Amore Eterno Per La Città Eterna

Allora.....senti....lately I've been nostalgic for Roma, where I spent this past spring semester living and studying at the American University of Rome. When I think about the city, strong senses come to mind.  I miss the way the sunlight hit the building facades, the crystal clear azure blue sky, the colorful and creative anarchist graffiti, the constant smell of orange trees, "Stereo Love" ringtones going off left and right....

I distinctly remember myself at this time, one year ago, stressing about finals and simultaneously scrambling to organize all of the documents necessary to obtain an Italian Student Visa....I actually ended up getting swine flu and missing the deadline, but everything worked out (hahaha shout out to Rita P).  I envy the juniors who are now in the process of preparing to study abroad/are doing it now.  If living in Rome taught me anything, it was the surprising exhilaration of spontaneity and the power of fearlessness....a mentality I've tried to carry with me since I've come back in the States.  My life in Italy was an educational, exhausting, adventure - a wild ride that I wouldn't have changed a second of.  In fact, I kind of think I dreamed it.  Here are some snapshots of people and places from my time in the Eternal City:

Some photos are snagged from the albums of lovely ladies: Maria Grinko, Anastasia Berg, Chrissy Farrell, and Jaclyn Palermo

baci xx

Lucy

A Night Out

After a hellish week of late-nights spent in the library slaving over pre-final papers and projects, Lesley and I were seriously anticipating a weekend of fun. After Thursday night's concert and a (relatively) good night of sleep, Friday evening we ventured into chilly Boston for a BC Ski & Snowboard Club-sponsored event at the popular BC bar and dance venue An Tua Nua. This was my first time ever at An Tua, and I have to say I LOVED IT! Good music, good drinks, fun people, and lots of space. I can't wait to go back. Read on to see what outfits we rocked for the night...

As self-described "goths" with a semi-girlie flair, we rock some serious ring collections. Right now, we're digging matte colors like Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails XTreme Wear in "Wet Cement." Clockwise from top left (Rings: black bar ring by Biji for Urban Outfitters, double cross ring from Etsy, silver thumb ring from a Montauk surf shop, hammered silver ring from Free People, gold triple-finger bar ring from F21, B ring from middle school jewelry sale).

I realize that I look topless in this picture, but that's always been a problem when I wear backless American Apparel halter leotards with my hair down. I dub this look "Lady Godiva." Usually I try to wear my hair in a high ponytail so I at least look like I have some kind of a shirt on, but I wanted to wear my new headband with an attached gorgeous cascade of chain and black feathers, so I had to wear my hair loose. Unfortunately the feathers blend in with my hair in this photo (which makes for a nice subtle headpiece I can actually wear to class without looking ridiculous), but stay tuned for another post on feather hairpieces in the future. Anyways... I'm wearing a F21 feather headband, an AA halter leotard, navy blue silk high-waisted shorts from F21, a wide black belt, black tights, and black ankle boots.

I did a modern take on the "Lingerie-Inspired" trend with a dropwaist chiffon chemise thrown over a black bodycon slip, both by Free People. Unfortunately in these frigid temperatures, tights are a necessity, so I paired 'em with my favorite Free People heeled hiker boots. In natural Lucy fashion, I added tons of silver chains and finger hardware (see above).

***Special thanks to Shiva Moshtagh for being our personal RR photographer for the night. Love you babe!

XO Lucy & Lesley

Thanksgiving Pants

Everyone should be familiar with the Friends episode where Joey eats an entire turkey all by himself. And if not, watch it real quick:

Unfortunately for most of the world, there is no formerly pregnant best friend Phoebe to lend us some maternity (Thanksgiving) pants.

I, however, have found a brilliant and chic solution to this problem. My dad recently had surgery on his foot, and when he came home from the hospital the doctors gave him some scrubs to wear since his jeans no longer fit over his cast. This past Saturday he showed me the massive blue pants, made out of paper and large enough to fit three of me in one leg.

All I said to him was, "These are perfect for Thanksgiving." I said it in a dry manner, like I say most everything to my parents. I was bemused, but at the same time a little annoyed that he hadn't shown these pants to me before Thanksgiving when I actually needed them.

When you think about them, they're the perfect Thanksgiving pants. Even better than Joey Tribiani's. They're way bigger, first off. Secondly, the pants have a nice drawstring waist making them more adjustable than elastic. Third, they're a flattering shade of blue not unlike denim, so they're bound to match everything in your closet. And lastly, they're made of paper: cheap and disposable. Wear them for one holiday and throw them out when you've digested all 20 extra pounds you ate that day.

Lesley wears an oversized thrifted leopard print t-shirt that she modified herself with a sheer black cardigan tucked into oversized paper bag waist blue paper hospital pants. She finishes off the look with some black booties.

Hit up your local hospital for a pair. It only costs one surgery.

xoxo Lesley

P.S. This is just a joke, never ever wear these in public ever if you know what's good for you.

Man On the Moon, Vol. II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (Album Review)

As notoriously huge Cudi fans (remember when Les and I waited for 6 hours in line for tickets to see him perform at BC?!) it's only natural that Rusted Revolution review the rapper's sophomore album, Man On the Moon, Vol. II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.  The 17-track album was released under GOOD Music and Universal Motown this November 9th, including previously-released singles "Erase Me" featuring Kanye West, "REVOFEV," and "Mr. Rager."  Man On the Moon II features famous guest artists ranging from Cee Lo Green, to Mary J. Blige, to Chip Tha Ripper.

As an avid lover of music and music journalism, I understand the extraordinary pressures placed upon contemporary artists by critics and the general public to maintain and even supersede their previous successes with the release of a second album/project.  There are always expectations to be vastly different and innovative while simultaneously remaining loyal to their traditional sound and style - to me, it seems like an incredible daunting and stressful task.

I personally jumped at the chance to take charge of this project because, having finally gotten the time to listen to the album in it's entirety, I've come to better understand and appreciate the massive artistic, technical, and stylistic differences between Man On the Moon II and the Kid's earlier work. When asking Cudi fans for their opinions on the new album, I received mixed responses; some were entirely turned off by the rapper's radically different sound, others showered him praises, but most were unsure of their feelings, expressing a like for some tracks but also a general dissonance and skepticism about the album as a whole.  I myself fell into the latter category.  I was initially familiar with "Erase Me," "REVOFEV," and "Mr. Rager," all of which he performed at BC, and I was moreso intrigued than enthralled by his new style.  Back in the day, I initially fell for Cudi's effortless ability to fuse soulful lyrics with mellow, yet uplifting beats.  In Man On the Moon II, Cudi experiments with genre and sound.  The rapper explains, "Man On the Moon II is dark by nature and instead of bringing you into my dreams like the first album, I'm bringing you into my reality, good and bad: It will explain more of who I am as well as pushing the envelope musically."

Essentially, the style and sound of the music itself speaks volumes for the artist's intent to shift his "Cudder" persona to a more modern, concrete image of self which he calls "The Revolution of Evolution (REVOFEV)" (originally set to be the album title).  If you are unfamiliar with Man On the Moon II, I recommend checking out "Ashin' Kusher," a hip-hop-fused classic with a bumping beat, "Scott Mescudi vs The World (feat. Cee Lo Green)," a blues-y track with smooth beats and a melancholy yet catchy chorus (very reminiscent of original Man On the Moon), and "Marijuana," a trippy, pensive and semi-psychedelic song sprinkled with hypnotizing bursts of piano and wailing electric guitar.

Most critics have praised Cudi for his ability to decorate the realm of rock and electronic-fused hip-hop with a deeply personal subject matter.  Charles Aaron of Spin recommended the album for "boldly reshaping Cudi's sound - with vivid production," explaining that "the dizzy friction between rap's grasping for control and rock's desire to lose it entirely give Cudi's confessions a dice-y, volatile edge."

In short, I highly recommend giving Man On the Moon II a listen.  While I can't promise that all Cudi fans will be satisfied, one has to appreciate the raw risks he takes for the sake of artistic and personal innovation.  This Cudi fan is extremely pleased and anxious for more.

xoxo
Lucy

PS - stay tuned for new Cudi track's on RR's Winter Playlist!

"She Moves in Her Own Way"

As temperatures drop, it's tricky to stay fashionable, especially when New England's chilly weather makes you seriously consider forgoing all fashion sense for wrapping yourself in a sleeping bag and waddling your way to class just to stay warm.  The key trick is reworking your favorite pieces in order to make them weather-appropriate via accessories and layering.  Lucky for us, Boston's recent "heat wave" has given us a sort of grace period during which we can resurrect our light jackets, tees, and shorts one last time before hibernating beneath heavy sweaters and scarfs.  Read on for Lucy and Lesley's take on Late Fall/Early Winter campus style.

Lucy wears Alexa Chung for Madewell's High Rise Denim Short with her favorite graphic tee from the brand.  She layers with fun accessories - Free People chains, a Madewell whistle necklace, and Aldo Wayfarers.  She makes the look fall-appropriate with black tights and brown leather boots from Target and a vintage men's Barbour jacket.

Lesley wears an oversized sheer button down shirt from F21, classic Levi's jeans, a lightweight army jacket, a cashmere blend leopard print scarf, and vintage leather lace up booties.

Sunset Grill & Tap.....I Can Haz Cheezburger?

Last weekend, Lesley, Danielle, myself, and our friend Dylan took a trip to one of Boston's greatest gustatory  haunts - Sunset Grill & Tap.  If you inhabit the greater Boston area, you're no doubt familiar with Sunset's incredible selection of beer and fried goods whether it come from personal experience or word of mouth.   The restaurant features the East Coast's largest selection of brews, including 112 taps, 380 microbrews and plenty of exotic imports.  In terms of culinary delights, Sunset is famous for its steam beer burgers, curly fries, buffalo wings, giant nachos, BBQ steak tips, grilled fish, homemade pasta, Yankee ribs, and sizzling fajitas.....hungry yet? Us too. Sunset's interior is equally as enticing as its menu, fully mimicking a "beer shrine." The restaurant walls are literally covered with beer advertisements, quotations, and photographs in a multitude of different locations and languages.  Magazine and newspaper articles are carefully framed and mounted, praising Sunset for its award-winning burgers and brews.  The bustling crowd itself speaks volumes for Sunset's popularity; one can pick out Allston hipsters, to BC undergrads, to Harvard professors, to suburban families.  Thus, the consensus is out: Everyone loves Sunset Grill & Tap.  

For the beer novice (or average drinker), the novel-esque menu appears overwhelming at first glance.  We felt no shame in asking our waitress for recommendations based on our individual tastes.  We all wanted to be adventurous, so we stayed away from anything that sounded familiar.  Lesley and I decided to go with bottles while Dylan and Danielle went with drafts.  I ordered a delicious Belgian golden ale called Leffe, and Lesley chose a classic pale ale from Flying Dog Brewery called "Doggie Style." While sipping on our first round, we enjoyed rocking out to an exclusively 90's soundtrack featuring classics by the Gin Blossoms, Smashing Pumpkins, Spice Girls, Aqua, Train, Britney Spears and many more.  We started off sharing an order of the famous giant nachos, and then ordered our respective dishes.  Between the four of us, I think we ordered all the award-winning dishes....I certainly enjoyed my cheezzzzeeeeburger!  Overall, I give Sunset 5 Stars.....I seriously couldn't find ANYTHING to complain about.....I actually plan on joining their beer club so I can start receiving weekly updates, discounts, and free samples.  CHA-CHING.

Mmmmm GIANT NACHOS

Lesley's turkey tips came with sides of mashed potatoes, green beans, and the very pleasant addition of a large hunk of cornbread

Danielle stayed true to her favorites, getting her classic steak and mashed potatoes

Dylan's chicken fajita with famous curly fries

My award-winning beer burger with curly fries (of course)

Sunset Grill & Tap is located at 130 Brighton Ave. in Allston, MA, 02134.  Phone number is 617-254-1331....open 'til 1 am! It's an easy ride on the T's Boston College B Line, closest to the Harvard Ave. stop.  Check out this link for more info! See you at Sunset.

Cheers!!

Thought of the Day

"Looking towards the future, we were begging for the past, well we know we had the good things, but those never seemed to last, oh please just last."
-Modest Mouse