American Red Cross Fire + Ice Gala 2013!

Hi everyone! Thought I'd quickly share with you all of the pictures from last night's Gala!!

From Left to Right: Gary Striar, Regional CEO of the American Red Cross NENY,  R. Mark Sullivan, Former President of the College of St. Rose, Fr. Kevin J. Mullen, President of Siena College, and Richard Sleasman, Chair of the Board of Directors of American Red Cross NENY

Sunday Fun Day

Hey y'all! Sorry...experimenting with greetings. And sorry if you think the above photo is depressing..I just think it's an interesting thought.

I have a super full list of awesome videos and stuff and things that brought me joy to share with you! If you haven't yet noticed, this blog walks a very thin line between literally pointless blabbering and some thoughtful essays and reviews I've posted...but hey! I think everyone needs a little bit of both in their life. And my eclectic random behavior very correctly describes me as a person. These are basically my diary entries. So keep reading. I don't even know what's going to come out of my mouth next.

FIRST UP! Angela Miller from...get this...BEVERLEY MASS is now in the Top 8 of American Idol!! Beverley is such a small town (that my boyfriend, Dylan, currently lives in attending Endicott College) and she is actually amazing..and I don't just say that. She actually has a shot at winning this thing. One of my favorite performances of hers was when she sang "Yesterday" by The Beatles. I think it's my favorite Beatles song actually....and if you watched that night you know that I'm making fun of Keith Urban for running with that joke for way too long. But YouTube sucks right now and doesn't have a video of her singing Yesterday :(

But here is her audition piece:

I also love this Solo Round piece she did! (I think the judges did too)

Gillian Flynn. She is my favorite author of the moment. I've read two of her books, and am currently on the third. First I read Gone Girl. Then Sharp Objects. And now I'm reading Dark Places. This fills up the desire within me that yearns to solve "who dunnit" mysteries. Her writing is so beautifully descriptive and captivating. Oh, and if you haven't joined Goodreads yet, and you are an avid reader, then you have a problem. Flynn has a total dark side, and her characters are usually extremely effed up, but somehow she has you rooting for them. If you need to just escape this world for a second, I highly recommend reading one of these novels. You literally won't be able to put them down. So far I've read all of these in two days. And wait this is the first time I've seen her picture...why is she so beautiful? Her books are so demented!! AND AMAZING

GET YOSELF ORGANIZED. That is all.

I want this. I want this. I want this.

Is it embarrassing that I actually own one of these? And use it? Nah. 

When I get back to New York (tomorrow), I really want to plan some kind of girls night out at this place called ABC Kitchen in Gramercy. It looks so beautiful inside. Oh and the food reviews are good lol.

And now...just enjoy these pictures. 

Monthly in Your Mailbox!

It seems that there's a new fad out there. I have partaken in it myself. It is actually extremely exciting and uplifting when you receive a "care package". It brings me back to those long summer days at overnight camp.

I've decided to feature a few of my favorite "of the month" packages on here, and maybe you'll fall in love too!

1. Fancy Box

This is the package that I currently subscribe to, and I really do adore it. Each month, Fancy sends you about 5-8 items that are super popular, whether it's the newest techy-obsession or a beautiful and interesting (sometimes hilarious) book that is perfect for a coffee table. It is currently $39/box each month. Browse through some other amazing Fancy items on their website; you'll never get bored!

2. Bark Box

This is the sweetest idea out there if you have a dog, or are just a dog lover. If you sign up for this Bark Box, for as low as $18/month, you receive a little care package for your pooch! WAIT IT GETS BETTER! With each box that is delivered for the apple of your eye, another box goes to a dog in need!! Can you believe this?? I just want to cry that I found this after Luke passed :( I  miss him so much. I'm definitely telling my grandma to buy this for her doggies..

3. NewBeauty - TestTube

This is a really great idea if you love beauty products, skincare or makeup. Each month, a "TestTube" is filled with all of the newest products that are about to be released to the public, and you get to try them first! The package is $29.95, and is delivered six times a year. I have a friend who receives this package, and she only has glowing reviews!

4. Panty by Post

I know a lot of people cringe when they hear the "P" word, but cringe no more! It's time to do something nice for yourself, or maybe for a friend! These are absolutely stunning French luxury undies that come to you each month and make the postman blush! The price varies depending on how many months you want to subscribe- basically the longer, the cheaper! (They have 'em for the men too don't worry!)


5. Not Another Bill

Not Another Bill is perfect for those of you who are SICK of only seeing junk mail and bills in your mailbox. It's time to spice things up and order Not Another Bill! The prices also very depending on each month subscribed. I think the little blurb on their website says it all:

Opening the post box used to carry with it a bit of surprise. Who knew what handwritten letter you might have been sent or maybe one of your friends sent you a post card from a far flung country. Unfortunately, in a world of emails and smart phones, that tends to be a rarity more than common place. Instead, the postman's deliveries these days tend to be bills — all handed over like clockwork every month. 

And so Not-Another-Bill is here to offer a glimmer of hope amongst the usual junk mail with the arrival of a monthly surprise gift specially curated and beautifully packaged. Subscribe for yourself or treat someone special to receive a collection of wonders each month, the product of collaborations between Not Another bill and a number of up and coming and established designers, brands and artists.

I hope you have found something that you could see yourself opening each month!! Tonight is the Red Cross Fire + Ice Gala- pictures coming soon!

Two Videos That Made Me Cry

I love Beyonce. Because:

1) She is insanely talented and her voice creates sparkles in my eyes (???)
2) She is just SO effin cool
3) She is so raw. And real. All of the good R words

I also have recently learned that I love when lions and humans get reunited. Because...obviously..
Ok so the song could have something to do with it..but I still think it's ultimately the heart-warming story.

So enjoy these two videos on this tear-filled Thursday night. (BTW- these are happy tears DUH)

Paranormal Activity 3 Review

Paranormal Activity 3 is the next installment of the super creepy Paranormal Activity ‘fakeumentary’ frenzy. Paranormal Activity, the low-budget movie that started the hype, was about Katie and her boyfriend, Micah, being terrorized by some kind of demon. The sequel, Paranormal Activity 2, ventures into Kristi’s house, Katie’s sister, and the same type of supernatural events occur, endangering the lives of Kristi, her husband, and their two children. Paranormal Activity 3 jumps back in time to 1988 where the viewers see Kristi and Katie as little girls, and learn how this entire demon mess started. 

            Like the two films that came before, Paranormal Activity 3 starts with small, strange occurrences that just somehow get caught on tape, and slowly but surely get more intense, and definitely more terrifying.  If there is one thing that should be learned from these movies, it’s that demons do not like to be videotaped. As the demonizing gets more extreme, the main cameraman, who in Paranormal Activity 3 is Katie and Kristi’s mother’s boyfriend, becomes increasingly eager to catch the happenings on tape. Even in 1988, where the cameras are enormous and very heavy (they are apparently still easy to run around with while a demon is chasing you), catching everything on videotape seemed to be common.

            Paranormal Activity 3 isn’t all shocks and scares; in fact there are quite a few comical scenes with Dennis (the boyfriend) and his good cameraman friend, who has a bit of a potty mouth.

            The real showstoppers in Paranormal Activity 3, however, are the two young children, Katie and Kristi. Kristi, the younger of the two, and her imaginary friend, Toby, have many conversations that are definitely out of the ordinary and hair raising- especially when they occur at 2 in the morning, raising little Kristi out of her bed.

            With all of the hype about Paranormal Activity 3, both bad and good, my final word is that it might make you jump, possibly squeal, maybe even prevent you from breathing at some anxiety-filled scenes, but one things for sure, it most definitely will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Review

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

            The much anticipated English version of the book turned movie, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was released December 20^th netting on their opening weekend $12.75 million.

James Bonds’ Daniel Craig played the lead role of Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced journalist hired to solve the murder of a young girl that took place forty years ago.  The role which really stood unsurpassed was Lisbeth Salander, played by Rooney Mara. Mara plays an unreadable, troubled computer hacker, who Blomkvist seeks out to aid him in his search of what happened to Harriet Vanger. The director of the film was David Fincher, whose other works include Fight Club, The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Naturally, with titles like these under his belt, I imagined I’d be in for a treat on the evening I went out to see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And what a treat it was. Although the movie is a whopping two hours and thirty seven minutes long, I felt as if my brain was tuned in the entire time, attempting to figure out the bizarre disappearance Blomkvist and Salander were trying to unveil.

What keeps the audience on edge is the on-going mystery of what happened to Henrik Vanger’s (Christopher Plummer) niece, but also the back stories of Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. Salander lives an extremely difficult and trapped life. Everything about her points to a background of disappointment and problems. She has black as onyx hair that cuts across her forehead like ice, deep, overpowering, dark makeup and baggy, dark clothing that screams dread.  The makeup and costume designers of this film should be commended. After seeing the film, I decided that it was Rooney Mara who was truly transformational in her role as Salander. She was extremely believable, and shock crosses most faces when told that Mara also played the girlfriend from Boston University in The Social Network.

The film is rated R for a reason; there are some very disturbing and brutally violent scenes as well as strong language.

The storyline is very effective; incorporating subplots and involving unlikely characters with each other always makes for a good flick. What makes the movie so captivating is that you’re held almost completely in the dark throughout the whole movie, until the end where everything comes together in one sensational final scene. This film was innovative, surprising, and a breath of fresh air. Where have all the classic “who done it?” mysteries gone? All I can say is that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo brought it back, and with a bang.

Review of Yono's Restaurant in Albany

Yono’s in Albany, NY

            When I first walked into Yono’s, in the heart of Albany at 25 Chapel Street, I saw the classic bar scene: people happily chatting over drinks with groups of friends. I noticed a man in a chef’s uniform sitting at one of the tables, animatedly talking and laughing. As soon as he noticed my group, he jumped up and gave everyone a big hug. I soon realized this was the famous Yono, whom my fellow diners knew very well. He personally led us to the back dining room, and it felt as if we were leaving one world and entering an entirely different one.

The dining area was stunning. Hanging in the center of the room was a magnificent crystal chandelier, and everything it sparkled on glowed with a golden sheen. Adding to that glow was a fire-place, which we luckily were seated next to, that only enhanced the sense of romance and intimacy. There were tables with exquisite plates and silverware atop crisp white table cloths, servers dressed immaculately, and a pianist and cellist playing in one corner of the room. Live music is always appreciated in a restaurant as it adds to the sense that you’re receiving a one of a kind evening, making the restaurant original and imaginative.

One thing that I always immediately notice in a restaurant is the quality of service. From the moment we walked in, greeted by Yono himself, until the last wave goodbye the servers and staff at Yono’s were attentive, swift and genuinely kind. The service was incredible, and in some cases, that’s what can break or make a restaurant.

When I first glanced down at the menu, I was very surprised to see some of the dishes listed. Appetizers like “Sautéed Farm Raised Alligator” and “Veal Sweetbreads” which I learned later was a gland in an animal! I was fortunate enough to get to try both of these appetizers, and they were delectable. On the entrée side of the menu, I came across “Crispy shallot encrusted kangaroo” which one of my fellow diners ordered and I also had the chance to taste. Who knew kangaroo was so delicious? The sauce that accompanied each meal was perfectly matched to what was being served. Yono’s has a very different menu due to the owner’s Indonesian background, which only adds to the originality of the restaurant. You won’t find food like this anywhere else. Now, don’t be too discouraged if you’re not used to trying all of these different foods, because there are the cult classics on the menu as well including a New York Strip, Beef Short Ribs and Pork Tenderloin. Throughout our meal, wait staff brought out small plates with little tastes of other foods to enjoy in between courses, which was very thoughtful and different. We were never bored or hungry! For dessert I ordered the Chocolate Rendezvous that had layers of chocolate, but was not too rich which was right up my alley.

At Yono’s you can have the best of both worlds. There is the bar and more casual restaurant in the front of the restaurant called DP’s, which is run by Yono’s son, Dominick, and then there is the beautiful fine dining in the back. The food is delicious and unlike any other cuisine you’ll find in Albany. The service is spectacular, and the experience is one of a kind. Yono’s receives a four star rating from me, and I will definitely be back for more.

Fashion, Food and Finales

Oh well hi there! (How cute is this little ballerina? Sorry..had to.) This blog is filled with gems. Seriously, I went a little crazy. But, I think you'll thank me by the end.

I am on Spring Break! Wooh let's get cray cray. But actually, I'm in Albany. So...nothing will go down.  But I am planning on catching up on all of my "Television programs" (as my grandma calls them), the wonderful FilmBuff movies I've been assigned to watch, and all of my trashy reading before my academic brain-killers. I also want to cook every meal for myself, in an attempt to know exactly what nourishment is going into my body and hopefully somewhat detoxing. Here's what I made last night! 

I do not know the exact measurements used...as I basically just threw everything on until it looked scrumptious...but here is what I used! 

1. Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2. Arugula

3. Spinach

4. Kale

5. Low-fat Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

6. Salt & Pepper

7. Olive Oil 

Here's an insane piece of news: Dylan skydived yesterday. Well, technically today...because IN AUSTRALIA THEY ARE A DAY AHEAD. Yeah, can you tell I'm annoyed that I am not in Sydney? Most definitely would not be jumping from planes...but I'd be extremely supportive and welcoming on the field or whatever that he landed in...anyways, I'm sure pictures are to come. 

On Friday night, I went and saw my friend Jessica's dance showcase (is that what I am even supposed to be calling it?) where she danced in an absolutely stunning piece choreographed by her friend, Christian. All I have to say is...it took a lot of guts to get on that stage and do what she did...so props to you my love! She also choreographed a touching and beautiful piece in the memory of her best friend, Jasmine. I don't think there was a dry eye in the theater! Jess is a very insightful person- so check out her Tumblr! 

Oh yeah, I'm back to blonde...ish. Here's what I mean: 

Now, on the media front...

The Girls Finale.

Well.

I'm not exactly thrilled with the direction that the show has gone. This show is a comedy. That's why I don't appreciate the way that Hannah has 'gone crazy' with her OCD. The disease is not funny...and although they make it obvious that Hannah is suffering, they also use comedic relief. I don't like that. OCD is debilitating and shouldn't be used as a funny new symptom that Hannah is going through. You'll have to watch to see what else happens- the Hannah story line was really the only part I wasn't enjoying (until the kind of cliche end) so I still recommend you watch. 

This just reminds me of New York...and all the reasons that I love it. 

I cannot wait for the Season 3 Premier of Game of Thrones. The fashion at the official premier was off da hook..let me just say. Check out Rose Leslie's gorgeous green gown. Let's just say I have something kind of similar planned for the Gala this Saturday ;) To see the rest: Click here!

I think it's very important that we all just realize this. Anything difficult that you are going through will eventually fade away. I promise. And you can, of course, always talk to me. I love to listen...and talk :) 

Here are five ways to stay creative! I really liked this. Very helpful and inspiring

This next recipe comes from one of my favorite bogs, Minimalist Baker. They are Healthy No Bake Cookie Bites! These look perfect for a day like today, AKA A blizzard during March day...why....

At least my friend Hannah is here watching FilmBuff's movie, Missed Connections (A Review to come later!)  Check out her Tumblr!

Go bold or go home, as The Wicked Ying so boldly puts it for this Spring's Fashion! I really love this black and white outfit for a cute day walking around the city. Peplum is SO in. What do you think?

This DIY project is super cute and reminds me of my dad and my brother, who can actually both solve a Rubik's Cube! My dad once came into my 5th grade classroom and solved it with his eyes closed...it was an awesome/proud moment for me. Also...I just realized that this is the second tissue box I've posted on here...strange.

NAIL TREND ALERT! I plan on trying this as soon as possible

DIY Project #2: DIY Splatter Painted Glass Vases 

Trying to be more hands on...can you tell? 

60 of the world's happiest facts. You're welcome. 

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”- Dr. Seuss

Happy Tuesday :)  

Dream Shoes and Affirmations

It's been a while since I posted a new blog, and this is because life has been SO hectic. It's midterm week here at the oh so lovely NYU. Spring break is so close and yet so damn far. Dylan is going to Australia. Yes, that's right. While he's in Sydney skydiving, I will be in Albany. Awesome Albany. Anyways, I have the 2013 Red Cross Fire + Ice Gala to look forward to! I will be sure to add lots of pictures of all the black tie gowns...which by the way, I still haven't found mine. I've got issues.

Here's a picture of what I wore last year, when my mom and I co-chaired the entire event!

This Saturday I babysat for the sweetest little girl, an 11 month old named Arielle. I hope it becomes a regular thing because she's just too delicious.

ALSO, let's back track even further, my wonderful childhood friend (last year we were still in high school- but oh how far away that seems) Lexi Fehervari came to visit me in New York! We had such a blast hitting up all of my favorite spots around the city. We went to Galanga for thai, then Cafe Reggio for coffee, and then the 9:45 show at the Comedy Cellar! We were falling off of our seats- our FRONT ROW seats. We were made fun of a couple of times, so basically we are A-list celebrities.

Now, lets get to the fun stuff. Ladies and gentleman what you've all been waiting for!!!!

Well, first I just need to congratulate Iowa Girl for breaking her pregnancy to her katrillion followers in the CUTEST WAY EVER.

Next, and I realize this is an abrupt subject change, but these toilet paper rolls are too cute. And hey, you could put them in a babies bathroom (so that is a good transition thank you very much). Their little mouths are just so cute. I can't think of any other word to describe these except for cute. Just let me say cute. 

WHERE THE **** WERE THESE THINGS WHEN I WAS TRYING TO BE A POPULAR MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRL?! Do you understand how cool I could have been at a sleepover? 

Here are my dream shoes that I so sneakily put into this blog's title. They're just awesome. But totally irresponsible for New York. I step in so many sidewalk cracks that it's honestly just mean to wear heels. Because heels have feelings.

If you think this needs some sort of introduction .... I can't even. Sorry.

Oil wrestling. Nuff said ladies.

You can't just show one picture of Turkish men oil wrestling...

I want to watch this video every morning of my life. This brings such joy to my world.

How STUNNING was Meryl Strep? And she is still stunning. Natural. Beauty. I believe that Meryl is the most incredible actress that ever walked this planet. I know you think I over exaggerate a lot, but I am not exaggerating here. I fully mean that.

Here's a fun fact for you! NYU hasn't won a football game since 1952. Lets go Bobcats! Is that even our mascot anymore? The picture below is legit the only picture I could find of some sort of advertisement for an NYU football game. So. Old. We are not a real school.

And to finish up your Sunday evening (I need to get back to reading Fantasia: An Algerian Cavalcade....) here is a throwback video that used to CRACK ME UP in 10th grade. Still cracks me up. How can it not? STAY IN YOUR LANE.