Mid-week Pinspiration

What better way to spend your evening than browsing Pinterest? The search for the perfect leather jacket IS ON....better save my pennies!

Cinnamon sugar + pulled pork + champagne

Last Sunday, I had a little housewarming with the girls at my new place in Astoria. My friends trekked from Manhattan all the way out to the last stop on the N/Q train just to see me and I was thrilled to have them all over to see the new digs! It's been 2 months since we've moved in so the place is finally somewhat ready for show. I started the morning off running around like a madman from the gym to cleaning the apartment, to picking up champagne at 12pm when the liquor store opens for mimosa essentials...totally normal Sunday morning activities, of course. I also took it upon my self to find time to bake cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins because every good host has something freshly baked right?! I'm no Martha Stewart but these came out pretty damn good! The apartment smelled wonderful too!

 

After pounding 2 bottles of champagne with a "splash" of OJ in approximately 30 minutes, we hopped in two taxis across Astoria (Yes, In Queens you have to "call" a taxi rather than hail on the street) and went over to MEXIBBQ on 30th Ave for their boozy brunch. I got eggs benedict with pulled pork on time HOLY COW.... That was way to much food paired with day drinking - or should I say holy pig?! All in all successful first outing with the girls in Astoria! More adventures to come!

xoxo

Nina 

Brooklyn Flea.

Today we took an adventure to our neighboring borough, Brooklyn to check out Brooklyn Flea. We were between BF and Smorgasburg, but decided on BF since we had never been there before. Try something new, right? Three subway transfers later (N--> 7 --> G), we arrived in picturesque Fort Greene. One block off the G train and you can't miss this flea market filled with tons of art, jewelery and flat out junk  -- one's man's trash is another man's treasure, right?! I kept telling myself that while browsing piles of dusty "treasures". The goal of the trip was to find a piece of art for the new apartment and we succeeded after multiple walks around the sweaty flea market (with one pit-stop at The Milk Truck for AMAZING grilled cheeses) What can I say, I'm a sucker for food trucks/vendors especially with cheese as the main attraction. 

Check out our finds below:

Empire State Building Art Piece now near our front door 

 

Handmade key necklace for moi :)

New suede shoes

I've been looking for the right pair of neutral colored oxford shoes for awhile now and finally bit the bullet and purchased this pair from Steve Madden off Zappos. I can't wait to get them and start wearing them with all of my fall outfits. 

My Next Purchase: 

Denim Shirt
<div style="position:relative;"><div style="width:600px;margin:0 auto"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/denim_shirt_with_roll-up_sleeves/thing.outbound?.embedder=0&amp;.svc=copypaste&amp;id=33136025"><img width="600" alt="Denim Shirt With Roll-Up Sleeves" src="http://embed.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/y/tid/33136025.jpg" title="Denim Shirt With Roll-Up Sleeves" height="600" border="0" /></a></div></div><br/><small><div style="text-align:center"><div><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/denim_shirt_with_roll-up_sleeves/thing.outbound?.embedder=0&amp;.svc=copypaste&amp;id=33136025">Denim Shirt With Roll-Up Sleeves</a>   (clipped to <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/">polyvore.com</a>)</div></div></small>

Comfy Cardigans
<div style='padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px'><a href='http://pinterest.com/pin/169940585910445302/' target='_blank'><img src='http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/162059286562160577_J5ms0uvm_c.jpg' border='0' width='300' height ='500'/></a></div><div style='float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;'><p style='font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;'>Source: <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://www.shopconversationpieces.com/polka-dot-polka-dot-cardigan/'>shopconversationpieces.com</a> via <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com/cfeggoudakis/' target='_blank'>Christina</a> on <a style='text-decoration: underline; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com' target='_blank'>Pinterest</a></p></div> 

Jewel Tone Jeans
<div style='padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px'><a href='http://pinterest.com/pin/169940585910445248/' target='_blank'><img src='http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/169940585910445248_2UofhRah_c.jpg' border='0' width='311' height ='468'/></a></div><div style='float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;'><p style='font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;'>Source: <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://www.tobi.com/product/46938-tobi-color-skinny-jeans?color_id=61687'>tobi.com</a> via <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com/cfeggoudakis/' target='_blank'>Christina</a> on <a style='text-decoration: underline; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com' target='_blank'>Pinterest</a></p></div>

Loose T-Shirts
<div style='padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px'><a href='http://pinterest.com/pin/169940585910445264/' target='_blank'><img src='http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/73324300153402704_50on37Ml_c.jpg' border='0' width='300' height ='500'/></a></div><div style='float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;'><p style='font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;'>Source: <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://www.shopconversationpieces.com/perfect-shirt-charcoal/'>shopconversationpieces.com</a> via <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com/cfeggoudakis/' target='_blank'>Christina</a> on <a style='text-decoration: underline; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com' target='_blank'>Pinterest</a></p></div>

Something Tribal!


 

Pinspiration

I've been browsing Pinterest the past few weeks for a little "pinspiration" to redecorate our living room. My roommates and I were thinking of moving to a new apartment, but through the search it made us realize how much we love our place! Sometimes you don't know how good you have it! After living in our apartment for two years, It's finally time to graduate to a big girl apartment with things that were not from our college days. 

See right, we did paint an accent wall behind our couch a deep red/maroon an ad a white forest wall decal. (Similar to the one in the picture)
However, we have yet to decorate the rest of the room. The look we are going for is sort of an "urban forest". 



 

Love the colorful pillows 

Antlers + branches












 

A colorful rug is a must

A lovely day in East Hampton.

 \\

Last Saturday I spent the day in East Hampton at Wolffer Estate Vineyard for my friend Shannon's birthday. (See girl in gorgeous blue dress in the center) We had the most amazing day touring the property, learning all about how wine is made in the cellar and enjoying our delicious lunch in a private room overlooking the vineyard. I had never done anything like this before so it really was a treat. I've never felt so fancy before in my life! Drinking wine on the gazebo and then hopping into a limo afterwards, who am I!?! It really was the ultimate girls day and I highly recommend it for a special celebration!

Recent events

Summer is here! :)

So where have I been lately?

Memorial Day Weekend I took a mini road trip with my boyfriend up to Boston. The city was absolutely beautiful and historic. Day 1 we walked all of Boston along the freedom trail, strolled through the Public Gardens which is Boston's "Central Park" and made it all the way to the Bunker Hill Monument. Day 2 was spent at Fenway Park which was such an amazing baseball-watching experience, so glad we were able to catch a game at that epic park! Random picture below of the Chipotle was once the first bookstore in the U.S.!

Last weekend was my best friend Tracy's birthday and we celebrated by a big boozy brunch with all the girls at Cuba on the Lower East Side. Highly recommend this place for its delicious food (I suggest the chicken wrap) and all-you-can drink with an unbeatable selection that offered any drink on the menu - not just mimosas! I had  the Mango Sunrise which was delicious. Caution: the rum drinks are STRONG! We also were very lucky to have our friend Leyna's boyfriend, who is a professional photographer  there snapping pictures!

 Tracy, Amanda and I (the three roomies)

- Nina

cinco de maYO

 

I will celebrate any holiday involving margaritas and tacos. Although the weather was not looking promising, my friend Tracy and I still made it down to South Street Seaport for the MexFest Food Truck Festival on Saturday. The lines were epically long and especially for tacos so that was out of the question. We then saw the Gorilla Cheese truck, which my friend has seen around the city. The cinco special was so worth the 1/2 hr wait online...chipotle chicken, mozzarella and jalapenos on toasted french bread = YUM! After I inhaled the sandwich, I needed to find a margarita stat so we walked down to Beekman Beach Bar which is right on the river and has a breathtaking view of the Brooklyn bridge. (Definitely worth a visit in spring and summer) Its a huge outdoor bar with foosball, ping pong AND arm wrestling tables! Next time I'll bring my a-game and challenge some people to a duel. 

xo, Nina

Sunday Dinna

I spent all day yesterday snuggled up on the couch various watching Lifetime movies and only left to do my laundry downstairs. NYC was fah-reezing cold and wet and was the complete opposite of Saturday's picture perfect weather. I welcomed the rain with open arms because it forced me to stay in and recharge. And with that always comes experimenting in the kitchen. This was the easiest chicken to make, just slice a sliver or I called it a "flap" on top, stuff with your favorite goat cheese (I used feta), and chopped peppers, a bit of garlic and parsley then drizzle with olive oil and put in a baking dish with oil and bake in the oven for about an hour. Squeeze a bit of lemon on the chicken when it comes out of the oven, and serve with jasmine rice. Voila!

Gray Skies

It was a gray day in NYC when I took these photos at Central Park, but I felt compelled to share. My photography class "homework" assignment was to take pictures of my neighborhood, and while I wish I lived in the first brownstone bordering the park in the first image, I stretched the neighborhood boundary for these photos. I consider Central Park to be everyone's "neighborhood" park in NYC. I think they actually came out to be a really great portrayal of the park on a lazy Sunday. Tomorrow, I plan to hit the streets and get some sunny day photos (praying for no rain!)