Friday, December 31, 2010

i came, i saw, i froze

Inside Oktoberfest in Busch Gardens' Germany

ever since busch gardens started christmas town about three years ago my mom has wanted to go. this year she finally got her wish and my brother and i went with her to this enchanting redo of a very popular amusement park.

the tree in Germany...all lit up for the season
the three of us bundled up and wandered around to see the show and the lights of the park. it was so lovely. the lights were fabulous (really, go just for the lights) and the shows were sweet. rejoice! in ireland was my favorite. 


a roller coaster covered in the recent snow
basically, it was a great day to be with family and to savor the final the moments of the holiday. and i've never seen so many christmas trees in one place ever. or an amusement park under snow. 

fab.u.lous. 

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

oh the weather outside is frightful...

my front door

at the end of christmas day, because christmas miracles really do still happen, it started to snow, and believe it or not, it kept on snowing. six inches later it looked like this. and because it is virginia beach, the entire city shut down...for two days. holler to no work, no going outside, and just watching the snow. 

it was a lot of fun to spend some time with the family. with my work schedule combined with that of my sister's and my mom's, we all hardly get to spend time together. but the snow days really gave us a chance to hang out, eat, and watch tons of movies together (turns out directTV isn't really a fan of snow storms). hours of chick flicks anyone?


me and lc walking in a winter wonderland

so even though it's supposed to get up to sixty again by this weekend, the snow remains. and while i may be dreading finally going to work tonight, it is still lovely to look at. 

a sign of the happening

happy snow days! i hear the north is still covered...



Saturday, December 25, 2010

happy christmas!


happy christmas all! i thought i'd spread a little old school love this season (who doesn't love alvin?) it's been a great excitement leading up to today. i hope santa treated you all well. (i got the complete series of the west wing, which i am so completely excited about i did a little diddy in my living room.)

as the day winds down i start to think about the entire holiday season, i will be slightly disappointed to see it go, but the ease will be knowing that it will come again. and the fun will continue, as it always does.

so enjoy the final moments, don't let the rest of the holiday season slip away without savoring the smallest parts.

merry christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Friday, December 24, 2010

eat, drink, and be merry



happy christmas eve! 

it seems like it's taken us a while to get here, but the day has finally come...or at least is on its way. 

this season is wonderful. it's a testament to the best of us...a time of year where people look for the best of themselves and the best of others. and a time where we all seem to be hoping for the best of what is to come. peace on earth good will to men. how beautiful is that?

i just got back from christmas eve church service, my favorite part of the holiday. so much spirit and joy, aspiration for the coming day. singing "silent night" by candles is the climax to any good christmas eve. 

tomorrow i look forward to being home with the family, sleeping in a little bit and dressing in green and red and heading off to church again. (you may think we're overdoing it but my mom and brother like contemporary services which was tonight, and tomorrow we will be going to an episcopal church, which is one of my favorites) we'll stop by my aunt's house and i'll eat her cookies (SO GOOD) and i'll be dreading going to work sunday. 

so for the moment, i'll just savour the goodness that is in christmas. the power, the magic, the faith in something more...something bigger

Thursday, December 23, 2010

sweet sweaters


maybe it's just me, but i love a good sweater. let's be honest, i hoard them, adore them, treat them like best friends and collect them like treasures. ok, so it's near obsession, but in the best way possible. i could spend my entire paycheck on these beauties...any favorites i should really invest in? (can you tell i have a type? the open drape exude simple, effortless elegance and look great open with jeans and a t-shirt or belted with a pencil skirt...the perfect piece)


wanna buy one? you're not the only one! check them out.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

listen...video of the week



another radio find! this one i knew right off the bat was going to be a personal favorite. perri is so heartfelt and melancholic i can't help but feel the narrative of the song right with her. plus the video itself i think is so terrific. the dancing, the ashes, the taffeta and tats...it all makes one pretty solid performance.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

firsts

Charlottesville Snowstorm, 2010

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF WINTER!!

hard to believe it hasn't been winter throughout the snow and the twenty degree weather the area has been having, but it's finally official!

i love winter. it's my favorite season. the chill, the scarves, the red noses and cheeks. 

wishing you the best this chilly time of year!

Chris...making a snow angel of course ;)

Monday, December 20, 2010

gifts without wrapping

USS Truman

today the USS Truman battle group comes home after deployment. for the military world homecomings are the best days ever. bigger than the holidays, better than birthdays. these are the days that matter, the ones with countdowns and days off and decorations. 

homecomings are true happiness. 

it's a time when parents see children for the first time, where loved ones are reconnected, and where time stands still. a lot of firsts happen. 

i've been to my fair share of homecomings and it's a lot of hurry up and waiting but they are still fun and a great opportunity for people watching. 

my favorite part is that on the way in to port the people "man the rails" and they stand around the perimeter  of the ship looking very dapper in full uniform. 

so for all those people who spent the last months counting down til their loved one came home, happy holidays, your present came early. we are all so thankful they are home safely. 

Truman. Man the Rails. 

Friday, December 17, 2010

o Christmas tree!


it's friday! yippeee...though all this means for me is that i have to go to work and everyone around me gets to be on the weekend relaxation train. but that won't stop me from enjoying the fun. 

on this weekend to do list: work, hang out with my brother who is home from school, catch up on my winter movie list (love actually for the 15th time anyone?), and gaze at my lovely tree (and maybe even sing...or hum)

here is to a little comfort and joy, and kitchen treats

and check out these wonderfully creative blogs: everythingfab, i want to be her!

(i'm trying to get use to linked love, i'm a newbie at this blogging stuff so stay with me!)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

juice

the refrigerator is stocked. there is so much toaster strudel in the freezer you'd think we bought out wal mart's frozen food section. 

all this means is that my wonderful brother is coming home tonight!

now i'll be at work but when i get home a very handsome young man will be here. i've already got a to do list going for us...

nothing like the holidays.



i may only be 22, but...


ok, so in all circles i am most definitely young, but ever since i was a teenager i have had these ever so lovely dark rings under my eyes. so unattractive, and completely aging. i've tried all sorts of concealers at various price points. this one is the BOMB. like really, this one may be the best yet.

it's easy to find at a sephora near you and is yves saint laurent touche eclat, a concealer to use with your usual makeup routine. this particular concealer is super light and has been reviewed by magazines and makeup artists alike. 

looking good has never been so easy. 

Sunday, December 12, 2010

rainy days and sleepy ways

do you think i could ever talk a guy into this pattern? i think compromising on a bedspread is one of the downsides to marriage...

it's dark and cloudy here, threatening rain for hours before it finally started. i have to say my first thought was that if i lived above the mason-dixie line this would be snow accessorizing my outfit versus this wetness making my hairspray turn into crunch. 

rain makes me want to roll up in bed. specifically a well decorated adorable bed equipped with lots of blankets, classic Christmas music humming in the background, a good book, and a nap on the way. 






for the moment, i'll stick with my favorite pair of jeans and an audrey hepburn movie.
these sheets are actually love letters! how whimsically wonderfully romantic

Saturday, December 11, 2010

fun on a saturday night


i heard this song on the radio the other day and i just thought it was so cute and fun i had to share. it's thompson square with "are you gonna kiss me or not?" how many times have you looked at the person you like or love and thought just that...or even wanted to say it.

on this saturday night, enjoy this little piece of fun.

Friday, December 10, 2010

love and the laundry


my mom and i went to a christmas concert at a local church tonight. it was lovely, a lot of family centered songs and cheesy jokes...all the things the season is made of. what caught my eye was the family in front of me. it was this a simple family of four with two young boys. they were sitting with the boys in the middle flanked by the parents. as the songs started one of the boys crawled into his mom's lap and at that moment the dad looked at his wife with the most endearing, kind eyes i've ever seen. 

love in the middle of a christmas concert. two boys and thousands of loads of laundry later. 

tis the season. 

Thursday, December 9, 2010

a beauty in red lips

i started referring to laura as "a beauty" the first time i got a cell phone. i was 16. laura was 12. i promised her that she would be the first person on my contact list...always. 

its 6 years later and she is as much of a beauty as ever. with cool style--its part grunge, part boho, with eccentric elements--and a great niche for makeup. anyone who thinks i do it well must now be told, i stole all my makeup tricks from my sister.

when i saw her in the bathroom singing along to the glee christmas album in this adorable outfit i made her pose. 

the clothes are a perfect fit. the dark brown almost riding pants are folded to become toothpick ankle pants (she's a genius) and hug all the right places. the floral print brings all the focus of the total outfit up to her face and the scoop neck exposed just enough collarbone to be totally attractive. plus, the sweater is flouncy enough to add an ease to the entire look. add some  adorable flats and a locket necklace and you've got those eccentric accessories i was talking about.  


her make up was actually my favorite. i've been searching for years for the perfect red lipstick for my skin tone. laura has slightly more olive skin than i do so this ruby raspberry works for her. it may seem more dramatic for a day look, but who's gonna argue with the queen of boundary pushing herself? and the eyeliner? yeah...she's been doing that since she was 11. 


My favorite picture of our little photo shoot. 

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

five


This is my brother Bobby. Ain't he just adorable? Right now he is a sophomore at Arizona State University in Phoenix. He comes home in ONE WEEK! I am so excited. 

He is such a fabulous person and I love him dearly. He is such a strong person with great convictions and teaches me about the power of the human heart and soul. Everyone should have one of him around!

I cannot wait to spend some good old quality time with him while he is home.  Updates will follow to be sure.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

why blend in when you can stand out?


i saw this coat in the j.crew holiday catalog i just happen to get in the mail yesterday. i love my current coat, but i will be dire in of a new coat if i get this fellowship i want in denver. 

do you think i can pull of 'retro orange'? you will certainly be able to find me in the snow...

any good coats i should be looking at?

Monday, December 6, 2010

the season of giving




during this time of giving and receiving, i thought it would be a good idea to spread a little social justice (including this ever so fabulous music video). i mean if you're going to give, why not give for a cause?

here's my list of places to check out:
  • product Red
  • OPI Pink of Hearts...it's the breast cancer awareness color
  • Kiva. org as featured on Oprah
  • TOMS (i know i talk about the shoes all the time, but they also have clothes)
  • donate a well!! how awesome is this, you can sponsor a well in africa (jada and will smith do it)
ps...this is my favorite holiday song. it's band aid "Feed the World." and how can you resist Bono in his 80s hairdo?

anyone else have a cause close to their hearts?

Sunday, December 5, 2010

home sweet home

"Come Home, Nancy"  2006

this past friday i had the distinct pleasure of heading back to Charlottesville to see my dear friend Barrie's solo photography exhibit with New City Arts Initiative. i was the surprise and i think it went over very well (i think i even got a tear). 

barrie is one of those rare people who has so much inner joy and happiness it can't help but be infectious to those around her. being her friend and having her in my life has been a great pleasure. 

this show is an exploration of the home as both a structure and a solace of memories and experiences. the photo above is just one example of barrie's unique perspective and distinct attention to detail. 

cheers to you m'dear barrie. job well done. 

Saturday, December 4, 2010

my favorite things

i am not really sure when it was exactly that Julie Andrews' singing "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music became a Christmas classic, but i'm not too upset about it. i love that song and i love that scene from that movie. and if i could find it on youtube it would be attached here. 

but in homage to that song's new popularity during this lovely time of year, here are a few of my favorite things...



i totally am feeling vanilla lattes. there is something magnificent in the warmth of an espresso drink. coffee involves friends, and old vintage furniture, with great indie music humming in the background. 


MY TOMS! i cannot say enough wonderful things about Toms and my lovely purple ones. i wear with everything...mostly these cuffed dark boyfriend jeans i'm kinda obsessed with. 


these are my weakness. anyone who knows me knows that i am very worldly and giving, but when it comes to my nail polish i am a total snob! it's true. it's OPI or nothing. it is most certainly the best and worth the money you'll spend. i'm current wearing the second from the right "dark cherry chutney" a gift from my dear friend stephanie. 


winter...ahhh...i just adore it all. i love the scarves and mittens and the red noses. wool sweaters, turtlenecks, too much chapstick...there is nothing as spectacular as the world coated in white...it's the promise of perfection overwhelming the sins of the world



so what are some of your favorite things? what have i forgotten?

Monday, November 29, 2010

annie



 

Isn't she just lovely? Anne Hathaway graced the pages of Vogue magazine this November. This is just a sampling of what her photo shoot entailed. The epitome of glamor and poise, Anne Hathaway is what I like to call an actual actress versus the ever so sought after famous celebrity. She seems to come completely out of her shell in her new movie Love and Other Drugs (see below ;) which as someone who has watched her since the era of the Princess Diaries films I am so excited to see. But what may even be greater is what is to come. Like all of us young twenty-somethings, the years ahead of plentiful. 

So, what's next?

PS...I loved the movie! So cute. It's such a great date movie. You'll laugh, cry, laugh, and wish nothing but great things for the two main characters

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

other drugs


Watch this. Go see it. It's Anne Hathaway's new movie with cutie pie Jake Gyllenhaal. My mom and I are planning on going to see this tomorrow, on Thanksgiving (it's kind of a tradition to go to the movies on Thanksgiving, don't ask. We are also having Chinese food. Rockin' the boat.).

I like the idea of testing what love is. And I adore the idea that love comes around exactly when you least expect it. Keeps us guessing.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how it is. But doesn't the trailer just look fun, funny, and real?!

Monday, November 22, 2010

meet me at boneshakers


my dad has owned a harley-davidson motorcycle ever since i was born. i've been around them and ridden them since the beginning. (i used to be taken to cheerleading practice, in seventh grade, on the back of my dad's bike...really.)

thus, it should come as no surprise that this season's infatuation with motorcycle boots has got me looking for the perfect pair.
These beauties are from JCrew. I love the brown as an alternative to the anticipated black. 

Classic black. These Frye boots will look very familiar to some, they are quite popular in their own right. In this dark black and accented with tasteful studs they certainly fit the kick butt bill of a motorcycle boot. 

The original. The best. These babies are legit motorcycle boots from Harley Davidson. Not only can you wear these on the back of a bike, but with skinny jeans, on a night out, or as an alternative to any boot outfit.


Aren't these killer? Do you have any favorites to share?



(PS...If you're nervous about rockin' motorcycle boots, here are some suggestions: consider these boots just like any other, feel free to dress them up or keep it casual. Spice it up with hard edge accents: leather jacket, silver jewelry, aviator sunglasses. Also, increase the feminine with ruffles, glitters, short hemlines. These boots are much more functional than you may think!!)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

mamma c




meet my mom. ain't she cute? this is us at my uva graduation. she is my best friend and a great person to be around. i insist that all my friends meet and love her and that is how she gained the nickname "mamma c" it's what my friends call her.

she is reading real simple magazine, this december issue, and she is falling in love with Chanel No. 5! I am so proud. I've been wearing Chanel's younger version Coco for years now and love it. One of my BFF's says it smells so much like "me" that whenever she smells it she's like "WHERE IS MARY?"

Let's just say I'm so impressed with my ever so cool mother.

Chanel.
Rock on.


for mom...and all women who seem to
know exactly who they are













for the younger girls...
dancing their way to the top


Friday, November 19, 2010

my video choice of the week


this is my new favorite song of the week. i just love it. i think the line "tell me what you want from me" resonates a little too close to home for me! ;) so good. and it's the title song to a new movie i want to see...Love and Other Drugs...keep posted for my "i love annie" post

enjoy!

miss watson


in lieu of the opening of the final harry potter movie, i figured it was time to pay some homage to the cast. well really to emma watson. she is so lovely. so british. so chic. her new pixie cut is the biggest thing to hit fashion. she certainly is turning over a new page...

miss watson is gracing the covers of uk vogue and marie claire for the month of december. not to mention she is also a student at acclaimed ivy league Brown University. beauty and brains.


a little bit of the new hairdo in the press...

think you could ever go this short?