question of the day: five year itch??

is there such a thing as a "five-year itch"?? i ask because i have noticed, in the last few months, my interest in my job (which i've had for about five years) is waning. a lot. to a disturbing degree, really. it's getting to the point that i've been known to spend multiple hours blogging, during business hours, instead of billing (like, for example, this morning). and i'm an attorney, so billable hours are my life. well, they're supposed to be. but lately, i just for some reason cannot summon the strength to give a crap. which is a sad thing, because the whole "i'm an attorney" thing loosely translates to "i owe so much in student loans that there's no way in hell i could ever go get a job doing anything othe than practicing law, because it wouldn't pay enough." add to that the fact that my law partner is my mother, and you have a whole new dimension of not-able-to-quit-my-job-ness.

but since things are the way they are, and this job isn't going anywhere, i just have to find a way to be interested again. either that, or my salary is going to drop pretty freaking quickly when my horribly low billables show their ugly face (which is going to be soon, since today is the last day of the month).

and it's not like my job shouldn't be interesting...i mean, you know, this is supposed to be a pretty cool gig. i really have a pretty good law job, as they go - my clients are generally pretty well off (translation: they can afford to pay me), they're coming to see me of their own free will (not because they're being sued, or because they're pissed at someone), and they usually stay my clients for a long time. but honestly, if i don't find something interesting to do soon, i'm going to be one of those homeless (er, transient) people who wander the streets, muttering to themselves, and trying to figure out where the hell they went wrong.

ugh - what's a girl to do?!

shoe hiatus

okay, so we're going to talk jewelry today, for several reasons. one, you all are going to think i'm obsessed with shoes, since that's pretty much all i've covered for quite some time. and yes, it's true, i am....but i can diversify occasionally. two, i've been really coveting a new piece or two lately - i haven't ever really been a 'jewelry person,' but i do think i'd like to step it up just a tad this year. and three, after mentioning said coveting to the hubs, he asked me to blog some pieces so that he could shop. which is, after all, one of my all-time favorite things to hear :)

so, here we go :)

i saw this gorgeous turquoise necklace a while back...normally turquoise is a little too "new mexico artist" for me, but i really love the look of this piece. the nugget in the center isn't as big as it looks like it would be - it's about 3/4" by 1/2". i think it would go so nicely with a cute black or white top, and would really jazz up an otherwise blah ensemble. plus, i'm tired of having an entire wardrobe of jewelry that is "classic"...i think i need some pizzaz, dammit!







this wrap necklace just strikes me as so unique and different - it's delicate enough to go with just about anything, but interesting enough that it's fun to wear:

i have loved this ring by jeanine payer for months and months. probably out of the birthday budget at $400, but it's completely fabulous nonetheless. the stone is a rough-cut diamond, which i've been pretty much obsessed with ever since i saw carrie's fabulous diamond bead necklace on the last sex and the city episode! and the inscription on the ring is a quote by dante: "the experience of this sweet life". pretty romantic gift, dontcha think? plus, jeanine payer is just a fabulous designer, and i love nearly everything she comes up with. (PS, honey - my ring size is a 7.5 or 8)














and, the hubs has already seen this one, but i have to share with the class because, well, it's just that fabulous. dressy enough for work, basic enough for everyday, but with just enough style to be original. yum!














some other necklaces - i really like this leaf style necklace, and have found a few different designers. naturally, my favorite is the more expensive one, but such is life :)









this one is just so fun, but i love that it's still delicate enough to be an 'everyday' necklace. plus, the colors are so gorgeous - the gold and blue just go together beautifully!



of course, i have to throw a tiffany into the mix - what kind of materialist would i be otherwise?! they've just started carrying designs by frank gehry, and i'm really loving the abstract pieces - not that i don't love the elsa peretti bean, but i think it was high time for a little shake-up. this necklace is so pretty, and could dress up any outfit. plus, what can i say - i definitely have a thing for "the little blue box".








and last but not least, the tiffany classic 'diamonds by the yard', in a much more affordable setting :) (and yes, the 16" chain is just right, sweetie)






LOL - sorry to bore you all with my birthday shopping list! :) but hey, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do to get some birthday bling, right?

sale of the day - sassanova

while i can't take advantage of the fabulous sale going on at this darling site, if you happen to be a size 10 (eur 40), i predict you will fall down on your knees and cry tears of joy when you see the deals happening on this site (there are other sizes too, but the size 10 girl definitely seems to be getting the lion's share of this sale).

some of my favorites include:

these emma hope bone slingbacks, down from $460 to $184:











sigerson morrison wedge sandals - $395 down to $158:










fabulous hollywould flat espadrilles - $370 down to $148:











these darling ricrac canvas pumps - i have no idea what i'd do with them, but i'm sure i'd figure it out! $465 down to $186, also by hollywould:











and i'm sorry, but if you happen to be a size 5.5, i think you'd be completely insane not to purchase these crazy but cool anaconda boots by my new favorite designer, loeffler randall - $635 down to $254:










get 'em while they're hot, kids - the summer sales this year are definitely out of this world!

the shoe gods are smiling on me....

very exciting news - after lots and lots (and LOTS) of digging around, calling all of the other sellers of the fabulous snakeskin pump, i decided to throw caution to the wind, and call the store i'd originally ordered them from. now mind you, the online order people had emailed and said it wasn't available. i'd called the store once before, and they'd said the online inventory is the same as the store inventory, so they didn't have it. but, hey - i'm willing to make an ass of myself where gorgeous shoes are involved. so, i called the store again, without the preface that i'd ordered them online. just basically saying "hey, i like this line of shoes, i know you carry them, do you have any left in my size?" the response from my new favorite shoe salesgirl was "well, we have this really cute pair of snakeskin pumps left in your size..." JACKPOT!!!!! not only that, but she managed to sell me this other pair as well:



yes, i'm a sucker...she saw me coming a mile away. but i am just beside myself with excitedness at the prospect of my fabulous new shoes!

anyway, the hubs and i were discussing what might have happened to put me through this emotional crisis....he suspects a glitch in their online inventory, and a little bit of um, detachment?, on the part of the web person, who didn't really bother to go double-check the inventory in person. whatever - i hold no grudge, but am just happy that my darling little snakeskin pumps (and their strappy black counterparts) are on their way to my house as we speak!

*sniff*

the loeffler randalls from yesterday are sold out in my size. woe is me.

item of the day - loeffler randall snakeskin heels

okay, for those of you who say i'm driving you to bankruptcy or divorce by showing you cute things we shouldn't be buying (note that was a "we"), i'm making today's "item" a truly fabulous bargain.

loeffler randall is a relatively new shoe designer on the scene, but they do some really beautiful work. i was incredibly impressed with their spring/summer lines, and can't wait to see fall.

but for now, you can pick up these absolutely fabulous snakeskin heels, that would go with darn near everything i own, for a mere $98. yes, it is indeed "mere," as they started out at $398. see? i'm bargain hunting for you :) of course, there's always a catch on a deal this sweet, and with these beauties, it's that they're final sale - although i have to believe that in the very unlikely event that you hated them when they arrived, you could make a killing reselling them on ebay.

note: loeffler randall shoes do tend to run perhaps the teensiest touch big. i actually like that, because they don't make me want to die when i wear them without socks on a warm day. but, if you're an in-between-sizes-girl, you might want to go down 1/2 size.

the one that got away

when my darling hubs and i took a trip to paris this past april (yes, i can hear the song in my head too), i stumbled across this little beauty in the department store to end all department stores. and truly, it was love at first sight. in fact, even the hubs, who i think i can certifiably say has virtually zero interest in perusing the handbag department, thought it was pretty darn cool too. you can't really tell from the pic, but little miss marc (named for her creator, marc jacobs) has a zipper for a mouth! i know, i know - too cute for words.

but, i was being good. i was being practical. i was thinking "white canvas + clutzy me = devastation when my double cappucino spills all over my fabulous marc jacobs bag." and so, i abstained. and the minute i got back home, all i heard literally everywhere was how fabulous this bag was, and how it was sold out everywhere. yes, the world was mocking me for not buying the oh-so-darling bag. i could feel it.

so, i was having another moment of melancholy today, as i perused the new fall 2006 offerings of little miss marc (none as cute as the original, in my humble opinion)...and figured i'd take a stab at ebay. lo and behold, lil miss marc is THERE!! and she could be mine!! the torture! the agony! the truth is i'm still slightly terrified of owning anything made of white fabric that i'm expected to tote around and maintain stain-free for an extended period. but i really and truly do love it.......if only i could convince the hubs. unfortunately, methinks not. but hey, a girl can dream. (or, a girl can post on her blog, in the feeble hope that her hubs will take the oh-so-subtle hint for the upcoming birthday).

and, in the meantime, the new fall veruka isn't unattractive at all....in fact, i quite like her. she's just not quite as fun as her springtime counterpart....but maybe that's just because spring is so much more fun than fall to begin with :)

hooray for early birthday presents!!

so my darling mother, knowing how i adore the summer sales, was kind enough to give me my birthday loot nearly 2 months before the actual day - hooray!!!

naturally, i've made short work of spending every last cent :) but fortunately for me, this fabulous pre-gift (defined as such because i fully expect another on my actual birthday) coincided just beautifully with (drum roll, please) the kate spade friends and family event! a gift indeed :)

so, here are some of the beauties i have adopted so far (after all, there are 3 more days of the sale to go!).


isn't the purse fabulous?! totally not my traditional style, and yet, once i saw it, i couldn't put it down. it's going to be so gorgeous with an all-black ensemble, or really, any solid color. and i love that it's big enough to actually carry some things, unlike most fun evening bags which hold exactly one credit card and one tube of lipstick.


and i couldn't help loving these fabulous, glittery suede numbers - not exactly the most useful things ever, but they're just so pretty!

peanut butter jelly time

in honor of the super fabulously yummy PB&J i just had for lunch (i think adults don't PB&J nearly enough), i give you this clip from a show i would never have even known about if it weren't for my hubs.

blogging about blogs....

so i was all prepared to link you today to some of my favorite shallow blogs....but now i'll have to save that for another day. all i have to say is this: read the July 18 entry, and picture me shouting a great big "amen" to everything the blogger said. seriously....toe amputation? i mean, i love my shoes like children, but that's going a bit far, even for me.

in honor of such a sad state of affairs, today's item of the day is a gorgeous pair of flats from belle by sigerson morrison. best news - they're on sale! how i love the end-of-season sales....i'm going to be so hooked up for next summer! and after reading shoesense's revelations, it's all about the flats, baby!

sale of the day - kate spade

i just have to share, if only because the hubs has placed me on a handbag embargo until further notice (see purchase leading to said embargo here), and i just don't feel right not participating. anyway, kate has placed some really darling items on her summer sale, including:

this tracy ribbon stripe tote for just $140 (also in lots of other sizes/shapes)




this darling little hobby tote at $120


the quinn rubber tote i was just loving for summer is now a mere $48











and if you're in the market for an evening bag, i just don't think you can do much better than the 'golden gate shea' at $223.










oh, and PS - the nordstrom anniversary sale includes a really fabulous kate bag (the serena-newton) and matching wallet for a pittance....if you can possibly swing it, i highly recommend doing so - the kelly green is just amazing in person!

hey, just because i can't have any fun doesn't mean you all can't.

item of the day

so i've always loved PlumParty for their darling disposable wares, but today, i stumbled on something even more fabulous: their line of melamine plates by French Bull. i think i'm in love! they're just the thing for summer barbecues. if i have my way, i'll be mixing myself a set of these two darling styles, tacking on this fabulous serving platter,
and topping it off with what i think might just be the cutest salad tongs ever! (hmm....not every day you hear someone use the phrase "cutest salad tongs ever")

looking forward to next month's shopping budget!

and in the news....

mom has quadruplets 3 years after having triplets

who says god doesn't have a sense of humor??

i am so freaking happy right now

i have to preface this with the fact that i have a serious love for classic, vintage sesame street. not sure if it's just because i'm secretly 5 years old or because i'm so utterly saddened by the crap kids watch these days (um, japanese anime? seriously?)...but give me some muppets any day, and i'm a happy woman.

and of course, 'the grove' is one of my very most favoritestests of all time - and this is one of his finest cinematic moments :)




okay, okay, and one more....because i just can't resist

i had completely forgotten how entertaining this stuff was!

helllooooooo??

is anyone even reading this, or am i seriously just rambling to myself in cyberspace? how sad.....

item of the day

how fabulous is this?? i have to say, sometimes i have a love/hate with marc jacobs...but lately, he's gotten really into the playful side of things, and i'm loving it! this wallet is so perfect as a surprisingly cheerful thing to pull out of your handbag, or it would work beautifully on its own as a fun clutch.

it's definitely on my birthday list!

today is a very bloggable day

so far today, i've thought of two separate things worth blogging about....how impressive.

first, i felt that it was my duty to disclose that i am a walking fashion "don't" today. remember those knee-length jersey skirts with the elastic waist and the two slits up each side that were really popular like five years ago?? yep, that's right, i'm rockin' the jersey skirt today. and you know what? i don't even care. i had forgotten how freaking comfortable this thing is! and i do feel i've redeemed myself somewhat by pairing it with a very cute rebecca beeson t-shirt and my super comfy silver ballet flats. i know, not good enough. in fact, it's so bad i almost couldn't even find a pic online (the horror!). but i finally managed....at a maternity wear site. so, picture this, but in black and with slits on the side. i am super hot, i know.



second, i have to brag about my cute-as-can-be hubs today. i was running way late to work, and in our new post-serious-budget-discussion-era, i decided i wanted to be frugal and take my lunch to work instead of buying my usual spicy tuna roll. so, i asked the hubs if he'd consider whipping me up a tuna sandwich. i want you to know that my hubs packed me up an entire little lunch, including a pre-washed nectarine and a baggie full of cinnamon bears for dessert. yum...cinnamon bears. so, now i'm sitting here in my post-lunch bloat, feeling a little sick from too many cinnamon bears. and thinking my hubs is pretty darling.

told you it was a big day :)

the ones that started it all....

i'm having a little 'memory lane' moment tonight. was poking around online for a pic of some shoes i've been loving, and stumbled upon these:

now, first, i have to say that i find it entertaining that these shoes are still for sale online, since i bought them at nordstrom over two years ago. but, that said, these darling little marc jacobs kitten heels are indeed the shoes that began my love for high-end shoes. they were just so different from anything else i owned - seemingly impractical, yet they went with everything. beautifully constructed, completely unique styling.....yum!

i got them out tonight (i almost never wear them these days, but they're headed for a renaissance, i think) and was telling this story to my husband. his response? "so, i have these to blame, huh?" yes, dear, that's right - these are the shoes to blame. well, that and a little too much sex and the city :)

fall boots

just saw these lovely michael kors boots - best of all, they're on clearance at saks! so, which do you prefer - these new ones:
















or the ones i've been in love with since first spying them (also michael kors):

how ever will i choose?? they're roughly the same price, though the first ones are michael kors, not KORS michael kors (note there's also a MICHAEL michael kors line, whose role in the kors cosmos i still don't fully understand) - a distinction that doesn't terribly concern me, i'll admit, though the full retail price of the first pair would definitely give my darling husband a heart attack). i think i still prefer that the second pair, as they're much more versatile. plus, as a girlfriend of mine keeps pointing out, i spend too much time buying flats for a girl who's married to a 6'8" man. i probably should rock the heels a little more often.

but, for any of you who think those first ones are as lovely as i do, you can buy them here (notice that i didn't give the link until i'd talked myself out of them - yes, i'm a selfish bitch, and i'm okay with that).

i hate budgets

so, the hubs and i had the 'serious budget talk' today.....yuck. i was talking to my best friend J yesterday, and it turned out she had the 'serious budget talk' with her hubs at the same time...random cosmic connection, perhaps? i suspect it's more the "first of the month, mortgage payment just came out of the checking account, where the &*$% did our money go?" connection, myself.

the truth is, i don't think it's ever a huge shock to either party that there's no money....i mean, i'm not suffering from any delusions related to a lottery win or appointment to the board of a fortune 500 or anything. but, crazy as this sounds, i guess i've always survived by the "it all evens out" school of budgeting. maybe that just means i naturally live more or less equal to my means, or maybe it means i'm just damn lucky. but when i was single, it honestly just all seemed to work out. the whole 'married, mortgage, two car payment, two dogs' thing has definitely kiboshed my flawless system, however. damn. but i'm not worried. i'm holding out for the day when my super-talented hubs is finally discovered for the utterly fabulous photographer that he is, and can command $10,000 for 8 hours of his time, like some other wedding photographers i know. (frightening, isn't it?)

thank god i get to shop online.....that's really the beauty of this blog, i think - by the time i rave all about something fabulous on here, i almost don't need to buy it.

almost.

quote of the day...

"faith is knowing that in the end, either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will learn how to fly...."

the fascinating decisions over which i agonize.....

today's topic: which hairdryer should i buy?

yes, i am a loser - i know. but at least i'm posting today, for the first time in quite a few days, so that has to be worth something, right? right?

so i've received a recommendation for a lovely ion model from a friend:


it comes very highly recommended by my friend, and i do so admire her lovely coif.

then, just as i was about to purchase, i read an article in a magazine raving on and on about the virtues of this fabulous (and at the time, pricey) professional model. the writer claimed that it put an end to her 'buy a new dryer once a year' problem (one i also suffer from), and dramatically decreased her daily style time (also a problem with which i can sympathize). but best of all, this $160+ dryer she was raving on and on about is now on sale for $39 (update: it's now $49. how rude.).



so what the question really comes down to is this - do we trust the claims about all of the fabulous benefits the 'ion' hairdryers provide? does anyone have any thoughts on the matter??

decisions, decisions :)