Little white dresses and basket bags are the sum of my summer essentials. Though I thought I might try out some statement earrings and embrace having my hair pulled back more, which, in the summer, is where I want it.
It's Mid June and I'm already worried that the summer is going to go by too fast. I know, no sense in worring.
In photos, I'm pretending things are normal. I'm not wearing a mask, which I will put on any time someone walks by as I scamper out of their path. You can't see my bottle of hand sanitizer, never out of reach, tucked into yet another comically small straw bag I managed to rationalize buying. You don't know that I exchanged this dress three times, increasing from my normal size four until receiving the comfortable size eight. While I suspect Banana Republic made some overall sizing adjustments based on all the pieces I've tried as of late, I wont deny that the issue may be partly my fault, failing to maintain any routines of exercise since my biweekly classes at the Y became indefinitely cancelled.
I wish for the normal that may never return, biding here, wasting time that I will never get back, wondering how much longer before I find the strength to forge a new normal.
The Rundown Safari Print DressBanana Republic SandalsNine West Caning Rattan BagTJMaxx Thin Gold RingEtsyvia Ellyn Blue Jewelry Chevron Ring Etsy via Silver Canyon Jewelry SunglassesRay-Ban via TJMaxx
Last week I ventured into New Haven to celebrate the grand re-opening of Hamilton Park, the restaurant at The Blake Hotel. This being my first time there, I was immediately impressed with the grand space, high ceilings, hugs windows flooding the space with natural light, and plenty of comfortable seating. Additionally there was a large outdoor patio which offered feelings of seclusion few outdoor dining areas in New Haven do. There is also a rooftop bar, the High George (a fun play on the intersection of which the hotel is located) that I didn't get to check out, but I can't wait to!
The cocktail list was full of some old favorites, such as the Bee's Knees (gin, lemon, and honey), but also offered some unique drinks such as Smoke on the Water, a rye drink with a fun presentation in a glass box filled with applewood smoke, and my personal favorite, the 1724 Tonic, similar to a gin and tonic, but with the additions of vermouth, sage, and a cucumber lavender syrup.
I also sampled a number of appetizers, most of which were very unique, such as a tapioca clam chowder, smoked bluefish dip with trout roe, and a tomato tart with melted onions. Every bite I had was delicious, and I may have eaten more than a couple of the tomato tarts, along with quite a few oysters, when we were reaching the end of the event and was told to take as many as I'd like!
If I were planning a stay in New Haven, Connecticut, The Blake Hotel would be at the top of my list, and I will definitely be dining at Hamilton Park again soon!
Thanks to Splash PR and Hamilton Park for inviting me!
The Rundown White Ribbed Midi Dress Mango Pearl SandalsAnn Taylor Black Straw Bag Zara similar Pearl Earrings"Sailor"Maris Pearl Co. Layered Charm Necklace c/o Grand Avenue Jewelry Gold Bracelet The Cavernous Jewelry Box similar Thin Gold RingEtsyvia Ellyn Blue Jewelry Sunglasses "Emma" Ray-Ban similar
These are sadly the last of my California photos, but this was one of my favorite days, as I got to meet up with Jessica of Jeans and a Teacup! We've been following each other forever, and I was so happy we were able to make our schedules work to get together one afternoon.
We went for lunch at The Butcher's Daughter, which is a vegetarian restaurant, and both had Impossible Burgers. I'm definitely in the camp of, I'd rather be a vegetarian, but I do enjoy eating meat, so in that respect those burgers are amazing. The ambiance of the restaurant was lovely, I enjoy the fact that pretty much every restaurant in L.A. has outdoor seating and always take advantage.
Even though it was an overcast day, it was still warm, and perfect to head over to the canals and take outfit photos. I can't complain about even light for photos in the middle of the day, so to that end, the grey skies were convenient.
Because there is never enough coffee, after photos Jessica took me to the cutest little coffee shop/flower shop called Flowerboy Project. It had me wishing I could leave with a bouquet, but I settled for an iced latte.
I must say, L.A. does have its photogenic spots. If only I were closer... Until next time!
The Rundown DressVineyard Vinesvia TJMaxx White Slides Ferragamo via Coco'ssimilar Micro Perry SatchelRebecca Minkoffc/o Shopbop Gold Ball EarringsKohl's Necklace"Scottie"LuxbyUK Bracelet The Cavernous Jewelry Box Thin Gold RingEtsyvia Ellyn Blue Jewelry Sunglasses "Meteor"Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx
I could not have chosen a worse time of day to be in the middle of a field, but that is just how things worked out. I know the saying "there is no bad lighting, only bad photographers" and I feel like I fall somewhere in the middle of that. Perhaps there was a better way to deal with the light during the shoot, however I used my new favorite trick in Lightroom to correct things - radial filters. This allowed me to control the exposure and white balance on me separately from the exposure and white balance on the background, and I must say, it worked like a charm.
The Rundown White Eyelet Midi Dress Madewell similar White Slides Ferragamo via Coco'ssimilar Vintage Japanese Bamboo Bag via eBay similar vintage Square Scarf Loft Versailles Earrings Julie Vos similar Thin Gold RingEtsyvia Ellyn Blue Jewelry Sunglasses "Meteor"Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx
