In The Rain

 It's pretty easy to be jaded about photography these days, with anyone and everyone thinking they're a photographer with their iPhone and cheap dSLR cameras and photos of food/coffee and flowers and sunsets (don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of coffee & flower & sunset snaps, too). Add in all the filters and apps and things get seriously skewed—don't even get me started on "desaturating" images in Photoshop and calling it black and white! Thankfully, there are still some gems hidden out there on the web, even on Instagram. 

But, OK, rant over...and on to some images from a photographer recently shared with me by a friend. I'm not sure much about the photographer other than that he posts as "Yodamandu," shoots with a Leica M series and is based in Strasbourg. Oh, and his photos are STUNNING. These are from his series simply called Rain, but make sure you check out his entire feed if you have time.

All images via Yodamandu

Weekend Link Love

Ah, the weekend. What used to be reserved for sleeping in, brunching, catching up on TV and just generally being a bum has turned into a frenzied how-can-I-get-everything-done time for me. While most people go out on the weekends, I prefer to see friends and attend events during the week when my day has already been shot by work and I'm in Manhattan, easily accessible to anyone available for the evening. Weekends, then, become my time to run errands and get everything else done that I didn't have time for during the week—and often, those plans are interrupted. This morning I'd planned to get up at a decent hour, make some breakfast & coffee, write this post, and clean around my apartment until I need to leave for other plans in the afternoon. 

Instead, I overslept a bit, and shortly after I got up, the radiators in my apartment started to spew water in three different rooms, flooding the apartment downstairs in the process. Happy Saturday, right? Two hours later, I finally ate some food and got ready for the day, only to find that the subway wasn't running where I needed it to. As much as I despise winter and all the cold that comes with, I'm actually looking forward to some crummy-weather weekends where I'll have good reason not to leave my apartment for a full 48 hours. And on that note, if you're being a bum this weekend, I'm sharing a few of my favorite things from around the web to keep you entertained.

My elephant obsession absolutely extends to this cute match strike from Julia's shop!

Sleek metal details on shoes are becoming my new favorite thing-like these Zara pumps.

Should you ever work for free as a blogger?

The best exchange I've seen on social media in a long, long time (maybe ever!).

Have you seen this subway-prank video yet? (Hint: it's super sweet!)

If you haven't heard about this little boy's Make-A-Wish yet, you've been living under a rock. Also, it'll probably make you cry...& maybe restore your faith in humanity.

Lulu Frost SS 2014...I'll take one of each, please!

This Julia Kostreva marble print is the background on my work computer. Now, I want it for my phone, too!

Mercury was in f*cking retrograde.

Cinnamon Brioche Chocolate Chip French Toast Muffins with Coconut Streusel. (Get in my belly.)

I shot an entire roll of film on this old cabin in Maryland last weekend. Nervously excited to see how it turned out!

Beautiful post-rain photos.

In love with this leather-trimmed hoodie.

*image via

Polka Dots

If I were to truly evaluate my wardrobe, I think I'd find that I'm mostly attracted to a variety of solid colors, sometimes with embellishments, and the occasional crazy, bright print. Rarely anything in between (let's not spend too much time on what this says about me, OK?). Apparently, despite its usually girl-ier nature, polka dots are kinda becoming my thing (remember this post?). Next to conquer—colored polka dots, duh! 

And, just for fun...this is what happens when you keep trying to photo-bomb my shoot! (There are several teenage boys just outside the frame.)

Jacket (old, similar) || Otte Pullover || Acne Jeans || Sole Society Giuliana Boots

Street Vendor Scarf (from Italy!) || Lionette Necklace || Steve Madden Bag

Photos: Joey DeBenedetto

Weekly Wants

Let me bring you up date to on weather in NYC & really, across a lot of the U.S., too—it got cold this week. And by cold I mean I woke up to snow flurries outside my window yesterday morning (which meant I decided to oversleep, oops). As I'm sure I said many a time last year, I hate dislike hate winter. And snow, and cold, and short days, the list goes on and on! Since I have to suffer through it, though, I've got my eye on a lot of warm accessories, like cashmere gloves, oversize scarves and lots of leather (my kind of LOL). I'm aware it's a little ironic that there are no coats or sweaters in this, but trust me-a leather cami with a blazer on top will keep me warm like nothing else. Thankfully, we're going to get a little boost of warm weather over the weekend—don't be surprised if you run into me out in a t-shirt, celebrating it for the last time I can!

Clockwise from top left: J. Crew Café Capri || Baublebar Emerald Spike Necklace || Shake by Carli Davidson || Gold Brush Vase || J. Crew Collection Stained Glass Jacquard Dress || The 2 Bandits Sunshine Daydream Cuff || Cami NYC in Leather || Burberry Cashmere Gloves || J. Crew Penny Loafers || Sea Crepe & Leather Split Skirt || Mark and Graham Audrey Rolling Tote || Zara Checked Woollen Scarf || Jeffrey Campbell Jessa Link Bootie