vintage polaroid

So excited to finally share my newest addition to my collection of gadgets (and vintage goods for that matter!)
I used this beautiful vintage Polaroid Sx-70 for an early Valentine's Day breakfast with Edwin last weekend, snapshots of the polaroids we took shall come soon!

Edwin got this camera for me for Christmas a few months ago, and Valentine's Day I was finally able to take it out on the town :)



After asking him enough times, he revealed that he found it in a little antique shop in downtown Glendale, AZ. It came with a lovely (and original) leather Polaroid bag! Stocked with a macro lens, flash, flash diffuser, and an accessories holder.
He know's me so well, and remembered that I have been wanting some sort of instant
camera.





Part of the reason why it took me so long to finally use my new camera, is because film is very hard to come by and is usually pretty expensive. But luckily I finally found some beautiful new film by a company named The Impossible Project. The prints so far have come out great, and I can't wait to share more with you!
Here's some sample prints of the film I bought from Impossible's website:





The shades of color are so lush and pretty, definitely excited to get another set of film!



Did I also mention that it's a collapse-able camera?!
Love it.



Do you like taking photos?
What kinds of cameras make you weak in the knees?

Attack of the 8-month-old dog (breakfast date take two).

Although Edwin and I did eat a yummy breakfast this particular morning at Hob Nobs, we ate so fast and I completely forgot to take photos of our food.

Afterward, we decided to sit and enjoy the breezy weather in a small park near my school in downtown Phoenix.

Side note: I am so in love with my new Fjallraven backpack, it fits everything I could possibly need without being bulky.


While we were sitting talking, and playing with leaves, an 8-month-old golden retriever by the name of Conan ran over to us and nearly tackled us in the grass!
He was so cute and friendly, it definitely made us feel special, lol.

We love sitting here in this small park near some quite adorable apartments. (Check out another day we were in Roosevelt Square here).







Oh yeah, and I cut my hair last weekend, it's pretty short and definitely different.
But I think it's fun now that I have gotten the hang of styling it... This morning I just left it straight-ish, but now I like to curl it with an iron.
I find curling it slightly "curlier" than I would usually like works best with it being so short.



The weather here this past week has been unseasonably cold, only about 50 degrees during the day!
Such a drastic change from last couple of weeks, when the daily high's were up in the mid-70s.
We can't complain though, being native Arizonans, it finally feels how January/February should feel.


(The trees seem to think it's already spring though).

breakfast date: take one.

Friday morning Edwin and I drive downtown to have a nice breakfast at Matt's Big Breakfast, a popular morning joint. However, thinking that we wouldn't have to wait long in their even more famously long lines, there was a wait. On a weekday even! Go fig. So we ended up at the Phoenix Public Market, which has the best coffee bar, and loads of organic products. Safe to say our simple $2.99 breakfast was a success.






Sleepyhead, he's not as much of a morning person as I am. But he's getting there :)




After letting our food settle, we walked a few blocks for some latte's at Cartel. Please excuse my bad hair day, and hardly put together outfit.


I love my key necklace Edwin got me for our one year anniversary...


He's such a lovely soul...


Finally got to Cartel and got myself a nonfat latte, my usual.


I love the seldom opportunities we both get to have a leisurely breakfast or lunch together. Our schedules conflict most often, so mornings that we have free, we usually take advantage of.


Are you a morning person?
Where do you like to go for breakfast?

liquid courage

Hmm, second blog post in a row having something to do with coffee. I've got an obsession...
Anywho, lately with school starting up and assignments flooding in like the plague, I can feel myself losing inspiration and motivation.
I thought that a nice cup of joe would cheer me up, which usually seems to work.
So after having a rather unproductive day yesterday, today I am determined to get some things done.


Tentative plans for Sunday:
-Sell some old cd's and books at Bookman's.
-Get a manicure.
-Car wash and fill up the old tank.
-Try to brainstorm blog topic ideas (for a class assignment).
-Check out Royal at the Biltmore (new location of one of my favorite coffee shops).


Starting and ending the day with liquid courage, sounds good to me.



What do you do when you need to find motivation or inspiration?
Any local places cheer you up?

ground control

Before I begin, today was my first day of spring classes! Can't believe that in a year's time I'll be graduating. Excited, nervous and antsy all at once. Anyways, yesterday I met one of my dearest friends, Alyssa, out in Avondale for some coffee at a place called Ground Control. This place was a sweet surprise, not only did it have a lovely inside sitting area, but the coffee was actually good. I thought for a while that I could only find well-crafted coffee in the numerous downtown dwellings I've discovered, not anymore. Ground Control was delish, (which also had a large display of pastries and cakes) never seemed to get overly crowded, and I can't wait to go back and try a cappuccino or a hot latte. Score.

My lovely friend Alyssa! (Hope you don't mind me posting this)

Tomorrow I start my first official day interning at Ahwatukee Foothills News, I already have an assignment doing a business profile, and a online media class downtown later on.
Spring semester is officially here, I'm glad that my classes don't feel like too much of an overload. At least not yet anyway...

Are you in or starting school too?
What kind of places do you like to go for coffee?

winter shorts

I happen to think that shorts are a wonderful alternative to dresses and skirts during the chilly winter season. Last week before going to the hospital to visit a family member, I decided to throw on these lovely semi-highwaisted linen beauties I recently purchased from Ann Taylor Loft (They were only $5 so I got a pair in a grey-ish lavender as well!). I love the pumpkin color and how they can easily transition into spring. Paired with almost any color of tights (I wore these with maroon tights for Christmas Eve), simple layers, and flats or boots, I find it works for those still breezy 60 degree days.
grey shirt, black cardigan & tights: Target
shorts: Ann Taylor Loft
belt: F21
flats: Steve Madden

nooks, crannies and dream rooms

Today has been a rather lazy yet relaxing day. Accompanied with soothing white pear tea, my room with lots of early afternoon light and a cozy sweater, my inspiration for today has come from these pretty photos of my dream rooms, workspaces and nooks.
One of my guilty pleasures is strolling through a pottery barn or surfing different design blogs and sites. I cannot wait until my mister and I can decorate a place of our own. All of these lovely places could certainly be an inspiration for future rooms, nooks and crannies. 

TTFN

Credits: 1) ELLE decor. 2) design sponge. 3) pottery barn. 4) ELLE decor. 5) housebeautiful.com. 6) home-designing.com.

Waking up in Flagstaff

Just realized I skipped right over Christmas. Darn. I had every intention of putting together a lovely collage of festivities for the holidays but did not remember to bring my camera (or use it) while the food, desserts and presents took reign over my grandmother's house. Oh well, New Years was much more picturesque.

My dear Edwin and I drove up north to ring in the new year. Downtown Flagstaff had a cute "Pine Cone Drop" inspired by Time Square's famous ball drop.

first kiss of 2011

The fireworks right after the pine cone dropped were the prettiest shades. It was so nice to be able to have gone to a new place for this holiday, and still feeling like we weren't alone, the people there are very nice. After the stroke of midnight, it was back to the hotel. A minus 7 degrees overnight was way too cold for us desert dwellers. The next day, we got up and headed out to find a yummy-sounding bakery/restaurant. We finally found it after searching around town, to find out it was closed for the day. By then we were so famished that we settled for some Starbucks at a nearby Safeway, and took some pictures in the snow across the street.

I just got these lovely vintage boots in the mail the day we were going to leave for Flagstaff!

My love in his new coat I got him for Christmas.


Later on, we went back to historic downtown which did not last long because it was still incredibly cold!
Just when we needed refuge from the chilling winter weather, we found a coffee place called Rendezvous. After my very large coffee from Starbucks earlier, I felt it was time for some tea. This place is quite unique and is considered a "coffee shop by day and martini bar by night." (Who also has the best green tea I've ever had).
I sure wish I had gotten more photos of the inside, it sits in the same building as an old hotel, and for sure has a 1940s vibe. Some time after talking, people watching, drinking my tea, we decided to head back for Phoenix.
It was such a lovely time, and we definitely want to take more trips together. Our next stop, maybe a dreamy beach town in California over the summer... For now though, I'm still dreaming of that snow.