Sarah Lazarovic | The Ponchos of My Life

I'm sorry, but who doesn't love a good poncho? Especially when fall weather changes bring that dreaded combination of rain/wind! Whether it be wool, or made from a makeshift garbage bag, Sarah Lazarovic's illustrations on The Hairpin yesterday covered just about every poncho in not just her life, but in ours as well. Love. Check out all of the ponchos here.

All illustrations by Sarah Lazarovic via The Hairpin

World Maker Faire 2013

This past weekend, some old friends from design school at Ohio State were visiting NYC for something called Maker Faire. My first reaction was, what on earth is that? Well, I got my answer on Saturday...World Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (And Tell) on Earth! Basically, it was a giant design/science/engineering nerd fest where people young and old got to play, create, shop, and get inspired. I saw 3D printers, antique crafts, build-your-own video games, robots, a Life Size game of Mousetrap, and much more. Have any of you been to a Maker Faire near your city? I will definitely be going back next year!

Life Size Mousetrap is definitely worth checking out!

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots that were actually robots!

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Glamorous Getaways

Well, my friends, another glorious summer is coming to an end. And while, normally, I'm the biggest cheerleader for fall, I must admit this time of year is usually not without a quick lament about all of the places I didn't go on my summer vacation... Of course, I'm ashamed to admit my expired passport was partly to blame! But when you don't have the time (or budget) to jetset around the world, there's always Pinterest! Below are a few clippings from my Glamorous Getaways pinboard. Bon Voyage!

Saint Stefan, Montenegro  |  Original Source: fabuloustraveling.com

Cinque Terre, Italy  |  Original Source: catchthejiffy.com

Tent Village  |  Original Source: shelter-co.tumblr.com

Ocean adjacent pool  |  Original Source: imgfave.com

Santorini, Greece  |  Original Source: dustjacketattic.blogspot.com

Fiji  |  Original Source: Unknown

Taroudant, Morocco  |  Original Source: fromtherightbank.com

Glamping!

When I stumbled across this photo series on Buzzfeed, I just had to share! I have always been a fan of summer camp, having gone to good ole' Camp Frederick quite a few times back in Ohio. But many of the East Coasters I know got to go away to 4 or even 8 week camps almost every year as kids and early teenagers, just like in Bug Juice. Stilling sighing with jealousy! I looooved camp.

How glam are these camp counselors from the 1950s in the photo below? They are up an at-em with their cute little penoir sets and their red lips! I imagine there were some pretty lucky male counselors at the all-boys camp across the lake, just waiting for their chance to spot these bathing beauties in their binoculars. "Just because you're in the woods, it's no excuse not to look your best!" quoth Phyllis Nefler in the classic film, Troop Beverly Hills. Let that be a lesson to us all!

Photo via Buzzfeed

Vacation: All I Ever Wanted!

Well, pardon me for the Go-go's reference! But I will be out of the blogging office for a nice long vacation on Captiva Island in Florida. There will be sun, there will be sand, there will be shells...and there will be plenty of Instagrams! Toodaloo!

Friday Beach Fever

Happy Friday everyone! After plenty of rain in New York City, it looks like we're finally shaping up to have a beautiful, sunny weekend. My plan is to celebrate by taking myself out for a lovely little beach day. Mostly in anticipation of the fact that I am heading off to Sanibel Island next month for a real-live relaxing week-long beach vacation, which means that I should probably get used to the unfamiliar feeling of the sun on my extremely pale, freckled skin. Below are a few must-have beach items that are perfect for the Fourth of July, or just a red-hot day in the sun!

1  Cordelia Shades from Kate Spade 
2  Leghila Beach Tote from Farfetch
3  Jonathan Adler Beach Towel from Layla Grace
4  Bathing Beauty one-piece in red from Modcloth
5  Semi Matte lipstick in Heat Wave from Nars
6  Archer Sandals in Coral from Anthropologie

Post-Hurricane Report: Jane's Carousel

Hello, friends. I wanted to report that I am indeed safe and well after Hurricane Sandy blew through Manhattan a week ago, leaving disastrous damages to the city in its wake. I am lucky enough to live way uptown on top of a big hill, so flood waters weren't a concern. We never lost power either, unlike many of my friends and coworkers who live below 40th street and dealt with wind damage, power outages, and serious flooding.

But, I am very happy to report that Jane's Carousel (which, like me, is from Youngstown, OH) survived the flood as well, and it is sort of a beautiful hurricane miracle. This carousel, built in 1922, lived in a beloved, local amusement park, Idora Park, that both my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles visited back in Youngstown, OH. It closed the year before I was born, after a fire swept through the park. Jane's Carousel was relocated, eventually, to New York City where it was housed in a glass pavilion in Brooklyn Bridge Park. This photo puts the hurricane into quite an eerily beautiful perspective.

Image by Koseli

Image by Door Sixteen

We're the Kids in America

I hope you all had a fantastic Fourth of July! I spent my day at Fort Tilden Park, located in the far Rockaway area, just laying in the sun, swimming in the ocean and getting sunburnt to a crisp. It was unbelievably perfect, (except for the sunburn part. Don't forget your SPF!) And it wasn't toooo crowded considering the rest of New York City had the day off. It's easy to forget that I live in a coastal town, since I typically stay close to the gridiron. But as long as you don't mind taking the subway for an hour and a half, then hopping a shuttle, and then hopping a bus, you're never too far from the beach! I need to go explore the different beaches every weekend until Autumn. But next time I'll remember to take more time applying my sunscreen, so I won't spend the entire next day slathering on the aloe and walking like Frankenstein. Here are some instagram photos taken throughout the day. Also, I couldn't hit you with that title and not give you a chance to hear this 90s classic...Enjoy!

My favorite, taken toward the end of the day. Photo by Jaclyn Denmark.

Fourth of July beach style. Photo by Galina Arnaut.

The long walk from the bus stop to the water! Photo by Jenna Brucoli.

The beach at Fort Tilden Park at 12:00 noon. Photo by Jenna Brucoli.

Umbrellas and chairs for the more prepared beach-goers. Photo by Jenna Brucoli.

Peachy in Columbus!

Until 6 months ago, I had never lived anywhere but Ohio. And I am not even a little bit ashamed of that fact! It was a great place to grow up and, franky, it's the state with the cutest shape in the union... So there's that. Since I moved to NYC, my life has been on overdrive. So much so that it felt like I warped into this alternate reality, and when I got back to C-bus on Saturday morning, my old life just picked up right where it left off. Very sci-fi, I know. I got to see lots of friends, eat delicious food that I have been craaaaving, listen to great music, hang out in the Peach District, go swimming, dance and dance and dance some more, celebrate the Summer Solstice early, wear a crown made of flowers, sit on a front porch, lay in some grass, and enjoy a record amount of Brooklyn Summer Ale (a little taste of new home at old home prices. Score!) Here is my entire weekend in photos. Enjoy your own little taste of Columbus!

My favorite old sign on High St.

My faaaavorite swingset ever right near Aab India in Grandview

Delicious breakfast at Marshall's in Grandview

I helped make these snowflakes right before I moved. Still there!

Party at the most famous backyard swimming pool in Columbus

My fabulous friend Abigail at the Peach District Classic

Peach District Classic: Photo by Cate, aka Pearrier on Tumblr, aka my BFF

The wonderful Johnny Newman performing at the Peach District Classic

The DewDroppers, aka my favorite local band in all of Columbus

I was having so much fun, I missed the bus back to New York...
Luckily, there was another coming in 2 hours! 

The Final Countdown: Cold Weather Provisions

This weekend I kind of panicked. It was the first snowfall of the season here in Columbus. The air was getting quite a bit colder than it has been yet, during this otherwise fairly tame December. I found relief by finding my car, jumping in, and cranking the heat! And, as I shivered in my thin, wool trench coat, I realized that in less than two weeks, my main mode of transportation will be these two legs. With some trips on the Subway in between, of course. But, for the most part, I'll be gallivanting around NYC on foot. I am waaay too cheap to spend money on a taxi, unless it's extremely late, and I don't know where the heck I am. Plus, if anyone's seen this movie, taxiing alone seems like a much less attractive option than just waiting for a train with plenty of strangers nearby...or walking with plenty of strangers nearby.

And while I constantly obsess over outwear, like in this popular post, none of it is very practical for extended periods of time navigating between wind-tunnel-esque buildings. I also have quite an affinity for shoes, however none of them are winter-weather-proof either. When I showed a few of my NYC friends some of my outerwear a few months ago, they looked at me and said, "Great. Where's your Winter coat?" That's when I realized that I was going to have to nudge fashion slightly to the side and figure out a way to find some winter gear that wasn't going to leave me dying of exposure in an alley like The Little Match Girl. So, after a weekend of trying on probably 50 different coats, I finally bit the bullet and invested in a puffy coat from Eddie Bauer, even though I was morally against wearing a ski jacket in New York. (I have a weird aversion to wearing tourist-type clothing in NYC, like ski jackets or athletic sneakers, or fanny packs...well, that all depends on the fanny pack...) I found a few things that will make Winter a little warmer, while not totally sacrificing style.

1  Lodge Down Parka in Silver from Eddie Bauer. It's water-resistant, long enough to keep the wind out, and the tag says it's good for temperatures from zero to twenty degrees...any warmer, and you'll be too hot!
2  White Touch Gloves from Target. These are touch-screen friendly, so you can text all you want without your fingers freezing to your iPhone.
3  Pendleton Patterned Wool Scarf from Farfetch.com. I am currently coveting this ultra-warm scarf. And digging the Native American pattern as well.
4  These Recycled Yarn Boot Socks from American Apparel are super warm and comfy. Perfect for insulating those boots!
5  I picked these Herringbone Boots up a while ago from Target. They keep the water out, which I'm told is pretty important. And the rubber will repel those nasty salt stains that find their way onto your suede boots. I fully plan to change shoes once I get to work...which I assume is fairly standard.

I have no idea if these provisions will work out for me, but I will certainly let you know how it goes! I arrive in NYC in 11 days, whether it rains, snows, hails or sleets. I just hope I'll be prepared for anything!

Where in the World?

If I could close my eyes, and instantly transform and transport myself anywhere in the world right at this very instant...I'd go here. Where would you go?

Autumn in Central Park

Urban Picnic Engagement Shoot

This blonde bombshell is my college roommate Katie, and that dashing lad is her fiancee, Kevin. I like to say I actually introduced them because on a football saturday in college, my girlfriends were sitting outside on our front porch, and he and his pals strolled by and asked if they could join us. They looked normal enough, and were carrying a case of beer, so we naturally (being the friendly OSU students we were) obliged. Then Katie came outside and they struck up a conversation, and realized they were from the same hometown and had lots in common. Through a few more years of college for Katie and three years at Harvard Law for Kevin, they stayed in touch until Katie moved to Korea for work. There, Kevin flew in to sweep Katie off her feet, which brought them back together and eventually relocated them to Chicago. Cue to 5 years later, they are getting married this December! (He actually proposed on our old porch, which is both sweetly sentimental and hilarious, because the place is now condemned...) Anyway, I couldn't help but share their fantastic engagement photos with you, because they are so inspiring. Of course they are both styled to perfection (Katie has impeccable taste), and the shots are sweetly captured by her grad school cohort and pro photographer Ryan Cosens. His work is amazing. Please check it out! The city of Chicago makes a perfect backdrop for romance.

All photos by (amazing) Chicago-area photographer Ryan Cosens

The Girl's Game

I spent an evening last night enjoying America's Favorite Pastime. It just so happens that there's a baseball stadium within walking distance of my apartment. This is just one of the many reasons I love my neighborhood...Anyway, I enjoyed watching the Columbus Clippers, the AAA farm team to the Cleveland Indians, last night. The best part about baseball games is that you can drink beer, eat peanuts, and pay only 6 dollars for standing-room tickets! Then, when the game starts picking up after the 7th Inning Stretch, you can sneak down into the more expensive seats because half the people have left anyway. It's delightful. And to honor my newfound love of the game, Eva from Monkey in Los Angeles put together a girl's guide to baseball for us to enjoy. Batter up!

1  Betsey Johnson Crystal Wayfarer Sunglasses from Urban Outfitters
2  White Chocolate Bar with Lemon & Pepper by Kshocolat
3  Canvas Bow Tote from Soraam on Etsy
4  Chowards Lemon Mints
5  Fresh Ginger Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost
6  Bensimon Laceup Sneakers by Madewell
7  Salted Caramel Pecan Bourbon Caramel Corn
8  Vintage Style Lemon Peel Baseball from LemonBall on Etsy


To see Eva's other Gift Guide posts, click here! And while you're clicking away, please be a doll and follow me on Bloglovin'!

Big Sur, Big Love

There are plenty of romantic vacation spots, whether you're a beachcomber or a sightseer...the destinations are endless. But, I have to confess, my idea of true romance is a bit of isolation. I want to be away from cellphones, reality television, e-mails, everything that consumes my everyday life. I want to sit out on the porch outside this vintage trailer from the 70's, drink a bottle of wine with my mister, and just be alone. Doesn't this portable vacation site in the mountains at Big Sur seem like the perfect place for it?

Photos from Vacation Rentals