Must Haves: Pixie Pant

Do you have that one thing in your closet that you just can't seem to part with? And no matter the mood or occasion, you can always incorporate into your outfit. Well, mine is leggings. I freaking love 'em, and I fear the day when they go out of style. I usually opt for the $12.99 brand at Target, but they usually end in tears and a ill fit after a few months.

How We Met (2)

(the first photo of us that I ever publicly promoted*)

 . . . so I'm in Boston, and boy is here in D.C.** We continued a -for the most part- amicable relationship, talking every few months that usually ended in tragic goodbyes of "well, I miss you." He finished his undergrad, and I found myself at a job in Boston for nearly two years, and I really grew to cherish my life there. We both dated other people, not really seeing a way we could ever make it work unless one of us moved.

On a whim, I applied for a few jobs in different cites as I knew my time in Boston was coming to an end. And, one summer afternoon an organization in D.C. rang me for an interview. Two months later I was packing up my little Kia for my big move to Washington.

Entertaining: Housewarming Party

(our bar, sans Tucker, the bartender)

Well, I do believe the party was a hit. Our wee 800 sq foot apartment held almost 30 people and a bartender. That's right, we hired a bartender. I was a bit hesitant at first, and I couldn't decide if it was ridiculous or just plain clever. It turned out to be the latter. He was a budding graduate and new to the city with empty pockets so slipping him a few dollar bills didn't feel so bad, and well, it was nice to not spend the entire evening mixing drinks.

I am not a baker, but luckily some of my girlfriends are expert bakers so they happily supplied the party with sweet treats. I focused on the salty and savory . . .

Film: Celeste and Jesse Forever

I'm behind the times here, but I finally watched Celeste and Jesse Forever this past weekend.  Have you seen it? I have a girl crush on Rashida Jones, so I was hopeful that I'd love it. And I did.

Life Lately

oh hello Friday

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My, my, I have been quiet this week. The days just got away from me, and the posts seemed to stay in draft form. More next week!

What are you getting into this weekend? Boy and I have been fighting colds all week so I'm hoping we can take it easy, but tomorrow evening, we are having a housewarming party. I can't wait!

Some fun links for the weekend . . .

Tunes: How Come You Don't Want Me Now

I fell in love with Tegan and Sara's sound in my early 20's, and I've never looked back. The sister duo just released a new album this past month, Heartthrob. 

Recipe: Salted Nutella Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Surprisingly, I was in the baking mood the other evening, and I kept going back to Cup of Jo's post on "11 Nutella Recipes." Considering it was a week night and I was looking at a 9pm start time, I opted for the Salted Nutella Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies, which seemed fairly easy for a rookie baker. They were so easy to make and delicious! Though, I do recommend eating with a tall glass of milk as the all natural peanut butter and Nutella combo will leave you smacking your lips. The sea salt was a tasty surprise ingredient and certainly, boy's favorite.  Enjoy! 

Cocktails: Belvoir Fruit Farms

(Elderflower Mojito) 

Oh dear, it’s been quiet around here. As you can tell, I took advantage of the three day weekend and closed things down for a few days. Boy ended up being sick with a nasty cold all weekend, so I followed his lead and rested up as well.  

oh hello Friday

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Plans this weekend? We’re enjoying some wine with friends tonight at Cork Wine Bar, and I can't wait as I've been wanting to check it out. On Saturday, I hope to do some little projects around the apartment, and boy and I will be enjoying our Valentine’s celebration tomorrow evening. Meaning that I’ll probably find myself at T.J. Maxx to find a last minute outfit for our romantic evening out. I love a good impulse buy. And on Sunday, we’re having another dinner party! Our friends Court and Joe are coming into the city so we’ll be hosting them at our wee apartment. It will be a busy, but fun weekend. Some fun links . . . 

Tunes: Skinny Love

I am loving this cover of Skinny Love by Birdy. Give it a listen on this Friday morning.

How We Met

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and whether I was single, senselessly dating, or happily dating boy in the past, I have always enjoyed Valentine’s Day. I know, I know . . . I’d like to say that I was the girl wreaking of cynicism and burning love notes in an x-boyfriend effigy; but I'm just not.

Perhaps, it’s because I love the Christmas season and the red and glittery grandeur seems to flow right into Valentine’s Day, happily taking us through the wintry season. I give into the Hallmark holiday with all its swooning traditions, and I can’t help myself.

It's my first Valentine's Day as a married woman, and I couldn't be more grateful to be wed to boy. On that note, I’d love to tell you how Philip and I met . . .

Merry Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, darlings! I hope it's simply filled in moments with loved ones. We'll be enjoying a quiet evening at home with a bottle of wine and my favorite meal, spaghetti (!). Boy is so graciously allowing it tonight even though it's really not one of his favorites. On Saturday evening, we'll properly celebrate V-Day and enjoy a fancy evening out at Evening Star, one of our most beloved restaurants in our neighborhood. 

Would you . . .

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 . . . wear different colors of nail polish? This one is a tough one for me because I'm quickly reminded of the middle school days of painting your nails rainbow colors, metallics, and let's be candid, any color with glitter was so "the thing."

Girl Rising

The documentary, Girl Rising, looks amazing. It tells the story of 9 young women around the world who have faced extreme adversity and hardship because of their gender. The girls' stories are narrated by renowned actresses such as Meryl Streep, Kerry Washington, Priyanka Chopra, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, and Alicia Keys. 

Valentine's Day Inspired

Valentine's week is here and Valentine's Day is nipping at our heels, so it feels only right to have a heart inspired post. Some of my favorite items to use and wear . . .

I'm sure you've seen the West Elm heart mugs that seem to be buzzing around the internet, but I love these sweet ceramic tea cups from Ross Lab via Etsy. 

A great take on arrow earrings. Abigail arrowhead stud earrings from Lily Wang. 

Smock Dresses

Smock: A loose garment worn over one's clothes to protect them. 

I am loving the ASOS collection of smock dresses. Don't they look so comfortable and sweet? The perfect dress to pair with riding boots or wedge booties. Some of my favorites . . . 

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oh hello Friday

(Edouard Boubat, A Gentle Eye) 

A blizzard is hitting the East Coast this weekend, but sadly, it's completely missing D.C. My bestie Leah is in town this weekend, and we'll be giggling over bottles of wine, having late night chats, and most likely, eating a ridiculous amount of food. You know, the usual best friend activities. 

Stay safe out there, and have a lovely weekend. Some quick links . . . 

Tunes: Man on Fire

Another find from Parenthood.

Wedding: The Gents

Boy opening his presents. Remember them here? 

Recipe: Chilean Sea Bass

Today's recipe is brought to you by boy's excellent skills in the kitchen. On Friday evening, we decided to forgo the usual pizza and wine and go all out for dinner at home. Finding himself at the waterfront fish market yet again, Philip selected a succulent piece of sea bass. To complement his choice, we had some jumbo shrimp for a shrimp cocktail appetizer. It's one of my favorite dishes so bravo, my dear. 

We decided to sear the bass and season with a grape tomato salsa, adapted from this recipe. The basil puree of simply basil and olive oil really made the dish. Mixed with the dill, tomatoes and Cubanelle pepper, it was delicious. 

February Resolution Experiment

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Well, January is complete,  and we are well on our way to Valentines Day and Lincoln's birthday. February has arrived and so has the February Resolution Experiment. January was certainly a difficult resolution- making no unnecessary purchases. This included no dinners out that would cost more than cooking at home (i.e. Chic-fil-a was still allowed), no happy hour drinks unless it was a work function, no clothing purchases (I actually stuck to that one) . . . nothing. I did buy a few things for our home, and boy and I have slipped in a few cocktails here and there, but all in all, we did fairly well.

Archetype Me

I just love personality tests, even if they are highly hyperbolic at times. I stumbled across Archetypes which has ten personality types for men and women.

The Creative, Athlete, Rebel, Caregiver, Visionary, Queen/Executive, Spiritual, Fashionista, Advocate, and Intellectual.

oh hello Friday

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Hope you have a relaxing and lovely weekend. Some link love . . .

*Can someone tell boy that I want this in rose gold for V day?

*Speaking of boy, I think Adrien Brody is his doppelganger.

Film: Paperman

This little film is buzzing everywhere and as it should. It's amazing and will certainly put a smile on your face. Created by John Krahrs, it's a special technique merging computer graphics and hand drawn animation.