(MOSTLY, PROBABLY) MOVING TO TUMBLR! It has more opportunities to post other media, so, yeah. I may come back here though. We'll see.

INEEDTHATDRESS @ TUMBLR

and it keeps coming til the day it stops.

So school is really cramping my blog style (god, am I lame). I would apologize for updating infrequently, but not only am I pretty sure no one is reading this, I don't want to make any promises about being a super great updater on the very likely chance that I go another month without writing. I'll try. For my -2 reader(s).

I just got my tickets to see Harry Potter at midnight next month though (!!!) because I am a super lame-ass, and that isn't the ONLY exciting thing that happened to me today. About a month ago, my mom met Brian Ripka, son of Judith Ripka of Judith Ripka Jewelry, at a sample sale. He gave her his card because she said I was interested in fashion. I emailed him two or so weeks ago, and his assistant responded today, saying they have a SUMMER INTERNSHIP. You know, if I'm interested. IF I'M INTERESTED?! There is almost nothing I have been more interested in EVER. Between finally getting to travel again and the possibility of a Madison Ave. fashion internship, this summer could be the best ever. But it is October. So I can't start thinking about summer now, or I will openly weep thinking about the months of freezing rain, snow and hibernation I have ahead of me in Shitsburgh.

However, today sneak peeks of the Lanvin collaboration for H&M were released and I am EXCITED. I was going to buy a Joie or Free People holiday dress (I tend to get a cheap-ish one I can wear for both Thanksgiving and Christmas stuff I end up going to), but this is obviously better.



Fab. I died. Other fashiony things/Rachel Zoe-isms. These dresses are just direct knockoffs of Lanvin's last runway collection, which is BEYOND fine with me if I end up paying $60 for a knockoff of a $6,000 dress - made by the SAME designer. So. Excited. The collection is released on November 23rd, and I'll be back in Philly, which is convenient, as I'll be at H&M first thing in the morning with my nose pressed against the glass, waiting for it to open.

One thing I neeeed to know about, though - Fair Isle sweaters. I don't know how to feel about these.



They're supposed to be really cute and fashionable. And they probably are, if you have upwards of $300 to spend on a runway Rag & Bone sweater. But I feel like if I got a knockoff version, I would just look like an Alaskan grandmother. Thoughts?

And, one final thing. I did end up renting for that fab wedding I went to in October, and I wore an amazing Milly dress. Here's a picture of the dress, and a picture of myself in it - I look really stupid, because I took the picture in Photobooth to show my best friend, so ignore that part.



And, that's all for now. Time to go back to watching Daria and drinking wine and eating Twix. Which is what I have been doing all night. My life sucks.

(one of the) the best weeks of the year

So I have been unacceptably MIA, and now that the school year has begun and I need something besides Jezebel and Shopbop to prevent me from doing my homework (and/or paying attention in my super long Cognitive Psych class). And I figured today was a perfect day to return, since today is the first day of FASHION WEEK and I am kvelling like the fake Jew that I am.

Over the course of the week, I will certainly be talking about runway shows that I plotz over, but I haven't really talked about fall yet, so I figured I could use this opportunity to talk about what I consider to be some essential fall pieces and trends - and also, clothes I am obsessed with and will find absolutely any excuse to buy.

Also: I have a $25 Gilt credit because one of the people I invited bought something. I am so fucking pumped for this, except that the Free People sale was lameass and there hasn't been anything yet that I'm really pumped for/can actually afford (in my fantasy life I would buy like four bags from the Marc Jacobs collection sale that starts tomorrow).

Also also: I'm going to a very chic wedding in October (which super luckily falls on the weekend of my fall break so I will be in Phila) and I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO WEAR UGHH. My mom has already rented her dresses but I'm feeling super blasé about all the dresses on Rent the Runway right now. (Plus they retired a gorgeous Doo.Ri dress that would have been perfect). Since it's an afternoon fall wedding, I'm pretty averse to wearing strapless. The stylist on RTR assured me new styles would be all over the place soon, but in the meantime, I'm faced with wearing one of my old prom dresses. Boo. (I sound like a jerk.)

ANYWAY. Must-haves.

you're nobody if you don't have a blouse so right now i firmly remain a nobody


So I'm really into blouses right now. You know, along with everyone else in the world. But this blouse is timely, since the Alexa Chung for Madewell collection just launched TODAY. This blouse is perfect. Equipment blouses are lovely, but way expensive and I believe that they'd probably fall to my knees (since I am just 5'2") and their weird pale colors might wash me out (since I am so pale I am virtually translucent). I would wear the shit out of this blouse. I would practically sleep in it. It is casual yet chic, and could be significantly dressed up. At $110, it may be a birthday wishlist item, but it's not exorbitant. In essence: WANT.

these boots will make me look shorter, but i will buy them anyway, they are that fab

Over-the-knee boots. Once more, I feel like Captain Obvious. However, this is one trend I can really get behind, because it encourages me to buy more Frye boots, like these. Since this pair easily cuffs, I see these being versatile past this season, in case over-the-knee fades along with shoulderpads and socks and sandals. Also, since they're Frye, they might outlive me, and they'll be super comfy. I would rock these with that Madewell blouse and my J Brand Houlihans, or a pair of Genetics and a comfy tee-shirt. So basically I would wear them to death.

sometimes i doubt your commitment to sparkle motion, so you should prob buy this dress

So metallics and sequins and just general sparkly shiny clothes are everywhere. And if I could pick a dream dress to wear to this October wedding, it would be this Rachel Roy dress. Sadly, this will not happen, since it is nearly $1500... unless RTR hears my plea and suddenly adds it to their website. Though this dress is out of my reach, it is totally within my reach to invest in some sequined and sparkly tops and cardigans to add a pinch of awesome to otherwise blah outfits.

camel makes me feel warm inside like i'm drinking a thermos of hot chocolate and the leaves are all red and yellow


So I feel like camel was probably the trend I was least psyched about, just cause it's like, yeah. Tan/nudish colors. Revolutionary. But then I looked at a bunch of yummy looking camel sweaters, and they just looked like falling leaves/hugs/new school books/boot weather. And all of a sudden, I was a convert. My dream camel sweater is this big slouchy Alexander Wang one, but not only would I be swimming in it, it is not T by Alexander Wang and is therefore a bajillion dollars. So this Free People one is a cute substitute, and FP definitely fits me super well, and I just want to wear the crap out of this with some dark jeans and my favorite Frye Jane Stitch boots.

So that's all for now - time to chow down on some Chipotle and head to my boyfriend's place, which is a grueling 10-min bus ride from my apartment. Life is hard.

summer days, driftin' away...

So, it's four days into August, and I am officially bummed. Why is this? Because August means not only the end of summer, but I officially have to leave my great job and go back to school this month. Bummerville. I like my school, but I can never quite get the equation right - at my old school in New York, I was in a city I loved at a school I hated. Now, at Pitt, I'm at a school I very much like, in a city that literally makes me feel dead inside.

One of the things I'll miss the most, certainly, is the cuisine scene. I just read Philadelphia Magazine's Best of Philly '10 and am already nostalgic for the restaurants I'll miss and dejected that I won't get to try new places as soon as they open (I'm particularly pumped for Barbuzzo, the newest addition to the already fantastic 13th St., Serafina, the NYC import, and Il Pittore, Starr's newest and, I believe, first Italian venture). Tonight I'm going to Adsum and tomorrow I'll be lunching at Parc for a long-overdue engagement celebration for my cousin (she got engaged at the end of May, so at this point it's really just an excuse to go to Parc and get the warm shrimp salad). I will most certainly miss this. Philly is full of incredible restaurants, big trendy ones and cozy BYOs alike - Pittsburgh has no one to compare to Starr, Garces, Vetri or any of the other big-name players. (Besides Lidia Bastianich, and her Pittsburgh outpost is, frankly, a weaker version of NYC's Becco.)

Anyway. More about that later, I'm trying not to bum myself out. This is a shorter post than most, as I'm just checking in after nearly a month of inactivity. But I have made some plum purchases recently, and also need a very important opinion.

About a month ago I snagged an incredible IRO leather jacket at Third Street Habit's big sale, which they held in place of their warehouse sale (no picture available on hand, sorry!). Then Shopbop's sale came along, and I scored a few items from that as well. Most recently and notably, I picked up a few basic tanks and an onsale skirt from Urban, a classic white shirt for fall from Joe's Jeans, unbelievably chic booties from Boutique 9, and gorgeous, classic black sandals from Calvin Klein to wear to a wedding I'll be attending on Friday.

Which brings me to a quick question for my readers... that is, if I have any. I'm attending a family wedding on Friday, and I rented two dresses from Rent the Runway. I love them both so much that I now can't make a decision between the two. Would it be drastically weird and lame to wear one dress to the ceremony and one to the reception?





Pictured, from top to bottom: Robert Rodriguez Black Label Pretty Package Dress, and LaRok Eye Candy Dress.

If anyone's out there reading this, an opinion would be so much appreciated. Should I choose one, and if so, which one? Or can I get away with playing Parent Trap at the reception and pretending I just also have an impossibly well-dressed twin? (I'm only half kidding about that one.)

"twatlight"

So it is an ungodly breed of hot day here in the Phil. It is so gross. I made the mistake of wearing my gorge new jeans to work, only to emerge from air conditioning into a sauna of sweat and horror. I then had to walk home, which isn't a big deal since I live right nearby, but even those few minutes were interminable, since it felt like I was crawling through lava. It sucked. So I'm not tryna leave my house any more today except to get takeout from Sahara Grill (their chicken shish taouk platter is godly), and what do I do when I'm in my house? Cruise the interwebs like a fucking loser.

However, I read this fucked up article today about how Twilight is ruining marriages and taking over the minds of suburban housewives, and then my friend Amanda posted this awesome Entertainment Weekly article through ONTD about HP being better than Twilight (which, well, DUH). But this all got me thinking about Twilight again, which sadly, is something that I actually think about from time to time. But not in a creepy fucking "I wish I had an Edward of my own to emotionally abuse me" sort of way.


also, this.

I'll put this out there: I read all four books. Sometimes I'll pick one up for mindless reading and then promptly put it down again when I realize I could literally just read Courtney Love's Twitter feed and get more value from it. I even bought Breaking Dawn when it came out after reading books one through three. When I tell people Twilight makes me want to kick babies, but that I read all the books, I get the same reaction: "Then why did you read the books? Don't you secretly like it or something, you fucking weirdo?" No. The answer is no, jerk.

I finished the series for two reasons. First, I finish things that I start. Unless I really hate it or can't get into it at all, I finish books, because I have a compulsive need to see where the story goes. One notable exception is I did not finish "Choke" by Chuck Palahniuk (and do not even get me STARTED on Palahniuk. I hate that fucker. If I have to sit through another creative writing class and listen to every overpierced, green-haired, Pittsburgh-poseur hipster say that their favorite author is Palahniuk because he is "so transcendent" I will kill myself. "Fight Club" was good, but he mostly writes the same thing a million times. End rant).

Even though I suspected five pages into the first book that I would probably hate Twilight, I was, I have to admit, a little bit curious. Though I much would have preferred her to take a creepy predator-prey angle with Edward and Bella rather than OMGZOURLUVISSOTRU, once I made it into New Moon (my favorite installment since it hardly has any Edward in it), I got a little more interested in Jacob and the wolves, who seemed decent. Too bad Meyer took that interest, turned Jacob into a total dick in Eclipse, and then pooped out a turd, smeared it on some paper, and called it Breaking Dawn.

BREAKING DAWN WAS A DISASTER. Almost everyone knows this (except maybe her). It includes a vampire Caesarian, as Cleolinda might put it (I am, like her, an LOLfan who is fascinated by the shittiness of Twilight, and I love her recaps), pedophilia, pro-lifeism, yadda-yadda-yaddaing over the hot messy vampire sex that I waited for for THREE BOOKS (thankfully I later got into True Blood which has all the vampire monkey sex I could ever ask for), pillow-biting, an 18 year old newly-wed pregnant girl drinking a blood Slurpee, a huge leadup to an awesome vampire battle THAT NEVER HAPPENED because everyone sat down and talked about their feelings instead, and a creepy fast-growing vampire baby named Renesmee. That book fucking blew.

I wrote a paper on Twilight for an English class, actually - we had to write one paper as a bad critic and one as a good critic, and my bad critic loved Twilight and my good one was wise to the fact that it's about a messed up abusive relationship between a controlling 100-year old virgin and a complete doormat. But I really need to know - why do people flock to these books like fucking crazy?! Why does anyone in their right mind think this is a phenom to rival the greatness that is Harry Potter? And why have poor Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson not assumed new identities, grabbed some fake mustaches, and absconded to Iceland to avoid filming the last installments of those shit-tastic movies?

In my opinion, Twilight's popularity has a lot to do with what some would call "the erotics of abstinence." Though I fail to see what eroticism can be found in abstinence, which is based on the same "just say no" mentality peddled by DARE (because sex and drugs are, as we all know, the same thing, and are both gateways to an early death and a descent into hell), people have proposed that Bella and Edward laying in a meadow staring at each other for approximately 6 hours and NOT having sex is, somehow, sexy. And, to be fair, I do think that the "safeness" of Edward, since he actively pressures Bella into NOT consummating their relationship, appeals to a lot of girls of the younger set, who, to some extent, fear sex. It's the Twilight Moms that I understand less, but for older women, I guess it's just pure escapism. Bella is, after all, a widely acknowledged wish-fulfillment character, an empty shell who welcomes readers to step right into her shoes.

Twilight is just another manifestation of our need for girls to stay pure, and our need for safe relationships, "dream guys" (whether or not they're abusive), and wish-fulfillment fantasies. I think people who are thinking about reading Twilight should just save some time and frustration and go buy some Harry Potter books. Because instead of sparkling like pussies and getting everything they want with no caveats, like the Twilight characters, Harry and his friends have badass wands, lose their friends and family, make sacrifices, wage war, fight, and win through sheer force of will and love. Leave Twilight to the angsty 12-year-old girls who have never had a real relationship, please. They'll learn one day that having a guy watch you sleep is not a sign of a healthy bond..... I hope.

peter you suck, peter you don't do anything of value

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, no matter how many times I watch it, never stops being funny. And that's all I have to say about that.

I hate my two-job schedule right now, and after working the lunch shift at my favorite Starr restaurant today, I am literally laying in bed watching TV (in my J Brand cargos, no less - these bitches are comfy). My body is totally exhausted after spending my mornings feigning enthusiasm about choreography for Grease, my afternoons chasing hyper kids around, and my nights leading people to their tables and being forced to stand without food or drink for 7-8 hours. Also, I have no money, because I keep buying pants.

Yesterday Third Street Habit hosted Cutoffs and Cocktails with guest hosts from Genetic Denim, aka cool girls from Oklahoma State U with summer internships at Genetic in NYC (talk about my dream life). It was about 100,000 degrees yesterday, and my mom had just gotten back from spending 3 hours on the Turnpike coming from Reading due to an overturned tree, but we both dragged our sorry asses over to the Habit, since I pride myself on being a loyal customer. Also, Genetic is my fave.

There were so many cute items, and I was trying hard to decide whether I like the Rye Skirt in Ol' Vintage or the Shane Cigarette Jeans, of which I have two pairs already (in Admiral, a lighter wash pure blue, and Silver, which I posted about previously), in Slink, a new color. At the urging of the salesgirls, I got the Shanes, making them the third pair to join my Genetic family. (Good thing I did, too, since they flew off the rack - the only sizes left at the end of the night were like, 29 and 30). So did my mom. She claims the Genetic girls peer pressured her into the purchase, but as January, Habit's owner, so aptly put it, "I think it was your butt in the mirror that pressured you into buying these jeans." January is so right. Genetics are notorious for making your butt super slap-worthy.



I was tempted by the skirt because, as I said, it was 6 million degrees at the time and I couldn't imagine the prospect of ever wearing anything on my legs again. But, as much as I loved the skirt, the jeans are practical. Also, they are softer than my dog.

However, once again, this was a bad decision. Goodbye, paychecks. I'm not even done paying for the fucking cargos. Also, I want a new top.

I'll leave you all (who am I kidding with "you all?" I'm fully aware no one reads my blog) with this news: Neil Patrick Harris will be reprising the role of Neil Patrick Harris in A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas. Also, my life is complete.

I promise, eventually, I'll do a post with more substance, Jezebel style, but first I have to think substantive thoughts.

new technology creates new rudeness

So, since I now have a single reader (thanks to the lovely Liz), I have been encouraged to update. And update I will.

First, I bought the J Brand cargo pants in New York at Barney's. Bad decisions happen at 61st and Madison. I totally cannot afford them (but will eventually be able to pay for them with rabbit poo money, since I obligingly clean up my neighbor's rabbit-poo caked house for $10 a visit), but I love them and they are fab. My best friend also has them in blue, so it was a matter of fate that I buy them.

Also, in brief, post-Glee Live show at Radio City last Sunday (because I am a big old nerdy mess), I met half the cast and it was glorious. I hugged Finn (!!!), told Kurt I love him, had a long conversation with Brittany (who liked my dress) and met Tina and the 2 male dancers on the show.


again, sideways. sorry.

Also, before this, I ate at Bar Americain, and had amazing duck. I fucking love duck. And a champagne cocktail, with, combined with wine, got me surprisingly drunk. So I was drunk, at Glee, with 8 year olds. It was, at first, a bad situation.

But this is not what this post is about. This post is about simple etiquette in a complicated world. Most people say please and thank you, occasionally hold doors, and, unless you are a native Philadelphian or New Yorker, are generally polite to random strangers, elderly relatives, your friends and family, and the like. But why do we find it so easy to be ridiculously awful to people we know well through the most impersonal medium possible?

I speak, of course, of Facebook. I will admit, I am a self-confessed Facebook junkie. I check it on my computer and my iPod and read my newsfeed like a creepy fiend, even when it's a post from someone I either don't give a shit about or haven't spoken to in years. However, recent events have kind of driven me to reevaluate how I feel about Facebook. It's a weird medium that allows people to be totally rude to others with a kind of screen between them - you would never walk up to a friend and tell them that you're essentially done with them forever, would you?

I'm referring to the phenomenon known as "defriending," "unfriending," whatever. I have a story. I've found that a few non-essentials have defriended me, and I've defriended people as well - but mostly just ex-boyfriends of friends I never actually knew. I've never defriended someone out of pure spite.

I had a roommate this past year. Though I have my own opinions after living with her for an entire year, I'll take the high road and keep my thoughts on her personality and life choices to myself (or at least, not blast her shit on the Interwebs). As a roommate, she was far from ideal. She advertised herself as clean, but never once cleaned our shared bathroom, and at some point wouldn't even flush the toilet if her shit didn't go down the first time. (I so wish I was joking.) She left her hair, which was all over the rest of the apartment as well, in the drain. Whatever. She was not a good roommate.

However, we were decent friends for a long time, and so I usually just let those things go. Things got tenser at the end of the year, and after we both aired our grievances Festivus-style in a screaming match, things were weird, but we agreed to live in peace. The day before I went home, the electric bill came. I asked for her half, and she was too busy to comply. I sent the whole check in and asked for her to send her half to me.

A few weeks later, I wrote on her Facebook wall reminding her to send in her half, and she responded nastily, telling me she had sent her half directly to the electric company. One day later, I visited her profile, only to find that I had the option to add her as a friend. I had been defriended.

Why the fuck is this fucking acceptable? And why does anyone think it's a reasonable reaction to almost anything? Yes, I understand maybe defriending a boyfriend who cheated on you, or a friend who stole your boyfriend. In fact, I think probably instances of cheating or straight-up heartbreak are the ONLY ones where defriending is acceptable. My other old roommate, who enjoyed vomiting in our joint trashcan, reading my IMs to find nasty things I said about her, and stealing my things, also defriended me, and even though I couldn't fucking stand her, I felt kind of hurt and weird about it.

I think it comes down to one essential thing when you're defriended - you end up wondering, am I really so bad that someone has to go to my profile and actively make the decision to cut me from their lives? Are my weekly status posts so grating on their nerves? Am I really such a piece of shit?

The pukey alcoholic roommate was never my friend, so her defriending briefly bothered me, but didn't hurt me. The more recent roommate's defriending definitely did. We were actual friends. We went grocery shopping together, sat and watched two seasons of True Blood obsessively in our living room, talked about our boyfriends and our pasts and our relationships, and bought each other birthday presents (for the record, I kind of want the Marc by Marc Jacobs daisy-shaped ring with the perfume solid inside that I gave her last May back). We lived together for an entire year. Sure, we're not best friends anymore, but I would never have defriended her - because it is a deeply nasty thing to do, and is far less innocuous than it seems. As I said, a person has to actively go to the other's profile and choose to defriend them. It is extremely personal, and it sucks. It totally blows.

End rant. I know this went on far too long. But new technology creates new ways for people to hurt each other, and having been hit with it, I am less than pleased with that development. In the end, people are just bullshit.

rainy day blues

So it is a miserable day here in the lovely city of Philadelphia. Cold, rainy, gray. Ideally, what I want to do today is curl up in bed and finish Daria (which I totally bought on DVD as I love love LOVED it in my angsty adolescence, and still love it today), but instead I'm going to get my ass in gear and get coffee and sign the W8 or WA or whatever forms for my new job!

Yes, I am gainfully employed, for the first time ever (except MacGuffin, but that was supposed to be volunteer work, until John, my boss, was like, "Surprise! Here's cash money"). I am working at one of my favorite Stephen Starr restaurants (after a bizarre but apparently successful interview with the man himself, who is very chill and cool) as a hostess, and I start training on Thursday. I've already bought a ton of new work clothes, natch. Which is really what this post is about.

However, before this job was even on my radar, I went to stay with my lovely friend Becca in New York, and had a bomb weekend pretending to be a hipster socialite at a Shepard Fairey art show and its afterparty (incidentally, we ended up on lastnightsparty, which made me feel cool for pretty much the first time ever). The morning after we hit up the Wafels and Dinges truck as seen on Food Network. It was godly. Immediately after, we went to Madewell and Topshop. So basically, this was the best morning of all time.

Topshop was overwhelming, and I spent more than I should have, but got 3 items that are totally major.



From right to left: a Bodycon Panel skirt that looks amazing with shirts tucked in and boots; a cropped vest-shirt; and an adorable ruffled tee that, while voluminous, is somewhat slimming.



I also have been lusting after Genetic Denim's Shane Cigarette jean (which I have in a lighter-wash denim) in silver, and finally picked it up (since it was the last one in my size at Third Street Habit... excuses, excuses). They are soft, wonderful and gorgeous, and I can wear them to work since they aren't blue denim. Also, they're really stretchy, so I can wear them even when I feel really fat and gross. Which is often, because I have a crippling Ben and Jerry's addiction (Milk and Cookies is so fucking good).

Finally, a few things I picked up at Third Street Habit on sale - a cute little Etoile by Isabel Marant foldover skirt, and a last-season but still cute Free People tunic/dress thing (I'm so short most tunics are dresses on me). Sorry the dress image is sideways.



And finally, to top off my new work wardrobe, my mom and I went on a Macy's shoe-spree and I came home with these Rachel by Rachel Roy badasses:



Anyway. I'm done. I just needed to do a big comprehensive post about fab clothes, but I need to do another one soon about Facebook (and ex-roommate) bullshit. Next on I Need That Dress - can you make someone who doesn't think flushing the toilet is necessary understand logic and/or basic human understanding and compassion?

LUST MOMENT

SOOOOO I know that I've been terrible at updating, etc., and I have lots of things to share including my new fabulous job as a hostess (eeeehhh!!) and some major items I picked up recently at Topshop and Third Street Habit, respectively. However, I must interrupt this regularly scheduled programming for a moment of complete, unadulterated lust.



WANT. WANT WANT WANT. These are the ultra-coveted J. Brand "Houlihan" Cargo Pants. This image is specifically in Olive, though those are on backorder forever (frankly, I could settle for Vintage Navy or Sharkskin to satiate my cargo craving). I don't even understand why this is happening, but there was an NYT article about how much everyone wants them that I caught - maybe I'm particularly susceptible to subliminal (or super-liminal) messaging. Whatever. All I know is that I want these pants. A lot. And now that I have a legit paying job, this dream could become a reality. Or, maybe I should get a grip.

My point is, these pants are bomb. I want them in my life. More on other clothes I wanted in my life and then got into my life by handing over my dearly loved Amex card later (most likely, tomorrow).

going back to philly (i don't think so).

One more final down today, and I'm one final away from going back to Philly. Thank. God. I am so tired of Pittsburgh's dreckitude (as Andre Leon Talley might say - totally my favorite addition to ANTM because he is so out of control bizarre). So because I'm feeling like antsy and am totally not doing any homework since I spent an hour and a half today writing (with a cramped arm) total bullshit about different adaptations of Genesis (right, cause I know anything about the Bible), I'm going to compile my own personal list of "Best Of Philly." Yes, my selections may not be the general consensus, particularly with restaurants - I'm not Craig goddamn Laban. But here are a few places and things I love about Philly and am really excited to get back to.

BEST STORE IN THE HISTORY OF EVERYTHING: Third Street Habit
So, maybe I'm biased because I spend a lot of money here, and have been "inhabiting" it (see what I did there?!) roughly since it opened, and because I really love all of the fantastic people who work here (Conchetta, Liz, and particularly the lovely January, who owns the store). But even a slightly more unbiased person would have to admit that this store is bomb. They have a great selection of brands - popular and less expensive brands such as Free People, C&C California, Splendid, Velvet and Ella Moss, more high-end brands such as Clu, IRO, Rag & Bone, and Isabel Marant (which is only sold in select stores across the country), and amazing denim from Current/Elliott, Genetic Denim and Hudson. The store is small but welcoming, and the staff is only too happy to recommend a new top or ask how your day's been.

One of my most memorable experiences at the Habit was in the fall of 2007, when my mom needed a dress for her all-out 50th birthday bash. I went in alone, and picked out four dresses, with the help of the staff. A few days later I brought my mom back to try them on, and the staff helped me put on an amazing impromptu fashion show, even finding shoes in her size for her to try with the dresses. They have incredible vintage finds and great accessories (especially their jewelry from one of a kind designers), and I can't talk about the Habit without mentioning their bi-annual SugarHabit sale, where everything is crazy marked down - some of my favorite pieces have been snagged at these sales. I could go on forever, but suffice to say, I love Third Street Habit. Every time I go home, I look forward to stopping in, saying hi to the staff, and checking out their sweet new clothes.

MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: TIE! The Continental and Amada
Philly has no shortage of good restaurants. And yeah, I'm sure Zahav and Vetri and Osteria are really freakin' good. But for my money, out of the restaurants I've been to more than once and even frequent, The Continental and Amada are really, really good.

I'm a fan of the Steven Starr collection of restaurants, and for my money, Buddakan is the best of the bunch. But if I had to pick a restaurant I love to go to over and over and over, I'd have to pick the chic, shared-plate-style Continental. Buddakan is an "occasion" restaurant for me (and it holds fond memories in that arena, since I went there for my high school graduation and for multiple birthdays), but Continental is my frequent haunt. I go for casual lunches, nice dinners, takeout, and everything in between - whenever my BFF jill Hanna comes in from the burbs, we head to Continental and pretend to be classy ladies lunching. The food ranges from simpler (delicious seared duck) to complex (lobster mac-and-cheese with orzo and THREE different cheeses), and in my four or five years dining there, I haven't had a bad meal. Other favorite dishes: crispy calamari salad, tuna tartare, crab pad thai.

Amada is, like Continental, a shared-plate restaurant, but on the much smaller scale of traditional Spanish tapas. It's been awhile with Amada, but their crazy-ass cheese selection, amazing flatbreads and grilled meats is exquisite, and prepared with love. The inside of the restaurant makes you feel ten times cooler just by being inside, with its white drapes and dark wooden chairs and tables. I am, unfortunately, not old enough to have sampled any of these, but their cocktails are named after Pedro Almovodar's movies, which is badass. Favorite dishes: I can't remember any. It's been a while. But pretty much any of their dishes that isn't a red-meat dish (which I do not eat).

BEST SUSHI: Zento
So, I promise I'll get off food in one second. But one last quick thing. Though Morimoto probably rules when it comes to sushi (I hear that the omakase, which I have never had, is pretty mind-blowing), if you're looking for something slightly more low-key but still delicious, Zento is where you need to be. Not only to they deliver, but they were actually started by a chef who left Morimoto, so the sushi is as creative as it is mouth-watering, and the fish is ALWAYS fresh (something I rarely get from Pitt's gnarly cafeteria sushi). Favorite rolls: square sushi with tuna, monkey roll, crunchy spicy tuna roll.

BEST CUPCAKES (besides Magnolia Bakery): Brown Betty Petite
Yeah. Just kidding. I was formerly a Flying Monkey devotee - when it came to Philly cupcakes, anyway. Even if this makes me a walking cliche, Magnolia Bakery vanilla cupcakes rock my taste buds, and the West Village location just happens to be across from the Marc by Marc Jacobs store (seriously, could 11th and Bleecker be any more perfect?). But once I discovered Brown Betty Petite in the Rittenhouse area, my (cupcake) life changed. The cakes are perfectly moist (even though that word is GROSS), the flavors are imaginative, and the cupcakes are HUGE and therefore totally worth whatever they charge. Favorite flavors: Sweet Potato, Sour Cream, and the totally exquisite ones with filled with lemon curd.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT IN THE SUMMER: Rittenhouse Square
Yes, another cliche. Whatever. Rittenhouse is gorgeous in the summer, filled with hipsters to make fun of while they smoke their American Spirits, and can occasionally be the place to see and be seen (my friend saw Freida Pinto and Dev Patel walking through one summer and basically died of happiness). Have to pee? No worries. That's what Barnes and Noble is for, and it's right off the park. Have an absurd amount of money to spend, or want to drool over that cute Marc dress you saw on Shopbop? Barney's Co-Op is next door to B&N. On the other side of the park, you can hit up Rouge or Parc for awesome food and fun outdoor seating. Past the Co-Op and B&N, you can head to Capogiro or The Adrienne for ComedySportz (which comes later). And within the park itself, I like to hang out in the center, either sitting on the big stone walls or dreaming about snatching the adorable babies who (misguidedly) frolick in the dirty fountain water. (I'm not a baby snatcher, I swear. I just talk about it a lot like a weirdo.)

BEST STREET TO WALK YOUR DOG ON: Walnut Street
When I'm home from college and walk the love of my life, Lily, on one of the long walks her trainer recommended so that she's too tired to be the true nutcase she is, I like to cut through Washington Square Park and walk up and down Walnut Street. Yes, there's usually construction going on somewhere along the ride that I have to dodge, but it wouldn't be Philly if they're tearing up a street for apparently no reason. It has cute stores, happy shiny people, and if you make it up to Rittenhouse, a lovely park.

BEST THING TO DO ON A SATURDAY NIGHT AT 10 P.M.: ComedySportz
I'm really lame and hate college-age parties (because, no, I don't want to drink large amounts of Lionshead, pass out under a table, and wake up with BALLS written on my forehead). So when I'm home, instead of trolling South Street for things to do or going to that really gross and smelly hookah bar next to TLA, I try to make my friends go to ComedySportz - specifically, the 10 PM show instead of the 7 PM. While both shows are designed to be family friendly, the 10 PM one is more fun anyway, especially because it's BYOB, and most people in the audience are usually drunk (which, depending on the show that night, can be equally as or more amusing than the actual event). That's not to say that ComedySportz isn't really funny. Obviously, since it's improv, you get a different show every night - and while some refs might be cooler than others, it's pretty rare to get a bad show. Also, a few of my friends work there (shoutout!), and the ComedySportz players can be seen in other Philly theater events, so going is supporting the Philly Theater scene. Philanthropy.

This was a really long post. My bad. I just really like Philly. I'm done now. Promise. Bye.