Fashion addictions

My partner in crime in this blogging adventure has a problem: she has an addiction... to stripes. Every time we shop, I attempt to intervene, although I have noticed that a majority of her stripe purchases go on behind my back.

Now it is time for me to fess up as well.  My name is Christy, and I have a problem.  I am a polka-dot addict.  I suppose I have had this issue for quite some time.  It was once I picked up on Michelle's adoration for stripes that I realized my own polka-dot desire.  In fact, this is how far I have taken it:

These are in honor of my son's little league game tonight.  I suppose I have taken baseball mom to a different level. But really, aren't they ADORABLE!?!  And truly assessing my addiction, I realize how many polka-dots there are in my closet:  a most adorable retro swimsuit, several scarves and dresses, and the most recent acquisition, a white sheer blouse with red polka-dots (thank you, H&M).

I am happy to report, though, that our love for stripes and polka-dots are currently very fashionable. Thankfully, for our pocketbooks, they are classics and will never go out of style.  And despite the striped shirt in the article costing $198.00, we are very on point this season with our patterns of choice!!

~c~

Fashion

I recently went shopping for a camping trip and bought a pair of pants that are basically the equivalent of a Swiss Army knife*. With a snap of a button, they go from pants to capris. There's a hidden zipper at the thigh that turns them into shorts. They are made of some material that keeps you warm in the cold, cool in the heat, and "wicks away moisture" (um, the manufacturer's words). They have a mesh lining for a yet unknown purpose. They have pockets everywhere for your compass, your map, and your other hiking accoutrements. They are a putty color that camoflauges any dirt/mud/rocks you fall into. They are completely practical, and I hate them for that.

And then there are these gorgeous shoes that I found at Target while buying a flashlight for my trip.

They are not going to save my life the way those pants did when I decided to slide down a slope of ice to make better time hiking down that mountain; in fact, I think an argument can be made that my life will probably be endangered when I wear these climbing the marble stairs at school. That cobalt color is probably not found anywhere in nature and won't camoflauge any dirt/mud/rocks I will fall into. These shoes are completely impractical, and I absolutely adore them for that.
~m~

*My Swiss Army knife is hot pink.

All Things French

I love France. No, not just a fleeting love, I LOVE France. I love everything about it (almost).  No country is perfect, I realize that, but the culture of France is just about as close to perfect as one can be.

But seriously, look at what France has to offer... the Eiffel Tower, cave paintings at Carcasonne, Edith Piaf, Marion Cotillard. The list is endless.

One of, if not THE, best parts about France and the French culture is the food.  Food is an experience, it is an art, it is simply amazing. Every aspect of food in France is something to be relished, enjoyed, and taken very seriously.

Shopping for food in France is something that everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime. There is simply no way to explain the feeling of walking through an open air market and seeing the beautiful food that is so perfectly displayed. One can find pretty much anything at these markets: produce, livestock, cheese, purses, scarves. . .again, the list is endless. On one of my most recent visits to the City of Lights, I wandered through a market where I met the most charming escargots vendors. When I asked if I could take a quick photo to share with my students, I was told that I must be in the picture as well...

Needless to say, I obliged.

Open air markets are such a multi-sensory experience. The colors, the scents, the sounds of the vendors . . . it really is indescribable. So I leave you with these pictures. When I close my eyes, I can almost hear the fishmongers selling their goods...

La poissonnerie  

  La crémerie  

 La boucherie  

Le marchand aux fruits et légumes 

~c~

Fun (For a Good Cause)

I recently stumbled upon a website called Own a Colour, where you can buy one of over sixteen million colors for a small donation to UNICEF, starting at only two dollars. It's an incredibly cool idea and one that allows you to help children all over the world.

I planned on choosing a color quickly, already knowing my favorite colors, but seeing all those colors was incredibly entertaining and my brief visit to the site turned into a colorful hour or so. After playing with several shades in the blue family, I chose a color that was inspired by a photo I took several years ago in Venice:

This is what I came up with:

I also gave a gift of color to my dear friend Christy, the friend who came up with this ridiculously fun blog that we write:

It was only after I submitted Christy's color did I notice a mistake in my story, which gave me a slight ulcer to know that my typing error was out there in cyberspace for everyone to see. But whatever. I love the color, and I know she will too.

Check out this website, pick a favorite color, tell a story, and help a child in need. I can't imagine anything better.

~m~

Fun

Happy St. Patrick's Day...you can either look at this as belated or a jump start for 2013 (it's never too early to plan).  This past Saturday, I was fortunate enough to attend the birthday party of a very Irish friend of ours.  It was at this gathering where I was introduced to a new St. Patrick's day refreshment, the Irish Car Bomb (not the best choice of names, but interesting nonetheless).  For those of you feeling a bit adventurous, give it a try:

1/2 shot of Irish Cream

1/2 shot of Irish Whiskey

1/2 pint of Guinness

Pour the Irish Cream and the Whiskey together into a shot glass.  Pour the Guinness into a pint glass.  Drop the shot glass into the pint glass and chug-a-lug. 

Try to drink it right away, as it does not look pretty in the glass.  When all of the alcohols mix, it looks as if the Irish Cream curdles.  The taste is delightful; it reminds me of dark chocolate.

And until the next Car Bomb blows: 

 

Sláinte agus táinte.

"Health and wealth!"

Fabulous Finds (?)*

* I apologize in advance for the overuse of all caps. I realize that it implies screaming... which is exactly what I intended.

Tonight, my friend Christy and I were watching the new NBC show Fashion Star. The show's premise is that you can buy the clothes of aspiring designers the moment the show is over. I found the whole thing unintentionally hilarious
, from the contestants to the judges. But the joke was on me when one of the
better designs was bought by H&M. It was a cute jersey dress with a small cutout in the back. As someone who has very loudly complained to anyone who will listen about the nearest H&M being in Phoenix, I didn't really care . . . UNTIL I FOUND OUT THAT YOU COULD BUY IT ON ONLINE!!!!!! Let me take a deep breath here for a second and explain that you can't buy ANYTHING on H&M online, so this was pretty freaking exciting.
So, at exactly 10:07, SEVEN MINUTES afters the show aired, I went to the site to purchase this awesome dress for 19.95 (!!!!!) to find out that it was SOLD OUT.
What. The. Hell.
Truly, I'm not an impulse buyer and when you throw in the fact that I have to measure myself to see what my tricky H&M size would be and then factor in the fact that I don't even know how to use a ruler, much less a measuring tape, this was never going to be a quick purchase. But really? SEVEN MINUTES?
I didn't want the stupid dress anyway.




~m~

Fabulous Finds

Poor genetics have blessed me with horrible eyesight, strange crater-like dimples, and the math skills of a really smart fourth-grader. But I thought I would give my elementary skills a go to figure out whether a certain purchase would be as great a bargain as it seemed on paper.

H&M has long been regarded as the Mecca for inexpensive fashion finds, and I always walk out of the store with something that I wear over and over. Since the closest H&M to me is in Phoenix, I usually just sigh at the ads in magazines, cry over the coupons being thrown at me on the iPad app, and roll my eyes at the incredibly priced items in Lucky layouts. But this little metallic number
                                                       
made me ponder the following sartorial word problem*:

                                                       How much does a $50 skirt cost?

Let's see.

It's 430 miles from El Paso to Phoenix. It costs roughly 3.65 for a gallon of gas, and I get 36 mpg. It will take 12 gallons to drive to Phoenix. It will cost 43.80 to fill up my Mini-Cooper's tank with 12 gallons of gas. Factor in $5 for a large Coke Zero and some candy bought somewhere between here and there. Add $5.95 for a #1 combo at In-N-Out as soon as I roll into Phoenix. Add $130 for a hotel. Ok, now add $50 plus some tax for the actual skirt. Realistically, add another $100 for other items that catch my eye; after all, I'm here only once or twice a year. Add $40 for a nice dinner and drinks to reward myself for finding such bargains. Another $45 for the gas to get back home. Now add $5.95 for another #1 (don't judge- again, I'm only here once or twice a year).

I believe the answer is (C) $425.70.

A total bargain. 

*This kind of math is fun. And to quote a very wise woman, if more math like was this, I would make every day "mathier."

~m~