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This is the arboretum in Boston where our friends were engaged and then married in the same year that we were, 2008. Isn’t it beautiful? It seemed like a perfect way to spend the late Easter Sunday afternoon, after settling into their lovely home for our stay there last weekend. The bright, colorful remnants of Easter egg hunts and all the sweet families strolling through only added to its charms, and we were lucky that so many of its gorgeous trees were in first Spring bloom!

The trees have all these excellent metal tags on them, stamped with their proper names and other pertinent information. I want a miniature version as a necklace charm. Can you believe the stunning yellow on the trees above?

Our kind friends showed us their favorite spots and we had a nice hike up to one of its peaks, Bussey Hill, where you can see snippets of the Boston skyline. We called out to the many pretty birds we saw (and heard) and even stopped to observe a strapping young cardinal for awhile. The Arnold Arboretum (of Harvard University, didn’t you know) is the oldest public arboretum in North America!

I saw a creek and set out with a brisk, ultra-femme trot to investigate. I didn’t even notice this sign I took off so fast! I can certainly imagine how lovely it must be to take an actual run in the arboretum. Sans heeled booties With proper running shoes and whatnot. We searched in vain for frogs or other crawly creatures, but found none. There’s a sort of marshy meadow with this narrow cement path cutting right through it, and it was impossible not to cross through. There we saw more exciting birds and ducks floating around in the water. We stopped here to snap some photos! That’s our silly friend in the background, with her San Francisco cap, but we decided they’re even more awesome because she’s crashing them.

They’re so lucky to have such a gorgeous green space so close to home.

We walked there in just five or ten short minutes from their house, and it was a lovely walk indeed. We had no choice but to succumb to a frenzy of real estate porn, and while M has sworn never to endure another Boston winter after suffering her college years there, we’ve both agreed to head back during the very thick of winter to see if our minds can’t be changed. Even the petite is into the idea.

This is definitely a non-traditional Easter Sunday outfit. Especially for a town as traditional as Boston. I will say this: The churches there are so obscenely beautiful that I wanted to pray to dear sweet baby Jesus in nearly every single one of them. Perhaps next time I’ll stroll through those that are open to visitors (in slightly more appropriate attire). I will also say this: Wearing a body suit OVER tights and UNDER shorts and a snug little jacket is inadvisable. Why? Because I had to practically strip down to my birthday suit every time I had to bloody take a piss. Thank heavens the other one I got from Asos has velcro action. Jeez.

Denim shorts: Free People
Fierce little jacket: Ebay
Bodysuit: Asos
Tights: Betsey Johnson
Boots: Nine West

Earrings: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Tiered Necklace: Banana Republic
Bracelet: Lori’s Shoes (leather cuff)
Marielle Ivy Necklace and Oval Ring: Pretty Penny (Oakland)
“Lover not a Fighter” Knuckleduster Ring: Afterlife (San Francisco)

I don’t know what’s happening,  but I’ve fully intersected my existing nudie girl wardrobe with a mean 70s vibe. There are two unexpected upsides to this recent development:

1. People always compliment my outfits.
2. Shit is comfortable. Like really cozy.

It’s been a breezy, dreamy weekend! There was dinner with my best friend on Friday night at Oakland’s Boot + Shoe Service: she got me the most elegant, delicate silver necklace with a diamond infinity pendant and we shared a killer dessert – a chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream garnished with olive oil and sea salts!

I had an early horseback riding lesson Saturday morning, and the weather was beautiful despite it being miserable back at home. We escaped it by heading over the bay back to Oakland’s impervious-to-Pacific-Ocean fog sunshine Saturday with the tomboy, thrifting the irresistible wares at Pretty Penny and eating and drinking on College Avenue (Hudson’s cocktails in particular were rather good – we tried the My Dear Watson and Prufrock Dilemma). Sadly, I insisted we end the night with Atlas Shrugged and it was spectacularly awful. (Thank goodness for palate cleansing hottie Eva Green on the new Camelot series.)

TODAY I LEARNED HOW TO PROPERLY SEW.

Two other femmes and I met at Alembic for brunch in the Haight, then set out to Workshop, an incredible space that offers all manner of DIY classes for super affordable prices. Want to sew? Done. Want to make baby pies in a jar? Done. What about mixology, street art stenciling, quilting, heavy metal aerobics, becoming a cheese aficionado or basic bike maintenance? DONE AND DONE. It was our first time taking any of their classes and we learned how to sew beer cozies (koozies? titties? whatever) and cute little sock monsters, in addition to locking down the essential skills required to make any sewing machine your bitch.

Plus, they fed us beer (for the cozies) and our teacher, Carmen, was super cute, laid back but still encouraging. We’re SO going back for more, esp. since they’re planning to put new stuff like Beauty School Dropout and Make Your Own Sundress on the menu!

Trousers: Asos
Silk Camisole: Lux
Bag: Freebird by The Sak
Aviators: Ray-Ban
Bracelet: Lori’s Shoes
Rings: Pretty Penny (small), H&M (large)
Necklace: Isla Mujeres street stand

PS. The denim vest was a score from a friend’s moving sale. Howdy, Miss Kitty!

When: Thursday, July 3rd, 2008.

What: As in Oz, y’all. Gay. Skinny jeans (with zippers!) from Zara. Soft, pretty green plaid top from Pretty Penny on College. It hasn’t got a label, has a lace-trimmed bib front and the pretty white panel (like an apron) at the bottom, and I adore it. Charles David boots. Mossy satin ribbon from Papyrus! Sundry bracelets from Juniper Tree and my secret boutique near my workplace.

Confessions: My stupid, intrusive co-workers were just beside themselves over my pigtails today. They said I looked like Dorothy. They said they were glad that “pigtails have come back around to being in style”. I wanted to punch them all in the face, but instead I blithely noted how asinine red shoes with a green top would be in July, of all months, and that I was afraid I had to excuse myself immediately. Why are co-workers so fucking obnoxious? Why do they insist on making conversation when one is so clearly uninterested in anything of the kind? FUCK YOU, COLLEAGUES! You’re goddamn obnoxious. Especially the pervy bastard who asks if I’ve “changed my hair again” at least every other fucking day. Die in a fire™.

Note from a femme: Welcome to my tomboy! This is her first post, so greet her sweetly! (I know y’all will, you damn HOORS.) She’ll take over from here.

Before & After

Let me explain. I have been fighting with the femme for weeks now; I insist that I need a haircut, she insists that I do not. Please see the “before” photo(s):

I was well on my way to a hard-core Mexi-mullet, complete with inexplicable FEATHERING. WTF?! Also? I look like a lopsided toadstool from the Mario video games. (I know this because over the last 3 weeks or so I have logged some 40-odd hours playing Super Paper Mario : Thousand Year Door and asking the femme to find hints for me on-line — she’s such a good girlfriend!)

It was about 900 degrees Fahrenheit in Oakland today, and once again, I threatened to cut my own hair. The femme finally relents, so I dressed up for the shoot and cut. [I shopped at nearby fabulous Rockridge vintage & contemporary boutique Pretty Penny. -Femme]

Observe how much more handsome I look POST-haircut. I even look like I smell clean! My hair is now tidy and well-behaved. And look, I have ears! No more toadstool head! I feel much better, and encourage all of you to join me in a whiskey on the rocks. Cheers.

When: Sat., June 21st, 2008

Tomboy What (some facts, loosely based on reality): Seersucker shorts from Express for Men, H&M military shirt and belt, O’Neill flip flops and the tie actually belongs to the femme. Breitling Chronographe watch (bought in NYC while hungover in the street). Vintage silver & black Equestrian tie clip.

Femme What: Dress by Mango, vintage brown leather belt with embossed spring flowers from Down At Lulu’s, Nocona cowboy boots. Sunglasses by Oscar de la Renta, vintage onyx necklace.

[Confession: That awesome skinny black tie with the cute little olive green skull & crossbones? Hot Topic. Shut up. - Femme]