wa-hoo

I'm so excited!!!!!!!

Last night K and I went to Richmond to see the place in final form and sign over a cool $1900 for first, last, etc. I was a little bit on the fence about the apartment (even when we finally decided on it) because it was... well... dirty when we stopped by to check it out the first time. Apparently the two teenage sons of a single mother were living there while she stayed with her boyfriend, so needless to say a few things (cleanliness being one) slipped through the cracks.

But boy does it clean up nice!

Sure, it still doesn't have hardwood floors... and no woodstove... and we can't have a pet... but so be it. It's big&awesome. And I'm really happy :)

We're going to start shuttling furniture over tonight, and I'm even excited about that. K and I have basically been through two apartments together but we've never actually moved in together. Last time he was still in WA while I found the place, and I drove all of my stuff over (in one trip--pretty impressive) and set up shop while he drove the 3000 miles cross-country and met me there. We then lived there for a full 24 hours with no electricity, which was... interesting. But this time we're really doing it right, from start to finish! I'm pleased :)

So happy Friday, everyone! I'm moving out!

(dress: American Apparel, tights: gift; shoes: GoJane.com; necklaces: antique)

so, some snow came in overnight...

So. It snowed. That Mother Nature sure is a tease. She is the Queen of Complicated Women. It's been wet and wild around here for the past couple of days--flood warnings went into effect, and there were kayakers on the baseball field yesterday afternoon (!) And then? I guess it froze!

I've been feeling like I'm kind of in a rut with my skirts and dresses, and I've been wanting to wear pants lately--weird, I know. A few weeks ago I was inspired by this photo from Lululetty's chictopia page:

I figured now was as good a time as any to attempt an emulation:

(blazer: vintage; fur collar: H&M; scarf: gift; t-shirt; old navy; jeans: PacSun; wool socks: stolen; boots: ALDO)

Life update: K and I sign the lease on our new apartment tomorrow evening! I'm really excited! I also have a job interview (within my current company) tomorrow afternoon, so it could potentially be a really big day :)

monday, bloody monday

Happy Monday, everyone! A few things that are making me happy this Monday:

#1: My time off request for Cape Cod vacation 2010 was approved--one full week of July dedicated to sun&surf=hooray!

#2: I got myself some snazzy new running shoes this weekend--actually getting some serious exercise (with Cape Cod vacation 2010 as a potential motivator...)=hooray!

Today's outfit was vaguely modeled after Alexander Wang's sport-chic Spring 2010 Collection:

The stripes keep it sporty, while the rest of the outfit remains in a kind of khaki-neutral zone.

I originally intended to wear my floral Betsey Johnson tights (which I have such a hard time styling) with this, but it just felt too forced. The white tights nicely balance the kind of wacky decision to wear my striped tank top as a vest, but the wild tights just made me look like a crazy.

Speaking of Cape Cod, K told me this morning that it looked like I was "going to the beach" (!!?) As far as I'm concerned, nothing about this outfit even remotely resembles beachwear (except mayyyybe the striped tank top, if pushed--but seriously, wool skirt? Knit tights? Heeled boots?). I think we're both kind of over the fact that it snowed this weekend (!!!). I do not approve of that.

(shirt: H&M; tunic: TJMaxx or something; skirt: vintage; tights: TJMaxx; boots: ALDO; belt: thrifted)

nothing but blue skies do i see

The sky was such a beautiful robin's-egg-blue this morning :)

(dress, tights, scarf: Goodwill; belt: thrifted; boots: ALDO)

But anyway--we all know the sky is blue (and my tights are too), so that's enough of that.

I must mention that the lovely Chaucee over at The Searched and Found nominated me for the Happy 101 Award and it made me very happy, indeed! So thank you, Chaucee, you're a doll! :)

Now, because I like breaking the rules (and because I sort of recently listed ten things that make me happy), I will list ten places that it would make me very happy to visit/trips that I would love to take (click photos for links):

1. Inca Trail Trek & Machu Picchu

2. Train tour from Germany to France to Spain to Portugal

3. A relaxing week in Greece

4. An African Safari

5. An Indian River Cruise

6. Camel-riding around the Pyramids in Egypt

7. Turkey & Hungary

6. Czech Republic & Russia

8. The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark

9. The Scottish, English & Welsh countryside

10. Road Trip USA

And, just for the heck of it, one thing that does make me truly, blissfully, incandescently happy:

(link)

For three nights in a row now (and tonight, too!) I have been enjoying a grilled vegetable and herbed goat cheese panini for dinner, basically a single-decker version of the one pictured above. It. Is. Divine. Grilled eggplant and sauteed red peppers, zucchini & red onions with balsamic viniagrette... mmm.

What a deliciously wonderful way to ring in the spring!

And now (because I like breaking the rules... told you!), I would like all of YOU (my darling readers) to leave (in the comments) one thing that makes you very happy (or a trip you would happily take).

And with that, here is my scarf:

And my boots:

please don't pinch me!

Last year at this time I was preparing to take the stage for the annual Irish family-band St. Patrick's Day show at the Black Door... the band has since split up (brother #1 moved to CT, brother #2 is currently in college), and I don't have any plans! There is no green beer in my immediate future & I'm kind of okay with that--after all, I did have incredibly, deliciously decadent Irish Car Bomb cupcakes this weekend.

(capelet: thrifted; tank top: Charlotte Russe; jeans: PacSun; shoes: GoJane.com; necklace: DIY)

I love this little cropped coat--especially the furry surprise inside! It combines all of my favorite elements in one: paisley, fur & brass buttons :)

What are your St Patrick's Day plans? Anything wild&crazy?