Fall Fun

As I write this entry, I am sitting on my porch enjoying what feels like the first hint of Fall weather.  I dread cold weather and every year around this time I contemplate moving closer to the Equator.  However, the small window of time between late summer and early fall is, in my opinion, the most beautiful time of all. My love for the season was only heightened this past weekend when I made the long but scenic trip to Massanutten. My parents had rented a lodge for the week so Will and I left Friday after work and arrived late that night.

The next day in the light I was able to see how beautiful the mountains were. I woke up to the sounds of nature as opposed to car horns on the highway.

There were deer in the front yard and Dad and I spent 30 minutes practically hand feeding them what else, but Tostitos.  We had a relaxing weekend and it was so nice to catch up with my parents, grandparents, and my aunt.

.....MUST HAVE.....

I am not a big jewelry fan but there are a few staple pieces I think every woman should have.  A pearl necklace, diamond studs and a Seaman Schepps Link Bracelet. Although Schepps first gained notoriety for his embellished brooches and costume jewelry, his talents span beyond the world of flashy cocktail rings.  This timeless bracelet comes in a variety of gold and color combinations like coral, jade, diamond, and my personal favorite sandalwood.  I love the Link Bracelet because it is elegant enough to wear with a little black dress but looks just as appropriate with jeans and cowboy boots.  In my opinion, it's the Chanel Suit of wrist wear, I'm hooked!

.....MUST HEAR.....

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour "Around The Bend"

Slight Drum Roll, Please

Good News: My camera has finally arrived!

Not So Good News: I only took a few pictures of Rehearsal.......

Better News: Katharine posted pictures of the important part of the weekend...the wedding!


The Rehearsal Dinner was at Boston's famous Durgin Park Restaurant. Katharine gave the bridesmaids beautiful pearl earrings and bracelets which she helped design.  Kyle gave the groomsmen authentic 2010 dime cufflinks commemorating fellow Harvard alum Franklin D. Roosevelt as well as the year of their wedding.

Kyle even made it out that night to celebrate with friends before taking his long awaited trip down the aisle!

Saturday morning Jessica and I went shopping and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  I never realized what an awesome city Boston is! We then met in the Bridal Suite to get Katharine ready for her big day! After getting Katharine into her dress, the bridesmaids were given our bouquets.  KTW gave each of us a different bouquet of white flowers according to our personalities.  This was my favorite aspect of the wedding and was such a thoughtful idea! Then, it was picture time!

She truly looked stunning. I know everyone says a woman looks most beautiful on her wedding day but, yall, SHE DID! In the 10+ years I have known Katharine, I have never seen her look as happy, relaxed, confident, and gorgeous as she did that Saturday.

Before we knew it, it was 5:30 and we headed to the beautiful church which was located in the center of Harvard's campus.  I tried to keep it together during the ceremony but Water Works Wilson could not be tamed.  Her father read Rudyard Kipling's moving poem, If, her Maid of Honor sang Ave Maria, and Katharine and Kyle shared their own vows.

Following the ceremony, we were escorted to The Harvard Club, and the venue was breathtaking.  The tables were decorated with sterling silver candelabras, and baby's breath centerpieces.  We dined on pasta, chicken, and filet and of course, Funfetti wedding cake!

Although it is sad to see a friend "grow up" and start a new chapter of life that no longer includes slumber parties, proms, and curfews, it is also comforting. If I had to pick a person to take on the best friend responsibilities I once held, I would confidently choose Kyle.  The wedding was beautiful and I was so blessed to have been able to take part. CONGRATS again you crazy kids!

You Know You're Old When.....

Still waiting for my camera to arrive, fingers crossed it is slowly making its way to Raleighwood.  In the meantime, I acquired another camera. Blogging is just not the same without photos to chronicle my tales.


I spent this weekend in Knoxville experiencing a "real" football game.  Not to discredit my sacred alma mater Wofford College but.... our game days were a bit different than game day at a large university like Tennessee.  Thanks to our hosts the Dietrichs, I enjoyed the full tailgating experience: a large tent and chairs, a table adorned with snacks, a cooler full of drinks, even a cable TV that was of course stationed to ESPN.  The familiar tune "Rocky Top" filled the air, and everyone was in a great mood.

This was my second UT game and I am convinced that you would still need to wear sunglasses to a game if it were raining because of the prominence of bright orange attire and accessories. The Vols (not short for The Vultures which all of these years I thought was the Tennessee mascot, laughs expected) played the Florida Gators, and the stadium was a sea of (mostly) orange, white and blue.

Although I am the last person to consider myself a football fanatic, I have begun to understand, and dare I say, appreciate the dedication and enthusiasm that fans have for their respective teams.  I had so much fun, and I couldn't help but wish I was a freshman again, sigh......oh to be young.


Yes, yes I know, I am still very young but I have been noticing that lately I get enjoyment out of things that most 23 year olds should be embarrassed to admit.  Last week, I could barely contain my excitement as I opened my very own library card and then proceeded to spend an hour scouring the shelves for the perfect audio book.  When I'm not listening to a book on tape, my radio seldom leaves NPR. Our apartment now has a fancy new washing machine, and I was so ecstatic I considered reading the manual so I could get tips on how to best maintain the thread count in my sheets.


However, October is going to be filled with several weekend getaways with college and high school friends that will surely bring the inner twenty-something girl out of me!!!

.....MUST HAVE.....

It's hard to believe that UK designer and founder of Graham and Greene, Antonia Graham, was originally inspired by intricate Persian rugs and exotic architecture of the Far East.  Today, Graham's collections range from Post-Victorian antique elegance to modern contemporary.  Although you won't be finding any Graham and Greene boutiques in the states, I hope that these timeless pieces and accessories will serve as a template for future interior designers and an inspiration for Do-It-Yourself gurus. Here are a few of my favorites:

.....MUST HEAR.....

Ben Taylor "Nothing I Can Do"

Over the Hump, Under the Weather

Hump Day is almost over which means the weekend is near :)!!!!!


I was hoping this post would be a montage of pictures and memories from the amazing wedding this past weekend. However, following an inexplicable chain of events, my camera is enjoying an extended vacation in Cincinnati. I left my camera in the care of one of the groom's "responsible" friends while Jess and I cut a rug to what can only be described as a cross between Irish Drinking Tunes and Polka. Hopefully my camera is on its was to Raleigh and I will be able to share allll the details of the Waterman-Gibler nuptials!   

In the meantime, I am suffering from wedding fever. Not the kind a bride-to-be gets, the kind that a wedding-goer catches after a weekend of non-stop celebrating. 

It is no coincidence that my P.I.C. and fellow bridesmaid Jessica called me today and upon hearing my scratchy voice said, "Oh, you're sick too"? I am anxiously awaiting the departure of my dry throat, itchy nose, and pounding sinus pressure. On a happy note, I have enough cold medicine to last me the next 10 years, or at least until the end of wedding season.

..........MUST HAVE..........

Iconic shoe designer Jimmy Choo, and Britain's premier boot label Hunter, have collaborated and introduced these stylish Wellington's! The crocodile print adds a sleek, sophisticated edge to Hunter's traditionally solid wellies.  The rubber kicks are lined with leopard print and create quite the fashionable juxtaposition of luxury and durability.  The only downside is the price (a mere $325). Time to crack open the piggy bank!

..........MUST HEAR..........

Eva Cassidy "Fields of Gold"

The Early Bird

In my 23 years, I have yet to accept the reality that nothing good comes from procrastinating. I have learned the hard way time and time again that good things rarely come to those who (me) habitually wait until the last minute.  I find myself in this familiar predicament as I sit here typing away. I leave for Boston in less than 10 hours and have yet to begin one of my most dreaded tasks: packing. I know at sunrise tomorrow morning I will scramble to throw every article of clothing I own into my suitcase. My mother always told me that I travel like a vagabond because whatever I can't fit into my carryon, I layer onto my body. In typical fashion (or lack thereof) I most recently arrived in New Orleans in the middle of summer wearing a tank top, under a dress, tucked into my skinny jeans, with a raincoat on top, and a spare pair of flats bulging out of my back pockets. Needless to say, I dress like an Olsen twin when I travel. On a positive note, I have a found that adequate layering provides extra nooks for storage and an oversized cardigan always doubles as a makeshift travel pillow.

Speaking of last minute packing, I have been racing around this week trying to take care of the "essentials" before my trip. Transferring everything into travel size containers, purchasing a new audiobook for the flight, and tying up loose ends at work.  Yesterday in the midst of my frantic rat race, I did get an unexpected hiatus from my never ending To-Do List.  Right before I sat down to a delicious meal of Easy Mac, I was informed that dinner was already taken care of. Will had ordered dinner for me from one of our favorite eateries in Raleigh! Rather than slaving over a hot microwave, I feasted on bow tie pasta salad with feta cheese, roasted vegetables, and chicken souvlaki, complete with a bottle of white wine. We didn't get to spend our anniversary together but he still was able to "treat me to dinner" alllll the way from Tennessee. He's alright :)

Welllll, my short but busy week is finally coming to a close and I am so pumped to be reunited with my friends and our parents at Katharine's wedding. Enough procrastinating, time to pack. Yay for an early weekend :)

Love Is In the Air

Recently, I have had the joy of seeing my closest friends get engaged and walk down the aisle.  In June, my friend Tippins married Wilson and I was fortunate enough to be a bridesmaid. It was one of the happiest weekends of my life and I could not have been more thrilled to see these two lovebirds exchange their "I Do's" in an exquisite, traditional New Orleans wedding.

Once I recovered from the initial shock of seeing one of my best friends become a M.R.S. (I still have not been able to change her last name in my address book, sorry Wilson), I was thrown back into pre-marital party mode. My best friend Jessica and our mothers planned a bridal shower for my childhood friend, Katharine, another bride-to-be.

Katharine and her long-time beau Kyle got engaged this past December and are to be married this weekend! The wedding is going to be on Harvard's Campus, the very site of Kyle and Kat's meeting 5 years ago.  The wedding is sure to be nothing short of spectacular. Oh, did I forget to mention Katharine is Managing Editor of Southern Weddings Magazine! You can follow all of Katharine's Big Day Decisions and Debates ranging from finding her dream gown at renowned NYC bridal boutique Kleinfeld to deciding whether she will don a french twist or chignon this Saturday.




Just when I thought I was going to have to retire my title as Bridesmaid Wilson, I received another ENGAGING phone call at work from Mary Loyal. I crouched beneath my desk and tried to hold back tears of joy as she relayed her fiance's romantic proposal to me. Lash and Mary Loyal have the wedding tentatively scheduled for May 28th in ML's hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina.

I will never understand why people complain about being a bridesmaid (I love it so much, I just might go professional)! I think it's an honor to take part in one of the greatest celebrations of a close friend's life and to join in their happiness. I am so thrilled for my friends and their respective husbands and wish them years and years of marital bliss. CONGRATS YALL!!!!! Let the wedding bells ring!!!!!

Bloggled

I have finally given into temptation and joined the Blogging World! It has been quite a challenge to get this site up and running, especially considering I am one of the most computer illiterate individuals ever. But, with the help of my genius boyfriend and proclaimed blogger extraordinaire, Mary Loyal Laffitte, I have sufficiently "bloggled" my mind but in doing so, produced a somewhat navigable website!

This blog will serve as a creative outlet for me and hopefully, an amusing and leisurely read for my followers. I hope yall enjoy my rants, raves, and praises. I encourage anyone to provide feedback and suggestions (I need as much help as I can get)! Thanks for stopping by, Happy Tuesday!