High Fashion Spotlight - Dolce and Gabbana

Dolce and Gabbana Dresses by bitty603 featuring a puff shoulder dress

High Fashion Spotlight is my way of day dreaming of the clothes I would wear if I were rich and famous...or even had a place to wear these beautiful designs. In the end, clothing is art and it should be enjoyed by the masses!

This week I'm all about Dolce and Gabanna. 

I'm only pulling a few collections for this post, mostly because they are my favorites. Look at the use of florals and brocade! These pieces are so intricate and have so many beautiful examples of texture in clothing. Great texture in a dress is something that gets me without fail every single time. 

Breathe

Do you ever have a rough few weeks and find yourself thinking, if I just had (blank) I would feel better? I do that a lot. I think, all I need is a weekend away or a visit with someone I miss or to quit my job and I'll be better. Getting what you think you need doesn't always fix your issues. I'm just trying to figure out what will. I'm starting by breathing deep.

Life as of Lately

This is what my life has looked like as of lately. Mostly animals and food as per usual.

This week has been a bit of an emotional drain. I've been lonely. Yesterday I had a meltdown and cried while eating cold french fries in my car in the parking garage. Last weekend I was close to a panic attack driving in circles on the highway trying to get to a couple different thrift stores alone because my mom was out of town and the few friends I have were busy. I may be directionally challenged, but I'm determined and I did find them...eventually. I've been thinking a lot about life and what I want mine to be like. I have the basic outline, but actually getting to the goal is a terrifying mystery. I may also be hormonal so I'm not taking this funk too seriously. Mostly because I also had to fight tears when I heard the opening of My Heart Will Go On last night.

The highlights:

• I found a fantastic recipe for salted caramel butter cream frosting.
• I found out that my Memere is coming for a surprise visit from South Carolina.
• I've been eating massive amounts of leftover chocolate from Canada.
• The last seasons of Glee and Private Practice are up on Netflix so I can catch up to the current seasons.
• Christopher is wonderful. I really lucked out in the guy department.  
• My little red convertible Volkswagen is fixed and road ready!

I hope this week has lots of good highlights for all of you!

High Fashion Spotlight - Alexander McQueen Dresses

Alexander McQueen Dresses by bitty603 featuring alexander mcqueen dresses

High Fashion Spotlight is my way of day dreaming of the clothes I would wear if I were rich and famous...or even had a place to wear these beautiful designs. In the end, clothing is art and it should be enjoyed by the masses! 

These dresses are breaking my heart. I don't have the bank account to own any of these or a red carpet appearance to need them for.  I'm a wicked sucker for detail and texture in clothing and these are just stunning!  

The Kitchen Pig's Legacy

This is my kitchen pig. Driving home with him wrapped in bubble wrap in my backseat made me cry.

Some elaboration might be necessary. When I was a senior in high school my maternal grandparents moved down south. They sold the house that I lived in for the first five years of my life. The one that our home videos are filmed in. The one I unsuccessfully attempted to ride a purple bicycle in front of. The one I am in when I think of my first memories as a human. No more sliding glass doors to the porch where the toys and pool table were kept. No more dropping toys down the laundry shoot to the basement. No more Christmas eve packed with my crazy family and being entranced by Memere's glass bubblers (these) on the Christmas tree. It was awful. I remember how ridiculous it felt to be 17 years old and crying in the bathroom because my grandparents were moving away. Sure, we were all older and busier and we hadn't been over quite as often as when we were younger, but I still needed them and I wanted that house. Christmas eve was never the same after that. Neither was Thanksgiving, Easter, or weekly family dinners. But, things change and you get used to them over time.

Now, seven years later, my dad's parents are moving down south as well. They're selling the house I've spent every Christmas day in since I was born. The one they bought when they moved here from England when my dad was six years old. I won't ever have a Christmas day that includes walking into their living room and finding half my family watching Monty Python again. My grandparents told us that they were selling everything in the house and that we should take a look and put a post-it note on anything we wanted. Everything I wanted was impossible to take. The only things that had good memories for me were things like the slanted floors in the kitchen that my cousins and I used to roll marbles on when we were little. So I settled on the kitchen pig. This antique pig head has hung by the sink in my grandparents kitchen for as long as I can remember. I'm so happy that I have him. My dad said it was a good choice because it reminded him of that house, too. I couldn't stand to wrap him in a box and put him into storage for when we find a house, so my mom put him in our kitchen for now. He doesn't look the same. He looks smaller and not as special.

Growing up is hard. The magic of holiday's change. But the memories stick around. Losing those houses is the hardest part. I have a big family on both sides. Lots of aunts and uncles and tons of cousins. Now that those cousins are getting older and having children it seems like the aunts and uncles are breaking off and doing their own holidays with their own individual families. We lost the glue that made us all come together for holidays. Right now Thanksgiving and Christmas are both up in the air. We don't know what we will be doing or who will be free to celebrate with us. It sucks. Christopher goes home for holidays. I can't leave my parents and brother to be with him and his family, and really, I don't want to anyway.

So, the kitchen pig is making me cry. I'm hoping that one day he will be in my kitchen on Christmas day and the holidays will feel a little bit more like the way they did when I was younger. But, maybe those days have just passed and I need to let them go.

Growing up is overrated.

Easy Vegetarian Pumpkin Squash Chili

Fall is really here in New England. Driving in the mountains last weekend we saw the foliage at it's peak. Today is wet, rainy, and cold and since I'm not leaving the house and I had a half a can of pumpkin puree left I decided to get creative. It was a good choice because this chili was delicious.

Let me start out by saying this - I am no cook. I am one of those "oh here's a recipe, but since I have none of these ingredients let's try it with this and cook it twice as long" kind of people. Don't get me wrong - my food is fantastic because, let's just say it, I'm a culinary genius. I just can't stand to read a recipe. Or remember how much of anything I put in. So please take my directions with a grain of salt. I came up with this because of what was in my pantry.

Ingredients:
Canned pumpkin puree
Canned diced tomato
Canned black beans
Morningstar meal starters crumbles
Diced butternut squash
salt, pepper, garlic, onion, etc. (See what I did there?)

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and wait until the squash is tender. Serve hot with crusty bread on the couch in front of a Gilmore Girls marathon.

FYI - It is probably wise to steam the butternut squash before throwing it in the crockpot. After a few hours I was starved and ended up eating a bowl and picking around the not-quite-ready squash cubes. Also, be generous with the pumpkin. Don't be scared. It's good.

Currently Loving

I'm feeling a new pixie cut coming on. 

These Modcloth heels.

These Alexander McQueen flats.

This fox hat!

These black kitty cookies. 

The texture on this wedding gown.

I finally saw Frankenweenie yesterday. It was great, but is it odd to say that I enjoyed the original more? The video above also plays Vincent, another early short film of Tim Burton's. 

Bienvenue à Montreal!

This city is beautiful. I've had a fascination with it since I was a little girl. Probably because it's as European as a city as I've ever been. Last weekends trip was a short getaway. My mom, a friend, and myself spent two nights (one full day, two half days) in the city and shopped, ate, did a bit of the touristy things, and searched every shop for the British candy we can never find in the states. But mostly, we just walked. A lot.

We went to Montreal's China Town and it was my first time there. LOVE! It was great. We found amazing Asian bakeries, gawked at the Hello Kitty things in the shop windows, bought dragon's beard candy from a cart on the street, and I tried my first real bubble tea.

 Dragon's beard candy. Almost like a peanut toffee rolled in this spun dough.

This store of junk and oddities completely stole my heart.

I was so inspired by the artwork. Both in the gallery windows, and on the street. I took quite a few photos to use as inspiration for when I got home.

The food. Oh, the food. We had amazing cheese platters, hot chocolate, crepes, poutine, pasta, croissants, cupcakes, and macaroons. It was magical.

 My very first macaroons!

 

 I bought cupcakes at two places. The third place that I wanted to try ended up being closed for Canadian Thanksgiving. We missed that holiday memo...whoops. It was called Cocoa Locale and is a one woman bakery that is supposedly fantastic. Next time.

Poutine! I searched high and low for poutine with vegetarian gravy and each place I got a lead on ended up either being incredibly difficult to find, or not actually having the vegetarian option they said they did. So, for the first time in years, I ate chicken gravy. Blech...it makes me ill to think about but it was delicious. I probably ate about a third of this before my brain got the best of me.

It sounds odd, but being in Montreal just made me want to go to Paris. I don't know what it is lately, but I feel like I just need to be there!

20 Things Making My Life Sweeter

1. The teeny tiny porcelain pig that I found from my childhood. 
2. The rediscovery of my best girlfriends, The Gilmore Girls.
3. My upcoming trip to MONTREAL! (I know, I just need to stop talking about it.)
4. TIGHTS! SOCKS! LEGGINGS! 
5. My new bookshelves. My (not so) little library looks so much better not squished together.
6. My new super soft black and white chevron blanket.
7. Maple frosted apple cider donuts. 
8. Polka dot rain boots.
9. The vintage phone I thrifted this week.
10. My new hair straightner. I caved a bought a professional Paul Mitchell, one.
11. My beautiful dog, Pitou. 
12. Homemade garlic Alfredo sauce. 
13. Arwen's kitty paws. 
14. The independent rock radio station I discovered.
15. Chocolate croissants. 
16. Bo bunny's run around game.
17. My purple lava lamp.
18. The impending re-birth of my beloved car, Lady Goodman!
19. Taylor Swift's new singles. 
20. Urban Decay's eye primer potion. 

Non - Tourist Fall Outfit

Non - Tourist Fall Outfit by bitty603 featuring elastic waist pants

I do everything in my power to not look like an "ugly american" when I travel, even if I'm staying within the United States. I've been brainstorming the essentials for a full day of shopping, eating, and sightseeing for my trip to Montreal this weekend and I think I have my travel uniform picked out.

Travel Must-Haves -

• Comfortable shoes. I'm thinking a good pair of Dr. Scholls inserts in my boots will do the trick. Also, a pair of sturdy ballet flats.
• Bags. A little cross-body. Good for ID, cash, and phone. I love these because they're light, hands free, and I can keep them in front of me at all times. Also, my camera bag so I can carry my DSLR. Lucky for me, I got this pretty one for my birthday and love it. 
• Leggings. I'll be wearing these every day. Under long tops, dresses, and skirts. I'm a total leggings girl. 
• cute hats/headbands. I'm assuming my hair is not going to looking stellar blowing in the wind all day.
• Red lipstick and stripes. Because, you know what? Even though I don't want to look like a tourist, this is the closest to "Europe" I've ever been so I might as well go as cliche French girl as I can.

What do you pack when you travel to a new city? I know I'm forgetting something!