Edgy Prep Chic

6:47 p.m. on Monday and we are still with power and running water. I've used this unexpected down time to go to the gym and run, cook, and watch an unspeakable amount of TV.  It feels really good to take a day off.  I just hope that everyone out there is safe and with their family.  

Using this down time, I put together this edgy prep chic fall outfit. I have always loved fisherman sweater and found a really cute one from L.L. Bean Signature Line. I am a huge fan of L.L.Bean for their sturdy totes and backpacks.  And rain boots too.  When they introduced their second line, updating and modernizing their preppy looks, I was most delighted!  It so happens that my in-laws have been giving us L.L.Bean gift certificates for our birthdays, Christmas and Hanukkah. I received one for my birthday recently and you know what I'm getting! Hope you like this prep chic look with a bit of an edge (via the studded Marc by Marc Jacobs studded leather clutch).    

a. b. c. d. e.  

Monday Wake-Up Call

Good Monday, friends! I hope my east coast friends are staying dry and off the road, if possible.  It looks like hurricane Sandy is really hitting us hard.  Some of my NYC friends have evacuated already.  As for me, I had to park my car on higher ground to avoid the expected flooding of Schuykill River onto our parking lot.  Both my husband and my offices are closed today as well as the local court.  The only plus in this situation is that we'll stay home and cuddle with our puppies. If I'm ambitious, I'll start planning my Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm cooking this year, so I'm really nervous and feel like I should start planning sooner than later.  

Anyways, onto my Monday wake-up call - here's a lovely cozy bedroom I came across on Design Sponge.  I'd love to see the bright blue and yellow painting and a little wishbone jewelry/ring holder on the night table. Charming!

a.  the room; b.  Don Draper's Abstract;  c. Wishbone

Have a great Monday~ And my east coast friends, be careful out there! 

TGIW - Whatcha Up To?

Thank goodness it's the weekend!! After last Sunday (see here), you will see me walking mudless in these this weekend.

I've had these Uggs since last winter. I used to think they were so ugly until I purchased my first pair 4 years ago.  Since then, I've been hooked!!  The Nikes were a gift from my husband - we just got'em tonight!  My last pair was completely ruined from Tough Mudder and they weren't even that old.  Bugger. BUT look at this photo - don't we look like we had so much fun?!

(from left: Randy aka 'the husband', ME, YM, J, and Berns)

Btw, did I tell you that I'm running the Philly 1/2 marathon in November?  Scary!!  I have less than a month to start running a lot more than I've been running. Oy. 

Btw(again), Philly may be hit hard by 'Storm Sandy'.  I live by a river and it ALWYAS over flows to our parking lot during big storms.  If you don't hear from me on Monday, you know why - NO POWER.

Happy Weekend, friends~

Sweet Thoughts

I've been up since 3:40 a.m. this morning.  This is what happens when you procrastinate on something and you wake up in panic mode. I had a 50 minute presentation with two co-presenters before a room of accountants and lawyers this morning.  And I just did not have it in me last night to do my final prep. Needlessly to say, I had a long day. BUT I came home to find a pair of these impossibly fashionable mugs:

These were "I thought of you when I saw these" gift from my friend Sue, who's too far away in Oklahoma. These are the best kind of gifts.  I miss those days when I used to visit Sue in NYC and crash at her dorm size studio. Before we'd go to sleep at night, Sue would always make sure to set up her coffee machine so that I could drink coffee in the morning.  You see, I was always the first one to get up in the morning among my friends when we'd sleep over at each other's places. And my friends would find me in the dark just quietly sipping away my coffee. My penchant for coffee is infamous among my family and friends :)  Thanks for the lovely gift, Sue! You got me all verklempt! 

Wednesday Art - Cy Twombly

Have you noticed that I tend to favor modern art? I really do lean towards modern art for whatever reasons. Today's artist screams modern art to me - Cy Twombly.  His birth name is Edwin Parker Twombly, Jr. but both Cy and his father were nicknamed 'Cy' after the famous baseball player Cy Young.  Twombly was born in Virginia, April 25, 1928 and lived the latter part of his life in Rome, where he met his wife.  He was 83 when he passed away just last year, in July 2011.  To my surprise, there's a collection of his works in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which is like 20 minutes away from where I live.  I have been there 3 times in my life and the last time I was there was more than 6 years ago.  Obviously, I need to go again!  

Some may think that Twombly's work is nothing more than a bunch of scribbles (especially upon looking at the 'e' scribbles - see below). To me, his paintings represent bursts of passion, emotions, and complex feeling we experience in our lives. That's the best I could explain why I love his paintings.  Here are some of my most favorites. 

Untitled (a piece from 'A Scattering of Blossoms & Other Things')

'Quattro Stagioni, Autunno' (1993 - 1995)

'Three studies from the Temraire' (1998-99)

'The Rose (IV)' (2008)

Untitled, 1971, Oil and crayon on canvas

300 x 478 cm    118 x 188¼"

Ok, so this isn't one of my favorites - but this is the scribbly painting referenced above.  

(See here and here for additional information on Cy Twombly). 

Coat + Boots

I love toggle coats. I had one in red when I was a child.  It's classic and youthful.  I would love to pair a beige toggle coat with a pair of riding boots.  Btw, boots in general do not get much attention here on my blog because I can never find a pair that fits my calves perfectly. Do you have that problem too?  It's like finding that perfect pair of jeans! 

Here's a classic toggle coat and 4 pairs of boots I'd love to see (yes, all of them) in my closet.

a; b; c; d; the coat

Monday Wake-Up Call

Good Monday!  For those of you who read my last Friday's post on Tough Mudder, YES, I survived the 2012 Tri-State Tough Mudder on Saturday!  It was tough as anything but I did it!  All obstacles were tackled except for one - the second "Berlin Wall", which is an obstacle involving a vertical wood plank you have to climb up and come down.  The first one in the course cramped up my arms and fingers so bad that I decided to skip the second one. This was the first race ever that left me limping on my way back to the parking lot!  Luckily, I took 3 Advils and that really relieved the inflamed tissues around my knees, where I was hurting the most.  I am still sore and bearing some bruises but overall, for those who are considering doing this, it's a LOT of fun and really worth doing it.  If I can do it, so can you!! 
Btw, all of my friends were participants so I don't really have any photos of me muddied up.  I'm going to see if I can find some photos from the professional photographers who were at the event.  

Ok, onto my usual Monday talk.  Did you know that Nate Berkus has his own line at Target?!  I just found this out last night!  Had I known, I would have dragged my sore butt to Target for his goodies because they look really awesome! I hope you were able to make it Target. Here's what I saw online of NB's goodies and I can't wait to get to Target after work!

NB's Styling on Target

i. ii. iii. iv.