The Better Martha Takes D.C.

This past week it took a lot of willpower to abstain from posting a million photos to Instagram. I was visiting friends in D.C and it was marvelous. It's the only city I've been in where every building is seriously significant. I was walking down the street with Bridget and she pointed out the Supreme Court, the National Archives, and the Library of Congress all within a few minutes of each other--and this was just a few minutes before she took me to the capitol building. 

The Washington Monument

I had an incredible time hitting all the necessary tourist spots like the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Declaration of Independence, and so many more places that allowed me to totally geek out. 

Mr. Lincoln at his Memorial

The Better Outfit Featuring Bridget

This week I've been in Washington D.C visiting my college friend, Bridget. When we first met, I was instantly struck by her kind spirit and old soul. She's the only person I know who reads the classics; handwrites letters, and looks up movie times in the newspaper. I was so excited to photograph her because her personality is so perfectly captured by her style (and also she's just so cute and charming).

Her outfit was perfect for a day of sightseeing and afternoon tea. D.C. summers tend to be hot and humid, but Bridget serves as a perfect reminder that dressing well in the heat isn't as difficult as most people (including myself) make it out to be.

The Better Storage Company: Boxbee

Choosing to stay in New York for 2 of the 3 months of my summer vacation presented me with a problem that I didn’t expect: what was I going to do with all my stuff? Being from California, shipping was out of the budgetary question; campus storage had already come 2 months ago, and typical storage units are wildly expensive and super inconvenient. When one of my sorority sisters said, “$7.50 to store one box for a month,” I instantly made up my mind that this would be the resolution to all my problems. And I was right.

In one box I was able to fit: 6 knee length dresses, 4 knee length skirts, 2 maxi skirts, 1 jean jacket, 6 long sleeve tops, 1 short sleeve blouse, 1 pair of jeans, 3 sweaters, 2 handbags, 2 pairs of flats, 11 novels. All this and I still had a fair amount of space left which could have fit a few more books or folded items of clothing.

The Better 5 From My Week

I've been in denial about how quickly the summer is coming to an end, but today, when I heard an advertisement on Spotify, say, "Now that summer is winding down..." I knew I had to face the facts. Today marks my last week that I'll be spending in New York before I move back to school in early September. As sad as I am about leaving, I know it will make returning all the sweeter. Here are a few of my favorite things from this week. 

1. JCrew smoking loafers: sold out | Similar here

2. Quick pasta dish I threw together; I'm trying to use up my groceries before I leave NY

3. My iPhone lock screen with a picture of young (and very attractive) Joe Biden