Eleven

The 11th day of the 11th month of the 11th year of the 21st century is coming up. In honor of all of this, I’ve decided to list 11 of my current sources of fascination and merriment.

1. Melody Gardot. I’m so into the jazz/acoustic/blues vibe she’s got going on. Her songs make great study music.

 2. Printed infinity scarves. I’d love to have this one  to keep me covered from the fall breeze.

 3. Chai tea latte from a Keurig = cup of heaven. For real.

 4. These long exposure photographs of airplanes in the night sky.

 5. The fact that I haven’t killed my English ivy plant yet. 2 months in, my little guy is still going strong.

 6. The Halloween Google Doodle.

 7.  Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe. Can’t wait to see this movie.

 8. No Shave November is here. How do I feel about it? I’ll support you in your quest to look like a manly man. Probably. Maybe. I’ll get back to you.

9. This ciabatta sandwich with melted brie, bacon, and thyme needs to get in my belly. (Now.)

10. First snow of the season.  So delighted to see a light dusting on the trees around campus.

11. Dazzling glitter loafers. Thank you once again for adding some sparkle to my life, J. Crew.

Adventures in Ann Arbor

This weekend I hopped on over to University of Michigan to visit one of my best friends from back home and go on some serious foodie adventures.

Saturday morning began with a trip to the Kerrytown Farmers Market. While the produce looked top-notch, the pumpkin pie ice cream left us speechless.

The main item on the agenda for that morning, however, was The Lunch Room Cookie Off. We waited for what we thought was the appropriate amount of time after the competition had commenced (10 minutes) before trucking on over there and getting our nom on. Here is my A2 guide at the site of our cookie consumption.

I remain perplexed as to why my clear favorite, the Mocha Mamas, ended up dead last in the rankings.

After casting our votes, we headed on over to Zingerman’s, an A2 institution. The Nutty Bird (chicken salad with sunflower sprouts on pecan raisin bread) was one of the most pleasantly unique sandwiches I have ever tasted.

But wait, there’s more. This glorious day of walking and eating concluded with a Collider at Rod’s. I let my host take the reins on this one and I’m so glad I did. Who knew that pretzels and frozen yogurt made such a heavenly combination?

Guess who slept well on Saturday night?

Sassy tights

I’m not going to lie, there are some days when I just don’t feel like wearing pants. Today was one of those days. (Don’t worry everyone, this is going in a PG-rated direction.) Putting on a pair of zigzag net tights under my pencil skirt gave me a little extra oomph in confronting yet another one of those cloudy days where you’re never sure if it’s actually going to rain or not.

Asos has some out of the ordinary tights that will funk up your outfit in a flash.

Tea time delights

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, I love curling up with a cup of piping hot tea and a book. Treat yourself to a warm cup of chai, earl gray, or chamomile in one of these delicate mugs from Anthropologie.

You could even host a tea party and set out a few snacks on these unique plates. Stuffed animals are always welcome.

Savory scones

I went through a big scone-baking phase, somewhere around my freshman year of high school– it piggy-backed, I think, on my muffins/cupcakes phase and was eventually toppled by cookies, pies, then layer cakes, but I remember the time fondly. Lemony chocolate chip scones with tangy glazes. Cranberry-orange ones with raspberry jam. Trips down to Old Town for clotted cream from the Shakespeare’s Corner Shoppe. Scones speckled with tiny Maine blueberries that began my obsession with Portland (of the Maine variety, to which I still haven’t been — take me!).

So while I can’t say I’ve tried these gruyere, apple, and sage ones yet (it’s midterms season!), they seem like an appropriate Vermont-y, autumn-y way to get back into the whole scone thing. Maybe even with Shelburne Orchard apples and co-op gruyere… too good to be real. I mean, I can’t definitively say that the recipe will live up to everything it seems like it could be, but all I know is I’m back in the scone zone, and all I want is Alice’s.

Exquisite belts

During sweater season, I often find myself scrambling for belts to keep me from resembling a woolen blob. Leave it to Sarah Burton to prove that intricate belts can be statement accessories. Quite a few of the looks in the 2012 McQueen Resort collection feature exquisite belts that transform the feeling of the entire outfit.

 

 

Check out the entire 2012 McQueen Resort collection here.

Modern tree houses

I once dined at a restaurant featuring a gnarled yet stunning tree right in the middle of the dining room. Ever since then, I’ve mesmerized by the idea of incorporating trees into modern design. These three homes are surely an improvement on that place that the Swiss Family Robinson called home.