Event as a Gift

Remember my outfit from the post Not With Chalk, But With Soul? It was mentioned in Sally's Lovely Links over at Already Pretty - how exciting! I noticed that because there were suddenly over 500 views of that post (it's close to 900 now)... that just has not happened to my blog before! I'm happy to welcome all the new readers and encourage you to leave comments - please do! I would love to hear from you! :)

Now, on to today's outfit. You might think that someone very thoroughly planned this photo shoot - look how the funky chairs perfectly match the colors of my dress! Yet we didn't plan it. It just happens to us... all the time! A proof? Here are a few from the top of my head:

- the orange bench

- the chameleon 

- the sunset

A little spooky, right?

This was the only dress I found in my secondhand adventures during this Spring. (OK, it was the only one right before today when I bought a very cool casual dress from 90s - I paid a whole 3 bucks for it, by the way. But that one is in rather Autumn colors, so it probably won't be worn till later this year.) I was looking for something floral and floaty - and I found it, only not in a thrift shop (see Dream Dress). But this one is well worth of all my search and prayers (OK, I am fibbing - I don't actually pray for dresses, or for anything really, but oh do I dream! Don't even get me started on this!). This genuine silk and genuine wrap dress was a consignment store purchase earlier this Spring, and I really think it's a gem.  The label says "Silk Assets Diane Von Furstenberg" - I thought that I heard the name, so I poked online a little... Yes, it's a famous designer whose silk wrap dresses go for several hundred dollars. But this dress was not one of those. Apparently, DVF had a line for QVC (Quality, Value, Convenience) in early 90s with the idea to make fashion affordable for women. You can read the bit of information I found.

I love this design and the vibrant colors! It strikes me as Italianesque, would you agree? So playful and sophisticated. I accessorized it with my colorful statement necklace, Italian glass ring and Cole Haan clutch (I honestly have no idea what it's made of, but it's quite fancy - it has a little mirror on the inside, so thoughtful!). Oh, and you probably noticed that I also got a fresh haircut and color. Yes, I visited Erica - it was that time again! We did it slightly differently - shorter on the top and longer on sides and the back. Very JudiDenchesque!

I'm 41 now. The road from 40 to 41 was a bit bumpy one. But it's much better now, and I know it's going to be totally fine some day. I know it because I want it to be. I think my life is this amazing thing which becomes either better or worse, and it's pretty much up to me. I am free to decide what my life will be. There is my past which I cannot change. Sometimes it calls me, draws me back. Sometimes it hangs right here in my heart, weighing me down, unforgotten and unforgiven. I cannot change it. But I can forgive it and let it go. That is in my power to do, and only in my power, no one else's. Thank you for visiting, past, now go home. 41 is a new count.

Back in Russia my birthday was filled with family, gifts, tasty treats, music, girlfriends, relatives, parties, flowers (always pasque flower, since my birth, a tender soft yellow or less common purple, which my Dad would bring for me from the woods, every single year, and still does, even though it's my 12th birthday far away from my parents' home)... The tradition of celebration changed radically. It's a quiet day when I choose the way I want to spend it. Very often I choose "an event as a gift" (I love stuff, but I have a lot, and I really want this day to be memorable). In the past, I have chosen a classical concert and visiting Northwest Trek (unique nature park), and a day trip to some interesting place, sometimes exciting, and other times peaceful - depends on the mood I am in. This year, I chose to visit the new Car Museum (opened in 2012) in Tacoma, and I was in heaven! It's not that I am such a big fan of cars - no, but I am a big fan of museums and a huge fan of people who have their own vision and pursue their dreams in life. LeMay is both. 

LeMay America's Car Museum

At the entrance, there is this speedy car hanging on the wall with a phrase written all over it in many world languages (including Russian, but they did misspell a little though - they should've asked me!) - "We The People". Then we entered the main floor (there are four of them) to see the newest exhibition - Volkswagen, beloved Beetle and microbus!

I started my life in America in Motown - and was lucky enough to visit both Henry Ford museum and the famous Detroit car show (as well as a few smaller scale car shows in the US). It's always fun to see old cars, especially the very first cars - those are Justin's and my favorites.

But I find it especially fun to see the car history as a whole - and that is the strong point of this museum, wonderful representation of automotive history done with great vision and care.

We the people were also taken care of, and after an exciting tour landed in a cafe on a terrace right inside of the big gallery, so we could observe cars from the above and have classic American lunch (chili dog for Justin and pulled pork sandwich for me).

And of course there was fashion! Cars cannot be without fashion, can they? And there was London. And I was there too. :)

Dress - Silk Assets (vintage 90s via consignment shop). Denim jacket and watch - Chico's. Shoes - Born (super comfy sole and soft leather). Necklace - Talbots. Italian glass ring - boutique. Clutch - Cole Haan via TJ MAXX.

Linking up with Bella's Secondhand First

and Patti's Visible Monday