So cool.

I just saw these pictures of the Philadelphia headquarters of Free People and Urban Outfitters. What an amazing space-- and an awesome place to work!

I am drooling.

Smells Like Tradition

Exactly a year ago today, I had the pleasure of having dinner with 3 of my favorite people in the whole entire world-- Kaitlin and the best cousins, Tracy and Taryn.

Tonight, I get to do it again and I could not be more excited! These girls are not just fun to be around, but something about hanging out with them takes me right back to being 4 years old and eating bow-tie pasta with parmesan, laughing about everything.

I could go on, but I won't for multiple reasons.

1. If you want to know my appreciation for my sister and my cousin's awesome relationship, click on the link above.

2. I need to get out of bed and get dressed. This is proving to be difficult.

I can't wait for 6:00!!!

Things I Want for Fall.

This is one of the most bittersweet times of year.

Summer is no longer a large heap of days that have no meaning with school as insignificant as a dot on the horizon, but you're not quite ready to sharpen your new No. 2 pencils and buy a fresh pair of tennis shoes quite yet (seriously-- the highlight of my summer every single year since I was in Kindergarten was the pair of brand new shoes that I got every year. I can smell the fresh rubber now...)

I'm always sad to say goodbye to summer (and in more recent years, goodbye to people too), but simultaneously excitedly looking forward to the productivity and growth that comes with a new school year. Something feverish has always excited me about fall. Maybe it's because my birthday is making its long drawn out and rightly over celebrated appearance (September 24th. Mark your calendars). Maybe its the mystery of what classes, and teachers will be like that goes along with the routine monotony of going to school. Maybe I just like the way the leaves look so much more handsome and collegiate.

I don't know what!

...But I think I have a pretty good guess.

The clothes.

I mean, who doesn't love the clothes that come with fall!? The layering, the tailoring, the knits, the tweeds, the boots, the scarves!?! Oh, the scaaarves...

So, to get you all as excited as I am about the pending season-- and to perhaps give you a couple of ideas in regards to... maybe... I don't know... birthday gifts for a dear friend?... (September 24th. September 24th. September 24th) I have compiled this small shopping list of goodies I want. And remember, I use the word 'want' loosely. Some may suggest that these are much more that 'wants' and perhaps even 'needs.'

Oh, Clogs. Last year when I wanted you for graduation, I believed it might have just been a silly schoolgirl crush. But a year has came and went and my little heart still beats for you. Be mine forever (in Bordeaux, size 8)?

This belt from Madewell is literally called 'The Perfect Leather Belt.' And that's because it is. Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer. This year, next year, twenty years from now. This is such a great investment piece.

Last year my FAVORITE pair of shoes in the whole entire world died a slow and painful death. They were a perfect pair of olive loafers that I'd pretty much loved to death. The other day I saw a woman at work rocking these loafies and when I complimented her and shared with her my sad, sad story of the passing of my very own pair, she told me that the very same thing had happened with her old pair from J. Crew and that they had lasted her about 10 years! Now I want some for me.

Socks. So practical and so under appreciated. I will fully and unabashedly admit that I am one of those no sock girls. In younger years, there was turmoil in the House of Patton due to my refusal to suffocate my innocent feet in such an inhumane way (I live in Southern California for Heaven's sake!), but it wasn't until this year that I realized how absolutely vital they are in avoiding frostbitten toe amputation. I was completely unprepared. I resorted to layering 3 pairs of my thin work out peds-- a practice that resulted in my feet looking rather swollen and enlarged in most of my shoes. This year, though, I intend to invest in some deliciously thick socks to not only comfort my poorly circulated extremities, but also to add onto a cozy layering affect on an outfit as they peek out the top of my boots.

This vest is cool. And from Old Navy. For like $35.oo. Come on over here and stay a while.

I meaaan... is this a joke? This skirt would literally go with EVERYTHING in my closet. And that's not an exaggeration. Because I checked. EVERYTHING.

And then I need this haircut.

AND THIS CAMERA! I need some way to capture myself rocking all of these outfits! Come on, guys. I have asked for this for Christmas AND Birthdays for the past 3 years! Someone pull through for me.

Anywho. I love you all. Especially you, Grandma Bunny. I am excited to see you next Tuesday.

Hopefully this post doesn't make me sound like a brat. Because hopefully you all know me well enough to know that I'm joking about needing all of this.

But if you really knew me well enough, you'd know that I'm actually not.

Mobile Uploads

Oh, lovers, what a summer it's been. It is still far from over, thanks heavens (29 days until I lug my butt back over to Savannah), but I figured it was about time for some MoBz UpZ, if you know what I mean, string bean.

Here, fair Tamara and I are at the hat stand at the Santa Monica Flea Market. The whole day went smashingly, but I particularly liked this booth because when we posed for the picture, the man at the booth said about me, "Whoooo-weee, she got a stoooone cooooold face. Oh, dat's cold!" I've never been so honored in my life.

Here we are at about 8:40 on a Monday morning as I get ready for work. I had gotten completely dressed and I was headed on over the bathroom to puts on ma herrs and maykup when I saw this staring back at me. Ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens when Julia takes a shower at night and is too lazy to take the extra 10 minutes to blow dry her hair before she goes to bed. 100% natural. Oh yeah, baby.

Midnight run to Del Taco for some chili cheese fries. Nothing more needs to be said.

Here is the start to the greatest game of Ghetto Scrabble ever played in Arrowhead. When the first two words played are "Yo" and "Dog" you know you're in for a classy game.

Happy birthday, Maggie!!!! Dinner at the Cannery for Magner's big 1-9. Ate my weight in seafood and creme brulee.

Goodness me, I do love summer.

I've found it.

So, along with being a blogger to this here lovely site, I am also an admitted blogaholic. I read about 40 different blogs regularly (thanks to the help of my bloglovin.com account). All of them vary from personal style blogs, to food blogs, to interesting people I've never met blogs, ("short blogs, tall blogs, fat blogs, skinny blogs," she hums to herself). But, I will say that my major blog drug of choice has to be wedding blogs. Whether the focus is on photography or decor or jewelry or venues, I love a good wedding blog.

I swoon over the wedding dress, I drool over the pristine table settings and sometimes, I just get plain mad that I know my wedding is so gosh darn far away!

Well, the other day, I was catching up on my Snippet and Ink (one of the best out there) and I found it.

My favorite wedding. Of. All. Time. Enter Maria and Nick.

Folks, let me just say that this is saying a lot. I have seen my fair share of weddings that I thought took the cake. But I just CANNOT get enough of this wedding. I've probably looked at the pictures about 8 times and shown close to 5 different people the gorgeousness of this wedding.

Not convinced yet? Let me break down a few highlights for you:

An old pink church in the English countryside.

An adorable couple.

An impeccably styled wedding party.

...and easy on the eyes, I might add.

AN OLD MAN PLAYING THE BANJO.

Sincere and beautiful emotion.

Creative yet elegant decor.

And finally, some sassy ass party pics!

What's not the love!?! (the rest of the pictures-- which are SO worth looking at-- are here).

Wait-- there's more. So, just as my obsession with this unsuspecting couple was dying down, ANOTHER one of my favorite blogs had a post about wedding videography and whether it was worth it or not. This particular blogger said she wasn't typically a huge fan, but she had recently seen a video that just about turned her world upside down. So, I clicked on the link to the video that had come so highly recommended and... sure enough... there they were. NICK AND MARIA. So, lucky me, I got to creep even harder on all of the details of their wedding day in this gorgeous video. I literally guarantee you will not regret watching it. Just push play. Do it.

nick+maria • england wedding from Paperback Weddings on Vimeo.

So. At this point, I've convinced myself that I now know this couple and it's not weird at all that I have pretty much implanted myself in one of the most intimate days of their lives. I know that this is not the last time I will melt over these pictures.

They will go on to have 38 children-- each more awesome than the next. There will be only laughter pouring out of their gorgeous home (honestly, how could it not be gorgeous). Nick's accent will only get cooler and cooler with age and Maria's hair, longer and longer. And their marriage will last FOREVER.

I'm convinced.

"It's just hard."

I had a long talk with my mom last night (that may or may not have involved some tears-- no comment).

After talking to her for a while, I was trying to collect my thoughts and my emotions (and the snot covering my blubbering face) by putting a verbal period at the end of our conversation. I was trying to put a label on what I was feeling so that it would be easier for me to process and grow in what's going on and the space that I'm in.

I said to her, "Well, it's not stress. I'm not stressed. I just feel.... overwhelmed? No. That's not really it either. Sort of confused at what's going on in life. Why is everything changing so quickly? Why is everything changing in the first place? What is a word for that time in life when everything is kind of uncertain and scary and challenging all day, everyday?"

And she looked at me in the most sympathetically matter-of-fact way, "Hard. It's just hard."

Yeah. She's good.

It's so crazy how something so simply put can sum up the mess of wires and knots going on in my brain. And when she said that, it hit me that although times like these are adjustment periods in life, there is nothing unfair or wrong or victimizing about life being challenging. Because guess what? That's life! So, I'm trying to learn how to find the beauty in growth instead of looking at the sadness in change. It's time for me to rise to the occasion. In spite of what my friends are doing, what my future looks like, where I live, or even something as gosh darn CLICHÉ as what I look like, it's time for me to step up and take the challenge.

Easier said than done.

Wait a second-- so growing up isn't all cool loft apartments, with awesome jobs and hot boyfriends? It's more like a constantly messy room, with long hours and perpetually single Friday nights with mom and dad? Oh... cool. Good to know.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump...

... You hear that? It's the sound of my heart skipping a beat after looking through J. Crew's Fall 2011 lookbook. Their styling is always impeccable, but this?! Come on. Beautifully clear colors, masculine lines with feminine tailoring!? It's Kate Middleton meets Doris Day. Jenna Lyons, you've really outdone yourself.

Note to self: stop buying dumb $15 shirts at Forever 21 and save your pennies to invest in such staples as a gorgeous red trench, fuchsia cigarette pants or a poppy colored pullover.

(PS- Today is the last day to enter in a haiku! You know you want to!)