guanajuato part 2: colour-blocked lounging

Here are the rest of the photos, (the outfit shots) from my day in Guanajuato. It's funny that this playsuit hasn't made an appearance before, since I must have worn it about twice a week all summer long. I resisted buying a playsuit until this summer, but now there's no looking back; they are the world's most comfortable summer staple... until it's time to go to the bathroom.

This one (with the buttons changed) is from Zara, a shop which I generally kind of hate (I know this is sacreligious to some of you). However, it's one of the only shops in Mexico that isn't horrible, so I did acquire a few pieces from there this summer. The day before I left, a vintage shop opened directly under my apartment, the only one I'd ever seen in Guadalajara. Grrrr.




One enormous cactus!






Buying "gorditas de nata," which roughly means "little cream fatties," on the street. Mmmm, I ate so many, I was in danger of turning into one!







Outfit:
playsuit: Zara (altered)
blouse, belt and bag: stolen from my mother
shoes: Aldo
sunglasses: Sanborns

guanajuato part 1: a classic mexican city

I have sooo many pictures from this one day a few weeks ago when my boyfriend and I decided to go to Guanajuato, one of the few tourist spots in the immediate (5 hours or so from Guadalajara) that we hadn't hit up already. We were there for about 20 hours in total, but we really enjoyed the tumbled collection of colourful houses, churches, and steep winding roads of this mountain city.

To limit the number of pictures per post, today you get travel shots and tomorrow pictures of me lounging poutingly against a variety of colourful walls, channeling a '70s vibe!











El callejón del beso, or the alleyway of the kiss, was surprisingly in guanajuato. I remember studying a story about the legend of a couple you stole kisses across the narrow alley back in Spanish class in Canada. Kind of fun to run into the real thing!




Wires are an inevitable part of picture taking in Mexican towns!


Note the cactus springing out of one tower...


This was a 16th century mine, and the source of Guanajuato's wealth. There was an enormous, unphotographable pit at the top. which we stared down for a while, fascinated and a bit nauseated...

rain rain go away

by LivingOS

Hi everyone,
Sorry for being a bit MIA this week; I've been registering for classes and looking for a flat. Neither activity has been very successful so far... I want to take more classes than I am able to, and I'm not having much luck with the flats either. I saw one today that was pretty much perfect, but I couldn't wrap my head around the scandalous price of it. By the time I had resolved to pay that much, it was gone. The last one I went to see tonight was gone before I even got there--infuriating. And to top it off, every time I set foot out the door, it immediately starts to rain. I've gotten soaked so many times now it's not even funny. After the flat, an umbrella and a few more scarves to wear on my head and another jacket are a priority.

These aren't my pictures, I've been much too busy to take any, but I'll give you all another Mexican post tomorrow.


by _bernd_


by Jarek Jarosz

back to mexican mansions

That was quick wasn't it? One day in England, the next back lounging in front of some colourful colonial architecture! Of course, and rather sadly, these pictures were taken before my departure. Knowing I wouldn't have much time when I first got here, I stocked up on photographs before I left. And now, as well as making my life a little easier, they make me a little nostalgic.





I think when I put this outfit together one morning, I had ideas that it could be a good fall look for once I got here. Which just goes to show that I have no imagination when it comes to the weather. I guess with tights, a scarf, and a jacket I will wear this out of the house, but by that point it will hardly be the same look anymore.

The photos were taken at a lovely little place near where I lived. It's a bar/cafe after 1 pm, with theatrical productions on Thursdays and a constant showing of Back to the Future III on Sunday nights.













Outfit:
dress: Vero Moda
necklace: Mexican
cardigan: Current
boots: Steve Madden
belt: stolen from my mother

in england

Just a really quick one today to show you a little snap of life in London so far. I'm staying with some friends in, you guessed it, the East End and who actually do have an EastEnders motif pasted onto their mirror!

I haven't really taken many pictures yet, but I'll leave you with a photo from last time I was in the London area. In 2008 my boyfriend was working in Hatfield and I visited for a few weeks close to Christmas. Here I gaze at Hatfied House, Hatfield's one tourist attraction, which also happens to be closed all winter... Going into London was really expensive on the train, so I spent lots of time going swimming at the local pool (until they started renovating it), and writing a romance. The romance genre is definitely not for me, but it was the first time I ever finished a book, so I suppose I have Hatfield to be grateful to for that.



I really wish I had my coat and hat with me this time...

Outfit:
coat: Topshop (from 2003)
boots: Rocket Dog
hat: gift
mitts: gift from Peru

Mexico pictures tomorrow! I took loads before I left.

Into the Beautiful North + a mashup

Hi everyone!

Brrrrrrrrr. That's my main comment for now. This is a bit of a hodgepodge post, and as soon as I'm done I'm off to (hopefully) enroll at the university. Scary times.



I hoped to make a post about LA, where I had a seven hour layover, but the Department of Homeland Security had other ideas. Allow me to vent for one minute. I wanted to leave my extremely heavy carry-on at left luggage (where you can check your suitcase in for a day or so in normal countries) and catch a shuttle into town. "No!" a 'traveler assistance' officer barked at me, when he could spare a moment from his blackberry. "Not since September 11th, you can't leave luggage." Allow me to say that this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Other countries have a special room you can check your bag into, and they scan it first. So that would be the same security measure as when it goes onto the plane, right? Right. Anyway, seven hours in Starbucks it was. Grrrrr.



Meanwhile, the giveaway winner was comment #19 of the legitimate entries, Terri of Rags against the Machine! Terri is from Kansas and reminded me that her homestate is the setting of part of The Wizard of Oz, so very appropriate considering this is Ruby Slipper Journeys! Thanks everyone for entering, and I loved hearing about where you all live!



Next up, if you're an etsy or vintage lover, let me point you over to Ashley's shop Three Feathers Vintage, full of vintage treasures unearthed in LA, (that same place I couldn't visit, grrr). She's having a mega sale at the moment, and there are lots of chances to get free shipping, or at least a big reduction. Plus, her prices are super-reasonable for Etsy to begin with. Also you should check out her lovely blog, Milk Teeths.




Some of my personal favourites from her shop.

A few more odds and ends coming later, I don't want to overload you all!

maaaaaaannn.....

.... I hate this part! Basically, everything is going in except the bicycle. Plus a skull and a helmet. Grrr.



Should I get away with it this time, I will post my ultimate guide to packing and how-to-avoid-excess-baggage-fees!

safari!

Before I start, if you haven't already, don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY



Back in the late spring, I decided I had an obsession with safari style. This was when I got back from South Africa and it was a bit random because I'd been to game parks in South Africa, been absolutely freezing, and dressed like this:


Not very safari chic, but oh so fun!

Anyway, I didn't find anything in the stores that fit what I considered a reasonable budget for safari clothes with no safari in sight, so I decided to cobble together the best look I could from what I already owned. And then I stalked through Guadalajara, inventing my own safari!





Peering around every bush...


Trying not to make too much noise and scare the animals...


What's that I hear?


Sometimes the watcher becomes the watched...


This being Mexico after all, I didn't find too many exotic animals, but I did find him:


Oh, and this guy!


Outfit:
dress: gift
belt: my sister's
hat: The Bay
shoes: Aldo

On an unrelated note, I am flying to England in less than two days, and I can feel little veins of stress creeping over me. Every time I move it's bittersweet, thinking of the things I leave behind and looking forward to new opportunities. And ugh, packing. And ugh, ugh, trying to get a suitcase, a carry-on and a guitar across London after a 24 hours journey. Greattttt. This is all to say, my appearance might be patchy in the next week or so, but I'll be back.

And you haven't seen the last of Mexico yet on this blog. I still have a few photos I'll be sharing with you during the next couple of weeks!
Hasta Luego!