Summer Highlights: Vanessa and Sheldon's Cancun Wedding

The days have long turned to fall and although I am enjoying the changing leaves, the new layers of clothing on my body and that crispness in the air when I leave my apartment in the morning, I would always rather it be summer. I'm just that kind of girl. This particular summer was an interesting one with ups and downs and a lot of trips to the beach. And since I pretty much dropped off the face of the blogosphere (maybe I'm back?), none of it was documented, until now...

It all started with a trip to Cancun to see my oldest friend (we met in kindergarten) get hitched to one of the wackiest (in the best way possible) guys I know in an all-inclusive resort a la the senior trip I never went on. See, that's him all sweaty and topless on the first night already! So, crazy guys, old friends, some serious sun, and an endless supply of free alcohol, equaled what you might guess: some of the craziest (in the best way possible again) few days of my life. There were pina colada breakfasts in the pool, yoga sessions on the beach, all you can eat eating at the buffet, dancing in the club, night skinny dipping in the ocean and of course a lovely and tear-filled wedding. 

Documenting an event where you spend most of your time half-submerged in water with a margarita in your hand is not that easy, as you can see from my photos. But my BFF Bryn and I did try and capture some of our many outfit changes. She is a stylist in LA and has got some of the coolest clothes around. We did pretty well at first, but as the days wore on and the hangovers and sunburns worsened, the photograph taking dwindled. But here's what I got from our kickoff to summer (with a few stolen from Facebook)...and congrats to Vanessa and Sheldon again!

Where Have You Been?

Hello Friends, it has been awhile, awhile, awhile since I blogged and honestly there has not been much more than a day that has gone by in which I didn't think about and miss my old hobby. Yes, I have intermittently posted a few things about dresses I like or good old Mary-Kate Olsen, but this little place used to be where I documented what was actually going on in my life. The truth is I was uninspired and sad for a few months and didn't have the desire to share much of it or even the fun and distracting things I still managed to do. Then that lifted (it's amazing how that happens!), then I got a new job and my melancholia was replaced with excitement, happiness and a whole lot of work. But now that I am starting to wrap my head around a full-time schedule after almost three years of freelancing, traveling and blogging, I am trying to get back here. Hello. So what exactly did I do these last couple months worthy of sharing...well I:


Biked to Brighton Beach and Drank Beer

Crashed a Law School Prom Dressed as Brenda Walsh 

Bussed it to Boston for a Weekend at a Real House

To be continued...

If you need me this is where I will be...

Off to Cancun tomorrow for a dear friend's wedding. I feel so lucky to get to escape to such a beautiful place. But honestly, I have been so preoccupied with other stuff it didn't even hit me until yesterday when I finally looked at the photos of where we are staying (yeah, that's how preoccupied I've been). My flight is tomorrow morning and I am now officially EXCITED to be with my friends, to not have a laptop to check, to be on the beach and swim in the clear blue water. I remember when they got engaged over a year ago, I can't believe the wedding has come up so quick, can't believe I will be there tomorrow surrounded by so many people I love...

An England Day Trip: Bolton Abbey

I told you a little about my UK holiday already here and here but there was one lovely little day trip out of Manchester that I wanted to share as well, and I might have another up my sleeve for later. But anyway, Manchester itself is a fun city with cute little cafes and funky bars, but sadly it is not the prettiest of places. Trees and parks are not its forte, but just outside the city (and unlike NYC there was actually a car to get into) is everything a nature lover is looking for from rolling hills, rivers, lakes and that British countryside greenery. I'd been wanting to explore the outer areas the whole time I was there but the usual laziness, city and travel plans got in the way. But the last day we made it out and despite the pretty frigid temperatures, Manchester decided to give us clear blue skies and sun. Lovely. 

We drove about 45 minutes to Bolton Abbey, a beautiful old church and cemetery on a river surrounded by hiking trails. I got a little obsessed with watching the British TV series "The Trip" while I was there (that and "Frozen Planet" {I do miss having a TV, I'll admit]} and the Abbey was one of the many places Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon visited on their culinary expedition. Unfortunately the river was too high to reenact Coogan crossing it on the slippery rock path. The dude even almost brought a change of clothes incase he fell in the freezing water in his attempt, but thought it would seal his cold and wet fate if he did. But we did get to go on a lovely little hike, breath some amazing fresh air and talk to the little old man that ran the church. Have you ever noticed how little old men that run churches in England love to chat? I love little old men. Here are some pics: 

Sister Act

I don't have a sister, but I like the idea of them, I especially like the idea of a whole magazine of them, especially one with my faves Mary-Kate and Ashley on the cover. I mean who else would it be for Vogue's Best Dressed Sister Edition? Such a good idea, right? I mean sisters are so hot right now! They've also got the Knowles sisters (cool), the Clarins sisters (creepy), the Middleton sisters (boring) and the Fanning sisters (adorable) up in the mix, as well as some models, Frenchies and other rightfully fashionable siblings. I got to get my hands on a copy.

Sometimes I do wish I knew what it was like to have a sister, that unbreakable bond, that other closet to raid, boyfriends to steal (JK). But in the last years, I actually have gotten a little taste of sisterdom — I have become really close with my two sister-in-laws and my oldest brother has two little girls who I get to watch grow up as sisters just two years apart. And I'm not done yet: in just a few hours I am driving up to Glasgow to see my other brother, my other niece and the earlier said sister-in-law who in fact is pretty much nine months pregnant (she is due next Thursday) with another girl! Sisters all around! So exciting. 

Here's some of my sister photos for you, can't wait for the new one to be added to the bunch. I'll keep you posted from Scotland...

My nieces Maisie and India and sister-in-law Deanna in NYC by Daniel.

Sisters in Stripes: My sister-in-law Catherine, Deanna, my bro's GF Nicole, me and my mom at Stinson Beach.

Cath and soon-to-be-big-sister Sadie in Scotland.

Sisters India and Maisie in California.

Me and Deanna in NYC.

Cath and Deanna in Italy.