Pretty in Pink

What's better than a good bargain?  I'll tell you what:  a bargain that garners you a lot of compliments!  And yes, I was lucky enough to score one this week.

I saw these shoes at the Ugg Australia store in Chicago and about died.  (I'm sure you're wondering what I'm doing even walking into a shop that sells those Uggly furry boots sorority girls wear to class with shorts, but rest assured, these were in the window and caught my eye... I swear.)

I tried 'em on and it was love, let me tell you.  But I didn't love the pricetag:  $140.  "But I'm on vacation!" I told myself, "I can swing it!"

Well, those $140 shoes were going to end up costing me an extra fifty bucks since I'd have to check my luggage if I tried to cram those into my little carry-on suitcase (with all the other stuff I bought), so I passed.

Then, like any normal girl, I stalked the shoes online for a few weeks, wishing for a sale.

Well, wish granted!  ... sort of.

This week, I wandered into a Payless Shoes... and lo and behold!

$13.99.

I repeat, $13.99.

Thank you fashion gods for smiling upon me.  And thanks to the three gals at work who drooled over my new shoes... more than enough proof that a great bargain beats a splurge any day (or at least 90% of the time).

Going Green

Okay, I know St. Patty's Day has come and gone, and I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, but that last Green post got me thinking...

Coral is the color of the season, I get it.  But I'm sorry, Vogue, I'm not on this bandwagon.  Coral just doesn't look good on girls like me.

Pale skin + coral = blandblandbland.  And I don't do bland (surprise).

If you ask me, green is the new coral, and since we're hot on the heels of spring weather (yes, I know it's technically spring already, but it's still cold here), why NOT green?  Look around:  everything's turning green.  It's so hot right now.

Case in point:  a few of my favorite green things this spring.

The enviable green Zara scarf!  See where to buy in the "It Ain't Easy Being Green" post.

 

Good Lord, I wish I could afford this Marc by Marc Jacobs purse.  If you happen to have an extra $350 sitting around, you can buy this at Neiman Marcus and flaunt it in front of me.  But I can't guarantee it won't disappear shortly thereafter.

 

Okay, this is more summer than spring, but I LOVE this Betsey Johnson swimsuit top.

Hunter Boots - Perfect for spring showers! 

LOVELOVELOVE these frames!  These I can afford.  And you can, too.  Thank God for Zenni Optical!

Great wedges to pair with a dress or with jeans.. and the best part? They're only $25!  They come in bright green, too.  Score a pair at Payless.

I'm not usually big on green nail polish, but this shimmery emerald is surprisingly classy.  It's called Essie Dominica Green.  Not your shade?  Find your perfect green with a little help from All Lacquered Up.

And who couldn't use a little cocktail cheer this spring?  I know I could...

 So even if coral does work for you, why not spread a little spring cheer in nature's brightest, boldest greens?  If nothing else, it'll allow you to blend in with the crowd (i.e. trees and bushes)... and keep you from getting pinched.

It Ain't Easy Being Green

My man Kermit said it best.  It's definitely not easy being green... especially when your green consists mostly of a belly full of clover-colored beer!

Maybe that's why it's taken me a week to get around to posting this. Gotta recover!

You know, I've got some Irish blood in me, but I've never been a huge St. Patrick's Day person... at least, not until this year.  I spent the weekend before St. Patty's in Chicago, aka home of the Chi-rish, and let's just say they know how to celebrate.  I mean, it's only the second-largest population of Irish folks in the U.S. (next to Boston, duh).

Makeshift bodegas popped up on every corner, selling the most ridiculous Irish-related items... and trust me, folks dropped big bucks on that crap.

I know what you're thinking.  "Lisa, YOU'RE the one forking over cash for that junk!"  But no.  Some drunk woman in a crowded ladies' room actually put these glasses on me while we were standing in line, then fluffed up my hair for a photo op.  She was about my mom's age.  I won't lie; it was weird.

Anywaayyyy.... The city even dyes the the Chicago River green for St. Patty's Day!  I learned a lot about the process from a newspaper I picked up in town, but I'll spare the details here and let you Wikipedia it if you're that interested.

In front of the Wrigley Building, you know, the one Sinatra sings about.

A lot of people complimented my green & black scarf.  Get one for yourself at Zara.  That purse is a vintage Chicago find... but that's another blog altogether! 

Good thing my purse was strapped to me, though.  The streets were barely walkable that Saturday, like Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras, just ditch the gold and purple.  People everywhere were in the holiday spirit, some putting my scarf to shame with their leprechaun costumes and kilts.

Note leprechauns on upper left.

 Speaking of, I even stumbled across an Irish pub in Wrigleyville - taken over by a bagpipe quartet!

I could regale you with tales of my Chi-rish adventures for hours, but I think this t-shirt pretty much sums up my thoughts.

As awesome as Chicago is, there's nothing like having a drink and a good time with your own friends, and of course, the love of your life.  For that, I'm thankful I was back home in Fayetteville for March 17th.


But whether with friends or strangers, one thing's for sure:  It ain't easy being green (or recovering from it), but there's nothing wrong with a clover-beer-bloated belly and a little good-hearted fun... just once a year. <3

Hello!

Well, hello there... Considering you can plainly see this is my first post, I won't lie and say this blogging thing is old hat to me; it's not.  But I figure - I like talking, and about a hodge podge of stuff, so why not share it with the world via cyberspace?  Like most people on here, I suppose, I plan to use this page to share things I'm interested in and that hopefully will enrich your life somehow, even if it's just a way to help you waste a few minutes at work while the boss isn't watching.

Case in point:  This video, which my friends and I watched repeatedly at work last week.

 Enjoy!