Thursday, July 28, 2011

Party Nails

loophole
Since 1981, essie has been America's nail salon expert. With over 300 unique colors, it is quite apparent that there is an abundance of different color options to chose from for every occasion. At an Allure meeting the other day, Spa Chicks, a pop-up marketing mobile spa company, did an excellent job with bringing in top essie colors and giving mini-manicures. At first, the lady kindly suggested that I should pick the metallic gold color but after careful observation of my skin tone, she recommended that I go with the silver "loophole". I'm glad I took her advice because this molten chrome finish really shines and matches with pretty much anything. It clearly makes a statement without being too flashy for work and other proffesional occasions.


Although the silver does look nice on it's own, I have always prefered my nails with some glitter and sparkle. After a recent Sephora trip when they were testing out their new line of nail glitter by OPI, I decided to purchase the gunmetal glitter pot. Therefore, adding this to my plain silver polish on just one nail on each hand I knew would make for some great "party nails".
{Sephora nail by OPI glitter pot; Sally Hansen Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat}
{My nails before with the 2 coats of Essie's "loophole"}

{apply top coat over the whole nail}
{turn over your finger dipping your whole nail into the glitter pot}
{apply top coat one more time giving the glitter some extra hold and shine}

{End result}

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Eataly

Walking into Eataly was like walking into a 50,000 Sq. Ft. little Italy, I was instantly surrounded by the aroma of rich cheeses and wine. Directly as I entered I felt as if I was in a gourmet Italian food market filled with authentic goods. Every which way I turned there was a different selection of delicious food, ranging from fresh-cut vegetables and fruit to hearty pastas.
{fresh fruit}

{fresh vegetables}
{fine cheeses}

After I ventured around a little and explored each of the grocery sections, I decided to put my name in at one of the places to dine. Between the 6 different resteraunt options, I thought it would be much easier to be seated. Manzo, Eataly's most formal dining experience was the most crowded and unfortunately the next opening wasn't until 9pm (it was 6:45 at the time). Then I walked over to La Pizza & Pasta and put my name on the 45 minute wait list while I waited for my friends. Once they arrived, we headed over to La Piazza, where we sat at the bar area and caught up over a glass of wine and an appetizing assortment of traditional Italian cheeses and salumis. Finally it came time to sit down at the resteraunt where we indulged in a calzone filled with ricotta cheese, mozerella, tomato sauce, neopolitan salumi, parmigiano reggiano, and fresh basil. This was definitely a dish worth returning for. The food in combination with the incredible sights and smells of within what seemed like a "mini Italy" was picture perfect; I can't wait to come again and try the other resteraunts (especially the gelato)!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Morning Runs

I had never really considered myself to be much of a morning person until this summer. Between 6am gym classes and runs around Central Park before work, I have become quite accustomed to waking up early. The glistening water, the glowing sun, and all the bustling activities are incentives enough to make me not hit the snooze button those few extra times like I previously used to. These pictures taken on my invigorating 3 mile run this morning are prime reasons why I start my day with a smile.


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Walking the RED line

From the 85-year old woman wearing patent leather chanel running shoes this morning at the gym, to all the women strutting red Louboutin soles constantly down the city streets, to the man in high heels at Conde Nast; one thing is for sure, that New Yorkers take their shoes seriously. Trends come and go, but shoes are one accessory that will forever remain a staple in every person's closet. Not only are they a complete and utter necessity, but they are also a great way to show one's own personal style. Ranging anywhere from a mere $20 to sky high prices in the thousands, there are so many different options out there for everyone. Love this new Louboutin glitter pump feautured in Glamour magazine, but don't want to pay the $795 ticket price?


Well Andrade Shoe Repair, in the Upper East Side, could just be your answer! The "red sole upgrade", costing around $22-$32, changes the soles of your everyday shoes to the red Louboutin soles. In summary, those ugly old heels that have been sitting in your closet for over a year could be revamped in no time into what appears to be a designer collection. At first this sounds like a great offer right, but thinking twice about it.... is this actually promoting counterfeit? After all, everyone knows the shiny, red-lacquered soles has been Louboutins signature since he first put them on the market in 1992. Since then, no other brand has done anything like it, especially after he patented the trademark in 2007. Whichever way you look it, changing the sole color of your shoe will not change the comfort or quality of the rest of it. One main lesson that I've learned with shoes is that you get what you pay for. The main question centers around whether you want to spend a little bit of extra money on the well-made heels and save yourself the blistering cries of having to limp out of the bar..... or save the cash and wake up with swelling feet. At the end of the night its a fine line, is it worth it? 

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Bastille Day in NYC

To celebrate France's Bastille Day, there was a huge street fair with numerous different food vendors, street entertainers, and other little activities. Starting at noon on 60th street, from Fifth to Lexington, hundreds of people came together to eat and drink in celebration of France's independence day, similar to our 4th of July. Even though the crêpe lines were almost half a block long, they looked so delicious I decided to wait it out. One savory crêpe, consisting of mozzarella, tomatoes, & pesto, and one sweet crêpe, consisting of bananas and strawberries, were definitely worth the 30 minute wait. The macaroons were also extremely delectable as well.
{Yummy crepes!}

{Array of different spices)
{Yummy macaroon display}



Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Weekend Recap

The 4th of July was definitely a very busy/fun weekend, here are my top 5 favorite things!
1. Thursday - Cocktails with friends - For dinner and drinks we went to Haru, a great sushi resteraunt with an abundance of delicious roles and mouth-watering cocktails.

{Coconut Pomegranate Cocktail}


2. Friday - Tanning in Central Park - With weather in the 80's it was impossible not to take advantage of the beautiful day. Filled with men and women in their 20-30's, Sheeps Meadow is the perfect place to people watch and lay out on the large grassy area. 

{Sheeps Meadow}


3. Saturday - Dinner at Central Park Boathouse - My 3 course meal consisting of Tomato Heirloom Salad, Scottish Salmon with Wild Mushrooms, and Carmelized Bannas on Waffles was one of the most noteworthy meals I have had in all of NYC. The delectable food and breathtaking view of the water, all while in the company of great people, definitely made for a nice summer evening.  

4. Sunday- Anna's 21st Birthday Celebration - At midnight, my friend celebrated her 21st birthday, a day we all count down to for forever and yet never seems to come fast enough. It's the one day of the year where going out in a sparkly dress, a crown on your head, and a wand in your hand is completely acceptable. However, spending hundreds of dollars on a sequin "stand-out" dress you most likely will only wear once seems quite pointless; this is where many girls are now turning to Rent the Runway to "borrow" dresses for about 1/7 of their retail price for one special occasion. In only a few simple steps, you are able to find your perfect dress, chose your delivery date, and "rent" it for a few days. They are extremely accomodating and will even send you a backup size for no extra charge. Worried about spilling a glass of wine on it or smudging some makeup? Don't be! For a mere $5 insurance charge such accidents are entirely covered. In this picture, Anna wore a Tibi sequin dress for the night of her 21st birthday, however, instead of paying the high $695 pricetag, she was able to rent it from RTR for a mere $100. What a bargain! 
{3rd to left, Anna; Tibi "Confetti Sequin Dress" retail: $695 rental:$100}

4. Sunday - 4th of July - At 9:20, I stood in the middle of a large crowd around 28th street and watched 40,000 shells explode at a rate of more than 1,500 per minute to celebrate the freedom of our country. The Macy's fireworks reached heights exceeding over 1,000 ft. allowing them to be seen starting from 20th street all the way down to 55th. The sparkling display of lights lasting 26 minutes was without a doubt the most astonishing firework show I have ever seen.
"You just gotta ignite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July"



"Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show 'em what you're worth

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y"



"Baby you're a firework

Come on let your colors burst

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own"
- Katy Perry



Friday, July 1, 2011

Patriotical Polish

One I thing I'm known for is my holiday spirit. For every themed event or festivity I always get completely decked out. Here is one of the ways Im wearing this upcoming 4th of July.