home sweet attic

(My little make-shift bed, since the box spring would not fit up the attic stairs)

(I’ve been increasingly obsessed with filling my room with plants)

(A new spot for kitty … on top of the blankets)

(My attempt to creatively store/display my clothes and shoes without a closet)

(Some more of my plants by the window, plus my Honestly WTF jewelry DIY)

(I splurged and got this guy from IKEA. It folds out into a bed … I’m talking to you Cali friends!)
—
So, here’s a little back story since we spoke last.

I originally moved out here to Pittsburgh to find work. Shortly after I got here, I landed some regular freelance work, which was great because I had a lot of flexibility and was able to write a lot (and get paid for it). But, I had always been looking for a full-time, “big girl” job — and after a great struggle, finally found one. I’ve been there since October (around the time I fell off the face of the earth) and have been so happy. Not only is it my dream job, but I am so fortunate to also get to work with a goofy bunch of people that I love.

So, since then, I have been able to do so much more, including moving into the city! I met someone through a mutual friend who has a great 100-year-old house and I packed up my stuff and my cat and moved into the attic.

Living in the attic is fun, because it’s like my own little woman cave and has so much room. It’s almost like having a loft. And, despite being the attic, there are lots of windows, leaving it really bright and cheery in the room.

I’m still trying to figure out how to really decorate it and fill the space though. Storage is still a bit of an issue, but I’ve managed to find some creative solutions. The only thing I hadn’t thought about, is the very low slope of the ceiling. The walls start to taper in at about 3 feet, which means if I want to hang anything on the wall, it’s actually on the ceiling and would have to lay at an angle.

Any suggestions are of course appreciated!

remember me?

Why hello, we meet again.

I have been dead to the world … according to this blog for many moons now, but I’m here again! Life has been hectic and crazy and wonderful and exciting in the last many months — and I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

In the meantime, I’m longing for spring. I once thought the snow was magical, but I now want to wear sandals and see green leafy things all around me.

How have you been? Leave a comment and catch me up!

For tomorrow, I will take you on a tour of my new place! So excited to share :)

fall photos from a cheap camera

Being on the East Coast for fall is a beautiful thing. I still can’t believe how surreal and vibrant all of the changing leaves look.

I recently got some more film developed from my cheap, thrift-store camera. Among the photos were these fall captures.

Just wanted to share them. Enjoy.

key west in eight photos

The beach at Ft. Zachary Taylor

Hemingway’s living room at his Key West home

A cool mint green bug and one of the thousands of roosters on the island

The view from Hemingway’s studio (fun fact: he did a large part of his writing standing up because of uncomfortable shrapnel left in his leg after being shot while in the Red Cross)

Smathers beach, where my cousin and his new wife got married

A cool window display at the Miami Airport (there’s also tropical sounds playing when you walk through this room)

Lastly, the coolest photo I’ve ever taken

I truly had such a good time in Key West last week! It was just as beautiful as I expected and I spent a lot of time swimming in the clearest, warmest and most beautiful ocean water I’ve ever seen.

Cars are allowed on the island, but all the tourists rent Vespas and little electric cars and zoom around the island. If I ever go back, I’m definitely renting a Vespa for my stay!

There were tons of great restaurants and bars on Key West too. I had no idea, but I guess the island’s known for Duvall Street, which is just filled with bars and craziness and no open container laws  — pretty much what I imagine Bourbon Street in New Orleans to be like. One bar was “clothing optional.”

Probably one of the best parts of my trip, though, was getting to fly first class. Something happened with my original plane and after everyone had boarded and waited on the tarmac for an hour, we all had to get off and rebook our flights. I used the Delta app on my phone and it was the easiest thing, plus they bumped me up to first class! I had never, ever flown first class before and it was so much fun. They pump you full of candy and treats and serve you drinks in real glasses! Not only that, but the seats can fit your entire posterior and you have actual leg room. It was so exciting that I forgot how much I dread flying/it terrifies me without getting drunk at the airport bar! I totally recommend it.

Everything was wonderful, but unfortunately I didn’t get to see much of Miami when I was on my trip. That will remain for  another time — but I did get to finally try Shake Shack in Miami! Those burgers are ridiculous, some of the best I’ve ever had!

 

west side

I have been so busy lately, and it looks like the fun won’t stop anytime soon!

Last week, one of my oldest friends came to the Burgh for a visit. I was so excited to have my first visitor over here and showed him around to a bunch of my favorite spots, but I also got to try some new things.

Probably one of the best parts of his trip was spending the day in Cleveland. I had been once before and had a great time (eating lamb hearts with Emeril!) and this visit was just as fun.

We stopped by for a tour of the “A Christmas Story ” house, which is so fun. But, we also got to go through the West Side Market, which is bustling with shoppers and filled the most amazing food. I ate a jambon and brie crepe and a cherry, chocolate cupcake. Mmm.

I couldn’t get over how beautiful the brick work was and the building in nearly 100 years old.

Cleveland really is a cool town too. There’s good food, good people and a lot of pride for the city.

 

DIY: smooth lips

This is my favorite little trick and I thought I’d share it since I’ve been using this a lot lately: a homemade sugar scrub.

It’s truly the easiest thing.

There isn’t even a list of steps, all you have to do is mix honey and sugar, then rub it around on your face! (I used to use brown sugar, but we ran out so I’ve just been using plain old granulated sugar and I can’t tell a difference.)

It’s especially nice as a lip scrub and if you accidentally get a little in your mouth, it tastes yum. Lately my lips have been insanely dry to the point of peeling and this gets off all that dead, dry skin.

And in the winter, if your skin tends to get drier with the weather change, it’s amazing on your face a couple times a week.

Let me know if you try it!

 

the key

I’m going to Key West!

It was a last minute decision. I’ll be joining my family for my cousin’s wedding.

Of course I’m really looking forward to spending time with the fam and celebrating, but I am dreaming about all of the fun things I’ll get to do in Key West.

Unfortunately I’ll only be there for a few days, but that’s just enough time to see the beautiful beaches and snorkel. I want to swim around the island and see all of the little critters living in the coral reefs.

I’ve never been to Florida at all, so it will be a totally new experience. I’ve also been doing a little research on Key West in preparation.

Did you know it’s the southernmost city in America?

And I also read on Wikipedia that just off the island is Fort Jefferson where you can snorkel, but it also served as a prison after the Civil War and the doctor who set John Wilkes Booth’s leg was imprisoned there! A little further down the article, it also says Ernest Hemingway lived there in the showroom of a Ford dealership, where he supposedly wrote A Farewell to Arms – there’s a zillion cats that live there now.

Aah, it’s just a couple weeks away, but I can’t wait!

Have you been there? Any suggestions for activities?

(photos of Fort Jefferson and scuba person via the National Park Service)

weird beard

What is this?

I thought this was funny and insanely silly, but have no clue what it is.

Are “The Beards” a band?! I don’t know, but facial hair always amuses me, I hope this amuses you too!

(found via BuzzFeed)

in film

Here they are, my first photos with the new camera.

I have to say the first two rolls of film were mostly a wash. Nothing spectacular. Although, I was happy to see I didn’t have too many problems with light leaking.

These photos aren’t great, but the best of the bunch. They were taken around my neighborhood and in Pittsburgh’s South Side.

Finding a place to get film developed is not always easy these days, but we were able to get ours developed in an hour (ish) at Costco — and for only about $4 and some change each! Not too bad.

Hopefully now that I know what to expect, the next round will have some better results!

show me the light

For most who know me, it’s common knowledge that I’m obsessed with podcasts.

I listen to everything: WTF with Marc Maron, This American Life, RadioLab, Dinner Party Download, The Breaking Bad podcast (I listen after each episode) and one of my faves, Stuff You Should Know.

SYSK is great because it literally just explains stuff, sometimes awesome, sometimes mundane, but you always learn something new.

Recently they did an episode about lightning and I was super psyched. Ever since I moved to the East Coast, I’ve been completely fascinated by lightning. I feel like I have to explain it to my friends in California, because it basically doesn’t exist out there. Out here in Pennsylvania, it’s so intensely loud and scary and exciting. Many times I’ve been awoken out of a dead sleep from the intense light and boom.

Well, I found the podcast so interesting, I thought I would share some cool tidbits I learned:

• Lightning is only about 1 inch thick
• If you’re a dude reading this, I apologize, but you’re four times more likely to get hit by a lightning bolt
• July is the most common month to get struck by lightning
• Because light travels so much faster than sound, the number of seconds between the flash and the boom divided by five is the number of miles away it is
• The heat generated from lightning is six times hotter than the sun (what?!)

(Cool rain photo via 20×200)