linvilla orchards

Did you watch New Girl? Did you love it? More importantly did you LOVE Zooey Deschanel? Super adorable, right? I'm so excited for this show, I was not disappointed at all by the pilot. Well...maybe a little bit but that's only because I watched the trailer like 8 times a day, so I had all the funny parts memorized. And the ending, when all the boys sing to her? Awwww, loved it! By the way, you're welcome.

"Project: Transform My Closet into Zooey Deschanel's" is in full force and going good. Except, my computer is refusing to open files on my memory stick. Which is odd. It's only for one of them, and of course it's the one that I took pictures of my outfits on. So....you can just trust me that I'm awesome.

The first day I remade this outfit:

I didn't love my remake. Probably won't wear it again. Mostly because I couldn't find my solid navy blue tights, so I had to go with my lace ones. and patterned tights were not the look I was going for.

Day 2, I remade this outfit:

And it was a huge success. I wore a red sweater instead, because I have red shoes similar to her green ones. And black shorts. I loved it. Which is more than I can say for our sushi meal. Eww. I have tried and tried to make myself like sushi, but UGH! I don't know how people love it. (At least it only cost us like $11, thanks to our AMAZING Groupon...$1 for $50 worth of sushi!!)


In other news, I took Ryan on a little surprise date last week...to an apple orchard!! Mostly because I was really wanting some warm donuts and cider, but also because I knew it would be fun and a little taste of our Michigan home. And lucky for you, the pictures from it are on an acceptable memory stick.

And then we got there and they were out of donuts for the day and I cried.

Well, almost. But I most definitely cried on the inside. So, we settled and got 2 cookies instead. AND GET THIS...Ryan got chocolate chip and I didn't!! What has happened to this world I thought I knew?

And we also each got a little treat. I got caramels, because I love caramels and it seemed fitting for an apple orchard treat. Ryan got those candy buttons on paper because he is still a 5 year old at heart (I've mentioned this before). He seriously LOVES those things, and we both got so excited when we saw them. Hahaha.

Yummy

Silly

Then we walked around. And fed some baby deer!! Awww!!

And...uh...the end.

Zooey Deschanel. Yes, again.

I know I just gushed over Adele, but have no fear. I'm still madly obsessed with Zooey Deschanel. She actually has me considering growing my hair long again. Well, not she per se, but pictures of her have me considering it.
I've been spending an embarassing amount of my time looking at pictures of Zooey recently, mostly because the trailers for her new fall show, New Girl, have me so excited and I need more of Zooey in my life until the show premieres.
Have you seen the commercials for it? Check out this trailer:

I'm in love with her little theme song for herself ("Whose that girl? It's Jess!") and the "Whoa! Cute guy alert!" part where she moves her glasses (yes, I attempted to spell out her sound effects several times but decided it was in everyones best interest to leave that out of this post.)

I'm so excited! I hope the show isn't a huge let down! It premieres tomorrow, don't miss it!! Cause then you probably won't know what's going on in my blog, cause I will most likely be talking about it for days.

Annnnnyways, as I was saying before the trailer got me all sidetracked...
I've been feverishly looking at pictures of Zooey lately. And after a while of doing that I thought of a really cool challenge for myself...pick 7 pictures/outfits of hers that I adore and try and recreate them with what I have in my closet. A week of lookin' like Zooey is a week of lookin' and feelin' freaking awesome. And I love getting inspiration for others and using stuff I already have in my closet but mixing pieces in ways that I wouldn't think to do myself. I've actually found some of my favorite outfits by doing that! So I started "pinning" (don't know about pinterest? sorry, I'm not gonna explain it) lots of photos of Zooey....and then I realized, this isn't going to be that hard of a challenge. Why didn't anyone ever tell me that I have lots of Zooey pieces in my closet? C'mon guys, help a fan-girl out!

Soooo, are you so excited to see my Zooey-look-alike outfits? You better be. I think I may start tomorrow.


Oh, and Zooey. Zooey. Zooey. Just so that you have to read that name 3 more times, because I don't think I said it enough in this post. (Yep, sorry about that.)

Also.

Oh, and also, I have a story for you.
One time, Ryan and I got our pictures taken by the FABULOUS Bryan and Mae. And then those two took pictures of Tieka and Brett. And because of that post, I started following Tieka's super awesome style/fashion blog. And then one day, I entered a giveaway on her blog to shop ruche, an online clothing store which basically rocks my face off. AND THEN TONIGHT, as I was reading the latest post, I noticed a little picture of me at the bottom. I thought to myself, "Hey. That's me. ... Wait a second, THAT'S ME!"

Check it out over at Selective Potential.

Turns out I WON!!! I'm so excited!!!

On another note [but kind of the same note, just a different story]...about 3 or 4 years ago, I won an ipod through a contest at school that I didn't realize was a contest or that the prize was an ipod. AND I FREAKED OUT. And every once in a while I remember how AWESOME that was, and I say to Ryan, "Remember when I won an ipod? That day rocked." And now I'll be able to say, "Remember when I won that $50 to shop ruche? That day rocked!!" Hopefully this little high will last me 3 or 4 years as well :)

my Adele love affair

I'm slightly obsessed with Adele.

She is seriously so talented. And I am pretty much in love with her. I told my bestie (who is also in love her) that she makes my heart soar. Congratulations Adele, that is a hard task to accomplish. She has also been added to my list of concerts I will attend. Which is another hard task to accomplish. Really hard. Considering I have like 3 or 4 people on that list. (Which includes (in case you're curious): Elton John, The Civil Wars and someone else I can't remember. Sorry dude. Guess you're off the list.)

And bonus, the girl's got MAD style.

So cute, right? And if those images didn't convince you of her awesomeness, prepare yourself. Cause you're about to fall in love.


First up: Set Fire to the Rain

Second: Someone like you, A live video for you, so you can hear how truly talented she is.
And this song? Totally breaks my heart. I just want to sit down and cry with her. I think an artist is [or should be] considered successful when they can have their audience feeling the exact emotions they want them to. Whether it's music, or photography, or painting, or whatever. Again. Adele = super talented woman.

Do yourself a favor and actually listen to those songs.
You will not regret it.
Also, do me a favor and get this vinyl record of Adele's latest album, 21, so I can hear her beautiful voice booming from my vintage record player. All day every day. And be happy forever. Thanks. You're a doll.

Flea Market Finds

So, I basically found everything I've ever wanted at the Flea Market on Saturday. Well, minus 2 one-way tickets to Uganda. But that's a difficult find for a flea market, so I'll let it slide.

Exibit A: An old wooden bottle carrier. Hi. Love.

Oooo, dreamy

 

 

Exibit B: Old Letterpress Tray. $15. Wait, what?
Yes, $15.
I've only been wanting one since the beginning of time. Or something like that.
It may or may not need lots and lots of cleaning.

 Exhibit C: Johnny Cash record and magazine holder
Actually, I wouldn't say either of these were on my list of everything I've ever wanted, but we liked the magazine holder and it was cheap, so what the heck. And we needed the record to test out my record player. But hey, nothing wrong with bringing a little Johnny inta your life.

I'll probably spray paint that a fun color. Oooo, I'm so excited!

I wonder what Ryan thinks when he flea market shops with me. Ryan is attracted to things like...oh, I don't know...junk. And bigger ukuleles than the one he has.  And he always asks me what I'm gonna do with the stuff I want. And I'm always like, "I don't know." But then he doesn't let me buy it so I have to make up stuff on the fly. Which I am getting pretty good at if I do say so myself.



And just for kicks...

Our adorable, curious little pup. Who I am far too attached to.

what we did in philly: old city stuff

We cleaned our apartment from head to toe yesterday. It felt so good to have the entire thing completely cleaned. When I clean during the week, I do an area a day (if at all, who am I kidding? Haha). And we're slobs, so we rarely have the entire place clean at the same time. In celebration of our work, we went out for burgers and beer at Eulogy.

We discovered Eulogy when we first came here to look for apartments. We asked the guy working the desk at our hostel where we could get a burger near by and he sent us to Eulogy. We loved the burgers and their huge, and I mean HUGE, selection of beer. It's crazy. Over 300 bottled beers and 21 draft beers.
We've been wanting to go back ever since and have just now made it out there.
Ryan got a Founder's Dirty Bastard (cause we love our Michigan roots) and I went for something a little girly with a Timmerman's. I don't remember the name, but it was a lambic beer...raspberry :)

After dinner, we walked over to the Franklin Fountain. Which is only the most adorable ice cream and soda shop ever. Maybe I only think that because I really should have been raised in the 50s. But seriously, this place was like my heaven. I took lots of pictures in there. All with my Diana cam. Anyways, we split the Mount Vesuvius because that's what they are kind of known for.

AND OH MY GOODNESS. It was MARVELOUS. I loved every. single. creamy, fudgey, brownie-ey, homemade ice cream and whipped cream goodness filled bite. One of my ideal desserts for sure. Aaaand now my mouth is watering.

Best date night in a while. [Actually, only date night in a while]

Diana Pics, Take 1

I got my first roll of film from my Diana cam developed!!
Here are some of my favorite shots:

And this is my all time favorite from this roll...an accident, and I was kind of bummed cause I wanted a picture of just that ice cream truck, but I got over that pretty quickly because, well it's a beaut obviously.

Not too shabby for my first roll. A lot of people end up with a lot of black images because they forget to take the lens cap off, so at least I did good there. I did have several double exposures though. So apparently I forget to wind my film a lot, not just that one time where I took 3 or 4 shots with out winding. Hahaha. Go me.
Can't wait to get my next roll developed!!

home decor

Since we've moved, I've been much more into decorating and making a rental apartment as "ours" as I can. I've been looking for various home decor and we've made a few trips to Ikea. But most of the time, I'm underwhelmed by most of it. I feel like everyone has the same stuff, and that by trying to decorate your space and making it your your own, it'll end up that you've made your place look like everybody else's. (I don't think it's proper English to end a sentence in "else's." Whoops.)

So I'm slowly decorating our place. I look for little bits and pieces at antique shops, thrift stores, flea markets and various stores around the city. I look for stuff that's a little more unusual and not so common. I look for stuff that I (we) like, and I don't care what other people think. I remember growing up and my mom would come home with the strangest things and use them to decorate and we'd all be like, "Mom! You can't leave that there!" And she'd be like, "I like it and that's all that matters! Nate Berkus says decorate with things you love." Well Mom, you were right.

Here's what I've done/got so far:

I had been looking for a glass dome for quite a while, and I spotted one hidden under a table at an antique store a few weeks ago. I was so thrilled! I bought it without even the slightest idea of what I was going to do with it. But it didn't take me long to figure out once I got home. I've been looking for an interesting way to decorate with my grandpa's old player piano rolls, so I knew that I was going to combine these for an awesome little display. Added some twine and WAA-LA! I absolutely LOVE how it turned out! (Not the greatest picture, but you get the idea)

I saw this globe at my favey-fave favorite thrift/vintage store. I didn't buy it right away, because I wasn't sure what I would do with it. I just knew I liked it. But that night, while I laid in bed unable to fall asleep, I had an idea. I said to Ryan, "I want to get a globe I saw today. And draw a picture of a bee." And he was like, "A bee? And I was like,"Yes. A bee. It'll be cool. I promise." And he was skeptical, as he always is, cause that does sound a little strange (ye of little faith.)

So Ryan went back and bought this globe for my birthday, then I ripped out a page from an old book that I had, drew a bee on it and framed it in this simple black frame.

That owl thing is a planter, just doesn't have a plant in it yet

And these are just some odds and ends that I've acquired. Mostly from my favorite thrift store or thrift/vintage store (they are different stores) and some from my mom (both given and stolen/borrowed). Some of them have found their home, but others are just randomly placed on our shelves. Haha. It'll all come together.

(Side Story: While I was at the thrift store, buying that little Michigan sign thing, guess who I saw!! JAY FREAKING MCCARROLL!! (For all you non-project runway followers, he's the winner from the first season.) I've also seen him at my favorite fabric store. I didn't say anything to him then, but I promised myself that the next I ran into him I would say something. And then I saw him and I essentially freaked out. My mind was a complete blank. I was with my friend, Beth, and she was laughing at me because I'm so pathetic. That's all. Oh, except, I think Jay McCarroll and I should be friends. I mean, we shop at the same fabric AND thrift stores. What are the odds? The whole "I can't speak when you're around thing" would just be hurdle that we'd have to get over.)

And at some point...I want to do this...

PAINT A PIANO A BRIGHT AND FUN COLOR!! I have "the rights" to my grandpa's piano, which my parents are holding onto for me right now. So when I can eventually have it in my own home, I might try this. We'll see. The piano is pretty special to me, and I don't know if I'll be brave enough to paint it. But how awesome do those pianos look? Isn't that fun?

stamp of disapproval

I'm pretty open-minded and I can be fairly easy going, BUT there are somethings that I just can.  not.  stand.

Number 1: Adult Pigtails 

(being worn in public. I have to add that cause I can be found in pigtails many times when I'm stuck in the apartment cleaning or doing laundry, haha.)

Ladies...if you are having trouble doing your hair and thinking about reverting to the "classic" pigtail look, ask yourself these 2 simple questions:
1. Am I under the age of 9?
2. Am I Zooey Deschanel and/or Summer in 500 Days of Summer?

If either of the answers to these questions is no...then DON'T DO IT. Pigtails on adults are not attractive. And if you think they look cute, you're wrong. They are hideous and I completely disapprove of them. (Unless you're Zooey Deschanel. Because in that case, you can pull off anything. Keep doing your thing, girl!)

Number 2: "Man Caves"

I hate the phrase.
I hate the idea.
I hate them.
First of all, if a guy needs a room just to himself, then it can be his room. Why must it be called a "MAN CAVE?" I absolutely hate it. Second of all, why not design and plan your home to be a place that everyone can enjoy? That way you don't need to send your husband to a dark and dingy "cave" for him to enjoy himself. It's ridiculous.
There are so many times that I can't even sit through an episode of House Hunters because every freaking couple needs an extra room for a "man cave." Ugh, kill me now.

Number 3: Announcing You're Pregnant on Facebook by Showing a Picture of Your Ultrasound Image

Hi. No one wants to see your uterus. Thanks.


P.S. I got my gifted laptop!! I'm back to the blog world :)