Fall Colds

After all the festivities of homecoming this past weekend followed by a straight day of terrible rainy weather, I have come down with a terrible cold- the kind where your nose is running like a faucet, but at the same time your head feels totally clogged and pounds. Being sick as an adult really sucks.

When I was little and I got sick, it was an excuse to stay home from school and watch TV all day. My mom made me a special bed on the couch with enough pillows and blankets to prop me up into viewing position without exerting a single muscle group. Then she'd bring me cool compresses, soup, antibiotics, hot tea with lemon, and generally anything you can think of that makes you feel better when you're ill. Before you judge me for being overly pampered, take note that my mom's a nurse. Caring for people when they're sick is just what she does, and she's good at it.

Flash forward about 15 years. Being sick is total torture. Not only do I still have to go to work because deadlines cannot wait, but no one caters to my every need. I have to cook my own ramen. There is too little time in bed, not enough pampering, and lots of suffering through days of trying to function while your body is at half power. I have a lot of cold remedies, and I'm trying them all to see if I can get rid of this bug by the end of the week: lots of lemon juice in everything, lots of vitamin c and zinc, honey to soothe my sore throat, roasted garlic for it's healing powers, and lots of hot beverages to keep me caffeinated enough to keep going. Even though they have eased my suffering a little, sometimes being an adult is just no fun. Am I right?

Cute Boots

What is an entire rainy day good for besides an excuse to stay in and watch HBO? Why an excuse to wear cute galoshes of course. No where else have I seen so many varieties of rain boots besides NYC. We walk everywhere here, and when it comes to keeping our feet dry, we mean business. I don't think I'll ever top the rain proof ensemble I had during college: brookstone umbrella, leggings (a rainy day's best friend), a matching GAP raincoat and rain hat, and bright red rain boots. But that will not stop me from trying. I'm always on the look out for ways to stay dry, and still look fashionable. The latest rain accessory I acquired? A white patent raincoat that I stole from my mom's closet with a ruffle along the bottom. Though it squeaks like crazy every time I sit on the subway, it is totally impermeable to the rain, and very mod-60's if I do say so myself.

I have never been one to spend a lot on a pair of rain boots that I plan to use mostly to stomp through dirty puddles. I've stuck with the same fire engine red pair for years. Though I've been checking out the varieties out there, and there are some that are so adorable I'm thinking of changing my ways. Check out my faves.

For years, I have been whining every time it is cold and it rains. Why can't someone make my Uggs magically waterproof so my feet can be warm, comfy, cradeled in fur and dry? Finally someone has heard my prayers and invented these shearling lined Ugg rain boots. Can't afford Uggs? Check out these handy fleece rain boot liners!

 Chloe went ahead and sassed up the old classic with some laces to keep things interesting, and a little heel to give the rubber shoe a little lady like flair.

How cute are these?? You can find them at DKNY, and they come in Gray, Red, and Purple. I love a bright color on a rainy day.

The height and fit at the top lengthens and slenderizes and leg. The more matte finish of the Hunter rain boot makes these the only pair I've seen people pull off for the entire day even after it stops raining. Something about them makes me want to take a romp through the English country side. How about you?

Rainy days and Mondays

There's nothing more annoying than an absolute downpour during your morning commute. You've spent the past hour or so trying to make yourself presentable for the day, and then you go out and the weather destroys it all. Your pants get soaked, your hair frizzes up, and if it's a particularly bad storm, your makeup washes off. It is the worst. But then, once I'm inside and dry again, it's kind of fun to look out at a rainy day. On a sunny day, I have a gorgeous, unobstructed view of the Chrysler building from my office window. Right now, it is totally blocked out by a heavy fog. There's something a little magical about the fog. It gives everything an aura of magic or unreality when the clouds come down to earth and envelope what ever is in their path. I always think it's fun when it's bad weather in NYC to look up at all the sky scrapers and see which ones that were formerly visible have lost their tops to the clouds, and disappeared into the fog. Here are some gorgeous pictures of foggy days to pick you up if you're having a rainy Monday too.

The train disappearing into a cloud of fog.

 

The Brooklyn Bridge in the fog

 A magical castle in an island of fog

 Where city meets the park and trees wrapped in fog.

And finally, the staircase to no where.

Bolivian Women Wrestlers

I first saw this video on Yes & Yes. I must admit, I have a special spot in my heart for Bolivia ever since I spend 2 weeks there chaperoning a trip of undergrads from my Alma Mater. The countryside, the spirit of the people, and the beauty of the Andes left their mark. I spent most of my time there learning about Bolivian culture, and had the opportunity to meet a Shaman and many locals of Cochabamba. Check out this trailer for a movie about Carmen Rosa, an indigenous Bolivian woman who broke in to the male dominated world of Bolivian wrestling.

Fashion Week Photos

Fashion week is long over, but finally here are the promised pics from the fashion show I went to. Do you all ever have trouble getting yourself to connect your camera to your computer and zap the pics into the internet? I know I do. It has been far too long since I uploaded.

The show I attended was the Fashion Next show sponsored by Elle and Kate Spade. It was the results of a months long project where Elle sought out young designers at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and had them compete for prizes. It was exposure most young designers can only dream of, and the end result was a show at NYC fashion week to show off their collections. This was the show I went to. I love the idea of supporting young talent, and I was really impressed with the professional look of some of the designs. Here's to hoping it will be the first of many shows for me. I got a taste, and it left me wanting more. Enjoy the pics!

My girlfriends and I at the show

The runway, as they are uncovering it

My favorite look, a metal mesh dress

Most unique. 

Homecoming

Sigh. Isn't there something nice even about the word homecoming? It conjures up images of returning to your place of rest, where you're most comfortable, that place you love. There's the homecoming football game. It's always in the fall. It's that time of year when you are full of back to school possibilities, and if you're lucky it's an absolutely gorgeous autumn day with sunny skies and crisp temperatures.

Tomorrow is my Alma mater, Fordham's homecoming celebration. I've been harassing all my friends for months to make sure that we have a good turn out. After you graduate, homecoming is even better. It's a return to college for a day,where you lived happily for so long and made so many amazing friends. Its a day when you can wander around campus with all you college friends, bump into people you lost touch with, and go to all the bars where you spent a good chunk of your four years. It's a lovely thing to go back to school minus the homework and the classes. I could not be more excited.

Fordham pulls out all the stops for homecoming. They set up a tent on the lawn that is typically reserved only for sunbathing and graduation. They rent luxury porta potty trailers complete with flushing toilets and lights. You can actually eat the catered food without having to lay down in discomfort for an hour afterwards (more than I can say for Fordham's cafeteria). They give out Fordham school spirit in the form of flags and banners and antibacterial hand soap. And yes, they will be serving $2 beers and wines to everyone of age.

We'll all dress up in any Fordham attire we can find, go to the beer tent, and maybe, just maybe if it doesn't rain go watch the good old rams lose to whatever team they're playing this year. Hey, Fordham was never known for their excellence in sports.

Blog you should be reading

Have you ever read this blog? Because you should. I need to add it to my daily blog list. Ever since a friend recommended it to me a few months back when I was bored at work, I've found myself googling the url once a day for my afternoon chuckle. It's up there with texts from last night when you need a fun, easy, laugh in the middle of your day. Check it out. It will make your love life seem awesome.