Tag Archives: lock 3

Aug17

Punk Rock Flea OOTD Bloopers

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Punk Rock Flea OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Punk Rock Flea OOTD!! Attending the Punk Rock Flea Market this past weekend with Johnny was SO much fun and I’m really glad we were able to check out all of the vendors before a torrential downpour hit. I’m also really glad that Johnny and I took pictures before we hit the market and not after! This week, you can check out all of our purchases from the flea market as well as a brand new Lil Red’s Book Club. For now, let’s check out some OOTD yikes shots:

Ahhhhh CHOOOO!

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Lol, pleased to say I recovered beautifully from a sudden sneeze attack

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Big ups to Johnny for not letting me know about the rogue piece of hair sticking out after it got stuck in my parasol SMH

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I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Look out! Sassy lady on the loose!

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My forever reaction to Johnny’s forever question of “are we done yet?” ❤

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Off to the flea market we go!!

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Is there still a misconception that the punk rock/emo/alt crowd are scary people? Lol, I’m sure some people still think so and I really wish they could have attended the flea market! Johnny and I were laughing at this on the way home because the Punk Rock Flea Market was seriously just a gigantic love fest. I have never gave or received so many compliments in my life and everyone seemed to be basking in the glory of their fellow market goers’ aesthetics.

The Punk Rock Flea Market featured so many talented local artists and fashion that served. And, I’m pleased to say that people thought Johnny and I were werking it. We got stopped frequently by people asking to take our pictures and I caught myself wondering if this is what a celebrity feels like! My husband and I were truly with our people and it was fun to see lots of old friends and make new ones too. It was a GREAT SUCCESS of a date day, indeed. 🙂

Keep it locked this week on lifewithlilred for all of the punk rock vibes and amazing oddities that we acquired!

How would you describe your personal style? What is your favorite flea market or vendor sale to attend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

Punk Rock Flea OOTD

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Punk Rock Flea OOTD

Hello!! This past Saturday, Johnny and I had a fantastic date day. We attended the Punk Rock Flea Market at Lock 3 in downtown Akron and it was an absolute blast. Sadly, the event got rained out, but we made our rounds throughout the vendors and got back to our car just in the knick of time! We got so many cool goodies from amazing local artists, which you can see throughout this week. Today, let’s check out my OOTD for this neat event:

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Who? What? Wear?

Tank Top: Rachel Zoe, TJMaxx

Skort: Almost Famous, TJMaxx

Bat Wing Platforms: Sugar Thrillz, Dolls Kill

Parasol: This was a Christmas gift from Amazon

Union Jack Purse: Charming Charlie’s

Sunglasses: Martha Stewart, TJMaxx

Rosary Necklace: This was a gift from my mom from Target

Black Cross Earrings: I think I got these at Target? Lol

On Saturday, it was humid as can be and I wanted to create an outfit that would keep me cool and comfortable. My original plans to wear one of my favorite plaid blazers got vetoed due to the weather, but I decided to keep the base of the outfit I was thinking the same. This was simply my tank top and skort and it was just right for the muggy afternoon. Since the base of this outfit was plain Jane, it was up to accessories to turn it into something worth blogging about!

For shoes, I went with my bat wing platforms from Dolls Kill and they were a huge hit. I got stopped by SO many people asking about them! Not only did these shoes add lots of extra height, but they were insanely comfortable as Johnny and I browsed through the flea market. The iridescent purple wings also gave a nice pop of color against the neutral base of this look.

Next up on my agenda was swapping out purses from my Betsey Johnson phone bag to my Union Jack one. I have a huge collection of purses and I have been enjoying changing them out with each OOTD I shoot. The Union Jack bag by Charming Charlie’s is one of my favorites and it was an obvious choice for a punk rock event. It definitely has some wear and tear to it as it’s almost nine years old, but that just adds to the aesthetic! 😀

As I was building this outfit, I knew that I wanted to use my black parasol to block out the sun. As a vampire on the go, this was very necessary! This parasol actually caused a bit of trouble because I couldn’t find it anywhere. I knew exactly where it should be and it just wasn’t. Oddly enough, it ended up being in Johnny’s car for some reason? Lol we must have spent fifteen or so minutes looking for it and I’m glad it was found because my look wouldn’t have been the same without it.

Finally, it was time for jewelry and I kept things minimal. While walking around in the heat, I didn’t want to be bogged down with a huge necklace or a ton of bracelets. So, I slipped on my rosary necklace from my mom which I love so very much and my black cross dangly earrings and called it. As always, less is more when it comes to a great look and because I had lots of other accessories already, the necklace and earrings were all I needed.

Tune in tomorrow for the blooper reel from my Punk Rock Flea OOTD and check in this week for all of our purchases. Fingers crossed that another event like this happens again soon because it was a HOOT!

Do you like to attend flea markets or vendor sales? What is the best thing you have bought secondhand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec26

Holiday Fun At Lock 3

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Holiday Fun At Lock 3

Hello everyone!!! This past Wednesday, I bundled up against the cold with my sister, Kristen, and sweet nieces, Val and Raya, for some pre-Christmas fun. Originally, we were going to go to a somewhat far away holiday lights display but got turned off by the driving. So, we headed to downtown Akron’s Lock 3 instead that hosts light displays and ice skating in the winter. The rink was crazy crowded and to both mine and Val’s disappointment, we had to pass on her first skating lesson with TT. We still had a blast visiting Archie The Talking Snowman and playing mini golf, though! Check it out:

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Literally everyone in northeast Ohio knows Archie The Talking Snowman. He had a long tenure at Chapel Hill Mall until it closed down a few years ago and since got moved to Lock 3. Every holiday season when we were little, we would visit Archie at the mall and tell him what we wanted for Christmas and, of course, that we had been good all year. He would then promise to put in a good word with the Big Man just for us. Yes, it was just some guy in the gigantic snowman talking to us but it was freaking magical as a kid!

Kristen and I thought Val would be stoked to meet Archie and tell him what’s on her wish list but that was far from the case. Lol, little lady was freaking terrified and, honestly, so was I! The booming voice of Archie reverberated throughout the entire area and even into the parking garage. I don’t remember him being so loud! Val agreed to let Kristen talk to Archie on her behalf and it was a fine compromise. 🙂

After visiting with Archie, we went to check out the adorable displays set up in cabins that used to house vendors for a Christkindl Market. These displays actually used to be set up in windows all throughout the buildings of downtown Akron and it was cool to see them all in one place without walking around the city in the cold. I definitely remember the little snowpeople window from way back when! This was my favorite one and Val’s too. She is such a TT’s girl! ❤

When we were done scouring the displays, we realized ice skating was a bust. To warm up and make the most of the evening, we played mini golf at the small indoor course set up by the Akron Children’s Museum. This was the first time Val played putt putt and it went better than we expected – no meltdowns were had unlike her TT when she was little! About halfway through mini golfing, Val realized it was the funnest thing ever and took mine and Kristen’s turns for us. She rolled with the punches of not being able to skate beautifully and our evening ended on such a high note.

I have always loved the holiday season and it is infinitely better now that Johnny and I have sweet nieces and nephews to share it with. I cannot wait to take Val skating and it looks like we’re going to have to go mini golfing this summer!

Are there any holiday traditions like Archie in your neck of the woods? What is your favorite holiday activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan6

Houndstooth, Honey OOTD Bonus Pictures

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Houndstooth, Honey OOTD Bonus Pictures

Hello everyone and welcome to some bonus pics from my Houndstooth, Honey OOTD! My Johnny is the ultimate blog husband who has improved leaps and bounds in taking pictures of yours truly. Originally, he would take five or so pictures at a time, then consult me. It worked, but it turned our photo shoots into a time consuming effort.

Now, he takes a million pictures at once, providing me with tons of options to pick from. This has slashed the amount of time for OOTD pics considerably and, in total, it takes about ten minutes to get things done. However, it takes me a lot of time to sort through all of the shots afterwards! That’s more than okay, though, because it gives me ample pics to share with all of you!

Today, we are going to look at some bonus pics from my shoot and tomorrow you can peep all of the blooper shots that Johnny captures. Let’s get to it:

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As mentioned yesterday, Johnny and I walked through Lock 3 in downtown Akron to take these pictures. Lock 3 is an Akron staple that boasts concerts, fireworks, and food festivals in the summertime and a skating rink and holiday market come winter. It is surrounded by fabulous eateries and bars and is the place to be during any time of the year for a fun outing.

Lock 3 is an amazing place for the community to come together and it features lots of cool sights to see. Of course, there is a lock, wonderful landscaping in the summer, and an industrial vibe from the brick apartments, towering fire escapes, and murals painted on the walls. It definitely makes for an awesome setting to take pictures at!

Akron isn’t just where it all began for our hometown hero of Lebron James – it is so much more than that. Small businesses, the Akron Civic Theater, Lock 3, and all of the amazing people who live there make our city so special. Not to mention our beautiful library and Akron Art Museum. A hop, skip, and a jump and you are in the middle of an exciting place to be and I loved spending time in the A-K-Rowdy with my husband! ❤

Who are some of your hometown heroes? Do you have an area similar to Lock 3 in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan5

Houndstooth, Honey OOTD

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Houndstooth, Honey OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This is a look that I put together for a little date day that Johnny and I had on New Year’s Eve. We walked around Lock 3 in downtown Akron for a photography adventure. Then, we hung out with our niece, picked up some champagne at the grocery store, and played video games and listened to oldies music all night to ring in the new year. It was a blast!

Here are some pics from our stroll around Akron and do be sure to keep it posted for bonus and blooper shots! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

One of my all time favorite chick flicks is, easily, The Devil Wears Prada. I saw it in theaters when it came out with my mom, sister, and grandma and it is one of my most treasured memories. I’ll never forget walking out of the theater together and laughing and talking about all of the fabulous fashion. This OOTD is actually inspired by one of the looks that Anne Hathaway wore in her transformation montage where she is sporting a white peacoat and newsboy cap. I think my grandma would have loved it!

It has been quite warm, despite it being winter time, so I haven’t been able to wear all of my beloved coats in my collection as much as I would like. So, needless to say, I was very excited to finally be able to bust out my Vince Camuto blazer, which is one of my absolute faves. I love the houndstooth pattern, the swing style shape, and the faux fur cuffs on the sleeves.

When styling this outfit, I wanted to highlight the blazer through accessories because it really didn’t need much in terms of clothing. This statement maker speaks for itself. I went with my newsboy cap to mix and match patterns, which worked because they were both of a similar color palette. For a fun pop of color in the somewhat muted scheme I was working with, I chose my little red booties to add some length and visual interest.

With these added accessories, my OOTD was fine but it felt like it was still missing something. To rectify this, I added my St. Tropez faux fur collar which is one of my favorite TJMaxx finds. I love it so much and it adds a unique touch to any look. I almost bypassed this option thinking it would be “too much” but it ended up being just right. When I wasn’t wearing the collar, I slung it through the strap of my mustard yellow purse or wore it draped over my shoulder. It incorporated the additional texture that made my OOTD feel complete.

I channeled my inner Anne Hathaway post transformation in The Devil Wears Prada and I felt like a star in my Houndstooth, Honey OOTD. This look made me feel confident and I was so proud of what I had styled. Although I wasn’t walking through the bustling streets of New York City, it was even better to be strolling through Akron with my darling husband. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more on this look!

What is your favorite chick flick? What was your favorite outfit in The Devil Wears Prada? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul12

City Escape OOTD

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City Escape OOTD

Hello hello and welcome to a new OOTD post here on lifewithlilred! A week or so ago, I enjoyed exploring downtown Akron’s Lock 3 park with my friend Markus, who helps me take pictures for the ol’ blog. Lock 3 is a cool place where summertime concerts happen and an ice skating rink that I love going to is put up in the winter. The bar scene surrounding it isn’t bad, either!

Markus and I hit the pavement to take some pics and just have fun so check it out, enjoy, and read on to find out how I styled this OOTD:

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Who? What? Wear?

Styling summer outfits can be difficult, especially if you’re like me and you always want to go all out with your OOTDs. But, sometimes that’s just not feasible with the extreme heat. Although Markus and I took the pictures seen above in the evening, it was still hot as hell so this is definitely one of my more “basic” looks. I was still really feeling myself, however, because I made sure to follow a few simple rules:

1. Let it flow:

To me, there is nothing more boring than jeans and a t-shirt so if you want to add some visual interest to an outfit, then let it flow. Wear a top or bottom with movement to it and it will instantly add that little something something to any outfit. The billowy sleeves on my Japna top are not only fun, but it certainly gave a nice breeze to my upper half because the fabric wasn’t vacuum sealed to my body.

2. Legs for dayz:

Shorts are necessary in the summer and you can keep it simple or, you can pull a Sarah and go all out with some heels. But, you can’t wear just any heels with shorts. If you want to create some body magic for an illusion of legs for dayz, you must be mindful of what kind of straps are on your shoe.

If the heel must be strapped, make sure that it is a slingback so that there are no lines cutting off the flow from your feet to your hips. This will create the perfect leggy length, even if you’re a vertically challenged chick, like myself. Mules are an excellent way to go to avoid any kinks in your length, which is why I went with my Betsey Johnson pair. Embroidered flowers, a black and white striped heel, and super model style legs? Bye bye, boring!

3. Beat the heat:

I am both pale and extra enough that I have absolutely no problem carrying around my goth Princess Peach style parasol. I hate getting tan, I hate getting burnt, and I hate being hotter than I have to be when it comes to being outdoors. Not only does the parasol add length to my look because it’s not stopping at the tip of my head but it also makes the OOTD a lot more interesting. When it doubt, accessorize, and the outfit will become much more exciting to look at.

We all know that Lil Red thrives when it comes to fall fashion. But, summer has always been a challenge for me. So, I follow the steps above for looks that don’t thrill me as much as my fall OOTDs but certainly help keep me cool in the heat while still being fashion forward. Creating outfits that make someone’s eyes dance when they look at you is the name of the game and I think that my City Escape OOTD definitely achieved that!

How do you style OOTDs to keep yourself cool in? How do you add visual interest to your looks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan28

Ice Skating Fun

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Hello everyone and happy Thursday! Last Sunday my darling boyfriend, Kyle, and I went ice skating at the Lock 3 skating rink in Akron, Ohio. I skated competitively for quite some time and now I’m a coach for the Special Olympics. Kyle and I have never been skating together before so I was so excited when he finally agreed to making a date out of it on Sunday afternoon. We bundled up, I gathered my skates (I’d rather die than wear rental skates), and then we hit the road for our date.

Once we got to Lock 3, we saw that the rink was pretty crowded. Lucky for us, though, it cleared up by the time we were done waiting in line to rent skates for Kyle, getting our skates on, and walking over to the rink. This was Kyle’s first time ever on ice skates and right from the get go he gave it a valiant effort, which I thought was so sweet. Walking to the rink which was about one hundred feet away proved to be a struggle, to say the least. To me, skating and walking around on skates is second nature so I never thought how difficult it must be to put these contraptions on your feet for the first time and then walk to the rink let alone skate on it!

Once we got on to the ice hand in hand we began our first trip around the rink. My poor Kyle got the worst rental skates on the planet and I felt so bad at how difficult it looked for him. The blades on each skate were so crooked but I didn’t have the heart to have us walk back to the rental shack, get new skates, and then have to walk all the way back to the rink. After a few times around the rink, the skates started to hurt Kyle which is pretty common with rentals. We then devised a plan that I would go skate for a while, he would watch and rest, and then we could skate some more together.

I happily took the opportunity to get some skating in for myself. When I’m coaching, I rarely get the chance to do any spins or jumps before or after the session so it felt so good to do some of these things on my own. Whenever I go skating at a public rink, I’m always so flattered by the people who stop to watch me do my thang. I was greeted to some applause after I pulled out of a spin and many a “good jobs”, “beautiful” and “well done” throughout the hour or so on the ice. My favorite compliment came from a teenage boy who was with a group of friends who asked me if I would stay on the ice and do a show after every one exited the rink for it to get zambonied. It was definitely an unexpected and very sweet compliment, considering the boy was surrounded by his gaggle of male friends!

After a few minutes of skating on my own, I always would return back to Kyle so we could take a journey around the rink together. After a while, we both decided that it was getting cold and that we should head back home. We got off the rink and I walked while Kyle waddled back to the rental shack to take off our skates. Taking our skates off and putting our shoes on felt so good that we used the term “pillow feet” to describe the walking on air feeling!

The real question that arises from this is “did going skating with your boyfriend really happen if you don’t have pictures”? The answer is NO, so to prove the validity of this post, take a look at some cute pictures of me and Kyle. My featured image photo is my favorite picture of us!

^^^ I love us!!

So there you have it, some weekend Ice Skating Fun with my beau! We had a blast and I hope we can hit the rink again sometime soon. What is your favorite winter sport? Who has never gone ice skating before? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec7

Monday Update: Winter Fest Fun Edition

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Monday Update: Winter Fest Fun Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! I had a sub par weekend due to some unfortunate family falling outs BUT I did have an awesome Saturday morning! I coach figure skating for the Special Olympics and at the Lock 3 skating rink in downtown Akron a winter fest was held through the Summit Developmental Disabilities Board. I had such a blast with my skaters and their families and my mom joined us as well which made the outing even better! Let’s discuss:

Lock 3, as pictured in my featured image photo, is a fantastic landmark in Akron. There are concerts there during the summer and a lot of great winter activities as the weather gets colder. It was a frigid morning on Saturday but when my mom and I arrived at the rink, I was happy to see a lot of my skaters already there chatting, skating, and tying up their skates.

I was excited for my mom to meet everyone and I was also pretty pumped to have some Sarah skating time, too. When I’m coaching, I rarely have time on the ice to do any of my old jumps or spins so it felt SO good to be able to break out some of the tricks up my sleeve, even though my skates are dull as dish water…They need sharpened so bad! After some time to myself on the rink, more of my skaters showed up, so I got off to assist in tying up skates, helping with stretches, and introducing my mom!

After everyone was geared up and ready to go, we all got on the ice together along with the members of the community who were there. I was under the impression that my skaters were going to be able to perform their routines that they’ve been working on as their showcase for the morning, but I was in for a pleasant surprise once the ice was cleared and my skaters began to line up.

I got off the ice and put my blade guards on then took my spot by the side of the rink to watch the show. But because the event was thrown together pretty last minute, it turns out that my skaters were just going to have the ice to themselves for five or so minutes to show off a little. I then got called over from my spot by my students and the organizers of the event because they wanted me to join the skaters on the ice!

I haven’t been on the ice to “perform” in years and it felt great to share the rink with such wonderful skaters. All of my students got to share some of their moves with the crowd as I skated back and forth between them to check up on them, offer words of encouragement, or give suggestions. The exhibition was a hit, and the Akron Beacon Journal was even there taking pictures! All of my skaters did so well with their laps, spins, and gliding and I was so proud.

After our five minutes of fame, the doors to the rink opened and the community members were able to join us. I got off of the rink and was greeted by the crowd who was so kind and a big hug from my mom. She told me that “every second spent on skating was worth it to watch you just now” and it warmed my bitter and cold heart.

I spent a little more time on the ice with my students and then my mom and I hit the road. I didn’t exactly want to go but it was SO cold and my mom didn’t dress accordingly! The winter fest was a huge success and it was one of the best times I’ve had in ages. I was so happy that my mom, my skaters and their families, and the community was able to share in such a special event!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Winter Fest Fun Edition! I hope all of you had a great weekend! Do you have something similar to Lock 3 in your neck of the woods? Who has gone ice skating this winter? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah