I love Jenny Lewis, her style, her music, and that freaking Dylan shirt. She is yet another icon of mine but more a lifestyle icon if that makes sense. Who is your icon?
Moving is outrageously stressful as I'm sure you all know, and this move is no exception. My boyfriend's subletter has already moved in(along with his 2 little pugs) so it is quite a full house. Luckily the new roomie is really nice so we're all getting along but it is none the less a bit stressful. This picture is exactly what I want to be doing right now. Now that the weather is nice sleeping outside on this gorgeous roof seems like the perfect solution to my stress. Ahhhhh.
I love summer. It is inherently care free and whimsical. Impromptu beach trips are the norm, tiny dresses are more than except-able, and drinks like mojitos and lemonade abound. Swimming is my other favorite part of summer. When I was a kid we had a town pool that my sister and I would walk to. All our friends would hang out there, the boys we liked, the ones who liked us. I have very fond memories of that pool. Also, when I was 18 I moved to the beach in North Carolina, it was my beach. Last year I took my man there and we have an amazing time, nothing beats the beach. What's your favorite summer memory?
The tank dress is equally as simple, perfect for the beach or in my case for traipsing around Brooklyn on beastly hot days. 
The shorts are the same color as the pants and are equally as adorable, I loveee colored shorts.
And finally, the perfect jeans. Skinny, but not too skinny, dark but still worn in and in a rise that doesn't remind me of Britney Spear's thong baring days. What brand do you love? Do you have one you've been loyal to for years?
Meet my new room! It's gorgeous, huge, in Brooklyn and it's all mine. I share the house, which is maze like and amazing, with an awesome group of artists and art students. The room itself is gargantuan, it has 3 closets, nice bright windows. A big old mirror on one wall and shiny hardwood floors. It's also attached to the kitchen which will make stumbling to my morning coffee a breeze. Also, the kitty half of Kitty Bear will be coming with me to keep mousies at bay and bask in the glorious sunshine of her new palace. The Bear half(my little 14 year old yorkie) will be summering in Ithaca with my parents and his various furry siblings. Though he will be coming to visit. I think he will enjoy some relaxing time in the country, Brooklyn is just too hot for him. 
So what do you guys think? Should I paint? Keep it white and crisp? What color Curtains? My bedding will be blue, but what else should I do? I'm on a budget so I've been trolling to street looking for discarded lovelies to add to my massive room and not my massive debt so far? A cool wall shelf I'm going to paint a fun color. So, what do you think?
Image courtesy of Toast. This just because post is about new friends. Moving to New York is equal parts exciting and terrifying for me because I don't know a soul there. While this is terrifying, it's also exciting because I am so looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends. So if any of you are New York blogsters, will you be my friend?
The Kitty Bear bedroom inspiration continues. I love this one, it's a bit harder to achieve than the first one but its just so lush and lovely. The curtains are actually vintage scarves clipped together, don't they make the light look lovely. I also love the clean floors and the cute shoes that are displayed. The head and footboard are lovely, but also probably out of my sad little budget. What do you guys think?
My lovely man and I are heading to Brooklyn again this weekend to check out a few more apartments since I still have yet to find one!! However, the packing has begun. I've begun to pack up all my pretty bits of summer frivolity that won't be necessary until it warms up considerably. I'm also packing up some books to read in Brooklyn parks for the summer(I admit, Poe is not a frilly summer read but I've been meaning to get around to it). Now all I'm wishing for is pretty pink luggage and gorgeous turquoise shoes just like this picture.
OK, this one is kind of cheating since this is from The Snail and The Cyclops last summer, and was possibly stolen from Beyond Boston Chic. But I love it! I adore high waisted shorts and you know how I feel about keds. Also, I don't know if that Bob Dylan-esque gentleman she's with is her boyfriend or not, but if he is, I'm jealous.
Looking to spice up your morning coffee without dropping the big bucks on a Starbucks calorie fest? Here's an awesome recipe from Eat Make Read called Mexican Coffee...Mexican Coffee
from Extending the Table
1 cinnamon stick
3 Tablespoons sugar*
4 cups coffee
1
Place the sugar and cinnamon stick at the bottom of the coffee pot and brew the coffee.
2
Once the coffee has brewed, let it steep for 10 minutes on the burner.
3
Pour and enjoy!
*You can use less sugar or none at all if that’s your thing.
I'm off to make a cup right now. Enjoy!
What I'm Listening To:
Absolutely Cuckoo- The Magnetic Fields
Boston is warming up ever so slowly, but not fast enough for my liking. I'm satisfying myself by drooling over pictures of lovely "outdoor rooms". This one seems so natural and romantic. I was so hoping to have a dinner party on the porch in before I move to the big city.
This may not be a make you smile Just Because but it's how I feel right now. Today I start my finals. I've got a presentation today, a paper to write for tomorrow and an exam tomorrow. Wish me luck and good luck to all of you on your finals as well.
This has to be my all time favorite bike pic. I love the red dress and the red bike, it's classic but also playful and fresh. Just darling. Also, I love the wicker basket, I wish I had one on my bike.
OK, this is a totally gratuitous what you're wearing post because I covet that dress. I almost bought it at H&M and passed at the last minute. I'm regretting that ever so much now because this lovely lady makes it look darling. It was posted by Little Miss Birthday on flikr. Too cute.
Sometimes I just fall for an image. This is one of them. And it is just because it makes me smile. Hope it makes you smile too.
Bringing out my bike is one of my favorite parts of Spring. I'm endlessly intrigued by bike fashion as well. I'm always impressed with women who can wear heels while riding a bike, I sadly am not one of them, but I none the less respect their dedication. This is one of my favorite bike shots. I think the red dress is lovely and it looks so sunny and warm out. My new favorite part though? I never noticed before that there is someone balancing on the end of the bike! During the summer I balance on the back of my boyfriends bike all the time, apparently it is common practice in places like Amsterdam. It's definitely unnerving, but also very fun.
I love rompers, this is perhaps because at heart I am a five year old. I also love pink and puppies, so maybe my thing for rompers is just me. But I can't help but feel they are the perfect summer outfit. All the freedom of a dress with none of the flashing(and I've done some Marilyn moves in my time).
Rompers, good ones I mean, are hard to come by though. Especially vintage ones. Do you have a pic of yourself in a romper? Send it to me, post it! I want to see what all you lovely ladies are doing with this charming piece of clothing.
So today is my first official trip to Brooklyn to check out apartments. And since I shall have a new apartment this means a new bedroom to decorate(for next to no money). And decorating a new bedroom means new inspiration. This one is lovely, spray paint an old bed-frame a cheery color, find a whimsical comforter with simple white sheets, a few throw pillows and some nice sheer white curtains and you're good to go. My favourite bit though is the collage of photos, I love this technique. It's super simple too, a quick stop at your local thrift store and you're all done(a great way to go green by the way). I also love the A on the wall, since my name does after-all start with A.
Who are your style icons? I feel like everyone has a star, maybe a few, that they identify with. Sometimes its stars of the past, maybe it's just their style or maybe it's their lifestyle or outlook. For me the following three girls played a big part in influencing my style.
Kirsten Dunst 
Finally...
House plants are such a simple and easy way to go green. They liven up your decor and they're great for the air you breath. Just look at this lovely overgrown kitchen, it makes the whole house feel a little more earthy. And with so many inexpensive options, I like spider plants, you can have them all over the house. Just a little water and some sun and they're happy as can be. I also keep a lovely money tree around, from IKEA! The funny thing is the day after we got it my boyfriend and I fell into almost $4,000! Coincidence, maybe, but I prefer to think my little plant works.
Who needs fancy matching china? Thrifting mismatching but similar china is a chic and easy way to go green. And doesn't this just look lovely? I can just imagine a sweet weekend brunch out on the porch with pastel color china. They also look beautiful displayed in glass paned cabinets, if you're lucky enough to have them. They may take a while to collect, but looking at this I certainly think it's worth it.
This is a series I'm calling "what you're wearing" where I pick an outfit from a blog or fashion site to praise. This one is from Wardrobe Remix by a lovely user called Rusaleczka. I think it's just perfectly romantic with the subtle pattern and the pretty capelet. I also love that its shot in front of that crazy huge old door. Have a friend you think I should put on what you're wearing, or maybe you've got an outfit you love you think should be on here? Let me know!
Spring has finally come to Boston, and like many lucky beantowners I am cleaning off my porch and drooling over mismatched sets of pretty colored thrifted china for my garden parties and stringing fairy lights around my porch. Everything looks better in the soft glow of fairy lights.
