Sidewalks of New York

I mistakenly was taking pictures from my phone while running errands on a lunch break this week. 

Secretly, I hoped that I had unknowingly captured some sort of deviance or tryst.

Alas, it was pretty darn boring.

Still, there was something about these candids...

Until our next walk...

Do the DODO

I was excited to see that one of my favorite gadget-covering companies is having a big, blowout birthday sale tomorrow.

DODOcase, handcrafted in San Francisco, are stylish, functional, and unique cases designed to protect your gadget of choice while keeping the art of bookbinding alive.

I found my beloved DODOcase at J.Crew a couple of years ago. While reading my iPad on the subway, no one suspects that I have something electronic between the binding. Sneaky, right?

Tomorrow, April 4, they celebrate their 4th birthday by offering a large amount of products at 40% off. Surf around their SITE and see if you find something to your liking - for 40% less, of course!

You should also check out their BLOG and PINTEREST for more inspiration and a behind the scenes look at how things get done at DODO.

The Dark Side

Help create awareness for energy reduction by powering off from 8:30-9:30pm local time this evening. 

http://www.earthhour.org/

What will you do in your hour of darkness? I think I will take a leisurely walk with the dog around the neighborhood. Or perhaps light a few candles and zone out for a bit.

Let's all go dark for 60 minutes. I mean, if Times Square can do it, we can.

In Rainbow Land

Perusing THIS & THIS write-up, I came to the conclusion that it...

The Rainbow Land Museum / Flickr: 22723747@N07

...could very easily have been me.

What I haven't concluded is if that would have been a good path or a bad path.

At least I know it would have been colorful!

Google Will Know

On a whim, I decided to have Google/the internet display some stereotypes about Minnesota by seeing what are the most common inquiries. All you have to do is begin typing the question in the search box and see what pops up. I got the idea after watching a similar segment on The Daily Show.

I talk funny? I hate bordering states?

Hm, how about where I've resided for over a decade.

Ooh, this is addictive. I kept going.

I started to type Oregonians, but I got distracted by the immediate output.

The game proved difficult when I couldn't figure out how to describe people from certain states. For example, what would you call someone from Ohio? What about Delaware? Illinois? Connecticut?

Why does the internet have so many questions, but not always all of the answers?

Google that.

Spring Warm Fuzzies

What do you know, as soon as I declaim that spring has arrived and let's all devour free macarons, we have another snow storm warning for next week and macarons now cost money again.

Gotta be honest: it really has been a rough, drawn-out winter. There was no reprieve. And this coming from someone who actually enjoys the seasonal snow and cold.

In college, I had a roommate from Portland, Oregon (she was on a constant quest to correct East Coasters of the proper state pronunciation: Ore-gen, not Or-eh-gone). One morning, I found her staring out the dorm window wistfully, wrapped in a homemade quilt. It was a misty, cool, and grey morning. Quite depressing, really. She turned to me, eyes wide and sparkling and happily sighed, 

"Oh Lu, it feels like home!"

That same feeling overcame me when the temps dropped way, way, way low this winter. There is never a bluer sky than on a frigidly cold day. I love it. It brings me back to my Eagan days, driving along Cliff Road in January wearing sunglasses because the florescent white snowbanks reflected the sun so powerfully.

An NYC cold one

Also, heavy snow fall. Fluffy, pure, powder that makes everything look like a Christmas card, Trapp Farm Park becomes ideal for tubing, and kids rush out to the nearest cul-de-sac to begin construction on an epic snow fort.

That being said, this is the heart of NYC, not the heartland of Minnesota, and that feeling of "home" was quickly replaced by my understanding of what cold and snow mean to this city:

Winter Wonderland? Guess the trash isn't being collected.

Here in New York, you have wind tunnels that make you believe your life is in danger for the one block you must cross to safety. Once the snow melts, horrors are revealed below. Nightmare inducing horrors. Oh, and curb slush puddles. They are always, always, deeper than you could possibly imagine. I watched a women sink down to mid-calf in this doozy.

Basically, 4 months of the experience doesn't give you the warm fuzzies.

So when you beg for spring but the realization hits that there may still be bundling up weather ahead (hey, it SNOWED during my May graduation ceremony), you might as well look cute. These knits easily transition from chilly to brisk, but also lure you out of hibernation mode.

Hoping there isn't a bad word hidden amongst these letters (I love anything letter-themed)

White/Letter Knit Sweater - H&M

Loving the unusual sleeve length and the v-back:

BR Monogram V-Back Pullover - Banana Republic

In hopes that everything is coming up roses:

Pins and Needles Roses Sweater - Urban Outfitters

Come sail away:

Collection Featherweight Cashmere Sailboat Sweater - J.Crew

A stripe of color cutting through the gray:

Shae Diagonal Stripe Long Sleeved Sweater - ASOS

If you truly wear your heart on your sleeve:

We're Young at Heart Sweater - ModCloth

Southwestern flair:

Southwestern Style Sweater - Forever 21

It's all good:

C'est Bon Pullover - Madewell

What will you miss about winter? How do you transition to spring?

Happy Spring!

It's here. SPRING! It happened.

Well, kind of. On the calendar.

Anyway, Happy New Season, everyone!

Did you know today was also Macaron Day in NYC? I had no knowledge of such an event until my friend Casey (of Dazzle & Delight) posted on Facebook. What a treat. As New Yorkers, we have to put up with smashing our body parts up against strangers during our commute, constant urine aroma on the sidewalk, wind tunnels that make a Minnesotan complain, and inflated prices on just about everything. Every day.

So when there is a certain Thursday where you can just pop into a bakery and someone hands you a free, colorful, and delectable dessert, one must rejoice (and partake).

Also, did you know that there is a part of Manhattan where within 6 blocks there are 3 different macaron establishments participating in the giveaway? I mean, not that I know firsthand...