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/

The Funnies

Dog Days of Summer

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m obsessed with dogs. Ruby, my family’s Chesapeake Bay Retriever, was almost 13 when she passed away. And while she was a huge part of the family, she preferred to spend her time swimming, running and getting dirty outdoors. It wasn’t until my college roommate Beth returned from home one weekend with Archie the coon hound, that I was introduced to the concept of an “inside dog.”

[Sidenote: You may be thinking, “She just showed up with a dog?” But, you have to understand, Beth is probably the most random, spontaneous person I know. One summer she bought a Pot Belly Pig at the All Good Music Festival. It’s a good thing someone talked her into returning it—if I was there I would have probably gotten one too!]

And although Archie was a little too big to be a lapdog, you definitely couldn’t tell him that. The bigger he got, the more he wanted to sit right on your lap. Dogs on the couch? Dogs eating people food? This opened my eyes to a whole new world of canine companionship!

When I moved home after college, I immediately started bugging my parents to get a dog. Luckily, in September ’05, my mom found a puppy on the side of the road. He had obviously been dropped off by someone who didn't want him. He was skinny, hungry, dirty, and he had a horrible gash on his tail. She and I fell in love immediately. My dad? Not so much... He found the new puppy downright annoying. He wanted a big tough dog that would ride in the back of his pick up truck, wade through the mud, and join him on 10 mile hikes through the Appalachian wilderness. Meanwhile, the new puppy pranced and hopped around in a very feminine way, and proudly sported the brightly colored bandanas I dressed him up in each day. To top it off, he was petrified of the truck, he wouldn't go near it!

There was absolutely nothing rugged about him and according to my dad—the puppy had to go!

However, my mom is not the kind of person who gives in easily. What she wants, she gets, so long story short—the puppy stayed! He was named Duke Dog, after my sister’s school mascot, The JMU Duke Dawg. Duke has come a long way since his puppy days, and he still has a long way to go. He’s been through Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Prep School and a 1-week, private, Dog-Training Boot Camp, and he still won’t listen. He pretty much does whatever the hell he wants, and my parents don’t necessarily try to stop him. They’ve already worn themselves out raising my sister and I... Classic “Third Child Syndrome.”

To give you an idea of what a day with Duke is like, I decided to share some pictures from the last time my mom and I took Duke Dog for a walk around the Lake. As usual, he was a handful. If I could bottle up his energy and sell it, I would be one rich girl. Think adderall, red bull, vodka and Prosac—all mixed up into one energy drink!

Here is video of Duke doing what he does best....

Acting INSANE!

I Love Her Style

Rachel Bilson RULES!







I've never seen Rachel Bilson act in an actual movie...but I have seen her dressed in a lot of totally incredible outfits.

I know absolutely nothing about her, except that she was on The OC and in the movie Jumper; but, for some reason I want to be her best friend. And it's not because I want to raid her closet-- although I'm open to that idea if she's down, too. She just seems like she'd be fun to hang out with. She's always smiling--and someone that cute with such superb style has got to be fun, right?

Rachel, if you're reading this..."Call me! We'll do lunch!"

A Good View

I spent the weekend at my parent's house. Here's a taste of how I spent my time.
I've been living in Baltimore for awhile now, and I definitely enjoy escaping "city-life" and returning to my laid-back hometown on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Each time I visit, it gets harder to leave and every trip reminds me how lucky I am to have grown up in such a beautiful setting.
Here are 8 things I love about going home:

1. The Drive...as long as there's no traffic! It's a great way to clear my head and enjoy some good music. Almost There!!
2. The Dinners. On this particular night we had grilled striped bass, steamed clams, homemade honey-oat bread, fresh spinach salads with toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and of course, lots of tomatoes and Peach Wine! Everything was FRESH and everything was WONDERFUL!
3. The Grillmaster. Watching my dad in his element is always a treat. Here he is chillin' and grillin' in style.
4. New Projects. Maybe I should have offered to help, but I had so much fun supervising my dad as he worked on expanding the patio. In this picture he was pulling up with a truckload of stone.
5. Flowers and Folliage. Too bad I didn't inherit my mom's green thumb. All my plants are fake.
6. Fresh Strawberries. You can pick them up at any one of the many roadside produce stands. Convenient and delicious.
7. Watersports. Here my dad is taking a break from mowing the lawn to throw out a few casts with his fly rod. He didn't catch anything, but at least he looked cool doing it.
8. DUKE DOG! Born to entertain, and an excellent cuddle-buddy, my sister and I agree, Duke is the little brother that we never had.

Just Lovely

Wedding Bliss

This weekend my Boyfriend and I attended his step cousin Missy's wedding in Mogadore, Ohio. And even though we got terribly lost on the way there, (thanks to the fact that his mom gave us the wrong address for his aunt and uncle's house) the wedding and the entire weekend were both ridiculously fun and extremely too short!

I've been to two weddings in the past nine months, but I was a bridesmaid in both, so it was nice to just go and enjoy the free food and open bar. There was nothing for me to worry about except how to get as many hors d'orves as possible to fit on one of those little plates and then which wine to try next. The food was excellent, I met a lot of my boyfriend's relatives, and then proceeded to tear up the dance floor until midnight when they practically had to kick us all out. I did the cha-cha slide, the electric slide, and anything else I could to prove that I am the whitest girl in America. I also enjoyed the surprise performance by the groom's little brother's band--it was a nice, personal touch.

I was excited to learn that the happy couple were actually high school sweethearts. The ceremony was even held at the Catholic church where they both went to high school. They started dating during their junior year and now, 10 years later, they finally got married. She is a nurse and he is a spine and neck technician (he holds the spine and keeps it safe during neck and back surgery--I know, "wow!")

Here are a few pictures from the big day.

The colors were white, green and yellow. I loved the tables and the centerpieces. It was very classy and elegant, yet unpretentious.
At the reception, your place card was attached to a cute light green box with party favors inside. Chocolate bars customized with the bride and groom's name and wedding date--Yum!
The centerpieces all varied in size and arrangement type. Ours was HUGE, which made it kinda hard to talk to the people across the table.
The cake was yummy. It was the first time that I actually ate cake at a wedding. I don't know why, but I always seem to miss out. Not this time though---I snagged two slices to make up for lost time!

Today's Inspiration

Once again, from FaceHunter...

Ombre-tastic: Tie-Dye Redefined

Ombre (n) A French word meaning “shaded.” Usually a multicolored stripe with colors graduating from light to dark.
This technique of dyeing from light to dark has been around for a long time. It’s basically tie-dye’s distant (high-fashion) cousin. But, don’t expect the kids at your local YMCA summer camps to start making ombre T-Shirts instead of traditional tie-dye gear. Ombre is an extremely rigorous process because the color effect is actually intricately woven into the fabric, which is why sporting the dip-die look can be pricey. Total cost depends on labor, colors, and the number of transitions (read: how hard the garment was to make).

I assume the trend will last all thru the summer. That’s fine with me because I love the look. (Hippie-chic, ultra-girlie, colorful...)
However, my only problem with the whole ombre-fad is the style of the garments themselves. It’s like they got lazy and just took all of last year's bubble dresses, maxi-dresses, 60s-inspired frocks, tank tops and tunics, and updated them with ombre prints. And while the new color palettes are eye-catching and its an easy-to-pull-off look that requires no accessorizing, it still seems half-assed to me. Come on! I'm tired of over-the-top billowy boho-glam. Enough already!
This is why I don’t think I’ll be investing in any ombre-patterned clothes or accessories. Not to mention my New Year’s Resolution was to stop purchasing of-the-moment trends. And if I must have it, it must come from Forever 21. (And all bills must be paid in full) I’ve done pretty well and my boyfriend has actually convinced me to clean out my closet and *gasp* get rid of things! I know, I know—love will make you do crazy things!

One Skirt

The Balancing Act

Danish art student Nadia Plesner designed this T-shirt depicting a Darfurian child holding a Louis Vuitton bag and a Chihuahua. Her point being that we are more interested in celebrity culture than the genocide in Darfur. In February Louis Vuitton hit Plesner with a copyright lawsuit demanding she pay $20,000 a day for each day she continued to use this image and reimbursement for legal fees. Plesner continues to fight and has refused to stop using the image.

“My illustration Simple Living is an idea inspired by the media’s constant cover of completely meaningless things [ie. Paris Hilton], ” Plesner said. “My thought was: Since doing nothing but wearing designer bags and carrying small ugly dogs apparently is enough to get you on a magazine cover, maybe it’s worth a try for people who actually deserves and needs attention.”

I admire Plesner’s guts and I think her intensions were 100% sincere. After all, the LV bag could be swapped with a Prada, Gucci, or Dior handbag, the Chihuahua could be swapped with a Miniature Pincher or a Bijan Frise—I get it. Part of me is like, “who cares if LV’s mad, Plesner’s point is solid, besides they have enough money and loyal customers, this won’t even ding their public image, ” however; since I love to play devil’s advocate, the other part of me has to ask, “is it fair to use a high-profile company to promote your cause?” hmmm…

More than likely, this will blow over by the time I post this blog. And, if Plesner’s observations about our inability to watch and/or care about current events are correct, no one will ever be aware that this situation exists—unless E! News decides to cover the story.

Instead of LV turning this into an attack against their brand and suing, LV needs to TAKE ACTION and immediately do something to set a good example. If I was their PR rep, this would be my plan:

Step 1. Amend this situation. Louis Vuitton should drop the suit, which will end up costing millions and instead donate that money to the Dafur Awareness Movement.

Step 2. Redirect the negative press. Instead of immediately getting defensive, I’d make them step back and find out what the public is thinking. Get discussions going via YouTube, respectable blogs, and other neutral, third-party media outlets. Then use their high profile status to raise money and awareness for the cause. ie: Design a bag specifically for the cause and donate all proceeds to the Darfur Awareness Movement.

Step 3. Inadvertently, with dignity, elegance, and style, continue to be part of the solution. Isn’t that what makes the Louis Vuitton brand iconic in the first place—being a brand us regular folk adore as the epitome of dignified, elegant style?

Final Thought: Not every American is out-of-touch, celebrity obsessed, and superficial. We’re not a complete lost cause—Sheesh!

 I listen to NPR in the morning, but I also watch Showbiz Tonight.

 I read the Washington Post during my lunch break, but I read Lucky Magazine before bed.

 I care about the upcoming election, but I also care the Jen Aniston is dating John Mayer.

 I take part in the “ultimate form of recycling” and buy practically everything second-hand, but I also take part in good ol’ fashioned Shopping Sprees at Banana Republic or Ikea.

 I confidently believe that you can be “pop-culturally” conscious and still be socially conscious. I think that that’s the direction we're headed. (slowly but surly—and God Bless any celebrities who are leading the way…(think Brangelina, Ryan Gosling, Sheryl Crow, and Leonardo DiCaprio)

 I love both ends of the spectrum equally---and I’m pretty sure there are plenty of other people who do, too.

Perplexed in the City

The Sex and the City movie hits theaters on May 30th, the studio is kicking their promotional efforts into 5th gear. This movie's premiere is set to shake up the lives of impressionable, forward-thinking, young women and gay men everywhere. It's the movie equivalent of Uggs and Skinny jeans. However—like skinny jeans, uggs, and other relentless trends—this movie isn’t for everyone. And, from the looks of this picture, it seems like the stars are wondering if it’s even right for them.

Now for my favorite activity, à la Perez Hilton... Let’s Fill in the Blank:

Kristen Davis is ________________.

· Photo-shopped into the picture. She couldn’t make it because she’s been too busy whoring-out every beauty product on the market for the past 5 years.
· squealing, “ooh, a shiny penny!”

Cynthia Nixon is ________________________.
· The new spokeswoman for Forever 21’s over-40 line.
· Doing her best Hillary Clinton impression.
· Very, very uncomfortable.

Sarah Jessica Parker is ___________________.
· Having a nicotine fit.
· Laughing because she makes twice as much money as Kim Cattrall, but has ½ the acting chops.
· So hungry, she’s eating her hair. Someone please feed her!

Kim Cattrall is __________________.
· Wishing she’d shown more clevage.
· Feeling very overwhelmed (you just can’t tell because of all the Botox)
· Thinking, “SJP, if you bump into me one more time, I’m gonna snap your boney ass in two!”

All jokes aside, here is a sneak peak of the upcoming movie. I know I can’t wait! Can you?

A Yellow Kind of Day...

For some reason, lately I've been feeling like I need more yellow in my wardrobe. Luckily, I satisfied my urge by shopping on Polyvore.com, instead of at the mall. Here is what I picked out...



While I was there, I decided my living room would look good in red. What do you think?...

Today's Inspiration

I spent my lunch break scanning through Face Hunter and decided to share some of my favorite pics. These capture the essence of thift-store-street-chic that I LOVE! Enjoy!