Get it in Gear

This morning I had the misfortune of having to take my car into the shop due to it having recently decided that reverse is no longer in its vernacular. Apparently drive must also be under consideration for the heave-ho pile because yesterday found me jammed in front of the neighbor's garage desperately trying to escape. Funnnnnn times over here, people.

Having grown up on a farm I consider myself well-versed in phrases like, 'DAD WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH MY CAR??!?!?!'. I'm sure you city dwellers feel much the same about your situations, if you have a dad (or a mom) who understand things about flushing the transmission and so on and so forth. All I have to say is between my dad and google I was able to go in at least semi-prepared (read: not a total deer in headlights) and feel as though they could not take advantage of me. It sucks to have to distrust the car people, but they brought it on themselves.

I was also sure to arrive looking somewhat tattered, like I mean business but without a suit. Picked up off the closet floor from yesterday-chic, if you really must know. Why mess with a good thing? Another lady in there gave me a nod when I walked by. She was wearing a military jacket and a sleek ponytail. I see ya lady, I see ya. Never let 'em see you sweat!!

~Beanie (old)-Wooden Ships, Sweater-J.Crew (alternate color here), Denim-Current/Elliott, 

Belt-Old Stud Handmade, Bag-TKBags, Boots-NDC Made by Hand (here in black)~

Case in point as to why one should never look a good closet dive in the mouth.

REBIRTH
-------------------------------

Oh and ps--I'm going to see the new Twilight tonight. FOURTEEN YEAR OLD STYLE!

But Mo-om I Don't Want to Wear Pants

Spring.

That glorious time when you pull out the floral prints and wear them with glee.  That time when strolling around in denim shorts is no longer met with the looks of bewilderment you encountered during your weather denial phase in December. That time when maybe you shouldn't have been so eager to jump around in sandals and bare legs over the Easter weekend because the allergy attack you thought you were having despite never having had one of that nature before has actually turned out to be the flu.

Fail.

It was fun while it lasted.

Spring uniform.

~Low Luv Rings, Vanessa Mooney Bracelets, Thrifted Belt, TK Bag~

~Favorite Tucker Blouse, Current/Elliott Shorts, Swedish Hasbeens Shoes~

That's all I've got. Back to bed.

Why don't you tell me how you really feel about it?

On Saturday I rolled into the kitchen decked out in one of my usual outfits of choice: faded, ripped up slim jeans, a white t and a pair of ankle boots. It was an exciting day: this pair of ankle boots is new. And it has buckles. What can I say? It's the little things, people.

As I glanced sideways in the mirror while strolling down the hall, something seemed off. I stopped, turned, walked back and stood there a moment assessing the situation. Hmmmm. Back in the kitchen (really I'm still on the first entrance but gave you a little context) I say to the Chef, who is so kindly assisting with litterbox duty, 'Dude. Does something about this say Peter Pan?' To which he responds by looking up and proceeding to double over in laughter, 'No, no! I actually never would have thought that. But now that you say it...' Well now.

Taking it back down the hallway I trade out the jeans for a slightly slimmer and much darker pair. Victory. Balance. No Neverland for me today, after all. Turning to the Chef I say, 'Better, right?' Not so much a question, but rather an eyerolling whew.

To which he turns to me straightfaced and says, 'Yeah, but you might want to give your skallywags another roll.'

Everyone's a comedian.

~Details: random t, Current/Elliott-Jeans, Vintage-Belt, Joie-Boots, TK-Bag, Anthro-Sunglasses~

~Vanessa Mooney-Necklace and Bracelets (L), Low Luv-Thunderbird, MarcxMarc-Coil Ring, 

Made With Love-Blue Bracelets~

Childhood pastime: taking a moment to observe the ants. They've got it down.

Skallywags? Reeeeally now?

Here I am demo'ing how I crush his head (kids in the hall voice)...

HAHAHA! I kid, I kid!!

Riding Shotgun

There we were Saturday afternoon, on the open road weaving around in traffic trying to figure out where the hell we were going when I looked at the clock and saw 3:55pm.  Dude.  We're not gonna make it.  Should we just turn around and say whatever with it?

We kept moving, I figured out how to read a map (really not my strong point and probably why I'm a  self-proclaimed wanderer) and we got where we were going, but in my mind I can still see 3:55 on the dashboard clock. I heard a reporter say this weekend, 'This will be one of those events you look back on and remember exactly what you were doing when it happened.' The this being Whitney Houston passing away.  I'm not going to wax on like she was my best friend, although in my 20's I'm pretty sure I thought she was given how much playtime her music got.  My girls and I used to blast out I'm Every Woman like no other.  Damn.  No more Whitney.

What a tragedy.

And no I'm not going to get into her handstands at the Beverly Hilton.  Let's just remember her as the legend she was.

Before hearing the news we had a rad day.  Decent weather, roamed the streets of the fabric district, I pretended not to be scared of the drug dealer with the shopping cart, took in a Vanessa Mooney sample sale and laughed like a hyena when a guy screamed at the sight of a full-grown Bull Mastiff entering the elevator as he was exiting.  Outfit?  Uh, sorry. This is all I got.  In-car chic is the new black?

~Details: Martin +Osa (RIP)-Plaid Shirt, Alexa Chung-Skirt (seen here), Frye-Boots, TK-Bag, 

Vanessa Mooney-Necklace & Bracelet, here~

And here's Whitney Houston. She really was every woman.

Raining Cats and Dogs

It's a hot mess in Southern California right now folks.  We've had rain for 4 days straight and there's no end in sight.  Yesterday we were supposed to get between 5 and 10 inches and I wouldn't be one bit surprised if it was more.  People are either driving like maniacs or grannies - both techniques causing mad collisions:  approximately 264 on Saturday alone.  Drains are flooding, urban campers are fighting in the alleys over dry cardboard shelters and neighbors are arguing amongst themselves amidst the drone of car horn alarm systems far and wide that are failing due to wind and wet.

A trip to UPS allowed me to survey the damage and report back to you.  Warning:  unlike television's onsite reporters, I do not care to wear "the make-up" in a torrential downpour.  I do however enjoy hauling out the appropriate rain gear.  Might as well seize the day!

I call this the "wait a minute I think it's stopped".

No.  That would be a miscalculation on my part.

They call this maneuver the "wait! there's debris in the road!! I need

to slam on the brakes and get rear-ended by speeders behind me".

Flooded drains mean water darn near over the curb.
Cars splooshing through at top speed splashing pedestrians.
Niiiiiiiice last minute shoppers.

I came back home to the neighbors blasting
each other out as one moved out and apparently got
on the older lady neighbor's nerves.
Get over it honey!  We're all getting pelted in the face
with rain and playing cat and mouse in traffic!!
(of course I didn't actually say that, but sure did think it)

Onward and upward to Friday when I fly out to the motherland aka Canada for Christmas...what are the chances of me making it to LAX in under 2 hours without an ark?  (for a 20 minute drive...heeeeeelllllppp meeeeeeee).

P.S. - If you need a last minute gift for yourself or the BFF don't forget Melinda Maria Jewelry is offering 30% off everything in their online store to readers of This Free Bird now through January 15, 2011.  Use Promo Code FREEBIRD30 at checkout.

Outfit details:  Zac Posen for Target-Rain Jacket, Martin+Osa-Hoodie, American Apparel-Leggings, Hunter-Wellies+Liners, TK Bag

*UPDATE* - Have your guys visited Mara at M Loves M?  She is one of my daily reads - I love her kind heart and great outfits, as well as the fun relationship she shares with her fiance.  Mara's been hosting a Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange and featured my Thimble Cookies today...totally check her out and read back through all the amazing and fun cookies that have been previewed!! I think these just might be the cutest ones I've ever seen.

Pennywise? Is That You in the Drain?

Today started out with mad buckets of rain before the sun was even up.  De-lish!  I love a good rain storm and immediately rolled over and went back to sleep to wait for the 8:15 alarm.  Cue thunder and lightning - so instead I just laid there in my cozy bed, covers pulled up around my ears, listening to a storm we aren't usually so lucky to get here in Southern California.  By noon it still hadn't let up, so I walked out of my office, opened the front door and stood there a moment before grabbing the camera as the rain poured down.

Crazy, huh?  You can totally see the flooding along the sidewalk.

By late afternoon I was in a full-on mood for comfort food so before the Yankees game could start (heeelp me)  we ran out to grab some essential ingredients in the midst of a torrential downpour.  

Have you ever read Stephen King's "It"?  I gotta say - that book had me looking under the bed, down the sink, in the pipes, and over my shoulder for months.  I could barely glance at an old newspaper or yearbook for years without thinking an image was going to speak to me.  And storm drains?  Oh hell no.  I would cross to the other side of the street.  Yet I have to admit - even as I was crossing I would be looking back over my shoulder to see if Pennywise the Dancing Clown was staring back at me from the drain, holding out a balloon to entice me, just waiting to rip my freaking arm out of the socket!!

 What was that Pennywise?  You want me to hand you the lid 

to your soda?  Nice try bitch - I don't think so.

You in there? I hear the circus music...

NOT FUNNY CHEF!! (my bf for those who just started following)

Okay funny haha you got me.  Just don't do it again.

Especially not while the neighbor's watching me from his front porch 

as I stare into the drain hollering for Pennywise.  Good grief.

I see you trying to pass me the fake shoe that'll 

turn into a big moth and chew my face off, Pennywise!

(He knew your greatest fears and used them to terrorize you to death!!)

The funny thing is though, Pennywise could morph into all kinds of different

things - whatever IT needed in order to get rid of you.

One minute I'm standing on the sidewalk.

The next a truck comes zooming up out of nowhere and, 

despite ample room to park all over the street, 

it veers up onto the sidewalk directly behind me!!

Coincidence?  I think not...IT!

 

One of my favorite things about the story is how it brings a group of misfit kids together and paints a picture of the bonds of unbreakable friendship (amidst ultimate childhood nightmares come true - thanks Stephen King).  Along the way the group learns that it is what they believe will work that ultimately succeeds when they come up against the thing itself...which means I'm going to make like Eddie and sleep with an asthma inhaler under my pillow from now until the trauma of 'It' memories subside.  If I think of it as bleach in the eyes - then it can be.

Outfit details:  Wooden Ships-Beanie, A&F-Sweater, A&F-Scarf, Splendid-Leggings, Kate Spade-Rain boots, TK Bags-Handbag

Make New Friends, But Keep The Old

Saturday afternoon found me in a hot mess of places I've temporarily sworn off of (think wallet restriction) - J.Crew, Free People, Zara, Barneys...  Why do I do this to myself?  Is it on purpose?  Perhaps to test my volition?  Quite honestly, I don't have a specific answer.  All I know is I escaped with wallet intact and two pairs of tights in bag. (Okay and a jacket.  But it was on steep sale so I get a pass).  Whatever the case, something wonderful happened as we strolled about - I was stopped at least ten times by women and men asking where I got my boots.  It's a wonderful feeling when you've leapt off your wallet for something you love only to find yourself twelve months later with strangers sharing your sentiments - especially when you're trying to save yourself from falling into boot cavern 2010. 

Making new friends is a treasured experience (present company included of course!), but there is something delicious about having old ones who know your secrets.  These are the relationships that don't require words, where trust has been built upon a firm foundation of shared good and bad times.  And so it goes, at least for me anyway, with my closet.  I love to go on the hunt for a new certain something - a dress, a unique ring or bangle for the jewelry collection, the perfect pair of jeans...or even better - the ultimate boot.  The act of discovering that "thing" is oftentimes just as exciting as the thing itself - but the relationship is truly put to the test once I get it home.  Is it as great as I thought it was?  Does it work with as many things as I'd anticipated?  Do I still want to wear it all the time after a couple of months?  Only the test of time will tell.  And so it has been with my military boots.  They have proven to be a never fail - I jumped at the chance to wear them in the summer when it was cool.  At first sight of fall I busted them out here in what turned out to be one of my favorite outfit posts yet.  And on Saturday they helped me to remember (as did everyone who complimented them) that I don't neeeeeeeeeed a new pair of boots.  Only a new pair of heels.  I kid, I kid!!

Now that I think about it every single item in this outfit

has been with me for at least a year - some closer to two.

 

James Perse Cotton/Cashmere Thermal, J.Crew Military Jacket,

Aritzia Leggings, Joie Boots, J.Crew Argyle Socks (you can't see haha)

 We haven't quite mastered the gloomy day camera settings, 

but somehow the faded images fit the day perfectly.

 My bad the bag has only been around for 3 or 4 months,

but with how often it's seen here you can probably tell it's a fave.

And it was one of those - see it, have to have it, step away from it Carrie, 

can't get it out of my mind, gotta return and get it! items.

You know those, right? hehe

And while we're on the shopping topic, how is your fall wardrobe coming along?  Have you been able to work in some of your old friends and keep the new ones to a minimum?  Or do you find yourself in a whole new circle of friends? hehe  Would love to hear what some of your faves currently are.  And hopefully the weekend was kind to you as well.  Oh Mondays - they sure to reappear quickly.

When The Rain Comes

The past couple days have been rainy, damp and cold.  It's crazy to think that it was over 110 degrees just a week ago yet now it's sopping wet.  And now time for yet another blog confession:  yesterday I got up, worked for awhile, ran an errand, and went back to bed until almost 3pm.  Oops!  I just couldn't help myself.  The rain was pouring down, the heater came on, my bed was looking so fluffy and the next thing you knew I was in it.  Every once in awhile you just need a nap.

Usually rain highly motivates me.  It was probably all those years living in Seattle that conditioned me.  Oh yeah they conditioned me all right - to work and to acquire rain boots.  They line my closet like little soldiers.  Mock me if you will dear friends, but even if it rains once a year I put those boots to good use all day long.  It doesn't help matters much now that there are so many fun pairs to choose from!!  I  know you're with me...I read your blogs!

After it stopped pouring last evening we ran an errand and stopped to catch the sunset.  I wore my boots.  It was still damp and in Southern California that's reason enough.

Sometimes the rainiest days end with the most incredible sunsets.

Take note.  This is about as deep as I go in water.  Record.

Hunter.  Oldies, but goodies.  Fleece liners = faves.

Chef said something about "baseball playoffs".
This was just my immediate reaction.

In the distance I heard, "I'll leave you here" mumble mumble.
what-ever

This is becoming a common move of mine. 

No rainy day is complete without splashing in puddles 

and laughing with other adults who might be laughing at you.

It got a little wild.  As puddle jumping should.

Outfit details:  Club Monaco-Cashmere Sweater, American Apparel-Leggings, Hunter-Wellies and Fleece Liners, J.Crew-Belt and Hat, TK Bags-Handbag, Melinda Maria-Rings

Last night some weather lady (who was totally wearing the most inappropriate "da club" dress while reporting the weather - what's up with that?) said that it's going to be in the upper 80's and 90's for both Saturday and Sunday so she hoped we didn't put our tank tops away just yet.  Wait.  Was she wearing a tank top that I mistook as a dress?  You can never really tell these days. Just ask Laurenne - she saw it first hand.  I rest my case.

Field of Fall Fashion

This past week in Canada has been a whirlwind of trampoline jumping, snack eating, hot tubbing, first day of schooling, game playing, fort building, and hugs with my niece and nephew.  In between all of these things, as I mentioned in the last post, the Chef and I managed to sneak out and take in some of Calgary's shopping including Holt Renfrew, Aritzia, and Club Monaco.  Yesterday after dropping my niece off for her first day of kindergarten *and subsequently crying with her mom on the way to the car, all the way back home, and for more than a few minutes upon our return - to be honest I think I might cry all year at the thought of her skinny little legs walking around the corner to the classroom all by herself* the Chef and I wandered outside and grabbed some photos on what turned out to be a quintessential Canadian fall day.

I was so excited to be able to pull out my over the knee socks...

and really have the weather to wear them in.

The military boots and bag brought the whole look together.

Once again the bubble skirt came to the rescue.

This time with a cashmere sweater from Club Monaco

that I cinched at the waist with a weathered belt from J.Crew (seen here).

I wonder if J.Crew ever thought their skirt would end up in a barley field?

I hope it gets cool enough to wear this outfit in Southern California.

The sad thing is this pretty girl next to me won't be there

to hang out after school.

Bye Canada - see ya next time.

Outfit details:  Club Monaco Cashmere Sweater, Gap Camis, J, Crew Belt, J.Crew Chino Bubble Skirt, Falke OTK Striggings, Joie Military Boots,  TK Military Bag, Melinda Maria Jewelry

A Good Samaritan and a Swiss Bank Bag

Monday again.  I find these "Mondays" of ours particularly difficult to deal with coming off of a refreshing weekend, and refreshing it was.  That was the sound of a deep exhale.

Friday night the Chef and I decided to go to his place.  Trouble was we were at my place and had to make it over there.  This might sound like a small task, but there was so much to be done in order to make that happen.  Read:  catch up on Dateline, 20/20 and 48 Hours.  So by the time we pulled it together it was midnight and we found ourselves at In-N-Out Burger (aka manna from heaven - and for those of you not in AZ, CA, NV, UT please get to one of these locations stat to get a taste of what is rightfully yours).  As we were pulling out of the parking lot there was a man on the sidewalk amidst a bunch of teenage boys and he appeared to be asking them a question.  They all had the deer in the headlights look, so he began to cross in front of the car and I said to the Chef, "be careful.  This one might be packing the crazy."  He had made eye contact with me as he crossed in front and, sure enough, came to the Chef's window and began talking so he rolled it down a bit.  At this point the man asked where the nearest gas station was - which was well over a mile away - because he had run out of gas.  When we responded truthfully he asked for a ride.

Enter:  conundrum.  We are helpers by nature, but we are in Southern California - not the rural farming community I grew up in - this is no joke.  It was such an awkward moment because the guy looked a little disheveled and kinda dirty, but I guess I would too if I ran out of gas and was frantically looking for help after midnight.  And we truly did want to help, so we offered to take his container, fill it up, and return it to him.  He obliged and as we were returning with the gas I said to the Chef, "what a damn shame it is that we can't even give someone who needs a ride - a ride - for fear of our lives.  What kind of world do we live in where we can no longer feel safe helping someone?"  It truly made me very sad.  When we got back we gave him his container of gas and his change, and insisted we didn't want any compensation for helping someone who needed help.  And I apologized to him for not being comfortable to give him a ride, and even though he understood I pressed the point of the apology because I felt really bad to have had to leave him standing on the corner at bloody 12:30 in the morning.  Oy.

This is how the weekend began.  That experience, and several others of late, caused me to change my weekend cleaning plans.  Instead, early Saturday afternoon we hauled out of the house and decided to grab poolside brunch and cocktails at a small spot in the Chef's neighborhood.  We don't usually do this kind of lunch/brunch outing, but it was so nice and warm that we gave it a go.  What a wonderful idea.  If you follow me on twitter you saw a picture of our cocktails at, oh, roughly 5pm.  That's right.  We were there for hours people!!  I ended up chatting with a woman who grew up in the Bronx and now lives in Mexico with her husband who is a Chef, but has abandoned the profession to make handmade leather goods.  Yeah, get there ladies - he cooks and makes accessories.  She was the tiniest little bird who told me about her two kids, their lives in Mexico, that she's a trained dancer, did a little hip-hop imitation, took off her leather bracelet and tied it around my wrist...oh my gosh the stories I could release.  I never laughed so hard and had so much fun.  She was completely awesome (Chef says I have my first girl crush - hehe) and if I had stayed inside and done the laundry I would have never met her.  And what are the odds in LA where, no offense to anyone in LA because I love it, people are not always so down to earth and friendly?  She noted my handbag - made from authentic Swiss bank bags for reals - and I oooohed and ahhhhed over her belt and the rest was history.  I had been regretting the frivolous purchase of that unnecessary bag, but it ended up being the catalyst to a fantastic afternoon filled with laughter, a new friend, and a bracelet.  Life's too short.  The laundry can wait.

There's the lucky bag and my new bracelet.

Here's a close-up.  We were flying sans camera so this is it.

 Here you find the picture of a content woman post cocktails

...and an afternoon of stories and laughs. Yay!
(and yes that is a slight tilt)

Too bad there's a pile of work waiting for me this week, as well as a boatload of laundry, but that's okay because the weekend's coming. Ha! Wait a sec...I guess it may not get done then either?  Uh-oh!

What did you guys do?  Happy Monday!