five for fall

these rainy days we've been having are making me want to just crawl back into bed and take a nap.

but there are definitely some reasons to get out of the house in the fall. i make one of these lists every season (here's winter, spring and summer), so here's my list for right now. 

photo credits: one | two | three | four | five

1. segway tour. i've done this four times now. i totally snobbed out the first time my out-of-town friend suggested we do this (i live here. why would i do that?), but i ate my words quickly after this was one of the most fun things i've done here. the segways are a blast to ride around on,  and since that first time, i've done it with a few other couples. it's seriously awesome. even if you're local.

2. rose's luxury. this recently opened place on barracks row looks interesting. it's built in a rowhouse, serves family-style meals and small plates and from the looks of it, seems super charming. 

3. dc reynolds. this place isn't new, but it's really close to where we live, they have killer bogo drink specials SIX DAYS A WEEK, a roofdeck and some awesome-sounding food. plus, i hear it's a caps bar.

4. petworth citizen. this is also really close to our house, and i'm excited to check this place out. the copper bar and somewhat more reasonably priced cocktails don't hurt either.

5. parts & labor. this place hasn't opened yet, but i can't wait to eat some delicious charcuterie from the guys behind red apron butchery. it'll be in penn quarter.

sunny september

roasting in the florida heat

lucy does this every day waiting for bob to get home

  we're done with traveling this year, and i'm pretty happy to be out of the airport scene for a while. the boarding/de-boarding process is one of my least favorite on earth. why does it take SO LONG?

anyways, we had a nice trip and today's my birthday!

woo hoo!

my husband and i are going here for sort of a joint celebration since our birthdays are only six days apart. can't wait to see how it is. i hear they have some sort of cotton candy dessert?

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the cool mornings have been nice. it's still getting into the mid-80s during the day, too, so i like this weather. the best of both worlds, in a way.

here's to a great month of football and blue skies.

fall footwear

these are some of my favorite looks for the upcoming season. 

i've had my air conditioning off (!) for the past two days which is the perfect excuse to use that money for shopping. money in my pocket = more shoes to buy.

those riding boots are some of the best pair i've seen in a while. around this time every year, i go on the hunt for The Perfect Riding Boot (low heel, sturdy not slouchy, no obnoxious hardware, rounded toe, interesting detail, not $500). i didn't think it existed until i saw this pair. the price is right, too. 

row 1: nine west

row 2: zara | h&m | forever 21

row 3: zara | zara

row 4: zara | nine west

row 5: zara | h&m

row 6: target

i also did something i (almost) never do. i rounded some of these prices up. so $35 may really be $34.99, but you get the picture, right?

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leaf image from this post.

recent recap

a mango nectarine 

eating outside at boundary stone

so excited about this patio set. the chairs rock back and forth!

slowly getting the nursery together

well, plans changed. last night, i was planning to go check out etto, but they're closed mondays. oops. that's what i get for not checking their website first. oh well. we had a great meal at boundary stone instead. i always enjoy their food.

i'm getting a slow start to blogging this week. no real reason, but i guess this heat has got me feeling lazy.

happy tuesday!

summer sandals

i have my eye on a few of these sandal options. 

there are some good ones for pretty reasonable prices out there this year.

h&m - $24.95 | zara - $79.90 | asos - $30.55 | asos - $37.33

here are a few more that i really like.

target - $16.99 | sam edelman - $65 | target - $19.99 | madewell - $49.50

a few notes about quality: i've owned zara and sam edelman sandals in the past. the zara ones were holding on for dear life by labor day and the sam edelman pair are still going strong more than a year later.

and the sam edelmans are offered in about a billion colors.

i really do like what zara offers, but i wouldn't buy a pair expecting them to stand the test of time. but i also walk a lot so that probably contributed to their demise.

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i love this time of year. the clothes, the heat, the holidays.

bring it on.

metallic mania

more and more metallic shoes keep popping up. simple, classic color palettes of black, white, gold and camel are everywhere.

i can't afford most of these, but some (j. crew, most likely) will end up going on sale.

those 90-dollar ones are calling my name though. they'd be perfect for adding a little bit of interest to a basic outfit. 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

and even though i'm lacking the funds required for those rose-gold ankle strap heels, that particular shade of metallic is still my current favorite. 

kitchen tips

i like to cook. 

some nights, i'm making it all from scratch. other times, i'm banking on that box of frozen chicken fingers in the fridge. it really just depends on my mood and what we have around the house.

but ever since i started grocery shopping like a champ, i've really tried to cook at home as much as i can. both because i like it and as a way to save a little money.

today, i wanted to share three quick kitchen tips that will make a world of difference in your home-cooked meals. 

1. torch your tortillas - i got this idea from watching the food network. i was more than a little skeptical about just plopping a tortilla directly on an open flame, but it's awesome. it gives you that yummy charred texture without adding fat. i will say that you really need to keep your eyes on it because it'll char up fast. i'm talking less than 7 seconds on both sides. and be sure to flip it with a pair of rubber tongs or something. safety first, guys.

2. add acid to your apples -- for me, acid usually means lemons, but limes and oranges will work also. and while the acid will prevent the apple from browning, it also adds a layer of flavor. baking an apple pie? making a cole slaw for fish tacos? hit it with some acidity to keep the flavors clean and bright.

3. salt your salads -- this one, i have only my grandma to thank. she's a little salt obsessed. as a kid, i remember laughing at how she would salt EVERYTHING--even her trail mix and salads. but grandma had the right idea. because adding a pinch of kosher salt to your dressed salads really boosts the flavor. i throw in pepper too to balance things out.

weekend weather

winter has the most dramatic sunset silhouettes 

taking advantage of the warm weather

i feel partially responsible for drybar's dc arrival ;)
can't wait to go. 

in traffic

the trees don't even know what to think 

making a modified version of this recipe

 the weather!

everyone in dc is talking about it, but even for our roller coaster winters, this is warm.

we babysat our one-and-a-half-year-old nephew this weekend, and it was great to be able to spend some time outside at the park with him.

and considering how insanely cold it was for inauguration four years ago (i'm the mummy on the right), it would be pretty nice to have some mild temperatures for that event next week. 

here's to a great week!

potw: lovely lace

lace is one of my favorite things. so feminine and delicate.

and i think it's a nice textural element to bring to print pieces.

behold:

by aimee o'boyle for bella figura

by steel petal press

the two invitations pictured above mimic the texture of lace, while the two examples shown below marry the fabric and print worlds beautifully.

by zenadia design

in fact, covering the back of an invitation entirely in lace has got to be one the best things i've seen in a while. for the right event, it adds a really special touch.

here, the designer has used it in place of traditional photo corners. so smart.

by a&p designs

if you're not in the market for a printed invitation or announcement of some sort, there's always this little blue lace heart.

by heartfish press

isn't it lovely?

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looking for more letterpress goods? check out my press of the week series here. a new potw is posted (almost) every monday.

fall fashion

waking up to less humidity and cooler mornings has been a nice change of pace this week.

i'm never thrilled about summer's end, but shopping for a new season always helps make it ok.

here are my picks for fall this year. (and last year's list in case you're bored.)

1. i need new shoes. desperately. i bought a pair of flat black ankle boots last year and wore them to death. i'm in the market for some in another shade in 2012.

2. i hope peplum's ladylike loveliness never goes away. and in these rich hues with flirty lace, you'll look fantastic.

3. drop-waist dresses. are we ready for this? the cut feels a little on the younger side, but i think with the right accessories and shoes, anyone could pull them off.

4. i love the look of leather embellishments. and although i'm quite committed to my dress-wearing ways, i think some patterned pants are in order this season. 

5. after years of stud earrings, i'm ready for some dangling drama. these tassel earrings would be super chic with a minimalist, solid color dress. i still love everything clare vivier has to offer, and these two foldover clutches are perfect for fall. also: nail polish. i'm ready to say goodbye to summer brights and paint on something more suited for the cooler weather.

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what are you thinking about adding to your wardrobe?

buying basics

i'm always harping on finding classic pieces with a twist when shopping.

the way i see it, most everyone needs wardrobe staples. the fundamentals of a professional closet and whatnot.

but today, instead of talking about it, i thought i'd share a visual about my approach to shopping for these pieces.

you know, the purchases that aren't necessarily the sexy, exciting ones, but the practical everyday stuff we all need.

so let's start out with possibly the most basic piece out there: black flats.

and here's the way i go about it:

on the left side, we have options in a few different styles.

on the right, i attempted to visualize what i mean when i say 'look for something that makes it unique'.

is it studs and a hot pink sole? an understated chain detail? a structured bow? a little patent toe detail?

find something about the item that makes it special and run with it. it might take a little longer to find, but if it's something you'll be wearing a lot, it's worth the effort.

we all need the bare bones essentials for work and life, but seeking out those little details makes all the difference. and makes you even more fabulous.

midi gate

ok so the title of this post doesn't make sense.

but that pun was just begging to be used.

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so let's talk longer hemlines.

my entire life, i've loved above-the-knee fashions. i honestly wouldn't even consider wearing something that hit me at mid-calf level. but i've found myself really taking a liking to these lengthy ladylike looks.

by couldawouldapica on polyvore

by couldawouldapica on polyvore

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also! these are all less than $100. so go on. grab two of your faves.

especially now, with the coming of spring, there's nothing i'd rather wear.

and although i tend to prefer flats and sandals instead of heels and wedges, this is a look that really works with a little height.

have fun out there!

potw: cash card

 what do they want?

cash!

when do they want it?

 for graduation!

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there's all sorts of gift guides for grads out there.

but what's one that's always perfect, always appreciated and always useful?

money.

i don't care who the graduate is or what they're doing after school,  they'll need it.

and they'll love you for it

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here are some cute money-giving options

by dingbat press

by a. favorite design

there's this guy too (for best results, give with money already in the clip)

via uncommon goods

or you can go with a less in-your-face option and just pop some dough inside

by anemone press

adorable, right?

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and congrats to any soon-to-be graduates out there.

you did it!

love for the city: secret steps

continuing with the 'love for the city' series...


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ok so this isn't so much something i love about dc. it's really more of one of my favorite spots. 


my friend allie and i call them the secret steps. they're totally not a secret but they're a little hard to access so they've been deemed as such by us.

here's what google earth is showing:

see the tip top of the lincoln memorial at the top of the stairs? 

(or check out google maps)

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the steps are sorta behind the memorial. 

but once you get over there and walk down the steps, it's beautiful.

it's the perfect spot to be lazy and watch the more ambitious 

dc folk work out while you stare at the water.

all pics by me

i actually don't think i've been since last spring when some of these shots were taken. it was so much easier to walk down to the mall when we lived downtown, but i think a trip to this spot is in order soon. 

oh yeah. i need to go.

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p.s. blogger changed the way it's letting me format text so i can't make it as obnoxiously big anymore which is really frustrating me at the moment. but this blog is long overdue for an overhaul anyways, so thanks for the extra push, blogger. more to come on that someday soon, but i have to get out of blogspot hell.