Berry Picking, Babies, and White Polyester Pants

(This post is in memory of my grandmother, whose fifth yartzeit is today. May her memory be a blessing.)

Today's post is a little different than normal. No outfits to discuss or summer bucket list activities. Sorry, but this is my blog, so I get to do what I want :)

Instead, I want to tell you about one of the coolest ladies I ever had the opportunity to know, my grandmother, Lore.

Is this not the most beautiful couple you've ever seen?

I only had the opportunity to know one of my grandparents as an adult. My father's parents both died before I was born (his father, Ralph, is my namesake. Thankfully my parents just took the R instead of naming me Ralph.) My mother's father died when I was only 10, so my memories of him are mostly of eating ice cream together and me sticking plastic forks into his cheek. (It made sense that the time.) So for most of my life, my only grandparent was my mother's mother, AKA Grandma, or GG to her great-grandchildren. (She only met three of them, but she would now have nine, including Leo, who was named in her honor, and who has shown just as much enthusiasm for berries and birds.)

With her three great-grandchildren.

 My grandma was a tough lady. She was not the type of grandma who coddled us, or who thought that everything we touched automatically turned to gold. This is not to say that she did not love us. She very much did, but in a clear-eyed way, which meant that she was not afraid to challenge us when she did not agree with our choices. We had many intense conversations over religion in particular, as my grandmother sometimes felt that I was subscribing to a system that was both seeped in superstition and misogyny. These conversations were not always easy, and sometimes left me very frustrated. However, at the end of the day, I always knew that she loved and respected me, even when she strongly disagreed.

The ice cream represents my grandpa, for whom Simon was named.
Yup, that's Simon!

My grandmother moved to New York in 1937, leaving Berlin with her family in the face of the rising threat from the Nazis. Despite English being her second language, she became a beautiful writer, editing the Queens College newspaper as an undergrad and then going on to get a graduate degree at Brown. She was retired for most of my life, but retired did not mean lazy. Instead, she worked harder than most people I knew who had jobs. She volunteered on her retirement village's ambulance, wrote practically their whole newspaper, and traveled the world, first with my grandfather and later with friends. She was in a creative writing group, where she wrote poignant and funny stories. She was deeply involved in her community and a real social butterfly. At her funeral, it was amazing how many people said that she was their best friend.

On the face of it, my grandmother and I did not have a huge amount in common, other than some genes and a deep love of reading and writing. I love to cook and bake, and my grandmother felt that nothing should take longer to cook than to eat. I live my life according to Jewish law, while one of the last things my grandmother told my aunt while she was still with it was that our family seders might be done right, but they were "too long. Tooooooo long!" I have a fashion blog. When my grandmother died, we found more than 10 pairs of white polyester pants in her apartment. Enough said.

Mother and daughter.

 However, many of my fondest memories from my childhood are of time with my grandmother. I remember her taking me berry picking in the summer, and to the Quassy amusement park. Many an afternoon was spent trying to figure out if the new bird feeder in her back yard would finally be able to hold up to the squirrels, and then going out to tend the flowers in the garden. And every winter, my parents would go on vacation and my grandmother would come spend a week with us in the city. In fact, perhaps she was the one who first showed me what I have come to feel strongly-- the closest relationships can happen even with people who seem very different from you.

So Grandma, wherever you are, I am thinking about you today and every day. And I am writing about it on my Jewish modest fashion blog. If nothing else, you can probably appreciate the irony. Thanks for being the best-- your memory lives on just as strong through your many friends and your family.

The Perfect Maxi: Stitch Fix Review July 2015

Dear readers, it is Stitch Fix time again! It actually came last week, I am just sort of behind, as always.... (For a reminder of how Stitch Fix works, read my post on it here.)

As you might remember, my last fix was... well... basically a bust. Stitch Fix was kind enough to refund my styling fee and send me a new fix, which I really appreciated. In that fix, I ended up keeping one shirt, but I didn't bother blogging about it because it was sort of blah. However, the beauty of Stitch Fix is that each month we get to try again! And I am happy to report that Stitch Fix has me as a very happy customer again this July.

The view inside. Pretty colors!

 I had asked for more specific things this time than in past fixes, and also asked Alison to style me again. I am coming to have a great affection for Alison. I had asked for an everyday bag that wasn't too big in a bright color, a maxi dress (I'll explain why later), and the Leota Amandine dress, which I had fallen in love with when I saw it on another blog.

If I had kept everything it would have been
$259.00. Yikes!

My style card.

 This fix was a little pricey for me, and the wallop was made even worse by the fact that I finally ran out of credit, so after my last $20 of credit I had to start paying for my own fixes again. Bummer. (I guess free fixes 2-7 = can't complain...) However, I went into everything with an open mind, rationalizing that the spending freeze meant that I had a little extra money to spend. Luckily, I didn't want to keep everything. Shall we take a look?

Urban Expressions Caroline Hobo Bag in Light Green-- $68

Notice that I'm wearing my awesome dress from Fix #5!

 Here is what I liked about this bag: It was super high quality. If I had liked it, it would have been worth the money, I think.
Here is what I didn't like about this bag: Everything else. It was, again, way too big. I am not the tassel type of person. The color was not bright, but instead was simply asking to get dirty.

Don't I look thrilled? Umm... yay?

I was not sad to put this one back in the box.
Verdict: Returned

Leota Amandine Faux Wrap Dress in Black-- $138

Sorry about the giant hair. That's summer
in New York for you...

This is the dress I asked for. But I did now know about the price. Yikes! I loved it out of the box, but was a little disappointed in the fabric quality in the skirt for the price. It felt flimsy and pretty thin for a dress that cost almost $150. But it was so pretty!

 So then I put it on, and I didn't quite like it. It was a tiny bit too tight in the hips (not an uncommon problem for pear-shaped me) and a drop shorter than I would have liked. I confess that while I was sad that it didn't work, but also sort of relieved. Good bye, beautiful dress. I hope you make someone else very happy.

 Verdict: Returned

 Gilli Shay Maxi Dress in Light Grey-- $74
41Hawthorn Abrianna Long Sleeve Knit Cardigan in Navy-- $48

There's the happy face!

I have always wanted a good maxi dress, but I have found them surprisingly difficult to find. The problem is, since I need sleeves over or under, the dresses have a way of swallowing me. So I asked Alison to do what I couldn't do, which was find me a maxi dress that worked. And man did she succeed!

First of all, she sent this super soft navy cardigan to go over the dress. I wasn't going to keep it, but then I saw it in the pictured and loved how it looked with the dress. But then I remembered I have two navy grandpa cardigans already, and do not need to spend $48 on another one. Especially in the middle of the summer.

 However, there was no doubt that the dress was staying with me forever. I think the mixed media of the dress is what makes the layering work, because the pattern doesn't get too busy and consume me. It's also the perfect length and fit perfectly. Thanks Alison! A job well done to you!

New lighting for better reflection of the colors

 Verdict: Cardigan was returned, dress was kept!

Skies Are Blue Kavinski Button Down Blouse in Turquoise

 You'll notice that I'm not wearing this shirt. That is because of the sleeve length. Tooooo short. Also, I did try it on just because I was curious, but it was HUGE and also super boxy. The color is beautiful, but also very similar to a shirt that I kept from fix #2. I wasn't sad to see this one go. Good bye, immodest (for me) and unflattering shirt.

Verdict: Returned

So you might be wondering-- Rachel, you said you were so happy with your fix, but then you only kept one thing! What gives? And I would tell you, well, dear reader, that the one thing I kept, I LOVED. I also felt that this fix was super on target, and I would have kept three of the things if it hadn't been for fit and redundancy issues. So I am a happy camper. Don't you want to try a fix for yourself? You won't be sorry!

Summer Bucket List: Take Me Out to the Ball Game #1

I am now officially halfway done with the bucket list! I am so successful at having fun, guys!

I'm behind on the blog a bit, so I haven't written about all 12 things yet, but consider this the next step. Two weeks ago, I went with a bunch of friends to see the Brooklyn Cyclones.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Cyclones, they are a class-A short season farm team for the Mets. So as far as baseball goes... well, they're not the best. In this particular instance, they had more errors than runs. And it wasn't because there was a shut-out.

However, there's something really fun about minor league baseball. First, the tickets are way cheap, and there aren't really any bad seats, so that's cool. Second, because the baseball isn't great, they do all sorts of ridiculous and kitschy things between innings which are just hilarious to keep people entertained. Third, the stadium is really nice in this case, with a view of the Coney Island amusement park and the beach. And finally, you don't really care who wins, so there's none of the stress that fans sometimes feel at Major League games.

When the Cyclones first started playing, all of their games would sell out, because it was the first professional baseball in Brooklyn since the Dodgers had left in the 1950s. (Hence the Jackie Robinson and PeeWee Reese statue behind me.) Now, the stadium is much emptier, but it means you can choose to go on an impulse. Other bright side: kosher food! Yes, it's not cheap, but it's not any more expensive than other stadium food, and I love it when I can feel like a normal person and eat at public events.

When going to a baseball game, it is important to be dressed for the occasion, and for the sun and heat. So baseball caps and comfortable shoes are a must. And meanwhile, I got to wear my super fun Parks and Rec t-shirt! If you don't get the reference, then you should stop reading and go learn about the wonder that is Leslie Knope immediately. No, but really.

This is where the mascot flirted with me and I got
sort of freaked out. Awks.

And coming soon: my trip to the Staten Island Yankees. So much minor league baseball, so little time.

Have you experienced the fun of minor league baseball? What do you do for summer fun on the weekend?

What I'm wearing: GAP khakis, Look Human Little Sebastian shirt, Chacos sandals, '47 Yankees hat

Summer Bucket List: Central Park Boating!

Dear readers, it is HOT here. And when it's hot, what better to do than spend some time on the water?

Here in New York, we actually have many natural water sources, some of which are fit for swimming! The lake in Central Park is not included on that list, as its dark green color might suggest. However, boating there is super fun, and also way cheaper than most New York activities.

So as an early birthday present to Leo, I took him boating in Central Park a couple of weeks ago. We had a great time until we tried to row back. You see, Leo insisted on sitting next to me, instead of on his own bench. Which meant I could only really row with my left arm. Which meant we spent a lot of time going in circles. It is hard to not freak out in such situations, but I wanted to keep Leo calm, so we sang "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Over and over and over.

Eventually we made it back to shore and Leo came to hang out with me at work for a while, which he enjoyed partly because my friend/ mentor/ supervisor Wendy gave him ice cream. Meanwhile, I had been sweating profusely, which made me nervous about being presentable for my evening class. Luckily, I had chosen a jersey dress, which both hid my sweat and dried pretty quickly. Let's here it for dark colors on hot summer days!

The whole look, back at work.

 This was almost two weeks ago, so now Leo's birthday has finally come. Happy birthday to my favorite youngest nephew! You are sweet, funny, and weird in the best possible way.

In other news, Eshakti is having a deal right now. If you place your first Eshakti order with this link, you get $40 off an order of $70 or more. Custom dresses for everyone! Try it out and let me know how it comes out for you.

What I'm wearing: Boden dress (similar here), Downeast Basics cami, Bare Traps sandals (similar here)

On Gratitude, Part 2

My teacher, my mentor, my fashion consultant,
my confidant, my friend!

If you have ever taught middle school or high school, then you might have come across a certain type of kid. This kid is someone who is not good at being a kid. She is sweet, if a little awkward, but has a much easier time talking to adults than talking to her peers. She is someone who isn't having a great time of things as an adolescent, but you know that once she grows up, she'll be fine (or even great.)

Dear readers, I was that kid. I do not look back on most of middle school or high school fondly. I was a little too serious for my own good, and never quite figured out how to navigate cafeterias or parties. Thankfully, life got much better for me once I got older and grew into myself a bit, but it was rough going for a while.

The one exception to this rule is my 8th grade year, which I remember as being almost exclusively happy, in large part because of the woman you see in the picture above-- my 8th grade English teacher, Molly.

Molly was one of those exceptional teachers you remember forever. She was great at making the seemingly dull interesting and the irrelevant feel like the most pertinent thing in your life. She taught me how to write, and also how to think. But most importantly of all, she taught my class how to be a family, and she taught me that who I was as a student would never be as important as who I was as person. For a kid who had trouble fitting in, this was the biggest gift of all.

Sorry for the mirror selfie. I realized I missed the
whole outfit picture

Luckily, 8th grade was not the end of my time with Molly! My sister is very close with Molly's daughter, so we saw each other over the years, and when I moved back to New York, I started going to her synagogue every week. Eventually, we were on the board of the synagogue together and we sit a few rows apart from each other every week. Molly has become a great friend to me, weighing in on anything I need advice on, whether mundane or weighty. (She tells me I wear too much black, so in her honor, I wore this colorful shirt from Stitch Fix.)

So I was delighted to join her a few weeks ago to celebrate her retirement after 40(!) years of teaching. It was amazing to see how many of her students came from over the years, and also how many of us are working in education. I have no doubt that that is not a coincidence that we were all in Molly's class. So here's a toast to Molly! Thank you for everything you have taught and given me inside and outside of the classroom. Here's hoping to many adventures on the next stage of your journey!

What I'm wearing: Fun2Fun Blouse via Stitch Fix, Boden pleated skirt, b.o.c. sandals via DSW

Summer Bucket List: Outdoor Karaoke!

Only 11 days behind! I'm catching up, right?

This year, 4th of July fell on Shabbat, which meant that many of the usual fun activities-- barbecues, going to the beach, taking the subway to watch fireworks-- were off limits. So instead, on Friday, July 3rd, my friend Jess and I went to outdoor Karaoke in Riverside Park.

What is outdoor karaoke, you ask? Well, this summer, for the first time, on two Fridays, the Parks Department sets up a stage from 6-9 on the pier at 70th street. People can sign up for songs, and then get to (have to?) sing in front of the whole crowd, and anyone else who might be walking by. It was very hilarious, and the first people were pretty awful, which means that it wasn't so scary.

However-- HUGE bummer-- we had to leave before it was our turn because Shabbat was coming. BOO. We were going to sing Don't Stop Believing and it was going to be epic. Sad Rachel. Also, this was going to be a big deal for me, because as some of you know, there are few things that would be as out of character for me as getting up and singing in front of a ton of strangers. The next karaoke date is on the weekend of my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, so I won't be able to go, but perhaps next year. In the meantime, we enjoyed beautiful weather, some hilarious moments, and the five-year-old we befriended getting up and singing Let It Go in front of the crowd.

The fancy stage,

The sun is setting! Shabbat is coming! Must run home!

In other news, I wore my red and blue Eshakti dress because it seemed so patriotic. This was my first Eshakti purchase, and it might still be my favorite. I LOVE this dress. It is so 1950s-ish, super comfortable, and the perfect shape for my body. Plus, of course, pockets. Obviously.

Hope you all had a fun 4th. Almost two weeks ago. Oh well. Better late than never, right?

What I'm wearing: Eshakti dress (similar here, I added 3/4 sleeves), Franco Sarto sandals via DSW

Summer Bucket List: Outside Bar

My friend Jessie said, Hey Rachel, can you write more about your summer bucket list? So I say to Jessie, Sure, here you go!

Here's the deal with the bucket list. Basically, as will not surprise those of you who know me in real life (instead of just on the blog), I have a strong homebody streak. I tend to be a little bit on the shy side, and since I sometimes get stressed by the idea of socializing, it makes me stay home too much. But you know what? I like doing things! At least most of the time. So I made my list of fun things to do in New York in the summer and set off on my journey, since there's nothing I like more than crossing things off a list. Because I'm cool like that.

As you can see, I've actually been making good process on the list. I've done 8 things so far, and I will do at least three more in the next week and a half. Then I'll be about halfway done. Go me!

Last Monday was both my and Sarit's first day at work. It was sort of a fake first day for both of us, since I've taught in the summer programs for the last five years and Sarit has been a rabbinic fellow in the place where she's working now for the last two. But it was a first day nonetheless, and a beautiful evening, so we, along with our friend Shaina went to Ellington's in Riverside Park. (If you've never been, I highly recommend it. It's in Riverside Park at about 104th, and they have both food and drink.)

I know, I know. The bucket list said a rooftop bar. I'm counting this even though it wasn't on a roof because it was outside and had a beautiful view, and it was much more my speed than a regular bar. We sat on couches and had a drink each and just chilled out and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It was awesome.

Help, I don't know how to pose!

The view! The sunset!

I was hoping to also cross "see a beautiful sunset" off my list that night, but it wasn't much, so I'll have to try again another day. In the meantime, here is the view:

Again soon, perhaps. In the meantime, the list marches on. Anything else I should include? What's on your list for the summer?

What I'm wearing: Anthropolgie dress (similar here), Boden cardigan, b.o.c. sandals via DSW