Better than Bland

vacationing in a bus is THE BEST

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I went to LA, rented a Volkswagon bus and drove to Joshua Tree (and later, Palm Springs). I admit, I originally booked this trip solely because that bus is irresistibly cute and I had visions of driving it down the highway, windows down, wind blowing through my hair. Luckily, we discovered that roadtripping in a bus is the best thing ever and the trip didn't degenerate into some kind of National Lampoon fiasco.

why roadtripping in a bus is a fantastic idea:

1. nap time, any time. whereever you are, whatever time of day, you have a nap mobile at your disposal. simply fold down the back seat, close the bus curtains and have yourself a shut eye.

2. make friends while stuck in traffic. this bus was a QUITE the crowd pleaser. there were smiles, honks and buses of children waving at us.

3. panoramic views. there's something about that windshield that makes the view down the highway look like something out of a fancy coffee table book. renting this guy instead of a Civic made the trip about the journey, not the destination.

4. watch the sun rise from wherever you park. one of my favorite parts of the trip was waking up and looking out the rear window to see the sun rising over the Joshua Tree hills. I haven't seen the sun rise in years (mostly because I won't be able to afford a San Francisco apartment with views of the actual sky for a few more decades), but park this baby at a campsite and enjoy the sunrise from the comfort of your bed (ahem, sleeping bag).

answers to the questions that you probably have if you want to plan a trip like this:

- we rented our bus using this company (they were SO nice).

- if you fly into John Wayne Airport, the rental company will pick you up at the gate! (I don't know if I have ever been more excited than when I saw that little red bus for the first time! my heart rate was out of control.)

- the bus was an automatic transmission.
- the rental rate varies, but it was definitely cheaper than renting a regular car, in addition to the fact that it was also our hotel for two nights.

instagramming

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:01:00 +0000

I've been Instagramming up a storm lately - follow @helloerin, or click here for more.

I'd promise to never post a picture of my dinner, but I never say never.

confession time.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:54:00 +0000

It's confession time. I've been shopping at JCPenney.

Occasionally I'll find myself parking in the JCPenney lot (because let's face it, it's always the least crowded entrance to the mall), so a few weeks ago I was walking through on my way to another store when a grey cashmere sweater caught my eye. It was in an enormous size and had one of those dumb scoopy neck lines, but the heathered cashmere was so pretty and it was a STEAL at $20.

I have a deep-rooted aversion to loose, scoopy necklines (it's so hard to find a true crew-neck these days!), so I wanted to find a way to make the neckline a little less floppy. I got out a needle and thread, created a little pleat, and 5 minutes later... voila!

I think this looks like a fancy detail on an expensive sweater, not a 5 minute update to a $20 sweater. This guy is going in my weekly rotation!

I love my boots.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 04:59:00 +0000

I've mentioned before that I dislike how much the blogosphere makes me want more stuff. I like buying things as much as the next girl, but seeing bloggers' lists of "essentials" that include $90 candles and $500 party dresses never fails to make me feel like I'm losing at life.

So, let me introduce my new reoccurring column called "I love my ______." Instead of telling you what new, shiny dress/candle/ring/whatever you MUST go buy (because it's "swooon-worthy!" ugh. worst descriptor ever.), I want to share some of my best clothing investments with you - things that at the time felt like a big splurge, but that I've worn for years and have never regretted purchasing.

First up:

A big snowstorm hit the day of my first-ever big deal job interview in college, and the only thing I had to wear before changing into my heels was a pair of Uggs. A quick trip to the mall yielded these bad boys, which have since gotten me through the past five winters.

These things have only gotten better with age. I'm obsessed with how they wrinkle perfectly around my ankles and how the toe has worn down just a tiiiiny bit. This is probably what the Queen of England wears to feed her sheep in the morning when she's staying at her castle in Scotland, right?

If you're in the market for some investment boots:

one Coach, sale $279 / two Madewell, $298 / three Frye, $428

photobooth-ing

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 06:27:00 +0000

For the past few weekends I've been ~~taking~~ dragging my boyfriend to photobooths hidden in dive bars and tourist traps across San Francisco. There aren't many film booths in working condition anymore, so it's a fun adventure to hunt down the few that are still around. Don't get me wrong - I'm not above hopping in one of those snazzy digital photo booths at the mall and adding sweet heart borders and shooting star effects, but there's something so special about a film photo booth print. I think I'll be keeping these on display for a long, long time.

Use this site to find out if there are any photo booths in your city!

photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

oh hey! and a playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 05:48:00 +0000

Oh hey! I'm back!

I've been plotting my return to blogging for a few weeks, and I have to say, I'm REALLY excited about putting some new ideas into work in 2013. I'll be posting a few things for you every week, so feel free to stop by more often!

Without further ado, the inaugural post of 2013:

I'm always looking for some good tunes to listen to post-brunch. The sun is shining, caffeine is pulsing through my veins and I'm donning my brunchiest outfit. I never seem to have a happy, bouncy playlist at the ready for car dancing, so I put this one together to use on Saturday morning. Enjoy!

a lesson in air travel

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:32:00 +0000

Once I was in an airport looking like a mess - my purse was overflowing with magazines and snack food, I hadn't bothered putting on any makeup and I was looking unabashedly American in a pair of leggings and Uggs. Then, sometime between being told that, yes, Harrod's blackberry jam is considered a liquid and, yes, I'll have to throw it away (all three jars! gah!) and kneeling on the ground frantically digging through my purse trying to find my passport, I saw a girl breezing through customs wearing a grey cashmere sweater and a light jacket, carrying only an ivory quilted Chanel bag. Since then, I've strived to travel lightly and pack only the most versatile of necessities.

The past few times I've travelled I've happily hopped through security while secretly laughing at all the dolts who schlep everything but the kitchen sink around with them. If you pack strategically you can travel a lot lighter than you'd think!

I'm headed home for some much-needed R&R with my fam - I hope you all manage to breeze through airports and have a fabulous holiday! See you back here in 2012!

the day I finally out-hipstered myself

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:08:00 +0000

This weekend I went to a place in San Francisco that does tintype portrait sessions...

Isn't the result incredible? Tintype photography was the first type of "film" - it uses an aluminum plate coated in some chemicals to capture an image. Photobooth does a quick portrait session with you, processes the image on-site and you walk out with the actual plate that your portrait was captured on.

My portrait in the drying box. I spy some hipsters...

Once the image is done they make a digital copy so that you can order enlargements. If I had a kid I would totally blow up a portrait like this. It's hard to tell, but these are at least 4 feet tall.

After growing up in a town where the only thing to do on a Sunday afternoon was to watch some kind of lame sporting event on TV, it's been totally blissful to live in San Francisco where interesting places like this seem to lie around every corner.

Sunday Snaps

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:11:00 +0000

From my Sunday afternoon stroll around the Mission:

Speaking of edibles...a few weeks ago I was hanging out in Dolores Park and a woman who looked like a Toyota Sienna-driving, cupcake-making soccer mom was walking around with a wicker basket full of brownies yelling "hash edibles!" This city is so absurd.

red sweater, purple pants

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:44:00 +0000

I just wrapped up a big project at work, so tonight I rewarded myself with chocolate cheesecake and a laaaarge glass o' wine and came up with this little Photoshop effect that I'm finding pretty hilarious. Excuse me while I go change my Facebook profile pic.

Like my sweater? It reminds me of something someone on That '70's Show would wear. Pairing it with some purple cords was one of the better ideas I had last week.

Forever 21 sweater ($12!!), Gap cord jeggings

JewelMint giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:17:00 +0000

Like my new bracelet? I'm not a girl who loves jewelry (I normally find that it just detracts from my outfits - is anyone with me on this?), but I'm really loving this new scalloped cuff. It packs just the right amount of graphic punch and it matches my favorite coffee mug!

Madewell top, bracelet c/o JewelMint

JewelMint is giving away a piece of jewelry to one of you! Go peruse their site, make an account, take their style profile quiz, and then leave me a comment - I'll pick a winner randomly on Sunday night at 8pm! Extra entries for following on Twitter and liking on Facebook!

baby blue Fiat

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:17:00 +0000

I was walking down the street a few weeks ago and stumbled across what is now my dream car. Seriously, how cute is this? I already have fantasies of driving down Highway 1 in this baby while wearing big Jackie O. sunglasses and listening to the Beatles.

I took these photos with my fancy film camera and am toying around with the idea of starting an Etsy shop to sell some prints. Thoughts? Do you guys ever actually buy prints online?

good morning.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:23:00 +0000

Morning has always been my favorite time of day. Lately I've been winning my daily battle against the snooze button to make time for tea-drinking and book-reading before heading to work.

Not racing the clock to get out the door has been such a nice change.

polka-dots and coffee on a roof

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:11:00 +0000

Whenever I wake up on the weekends to find that it's going to be another summer-like day, half of me is slightly irritated because I don't have an excuse to sit on my couch in my pajamas drinking coffee and watching reruns of The Office (my favorite pastime in unpleasant weather).

Today I embraced the sunshine and headed to the cafe on the roof of Moma to meet up with a friend who was in town for a quick trip. Isn't this pleated polka-dot dress fun??

that time I packed a camera in my kayak

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:43:00 +0000

Catch my Gilmore Girls reference? Bueller? Bueller?

This summer I did a lot of kayaking and am finally getting around to getting the film developed.

My Fave Blogs, Part 1 - Personal Style

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:36:00 +0000

I always get questions about how I find new blogs and which ones are my favorite, so I thought I'd start a little series to share the ones that I'm most excited to see pop up in my Google Reader. This week the theme is personal style blogs!

Natalie doesn't post nearly as often as I'd like, but it was her bangs that sent me into a month-long to bang or not to bang crisis (I decided against them...for now). And that pom-pom necklace? Please. It's too good.

Lucy lives in New York and often alludes to going to meetings at Vogue (sidenote: riding the Condé Nast elevator is on my bucket list.) I became her biggest fan the day she wore this amazing beaded capelet. (photo)

Weronika lives in Poland and is the closest thing to a modern day Audrey Hepburn I've ever seen. And she's 16. Now go look at her blog and be jealous. (photo)

Krystal lives in San Francisco. I'm going to refrain from gushing about how much I love her ballsy approach to fashion because when I run into her at Zara one day I'd rather not have already published a love letter to her on the internet. (photo)

I love Alicia because she stays true to her personal style season after season. She knows what works for her - motorcycle boots, leather jackets, chunky jewelry - and doesn't bother testing out the trend of the moment if it doesn't jive with her aesthetic. (photo)

Anabel plays with boy-ish silhouettes in a way I will never be able to. As much as I love the seqiney, stripey, colorful J.Crew look, I can appreciate her approach to fashion almost as much! (photo)

Possibly my favorite blog OF ALL TIME. Eve picks out outfits all by herself and conveniently has a mom who's a photographer. She layers striped socks under cowboy boots, and accessorizes with flower pins more skillfully than any grown woman I've ever seen. A must read. (photo)

My Olsen obsession is one of my biggest guilty pleasures. When I saw MK+A leaving their apartments with wet hair, I decided that blow dryers were overrated and haven't looked back since. (photo)

Sunday Snaps

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:15:00 +0000

1. I went to the beach today and managed to take this picture before falling asleep on a sand dune.

2. I've been packing my little Japanese tupperware full of fruit every morning partly because I like fruit and partly because it looks so cute.

3. On my walk to work.

4. Underneath highway 80.

5. My apartment was trashed by the time the weekend rolled around, but the light I get in the morning is so nice.

Also, I found this little piece of internet happiness that compares what you plan on doing on a Sunday to what actually happens. An excerpt:

What you tell yourself: I am going to shower, pick up around the apartment, and eat a healthy breakfast!
What you do: After waking up, you walk to the kitchen in your underwear and chug an inordinate amount of orange juice. You stand, motionless, staring out the kitchen window for an unreasonable amount of time, making deep morning sighs, squinting, and sometimes scratching yourself. You pace around the apartment idly, without purpose.

Cheers to unproductive Sundays.

DIY clothes rack

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:10:00 +0000

Since my closet is about as big as a telephone booth, I've been needing to find a supplemental home for clothes somewhere in my apartment. My kitchen is basically a glorified granola bar storage facility (not a lot of cooking has been going on lately), so I decided it was the perfect spot to put a clothes rack.

I went to the hardware store to get the parts to make this bad boy and was standing next to someone who was also buying plumbing supplies (you know, to PLUMB with, not hang sequined dresses on) and I accidentally said something along the lines of, "Do you think these pipes come in any other colors?" Even the Kardashians would've rolled their eyes at that one. Whoops.

Anyway, I got all of the pieces for $50, screwed them all together in about 15 minutes, et voila! It's cool and industrial and has made getting ready for work in the morning much easier!

(you can find the tutorial on how to put a quote on your wall using masking tape here)

One word of warning to anyone who gives this a try - the pipes will turn your hands black, so wear gloves while you screw everything together unless you want spend a significant amount of time scrubbing your hands!

Sunday Snaps

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:50:00 +0000

Sorry, Illinois. I'm never coming back. Some photos I took while walking around San Francisco this week:

1. guys analyzing street art in SOMA
2. birds and MUNI lines in the Mission
3. coffee on the roof cafe at SF MOMA
4. clouds and waves on my morning commute

white girls in a forest

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:25:00 +0000

While my mom was here we went to see Redwoods. She had to borrow some of my clothes and since neither of us got the memo about cargo shorts and Berekley sweatshirts being required dress at state parks in California, we both ended up looking like white girls who took a wrong turn somewhere between Starbucks and the elliptical machine at the gym. I'll make sure to pack my Teva's next time.

All mockery aside, this place was amazing. After spending my weekdays looking at a computer screen, I'm always itching to get outside by the time the weekend rolls around and this was just the breath of non-airconditioned air that I needed.

(we rented a ZipCar - it was SO cute and SO much fun to drive!)

take your mom to work day

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:50:00 +0000

My mom came to San Francisco to hang out with me for the weekend, so on Monday morning before her flight back to Chicago she stopped by my office building to admire the views.

I've shed more tears about career-related topics than I ever have over any boy (as a co-worker and I decided today - I'm a Miranda, not a Carrie). I called my mom during my first week of college crying about how I was already behind in building a competitive resume, and the frequency and potency of panic attacks only increased from there.

But, every day when I walk into my fancy office building I kind of feel like the coach at the end of the NBA finals who gets the cooler of Gatorade dumped on him. The satisfaction from working really hard and eventually getting what you want feels so, so good.

pre-sweatpants MySpace pic

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:03:00 +0000

Tina Fey said that when she turned forty she started feeling the need to take her pants off immediately when she got home from work. I started feeling like that at the ripe age of 22. Yesterday I was able to ignore the little voice in my head that yells at me to hurry up and put on sweatpants for long enough to take a MySpace pic in front of my closet mirror.

(Banana Republic Factory Store top, J.Crew skirt, unknown scarf)

Yep, I wore a pink skirt with a purple top to work. And I listened to Taylor Swift on my commute. I refuse to fully transition into adulthood even though I have a 401k and a 9:30pm bedtime.

8:30am on the Bay

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 05:38:00 +0000

This whole "full-time employment" gig is really putting a damper on my blogging schedule. I can't function on less than 8 hours of sleep, and squeezing everything else in between the hours of 6pm and 10pm is proving to be a lot harder than I envisioned. But, this morning I met a friend for coffee before work (I found someone who thinks that blogging is awesome and not creepy!) and snapped a few pics. 'Bout time, right?

J.Crew shirt, Madewell jeans (similar here), Ann Taylor shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses

guest post for Gaby

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 05:59:00 +0000

I'm over here today recapping some of my most awkward moments!

ignore your to-do list.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Girard) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:06:00 +0000

Today I sat on my fire escape eating pudding and listening to Bob Dylan, drove to a park to see the lights of SF from above and wrapped up the day splashing around in the Pacific Ocean. Good things happen when you ignore your computer and to-do list.