currently on my mind....

Happy labor day weekend! I'm visiting my family in the suburbs of Philadelphia... currently taking a blogging/inspiration break in between eating my Mom's delicious homemade Chinese food and walking in the woods. Here are a few things I can't stop thinking about...

Celeste & Jesse Forever. It's next on my to-see-in-theatres list and looks hilarious and sweet. I also definitely have a girl-crush on Rashida Jones and wish she were my best friend :)

Print shopping! Abby and I are putting together a gallery wall above our couch, and so I've been browsing Society 6, My Little Underground, and tons of Etsy shops for fun, inspiring prints.

Print by Tina Crespo for Society 6

Print by DearColleen via Etsy

Fall is almost here, hooray for September! Don't get me wrong, I love sunshine and vacation season, but Fall is without a doubt my favorite time of year. Cool weather is so soothing (and better suits my sartorial senses too -- I can't wait to layer and layer).

Photo of Veronica via Asos

Lana Del Rey. Okay, so not very original, but for the past month, I've been listening to her on repeat, every day. My favorite song is Carmen, which I have almost memorized. Love!

happy friday + blogger meetup!

Happy Friday friends! I had a pretty lazy day, which mostly comprised of sleep, reading, cocktails (at Delicatessen) and a seafood spaghetti dinner at Cafe Fiat for a friend's farewell dinner. (Good luck on your move to India, Abeer!) Current status: snuggling in bed listening to this gorgeous playlist and reading Matchbook's 5th edition.

Also, I'm super pumped for this NYC & Philly blogger meetup (created by the Delightful Dozen). Since I'm originally from the Philly suburbs and have been in NYC for the past 4 years, this really hits close to home! And I can't wait to meet fellow bloggers, who are the most inspiring, full-of life people ever. (I remember running into Joanna from Cup of Jo last summer in the W. Village and seriously feeling like I was her best friend. She's exactly like her blog!) Who wants to come with me? I've never been to a blogger meetup before, have any of you?

put a ring on it

Sara Bareilles + Beyonce's "Single Ladies" + doo-wop and blues = Talent!

Is this stunning/beautiful/mind-blowing or what?!

Carissa got to see Sara in concert - so jealous!

maroon 5's misery - do or don't?

I've been seeing a lot of postings by my Facebook friends of this video, and I can definitely understand the buzz! Real life couple Adam Levine and Anne Vyalitsyna are pretty captivating in this relationship power struggle storyline. I love that Anne has such a powerful role, it's thrilling to watch her kick butt! Me-ow! What do you think of the video? Too aggressive/violent, or pure awesome?

fragrance launch love

Awesome breaking news! (Well, sort of.) My friend and L'Oreal co-intern Skip from the Ralph Lauren fragrances team just helped launch the brand's new fragrance line, the Big Pony collection, which I'm totally in love with. The concept is fantastic, with the collection representing "the key passions of modern men: Sport, Seduction, Adventure and Style." Thus four different fragrances! Ralph Lauren has such a colorful personality, and I'm having so much fun observing this new launch! (Even though I'm even more psyched for my own team's launches - go Garnier Fructis, the "big green machine!". I won't say I'm not biased ;))

Also, One Republic's hit song “Secrets” is the theme song for the Big Pony Fragrance video which, no lie, I just watched about five times. (Can you say eye-candy?) I've been obsessed with One Republic since I went to a concert 3 years ago- back when "Apologize" was the biggest thing ever and people were still confusing the band with Timbaland. We've come a long way, baby.

PS: My "Polo" experience!

weekend wishes

Do you ever have teeny, tiny wishes that are actually pretty attainable but still are wonderful to dream about? I have them all the time, and then I try to make them happen! Fulfilling our spontaneous urges are what makes us feel the most alive. And jotting down those wishes are just the first step. So this weekend, I'm wishing to:

... read this book

... find a girl-version of this guy's yellow jacket!

... cook recipes from here

... meet this amazing, inspiring man

... sing this beautifully haunting song

... shop for jewelry here

... shop for pretty bicycles and helmets

And as always, keep it...

Have a wishful weekend!

(I forgot the photo sources - please let me know if they're yours!)

let the beat build

This amazing music video by Nyle, a recent NYU grad, sums up my school pretty well. It's such a mix of spectacular talents. Performers, writers, entrepreneurs -- everyone is something fascinating. Or, like me, in the process of becoming someone fascinating! (Hopefully!)

When I was younger, I wasn't a huge fan of this process. I wanted to find my niche right away and know exactly what I'd contribute to the world. I demanded that life be unequivocally simple -- go to school, get a job, have a family, be happy. But pretty soon, I was telling myself to "relax, silly!" Because when were discovering and developing our goals ever simple? They always seem to line up, one after another, in the open door of our minds. Always with an extra plus-one called Learning, even though it never RSVPs.

But I suppose that's what "letting the beat build" is all about. (Right Nyle?) Embracing the fact that as we grow older, we expect more out of life because our passions either multiply or intensify. Last semester in Europe, just as I thought I was a real "adult," I learned even more things and took more risks to fulfill my interests than I'd ever dared to take before. (Backpacking? Couchsurfing? Um, how'd that happen?) Maybe I was dancing to the beat of life's drums all along.

what a treasure

Two Yale students and an amazing Lady Gaga mashup. Okay, this video might be old news, or so says my friend Matt. But I can't stop listening to it! And I have a teeny crush on singer boy Sam. (He may look pre-pubescent, but he's in college like me! I'm not a pedophile... na uh.)

(via Mashable)

I'm sick!

It took me three days to realize that this congestion and fever and headache were all because I had a cold, not jet lag! So I'm resting, drinking soup & OJ, reading NYMag's "Reasons to Love New York" (these two are my favorite reasons!), and listening to the Pride & Prejudice movie soundtrack. (So relaxing.)

Also, I chose a photo! You liked... Photo #1! (It won by a landslide, I never would've imagined.) Thank you so much for your advice, I could shower you with hugs and kisses right now! I'm so lucky to have your honesty and support. xoxo

alicia keys

...Is gorgeous beyond belief! This performance is phenomenal.

"dancing is my remedy, remedy, oh!"

As usual, I'm loving the newest Little Boots song. Girl is fierce.

poker face, redux

I know I already said this before, but I'll say it again: I just love when artists make covers of other artists' works!!! Chris Daughtry's cover of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" is a perfect example of "restyling" music. He made it his own -- it's good, right? (And I don't even like Daughtry too much... but bravo, still!)

my favorite flower

step 1. click here for music

step 2. click play

Peony flower / timelapse from munich timelapse on Vimeo.

step 3. think about life's little beauties.
thank you, Pia.

"with my slip... shown a little"

Regina is so cute and silly. Emily got me hooked on her music last year... I love to listen while driving to/from work. :)

so beautiful

What do you get when you combine Taylor Swift's "Love Story" with Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" on classical instruments? The amazing arrangement below. Makes me want to get out my violin!!! (More info on the artists here.)

"giving my mind a chance to rewind"

Click play, groove to the music of Metric, and then proceed to do something new. For me, it was baking. It's been a domestic day.

saturday cleaning

I cleaned/dusted my room today, and it was actually quite enjoyable, just listening to Muse and organizing all my junk. Cleaning always makes me appreciate what I have, like my pretty nightstand -- my most favorite piece of furniture ever! Mmm, now I'm ready for a nap. (Appreciating can be exhausting!)

Yep, that's a glamour shot of me in my "modeling" days haha!

it rolls with the tongue

(photo via style and inspiration)

Word of the day: Bijou (or plural, Bijoux). Yep, clearly French. Excellent example of usage via the NYTimes: "Lilly, it seems, never did marry a millionaire, but she had tons of sugar daddies, who kept her in sable and bijoux." (Sable referring to fur, and bijoux referring to jewelry.) What a delicious word!

Also delicious: rhubarb crumble, a wonderful memory of music in Paris, and this amazing studded jacket.

well, he does have nice legs!

This video gave me a case of the giggles. Oh man, that took some guts! But Joe Jonas actually looked pretty good in those tights... strangely attractive (uh oh!). I've always been a sucker for a guy who can be a goofball with me on the dance floor. People who find humor in all situations are usually the kind that leave an impression, don't you think?

remember this?

I love driving to/from work because I get to listen to awesome, feel-good music. This Five for Fighting song came up, and gosh, it's a heart-tugger! (And the video is lovely.) I may have gotten a little teary eyed in the car... Okay, so I'm a sap. Give me any cheesy song on love and life, and I will totally dig it. ("Love Story," anyone?)