Ciblek Mania

Spring.

That glorious time when you pull out the floral prints and wear them with glee.  That time when strolling around in denim shorts is no longer met with the looks of bewilderment you encountered during your weather denial phase in December. That time when maybe you shouldn't have been so eager to jump around in sandals and bare legs over the Easter weekend because the allergy attack you thought you were having despite never having had one of that nature before has actually turned out to be the flu.

Fail.

It was fun while it lasted.
That's all I've got. Back to bed.

A couple of Saturdays ago I found myself all up in Free People when I swear I left the house only to get a cup of tea.  Funny how that happens.  Truth is I was feeling kind of sorry for myself because my whole family was at my 6 year old niece's first singing recital and I was missing it.  That's what you get when you move 1500 miles away.  You get a lump in your throat, tears on your plastic teacup lid, and a whiteout that lands you in retail therapy.  Niiiiice.

So there I was:  hand absentmindedly skimming the racks, humming Butterfly Fly Away, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted a frayed hem.  Now if you know me you know I'm all about a good pair of jeans.  I'm not biased.  I'll find them at the flea market, the boyfriend's floor or a sample sale.  Just hand over the denim and no one will get hurt.  Next thing I know, despite not realllllly needing another pair, I find myself in the fitting room discussing the pros and cons of a pretty ridiculously cool pair of bells.

Pros:  faded wash, perfectly frayed uneven hems, high waist, worn holes in all the right places
Cons: little tight in the upper leg, maybe a tiny bit too long
Summary:  a few stretches in the fitting room at the advice of my fave shopgirl and sold! now contemplating another pair one size up to hem and wear with cowboy boots.

They're keepers. Examine the evidence:

So here's the thing about living along the coast - at least in Southern California - you can potentially sit in overcast/foggy weather for hours not realizing that 5 minutes up the street the sun is beaming bright as can be.  Similarly sometimes you leave the house and it's toasty and fabulous only to return to brisk winds and grey skies.  Enter Sunday afternoon...there I was fresh off my flea market finds, all was well in the world.  I swear it was hot outside when we left the house.  Not so much upon return.  Enter breeze, clouds, and even fog.  Thankfully I had my bag to light the way.  Is it summer yet?

Guess what?  My landlord is on my last nerve.  He danced all over that mother on Saturday causing me to seriously consider if I even want to live at Chez Carrie anymore - a place that has been my home for almost 6 years.  Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, shred, shred, shred.  I'm trying to calm my nerves and clear my mind in order to make a decision, but it seems that's easier said than done.  It's been a long time since I even contemplated moving so I decided to take a peek at what's out there...just in case I opt to take a flying leap and carry on outta here.  Pardon me while I take a nap - this whole thing is exhausting.

On Sunday afternoon we zipped over to one of my favorite buildings in the neighborhood.  There is rarely a vacancy, but I hold out hope.  Whenever perusing rental possibilities I try to pull myself together and put my best foot forward.  Read:  competition can be a real biznatch and you only get one chance to make a good first impression aka seize that property.  I went for the gusto mixing prints and textures galore - sadly there were no vacancies, but a really nice lady invited me onto the property to take a look around.  I think she was in love with my dress - no jokes.  Maybe we can do a trade?  Nah.

Fresh on (and no not off because it's not entirely gone) the heels of Head Cold 2011 more recently referred to as Bieber Fever, the Chef talked me into going out on Friday afternoon for some fresh air.  After being cooped up for a week I was relieved to be in the warm sun. Next thing I knew what was supposed to be a late lunch turned into me standing in line for an impromptu viewing of Black Swan.  I can't lie:  seeing some chick rip the skin off her hands in order to don the noir tutu was not high on my list of priorities (don't judge).  So as we walked away I mumbled, "Gee I kinda wanted to see Justin Bieber's movie.  I bet it's pretty good...".  To my shock the Chef stopped, spun on his heel and exchanged the tickets.  True love.

Cue the crazy pills because I really do have Bieber Fever now.  No jokes.



There was only one person under 25 in an almost full theatre, and we sat in front of the team who made the trailers for his movie...all decked out in purple 3D glasses.  Yes, I'm 14 again (and couldn't be happier) - and was so buzzed out off the movie that I almost forgot I was sick - so on Saturday I ventured outside yet again for a little more Vitamin D down at the docks.

First - to anyone who cannot view my pictures I just don't know what to tell you.  I've not changed any settings (I don't even know what that means) and I put a question up at the blogger/google forum so someone there said they're looking into it.  I've had 5 or 6 of you report you can't see the pictures and it makes me sad!  Click on each one and it will blow up in a separate window.  Other than that I'm stumped!

Okay.  Now I'm so curious as to what your weather is like right now.  Is anyone else having crazy weather?  It was 95 degrees yesterday in SoCal.  (In fact as I type this it's still 80 degrees and it's almost 10pm.)  Now this is not entirely uncustomary for this time of year, however after the very cool spring and summer we experienced I really did expect to see the outline of a true fall season.  Well scrap that idea.  And scrap trying to put together an outfit post in this weather, too.  Fur?  Uh no, that's not hap'ning! (said like Kelly aka Liam Sullivan).  I seriously think I might have had a hot flash in the afternoon while trying to don a pair of jeans!!  I don't want to leave my fur behind!

All I could think about was ice cream, weeeeeeekend, ice cream, weeeeeekend, ice cream.  Is it the weekend??  The heat's gone to my head.  Or has it? 

I realized something when I went out yesterday evening.  I don't get enough time outside.  I haven't walked briskly in the open air along the trail by the beach in months (I used to do this almost every day).  When was the last time I read a book cover to cover?  I cannot recall.  And how about Pilates?  (something I used to love and look forward to just for the sheer joy of stretching and relaxing) Honestly?  I can't remember the last time I did a full work out or Pilates session more than a day or two in a row.  It's been months.

My heart sunk as I stood in the open, breezy air as people walked by with their dogs and each other or alone.  All the things I'm neglecting are healthy for my heart and soul in the most intrinsic ways.  They make me who I am.  When I was thinking back on all the fun tourists I've met out on walks...oh the conversations I've had and stories I could tell.  And books?  Books are some of my best friends!  I have been robbing them of my time.  Truthfully?  I've been robbing myself.  Of just slowing down and pointedly taking time every day to focus on living and thinking, not doing.

Do you ever feel like this?  Like you're just going, going, going and you know things are slipping, but then one day the weight of it all bears down on you in a passing glance, a visit from a friend, or the wind in your hair?  Things have got to change.

Okay so all of you know I love Tucker so much I'm ready to marry it.   

*If you just started following recently check out the ongoing love affair here, here and here  for starters, but it's scattered throughout in photos.*

After posing in the field wearing my Mrs. Roper throwback, I received a wonderful email from the people at Tucker who kinda loved that outfit on me as much as I did.  Suffice it to say extreme excitement ensued and the next thing you knew I was jumping up and down possibly letting out shouts of glee (hehe) before gathering myself momentarily only to read on and discover they wanted to send me their Holiday Lookbook aka my marital vows.  When I received the package late last week on hell day (where coincidentally I donned more Tucker to cheer myself up), the heavens opened and the Chef's credit cards ran and hid in the corner.  Ladies start your wallets....it's time to devise your Christmas/Holiday lists! 

I can't share the whole book with you (because I'd be scanning until 2011 on my useless scanner and by then it would all be gone), but was sent the following images to tide you over until the entire line is unveiled.  It will be available by 11/1 on their site:  www.tuckerbygabybasora.com - and all I'm saying is think shawls, maybe a cheetah print coat, a smattering of velvet, more gorgeous outerwear, and, of course, their signature rich prints in the most amazing colors yet.  Let your mind wander with every possible way a silk print can be made into a garment and you will find it in this collection.  The pieces are incredibly innovative and whimsical.  I have yet to recover and basically look at the book 50 times a day swooning like Felicity over Ben Covington when he signed her yearbook on the grass after graduation (can I hear it from all the Felicity fans who still remember the pilot episode?? woop woop!!).

I'm sitting here listening to the neighbor's dog bark its head off while she repeatedly hollers, "NO!" at it.  After 3 days of this I'm about to go over there and give her a rip.  Or at least holler, "NO!" to her.  I wonder if it would work?  If the dog's behavior is any indication, the answer would be no.  Or is that "NO!"?

Anyway.  It's been super warm and is early in the evening on Tuesday - just a couple seconds ago the sweetest cool breeze blew through the front door and straight out the open bedroom window in the back of the house leaving the whole place smelling like the ocean.  I have to say I love summer at the beach and am so happy it's here, even if only for just a short time.  Today was my last day of work for the week and I am officially in birthday mode (read:  cleaning before my bff from Seattle gets here and calls Hoarders for an intervention - no jokes)  I wish I was outside.  sigh

A couple of days ago the Chef and I were driving through a small beach town by my house and on a street we'd never taken.  As I glanced to the right I saw the beach no more than 50 yards away, causing me to holler, "Beach!  Stop!".  Luckily no one was behind us when he hit the brakes!!  hehe  We got out and took it in for a bit because who knows how long it will last...hopefully a month or so more, but you can never tell.  I was wearing a silk butterfly tank top by my most fave Gaby Basora - the mastermind behind Tucker.  Did you catch the preview sale for her Target Collection on Gilt last week?  It was a gong show, but I managed to hobble off with a couple of dresses and a tank...one of the dresses is in a similar butterfly print.  It won't be silk, but if I love it even half as much as the one I'm wearing here it'll be totally worth it.  I hope you are able to treat yourself to some of her collection.  It is quintessentially feminine with a touch of Parisian flair.  I never tire of any of the pieces I own, or feel bad for a little wallet slip on her stuff here and there.

The other day the Chef found himself in a conundrum and asked me to get the female perspective from all of you.  There he was waiting patiently for his torta, having just ordered from the neighborhood Mexican place.  Next door is a popular nail salon.  In sashays a well-dressed 30-something woman fresh from said nail salon.  He described her as "one of those who was checking to see if everyone was looking at her, flinging her hair from left to right while trying to peer about inconspicuously, but making a big scenario of slamming down her fancy Birkin bag on the counter so everyone could see it was a Birkin bag." (And yes he does know what a Birkin bag is.  It's been two years.)

Anyway, as she's standing there at the counter the Chef notices her flouncy, yet long, skirt is tucked into her panties.  They are bright pink and on display for all the world to see - or at least the folks in the torta shop (and yes I did ask color and if it was a thong.  in fact i made him do a demo in the cat food aisle at petco). He was conflicted.  She was clearly on a high coming off a fresh mani-pedi - what if she went off and thought he was a perv?  Next thing you knew his order was brought over so he just left.  What a nightmare.

Question:  What would you have wanted?  A male stranger to tell you your undies and derriere were hanging out? Or for him to just leave and allow you to later die of embarrassment in peace always wondering if anyone had really noticed eventually convincing yourself they hadn't even though you know you're just lying to yourself to ease the horror? (holy run-on sentence!)

Ever have this happen to you?  You don't have to share if you don't want to. Some experiences just need to die.

All summer long I have longed for summer - yeah get there, because it sure didn't. I'm usually out of control busy with work during the summer and don't get to soak in as much as I'd like.  This year my schedule was much more manageable and I had dreams of warm days, cute dresses, cuter cover-ups, endless sandals and homemade ice cream treats.  Well here's to a big fat that never happened.  So yesterday as I was toiling away with a million things to do for the first time this season you'll never guess what happened?  We hit 90 degrees here at the beach.  Here's a big ol' middle finger - at what I'm not sure, but I just feel like throwing up a bird in utter frustration.

Try as I might to come up with a way to escape it was a no can-do situation.  So around 6:30 I threw in the towel before hanging myself with it, tousled the old wreck of a lid and threw on a couple of the many items that have been hollering to get out of the closet.  Ashleigh?  You out there?  I'm sure you recognize the skirt...sniff sniff.  It was so great to take in a real summer evening where you didn't need a jacket, a sweatshirt, a scarf, pants and socks.  No exaggeration.