a job with a view.

These pics were taken at work, hence all the random pieces of art (I work in a gallery), the piece behind me is actually one of my favorites in the gallery. It's by Abdon Loebs, a local artist. Lately it's been extremely slow at work, like...maybe 5 people coming in the entire day. So, needless to say, I had some time on my hands and took a couple snaps of what I was wearing.

This was a "blaarrrhhh, I don't want to be alliiiivvveeee" sort of morning. I dragged myself out of bed 20 minutes before I had to leave and threw on whatever looked clean(ish) and scooted out the door. These grey wool socks have become a part of me, I wear them so much. Their just soooo warm.

{hat:no idea :: cardigan:F21 :: dress:marshals? :: tights:burlington :: socks:H&M :: boots:Savvy}

In other news: it's supposed to snow for the next 10 days or so...so expect to see a lot of jeans and boots sort of outfits round these parts. Oh, the glories of living in Tahoe.

peace, skillets.

ferrit face

This outfit is from forever ago...I've had these jeans since like 2008 and have only recently developed the courage to wear them. They fit like buttah and the red is just so much fun. 

 {jeans:Styles :: tank:Ross :: cardigan:F21 :: shoes:Ross}

 This little gentleman is my roommates ferrit, Amadeus. He's pretty much awesome. I've met a couple ferrits in my time and Amadeus is by far the best natured little critter I've ever encountered. His little personality and cute antics make him so much fun to have around. He was out playing around the living room when I was taking these and decided to get in on the action! He doesn't really do the whole "holding still" thing, so he's pretty much just a fuzzy blur or film. But he is a cute fuzzy blur.

We are communicating our deepest, most meaningful thoughts in this next picture.

And a closeup of the little fellow, looking adorable on my awesome, lime green lounge chair.

remember to feel real.

Somewhere around the middle of finals week, all my motivation died on the table. I just havn't felt the desire to do ANYTHING since the last day of midterms and, thus, have been doing a whole lot of nothing over the last week or so. My brain feels like a lump of mush in my dome. I'm slowly making a recovery; cracking open my planner to examine all the stuff I've been ignoring, catching up on the Rosetta Stone Swedish program I'm using, finishing books that have been laying open, face down on various tables around the house, doing the massive pile of dishes that has been stacking up in the kitchen, trying to get all the paperwork for my trip in order... My room is still a disaster area, but I'm working up momentum before I try to tackle that horrorfest.

So, other than working, going home, watching movies, researching Sweden and staring blankly at my ceiling, my life hasn't been too exciting. I did go to two shows in the last week or so, though. My friends, Kyle, Beth, Joel, Brian, and Jared are in a band called Ugly Little Children and they played a benefit concert for Haiti last Friday which was a BLAST. Then there was the performance for their music class, Rock Ensemble, and the after party. Very good times, indeed. I hadn't been out in a while, so going out and seeing all my friends and listening to some amazing music was something I really needed. I need to avoid becoming too much of a hermit, I have a tendency to insulate myself to the world when I spend too much time by myself.

In other news: we have our little, Charlie Brown Christmas tree up and it looks pretty dang adorable, if I do say so myself. I still have a ton of Christmas shopping to do though, and being super broke is not helping the situation. Usually I try to get a little something for all my friends, but this year it's just not doable on my budget, so I'm restricting my gift-giving to my nearest and dearest. I think Ashley and I may make cookies or fudge for everyone else, so at least we can give them a little something to remind them we love them. 

My parents keep asking me what I want for Christmas, and while the rational part of me knows I need to ask them for "essential" type things; new prescription glasses, so I don't have to wear my contacts all the time, a bus pass...I couldn't help but do a little "window shopping" for myself while perusing the offerings at some of my favorite online stores. I swear, it started as a gift search for my list, and ended like this...

{Panasonic AV Room Headphones in White :: $62 :: Urban Outfitters}

these would be amazing while skiing, keep mah ears all nice and toasty and prevent creepers from trying to chat me up on the lift.

{Press Darling Jacket :: $79.99 :: Modcloth}

do I really need a reason? it's got GOLD TRIM...and epaulets. 

{Bonny Stargazer Dress :: $156.99 :: Modcloth}

i am seriously lacking a long-sleeved dress, and this one is just so freaking cute.

{Rosette Quilt :: $248 :: Anthropologie}

I have been obsessed with this comforter from Anthro for nearly 3 years. It's the perfect shade of grey and just looks so pretty and comfy.

{Flamenco Shower Curtain :: $118 :: Anthropologie}

our shower curtain is plain white plastic. boring as hell and a little bit depressing in our super-dark, wood paneled bathroom. this would brighten things up considerably. IT HAS RUFFLES!

{Adventurer Spyglass :: $49 :: Aevalillithjewelry on Etsy}

There are several varieties of this necklace on Etsy, but I like the tarnished look of this one best.

Other things I need but am too lazy to look up pictures for:

A dressform.

Tights/leggings in various colors and styles.

A cozy grampa sweater.

A bus tickit to San Fran.

For it to DUMP snow for the next week or so. It's all melting because the weather has been so warm the last few days. Theres grass visible in most parts of town. UNACCEPTABLE!!

Hope everyone is getting into the Christmas Spirit out there. Remember, only12 days left till Christmas! Ack!

Thankful...

This year has not been an easy one. I've been through a lot, emotionally, physically, mentally. I've experienced hardship and turmoil both in my own life as well as witnessing it in the lives of the people I love. I've been hurt, used, betrayed, lied to, and treated badly. On the flip side, I've had some amazing things happen to me this year too. I have lost and re-discovered myself in so many ways, loved, lost, laughed, and been witness to incredible beauty and kindness and, in honor of the recent holiday, i want to go over the things I am so extremely thankful for.

1) My relationships; new and old, both the ones that have ended as well as the ones that continue to bring laughter and joy into my life. I have learned so much from all of you over the years and feel incredibly blessed to have encountered so many minds and spirits that have truly startled me. The lessons you have taught me, the memories we've made...they mean the world to me. Thank you for being part of my life, for teaching and inspiring me every day.

2) My family; the last few years have been exceptionally hard on my family. With the loss of so many beautiful and amazing people, the current struggles and health issues of others, and the turmoil we've all faced, both individually as well as as a whole have worn all of us a little thin. I am so grateful that, in spite of this, we are still so close and supportive. Not many people have a family as large and close knit as mine and I do not, for one second, take for granted the immense blessing that that is.

3) My health; it's really easy to take for granted something so basic and essential to yourself as your body and it's health so I want to emphasize how grateful I am for mine. I suffer from insecurities and bad body image just like any other girl, but I've come to terms with my body and learned to love it for what it is rather than what it isn't. I am grateful to have a strong immune system that allows me to spend the majority of my time doing the things I love and not sick in bed. I am grateful for the legs that have walked and pushed myself and my skateboard all over town, the lungs that continue to draw in air and allow me to sing and laugh and speak my mind. I'm grateful for arms that are strong and capable of hugging the people I love, as well as hands that allow me to draw, paint, knit, sew, write, and create. I am grateful for a stomach that allows me to eat pretty much anything I want without adverse effects and without turning me into whale. I am grateful for a mind that allows me to experience incredible beauty and wonder, to dream, hope, conceptualize, reason and imagine.

4) My home; I have managed to find not only an amazing house in a beautiful neighborhood, but an even more amazing roommate. Having a living situation that is warm, welcoming, and supportive is so important to me and I am so so lucky to have all of those things and more. I am grateful to my amazing roommate/best friend for making such an environment a reality and being there for me, supporting, encouraging, laughing, and working with me to ensure that there is always food in the fridge, a light in the window, and a warm, safe place to come home to every night.

5) My indominatable parents, who have given me so many gifts and blessings over the course of my 22 years on this planet and continue to be huge inspirations and influences in my life. Thank you for all your help, concern, love and support. Thank you for your endless understanding and patience as I stumble clumsily through young-adulthood and trying to find my way in this crazy world. Thank you for your advice, your gentle guidance, your kind words and most of all for your love. I am so lucky to have parents that I not only respect and admire, but enjoy spending time with. Whoever said you couldn't be friends with your parents clearly never met mine.

6) All the opportunities I have been granted both this year and in the years to come. On top of working in an awesome environment, going to school for a subject I love, and moving closer every day to the woman I hope to become, I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel and live abroad for a year with an amazing family in Sweden. I am so grateful for where this year has brought me, in spite of all the negative and potentially detrimental things that have occurred. I have grown and learned so much and, while there are certainly things I wish I hadn't done and mistakes I wish I hadn't made, I am thankful to have learned those lessons and have the ability to move forward from them. My life may not be perfect, but it is the only one I have and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to live it on my terms, to make my own mistakes and learn from them, to experience both the good and bad in this world and embrace all the joy, beauty, and possibility that it has to offer. I am so excited for what is to come and know, without doubt, that I am an extraordinarily fortunate person.

To all those who have been involved with my life, for better or worse, whether we parted as friends or enemy's, I am thankful for the lessons you taught me, the memories we have made, the influence and inspiration you have brought into my life. I am a better person for knowing you, a stronger person for loving you, and a quieter soul for forgiving any perceived or actual transgressions. Thank you all for showing me what friendship, loyalty, love, forgiveness, honesty, heartache, beauty, trust, family, and most of all hope mean. Your presence in my life has made an impact, has shaped or changed me in some way. Thank you.

My hope for you all, this holiday season and in the year to come is that you find peace, joy, love, friendship and happiness. As the saying goes:

"May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God (whatever you may call her) hold you in the palm of His hand."

An End to Autumn

In a matter of days, it's become winter. The snow's been falling steadily for three days now. Everything is covered in a foot and half of pristine white fluff that doesn't show any sign of abating. I can't remember the last time we had this much snow (or any snow for that matter) before thanksgiving. It makes me feel like a little kid. It's even a snow day! All I need is some hot cocoa with itty bitty marshmallows and I'm twelve years old again, curled up by the fire, watching the snow pile up.

Tomorrow afternoon we leave for Thanksgiving in the Bay with my moms entire family. Thanksgiving in this family isn't just a few blood relatives around a turkey, it's a 60 person banquet with two turkeys, my uncles AMAZING pineapple ham, eight or nine side dishes, five or six pies, and family, friends, pets, and general mayhem all crowded into my uncles massive living room. Subsequently, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. The food, the family, the fantastic energy that surrounds this amazing and diverse group of people who I am lucky enough to call Family. My roommate and best friend is tagging along this year, to experience the "magic", so to speak. She's never had a big family Thanksgiving, and over the years, she's heard so much about this event and the various characters that attend it, that she decided to come along and see for herself just how insane and wonderful my family is.

My favorite part of thanksgiving with my family isn't the food (though thats a big draw, too) but when, after we've all gorged ourselves on turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and we're all sitting around the tables smiling contentedly at each other, we go around and each member of the 60+ person assembly tells what he or she is thankful for. My cousins take bets on which aunt will cry first--it's always Aunt Dawn--and even the little kids get in on the action, explaining their gratitude for mommy and daddy and their new party dress. It's really an extraordinary thing to be a part of.

And no matter what, that is always the overwhelming theme of these gratitudes. Family, and the blessing we have all been given by being a part of this one. Over the years I have seen this family I am so fortunate belong to grow and change, I've seen an entire generation grow into adults, get married, start their own family's. I've witnessed the inclusion of unique and wonderful people, who may not share our blood, but certainly share the sense of love and understanding that has united us again and again underneath one roof. And they become family in this way, by sharing this wonderful tradition with us.

I am so lucky, in a world where the word "family" means less and less (my own parents are divorced), I am fortunate enough to belong to one that, in no uncertain terms, loves each other. People fly from all over the country to make thanksgiving with us and it's really amazing to see that. It gives me hope. It makes me feel as though, no matter what, I'm never alone, because I've got these amazing people loving me. Because I know that they'll always be there, supporting me, loving me, wishing me well. There are so many people in the world who don't have that, who have no one to turn to or fall back on when times are hard, and I am just so incredibly thankful to know what it's like to look around a crowded room and see four generations of family, friends new and old, and to know that we all come together every year to express something much larger than words can accurately communicate.

Needless to say, I'm excited.

Also, this video is interesting/inspiring.
Checkit.

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

i feel your thumbs press into my skin again

Radical Face :: Welcome Home

i have a feeling this song will be on heavy rotation for a while. it's the perfect song for autumn. makes me a little wistful. 

For a long time I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I was sure that San Francisco was where I was meant to be, and pursuing that goal has been the defining factor in my life up until this point. But now...now I'm seeing new potentials. Suddenly SF doesn't seem like the most viable option. I mean, it's still on the table. I still want to end up there eventually, but I'm afraid that, in light of all these new possibilities, that it might have to wait.

The Potentials:
1. Move to SF, go to school, work my ass off.
2. Move to Sweden for a year and return the favor of nannying the kids of the woman who once did the same for me.
3. Stay in Tahoe, open my own shoppe and put everything else on the back-burner for now.

1. Moving to SF has been my goal since I was, like, 17. I've wanted to live and go to school in the city for as long as I can remember, and it's been such a huge, defining factor for my life for so long. It's still something I want really badly, but in light of some of these other options, I'm starting to think of it as more of a long-term goal than as something I want in the next year or so. That's hard for me. I feel like I'm giving up on a dream. Like I'm finally admitting defeat. I'm not really, I'm just re-prioritizing according to the options I have right now. It's something that I definatly still want. I just have a difficult time letting go of it for now.

2. This is sort of the wild card option. It's the "drop everything and do something crazy" option. It's immensely appealing; I would get to live and work in the home of a woman I love and respect immensly, taking care of her two little boys. I would get to experience a different country, culture, language, and I would get to travel...which is something I've never really done, but have always wanted to do.

3. Stay in Tahoe and open my own boutique with my mom. This is a recent development. An idea I've been toying around with for a while and just recently got really excited about. I'm in love with the concept and feel like it could potentially be a really amazing business venture. But...it would mean I would have to stay in Tahoe. This idea doesn't bother me as much as it once did, when I was younger I was obsessed with the idea of escaping South Lake and moving to the Big City, but now...I'm content here. The things I disliked about Tahoe (the snow, the small town, etc) are now things that I'm beginning to see in a new light.

So those are the options on the table. I've been staring at them for days, turning them over and over in my head. Weighing the pros and cons. I'm stuck. My indecision paralyzes me.

It Begins

I've been making these plans in my head my whole life. Promises to myself that I never keep. This is for me. This is my life. These are my dreams, my stories, my heart laid bare for the world to see. I may fail, but I plan to do so fantastically, with everything I am invested in it. No more almost's, no more half way. Here. I'm giving myself permission to take control. It may be uncertain. It may be challenging. It will certainly be different. But it's MINE and I intend to make it everything I ever hoped it would be. 

Heres to new beginnings. To turning lead into gold. To diving in feet first and damning the nay sayers. 

Geronimo!

The Alchemist

movin' on up

The process of moving is never an easy one. Even though I don't have much to move, I find myself feeling overwhelmed by it all. Mainly, I think I'm a little sad to leave this room. I've only been in this house for about 6 months, but I've really enjoyed my time here.

I guess I should explain my current living situation a little better. I'm currently residing in a house with five other people. It's a big house, huge, actually, by most kids our ages standards. It's just a huge house, so the fact that there are six of us all together isn't that bad because theres really enough room for everyone. I've taken to calling the house the Julie St. Mansion because it's just so massive and it's generally the location for most of the parties, BBQ's and events we have in our circle of friends. The current residents include myself, living in the massive attic above the living room, Sam, whose got the master bedroom, Sonia and Derek, sharing the back room behind the kitchen, and Lea in the room next to Sams. Our friend Pat is also currently crashing on our couch while he waits to move down to live with his mom while he recovers from his upcoming knee surgery. So yeah, thats six. we've all had our moments, our temper tantrums and irritations with each other, but for the most part we're all still friends and get along pretty well.

While I'm not going to miss the lines for the bathroom, the cluttered and dirty kitchen, or the fact that I'm never really alone, I will miss the communal sort of living situation we have going on. Lazy days spent watching movies and bad reality television, the impromptu jam sessions, the "family" dinners, that theres always someone dropping by and something going on. I'm sure we'll do all these things at my new casa, but it's just going to be me and Ashley for the most part. A much mellower and quieter atmosphere is what we're both looking for, but I hope we still have people swinging by randomly to just hang out and chat for a while. I'm going to miss coming home to a houseful of people arguing good naturedly over scrabble or monopoly. I'm going to miss being at the center of the little world my friends and I inhabit, but it's also time for me to take a step back from it all for a little while. I need to focus on school and work this winter, and spend more time alone, working on the projects and hobbies I have been putting off. I am excited for this new chapter in my life, if also a little bit sad to be turning the page on the old one. I'm sure I'll still be over here frequently, and I don't think of this really as an ending, so much as a segue into a quieter, more responsible portion of my life.

why i started a blog

There's always been the part of me that wanted to be one of those people who could religiously keep a journal. I wanted to be able to communicate with myself from the past, remind myself of things that shaped me and changed me. I wanted to understand why I did things...to be able to look back and know the connections between events, people, places, moments that had lead me to this point. I wanted to be able to remember things with the vividity and clarity of my own immediate emotional response. I wanted to know, with the unequivocal evidence of a written testament, who I was. I wanted what defined me to be put down in words. And that is part of the reason I blog. A big part, actually. I want this to become a journal, my thoughts and experiences and reminders and images of my life as it grows and changes. I want to read a paragraph and be there, watching the sun set over the lake and smelling the air full of the scent of fall. My fingers cold in my pockets. I want to remember how it felt being young and alive and experiencing something beautiful. I want to remember everything.

But there was always something missing in journaling. I liked being able to go back and look at my thoughts, but it felt...hollow. Like listening to an echo. It was only my own voice shouting back at me. Maybe I've always needed an audience of some sort. And maybe thats why journaling never took with me. It was silent and soulless and would never give me the advice and support and encouragement I needed. I crave communication. I am not the type of person who can sit and talk AT someone, nor am I the type who can sit and be talked at. I want a conversation. I want a dialog, not a monologue. I want to hear different perspectives and ideas and beliefs. I want to understand why I did the things I did, but I also want to understand why other people do the things they do. I want to know who I am, but I also want to know what I could be. What I might be if I were to take this approach or consider this point of view. I want to share myself with others, to give my time and advice and ideas to other people out there in the world and I want to encounter people who startle me. Minds and thoughts and personalities like and unlike me. I want to know what their lives are like, how they differ and relate to mine, where their world and reality and experience has led them. 

Does that make me greedy? I suppose it does. I love my life and who I am, but I am also a little bit voyeuristic in that I love looking into other peoples lives and minds and seeing the world through their eyes. It can be a life I admire and strive for, or it might be one that I would never in my wildest dreams want for myself, but it's the human experience, really. And getting to see that, to watch people grow and change and move forward...and sometimes back...well, I think thats why we become parents. We want to be a witness to the next life. It's why we group together like we do, form friendships and relationships and bonds, because we need witnesses for our own lives and experiences.

So thats why journaling never did it for me. So I still love talking about myself. And yes, I want other people to listen, but I also want to listen to them. A shared experience. Mutual witnesses. I'll listen to your story if you'll listen to mine.

love,

L.

{Blessed to be a Witness::Ben Harper}

praying for thunder

{boots::minnetonka}{jeans::ross}{shirt::ross}{shrug::ross}

The first photo and this last one were taken about an hour after my outfit pics were taken...the sky was doing some amazing stuff with the storm thats been rolling in all day. The weathers put me in an odd mood; restless, slightly melancholy...I always get like this when the weather starts to get cooler. 

I'm praying for thunder. I'm praying for rain.

L.

A Single Man

Sometimes a film is so piercingly sharp that it seems as if it finds a spot in your chest and presses there until you crack. This film was one of those. It leaves you with something new inside of you, a new space through which you suddenly see the world very differently. In his directorial debut, Tom Ford has both lived up to and excelled my expectations. A Single Man is the story of George Falconer (Colin Firth), a gay professor at a university in Los Angeles in 1962. He lives alone, struggling with the loss of his lover of 16 years, who died in a car accident 8 months prior to the film. The film centers around what George intends to be his last day on earth and follows him through the motions of tidying up his life before he ends it.

First of all, Colin Firth is amazing in this role. You fall in love with him from the very first tragic moments to the last, and Falconers grief is palpable in everything he does. But Firth also lends his character a certain amount of joy amidst all the bleakness of preparing for his suicide. Turning what would otherwise be commonplace encounters into something special, as he knows they are the last he will have. 

Secondly, Tom Ford really did a beautiful job on this film. Every shot is extraordinarily beautiful and works to set the tone of the movie. It is a bit reminiscent of glamorous 1960's fashion spreads--the production design is by the same folks who do Mad Men, and well, it's Tom Ford directing--but that may very well be one of the things that makes me love it more. It's beautiful to look at, with gorgeous fashion and set design, but it is heart-wrenchingly so; the color flooding in to show the small pleasures Falconer takes throughout the day, and draining away to reveal his underlying sadness. It also features some really amazing supporting roles; Julianne Moore as Charlie, Falconers lonely, gin-soaked divorcée friend as well as Nicholas Hoult as his student, Kenny. 

All in all, it was a gorgeous film. If you loved An Education or Mad Men, I'd definitely recommend watching this. I know I'll be watching it a few more times in the weeks ahead.

smudged

I am currently sporting the ugliest, most ill-fitting pair of cargo pants ever and a purple, paint smudged Sierra Nevada Brewery t-shirt because I've been trying to take advantage of the warm weather that has finally returned (thank GOD!) and finish a dresser I've been trying to paint/refinish. It's a curbside rescue that was originally this horrible hot pink/salmon-ey color, but I loved the style of it and the number of drawers (nine of 'em). So I got my brother to bring his pickup around and we rescued the little (ok, ginormous) darling and brought her to my house for a little TLC.

To say that this project has been a little consuming is an understatement. I'm not exactly sure what the total cost has been, but it wasn't cheap, and combined with the man hours, it's been about a week long project. But I love the way it's coming along.

So that's why I havn't been doing the outfit post thing. Every morning I wake up around 6:30, throw on my grungies and get to painting...and sanding...and stripping...and staining. I spend most of the day hunched over the dresser and then I shower and head to work, so theres really been no time to look pretty for the blog. But my new improved dresser is starting to look pretty on her own. I'm sure she'll get her own little post, all dressed up in her new outfit. She's gonna look gorgeous.

An idea of the color I was dealing with....

I'm bummed I didn't take before pictures. I only got a couple of the drawers as I was stripping them, but trust me, it was aweful. This color, solid, over everything. Eew. And under that was the faux woodgrain vinyl stuff, in a really bad dark brown. So far I've stripped two coats of paint and all that vinyl off, only to discover that most of the dresser (all the drawers and the top) was particle board! Bummer. But the sides and trim are all a nice blond wood, so I'm in the process of stripping all that down and staining it, then painting the rest this beautiful blue-teal color. It's gonna be rad, just you wait.

lovelove and paint stains,
L.

Man Candy

I wasnt really crazy about the outfit I put together yesterday, so today, instead of an outfit post, I'm doing a post on something that's always been sort of puzzling to me. Menswear. I love men (can you tell I'm single?) and I love men who know how to dress. But shopping for men...well, that's always been a bit difficult for me. I know what I like and I know what I like to see men in, but somehow I've never been very good at shopping for them. In highschool my best friend was this incredibly stylish guy named Lu. Shopping for him was the hardest task I've ever undertaken. I'd stand in the mens section of whatever store I was in and just sift through things in that dazed, befuddled sort of way old people do when their trying to figure out their cell phones. It's not that his taste is particularly expensive or exclusive, I just never knew where to begin. A sweater? A pair of shoes? A tie? Shopping for guys has always been a real struggle for me. I wish I had had one of these extremely stylish gents along with me to help me pick out something for him.

I love men who dress like men. The "lumberjack" hipster look, in my opinion, is like the sexiest man-look ever. That navy sweater the gentlman is wearing above on the right is so perfect. Understated, uncomplicated, with just the right details (the pattern and the collar) to make it interesting.

As much as I love the understated look of a man in jeans and a t-shirt, there is something undeniably sexy about a man in a suit. Don Draper may well have ruined me for life with his skinny ties and perfectly cut suits. The image on the right is from Dolce & Gabbanas recent collection and I love the white-on-white (though I personally know zero guys who would be able to keep it that white). While the guy on the lefts use of color and accessories is probably better than some of the girls I know.

A floral scarf adds a level of interest to the gent on the rights otherwise simple and classic look.

Personally I love the use of the bungee chords as accessories. How unique...and potentially functional if you need to move anything while out looking shmexy. 

Fall Menswear Essentials:

1. Leather :: gloves, jackets, boots...it's manly. it's rugged. it'll keep you toasty warm.

2. Pea Coat/Trench :: adds a dash of sophistication to anything.

3. Chunky Knit Sweaters :: preferably with some sort of interesting detail; a unique neckline, a pattern, unique buttons.

4. Scarves :: when paired with the pea coat/trench they take jeans and a t-shirt up quite a few levels.

5. A Hat :: be it a fedora or pageboy, I don't care. It'll cover yo mop and keep you warm.

Remember guys, it's all in the details. A dash of color here, playfully mixing patterns there and lookit that, your a heartthrob in the making.

Ok, I'm gonna be honest....the majority of this post is just eye candy (I clearly have a "type").

{all photos via :: the sartorialist}

P.S: I have no freakin clue why nothing will align properly, but I just spent 45 minutes just trying to get the photos side by side so I give up. F you Blogger.

autumn leaves beneath frozen soles

Twice in one week! Two outfit posts in one week! Go me!

I'm really happy with the way these photos turned out. I drove up to the area around Fallen Leaf Lake, which is--much like the rest of Tahoe--beautiful. The sun was just going down and I waded through all that prickly grass and into this meadow behind a stand of aspen trees to get these shots. Note: this is not a good idea in tights...or ballet flats. I had so many stickers stuck to my legs by the time I left, but it was worth it. The light was gorgeous and it was so peaceful out there. Not a soul around for miles.

Ashley and I have an interview with a potential landlord tomorrow. I've spoken to her several times on the phone and she seems to like me. The house is so adorable, definatly a throwback to the 70's, but in all the best ways (green shag carpeting in my room!!). It's pretty big and only a couple blocks from the beach and some really great restaurants and it's totally affordable. So, hopefully, after Friday afternoon, Ashley and I will have a new house to move into. Keep your fingers crossed!

{blouse::thrifted}{leather skirt::thrifted}{grey tights::claires}{shoes::fergie::famous footwear}

Happy September, by the way! I know I was complaining about it just yesterday, but I love the fall. First, all my favorite holidays are in the fall: my birthday (the 26th of this month!!), Halloween, and Thanksgiving! Plus, fall is really beautiful in Tahoe. I love the changing leaves on the aspens, the delicate patterns the morning frosts make on my windows, the anticipation of school starting...it's all so electric with change. We're still supposed to have a few more weeks of warm, summery weather, but September is officially autumn to me.

Heres a lovely song about the fall by the marvelously shmexy Paolo Nutini. Can I have him for my birthday??

it looks like a rather blustery day

To call yesterday "a rather blustery day" is actually a huge understatement. It was crazy windy out! And cold, too! Fall, it seems, has set in with a vengeance here. And here I thought I was so ready for autumn and all the layering I'm all stocked up to do. But as soon as the temperature dropped I was all "Hell-to-the-NO!" Just a few more weeks of summer! Please! I still need a few more trips to the beach, just a couple more BBQ's and long, leisurely longboard rides around town! I love me some tights and cardigans, but, damn if I'm gonna miss those long, sun drenched days at the beach. It's supposed to warm up for the next few weeks, but I'm not sure if I believe it. Even the aspen trees have already started turning yellow at the tops in response to the sudden temperature change.

It was so windy when I headed out to take these pictures before work. I thought for sure every frame would be of me battling my hair and trying not to get blown over, but this little meadow at the base of Heavenly was so well shielded by the mountain on one side and the forest on the other that it was almost peaceful. Though you could still hear the wind howling through the trees all around you.

This outfit (excluding the shoes, which you can't see, so they don't count) is entirely thrifted. The skirt was found at the goodwill down the hill from South Lake, in Carson (along with a bunch of other awesome stuff). I love the elaborate tapestry print. My friend Jess was with me when I found it and told me it looked like it had begun it's life as someones curtains. So I bought it. And the top was found at the local thrift store, the Attic. The colors all off on this, mainly because I STILL cannot figure my camera out. Jeeze, I'm pathetic. But it's this lovely cream color with pretty flower detailing and cutouts. It goes with absolutely everything and is so soft and comfy. Heres a a detail shot. Excuse the errant hair. The necklace I've had for ages and I usually wear it longer, but I doubled it up this time to go with this tops neckline better.

Missing the summer,

L.

How To Be Alone

"Cuz if you're happy in your head than solitude is blessed and alone is okay."

sometimes you stumble upon something that rings in your heart for hours and hours. 

i am happy. this solitude is blessed.

rose tinted glasses

So much has gone on in the last two weeks, I've hardly touched my computer, let alone my camera so theres my sad little excuse for no outfit photos. I've had such an awesome/hectic/crazy last couple of weeks that I don't even really know where to begin.

I suppose I can start with last week. My really good friends Chanelle and her boyfriend Trevor came home from Hawaii, where she attends school/lives. They were in town for almost a whole week and it was just general insanity while she was here. Lots of parties and beach time were squeezed in between my two jobs and other obligations. It was so good to see her and Trevor, it's been almost 8 months since the last time they were up and it's gonna be almost another year before they come home again =(. I've known Chanelle since high school, we had dance and drama together our freshman year and by our senior year we were cutting chorus to go drink too many frappaccinos and shop. She's the first person I ever drank with and when we both moved out of our parents house for the first time we managed to find an empty duplex and became neighbors. I miss having her around all the time, being able to wander over to her house in the morning for breakfast or for movie and pizza nights. Her boyfriend, Trevor, and her have been together for nearly five years and their the funniest/cutest couple in the world. I miss them both something fierce.

On top of Chanelle being here I was still working at the coffee shop during the day and the pub at night, meaning I'd work all day and come home to a house full of reveling drunk people every night. It was fun and definitely amazing to get to spend so much time with her, but by the end of it all I was so worn out. I've been trying to take it easy for the last week or so to recuperate from all that insanity.

Unfortunately/fortunately my time at the coffee shop has ended. It's good because now I'm able to really start working at my moms gallery and I'm not working such insane hours (7am to 10pm when both the pub and the coffee shop needed me) so my sleep pattern is recovering. Its sad because the honest truth is that I loved that job. I had the most amazing collection of coworkers and customers and I spent the majority of my shifts their laughing and joking around with my coworkers. I still go in as much as I can, both to visit and get my fix of coffee seeing as I'm now addicted to the stuff. Currently sipping on a big steaming (ok, it's kinda lukewarm now) cup of the house blend. Yuummmm.

how cute is this mug?? thrift stoooorrreeee! (excuse the lack of makeup, I'm still getting going)

Other exciting news: Ashley and I found a house!! Yayyyy! No more attic dwelling for me! I'm so excited about the place we found, it's only four blocks from the beach (!!!), two bedrooms, one bath, nice big living room, a mud room, HUGE upstairs room, cute little kitchen, lots of closet and storage space, a nice little fenced in yard and all for only $850 a month! It's a little retro (ok, a lot retro) but thats one of the things I love about it. It has character. I'm so excited to move in and get it all decorated. I've been having crazy awesome thrift store mojo the last couple of days. I've managed to find two awesome 70's lounge chairs, one in that funky green velvet fabric that everything from the 70s seems to come upholstered in, and another thats white leather. We still need a bunch of stuff for the house, a couch a TV (though neither of us wants cable), a dining room table...the list goes on. Ashley is bringing her piano, which makes me all sorts of happy. Maybe I'll actually be able to teach myself how to play now! I started to teach myself last quarter at the college using their pianos but I was only ever able to squeeze a couple of hours of practice in between classes so having one in my house will make it a lot easier. I'm a little sad to leave this house, I love my roommates and love my room here, but it's just not a realistic living situation for the winter (the attic gets reallyreally cold seeing as it's, well, an attic). It'll be nice to have my own space filled with my own things and to not constantly be around so many people--there are five of us living here, plus a friend whose crashing on our couch, plus whoever else is passing out here for the night (there are currently two such people snuggling on our sofa). We should be moving in by mid September, just in time for my 22nd birthday and school to start.

Life is so good right now. I'm in such a positive place and everything seems to just be falling into place. It's so nice, after how emotionally draining this last year was. I finally feel like I know where I'm going and that everything I'm doing right now is actually moving me towards that place. I'm so excited for what this year holds for me and where it's taking me. I have amazing friends, an awesome house, a great job, and just a generally upbeat attitude about everything right now. My life is just so beautiful right now!

I need to go put my face on now, get ready for work. Hope your finding your life looking as rosy as mine is. If you want you can borrow my glasses.

lovelove and happiness,

L.

Arcade Fire - Crown of Love - (6 of 10)

This song makes me happy in a sad kind of way. if that makes any sort of sense.

sweet darlin', come hold me

Friday was payday!! Hallelujah! I will say this about working two jobs; it may be exhausting but every two weeks I'm reminded why I do this to myself. I am officially rollin' in the skrilla! It's been really hard to not immediatly go out and blow it all on all the things I've been lusting after but I'm trying to be savvy and save.

So, instead of actually spending all my money. I'm just gonna post a list of all the stuff I would get if I had unlimited moolah.

1. My Tattoo: I've been thinking about it and designing it for the last two and a half years. I'm ready for it to get on my body.

2. An Iphone: I lost mine last year and I'm still mourning it. For someone as disorganized as me, a pocket sized computer/organizer is a godsend.

3. Skates: I just took up roller derby and not having a pair of my own skates is really making it hard to go to practices regularly. If I show up late or anything I  get stuck with skates a size too small or just no skates at all.

This outfits been on constant rotation ever since I found this skirt at the Attic. It's just too perfect for the summer. The fabric is light and breezy and has great movement. I love the pattern of tiny flowers all over it too. 

{skirt | the attic::$3}{shirt | ross}{shoes | sam edelmen}{belt | vintage}

I love these shoes. Like, really love them. I get so many compliments on them and their sooo comfy and go with just about anything. I've had them for about three years but, for some reason, I've only really been wearing them for about a year. I think they were a bit uncomfortable at first so they got pushed to the back of the closet until I finally stopped whining and broke them in. Now their my favorite flats and I'm so sad that their wearing out so fast. The little buckles on the outer side aren't even attached to the edge of the shoe any more. I will be very sad to see them go.

I have to go play on the lake now. My friend sam is busting his boat out so I'm gonna go spend several glorious hours cruising around the crystal waters of lake tahoe. Have a great day!