January 24, 2013

Small Steps



It’s the time of year when I begin to cling to little things in order to maintain my sanity and make it through the winter months in one piece. You know, a late night FaceTime session with best friends, a thought-provoking documentary, an unexpected package in the mail, the smell of baking brownies, the shade of a new lipstick, or the quiet that settles over everything when you’re spending quality time alone.

I’ve been using the Fitbit for about two weeks now. To be honest, I purchased it on a whim because I had a gift card that was burning a hole in my pocket. I spend most of my day sitting in front of a computer at work, and I thought it might be a good way to track how often I move and encourage me to get in 10,000 steps a day.

Though there have been times when I have neglected to achieve my daily goal, overall, I’ve found that it’s relatively non-intrusive and can—literally—push you to go the extra mile. Because it automatically syncs with the computer to report on your progress, the commitment to the device is merely the act of putting it on in the morning and taking it off at night. In fact, I usually forget that I’m wearing it. 

So, you can imagine my surprise and delight when I received an email report letting me know that I’ve already walked 50 miles! Though most of those steps were on the treadmill or out in the cold, it almost seems like an exotic gypsy-esque accomplishment, and an occasion that’s certainly made the list of things getting me through January. 

January 23, 2013

Warby Parker

Hello.

As sad as I was to learn that it’s time to ditch my 10-year-old Anne Klein reading glasses and upgrade my prescription, I jumped at the opportunity to try Warby Parker’s Home Try On Program.

I’m happy to report that the program is a complete breeze and, as a person who loves browsing in stores, this even has me rethinking the way that I shop. You simply select 5 pairs of their gorgeous glasses, and within no time, they arrive right on your doorstep in a pretty little box. You have 5 days to try them on, wear them around town, and choose which pair you want to make your own. 

Then, you simply pack up the box, drop it off at a UPS store, and decide if you want to place an order online. Did I mention that the whole process is no-commitment and completely free? Or that the glasses with prescription lenses only cost $95? Or that for every pair of glasses that you purchase from Warby Parker, they donate a pair to someone in need? Needless to say, my new black matte-framed Becketts are on the way, and I’m already channeling Jenna Lyons….

Consider me excited
Choosing, aka the hardest part of the entire process
The beloved Becketts


January 22, 2013

Bed Bound

Stocking up on every variety of Deschutes, which has finally made its way to us after all these years

This has to have been one of the laziest weekends on record. I waved goodbye to my boyfriend on Thursday night, and with the exception of a trip out to get a massage, buy new bedding and stock up on groceries, I pretty much slept…A LOT. Lest you think I was comatose for the full three-day weekend, please know that I enjoyed several lengthy games of Words with Friends, an inordinate amount of online shopping, and tons of TV watching, interrupted only when the power went out in our building for 8 hours due to intense wind gusts outside. Luckily, a plethora of candles and my latest book kept me company as I hunkered down in our new sheets and pillows.

My boyfriend's old college sweatshirt, which I practically lived in all weekend 
The kind of easy dinner that you can get away with when there are no men around
Moving away from dark polishes in the hope of warmer weather
Fresh eucalyptus (and tons of candles) in the bathroom

January 18, 2013

Solitude



My boyfriend is headed out of town for the weekend, and I'm on my own. Really looking forward to a three-day weekend and a quiet condo in which to recover from a busy work week.... 

There's definitely something to be said for the mid-January lull. 

via

January 16, 2013

Trail Blazer IV


It's been far too long since I loaded new songs onto my iPod, and even longer since I went for a good jog. Though I tend to get overwhelmed by the onslaught of fitness-related New Year's resolutions around this time of year, I do see the value in setting goals. By mid-January, I'm usually reluctant to venture outside in the cold long enough to work up a sweat, but when I recently put on a FitBit and learned that my average day consists of less than 5,000 steps, I realized that a concerted effort to step up my activity is much needed. Hopefully, these will be the songs to help me make it happen:

1. Frank Ocean: Lost
2. Ellie Goulding: Lights
3. Fun: Some Nights
4. Mumford & Sons: Babel
5. Gin Wigmore: Man Like That
6. Jonsi: Go Do
7. Willy Moon: Yeah Yeah
8. Rihanna: Diamonds
9. Bruno Mars: Locked Out of Heaven
10. Rudimental: Feel the Love

via

January 15, 2013

Gorgeous Globes



I’m a sucker for red carpet events, and I looked forward to watching the Golden Globes all weekend. Although I felt that many of this year’s styles were a bit underwhelming, I loved the simplicity of these softer looks. The pastel hues, streamlined silhouettes and relaxed hair already have me looking forward to spring fashion.


January 14, 2013

Wind Down

A bittersweet moment: packing away the last of the holiday decorations

The past weekend was, as hoped, a relaxing one. It got off to a great start, with a shopping trip to score some post-holiday deals, including our new camera and several boxes of chocolate confections (at 90% off!). Aside from that, a trip to the salon, and a late morning get-together with former co-workers, we spent the majority of our time inside the condo, watching the snowflakes fall and the stars walk the red carpet.  

Excited to experiment with the newest addition to our camera family: the Nikon D5100
I couldn't resist the packaging, or the treats within
Unexpected mid-afternoon flurries beyond the balcony
Essentials to prolong a blowout: Anthropologie's hair ties and a silk pillowcase