The Emerald Necklace: June 2013

Friday, June 7, 2013

Thursday, June 6, 2013

If you don't already have a versatile weekender, consider getting a tote bag that could store everything for your summertime escapades instead! Already have a beach tote? Try a bag that can easily transition from summer to fall with these totes and their woodsy neutrals and bold, nautical blues. Did I mention that they're all under $100?

1. london fog satchel, Macy's, $45 on sale.

2. element stockholm tote, Element, $40.

3. traveling translator tote, ModCloth, $no longer avail.

4. nixon paddock tote, Nixon, $70.

5. striped blue tote in blue, Target, $35 on sale.

6. michael cors kempton small tote, MICHAEL Michael Kors, $98 free shipping.

7. cassidy medium weekender, Sole Society, $70.

8. kelly & katie hollis shopper tote, DSW, $25.

9. crocodile tote handbag w/ media tablet case, Target, $35.

10. kelly & katie mixed meader tote, DSW, $40.

11. london fog tote, Macy's, $50 on sale.

12. BCBGeneration isla tote, DSW, $40.

May Insta Review

1. Who asks a born-and-raised Bostonian if they like watching the Bruins?
2. Coincidentally, these adorable little B's cupcakes were being given out at Fanueil Hall the next day.
3. Downtown Boston is great in the summertime--especially anywhere between the water and the clocktower.
4. In an effort to make myself eat healthier, I started instagraming pretty much everything I eat.
5. And so began the addiction to coconut water.
6. Mint chip is a super-refreshing ice cream flavor for summer!
7. I'm not a cat lady, I promise.
8. Check out how to make my special crazy-cozy hot cocoa here.
9. 642 Things to Write About--an everyday cure for writer's block!

1. Caprese salad is a classic summer dish.
2. Keep an eye out for an upcoming scallion pancake recipe!
3. Sitting by the fire is the perfect end to a busy spring day.
4. I'm really not a cat lady...my cat is just a lady cat.
5. Spent Mother's Day with the most amazing woman in the world!
6. Boloco offers some of the best smoothies in Boston.
7. My Panera go-to? UP2 with a large iced green tea.
8. Finally catching up on some much-needed zzz's.
9. The clean-eating challenge continues.

1. Sore throat? Try tea + honey for a quick fix.
2. Boston was cursed with several days of fog in May.
3. Soft serve + jimmies from my favorite ice cream spot, Sprinkles.
4. Breaking in the new ear candy.
5. Hibiscus iced tea even tastes girly.
6. Celebrated National Best Friend Day by spamming the internet with pictures of Rita.
7. Cheese + crackers + limonata = the perfect wannabe-classy game-time snack.
8. Obsessed with these earrings from So Good on Newbury Street.
9. In the wake of renovations, my school's library turns hipster.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

1. green banana leaf maxi dress, Topshop, $64.

2. anora dancing leaves printed shorts, Ted Baker, £89.

3. tropical push-up bikini, Kohl's, $18.

4. embroidered crepe and chiffon dress, Vineet Bahl, $315.

5. palm leaf neoprene iPad case, Juicy Couture, $25 on sale.

6. palm leaf iPhone 5 case, Juice Couture, $20 on sale.

7. candy floral shorts, Alice + Olivia, $165.

8. green leaf longline bikini, Topshop, $68.

9. banana leaf print cosmetic case, Milly, $65.

10. gaelle top in pale aqua, Joie, $148.

11. petite banana scoop back dress, Topshop, $58.

12. banana leaf print tee & scallop hem shorts, Topshop, $64 for outfit.

13. "can't stop shopper" tote, Nine West, $50.

Cambridge River Festival

My friends and I kicked off the lovely month of June by patrolling Memorial Drive in search souvenirs and snacks at the 2013 Cambridge River Festival. During the festival, which is hosted annually, a large stretch of Memorial Drive is shut down from 12 p.m. - 6 p. m. for visitors to enjoy jazz concerts, try exciting new cuisines, discover new folk artists, and more!

Genevieve showcases a gorgeous African-printed crop top.

One jeweler's tent offered more turquoise rings than you could ever dream of!

The Cambridge River Festival plays host to countless jewelers, crafters, designers, and artists. Tents line the entire river, selling everything from artwork to candles to hand-crafted furniture.

A woman creates an octopus by request of a shopper.

Hand-blown glass sculptures.

One of our favorite tents was that of a family of glass blowers selling these artfully designed little critters.

This assortment of scarves is impossible to resist.

Left: Charlie's shirt matches this dress. Right: A beautiful peacock-inspired dress.

Since the girls outnumbered our friend Charlie 3 to 1, we spent a lot of time checking out the wide variety of the festival's fashions. Eventually, though, we felt bad dragging Charlie through tent after tent of dresses and bracelets, and went to find some snacks.

Dinner options ranged from Brazilian barbecue to Thai food to classic fair food. I found some delicious $1 corn-on-the-cob at a vegan tent!

Gen and Steph decided to split dessert. Who can say "no" to $3 chocolate-covered strawberries?

Unfortunately, it was over 90 degrees outside, and no matter how many free beverages samples we could snag (and believe me, there were a lot), the heat started to get to us.

Models, Cheetahs....Turkeys?

Despite the refuge of merchant tents and the shade of the jazz stands, the heat still made us a bit crazy.

All in all though, we survived, and had a rather lovely day along the Charles.

Me: denim dress, 7 For All Mankind (similar), $198; Forever 21 (similar), $24.80. Iridescent Indigo nail polish, Forever 21, on sale $2 .
Genevieve: dress, No Rest For Bridget, approx. $40.
Steph: vest, Urban Outfitters (similar), $59; Forever 21 (similar), $24.80.

heart-shaped sandwiches.

whilst shopping Newbury Street last week, we found an adorable kitchenware store--all of their cookie cutters were under $2! sadly, I cannot recall the name of it. I picked up this heart-shaped cookie cutter (for only $1!), as it is a tea-party essential.

pictured above: heart-shaped cookie cutter, cookiecutter.com (similar), $1.25. The Vintage Tea Party Book, Anthropologie, $29.95.

What's new on Newbury?

Last week, I spent the day roaming Newbury Street with my old roommate and dear friend Genevieve. Braving the Beantown tourists and sudden heat wave (90 degrees!), we embarked on a quest to check out what Boston's finest retailers had in store for Summer 2013.

Above: A snapshot of LouLou's extensive scarf collection, photo from LouLou's website.

Our first stop of the day was LouLou Boutique, a fabulous accessories shop located at 222a Newbury Street. Never having noticed the shop previously, both Gen and I were overwhelmed with their vast, vibrant collection of bags, jewelry, and more. The displays are all artfully arranged by color and style, and feature various vintage trinkets that add an Anthropologie-esque feel to the store's interior. In addition to more handbags, wallets, bracelets, and necklaces than one could ever dream of, LouLou also offers an extensive variety of scarves, watches, rings, and soaps.

While their rainbow of scarves is pretty impressive, we fell in love with their arm candy.

Check out some of our favorites down below!

This emerald striped enamel bangle, with its darker hue but brighter gold detailing, is a perfect transition piece for Spring-to-Summer. The sunset date bracelet would definitely help me with my summer goal of wearing more orange! Gen couldn't keep away from any of the lavender-accented jewelry, like this bling squared stretchy bracelet.

Not far from LouLou Boutique is a new shop called No Rest For Bridget. An absolute gem, No Rest For Bridget offers a quality of clothing somewhere around that of 344 or Anthropologie. In fact, the store sells many books and fragrances also available at Anthro, and it even sells one of Anthro's favorite brand of candles: Voluspa try Goji Tarocco Orange.

Speaking of orange, this shirt caught my eye immediately after I entered No Rest For Bridget. Its cool fabric, intriguing patterns, and unique collar work together to make it the greatest summer top ever. Plus, it's orange. Which I'm trying to make my thing. So, yeah.

Above: A colorful jewelry display at LouLou Boutique.

Both No Rest For Bridget and LouLou Boutique can be found on the infamous Newbury Street in Boston (220 and 222a, respectively).

LouLou Boutique has multiple other locations (especially in the DC area) which can be found on their website.

No Rest For Bridget features multiple other locations throughout California--in fact, the new store in Boston, which just opened in March, is their first on the east coast! If you're visiting Boston this summer and you like what you see, be sure to stop by! But be warned--according to the staff, the store gets new shipments in every day. Their biggest shipments of products come in on Fridays, so visit during the weekend for the best variety!

Do you plan on visiting Newbury Street this summer?

bagel with a side of words

breakfast.

whole-grain raisin bagel topped with neufchatel + Irish breakfast tea

pictured above: 642 Things to Write About, Anthropologie, $16.95

Bloglovin'

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wishlist wednesday #1.

does anyone else say "wed-ness-day" in their head whenever they have to spell "Wednesday"? No? I'm the only third-grader here? That's cool.

I remember stumbling on a blog that had a feature called "Wishlist Wednesday," and as a huge fan of both alliteration and wishlists, thought I'd have a go at it.

pictured above: orange cranberry retro tin candle, Barnes & Noble, $20. illesteva sunglasses, Net-A-Porter, $165. ivory bloom clip earrings, BaubleBar, $36. swimsuit, Anthropologie, $168. The Bookman's Tale: A Novel of Obsession, Barnes & Noble, $17. paper party straws, Anthropologie, $8. double-strap sandal, Urban Outfitters, $29. cleansing conditioner, Sephora, $32.