Aug19

How Anthropologie and the Drought Got Me into Gardening

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My jalapeno pepper plant

I’ve never had a green thumb. Most of my house plants tend to die. The ones that did survive were the Ikea ZZ plant and miraculously this hand-me-down jalapeno pepper I received from a lady at my puppy‘s playgroup. Since I’ve started simplifying and decluttering my wardrobe through the Glam Save Style Challenge, I’ve found the time to learn how to garden.

Alys Fowler‘s Garden Anywhere

Alys Fowler‘s Garden Anywhere from Anthropologie‘s clearance section in Boston has become my nighttime reading. (It sat on my bookshelf for awhile though.) I always wanted to start a garden but never knew where to begin. Anthropologie always had some gardening books and garden-inspired displays which piqued my mild interest in gardening.

Lauren Santo Domingo’s garden, Vogue (Sept. 2012)

I was also inspired by Lauren Santo Domingo’s garden in Paris featured in this month’s Vogue. Those large terracotta pots of lavender along with the purple salvia, bay, jasmine and roses reminded me of my mental note to start a garden (more for herbs and veggies, although flowers would be nice too). Seeing those pots made me think how container gardens seem like a good way to start since they’re smaller than traditional gardens and seem easier to manage.

Image from Alys Fowler’s Garden Anywhere

Nowadays with the drought affecting food prices, now may be a good time to learn how to grow some of our own herbs and vegetables. I remember after reading Barbara Kingsolver‘s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Michael Pollan‘s In Defense of Food  how I’d wanted to try to find some small way to go back to the land. This is one way to start.

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Aug15

How to buy just the things on your shopping list

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Lately I’ve not only tried using the 80/20 Rule for paring down the clothing clutter in my wardrobe via Glam Save Style Challenge but also in other areas of my life, including errand shopping. Whether it’s the grocery, farmer’s market, Target or Walmart, I often find myself distracted by attractive aisle displays, sale items or food or products I think I might need later and not what’s actually written on the shopping list on my iPhone Notes app.

Well, today actually felt like a mini-victory as I was able to get just the four things on my list and that’s it! That almost never happens as I always find excuses to put other things in my cart.

What helped were three things.

1. I made it a point to pay cash for this purchase. If I paid credit, I knew I’d be tempted to put more things in my cart.

2. When tempted to put a non-list item in the shopping cart (like a magazine or candy at checkout), I asked myself the following questions:

  • Do I need this item?
  • Will I use this purchase at least 80% of the time?
  • Will this help me on my way to a simpler, minimalist lifestyle?
  • Will this actually help or just add to the clutter?

3. Fortunately Walmart’s setup is more utilitarian than Target’s cool designed layout. Had I been at Target where they have more attractive stuff to put in your cart, I probably would have had to take out the non-list items out of the pushcart once at check out.

Aug11

Anthropologie Duckie Rainboots found on Zappos, Not as Expected Though

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So I finally found those Anthropologie Chooka rain flats I coveted back in March! (See previous post here.) They’re on Zappos for only $48! Alas, the size 7 was too big and I know size 6 would be too small :( . I’m a true 6 1/2 and never do well with full sizes. Also, the quality wasn’t as expected. I planned to use them for gardening and walking the dog in the rain. I was hoping for sturdy L.L. Bean quality but these are more for fashion and just look cute. I wanted to love these but didn’t work out that way. They had to be returned, otherwise I know in my heart I’d only use them maybe 20% of the time. Right now, I’m doing the Glam Save Style challenge where I purge my dated, unused clothing clutter, keep what gets the most wear and only buy quality items I plan to use 80% of the time. Anything not used at least 80% of the time gets the boot (no pun intended).

It doesn’t help too – the pictures really exaggerate what you want to believe in an online product. My fault though for not trying them on first. They didn’t have this product in the Anthro store near me to try on though. And the quality looked really good, but shame on me for not looking at advertising with a jaundiced eye and falling for the whole “Only 1 left in stock” in red caps for my size further enticing to buy the product. Lesson learned!

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Mar28

City vs. Suburbs

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I just got back from NYC where I used to live and work when I was still single. It feels great to go back. I almost feel like an alumna that graduated from living in the big city to the next stage in my life – getting married and starting a family.

What’s great about the city is easy access to everything – the shops, restaurants, museums, cultural events, etc. You could walk everywhere and get good exercise or just hop on a bus or subway. The only problem is it’s inconvenient if you have a large purchase or need to lug a bunch of groceries. That’s where suburban living is a plus – you don’t have to hail a taxi (especially in cold, snowy, rainy weather). You could hop in the car and put your heavy purchase in your trunk.

People watching is more interesting in the metropolitan area. You don’t need to look to fashion magazines since the streets are practically a runway. Since many people from around the world tend to flock to urban centers, one gets to see how people dress and present themselves. I notice details from a bold accessory or handbag here to a new shade of spring flats to a colorful trench. In the suburbs, it’s pretty casual. Too casual sometimes. Then again, it’s nice to let the hair down and just be yourself and not get too caught up in vanity and pretentiousness. Baggy sweats and T-shirts rule here.

I’d say the biggest difference is cost of living and living space. Apartment living doesn’t allow for much space for stuff, which could be a plus and a minus. If you’re single, space isn’t a priority since you’re out and about anyway and can hang out at bars, clubs, coffee shops or whatever. You’re not likely to be stuck in an apartment (unless you need to save money for that weekend). If you have a family, it may pose a challenge and you’d need to be creative with your space. Cost of living is muy expensivo but that’s a given.

In the suburbs you’ve got more bang for your buck with housing – more square footage and an actual yard which is ideal if you have active pets or kids. Plus you can garden, plant more trees and be more in touch with nature. The cost of living is lower as well. The only problem is, if you have a lot of space, you may end up becoming a hoarder and bringing more stuff than needed just to fill a space whereas if you live in the city, you’re likely to declutter and get rid of what you don’t need so you could fit everything you need in tiny spaces.

Nov19

Anthro Finds $300 and Under

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Anthro has some great markdowns on clothing and accessories to keep you warm and toasty! This Dipped Nougat Coat with cape-like silhouette got marked down from $428 to $300. This camel hat went from $138 to $80. I’m loving these half-off motorcycle boots ($130) for that rocker chic look or something to add edginess to floral dresses or flowy shirts.

$300 and under

Cape coat
$300 - anthropologie.com

Buckle boots
$130 - anthropologie.com

Leifsdottir leather shoulder handbag
$100 - anthropologie.com

Brim hat
$80 - anthropologie.com

Sheer scarve
$48 - anthropologie.com
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Nov11

Inspiring Landscape Art from Anthro’s Anthopologist Site

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I’m loving these images from Jim Denevan on Anthropologie’s the Anthropologist site.  Can you imagine nine square miles of circles drilled in the Arctic?  It’s beautiful and inspiring at the same time.  Certainly puts things in perspective.  That’s kind of one of the concepts of the store – travel, seeing the world from a different set of eyes.  No wonder you’ll find a lot of travel books on display in addition to fashion, photography and design.

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