The East Wing...

Dear readers, as you might remember, a few weeks ago I took a mini vacation and went down to DC to visit my many friends who live there. It was a great trip filled with awesome people, fun activities, and new explorations. But by far the coolest part was my trip(s!) to the White House.

A White House tour of the East Wing is actually not super hard to come by. Anyone can sign up for one through their congressional representative; you just have to make sure you do it far enough in advance. However, I had an in. My super cool friend Cindy works for the White House and being the kind and generous person that she is, she set up not one but TWO tours for me while I was there.

Hi Cindy!

The first tour happened Thursday, which was the East Wing tour. It's self guided, so you can wander around for as long as you want. I knew the names of a lot of the rooms from reading the paper and watching way too much West Wing (as if such a thing were possible), but the main thing I was struck by was how much smaller everything was than when you see it on TV. For example, the spot where Cindy and I are standing above is in front of the hallway that President Obama walked down to announce that they had killed Bin Laden. It's actually a fairly short hallway. Cindy says that they use wide angle lenses to make everything look bigger. The secret's out!

After majorly geeking out for a long time, I finally said my good byes and went on my way-- mostly because I knew that I would be back on Sunday! Then I made some friends outside of the building and we all took a million pictures of each other.

The other highlight of the day was the Renwick Gallery, which recently reopened after a long renovation. There's currently a 9 installation exhibit on wonder, and I have to say that it was one of the best exhibits I have seen in a long time. Here are some highlights:

These were piles made entirely out of
notecards, styrofoam, tape, and toothpicks.

The inside of a perfect cast of a tree, made
entirely out of wooden blocks.

 Because I knew I was going to be running around all day, I wanted to be comfortable, but because I was going to the White House, I wanted to dress in a manner that showed respect for the office. So I ended up putting an easy cardigan over a shell with a wrap skirt and my super comfy boots. The scarf was added for warmth and a little bit of sparkle. And speaking of color and sparkle:

BOOM. If that's not wondrous, I don't know what is. Have a great weekend, everyone!

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt, Kosher Casual shell, LOFT cardigan, HUE tights, Diba boots via DSW, Betsy Johnson infinity scarf via DSW

The Magic Skirt

Look at me, pretending I know how to have my picture taken while standing in front of the many piles of recycling I never quite manage to take out...

And yes, I realize the lighting is terrible. Nothing to be done about that, sadly, while living in this apartment. Hopefully you get the idea, especially because the main point here is the shape of the skirt.

Here is the story of this skirt. There's a boutique near my parents' apartment called Purdy Girl. Their stuff is really cute (and I've seen some Stitch Fix items there), but also basically always out of my budget. But they moved a few months ago and put their whole store on sale for 50% off, so I ended up buying two skirts, including this one.

Usually when I shop, I can tell what I like or don't like right away. However, I wasn't totally sold on this one. Instead, I did that annoying thing where I made people in the store tell me if they liked it or not. I was worried it made me look hippy, but they assured me that I should get it. And now I look at it and think, how is it possible that a skirt could make my waist look so small? We all have our moments of vanity; welcome to mine.

The skirt has a really pretty blue/ black pattern with touches of silver, so I kept everything else basic black and added the moonstone pendant I got in Nepal. I wore this to synagogue, where I was complimented many times and told more than once that I looked like I was going to a holiday party. Tis the season, right? What to do you wear when you want to feel pretty?

What I'm wearing: Moon skirt via Purdy Girl (similar here), Kosher Casual top, HUE tights, Aerosoles heels (similar here), necklace from Nepal (similar here)

A Day in the Garden

So I was going to write a post about transitioning summer pieces for fall today... But then I woke up and checked the weather, and the current temperature was 37. Which I think we can all agree is really unacceptable for October 18. Thus, instead, I will hearken back to a happier time, when it was still warm out, and Shaina and I went to spend a lovely morning in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

[On one hand, these pictures were taken long enough ago that Shaina was still pregnant, and as of today, Baby Pickle is a month old. On the other hand, in my defense, he did arrive earlier than planned.]

The garden was really beautiful. It was full of late summer flowers, and the weather was absolutely perfect. For a garden outing,  I chose my chambray skirt with flowered embroidery around the bottom. Looking at the pictures, I might go with a colored shirt next time. You know, when it's warm again.

One of the coolest things in the garden was a smelling garden, where there were all sorts of flowers and herbs with strong smells. It was designed especially for the blind, under the assumption that, just because they can't see, it doesn't mean that they can't enjoy the gardens. Plus, there was a flower that smelled just like chocolate, which was pretty amazing.

Smell the flowers!

 I am always a sucker for a Japanese Garden. There's something about the greenery, water and wood that is especially evocative to me. The water was really green, which was pretty gross, but hey, you can't have everything, right?

Me, Shaina and Pickle, when he was still inside.

With my IDNYC, I joined the garden for free. (If you're a New York City resident and don't have one, I highly recommend it. It takes 10 minutes and you can join all sorts of amazing cultural institutions for free for a year, as long as you do it by 12/31/15.) I am hoping to go back some time this fall to see the leaves changing, and definitely in the winter, when I bet snow makes it even prettier.

And then, because we were in Brooklyn, we went to a kosher bakery to get some of my favorite kiddush cookies, which most people think are gross, but I love. Yum!
A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Oh, and I almost forgot! I'm on Instagram now. I'm not totally sure how I'm going to use it yet, but feel free to follow me @curlyhairglasses!

What I'm wearing: super old Boden skirt (vaguely similar here), Kosher Casual shirt, b.o.c. sandals

Tutus for Grown Ups

Yesterday, I was at synagogue (because it's that time of year) and one of my friends complimented me on my dress. "Thanks!" I said. "But you've seen it before! I wore it on Rosh Hashanah." And she said, "But it hasn't been on the blog, so it's as if it didn't happen."

So apparently that's the new rule. Blog or it didn't happen.

I have apparently given up on blogging in order. Oh well. So you will see a mix of pictures from back in the days when I was wearing sandals all the time, and ones that were taken recently where I am wearing boots and tights. Although now that I think of it, I'm not sure I've taken any pictures recently, in part because of the hideous brace I am sadly still wearing and in part because my main photographer has been busy on account of having had a baby. (I know, where are people's priorities?)

I decided to post these pictures tonight because I wore almost the exact same outfit last night for Simchat Torah. Just imagine that I am not wearing the necklace and that I AM wearing an awesome pair of red sequined Converse. Simchat Torah is all about singing and dancing, so if ever there was a time to dress in a tutu and crazy sneakers, last night seemed like it. My friend Molly and my sister Rebecca told me that I looked like "What Carrie Bradshaw would look like if she went to Simchat Torah." I chose to take that as a compliment.

Trying to be a ballerina #1.

 One of the many things I love about New York is that you can walk down the street wearing a tulle skirt, a fleece, and red sequined sneakers, and almost nobody looks twice. Except the little girl who told me I looked like a beautiful princess. So I think we can say I was winning.

Try to be a ballerina #2.

I have wanted a tulle skirt for a long time, but always wondered if people older than 7 who are not dancing for the New York City Ballet could actually get away with wearing one. But in the name of taking more fashion risks in the new year, I went for it, and I must say that it is one of the most fun items of clothing I have worn in a long time. I might be double digits in age, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good twirly skirt.

Now that the holidays are over and my thumb is still splinted but feeling much better, hopefully I will be back with all of you, my dear readers, with more regularity. As always, thanks for sticking with me!

What I'm wearing: Eshakti tulle skirt, Kosher Casual shirt, b.o.c. sandals (similar here), Laila Rowe necklace (similar here and here)

The Blog Hits the Road! DC Monuments

First of all, thanks for your help on the Stitch Fix! After much deliberation and another round of trying things on, I ended up only keeping the pink shirt. I look forward to wearing it soon, when it stops being sooooo humid.

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

Second, we now return to our regularly scheduled programming. As I mentioned two posts ago, two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of spending Shabbat in Washington, DC as a scholar-in-residence. I went down on Thursday and spent a lovely evening with my friend Elana, but on Friday, all of my many DC friends had to go to work because apparently that's a thing, so I decided to be a tourist for the day and hit the Mall.

Chillin' with FDR

One of the most amazing things about DC is that all of the monuments and Smithsonian museums are free. So you can go walk around for as long or short as you want, without worrying about getting your money's worth. I ended up hitting all of the monuments, and also my favorite museum, the Museum of American History. It was A LOT of walking, and while these sandals are one of my favorite pairs, they were not meant for 10+ miles. My feet were in a not insignificant amount of pain by the end of the day. Lesson learned: next time, sneakers.

One of the funny things about DC is I always feel super patriotic when I'm there. Also, it makes me want to watch West Wing. Josiah Bartlet in 2016, anyone?

I spent a not-super-successful summer in DC while in college, which made me hate everything about the city, but it has become one my favorite places to visit-- partly because I have great friends there, partly because it's pretty easy to navigate, and partly because of all of the interesting things to do. I still wouldn't want to live there, but it was lovely to spend a weekend. Also, the weather was not super hot or humid, which for August in Washington was a miracle. Thanks, DC! Hope to see you again soon!

What I'm wearing: Kosher Casual shirt, Boden skirt, b.o.c. sandals via DSW

Sarah Loves My Dress!

I know, I am the worst blogger. Thanks for sticking around, friends.

The good news for you/ sad news for me is that my summer teaching is over now. This is a HUGE bummer for me. I love July, and it's always a letdown when it's over. But it means that now I'm supposed to be studying full time, so the blog will benefit from my inevitable procrastination. I'm glad that this will have a bright side for someone.

I got this dress off of Zulily. It was a little big, but I decided to wear it anyway, partly because I couldn't return it anyway (the one bad part of Zulily), but also because it was as comfortable as a nightgown. And then I got a million compliments! So go figure. In fact, when I wore it again on Tisha B'Av, my friend Sarah liked it so much that she wanted to take pictures of it for the blog as soon as the fast was over. (I declined, as the combo of fasting and no showers is not so charming.) So Sarah, here are the pictures I promised!

These pictures were taken during an evening walk in the park with Shaina. We were hoping for a beautiful sunset, but it was only okay. I'll try again-- I want it to be great for the bucket list! In the meantime, here are some pictures from that evening. Not awful, just not good enough. I have high standards, after all. So the list marches on.

P.S. If you don't know about Zulily, it's worth checking out. It's a little hit or miss, but sometimes they have great stuff really cheap. (Just know that there are usually no returns and sometimes shipping takes a while, but each item will warn you about that in advance.) You know how I love me a good bargain and how one of my hobbies is owning too many dresses, so Zulily has helped me with both of those things without blowing the budget. You can sign up here.

What I'm wearing: Reborn dress via Zulily (similar here), Kosher Casual shell, Claire's headband, Toms shoes

Summer Bucket List: Storm King Art Center

The summer bucket list continues! I am only two weeks behind with this post! Can we pretend it's because I'm too busy having fun, and not because I'm working all the time?

A couple of Sundays ago, my friend Dahlia and I ventured out of town to the Storm King Art Center, in New Windsor, NY. It's basically a huge, sprawling outside sculpture garden which you can read about here. It's always nice to get out of the city for the day, especially on a beautiful, sunny (if hot) day. I had never been before, but I had heard it was beautiful, and it certainly did not disappoint.

I tried to reach the statue! So close, and yet so far...

 My favorite part, I think was the special exhibit on sculptures with water, especially the pink ones you can see here. They looked sort of like they were made of melted wax, and they were also neon pink so that was cool.

Can you see me poking out behind the fountain?

Ahhh, giant Buddha, don't smush me!

The other highlight was the beautiful landscape, which would have been worth visiting even if there hadn't been any art. The water, trees, and rolling green fields with wide open skies were, to put it mildly, a bit of a change from my usual surroundings. There were also some sculptures integrated into the landscape itself, like Maya Lin's waves and the stone wall you see me standing next to in the first picture.

The view...

For a day like this, it's important to wear comfortable shoes to be ready for a lot of walking, and lightweight clothing because the sun was so strong. I also go to wear my fedora-- score! I love wearing my fedora, but it's rare that I get to do so without people thinking I'm either married or a hipster. So I embraced the opportunity.

What are your favorite outdoor spaces for summer?

What I'm wearing: Eshakti skirt (similar here), Kosher Casual shirt, Bare Traps sandals (similar here), fedora bought at Santa Monica Pier.

So Much Joy!

After what happened in Charleston today, I felt like I couldn't update the blog. It didn't seem right to focus on something admittedly frivolous in light of the horrible hatred and violence that caused nine lives to be snuffed out.

And then I went to one of the most beautiful l'chayims I've ever been to. A l'chayim, for those of you who are not familiar, is an engagement party of sorts, but less formal. It usually happens immediately following an engagement, and is a chance to mark the first step on the journey of a couple deciding to spend their lives together.

My second year of grad school, I had a chevruta (or study partner) named Alex. Alex was dating a ton the semester we were learning together, and one of the guys he went out with was my younger sister's dear friend from Hebrew School, also named Alex. (I know, confusing.) Even though they met online, my family apparently gets credit for fake introducing them! (We actually had them each for Rosh Hashanah one night apart from each other shortly before they started dating.) Hooray!

Long story short, their dating turned into a serious relationship, which turned into them getting engaged on Sunday. And tonight, I was lucky enough to help them celebrate this wonderful moment in their lives.

Yoni told me to growl like a tiger. Apparently I am very
obedient. Awks.

I've been lucky to spend time with Alex and Alex as a couple, as one Alex is the rabbinic intern at my parents' synagogue, and the other Alex has been coming to our family for Jewish holidays for a number of years. I can honestly say that they are one of the best couples I've ever met. The way they talk about each other, and look at each other, is magical. It's so comforting to know that, in a really dark time, there are sparks of love bringing light into the world.

Additionally, striped shirt Alex is maybe this blog's biggest fan. So the least I could do was put him on the blog in honor of this momentous occasion. He wanted everyone to know that he's wearing a shirt from TopMen, which is the men's shop of TopShop. Stylin'.

Rachel sandwich with Alex bread!
AKA me lucky enough to stand between the two parts of
 one of the best couples I've ever met.

So in honor of their engagement, and the reminder that there is still love in the world to counter hate, this blog post goes out to Alex and Alex. May you always be as happy together as you are today. Mazal tov!

What I'm wearing: Boden dress, Kosher Casual shell, Bare Traps sandals (similar here)