[12 Hours From Now.]

See you tonight, NYC! TONIGHT!

[Winter lovin'.]

This is really happening.

Can't. Even. Handle. It.

[Twilight Polo.]

One lovely evening in July I attended a delightful twilight polo match with some of my nearest and dearest, Ren, Wendy, Rachel, and Grant. It was kind of a bizarre mix between upper crust lawn party and red neck BBQ, but the incredible Virginia mountain scenery more than made up for it. And really any excuse for a fine cheese, French bread, and sparkly juice picnic in the countryside is alright with me.

Let's be honest, this was all really just an excuse for a photo shoot. Luckily, I had a wonderfully willing accomplice in Wendy. She'll deny, deny, deny, but Wendy is a model and photo shoot director extraordinaire. Stay tuned for our next shoot, sure to involve gowns and graves. (Not actually kidding. Note how "cemeteries" is listed twice in the left sidebar. An accident -- WHY didn't anyone tell me until last month?! -- but telling nonetheless.)

[Two Tunes Tuesday: Bombay Bicycle Club & Alt-J.]

Been a while. Now that summer's over, I think I'll start this baby back up again. Here's some Bombay Bicycle Club and Alt-J. Go on, just try to listen to "Shuffle" without tapping your foot or bobbing your head. Just in case that song leaves you feeling a little too upbeat, I next present "Something Good." According to The Guardian, it's about "the death of a matador as an analogy for the slow mending of a broken heart through fun distractions." Womp womp.

Saw BBC this summer with roomie Rachel, who introduced me to this band. These guys were there too:

[Monday beauty.]

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[Cape Cod.]

Though my beloved Cape Cod seems to be best known for Taylor Swift - Kennedy clan liaisons these days, it is also the site of some of my most treasured family and summer memories. My parents first started spending a week or two on the Cape while they were in college in Boston, and the tradition has continued almost every summer since then. 

Those are the sibs, in all of their partially clothed glory. Below is Dad, making a deal happen even from the beach. Meanwhile, Mom, always the photographer, never the photographed, still valiantly keeps us sunscreened and Oreo-fed...

I wish I could take everyone I've ever loved with me to Cape Cod. The golden, sloping sand dunes, the quirky Provincetown shops, the evening summer league baseball games, the quiet, wooded cemetery from centuries long past... I admit that I'm sentimental to a fault, but I'd challenge even the hardest of hearts to deny the sweet and simple nostalgia of the Cape. 

In the classic words of Patti Page:

If you spend an evening, you'll want to stay / Watching the moonlight on Cape Cod Bay / You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod.

Until next year!

[Moddison, by Milo Greene.]

Greetings. Resisted posting this up for Two Tunes Tuesday, since I've already posted Milo Greene twice there before, but can't resist on this lovely (super stressful-wanting to rip my hair out at work-hence this mental health blogging music break) Wednesday. Milo Greene has been a favorite for the last year, and recently they've been releasing music videos for the songs off their new album. In order, each video forms a part of a short film, "Moddison," which, so far at least, tells the story of a man enchanted by a lovely stranger, who suddenly disappears. 

I love a million things about these videos -- in true Milo Greene fashion, they're eloquent, poignant, haunting, nostalgic, understated... But one of my favorite things about these films is that they're filmed at Shaver Lake in California, where I went boating with friends and family every summer of my childhood. I know, guys, shocking -- she's spent time outdoors!! (Shout out to my Family Campers!)

Anyway, if you have the time, I totally recommend watching these lovely thingies. Or at least the first, which is probably my favorite. And I'd love to know if you like (not so much if you dislike, don't break my heart like that). Also, Milo Greene is currently on tour, and coming to this neck of the woods in late October. Let's go!!

[Monday beauty.]

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[RyGos Coloring Book.]

THIS is what I love about this world. There is now in existence a Ryan Gosling coloring book, and that gives me hope for humanity.

Oh RyGos...I'll color in between your lines...

Stay tuned for my masterpieces.

[Two Tunes Tuesday: Mumford & Shearwater.]

New Mumford! New Mumford! New Mumford!
Kind of reminds me of Coldplay's "Kingdom Come".

And then let's have some Shearwater.

Meanwhile, I'm sickie in bed for the evening, apparently having swallowed ten flaming knives last night, or so it feels in my throat. Simultaneously developed what appears to be a case of mini hives all over my arms. Various opinions offered (from no medical professionals, of course): sun allergy, chlorine allergy, perfume allergy, grass allergy. Really, who knows from whence my baby bumpies have materialized, but if any of those suggestions are correct, I'm not ever meant to venture outdoors or get wet. Both things I generally try to avoid, so fine by me.

You like?

[Monday morning mantra.]

Me: "This is kind of how I feel:

 "

Friend: "...you have to be stronger than a fly."

New mantra. Be stronger than a fly. Be stronger than a fly. Be stronger than a fly.

[Some things.]

• In celebration of Pioneer Day, I went with a few Utahns to Texas Roadhouse last night. Overall a very enjoyable, but bewildering experience. As the entire table watched, I struggled with the ordering process a bit. "Would you like sirloin or ribeye?" Uh........filet mignon? What kind of man question is that?! Whatevs. Luckily, I was wearing my best pioneer puffed sleeves, and I recovered enough to introduce the table to my pioneer shimmy, new dance move coming to a club near you. Finally, I had been told that in order to attend this dinner, I'd have to be prepared to say a few positive words about Utah. So I've been to Utah, like, five times, maybe. Eventually, in spite of the fact that my most recent visit was particularly damaging to my psyche and overall emotional well being, I managed to bear fervent testimony of Sconecutter. The Utahns were well pleased, I believe. The conversation then turned to hunting, and I contributed very little.
• My coworkers are concerned about my emotional well-being today, due to all the moans and wails of despair emanating from behind my closed office door. As you might imagine, I'm not coping well with the rumors of Kristen Stewart's infidelity. I'm in such a state. Please let it not be so. Please let it not be so. **Update: omg NOOOOO she confirmed! Dying. Dying.
• Things are deteriorating. I accidentally just ate a handful of blue m&ms. My tongue is not the color it should be. We can't talk about it. 
• Currently compiling a summer bucket list. Suggestions/collaborations welcome.
• Was just told that I resemble a meerkat. Delighted, obviously.

[Summer is for...]

friends. the good ones and the loved ones. the kind who are always up to talk and down to play. and above all, available for late night pie.

frolicking. this beautiful city. the buildings, the monuments, the flags, everywhere. everything. soaking these sights in, in case they aren't always there, or in case you aren't always here.

fireworks. sparkly and glittery times a thousand. who needs stars with these beauties lighting up the sky?

scooters. because they make people happy and they make people giggle.

dancing. in the rain above the city lights. hands in the air. unaware of the camera until later, really, just goofing for the pure joy and ridiculousness of it all.

...among other things.

[Two Tunes Tuesday: Summer loves.]

The Milo Greene album fiiiinally came out today. Obvi I purchased at midnight and have been listening ever since. My fave from this album will always be "1957", particularly the acoustic version I posted long long ago, but "Don't You Give Up On Me" is a new favorite as well. Perfect mellow summer jam that will be filling my ears for a while. Another summer song I'm loving is "California Feeling" by A B & the Sea. Twinge of melancholy in this one...both of them, for that matter...just how I seem to like my songs, I guess. 

Guys. Can I just say that I miss California? A lot? I've been on the east coast since I was an 18 year old kid, and I love, love, love it, but I am DYING to get myself back to L.A. as soon as possible. Who knows what the next few months or year will bring, but I am definitely on the lookout for opportunities that will get me back to my world over there. Cross your fingers for me please! #operationbringmilanhome

[Evenings.]

Saturday evening: rooftop dining, billiards, a desperate mission for 2 a.m. ice cream.

The ones who were good at billiards. 

The ones who were not good at billiards (sorry I didn't grow up in a pool hall, okay?).

Sunday evening: glittery ceilings, reverse schadenfreude, frozen hot chocolate.

N.B. Highly recommend both Perry's and Lincoln, if you're as interested in good food, photo ops, and prettiness as I am. 

____

Blogging may resume. We'll see how this goes.

[We interrupt this sabbatical...]

You know that only something very special could bring me out of my blogging sabbatical. I present to you THIS:

AMIRIGHT?

[A May weekend in 10 photos.]

1. & 4. Spent part of Saturday afternoon at a fun festival at the National Cathedral. Was dying to ride the carousel, but didn't have a child to accompany me. Failed to realize until later that my height would have allowed me to pose as someone else's child.
2. & 3. Two of about 53248 photos of us trying on ridiculous hats (shoutout to bff Lauren, who visited DC for the weekend!). Hats may or may not have inspired the idea to throw a tea party, coming soon to a living room near you.

5. Candles in the National Cathedral. Light one for me, won't you please?

6. Spotted: neighborhood church sign promoting #churchtweets. Well, okay, if I must...

7. Belated birthday prezzies from Lauren! Basically, if you could assemble a still life of Milan, this would be it. Magnolia cupcakes, Laduree macarons, New York photography, and a Star Wars moleskin...it's like she knows me or something. 

8. Go out. Meet pretty boys. Receive roses. Become twitterpated. Next day brunch. Still twitterpated. Weekend ends. Boys -> Iceland. Girls -> normal life. check check check
9. My Seis de Mayo dinner party. Because celebrating Cinco de Mayo on the 5th is so 1862.
10. Making Mexican wedding cookies. Celebrating Mexican-ness and subtly promoting marriage? Done and done, thank you very much.

[Priorities, mayne.]

I acknowledge that I have been failing at updating this thing lately. Basketball reasons. Also, busy being ridiculous.

See? Been busy.