Shopping and Such

week 4 training

2011-07-25T07:09:00.000-04:00

10 weeks to go

totals: swim 400 yds, bike: 25 miles, run: 34.3 miles
mon	run	6.1 mile run with marcie. Still super humid out. (55:12/9:05 pace)
tues	run	6 mile run (53:44/8:53 pace). Still hot, but I'm getting better at handling it.
wed	swim/bike/run	try the tri. 400 meter swim (13:50), 9 mile bike (33:06), 2 mile run (17:02)
thurs	rest
fri	run	12 mile run with jess. Failed 14 mile run and hottest day of the year. (2:04:00/10:24 pace)
sat	run	8.2 mile run. Hosted run with MVS and totally redeemed myself. 2nd to last mile was 7:55! (1:10:40/8:34 pace)
sun	bike	16 mile bike on Josh's loop. Avg pace was 13.6 mph I think.

this past week was soooo hot that i actually thought, is winter almost here? then i had to slap myself for having such vile thoughts. i AM trying to embrace the heat and acclimate, but friday was 80 degrees with 80% humidity by 6 am when i left for my long run and there was just no coping. i think that i will attempt the same exact route next week and pretend like this week didn't even happen. no walking!!

not much going on otherwise. marathon training is in full swing and my mileage is increasing each week. this time around i've been feeling really strong and have avoided the shin splints and heel pain that messed with me during seattle training.

try the tri week 2: karen joins

2011-07-24T15:49:00.000-04:00

another great week at try the tri! since this was karen's first outing, we decided to swim together, so my swim time was a little slower. (ignore the peeper in the yellow cap. he was totally drafting off us. :))
swim time: 13:50 (+6 min from last week)(swam with karen)
t1 time: 2:19 (+31 secs from last week)(fiddled with my garmin)

but i totally killed it on the bike (shout out to the speedy "silver bullet").
bike time: 33:06 (-4: 26 mins from last week)
t2 time: 1:22 (+7 secs from last week

the run remained about the same, but i felt much better.
run time:17:02 (-36 secs from last week)

overall: 1:07:39 (+1:36 from last week)(yay! really good considering the swim!)

it was super hot (hellllo heat wave) so i didn't put on my new wetsuit even tho i should be practicing with it. here, we can pretend.

wetsuits are soooo flattering. :)

only 3 more weeks of try the tri. i am going to make it to at least one more, if not two. and then its only a matter of weeks until the real deal. SheRox on Sept 25. get excited people!

week 3 training

2011-07-18T11:12:00.000-04:00

i wish i could just find a format for this blog and stick with it. you know, consistency and all that. but for now, you will all just have to deal with my blogger ADD as i attempt to figure out what works best.

so for right now, i am going to try and start posting my weekly workout notes on mondays for the remainder of the weeks leading up to the smuttynose hampton marathon (yes, i officially signed up. it is on oct 2 and there are precisely 11 weeks of training remaining. eeek!)

this week was jam packed even tho i didn't plan it that way. josh and i picked up our new bikes on wednesday, and proceeded to ride them 3 out of the next 4 days. i guess we like them or something. :) my long run this week didn't go quite as i had planned due to the really-starting-to-get-on-my-nerves-excessive-heat. plus i'm doing most of my runs with my smuttynose partner in crime, and running while talking is new to me, so i'm still finding my zone with that.

11 weeks to go:
totals: swim: 2000 yds, bike: 33 miles, run: 29.3 miles

mon	5.5 mile run. HOT so not what I had planned (49:20/8:58 pace)
tues	5 mile run. Track workout (800 WU, 5x400 in relay). Treadmill 3.25 miles @ 9 min/mile.
wed	rest
thurs	6 mile run (51:37/8:36 pace) (1.5 WU, 3@5k pace, 1.5 CD) (8:04, 7:45, 7:34) PLUS 6.5 mile bike (to Haverhill freeway)
fri	6.5 mile bike (to Haverhill freeway) PLUS 1.6 mile run slow (10ish pace)
sat	2000 yd pool swim, 45 mins (100 WU, 3X500 free with 100 kicks, 100 CD)
sun	11.2 mile run. HOT. (1:45:19/9:22 pace) PLUS 20 mile bike on bike path

and since no good blog is complete without a pic, here ya go (borrowed from sis)

a non running post! non runners rejoice!

2011-07-13T08:38:00.001-04:00

some of you may remember the bunny incident from last month. in case you don't, a quick recap....

we discovered a bunny hole in the corner of our backyard when josh accidentally ran it over with the lawn mower. (not to fret (at least at this point) they were not killed (at least not at this point)). at first i was very anti-bunny and wanted to exterminate them using various cruel methods, but over the course of the next few days, i found myself checking on them frequently and trying to keep the dogs away. i say trying, because on about day 3, i failed, and nala, the big bad bunny killer that she is, decided to chomp on one. welllll, the thinking is that the smell of bunny blood scared the mother away, because she never returned, and even tho the bunnies were progressing quite nicely and were up and about around the hole, they eventually died a dehydrated death on about day 5 of bunny watch '11. sad, i know.

anyhow, that brings us to our more happy story of the day. my redemption song, if you will.

there has been a very persistent bird, who despite my knocking down of her first nest attempt (pre-bunny) has rebuilt and hatched herself some cute little baby birds. because i am a newly reformed animal liker (not yet lover), i told mama bird that i would leave her nest intact until her babes were grown enough to leave the nest, but after that, all bets were off. i've been keeping progress on the little things, and yesterday i was able to snatch a cute pic while mom was away getting food stuffs (at least i presume... she could have been off partying and getting a "bella vita" tattoo, but i'll have faith)

just wanted to share! hope you are having a less hot and humid week than moi!

try the tri - week 1

2011-07-11T13:38:00.000-04:00

i'm back with my long awaited first triathlon race report. yay!

"try the tri" is a weekly event put on by my local tri club (trifury) that goes for 10 weeks throughout the summer. its a very low key "race" if you would even call it that, but it is super well organized and i was really, really impressed with it, and the members of trifury (who i'm slowly meeting more of). the race consists of a 400 meter swim, 10 mile bike and 2 mile run.

here i am at the start with josh and also an uber flattering pic of me with my mentor, robin, and my fellow mentee, judy.

the swim course was pretty easy for me...must be my few good years of high school swimming have managed to carry over. i was 2nd out of the water which was cool! i could get used to total swim domination!

swim time:7:50

t1 time: 1:48

not having any idea of what to expect in the transitions, i think my time was ok. i didn't try to put my shirt on over my helmet or anything too crazy, but i also didn't have a wetsuit to take off, so time will tell on the transitions.

bike time: 37:32

and then the bike happened, and i proceeded to get past by everyone and their mother. definitely my weakest sport but maybe the new road bike (woohoo) i bought over the weekend will inspire more riding!

t2 time: 1:15

run time: 17:38

the running was actually the hardest part for me, since it took a good mile of the two total for my legs to start feeling like legs again. brick workouts here i come!!

total time: 1:06:03

i am definitely doing this again! i think there are at least 5 more weeks left, so 5 more weeks to get my time under 1 hour. i'm secretly (or not so secretly) trying to recruit peeps to do this series with me, so if you are even remotely interested, let me know so i can railroad you into it. :)

oh, and i forgot to mention....

2011-07-06T14:21:00.002-04:00

i'm racing (if you'd call it that) my first ever tri today! josh is coming with, so i'll make him man the camera. stay tuned....

pics are up!! aka the post in which gwen posts non-hid pics of herself

2011-07-06T14:18:00.000-04:00

so karen, dave and i ran the harvard pilgrim 10k on the 4th of July. mostly (ok, it was pretty much only) because you got to run thru the helmet and onto the field at gillette stadium, finishing on the 50 yd line. since patriots tickets are soooo expensive, this was my first, and probably last time to gillette stadium, and definitely as close as i'm ever going to come to the field ever again.

the race itself was not fun. it was like 80 degrees with 80% humidity when we started and i sounded like a wheezing vacuum by the 1 mile mark. my splits were as non-progressive as can be (8:15, 8:30, 8:45, 9:00, 9:15, 8:45) (hey, at least i picked it up at the end!) (total time: 55:48) but the pics...oh the pics!! i'm contributing it all to the compression sleeves, but i am preeeettty pleased with these pics, i must say.

also! make sure to check out karen's blog. she is less conceited than i, but will post a pic or two nonetheless, i'm sure.

seattle rock and roll marathon race report

2011-07-05T08:22:00.000-04:00

ok, ok, i'll stop procrastinating and just write the damn thing. ugh.

for a first marathon, everything went very smoothly and just as good as one could hope for. we woke up early (3:30, i think? my memory starts to go after a week), caught a cab from capitol hill to downtown where the shuttles were taking the runners to the start in tukwila, and didn't even have to wait in line. (i heard that these shuttles got very crowded later on and a bunch of people arrived at the start late. nothing like a little extra adrenaline!) the weather was perfect too, 55 i think at start, 62 at finish. after about an hour of waiting around at the start, we got into our corrals (i was corral 9) and the race got underway.

corral 9 only had to wait about 10 mins or so to get the start...and we were off! i paced the first mile just as i'd planned, and then brought it down to 9 min/miles and stuck with it. the first 10 miles were the prettiest of the course, right along lake washington. this section had the most spectators by far and lots of interesting things to look at. the miles went pretty fast. at about mile 10, we split from the halfers and did the first out and back (out of 3) of the course, across the lake. i was still feeling really good at this point! we met back up with the halfers, went thru a long tunnel, and headed into downtown. mile 16 started and we started the second and loooongest out and back. this is where things started to go bad. my legs started cramping and mentally i started struggling. i tried to hang in for a few more miles before resigning myself to an 8 mile run/walk to the finish. i ran/walked up and down what seemed like the longest hills of my life and told myself all i needed to do was finish. mile 23 brought the third and final out and back (sadistic course, for sursies) and i tried to rally, but cried instead. with only 1.5 miles to go, i was finally able to coax my legs into running again, and i slowly made it to the finish. oddly enough, i wasn't really even happy to be finished...i think i was just so emotionally exhausted that i was too tired to feel anything. even now, a week later, i wonder if i could have done more and i'm just not sure. part of me thinks i kind of gave up, and the other part remembers how much pain i was in. i KNOW i have a better time in me and even during the race, i was already planning my redemption marathon! here's my splits from the race so you can see how my story ties into my mile paces. (mile 12 and 13 were in a tunnel).

and, my only good picture from the race. i have no idea what mile this was at, but its pretty cool that the space needle is in the background!

so in sum:

good first half

sucky second half

time: 4:30:55

ready to run another one!

i wish i knew how to quit you

2011-06-16T07:57:00.000-04:00

a fast person has stolen my body....

2011-06-13T17:29:00.000-04:00

and is running all over town with it!

i don't know what's gotten into me, but lately my runs can do no wrong. one good run after another and i love it!!!

here are my splits from today's, what i call my "usual run". its a reasonable hilly 4.6 mile loop around my neighborhood. notice those 7's in there?? craaazy. and for reference my previous best time on this loop was 39:50.

this is so exciting!!!

20 miles and clipless pedals

2011-06-06T07:39:00.000-04:00

yay! the last real long run of my marathon training is complete!! ran 20 miles on saturday, and it feels so good to have it done and out of the way. it was also a pretty big confidence booster going into the actual marathon. my pace has been getting progressively better with each long run, and this one was no exception. it looks like i really may have a shot at breaking 4 hours which would be incredible!

20.17 miles / 3:08:27 / 9:21 avg pace

the other exciting news (and second half of my very exciting title) is that josh and i took the plunge and got clipless pedals for our bikes this weekend. the first 3 mins of attempting to get my shoe into the pedal were pretty foolish, but after that, its been easy peasy. we've been practicing up and the down the street and around the neighborhood, and we hope to take them for an actual spin sometime early this week.

here are the shoes that i got.

we decided to go with the spd system, but my shoes have the right holes on the bottom for both spd and real road bike pedals, so that is cool. as a quick review, these shoes are really nice and comfortable. they conform nicely to my feet and the ratchet thingy in the back provides for a really good fit. i tried on some pearl izumis that were garbage by comparison. i'll keep everyone informed of the number of times i fall over. so far its only about 0.5 (no real fall, just a wobble as i forgot to take my 2nd foot out before i tried to get off the bike. haah)

in the month of may

2011-06-02T08:06:00.000-04:00

stats for may (a little more detailed this time. yay!):

running: 141.9 miles in 22 hours and 17 mins for an average of 9:25 min/mile pace
biking: 29.5 miles
pilates classes: 1
spinning classes: 2

goals for june:

this is kind of tricky because i'll be spending most of june tapering for the seattle rock and roll marathon on june 25, but i would love to break 150 miles in one month, so if not june then july. i'm also a little afraid to admit it, because then somehow its real, but i'm going to throw it out there...i've been thinking about doing a triathlon. just a sprint distance to start, but i'd really love to do a half ironman. i mean really, it makes good sense. i'm a pretty good swimmer (left over from years of high school swim) and i've really been enjoying the bike rides that josh and i have been taking and of course, i like running. duh. so another one of my june goals is to get clipless pedals for my hybrid and start riding more! (lets say "more" means 100 miles; need to have measurable goals, after all) and while i'm at it, my 3rd june goal is to swim at least 3 times. that should be a good start in case i want to get all craaaazy and sign up for one of these things. :)

(for those of you unfamiliar with tri distances, here are the distances:

sprint (can vary, but usually): swim 0.5 mile, bike 10 miles, run 3 miles
HIM (half ironman) (also known as an ironman 70.3): swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles, run 13.1 miles
ironman: swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run *A MARATHON * 26.2 miles)

anyone out there reading my blog ever do a triathlon? its just sounds so different from a road race, what with all the transitions and all. any first time stories? advice? and don't all comment at once...i don't want to get overwhelmed. :)

weekend race recap

2011-05-29T21:27:00.000-04:00

ahhhh...this weekend was just what i needed. (and its not even over. score!) the sun and (lots of) warmth finally came to new england. we went from 50 and rainy last week, to nearly 90 and humid this week. the spring to summer transition never fails to disappoint!

karen and i had signed to up to do a couple of races this weekend (of COMMEMORATIVE cup fame)(which failed to materialize, tho i DID get a pretty sweet coozie... so all is not lost) first up was a 5k on saturday (new PR of 24:19) and today was a 5 miler (new PR of 40:55). the 5k was cooler but hilly, and the 5 miler was flat but HOT. so i was kind of in pain both days. (as you shall sooooon see). karen didn't end up running either race due to super annoying ongoing calf issues, but her huz dave took her place in the 5k, so that was cool.

i'm not very good at race reports, and since i had a built in race photographer, i'm going to let the pictures from this weekend do the story telling.

we started both races feeling fresh and fine!

the gun went off *bam* and away we went!

it kinda went, run run run, this isn't too hard, run run run, halfway there, run run run, yeah i'm getting pretty tired, run run run, i.am.dyyyyyying. and scene.

then we finished! and boy were we tired. like really tired.

(do i have the best running pain look you've ever seen, or what?)
i wasn't the only one that was tired tho.

and then it was time for post race food and drink! and we were feeling (pretty) fresh and fine again!

have a great memorial day all!!!

new food faves

2011-05-26T11:57:00.000-04:00

since i starting running again, eating healthy has been something i've been attempting...meaning, i don't always get there, but i'm kinda sorta always trying. and so i thought i'd share a few foods i've found along the way that make this better eating a little tastier.

there are only a handful of foods i won't eat in this world; sweet potatoes, watermelon (i'm weird, i know), cucumbers (i'm getting better with these)...
cottage cheese used to be on this list, but since i've discovered these breakstone cottage doubles, i am LOVING it! and i always feel good about finding ways to get more calcium in my diet, since milk is probably another food i should add to the do-not-do list. my favorite flav so far is the pinapple, but they have all been really yummy!

some have compared them to prunes, and i suppose i should add a disclaimer that they may make you a bit gassy, but don't let that stop you from trying the deep chocolate vitatop! especially with some chobani and/or banana...mmmmmm, deeelish (or with mighty maple peanut butter like this girl. plus, they're fortified (like your cereal). winning! (is that old now? prob.)

and that brings us to my last fav...chobani yogurt. after years of eating diet yoplait, the creamy texture kind of threw me off a bit, but now that i'm used to them i could never go back to those watery, tasteless yoplaits. i found out about these through some peeps at work (who it seems were practically forming their own chobani fan club for awhile, but who can blame them). the going favorite seems to be pomegranate, but once again, i think pineapple is the best.

what are some good healthy foods that you have happily stumbled upon?

the countdown is on

2011-05-25T08:06:00.000-04:00

today marks the official one-month-until-the-marathon mark.

i'm finally starting to feel all these emotions...excitement, fear, anticipation, disbelief. it really hasn't seemed real until just recently and i still can't believe that in 1 month i will be a marathoner!! almost time to get a 26.2 sticker for my car. haha.

here's the course map and elevation. i'm totally ready to get this party started!

days of the week

2011-05-19T08:38:00.001-04:00

monday: treadmill time at the gym. tried to make it more interesting than the infomercial that was playing on the only screen in view, and did progressive miles. 9:30, 9:15, 9:00, 8:45, 8:30, 8:15 with a blast of 8:00 at the end. workout: 6.4 miles, 1 hour

tuesday: track day with the MVS striders. so gross out; nasty, windy and rainy. queue nancy kerrigan..."whhhhhhyyyyy?" we did 3 sets of 400, 800, and 1200 with 200 jogs in between legs and 400 jogs in between sets. (1:52, 3:59, 6:22, 1:55, 3:55, 6:11, 1:53, 3:57, 5:56) workout: 7 miles, 1 hour

wednesday: spin day with kertch! i hate spinning, but i'm hating it less! workout: lots.of.spinning, 50 mins

thursday: more treadmill time at the gym (drat that NE weather!). today includes a bonus shot of my back. in case you can't read in reverse, it says "you just got chicked" getting chicked is what happens to boys when they get passed by girls! :) workout: 4.9 miles, 45 mins

if ya'll like this format, give me a shout out and we can make every week just as fun!
http://shoppingandsuch.blogspot.com/ (for you FB peeps)

quick and random

2011-05-18T09:47:00.004-04:00

found a few long lost pics on my phone and thought that the trio made an excellent "favorite things" post.

lady gaga: i loooove me some gaga

kara goucher: girl crush! call me kara! we'd totally make awesome besties.

pizza, food in general: doesn't my cart look staged? i'm normally not such a tidy shopper. :)

have a great hump day folks!!
http://shoppingandsuch.blogspot.com/ (for you FB peeps)

weekend recap

2011-05-16T13:43:00.002-04:00

this weekend turned out to be very productive on the running/exercise front!

i DID end up getting my 12 mile run in on friday. the weather was perfect (i have gotten VERY lucky this training cycle in terms of long run weather), my transition from work to bike path went perfectly and on-schedule, and i thought i had escaped any friday the 13th hi-jinks. then my garmin battery died. 5 mins into a 2 hour run. wah wah. so i had to guess how fast i was going, and try not to run faster than i should for optimal non-dying-at-the-end-ness. i failed and the last mile was pretty miserable. its just so odd, i really don't feel like i ran any faster than i did during my 16 miler, so a 12 miler should have been a cakewalk. i already didn't like this particular bike path, so now i really don't like it. :P take that minuteman!

(i get childish and cranky in the afternoon (at work))

saturday - did pilates in the city (how posh) :) with the sis and friends. i am woefully inflexible, but this class was pretty good and i am still feeling it in my lower abs and butt-tocks 2 days later!

and on sunday, the impromptu 5k went mah-voulously. both sis and i PRed!! my time was 24:39 (7:56 pace) and hers was 30:08 (9:43 pace) we were so excited, we went right out and signed up for another 5k AND 5 mile combo on memorial day weekend. (you get a COMMEMORATIVE cup for doing both...swank!) any peeps in the 01844 should join us! its sure to be good times!

http://www.coolrunning.com/major/11/sonsofitaly/

i shall leave you with my outfit from 5k sunday. nothing too fancy. long sleeve tee (brooks), tights (lulu) and shoes (asics). i've got a whole bunch of running outfits i'm just dying to share. maybe this week, i'll do a "days of the week" running montage. kind of like "days of the week" underwear, but less exposed. :)

just a few race pics for ya

2011-05-11T12:35:00.004-04:00

let's see...what to chat about...

well, tonight is week 3 of track practice. so far so good on that. i've got a 12 mile run in the lineup for fri since the weather is supposed to be pretty good. then on sat i'm being a good crosstrainer by going to (a supposedly very hard) pilates class with the sis and friend and on sunday i'm thinking of running an impromptu 5k.

sounds fun! would sound even more fun if it was sunny and 75 degrees for all that fun-ness. i am completely over these spring months. deathmarch was the worst. crapril wasn't much better. and dismay is just dragging on and on....come on namesake month!

ok, enough with the words. onto the not-so-cute pics! (side note, for a second there i thought i deleted this post. that would have been tragic and ya'll def would have missed out on these not-so-cute pics cause i am not one to re-write. phew!)

this was at around mile 2ish i think. i look tired already. i'm not! i just hate race photographers and after one too many failed smiling attempts, i just look down, hoping that they won't see me.

mile 5, i believe. see that overly smiley girl in front of me? yeah, that's why i look down.

i def remember this photog at mile 12. he was laying on the ground and i couldn't quite tell what he was from a distance, but i just kept saying to myself, "make it to the black blob on the ground, you can do it. just a little bit more to the black blob"

aaaaand the finish!! so happy to be done.

wallis sands half marathon - race report

2011-05-02T09:16:00.005-04:00

since i don't blog as much as i should, i never actually included a post about my goals for this race. let me start with those.

i actually had a few levels of goals for this race:

a) run a smart race/don't die and/or finish in under 2 hours - this was my bare minimum goal
b) beat my previous best time (1:54:15) from the last race i ran, 2 years ago, right before i fell of the running wagon
c) better than 1:50:00 -this was def a stretch goal

the conditions on race day were pretty much perfect. very light wind, temperature was 50 at the start and 57 at the finish, flat course, and beautiful scenery -along the ocean for about 4 miles total

my plan was to run the first mile in 9, the second in 8:45 and then the rest at or under 8:30. i did pretty well with this plan (alright, re-looking at my splits, i may have been a bit fast) , right until the 9 mile mark or so, and then the wheels just fell off.

Mile Split time Split pace Elev. chg.
1 8:46 8:47 +3
2 8:29 8:29 +2
3 8:18 8:18 +16
4 8:13 8:14 +231 (wow, faster mile, biggest hill. hmmmm)
5 8:23 8:24 -167
6 8:19 8:19 -10
7 8:40 8:41 -8
8 8:37 8:37 -18
9 8:45 8:46 -10
10 9:00 9:01 -29
11 9:27 9:28 +17 (stopped to drink some gatorade)
12 9:17 9:18 +27
13 9:09 9:09 -66
0.1 0:50 8:25 +32

total time 1:54:55

in hindsight, i'm sure i just went out too fast, but i'm not actually upset that i did because it gave me the chance to try; to get to my goal pace and see how long i actually could hold it for. i'm really proud that i ran as fast as i did for as long as i did and it gives me a very attainable goal for the future: work on my stamina for miles 10-13 and hold that pace! i totally think i can do that.

so lets see. i sort of met goal A. i was pretty darn close to goal B. and goal C, well, ya know.

and oh, this race also reminded me that i need to work on my positive talk. if kara's mantra is "fighter" and mine is "i wanna die, just let it be over", then i can see why i'm not a world class athlete. :)

--hope to post pics soon. the race website is being soooo slow in posting them

march-ing along groan

2011-04-04T12:01:00.000-04:00

stats for march: total miles: 109.1 miles, longest run: 10 miles.

right now i am logging my runs in a few different places. I use runkeeper cause I started with that one when I began my marathon training. Its also where the sis and bro-in-law log their runs so it is fun to see how everyone is doing. I also started using the software that came with my garmin as well as a free downloadable software that I heard good things about, but I only use those 2 for outside runs with my garmin so they aren’t very complete. I also have a spreadsheet I keep that is very simple; date and number of miles.

needless to say, I am looking forward to paring this process down. I think I’ll prob end up with the free sw and I’ll just manually enter my treadmill runs (or get a garmin footpod). the good thing about that option is that when I do a monthly stats, I’ll be able to give a total time and thus and average pace. I’m curious about what that might end up being.

sister and I went to the nashua rail trail for our 12 mile run this past sunday. it was refreshing to run on a flat surface…almost made the run seem “easy”. here is my ensemble from the run. Lululemon run:inspire tights in sprinkler, nike shorts, and nike jacket that was FREE with coke points.

is it wrong that I have over $300 in free nike and adidas clothes that I got with coke points? at least its diet coke!

return of the mack

2011-03-24T08:25:00.004-04:00

since this is my blog, and i can do what i want with it (or nothing at all if the last year is any indication), i'm thinking about blogging more about running (i'm training for the seattle rock and roll marathon in june, so that is constant on my mind). i spose i could do a shopping-for-running-accessories blog...that might be a nice marriage of the old and new. :-)

either way, i think im going to try and write here a little more often. *try*

nothing compares to new workout gear for motivational purposes. since this last round of running started, i've found that a lot of my stuff was pretty worn looking and sweat stain-ed, so i've been doing a little sprucing up of my "kit" (bought a UK version of runner's world, and they must have used the word kit no less than 100 times.)

for the fashionistas :-), here's some new lululemon: unicorn tears stratus wunder unders, iris wee stripe in-stride jacket, pink (forget the name) swiftly tee (hard to see).

paint it black

2010-06-22T20:50:00.004-04:00

i have to wear all black to job number 2. strict black; meaning black suit or black dress with sleeves, and black shoes. i actually kind of like it. black isn't something i'm normally drawn to, but there's no denying its classiness (and it's an excuse for more shopping, as in, but i neeeeeed it for work) and so far i've enjoyed getting "dressed up" for work. i try to dress up for job number 1, but when you can get away with jeans and flips flops, it can be hard to motivate some mornings.

back to #2, we ARE however allowed to wear colorful accessories to our little hearts content, so i've been working on that (an excuse for more shopping....i neeeeeed them). my latest purchase was quite the splurge, but i really love it. i love the color and i've been working on learning all sorts of fun ways to tie it. i'll try and post some of my better attempts. i'm also hopeful that i might make me look older/more mature, and help cut back on the amount of times an hour i'm asked if i'm a college student. 15 years ago, beeeotch. (i know, i shouldn't be bitter, but it starts to grate on me)

day without color. niiiice, but missing that je ne sais pas.
the lowdown:
suit: jcrew
tank: mbmj
shoes: lumiani
bag: rebecca minkoff
hair bobby pin: juicy (bridesmaid gift from kertch) (are you reading this, are you?)

day WITH color, luv that pink:
the lowdown:
dress: DVF
shoes: ann taylor
bag: balenciaga
scarf: hermes
bangles: jcrew and various cheapies

and here is a close up of the scarf. it is called "cent plis des maio" in colorway #2, i believe. as soon as i laid eyes on it, it was game over.

first purchase: reveal!

2010-06-18T09:36:00.003-04:00

my mood is pretty upbeat today. mostly because its friday and the weather forecast is looking good, but also, i had a really nice night at work #2 last night. my first night on the floor on my own, in fact, and i did a really good amount of sales! i think i'm a natural shoe saleswoman. :)

it was amazing how fast time went by too. there was a sale going on this week, so we were open an hour later than normal, making my shift time 4 hours long, and i swear it seemed like less than an hour. it was an unusual sensation...this time flying by at work thing. i really hope this idea/plan of mine works out in the long run and that i can eventually do something that i love doing everyday. its such a pipe dream at this point, but i think it might just keep me going.

accessories outfit of the day:

the lowdown:
bag: rebecca minkoff MAM
shoes: fendi graffiti zucca flats
leggings: LNA

first purchase

2010-06-12T07:09:00.006-04:00

i'm debating which shoes to get with my first discounted purchase. the first two pair are more practical as i can wear them to both jobs. (see ps) the second are more fun, even tho i'm not normally drawn to logo things. or i can just keep drooling. deciding and planning is way more than half the fun.

salvatore ferragamo varina bow flat

chloe belted flat

fendi graffiti zucca flat

ps-this blog is supposed to be a personal blog, but i do struggle with how much information is appropriate to put here. case in point: last year when josh and i decided to get new jobs and move back to the boston area, there was a whole lotta stuff i would have loved to blog about. the interview process, househunting, my stress and struggle with everything...but then, on the flip side, there's a whole lotta stuff that i don't want lots of people knowing about until its final, kwim? and by the time i can write about it, its not relevant.

so, re: above. i'm sure some of you know. if you don't, i'm sure you can figure it out if you know me well enough. :)

maybe i can time delay my posts by about 3 months. :)

Randoms, because I'm lazy

2010-06-03T19:55:00.006-04:00

just so you don't all feel left out out there in internet land, I'm posting a few OOTD pics I took but never wrote about. don't say I don't ever think about you.....

WORK:

the lowdown:

pants: theory
tank top: club monaco

blouse: splendid
shoes: jcrew
necklace: jcrew

OUTLET SHOPPING:
the lowdown:

top: anthro
jeans: 7FAM
flips: tory burch
bag: RM BBW MAM

WINE TASTING:
the lowdown:
top: splendid
cardi: jcrew
jeans: joe's
flips: tory burch
sunnies: chloe
bag: balenciaga sahara day

NIAGARA FALLSING:
the lowdown:
ponchos: courtesy of maid of the mist

Ta da

2010-05-26T14:32:00.012-04:00

The lamp I was waiting for got here today, and with its arrival, I can officially say that the guest room re-model is complete. I've already gotten so used to the room while I've been working on updating it, that it is totally shocking to look at these before pictures. What a change!!

Per usual, I didn’t have a full-on plan when I started. I had some bed linens that I liked, and that was about it. After that, I picked the wall color. Then the desk and bookshelf were chosen for their light and airy effect (to counter the darker walls). I chose to match the blinds to the walls just in case I ever want to change up the color scheme. And then the lamp and the mirror – purple. (I’ve just been waiting for an excuse to buy this lamp. It comes in customizable colors, so I knew I’d find a way)

I think the very first guest is scheduled to take it for a test run next weekend. She’ll have to let me know how it goes.

back wall (before and after):

door wall (before and after):

window wall (before and after):

detail shots:

and one last pic:

The lowdown:

Duvet and pillow cases: West Elm

Sheets: Potterybarn

Headboard sticker: Blik

Desk and chair: West Elm

Bookshelf and baskets: Crate and Barrel

Side table: Crate and Barrel (from about 5 yrs ago)

Other side table: Overstock

Mona Lisa Print: Josh and I got this on a cruise about 5 yrs ago.

Alarm clock: Potterybarn (originally purchased for master bedroom, but kicked out due to “ticking”)

Lamp: Thomas Paul from Design Public

Blinds: Shade Store (my FAV place for window coverings), lecirque

Mirror: Home Depot

Paint: Benjamin Moore, Bittersweet Chocolate

**all lounging demonstrated by Kona

monday must have

2010-05-17T14:56:00.005-04:00

there is a common blog theme called "wednesday wants" where a blogger will post things that they are coveting. i don't like the wait for certain days tho, so i'm trying to think of alternatives.

unfortunately, there aren't too many good words for this sort of thing that start with "m"

hankering, yen, need, desire, covet...i used up the only one i could possibly come up with in my title. any nerdy wordies out there?

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this rosebud ring from bottega veneta.

vegas recap - quickstyle

2010-05-13T08:36:00.006-04:00

this past weekend's trip was one of my favorites in recent years. the weather was beautiful, hanging out friends was awesome, and i even snuck in a little shopping. here is the weekend in pictures:

we took group pics in front of famous landmarks:
and took group pics in front of our LIMO!
we gambled (and snuck one picture in before getting yelled at):
we ate (almost as much as we drank):

and drank (duh):
we spent LOTS of time poolside:

and took pics of vegas spectacular:

my fav, the curved escalator. i say we need more of these in america:
can't wait til next year!!

weekends were, made for fun

2010-04-23T17:43:00.003-04:00

happy weekend everyone! yippie!

this has been a very good week, but also a very tiring week. i got it in my head sunday night that the spare bedroom needed new bedding. that led to needing a new wall color to go with the new bedding. that led to needing new furniture to go with the new wall color and, well, you get the point. so what happened is that between sunday night and thursday night, our spare bedroom over went a total transformation. luckily, i remembered to take some before pictures, so hopefully i can share the cuteness with you all soon!!

if you look closely, you can catch a glimpse of a piece of the decorating action in these shots....

'scuse the dirty mirror. i thought i had windexed it adequately, apparentment non

the lowdown:
t-shirt: lands end canvas
cardigan: hinge, nordstrom line
jeans: joe's jeans
shoes: tory burch revas
necklace: madewell

mall rats

2010-04-18T06:50:00.005-04:00

its been raining all weekend, so josh and i decided to go to the mall yesterday. used a coupon and an old gift card to get this pillow case to replace the snowman one i still had out. i love the snowman, he really completes the room, but i figured snowmen usually melt by april, so it was time for him to go....

i also stopped into kiels because i've been on the hunt for a new face moisturizer. i picked one (ultimate moisturizer with spf 15, i think) and i'll try it out, but i have to say that i was a little disappointed that the whole time i was browsing, trying lotions on, etc, not a one person even talked to me, let alone asked me if i needed any help. too bad too. i mean, i was ripe for the picking. i would have tried out a whole new face regime if they'd told me it would help. oh well, their loss. (btw, any suggestions in this area would be greatly appreciated. my face is just more prone to random breakouts lately, and it always feels dry and/or red) ug.

our final productive stop of the day was at banana republic. they were having 25% off everything! josh got a bunch of cute clothes, and i restrained myself and just got a belt. stole it from the model. i love doing that.

the lowdown:
dress: jcrew
tights: spanx
jacket: S.W.O.R.D. lucca
boots: frye
bag: rebecca minkoff nikki in cloud grey

oh, and we did stop into the apple store. the debate still continues, tho at least i am starting to see josh's side about the mac book pro. too bad none of the software i had fun playing with comes standard.

i don't know why, i just think the ipad is so durn cute!

crappy day, glad to be home

2010-04-13T16:36:00.003-04:00

nuff said.

the lowdown:
top: banana republic
jacket: gap
jeans: rock & republic
shoes: anthropologie
sunnies: chloe
bag: sahara balenciaga day

life springs enternal on a gaudy neon street

2010-04-12T22:04:00.003-04:00

quick recap: while i was away from blogging, i: moved back to the boston area (biggest woohoo ever!), bought a house (yay!), changed jobs (eh) and ..... gained approximately 20 lbs. (uh oh). :( apparently, i'm not only a bored eater, a depressed eater and a happy eater, i'm also a stress eater. but, good news, in the last few months, i have really buckled down and lost almost all of it! in fact, i have 3 more lbs to go to get to my goal and 3 more weeks until my annual las vegas trip. coincidence, i think not.

so, i've been doing what every good addict does when they give up one addiction. i've replaced it with another....online shopping. gah, i love it so. here are a few of the things i've picked up:

bows, and ruffles, oh my!

the lowdown:
dress: rebecca taylor
cardigan: splendid
shoes: chie mihara
necklace: blue nile
sunnies: chloe

the OOD post you've all been waiting for!

2010-04-10T09:09:00.003-04:00

ta da! isn't it stunning? aren't i radiant? to quote the zoe, i die.

but really, i was just trying out a bunch of different locations in the new house for self portraits, since i haven't done any since we moved. and this was my favorite locale...get ready for a lot of white door action, cause i'll be back tomorrow with something even better! :)

i'm baaaaack

2010-04-09T20:58:00.002-04:00

after a long hiatus, gwendy is returning to the world of blogging. the world will never be the same. :) be on the lookout, there's more to come....

good riddance (i hope you had the time of your life)

2009-07-14T17:23:00.005-04:00

yay for three day weeks!

since i took yesterday off (for secret activities), and i'm taking this friday off (for secret only to karen activities; bridal shower) this week is a glorious three day week for me! and since my depression and fading hope has diminished from last week, i am in a super celebratory mood!! so today, i attempted my very first homemade amaretto sours and i have to say, they are damn tasty. i'm on my second one, along with some cheese, crackers and hummus, so delish! (celebratory moods also require diet breaking....no really, its required)

i really hope that i'm able to share in my exciting news soon. you have no idea how much it's been killing me. everyone who knows me, knows a) i am NOT a patient person b) i CANNOT keep secrets.

its KILLING me!!!

so, to help pass the time, i'll show you a few pics. there would be more, but i have yet to procure a replacement for the broken camera, so pictures are harder to come by these days. i hope that will be remedied in short order.

kertch got me this necklace as a thank you gift for planning her shower and i really like it! i've been working on trying it on with different things in my closet to see what kind of stuff i can pair it with. so far, i like it best with black. but i did just get a "school bus" yellow cardi from club monaco that i'm really digging it with too. hopefully pics of that soon too.

a closeup. sorry about the fish mouth. :)

the other cool thing about these outfits are these new shoes i got to wear in karen's wedding. i think they are copying marni, but i can't remember, and even if i could, i couldn't justify them. i think for the price, these look super luxe. my photos do not do them justice.

the lowdown:

dress: splendid
top: espirit
jeans: joe's jeans
shoes: bdbgirls dalton
necklace: anthropologie thunderstorm necklace

TGIF

2009-06-19T20:53:00.004-04:00

my banana republic necklace arrived, and as promised, here are the pics. saying i reeeeeally like it is kind of an understatement. i think its totally rad! i have a black tank top that i think i'm going to wear it with next.

as a side note, i hope there will be a lot more posting coming up. there are great things on the horizon for the spitler clan and i can't wait to blog all about it. stay tuned!

since i'm feeling a little brainscattered, i thought i'd throw in the latest pic of the adorable kona tiberious and nala amadala. too cute, those two.

guest OODing

2009-06-08T17:25:00.006-04:00

we spent some time at the outlets this weekend, and you will all be happy to know i was VERY good. there was this awesome maxi dress at michael kors, but i dutifully resisted, albeit with a fair amount of whining about how much i loved the dress afterward. still. small victories.

josh, however, was quite spendy and bought this awesome suit and dress shoes. we went to about five men's suit type places with little luck, and then as a last stop, stopped in calvin klein on our way out. well, we should have know to shop there first, as their stuff always fits josh to a T.

here is josh looking dashing in his new suit! (he may deny this, but he actually suggested this photo shoot. as he was trying on his suit and shoes at home, he said, "are you gonna do a blogondo post about my outfit??". i had to oblige!)

the lowdown:

suit: calvin klein
shirt: jos a banks
tie: express
shoes: cole haan

belated outfit post

2009-06-04T18:44:00.003-04:00

i'm bored and can't think of anything fun to write about. so i'm just going to post an outfit from last weekend.

the lowdown:
tank: club monaco
cardi: splendid
skirt: club monaco
flip flops: jcrew
purse: rebecca minkoff BBW MAM
tired look: priceless

tomorrow's friday...at last. yay!

bib necklace

2009-06-04T10:37:00.004-04:00

hate the name, but love the look!

since i'm trying to stick to my budget, but still scratch the itchy trigger finger when i MUST, i'm trying to find interesting ways to add cute accessories to my wardrobe. i had some BR rewards coupons burning a hole in my proverbial pocket, so when i saw this necklace, i couldn't resist.

sunray bead necklace, banana republic

it will match perfectly with my new nailpolish. oh, and all the other coral colored clothes i got before i went on my ban.

sephora by OPI, lost without my GPS (top row, 2nd from left)

i have high hopes! will do an outfit post when it arrives.

Bon Anniversaire Lovebear

2009-06-01T20:04:00.003-04:00

its our one year anniversary today. and i love my joshy more than ever!! mush, mush. ok, i'm done.

my purse family

2009-06-01T19:39:00.004-04:00

since my camera died and i wanted to list one of my older purses on ebay (see here if you're interested :) coach large leather gallery tote), i borrowed my friend becky's camera the other day. and since i was already taking pictures of one purse, i figured i'd just keep going. there's also some OCD part of me that likes documenting things. i once took over 100 pictures of the rooms of our house in case i needed them someday. for insurance purposes. or somesuch.

in addition to the few pictures i'm posting here, i also narrated my purse journey over at tPF. if you like purses, and you're not a member, i highly recommend it. gwendy's pursetory

my latest love (also a one year anniversaire present from my joshy)

rebecca minkoff morning after mini in black/blackwoven

the infamous "minkie pile" (its a tPF thing)

the entire cast.
clockwise from the top righthand corner: foley & corinna mid-city tote in glazed eggplant, longchamp le pliage in navy, RM nikki in cloud grey, RM MAC in wine, RM MAM in black/blackwoven, lauren merkin louise in black, kooba devin in ivory, jalda python day bean clutcth in gold.

now i need to get less lazy and actually change them out to match my outfits. i may need to start waking up more than 15 minutes before i need to leave the house every morning. ewwww.

1:53:05

2009-05-30T20:42:00.005-04:00

my half marathon time!!

i've been waiting for the official time and pictures to get posted before i wrote this post. it took them long enough!

so, im still pretty pleased with my time, considering i was really only aiming for under 2 hours, but it seems that i didn't run quite as fast as originally thought. from the run to remember website:

"RUNNERS WERE LED OFF COURSE IN ERROR AND RAN A COURSE
THAT WAS 815 FEET SHORT. THE PACE COLUMN HAS BEEN
ADJUSTED TO A 12.955 MILE COURSE."

making my pace time 8:44 minutes/mile instead of 8:30. so that kinda of stinks, but oh well.

here are some pictures of me. keep in mind running pictures are NEVER cute. well, except for this last one. so let me rephrase. keep in mind running pictures of ME are NEVER cute. liz, she's another story. :)

(images courtesy of brightroom, as if you couldn't tell)

i'm also a bit peeved because i wouldn't have minded paying a couple bucks to get these pictures digitally, but nooooo, they want to charge me an EXORBITANT 25 bucks for EACH picture. as josh just said, you ran 13 miles, they should give you a picture. amen brother.

summer neutrals

2009-05-29T10:05:00.002-04:00

i'm not normally a tan/pale pink/off-white kinda girl, but this summer its hard to escape them. and they are totally growing on me. here a some of my favorites from shopbop. when is this shopping ban over again?? :) i can almost hear your comment in my head now joshy, so don't bother. :P

alexander wang donna hobo
i totally *heart*

pencey wave top

loeffler randall flynn ruffle thing flat

side note: funny story about this dress. this morning, i got an email from shopbop with this dress as the centerpiece. it immediately grabbed my attention, i clicked over, saw all this pretty stuff, and this blog entry was born! so, loving this dress as i do, i went to it, looked at the pictures in their larger iterations, checked out the sizes, sighed annoyingly at the price and got in the shower. WELL, when i went to go write this blog entry, i couldn't get a good picture of this dress anymore because in the 20 minutes it took me to take a shower, this dress had COMPLETELY sold out!!! and anyone who knows shopbop knows that means no more pretty pictures. so i must leave you with this one which is not at all as good. this dress is gorg! and i'm not the only one who thinks so!!

haute hippie mirrored dress

Feather top and oil change

2009-05-20T17:41:00.001-04:00

Just sitting here waiting for my oil to get changed and I thought I
would multi task and blog at the same time.

I'm soooo glad the week is finally on the down side. Five day weeks
are tough. I really need to get working on my resume. Why am I such a
slacker?

In other news, josh gave me permission to try on my dream purse. One
step closer!!!

The lowdown:
Top: marc by marc Jacobs
Skirt: club monoco
Sandals: matt bernson again. They are just so comfy!

rebecca minkoff

2009-05-19T18:20:00.007-04:00

i've been spending a lot more time that usual in the RM forum on tPF. it mostly had something to do with me expecting my wine MAC special order that i placed about two months ago. (before the ban went into effect.) but somewhere along the way, i became obsessed. i've always liked RM bags (i have a cloud grey nikki) but now i want them ALL. uh oh.

here is my latest love. ain't she purty. :)

the lowdown:
dress: french connection
sandals: matt berson gladiators in gold
purse: rebecca minkoff morning after clutch in wine

and maybe, just maybe, if i hope and love hard enough, this might be my one year anniversary present. wink wink. ily jish. *kiss*

rebecca minkoff black basketweave morning after mini

sunday, movie day

2009-05-17T12:06:00.005-04:00

it really HAS been a long time since i posted last. i hope the few, devoted readers that i do have haven't moved on to greener pastures...i promise i'll be better! something i cannot promise however, is quality pics for your viewing enjoyment, since my camera decided to crap out on me this week and all i'm left with is my iphone camera. its really kind of a bummer about the camera too. i was finally starting to use it more, and bring it with me places, and remember that i even had it in the first place. i guess it couldn't handle all the attention. :)

today, josh and i are off to see angels and demons. may is so jam packed with movies, we basically have a movie schedule that we are adhereing to. i opted out of star trek last weekend (heard it was "awesome"...i'll wait till i get it on netflix), we still have to see wolverine, transformers next weekend, and last but not at ALL least, harry potter in july. i'm also looking forward to bruno, tho i have a feeling i may have to see that one solo. i'm not complaining tho, winter movies SUCK!

i know you're all DYING to see my fabulouso movie outfit...get on with it gwendy, you say, enough mindless blather...so, here tis:

the lowdown:

dress: splendid
cardigan/shrug thingy: jcrew
leggings: splendid
boots: my beloved uggs
bracelets: linea pelle dome studded bracelets

i had put my uggs away for the summer, but today is so rainy, cold and miserable, that i wanted to snuggle in them one last time. i won't lie, i've missed them!

oh, one last thing...i signed up for twitter! feel free to follow me for some up-to-the-minute gwendy action. :) http://twitter.com/gwenjunebug

hope everyone is doing well out there in internet land!!

about town

2009-05-09T19:59:00.004-04:00

so today i was hard at work on my sister's bridal shower. only 2.5 months left! yikes. i had selfishly been focusing on vegas, vegas, vegas, so as soon as we got back home, i scared myself into working on it. only 2.5 months left! that got my butt in gear, and i had such a fun day of craft shopping and planning. i'd forgotten how much fun i have when i get immersed in something like this and really get the creative juices flowing. the day flies by and i feel so productive!! i wish i could share more details, but i believe the sis does lurk on my blog every now and then, so you'll all just have to wait. :) its going to be awesome tho!

here is my michaels/staples/joanns fabric shopping outfit:

the lowdown:
cardigan: jcrew
tee: jcrew
belt: linea pelle (love, love, love her belts. got this one with my amazon rewards!!)
jeans: joe's do-it-yourself boyfriends, previously honeys
flips: havaianas slim animal in brown
purse: longchamp le pliage in navy

first day back

2009-05-06T16:19:00.014-04:00

well, we're back from las vegas.

i had an AWESOME time with many good stories added to my repertoire and it was really fun to see everybody. hopefully i'll be able to do a proper post about it all in the next day or two; my brain is just too tired right now.

i tried to take more OOD pics while i was out there, but i kept forgetting. here is the only one i got:

the lowdown:

sunnies: marc jacobs
shirt: ali ro
cardigan: splendid
jeans: joe's
sandals: matt bernson
purse: foley and corinna
watch: michael kors
phew, that's a lot. i was all decked out!

and my other favorite one with all my friends!!

well, a few friends are missing. send me your pics! i only had a select few on my phone.

On my way

2009-04-30T08:25:00.000-04:00

My first attempt at blogging from my phone. Technology really is
pretty cool.

Here I am waiting in CVG for the last leg of our journey. Outfit is
pretty close to polyvored one. Dress: Fcuk. Cardigan: splendid. Scarf:
club monoco. Sandals: bernardo.

See you in sin city!

waking up in vegas

2009-04-29T12:29:00.003-04:00

is what i'll be doing tomorrow... if i take a nap poolside that is! i'm going to try and post from my phone, but i can't guarantee my mobile blogging skilz, or my coherency. :)

wish me luck!

My Vegas Polyvore Sets

2009-04-28T11:00:00.006-04:00

so josh figured out something fun for me to do to kill some time on my last full day of work. we, he didn't exactly figure it out, but something he said inspired me, so i'll give him credit. now these are my first attempts at polyvore, but i think i did pretty good!! enjoy, and let me know what you think!!!

travel outfit by gwenjune featuring Forever21 tights

gambling time by gwenjune featuring Matt Bernson shoes

pool time by gwenjune on Polyvore.com

going out and partying!!! by gwenjune featuring GUESS heels

day-dreaming

2009-04-28T07:52:00.002-04:00

this beauty is what i'm hoping to get in las vegas. i know, i know. its very far fetched, and very unlikely, but where else can you vacation and even have hopes of returning home with more money in your pocket (or new handbag!) than you came with.

balenciagas are my dream bags and i would settle for any style, really. for awhile i thought i wanted a city, but that's more of a handheld bag, and i've come to realize that i'm just not down with that. i'm a handsfree kinda girl, and so the day style is so much better for me. i love the giant silver hardware too. i've mapped out the stores that sell balenciaga in las vegas, now all i need to do is win. hmmmm, that's going to be the hard part!

double the pleasure, double the fun friday

2009-04-24T16:56:00.007-04:00

sorry its been so long since an outfit of the day post. i keep meaning to take pictures, but when i get home, i'm just so happy to be there (and NOT at work) that taking pics is the last thing on my mind.

first up is my wine club night ensemble from last weekend. there were only four of us, so we did a wine club "field trip" and went to the brix wine bar in pittsfield. it was really good and we all had a great time. i even managed to stay up past my bedtime when we went to see "knowing" afterwards. it wasn't the worst movie i've ever seen, but it did nothing to move nicholas cage from his most hated actor position.

the lowdown:

top: flounce from nordstrom in soft grey
cardigan: jcrew, black
jeans: true religion billy in supervixen
shoes: stuart weizman babydoll

and now today's outfit. notice the white jeans? this post is just for megan, who totally rocks and helped me get these at a steep discount from anthro. yay meg!

the lowdown:
top: ali ro (from the gilt sale)
jeans: joe's jeans, honey in jenny
shoes: matt bernson gladiator in gold
watch: michael kors
bracelet: erica weiner

i'm so glad the weekend is here! with nice weather to boot! josh and i already started things off right with some frappaccinos and a nice walk on the bike path. the pups enjoyed it too. :)

less than one week til vegas, can i get a woot woot???

training well underway

2009-04-21T11:41:00.004-04:00

i realize its been quite awhile since i posted my running stats for the week, and i know you all are just dying to know how many miles i've been running, so here you go:

weekly mileage FW14/15/16

3/30: 4.0 miles - knee was really hurting, had to walk a bit
4/4: 5K race
total: 7.2 miles
4/6: 6.0 miles - wore brace, not too bad
4/8: 4.5 miles - wore brace, no pain!
4/10: 4.2 miles - no brace, no pain! things are looking up!
4/12: 7.5 miles
total: 22.2 miles
4/14: 4.0 miles
4/16: 4.0 miles
4/19: 10.0 miles - on bike path. sooo tired of treadmill hell, can't go baaaack
total: 18 miles

i've been running less these last few weeks to take it easy on my knee, and you know what? i think its working! the last week has been pretty much pain free and i haven't even used the brace for the last 4 runs or so.

also, i won't lie. that 10 mile run this past weekend was not easy. the only saving grace was that it was super nice outside and i was too busy being enamored with all the signs of spring and people watching that i didn't even notice the pain (or boredom) until the last three miles. speaking of boredom, i sometimes wonder if that is my main problem. i think my body is capable of anything, and technically, i have the build for longer distance running, but its my brain that can't hack it. body of a marathoner, mind of a sprinter. ug.

5 weeks left till the half. anyone else getting excited??

the results are in: LOVE IT!

2009-04-18T14:18:00.007-04:00

i know normally people post the 'before' pictures first, but i like my hair so much, i'm going to start out this story with my favorite 'after' pic.

now lets go back to where our story all begins...

i had my appt at 11:00 at scissor sound in allston, but i got there a little early (10:45ish) and they took me right away. there was only one girl there who seemed to speak english well, and she became my translator throughout the day. she greeted me and took me over to the first person who would be working on my hair. (an intesting side note: i noticed that unlike most salons i've been to where you have one dedicated stylist, here, mulitple stylists would take turns working on each person's hair. sometimes even tagteaming for blowouts or curling. i had a total of 6 people work on me over the course of the day). the first thing she did was show me some pictures of what my hair would look like, and then asked me what was going on with my bangs. :( apparently i've been walking around with funkier bangs than i realized...but you know its not my fault, growing out bangs is hard! then she got to work cutting. after my cut was done, my hair was washed and then some sort of solution was applied. (i didn't ask too many questions, so it was a pretty funny experience trying to guess what was going on and what was going to happen next)
after the first solution was applied, they stuck my hair in what looked like a large chefs hat, with a vacuum cleaner like tube stuck in the back. this was attached to machine that blew air; they turned it on, and my big white hat started to inflate. (kind of like those long waving blowups they put outside of car dealerships to get your attention (i REALLY regret not getting a pic of this) and the best part...steam and fumes continuously came out the bottom. after my hair was done cooking, the chefs hat was removed, another solution applied and my head wrapped in saran wrap. finally, about 2.5 hours in, they rinsed my hair and i saw them bring curlers out. yay! i was starting to get worried.
they put my hair in curlers, then wrapped the curlers in cotton-ball padding and hair clips. then, my favorite part...they plugged me in! and here i am, all digital.

this was the quickest part of the whole process, and after 15 mins, they unplugged me and let me cool. then they put this huge bowl-like collar around my neck, and doused my entire head in a very watery solution. then they did it again. not comfy. finally, my hair was rinsed again, and they led to me my fourth chair of the day, where they twisted my hair into many sections and used a defuser to dry it. some more cutting. some shine serum. and FIVE hours later, i was done.

and now, some pictures. before:

these next few pics were taken a few hours afterwards:
and this last set was taken today. i was instructed to rinse, not shampoo, my hair today with cold water, and this is my attempt at styling it after. i ended up using a curling iron for a few pieces, but otherwise, that's what it looks like after air drying.
i'm really, really happy with the way it came out. i think its going to be a very low maintenance look, that looks like i spent a lot of time on. i plan on trying out a few different techniques to see what ends up working best for me. i bought some fekkai beach waves spray that i'm going to try out next. i'll let you know how that works out!

thank for listening! :)

We were featured!

2009-04-15T18:44:00.003-04:00

i don't know how i missed this last year, but josh and i were featured on cakelava's blog! sasha and rick made our super tasty (and beautiful!) wedding cake, and they were definitely my favorite vendor to work with. aaaand...sasha has just informed me that we will be featured again sometime soon...perhaps just in time for our one year anniversary!

anyhow, check it out!

UPDATED: new blogs are up!

the "gwen" cake

gwen and josh

Feeling Bromantic

2009-04-15T12:23:00.003-04:00

this morning on cnn, they did an entire segment on "bromance". apparently brody jenner IS good for something, even if it is only creating a word with instant popularly, the likes of which have been unmatched since "metrosexual" hit the streets. cnn went so far as to interview men on the street to see if they had a bromance partner. even kiran and john got in on the act, with kiran asking john if he was bromantic....hey, i don't mind. i was getting tired of all the pirate talk. what does this have to do with anything, you ask? well, i'm getting to that.

i liken all this bromance talk to the age old "girl-crush", something us woman have never been ashamed to admit. and while i know that they're not exactly the same, girl-crushes have been on my mind since this all went down. so, while reading the satorialist today, i realized, without my knowledge, i have been developing a huge girl-crush on giovanna battaglia. she's featured often on the satorialist, as well as many other street fashion blogs, and for good reason. this latest crop of pictures is so inspirational; i keep scrolling up, then down, then up, then down, and finding something new and asthetically wonderful each time i do. the best part about her, is that she's not a "typical" beauty. and i LOVE that. hence the girl-crush. sigh.

all pics by the satorialist

monday blues

2009-04-13T17:49:00.007-04:00

today was not such a great day. nothing major, just an unsettled, crappy type of day. could be one of a lot of things. it WAS monday. i had multiple mini-tiffs with josh all day. i continued procrastination on my current project. i ate lunch at 10:30. ug. and even tho i'm home i'm not really feeling much better.

anyhow, here is my outfit of the day. and here's hoping tomorrow brings more cheer.

excuse the awful chipping manicure. josh's rents were over this weekend, and those are the nails of a cleaning girl... new earrings by erica weiner. love em.

update: i, by no means, meant to imply that the in-laws were messy...i spent time cleaning BEFORE they got there...even tho it was easter, i did not think they wanted to spend time with all of our dust bunnies!! *groan*

the lowdown:
cardigan: splendid grandpa cardi
tee: FCUK tim tee
pants: jcrew
shoes: lumiani

Tuesday

2009-04-07T16:29:00.004-04:00

off to eat some mexican food with friends. as josh would say, yummy-yum-skins!

had to get the back of the jacket...its my favorite part.

the lowdown:
top: odielle from anthropologie
jacket: united colors of benetton
jeans: joe's honey in vitti
boots: frye, also here

i just can't hide it

2009-04-07T14:58:00.012-04:00

i am way too excited about the upcoming vegas trip for my own good. i don't know what has gotten into me today, but i am AMPED! everything is falling into place; all the peeps i'd hoped would come are able to make it, we got awesome seats (for an awesome price) to ka, i haven't fallen off the diet and exercise wagon and am so ready to rock my monokini...the list goes on...

AND here is that list i've been working on. it keeps me busy and helps pass the days (22 to be exact)

things to do:

-art of shaving, mandalay bay - get josh a good classic shave to start the weekend off right
-top of the world restaurant and rides at stratosphere - eating and spinning, always a good combo
-hart and huntington, palms - tattoos for me and megan...anyone else?
-olives at bellagio - i've never eaten here to watch the fountains
-mandalay bay, THEhotel, mix lounge on the 64th floor AND rio voodoo lounge- drinks with a view, nuff said
-margaritaville at the flamingo - happy hour!

-dinner in eiffel tower - did you know that its exactly 1/2 the size of the original. interessment, n'est pas?

-pinball hall of fame - for those times when we're all gambled out (re: broke)

-tequila bar in bally's -50 different tequilas!

-hard rock, rehab sunday's - i might join the single ladies for some spring break like fun in the sun

-mirage volcano-on the hour - gotta do it once

-welcome to las vegas sign - tourista time!

-ceasars forum shops and the fashion show mall - time spent here proportional to luck at tables
-formula 1 racing - now this one i'm really excited about and am hoping i can get a good crowd together
-in and out burger - us east coasters are deprived
-bet on fight and kentucky derby - don't even know what kinda bets you can place, but i feel like its a vegas must

and of course, ka, which we have tickets to on saturday night. i'd also like to play poker. i've never done that in a casino before. oh, and i can't forget...i plan on drinking lots of bloody marys.

now, say what you like about the time i have on my hands (cause after all, you're probobly right) but i just can't help my exuberance. i just can't wait to see everyone!! hang in there, vegas, i'll be there soon!!

erin condren coupon code!!

2009-04-05T08:59:00.001-04:00

the fabulous erin condren has a coupon code available!

use "luckybreaks6" for 35% off your entire order. this is huge!!

25:36

2009-04-05T07:10:00.011-04:00

that's my time from the 5k yesterday. not too bad, considering it was:
a. 38 degrees
b. raining
c. a hilly course
d. run with a knee brace on

i'm still disappointed tho; i know i can do much better than that, since i do on a regular basis. ohs well. there's another 5k coming up in two weeks. i'm gonna break that 25 minute mark if it kills me!

we are living in a digital world, and i am a digital girl

2009-04-05T07:10:00.007-04:00

i've been considering something fun to do to my hair. up til now, i was really leaning towards dying it red, a la rose...
but what i suddenly realized last night is that i really envy those curls; the effortless, wavy hair that i've coveted my whole life.

in one of the blogs i read, iamstyle-ish had a digital perm done and she wrote about it awhile back. i was intrigued at the time, but forgot all about it until my epiphany last night. i went back and re-read it, and then spent hours researching as much as i could.

the digital perm was developed in korea and it uses hot rods with the temperature regulated by a machine, which has a digital display, hence the name. during my research, it because abundantly clear that not too many white girls have this done. now, i'm not sure if we just haven't been enlightened yet, or if its going to fry my hair, but its a chance i'm willing to take. i'll consider myself a trailblazer and shall lead the white girl digital perm revolution!

here is what i'm in for:

and here are the results i'm dying for:

i made my appt for fri the 17th at 2 pm in boston's chinatown and from what i've heard its a 3-4 hour ordeal. i don't really know what to expect and i'm trying not to get high hopes, but i have to confess.... i am REALLY excited about this. i only wish boston wasn't so far away and that i could have it done sooner!! i will keep you guys posted with some before and after pics, and maybe even some with me hooked up to the machine...if i can talk someone into coming with me to keep me company. hint, hint. you know who you are. :)

help gwen pick a tan colored bag

2009-04-03T08:28:00.006-04:00

i need advice. i have a pretty large store credit at nordstrom and its burning a hole in my pocket. those who know me are not surprised. :)
i'm thinking that i shouldn't fritter it away on small items, but should use it to buy something substantial. something that i wouldn't get the chance to get otherwise. so i'm thinking a purse.

and i'm thinking brown/tan/neutral...that sort of thing. i used to have a brown purse and while i loved the color and the leather, the styling was just all wrong. how is it working out for you meg? better than your mom and me i hope! :) (i'm not the only one who just couldn't cope with the styling)

here are my picks thus far.

rebecca minkoff morning after bag in almond (this is the full size MAB, i would go for the mini (MAM))

marc by marc jacobs dr q huge hillier in tan (once again this is the larger size, i would do w/o the "huge")

jcrew leather gallery sachel in tan rose

kooba blake patent in caramel

discussion (gwen's stream of conciousness): i really like the RM MAM, but i'm not sure about the almond color (which is all that is out right now) i know that both latte and cappacino are being released very soon and i think i may prefer one of those colors. (i'm thinking cap...sounds like a really milky tan/brown color...just what i'm looking for) my other concern with the MAM, despite me having lusted after ir for so long, is that i'm afraid it will look too much like luggage. now i know they get really slouchy after a time (my RM nikki did, for sure), but is brown too boring of a color for such a simple shape. hmmm. ok, moving on. the mbmj is another simple bag (all of these bags are pretty simple now that i think about it). restart. the mbmj is another hobo bag, of which i already have two. but i love that shape. should i venture out for the sake of trying something new, or should i embrace what i know works, even if its repetative. i like the pebble-y look of the leather, and with the optional shoulder strap it will def work over a winter coat come next winter *shudder*. i'm just not moved by it. so, next up is the jcrew bag. cheating i know, since i can't use a nordstrom g.c. at jcrew. but i like it. so i thought i'd include it. its much more polished looking to me that the other bags, and i like the contrasting vachetta handles. i might actually go with this one...if i could. i've heard really good things about jcrew bags afterall. but alas. last is the kooba bag. this one is much larger than the others, and less versatile, i think. i kinda want a bag that can be handheld, or worn on my shoulder, and that doesn't look like it would work with this one. the leather is beeeautiful, though. love that caramel color. i think if i could get this leather in the MAM style...i'd be all set. phew. glad that's settled. :) anyone else care to weigh in?

Yesterday

2009-04-03T07:51:00.005-04:00

i'm always a bit late with posting the outfit of the day. i should call it, OOYD: outfit of yesterday. sometimes i feel like i should just pass it off as today's outfit, but them i'm afraid that on the off chance someone might be reading this blog, that they'll call me out on it. how embassasing would that be. haha.

so, thursday's outfit. i bought this vest off ebay for $6!! its a scosh small, but that's what you get for $6 off ebay. i smooshed into it ok i think. ignore the crookedness, i think it got tweaked during all the picture taking...

and here's a closeup:
with scarf for that added je ne sais quoi:

the lowdown:
shirt: jcrew tee
vest: no name from ebay
jeans: rock and republic siouxsie utility trouser in gloss
shoes: anthropologie ruffle peep toe
scarf: lovequotes in bali - b-day present from josh!

gilt-free shopping

2009-04-03T07:22:00.006-04:00

ok, so that title's not really accurate, since i did feel a twinge of guilt when i hit "complete purchase" and also, since i was purchasing from gilt, it was more like gilt-y shopping...but whateve....let's ignore the cutesy title and get on with it. :)

so i finally made my first purchase from giltgroupe this week! i've tried before, but was thwarted. either i was too late to the sale and missed the good items entirely, or i was too indecisive and let my cart expire. not this time. for my first purchase, i ordered two ali ro silk tops. they are really pretty and i'm very pleased.

its hard to see in this picture, but what i love about this one, is the three hammered silk panels on the front. i love hammered silk for some reason....

the colors in this one are awesome. i think it will go with just about everything. both of these tops are so floaty and girly! can't wait to wear them. i officially heart ali ro.

i'm even happier with the service that i got from giltgroupe. i didn't really have any expectations, but they defintely exceeded them. they shipped the same day i placed my order, i received it two days later and it was very nicely packaged with tissue. the shirts even came on hangers. also, the pictures and descriptions of the shirts were super accurate. this is really important to me, being an online shopper, because that's all i have to go on. there's nothing worse than getting something that looks nothing like the picture.

these tops were 50% off and that's about the least amount off you see at gilt. usually its more. i must say, this will not be my last purchase from gilt and i totally recommend them!

for an invite: http://www.gilt.com/invite/gwenjune

Runner's Knee?

2009-03-31T08:25:00.002-04:00

is that an actual thing? seems like it should be, if its not. but no matter, i've got it whatever its called and its starting to worry me. i first noticed my knee feeling a bit funny a few weeks ago, but it wasn't anything major and i thought i'd just tweaked it or something. but the feeling persisted, and finally yesterday, it brought my workout to a screeching halt. i had to do what pains me most in a run...walk. and its not feeling any better today. uh oh. i guess i'll try and stay off of it for the next few days, especially since i'm doing a 5k this saturday. this can't be good.....

weekly mileage FW13

3/23: 5.2 miles
3/24: 5.2 miles
3/25: break
3/26: 5 miles
3/27: 5 miles
3/28: break - meant to go outside and run, but had higher priority items, ahem, shopping
3/29: 7.5 miles - knee didn't hurt on this one...hmmmm

weekly total: 27.9 miles

i've got shoe fever

2009-03-29T07:57:00.006-04:00

ok, so i went a little shoe crazy this week. i blame it on the weather. march and april are so unpredictable, and i always need to be prepared!!

rainy days that aren't hot, but aren't cold either:

bought these jcrew alessia flats off ebay after realizing how much i loved them just a little..tooo..late. i searched high and low for them at jcrew. used the buying/selling feature of http://jcrewaficionada.blogspot.com/. but no luck. luckily i like the color and they fit, and so all is well in ebay land for now.

check that blog out if you have time...lots of girls who are IN LOVE with jcrew. they do product reviews a lot, too, which i find super helpful.

dry, cold days where i have errands to run:

bought these puma speedcats to replace an old pair of suede royal elastics that i loved to death. i looked down at work one day and realized just what a mess they had become. i'm hopeful that these pumas will realize what big shoes they have to fill *groan* and live up to the challenge. :)

warm spring days where the smell of life is in the air!!:

i already blogged about these pink studio londons when i wore them out for the first time on a day which definitely fit their intended purpose. spring! and warmth! and life! (can you tell i'm REALLY tired of winter?) josh has been watching madmen on DVD from netflix all week, and i think my fashion choices are being subliminally inspired. now, i know these aren't exactly fifties-wear, but they are certainly more nostolgic than i normally dress. so girly and i'm loving it!

sunny saturday

2009-03-29T07:32:00.005-04:00

wore this dress out to our mini celebration dinner.

the lowdown:
dress: tibi
shoes: pink studio london
watch: michael kors (the spoils from my nordstrom trip!!)

there were two things to celebrate today: one, the best weather of the year so far. we hit 60! which means, unlike most of my posted pics thus far, i actually left the house looking just like my picture, instead of having to cover up with some uncoordinated winter jacket. and two, my super, secret mission to nordstrom was a success! i don't want to go into too many details, but let's just say that i didn't drive 4 hours for nothing! (yes, sadly, nordstrom is 2 hrs away...and in another state)

Thursday, on Friday

2009-03-27T17:11:00.005-04:00

so here is a better attempt at a green outfit. hope this one pleases you laura! :)

as a side note, does anyone else find it uncomfortable to sit at a desk while wearing high heels? i feel like i can never find a good position for my legs. my desk is pretty low, so i can't cross them. and if i keep them out in front of me, i lean back too much to really type on the keyboard. so basically, i end up slouching all day. just what i need....worse posture. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

the lowdown:
sweater: banana republic
t-shirt: splendid v-neck
scarf: club monaco
jeans: true religion billy in supervixen
boots: apepazza giotta - again

Monday et al

2009-03-24T07:17:00.006-04:00

i've been a little slack in posting my OODs, but i have been taking pictures every now and then. i figured i'd just throw them all into one post and overload you all with the gwen-ness.

st. patty's day: wore the only green item of clothing i own. i'd like to change that fact eventually, but whenever i'm given the choice, it seems purple always wins.

the lowdown:

top: anthropologie
sweater: jcrew
pants: jcrew city fit khakis
shoes: tsubo, bought from athleta years ago (they are looking rough)

travel outfit to boston: i can not get enough of my uggs. no surprise, really, from a girl who grew up in a flipflip loving family (though my mom calls them "thongs", which wierds me out now that i know better)
i resisted buying them for too long. don't hate the uggs people!!!

the lowdown:
top: gap
sweater: jcrew
jeans: jbrand 12" skinnies in ink
boots: ugg classic tall in sand

yesterday: i liked this outfit enough when i picked it out, but i really like it looking at the pictures. its funny how your perception of an outfit can be so different than what it actually is.

the lowdown:

top: club monoco
sweater: jcrew in bright papaya
pants: jcrew
shoes: tory burch revas in black silver

plus i wore...gasp...makeup. gotta do that more often. after all, i'm no spring chicken anymore. :)

the week in running 2

2009-03-22T16:41:00.002-04:00

weekly mileage FW12

3/16: break
3/17: tummy distress part one: 4 miles
3/18: tummy distress part deux, ok, now its getting old. cut the workout short: 3.5 miles
3/19: left work early. running break
3/20: 5.7 miles
3/21: 4.9 miles on karen's tready
3/22: 4.9 miles - 1% incline

weekly total: 23 miles

i just loved running on karen's treadmill in the mornings when i woke up. i'm always up before everyone else anyhow, so it was the perfect time to get a nice run in before the day caught up with me. i think i'm going to stalk one on craigslist now...

Filling the gaps

2009-03-22T14:15:00.006-04:00

back from boston! had a nice, relaxing time and it was great to be out amongst the living. i always forget how fun people watching can be.
as i was unpacking from the trip, i started organizing my clothes, trying on some possible outfits, and taking stock of the situation. i manage to feel like a "responsible" shopper when i'm at least filling the perceived holes in my wardrobe. while kertch and i were in anthro, i tried on this great pair of white jeans, that i stopped just short of buying, but that have been haunting me ever since. not only did they fit super well, but the very thought of them transports me to some exotic island vacation with the sun on my shoulders and an umbrella drink in my hand...ahhhh...i found them online, and resolved the regret by telling myself i will wait/find them at a considerable discount.

soooo, back to the closet assessment. i think white jeans are DEFINETLY missing from the completed closet, as i see it, along with a few other things. so without further ado, i give you the summer of '09 most wanted (the condensed version :).

Joe's Jeans - Honey in Jenny

Yaya Aflalo - Lena Pocket Tank

Linea Pelle -Studded Bracelets

Splendid Cropped Leggings - Black

every one of these items doesn't just create one or two outfits; i can see them working with at least a dozen other things that i currently own. its a great feeling for someone like me who's yoyo dieted for most of her life, and therefore never had a cohesive, well-fitting stockpile of nice clothes to wear. i feel like i'm finally close to that place: a closet for every occasion. one where i go in with a plan, and come out feeling fabulous.

i think i'll go to boston

2009-03-20T08:55:00.002-04:00

since josh is off golfing this weekend, i thought it would be great to visit the sis and future bro-in-law in the boston area. i think i've got a touch of spring fever and hopefully this change of pace helps get me through the next few weeks til vegas.

should be back with the regularly scheduled programming on monday!

the week in running

2009-03-18T07:21:00.004-04:00

meant to post this earlier in the week, but was lazy and/or forgot.

weekly mileage FW11

3/9: 5 miles
3/10: intervals: 4.6 miles
3/11: 4.5 miles
3/12: much needed break
3/13: 5 miles
3/14: 6.3 miles outside on those dratted hills again
3/15: tres tired from the day before: 3.5 miles

weekly total: 28.9 miles

so i've committed to the run to remember in boston on memorial day. hopefully i don't fall off the wagon in vegas like i always do.
depending on how that goes, i may join liz in san antonio in november for another half.

My new Jalda

2009-03-16T19:26:00.005-04:00

and now about that teaser post that i left you with last week.

isn't it always the way: when you're trying to be good, and trying not to spend money, the sales come from out of no where. i started off strong, passed by a few of them, but after awhile the deals wore me down. it was no use. being forced to watch an entire compilation of borg epsiodes had taught me well: resistance is futile.

and i couldn't be happier that i gave into this one. i had heard great things about jalda handbags in the past, and i really like that she is an american designer who makes all her bags in the u.s., specifically l.a. as far as bags are concerned, for some reason, i really favor the indie american designers. i feel like their bags are new and fresh..the next big thing, if you will, and i like being a part of that.

so without further ado, here is my new jalda python day bean clutch. its my very first exotic bag, and very gwen. i have lots of outfits planned for her already!

love the turquoise!

Some Early Easter Love

2009-03-16T18:55:00.005-04:00

if there's anything i love more than clothes...and shoes...and bags...its PAPER!!! i love embossing it, cutting it, stamping it, and folding it; my favorite wedding related purchase was my xyron; the best part about christmas presents are the wrappings and ribbons, and i get positively giddy upon entering a papersource. its true. i love paper.

combine this with the fact that i am a huge sucker for packaging, and its easy to see why i am so excited about...these:

ever since my friend sheila introduced me to erin condren by way of a beautiful engagement present, i have found every excuse to order from them. i purchased these last week after i got an email about their new easter cards.

one look and i couldn't resist. i actually squeeled when i opened the box, that's how cute they are.

now if it was only easter already...

What can brown do for you?

2009-03-13T18:40:00.004-04:00

a new "something special" came in the mail for me today. i'm going to do a proper post this weekend, but i just wanted to leave you with a little teaser...

Friday Yay!

2009-03-13T17:57:00.004-04:00

i had a meeting today with a few muckity mucks, so had to wear my most capable looking outfit. this is the blouse i wrote about a few days ago, and my first time actually wearing it out. i used the time tested "tuck it into my underwear" technique to keep it nice and tucked in, which worked great. i have to say...i love this blouse! i felt like such a sexy, business woman all day long. it was, in fact, nearly the only thing that kept me going during my all...day...long meeting. 8-5. on a friday. should be illegal.
if you get the chance, i totally recommend getting this blouse. i normally wear a size 4, sometimes a 6 on top, and i bought this in a 4. pretty true to size, although i probably could have gotten away with a 2. now i really want it in sand......

had to include the pic with kona. she wanted to say hi to everyone!

the lowdown:
coat: jcrew lady day cloth coat
shirt: kate boggiano lexi blouse in tomato
pants: jcrew favorite fit super 120s durham
shoes: lumiani francine in black snake
pup: rhodesian ridgeback in "i'm just too cute"

pictures taken by josh, who, contrary to popular belief, does not take awful pictures! :)

Wardrobe 101

2009-03-11T18:49:00.008-04:00

i'm starting a new series of posts for my friend laura who asked me to help her find some good solid work basics. i tried to look for pieces that were pretty standard, but still had personality. i know when i've gone shopping for a specific item before, say, black pants, sometimes i end up settling on plain old black pants, just to get them "checked off the list" it's taken a couple disappointing purchases for me to realize that this method just doesn't work. i need to be inspired. excited. happy to put on my super snazzy black pants with the sailor style waistband and perky back pockets!! ok, enough chatting, lets get started.

today i'm going to start with white (or neutral) work shirts.

this first one is the most basic of the bunch, but i really like the pintucks and the convertable sleeves. i think this shape is pretty universally flattering as well.

DKNY-jean roll sleeve shirt
nordstrom, $69.00

this next one i actually just bought for myself, only in a really nice "tomato" red color. i was quite torn between that and the sand, and for a brief moment contemplated getting both, but i managed to restrain myself (for the time being at least) :) i also love that its 100% silk (i'm trying to start looking at what clothes are made of, and judge for myself whether they're worth XX, instead of falling for brand names all the time)

lexi blouse
kate boggiano.com, $74.99

i like this one for the same reasons i like the previous shirt and this one has the added bonus of ruffles!! yes! can't get enough of those. i feel like this would make a really great layering piece or by itself in the summer, if your job allows.

joie-brett ruffle blouse
bluefly.com, $91.99

and now two more that i had to add to the list, even tho they don't quite fit the criteria.

i love, love, love this one by leifsdottir (one of my new found favorite designers) (actually an inhouse designer for anthro i recently found out, and that totally makes sense) however...it is well over the limit of $100 given to me for this search. that doesn't keep me from bookmarking it and hoping for a super sale tho!

leifsdottir-breadfruit blouse
nordstrom (also anthropologie), $258.00

this last one is a little more casual than the others because of the open back and bubble-like hem. its also more trendy due to the studs at the collar and sleeves. its on the list because i think it could be worked a bunch of different ways and depending on your work situation, is pretty much acceptable for most places. and also, cause i really want it. :)

ella moss-jagger 3/4 sleeve top
shoplastyle.com, $75.00

now, i know this is a white, work shirt post, but laura also mentioned she needs help accessorizing. so with each post i'm going to throw in one or two cute accessorizes that i've been eyeing. today we have this ostrich embossed belt from banana that looks way more expensive than its $59. banana is having a 30% sale right now too with the code "new30". total steal!

embossed leather belt
banana republic, $59.00

we also have this python cuff bracelet from ted rossi. its classic, and chic, and python!

ted rossi- python curve cuff
lunaboston.com, $105.00

that's all for now. next installment...black skirts. see you then!

Monday and Tuesday

2009-03-10T17:42:00.005-04:00

i forgot to take a picture of my outfit while wearing it yesterday, so i had an impromptu photo session this afternoon. i really like these boots. they are my first pair of fryes and i can see what all the fuss is about. they get more and more comfortable every time i wear them...which really isn't often enough. i feel like i really need to step it up in the next couple of months before its too hot to wear them. not that i'll be complaining!

the lowdown:

top: sanctuary from anthro
jeans: joe's jeans, honey vitti
boots: frye dorado riding boot
headband: banana republic

and now on to today's outfit. this was the maiden work voyage for this jacket, and to be honest, i'm kind of sad no one complemented me on it. i just think its the coolest. but maybe everyone thinks like josh, who told me it looked "grandma-ish". boys. :P

the lowdown:
top: jcrew black tank
jacket: rebecca taylor boucle jacket
jeans: joe's jeans, honey vitti
shoes: jcrew
handbag: rebecca minkoff nikki in cloud grey

My Favorite Websites

2009-03-10T12:47:00.014-04:00

since i spend so much of my time shopping online, i thought i would share some of my favorite sites. i'll try and categorize them....

best:

shopbop: pretty much my favorite site, mostly for its variety of high and low end items. the site layout is really nice too. i’m kind of a sucker for that.

revolveclothing: another site with tons of variety, maybe even more than shopbop. also, THE best sales ever. and they always have at least one coupon code floating around (JT always works for 15% with no exclusions)

net-a-porter: i usually can’t afford to buy much from this site, but I can spend hours looking at the mannequins. i usually find an item i like , see how net-a-porter styles it, and then try to incorporate some of that into my own look.

better:

tobi: tobi seems to have a lot of clothes that appeal to me. the only downside is since they are located on the west coast, it can take forever to get something i order…need to return it? that’s another two weeks. its not really their fault tho, and i still order from them often.

lunaboston: once again, a site that realizes the importance of styling in their product information. before i buy a purse anywhere, i check out lunaboston. not only do they always show it on a model multiple ways, but they give you detailed info about the leather’s shine and smooshiness (technical term)

bluefly: i’ve scored some pretty good deals from here. paying for shipping kind of annoys me, but if you catch one of their daily deals just right, there are total scores to be had. also, well known for constant codes.

good:

chickdowntown: now i personally have never had an issue with them, but i have read plenty of horror stories. i figure if the deal is good enough, i’ll risk it. they often have 50% off or more, even on sale items!!

the others:

the following is a list of places i’ve shopped when i’ve wanted a particular item. these tend to be smaller, more nitch type stores.

winknyc, funkylala, singer22, clutchseattle, museten, pinkmascara, eluxury, yoox, miostile

zappos: just realized that i didn’t want to forget about my online shoe buddies. zappos is still the one to beat, but lately i’ve noticed that endless pretty consistently beats zappos on price and even, gasp, overnight shipping, which used to be zappos claim to fame.

member only sites:

there are also a few sites that sell designer duds at deep discounts (yay, alliteration). these are member only sites, but i can give out invites for any interested parties!

giltgroupe: my favorite

also: editorscloset, ruelala, hautelook, ideeli

hope that didn’t overwhelm anybody! or put you to sleep, depending on the audience. :) what did we ever do before the internet??

Saturday

2009-03-08T07:31:00.004-04:00

this outfit is pretty sassy (at least for me), but i never really get the chance to dress up out here in the berkshires, so i felt like i should seize the day!

we had a great time at the pillars restaurant...i ordered two of their specialties: the chicken almondine (breaded chicken with hollandaise sauce, lots and lots of yummy hollandaise sauce) and the chocolate piano (josh was a skeptic due to the raspberry mousse, but he converted FAST!)

happy birthday becky!

the lowdown:
coat: soia and kyo margo jacket in cherry
top: development
jeans: j brand 12" skinnies in ink
boots: apepazza giotta

8 Mile(s)

2009-03-07T13:11:00.003-05:00

the weather here is sooo nice today, 50+ degrees, sunny, all the snow is melting. i'm loving it!

so to celebrate, i went for my first outside, long run of the season.

i was so excited to get out that i forgot i've only been training on a treadmill for the last 4 months.

hills: 1, gwen: 0

Boyfriend Jeans by Gwen

2009-03-07T08:09:00.012-05:00

when i first saw this boyfriend jean trend emerging (thank you katie holmes), i have to say, i really was NOT a fan. but those pesky marketing techniques seem to work, and here i am, dremel in hand, ready to transform a pair of joe's honey jeans into a work of art!

i got the idea for this project while browsing the lookbook pages of shopbop. since i'm on a shopping ban (well, i was, till i broke it on a beeeautiful jalda python clutch, but more on that in a later post), i didn't really think i would have the opportunity to try out this look. then inspiration hit. i remembered a pair of previously loved jeans, now relagated to the back of the closet since i had
a. stretched them out
b. hemmed them too short
c. faded them with too many washings in hot water
d. been attacked by nala as a puppy, while wearing them

they were already halfway there! perfect!

my mission: boyfriend jeans

the inspiration:

the before:

the arsenal:

i started off rather timidly, sanding down the front of the thighs and the back of the butt, trying to get a more faded, whitewashed look in those areas. i was actually surpised at how much denim dust i generated, and how much denim dust kona likes to eat! then i started using the grater and zester to try and make the type of holes that i wanted. i think it would have been easier if i'd had a proper handheld grater, but that is the ONE thing i never got at crate and barrel. this was slow going, so i moved on to using the leatherman. that seemed to work a little bit better, but i wasn't able to get the white threads to show through so that's when i brought in the bleach pen. it didn't really bleach it right away like i thought it would, but it turned out out pretty white after the wash. the big breakthrough came when i remembered that josh had a dremel tool sitting up in the closet. this worked really well, and i was able to shape the holes just how i wanted them, and make them either actual holes, or just well worn sections. after i was done, i threw it in the washing machine.

the result:

all and all, i'm really pleased with the result! i think they'll look just as good with a dressier top for night, or some gladiator sandals this summer. and with just a little elbow grease, they were free! (so that makes it ok that i broke my ban yesterday, right josh?) :)

An oldie but goodie

2009-03-05T19:44:00.007-05:00

i know lesportsac has been around for a long time, but for some reason, i'm kind of a little obsessed with it lately. it may stem from my need for organization, or my longing for travel (somewhere, anywhere, please), but i just can't get enough of the clean lines and cute patterns.

i got this one for my favorite co-worker's birthday this saturday
and of course, i had to get something for myself

and there are more than a few more i'm eyeing:

love the snakeskin!!

would work well in my purse

reminds me of tokidoki crazed tweens, but i'm oddly drawn to it
what do you think? am i just getting old, or is lesportsac cool again?

Virtual Friday

2009-03-05T17:38:00.008-05:00

today's outfit was good in theory, not so much in execution. the first 30 mins of work were spent trying to scrounge up some static guard, hairspray, lotion (rub on tights), metal hangers (don't quite believe this one), dehumidifier, ANYTHING... i finally gave up and moved as little as possible. standing still, it was an awesome outfit.

i think the shoes deserve some special attention.

the lowdown:
dress: leifsdottir from anthropologie
turtleneck: jcrew
tights: spanx tight end tight in charcoal
shoes: anthropologie

First

2009-03-05T15:54:00.002-05:00

hello everyone and welcome to my blog. i've never done this before, but i'm really looking forward to it!
i plan on posting many cute OODs, online shopping crushes, and even some running workouts and weekly miliage. let's get started, shall we?

Shopping and Such

week 4 training

try the tri week 2: karen joins

week 3 training

a non running post! non runners rejoice!

try the tri - week 1

oh, and i forgot to mention....

pics are up!! aka the post in which gwen posts non-hid pics of herself

seattle rock and roll marathon race report

i wish i knew how to quit you

a fast person has stolen my body....

20 miles and clipless pedals

in the month of may

weekend race recap

new food faves

the countdown is on

days of the week

quick and random

weekend recap

just a few race pics for ya

wallis sands half marathon - race report

march-ing along *groan*

return of the mack

paint it black

first purchase: reveal!

first purchase

Randoms, because I'm lazy

Ta da

monday must have

vegas recap - quickstyle

weekends were, made for fun

mall rats

crappy day, glad to be home

life springs enternal on a gaudy neon street

the OOD post you've all been waiting for!

i'm baaaaack

good riddance (i hope you had the time of your life)

TGIF

guest OODing

belated outfit post

bib necklace

Bon Anniversaire Lovebear

my purse family

1:53:05

summer neutrals

Feather top and oil change

rebecca minkoff

sunday, movie day

about town

first day back

On my way

waking up in vegas

My Vegas Polyvore Sets

day-dreaming

double the pleasure, double the fun friday

training well underway

the results are in: LOVE IT!

We were featured!

Feeling Bromantic

monday blues

Tuesday

i just can't hide it

erin condren coupon code!!

25:36

we are living in a digital world, and i am a digital girl

help gwen pick a tan colored bag

Yesterday

gilt-free shopping

Runner's Knee?

i've got shoe fever

sunny saturday

Thursday, on Friday

Monday et al

the week in running 2

Filling the gaps

i think i'll go to boston

the week in running

My new Jalda

Some Early Easter Love

What can brown do for you?

march-ing along groan