friday fab/five: women who inspire me!

friday fab/five: wishing for summer...

 it's supposed to be a high of -9 on monday (and a low of -22)...
how could i not be daydreaming about swimming and sandals!

1. bathing suits: i'm more of a bikini gal, but this one-piece from madewell is pretty cool!

2. sun hats: at the urging of my dermatologist i finally became a fan of wearing a
hat to protect my face from the brutal summer sun...now i feel very stylish.

3. sandals: it's probably time to break my addiction to flip-flops...
these cute red sandals from modcloth would help with the withdrawal.

4. swimming: i want to immerse myself in warm tropical waters...especially right now
as i wear 4 layers of clothes. this beautiful picture is of a cenote (a surface connection
to a subterranean water body) in chichen-itza, mexico.

5. sexy jewelry: gold on tan skin. need i say more. (rootsandwings jewelry is awesome)

images 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

friday/fab five: veggie burgers/hobbits/boots, etc.

1. the hobbit: i got the chance to see this movie in 3D IMAX...
and now i find regular life rather dull...JK.

2. ballet body fusion at lifetime fitness: kicks my butt...literally!

3. hilary's eat well veggie burgers: so yummy. (and the packaging uses my favorite font -
pupcat - i love that i'm a nerdy enough designer to know that!)

4. winter boots: YOU can still be a fashionista on 6 degrees days in these cute boots by sorel.

5. joe barry: heard this swamp pop artist from the 50-60s featured on fresh air...
caught myself dancing around the kitchen!

images 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

friday fab/five: roasted veggies/patina/kids, etc.

1. roasting vegetables: nothing warms up my little apartment like roasting some veggies. here are some roasting tips. 

2. patina: it's kinda dangerous to live a few blocks away from this (lifestyle?) store or is it?

3. metro transit: since i'm committed to remaining car-free and it's usually 9 degrees outside - i have to give a shout-out to the (mostly reliable) public transportation system in mnpls/st. paul. [and the to-go card makes me feel sorry for philly tokens...those poor tokens.]

4. kids of my friends/family: talk about unconditional love and appreciation. these little folks make me feel like a celebrity!

5. laura mercier: i'm totally not used to frigid wind blowing onto my face and it would be fair to say that my skin needs some serious TLC. this skin care line by laura mercier is one of my go-to pamper products.

images: 1 // 2 // 3 // 5

friday fab/five: campfires/rivers/florence/quilts, etc.

this is a quasi-autumn fab/5...because i cannot ignore the change of season!

1. campfires: holy smokes, (pun intended) nothing beats that fall-air-mixed-with campfire smell...so many good adventurous associations!

2. florence + the machine: when you are biking into the blustery wind and you need to feel strong and fierce - nobody does it better than florence!

3. mississippi river: i forgot what a major role this powerful and majestic river plays in the topography and public consciousness of the twin cities. and since the leaves are starting to change the view is super pretty right now! some random mississippi river info found here.

4. cowls: the ultimate scarf! i love this green cowl from etsy seller warm & soft.

5. quilts: i look a quilting class once...ended up with a tiny quilt and an appreciation for folks who can think of (and have patience with) pattern and design on a larger scale. i really want to make a quilt from this book.

(images 1 // 2 // 4 // 5)

friday fab/five: voting/pizza/running, etc.

1. register to vote: get on this...RIGHT now! soapbox alert: people in other countries are losing their lives for the right to vote in free and fair elections. oh, and actually vote too...that's also important.

2. pizza lucé: so so so yummy and (mostly) friendly to allergy-prone people like me.

3. starting to run again: my (temporary) suburban living has thrown a wrench into my fitness routine. i joined the Y last week...but i miss running...or rather having the motivation to run! luckily i found this great list of MN races to pick from.

4. autumn: the leaves are starting to change...so pretty and crisp! and don't worry, the weather channel is all over telling you the fall foliage conditions in your area.

5. the twelve: OK, i tried to keep a lid on how excited i am about the release of this book by justin cronin...sequel to the passage. since it's coming out on october 16th i think it's fair game to start freaking out about how much i look forward to read all 595 pages!

(image 1 // 4 // 5)

friday fab/5: food-on-a-stick/renaissance/miike snow, etc.

friday fab/five: wishlist!

(my birthday is coming up, so this is a little fantasy "birthday wish list" fab/five.)

1. a new watch: i still rub my wrist expecting my lost watch to be there. ghost watch. this whimsically/modern watch by biegert & funk would be a delightful replacement.

2. manicure: boy, if celebrating your birthday is not an excuse to get a zany manicure, i don't know what is! some great tutorials here.

3. necklaces: stunning!

4. a new iphone case: i've featured society6 on the blog before, but really they have the most beautiful cases.

5. being nice: sometimes i wish that we would all be nicer to each other (and ourselves) more often...and say nice things to each other more often...and help each other out more often. it's easy to get frustrated with humanity, but it's also easy to smile at a stranger and mean it.

( 2 via pinterest // 3 // 5 )

friday fab/five: water bottles/eagles/library/cuffs, etc.!

1. water bottles: seriously, i have lost too many to count...in all kinds of crazy places, but i am such a water-aholic that i feel like something is missing when i don't have my water bottle with me! especially on these super hot days. this addiction is a double-edged sword...i basically have all the public bathrooms in philly mapped out! i'm partial to the metal bottle from sigg.

2. E-A-G-L-E-S: wow, realized this week that football preseason is right around the corner! and while i am moving back to MN...i vow to remain a diehard eagles fan. once and eagles fan, always an eagles fan.

3. events @ the free library on pinterest: my favorite folks from the free library have created a pinterest account...you should follow them and get your literary fix.

4. cuffs AKA big bracelets: these are all over etsy/pinterest/tumblr...a few drool worthy options are available here and here and here.

5. the olympics: it's hard to ignore the triumph and the tragedy happening in london right now. even the royal family is getting caught up in the spectacle!

(images 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5)

friday fab/five: show your bike some love!

i thought a cycle-themed fab/five was in order since my bike has been under-the-weather lately. it needs it's internal hub AKA gears rebuilt. i'm waiting on a quote from my mechanic...which could be good news or bad news!

1. fender cozy AKA crochet skirt guard: you know you want one! they are custom made by dorien in the netherlands.

2. cycle-themed tumblers: not that i advocate drinking and biking, but if you are going to throw back a few, why not use these cute screen printed bike glasses by brett and crystal?

3. bike jewelry: i already have a bike necklace similar to this...but maybe i should get a back-up from rachel pfeffer designs.

4. light up your bike: OMG, i want these LED wheel lights so bad...especially since i saw them in action recently. they are for safety, but i'm afraid that drivers would be blinded by my awesome magnificence!

5. bern helmets: here is the hard truth, i don't want to look like a TOTAL dork while riding my bike, but i don't want brain trauma either. thus i'm drawn to less "sporty" looking bike helmets. i settled on bern helmets and have been a totally satisfied so far....plus the little visor is quite good at keeping the sun/rain out of my eyes. look at the happy girl in her white and purple helmet!
 

extra! 

6. bicycle wine holder: this incredible product has been making the tumblr/pinterest rounds and it seems like the perfect mash-up of form and function! get your own from oopsmart for under $30.

(image source 4 // 5)

friday fab/five: all MN edition!

since my BIG move is about a month away, i thought it was time to highlight some things i'm looking forward to when i get to minnesota (beyond my friends and family!):

1. light rail: they put these tracks/lines in after i left and are building more as you read this. i'm looking forward to getting cozy with MN public transit since i only have a bike now and really really don't want a car.

2. co-ops: i'm talking about cozy & progressive local neighborhood natural food stores...i never understood why philly only has a handful of these since they have such a strong presence in the twin cities.

3. lake swimming: dear lord i miss lake swimming!

4. dive bars: my mom reads the blog...soooooo i'll just say that i could use more old country tunes while drinking a cold one.

5. minnesota state fair: it is what it is - and that is FANTASTICALLY strange and amazing at the same time. for example, princess kay of the milky way and her court have their likenesses carved out of a 90 pound block of grade A butter...which means that they eventually have to eat their own face!

(image 1 // 2 // 4 // 5)

friday fab/five: anthropologie/burning love/AIDS thrift/wendy, etc.!

1. anthropologie catalogs: now that i'm on a super intense pre-move budget, i have been avoiding the beautiful and alluring philly anthropologie store. which is super hard since it's basically around the corner from my job! luckily, i cannot escape the ridiculous and luxurious wonder of their catalogs...and i don't try...in fact i hoard them...proudly!

2. summer popcorn movies: a hot day + a cold theater + a hunky super hero + huge explosions = happy sara.

3. burning love: this (yahoo produced) reality dating show parody is HI-larious. watch it...really...you may end up wanting mark's hose too!

4. philly AIDS thrift: i used to clean out my closet and drop stuff off at AIDS thrift quite often when i lived in south philly, but it was always too crammed and overwhelming to shop. not anymore! they recently moved into a HUGE new (and thankfully organized) space filled with all kinds of awesome for you to buy. like the shoes pictured above...$3...need i say more?

5. wendy's birthday! it's my dear friend wendy's birthday next week. not only is wendy a treasured friend and an exceptional hugger, she is also a great mom, wife, sister, etc...and cute & funny to boot! AND she literally knows everyone...i keep telling her to run for office. cheers to you wendy! 

(image source 2 // 3)

friday fab/five: republic bikes/cat power/trees/king of kong, etc.

1. louis CK: i don't have cable, so i'm missing the current season of louie, but luckily he is making the media rounds so i can be reminded of how funny and smart louis ck is.

2. republic bikes: don't get me wrong...i LOVE my bianchi milano, but it's kinda like a station-wagon version of a bike. which is good since i don't have a car and i haul a bunch of crap around everyday! BUT...sometimes i fantasize about being a 2 bike gal...having both a "sensible" bike and a "party" bike. maybe someday i will have a colorful fixie for late night weekend rides.

3. cat power: one of my favorite singers chan marshall (AKA cat power) has a new album coming out in september. i have been enjoying the rhythmic single "ruin' and totally look forward to exploring the rest of her new tunes.

4. king of kong - a fistful of quarters: have you seen this documentary about adult donkey kong players? it's in my top five favorite movies of all time...it's amazing...you should see it too...really.

5. trees: it has been brutally hot here in philly and i have come to realize there's a huge difference between standing on the sidewalk under the blistering hot sun (or scorched earth as i like to refer to it as) and standing in the shade of a tree. so, let's give trees the kudos they deserve since they are working so hard out there for us...be nice to a tree today. (info on urban shade trees)

(image source: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 )

friday fab/five: dr. dog/fireworks/free samples/mojitos, etc.

1. dr. dog: this west philly band has been popping up via my "shuffle" a lot lately...maybe my iphone knows that i'm moving! speaking of moving, these tunes are perfect for bike riding...from sublime coasting to tough hills...when a dr. dog song comes on i grin, sing along and pedal my heart out.

2. watching old mad men episodes: i know, i didn't think i was going to talk about MM until next spring (season 6!!), but my dear friend was sick over the weekend and i got to lounge out with her and watch a bit of season 2. OMG...there is so much that i forgot and characters that i miss...and it was so hard not to talk to her about the recent season...she's catching up though.

3. sephora: usually, i rush in and out of sephora over my lunch break - grabbing some old standby hair shine and maybe a new lip gloss while elbowing my way to the register. but i was in the store last friday and i actually ask for HELP finding something. lesson learned...the cute lady was not only super helpful, but she loaded me up with free samples. i love free things, especially things like origins cooling eye mask.

4. mojito: i had the amazing opportunity to visit cuba (twice!) a few years ago - and boy do they know how to prepare their signature drink. for me, it's not only the perfect summer cocktail, but drinking a mojito on a hot humid day reminds me of my crazy island adventures! now if i can only find that missing bottle of havana club.

5. july: here's a little known fact...the 4th of july AKA independence day is my favorite holiday. yes, the food is always good and grilled, but it's the spectacle of this particular holiday that gets to me. those cheesy country songs make me cry and i relish in exclaiming over a colorful exploding sky. on a related note: i also cry during the national anthem at sports events and when touchdowns result in fireworks. i choose to think it's very american of me to react this way!

(image source 1 // 2 // 3 in athens // 4 // 5 - g. widman)

friday/fab 5: water ice/peppermint/bartram's gardens, etc!!

keeping it short and sweet - on account of the heat. oh, a rhyme!

1. pools: my gym has an outdoor unheated pool...and boy, does it hit the spot on a hot day.

2. italian water ice: this regional treat is NOT a snow-cone or a slushie - to me "wooder" ice is plainly cold and sweet and people in philly love it by the cupful. the president even had some when he was in town last summer!

3. movie theaters: so freezing - so dark. i just saw the movie "safety not guaranteed" - it's a pretty awesome little film! see it!

4. bartram's gardens: sometimes the city is SO hot and bartram's is strangely cool and otherworldly. must check out their new bike trail ASAP.

5. peppermint: nothing beats dabbing some peppermint essential oil behind my ears and on my lower back and then getting on my bike. mint + breeze = cold tingly ride!

(images: 2 // 3 via pinterest // 4 // 5)

friday fab/five: SCDP/amino acids/thunder, etc!

1. quinoa: i'm trying to break-up with white rice...and it's freaking hard! basically, my strategy is to phase out the rice and bring in the "super food" quinoa. strange fact: "quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights." wow...all nine of those essential amino acids quinoa contains will help the me and astronauts! this recipe looks yummy!

2. crazy nail polish: i have even started to get into this fad, but what the heck - crazy nails are fun and it's fun to have a party on your fingers every once in a while. find all kinds of nail tutorials here and here.

3. thunderstorms: being from the mid-west, i just love a good thunder/lightening show. i prefer to experience this type of weather awesomeness tucked into bed since getting caught in a soaking downpour is no fun.

4. mad men: i'm losing sleep over the recent twists and turns on this beloved show and super SAD that the season is ending on sunday. how will they end it? HOW? HOW? HOW? and more importantly, how long do we have to wait until season 6?

5. hero king jewelry: AKA zachary little from ohio. i want every single thing on his etsy page. really.

(quinoa photo by Annabelle Breakey // #2 // #3 // #4)

friday fab/five: edward sharpe and samosas!

1. it's time to embrace the season of outdoor eating and drinking...i recently enjoyed having a few watermelon beers at the newly open morgan's pier along the (lovely?) delaware river.

2. i just kept listening to the new edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros album (that was streaming for free) on my NPR music app over and over...so dreamy. (image source)

3. indian food. i know, how could you want to eat hot food when it's so hot outside? let my samosa and basmati rice addiction speak loudly here...because indian food is so flipping good. especially the local fast food indian from mumbai bistro on 10th and locust or you can make make your own samosas!

4. organic elements in jewelry! i just love this trend...check out: midwest alchemy // lexluxe // emiliebliguet.

5. salads...as much as i love hot food, who likes cooking right now? not me. spicy arugula salads are making my stomach smile, but here is a delicious recipe for the blood orange, beet and fennel salad pictured above.

friday fab/five: sunscreen/tumblr/beer and more!

1. sunscreen: really, the damage has been done...i was a camp counselor for five summers for goodness sake! but i'm trying to embrace some serious SPF and am especially fond of my facial sunscreen by origins.

2. i have a tumblr page! follow me as i feed my visual addiction.

3. JANDD bike bags: almost every week someone asks about my bike bags AKA my panniers AKA my mobile trunk. they are worth their weight in gold!

4. philadelphia brewing company "fluer de lehigh" beer: my favorite summer beer...named after a road near my old place in fishtown. and, according to the PBC site, includes: "a dose of ginger, lemon grass, rose hips, cardamon, and rhubarb."

5. iced coffee: boy, if this is not iced coffee weather, i don't know what is!

(coffee image)

friday fab/five: atlantic city/cindy sherman/cropped pants and more!

1. cropped pants! what a great option for work/warm-weather/life...this is my go-to style right now. 

2. i'm not much of a STUFF person...very often i go through my closets, drawers, etc. and just purge out as much as i can...but, i have always loved refrigerator magnets! they are the perfect "collection" for me and such a great way to have a little bit of a vacation or experience right in my kitchen. i even did a magnet DIY recently. 

3. on wednesday night, my friend bri and i participated in philly's ride of silence - which honors local bike riders who have been killed while cycling. the circumstances were solemn, but the police escorted ride through philadelphia was a rare treat and (hopefully) an obvious visual example to drivers of how especially vulnerable we cyclists are. 

4. i'm writing in defense of atlantic city. hear me out...i'm from MN, so any little bit of the ocean is exotic to me...and the bus ride from philly to atlantic city is only $15 round trip. that is cheaper than a cab ride across town! it's so cheap because they want you to gamble, but i just skip the casinos and hit the beach...and enjoy a day of intense sea-side people watching!

5. hopefully i will be able to see the cindy sherman show at the moma before it closes next month. what a good reason to get up to NYC!

(jcrew pants//ride of silence source//bathing beauty source//cindy sherman source)

friday/fab 5: little bit earth and sky!

1. there is a ton of constellation jewelry popping up all over the place on etsy and pinterest...i am partial to this brass leo pendant by julie nolan.

2. i was in love park last friday and i realized what a great symbol for the city. who doesn't love love in all of it's forms...i'm looking at you north carolina!

3. speaking of love...i realized that although last season was pretty pitiful, i love my philadelphia eagles and am not ashamed to admit that i am one of those yell at the TV kinda fans. i just put the 2012 regular season schedule into my planner and discovered a BIG shock...the last game in december is not against dreaded dallas, but the giants...what??!!

4. my friend recently posted a picture of the andy goldsworthy storm king "wall" on pinterest...i saw this amazing and magical work of art in person a few years ago and have been in awe of andy's talent ever since.

5. OLIVES! i would choose a bunch of briny olives over a slice of cake any day.

(eagles image source//wall image source//olives image source)