Emerging from Hibernation.

What does one say after a long hiatus? I could say nothing at all, but a few things led to my personal hibernation from Bella Vogue:

A skier jumps during Fur Rendezvous Festival in downtown Anchorage.

I have immensely enjoyed being unattached to the Internet, and have been actively participating in all things Anchorage. One of my favorite events this year (so far) has been Fur Rendezvous Festival. The annual event took place near the end of February.

Known as "Fur Rondy" to locals, the week-long winter carnival may be the best in the United States. Fur Rondy offers a variety of activities, from dog-sled races to a chance to run with reindeer. My sister happened to be in town during this year's winter carnival, and we made it a point to visit the Snow Sculpture Competition. 

A "Log" Cabin snow sculpture. The competition at Fur Rondy was sponsored by GCI.

Something else that has kept me on my toes?

I changed jobs, as well as companies. I am now working for Pandora, the Danish jewelry company that specializes in sterling silver, 14k gold, and two-tone charm bracelets. Other product categories include necklaces, pendants, and earrings. I love working for Pandora, as I have always enjoyed helping people find things that make them (or loved ones) happy. Charms are a great way to share one's triumphs in life. I should note that as a Pandora employee, I am not required to post anything about them. If I happen to, it's because I want to.

Speaking of things I do because I want to...my current obsession is photographing Alaskan sunsets. I take the bulk of my sunset shots from the roof of the 5th Avenue Mall Parking Garage, as I walk from my car after work.

Looking to Mount Susitna, the sky takes my breath away as the days gain more and more light. Mount Susitna is known as the "Sleeping Woman," and legend says she is dreaming of her fallen warrior's return.

Can you make out the shape of the Sleeping Woman from this blurred shot? 

Urban Wilderness: someday I shall paint the Anchorage skyline.
Until then, I will litter my Instagram feed with its stark contrast of color and concrete.

Painting is currently the most relaxing activity I partake in. .

I named the above piece "Alaska in Winter," for I was going to fix the letters in order to make the piece a tad more legible. Then I realized that would be like the state of Alaska fixing the road service markers. I get anxiety from trying to tell which lane of traffic I'm supposed to be in on a wintry day. Painting helps. 

So does blogging. As I emerge from my self-induced hibernation, I look forward to sharing my adventures--fashionable or not--once again. 

It's A Hair Story.

The 18th of June marked my first anniversary with my husband. 

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Doesn't Hubs look adorkable in Ralph Lauren?

I felt pretty, oh-so pretty! in my Taylor Tonal Stripe Fit & Flare Dress (Nordstrom).

Clutch: Gucci (circa 2005).

Heels: American Eagle (circa 2012).

While getting ready for our dinner at Simon and Seafort's, a seafood restaurant that has won several "Best of Alaska" awards, I realized it has also been over a year since I cut off a good length of my hair.

Remember this? 

Initially, I cut my hair because it made sense: without a car, I was walking in the Texas heat every day. My thick, long curls carried more weight, more sweat, and took longer to naturally dry (I have never liked using heat on my hair; I don't even own a blow dryer).

Long Hair, Don't Care at South By Southwest 2012:

wearing a pleated Lulu's dress, via Texas Style Council, & vintage Tony Lama boots.

I wasn't nervous or scared when I told the stylist to cut so much. She kept asking me "Are you sure? I don't want you to be mad at me!"

My short hair got a few responses from people at my place of work at the time; one of the television hosts I was working with told me that I was "very brave for such a drastic change."

I didn't feel brave. The only thing I felt after was surprised: my cut locks revealed hair that had not been damaged by the sun, wisps of hair that were much darker. 

Then, as I adjusted to having shorter hairstyle, I felt an appreciation for my natural curls. I had tiny tendrils I had never noticed before. I could style my hair without using a number of products, I could use a Shampoo Plus Conditioner, and I could just shower and go! It was amazing.

Natural curl, with an Instagram filter.

Now that my hair is longer, I may one day cut it short again. Right now my goal is to learn how to style my longer hair: I've never been great at braids or fancy hairstyles. I would like to be, though. Maybe, in another year, I'll be blogging about that accomplishment!

My hair has gotten so long in a year!

Wearing: Vince Camuto Cuff Ankle Pants (Nordstrom); Collective Concepts Eyelet Shirt (Nordstrom);

Michael Kors leather flats (Nordstrom; similar).

I wear these shoes (and these Vince Camuto pants) all the time at work! Both are ultra-comfy.

My favorite bracelet, from a gift shop in Borrego Springs. My sister gave it to me a few Christmases ago!

My necklace came from Blackbird Clothes & Curios, in Austin (now closed).

Readers, have you ever done anything drastic with your hair? 

I Spy: Summertime in Alaska!

I know Summer Solstice isn't for a few more weeks. However, after the longest winter on record in Anchorage, the warmer weather has been refreshing.

What Spring? While hiking around Chugach State Park two weeks ago.

Friends, you should note that with "warmer weather," I mean highs in the 60's. A lot of people have been asking how I've adjusted from the warm weather of Texas to the cooler Alaskan climate.

Let me tell you: this past winter season was my first in five years. Having grown up in Montana, I am not a stranger to snow. Despite that, I had forgotten how to live in a cold weather climate. Let's just say the past nine months have been an adjustment. I throw around the word "acclimating" a lot. The problem is, I haven't acclimated just yet. 

Biscuit has acclimated! She has also learned how to ride in the back of John's truck.

I guess the toughest part about adjusting to the weather has been changing my diet to ensure that I don't gain weight because of the cold. I have been a gluten-free vegetarian for almost five years. I chose this particular lifestyle for personal health reasons. After a lot of thinking, I recently reintroduced fish back into my diet. This now means I am a pescetarian; someone who abstains from eating all meat and animal flesh, with the exception of fish. The decision was not the easiest: while Hubs was deployed, I actually lived as a vegan. 

If I were vegan, I could not enjoy my homemade sundaes.

This particular one has chocolate syrup, strawberries, and vanilla bean ice-cream.

Glass from Nordstrom; Spoon from Anthropologie.

Three things came to me when I decided to start eating fish again: 

First, fish is a local product here in Alaska. By eating fish from the state of Alaska, I am helping the local economy. 

Second, economically speaking, it's easier for Hubs (who eats meat) and me to share a few more foods within our diets. Hubs doesn't have to be gluten-free, so we buy separate breads and cereals. He has started drinking almond milk, among other things, which I appreciate. Grocery shopping has become less of a hassle now that I've started eating fish again. 

Lastly, because I became a vegetarian for various health reasons, I can now say that the main reason I became vegetarian is now irrelevant. Last year, when I had to go through the process of being medically cleared to make the move to Alaska (the government considers Alaska military bases to be overseas, or OCONUS, so spouses and dependents need special medical clearance), I learned that the health problem that drew concern is now gone. I will never start eating red meat or fowl again, but it is a relief to know that my efforts to live healthy are paying off. 

Will I eat fish every day? No. Will I eat fish for the rest of my life? Probably not. For right now, though, it makes sense to do so.

Speaking of living healthy, I gained about 15 pounds last year when I moved to Alaska. I'm happy to say that, since the beginning of the year, I have shed that extra weight and then some. Hubs and I are going to visit my California family in July, so I recently made a few purchases just for the vacation. I was shocked to see how many inches I have lost. Words cannot describe the joy I felt trying on swimsuits, especially the little Badgley Mischka number I ended up with. I cannot wait for next month! 

A small preview of what I will wear on vacation:

'DVF Loves Roxy' Hooded Cover-Up Dress, Wildfox 'Love Potion' Graphic Tee, Leith 'Beach' Shirt,

Local Celebrity 'Wild at Heart' Muscle Tee, Badgley Mischka 'MB11' Shirred Maillot.

Things are slowly starting to come together again in my life. It's taken a few months, and having Hubs deployed was not easy. I am lucky to have him home again. Since he's been home, we've been discussing whether or not I should get my Master's degree at University of Alaska-Anchorage. I keep going back and forth on whether to pursue my MBA, or receive a Master's in the Art of Teaching. It will be fun to figure out which path I should take.

Until then, I am going to enjoy my first Alaskan summer.

 The sun starts to make its presence known at 4:30 am.

Anchorage: A Recap of Epic Proportions.

First Friday may have been over a week ago, but a few things have kept me away from posting a recap:

• I bought a gently-used desk, and was finally able to organize my home office.

The walls are still a little bare, but I love that my home office is organized!

• I went on a Kenai Fjords Whale Watching Tour in Seward with friends.

On a boat! I saw humpback whales, a gray whale, porpoises, seals, sea lions, eagles, and a puffin.
Wearing:The North Face 'K' Rain Trench (Nordstrom), 
Zella 'Barely Flare Booty' Pants (Nordstrom), and Nike Kids' gloves (Burlington).
Barely shown: previously photographed green H&M sweater, circa 2012.

• I baked gluten-free, honey & chocolate-chip drop cookies for Hubs.

My mother was a pastry chef, so I grew up baking from scratch.

• I've been working on my fitness. I've lost 15+ pounds since the beginning of 2013. When Hubs gets home, we're going to the gym!

• I've been getting crafty with paint & glitter.

I love buying wood crafts from Michael's & making them my own!

• Blogger has been having issues with their image uploader. It's such a waste of time to try to write a post when the photos aren't uploading correctly.

All right, so as for Blush: I went to their First Friday event solo, as I got off from work at 7 and the event was ending at 8. When I arrived, I was barely greeted. I was only told of the 20% discount on the Splendid merchandise when I asked for a fitting room. There wasn't any music playing in the store, so while in the fitting room, I listened to the sales girls' gossip about, well, other girls.

The entire experience was strange, as I usually enjoy shopping at the boutique. Maybe I hit them up on an off-night.

One things I have to say about Splendid: their merchandise is always extremely soft!
Wearing: Splendid's Bellini Jacket, Vince Camuto Skinny Ankle Pants (JBER Military Exchange), 
and Audrey Hepburn/Breakfast at Tiffany's tee (Wet Seal, circa 2009).

The owner of the shop was very helpful, and I asked her what types of events the shop had coming up. In June, Blush is celebrating its store's anniversary, so I may post about that in the future.

First Friday: Splendid Trunk Show at Blush Boutique.

Since moving to Anchorage last fall, I haven't posted a lot about the on-goings in this northern city. Here's a little something to get the ball rolling:

What? 

Splendid Trunk Show, featuring the brand's S/S 2013 Collection.

Where?

Blush Boutique; 720 D Street, Suite C, Anchorage, AK 99501.

When?

First Friday, May 3rd; 4:30-8 pm.

Other Info?

Enjoy Trunk Show Discounts.

Receive a Gift with Purchase (While Supplies Last).

Bubbly & Bites Provided by Ginger, a local Asian & Pacific Rim Cuisine Restaurant.

Need More Info?

Visit Blush Boutique on Facebook.

Image via Blush Boutique.

The Big 2-4.

Last week, two things happened:

I baked my own birthday cake, turned 24, and Hubs came home from his first deployment!

Okay, so maybe that was three things. 

To sum it up: it was an emotional week. Recent, national events reminded me to stop, enjoy life, and keep in touch with loved ones. 

Birthdays, to me, are what a New Year's Day is to others: it's a time to review the past year, evaluate my successes and failures, and outline what I would like to do before Earth completes another rotation around the sun. 

I'm not exactly sure what things I would like to accomplish before I turn 25. But I know when I read my previous reflection on turning 23,  I have to laugh. I had no idea what the entirety of the year had in store for me, and as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20.

I hope that my 24th year has as many adventures as my 23rd, if not more.

Speaking of adventures, now that Hubs is home, I have someone to share outdoor excursions with. Here are some of the photos I took on my birthday while hiking on base.

The moose came out for my birthday.

 Hubs, during our hike around Knik Arm.

The tide was coming in, and I decided to stand on a frozen mound of mud.

I felt like The Little Mermaid.

Knik Arm.

 At Six Mile Creek.

I couldn't be happier to have Hubs home!

Find me on Instagram to keep in touch & share photos! 

I Spy...The First of Many Anchorage Editions!

I know I (still) haven't written as much as I used to, but I am working on remedying that. I (still) have a slight fear of outfit posts and, to be honest, the snow here makes me not want to do anything but cozy up with my furbabies and watch chick flicks. I also never realized that living in a 3-bedroom house would take up so much time to clean.

So I've been going through old posts, thinking of ways I could write and share my recent experiences with all of my readers. I came across my old "I Spy" posts, and figured one was long over-due.

Also: just so everyone knows, I am a Nordstrom employee. As such, I am in no way instructed by the company as to what to post in regards to what I purchase & choose to share with y'all.

Now that I have that off my chest--I hope y'all enjoy the photos, as well as the weekend. Please send sunshine thoughts to Alaska; it has snowed over a foot in the past week!

Housewarming Gifts From My Father.

Heart-Shaped & Gluten-Free Chocolate-Chip Cookies.

A Retweet From the Land Down Under.

Six-Mile Lake on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

A Lemon Drop at Glacier Brewhouse. 

A Moonrise.

Kate Spade Coaster (1 of 4), from Nordstrom.

A Simple List for Hubs.

Primping & Color-Blocking: 

Cap-Sleeve Turtleneck from Maurices, circa 2007. 

Pleated Skirt from Anthropologie, 2013.

On The Road: from Austin, TX, to Anchorage, AK.

It's barely been a month since I've said so long to my life in Austin, and already so much has happened! John and I have both started working again, and we already have a house on base to move into next month. Slowly but surely, John and I are adjusting to life in Anchorage, and soon, we'll be ready for the winter...I hope! To help myself along, I recently splurged on a new peacoat.

Double Breasted Pleated Peacoat from Steve Madden.

I told John that it's the first new winter coat of the season--not the last! He scoffed at this, asking, "How many coats does a girl need?"

I have yet to determine the exact number, but I'm thinking four, at least. I want one with a vibrant and loud pattern, as well as a black one...and red! I've always wanted a red winter coat. I think the contrast with the snow will make it stand out. And of course, I will also need a coat with double-lining, for when the weather is severely cold out. 

What type of winter wear do you prefer? The coat I am wearing is a short wool, and it's very cozy. In Austin, however I could get away with just wearing a sweater or light jacket all winter long.  

Speaking of Austin, I finalized my photos from the Great North American Adventure I took last month. What I have posted are just a sample of what I saw, and I hope y'all enjoy them!

Goodbye, Austin.

Between Austin & Amarillo: "Anyone home?"

Wind Power: we saw fields of windmills in every state we crossed.

A wind propellor, at the Amtrak Station in Lamar, CO.

Back to the state where John & I first met...awww!

Couldn't resist this photo, as John is a long-distance relative of General George Custer.

General George Custer died at Battle of the Little Bighorn, in 1876.

With Biscuit in Garryowen, MT, edge of where Battle of the Little Bighorn took place.

In Bozeman, home of the Montana State Bobcats.

At the Clark Fork River in downtown Missoula, MT.

The "M" on the hillside is for "University of Montana".

With my sister/actress/singer/songwriter, Alyssa.

Wildlife Land Bridge--I wonder if the woodland creatures know of its existence.

Flathead Lake: the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River.

The resort town of Bigfork, on Flathead Lake, where John & I met in high-school.

The goofiest brother-sister portrait, ever!

(Everything I'm wearing is from Target.)

On our way through Canada, with our trusty Milespost & prayer quilt.

Leaving Edmonton, Alberta; home of the world's 5th largest shopping mall.

Enjoying ice-cream in my new H&M sweater & Simply Vera Vera Wang jeans, in British Columbia.

Headband & Sunglasses: Target. Crossover Bag: ModCloth.

At Mile O of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, B.C.

So close, and yet so far away! from our destination.

Buffalo, napping, in the Yukon.

Lunch/Construction Break in the Yukon.

Finally in Alaska!

The only moose John & I saw the entire trip, outside of Anchorage.

Come back later this week for my post on West Edmonton Mall, North America's largest mall!

P.S. Are we still not following one another on Pinterest or Instagram?
If so, my handle on both is thatchelseagirl--leave yours in the comments!