The International Edition: 6 Hours in Tel Aviv

Ok, so, when I brought the blog back, the goal was to blog twice a week. Clearly that's not going very well so far. So, we'll aim for once a week while I get back into the swing of things. Better a little than never, right?

When I was in Israel (admittedly, already a long time ago), I forgot to make plans in advance. Oops. It's because I was so excited to hang out with Gila, I didn't think about anything else. Also, it was so hot that it was sometimes difficult for me to motivate myself to go outside. (That's why there aren't more blog pictures from this trip. Tooooo much sweat.) But one morning, two days before I left, I realized I had nothing to do and Gila had to work all day. So... time for a spontaneous trip to Tel Aviv!

Everything is better on the beach.

Literally, when we left the house (for Tuesday coffee and AMAZING PANCAKES), I didn't know I was going. But then I decided to get on the train. I'm so impulsive guys!

Tel Aviv is hopping, but also pretty strange (is it a city? super fancy? full of slums? high rises? low rises? Yes to all of the above!) I don't know my way around there at all, unlike in Jerusalem, so I got lost more than once, but I persevered.

This is why I don't pose for pictures.

 Luckily, my friend Shayna has been living there for the past two years on a post doc, so she gave me excellent advice about where to go, and also met me for delicious frozen lemonade and a walk to the beach. My favorite place was the Carmel Shuk (see pics below!) mostly because it was so bustling and crazy. It's what the Shuk in Jerusalem used to be like, before it got super fancy and filled with expensive restaurants. I walked back and forth probably five times, just taking in the sites and occasionally dodging the vendors who tried to shove things in my mouth to get me to eat them.

I decided to finish off the day at the beach, which was beautiful. As you can see, I was not at all dressed for it, but really, as long as you can take off your sandals, you can always make it work. I might have been the only woman not in a bikini. I'm an individual through and through, even internationally. And I was extremely proud because I asked someone to take my picture in Hebrew and she didn't answer in English.

I started work this week. It's actually the best (I heart teaching), but there is a part of me that misses vacation. And Gila. And pancakes. Oh well.

Coming soon: the unveiling of the new Summer Bucket List (aka SBL2.0). Get psyched!

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt (with pockets!), Jones New York top via TJ Maxx (similar here), Bare Traps sandals (similar here)

On Breaking Fashion Rules

Let's talk for a minute about fashion rules. We all know them. For example, no white socks with dress shoes. Don't wear black and navy together. Or, in this case, people who are pear shaped should not wear horizontal stripes on the bottom.

Well, fashion rules, I thumb my nose at you! (Except for the white socks and dress socks thing. Men, take heed.) I love this skirt. In fact, I can't believe it's never been on the blog before, because I wear it with great frequency. I get compliments almost every time I wear it. And more important than that, you know what? I think it looks cute. So there.

This skirt is a few years old, but Boden just came out with it in other patterns for the winter. It's actually the same as the black one I wear all the time (like here and here.)

Stripes and stripes!

 In addition to my wearing horizontal stripes, I also wore my striped Toms with my striped skirt. REBEL. I'm going to tattoo my face any day now. I want to try more pattern mixing this year, and this seemed like a good way to slowly tip toe into those experiments. And it made me smile every time I looked at my feet.

Except for here, where I frowned because I was watching the Republican debate at Shaina and Avi's and it made me sad about America. Regardless of your politics, dear readers, I think we can all agree that we deserve a higher level of discourse, and also less lying. Sigh.

Finally, you might notice that my hair is not its usual curly self. I got a blow-out for Rosh Hashanah because it was easier to deal with over the holiday, and they did a good enough job that it actually lasted through four days, including a rainstorm and a rather warm walk in the park. My friend Sarah said that I wasn't allowed to put straight hair pictures on the blog, but again, I am a crazy rebel! And also, I had them add some curl on the bottom to maintain my curly haired roots (or tips, as the case may be.) Also, it made me realize that my hair has gotten super long and I really need a haircut.

Don't worry, I went for a run this morning and then washed my hair, so I am back to my usual curly haired self.

That's all for tonight. Coming soon: I will tell you all about my Stitch Fix that came last week! It was a good one, so come visit again!

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt (same cut here in different patterns), Jones New York shirt via TJ Maxx (similar here), Toms striped shoes (similar here)

Black and White (but Sadly, Not Cookies.)

A few days ago, Sarit and I had a conversation that went like this:

Me: My toenail fell off. It's gross. And I think I probably can't run because I'm not sure I can wear closed-toe shoes.
Sarit: Oh, you can use the time to update the blog!

Sarit, this one is for you.

It doesn't happen very often in my price point, but every so often, you find something so beautiful that it requires no embellishment. This skirt, from Boden (of course), fits into that category perfectly.

Yup. Pockets. It just keeps getting better.

As you can see in the detail shot below, the skirt has an overlay that is neither quite lace nor quite crochet. It has soft pleats and pockets, and has the benefit of being super comfortable. Its only downside is that it is sort of see-through, but I am willing to wear a slip to own such beauty.

I actually originally tried it on with my red peep-toe heels, but I was delighted to discover that it actually looked better with black flat sandals. The skirt itself is such a statement piece that everything else in my outfit was best served by giving the skirt attention, rather than pulling away. I never say no to cases where flats look better than heels. I'm sure there's more to be done with this skirt, but for now, I loved the stark contrast of black and white.

Do you have anything special that speaks for itself? How do you style it?

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt (ordered in long and still just to the knee), Kosher Casual top, b.o.c. sandals (similar here)

Mazels to Mama!

As you might remember if you memorize everything I write about on the blog, my mom retired last Friday! She has been working very hard and full time ever since she finished business school many moons ago, and now she is going to take a much-deserved break (slash fun summer with Leo) while she decides on her next steps.

On Monday night, her co-workers threw her a lovely retirement cocktail party in a club room on the 51st floor above Columbus Circle. It was a rainy night, but as you can sort of see in the pictures, the view was still beautiful.

This skirt is a favorite of mine, one of the only times that I've been swayed by a commercial to buy something (at least consciously.) I saw it in an ad for White House Black Market and just needed to own it. It has three of my favorite P-things: pockets, pleats, and polka dots. It also has a fun vintage-y feel, and is interesting enough that it doesn't require much embellishment.

The lady of the evening!

I didn't get to eat the cake, but it sure looked beautiful!

All in all, it was a lovely evening. I am not convinced that my mom is going to be able to stay fully retired for long, but she certainly deserves to have some fun and relax a bit. And it was great to see that her co-workers appreciate her almost as much as we in her family do.

Pretty even in the rain!

So let's raise a (metaphorical) glass to my mom, one of the hardest workers and nicest people I know. To the next stage! Mazel tov!

What I'm wearing: White House Black Market skirt (sold out), J.Crew cardigan, Kosher Casual shell, Me Too flats (similar here)
What my mom is wearing: Head to toe Stitch Fix! Emer Pants and Skies are Blue crocheted top
(see more here and sign up for your own fix here!)

Guys, I Found POCKETS!!

Hello from the train, everyone! Yes, that's right. Your favorite nearsighted, curly haired friend is on the go again! So what better way to pass the time then by updating the blog? (Internet permitting, of course.)

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been super into tunics lately. As was also true in my last post, this was sold as a dress, but was way shorter than anything I would consider even remotely reasonable to wear. (The saleslady was like, Oh, just wear it with dark tights! No thank you.)

I'm not sure the dark lighting in my apartment really does this dress/ tunic justice. It's super beautiful and very unique. I really love the contrasting patterns between the top and bottom of the skirt.  It's silk, with stretchy smocking on top, and of course, pockets! Which I just discovered, even though I've worn this before. (See, for example, my birthday post.)

This a reenaction of what had happened 45 minutes earlier,
when i discovered the dress had pockets.

Judging from people's reactions (So many compliments! Thanks friends!), and based on what I saw in the mirror, I think this works better over a skirt than over jeans. I'm not totally sure why? The line just seems smoother and more flattering. But you can be certain that I will continue to wear this as much as possible.

One more note, on the shoes, since apparently I am just spending today's post talking about my clothes. (No shame in that, right? This is a fashion blog after all.) If you can't tell, they're actually a bright magenta. When I bought them, I wasn't sure I would wear them enough to justify keeping them. My friend Sarit convinced me that I would find a way, and she was totally right. I actually wear them all the time, especially because I have a lot of black and navy in my wardrobe, and these are great for a pop of color. They're also super comfortable. Unlike most flats, which are, you know, flat, these have a small wedge hidden inside. It's much better for arch support, which means I can wear them all day without my feet hurting or getting blisters. I would say odds are good that another pair or two of these are in my future.

How do you like to add a splash of something unexpected into your quieter outfits? Let me know in the comments! I'm always looking for new ideas. And have a happy weekend!

What I'm wearing: Maeve dress as a tunic via Anthropologie (sorry, it's old, and my googling didn't provide anything similar), Banana Republic Sloan skirt, Audrey Brooke flats, Downeast Basics cami

California Dreaming (Part 2)

Guys, I have a sunburn. And you know what? Worth it?

Ok, I'm done talking about the weather for now. There are many other lovely things about visiting LA. Getting time with my nephews and niece, getting time with my sister and brother-in-law, having a change of scenery, and a million kosher restaurants within a mile of my sister's apartment. However, it is not a place of productivity. The lack of the structure of library combined with the number of things that happen before 9 AM means that basically no studying gets done. Oh well. Luckily, the Talmud has been around for a long time. It can wait a few more days for me.

So what do I do when I accept my lack of productivity? Take a lot of walks-- hence the sunburn-- and, yesterday, get a pedicure. I'm generally not a pedicure type of person. In fact, this is literally my 5th one ever. But I went, I picked a color and then realized afterwards that it was the exact same color as my shirt. I guess I know where my inspiration came from.

One more note, on this skirt. You can't see in the picture, but it has pockets. I love pockets! I randomly picked this up at some British store when I was visiting my younger sister when she studied abroad at Cambridge five years ago, and it's endured the test of time somehow. I am happy to come back to it every spring, like an old friend. Sometimes it's the impulse buys that end up with the most staying power.

Have you ever made an impulse buy that ended up being a favorite?

What I'm wearing: super old British skirt, Willi Smith shirt via TJ Maxx (similar here), Crown Vintage sandals