A western holiday.

No snow this Christmas in Colorado apart from the mountains. It is a vast misconception as to how much it really snows here. AKA, not that much.

Happy Xmas.

Another nice Christmas song.

I've never really listened to any of there other stuff, but this song, originally done by The Who, is simply splendid.

Clothbound.

These remind me of those days when I was little when I would venture into our living room where my dad kept his library of Penguin classics. I would look at each cover and decide which one I wanted to read most when I grew up. The new design makes me want to spend a lot of time near a fireplace with a blanket and a book this Christmas break!

Study study study.

The perfect study outfit for those drafty libraries and brisk winter breezes.

More than most.

I love her photography.

Quite ready for another adventure.

...to hike in the Himalayas.


...to have a mountain-top experience.


...to bike the streets of Italy.


...to ski in a snowstorm


...or to some warm, winter cabins in remote mountains.

Design journal.

A twist for Christmas music.

Far more eclectic than most holiday music, Sufjan Stevens' album is perfect for when the jingle bells and blaring horns begin to induce headaches and threaten your sanity. You know I'm not the only one this happens to once December 24 hits. So before "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee is overplayed, tune in to some chill time with Sufjan and a cup of peppermint tea and let the stress fade away.



On another note... it's not quite Christmas music, but I'll be listening to this uplifting album all Christmas season to keep the joy of the season in perspective. Just add in some jingle bells and it very well could be.

The perfect travel jacket.

As an early birthday present my mom and I went shopping and as always we landed in Forever 21. Not your usual travel-friendly clothes, but I've been lusting after over-seas adventures so when I saw this jacket I couldn't resist. It makes me want to hop on a plane to Europe with a camera, backpack, and close friends.

A few of my favorite Starbucks enjoyments.

... Chai latte. Although Starbucks makes them far too weak and tasteless, I had to include it on the list simply because it is my all-time favorite everywhere else.


... Toffee mocha. Desert in a cup. Good for reading old english books.


... Iced caramel macchiato. Perfect for warm Southern California days.


... Pumpkin spice latte. It's that time of the year for pumpkin goodness. Sadly, its only around about a month of the year.


...Peppermint mocha. Ah, Christmas in a cup.

You will notice I only have one tea item and that is only a fill in for something better. Clearly, Starbucks is not for tea, and believe me, I know tea.

The only reason I made this post is because Starbucks has sweet pictures of their beverages on their website. Ha.

For the love of fall.

I would just live in these clothes for all eternity.

Who else is loving fall as much as I am this year?

I miss this.

Refreshing.

The weekend was a whirlwind. Lately, I blink and realize that a month has gone by. It needs to stop doing that or I will graduate before I know it. I'm loving this time of life too much to let it go by so quickly. My darling friend came for a long overdue visit and it was just what the doctor ordered (literally. I have a cold). Along with the beach, pumpkin pie, and tea we saw the movie Never Let Me Go. Intensely beautiful.

The October beach is an interesting thing. The clouds drove most people away except for the die hard surfers who wore full body wet suits even though the water is at its warmest of the year. There were some who with wishful thoughts still wore their bikinis and did the whole beach thing, but let's be honest, what good is that for? It was refreshing and thought-clarifying and just "aaaaaah". A breathe of fresh sea air does a world of good.