It's A Christmas Miracle

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday yesterday and ate our faces full of BBQ ribs, cheesy potatoes, brussel sprouts, and amazing chocolate cheesecake that one of Pete's aerobics ladies made him. It was sugar suicide and worth every bite. We had a record 4 dogs in Grandpa's house, ranging from 5 to 75lbs, and amazingly enough, no catastrophes occurred because of them.

Who, me??

On Christmas Eve, we toasted to my wonderful grandma who would have been 83 years old (I think). Truly one of the most amazing women I ever knew, and I think she would have appreciated our semi-flat, local champagne and complimentary bottle of beer toasted in her honor. 

Christmas is always a little weird at our house because we are a super low-maintenance family and rarely ever need anything. This might sound like a blessing, and it probably is, but when it comes to getting gifts for everyone it can be a challenge. We can always resort to the ole socks and underwear grab bag, but that can get old after a while. My mom always manages to find us the strangest, most awesome "treasures" from various thrift stores and estate sales throughout the year--one year we got a baby incubator, a chandelier, and a velvet rendering of the Last Supper. Classics, right??

This is what happens when Rudolph comes through The Lou...

This year's theme seemed driven by alcohol, as we had a more than 40 different beers accumulate under the tree, several bottles of wine that Pete bottled himself, and even fancy old-man whisky. This is particularly funny seeing that my parents aren't big drinkers, and I'm usually satisfied falling back on a light and airy PBR in a can. We fancy huh now, I guess. 

My little house is coming along slowly, and my tree and assortment of Christmas cards on the mantle managed to give it a pretty homey feel. Even the crickets laid low yesterday and gave me some peace...

I went to a killer pedal, kettle, bosu ball class this morning with a couple girls from work, and now I am ready to spend the rest of the day lounging, reading, and downloading music for a new mixed CD. Thank Jewus for week-long vacas! Can't wait to rage in DC with my lovers this weekend to bring in the New Year!

Countdown to VP PIC Pregame in the MPL!! Love it.

Happy early New Year!

xoxox,

Hannah

A Little Tiny Materialistic Wishlist

Tis the season to think of ridiculous crap that I don't need and forward obnoxious links to my brothers with the hopes that I'm doing them a favor by being sooo nice and helpful by sharing my Christmas List! Ho ho hoe, indeed.

I have a tiny wish list that I keep on my phone for rainy days, or when I'm feeling the holes in my pockets burn, or when I break away from my stingy genetics to buy "stuff" that will make me happy(ier).

Have your credit cards at the ready, people! The list stands as follows:

1. Lamy Safari Fountain Pen in shiny aqua blue!! I was in Rock, Paper, Scissors the other day and, as usual, found myself  testing every Lamy pen they have to offer. I have lusted and drooled and pined after these pens for years--they are just begging to be used to scrawl sweet messages to friends or little love notes in coffee shops. One of my old friends has a Lamy tattoo on his forearm and I'm starting to understand the infatuation. Let the journal-keeping documentation begin!

2. Virtuoso Conical Burr Mill for my lovely Rancilio. I've suffered enough harassment for using a sub-par grinder the last few months, and I think it would be OK by me if my fairy espresso godmother decided to drop this little beauty in my stocking this year. I'll make her a capp, for Christssake!

3. Gurgle Pot! Ever since I saw one of these at Julianne's house in Blacksburg, I've been a tad bit obsessed with how weird and cute they are. I could have a whole school of them in different colors, filled with wildflowers or punch or chilled cucumber water. 

4. A gigantic oil painting of a kaleidescope-colored, juicy, naked lady compliments of the one and only Rebecca Derring. Name your price, woman!! I would die to have one!

5. Design*Sponge at Home. This was the very first blog I ever discovered, before I even know what a blog was ("how do you follow a blog??" So cute).  Everything Grace Bonney touches is golden, and I have a hunch this would look practically perfect nestled next to my very favorite Domino hardback. It's sooo pretty. Sooo many crafts! Sooo many ideas!! Sigh.

So there you have it. The best part about this list is that I don't need anything. I have more than enough beautiful "things" in my life, and I would honestly be completely happy and satisfied with little Uli pie by my side, a book from the thrift store, and a hot mug of something delicious.

Three Cheers,

Hannah

While You Were Sleeping...

I'm in Fredvegas with the one and only fabulous Alwang lady and I'm making a special-request post just for her. Here are some snippets of things I've been doing while my poor, sad blog has fallen to the wayside...

Blessing of the Hounds

My parents' new puppy! I spy...

Room with a view and some shiny new windows...

Getting rll fancy...

A very Canard Christmas. <3

Off to Ikea tomorrow, hooray hooray! Then--Julianne on Sunday! The angels are singing for real...

Happy Weekend,

Hannah

Birds of a Feather

There are few things more satisfying than discovering a new stylist who can cut your hair well, have normal conversation, and make you look sooo pretty in less than an hour. I held strong to my man Tony of the hard NOVA streets, but he was no match for the glorious Cville hook. 

Enter: Moxie. A bunch of lovely ladies at work recommended this place, and I'm so glad they did! I doubt I would have found it otherwise, and I know I would have been rll creeped out by its warehouse, industrial, pseudo crack-house exterior. It's tucked back off Preston in a little corner next to Reids, across the street from Bodos (mmm...). I always thought it was a laundry mat--who knew?!

The walls are covered with Roy Lichtenstein-esque art; the lounge is sprinkled with funky mod chairs; and the salon is staffed by young and tattooed stylists. Also, it was packed with customers, old and young, who left looking ten times better than when they entered. I will definitely be going back, especially considering this Monday, I will work less than 1 mile away! Hip hip hooray for downtown addresses!

January loves Moxie... obviously.

xoxo, Hannah

She Lives!

... I'm inching closer and closer to having an established homestead and INTERNET!!! I know, it's a miracle beyond words, but just know that I have been insanely busy; cooped in the boondocks; filling my brain with an inordinate amount of information; traveling, near and far, with some of the most glorious ladies in the world; and figuring out what the hell I'm going to craft for our family Thanksgiving feast (horse-shaped pumpkin loaf, duhs).

Still wishing I could enjoy VP PSLs every day and ride my bike to work and be told I'm soooo pretty every .5 seconds, but in the meantime I am packed to the brim with new adventures. 

I'm sitting here, waiting for the dear and wonderful Kirtley to come my way and toast to our new neighborly addresses. This weekend will hold more painting, more scrubbing, and more adjusting of furniture in hopes of creating the most glorious little nest...ever. 

Give it time, people. I'll be back on the radar soon!

xoxox, 

Hannah

Blogging In the Boondocks

...is rll hard, y'all. I've tried to upload pictures. FAIL. I've tried to insert videos. FAIL. So, I'm sticking to simple text for the time being. Womp Womp.

However...TOMORROW = MONTPELIER HUNT RACES = THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!! I'm so excited for my favorite fall festivity, and don't you worry--there will be pictures galore!!

Yes, yes. The time is upon us again. Pack up the troops. Load the cigars. Prepare the sausage balls and head down the road to good 'ole Jimmy Mad's pad to drink Bloody Marys, lust after Irish boot salesmen, watch (sadly) the Jack Russell Races, don hats from Preppy Palooza, make visits to Louise (my most wrinkled and beloved former coworker), bump into old friends, feast on tailgate fabulosity, and p-i-m-p myself out to Cville Smokeshop.

After the races, I begin what is sure to be the longest two weeks of my life. I'll leave Montpelier and head straight to my basement/landlady/VP PSL PIC; spend the night; pack even more (if that's possible); drive back; unload; sleep; work; drive back to NOVA; sleep; meet my group at Arlington National Cemetery; spend the next three days playing tourist in DC bahaha; catch a bus to NYC; BACHLORETTE AMAZINGNESS ALL WEEKEND!; bus back to DC; drive home; bus back to DC the next morning; spend the next two days playing tourist (again) in DC; come home; die. 

I'm already exhausted, but hooray for the weekend and everything wonderful!

xoxo, 

Hannah

The Winds of Change like woah...

My life has taken some pretty dramatic turns the last few days, and while I'm super very extremely excited about some aspects, I am equally (dramatically) depressed about the others. So far, I am l-o-v-i-n-g my new gig and all the people who work there. I'm obsessed with Central Virginia and all that it has to offer...

...like vineyards, and horse country, and morning dew on the way to work. Sigh.

However...I'm am also very sad about the following items of business:

Our dog. Duh.

88 MILES?!?! FOL.

Das basement of sin and smooches.

Being sooo pretty.

And soooo smart!

So. I'm in the process of caulking holes, painting primer, picking paint colors, moving beds, setting up Internet connections, joining clubs, makin' fraaands, crafting Halloween costumes, going to happy hours, and in general getting myself back to the place I was always meant to be. In the meantime, connection to the outside world is super limited--there's so much to learn, so much to do, so much to see. 

It's funny to think that somehow, after all this time, the grass has always been a little bit greener here...

xoxo,

Hannah

Soooo Sad, Sooo Depressed

Shit is getting real now. Can't handle it.

SW continues. We've taken our dorky depression to a whole new level. No shame. None. Sigh.

Oh dear...

Hannah Hogan...?

It's emails containing images like the following that keep me feeling young:

Sweet lord.

Oh Copper...

I'm getting really good at stretching out these weekends, and I think I've found the key: never go to sleep. Go out on Friday night and dance dance dance until it's 4am and crash at a downtown apartment with some fools and an automatic skittles machine. Brilliant!

Friday Night: Rage in Dupont (check it off the list)!

Flew home from work, changed into my boots (boot season is finally upon us), smoothed on the red lips, and headed downtown to meet up with B-rad and Wheels. Did a little pregame, sipped some Abita Purple Haze (oh! my favorite!), attempted to power hour, then walked two feet down the street to bars and dancing and clubs oh my! Either there was something in the water this night or we found the water hole for delicious men because people were on.their.game.

Saturday: Great Falls Park "Hike"

I've been trying for two whole years to go bowling or hiking or SOMETHING with Jenny, and we finally set a date to wander GF Park, gaze at some muddy rapids, and enjoy the textbook-perfect fall weather. We met up at the falls and, in a somewhat hungover state, navigated the treacherous paths together.

I blurred your face to highlight your magical shirt but obvi I still lurve you.

After our walk, I spent the rest of the day catching up on Disney movies I've never seen (I'm looking at you, Fox and Hound), sippin PSLs, sitting in our chairs outside with our slippers, and eating chicken fingers dipped in blue cheese. Mmmm....

Sunday: Ugh. Running.
Woke up. Ran 4 miles-ish. Went to the dog park. Chugged Gatorade. Made some homemade yogurt. Nahx4Nahx4Nahx4.  Begrudgedly began a little tiny teeny bit of packing. Aaanddd the rest is pretty much a blur.

Counting down the days till we dominate das dance floor again. Not counting the days to some other scary deadline. Oh dear...

SW in the Vintage Place...is on....

xoxo, Hannah

I'm Gettin' Paper

...and I'm putting it in this bad boy. Three cheers for a Hobo sale on Rue La La! Whoop Whoop Whoop!

 

Happy Thursday!

How Life Is Supposed to Be Lived

It's 80 degrees. You're eating oysters. You've caught enough crabs to feed six people. You've got good jams, good drinks, good friends. It's October. You brunch at Rayfields. You take drives to Virginia Beach to pick up Bailey's Cake for birthday celebrations. You buy new nail polish. You go to used book sales at small-town libraries that have been converted from old churches. You buy 3 hardback books for $1.00. It's 80 degrees.

There are cute dogs...everywhere.

It's 80 degrees.

You lay out by the pool.

You get good kisses.

You wander the bay.

You drive down country roads and snap close-ups of the cotton fields.

You drool over old buildings and fantasize about renovations.

You sip Cape Charles coffee.  You eat bagels with lox and capers and onions and cream cheese. You make garlic bread.

You are free to "express yourself."

You drive a turquoise T-bird for four hours with the top down. You film everything.

YOU DO IT FOR MELFA!!

Basically, you are this woman:

She's rlll famous.

xoxo,
Hannah