The Sunday Currently I

This has been the most glorious weekend.  After a few hot days last week, everyone has finally agreed that it's autumn, and we're making the most of it.  We spent an hour at the dog park yesterday, letting Charlie romp with some new friends, and then went to a breathtaking concert of Haydn's The Creation at the National Cathedral in the evening.  I went out to dinner afterwards with some friends, but three glasses of wine finished me off and I was home in bed by 10:30.  This morning, Charlie and I headed out for a long run through the park, and I'm going to spend the afternoon swapping out my warm-weather clothes for my cool-weather clothes.  Dinner will be something nurturing and earthy - perfect!

My routines have adjusted to the change in seasons - does that happen to you, dear readers?  This edition of the Sunday currently feels fresh to me.  What new things are you introducing for the fall?

apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah

currently...

re-reading... the classics.  Emma, by Jane Austen, has reappeared on my nightstand, and I've picked up Brideshead Revisited for my daily commute.  The start of a new academic year always makes me return to my ideal reading list, which really must start with a good period novel or two.

listening... to Birdy, a 16 year old singer-songwriter from England.  Someone on Twitter shared her cover of Bon Iver's Skinny Love and I was entranced.  Her voice is so delicate and yet so fraught - it's exactly how I imagine my tangled emotions would have sounded when I was her age, had I possessed her talent.

observing... the Jewish holidays.  Rosh Hashanah was two weeks ago, Yom Kippur this past Wednesday, and Sukkot starts tomorrow.  It's a great time to reconnect with our communities, our families, and ourselves - I'm unquestionably a bad Jew, but I love the reminder to refocus on our relationships.

braising... anything and everything to make hearty stews that will last us for days.  Mushroom bourguignon from Smitten Kitchen is on the menu for tonight, we've got all the ingredients for this Indian-style stew of chickpeas and spinach, and I've decided that 2012 is the year I finally attempt Julia Child's coq au vin.  Yum!

buying... part one of Jon's Christmas present.  His birthday this May is a big one and I'm going to do something serious for that, which means that he's getting a bunch of smaller gifts for the holiday.  Finding the first now isn't about being superorganized - I'm just trying to spread out the cost of the whole present over a few months!

watching... my favorite TV shows, returned from the summer break!  I'm excited for Law and Order: SVU, Revenge, and The Good Wife to come back on the air with new episodes.  Those three, plus everything else I have to do and my love of early bedtimes, take up most of my evenings, so the only new shows I might try to catch are 666 Park Avenue and Revolution - thoughts?

snuggling... with Charlie in the mornings.  We've settled into a good groove: he sleeps on his bed in the corner of my room at night, and then jumps up onto my bed and squishes under my arm when the alarm goes off.  I hit snooze and we cuddle until it's really time to get up, when we pad downstairs to make coffee (me) and go out for a pee (him). 

drinking... ginger tea.  Everyone else is excited about Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but my favorite part of autumn is reintroducing ginger into my diet.  The best way to have ginger tea, in my expert opinion, is to steep slices of raw ginger root in boiling water and then to stir in some honey, but the Yogi brand tea bags are pretty good if you're feeling lazy.

thinking... about what "gender equality" means in this day and age.  The Huffington Post wrote a piece on chivalry on public transportation recently that garnered over 300 comments, most of them rude and insulting.  It's an interesting question that probably doesn't have one right answer, but I find it a bit ironic that men and women can't discuss this of all things in a courteous manner.

Happy Sunday, dear readers - I hope you've had a lovely weekend, and I wish you all the best for the October week ahead.

linking up with siddathornton

past currently... posts here and here

Frock Fridays: Dare to be Only Slightly Different

To: Betsy’s “dear readers”

From: her fashionably inept sister.

Betsy has been on me (in the way that only a bride-to-be knows how) to write a Frock Friday entry for quite some time. My tardiness has been two-fold. One: I just haven’t made the time (how’s that for honesty up front!) and two: writing for an audience not being paid to read my work freaks me out. It’s right up there with surprise parties and blind dates. I’ll punch anyone who plans either for me. Additionally, Betsy and I, shall we say, have slightly different styles and as you are her readers, I’ve also been a bit nervous to put my ideas on her blog.

A little about me: when I find something that is comfortable and fits, chances are I will buy it in 4 colors. Unless forced by The Man to dress appropriately for work (ugh, finance) or attending a cocktail party, put me in athletic clothes any day of the week. If prompted to select my “typical” outfit, friends from college would imagine me in jortz (jean shorts) and a white v-neck tee, regardless of season. I will wear any and all shades of blue, black, white, and gray. Most varieties of yellows, greens, and definitely orange are just not in my color wheel, which my mother definitely agrees with.

At the end of the day, most of this stems from my fear of personal risk taking. I realize this sounds incredibly psychoanalytical and might be an overshare for the Betsy Transatlantically readers, but I know that part of what brings you back to my sister’s blog is her whimsical ability to share any number of intimate details with a larger audience. She is fearless and open, and I would rather jump into a dark hole then voluntarily let people in. I know… I’m working on it.

That being said, I’ve come up with a couple of outfits for today’s post that utilize pieces within my comfort zone but still make me feel a little edgy. The combinations center around the events I plan to attend this fall (ie: Oktobfest at a local brewery, my liberal arts college’s Homecoming, a horserace in New Jersey, and an Ivy League football game). New England fashion, like mine, is fantastically mundane – sorry, I meant “classic.” Therefore, I’ve tried to add some details to spice up the drab and add a little dash of unexpected flavor. Please don’t mock me for feeling trendy and exciting by throwing on an extra bangle or wearing colorful cropped pants – these are big steps for me.

jewelry, top row from left: watch / earrings

jewelry, middle row from left: bracelet / ring / necklace

jewelry, bottom row from left: bracelet / bracelet / necklace / ring

clothes, left: shirt / vest / pants / sunglasses / boots

clothes, right: jacket / tank / necklace / leggings / boots / bag / bracelet / ring

Reality: Long Distance

On Tuesday, when we continued catching up on my trip to England, I left you with a description of my final evening in London.  It was my last night with Jon after six wonderful days together; it was my last night with Jon before eight weeks of being apart.  And do you know how that night ended?

Well, actually, it ended lovingly.  But before that, after dinner, we had a huge fight.  The kind of fight where you hurl volleys of cutting observations, break for a few sulky minutes facing opposite walls, and then turn back to willfully misunderstand what the other has said, finding hurt and offense where there was none to be taken.

The argument wasn't about anything, really - it was a side effect of my imminent departure.  This is what I do when I get scared about leaving: I come up with a reason to be glad to go.  Usually, that means I pick a fight with someone I love.  And Jon, the man I cannot wait to marry, hasn't quite learned yet that I just need to get the scared out of my system.

So we fight, and then I cry and smack my pillow around a bunch, and then I feel a lot better about the whole situation and apologize and we end the night lovingly.

But leaving is hard, and it will always be hard no matter how many last nights we have to endure, and I can only promise to try to get over the scared and Jon can only try to understand that this backwards method is how I cope with leaving.  Hopefully, the fights will get shorter and shorter and the loving will come sooner and sooner - we both want that, even though I would have died before admitting it mid-rage last Wednesday night.  Eventually, even, we might get good at the goodbyes.  Well, maybe not good.

Just... better.  And that's really all you can ask for when you're in a long distance relationship, isn't it?

photo credit: Tarah Coonan

(Yes, this is what you think it is.  You'll get more next Wednesday!)

To Err, Human

Today is Yom Kippur, one of the most sacred days in the Jewish calendar.  I've talked about it on the blog before - here and here - but only in gastronomical terms; you fast on Yom Kippur, you see, so of course you think about food all day.  But there's really much more to it than that. The High Holy Days are the most significant opportunities for observance in Jewish tradition.  On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, God inscribes every person's fate in the Book of Life and then, on Yom Kippur, the verdict is sealed.  During the intermediary ten days, Jews examine their actions from the past year, amend their behavior, and ask forgiveness for any wrongs done.  The Old Testament God can be pretty harsh, but this seems transcendentally kind.  We're given a window for introspection before we ask for absolution - we're given a space to search our souls to discover what we have done and what we have not done, intentionally or otherwise, and we're given an opportunity to truly understand our sins before asking forgiveness.

photo taken September 17, 2012; Suffolk, England

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were always afforded this kindness?  We are so quick to be hurt, so quick to judge, so quick to condemn - to forgive is divine, indeed, but it would be infinitely more productive if we gave each other a moment to appreciate the consequences of our actions.  Then we could truly understand the depth and breadth of how we interact with those around us and, together, we could move forward with grace. Wedding Wednesdays will resume next week, dear readers, but I thought that this was an especially important reflection as I prepare to get married and share my life with another.

Reacquaintance: London

After our wonderful weekend in Suffolk and a morning spent on wedding plans, we hit the road - well, the track - back to London.

The thing with trying to see lots of people during a short visit is that you always arrange meeting up with them over meals, which ends up getting gluttonous and expensive.  So we organized a glamorous evening out with a whole bunch of friends on Monday; we started with drinks at the Bar Americain near Picadilly Circus, followed by a delicious dinner at Brasserie Zédel and then a nightcap at a Sam Smith pub in Soho.  (What? Classy costs money, and we were all out by the time we left the restaurant. Don't look at me like you've never been to a Sam Smith's.  You have, I know it.)

My socializing over food didn't end with Monday evening, I'm glad to say.  On Tuesday, I met Jon's cousin (and my dear friend) Rose for lunch at Burger & Lobster - I'd been once before, with Jon and his mother, and loved it.  We actually had a great experience the first time we went, even though we had a wait of 90 minutes before we got a table, because we snagged stools at the bar; this time, we showed up as the restaurant opened and were seated immediately.  As I remembered, the lobster roll was absolutely delicious.

I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through Mayfair, window shopping amongst the high-end boutiques, ducking into Starbucks during a brief rainshower, and pretending I was a lady of luxury.  Eventually, I found myself at the Royal Academy, where I bought a joint ticket to the Bronze exhibit and the Impressionist show.  (The former was fascinating, but I found the latter a bit pedestrian.)  My game of look-how-fancy-I-am continued when I joined a friend at his club near Berkeley Square for champagne.

The highlight of the night, though, was meeting MVB, Blair's Head Band, and Ashley for cocktails at the Coburg Bar at the Connaught... where we experienced a Tilda Swinton sighting!  I wasn't able to stay for long because it was getting late, but it was great to see my fellow expats again and to reconnect with BHB after our first coffee in New York back in the spring.

Wednesday was a day of reminiscing - I had coffee with one former colleague and lunch with another, getting the scoop on my old company before seeing a fantastic matinee of the sold-out show they've got on at the moment.  Because of the vague anonymity I try to maintain here on this blog, I can't tell you what theater or play it was, but it was a wonderful production and so good to catch up with these friends.

In the evening, I cooked spinach lasagna and turkey meatballs and for Jon and his flatmates.  It was such a flashback to when I lived in London.  I'd get home before Jon with groceries - Sam and Mandy are teachers, with earlier days, and would let me in - and I'd make dinner while Mandy poured wine and Sam messed with the TV.  When Jon made it in, we'd sit down together and spend too long over the crumbs and the dregs and it would be a wonderful evening.

And that's exactly how I spent my last night in London.

Rediscovery: London and Suffolk

As I mentioned the other day, we're going to have to space the retelling of my trip to England over the week.  There's just so much to share!  But before I start at the very beginning - the very best place to start* - I'm going to jump ahead to a conversation I had with a few lovely bloggers last Tuesday night.  (More on that tomorrow.  Hang tight.)  We were debating the most elegant way to include lots of photos in a post; one said she hated seeing image after image with no text, while another said that she found captions disruptive to the visual narrative.  I don't know what's proper, but I can't figure out how to format photos and text together in a way that doesn't annoy me, so I'm going to just break it all up into chunks.  A few of the photos have already been Instagrammed, but I tried to include as many unedited originals as possible.  Okay... let's go!

After an eight-hour flight (which included two glasses of wine, thirty minutes of a film, an Ambien, and seven hours of sleep), I dashed through security at Heathrow on Friday morning.  Jon met me at the airport - look at him up there; doesn't he look handsome? - and we tried to limit the PDA as we followed the Picadilly line north into central London.  We stopped at King's Cross for brunch, which is still a bit weird for me because, when I lived there in 2009, the area was a dilapidated mess, but it's undergone a massive redevelopment since and is now hoppin' and trendy.  We enjoyed a few hours at Jon's flat getting reacquainted and freshening up before heading back into town for a drink and our engagement session with Tarah Coonan.  (Again, more on that later, but know for now that it was perfect.)  We wandered around Shad Thames, one of our favorite places in London, and caught a few sights and a beautiful sunset.  In the evening, because I was afraid I'd get hit with the jetlag stick, we made our way back home for a quiet night in with a curry and a movie.

On Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early and hied ourselves to Suffolk (passing by the Olympic Park on the way) to see Jon's family.  We spent a lovely luxurious day relaxing - except for the hour we spent picking blackberries, which was strenuous work and which obviously deserved the reward of a hearty roast dinner, which was accompanied by a "wine tasting" in the name of wedding planning.  We did manage to clear our heads on Sunday morning by heading out through the heath on a long run, and once we'd recovered from that we drove to Southwold, a neighboring resort town on the coast, and took a brisk walk.  (One of the things I love most about Jon's family is that their walks aren't for amateurs, but that a stop at a pub for refreshment is always included in the plan.)  Happily, I was able to catch the premiere of the third season of Downton Abbey in the evening - no spoilers here, though I will say that it was marvelous in exactly the non-threatening and blissful way you'd hope.

Monday morning was spent on wedding things - which you'll hear about on upcoming Wednesdays, so be patient - and then we took the train back to London.  Check back tomorrow to catch up on the rest of our week!

*10 points if you can name that movie

Transatlantic Again

Oh my goodness, dear readers - I had such a wonderful week in England!  I've got recaps spread over three days next week that are full of tales and snaps (lots of snaps - don't say I didn't warn you) from both London and Suffolk, and enough wedding updates to last for a month of Wednesdays.  Get ready for my transatlanticism, which has suffered a bit since May, to reappear on this blog!

The highlight of this trip was, of course, being with Jon after almost four months apart.  I'm glad we were able to make progress on plans, but it was also so lovely to just simply be - to curl up in front of the season premiere of Downton Abbey with his family, to grab a drink in Soho before meeting friends for dinner at a new restaurant, to stay in and squabble lovingly over what constitutes too much chili pepper in a homecooked meal.  And so, even before I tell you about my holiday, I want to share this beautiful new advert from John Lewis with you.  At the risk of being corny and commercial, I will admit that it is so much of what I love about going to England and seeing Jon.

We've now got two months before Jon comes to visit for Thanksgiving, which is frustrating, but the memories of this past week will hold me over.  I hope your week was wonderful as well, dear readers - I can't wait to catch up with you all properly!

Guest Post: Frock Fridays with {av}

I'll be back tomorrow to share my adventures in England with you, but first I want to say a big thank-you to all of my fantastic guest posters - you guys are the best!  And there's no one better to round out this amazing week of wonderful bloggers than the queen of Fridays Fancies: {av}.  A survivor of a long-distance relationship herself and a style maven on an international scale, I'm delighted that she's here to give us a perfect example of classic jetsetting!

*****

Hi there! I'm {av}, the lady behind {long distance loving}. Betsy and Jon are the prime example of a couple making it work from afar, so I'm beyond thrilled to stand in today for Friday's Fancies while she enjoy some much-needed time with her beau. I pulled together this little ensemble, which would be perfect for Betsy as she travels.

Say hello to this J.Crew Tippi Striped Sweater--the ideal pullover for a long plane ride. Why? It is cozy without being too bulky and still looks super cute!

In order to make all your connections, a gorgeous timepiece {like this Marc by Marc Jacobs Amy Crystal Bracelet Watch} is an absolute must. 

A chic traveler always carries a fantastic yet versatile tote--and this Mulberry Leather Weekend Bag fits the bill with ease. The simplicity gives it beauty.

Dark jeans add polish to anyone's look. Slip on these amazing AG Adriano Goldschmied Farrah Skinny Jeans and immediately up your style factor!

With a bit of height, these J.Crew Janey Metallic Flats keep your toes in comfort--but are far from boring. They would also work well with plenty of ensembles, which is important for travel!

---

Many, many thanks to Betsy for having me here today! I've been so lucky to get to know her online--and in person :) I only wish I still lived in DC so I could enjoy her on a more regular basis. I can't wait for the day that she and Jon are finally united for good! Enjoy every minute of your visit, Betsy--and I hope each of you have a phenomenal weekend.  xoxo {av} | {long distance loving}

Guest Post: Roots, Wings, and Other Things

Once I got over my oh-my-God-there-are-so-many-expat-blogs-on-the-interwebs meltdown, I immediately bookmarked Roots, Wings, and Other Things.  Daryl, an American living in Frankfurt with her handsome German husband, lives life to the fullest in the most wonderful unapologetic way.  She explores everything wholeheartedly - from expat issues to marriage intricacies to travel conundrums - and shares all of her discoveries with us along the way.  I so admire her gusto, which is why I'm delighted that she's here as a guest blogger today!

*****

Hi! I'm Daryl, an American who has taken up residence in Frankfurt, Germany. While Frankfurt is a great place to live, I can't say it's a "Tourist" type of city...in fact, if you came here to visit for more than a day or two you'd probably run out of things to "see."

So when I'm asked what to go see in Frankfurt by visiting friends or blog readers, I have a very short list of things to offer them. The "attraction" at the top of my list isn't really an attraction at all...but that's good, because it's free!

THE FRANKFURT SKYLINE

I think that the Frankfurt skyline is incredibly beautiful, particularly at sunset and at night when the city is all lit up. To me, nothing is more romantic or enjoyable than a stroll along the Main (pronounced MINE) river with a view such as this. There are many places to view the skyline (this particular view comes from one of the many bridges that crosses the river.)

If you cross one of those bridges, you'll be brought to the south side of the river which is perfect for relaxing. There are large grassy areas so pack a picnic and watch the sun disappear behind the skyscrapers! Who needs a meal at a fancy restaurant when you can dine with a view such as this?

You can even go one step further and book a Skyline river cruise! Tickets are available on the north side of the river, near the old town and cost eight Euros for person with discounts for students, seniors and children. They serve food and drinks on board, so kick back, soak up the sun and enjoy the panaramic views that a position on a boat deck provides you!

Thanks for taking the time to read about my little city in Central Europe. If you'd like to read more about my adventures (In Frankfurt and elsewhere) feel free to check out my blog!



Guest Post: Wedding Wednesdays with Across the Pond

If you read this blog, you probably read Across the Pond.  After all, Megan's just like me - except that, you know, she studied neuroscience and was a model and has a fiancé who calls her "pet" and lives in Scotland.  None of those things are true for me.  But otherwise we're basically twins.  So, when it came to finding the perfect expat guest blogger for Wedding Wednesdays, I knew that Megan would hearken to the call.  Thanks, lovely!

p.s. She's 100% right about the hats...

*****

Hi Everyone!

I am Megan from Across The Pond

That would be me, and my Northern Irish Man candy of a fiancé.

I am from Los Angeles, California,

currently living the expat life in Scotland,

and getting married next year in Northern Ireland to that accented stud.

Basically Betsy and I are in the same boat...

planning a wedding in a foreign country because we fell hard for the accents,

and wanted our guests to wear hats.

I get asked a lot about some of the differences I've noted in regards to weddings in the USA and UK,

and after attending a few weddings here,

and going through the process of planning mine, 

here are some of the differences that have caught my attention.

(Some of these differences apply strictly to more small town places of Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales...London is in a different league I think)

My top 10 UK wedding traditions that differ from the US:

1. Less is more with bridesmaids. People will give you the side eye if you have more than four bridesmaids in the UK. They don't get it. I have showed S pictures of weddings in the US where girls have 7-10 bridesmaids. He thinks it ridiculous, i think it is normal.

2. Bridesmaids traditionally walk BEHIND the bride when entering the church and the Maid of Honor (chief bridesmaid) goes last instead of first.

3. You cannot have your brother, friend, cousin, relative, guy on the street corner marry you. There are one of two options to be wed in the UK..you can try and have a church wedding, but be prepared to jump through hoops if you are not a member of that church, or your parents are not members. You have to go through counseling sessions, meetings, and be approved to get married in the church by a minister. If you are not church people, then your only other option is to be married by a registrar. If you are church people but cant find a church to marry you, then you get married by a registrar (not in a church building) and then can have a minister perform a blessing in the church. Ministers do not perform weddings outside of the church.

4. Wedding planners, rental companies, wedding stylists= almost non existent in certain countries/areas. They are trying to build more of a market for these services, but they are hard to find. 

Currently finding linens is showing to be a nightmare.

Little details that you see in American weddings is not typically incorporated into weddings in the UK.

5. Florists cost 3x as much.

6.   Women do not give speeches. Speeches are done by the father of the bride, father of the groom, groom, and best man. In that order. Only.

7. The flowers in the church are given as gifts to the mothers and grandmothers of the bride and groom during the dinner reception. I think this is so sweet. 

8. cocktail hour=drinks reception; reception dinner is called the wedding breakfast, even though it is actually dinner.

9. In the church we are getting married in, and a few others, the wedding kiss is not done at the end of the service.

10. You have a signing of the registry in the middle of the wedding ceremony...it is incorporated and considered the most important part of the ceremony.

mind blown huh?

If you want to read more about my wedding planning journey, or just other life randoms, you can visit me here! 

Guest Post: Explore.Dream.Discover

As you long-time readers of Betsy Transatlantically know, it took me quite some time to completely embrace the full blogging community.  I found it all a bit overwhelming; there was so much out there, and I didn't know how to sort through all of it.  So I started by just focusing on blogs written by American expats in England - believe it or not, there are a lot of them! - and then, once I felt comfortable wading out a bit further, I began exploring expat blogs written by women all over the world.  Explore.Dream.Discover was one of the first I stumbled upon, and Liz's gorgeous photography and dreamy way with words hooked me immediately.  Even though I've been living in Europe on and off for the past five years, I still haven't made it to Amsterdam - but, because of Liz, I'm determined to hop over for a visit!

*****

Hi, Betsy Transatlantically readers!

I’m Liz, from the blog Explore.Dream.Discover.  One year ago I moved from Portland, OR to
Amsterdam with my husband and Frenchie/Boston pup. We’ve been traveling like
crazy people ever since – visiting at least one new place a month!

One of the best parts about living in Europe is having visitors – and traveling
with them. Getting to spend a weekend in Paris with a friend or take a trip to
Barcelona with my mom is surreal. But the best is just showing them around Amsterdam
and giving them a glimpse into our life abroad.

Luckily Amsterdam is a pretty small city and you can see
most of the popular sites in 2-3 days. Though I’ve got a nice list of places
I suggest everyone should see and do while visiting the city, I have one
hands-down favorite: A canal cruise.

Roughly 24% of Amsterdam is below sea level. In fact, if
there weren't any dikes, about a quarter of the Netherlands would disappear
into the North Sea! So it’s no surprise that one of the best ways to see the
city is from the water. There are so many boats and companies to choose from
for a canal cruise – and there isn’t really a bad choice per se, but if I could
make one recommendation it would be that you choose a smaller boat that holds
10-30 people as opposed to one of the giant covered tourist boats (although these are a great option in the chilly winter months). You get a
much better experience this way. Floating down the canals is absolutely
enchanting and I’d highly recommend it if you ever find yourself in Amsterdam!

Guest Post: Aspiring Kennedy

Lauren, who blogs over at Aspiring Kennedy, was one of the first major bloggers I met in real life.  (I don't know what my definition of a "major" blogger is, but she definitely qualifies!)  She occasionally has these amazing Four Sales, and last autumn I snagged a cute pair of glitter flats from her; when she emailed to suggest that she give me the shoes in person to save on postage since we were both in London, I almost fainted.  Seriously, I was that starstruck.  But, actually, Lauren's the loveliest lady - so down-to-earth and friendly, with tons o' fun stories and sisterly advice.  You should head over to her blog to see for yourself!

*****

Hello!

I'm Lauren from Aspiring Kennedy.

Like Betsy, I'm also an American

who has found herself living in London.

(Well, until she tragically left us, that is.)

So I live in London and I've been lucky to get to spend some time

bopping around several neighborhoods

before finally settling down into one we can call home.

Since we are now official residents of Notting Hill (eek!),

I feel it's only right to support the home team

and tell you of the #1 place you shouldn't miss

if ever you find yourself in London...

which I totally hope happens to you.

It's the Portobello Road Market!

Every Saturday morning, this street becomes packed,

(nay, alive!)

with Londoners and tourists alike.

Out come the antique stalls selling treasures of the past

and random objects that actually aren't so valuable.

Either way,

there is a ton to see,

a ton to eat,

and a ton of people to enjoy it with!

Come early and don't forget to stop by Arancina 

on your way in from the Notting Hill Gate tube stop.

Not only does it make amazing pizza,

but in the morning- you can get freshly made "bomba."

Yes, Italian donuts filled with ooey-gooey chocolate.

Perfect!

Stopping in from England

I'm having the best time across the pond!  My first day in London was absolutely lovely - seeing Jon again was just as magical as you'd imagine, and we had such fun at our engagement shoot with Tarah.  We're now in Suffolk with Jon's family, and we've been having a glorious weekend.  I hope you're keeping up with me on Twitter and Instagram to catch the adventures!  And, until I come back to see you next weekend, I'm wishing you a lovely week ahead, dear readers.

via

Frock Fridays: Engagement Session

Confession: my Frock Fridays posts are generally a bit unrealistic.  No, actually, that's not quite right.  They always feature clothes that I would want to wear - and, just as importantly, that I think would suit my figure - but they also often include pieces that I couldn't in my wildest dreams afford.  (As {av} says, our only requirement when we link up is to "dream big and not worry about the price tags!")

But today's Frock Fridays post isn't just realistic.  It's real.  Yes, dear readers, this is what I am going to be wearing today for our engagement shoot with Tarah!  (That means that you have to say nice things in the comments, okay?  Thanks.)  I know that this is a special occasion, but I also know that these pictures will be a snapshot of us - of who we are in this amazing moment - and so I want to be as me as possible for the session.  That's why I plan to be, for the most part, wearing items that I already own and are part of my usual grab-and-go routine of getting dressed.

I ordered this Tinley Road ponte dress a few weeks ago from Piperlime during their pre-fall sale, and have already worn it a dozen times.  It's not as A-line on me as it looks on the mannequin because I'm curvy, but I love the way it flares over my hips.  And coral is totally my warm-weather color, so I need to get my fill of it before I become to pale to pull it off!

This snakeskin belt is a new acquisition - I stopped into Loft on my way home earlier this week and saw that it was marked way down.  I already had the Sam Edelman snakeskin flats, and they go together perfectly!  (Yes, I'm that old-fashioned.  I like my accessories to match.  Go ahead, judge me.)

It's apparently going to be in the mid-to-high 60s in London today, but our shoot will primarily be on the river and is scheduled for the late afternoon, so it might be a bit cooler than that - hence the J Crew cardigan.  To be honest, I was going to wear a black belt and black shoes, too, but the whole effect was a bit severe when I tried them all on, so I'm just sticking with the cardigan.

And then the earrings.  Oh, Kate Spade - what you do to me!  I planned originally to wear my classic pearl studs, but decided at the last minute that I needed a little bling to match my ring.

So there we are!  My outfit for our engagement shoot.  Jon's prepared as well, you know.  He even got a haircut on Monday!  That's big, dear readers.  Big.  Here's to hoping that you find an excuse to get a bit spiffed up this weekend, too!