I don’t have a winter coat but it’s not from a lack of trying, rather from a lack of decisiveness. I haven’t been able to bring myself to purchase a good coat because I fear hating it a year later (I do that. Like, all the time). My problem is that I have an equal appreciation for Free People and Urban Outfitters as I do for J. Crew and my fashion choices depends on the day and where I’m going. If we want to relate this to Pretty Little Liars (when do we not?), I go between Aria’s and Spencer’s style. I like gladiator style boots just like I crave a pair of Manolos. Oh, woe is me.
But, I think I’ve come to a decision. I, Lydia, want a camel colored peacoat..with a little edginess to it. They’re just so gorgeous. It’s classy and classic. Naturally, the only ones that catch my eye are in the $500+ range, so the hunt continues. Wish me luck.
Fall is by far my favorite season. There. I said it. Take THAT Spring.
With Fall comes changing colors of leaves, sweaters, big cups of tea, cute running clothes, boots and open windows.
Oh, and the candles at Bath and Body Works.
To be honest, I haven’t stepped foot inside a Bath and Body Works since the warm vanilla lotion phase circa 2005. Usually I find the amount of scents completely overwhelming and flashbacks of cucumber melon horrors send me running. But no longer.
My roommate LOVES scents. More than anyone I’ve ever met..and I strongly benefit from this. She introduced me to the Fall/Winter lines of candles at Bath and Body and I’m forever grateful.
All of the scents are amazing, but in particular I can’t stop sticking my nose in “Snow Day.” It smells like walking outside on a cold day and someone on your block is making s’mores in a fire place. YEAH. Get yourself to a Bath and Body. Immediately.
Plus, look how cute they are. I can’t say no to mason jar, I just can’t.
The Instagram rabbit hole is a dangerous one. You think you wanted to follow just one instagram account of cute puppies? Yeah right. Because then then there will be that moment when they post a squeeze-worthy golden retriever puppy and say “see more by following..” … and it begins.
For me, it began when I started following some yogi instagrammers. These gals get in some crazy positions and are both yoga and emotionally encouraging. I loved that my feed was filled with headstands on a surfboard, meditation on a beach, and some crazy pretzel like positions in a gorgeous studio. It inspired me to start practicing yoga at home when I’m not in class to improve my practice. What a concept, right? (ha)
But that was just beginning.
Then I started following one fitness Instagram account that the boyfriend follows. Just something to give me a few recipes every once in a while and some pictures of abs for me to peruse while I eat a chocolate chip cookie freshly dipped in a tall glass of milk. Yum.
One thing lead to another… and now here we are. My Instagram account is flooded with fitness tips, recipes, abs, butts and healthy living tips that I now enjoy while sipping on some cucumber juice instead. Although my Instagram account is still dappled with fashion, photography and design, it’s quite obvious where the majority of my Instagram feed leans towards. To be honest, I love it.
Instagram gives me an easy and pretty way to get great healthy tips. I’ve recently started more life changes towards clean living and most of them have derived from an Instagram post. Who woulda thunk? (Okay, I guess marketers, i.e. myself, figured that out a long time ago)
A clean and healthy living is my mojo lately and something I’m becoming more and more passionate about. Although I’m not coming off any juice cleanse and I still enjoy the occasional frequent pasta bowl, so far it’s an exciting journey. So just start preparing yourself for some posts on the random things I’ve been trying. Tonight for instance…dandelion tea? More on that later.
So I’ve had a wicked cough for about 2 months now, not exaggerating. It took me 4 weeks to actually visit the doctor, and then for the last month I’ve been changing antibiotics about weekly trying to conquer this seemingly little bug. I haven’t been able to have a drink or work out for WEEKS. And the antibiotics make me feel worse than the cough itself. This past weekend I spent helping my boyfriend move and sleeping. So much sleeping. Just TRYING to get myself rested up and back on top.
The only thing social you can do when you feel terrible is see a movie. So I saw two. The first was The World’s End. This was obviously the boyfriend and his friend’s choice. It’s just as terrible as it looks. Kind of funny, but ultimately pointless. But the second was the film Hannah Arendt.
It was fascinating. Hannah Arendt wrote about the trial of Adolf Eichmann, a former Nazi general. Stemming from her coverage of the trial she studied what she calls the banality of evil. She argues that the worst evil is committed by small people, who commit the evil without thinking. This general says that he never personally caused harmed to any Jewish individuals and that he holds no hatred in his heart for the people. He was simply following orders. His job was to get the people on the trains, he paid no thought to where they were headed – where he was sending them. The fact that a small percentage actually survived the train rides, was not his concern.. it wasn’t his department. Arendt wrote about the trial in a series of articles in The New Yorker leading up to the release of the book Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil. Eichmann was viewed as the epitome of everything evil, so her report viewing Eichmann as a rule-following idiot resulted in death threats and lost the respect of several close friends. Despite the outpouring of hate, she stood by her opinion. The film was fascinating. There was a lot that I didn’t pick up on, but nonetheless my roommate and I are completely fascinated with Hannah Arendt and this banality of evil. The book is definitely on my to read list, and I highly recommend heading to the theatre and catching this one!
I’m a bit sick. I had a wicked cough that lasted longer than it should, was convinced to go to the doctor and now, naturally, all the meds and their side effects make me feel so much worse than I did before. I’m a bit foggy and groggy and am praying for the best that these sentences are coming together nicely. With my creativity numbed with antibiotics, I don’t have a lot inspiring me this week except for Lemon Ginger Tea, my couch, and several seasons of Sex and The City. So, instead of writing about my love/hate relationship with Carrie Bradshaw, I’d just like to take some time to look at pretty pictures. I’m super into the maximum white space, simplistic look these days..and you should totes follow @Dabito on Instagram. I love everything he posts!
When life’s ends start feeling a little harder to keep tied together and work me is feeling extremely overloaded, I fall into a pattern of wishing away the week and pushing all my hopes for crossing off personal to do’s to the weekend. This might be a great coping mechanism for some work-life balance if I actually used my weekends to do those things…but majority of the time, my weekends look more like an exercise in laziness and procrastination to make up for all the work-related drive and productivity. Essentially, I crash.
Don’t get me wrong, my weekends start with Super Yoga Palace and include plenty of fun with as many of my favorite people as I can get, so it’s not like I’m completely useless. But those pesky life administration tasks like responding to my jury duty request and returning the Walmart goods that have been sitting in my room for over a month just don’t seem as important when I actually have time to do them. Case in point, my house.
My roommate and I came into the new place with a lot of big ideas and quite a clear vision for the welcoming, stylish place we would create. Somewhere along the way we reached a “liveable enough” stage, though, and never quite got around to some of the more ambitious projects that include making a bar cart, turning a ridiculously heavy wrought iron table top into wall decor and hemming curtains.
DIY is just not naturally in my DNA, even though I love the idea of it. But after another gratifying yoga practice followed by a delicious brunch at Sundown at Granada and seeing Girl Most Likely with my sister, I’m ready to branch out a little and turn on the focus. My reward? A long overdue housewarming party next month!
While I’m figuring out the difference between flat and satin paint, I highly encourage you to watch this clip from Girl Most Likely. The movie had its pros and cons overall, but this scene alone is a strong candidate for the ‘best things I have ever seen’ list. You’re welcome.
The combination of rain and Monday equals late starts, lethal traffic and even later arrivals. Add the mountain of catch-up-from-vacation work I still have in front of me with a dash of lethargy from too much fun and food (obviously I lead quite the deprived life), and you have a recipe for seemingly insurmountable odds and the kind of insufferable self-pity that can only be had by someone (me) who really doesn’t actually have a whole lot to complain about in the grand scheme of things.
But some days, I think it’s okay to acknowledge when the world feels like it’s winning more than usual and you just need a piece or five of chocolate already.
I promise Chicago pictures are on their way…In the meantime, I’m going with a favorite mood-boosting tactic of mine – visualizing my perfect day right now a la the images above. How would you like to be spending your Monday?
While I’m fully aware that next to no one is online and blog-reading today, I couldn’t help but share a little of the day with you all before I set out for an afternoon of pool-side and rooftop celebrations, followed by a wedding at an idyllic-sounding bed & breakfast in Wisconsin and a couple days reveling in the joys of tall buildings and public transportation in Chicago. I started 2013 with the commitment to finally get myself up to Chicago, which is also around the time I decided to cut out added sugar / desserts for a multitude of health / lifestyle reasons I’ve talked about before. Next week not only will I be able to cross Chicago of my resolutions list, but I will also be treating myself to my first real dessert (fruit doesn’t count) of 2013…a Sprinkles cupcake, naturally, circa their cupcake ATM.
It’s a big week.
But for right now, I’m just soaking up all things Fourth of July. The combination of the sunny outdoors, pools, friends, hot dogs and fireworks makes this holiday pretty much unbeatable in my mind. Like everyone probably does with their favorite holiday, I hype it up a lot, but it really never disappoints.
My new royal blue sundress? Drying.
Beer and prosecco? Chilling.
Now if I could just get my hands on some sparklers, I’d say this day is complete. Have a great holiday, everybody!
Random thought of the day: Writing is like working out.
It’s important to me. I want to do it more than I do. I find it hard to get started, especially after longer bouts without doing it. I succumb to excuses like, “I don’t have enough time to get in a good session if I start now,” and “I’m too [insert state of being here – busy, tired, full, lazy…].” I like it while I do it. I love it after I finish. Overall, I just feel better about myself when I do it regularly.
See what I mean? But that’s not what this post is about. Today I want to talk to ya’ll about movies.
Like Lydia is to music, I am to film. (My pretentious use of “film” is how you can tell I really mean it. 😉 ) And like she recently found herself in a music drought, I’ve felt myself drifting from my roots as a film buff and movie lover for awhile now. I can make excuses about how I’m busier (busy-er?) than I used to be or chalk it up to personal growth and change with age, but I miss knowing the inside scoop on films past and present, anticipating upcoming gems and getting sucked into new stories and characters.
Having a minor in film means I’ve spent way more time than most analyzing movie-making and could write for literally days, but I’ll spare you the rhetoric and just say this: when done well, film is a beautiful, multi-sensory celebration and sharing of story. This is why I love it.
It’s a sad day when your also-movie-appreciating boyfriend and you realize that all you’ve seen lately has been disappointing, gimmicky and just plain bad blockbusters. After realizing we need to take ownership of our movie-going decisions (and really learn our lesson already), I spent some time trolling IMDB and ‘best of’ lists to build this Must-See Films list of my own:
Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s – I love documentaries, grew up wanting to be a fashion designer, and the interviews with fashion elite seem both smart and sassy. Must. See.
The Bling Ring – Directed by Sofia Coppola. Which means I not only will see it, but I have to. Supporting talented women in film is SO important to increase opportunities in this historically male-dominated field.
Kick Ass 2 – I appreciate the originality and humor of the first one. And then there’s the whole getting to see Chloe Grace Moretz, well, kicking ass.
Girl Most Likely – Another girl crush (I think I’m beginning to sense a pattern here) – Kristen Wiig is the quirky lead, figuring out the pitfalls of life. The synopsis also threw in the promise of “The Big Apple,” Darren Criss and Matt Dillon, making this one a no-brainer.
The Spectacular Now – A “dramedy” romance from the writers of 500 Days of Summer starring Miles Teller. Done.
Prince Avalanche – Misadventure on the road with Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch. One can only hope this comes close to my other Emile Hirsch favorites like Into The Wild and Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys. And who doesn’t like Paul Rudd?
The Internship – Okay. This one has the potential to be really awful. But Vince Vaughn’s and Owen Wilson’s internship is at Google. GOOGLE. And I’m a complete self-proclaimed Google Groupie.
White House Down – So I thought I’d sneak one more blockbuster in here and hope no one notices…but sometimes you just need a good action movie (and good, non-cheesy action movies are hard to come by these days). Plus, any movie Channing Tatum is saving me, I mean, the fictional world, is one I’m probably not going to say no to.
Some Girls – Adam Brody travels across the country meeting with exes. I just really miss Seth Cohen, so I’ll be making Lydia come see this with me.
Stories We Tell – I don’t usually go in for the whole “well Rotten Tomatoes says,” but this got a 96%! It’s also supposed to be insightful, sentimental and a great illustration of the true art that is documentary film-making.
The English Teacher – I was drawn in by the cast, but stuck around for the synopsis. This one could end up being even better than it sounds.
Before Midnight – I’ve always wanted to see its predecessor, Before Sunrise, so now is as good a time as any to get to know Jesse and Celine from their fateful meeting to their present day reunion.
The Lifeguard – I love independent movies about life transitions. Kristen Bell quits her New York job (why??) and moves home for a summer of lifeguarding and quirky small-town life on a quest for happiness.
Francis Ha – Greta Gerwig’s New York City-living lead has so much “kook” and dreamy ambition I can’t help but put this one in the same category as Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Which if you couldn’t tell, we’re just a tad obsessed with over here.
Will I see them all? I have no idea when, but I sure hope so! What other movies do you think I should be getting excited about?
Instead of buying a card case, and well anything else likely for the next month, I ended up making a fantastic investment into my health and wellness. I, bought a baby – I mean yoga mat. I’ve heard tale tales of people who have a strange attachment to their yoga mats. Something about the fact that your time on your yoga mat is your time. A time to be inward focused, to forget the world. It’s just you and your mat. So, naturally, you want your mat to be a happy place to sweat on for a few hours. I, Lydia, am now one of them. There was no ceremonious introduction or even a cocktail hour, just a big bill. You see, I’ve been stalking and researching “The Mat” by LuluLemon for quite some time. I’ve even been known for just stopping in the store just to look and touch it. I’ve been in about 5 times to look at it and have talked to several sales people. My first interaction went something like this..
“Have you heard anything about The Mat?” – attractive, in shape, happy and overall likely good person sales guy
“Well..only that…I should have it.” – Pushover, no poker face, Lydia
“Ha yeah, that’s about right” – attractive, now funny, in shape, happy and overall likely a good person sales guy
And that’s how it usually goes when I go in the store.
Before this weekend, I owned exactly two things from LuluLemon. A pair of pants that were a present (in high school, and they are still the best, comfiest sweat pants ever) and a headband. They’re stuff is expensive. I simply can’t bring myself to splurge $60 on a yoga top when I can buy one at TJ Maxx or Old Navy for $10-15. Just can’t.
The problem with that place though is that the environment has to be the happiest place in any mall. The salespeople are all super friendly, talkative and are genuinely are interested in your fitness routine because they themselves are so passionate about it. Each time I go there, I am asked where I practice yoga. And I almost always end up talking to someone who has been or currently attends the same place I do. They also make no attempt to pressure me into anything. They don’t make obvious comments like “Oh well we just got these new shirts in…” Instead, I feel as though these sales people are my friends who really want me to make a good purchase that I’m happy with. Which is ultimately why I took the plunge this weekend.
It started as a quick stop in to get a new headband. Innocent enough. But then my boyfriend took a seat in the store and I was free to not-so-aimlessly wander. I sneaked over to the yoga mats and held one on in my hand. I talked to two salespeople who swear by The Mat and we started talking about where I go, why I want The Mat and what I use now. All of a sudden it was no longer, should I get it? It was, yeah but what color? I picked out my Mat (purple, by the way), told the boyfriend I was doing it, he applauded my investment, and I made my way to the register. There I started talking to the cashier who regularly attends Gaia Flow Yoga and how much he loves it and the instructors and said I should attend a certain class on Sundays. I, naturally, plan to join in on this class next weekend. And then the other sales guy up front started giving me some tips and tricks on how to care for my mat. So in the end, it took four Lululemon-ers to get me out the door with my giant shopping bag. They’re SO good at that.
My new mat!
In the end, I am so excited for my purchase! Making investments into your exercise routine feels so good. I’m not necessarily saying you should go drop a few hundos on work out clothes, but just noting how impressed I am with this brand. Each person there fully epitomized what I think of when I think Lulu. The brand encourages a happy, healthy lifestyle. They advertise this through their communications, their products and their people. If you’re ever near a store, I invite you to stop in just to check it out if you haven’t already. The positive experience I had there could easily convince me to shop there all the time, if it weren’t for that pesky thing called money. So, I’ve joined the Lulu bandwagon. Feels pretty good though.
finding tiffany's 