Thursday, March 31, 2011

March 29, 2011: A Hike Around The Crane Estate






(photos: Chris & I)
Yesterday was so unbelievably beautiful out! Oh what a tease spring was, coming out for only a day. Somehow though all fell into place: Chris was home and my work shift was dropped, the day was ours. Normally I would opt to make a little money, but when days like this are few and far between, I'll take what comes to me. We decided a trip to the Crane Estate in Ipswich was just what we needed. A walk around the sunny grounds, enjoying each others company. Since it's the off season still, and mid-week we were pretty much the only people there. We hiked around, read about the history, and saw five or six deer grazing off one of the foot paths. I can't wait to go back and have a picnic when the flowers are blooming!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

March 28, 2011: Red, White, and Blue (but not in a patriotic way)





Top (dress) c/o ModCloth
Skirt c/o Pulp Vintage
Belt: Vintage ($3)
Shoes: vintage Manolo Blahnik (swapped)
Bracelet: gift
Necklace c/o Noble Town Vintage

It's actually a little cold today, and windy. When will the warm weather make it's appearance? I spent this morning switching over some of my winter stuff to spring clothing, even though it's still cold out, I don't see myself resorting to many wool sweaters in the coming weeks. Isn't it funny how our minds make the seasonal switch even before the weather does? I'm ready for warm days, how about you? One trend I'm totally behind this year- if you can't already tell- are midi and maxi skirts and dresses. I know I mentioned the same thing last week, I think I've surprised myself in how much I'm digging the change. Besides being a welcome difference from my usual minis, longer lengths are just easier. I live in a particularly windy city, come spring and summer, the streets turn into wind tunnels, channeling the ocean breeze into a skirt thwarting menace that garners plenty of appreciation from the town's male population.

Even though it's still a little too chilly for it, I just couldn't wait to style this skirt from Pulp Vintage. It's light and airy, and will be perfect for warmer days. For now I styled it with a lacy ModCloth dress and swapped out my usual high platforms for lower kitten heels. Come summer, I'll don a cropped top and espadrilles. What are you excited to wear this summer?


Chris and I had a hard time finding a good, non-windy spot today. Even longer skirts are no match for this wind:

Monday, March 28, 2011

Over the Weekend: Maine

Did you have a nice weekend? Ours went by way too fast! On Friday Chris and I packed up the car and headed North, our first stop was Portland to see some friends and explore. We went out for seafood, and walked around the Old Port. I had another celebrity sighting too: Fred Armesin and Abby Elliot from SNL (and Portlandia)! We went to one of my favorite vintage stores: Encore!, bought some records (The Ventures and a heavy metal compilation) and some comics (I bought this...). Portland is one of my favorite cities for all of these reasons:





Our second stop was further inland, to my mom's. Only a couple pictures here, she's taking care of my grandparent's dog, so it was a frantic, dog filled two days. It's still very clearly Winter up there, and freezing, so we spent most of our time indoors. Mount Washington is still covered in snow (the second picture is the view driving up the road to my mom's):
I hope you had a great weekend! Happy Monday!

Friday, March 25, 2011

March 25, 2011: Stripes, Leopard, and Khaki

Trench: GAP (Swapped)
Dress: H&M ($? old)
Belt: Vintage ($3?)
Tights: We Love Colors
Bag: Coach ($6 thrift)
Sunnies: Ray Ban ($60 TjMaxx)
I love outfits like this, comfortable and cool and comprised of my favorite things: leopard print and stripes. It's funny how well the two go together, considering how extreme they are. In fact, this week seems to have been all about breaking the fashion "rules": A maxi dress on a short girl, Blue and black worn together, and mixed patterns. Do you believe in fashion "rules"? I don't, at least not anymore, too much time is wasted on worrying whether colors match, whether wearing white shoes in winter is faux pas, and if you can wear a floral and stripe together. I say, go for it! If it looks intentional, people won't notice, and they probably won't care either. I declare leopard a neutral! Speaking of which, I've been on the hunt for a pair of leopard flats for what seems like forever, and I've finally found the pair! They remind me a little of Audrey Hepburn, a little demure with the cute bow.

My hair is what happens when you're outside in freezing temperatures teaching simple machines to fifth graders. I've been volunteering at the Shipbuilding Museum for the past two days and the weather has been less than ideal. When I got home yesterday afternoon my hair was one giant knot after being whipped around by the wind, so this is my lemonade out of lemons hairstyle. When all else fails, make a bun. These pictures probably make it seem like the weather was nice, believe me it wasn't until about 5 o'clock. It was raining, then snowing, then sleeting, all while remaining an unsavory 30 something degree.

A couple of readers asked what it is I do at the museum, I'm an educational volunteer. Lately I've been running the ship themed scavenger hunt, but I'm learning how to teach Simple Machines and the Steam Box. (This is not what I wear when I'm there)

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

March 23, 2011: Khaki, Navy, and Brown

Trench: Forever 21 ($19)
Belt: J.Crew Outlet (gift)
Necklace: Vintage ($5)
Tights: American Apparel
Like yesterday's dress, this little number has been hanging on my wall for a few weeks now, waiting for the warmer weather to show it's face. Well, that warmer weather seems to be a little gun shy, so I'm forcing it. And can I tell you, if there's one thing I'm sick of more than cold, it's tights. I probably sound like a broken record, because all I want is to just slip on some flip flops and go, not think about how many layers I need today. Anyways, I love this outfit, the animal print makes me happy, like I'm wearing animal crackers. I can't wait to pair this double strap dress with cool wedges and a straw hat this summer.

I'm volunteering at the museum again this morning and then my Mom is visiting this afternoon, so I'm going to keep things short. Are you having a good week?

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

March 22, 2011: Blue, Black, and Gold

Silk top: Vintage (gift)
Necklaces: Black Sparrow and H&M
Shoes: Forever 21 ($13)
This dress from Lulu's has been burning a hole in my proverbial pocket for about a month now, why can't spring come sooner? The weather for the past few days has been beyond miserable, it snowed all day yesterday, and is just gloomy today. I am pining for the days where I can wear a simple dress and sandals, until then however I have to find more creative ways of covering up. This vintage crop top is one of my favorite items of clothing, it definitely is underutilized in my closet. I liked how it looked with the sheer pleats of my dress. I have to say, I'm completely convinced by maxi and midi dresses lately. If you find the right length they can even make shorter girls look tall (think Rachel Zoe), and I like how I'm getting some length variety in my closet. Not just all minis now. How do you feel about maxi dresses? Love them? Hate them?

I went with simple accessories (excuse the lint- our apartment is static hell):

Monday, March 21, 2011

Over the Weekend: Buddy Brunch

What's better than Sunday morning brunch? Sunday morning (afternoon) brunch with friends! Chris and I drove out to Worcester yesterday and met up with some of our favorite people, for food and an incredibly lazy afternoon:
(yes, those are brunch signs)
(I LOVE this picture)
(Chris is completely blind here)
It was a really great afternoon. Chris and I had a rather stressful Saturday, after having some unexpected things thrown our way, and being close to friends and doing nothing but eating food was exactly what the doctor ordered. Do you like the photo-booth Punky set up? She got the streamers at a car dealership supply store, I didn't even know such a thing existed!
Thank you Punky and Adam for hosting us and for the photos!

(Hey, it's the first day of Spring!)

Friday, March 18, 2011

I like food.

Let me preface this post by saying: It's wordy, there's only one picture, and it's really different from my usual style/fashion posts. It's about food, specifically what I eat, so if i sound high and mighty, it's not intentional. I also don't claim to be an expert. Also, I'm not a vegetarian, but I used to be (explaining the veg and vegan collection below). I'm certainly no expert at taking food shots outside of a studio, so here's a picture of my cookbooks:
(recently added to my cookbook collection: The Enchanted Broccoli Forrest & Mad Hungry and I highly recommend all of them)
As I mentioned recently (now a few weeks ago), I had a reader ask me about my diet after reading back in my posts and seeing my weightloss. Since I started blogging back in the summer of 2009, I've lost about 15-20 pounds. I didn't set out to lose weight, nor did I intentionally put myself on a diet, the catalyst for my weight-loss was finding out that I had arthritis and bone spurs in my knees, caused by years of untreated sports injuries (I ran track and was a competitive snowboarder throughout high school) and hereditary joint issues. Hearing that I may need to have knee replacement surgery by the time I'm 30 (three years from now, que uncomfortable, nervous squirming) really made me get my ass in gear, I was determined to get in shape and change my habits. I had recently started running, but the impact was too damaging for my joints and made my knees swell to the size of large grapefruits, instead I started going to the gym, and healthy eating habits just naturally followed. I find that eating well is a lot easier when I'm exercising as well, the two kind of help each other out. It was a long process, getting healthy, and is definitely something I'm still working on. But I feel happy about how I treat my body, and I feel great. Without getting too personal I've also dealt with anxiety and ADD, and I've found that exercise and healthy eating does WONDERS for your mental health. Like I said, I do not claim to be an expert, but this is what works for me:

Breakfast:
I love breakfast, it's hands down my favorite meal of the day. And I'll preach till the sun goes down that it's also the most important. I know, everybody says that. But on days when I don't eat breakfast, I find myself listless, I make poor decisions about what I eat, and I can't concentrate, I also usually get a headache. For breakfast, I focus on getting a lot of protein and fiber. I love whole wheat english muffins, so breakfast usually centers around those.

Some english muffin combinations I like:
All natural peanut butter (I like Teddy brand), banana, honey, and cinnamon (substitute apple for banana, or 100% cocoa for honey); Egg, cheddar, sauteed or steamed vegetables (mushrooms, onions, greens); Egg and ham; Hardboiled egg

If there are vegetables or meats from the night before , I'll try to incorporate those by making an omelet or scrambled eggs. They add vitamins and proteins. I use olive oil if I'm making eggs or stir-frying, avoiding the use of butter. However, if I DO use butter, I use real butter. People have different opinions on butter vs. spreads, but I go with what has fewer artificial and processed ingredients and just eat less of it.

With breakfast I have coffee with half and half and a little agave nectar (find it in the natural foods section of the grocery store), and a small glass of orange juice to wash down my vitamins.

Vitamins:
I take a high quality fish oil (omega-3), which is good for everything, including joint health and mental health. I also take vitamin D, which is good for keeping you happy, especially in the winter when the days are short and dark and you're not getting as much sun as usual. I'll occasionally take a glucosamine/chondroitin vitamin for arthritis, but those you have to take three times a day or else they're pointless and I never remember to take them. I get my vitamins at a local health food store, A New Leaf.

Lunch:
Unlike breakfast, I don't like lunch. I try to keep it light, in the winter I'll have soup (making sure there are as many veggies in that soup as possible) or a greek yogurt with granola, and raisins with carrot sticks and hummus on the side. In warmer months I like really elaborate salads, mixed greens with everything piled on top: avocado, carrot, black beans, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, and anything else in the fridge. I try to not use any salad dressing, instead I opt for hummus or homemade tabouleh. However, if I do feel like dressing, I like Annie's Goddess Dressing (found in the natural foods aisle).

I avoid heavy carbs mid-day because I noticed that when I ate something like a bagel or pizza for lunch, I was ready to take a nap right after.

Snack:
That 2 o'clock slump got you down? Have a snack! I like something light, preferably fruits or veggies and maybe some healthy-fat rich nuts like almonds, that won't put you in a food coma. I also like apple and peanut butter and a couple of cheddar slices, carrot sticks and hummus, celery and peanut butter with raisins, or a greek yogurt (if I didn't already have one for breakfast or lunch).

Dinner:
Our dinners vary but I like to incorporate as many vegetables as possible, and if we're having grains, I like them to be whole. We usually do pizza once a week, with lots of vegetables on top. Other than that, it varies by season: In the late spring and summer, we grill a lot of our food (grilled chicken, burgers, barbeque), with grilled veggies, and salad. In the fall, we eat a lot of late vegetables, like squash, dark greens (kale, swiss chard), with quiche and casserole-type dishes. And in winter to early spring, we like soup, good bread, root vegetables, and pasta dishes. We pay attention to what looks good in the produce section of the grocery store, and what's in season (and what's cheap).

Drink:
Lots of water! I found that the best method for me to get enough water, is to keep a water-bottle next to my desk. I like a clear one, so I can see how much I've drank. I also like seltzer, orange juice in the morning, coffee in the morning, mint green tea, and apple cider. We don't buy much soda or fruit juices (other than orange), sometimes Chris brings something home, but I try not to drink it because of the sugar. I do like beer and will usually have one every other night or so.

Last words:
In the end what I think is important is to focus on making healthy decisions, when I find myself hunting in the pantry for food, I try to slow myself down and say "Don't just go for the crackers and cheese, you have carrots, peppers, and humous in the fridge". But I think it's important not to deprive myself either, if I don't allow myself a little indulgence every once and awhile I'll go crazy and eat like a maniac. I'll have a cookie, or a bowl of ice cream and not allow myself to stress over it.

Anyways, for those of you who were wondering, there it is. I don't know if anyone would have any questions, but i would be happy to answer them in either the comment section or facebook or twitter. I'm planning on another post dedicated to my workout routine and arthritis within the next couple of weeks. Have a great weekend!

Art notes: Another way to help


If you haven't already donated to help the victims of last Friday's earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan, or are looking for more ways to help, 20X200 has released two limited edition prints to benefit the relief efforts. The two prints, by Emily Shur and Joseph Holmes, are available in three different sizes at $20, $50, and $200 price points. All net proceeds generated by the sale of these two limited edition prints will go to support the Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund. Both artists donated these images in support of the relief, I haven't decided if i want both or just one, they're both so beautiful.

You can also donate to the Red Cross or text REDCROSS to 90999 to instantly donate $10 to the organization.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

March 17, 2011: Blue, grey, and plum

Sweater: J.Crew (sale)
Club collar shirt: AA
Skirt: J.Crew
Belt: GAP ($3 sale)
Tights: TjMaxx ($?)
Shoes: Charlotte Ronson ($60 ebay)
Spyglass necklace: Essex Shipbuilding Museum ($8)
So this is my work outfit that I put together yesterday (I mentioned it in this morning's post). I rarely pick out my clothes the day before (so, so rarely) but yesterday as I was picking up my half of the bedroom and threw these on the bed together and it serendipitously made sense. Because it's still not warm enough to go sans tights, I added some sheer grey tights and swapped out the brown belt for purple. I love grey and purple together. All in all I like how it came together, but it definitely felt like a work outfit, which isn't necessarily bad but lately I feel as though my tastes have been straddling the preppy look and something slightly more bohemian. I don't really have a problem with dressing a million different ways, I think that's the whole point of fashion and style. Do you have one specific style you stick to, or do you like to switch it up? Both outfits this week are work outfits, I love that I can wear casual clothes to work, it makes getting ready SO much easier!

Chris and I both have the afternoon off, so we're headed out to a late lunch, it's beautiful out! I think it's officially the nicest day we've had yet this year, 60 degrees and sunny. The windows are open, the cats have spring fever (racing around the house like maniacs), and everything smells like spring! Have an AMAZING afternoon! xo