On You Even Fear Looks Good

I'm currently going through a black and white photo craze.  They're just so intriguing.  Take away the color and it adds a certain mystery to the story of the picture.  Less somehow becomes more.

(photos collected from honestlywtf, simple-as, weheartit, and doctormacro)

Suspended Seabirds

The skyline picture, but more interesting.

(photos collected from emirozsahin.portfolio.artlimited, ,becauseimaddicted, nuyoka, and thehistoryblog)

Suddenly Within Walking Distance

I have successfully brought together the two very opposite natural havens of the beach and the cave.  The cave being my room with no windows, and the beach being a wall mural that now greets me every time I wake up.  If I can't live on the beach, I can at least pretend.  Also, the crazy print dress and studded jungle vest were inspired by my wild curly hair, which I didn't do anything to this morning as I had to be at work at 6am for the second day in a row--eww.

(photos by e.hunt)

Making Judicious Use of Stereotypes

Tied my neckscarf in the outlaw-who's-about-to-rob-a-bank way today.

(photos by e.hunt)

The Way You Swept Me Off My Feet, You Know You Could've Been a Broom

Another day at work, another outfit with pockets, for my walkie-talkie.

(photos by e.hunt)

J'adore J'adore

I miss Paris.  It's been just about two years to the day since I embarked across the ocean to this historic, intriguing, and breathtakingly beautiful town that I had studied for years.  It's not really just the town I miss, it's more the little experiences, like watching a boat race across a pond in the Tuileries.

Riding the metro everyday, not just to class, but anywhere in the city I wanted to go.

Standing in the same places of some pretty big historical celebrities (such as King Louis and Marie Antoinette at Versailles), and stars of some fairly dramatic musicals (The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera).

Along the same lines; seeing the actual pieces by some of my artsy heroes Monet and Cezanne, among others.

Sitting at a cafe with a new friend for hours eating desserts or drinking fancy drinks watching the French go about their daily lives.

And being able to see the Tour Eiffel out of the corner of my eye almost anywhere I went.

And since it's going to be in the balmy mid-60s there this week, who wants to go on a spur-of-the-moment vacation to Paris with me?

(photos by e.hunt)

Let's Ride

My brother Andrew and I went to Rock Island the other day, and man was it an adventure.  I felt like a Pocahontas-Indiana Jones mix but without raccoon and hummingbird companions and not in a secret underground civilization.  The water level was pretty high, making it fairly dangerous, and even though my sunglasses didn't make it, we're still alive!

First we went in the downstream direction, running into an uncrossable break in the rocks, where these giant fish were hanging out.  They were at least two feet long and looked like catfish but didn't have the whiskers.  A friendly fellow-adventurer (one of the four or five other people we saw the whole day) thought they might be trout.

On the way back in the other direction, we stopped for a snack break right in front of the treacherous rapids.  This cool rock slab stack-of-pancakes formation sitting on a tiny square was also in view.  

Further down the line, things got really exciting.  The high water level was posing quite a dilemma; we wanted to get across to the far side, but the strong currents and rapids that were covering rocks necessary to make a safe, step-stone path across were preventing us.  However; we did find a solution!  About a foot or so underwater right up next to this rock wall was a small ledge big enough to put your feet on.  We shimmied along, finding handholds in the rock wall to keep balance, getting soaked under the waterfalls, and being general badasses.

We made it to the end and decided to climb up a waterfall, even though there was rushing water and the rocks were slippery and covered in moss.  Needless to say, I acquired a few battle wounds throughout the course of the day.

The view at the top!

But alas, there was no way across at the upper level either.  No worries, we just hung out under the falls for a bit before making the journey back, which included some refreshing runs through waterfalls, hoping that a bug or snake doesn't come out of the wall where you decided to cling to, and a bit of life-threatening reverse wall climbing.  What an awesome day.

(photos by e.hunt and a.hunt)

Everyday Opportunities For Enhancements

Pulled out the coral trenchcoat for the first time today.  I found it at a thrift store, which was super exciting because my place of employment sells almost the same thing for about twenty times as much--steal!  Anyway, its a little bright for my usual wear, but for special occasions and days where I just feel a little more flashy, it's perfect.  Business on top (traditional trench collar and buttons) and party on bottom (three tiers of ruffles).  The belt was my own addition because it didn't come with an original, most likely same-color one, although I kindof like the contrasting black to match the buttons.

(photos by e.hunt)

My Arm Won't Let Me Sleep

Wearing my new birthday boots today!  Their easygoing taupe color, lighthearted suede with freespirited braids, and loose ankle height are perfect for summer, or days like today where it's a bit chilly and spitting rain.

(photos by e.hunt)