Monday 30 September 2013

September through Instagram




  • I went downtown during the first weekend of the month and got to hang out with some old friends. We went to a bar I had never heard of that played some fun music, it was a good time!
  • Autumn means football season! I got to go to a game at my Alma mater and relive my college years (which was only less than a year ago haha). I had a lot of fun + we won the game so that made it even better!
  • My roommate introduced me to the coolest graffiti park in Austin! I totally plan on going back in October and do some more exploring.
  • I took a quick roadtrip to visit my parents in San Antonio. Pumpkin Spice latte on hand, of course.
  • I'm all about red lips this season. I hope this pic doesn't count as "duck face". If it does, I apologize.
  • Austin got so much rain this month! Everyone was freaking out. I'm just glad I didn't get stuck walking/driving in it!
  • The first day of fall had some of the best weather I've seen all year! Some friends and I went to a park that was also right next to a river. Lots of people brought their dogs too, it was such a great day!
  • If you know me or even  if you just follow me on Twitter, you know I'm obsessed with the show Breaking Bad. I saw this photo in People Magazine of the cast celebrating their Emmy win, and it made me so sad that the show was ending! Did anyone else watch the finale last night?
  • It's still hot enough to be sporting bare legs outside, so I'm taking advantage of it while I can! I bought these beauties in high school and forgot I had them until now!

You can follow me on Instagram @RachelEmmaTX !

Read more ...

Saturday 28 September 2013

Nautical Nonsense


{ f21 top; roommate's skirt; American Eagle wedges; Target sunnies; UO watch }

I feel kinda bad filing this outfit under "autumn" when there's not much anything autumn about it. But this blog guaranteed to document what I wore, and well, this was it. It's a shame we don't have any famous lighthouses in Texas that I can take photos in front of, otherwise this outfit would totally make sense. Yes, that's my train of thought: red stripes + navy = lighthouse chic... or the American flag.

Has anyone else experienced the total awesomeness of sharing clothes with a roommate? This outfit wouldn't have existed without a whole different closet to help me out. I wanted a navy skirt to pair this top with (not sure how I don't own one myself), so my roommate came to my rescue! She's my hero. Like Batman, only prettier.

p.s. If you know where I stole this title from, we are automatically best friends.

Read more ...

Thursday 26 September 2013

Boston


For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to go to Boston. So much happened there when our country was just starting out! Historic landmarks and places have always enticed me, and Boston is full of them! To think I was walking the same streets as our forefathers... that was just crazy to me!

The #1 thing I knew I wanted to do in Boston was the Freedom Trail. It's just about a 3 mile trek on a brick path that leads from the Boston Common to the Bunkerhill Monument in Charlestown (just across the river). I got to visit so many incredible places: the meeting house where the patriots would gather, the site where the Boston Massacre took place, Paul Revere's actual house, and the burying grounds of John Hancock, Sam Adams, & Paul Revere. I was amazed everywhere we went. I took SO many pictures during our adventure. Like, over 300. I decided to spare you all and just post a couple. You're welcome. ;)


One of my favorite things about this city was the Boston Common and Public Garden. I love when a busy city has a natural area within it where people can go to relax or have fun. It reminded me of the park we have here in Austin that overlooks the skyline. The Boston Common had an awesome shallow pool where people brought their kids to play in and cool off from the heat. The Public Garden was full of gorgeous flowers everywhere you looked, and it even had a pond where couples would ride in swan boats across the garden. It was all so beautiful!


Matt and I went to two art museums during our stay. The first we went to was the Museum of Contemporary Art where one exhibit had lots of vibrant, graphic prints from a famous New York graffiti artist (wish I could remember his name). Another exhibit had a ton of interesting paintings and creations, some that went completely over my head (like that one in the second photo... what is that?), but they were still fun to read about. The second museum we stopped at was the Museum of Fine Arts which we should have been more prepared for because that place was HUGE. There were so many levels and passage ways, we even got lost trying to leave! It's definitely a museum that needs a full day to explore.


Have any of y'all ever been on a Duck Tour? It's a total tourist thing to do, but I love it! I did one in Seattle and couldn't wait to do one in Boston! It's a boat on wheels that takes you around the whole city (which was nice since we had been on our feet all day). We passed lots of sites that we had seen on the Freedom Trail as well as other cool things to see. The tour then took us into the Charles River and showed us a beautiful view of the city. We had a great time!

The photo above with the "Love is Louder" sign was taken on the street where the Boston bombing took place. People wrote little notes on ribbons and tied them to this small gate in the area. It was heart-warming and sad at the same time. It was kinda eerie standing on the spot where it all actually happened. We learned that the place was covered with flowers and letters for weeks after the dust had settled. Boston's new motto, Boston Strong, definitely resonates with this city.



This brings all my posts on my New England trip to an end. Boston was one of the best cities I've ever explored, and I adored everything about it! It was hard to leave, but I recently found out I'll be visiting again in November for my birthday! I am beyond excited!! :)

Read more ...

Tuesday 24 September 2013

Up and Autumn


{ f21 top, shorts & necklace; Target boots & bag; Ralph Lauren sunnies }

Spirits have been at an all time high here in Texas thanks to the cooler temperatures these past couple days. I'm still in shock that we had some real fall-like weather on the first day of the new season! Like I actually got to wear something that covered my arms, and at night I was even shivering from the cold! This is practically unheard of in Texas during September, but hey, I'm not complaining!

Autumn is definitely my favorite season of the bunch. Boots, sweaters, scarves, hot lattes from Starbucks to help keep warm, dressing up for Halloween, hanging out with family & eating into a coma on Thanksgiving, and my birthday celebrations too! It really is the most wonderful time of the year, don't you think?

Read more ...

Sunday 22 September 2013

First Day of Fall


Happy first day of autumn! The weather is beginning to cool down here in Texas, and I'm sooo excited! I actually want to spend time outside now! It's a wonderful feeling.

And how cute is this image? I definitely make sure I never leave the house without a sturdy pair of antlers ;) Here's to the new season!

Read more ...

Friday 20 September 2013

Pleated Peplum


{ f21 top/earrings; Francesca's shorts; Old Navy flats; mom's Coach bag; vintage watch/ring }

I've always been a fan of pleats, but I've never seen them in peplum form until I saw this top on one of my favorite bloggers. I checked where she got it: JCrew. Ugh. That store is just a hopeful daydream that maybe one day I'll actually be able to afford something from it. I have to actually avoid the side of the mall where JCrew is so that I won't be tempted to go in! (Help me, I'm poor.)

Thankfully, I found what looked close enough to the exact same thing at Forever 21 for waaay less! As in, less than half the price I would have paid at JCrew. I love when that happens, don't you? It's like an "In your face!" moment to name brands haha ;)

Read more ...

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Back with a Bang


{ mom's top; f21 pants; Target belt & bag; Old Navy flats; UO watch }

I am constantly facing a "bang conundrum". When my hair is long and my bangs are basically non-existent, I want them back where they are short enough to cover my whole forehead. Then when I actually do get them cut, I regret it. This happens every 6 months, it's a vicious cycle! I think I just need to pull a Gretchen Wieners and stop trying to make full bangs happen. It's not going to happen. I'm forever a side-swept gal.

As for my outfit... I love these pants, but for some reason whenever I put them on in the past, I felt like they were swallowing me whole. Like you would look at me and all you would see is PANTS. It kept me from wearing them for a long time. Then I got this crazy idea: what if I rolled up the pant legs a little bit? I gave it a shot and suddenly I didn't look as weird! Still some weird, just not as much. ;)

Read more ...

Monday 16 September 2013

Old Navy


{ Target top; F21 skirt & clutch; thrifted belt; Old Navy flats }

Everyone has a certain color they gravitate toward, and apparently mine is navy. I was browsing through my closet, and the color just seemed to be everywhere. Tops, dresses, cardigans, belts, shoes, blazers, jeans (duh)... I tried to resist but before I knew it, I was already wearing the color top to bottom, just in different prints. When you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

So it only reached 90 degrees today. That must mean fall is just around the corner! I say that with a slight sarcasm, of course. While many people outside of Texas are already draping on the scarves and getting out the boots, I'm still trying to wear as less clothes as is socially acceptable. I'm hoping we won't have to wait until November this year for some actual cold weather. Or even something below 80 degrees would be nice. Maybe just a cool breeze every now and again? I'm desperate here.

Read more ...

Saturday 14 September 2013

Second Chances


{ mom's top; Francesca's shorts; thrifted belt; UO watch; DSW wedges }

These shorts were definitely an impulse buy last summer. I fell in love when I first saw them, but when I took them home it was like... oh, now what?? I had no idea how to style them, and my first attempt only proved that maybe I shouldn't have cut the tags so quickly.

But every pair of quirky-looking shorts deserves a second chance right? I found them tucked away in a drawer at my parent's house looking all abandoned and whatnot (it was so sad, you guys). I decided to give them another try as I remembered that I have the perfect pair of wedges to go with them! Another crisis solved by shoes, ladies & gents.

Read more ...

Thursday 12 September 2013

The Maine Event


I would never have forgiven myself if I went all the way to New England and didn't get to visit Maine. I have always wanted to go! Plus, it has been on my bucket-list for years to eat authentic Maine lobster, and I was determined to make it happen. So I researched where the Man vs Food guy went when he went to Maine, and the location (The Lobster Shack) was near the bottom of the state which is only about an hour & 1/2 drive! I love how everything up north is only a short drive away. In an hour & 1/2 I was able to cross an entire state to get to another one. In Texas, if you drove that long, you'd still be in Texas. There is no escaping.

Needless to say, the lobster was amaaazing and so worth the trip. For just $20, I was able to get an entire lobster, side of fries, coleslaw, 2 biscuits & a drink. What is this I don't even... This is just unheard of in Texas. A lobster tail alone costs about $30 down here. I was blown away. Everything was so fresh and delicious; I am not exaggerating when I say that I was in pure heaven.


One thing I loved about The Lobster Shack was the scenery! Their outdoor seating area literally overlooks the Atlantic Ocean where the lobsters they serve come from, how awesome is that? After we finished eating, we walked down the rocky shore to the beach to do a little exploring. It was pretty chilly so no swimming was involved, but seriously, what an awesome place! Just behind the restaurant is the coolest view of the Cape Elizabeth lighthouse. I only wish we had time to take a tour of it! Maybe next time.

After lunch at The Lobster Shack, we drove about 20 minutes north to Maine's most visited city, Portland. It was a super cute place with lots of statues, shops, restaurants, and we even spotted a couple small decorated lighthouses on display throughout the city. The weather was somewhere in the 60s, and I was SO cold! People were walking around in shorts, yet there I was bundled up in my jacket, hood up and all, jeans and teeth chattering. I might as well have been wearing a sign reading, "I'M NOT FROM HERE."


I forgot to take more pictures around Portland, but the one place I did manage to snap a couple photos was at this hole in the wall restaurant (we actually walked right past it even though we were using a map) called Duck Fat. The name truly fits because everything is cooked in, you guessed it, duck fat. The place was tiny, you're basically elbow to elbow with your neighbor at the counter you eat on! Duck Fat served this Canadian dish, which can also be found in New England, called Poutine. I didn't even know what it was, I just ordered it. I love trying new things! I found out Poutine is basically just fries topped with cheese curds, gravy and chives. It was okay, but nothing too exciting for me. I'm sorry to all you Poutine lovers! I guess I just don't get it. Don't hate me.

I had the best day trip in Maine, and I already can't wait to go back someday! I just have one last post from my New England trip, and it's my favorite one of all: Boston!

Read more ...