falling water

Over the weekend we visited family in PA and visited Falling Water, one of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs, on our drive up. The picture above is of me, my dad and his fiancee, Colleen. I had to wear this shirt there because it feels very aqueous to me. The place is absolutely breathtaking. Everything is so green and the house is a wonder. Unfortunately they have a super strict photography policy- no photos indoors and no photos during the tour even outside? Who knows why. I personally think it's so they can have a monopoly on selling photos. Not cool, Western PA Conservancy, not cool.

But anyway if you get a chance, definitely worth seeing!



They said that the waterfall freezes in the winter, I would love to see that and autumn is their peak visiting season because all the leaves are so beautiful. Picturesque at any time really.



You can walk right out and sit on the bottom step or wade in the water if the current's not too strong. Not a bad way to start the day, eh?



First day on the job tomorrow! Wish me luck :) Be back soon with an outfit post I hope.

xo,
A.

born in a barn

It's Friday! Which actually should have no significance to me since I'm not working, but today it does. I've started my GRE prep course this week which is twice a week and for some reason, it just ended up being a really busy week, tying up loose ends with school, pre-work things, trying to see everyone and figuring out the summer. All great things, but yesterday I started to wig a little, it was like ok everything, just stop! So today I have dubed "my day, my way Friday". I'm not planning on hanging out with anyone, so it'll just be me for company.





I'm going to lay around and read Never Let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's really, really good so far, I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for a summer read. I'm eating lunch with my dad at one of his favorite places for his diet reward meal! He's reached 30 lbs lost so this is like getting a gold star on your chart, but way better haha.



And then this weekend I'm off to see family in PA and we're visiting Falling Water tomorrow which I'm super, super psyched about. I don't know all that much about architecture but as a type of art, I can definitely appreciate it. I did learn alot more than I'd known before in Barcelona studying Gaudi (Sagrada Familia, Casa Battló, Casa Mila, Casa Pedrera, Parc Guell, etc). You can learn a little bit about Casa Battló and/or la Sagrada Familia at The Clothes Horse, Rebecca's Euro-triping right now, I'm so jealous. Maybe soon I'll post a Barcelona nostalgic entry, what do you guys think?





What are you all doing for Memorial Day weekend? Something relaxing and/or fun I hope! Until Monday :)





xo,
A.

PS. These photos were taken at the Agricultural Farm Park . Isn't it beautiful? Be on the look out for more photos from this place.

Outfit details
Top: F21
Shorts & straw hat: Urban Outfitters
Socks: J. Crew
Booties: Steve Madden
Lips: Constantly Coral Color Stay Overtime, Revlon

double trouble

Disclaimer: Double outfit post! Picture heavy.



Just got this delightful dress from ModCloth, it's such a fun print and a versatile cut. Had a little bit of fun today styling it up in a more retro, vintage way and then again, in a more modernized, casual way.







I bought this one tube of red lipstick last summer to be Snow White for a costume party, and I never would have foreseen how many times it's come in handy! See two posts below, wore it for the 20s themed party also.





Hope you've having a relaxing week.

xo,
A.

Outfit Details

ONE
Dress: Life's a Carousel Dress, ModCloth
Jacket: Saffron Sophisticate Coat, BB Dakota via ModCloth
Hat: Grammy's
Shoes: Vintage

TWO
Dress: ditto
Button-up: Mom's, personalized with patch by her
Shoes: Keds
Sunnies: UO

water baby

a day at the beach by sweet_disposition featuring floral bathing suits

evening at the beach by sweet_disposition featuring a crinkle skirt

another day at the beach by sweet_disposition featuring kate spade bags

Since I am no longer beach bound thought I'd share a few dreamed up outfits with you! Fun fact: I'm a Scorpio which is a water sign. I think pretty much everything with astrology is a bunch of poo, but they got it right with this one. This is what about.com says about water signs: "Water signs are attuned to waves of emotion, and often seem to have a built-in sonar for reading a mood. This gives them a special sensitivity in relationships, knowing when to show warmth and when to hold back. At their best, they are a healing force that brings people together -- at their worst, they are psychic vampires, able to manipulate and drain the life force of those closest to them." That's pretty dead-on except for hopefully the vampire part? Um, scary? I like to think that I do not suck the life out of people turning them into lifeless humans. Here's to hoping! haha

xo,
A.

roaring 20's

Had a roaring good time at my friend's 20s themed birthday bash! Isn't it a wonderful decade? The dress is not the highest quality ever, it's forever 21 but it worked perfectly for the theme and I snagged the headband from Claire's for less than 10 bucks. Just wanted to share this photo with you all. I also used B. Jones Hair Tutorial "Easy Old Hollywood Waves" to create this look. You guys should check it out! She makes it so easy to follow.

On a more somber note, three beautiful people from my high school were killed in a car accident last night because the driver was drunk. It has been a surreal day hearing from all of the people who have been affected by this. It is a harsh reminder of the fragility of life. Please keep safe you all and cherish each other.

Hope this finds you well.

xo,
A.

rainy day dreaming

The forecast for this week? Rain, rain, rain oh and some more rain on my parade. Good news, I got the job!! Yipee, I will actually be employed this summer. And more good news, I don't start until June 1st which means I have the rest of May to dick around. And even more good news, I was planning on going to the beach this week with my two best friends from home! However, and it's a big however, the rain is being a real yuckpants and may end up canceling our trip. So please join me in praying to the rain gods! What's the PJ's inside out and backwards equivalent for stopping rain?





I think I look super stuck up in the picture above, but I swear I'm not! You know those people who have kind of bitchy or aloof neutral faces, I think that might be me. When I'm not thinking about anything or I'm just neutrally sitting there, my face doesn't necessarily look cheerful. Do you guys know what I'm talking about or am I just crazy?



So this outfit was technically cheating because I'm sitting here writing this in the most comfortable sweater and sweatpants ever. This outfit was just for kicks and rainy day escapism. And I'm sorry I keep wearing these shoes! They're just so fun and seem to go with everything. But I promise I will NOT wear them in the next post.





See? Look how cheerful I am!

xo,
A.

Outfit details
Top- ModCloth
Vest- Urban Outfitters, Mirror & Dash
Jacket- Ann Taylor Loft
Shorts- Delia's
Socks- Gap?
Shoes- ModCloth

nueve de mayo

Hullo everybody! I am writing to you from the kitchen table of my home, sweet home. On cinco de mayo I was driving back to MD after finishing up finals. Junior year of college over? I'm a senior? Somebody please pinch me. So anyway I thought I'd wear something belatedly festive. This top was formerly a dress that belonged to my mom, but the proportions were wrong for me so my favorite aunt cropped it for me. I'm in love! The stitching is so fun and it's authentic, from one of my parents trips to Mexico. My mom's father was a part of a group which started an orphanage in Oaxaca, Mexico one of the poorest parts of the country.

I haven't been doing much of anything since being home other than interviewing on Friday. Fingers crossed about the internship, I'm supposed to hear back any time now. In other news, we have a puppy! Well actually we've had one for a few months now, but I just now met her since I've been away at school. Her name is Lila and she is the biggest sweetheart. She's 10 months old and CRAZY. She's got more energy than you would believe. It took me forever to get the one picture I have of her. And right after I snapped it, she promptly bumped her nose into the camera, now my nose hurts. Boo. haha she's a trip.



Right now she's squeaking on her chew toy and I kind of want to shake whoever invented them. Why so high pitched?? Why?





Let's see, this summer I'm also working on setting up a website for selling/displaying my artwork. I'd like to learn more about html editing and all that jazz. Wow, my nose really does hurt. Anyway, not too much else on this end. Just enjoying lazing around until work (hopefully or not hopefully?) starts. What have you guys been up to?





How can you resist this face?



xo,
A.

Outfit details
Top: altered, Mom's
Shorts: Delia's
Hat: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: ModCloth
Socks: J. Crew

mother dearest

I don't generally do personal posts, but this is something that is so important to me that I thought I'd share it with you all. Every day, but especially this Mother's Day weekend, remembering my mom who passed away two years ago from a rare form of cancer, nonHodgkins and Hodgkins Lymphoma. It went from 'pneumonia' in November to untreatable, terminal cancer in January, she passed away January 21st, 2009. This one goes out to my mom, a truly special woman.



Dear Mom,

I wish you could see me now. One more year of college, can you believe it? I really can't. It feels like just yesterday that you and Dad drove me down to Wake Forest and I had tears in my eyes as you waved goodbye.

So much has happened over the past two years. I know you're not really gone, but I still miss you. I miss your warm hugs, your hearty laugh and the way you nibbled Lay's chips in the nosiest, most annoying possible way. I miss the way you loved me. You were the most devoted, wonderful mother that anyone could ever ask for. I know that everyone probably says that about their moms, but for you, I know it's true. You woke up with me every single day to see me off to school in the morning. You would pack little notes in my lunch for me to find. You bragged about me to anyone who would listen (yes, they've all told me it's true! How embarrassing). You never missed a single field hockey game or PTA meeting or art exhibit. You helped me pick out my prom dress and I gabbed on about how I would make you my wedding planner. You let me wake you up in the middle of the night for weeks when I couldn't be by myself, before they diagnosed me with depression. You were always, always there.

It's been hard without you. I cried almost every day for at least a year. The grief was crippling, I felt like it would never leave me. And it turns out that it's impossible to ever fill that hole, but it does get smaller and hurt less over time. I think you would be so happy to see how close the family's gotten and to know the things I've been doing. I sold my very first painting to a soon-to-be college president! And I studied abroad in Spain like I always told you I wanted to. I had the time of my life. You wouldn't even believe how independent I am now. I can even read a map! I know, I know, we all thought it was impossible. And yes, I'm still directionally challenged. But hey, can I get partial props?

Your death hit us all like a freight train going 100 miles an hour. No one was expecting it, not even you. But, I have grown so much and am proud of who I have become. It was the picking myself up off the ground that has made me who I am today. I am more prepared to embrace the challenges in life and accept that they are inevitable. Even though I was angry and resentful for a long time, I still have so much faith in life. I may not be that perfectly happy go lucky, little girl you used to know; I am not so unshakably optimistic. But if anything, I have learned to love more and to soak up the now. You taught me that tomorrow is entirely uncertain. Don't hold back because life is a fleeting gift.

I love you so much. We think about you every day.

Love,
Your little girl