hair styles
I’m having a hair dilemma. I think probably my whole life has been a hair dilemma. Last June, I gave up dying my hair. After years of treating it like crap with bleach and every color and sort of dye, I thought it was about time I gave it a break. Beyond that, I was tired of the upkeep and had no idea what color my hair even was anymore.
But as those things go, I’m bored and want to do something with my hair. I want something fun and new. I promised myself no haircut until I accomplish a certain goal (which I’ll maybe share later), and besides, I basically get the same haircut all the time, so that’s nothing special.
The thing is though, I’m actually really happy not dying my hair. I like the color and while it’s a little softer and wavier untreated, I’m looking forward to having all the dyed bits fully grown out. So instead of doing anything drastic, I thought I’d just reminisce through photos of my various hairstyles in the past years.
Orange is and will always be my favorite. I’ve considered just dying the ends of my hair orange as is it, but I’m not totally sure.
It’s fun and yet still feels natural to me (although clearly it is not).
Bright albino white was also fun, but my hair was the most destroyed by this endeavor.
Further back in time, there was a period of dark brown. I loved this color but it just would not stay in my hair and would always fade to a drab straw color.
Now jumping back a to my college days, a time of more piercings and no bangs. This was the last moment before I got to the haircut that I’ve had for all of my twenties.
Right before that, my hair was short in back and longer in the front. I do miss this haircut occasionally, though I’ve gotten used to having bangs.
Nearly all my teenage years I had short hair with those long wispy bits in front. It never looked right, but it was fun to change the color all the time, as it took no time at all to grow out. I tried every color: pink, orange, blue, black. One summer I changed my hair every week, such as teenagers do.
Well that was fun, and is making me feel a bit better about the fact that I trimmed my bangs just a little too short. The best part of hair is that it grows back, so mistakes are eventually undone on their own.
the one hour dress
Recently I’ve been spending a lot of time on the internet. Let me clarify that. I’ve been spending more time on the internet than usual, which was already a lot. It’s not good. I mean, hey, I love the internet as much as the next girl, but things have gone overboard and I can feel it. It’s a double edged sword for me, as I have a really difficult time connecting to people in real life (one day I will write something about this introversion and shyness…one day…), and the web gives me a way to have social interaction. Such a conundrum.
Lately though, I just feel drained. I feel as if it is literally sucking the life and creativity out of me. My motivation has been lost somewhere in the ether to twitter and instagram and it makes me feel like I am no longer myself.
I’m taking a step away from the computer as much as possible, and diving into other things, into making and creating and contemplating.
I came across this pattern for a one hour dress and I thought it would be ideal to get me on the path away from the virtual and back to the real. It was indeed, as this simple one hour dress turned into a much much larger project (I stopped keeping track of how long it took after hour 4). Working at my sewing machine, I felt energized, and even with my mistakes and missteps, I forged onward, until it was done, and I was happy. I found a certain level of gratification in making something utilitarian like a dress that can be worn regularly.
It’s nothing particularly fancy, but it’s exactly the style I like. It’s comfortable. It has pockets. Most importantly, I made it. That in itself brings me a lot of satisfaction.
This weekend I hope to step away from the allure of the internet and continue to make things or simply enjoy a quite walk outdoors. I hope you’ll join me.
*I thought I should add that I do clearly see how it might seem hypocritical to write about getting away from the web on a blog, but my trouble lays in the consumption rather than what I put out there. It’s easy to get sucked into social media and arguments and articles, whereas my blog is my own space.
Movies I want to live in
There are a few films that strike me on some level beyond just getting wrapped up in the story. Sometimes, films capture a time period with such cinematic beauty that I wish I could time travel to these fictional lands and spend the day there. Or longer, perhaps forever. Often, I’d like to leave the drama behind and just soak up the atmosphere and wardrobe, even though I know it is the story that makes these places so believable. So let’s journey for a moment into a few of the films I wouldn’t mind living in.
Picnic at Hanging Rock
What I wouldn’t give to spend the day at Appleyard College for girls. It might be strict but I’m head over heels for all the beautiful Victorian decor. So much lace and ruffles and flowers. I adore the layers upon layers of detailed decoration, from the elaborate wallpaper to myriad of photos displayed in every room. The girlish romance tied with the worrisome darkness makes this film irresistible.
The Incredibles
The Parr family, aka the Incredibles, have the best furniture. That’s the long and short of it. I love how the film created such an on point mid century style for their home even though the story itself is timeless. Of course, while the interiors are extreme, Edna’s house on the hill has an utterly classic modern style. I guess you can have whatever you want in the world if you’re animated.
Days of Heaven
There is almost too much I could say about Days of Heaven as it is such a stunningly cinematic film, and one I absolutely adore. The contrast of vast open fields with the remnants of turn of the century decor sets the scene for the characters’ dilemma. Yet it is the starkness of the landscape mixed with the few ornate details of luxury that make this setting so appealing to me. Or perhaps I just want to live in the magic hour.
There are so many more films I want to live in, so there will be another edition on the way for sure. Are there any films you want to live in?
Austin food and drink
With a schedule full of film watching in Austin, I didn’t expect to do a ton of restaurant sampling. Shawn, on the other hand, plotted out the best places to go based on everyone’s recommendations. Thank goodness for a husband that balances out my movie madness, since some of the meals were not to be missed.
Possibly my favorite of the restaurants was Bouldin Creek where I had two of the most delicious breakfasts. The first, a vegan benedict, was so good I insisted we go back another day. I’m not sure exactly how they prepare their tofu, but it is amazing: seasoned and lightly coated in nutritional yeast. Their potato cakes are also worth a mention as they’re far beyond any hash brown I’ve ever had.
I was also a big fan of Veggie Heaven. In particular the tangerine mushrooms were the kind of thing I crave often. It is the sort of dish I see on a menu in many places but never lives up to what I’m imagining in my head. Yet, these saucy & perfectly breaded mushrooms were everything I hoped they would be. The steamed buns were also very good. Let’s not forget the bubble tea, it was the best.
We also happened upon this adorable place that had just opened called Hillside Farmacy. There were only a couple of vegan options on the menu, like the soup of the day, which happened to be carrot cardamom, but the interior is lovely and they have Stumptown coffee and a bar. It’s definitely worth a visit just to check out the beautiful renovation they’ve done of the space, and of course, have some coffee. I wanted to live inside this shop.
Not only does Austin have some lovely vegan friendly restaurants, there are also some very nice bars with mixed drinks I love. The drink menu and atmosphere at the East Side Show Room was by far my favorite. And of course, as I mentioned before, Austin will now be known to me as the first place I ever tried boba and subsequently fell in love with it.
Even though we’d visited Austin before, it was great to go to a completely new set of restaurants and food trucks. Can’t wait to go back and try some more.
Mad Men Premiere Party
It’s time to get serious about the season premiere of Mad Men this weekend. Are you excited? I am! I don’t watch a ton of television, but Mad Men is just so darn good. More than that though, I’m really excited that we’re going to have a 60’s themed cocktail party and watch with our friends. Any excuse to dress up and have fancy drinks is good for me.
I’ve been brainstorming appetizers for weeks now and have settled on a few so far. When I asked my mom what appetizers were popular in the early 60’s, she responded with “Boring stuff.” Boring just doesn’t work for me. So here are some ideas that are simple and easy to make, but still fun.
Pigs in a Blanket – Tofu dogs wrapped in puff pastry, with a side of BBQ sauce. That’s about as easy as it gets.
Jello – There is actually such a thing as vegan jello. You can buy the boxed brand or make your own with agar-agar. The tricky part will be finding cute jello molds. Maybe top these with with some coconut whipped cream.
Deviled “Eggs” – I’ve always wanted to try this recipe. To make things easier though, I may just put the “yolks” on toast.
Obviously though, it’s essential that we have a well stocked bar to make cocktails. I’m thinking some Moscow Mules & Old Fashions. I suppose it’s appropriate to also have martinis but then I need to get some darn martini glasses that I may never use again. Don’t know how to make these classics? Recipes below!
I really want a punch bowl too. This isn’t exactly traditional cocktail party style, but it’s spring and it would be fun to have some citrus fruit drink.
Ok, let’s get on to those drink recipes.
Old Fashioned
- 2 oz whiskey or bourbon
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 orange twist
In a cocktail shaker or large glass, muddle the sugar with the bitters and a splash of water or seltzer until the sugar is dissolved. Fill with ice and stir in alcohol until chilled. Strain into a double old fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a twist.
Moscow Mule
- 2 oz vodka
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 4 oz ginger ale (chilled)
- 1 lime wedge
In a tall glass, mix vodka and lime juice. Add ice and pour in ginger ale. Garnish with lime.
Then of course there is also the important element of what to wear. I’ll be a search for the perfect party dress. Can I make my hair into a beehive? I don’t know but I’d sure like to try.
Do you want to have a Mad Men party too? I hope so. What will you serve?
