Beach Day

Left the office at 3 today...

...and this is where I spent my afternoon.

Bring on the sunshine!

Meet Bailey

This is Bailey. She was my birthday present and is the new love of my life. She is a beagle / catahoula leopard dog mix. (and, yes, that is a real dog!)

She's sweet and very shy, but she's coming out of her shell a little more each day.

She was adopted from the Humane Society and is about 7 months old. She was found on the side of the road and had been hit by a car. Her tail was so badly broken that half of it had to be amputated. Now she only has a little 5-inch stub. She doesn't seem to miss her tail too much, but does seem confused whenever she goes to chase it and she just can't reach it.

DIY To Try: Recycled Coasters

This is an easy project that's perfect for a rainy afternoon. Anyone can make these coasters; they're easy and eco-friendly. I got the idea after seeing a similar item for sale at Urban Outfitters. If you're like me and have tons of magazines lying around, then this is a great way to get rid of few. I made six coasters and it only took me 2 hours. Once you get going, it's hard to stop! In fact, it's quite therapeutic!

All you'll need is:

1. One or two magazines (I used a J. Crew catalog because of the pretty, coordinating colors)

2. Glue Gun and 10-20 glue sticks.

3. Chip Clip (optional)

4. Decorative twine or rope (optional)

Rip out an entire page of the magazine. (Don't worry about the edges being neat.)

Then fold the paper in half length-wise, not top-to-bottom.

Continue folding the paper in half until the strip is about 1/4 of an inch wide.

Place a few small dabs of glue along one side of the strip. I used clear tacky glue at first, but I found that a glue gun is much easier and less messy because it dries a lot faster.

Roll the strip up with the glue-side facing so it forms a small coil. Once it is rolled up, glue down the end of the strip so it lays flat against the rest of the coil.

I used a chip clip to hold the end down while it dried.

Then fold up another strip, apply the glue, and begin wraping the new strip around the coil at the spot where the last strip ended. (They should touch tip-to-tip so it's like one continuous, long strip.)

Continue this process as the circle gets bigger and bigger.

Stop when you think the circle is big enough and Voila! You're done!

I added some crafters' rope around the edges for the finishing touch, but I think they look good either way.

I got really into it and ended up making this vase. What I'm going to do with it has yet to be determined. My friend Cassandra who owns a consignment shop is convinced we can turn it into a lamp and sell it at her store. I'll keep you posted on that as the events unfold! (no pun intended)

My New Obsession

Róisín Murphy
Ms. Murphy has been rocking my world lately. Her music is so freaking cool and she's not too shabby either. Her style blows my mind. So retro its modern. Techno/nu-jazz/lounge-punk cabaret. I describe her music as what would happen if Sade started partying with Bjork and Grace Jones, and then got impregnated by David Bowie. That baby would be Róisín's music.



Flawless. Flawless. Flawless!

















I wonder if she cares that Lady GaGa has been totally ripping off her style. Probably not. It comes with the territory.















































I'm not saying I don't like Lady GaGa. Any badass Italian New York/New Jersey girl who carries a disco stick and never wears pants is OK in my book. She reminds me of my old roommate Nicole (minus the no-pants and drag queen wig). The GaGa vision is fun. And that white origami dress is so freaking cool. Apparently she makes all her own clothes. Go GaGa Go!


LISTEN NOW!


Listen to my favorite Lady Gaga song.
It sounds like Gwen Stefani mated with the Scissor Sisters.


Listen to my favorite Róisín Murphy song.
It sounds like a good time mated with an awesome time!

I Like the Way She Moves!

Her dancing is MY kind of dancing! I can't get enough of my Róisín!

Daily Ha Ha

I saw this interview with Paul McCartney on the Colbert Report last night. It was so funny I just had to post it. Enjoy!

10 Things I Love...(and can't live without)

1. Clinique Moisture Surge

I will never understand combination skin. How can parts of my face be so dry and peely, while at the same time I'm probably causing UFO accidents light years away with the reflective glow from my oily forehead and chin? Luckily I have Clinique Moisture Surge. It gives me a nice dewy complexion that lasts all day and does do a great job of moisturizing the dry areas without bothering the oily areas. Nothing else has ever accomplished this for me. Plus, it's affordable, around $30 for 1.7 ounces but you can find it on ebay and other sites for less. And, thanks to cosmeticsettlement.com, I just snagged two free jars! Remember, you only have one face, so invest in a good moisturizer. And, as my friend Beth's mom so wisely taught me years ago, "Don't forget to moisturize your neck!"


2. Gillette Venus Vibrance

It took me many years (and more $ than I like to think about) before I finally found my razor soulmate. I have been using it for a few years now and while I can't say that it makes shaving "fun" (honestly, shaving is the bane of my existence) but it does make shaving slightly more bearable. Just twist off the top, plug in a AAA-battery, push the button and it vibrates slightly, which helps prevent ingrown hairs. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm never going to have the shiny, show-stopping legs like Beyonce or Heidi Klum, but at least with the Venus Vibrance, they can be smooth with minimal effort.


3. Yerba Mate Tea

Warning...if you're looking for tea that tastes great and soothes the soul, stop reading now and skip to No. 4. However, if you're looking for a tea that keeps you healthy and slim, you should be drinking Yerba Mate (pronounced "yerba mahtay"). It's a natural appetite supressor with loads of other benefits:
Energizes The Body, Stimulates Mental Alertness, Aids Weight Loss, Cleanses The Colon, Gentle Diuretic, Accelerates Healing Process, Relieves Stress, Calms Allergies, Fortifies Immune System, Increases Longevity
South Americans have been drinking it for ages and they are some of the healthiest people on the planet. My Spanish teacher in college always drank it and she looked great, so that was endorsement enough for me. It doesn't exactly taste great, I recommend drinking it with a drop or two of honey. You can get it here and at Whole Foods, but I get mine at Trader Joes'.


4. J.Crew Cardigans

About a year ago I decided to reinvent my look. All the thrift store vintage and trendy attire just wasn't practical anymore, so I adopted a more casual approach--think jeans, flats, American Apparel Ts and, of course, cardigans. My favorite is J.Crew because of their plethora of colors. Before I moved to Florida I got rid of 50% of my wardrobe and kept only the bear essentials like cardigans and I have amassed a small collection. Dressed up, dressed down, mixed and matched, they just work.


5. "Thelma" Uggs

These are my go-to shoes. I got them for Christmas a few years back and they are still going strong. My only regret is that I got them in the color "coin" (which Ugg doesn't make anymore, but I just saw that you can get them from this site for half the price I paid, *sigh*) and I wish I'd gotten them in navy, too. Now they are only available in black or brown, which I wouldn't mind having, but I think one pair is enough for me...for now anyway.....


6. The Daily Puppy

My lease and/or lifestyle won't allow me to have a dog of my own. Therefore I must admire them from afar. I start every morning Mon.- Fri., with a cup of tea, and a trip to The Daily Puppy. This is where i get my daily dose of cuteness and that warm, fuzzy feeling that only a dog-lover can understand.





7. Found Stuff

I don't know what my inner-voyeur did before Found. Evesdropped, people-watched, snooped....(ok, I won't go that far) This book is amazing. It makes me pretty self-conscience about all the notes I've ever written and whatnot, but this book continues to provide me with countless hours of entertainment. And the website is just as good for a quick dose of "found" pleasure!




8. Tisserand Aromatherapy Roll-on Remedies

At work a vendor sent us samples of a bunch of their products, and this essential-oil roller ball is my favorite. Trouble sleeping? No problem. Stressful day at the office? No problem. If you have a problem, they have a scent for it. Don't underestimate the power of aromatherapy on the go.





9. ENTOURAGE

Vinnie, E, Turtle, Johnny Drama, Ari Gold; need I say more? Can the new season just start already? My predictions for season 5:
-Johnny reunites with Jaquline
-Eric reunites with Sloan (via Seth Green)
-Turtle gets a career of his own (finally)
-Vinnie gets an Oscar (or at least a Golden Globe)


10. DiorShow Mascara

Last but NOT least...the perfect mascara. No wonder it's a cult classic. It never smudges or gets flakey, plus it washes off with soap and water. I've been using it for about a year and a half years and I get still get compliments all the time. If I had to give away all my makeup and could keep only one thing, this would be it. I couldn't live without it. I don't know what they do to make it so special, but I hope they never stop. If you don't want to make the splurge for DiorShow, I've used Cover Girl Lashblast and it's almost as good, and half the price.

Weird Signs and Such

While in England this past summer, I was obsessed with taking pictures of street signs. American signs are loud, in-your-face and demand, rather than ask, for you to obey them. And why shouldn't they be? After all, their function is to get your attention and to warn you about things.

However, our neighbors across the pond seem to have taken a slightly different approach and utlize signs that are slightly less direct and more polite. For example, I used to spend 2 hours a day on the Baltimore Beltway, and when traffic was backed-up large electronic signs would flash messages like, Delays Ahead, Use Alternate Rt. 100, as myself and everyone around me continued to scream expletives at no one in particular, ("no s#@%, there's an f-ing delay! Too bad I passed the exit for rt. 100 three miles ago!") as we banged our heads against the steering wheel.

In the UK, I never saw any demonstrations of road rage, even at those pesky, confusing round-a-bouts. Whenever we were held up in traffic, we were greeted by signs that said, Queues Likely or Please Form Orderly Queue. It was still annoying to have to wait, but for some reason it wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking. Maybe it's the power of the "please"?

No matter what your opinion may be, I do feel like signs in both the US and UK definitely represent something about our cultures. On that note, I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

No yeilding here...but please 'give way'

Yikes, watch out! Humps for 15 yards

I don't understand how anyone can drive with so many signs everywhere. It seems so confusing. And I would never drive over anything with signs labeling it as a 'weak bridge'

Took me a minute or two to understand what this one meant. I feel like a simple "No Turn On Red" would have worked just fine.

Again, WTF? So glad I wasn't driving

No butts, just ends. Love it!

I guess you gotta watch out for those humps.

It was hard to obey this sign. But we stayed out.

I saw this car a couple times, and I thought it was so cute but puzzling. I just couldn't figure out how they'd fetch and carry anything in such a tiny little car!

In the UK, help was not wanted, rather it was required. So proper, indeed!

"Divers, please use discreation when undressing." Need I say more?

You have to watch out for those elderly people. They can get pretty rowdy!


We loved the fact that there were stink waves coming off the british-flag shaped doggy-foul

This was Phil's favorite sign. Guess it's a guy thing. (No pun intended)



The 'Big Tidy Up'. How cute is that?

This was my favorite. It was in Clifford's Castle in York. It pretty much speaks for itself. Keep your damn kids under control. Amen to that!

Again, so polite. (Please ignore my reflection in the window)

And, below, these are examples of two little things I love about the UK:

1.) No ugly, reflective, day-glo street signs, instead they're far from an eye-sore and built right into the walls. And--not to mention--a tasteful black and white.

2.) When people parked their cars on the street they would pull up half-way onto the sidewalk in order to keep the roads from becoming to narrow to drive down. I was still living in Baltimore at this time, therefore this seemed like the best idea ever!

Ring-a-ding-ding!

Mel's Antique Jewelry... I stumbled across this wonderful site today...and literally spent 1.5 hours browsing (aka drooling over) this stunning collection of antique jewelry. The selection of art deco, edwardian and art nouveau rings are to die for. These are some of my favs.

So fabulous....check out the collection at http://www.melsantiquejewelry.com/. Oh yeah, and there's an ebay store, too: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Mels-Antique-Jewelry

The First Lady of Fashion

ooohh, MRS. O! I am absolutely loving the blog I just discovered...Mrs-O.org. It tracks Michelle Obama's style and gives you info about what she's wearing and tells you where to get it. I read about it this morning in the New York Times Art & Style section. I think the concept is really intresting because I'm obsessed with learning how companies are using blogs and social networking to market their products. If you are interested in blogging and viral marketing...definitely, read the article.

As a tribute to MrsO.org, here are some classic looks from the campaign trail...



This is my favorite!

A refeshing alternative to the traditional pantsuit

Sporting a trendy, sex-and-the-city-esque, ensamble
for the "daps" heard 'round the world!

Fashionista's in training...

Sarah Palin, eat your heart out!
Red carpet ready...you betcha!


See...smart CAN be sexy!

ahhh...Florida

Greetings from the Sunshine State!
Even though our move took place during the tail-end of hurricane season, we were fortunate to have avoided any major storms. So far the weather has been heavenly! The evenings are cool and dip into the high 30s, low 40s...and during the days it's been mostly sunny, mid-60s, low 70s.

A gorgeous, gorgeous day...

enjoying the beach in October:

Jacksonville Skyline:

The Jacksonville Landing Downtown:

Downtown St. Augustine:

WORK, WORK, WORK!

I just started my new job as Editorial Assistant for MASSAGE Magazine in Ponte Vedra Beach and I sure am glad to be back in the world of magazine publishing. (http://www.massagemag.com/)

Phil is working his tail off at A1A Aleworks (http://www.a1aaleworks.com/).

We both are low on funds but high in spirits as we continue to find our place in our new home.
I get homesick often, especially for my friends, but thanks to gmail and facebook and unlimited text messaging I am kept in the loop as much as possible.

My New Year's Resolution is to get back to blogging...things have been stressful and busy, but I'm dying to start again. Hope you enjoyed the pictures of our new hometown and the surrounding area. Cheers! xoxo

In Need of Some Hairapy?

I'll admit that I am in a HUGE rut style-wise. I think the fact that I’ve been living on my friend’s couch for the past 4 weeks has something to do with it. I am always quick to get ready in the morning. I have it down to a science, and the whole routine takes me under 40 minutes. But, lately I’ve been waking up and walking out the door in less than 30 minutes, and it’s definitely showing in my lackluster appearance.

Normally getting ready in the morning is something I love. So, I blame my newfound dullness on the fact that I’m moving soon, all my stuff is in storage, and I only have about 10 outfits to work with, and a very limited number of beauty products at my disposal. Top it all of with the fact that it’s not “my bathroom” and I am therefore "out of my comfort zone." Excuses, excuses…I know!

So, last night I went to the drug store to pick up a prescription and a few other things. While I was browsing, I decided to grab a bottle of Sunsilk Waves of Envy Sea Mist spray. It’s supposed to give your hair a “just back from the beach” look. I’d read about it in inStyle and Lucky Magazine, and because I'm moving to N. Florida in a few days, I felt inspired to see if a "beach" look would work for my hair. Plus, it was under $5, about all the makeover I can afford right now.

For the record, I have the world’s WORST hair. It’s dry, limp, pin straight up top, and wavy at the ends—plus it’s been died so many times, I have no idea what my natural color is. Dark brown, maybe?
Anyway, this morning was my first time using the Sea Mist spray. Here are the results:

I blow dried my hair until it was about 75% dry, and then sprayed it all over. It smelled really good—like sea salt and summer. It defined waves perfectly and gave my limp locks some volume. Sort of a tossled, I-don’t-care-I’ve-been-surfing-all-day, low-maintenance look. It says you can use it one wet, damp, or dry hair—I’m not sure how clean, dry hair would work. I can imagine it would be sticky.

By the time it dried completely, it was a little stiff, but looked pretty good. Not the sexy Jessica Alba-esque, Giselle-style waves I was hoping for, but pretty good for under $5!

If you have wavy or stubborn hair that requires a lot of maintenance, give the curling iron/straightener a break and pick up a bottle!

In case you are wondering, this is the look I was going for.

How much I look like these two women is yet to be determined...

So, It's Been Awhile...

Well the summer is unofficially over…and I still can’t believe it. I was trying to figure out how time had passed so quickly, and the reasons are pretty obvious. I’ll give you a quick recap in order to explain my sudden Blogging absence:

• I spent the beginning of July preparing for my big 2-week European Vacation. My boyfriend Phil’s sister lives in England and got married on July 18th. The wedding was at a gorgeous castle in Newcastle upon Tyne. The trip was incredible…
• We got back to the states on July 24th and I got very sick for about 3 days.
• On approximately July 27th Phil and I decided we were ready for change. Inspired by our amazing trip to Europe, we felt determined to “get more out of life,” and decided to move to Florida with no apartment, no jobs, no plan.
• On August 1st we put half our stuff in storage
• At noon on August 2nd, Phil left Baltimore with the other half of our stuff in a u-haul. Later that night I moved in with my friend Lauren, who graciously agreed to put me up for a few weeks.
• At 3pm on August 3rd, Phil arrived in St. Augustine, Florida. My mom’s best friend was nice enough to let him stay in their spare bedroom until he found an apartment.
• On September 5th, Phil got the keys to our new apartment in Jacksonville, Fl.
• September 12th is my last day of work. Phil is driving back up to Baltimore that day to help me take down the rest of our stuff. We plan to be back in Jacksonville on the 14th.

So, that is my hectic, chaotic life. To take my mind off the mayhem, I decided to share some pictures from my trip. A few for now, but there will be more to come. Enjoy!

Good-Bye Summer!

An Age-Old Question

What’s your “Real Age”? Mine is 29. It’s better than my Wii Fitness Age, which was 59, (stupid baseball!) but according to this online survey my body is aging faster than it should for several reasons:

1. I don’t eat a big enough variety of meats and proteins,

2. I don’t eat nearly enough fruits and veggies

3. I’ve spent too much time in the sun sans sunscreen

4. I don’t exercise regularly or do enough cardiovascular activities

5. I used to smoke cigarettes (a lot of cigarettes)

6. My weight has yo-yoed over the last 4 years

7. I rarely get 7-8 hours of sleep every day

It’s not all bad, here are some of the good things I have going on that are keeping me young :

1. I have a good relationship with my family and several very close friends

2. I drink a lot of water and hot tea

3. I eat a lot of fish

4. My mother is very, very healthy (just a little crazy..)

5. I am no longer a chain-smoking chimney

6. I take a multi-vitamin each day

7. I exercise my brain a lot by doing crossword puzzles and reading

8. I am responsible with my health and get regular check ups and physicals

9. I have a pet in my life

I’m not a big fan of the online surveys, and I’m definitely not a fan of “online health tips.” I hate when people sit around on their asses and discuss “what they read” about “getting healthy.” I can sum up every “10 ways to a new healthy you” self-help article in one sentence: “If you want to lose weight you must exercise 3-4 times a week, burn more calories than you take in, drink lots of water, do stuff outside, and always be sure to eat breakfast.” The End!

But this site is actually different. The articles are short and helpful, and the Real Age survey is interesting. It takes about 15-20 minutes, so be prepared. http://www.realage.com/