Old School Elegance

    It's hard to believe that it's already August!  Fall clothing collections are coming out, and here are some of my favorites from Anthropologie.  I love Anthro's vintage-looking style.

Game Board Dress, $188

Obi Trousers, $128

Wrap Around Blouse, $98

Eastward Dress Coat, $288.  I think the collar and A-shaped silhouette are very chic - it reminds me of Jackie Kennedy, somehow! 

More music for you - Matt Nathanson

    Feel like smiling?  Good, me too.  Matt Nathanson is good mood music!  Never heard of Matt Nathanson?  Let me introduce you -

Bright and happy - the title track from his June 2011 album, "Modern Love".  Try not to smile or sing along, I dare you!

"Faster", the first single from "Modern Love".  I'm not sure about the mustache or Matt's attempts at dancing, but it sure is a fun song!

"Bottom of the Sea" - the last track on "Modern Love".  I love the bridge and the chorus: "I'm tired of getting even / Let's get odd, odd baby"

    Here's why I love Matt Nathanson's music: no sophomore slump, for a start.  He's been releasing music since 1993, and has definitely found a groove that works for him.  Solid lyrics, fun folk-rock music that's not over-produced, an artist who actually turned down the big-label scene to do his own thing... what a breath of fresh air!  Since his first big album, "Beneath These Fireworks", I really think Matt Nathanson has only gotten better.  Practice makes perfect, I guess!

The Great Escape

This has definitely been me lately!

Tour de Austin

    I'll be getting a very special visitor in just a week!  Since all of my college friends are over a thousand miles away, I love any chance to show off my home town to a visitor.  Some of them tease me about how much I love Austin, but it really is that amazing!  After they visit, they're converted.  I'm afraid I won't be able to drag this visitor back to Virginia, because he is really going to love ATX.
    This is a basic list of place that, to me, scream Austin.  It might be a jam packed week, but one way or another, he is going to get a big taste of Texas!

The Salt Lick - Austin's best BBQ ambiance.  No A/C, but boy is the food worth it!  Bring cash, because they don't take credit cards.  And definitely, definitely go to the original Driftwood location!

The Round Rock Express - Since my guest is a big baseball fan, we will be going to a Round Rock Express game.  We will be sweating out the August heat at a minor league game.  Maybe you won't really want to do this... but my guest will.  Oh the things we do for our loved ones...

The Texas Capitol - Everything's bigger in Texas!  Including our state capitol.  It's not the tallest, but counting the lower levels, it is the largest, by volume, of course.  And how many state capitols have also been national capitols?  Not many.

Fun fact - you can get married in the capitol, but you can't reserve it.  I nearly saw a Texas-sized version of Bride Wars a couple of years ago!

South Congress Avenue - South Congress is funky!  I love it - so Austin.  Odd shops, great cafe's, trailer food (trust me, so good), pedestrian friendly... Keep Austin Weird is the only thing I can say!  I think we'll spend an afternoon exploring and getting my guest  acclimated to the funkiness!  Fortunately, he'll be in town for First Thursday, which is a party on SoCo!

Speaking of trailer food...

Sno Beach - the best sno cones I've ever had in my life!  Maybe this is where trailer food started?  It's made national food news now, by the way.  The wait in the heat is definitely worth it.  I actually think it tastes better after the heat!  This one is cash-only, too.

The Town Lake Trail - this one's free!  The trail runs in three miles, five miles, and, for the very brave, ten miles (although I've never tried that one!).  I plan on taking my dog down here with him, and maybe kayaking, too!

    This is just a start - obviously, this doesn't fill an entire week, but I think it's a great start!

Dabney Lee

   If you've read way back in my blog, you know that I'm a big fan of monograms.  To summarize - monogramming a gift makes it personal, obviously, and it shows that you care.  And that goes for gifts to yourself, too :)
   Like any good southern city, Austin has a few boutiques that specialize in personalized, monogrammed gifts.  At one of them, I found a fabulous clip-board that you can personalize - pick your background pattern, pick your monogram style, pick the color - it's all up to you!  So of course, it went on my Christmas list, and I found an excuse to bring it to every meeting and work it into every homework assignment.  Somehow, it made those boring things a lot more enjoyable!
   ...And then I fell in love with the rest of the Dabney Lee products.  And maybe you will too!

Salt & Pepper Shakers - $40 and too precious.  Great gift for a newlywed or engaged couple?

Notebook - $45.  Also, check out the cute stationery!

Playing Cards - $55.  Perfect for hosting!  I love the pattern combinations above.

 

And my own Dabney Lee product...

Preppy packaging!

LOVE.

Doggy Brain-Freeze

If this doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will.

Less is More!

I have a rule for make-up: less is more.

Some stars agree!

     Part of it is philosophical: I think that nothing is more beautiful than the best face you're born with.  There is a condition to that, though - I have no qualms about covering up any blemishes, dark under-eyes, or redness that come up from day to day.  But bright lipstick?  (Lipstick at all? No thank you.)  Lots of shiny eyeshadow?  Glitter?  Lash extensions  No thank you.  And during the summer, you really don't want any more on your face than you must have.

For me, natural is best.  I think it works pretty well, if I do say so myself.

   Instead of applying layer and layer of make-up, here's what I suggest: keep it simple.  When in doubt, keep it to three products (this goes for a lot of things, actually).  I use concealer, a mineral powder "foundation", and mascara (and grey eyeliner if I'm feeling really fancy).  If you have perfect skin, maybe try mascara, blush, and lip gloss.  What I love about using just three products is that it makes you look polished without looking over-done.  You look fresh, clean, and young (and it's cost-effective!).  Play around, and figure out what three products work for you!  

Mid-Day Text Messages

"Left for lunch."

"Oh, I see how it is. 

 Just in time to miss mopping the bathroom?"

"Yep :)"

"Men."

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

    This summer, I have thrown myself into PR!  I'm reading blogs, working on it at two internships, working on it for campus organizations, and dreaming about doing even more PR! in my spare time.  Good public relations is important because you cannot buy a good reputation.  And if you ever really thought about it, you know that your web presence can make or break your reputation.  For my millennial generation (and, increasingly, companies) web presence = social media.  Yep, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, and the rest of them really can have an impact on real life (just ask Anthony Weiner!).  Unflattering, unprofessional social media can leave you unemployed, which nobody wants.
   The number one rule of social media I've picked up on this summer?

DON'T BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU.

    At a PR firm, don't bash your clients' poster boy.  In a campus organization, don't tell anyone how you wish you could do such-and-such with XYZ group instead of ABC group.  Personally, never, ever, EVER take a disagreement online.  Be above all that.  Stay neutral, keep your cards close to the vest.  You'll look professional, and you'll leave doors open for yourself by not creating enemies.  I think that's worth the small effort it takes to clean up your act online.

Super Bass and Feminism

"...Yes I did, yes I did, somebody please tell him who the F I is
I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up, back coupes up, and chuck the deuce up..."

(Super Bass)

"...And yes you'll get slapped if you're lookin' hoe
I said, excuse me you're a hell of a guy..."

(Super Bass)

"...Yo, all I do is win ain't that the reason that you really mad?
Undisputed, hailing all the way from Trinidad
I ain't mad Ma, I see you with your bummy swag
I’m in that money green Jag lot of money bags,
I told Khaled that you the best but I’m the bestest
better run for cover if your name is on my checklist
you can talk slick all the way down to the welfare
as the IRS b*tch I’m paying for your healthcare..."

(All I Do Is Win remix)

   Nicki Minaj is a hip-hop/rap artist from New York City, and is part of Lil' Wayne's label.  Some (including me, usually) think she's a little rough around the edges, and she has said in interviews that she purposefully tries to tone down the sexiness.  That used to bother me - I didn't like her prideful attitude or her aggressiveness.  But then a friend suggested something - she's a woman in a style of music dominated by men.  She has to be tough, in order to compensate!  She has to be tough, arrogant, and prideful because that is what listeners expect from good male rappers, and Nicki wants to be taken seriously, like them.

   Nicki Minaj isn't the only woman in a male-dominated field who feels like she has to compensate for something.  We've all heard of the "glass ceiling" that keeps women out of traditionally-male practices.  Well, Nicki Minaj and other courageous women are breaking the glass ceiling, but in some ways, I think of them are selling out.

    Take Nicki's video for "Super Bass", above.  The artist who wants to tone-down her sexiness is dancing seductively and rapping about picking up guys at a club!  This is nothing new, though.  I've heard so many stories of women in engineering or cut-throat corporate positions who feel like they need to emphasize their sexiness at work.  I assume they hope that their colleagues who are slow to warm up to female co-workers will like them better if they do this.  Ladies, resist the urge to do this!  You do not  need to be sexy to be taken seriously (and it probably hurts your chances)!  Just be professional.  What good is it to climb the corporate ladder if you have to more or less sell your body to do it?  That's not the way I want to see the glass ceiling broken.  You are valuable because of your mind and your skills, not your body (and if you're only valuable to your employer because of your body, start looking for a new job).  

    So to Nicki and anyone else who's tempted to give in to the pressure to be sexy, not professional, I say stay strong!  Better to be known as a little rough around the edges than a woman who's only worth is in her figure and face.

New Wallet - Help Me Decide!

    Now that I have a paying job this summer, I've been able to get a couple of things I've been eyeing for a while.  Next on the list is a wallet - a full sized, adult looking wallet.  I've found a few that I like at Kate Spade, but I'd love to hear what you think about them!

"Mercer Street Lacey", in natural

"Mott Street Stacy", in black

"Mott Street Lacey", in black

"Tudor City Stacy", in black (love the polka dot accent!)

"Cobble Hill Stacy", in black

   Which one should I get?  Leave a comment!

"Harry Potter is a wimp"

 "Harry Potter is a wimp.  He just needs to use his power!  He's all 'oh no, what am I going to do?' and the other guy is scared to death of him.  Harry just needs to get over it and fight the guy."

- Bo's thoughts on the Harry Potter series (note: he hasn't seen the last movie or read any of the books yet)

A Case of the Mondays

"...symptoms of a useless or horrible Monday morning after returning from the weekend..." - Urban Dictionary

   No matter how great the weekend was, it is still back to the "real world" on Monday morning.  Who really likes Mondays, anyway?  Not me.  This morning I woke up with a bad case of The Mondays, and I'm sure I'm not alone!  Tired, unmotivated, feeling a little sick?  Yep, that's me.  And since no one should have to suffer through The Mondays all day, here's what I do to fight the symptoms:

1. Coffee - it's hard to feel tired when you're full of caffeine.  And even if you don't usually drink coffee, a case of The Mondays is a good reason to make an exception.
2. Give yourself something to look forward to - pack a great lunch, make plans to see friends or exercise after work, wear a great outfit...  Any little fun thing to make work more bearable!
3. Work on a project you enjoy - for instance, today I'm going to take a break from filing (oh, the glorious life of an intern!) and do a little website criticism.  My English major heart loves editing and websites are a big part of a company's PR, so this project combines several things I like into one not-so-bad project.
4. Get out of the office, even just for a few minutes - look for an excuse to run an errand, or eat lunch outside of the office.  Fresh air always gets me in a better mood!
5. Listen to music... if you're allowed to - I can always relate to Duffy's "Mercy" on a Monday!  But if you really want something that fits your case of The Mondays... check these guys out. (Disclaimer: I haven't listened to their music. Yet.)
6. Take a break and watch videos of cute animals - I recommend the whistling golden retriever for cuteness or the bacon dog for laughs.
7. If all else fails, remind yourself that it won't last forever, and tomorrow won't be Monday.  And you'll be one day closer to the weekend!

Outfit of the Day: Lazy Sunday

   Perfect Sunday outfit, I think - comfy, colorful, and suitable for church (it's a very casual one), crafting, and a family outing to the movies!

Shirt: Anthropologie

Jeans: Paige 

Flip flops: J. Crew

Click the links for to see the products

 

Garnet Hill

   Anyone out there like Garnet Hill?  They are a clothing and home decor company, based in New Hampsire, and I'm a big fan of their bedding.  And the fact that Garnet Hill carries Lilly Pulitzer bedding is just the cherry on top!  Their bedding looks so fresh, clean, bright, and happy!  Check out a few of my favorites:

Everyday Percale Bedding, $14 - $69.  Good deal!

Cotton Stripe Rug Collection, by Dash and Albert, $28 - $385

Canecroft Flat-Weave Wool Rug, $68 - $228.  I love the set-up, and it also comes in navy!

Let-It-Rain Percale Bedding, $14 - $34.  On sale right now... I'm so tempted!  Loving the umbrellas!

Sabrina Quilt and Sham, $38 - $138.  Also on sale, also tempting...

And how beautifully styled are these photos?

   I'm ready for my beach vacation, now!  Anyone else love these patterns?