Spring Biking.

[Urban Weeds]


[The Sartorialist]

This weather is so lovely -- I'm glad I get to bike around in it.. especially to work!

Roomates?

So after I graduated from college, I decided that I'd be a big girl and live on my own.  I absolutely love it.  Love the freedom, love that I can walk around in my underwear all day if I want to, love that I can watch what I want to watch when I want to watch, and love that I don't have to compromise my own decor for someone else.

But.  Living with a roommate was a lot of fun.  S$ and I lived together for a year senior year, and even though the room was about half the size of my current bedroom, it was the best time I've had with roommates.  It just worked.  

However.  I've also heard horror stories about roommates as well.  They range from those that eat pizza every hour of the day and never clean the kitchen to having sex above you in the bunk bed while you're trying to sleep.  Granted, I will never bunk again (ever), the former example could happen to me.. or rather, could be me.  I keep a fairly clean house when I want to, but sometimes the dishes pile up in the sink.  I'll get to them when I'll get to them.  Chill.  Living solo means I don't have to worry about that shit.

Today I was going through old pictures of college when everyone had roommates and we were having the time of our life (surely a post of back in the day posts are in the works, but today I'm focused on the question at hand).

So to have a roommate or not?  Besides the benefit of paying less for an apt (which doesn't matter that much in New Orleans.. because the difference is minimal unless you want to live in a downtown loft.. which I don't), is there a significant benefit of it?  

I'm really freakin picky, so if I decide to have a roommate, I have a few questions for her.

1.  Do you like dogs?  (Yes.) Also, you can't have a dog (or a cat, unless you want it to be eaten) b/c Cooper won't get along with them. 

2.  Are you a clean freak?  (Being clean is one thing, but having a roommate for 3 years who always complained to me about not having everything just right is exhausting).

3.  Do you like to watch MTV and Bravo reruns on the weekends when you're hungover?  (yes.)
 
4.  Do you drink?  (Not that it matters, but it's kind of a buzz kill if you're always the sober sally and got those judge-y eyes about it.)

5.  Speaking of judging.. are you a conservative that loves to talk about politics..?  Now I have a handful of conservative friends, and one of my bests is.. however, we don't talk politics.

6.  Do you own a smart phone, and pref a blackberry?  Let's be real here.

7.  Do you like your own furniture?  The answer is no, b/c I'm attached to all my shit and it stays.

8.  Are you lazy, slutty, or sloppy?  I mean roommates don't have to be best friends, but we prob will be some kind of friends, and those kind of girls are not anyone I want to associate with.

9.  Do you cook smelly foods?  Not a fan.

10.  Are you super attached to your boyfriend if you have one?  Awesome.  Pay rent here and live at his place.  Not the other way around.


..well this list was a little therapeutic.  I think it boils down that I'm kinda stuck in my ways when it comes my living space because I've been doing it for 2 years.  I mean, unless you're S$ or RSJ, I'll probs just be just as well living on my own.  I'll be damned if I get a shithead roommate who I have to kick out (once I move in, I'm staying hopefully for 4 years) after the first year.  

and I'm sure all my classmates are wonderful people.. but just not compatible with living with me.  and that's ok.

Embroidery

all from [Hare and Drum]

these would look absolutely gorgeous on my walls, dontcha think?

Yes We Can!

Buy local foods, garden, and eat healthier.. that is.  I had an herb garden last year which the winter utterly demolished.. and really want to begin another (maybe indoors?) when I move this summer.  NoLa has amazing farmer's markets (pretty much one open in a different area every day of the week).  It'll def give me incentive to eat healthier, and support local farmers.. which I'm all for.

and I love this organic/recycled line from Black Sheep Heap.  They're based out of Brooklyn, NY and in everything they do, they do it in the most earth-friendly way.  I can dig it.

As a future doc..

I'm happy that this has been passed.  It may not be the most ideal healthcare bill, and there definitely needs to be some additional tweeking (and I hate talking politics, so I'm stopping at this).. however.. this is a step in the right direction. 

Healthcare is a right.  And although some people (even future docs.. which is scary to me) disagree with me.. I feel that this is a fact.  and is imperative.

Ladybird Black List.

I recently read Alexa Chung on BlackBook and they've been doing this series of celebrity Black Lists where they purge all their gripes of their world.. and I thought it was a pretty interesting idea.  I especially agree with her gripes 7. A lot of the music that dominates the charts and 8. Bad manners.  Now I do have guilty pleasures on the Top 40 (Rihanna, Gaga, etc.. and never Black Eye Peas.  There's something I simply cannot stand about them.)  And bad manners?  Hate it.  Rude people get on my last nerves.


So a la one of my favorite models/fashion inspirations AC, here's my Black List, in no apparent order.



1.  People who are seriously out of shape, overweight, obese, etc.  Currently, I know I'm not the epitome of fitness perfection, but I also am too broke to buy new jeans.  If they start fitting too snug, I cut down on the sweets, and pump up my cardio.  When I see people who do not care about themselves (usually in sweats or enormous scrubs, in public) it really bothers me.  Instead of taking the bus for to the next stop, try walking it.  And if you can't go out because nothing fits, then maybe instead of whining about it over beers, take the initiative to go to the gym and do something about.  


2.  Tiny, yappy dogs.  and their owners.


3.  Parents who can't/won't act like parents to their little sticky-handed brats. Take the leash off your kid, and spank them.  When I'm shopping, I'm in the zone, and your kid running around and screaming is throwing off my power hour.

4.  The constant clutter in my house.  Every time I clean.. somehow it goes back to be completely a mess again. 


5.  The way I feel when I drink coffee.  But sometimes, it's a necessary evil to get through the day.


6.  Dumb girls.  add to that trashy. sloppy. slutty.


7.  The fact that I gesture more with my middle finger than anything else.  Oh well.


8.  Cars that can't share the road.  As a pseudo-cycling commuter, it drives me bananas when cars run me off the road -- or better yet, swipe me.  (only happened once -- so far. knock on wood.)

9.  This erratic weather.  Cold in the AM.  Hot in the afternoon.  Should I wear tights today?  Heavy coat?  Or risk it in the morning to not sweat in the afternoon.  Over. it.

10.  Haters who can't get on board with this technology.  Twitter, facebook, blogging, blackberry, gmail, gchat, texting, google reader, etc etc are not for everyone.  Fine.  But don't hate on us who are with it.  And if you don't have a smart phone.. we're probably not friends.  Also.  Don't call me. ever*.  And especially no voicemails if you ever want me to respond.  Relatives are exempt, for obvious reasons.  


that's the first 10 that came to my head.  what's on your black list?


*obv, SOS calls are always welcome, but you get the idea.

Real Talk.

All from [Dear Colleen].

Dork.

[Munstre]

 [Dick Avery -- flickrdesign]

[Dendrite Brooch by Nervous System]

[Ork Posters]

what can I say?  I'm a nerd a heart.  Love these.

Home Gardening, part deux.

[Lolita]

 [Apartment Therapy]

 [Post Grad Hair Cut]


Oh I'm doing this.  For sure.  Fingers crossed I don't kill them... so maybe I'll start with a plant of the succulent variety.

Day Drinking

I absolutely love day drinking.  Obsessed with it.  There's absolutely nothing better wearing a sundress, being in the sunshine, with a coozie-covered beer in hand.  I can think of nothing better that I would like to do on gorgeous weekends.  Especially since this winter has seemed so long and cold.  I've got quite a few day drinking events coming up, and I think these would be just lovely for them!  And then alls I gotta do is coordinate my coozie to my dress!

[Modcloth]

 [Modcloth]

[Urban Outfitters]

[Anthropologie]

Dirty girl.

[UO]

[Anthropologie]

[Anthropologie]

I love these, and must have one of them in my new apartment.  must.

Books are good..

..a little inside joke between me and S$/RSJ.  (To catch you up.. I once dated this emo kid/bartender -- the worst --  who painted his "feelings".  One was a picture of books recycling and above it, the words "Books Are Good".  He explained that in fact, books are good.. because they recycle.. yeah.)


But.  onto the meat of the post.  I don't really have a substantial bookshelf right now.. so in my quest for inspiration for my move, I stumbled upon these great ones.

 

[aubrey road]

[the style files]

 [what yaya likes]

Let the farewell tour begin!

The months are starting to wind down.. and now it's getting closer to when I'm actually moving (it's looking like end of May/early Juneish), and I'm getting increasingly nervous and antsy.  This is the most major move of my whole life.. and I'm really excited to do it.. but also know it will also be one of the hardest things I've done so far in my life.  gahhh.. this feel way too much like adulthood. and I don't like it.

But with moving comes travel! I have lots of fam/friends I need to see in and around NC (and head up to NYC to see S$), as well as go to ATL.  It'll be sad, but I want to spend as much time with my favorite people before I dive head first into my books and medicine.

image via [Mate Ugrin]

Adoring on Etsy

[Old New Again]

Artist I Love: Dallas Shaw

how gorgeous is her work?

and I love this interview Indie Fixx did with her.

Happy Monday

[katherine squier]

Judging from how the weekends usually go that involve S$ and RSJ -- I'd bet money (not hard to do in Vegas) that this is what we're doing this Monday morning.  Hung. Over.  Or at least we better be.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  Happy Monday!  NC bound Tuesday morning.

Home Gardens

[the lark]

[Frolic!]

[Apartment Therapy]

[Re-Nest]

Believe I will have a cute little windowsill garden and plants I don't kill (whoops) once I get to NoLa.  Gotta have goals.. but maybe not the lemon tree this go-around.  Although it is gorgeous.

Poor and Hungry: Turkey Burgers

I need money.  Lots of it.  I'm broke, and cannot survive off of Chef Boyardee and Tostino's pizzas alone (each are 10/$10 at Kroger, BTW).  So I decided to splurge a little, and make some turkey burgers!  You can get some organic/grass-fed hippie ground turkey for real cheap -- thus my inspiration.

So onto the food!  They're super simple, and really delicious.

Materials:

-1 yellow onion, chopped (or a handful of frozen chopped onion)

-Ground turkey (like a pound or so)

-Breadcrumbs (or if you have fresh bread and milk, soak the bread in that and use it)

-1 egg for binding

-Salt/pepper

-Worchester (sp?) sauce

-A dash of cayenne pepper for a kick

Method:

-Carmelize the onion by putting a pad of butter in the pan, melting it, then cooking the onion bits on medium heat until they start to become translucent.  (I'm not very patient sometimes.. so mine weren't quite carmelized all the way, but delicious nonetheless).

-Mix all other ingredients together, and forms some patties.  Cook on medium on each side until they look done (about 8 min or so total depending on the size of your patties).

-Then I took some good sharp cheddar and the "day after" bread from the Whole Foods bakery (so much cheaper that way), made an open face burger with the onions and cheese.. then popped them in the toaster to melt the cheese. 

Freakin delicious.  And way better than any hotpocket.

Adoring on Etsy.

I'm a sucker for colorful prints to add to my walls.. and these are simply gorgeous.

[Leigh Viner]