, originally uploaded by Yellow Bear.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! This week was quite stressful so I’m definitely ready for the weekend.

Also we finished Season 4 of The Wire, and it was every bit as amazing as the hoards of people told me it would be. Best season, for sure. I need a serious break though before starting season 5! I feel like I have no life outside of it. I blame the winter, too. Right, yeah..the weather…

You may have already heard this exciting news, but Uniqlo is teaming up with some great designers for Spring lines at their stores: Opening Ceremony, Steven Alan, Shipley & Halmos, and Gilded Age! A sneak peek is on Refinery. The Alexander Wang collaboration was really disappointing, so I hope this one has a better outcome!

While I am true lover of wearing tights, the last few weeks of cold weather in New York have made wearing tights a ridiculous idea. I also have a few pairs of great knit/net tights (what’t the proper term here, I’m at a loss) that are even more of a ridiculous idea to wear. But last weekend a lightbulb went off in my head on how to make them warmer: layer them up! I wear a colorful pair underneath a darker knit pair, which creates a cool color effect.

My legs are happy.

And because I know you’ll ask, in the top photo the knit tights are from Forever 21, bottom layer from Uniqlo. In the photo below the knit layer is from Urban Outfitters (they are almost too warm as they are sweater-knit) and the bottom from Target.

I wear so much simple, solid colored clothing (hello, gray!), and I’ve been looking for some accessories to punch it up a little. This ikat strand necklace would be perfect.

spotted on the storque

Proenza Schouler pre-fall 09 – Irene Kim on Street Seen
Girl in Milan by Peter Miszuk – Chloe pre-fall 09

0238, originally uploaded by Cia de Foto.

Yesterday a coworker of mine got a call that her mother had been killed by a suspected drunk driver. How quickly life can change in an instant has shaken me to the core. I could barely sleep last night, feeling the most intense sadness for this girl who is always so happy and laughing, who was closer to her mother than even I was (and we’re pretty dang close), and who’s world is forever changed.

Today I thank my lucky stars to have a safe and healthy family, and remember to never forget that simple fact of how lucky I am.

I just couldn’t start the day out without acknowledging this and I can only hope she knows that we’re all thinking of her.

When Vicky Christina Barcelona first came out I had little interest in seeing it, largely due to my distaste for recent Woody Allen movies. Did you see Melinda and Melinda? Watching Woody speak through Will Ferrel – right down to the hand gestures – made me want to throw my $6 popcorn up. But then the reviews started to make me think it was perhaps worth it, and then Penelope Cruz got so many nods and awards I decided to go for it. While it’s a relatively simple plot, and you have to get over watching a bunch of rich people on a vacation you can only dream of, I loved it. I could put aside my “meh” feelings for Scarlett Johansson, the way Javier Bardem will always be Anton Chigurh to me, and the slight disappointment in no seriously steamy sex scenes (come on, don’t lie, we were all wanting a little of that) and just enjoy it. I will say that 70% of the reason I liked it was for Penelope. Oh, Penelope, how I love thee.

It’s not a perfect movie, but I recommend it for something a little different. Also, can we please go to Barcelona? Like, right now? It’s sleeting out right now, I’m done with it.

In other news, do any of you watch or did you watch The Wire? I’m currently knee-deep in it (almost done with season 4 and we only started watching it over Christmas) and I just found out that the character Snoop is Snoop in real life! They use her real name (and nickname), and she was a real drug dealer from Baltimore. She even went to prison for killing someone (in self defense, allegedly). Michael K Williams (Omar) found her in a bar in Baltimore and knew she would be perfect for the show. The show turned her life around. This is the best thing I have heard, ever. Read an interesting article about it here.

Ok, I’m done rambling today.

I’m really excited to announce the release the book Love, that the amazing and talented Samantha Hahn coordinated and designed. I’m so honored and glad she asked me to be a part of it (my spread is below.)

From Samantha:
“I asked 25 artists & writers—each with a distinct style and voice—to submit a piece inspired by their idea of love, and then I published them as a book on blurb, a print-on-demand website. The contributing artists hail from around the world. I knew that each one’s interpretation of love would be singular, but with some profound similarities.

Love is the ideal subject for artists to interpret. We all love, but everyone defines love differently in their minds and hearts. We all love differently and the same. We are connected through love and art.

Love is available through blurb for $16.95 for a softcover, $25.95 for a hardcover with a dust jacket, and $27.95 for hardcover with “image wrap.” It contains 40 pages of incredible art including a couple of pages of amazing writing.”

Kate Miss, originally uploaded by samlovesherdog.

I knew exactly what I wanted to contribute to the book from the get-go, these are two photos I took of Billy when we started dating that illustrate that facination you have with someone when you first fall in love, and continue to feel when your love grows into something more than just infactuation. The way you watch them sleep, get ready in the morning- do simple things that fill you with so much warmth. Now go check out the preview on Blurb of some of the other amazing art in this fantastic book, and remember that this makes a great valentines day gift!

lumières claires, originally uploaded by fusselraupe.

I’m crossing my fingers for an escape from the city for Presidents Day weekend, to Stephentown again. This photo makes me cross my fingers even harder.

I was walking around on my lunch break yesterday when a pair of shoes caught my eye in the window at Payless. Yes, Payless. I haven’t stepped foot in a Payless since I was a poor vegan in college. They’re have some seriously high heels, but for $30 you could have a little fun for a price that won’t bring a tear to your eye (except for how your feet will feel at the end of the night). They’re here and here