A Case of The Mondays (Only It's Friday)

I am in a crappy mood.  I pretty much have been all week.  I'm a bit annoyed with my internship, just as it was starting an upswing in responsibility and we were settling into a content chirpy banter, BAM, monkey wrench.  

 A new intern arrived, which I knew would happen, what I was not aware of was that I would know her.  This particular intern goes to my school and is in my major and we have shared quite a few classes.  I'm, to be honest with you, not her biggest fan.  I'm sure she isn't mine either.  I find her very fake, she's very loud and honestly(this is no hate on any of you who share her taste) she has very pop taste in music and tends to lean towards the side of major labels.  I have worked my whole college career in indie music and it's a bit irritating to have someone around who thinks autotune is an acceptable tool of the music industry, I'm sorry I ramble.  

Anyways, beyond my professional disagreements with this girl I'm also personally not a fan of her and more specifically her best friend.  A good friend of mine and I transfered in with New Intern's best friend, we were all rather friendly.  My good friend even became quite close with, we'll call her Purple(New Intern's bestie).  My friend N ended up coming out to her only to have Purple tell everyone that N was a lesbian and that she had a huge crush on her, I know, are we in high school?  New Intern was also a part of this nasty rumor spreading so needless to say I don't think very highly of either one.  

This, my darling blog friends, is why I am in a crappy mood and am feeling over all rather uninspired.  I have lost a bit of motivation at work and I worry about her loudness outshining me.  I know, I know, keep on keepin' on Ace.  But it does begin to wear a bit thin.  I've been cheering myself up with copious amounts of online shopping which has resulted in a new pair of jeans, 2 new shirts, my beloved minnetonka boots and lots of new music.  Improves my mood, yes, however, not my bank account.  I would love any advice, encouragement, or what have you that you might have for me.  Thanks guys!

Penny Saver: Little Luxuries

OK, this isn't really a Penny Saver per say.  But at the same time it is.  This is about your little luxuries, the little things you splurge on that you know you love and in the end stop you from buying 10 cheap things that maybe you don't love.  My little luxuries are as follows...

Burberry Brit Perfume: I love the subtle vanilla scent, I wear it all fall and winter and it always makes me smile.

Fresh Cosmetics Gloss Absolute:  At $25 for an itty bitty bit this is a big splurge, but I hate lip gloss and this is the only one I will actually wear.  Besides having gorgeous colors, they are the perfect non sticky texture, they are slightly plumping and they're moisturizing.  What more could I ask?

A glass(or bottle) of champagne every once in awhile.  My loving mother and I share an affliction.  Champagne addiction, every once in awhile when I've had a particularly bad day I will haul my tired self to the liquor store and pick up a bottle of reasonably priced but tasty champagne, personally I like Korbel.  I will then traipse on home, pop the cork, grab myself some form of chocolate and relax.  Since I don't do this very often I don't feel one bit guilty about watching chick flicks and downing a bottle of bubbly all by my lonesome.  Hey, I deserve it.

Ink Love: Octopus

OK, there's something vaguely dirty about this.  But I absolutely adore everything about it.  I would never get an octopus(sy?) but I think everything from the pictures makeup to the subtlety of the tentacles is perfection.

What I'm Listening To:

Annie and the Beekeepers- Dirty Laundry

Yours Truly

I figured it was high time to actually introduce myself.  So this, my darling friends, is me.  As I've mentioned before my roommate is photographer and this is a shot from our house family portraits.  Everyone who lives in the house has a portrait in the hallway.  We chose to do ours like senior portraits in our favourite style.  Since it's well known that I love pin up style photography I chose to do a funny little fifties look.  You can also see a bit of my ink in the picture, which I will be posting more about later.  I have to say, it feels nice to properly introduce myself.My bored housewife look, eyes half closed, ironic smirk.  God I love my roommates.

Etsy For Everything

There is nothing that etsy does not provide, I swear!  They cover all my needs from season to season.  These are some bits of lovely I'm coveting at the moment.
Etsy For Summer:I know, I love short shorts.  But how sweet are the fifties blue ones above?  So sweet and prim but still super short.  The ones below literally make my heart beat fast, floral, high waisted and frayed?  Too cute!

Etsy For Fall:

To me, fall means leather shoes and corduroy.  How perfect are these multicolored leatheroxfords.  They would be perfect with some wooly tights and this cute little sage coloredcorduroy button skirt.Of course, as you all know, I'm obsessed with stripes, and this is the perfect french breton top.  It's also custom made to your size a tastes, swoon!

Etsy Jewelry:

Do you know anyone with the initials HL?  I don't, but if I did, this would be the perfect present.  And how cute is this charming little whistle necklace?  Combine your inner child with a chic piece of jewelry.  Plus, you can call the dog.

A Country Kitchen

My kitchen at home is a bit countryish.  The kitchen I grew up with is very countryish(I'm talking chickens outside the window).  A country kitchen to me feels very homey and inviting.  While my overall style may not be very country I do love a primary colored kitchen with lots of vintage touches and this one is just that.  Besides the lovely view it has some of the cutest little vintage odds and end.  It seems like the sort of place you want to hang out.  What's your kitchen style?  Clean and classic?  Delightfully messy and eclectic?  Kitchy or country?  Let me kn

Blog Du Jour: Turned Out

I stumbled upon this blog via the lovely Kennedy's blog Lay Me In Some Tall Grass and I fell in love with the individual outfit posts.  We share a love of stripes, unkempt hair and bangs.  Seriously, how lovely is the outfit above?  The jeans were even stolen from an ex, how appropriate!

This girl combines many of my favourite things, stripes, a hate, lovely light brown hair and an adorable smile.  Don't you just want to be her friend?
This is a perfect late Fall outfit.  I love the oversized sweater with the sweet plaid sticking out underneath, the warm wooly tights and the perfect wintery boots.
How quintessentially American(or maybe it's just the flag) but this girl's little black dress and simple denim jacket seem so summer appropriate and so classic.

Weird Obsession

Behold, the almighty couch.  It is the centerpiece of our homes, it says, come, sit, drink hot buttered rum with me.  At least that's what mine says.  Maybe yours prefers wine, but my couch and its faux fur throw blanket beckon you with temptingly warm drinks.  Now, this is my weird obsession, I love, seriously love, velvet couches. 
I know it's a weird thing to be obsessed with but it's true.  My love of a coffee shop is largely based on the presence of a large, slightly worn velvet couch in some sort of unexpected color.  See the above picture, perfect.  
My couch at home is a warm beige color which hides a multitude of sins and is, yes, velvet.  I wish I had had the guts(and a less picky boyfriend) so I could have gone with something a bit more out there like this lovely pink one or the amazing piece of upholstered sexiness below, but none the less my couch is warm, fuzzy and inviting.  By the way, if I were rich I would buy that pink couch just to sit on and eat cupcakes while dressed as Marie Antoinette.
It may seem an odd thing to be so hopelessly devoted to upholstery, but I can't get enough of the soft feel and the inherent glamour.

What can I say?  Maybe I was Liberace in a former life.  What about you guys?  Do you have one piece of furniture or texture or color for your home that you just can't get enough of?Something that's your thing, your signature?

Stripes on the Brain!

Apparently I'm not the only one who can't. stop. thinking. about stripes!  I love stripes in tops, dresses, sweaters, you name it.  And of course, due to my recent French obsession I'm coveting cutesy french style everything and that my friend means stripes.  I love the nonchalance of french style, it's a bit messy but also endlessly chic and of course relies heavily on the ubiquitous striped shirt/dress.Could this outfit be any simpler?  Dark skinnies, loafers and a striped top and you look both polished and comfy.  One can't ignore the versatility of the perfect black and white striped dress either.  And you know which one I'm talking about, boatneck, skinny black and white stripes, slightly loose fit.  This one isn't loose but I think it's lovely none the less, and clearly versatile.  This one is lovely but sadly a bit out of my price range and this one of course is classic, and has pockets!

Brody

If I had the balls, I would cut my hair just like this and be a hot rocker chick.  If you don't know Brody Dalle she is from the now defunct band The Distillers.  It's awesome angry chick music but with some real musical chops if you're getting sick of your Kelly Clarkson and need something a little harder(come on pissed off girl, you know you're secretly listening to Since You Been Gone).  
She's in a new band which I haven't had a chance to listen to yet but they are called Spinnerette and I'm willing to bet are worth checking out.  I happen to think she is one of the hottest tough chicks out there and I am desperately envious of her messy, black locks.
The girl has it all going, big gorgeous lips, a hot hair style and a kick ass band.

Do you have an idol that you love but are just to chicken to pull off their style?

What I'm Listening To:

Dismantle Me- The Distillers

Ink Love: Free Bird

How pretty and unexpected is this tattoo?  I love it's subtlety and how it looks as if maybe it's just always been there.  I truly feel that tattoos should look and feel like a part of you, not something just resting on your skin.  They should fit the curves of your body and accentuate them.  What do you guys think?

What I'm Listening To:

New South- Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Dare To Be Different

Ahhhh how peaceful.  I can just imagine reading in here for hours.  And yes, I would be reading Harry Potter.  I love houses and rooms that are a bit A-typical.  This one is the perfect amount of bohemian and artistic.  It's the kind of room where you could dream.

What I'm Listening To:

Treat Me Like Your Mother- The Dead Weather

Cat Nap

Need I say more?

If Only Polyvore Could Pack For Me

Get Outta Town! by acelovesvintage featuring Minnetonka shoes

I'm not giving up! Sure, I have no mode of transportation to get to my parents lake house, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up. I'm having beautiful visions of me and my friends cracking open PBR's and wrapping blankets around our wet bathing suited selves while stoking a bonfire and enjoying tasty s'mores. I can see us jumping off the dock and shining sunny pictures taken by my photographer roommate. I can see us chasing my mom's golden retriever puppy through the park and mingling with the locals at dive bars and all American college boys at the Cornell bars. I certainly see us canoeing and kayaking out to one of the islands for a late afternoon picnic and some fishing. I see us playing monopoly in my parents cozy living room if it gets too rainy and basically being some sort of coming of age indie movie. It would be glorious.

Growing up my sister and I hated going to my parents lake house in the summer, it was usually as some form of punishment for whatever trouble we had gotten into that week. We generally spent our weekends there playing guitar and refusing to leave our room. The lake house is rather remote and because of this has rather unreliable internet, which means no real access to email or aim, cell phones also fall victim to the isolation of the lake house. As a teenager this was a place akin to hell as far as I could tell, but now I see the benefit of literally being able to disappear for a few days. But I think the biggest difference is being able to disappear with people I love. So, anyone got suggestions beyond hitching hiking(though hey, viable option) on how me and my 3 roommates could get to Ithaca?

What I'm Listening To:

Caring is Creepy- The Shins

Emotional Brokedown Palace

Good lord I hate PMS.  Sorry to be graphic ladies.  I don't know about you, but once a month I get annoyingly introspective and it my friends is right about that time.  A little background...when I was 18(barely) I met my now ex boyfriend at my very first internship.  It was an amazing and whirlwind romance, he was 6 years older than me and a DJ at a local radio station where I was interning.  I know, the big league kids!  We went on to stay together when I moved to North Carolina and he was the most supportive and amazing person I could have asked for during the very difficult year and a half there.  

We later moved to Boston together and sadly the relationship did not last past two and a half years.  Unfortunately he was ready to move in together and I simply was not.  He was having a very tough time adjusting to Boston and I was only 20 and not ready to give up the freedom on living on my own.  Needless to say we broke up but remained friendly.  It has been two years since then and we have gone through varying degrees of friendship but have always talked...until now.  A few  weeks before I moved to NYC we were supposed to work an event together(Boston is small and its music industry is smaller so we run into each other fairly often) and when I got there I texted him to be friendly and bring him food.  I received a short text informing me that I was not to text him again.  Ever.  He had recently started dating someone new and so I shrugged it off but the next day I received a call from him letting me know that we can no longer talk or be friends since it is disrespectful to his new girlfriend.  

Obviously I was hurt, but I curtly agreed and hung up, admit-ably stifling tears.  Since then I have had problems with my beau as you well know.  Now thanks to my PMS I cannot stop thinking about the ex, and how things might have been different.  Terrible I know.  But we were in the same industry and could have moved together.  This also stirs up feelings of seething anger towards him and this girl for cutting me out.  While I know it's understandable and even normal, I hate the fact that I am no longer friends with someone who was so important in my life and no longer have a relationship that had a large part in shaping who I am and how I see my other relationships.  What is your take on exes and friendship?  Am I in the wrong to expect it?  Do you ever get weirdly sad and nostalgic, what do you do?

Ink Love

I'm still toying with tattoo ideas, so meet my new post subject, Ink Love.  Basically just pictures of tattoos that I think are interesting.  Not necessarily ones that I would like to get, but ones that inspire me.
I happen to think Evan Rachel Wood is a bit odd, but her tattoo is lovely.  I would never be bold enough to put a tattoo there but I think on her milky skin it looks sexy.
This tattoo is just super sweet.  I love the contrasts with her curls.

P.S.  Anyone got any pics of tattoos you've loved to send my way?  I would certainly love if you did.

Right Now I Love: Flouncy Skirts

Right now I love little flowy shirts.  I love them with sweet tank tops and t skirts tucked in.  They look great with sandals, ballet flats and sweet little heels.  This one is a cute seventies floral print and is dark enough that it could translate into fall with tights and boots.
You can't totally tell, but this one has the sweetest rick rack(?) trim.  I love the cream color and the sweet pink flowers, so feminine.  
This one has a charmingly preppy, nautical feel.  I also love the full front of buttons.  How cute would this be with a simple loose white t shirt and some sandals?
Finally, beloved flowy chiffon.  I love the watercolor flowers.

Work Wear

Work Wear by acelovesvintage on Polyvore.com

OK, I'm having some serious issues with what to wear to work, sure, not doing laundry doesn't help that.  But still, I am having issues staying nice and cool in my muggy office and looking cute and business cas.  If I had ample amounts of money this is just how I would dress.  Cute, versatile little dresses with simple ballet flats(no rubber flip flops!) and simple quirky accessories.  How cute are those mustache earrings???

What I'm Listening To:

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

French Girls Have Great Hair

Meet Les Plastiscines. They are a French all girl rock band whose songs are catchy and whose hair is utterly enviable. If you read Nylon you've probably heard of them since they are signed to Nylon's label. I happen to think they are quite charming.
Plus, look at that hair! It's classically french, big, sexy and with heavy bangs.
They also rely heavily on simple black eye liner and lots of mascara. Is there anything sexier than cute french girls with great hair singing rock music?

What I'm Watching:

P.S. Happy Bastille Day!

The Lake House

Sometimes we all just need to get away.  I'm feeling that urge to do something classically American with my classically un-American roommates.  My parents own a lake house up in Ithaca New York and I'm thinking a good old fashion road trip to a cabin on a lake is just what we all need for end of summer bonding, mind clearing and general merriment.  The lake provides such entertainment as a boat, jet ski, canoe, kayak and a hot tub.  All the things one needs to bond with ones friends and clear ones mind.  Also, it's free to stay there!  Things this weekend in Boston were heavy, confusing and while a lot was discussed not a lot of decided.  

The reality is that my man is older than I am and is at the point in his life where he's ready to start settling down and thinking marriage.  I on the other hand have yet to graduate college and start a career.  I'm not sure I'm ready to make such a drastic commitment when I'm not even sure where I want to live and what I want to do.  That said, I'm not ready to give up on the relationship either.  I think I need some time to clear my head, get back to my roots a bit and enjoy being a care free 22 year old.  
I think floating on some silent water and enjoying cheap beer with beloved friends is just the way to do that.  However, if any of you have advice, words of encouragement or personal experience to share, I would love to hear it.

What I'm Listening To:

Fire Escape- Diane Birch

Attempt At French

Attempt at French by acelovesvintage on Polyvore.com

OK kids, here's my polyvore attempt at dressing like a charming little french girl.  Bunches of blogs have been drooling over those to die for sparkly shoes and I have to agree.  They just seem like something a bit ridiculous but still simple that a french girl would throw on with jeans and a tshirt.  What do you guys think???  Please feel free to design your own set of french inspired looks and send it my way!

What I'm Listening To:

L'amoureuse - Carla Bruni

Cat Nap

Oh I hate the mid-day sleepies!  I'm at work and so tired.  Anyone got any tips on keeping productive when all you want to do is curl up in a pretty little bed just like this and sleep the day away...

Road Trip

Hey guys, I will be heading back to Boston this weekend to do some serious soul searching heart to hearting so I won't be posting but have a lovely weekend and wish me luck!

What I'm Listening To:

Sweet Illusions- Ryan Adams