Violators will be Towed

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I've been experimenting with new locations for photos. 

When the Red Sox have a home game, it can be a challenge to find a place that isn't crawling with people. But when the Sox are away, there are empty parking lots everywhere! 

Who doesn't love prancing around a sketchy parking, dancing in front of a tripod lot like a weirdo? That's what blogging is all about right? Well it's all fun and games until you realize that said parking lot is on your boss's walk home...

Outfit: Dress- H&M; Cardigan- Gap Outlet; Shoes- Payless; Shades- F21; 

So my boss looked at me like I had three heads, and I shrugged it off. If you can't be a little goofy, what's the point?

Reluctant Bostonian

I don't think I can consider myself a blogger any more. I haven't posted on a regular schedule since last summer! Sometimes I'm just not into it. I get busy doing other things- my volunteer and organizing work, spending time with my man, diy manicures, watching marathons of The L Word on netflix... 

..and then I realize that it's been two weeks since I posted even though I have several outfit photos ready to go. These were actually taken about three weeks ago.

Outfit: Shirt and Jeans- Old Navy; Shoes- H&M

I want to thank everyone that has showed support for this amazing city I live in. It has been one hell of a few weeks. I know there are more horrific things going on all around the world all the time. I'm incredibly thankful to live somewhere where explosions and wild police chases are not the norm.

I didn't love this city when I moved here in December 2009. I figured I'd stay for 6 months, maybe a year, and then I'd move back to Austin, TX. Then I met Mike and made some awesome friends. I discovered the beauty of New England summers and autumns, and I fell in love. I stopped thinking about where I wanted to move next, and started thinking about which neighborhood I'd want to settle down in some day.

I'm proud to live here, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

Close to Home

As I'm sure most of you know, there was a bombing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon yesterday. Here's a little bit of writing I did last night before bed to try and wrap my head around the tragedy.

 I've been trying for the past few hours to distract my mind from what happened today. What started this afternoon as a surreal feeling of disbelief has become a feeling of great heaviness on my heart. This is my home. I live a little more than a mile from where this event occurred. For almost two years I passed through the Copley area on my way to work every day.

Copley Square is one of my favorite places. Copley Square is a melting pot of tourists, corporate professionals, street musicians, students, and panhandlers. Copley Square is tall gleaming sky scrapers next to the marble pillars of America's first public library and the old brick of the Trinity Church. Copley Square is a public green space that hosts a farmers' market two evenings a week during the growing season. Copley Square is food trucks, demonstrations, city buses festivals, holiday lights, and ice sculptures. Copley Square is the heart of this city.

Copley Square is not explosion, blood, limbs, tears.

I was folding laundry when Mike very seriously called me into the living room to see something on the tv. What I saw was confusing. Helicopter images of a scene that was simultaneously familiar and completely unfamiliar. Boylston street with debris and blood stained sidewalks. Seeing familiar storefronts in images that look straight out of a war zone is incredibly jarring.

For the next few hours I connected with friends in and around the city via social media and text. My twitter and facebook feeds were aflame with "I'm okay" and "I'm safe" notices. I celebrated each one. I answered texts and phone calls from friends and family far away assuring them that Mike and I were home safe with no intentions of leaving. I learned that a friend was watching the race between the two explosions, and that she made it home safely. I looked at photos and video I probably shouldn't have. It took me almost 8 hours for it to really sink in, and then I cried like a baby.

This is my home. I am okay.

Emerald and Teal for Spring

Teal has long been one of my favorite colors to wear. It's appropriate for every season and it pairs well with all the neutrals- navy, black, brown, white, and leopard. Plus it looks good with most skin tones and hair colors. When I found this scarf for $5 at H&M a few months ago, I was stocked. Not only did it have teal in it, but two shades of the "color of the year" emerald.

From the lack of greenery in these pictures, you'd probably guess they were taken a few weeks ago right? Wrong! I took these photos yesterday. 

We're slowly getting some buds on the tress and some green sprigs poking through the dead leaves, but for the most part it's still pretty gray in Boston. 

Today it warmed up to a balmy 65 degrees, and tomorrow it's supposed to be even warmer!

Outfit: Pants- Seven Jeans via Marshall's; Cardi- Gap Outlet; Tank and Scarf- H&M; Flats- Target

Here's hoping that spring is here to stay! I'm looking forward to sunshine, tulips, daffodils, iced coffee, and farmer's markets.

What are you looking forward to as the weather warms up?

Boston Vagina Monologues 2013 Recap

Hi strangers!

I'm sorry I've been absent from blogging for almost a month. I'm finding more and more that taking pictures of and talking about my clothes just doesn't feel like a priority. I love blogging, and my online community, but this month I've been focusing on my real life community.

The weekend of March 22- 24 was the Boston community production of Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues. This was my 4th year involved with this talented group of women, and my third year as an organizer. I absolutely loved directing a team of about 40 talented, diverse, and passionate women in a benefit performance.

With Lori and Leah, two of my co-organizers for the show.

Yes, that is a giant fabric Vagina. There were also chocolate vaginas...

... and vagina cupcakes! 

We had an amazing time and raised over $6000 to benefit VDay, Boston GLOW, Victory Programs, and the Young Black Women's Society.

All photos courtesy of Kaylyn Leighton Photography.