sarah
i've been eyeballing this grey sweater dress in my closet for a whole two weeks now. i got it right at the end of spring for $15 at a season clearance sale and only got one wear out of it before the weather had turned too warm. it was during a date to the Baltimore Museum of Art with my honey. that dress was perfect for that day, as it was kind of cloudy and cool, and my boyfriend thought i was cute as a button in it. it's been hanging in my closet ever since, waiting for the first snap in the air to be whisked from it's humid prison. i haven't broken it out yet because the timing hasn't been... ideal. sure, there have been a couple of cool, even chilly days, but mostly mornings that yield to hot/humid afternoons. not yet. even today, it's almost October (0_0) and still topping out at 80°F (O_O). so the dress shall wait patiently for the perfect moment, when i can throw it on with some leather boots and a colorful scarf and enjoy the crisp, cool air. hello Autumn! you're my favorite!

day and night
day and night



if you follow me on Twitter, you'd know that i endure a hour and a half commute every morning and evening. it's not too terrible; a lot of sitting and waiting, but that means that a lot of my free time is chewed up by... sitting and waiting. so, i need a work wardrobe that transforms easily to hanging out after hours. comfy materials in tailored cuts, bright colors, easy to wear, but still full of personality. i'm really feeling jewel tones and lots of leather this fall and those green pumps are to die for!

belle of the ball
on the town fall12




i wanna be pretty. these are a few pretty things. if you can't tell by know, i'm really feeling emerald as my go to color this season. it's just so darn... pretty! and such a gorgeous, drapey dress deserves great trimmings, such as the dainty gold jewelry. the birdcage bangle is me being very meta but it's set off nicely by the golden collar necklace. pops of velvet amethyst with the retro slingbacks and clutch. and just to bring a bit of androgyny to the game, because honestly too pretty for me makes me uncomfortable, the beige leather asymmetric collarless jacket is so necessary.

on the regular
about the town FA12



let's be honest... i'm as chill as they come. and i wear more menswear inspired pieces that the über girly ones i see my super-ego wearing. in real life, you'd probably catch me in something more this speed, palling around the farmer's market on weekends. i may have souped myself up with the sneaks and the bag, but i love the relaxed look of that belted jacket with the, wait for it... emerald green panel top! i can't get enough! also, my newest obsession are those bangles and that ring. the jewelry looks vintage and personal and fits in with the throwback style of the flare jeans. all that's missing is the grande Starbucks cup! and i'm ready for fall!
sarah
i should be wearing my sweater dress and some boots. logically, i should be wearing an undershirt today, but i YOLOd it and am paying dearly for it. but, i foresaw this predicament and packed my plaid scarf, which is keeping my neck quite warm on this very chilly morning. too chilly to be called "chilly" actually. i don't feel prepared although i'm ready. hello Autumn. it's been too long.

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


brunch. 'nuff said.


Monday


finally got to try Roti here in DC. it's an à la carte Mediterranean fast food restaurant with several locations throughout the city. the meat and roasted veggies were very good, as was the tomato and cucumber salad. the falafel was also pretty good, although a bit on the soggy side. the couscous was a little too cold, the sauces a little to mayonnaisey and the rice was a complete throwaway. would do better with Jasmine or Basmati and it would be great if lamb was on the menu.


Tuesday


photo a day: price. the price of the fruit i got at the Amish market last week could not be beat! not only that, but the fruit was amazingly sweet.


Wednesday


shout out to the faux-nado that hit DC! it totally wrecked my commute for two solid days! it took me four hours to get home Tuesday evening and three hours to get to work Wednesday. no picture for this day, unless you want to see the bags under my eyes.


Thursday


Autumn coming means Bmore Book Fest! i'm excited!


Friday


'memba this? it's the Nickelodeon daily lineup back when i was a kid... 15 years ago!! sheesh! feel old? i used to know this schedule like the back of my hand and was always excited for new episodes of The Secret World of Alex Mack.


Saturday


Bonus birthday gift for my boyfriend. he loves beer, especially microbrews and specialty brews. i discovered this the night we met, at the bar of a restaurant near my house. could also be because he's a Brit, but i bought him a sick growler and had it filled at the very restaurant we met with a beer he told me he loved that very night. he absolutely dug it.
sarah
Virgo Season. My favorite. also this post is very food picture heavy. i'm sure you'll enjoy it :)

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


photo a day: something i do most weekends. you should already know, hitting the markets and stocking my fridge fills me with such weekend satisfaction. so does brunch, but i digress.


Monday


photo a day: black & white. my free cupcake this day was a luscious chocolate chip one. so good!


Tuesday


my prophyte shares my love of birds. she has four as pets, which she allows to zip around her house untethered. this picture was taken of a pretty bird we saw while feeding them some of her pet's extra bird seed in the park before work.


Wednesday


photo a day: together. this is my boyfriend. this day was his birthday. i wish him much happiness and success for the next year!


Thursday


photo a day: on the table. had sushi, drinks, and much needed catching-up with one of my sorority sisters.


Friday


photo a day: favorite. this is one of my favorite breakfast items. i was turned on to it in high school by one of my classmates. there's the little deli across the street that many of us would frequent. my HS is very progressive and didn't have a cafeteria, so we were allowed free time to roam around and enjoy long lunches, feeling very adult-like. anyway, she oredered this breakfast sandwich, an egg & cheese on toasted croissant with... grape jelly! i initially turned my nose up at it, but the burgeoning foodie in me gave it a try and has been hooked every since. the jelly cuts the richness of the egg and cheese and the buttery croissant, giving much needed balance. give it a try! it works with strawberry jam too, if you're above grape (u_u ).


Saturday


photo a day: first thing i see. i was marketing again. this time, i headed to the Amish Market with grand hopes for whoopie pies and good quality meat. the first thing i see when i walk in... pastry heaven!
sarah
it's 60°F this morning. that fills me with such glee! you know how i feel about autumn. i go from looking like a sweaty, glistening hog to a sophisticated Mrs. Piggy in the blink of an eye. so i was happy this morning to be out in the cool crisp air, even though i was still dressed like summer, with my skimmers, no socks, and summer cardigan. i was happily shivering on the train!

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


photo a day: my father. this is my father with my aunts at my aunt's birthday party (she's the silver fox in the middle wearing a tiara). this was a costume party of sorts, although only half the party attendees actually wore a costume.


Monday


photo a day: far away. there was a wedding at the very classy Belvedere near my apt. as much as i've always wanted to get married, that concept seems so far away right now... i just realized the actual work that two people have to do to get to that point, not to mention i'm almost 30 and have been with my boyfriend for less than a year. i still want it though.


Tuesday


photo a day: mailbox. the one thing i hate about moving into a new apartment is still receiving the former tenant's mail. it's so awkward! so i just leave it in there and hope that the mailman with get the picture. it's been a year and i don't think he will.


Wednesday


photo a day: bright. my commute this week was anything but. i had some time to make up in my work hours this week, so that meant i did three 12-hr shifts in a row! i was up and at work before sunrise and back home way after sunset. i hated it.


Thursday


i've discovered free cupcakes. it makes me so happy. Georgetown Cupcake has a secret password everyday and my coworkers and i have made it a point to take a break, for mental health reasons, to go for an invigorating walk in the mornings and the cupcake is like a free reward at the end of it. but only if the flavor is appetizing, otherwise we're "too busy" with work.


Friday


a bit of déjà vu for you... look back up to the picture from Wednesday... yeah. again, i was so through with my work schedule this week that i had not the wherewithal to take a picture on Friday. i had an interview, a luncheon, still worked late, had dinner with my mother and her boyfriend, and crashed too hard when i got home.


Saturday


photo a day: at night. i guess because i was so wrapped up in work this week, all i wanted to do on Saturday was get out and enjoy the air. i drove for a while, picked up some hair stuff, and relaxed for the rest of the night. 'twas heaven.
sarah
Happy September! my Sunday this week sort of mirrors last week. we, again, made plans to go to the State Fair. the weather, again, threatens to keep us in the house with promises of thunderstorms all afternoon and evening. the difference this week is that i'm in too fantastic a mood to really care (u_u )

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


photo a day: dream. living here looks like an absolute dream... sigh.


Monday


the market near my place had a good deal on some great looking salmon and mangoes. you know what that means? pan roasted salmon tacos with mango and roasted red pepper salsa! duh.


Tuesday


photo a day: clock. i so need to get my mother this clock, although i don't think it would exactly improve her time management issues.


Wednesday


photo a day: down. i had an interview on Monday that made me miss a day from work. because of that, i've been getting up early to make up the time. this day, i was soooo ready for the work day to end.


Thursday


photo a day: the other half of the salmon. isn't it gorgeous?! this night, i pan roasted it again and serve it with wilted spinach, cumin rice, shredded soft boiled eggs and roasted red pepper coulis. i would be sharing a picture of that, but i wolfed it down so faaaaast...


Friday


look back up to the picture from Wednesday... the part where i said i was so ready for the end of the day? well, that is the reason why there's no picture from Friday. I was that tired. although, i did meet a really nice stranger on the train who was a stuntman at Six Flags America when it was Adventure World. i used to love that place and he was Batman! now, he's an IT tech. such is life.


Saturday


photo a day: me, now. walking through downtown Baltimore where the Grand Prix was taking place.
sarah
i'm sitting in my apartment while it storms outside. i was supposed to go to the Maryland state fair today, but those plans are canceled, obviously, as the sky gets grayer and the lightning becomes more active. this blows. it's also been a week since i've seen my boyfriend, which has caused a bit of friction between the two of us. for couples that spend ample time with each other, missing a day or two is no big deal. but, because we work opposite schedules, missing a chance to spend time together means that 10 days could go by without seeing one another. imagine the pent up emotions, good or bad, that could cause...

follow me on Instagr.am @_sarah_smile, same as Twitter

Sunday


the week started off with the best intentions. hit the farmer's market with my boyfriend. had to drag him there practically, since he works on Sundays, but once he got there, he fell in love with the sights, the options, and we of course came back and cooked brunch. he definitely noticed a difference in the quality as opposed to what he gets from the regular grocery store.


Monday


photo a day: today. i practice Casual Mondays. isn't it enough that i can barely shift from Weekend Mode to Work Week Mode, but i simply cannot go so far as to set out office wear for the week. fortunately, my job has a very casual dress code, so this outfit works pretty well.


Tuesday


photo a day: cool. the weather has been cooler lately. that means i haven't had to really utilize my A/C since summer started, which the electric bill gawds are smiling about.


Wednesday


photo a day: home. another great shot of the block. i love it here. if only i could pick it up and move it 50 miles south to DC...


Thursday


photo a day: pair. handsome pair of desserts from my fave cupcakery! the one on the right was free. if you follow Georgetown Cupcake on Twitter, they announce a secret flavor right before they open and the first 100 folk to order will get it free! this has been a dangerous revelation amongst me and my coworkers.


Friday


photo a day: path. besides clouds, there are all sorts of amazing sights along the Marc train tracks, including a growing family of deer, foggy valleys, and hidden paths that i'm sure lead to beautiful houses.


Saturday


photo a day: fresh. these are all of the ingredients that go into my fresh pasta. it takes 5 minutes max and is full of great flavor!