The Place To Be

It may not look like it from the photo above, but seriously, Trader Joe's is the place to be on a chilly October Saturday night.

I love when the store is crowd-free and the shelves are stocked. Also, I've never seen so many seasonal treats in one place. Pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin butter, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin scone and muffin mixes. The selection was unbelievable. I was able to get out of there with only a box of frozen pumpkin waffles and some pumpkin breakfast bars.

I also bought an acorn squash. I really don't know what to do with it but the squash display looked so perfect. Soup, anyone?

And even though I don't have a great track record with plants, I couldn't leave without one of these miniature mum plants. The contrast between the burgundy petals and the yellow centers is stunning. My goal for the next month is to baby these flowers like it's my job.

 

So in case you couldn't tell, Trader Joe's is my go-to place to shop during the fall. This last visit made me want to bake pies and wear a bonnet for the rest of the month. xo

Poor Quality Photos of High Quality Drugstore Finds

 

 
Three things:

1. I love this Essie display. It says, "I'll be using my maiden name. It has such a beautiful ring to it." How adorable is that slogan while still being progressive and quasi-effective?

2. I want to buy all of these colors.  There's no way that I could possibly pick which one I like the most because I adore them all.

3. Have I ever taken a worse photo? I know it was a quick photo in a drugstore but I'm appalled at the atrocious quality.  I need to work on my iPhone picture-taking.

Fairway Fieldtrip

I know that buying groceries isn't supposed to be glamorous, but you might think differently after a visit to a store like Fairway.

After lunch with friends last week, Anthony and I stopped into the nearby Fairway grocery store. It's new-ish, which mainly means it's new to us. The aisles are filled with gourmet selections in every category (there were like twenty-five types of rice, all with gorgeous packaging), making this market seem almost like a department store. Yes, I'll say it: this is the Bergdorf Goodman of food shopping.

I wanted one of everything. Those sacks of specialty flour? The wall of bins fills with freshly-made bagels and bialys and flagels (a flat bagel concoction)? The gigantic section of mushrooms, and only mushrooms? These people who opened this store thought of everything.

So even though I can't afford to shop at Fairway regularly, it's kind of fun to visit every once in a while. We bought just a few things but what we did purchase was more than worth it. The vanilla-almond coffee is fantastic, especially since it was freshly ground, and I would whole-heartedly recommend the fresh baguettes.  Also, I'd like to one day move into the store's cheese section, if that gives you any idea of how lovely it is. There were seven varieties of Havarti. I think that says everything you need to know. xo

Bookstore Self-Control, or Lack Thereof

Sometimes I just can't help myself when I walk into a bookstore. I guess I could have much worse problems than owning too many books. At least I have some great reading material for the start of the summer.

Books from the top down: Jami Attenberg's The Middlesteins; These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen; and The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides.

Yankee Swap Fail

During my office holiday luncheon yesterday, we played Yankee Swap, aka Dirty Santa, which is just a holiday grab bag where steals are allowed. This is what I pulled:

Yes, that's right.  It's a head massager.  I have spent the last day trying to figure out which one of my co-workers bought this, wrapped it and then brought it to the office thinking that this was the best gift that $10 could buy. I can't use this thing--my long hair alternates between pure frizz and Chia Pet puff. There's no way I can stick this contraption in my hair and not expect a huge knotted mess after ten seconds.

At least I didn't get the five pairs of pink plastic earrings from the tween accessory store Claire's though--that went to my male colleague and no one would trade with him.  I should have followed my instincts and picked my own gift, which was a gift card to a kickass coffee shop. Fa la la la laaaaa....

Better to Give Than Receive

Confession: I don't really like to shop (I know, I can hear all of the gasps from here).  However, I love giving gifts so shopping becomes my main activity during Christmastime. In the past week, I feel like I've been to every store in a fifty mile radius, usually emerging empty-handed. I don't buy things just to buy things, and sometimes, it's just not easy to find that perfect gift.

I have been exercising major self-control when it comes to my purchases lately.  Buying some of my most-coveted items for some of my favorite people has resulted in me wanting to keep everything for myself.  Not very charitable of me, I guess. I can only hope that I have friends who like to share because there is no way I am gifting this awesome cookbook without the hope of borrowing it and making lots of the teeny, tiny food featured inside. xo



Image via FB via weheartit

Target Finds

A trip to Target is never boring.  Here are some highlights from my last visit:

Halloween = Unicorn costumes for infants and toddlers
("My horn can pierce the sky." --The Office)

Next to the Halloween section was an emerging Christmas section. My favorite item? The glittering, light-up holiday lawn flamingo.

Method sprays and soaps with Orla Kiely-designed packaging were on sale. Irresistible.  I chose a practicable all-purpose cleansing spray with a ginger-pear scent.


Also, I bought a new conditioner that smells like fruit punch and I now find myself craving Hawaiian Punch after every shower.  All in all, good times.  xo.

The Search for New Glasses

I've been wearing glasses since I was eleven years old.  My first pair had huge round frames in a speckled pink-and-white pattern and covered the entire top half of my face.  I thought they were so cool and instead of wearing them just to see the blackboard, I wore them all the time.  This might have contributed to how horrible my vision is today. At this point, if I don't have my contacts in, I probably could not distinguish between my mother or my male boss standing in front of me.

I've had the same pair of glasses for eight years, and even though I have yearly eye exams, I actually never update the lenses.  The last time I drove with my glasses on, I decided that it was finally time to replace the old prescription.  And why not get new frames at the same time?

I've been looking at Warby Parker glasses for a while and decided to go ahead and take advantage of their try-on program.  All I did was pick five pairs that I really liked and Warby Parker sent them to me to sample for a few days.  That way, I can wear them around the apartment and see what they really look like on.  It was so exciting to receive the box in the mail.  I would highly recommend doing this.  I was really hesitant about ordering glasses online but Warby Parker does everything to make sure that you love the glasses that you wind up purchasing. 

After much consideration, I decided on Fitz in Whiskey Tortoise.  They are similar to the frames I have now but a little larger and bolder.  And finally, I can see clearly. xo

Farmer's Market Finds

I came home from the farmer's market today with this interesting selection:

I'd never seen purple peppers and I love how they look like small eggplants.  I'd also never seen yellowish-white tomatoes before and I couldn't help but buy a couple.  The cucumber was just an impulse buy. xo

Eternal Anthropologie Love

I'm not a huge shopper but there are a few stores that I just love.  At a visit to Anthropologie this weekend, I realized that I liked almost everything in the store, especially the kitchen section.  In fact, if someone offered to buy me one of every item that the company sells, I would gladly accept.  There was a latte bowl in a perfect shade of gray that I couldn't stop admiring, gorgeous drinking glasses with colored rims and a copy of the new cookbook Vintage Cakes.  There were headbands, adorable bookmark stickies, a floral comforter...I don't know how I made it out without buying anything (although it might have something to do with this wedding we're having in eight months...).

And the store was so beautifully decorated, too.  The merchandise was sectioned off and arranged in really interesting and creative displays.  Even the windows made it seem like you were entering a french cafe.

What store is your favorite? And can you limit your purchases if you have to? xo

$1 Bin Binges

I unabashedly love Target. I'm also a huge fan of the $1 bin section, conveniently positioned right by the entrance so as soon as I enter the store, I am dazzled by the adorable, inexpensive items that I obviously don't need at all. Except that I totally want it all, especially the gift bags, the message pads, and the little plastic buckets (which I think are actually supposed to be for children). Case-in-point: last night, I bought this adorable little cardboard container:

I have no use for this, but I couldn't resist the bunting print or the bright flash of pink inside. I wish that everything I own would fit in the little box so I could carry it all around, holding tight to the purple ribbon handle. It was made to hold something fun, like neon gumballs or striped bobby pins. I don't think I'll have a problem finding a permanent home for it. It was more than worth my dollar.

Pretty = Polka Dots

There's nothing like warmer weather to remind me of how shabby my wardrobe actually is. Spring means that it's almost time to put away the pilly cardigans and worn corduroys and switch over to lightweight, pretty clothes. And for me, pretty equals polka dots. Check out a few of my favorite finds for the upcoming season. 

Flats from Madewell

Sunny Clutch Wallet from Target

Tank top from Gap

Dress from Modcloth

Naturally Berry

Every time I'm in Sephora, I look at these Fresh Sugar lip stains longingly.  I've restrained from buying one for myself and I was rewarded this Christmas when I received one in a Fresh gift pack which also included a soy face wash and a mascara.  Now, my lips are moisturized and beautifully berry-stained throughout some of the coldest days of the year. So worth the wait, and I so want another one in a different color.   

Hello, my name is Crystal...

...and I am a compulsive gift buyer.  No matter how many presents I get for the people on my list, it never seems like enough.  For my parents, I always feel like I should buy them more and tend to lose track of what I've already purchased.  For my brother and sister-in-law, they are so easy to buy for that I can't stop myself sometimes.  And for someone like Anthony, I just want to show him how much I love him, and get him the best presents ever since he is so generous and wonderful year-round. 

I know this doesn't sound like a huge problem, but I wind up spending tons of extra money on additional gifts that don't have a designated recipient.  Then, at the end of the holiday season, I wind up with a bag in my closet full of presents that I didn't give out (right now, that bag includes a Crate and Barrel vase and two Hello Kitty ornaments).  For the entire month of December, it's like I'm on a constant quest for the perfect gifts. Am I too generous or am I am obsessive shopper?

This only happens to me around Christmastime; I am cautious to a fault with my purchases throughout the year.  But I can't be the only one with this problem, right? How do your shopping habits change around the holidays?



Image courtesy of weheartit via imyeritgirl

Unexpected Marathon Shopping

Last weekend, we were on our way to breakfast when I asked Anthony to stop at Marshall's.  I wanted to see if the store had something specific for Christmas and since I almost never spend more than 10 minutes in the store, I didn't think it would be a big deal.  Anthony kindly obliged, and we then proceeded to fill a shopping cart with some really great gifts for the next hour and a half.  I was fully aware while we were there that this was probably the last time Anthony would ever step into Marshall's again, but he tried to make the best out of the trip. 

His reward was breakfast at IHOP, and it was well-deserved (my scrambled eggs and pancakes could not have been greasier or more delicious--it's a good thing we only go there once a year).  And for the record, I kind of wish we bought that giant ornament.  If only we had a giant tree to hang it on. 

Always in Style

I'm not a fashionista by any means but it's so weird when things that I always do are suddenly 'in style.'  For example, take a look at my nails:

This is basically what they've looked like since I was in middle school.  I either have no polish on at all or my nails are an odd shade of blue/green/gray.  I even remember this one time (circa 1995) when I had on an egg-yolky kind of orange/yellow and my father, who never notices stuff like nail polish, made me take it off because he thought it looked like I had 'horrible nicotine hands.'  At any rate, how surprised do you think I was when I saw this featured on Refinery 29? And the nail polish rack at Sephora is filled with pearly bright colors that look so funny next to the light pinks and blood reds.

Apparently, I'm stylish right now.  This has also happened with winter hats (my love of wool hats is a major reason I'm looking forward to cold weather) and black ballet flats (which are due to become unfashionable at any moment).

Once the styles change, I'll then look washed up and behind in the times once more, trying to be cool in fashions that are months old, but at least I'll be on the cutting edge when all of these trends return again three years.

What are some of your fashion loves and do you wear them even if you know they aren't stylish?

Cork and Polish

This nail polish is so cool.  I just love the cork handles, and that champagne color on the bottom right is awesome.  Of course, it's sold at Anthropologie.  I still have a coupon that the store sent me for my birthday so maybe I'll make a trip this weekend and rummage through the sale racks and clearance dishes. 

 

Image via Refinery 29