2 | 28 | 13 ♡

I wish it was a leap year.

But seriously, where did this month go? February went so incredibly and oddly quick. Alas, I've had a good week, tests are almost over for me & break is creeping up rather fast.

I have to say, one of my favorite things about living in Manhattan has to be finding all the cute food places hidden amongst the bustling chaos of the Upper West Side. The other day, I stumbled upon an adorable Mexican place, and had to share the amazing experience.

The teal walls of El Mitote illuminated the restaurant, giving a nice glow-y appearance to all of the people dining. The place was covered in white/yellowish Christmas Tree Lights, and each table lit by a few candles. The room had a soft façade to it- really pleasant and warm.

It was maybe one of the cutest places I've ever eaten in.

The right wall was covered in a really cool mural-like painting of a bunch of dancing skeletons. Not only was it aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it gave the place such character, and it honestly made me smile.

Phrases and words were also stenciled onto the walls, "enjoy, eat & drink, because life will shrink."

Too pretty!

Oh, and the food was amazing... for the record.

I definitely left this place feeling quite content and I will most definitely go back. 

I also did tons of walking this week, going up and down many of the 70's streets of the Upper West Side. I decided to take this time to photograph the beyond beautiful Brownstones. The architecture of these buildings is so unique and I truly appreciate the archaic atmosphere it creates. 

How GORGEOUS !

Fashion wise..

laaately I've been into lots of layering....

Jean Jacket- American Eagle

Army Green Shirt- American Eagle

Black/Grey Frock- Free People

Scarf- Weezie D [LOVE]

Tights- Urban

Oh, and I'm really enjoying this tea from Whole Foods:

Yay for cold drinks and warm weather! 

That's all for this week, Miss Lindsey Marie will be coming back to NYC next week, so more to come featuring our many more adventures with her!

"If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die."

[Twelfth Night 1.1.1-3]

Cheers, x

- A

P.S. Obsessed with this... [Radioactive: Imagine Dragons]

2 | 25 | 13 ♡

I've always been inspired by graffiti.
Pretty sure at one point in my life I wanted to become a graffiti artist. (How random is that?)
Street art is something I adore, my favorites have to be those awesome artists you find in Europe drawing the Mona Lisa with chalk on the sidewalk.

I love love love that.

Anyway, I went downtown to Canal street last night to go to this cool boutique.
Despite the somewhat sketchy atmosphere at 8 at night, it's a really cool setting to discover tons of street art.
The walls are COVERED in graffiti. Whether it be markings, drawings, or actual statements, there are literally no doors or walls that are bare.

And then I found it- this beautiful statement:

Surrounded with other words and markings, behold "Earth is Paradise."

I made my friend stop in the middle of this desolate street so I could snap a photo to Instagram. She recited, "We're gonna get kidnapped!!!"

It was too Instagram worthy to pass up. 

.... perhaps earth is as close to paradise as we'll ever know in this life...

Regardless, it's messages like these that make me feel so inspired to just try to do everything I've ever wanted to. 

So, this post is a thank you, to whoever illegally wrote this on the metal door of a seemingly abandoned warehouse near Canal street.

I love finding random inspiration like this. It finds you, and it's quite fufilling.

"A smile re-cures the wounding of a frown"

[Venus & Adonis 1.1.445]

Cheers, x

- A

P.S. I have the Format stuck in my head so I felt the need to share..... 

Favorites of February

2 | 24 | 13 ♡

If you follow my fashion portfolio, you'll know that I like to do a monthly favorites post on beauty products/clothes I've been loving for said month.

Since I'm switching things up a bit, I've decided to move my favorites to this blog, and focus that blog on just my fashion portfolio (i.e. sketches).

So here are some favorites of mine from this past month, some products and trends I highly recommend.

1. Hair Care

Lately, due to the winter months, my hairs been pretty destroyed [Ok, so that's an exaggeration but its not too much of one] so I've decided to really up the products I've been using...

1. Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Shampoo

2. Macadamia Deep Repair Masque (LOVE LOVE LOVE)

3. It's a 10 Miracle Leave- in Product (LOVE)

The combination of these three is absolutely perfect, leaving your hair moisturized, silky and smooth. 

For heat protectant, I like to use Lush's R&B- it doesn't leave your hair too sticky like some other spray heat protectants do (like CHI).

2. Makeup

Lately, I haven't been able to get enough of my Mac Palette (which I'm almost done filling up!)

Loving : All that Glitters, Soft Brown, Cork, Espresso

Loving: Mac's paint pot in Vintage Selection

Loving: Fascinating Eye Kohl, Lord It Up Pearlglide Eye Liner [Archie's Girls]

Blushes I've been loving: TheBalm's Cabana Boy & Mac's Mineralized Blush in Dainty

Perfect for the transition into spring, these add beautiful pops of pink to your makeup.

For Lips, I've been loving the dramatic PLUMS! Revlon Lip Butters, NYX Black Label Lipstick in Wine, and Revlon's Just Bitten Balm Stain in Crush

To Finish off every look, I've been loving my Mac Fix+. I used to only like to use this on special occasions, but now I really love the combination of this with UD's DeSlick for just about every day to prevent fading makeup.

3. Trends

I've been loving the flannel trend/ big shirt jacket trend. I'm always notoriously wearing big shirts but especially lately with the transition between winter and spring that's happening. I'm also all about jewel tones, primary colors, and some army green.... 

[LOVE THIS SHIRT]

4. Miscellaneous

Perhaps my favorite scent ever....

LOVING: Bath & Body Works Cocoa Butter Moisturizer

& Them Glitter Nail Polishes...

& Finally, the scent of the season: Miss Dior Eau de Toilette

I'm not a huge fan of sweet smelling perfumes- so this is perfect if you're like me and you prefer musty-cologne smelling perfumes. It does have a hint of sweetness but overall, it's way more delicious/sensual scent.

and that would be all for today folks. I leave you with::

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"

[Hamlet 2.2.234-236]

Cheers, x

- A

ten

2 | 21 | 13 ♡

these are a few of my favorite things...

10. High waisted shorts

9. Windows, any shape, any kind

8. Minolta XG-1

7. Creating something out of a frame

6. Keep Calm things...

5. Fireworks

4. The Moon

3. Tea Parties

2. Chuck Taylor's

1. People who write messages like these...

Click here to see more of my photography ;)

"Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast" - [WS]

Cheers, x

- A

Does this mean I wasn't a blog[ger] before?

2 | 20 | 2013 ♡

So, I decided to create... yup.. a lifestyle blog. It's really just an excuse to teach myself how to use blogspot.... (for the record, autocorrect on my Macbook just changed 'blogspot' to 'bloodspot'.. frightening? yes). But I write. And I never really got the chance to share my thoughts on any of my Tumblr's before. Well, when I was younger- I did, and I got in trouble by a fellow 15 year old while just expressing my thoughts... long story...
But, enough about the past.... What's past is prologue ? In that case, I sure hope not.

I  decided to jump on the Blogspot wagon, I can feel the Tumblr blood in me running cold.
I decided to create this as a way to share my thoughts, my life, my opinions, and my photography.

I solemnly swear I'm up to no good.

But most importantly, I solemnly swear not to post boring things. I guess. I promise to keep my reader/viewer entertained. I promise to make sure my format is pretty. I promise to inspire you- that's my goal. So here I go. 

I also, promise to end every post with some sort of Shakespeare quote.

Disclaimer: I'm aware that I'm ridiculous ;)

Today, I was dragged to a place called, "Dave & Busters." Sounds horrible already, right?

But more so, it was smack in the middle of Times Square, not every New Yorker's favorite place. But then again, there is something quite reverent about it.

I entered in kicking and screaming, but left with a bit of a smile on my face.

Fortunately, the experience wasn't too bad. Arcades are not my preferable place to be, however;  I got to take some photography, play some ridiculous games, and be a kid for about an hour and a half. [Something one can probably only accomplish at Dave & Buster's.]

Otherwise, it reminded me to let loose, stop being self aware, and just enjoy the reverie of kiddish lights and buzzes popping out from every corner.

Then I realized Dave & Buster's actually gave me something insightful. Could the Spin-n-Win somehow be metaphorical for life?

And, would that be considered cliché? I believe so. 

[Insert previous disclaimer]

So, maybe going to Dave& Buster's wasn't that deep, but it was fun. And a nice way to recharge my battery. Maybe I'll do it again sometime.

Sweet are the uses of adversity,

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,

Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;

And this our life, exempt from public haunt,

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,

Sermons in stones, and good in everything.

[As You Like It, 2.1.12-17]

Cheers, x

-A