tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92185179215285012702024-03-08T03:35:34.611-05:00an eye for fineryAdventures in dressing myself.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-91604568060739276472013-12-17T17:05:00.001-05:002013-12-17T17:05:06.464-05:00goodbye.I've been reflecting a lot lately about what this blog was intended to be. After lots of encouragement from my friends, I started this blog to showcase my personal style. Unfortunately, it simply never matched in reality what my vision was for it to begin with: to be a fun, casual place to show the ways in which I like to dress. I've always felt a great deal of pressure to have super high quality photographs and interesting stories to accompany them, but I think it's time for me to step away from that expectation and archetype and move forward in a new direction. <br />
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instagram.com/aneyeforfinery is the result of my thoughts about this. The platform is much more spontaneous and open to the ways in which I want to share my style with the world. I've moved some past entries from the blog to the insta-account and intend on updating it regularly with my day to day outfits and any other stylish things that I'd like to share. I encourage you to check it out if you're interested! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-52263140790583402512013-12-04T17:40:00.002-05:002013-12-04T17:40:43.373-05:00European Adventure, Part 4: Last Stop, London!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ksqABGJQQoI/Up-iQTWLKuI/AAAAAAAAAuU/xM2T6WbNeCQ/s1600/Photo+Oct+31,+11+47+01+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ksqABGJQQoI/Up-iQTWLKuI/AAAAAAAAAuU/xM2T6WbNeCQ/s640/Photo+Oct+31,+11+47+01+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the view from Millennium Bridge.</td></tr>
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By the time I made it to London, I was just starting to get tired and fairly homesick, but there was so much to do! I arrived early in the evening to the city and settled into my hostel. One of the women in my room, Sara, and I decided to go out for Indian food (excellent choice, given the city we were in) and called it an early night. The next day we hit up Tate Modern, which was a nice palate cleanser after all the Renaissance art I was exposed to in Italy and France. We parted ways late in the afternoon, and I spent the rest of my daylight hours in Piccadilly Circus (where I also bought some much needed and far too expensive boots...conversion of pounds to dollars and all that...ahem). <br />
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That night, I met up with an old graduate school friend, Joanna, for a very, very good cocktail in a very, very hip bar. It was wonderful to catch up with her and hear about her studies. <br />
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It perhaps goes without saying that two days in London is simply not enough, but that is all I had. It would be like attempting all there is to do in New York City in that span of time, and so it felt silly to try to do all the touristy things. This was the only city on my trip that I elected to take a bus tour, and I was happy for that choice. I got to see many of the "must-see" places here in about three hours. The bus zig-zagged through the city, and I was able to get off at a few spots to take semi-decent photos. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Wp3D6vT8zg/Up-iPYbqhII/AAAAAAAAAt8/arMkvkO-rkE/s1600/Photo+Nov+01,+8+42+44+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Wp3D6vT8zg/Up-iPYbqhII/AAAAAAAAAt8/arMkvkO-rkE/s640/Photo+Nov+01,+8+42+44+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Ben. I hate to say this, but it isn't so big.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-12kCyb9UO8k/Up-iO-mV_SI/AAAAAAAAAt0/eNqLnLyd2sM/s1600/Photo+Nov+01,+8+39+57+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-12kCyb9UO8k/Up-iO-mV_SI/AAAAAAAAAt0/eNqLnLyd2sM/s640/Photo+Nov+01,+8+39+57+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westminster Abbey</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6dxADLgPNM/Up-iPTvY97I/AAAAAAAAAuQ/LQ6ZiaM7JMk/s1600/Photo+Nov+01,+8+48+20+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6dxADLgPNM/Up-iPTvY97I/AAAAAAAAAuQ/LQ6ZiaM7JMk/s640/Photo+Nov+01,+8+48+20+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">quintessential London.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49zz_yz_jlc/Up-iPo5pbaI/AAAAAAAAAuA/MA04VYZ4Cj4/s1600/Photo+Nov+01,+8+48+32+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49zz_yz_jlc/Up-iPo5pbaI/AAAAAAAAAuA/MA04VYZ4Cj4/s640/Photo+Nov+01,+8+48+32+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eye of London. And no, I didn't ride this. Next time, next time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0PyhbOAJJTM/Up-iOVG0VWI/AAAAAAAAAts/qxkS8xG-MzU/s1600/Photo+Nov+01,+7+58+27+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0PyhbOAJJTM/Up-iOVG0VWI/AAAAAAAAAts/qxkS8xG-MzU/s640/Photo+Nov+01,+7+58+27+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buckingham Palace. </td></tr>
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Following my tour of the city, I took the Tube over to Camden for the rest of the afternoon. Camden is this great Brooklyn-like neighborhood that is probably best known for its outdoor markets. The vendors sell everything from freshly made donuts and sushi to scarves, jewelry, and vintage clothing. There was SO much amazing vintage clothing to be found here -- I'm still kicking myself for leaving the most amazing leather jacket there. That said, I spent hours here following the seemingly never-ending booths along the river and walked away empty-handed. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdCBaqiEI2Y/Up-iOKA7FHI/AAAAAAAAAto/-QlFTXISQ80/s1600/Photo+Nov+01,+11+23+27+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdCBaqiEI2Y/Up-iOKA7FHI/AAAAAAAAAto/-QlFTXISQ80/s640/Photo+Nov+01,+11+23+27+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camden markets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvfG2E4qcT8/Up-iOXYGXMI/AAAAAAAAAtw/wqo7240B5_A/s1600/Photo+Nov+01,+11+24+12+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvfG2E4qcT8/Up-iOXYGXMI/AAAAAAAAAtw/wqo7240B5_A/s640/Photo+Nov+01,+11+24+12+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">quite the selection in this lamp shop.</td></tr>
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Sadly, the next morning I had to rush off to catch my flight out of Heathrow after my barely-there visit to the city. I found the people to be friendly and straightforward, which I greatly appreciated. It was a great place to spend that last few days of my journey across the Atlantic, and I'm already thinking about a trip to Dublin/London/Amsterdam for the next round of my travels. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AIZ8I2loqmo/Up-iQIs0AKI/AAAAAAAAAuc/hZ_ImuwvI4A/s1600/Photo+Nov+02,+12+30+37+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AIZ8I2loqmo/Up-iQIs0AKI/AAAAAAAAAuc/hZ_ImuwvI4A/s640/Photo+Nov+02,+12+30+37+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keflavik Airport in Iceland. Ready to fly home.</td></tr>
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On the long flight home, I spent a lot of time remembering the cities I visited. I read my journal entries and looked over the photos of the incredible art, architecture, and landscape I saw. I thought about the beautiful and inspiring people I met along the way. And I felt grateful and joyful and proud. Too many times in life, I think we make excuses for why we don't deserve to follow our dreams. We sell ourselves short and forget that we are only here for a short speck of time. We don't do the things that scare us or the things that are difficult. This trip showed me that doing the daunting/overwhelming/amazing things was possible, and it probably meant more to me because I didn't travel with anyone else. For this first trip outside of familiarity, I needed to go it alone. <br />
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Already ready for my next journey... <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-88165523902088213452013-11-25T16:03:00.001-05:002013-11-26T15:41:19.820-05:00European Adventure, Part 3: Paris!<div style="text-align: left;">
Paris was the third stop in my tour de Europa. Admittedly, this was the city I was most excited about visiting prior to actually leaving the US. I've always been a bit of a Francophile, and I wanted to be overwhelmed by riverside walks and crepes and art and macarons. I experienced all of those things and more:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XjZgI13xSFM/UpPGHzI-KrI/AAAAAAAAAo0/WWb5-9b61yE/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+7+32+51+AM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XjZgI13xSFM/UpPGHzI-KrI/AAAAAAAAAo0/WWb5-9b61yE/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+7+32+51+AM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Seine River on a windy day</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_xzBzMtC4Ng/UpPGH7fR_xI/AAAAAAAAAow/KWmLF0-3B-M/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+7+41+32+AM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_xzBzMtC4Ng/UpPGH7fR_xI/AAAAAAAAAow/KWmLF0-3B-M/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+7+41+32+AM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notre Dame</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lDbIfadLR-8/UpPGIOe9khI/AAAAAAAAAo4/nQ6kzQnlj-c/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+7+52+15+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lDbIfadLR-8/UpPGIOe9khI/AAAAAAAAAo4/nQ6kzQnlj-c/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+7+52+15+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">inside Notre Dame</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XnEx4rQw_ug/UpPGIvAy_yI/AAAAAAAAApA/TDidjVirr4s/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+7+59+04+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XnEx4rQw_ug/UpPGIvAy_yI/AAAAAAAAApA/TDidjVirr4s/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+7+59+04+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
On my first full day in the city, I knew I needed to get my bearings a bit, so I elected to take a nice long walk from the apartment I was Couchsurfing at to Notre Dame. It was blustery and sunny and lovely, and I warmed up along the way with a crepe and some coffee. Paris is just as much a stroller's city as Florence, despite the fact that the two could not be any more different from one another. Notre Dame is a beautiful and imposing Gothic structure, and I was lucky enough to arrive just as a service was starting. Despite my own tenuous relationship to religion, I was immediately taken by the sound of the vocalist's voice soaring through the rafters as the organ accompanied. If angels are real, then I'm sure that's what they sound like when they sing.<br />
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Following my time in the cathedral, I took a little (long) walk to the Louvre and spent about an hour there. If you know anything about that museum, you know that it takes DAYS to see everything inside. Needless to say, I returned there two days later.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NrcTE6td_jg/UpTaDVFJ1AI/AAAAAAAAAqI/EjVDB2BLcH4/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+8+51+45+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NrcTE6td_jg/UpTaDVFJ1AI/AAAAAAAAAqI/EjVDB2BLcH4/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+8+51+45+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JMtQUHlI2ck/UpTaDIKztmI/AAAAAAAAAqE/oYSt9qHK8lQ/s1600/Photo+Oct+28,+6+01+16+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JMtQUHlI2ck/UpTaDIKztmI/AAAAAAAAAqE/oYSt9qHK8lQ/s640/Photo+Oct+28,+6+01+16+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CROWDED. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PF059nmPajM/UpTaDOT5mPI/AAAAAAAAAqM/eWIhy1bYf2g/s1600/Photo+Oct+28,+6+05+01+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PF059nmPajM/UpTaDOT5mPI/AAAAAAAAAqM/eWIhy1bYf2g/s640/Photo+Oct+28,+6+05+01+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="irc_su" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">da Vinci's 'La Belle Ferronière'; better than the 'Mona Lisa', in my opinion.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2G2-vvIc9k0/UpTaEKLwdGI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/tnQa6OdVW-Y/s1600/Photo+Oct+28,+6+20+36+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2G2-vvIc9k0/UpTaEKLwdGI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/tnQa6OdVW-Y/s640/Photo+Oct+28,+6+20+36+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more Botticelli. sigh.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sVVuBMFZr18/UpTaEX4BbwI/AAAAAAAAAqc/BKaBiVZmw2Q/s1600/Photo+Oct+28,+6+29+45+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sVVuBMFZr18/UpTaEX4BbwI/AAAAAAAAAqc/BKaBiVZmw2Q/s640/Photo+Oct+28,+6+29+45+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelangelo's "Rebellious Slave"</td></tr>
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In total, I spent about four hours over the course of two days at the Louvre and it was completely overwhelming. When I visit again, I'll be sure to attempt my visits during "off" periods; I arrived in Paris at the beginning of a public school break, which I'm certain added to the crowds I ran into. Add to this the fact that the place is ENORMOUS and a bit of a challenge to navigate. <br />
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Following my brief visit on the first day, I took a train over to the Rodin Museum. Rodin is one of my favorite artists, and I was not disappointed by the well-curated collection of his works.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjZ22KM0Ln4/UpTW8dMSPvI/AAAAAAAAApc/-pS0OGsvNec/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+10+14+53+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjZ22KM0Ln4/UpTW8dMSPvI/AAAAAAAAApc/-pS0OGsvNec/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+10+14+53+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from the gardens of the Rodin Museum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gVlEK1n21KY/UpTW8et02UI/AAAAAAAAApY/Mlcjy4PIYcs/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+10+07+51+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gVlEK1n21KY/UpTW8et02UI/AAAAAAAAApY/Mlcjy4PIYcs/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+10+07+51+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Thinker"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-exNCAhJbPnA/UpTW8bUvkoI/AAAAAAAAApg/4KCNN2t2qiQ/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+10+47+19+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-exNCAhJbPnA/UpTW8bUvkoI/AAAAAAAAApg/4KCNN2t2qiQ/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+10+47+19+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original "Thinker"; there are many reproductions that exist and they are often scaled to a larger size, like the version in the photo above.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5HBk9sEgbjY/UpTW86R6T5I/AAAAAAAAApk/ToiAzWOpFM8/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+10+58+51+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5HBk9sEgbjY/UpTW86R6T5I/AAAAAAAAApk/ToiAzWOpFM8/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+10+58+51+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MP8eTT2rjUs/UpTW9D-ec6I/AAAAAAAAApo/EgzydH1S7hA/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+11+04+15+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MP8eTT2rjUs/UpTW9D-ec6I/AAAAAAAAApo/EgzydH1S7hA/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+11+04+15+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Crouching Woman"</td></tr>
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Rodin's works look like living, breathing things...perhaps even more so than the sculptures by Michelangelo (at least to my eye). I'm always amazed when an artist can give the look of sinewy muscle underneath skin to marble or bronze. Rodin takes things to another level entirely by capturing beings in unusual postures and positions. It was amazing to be this close to his work, and I was so pleased that I had the chance to see them like this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRx4I-kbwU4/UpT5o3AuZVI/AAAAAAAAAq4/1C3VbdeUpyQ/s1600/Photo+Oct+28,+8+16+28+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRx4I-kbwU4/UpT5o3AuZVI/AAAAAAAAAq4/1C3VbdeUpyQ/s640/Photo+Oct+28,+8+16+28+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sacre-Coeur.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">oh, heeeyyy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arc de Triomphe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on top of the world.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPhYH9L9vKM/UpT5qPJLQAI/AAAAAAAAArU/dHbbXkG3f6k/s1600/Photo+Oct+30,+6+02+24+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPhYH9L9vKM/UpT5qPJLQAI/AAAAAAAAArU/dHbbXkG3f6k/s640/Photo+Oct+30,+6+02+24+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Champs-Elysees. This is the LINE to get into ABERCROMBIE & FITCH. Unreal.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_qXYQZcUCo/UpT5qb-VK4I/AAAAAAAAArg/xjesb61V5_o/s1600/Photo+Oct+30,+6+15+34+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_qXYQZcUCo/UpT5qb-VK4I/AAAAAAAAArg/xjesb61V5_o/s640/Photo+Oct+30,+6+15+34+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macaron heaven. I had three mini macarons: salted caramel, chocolate, and gingerbread. All delicious.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Being a tourist means seeing all of the things people expect you to see when you visit a well-known city. Above is evidence that I did that! Climbing to the top of the Arc de Triomphe was MUCH easier than getting to the top of the Duomo, for those interested. :)<br />
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On my last full day in France, I decided to head to Versailles. After seeing the palaces of the Medicis and Hapsburgs, I honestly didn't know what to expect. But man, oh man, was I ever surprised by how strikingly beautiful Versailles is:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hall of Mirrors.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my finger makes another appearance!</td></tr>
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The palace itself is amazing. Every last inch of the place is covered in one of three things: marble (of varying kinds and from varying locales), frescoes (on every ceiling, and even on the walls), gold paint/gold foil (seriously baller, y'all). Take whatever you're imagining in your head and multiply that by a thousand. I'd have more photos from the inside, but it was ridiculously crowded and also dark in some rooms, which are two things that present a considerable challenge to me as an iPhone photog.<br />
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Once you're done with the tour, you have the option of touring the gardens...miles and miles of gardens, each of which is different in character from the one you saw before. I spent almost two and a half hours walking around outside without even noticing that time was passing. On this particular day, they were playing classical music throughout the gardens. It was basically the most idyllic way to stroll about gardens; I felt like a character from a BBC version of some Jane Austen novel (without a corset, obviously). It was amazing, and I didn't want to leave.<br />
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I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my awesome host, Simon, who let me couchsurf in his beautiful 5th floor walk-up in the 10th Arrondissement. He took me out on the town with his friends, took me to an African club, and even begrudgingly ate Tex-Mex with me (which was awesome!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is our best look.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lbWZhbVnLJM/UpUFedKiuMI/AAAAAAAAAs8/pnzGu0ZPO4E/s1600/Photo+Oct+29,+5+28+34+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lbWZhbVnLJM/UpUFedKiuMI/AAAAAAAAAs8/pnzGu0ZPO4E/s640/Photo+Oct+29,+5+28+34+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barbocoa taco and a cactus and queso blanco tostada. YUM.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PTCyWsj7WjQ/UpUFjwxr6eI/AAAAAAAAAtI/aF6r6FxF6PM/s1600/Photo+Oct+27,+4+34+05+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PTCyWsj7WjQ/UpUFjwxr6eI/AAAAAAAAAtI/aF6r6FxF6PM/s640/Photo+Oct+27,+4+34+05+PM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think one of my friends summed this up perfectly when he suggested that Hemingway would be proud of me for hanging out here. Hemingway would be proud and DRUNK off of the straight pour of rum that they hand out here.</td></tr>
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I'd love to head back to Paris someday with friends or family; it just seems like a city that is best enjoyed with others. This is the only city where I encountered homesickness in a real and profound way. Something about witnessing families and couples on the street really drove that feeling home for me. That said, it is a beautiful cosmopolitan city full of beauty and culture, and I look forward to seeing it again. Hopefully sooner rather than later.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-36669786445308495022013-11-12T17:34:00.000-05:002013-11-12T17:38:53.004-05:00European Adventure, Part 2: Florence!There are very few places in the world where I instantly feel at
home. Now I have the great pleasure of knowing that Florence happens to
be one of those cities. Never before have I been so immediately taken
with a place. I fell in love the moment I set foot on those aged
cobblestone streets, and once I met some of the lovely locals and ate their pizza and drank their wine and espresso...it was all over. I was a goner. <br />
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Now I don't have to wonder why Italians are so full of passion. Look at where they come from!:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JqxoP31Z_Uc/UoKdKhMFxYI/AAAAAAAAAms/Ze94U4AM-Vw/s1600/Photo+Oct+22,+4+52+37+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JqxoP31Z_Uc/UoKdKhMFxYI/AAAAAAAAAms/Ze94U4AM-Vw/s640/Photo+Oct+22,+4+52+37+PM+(1).jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having arrived at the train station only an hour before, I had no idea that this beautiful iconic sight would greet me as a rounded what seemed to be a normal street corner. Il Duomo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gMAE7qJnmY/UoKdJKXm1MI/AAAAAAAAAmk/FfmA5Gp0WQI/s1600/Photo+Oct+24,+9+15+57+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gMAE7qJnmY/UoKdJKXm1MI/AAAAAAAAAmk/FfmA5Gp0WQI/s640/Photo+Oct+24,+9+15+57+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you can ignore my GIANT FINGERTIP, then you can gaze upon the stunning sight of Florence in the golden sunlight.</td></tr>
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This was the city where my senses came alive. I felt so connected to everything and everyone here, and I think it has a lot to do with those terracotta rooftops and the light setting everything aglow. Florence is a busy tourist destination, and although I certainly was very aware of that fact while I was visiting, I also think the Florentines genuinely enjoy newcomers to the city. I never felt like an annoyance or like I was unwelcome, but of course, I was on a perpetual food and coffee high the entire time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--NfSPw-ZTfI/UoKhM1lYBcI/AAAAAAAAAm4/U2e3Qqj0z3g/s1600/Photo+Oct+22,+4+28+59+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--NfSPw-ZTfI/UoKhM1lYBcI/AAAAAAAAAm4/U2e3Qqj0z3g/s640/Photo+Oct+22,+4+28+59+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my first actions: to obtain some gelato right away. I had it every day I was there. It lives up to the hype.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--vc2LyM8SQo/UoKhNVsdXpI/AAAAAAAAAnI/ijT7TrEgX0E/s1600/Photo+Oct+22,+8+27+48+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--vc2LyM8SQo/UoKhNVsdXpI/AAAAAAAAAnI/ijT7TrEgX0E/s640/Photo+Oct+22,+8+27+48+PM+(1).jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First night in Florence: a (FREE!) movie festival...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLcowyAAT8A/UoKhN1NOO-I/AAAAAAAAAnM/E7mawgslJug/s1600/Photo+Oct+22,+8+33+50+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLcowyAAT8A/UoKhN1NOO-I/AAAAAAAAAnM/E7mawgslJug/s640/Photo+Oct+22,+8+33+50+PM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...in a building built in 1462. FO' REAL.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6LURmHK1yU/UoKhNB6k7uI/AAAAAAAAAm8/UMmnM3PvzcY/s1600/Photo+Oct+22,+7+53+27+PM+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6LURmHK1yU/UoKhNB6k7uI/AAAAAAAAAm8/UMmnM3PvzcY/s640/Photo+Oct+22,+7+53+27+PM+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first Italian pizza. I've daydreamed about this ever since. We just don't do food right here in the States.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t2O3mY7FG5Q/UoKhOBHkuTI/AAAAAAAAAnU/tq7fnf6cdSo/s1600/Photo+Oct+22,+8+35+00+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t2O3mY7FG5Q/UoKhOBHkuTI/AAAAAAAAAnU/tq7fnf6cdSo/s640/Photo+Oct+22,+8+35+00+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davide, my host in Florence, and I at the movies. :) This guy is awesome, y'all!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w5IcAbnSakM/UoKhNL86KJI/AAAAAAAAAnA/gJvVR1caQPU/s1600/Photo+Oct+22,+10+54+28+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w5IcAbnSakM/UoKhNL86KJI/AAAAAAAAAnA/gJvVR1caQPU/s640/Photo+Oct+22,+10+54+28+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-movie walk around. This is Ponte Vecchio at night. </td></tr>
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Florence was also the first place I ever Couchsurfed, and it was an awesome experience! My host, Davide, was an exemplary host. I felt at home right away, and we shared lots of good talks and meals. I learned a lot from him in the few short days I had in the city (including how to say the word "eyeglasses" in Italian -- ochiali), and I really hope we get to see one another again someday! Come to Annapolis, Davide! I'll take you for good coffee and then out for some crabs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U6M6xg0vS48/UoKjfH2AG3I/AAAAAAAAAns/Yye0y_mDsc8/s1600/Photo+Oct+24,+11+40+37+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U6M6xg0vS48/UoKjfH2AG3I/AAAAAAAAAns/Yye0y_mDsc8/s640/Photo+Oct+24,+11+40+37+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The street where Davide's house resides, just half a block from Piazza de Santo Spirito. </td></tr>
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I'd be remiss if I didn't mention all of the glorious art to be seen in Florence. This is the home of the Renaissance; the home of Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, da Vinci. That heritage was oozing out of every nook and cranny here, and I ate up every bit of it. I visited the Accademia (where Michelangelo's <i>David</i> resides), the Uffizi Gallery (which houses some of the most famous works by the likes of Botticelli, for one), and the Bargello (which is underrated and houses wonderful collections of paintings, sculptures, and textiles from the Renaissance era). I walked down every little street in the city center. I got yelled at by a museum attendant for sitting on the steps of the Uffizi. I drank so much espresso that I was jittery in the happiest way possible. I had to buy insoles for my shoes. Life in Florence was beautiful.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N-ewqma7C1k/UoKlvri2m9I/AAAAAAAAAn8/qNO32ouoQsI/s1600/Photo+Oct+23,+2+30+10+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N-ewqma7C1k/UoKlvri2m9I/AAAAAAAAAn8/qNO32ouoQsI/s640/Photo+Oct+23,+2+30+10+PM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals claim that Michelangelo carved this portrait into the stone with his back turned...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_9RpNDpn4M/UoKlvUsWukI/AAAAAAAAAn4/n4h1pDY6dhE/s1600/Photo+Oct+23,+9+26+51+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_9RpNDpn4M/UoKlvUsWukI/AAAAAAAAAn4/n4h1pDY6dhE/s640/Photo+Oct+23,+9+26+51+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Ponte Vecchio from the Uffizi Gallery. It rained a lot before I arrived, so the Arno River was a bit muddy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQziwPtCRBI/UoKl2onaIeI/AAAAAAAAAoY/gYHgNdTFBFg/s1600/Photo+Oct+23,+10+35+27+AM+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQziwPtCRBI/UoKl2onaIeI/AAAAAAAAAoY/gYHgNdTFBFg/s640/Photo+Oct+23,+10+35+27+AM+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shot of the <i>David</i> that I snuck. Of course, I caught his good side... ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4M96WkwSBfc/UoKlwuwINGI/AAAAAAAAAoM/airxIN1OWwo/s1600/Photo+Oct+24,+5+10+30+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4M96WkwSBfc/UoKlwuwINGI/AAAAAAAAAoM/airxIN1OWwo/s640/Photo+Oct+24,+5+10+30+AM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the courtyard of the Bargello Museum, which was apparently used as a prison for a period of time. I love that it now houses fine works of art. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynew59ZdoSY/UoKlw9PyYQI/AAAAAAAAAoI/wfuKvNwD_t4/s1600/Photo+Oct+24,+8+30+13+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynew59ZdoSY/UoKlw9PyYQI/AAAAAAAAAoI/wfuKvNwD_t4/s640/Photo+Oct+24,+8+30+13+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Il Duomo. Scenes from Dante's <i>Divine Comedy</i>. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I have kind of a funny story about climbing to the top of the Duomo. It was my last full day in the city, so I knew that pizza would be on the menu for lunch (duh). After I ate my weight in the stuff, I decided that it was finally time to go visit the Duomo and go inside. After quietly walking around the interior and snapping the shot just above, I wanted to go up into the dome! I paid my ticket and was directed to a narrow door where stairs greeted me. 462 steps total. On a belly full of pizza. Do you see where this is going? Luckily, I made it to the top without incident. I'm just going to go ahead and thank CrossFit for that one.<br />
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I felt so good breathing in that warm Florentine air at the top of the dome while looking down on the city and surrounding areas. Here I was in Florence, on my own halfway across the world from my friends and family. And I felt whole. From below, the dome looks like a beacon rising out of the ground; it calls out to you to get nearer to it, to examine it and feel the imposing nature of it. At the top of that dome, I felt like the rest of the world was rising up to greet me, like I had overcome something (more than my stomach), like I could see things from an uncommon view. Surely this is what Brunelleschi wanted? That dichotomy between feeling small and infinitesimal and large and infinite. Both things incite wonder and curiosity, and both things cause you to go outside of yourself. I did plenty of that on this trip...Florence was just the first place that I was so vividly aware of it. <br />
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I can't wait to go back. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-41252959454311260022013-11-05T12:07:00.001-05:002013-11-05T12:07:02.274-05:00European Adventure, Part 1: Vienna.On October 17, I embarked on a trip through four cities in Western Europe. My first stop was Vienna, where I stayed with an old graduate school friend of mine, Casey. Vienna is a beautiful city nestled in eastern Austria (it's actually very close to Bratislava, Slovakia's capital city), and feels like a diverse representation of cultures with it's Germanic and Hungarian history. Lots of people of Turkish descent inhabit the city, too. Of course, for me it was exciting to be in a city known for it's music culture, Sachertorte, and Hapsburg family history. <br />
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It was also a place where I struggled to remember the German I "learned" in high school. That was kind of a fun experiment. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a2r0j331xL8/UnkaKG4UYHI/AAAAAAAAAkE/QTe1Y--U5wo/s1600/Photo+Oct+18,+4+19+40+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a2r0j331xL8/UnkaKG4UYHI/AAAAAAAAAkE/QTe1Y--U5wo/s640/Photo+Oct+18,+4+19+40+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying into Vienna.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGZqACA9Jw4/UnkaWlakSZI/AAAAAAAAAkY/BgE5cbZELew/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+1+09+36+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGZqACA9Jw4/UnkaWlakSZI/AAAAAAAAAkY/BgE5cbZELew/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+1+09+36+PM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Kunsthistoriches Museum, the main art museum in the center of the city. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIeABJh0J4M/UnkaXSbjs5I/AAAAAAAAAko/sW0wnG-Ykf0/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+3+14+04+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIeABJh0J4M/UnkaXSbjs5I/AAAAAAAAAko/sW0wnG-Ykf0/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+3+14+04+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the museum. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zEWE4BxOevE/UnkaWOF6IeI/AAAAAAAAAkM/peNuNNQtD5M/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+12+01+34+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zEWE4BxOevE/UnkaWOF6IeI/AAAAAAAAAkM/peNuNNQtD5M/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+12+01+34+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Stephen's. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KYzKGJzIxl4/UnkaWVRi9WI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/0jQptJSXpw0/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+12+03+50+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KYzKGJzIxl4/UnkaWVRi9WI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/0jQptJSXpw0/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+12+03+50+PM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the cathedral. Stunning arches.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P_uW0Yv4kGI/UnkaWuVBHUI/AAAAAAAAAkU/0U9dao_bbt4/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+12+17+02+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P_uW0Yv4kGI/UnkaWuVBHUI/AAAAAAAAAkU/0U9dao_bbt4/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+12+17+02+PM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking around the downtown area. It was cold, by the way!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--J7cQA6pVlg/UnkaW_s3RxI/AAAAAAAAAkc/NevlV3I6Uxk/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+12+19+07+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--J7cQA6pVlg/UnkaW_s3RxI/AAAAAAAAAkc/NevlV3I6Uxk/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+12+19+07+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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On the first day, I visited the Kunsthistoriches Museum, peeked into St. Stephen's, and did some walking around. Casey and I also went for a traditional Viennese breakfast:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QimgiU4It-0/UnkbVFuP3aI/AAAAAAAAAk8/UvPRlibijVk/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+10+46+25+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QimgiU4It-0/UnkbVFuP3aI/AAAAAAAAAk8/UvPRlibijVk/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+10+46+25+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roll with butter and jam and a Melange, which is sort of a cross between coffee and cappucino. I really liked the coffee in Vienna. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIPsQU4qCk8/Unkb145DInI/AAAAAAAAAlE/a0nQoFVLwX4/s1600/Photo+Oct+20,+1+09+05+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIPsQU4qCk8/Unkb145DInI/AAAAAAAAAlE/a0nQoFVLwX4/s640/Photo+Oct+20,+1+09+05+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schonbrunn Palace. Just look at that tasteful and not too extravagant architecture! Nothing like what I saw later in Versailles... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-liAduQDvBOA/Unkb2PnQ8WI/AAAAAAAAAlM/U-hw_8DcjVU/s1600/Photo+Oct+20,+2+13+04+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-liAduQDvBOA/Unkb2PnQ8WI/AAAAAAAAAlM/U-hw_8DcjVU/s640/Photo+Oct+20,+2+13+04+PM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking around the grounds surrounding Schonbrunn.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TSSVcqDhAOs/Unkb2tOkdXI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/xgK0BJhEjZQ/s1600/Photo+Oct+20,+2+25+44+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TSSVcqDhAOs/Unkb2tOkdXI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/xgK0BJhEjZQ/s640/Photo+Oct+20,+2+25+44+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gardens at Schonbrunn; that structure off in the distance is an atrium-like building that rests on top of a small hill. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qgK3BrJxDZY/Unkb2z3JcEI/AAAAAAAAAlU/EmsEVJcAjSk/s1600/Photo+Oct+20,+2+39+03+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qgK3BrJxDZY/Unkb2z3JcEI/AAAAAAAAAlU/EmsEVJcAjSk/s640/Photo+Oct+20,+2+39+03+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Schonbrunn and Vienna from the top of said hill. Fall was out in full force in Austria, which was lovely. </td></tr>
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The second day, I decided to head out to the Schonbrunn Palace, which is where the Hapsburgs spent the majority of their time when not inside the city at the Imperial Apartments (...which I visited the first day but have no photos of. "No Photo" is a very big thing in European museums.) It ended up being a beautiful day to peer into the modest home (ha) of the former rulers of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Here I got my first taste of how royal families of Europe lived not so long ago. <br />
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I spent some time on top of this hill, writing in my journal about my travel experiences so far and about some of the differences I was noticing about people in Austria versus America. One thing I was struggling to reconcile at this point was the indifference most people seemed to have when it came to other people. On the trains and in the street, people do not greet or smile those they encounter. They stoically look away and mind their own business. This behavior was especially noticeable when I was clearly lost one day; no one offered to help me. Casey pointed out to me later that the Viennese do not like to assume that others need help, so they wait for you to ask for what you want or need. <br />
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Apparently, while Viennese people prefer to mind their own business in most matters, they are direct in other ways:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sRrRQ5PvF9Y/UnkeaV5sy3I/AAAAAAAAAlw/TAV2yNu2PaM/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+6+01+22+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sRrRQ5PvF9Y/UnkeaV5sy3I/AAAAAAAAAlw/TAV2yNu2PaM/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+6+01+22+PM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, they probably do...or they look older than they really are even if they live long lives, so...</td></tr>
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Vienna was the first city in which I encountered the "cafe culture" of Europe. Cafes and bars are a very big part of the daily lives of most European people. Each place I stepped into had it's own special take on things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I_f6F-cPPBc/Unkb2N3ZyYI/AAAAAAAAAlI/f4up035sRx8/s1600/Photo+Oct+20,+12+04+41+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I_f6F-cPPBc/Unkb2N3ZyYI/AAAAAAAAAlI/f4up035sRx8/s640/Photo+Oct+20,+12+04+41+PM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't see him, but there's a guy DJing to the right of this photo while folks drink their coffee.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BhSsxRcJhn8/UnkfFAx_4FI/AAAAAAAAAl4/z4jS74uuDJE/s1600/Photo+Oct+19,+9+44+58+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BhSsxRcJhn8/UnkfFAx_4FI/AAAAAAAAAl4/z4jS74uuDJE/s640/Photo+Oct+19,+9+44+58+PM+(1).jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe Hawelka. Famous for it's doughnut-like desserts, which we tasted. Of course. I never turn down fried breads.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eZQBnKfh8ts/Unkfb5v2LKI/AAAAAAAAAmI/tq_BwBm1l4M/s1600/Photo+Oct+21,+12+59+42+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eZQBnKfh8ts/Unkfb5v2LKI/AAAAAAAAAmI/tq_BwBm1l4M/s640/Photo+Oct+21,+12+59+42+PM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belvedere Palace, which is now an art museum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c9bsyFsCCsI/Unkfbt-CHxI/AAAAAAAAAmE/RTtahNrojek/s1600/Photo+Oct+21,+2+01+19+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c9bsyFsCCsI/Unkfbt-CHxI/AAAAAAAAAmE/RTtahNrojek/s640/Photo+Oct+21,+2+01+19+PM+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the grounds of the Belvedere.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwUydA9JeSM/UnkfbQcYcdI/AAAAAAAAAmA/2aj9Gqo6M4A/s1600/Photo+Oct+21,+1+44+41+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwUydA9JeSM/UnkfbQcYcdI/AAAAAAAAAmA/2aj9Gqo6M4A/s640/Photo+Oct+21,+1+44+41+PM.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stairwell detail. Ornamentation is a BIG thing in European architecture. </td></tr>
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My last day in Vienna took me to the Belvedere, which is a palace now used as an art museum. If I could've photographed it, I would have shown you all the entire ROOM filled with Klimt paintings, including his most famous "The Kiss". Out of all the art I saw in Vienna, this room was my favorite. There is nothing quite like the glowing quality found in his works and the expressiveness of the forms he painted. Again, the weather was amazing (mid 50s and sunny), and I enjoyed a nice long walk outside the museum after taking a look around.<br />
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Overall, I really liked all of the offerings this Austrian city had. I liked walking along the Donau (the Danube for us non-Viennese folks), peering into the former lives of the Hapsburg family, and learning more about European culture in a city that is perhaps more easily accessible to an American than other cities on the continent. If I go back, I'd like to experience a bit more of the music scene there and hopefully travel to Salzburg, too. Oh, and get fat on eating dessert as a meal. Apparently, that's a thing you can do in Vienna. And why wouldn't you? <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-5508482010759236522013-09-19T17:07:00.001-04:002013-09-19T17:07:13.952-04:00-ing.A good idea for a list from The Daybook. Here's my take:<br />
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Making: time for my friends, time for contemplation<br />
Cooking: quinoa and veggies, balanced out with baked goods<br />
Drinking: Americanos with hazelnut simple syrup and a splash of cream. Keeps me alert but not edgy. <br />
Reading: Rick Steves' European travel guides, articles from <i>The Atlantic</i>, Huffington Post <br />
Wanting: too many things (a Mini Cooper, a new wardrobe, someone to snuggle with as the weather gets colder)<br />
Looking: at too many screens too frequently<br />
Playing: with barbells and dumbbells and kettlebells at CrossFit three times a week<br />
Wasting: time. more than I'd like to admit.<br />
Sewing: nothing at the moment, but I've been working on knitting a scarf...<br />
Wishing: for a restful night of sleep.<br />
Enjoying: the change in seasons. layers, and boots, and sweaters, oh my!<br />
Waiting: for October 17. with bated breath.<br />
Liking: anything involving cinnamon.<br />
Wondering: what traveling alone will really be like and who I might meet.<br />
Loving: those nights on the porch with my roommates, fulfilling talks with my lady friends, learning that it's ok to not have everything figured out right now<a href="http://www.branchshop.com/"><br />
</a>Hoping: for definite answers instead of murky, confusing reasoning for certain questions<br />
Marveling: at the way the light changes this time of year. The Golden Hour is dripping with warmth.<br />
Needing: to learn some basic German, Italian, and French...ASAP!<br />
Smelling: fires burning at sunset, spiced muffins being baked, the leaves starting to turn<br />
Wearing: cream sweater, burgundy cropped trousers, and taupe heels with mixed metal accessories. <br />
Following: the beat of my personal drummer.<br />
Noticing: white hairs. IT'S TOO SOON.<br />
Knowing: that I am the only one who can ask for what I want/need.<br />
Thinking: about love, about swapping out my warm/cold clothes, about taking a nap.<br />
Feeling: sleepy.<br />
Bookmarking: hostel options and travel advice blogs.<br />
Opening: myself up to new ideas and experiences. <br />
Giggling: more frequently with my best girls.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-10929596546149421522013-09-17T14:51:00.000-04:002013-09-17T14:51:40.270-04:00go all the way with what matters.A few months ago, I decided that I was done putting off doing certain things in my life. Now that I'm nearing the ripe old (young!) age of 30, it seems silly to pretend like I have all the time in the world; none of us do, but we often tell ourselves that we'll do it "when we have time" or "when there isn't so much going on" or "when I've done X, <i>then</i> I can do Y". I've decided that there's no time like the present to work towards doing all the things I want in life.<br />
<br />
I went skydiving back in July:<br />
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Totally worth the expense to see the world from that height. I surprised myself by actually doing it, too.<br />
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Next on my list? Travel. To Western Europe. In ONE MONTH! Where am I headed?<br />
<br />
Vienna:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pEueewQKJ5s/UjhqP83_HjI/AAAAAAAAAik/y1qulmA9hgk/s1600/vienna-opera-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pEueewQKJ5s/UjhqP83_HjI/AAAAAAAAAik/y1qulmA9hgk/s640/vienna-opera-house.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vienna Opera House</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wx4u2qDBB-M/UjhqP6MxObI/AAAAAAAAAig/V95h-hzqv5o/s1600/Vienna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wx4u2qDBB-M/UjhqP6MxObI/AAAAAAAAAig/V95h-hzqv5o/s640/Vienna.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To Florence:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nDCT4Rd1mbo/UjhqgdgVrhI/AAAAAAAAAi0/UlaIGEsxX-g/s1600/David.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nDCT4Rd1mbo/UjhqgdgVrhI/AAAAAAAAAi0/UlaIGEsxX-g/s640/David.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelangelo's David</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l6RdZ_-N630/UjhqgbD97RI/AAAAAAAAAiw/na65VCViJSs/s1600/Florence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l6RdZ_-N630/UjhqgbD97RI/AAAAAAAAAiw/na65VCViJSs/s640/Florence.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florence, with Il Duomo on the right hand side.</td></tr>
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To Paris:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B3mOTobInNM/Ujhqz3iLZGI/AAAAAAAAAjA/G9Cku8VkI_4/s1600/Paris!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B3mOTobInNM/Ujhqz3iLZGI/AAAAAAAAAjA/G9Cku8VkI_4/s640/Paris!.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I keep promising myself that eating crepes and pastries everyday won't be so bad since I'll be walking all over...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eCcpzEkqNCM/UjhrN6-0X7I/AAAAAAAAAjI/yNmOvPZY7s8/s1600/sacre-coeur-paris-f1064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eCcpzEkqNCM/UjhrN6-0X7I/AAAAAAAAAjI/yNmOvPZY7s8/s640/sacre-coeur-paris-f1064.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sacre-Coeur. Sigh.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And lastly, to London:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeACk1efezw/UjhrdToRAxI/AAAAAAAAAjU/-AS4FMT1luA/s1600/221b_Baker_Street_Placa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeACk1efezw/UjhrdToRAxI/AAAAAAAAAjU/-AS4FMT1luA/s640/221b_Baker_Street_Placa.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a nerd. What of it?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tL_PbxVu8MU/UjhrdVOrCUI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/EXs4fHdt0-4/s1600/London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tL_PbxVu8MU/UjhrdVOrCUI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/EXs4fHdt0-4/s640/London.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm hoping to meet the Brit of my dreams over there. Tom Hiddleston, are you ready for me?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I'm so thrilled to finally be going through with this. I've taken 11 days off from work in late October (which is a very slow time of year in our office), and will be spending a total of 16 days across the Atlantic. I'm hoping to keep anyone who's interested apprised of what I'm up to while I'm there. In the meantime, many of my posts between now and then will be travel related; I'm hoping you'll follow along. And if you have any tips for me, please feel free to send them my way! <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-49439229307488920662013-09-10T17:04:00.001-04:002013-09-10T17:04:52.681-04:00seize the day.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s1uXS4ZMZhg/Ui-FQ-65S5I/AAAAAAAAAgE/chBIiPKHMGU/s1600/image(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s1uXS4ZMZhg/Ui-FQ-65S5I/AAAAAAAAAgE/chBIiPKHMGU/s640/image(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thrifted oxford; Old Navy skinnies (OLD); Steve Madden sandals; Warby Parker frames</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rk2tYBNQEU4/Ui-FTiZk0ZI/AAAAAAAAAgM/Ji4ufjccgSY/s1600/image(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rk2tYBNQEU4/Ui-FTiZk0ZI/AAAAAAAAAgM/Ji4ufjccgSY/s640/image(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thrifted Theory shirt; LOFT cropped skinny pants; Me Too heels</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I'm back with more Instagramed photos, you guys. As the weather has been starting to cool down a bit, I've really been digging the ease of tomboy dressing. There's something really nice about throwing on a button down and some pants and hitting the road. I know most women would accessorize more heavily to counter the masculine nature of this sort of styling, but I've always been minimal when it comes to jewelry and continued to follow that mentality here. I will say that something about dressing this way makes me feel kind of like a kid in the movie, "Newsies". It's probably the cropped pants. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-17057685879336750202013-08-20T12:21:00.002-04:002013-08-20T12:22:16.304-04:00instagram me. Yeah, it's been a loooooong time since I've posted any outfits here. Well, I'm still wearing clothes (the majority of the time ;) ), and here's some proof! Every single one of these outfits was worn to work; can you tell I work at a college? I have no idea what the real dress code is here, I just know that I never wear jeans. In any case, I'm just gonna apologize straight up for the poor quality of the photos. They were obviously taken with my iPhone and then posted on Instagram. I'll probably never be a legit blogger until I get a good DSLR, but let's not assume that I can't still be a decent blogger with blurry mirror shots, alright?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P0xIQLYM5gA/UhOUzaP1mcI/AAAAAAAAAfc/XneuMcqJiMQ/s1600/image(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P0xIQLYM5gA/UhOUzaP1mcI/AAAAAAAAAfc/XneuMcqJiMQ/s640/image(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flats/Dress/Cardigan: all from Target! Madewell tote.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0E8rneBcJN4/UhOUzVFHGhI/AAAAAAAAAfY/aYyMh4kPO5I/s1600/image(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0E8rneBcJN4/UhOUzVFHGhI/AAAAAAAAAfY/aYyMh4kPO5I/s640/image(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blouse: J.Crew Skirt: Old Navy Shoes: Miz Mooz via Nordstrom Rack Tote: Madewell</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yQstnJxnUE/UhOUzqih_FI/AAAAAAAAAfg/BVp2RqClAKo/s1600/image(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yQstnJxnUE/UhOUzqih_FI/AAAAAAAAAfg/BVp2RqClAKo/s640/image(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dress: Anthropologie, Cross-Body Bag: Ralph Lauren via T.J. Maxx, Boots: Hunter via Gilt</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49IZSz9jKok/UhOUzwuwbLI/AAAAAAAAAfk/xuv-QEFhLgk/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49IZSz9jKok/UhOUzwuwbLI/AAAAAAAAAfk/xuv-QEFhLgk/s640/image.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blazer: J.Crew, Dress: F21 (!), Necklace: For Queen Victoria on Etsy, Heels: Me Too via DSW</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-58409330724738210452013-07-03T15:24:00.001-04:002013-07-03T15:24:11.487-04:00things you'll never see me wear:1: White shoes...of any kind. <br />
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There is just something about them that reads "cheap" to my eyes when I see them on someone's feet. Also, they'd probably blend into the pale skin I've got goin' on. So, there's that.<br />
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2: Drop-waist dresses<br />
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This would just never work for my body type. The only women who pull this off well are the waifish/boyish figured ladies, in my opinion. There's also something about this that reads childish to me, and I'm looking to avoid that.<br />
<br />
3: The color orange. I just can't, y'all. The closest I've been able to come is coral. <br />
4: Hair extensions. Nope, never.<br />
5: Peplum. I tried some of these tops on and felt absolutely ridiculous. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-10822230468366506472013-07-01T15:11:00.000-04:002013-07-01T15:11:02.204-04:00pierced and paintedIt's funny, no one has really noticed my tattoo or nose piercing, and I feel pretty great about it. First of all, I didn't get either thing to be noticed or for people to ask me why I had them. I chose to permanently adorn my body with things that I felt reflected the way I think and the way I see myself. To have only a handful of people notice these things has only served to make me feel like I made the right decision by getting them in the first place. It's seems to me that people haven't really noticed them because they just think they're normal outward expressions for me to have.<br />
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A few of my friends also have piercings and/or tattoos. I love hearing some of the beautiful stories behind them and can't imagine these friends without their bodily adornments. For instance, my friend J has a beautiful collection of flowers winding from her shoulder down part of her back; each flower represents a person in her life that means a great deal to her. Another friend, A, has the title of the piece of music that has moved him most in life tattooed under his collar bone. My other friend J has several piercings, and I can just tell that she feels most like herself when she's wearing them. My own tattoo is a constant reminder to live life in the affirmative, even as time passes me by.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-80988708496516383952013-01-05T09:55:00.001-05:002013-01-05T09:55:26.388-05:00fear of commitmentI walked into Anthropologie a few days ago and left empty-handed. Have you ever had a shopping trip where despite all your desires to find something you adore, you just can't seem to get in the mood to actually purchase something? It doesn't happen to me often, as I tend to shop with particulars in mind, but buying something at Anthro feels like such a...commitment. I apparently wasn't quite ready to take any leaps. Here is what I wore on my not-so-eventful shopping trip: <br />
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blazer: consigned J.Crew, sweater: F21, jeans: Old Navy, booties: Target (a lovely gift from a dear friend) <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-n8uppyX1T8M/UOg-2hCpRhI/AAAAAAAAAbM/kOJX7SXVXOQ/s640/blogger-image-1530783778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-n8uppyX1T8M/UOg-2hCpRhI/AAAAAAAAAbM/kOJX7SXVXOQ/s640/blogger-image-1530783778.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xLL9L0TeWDg/UOg-3b-ghHI/AAAAAAAAAbU/WuHu2VCSMXo/s640/blogger-image--1562053337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xLL9L0TeWDg/UOg-3b-ghHI/AAAAAAAAAbU/WuHu2VCSMXo/s640/blogger-image--1562053337.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NPk3Vi-QzrU/UOg-18x1kkI/AAAAAAAAAbE/Mm2SVDjBXt8/s640/blogger-image--348988624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NPk3Vi-QzrU/UOg-18x1kkI/AAAAAAAAAbE/Mm2SVDjBXt8/s640/blogger-image--348988624.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-45088278852383410682012-11-20T14:57:00.005-05:002012-11-20T14:57:58.556-05:00"...you look absolutely beautiful the way you are."“<span class="quote">I don’t mind to look older. I don’t have this urge
that so many people have that they’ve always got to look young all their
lives. I think you should be the age you are and enjoy it. And I think
there’s lot of people that have plastic surgery who quite honestly
looked better before, so that’s just my feeling. But if you want to have
it, go ahead and have it, but take a good look before you do because,
just maybe, you look absolutely beautiful the way you are.</span>”<br />
<br />
- Grace Coddington, Creative Director at Vogue Magazine <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-72121005699075773152012-11-19T13:06:00.000-05:002012-11-19T13:06:02.507-05:00some days...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cardigan, tights, and belt: Target, chambray: American Eagle, crochet skirt: F21, boots: Kenneth Cole via eBay</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Ah yes, the dreaded iPhone photos. Yes, that is a bathroom I'm taking photos of myself in (don't judge). I know the quality isn't great, but you get the gist, right? You probably can't really tell that those tights are a deep burgundy, that the cardigan is navy, and that those boots are a rich cognac, but I assure you that they are. Just trust me, y'all. Some days it's seems like it'll be fine to simply take a few quick shots of myself on my way from the gym to work, but then I see what they look like. Lesson learned.<br />
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In any case, I actually loved this outfit in all its western glory and even wanted to wear my Justin boots with it originally. Not that wearing riding boots instead makes it much less country-fied, but I consider not wearing my cowboy boots here to be a serious exercise in restraint. Where was that restraint this morning when I, upon dropping off my loving boyfriend at the airport, spotted the nearest Chick-fil-a and bought myself a chicken biscuit? No idea, dear reader (s?). Making sartorial choices is sometimes easier than gastronomical ones, I suppose. Then again, you guys won't be seeing the photographic evidence of today's mismatched jacket/outfit situation. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-50473283959192041872012-11-13T17:10:00.003-05:002012-11-13T17:10:53.567-05:00on my face.<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/daily_makeup_routine/set?.embedder=2844692&.svc=blogger&id=63287403" target="_blank"><img alt="daily makeup routine" border="0" force="1" height="548" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/jAuTr2EiUBZEiN9b6OdXtw/cid/63287403/id/1Xpz4qyBQLWc4lnLBeOXPg/size/c600x548.jpg" title="daily makeup routine" width="600" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/daily_makeup_routine/set?.embedder=2844692&.svc=blogger&id=63287403" target="_blank">daily makeup routine</a></small><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">After much trial and error and a heavy dose of experimentation over the past decade or so, I think I have finally settled on a daily routine with makeup. Like what I clothe myself in, there's a nice mix of inexpensive buys with more expensive products</span>. Here's a breakdown:</div>
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- <a href="http://www.sephora.com/premium-beauty-balm-spf-45-pa-P285403?skuId=1327915" target="_blank">Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm with SPF 45</a></div>
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Thanks to a recent Birchbox sample, I found this BB cream. Man, oh man, have I fallen in love with this stuff. I like that it contains SPF, has moisturizing qualities, acts as a primer, and provides moderate coverage for my fair skin. I've also noticed that it acts as a mattifier for the better part of the day, which is great for my super oily skin! </div>
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- <a href="http://www.drugstore.com/maybelline-cover-stick-correctorconcealer-fair-110/qxp194129?catid=183547" target="_blank">Maybelline Cover Stick in Fair</a></div>
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I should probably be more discriminating with my concealer, but this one tends to do a decent job of covering my under-eye circles and masking blemishes. I like products that can multitask, but am open to recommendations if anyone has them.</div>
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- <a href="http://www.target.com/p/e-l-f-studio-blush-tickled-pink/-/A-13586138#prodSlot=medium_1_15" target="_blank">e.l.f. Tickled Pink Blush</a></div>
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This stuff is dirt cheap and has just about the same pigmentation as most drugstore brands, but it doesn't break me out! I have fairly sensitive skin, so I have to be careful about blushes. I used to be a big fan of the Sally Hansen Carmindy line of mineral blushes, but I can't seem to find it anywhere in stores anymore, much to my chagrin.</div>
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- <a href="http://www.sephora.com/eyeshadow-primer-potion-tube-original-P284716?skuId=1325547" target="_blank">Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original</a></div>
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For the longest time, I never truly understood the purpose of eyeshadow primer. I should've known better, especially since I have oily, hooded eyelids. It's a no-brainer now: I throw it on and my shadow lasts all.day.long.</div>
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- <a href="http://www.sephora.com/naked-palette-P267200?skuId=1324532" target="_blank">Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette</a></div>
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THIS. This palette made me a believer in eyeshadow, y'all. All of the shadows included truly compliment my "warm autumn" coloring, and I have found quite a few combinations with the colors included. Also, since the pigmentation is quite concentrated, I don't have to use very much to achieve the look I want. </div>
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- <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2101480&productId=VP00139&navAction=push&navCount=1&categoryId=cat80042" target="_blank">Rimmel Soft Kajal Eye Pencil - in Sable Brown</a></div>
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I love the ease with which this goes on, and it is infinitely smudgable. Those two things should be prerequisites of any good eyeliner. </div>
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- <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod930186#sku2162646" target="_blank">Ulta Kohl Eye Liner Pencil - in Plum</a></div>
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This is the only Ulta brand eyeliner I have, but it is the <i>perfect</i> plum color and truly enhances the green in my eyes.</div>
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- <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod560100" target="_blank">L'Oreal Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner - in Earthen Rock Brown</a></div>
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When I'm in the mood for a cat eye, I swipe this stuff on. I've also heard some good things about a few Cover Girl liquid eyeliners, so I might be changing this up soon.</div>
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- <a href="http://www.drugstore.com/revlon-grow-luscious-mascara-blackened-brown-003/qxp267894" target="_blank">Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara - in Blackened Brown</a></div>
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First of all, this stuff lives up to the hype of helping to make your lashes longer and stronger. I've been using it for a year and my lashes have never been this long or thick. I love the huge brush as it helps to add volume to my lashes. </div>
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- <a href="http://www.sephora.com/rosebud-salve-P42204?skuId=683490" target="_blank">Smith's Rosebud Salve</a></div>
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A classic and the only thing that keeps my lips soft. Most other balms dry out my lips, but this stuff is just perfect. I can also use it as a cuticle cream in a jam, too!</div>
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- <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod3790037#sku2236104" target="_blank">Pur Mnerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup</a></div>
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I still keep this stuff on hand to throw on at the end of the day if I'm looking a bit shiny. It's light, goes on without drying the skin, and mattifies things right away. </div>
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Soon, I'd like to do posts on skincare and hair, so keep an eye out for those. Also: my awesome friend/roommate Jennie will be doing a guest post soon on lipstick and lip stain, and you should all be waiting with bated breath for what she'll share with all of us! </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-55179629196438498342012-11-01T14:52:00.001-04:002012-11-01T15:10:58.597-04:00weekender<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/weekender/set?.embedder=2844692&.svc=blogger&id=62349246" target="_blank"><img alt="weekender" border="0" force="1" height="758" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/LpGEm0ysHM1Kw7t0VgsEAw/cid/62349246/id/Iv8JLXOOSou-KucK-Y-wgg/size/c600x758.jpg" title="weekender" width="600" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/weekender/set?.embedder=2844692&.svc=blogger&id=62349246" target="_blank">weekender</a> by <a href="http://paleandmild.polyvore.com/?.embedder=2844692&.svc=blogger" target="_blank">paleandmild</a> </small><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Despite my affinity for all fall colors, sometimes I really just want to throw on several neutrals with pops of color instead of bathing myself in it all. I actually have all of the elements posted here in my closet (in some variation or another) and would most certainly throw something like this on for a day of brunch, running errands, studying French, and/or watching my alma mater (Texas Tech University -- GUNS UP!) play. There's just something about head to toe denim (in varying washes) and a cozy scarf that screams relaxation to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Also, let me just say that up until about a year ago, I NEVER would've paired cognac boots with black. I am not sure what changed, but I find myself doing it more and more. Here's to mixing neutrals! </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-50050098082300635452012-10-25T11:03:00.000-04:002012-10-25T11:04:32.508-04:00colorful.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4A3_Slxd70/UIlPqR0BEWI/AAAAAAAAAXY/U-IEjkjnMJs/s1600/_MG_5791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4A3_Slxd70/UIlPqR0BEWI/AAAAAAAAAXY/U-IEjkjnMJs/s640/_MG_5791.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">shirt/skirt: F21, scarf: old Marshall's, tights: Target, lace-up oxfords: Etienne Aigner via Marshall's</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kAA4neXZFis/UIlPuzO9nmI/AAAAAAAAAXg/AU1bggikXNw/s1600/_MG_5811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kAA4neXZFis/UIlPuzO9nmI/AAAAAAAAAXg/AU1bggikXNw/s640/_MG_5811.jpg" width="640" /></a>The one thing I think about on crisp October mornings is how much I can get away with looking like the trees with their brightly colored leaves. Is there such a thing as too much with these colors? I LOVE wearing mustard, burgundy, rust, teal, and cognac, and this time of year I can get away with wearing some combination of those colors all at once...while eating things made with pumpkin and apple.<br />
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Growing up in West Texas didn't afford me a real fall season. It is usually warm until the beginning of November, and at that point the leaves just shrivel up and fall off the trees. I will never forget my first fall in Maryland and the feeling of being overcome by color. I was stunned by the shocking yellow of the Ginkgo trees, the electric orange of Maple leaves, and the wine colored red leaves found on countless other trees in this area. I love that I don't have to look very far to find outfit inspiration here. It's right outside my window.<br />
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**all photography by <a href="http://www.sarahculver.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Culver</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-79714105599864126642012-08-30T14:36:00.002-04:002012-08-30T16:08:14.891-04:00mixing things up.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_zDICl5P_OQ/UD-wf2QX0WI/AAAAAAAAAWg/th_FIII5PXc/s1600/SarahCulver_026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_zDICl5P_OQ/UD-wf2QX0WI/AAAAAAAAAWg/th_FIII5PXc/s640/SarahCulver_026.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Sarah Culver</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zxPxrb9-SrM/UD-wg2GyhoI/AAAAAAAAAWo/rGqf3jNNogc/s1600/SarahCulver_028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zxPxrb9-SrM/UD-wg2GyhoI/AAAAAAAAAWo/rGqf3jNNogc/s640/SarahCulver_028.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">shirt: Old Navy; skirt: Forever 21 (it is a silk blend!); wedges: DSW; belt: thrifted Coach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Reg_8stpc3g/UD-whqT4anI/AAAAAAAAAWw/rWissxcKueM/s1600/SarahCulver_031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Reg_8stpc3g/UD-whqT4anI/AAAAAAAAAWw/rWissxcKueM/s640/SarahCulver_031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Sarah Culver</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Sarah Culver</td></tr>
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I will never forget the first day I realized that the colors in this shirt matched some featured in the skirt. I think there might've been an audible, "oh YEAH!", muttered under my breath, like I had just read something that seemed true but that I hadn't yet been able to put into words. It took me a while to work up the courage to actually wear this out in public, however. It is one thing to mix patterns in a way that seems grown-up, and most people use the word "whimsical" to describe the sorts of outfits that execute pattern mixing well (think Anthropologie or even J. Crew). It is another thing entirely to look like a five-year-old picked out your outfit, and I suppose I wondered if this particular mixture skewed in that direction.<br />
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Either way, I threw it on one day and ventured off to work. And I adore the way I feel on the days that I wear these pieces together. I feel fun and alive, youthful but not immature. It's a good feeling to relish in, and sometimes we all need a bit of whimsy in life, don't you think?<br />
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**All photos taken by the SUPER talented <a href="http://www.sarahculver.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Culver</a>, who I am lucky to call a friend. :) Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-21696490561230789002012-08-28T13:16:00.002-04:002012-08-28T13:17:38.280-04:00“I think hairstyle is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself.”<br />
- Hubert de Givenchy<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bk765JsTG-I/UDz86ImrF0I/AAAAAAAAAWE/KtzFR16jI0o/s1600/photo%283%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bk765JsTG-I/UDz86ImrF0I/AAAAAAAAAWE/KtzFR16jI0o/s640/photo%283%29.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-79549412084294101472012-08-20T22:31:00.000-04:002012-08-21T09:48:36.734-04:00the hair.Ever since I was a little girl, my hair has been kind of a big deal. People would stop my mom at the grocery store to comment on the girls with the "thick, red hair". My sister and I lucked out in the recessive gene department (she has strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, I got the auburn hair and green eyes -- thanks Mom and Dad!), and there has been no end to the comments about it since we were kids.<br />
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The hair is a mixed blessing, however. Mine is very thick and wavy, and is riddled with awkward cowlicks. It took me for-eh-verrrr to learn how to tame it in the slightest, which was especially difficult at a longer length. It soaked up hair products like a plant that hadn't been watered in weeks. The natural body and texture can at times make my hair poofy; the cowlicks can make it difficult for stylists to cut. That said, I have had many different cuts ranging from almost elbow length hair with terrible bangs curled under with a 1" curling iron to collar bone length hair with a center part (bad choice!). <br />
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Here, follow me on an adventure through styles past:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i15Wlw4Lv_Y/UDKxqaN8vmI/AAAAAAAAATE/ZeTuKJzD4_0/s1600/ChrismasDayme_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i15Wlw4Lv_Y/UDKxqaN8vmI/AAAAAAAAATE/ZeTuKJzD4_0/s640/ChrismasDayme_edited.jpg" width="433" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how my hair was styled throughout most of my undergraduate experience. I believe I instructed the stylist to give me long layers. I stupidly washed this everyday, which meant that it was always dry and a little frizzy. Do you see that slight bump at the crown? That is natural, folks. I did not tease my hair. I brushed it. On a side note, I really miss those frames.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dUeQ0hjrLkk/UDKyYwVrhlI/AAAAAAAAATM/xlMy9HClXog/s1600/spring2007hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dUeQ0hjrLkk/UDKyYwVrhlI/AAAAAAAAATM/xlMy9HClXog/s640/spring2007hair.jpg" width="470" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the natural texture of my hair, y'all. And yes, I do miss having hair this length sometimes. I kept this angled bob for a while in my last year of undergrad.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTS7OoD7hhs/UDLWG5w5E_I/AAAAAAAAAT8/hTCQzP3iCrk/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTS7OoD7hhs/UDLWG5w5E_I/AAAAAAAAAT8/hTCQzP3iCrk/s640/005.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I am making an awful face, but my hair is straight. I had just moved to the east coast to start graduate school and was spending lots of time alone reading, hence the terrifying facial expression here. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8zhtspBYRHA/UDLRtSy4JII/AAAAAAAAATg/IoX0YzTpHCY/s1600/firstchop2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8zhtspBYRHA/UDLRtSy4JII/AAAAAAAAATg/IoX0YzTpHCY/s640/firstchop2008.jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I finally chopped my hair in the winter of 2008 and for some reason started to feel more like myself. I kept enough length to still wear my hear in its natural state and was reassured in the feeling I had by compliments about how the haircut "looks just right for you". </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSVlSiPg5LU/UDLe9WRmpPI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/vfJAAR-1ns8/s1600/fall2008hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSVlSiPg5LU/UDLe9WRmpPI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/vfJAAR-1ns8/s640/fall2008hair.jpg" width="490" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was essentially the same cut as above but with my hair straightened. Why, yes! Those are fox "ears"! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P25kMmbLAxg/UDLfTnegrnI/AAAAAAAAAUY/guTEd_raf1U/s1600/dec2008hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P25kMmbLAxg/UDLfTnegrnI/AAAAAAAAAUY/guTEd_raf1U/s640/dec2008hair.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In December of 2008, I decided it was time to go even shorter, so I went in with an asymmetrical cut in mind. I really liked this cut, but found it difficult to keep up with, so it really only lasted for about three months before I changed things up again.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mxVjYjOn8l0/UDLgycB9uiI/AAAAAAAAAUg/qzQXnte4ing/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mxVjYjOn8l0/UDLgycB9uiI/AAAAAAAAAUg/qzQXnte4ing/s640/050.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every time my hair grows out a little, it gets what I lovingly call "flippy things" around my ears. In fall of 2009, I was decidedly dealing with hair of a flippy nature.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2-qJoHP9wA/UDLjBhBa3zI/AAAAAAAAAUo/PBtapmLsmUo/s1600/spring2010hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2-qJoHP9wA/UDLjBhBa3zI/AAAAAAAAAUo/PBtapmLsmUo/s640/spring2010hair.jpg" width="464" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this photo begins the quick progression (regression?) to ever shorter hair. Once I made it here, all I wanted was shorter hair for the ease of styling it.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WipomWEiMPQ/UDLkJpYYz4I/AAAAAAAAAUw/Kbbm72DG-aE/s1600/fall2010hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WipomWEiMPQ/UDLkJpYYz4I/AAAAAAAAAUw/Kbbm72DG-aE/s640/fall2010hair.jpg" width="490" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the fall of 2010, I was sporting an actual "pixie" cut, which started a strong move towards a different style than I had been sporting before. Everything I chose was more tailored and much more feminine, probably to offset the boyishness of my hair. I also started experimenting much more with makeup at this point.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyEz0u0L0CE/UDLl7Pwy1dI/AAAAAAAAAU8/6VcggZmjQ7w/s1600/spring2011hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyEz0u0L0CE/UDLl7Pwy1dI/AAAAAAAAAU8/6VcggZmjQ7w/s640/spring2011hair.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo documents the shortest my hair had ever been (up to that point!). I loved the ease of getting ready but was admittedly self-conscious about exposing so much of my face.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--xeHib0LXfw/UDLqFwVx3DI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/ZAigmBWGKDc/s1600/late2011hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--xeHib0LXfw/UDLqFwVx3DI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/ZAigmBWGKDc/s640/late2011hair.jpg" width="386" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hair vacillated in between the length in the former photo and what you see here for quite a while. Around November of 2011, I decided to see what growing out my hair would yield...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2uViaEdnN-I/UDLv4Wk27JI/AAAAAAAAAVs/OJnEDWnNxz4/s1600/527535_10100809120797398_408625400_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2uViaEdnN-I/UDLv4Wk27JI/AAAAAAAAAVs/OJnEDWnNxz4/s640/527535_10100809120797398_408625400_n.jpg" width="516" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this was as far as I got before deciding that I hated it. It didn't suit the aesthetic I was going for in my style at all, and despite compliments I was getting from folks, I chopped it all off again in June. </td></tr>
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I am not sure if I will get bored and try to grow it out again in the future. I cannot imagine cutting it shorter than it is now, but we'll see...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-48214504012059281072012-08-15T19:54:00.001-04:002012-08-16T11:23:35.228-04:00so, I went shopping.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LP7CQmqSdyo/UCwfpakQItI/AAAAAAAAASs/pNVXt_i7Jlc/s1600/MD+tax-free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LP7CQmqSdyo/UCwfpakQItI/AAAAAAAAASs/pNVXt_i7Jlc/s640/MD+tax-free.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh, Tax-Free Week...I simultaneously love and hate you. You always cause me to spend more than I thought I would, but I LOVE what I snapped up today, so I guess it's alright.<br />
<br />
We're all on a budget these days, and while I have my share of nicely tailored pieces (mostly found via consignment, eBay, or purchased after months of saving), I can't seem to help picking up items from checking account friendly places like Old Navy, Forever 21, and H&M. If you know what to look for in terms of construction, material, and cut, I feel like it is possible to make items from these stores last more than one season. My favorite ponte knit black pencil skirt is something I paid $13 for 3 years ago at F21. And it looks pretty cute with my grey J.Crew wool blazer, I must say. <br />
<br />
I've been thinking for the last while about what sorts of items I'd like to add to my closet for my favorite season. My fall wardrobe tends to fall heavily in favor of teals, mustards, wines, and tans, and I kept that in mind as I picked up the items you see above. I can't wait to mix and match these pieces with what I already have!<br />
<br />
Without further ado, here is what I snagged up (clockwise from top left):<br />
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<a href="http://www.oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=51176&vid=1&pid=730770&scid=730770302" target="_blank">Old Navy Rockstar Jeans in Camp Fire wash</a><br />
<a href="http://www.oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=70341&vid=1&pid=576041&scid=576041052" target="_blank">Old Navy Rockstar Cords in Aniseed</a><br />
- I have loved this particular fit in this pant since I discovered it last fall, as they're perfect for tucking into boots or wearing with heels or flats. They have so many colors in this pant right now -- I encourage you to go try them on for size!<br />
<a href="http://www.oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=60790&vid=1&pid=557738&scid=557738022" target="_blank">Old Navy Boat-Neck sweater in black/white stripe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?Br=F21&Category=sweater&ProductID=2083317087&VariantID=" target="_blank">F21 basic cream sweater</a><br />
<a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=Essentials&ProductID=2000049267&VariantID=" target="_blank">F21 Essential Sueded Shift Dress</a><br />
- This dress has the potential to be very versatile. <br />
F21 Double Breasted Knit Blazer (I can't find a link to this...)<br />
<a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=love21&Category=love21_skirt&ProductID=2017524065&VariantID=" target="_blank">F21/Love21 Knee-Length Bodycon Skirt</a><br />
- So, I'm not sure how work-appropriate this skirt is, but that doesn't mean that I won't try to wear it there. It's lined and the color is great with browns, greys, or blacks. <br />
<a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=love21&Category=love21_woventops&ProductID=2016213151&VariantID=" target="_blank">F21/Love21 Pintucked Pleats Shirt</a><br />
<a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=love21&Category=love21_woventops&ProductID=2011779301&VariantID=" target="_blank">F21/Love21 Oversized Y-Neck Top</a><br />
- I was very excited to find both of these blouses! I've been looking to incorporate more of these into my wardrobe, and this is a great way to get two colors I adore into further rotation.<br />
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I'll likely be purchasing a few other items (like shoes!) in the next couple of months, but I'm really excited about this start to my fall wardrobe!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-2696256939769844622012-07-17T10:46:00.001-04:002012-07-17T11:12:12.765-04:00what I need to be wearingEarlier this year, I made a promise to myself to at least try all of the things I'd wanted to try but had been too scared/intimidated/nervous about trying before. For too long, I had let the "I can't" in my mind rule me and had sequestered myself away in my room. So, I got a tattoo (more on that later). I went to electronic music concerts and danced my little heart out. I went ice skating twice and didn't fall either time. I tried to make new female friends (why is this always difficult?) and made it a point to be more social. I started a style blog. I decided to take a summer class. I also started doing CrossFit with a local group 4-5 times a week.<br />
<br />
CrossFit has been a great thing for me physically. I have done things that I never thought I'd be able to do and met people who challenge and inspire me on a daily basis. I feel healthier and know that I will continue to grow in strength, skill, and ability as time wears on. But...I still fight myself on a daily basis. I am often beating up on myself mentally for the things I cannot do well or cannot do at full strength yet. As inspiring as my friends are, it is hard for me to watch them lift heavier things than me at a faster pace. I am embarrassed and often frustrated that I am not faster/stronger/more agile/able to endure more.<br />
<br />
But hold on....isn't doing this regularly going to improve all of those things? Yes, absolutely. It would sure be a hell of a lot easier to improve if I wasn't constantly criticizing myself, though. So what if I can't do a strict pull-up yet? I will eventually, and for now I should be proud of my ability to do those that I can. So what if I'm lifting 30-40 pounds less than women of similar size? I'll get there in my own time and now is the time to focus on proper form and technique. So what if I run slower than someone else? At least I am showing up and putting in the work.<br />
<br />
I need to show up to my morning workout with a smile on my face, grateful that I am healthy and capable of taking this on. I need to keep going even when I think I can't. I need to tell the "I can't/you're too slow/you're too weak" voice to shove it and get on with what I'm doing.<br />
<br />
Annie Thorisdottir just won the women's competition of the CrossFit Games for the second consecutive year. As impressive as her strength and endurance are, what impresses me most about her is that she smiles ALL.THE.TIME. During the workouts? Yep. Once she's completed a WOD and perhaps not placed first? Yep. She has an amazing attitude about all of it.<br />
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<a href="http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/97rockonline.com/files/2012/03/Annie-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/97rockonline.com/files/2012/03/Annie-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Games2011_WomenE7_AnnieThorisdottir_Celebrate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Games2011_WomenE7_AnnieThorisdottir_Celebrate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm hoping that something like that can be learned, even after 28 years of being hard on myself.<br />
<br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">"Let me think about the
people I care about the most and how when they fail or disappoint me, I
still love them, I still give them chances, and I still see the best in
them. Let me extend that generosity to myself." - Frank Ze</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-75026394541288345982012-07-10T21:13:00.000-04:002012-07-10T21:13:38.816-04:00let's hear it for New York<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sih9TKuXjEw/T_zOqn85UXI/AAAAAAAAASA/dnGLmTcMjoU/s1600/photo%281%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sih9TKuXjEw/T_zOqn85UXI/AAAAAAAAASA/dnGLmTcMjoU/s640/photo%281%29.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5thC_fYkVe8/T_zOvsdaPuI/AAAAAAAAASY/BCF5yOqjODQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5thC_fYkVe8/T_zOvsdaPuI/AAAAAAAAASY/BCF5yOqjODQ/s640/photo.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">oh.so.dramatic.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y50aD8Sb-MM/T_zOr6kI_BI/AAAAAAAAASI/OPy3VctEUms/s1600/photo%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y50aD8Sb-MM/T_zOr6kI_BI/AAAAAAAAASI/OPy3VctEUms/s640/photo%282%29.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S7NdcAFuJKY/T_zOtA0LQAI/AAAAAAAAASQ/FCmVqX-csMs/s1600/photo%283%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S7NdcAFuJKY/T_zOtA0LQAI/AAAAAAAAASQ/FCmVqX-csMs/s640/photo%283%29.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dress: H&M, shoes: Steve Madden via Nordstrom Rack, shades: Michael Kors via T.J. Maxx</td></tr>
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There is now a photo that exists where I am singing "Empire State of Mind", the song made famous by Alicia Keys and one Jay-Z, while posing in this very dress on this very rooftop. Did I post that here? No. Why? I look like a fool, that's why. And besides, aren't a couple of these shots dramatic and hammy enough on their own? New York City apparently brings out my propensity for over-acting, dahhhhling. I figured I'd spare you guys. <br />
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After the Fourth, I took a couple of days off from work to enjoy a long weekend in the city with my loving boyfriend, and wore this on a day where we explored Central Park, the Lower West Side, and the East Village. It was a hot one, y'all, and I might've forgotten to put sunblock on my pasty white shoulders (sorry Mom!). Let's just say that it now looks like I am wearing a shirt with the same neckline as this dress regardless of what I'm actually wearing. <br />
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This is the only dress I have in my closet with the ever-so-trendy high-low hemline, and I have to say I love the subtle version this particular iteration offers. I'm not always sure I can pull off things like this, and I doubt I'd be comfortable in some of the more exaggerated versions I've seen on others, but this worked out well for me. Anyone else out there tried this trend on for size? If so, what are your feelings about it?<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-24301068257345232532012-07-03T12:46:00.001-04:002012-07-03T13:00:38.635-04:00devil with a blue dress on?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GoY4muicRns/T_McJIZZgaI/AAAAAAAAARY/RL8YOhXgmeM/s1600/SarahCulver_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GoY4muicRns/T_McJIZZgaI/AAAAAAAAARY/RL8YOhXgmeM/s640/SarahCulver_016.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TYim8SNLcgM/T_McOHP1PlI/AAAAAAAAARg/aHfyaVT25Ws/s1600/SarahCulver_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TYim8SNLcgM/T_McOHP1PlI/AAAAAAAAARg/aHfyaVT25Ws/s640/SarahCulver_019.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dress/necklace: Forever 21, shoes: Seychelles via DSW</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vD6VjdHDdEo/T_McSAwhyZI/AAAAAAAAARs/gaFHgKG5jJ0/s1600/SarahCulver_020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vD6VjdHDdEo/T_McSAwhyZI/AAAAAAAAARs/gaFHgKG5jJ0/s640/SarahCulver_020.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QbMeP-SaPZ0/T_McdMLMRiI/AAAAAAAAAR0/dJjOGIc8A8I/s1600/SarahCulver_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QbMeP-SaPZ0/T_McdMLMRiI/AAAAAAAAAR0/dJjOGIc8A8I/s640/SarahCulver_018.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my normal state of existence.</td></tr>
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Summer date night outfits are all about simplicity. If the fabric even threatens to be cloying and uncomfortable, I leave it on the hanger. Now that we're in the throes of oppressive heat and humidity, I have to consider several things:<br />
<br />
- will it wrinkle immediately in the damp air?<br />
- will it show sweat? (seriously.)<br />
- am I going to want to claw it off my body five minutes after putting it on?<br />
<br />
Enter this sheer, flowy thing of beauty. Its classic cut and periwinkle-like color called out to me from the overstuffed rack. Once I had it on in the dressing room, I knew it was coming home with me. It's easy to wear, easy to accessorize, and it doesn't stick to me when I'm outside! This time around, I went very light on accessories and chose to throw on my favorite vintage-y heels for a sweetly sexy feel. I can't wait to play around with some edgier accessories with this one.<br />
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**Again, all photos taken by the extremely talented <a href="http://www.sarahculver.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Culver</a>. Please visit her site!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9218517921528501270.post-43397817088923240802012-06-29T15:23:00.001-04:002012-06-29T15:23:13.303-04:00what I won't be wearing this weekend<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dRVpMHGw2rA/T-36riDWweI/AAAAAAAAAQs/cjRIeKf8_-0/s1600/SarahCulver_068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dRVpMHGw2rA/T-36riDWweI/AAAAAAAAAQs/cjRIeKf8_-0/s640/SarahCulver_068.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sarah Culver</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nBWg7D3URgU/T-36xscbexI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/ztm4ZBFjA94/s1600/SarahCulver_070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nBWg7D3URgU/T-36xscbexI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/ztm4ZBFjA94/s640/SarahCulver_070.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">chambray: American Eagle, colored jeans: Old Navy, sandals: Target (suuuuper old) </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QE0MI7djwKM/T-37jbc7KRI/AAAAAAAAARM/z6dobTHJvzU/s1600/SarahCulver_055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QE0MI7djwKM/T-37jbc7KRI/AAAAAAAAARM/z6dobTHJvzU/s640/SarahCulver_055.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sarah Culver</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ANG8gf0usKQ/T-367Kc2aWI/AAAAAAAAARA/N16Vtc2OXNA/s1600/SarahCulver_060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ANG8gf0usKQ/T-367Kc2aWI/AAAAAAAAARA/N16Vtc2OXNA/s640/SarahCulver_060.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Sarah Culver</td></tr>
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Alright, y'all. It's been too long, and it's time I got back on this horse. So here I am.<br />
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And nope...I won't be wearing this outfit this weekend. Why? It's pretty cute, I know, but it's just going to be too dang hot out for pants. If it wasn't going to be nearing 100*, you'd bet I'd throw this on. My boyfriend is probably sick of seeing me pair these items together, but I just can't get over how comfy it all is. None of it needs to be ironed (hooray!). It's a throw-it-on-to-go-eat-at-the-diner kind of outfit, and you just can't go wrong with that...especially considering how often I actually <i>do </i>go to the diner.<br />
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If you'd asked me a year ago about wearing a denim (ahem...<i>chambray) </i>shirt, I'd have laughed in your face. Something about shirts of this sort takes me back to a time in the sixth grade when wearing my mom's denim shirts with oversized khaki pants was cool (or at least I convinced myself it was...). But this version, with it's feminine shape and pearl buttons (TEXAS GIRL ALERT), is certainly something I can get behind. The colored jeans are actually jeggings (I know, I know...), but I love their flattering shape and the fact that I can wear them tucked into boots or with flat sandals.<br />
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I should mention that all of the photos in this post were taken by <a href="http://www.sarahculver.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Culver</a>, an extremely talented photographer and friend of mine. She shoots the loveliest engagement and wedding photos, in addition to doing photography like what you see here. I hope you'll take a moment to swing by her site! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0