Lets Reconnect...

Hi there.  Uh, this just in, my new alarm clock has failed to go off for the past two mornings and just now I set a tester time and it went off. So... what the heck?

A lot has been going on in my little world. A lot that I can't, and probably shouldn't, share right now, because I'm pretty sure most of you would categorize my sharing as "complaining."  But things have definitely been tricky. I am learning.  It's the acting out what I am learning that is so hard.  Learning to speak my mind, instead of letting my blood boil and veins pop like Spencer Pratt, is a big one.  Instead I just cry to my cat, "I'm not cut out for roommates! I'm just not!" ...or relationships or work or...
I've been so consumed by personal dramas (which I am not used to) that I have completely forgotten where I was going with anything else in my life!  Even my blog!  I've found myself desiring to retreat and hideaway from everyone so I don't have to deal!  But I know that's not what's right.

So, here I am, re-entering into the things that were/are important to me.  I've had a few things that I wanted to document and share with you but several of my belongings have mysteriously gone missing, one of which being my camera.

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I will proudly declare that I have achieved something I never thought I would.  I now run aprox. 6 miles on a regular basis!  All at once! No stopping!  AND uphill!!! Well - half uphill, of course.  I am so proud of myself!!  But even accepting the new title of "athlete," I still fall victim to pity parties.  I was inconsolable a few nights ago.  I felt like all my efforts weren't doing anything and the years of my prime were being squandered by my muffin top.  I pouted shamelessly to my boyfriend while eating in bed, using the scale I'd bought that day as a tray.  It was a low moment.  But we all have those, right?

Well, I'll end my ramblings for the night with this:  My boyfriend and I went to Tahoe over the 4th of July.  It is so incredibly beautiful up there!  We went on an amazing hike up to 8,000 feet. Even though the temperature was in the 70's we were hiking in snow! It was so cool!  We stopped at a gorgeous lake w/ miniature icebergs floating in it and had lunch while taking it all in.  I was able to borrow a camera and get some pics!  It was breathtaking!

It is called the Wild Flower Hike. Normally the hillsides are covered in wild flowers, but they had a late snow this year, so there were just a few buds.

Amazing!!

Critter company

Oh yeah, there was a crazy guy that swam out to one of the chunks of ice. Freezing!!!

Stuck?

Yikes!!!

Yet, the guy managed to inspire a follower...  I love the expression on his face! The water was soooooo cold!

Do yourself a favor and check out this band, Passion Pit. You may recognize their music from a current commercial, but I don't remember what the commercial was for.  I'm loving their songs, Sleepyhead and Little Secrets. I've put them in my Playlist.com music player. Give them a listen and tell me what you think!!
Please share your favorite music in a comment! I am always looking for new music!!!

Happy Weekend!

Coco Before Chanel - movie recommendation!

I just watched the movie Coco Before Chanel (2009) in which Audrey Tautou portrays the early life of the fashion legend. There are so many cool things I never new about Coco Chanel! She has such an interesting story!

A few things I didn’t know that I bet you didn’t either (Spoiler Alert!!): her real name wasn’t Coco; she was an orphan; she worked as a not-so-talented cabaret singer; she never intended to be in fashion but sort of fell into it after other failed attempts at fame and wealth. If the movie’s depiction is accurate, she also lied a lot about her past, was the mistress of a wealthy man in exchange for financial support, and suffered the loss of the only man she ever loved. 

Having known very little about the late designer I could not have guessed that Coco was very much a hippy of her day. She refused to wear a corset and frowned upon the extravagant accessories that gilded every other woman's attire. Instead she was inspired by mens wear and tailored for herself a wardrobe of what was the beginning of today’s European prep. 

The movie captures the timelessness of her style. Much of what she created for herself, although bold for the time, is still in fashion today:

Stripes are everywhere right now and they've always been a clean and classic look. (Upper left: Coco Chanel introducing the chic stripe in the 1930's; upper right: Audrey Tautou as Coco; Lower left and right: clothing from Anthropologie - I love the dress!)

Here is a pleated top with cinched shoulders (I'm not sure if this is actually Coco or someone replicating one of her outfits), I actually think it's much cuter than the current examples I've found:

(Audrey Tautou as Coco on left, Anthropologie top on right)

And finally, Coco in her elegant black dress, with pockets no less! 

                    "Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury."  - Coco Chanel

Hang in there!

Grrrrraaaappplllfff!!!!!!!!! My computer is determined, one way or another to war against me! Right now it is deciding it will not charge, possibly ever again! But I have things to say!! Don't leave me! Whoever you are....!

crying over spilled enchiladas and dirty forks...

Ugh. Friday hasn't brought me the relief it usually does. My weekend started with a messy plop when my left-over delicious enchiladas fell to the ground as I was leaving work late. I'll be honest, I dropped an F-bomb, that's how good those enchiladas were.
Once I got home, I called my boyfriend to lure him to hang some curtain rods for me by suggesting we "veg-out" at my place (he doesn't have cable, I do.) But, his phone was acting up, as every phone he's ever had seems to....  There was a lot of, "what?" "I saaiidd..." "I didn't hear any of that!" and "arrggg!!!" We both got totally irritated and, well, I'm blogging instead of hanging curtains. Stupid.
Then, just to embrace the moment, I started getting depressed about my life. Where is it going?! What am I doing?! What do I want?! I have no idea! Pout, pout, pout, pout.
I'm getting the growing impression that my BA in Sociology might be completely worthless to me. There is nothing I can do with it, that I want to do with it. Pout, pout, pout, pout.
I decided to empty the dish drying rack a few minutes ago. Yet again, I found dirtied, disgusting and completely unwashed dishes sitting on the rack, the clean dish rack. They're like little dirty rats trying to blend in amongst clean white mice. They are the strike of an oblivious, or defiant, roommate. I haven't figured out which it is. I stashed some of the particularly dirty dishes in my cupboard as evidence to back up my argument when I address her. Last time I brought up the issue, she looked at me like I was crazy and I had no proof to offer her. That won't happen again!
I'm hungry now. I've got to find something to replace my left over enchiladas. I think some frozen Trader Joe's pizza, a glass of red wine and a sewing project might be just what I need.

Please share your plans for this weekend, I'd love to hear if you're doing anything fun, inspiring or creative! Or just anything! I'm really tempted to go to IKEA...

Two things I love around my home...

I'm so glad to join in with Two Things Tuesday at Bacwoods Fern again! I'm looking forward to sharing the new things I find or create while trying to make my place more homie and... just me. Here are my two, somewhat small, things:

I went to buy a small pot for this bright little plant and right next to the pots were these colorful mugs! So I got one of those instead. I think it's sweet, aw.

I went to a vintage shop recently to get a gift for a friend and could not tear myself away from this little mirror. I thought, I could make this, it would be so easy to make this! Then somehow I ended up thinking, oh, whatever, and I bought it. As it turns out, the store manager made it herself! Well, I guess it will just be in my room to inspire me... and help me with my morning make-up and various other mirror responsibilities. Ain't it cute?

What are your two things? Link up at Bacwoods Fern or post a comment. You know... it doesn't have to be a Tuesday to share... technically it's Wednesday by now anyway. Yikes! Bed time!!

Coveting a Kitchen...

On this gloomy Sunday I have been thumbing through the April issue of Dwell magazine: Prefab Today. A particular home is featured that has left me drooling over it's beautiful open living space, check it out:

I love the mix of concrete with warm wood, and the openness of the area. I love the shelves in the concrete couter, and the slab of wood with the storage underneath, and the interesting branch piece above the table.. and... and... I love it all!!!

Here are few more pics:

I really like the collage of frames above the day bed. And isn't this a perfectly beautiful fireplace? Sigh