a labor-less labor day

happy friday, everyone! 

i can't believe that it's already labor day weekend and that tomorrow is september 1! this summer flew by!

unfortunately, i have come down with a nasty summer cold and all i want to do is recuperate in bed with some snuggles from titus (and the boyfriend, too.)

here's my would-be agenda:

reading: the innocents by francesca segal and restaurant man by joe bastianich

my library card has been getting a lot of action!

wearing: l.l. bean slippers, j.crew tortoise-button sweatshirt

cozy feet and slouchy stripes!

watching: something's gotta give and downton abbey

an old favorite (that house!) and preparations for season 3's UK launch next week!

looks like heaven. now i just have to wait until the end of the day, and then i can spend all weekend recovering :)

happy labor day weekend!

getting a leg up

this morning there was a slight chill in the air, thanks to a passing storm, but it made me think about fall and, since i was wearing a dress, tights!

[via]

i am notoriously hard on tights - they get worn until the bitter end, when my big toe pokes out of one foot and stubborn fuzzy patches have developed on the ankles from rubbing the inside of my boots. to some, 

it might seem a little early to stock up on fall weather legwear, but i prefer to have everything in my drawer and ready to go, rather than realize on that first cold day that my tights from last year are, well, too shabby to wear in public! i also don't like to spend a lot on tights, so while i am sure that wolford and falke make wonderful stockings, they are a little above my price range! 

after much trial and error, here is a round-up of budget-friendly tights that i love:

opaque: urban outfitters opaque tight, 2 for $24 or $12 each - also available in a variety of colors (which i have never been bold enough to try!)

sheer: hue so silky sheer, $8.50

pattern: ann taylor sheer dot tights, $20 - i have not tried these, but i love the subtle pattern!

not pictured, but awesome nonetheless: the back seam tights from duane reade! they lasted several wearings, looked classic, and were under $7!

tights i have tried and don't love: american apparel and j.crew. i found that both brands don't have much stretch, so the tights get all stretched out after one wearing and they don't bounce back. they also develop holes more easily than others i have tried.

roaring twenties

georges barbier, la gazette du bon ton, 1922

those who know me well know that i have a great love of all things art deco, whether in architecture, fashion, or design. to me, the clean lines, geometric shapes, and symmetry are perfection.

i am waiting with bated breath for baz luhrmann's take on the great gatsby to come out, and i absolutely loved gucci and alberta ferretti's flapper chic lines last spring, reminiscent of great architectural wonders of the 1920s in new york:

i recently stumbled upon rachel zoe's eponymous jewelry line, and its art deco influence is undeniable. i should probably mention that i am not a close follower of ms. zoe, so forgive me if this is old news!

i would love to add one of her pieces to my repertoire:

black, gold, and sparkly? a hint of emerald green? it would be hard to pick just one, though my wallet says one would be more than enough! 

[image credits: chrysler building, gucci, ge building, alberta ferretti]

recipe: lemon blueberry crumble pie

hello again, monday! this weekend was such a treat: i went to bikram twice, perused the GIGANTIC fall fashion issues from vogue, vanity fair, and instyle with a glass of prosecco and a good friend, and then made a summery treat for dessert last night!

the recipe is an amalgam of several different things; i only had one frozen pie crust that i wanted to get rid of, so i got creative!

lemon blueberry crumble pie

one pre-made pie crust (i use pillsbury, but you are welcome to make your own crust!)

for filling:

2 cups of blueberries

zest of one lemon

juice from half a lemon

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

for crumble topping:

1 stick of butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

directions:

1. preheat oven to 400.

2. rinse blueberries well and pick them over to remove stems.

3. combine blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and flour in a large bowl.

3. roll pie crust out and fit to pie plate, crimping edges.

4. fill crust with the blueberry filling.

5. add crumble topping ingredients to food processor; pulse until you have a clumpy, crumbly texture (if it isn't clumpy, add more butter; if it's one huge ball of dough, add more flour and sugar.)

6. sprinkle crumble topping over the blueberries.

7. bake for 30-40 minutes, until blueberries are bubbling and crust and crumble topping are golden brown.

i wish i had an "after" photo, but it was eaten so quickly i didn't get a chance!