Take a Hint...

Shop Mint! One of my close friends from high school (and hands down, the most fashionable gal I know!), Zoe Neuschatz, is the co-founder of an online shopping site called Mintbox.com. Last week, I attended an event they hosted for NYC fashion bloggers and I became an instant fan. The site provides a unique shopping experience that offers not only exclusive designer discounts, but access to VIP events, designer previews, meet&greets with your favorite designers and tickets to NYC fashion week (hello, Anna Wintour!) You may compare them to a Gilt Groupe or Rue La la, but some of the largest incentives about shopping Mintbox versus these other sites are:

• You can shop online AND in-store
• The styles/products are current and in-season
• You receive member perks and get 15% cash back (literally!) on every purchase you make
• You can donate the cash-back that you receive to one of their charitable partners who include American Red Cross, World Wildlife Fund, Robin Hood Foundation and Fashion Fights Cancer!

Check it out! I hope you enjoy this personal style concierge as much as I do!

Backyard Birthday

Last night, Grant (my amazing boyfriend!), threw me an intimate backyard birthday celebration with some of our closest friends. The Hoboken BBQ-style soiree was such a memorable night, because it was filled with some of my favorite things!


{Great friends (and atmosphere - notice the wall of roses in the background!)}

{A cute chef!}

{A 70's-inspired cake from none other than, Hoboken's renowned Carlos Bakery (aka 'The Cake Boss')}

{Cupcake Vinyards wine (I admit, 99.9% of the reason I buy this wine is because I love the label!)}

{Hydrangea (thank you Ashley!) displayed in a mason jar for shabby-chic look}

{Candles (the easiest way to add instant ambiance to a party)}

{Good music (Stay tuned! My 2011 summer playlist is coming soon...)}

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Hello hot weather...

It's no surprise that NYC is about to reach record highs starting tomorrow. June 8th (my birthday) may be the conclusion to yet another 365 days of my life, but, year after year, it's always the beginning of hot (semi-unbearable) temperatures! Summertime in the city can get pretty brutal (I know all of you New Yorker's agree!), so I am looking forward to weekends at the beach. Some must-have necessities that I will definitely be packing are:


 {Tie-dye dresses and shirts like this one on Kate Bosworth}

 {Big, colorful sunglasses}

 {Turquoise jewelry}

{A big floppy hat and lot's of striped, nautical-looking tees}

{Oversized rings}

{TOMS Shoes}

{My Camera(s), of course}

Got it from my dad...

I don't consider myself a true 'artist,' but thanks to my dad, I have inherited an appreciation for painting. I find it extremely therapeutic and most of all, peaceful. Similar to reading a great book, you become consumed in the moment and put your life on hold for that short period of time. My first (and favorite) painting takes up an entire wall in my NYC apartment (see below), and is also the background of my blog title. You can develop your own unique style and, the best thing is, there is no right or wrong way to do it. I am the first to admit, it's intimidating to sit in front of a blank canvas and figure out where to start, so I browse sites like Pinterest.com to find images of paintings that inspire me. Here are a few:

{my work}

Sneak Peek

Jen, Sienna, Rachel, Cameron and Kate are a few of the celebrities I find exceptionally gorgeous with wardrobes I would die to raid! Recently, the fashion icon that I just can't seem to get enough of is the stunning, Blake Lively. Things seem to be heating up between the sexy starlet and my first crush - Leo (who, by the way, is just as handsome in person!), but this is certainly not the only thing that's HOT HOT HOT for Blake right now. A shout out to one of my favorite magazines, Glamour (where I started my career in publishing), who is offering us a sneak peek of this month's cover shoot. Here are some of my favorites!

The Graduate

As I watched my brother graduate from the University of Delaware this weekend, I was flooded with emotions, reminding me of my own transition from college into 'the rest of my life', merely 4 years ago.  Determined to land my dream job and live a lifestyle similar to that of Carrie Bradshaw's (obviously!), I jetted back east, moved to a not-so-familiar city with few friends and reached for the stars. 

While that all sounds exciting, this transitional stage of life was not quite so easy. It's a time of immense self-discovery, which sometimes (often times, in my own experience) was quite challenging. Looking back on my life 4 years ago, I sit here feeling thankful for all of the experiences that led me to where I am today and the people I have met along the way who have inspired me, believed in me and taught me life lessons that have shaped who I am.


For me...
on to the next 4 years! I am looking forward to many unknown adventures ahead.


For my incredible brother...
A HUGE congrats to a young guy who is about to start on his own journey into 'the real world' of Sports Management!

Kauai Adventures

After numerous discussions about where in the world we wanted to travel and coming to the realization that Bali and Indonesia had to wait (yes, sometimes I tend to get a bit ahead of myself, but really, who doesn't!?), Grant and I were fortunate enough to set out to tackle our second Hawaiian island, this time Kauai.


I have traveled to some beautiful places in my life, but nothing compared the lush, tropical, jungles of Kauai (rightfully named the 'Garden Isle'), where visually, green is the new black and roosters are as abundant as tourists in NYC's Times Square . Serving as the tropical background in movies such as Jurassic Park, Perfect Getaway and Soul Surfer, to name a few, it's a very special dot on the map that I encourage anyone with an appetite for adventure to visit in their lifetime.


We had been told it was common for it to rain a few times a day, but from day 1, rain was 'our' thing and this time it proved true. While the weather was unseasonably wet (and all we wanted was sun after such a long and harsh winter), we made the best of the conditions, enjoyed each other's company away from our busy reality and had an incredible time!


Here are a few highlights:

• Open Door Helicopter Ride (views of hundreds of waterfalls and the breathtaking Napali Coast)
• ATVing through the jungle (stopping at waterfalls and rope swings along the way)
• Zip Lining over tree tops (in the pouring rain, I might add)
• Stumbling upon a local elementary school concert starring none other than, island native, Donavon Frankenreiter!
• Renting a jeep and taking wrong turns (ended up at the most beautiful private beaches)
• The Princeville Hotel (rumor has it Jessica Simpson is getting hitched there)
• Queens Bath (natural body of water that you can swim in and cliff jump)
• Kalalua Hike (2 miles to private beach, 4 miles to waterfalls, 12 miles too dangerous!)
• Hanalei Town (home to local art galleries, great restaurants and surf shops)
• Bubba Burgers (TO DIE FOR and visited by many celebrities such as Ben + Jen, Matt Damon, and Adam Sandler, whose photographs serve as the restaurant's wall decor)
• Shave Ice (yum!)
• Java Kai (local coffee shop with a low key surfer vibe)
• Waimea Brewing Company
• Tutu's Soup Hale (BEST piece of french toast I have ever had with coconut syrup)
• Duke's (local hawaiian vibe, great food and live Hawaiian music)

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Global Pursuit

Window Wash

Closet Couture

Flower Fix

Bed'frame' Stories

California Cool

Light Love

Boho at it's Best

Short Cut

Sun Blocked

Closet Confessions

Everything I Have

Haute Hysteria

Urban Affair

Street Chic

Braids

For many years, braids reminded me of my childhood and the hours I spent playing soccer with girlfriends. We would tie ribbons on the bottom of our french braids to match our uniforms. I have always loved the look, and thanks to Lauren Conrad, braids are now appropriate to rock at any age! While she became famous for her signature side braid during her stint on 'The Hills', I still can't get enough of this classy feminine do'.

Visual Treat on the Street

Classic Beauty