in which i'm singing in the rain

It may be raining, and I may be in black, but I'm not crying or mourning or any of that.

(skirt/sweater/scarf: thrifted; shoes: payless; tights: tjmaxx; umbrella: stolen from work)

Last night K and I went on a lovely little dinner and a movie date in Montpelier.  We were supposed to go on Tuesday night but his final went late and we didn't have enough time, so we got burritos and watched a movie at home instead, and postponed our date another night.  Seriously, though, we need to go out more often.  We had dinner at Positive Pie--my favorite pizza ever (The Green Man) with wine--then walked around town for a bit and went to the late showing of "The Five Year Engagement," which I thought was hilarious (like Friends with Kids, the cast makes the movie).  K's been so busy studying and writing papers lately that I feel like we never get to spend any quality time together, and the date was long-awaited and much-needed.  It's so, so important to have outings like this, to sit down and be served delicious food, have long talks, relax, and reconnect :)

in which there is snow excuse

It is cold, and snowy.  Boo.  I've all but given up trying to "think spring," and retreated back into my woolen skirts and warm coats.

(dress: h&m; skirt: goodwill; scarf: vintage via etsy; shoes: seychelles)

Monday night K and I went on a date, and it was great :)  We hardly ever get to go out anymore because he's always studying or writing papers or working weekend nights, so it was a welcome treat.  We were both craving straight-up Italian food, so we scouted out this homey little place in Winooski called Papa Frank's, where they served all of the basics.  We both got huge helpings of fettucine alfredo with broccoli (his also with chicken), a basket of buttery garlic bread, and a half carafe of chianti for dirt.cheap.  It was just what we needed.  After lingering a while over our wine, we went to the late showing of "Friends with Kids," which I've been wanting to see for ages.  Not only was it written and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt (one of my favorites; she also did "Kissing Jessica Stein" and "Ira & Abby," which are both great), but it was basically a cast-sequel to "Bridesmaids" (starring Jon Hamm [Westfeldt's boyfriend of a decade, who knew!], Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, in addition to the fabulous Adam Scott ["Party Down" anyone?]). I really enjoyed it (no surprise there).  Her movies are always very much romantic comedies, but they're so much more clever and well-written than most of the crap out there these days.  She seems to write every script with the intention of NOT following the standard rom-com rules (in Jessica Stein she experiments with lesbianism because she's having no luck with men; in Ira & Abby she marries a man within 24 hours of meeting him [because why not?]; and in this latest two friends decide to have a baby together--not because they want to be together, but because they simply want a baby).  Recommended.  Also recommended (for me): more date nights with K.

In other news, you may have noticed that there is snow on the ground.  So much for not sticking.  Ironically, I got my summer tires put on just yesterday... jinx?

over the weekend: whitcomb's land of pumpkin

Another really lovely fall weekend is behind me, and I'm happy to report that K and I have an incredibly warty wonder of a pumpkin to carve later this week :)

On Friday night we went on a date to India House (we wanted to eat at Shalimar but parking in Burlington was a nightmare--damn UVM homecoming weekend), where we drank masala tea and gorged ourselves on samosas, curry and naan. Can't be beat. The service was soooooooo slow--we were there for over two hours, which has not been my experience at Indian restaurants in the past--usually they're practically throwing food at us and we're out of there in an instant. It was kind of nice to just sit and relax and drink tea and wait patiently (okay, I wasn't so patient, especially when the samosas took half an hour to come out) for our food. We picked up some Reeses Pieces and settled in at home for an evening of E.T. (I haven't seen it in so long!) and fall cider/Octoberfest beer. The next day I went for a long run (yay me!), watched some girly movies and then did some writing late into the night.

But Sunday was the best! K and I lounged around the house all morning, and then headed out to Whitcomb's Land of Pumpkin, where we picked up a few gourd-geous new friends and spent an hour or so getting lost in the corn maze! It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun tromping through the mud and finding the "checkpoints" to fill in our word scramble card and solve the riddle. My proudest moment came when I found the candy jackpot (I'm a fiend when it comes to sweets)! It was a perfect autumn activity. K took me to a haunted corn maze on our first "official" date, so it was nice to take a little walk down memory lane (or row?) as well (and the hanging skeletons in daylight were a lot less terrifying than the live monsters that nearly gave me a heart attack the first time around).

All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend a weekend! And now, back in the grind... but next weekend promises to be just as marvelous!

in which i wear tooth of the hound

Brown and Black are the perfect combination, in my opinion. It is hard to find ways to wear this jumper, since it could potentially be sickeningly twee, but I think pairing it with vintage-inspired pieces keeps the whole look neutral and increases wearability.

(dress/belt: thrifted; blouse/hat: gift; shoes: seychelles)

Since K usually has lots of studying to do on the weekends, we haven't been able to go out as much as we used to (I've been filling that void with rowdy ladies' nights, but I still miss hanging out with my main man). Since he doesn't have class on Tuesdays, we decided to extend the weekend a bit and have date night on Monday, which works for me! I like feeling like I have all kinds of fun happening throughout the week, rather than trying to jam it all in on my two days off.

It was an incredibly beautiful day yesterday--upwards of 80 degrees!--so we had Thai food al fresco on Church Street (red veggie/tofu curry and Thai iced tini by candlenight, yes please!) and headed home to watch ancient episodes of the X Files on Netflix (we're working our way through Season 1).

Tonight, it's back to reality--dirty dishes and laundry. Blech. That's the trouble with being busy--there are always chores that get pushed to the side by good times. I need a maid.

in which i keep on the sunny side

I'm ending Stripes Week on a bright note :) I'm so glad I kept this lime green cropped cardigan, since on so many occasions I almost gave it away and now I suppose I kind of love it. There is so much road construction around these parts (winter is incredibly rough on our poor pavement) that it's hard to find a private place to take photos. My usual spot was overrun with enormous trucks when I went to take photos there and I had to find a last-minute replacement (easier said than done on days when the sun is blindingly bright). Taking my photos before work in the morning is starting to become quite a hassle... I wish I had a backyard.

(dress/belt: thrifted; cardigan: tjmaxx; earrings: gift; shoes: seychelles)

Last night K and I went to see Midnight in Paris at the Savoy, my favorite single-screen exposed-brick theater in Montpelier, and it was très magnifique! Absolutely my favorite Woody Allen movie since Vicky Cristina Barcelona (I guess he needs to stay out of the States for a while)--it was charming, funny, totally relevant, and pleasantly surprising in so many ways (everything that Woody is at his best--it reminded me of some of his older, more surrealistic films--specifically, I thought of Alice). So many of us are guilty of nostalgia for some Golden Age (Paris in the 'twenties would definitely be mine as well), but throughout time people have always been bored and discontent and disappointed in the lack of romance and excitement in their lives. Though the times might change, people's experiences probably vary very little. We are all searching and wanting and then disenchanted when we fail to find the things we expect out of life. Instead of whining and wallowing and telling ourselves and anyone who will listen that we were meant for a different time, that we would be happy if only we lived in a different place, we should embrace our circumstances and learn to find our happiness within those limits (*cough*guilty*cough*). Anyway, if you love Woody Allen (or even if you don't--K finds the man endlessly irritating and he very much enjoyed it), this one is a must-see.

After the movie we took a stroll over to the Royal Orchid for some tasty Thai and sat outside on the deck, sipping our Singha (his) and Monsoon Valley white wine (hers) and savoring our red (his) and yellow (hers) curries as we looked out over the river. Tonight, the festivities continue with more food, more wine, and music-making! Happy weekend, friends! :)

from my house to india house

(dress: rue 21; earrings: claire's; ring: modcloth; tights: hue; shoes: seychelles)

This is what I wore for my little India House dinner date with K on Tuesday night. I really need to learn how to cook Indian food--it's my absolute favorite--but going out to dinner is one of my very favorite activities, so maybe I shouldn't bother! The food has been seriously hit-or-miss at India House in the past, but tonight it was a definite hit! We shared some veggie samosas, I got the Navratan curry (medium hot) with aloo naan and K got the Paneer Masala (I was so proud of him for getting something different--he always gets Chicken Tikka Masala!) with garlic naan and a mango lassi. It's so easy for K and I to retreat into our own little worlds in the evenings, so I like to make a point to get out and about and have a real conversation once and a while :)