Hair Stalking

I'm stalking this model. I want her haircut. I think. I'm not sure. Ack! It's short.

Do you do this? Do you find a model with a sweet hairdo and follow her around, ripping out pictures of her? My friend B. in London also recommended this lady as a good haircut model for me: Annie Mac, a dj for BBC Radio 1



What do you guys think? I've been in a tizzy since my last salon cut, when I made the mistake of asking the stylist what he would do if he had his druthers. "All this length? Gone." Gulp. But he's probably right. (scroll down to the wedding post to see the current--clearly ill-advised--length)

(all the pix of the blond with the covetable hair are from Garnet Hill; first pic of Annie Mac from Labellife, second from Telegraph UK )

Photo daze

So I got a hand-me-down camera from my mom for my birthday. In general, this would probably be about as exciting as getting a pack of Jockey underpants. But my mom is a bit of a digital camera junkie. So what I got was an Olympus Evolt E-510 DSLR with three lenses. I've spent what few sunny days we've had so far outside, mostly lying flat on my stomach, taking pictures of flowers and other good stuff.


Since I'm feeling newly photo-invigorated, I wanted to share these two great links with you:
• the first is for anyone with an online shop: The 5 Cs of photo styling with Kim Ludy of Trampoline on Mint design blog. Kim has a great shop full of vintage items that she photographs beautifully, with no professional training or experience. Her 5 Cs might sound familiar, but it's so worth your time to visit and remind yourself why these things are important, and how you can achieve them.
• the second is for anyone who's feeling the photo bug: Tristan at Blah, Blah, Blahg is taking us lucky readers with her as she sharpens her photo skills, giving weekly photo assignments, bringing in great guest photographers, and posting freebie photoshop brushes and masks like crazy. If you don't already subscribe to the blahg, you should definitely add it.

I'd love to hear and see where you're finding photo inspiration these days!

Summer in New England

It's amazing what a few days in a row without rain can do for you. It can make you fall in love with your surroundings again.


Stay tuned this week for some truly gorgeous pix taken with my new (hand-me-down) Olympus DSLR. I was really reluctant to give up the ease of my old Canon digital point-and-shoot, but this new camera blows all those old comforts out of the water.

Tagged!

this guy is so awesome the tattoo 'artist' had to come up with a new spelling of the word!
via Petunia Face

I've been tagged by both Marichelle of Heart Handmade and RJ of Bailey Doesn't Bark. Of course, RJ tagged me months ago, so she's probably totally given up on me completing this meme, but fear not! Herewith, all you've never wondered about me :)

What's your current obsession?
Eating wild raspberries straight off the bush.


what's your weirdest obsession?
Nachos. 'nuff said, right? I mean, what a weird meal, nachos.

what are you wearing right now?
blue plaid bermuda shorts from TJ Maxx, a Calvin Klein tank top and my trusty Rafters flip flops--it's finally hot! thank god.

What’s the last thing you bought?
A case of Segura Cava (Spanish sparkling wine). Yep, that's me. I like my champagne cheap and at a case discount.

What are you listening to right now?
iTunes on shuffle--right now it's "Two" by Ryan Adams.

What’s your favorite weather?
Any weather that lets me be outside, unmolested by flying things (be it rain, snow, or bugs that are doing the flying)

What’s your most challenging goal right now?
Figuring out what I want to be when I grow up. I'm sensing that's a common challenge these days.

What do you think about the person who tagged you?
RJ and Marichelle are both super talented.... and yet, endearingly, they are both total sweethearts. I had such a fantastic time meeting them this winter, and I hope we get to hang out again soon.

The person who tagged you is coming over for dinner. What’s in the menu?
Well, I have a case of Cava (!) Perhaps a fantastic, huge salad with spinach, goat cheese, strawberries, walnuts, and a killer vinaigrette. and lots of good, local bread, maybe french baguettes.

What book are you currently reading?
Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague.

What is your favorite curse word?
Crap on a stick. I say it all the time. Also, shitballs.

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Hawaii. fo' sure.

What would you like to have in your hands right now?
Beach sand. From a sunny, pretty beach. Where I would like to be sitting....

What would you like to get rid of?
Baggage.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Outer space.

Which language do you want to learn?
I took 8 years-----8 YEARS----of French (HS and college!), and I still managed to confuse "tampons" with "towels" in conversation the last time I was in France. I'd like to do better than that.

What super power would you like to possess?
A fast metabolism. That would be better than any super power I can think of!

What’s your favorite thing about the city you live in?
That it's not a city at all, but the pure epitome of country. Rural, baby, rural.


What’s your favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?
I have a gorgeous green silk Marc Jacobs blouse. I've worn it once. It's not terribly flattering on me. I just like having it in the closet. :)

What’s your dream job?
I want to be the person who scores Grey's Anatomy (even though I've never seen it!) with all that great music.

If you had $150 now what would you spend it on?
more plants. it's a problem. help!


Do you admire anyone’s style?
Anyone who manages to look put together and make it look effortless.

Describe your personal style.
Easy. Preppy meets country, with lots of black thrown in for the slimming.

Who’s fashion show would you want tickets to?
I'd love to go to those shows for the 3 Project Runway finalists--how cool would that be?

Who’s closet would you want to raid?
It would have to be someone who was big enough that trying on their clothes would make me feel petite in comparison (hello, I'm 5'9", cut me a break!), so clearly the only choice is Dennis Rodman. just kidding.


Now the rules of this tag:
1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention.
2. Tag other people you would love to learn more about.

So now I'd like to tag Amy, Nicole, Cindy, Suzanne, and Jennifer--come join the meme, ladies! ;)

Hallelujah!

The sun is out! The sun is out!!

Just in time for the Fourth. The weather gods must know not to f*ck with fireworks.


And, just as it seemed today couldn't get any better, Nan called from Elmer's to say I didn't have to fill in for tonight's dinner shift. Sweeeeeeeeet. So if you need me, I'll be out back with the girls.

A bear a day

Seriously, this blog is turning into my personal version of Wild Kingdom. But I just realized I failed to share these pix from my recent Close Encounter of the Bear Kind.


This lady (I'm pretty sure it's the momma of the cub I sent scurrying up the tree a couple weeks ago) came right up to the house in broad daylight the other day. She went to climb up on the deck, thought better of it, walked thru the Wisteria arbor and sat under it for a moment (clearly appreciating my expert vine training skills, right?) and then walked away down the slope into the woods. I, of course, ran around the house like a freak, jamming the memory card the wrong way into my camera and running frantically to take her picture before she disappeared. Then, yesterday, I was driving home and I caught her hanging out in the road. She's clearly the neighborhood bear. Where are my manners? I should totally invite her over for tea and honey.

On the Hudson

On Friday evening, after the ceremony, the wedding party boarded a boat on the Hudson for a booze cruise. Nell and I hit the top deck and watched the moody sky blaze into nothingness.* We were amazed by the beauty of the bridges and the water and the trees and the sky. As the bass sounds of "Brick House" floated up from the first deck, the boat chugged from Troy to the port of Albany and then turned around and headed back again. When the sky got dark, we joined the fray below.



*yes, I just quoted an Indigo Girls song. I'm cool like that.