Brass Rat

It's been a loooong time since I've blogged. I'm still sewing, but since I'm now busy with school and living in a small (and messy!) dorm room, I mostly make clothes over the summer and when I go home for break. And I'm still blogging over at the MIT admissions blogs (you should really check out my post about the Costume Design class I'm taking right now!).

But recently, I made something so important that I really have to share it.

A life-sized sketch of myself wearing a bird costume!

Just kidding, that was my costume design homework for this weekend.

I made my first-ever formal gown!!!

What was the special occasion?

Ring delivery!

Ring delivery is a celebration held for the sophomore class where we all, after months of anguishing over the appropriate bezel size and antiqued finish, received our class ring...the brass rat.

Boston Fashion Week and what to do with your leftover coffee filters

I was pretty excited to learn that I now live within walking distance of a fashion week.

One Saturday afternoon some friends and I headed over to the Back Bay area to the big mall in Copley place to see an exhibit put on by the Massachusetts College of Art and Design called "Wearable Art."

It was straight out of a Project Runway unconventional challenge.

Forget recycling. "This garment was crafted out of cut and scrolled aluminum cans and wired to window screening. Designer: Jessica Soter". This looks like a treacherous dress to make--those aluminum strips are probably really sharp! Also, can we all take a moment to admire how adorable it is that she used a row of can tops on the back of the dress to mimic the look of sewn-on buttons and loops?

"This garment is made from woven raffia on a loom and sculpted by hand. The skirt is from brushed lambs wool and baby's breath. Designer: Elle Audra Mackey." I love the back!

Remember when you did that art project in like kindergarten where you microwaved scraps of plastic cups to make a pin or something for your mom? 

This person took that idea to a whole new level. 

Pasta for Days: Eating in Boston's North End

Guess where I went last week???!!!

The State House

I found this by accident outside my hotel...I felt like I was meeting celebrities!!! (Yes, I am an American Revolution nerd.)

(Hint: it’s in the title :D)

Last week my mom and I took a trip to the East Coast to look at colleges, attend a conference, and just generally have a whole lot of fun in Boston!

Picture in transit!

Ice cream and Paul Revere...I was a pretty happy camper ;) 

 …Which necessitates, of course, enjoying some delicious Bostonian food!

Picture courtesy of cleangreenmobile.com

Now if you have ever planned on eating in a foreign location, you probably understand how difficult it is to identify an acceptable restaurant. Before leaving for the East Coast, I spent so much time wading through recommendations, critical synopses, and Google images that I saw red-boxed stars every time I closed my eyes. And yet, several restaurants that my mom and I tried on the trip, accompanied by stellar Yelp reviews, I found pretty unimpressive.


Thankfully,  my mom and I discovered an excellent alternative to browsing Yelp for a good dinner stop...

Taking a stroll around Boston's North End.

The North End is Boston's Italian neighborhood. It's a cozy, old-fashioned area of the city chock-full of little family-owned businesses. Hanover Street, where my mom and I spent most of our time, is so packed with cute little storefronts that you can't even get a good-sized truck through the narrow street. The neighborhood has a charming, happening feel (I mean, it was thronging on a Tuesday night! It was fun just walking around passing people in the street!) .



Most importantly, the North End is a treasure trove of tiny, rustic, absolutely scrumptious Italian restaurants. Supposedly there are over ninety (90...!!!) restaurants within this one easily-navigable-by-foot area. I only actually got around to trying four, but they were all delicious and a really fun experience (...fun ranging in definition from pleasant and romantic to chaotic and decidedly entertaining). But seriously, you could walk down Hanover street and run into half-a-dozen adorable restaurants you want to try tonight. One of my last comments as I was leaving the area was "How did we  miss that restaurant?"...not like there would have been room in my schedule ;) 

So here are my breakdowns of the handful of restaurants I sampled in Boston. Also, go ahead and click on the map below to check out my Google Map with the locations of the restaurants I'm talking about. Enjoy!