Winter – Page 4 – Blondie Birdie

“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”

March 2, 2018by Ashley DeLarge3 Comments

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone!

We did it! We made it through the week and it’s time to kick back and enjoy the weekend- unless you live in New England, that is- in which case you’re probably getting ready to start shoveling yourself out of whatever the incoming Winter Storm Riley has in store for us.

It’s been rather lovely outside these past few days- albeit a little chilly- so to suddenly have about a foot of snow dropped back on us is a little disheartening, to say the least.

Regardless, I’m determined to enjoy my weekend- and have set aside a little “me” time to get my hair and my nails touched up for the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities and the First *official* day of Spring in a couple of weeks. I’m also looking forward to cooking up a couple of new dishes- provided that the storm doesn’t knock out my power since we’re expecting to get some pretty high winds where I am.

Now that it’s March, I’m getting an early start on my Spring cleaning. Old mail/bills are being shredded, bedsheets and pillow cases are being washed and refreshed, odds & ends that have been laying around all Winter and collecting dust are being rounded up and discarded- and I’m starting to rotate out my Winter wardrobe to donate the things I don’t wear anymore while simultaneously clearing up some space to fit my Spring/Summer clothing and accessories.

I have taken some time to enjoy the little things this past week, though. On Wednesday night I had a friend-date in Western Massachusetts with a guy I’ve known for a long time that included a pretty good blue cheese burger at a local brewery, followed by a late-night Sega Genesis game session at said friend’s apartment. He dug out Maximum Carnage (one of my favorites from when I was a kid!) and I honestly needed a minute to compose myself from the excitement.

Last night, after I’d run some errands and returned home- I enjoyed a long, hot soak in my tub while I flipped through the Spring issue of InStyle Magazine and enjoyed a glass of wine while a Lush Bath Bomb fizzed around me. I slept like a baby last night once I’d dried off and gone to lay down- that’s how relaxing it was!

Weather permitting, I have a luncheon scheduled with some friends from work a little later on this afternoon- and from there- I’m hoping it’s smooth sailing as I wrap up this work week (which was unbelievably productive for me!) and jump right into my Saturday plans.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! I’ll see you on Monday!

– Ashley –

OOTD: Seeing Spots

February 12, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone! While I’m not particularly looking forward to starting what is going to be a pretty hectic week at my office, I had a pretty fun, laid-back weekend (that also happened to include a surprise belated Birthday party for me!)– that I’ll get into a little later on this week. Plus, I’ve got my coffee and a cinnamon raisin bagel in front of me- so I can’t complain too much. I’ve definitely had worse Monday mornings.

Now that I’m back home in the cold and re-adjusted to my time zone- I wanted to share what has undoubtedly become “the” coat for me this Winter. It’s made a few appearances here on Blondie Birdie since I purchased it on sale for $10 last month (thanks, Primark!) but now I get to show what it looks like when it’s actually on my body.

What I love most about this leopard print coat is that it’s actually lined to keep me warm- so wearing it out and about this time of year isn’t like sacrificing my health for the sake of a fun, vintage look. It’s a legitimate Winter coat- that also happens to give me some serious 60s vibes whenever I throw it on.

I typically wear this coat with black leggings, black high-heeled boots, and a sheer top on nights out. If I’m not tying my hair up into a slicked back, high ponytail and throwing on some chandelier earrings- I do what I did this past weekend and let my hair down, glide on some cherry red lipstick and some winged eye liner- and hit the town.

I get a lot of compliments on this coat- which I hadn’t anticipated when I first bought it- but apparently leopard print is still very much in and still very much coveted. I love it. It’s fun, cozy, chic and is going to come in handy when I inevitably dress as Edie Sedgwick around Halloween later on this year.

I’m not going to lie- as much as I hate Winter- I’m going to be pretty bummed out when I have to put this thing in storage once the warmer weather rolls around!

I hope you all make it through your Monday unscathed. I’ve got a Valentine’s Day inspired dessert recipe coming up in a couple of days for those of you who like a quick and easy chocolate fix- and I’ll be sharing some of the details from this past weekend’s adventure.

Have a good one, everybody!

– Ashley –

Wonderful, Wonderful…

January 12, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Have you ever had a weekend that was so action-packed and busy that you needed a full week to recover from it, and before you knew it- it was the weekend again? Well, if not- let me tell you about last Saturday and Sunday.

In the midst of sub-zero temperatures, a group of friends and I had been planning a night out on Saturday to celebrate Sean’s birthday in style. Sean had mentioned wanting to have a big dinner at a local Japanese restaurant (weather permitting)– but with a wind chill advisory in effect and more than one person experiencing car problems when the negative temperatures started affecting their engines/car electronics/sensors- we made do with a board game and pizza night at the apartment in Melrose where everyone could stuff their faces without reservations or judgment and stay warm.

A few slices (and buffalo wings, of course) and a round or two of FLUXX and ‘Code Word’ later- and it was time for coconut cake and singing for Sean with some trick candles that almost made him lose his breath trying to blow them out. Although he won’t own up to his age- I know the truth- and I’m really glad that his night was so special and laid-back. He earned it.

On Sunday, after running some errands- I headed down to TD Garden with my friend Kayla from work to have a few drinks, catch up with a friend of mine from Ireland who was in town working for the night, and see The Killers- who were passing through town for their North American leg of the “Wonderful Wonderful” tour. The show was Kayla’s first time seeing the band- and my 274th (okay, maybe not that exact number- but I have seen those lovely and talented boys from Vegas quite a few times over the last 14 years!)

The set and the visuals during the show were unreal- maybe some of the most elaborate, technical, stunning effects I’d ever seen during any of their concerts. My photos simply don’t do it justice. It was awe-inspiring- and I was thrilled that Kayla got to experience it for the first time when everything looked and sounded so good.

They played new favorites from the latest album and bangers from their previous work- as well as a cover of The Cars’ “Just What I Needed” (as a tribute to Boston!) It was a pretty perfect set from start to finish- made even more memorable by all the confetti and sparklers peppered throughout some of the songs. I had an amazing, unforgettable time- and it definitely ranks up there with one of the Top 10 performances I’ve seen by the guys over the years.

If The Killers are coming to your town during this tour, I highly recommend dropping in to catch their show. You won’t regret it. It’s phenomenal- and so much fun!

Both Kayla and myself got home post-show pretty late, and I’ve been trying to play catch-up on my sleep schedule for the better part of a week while juggling work- so it’s been a very interesting few days, for sure.

I’m looking forward to this weekend- where I will undoubtedly sleep late and start packing for my upcoming trip to San Diego.

Enjoy your Friday, everyone!

– Ashley –

OOTD: Subtle Sparkle and Shine

January 8, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

In my late teens/early twenties, the New Year’s Eve ensemble code that my girlfriends and I always stuck to was simple: short dresses/skirts, the highest heels imaginable- and enough sequins and glitter that you’d still be picking them out of your hair by Memorial Day Weekend.

Now, in Southern California, Nevada, or Arizona- this dress code would not only be expected, but probably appropriate in some ways, given the climate- but we grew up in (and still reside) in New England. You know, the part of the country that has been consistently under a thick blanket of ice for a few weeks now? That corner of the United States that hasn’t seen temperatures come out of the negatives for days? Yeah, that part.

But we were young and dumb back then- and looking cute or sexy meant risking frost bite or hypothermia in the New Year. I can remember one New Year’s Eve where I wore open toed heels – OPEN TOED HEELS– during a snowstorm because I had a party to get to. I look back, cringe accordingly- and then see other girls around that age doing the exact same thing. I can’t help but laugh- because I know they’ll look back on it someday and have the same reaction, too. It’s a lesson every young woman has to learn when they grow up in parts of the country that experience some drastic season changes.

I digress- now that I’m older and (somewhat) wiser- I’ve learned that layers and practical footwear can be cute for New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day, too. And if I want to sparkle and shine for the occasion- I don’t have to look any farther than knitted sweaters that use shiny thread. Case in point? This oversized sweater I picked up at Primark and wore around New Hampshire and Ipswich on New Year’s Day.

Not only did I look festive AND comfortable- but I was beyond cozy and warm, too. Paired with fleece-lined leggings, knee-high wool socks and my black snow boots- I didn’t have to worry about being exposed to the elements or getting sick as a dog from being outside for more than a few minutes at a time.

I know some people think the material this sweater is made from feels “itchy” at times- but I was fine all day and well into the night wearing it. I think, moving forward- if it ever became an issue- it’s nothing a tank top or a thin, thermal long-sleeved shirt underneath wouldn’t solve.

I wore small, faux-diamond earrings and swiped some metallic gray eye shadow on my lids (and a metallic pink gloss on my lips) to complete the look without going overboard.

I loved the outfit, and it’s definitely something I would wear again- even on regular work days at the office where champagne toasts at midnight aren’t a requirement (but I wish they were!)

– Ashley –

OOTD: … And a Happy New Year!

December 21, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning, everyone! I’m getting ready to pop by my job to send some last-minute e-mails and participate in what will be day 3 of “Office-Holiday-Hijinks” (today is cookie swap and cocoa day!) before I break for a long, extended Christmas weekend to spend time with my family and friends while delivering the last of the gifts I’ve put together, drinking almond milk eggnog, and preparing to watch “A Christmas Story” over and over in a nice, cozy pair of flannel pajamas.

This coming weekend also marks both my mother and my older brother’s birthdays- so there’s going to be a lot of cake and Chinese food involved in the next couple of days too, I’m sure.

For most of this week I’ve been dressing festive- including but not limited to Rudolph leggings, snowball-inspired sweaters and Santa socks- but one of my favorite ensembles I’ve gotten to wear at a recent Holiday party was my ‘Home Alone’ knitted sweater (which I’ve had for a few years now) with a comfortable pair of black jeggings- and this light-up Christmas light necklace I picked up at a local dollar store. It has a couple of different settings that make it blink at various speeds, too!

While I was sporting this outfit in Back Bay, I actually had people coming up to me to ask where I had purchased parts of it. The sweater is easy enough to find at most online shops- and comes in a ton of different colors, too!

And of course, I couldn’t resist posing for some photos in front of the beautiful display that was set up in the front corridor of the Prudential Center while I had this on. That wreath hanging from the ceiling was gorgeous!

Also, if you don’t think the lights on the necklace look bright enough- may I present Exhibit A?

There I am outside- getting ready to go find my car. That necklace pretty much lit my way the entire walk! Not bad for a buck!

Alright- I’ve got to wrap things up at work before I head out to kick-start my holiday. For everyone who celebrates it- I hope you all have a wonderful, beautiful, warm and cozy Christmas surrounded by good food, good friends, and family. I hope you all stay safe if you’re traveling- and stress-free if you’re keeping your celebration local this year. I hope any gifts you’re giving are loved, and cherished by whoever is receiving them- and I hope you all get something that surprises and delights you, too!

I also hope none of you get coal or a fruit cake or anything like that.

I’ll be back to blogging next week- where I’ll be wrapping up 2017 to the best of my abilities before we usher in 2018. I’m so excited to look back on these past 12 months!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

– Ashley –