My Favorite #DogsOfInstagram

Right now at work, I'm trying to see how long I can get away with sending animal memes instead of real replies to emails. Haven't gotten any complaints yet- because, who doesn't love pets? While I don't choose to have one (because they require way too much responsibility for me), I follow a few adorable pets on instagram.


Otis Barkington is as adorably silly as his name might suggest

Darcy the flying hedgehog is unfortunately no longer with us, but this little hedgehog's pictures never fail to make me smile.
 
The adorable Miss Osa is a briard puppy that is just growing up way too fast.

 // Who are some of your favorite #dogsofinstagram?

There's nothing like a good ol' cookie

Snickerdoodles were my favorite cookie growing up, and they still are the ones that are most nostalgic to me. These days though, I have been addicted to the chocolate chip cookie. I used to eat around the chocolate chips as a child, and I still feel like I don't put quite as many chips as some people like- probably a habit from back in my snickerdoodle days!

Over the years, I've figured out some things that make a cookie extra delicious. 

1) A little Fleur de Sel, which is just the fancy name for sea salt

2) Putting them in the fridge for an hour or so before baking them- I find it easiest to roughly ball them up while they're still room temperature and pliable. 

3) Love - it's the best ingredient in everything :)

Here's the basic recipe that I use. 

• 1/2 c butter (room temp)
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla extract (let's be honest, I love this stuff, I usually double it)
• 1.5 c all-purpose flour (preferably the non-bleached and organic kind because I'm a hippie)
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c dark chocolate chips or crushed dark chocolate bars. If I'm going to be choosy about the chocolate, I try to go for ones with a strong nutty or earthy note. (Yes, I'm a chocolate snob)  

You know the drill, cream sugars and butter first, then add wet ingredients, then dry. There's some fancy stuff you can do, like mixing the baking soda with warm water first, but I always forget to do that step. Add nuts and other things, if you're into that. They're fun to include, but personally, if I'm going to make a batch myself (and thus eat half of it) I just want a pile of plain ol' gooey chocolate chip cookies.

Then throw them in the oven for about 10 minutes on 350 F and ... mmmm

Excuse me while I go clean up the chocolate smears and cookie crumbs off of my keyboard...

// What's your favorite cookie?

// What secret ingredients/steps do you have to make your cookies to-die-for?

xx

New Job, New Ring

I like to treat myself to a piece of jewelry or a scarf when I travel, to remember the lessons learned and the experiences I gained along the way. No, this is not a post about my travel jewelry collection. After a lot of reflection (of a lot of things), I started to pursue a position in the PR industry... and I'm really excited to report that I'm in the middle of my first week as an intern at a PR firm. Sure, most PR interns are much younger than I am, but if you haven't figured it out already, I'm not really one for traditional paths.

Regardless of the diversions that I took from the traditional path, I feel like I'm on the path that I'm meant to be on. And what's more, I don't think that I would be where I am today, if it hadn't been for all the fun detours I took along the way. 

Anyway, back to the ring. I made it a point to walk around during my breaks at my salon/spa job and frequently walked by a really cute little store in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. I'd been meaning to go in, but had never actually ventured in. With my schedule being cut down to one day a week, I decided that I should finally go in while it was still so nearby. There were far fewer rings in there than I'd hoped, but the ones that I saw were dainty and perfect... except that I was looking for a midi ring, not a full size ring. That's when the owner told me that they can actually custom make jewelry- and without any additional charges or even committing to purchase it.

Less than a week later, and just in time for my new position, I picked up my shiny new little accessory! Now, regardless of what path I take after this internship, I'll have a little momento of this chapter of my life. 

// Do you have any traditions of doing something before/after making a big change?

PS- turns out that she has an etsy shop! This is the ring here.

Seattle Art Walks

One thing that I particularly adore about Seattle is how much art we have. So our art museum isn't the largest venue, especially when compared with giants like the MOMA or the Met, but most of the neighborhoods within Seattle host art walks once a month. In Ballard, it's the second Saturday of every month. Head to Pioneer Square on the first Thursday of each month to walk around to galleries, and other venues-turned-galleries to enjoy local art, and inevitably some drinks and snacks for free.

The art varies from traditional oil on canvas and photography, to multi-media to letterpress. My friend Danielle, of BDR Studio, showcased her letterpress creations as well as some photos that she took while we were in Portugal (pictured above).

I went to quite a few over the holidays, but have missed the last couple months. With spring on the way, I'm looking forward to regularly attending these (without a heavy winter coat and an umbrella)- they're not only fun, they're a great way to learn about local artists and cool shops & galleries in the area.

// Are there art walks in your neighborhood? What are some fun neighborhood events in your area?

A Late Resolution for 2014

I'm never really one to make New Year's resolutions because I get so disappointed when I can't keep them (which is all the time). However, I do find myself fairly good at defining a direction that I want to take in my life and then making the necessary changes.

I needed some time late last year and into early this year to work through some things, as 2013 was a rather tough year for me. But now we're well into 2014 and this year, time is flying by even faster than in years past. I'm brushed off, and ready to start a slow jog, that will hopefully pick up in a few months (I'd say "hit the ground running," but my muscles would hate me after months of barely moving- I like to keep things at least semi-realistic).

1. Increase Productivity: 

As I've finally gotten out of my rut, and have been forcing myself to get out more often to meet new people (which this introvert is surprisingly enjoying), my main source of self-hate has been from the fact that my productivity is not what it could be. After reading some articles about habits of CEOs, I came up with getting up earlier. And I'm not talking crazy early. It's my goal to be out of bed and into non-pajamas by 8am. Every day. My first alarm goes off at my real target time of 6:45 (still not that early) but I allow myself to stay in bed and read or watch youtube videos until 7:55 if I'm still a bit tired.

My work is shift-based and most days I don't start until 10 so this gives me some time to get some writing drafted, e-mails written, studying in and breakfast eaten before getting ready for the day. I also find that it helps to have that time limit- knowing that you have x amount to do before a solid commitment (like work).

2. Move More: 

Note that I did not say "get more exercise." It's a trick I like to play on myself. Exercise to me, sounds like a chore. Going to the gym? Only fun & motivated for the first week. Playing tennis, walking, hiking and doing outdoor activities? Now that sounds like fun.

Since the weather's not always stellar here in Seattle, being outdoors can be a lot more work than I'm willing to put in. To combat this, I invested in a nice yoga mat and do pilates videos on youtube or the 7 minute workout (and yes, there's an app for that). I can't say that I get some form of exercise every day, but I try to use it as a way to regain focus on my work.

I also moved to a location in Seattle that is just close enough to walk to many places, which is something that I take full advantage of. I pay for parking at my apartment complex and if I'm going to an event that I know I can walk to after work, I will just park at home and walk the 30 minutes it takes to get downtown, etc. Parking has gotten more expensive in the city and can be really hard to find- which only leads to more stress. Walking pretty much guarantees my ETA, I don't have to worry about timing that cocktail so I can drive home and I get some exercise.

// Have you defined a new direction for yourself recently? If no, what are some that you have really stuck to?
// Do you have any recommendations to help me maintain these throughout the year?

These Lovely Fall Days

I know everyone says this, but where has the time gone? I feel like just yesterday I was complaining about the winter in New York.  Since then I have moved across the country, roamed around Europe for a month, had my heart broken, traveled to attend two bachelorette parties, and two weddings (one of which I was a bridesmaid for the first time). And now here I am getting ready for the holidays. All the while being a fairweather blogger. And that's what I realized I am.  I can't seem to blog through all moods. Sometimes I just can't find the right energy to type away over sharing just the right amount on the Internet, because isn't that what blogging is anyway? It's been a rather rough year, but also one full of learning and growing. 

Now I'm just trying to figure out the perfect way to wrap it up.  So far I'm just stomping on some leaves and going on add many walks as possible.  Gotta enjoy good weather while it lasts!

// What are you up to this fall? What would be your ideal year wrap up?

Manicure Monday - Barry M with dot details

Happy Manicure Monday, friends!

I don't actually know, but apparently it's a thing on Instagram? Well, I'm going to be a rebel and not do it on Instagram. And I can because it's my birthday. Also because the wifi at the beach house I'm currently staying at in Portugal is refusing to work on my phone and I actually can't Instagram. I know. It's hard. Like a true addict, I'm going through severe withdrawl symptoms.

These are all the Barry M gel nail polishes that I picked up when I was in England. I'm glad I was able to get my hands on them, but I'm still not completely sold. They're great for the price, but the color selection is quite limited and you really need to thickly coat them to get a smooth finish. You can also fudge this using a top coat, but I can't always carry a top coat around with me when I travel ;)

// What's on your nails this week?

6 Things You Should Know About Me

Casey from True Colours tagged me in this get to know you tag where you pick 6 out of 9 questions (at the bottom) to answer about yourself. 

1. What do you find inspiring?

i find a lot of inspiration in landscapes and other people. This is probably one reason that I am so addicted to traveling. Seeing new landscapes and meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures helps to give me perspective and inspires new ideas. 

2.  What is your favorite season of the year and why?

Autumn. It's so gorgeous with all of the changing colors, has amazing seasonal fruits and veggies, is the perfect time to get out your favorite sweaters and is my birthmonth. What's not to love?

3.  Of the places you've lived, where has been your favorite and why?

I haven't moved around too much- I move often, but often to the same place, or am actually on the move so I'm not living anywhere in particular. A suburb of Seattle, WA in the US, Chofu city in Tokyo Prefecture in Japan, New York City, NY in the US are the three cities that I've called home. I love them for all different reasons so I honestly can't choose just one, but I think that I'm subconsciously put them in the order that I love them when I listed them. 

4.  What has blogging changed about your life?

Blogging has introduced me to world and friends that I had no idea existed before. It also gave me a great creative outlet for my writing and photography and taught me the importance of having a schedule and keeping to it. I'm still not the best at this, but I'm working on it!

5.  What song is at the top of your playlist currently?

I also have Emi Meyer's On the Road on my playlist when I'm ... erm... on the road ;)

6.  What do you think is your best quality?

I'm usually quite down to earth, which is funny because I was always high strung growing up. I guess that's what travel and being an expat does to you- or at least did to me!

Thanks for tagging me, Casey! Click here to read Casey's post and to get to know her!

// Instead of tagging specific people, I'm going to leave this open ended. If you'd like to participate, please consider yourself tagged. Be sure to leave a comment down below so I can add a link to your post in this one. And if you'd like to just choose one or two and answer those in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you that way, too!

1. What do you find inspiring?

2.  What is your favorite season of the year and why?

3.  If you could jump on a plane right now, where would you go?

4.  If you met someone who wanted to know about your blog, how would you describe it?

5.  What is one goal you'd like to accomplish before your next birthday?

6.  Of the places you've lived, where has been your favorite and why?

7.  What has blogging changed about your life?

8.  What song is at the top of your playlist currently?

9.  What do you think is your best quality?

{{ Happy Tuesday, Everyone!! }}

Hilarious Yelp Review

Do you use yelp?

I generally use it as a way to sift through all of the restaurants here in NYC. Sure not all of the reviews are helpful, but sometimes they tell you what the must-get item is. There are dishes I probably would have never tried, had it not been for yelp reviews. 

However, there are times when you find one that is so unhelpful it's hilarious. 

Just now I was looking for a restaurant to satisfy a pho craving and ran across this:

I star review of a Vietnamese restaurant called Cong Ly from Dave in El Paso, TX:
"Cold entrees, cold appetizers, horrible service.  Took my wife here for our 5th wedding anniversary, this place ruined our night.  She's now filing for divorce. Thanks, Cong Ly-ing about how good your food is."

uh... pretty sure this restaurants didn't single-handedly ruin your marriage, Dave. 

Socially Responsible Brands: Raven + Lily

I have been drooling over the pieces above for quite some time now. The beads used in the pieces above are  not only beautiful and very intricately, they are actually made from old bullet casings!

Raven + Lily is a really cool, socially responsible company based out of Texas that works with women artisans all over the world. They achieve this through collaborations with various organizations around the world. To learn more about them and their products, check out this article that I wrote about them for the Culture-ist! It was a lot of fun to research & write; promise it's worth a peek :)

To make things even better (for everyone except my wallet), they just added a collaboration with Maasai artisans in Kenya, with whom they will be creating these beaded bangles.

Unique and gorgeous pieces that employ women with talent and dreams for a better life for themselves and their families? What's not to love?! Check out their full campaign here and the video from their page below:





// What are some of your favorite socially responsible & sustainability-minded brands?
_________________________
*I have not been asked or compensated to write this in any way. I just like spreading the word about cool and sustainability-minded organizations :)

New Series, Need Title

They say that as a consumer, you should vote with your wallet. I'd like to start a series where I introduce some awesome companies and what they are doing to create socially responsible products as well as those that promote socially responsible ideas. I don't know what to call it, though... "Sociably Responsible Sunday"? That seems like too much of a mouthful. Any ideas?

Instagram Addiction

As you can probably tell from the squareness of posts, I finally caved and got instagram. I also just discovered this as a draft in my Blogger dashboard. Oops. Better late than never?

I have a serious Instagram problem. It's so much fun take even the smallest bits of life and to describe them as an artsy little square. My blogging, particularly my travel blogging isn't quite real time (partially for security reasons), but my Instagramming is. 

I find that I tend to rely on the same filters. I'm not sure if that reflects my personal style, or my inability to branch out artistically. Hmmmm.. what do you think? 

Leave me a link to your favorite instagram photo that you've taken!

Product Review: Nivea Lip Butter

I was a bit skeptical of this at first, since I'd tried other nivea lip products before and never found to be very moisturizing. I actually remember the disappointment. I was in France on a short-term study abroad program while I was in high school. I got 2 Nivea chap sticks- one with shinner, one without- because I had this impression that Nivea was a special brand and I was on a trip (and therefore able to get things I normally wouldn't). They smelled so good, but remember being really disappointed that they didn't really work. Regardless, I used them with pride at my luxurious products. Many years later when I was living in Japan, and found myself with chapped lips and no chap stick. I wasn't quite sure what chap stick to buy, so I went with a familiar brand. I remembered the disappointment so many years ago, but also hoped that they'd changed the formula during those years. It had not. I was sad.

However, after hearing some Youtubers rave about them, I decided to give the brand another try. Plus, these lip butters were relatively new, so perhaps they were the formula change that I'd been hoping for all those years!

Thankfully, the lip butter is amazing. It smells really, really sweet in the tin, but is actually fairly faint once it's on your lips. I think it's just the perfect amount of scent for a lip product. Even better than that, it keeps my lips moisturized for quite a long time.

It's in a small tin, which is cute and thin so it fits into clutches without bulking them up, but it also requires you to apply it with your finger. Recently, I've started to just touch one of my lips to it, so it kind of looks like i'm taking a bite out of it. Not the classiest, but I figure that it's better than smearing public transportation germs all over my lip butter!

As a softer product, I was worried that it would melt and run everywhere, since I'm sure we've all had that happen once of twice with chapstick. Though we're in a heat wave now, and I've left it in a relatively hot car before, it has yet to go runny on me. That being said, I wouldn't really risk it, because that would be one sticky mess to clean up. It seems to work for what I need it to do. One huge downside to this, however, is the lack of SPF. This girl doesn't want sun burnt lips!

Once I've finished it all up, I'm not sure that I'd repurchase it immediately (especially because it lacks SPF), but I will eventually, just to have on hand at home.

Fashionable Friday: Subway Cuffs

Unfortuately, I don't own one and can't pull a picture off the website to show you, but you need to see these cuffs for the travel-chic girl. Ok, they're a little ridiculous, but actually pretty wearable at the same time.

These stainless steel cuffs are engraved with the subway maps of a city of your choice including London, Paris, Milan, NYC, etc.

I'm going on a trip to Europe soon... perhaps I should get one for every city. Then I could put them all on at once and look like a robot! *does a poor imitation of the robot dance*

Check out the cuffs here!

DIY: Book Safe/Clutch

Ever since I saw this DIY by Erica from Caught on a Whim, I have been wanting to make it. I also saw something similar at Top Hat*, a boutique with cool knick knacks from around the world, in the Lower East Side for $70, so I'd say that it's definitely worth at least attempting to DIY.

While I wanted to make Erica's Nerdy Chic Book Clutch, I was definitely a big ol' sloth and went with the Book Safe, which i figure you could use as a clutch if I wanted.

Here's what I used:

• Hardcover book from a thrift store
• 1 sponge brush
• Regular modge podge
• 1 thick plastic bag or waxed paper
• Utility Knife
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Folder

I was lucky and found a hardcover book in very good condition for $2. I meant to read it before I started cutting it up, but well...

Step 1: Measure!
Measure the outer edges out. I went for 1" on each side (1-1/4" on one side on accident, but I just went with it), mark out where you want to hollow out the book.

Step 2: Cut!
Use the utility knife to cut along the lines.

Step 3: Trace, Cut, Repeat
Trace the inside of the cut you just made so you know where the make the cut for the next several layers. Alternatively, I created a template to place down to cut along. I actually found that a combination of the two techniques worked best for me.

Step 4: Glue!
Once you have reached the desired depth, modge podge the bottom few pages down, using a very thin layer. Modge podge is water based and will warp your pages if you are not too careful. It also dries quite quickly so you'll want to work swiftly.

Step 5: Place Waxed Paper
Place a piece of thick plastic or waxed paper (I suggest wax paper or a non-colored bag. some color transferred onto my top sheet. oops) in between the last page full page and the first page with a cut-out.

Step 6: Glue Some More!
Close the book and paint a thin layer of glue along the edges of the book from the waxed paper down. (You can totally glue the top part as well, I just decided to leave those loose.) Repeat 3-4 times until it seems nice and sturdy. Don't forget to glue the edges of the hollowed out part of the book, too! Erica suggested sanding it before gluing. I may or may not do this, depending on how lazy I feel.

What do you think?

With a business card holder I use as a wallet & a bit of chocolate :)

And that leaves just enough space for a pen and my phone!

End Note:
So I ended up with a bunch of paper from when I hollowed out my book and it seems to be a waste to just recycle them. Does anyone have any ideas of what I can make this these guys? I love the old school look of the paper and would love to do something with them!

______________________________________

*Online boutique here: http://sweetbellausa.com/

Had a Bad Day?

If you had a tough day, feel free to laugh at mine. 

45 minutes before I was supposed to meet a friend for happy hour, I get sent out on a shoot for an upcoming news program. I had already had to cancel going to a yoga class for work, so I was not very pleased with this request.

It was cooler than the day before, but by that I mean you didn't immediately sweat upon going outdoors. More like, 5. Carrying a tripod to move locations, I heard "plop, plop." I've heard this sound before. More than the average person, I'm sure. I look up and my fears are confirmed.Crowded on some street lights were not one, but two rows of pigeons. The suckers had hit my beloved Longchamp and dress in one plop.  

Our shoot took longer than expected, but we have finally gotten the shots we want. Just as we started looking for a cab to take back to work, we got a call saying that the material had to be sent in 40 minutes to go on air. We kept trying to catch a cab to no avail. Finally, we decided to start moving toward the office while keeping a look out for any open cabs. 10 blocks of fast walking while awkwardly carrying a tripod and I was sweaty. I could feel the sweat dripping down my back, and I started debating how large pit stains had to be to no longer be considered pit stains. 

Finally, finally, a beacon of light and we jumped in a cab. Though I was thankful that it was much cooler and I no longer had to lift weights while jogging (soft j*), I had one major problem. And that was that I have a tendency to sweat in the most inconvenient of places. That's right. When I stood back up after climbing out of the cab, I had a solid butt sweat mark. 

The cameraman handed me the disc, took my tripod, and I sprinted to our office, bird poop on the side of my dress, a sweat stain on my butt. A correspondent hung up the phone to say "I was just calling you. And, uh... looks like you got a workout afterall."

Thanks, guys. 

If you don't think the news is very exciting these days, try working in it. 

*Please refer to Anchorman for the correct pronunciation.

Note: My friend was patiently waiting at happy hour, where I was able to relax over a glass of wine, chilled tapas and a very fun exchange of upcoming travel plans, so it didn't end all too bad. I just made sure to shower the moment I stepped through my front door. 

Nail Polish: OPI vs American Apparel

I may not always be the most fashionable when it comes to clothes- I usually stick to black or denim trousers with a neutral top- but when it comes to nails, more often than not, they will be painted. 

OPI was really popular in college so most of my collection is OPI, though Dior is now my favorite. However, neither of these brands are particularly cheap. I wanted to try out a mint nail polish, but didn't really want to spend more than $10. There's an American Apparel between my office and the subway so I popped in to see if they had nail polish- they do! They're under $10, don't have DBP, toluene or formaldahyde in them AND it dries really quickly.

Since I like to do an accent nail or two, I used both the colors in the photo above. 

Pink = OPI, Mint = American Apparel

and look what happened to just the pink nails! Both of my accent nails were ruined. 

I can't get over how fast the American Apparel nail polish dries, and the color is just like you see it in the bottle. The only downside being that they have mostly trendy colors and their range is not great, but next time I need a trendy color, I know where to go!

I ended up redoing just the accent nails (and painting one with a purple/gray color from Lancome instead) and then having some fun decorating them. I ended up loving the mint and light pink combination so much that I used the same two colors when repainting them the next time. 

Check out the designs below!

//  Do you have any great nail polish/makeup finds?

On the Road... To Las Vegas!

The bachelorette party I was so fervently planning is finally here! I left work a tad early and took a bus, subway and airtrain to finally get to JFK. It's raining here in NYC so I'm extra excited to be in Vegas.
The Delta Airline's wing smells like fast food, but makes up for it with a bunch of charging stations. They're a bit squished together, but totally get the job done, and are plenty of space if your legs are corgi-esque like mine are. The stations come with a little desk so I'm just sitting with my bottle of water and ipod to get some work done... on paper. At a charging station but working old school :)
The first picture is my travel outfit... more like uniform since I wear it all the time. The shoes change, but today I'm wearing my Ked's with Uniqlo's leggings pants (aka my comfy travel secret), a loose button up shirt from Banana Republic (i also switch up shirts depending on weather), and Coach crossbody. It's just so nice to have at least one hand free by using a crossbody. Plus, this camel color matches just about anything.
Time to find some dinner and get some work done!
Happy Traveling!
x, Erica

Solo Lunch

I work in a small office, so it's very common for all of us to eat together, or at least groups of whoever has a good stopping point at that time. If we're busy, we'll eat at our desks. Today I stepped out to grab some food to go since it's so gorgeous out, but as I was heading into the restaurant, I thought I'd just stay and eat in. Table for one.

It felt SO GOOD. I often travel solo, or at least some parts of the trip are solo so it's just something I enjoy now. If I learned something today, it's that I need my alone time. And not necessarily a night in, but a nice or a fun meal. Like scheduling events with friends, I might start setting a lunch or dinner aside that I enjoy on my own.

In Recent News... Tornadoes hit the Midwest

By now you've probably heard of the tornadoes that have occured in the Midwest of the US. For those who are looking to stay informed via the internet, here are some media outlets that are providing live updates. 

• Washington Post
• Huff Post 
• ABC News
• News 9 (local news station)
• NewsOK (local newspaper)

Please note that you should always question the information that any media outlet provides to make sure that you have accurate information. The death tolls are often different depending on network and in fact, the Medical Examiner's office even revised their death toll number today from 91 to 24. 

I've also found this twitter handle of the National Weather Service in Norman, OK very useful in getting up to date weather information for that area from a reliable source. 

• @NWSNorman 

Things that you can do

• Keep those affected in your hearts
• Research & Donate to a reliable charity or fund
• Stay informed! 

This last one is particularly important. You never know what's going to happen so even if you don't plan on being in an area with tornado risk, you should know what to do if a tornado siren goes off. I had no clue until yesterday, but now I know!

• Get in a basement. If not possible...
• Get in a bathtub (with a mattress on top). If not possible...
• Move away from all windows

There are also specialists who explain why the region is not only prone to tornadoes, but also why we are seeing such destructive tornadoes so late into spring. 

My thoughts are with those affected. 

_________________________

*Please note that I am not endorsing any of the media outlets listed or linked above.