Fantasy Land

Doesn't this picture look like it was taken in a different world? Can you imagine the smell of these cherry blossoms?

Img: the cherry blossom girl

<3 Regina.

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Regina Spektor's new album is fantastic!

Friends.

I ended up going to New York this weekend because I hadn't seen my college friends in quite some time. You see, when we graduated college, the majority of my friends left Boston for NYC. I used to see them quite a lot, but as always, life started getting in the way.

I absolutely love my friends. These girls are my family. And they always will be.

The Stoning of Soraya M.

I really want to see The Stoning of Soraya M. , a film about a French journalist stranded in a small Iranian town and a woman who has a harrowing tale to tell about her niece, Soraya, and the bloody circumstances of her death. This movie exposes the power of mob rule, uncivil law, and the utter lack of human rights for women.

Though this movie has a lot of disturbing subject matter, I've heard nothing but good things about it. I'm going to try and see it this week. My review will come later.

Circus

Oh, haiiiii. Nice to see you again.

LOOK AT THIS WEDDING!

This is the wedding of Adam and Halli in Brooklet, GA on May 9, 2009, shot by photographer and cinematographer, Josh Goleman. Go to his site for more pictures.

Have Race Relations Improved?

While reading The Root today, I came across a survey conducted by CNN/Essence regarding race relations in America:

From CNN:

The poll was conducted May 16-18, in telephone interviews with 505 African-Americans and 501 whites.

Blacks and whites had differing opinions of Obama's performance:

-More than 60 percent of blacks felt that Obama met their expectations, while 46 percent of whites did.

-Thirty percent of blacks said Obama exceeded their expectations, compared with 16 percent of whites.

-Six percent of blacks said Obama did not meet expectations, compared with 35 percent of whites.

Both blacks and whites gave similar answers to a survey question about whether race relations will always be a problem in the United States.

-Forty-five percent of blacks answered yes, while 42 percent of whites said yes.

-Fifty percent of blacks said no, while 56 percent of whites said no.

The poll had a sampling error on these questions of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points

Have race relations improved? If we put forth a post-racial agenda, will these relations improve?

I don't think we will ever have a post-racial agenda in the United States. Our country is still (in my opinion) too deeply enmeshed in the historical shackles of slavery. However, this is not to say that race relations haven't improved, nor will they improve. I believe that relations HAVE changed, that acceptance is becoming more universal.

I had this belief until I read that more than 27 million people are in slavery today all over the world. No, this is not the same type of slavery that we as Americans have a working knowledge of, but changes in the world's economies and societies over the past 50 years have enabled a resurgence of slavery. The end result is the same: One person controlling another and then forcing them to work.

What are we going to do about this? I'm going to try and find an answer.

You guys like weddings.

I like weddings too. Therefore, I'm going to make more of a concerted effort to chronicle my wedding planning adventures on this blog.

This blog isn't going to be all about weddings (at least, I really hope not), but I would like to share my thoughts and experiences concerning this process. I'll include more pictures ('cause you guys like that), and tips I learn as I go through planning my own wedding.

SO...

I guess I should tell you that I bought my wedding dress. And it looks NOTHING like the dresses that I've posted on the blog. I'm keeping the details of the dress private, but I will tell you that it was the first dress I tried on, my mother cried when she saw me in it, and I felt beautiful.

I was amazed at how tiring the dress shopping process was. Despite the fact that I went to two stores (and for those of you getting married in New England, specifically the Connecticut shoreline, please go see Beth and co. at The White Dress by the Shore), I must have tried on 20 dresses.

There is a specific move that you must do when trying on dresses, which I have aptly titled the "wedding dress dive". I will explain it here:

1. Stand in heels, bra and panties.

2. Squat, with hands in diving position.

3. Hold squat while the salesgirl prepares the dress.

4. Spring up slowly through the dress, and into the light (it's dark in there).

5. Stand there awkwardly while the salesgirl tugs and pins and fluffs.

6. Trip over your dress (which will be too long), and stand in front of the mirror.

Imagine doing this 20 billion times. Oh, and you're not squatting for like 5 seconds, it's more like 5 minutes. Most dress appointments are 2 hours. You do the math.

But it was fun!

xx

Let's talk about things I dislike in the morning.

I'm usually a morning person. No, like REALLY. I don't mind getting up at the crack of dawn and futzing around my apartment reading and checking astrologyzone and NOAA until I have to go to work.

HOWEVER, here is why this morning sucked:

1. Woke up before my alarm to another perfect "English Summer" day (i.e., RAIN).

2. Cold water shower.

3. Boyfriend leaving for a week. To nice and sunny California.

4. Open toed shoes in rain (I am dumb).

5. No air conditioning on the T.

6. This article.

7. And this one.

BUT, here's the one thing that made my morning better:

A MANDLE! For the special man in your life. You can thank me later.

Away We Go

Has anyone seen this movie? I'm a little afraid that I will end up bawling so hard in the theater that someone will think I just found out someone in my family had died. I mean, I cried at the trailer...I think that's a new low.

I also want to see this one.

And died laughing (to my surprise) at this one.

Go see a movie this weekend to combat the rainy blues!

?RU

Erin sent this to me (because she knows that I have a little obsession with this subject matter). This video

shows you a little insight into the world of people who are mixed race, interracial families, or anyone who does not fit into a single identity box.

Two very important tips.

Here are some things I learned yesterday:

1. If you buy less than $25 worth of groceries at the store and you use your credit card, you don't have to sign anything.

2. If you wear red lipstick during the day, all sorts of people will stop you to tell you how good you

look and men will catcall til the cows come home.

Lady Noire

Love this. And it stars Marion Cotillard, whom I love!

Back in a bit.

This little blogging bubble is getting to me! I need to take some time away and enjoy the fresh air. I'll be back soon, chickadees!

xx,

D

J. Crew Wedding Dresses

{All images from JCrew}

All of these dresses are serious contenders at the moment.

A childhood icon.

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood used to transport me to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe even when I wasn't watching the show. Characterized by its simplicity and gentleness, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (and his wool sweaters) is one of the sweetest relics from my childhood.

{I apologize for the quality of this video, but it was the only one I could find.}

Le Ballon Rouge

Le Ballon Rouge by Albert LaMorisse 1956

(images culled from Lolita)