Yesterday was a rather gray day on the whole but we trotted out the camera anyways just so I can parade my new manicure to the endless interwebs. It's been a gray weekend on the whole, actually, my hormones have gone haywire and goodbyes pretty much officially ended Friday, which means that while the farewells are thankfully over, I am already missing times past and gone and never to return again. (I should disclaimer this by saying I am not actually feeling as gloomy as the preceding statement makes it sound.)

It's funny the way moods and sounds and sensations are sometimes best reflected in a single color, or perhaps lack thereof (is gray a color?). It makes me wonder what it's like if you're color-blind - do you associate sensations with shades of gray?

P.S. Check out how long my hair is getting! Also, a few people have asked me if I'm planning on buzzing it again, and while I do actually kind of miss the buzz cut, it turns out the length of my hair is directly proportional to the quality of my relationship with my parents, so I figure I should let it grow out a bit so we can talk again.

I bring you now photos from our 2 days in San Juan, where I found myself primarily munchin' and explorin' (duh) with a couple new freckles following our days on the sand. I got terribly excited about the Argentinian empanadas, which I generally miss like crazy, and had the BEST CHURROS I HAVE EVER TASTED (NOM!). I also went absolutely batshit over the walls in all the old forts - I can never get enough of cool walls. Our overall impression of San Juan (especially Old San Juan) is that it is quaint, cobblestoned, and colonially Caribbean - perfect for few days of strolling as long as you remember sunscreen!



But the verdict is in and it is this: if you ever get the chance to visit Puerto Rico, GO. Especially if you reside in the US of A and don't even need to take your passport. Or change currencies. Or learn more than a little Spanglish. Or if you like architecture, or beautiful beaches with crystal clear water, or perfect weather all the time, or plantains.

Or if you're broke and/or have no income, which qualifies both me and my travel buddy. But it turns out the plane tickets from New Orleans are actually pretty cheap, and camping on the beach is no more than $20 a night, and food is actually pretty cheap too if a bit too fried for my taste. Our biggest cost was renting the car and honestly, that wasn't even that bad! This was a Caribbean vacation that was totally worth it, and TOTALLY AWESOME.

(And now the focus shifts back to getting any sort of income possible.)

So if you follow me on Instagram, you may have realized that I wasn't actually in NOLA this past week, but in... Puerto Rico! However, as I think I've mentioned before, possibly my least favorite thing about blogging is feeling the need to photo-document everything in my life for the internet, and so while packing the small backpack I took on this trip I made an executive decision to NOT pack the camera. Luckily, Puerto Rico is one of those things that is so photogenic it doesn't even need a camera that takes up half your luggage to look good! And so I present to you the first part of the two-part series Puerto Rico by iPhone, the new way to enjoy your vacation without worrying about how picturesque your pictures are. (Also these iPhone cameras really aren't too shoddy!)

1 Studded Strappy Sandals (also available in black & white) | Zara $36
2 Jacqui Sandal (also available in black & "chocolate") | Free People $68
3 Block Sandal with Ankle Strap | Zara $90
4 Zealand Sandal in black & white | Nasty Gal $78
5 Leather Lace Sandal | Madewell $60
6 Congo Stretch Sandal by Splendid (also in black) | Free People $68
7 Horsham Geeky Sandals | Topshop $40
8 The Slingback Boardwalk Sandal in Optic White (other colors available) | Madewell $60
9 Erika Flat Sandals with Metallic Band by Sol Sana | Shopbop $86
10 Michael Michael Kors Persia Studded Leather Sandals | Net-a-Porter $135 $95

Those of you who know me well know I am vehemently, violently against flip flops in any sort of public that isn't the beach - but those of you who live in New Orleans might also know that if you don't want to flood your favorite flats you're going to need some open shoes for summer. Summer is time to be low-maintenance, because what's the point of high-maintaining if you're going to sweat it all out within 15 minutes of stepping out the door? I've already got my picks together, but I'm assuming a personal vendetta against flip-flops ruining outfits and so this is my way of fighting back.

Anyways, when it comes to color I'm all for rainbow, but when it comes to everyday wear I say you want to make sure you always match. So here's a selection of summer sandals that you can wear every day without a second thought to whether this particular shade of blue/pink/green/yellow reeeeeally matches your outfit. $100 may seem like a high price threshold for some people, but shoes make the outfit (n'est-ce pas?), and for shoes that might make EVERY outfit for the next three months? I'd call that a steal.

So which of these would you steal for your feet to live out the next three months in? Those little toesies are looking for a home... (Personally I am really, really lusting after #3, but I am also really, really low on funds :/)

It's been nearly a month since I got rid of my hair and there is so much and so little that I feel like it's changed for me. The other day I was at the university, helping a friend move some stuff, and one of the staff that we ran into said, "Look at you all ready for summer!" I was wearing a pretty boring t-shirt and shorts, and thought that this was a rather strange comment to make as I'm pretty sure at this point in the season no one is wearing any more than that, until my friend said, "I think she's talking about your hair."

Memorial Day in New Orleans calls for jungle* picnics, or at least some sort of outdoor activity that takes advantage of the beautiful May weather and Boyf's day off work. He's been so busy lately preparing for AREs** that I feel like I've barely seen him.