Remember The Time

Remind me to tell you why I hate Fairfax Safeway!

Rival

Sports are competitive by definition.

Whenever a major sport comes to its major competition of the year, be it the Superbowl, the US Open, the Stanley Cup, March Madness, etc. a lot of casual fans come out of the woodwork to cheer for one team or another. On Superbowl Sunday it is not uncommon to overhear someone yelling for "The Red Team" or "The Blue Team" to win the game. A lot of people root for the hometown team, or the team their dad likes, or maybe the team their ex-boyfriend hated. There are a ton of reasons to pick one team over the other.

Currently, we are in the middle on the World Series in baseball. For those who have not been following it, it's three games for the Yankees and two for the Phillies. I usually don't watch the World Series since any of my teams (Orioles, Nationals) don't exactly make it that far. However, I work with two big Yankees fans and that, combined with growing up with this area's sentiment of hating that team, I am all about the Phillies winning.

One day at work, on a daily note sheet, I wrote, "Go Phillies." When I came back the next day it had been marked out with black, permanent marker* and on the next day was written "GO YANKEES!" Instead of marking it out, I wrote "um, gross" and other people added to it things like, "Yes, I agree!" and "Phillies will come back...!" and "I'm dressing up as A-Rod's steroid dealer for Halloween" (that one made me laugh). Also in there was the delightful message, "F YOU ALL!" Wow!

Now, a day or two later, and to be honest I can't remember the details now, I came in to work and noticed that part of a note page had been cut out. Thinking that odd, I did a little investigating and found the crumpled up paper in the garbage**. I could see why it had been thrown out as it said something along the idea of, "PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN LIKE BASEBALL CAN SHUT THE FUCK UP!!"

Now, does that seem a little much to you? Because it does to me! How can you say I don't like baseball when I've been watching the entire series so far?

Let me tell you my thinking on sports: I love sports. I also like to have a life. Therefore, I don't allow myself to get obsessed with a lot of teams and sports. I limit it to tennis, exciting games, Redskins when I'm not working, and season-ending series. If I kept up with every sport it would be a job within itself.

I just find it so ridiculous and frustrating that people are getting angry that I want the Phillies to win. What if it was the Red Sox against the Phillies-would you Yankees fans be singing a different tune? So why is it so weird that I am against the Yankees after having grown up around Orioles fans. One time, when I was younger, I told my dad I liked the pinstripes uniform and he jokingly yelled at me. Another aside from my childhood-I did all of my projects on baseball for awhile because I wanted to have something in common with my dad and brother who were both very into baseball. I grew up with the game. Back when there was one TV in the house it was watch with dad or go find something else to do.

So let's get back to the point of all of this. It's about competition. One team will come out the winner and inevitably there will be people cheering on either side. That. Is. Completely. Normal. There is going to be a loser and I'm sorry if it's your team, but it will not be the end of the world. Does anyone remember how badly I wanted Andy Murray to win the US Open? Badly. And he didn't. He didn't even come close, but did I freak out? No, I kept watching and picked someone else I wanted to win.

So come on Phillies, bring it to the Yankees these next two games and shut up all of those annoying fans. And if hell freezes over and the Nats make it to the World Series next year against you, I'm sorry, but I'll want you to then lose. That's how it works. I'd also like to see the Cowboys lose the rest of the year and the Lakers to make it to the finals. And Caps? Just keep on.

Hi, I'm normal.

XO,
SVR


*To be honest, I can't remember the exact number of times, but for the sake of the story, I'm saying this many times.
**There was ONLY paper in there and the day had just started. It was not gross.

Way To Fall

Leafy
Originally uploaded by scarls17

Art

I've been slowly reading the Bazaar Runway Report special issue for weeks now.

It is maybe the greatest magazine I have gotten in the mail in months. It is literally* a rundown of every single fall line that was presented in Paris, Milan, New York, and London. I die:

Valentino

Lanvin

Giambattista Valli

Alexander McQueen (Wouldn't wear this, of course, but it's AWESOME!)

Pringle Of Scotland (REPRESENT!!!!!!!!!!)

I could post about 100 more, but I'll stop here...for now.


XO,
SVR










*Rachel Zoe

Fashion Victim

The other thing I did recently is a photoshoot for my brother and sister-in-law's store. First of all, go check out their website: Turnstyle. Did you go?

Jobeth asked me to come take picture so of their new clothes they would be carrying this fall in their store. I said yes, because it sounded like fun, but then I started thinking about it and was kind of terrified. Although, I wasn't. It's hard to explain. I was concerned about lighting, but I figured I'd just wing it somehow.

I don't have some crazy notion that I am a great photographer. I like to do it, but I often have no idea what I'm doing. I know a good picture when I see it, and I've taken some of them myself, but if good photographers like Terra are on one planet, then I am on another one wondering how I can get to theirs.

When I showed up that Saturday I had no idea what to expect. Five minutes in, though, and I was relaxed and having a great time. Once I had about 40 shots and several looked good, I knew things were going to be okay.

I hadn't even though about what role I would play. I naively assumed I would just be taking the pictures, but while Jobeth styled the models, I had to direct them. "Gorgeous!" "Don't bend your leg!" "Fill in the empty space!" I'm not going to lie, America's Next Top Model was my savior. I even joked for one girl to "Smile with [her] eyes!"

Lighting did prove to be one of my biggest obstacles, but we worked around what we had and even moved the furniture around to help our cause. I took 543 shots in two hours and even without Photoshop (which I don't even have and never use), I was happy with what we got. Here are some of my (unedited!) favorites:

Southern Belle

I've been up to a lot recently. Read about it...here:

I visited my younger sister, Ali, in Charleston, SC a couple weeks ago. She recently moved there with her husband and I had such a fantastic time down there. It's quite different down there, I have to say. First of all, I knew it would be hot, but I was not ready for scorching. It's one thing (and entirely okay) to be wicked hot while at the beach, but when walking around downtown, I wanted to die. I've been in cool weather mode since well, forever. While melting in Charleston, we got some of the best pizza I have ever had in my life at Mellow Mushroom.
(Note: We took some home in a box. Not that there's any shame in finishing it off.)

It also rains a lot there, but the rain never messes up the plans. On the Sunday before I left, we planned to go to Isle Of Palms beach, but when we woke up, it was pouring. We decided to head out anyway, and by the time we arrived, it was nice out again.

I also felt like a Northerner there. Never before have I said I'm from Virginia and not felt like the Southern Belle* I am. I was pleasantly surprised that it was not the slow southern feel like it is in Tennessee where people walk and talk way slower than anyone from Northern Virginia. I actually was reminded a lot of Puerto Rico.

Going out at night in Charleston is a sport unto itself. Friday night we went to Bushido, which has been featured on the Travel Channel.

Nathaniel took on the challenge and after signing his waiver (yes) he ate the first five.

Luckily for us, and him, he decided to do half now and half later. We had big drinking plans and the guy at the table next to use finished all 10 and pretty much couldn't sit still or stop sweating. He also said he exploded in the bathroom. His words, most certainly not mine!

As I was saying, Friday night in Charleston I noticed that the girl uniform was short shorts, a fancy top, and heels. My finest moment of the evening was when we were leaving our parking spot and we overheard this guy on the phone say, "You just want to fuck her in the ass!" Anyone who listens to Elliott In The Morning should already know what I said, "Anal?" I can't describe the tone, but it was amazing.

Saturday nights have an entirely different girl uniform: dresses and heels. I felt quite out of place wearing jeans. I also felt out of place because I was not so drunk I couldn't stand anymore. Nor was I sitting on the sidewalk drunk texting or trying not to vomit. I was inside, having fun.


After the bars closed, we decided to go to a strip club so Silva directed us to The Southern Belle. Unfortunately, the cover was $20 and since I have no need to see naked ladies, there was no way I was going to pay that. Especially since we got there at 3am and they closed at 4. Um, no. Silva was disappointed:(

BUT did you know that in South Carolina you can buy beer at 3am!? I still can't get over that.

I was sad to leave Ali and Nathaniel. I miss my sister a lot.


I've been up to more than just going to South Carolina, but this post is forever long right now.

XO,
SVR








*This will be funny later.

Seven

If you don't love this song, we can't be friends: