Iced Coffee

My saving grace this summer has been homemade Iced Coffee.  After realizing that I was forking over $2 a day for iced coffee at the cafe in the library, I attempted some home brews to cut costs.

It's the perfect thing for a day like today: trying to write a paper in an air conditioned apartment that is still roasting, even with the air conditioner on.

I did some research (of course!) and it seems like cold brewing it in a french press overnight in the fridge might be the best way.  As I am french press-less, I have to rely on other means for overnight coffee.  It's not exactly Starbucks caliber iced coffee, but it still hits the spot for me!

Step 1: Brew a strong batch of coffee the night before.

*To get a brew strong enough to handle the ice I typically recommend a tablespoon of ground coffee for every 2 cups of water, plus an extra tablespoon for strength.  Thusly, for my 4 cup coffee maker I add 3 tablespoons.  I found 4 to be too many.

Step 2:  Let it cool at room temperature on the counter for an hour.  Then place in the fridge to get really cold over night.

Step 3: Fill a glass or thermos half full with ice.

Step 4: Pour cold coffee over ice.

Step 5: Add cream or milk and enjoy!

Children's Librarian

Children's Librarian, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
Turquoise cardigan: Merona
Whimsical printed tank: Forever 21
Gray Skirt: Merona
Gladiator sandals: American Eagle

My friends dub this my "preschool teacher/ children's librarian" tank top because the design looks like it was drawn by a child (which, I suppose, was the appeal to me). While I would love telling stories to children (seriously, how fund would that be), I feel called towards adult services. At least I can still bring a little child like imagination to it.

I mean, come on, these buttons:

Sunshine on my Shoulder

Sunshine on my Shoulder, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
White t-shirt: Merona
Yellow skirt: H&M
Belt: Target
Brown pointed flats: Xhilaration
Watch necklace: Etsy

I have finally found the perfect bike riding skirt- this yellow beauty! It is heavy enough so it doesn't ride up and it stays put while allowing for a nice breeze. Bike riding=success!!

In other news I helped a student on virtual chat today who was on foreign term in London and wanted help looking up parlimentary papers with our library resources. That was pretty cool (and a nice break from the endless grad student questions about how to find dissertations online!! So many!!)!

White linen dreams

White linen, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
Gray cardigan: Forever 21
White dress: Delias
Gold leaf headband: Goody?
Gladiator sandals: American Eagle

I actually wore this yesterday- I am a day behind!! That's probably okay considering that I rocked some drawstring shorts and my golden girls (yes, my favorite tv show) t-shirt while I sat in the library computer lab finishing up my third of our web site for my web design class. Now I am all computered out and am just excited to crash on the couch and read a bit before getting more work done.

The hottest is yet to come

Country Summer, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
Gray cardigan: Forever 21
Plaid tank: Hollister
White tank: Old Navy
Blue Jeans: Old Navy
Gladiator Sandals: American Eagle
Heart Necklace: Forever 21

The official end to my work week!! I decided to be a bit more casual for my reference shift today because, well, we have very few in person reference questions anyways and I wanted to be comfortable in the 99 degree heat! I felt a lil bit country but I don't care!!

And now I plan to stay in a tank top and shorts for the entire weekend and read by my window air conditioner. Bliss.

Browning (or Burning)

Browning, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
Book: Tao of Pooh
Brown ruffle dress: Old Navy
Owl Necklace: Forever 21
White Flats: Xhilaration

Today was hotter than yesterday (I swear!). Riding my bike to work was like riding through a steamy fog. Yuck. Luckily I had some fun morning activities to keep me cool: I went to see Winnie the Pooh with a friend and had some delicious Jimmy Johns for lunch. We were both joking around about how we felt guilty for wanting to see it and then we decided to see it together. Pooh was one of my favorites as a kid; I know I wore my VHS tapes out!!  It was no HP 7.2, but it was cute and nostalgic in its own way.

With Pooh Bear in mind I donned my favorite Owl necklace (because, as much as I would like to be Pooh I am probably a combo of Rabbit and the pontificating Owl) and breezy dress.

Victorian Librarian

Victorian Librarian, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
White shirt: H&M
Blue skirt: Merona
Gold Flats: Xhilaration
Gold Leaf headband: Goody
Skeleton key necklace: Etsy


I've been on a mini staycation (hence the lack of presentable outfits). The only thing I wanted to do all week was drink pink lemonade, swim, and watch movies and tv shows set in the early 20th century (such as my childhood favorite, Road to Avonlea).

So that continued here into my busy busy work week. I needed a bit of Victorian charm to make it through a day of entering instructional statistics (not to mention biking through the humid haze).

Feelin' Dotty

Feelin' Dotty', originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
Red polka dot tie blouse: Merona
Black capris: Old Navy
Black Flats: Candies

Some days I feel a little old school. Maybe because I've watched Breakfast at Tiffany's 5 times in a row, or maybe because I've spent post-work looking at vintage dresses on Etsy. It's hard to tell.

Today I spotted this rarely worn red polka dot kinda vintagey (but from Target) blouse wedged between two other blouses. I used to wear it a lot. I remember finding it at Target and being so utterly in love with it that I walked out of the store feeling on top of the world. Back in that day I pretty much wore jeans with everything and I wore this blouse with my dark jeans and a white cami nearly every week.

Now that I am a few pounds heavier and a bit more busty this top doesn't fit as wonderfully as it did then. It is also, I've realized an odd shade of red- in some lighting it looks magenta and other times it looks cherry red. I pretty much only wear it tucked into a black pencil skirt once in a blue moon.

But today, today I was feeling Katharine Hepburn kind of brave and I knew I needed to make this happen. Not too bad. Kind of short for my taste but it works. Which is good because I have irrational love for this blouse and it skips the give away pile every time.

Bluebells and Pretty Maids all in a row

Bluebells, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
Book: No one belongs here more than you
Turquoise v-neck tee: Mossimo
Blue skirt: Merona
Belt: Target
Brown pointed flats: Xhilaration

I feel limited by summer clothing choices. It's so hot (92 degrees today!) that I can't even think about shorts, let alone pants. Skirts are becoming the only thing I want to wear. Even a t-shirt is pushing it- I was a sweaty mess by the time I biked to the library!!

I did have a good reference day today- no in person patrons, but a ton of virtual reference. I helped a faculty member find an article comparing ovens in consumer reports, helped a grad student find images of art before 500 A.D. (bless the CLAROS database!), and found stats on Latino healthcare. Snap! I was on a roll!

Librarian...on a boat

Nautical, originally uploaded by You dress like a librarian.

Via Flickr:
Navy zip up sweatshirt: Merona
Gray tee: Gap
Stripe skirt: H&M
Coral necklace: JcPenny
Sandals: American Eagle

I start work and summer school back up tomorrow (adult summer=yuck) so I just wanted to post a few memories from my vacation. It was truly wonderful. My friends and I basically read, relaxed, ate delicious food (lots of cheese!), and saw some beautiful things. Exactly what I needed.

We saw breathtaking cliffs:

A pristine limestone beach:

Berries fresh from the field:

Cherry pie (most important, obviously):