Perforated Bomber

What’s the point of a perforated bomber? It’s the perfect layering piece to add structure, interest, and texture when it’s too warm for a “real” jacket. Watch me wear it over everything I own! (Until it cools off and stays that way in Sacramento.)


Jacket, Faubourg du Temple (via Supply at Deeda Salon). Dress, Lipstick. Shoes, Joe’s. Sunglasses, Meow Meow. Earrings, Jack E Oh’s NYC. Bag, Clark’s.



My salons are the best.

Too Pro

These days, I prefer a business creative to a business casual outfit. But, sometimes, when I’m in a rush, I default to my corporate choices and then feel like a dweeb among my hip stylists.


Blazer, Love Tree. Dress, Banana Republic (consignment). Boots, Sofft (consignment). Sunglasses, Girlprops. Necklace, Taneesi. Bag, thrifted.


But, hey, look! I’m still cool because I take pictures of graffiti in alleys! I hang out near dumpsters! I may be wearing a blazer but I am EDGY.

Bocce

This is my bocce ball outfit. Seriously. I played bocce ball with 89-year-old Octavio this afternoon in this ensemble. He and his friends really liked my style. Unfortunately, bocce ball is a game of skill, not style, and I lost badly.


Sweater, thrifted. Shirt, FY2 (thrifted). Shorts, San Souci. Tights, We Love Colors. Boots, Joe’s. Sunglasses, Meow Meow. Earrings, street fair. Bag, Canvas Boutique.


I actually showed up at the bocce courts hoping to take photos of the old men playing, but the courts were quiet. One man sat on the bench and a second was spinning in circles. The spinner insisted he only refereed and the benchwarmer invited me to play. It seemed rude to refuse, so I gave it a go. Octavio was well on his way to beating me when two more gentlemen arrived to gawk at the silly lady playing bocce ball in high heels and short shorts. I’m sure they were even more entertained when I bellyflopped on the court to get this shot for my 365 project:


My partner, Octavio:


He told me that 39 is a “good age.” I think that 89 is good, too.

Crispy Light

Not only am I loving the newly crisped weather, but also the quality of the autumn sunlight. The lower angle of the sun and the shorter days make the lighting so much more interesting than the flat blast of summer sunshine.


Jacket, INC (consignment). Blouse, Maeve (consignment). Skirt, Parson’s Place (thrifted and shortened). Tights, We Love Colors. Shoes and bag, Clark’s. Sunglasses, Meow Meow. Earrings, Claire’s. Necklace, Express.



That lovely autumn light on J street:

40 B4 40

I’ve always craved adventure. One of my earliest memories is of a bedtime prayer to God, asking Him to burn down my house, so that our family would move. I prayed that my family would escape unscathed and that I’d have time to grab my precious china cats, but that our house would be ruined and we’d have to find a new place to live. Since my wish was never granted, I settled for travels of the mind. I sought adventures in time, place, and dimension through books. I devoured both the Little House and the Narnia series. A Wrinkle in Time and The Plug at the Bottom of the Sea were favorites. When I wasn’t able to read, I’d daydream. Stuck in church, I’d imagine I could step through the wallpaper and into the redwood forest it depicted. Maybe I’d find Ewoks just around that bend. Or I’d make a home in a hollowed stump like in My Side of the Mountain. My fantasies continued when sent outside to play or walking to and from school. We lived in a valley, surrounded by hills, and I always wondered, “What’s on the other side of that hill? And past the next? And the next?” I couldn’t wait to be grown up and free to explore.

Once I was grown up, I didn’t waste a moment in experiencing as much of life as possible. I cooked Indian cuisine, sailed a dinghy, climbed Andean peaks, fished for piranhas in the Amazon, swam laps, danced ballet, indulged in Amsterdam, backpacked through the wilderness solo, kayaked in Belize, completed a triathalon, joined the Marines, and lived in Japan. As I’ve aged, has the adventuring slowed down? Perhaps. I have responsibilities now. I haven’t left the country in ten years and haven’t backpacked in longer. But adventures can be found close to home. In the last ten years I started three blogs (and continued one), performed on stage, ran a few marathons, learned to sing, raced up Pike’s Peak, became a saleswoman, moved across the country, married a second time, and trained a dog. I’ve sought adventures of the mind and spirit, continuing to challenge myself. Still, there is more excitement to be had! If I’m not too old for it.

I’ve been warily watching my 40th birthday approach for a few years. All you post-40 somethings will laugh at this, but that seems to be the year marker at which I become “old.” My body will be broken down. I’ll be too tired to pursue my interests. My face will transform from youthful to haggard. I’ll be expected to focus on serious pursuits like my career, community, and charities. Instead of exploring new horizons, I’ll be mentoring younger women through their own adventures. If that’s the case, then I plan to have a really great 39th year.

What follows is a list of 40 activities I’d like to complete before I’m 40. They range from simple to daring, but all appeal to my sense of adventure:

1. Get old timey photos of our family
2. Skydive or hanglide
3. Take a Napa wine tour
4. Hike Half Dome
5. Stand-up paddleboard
6. Snowshoe
7. Camp with the dogs
8. Skateboard at a skate park
9. Compete in an agility competition
10. Renew my passport
11. Pose for a photo with Mickey Mouse
12. Attend a Comicon
13. Dye my hair pink
14. Teach Jasper to walk nicely on a leash
15. Do a 365 Photo project
16. Sew a garment
17. Take a sewing class
18. Meditate
19. See a live concert
20. Go to a hot air balloon festival
21. Learn to 2-finger whistle
22. Do the splits
23. Show Dan my old Bridgeport haunts
24. Finish making all the burgers in Veggie Burgers Every Which Way
25. Write one special content blog post per month
26. Sail
27. Wallpaper a wall
28. Participate in Toastmasters
29. Ride a horse
30. Have a birthday party
31. See local theater
32. Practice ambidexterity
33. Learn a new piano song
34. Raft down a river
35. See a drive-in movie
36. Take a historical home tour
37. Practice lucid dreaming
38. Gaze at the stars
39. Send out holiday cards
40. Guest appear on a podcast

I’m a little worried that having all this fun will make it more difficult to settle down on my 40th birthday, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Meanwhile: “Adventure time! Excellent!”

Birthday Beauty Sleep

Do you think we could arrange for the daylight savings “fall back” to happen on my birthday every year? That extra hour of sleep was the best birthday gift ever. You know what they say . . . 39 is the new 29 and 7 a.m. is the new 6 a.m.


Jacket, Allen B. Scarf, Charming Charlie. Shirt, Jones New York (thrifted). Overall dress, Hydraulic (thrifted). Boots, Style & Co (thrifted). Bag, Nine West. Brooch, Sarah Coventry (thrifted)


I’ve started a 365 photo project as a part of my 40 Before 40 (more on that soon). My first photo is, predictably, of Jasper, but I promise they won’t all be dog pictures!


You can follow along with my picture-a-day project here or on instagram: @kasmirakit.