Finals food

This post got lost in all the excitement of the past couple weeks. I blame final exams, papers, a whirlwind road trip to upstate New York and NYC, settling into my summer place in Boston, and flying back to Madison to see the fam and friends. With everything that’s happening, it’s nice to remember the simple things. The comforting things. Like food. And this has been my version of comfort food lately.

I’m a self-proclaimed bread addict, and few things are as satisfying as dipping fresh bread in oil and vinegar. One of those few things includes dipping fresh bread in oil and vinegar with a sprig of fresh rosemary, courtesy of Sherri.

I have been consuming inordinate amounts of mussels lately, courtesy of James. Mussels in wine, mussels in beer, mussels in vermouth, mussels cooked like the ancient Romans cooked them, you name it. Mussel omelets, mussel pasta…Some clams, too. And now that I look at the above picture, I realize that the stove is in dire need of cleaning. Please ignore that lower right-hand corner, even though I was kind enough to point you right in the direction of the embarrassing mess. It’s just the glare from the flash, I swear.

 

Color theory

My latest shopping trend? Shopping by color, matching all the items purchased at a particular store. Mind you, it was purely coincidental, but on my way home today, I realized that everything I purchased at CVS was bright green, and everything that came from the clearance rack at J. Crew was in shades of olive, which seems to be my staple color nowadays (see my maxi dress, supra).

And now that I think about it, everything that I purchased for Rachel’s bridal shower a couple of weeks ago was pink. So maybe I’m starting a new shopping trend. I think I shall tackle blue next.

 

Law in bloom

After a relatively long stretch of chilly and dreary days, it was nice to be able to sit outside the law school to do some reading. The sun was out, the flowers were in bloom, and I had just come back from an LSRJ event dedicated primarily to sex trivia (with a healthy dose of wine and cheese).

And a few days ago, I discovered an odd sculpture right by Union Station. I vaguely recall that there used to be a giant shoe there, which I mistook for a Shoe Woo ad. Now it’s a tribute to technology.

 

Chilling out, maxing, relaxing, all cool

I’m not a maxi person. When I last wore a maxi skirt (sophomore year of college), I felt that it was a bit too hippie for my taste/personality. Then the skirt ripped along one of the seams, and I saw that as an excuse to trash it, even though it would have been a very easy fix.

Lately, though, maxi dresses have been all over the place — including EverybodyEverwear, of course — and they looked so comfy that I couldn’t resist spending $10 on a basic one at Forever 21. I wanted to balance out the flowy silhouette somewhat, so I brought out the wedges and leather jacket and have been perfectly comfortable so far, chilling out, maxing, and relaxing.

Dress: Forever 21
Jacket: Wilson Leather
Shoes: Kenzie
Earrings: Souvenir from Germany

That’s the library right behind me. Yes, I was brave enough to take these photos on campus, despite the persistent fear of getting weird looks from classmates. You see, if I’m taking photos in front of The Library (of Congress, that is), I can pretend that I’m a tourist. If I’m on campus, I have to pretend that I have a perfectly good reason for taking a random photo. Non-bloggers just don’t understand.

 

Black/brown, winter/summer

Whenever I buy something, I generally don’t wait a long time to use it — or, in the case of clothing, wear it. A couple of weeks ago, as we were in Georgetown, Emma handed me a skirt from the Anthropologie sale rack. It was just my size and incredibly cheap by Anthro standards, so I couldn’t resist. Problem? I was itching to wear it, but it’s not exactly warm in DC right now. Oh, what to do?

Shirt: The Limited
Skirt: Anthro
Tights: Hue
Hat: Macy’s
Scarf: ???
Shoes: Target

*Pardon the poor quality, but my camera is the custody of my mother, who didn’t want to take her bulky DSLR overseas. The iPhone has to fill in for the time being.

I decided to wintrify the breezy, summery skirt by wearing it with tights, a hat, and a scarf. Oh, and what’s that? Am I wearing a black shirt with brown accessories? I blame the skirt, which incorporates both black and brown, thus giving me a free pass.

 

Over the weekend

This weekend was characterized by warmth, sunshine, and an inordinate amount of time spent thinking about clothes — even more so than usual. And ants. And basketball. Because, you know, all those things go hand in hand.

After work on Friday, we went to a lecture by Edward Wilson, hosted by the Museum of Natural History as part of the Environmental Film Festival. Best moment of the evening: “Professor Wilson, you mentioned that smaller ants ride on top of larger ones to keep them safe from parasites by acting as flyswatters of sorts. Now, that sounds an awful lot like civilization…so should we be worried about what these ants might be up to???”

Saturday was spent brunching and shopping with Emma. We went to Founding Farmers, where we had the most amazing baby beignets with fresh raspberry and chocolate sauces. The crab benedict was darn good, too. And then we hit up Georgetown proper…

Shirt: Banana Republic
Jacket: The Limited
Jeans: Express
Belt: Kohl’l
Aviators: Ray-Ban
Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider

 

How much more Georgetown can I get than Sperry Top-Siders? (Okay, maybe Vineyard Vines or Lilly Pulitzer, neither of which I like.) I think my new roommate’s preppy style is already starting to rub off on me. Regardless, I was longing for a pair of comfortable, casual, classic flats, and these fit the bill. The soft, buttery leather completely won me over.

The, after screaming at my computer for a while (mostly on account of Pittsburgh’s lousy performance), it was time to get dolled up to go to the annual Tax Prom. I’m still kicking myself for not having taken pictures. Or for not having eaten more bacon-wrapped scallops, for that matter.

 

Porky pig

Whenever I return to Madison to see my friends and family, it’s almost a given that I’ll be eating out a lot. This time was no exception. Most places I tend to go to are tried and true (e.g., Takara), but every once in a while something less frequented comes up. Thursday night it was Brasserie V, chosen by MSB in part because it was not in the midst of all the political brouhaha downtown.

Although I had been to Brasserie V before, it was never for a proper dinner, but rather drinks with friends and a quick lunch. It was just as I remembered: cozy, but not cramped or overly intimate (and by that I don’t mean anything negative — in my restaurant vocabulary, “intimate” is reserved for romantic dates). We got there just in time to snag two stools by the window while we waited for a table — a big accomplishment at a small establishment like Brasserie V.

After warming up with a glass of St. Bernardus Pater 6 (which I’m not qualified to comment on, but I’m told it has notes of melon and very fresh banana), I ordered the pork-n-beans with kale and white bean puree. MSB opted for the confit duck leg with red wine gastrique, which, as our smartphones told us, was a reduction of wine, sugar, and fruit. Both dishes were delicious, and I found them to be sized just right.

For dessert, I couldn’t resist ordering the maple bacon bread pudding. Sounds strange, but in reality, it’s not much different from a bacon chocolate bar, and just as good. I had a hard time tasting the maple; MSB and his more refined palate didn’t seem to have that problem.

The best part, however, was the bread basket. A carb lover such as myself generally appreciates any kind of bread served before dinner, but this wasn’t about the bread. No sir, this was all about the butter — the delicious pistachio cranberry butter, which was enticing enough to convince MSB, who typically shuns carbs, to eat some bread. Replicating that little bit of sweet, nutty heaven may be my next culinary challenge (run for your life, dear roommate!).

 

Spot, skirt, stair

It’s Everybody Everywear time! This month features polka dots, which I haven’t worn in ages. I was hesitant at first, since I typically associate polka dots with more childish things, but then I found a floaty blouse at H&M that convinced me that adults could wear them, too.

Top: H&M
Skirt: The Limited
Leggings: Hue
Boots: Sofft
Belt: gift from mom
Earrings: The Limited

If the background looks different, it’s because I’m spending spring break with my parents in Madison (instead of in Rome like I was originally planning. But that’s okay. I’ll get to have lots and lots of sushi with some of my favorite people and eat delicious home-cooked meals. I’ll just have to have Italian wine with just about everything to pretend that I’m eating in uno piccolo ristorante…

 

Multiculturalism, i.e., my iTunes Top 10

I was recently told that I had a very multicultural iTunes library. Indeed, there are at least 5 nationalities represented in the top 10 most-played songs.

1. Billy Joel – Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
2. Lev Leschenko – Not a Moment of Rest (Ни минуты покоя) (YouTube video is not of the original performer)
3. Dean Martin – On an Evening in Roma
4. Joe Dassin – L’Equipe a jojo
5. Dean Martin – You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You
6. Bee Gees – Secret Love
7. Sublime – Santeria
8. Alejandro Fernandez – Sueño Contigo
9. Michael Peterson – Drink, Swear, Steal, and Lie
10. Mika – Stuck in the Middle

The only thing that they all have in common (besides the fact that James doesn’t like any of them!) is that they are fairly upbeat. Not necessarily something you’d dance to, but something that you could bop your head to — which I do all the time. And that, in a nutshell, is my musical taste.

Of course, this makes me wonder about my favorite bloggers’ Top 10…

 

First Friend Friday

In the absence of an interesting post-30 for 30 outfit to post, here are some musings on beauty products as part of my very first Friend Friday.

1. What’s your favorite drug store makeup product and your favorite higher-end product? Honestly, I haven’t used any drugstore makeup in ages, unless you count nail polish as makeup (I personally don’t; if you’re one of those who do, I go exclusively for the Sally Hansen brand). That’s not because I’m a snob, though; I just get my favorite higher-end products when they come with a free gift, which usually takes care of my other makeup needs. I’m a sucker for Clinique mascara — and their free gift bags are simply loaded with goodies.

2. Is there one type of product that is your go-to, can’t live without? As far as makeup, mascara, hands down. As mentioned above, I prefer Clinique, but in a bind, anything will do. As far as skin care, Origins Checks and Balances facial cleanser takes the cake. I have combination skin, and it degreases all the oily areas without being harsh on the dry ones and without leaving my skin feeling like a mask.

3. What’s the best hair product you’ve ever used? I’m an ignoramus when it comes to hair products. I’m that girl who uses 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner and then puts her hair up in a clip. The only hair product that I use on a regular basis — though I won’t necessarily say that it’s the best — is a smoothing serum by Garner Fructis that helps me get rid of of any flyaways.

4. Fess up, what’s the worst beauty look you’ve tried to rock and look back at now with a little shame or apprehension that you actually did that? In high school, I wore a lot of overly shimmery makeup, usually in shades of blue, purple, and green. I don’t have anything against color, but not for everyday wear, and not for high school girls who don’t know how to apply it correctly yet (blend! blend!). 

5. When it comes to beauty products, we all use the same basic products. What do you use that helps show off your personal flare and personality? I actually keep my makeup pretty subtle and don’t do much with my hair. Earrings are my go-to way of adding personality to my face. However, if I’m inclined to use beautify products for a bit of flare, I’ll go for a more colorful eyeshadow (usually matched to my outfit or jewelry). Also, because I virtually never wear lipstick, it definitely adds something extra when I do decide to wear it.

In other news, a few representatives from Brooks Brothers came to campus this week to discuss the basics of a professional wardrobe. I know my interviewing attire ABCs, so I figured that the presentation wouldn’t be terribly useful, but I couldn’t resist the free food that went along with it. Plus, I had a hunch that there would be coupons and giveaways (I was right). I actually walked away with some helpful tailoring tips from the female representatives that addressed some of my own suiting problems and learned a clever way of folding a suit jacket from traveling. So, in honor of Brooks Brothers, here is my favorite 0utfit from their spring collection — linked to all the items, of course: