Why blog about how awesome Maine is when you can rant instead?

Sorry I've been out of the picture for so long, everyone!
I definitely let blogging inertia get the better of me, to the point that I've done so many cool things in Maine that I should blog about, that the backlog is absolutely paralyzing. So I'm just going to ignore all the stuff I should be writing aboutand say in short that Maine is awesome, the food and outdoor opportunities are amazing, and I've been taking full advantage of them. This summer was temperate and beautiful and with the exception of a few gross cold rainy days (like today) this fall has also been gorgeous so far. Whew! Glad to have that out of the way!

Now I'm going to blog about something that has been weighing heavily on my mind. Sweatpants. You see, I don't own any. And on gross, rainy days like today, it's proving to be a problem. I own tons of hooded sweatshirts and fleeces, but aside from a pair of oversized trackpants from New Zealand (courtesy of the husband, who is objecting to the title "Dr. Hubby") and a pair of fleece pants (also slightly too big) I got on super sale at the North Face Outlet in Freeport (how can I pass up anything North Face for $20?)- I have nothing to keep my bottom half warm.

I was looking online for sweatpants and I realized exactly why I don't have sweatpants. They are ridiculous nowdays. The most striking example of this is, of course, the Victoria Secret Pink line of sweatpants. For $42 you can wrap your butt in $2 worth of jersey fleece, decorated with enough hearts to make cupid say "That's a bit much." There's also an $80 dollar option for all you One Percenters who'd like to add $5 worth of sequins to one of your legs.
I thought that this was the height of misplaced vanity until I realized that Abercrombie and Fitch have an entire page devoted to detailing the 6 different fits of women's sweatpants that they offer. I'm sorry, "super skinny" sweatpants aren't sweatpants- they're really ugly leggings that you can't wear with anything b/c they've got a freaking drawstring messing up the line at the waist. And for a mere $40 to $70 (depending on cut), they can be yours. They don't even look warm.

Look, I'm basically giving up by even shopping online for sweatpants. My google search history makes me look fat right now. I don't care how flattering you try to make an inherently unflattering style of pants- I'm still not ever going to wear them in public. And chances are, if I'm in sweatpants I'm also going to be under a blanket and therefore not worried about how my butt looks- I just want it to be warm! I just want plain grey or black pants that don't have any writing on them, don't cost an arm and a leg, have an elastic waist and banded legs, and keep me reasonably warm. I've resigned myself to the fact that they'll make me look like my grandmother. I'm okay with that.

I considered ordering a pair of Cabela's sweatpants. The logo is fairly non-annoying, the brand loyalty would appeal to the husband and at $30 they're comparitively a steal- but I really want some truly hideous old fashioned banded sweatpants. If I'm going to give up, I'm going to do it with flair! (More practically, I'm ruining the hems on all of my pants b/c they're too long- curse my shortness!)

And then it occurred to me that the problem was that I just hadn't sunk low enough to find the perfect pair of sweatpants. So I googled "Walmart" and there they are- exactly what I'm looking for. A 2 pack of boys XL Hanes Sweatpants for $9. I seriously think I'm going to have to make a trip out to South Portland to get them this weekend.

Do you like the fancy pants sweatpants, or are you, like myself, a sweatpants purist?

Thriftiness

Inspired in part by Grace, I went by a used clothing store (Glue on Oak) in search of a steal or two. I think in general the stock is more 70's polyester/costumey- but I was pleased to find that everything in the store is currently 50% off.
My favorite thing to buy at thrift stores and used clothing stores is jeans. In general, I'm never completely happy with the jeans I own and am always on the lookout for the perfect pair. I've found that a good way to get designer jeans on the cheap is to look at used clothing stores. I think they have more name brand jeans than Salvation Army type stores do these days because people know they can sell them. The other benefit of shopping for second hand jeans is that they're perfectly worn in!
On this particular shopping trip, I found a pair of DKNY jeans for $16. Sweet! Less sweet was the logo in cursive on the back pocket, surrounded by tiny rhinestones. Personally, I don't like my jeans to scream "Hey! Look directly at my right butt cheek!"
Fortunately, I know from experience (I'm looking at you, Michael Kors. Put down the bedazzler and walk slowly away.) that it's not all that difficult to remove rhinestones and logos that aren't embroidered from your jeans. Rhinestones tend to pop right off if you use your fingernails and I had good luck shaving the logo off of these jeans with a knife blade. (Mine was pretty dull so I didn't have to worry about cutting myself- if you're going to try this at home, use a cutting board!) Sometimes when I do this, I can see a little bit of an indentation where the rhinestones and logo were, but a couple runs through the washer take care of it. Of course, I didn't think to take a picture of the jeans until I was done so you'll have to take my word for it. Sorry!
As I was scraping her name off the butt of my new jeans today, I wondered who would be more dismayed by my anti-brand attitude- Donna Karan or the 6th grade version of myself who would have killed for a pair of brand name jeans (specifically, Girbaud, since it was the early 90's)?

Do you buy used clothing? If so, what are your fix it up tricks?

Things I'd like to have for my Honeymoon

Now that I've finally gotten a good bit of the planning done (I've only got one hotel left to book, but I still have to do bus/train/museum tickets), I'm starting to think *even* more about things I think I need for my honeymoon.
1) A backpack- I'm thinking that this will be more convenient than my giant wheeled suitcase.
2) Shoes- (I'm sure y'all saw this one coming.) I think that along with my naturalizer flats, I'd like a fashionable-ish dark colored sneaker like a puma or maybe a pair of Adidas. I need to replace my beat up pair of black Saucony Jazz's anyway- so this could ultimately double as a casual Friday shoe.
I'd also like a pair of sandals that are actually comfortable to walk in. I'm awfully partial to the Birkenstock Gizehs.
3) I'd also like a fairly secure bag that I can either wear cross body or just under my shoulder. I really think that Lesportsacs are adorable, but I'm also sort of looking at the Baggellini bags (I think I saw some of these the last time I went to TJ Maxx so I'll have to check them out the next time I go there). I've heard that map-case type bags are good, and I also like the Kavu Kicker Bag.

Of course, these are all the type of things that it's better to look for in person, so this online browsing is completely in vain. It's a nice way to get my thoughts in order at least.

What are your travel necessities?

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

I'm in Gulfport right now, and I was way too busy stuffing my face to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving yesterday. :) After lunch yesterday, all the guys (my darling fiance, dad, brother and brother's friend Heath) went to Natchez to go hunting, and my mom and I had a girl's night with my brother's girlfriend Stacy and Heath's wife Ashley (and their sweet baby, Zaiden). We watched Mamma Mia and ate candy and popcorn. Yum!

Today, Mom and I woke up at a reasonable time (8am) and went to the local outlet mall to check out the Black Friday deals. We wandered around for a couple hours and I got some nice stuff. The best things I got were 3 pairs of work pants (buy 1 get 2 free at Bass!), a really warm wind and waterproof jacket with a soft fuzzy lining (also from Bass), and a really awesome old man hat from the Gap. I'm obsessed with it. :)

Tomorrow morning I'm running in the Stennis Space Center Half Marathon. I'm really excited b/c last year's was my first ever half marathon. This will be my third. It's supposed to be really cold, which makes for two things: an uncomfortable wait at the start line, and a good, fast race! I'm looking forward to it. Plans for the rest of the day include taking mom to TJ Maxx to look for sheets, picking up my race registration, and meeting Grace for pasta at Salute.

Makeup

I've never been incredibly adept with makeup. I feel like some girls are just born with an innate understanding of how to apply it, whereas I'm lucky if I remember to slap on some lip gloss before I leave the house in the morning. ( I do wear light foundation, mascara and blush, for the record. It's just that nothing stays on my lips anyway!)
There are several reasons I'm not a huge makeup person. My mom never wore very much in the way of makeup, I am generally running late in the morning and don't like to spend any extra time getting ready, and I have very small facial features (which I don't think can really carry a lot of makeup- if that makes sense).
I do, however, like to amp up my look a little bit for special occasions in which I will be photographed repeatedly. So this means that I have to think about wedding makeup.

I think I want to do it myself.

I remember when I was in high school and college, getting one's makeup done for a special occasion (at least in the bustling metropolises....metropoli....metropolai? of Natchez and Hattiesburg) meant going to Dillard's or McRae's (which doesn't even exist any more! Clearly, Belk's bought McRae's just to make me feel old!) and getting your face done at the Estee Lauder or Clinique counter.
In all truth I wasn't really a fan of their work. You know the saying that when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail? I guess the deep south equivalent is that when all you have is a makeup brush, everything looks like a contestant in a Miss Mississppi Pageant.

Not the look I'm going for

I'd say my least favorite experience at the hands of a Clinique girl was when I was being prepared for a sorority formal and she said "Oh! You have the tiniest eyes and lips!" While proceeding to attack me with purple eye shadow. Yeah, That's not really a compliment.

Although I could use the makeup artist at my salon on my wedding day, I have a couple of other reasons besides my distateful experiences at the hands of the Estee Lauder girls for wanting to do my own makeup.
1) I'll need to touch up my makeup throughout the day anyway.
2) It seems like a good chance to splurge....I mean, invest in, some nice makeup!
3) I think that if I do it myself, it will be more "me."

Fabulous

So...thoughts? advice? tips? Any favorite products to suggest?
I'm thinking about going to either Sephora or Mac to buy the makeup I'll use....

Are you one of those girls who "gets" makeup or do you find it a little intimidating like I do?

I Tried on All the Skinny Jeans at the Gap So You Don't Have To

Okay, unless you are my butt twin, you probably still have to. But last night I had some time to kill before I picked my darling fiance up from the airport, so I braved the Esplanade Mall and went to the Gap. I've been wanting some work pants that have a slimmer leg than my current ancient slacks, so I went intending to try on the True Straight Pant. Unfortunately, it didn't look good on me at all. The leg wasn't much thinner than my current pants and it was too big in the waist-but I could tell that if I sized down, they'd be too small.

However, when I walked into the store, the salesperson told me that all of their jeans were 40% off that day. I did the logical thing and proceeded to try on every pair of skinny jeans in my size in the store. Then, since they were skinny jeans, I repeated the process with the size above mine. :)

(Does anyone else think it's total crap, by the way, that a given size in pants at the same store is too big in dress pants and too small in jeans?)

Actually, I've found that getting skinny jeans a size larger than my normal size consistently works well for me across brands. I have a very poorly defined waist and I've found that if jeans fit my rear and legs, they dig into my waist and create the dreaded "muffin top." (I also have a total complex about pants even making a line at my waist that you can see through an untucked shirt- I'm crazy, I know. And I never tuck in my shirts b/c it just emphasizes my total lack of a waist.) But anyway, I've found that if I size up on normal pants, the legs and rear are way too baggy once the waist fits comfortably. However, skinny jeans are tight enough that when they fit my waist, they still look good on my rear and legs.

The Gap currently has four options for skinny jeans: The Real Straight, The Always Skinny, The Forever Skinny, and The Leggings Jean. (They also offer the leggings jean with stirrups, but jeans with stirrups are an abomination and must be shunned.)

First I tried on the Forever Skinny and really liked it. It's comfortable, very skinny through the legs, but looked good and wasn't too tight through the stomach area. The rise is described as midrise- they were the highest rise of any of the jeans I tried on. (That being said- I'm happy to report that low rise does not mean what it meant a few years ago. None of the pants I tried on were as low as my hip bones, although this may be an artifact of my going up a size in all the jeans I tried.) I initially thought that these would be the jeans I ended up buying. The denim was nice and stretchy, kind of thin, but not so thin that I think they'll wear out too fast. They were very tight through the leg, which doesn't bother me, but my other skinny jeans (from Guess and Banana Republic, by way of Buffalo Exchange) have significantly more leg room than any of the skinny jeans in the 1969 line.

Next I tried on the real straight jeans. These were the most jeans like- they had the thickest denim and the widest leg (although it wasn't wide very wide). These didn't pinch my waist but seemed to have too much room in the front, if that makes sense. The pocket area was oddly bulky, which is something I've noticed about Gap Jeans in the past. These were the only ones I tried that had that problem though- but they were my least favorites of all the jeans I tried on.

Going from one extreme to the next, I tried the legging jeans (sans stirrup) next. The fit was fine but the legs were impossibly tight and I think I looked a little silly in them. Also, the fabric, while stretchy and very very comfortable, was really thin. I don't think that these would be durable, and ultimately, I already own black and grey leggings and don't see a need to own denim colored ones as well. I've seen these in a context that looks really great, but they just weren't for me.

Finally I tried on the always skinny jeans. These were very similar to the forever skinny jeans in terms of material and leg tightness but they had a lower rise. I was surprised to find that the lower rise actually looked a little better on me and I ended up getting these jeans. I kind of debated between getting them in regular or ankle length b/c the ankle length was really cute, whereas the regular was slightly long on me. However, if they shrink vertically at all, the ankle would look weird and the regular would fit, so I went with the regular. I'm planning to wear them shoved inside my awesome tall boots for the next few months anyway, and if I decide they are too long, I know a good place to get them hemmed.

The price of my jeans worked out really well too. They were 40% off and I had an additional take $10 off coupon, so all in all I got a pair of jeans for $34. Score!
This shopping trip really illustrated to me why it's a good idea to go to a store rather than just buy things online. I think I've blogged about this before but if I order something online and don't like it, I usually just keep it and try to make it work. However, in addition to the 1 pair of dress pants and 9 pairs of jeans I tried on, I also tried on 1 jacket and 5 shirts. I left with one pair of jeans that I really like, but had I been shopping online I wouldn't have bought pants (I know better) but I probably would have ended up with 3 or 4 mediocre shirts. I really hate going to malls and shopping in person, but I think that in a lot of cases, it's worth it.

Do you like to shop online or in person? Would you rather buy tops or pants? (I love tops but buying pants is like pulling teeth for me.)

Crescent City Farmer's Market

For the past three weeks, I've made a point to go to the Crescent City Farmer's Market every Saturday and buy my veggies for the week. I love going there for so many reasons. There is usually a band playing, everyone is relaxed and happy to be there, there is a large selection of veggies, and the veggies themselves are gorgeous. There are other offerings besides veggies of course- like baked goods, fresh juice, cheese, flowers, potted plants, meat, eggs, seafood, milk, jams, and coffee. This time when I came home to put away my food for the week, I remembered to take pictures so I could blog about my haul!
Ironically enough, I've definitely been getting my 5 veggies a day without really trying lately because I don't want anything to go to waste. I've also been eating a lot of meatless meals (basically out of laziness- eggs and beans are so fast!) which has freed up room in my belly for more veggies.
So without further ado, here is my haul for the week!

First, I got some fresh farm eggs! I love the two little blue eggs that came in this dozen. (I totally ate them first!)

Up next is pattypan squash, sweet potatoes (I top them with chili for lunch), blueberries, and green beans. Some of the blueberries were used the next day in a mixed greens salad topped with blueberries, chopped hazelnuts, and goat cheese.
Rye bread! I get this for my darling fiance because he loves dark German bread. Also, Mr. Mueller, the little old German man who sells the bread is an absolute treat. The first time I bought the bread he suggested that I pair it with butter and tomatoes and maybe a little bit of onion. He then advised me not to kiss my fiance after eating onions!
You can read all about his breads on his website. I normally don't care for dark bread, but I think that this loaf is really amazing- so flavorful!
Beets! You can't tell, but the beets are longer than my forearm. I'll probably be having beets and beat greens (which are totally edible, in case you didn't know) with walnuts and goat cheese over some amaranth tomorrow for dinner.
Kale- my favorite. I eat a bunch of kale every week. I also bought some shrimp that I didn't take a picture of because I didn't want to take them out of their bag. I had them for dinner on Sunday, grilled on kebabs (along with some tomato chunks) and topped with pineapple salsa, along with the aforementioned salad. And finally, I picked up a couple tamales for lunch. One is cheese and jalapeno and one is tomato, black bean, and corn. So yummy!

Non-Virtual Shopping

I had to stop by the mall yesterday for a watch battery, so I took advantage of the chance to try on the white dress from White House Black Market I'd been admiring. Unfortunately, the bottom is really sheer. I may still stalk the dress until it goes on sale and maybe get it to wear with a slip, but I'm not paying full price for something that obviously should have been lined when it was not. The fit was adorable though.
I did pick up a little black dress that was on sale! :) It is really comfortable and flattering so I'm pretty excited about it. :)
I didn't get anything else because I wanted to look for swimsuits, but the American Eagle ones I wanted to try on weren't actually in the store. :( I guess they haven't gotten around to stocking swimwear yet, but it's too bad. I want to go sit out by the pool!!
I swung through Forever 21 but I didn't see anything I liked.
I also heard a woman in Forever 21 loudly call her toddler daughter a b*tch, which was really upsetting. Yet another reason I love shopping online- fewer evil people to be around.

On a brighter note, I tried a tasty new food this week: Steel Cut Oats! They have a really great texture- creamier and chewier than regular oats, if that makes sense. I also learned a good way to cook them (and found a cool new blog to follow in the process). If you just put them in a pot on the stove it takes 30-45 minutes for them to cook. However, if you add 1 cup of steel cut oats to 4 cups of boiling water, boil it for 1 minute, then turn off the flame and let it sit overnight; you can just reheat them in the morning! I separated my oats into 4 portions and have been reheating my leftovers in the microwave with a little milk. I top them with vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup, and strawberries. Yum!

Which do you prefer? Shopping online or in a mall?

Virtual Shopping

I cleaned out my closet this week, and my darling fiance was kind enough to haul two big bags of clothes to the Bridge House. Having cleaned my closet, I feel that I now have some leeway to identify a few gaps in my wardrobe that need to be filled.
The first is a little black dress. I gave away one LBD that was too small, and my remaining one is a little too big (although I still wear it). I am partial to this one, but am not sure if I want to get a strapless LBD because my current one is also strapless. The search continues! :)
Another purchase I need to make eventually is a reception dress. I wasn't thinking that I would get a white one because I want something I can wear again, but I am rather taken with this little white dress. I think it's simple enough that I can pair it with some extravagant shoes (maybe in blue?) at my reception, then wear it again with something more practical in the future.
I also need to get some new swimwear this season. I can't decide if I would rather have a one-piece or a bikini (or two).
Finally, I need a few cute tops to wear out on the town.
What's on your shopping list this year?

Sigh

Oh, Anthropologie, why must you be so expensive? You're starting to replace Jcrew in my affections.

Rather Busy

This is the time of year in which I live by my to do list! I am pooped and am staying in tonight. :) I must say that I have accomplished a ton this week- both in terms of socializing and in terms of getting important tasks out of the way.
On the social front, I went to book club. We read The Help, which was really good. It's been my favorite book so far. Up next is Cleopatra's Daughter. I also went to a holiday happy hour hosted by my local sorority alumni club (Kappa Alpha Theta, if anyone is curious, and I'm actually the treasurer of our club this year) at the Swizzle Stick Bar (one of my favorite places for creative cocktails), and I had dinner with my friend Heather last night at Il Posto Cafe.
On the task front, one of the most notable things I did this week was get two of the four remaining outside cats fixed at the Southern Animal Foundation. Trapping the cats was actually kind of scary because they went nuts when the trap door closed and I had to wear work gloves to move the boxes because I was afraid that they would bite or scratch me through their cages. However, I am really glad I got it done because the two cats I caught were actually both girls. I'm so glad I prevented two more litters from being born this year! The remaining two cats are boys and I have an appointment to trap them and have them fixed in January.
In other news, I am psyched to say that I got a pair of Spyder ski pants for $30 yesterday! They are actually little girl's pants- my current ski pants (which fit but are old and kind of out of date looking) are a girl's XL (ski clothes run really big!) and I looked at the measurements and realized that I could totally fit into the Spyder girl's size 18. They were marked down to $80 from $100 on Amazon.com. I also knew that my mom had gotten me an Amazon gift card for Christmas. I thought it was for $25, but when I called her to get the number, she said it was for $50. Score!! My pants should be arriving Monday. :)
Today I was as busy as can be. I'm facing a big deadline at work, and I had a bunch of errands to run afterward. I actually trapped the cats last night and took them to the vet this morning. After work, I first dropped by Massey's for waterproofing spray for my new snow boots (Amazon sales have been good to me this fall), then I stopped and looked at the bridal shop (Pearl's Place) down the street. It recently occurred to me that since I want a fitted dress and I don't want a train, a good option for me might be to order a Bridesmaid's dress in white. A lot of bridesmaid's gowns were too shiny, but I really liked this one. It's significantly less expensive than a standard wedding gown, but what I really like is that it weighs so much less than a wedding gown! I know it's a weird thing to be excited about, but I was walking through the store trying to get a better look at some of the wedding dresses, and whenever I would even move one on the rack, all I noticed was how heavy they were! It made them very unappealing to me. Anyway, I think that the dress is really cute on me too. I love the single shoulder strap and the horizontal pleating. I took a picture on my camera phone (please ignore the weird face I'm making and my strange hair)- what do y'all think? You have to picture it in white, of course. After that I went to Symmetry and priced wedding bands (because we have been working out our budget this week- fun stuff), and was pleasantly surprised that my initial guess for that part of the budget was too high. :)
After that I picked up a couple of Christmas presents (I'm officially DONE!) and then went and got the cats from the vet.
Tonight I still need to finish wrapping presents and then wash the dogs because tomorrow is my family's Christmas party in Gulfport. I don't think I've mentioned it on the blog but for the past few years I've gone skiing in Switzerland with my darling fiance and his family during the actual Christmas holiday (hence the snow boots and ski pants), so I celebrate with my family early. I'm looking forward to tomorrow because I got everyone some great presents and I can't wait for them to open them.
Okay, less blogging, more work! Have a good weekend everyone!

The Gentlewoman's Holiday Gift Guide

Since there are few things I love more than shopping, I thought I'd put together a holiday gift guide for those of you trying to wrap up your Christmas shopping.

For the foodie in your life, why not give them cheese? Locally, I think that the St. James Cheese Co. gift boxes would be a great treat. Online, I'd go for Dean and Deluca.

For a runner, I'd suggest athletic wear- specifically reflective athletic wear for those dark runs after work. Illuminite shirts like this one look really cool and keep you visible. A Road ID or a Spibelt are also great gifts for runners.

For a drinker, I think that these ice-cube stones are really neat. Pair it with a nice bourbon- maybe Blanton's?

For a writer, some beautiful paper. I love Crane and Co. stationary.

For a DIY enthusiast, I'd choose something from Etsy. Scarves, bags, and jewelry are always lovely gifts.

For someone who loves the great outdoors, I'd get gear. I love these parachute silk hammocks. Camelbaks are also good gifts.

For a snow bunny, try a funny ski hat. They keep you warm and make you easy to spot on the slopes!

For a great cook, I'd go for a nice Le Creuset piece if you're feeling extravagant. I think bakewear like ramekins, pizza stones and tart pans would also be nice. It's stuff a cook will definitely use, but might not buy themselves.

For a homebody, comfy slippers. I love these from L.L. Bean.

Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! I'm at my parent's house, and am about to go to bed so I can get up early-ish and go shopping with my mom. It is definitely in my best interest to not spend very much money tomorrow (a fact that failed to prevent me from going to Old Navy after Thanksgiving dinner...) but I would like a heavy black button down or zip front sweater with no hood or large collar. The one I currently have is a) old, and b) has a flap collar that makes it uncomfortable to wear under a coat. Mom wants new towels. Exciting, I know. We're not getting up especially early, but we're hoping to get out to the stores by mid-morning.
I just want to stop for a moment and reflect upon how blessed I have been this year. This may actually have been my best year thus far!
I am so thankful for my wonderful fiance, family, future in-laws, friends, and pets. I am thankful for my good health and for my athletic achievements this year. I am thankful for my new car and for being able to keep the job I love during a tough economic time. And I am thankful to live in a city that I love. I am also thankful for all the good things that have happened to my friends this year as well. It's been wonderful to see my friends achieve their goals, get married, and expand their families. It's been a wonderful year and I hope that we all have many more years that are just as good!

Fall is in the Air!

Yesterday a cold front passed through New Orleans and it is glorious! I had a wonderful run last night, slept with the windows open, and I didn't get all gross and sweaty walking the dogs this morning. I'm loving the cool weather!
This weekend was a lot of fun. We went to Oktoberfest on Friday night and I feasted on 3 different kinds of cabbage (cabbage rolls, sauerkraut, and purple stewed cabbage- divine!). After Oktoberfest, we went to the Balcony Bar and I also ate part of a fried appetizer with hot wings, fried mozzarella sticks, and jalapeno poppers. So bad, but so so good. :) On Saturday, I was worried about the weather, so I postponed my run and instead tried the Piyo (Pilates + yoga) class at the Reily Center. It was better (i.e. much more challenging) than I expected, but I thought the music was kind of cheesy (it sounded like 80's aerobics music). Saturday night I went to my friend Anne's birthday party. I also bought a sweet pair of dangly silver earrings while I was supposed to be shopping for a gift for Anne. Oops!
On Sunday I finally got around to tackling my 8 mile run around 2 pm. It wasn't very humid, but I guess it was hotter than I thought outside because that run was brutal. I felt really slow and tired the entire time and couldn't snap myself out of my negative thoughts about how lousy the run was. Sometimes my head just isn't in the game. But the important thing is that I pushed through it and ran further than I have ever run before! I ran my usual 4 mile run last night and at first, I felt like I was really slow and I felt the specter of my crappy run just hanging over my head. Fortunately, after a mile or so, I got warmed up and started to just enjoy the run and the weather and ended up with a pretty fast pace overall. I was so happy to have a good run! This week is my "cut back" week and I am supposed to only run 6 miles this weekend. I am not sure that I'll get to run at all this weekend because I upcoming travel (see below) but hopefully I'll at least get in some time on a treadmill.
I am traveling this weekend because I am going to Tulsa to celebrate my dear boyfriend's grandmother's 80th birthday. Of course, I spent Monday night having my semi-annual "I hate my clothes" pity party (which seems to happen every time the seasons change) and decided to go into work early, so I could hit the mall after work and before my run. I speed shopped and picked up 2 dresses (sadly I can only find a link to one of the dresses- the other has a maroon abstract floral print, a deep V in the front and back, and cap sleeves. Super cute!) and a cute purple shirt with ruffles on the front from Macy's, and a pair of light pink chinos from Jcrew (they were on sale for $19!!). I feel better now. :) One of the dresses and the pink pants will definitely be a part of my Tulsa wardrobe this weekend. I'm also really hoping to wear my trench coat because it will actually be cool in Tulsa!!
While I was shopping I also tried on this tunic and thought it was really cute, but I just didn't see myself wearing it that often. I tend to find it difficult to translate "trendy" items into something that looks realistic on me. Maybe if I find it on sale later in the year I'll pick it up but $40 was a little steep for something I'm not sure I'd actually end up wearing.
Other than that, I finished reading The Wide Sargasso Sea (which I loved) and have started reading Anathem, and am really enjoying it so far.

Fun Trip to Mississippi

So my top secret trip this weekend was to Jackson, Ms. My cousin, Kaley (pictured), decided to throw a surprise 50th birthday party for her parents (whose birthdays are in Aug. and Sept.). I had a great time at the party on Friday night. On Saturday, Kaley and her hubby got up early and went to the first Mississippi State game of the season, so my dear boyfriend and I had breakfast with my Aunt and Uncle. My uncle also took my dear boyfriend skeet shooting for a little while, so I hung out with my aunt and took a little nap on her couch. (We were up late at the party the night before!)
After that, we drove to Gulfport to pick up my dogs from my parent's house (they dog sat for me for about a week and a half due to my farm trip last weekend). We had dinner with my parents and made a quick stop at the outlet mall where I basically bought out the new JCrew outlet and stopped at the Nike outlet for a new pair of running shorts. I am very excited about them b/c they are tight (which will hopefully prevent my legs from rubbing together) and have a zip pocket in the back. I'll never understand why most women's athletic shorts are made with no pockets. It's such a pain!
Besides the running shorts, I got 2 button down shirts (one is a bright purplish pink, and the other is dark purple- I'm really into purple for fall), a light weight v-neck sweater (bright pink), a plain white t-shirt (it was $7), a navy hoodie, a dark purple tissue tee, and a cool cream and black headband. I'd call that a spree! :) We finally got home around 10 last night. It was fun little trip!
Today I am going to clean up my house and run the Crescent Connection Road Race (it's less than 7 hours away!) Wish me luck!! :)

10 Days

I am turning 28 next Saturday. My birthday plans include an afternoon of sushi and shopping with my girlfriends then dinner at Gautreau's with my dear boyfriend. Now all I have to do is decide what dress I want to wear to dinner! (That may be decided while shopping, actually. Hehe!)

In car news, I'm waiting for my title to arrive in the mail. After that, because I now plan to buy my Forester through a dealer in Alabama, I have to wait until my registration has been issued for a year (that would be on August 11), despite the fact that my registration says I've owned my car since 2003. I can't blame the dealer though, for wanting to make sure all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed before submitting to Cash to Clunkers to make sure they'll get their money back from the government. So since it looks like CtC will be funded again this week (go, Senate, go!) I am planning/hoping/praying to get a new vehicle sometime next week. I'll keep you all posted.

Trench Coat

I want this Patagonia trench coat so much! I tried it on in a medium (too big!) for $140 (too much!) last Friday. I just found it online for $98..... So tempted.

Update: I don't think I'm going to get the coat. It is really depressing to buy cute clothes then wait months to be able to wear them. Stupid hot weather.

Driving Myself Crazy

I tend to become obsessed with whatever new goal I set for myself to the point that it consumes my every waking though. Healthy, I know. The current task at hand, shopping for a new vehicle, has started creeping into my dreams for the past two nights as well. This is getting old fast. The worst part is that I really am not enjoying car shopping at all. I don't like researching cars, I don't like dealing with car dealers, I don't like walking around in the hot sun looking at and test driving cars, and I just plain old don't like most vehicles! I am not a car girl!
I am rather fond of my beloved '97 Ford Explorer Sport. If only it would stay in good condition forever, I wouldn't think of parting with it. However, it's currently only in fair condition, and it is just a matter of time before it becomes unreliable. It is time for a new car.
Given that I must get a new car, I do want to address a few issues I have with my car. I'd like more fuel efficiency, better ease in parking (i.e. a smaller vehicle), a lower center of gravity (so I don't have to white knuckle it on the turns on the I-10) and I'd like to be able to seat 3 rather than 2 people in the backseat. I also want my new car to be safe, reliable, cute, fun to drive, and not too pricey.
I've been test driving cars for the past 2 weekends and researching for a few weeks longer than that and I'm really stressing myself out about it. I think after a test drive I have today, I may take a break from it for a few weeks. The cash for clunkers program kicks in in a couple weeks, which makes getting a new, rather than a used, car a real option for me, and even if I don't take advantage of it, more time spent waiting translates into more money saved for my down payment.
So far, I am really liking the Subaru Forester, but I haven't decided if I want a 2008 or 2009. (They underwent a significant redesign in 2009.) I drove the new one this weekend and will be driving the 2008 today.
On another subject I had the most delicious cocktail this weekend at The Swizzle Stick Bar. It was a combination of gin, lime juice and ginger beer called a Gin Gin Mule. I feel like I could drink a few of those right now. :)

Heat Wave

It is HOT in the city! Today the heat index is 110F. Despite this, I just signed up to do a trail run in the middle of July. I've been told that it is really hot, gruelingly so, but also really fun. Other advice I've been given is to wear old shoes and tie them tightly. Apparently you run through a mud pit during the race and people have been known to lose their shoes!

Adding to the list of random things I want:

A good exercise headband because I haven't found one that stays on my head. Maybe this?

This shirt.

Random Things I Want

Hibiscus Peppermint Tea

Cocoa Nibs

This T-shirt extender

Powdered Peanut Butter