Favorite Cities

This post came to me whilst on the train wedged between two strangers in a desperate attempt not to spill coffee all over myself. Staring out at the city I live in, I realized the vitality of it all. The busy streets, stores and subways all contribute to the aesthetic of New York. As much as I love my city, I started thinking about the others I’ve visited and the charm they hold Manhattan may not.

Two of my favorite cities have to be London and Paris. Now these are the two most common cities but they’re freaking awesome so I see why. Starting off with Paris. The fact that I can see the sky from the ground without tilting my head surprised me. We all know New York’s skyscrapers enclose us in our own little glass fishbowl. Aside from that, walking through Paris automatically gave me a feeling of nostalgia. Of what? Oddly enough, the history it holds that I never quite experienced. I felt like I was living in a classic french film and the love of my life was waiting for me with a cup of coffee on some bench (unfortunately it never happened). Each block held a similar but new creation that left me wanting more.

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Next stop, London. If anybody knows me they know I never shut up about London and I probably never will. I visited London hopeful and left with a new longing and obsession I didn’t think I would adopt. The people, stores, architecture and overall way of life mesmerized me. To many they think London is just a rainy old city, but I see it as a new discovery.

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Jack’s Wife Freda

 

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Visiting Jack’s Wife Freda for the second time, I was still impressed and overwhelmed in the best ways. The Soho based restaurant on Lafayette Street is probably one of the coziest and homey places that still manages to make me feel like I’m at a family dinner with fifty family members. The small space and crowded tables make it that much more appealing and home-like. The rectangular room holds about 50 people who are all enjoying their various selection of breakfast, brunch and lunch. (My favorite is the Mediterranean breakfast) The overall ambience and aesthetic resonates the comfortable, city feel so many people love. There isn’t a day this place isn’t crowded, and all for good reasons. (Even on a random Wednesday)

 

Maman, Soho

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Discovering new places to eat is probably one of my favorite pass times. One; because I love food and two; because I get to bring friends and take countless amounts of pictures. I usually find myself in Manhattan or Astoria because they are known to be the trendy place to be, especially for food. So the latest place I’ve been is Maman down in Soho. I quickly looked it up desperate for a place to sit, eat and unwind with my friend after a stressful week of school. We walk in and are greeted with a small and rustic space with a french twist. The food display mirrors the quant little European cafes and the small space in the back felt like spending time in a small cottage. The back was decked out in vintage pieces with cracked white chairs and worn down wooden tables. The food impressed as much as the decor. We both purchased the kale and chicken salads with grapefruit juice. It was fresh, tasty and packaged with a cute sticker, making the experience that much more entertaining. So if you’re looking for a good lunch break spot or just a place to catch up with a friend Maman is the place to go.

Everyday Pampering

Ok, so you’re usually used to seeing posts about clothes, but lately I’ve been a tad bit obsessed with makeup so I thought eh, why not? So here it is; a makeup post from yours truly. Now it’s nothing too special just a bit of what I put on my face and some of my favorite products, you know the usual.

So Benefit has become my new best friend. Their products are lifesavers and work magic. The contouring products have shaped my face like crazy and the paleness of my face has been concealed after 17 years.

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So getting into skin and hair. Tarte’s amazonian clay foundation is amazing and the coverage is beyond. I’ve heard people rave about this for years and I’ve been using it now for about a year and I couldn’t be happier. Next up, St. Tropez. What would I do without you? The mousse gives me this natural glow that sadly takes tanning oil and hours in the sun for me to achieve (which frankly I don’t have time for) so this product actually saved my life. Moving on to hair, Argan oil and dry shampoo; probably the two basics when it comes to haircare. The Argan oil leaves my hair so smooth and silky it’s like I’ve stolen someone else’s and the dry shampoo, ah! it works wonders. That’s all I can say.

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Alright lastly, just some extras I could throw in. The Mac Twig color is my new obsession and the lip balm I use is an amazing base. You see that healing balm next to it? Yeah. Greatest. Thing. Ever. I had no idea what it was when my mom introduced it to me but it’s literally a thick balm that smooths out dry skin and cuts. It may not smell like freshly cut flowers but it does the job so well. Lastly, the all too famous real techniques brush. This has honestly become my favorite thing because I no longer have to rely on my hands to blend anything EVER AGAIN. If I kept going I would have wrinkles at age 25 from how much i pulled my skin applying foundation. This brush is so soft, blends perfectly and looks really cute next to your other makeup brushes (just saying).

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