Wednesday, February 29, 2012

RIP Davy Jones


Davy Jones 1945-2012

Quoteworthy


"Today is an ephemeral ghost... A strange amazing day that comes only once every four years. For the rest of the time it does not "exist." In mundane terms, it marks a "leap" in time, when the calendar is adjusted to make up for extra seconds accumulated over the preceding three years due to the rotation of the earth. A day of temporal tune up! But this day holds another secret—it contains one of those truly rare moments of delightful transience and light uncertainty that only exist on the razor edge of things, along a buzzing plane of quantum probability... A day of unlocked potential. Will you or won't you? Should you or shouldn't you? Use this day to do something daring, extraordinary and unlike yourself. Take a chance and shape a different pattern in your personal cloud of probability!”
-Vera Nazarian (The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration)











Now Playing: "Stay Fly" by Three 6 Mafia

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Times New Travel: Switzerland



As I was watching last night's episode of The Bachelor (don't judge), I was reminded of how much I love the mountains and want to travel. At the top of my litany of places I want to visit has always been Switzerland. It seems like a charming place filled with majestic beauty (and cheese and chocolate). Switzerland has just under 8 million people and ranks high in its quality of life (namely being the most wealthy per capita country in the world). The most common languages spoken are German, French and Italian. Its neutrality policy prevents Switzerland from engaging in armed conflicts in other countries, something I wish the rest of the world would follow. I suppose when you live in such a heavenly place it's easy to remain peaceful.






















Now Playing: "Moondance" by And Her Name is Violet
*They're from Switzerland! http://www.andhernameisviolet.com/

The Times New Tarot: The Hierophant


  • Wise educator, counselor, healer, guru or teacher
  • Spiritual knowledge and growth
  • Religious understanding
  • Traditional values and belief systems
  • The need to connect to a spiritual realm
  • Mental inspiration
  • Progressive ideologies raised from the established
  • The number 5
  • The astrological sign of Taurus
  • Group identification, rituals
  • Balance, compassion, fairness
  • Assistance toward a positive change
  • A state of awakening and discovery

Monday, February 27, 2012

Quoteworthy


"It is sadder to find the past again and find it inadequate to the present than it is to have it elude you and remain forever a harmonious conception of memory."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald  1896-1940













Now Playing: "Hold On" by Sam Cooke

Found on Tumblr

I live for moments when I find something that's just funny to be unbelievably hilarious! Case in point, this .gif set made me laugh so hard that I had tears in my eyes and couldn't catch my breath (such a good ab workout, by the way). There's just something about it...



Best Dressed: 2012 Academy Awards


Well, technically it was the 2011 Oscars but let's not confuse things. I thought everyone looked absolutely beautiful but of course there were a few shining stars that stood out brighter than the rest.


Best Dressed:

Stacy Keibler in Marchesa



I thought Stacy looked statuesque in this Marchesa design. The color was stunning, the cut was worn to perfection on her flawless figure but the fabric and bunching was slightly reminiscient of an 80s prom queen. It still worked and I absolutely loved it!

Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab


I finally discovered I'm not the only girl in the world with thick hair but an awkward hairline. But that's beside the point. Milla looked phenomenal in this white Elie Saab gown. Her skin, makeup (perfect red lip) and figure was flawless. I loved the details on the gown and the way it caught the light on screen. Photos aren't doing this dress justice.

Berenice Bejo in Elie Saab


I want to turn this gown into a blouse (that color!) and pair it with white skinny jeans for spring. I love the shade of this Elie Saab dress and thought it looked beautiful against her fair complexion and auburn hair. The design was a wonderful cross between modern and classic. It was something interesting and I really liked it.























Kristen Wiig in J. Mendel

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked Kristen Wiig's dress selection. In all honesty, I haven't been a huge fan of her previous choices. I thought the shade of this J. Mendel was unique and of the moment. It worked lovely with her skin and hair color and the nail polish contrasted perfectly (I'm now inspired to do a similar look with a nude blouse). The cut was whimsical and romantic. I think this is the best she's ever looked on the red carpet.






















Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace

Angelina Jolie actually seemed to be in good spirits at the Oscars. I wasn't particularly wowed by the dress itself but the slit was all the rage and she totally worked it. This was a perfect example of a woman wearing the dress and not letting the opposite happen. Angelina's hair color and skin tone seemed lighter. It all worked magically with the bright red lip. I loved her makeup.
























Rose Byrne in Vivienne Westwood

Rose Byrne looked sleek and sexy in Vivienne Westwood. The dress registers as black but many have said it was actually midnight blue. I thought the sequin gown was interesting and had a great back. It was the perfect choice for her petite frame. I thought it was a modern choice that kept the carpet fresh and interesting.











Side Note: As predicted, there was a celebrity or two who wore Zac Posen but it wasn't quite what I expected. I pictured someone like Penelope Cruz in one of the gowns I posted about. Instead, Miss Piggy (beautiful) and Glenn Close (regal) wore the designer.















Now Playing: "Le Disko" by Shiny Toy Guns

Word of the Week: Ebullience

The word of the week for February 27th through March 4th is...

Ebullience
n.

Definition:
Overflowing with enthusiasm, enjoyment, exuberance or approval.

Example:
The Oscar winner's ebullience was evident in her acceptance speech.











Now Playing: "Fool In The Rain" by Led Zeppelin

Music Monday

"I Want It All" by Huey Mack.

He's a fellow WVU Mountaineer from Morgantown, WV. While many will find this tune a bit ridiculous (he sounds 14, no?), any party song with mention of champagne sells it for me. Gotta support the fam. And if the beat sounds familiar to you, it's sampled from Blink 182.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Oscar Fashion Prediction

A fashionable starlet will wear a gown from Zac Posen's SS 2012 RTW collection; if not one of the dresses below, one of his other beautiful designs.












Now Playing: "The Greatest" by Cat Power

Saturday, February 25, 2012

One Kind of Spirit or Another



My first "Blackout Poetry" piece. This is pulled from an independent spiritual book entitled, "Perfect Together- Astrology, Karma & You" by Alice Loffredo. I receieved it when I worked for the author's publisher. I really love doing these; it's a good examination of my subconscious and a creative form of self-expression.













Now Playing: "On Your Way" by Alabama Shakes

Blackout Poetry

I really love this form of expression. I've created a few of my own and will likely share it both here and on my tumblr page but for now, here are just a few that I enjoyed from the minds of strangers...


























Now Playing: "Wake Up" by Paolo Nutini (Arcade Fire cover)

Friday, February 24, 2012

Flashback Friday

"Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas, 2001.


High school dances, learning to drive, crushes...

Fill In the Blank Friday: The Hipster Questionnaire

1. Do you own a Mac?
No, hp.

2. Do you regularly drink PBR?
No.

3. Do you regularly wear scarves even when it’s not cold?
Only when it's chilly or cold.

4. Do you have an iPhone?
No but I plan to finally make the switch from BlackBerry this year.

5. Do you wear Ray-Bans?
I have aviator and wayfarer style shades but not actual Ray-Bans. I don't want to spend $100+ for sunglasses because I have bad luck with them getting stolen, broken or lost.

6. Do you own more than three plaid shirts?
I know I have at least 4 but it's been a couple years since I wore one.

7. Do you own a pair of Tom’s?
No. Not my style at all.

8. Do you wear Converse All-Stars with skinny jeans?
No. I don't own Converse and I would never wear skinny jeans with tennis shoes.

9. Do you wear any denim clothing other than jeans?
I have a cute denim button-up shirt that I got a couple seasons ago.

10. Do you own any ironic T-shirts? For example: “Draft Beer, Not People.”
Maybe a few sleep shirts but nothing I would wear out.

11. When you talk about music, do other people have no fucking clue what you’re talking about?
Sometimes. Example: My favorite band is Portugal. The Man but the only person I actually know of who also listens to them is a girl I met at one of their shows.

12. Do you have glasses that look like Buddy Holly?
No but I am legally blind.

13. Do you brew your own beer/other form of alcohol?
No, I'll leave that to the pros.

14. Do you own a cat with an unconventional name?
I have two cats but their names are pretty standard- Sasha after President Obama's daughter (we found her on election night) and Katarina. When I was little, our cat was named Lemieux.

15. Are you against marriage, period?
No but it's not in my near future. I'm only 26!

16. Do you have three or more tattoos?
I don't have any and don't want one.

17. If you are a man, do you have a moustache?
N/A but I do like facial hair on some guys.

18. Are you politically liberal?
Very.

19. Are you a coffee snob?
I don't drink coffee- yuck!

20. Do you drink soy milk despite not being lactose intolerant?
I must be lactose intolerant because milk makes me gag. Don't drink any of it.

21. Do you frequently bike places?
Not since '94 and if by places you mean down the street to catch the Ice Cream truck.

22. Do you listen to public radio?
Sometimes.

23. Do you eat quinoa or have a membership with a CSA?
I have no clue what either of those things are.

24. Have you ever brought a child to a bar?
No but I think the drinking age should be lowered.

25. Do you still have a Member’s Only jacket in your closet?
Never had one to begin with.

26. Do you live in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Park Slope, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, or Bed-Stuy?
I live in Pittsburgh- North Side.

27. Ladies: do you buy things on Etsy?
No but I would. I have considered making wall decor signs and selling them on there but I'm afraid it's illegal to sell lyrics and quotes that are copyrighted.

28. Do you shop at thrift stores?
Yes, always have. My parents pretty much only shop there... got it from them.

29. Do you smoke?
No! Yuck! My parents are big smokers and it always disgusted me.

30. Are you vegan/vegetarian?
Practically a vegetarian. I'll occasionally eat something like a chicken tender or pepperoni but the thought of 99% of it makes me sick. I've always been this way. I personally don't like the idea of killing animals for food but I would still prepare it for family and friends if they loved it. This makes no logical sense, I know.

31. Do you like the movies Donnie Darko, Juno, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Royal Tenenbaums?
Yes, they're good flicks.

32. Do you wear skinny jeans?
Yes.

31. Are you creative/artistic?
Yes or at least I hope so.

32. Have you read The Perks of Being a Wallflower?
Yes, it's set in my city. I love the way Chbosky describes driving through the Fort Pitt tunnels... beautifully written and completely accurate. But that kid cried way too much for a teen boy.

33. Were you a geek/dork/nerd/emo/goth/weirdo when you were younger?
Maybe a little bit of a weirdo from time to time but no on the others.

34. Do you use words like rad to describe something?
No. I feel like gnarly and rad are west coast terms.

35. Do you wear band t-shirts?
No.

36. Do you own vinyl records?
Yes but not exclusively- mostly oldies and some of my favorite new stuff.

37. Do you do drugs?
No.

38. Do you like sports?
Yes! Football and hockey are my favorite but I also get into March Madness. I love miniature golf which totally counts as well.

39. Do you like expensive cars?
Yes. I love cars and the nicest ones (sports cars, classic cars, etc.) tend to be expensive.

40. Are you lanky?
Not at all. 5'4" with the bod of a woman.

41. Do you enjoy indie music, art and/or fashion?
All of the above.

42. Do you tend to be ahead of the pack on trends?
Usually. That's the Aquarian in me.

43. Do you have a unique name?
I'm pretty sure I'm the only "Krista Selene Roman" in the entire world (Google it). Krista isn't extremely common but it's not unusual either.

44. Have you ever been to a music festival?
Yes- Bonnaroo. I'm considering Lollapalooza this year. I wish there was one outside of Pittsburgh in the mountains near Somerset or even a smaller one at The Point downtown. That would be unbelievable.

45. Do you like birds?
Yes.

46. Are you sarcastic and/or enjoy irony?
Very, yes.

47. Do you have a blog or tumblr?
Obviously both. I don't necessarily consider tumblr to be a blog. It's my virtual picture book.

48. Do you have any friends or ex-lovers who are hipsters?
I have a few acquaintances that are but no true friends. My best friend, Valerie, is the same as me. We're about 15%-20% hipster.

49. Do you read Pitchfork?
Sometimes to see what's new but my taste is a bit different. I think they can be pretentious pricks in their reviews. It's a turnoff.

50. Do you like furniture from Ikea?
Nope! I like the look of quality antique or vintage furniture- real wood, made the right way.















Now Playing: "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone

Thursday, February 23, 2012

XOXO


I enjoy being single but it's been so long since I had a good kiss.












Now Playing: "Cosmic Love" by Florence + The Machine

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Quoteworthy

“We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and — in spite of True Romance magazines — we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely — at least, not all the time — but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don’t see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”
—Hunter S. Thompson
1937-2005









Now Playing: "Air" by Bach

Get Lit: New to the Bookshelf!


I Don't Care About Your Band by Julie Klausner
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
One Day by David Nicholls
White Girl Problems by Babe Walker
My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About Me by Hilary Winston
Normal Gets You Nowhere by Kelly Cutrone



I'm the type of reader who will get through multiple books in a month but then go an extended period of time without opening anything. At the moment, I'm on a reading kick- specifically chick lit. My recent purchases are far from pretentious but they're what I enjoy and actually similar to the material that I love to write about.





















Now Playing: "Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Happy Mardi Gras!



In observance of Fat Tuesday, I thought I'd share some of my indulgences. For Lent, I'll be writing every day and more active. I'm also going to attempt a water fast or two like I did last year.

 As the fine people of New Orleans would say, "Laissez les bon temps rouler!" Let the good times roll...


THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

Lust... So many good looking men in the world. Not all of them are available.

Gluttony... Pizza! I love it.

Greed... See lust.

Sloth... I could spend all day in bed and have done so.

Wrath... Certain parts of my book.

Envy... See my Luxe Living posts.

Pride... 200+ bottles of nail polish probably aren't necessary.




















Now Playing: "Best I Ever Had" by Drake

Monday, February 20, 2012

Music Monday: Pet


"Wear Black" by Pet



I'm really feeling this song and video! Pet is an ambient group from Edinburgh, Scotland.
petpetmusic.com

Word of the Week: Licentious

The word of the week for February 20th through the 26th is...

Licentious
adj.

Definition:
1. Lacking moral discipline or ignoring legal restraint, especially in sexual conduct.
2. Having no regard for accepted rules or standards.
3. Sexually promiscuous.

Example:
He would have made for an excellent boyfriend but his licentious behavior could not be trusted.













Now Playing: "You Got Me" by The Roots

Sunday, February 19, 2012

The Full House House!


My sister is out in San Francisco this week (so jealous). She just sent me this shot of the "Full House" house! I wish I was there with her. San Francisco is at the top of my list of places I want to visit.
















Now Playing: "Michicant" by Bon Iver

Found on Tumblr

I don't care if this is real or not. lol!!!



















Now Playing: "A Sunday Smile" by Beirut

Justin Timberlake as Bon Iver, Blue Ivy Carter and more...



I don't really watch SNL because frankly, I rarely find their material funny but this skit is actually good. I'm a big Bon Iver fan (if you haven't noticed already), so I really enjoyed Justin Timberlake's portrayal.

Quoteworthy


"A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities."
-J.R.R. Tolkien 1892-1973
















Now Playing: "How Soon Is Now?" by The Smiths

Saturday, February 18, 2012

It Is at Moments After I Have Dreamed by e.e. cummings

















Now Playing: "Starry Eyed" by Ellie Goulding

The Artwork of Lori Earley









I really like this particular artist's work. Her images remind me of Pleiadian-like super models. It's quite interesting.














Now Playing: "Icarus" by White Hinterland

Blog Archive

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
I'm living life in beautiful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I hold a journalism degree from West Virginia University. I have worked in television news, fashion marketing, PR, and cosmetic sales. My love for writing and sharing with the world my various passions is strong. One of my many ambitions is to be published and continue creating in the fields of digital and print media, literature and film. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, going to concerts, reading, following Pittsburgh sports and traveling as often as possible. Some of my favorite things include beauty, style, architecture, books, tarot and astrology, thrifting and my shih-tzu, Ireland. I’m engaged to the love of my lifetimes and we look forward to starting our next chapter together. If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you!