Happiness is....

A heat wave in late September?  Well, since we basically froze this summer in California I would have to say YES!  Last Thursday when the local weather guy said there was "warm weather right around the corner for the weekend" I gave the tv the ol' eye roll and kept on walking.  "Suuuuure there is Dallas Raines," I said right out loud in my own home (where no one else was at the time except two cats who "pretend" not to know what I'm saying half the time - except when food is involved, of course).  Never in a million did I think I'd wake up on Friday morning to the scent of warm summer air - it's a real smell you know! - and temperatures already at 75 degrees when I stepped outside at 10:30am.  Cut to Saturday when we were full blazing hot at 8am and it became apparent that Dallas had struck weatherman gold aka his predictions were spot on.

Suffice it to say happiness is also the cool comfort of a movie theater after you've relived several summer dreams you thought you had been robbed of (read:  strolling in the warm air wearing a tank top, skirt and sandals at 10pm, visiting a few of your most fave brunch places to lounge leisurely in the warm air over early afternoon brunch, and tending to your fruit and vegetable garden in the warmth of the day). Saturday and Sunday saw us in LA with temperatures over 100 degrees both days.  After puttering around doing warm weather things all day we took the ultimate lazy day summer retreat to escape the heat at the movies where we saw Never Let Me Go (starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley) on Saturday and The Town (starring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm) on Sunday night.  Both of these movies, in my opinion, were excellent.  If you haven't seen The Town yet I will only say that Ben Affleck must have taken some acting lessons because he did a great job.  I'm a huge fan of Carey Mulligan and she was brilliant in Never Let Me Go...it ended up being nothing like I expected. If you enjoy movies that make you stop and think then you will likely enjoy its themes - they will definitely be playing over and over in my mind for weeks to come.  Has anyone read the novel it's based on by Kazuo Ishiguro?  I'd be interested to get your take...

 this is the look of sheer "summer didn't abandon us after all" elation

I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be greeted by warm gentle breezes leaving the theatre.  We seized the moment to zip across the street to our favorite watering hole just to visit the bartender and sip on the best cold cocktails in town. I noticed so many people wearing cute summer outfits, sandals, up-do's...everything I saw very little of in June, July and August.  Even though we were all scorching I noticed no one looked unhappy, and for a moment we were all on the same happy team.  Now when does that happen in LA? hehe

Oh!  And happiness is also guest posting for another blogger!!  Jess at Cheap But Chic was so kind to invite me to her blog today.  I mentioned the post last week and it should be up around 6am EST - it is a side by side comparison review complete with pictures of Tucker by Target's signature blouse with one from the brand's regular line.  If you've been holding off making a purchase from either line this post might help you out.  Please stop by and take a look!!

Hope you had a great weekend!  Was the weather crazy warm in your parts of the country/world?

How To Twist Your Ankle In 5 Seconds Or Less

Starring the Pierre Hardy Denim Wedge for Gap.

When I first saw these all I can say is there was an audible gasp.  I love denim, I love a good wedge for summer, and I will take every opportunity to support Gap when it looks like it's doing anything that remotely resembles regaining its once former glory (which to me was excellent denim and basics).

So when the Pierre Hardy summer line was released and this shoe almost immediately became unavailable in my size online I tracked it down and had it shipped.  And then I waited.  So excited.

It arrived.  I opened the box and took it out.  Still so excited.

I took one shoe out of the box and took a picture of it. "You're home now," I said to it.  Seriously.  I'm crazy like that.

And then I took both shoes, went into my office, sat down at the desk and began thinking about the great post I was going to write to you about these shoes.  Then I put them on my feet.  And almost immediately my arches began to ache.

I realize you haven't known me very long, but I have a lot of shoes and a lot of them have high heels.  I say this to say I am no stranger to wearing high heels - stick, wedge or otherwise - for long periods of time without any (or at least very minimal) discomfort.  I have never been sitting down, without having walked in a heel, and had my feet ache.  Ever.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.  So I walked down the hall, still in the shoes, to answer the door.  And damn near broke my neck!  Can you say busted ankle?  How about hip replacement?  Or maybe neck brace?

Collecting myself from a tragic yelp and near fall, not to mention major embarrassment, I retrieved a package from the mailman who must have thought I was drunk, insane or maybe both.  I mean there I was with majorly tossed up salad for hair wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt stumbling around in the middle of the afternoon in sky high denim wedges.  Can you imagine what these people must encounter on a daily basis?  Good grief.  I was utterly mortified.

It was then I realized the dream was dead and it was not going to work for me and the denim wedge.  So I tiptoed over to the couch with the last shred of my dignity (I was not going to take those shoes off in front of the mailman and admit defeat) and got out the camera for one photo.

There it is above.  Note the slightly red ankle on closest foot. The shoes then went back into the box from whence they came and returned to the Gap. 

Hats off to all the sweet bloggers wearing the wedge with the fabric bows!  You go girls!  Me and my ankles (and arches) are gonna sit this one out.  xo