in which it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Today is gloriously sunny and warm, which makes up for the fact that Memorial Day Weekend is officially over. I felt like simplicity today, and I actually really like the idea of a LBD on a summer day, even if it does act as an oven (I like warmth). I also like poofy skirts lately, since hot weather tends to send me careening toward creemees and margaritas and neglecting any sort of exercise (although K and I did unwillingly walk 2 miles on the side of the highway after my spare tire popped in a pothole on Saturday afternoon--I am not going to dwell on that).

(dress: marshall's; shoes: kohl's; hat: uo; necklace: diy)

I'm excited that you guys are all over the Shabby Apple giveaway! Make sure to get your comments in if you haven't already--the contest will turn into a pumpkin at 12 midnight tomorrow!

Can I just say how happy I am that summer seems to have finally arrived? K and I visited the Waterbury flea market on Saturday and I picked up an awesome new picnic basket (complete with two plastic wine glasses in cylindrical basket appendages), which I cannot wait to take out in a field somewhere with some champagne and stinky cheese (or, more likely, to a riverbank so K can fish). Either way, champagne + stinky cheese + sunshine + book + badass picnic basket = heaven. Our Memorial Day weekend was a bit of a flop (mostly because of the whole tire debacle), but I fully intend to make up for it over the upcoming weekend (at least Saturday will be nice... hang in there, weather report! I like you just the way you are!). I did, however, get to do some shopping with mom for the Connecticut cottage (cabinets, flooring, appliances, oh my!), and K and I went to see The Hangover 2 (which was basically the exact same movie as the first but not as good). Next weekend: who knows?? Day trip? Drive-in? Sushi date? Bike ride?

in which i participate in a theme day(and get a flat tire)

Firstly, let me state for the record: I have never really been one to participate in "theme" days. Even when I was on student council in High School and it was our job to organize said theme days during spirit week I often just showed up in my everyday garb. I did, however, dress "crazy" on the last day of senior year... I think I have photos somewhere that I should probably try to dig up (think knee-high rainbow-striped toe socks, enormous silver platform mary janes, a purple wrap skirt, and my then-favorite hairstyle: double buns). Anyway, due to the insane thunder-and-lightning, tornado-watch, flash-flood sort of weather we've been having (many people couldn't make it in to work today because so many roads are closed due to flooding), my supervisor suggested we have a Hawaiian shirt day. I decided to take on the challenge. This shirt is the closest I could get :)

(skirt/shirt: thrifted; necklace: forever 21; shoes: charlotte russe)

Now, all was well, and I was on my way to work in my "Hawaiian shirt," when I noticed my car was making stranger sounds than usual (but didn't think TOO much of it because it always makes pretty strange sounds). I pulled off in what I recently decided would be my new photo location (you like?) and noticed that my tire was in fact smoking like a BBQ on Memorial Day Weekend (this one! any plans?). I freaked out just a little (I have a phobia of smoke and cars because of that one time K and I burned my parents' car to a crisp at Cape Cod) and called K to rescue me. It didn't even cross my mind that I had a spare tire in my trunk (things like this never cross my mind in a crisis), which I absolutely could have put on myself, but K drove over and helped me out anyway. I decided I should probably have an extra pair of tire-changing shoes in my car for emergencies, since crouching down in five-inch heels is a bit of a challenge.

Anyway, boo. I'm pretty pissed off, especially since I just bought these tires a couple of weeks ago. Also, I have no idea what happened. Apparently my tire was flat outside my apartment this morning (says my supervisor, who drove by it), so someone either slashed it or I got a flat somehow driving home last night and didn't notice. Either way = lame.

Also, I didn't post yesterday because K didn't get in when he was supposed to on Wednesday night and I had to pick him up yesterday morning. This normally wouldn't deter me from blogging, but I decided to treat myself to Starbucks on the way to the airport and after taking one tiny sip of my steaming chai latte, proceeded to spill the boiling beverage all over myself while driving. Dangerous. I tried to lift myself away from the spill (all the while shrieking and swerving) and ended up getting it all over the backs of my legs and creating the distinct impression that I had urinated all over myself. Anyway, I am so glad it's Friday and that K is home and that I didn't have to go to the hospital for third-degree burns. Still not so glad about that tire situation, however.

Hope your days have been better than mine! Don't forget to enter my Shabby Apple giveaway this week! :)

shabby apple giveaway!

"I think what we're buying with these boats is space,

nothingness, emptiness... huge sweeps of open water...

and sweeps of time with nothing to do..."

-Robert M. Pirsig, Lila

I can't imagine a much better summer afternoon than one spent lounging on a sailboat in a breezy cotton sundress... can you? Didn't think so. I'm so, so excited to be able to make at least part of that daydream a reality for one of you lucky ladies out there, thanks to Shabby Apple! I love the distinctly vintage feel of Shabby Apple's women's dresses, and this lovely Lighthouse dress is no exception. The classic shape in crisp white cotton is simply stunning, and I just can't say no to a bow! This pretty little frock can be yours, just in time for the summer season.

Enter to Win the Lighthouse Dress:

-Leave your name and contact information in the comments, and (just for fun) where you would wear your Shabby Apple dress (dream big, people!)

-US residents only (so sorry to my foreign friends!), but for those who don't win/can't enter, Shabby Apple is offering 10% off (coupon code: wakinglife10off), valid for thirty days. Just click the link on my sidebar! They have so many amazing dresses to choose from :)

-Giveaway closes at 12 midnight EST on Wednesday, June 1st!

Extra Credit (+1 each):

-Follow Waking Life with Google Friend Connect

-"Like" Shabby Apple on Facebook (here) and tell me you've done so in the comments (honor code!)

I'm so glad I'm able to offer something to all of you in return for visiting me here in my little corner of the internet. I cherish all of your comments and love reading your blogs daily. You guys are amazing!!

in which i found a jewel of a jumper

K comes home today, hooray!

(jumper/scarf: thrifted; chambray: walmart; socks: uo; shoes: payless)

This jumper is an example of something that an undiscerning eye would certainly overlook. When I found it at Goodwill it was nearly floor-length and looked enormous, but actually fits quite perfectly. It's not terrrribly flattering (culprit: the mass of extra fabric around the waist), but I still think it's pretty awesome. A couple of nights ago I spent quite some time painstakingly hemming (much more difficult with so many small pleats) and ta-da! Cute little on-trend jumper. It had to go with my chambray shirt, obviously.

Not more much to say today. Did I mention K's coming home tonight??

in which i wore blue velvet

Ohhh Tuesday. I really need to do laundry. I haven't done a load since K has been gone (which works out to about two weeks!) because I can't be bothered to go to the laundramat by myself. I hate the laundramat with a fiery passion, and it doesn't help that I have to pay hard earned money to power the machines and drive 20 minutes out of my way to get to the damn place. Not happening. Anyway, this is the sort of crazy outfit that comes out of my laziness.

(blazer: antique shop; skirt: forever 21; blouse: thrifted; shoes: seychelles)

I love this blue velvet blazer but find it impossibly difficult to style. I have a habit of collecting blazers and then never really wearing them because they don't really fit into my wardrobe--if I were more inclined to menswear this would be great, but I'm really just not. This skirt was another questionable purchase because it also doesn't really seem to have a home in my closet, but I still like it. Man, I'm feeling hard to please today.

One thing that does please me: I'll be hosting my very first giveaway tomorrow, courtesy of Shabby Apple! Yay! Stay tuned...

music is nice: the honey trees

The Honey Trees - To Be With You (Official Video) from Simon Filip (reblogged from the wayward daughter)

I don't normally post this sort of thing, but I thought that the styling of this video was so incredibly lovely (the song equally so), and I wanted to share. Sometimes people assume that I know about bands and that I'm in tune with the hipster aural fixation, but I'm really terrible about it. I like listening to music, but I'm very particular about matching music to my environment and I guess I'm just never feeling very mellow (which is what the majority of music today seems to be). I've always kind of liked the idea of making music videos (most of the short films I've made in the past were basically just that), which is, in my mind, the film equivalent of poetry. Like I said, lovely.

in which i brighten up

Happy Monday, everyone! It's still pretty grey outside so I decided to brighten up this morning. This outfit was one of those that kind of came together haphazardly as I tried desperately to steer clear of my usual habits (it was a real struggle for me not to belt the cardigan and now I kind of wish I had). I also went straight for my mary janes, but decided at the last minute to wear a pair of long-neglected side-button booties. These used to be old favorites before Blimey came into my life.

(dress/cardigan: h&m; socks: uo; shoes: dsw; necklace: jewelmint)

This outfit is kind of a blast from the past in every way, because both the cardigan and dress were bought at H&M back when I was in college (holy smokes, four years +), and I used to wear this little babydoll all the time.

In other news, I had a great weekend. Friday night I guilted my parents into taking me out to dinner at the restaurant across the street (Toscano), where I savored my goat cheese ravioli with tomatoes and wilted spinach (um YUM) and pinot grigio (and dreamy cappucino chocolate mousse) and fully enjoyed myself. My parents are awesome. Saturday I got some errands out of the way early in the morning and then went for a run (!), which was made a bit more difficult due to the incredibly thick, humid air, but felt good at the time (not so good afterward--I can still hardly walk because I neglected my stretches). That night some friends threw a karaoke party and I had a grand old time sipping fancy blue curacao cocktails (complete with umbrella and orange garnish!), singing at the top of my lungs (note to self: cannot keep up with Lady Gaga's lyrics, "All That Jazz" and "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" are much better options), and playing glow-in-the-dark bocce in the backyard. It's been too long since I've been to an honest-to-goodness party. And clearly I am out of shape for this sort of revelry--the next day I felt less than stellar. Still, totally worth it.

Annnnnd now I have my nose back to the old grindstone, but K comes home on Wednesday night (yay!) and I'll be off to Albuquerque in less than a month (woo-hoo)!