Travel Style: What I'm Packing for a Weekend in Philadelphia

Packing for a weekend away is always a PITA. It shouldn't be, but it is. Even when you leave the "Packing for Two Beans" part out of it. Which I will.

We're headed north to Philly today. It's one of my favoritist places on earth, and my Big City Hometown. I grew up about 40 minutes outside of the city (and yes, I'm an all-Philly sports fan. Except DC United. Because I was here when MLS started, and, well, Philly was late to the game).

We're staying right downtown, at Le Méridien. Yes, we're staying in a YMCA. The building, you see, was an old "Y." It's a fabulous space, and I can't wait to enjoy it. We're walking distance to all sorts of things Bean-Important, like Reading Terminal Market, The Franklin Institute, the Rodin Museum, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We're going to march all over the city on Saturday.

Because, well...because I'm running my first half marathon on Sunday morning, very early. You might have heard, if you follow me on twitter and Instagram. I've certainly not been quiet about it. But that's for another day.

As far as packing, I'm going super simple. I need to be comfy, layered, and still not look schlumpy in the Instagram pics. (Because that's what it's about, people.) I also don't want to schlep 95 bags into the hotel.

So here we go, all into 1 bag (H gets one, too, and we're putting the Beans' stuff into ours. They get 1 little backpack each with their books and toys. Nothing more.). And while I've ranted about looking nice walking into a nice hotel instead of a gym bag (here and here), I'm cutting myself some slack. I am going for a race, after all. So my new(er) neon-pink trimmed Adidas bag it is.

1 sweater (an old Target colorblock favorite, no longer available, but love the monochromatic block on this one)
1 thin sweatshirty top (a new Converse One Star Target favorite)
1 pair boyfriend jeans (Madewell boyjean)
1 knit skirt (having the skirt and the jeans is the only choice I'm giving myself; Gap, no longer available, but here's a similar one in a brighter color)
1 layering vest (L.L. Bean, and it really does "pack away," never mind that it's insanely warm or cool, depending)
Assorted underwear, bras, and flannel PJ pants and a T-shirt

To drive up tonight, I'm wearing what I'm wearing to work. If I get really antsy about choices, I can switch out the above for a re-wear on one of these. And the boots are my Saturday (and post-race) shoes.

 I'm feeling very Geeeeer-MAHN, despite the fact that I'm wearing all-American designers (Pendleton, Calvin Klein, and, you know, Tar-ZHAY)

My running gear (I'm giving myself more choices there, because I'm freaking about about the little things, like the temperature and whether or not I'll need throwaway clothes at the start) takes up more room in my bag than other stuff. I may also have another bag with smoothie fixins. (Yes, I've gotten so weird about my morning smoothies that I don't want to risk eating something else morning of the race. And yes, I'm bringing my own blender. If I can't find a local smoothie place, that is. The little baggies in the pic below? Those are my measured-out "additives" like chia seeds and cinnamon. Weird. I know.)

This morning's "pumpkin spice" smoothie.

Needless to say, I'm excited. I'm nervous. Very, very nervous. But I'm really looking forward to a weekend with family and friends (a bunch of us are running together, and we're all doing things like getting our race packets together and going to South Philly for a carb dinner tomorrow night) in a city close to my heart.

My face of fear before my last long run (10 miles) the other night.

See you after my 13.1!

If you're a glutton for punishment, I'll be tweeting and Instagramming all weekend long - both @DCCeline!

Style in Print: Tomes for the Stylish Nightstand and Coffee Table

My H is the best H ever.

(That sound you hear is his chest puffing out with pride.)

1) He pushes me to go shopping when I need to.

2) He understands style (most of the time - "joke" Christmas gift of jean short shorts excluded, of course).

3) He's got an incredible memory - especially for things I like. (Yes, H, I just said you have an incredible memory. Take that one to the bank & hold on to it for dear life.)

4) He buys me presents just because.

5) Lots of other, non-vapid reasons.

6) He's mine.

The real reason I'm running on about him today, in particular?

He and MIL took a trip to Jersey & NYC this weekend (I was resting quietly at home; The Bean ordered me to). They hit The Met, and took along a wedding gift certificate from a family friend. It arrived just after our honeymoon last year, and we just haven't been back to check things out since.

So what did he get?

A gorgeous blue-swirled handblown bowl;* a replica of ones made in South Jersey (home territory for both of us) in the late 1900s. Its color is exactly the color we had for our wedding, along with the lemons (which, though we never started out having "wedding colors," inadvertedly ended up being so - cobalt and sunny yellow), and which somehow shows up in almost everything we buy for our home. It also pairs well with subtle lines of the Simon Pearce pitcher a dear, dear friend gave us as a wedding gift.**

But the real reason for this post is that H spent part of our gift certificate on the exhibition book from an exhibit we saw when we were on our honeymoon in NYC. The Anglomania book wasn't available when we saw it in July (it's the type of exhibit they have to photograph in place, then produce the book, rather than use photos of paintings or sculpture from previous exhibitions). The book is a paper tour of what we saw in July, with much appreciated detail shots of things we just couldn't catch viewing from behind the railing in person - like the pinup girl embroidered on the cuff of a Paul Smith shirt. The exhibit notes were lovingly detailed and woven with history, philosophy, and whimsy; the book reflects that, as well. I highly recommend going online & buying it. I'd put it in the top of fashion & style tomes.

While we're at it, also atop my list of favorite style tomes is Shocking! The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli, the record of the roving exhibit's visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Schiaparelli somehow escapes the average style follower's notice, and if she makes it on the radar, it's in comparison to Coco (Chanel, that is). True, she was a contemporary of the woman many consider to be the grande dame of style, but she used architectural in her designs well before Dries van Noten or Donna Karan were even a twinkle in their grandparents' eyes. Her collaborations with some of the greatest fine artists of her time surpass anything we see today, in my estimation. Lastly, she has a color named after her - Schiaparelli pink. Any woman who pioneers a color shade is one to emulate.

True to their nature as exhibition records, Shocking! and Anglomania are lots of pictures accompanying a fair amount of words. If you're up for a little more of a read - something perhaps unexpected, when it comes to modern writings about style & fashion - try one of these:

A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions. (Geneviere Antoine Dariaux) Olsson's cites the classic as the "orginal what not to wear." It's a delightful read, and looks ever so pretty in a stack of books by your bed (which is, of course, a very good reason to buy a book).

My Mother's Wedding Dress: The Life and Afterlife of Clothes. (Justine Picardie) This gets a little deeper, wondering about what we wear, how our clothes define us (or don't), and how or why we attach so much meaning to them - all through the vehicle of her mother's wedding dress - a black cocktail dress bought in 1960.

The Classic Ten: The True Story of the Little Black Dress and Nine Other Fashion Favorites. (Nancy Macdonell Smith) Every girl should know the history. Need I say more?

*Unfortunately, no pics are available - it's beautiful, though, and you'll just have to trust me.

**I know Simon Pearce is overdone, but I get to like it, as it's made on the banks of the Brandywine River.