countless daytrips

ph. by Lucas

(American Apparel bodysuit, F21 jeans, House of Harlow Chelsea sunglasses, Deena&Ozzy bag, Modtoast rings)

Taking the most spontaneous days off from work to catch the last few glimpses of summer is becoming an unnecessary habit of mine. But, then again, who can resist random outings to taste that 5-star Soho caipirinha that everyone's raving about, or testing out Intelligentsia, which apparently is the "best coffee imaginable", or even the special tres leche donut from Doughnut Plant that puts all other mundane flavors to shame...and how about Amy's Bread? By the way, if you haven't tried their black olive twist, you're truly missing out. I can ramble endlessly here when it comes to all my recent taste-testings. And adding to more frivolous distractions, I'm starting to rediscover varied "treasure troves" (local shops, parks and quintessential whip-out-your-book-or-ipad benches) situated throughout New York City and deriving a much deeper appreciation of my surroundings. Thankfully, the nature of my work has pretty much made me rethink just how fascinating this city can be. 

Now on to these new pics. Here I'm sporting a couple recent acquisitions that have made it to the closet staple category. In the search for the perfect fitted stripe top, I stumbled upon this American Apparel bodysuit during my daily online browsing/shopping trances. It's simple and stays put, plus the scooped back gives that extra something, which can be described in so many pretty words. Also, I've added this Elizabeth & James-inspired knuckle armor ring courtesy of Modtoast. I don't know why I waited so long, but this is certainly the "staple" ring to own. That, along with her cage hinge ring - they refuse to come off my fingers. Once again, Thank You So Much!

easy saturdays

ph. by Lucas

(ASOS knit, BDG jeans, House of Harlow Chelsea sunglasses, Invicta watch, Talon cuff courtesy of MODTOAST)

Lazy Saturday which consisted of: waking up a little past noon, browsing aimlessly through my favorite blogs in a trance-like state (as per usual), tossing around scruffy old toys for the mere enjoyment of seeing my dog pounce on them like a cat and taking him for a much-needed stroll through the winding paths of the park in my hometown. Before heading back to whip up homemade fruit crepes with the boyfriend and veg out on the sofa, I just had to capture some shots of this beautiful gifted talon cuff from my special friend at MODTOAST. The quality of the hardware is impeccable, as always.  I also adore it's contrasting element as well - the almost fierce style of the talons paired with something soft like a knit jumper or free-flowing dress adds to the piece's it-factor. I can't thank you enough! 

bleecker st.

ph. by Lucas 

(American Gold Wild Horses blouse, J Brand jeans, Foley + Corinna city tote, Invicta mens style watch, Modtoast rings) 

Nothing beats the feeling of taking a few hours of off-time from a hectic work week. Especially when such a day involves succulent coconut-almond-nutella crepes followed by searing hot cafe au lait, and frivolous wandering around the West Village with the boyfriend. Quite serene to say the least. Here, I'm wearing a new blouse from American Gold that I ordered from Stanton James. If you close your eyes and run your hands through it it feels almost identical to rose petals. Lucas actually pointed this out first and after petting it a while he was pretty spot on. I find myself always gravitating towards it every time I get dressed, which is probably why I wore it three days in a row. And in terms of comfort level, it's definitely high up on the charts. I've also been carrying around this Foley + Corinna tote, which I consider to be a loyal old friend. I can't even remember when I got it (6-7 years ago maybe?), but it has never left my side. And the leather aged so beautifully over the years - highly recommend!

friday walkabout

(H&M top, vintage Levi's, Topshop Antique boots, Atsuyo Et Akiko tote, Modtoast rings)

A few things to share: lengthy and very random walks (and frequent pitstops) around NYC with my boyfriend makes for serene, worthwhile moments; made a sporadic visit to a salon and opted for summer highlights in the lightest shade possible (and soon realizing, "damn, I love going blonde!"); rummaging my closet for a pair of remotely comfortable shoes and rediscovering how much I love my Topshop Antique boots (mostly for its comfort factor and partly for its Isabel Marant-ish clone-like resemblance); strawberry daifuku is a lethal substance; love the euphoria of cooking in the kitchen, experimenting and whipping up healthy vegetarian dishes that put smiles on Lucas' handsome face. 

unwind your mind

(Zara leather jacket, H&M maxi, Bolivian bag, UO Dolcetta boots, UO and Modtoast rings)

wednesday selects

(Zara leather moto jacket, H&M hat, Nikon, handmade backpack (Rio flea markets), ipod, chewing gum, ASOS wallet, wide wayfarers)

the big hair effect

I've been wrestling with the thought that chopping off my locks to a shoulder-length bob was kind of a bad idea. Yes, I know...it's just hair (a mere trivial concern) and the darn thing will grow back, but I'm just missing the versatility of a longer length. So in small attempts to spiff these strands up, I'm currently experimenting with an '80s style do and amping up the volume of my hair with this new magical mousse from Umberto Giannini. This can seriously works some wonders by thickening each strand and I sort of feel like a little Bon Jovi groupie circa 1989 (very random!) with a whiff of jasmine and citrus emanating from my head. 

rainbow prisms

(eBay) vintage crochet dress and H&M hat

So basically my Nikon and Olympus cameras went on holiday and photo booth decided to take over lol. But not to worry...they'll soon be making a comeback. Today I woke up to the warm sun on my face and immediately had the urge to slip into something light and white. I'm just hoping these sweet spring days last a whole season. Here I'm wearing my favorite bell-sleeved dress. It contains the perfect airy elements of crochet and trapeze shapes. All I need now is a pair of wooden platform sandals with tan leather straps (oh how I wish the Topshop Wiley's would make their return back into stores!). 

before sunset

AA wool floppy hat, Zara leather jacket, H&M top, ASOS palazzo pants, UO rings

I think I've just rediscovered my addiction to mac's photo booth and its genius ability to take multiple shots without me having to disrupt Lucas from his Harvard "crunch time".  Plus, I'm kind of feeling the whole grainy effect of these images coupled with the room's natural light. Here, I'm wearing a few pieces that I recently bought. First off is this Zara leather jacket from Autumn 2009/10, which sold out like hot cakes in stores. I was literally kicking myself in the bum for not buying it when I had the chance. The heavens smiled when I found it on eBay last week at a cool price. Also, I've been loving the concept of 70s inspired palazzos for spring and ASOS really nailed it with this pair (you'll see more of these pants later in better pics). This floppiest of floppy hats from American Apparel is perhaps my favorite from my little headwear collection. I sometimes get the urge to buy them in every color. 

wash and go

H&M maxi, Old Navy cable-knit sweater, Dolcetta by Dolce Vita boots, Foley + Corinna city tote (sold here in black), Scala hat

Running some crazy errands with the boyfriend today and literally threw these on in under three minutes and was out the door. I consider that somewhat of an achievement. Luckily we were able to squeeze another few minutes for pictures. By the way, many sincere thank yous to everyone for the compliments about my new do. It's somehow brought a new meaning to efficiency as far as "post-shower" prep times are concerned. No more dreadful bird nests in the midst anymore. :)