So long, farewell... Blogger.

Happy 2015! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, and that you've only broken like three of your New Year's resolutions already. I'm going to keep this post short and sweet, as I have some big blog news: Lindsay's Look is moving!

I was very lucky this Christmas to receive the gift of my very own domain name from my favorite Gift Whisperer (i.e., my husband) and I will now officially be making the transition over to Word Press to run this thing. It's kind of overwhelming (just the process of changing the font gave me a slight coronary), so please bear with me while I figure some of these technical things out. 

You can now find me, my outfits, award show updates, and hopefully many more exciting things to come over at www.lindzlook.com. Please stop on by and say hello!


It's been real, Blogger. 

~L

I'm Gonna Make This Place Your Home for the Holidays

When you live on an island, your excursions are carefully planned but infrequent. So when I first got the email from Alison and Kate about the Boston Bloggers Home for the Holidays event, I figured there was no way I could make it work, and I filed it away in one of my many email subfolders (because even though it’s been a year and a half, I still can’t bear to delete my beloved Boston Blogger communication). I’ve been suffering from some major blog FOMO since I moved to Nantucket in 2013, and every time I get the notice about a meetup or workshop, I cry a little bit inside knowing that there’s no way I can go.

But the more I thought about, the more I was determined to make it work. I mean, it was a Saturday, so it would be possible to get to the city somehow. Only snafu? My previous commitment to work at the museum until midnight the night before. With fifty fourth-graders. The only solution would be to leave on the 6:30 AM boat on Saturday morning, which would require a 5 AM wakeup. But hey, for the chance to reunite with my Boston Blogger ladies and the potential for other off-island adventures immediately following (Panera, Target... need I say more)? Sign me up.

I’m so glad I went, because I had the best time. With all the craziness I feel I have in my life on a day to day basis, I had been feeling very neglectful of my little blog that I used to spend so much time on. It was invigorating to get back in that mindset and be excited again about the prospect of being inspired to write once again.

When they put the word “holiday” in the title, they were serious. This was a full-on seasonal extravaganza, which I appreciated because it forced me to think about the impending merriment that I have been horribly procrastinating on the last few years (case in point: I bought every single one of Steve’s stocking stuffers on Christmas Eve in Hyannis while I was waiting for him to get off the boat, because I’m like the most thoughtful wife ever). We were lucky to have Wayfair host the Boston Bloggers at their offices in Copley Place, which I arrived at approximately thirty minutes late (but still stopped for a photo, because you know, without it, I was never actually there), which I thought was really good timing for someone that had to take a two hour boat ride and then drive from the Cape.

i have arrived.

I was immediately greeted by an immaculately decorated office full of beautiful furnishings… and no bloggers in sight. Because they were all in the keynote presentation that I had missed half of. Oops. I snuck into a free seat and promptly evaluated my swag:

getting my bloggy swag on

The speakers, Heather Armstrong and Christiane Lemieux seemed to be having a general conversation about the blogging process and how to balance this with your life. I wanted to follow everything they were saying, but I was already so distracted by the session schedule that I had trouble focusing on the discussion since I had entered halfway through.

After that, I embarked with group Mistletoe to our first stop, DIY Pennant Banners with members of the Wayfair team, Shelby and Lindsey. The minute they mentioned that this craft was the hit of the Alt Summit, I was like GIVE ME THE BURLAP. They had precut various colors, fabrics and shapes, and we could pick whatever our hearts desired.

In addition, there were strings, ribbons, paints, stencils – everything we needed to make our own masterpiece, perfect for blog holiday décor photos. I decided that mine would say “Merry Merry,” one of my favorite but not universally known holiday messages (it’s from a page in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, where the Whos are having their feast –it’s hanging in the background). Unfortunately I ran out of time and only made it through one “Merry,” but since I was freehanding it with black paint, I decided I would finish it up at home.

Next we moved on to the highly anticipated Tabletop Decorating session with Abby Larson, the creator of Style Me Pretty, aka, the Bible. You may recall I met Abby once at a signing for the Style Me Pretty book (she did too! She either has an amazing memory or is just perpetually nice to stalkers), and this talk did not disappoint.

With the help of a plethora of Wayfair accessories, volunteers designed their own holiday tablescape and the rest of us spectators gave them a thumbs up or thumbs down (we were kind, plus they did a great job). She also provided us with some great tips and tricks for photographing your holiday décor, which if I decorate more than a week ahead of time this year, I intend to put to use.

After that, we were treated to lunch by Kitchensurfing, who made us gourmet grilled cheeses (I went with the bacon + duck confit variety) and soup and I died a little bit.

As we nibbled, Alison held her own “fireside chat” and talked to us about how to balance your life with your holiday blogging schedule. I don't know if you can tell, but she's pretty much about to deliver a baby, so the fact that she did all this work and looked cute doing it is a testament of how awesome she is.

Next I was excited to move onto DIY Gift Tags with Kate, as I had seen her little creations on everyone’s Instagrams that day and knew that we were in for a treat. Under her amazing craft tutilage, we constructed our own gift tags from the likes of paint swatches, shower curtain rings, burlap, stencils, etc.

My mom was so excited about this that she immediately creeped our local Walmart paint section and snagged handfuls of holiday-colored paint chips and we continued the craft session for the next two days. As you can see, I was quite efficient and proceeded to make enough tags to give a present to basically everyone I’ve ever met. You’re welcome.

Our last session with our group was SEOAwesome with a few of the Wayfair techies that really knew their you know what (and obviously get extra ten points just for that name). I have been so inconsistent with just regular blogging things, that getting into all of the analytics that go along with having a successful blog is not something that I’ve really delved too deep into yet. I liked this session though, because even though everyone else there seemed like they were light years ahead of me, our presenters did their part to cover the basics without clearly talking down to the more advanced bloggers in the group. I didn’t even take any photos during this session because I was so obsessively taking notes on every single thing they said and I didn't want to miss anything. 

Finally, all of the groups convened once again for the final event, Menu Planning with Jeremy Sewall of Island Creek Oyster Bar, Lineage, and Row 34 (none of which I’ve ever been too but I now have an inexplicable craving for). 

I’m not exactly what you would call the “menu planner” in my household, but I enjoyed learning the correct way to shuck an oyster and how to deconstruct a lobster (which I surprisingly haven’t learned on Nantucket). He also has a gorgeous new cookbook out that would convince any non-chef that they could easily throw an entire dinner party of New England favorites made from scratch. Also he brought oysters for us to eat, so yeah, he wins. 

After that, it was time for everyone's favorite - cocktail hour. Bloggers + wine = a damn good time. 

or i guess anyone + wine, but still. this is a fun bunch.

Speaking of wine, our libations for the evening were provided by the new Andegavia Cask Wines, which I was very excited to find out had a major Nantucket connection, meaning that they are available at multiple retailers on the island. Since these fun little packages hold four bottles in one convenient recyclable container, it's idea for picking up a few (red and white!) for holiday gatherings. 

i thoroughly enjoyed the sauvignon blanc, but that's no surprise.

I spent the rest of the time catching up with some of my favorite bloggers, like Sara of Forever and a Recipe (who got married!) and Emily of Shell Chic'd (who got engaged!). And since we live our lives on the internet, a selfie was necessary. 

I saw one of the attendees on Twitter saying that they were going to dress "festively comfortable" for the event (whoever you are, you're brilliant and I'm sorry I didn't immediately follow you - please identify yourself!), and I would say that all of us that showed up in plaid were totally on the same page.

l.l. bean ain't got nothing on me, Natalie & Susan

I also spent an unhealthy amount of time exploring the Wayfair office and snapping photos of my favorite areas. It may be my new favorite place. Can I just move in there?

And because they are so amazing (and know the way straight to a blogger's heart) there were gifts. Yep - those presents under the tree weren't just for show. 

alana of the good girl gone blog is very excited about her cheese board.

Because I had my car with me and I am a child at heart, I chose one of the biggest bags and was pleasantly surprised to fine a gorgeous blue pillow that already matched the color scheme in my living room (coincidence? Or is Wayfair just that good?). 

downside: it made me realize how dingy my other pillows are. yikes.

Love this look? You can get your own (it comes in two colors, and it's on sale!) here. I'm already thinking about getting a second one and doing a full update for the couch. I mean, most of the ones I have are from Home Goods circa five years ago, and that orange one is technically an outdoor pillow. #bloggersecrets

It even got the Schooner seal of approval (i.e., he's not ripping it apart, so we have a win). 

All in all, it was such an amazing day, and I'm so thankful that I got to be there. If you just can't get enough of this event (and obviously, I can't), check out the official photos from Third Eye Chic on her blog too.

Thank you to all of the people that were involved in making this such a great experience for all of us bloggers!

~L

P.S. I've had a lot of questions about my outfit (which I love, so keep 'em coming!), so I had to share my official #ootd pic:

I have to admit, I was really stumped on this one. There was no official dress code, but knowing that when you go to these events that it's at least half-full of fashion bloggers, you gotta dress to impress. Also you're not only representing yourself, but your blog too. Since I would be heading their straight from the boat with no time to ravage a Forever 21 or something for a last minute item, I had to call in the big guns, which meant texting my fashionista friend Sarah frantically at 10 P.M. the night before with crazy selfies I had to take standing on a stool in my bathroom because I broke my full length mirror. She gave me some super helpful recommendations of things that I already had, and together, we came up with this. I was so flattered to get complimented many times that day by all these people who have style that I am in awe of. So thank you! Also, here are the outfit details:

TJ Maxx top (circa 2 years ago, similar here) / NY & Company skirt (I feel bad that so many people asked me where to get this, but it's literally from like four years ago. This is the only one I could find online that wasn't $400) / Express tights / Sears booties (old, similar here) / ILY Couture necklace / Forever 21 bow (old, similar here) / Ink Revival nametag (they did all the amazing calligraphy for the event!)

You Got the Write Stuff

Last weekend, I had one of those weekends that you look forward to for days and then you blink, and BAM! It's over. While any gorgeous weekend on Nantucket is a gift from the weather gods as a way to repay you for the worst winter ever, these few days were especially noteworthy for me as it was my first Nantucket Book Festival. I missed it last year, and so I was really looking forward to get my book nerd on all weekend long. 

Nantucket is famous for having a festival of some kind almost every weekend from May until August. Unlike many of the others, most of the events during Book Festival are totally free, which is great, because if there's anything Nantucket is known for, frugality is not one of them. 

But about the festival. Guys, it was amazing. Seriously. As someone who has loved reading for pretty much my entire life and writing almost as long, it was so inspirational to hear from all these different people who are from all different parts of the country and walks of life that are all joined by this common thread. Prior to the festival, I picked up a program to determine which programs would be the most worthy of my time. Turns out, the answer was all.

seriously, I wanted to clone myself so I could go to everything. 

Since I appreciate a good theme and always try to dress for the occasion, I planned out my #ootd and accessories for the weekend accordingly.

h&m denim jacket / forever 21 top / j.crew skirt / payless heels / ily couture bracelet / kate spade clutch

l to r: kate spade pencil necklace / forever 21 typewriter necklace / scrabble earrings  / kate spade book clutch

On Friday night, I started the weekend off with the Opening Kickoff: Reading in my Writing Life with Geoff Dyer, Ben Fountain, & Dani Shapiro at the Unitarian Meeting House. The event began with the Young Writer Award, in which they gave out prizes to the best writing submissions from a contest among local students. I got a bit nostalgic for my early days, entering writing contests and submitting pieces for my school's literary magazine. It remember what it was like when I discovered that I loved writing and that feeling that I got at a very young age when I was sharing my stories.

All three authors talked about how reading is directly related to their lives as writers. Dani Shapiro gave what I thought was the best advice that evening, which is that you should start every day with good words in your head. She wasn't implying that you needed to read a chapter of War and Peace before breakfast. It was more about how beneficial it could be to all of us if the first words we saw in the morning weren't the subject lines of our email or the collective unimportance of A.M. Facebook statuses (which I am often guilty of both of). It's about setting the tone for your day, and how much more positive your outlook can be if you start it off inspired by something. Immediately, I knew I would be showing up for her session the following day- I couldn't wait to hear more. 

The next day, I woke up bright and early, and while I didn't start my day off with any inspirational prose, I did step outside my comfort zone with a little 8 A.M. yoga. I know, right? It's like, who am I anymore?

Since we're sharing, I'm not going to lie- the main reason I signed up for this session is because it was free and I figured it would probably be the only time I would ever get to work out at the super schmancy Westmoor Club. But as an added bonus, the class was being taught by yoga instructor/author Sara DiVello, who I loved hearing her story about leaving the financial corporate world after thirteen years to pursue her dream to teach yoga. She teaches yoga at a few places in Boston and if you're in the area, I highly recommend taking a class with her, especially if you're an inexperienced yogi like myself. I had to skip out slightly early to make it to the next session I wanted to attend, but I made a mental note of her book and the subsequent signing later that day and promised myself I would go back and pick it up. 

I hightailed it back into town for Writing the Creative Life, Part II (I missed Part I due to yoga) at the Atheneum, where I got to hear Dani Shapiro and Katrina Kenison share their process about writing, specifically memoirs. I was mostly interested in this because I feel like blogging is almost memoir style writing, and I always debate myself on how much detail I should go into about real people and real scenarios, and they both spoke about dealing with that. The biggest point I took away from it is that relationships with people are always more important than anything you will ever write, but how you want to approach that fine line is ultimately up to you. 

Next I attended Emerging Writers: A Conversation with Michael Schulder. There was a whole thing here about stealing books that I didn't quite understand but was supposed to be a good thing. The best part about this session was being introduced to four really cool writers that all came from completely different genres: Molly Antopol, Cynthia Bond, Tim Horvath, and Anthony Mara. They all shared their many different words of wisdom about the craft, and how you always want your readers to feel like that they time they spent reading your book was worth it. I didn't pick up any of theirs this round, but as soon as I finish the ones I did purchase, these are next on my list. 

This is where you know my love for the written word runs deep. At 4 PM, there were two conflicting events that I really wanted to attend: From Page to Stage, a music & performance themed session, and Books, Bubbles & Bites with a food writer + free champagne at Cru, one of the hottest restaurants on the water. My friends were set on the Bubbles, but me? I followed my heart and went with the books. And I'm so glad I did, because it's where I was first introduced to Megan Stielstra, who I immediately fell in love with and plotted ways in which I could convince her to be my friend (I started by purchasing her book of essays, which I thoroughly recommend).

By this point, I was so full of inspiration and words but majorly lacking in nourishment, so I headed home to recharge and grab dinner before heading out for the evening's final events, which grabbed my attention immediately when I saw them on the schedule: Authors in Bars and Book Fest Open Mic. Both are exactly what you think they would be - all the super cool people I had just been listening to during the day, who were now in front of me in line at some of the island's local bars and restaurants. And they were so nice and approachable, it was almost like being around celebrities except for the were totally appreciative of you fanning all over them. I didn't take any photos of the actual people that I chatted with (too busy fanning), but just to prove that we were there, here's my friend Claire at the bar with everyone's empty glassware. 

Most of the festival's events were packed into the busy Saturday schedule. There was a brunch on Sunday with Jodi Picoult that sold out pretty much immediately (and was also more than my husband would ever allow me to pay for things I don't eat, like eggs) and a pig roast at Cisco Brewers (which sounded fun, but wasn't really my scene). Plus, I was kind of mentally exhausted from the day before, and I just wanted to relax and soak in all that I had learned in the last twenty-four hours. I did venture downtown to some of the signings of people that I wanted to meet and didn't get to the day before, and then spent the rest of my afternoon alternating between chapters of my new lot of books (I couldn't decide which to read first, so I simultaneously read them all). 

The weekend closed out with the only session that I actually paid for (and with a $20 price tag, it was totally worth it). It was a panel at the Dreamland Theater called Books to Film, featuring seven authors whose works have been or are currently being adapted for the screen, either in film or television. Between Ben Fountain, Ben Mezrich, George Pelecanos, Nat Philbrick, Lisa Genova, Chris Seufert and Jodi Picoult, this easily could have been a marathon event, but alas, it was only an hour. I picked up a lot of juicy info, like the fact that authors really don't make all that much money for selling the rights, and that they have literally no say in what happens to their story (as Picoult so eloquently put it, "writing a book is like having a child. You tend to it, you nurse it, you try to give it a good life and hope that it grows up to be something great. And sometimes, your baby turns into a prostitute"). 

And just like that, it was over. Of all of the festivals this island has to offer in the high season, this was by far my favorite and the most accessible for the average Nantucketer. I left invigorated, inspired, and just ready to read and write as much as I possibly could (in addition to my healthy Real Housewives schedule, of course). 

I thoroughly recommend that if you love books and you can escape to Nantucket for a weekend, you hop on the Hyline and get out here next June. I know I'll be there with bells on.

~L

It's the Freakin' Weekend, I'm About to Instagram Me Some Fun

Well folks, it was another beautiful weekend on Nantucket. I'm not saying that to rub it in, it's just that sometimes I can't believe I live here. Don't get me wrong, it's still winter (like it snowed again this morning), but this weekend was a great combo of beautiful weather (for March) + a successful work event + fun (and drinks) with friends + excursions. But let's let the photos speak for themselves. 

Friday night Steve & I took it easy, which now I'm thankful for after the excitement the rest of the weekend had in store. Saturday I was super excited because Steve was off (lately he's been working Saturday mornings), and he promised me a homemade breakfast worthy of MaryAnn's, and he delivered.

there was bacon, people. bacon.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and since we had eaten all the bacon, Steve thought we needed to be "active" and "get outside." I was still on my breakfast high and for some reason, I agreed. We went back to the scene of my last active breakdown, the Ram Pasture. Each time I go there, I am promised that if I make it far enough, there is some sort of barn. I wasn't sure what the deal was, but if there's signs leading to it, I figure it had to be something cool. Needless to say, I've never made it to the barn. And then finally...

barn, ho.

So what's out there you ask? 

A barn. 

Yep. That's it. And it's not like a cool historic barn. It's like a newly constructed barn that you can't even go inside. 

When I was starting to feel annoyed that I hadn't reached some sort of Nantucket Ark of the Covenant, I did look towards the ocean and decided that the view is pretty cool. 

first trip to the barn = first panoramic photo

I tried to keep my sulking to a minimum when I realized that once we got there, we had to walk all the way back. 

smiles

Now don't tell Steve, but it was sort of refreshing to be outside. Even though I could barely walk the next day. But I had to get over it, because I had to be at the museum for a program, which was basically like a Nantucket version of Jeopardy.

what is... a dead whale?

All of my coworkers worked super hard on this, so we felt like we had earned a beverage or two... or four in my case (hey, live-Tweeting events can be pretty taxing). Regardless, I discovered one of my new favorite drinks at Dune (the Island Affair) and then pretty much danced my legs off at the Rose & Crown with the five other people that were feeling the music as well. You know how I know I was having like, a really good time? Because there are no pictures of it. I was too busy to Instagram!

After discovering the next morning that we had been hit by the cruel mistress that is Daylight Savings, I forced myself out of bed (and wondered what age you have to be to be considered "too old" for shots of tequila) under the premise that Steve had promised us pre-hangover that he would make brunch for us, which meant I got to have bacon two days in a row.

After that, Steve took us on an excursion to explore some of the beaches we hadn't seen before in his car, which made me realize that before I moved to Nantucket, I had never driven on a beach before. It was another gorgeous day, so beautiful that the girls and I jumped out of Steve's X-Terra and began frolicking across the sand.

if you don't look at our outfits, you'd swear it was summer.

If I zipped my coat all the way up and just channeled as much of the warmth of the sun as I could, I almost felt like I could see summer when I was looking out at the waves. It definitely smelled like it. Despite living on an island, this was the first time I felt like I had smelled the salty air in months. Event the sight of driftwood seemed lovely.

We rounded out the weekend by shoving our faces full of pizza (because that cures most ailments, especially of the hangover variety) and heading back to the museum for a late night screening of... well, I don't want to tell you and ruin our theme for Daffodil Weekend, but let's just say that you can call us if there's something strange in your neighborhood.

just another day at the office.

I hope that all of you had an equally fulfilling weekend, but with less sand in your shoes and a few more glasses of water in between drinks.

~L

It's the Freakin' Weekend, I'm About to Instagram Me Some Fun

I've always wanted to get in on this whole weekend wrap up thing that I see on my blog roll every Monday morning, but I usually haven't gotten myself together enough to compose anything, and let's face it, not every weekend is worth writing about, amirite? Since joining the world of weekenders, i.e., people that actually have weekends off (unlike myself until about a year ago), I have fully come to appreciate that weekends are where it's at. I always dreamed this is how it would be, and it's everything I thought and more. 

You try your best to kill it at work during the week, which sometimes involves eating lunch at your desk or staying well past 5 P.M. Weekends are when you recover, pat yourself on the back for a job well done, accomplish the essentials of every day living that you couldn't bring yourself to do on Wednesday night, and then reward yourself. For some people, it's living it up on Friday and Saturday evening. For others, it's allowing yourself the freedom to not wear pants for 48 hours while glued to a Bravo marathon (damn you, #PumpRules, for all the goodness you have stolen from my soul). Whatever your thing is, you go, girl. Treat yo self. You earned it.

This weekend was a doozy because it was Valentine's Day + blizzard + Monday holiday. Which in turn resulted in a bevy of Instagram moments that I have compiled here for your viewing pleasure: 

l to r:

• Started the weekend off with a Valentine's #Pinterestfail attempting this heart bun for work on Friday. Thank you to The Beauty Department for convincing girls like me that they can totally replicate everything they pin. I can't wait to see how that ombre glitter mani turns out.
• Steve and I agreed not to exchange V-Day gifts, as he reminds me that he buys me things all of the 364 other days of the year and doesn't need a made up holiday to confirm that he is a good husband. While I agree, it was still exciting to get this "@" necklace from Danielle Stevens Jewelry from my mother-in-law that day in the mail. 
• Although I need absolutely nothing in the wardrobe department (and yet, everything), I couldn't resist the Milly & Grace blow out sale. I had been eying this Kirribilla Lucy dress since the summer, but couldn't justify the $410 price tag (especially when you already own approximately 100 dresses). I couldn't say no when I found it on the $40 rack on Saturday in my size. I also picked up a super thick winter skirt for only $10!
• Spent a few hours at the museum on Saturday supervising a documentary film crew. I know, going into work on the weekend usually = bleech, but stuff like this hardly feels like work. Also I ran into Emily who was brave enough to visit the island during a storm for her birthday. Love that the Boston Blogger connection can extend thirty miles out to sea!
• We had a low key Valentine's on Friday night, and by low key, I mean I was fighting a never-ending cold and fell asleep before Steve even had a chance to make dessert. Fortunately, he agreed to make it for me on Saturday, and boy am I glad I stayed awake. A warm peanut butter chocolate chip cookie + vanilla ice cream + melted Hershey bar + Reese's Pieces = perfect dessert to be snowed in with.
• Awoke on Sunday morning to the snow that everyone freaked out about. Seemed like when all was said and done, Nantucket only got like five inches (child's play once you've lived in New Hampshire).
• After church, we explored downtown, which by noon was melt city, yet still beautiful. Snow is way easier to deal with when you drive less than three miles to get anywhere. 
• With all the snow, you could barely even see what was left of the Broho Elm that was progressively cut down over the past few weeks. 
• All the wind on this island sure made for some interesting icicle shapes.
• While Steve recorded his radio show on Sunday, I grabbed my camera and explored some more of snow-covered Nantucket, including some of the historic sites like the Old Gaol, which somehow looked less creepy with a coating of white. 
• Once Steve was finished with his show, we continued our snow tour out in 'Sconset. It was so weird to me to see snow on the beach, despite having grown up in New England my entire life (I don't usually make a habit of hanging out at the beach in the winter).
• Snowy boots in sand. Again, weird. 
• We went over to Sankaty Head Light next, but the wind was so freakin strong that we didn't last long. I snapped one Instagram + one Vine and then bolted back to the car. 
• I can't stop in 'Sconset without visiting my favorite location, the Union Chapel. I don't consider myself religious, but I still always find the sight of this place to be inspiring. 
• All of that snow hunting wasn't enough for you know who, so on Monday (which I had mistakenly thought might be a day of rest) we headed out to the Ram Pasture for a light winter hike. I tried, I swear. 

Here's to weekends! And just think- only four more days until we get to do it all again. I can't wait.

~L

You're Every Line, You're Every Word, You're Everything

Three years ago today, Steve agreed to hang out with just me for like, ever. 

Sometimes I'm still not sure why, but I know one thing- I'm glad he did. 

There aren't enough blog posts in the world to explain how I feel about this guy. Well, there's a few, but I've written some of those already. For reference, check out this post. 

They say a picture's worth a thousand words, so I will let some of my favorite photos of us from that snowy day, exactly three years ago, do the talking. 

~L