Gilt Groupe Warehouse Sale

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend the Gilt Groupe Warehouse Sale.  Even though I'd been to a J.Crew Sample Sale before, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  I braced myself for the chaos of the sample sales you see in Sex in the City and if there were Tory Birch shoes involved, I was prepared to wrestle them out of someone's hands.

via

However, this wasn't necessary at all.  The sale was absolutely wonderful and the deals were incredible.  K.Tana and I arrived early and got through the doors before things got too crazy.  By the time the majority of the crowd got inside, I already had an arm full of clothing and was heading for a cocktail (which were a delicious SVEDKA Clementine on the rocks cut with 2 limes and a splash of simple syrup...yummm). 

The Sale

I had very good intentions of noting the designers and prices so I could report back...but I got so caught up in it all I completely forgot!  I can tell you that I tried on a $300 cashmere dress that was marked down to $50!  It was absolutely stunning but I had to put it back because I scored this beauty:

This little number is a $700 VALENTINO that's right Valentino, marked down to $150.  How could I not buy it?  Now someone just needs to invite me to a fancy party so I can wear it...any takers?

Saturday Silliness and a Blog Award!

I hope everyone's weekends are off to a fantastic start!  This Saturday I bring you one of my favorite Youtube series of all time.  Drunk History.  Basically, Derek Waters gets one of his friends outrageously drunk and makes them recount a historical event.  My favorite is this one about Ben Franklin (Bonus: Jack Black acts out his part).  Enjoy!




In other news, the always wonderful Amanda at Three Hundred and Sixty Five has given me the Breathtaking Blog Award!  Thank you lady!

Now without further ado, here's the survey that goes along with the award as well as the lovely ladies I am passing it on to.

What inspires you?
My friends and fellow bloggers, several of my former professors, human rights advocates (right now I am completely blown away by the efforts of the Egyptian people)

What is your favorite season and why?
Spring!  Is there anything better than watching the flowers come up and breaking out adorable sun dresses for the first time?

What are you most looking forward to this year?
There's talk of a mini vacation/reunion with all my GW girls.  I hope it happens since I miss them bunches!

If you could write a book about anything, what would it be about?
My ridiculous dating adventures.  Only I could get myself into those situations.

What is your greatest passion?
Helping others and working with young people.

If you could change one thing about your life or yourself, what would it be and why?
This is a tough one.  There are a lot of things I might have wanted to change in the past, but I feel like all the rough moments helped me get where I am now, and I love where I am now!  I think the best answer I can give is I wish I had more self control.  I need to be able to tell myself "NO" when I want to buy a new dress since 1) my closet is already over flowing and 2) I have student loans to pay.

Lastly, what is your favorite novel?
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.  Some of the most beautiful writing I've ever read with a captivating story line.

I wish I could pass this award on to all of the blogs I read but alas that would be against the rules.  I'm sharing it with:

Daniela at DK Everday
Rach at How Fickle Is Woman
Belle in the City at We're Just Like You, Only Prettier
D at The Best Things in Life

Love, Loss, and What I Wore

As I mentioned in an earlier post I was lucky enough to see Love, Loss, and What I Wore last weekend.  I'm still thinking about how amazing it was. The play is currently starring Alexis Bledel, Nikki Blonsky, Anita Gillette, Judy Gold, and Pauletta Washington.  The women in the play have such an amazing chemistry and dynamic that you really feel like you're listening in to their real life conversations.  The content is something any girl can relate to.  Who doesn't jam too many things into their purse, occasionally fight with their mother, or feel totally confused by the newest fashion trends?

But what struck me most, is how firmly our memories are tied to the clothes we were wearing when they happened.  After the play was over I couldn't stop thinking about what outfits I would include in a scrap book of my life.  Here's a little sampling of a few that would make the cut.  I would absolutely love to see what other people have come up with as well.  If you feel inspired to make your own posting let me know and I'll link you here (and tweet all about how awesome you are as well).  Enjoy!

My Tutus

I don't have any pictures on my computer of my first ballet costume but this one works.  Ballet always played such a huge role in my life.  Between age 4 and 18 I spent multiple days a week at the studio and made some life long friends (love you ladies <3).  At times it was a lot of hard work, frustration, and pain but it all paid off when it eventually turned into a MUCH BIGGER tutu.

That's me second from the left in the white and gold

North Face Jacket

A north face may sound kinda lame but let me explain.  This jacket got me through many many many trips while I was studying in Europe.  It's been to Spain, England, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and the Czech Republic.  I can't think of all those trips and adventures without thinking of the jacket.

Blue and White Dress

This dress is the very definition of Love, Loss, and What I Wore.  It was there for a phenomenal day in Boston with the first guy I ever introduced to my parents (which btw didn't happen until right before my senior year of college...no one gets to meet the fam until I'm 100% sure I'm into them).   That didn't so much work out.  It was also there this past 4th of July when the guy I was seeing was blatantly hitting on other girls and then berating me in front of his friends when I asked him to stop.  That obviously didn't work out either.  Maybe the dress is bad luck? haha

Inaugural Ball Gown

I was at Obama's inauguration and it is a moment I will never forget.  I watched him be sworn in and then happened to be standing right where he got out of his limo during the parade route.  The atmosphere of the day was so celebratory and it was truly amazing to witness history.  This is the dress that I wore to GW's ball that evening.  I desperately need another fancy occasion to wear it at!


My Cap and Gown

Way to look at the camera dad! haha

I don't think you can ever forget your college graduation.  Unlike high school, it's the first time in your life that the next step isn't planned out for you.  It's scary and exciting all at once.

Patriots Jersey

How could this not make the list!?  Even though I'm a New Yorker now, I will always be a Massachusetts girl at heart.  It will always be a huge part of my identity.  I love all things New England...especially my Pats!

So there you have it.  My life through a series of outfits.  I'm sure if I made this again list next year, it would have several new editions.  I'm hoping to read some of your memories through fashion as well!  And who knows...if I get enough of them, they might even get their own tab at the top of my blog. 

Stuff I Like

It's thundering, lightening and snowing out right now...I didn't even know that was possible!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the office will open late tomorrow.  For now, I'm snuggled up in bed and bringing you this week's edition of Stuff I Like.

1. Coup De Coeur

I discovered this little store over the weekend and I love it!  They've got several locations throughout NYC but I visited the shop on 609 9th Ave (between 43rd and 44th).  The sales woman was unbelievably friendly.  She didn't even complain when I tried on half the dresses in the store and only purchased one.  They have very very cute dresses which are perfect for going out.  However, don't pay full price since they have frequent sales.  I ended up with a $60 dress for $30!


2. The Historian

I finished The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova yesterday.  At 720 pages, the book is a commitment but it's well worth it.  It's a fascinating story of a historian recounting his research on Dracula (and his attempts to hunt him) to his daughter.  Now I'm not usually into vampire literature but this book is well crafted and takes a more historical approach to the tale.  I wasn't thrilled with the ending though.  After barely being able to put the book down, the ending was anti-climatic and left me feeling let down.  Has anyone else read it yet?  What were your thoughts on the ending?

3. Room Service

Photo from Yelp User Kenny C.

We had dinner at Room Service on Saturday night (how amazing does this place look!?) and it was a great time.  The menu is a delicious assortment of Thai food...the corn spring rolls are a must.  If you arrive during happy hour they also have super cheap cocktails.  Try the Chelsea Rainbow.  My favorite detail in the restaurant is the free standing doors scattered amongst the tables.  It really makes you feel like you're enjoying "room service".


4. Gilt Groupe Warehouse Sale

K.Tana came up big this week and snagged us two tickets for the Gilt Groupe Warehouse Sale on Saturday!  I don't have words for how excited I am about this.  Designer clothes at 75% off?  Free Svedka cocktails?  Pampering stations?  Cookies?  YES PLEASE!  It's going to be the perfect day and K.Tana is the perfect person to go with!  For those of you who haven't gotten your tickets yet, there's still room on the wait list!  I will definitely be reporting back afterwards.  Hopefully I score some great deals!

5. Diana King "Shy Guy"

I've had this song stuck in my head all week.  Anyone else remember it?  Soooooo good!

That's all I've got for you now.  I know I'm waaaaaaaaaaaay behind with reading your blogs.  I promise I'll be catching up/commenting soon!  Lot's of after work events lately have been keeping me away from my computer.

Top Two Tuesday: Healthy Recipes and Snacks

Seriously can't get enough of these Top Two Tuesdays...they're a lot of fun!  Head on over to Taylor's Blog and link up.

This week's topic is healthy recipes and snacks.  Now I'm the girl who has gone on a crazy "popcorn and diet coke diet" before many a spring break so I might not be the best one to ask about this haha.  But, I do have a few delicious suggestions up my sleeve.


1. Annie's Bunny Grahams

These are the absolute perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling guilty!  You can have 30 of these bite sized treats for just 130 calories (compare that to just a half cup of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked which packs a whopping 280 calories) .  They've also got 20% of your daily calcium giving you yet another reason to feel good about eating them.  Oh and did I mention how cute they are?

2. Mini Cucumbers and Hummus

Speaking of cute foods, I have recently developed an obsession with mini cucumbers.  I cut one up every morning, scoop a couple of tablespoons of hummus into a Tupperware, and I've got an amazing afternoon snack.  Usually I'll add some other veggies too...this week it's been carrots but cherry tomatoes or thinly sliced zucchini sticks are excellent choices as well.

Weekend Wrap Up

Rachel was in town this weekend and it was absolutely fabulous!  We were always the 2 trouble makers in our group of friends (followed very very closely by Miss Ora) and are always egging each other on to do something crazy.  We caused our share of trouble during undergrad...from picking up a pair of ICE agents at a Swedish Embassy gala and then dragging them all over DC to find an after party, to making midwestern frat boys tear up on Spring Break with our flaming jager shots, and who could forget the ridiculous toga party we once ended up at in suburban Virginia.

We spent most of the weekend doing a little shopping, eating diner food, and having some cocktails.  Two of the absolute highlights were being able to see Love, Loss, and What I Wore (which is getting it's own post later this week...it was that good!) and dancing until close at the Red Lion.

It's been a good few weeks for visiting with GW friends.  I've been reading a lot of posts about the "What Ifs" of being in your 20s lately (Jbunny and Fresh Year of Life) and weekends like this make me consider them in my own life.

What if I had stayed in DC for more of this:

And this:

Life would be 100% different right now.  I love every minute of living in NYC but some times I have to wonder how things would be different if I'd stayed.  I talked about this with the VP of my department the other day and I don't think anyone could have said it better than her, "It's not right or wrong, good or bad, it's just different".

Barca

Right before my senior year of high school I spent 10 absolutely amazing days in Spain.  Three years later, I moved to Barcelona for four months.  Now it's been another three years and I am aching for that city.  I would give anything to be living this again

Stuff I Like

Before I begin this week's edition of "Stuff I Like", I have a question for all you lovely readers.  I know I've got a few Southern Belles that read my blog and yours truly is planning a trip to Hotlanta in May!  Any recommendations on airlines to fly or where to get a good deal on a flight?  Any input would be wonderful!  And now without further ado...here's this week's list:

1. Nectarine Mint Soap

My mom got me some Nectarine Mint soap for Christmas and I can't get enough of the scent!  It's sweet, but not too sweet, and the mint adds a nice twist.  Bath & Body Works is having a sale right now so it's the perfect time to pick some up for yourself.

2. The Runaways

I watched The Runaways tonight and I loved it!  Who knew Kristen Stewart was capable of acting and not just whining about whether to chose Jacob or Edward?  And I know it's old news, but I'm still having trouble with the idea of a grown up Dakota Fanning...she will always be the little girl in Uptown Girls to me.

3. OPI Extra-va-vaganza!

This was another Christmas gift from my mom and I am completely obsessed with this color!  All the sparkle is a little unexpected but it's also a lot of fun.  I also love sparkly polishes since when it chips it isn't obvious and it's really easy to dab on a little extra sparkle to cover it up.  This color was a special edition for the holidays, but you can still buy it here.


4. Chirping Chicken

The Chirping Chicken is a Boston Market style eatery that Ora and I have passed by a zillion times but only got around to trying recently.  How could we pass up food from a place called The Chirping Chicken!?  The food was surprisingly delicious.  The chicken was perfectly seasoned and I would recommend ordering the mashed potatoes and french fries as sides.  We also tried to mac and cheese but, in the words of my coworker, it was nothing to write home about.


5. Rachel's Visiting!!

This weekend I'm being reunited with my former roommate Rachel!  I am beyond excited to see her since after living together for 2 years, 3 months is an awful long time to go without hanging out.  I promise you there will be an outrageous amount of shenanigans to blog about on Monday.

Top Two Tuesday: Outfits for Spring

I was so excited when I saw this week's topic!  I love Spring fashion and cannot wait until it's little sun dress weather again.  Here are 2 looks I'm loving for the Spring.

1. Neutrals

I can't get enough of this BCBG dress!  I love the structure and the cinched waist and the back has an exposed zipper (another trend I'm obsessed with).  I'm also a huge fan of all the neutral colors designers are showing for Spring, they make you look chic and put together.

2. Bold Patterns

I couldn't pick just one of these dresses from Urban Outfitters.  The bold patterns are great since they've got a lot of personality but are also very feminine.  I especially love the bow detail on the first dress.  The second dress highlights the pattern mixing that's going to be big this year.  I'm hoping I'll be able to pull off this trend!

Me Time

First of all, thank you to the lovely ladies who have recently passed on the Stylish Blogger award to me!  They are three amazing ladies who right three very interesting blogs so go on over and check them out...Belle in the City at We're Just Like You, Only Prettier, D at The Best Things in Life, and Courtney at Living in the Sunshine.  I already received the Stylish Blogger Award once so I feel like it'd be cheating to pass it on again...but I'm so happy that these ladies passed it on it me.

I'm currently wrapping up a four day weekend and dreading its end.  I had a fabulous weekend that I planned after reading one of Neely's posts on Secret Single Behavior at A Complete Waste of Makeup.  After running around like a crazy person for the past couple of weeks, I decided to make this weekend all about things I love doing.


1. I spent lots of time with my favorite Long Islander

This picture is from junior year of college, where we both showed up wearing almost identical dresses haha.  I've known this girl since we met during college orientation...while we were both sneaking off campus to drink with the Water Polo team.  Clearly we were meant to be friends.  We did dinner at Bare Burger...highly highly recommend it since they serve all kinds of exotic burgers like lamb and elk.  We followed it up with some classy classy drinks at Applebee's and going to see Country Strong.

If you haven't seen it, you need too!  It's no secret that I'm not a fan of country music but I LOVED this movie.  The music is beautiful and the story is heart breaking and inspiring all at once.  Plus, I adore Leighton Meester (anyone else excited to see The Roommate?) and Garrett Hedlund is a cutie pie.

2. I took myself on a date on Saturday

Macy's was having a giant sale on Saturday so I grabbed a non-fat mocha from Starbucks and hit up the 8 floors of shopping paradise.  I behaved myself and didn't buy anything...but it was fun to just wandering around and look at all the Spring collections.  I am seriously drooling over this Michael Kors handbag and pretty much every single BCBG dress on display.  My only purchases of the day ended up being a $13 dress from Forever 21 (and it is ridiculously hot) and a couple of chocolate chip cookies at Mrs. Fields...maybe I can learn to stick to a budget!


3. Watched some football.

While it was a horrible no good very bad day in terms of how my beloved Patriots played (yes I may have put my head down on the bar at one point), the day as a whole was fun.  My roommate is a huge Bears fan so we hung out at Triona's, a Chicago bar, and had an absolute blast!  I met this hilarious guy who was a GW alum and we may have busted out the GW Fight song in the middle of the bar.  A few people asked as "What the hell was that?" but we didn't mind.


4. Spa day!
I capped the long weekend off with an amazing facial over at La Peau Day Spa...yay for Spa Sally deals!  It was the perfect relaxing way to finish my mini vacation.

What do you like to do during your "me" time?

Saturday Silliness

This week's post is devoted to Sunday's epic showdown...where the Patriots will stomp all over the Jets.  Here are some friendly jabs we've taken at the Jets this week.

The Boston Herald has also posted some great Jets Jokes.  My person favorite is: What is the difference between the Jets and a dollar bill?  You can still get 4 quarters out of a dollar.

Let's go Pats!

Say What!?

Image from Time.com

Has anyone else been confused about all this Zodiac talk floating around the internet today?  I don't take horoscopes or Zodiac signs seriously but, it is kinda nice to know where to look when I get to the astrology section of Cosmo.  I always get a laugh when I read about the good days for an Aries to fall in love.  Seriously, every Aries on the planet is going to fall in love that day.  Cosmo would never lie to me.


To try to make some sense out of all of it, I turned to the ever reliable CNN and found this article.  Apparently the changes only apply to sidereal astrology.  Who knew there was more than one type?  Tropical astrology signs remain unchanged since they are tied to the seasons and tropical astrology is the system most commonly used in the US.  So rest assured...you do not need to throw away your "Pisces 4 Life" shirts or get your Gemini tattoo removed.

I am intrigued by this new Zodiac calendar though.  The announcement made such a stir it's gotten coverage on not only CNN but also Time and Fox.  People are acting like it's a life or death situation, which while a little over dramatic is also understandable.  You've identified with your Zodiac sign since you were 11 and reading the Tiger Beat horoscopes during recess.  And let's face it, people don't like parts of their identity being ripped away without their consent.  Also, wtf is an Ophiuchus?  It sounds like some strange disease.

I'm curious...what do you think about all the Zodiac focused hoopla today?  Will you be changing your sign or sticking with the Tropical astrology?

Stuff I Like

1. Undercover Boss

My Dish Network box hasn't been working this week (I'm counting down the seconds until the repairman comes on Friday) so I've been watching a lot of online TV lately.  I have become completely addicted to Undercover Boss.  If you haven't seen the show before, it puts the CEO of a major corporation undercover within the company.  They usually end up working menial jobs.  For example the CEOs of Subway and Johnny Rockets end up making sandwiches and burgers and the CEO of UniFirst is put to work on the assembly lines.  I love the concept of the show.  It forces the executives to understand what hard work their laborers are doing and in many cases it results in positive changes being made within the company.  My favorite part is the end when the executive reveals his identity and gives out promotions and rewards to the employees (s)he worked with.  I'm not gonna lie, I got a little choked up watching the CEO of Johnny Rockets give one of his formerly homeless employees $5,000 to get back on his feet and the tears were flowing like crazy when the UniFirst CEO provided a family trip to the Super Bowl for one of the single dads in his company.

2. Alexander Skarsgard

I think this picture speaks for itself.  *sigh*  I am a huge True Blood fan but damn does Alexander Skarsgard look good in a navy uniform (and if you know me...and the last string of guys I've dated...I clearly love men in navy uniforms hahaha).  I'm already excited for his new movie Battleship which is set to be released in 2012.  It also stars Rihanna and Liam Neeson.  How can it not be good!?  You can find more of these delicious pictures here.

3. Stuff GW People Like

As a GW alum I find this site HILARIOUS.  It pretty accurately (although slightly more dramatically) describes what it is like to attend The George Washington University and yes it is extremely important to include the "the".  A few of my favorite posts include "Starbucks" and "Leggings (and now jeggings)".  


4. Victoria's Secret Semi Annual Sale

In my opinion, Victoria's Secret's semi-annual sale is better than Christmas.  The deals are unbelievable!  They also couldn't come at a better time since I've somehow managed to lose weight and go up a cup size?  Not sure how that's possible but I'm just going with it.  I'm looking forward to rebuilding my bra wardrobe over the next week.  I'm not sure how I'll ever chose with so many pretty colors and styles.  What are your favorites?

5.Cisco Adler

A lot of people hate on Cisco Adler but I am strangely attracted to him.  Probably because he's got a huge bad boy reputation, sings in a band, and plays guitar.  His former band Whitestarr is alright but I LOVE his work with Shwayze.  Give it a listen and see for yourself