Week 27: Dwindling Closet!

Week 27, Day 1: Lounging around, no outfit to report

Week 27, Days 2 & 3: Work from home day, no outfit


Week 27, Day 4: Office day - BR black silk tuxedo shirt that ties in back, BR trouser jeans

Week 27, Day 5: Work from home day - nothing to report


Week 27, Day 6: Unknown brand, brown cotton dress with hood & ruched waist, purchased at a local boutique in Perrysburg.



Week 27, Day 7: Unknown brand, black sleeveless shirt with racerback straps that criss-cross in the back, White Ann Taylor Loft trousers (that get another go the next day!)

Week 28, Day 1: BR red halter top, White Ann Taylor Loft trousers (yes, I re-wore them!)

On my second week of low-key lifestyle, I spent most of the week easing back into a more monotonous lifestyle. I worked from home quite a bit last week and headed into the office just for a day for our team's fundraiser bake-off. I brought my white chocolate raspberry bars and won second place for the contribution - probably could have won first if I had made the recipe correctly (accidentally used half the butter required, didn't have almond extract, so I used Frangelico). Nonetheless, it was a success as measured by the empty baking pan that I took home with me.

Friday we went out with Julie (someone I met at Essence), her Swiss hubby, and Lisa (who used to be my partner in shopping crime before this challenge). We went to Vino100, munched on appetizers and food, and enjoyed 3 good bottles of wine. Julie and Marcus then came to our place to meet our newest addition (Pee Wee) and then we called it a relatively tame night.

Saturday we went the Sarah and Dave's to celebrate Dave's speedy attainment of a doctorate (put us all to shame in needing 2 years and 363 days - I took 5 years!). We ate, drank, and mingled, and got home at a relatively decent hour. I donned what is likely my last sleeveless black top - one that I couldn't really wear when I was bloated from all my hedonistic trips, but finally after spending the past couple weeks de-bloating myself, felt comfortable wearing again.

Sunday, my 3rd straight day of socializing, I went to Mechelle's to celebrate Diana's birthday (co-owner of Vino100). Yesterday marked the 1 year anniversary of the DUBs, so in usual DUB fashion, we ladies drank our martinis and wine, snacked on scrumptious food provided by Mechelle and her hubby Pete, and engaged in girl talk. Much of the night is still a little fuzzy for me, as I apparently drank more than I thought (as is evident by my hangover). I crashed at Mechelle's place, and then awoke around 6:30A and headed back home. I announced to the fellow DUBbers that I am now past 6 months of not shopping...we talked of maybe having a big outing when this whole challenge is over...oh boy! Kim asked me if there's anything I have learned from this challenge and I shared about my epiphany of needing to decide on what my "style" is and sticking to it. This will help me avoid impulse purchases and stick with buying articles of clothing that will complement my wardrobe. Whereas I used to go out and drop $50 on a shirt that I "had to have" for some outing that I had planned that day or weekend, I can now say with confidence that I'll be thinking twice before plopping down the credit card and will make take a mental spin through my closet before I make the purchase. Who knows how long that will last!

On Friday, I dropped some clothes off at Clothes Mentor (a consignment shop) and made $50. It's sad, but many of the things that I took in were only purchased a year or two ago - but now no longer "look right" on me are have been classified in my mind as out of style. It feels really good to clean out your closet and to even get something back for things that would otherwise just hang there and accumulate dust. Overall, I have made about $100 back in clothing that I no longer plan to wear - not too shabby - it pays for 1/6th of my Louboutin shoes!

Speaking of my Louboutin's, I have made a mini-shrine for these prized possessions and have displayed them on the shoebox they came in atop the shelf of my closet. Thus, walking into my closet each morning, I am reminded of my beauties and how it's important to start investing in quality, not quantity! It's also not hard to spot these shoes, as my "not yet worn" wardrobe could now be classified as sparse - where there are more empty hangers than used hangers, and the number of unworn tops total less than 10. I've also decided to not wear something for the sake of wearing it, and if I really don't like it anymore, to place it in the Clothes Mentor-bound box. I'm hoping to score at least another $50 during my next drop-off...as there is a Coach bag in the mix that the lady at the store told me to clean and bring back, and could guarantee that I'd get $15 for it. Now, the question is, what do I do with the money I get for my unwanted clothing? Hmmm...maybe save it up and buy myself a Louis Vuitton bag when this challenge is over? Tempting!!!

Week 26: Back to home life!

Week 26, Day 2: Limited black camisole, Yellow Ann Taylor Loft pants


Week 26, Day 3: BR Pink Tee, Old Navy khaki capris, Unknown brand pink patterned belt


Week 26, Day 4: Ann Taylor Loft khaki shirt dress, faux fur red belt

Week 26, Day 5: Work from home day


Week 26, Day 6: Forever 21 denim one-piece short-sleeved, button-down, jumper


Week 26, Day 7: Patagonia orange halter tie-back dress

My first full week of being home since June! This week (Monday) began with a visit from Mike's brother and girlfriend (Dave and Tara) driving in from Peoria with a stop in Chicago. I knew that our kitty, Peewee, would be a hit with Tara...and she was :) Mike's aunt and uncle also joined us for what was meant to be grilling out, but a cloudburst ruined that idea so we spent the evening enjoying dinner inside. It was nice to cook a meal at home and begin my slight detox from the previous week in Vegas (yes, clothes are once again tight!).

Tuesday was a work from home day and involved running a few errands as well - which is why I got dressed. Nothing more to report there!

Wednesday, I headed into the office and then went out with my HEL-NO girls (Kate, Kelly, and Lyn). We met up for Happy Hour at a wine bar near work, enjoyed a couple half price glasses of wine and small plates, and then headed out to wander down the street before calling it a relatively tame and early night. I headed home (rather than crashing at the Cummins') as I wanted to be home with my little kitty and continue to dwell in being home after what seemed like an over-indulgent July.

Thursday was another work from home day, so not much to report there in terms of clothing. I caught a late afternoon yoga class, and then engaged in what is becoming a bit of a traditional Thursday night - heading over to Jen's place to enjoy her awesome vegetable farm share that we use portions of to make dinner that we enjoy with a couple bottles of wine. We made some great vegetable side dishes that all came together to serve a nice, light, and satisfying meal. I brought over an angel food cake, macerated strawberries with a bit of orange liquer, and home made whipped cream (can you tell that I'm watching Top Chef as I type this blog??).

My workload on Friday was relatively light, so I decided to take advantage of the 1/2 days that my company offers during the summer and booked an appointment with my favorite massage therapist - ADAM...it was, as usual, relaxing and a great start to the weekend. That night, the BG gang - a group that has not been together alone in quite some time - got together to go wine tasting and then grab dinner. What I thought for sure would be a bender turned out to be a relatively low-key night. My outfit for that night was something I pulled out from the closet upstairs earlier in the week...something I bought last year inspired by an outfit that Gillian wore on the Bachelorette...and was thrilled to find at Forever 21. I've only worn it once - probably because it's a jumper and is a pain to get on and off when I need to use the restroom. Needless to say, I paid particular attention to my water and wine intake that night so as to avoid the awkward shimmy I have to do to wiggle out of the one-piece.

Saturday morning, I returned to my regular workout routine and then stayed at home awaiting the Best Buy delivery guy to come install our new washer (the old one broke down last week). Unfortunately, the window they communicated to us came and went, so we were without a washer, and now my hubby was experiencing the same thing I've been going through for the past 6 months, dwindling clothing options! Saturday evening we accompanied Sarah and Dave to a fundraiser called "Barefoot on the Beach" which was an impressive event. The coordinators managed to take the Maumee Bay state park (a beach by the bay) and transform it into a tropical/beachy environ that at times (and with a couple glasses of wine) made you forget that you were in the Toledo vicinity. The food, catered by local restaurants, was delicious and delivered in the form of small plates...I, of course, relaxed my no-meat eating rule, as there were too many yummy meat options to pass up - my favorite was a homemade jalapeno sausage with some kind of creamy chive sauce and fried onion strings from a local beer and brat joint called Swig (Jen will be happy to see this). After making the drive back to our place, Sarah and Dave shared another glass of wine with us and we then called it a relatively early night (midnight-ish).

So, an update on the clothing front...I spent Sunday finally sorting through my "worn" pile and hanging it upstairs in our guest bedroom closet. I have now officially stuffed on of the closets to the point that there is no room for anymore hangers. Also, my "reserve" closet from upstairs, where I keep my off-season clothing is pretty much depleted. I also took some time to iron and fold the clothes that I want to take to the consignment shop - so I'll be ready for a trip to the store and then the Good Will next weekend. There's something oddly satisfying about getting rid of clothes and simplifying it. If there's one thing that I've learned from this challenge, it's the fact that many of the things I end up getting rid of were bought on a whim without much reflection on how that item would work with the rest of my wardrobe. So, instead of buying something trendy and that I'll wear for "that event," I definitely think my shopping mentality will focus more on classic pieces that will complement my wardrobe, not further complicate it! We shall see - the first day back at a store will be very telling!!

Week 26: Just a "regular" weekend - HOORAY!

Week 25: Day 6: Red BR empire seam top, Old Navy capri jeans


Week 25, Day 7: Ann Taylor Loft denim-looking halter sundress

Week 26, Day 1: Anthropologie cap-sleeved empire waist patterned top (can you say, totally unflattering?), Forever 21 denim capris

Well, after Vegas and a work from home week, my life is finally approaching normalcy again...who would have thought that vacationing could take so much out of you?

After returning from our red-eye flight back from Vegas on Wednesday morning, I got through the workday as best I could, and then got an email from Mike titled "they close at 7pm" with a link to Petfinder.com in the body. So, I blew off my cycle/pilates class (was too tired anyway) and headed down to the Wood County Humane Society to pick out our newest family member. Anyone who loves pets and has a bleeding heart for anything furry, take cover, because what I am about to describe may send you rushing to your local shelter in an attempt to adopt as many furry creatures as you can fit in your car (or legally house). I entered the shelter and took a right to go into the "cat room" and was immediately overwhelmed with the number of felines inhabiting about a 20 x 10 foot space. There were cages filled with kittens, older cats perched on the window ledges, cats walking around, cats doing business, cats taking naps in kitty condos, and cats putting on their best show for a potential new owner. There were tabby cats, black cats, himilayan cats, earless cats, 3-legged cats, cats that had inner-ear imbalance and walked like they were drunk (that one was appropriately named Tipsy). Mike and I were committed to taking home a kitten (as I've never had the pleasure) and decided on a tiny black cat named "Ursa" who mistakenly was placed back in a cage where "certified" cats were ready to be taken home. Luckily, this little girl was only a day away from having her tests done, so we made a plan for Mike to return the next day to pick her up. We are "fostering" this kitten until she is large enough to fix (she's currently 1.6 lbs) and then we can decide if we want to keep her. IF???? There is no way in hell that I am returning this darling little cat. It's almost as if the cat gods knew that Mike and I were deprived of love and put all the lap-sitting behavior that we've so been longing for into this 1.6 lb. mini. We've decided to name her Pee Wee - as she is so unbelieveably small that no other name seems to suit her (and Squirt is already taken by our other cat). So, needless to say, since Thursday, my thoughts have been consumed with our new addition - not just because I love cats, but because she loves humans so much that she cries when she's not sitting in a lap or at least being held by someone.

Friday we began resuming normal "weekend" activities in Toledo by going to a wine tasting with our neighbors, Cathy and Dave, and then breaking in their new back deck by drinking really strong forms of alcohol - Slivovitz (a Slovenian liqeuer) and Calvados (some form of Apple Brandy).

Saturday we headed up to Detroit to have what has become a bi-monthly wine club meeting with my boss, Kim and her husband Harvey and Mike and Lyn Cummins. We hit up a casual small plates restaurant (which was phenomenal!) and then headed back to Mike's to chill. Mike convinced us to head down to his basement to watch an HBO concert that he recorded that had the most amazing line-up of performers - one that put Live Aid and Band Aid to shame! Sting, the Boss, Bono, Mick Jagger, the Black Eyed Peas, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Jackson Brown, Metallica, and on and on! It was pretty awesome watching in Mike's surround sound ampitheatre throwing our arms up with the bobbing ass-rock maneuver. Wine also helped get us into the head-banging spirit!

Sunday, Mike and I went to an International Festival and a mosque that is down the street from us. It was our first time visiting the site and was a real treat...the food was amazing (and cheap!) and having a chance to learn more about the Muslim tradition was really enlightening. Our tour guide was a sweetheart of a man and clearly enjoyed educating otherwise ignorant Americans about the fact that the Islamic religion is not scary, nor hateful, nor anymore radical than any other religion. I'm sure if Buddhist zealots flew planes into the World Trade Center, we'd have similar perspectives on visiting monasteries...

On the clothing front, I am proud to announce that the drawer that holds my casual summer shirts is down to 3 items. I still have a few work clothes to churn through, but I do think that this challenge of seeing how long I can go without re-wearing something again will end in the next month. So, as much as I thought I could go a full year, turns out that that will likely not be the case!

Weeks 25: Vegas and After

Week 24, Day 6: White BR tee, BR trouser jeans

Week 24, Day 7: Burgundy BR cami, White Old Navy skirt

Week 25, Day 1: Old Navy peach flower camisole with tie in back, Ann Taylor Loft demim skirt

Week 25, Day 1 Evening Outfit: Purple Halter (designed by Chloe, Season 2 Project Runway winner), BR grey A-line skirt, Christin Louboutin black 100's pumps

Week 25, Day 2 Outfit (re-enacted at home): Green Forever 21 halter, Gap yellow skirt

Week 25, Day 2 Outfit (Evening - again re-enacted at home): Express strapless lacy black top, BR Trouser Jeans

Week 25, Day 3 Outfit (also re-enacted at home): Black Gap Camisole, Old Navy Khaki Linen Shorts, Red Faux Fur belt from Uniqlo

I have somehow managed to get off my weeks, the week of 7/25, (according to my calender) should be week 24...so I'm correcting this in my blog...not that it matters too much as week 24 was pretty much a work from home week, with very little wearing of something different in my wardrobe...except on the last 2 days whic (work was pretty insane with a ton of web-based meetings, some of which required 6AM delivery, therefore the working from home!).

Sooooo...Vegas, baby, Vegas! Yes, as you can imagine, it was a action-packed trip - so action packed that the days started bleeding together - I guess there's nothing more to expect when your days are comprised of eating, drinking, laying by the pool, a little bit of gambling, drinking, and then eating! We hit up a lot of great restaurants (many of whom were selected based on the Chef Owners' appearances on Food Network or Top Chef). We also hit up a variety of bars in various casinos - Tao at the Venetian, Rhumbar at the Mirage - and also managed to catch a comedy show at Planet Hollywood and a magic show the last day of our stay at Harrah's. Filling our time between casino visits was a good amount of pool time - which was heavenly after a couple hectic weeks of work. Needless to say, getting into the french bikini Mike bought for me in South Beach required more and more disregard for self-consciousness - especially after all the meals and cocktails starting taking their toll on my waistline - as I'm sure is evident in my pictures.

We did not have any celebrity sightings, except at one seedy establishment where Mike and Scott, after chatting with a really large looking dude, discovered that he used to play for the Cleveland Browns. I would imagine that the fact that we were all getting to bed by 11pm each night greatly hurt our chances of running into the rich and famous - especially since they are usually found after midnight at some swanky club that by that hour, is impossible to get into.

As you can see from the pictures above, I found Vegas to be the perfect occassion to break in my Christian Louboutins. I (thankfully) had the smarts to pack a pair of flat shoes for my outfit that night as strutting around in 4 inch heels as we walked up and down the strip and through the enormous casinos to get to our restaurant or venue was going to severely slow everything down, and would have likely left me with amputated feet. I must say, however, that given that these shoes are 4 inches tall, they are reasonable comfortable - they better be after dropping that many Ben Franklins on them!

Abstaining from shopping was not at all hard while in Vegas, mainly because the people I was with had absolutely no interest in going to shopping malls. I did need to buy a special undergarment for the purple shirt I wore one of the nights out, but aside from that, did not purchase a single article of clothing. However, considering the other challenge that I am undergoing - which is to not re-wear anything until I have exhausted my closet, really did cramp my style and left me feeling "frumpy" for pretty much the entire trip. I have already filled the billowy skirts that I wore during the days (which were good for the heat) into the "donate" pile of my "worn clothing" closet section. I am definitely scraping the barrel now with my clothing, and either good or bad, many of the things I am "forced" to wear are going to be worn for their last time - at least by me. Being in a city where you see so many well-dressed people, and then catching a glimpse of your bloated self (after the food and alcohol) wearing something that makes you look even more bloated, is a real doozy on your self-esteem and makes you long for the days when you looked fabulous. I cannot wait for my closet to reach the point of exhaustion - and I have come to realize that this challenge is really helping me identify what my "style" is, and to eradicate from my precious closet real estate, clothes that make me feel less than fabulous!

Week 24: Days 4 - 7 - Brief Stint of the Daily Grind!

Week 24: Day 4 Outfit (back at work!): BR baby blue sleeveless wrap-around blouse, Ann Taylor beige slacks, Guess red patent leather shoes

Week 24: Day 5 Outfit (another day in the office): White BR button down with cinched back and puffy sleeves (going in the donation pile!), Brown pin-striped Old Navy Pants, Red Uniqlo faux-fur belt, Naughty Monkey Shoes (couldn't quite bring myself to wear the Louboutin's yet!)

Week 24: Day 6 Outfit (errand running - a luxury!): Liz Claiborne Off-white ribbed sleeveless top, Old Navy taupe (I think) mini-skirt with satin belt, Lovely Day flats (really cute, you just can't tell because my camera sucks!)

Week 24: Day 7 Outfit (baby shower and wedding - a twofer!): BR long black dress with rope-like straps, Mossimo silver strappy kitten heels (a whoppin' $7 at Target...the price was right, the bottoms are already peeling off)

Week 25, Day 1: BR Red cotton tee, Old Navy "skorts"

Well, the last half of last week, though back in the general vicinity of home, was still pretty exhausting. Work continued to be crazy, though lightening up a little bit. Wednesday I came into the office as many people who generally work from home were coming in for an office visitor. It was good to have face-time after my back to back vacations and remote working from the NYC office. I also had a chance to go to a bi-weekly happy hour with the boss and Mike (from Mike and Lyn, the people I crash with during trips up to Detroit).

Thursday was another office day and similarly jam-packed. I woke up with a nasty sore throat and half-contemplated heading home instead of getting through another work day, but after a good couple cups of black tea with honey, I was feeling more myself. Plus, the HEL-NO ladies club (comprised of current and one previous co-worker) and I had made plans for dinner and a screening of Eclipse...a movie that I was extremely excited about! I can't remember the last time I was excited to see a movie - let alone a girlie flick...and this vampire/wolfy 2 hours of cheesiness (in some minds) did not disappoint and completely satiated my yearning - like blood does for the vampires. After dinner and the movie, and a 1.5 hour drive home, I was pulling into the garage around 11:30pm...POOPED and still slightly sick from the morning cold.

Friday - what a luxury...I actually got to make use of my company's summer hours - where every other week or so, you can take a half day. I shut down the computer around 2pm and used the time to...RUN ERRANDS! A little returning of a damaged coat rack here, some grocery shopping there - I got home and was thrilled to check a few things off of my list, and then plopped onto the couch to catch up on the Bachelorette. I also managed to cook dinner at home which was again a thoroughly enjoyed activity after being on the road for so many days and eating sodium-laden foods from restaurants that care nothing about your heart nor your waistline. Friday evening was a great time to just chill and go to bed early - I think I clocked myself at an 8:30 body shut down!

Saturday - another activity-filled day beginning with Spinning and Yoga (a back-to-back Saturdy morning activity that I had missed for a few weeks), then headed home to NAP (still fighting off the cold - who gets colds in the summer??), and then set out for a baby-shower brunch at a local tapas restaurant. Funny, the shower was for my yoga instructor (hello Jenn if you're reading) who 2 hours prior kicked my inflexible butt through what I would deem a damn good workout for something that's supposed to be "stretching." My shoulders are still sore from the chaturanga's (Yes, I had to google this to see if I was spelling it right...not that I really care about appropriate spelling this late in my blogging...this is for you Jenn!). After the baby shower was a short break before heading to the wedding of one of my fellow DUB clubbers' daughters. Mike and I are coming to the realization that we are now entering the era of going to friends' children's weddings...how scary is that??...especially when we don't have children of our own! Needless to say, Saturday was fun-filled...but again exhausting - damn colds suck the life out of you...even when you're having fun (hmmm, or maybe it was the drinking and dancing - ah well)!

Sunday was mostly chill. I woke up and caught a morning spinning class, then lounged about home (actually, I think I took another nap), and then got rubbed down by none other than ADAM...who, I must say, really beat me up this time around by squeezing all of the knots in my shoulders out. I guess you could say that the stress I've been feeling in the past few weeks has really taken a toll on my shoulders. Either that or all the chaturanga's that Jenn made us do on Saturday. After the massage, Mike and I got a little pool time in, grilled dinner outside, and just took in the lovely weather that was bestowed upon us by Mother Nature Sunday evening. A perfect ending to a stint of go-go-go...and I then wrapped up Sunday by blogging about my previous week. I guess you could say that I'm a little behind and re-counting things a few days post mortem.

Okay, so I need to remember that my blog is about how difficult it has been to stick with this challenge - my trials and tribulations of giving up shopping and to trying to exhaust my closet before allowing myself to re-wear something. Well...on the re-wearing clothes front, I will admit that it is getting close to impossible to look halfway fashionable based on the slim pickings that I have left in my closet and drawers. Nonetheless, a challenge is a challenge, so I am now thinking that my attire in Vegas (which I head out for on Saturday) is going to be "interesting." But given how freakin' hot it will be out there, my guess is that all I'll want to wear are shorts and tank tops when I'm not by the pool in my bathing suit. There will need to be at least one going out outfit...so I do have a few more fun "going out" tops that I have kept in reserve knowing that my Vegas trip would eventually come around. I have a very high pile of stacked "cannot be worn until you have gone through the entire closet" clothes sitting in the hallway to my bathroom - which I'm sure is driving Mike crazy at this point (well, probably not, as he has a matching heap of clothes stacked by his side of the bed). Each time I walk by my stack, I sigh, as I am reminded of how much I've been procrastinating housework. All this travel has certainly left me tired (and I'm sure you wonder why I am going to Vegas this weekend - let's just say that I have not been the best at spacing out my travel indulgences and have learned after this year, that I am going to do a much better job of it!). So, anyway, the clothing challenge continues to be a challenge - not so much the not shopping part as the not wearing anything again until I wear everything else part. That and my fluctuating waistline from all the trips is making it hard to find clothes that 1) fit, and 2) look okay even if I can button them. But, damn, the food is good!

Week 23: Days 5 - 7; Week 24

Week 24, Day 6 Outfit (daytime): Old Navy brown linen camisole, Express Jeans

Week 24, Day 6 Outfit (evening attire): Jimmy Choo for H&M "bedazzled" black off the shoulder dress

Week 24, Day 7 Outfit (re-enactment): Gap brown ribbed tank (going in the donation pile!), turquoise Ann Taylor Loft cotton skirt (on the fence about this one)

Week 25, Day 1 Outfit (daytime, re-enactment): Ann Taylor white v-neck short sleeved tee, favorite denim skirt (can't remember the brand - but got it from Marshalls' 5 years ago and will never get rid of it!)

Week 25, Day 1 Outfit (evening): same denim skirt, Zara black "bedazzled" top (of which I have now left with my hostess, Robyn as it looks terrible on me!)

Week 25, Day 2 Outfit (re-enactment): Ann Taylor White cap-sleeved silk tee, Ann Taylor Loft Red skirt with lazer-cut details, Ann Taylor Loft wide black belt

Week 25, Day 2 Outfit: White House Black Market sleeveless tunic, J Crew Salmon colored trousers

So NYC continued...

After a couple of glasses of wine at a tapas bar at 5:30, I was getting nicely unwound from my crazy work week and pseudo-vacation in Miami. Julie, Maggie, and I were all waiting on one more member of our girl's weekend (there was supposed to be 5 of us, but Gina is now with child and is suffering from such terrible morning sickness that she decided to opt out). Once our last member, Nikki, arrived, the party was ready to get started!! The ladies all got dressed up for "going out" Sex and the City style and we headed to a restaurant in the SoHo area - one that last time Julie went, saw Lenny Kravitz. No such celeb citing this time, but we did enjoy a good meal and managed to flirt our ways into the rooftop bar located on the top floor of the hotel that the restaurant was in. We enjoyed the night feeling swank and girls-nighty, sipping vodka cocktails and enjoying the view. We later met up with Julie's husband, Jason, and hit up a neighborhood pub - ending the night (or shall we say, morning) at 3A. What a throwback to the grad school days!

As one might imagine, Saturday morning began a bit later than would be typical for any of us - and we eased into it with a trip to one of the amazing grocery stores that NYC has to offer, grabbed some breakfast staples, and had a nice leiseruly breakfast at Julie's. We then headed out to our nail appointments, and then made our way to our "brunch" reservation in the Meatpacking district. It was at this place that I had my only celebrity citing - someone who was a model on Project Runway. We tried as discretely as possible to take her picture - by pretending to take a picture of Jason and then zooming way past his face to get the model in the picture...it worked well enough so that Mike recognized her when we emailed the picture to him.

Okay, so, I'm thinking it is now that I reveal that I have "cheated" on this challenge. As you may recall, I have toyed with the idea of buying some outrageously priced clothing item to commemorate my promotion to Senior Consultant. Well, throughout the weekend, I could think of no better place to do this than in NYC during a girl's weekend. As soon as I mentioned this to Julie, she got really excited and it became her mission to take me to a Christian Louboutin shoe store, or at least purveyor of his pieces of art. So, before brunch, we headed to a store that offered some of his shoes - but I didn't really latch onto what I was looking for - which is a classic black stiletto. So, no purchase there - and the guilt about possibly "breaking the rules" of this challenge left as I walked out of the store doors. We continued throughout the day with the idea that we'd make our way to the Christian Louboutin store, but time passed quickly by and the stores began closing by the time we were in a place where we could resume shopping. We instead decided to hit up a few more bars in the Meatpacking district and then made our way to West Village for a scrumptious italian meal at one of those little unassuming restaurants that I love so much about New York City! We all had grand notions of hitting up another bar when we arrived back at Julie and Jason's hood in the Upper West Side - but, funnily enough, we all were in the same state after spending the day eating and drinking - let's hit the hay!

Sunday morning, we again eased into the morning with a stroll through central park, buying a few more items for breakfast as Julie's, and then had our last meal together before Girl's Weekend was officially over. Maggie had to catch flight, so it was Julie, me, and Nikki that walked about Julie's neighborhood shopping at the amazing boutiques in that area. It was at this time that I really began to feel the sting of this challenge - wishing that I could start grabbing things off the rack and trying them on...but, strangely, after about a 5 minute wave of this hysteria, I once again re-gained composure and experienced a great sense of accomplishment...kind of like when you are able to run that last lap on the track, or lift that extra 5 lbs in weights...I felt like my restraint muscle finally has been toned to a point where my crazy uncontrollable shopping has been officially curbed! I can't say that I have been permanently cured, but being able to thumb through the most adorable and fashion-forward clothes that I've seen in 6 months, and resist the urge to try anything on or buy it is quite a feat!!

Okay, so I would have liked to end this blog by saying "I'm cured" and I left NYC without making a single clothing purchase...but, sadly, I cannot...as opportunity knocked on Tuesday afternoon when a co-worker of mine, Robyn, and I met up with Julie for lunch. After the Girl's weekend, I had made plans to stay in the city for a couple more days and work from our company's NYC office. So, Sunday afternoon, I took the train to Robyn's town in Connecticut, hung out with her by the beach, had a terrific tapas dinner and 1/2 priced Albarino, and then headed into the city with her Monday morning. Monday was another jam-packed day work-wise, but at least I got to experience from the 32nd floor of an office building in the center of Manhattan! Monday evening, Robyn and I enjoyed a 3 course dinner at a nearby restaurant participating in Restaurant Week (where countless restaurants offer 3 course meals at $35). We then hopped the train and headed home...and then awoke again Tuesday morning to repeat the process.

I had been wanting Robyn and Julie to meet each other given that they are both NYC professionals in the HR world...and coincidentally, Julie is going to be moving into the building that our company's office inhabits come next May. So, we ladies made a plan to do the "NYC power lunch" thing and meet up for another 3 course meal on Tuesday. It was at the beginning of lunch that Julie, still with her mission of "helping" me purchase my token "I've been promoted" item, mentioned that there is a Saks 5th right around the corner of where we were having lunch. So...I'm sure you can all guess what happened then...we all scarfed down our food, made the trek to the store, and with the swipe of a card, I made my first clothing purchase since Superbowl Sunday (well, except for the "soccer" outfit that I had to buy for our 4th of July party). So, readers, I will let you decide whether or not I have failed this challenge, or if this pre-meditated and planned-out purchase really does not count as a lapse in willpower. While you noodle through that, I am going to wear my beautiful new stilettos with unabashed indulgence!

Week 23: Days 1- 5: Miami Ending, NYC Beginning

Week 23: Day 1: (pictured in previous blog): Black Old Navy linen dress



Week 23: Day 2: Ann Taylor black halter top, Gap green courduroy shorts (Mikey wanted to guest-star)







Week 23: Day 3: "Peace" hot pink shirt, Banana Republic trouser jeans
Week 23: Day 4: Work from home:
Week 23: Day 5: Ditto


Well, I think to say that I am behind on blogging is a major understatement. Since my last blog, I have left Miami, spent a couple days back at home, and then hopped onto a plane for the Girl's Weekend in NYC. A whirlwind, travel-wise - and to add to that, an insane time work-wise. Things continued to be crazy after my trip to Miami from a work perspective - which is why I have fallen so behind on blogging. But, nonetheless, I am back and ready to re-count my ongoings a good 2 weeks from when I last blogged.

The rest of our trip to Miami was fun - though peppered with me having to sit in front of my computer trying to take care of a few pressing work-related things. After dinner with Mike at the stone crab restaurant - which was AWESOME for people who like crab, I was hit with a bad case of the Sunday blues which kept me up until about 2A worried about all the things I had to get done when I was "back from vacation." So, instead of waiting, I figured working through some of the "to do's" would help put my mind at ease...which it did...a little bit. I got this crazy notion to go back up to the hot tub on the top floor of our hotel around midnight, donned my bikini, and then got up to the top floor only to find the door locked and the hot tub unaccessible...so, so much for using that to help relieve a little stress! So, I ended up banging out a few emails and doing some work to take my mind off or work - odd, huh?

On Monday, Mike and I headed out to the Florida Keys as the South Beach scene was getting old. The heat did not back down, so Mike and I walked around Key West for most of the 4 hours we were there dripping with sweat. We made a stop at the Hemingway home so Mike could indulge his curiosity of Hemingway, and I could indulge my interest in seeing the polydactile cat colony that still exists at the old Hemingway stomping grounds. We ended our visit with a stop at Hemingway's favorite watering hole - Sloppy Joe's - where Mike and I downed a frozen concoction so cold that we had multiple episodes of brain freeze (hell, it was the only thing we could do from suffering heat strokes!). Monday evening was relatively low key, with the two of us a bit boozed out and ready to eat something less luxurious (aka - CHEAP) - so we stopped by a taco joint and called it a night.

Tuesday was spent mostly gearing up for heading home - so Mike and I had breakfast at a famous breakfast joint called the Front Porch Cafe (which was next door to our hotel), I headed to Starbucks to get a bit more work done, and then we worked our way to the airport and spent the rest of the day flying home - Southwest Airlines-style - which equates to a 1/2 day of traveling on multiple planes.

Wednesday - Thursday were work from home days, as I was exhausted from the travels and had too much work to do to even allow myself the 3 hours it would take to commute to the office and back. So, aside from working like a dog, not much to report for Wednesday and Thursday!

Friday morning was more work, and then me trying to scramble to get onto a plane while also making sure that my client's unreasonable requests were met. One might think - well, why don't you tell your client you're on vacation? I don't think the word "vacation" is even in this client's vocabulary - as is evident by the crazy amount of emails she sends after hours and throughout the weekend. Plus, in the past 2 months, I have had a European vacation, a Miami vacation, and then was ready to embark on an NYC vacation - so...I'm thinking saying that "I'm on vacation" over and over again is borderline ridiculous. Next year, definitely plan on spacing things out a bit - as I am exhausted not only from work, but also from working while on vacation!

Stressed as I was about work, getting onto a plane for our girl's weekend with Maggie had a great deal of comfort in it - so much that I ordered a screwdriver for the flight to NYC to take the edge off...but was frantically working away at a spreadsheet that I owed the client upon my arrival into New York City. Maggie and I had uneventful travel, took a cab to Julie's, and I immediately holed myself up in Julie's home office to call my crazy client back. Needless to say, after dealing with client angst during my trip out to NYC, when 5:30 rolled around and Julie, Jason, and Maggie asked if I wanted to get a drink, my response was...HELL YEAH!

NYC story to be continued...