sensory saturdays

The little things which I notice, make me smile, or make me feel compelled to write about. Or maybe it’s an excuse to use alliteration. You’ll never know.

.   .   .

Eye contact. Something so seemingly minute and inconsequential, but leaves an indelible impact. Too little contact says you’re detached. Apathetic. Nervous, insociable. Too much eye contact makes the other uncomfortable, like you’ve crossed some borderline. Just the right amount – the locking of eyes that makes someone look away, but want to look back – is such a beautiful thing. It’s the little things in life.

+ Pilates. All things flexible, bendy, and beautiful – I adore things that make me feellike a woman. I’ve just started yesterday and woke up feeling absolutely sore. All over. It hurts so, so good.

+ Raw smoothies. A bit tangy, a bit sweet, wholly fresh. The joys of returning to holistic eating feels so right. My body says thank you in advance.

Reading. I haven’t in a while. In a year, actually, not counting required readings for classes. I’ve forgotten the pleasures that come with simply relaxing and just letting your eyes and mind glaze over slightly. Let the printed words on the page take over, let the imagination stir from its deep slumber. I’ve just started Steve Martin’s “An Object of Beauty.” Deliciously smart so far, and it’s a beautiful book just to hold…

.   .   .

x

sensory saturdays

By the talented Igor + Andre.

“Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to place you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars. Learn how to drive a stick shift. Go so far away that you stop being afraid of not coming back. Say no when you don’t want to do something. Say yes if your instincts are strong, even if everyone around you disagrees. Decide whether you want to be liked or admired. Decide if fitting in is more important than finding out what you’re doing here. Believe in kissing.”

- Eve Ensler, from  Retro Japan

.   .   .

x

P.S.: Addicted to Pinterest once more. What a beautiful source of inspiration for those early mornings or late nights, paired with a cup of tea.

{image via, quote via}

sensory saturdays

Entitled to alliteration because of my love affair with words and literature. But essentially an umbrella for all things observed, noticed and loved maintenant. There’s nothing like overusing descriptions and adjectives.

. . .

{+} Recently started Pilates, in the comfort of my own home. And yoga. Scrap the gym-going days – I’m making these things a daily routine. It’s incredible how pilates makes you feel at one with your body. After half an hour I feel better. More beautiful. More confident about my body. I’m even tempted to say sexier – as in more womanly. I’d highly recommend you all get yourself a mat, a small chunk of your day, and something super cute from Lululemon. I don’t believe in wearing baggy or ratty university tee-shirts when exercising. No one feels good in them (or maybe I’m the odd one here) and you’re not allowing yourself to see your body. How it moves, tones and improves.

At the moment I’m simply watching online classes from Youtube (how very chic, I know). Any suggestions on Pilates DVDs to invest in? Or cute things to wear? Spill. I’d love to know! x

{+} Peanut butter and sliced bread were incredible to me throughout my grade school (and up through high school) years. I missed the simplicity and memories that came with such traditional an American lunch. I found something better (this is when you all gasp and declare my statement a complete blasphemy). Almond butter. Almond butter! On toast. Mm. Perhaps I’m biased because I love snacking on almonds, but there’s something about almond butter that’s just far more holistic. It’s creamy, but still retains a bit of graininess. The flavor is earthy, rich, but not heavy. An indulgence and a source of protein? Hurrah!

{+} Green tea + honey. Addicted.

{+} Starbucks soy chai tea latte, easy on the ice. Also addicted.

{+} I won’t bore you with food and drink descriptions anymore, promise.

{+} My personal style’s changed a bit over the past year under the influence of college life, for better or for worse. Worse, in my mum’s opinion, and in hindsight, I can wholeheartedly agree. The lesson: mother is always right. But I digress. My style’s heading back in the direction of classic, feminine fashion – in part due to my daily work attire. Totally enamored by 1950s and 1970s women and their fashions, bombshells of the 60s and 70s (Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin just to name two), and 90s supermodels.

But I do have a point. Fashion will always change around you, influencing your perspective and how you dress. Remaining true to your vision – dress style and otherwise – however, is a task to be considered and mastered in order to understand yourself. I’m still in the growing process (clearly) of defining my style, my self. I’ll get there.

{+} Despite all the changes, lessons were gained and learned. And I can say with the utmost confidence that I couldn’t be happier with where I am, who I am and who I’m becoming.

Your turn, mes chéries. Share your weeks’ worth of things observed! List ‘em, I’m nosy.

. . .

bises! x

sensory saturdays

A compilation of observations, reflections, and miscellaneous things, organized haphazardly (ah, the beauty of oxymorons). The only thing these thoughts share is their title. Here’s to alliteration and things that make me smile…

{+} Next on the coffee table? Carine Roitfeld’s autobiography, Irreverent, penned with the help of writers Cathy Horyn and Amy Larocca, edited by Purple magazine’s Olivier Zahm, and topped with a contribution by US Vogue’s Anna Wintour. It’s bound to be iconic considering the collaboration in itself – not to mention the subject of this book. The former French Vogue editor, muse to Tom Ford and French fashion, infamous for her provocative and less-than-politically correct editorials, writes in retrospect to depict her life in the past few years. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon.com for only $63.00 (considering its $100 MSRP), and will be unveiled October 4.

{+} April showers bring May flowers, or so the saying goes. I’m no fan of it – especially when I’m trudging back and forth campuses. Perhaps it’s because I haven’t a pair of Hunters to my name since I’m a firm believer in heels (I can’t help but feel stumpy in anything under three inches). But  any excuse to whip out the leopard print umbrella is worth it. Nothing like a touch of feline to spruce up a gray day of sweatpants and collegiate hoodies.

{+} Speaking of rain. Everything’s significantly more beautiful after the rain. Colors are richer, more saturated. And alive.

{+} But besides the relentless rain, April was chock full of date nights, formals, lunch dates, dinner dates. One of which (a formal) was at Bally’s in Atlantic City has made its way to the top of my list of most memorable nights. Good music, greasy foods, endless dancing, spontaneous adventures, flashy lights – all done in heels and a satin little black dress, no less. My not-so-glamorous life needed the occasional pick-me-up, and April gave it to me (along with my 19th birthday!).

{+} I have an addiction to bikinis and sweets. The irony of life is a beautiful thing. The whole 3 for 2 swimwear here isn’t helping, either.

. . .

bises! x

{image via}

sensory saturdays

The little things which I notice, make me smile, or make me feel compelled to write about.

{+} I’ve been interviewed and featured over at Smashion Lounge, an online fashion marketplace and community. Head on over and check it out, s’il vous plaît!

{+} Is it overkill to do both the Bardot hair with the Bardot eye? Never. Jamais! A black liner, only slightly winged, with the teased, half-up-half-down bouffant (the messier the better) by day, and uninhibited usage of liner and black shadow on the lids by night. It’s my ultimate go-to look, and never seems to fail… Trust me on this one, mes chéries. All you need is a backcombing brush, hairspray, and beaucoup de bobby pins!

{+} I’m a Mac girl. Without a doubt. It’s hardly a biased statement. Macs are just inherently hot. I recently took the plunge and purchased a case for it (my Macbook Pro gets dirty from bringing it everywhere) to personalize and protect it. Say hellooo to my brand new SeeThru SATIN case by (*) Speck. In deep red – the color of Aries!), no less. I can’t stop looking at/caressing my Pro, it now just looks sexy.

a closet-quickie: Before purchasing online from the direct distributor, shop around on sites like Amazon. The case from (*) Speck, directly, is a whooping $49.95 before S&H. From Amazon.com? $31.99! There’s also loads of packages available – pairing the case with a keyboard skin, etc. – that helps you save even more.

{+} I’ve listened to “Give Me Everything (Tonight),” by Ne-Yo featuring Pitbull. Trust me on this one when I say it’s going to big. Like, huge. Working for a DJ company and dancing has helped me honed in my taste in music; it’s as sexy as club music gets – smooth R&B with rapping by the Pitbull, produced by Afrojack. It’s one of the greatest collaborations of all time (like Usher & Ciara’s “Turn It Up!”). Get it. Put it on repeat.

{+} I ate healthy on Monday. But the health craze lasted only for a day and half before I inhaled platefuls of delicious pasta. Penne alla vodka with fresh basil, penne boscaiola, penne anything with a heavy cream sauce and vodka. Miam!

. . .

bises! x