All Summer in a Day

Outfit Details:

Dress from Buffalo Exchange

Isabel Toledo for Payless shoes

Vintage scarf from Beacon's Closet

Vintage sunglasses & ring from Day-Lab

Have you ever read Ray Bradbury's short story All Summer in a Day? If you haven't, you should. I think it was one of the most emotionally disturbing things I ever read as a child. Our house was always full of books, many of them handed down from family friends with kids around my age or a bit older. For some reason, there were a few text books scattered among the collection. One of them was an English book that contained this story. I vividly remember reading it for the first time in the basement. I cried. Yes, it was that traumatic. I didn't do much better with the repeated readings year after year. Piqued your interest? Now you want to read it too? I was able to find it online, but (fair warning) it's in comic sans. If you're like me, comic sans makes you want to puke. Please try to look beyond this and read the story. It's quite short, so your comic sans pain will be minimal. It's the emotional distress of the story that will stick with you...

Sunday Style

Outfit Details:

NYLON x Urban Outfitters top from Buffalo Exchange

Seriously old Paris Blues jeans cut into shorts from who knows where

Tights from Target

Hair bow/scarf from Beacon's Closet

Sunglasses from Brick Lane Market in London

Glitter shoes from Strawberry

So this is what I wore on Sunday to hunt down bagels and run errands. Sorry it took so long to post; I was busy at the Mets/Reds game last night at Citi Field. It was a great game, with the Reds (go Cincy!) coming out on top after 13 innings (!).

I love the artwork on this shirt drawn by illustrator Noah Butkus. I can't fully explain why I'm so drawn to this image...there's just something so late 1960's band poster illustration about it that I can't resist. All the strange, disjointed figures melding into each other, no telling where one begins and another ends. So enigmatic!

Note: I have dead eyes in that first photo. Tyra would not approve.

The Island

Outfit Details:

Vintage dress from Beacon's Closet

Vintage vest from Goodwill

Tights from We Love Colors

Altama Army boots from Goodwill

Bracelet from a museum shop in St John, New Brunswick

Matt and I headed to Roosevelt Island for a meeting yesterday and decided to take photos there for a change of scenery. "The Island", as our colleague who lives there calls it, is a very strange place. Located in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, it's only accessible by one subway line (the F train) and the Roosevelt Island Tramway. I haven't taken the tram there yet, but it seems like it might be fun. It's also home to multiple hospitals, including an old abandoned small pox hospital. You didn't hear it from me, but it's actually really fun to find your way through the fence and explore the ruins. Just look out for falling bits of building!

Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again

Outfit Details:

Forever 21 dress & necklace from Beacon's Closet

Sweater from Wet Seal

Leggings & cuff from H&M

Soda boots from Shoe Carnival ($5 clearance table many years ago)

Belt from some other dress

Today offered one of those gloomy, rainy mornings that make it almost impossible to get out of bed. But get out of bed I did, and I took myself and my crap mood to work. Luckily my spirits were quickly lifted by having 90's day at my desk with a little help from Spotify. There's nothing that the combination of Elastica, the Clueless soundtrack, No Doubt, Smashing Pumpkins, and the Breeders can't overcome! The rain even slowed down to a trickle just in time for my commute home, giving Matt and I some time to take pictures. Plus, how can you be grumpy with such a fun umbrella?

In a Van Down by the River

Outfit Details:

Vintage shirt purchased at a party at a band's practice space many years ago

Levi's jean shorts from Buffalo Exchange

AK Ann Klein boots from Beacon's Closet

Vintage purse from Beyond Retro in London

Leather cuff from H&M

Hanes tights

What an amazingly gorgeous weekend we just had! I couldn't get over all the sunshine and cool (but not too cold) temps. Matt and I decided to head down to Brooklyn Flea on Saturday, more to enjoy a walk than anything else. Well, we were looking for a large Corningware mixing bowl to replace the one I broke in the sink, but no luck. We were keeping an eye out for good photo locations as we went and there was this Volkswagon, right in our path. I could picture my sixteen year old self freaking out about how awesome it was. This was pretty much my dream car (or should I say van?) when I was a teenager. And...it was on a street DOWN BY THE RIVER! Hmmm...it also made me realize that I need to find some lime green tights. I guess it's time to do my yearly legwear shopping on We Love Colors.

Red Legs

Outfit Details:

Vintage dress from Salvation Army

Flannel shirt & bracelet from Target

Tights by Hue

Ring from the Bust Holiday Craftacular (I can't remember who made it)

Dilapidated silver shoes from Buffalo Exchange (RIP-the sole is falling off)

I wore this for our little get together Saturday night. It's finally cooling down enough to have people over to our place--it can get pretty intense in a 3rd floor apartment in the summer without proper a/c! Plenty of brandy, apple cider, and cheese was consumed so I consider the party a success. Oh, and a delicious citrusy beet salad. And these salted brown butter rice crispy treats from Smitten Kitchen. You're going to want to go ahead and make those now. I'm not kidding, they are AMAZING! We may or may not have had a heated discussion about social media and played the most pre-planned, set-out-the-rules-before-we-start-to-avoid-arguments-while-playing round of the hat game as well too.
We just got discount tickets to see the Mets vs Reds (Cincinnati, holla!) at Citi Field in about a week, inspiring this blog title. More on that later...

Countin' Flowers on the Wall

Outfit Details:

Vintage skirt and sunglasses from Buffalo Exchange

Tank top from American Apparel

Sweater from Wet Seal

Scarf from Beacon's Closet

Altama Army boots from Goodwill

I never noticed all the amazing colorful walls in the industrial area near my apartment until I started this blog. Now I find myself going out of my way to walk down West St and look at all of the interesting details on the buildings. Scouting photo locations has really opened my eyes during my commute.  I'm one of those people who usually walks around with my ipod on, tunnel vision fully in place, and a rapid pace taking me from point A to point B. I'm starting to learn that I need to take time to really see what's around me!
I wore this to run errands with Matt this morning. We're having a little get together tonight and needed to hit the grocery and stock up on some party essentials (aka cheese). Fold up granny shopping cart not pictured.

Friday Night Brights

Outfit Details:

Vintage sweater & blouse from Goodwill

Pants & cuff from H&M

Dr Martens boots from Zappos

Fall has blown into NYC with a vengeance. Yesterday it was warm, today it was time to layer! The grayish sky made me want to cheer up with some bright colors, and these yellow industrial garage doors near my apartment were the perfect background. I'm so excited to start busting out my boots, tights, sweaters, and all my other fun fall clothes!

You Are What You Eat: Rustic Baguette

Easier to make than paratha, but more time consuming--french bread! The fact that it's a yeast bread means that you have to wait through two rising times, once when the dough is in a big ball and again once you form it into baguettes. Totally worth the two hours or so it takes from beginning to end. This was a great compliment to Matt's amazing broccoli lasagna. I just finished dinner and I'm kind of getting hungry again just thinking about it!

Summer Slipping Away

Outfit Details:

Vintage dress from Beyond Retro in London

Shoes from Rainbow

Sunglasses from Day-Lab

Cuff from H&M

Bag from Beacon's Closet

I got the feeling that yesterday was going to be one of the last really warm summer days before fall starts to settle in. What better way to celebrate than by wearing one of my favorite vintage finds ever, this awesome summery halter dress I bought in London? Matt and I grabbed bagels from Syrena Bakery and headed over to the Fred Flare sample sale. I have to say, I truly miss not living close to Syrena anymore. They really have the best bagels in Greenpoint. We were there late enough in the day that we didn't have to deal with the masses of people buying insane amounts of bread either. No line! Fred Flare was pretty picked over by the time we got there, but I did manage to find some Mountain Dew Code Red lip balm for $1--score! Also, I couldn't resist leaping over the many (oily) puddles left over from all the rain we had earlier this week.

The Cloisters

Outfit Details:

Vintage skirt from Buffalo Exchange

Top from H&M

Shoes from Rainbow

Necklace & bracelet from Beacon's Closet

Vintage sunglasses from Day-Lab

I took a trip to the Cloisters yesterday since it finally stopped raining. It's a bit of a journey to reach up at the top of Manhattan in Fort Tryon Park, but it's totally worth it. Lot's of medieval art in an amazing building with gorgeous gardens. Plus the Unicorn Tapestries, which may have been my favorite part. I know I look kind of crabby and sour in the first picture, but really, I was having fun! They even had a garden full of edible plants and herbs (I'm demonstrating the edibility on the collard greens).

The Circle of Life

Outfit Details:

Vintage dress from Beacon's Closet

Hat from Buffalo Exchange

Altama Army boots from Goodwill

Bag from H&M

Cuff from Buffalo Exchange & ring from Day-Lab

I wore this on a fall shopping outing to Buffalo Exchange today. Sold some stuff I didn't wear anymore, and came home with three awesome new skirts and a metallic sweater. Buffalo Exchange, Beacon's Closet, and now Crossroads Trading Co, all within walking distance of my apartment. Sell the old stuff, buy the "new"...that's my fashion circle of life!

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You Are What You Eat: Paratha

I love to bake. While I used to only bake sweet stuff, Mark Bittman's book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian opened my eyes to the wide world of bread. It's so easy and tastes so much better than the crap you buy at the grocery. Baking your own bread even tastes better than the good bread you can buy at the grocery, I swear...and it's not that hard! For example, this paratha only has 4 ingredients: whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, salt, and butter. Oh, and some water, so I guess that's actually 5 ingredients. Either way, you probably already have all of these things in your kitchen. The results? Amazing flaky bread to go with the potato/cauliflower/pea curry that Matt concocted. Yum!

My So Called Life

Outfit Details:

Vintage dress from Beacon's Closet

Vintage sweater from my Dad's closet

Tights from Gap

Altama Army boots from Goodwill

I remember having just started my freshman year of high school when My So Called Life debuted on TV in 1994. Finally, a show with a character who acts like a real teenager! Oh my god (we didn't have OMG yet)...it's like Angela Chase knows exactly what I'm thinking! Of course my Mom immediately banned the show in the house because it was so controversial. Three cheers for overprotective parents. Watching the show now, I have trouble remembering what was so controversial. It actually seems pretty tame. Angela is a good, if confused (but who isn't at that age) person. I guess honesty just scares some people. As we were watching the "Guns and Gossip" episode, Matt even commented that it seemed only a few steps above 7th Heaven on the controversy scale. I had to agree. It is obviously a much better written, produced, acted, etc, etc, etc show than 7th Heaven though!
Anyway, it inspired me to put together this outfit. I've found that these boots add a dose of 90's grunge deliciousness to just about any outfit, including this usually very Mad Men looking secretary dress from the 60's. All it takes is the addition of my Dad's old sweater from the late 70's. How many decades can I fit into one outfit? It's a new and exciting game! Who wants to play?

Sheer Pink

Outfit Details:

Vintage dress from Beacon's Closet

Shoes from Payless (Isabel Toledo)

Vintage scarf from the Sunday Up Market in London

Sunglasses from H&M

Bracelet from H&M

Sweet relief--I'm on vacation for the next week! I think I'm going to play at being a tourist here in NYC. I've lived here for almost 6 years now (!) and I know there's still a lot I have yet to see. Should I get a guidebook? I promise not to block up the sidewalk while reading it...

I got this dress (or is it a nightgown?) at Beacon's Closet a few years ago, and I can honestly say I haven't gotten tired of it one bit. To me, that's the sign that I've made a worthwhile vintage purchase. I was a bit worried that these shoes would rub terribly, but they seem to be pretty comfortable. They were on sale for 50% off at Payless in July. Score!

Shelter from the Storm

Hurricane Irene came and went and didn't do too much damage to the city itself. The following night, the winds were still very strong, and there was an amazing sunset. Great viewing at the India St East River Ferry pier!