Glitter On The West Streets

Love this look!

Source: The Sartorialist

My Heart Is Closed For The Season

Was listening to my favorite podcast All Songs Considered: NPR, and heard this little gem! I had to pass it along, Enjoy!

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen

Oh, how I long to be back in this wonderful city!

Copenhagen - City of Cyclists from Copenhagenize on Vimeo.

Stripes, Scarves, and Coats, Oh my!

Here is some fashion inspiration from some ladies who know how to wear some of my favorite clothing items...Stripes, Scarves, and Coats.

I love her striped scarf and the layered look.

I am just speechless over this outfit.  She looks so comfortable, yet chic which is my favorite style of all. I love her coat, big cozy scarf, the bun on top of her head, and the plum colored lipstick to finish it all off.

this is women's sports wear perfection! with the red lips, I die! 

love the oversized coat

striped skirt with green tights, to die for!

I'm disappointed that project runway isn't on tonight, so the these images from the Sartorialist will have to suffice for tonight. 

Love, Love.

Found these incredible illustrations by Genna Campton (care of Copenhagen Cycle Chic). I love her use of pen and ink combined with color.  To see more of her awesome work check out her blog!

Giving Up The Gun

Pretty hilarious new Vampire weekend video features Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Jonas, Lil' John, and RZA of Wu-tang Clan, in tennins gear. Read more at Spinner.  Enjoy!

Je' taime

My new rain boots, came a little after the "snowpocalypse." But I am still very excited about them, as they will still keep my feet warm and dry while tromping through what's left of the snow and during the inevitable "april showers" of springtime. They are so comfortable, and very stylish as far as rain boots go.  Definitely a good investment!

And my amazing new purse which i am absolutely in LOVE with!

(boots: Hunter Wellies, from Zappos.com; purse: UO)

Here are some photos of me with the bag, the quality is terrible because they were taken with photobooth, so i decided to play with the effects :)

Excuses

Check out this awesome collaboration between the Morning Benders (a band from my home town of Berkeley, CA) and the Echo Chamber Orchestra. Enjoy!

Giant Golden Radio

I've been feeling nostalgic in my music selections lately...

I haven't listened to this song in such a long time, but when it recently came on on my pandora playlist i was reminded of how much i used to love it. 

I also was listening to this song today while i was at work and i suddenly was flooded with so many wonderful memories from summer, my visit to NYC in september, and warm sunny afternoons spent in outdoor cafes with my best friend. I cant help but smile inside and out when i hear this song and think of those times. 

 Can't wait for summer to come once again!!

Roman Holiday

Taking my inspiration from Queens of Vintage, I realized that i had never seen the movie "Roman Holiday" starring the one an only Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, so i pushed it to the top of my netflix queue right away and within two days it was on my doorstep (i love that about netflix!).  This movie was glorious and made me remember how much i love Audrey Hepburn.  She is the absolute definition of beauty, style, and elegance. It has been a while since i have watched one of her movies, but after seeing this one i have decided to have an audrey themed mini-marathon. 

Up next is funny face!

Abrazos y Besos

Although I don't particularly like Valentine's day (it's really just a regular day that has been commercialized by Hallmark and chocolate companies so that people can spend money expressing their love, and single people can drown their sorrows about being single by consuming mass amounts of chocolate, but anyway) I suppose that it is nice to take a day to stop and recognize the people that we love, and to remember to also love ourselves.  

So with that said I want to send love out to all of those people who I love, you know who you are! And some special love goes out to Kelly Shoestring, who awarded me the "Beautiful Blog Award" and the "Creative Blogger Award." Although I'm still fairly new to the blogosphere, I have been working really hard on my blog, and truly appreciate it! The rules of the award are that you have to write seven things about yourself and then pass the award along to seven other bloggers, so here goes:

1. i am a dual citizen of the USA and Denmark 

2. my favorite food is cheese

3. i was a ballerina for sixteen years, but i haven't taken a class in over a year

4. i love it when the song i'm listening to ends at the exact same moment that i arrive at my destination

5. if i had one super power it would be to walk on the clouds

6. i collect postcards

7. i dont like peanut butter

I am passing on the "Beautiful Blog Award" and the "Creative Blogger Award" to the ladies of these wonderful blogs:

1. Ghostly Ferns

2. My Life Imagined

3. Mustard and Sage

4. Ghost

5. Ozetta

Because i am still new to the blogosphere, those are all i've got but they are all great and i really enjoy reading them!

Lots of love!

Gorilla Manor

I'm loving this debut album from LA-based quintet, Local Natives. The album entitled, Gorilla Manor comes out February 16th.  Have an listen!

Under the Sky of Paris

During this past snow-filled week, i watched the movie "An Education," for the second time.  i saw it when it was in the theaters, but i liked it so much that I wanted to watch it again and well, the cold weather was the perfect excuse.  i LOVE this movie, the early sixties style and setting, and the MUSIC just make me feel all happy and fuzzy inside.  It really is a beautiful film with a wonderful soundtrack.  i hope that Carey Mulligan wins the much-deserved oscar for best leading actress.  

Here is one of my favorite songs from the film, by the lovely and talented Juliette Greco

Tunic Warmer Tote

Obsessed with these items on Etsy, wish that I had money to buy them all!

Denim Tunic from- Recovered Vintage

Oregon Warmer from- Ozetta

Cottage Tote from- Yokoo

Hey, Snow White

Here it is, my first ever iMovie attempt at video-making, in all of it's horribly unartistic and highly unskilled glory. Enjoy!

The Snowpocalypse from Amanda Alef on Vimeo.
Just a side note: This video was filmed entirely on my front porch.  The first shots are from friday afternoon when the first snowflakes began to fall, and the following blizzard portion was shot this afternoon.

Song: "Hey, Snow White"- The New Pornographers

Surviving the Snowpocalypse

In what has been hilariously titled as "the Snowpocalypse," Washington, DC and the surrounding areas have acquired 40 inches of snow since last friday.  Needless to say I have been stuck inside the house for six days straight...here is what has been keeping me sane:

Broccoli, mushroom, onion, and cheddar quiche.  Here it is half eaten, i couldn't resist :)

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Vino!

Chocolate (courtesy of my wonderful mother's care package)

My mukluks keep my toes nice and warm!

Starting to make waves on my knitting, it's going to be a cozy cowl when I finish

Getting some reading done.  This book is a hilariously entertaining analysis on pop culture in postmodern America, that I've been meaning to read for years and am finally getting around to. I recommend it!

Old episodes of Anthony Bourdain No Reservations on netflix watch instantly.  I love the episode where he goes to brazil.  Seeing the sunshine, music and dancing, wonderful food, and wonderful people makes me smile and helps me forget about the blizzard going on outside.  Oh how I want to go to Brazil!

Lover of Mine

Beach House- "Lover of Mine"

Grizzly Bear- "Two Weeks"

Found this artist--Nick Gentry-- on ArtistADay. Check it out!

Song to Woody

"Here's to the hearts and the hands of the men, that come with the dust and are gone with the wind..."

Song to Woody- Bob Dylan

Cycle Chic

If you thought that last post made me seem like a bit of a winter wus (a title which I will proudly accept as I am by nature a California girl still trying to survive her first east coast winter), head on over to Copenhagen Cycle Chic to see how true Copenhagener's handle life in the snow... always on bike, and always in style! I have so much respect and admiration for these chic people.  It is going to take a few more years of training, but maybe one day I'll be biking through a snow storm on the streets of copenhagen too.  

Another snow is gonna fall

Since I have been back in DC, we have been hit with two snow storms and we are expected to be getting another 20 inches this weekend.  There seems to be an odd pattern developing which goes a little something like: two days of sunny clear skies and mid 30 degree temperatures, followed by two days of gloomy gray skies, snow, and mid 20 degree or lower temps.  The by-product of this weather is yet another pattern: naturally beautiful surroundings lasting for approximately 12 hours, followed by a yucky brown slush coating the ground.  

It certainly is challenging becoming accustomed to this weather, and more so, adjusting to having to survive everyday life in this weather.  Meaning-- A) waking up early enough to check your email to ensure that work is in fact scheduled that day, and hasn't been cancelled on account of a snow day; B) calling the Washington Metro Authority, to ensure that your bus is in fact still running, and hasn't been cancelled on account of the fact that the city of DC (the nations capital, mind you) is absolutely TERRIBLE about prompt snow removal;  C) bundling up from head to toe, tromping down the snowy sidewalks to the nearest bus stop and awaiting your bus, which is perpetually either three minutes early or ten minutes late, but NEVER on time.  

One you've made it onto the bus (most often, either completely out of breath from hastily running down the street waving your hands in the air to signal the bus driver not to leave without you, all the while desperately hoping that you don't slip on the snow and fall right in from of said bus driver and all the passengers; OR suffering from acute frostbite due to standing in the cold for eight minutes longer than you had originally anticipated when you strategically coordinated, down to the exact minute, the time you would leave your house with the bus schedule), and have with any luck secured an actual seat, the ride is actually quite enjoyable.  It is the perfect time to plug in to your iPod, open your book, and tune out.  This thirty minutes of solitude, is in fact one of the best parts of my day.  It reminds me to slowdown, take a deep breath, and appreciate what I've got.  

Here is the perfect tune to accompany your next bus ride, or snow day.  Enjoy and stay warm!  

Snow Days - Real Estate

">

Snow Days - Real Estate

Two of my favorite things

Snow and trees.