Frozen Fashion II

The other day we got our first snow… it didn't really stick, but it happened.  And actually it's not even winter yet.  That afternoon it looked like this in Central Park:

Beautiful fall colors!  So fall is still around for a little while longer.  

My wardrobe has changed drastically since moving out of Texas, and I think my coat collection has tripled in size.  There is no longer just one coat for "it's kind of cold outside", I have coats for every drop in 10 degrees with variables for sun, rain, and snow.  Plus, if you spend so much time in a coat, you want a little variety since that is basically your outfit.  I remember a friend of mine from high school (who at the time lived in Chicago, he played for the Bears if you know who I'm talking about), telling me that very thing.  That variety in coats becomes more important since that is pretty much all you wear all the time October clear through 'til May.  I lived in sunny Dallas then so I didn't fully appreciate the need for many multiple coats, but I am living in that reality now, baby!

I have also discovered the fabulousness that are leg warmers.  Like, 1980s-style leg warmers.  Maybe they never went out of style in cold climates because anything that keeps you warm is a go?  Anyway, I don't think I have ever worn them in my life until now.  My friend Amy gave me a purple pair last winter to wear over my running shoes and pants to and from Barry's Bootcamp (which is AWESOME, my favorite workout).  Walking anywhere when it's 15F, even a short distance, wears you down and every little bit of warmth helps.  With leg warmers, the game is in the name.  They keep your legs warm!

My first pair, with my Sperry rain boots which I loved and wore out last winter:

I have since bought two more pairs to rotate around:

The boots I am wearing in that last picture are these from Sorel (the curry/herringbone color).  I also highly recommend these because they are warm, lightweight on your feet, and waterproof!  The laces are really just there for show, because they are a pull-on style.  I broke them in during our trip to Lake Placid and they worked wonders in cold temperatures.  

The temperatures here continue to waver and drop.  I haven't broken out the puffy coat yet because that thing is so warm it needs to be below 35F to wear it.  

New York is so different, summer compared to winter, that it is like living in another country.  And I'm about to get my passport stamped.  

Frozen Fashion

New York is still frozen.  It is snowing/sleeting outside as I type this.  We are going skiing in Colorado this weekend with some friends and I swear it is going to be warmer there than it is here.  

(one of our favorite local bars - Warren 77)

NYC is known for a lot of things and being a fashion capital is up high on that list!  There is actually a "fashion capital" Wikipedia entry where such things are discussed and cities are ranked.  London has apparently overtaken New York recently thanks in large part to Miss Kate, her royal fashion sense, and the worldwide obsession with every little thing she wears (this site takes it to the next level).  

Just because it's 10° outside doesn't mean that all these fancy New Yorkers use the excuse to look frumpy!  The well-heeled coat to have, by a fashion landslide, is one by Moncler.  They are warm and puffy and beautiful and look like this:

They are awesome.  There is a Moncler boutique in SoHo and I've gone in and tried them on.  Sadly I left empty handed.  Why?  They average about $1,000+.  Hrmph.

So, when winter first arrived and I realized that my cold weather wardrobe wasn't quite up to snuff, warmth-wise, I had to find a replacement Moncler.  I have been a fan of Lands' End for years, I think they have great winter layering pieces.  Plus they now have their Canvas line that is a little more fashion forward.  Plus, their sales ROCK.  You can find massive discounts often.  That is where I found this coat:

Puffy and warm - check.  Hood with (fake) fur - check.  Already inexpensive and on sale twice over - double check!  I paid $62.99 for this sucker.  I also really liked this one but it was a little too short for serious winter weather.  I wear this coat every single day, usually with my Sperry houndstooth rain boots with the sock liners (thanks Mom), and am kept surprisingly warm!

But nothing replaces warm sunshine... sigh.  

Throwback Thursday - First Day in London

This morning I was thinking about our lives these past couple of years and realized that today, two years ago, we landed in London.  I remembered sending this email to friends and family, it was before I had really started this blog so it wasn't an entry.  But it should have been the first one!  So for a Throwback Thursday entry, I'm reposting it here just for posterity's sake.  This was written under some pretty serious jet lag...

Hello! Stephen and I made it here just fine on Monday, we had a good flight this time - no unplanned stop in NYC in the middle of Ambien! A car picked us up and drove us straight to out new/temporary home so we didn't have to mess with our luggage too much (all 6 bags of it, plus carry-ons).

When we arrived, we checked into our new home. We got upgraded to a 2 bedroom! The second bedroom is tiny, just a twin bed, but we put all of our luggage in there so we aren't constantly tripping over it. Besides the 2 bedrooms, there is a living room/dining room (seats 4), and off the hallway leading to the master is a small kitchen and a bathroom. It's furnished of course and even had some groceries stocked for our arrival! For those of you who know London (or if you're just curious) our address is 9 Eastcheap in The City, close to the Thames River and the London Bridge.

After checking in yesterday, we went downstairs for lunch and right next door is a Pret a Manger (freshly made sandwiches, salads, etc.). I have a feeling I'll be eating there a lot because I went back for lunch again today.  We walked around for a long while - partially across the Tower Bridge, alongside the Thames, across the river to the Tate Modern museum, went in there for a while and saw a giant installation of millions of ceramic sunflower seeds (apparently they represented the "human condition", seriously what the sign said). Modern art is hard to take in while sleep-deprived, so we left there and continued walking, crossed back over the river, found a pub called the Black Friar, had a pint, walked some more and found a restaurant called Wagamama to eat dinner at, thanks to my friend Kym's suggestion.  Walked home after that. My goal was to stay awake until at least 9:00 p.m. to try and get on the new clock. I think we were awake until maybe 9:45, but I took a sleeping pill and didn't stir until 8:30 this morning.

Today was Stephen's first official day at work in his new office! I went for a run this morning along the Thames - I feel like I've been eating and drinking vacation-style for a while now, so it's time to undo all that! It's actually a really pretty day today, sunny and in the 40s.  After I finish this email I'm going to find a tailor (some of Stephen's suits are missing buttons) and run to a drugstore - excuse me, "chemist" - and pick up a few things. Then maybe walk around some more and do a bit more exploring!

So far I have noticed that pretty much all London women wear the exact same outfit. It goes something like this: black opaque hose or leggings (this is a must) under either a short skirt, dress, tunic, or something of the like, with flat riding boots and a scarf draped around the neck.  All of the women.  I have items that match these descriptions, but not enough for constant wear! Plus half of my clothes are in a crate on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.

That will be a riot, when the rest of our belongings arrive. Even after all of the cutting down we did, I'm sure we won't have nearly enough room for it all when it finally gets here. We saw the international Salvation Army headquarters last night in this fancy, post-modern building, Stephen joked that we should show up on their doorstep with all of our excess belongings and ask for a donation receipt.

This week I'm going to start the process of finding a place to live. There's a lot of great flats out there, I'm excited to look around!

We have free wireless in our flat, the best way to reach me right now is to email or Facebook me. I have international service on my phone, but it's still pretty expensive. If you have texted me I probably haven't texted you back, those are limited, too.

We are doing well and I'll update you again soon! Miss you all!

Love,

Megan

Me at the Tower of London our first week or two there:

Barcelona

It’s been way too long since my last entry! I have too much to write about!

Okay. Well I will start with Barcelona. I loved Spain! Stephen and I flew to Barcelona the first weekend in April to meet up with our friends Lindsey and Dallas. Lindsey’s sister, Mallory, is in college at KU and studying in Barcelona for the semester, and Lindsey and Mallory’s parents were there visiting as well. It was a family reunion with Megan and Stephen as bonus kids! They are such a great family, and it was a treat to spend so much time with them. This trip was wonderful and will go down as one of my favorite places for many reasons, but what made it so special was Lindsey and Dallas had just gotten engaged in Italy a few days before we met them in Spain. We were the first people outside of their family they were able to tell in person, and their happiness was contagious. They were both glowing with the excitement of their engagement! After they shared the big news, we sat by the pool just drinking champagne in view of the ocean and enjoying the moment. What a way to celebrate an engagement! They are a great couple and I know they have a long, happy life in front of them.

Our hotel was situated right on the water, and our room had a floor-to-ceiling window so that when you opened the curtains all you could see was the blue Mediterranean water. It was almost like being on a ship in the middle of the ocean!

Barcelona had just really started to get warm the weekend we were there; most people were walking around with t-shirts or tank tops on with maybe an extra layer. I don’t know what has happened to me, I have only been in London for a few months but it was like I’d completely forgotten what it was like to dress in warm weather! I arrived with a lot of black London layers in my suitcase. The Mediterranean sun is gloriously warm, so I had to do a bit of improvising (and a little shopping).

Other than the sun and the blue sky, my favorite things we saw in Barcelona were related to the architect Antoni Gaudí. The first being the Sagrada Familia, a catholic church that has been under construction since 1882! I will do a companion posting with photos to this entry so I can show a bit of the church; it was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. What was interesting is how Gaudí brought nature into his design. Instead of plain columns inside the church, they are styled to look like the trunks of huge trees. They are different colors and sizes and really give it such a sense of whimsy. Every corner you look there is some intricate detail; it’s like being in a cathedral in a fairy tale. We paid the extra bit of money to get a ticket on the lift up to the top of one of the towers, and it was definitely worth the money. Acrophobes beware though (ahem, Stephen), if you have a fear of heights you might not enjoy the thrill of the shallow, open balconies overlooking the city or looking straight down the tight spiral staircase!

My other favorite Gaudí spot was Park Güell. The park sits on a hill in the northern part of the city and from the top you can see all the way to the sea. Again the overall design elements are very whimsical, and the spring flowers were really starting to pop, it is such a beautiful place! We hiked all the way to the very top (again, not prepared, in flip flops), and then shared a couple pitchers of sangria at the café in the piazza. Not too shabby.

Mallory, having lived in Barcelona since January, took us to some fantastic local places for lunch and dinner where they served up some of the freshest platters and tapas I’ve seen. It’s amazing how much you can eat when all the food comes in bite sizes, we all put away a mound of tapas. Delicious. She also took us to a flamenco show which was highly entertaining, had great dancing, and some beautiful live singing and intricate Spanish guitar. (Dad, you would have loved the guitar.) There were two female dancers, a younger one who took a seat early and continued the show clapping out the rhythm, and an older one who danced the entire show. She was what I can only describe as Fierce. You couldn’t take your eyes off her. And woe be the person to meet her in a dark alley, I swear she could dance someone to death. The whole show was only half an hour and got thunderous applause.

Now onto the fashion. It was the very beginning of beach season while we were there. Our hotel, being right on the water, gave us plenty of opportunities to walk along the boardwalk and take in the sights. The sights being – nude beaches. Now being that this is Europe, I was kind of expecting that and it's no big deal, but what cracked me up is we saw several people with shirts on but no bottoms! It was still a bit chilly for nude sun time I guess... but I would option for bottoms instead of a top, no? This one guy had on a t-shirt, but no bottoms, and he had his knees bent and butt facing the walkway so everyone could get a good look at his (not kidding) newly shaved balls and butt crack. Lovely! This other lady, who was 50+, was also wearing a t-shirt but no bottoms, and had stood up to wipe the sand off of her, only she was trying to get the sand out of every nook and crevice and was bending this way and that wiping everything... again, just lovely! :) Maybe the beautiful people nude beaches are in Brazil??? For those who chose to wear clothes, summer casual was definitely the way to go. Maybe it was just my impression, but I got kind of a casual, hippy, Spanish vibe from a lot of the people. I also saw a lot of royal purple on people.

Ah, it was a wonderful trip! Olé!

I Want To Be Italian

Last weekend we traveled out of London for our first weekend trip - to Rome! It was unbelievable, gorgeous, fun, delicious, basically everything I could ask for from my first trip to Italy!

We left late Friday afternoon and flew cheap-o airfare from London to Rome. On this airline each passenger is allowed to bring one carry-on bag, if you choose to check a bag they charge 20 pounds for it. What I didn't realize is that my purse was considered a carry-on bag (unlike in the States where you get a carry-on plus a personal item) and we were stopped while getting on the plane and had to shove it into Stephen's already-stuffed bag. So, traveling in Europe lesson #1! During our flight the captain made an announcement to say hello and whatnot, and he mentioned that we were currently flying over Geneva and the Swiss Alps. It was already completely dark so all we could see were city lights, which was a bit disappointing because the Alps is one of my favorite places! Next time we'll have to fly during the day.

Our hotel (Hotel Hassler) was at the very top of the Spanish Steps - which means we got to climb all 138 steps at least twice a day (not a bad thing after all the gelato and pasta!). The majority of the first day we spent just wandering around the city and taking it all in. We saw the Pantheon (originally built as a temple to all the gods of Rome). The building is in amazing shape, it is still fully formed as opposed to a ruin. It's really beautiful inside and out, and the concrete dome, although almost 2,000 years old, is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world! At the center of the dome is an open hole (oculus) that lets in sunlight - or rain if it's raining - and the sun spotlight arcs across the dome as the sun moves across the sky. It's kind of mesmerizing.

For dinner we stopped at a restaurant where I had the world's best pasta alla carbonara. Seriously, I think I said mmmmmm with every bite. For dessert I had lemon gelato - once again, one of the greatest things I've ever tasted. It was perfectly tart and creamy and sweet... I love lemon-flavored things. I have this memory from when I was very young, 3 maybe, standing in my great-grandmother's living room eating lemon drops out of the candy dish on her coffee table. I don't remember much of her, but my love of sweet lemon started then! Probably my love of candy, too. :) Oh! And they topped the meal off with a complimentary glass of limoncello! Amazing.

Our second day we visited the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. We took a tour inside of the Colosseum, which was one of my favorite things of the trip. The size of it is a little overwhelming, and what we see today is not even the full size/height it was originally. There are certainly many stadiums in existence today that dwarf it (hello Jerry World), but there is something about all that space created by stone, not to mention being almost 2,000 years old, it's just one of the most impressive things I've ever seen.

After the Colosseum we walked up to Palatine Hill - one of the 7 hills of Rome and where Rome was founded - and then down into the Roman Forum. There are ruins everywhere, it's so easy to imagine what it was once like.

The last day we visited Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. If the Colosseum impressed me, the Basilica stunned me completely. The size, the beauty, the intricacy, the holy space... it's difficult to describe or even capture with photographs. Sadly we weren't able to stay very long because they started closing it up about 20 minutes after we'd arrived. We'd spent so much time going through the museum and the Sistine Chapel!

Okay, so enough with the important historical stuff, I have had requests to describe the fashion styles of the places we visit. Italian people - what a show! I could sit and people-watch in a piazza all day long. Everything they do, they do with effortless flair, and they make the English look so... English. If you are an Italian man, you wear dark, form-fitting clothes, pants that don't pool around your ankles, are fond of black turtlenecks under blazers, and make it look really cool. You also have on sunglasses and a scarf thrown on in a way that shows the world that you don't have to try very hard to look this good. If you are an Italian woman, you wear beautiful tall boots or stiletto heels through cobblestone streets and don't twist an ankle as I would. You wear very tight pants or leggings and carry a large handbag of note. It was a tad cold in Rome, so you are often wearing a puffy jacket, shiny, in either black, eggplant, or navy, and you get extra points if it's belted. Seriously, I saw that jacket everywhere.

I'm going to upload some pictures, but it might take a little longer to get to that. We are moving to our new flat today - hooray! - and losing our free wireless. I will have to hunt around for a pub or coffee shop with wireless until we get everything set up in our new place.

So until then! Ciao!