i know that weekends are meant for enjoying, but they really can be quite stressful. i have two days to accomplish all of the things that i can’t do during the week, and usually have a list of things to do that is nearly impossible to complete in just 48 hours. the weekends come and go, and i always feel like i’m playing catch-up, trying to remind myself of all of the things i have to do next weekend: the car needs an oil change, i still haven’t gone to the bank, for that matter, the car needs new tires, the refrigerator is empty, etc, etc.

but every one once-in-a-while, i have one of those glorious weekends where i somehow manage to conquer a huge to-do list with several hours left to actually relax. perhaps there was some cosmic alignment because i really did have a very fulfilling few days. went out on friday night for a mall date with brendan and saw moonrise kingdom. woke up bright and early on saturday to go to the farmer’s market and buy fresh, local produce. then headed out to get new tires for my little junker of a car. and finally got that oil change! and since we were out in a suburban town that i rarely visit (san leandro), we did some exploring and happened upon a little thrift store filled with vintage gems, everything was $5 or less, score! then we came back home to lounge in the grass at the morcom rose garden until the sun turned to shade and we had to run back home for sweaters. we sat drinking beer and talking about anything and everything, and took a late night stroll around the neighborhood before calling it a night. on sunday, we cleaned the apartment (it was a pig sty), and planned out home-cooked meals for the entire week. picked up more groceries, and packed a picnic for another evening laying in the grass at the rose garden. the late afternoon sun was so dreamy and serene, and i managed to take a deep breath and watch the sun go down and the weekend come to a close.

top: madewell indigo ink pocket tee
sweater: thrifted vintage cable knit cardigan
skirt: madewell silk dotty passenger skirt
bag: vintage jute tote
shoes: bass wayfarer
glasses: bonlook jungle chic
ring: datter golden watchful eye ring
brooch: vintage plastic dachshund pin from the flea market
liptick: make up for ever rouge artist intense in bright orange
nail polish: essie clambake

i don’t know about you, but i’m feeling the tinge of summer. i’m sure kids are sitting in their classrooms looking out the windows just waiting for the last day of school before they can run free, and take day trips to water parks and boardwalks. i won’t be afforded quite the same luxury, but i have been enjoying the changing atmosphere. over the weekend, we drove an hour east to lake del valle to bbq and enjoy the sun. we sat on a park bench under a tree shooting the shit and filling our bellies with grilled veggies and fancy farmer’s market meat. we waited an hour, or maybe it was two or three, before hiking out to find a swimming spot along the water while the moon orbited around the earth and covered up the sun, and the light dimmed around us momentarily. and i stuck my feet into the murky lake mud and waded in the water drinking a beer until i was too cold to stand it anymore.

i completely forgot to bring my camera with me, so i can only document that memory with words, but this is one of my almost summer outfits. it’s basically the same thing that i wore a few weeks ago, a bit of a summer uniform for me. simple tank, wrap skirt, wedge sandals.

top: stylemint blossom tank
skirt: vintage denim wrap skirt (similar)
shoes: kork-ease ava wedges
bag: family affairs tote
lipstick: nars heat wave
glasses: 3.1 phillip lim from a few seasons back

one of the things i love about my neighborhood is the secret network of sneaky little pedestrian pathways. it’s a hilly area, so these hidden stairwells make it much more convenient for getting around. whenever i stumble upon another shortcut, i always feel like a little kid, having discovered some entryway into another world. and this time of year, they are particularly pleasant since the springtime flowers and vines and weeds are taking over. the light is usually quite harsh in this spot, but as we passed by early saturday morning on the way to the farmers market, the light was just right, so we stopped to take a few photos.

the weather was nice, so i took the opportunity to get dressed up in my most festive farmer’s market garb and pulled on my new lauren moffatt top and skirt. both are constructed of a lightweight linen, which kept me cool as a cucumber on a warm weekend day. after stocking up on summer squash at the farmer’s market, we headed to the greek festival with free tickets in our pockets (a gift from one of brendan’s clients). i’d never been to a greek festival, so it was quite the treat! we got to peek inside the stunning greek orthodox cathedral, and were treated to epic lamb sammiches and loukoumades. a little old lady even stopped to compliment me on my crochet top, which pretty much made my day!

top and skirt: lauren moffatt
shoes: kork-ease bette wedges
bag: vintage woven tote
lipstick: ysl fard a levres rouge pur in rosy coral

remember the other day when i was dreaming about laying around the house in my pajamas, drinking hot cocoa, and taking naps? well, i finally got some well-needed rest both on thanksgiving day itself, and this past weekend. while the rest of the world was out shopping, i was taking it easy. this is not to say that i did nothing, but it was nice to chill out without any particular plans or obligations. on saturday, i was still craving mashed potatoes, so me and the boy took a little stroll to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for a shepherd’s pie, which we promptly enjoyed with a glass of wine watching television on the couch.

as far as getting dressed was concerned, i decided to continue on with my fall color palette and pulled out this old vintage skirt from the depths of my closet. the wide pleats and front pockets were giving me some serious schoolgirl vibes, so i decided to run with it and add a button-up shirt, my new toggle coat, and over the knee socks. it made me feel like a 1960s school girl on the set of some creepy horror film.

coat: tulle toggle coat c/o lulu’s
top: thrifted vintage silk blouse
skirt: vintage pleated skirt
socks: ribbed otk c/o tabbisocks
shoes: vintage oxfords
tote: family affairs