2014 / TEAM STARNES

Scenes from a Heavenly Sunset in Gordes, France

23 Dec 2014

We arrived at the small hillside village of Gordes right before sunset. I intended on spending the remaining sunlight meandering around the inside of the village walls, but I quickly realized there was something else on my radar.

The above photo is basically the only photo I captured while inside the walls... Oops!

I was drawn away from the village and into the outskirts of town. I was looking for a view—a view that I had seen before, and a view that I wanted to see for myself.

Why Cassis Should be on your 2015 Bucket List

15 Dec 2014

Cassis, a small coastal village in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of the South of France, is located just 30 miles east of Marseille. If you are coming from Nice, it will take you at least two hours to get there, but I promise it's worth the drive. Whether you're an adventure-seeker, hardcore explorer, seasoned traveler, easy-going tourist, foodie or lazy sunbather— Cassis has something to pique your interest.

By now, most of you have seen (or heard) me gushing about Cassis, France. Whether it's a snip-it or two on my Instagram or my post reminiscing about its winding streets, it's pretty obvious that I'm all about Cassis right now... And you should be too!

TEAM UPDATE: Post-Move / Pre-Holiday Edition

14 Dec 2014

Hey y'all! We're enjoying a relaxing afternoon here in Aberdeen, so I figured what better time for a TEAM UPDATE!

J and I have been in Aberdeen two weeks and five days. Things are good. I've been enjoying life in our temporary housing—plush king-size bed (American queen), nice BIG flat-screen TV with comfy couch, amazing shower and bath with great water pressure, dishwasher—all things that were nonexistent at our London flat.

A Stroll Around the Town of Stonehaven

11 Dec 2014

This wasn't my first rodeo in Stonehaven. I wouldn't say we're friends yet (more like acquaintances), but my Aunt and I came through for lunch last year after exploring Dunnottar Castle, so I already knew what the town was about.

You know, thinking back to that first trip to Stonehaven, my Aunt pulling into the harbor—which, please do very carefully because you could meet an untimely death by driving off a ledge into water—I remember being immediately taken aback by it's authenticity. I mean, for real y'all, I don't think I've ever encountered a real fishing village before. So cute, so quaint, so quiet, I knew this was a place I wanted to visit again.

It's funny how things work out. Who knew we would end up so close?

Exploring the East Coast of Scotland

8 Dec 2014

The weather was nice this past week; barely any rain and plenty of time to explore without the annoyances of rain boots, parka and an umbrella in tow... Since the weather had been holding up, James and I decided to take advantage and make a spur of the moment road trip down the east coast of Scotland.

2014 Holiday Gift Guide for Her

6 Dec 2014

jcrew plaid vest // karl donoghue earmuffs // jamie oliver comfort food cookbook // h&m chunky-knit tube scarf // hunter high heel chelsea boots // madewell always turtleneck sweater // jo malone lime basil & mandarin home candle // jcrew plaid flannel pajamas // jcrew passport case

I hope everyone gets what they want this holiday season!

Cheers!

xx, Team Starnes

A Tour Through Blogland Team Starnes Style

3 Dec 2014

The lovely Yalanda from Laugh Anyway nominated me to participate in the Tour Through Blogland a couple weeks ago (I had to push it back because of the move), so without further ado, here is a little insight into the behind the scenes at Team Starnes!

What are you working on?

Currently, I am working on curating my South of France posts, exploring my new city and nearby villages in Scotland and, of course, a few design collages—just because they're fun! It's likely the blog will take a backseat until after the new year; in between house-hunting, exploring my new city and traveling home for the holidays, there's a lot going on—just sayin'!

Aberdeen, Scotland: Welcome to the Granite City

1 Dec 2014

Christmas in London

21 Nov 2014

Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red

14 Nov 2014

888,246 ceramic poppies. Each poppy represent a soldier's life lost during the First World War.

Of course, I waited until the very last minute to visit the poppies at the Tower of London—and I paid the price for it.

A few things: It was über crowded. It was raining. The Lord's Mayor Show was the same day. Public transportation was all jacked-up and diverted, ANDDD on top of everything else, it was the last Saturday of the installation, so EVERYONE and their mother (or just other procrastinators like me) were trying to catch a glimpse—or take a photoshoot—of the amazing Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation.

Inside the Streets of Cassis, France

12 Nov 2014

When James' co-worker (a lovely French woman, who holidays in the South of France) told him that we "had to visit Cassis," I basically took it as the word of God and penciled it right in! Of the four days we spent exploring the South of France, Cassis is probably the one place that I wish we had spent more time. All in all, we only had about four or five hours in the area, but apparently that was all we needed to fall in love with this charming little coastal village.

A Madewell Christmas— My Bratty 2014 X-MAS List

9 Nov 2014

You can find ALLLLLLL of these items on Madewell.com.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am utterly obsessed with J-crew's bad-ass sister store, Madewell. SERIOUSLYYY. EVERY. TIME. I think about the fact that I reside on an island that doesn't have a Madewell, I die a little bit inside, but luckily for me—not my husband—Team Starnes is making a trip home for the holidays and I will soon be reunited with my old friend/"spirit-store."

I love everything about Madewell. The denim, the patterns, the fabrics, specifically the outerwear—it's just so damn cool! I would love to cuddle and hoard every. single. last. piece of their 2014 Fall and Winter collection, but with our upcoming move to Scotland, I am tryinggg to be practical. This year, I am looking for warm, wearable and utilitarian pieces. Obviously, there are many options to choose from, but in order to make this post "blog-friendly", I just chose the first things that jumped out at me.

Creating this post was easy, but I will certainly have a much harder time making selections in the dressing room... I'm so antsy to see all of my old friends again! And I hope they still remember my name!

#myhusbandisveryscared

The Essence of the South of France

7 Nov 2014

J had an opportunity to get away from the office for a few days, so we decided to book a last minute holiday—a 'London-moon', if you will. We considered a couple different places, but the perfect forecast and unusually high temperatures in the South of France solidified our choice.

10 Ways to Fall in LOVE with Santorini, Greece

5 Nov 2014

Hey guys! This post was originally written for and posted over at Guten Blog Y'all, so it might look familiar to those of you who follow along with Margo, but here is it again, just incase you missed it!

We all know that Santorini is a beautiful place, but for the more adventurous traveler, let's pump up the volume! Shall we?

Three More Weeks

3 Nov 2014

I can't believe it's come down to our last weeks in London.

Officially, our Islington lease is up December 1, but we plan to be up in Aberdeen the week prior. We haven't nailed down flights, BUT—James and I—will be enjoying a pint—in a local pub—in Aberdeen, Scotland—in approximately three weeks.

My bets are on November 25th.

It's so weird. I'm excited and anxious, yet only slightly stressed (surprisingly)—all the standard emotions involving moving—but I just don't think it's truly hit me.

James keeps telling me, "If there is something you want to do in London, you need to do it now."

I just kinda blankly stare back at him. What do I want to do? What do I still want to see?

I mean, you can live in London your whole life and still never see everything...

I had all intentions of dominating this city; exploring every last alleyway and shop, yet I have fallen so, so short. It's so easy to fall into a routine, make excuses, or say "I'll do it tomorrow."

So, these next three weeks, they gotta count. No excuses.

The time is now. Because if I don't do it now, then when?

***

An update to our Stateside friends and family: We will likely be Stateside mid-December through the first of the year. We will be splitting our time between Charlotte and several other NC cities. Please contact me so that we can make sure to see everyone while we are home!

This photo was taken by Alex Hering.