Swap Don't Shop

So as it turns out a shopping detox is harder for me than initially anticipated.

Things are just so pretty!

Solution? Host a clothing swap party with my nearest and dearest since I'm usually plotting how to recreate their outfits as it is.

And the "Swap Don't Shop" party was born!

I know, I know... I'm not the first to think of this but I can't believe I've never hosted one before.

This is going to have to be an annual event because not only do you get some sweet new clothes without spending a penny you also get to guzzle wine and have delicious snacks with your lady friends.

My living room was briefly turned into this (much to the dismay of the male roomies):

And there was lots of this:

Moral of the story: save your pennies and trade with your most fashionable friends girls!

Sometimes You Just Need a Cookie

After a thrilling weekend of lounging on the couch, watching movies, and ordering in (it refused to get higher than 25⁰ here so you need to bring the food to me) we felt we decided to cap off our Sunday night with our pièce de résistance!

That's right, that's a too dark picture of our chocolate chip cookie, ice cream, and homemade whip cream masterpiece. (I was too lazy and cold to get up and turn on more lights to document it in all it's glory...I'm not sorry.)

After the smell of fresh baked cookies wafted its way into the living room from the downstairs apartment for an hour we finally got ourselves together enough for a 45 minute outting to find cookie dough.

• Walk to Tedeschi's - Seriously, you guys think there will be cookie dough here?
• Walk another block to the always trusty 7-Eleven - Bahaha try again kids.
• We've come too far, let's get in the car to Target - Closed. Whatttt??? Target? I thought we were closer than that.
• Walgreen's is open!! Pull in!!! - No you weirdos, but could we interest you in some Nyquill?

Google, Google, Google...

SHAWSSS!!!

Oh Shaws, I always knew I loved you. As it turns out many stores are closed by 10 PM on a Sunday night (rude).

Thankfully the cookie gods would not let us go home empty handed and we were greatly rewarded as we sat on the couch with our late night fatty snack.

And this guy silently judged us...

But that's ok because he's pretty cute and old and deaf and just wants to be near you because you're his friend and I'm the only one who lets him near us when there's food around (shhh)

Happy Monday everyone!

Club Belmont Needs More Hobbies

Sometimes I really think my roommates and I need more hobbies...

So today we started a blog of the hilarity and weirdness that is our lives as 6 adults living together at what we call Club Belmont!!

Check it out yo: http://clubbelmont.blogspot.com/

Weekend Wrap Up

This weekend was the big game kids! AFC Championship - Go Pats!!

We did it!! NOPE.

Sadly my fellow Bostonian roomies sulked in a corner with me as our sole Baltimore transplant celebrated on the other side of the room with her fellow Ravens fans. It was a disappointing and unexpected loss...at least hockey's back?

Luckily this weekend was filled with other wonderful treats like movies, lazy puzzle days, family get togethers, bridal party bonding, seeing Pippin (get tickets immediately), and delicious football foods.

Hope you all had a good (long) weekend too!

• Rocking a parachute - as close as I'll ever get to skydiving • Lazy puzzle day • A night at the theater •
• Tapas make the best bridal party bonding meal • Seriously you have to see Pippin • BBQ feast with the extended family •
• Got my game face on (my lucky gear didn't work!) • One of many football treats •

Living Room Reorg

Recently I've been overwhelmed with the desire to redecorate our living room.

Don't get me wrong, I love our home to bits, but after an impromptu furniture reorg after taking down our Christmas tree I've been wanting to do more. A little more styling, a little more decorating, a little more everything to make it look more put together and comfortable to relax in.

Luckily making little inspiration boards is one of my favorite things so I thought I'd throw one together of pieces I'd like in my home that I'm currently on the hunt for on the cheap.

Hurry up yard sale and flea market season!

• Lucite Tray • Lace Etched Arch Mirror • Gray Patch Pouf • Creek Candleholder • Open Weave Ivory Throw • Lupine Print • Pansy Print • Bridget Kilim Rug • Azzure Toss Pillow Collection • Fergano Toss Pillow Collection • Embossed Numbers Wall Clock • Kubu Storage Basket • Diptyque "Baies" Scented Candle • Meurice Floor Lamp •          

The best laid plans...

Over the weekend I found out we had scored some sweet tickets to see a pre-screening of the new Mark Wahlberg movie Broken City last night. As a Boston girl I'm on board with all things Wahlberg and through some Googling I found out he was going to be in town for the movie!!

Imagine me standing next to him there!*

What?!?! My mind was blown with excitement. I was already plotting where to hang my picture with Marky Mark!

But as it turns out kids, we learned some lessons last night:

1. Read all information on tickets and emails.
2. Let me double check information even if you claim to have read it.
3. Be incredibly early for pre-screenings.
4. Learn how to Google better.

Apparently, there was more than one pre-screening of the movie happening in the fine state of Massachusetts last night and there would be no Wahlberg at ours. Major womp.

Sad? Yes, but still would be fun to see the movie early. Had we walked to the correct theater. (They really should write these things in bigger font...oh it's bold and 34 pt? We're dumb.) After a panicked cab ride we finally arrived at the correct theater with a few minutes to spare...success!

Don't get too excited for us, they overbooked the showing and it was on a first come first serve basis and we were not first come.

"They should really put things like that on the tickets!! I'm writing them an email this is crazy!! Rooaarrr! Angry! Angry!...Oh wait what does it say at the bottom there? Come early, we overbooked, and it's first come first serve?"

Basically it wasn't our finest moment in planning an evening out.

But never fear I always have a backup plan!

Yard House is conveniently located right across the street from our failed outing and there's not much a half yard and a parade of delicious appetizers can't fix.

Till next time Marky Mark!



*Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Wahlberg

Friday Pick Me Up

Today I have the Friday morning blues (weird, I know) and can't seem to shake it so I thought I'd put together some of my current favorite little things to nip my bad attitude in the bud. It's also an attempt to work on my resolution to be more positive instead of sulking - two birds with one stone! Boom.

Have a happy weekend friends!

• Olive Yew Gold Initial Necklace • Warmer Days Ahead • Giant, Chunky Scarves because I'm always cold •
• Friends who send you pictures of baby animals to cheer you up • Skater Dresses (even though I'm on a shopping detox) •
• Wise Words • Chevron Wallpaper I want on one wall in my living room •

Shopping Detox

So after avoiding opening bills for a few days a good hard look at my credit card bills from the holiday season (ouch) I've decided to try and NOT buy any new clothes for at least two months. (Reserving funds to only be used for bills and activities a la dining out, movies, and getting my bowl on)

Care to take the shopping detox plunge with me?

As a sucker for all emails containing the word "SALE" and pretty consignment shop windows that I just happen to walk by I'm a little worried I'll break.

Butttt I'm feeling very committed to this especially since yesterday I started making a pile of clothes to donate because my closet was too full (it no longer looks this organized and it stresses me out).

7 days in and I'm still at a 100% success rate!! Boom.

Then this happened yesterday:

Woops!

Yes, I know it's not clothes but it also doesn't fall under my other categories of things I've alloted money for - womp womp.

Oh well, it'll help make my room feel more together and organized by wrangling all my blankets and blow dryer, straightener, curling iron etc!

Target, you did it again. My love for you knows no bounds.

The Year in Review

2012 according to my iPhone...

Oh hello 2013!

 Happy 2013!!!!

After a whirlwind of a holiday season and a glorious week and a half off of work I'm back in the real world.

My holidays and New Year were absolutely wonderful! Full of my favorite people, amazing food, fun gift giving, hiding out from snow storms, and some serious quality time just hanging out. I hope everyone was as fortunate and happy this past holiday season!

This New Years was the first one in a couple of years where we didn't have tickets to a big party downtown and instead made plans for us to split time between different friends' parties. Though, in typical Michelle fashion, my plans did not come to pass (womp)

Instead we decided at the last minute to see a friend play in the AMAZING Animal Hospital Ensemble down at Boston's First Night (check them out yo) and then went to a party nearby and I couldn't have been happier. A little too much champagne was nagging me the following day but nothing a little shepherd's pie at the nearest Irish pub couldn't fix (mashed potatoes are the cure of all evil)

I'm admittedly very bad at New Years resolutions (both making and keeping them) but after reading the resolutions of my favorite bloggers I felt inspired to come up with two goals for 2013:

1. Be positive.
2. Say yes.

I have a bad habit of fearing that the worst will happen wayyyyy too often (I should get an award for my all star worrying abilities) and what better time to break bad habits than New Years? And I think starting to say yes to things (even those that scare me) will help me with this goal. I like to think that I'm a yes person but sometimes I think being a perpetual planner can get in my own way so I want to say yes to more impromptu things and I'm hoping this will lead me to incredible experiences I could never just plan.

So here's to a Happy New Year to all! I hope your holiday season was everything you wanted it to be and that your off to a great start in 2013!

Just a little peek at the past week and a half of vacation:
1. Bonfire outside of CBC 2. My love affair with All Star Pizza Bar continues.
3. Snow's not my favorite but this was perfect snow ball packing material. 4. My new boots from Santa came just in time!