AU NATUREL.

I have always considered myself to be a city girl -- far more apt to explore an urban jungle than anything that could be considered an actual one. I have always had a prevailing fear of any creature that might sting, buzz, swarm or otherwise irritate me. Coupled with my sincere love of indoor plumbing, camping trips have never been on my 'must-do' list. That being said, though living in a city is exciting and fun, I still sometimes long for a more rural environment. Luckily, Boston offers quite a lot in the way of "nature", so I need not be tempted to pursue any inevitably excursions into the wild.

TECHNICOLOR.

Given my obsession with the weather, you might imagine how excited I was upon finding today to be delightfully warm and sunny. I didn't have any classes, so I was able to spend the entire day rambling throughout the city, exploring areas that I don't usually see. The city felt so alive today; there seemed to be color and vibrancy wherever I went.

[Lately, I been plagued with both a horrible cold and a litany of projects and exams, and have resultantly been a very bad blogger. I offer you my sincerest apologies for my truant behavior and most heartfelt promises to post more frequently.]

ALL THAT JAZZ.

Today is fairly gloomy as spring days go: I'm suffering from a sore throat, and it is supposed to snow all day. Despite all this, I'm perfectly content sitting in my cozy little apartment. I'm on what is probably my fifth cup of green tea + honey, and I'm listening to the lovely Julie London. Soothing tea and Julie's beautifully smokey voice are exactly what I need to get through the rest of the afternoon. 

Image Source

Some of my favorites:

 [ I'm In the Mood For Love ]

[ You and the Night and the Music ]

 [ When I Fall In Love ]

DIPPED IN GOLD.

A few days ago, I was walking around in the early evening. It's so wonderful how light it is in the evenings now -- totally worth the lost hour of sleep. On my walk, I came across a tree that looked as though it had been dipped in gold by the setting sun. It was such a beautiful moment; I wish I had been better able to capture the delicate golden glow. 

 

GLASS CEILING.

As someone who can manage to get lost just about anywhere, the Prudential Center in Boston has always served as a homing beacon. For the last three years, the Pru has been my Northern Star, guiding me home when other methods [i.e. having a functioning sense of direction or even a tentative grasp of geography] have failed me. I've always known that if I can locate the Pru [the second tallest building in Boston], I can find my way back home.

SPRING FEVER.

As I've posted here, here, and here, it has been a long cold winter in Boston. [Sorry, I realize that I write rather excessively about the weather.] Yesterday was officially the first day of spring, and I couldn't be more excited for the coming season.

In order to bring a little spring to our apartment, my roommates and I have planted some daffodils in a pretty green pot and are planning a little window sill herb garden. I can't wait until the flowers are all in bloom!

[ See more love-ly posts at Anna's Much Love! ]

FOR JAPAN WITH LOVE.

I am absolutely heartbroken by all of the devastation in Japan. My thoughts and prayers are with everybody affected by the disasters of the past weeks.

For more information & to donate: For Japan With Love. 

Thank you to Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours for putting this campaign together. 

ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

If there's any holiday that Boston does right, it's St. Patrick's Day. Irish or not, I wish you all a wonderful day!

FEELING BLUE.

Like most Spring days in Boston, the beautiful sunshine proved to be short-lived. I made the most of the rainy by sleeping in late, reading my new book, [Little Bee: A Novel by Chris Cleave], and drinking a big chai latte. Lazy rainy days are wonderful when you're feeling a little blue. 

Image Compiled Via Polyvore

HERE COMES THE SUN.

The past few days have been wonderfully sunny in Boston. I'm getting really excited for Spring to finally arrive. This weekend, I went for a lovely walk around the city with my boyfriend. It was a gorgeous afternoon; the light was unbelievably beautiful in the Common. The clouds were illuminated so delicately by the setting sun, silhouetting the majestic George Washington statue.

TELL-TALE HEART.

When I first read Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart years ago in my middle school English class, I was instantly captivated. After hearing that ABC is producing a pilot that features Poe as a cantankerous crime-solving detective in 19th century Boston, my interest was immediately rekindled. I'm excited to see how this interpretation turns out.

Poe Image Source  / Boston Map Source

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS.

Forget Chicago - Boston should be known as the Windy City. No matter the weather, you can pretty much guarantee that a breeze will find you in Boston. This can be lovely during the hottest days of summer, but can prove somewhat problematic if you are a college student who for some reason thought it would be a good idea to organize a folder stuffed with fairly important papers outside on a bench on a particularly windy day.  Being that I am said college student, you can imagine that I do not always especially enjoy the wind. 

[I never realized quite how difficult it was to take a picture that adequately captures wind. I'm reminded of lyrics from the song Maria in the Sound of Music - "How do you keep a wave upon the sand?"]

MUCH LOVE.

Last week was wonderfully relaxing; I had some time off school and was able to finally catch up on my sleep. I went for a lot of walks, ate a lot of chocolate, and slept late everyday. Back to reality now, I suppose - although I feel well rested and much better prepared to tackle my week. I hope you enjoy yours!

Adele Image Source

[See more love-ly posts over at Anna's Much Love!]

STORMY SEAS.

As I've mentioned before, I love neutral colors. Yesterday, the beach was misty and mystical, with colors far more subdued than normal. The weather was wonderfully dramatic. The rain fell delicately at first, but then decidedly harder; the sand looked so pretty glistening with the raindrops. I absolutely loved the color palette - I'm now dying to redecorate! 

Musical Inspiration

[ Into the Mystic / Van Morrison ]

[ Sea of Love / Cat Power ]

[ All at Sea / Jamie Cullum ]

A WALK IN THE WOODS.

I've been staying at my parents' house for a few days, and it's been so nice to get out of the city. They live right by the beach, and I love breathing in the salty ocean air when I come to visit. The other day, I went for a walk in the woods by their house. The bare winter branches are so wonderfully dramatic and imposing.