Happy Halloween

...but not so happy for me....I'm really sick, and spending the day in bed. Halloween plans for tonight look like a no-go. It hit me hard last night, and I was hoping I felt better by today. No such luck. I'm definitely bummed! I had created a pretty awesome costume from stuff just lying around my closet, and was eager to show it off.

Some friends and I had plans to go downtown for some costumed bar-hopping. One of my girlfriends, who was supposed to go out with us tonight, is also sick. We've already decided that we should throw a "We Missed Halloween Party" in the next few weeks, complete with the costumes we didn't get to wear, plus Halloween-themed snacks and drinks.

What were you for Halloween? What did you get up to?
I'll be sure to post photos of the late Halloween party, if it happens. For now, here is a picture of Steve and I from last year:

Victoria and David Beckham - Halloween 2010

I wish I at least felt good enough to drown my sorrows in Halloween candy! I don't think my stomach would be up for that. This just isn't fair.
Regardless, hope you had a fun weekend and a great Halloween. xx

Leather and lace

I must say, this has felt like a good week. And I'm so ready for the weekend to begin and Halloween festivities to follow. I feel like the fact that it's Halloween-week, plus the fact that Fall weather has made an appearance again, warrants me trying out some more daring stuff, fashion-wise. I love coming up with things to force myself out of a rut.
The other night, the doorman at a bar complimented my outfit. "Thanks", I said.
"Wait, that is an outfit, right?"
"Um, yes?"
I was confused. I later realized he might have meant a costume. Granted, the outfit did look a tad 1920s inspired, but still. I didn't think it looked like a costume...at all. But at least if you're wearing something strange around Halloween, people will just chalk it up to the time of year. Ha. I quite enjoy getting weird looks and double takes from people anyway...to me, it means I've done something right.

Yesterday was basically a day off for me, so I threw on a new combination of clothing and headed out to enjoy the cloudy-cool day. I got some shopping done at Target and even ran into a couple friends while out and about. I also tried my first-ever soy latte, and was happy to find that I really enjoyed it.

Lace top and "leather" (fake) shorts, Forever 21. 

Black hooded sweater, Target. Wedges, Burlington Coat Factory. Tights, Halloween Express. 

Back view: I kinda love when it looks like the sweater is the only thing I'm wearing. Tee hee.

Sitting at the bar in the cafe after shopping. I love that my Target has a Starbucks!!  
Sunglasses, Burlington Coat Factory ($5.00!!)

I'm still totally in love with my new wedges. I can't get enough. I'll probably be horribly sick of them in a month from wearing them so much. Haha. But, we should all have at least one fashion love affair per season, don't you think?

Plus, I got a ton of double takes because of them yesterday. Score.

Enchanted

The weather has turned colder, the high temperature dropping about 20 degrees from yesterday. I'm pretty neurotic about watching the weather, so I expected it. A perfect change right before Halloween weekend, I'd say. It's completely cloudy today as well, but it actually feels great outside (it's not bitterly cold, just comfortably cool), so maybe I will try to get out for a bit. I'm also looking forward to the coziness of my apartment and some of the left over sweet potato soup I made last night. Isn't it funny how the cold makes just staying inside, and avoiding the weather altogether, feel different...better, even?

I usually know when the Summer is really starting to become Fall, before there is really a noticeable change in temperatures, because my skin tells me. After my shower, I'll throw on my clothes like usual, and suddenly my back or my legs will get stingy and itchy with dryness. Not enjoyable, but as soon as I slather on some lotion, it goes away. It's become that time of year to start doing that as soon as I step out of the shower.
I like to change up some of my beauty products this time of year anyway, to go along with the season. I'm kind of in love with the two new body lotions I got this week (I couldn't decide between them, so I bought both) and a new fragrance (I tend to prefer body sprays to heavier perfumes. Plus, they are way cheaper, and you don't feel so bad if you get tired of it and decide to go for something new).

1. St Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter (This has a really nice, calming scent; you really get a hint of the oatmeal. But it wont overpower if you're wearing a compatible fragrance along with it.)
 
2. bodycology body spray in Enchanted Forest (perfect for Halloween, eh? Hints of jasmine and nutmeg. Very interesting musky scent for the colder months, with a hint of sweet. Fell in love with it immediately.)

3. Vaseline Cocoa Butter* (This has petroleum jelly in it too. It's a heavier lotion, great for elbows, legs, etc. I'll probably be using this one primarily for my after-shower body lotion, where the St. Ives is perfect for daily hand lotion - which I apply about 15 times a day.)  
*Vaseline also makes this in a gel/body oil form. I tested it out at the store and it was absolutely amazing. It made my skin feel super silky and full of moisture. It'd be a tad heavy for a hand lotion most of the time, but it'd be amazing for areas like your legs because it'd also make them look shiny. In the end, I settled for the lotion because the gel was twice as expensive. Maybe next time. The bottle looked really cool, too, because of the gold-colored, bubbly gel inside.

I've gotten to where I primarily buy my beauty products at Walgreens or H.E.B. (here in Texas), because they just seem to have a wider selection than my usual  ol' Walmart. I used to go there just because it was a bit cheaper, but the other places have broadened my horizons a bit.

Tea or coffee?

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Collage

My boyfriend had to work all weekend, and I missed him a lot. Here are some photos from my boyfriend-less adventures.

Freshly opened Creme Brulee coffee to start the day.

70s-like jumpsuit. I was also wearing a tiara. Yup.

Finally discovered the entire room of shoes at the very back of Lucy in Disguise. It was like Spice Girl heaven. I resolved to buy all my shoes there from now on (wishful thinking).

Trying on vintage clothes with two of my girlfriends. So much fun. Plenty of laughs...and a smelly dressing room.
1. Fabulous 60s cocktail dress (notice the back view in the mirror). Didn't fit right (everyone knows women in the 60s had small boobs) and  its re-wearability factor is probably slim. I was very sad.
2. Horribly awesome, sequined, elaborately shoulder-padded 80s dress. I 80s-danced around the store in it. The guy working there was laughing at me, and people were staring. It was pretty awesome. I didn't consider buying it.
3. Beautiful vintage-inspired dress at another shop. Wanted it for my cousin's wedding next month. Didn't fit right. It's my damn boobs again. Still pouting....it was a pretty dress.

Adorable popcorn bowl, which I promptly bought. (Burlington Coat Factory, $1.99)

This is what my hair looked like after being braided all day on Saturday (you can tell how sleepy I was)...always better than when I try to use a curling iron to make it look styled. It's naturally wavy anyway, so usually I just straighten the top few inches...whenever I want instant Rachel Zoe hair.

Said braid, plus my outfit from Saturday (this whole post is out of order. Oh well), which was fun enough to keep on from coffee with my girlfriend in the afternoon, to a little champagne get-together downtown that night.

Platform wedges (by Soda, Burlington Coat Factory, $14.99. Yes, you read that correctly). Words can not express the love. And get this: they feel like flats.

Pretty snazzy weekend. Some highlights not pictured:
- Lunch at Homeslice Pizza (white pizza with spinach and pools of ricotta + lemonade + big chocolate chip cookie).
- Live music by my friend's new jazz duo, The Jazz Destroyers (I demand you go "like" their Facebook page).
- Champagne with my friend Greg to celebrate his vampire novel, Thicker Than Water and its release at the Amazon Kindle Store (If you're interested, click for info on the book and how to get it for 99 cents). Sorry for all the shameless plugs. I like to support my talented friends when I can.

Have a great week! xx!!

I put a spell on you...

 Hey, where's Samantha? Kidding, kidding.

 One week until Halloween weekend! I'm starting to get very excited. Last night, I caught Hocus Pocus on TV, a childhood favorite. I lit some candles, turned off the lights, and curled up with a blanket to watch.
I picked up some Fall-themed snacks at the store yesterday, including red Honey Crisp apples and caramel dip. I think maybe tonight I'll set that out along with some popcorn and have another festive night. That counts as dinner, right?


Happy Friday! Hope you have a fabulous weekend.

p.s. What are you dressing up as for Halloween??

The work weak

I love this photo, because it looks so much like my own work area, with its hand written notes and random pieces sprinkled about. Even though I don't actually work in the fashion industry,  I like to keep symbols of it around

for referencing when blogging and to keep my desk cheery!

Woke up groggy and unfocused this morning....with a major craving for french toast. Not a good combo. Especially since I haven't been to the grocery store since getting back from vacation, and we don't even have any bread. My to-do list is half a mile long today, so I'm hoping that whole focus thing will come into play soon. :)

Off to brew some coffee...

Giving Summer the Boot

Cognac and Coffee

 Ah, so many good shows on my DVR this morning, yet so much to get done today. Don't you hate those dilemmas? It's another much-cooler day in Austin, and it feels like a perfect morning for some hot English tea. Maybe I'll squeeze one TV show in while I sip a cup (Rachel Zoe's birth episode is kind of taunting me), and then get to work. I'm going to attempt to save my errands for when the sun has warmed things up a bit more. It should be a beautiful day. And the fact that I think I can officially pull my knee high black boots out of retirement here in Texas, is a wonderful thing. I ran into a girl yesterday, while we were walking our dogs, wearing the cutest fur lined boots. We talked about how nice it is to be able to wear that kind of thing again...at least without getting strange looks. The season has begun!

Now Texas, don't make me a fool and go back to 85 degrees in the next few days. Fingers crossed.

Hope you have a lovely day! xx

D.C. Vacation

It was so nice to spend the weekend up in Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia. As much as I still think about my old stomping grounds, I had forgotten how much I truly missed it there and just how beautiful it is this time of year. We couldn't have gone at a better time to see the vibrant Fall leaves, and we were lucky enough to have sunny weather at 70 degrees the entire time.

I still have family in the area, some of who we met up with our first night in town. I loved going back to my hometown of Woodbridge to my Aunt and Uncle's house for dinner, and I couldn't help but swing by two of my old houses nearby. I was happy to see that almost everything looked exactly the same, except I think  even prettier than I remembered! I feel lucky to have grown up in such a lovely place.

We stayed with Steve's cousin Melissa, who he had never actually met in person! Thanks to the internet, they were able to get to know each other over the past year or so. We all hit it off great.
We packed a lot into the weekend, including a road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia where we enjoyed a picnic lunch and wine tasting at Blenheim Vineyards, and I loved taking Steve to one of my favorite historical sites, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The drive down was absolutely gorgeous, too.

We spent our final day in D.C. exploring the Smithsonian at the Natural History and American History Museums. Steve was excited to see real dinosaur bones for the first time, and I always get a kick out of seeing historical pop culture items, such as Judy Garland's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. I think we were all fully exhausted by the end of the day!

I tried to remember to take plenty of photos, but thankfully, Melissa is a photographer and helped supplement when my little camera phone failed (usually due to bad light). You can check out more of her work, as well as her brand new blog at: heartsparkphotography.com
It's a super cute site!

Meanwhile, I think the rest of my weekend story can be told best through photos:

Landing at Dulles Airport. We sat next to a cute little German lady on the flight.
I regret that I didn't remember to take anymore photos this first night, when we spent time with my family and saw my old neighborhoods!

Croissants and french vanilla coffee, fuel before heading to Charlottesville for the day.

On the road to Charlotteville! First stop, the vineyard...

Wine tasting and strolling around Blenheim Vineyards (Hm...I thought I seemed a bit more tipsy than anyone else... Just kidding).

 Grape tomatoes growing on the property.

 The wine glasses were ours to keep.

 The wine theme continued at Monticello. Loved this quote. ;)

Thomas Jefferson's grave, surrounded by many other family members. It is still used as a Jefferson family cemetery to this day.

35 cent candy sticks from the gift shop are a must. Tuti-fruiti and Cherry Coke flavors!

 A little afternoon snack after touring TJ's house, which I also regret not getting any photos of! (By the way, I love that I discovered these Honest Tea organic teas and juices. I've seen them since coming back to Texas, too. They have just a hint of sweetness, are all natural, and quite low calorie.)

In the car on the way to the Smithsonian the next morning.

Impressive ancient birds, giant sea turtles, and a gigantic sloth that looked like something out of Star Wars!

 

 Lunch break at the nearby sports tavern; Capitals and Redskins flags flying high. Delicious guacamole burgers here!

 Pretty building for a Starbucks.

At the entrance to the Revolutionary War exhibit at the American History Museum.

Steve made me extra glad I was wearing leggings this day....

 Energy boost at Red Mango, after a long day at the museums. As you can see, Steve made sure he got plenty in his cup. I made sure I tried as many toppings as possible. The winning combos? Blueberry frozen yogurt with dried cranberries, or the melon/coconut swirl with fresh mango slices. Yum!

 

The cats patiently awaited dinner outside the kitchen. We spent our final night sitting around the fire pit on the back deck, grilling hamburgers and corn on the cob, and enjoying some local wine and beer, which we purchased at Monticello.

Steve following me around with the camera. Comfy and warm on our last night! We left very early the next morning and caught our 8:30am flight back to Texas.

Driving home from the Austin airport. Steve wasn't very happy that the vacation was over so soon. I think that about sums everything up.

We had an excellent vacation, and I can't wait to get back up to that area as soon as we can!