Author: jackietara

Pyramid of the Sun

After a delicious traditional breakfast [with the most amazing carrot juice ever!] at Don Deme, a local breakfast a short walk away from our apartment in Roma Norte, T and I set out on one of my favorite excursions during our time in Mexico: Teotihuacan, a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city just a 1.5 hour bus away from Mexico City. Teddy and I got there late in the afternoon, around 4:30pm, which actually ended up being the most perfect time to explore the magical ruins. The crowds were beginning to dissipate and the pyramids looked beautiful in the warm light of the late afternoon sun. There are two main pyramids at Teotihuacan: the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun. The Pyramid of the Sun is the larger of the two, so T and I decided to climb that one to get the best view.

And a view is what we got. A long climb up while holding on to ropes was totally worth it for the breathtaking view at the top of the ancient city below. It was an experience unlike any other, which Teddy beautifully captured, along with several other travelers from near and far. The top of the pyramid was cameras galore, but who can resist such a fantastic photo opp?!

Outfit details: printed trousers: Zara similar // white tunic: Old Navy similar // boots: Frye similar

Photography by Teddy Wolff

Jackietara

Mexico City

I’m back from a most excellent adventure with T in Mexico City and am quickly springing back into my hectic DC life. Things are much colder here than in lovely 70-degree Mexico, but I always love coming home after a great trip. I told Teddy on our drive home from the airport, “the best part about coming home after a traveling to an amazing new place is how it puts my life back in perspective.” There really is so much more out there than the minutia of the everyday, which really brings a wave of positivity into my life.

Teddy and I stayed in Roma Norte, a neighborhood just west of Mexico City’s historic center, with a couple in a renovated apartment that we found on Airbnb. If you have plans to travel to Mexico City, I highly recommend using Airbnb [here is where we stayed!]. The neighborhood eerily paralleled the charming Capitol Hill and Bloomingdale areas of the District, with its brick facades, scattered parks, cute dogs, and young families. It is very walkable, which T and I took full advantage of. The primary focus of our trip was food photography for Teddy’s portfolio [check out his blog for awesome photos taken during our adventures of Mexican cuisine and culture!] and then eating said food, so walking to work off our frequent meals was an absolute must.

We arrived in Mexico in the afternoon, which left us a few hours to acquaint ourselves with our bustling street. After a few minutes of exploring, we found a nice french cafe with outdoor seating [basically every restaurant and bar has a patio that sometimes extend into the street] and quiet charm. It was only fitting to order tequila and mezcal as our first drinks in Mexico, which we quickly learned from locals is meant to be sipped, not taken as a shot. Sipping these strong drinks is made easier and more pleasant by a spice mix frequently used on fruit [and on the rim of cocktail glasses], called chile de árbol. We both absolutely love the spice, so I need to see where I can find it in the states!

Photography also by Teddy Wolff

Jackietara

Love Notes

I hope everyone had a marvelous Valentine’s Day, whether you celebrated with your beloved, best friends, or by your lonesome [with a great bottle of wine and chocolates I hope]! February has turned into a crazy month, with Valentine’s weekend as the mid-point of craziness, so T and I decided to have a cozy night in. We picked out a couple of lobsters [whom I naturally named Larry and Beatrice] from the Maine Avenue Fish Market, a.k.a “The Wharf”, in Southwest DC and tried our hand at preparing them ourselves at home. It was quite an experience cooking a meal of two 3-pound lobsters, complete with an escargot appetizer, a bottle of bubbly [followed by a bottle of our favorite red wine], and a homemade bread pudding. It was definitely a decadent night, but if you can’t indulge on Valentine’s Day, when can you?!

To share my love with family and friends this year I wanted to make my own cards. In the past I have mailed cards with my own drawings, collages, and paintings, but life has gotten in the way of me hand-making cards in the last couple years. But not this year! All of my spare time the week leading up to the big day was dedicated to creating little love notes and I was quite pleased with the turnout. The only supplies I needed to buy for this project were the paper cards and a cute “handmade by” stamp from Michael’s that I fell in love with [how appropriate]. I had the watercolors, pencils, and pens already at home!

Photography by Teddy Wolff

If you already craft at home, making cards can be easy for you too! Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, there are plenty of alternatives to drawing: like making a collage from magazine photos; using stamps and/or making your own [check out Poppytalk’s DIY Buffalo Print]; or a mix of mediums [check out A Pair & A Spare’s DIY Watercolour Valentine’s]! Did you craft anything for Valentine’s Day this year? How did it turn out?

Xoxo,
Jackietara

Straw-Haired Girl

Every adult dreams of being able to dress up like a whimsical character from a great movie, book, or musical, just as we innocently did in our backyards as kids. Well I don’t know if everyone does, but I sure do, and I was able to fulfill my child-like fantasy on a trying-oh-so-hard-to-be sunny day in May. My friend and photographer, Traci Medlock of Traci J. Brooks Photography, had a vision of recreating the Wizard of Oz story with her friends portraying the characters. I was “cast” to be the Scarecrow and couldn’t have been more excited.

The talent of Suzanne Minskey of Faces by SAM completely transformed my everyday look into the face of the Scarecrow. I was literally shocked when I looked in the mirror and it made playing the part all the more fun! This was a “use what you have in your inventory” type of shoot, so I brought my most neutral plaid shirt, conjured my memories of the brave and genuine Scarecrow, and ran with it. With straw in my hair, we spent a magical day recreating the timeless story of friends on a journey together. The sky spit on us all afternoon at Algonkian Regional Park, but Traci was able to take some gorgeous shots before the rain!

Outfit details: plaid button-down: Hollister similar // jean shorts: American Eagle similar // boho floppy hat: Anthropologie similar // cognac short leather boots: Frye similar

Photos by Traci J. Brooks Photography

Jackietara

DIY Gold Dipped Pine Cones

Our last craft night before the holidays featured “gold dipped” pine cones. I thought they would be an easy and festive decoration for friends to have on display in their homes, or to give as gifts! I found a couple of different ways to make DIY gold pine cones, but settled on the painting option [like this example from A Pear of Pears]. Michael’s has several types of metallic paint and inexpensive sets of paint brushes. Thankfully the paint eventually washes out but it took a little bit of scrubbing, so I wouldn’t suggest using your best brushes on this project!

Supplies:
Gold, silver, or copper liquid gilding paint
Fine tipped paint brushes
Pine cones [store bought or found outside]

Directions:
Cover your workspace with newspaper or wax paper to make sure you don’t spill any paint on your furniture! You can paint only the tips of your pine cones, or paint them a solid metallic color. I did a mix of silver and gold and went for the store bought scented ones from Michael’s. Let dry for at least an hour. Put them in a bowl or vase and enjoy!

Lettering by Dan Rader

Jackietara

Nautical Stripes

Nautical Stripes - Jackietara blog

I am a sucker for stripes. Whether it’s summer or winter, the classic stripe is always in-style and [thankfully] a slimming pattern. The main reason it should be part of anyone’s “go-to” wardrobe is it’s versatility: you can pair black and navy stripes with bright colors, florals, leather, fur, and denim for a more relaxed look. Just search “stripes” on Pinterest and you’ll get every combination imaginable!

My nautical stripes were even more fitting on this cold Christmas Day in Annapolis, down by the water. We spent the day with Teddy’s family and family friends eating oysters and crab cakes and drinking home-brewed beer [delicious!].

Outfit details: striped dress [featured in Happy Flowers]: ModCloth // coral sweater [featured in Sunsets and Alleyways]: Madewell // boots: vintage // gold necklace [featured in Aqua + Gold]: ModCloth

Photography by Teddy Wolff

Jackietara

Secret Ingredient Crepes

Since the holidays just aren’t complete without copious amounts of cooking, baking, and [inevitably] eating, I decided to use some of my treasured time at home to make a Dolan family traditional dish: French crepes. I grew up with my Grandmama frequently making crepes for me and my sister on mornings we spent with her. Natalie and I were crazy for them, and often had competitions on who could eat more, and more quickly. I think my record was 8 crepes as fast as Grandmama could crank them out.

Since Grandmama is no longer around, I enjoy making crepes in her memory. Although it will never be the same experience as sitting on the kitchen counter and handing her eggs to crack in the mixing bowl, I’m happy that a little piece of her lives on each time I create this dish.

Recently I have been adding a “secret ingredient” of orange zest to give the crepes an additional citrus element. If you haven’t tried it before, I highly suggest it! You won’t be disappointed…

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp melted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
orange zest to taste

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt, vanilla, orange zest, and butter; beat until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat [I suggest using a little bit of vegetable oil]. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until small bubbles appear in the batter [the bottom will be light brown]. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve warm and with your favorite fillings. My all-time favorite is just sugar, but maple syrup, Nutella, and assorted jams are delicious too!

Jackietara

The Red Bag

I have been obsessing over bright red and pink statement bags recently, and my prayers to the bag gods were answered this Christmas with this lovely red gem from Stella & Dot [which I even blogged about back in November!]. Pops of color make me happy, so needless to say this bag brings a smile to my face each time I load it with overnight supplies, work papers and folders, snacks and knick-knacks, and tote it around town. It makes even the dreariest of these post-holiday days merry and bright.

Check out these other bright and happy bags for the winter season:
The Faye bag by Sole Society featured on The Small Things Blog
‘M.A.B. – Mini’ Leather Tote in Scarlet featured on Metropolitan Thread
Firenze red leather clutch [if you’re in Italy anytime soon!] featured on Daisy and the Fox

Outfit details: camel sweater: ModCloth [old] // gold elephant earings: ModCloth // red tote: Stella & Dot

Photography by Teddy Wolff

In addition to my inclination toward red and pink hues in apparel, I have also been loving Revlon’s “Fuchsia Fusion” lipstick. It’s a fun and carefree color, don’t you think?

Jackietara

Oh, Christmas Tree & Family

In addition to all of my 2014 goals, I also feel the need to majorly prioritize time with my family this year. My younger sister, Natalie, is heading to Senegal, Africa at the beginning of March for a 2-year service with the Peace Corps. I admire her adventurous spirit and dedication to fulfilling her goal of pursuing a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a foreign country, but I am going to miss her terribly while she is gone. My younger brother is a Sophomore in high school and is quickly growing up: in two more years and he will be off to college pursuing his dreams as well. I also have an amazing mother, who will soon be an empty-nester, so now is the time to take full advantage of the time we have all together.

A few days before Christmas, our family was able to visit Oak Shade Farm in Rixeyville, Virginia to pick out and chop down our own tree. This has been a tradition of ours for the past couple of years, and I was so glad we could do it again this year! We lucked out with some magical 70 degree weather that day, perfect for spending the day on a farm looking at trees, drinking warm cider, and cuddling with the most adorable 3-week old bunnies.

The truth is that everything is moving too fast and there’s not enough time to take it all in. It’s these moments that I will cherish now, and forever.

Photography by Teddy Wolff

Jackietara

Hello 2014!

Well, 2014, here we are. A new year, a new start. There are so many things to look forward to, to plan, to do. I’m at a good, steady, happy place in my life: we aren’t moving any time soon, and since we are renting, we have no real home improvements to make. However, I’m constantly looking for ways to organize our space. Our living room wall is in need of some face-lifting with a new frame design [it’s been virtually nonexistent since we moved in a year and a half ago] and the cabinet in our bedroom needs some serious organizing for all of my art and craft supplies currently floating about freely.

2013 was a crazy busy year with work, for both me and T. I transitioned into a new role as a facility rentals coordinator and T was full speed ahead with building client relationships and creating beautiful photographs for them. And it isn’t stopping! He’s been asked to join the ASMP 8×10 panel in January to talk about some of his work and I am so excited for him!

On the leisure front, we are taking our first vacation with just the two of us at the end of January to… Mexico City! I haven’t taken a vacation in a year, so this will truly be exciting and relaxing. A whole week of exploring and eating our way through the city, and documenting it all of course. T has a new camera and micro lens to test out, so Mexican cuisine will be the perfect subject to photograph.

2014 already has a lot in store for us, but here are some other goals I hope to accomplish in the new year:

A bad habit I’d like to break: Laziness
Usually after a long day all I want to do is sit down on the couch with a glass of wine and watch TV or a movie. I think it’s OK to do this sometimes, but my time can be used so much more productively! Instead of plopping down, I’d like to do a quick 10-minute workout [like Popsugar’s 10-Minute Tush-Toning Pilates Workout], read a book, practice my violin, or paint.

A new skill I’d like to learn: How to speak Spanish
Our trip to Mexico at the end of the month has spurred me to learn a little Spanish. T has basic Spanish under his belt and is brushing up on vocab, so why not learn a word or two? I’d also like to brush up on my Italian [I was fluent as a 4-year-old and re-learned it in college], but I need to take it one step at a time.

A craft I’d like to do: Transferring photos to wood or canvas
This is a craft I was hoping to get to this year, but alas, time did not allow for it. A Beautiful Mess has a great tutorial and I’m really looking forward to trying it!

A restaurant I’d like to try: Little Serow
A local D.C. favorite, Little Serow is on the top of our list to try in 2014. As a no-reservation and set menu restaurant it can be a little difficult to get in, but I’ve heard the food is well worth the wait.

A good deed I’m going to do: Volunteer in D.C.
I haven’t decided which organization to volunteer with, but I’d really like to give back to the city I live in and NeighborGood is a good place to start looking.

A book I’d like to read: This Is Not the Story You Think It Is…
I have always grappled with the question “what book should I read?” and this time it has been conveniently answered by my sister who has this particular book available for me to borrow. She hasn’t read it and doesn’t have a recommendation to offer, but I trust in the instinct she had to pick it up.

Personality trait I’d like to bring out: Adventurousness
This year is for trying new things! I’m going to try to not let anxiety and apprehensiveness get in the way of new experiences.

Don’t forget to follow my 2014 adventures on Instagram @jackietara! What are you looking forward to in 2014? What goals are you hoping to complete? Please share, and here’s to the new year!

Jackietara

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