Favorite Things Friday

Another week is over, another new favorite things is up.

For as long as I can possibly remember, I have never been a fan of costume/fashion jewelry. Don't get me wrong, I think a lot of pieces are pretty, and I have received quite a few as gifts, however I was never a huge fan of trends, and I never understood the point of buying cheap jewelry to only wear for one or two seasons, or that would only go with a few outfits. To me, it has always made sense to invest in slightly more expensive, timeless, classic pieces, that you could always own and wear. Since this week I have spent an exhorbitant amount of time looking at jewelry websites, this week's favorite things is devoted to jewelry items. It can also be called the things that MRM wants but cannot actually afford post.

I have always loved Hermes scarves thanks to my mother, and this week, after Preppy, 50, and Loving Lilly posted a picture of an Hermes bangle, I have not stopped looking at the jewelry on the Hermes site. Also, I have not stopped obsessing over this bracelet. The Clic H in pink, $510. I have sent TLS this link so many times that he can now navigate the Hermes site to get to it blindfolded. I was not able to upload the picture from the website, and this was the best I could find. I want the bracelet in pink. The lovely and adorable Summer at B is for Brown has this in white and I got to see it in person at the Britney Spears concert and I have to say that the picture does not do it justice.

Also from Hermes, another one I love, the leather Jumbo bracelet, $230. This one is not as elegant as the Clic H, but is still simple and can be worn with a lot of things.

Since I always, always, always have to check the Tiffany site for jewelry, a sweet, simple necklace at a price that I can actually afford. Bow mini pendant, $100.

Since I was not able to get myself a piece of Yurman for my birthday as I had originally wanted to, I still have a craving for one. I think this Petite Albion Parasolite ring will satisfy it nicely, $590.

Most of my blog readers know my love of pearls. If I'm awake, I'm wearing something with pearls on it. I am dying to own some Mikimotos. I love this floral set. I think that it would be a lovely "something new" to wear to your wedding. $980 for the earrings, $850 for the pendant.

And lastly, speaking of weddings. I am not one of those girls that has had her entire wedding day planned out since she was 5. However, I have had my engagement ring picked out since I was in high school. I love simple, classic settings, but prefer sidestones and baguettes. I am also not a fan of round cuts or fancy cut diamonds. When I discovered the Radiant Cut diamond, I knew that it was the one for me. Sadly, I am not able to post the picture for this one, if you would like to see it, go here, select three-stone rings, and it is the last one, the Classic.

While I am a ways away from having one of these on my finger (unless I buy it myself and wear it as a right-hand ring) I love going to the website and looking at it. My college boyfriend who wanted to marry me had the page with it bookmarked. While that relationship did not work out, I was not ready to get married at 22 and he did not want to wait, I still want the same ring. On days when I am having a bad day, I go to the site, and seeing it just makes me smile.

discussion topic of the day- recession, take 2

In this post, I asked you what is the one thing that you can never scrimp on, or go without, regardless of finances. For today's post, I'm going to do a follow-up to that and ask what is the first thing to go or that you are willing to go without when money is tight? For me, it is my Starbucks habit. While I love Starbucks, I can go without it, and considering the cost of the drinks, I'm willing to sacrifice it if money is tight or there is something else that I really, really, really want. For your daily dose of irony- I am typing this post with a venti Chai Latte a mere 2" from my keyboard.

snail mail

One of my favorite things to do when going on vacation is to send my friends postcards of where I am. I also love receiving postcards from my friends while they are on vacation. I have already promised the PrepEGirl that I would send her a postcard from England. If there is anyone else who would like to receive a postcard as well, send me your info to whaleflipflops {@} gmail {.} com and I will be sure to send you one. :) (KMH, no need to send me your info, I know it by heart and obviously I will send you one.)

boy update

I have to thank all of my readers for your concern and apologize a bit here. I wrote my previous post about the boy when I was in a bad mood, and when I reread it, I realized that I made him sound like a bad guy, which is not true at all and isn't really fair to him. My friends who know me well know that he is a great guy, and a lot of people didn't get that sense from reading my previous entry.

To those of you who have suggested that I talk with TLS- believe me, all we do is talk. There's not really much else we can do being so far away from each other. I have generally avoided talking about my relationship on here for two reasons 1) because there are a lot of times when I need him and he can't be there and I get upset and I don't want this to turn into a "woe is me" blog, and 2) because I know that while the situation may suck, I do have it a lot easier than a lot of other military girlfriends and wives out there. At least he is on a base in England where he is safe and is not off fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan and I know that is coming home every night, and there are a lot of women out there who don't get that peace of mind.

TLS's tour ends in May 2010 and we may not know until February where he's going to be stationed next. The waiting and the uncertainty are driving us crazy and the distance and time difference and all of the other joys that go with being in a long distance relationship just aren't helping any. There are times when I really just need a hug or a good backrub from him and I can't get that and with the time difference, we both end up staying up until like 1:00am in our respective time zones just so we can talk during the week, and we're both a little sleep deprived because of it. Because he is in the military, his job and all that goes along with it always have to take priority over me and my needs which can get really frustrating and make me feel like a second-class citizen. With all of that, it's easy to get frustrated and start to wonder "is it really worth it?"

I'm sorry if I misled anyone in my previous post. We are doing fine, just really trying to take things one day at a time.

hair post

I know what you're all thinking- "another one? does she ever stop talking about her hair?" I do when I'm asleep, and on those rare occassions when I'm actually happy with the way it looks. Today is one of those rare days. As you know, this weekend I got my hair Japanese straightened. Since I've received a few questions about it, I figured I'd do a post on how it works.

The first thing that you need to know is that aside from the technical aspect of it, the process is 1) pricey, and 2) long. It takes several hours and most places charge $100/hour. There are a few "budget" salons that offer the service at a significantly reduced price- usually $250-300 instead of $500+ but don't be fooled, those salons either a lower-quality product, or what they are advertising is actually Brazilian Keratin treatment.

What is the difference between the Brazilian Keratin treatment and the Japanese straightening? The Brazilian treatment does not aim to make your hair straight, it aims to relax your hair a little bit and to make it frizz-free. If you have super-curly hair and want to go pin-straight, then this is not the option for you. However, if your hair is naturally wavy or on the straighter side or you have looser curls and are looking to save money, then this will work for you.

The Japanese straightening process is much more labor-intensive and takes a longer time. Before you get it done, I urge you to do a lot of research on salons in your area and to get recommendations, if possible. The treatment is permanent, and once you get your hair done, you can only get your roots redone as needed, you cannot fix any problem areas or patches since putting the solution on twice could damage your hair to break and fall out. If you are serious about wanting to get this done, do not scrimp on cost. For any of my New York readers, I highly recommend Le Salon Chinois for this.

Because the process takes a few hours and requires a lot of product, most salons will 1) require a down payment to make sure you don't flake out on them, and 2) will schedule you for an early morning appointment so that the stylist can have ample time to work on you and them potentially see another client. Be sure to eat beforehand because you are going to get hungry. If you go to a good salon, they may have menus of places where you can order lunch from or may provide you with snacks.

When you get to the salon, you will just get a regular shampoo and blowdry. After that, the stylist will apply a white goopy product to your hair in small sections and wash it out section by the section. The other sections will remain covered in foil and there will be a time when your head begins to resemble a baked potato. Embrace it. The goop needs to stay in your hair for around 20 minutes, so this process will take a few hours. After all of it has set in and been washed out of your hair, you will get another blowdry, and then the stylist will use a thin (0.5" or so) straightening iron to make your hair completely straight. At this point, it will also be a lot silkier and shinier and you will start to question "is this really me?" Just when you think you're done, the stylist will then put more goop on your head in the form of a neutralizer, this time all at once. After 20-30 minutes, he or she will wash it out, blowdry it, flat iron, and then you're good to go! After you get the treatment done, you can't wash your hair or put any clips, headbands, elastics, etc. in it for 72 hours, otherwise it will retain that form. If you are someone whose hair gets greasy easily, don't schedule a date or other important event for the third day.

The treatment is permanent so you need to get your roots touched up every few months. Depending on how quickly your hair grows back, you are usually told you have to wait 3-6 months before it can be redone.

Sadly I don't have any before and after pictures to show you, but believe me, the results are amazing and worth every penny. Today I brushed my hair for the first time since Saturday, and that's only because I toss and turn in my sleep.

I was there only to get my roots done, and the entire process took 5.5 hours. I was starving by the time I left the salon. Thank G-d for Thai food. If you want to get this process done, I highly recommend that you plan ahead and bring granola bars or other snacks with you just in case, along with books, magazines, etc. I brought my cell phone charger and spent all day emailing TLS.

On a somewhat related hair note, I have been lusting over this headband from the Gap. It is a thin silvery-grey color with two rossettes on the side. This weekend I went into two different stores and neither one had it. Of course, as my luck would have it, it is not available online. It retails for $12.50 If any of you see it in a store near you, can you please please pretty please get it for me and I would be more than happy to send you a check for that plus shipping?

relationship slump or just a case of the Mondays?

I have a relationship rant. I feel like we are in a slump. I love TLS dearly and he is my best friend but I'm just feeling down lately. I believe that an ideal relationship should be 50/50 and we definitely don't have that. It seems like everything centers around him and his needs and I'm put on the backburner. I know that this is a common gripe in military relationships. We've talked about this before but considering things are so much easier for him then they are for me, I don't think that he can get what I'm feeling. Case in point, this weekend I went an hour and a half out of my way and walked 40+ blocks to get him a six pack of Yuengling to bring with me to England because he loves Yuengling and you can't get it over there. While I love being able to make him happy, I know that if the tables were turned, he would not do the same for me. Am I just overreacting? What do you do when you are in a slump? How do you pull yourself out of it?

The British Invasion

Well folks. It is now exactly just two weeks and 6 hours until my plane takes off for London. I could not be more excited. It only seemed appropriate to make this week's favorite things the British edition. Partly because I love England so much, and partly because I have realized that instead of paying high prices for shipping, I can order things offline, have them sent to TLS's British address, and they'll be waiting for me when I get there. Someone hide my credit card from me. All prices are in GBP. Currently the exchange rate is: 1£= $1.65.

Many of my readers know my love of fun coffee mugs. When you are in London, obviously a trip to Harrods is a must. I love the quirky elegance of this mug. It's pricey, but makes a great souvenir or gift. £11.95

Another fun, quirky gift idea from Harrods is this "Lovers and Other Strangers" address book. I absolutely love the color. £14.95

A beautiful pearl bracelet from Harrods by Thomas Sabo, £29.95.

A beautiful blue and white tea for one set from Harrods, £26.95.

From another British staple, Fortnum and Mason, a luggage tag in my favorite color. £17.62

When I first when to England with my mother in high school, I saw this darling little box from Wedgwood and knew I had to have it. My mother talked me out of it because it was £17 and I couldn't store anything in it. Since then, I've always wanted it. It is now up to £22.50, but I don't care. I am determined to make it mine by the end of this trip.

Another gift idea from Wedgwood that I am lusting over is this teapot candle. It is a single person sized Jasperware teapot that is filled with an Earl Grey scented candle. At £20.00 the price is a bit high, but it would definitely make a nice hostess or other gift.

From Marks & Spencer, a cute umbrella at a great price. £5Also from Marks & Spencer, a pair of Mr. and Mrs. mugs that would make a great gift for a newlywed couple. £9.50

Beverage Swap Partners

Thank you to everyone who signed up for my beverage swap! I had a great response and I hope that you all have fun with this one! My method for assigning partners was very scientific. I use alternating colors pink and green pop up post its at work. I wrote each participant's name on a post it note. There ended up being an equal amount of pink and green post its, so I just picked them so each pink was paired with a green. :) With that said, here are the partners:

1) Samantha Hub (Samantha.Hubel at gmail dot com)- Sarah (sarahwoody03 at gmail dot com)
2) Yarn Sniper (leta95b at yahoo dot com)- Sarah Elizabeth (sarahelizabeth0314 at gmail dot com)
3) Little Pink Magnolia (gadpaiaa at evms dot edu)- kmb564 (kimbayma at gmail dot com)
4) Pink Cupcake (clarapinkcupcake at gmail dot com)- Kaitlin (lifeofabusywife at gmail dot com)
5) Chani (chaniwiesman at gmail dot com)- Southern Starlet (southernstarlet31 at gmail dot com)
6) Gwendolyn (harkinsg at gmail dot com)- But Call me Carrie (carrie.m.dyer at gmail dot com)
7) Mrs. McB (mrscarissamcb at gmail dot com)- Lisa (lkoivu at gmail dot com)
8) *kimmie* (kschiffel at mac dot com)- Turtles in North Dakota (turtletraxtoo at gmail dot com)
9) Michelle (theurbanwhisk at gmail dot com)- KMH (kristinhuben at hotmail dot com)
10) me (whaleflipflops at gmail dot com)- Headbangs and Hand Bags (headbandsandhandbags at gmail dot com)-
11) Deals, Steels, and Heels (hayley.ethridge at gmail dot com)- Preppy Coastee (coasteeblueeyes20 at aol dot com)

Email your partners, have fun, happy shopping, and please be sure to let your swap partner know of any dietary restrictions that you may have. Be sure to post pictures of your goodies once you get them. If you don't have a blog, email them to me and I can post them for you.

that's some serious man bling

The New York City subway system can be an interesting place chock full of interesting characters. Where else will you be propositioned for a threesome by a middle-aged couple old enough to be your parents? Lately, I have resorted to taking discreet camera-phone pictures and sending them to TLS if there is something truly share-worthy. Yesterday, on my way home from work, I saw a man wearing a loud, flashy, gold ring. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that he was wearing four rings on the one hand, and three on the other. All gold. All big. All flashy. Seriously? Not even I wear that much jewelry and I'm, you know, a girl.

I am very conservative and am not a fan of man bling at all. In my opinion, these are the only types of jewelry that it is acceptable for men to wear.
1) watch
2) wedding band
3) cufflinks
4) tie bar/pin
5) fraternity pin
6) any military medals/regalia

Am I alone in this?

my how the mighty have fallen

I have been a loyal fan and follower of Coach for years. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for their keyrings and wristlets, and if you have been friends with me long enough, odds are you probably have received either a keyring or a wristlet from me as a gift. Like several other companies lately, I feel my love affair with Coach declining. More and more of the pieces that they make are just not me, and are getting louder and flashier by the minute. I received the latest Coach catalog a couple of days ago which focuses on the new Poppy collection. In it, Coach asks "Are you Poppy?" I can proudly say that no, I am not. Here's why.

The best way to sum up the fall collection is sequins. And then sequins. And just for good measure, some more sequins. Take for instance this Sequin XL Spotlight bag, $598.

Why, why, why does it need so many sequins? Is it starring all by itself in an off-Broadway show? $600 buys you a lot of sequins.

Looking for a pair of understated ballet flats for the fall? Walk straight past these babies then, if you can avoid being momentarily blinded by the neon colors. And even more sequins.

Shine Ballet Flats, $138

These shoes are adorable for your first day of school, if Green Eggs and Ham is on your class's required reading list. If you're any older than that, then just say no.

Don't call it a comeback, the eighties have been here for years, or so says this Nova Midtop Sneaker, $138.

I call this purse "Lisa Frank gone hardcore." Coach just calls it Evie, $198.

While there are some things on the Coach site that are quite lovely and blinding, I have to offer a big, loud, Le Sigh. Whatever happened to the days of a simple, solid color, well-made leather tote?

one girl, three purses

Being that I am completely neurotic and borderline OCD, I have already started packing for England. It's only 16 days until I leave, after all. Being that I am flying the wonderfulness that is Delta Airlines (oh joy), I am restricted to bringing one suitcase. The second bag will cost me $50. TLS's birthday is September 18th, ironically enough, that is also the date of the Air Force Birthday, so I am flying with World's Best Birthday Gift for him in my suitcase, along with some other presents that he already knows about. (I am not posting what I got him here, but if you're curious, email me and I will tell you.) This will clear up space in my bag for lots and lots and lots of souvenir shopping. However, I have zero desire to be charged for an overweight or second bag, so I am trying to consolidate as much as possible. Considering that I have been a lifelong member of Overpackers Not Anonymous, this is not exactly an easy feat for me. (One time in 9th grade, I brought a full suitcase with me to a slumber party!)

I am bringing my monogrammed Vera Bradley New Hope Miller with me so that we can take it for our overnight trip to Belgium, and so that I can use it as a carryon for the way back. I am trying really hard to restrict myself to just these three purses.

1) Longchamp Planetes Black Shopper

If you do not own one of these bags, get one. It is well worth the price. It is thicker and more durable than the Pliages series bags, does not get dirty, and looks a lot sleeker and more elegant.

2) Louis Vuitton Montorgueil

I love this bag so so much.

3) Vineyard Vines Margarita tote

I love Vineyard Vines totes and have probably 4 or 5. They are great bags in general, but they are awesome for travelling because they have internal pockets for organizing things.

I plan on taking the Louis Vuitton and the Vineyard Vines tote as my carryons and having the Longchamp in my suitcase.

A week and a half on only three purses. Do y'all think that I can really do this? Who wants to place bets on this?

Also, if you want to sign up for my beverage swap, you still have until midnight tomorrow to do so. I will post the partners tomorrow.

I don't care if we're in a recession, I'm getting my hair done

I have been getting my hair Japanese straightened for several years now. The process is not cheap, but I don't care. It saves me a lot of time in the long run and makes me feel better about myself, which to me, is worth the price tag. As I have been freaking out about getting ready for my England trip and getting my hair done and packed, etc., TLS and some of my friends have been trying to convince me that my hair does not look as scary as I think it does. I'm sure of that. I also realize that the money I spend on my hair would be better spent in England. However, I have always had issues with my hair and am very picky about it. I only use certain brands of haircare products (Fekkai and Ojon). To me, my hair regimen will be the last thing to go. My question for all of my readers is- what is the one habit of yours that you cannot cut back on, regardless of the recession? Discuss.

I have something to wear but my pearls

I had an amazing weekend. Saturday, I met up with Preppy Coastee and we went to the Lilly Pulitzer Madison Avenue store. She is even funnier and more amazing in real life than on her blog, and I had a blast hanging out with her. I made out like a bandit and was able to find four things.

1) The Jonah Dress

This dress is super-comfortable and very flattering. It is a thicker material, so it will be perfect for late fall/early winter as well. I was not sure about how much I'd like the print in person, but I loved it. There is even a sketch of a lion holding a martini glass, which I love. Basically, I love everything about this dress.

2) Sabine Shirt Dress Crinkle

Another super-comfortable and flattering dress. When I put it on, I didn't want to take if off. Ever. It is a lighter fabric, so you can even wear it now.

3) Hollin Sweater

I got this in both the hot pink and a navy color that isn't available on the website. I was debating between the regular navy and the Hollin Novelty sweater from my previous post, but in the end, I felt that the plain one was more flattering and easier to wear with more things.

Sadly, the Hazel Henley that I loved so much on the website did not look good at all on me on person, the ruffle is a lot bigger than it seems and just is not very flattering. However, I love every single thing that I bought, and have already packed them all away for England. I am so happy and feel so much calmer now that I have something to wear. I also made an appointment to get my hair done at my favorite salon, Le Salon Chinois, for Saturday, so now I feel like everything is finally starting to come together! Also, to any of my New York readers, the August issue of Lucky Magazine has a coupon for 20% off your total purchase at the Madison Avenue store, so if you can get your hands on an August issue, run, don't walk, to 1020 Madison Avenue. After I left the store, I was kicking myself for not getting a 2010 agenda while I was in there with my 20% discount, but I am a big supporter of the Preppy Princess, so I will get one from her. :)

After Lilly, we walked a few blocks down to Alice's Tea Cup, another one of my favorite New York places. I love afternoon tea, and Alice's has a great spread. One of the things that they are most known for are their pumpkin scones, which I am a huge fan of. If you are ever in New York, you must check out Alice's.

I have nothing to wear but my pearls

I wrote in my last post about my wardrobe foibles and lack of suitable clothing to wear to England next month. Yesterday, I spent 3.5 hours shopping, and at the end of the night, all I had to show for it were to white camisoles to wear under shirts from White House, Black Market, and a pair of (free) underwear from the Gap. While I'm sure TLS wouldn't mind if I walked around his house in just my underwear and pearls, he's not going to be appreciative of me doing that in public. I absolutely cannot fathom as to why not?

Fortunately, tomorrow I have a girl date with Preppy Coastee, and we plan on hitting up the essentials: Lilly Pulitzer and Alice's Tea Cup. (Sometimes, dates with girls are so much better than dates with guys.) I am hoping, nay, praying, to find something that works on me. With this in mind, I present you with my favorite things, the Lilly Pulitzer fall edition.

**Side note: while I am a huge fan of Lilly Pulitzer, particularly the polos, I feel like a lot of the clothes are just not designed for my lifestyle. I'm 26 years old and live north of the Mason-Dixon line in a city where black is the new black. I just can't be walking around wearing a pink and orange glow in the dark sundress. This is why I like the fall collections more, when they focus on darker colors. Does anyone else feel the same way?**

I need a dress for date night- drinks at the Ice Bar proceeded or followed by dinner at a place with a fully functioning heating system, and then, of course, Phantom on the West End. So far these are the ones I've had my eye on.

Jonah Dress Printed, $168

I am not sure how this dress will look on me, but I love the combination of navy, white, and pink, so I have to give it a shot.

Marcella Tunic Dress, Paisley, $168

Marcella Tunic Dress, Printed, $168

Sabine Shirt Dress Crinkle, $168

Also, I am constantly searching for long-sleeve shirts and sweaters. Despite the fact that I cannot stand inclement (read: anything colder/worse than 73 degrees and perfectly sunny with no humidity whatsoever) weather, I love long sleeve shirts. Here's what I've had my eye on.

Hazel Henley Heathered, $58

Hazel Henley, $58Hazel Henley, $58(No, I don't see a pattern here. Why? Do you?)

Hollin Sweater Solid, $98

I love a good v-neck sweater. It can really open up your face and be so flattering. It is a wardrobe staple and every girl should have one.

Hollin Sweater Novelty, $118

Please please please pray to the retail gods for me that something works out for me this weekend and I am able to get clothes! You are supposed to spend money in a recession, after all.

As a side note, if you have not yet done so, be sure to sign up for my beverage swap! :) I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and I can't wait to read about it.

weekend recap

I apologize for not posting this earlier, I have been a bit swamped with work. KMH has reminded about 5 or 6 times that I have yet to blog and she is getting worried about me. I am here to tell you all that I am in fact alive and you have no reason to worry about me.

The shower on Sunday went swimmingly. I went with a pink and green theme (shocking) and JMK loved it. All of the guests said that it was the best shower they've been to, which made me smile. A big thank you to Lulu and Daisy and the Preppy Princess for helping me get prizes on time. If you have not checked out either of these stores yet (and why haven't you?) be sure to, as they are both fabulous and have terrific customer service.

The only things about the shower that annoyed me were 1) one rude guest who was a total Debbie Downer, 2) the fact that a few women who RSVP'd saying that they were coming did not show up, and that 3) after hunting down women via phone, facebook, and email, I still could not get several of them to RSVP. Two of the bride's roommates could not even be bothered to RSVP, not cool. I ended up spending more money than I intended to because I had to get food, favors, etc. for women who never showed, which did not make me a happy camper. Folks please never do this. Parties don't just happen, it takes someone a lot of time and money to plan them, and it does not take a lot to make a one minute phone call or send out a quick email. Oh well, what's done is done. Thankfully, I don't have to throw another shower in the forseeable future.

After the shower, I took a cab back with JMK to the apartment that she and her fiance got. They had signed the lease about 2 hours before the shower, so it was a big day for her. Their apartment is really nice and right across the street from the synagogue that they both go to, as well as the supermarket, which makes it a great location.

Monday, I slept at my mother's house because one of my favorite blog readers, Chani, was moving into her neighborhood and I helped her move and assemble furniture. This reminded me of why I have a love/hate relationship with Ikea. Assembly instructions should not be in comic strip form. Also, it should not take 30 minutes and one hammer to assemble a laundry hamper that probably cost less than my morning order at Starbucks. It just shouldn't.

After going through my closet, I realized that I leave for England in just over three weeks and have literally nothing to wear. Somehow, all of my fall clothes are too big or too small. Murphy and his law are not big fans of mine. Expect a lot of frantic shopping posts from now until then. Also, if you have not yet signed up to participate in my beverage swap, be sure to do so. The more the merrier. :)

saying no to a bride?

I have yet another question regarding wedding etiquette for all of my readers. This comes courtesy of TLS who is in a bit of a sticky situation and needs advice. To avoid any miscommunication between the genders, I am copying and pasting this straight from the horse's (err, boy's) mouth.

I met RP during Air Force training and became friends with him, and when we were both in San Antonio I met his fiance, AH. Over the course of the years, I became close friends with the couple but RP was a quiet person who would often let AH take a lead role in things. Besides fights between the two of them, this also led to me seeming to be a better friend of AH's than RP.
About the time I left for England, the two finally agreed to separate and go their separate ways. I've tried to remain friends with both, though AH made it difficult since she started seeing someone while still living with RP. As far as I know this was agreed upon by both of them and was completely fine, but I had my doubts.
Now AH is engaged to her new friend, and immediately asked me to be part of the wedding party. And I don't know what to do.

Any advice for the boy?

Favorite Things Friday

This week's favorite things comes to you courtesy of my hair. Let me explain- I have more hair issues than any one I've ever met. I describe my hair as looking like a black sheep that's been left out in the rain for too long. Seriously folks. It's that curly and that attractive. I get Japanese straightening done on my hair to make it look nice and be more manageable. The problem with Japanese straightening (aside from the borderline astronomical cost) is that you can only get it done every 4-6 months to allow your roots to grow in. I was supposed to get mine done on Memorial Day weekend, but TLS was in town, and then one thing led to another, and somehow, I was never free for 6 hours in one day to get it done. I finally decided to wait until right before my trip to England so that my hair can look perfect for it and I don't have to spend time straightening my hair then. (TLS says he'll obviously wait for me to get ready, but being that he's a guy who gets mandated haircuts every two weeks, I don't think he understands just how long it takes for me to do my hair.)

Since the bottom part of my hair looks fine, and it's just the top part that I don't like, I have been wearing a lot of baseball caps and headbands lately. So this week's favorite things post is all about headbands.

A cute polka dotted one from Tucker Blair, on sale for $25.

A hair sash from Vineyard Vines in one of my favorite colors, $24.50.
This time a headband from Vineyard Vines, also in one of my favorite color combinations, $30.A cute sporty one from A. Tierney, $18.Another one from A. Tierney as well, this one is for girls, not women, but I have a small head, and it's so cute that I would hope it could work for me, $18.

A cute colorful one from Baekgaard, $20.

The following two headbands are too thin to actually do anything but my monstrous hair (I realize I may be exxagerating a little, but not by much), but are still too cute to not post.


From crewcuts, a thin one with delicate flowers, perfect for evening, $16.50.
From Fornash, another fun thin one for evening, $38. (Like I was not going to post something that has a ladybug on it...)That's all for this week folks. Enjoy your weekends, have fun, and I will hopefully survive the bridal shower on Sunday and will provide you with a recap on Monday.

MRM's Beverage Swap

Being that I am an avid fan of 1) tea, and 2) pretty/cute coffee mugs, so I have decided to organize a beverage swap for Fall. This can be a fun way to get to know some fellow bloggers better and to get to try out new things.

If you sign up for this swap, you are committing to send your swap partner at least 3 things, a mug/tea cup/travel mug and some tea/coffee/cider/hot cocoa mix. You can also send things that are not drinkable but relate to the general theme (some biscotti, or chocolate dipping spoons for coffee, cute coasters, etc.). Get creative and send your partner things that are local to where you live. (I will be getting my swap partner tea from England!) Please spend about $25-30 on your partner, not including shipping. I don't want to leave anyone out, so if you want to participate but can't spend that much, email me at whaleflipflops {@} gmail {.} com and I'll see what I can do.

Because this is a swap dealing with edibles, please let your partner know of any dietary restrictions that you may have (kosher, nut allergy, pregnant and can't have caffeine, etc.) to avoid any confusion or wasted food.

Please post pictures of all your swap goodies so that we can all oooh and aaaah over them. If you do not have a blog but would like to participate, you can email me your pictures and I would be more than happy to post them for you.

Sign ups will be open for two weeks, and I will post the list of swap partners on August 20th. Packages will need to be mailed out by September 25th. To sign up, please leave a comment on here with your email address or email me directly. Please feel free to tell your friends about this swap!

Enjoy!

does this ever happen to anyone else?

You open the fridge and see that it's full and think "oh I don't have to go grocery shopping." Then when you're hungry, you decide to make dinner only to open the fridge and discover that while your fridge may be full, it actually contains nothing but condiments and beverages. "What can I make with 2 bottles of wine, vodka, Coca-Cola, water, spicy mustard, ketchup, peanut butter, low-fat ranch dressing, and 2 pieces of string cheese?" Not as much as you'd think. Epic fail.

why you should never run errands before your morning coffee

Last night, I got a hilarious text message from KMH that I just had to share with y'all. My birthday present finally came and she went to go mail it out. She decided to stop by USPS before going to get her morning Starbucks, and, without realizing it, she put my address as the From: address, and hers as the To: address. She got a text last night from her roommate saying that she had received a package from me in her handwriting, and it took her a while to realize what had happened. Love her.

On a semi-related note, I thought about hosting a tea/coffee/cocoa/drink mix swap in September. (This way, I can get my swap partner goodies from England.) Would any one be interested in participating in this? Let me know.

One month to go

No real post of substance here, but today marks 1 month until I leave for England to see TLS. Just to make sure I didn't forget, TLS surprised me and had these delivered to my office this morning:

Yes I did squeal like a little girl when I got them. And yes, several coworkers have asked me who they're from, is it my birthday, and what's the occassion. (Please excuse 1) the picture, it was taken with my camera phone, and 2) the mess on my desk.) Aren't they beautiful?

If you haven't yet done so, you can still enter my British Treats giveaway here. I realized after I reread it, that I said that the giveaway would run until September 13th, but the prize would be of the winner's choosing, so that doesn't work. Durf. The giveaway will actually run until September 3rd, and I will contact the winner to see if he (or he) wants loose tea or in bags.