Au revoir ... for a couple weeks

Chambray Top: Old Navy

Sweater: Ross

Coat: J.Crew

Leggings: Express

Boots: Aerosoles

By the time this post is published, the significant other and I will be on a flight to Paris to ring in the New Year and visit a soulmate girlfriend of mine! Charlotte and I met singing in a Baroque choir years ago while we were both living in Spain, and despite different nationalities, languages (she doesn't speak English and I don't speak French, so we've always communicated in Spanish), and years of separation since moving back to our respective homes, the friendship hasn't waned a bit. This trip is the highlight of this year for me, if not of this decade. 

Back in the day, in 2007

Posting will be sporadic until we're back the second week of January, but in the meantime I wish you all the happiest of New Years and may it be filled with health and happiness and love and joy! 

Merry Christmas!

"At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell. But as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found, one Christmas, that she could no longer hear it’s sweet sound. Though I have grown old, the bell still rings for me. As it does for all who truly believe." 

To all of you that celebrate it, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!  And may you all be surrounded by joy, family and friends this time of year. I appreciate each and every one of you that reads this little blog, and I'm sending you lots of love.

A night at the ballet

The Moscow ballet was in town for a couple days and we were able to catch their performance of The Nutcracker last night.  I jump on any chance to overdress, and for this occasion I decided to re-create a look that I pinned a while back from Paris fashion week.

Create a messy half updo by taking two sections of hair from behind your ear, knot in the back, and pin in place. Repeat so you have two, pinned knots. 

Inspiration photo via

Top: Etsy

Skirt: gift

Necklace: Rent the Runway Badgley Mischka
Clutch: Michael Kors wallet clutch

My mother whipped that skirt up for me in one afternoon. Isn't she amazing?! 

I hope you all have a beautiful day! 

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy

Lost in translation

Somewhere between imagining all the amazing ways I could style this Target, baroque-style skirt, and then actually getting it home and wearing it, something went terribly wrong.

I've seen this print a lot this fall and winter, but am finding that it's really challenging to wear because of the bold pattern and colors.

Any suggestions as to tops you'd pair with this skirt?

Thank you for reading, friends, and I hope you're having a great week!

Mourning

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. ~Mother Teresa

I am still reeling, as I'm sure are many of you, over the tragic shooting of so many innocent babies and their brave teachers yesterday at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut.  My heart is broken for the affected families and the community and just imagining the overwhelming loss and agony that they are experiencing makes me nauseous.  I pray for strength and healing, and eventually peace for everyone involved. 

My heart is also broken for this country. I know this sort of evil transcends all well-intentioned rules, laws, regulations and safety precautions and that no one of us is personally responsible for the shooters horrific actions, but I can't help but feel despair that as a society we have failed those innocent victims. This breaking news story caught my eye on a TV screen as I was about to board a plane yesterday and one of my first thoughts was, "I can't believe this is happening again." 

I generally avoid talking about politics on this blog (and on the internet in general) as online arguing doesn't seem to promote productive discourse, but something has gone tragically wrong as far as our priorities are concerned when firearms are more readily and easily accessible than is mental health care.  As fellow blogger Catherine over at Small Town, Big Wardrobe aptly writes, "My right to go to school, to watch a movie, to shop in a mall safely and without fear should exceed any right to own a weapon that is the most efficient, quickest and deadliest way to kill other people."  And the arguments that "well if those teachers had also been armed" make me absolutely sick.  That is not the United States I want to live in.  How many more times does this have to happen before we re-examine our priorities, laws, and the culture of violence that seem so prevalent? 

I'll be back soon with hopefully lighter and more frivolous content, but in the meantime I'll be hugging my loved ones a little tighter, appreciating that not a second of our lives is guaranteed, praying for Newtown, Connecticut and writing my congressman and senators. 

Faux fur and hot spiced wine

Hi all! I'm traveling again this week and am back in Nashville where this desert rat, now accustomed to 80 degrees in December, is freezing her butt off.  Nothing a little faux fur and hot, mulled wine (recipe below!) can't cure.

Create a messy side braid by starting braid over ear, braiding to ends and loosening with your fingers.

Faux fur vest: BB Dakota

Skirt: Old Navy

Hot Mulled/Spiced Wine Recipe

What you'll need:

• Wine (inexpensive burgundy) 
• Cranberry juice (100% juice - not "cocktail") 
• Lemon juice
• Brandy
• Sugar
• Whole cloves
• Cinnamon sticks
• Orange

Steps: 

1. Slice orange and spear each slice with 6-8 whole cloves

2. In a non-reactive metal pot, toss in a small handful of whole cloves and 4-6 cinnamon sticks. 

3. In the same pot pour in 2 liters burgundy, 1 quart cranberry juice, 1 cup sugar, and half a cup of lemon juice

4. Heat until hot, but not boiling. If your mixture boils, all the alcohol will evaporate. And then what's the point. 

5. Once you've heated through and before serving, pour one shot of brandy into a mug, then top with wine mixture and garnish with a cinnamon stick. 

And enjoy! My mother re-created this recipe from the glüwein my parents used to drink in the Christmas markets when we lived in Germany, and nothing get me more in the Christmas spirit. Or gets the Christmas spirit(s) in me.  ;)

Have a great week and thank you for reading!

Liking up with The Pleated Poppy

Black, tan & oversized scarf

Hi all - hope you're having a good week!  This past weekend I "ran" a 5k that I had spent a total of 21 minutes training for in the last month, so I've done a lot of laying around and ibuprofen taking. That said, it was a ton of fun and I'm planning on signing up for another one in February that I'll hopefully (but probably not) be more prepared for.

Shirt: H&M

Scarf: gift (it is alpaca, and is divine!)

Jeans: Gap 1969 skinnies

Belt: Target

Boots: Gianni Bini (old)

Bag: Coach (gift)

Completely unaware of the pain awaiting me ...

Have a great one, and thank you for reading!