I'm Baaaaaack! And a Baptism.

Oh hello there! Remember me?

I know, you thought I was never coming back. But here I am! By popular request. (No, really. Thanks to those of you who cared enough to ask me to resurrect the blog. This is for you.)

Anyway. It is not springtime, at least sort of, although May in New York has felt like more like March, and I'm currently in Israel where it was 106 degrees two days ago. So maybe more in theory than in practice.

The reason I mention this is to explain the pictures below, where I am wearing tights, despite the fact that it is May, thus going against everything I believe in.

On Mother's Day, my cousins Paul and Stephanie celebrated the baptism of their twin daughters, Alina and Malia (who have been on the blog before, as seen here.) The girls, who are identical twins, came home from the hospital exactly one year prior, so it was so nice to be able to celebrate that occasion. Also, my Uncle David and Aunt Champa (the babies' grandparents, of Nepal fame) are going back into the Peace Corp, this time to Moldova, so this was the last family gathering for a couple of years, sadly.

This was actually my first baptism (maybe not surprisingly), but the priest did a great job explaining each step of the way so us newbies could follow along. Yes, we are a very diverse family. Everyone got into it, including Leo, who I had to stop from crossing himself when the Priest explained how, and Maddie, who can be seen below reading her hymnal very carefully.

Here's the beautiful immediate family:

And our extended family. It's hard to get a picture where everyone looks good at once, so this wasn't Simon's best shot, but there we all were together.

I had gotten the perfect baptism-appropriate dress in my last Stitch Fix, but when I woke up that morning it was freezing and raining, and I didn't want to be cold all day. So instead I went with this dress I got from Boden a few months ago, which I like a lot despite the fact that wearing horizontal stripes can be controversial. What can I say, I live dangerously. I paired it with black tights and booties, and a black cropped cardigan, which maybe wasn't the most springy look, but was ridiculously weather appropriate even though it was May. The beautiful flowered dress will have to wait for better weather. Stay tuned.

What I'm wearing: Boden dress, Boden cardigan, Hue tights, Crown Vintage booties via DSW

... And the WEST WING!!!

Back to our DC adventures. At this point, if you've been reading along, you know that I am a nerd (and proud of it!) My nerd-dom takes a few different forms, but politics and history are high on the list. I also happen to be an Obama lover, so when Cindy told me she could take me on a West Wing tour during my DC trip, it took much self control my part to avoid bowling her over.

Not surprisingly, you're not allowed to take pictures in the West Wing (and also not surprisingly, visitors are only allowed in when the President isn't in the Oval Office, which means nights and weekends.) So you'll have to take my word for it that I got to stick my head into the Oval, and I saw Sunny and Bo out for a stroll in the Rose Garden. Winning!

The one place you are allowed to take pictures is the Press Room. Which was super fun due to my love of CJ Cregg. There I am in front of the podium with my friend Jess (who was also visiting for the weekend) and Cindy. They were very patient while I geeked out for a while.

Cindy works in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is right next to the White House, and is actually much grander in many ways. Cindy gave us a tour there too, including some offices where major meetings have taken place throughout history, and the Vice President's meeting rooms.

Even though it was a Sunday, I felt strongly that I should wear business-y Shabbat clothes. Respect for the office and all of that. But because I am still me, when wearing all black, there should still be polka dots. Old Boden for the win.

And then, as a souvenir, White House Hershey kisses! One of the great days in the history of Rachel. And something else crossed off the life bucket list. Next time, to the bowling alley! And to meet the President :) Nice to have something to keep working for.

A Day at the Ballet

I love the ballet. The music, the amazing gracefulness, the ability to tell long and complicated stories without saying a single word. (As a total klutz, the fact that they can do all those things without falling down was particularly amazing.) And while it is not the most sophisticated or beautiful of ballets, I will always have a soft spot for the first one I ever saw-- The Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker is a Christmas tradition for many families, and ours is no exception, Judaism aside. When I was a little girl, we would go every year. (I am sure I've seen it at least 20 times.) I would get dressed up in my fanciest outfit and go to Lincoln Center, where the hall seemed hugely grand and beautiful. And then we would watch the ballet.

When I was in college, we took some years off, as my parents said that if they had to watch it one more time, they might gouge their eyes out. However, as I have seen many times over, once Simon expressed interest in going, off we went again. (Never underestimate the power of grandchildren.) So now we are back in the game. And you know what? Even after all of these years, all of those times watching the snowflakes dance across the stage, all of the times Clara's slipper did or did not hit the mouse king, the magic is still there. And I still wear my fancy dress.

Welcome, third generation!

What I'm wearing: Boden dress, HUE tights, Matisse boots (similar here), necklace via a very generous student

ABD(inner)

Well, I am back on the train after a super fun trip to DC. More on that later. In the meantime, I am almost caught up on blogging (mostly because I have been a picture taking delinquent, but so it goes sometimes), and we are finally experiencing winter here in the Northeast. So, welcome to my winter wardrobe, such as it is.

If you have been reading along, you know that I passed my last comp in November, right before Thanksgiving, and have since been mostly procrastinating on working on my prospectus. However, when I passed, my parents generous asked me what I wanted to do to celebrate, and I told them I wanted to go to Basil for dinner.

Basil, located in Crown Heights, is a high end brick oven pizza restaurant. The vision was to create a place where the food was good and interesting enough that non-kosher keepers would want to eat there, but still be kosher. The blending of the different demographics in Crown Heights, you might say-- hipsters and hasids. I've wanted to go for a long time, but never made it, so we took this as an opportunity.

Here are some things to know:

1. They don't take reservations and it can get very crowded, especially on a Saturday night and especially if you go with a big group. Plan accordingly. (We got there before they opened, so we were seated right away.)

2. They make their own cheese. Everything we ate was awesome. And my soup came in a squash. It was both beautiful and incredibly tasty.

3. It is not cheap, to put it very mildly. Be sure to bring your armored car. (Or your parents. Thanks parents! It was delicious.)

The Skirt.

 4. There's kosher funnel cake. Enough said.

Because we left right after Shabbat, I was still in my Shabbat clothes. I love this skirt and its 1950s feel. I've also been sort of into yellow lately. It's not really my color, but it works great as a bottom because you don't see how bad it looks against my skin tone. Also, the skirt is warm, pleated and has pockets. Check! The only problem was that I sort of regretted its fitted high waist when I ate all that pizza. Next time, sweatpants for everyone! I mean, not really. But sort of. I wasn't sure about tucking in the sweater, but it was cold and I think it worked okay in the end. I added the pendant I got in Nepal to break up the black a bit. There you have it.

Coming attractions: a trip to the Nutcracker, and TWO trips to the White House. Yup, I am that cool. Or at least, my friend Cindy is.

What I'm wearing: GAP sweater (similar here), Eshakti skirt (sold out), HUE tights, Matisse boots (similar here), necklace and bracelet from Nepal

I'm So Fancy! And So Is My Drink.

Hello from our nation's capital, friends! There is much to report from here, including my first (but not last!) trip to the White House, three museums in one day, and fun time with wonderful friends. However, in my effort to blog at least somewhat in order (some days I am more determined than others), I'm going to flash back a bit to a super fun sister bonding bucket list activity-- fancy drinks for fancy folks.

Most of the time, I am glad that I live in the year 2016. Feminism, modern technology, and the fact that I am not expected to wear a corset are all things that make my life much better. However, there's something to be said for the old days, just because everyone was so freaking classy all the time. I love being classy, at least when I'm in the mood, so sometimes I try to bring it back.

Therefore, I put fancy drinks on my fall/ winter bucket list. But the rule was, it wasn't only the drinks that had to be fancy, we had to be fancy as well. Obviously my sisters jumped right on board with that. We decided that the way to go would be the bar at a fancy hotel, so we ended up at Bar Pleiades at the Surrey Hotel on the Upper East Side.

Dear readers, it was SO fun. First of all, my drink was both beautiful and delicious. Second, I am obsessed with this dress and was so excited to wear it. (The top is sheer, so I put on a nude tank top underneath for a little extra coverage and as you can't see, you couldn't even tell.) I even put on a little make up! Not very well, as I have no idea what I'm doing since I never wear make up, but I get points for trying. There's something really appealing about being transported back to a different era for a few hours, when people wore fancy clothes to go out for a drink. Especially when you get to go back to 2016 afterwards. Cheers!

What I'm wearing: Boden dress, HUE tights, CL by Laundry heels

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)

Best Wedding, Best Dress

If you read my last post, you know it's been a bit of a rough week, as I have a stomach virus that won't go away. Luckily, I also have wonderful friends and neighbors who take extra good care of me, including one who showed up at my door last night with a giant plate of rice that she made me so that I wouldn't have to eat Tradition Soup and then die of MSG poisoning.

So in Sarit's honor, and because she and Abe got married a month and a half ago, and because Throwback Thursday is apparently a thing... I (finally) bring you Sarit and Abe's wedding!

First of all: the wedding was beautiful, and more importantly, super fun and energetic and everything you would have expected from Sarit and Abe. Every detail was thought out, including one of the most rocking tisches I've ever been to. (That link is not especially progressive, and therefore only talks about the groom's tisch, but many of the weddings I go to, including this one, have a bride's tisch as well.)

Secondly, the dress I wore is amazing and if it were appropriate, I would probably wear it every day. I bought it on major clearance from the Boden holiday line last year, but haven't had a chance to wear it because this is most definitely a special occasion dress. It's jacquard, which is sort of like a brocade-type fabric. It has an amazing vintage-y feel to it, which I love. It came with sleeves, which saved me all of the "what layers can be worn with this and still look normal" troubles. And it's super unusual, which I enjoy in what is often a sea of black dresses. (Yes, Jews wear blacks to weddings.)

The happy bride and groom.

Accessories for this outfit were a bit of a challenge. The shoes really needed to be navy, but I didn't want to buy new shoes for a dress I hardly ever get to wear. But then I saw these at DSW on crazy clearance for $12, and then they were the most comfortable heels I've ever put on. So here we go.

Also, there are few things stupider than a clutch. This is when it's hard to be a girl. What's the point of a purse where, if you put anything in it, it gets lumpy and looks bad? Sigh. Luckily I had a giant suitcase with me, and luckily we live in the age of flat phones, so it all worked out ok. But nonetheless, let my objection be noted.

Ahh this is so exciting!

Now look below. This is my friend Ariella. It's hard to see in the picture, but she was wearing a super awesome necklace. She's smart and fun and interesting, and she is VERY excited to make her blog debut. (Actually. Like, as soon as we took this picture, she said, I get to be on the blog!)

Sadly, I missed most of the reception because I (happily) had to go to Nepal. The first round of dancing was epic enough, though, to ensure that I smelled very terrible by the time I got to Nepal. Sorry, everyone who had to sit next to me on the airplane.

However, everyone knows that a true fashionista has an outfit change in the middle of a major event, so here was mine:

Mazel tov Sarit and Abe! Enjoy your honeymoon! Thanks for being such good friends and neighbors! And for all of the rice.

What I'm wearing (in outfit #1): Boden dress (never seen anything else like it, but similar genres and fabrics here and here), Kelly and Katie heels via DSW, clutch via Amazon

Happy Birthday Maddie!

I have one more Nepal post to go, but I couldn't let this illustrious day pass unmentioned... You see, today, December 1st, is Madeline Rose's first birthday! Happy birthday Maddie! So in her honor, here are some (already pretty old pictures) taken with my favorite niece.

These pictures were taken at Shaina and Avi's baby's bris. Brises = ritual surgery, and therefore not the best. However, we were all happy that Pickle finally got a name that wasn't related to a vegetable, and luckily Maddie is a baby and so she had no idea what was happening.

She was very happy after, when there was melon. Sometimes in life, it's the little things. (I happen to be allergic to melon, but I'm glad that others can enjoy it.) Maddie looks annoyed in this picture because she was thinking, "Why are you taking my picture when I am trying to eat my cantaloupe in peace?" But she came around later on:

Some notes on my outfit: colored tights! Hurrah! A post on tights will be coming soon, per Rebecca's request. But in the meantime, when it's cold enough for tights but warm enough to not wear knee high boots, a pop of color with tights and a scarf can jazz up an otherwise not-super-interesting outfit. I wasn't sure how this one would turn out, but I was happy with it in the end.  Who doesn't like a little turquoise?

So back to our main point, happy birthday to Maddie! You have made us so happy for the last year that we can't wait for all of the many years to come. And we are very impressed with your ability to consume cake. Keep it up. We love you!

What I'm wearing: Ina skirt via Purdy Girl, Kosher Casual shirt, Hue tights, G by Guess booties via TJ Maxx (similar here), infinity scarf via DSW (similar here)

Sarita Gets a Stitch Fix!

Guys, Sarit has had almost as big of a November as me. (I mean, I went to Nepal. She just got married. Hi Abe!) In addition to having a very beautiful and fun wedding, she got her first Stitch Fix!

Jewish weddings are not just one day, you see. I mean, the weddings themselves are one day, but there's something called an aufruf the Shabbat before, and then there's a whole week of Sheva Brachot afterwards. Yup, seven days of parties. We know how to rock it.

Anyway, as you might imagine, all of these things require many outfits. Combine that with the fact that Sarit has a new job that requires her to get up in front of 500 people most Saturdays, it was time for some new dresses!

One thing to know about Sarit-- she's petite, so some of the dresses were sent in petite sizes. Short fixers, take note!

As you can see from the style card above, her stylist followed directions carefully, and sent some great options. And so three days before the wedding, we had a fashion show. Because what else would you do then?

If she had kept everything, it would have been $302.50 with the discount. Pricey, yes, but we will see that there was one dress that drove the price way up. Let's get to it!

 Donna Morgan Cam Gathered Waist Dress in blue-- $118

This was our pricey dress. As you can see, it fits perfectly. As you can also see, it is really not meant for fall. She might have been tempted to keep it, as all three of us (Sarit, Abe, me) liked it, but it was so not seasonable that there was no real reason to keep it. The cost was also not a plus.
Status: Returned

Collective Concepts Vickie Textured Dress in Black-- $78

Her face says it all. It was just too big. This is why petites are important. (This was a regular size, not a petite.) The texture, which you can see below, is pretty cool, but it didn't really do anything for her. She was not sad to see this one go.

 Status: Returned

41Hawthorn Leone Dress in Navy-- $78

Isn't she so cute??? Anyway. I liked this dress a lot but she was not convinced. Sarit tends not to wear a lot of a-line dresses-- she's more of a sheath girl-- so it was a little out of her comfort zone. I thought it looked adorable, but ultimately there were other better options. It went into the maybe pile but then ended up a no. Good bye cute dress!
Status: Returned

Brixon Ivy Aurinda Dress in Blue-- $78:

We all looooved this one. It's so pretty! As you can see, it's a lovely blue lace and fits like it was made for her. The sleeves were good for synagogue and the color and texture made it a little more special. Sarit wore it to the Friday night dinner of her wedding and looked beautiful.
Status: Kept!

Collective Concepts Helma Dress in Black:

This was the one that required a little bit of work. The picture isn't amazing, I'm realizing now, but the dress is a waffle-y fabric that's black with gold undertones. Sarit's first reaction to it was, "Did they send me this because they think I spend a lot of time going clubbing???" My first reaction was, "OMG it looks amazing!" It's true that the gold was a little edgier than what we might have expected, but... if you add a black shell underneath and black tights and boots, and it's so cute! And sure enough, Sarit decided to keep it and wore it to her aufruf styled just like that and got so many compliments. My many years of modesty experience finally came in handy. Useful skills, people. Useful skills.
Status: Kept!

So there you have it! Dresses galore, all for an adorable and petite newly married rabbi. Do you want to get in on the fun? Try your own fix here!