(Game of Thrones publicity photo via Entertainment Weekly.)
With apologies to my friends and family, I am just not into fantasy. Lord of the Rings makes me sleepy and Harry Potter just depresses me. I can’t do elves with pointy ears and tiny creatures with hairy feet. I just can’t.
But Ryan asked me to try one episode of Game of Thrones, and somehow (magically?) I was hooked. We don’t have cable, so we’re watching via Amazon Instant and we’re halfway through the second season now. After this, we’ll have to wait until next year for the release of the third season’s already aired episodes, and I’m really sad about that. I never thought I’d get caught up in some ancient battle for an imaginary kingdom, but here I am. Seriously, it’s a problem.
I can’t wait to watch the episodes at night after the boys go to bed, and I think about them during the day, too. Ryan has the first book in the series by George R.R. Martin, and I’ve actually found myself pulling it off the shelf to scan every now and then. What is wrong with me?
The show is incredibly violent and gratuitous, typical for HBO, but it’s also simply incredible. After I watched the first episode, I told Ryan it reminded me of The Sopranos set in a time that never really existed. Then, I was reading about the series on Wikipedia, and David Benioff, one of the show’s creators, called it “The Sopranos in Middle-Earth.” I guess he had me pegged for a possible viewer.
There’s literally something for everyone in this series, and while it does have elements of fantasy in it, they aren’t completely in your face. Yes, there are dragons and a creepy killer shadow thing, but they aren’t featured in every episode. Plus, all of the characters are actual humans, at least so far.
I’m a big fan of Daenerys Targaryen, though I wish her blonde wig was better looking. Check out this amazing tutorial to get her natural look. And I’m loving the budding romance between Jon Snow and Ygritte, too. It’s adorable and hilarious, and Ryan gets frustrated when I pause the show to laugh at some ridiculous scene, like when they huddle together for, um, warmth.
Since the first three seasons have aired, it’s hard to avoid spoilers, and I know tragic things are coming soon. But I’m really enjoying the show, and I’m so incredibly impressed with it.
Are you watching Game of Thrones? Who’s your favorite character?
(About as edgy as I get.)
I’ve had this outfit in my head for a while now, and this past weekend, it was finally cool enough to wear it. Almost. I found this great Best of the Pesto Top at ModCloth, and it’s perfect for breezy fall days. It’s a very loose, tunic-style blouse that requires a tank underneath, and since I’m always hot by nature, I try to avoid layers unless it’s really cold. I paired it with my Karen Kane jeggings from last year, and my new booties from Anthropologie, which were my reward for completing a writing gig recently.
Since I usually dress with a nod to vintage style, I thought this little departure was kind of fun for a busy weekend running errands or taking a day trip with the boys. The denim leggings are basically skinny jeans (miraculous skinny jeans that hold everything in), so I always pair them with a loose top to balance everything out.
(Adelena Buckled Booties from Anthropologie.)
And the Adelena Buckled Booties are completely different from my normal shoe style, but I found them so interesting and cool that I had to try them. As it turns out, they are really comfortable and easy to wear, with a zipper on the back.
(The back zipper for easy access.)
They remind me of jazz shoes, with a little bit of Stevie Nicks and Game of Thrones thrown in for good measure. I guess you could say they’re so ugly, they’re beautiful, but I think they are pretty fabulous and will be great for fall and winter.
There are some changes taking place at our house soon. After a long search, Ryan will be switching jobs in a few weeks, and since his new company is based overseas, he’ll be working from home full-time. It will be a bit of an adjustment for everyone, but it also means less stress for him, too. He’ll have to travel periodically, something he rarely did in his previous position, and that will be a new experience for our family, as well.
We plan to finish decorating his office to make it fully functional, and Ryan’s already gathering his new computer supplies. Once he finds a rhythm to his days, we plan to add a few items to freshen up his workspace (and mine, too), like a rug, pictures, and shelves.
With all of these changes coming up, it seemed like a good time to make some changes in our busiest room, too; so last night, we headed over to Crate and Barrel to order new living room furniture! It’s no secret that I’ve been struggling with our current set for a while now, and since the pieces are beginning to show quite a bit of wear and tear after almost eight years and two little boys, we decided to try a different look. I did a bunch of research ahead of time (mostly thanks to Apartment Therapy), and had our decision narrowed down to two couches.
I read great things about the Lounge Sofa, which is the company’s top seller for comfort. It’s a gigantic couch, at 93 inches long, and we planned to go with the shorter, 83 inch version. I was about 95% certain Ryan would love this couch after all the wonderful reviews I found, but once we tried it out in person, it quickly became our second choice. The Lounge is awesome, but it feels like a bed, and in the end, we decided that wasn’t the look we wanted in our living room.
(Crate and Barrel’s Axis II 2-Seat Sofa in Indigo. We’re getting the 3-seat version.)
Instead, we decided to go with the Axis II 3-Seat Sofa in Indigo Sueded Microfiber. The picture above is the 2-seat version, because our couch is only a computer graphic on the website, so just imagine it with one more section. The Axis collection is the second best-selling couch for lounging, and we liked it most because it isn’t as enormous. It’s firm but really comfortable, and will be great for curling up and reading or watching television. Best of all, the microfiber fabric we chose is recommended for families with young children and can be easily cleaned. The display model featured a custom velvet fabric that I loved, but the salesman, who also has two young children, quickly talked me out of it. Maybe one day.
We chose Crate and Barrel for their reputable construction, and the furniture is made in North Carolina with green materials and sustainable wood. That was important to me when I began my search a while ago, and we plan to donate our old furniture when the new set arrives. We didn’t choose a custom fabric, but it isn’t kept in stock, so we’ll have to wait at least 10 to 12 weeks for our couch and loveseat to arrive. I’m anticipating a January date, and we’ll have a belated Christmas present to look forward to.
We are careful consumers, and this is a really big purchase for us. Most of our other furniture was bought from Craigslist or passed down from family members, and when we bought our current couch and loveseat, we were new homeowners looking for a good value. Those pieces served us well as our family grew, and I’m hoping this new set will see us through the next chapter, and for many years to come. It’s definitely grownup furniture.
I can’t wait for everything to arrive, and I’ll be sure to update with pictures when it does. In three months. In the meantime, we’ll be adjusting to the other changes taking place around here.
Here’s an updated post on our Axis II pieces, including pictures from 2020.
