isn't she lovely

My sister is an extremely good shopper- the type who can spot that beautiful item out of racks of clothes. Of course, she's also the type who likes the same style for herself over and over, so I love when she finds things just for me. On a rare trip to the mall for us (she lives in Boston), she spotted this amazing dress at Ann Taylor from walking outside and dragged me in to try it on. About 20 minutes later, I was a few dollars poorer but very happy with this choice - great for work and post work cocktails, and paired with a sweater is great for that spring into summer transition.

gettin' down on friday

One of my personal mottoes is you can never be crabby on a Friday. Happy weekend to all. This weekend is fairly packed with people and things to do. I am looking forward to catching up with some local friends who I haven't seen in a while due to busy schedules - and getting around to doing some spring cleaning again. What's on your list for Saturday and Sunday?

(photo)

a ship that sails the sea

Summer is on my mind, and during my vacation last week I found these adorable shoes from Wanted while boutique-ing in Newport. I love bold shoes, as you may remember from here, here and here. This striped pair are a fun canvas that remind me of Keds and wearing those until mom threw them away because they could no longer be worn. Hopefully these last more then one summer, but I am looking forward to wearing these babies in the warmer weather.

across the river to the jersey side

Oh, Jersey you get such a bad wrap - in fact I didn't want to live here either before I did, and now I can't picture much else. I took this photo of the Hoboken train station- I love the clock tower, and that you can see a bit of Manhattan in the distance (trust me when I say, the views are all in Jersey not NYC).

dude looks like a lady

I recently was looking for a thank you card to give to a guy, not a boyfriend, not my father, just someone who deserved a little appreciation from me. My goodness was it difficult to find anything that didn't have flowers or some sort of girly animal - which made me wonder do guys just not get thank you notes from time to time? Or is this just one of those girl things that guys begrudgingly do until they no longer have to? I finally went to an official card store to find an appropriate card, or at least something that wasn't so feminine. I thought the pun was funny, and at least with the blue I didn't feel so weird giving him the card.

vacation, all I ever wanted

I am so sad- I lost all my great pictures from my vacation last week- which is so disappointing because so many were so cute and what seemed creative to me. This is why breaking your phone completely stinks- and why I need to start using the cloud regularly (more on that later). One of my stops of my week of adventure was a three day trip with my mom to Newport, Rhode Island. It was simply beautiful out, and we did the cliff walk, and toured The Breakers. We also hit up a cute little vineyard (oh the wine making photos were good)- where there was wine tastings and oak barrels. It wasn't beach weather but it was a great little getaway from work and home.


(photo)

working for the weekend

Oh happiness for Friday (is there ever a Friday you are sad it when it shows up? maybe during a vacation) and the weekend. This weekend is suppose to be AMAZING weather again. I am hoping to get another long walk along the piers in, and maybe some outdoor drinks or food. I also need to do some packing to visit my friends and family for a week off from work, and take a little mini break in Newport. I hope you have a fantastic weekend- how are you spending it?

(photo)

open your heart

Dangley earrings and I do not mix- at least I only wear them on highly special occasions (proms, weddings, galas, you get the picture). I love finding unique studs to mix it up from my standard faux diamonds, pearls, or silver balls. These open hearts are a very light pink metal- ever so delicate and just a little sweetness. Though they are hearts, they don't feel childish as you might think when you see shaped earrings. These are uber light and don't pull on my ears, meaning I can wear them often.

you wore a tulip

New York - land of landscaped parks which I love that when walking by you get a blast of the smell of fresh flowers. The city is extremely good about getting the flowers out even before you quite realize it's spring, but I love seeing the tulips and daffodils - two flowers that are the first to make me think of warm weather. I think it's time to start thinking about spending some afternoons in Central Park.

all along the water baby

Back to my old route, now that it's warm I am back to long walks along the Hudson River as one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities. Right now, it couldn't be more perfect since it's not too warm and the breeze feels amazing. This spot is one of the ones that I really like - seeing the old pieces of the pier - I half expect to see a sea lion or birds, but usually it's fairly wildlife free.

Mad Men Monday

Well, I really did think I'd be able to do this each week- but alas it didn't happen. I blame the fact that I was just so busy watching TV was not a priority most of last week, and that's probably not the worse thing in the world.  So this week, I'll talk about the past two weeks and things that I found interesting.

Poor Betty, I truly felt bad for her this week (normally I am just thankful my own mother isn't this crazy) but having a cancer scare actually made her feel more like a human to me then she has in the past. Mortality is scary, and thinking that her children might grow up without her was a bit heartbreaking. I also thought it was interesting that she called Don before Henry, but he was comforting and was the one Betty wanted in her time of distress. Anyone else love that Don's secretary is also named Dawn? To me that was pure genius and I really think this will be one of those great running jokes (hey at my own office I work with a guy named Jack, I can't begin to tell you how many times people have recited the nursery rhyme to us).  I also enjoyed the hiring of Michael Ginsberg, who claimed on his resume to be related to Alan. I thought he was a nice change of not so proper to the office, plus he seems to himself at all times - even if he is a bit over the top. Seeing Don with Harry at the Rolling Stones was also eye opening, Don's really showing his age. He doesn't want to be there, and he's quite paternal with the young girl who's talking to him (thank goodness). I was a bit worried about Sally - as she's starting to show signs of compensating for her mother's new figure, not eating - starts to feel like the start of a story line.

Joan's story took an interesting twist, and who could blame her for being angry at Greg for volunteering for another year in Vietnam (this was going to end badly no matter what). I give Joan complete credit for calling it an end to a man and a relationship in which they were clearly not on the same page. I also appreciated the tie in of the Chicago Nurses Murders through out the entire hour, as a common thread you could see how everyone was impacted by such a tragic event (I googled this- I had to, I had no idea about this event- how awful!). Sally was particularly impacted, terrified to go to bed - I've been there, I don't think I slept for a week after watching The Exorcist, and I did like the irony of her watching a commercial for Mystery Date. I can see a little bond happening between Sally and Henry's mother, which could be an interesting point later.Did anyone else like seeing Peggy play hardball with Roger when he asked her to work on the airline pitch? She haggled her way the contents of his wallet, and I was very proud. Watching Peggy bond with Dawn was also good to see, particularly since both were at the office very late and both a bit scared on how to get home. It was also good to see that Peggy isn't always the perfect trusting individual, but at least had the common sense to feign otherwise. Don's philandering finally caught up with him with a woman from his past, she was a bit creepy right? But in true Don Draper form he did what we all expected, and then some - will this woman make another appearance? And I can't help but wonder how long Megan will be in the dark. 

Here's looking forward to next time...

(photo)

in a west end town

I love this purple dress from Boden - a very British company, with outfits fit for a princess. At least that's how I feel - the styles are right up my alley so I keep coming back to this site for more. I also like that there isn't a shop close by so less people have the clothes (to the girl in my office who shops a the same stores, we need to coordinate schedules better and stop wearing the same dress on the same day). This dress is great, even though it won't get too much wear until next fall, mainly because the color and length are ideal. I really like knee length skirts and dresses, and find that so many places seem to think minis are the only way to go. The detail on the hem is really cute too, the darker shade of purple adds a sophisticated little pop. 

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Gosh, I love this quote because it is so true- if you aren't trying something new all the time, or going on adventures what's the point of leaping (or stumbling) out of bed everyday? This week's been full of new things, sad things, exciting things and definitely adventures to come. For now I have to keep fairly quiet about some of the changes occurring around me, but I can't wait to share more about it with you all when the time is right. For now, I am getting ready to make a big leap and see what may come - wish me luck!


(photo)

bring me laughter

I've been having one of those weeks, you know the one that never ends, seems to just be full of bad news, you cry a little. Clearly, I was in search of a little pick me up- something just to make me laugh and smile and this little cartoon just made my day that much better. It gave me just that little bright spot that I needed.

(photo)

working 9 to 5

J Crew got me again, at least this time I have a little self control and this beautiful attache has only made its way on to my want list, and not right into my closet (not sure how long that's going to last). I love the idea of carrying my laptop around in this fashionable number- it's so sleek. I also love the white with the black and gold accents. This is one way to make a good impression in the boardroom.

just a summer girl

Accessories are a girl's best friend - or at least a major factor in polishing off an outfit. These bracelets  are really cute, and I ordered a few for my summer accessorizing needs. I ended up with the white and the dark blue, as those to me are great colors to match most of my summer clothes. I love the gold accents with a pop of color. I can see myself wearing these all year long, I might have to order a few more.

you belong among the wildflowers

The trees in this park not far from my apartment are in full bloom this week- and looking absolutely gorgeous. I had to stop and snap this picture on my morning outing of errands because it was so quiet and not full of people, making me feel like the only person out in the world.