovely vintage bicycles

Photo