Don't Take It Personal.

THE FABULOUS BEGINNING.

2012-01-21T18:30:00.001-05:00

_______________________________

Before we hit the stores for our post-holiday shopping.

Currently reading.

Little brother & boyfriend's birthday party...
Before the cops shut it down, wah.
http://wablesphoto.tumblr.com/
(One of the most talented photographers I've been lucky enough to come into contact with.)

How we spent New Year's Eve // Whorehouse & the afters.
http://jsmithpro.blogspot.com/

New Year's Day.

Just one of the most amazing nights that didn't end until 9am, last weekend.

@ Gallery Bar.
http://wablesphoto.tumblr.com/

After 2 long months, my main shorty, Alys, has finally returned to NYC soil.
We had to celebrate last night with dinner at Souvlaki GR, then dessert at Lil' Frankie's.
We split the Nutella Focaccino (with fresh strawberries) &
the Valrhona Chocolate Cake (with crushed berries & fresh hand whipped cream).

Last Saturday was quite eventful for me.
For the past few months, I've been in desperate need of a haircut.
I hunted around for a few salons and came across Kanako Salon via Yelp.
The haircut was very reasonably priced and she did such a wonderful job...
I'm in love!

Just the Kitten Clan @ the Commodore, last Saturday night.

These photos are just a little rundown from the very end of 2011 into the beginning of 2012.

I apologize for procrastinating on publishing this post for so long, but I've been trying to hold off and include as much as possible due to the fact that I'm leaving for vacation on Wednesday, the 25th. My boyfriend and I are going to Disney World, so yay! In short, this year has started off as something amazing. My main shorty is back in NYC, my Kitten Clan is expanding with nothing but love and I've finally mustered up the strength to cut my locks. I guess you can say that I'm feeling a little on the "brand new" side.

Thanks for reading/watching!
XO

HOLIDAY RECAP/GOODBYE 2011.

2011-12-31T17:45:00.001-05:00

Homemade chicken pot pie for dinner... Delicious.
I'm willing to post the recipe/photo instructions, if anybody is interested, let me know.

Good morning.

Boyfriend hanging up our Christmas lights.

Homemade sugared soft ginger cookies.

Homemade chicken parm sandwiches for a quick dinner.

Christmas Eve breakfast.

Weee... It's Christmas!

My herb buttered turkey.
For the Christmas dinner that I hosted, this was the first time I prepared a turkey on my own.
It was amazing... This turkey was such a hit.
Absolute perfection.

Fortunately and unfortunately, I was too busy cooking the entire time my company was over,
so I didn't have the opportunity to take any of my own photos, which is disappointing.
My good friend Vanessa brought her camera and snapped a few for me.
I'm also wearing the apron my boyfriend made me for Christmas, so sweet.

Spiderman stocking stuffers.

Connie, my love... And Foxy, of course.

The day after Christmas, my boyfriend, Connie and myself did what else, but shop.
The photo above is our damage in Urban Outfitters.
I'm sure you aren't too surprised, ha.
I picked up some perfect things and also received some glorious presents for Christmas,
so expect a haul within the first week of the 2012.

Connie & I heading out last night to my little brother and boyfriend's birthday party.

__________________________________________

Well, 2011 is over and a new year is about to begin. This past year was amazing for many reasons. I've been lucky enough to share time and create memories with my family members. I've gained some wonderful friends that I'm positive will last me a lifetime. I have a loving boyfriend who is always aiming to give me the world. I am a lucky girl and for that I am grateful. School is coming along smoothly... I actually start my winter classes on January 3rd, so much for a winter break! ... But that's life. I'm not exactly sure what the future holds, but I'm sure things will only get better from here. My plans for ringing in the new year are pretty low-key compared to other years. Luckily, my good friend, Denise and I have our disposable cameras ready, so we'll have documentary. We'll be ringing in 2012 with some close friends, quietly, while preparing to venture out into Williamsburg for a wild party that my boyfriend is hosting, so there will be only one thing left to do...
DANCE.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 2011 and I hope greatness continues for you in 2012.
Happy New Year, my darlings!
XO

GOODIES, GLITZ & KITTENS.

2011-12-22T21:35:00.004-05:00

I'm really not sure why half of my face is chopped and the sound is off...
But bear with me, I am too lazy to film with my Nikon, I apologize.
_________________________________________

Finally found a suitable album for my film photos taken in Paris.
I know, I'm super late, sue me.

This past weekend, my Momma bought a house!
I accompanied her on the inspection and afterwards,
we went for lunch in the town at WillyNick's Restaurant & Bar.
Such a cute, trendy little restaurant with delicious food.
So glad we'll be able to eat here frequently from now on.
Following lunch, we did some shopping at the Westchester Mall, then
headed back into the city for our gel manicures & pedicures at Valley in Nolita.
It was a great day of mother/daughter bonding.

Mexican style layered dip.

House salad with one of the best vinaigrettes I've ever had.

Margherita pizza.

My gel glitter manicure.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful holiday!
XO

REFLECTIONS THROUGH FILM - PART ONE.

2011-12-08T19:37:00.003-05:00

Over the summer, I ran through rolls and rolls of film...
As summer left and fall reigned upon us, those rolls of film were tossed to the side.
I procrastinated on the developing process, but finally decided to get on with it.
Last week, I dropped off two of the rolls and was able to retrieve them yesterday.
Not only am I slightly impressed with myself,
I'm also amazed at how while you're living in these moments,
you don't realize how valuable they are.
Many of the loved ones of mine that you see in these photos, like myself,
complained throughout the summer that it just "wasn't good enough";
we felt it wasn't meeting our expectations...
Now given the opportunity to reflect,
what we thought was boring, we now recognize as beautiful...
Please enjoy my summer of 2011 recap through film and expect more to come.
...Hopefully before 2012 arrives,
since I think these reflections are a wonderful way to bring in a new year.

No pork, Brooklyn.

White Noise.

Kreayshawn.

Piano's.

My beauties.

Liquor shopping.

On our way to the Big Bang 2.

The night I sat on the sidewalk and ate a slice of pizza.

Arrow Bar.

Coney Island.

Snack Dragon.

Tammany Hall.

Late nights turn into early mornings, summer sunrise upon leaving the afterhours.

The Hundreds.

Little Italy, NYC.

Ferrara's, Little Italy.

Florio's, Little Italy.

Beauty Bar.

Lit.

Fin.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE KNOCKING.

2011-11-28T19:54:00.003-05:00

My boyfriend and I kicked off our busy holiday week
with a rainy lunch date last Tuesday at Cheeburger Cheeburger.
It's one of my favorite burger joints, thanks to my good (fellow foodie) friend Iman.
My boyfriend and I first visited several months ago and had mixed feelings.
This time, maybe because we were in a major mood for burgers, we were greatly satisfied.

We enjoyed sharing the basket of onion rings and well seasoned fries.

My banana milkshake... Amazing.
One of the best milkshakes I've ever had.
They have so many milkshake flavors to choose from,
one of the main reasons I'm anxious to return.

My "Semi-Serious" burger with lettuce, tomato, guacamole,
onion rings, American cheese and barbecue sauce.
I made a hit with my choice of toppings...
You just can't go wrong with guacamole.

His strawberry cheesecake milkshake... Also super delicious.

His "Semi Serious" burger with Swiss cheese, lettuce, ketchup, onion rings, pickles...
I'm not even sure what else was on his burger, to be honest.

The following day, Wednesday, rolled around and I spent the day baking for Thanksgiving.

My apple caramel BUNDT cake with vanilla glaze &
carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream icing.

For Thanksgiving, I spent the earlier part of the day at my aunt's house,
who happens to just live across the street to enjoy my "pre-dinner"...
After that my brother and I headed towards the city, picking up my boyfriend on the way,
over to my mom's house where she prepared us a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
My boyfriend ended up knocking out, while my Mom and I chit-chatted the night away.
We eventually decided to spend the night,
with plans to wake up bright and early to hit up some stores in honor of Black Friday!

On our way to drop my brother off at The Hundreds, where he works
and heading on our way into New Jersey, where we hit up Livingston Mall and the super Target!
My Mom, Step-dad, boyfriend and myself had a great day.
I also picked up a few lovely things, mainly from H&M and Target,
so expect an upcoming haul within the next week or so
(I'm just waiting on some things I purchased via the internet).

On Saturday, my boyfriend and I headed to Far Rockaway to spend the
entire day with his family, particularly his dad, who I got to meet for the first time.
It was lovely...

Sunday rolled around and my family had a huge dinner;
I prepared baked macaroni & cheese and candied yams.

What a super satisfying week...

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday!

Thanks for reading.
XO

GOODIES, LOVE, FRIENDS: AUTUMN.

2011-11-14T23:48:00.003-05:00

I'd just like to apologize in advance for the sound and quality of this video.
I am too lazy to film with my Nikon, so I simply used iMovie...
For some reason at different points, the voice may not match up with the scene.
Bear with me and I promise next time, I'll use my Nikon: Lesson learned!

Gorgeous - Sinful Colors.
...A new favorite of mine.

I thought I'd just dedicate this blog post to a long-awaited haul video and some recent random photos.

@ Beauty Bar Brooklyn & Piano's, 35mm shots by Danielle Huertas.

@ Above Allen, the Thompson Hotel.

@ Lit.

Halloween @ Santos, photos by Roxy Cottontail.

@ Tammany Hall, photo by Wables.

Lately, life has been great. School is fine, love is fine, my friends and family are beautiful, as always. I'm impatiently waiting for the holidays. The time from Thanksgiving until New Year's Eve is my top favorite time of the year. I'm not a cold weather person, but I'm extremely festive, so I enjoy decorating, cooking, baking, gift giving and everything else. This Christmas I'll be hosting and preparing a 3 course dinner for loved ones, so stay tuned for some recipe features and things of that nature. I am so excited! I really enjoy hosting and cooking for others, especially when it is appreciated and it always is, so that helps. I also can't wait to start Christmas shopping. Anyways, I think I'll leave it at that, since I talk to much in the vlog, I hope you enjoy!

Thank you for reading/watching.
XO

LATELY THIS IS WHAT I'M INTO: NOVEMBER EDITION.

2011-11-06T19:45:00.005-05:00

(From left to right)
Top: Pierre Hardy, Pierre Hardy, Alaïa, Alexander Wang, Burberry.
Bottom: Charlotte Olympia, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin, Charlotte Olympia.

Top: Giambattista Valli, Vince, Stella McCartney, Lanvin, Emilio Pucci.
Bottom: Lanvin, Michael Kors, Rachel Zoe, Mary Katrantzou Vienouas, The Row.

Top: J. Mendel, Unconditional, Rochas, Chanel, Rachel Comey.
Bottom: Jil Sander, Zara, Dorothy Perkins, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Missselfridge.com.

Top: Laura Levy, Dolce & Gabbana, Fiona Paxton, Chanel.
Middle: Dorothy Perkins, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Karen Walker (both sunglasses).
Bottom: Imogen Belfield, Oscar de la Renta, Brixton, H&M.

Top: Marc Jacobs fragrance in "Eau So Fresh", NARS "Night Series" eyeshadow palette,
Yves Saint Laurent Holiday 2011 nail polish trio, fruity nail polish remover.
Middle: Monsoon coconut lip balm, Yves Saint Laurent Rouge
Volupte Perle lip stick, NARS lip gloss trio.
Bottom: Japonesque Synthetic Concealer/Foundation brush, Barry M. Supersoft Eye Crayon, Betty Jackson Pomegranate body butter, Tom Ford Private Blend lip stick in "Nude Vanilla", Deborah Lippman nail lacquer in "Glamorous Life", Chanel nail lacquer in "Particular", Anthony Logistics Continuous Moisture eye cream.

Autumn has really become one of my favorite seasons,
so this edition of "What I'm Into" was really fun for me to put together.

What are you guys currently into?

DATE DAY.

2011-10-29T18:50:00.003-04:00

Date day.

Cafetasia @ 85 Avenue A, NYC, 10009.
I am now absolutely in love with this place. The food is amazing, the staff
is lovely and the prices are beyond reasonable - Especially during Happy Hour.

My boyfriend and I ordered 2 small plates and 2 main dishes,
all of which to share with each other.
Everything was delicious.

Small dish #1 - Crispy Spring Roll Tempura (2$): Glass noodle, carrot, jicama and
scallion, served with pineapple vinaigrette dressing.

Small dish #2 - Fried Chicken and Shrimp Shumai (2$): Served with chili honey sauce.
This was our FAVORITE small dish, it was so awesome...
When we return, I'm ordering several of these.

Extra small dish/side order - Coconut Sticky Rice (2$): This was a little disappointing,
but I still ate it... I expected more of a coconut flavor and the rice
was a tad overcooked, a little on the mushy side.

Main dish #1 - Grilled Salmon (6$): Topped with 3 flavor sauce, served
with mixed vegetables and Jasmine rice.
This was our absolute FAVORITE main dish... Beyond words.

Main dish #2: Grilled Chicken Sa-tae Sandwich (6$): Served with
homemade potato chips and cucumber salsa.
This was tasty, but a little too much sauce on the sandwich.
I really enjoyed the chicken and cucumber combo.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art @ 1000 5th Avenue, NYC, 10028.

Mastaba Tomb of Perneb - Ancient Egyptian, circa 2381 - 2323.

Inside of the Tomb of Perneb.

Statue of Kaipunesut - Ancient Egyptian, circa 2528 - 2520 B.C.

Temple of Dendur - Ancient Egyptian, circa 15 B.C.
I've taken so many photos of this Temple, but I just have to keep re-posting, since
each photo captures so many different aspects.

I really love this photo that my boyfriend took of me.

Us, being mini in the Sculpture Hall.

These were so gorgeous, I wish I had one for myself...

Blur.

The Death of Socrates - Jacque-Louis David, 1787.
This painting is one of my absolute favorites...
It doesn't help that I'm a huge Philosophy nut.

Christ Carrying the Cross - El Greco, 1580's.
This painting against the ruby velvet wall covering was just striking.
Really reminded me of my time spent in Spain last year.

Venus and Cupid - Lorenzo Lotto, circa 1520's.

Modern Photography exhibit.

Walking Gun - Laurie Simmons, 1991.

...We had a really long and wonderful day. We actually started the day with visiting Target on Flatbush Avenue (expect a haul within the next few days), where I purchased some great goodies. We then came home, got ready and headed to lunch then to the Met. Afterwards, we came back home, ate some more then headed to a party that my boyfriend was hosting deep in Williamsburg. Aside from our date day, life has been pretty lovely. I've been doing good in school and having a nice time with my ladies, as well. I know that I haven't been blogging as frequently as I'd like to be, but sometimes it's just such a hassle. I definitely post more often on Tumblr and Twitter, so check me out there, if you'd like. I've also been procrastinating pretty badly when it comes to filming a vlog, but I do plan on filming a collective haul covering the past month or so and a "Fall Favorites" video. I apologize for the wait, but I appreciate that my followers have been bearing with me! You guys are dolls and I hope everything has been grand for each of you.

Thanks for reading.
XO

FEEDING MY SOUL.

2011-10-11T00:28:00.003-04:00

Greek fries.

Greek salad.
This is one of my current favorite things.

Chicken souvlaki & the Greek burger.

Delicious lunch date with the boyfriend @ Souvlaki GR.
116 Stanton Street, NYC, 10002.
This is actually my most recent favorite place to eat...
So amazing (and extremely inexpensive).

On Friday, I made dinner for my boyfriend, his best friend and his best friend's girlfriend.
Dinner included fresh homemade wine tomato sauce over spaghetti with chicken cutlets,
shrimp, lobster tails and garlic bread.
It was a hit.

This past Sunday, my boyfriend and I took his 3 little cousins and younger brother to Dave & Buster's. It was my first time visiting the one in Times Square. Let's just say I wasn't a fan. The games were bleh, so we decided to eat, simply to occupy ourselves while they ran wild... That was a HUGE mistake and a waste of money. The food sucks, same goes for the service. On the bright side, my boyfriend won me a huge Barney doll... On the first try, might I add. Aside from that, the visit was pointless. We came home afterwards and I cooked dinner for everybody: Tomato and onion stewed chicken with potatoes over white rice, with green beans on the side. Another hit... As you can tell, and I'm sure not the first time you're noticing, I really enjoy cooking/baking. I find it extremely enjoyable. Anybody else enjoy cooking as much as I do? If so, what's your favorite meal to prepare? Anyways, I'm planning on my next blog entry being a haul since I recently just picked up some goodies, so stay tuned. It would and should have been this post, but I was too lazy to film the vlog... I apologize.

Thanks for reading and I hope all is well, darlings!
XO

MY BELOVED BROOKLYN.

2011-09-26T19:58:00.002-04:00

Habana Outpost @ 757 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NYC, 11217.

I had the chicken quesadilla and my boyfriend had the diablo chicken burrito;
of course we both had the famous Mexican corn... Amazing.
The food at Habana Outpost is reasonably priced and super delicious.
The setting and ambiance of the place really adds to the meal experience!

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch.

The Wafels & Dinges truck, follow them HERE.

The mini wafelini with Nutella & bananas.
Just a sweet snack for us to share.

Brooklyn Public Library (Central Library) @ 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NYC, 11238.

The Brooklyn Museum @ 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NYC, 11238.

reOrder: An Architectural Environment - Situ Studio, 2005-Present.

The Latino List - Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, 2011.

African Innovations.

Guardian Lion - China (Qing Dynasty/Kangxi Era), circa 1662-1722.

Seated Divinity - Central Java, 9th century.
One of my favorite pieces from this visit.

The Battle of Karbala - Iran, late 19th - early 20th century.

Face of Amunhotep II - Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, circa 1400 B.C.

The Mummy Chamber.

The Spirit and the Letter - Matthew Buckingham, 2007.

Us.

The Dinner Party - Judy Chicago, 1974-79.
Every single time I visit the Brooklyn Museum, I repeatedly fawn over this empowering piece.
It is truly a work of art and by far one of my all-time favorites.

Georgia O'Keeffe's place setting at The Dinner Party.

Susan B. Anthony's place setting at The Dinner Party.

Theodora's place setting at The Dinner Party.

Sacajawea's place setting at The Dinner Party.

Maybe one day I'll have my own place setting at The Dinner Party...

Being that the Bhagavad Gita is a favorite read of mine,
I really enjoyed the intricate details of this temporary exhibition.

Last Sunday, my boyfriend and I decided to take on the brisk fall weather to have lunch at Habana Outpost. It was our first visit there, but we had heard amazing things, so we decided to check it out... The food was so delicious and the prices were better than reasonable. The yard area where you eat was so cute and colorful. I really enjoyed and hope to visit again before they close the yard on October 30th, due to the changing seasons. After lunch, we headed over to the Brooklyn Museum - Stopping first in front of Prospect Park and grabbing a snack from the waffle truck. Follow them on Twitter, the link is above! All of the food trucks were stationed in the area, so in the future we plan to buy something small from each of them - That should make for an interesting blog post! Back to the Brooklyn Museum, I had initially decided to visit for the Eva Hesse exhibit, which I adored, but pictures were not allowed. I always enjoy the Brooklyn Museum's collection, it's a wonderful survey of art from ancient to contemporary. Because it's such an equal mix without getting overbearing, my boyfriend enjoys it too. It was a great day!

Thanks for reading, lovelies.
XO

LATELY THIS IS WHAT I'M INTO: SEPTEMBER EDITION.

2011-09-18T02:26:00.005-04:00

(From left to right)
Top: Chloé, Giuseppe Zanotti, Valentino, Sonia Rykiel, Alexander McQueen.
Bottom: Giuseppe Zanotti, Loeffler Randall, Alexander McQueen, Ballin, Dolce & Gabbana.

Top: Hanii, Givenchy, Thierry Mugler Vintage, Pauw, Dries Van Noten.
Bottom: Yves Saint Laurent, Robert Rodriguez, Gareth Pugh,
Liska by Thomas Kirchgrabner, Stella McCartney.

Top: See by Chloé, TopShop, Lipsy, Opening Ceremony, Barbara Bui, Nicole Miller.
Bottom: Vila, Givenchy, Zucca, Bonita, Tibi, Yigal Azrouel.

Top: Alexander Wang, A Peace Treaty, Jerome Dreyfuss, Alexander McQueen, Maria Nilsdotter.
Middle: Roberto Cavalli, Helene Berman, Monsoon,
Alexander Wang, Betsey Johnson, Just Female Access.
Bottom: Agent Provocateur, Versace, Elizabeth & James, Forever 21.

Top: Butter London nail lacquer in "Big Smoke" and "Minger", "Never Let Them See You Shine" scrub by Philosophy, Diorskin nude compact foundation by Christian Dior, High Beam highlighter by Benefit.
Middle: Monsoon vanilla lip balm, Hypnose Drama waterproof mascara by Lancome,
Armani Beauty Eyes to Kill eye shadow in "Lust Red".
Bottom: Fabulips sugar lip scrub by Bliss, Crystal Noir fragrance by Versace, Rouge Volupte Perle lipstick in "Brazen Plum" by Yves Saint Laurent, 3-in-one shower gel, bubble bath and shampoo in "Autumn Air" by Philosophy, Chanel Le Vernis nail lacquer in "Peridot".

What are you guys currently into?

I know that it's been a while, but with a new season blooming, I thought it was only right.
Hope you all enjoyed & thanks for reading!
XO

SUMMERTIME: THE FINALE.

2011-09-10T22:32:00.014-04:00

Brock Fetch.

Lovely Christina.

Gilly.

Vivian Luxx.

Last 4 are film photos shot by my lovely friend Danielle.

JC Photography.

Manual Focus, shooting for Get Active @ the Big Bang 2.

Xavier Veal.

@ 190 Bowery, New York City, 10012.
I love nothing more than passing this building. Every single time I pass it, I just feel so inspired. I've walked by it time after time and just never found the time to pull out my camera - Partially because I was stuck in awe, and also because I just felt that photos would not be able to capture it's genuine beauty. This building has so much history, so feel free to Google it and do some research. It is a haven for our contemporary street artists, as it is a legendary memorial for some of our past icons of the art world such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. The man who lives here is a true freedom of the arts advocate and I admire him so much for it.

Last 2 were shot by Wables Photography @ the Yours Truly Brand Dubstep Dinner Party.

Shockingly, over the past few weeks, I've been anxiously anticipating the beginning of the fall season. Things are just always better for me during this transitional season. Although I'm not a fan of the cold weather, everything just seems much more exciting. This post was a retrospective (and pretty random) look at this past summer, which was absolutely amazing, might I add. I was aiming to post photos that I hadn't posted yet - Some taken by me and some taken by others (wherever there is credit given/posted). Check out the sites of the credited photographers posted throughout this post, and all throughout this blog while you're at it. Even though 99% of the pictures on this blog are shot by me, and I don't consider myself a "photographer", I like to give my readers a little insight through the eyes of other creative individuals that I'm lucky enough to interact with, as well.

Anyways, over the past few days, a lot has happened. School started up again this past week and I thoroughly enjoy my classes, plus my schedule is so light! Since I like to party and hang out all throughout the fall, I thought it would be smart to go easy on the times of my classes so I don't end up oversleeping and screwing things up for myself. The earliest I go in is 10:20 am and the latest I get out is 2:50 pm. I'm taking Ancient Art History, the Science of Nutrition and African, Native American and Oceanic Art. They all seem extremely interesting and my professors seem pretty awesome so far. Aside from school, life has been wonderful. I don't think I've ever appreciated my loved ones more than I do right now. I have a loving boyfriend and some of the most amazing and beautiful friends I've ever had in my entire life, on top of a magnificent family (but that has never changed). This past week has really opened my eyes to how wonderful my life really is. Specifically the past two nights, the amount of fun I had is too much for words. Once the photographers post the photos, since I didn't take any of my own, I'll be sure to post them on here. I am truly lucky. I hope you all can say the same and are ready for what this fall season has to offer.

Also, on the eve of the anniversary of the tragedies of September 11th, 2001,
I would just like to remind those of the lives that were lost
and the devastation that hit our beloved New York City on that day.
RIP and never forget.

Thanks for reading, darlings.
Stay lovely.
XO

STRICTLY 90'S HAPPY HOUR + ARTS & CRAFTS.

2011-09-01T14:01:00.006-04:00

We began our monthly arts & crafts night last month - August and it was a great success. This month we decided to theme it all around including a strictly 90's playlist, featuring the films Clueless & House Party and making furry pens to go along with the movie Clueless. We promoted a lot more than usual and the turnout was wonderful. Most of the girls there participated in making the furry pens, Alys kept the strong drinks flowing and my boyfriend kept the 90's tunes going all night long... Well, until Happy Hour ended at 10pm, but trust me - Most people left wasted, including myself. This was so much fun! People have even requested that we do a strictly 90's night at least once a month, separate from the arts & crafts project. We're working on it now, planning to possibly have the first Tuesday of every month 90's night and the last Tuesday of every month arts & crafts night. With the cold weather coming up, it's essential that we give people a fun, friendly environment to be cozy and feel welcome. Once the weather gets really chilly, Alys and I will also be working on bringing in some homemade baked goods, particularly cupcakes.

This upcoming arts & crafts night - The last Tuesday of September - We'll be
making feather/flower hair accessories and watching the film Frida.
The girls have really been enjoying this outlet for creativity
and it has provided us some awesome bonding time.
This is one of the best ideas we've ever come up with.

If you're in the NYC area, please feel free to contact me about coming!
The more the merrier.
Best way to receive invites and news about events is through Facebook, so add me, darlings.

VISITING WASHINGTON, D.C.

2011-08-24T16:00:00.003-04:00

We rode the Greyhound bus from NYC to Washington, D.C.
on Sunday morning and arrived by 1:30 pm.
We weren't planning to check into the Hotel George until 3pm,
but luckily, we were able to upon arrival.
Following check-in, we ventured the area and decided to have brunch at Matchbox.

@ 521 8th Street SE, Washington, D.C., 20003.

We both had the cast-iron steak & eggs with brunch
potatoes and grilled ciabatta with garlic butter.

Spirit of Justice.

Bartholdi Fountain.

The US Botanic Garden.

National Museum of the American Indian.

The first museum that we decided to explore was the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden.
It was the museum that I had most highly anticipated and I ended up falling in love with it.
The architecture was interesting, the collection was amazing,
the guards/staff were extremely informative and admission is free!

Brushstroke - Roy Lichtenstein, 1996.

Two Discs - Alexander Calder, 1965.

Last Conversation Piece - Juan Munoz, 1994/5.

First Row Orchestra - Edward Hopper, 1951.

Ferragosto II - Cy Twombly, 1961.
In Memorium: April 25, 1928 - July 5, 2011.

Diptych: Study of the Human Body - From a Drawing by Ingres - Francis Bacon, 1982-84.

Directions: Grazia Toderi.

Bust of Diego - Alberto Giacometti, 1957.

Delaware Gap - Franz Kline, 1958.

Book No. 6 - Lucas Samaras, 1962.

Woman with Baby Carriage - Pablo Picasso, 1950.

Marilyn Monroe's Lips - Andy Warhol, 1962.

Untitled (Sculptural Study, 12-part Vertical Construction) - Fred Sandback, 1990.

Milk Run - James Turrell, 1996.
This is one of the most amazing artworks I've ever been able to experience -
Partially because I was able to take part in its process.
When you come across it in the museum, a guard approaches you and asks if you're "ready" to
enter, she then warns you that it is PITCH BLACK upon entering the doorway.
You must examine the map before you enter, so you have an idea where you're going and
it's best advised that you hold onto the rail before you reach the seating area.
You have to remain in this room for several minutes to be able to adapt to the low lighting conditions...
Amazingly, your eyes adjust and you're then able to see everything around you.
What you once so blindly stumbled upon is now in your plain, clear sight.
It was so awesome... I really loved this artwork.

Back I, II, III & IV - Henri Matisse.

Penance No. 3 - Manuel Neri, 1982.

Condensation Cube - Hans Haacke, 1963 - 2008.

The National Air & Space Museum.

We simply stumbled into this museum in an attempt to "kill time",
but ended up really loving this place and enjoying ourselves.
The collection was like nothing I've ever seen before and
the exhibits were so educational, but fun at the same time.
I'm really glad we visited this museum because my boyfriend was SO pleased.
It was really the highlight of the trip for him, so that made me happy.

After leaving the National Air & Space Museum, we decided to walk around
and just park ourselves somewhere, mainly to enjoy the sunset.
We realized that we were (what seemed to be) directly amongst the monuments,
so instead of trying to cram everything into the following day, we figured... WHY NOT TODAY?!
We sat and relaxed for a little while in front of the US Capitol, then took the trek
all the way towards the end of the hike, finishing up with the Lincoln Memorial.

In front of the US Capitol.

The Washington Monument.

The National World War II Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

As you can tell, our first day in D.C. was super fulfilling, but also extremely tiring.
We walked 5+ miles that day and although it was all worth it,
what a strain.
So the next morning, before we headed out to some more museums,
we decided it would be best to treat ourselves to some breakfast in bed.

Checking out of the Hotel George.

On our way to the museums...

Tom's - Alexander Calder, 1974.

The National Gallery of Art - West Building.

Venus - Milanese, 16th century - 1580/1590.

Louis XIV - After Gian Lorenzo Bernini, circa 1700.

Naiad - Antonio Canova, 1815-1823.

The Veil of Veronica - Domenico Fetti, circa 1618/1622.

The Girl with a Shell - Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, 1863-1867.

Painting & Sculpture - Jean-Pierre-Antoine Tassaert, 1774/1778.

Shaw Memorial - Augustus Saint-Gaudens, 1900.

My boyfriend is a little bit more into modern and contemporary art, so he became a
little restless in the West building of the National Gallery of Art.
Looking at the map, we followed the underground concourse to the East building...
The walls and even the restrooms were lined with replicas of masterpieces,
so even though you were no longer in the art galleries, you still knew and
felt that you were in a museum... I loved it.
Passing through the gift shop, we came across the cafeteria and figured we
should sit down and have a bite to eat since we had another entire building to go through.

The National Gallery of Art's cafeteria.

Although a little pricey, the food was delicious and exactly what we needed.

Fountain waterfall.

The path to the East Building.
Multiverse - Leo Villareal, 2008.

Outside of the East Building, warming up, underneath the sunshine.

Permanent Alexander Calder mobile.

Walking Man II - Alberto Giacometti, 1960.

Satan's Flag - Gene Davis, 1970.

Tableau No. IV; Lozenge Composition with Red, Gray, Blue, Yellow, and Black - Piet Mondrian, circa 1924/25.

Permanent Installation: The Matisse Cutouts room.

Constantin Brancusi display.

The Alexander Calder room.

Cuadro 78 - Manolo Millares, 1959.

Composition - Pierre Soulages, 1955.

Mark Rothko display.
Some of you may already know this, but Mark Rothko is one of my favorite artists.
Before arriving to the National Gallery of Art, I was under the impression that
this museum contained a Rothko Chapel.
I believe I read it on some other site a few days before our trip.
Unfortunately, when I arrived and couldn't locate the chapel, I asked
one of the guards and she informed me that it had been taken down.
My heart was broken... But maybe one day.

Lavender Mist - Jackson Pollock, 1950.

The Barnett Newman room.
I absolutely LOVED this experienced.
I'm sure some of you can tell that I am a major fan of the Abstract Expressionist movement.
One of the most beautiful things I've ever stumbled upon.

Leaving the National Gallery of Art.

We planned to possibly visit another museum before we left, but we were
exhausted and our legs were killing us, so we decided to end the trip here.
We were originally supposed to leave on a 7:30pm bus, but we caught the 5pm.
We really enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to return!
The museums were exceptional, the weather was lovely, food delicious
and the night in the hotel was so relaxing.
So glad we decided to visit D.C. ... Great summer highlight.

Thanks for reading, loves.
Any questions? Feel free to ask.
XOXO

IN THE PAST WEEK...

2011-08-18T15:44:00.001-04:00

August 11th, 2011 - Prospect Park, Brooklyn...
Our anniversary picnic!

Made a cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread for our picnic.
Recipe HERE.

Last Monday, Alys & I decided to have a slumber party.
We watched the movie Chloe, chit-chatted all night & even baked cupcakes.
We discovered that we are an awesome baking team
and we just might have to take this further...
Especially since we shared our delicious treats at Beauty Bar
the following day and they were an absolute hit!

Ah, life has been amazing, truly. My friends are awesome, family great and boyfriend amazing. Although summer is coming to a close, I am (for the first time in a long time) looking forward to fall. I feel like it's gonna be too wonderful for words. School is coming up and I'm a tad excited, well... Kinda. This upcoming Sunday, my boyfriend and I are heading to DC for an overnight stay. I can't wait to visit the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, as well as the National Gallery of Art. I'm also looking forward to the Afro-Punk Festival, August 27th/28th. Following that, my boyfriend and girlfriends are throwing yet another arts & crafts/happy hour/party at Beauty Bar Brooklyn on Tuesday, August 30th. This time it'll be 90's themed... I'm currently working on the flyer as I create this blog post, so once it's all complete, I'll be promoting via this blog, Facebook and Twitter, so add/follow me! If I don't know you personally, send me a little message, letting me know you're a follower of my blog so I can accept & follow back. These events will be the perfect close to my amazing summer and a great introduction to a super anticipated fall season. Can't wait!

I hope that life is treating all of you spectacularly!
Thanks for reading, darlings.
XO

SUMMER FAVES!

2011-08-10T13:26:00.006-04:00

Products featured:
1. Bath & Body Works Coconut Mango Smoothing Body Scrub - $14.
2. Suave Kids Soft & Smooth Detangler in "Twirlin' Swirlberry" - $3 or so.
3. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Body Oil - $6.
4. Bath & Body Works Coconut Pineapple Body Spray - $14.
5. e.l.f. Golden Bronzer - $3. // e.l.f. Total Face Brush - $1.
6. The Balm "Hot Mama" shadow/blush - $19.
7. Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss/Sheer Color in "Baby Pout" - $18.
8. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick in "Provocative Pink (#10)" - $34.
9. Fusion Beauty LipFusion InFATuation lip gloss in "La Lip Jolie" - $29.
10. Zoya nail polish in "Trixie" - $8.
11. Butter London nail lacquer in "Rosie Lee" - $14.
12. NARS nail polish in "Arabesque" - $17.

What are some of your summertime beauty favorites?
Feel free to share, compare and review!

Lately...

Currently, my nails.

VYNL @ 754 9th Avenue & 51st Street, NYC, 10019.
Hungry and hunting for a Happy Hour, my Momma & I stumbled upon this place.
Adorable, inexpensive, strong/cheap frozen drinks & yummy food.

Frozen peach margarita & frozen Cosmopolitan (5$ each during Happy Hour).

Momma Dearest.

Cheeseburger Eggrolls with Thousand Island dressing ($6):
Of course, as soon as my Momma & I spotted these on the menu,
we just had to give them a shot. They were alright, a tad on the weird side.
Not exactly my favorite, but worth trying.

Panko Breaded Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard dipping sauce ($7):
These were delicious, including the honey mustard. On point.

Sweet Potato Fries ($5):
They really give you a lot of fries here and they were delicious,
I couldn't stop eating them.
Only thing I would have changed are the dipping sauces.
With sweet potato fries, we usually prefer a sweet dipping sauce -
They gave us blue cheese & ketchup, eh... Still delicious, though.

Buttermilk Marinated Onion Rings with Blue Cheese dipping sauce ($5):
These were just PURE YUM.

I really enjoyed our late lunch/early dinner at this place.
Definitely plan on returning, especially for Happy Hour.

Later in the evening, I linked up with my boyfriend...
Who seems to show me that he loves me in the strangest ways.
I appreciate his creativity and efforts, though.
Sweetest thing.

Hope you all enjoyed reading/watching!
XO

KITTIES, SEA LIONS & FISHIES... OH MY!

2011-08-02T14:08:00.001-04:00

Some of my shorties & I at Arrow Bar last Friday night.
We love photobooths.

As some of you may already know,
every Tuesday from 6 to 9pm my main shorty,
Alys AKA McFluffy bartends/hosts Happy Hour @ Beauty Bar Brooklyn
921 Broadway & Myrtle, Brooklyn, NYC, 11206.
Since its a weekly meet-up for my girlies and I, we decided to start a
monthly arts & crafts night. This past Tuesday was our first attempt and
it was an amazing turnout/success.
We themed the night "Crafts, The Craft & crafty drinks"...
With the classic movie The Craft playing on the projector, my boyfriend DJing,
Alys behind the bar inventing drinks, we created all kinds of friendship bracelets.
It was awesome.
We hold arts & crafts night every last Tuesday of the month,
so stay tuned for August's theme.

The finished products.
Kitties 4ever.

This past Friday, boyfriend & I had date day/night.
We decided to visit the NY Aquarium in Coney Island,
which is free on Fridays after 3pm.
On the way, we ventured through the amusement park.
Kids at heart.

Welcome to the NY Aquarium...

Summer, ah...

Hope everything is great for all of you.
Thanks for reading.
XO

MIDSUMMERTIME DREAM.

2011-07-21T22:02:00.006-04:00

Just some random photos from the past week or so.
Coney Island, our weekly Beauty Bar Happy Hour & Whole Foods to sum them up.

These are the first sets of photos that I've taken with my new camera, the Nikon Coolpix L120 and I love it! The quality is really an upgrade from the L110 and there are so many more features... I'm really excited to film a vlog with it before the month is up - Most likely will be a "Summer Favorites" video, so stay tuned for that. Life has been awesome. Summer is going great and is probably one of the best summers I've had in my lifetime so far. I'm currently planning an overnight trip to DC, just to hit a few museums and restaurants, can't wait for that. Speaking of restaurants, Restaurant Week in NYC is almost up (July 24th!)... Once my Momma returned from her trip to Africa, her and I visited one restaurant so far - The Russian Tea Room... It was interesting, to say the least. Nicely put, I don't think we'll be returning. Before it's over, I'm hoping to be able to check out Yerba Buena and Tao, they both seem delicious, so we shall see. The temperatures have really been rising lately, today was 95 degrees and tomorrow we'll be hitting 100. Aside from the suffocating heat and humidity, today was pretty awesome. I was presented with an opportunity to help a friend of mine interview Kreayshawn in the Lower East Side, so that was pretty awesome and the interview turned out sweet. Following that, I met up with my main shorty Alys for some lunch at Piano's, then some brancing (browsing & prancing - We made that up today, bless us) in some stores, then finally finishing up with some weirdo watching in Whole Foods. I have tons of film to develop (4 rolls, to be exact), so hopefully the next post is a film photo overload - Fingers crossed! All in all, life is grand.

Hope all is well for everyone & thanks for reading.
XOXO

JULY, WEEK #1: THE RUNDOWN.

2011-07-10T23:52:00.011-04:00

We kicked off the first week of July with the Yours Truly BBQ/Pool Party on Saturday, July 2nd.

The previous photos were taken by @manuallfocus.

@ R Bar with my main shorty.

On July 4th, boyfriend and I had a romantic evening in. We were able to watch the beautiful sunset and the entire Macy's fireworks show from the apartment window. For dinner, we stirred up some fresh fruit Sangria and I made jerk chicken, along with rice & peas and banana bread. It was delicious and one of the most enjoyable nights we spent inside in a while. Sweet and relaxing.

On July 5th, I attended the Dom Kennedy show at SOB's with Neesha and my boyfriend.
These two photos were taken by Neesha. It was an awesome time.
The following day, we had some company over for dinner,
including Neesha and our darling friend, Milly.
I made some baked ziti, stirred up some more fresh fruit Sangria (latest obsession)
and baked a homemade apple pie.
I had never baked a pie before and for this one being my first, it was exceptional.
Here are the ingredients I used/steps I followed:

1 box of Betty Crocker's pie crust mix, 2 cans of Musselman's apple pie filling,
brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, flour, water, 1 egg (for the egg wash).

You prepare the pie crust in 2 sections: the base and the cover.
For each mix, you use half of the bag of pie mix and add in a teaspoon of vanilla, 2 tablespoons of cold water, 2 teaspoons of cold water and cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar at your discretion.
Blend and mesh this mix with your hands and form into a ball, ready to be rolled out.

Lightly flour your dough to prevent it from sticking to the counter and rolling pin.

For the base, thinly roll out the dough into a large enough
circle to stretch and fit the bottom and rim of your pie pan.
For the cover, thinly roll the dough and slice into strips to cross-hatch over your filling.

For your filling, in a large bowl empty the two cans of apple pie filling (which is VERY bland)
and mix in your seasonings (cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar) with a large spoon until satisfied.
Empty your filling into the bottom of your pie crust.

I kept adding more and more brown sugar and cinnamon because I'm a huge sweetie.
On top of the filling, I also added a few teaspoons of butter, for melting purposes.

Once you've completed your pie filling and sliced your pie dough into strips as a cover,
begin cross-hatching from one side to the other.
As you lay the strips over the top,
be sure to pinch the base crust and cover crust together to seal the pie.

Pinch all around the sides of the pie to make sure it's completely sealed.

To finish off the pie before it heads into the oven, brush an egg wash over the top of your crust.
Mix one egg with 2 tablespoons of water and brush on thoroughly.

Bake on 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the crust dark golden brown with a simmering filling.
Complete this dessert with some vanilla bean ice cream: Delicious.
Hope you enjoyed my recipe... We sure did!

I hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July!
If you're wondering why most of these photos weren't taken by me, it's because my digital camera is currently undergoing repair by Best Buy. I've been shooting with film lately and my camera should be returned to me by no later than next week, so please bear with me.
Thanks for reading, darlings.
XO

JULY, YOU ARE ALWAYS MOST WELCOME.

2011-07-01T22:55:00.007-04:00

Small collective haul from over the last month or so.
Including purchases from Forever 21, Bath & Body Works, Target & MAC.

I apologize for the tiny outburst!
I was having far too many interruptions to hold it together.
Thanks for bearing with me, darlings.

I'd also like to bring some attention to the few minor modifications I made to the blog today.
On the sidebar, I've added a clickable link to my Tumblr "Art Diary",
as well as a Google search bar at the very bottom that allows you to specifically search my blog.
Last but not least, finally a new ID picture... It's about time, heh.
Any suggestions, questions, comments, concerns?
Feel free to share!

Thanks for reading/watching & I hope you enjoyed.
XO

PERSONAL SPACE.

2011-06-15T22:48:00.006-04:00

Hi darlings. I feel like it has surely been a while since I took the time to just sit down and write a good old-fashioned blog post. Most of my posts are picture heavy, and although I love when things are that way, it's nice to just sit down, type and allow my words to flow. Lately, I've been thinking to myself, reflecting on many things. At 23 years old, I feel like I'm at a good place in my life. For the most part, I'm actually happy and I feel like at this point, I wouldn't trade anything in for something else. For starters, I know what I want to do with my life, career-wise, and I've been working towards that for the past few years. Although I have many years of education and experience to go, I don't regret the career choice I've made and I feel secure with my decision. I used to feel like I was wasting time and I don't feel like that anymore. I'm surrounded by wonderful girlfriends - Some new, some old. I've been lucky over the past few months, being blessed with girlfriends that I can confide in, rely on, relate to and have fun with, all at the same time. Sadly to say, lately, I feel as though a very close friend of mine has been drifting. I'm not sure if we're just growing apart or if something is actually wrong. I've reached out several times, she responds cordially, but she doesn't return the gesture, even when I allow weeks to fly by. I'm not sure if she's bothered by the fact that I've been making new friends, as is she, or if we're just going down two completely different paths. I'm not sure, but hopefully in the near future, we can re-establish our friendship. Maybe we just need a our little time apart. Sadly enough, or not, I've come to terms with growing apart from very close friends as time surpasses. I feel as though it's natural at our ages. We have so many different and exciting things being thrown at us as once, some relationships just don't make it - Whether it be permanently or temporarily. No hard feelings to those I've grown away from, I just chalk it up to our time being in the past. Lately, I've felt very... Free. Probably the most free I've felt throughout all of my life. I feel like I have the opportunity to go anywhere I wish to go, see anything I wish to see and make whatever choices I wish to make with no regrets. It's nice to feel as though nothing is holding me back. My interests are growing and I feel as if I'm becoming more... Me. I guess I'm growing into myself. I've managed to make time for school, love, friendship and fun, as well as personal space. I'm standing on a firm foundation and I no longer feel any sort of fear. I used to fear that I was running out of time, but nowadays I feel as though that's absolutely absurd and impossible. I'm young. Point blank. If I happen to die tomorrow, then so be it, it was my time. I don't fear my fate. It's nice to know myself so well to be able to recognize when and how I'm developing and advancing as an individual. Everything about me is becoming more and more personal. My style, my interests, my relationships, my wishes, my goals and my space. It's a nice transformation from the semi-confused person I was a few years ago. I've always felt comfortable in my own skin, I've always loved myself... Now I'm too a point where I love myself, as well as the people I'm surround by and everything that's happening around me. This summer just feels like a renewal. Maybe because it's my first summer in the last 3 years that will be entirely spent in New York City, no more weekly trips out of state, that after a while just felt like an obligation and lacked any enjoyment. So on the topic of summertime, what are some things you plan to do, see and accomplish? I've come up with a list.
1. Visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
2. Visit the Aquarium, as well as the Bronx Zoo.
3. Face my fear and visit the Statue of Liberty.
4. Check out Shakespeare in the Park.
5. Before the summer is over, visit the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Met.
6. Have a fiesta themed BBQ, as well as a Luau themed BBQ.
7. Make homemade ice cream and mini cherry and blueberry pies.
8. Come up with at least 3 frozen drink recipes of my own.
9. Achieve a glowing tan and possibly cut my hair... Just a little bit.
10. See Dom Kennedy at SOB's in July and Damian Marley/Nas in August.
11. Get my 5th tattoo before the summer is up.
12. Hopefully, visit Jamaica, again. As well as, take a weekend trip to Virginia Beach and possibly DC.
13. Give my room a major makeover, which should be done in August. Can't wait.
14. Have plenty picnics.
15. Lastly, shoot more film and possibly invest in another manual film camera.

Do you guys have any lists like this? Share, if so.

Well, this is long enough... I hope you guys enjoyed reading, if you did at all. Summertime is here, so make the best of it! I'm hoping it's worth it for each and every one of you. Thanks for reading, babies.
XOXO

LONG OVERDUE DATE DAY @ MoMA.

2011-06-06T10:31:00.000-04:00

Sculpture Garden @ the MoMA.

Suburban Metro Lines - Moshekwa Langa, 2000.

End Conscription Campaign (ECC) - South Africa, active 1983-88.
We Call for an End to Conscription - Unknown Artist, 1986.

Green Man Salon - Norman Catherine, 1990.

We Are the People (Index) - Sam Durant, 2003.

Abuse of Power, We Always Have Reason to Fear,
Vote at Own Risk - Kudzanai Chiurai, 2008.

The Battle of Rorke's Drift at Club Dirty Den - Cameron Platter, 2009.

Untitled - Kudzanai Chiurai, 2008.

Living: More Than Once I’ve Wakened with Tears… - Jenny Holzer, 1980-82.

I am Still Alive/Politics and Every Day Life in Contemporary Drawing.

26.05.2009, 8:43 - Danh Vo, 2009.

Homage to New York (fragment) - Jean Tinguely, 1960.

"Untitled" (USA Today) - Felix Gonzalez Torres, 1990.
It was nice to finally see one of Torres' installations in person.
FYI: The candy was cherry flavored.

Chorus Line - Frances Stark, 2008.

"You Can't Lay Down Your Memory" Chest of Drawers - Tajo Remy, 1991.
I really wish I could own this.
85 Lamps Lighting Fixture - Rody Graumans, 1992.
Wishing I could own this, as well.

Vir Heroicus Sublimis - Barnett Newman, 1950/51.

Love - Marisol (Marisol Escobar), 1962.

I Still Use Brushes - Arman, 1969.

Standing Woman - Alberto Giacometti, 1948.

The Chariot - Alberto Giacometti, 1950.

Box in a Valise (From or By Marcel Duchamp or Rrose Selavy) - Marcel Duchamp, 1935-41.

Hi lovers. How are you? It had been a while since I hit a museum. With the weather being so beautiful, I've just been enjoying the outside life, since as most of you know, I tend to hibernate during the wintertime. Summertime is probably the time of year where I spend most of my time outdoors and away from the computer, so bear with me. Life has been swell. I'm finished with school for now, until June 15th at least because I'm taking summer classes. This past Friday, boyfriend and I decided to hit up MoMA. The last time we visited was in February. Luckily for us, they had all brand new exhibits and pieces on display - AND the sculpture garden was finally open! I really enjoyed the Impressions from South Africa exhibit, as well as the Francis Alÿs: A Story of Deception exhibit (couldn't take pictures, unfortunately). I also had the chance to see the Picasso: Guitars exhibit, but I wasn't very pleased and a little on the bored side. All in all, I got to see some great pieces, as well as in the architecture/design collection, which I don't normally enjoy. The day was great and the weather was comfortable, so that was a plus. On Saturday, we headed to the Yours Truly BBQ and met up with some friends. I don't know how I ended up on the grill, but I did and I must admit - I was a master! This weekend was really enjoyable and I'm just hoping the summer keeps up because I've been having a great time. Thanks for reading, lovelies and I hope all is well.

XO

SUMMERTIME KICKOFF.

2011-05-30T14:15:00.007-04:00

Rock, Roll & Soul/Skate or Die BBQ, hosted by Ben Robey & Superchief.
Held @ Brooklyn Fireproof, May 29th, 2011.

LATELY THIS IS WHAT I'M INTO: MAY EDITION.

2011-05-17T23:10:00.005-04:00

(From left to right)
Top: Elie Saab, Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Warehouse, Rare.
Bottom: L'Agence, Valentino, A.L.C., Naia, Warehouse.

Top: Azzedine Alaïa, Sko, Jessica Simpson, Chrissie Morris.
Bottom: Giuseppe Zanotti, Christian Louboutin, Zara, Charlotte Olympia.

Top: H&M, Cacharel, Youreyeslie, LOVER.
Middle: Neon Hart, JoyRich, 3.1 Phillip Lim.
Bottom: Givenchy, Mara Hoffman, Shipley & Halmos, Acne.

Top: Vichy, House of Harlow, Lanvin, Erickson Beamon.
Middle: Alexander McQueen, exoticindiaart.com, DSquared2, Yves Saint Laurent.
Bottom: Yves Saint Laurent, nOir, Warehouse, Zara, Alexander McQueen.

Top: Topshop cheek duo in "Desert Sun", Bliss lemon & sage body butter,
Illamasqua nail varnishes in "Rare" & "Insanity", Marc Jacobs perfume in "Daisy".
Middle: Stila Cosmetics long wear lip color in "Fiery", NARS Illuminator in "Orgasm",
Estee Lauder "Bronze Goddess" eyeshadow palette, Lip Fusion Infatuation lip gloss in "Screen Siren",
Fusion Lipfusion lip gloss in "Princess".
Bottom: Butter London nail polish in "Primrose Hill Panic", NARS nail varnish,
Physician's Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Jumbo Lash Mascara,
Origins "Ginger Float" cream bubble bath, NARS lip gloss in "Easy Lover",
NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in "Queen", MAC "Viva Glam VII" lip glass.

What are you guys currently into?

I know that it's been a while, but with a new season in bloom, I thought it was only right.
Hope you all enjoyed & thanks for reading!
XO

CAPTURING PARIS, FILM PERSPECTIVE.

2011-05-07T13:02:00.004-04:00

Paris, France - April 19th through 25th, 2011.
These photos are not in particular order.
These photos were shot with a Canon Snappy S,
35mm Lomography Color Negative 400 (36 exposure).

Thanks for reading/following!
XO