Adult Hood

(Source: Guardian )

These words are very true. One day you wake up and bam, you're an adult. Don't get me wrong - there are many good things about growing up. Gaining the perspective that someimtes it's a good idea to pay someone else to do your taxes or the insight to walk away from your longest friendship because you've never had anything in common with the person are just a few. But there's that sting when you realize that growing up will always be synonymous with letting go. Yeah, news flash, being an adult isn't all eating bacon whenever you want.

 

Some days I find that I can't stand it though. So, I think this weekend I'm going to run around in some sprinklers or eat a bowl of Trix while watching cartoons. I'm taking back some of my childishness, and I encourage you to also! Take back what you've had to give up and throw a little vacation from adulthood. I think you'll find that visiting that place when you were happy and carefree all the time is like tapping into the fountain of youth. Swim in it, guys!

The Happiest 5K: Atlanta Color Run

Last weekend, my husband and I ran our first race! I use race loosely because the competitiveness could be argued, but we made a goal to run our first 5K this year and we made it. And that's one of those things you just have to write about :)

When choosing which 5 K to participate in, the Color Run was a natural choice. I  I first found it last year while still living in Chicago but the online enrollment filled up within the first few days of opening. So it was a sweet victory to participate in Atlanta's this year at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was everything it promised to be, a happy and colorful time.

Check pictures below. And if the pictures aren't enough color for you, check out acrewd's e-boutique to some of our newest spring and summer items.

xoxo, Heather

New Items at acrewd!

Just added a few new fashion finds to the store. Hot new dresses, accessories, and shoes and still more being added.

Also coming soon to acrewd, men's and home sections!

Shop your little hearts out :) 

I Don't Get It?

 

source: the blonde salad

 

Have you ever tried to love something, but just could not? I love SO much about this trench. The color, length, the muted effect of the monochromatic buttons and belt, the perfectly matched accessories, and most...of the tailoring. As much as I want to think that I am attracted to pieces that push the fashion limits (one of my life goals is to travel back to New Zealand to attend the World of Wearable Art awards) I just can't love this coat. Is it a sign that I am getting too old or unfabulous to enjoy a twist on the traditional? Or does this trench remind me too much of this image:

 



What are your thoughts? Is this coat fabulous beyond words an I just don't get it? Do you love it or hate it? Tell me in the comments!

-by: Heather

The United State of Winos and Wannabees

Hosting a wine party is like staking a claim on your level of pretension.

So, we hosted a wine party fit for winos and wannabes of all levels of alcoholism... and it was a great success. The key to hosting a successful wine party is to cater to the connoisseur and the not-so-connoisseurs. You have to give the wannabes incentive to act like a pretentious wine snob and enough quality and knowledge to satiate the true wine snob's hunger. I think we achieved just that.

The Game
I'm convinced that the game was the turning point in our party atmosphere. We researched each wine purchased and recorded the professional tasting notes on a white board. I then created a home made aroma kit so that each participant could pour a bit into tiny cups for reference material. This was a crucial part of our wine tasting because, in my experience, I usually notice that the first sip of wine is fabulous... and not much else. Before I know it, wines are usually being guzzled quickly and my ability to taste any other wine is diminished... which is not the point in a wine tasting (apparently). So, this game incentivized our guests to distinguish between a smoky chocolatey cabernet and a jammy pinot. Perfect.

The Knowledge
I appointed my wonderfully smart significant other to research and retain the knowledge required to talk about each wine's region, grape, and varietal. (I didn't dare tax myself with this responsibility plus I had more creative endeavors, like creating a tasting note board and a food menu.)

The Food
There many components to a dish that can compliment a particular wine, from herbs and spices, to the type of protein, to the oils and vinegars or condiments used. And of course cheeses.  Using our local wine store's catalogue, I was able to come up with a menu that was as progressive as the chosen wines. (FYI Tempranillo goes wonderfully with Trader Joe's chicken tacos.)

The Company
In any party, no matter the dollar spent or the theme produced, the night can go terribly off course if the company is less than superb. We nailed it.

Not to toot my own horn, but as far as winging a wine party, we pulled it off pretty well. You can pretty much do a tasting with anything you put in your mouth. (edibles...you perve) We had some great ideas from our friends about whiskey tastings and beer tastings... and I am HOPING a tequila tasting because we want to see some clothes come off! (err maybe)

Places to Love: Paris on Ponce

Ah.....sweet Paris on Ponce. This is one of those spots in Atlanta that is perfect for a person like me. It has everything (and I mean everything) that you could conceive thrown under one roof - and sometimes spilling out onto an adjoining dock. Antiques, artwork, jewelry, reworked furniture, vintage clothing, a burlesque lounge, endless DIY project supplies and even a squirrel wearing pearls. If you can't find it anywhere else, you can find it here.

One example was the elusive framed chalkboard I searched for to use as a menu for our wedding day. Everywhere I looked this item was out of my price range. Enter Paris on Ponce where we found a beautifully framed etched wood picture in a gold frame. A few layers of Dap and coats of silver and chalkboard spraypaint and voila! Here is our fantastic chalkboard menu for under $20:

Bonus - it's now used to decorate our home.

I often find myself at P on P when I don't have a specific project in mind because - well because it's pretty damn cool. It's the ultimate digger's paradise with so much to titilate the senses. Here are some pictures from our latest excursion to the land of wonderment:

So, if you're in the Atlanta area and you have a project you're working on, looking for inspiration, or just want to see a stuffed wolf wearing a crown you should definitely stop by this in town gem. It's not something you would ever find in the surrounding suburbia and much like the people of this city - it's inspiring, unique and never boring. And our taxidermy is fancy.

Do you have a favorite spot in Atlanta? Where should we go next?

It's Game Time at acrewd

Last Sunday, I attended my first Falcons game which also benchmarks the most captivating football game in history (according to me). The atmosphere of the stadium - sweat producing lows mixed with the jump-out-of-your-seat highs - were everything I would expect out of a $100 football ticket and then some.

In case you weren't aware, my home team is set to potentially play in the Superbowl this year pending the determining game against the 49ers. Some are skeptical of our win, and we most certainly need to play the second half better than we did against the Seahawks, but I think we can do it. If Casey Anthony can beat a murder conviction despite incredibly obvious evidence supporting her guilt, then the Falcons can win a Superbowl championship**. We've come a long way and my city is quite proud to be gaining respect for our franchise and for Atlanta. Where do you think we get our motto?

Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers at 3:00 #riseup #atl

For those of you who really don't care but want to stay relevant today, I've compiled a list of my top NFL franchise uniform/brand picks. I myself have just recently jumped on the Sunday football bandwagon (or rather pulled onto it by the boyfriend) despite my years of cheering, which were spent worrying more about how I was doing on the sidelines rather than how the guys were doing on the field. For those of you who do care, I hope you're rooting for the Birds because the Niners don't stand a chance to the Dirty South! Samuel L. Jackson agrees with me :) - x kristin

** (Please excuse my controversial analogy. I couldn't think of anything PC.)

2013 Is a Year for Working Hard *Wink*

Shhh don't tell anyone, but I'm blogging on the clock.

Happy New Year, you crazy cats! As we are all making our New Year's resolutions and reflecting on the year put to rest, I can't help but to regret that my outfits weren't as rocking in 2012 as I had hoped. I had some moments, but there was always something missing... and then I realized what it was. THE SHOES. So,  among my many claims for the New Year like:

• Get fit
• Quit smoking
• Get a PMP certification
• Write a business proposal for my gramps
• Master rock climbing

The last and one and the one I hold dearest to my heart is to work on my growing my collection of heels and boots.

Now I know you're thinking, "What kind of New Year's Resolution is that?", but you must not know who I am.... or more importantly, my shoe size. I am a rare breed of lady that wheres a size 4 women's shoe. Most stores carry at the smallest a 5. This means that while my girlfriends are taking advantage of incredible shoe discounts, I cannot participate. Believe me, I have out of vain and it has resulted in a number of shoes given away after being worn only once.

I only recently discovered that Sam Edelman in fact makes a size 4 in most styles. (I've clearly been living under a rock). If you know this designer, you also know that this is not the "$20-wear-for-1-season-and-throw-away" type of shoe. SO I must RESOLVE to invest in my footwear and to not spend another morning/day/night wishing my outfit looked better or that I lived in a quiet hippie beach commune where shoes are optional.

Here are a couple of great finds though! The Michael Kors grey bootie with buckle was found by Heather in San Francisco in a ROSS on my birthday! (it's not wonder her store is filled with all kinds of goodies!) The Sam Edelman was found by my friend Jenni and her mom at a ROSS too!

xoxo - kristin