Search for St. Marks Street

I've been to New York dozens of times, but mostly it hasn't been until this past year that I have really started exploring neighborhoods located outside of the typical tourist epicenters. On this trip, Jamie (one of the ladies from my group of fav girlfriends from college) introduced me to some sights in the East Village. I am totally in love with the neighborhood! The ceramic collaged light post and the jazz street musicians parked outside of the Mudtruck spoke to my wannabe-artist soul. I could see myself moving there and trying to write that novel that I'm always telling Erin I'm going to write. Of course my hopes of living there were shattered when Jamie told me that starving artists hadn't lived there in over a decade. But screw it. A girl can dream, right? Even if she can't dream, she can enjoy the fair trade coffee and jazz music.


You know what else a girl can enjoy in the East Village? Shopping! (Did you really think I was going to say anything else?) There were the fun boutiques that you are bound to run into in a trendy New York neighborhood, and then there was this awesome discount designer store. I almost got suckered into this pink Zac Posen number which was marked down to $300 and change. It was just such a steal, but I talked myself out of it. I had already blown so much money (damn you, Chicago!), and I didn't really need it. But, boy, did I want it. Later, however, I was glad I saved my money. I ran into an outpost of Love Saves the Day. The only other one is in New Hope, Pennsylvania, which I have randomly been to in my other explorations, and I jumped on the chance to check out the New York one. For those of you who have never been, Love Saves the Day is this amazing vintage/memorabilia/junk store. You can get everything from authentic 70's pimp coats to a complete set of Smurf action figures. The store is effing awesome. The last time I was at one, I picked up this absurd 50's prom-type dress which I wore to my 21st birthday party. The skirt of the dress was actually ripped, but I couldn't resist it. So I ended up covering the rip by sewing a vine of flowers into the dress. It took foooooreveeeeeeer, but was worth it on the night I finally got to wear the dress.

This time around I got this Amishy looking dress that I am in the process of hemming. Once I bring it up above my knee, I think it will be the perfect work dress: businessy enough up top to compensate for a little leg below. Kind of like a mullet: business up top, party in the back. So I guess you could say its a mullet dress! When I finally do get around to hemming it and wearing it (which might not be until the end of the summer since it is already a little humid to survive wearing a wool dress outside), I will be sure to post pictures!