i ♥ tobi.

don't let the hot weather fool you, folks!

 summer is practically over, and fall is in full swing-

if you live in the retail world like i do, you would know that

 winter is well on it's way! (yikes!) 

what a better way to beat the heat, then to completely skip to the next season-

which is what i am doing in these photos, with the help of a few *new* pieces

from the online boutique, tobi. 

did you know that new customers can get 50% off their first order??!!

 this tobi love bandit draped jacket is the perfect outerwear piece for this transitional period

between summer and fall. i needed a new olive jacket in my life and love this departure

from the typical cargo jacket. i can imagine pairing this over everything from a black dress, 

to a plaid shirt, to a t-shirt and jeans, like i am wearing today!

the free spirit fringe maxi skirt is a great way to keep the bohemian summer vibes alive--

even in the fall. i trimmed it down myself because it was way too long on me, but i love 

that the stretchy knit was forgiving enough for me to tailor it to my own height!

the tightness of this skirt requires a flowier top, but i also love the unexpected look 

of a tie-front chambray shirt paired with it. this skirt is meant for twirling!

the lock it down moto vest is another amazing layering piece for that
transitional phase between seasons when it's too warm to wear a full coat

and too chilly to wear nothing. it's very oversized, which makes it fun to pair
with thin lace dresses, like the one i am wearing, but i can also imagine it would be
 awesome with a faux leather skirt or jeans! stay tuned; i have a feeling this
vest will be on heavy rotation in the coming months :)

** this is a sponsored post provided by Tobi; all opinions are my own**

♥ just like the days, no two sunrises are ever the same.

i step out onto my front porch every morning around 5:45 to water my plants,

and i am always pleasantly surprised and utterly delighted by how dreamy the

sky looks. the cotton candy clouds. the hopeful glimmer of light through
the trees. the calm and peaceful neighborhood, still asleep.
such beauty, such majesty. no filter needed.

♥ book review: the grey ghost: new york city photographs.

i was recently sent a copy of the grey ghost, featuring the haunting black and white

photography of dan winters.  with most of the shots taken between the years 1987 and 1990 

when winters moved to new york at age 25, this book is a celebration and exploration

of the city that never sleeps.

the mesmerizing cover is textured and brilliant in an art-deco style.

the inside pages, most of which include a photo on one side and a white page 

on the other, allow you to view the works without distraction. 

the photos capture both the every day hustle and bustle of the city

and the glimmer of beauty in stolen moments that only someone

with a trained eye and a quick reflex could catch.

this book is a wonderful reminder of how much beauty you may find

right outside your doorstep.

♥ go tell it on the mountain.

happy wednesday!

we have been climbing a quick and steep path up the side

of the blue hills after work this summer and it has been  at times, 

both grueling and rewarding ;)

 the view is so breathtaking- we can hardly believe we

live just minutes away. the cooler air is a welcome change, 

and we are blessed to capture the remaining sunlight in 

such a beautiful location.

i got my hair cut over the weekend and was happy 

to have nick snap a few pictures of it from behind!

it's definitely more manageable in the morning-

and a flattering cut that makes me feel the

most myself! i heart my hairdresser, leo,

she is a true artist!!

#momhairdontcare

i ♥ pat mcgrath.

next tuesday, august 30th at 12 pm, makeup artist extraordinaire, pat mcgrath's, lipstick collection,  lust 004 ,will become available to the public, and will most likely blow up the internet with outrageous dose of glitter and sparkle! i mean, just look at those lipsssssss...

 at $60 each, these three magical kits promise to turn your pout into living art

with the help of two lipsticks, a clear gloss and loads of dazzling pigment!

 I WANT ALLLLL OF THEM!

can you even stand it??

images via vogue

ME.. ME!... ME!!!!

♥ how audiobooks saved my book-loving soul.

talula, 5-years ago, with the books i got at my wedding shower (which was a book theme!!)

as an avid reader who has always voraciously devoured everything in my library,

it has been quite a shame and disappointment to say that i have let that part of

myself go when i became a mother. i just don't have the attention span-

or the time- and when it comes between my computer and a book,

social media often wins out as my bedtime snack of choice!

:::until::::

a co-worker recommend that i listen to audiobooks on my way to work!

image via google

can i tell you how this has changed my life?? 

not only do i feel like i am back up to speed in the literary world-- thanks to the wonders 

of the public library i have easy access to the many of latest novels, but i also feel a sense

of accomplishment, as i add yet another book to the list of books i have "read" on goodreads.

now, i know there's alot of debate about whether or not listening to a book is the same as

reading it, and i will say that i debated the very subject in my senior english seminar!

it is such a hot topic, that just googling the topic brought up a cnn article written

just today, proving, that YES listening to a book counts!!

as someone who loves to underline beautifully crafted sentences- this is one area

where listening to a book falls short. sometimes you can't fully appreciate the carefully chosen 

words or know which part of the story is italicized when you are just hearing it. 

sometimes the reader's voice is annoying and you just want them to stop talking. 

but the fact that i know a new story, that i listened to something that expanded my 

mind and made me see the world in a different way, that i can do something productive with 

my time in the car- besides listen to the same five songs on the radio over and over again,

 that is enough for me to feel like my old, book-loving self.

do you listen to books? 

which do you recommend?

here are a few that i have LOVED!!!

1) the lowland by jumpa lahiri

2) the night circus by erin morgenstern

3) all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr

♥ visiting KRYOLAN CITY BOSTON!

as a woman with a serious lipstick addiction and a sephora VIB membership, 

i would definitely consider myself a makeup junkie- but when i was invited to 

kryolan city boston's newly re-opened store, i was appalled to discover, 

i had never even heard of them!

 thankfully, my visit to their fabulous store remedied that immediately.

if heaven is a place on earth...this may be it!!

products of every color line the walls and tables- from professional makeup

(kryolan is the official sponsor of the tv show, face off!), to prosthetic noses and faux lashes,

to makeup sets and brushes- you name it, kryolan has it.

they offer 16,000 + products, mostly all manufactured out of their head quarters in berlin!

comparable to my favorite brands: mac, makeup forever and urban decay,

kryolan offers colors that are not for the faint of heart. the price point is on point 

with the competition as well- lipsticks range from $8.50-$19.50! unlike their competitors,

 kryolan is never tested on animals, which is wonderful and rare with the amount

of colors that they offer.

the best feature of their product is definitely its pigmentation. the colors are true

 to themselves, and hold up on every skin tone! as someone with a darker complexion,

 i am always upset when colors don't show up on me.

 i guess i am not one for the "natural" look ;)

 if you saw my instagram post, lei ann and i had so much fun snapping

selfies together in the mirror and playing with the endless makeup testers at kryolan.

we were like kids in the candy store... only my favorite kind of candy is makeup!

for the evening, i wanted to wear my new rebecca minkoff crossbody- in my

favorite shade of tomato red-with matching red espadrilles from ralph lauren.

(do you ever start with accessories first and build your outfit from there??)

 i paired it with a vintage nautical striped dress that i bought at the goodwill ages ago,

cinched with gold braided belt from H&M and finished it off with a chunky vince camuto

gold chain bracelet and gold cat ears from forever 21.

♥ the sandlot collection!

as a child of the eighties, the sandlot (1993)  is on my must-watch list every summer-

which is why i am LOVING this all-american collection form rsvlts.

beauty & the beast button down

the beast t-shirt

bomb pops & freedom button down

wendy perffercorn t-shirt

aren't you obsessed??