in which the weekend is over

This is a very typical Monday outfit, and a very typical Monday blog post (quick and late).

(dress/scarf: thrifted; hat: tjmaxx; shoes: minnetonka)

I had a very relaxing weekend, for the most part. Saturday I went back to my hometown to play a few songs at a fundraiser with my dad and brother... but first we all got dinner at Claire's in Hardwick (I got the polenta). Here's a glimpse into my afternoon:

(Only in Vermont would two children in a pony carriage be allowed to take to the main road like that, sans parental supervision...)

On Sunday I literally read the entire day. I did get up a bit later than I would have liked, skipped over to the market for the week's shopping, and then huddled into the couch for the remainder of the day. There wasn't much else to do this weekend--it was unbelievably cold!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! Any fun plans? :)

over the weekend: tunbridge fair

in which these boots were made for walking

I have been wearing these Seychelles booties with everything lately, and I can already tell that they might replace my oxfords as fall favorite this year.

(dress: forever21; blazer: delia*s via plato's closet, scarf: thrifted; boots: seychelles)

I'm glad it's Friday. It's hard not to be affected by the mass destruction I see on my way to work every day. Communities around Vermont have been pitching in to help clean-up, but every day the piles of furniture and garbage on lawns and sidewalks get higher and higher and houses get emptier and emptier until they look like nothing but dried-out husks. Not to mention that my favorite thrift store (Bargain Boutique) was absolutely devastated by the flooding and basically no longer exists. When I passed by last night it was empty--gutted and dark. This sort of thing never happens to us up here! We know how to handle snow and ice storms, but because we're land-locked we're not so well-equipped to deal with (or expect) flooding on such a grand scale.

Anyway, aside from the sad state of my beloved Vermont, I'm feeling pretty good right now. I went home last night and started researching Anthropology master's programs in the UK, but I got sidetracked and ended up working on my novel (even better!), then drank champagne and watched Project Runway while "studying" German with K. Now I'm just generally feeling pretty good about life and can't wait to spend the next few months devoting myself to my writing and wearing fall clothes ;)

Seriously, I decided that I like autumn dressing (tweeds, wools, furs) because it feels so easy and natural for me to wear those things, and also makes me feel like an adult. The clothes I crave in the summertime can sometimes feel so juvenile and/or twee--rompers, florals, cute little sailor and sundresses, heart-shaped sunglasses... there is nothing wrong with those things, and I still find them charming, but I feel a bit out of my element wearing such things now that my mid-twenties are in full swing. And I'm not really glam enough to pull of chiffon maxidresses for day. I get weird enough looks when I wear a hat.

in which the sun got the better of me

So, you may notice that I abandoned polka dots. But, in fairness, this is a new week. Maybe I'm sick of themes. I'm fickle like that.

(dress: forever 21; jacket: thrifted; boots: seychelles)

Simplicity is key when you're burnt to a crisp underneath your clothes. Please excuse my reddish hue. I spent most of my weekend like this:

...and I suspect that my 50 SPF sunscreen was not as waterproof as advertised.

Friday night K and I picked up some veggies at the farmer's market (beets, scallions, onions, garlic, cilantro!) and sat on our makeshift "stoop" (aka where the sidewalk ends) and drank some wine while the sun set. Our little "stoop chats" have become a bit of a tradition this past week, since we don't have a porch but we want to take as much advantage of this gorgeous weather as possible. We watched a movie (HappyThankYouMorePlease), which wasn't the best movie I'd ever seen but wasn't terrible, either, and hit the hay at a reasonable hour so we'd be well-rested for our fun-filled Saturday!

We woke up bright and early, had some coffee and eggs, and hit the Waterbury flea market (I bought earrings, a necklace, a clock--with hourglass!, a set of decorative suitcases, and a Moroccan lantern) before heading to K's "secret spot" so that he could fish and I could lounge around in the sun and read. I did end up jumping into the Winooski River (multiple times), which may have been ill-advised but felt incredible. When we'd had enough of the sun, we went home and showered, etc. before driving into town for dinner. After nearly an hour wait, we finally scored a table outside at Three Tomatoes Trattoria on Church Street, ordered some cocktails (hers: blood orange bellini, his: st. germain) and two wood-fired pizzas (Margherita and Primavera). It was an incredible evening, and K and I were in agreement that we must resist the temptation to run away to new places every weekend and spend more time enjoying our own little city.

Sunday was much of the same--we drove to the Reservoir, where K fished (unsuccessfully) and I basked (okay, baked) in the sun and then swam it off (rinse, repeat), also apparently swimming off my sunscreen, because BOY! am I red. I am so glad that I've been swimming regularly so far this summer--I didn't go at all last year, which was a travesty. I used to live in lakes and ponds during the summer months, and definitely lean toward the mer-persuasion. After enjoying creemees for lunch, I whipped up some spicy peanut noodles for a dinner party on Lake Champlain, where we were treated with a beautiful sunset over the water and lots of yummy food.

All-in-all, a wonderfully relaxing summer weekend--the very best that Vermont has to offer!