go to your happy place

Saturday was absolutely glorious--sunny skies, yummy brunch, restful reflection...

I met up with the family at Leunig's Bistro on Saturday morning to wish mon frère a fond farewell and indulge in some scrumptious french toast with strawberry butter (and VT maple syrup, bien sûr!), and the best mimosa I've ever tasted!

(skirt/shirt/belt: Bargain Boutique; shoes: Seychelles; handbag: consignment)

When I bought this skirt it was seriously frump-tastic... like something Nicki Grant (Chloe S.)might wear on Big Love. It fell at mid-calf, a length that I loathe to admit is climbing up the trend ladder (because I'm just too short to pull it off, faux-pas or no), but I saw major potential in the cinched waist, slight flare and summery powder blue hue.

I didn't hem it quite as high as I am usually inclined to do... I rather like feeling that my nether parts are safely concealed at all times!

After brunch, K and I idled away the afternoon in true Vermont fashion. While K fished, I reposed on the riverbank with Flaubert's fabulous & classic Madame Bovary, which I am loving (I can't believe this is my first turn through its pages!).

There is something so incredibly calm about the constant rippling of a river on a summer day. At times like these, I am so grateful to live in such a beautiful place--anywhere you go in Vermont you are only minutes away from complete isolation, and the mountains have an insulating effect that dampers any errant noise.

That evening we headed into town to see K's friend Justin play at Nectar's. It was a good show, and the first time we'd seen him play with a full band. We had planned to go out for drinks when he was done, but then this happened:

We had parked in a TAXI ONLY (after 12 am) zone, assuming that we would get out of the show when he finished his set at 11:30 and move the car before any post-gig festivities. Unfortunately, when we finally left the bar we were greeted by the flashing lights of a tow truck and a little white subaru with her nose in the air. I imagine I was quite a sight, sprinting in my Seychelles down the sidewalk, but the tow truck driver was not the devil incarnate (like most of his compatriots), and he agreed to lower my car back onto the asphalt (for a fee, of course), whereupon K ran to an ATM and overdrew his bank account for me. He's such a gem. Needless to say, my well-rested mind was once again sent into an agitated state and we decided to forgo cocktails on the town for a glass of whiskey in the comfort of our own home. Such is life, yes?

One trend I think I love for fall (and especially for Winter--but I'm definitely not ready to think about that). Hopefully my love will inspire me to stop the nail-gnawing (since my other love has tried & failed).

a certain sort of stripes

Man, you guys. My posing skills are rusty (see blooper reel, below):

This has been one of those weeks. Not bad or anything, just a little... off.

(tunic dress: Plato's Closet; cardigan/belt: Bargain Boutique; necklace: UO; boots: ALDO)

Tomorrow my brother flies back to West Virginia for his trial and may potentially go back into the slammer (here's hoping he doesn't have to...) for a time. He got out on bond and was able to come to the Cape with us, so we got to hear the full story of his action (how they hiked for miles under the cover of darkness, how he held firm to his chain while the head of Massey security threatened him and sawed dangerously close to his hands), and his consequence (the unsatisfactory conditions in jail and surprising support for his cause within the prison walls). He's a trooper, that's for sure. I really think he's capable of doing some incredible things in his lifetime if he puts his mind to it!

forgive me for i have sinned

I bought these. And now my bank account is seriously suffering. I'm going to have to start stealing from the donation bin at the food shelf. These are absolutely the last fall shoes I am allowed to purchase and that's final. But aren't they glorious? Don't they make you want to sing? Look at the smooth, supple leather... the thick, titillating stitching... the rich, radiant mahogany hue... and those laces! Swoon...

Seriously, I was getting an ulcer from stressing that they would sell out.

It was a medical emergency.

Don't judge me.

UPDATE: My purchase inspired K to finally splurge on the boots he's been coveting since last Christmas (I'm such a bad influence). Behold the Wolverine Darby boot:

We're going to be such a dapper duo!

noir by northeast

This is what I wore on Sunday, when K and I went on a brief thrifting excursion and I walked away empty-handed. I wasn't going to post this outfit (even though it's one of my recent favorites!) because I had K take the photos that evening, and the lighting was a little harsh and my face is mysteriously shrouded by shadow in all but one shot. Alas, between the pounding rain rudely disrupting my REM last night and the sleep-shattering construction zone down below, I rolled out of bed this morning in a less than bushy-tailed state and I don't even know what I'm wearing right now (okay, I do, obviously, but it is unmentionably boring).

(hat: thrifted; scarf: thiscouldbeyou @ etsy; shirt: UO; skirt/belt: Bargain Boutique; shoes: Seychelles; D&B purse: Goodwill)

So let's just pretend that the shadows are an intentional homage to French film noir. Since I'm wearing my beloved "FRANCE" shirt, and all.

Also, this scarf is making a major comeback in my life (in bow form, it would seem). It was the very first thing that I bought on etsy, which led to a frantic etsy shopping spree that lasted for months. I kind of learned my lesson after buying several vintage dresses that were a) incredibly impractical for everyday wear or b) too small, but so awesome that I still swear I will fit into them someday somehow. Even if my bones are really just too big to be bothered.

Tonight K is going fishing and I am going to stay up late writing and drinking wine! Or maybe I'll just collapse on the couch and watch Woody Allen movies until the cows come home (I mean, until K comes home... whoops).

back from vacation blues

It's so hard to settle back into my regular routine. Ever since I returned from Cape Cod it's been a) raining, b) a construction zone outside my window at 6 am, and c) still weirdly hot and muggy. I need to splash in the surf! I need to stroll on the sand! I need to stuff my face with cheese! But no. I need to somehow find a way to banish the extra poundage I inherited over the course of the past week. That's what happens when you throw caloric caution to the wind and indulge, indulge, indulge! I swear I probably gained a pound a day.

(shorts/belt: Bargain Boutique; tank: Old Navy; boots: ALDO; scarf: etsy)

Do I look a little bit more tan, at least?? Up close I look pretty freckly.

I had my first foray into the magic of Polyvore today. Modcloth is hosting a giveaway on Rebecca's blog, and the dress in question was one that I toyed with the idea of purchasing for an upcoming semi-surprise (well, my invite was a bit of a surprise) wedding that I might be attending. It all felt very serendipitous, so I decided to register for this fabulous, time-sucking soul-satisfying website and create a look in a vain attempt to win myself the rose red dress. Here it is!

animal magnetism by i_dress_at_waking_life featuring Seychelles shoes

Most importantly, I am dyyyyying to buy those Seychelles boots. Just dying. They're $90, which isn't crazy-out-of-control expensive, but my budget just isn't really budging, no matter how much I try to cut out (food, who needs that??) to make room for these boots in my life. We'll see. I might find a loophole in the contract I wrote with my pocketbook... until then, I'll just dream that I can even remotely afford anything in my little imaginary outfit.

weary hobo

On our way to the Cape, K and I stopped in Waterbury for brunch at Maxi's (I had the veggie benedict and a divine mimosa). It's always strange to be in Waterbury on the weekend now that we no longer live there (and I still work there). This old building belonged to a now-defunct lumber yard, and is in the process of being torn down. It is also right across the road from my office. K was nice enough to snap a few photos of me in my road trip outfit. I think I look like a hobo--and the big wooden doors of this building could easily be mistaken for those on a railway car for an old freight train.

(shorts/belt: Bargain Boutique; hat: thrifted; socks/shoes: Kohl's; shirt: TJMaxx; sunnies: UO)

I love when K takes my photos for me--they're always so much more interesting than the tired tripod-and-brick-wall routine. And it's always slightly less awkward when a stranger creepily starts watching from afar... slightly.

missing cape cod ...

Sad, but true: I have returned from an absolutely blissful week on Cape Cod, where we did nothing but bake in the sun, eat lots of cheese, drink lots of dacquiris, play Bananagrams (and Trivial Pursuit), watch whales (and avoid sharks), and watch the sun set over the bay.

Au Revoir, Eastham. I'm already counting the days until I can sink my toes into your sandy beaches this time next year...

(all photos by me, bananagrams hand by K--the only time he won)