I had so much fun hanging with our friends during the Holidays at our place this year. Of course we missed our friends on the coasts so much, but we had a surprise visitor in town from SF, so that was a huge treat for everyone. And the film photos I am known to take at parties turned out especially well, so I thought I would post them here for the record!

Shenanigans.

Oh hai. Did I mention I got a new tatt? Yep.

Alright folks, super exciting announcement time.

Alex and I are planning another jaunt to Europe this fall, I am so indescribably excited! This time we will be in Paris for 8 days, and then meandering around the French Riviera / Cote d'Azure for an additional week. If you know me in real life, you know that I can barely stop talking about it, and for that I am truly sorry, friends! I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to be able to travel at this point in my life. I know it is not super common for people my age to travel outside of school-sponsored study abroad programs... My parents are always joking (not joking) that we are by far more well-traveled by age 30 than they will ever be. We will of course be on a strict budget, Paris has a pretty bad rap as being super expensive. But honestly, I would rather travel on a budget than not travel at all.

I just cant wait to do everything in Paris I've always dreamed about (hellooo Paris flea, I'm comin' for you!) and then spend some time just stuffing ourselves with pizza and seafood, drinking wine, and lazing about the beach all day. I think we're going to skip the touristy things this time around, including admission to the Louvre (I know, shoot me if you must. Again, budget constraints) and the Eiffel Tower (though I wouldn't mind finding a scenic hilltop to gaze at it from afar!) I just want to roam the streets, window shop, eat and people watch; picnic along the Seine and maybe stroll through the Pierre Lachaisse cemetère to say hello to my dearest, Edith Piaf.

Have you been to France at all, do you have any must-see / must-do / insider tips for a couple exploring Paris on a budget? You must fill me in!

You guys, I am obsessed with photobooths (who isnt?), especially the old-timey "real" photographs kind. And I was lucky enough to find no less than THREE of them within the span of a recent week for my friends and I to take advantage of. It's been too long! I am also sooooo happy to see that there are more photobooths being installed at bars/restaurants/places around town than there were just a few years ago. They were a dying breed, but I am so happy to see more all the time!

Although, I have to say, that digital photo frame booth at Memory Lanes bowling alley was pretty hilarious as well. Nice choice on the "marriage is a wonderful journey" frame, you guys! lol.

Up next, lots of film and instagram photos from the most photogenic wedding of two of my best friends in the universe! Many tears were shed, much fun was had and drinks imbibed. Stay tuned!

I have now officially not blogged almost all summer.

I have to be honest, once July rolled around, I was all like, hey how about a no-blogging summer?!? I have things to do, people to see, and I shouldnt be inside on the computer! Welp, I couldnt stay away folks. Nope, I've just had too much to report on. What a crazy hectic summer it has been so far. I have been trying my darnedest to soak up as much sun and relaxation as possible amongst the crazy. And so, I will leave you with the first of several summer posts, in chronological order, a (lengthy) sampling of film photographs from our trip to Istanbul, Turkey from back in June. It was such a great trip and the chance of a lifetime. But, I just got the film back (I know! getting it processed and scanned was an ordeal.) I am so thankful... I hope all of you out there are taking as much time for yourselves and enjoying the summer as well.

PS: I have so much to report on: the trip, cabin-times, the patio! and backyard!, miscellaneous house projects, friends visiting from out of town, friends moving out of town, new babies coming into the world, BBQs, parties, epic thrifting trips and even some new personal work. (I know, I know, you know everything already because you follow me on Instagram, right?) Prepare yourself friends, it's gonna be great.

PPS: It feels good to be back.

YOU GUYS, I am getting so excited to attend my friends' upcoming SPACE PARTY! Any and all kinds of space related costumes will be in attendance, and all sorts of weird alien foods & beverages will be consumed. Last time around (yes, this is our second space-themed party, the last one was so epic we had to do it again! Flickr proof here!) my costume was pretty blah, and thrown together last-minute, but this time around I am determined to be prepared (there is a grand prize for the best costume... we are nerds.)

Emma and I went to the craft store last weekend to collect items for our costumes, and I ended up getting super inspired by all the weird plants and materials in the floral aisle. I even started construction and spray-painting some things the other night. I cant wait to see how it turns out! But to give you a little sneak peek, here are some of the inspirations I've gathered from the diverse corners of the internet. Think sort of a white ethereal moon-princess-type-creature. But with a little edge. ;)

This great outfit via The Fashion Void that is DC

The Childlike Princess from the Neverending Story

Moon Princess by McMugget on Deviantart

white leather harness by BCBG Max Azria via Elle (via an amazing DIY harness tutorial by DeSmitten)

Whitish alien plantssss

And of course, I cant decide what to do for a manicure yet but, GEMS? PEARLS? YES BOTH!

Sorry I haven't been around lately, guys. I've had the winter doldrums setting in. You know, the "just hibernating and feeling completely unmotivated and uninspired" type stuff. And to top it all off, a good friend and colleague of mine passed away last week... It's been rough. But I have to say that after this weekend, I feel revived. I was surrounded with fun times and great friends. It helped me to feel so thankful for what I have!

Friday we went to see Sarah perform her heart out at the Minneapolis Burlesque Festival along with countless other sexies at the Ritz in Northeast, and closed down the after-party at the bar next door afterwards! So much fun!

Saturday, Alex and I did some errands (including a stop at Fulton Brewery, only our second brewery on what is looking like a looooong checklist) and then went to a see Ben's band, Coat Pocket Whiskey, at one of their most low-key performances so far.

Finally on Sunday, our friends Emma and Bryan hosted their 4th annual Superbowl / Halftime show viewing / chili cookoff extravaganza! It was definitely the best yet. Three kinds of delicious chilis, wings, meatballs, cornbread and CAKE. Plus, Beyonce was awesome! And Destiny's Child?!?! I die.

Thanks friends for being there for me! I cant wait til next weekend, for I have brunch plans with ladies and video game competitions scheduled. That should definitely help me out of my doldrums this week. Plus, I have some exciting blog posts scheduled, now that I am back in action and feelin' pumped. Stay tuned!

Photo above is the lovely city of Saint Paul, as viewed from Indian Mounds Regional Park, taken with my iPhone.

This year, I have a few resolutions. And I do like to make them out in public, on this here blog, in an attempt to make me stick to them better. 

+ read more books!

Instead of watching so much tv (as Alex and I are apt to do... we just inhale it!), I'd like to actually finish the long list of books on my list this year. I'm always pretty good at scarfing down a handful of books each summer at the cabin or during traveling, but this year I need to try and read more all year round. (Or maybe I just need to consume more of BOTH tv and books? we will see...) I remember a time when my mom used to have to pry the book out of my cold dead (okay not dead, just dead tired) hands as I read in bed late each night when I was younger. But I havent done that since I was a teenager. Time to pick it up again? I think yes.

+ start exercising regularly again

Super embarrassing picture of me regaining my flexibility last year, I know... I did great at sticking to my 2012 goal of finding an exercise routine that worked for me, and doing that regularly. But I may have fallen off that horse since we moved in to the new house... I think I have a pretty good chance of turning this one around for 2013. 

+ travel!

Last year, we didnt get to travel much, since we blew our travel budget with our Honeymoon to Hawaii in 2011 and oh, you know buying that house! But, I am bursting to say, we mayyyy already have some exciting travel plans brewing for this spring! Just waiting to book the best ticket price before I make that announcement public... I believe in jinxes.

+ work on the house 

2013 is going to be the year of the exterior! Let me tell you. I have big plans to install a reclaimed brick patio in the back yard, furnish the patio and front porches with furniture and potted plants (and string lights, oh my!), do some landscaping (our house has none), continue to spruce up the exterior trim and gutters that need repair work, and maybe even get a nice fence installed (but dont tell Alex, he'd kill me if I told him that right now, as it would be a huge splurge!). It is going to be a wonderful year of taking advantage of relaxing on the porch, and partying late into the night with friends on the patio! I can't wait!

+ maybe record a few songs with Alex 

This one is a silly one, and something that may or may not happen. But Alex is always messing around on the guitar upstairs (never more so now that we have the house, and a whole room for him to hole up in and practice), and singing in the shower in the morning. And I just wish there was a way I could join in. He seems so happy when he's listening to/playing music. So I was just recently thinking that there might be a way to convince him to record some of those things with me. I've been inspired by all of the do-it-yourself recordings over here, here and here. And I think it might be fun! What should our record be called??

PS: Here are my resolutions from 2012, 2011 and even 2010 too! (Although, that last one's more of a 2009 wrap-up post, it was too good not to share...)

I'm more in love with this grumpy cat than I thought I could ever be! xoxo!

The third annual Alli & Alex Halloween Party Spectacular was another screaming success. Thanks friends for coming! And you, Lomo-C camera with Ilford 800 speed film, YOU are my new favorite. Just look at these babies!

As usual, more can be found on my Flickr!