wild thing

this weekend, because we are mature, sophisticated adults, Brandon and I went to the Prospect Park Zoo. I can't resist a couple hours of cute fuzzy creatures and a walk in the sunshine. and bonus, the zoo is near the library, where one can go to get amazing chocolate chess pie. so it was a good afternoon, even for fakesies grown-ups!

the sea lions are always so awesome; I love when they do the feedings and there's tricks and jumps and they just seem so excited. it's adorable. 

I went obvious with my zoo outfit. nothing says "wild kingdom" like leopard print, right? this dress is so comfortable and easy to throw on, but I think the accessories really complete the look. the floppy hat is a statement piece, but in a neutral works with a bold print, and I like the pairing of leopard with the polka dot bag. makes things a little less serious. and even though the cassette-tape necklace gets lost in the leopard spots, it's still a cute little detail; I guess there's kind of an 80s vibe too? 

getting dressed is so much easier when your destination inspires a theme!  

dress- H&M // hat- Primark // bag- Marc by Marc Jacobs (old birthday gift) //necklace- Twisted Sisters

dust on the bottle

ok, guys! one last post about our big weekend of fun before I start boring you all again with street style pictures and rants about netflix. 

a few of our friends had the great idea to get outside the city and visit a winery, so on a warm Sunday afternoon six of us piled into a hilariously awesome giant van and headed to Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery. 

the drive was scenic and lovely, and the winery was delightful! they offer wine tastings for just $5; that includes four samples of wine, one cider, and a complimentary souvenir wineglass. the prices are great and the wine is delicious. Brando and I bought a bottle of the "Black Dirt Red" that we are saving for a certain special country's birthday this week (hint: it's not America). 

there's also a roomy and rustic cafe, and you can bring your food and wine outside to picnic on the grounds! I recommend the sausage & gorgonzola wood-fired pizza; it has caramelized onions. 

we spent the afternoon lounging on the picnic blanket, sipping wine and enjoying the sun.

dress- vintage // boots- somewhere in Calgary // belt- Topshop // bag- Aldo

I donned my fabulous teal cowboy boots for the occasion, and received numerous compliments. they really are a statement piece; they make any outfit quirky and feel like "me." I'm so glad I allowed myself to buy them last year even though I was already technically out of money on my road trip... no regrets. ;) 

I love a shoe that can contribute to an already lovely day. good shoes, good wine, good friends. good way to top off a wonderful weekend! 

I will take you to the ocean

well, it seems I'm a little behind. this weekend is nearly over, and I'm still not done babbling about last weekend. to be fair, there was a lot to talk about, and it kinda makes up for doing nothing all during the week. 

I've only told you about last friday; there's still two whole days left to ramble on about! 

after our night of epic free concerting we woke decently early (for people who had been drinking, especially) on saturday to make the trek to Coney Island for the annual Mermaid Parade. basically a giant kickoff to summertime where gazillions of people dress in over-the-top mermaid (or vasiou sea creatures) costumes and walk around the boardwalk. obviously it was my first time there, and while I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, it certainly wasn't what I got. 

the costumes were awesome, and definitely the best part of the parade. I wish I could have snapped a few photos, but our view was so restricted that it really wasn't worth the bother, as verified by the one semi-usable picture above. there were thousands of spectators so showing up even an hour-and-a-half in advance didn't really help much with snagging prime viewing locations. I would definitely recommend finding a cozy spot along the beachfront part of the parade route so you're not just baking in the hot sun while staring at the back of people's heads. this place was overcrowded, even for me. and I love being lost in a crowd of mermaids... we'll know better for next year.

while I didn't see much in the way of the parade, at least I got to play on the beach like a mermaid, right? 

Coney Island bonus: on the way home, Brando and I made a stop at L&B Spumoni Gardens for some famous Sicilian pizza. we saw the place on Man Vs. Food way back before we moved, and I'd been dying to go- they put the sauce on top of the cheese. I don't know why this excites me so much, but it does. 

and turns out it makes a big difference, because it is now my favourite pizza in the world. and I don't even usually like thick crust. 

oh my gosh. it's just so good.

moral of the story, boys and girls; after a bit of a lacklustre public event, it's all worth it if you go out for pizza. 

feeling good

this weekend has been a very successful one.
it started kinda early, with me arriving in St. John's to go to a concert on thursday night, and it's been crazy fun times ever since!
the band was The Sheepdogs, and they were amazing. seriously, you should go listen to them, and they're fantastic, but nothing will compare to the live thing. it was one of the most fun shows I have ever been to! so. much. rocking out.

my friends and I squeezed our way right to the front, so I got some pretty alright photos of the turbulent affair.
I touched his shoe, guys.
and he gave me the peace sign. he looked right at me.
*dies*

(loving. it.)

can't see The Sheepdogs without an abundance of plaid.

it was a seriously great night. and we've had a couple more since, and tomorrow's the Christmas parade. so thanks, November, for being awesome. 

hope you're all enjoying your weekend as much as I am!

♥

playing: catfish 2 boogaloo- the sheepdogs

the minor fall, the major lift

we're almost at the helm of another weekend, but I still haven't told you much about our last one! or the one before, even. so I have a few pictures to share of our chill, homebody-livin' ways.

it's the simple life, but we like it. ♥

a giant cup of coffee; the best way to start the day, so probably the best way to start the post.

the daily quest to decide what to wear...

pictures from the highly undocumented Easter dinner. do you know how difficult it is to get a turkey in Scotland? very. (ps. that's my friend Billy doin' the carving.) 

self-portrait while waiting for life to happen. 

life, happening! Kaitlin's mama brought us sweet treasures from North America. :)

we went with the "home food" theme and Brando made toutons for us.

a feast of happiness & the simple pleasures.

chillin' with some travel planning.

my future sugar daddy. future because right now I'm the one bringing home the bacon (even though the bacon is very cheap and the gross Scottish version).

this weekend will probably be even less eventful, since I'm working. but I'm sure I'll still find time for coffee and the occasional good company. that's pretty much all we need around here. 

hope you're all enjoying your week! 

peace & chocolate chip cookies. 

playing: hallelujah- Rufus Wainwright