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Hiatus Wow & Reflection

Hiatus Wow & Reflection

Hi Everyone! I’ll be first to say that it has been ages. I am super excited to rejoin the blog community and I hope to be more steadfast in my work here as I am almost done with my Master’s in Education (one class left!). This said, I’ve been teaching in the classroom post-Covid, and it has been crazy… so I’m sure there will be plenty to talk about! This gives me a reason to stay focused and use…

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My boyfriend and I drove up to Augusta a couple weekends ago to see a bit more of Maine. I hadn’t been there before so I didn’t know what to expect, but it was a pleasant surprise! Not too different from where we live now in the Portland area, but different enough to be remarkable. One difference is that it is definitely a hillier landscape, and there’s a pretty river running right through it, visible from two large bridge thoroughfares.

While there we actually drove up toward the regional airport for food! It was a quaint restaurant called Sweet Chilli Thai Restaurant, and it was perfect. We were able to sit by the window and see planes taking off and landing on the air strip while eating our tasty Thai fare.

It was delicious. I had the yellow curry, which had a good spice level and was a decent size. My SO had the pad thai. He tends to like it more peanutty than this version was, but I don’t, so I thought it was perfect. Both of us thought it was really delicious though. We also both got a Jasmine milk tea, which was DELICIOUS. Closest thing to bubble tea I’ve had in a long time (and that includes a place in Portland that actually serves boba..). It was an excellent meal and the establishment had excellent service, so I really highly recommend this place if you find yourself up in the Augusta area!

Sweet Chilli Thai Restaurant - delicious food in Augusta, Maine My boyfriend and I drove up to Augusta a couple weekends ago to see a bit more of Maine.

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When my boyfriend and I came back from Japan we were cordially invited to a reception at the Boston Japanese Consulate General’s home. We attended and we met a good many people there – Japanese members of the community as well as JET returnees – and one of the attendees was the CEO of Ogawa Coffee.

Ever since we were there and I learned about it, I wanted to go back, and in April when I made a trip down to Boston I was able to! Here’s a look at the cafe and the sort of fare you can expect to get there.

  Ogawa Coffee has a really cool, pretty authentically Japanese cafe atmosphere, but with American influence of course. Still pretty close quarters throughout, but with great high ceilings, some stadium/riser-style seating for solo guests and some tables for groups of up to maybe 5 or 6 people.

Now I wasn’t aware before I went, but they are apparently well known for their latte art. Upon seeing it, of course, I believe it! As you can tell I got not one but two drinks. 🙂 The first a cappuccino and the second a matcha latte:

With my cappuccino, I ordered some food as well a turkey sandwich! I can’t remember the details but they actually have an extensive menu for food – mainly breakfast or lunch – and it was really delicious, balanced and healthy in my experience.

I really miss the Japanese way of balancing meals, and this dish helped me reattain that balance. I wish I could pop in and eat there everyday.

To top off my experience I grabbed my matcha latte to go as well as a bag of coffee to share with my SO. 🙂 Overall I had a great experience and they do a wonderful job of whipping up some delicious coffee, with the latte art as an added bonus. I always feel guilty for drinking the art away…

Have you been to Ogawa? What was your experience? And if you know of any other insider Japanese stops in the Northwest up here that are worth stopping at, give me a shout! I’d love to hear them.

Ogawa Coffee in Boston, Mass. When my boyfriend and I came back from Japan we were cordially invited to a reception at the Boston Japanese Consulate General's home.

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So a lot has happened since my last post everyone! Of those many things, some of which I will have to reveal at a later date, I was able to get out and have a somewhat impromptu trip to New York City, New York! The reason? To attend the U.S. Career Forum there, which is a career event oriented toward people with Japanese & English language abilities and interests. So for those of you who might be coming back to the US and want to pursue jobs in the US or in Japan with Japanese companies, this is for you!

Heading out

So this was the first leg of the trip. I bussed down to Boston South Station on the Concord Coach Line – which is pretty nice. If you’re heading up to Maine I’d recommend it. And if you’re ever having to linger around Boston SS and you need a snack or something, don’t feel like you have to stay in the bus station, which has limited options. My boyfriend recommended popping over to the train station next door because there are many more options available for whatever you may need – coffee and snack for me – and it was good advice. I felt better grabbing something at Au Bon Pain than I did at McDonalds. D:

After that I made the switch to a Peter Pan bus that would go to the NY Port Authority bus station. This… was not so nice. The drive down was good, but their buses are really not in good shape. The most vexing part was really only that none of the outlets were functioning on the bus, and I knew I was going to need my phone for navigation in New York so I wouldn’t just be that lost tourist.. A word to the wise: conserve your battery on the way down. Also, the bus was incredibly noisy – lots of parts seemed like they were shaking loose there.

And maybe par for the course for a Friday afternoon arrival, but we were scheduled to arrive at the Port Authority station at 1:45pm. When did we arrive? 3:30pm… Thank you gridlock New York traffic! I started to wonder why anyone even bothers to drive there.. more on that later.

That being said, we were on the bus for too long!! But the bright side is we drove all the way around Central Park in the process, which I wanted to see. 🙂 It looked really cool – the scenic views were what kept me from losing my noggin in the middle of that lengthy bus arrival. From just outside the city all the way in, it was very, very New York. Up until now I didn’t know what that meant when other people said that, but now I do. So metropolitan, everything that everyone was doing just seemed like a natural, normal thing to do. I don’t know. Maybe if you’ve been you’ll know what I’m talking about.

One key observation that I had early on that persisted throughout my impromptu trip involved a pretty high level of horn honking. As a person who was once told that my ‘laugh point was low,’ it was pretty amusing, and no matter where I went in the city I heard fair amounts of horn honking. I think if you live there it becomes more like background noise and you notice less, but I definitely noticed it as an “outsider.” That being said, it certainly did not detract from the ambience of the city life – rather, it enhanced it! There’s no illusion when you’re lulled to sleep by occasional horn honks.

Anyway, to continue my tale, the first thing I had to do – well, second – was eat. I was starving after being on that bus for hours. So I went to Go! Go! Curry, which I found while Googling food on the bus, and I chose it because it wasn’t too far from the station. So I popped in there and ate ravenously.

  Go! Go! Curry…

gone.

It seemed like most of the clientele was male, probably because of all the carbs involved, but I had no shame. I hadn’t eaten in like 6 hours! And it was pretty delicious.

Since it was in the area and the theme of my journey seemed to be ‘Japan,’ I decided to pop into the NY Kinokuniya, which is right across from a nice park and a subway stop. I walked through some of the fashion district to get there and it was pretty scenic. My history of watching Project Runway found me excited to be in such close proximity to Mood, lol. But I pressed on to Kinokuniya because it is so natsukashii (なつかしい）. I really long for some of the things I miss about Japan, being away from it and all. So I took myself in there and grabbed a book for my boyfriend, checked out a few more, longed for a wonderful bookstore such as Kinokuniya where I live, and then decided to head to my hotel digs.

I want this book

and this book!!

So I got on the subway. Now I’ve heard a lot of things about the NY Subway (thanks 30 Rock), so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I had to experience it right? I had bought a Metro Pass at the Hudson News in the Port Authority – a 4-rider – and used that to get on. I was in subway mode with my headphones and I stood most of the way. Nothing strange really happened, except a small kid came onto the subway selling snacks. When there were no takers he quickly moved to the next car. Other than that one occurrence though, nothing really happened at all. So I felt like the myth was busted. Rode down to Delaney St. and exited toward Essex St. above ground. I was in the Lower East Side, which was another thing I had to get used to on the journey – the Boroughs!! I was like which is where? half the time. Pretty handy to check out a map and try to remember though because subway signs say things like ‘Toward Uptown,” “Toward Downtown,” or “Toward Brooklyn,” and unless you know which area your destination is in, those signs aren’t exactly helpful.

The Digs + Lower East Side

Anywho, I walked myself a couple blocks down to the Blue Moon Hotel. You can find my Booking.com review here. It’s great value for the money if you’re willing to be a little far from you need to be. Lower East Side seems to be in a hopping area with a lot of night life, which makes sense when you consider it’s near NYU, so there isn’t a shortage of things to do.

I took a shower immediately because I felt gross after being out in public that long, you know the feeling. After I jumped out I was better able to appreciate the digs.

Speaking of things to do, while I felt pretty tired from the ride and the walking, not to mention I still felt I had a little prep left to do for some of my interviews the next day, I made myself go out to get a quick bite & drink. I went all the way to NYC so I should enjoy it right? was my line of reasoning. I stumbled across Goa Taco, and let me tell ya, I love tacos, so I went in.

I got a spicy margarita and a pork belly taco. It. Was. Delicious. goa taco is totally happening – there isn’t a lot of seating area but I liked the crew’s vibe and the shop was playing hip, current music, so it felt very New York and I enjoyed sitting there eating for a bit, watching people come and go. That spicy margarita though…. delicious. If you stop in and are of age, you HAVE to get one. I love a marg, but this one way exceeded expectations. 🙂

I headed back to the hostel/hotel, jumped in my bunk, did a little bit of prep, and went to sleep. I knew I’d have an early morning so I had to get my intelligence (and beauty) sleep…

U.S. Career Forum NY

So the next day I set out pretty early. And of course the best way to start my day is with a nice little breakfast snack and an amazing cup of coffee.

Lucky for me, Irving Farm Coffee Roasters cafe was right down the street from Blue Moon. I had know about this shop before because of a bit of a connection through my boyfriend’s family, so I was really excited to find it right next door basically. I was even more elated to find out how delicious their dark roast pour over and baked goods were!

The scenes

and the eats!

It was a pretty refreshing breakfast. That was a piece of raspberry banana bread by the way, and it was AMAZING. I was in the first rush of customers who were approaching just as the doors opened on Saturday at 8 AM.

And yup, I was wearing a suit. Japanese style. That’s in the Blue Moon elevator right there.

So anyway I jumped on the subway after this, and shortly came to realize that the subway is definitely less reliable on weekends than it is weekdays, and it is a point that a friend of mine who lives in New York now reiterated to me later. So if you find yourself in the city rushing somewhere, it could be faster to take a Lyft or something, depending on the time of day. Just something to keep in mind.

Lucky for me though I had a lot of time. The doors of CF open at 10 am and the event ran until 5 pm, with a short 5-6 pm happy hour following. So I got off at the closest stop, which was Penn Station and walked for 15 minutes or so to the Javits Center. It was further than I anticipated, but it was good to get some exercise.

For many people, you may not have to arrive at the Career Forum as soon as it opens, but if you’ve scheduled a lot of interviews in advance using their website or via email, you’ll likely be putting in a whole day. I certainly did. I had 4 interviews lined up and a lot of resumes prepared to hand out to all the different booths along the way. Really your effort in advance and the day of makes the experience for you, so I think it’s well worth the time put in ahead of time to have things arranged and lined up for you once you arrive.

Part of what precipitated my journey was also that I received/was approved for the travel scholarship down to the event. They’ll give you a reimbursement based on where you’re coming from to hopefully offset the costs involved with going down. So even if you aren’t sure you’ll get it it is worth a shot to apply. I didn’t think I would get it and I did! So that’s what helped me decide to go down.

All in all I think it was a useful event for me to really see where I want to end up. I’m kind of at a nexus point in my career, so I want to make sure the next step I take is the right one, and being able to go to this really helped me realign my compass so to speak. I think it can help others too, so it’s well worth going to one of these events.

After Career Forum

So after Career Forum I had plans to meet up with a friend from university and we had a blast. She’s been living there for going on 7 years now, so she knows a lot about NYC. So we checked out a couple awesome places. The first being sake bar decibel.

Sorry the photos are a little blurry, but it was dark! It was a pretty awesome place. We had some delicious food, and they had amazing sake! It was an excellent place and we stayed there for a while just chatting and catching up. Eventually we ran the clock though and had to order more or scoot, so we decided to scoot.

We walked around for a bit to decide what to do next, and we ended up heading to a place she knew about called Angel’s Share, which is located through a discreet door inside of a Japanese restaurant called Village Yokocho. It’s a speakeasy concept so it’s one of those ‘secret’ locations, but even though it’s secret, it was pretty popular, lol! It’s like that everywhere I feel with speakeasies once the word gets out. But if you get the chance, I highly recommend stopping in. Their cocktails were out of this world….

That’s something that I think is pretty impressive. The level of NYC cocktails is off the chart. I though some of Portland’s restaurants put together some awesome cocktails, but the NYC game is pretty strong. So if you’re interested in sampling and are of age, it’s something definitely worth looking into. Just any cocktail bar will probably be amazing, but Angel’s Share was pretty much the best I’ve had yet. It was a tequila-based drink with burdock-infused mezcal. I don’t recall the name of the drink, but think about those components alone! Pretty amazing.

So my friend and I continued chatting for a while and enjoying our adult beverages and we were considering doing karaoke, but I’m just too old – hahaha! So we went to our respective homes and I got back at about 2:30 am (which is a stretch for me nowadays, lol). I knew I had an early morning (8:30 am return bus), so I showered ASAP and got in bed. I decided to grab a Lyft the next morning to make sure I made my bus in time. I was exhausted with the whirlwind trip, but since it was my first time in NY I was glad to do it. I think everyone should go check it out. Really  it seems like a place where anyone can belong, and I think that’s one of the best parts about the city. It was great to feel that vibe for a weekend. Needless to say, I made it back to Maine safely and in better time than the way down, which was a huge relief.

Did my journey get you curious about New York? Send me a message or comment below and I’m happy to share my impressions or more info about Career Forum. 🙂 Until next time!

A Spontaneous Journey to NYC So a lot has happened since my last post everyone! Of those many things, some of which I will have to reveal at a later date, I was able to get out and have a somewhat impromptu trip to New York City, New York!

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Stitch Fix Review #6

Stitch Fix Review #6

To continue my streak for the week, I am up to Fix #6 with my reviews. I am going to accomplish my goal I swear! I made a request for an on demand fix in mid-September 2017 because I knew that I would be attending a wedding in early October. This was a bit of a special Fix because I requested all dresses for such an event! No surprise now, but my wonderful stylist delivered and I had a good…

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Okay, so this one might be a little boring pics-wise: I neglected to take photos of this Fix! Shame on me. But I was able to grab some shots of the pieces I received from the Style Cards which I received with my package from June 2017. I think this time I requested some loafers and a pair of Pistola high waist jeans; also maybe another pair of denim shorts. Here we go!

Piece #1: Aislynn High Rise Distressed Skinny Jean by Lila Ryan

There were not any Pistola high waist jeans available, but my stylist still wanted to fulfill my request for high-waisted jeans, so she sent me these lighter wash jeans for the spring/summer season. And I’ll tell you I love these jeans! They’re pretty great. They fit perfectly and are long enough for my legs. This is another brand I tried to search for more after receiving these (to no avail). These were definite keepers and I have used them a ton since last year!

Piece #2: Krina Lace Back Detail Top by Papermoon

This top, which was one of the surprises of the box, was a beautiful color with good details straight out of the box. Plus when I put it on, it looked great, which is always a plus. Liked the color and needed some classier tank tops shall we say, so I decided to keep this one.

  Piece #3: Rafiki Split Back Top by Renee C

This top was another cute surprise! I had received the skirt by Renee C in a previous fix, so between the two items I was impressed by their delightful prints. They’re fun and modern, which I really appreciate.

To another point, I’m not sure if I ever would have picked out a shirt this color, but I definitely have enjoyed having it in my wardrobe. Another detail that I enjoy about this top is the split back detail. I have a couple other shirts like that and I think it’s a fun little surprise when you wear it out and about. So this one was a Keeper as well.

Piece #4: Stephen Cuffed Denim Short by Mavi

I raved so much in my comments back to my stylist, plus I may have mentioned needing  another pair of denim shorts, so she delivered (as always). 🙂 Like the previous distressed pair, these are amazing. Nothing like spring & summer with a couple pairs of these!

Piece #5: Abourne V-Neck Blouse by Renee C

Lastly, I received another classy tank option! And not just any classy tank option. My FAVORITE tank option to this day. The color scheme & the detailing on this top really smashed it out of the park for me. I can wear it to work, I can wear it when I go out, it’s a really flexible piece that I’m so glad to have kept from this Fix.

Again, a third piece from Renee C where they are winning with prints! I’ll take more of these any day.

In summary, I kept all 5 – again! Since the style cards are here I will mention that they are really helpful as a guideline if you go out and are looking for other pieces to complement your items. It’s just one more awesome thing they do to help you build your personal style.

Since drafting up this post I went ahead and took a few real life pics of these items (since I bought them all) and thought I’d share those with you here so you can see the quality of the items and how they hang. Do forgive me for not ironing them all! Haha.

Thanks for joining me again this time – I’ve only got 3 to go. Maybe I’ll double up on one for tomorrow, because I’m pretty sure my next Fix will be on its way soon! Until tomorrow, then! -L

Stitch Fix Review #5 Okay, so this one might be a little boring pics-wise: I neglected to take photos of this Fix!

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The challenge is so ON! My next fix is in progress and I’ve got a handful of backlogged Fix reviews to share before my package arrives!  Here’s the next one in line: I received this one last year for Spring as well, in April.

By this point I was feeling really confident in my stylist’s ability to deliver on my requests while still introducing new and novel items. My 3 requests this time: jean shorts, ankle booties, and a tote for work. Let’s review how it turned out!

Piece #1: Asa Knit Blazer by Skies Are Blue

Straight out of the gate, I received an excellent grey knit blazer that was 3/4 sleeve with a black ruche detail at the elbow. I have used this blazer a ton since keeping it (surprise surprise, hehe) to dress up workwear or even casual wear. The fabric is breathable but still capable of providing an extra layer of warmth, which I found myself needing up here!  Total and complete thumbs up on this one.

  Piece #2: Garcia Crochet Back Blouse by Brixon Ivy

I’ll be honest – I wasn’t sure about this one at first. It’s white and up to this point in my life I haven’t really ever chosen white pieces and been amazed by them on me, so I thusly didn’t buy pieces that were white. That being said, this piece had a pretty beautiful back detail that really appealed to me in terms of getting into the spring spirit. Plus my better half convinced me — he thought it was super cute! I will admit, it’s also more feminine in details than I customarily choose for myself, so I think it was a good addition to the wardrobe. I’ve enjoyed it a lot since in warmer weather, and I can’t wait to break it out again this year when it is less windy. 

Piece #3: Langlock Cold Shoulder Top by Skies Are Blue

I usually am posting glowing reviews of all these pieces because my stylist does a great job. I have selected to occasionally receive trendy items in my Fix – very occasionally. One such item was this cut out top by Skies Are Blue. I had seen them around on other people and was noticing how cute they are so once I realized this was in my fix I really hoped it would be flattering on me too. Sadly however… it wasn’t!

Now that I’m looking back, maybe the sizing was just off on this one. It had such cute detail work so I liked it when it wasn’t actually on my body. So needless to say this was a Return. What are your thoughts on the cut out trend? I’m curious to hear — I think it’s going to carry over to this year as well – not as new or ‘cutting edge’ fashion, just as a fun spring/summer element.

Piece #4: Jake Distressed Cuffed Short by Mavi

So I’m actually wary of sharing this pic because my bottom half is pretty curvy & muscular. That being said however, I still want to share (odd socks notwithstanding) because I think it’s important to demonstrate that no matter the body type you can find clothes that fit your body right!

For me, curviness and muscular legs notwithstanding, these Mavi shorts – my 2nd pair of Mavis from Stitch Fix I believe! – are amazing and fit like a glove. That is one reason I keep ordering Fixes. I don’t have to go try on clothes – read that as jeans or shorts – that don’t fit or don’t flatter my body. I can just have one item sent to me that my stylist is reasonably sure will fit me! Works for me. 🙂

So this one was a keeper for sure.

Piece #5: Jacey Striped Reversible Tote by Street Level

Second of three requests: a work tote! This bag was so cute and presented options with it’s reversible feature. I loved it and I still enjoy it today, though I switch between totes and backpacks for my posture’s sake. So it was a keeper!

  To wrap up 2 of my 3 requests were fulfilled and I was pretty  happy. My stylist told me that for the ankle booties, they had all flown off the shelves and they were fresh out. Completely understandable. I am requesting this item again for my next Fix though so we will see what happens once it arrives! In summary, I still bought all the pieces except the Cold Shoulder Top. It just did not look good on me. But that’s okay! Not all pieces work for everyone.

To be continued… with #5 tomorrow! Until then!!

Stitch Fix Review #4 The challenge is so ON! My next fix is in progress and I've got a handful of backlogged Fix reviews to share before my package arrives! 

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We are working our way ever so slightly to official Spring time here in Maine – today has been the best weather so far and I am hoping against hope that it will stay that way. In fact, I am feeling spring – or warmer weather generally – so hard that I’ve just booked another Fix for next week. And I’m thinking back to Fix #3 of mine that was actually from last March. D: I’m going to shoot for getting all my Fix posts up before it comes this week…. let’s see if I can do it!

For Fix #3 I recall that I requested some light wash jeans and a bomber to fit in to the season and here is what I received!

Piece #1: Sam Hi-Lo Short Sleeve by Market & Spruce

I love this top! It’s a nice loose and super soft fabric. Who doesn’t like that?! It’s a great spring tee and I have worn it many many times since deciding to purchase. It is my go-to casual dress up or down shirt for work, date, and casual outings. I highly recommend it – and could even go for another.

Piece #2: Sarina Lace Back Detail Blouse by Your Story

This top is a great date option. It’s a lower scooping neckline, it’s BLACK which is probably my favorite color, and it’s a tank top. Plus the back is so detailed and beautiful with a lace element, I couldn’t say no. It was a Keeper, pretty much instantly.

Piece #3: Leena Printed Skirt by Renee C

I loved the print of this skirt right out of the box. However… when I put it on I realized it was a fair shade too big as a Large, but that was on me! I had Large selected for skirts in my style profile. I considered their option of sending this one in as an exchange to see if I could get a Medium, but blammo! There were none in stock. What’s a girl to do?! Since (spoiler alert) this was the only piece that I wasn’t enamored with from the box, I finally decided to go for it and keep all 5 to cash in on the additional discount of 25% for buying all 5. An upside was that with the fabric the skirt was made of I was reasonably sure if I kept drying it in the dryer I could get it down to a good size. And I have up to this point! Success – it all worked out. 🙂

Piece #4: Adrianne Distressed Boyfriend Jean by Cosmic Blue Love

So to deliver on my request for a lighter wash jean, my stylist sent me these amazing jeans that are lightly distressed and I have been loving them ever since. They are a great addition to my casual wardrobe (can’t wear hole-y jeans at work -_-) and I wear them for a ton of weekend errands and such. The denim is so soft and slips on like a glove – I suggest checking this brand out. They had me checking for ways to buy more of their jeans every which place on the internet, lol. Needless to say – I kept them!

Piece #5: Richelle Bomber Jacket by Noisy May

Last but not least yo! This army green bomber was my favorite piece of the Fix. It is such a versatile piece that I’ve been able to use a ton in Maine, because frankly for me, even when it’s ‘hot’ outside it’s a little chilly. It’s the native Texan in me coming out, but hey! it is what it is. It also looks really high quality and chic without breaking your wallet and making you wince a bit. Love it. I think it may come in a few different colors but I can’t confirm it. I feel like I’ve seen a rose pink one around on the town if you’re into that! This piece fulfilled my second request and was definitely a keeper.

  In summary, this was the first Fix where I bought all five and cashed in on the discount. Like I mentioned above, I had some doubts about the skirt, but since it was a particular fabric I decided to take a chance on shrinking it in the dryer. In retrospect, I really think the 25% discount on all 5 was worth saving a little money and gaining another piece. I will say the skirt fits a lot better now, whether thanks to my drying efforts or my body shape I’m not sure which but I’m okay with it!

I’ll try to work on review #4 tomorrow and get that up for you fashion enthusiasts. ‘Til then!

Stitch Fix Review #3 We are working our way ever so slightly to official Spring time here in Maine - today has been the best weather so far and I am hoping against hope that it will stay that way.

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English Stairstepping III

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Having been a Southerner most my life, in Texas and Japan, it was a bit of a transition coming up here and settling in Maine with my dear. I like to talk about it as if I’m in Game of Thrones, hehehe: I was whisked away from the warm southern coast to the north and the land of winter and… winter was coming!!

And come it did. Here’s a quick rundown of my snow experience so far: it snowed every once in a while in Texas growing up, pretty lightly for the most part. Then my college years witnessed one “Snowpocalypse,” which shut down the entire area for about a week – absolutely no infrastructure to deal with that. My Canadian professor was laughing hard at our weaknesssss…

More recently, it snowed once pretty heavily in Japan – about 6 inches – even in Amakusa where I was placed.

And then there was Maine! It was a completely different ballgame. The snow season cranked up in December and lasted until the first week of April this year, which was a real surprise to me. I think the peak occurred February 13th (don’t quote me) but here are some pictures that represented those conditions:

A quaint Maine scene

That’s the most snow I’ve seen in my life!!

Believe it or not, it IS more difficult to walk in deep snow…

Winter in Maine Having been a Southerner most my life, in Texas and Japan, it was a bit of a transition coming up here and settling in Maine with my dear.

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Stitch Fix Review #2

Stitch Fix Review #2

Hello hello hello everyone! As promised – though a little later than I hoped – here is a quick look at what I received in Stitch Fix #2 in February earlier this year! As a preface to this one, I tinkered a bit with my Style Profile in between Fix #1 and #2, which I’ll explain in bits & pieces later. Needless to say I think you might notice some subtle differences. Probably in relation to…

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Now, as I indicated in the last post, I’ve been planning to talk about Stitch Fix. I think I’m going to share my style journey with you all, because I don’t think of myself as a fashion guru, but I’m hoping to get there!

I think you may have heard about it by now, but just in case you don’t know: Stitch Fix is a styling service where stylists pick out clothes, shoes, and/or accessories for you depending on your preferences – what they call a Style Profile – and they send 5 pieces to you each Fix. You can choose how frequently that is, so you can set them up infrequently or as frequently as every month or every 2-3 weeks. And there is flexibility to change this as long as you’re diligent and don’t forget about it.

How it works beyond that is quite easy: they send you 5 pieces via mail. Once you get your Fix, as they call it, you try everything on in the comfort of your home. For me, this motivated me to try it – I greatly dislike going to the mall or any number of stores just to find one single pair of ‘okay’ jeans. Then, when you’re done trying the items on, you put your returns in a prepaid USPS envelope and drop them in the mail within 3 days after you receive your package. For your keeps – the pieces that worked well for you – you sign on to your Stitch Fix account and pay for the items you choose to keep there.

What’s so great about that? Well, when you are checking out at the end of all this and buying your keeps, you get to leave a lot of detailed info about all the pieces you tried on. If you liked something, you can share why it was great! If you didn’t like something, you can say why it may have missed the mark (it was ill-fitting in the shoulders, it wasn’t my style per se, etc.). Stitch Fix has also recently added the option where if you loved an item in a Fix, but it may not have been the right size, you can exchange it. I haven’t done that yet, but I have a feeling I might in the future. Anywho, on to my review of the 1st fix!

So I received this fix in mid-February 2017, and I was not really expecting much to be honest. I only felt I partially understood my own style, though I was hoping my stylist could help me out. Despite my skepticism, however, it is true that I was anticipating receiving something akin to a present – to myself – in the mail. Kind of exciting!

When you open it, this is what meets your eye. I actually bowled over the extraneous things and got straight to the clothes, but it’s important to note that other than your returns bag, your box also includes an envelope that has a couple different things in it: a personalized note to you from your stylist, a line item cost sheet detailing what each piece will cost you to buy, and style cards that can be used to help you style your items or request other items later.

I requested clothes – no accessories and no dresses for my first Fix. And that’s what I got!

Piece #1 – Market & Spruce – Walfrid Henley Blouse

I was struck by the pattern more than anything – if I’m honest, I don’t go grabbing a lot of white pieces for my closet. But this top had a great look to it on, and I’ll post another pic of this one styled eventually because it has become a favorite.

I enjoyed the 3 buttons and the pocket detailing on the front, but the top gave me pause because it goes a little further down the chest than I would usually choose. After much deliberation, I went for it – it was a Keeper.

Piece #2 – Market & Spruce – Colibri Plaid Henley Top

I loved the colors of this top right when I took it out, and I didn’t have any plaid to speak of, so my initial impression of this one was positive. Even better, once I put it on, I felt the neckline was very flattering for me personally. I also like the way the top is fashioned – the two-button details and the seam work and cut of the material around the waist and hips really worked for me. So this was a Keeper!

Button detailing

Piece #3 – Pistola – Isobel Skinny Jean

Now this was the real mystery of the Fix. As I mentioned earlier, it usually takes me anywhere from 10-13 tries to find a pair of passable jeans. And guess what?

My stylist got it in one. And to top it off, she found me some skinny jeans – which I am never able to find on my own. Be it hips or calves, something about skinnies has always confounded my figure… But these Pistolas have totally changed the game.

Needless to say, these jeans were a Keeper.

Piece #4 – THML – Alanna Plaid Pullover

At this point, I was thinking this Fix was going to be surprisingly 5 of 5!! And I really liked the look and color of this sweater. Sadly though, once I put it on I looked super frumpy. It had a lot to do with my body in particular I’m sure, something about the way my hips caught it and made me look baggy in the midsection was a little unflattering. So it was a Return.

Piece #5 – Bobeau – Jemmy Brushed Open Cardigan

I wanted to keep this cardigan and make it a 4 of 5! But alas, it didn’t happen. Though the cardigan was wonderfully soft, and a great pewter blue/gray color, I couldn’t keep it because I noticed a defect, which is that the left hand pocket’s inside bottom seams had not been seamed together properly. I guess I should’ve asked for an exchange on this one, but I was just getting used to it and didn’t want to complicate the matter. So this one was a Return.

Wrap Up

So for my first Fix, I kept 3 of 5 pieces, which has been awesome because I’ve been enjoying them ever since then! One thing I forgot to mention is that if you keep all 5 pieces in one box, you get a 20% discount on the whole purchase. And if you make any purchase at all, your $20 per Fix styling fee can be applied toward your Keepers, which is pretty cool.

I also want to make a move toward posting photos of my own styles, no doubt featuring some Stitch Fix pieces, so we’ll see how this develops! Interested in Stitch Fix yourself? Get your Fix here. I’ll have #2 and #3 Fix reviews coming for you soon. Until next time!

Long overdue Stitch Fix #1 review! :) Now, as I indicated in the last post, I've been planning to talk about Stitch Fix. I think I'm going to share my style journey with you all, because I don't think of myself as a fashion guru, but I'm hoping to get there!

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I'm here and I'm watching Merlin!

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Starfresh?