The Village Green Preservation Society (Well.. Not Quite, but Close)

    If any of you find yourselves stuck in the Massachusetts suburbs, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society center at Elm Bank is a lovely place to visit. I should probably feel bad that I'm revealing my relative location on the internet, but I don't live close to Elm Bank, so I guess I feel better about that. The center is in Wellesley, Massachusetts full of gardens, statues, and paths to walk amongst. I absolutely love it so much that I got there pretty much every opportunity I can (whether it be for my sister's soccer games or to smoke a bowl with friends), no matter what the season. However, in the winter, it's a dread to trek up to. The place itself consists of many fields and gardens, so in winter, these are lacking. In late spring and summer, and even in early fall, it's absolutely heavenly up there. There are flowers blossoming everywhere, butterflies fluttering about, and so much to see. I must admit I rarely go on hikes on their paths, but that's only because whenever I go up there, it's usually a spur of the moment type activity, so I won't be much help on hiking feedback. However, Elm Bank is more than thirty acres, so there is a lot to see.

Some of the statues in the gardens.

    There is a large manor house that has ceased use and remains locked and alarmed that I actually had the chance to step inside a few summers back. They were doing a guided tour, and I wasn't quite as interested in abandoned places back then as I am now, so I don't remember much. I do remember a large ballroom that had been restored with a decorative ceiling and elaborate carvings every now and then. Most of the house is battered and crumbling, so not many other rooms were available for us to go in. It's definitely on my bucket list to enter than manor house once again. I went a few weeks back and there was warning tape telling us that there were power lines and that we couldn't even go up to the manor. However, I've been able to go up to the house even when it remained locked, so the fact that I couldn't this one specific time didn't bother me much. In fact, my mother and I even went up to Elm Bank once to walk the dog, and we stumbled into a wedding reception taking place in front of the manor. There is a fountain out front that has been going under maintenance for the past few years to continue working again, and there were chairs set up all along beside it. On the front steps of the manor there were a few musicians who must have played when the bride walked down the isle. It was lovely, and someday I hope to be married there.

I found this picture of the original manor house c. the mid 1800's.

Here's another picture of the manor house in it's prime, picture taken c. early 1900's.

This is a picture I took a few weeks ago during mid-April of 2014. As you can see, the manor house is a bit worn down, and there's even part of a window on the upper level broken. Although this picture doesn't show it, on the other side of the manor, there is a massive wasp's nest that has been vacated until warmer weather.

Another picture I took showing a larger scale of the manor house from the front.

 

The manor house in the summer, not my picture. 

My ridiculous face (look how red my nose is, it was freezing!) as I sit in front of the house.

    ANYWAYS, getting somewhat more "on topic," just looking at such an old building like that makes me wonder what took place in there before Elm Bank was turned into a reservation-type area. All of the people who used to live there, attend parties there (the people who lived in the manor supposedly threw many parties during their days), and just graze around the area. A sense of nostalgia for a time I was never even alive rushes over me when I look at buildings like the manor house, and I wish I could catch a glimpse into the past. It's absolutely lovely at the Elm Bank manor, and it's definitely a must-see for lovers of abandoned buildings like myself.

We left our mark, oops. 

Me standing on a fallen tree over one of the body of water surrounding some of the land at Elm Bank.

    I went up to Elm Bank about two weeks ago with my boyfriend and although it was a bit cold, we loved exploring the area. There are many once-vibrant areas that have faded or broken down, like an old bridge and destroyed storage area. Although he was a bit creeped out at the abandoned factor of the place, I basked in it. It's absolutely lovely, and it's a must-see. If you want to learn more about Elm Bank, click here to learn about the manor house and here to learn about the area as a whole.

   On to the next topic. I turn sixteen in two days, so of course there's one thing on my mind: cars. Everyone around me is getting either their permits or licenses, and then.. there's me. Having a late in the school year birthday definitely has its advantages, but car-wise, it has many disadvantages. I've been saving up plenty of money, so I decided to look for a car. However, it's hard to find one with a decent pricetag, milage, and overall look. I've always wanted an older-looking car, so this task proved especially difficult for me. When my uncle showed off his brand new BMW I knew it was time to wow my relatives with a car, so I took a step forward and started to look for one myself.

My uncle's brand new BMW.

I sent a picture of myself inside it to my boyfriend as a joke,
claiming my family bought me this as an early birthday present.
He was not amused. 

    My boyfriend loves cars, especially Audis. My dad had a great connection for a $5,000 deal on what would normally be at least a $25,000 Audi. Here's a picture the model, but not the exact car.

    He test drove it, but apparently it was "not good enough" for me. So we moved on. Next was a $4,200 Volvo that we passed downtown. I liked how dated the car looked, but it didn't have great milage, so we moved on. 

    My dad told me on Friday that he was going up to New Hampshire to look for cars, and that if he found one, he'd bring it back (and I'd pay, of course). When I was at work, he surprised me and drove through the drive-thru in this baby.

  It's a 2004 Chrysler Sebring, and although I won't reveal how much milage it has or how much I paid for it, we got an amazing deal. I already named it Lucy, and she's my baby. Although I don't have my permit yet because Massachusetts requires you to be sixteen years old exactly in order to do so, I test drove it the other day through cemeteries, parking lots, and little-used roads around my neighborhood. I've never driven with other cars before, so it freaked me out when there were people behind me on the road! God, it sounds so crazy to me to know that if all goes according to plan, I'll have my license in November. Insane, isn't it? Anyway, that's all for now, I hope you all enjoyed this little check-in on my life. Until next time, I'm Sam, and have a wonderful day (and a wonderful amount of time until my next post)!

I Have to Admit, It's Getting Better

  Hi folks! I must admit that my consistency on this blog is varying quite a bit. One week I'm here twice, and then I'm gone for a month. I must apologize for my lack of order when it comes to blogging. That being said, for the past week or so, I've been feeling fantastic. As some of you dedicated readers might know, I've been diagnosed with depression and have just been absolutely miserable in everything I do. I got a new therapist on Tuesday (my first in two whole years!) and it seemed that talking to her definitely helped. However, there seems to be something else on my mind that I feel as sparked the uprise in my pleasant behavior much more than any therapist ever could. That's right- Sam's found herself a boy. 

  I know that me talking about him here is probably creepy (he might be incredibly scared if he ever read this, oops), but oh well. It's my personal blog, I feel like I can blog.. well, personally here. And boys seem to be a very personal topic. I will spare him the indecency of sharing his name, but this boy has really made me happy. He even surprised me at work the other night by showing up out of the blue when we closed like Jake in Sixteen Candles.

It was so cheesy that I couldn't help but be absolutely swept off of my feet. We're going to dinner and the movies tomorrow, and I am beyond ecstatic. I'm already mentally figuring out what I'm going to wear, isn't that pathetic? For the first time in a very long time (maybe even ever) I feel myself constantly smiling, humming pleasant songs, and acting like how I feel a human being should act. I can't stop being happy, and I'm so, well, happy that I'm this happy. So thank you, nameless boy, for making my life a little less cynical.

Here's a happy little playlist to make you all as happy as I am (unfortunately 8Tracks is blocked so you all will have to look up the songs yourselves). I know these songs have been on a lot of my other playlists, but I love them, so I think they're worth a second listen.

I Have to Admit, It's Getting Better by SamanthaWarhol

1. "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra
2. "She's a Rainbow" by the Rolling Stones
3. "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" by Edison Lighthouse
4. "Do You Believe in Magic?" by the Lovin' Spoonful
5. "I Only Want to Be With You" by the Bay City Rollers
6. "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" by Cake
7. "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart
8. "Getting Better" by the Beatles

A Day in the Life

  Hello lovelies! It's about 50°F here, something that it hasn't been in months. I'm awfully sick of this groggy New England weather. As I'm typing this post, the sun is shining through my window, and I can't help humming "Here Comes the Sun." That song has never seemed to apply better in any other situation. The fact that sunbeams are gleaming through the glass beside me just fills me with longing for summer. Everything seems better in the summer, doesn't it? To go along with this wonderful mood the warmth of the sun has brought me, I decided I'd show you guys an update of my room, as it's just been cleaned and I kind of want to show it off, heh. So here is Sam's room, as of March 2014!

Look how clean that carpet is! There's my Abbey Road blanket draped over my chair, my life-sized Jimmy Page and Robert Plant (out of frame), my Woodstock, Who, and Pink Floyd posters, and my old acoustic in the corner.

I still have these faux-polaroids hanging and I love them! From L to R: Pattie Boyd, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, a record player, and Friar Park. On my desk are Miss O'Dell by Chris O'Dell and Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd, two of my favorite books which I highly recommend!

Here's my still slightly messy desk. My record player is in that red and tan box so it doesn't collect dust. There's my Dexter calendar in the background, along with all of my concert tickets. And yes, that is Pattie Boyd and the Rolling Stones peeking out of the bottom left corner!

My lava lamp! I purchased this from Newbury Comics a while back, but only light it when I'm in the happiest of moods. Again, there's my Dexter calendar, along with a bunch of various Beatle memorabilia. 

Took a break from my room pictures to show off my Hi-C Orange Lavaburst! Read this post if you want to know why I love this junk so badly. 

My guitar corner! The one in the corner, named Bruce is my Batman one which I've been dying to sell on Craigslist, although no one will buy it. :( The one on the left is named Blackie after Eric Clapton's, and the acoustic is Harrison.

A bunch of junk! The lollipop earrings I just purchased the other day from SugarPopPartyShop, and I'm in love with them! The bat ones I bought a while ago. I made the Beatles earrings, Clockwork Orange, and David Bowie pins, and the rest with the exception of the one right below the Beatles earrings are from Newbury Comics. Tessa made the exception. The British flag necklace was purchased in London.

My bookshelf! I'll start with the top and make my way down. Those Beatles shot glasses were a gift from a friend a few Christmases ago. Some books on the second shelf include Who I Am by Pete Townshend, The Green Mile by Stephen King, and a collection of Edgar Allen Poe stories. Also there's a few flower crowns I made, a hand-painted Who plate I made, and the Beatles' anthology set. 

The bass guitar I painted by hand to look like George Harrison's Rocky and bag I purchased from Tessa!

  Unfortunately 8Tracks, the website I make playlists on, is blocked once again. Will this school make up their mind already? So I'll have to make a manual playlist this time, I guess. Cue cliché title:

Here Comes the Sun

A playlist about the happiness springtime brings

1.) "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles

2.) "Help Me Rhonda" by the Beach Boys

3.) "Everyone" by Van Morrison

4.) "I Melt With You" by Modern English

5.) "Oh! Yoko" by John Lennon

6.) "Care of Cell 44" by the Zombies

7.) "Technicolor Dreams" by Status Quo

8.) "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel

9.) "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, & Nash

Hope you enjoyed my finally clean room! I'd love to hear from you all, so comments and suggestions would be lovely! Until next time, I'm Sam xx

Edible Nostalgia

  Hey everyone! I've decided to part from my typical sixties/seventies-related whatnot today and focus on the late eighties and nineties. Being nearly 16 years of age, I unfortunately wasn't around for most of the nineties. It's something that I take great shame in. Lately I have been fascinated with the idea of products that were once on the market but were taken off, like Ecto Cooler, Crystal Pepsi, and Wonder Ball candy. Some of these things I had the opportunity to try before they were taken off the market, but for most, they remain a thing of the past. So today I decided to post a little about some nostalgic products, and I would really appreciate if some of you would comment on them if you remember them! Woo, you excited? I know I am.

Ecto Cooler from Hi-C, 1987-2001

  Ecto Cooler was a collaboration between the juice (if you even wanna call it that, haha) company Hi-C and the Ghostbusters franchise, who had just created a kid's TV show called The Real Ghostbusters. I was alive in 2001, but I was too young for Hi-C. A bunch of other orangey flavors of Hi-C were created that either supposedly tasted like the original Ecto Cooler flavor, or were the same flavor but with a different name that appealed to younger children as Ghostbusters became outdated. The only flavor of Hi-C that is orange-related whatsoever is called Orange Lavaburst, and many people on the internet have claimed it tastes very similar to Ecto Cooler. Because I've never had the original flavor, I can't compare whether or not it tastes like the original. However, it's delicious, regardless of being Ecto-esque or not. So I really do recommend Orange Lavaburst.

Ecto Cooler Commercial

Crystal Pepsi from Pepsi Co, 1992-1993

  Okay, I am obsessed with Crystal Pepsi. It may be because one of my favorite reviewers is obsessed,

or maybe just the general hype that surrounds it. The story is that the Pepsi company decided to try their hand at a clear soda, which supposedly tasted like the normal Pepsi flavor, but with a slight twist. I've seen many posts online, and every one says that it tastes like Pepsi but with a variation. I've seen citrus, lemon/lime, and even pixie sticks. Of course, I could never tell you, considering I was negative five years old when this product was taken off the market. I've been dying to find some online (they have original unopened bottles on Ebay, but they go for around 100 bucks), but it's hard to find the original. Oh! Back to the story. People generally didn't like the idea of a clear soda that wasn't entirely lemon/lime flavored, and Crystal Pepsi was soon taken off of the market. Initial sales were good ($474 million) but they eventually fell. Coca Cola tried to join in with the clear soda craze with Tab Clear, but that wasn't successful, either. So, Crystal Pepsi was pulled, which is a real shame because it sounds delightful. I've only hear positive reviews of Crystal Pepsi. Maybe someday they'll decide to reprise it.

Crystal Pepsi Commercial

Magic Middles from Keebler, sometime in the 1980s

I can't find the specific dates of when Magic Middles reigned, but they definitely look like kings. Just look at those gooey centers! From Keebler, one of my favorite companies, these shortbread cookies had a variety of yummy centers hidden inside. Chocolate seems the most delicious. And this commercial really sells them too. I was searching the internet for more information on Magic Middles, and look what I saw:

Could it be? Could Magic Middles be back...?! Next time Sam checks her local Walmart, we'll see for sure.

Magic Middles Commercial

Orbitz from Clearly Canadian Beverage Corporation, 1997

Orbitz is one of the more obscure products on this list, as its market period lasted from 1997 until... 1997. That's a bit tragic, isn't it? Sometimes joked as edible lava lamps, Orbitz were fruity soda flavors with gelatin blubs floating around in them. Definitely sounds appealing. It's available online in the original bottles if you want to find it, but based on some reviews, it was disgusting in 1997, and it's even more disgusting today.

Orbitz Commercial 

Wonder Ball from Nestlé, discontinued in 1997

Wonder Ball candies where hollow chocolate balls with toys inside. After the toys were found as choking hazards for stupid children who couldn't read that there were freaking toys inside, the candies were discontinued in 1997. However, in 2000, the Wonder Balls came back, with candies inside. These I did have a chance to try, and I remember loving them throughout my childhood. Unfortunately these have been discontinued as well.


Wonder Ball commercial (from the newer ones with candy inside)



What's your favorite nostalgic food or drink? Leave a comment below of your favorites, or if you have any discontinued products you'd like me to check out maybe for a later review. Thank you so much for reading!

With love, Sam xx

Suburban Blues

  Lately I've been growing sick of living in the suburbs. It's not that I don't like the environment I'm in.. it's a little cold for my liking, but nothing too terrible. But it's the people I can't stand. In my town, our whole community is sports-based, and we're very patriotic about our teams. Our football team in particular has a large fan base, and if you don't like sports in this town, you're pretty much dead on arrival. Enter me: terrible at sports, simply doesn't care about patriotism, hates social interaction, and can hardly get enthusiastic about things I like, let alone things my town forces me to.
  I also feel like the education system, not just in my state in particular but in the entire country of the United States is heavily flawed. I have a feeling in a hundred or so years students will look back into their textbooks and think "wow, living then must have sucked. Those poor kids must have hated themselves." And yes, we do. A majority of people I know (yes, not just a select few, but a majority) of have had harmful thoughts because of the pressures of school. It's not even that we as students don't like learning, because I know I do. I just wish I could pick what I could learn about, as I know in the future I'm very unlikely to pursue a career based in geometry or chemistry. I should be able to choose classes that appeal to me, as I feel that is a basic human right. No student should ever be forced into classes they do not want to participate in. If I ask to switch out of a certain class or elect not to take one, I am criticized for not wanting to learn or not wanting to help myself. That's not the case; I simply do not find these specific subjects appealing and know that I will not choose to use them in my future. I feel as if I'm literally wasting my life away.
  Sorry for babbling, I just feel as if my school's environment is toxic. Everyone is harshly judgmental, and they feel as if everyone but themselves has a wrong opinion. Life is not about being wrong or right; it's about expressing your own opinion in the way you choose to express it. Be your own person; do not be a clone of everyone else around you. By being in such a ridiculously judgmental school, I feel as if I cannot express my opinion. I cannot be myself. And I hate every minute of it.

In Like a Lion..

   We all know that in like a lion, out like a lamb cliché for the month of March. And with the upcoming snow storms soon to hit New England, I'm pretty sure to say that the weather is very lion-esque. Even though the weather's pretty disgusting (whoever says they like snow is a liar), I feel pretty calm, almost like the lamb side of this month. I've been shopping online like crazy the past few weeks, trying to find clothes that will remind me of summer. As ridiculous as it sounds, the aspects of pale and pastel have been on my mind, too. It seems that I've slowly started to calm down for once.

 

  I know that picture montage didn't really have a point, I just thought I'd share the lovely images that have inspired me this past month. I've also been listening to a lot of Gotye, Klaatu, and Wes Anderson soundtracks. I can't wait to see The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson's latest movie, which comes out this month! I guess I'm just in a Wes Anderson mood, really. His films like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums have unforgettable soundtracks, and Moonrise Kingdom, my first Wes Anderson film, left a strong impact on me. I guess I'm just excited to know more Wes is coming!

  Have a lovely month of March xx

My Life is a Wes Anderson Movie from itsamodmodworld on 8tracks Radio.

1. "I'm Not Saying" by Nico
2. "The Wind" by Cat Stevens
3. "2000 Man" by The Rolling Stones
4. "Life on Mars?" by David Bowie
5. "Stranger" by the Kinks
6. "Time of the Season for Loving" by the Zombies
7. "Play With Fire" by the Rolling Stones
8. "Ooh La La" by the Faces

I'm back, lovelies!

  Let me just say that I am SO sorry I haven't posted! My school computer got water spilled on it, so I didn't have it for a month or so :( And my home computer glitches out bigtime whenever you use the screen, so it's useless. I just got my school laptop back, but all my pictures were gone, so I don't have a lot anymore for posts. So I'll post what I can.
  I hope everyone had a lovely New Year, and now since it's been exactly a month since the year kicked off, I feel like I'm having a good one. I've dyed my hair a lot, and it was blue up until today, and now it's blonde (with some blue patches of course, because I suck at dying my hair). It almost kind of looks like a Sky Ferreira blonde. Speaking of Sky, I absolutely adore her. I'll include some songs I really love by her in the playlist I'll put in at the bottom. She is a lovely girl, and she is absolutely gorgeous. I remember hearing her first big song "Obsession" when I was in the sixth grade, and while her musical style has obviously changed since then, I've always had a soft spot for her.
  I've been watching a lot of movies, too, lately- in the past month or so I've watched The Full Monty, Monty Python's the Meaning of Life, Full Metal Jacket (I've seen it before, just not full length), Mars Attacks, and many others for the first time. And I've also re-watched several favorites, like The Shining and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.  I just really love movies, and hopefully I'll have a career relating to them eventually? Maybe? No? Okay.
  I'd love to hear what you all have been up to in to in the comments below, so be sure to leave a message. I'll keep this post short and sweet, and leave you with some pictures. Have a lovely day!

When I got my laptop back, the school wiped it clean memory-wise so I took the opportunity to completely transform it into a kawaii pixel masterpiece. 

My hair as of several hours ago. Trying to push my bangs aside like Sky and failing miserably.

 

Monty Python's Flying Circus from itsamodmodworld on 8tracks Radio.

Most of these songs are from The Full Monty soundtrack, and I really recommend checking that out, too, as well as the movie itself.

1. "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate
2. "She's a Lady" by Tom Jones
3. "Make Me Smile" by Steve Harley & Cockey Rebel
4. "Lost in My Bedroom" by Sky Ferreira
5. "Perfect Day" by Lou Reed
6. "Lolita" by Lana Del Ray
7. "Red Lips" by Sky Ferreira
8. "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer

Have a nice day, lovelies! ♡♡♡