come to know: Larah Winn

living in West Hartford, CT has been a welcomed experience in which i have had the opportunity to meet many.

one relationship that i will always cherish is with Larah.  her and i met when we began working for West Hartford Magazine at the same time... on the same day.

it was love at first sight. we collaborated on many projects and anytime i needed insight on a style feature she was the first to my side. time has passed and Larah has had her share of changes, but through it all she remains Larah - gorgeous inside and out.

always poised and prepared, always.

these are a few images i took of Larah for her blog (it's a good one!) - she used a few different images in her style post. i hope through this read you can "come to know" Larah as i have... and if you care to know her more, read her blog or reach for this handle:
@larabird or on insta: @larebear17

i really admire Larah's insight. hard to believe she just turned 27 - this is what she had to say:

26. What can I say but it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Aren't our twenties like that? An emotional roller coaster;  little permanence and a whole lot of uncertainty. 27 I don't feel will be much different than 26 but then again, I may be calling it a bit too early. So, instead of predicting an unpredictable future I'll leave 26 with what I've learned and what I want to accomplish this year.

1. I've found the "wear sunscreen" song (yes, that song from the nineties that actually is more like a speech) to be consistently right. Now having moved home, spending more time with my family, friends and reconnecting with old friends recently, this part of the speech holds especially true:

  "Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young." 

... read the rest of her thoughts on theearthyone.com.

a few fun questions:

\\ one word to describe me... Genuine.

\\ where were you born and where do you currently live?

I was a born and raised West Hartford kid (well, I spent the first three years of my life in Burlington, CT but I don't really remember it...) I'm living in West Hartford today!

\\ where do you work and what’s the best part of your job?

I currently work at Hartford Prints! a letterpress and design studio. The best part of my job is really the variety in what we do. One minute we're brainstorming ideas for funny seasonal greeting cards and the next I'm designing unique wedding invitations. It's just a fun and creative environment.

\\ what inspires you most?
I think honesty, the real and the raw inspire me most lately. Don't get me wrong, I love a good fashion blog or two but recently I love blogs that combine beautiful photography and a good story/lesson. 

\\ how do you find inspiration?
Ever since watching the " the September Issue" documentary - I really took to what Vogue's creative director Grace Coddington said about inspiration;

"...always keep your eyes open, you know, never fall asleep in the car or anything like that, keep watching, because whatever you see out the window or wherever...it can inspire you." 

so, in that way everything around me can inspire me. 

\\ i collect… magazines. I have a hard time letting go of issues I love. I've been collecting a lot of Real Simple magazines lately. 

\\ i never leave the house without… a little concealer - after a long day my under-eyes just need a little pick me up.

\\ my go to outfit… dark jeans with a light chambray shirt - I'm loving the simple denims on denim look. 

\\ what’s your fave trend for Fall and why?
My favorite trend for fall is looking like the ankle boot. I got a great dirty brown pair from Target and I wear them with everything lately. 

\\ if you could only wear one color it would be… one color? Well it either be black or white... Cliche no? But how can you go wrong?

\\ on a Sunday afternoon I like to… take my Boxer Baya to the dog park. You can meet a lot of interesting people and dogs there. Guess it benefits both dog and man;)

\\ you love to cook – why? What’s your fave dish?
I love cooking because I feel much like drawing its a wonderful creative outlet and gives me such a calm focus that I sometimes lack during the workday. My favorite dish has to be some kind of seafood. I love salmon, so any version is really my go to.

\\ if you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
Chips and salsa. No question. By salsa I mean the fresh pico de gallo kind with a spicy kick. 

\\ if you were a song, what song would you be?
I would be a folk song for sure. A good heartfelt twangy ballad, that's me. My favorite song/ band "down in the valley" by the head and the heart.

\\ what are the last five things you Googled?
.Letterpress
.Grace Coddington
.Boxer-Pitbull mixes
.Pinterest
.Love quotes

\\ i love…
the smell of coffee when I wake up, the sound of my family around the holidays, a really good cheese and wine combo, the look my puppy baya gives me in the morning, being in love, chips and salsa, a good bloody Mary, a good quote , Ben and Jerry's coffee heath bar crunch, the smell of the fall and really long naps:)

I could go on. but the "little things" lets just say.