Stuff Jewish Girls Like

Sunday Runday: How's it Going?

2012-02-26T16:22:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Sunday Runday! This is a weekly series of posts relating to running and race training, all leading up to our group race day (see here).

We are two short weekends away from our St. Patrick's Day 8k! Who's excited? My schedule is simmering down a bit, but I've missed several weeks of training due to trial and I suspect I may have to resign myself to walking for a portion of this upcoming 8k. But hey, it'll be better than nothing.

Tell me how you're doing! Also, perhaps it's time to start thinking about post-race brunch? If you'll be in town and are interested in meeting up for a bite after the run, please let me know, either in the comments or via email.

I had the thought this morning that I've been a pretty sorry e-friend for the last few weeks; I've been reading your comments and you've made me feel warm and fuzzy and have given me all sorts of motivation to sleep and be healthy, but I haven't been giving very much back to you in terms of comments or interesting content. I apologize, and I appreciate your patience. Do you ever feel as though you have a finite amount of creative energy? I feel like I'm putting so much creativity into my job right now that I have a hard time even mustering up the energy to respond to simple personal emails.

If I sound like I'm complaining, I don't mean to sound that way at all. I would work on six trials a year if I could; this whole experience has been absolutely amazing. I've learned so much about what it takes to pull together a trial and I feel as though I'm a hugely better lawyer today than I was even a week ago. It's a satisfying feeling to spend your life building up to the career of your choice only to realize that it truly is what you want to do with your life after all. I hope this feeling sticks.

Speaking of my life, it's my birthday today! I'm celebrating by...putting in a full day at the office. But hey, I get to sit in on court proceedings tomorrow, so it'll all be worth it. (I did get some spare time last night to check out the local casino; ringing in my 28th year playing poker is just fine by me! Amazingly, one of the other guys at the table celebrated his birthday yesterday, and a third person will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow! What are the chances?)

Sunday Runday: Open Forum

2012-02-19T19:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Sunday Runday! This is a weekly series of posts relating to running and race training, all leading up to our group race day (see here).

I was hoping I'd have time this week to do something crazy, like writing some real content for Sunday Runday (or even responding to your fabulous comments from, oh, like, a week and a half ago). Unfortunately, this week is shaping up to be even more busy than the last, so I'll just open the blog up for comments re: your training progress this week. Bear with me and my work schedule! Trial (probably) can't last forever.

Frankly, I could really use some motivation from those of you early risers. I am finding it extremely difficult to wake up early and squeeze in my training; in my non-trial life, I usually wake up at 8:30am to go to work, but on trial I'm generally waking up at 6:30am at the latest at 5am at the earliest. I'm heading to bed around 1am, and sometimes as late as 3am, as a result of work. How the heck am I supposed to get out of bed to exercise when I know I can squeeze an extra hour of sleep into my morning?

Please, tell me the strategies you super-humans use in the moment that alarm first goes off in the morning. Once I hit snooze, it's all over. Alternatively, your best strategies for functioning on three hours of sleep for five days in a row would also be appreciated. (I'm afraid 5 Hour Energy will make me infertile but can't support this with any real evidence.)

OOTD: Work Horse

2012-02-15T23:13:00.001-05:00

Holy crap, you guys.

TRIAL. I'm working 15- to 18-hour days over here and I barely have time to brush my teeth each night. It's an amazing experience, and at the same time my circadian rhythm is so thrown off from these long workdays and short nights that I'm convinced today is Friday. I can only imagine how much further ahead I'll feel by next week. I'll probably be whipping out my swimsuit for what I will swear will be July weather outside.

Still, I love this line of work. Even when it physically wrecks me in several different manners of speaking, I love it. (I never said it was a healthy relationship.)

Anyway, this skirt is really comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. (Also, it doesn't wrinkle.) Let's pretend I don't have to shove it full of pillows overnight to stretch it out a bit so it's not too scandalously bum-hugging for the office (which may have been true even pre-weight gain). Just pretend with me, friends.

Shirt -- Urban Outfitters

Skirt -- Marston Sweater Skirt (Anthro)

Blazer -- Ann Taylor

Shoes -- Anthro (Schuler and Sons)

Necklace -- Kate Spade

Watch -- Amazon Crawford Boyfriend Watch

Earrings -- Anthro

Sunday Runday: Share your Progress!

2012-02-12T17:26:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Sunday Runday! This is a weekly series of posts relating to running and race training, all leading up to our group race day (see here).

This week's post: Share your progress!

We've got a month to go until race day, and I want to know: how are you coming along with your training?

As for me: I was sidelined this week with a back injury, but I feel much better today and expect to be back to my training regimen tomorrow. Finding the strength to wake up at 5:30 to get my workout in...now that's more of a question mark.

I know at least one reader had an awesome victory last week; let's hear a big congrats for MissJR, who only started running a couple of months ago, and just completed her first race: 4 miles in 38:33! Awesome!

Share your victories and struggles in the comments. I can only speak for myself, but I know I find them highly inspiring to read before the start of the week.

OOTD: Twelve

2012-02-11T10:07:00.000-05:00

(Source)

I'm in Omaha, Nebraska!

Things have been utterly hectic on my end this week, and I expect the insanity to continue as work piles on. I'm here on a case, and luckily there seems to be no shortage of work to do. Forgive me if my posts are irregular and I am slow (read: I take a week) to respond to comments. I always do this thing where I excitedly see a comment notification show up in my inbox, then I realize if I respond within the first two seconds of the comment being posted I'll look like a loser, and then all of a sudden it's a week later and what happened exactly?

I love traveling for work. It's so much fun to stay in a hotel and not have to worry about any of my personal needs, like laundry and cleaning. Attire in the workspace is super casual, although of course once court is in session we'll need to have nicer clothes at the ready in case we want to observe.

On top of the complete sartorial freedom, all of our meals are provided for us at the trial site, which is great in the sense that it's one less thing to worry about, but terrible in the sense that there is SO MUCH FOOD and I can barely zip up these jeans as it is!

Our snack room has, no exaggeration, 150 different varieties of snack food. Statistically, most foods you have trouble resisting will be here. A few notable items: haribo gummy bears, peanut butter-filled pretzels, nutella, honey wheat pretzels, oreos, dried/candied fruit, cheetos, ice cream...the list goes on. And on. There are lots of healthy options too, so I'm trying not to resign myself to an EXTRA extra five pounds yet, since I'm already carrying my extra five and feel very uncomfortable in my clothes.

True story: on the flight over, the flight attendants complimented me profusely on my ensemble (midwestern niceness!), and I felt like a total sham because my pants were totally all-the-way unzipped because my happy gut wouldn't be contained.

It was something like this, except with a non-$550 blue top. And with the pants unzipped.

Also, it was twelve degrees yesterday. (Yes, I wore socks when I walked outside in the above outfit.) Also also, there are only two treadmills in our fitness center.

Yeah. I'm concerned that I'll be relying entirely on elastic waistbands by the end of this trip.

But hey, that's litigation life for ya. Regardless of my ever-increasing midsection, I'm thrilled to be here, even if I am the lowest person on the totem pole. This is what I want to be doing with my life! (Litigating cases, not eating unlimited gummy bears.)

Are any of you familiar with Omaha? Any advice re: stuff to see and do? The zoo, the casinos, and of course the Anthropologie are already on my list!

In this Outfit:

Anthropologie Lining-the-Field Scoopneck (S)

Anthropologie Shadowsleeve Cardigan (M)

AG Farrah Skinnies (29)

Pilcro Trinket Bow Flats (9)

Michael Kors Watch (here) (An unexpected (and early) birthday gift!! Although I loved my cheap Amazon watch, this new guy is pretty awesome. It's maybe the perfect gift, since I probably would not have bought it myself because my cheap one was doing the job. The chronograph features are so cool!) (Perhaps now it's time to get another cheap $20 watch in regular gold? I think then I'll have the color bases covered.)

J.Crew Factory Cluster Earrings

Anthropologie Necklace

OOTD: Feeling Crappy

2012-02-07T11:24:00.000-05:00

I woke up on Sunday with a niggling back pain, which slowly blossomed over the course of the day into a full-on crippling back pain. This made for some entertaining sideways glances cast to my boyfriend at various Superbowl parties as I waddled around and seemed to struggle with the simple task of sitting squarely on my rump.

Unfortunately, Ibuprofen did nothing for me yesterday and I had to leave work after half an hour for wont of ability to sit in my desk chair. I'm still in pain today, although it seems to be subsiding a bit. I will be traveling to the midwest for work on Thursday, so I'm crossing my fingers and toes that I am back to 100% by then.

In the meantime, here's the outfit I wore the last time I was feeling this crappy about a month or two ago. There must be some universal impulse that leads us all to reach for comfy, stretchy, pajama-like fabrics when we feel under the weather.

Add to that the general crappy feeling the fact that my weight has swung up significantly in the last few weeks (certainly partly due to the fact that I'm building muscle tissue with my running, but also due to the fact that I'm eating a lot) and it's a formula for sticking with stretchy things. I'm sure I'll start caring about these five pounds very soon, but right now I'm in that mental place where I'm concerned, but not so concerned that I want to stop eating frites.

If you know what I mean.

In this Outfit:

Tracy Reese Counting Angles Dress (S)

Schuler & Sons Licorice Lace-Up Boots

Anthropologie Shadowsleeve Cardigan (M)

Ann Taylor Belt (M)

Heart Necklace from Brazil (gifted)

J.Crew Sweater Tights

OOTD: Out of Place

2012-02-02T14:36:00.002-05:00

The ladies in my office: fashionable. Fashionable ladies. As my "business casual" attire continues to evolve, I often find myself pulling inspiration from my female coworkers and their various interpretations of business casual attire. It's a lucky thing---not only are these folks great to work with and helpful about professional topics, but they are also helping me mix up my style a bit.

The only significant downside to having such stylish coworkers is that when one of my outfits misses the mark, the misstep feels exponentially amplified. (See, e.g., here.)

Take this outfit, for example.

I felt like going a bit more casual on this particular day, so I opted for a light gingham shirt and a formless cardigan. I even passed on the heels and donned flats (glitter flats, but flats nonetheless). Sure, it wasn't the crispest potato chip in the bag, but it seemed fine from most angles.

So of course that day was the day I had lunch with the girl who rocks navy like she came out of the womb in a perfectly-fitted blue dress, and the girl who actually used to be a no-joke real-live fashion model.

On days like that, I might as well be a character from The Walking Dead.

Hey, at least I try.

In this Outfit:

Anthro Cissus Buttondown (S, TTS)

H&M Cardigan

Anthro Colloquium Trousers (6, TTS) (PS: The same sad fate as befell my Split Pea Trousers also befell these pants. More on that next week.)

Payless Chelsea Glitter Flat (9, TTS) (here)

Anthro Earrings (name?)

Necklace from Florence, Italy

Zodiac Atmosphere Watch (gift)

Two (of the same) Ways: Split Pea Trousers

2012-02-01T10:45:00.000-05:00

I have a very sad story to tell you about these pants.

But I'll save that story for another day. First, why not remember them in happier times?

I wore both of these looks to work in the last month:

It's interesting how different these two outfits look despite the fact that they're almost identical: same pants; same colors (black on top, neutral silver-ish shoes). I suppose they both look polished enough for business casual, but I'll never ceased to be amazed by the miracles a simple black blazer can perform when added to nearly any outfit. The second look seems much more slimming and crisp by virtue of that addition.

Perhaps I'm partial to the second outfit because it features two of the items in my closet I consider to be magical: my lace Ann Taylor shirt and my UO (via Gabriel Brothers) black blazer. Whenver I'm struggling with what to wear, I know I can trust these pieces to work with whatever random clothing item is giving me trouble on a given day. Of course, the chambray shirt in the first shot is a bit magical, too. (See, e.g., here for uses of chambray button-downs.)

What are your "magical" items?

Snaps from a Saturday in Sperryville

2012-01-30T14:29:00.000-05:00

Inspired by a tip from Refinery 29, BF and I trekked to Sperryville, VA this weekend for what was billed as a "wine and oyster festival." Sperryville is a rural town nestled under the Shenendoah mountains. While it was an hour and a half away from D.C., the promise of two of my favorite consumables was more than sufficient to get my butt in gear.

We had a fabulous time, no thanks at all to the oysters and wine portion of the day.

When one hears the word "festival," doesn't one typically visualize variety? Unfortunately, the Sperryville meaning is different, and the oyster selection consisted of two types of raw Virginia oysters, and one offering of steamed oysters. No salt! No cocktail sauce! I prefer vinegar on my oysters anyway (which they had), but it would have been nice to have options.

Also, the wine portion of the festival consisted of four different types of wine from two different vineyards.

Yeah...a bit of a let-down.

Fortunately, the other offerings at the Sperryville River Arts center delivered! We enjoyed some local barbeque, checked out a large antique mall...

Amazing bright blue sectional sofa at the antique mall. (words cannot explain how bright blue this was IRL.)

I got a funky 1950's soup tureen with matching ladle for $13.

...and we toured an operating whisky distillery!

The Copper Fox distillery.

Our tour guide---a brother in law of the family.

Barley, after it is "malted" (i.e., soaked in water for three days so that it just begins to germinate, generating alcohol. As one of the distillery operators said, it's soaked just long enough for the barley to "think it's going to have a nice happy little life.")

Next, the barley goes into a kiln where it is smoked. The floor of this room is perforated, and underneath is a wood furnace that heats the barley over three days.

This cat, along with several others, was introduced to us as a "mouser cat," i.e., the distillery's all-organic pest extermination system.

Sniffing the fermenting barley. It gives off a mostly sweet smell, until you stick your nose past some invisible line, past which the sweet fermenting smell turns into a sour, bubbly, sinus-clearing sensation that goes from your nose all the way up into your brain. It was funny to see people's initial reactions once they felt that sensation---mainly iterations of "Oh HELL no."

Aging whisky.

The distillery invented something they call the "Waxamatic 2011," which turns the whisky bottles once they are labeled and dipped in hot wax. It's a bit of a makeshift invention; you can see that parts of it are held together by rubber bands.

The turning is required, partially because otherwise they will infringe on Maker's Mark's trademark dripping wax --- they were actually issued a cease and desist letter for a few bottles that accidentally dried in a drip pattern --- and partially because the turning wax creates a "C" on the cap, which represents their name, "Copper Fox Distillery":

All in all, a fun and educational afternoon in Virginia!

How was your weekend?

It's Sunday Runday! Let's Talk Scheduling.

2012-01-29T21:04:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Sunday Runday! This is a weekly series of posts relating to running and race training, all leading up to our group race day (see here).

This week's post: Finding the Time for Training

There's no grand design or insight for today's Sunday Runday; I'd like to hear more about how you're finding the time to fit running into your daily life.

If you're following Hal Higdon's 8k plan or something similar, then you're probably working out nearly every day. So tell me:

Do you work out at the same time every day, or do you mix up your workout time depending on your schedule?

How do you plan your day around your workout, if you do at all?

Are you a morning person or an evening person?

I've been a bit all over the place in my training times---some days, I run in the mornings before work, sometimes I find time to take a short break after lunch, and other times I find myself running before dinner or even well afterwards. I love getting my workout out of the way in the morning, but it's just SO HARD to wake up sometimes! Given the choice between working out and sleeping in for another twenty minutes....well, it's not hard.

(Image)

One thing that's been working pretty well for me is to integrate my longer cross-training sessions into an errand. On cross-training days I have been riding my bike to work, which is about a 30 minute ride. There are showers at the office, so I just need to bring in my clothes and makeup. I have a feeling my outfits on these days will be all over the place, depending on whether I had time to properly try things on! Still, I like the idea of killing two birds with one stone; it makes me feel like I'm being healthy AND EXTRA-productive.

I've gotta say, I am really enjoying the 8k distance. An 8k is long enough for me at my current level of fitness that I can't just "wing it," but it's also short enough that my training runs aren't too intimidating. Last week, it got to be 11:30pm one day and I still hadn't done my two miler...but knowing that it would only take me about twenty minutes encouraged me to just go and knock the darn thing out.

I suspect my laissez faire attitude towards scheduling will have to change soon, as my schedule is about to change dramatically. More on that in a few weeks.

In the meantime---dish! Tell us how you're making it work.

Anthro Forecast: Hoo Boy

2012-01-28T12:03:00.000-05:00

Uh oh.

If these pieces are any indication, my budgetary goals may be in trouble in the months to come.

Is anything in Anthropologie's current line-up jumping out at you? The dress offerings are calling my name!

Friday (quasi) Funday: The Things I Can Control...But Don't

2012-01-27T11:11:00.001-05:00

This week, I got an unexpected email from man-friend with whom I'd mostly lost touch. He asked me what was new in my life, and I gave him a quick update (law firm, same BF as the last time he and I spoke). I expected him to return with a similarly brief run-down of his own life, but instead he surprised me with this humdinger:

I wrote because there is someone using your picture on a fake Jdate profile. Yes I'm on Jdate. No comments. Ha

I wanted to forward you the link because that's not right, yo.

BEGPARDON??

He sent me a link, and yep, this is definitively NOT my old Jdate profile from 2006 that I probably never deleted (no comments. ha):

The picture was probably pulled from this post. I mean, I'm at least flattered that this fraudster used a relatively decent picture of me and described me as "intelligent" in the "About Me" section. (Thanks!) Also, I appreciate this person shaving almost 5 years off my age. (Much obliged!)

Edit: As soon as I found out about the profile, I called JDate and they immediately removed it.

I suppose it's good to have reminders periodically that the stuff I put on my blog stays out in the internet ether, and I can't control what people do with it once they find it. Certainly, one can never be too safe. (See, e.g., here.) Of course, there may come a point when I'm no longer willing to take those risks, or when my job precludes me from continuing with this fun hobby. For now, though, I'd like to keep on chugging.

So, while I'd like to curse the fact that I can't control the behavior of others, it's not like I've done a bang-up job of controlling my own behavior, either.

A Non-Exhaustive List of the Things I Could Control, But Do Not:

My excited facial expression every time someone with a mail cart walks by my office ("ONLINE PURCHASE DELIVERY???")
The fact that my alarm clock is consistently set for an hour later than it should be (or, alternatively, the number of times I hit the snooze alarm).
My coworkers' visibility access to my Facebook page.
The number of times per day I check: google reader; email; online storefronts.
My open animosity towards a few people in our weekly poker game.
The fact that I do not own: solid navy pumps; a sturdy black raincoat; a navy blue blazer, et al.
My love of Asian Pear crisps (actually, this may not be within my control).
The obscene number of blogs in my google reader (and still growing).
The pile of clothes on my "list on eBay" shelf. (See also, the pile of returns still to be made in my office).

There.

Actually, I'm not sure if I feel better or worse!

Two Ways (Squared): Wily Sweater and Bovary Dress

2012-01-26T11:41:00.000-05:00

Okay, you guys are completely hilarious. Your responses to yesterday's poll (also here) had me laughing all day. Unfortunately, it was the kind of laughter I couldn't really share with anybody else, because it's hard to start conversations with, "This funny thing happened on my blog today." Believe me, I've tried. Those conversations fail with a special type of awkwardness.

I do love that ridiculous bunny hat, but I'm willing to admit that I may be wearing my craycray glasses given the overwhelming crush of popular opinion:

I'll put the $45 towards something a bit more---let's just say---wearable on an every day basis. If you were one of the 16 people who liked it, though, keep checking back at ASOS for my hat to pop back into stock! ::evil grin::

Speaking of wearable on a daily basis, allow me to continue clearing out some of my backlog of outfit photos (pre-New Year's resolution) with somewhat of a "Two Ways" squared: a crossover between the Wily Sweater and the Bovary Dress.

Let's meet the characters, shall we?

First, the Wily Sweater. I included this piece in my last round of "Use it or Lose it" items. As I'm sure you can imagine from the fact that there are two very different and relatively strong patterns on this sweater, it's a bit hard to work into an outfit. Cute with self-contained layers, but not a magical goes-with-anything piece by any means. I didn't use the sweater within the time frame, but I did wear it shortly afterwards on a weekend:

(Anthro Wily Sweater (M); Pure + Good Tee (S); AG Stevie Cords (28); J.Crew Factory Tortoise Pumps (9.5 -- up .5 size; flea market necklace)

Next, allow me to re-introduce the Bovary Dress. You two have already met.

(An Anthro explosion: Anthropologie Bovary Dress (4 -- sized down one size); Anthropologie Wreathen Blouse (S); Anthropologie Shadowsleeve Cardigan (M); Anthropologie Gift Bow Belt (L); Anthropologie Bowtied Lacerta Mary Janes (8.5 -- down .5 size); Kate Spade "It Takes All Sorts" Necklace; J.Crew bracelet, Amazon Crawford Boyfriend Watch in Rose Gold (here))

I love the length and feel of the Bovary dress. The delicate pattern is so pretty, and the elastic all over the place makes it supremely comfortable for a day of sitting at my desk. (The straps are a little pull-y, but it's not terribly distracting.) The draping of the bodice is flattering over the torso and stomach, even for those of us unfortunate enough to sport baby bumps when definitively not with child.

However, with the low-cut sweetheart neckline, the only way it's work-appropriate is with some significant layering. So what better match-up, I ask you, than a dress in need of layers and a cardigan bringing two of its own to the table?

(Wily Sweater, Bovary Dress, Anthropologie Airy Weave Pullover (S); Seychelles Hamburg Pumps (9, TTS) (here, or here in pewter for only $20!!); Lela Rowe Necklace ($5 in NYC sample sale); earrings via Filene's Basement circa 2007)

To make the transition from work (boobs = detrimental distraction) to poker (boobs = helpful distraction), I took off the pullover.

Viola!

See? Backlogs can be fun!

Poll: Yay or Nay

2012-01-25T11:06:00.002-05:00

Let's all just live in an alternate universe for a minute.

It's a universe in which I did not just mention my desire to shop less and save more money,* because obviously that universe is one that we begin inhabiting in February and not today. And the rules of this universe certainly do not apply to purchases made in our prior universe (i.e., two weeks ago).

In that universe, do I keep this hat?

* LOVE your advice so far, by the way! Thank you!

2012-01-24T14:24:00.000-05:00

It's funny to think that a few days ago, we were chatting about the quality difference between fast fashion (e.g., Forever 21) and the relatively higher quality of box stores the next step up (J.Crew, Anthropologie). It seems as though most of us gravitate towards higher quality merchandise, even though it may be a bit more expensive. It's hard to justify the cost of even a <$30 piece if it's just going to fall apart in the wash or rip on its first wear.

With that said: Blast you, Kate Spade!

These ooh-la-la tights from Kate Spade (called the Scalloped Tights) were high on my wishlist since November, and I was thrilled when they went on sale in time for my office holiday party in December (I ended up not wearing them due to a slippery shoe issue). I finally busted them out last week, and what else would happen on their first wear except that a huge hole developed at the toe and caused a run all the way up to my ankle?

But of course. So, say hello and goodbye to these lovely but too-delicate tights. I barely knew ye.

All of this sort of ties into one of my New Year's resolutions for this year, which included sticking to a fixed shopping budget, among other financial resolutions. After paying my student loans this morning and seeing the sad amount that will be left in my bank account after paying the remainder of my bills, I'm going to have to be more resolute with that resolution in the future. There are a few big purchases I'd like to make in the next few months (iPod nano, large food processor, iPad 3), so I will need to start putting money away for those things now.

Anybody have good strategies for sticking to a shopping budget? Right now, I'm thinking of developing a short list of items that would actually fill a hole in my wardrobe, and using that list as a guide to filter out opportunistic buying (e.g., "Oh, $20 for a crisp pair of wool pants! These will go great with my five other pairs of wool pants!")

In this Outfit:

Blouse via T.J. Maxx

Anthropologie Scalloped Pencil Skirt (8, but one size too big. Stick with your normal size) (similar? less similar but $23?)

Kate Spade Scalloped Tights

Payless Travis Colorblock Pumps (9, TTS) (here)

Anthropologie Pacific Shimmer Earrings

Anthropologie Beaded Wink Belt (L)

Anthropologie Zodiac Necklace (Pisces) (different but reasonably-priced)

Kate Spade Enamel Bow Bracelet (gifted) (similar by Kate Spade) (same size, no bow by Kate Spade) (similar, but bamboo-looking for $7.50 for 3) (similar with bow for $17) (similar without bow for $20)

Ann Taylor Loft Bracelet by Jessica Quirk

Madewell Foxtrot Ring ($15 here)

Geneva Crawford Boyfriend Watch in Rose Gold ($21 here) (This is still holding up well since its purchase in November. There is some discoloration of the metal on the inside of the clasp when you open the buckle, but it's not visible in daily use.)

Zoya Megan Nailpolish (via Birchbox!)

Sunday Runday: The Essential Running Playlist

2012-01-22T16:59:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Sunday Runday! This is a weekly series of posts relating to running and race training, all leading up to our group race day (see here).

This week's post: The Essential Running Playlist

In last week's Sunday Runday post about my essential running gear, several folks mentioned in the comments that the most essential element of their running gear was a solid playlist. I agree---with great music playing in the background, I find that not only do my workouts seem to go by faster, but I also seem to actually run faster in keeping with the songs.

So, let's hear it!

Do you prefer relaxing songs or energy-pumping songs?
If you are a podcast person, which podcasts are your favorites?
What's your strategy for ordering your playlist?

I personally enjoy songs with a good strong beat, and preferably with lyrics I can sing along to while running at a comfortable pace. Songs with a message of toughness are especially motivating. It also helps me to vary the tempo of my songs, so I can work in some natural speed + recovery sessions (see here for more on speed play). I don't regularly listen to podcasts, but I used to subscribe to Dan Savage's "Savage Love" podcast, which was always good for an entertaining (and sometimes educational) half hour or so.

And although I'd love to be the person who has everything ordered perfectly to match the intensity of my run, I tend to just put everything on shuffle!

Here are my current running favorites:

Current Running Playlist by Jewish Girl on Grooveshark
Now, some of these songs I definitely would not cop to listening to in my real life, but while running---what can I say?---Justin Bieber's 13-year old angst just does it for me.

Let's get a communal running playlist going! Share your favorites in the comments (or, better yet, create a free playlist on Grooveshark and share the link/embed the code! (See also, NPR's compilation of the Ultimate Running Songs.)

Also, how did your training go this week? I stuck to my schedule (about to go out for today's 2 miler), although I varied the times of my workouts quite a bit. For Wednesday cross-training, I combined my half hour of xtraining with my commute to work by biking into the office. Two birds, meet one stone! I've been using the gym at the office for my weekday workouts, and found myself heading down in the mid-afternoon or right before dinner (at my desk...sigh).

I've gotta say, I was reluctant to start back up running again, but it feels really good to be getting back on the physical fitness wagon!

OOTD: Blurry Lines

2012-01-21T14:44:00.000-05:00

I had lunch with one of my work mentors this week (hi, W!), and she said something insightful about the work-life balance. She pointed out that there's always more work that can be done---more depositions to read, more slides to create---so you have to decide how much of your life you're willing to give to the job. If you want to give every spare moment, you could find the work. So if you don't, you need to figure out how to draw those lines while still being the best you can be at your job.

I'm still figuring out where those lines lie. There's less than a month left until our trial begins, and work has been RIDICULOUS. We had Monday off for Martin Luther King day, but it was somewhat of a meaningless holiday since I still had to work at 12-hour day to get my work done. Of course, I took full days off on Saturday and Sunday, so it felt like a fair trade.

In some ways, this struggle is also depicted in my clothes. It's becoming a lot harder for me to wear "casual" clothes on the weekend. I'm starting to feel strange in jeans and a T-shirt. Where's the blazer? Where's the pencil skirt?

I suppose I don't need to answer these questions with definites. Perhaps I can use certain aspects of my life as a barometer. Do my friends stop calling because they assume I'm at work? Has it been more than three weeks since I've put on a pair of jeans?

That could work for now.

And there's always this everlasting "Teen Mom 2" marathon on MTV to help me feel like I'm making good life choices.

In this Outfit:

J.Crew Factory Perfect Shirt in Flannel (here)

ASOS Vero Modo Super Stretch Skinny Jeans in Tomato Red (29, TTS) (here)

Payless Women's Chelsea Glitter Flat (here)

Kate Spade "It Takes All Sorts" necklace

J.Crew Factory Cluster earrings ($10 here)

Chunky bracelet from H&M via 2007

Fossil Watch (similar)

Anthro Spotted Satchel

OOTD: Popping a Cherry

2012-01-19T11:28:00.000-05:00

Well, it's gone. It sure took me long enough, too---I'm nearly 28 and you'd think I'd have had this kind of experience before.

But nope, last week was my first time.

...My first time ordering from ASOS, that is.

I've been eying their wares for a while. I was impressed with the variety of merchandise and price points and ease of product searchability. The "view runway" feature was especially intriguing; this option allows you to watch a model walk down a runway in a particular garment. Oftentimes while shopping, I would like the product images but be turned off by the way the fabric moved. Despite the fact that I held off on buying these items, I very much appreciated the fact that ASOS let me make the choice.

Of course, free shipping and free returns don't hurt, either.

So, I took the plunge and purchased a few test items. In the batch? This shirt.

One of my colleagues is a pro at wearing navy and white in various iterations, and by her example she has shown me the virtue of having a basic, long sleeve navy blouse. The ASOS option seemed like a nice way fill this void while trying out the website.

On the one hand, I love the blouse. It seemed to drape nicely throughout the day, although I'm not 100% pleased with the way it photographed.

On the other hand---confirming my fear about some of the cheaper ASOS merchandise---my shirt ripped in BOTH elbows by the end of its first day of wear!

WAH!

To ASOS's credit, I emailed them about the issue on Tuesday, and within 1 hour I'd received an apology from customer service and a shipping notification for a replacement. Excellent resolution! Of course, if the blouse rips again I'll be requesting a refund, so I'll keep you posted.

Fingers crossed that I just got a defective item, but I fear perhaps the quality of this particular piece is lacking. You'll see another one of my ASOS purchases within the next week or so, and that one has at least remained in one piece through repeated wearings.

I guess that's part of the reason I love shopping at "overpriced" stores like Anthropologie and J.Crew. The prices are very reasonable if you wait until sale, and these stores seem to churn out more high-quality clothes than the average chain store. The pieces I buy from Anthro, on average, hold up better over time than cheaper clothes from the likes of ASOS, Forever 21, H&M, etc. Durability is less of an issue for quickly-passing trends, but when I buy something classic, I want it to last.

The higher-priced stores are often shorthand for quality in my mind. Perhaps this isn't always accurate, but it's worked out this way more often than not.

How do you feel about "fast fashion" stores like H&M, Forever 21, and (some parts of) ASOS? I often feel so overwhelmed by crapola when I walk into the physical stores, but their websites are much more appealing. I can't tell if it's because of the easy search features or because everything looks a little more glamorous online.

These shoes cost $11! Except for the fact that I also bought two other pairs of $11 shoes along with these that were non-refundable and totally didn't work out. But whatever!

In this outfit:

ASOS Angel Eye Blouse with Contrast Collar ($36 here) (not sure I can recommend this, as it ripped after a day of wear. ASOS customer service was excellent about replacing it, though)

Victoria's Secret under tank (similar)

Anthropologie Cuffed Tweed Crops (6) (similar here)

Kate Spade "It Takes All Sorts" Necklace

J.Crew Factory Cluster Earrings (here)

Bracelet from H&M, circa 2008

ASOS hand holding pearl ring ($3.50 here) (and looks exactly that cheap in person)

Watch by Appetime (gifted)

Sam & Libby Elliance Pumps via 6pm.com ($11 on 11/11! Now $25 in black, $55 in brown, or $40 in pewter)

OOTD: Chance Inspiration

2012-01-18T11:26:00.001-05:00

Do you ever find yourself neglecting an item of clothing for no good reason?

Such was the case with this dress. I like it---it's comfortable, it's flattering. I can't give you one good reason why this dress has gone mostly unworn since last year.

Last week, I was taking a short morning walk before heading to work when I passed a girl wearing rainboots with a black, red, and white plaid pattern. Immediately I thought of this dress and decided it was time to end its long haitus at the back of my closet with the other black dresses. (The evils of color-coding!)

Oh, dear Perthshire, I promise not to let another year pass before you caress my body yet again. Sure, you bear a slight resemblance to a schoolgirl outfit, but just because I'm insecure about capitalizing on a disturbing sexual fetish is no reason to let you wither in my closet unworn.

Maybe it was my effort to avoid looking like a child that caused me to reach for my new red lipstick. This prompted a few, "Is that a new color for you?"s from colleagues and boyfriends, but I still liked the effect. As Victoria noticed yesterday, I've been making a bit more of an effort with the appearance of my head as a whole, inspired largely by the amazing Naked Palette, several blogs in my google reader in which the ladies regularly rock incredible lipstick (see here for just one example), and a random, general comment from someone on the internet about the unprofessionalism of unstyled hair. (Not at all directed at me in any way, but it was one of those things that made me reflect on my own professional appearance.) Also, I maybe have the best blowdryer ever for a lazy person. (This one. The brush attachment is a small miracle.)

I needed LOTS of help from the makeup experts at Sephora re: picking out and applying red lipstick, but I like the shade they chose! (Make Up Forever's Rouge Artist Intense #41, here.)

Things are changing around here, I tell ya.

In this Outfit:

Anthropologie Perthshire Dress (4) (similar-ish for $35)

Anthropologie Drawing Parallels Top (XS) (similar in gray for $40, for less than $20, here too, less budget-friendly by CLC here)

Ann Taylor Blazer (6) (similar)

J.Crew Ribbed Tights (here)

Dexter Pumps via Payless ($17 here)

J.Crew Factory Cluster Earrings (here for $14.50, plus an extra 30% off!)

Sterling Filigree ring won in giveaway from Closet At Capacity

Zodiac atmosphere watch via eBay (gifted) (quasi-similar)

Anthropologie Banded Together Belt (similar here and here for $40, or here for $5)

OOTD: Nothing Comes Easily

2012-01-17T10:40:00.001-05:00

Meehhhhh, I dunno about this one.

It feels like I have wanted this skirt for ages. I was intrigued when I first saw it appear in stores, and even more sold when I spotted this fabulous outfit on display at the West Palm Beach Anthropologie on Black Friday:

Turns out, it's pretty tough to style. Witness my first attempt:

Not terrible, sure, but something is off, no? I mean, I know I've collected a nice little gut over the holidays, but is it really necessary to rub it in my face like this? Really, skirt? REALLY?

Perhaps I should have been tipped off by the mediocre reviews about clingy fit. Or perhaps I should have been tipped off when an Anthro sales associate who was wearing this skirt said, in response to my gushing about it, "Oh, thanks. It's, uh, really hard to style."

I tried to counteract the smushiness of the skirt with a structured blazer, and I untucked my undershirt a bit more to draw attention from the pooch.

I dunno, man. Kendi wore this skirt on the same day as I made my second attempt, and she made it look so easy. WHY NOT ME?!

In this outfit:

Anthro Tile-Quilted Mini by Charlie and Robin (4) (here in Kendi's orange)

Eze Sur Mer Top by Deletta (L) (similar at J.Crew, similar in teal)

Payless Travis Colorblock Pump by Lela Rose (on sale here for $33! (originally $55) (seriously, these shoes go with EVERYTHING))

Anthropologie Cockle Shells Tights (M/L) (circa 2010 -- don't recommend; they tear easily) (kinda similar color for $14 here)

Anthropologie Triphasic Earrings

Kate Spade Hang in There Glasses Pendant (potential dupe on Etsy here, but hard to tell the size) (see also here for other suggestions)

YSL Arty Oval Ring Dupe (here for $23) (real thing here and here)

Geneva Chronograph Tortoise Watch (similar for $23 shipped)

PS: I know I'm being a bit slow in responding to comments, so thank you for your patience. Work will be extremely hectic for the next two months, but I'm doing my best!

Sunday Runday: Essential Running Gear

2012-01-16T03:43:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Sunday* Runday! This presents what I hope will be a weekly series of posts relating to running and race training, all leading up to our group race day (see here).

This week's post: Essential Running Gear!

(Sure, technically today is Monday. But it's BARELY Monday, so cut me a break.)

In preparation for the official first day of the Hal Higdon training program, I thought it would be fun to swap some tips on those products that make us excited to get our exercise. This may strike some as superficial, but I often find that a new running gadget---or even a new running playlist---will inspire me to push through the inertia and get some exercise.

I'll share a few of my favorites, and I hope you'll tell me some of yours in the comments!

Sweaty Bands ($20 here)

Those who have been following this blog for a while know that I love Sweaty Bands. They're extremely cute and come in countless designs, and on top of that they don't slip off your head. I've got a pretty enormous collection, as you can tell:

I wear them in every race I run...I can't get enough!

Vibram Five Fingers ($90 here; $80 here in some colors)

I LOVE my Vibrams! (You can see me wearing them while jumping over fire in my Warrior Dash photo here) The Bikila model of these shoes are designed to help you run more efficiently by creating a near-barefoot experience. The lack of arch support and normal shoe structure encourages you to strike the ground with the front of your foot, which is a faster and more energy-efficient way to run.

While opinions about these shoes are mixed (see, e.g., here and here), I personally adore them. I find that I shave at least 30 seconds off my mile with these babies. On top of that, they are definitely conversation-starters! The biggest negative in my book is that you have to train yourself in these shoes; even if you're running 8 miles a day in normal shoes, you'll have to start with extremely short distances in these shoes to develop the proper calf muscles. (Take it slow at first, or you will be in PAIN.)

iPod Nano + Nike Plus

Okay, I don't have one of these guys yet, but it's pretty much at the top of my shopping list right now. I LOVE the fact that this nano holds up to 16 GB of songs, that it gets live radio (and that you can REWIND the live radio if you need to!), and that it integrates seamlessly with Nike +. Of course, a Nike + sensor won't work well with lace-less Vibram Five Fingers, but still.

Nike +, for those who haven't tried it, is a very fun exercise tracker with accompanying social networking software that allows you to join virtual fitness challenges. It's a great way to feel accountable for your miles!

This screenshot is from the Battle of the Beers challenge, which allows you to add your miles to the team of your favorite beer!

(You can get Nike + connectivity for your iPhone or any existing iPod for < $30 here.)

Running Magazines

I used to subscribe to Runner's World, and I found the magazine to be a great source of inspiration to run. For one, I enjoyed reading material written by people who clearly love to run. It made my complaints about having to go for a run seem less valid. I also loved learning more about the principles behind training, running, and eating healthfully.

The articles seemed to get a bit repetitive after a year or so, but the motivational impact stuck around for a while longer!

So, what are your favorite commercial running motivators?

---

In other news, our 8K training program begins today! Hooraaaay! I've gotten many emails from folks in the D.C. metro area who are jumping into the St. Patrick's Day 8k, and a bunch more folks have chimed in from the comments that they'll be training with us. I already feel the group motivation working wonders for me; I went on a short run on Saturday and I'm getting ready to dive into day one "Stretch and Strength" with a bit of the 30 Day Shred!

How did you do this past week? Are you ready for the official first week of our training program?

Quickie WTF of the Day

2012-01-13T11:52:00.003-05:00

Alright, I'm drowning in work this week, but I could not let this Friday escape without a little something something.

Last week, I learned about the blog The Delightful Dozen via GOMI. Unsurprisingly, GOMI doesn't like it, but I kinda do---perhaps not necessarily for the words, which I skim, but more for the pictures/clothes swapping/shopping suggestions.

One of their recurring features is called "12 Delightful Things," in which each participating blogger highlights a product or image of some kind. A lot of the items are interesting and affordable. (Don't even get me started on the fact that I missed out on this hat. I'm still feverish with frustration.) (Although, while looking for this link to share with you guys, it showed up as "low in stock" and I was able to order it, so maybe the order will go through? It's back out of stock now, so fingers crossed) (similar, but bear, here.)

In last Friday's 12 Things post, some blogger named Fancy Treehouse linked to this adorable little fox ring from Madewell:

I mean, how cute is that little guy?? And at $15, I couldn't resist. Fortunately, Madewell was running a "free shipping on ANY ORDER" promotion last week, so I was able to grab this ring and nothing more, paying only ninety cents extra for tax.

So, imagine my surprise when my box from Madewell arrived on my desk this week looking like this:

WHAT? The ring itself is the little teeny thing on the top of this massive amount of packaging. The ring was wrapped in bubble paper, snuggled in foam, placed in the little box (which would have been PERFECTLY FINE to ship by itself), and then placed in a HUGELY OVERSIZED OUTER BOX.

I repeat: WHAT?! I'm glad I wasn't charged for shipping, because this thing got at least 10x more cardboard than it needed. Does this strike anyone else as outrageously wasteful or am I just being a little ragey today?*

* [Edit: In a "great minds think alike" situation, check out Amy K's post from earlier today about this same situation!]

On the other hand, I completely 100% love this ring, so Madewell, I guess we're cool for now.

Anyone doing anything fun this weekend? I'm having a "holiday withdrawal holiday party" at my apartment---which is largely an excuse to make eggnog fudge and cake balls and drink mulled wine with my friends!

BOOM, ROASTED.

2012-01-12T10:36:00.005-05:00

Okay, I'm about to share one of my Top Five Super-Easy No-Fuss Methods of Totally Impressing People at Dinner (tm).

Roasted garlic (and fresh bread).

All the spreadability of butter, more flavor, and fewer (i.e., practically zero) calories/Weight Watchers points.

Of course, those of you who don't like garlic should skip over this particular suggestion. However, if you're a fan of onion's cousin then you may just love this incredibly easy recipe. The garlic comes out of the oven buttery soft and a bit carmelized---the perfect condiment for home-baked bread. See also, "Garlic," Wikipedia (holding garlic has "a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking").

Full disclosure: Although I do bake much of my own bread using these two books (which make it extremely cheap and easy to bake your own bread), I did not bake the actual loaf seen above.

You can even add your own choice of seasonings into the mix for versatility and variety. (I added a sprinkle of Italian seasoning to the garlic bulb you see in the first picture.)

Five stars!

Ingredients:

1 bulb of garlic (or 3/4 bulb if, like me, you used a few cloves and then decided to finish off the leftovers all at once)
Drizzle of olive oil or spritz of water
Seasoning (optional) (ex. rosemary, italian seasoning, sea salt and fresh ground pepper)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 450.

Place the whole bulb of garlic on a piece of tinfoil. (No need to peel it.) [Edit: Life Begins at Thirty suggests cutting off the top of the bulb for easier eventual eating. Although I didn't do that this time, I have tried that before and it's a good suggestion!]

Drizzle a bit of olive oil or water onto the garlic (about 1 teaspoon). Sprinkle fresh or dried seasonings on the bulb (or, if using a sprig of rosemary, place the sprig around the garlic).

Seal the garlic and seasoning inside the foil. Place directly on oven rack and bake for an hour.

(I TOLD you it was easy!)

To eat: use a butter knife to scrape out the cloves one at a time, as you need them. Spread on your bread and enjoy!

Two Ways: Red-Bottomed Girl

2012-01-10T09:14:00.000-05:00

One of the nice things about accumulating a backlog of unposted outfits is that by the time I get around to posting an outfit photo, I've often worn a particular item again in the meantime. (See, e.g., here.)

This particular "Two Ways" post features not the same, but a similar item worn two different ways: the bold red skirt. You can tell these outfits have been stewing for a while because I'm not wearing tights! (Although, with this wacky January weather, I guess you never know.)

In this Outfit:

Anthropologie Cissus Button-Up (S) (similar here for $20)

Yona Baraschi Tomato-Picking Skirt (8)

J.Crew Painted Denim Belt

Anthropologie Lavandula Heels by Everybody (9.5)

J.Crew Stretchy Pearl Bracelet

Earrings via Eastern Market in D.C.

Fossil Watch

In THIS Outfit:

UO top (M)

J.Crew Jackie Cardigan in Black (M) (here)

Anthropologie Cargo Pocket Sweater Skirt (S)

Kate Spade Hang in There Glasses Pendant

Dexter for Payless Karma Pumps (9) ($17 here)

Coach Pave Ball Earrings

Crawford Boyfriend watch in rose gold ($20 here)

I like both of these outfits, but I think it's interesting that I opted for a loose top with the looser-looking skirt and a fitted top with the fitted skirt. Usually my tendency is to balance the form-fittedness of one half with a looser second half. The next time I wear each of these pieces I'd like to try that.

(Notice: I'm going to attempt to clear my backlogged photos over the next week or so, and hopefully we'll transition to 75% outdoor shots. As much as I love the bathroom mirror in my office...)

Sunday Runday: Training Schedules 101

2012-01-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Sunday Runday! This presents what I hope will be a weekly series of posts relating to running and race training, all leading up to our group race day (see here).

This week's post: Training Schedules 101

Now, I am, by no means, an expert in health or fitness. In fact, one of my New Year's resolutions this year was to purposefully exercise once a week because sometimes I go (quite a bit) longer than that without moving. But I present some basic compilations of information in this post, and invite you to please share your own knowledge/experience with race training!

The Basic Idea of Training

Following a training plan allows you to gently teach your body to run a particular distance (perhaps at a particularly speed). Following a training schedule may minimize your chance of becoming injured while running.

(image)

The Elements of a Training Schedule

Most training schedules are relatively formulaic and contain several key elements:

Regular Runs: You'll run two or three times a week for distances that are significantly less than your ultimate race goal. (If you're following Hal Higdon's great novice 8K plan, you'll have two regular weekly runs.) For beginners, speed is less of an issue on regular runs. (More advanced runners may add a few "speed training" sessions to their schedule.) Beginners should run these distances at a comfortable pace. You don't need to worry about the speed at which you want to actually run the race for these runs (your "race pace"); it's okay if you're running a bit slower than your goal here.

Long Runs: You will have one long run each week. The long run helps you get close to your eventual race distance. For those who are working towards a new long distance, these runs will assist in pushing your body to its limits and training your muscles to recover.

Cross Training: "Cross" refers to some kind of aerobic activity that is NOT running. Do something you like---it could be swimming, biking, playing a team sport, or you could just pop on the elliptical. Cross training is important both in improving your overall level of fitness and also in developing your muscles while varying the movement of your activity. You are resting the precise muscle groups that you use while running, but still improving the condition of your heart. I like doing the 30 Day Shred on cross-training days because it helps build substantial core strength, which in turn helps me run faster and stronger.

Rest: Rest days are vitally important to the training process. You are working your muscles hard when following a training plan, and rest days allow your muscles to recover so that they are ready to work again. You'll probably notice that your runs feel better after you've had a day or two off from running.

One of the keys to following a training schedule is to make sure to listen to your own body. If you're injured or otherwise in pain, don't force yourself to do a particular exercise. (Note: this physical pain is different from the existential pain we all feel upon hearing the alarm clock go off at x:30 am.) If your muscles are hurting too much to run, but you're comfortable on the elliptical, then replace your run with elliptical training.

If you have to take a rest day (or more than a rest day), then do it. The whole point of training is to avoid injuries, so if you find yourself exacerbating them, then something is wrong.

(source) (source)

What are your training tips? How do you make your training schedule fit with your daily life?

For those who are interested in joining in the fun, click here for more information about running a race in March! (For those in D.C., we'll be running a St. Patrick's Day 8k on March 11.)

To buy or not to buy?
	Buy
	Not to buy
	You are a f-cking lunatic

pollcode.com free polls