Making Music Improves Your Health - Fact

This post, Making Music Improves Your Health - Fact!, is incredible and really inspiring in terms of simple ways music can improve your well being.

Thanks, Welcome Home - a guide to modern living, for this amazing post!

Prippy of Influence... Tory Burch

Okay, I'm pretty much convinced Tory Burch is an ideal example of the Prippy aesthetic. Ethnic prints mixed with v-neck cable knits while wearing flip-flops... Prippys have been doing that for decades!

Tory's suburban Philadelphia upbringing also explains her Prippy look. I can just imagine her back in high school rocking wool clogs on her way to school with an inappropriately low buttoned oxford clothe shirt... in fact, that pretty much sums up my average high school outfit!

I love Tory's style, and clearly she draws heavily from her Prippy forefathers - got to love her for that! I'd even bet she has a copy of "The Preppy Handbook" in her office for inspiration.

A Tip From A Lady... Ingrid Bergman

"I have no regrets. I wouldn't have lived my life the way I did if I was going to worry about what people were going to say." - Ingrid Bergman

Pleasant Surprise... Mussel Mondays

Tonight I found myself in need of some celebrating... and decided dinner out would be a perfect activity. The freezing cold led me to Dr. Granville Moore's on H Street for some piping hot mussels.

Much to my delight, it happened to be "Mussel Monday" and all mussels were $10 from 5 to 7 pm - what an amazing deal! Not only is the ambience superb, but now the price cannot be beat.

Maybe I'll see you there on some chilly Monday night. If you do stop in... feel free to put some dollars in their amazing jukebox. I suggest The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York."

In My Library... 33 1/3: Doolittle

I'm a huge Pixies fan. I think it all started because my older sister told me they were cool... but the love grew and I became a devotee in my own right!

For Christmas, I found the 33 1/3 series book about Doolittle. Walking through how this album came to be is beautiful, and adds to the appreciation for the music. "La La Love You" is my boyfriend and my song, so learning more about the masterpiece was awesome.

Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, David Bowie (heart), Nirvana, R.E.M., The Beach Boys, The Beastie Boys, Elliott Smith, My Bloody Valentine, and SO many other bands also have 33 1/3 books... definitely worth checking them out!

A Rush of Childhood... Where the Wild Things Are

Like so many other Prippys, I was waiting with baited breathe for Spike Jonze's "Where the Wild Things Are" this fall.

I bought my tickets for opening night, and my boyfriend spent our traditional date night watching me chomp at the bit for the movie to start. And while it wasn't what I expected... it made a bigger impact on me than I could've imagined.


When I opened my Sunday Times (a favorite ritual of mine!), I was blown away by A.O. Scott's article in the special Oscar section describing the opening scene of the film and why it was so powerful. He truly took the words out of my mouth as to why I loved this movie and how it touched me so deeply.

It made me remember things from my childhood that hadn't been stirred in decades... and more importantly, it reminded me of the fragility and vulnerability of being 10 years old and trying to figure out my place in the world.

If you haven't seen the movie, definitely check it out when it's released on DVD. Also, the soundtrack by the brilliant Karen O is still on my playlist and simply beautiful.

What movies touched you in 2009? Would love to know!

Words for the Weekend

"When I say I'm ready to go wild, I'm gonna go wild." —Snooki

Words to live by for this weekend.

Snookie is the sage of the Jersey Shore. Love her. Prippys for Snookie!

Any fun plans? I'm headed to a speakeasy-theme 30th birthday party at The Gibson, a cocktail bar in DC. Hope there are fun times ahead for all! ENJOY!