Henri Bendel Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

All About Hair

As most of you know, I recently got my hair cut by the amazing, Tim Dueñas, at Arrojo Studio. Having recently celebrated my 30th Birthday, I decided to treat myself to a fancy hair cut, and I am so glad I did. Tim asked about my lifestyle and my daily routine, and without even needing me to show him a photo, he knew exactly what I needed in a hair cut. Long enough to still put up in a pony and go (mom life doesn’t give me much time for styling), but plenty of layers and shape if I do find a moment to wear it down. I am incredibly happy with how it turned out.

That being said…Irresistible Me sent over their fantastic extensions, and I couldn’t wait to try them on! Now, let me be straight with you. I know ladies have been rocking extensions for awhile now, but I never jumped on board. To be honest, as much as I wanted to try them out, it was extremely intimidating to me. I am not the best stylist when it comes to hair, and even when I received the box, I took one look, and e-mailed my contact there freaking out about how I was supposed to apply these things! She sent me a video tutorial, and I have to say, I am completely surprised at how easy it was to clip them in. While, I love my fresh new cut, it’s exciting to know that if I am craving a longer, fuller look for a date night or event, I can now achieve that without spending a fortune at the salon.

I have posted Before and After shots, and you can really see how natural they turned out. A lot of other extensions I have seen have the potential to appear mullet-like, showing a clear separation between the real hair and the “fake” hair. These flowed beautifully with my natural hair. Speaking of natural…Irresistible Me boasts 100% natural hair in all their clips.

So what do you all think of extensions? Have you tried them before? Which look do you like better?

Before:

After:

*** I apologize for the blurriness in some of these photos. We are trying out a new lens, and my husband was also taking these with a baby strapped to him, so there was some shake-age. Haha.***

Hair Extensions: c/o Irresistible Me / Top: Necessary Clothing / Scalloped Shorts: Necessary Clothing / Shoes: ALDO (similar) / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff / Shades: Vintage / Earrings: c/o Stella & Dot (now on sale!) / Bracelets: Henri Bendel, Baublebar, Stella & Sparkle / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: MAC Impassioned

And can you believe my outfit is actually a top and shorts set? I wore them together, but apart, I think they would be just as cute styled in a different way. I went on a sets kick this past shopping trip. I don’t know what it was, but I was alone for once and excited, and I kept seeing adorable sets, so there you go. The one I’m wearing is sold out online, but if you live in NYC, you may still be able to catch it in-store. I also purchased this adorable two-piece top and skirt set, and I hope I can find the perfect occasion to break it out.

We spent the weekend in Brooklyn with our nieces, celebrated Nico’s 1st Birthday with a slice of rainbow cake (the big celebration is coming up this Saturday), and reminisced back to last year’s Labor Day Weekend when I was actually in labor. My how much has changed since then.

Hope you all had a fantastic holiday weekend as well!

XO,

Gina

Porch Swing

On me: Top: J. Crew / Tank: J. Crew (available in other colors) – also similar here / Shorts: J. Crew (available in other colors here and here) / Sandals: Sam Edelman (sold out, but many color choices here) / Sunnies: Francesca’s (similar) / Necklace: Baublebar (similar) / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Henri Bendel, Baublebar, Stella & Sparkle / Earrings: ALDO / Lip: Lancome Red Haute

On Nico: Bathing Suit Top & Trunks Set: Carter’s

Feeling nostalgic today from our vacation to the Outer Banks. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already noticed I’m protesting my post-vacation blues. The photos above show some of my most favorite times in the OBX. Doing. Absolutely. Nothing. Relaxation in it’s purest form. There’s just something about a porch swing at sunset that immediately resets my zen. After a long day in the hot sun, taking walks and building sandcastles, it feels great to come back to the cottage, have a nice shower, and climb into the porch swing and just sway. Feeling the breeze as the sun drops down below the horizon brings an immediate feeling of calm and a sense of peacefulness that I haven’t been able to really recreate anywhere else but here. Sometimes I will even bring a book into the swing and get lost into some other dream world. This year, I brought Nico onto the swing with me, and for a kid who otherwise at this age is squirmy and adventurous, I was mildly surprised with his ability to just snuggle and relax with me on the swing for awhile. It was as if he was silently saying, “Oh hey Mom, yeah I could get the hang of this relax in the porch swing thing.” I’m lucky that my little one still does love to snuggle with me often…usually at night before bedtime. But as he approaches his first birthday and becomes more independent, I start to see him squiggle away from me more and more as he explores the world around him. It makes me sad, but at the same time I know he has to grow. Part of me wants to cling and keep him small forever though and that part of me is going to soak up every moment I can while he is still little enough to be wrapped in my arms cuddling on the porch swing.

XO,

Gina

Pastel Pop

Mint Coat: Goodnight Macaroon (runs small – now on sale!) / Polka Dot Sweater: H&M / Pink Tank: Old Navy / Denim: Rag & Bone / Sparkly Loafer: Seychelles (on sale!) / Necklace: Flair Accessories / Sunnies: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Henri Bendel / Lip: MAC Snob

Pastels are all the rage this spring, but it can be tough to pull off the look without looking like an Easter egg. My strategy here was all about balance! (or maybe you do think I look like an Easter egg in which case, I have failed miserably). The mint coat is a bold pastel statement, so I paired it with a darker hue & polka dot print to balance out the look. As always, I also like to add some fun accessories to the mix.

What is your strategy for wearing pastels this spring? Totally avoiding it, or jumping on this trend?

Hope this week is treating you all well. I am enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather!

XO,

Gina

I Didn’t Listen

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Blazer: Target / Peplum Top: StyleMint – sold out, but also like this one and this one / Pants: Motherhood / Sunnies: ModCloth / Leopard Pumps: Liz Claiborne – on sale! / Necklace: Forever 21 / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Baublebar and Henri Bendel / Earrings: ALDO / Lip: MAC Candy Yum Yum

I didn’t listen. They told me not to wear white. “You’re a new mom. Moms just can’t wear white.” I despised this statement. I thought to myself, “I can rock white. Just because I’m a mom, now I can’t wear white? But I like white. Who cares what they say. I’m going to be a rebel and do it anyway.” So I flounced around in ivory lace skirts and more recently in this winter white blazer. Well, I’m sad to say, everyone was right. This white blazer lasted no more than an hour on our leisurely Saturday afternoon. I won’t go into details, but you can probably imagine a scenario or two that could have happened to my white blazer. The only upside was that I got to (had to) buy a new sweater to wear for the rest of the day. The take away from this experience: I am not going to stop wearing white. However, I will most likely save my white wearing days for those when I am back in the office with no little munchkins around.

It’s starting to get chilly here in New York City, and I am getting super excited for a little mini vacay we are taking to Florida on Wednesday! The weather is looking nice and warm for our trip, and I have a fresh mani/pedi for the occasion (thanks hubby for watching Nico so I could enjoy 90 minutes of bliss). It’s time to get packin’ over here.

Hope you all enjoy the week!

XO,

Gina

Milk and Honey

A bunch of new restaurants and coffee shops have popped up in our Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park lately, so we decided to check out this one last Saturday morning. We met up with a fellow soon-to-be mom at Milk and Honey to discuss the possibility of a nanny share come January. I love the decor of the space, and the breakfast food and drinks were very yummy. I anticipate we will be returning in the future!

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Ikat Dress: Borrowed – similar / Tank: Old Navy / Sandals: Dolce Vita / Shades: Vintage / Necklace: Family Heirloom / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Henri Bendel and Baublebar / Nails: Essie Naughty Nautical / Lip: Lancome Fleur Impressioniste

These pics were taken during my 35th week, and today marks week 36. Eeeek!!

It’s a rainy Tuesday here in the NYC, and I’m wishing I was down in the Outer Banks, NC with my fam at the beach on vacation. But I certainly have enough to keep me busy here at work this week with two new clients, a potential new hire, and lots more.

Have a good one ya’ll!

XO,

Gina

Skirt the Issue

Got an ever-growing baby bump, and can’t really wear sweats and a t-shirt to the office? No problem…skirt the issue! Luckily, I can pretty much wear whatever I want to work on a daily basis. However, when I have meetings or lunches with clients or advertising creatives, I do like to look presentable! This particular day, we were having a birthday lunch at the Mandarin Hotel for my boss and I, who both have our birthdays around the same time. The meal was delicious, and the view overlooking Central Park was even better. I scored this outfit at Motherhood Maternity, and both top and skirt are quite comfortable, yet presentable for the workplace.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity / Top: Motherhood Maternity / Shoes: Sam Edelman via Nordstrom Rack (sold out) – also like these / Sunnies: ModCloth / Bag: Longchamp / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Henri Bendel, Baublebar, Gorjana / Nails: Essie Rock the Boat / Lip: Lancome Groupie

My husband and I had a BUSY weekend. Unfortunately, we never made it to that Hester Street Fair (don’t worry girls, we will make it before August is through!). However, we made LOADS of progress on our little boy’s nursery. I completed all of my thank you cards, Zack installed the carseat and built the stroller. We figured out how to use all the stroller seats and attachments. We built the bassinet stand, swing, rock and play, and activity gym. We cleaned out the entire living room (so we can now sit on the couch), and found a place for almost everything, set up his dressers and started decorating the room. We decorated his name in wooden letters, adorned an entire wall in monkey and tree decals. We built a crib…loaded up shelves…I think there is actually more we completed if you can believe it, but my brain is too tired to think straight anymore! Not to mention my body. All this while 8 months prego, and a husband running a fever. I have to say, we were pretty proud of ourselves.

After all our hard work, we decided to treat ourselves to a little dinner out last night at a new restaurant in the neighborhood called Wheated. They boast fresh Neapolitan pizza. Let’s just say we will be returning! This whole area on Church Avenue is actually booming with new businesses and restaurants, so we discovered a whole slew of places that we need to try in the near future.

It’s a gorgeous day in NYC. If every day in August is like this for the rest of my pregnancy, I promise to never complain! It’s amazing. Hope you all had an awesome weekend, and wishing you a very wonderful week ahead!

XO,

Gina

Florida Style in Maine

For some reason, this dress reminds me of something I would find in a Florida boutique. Maybe it’s the soft colors, the silky feel, or the floral print. I found it on sale at Francesca’s (non-maternity score again!), and had to have it for my summer trip to Maine. I wore this on our last night out to dinner in Elsworth (at 30 weeks pregnant), added the belt, and some gold accessories to complete the look. I am still reminiscing about the amazing view we had from our lake house.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Dress: Francesca’s / Shoes: Dolce Vita (on sale!) / Belt: ? / Necklace: Family Heirloom / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Henri Bendel / Earrings: gifted / Nails: Essie Forever Yummy / Toes: Essie In the Cabana / Lip: MAC Snob

It’s overcast and cooler today in NYC, and I have to say I’m actually grateful! It’s been brutally hot for my prego body, and today’s cooler temperatures made my walk to the subway this morning a bit easier. Today I hit the 33 week mark! One month away from being full term. Holy crap. We were able to get rid of our guest bed last night, so we have some space to work with in trying to get the nursery together. I also managed to schedule our pediatrician consults, so hoping to make a decision on that in the near future.

I’ve got a busy day at the office today with a few meetings and lots of resume reviewing.

Happy Tuesday!

XO,

Gina

Grecian Gown

I was able to snag this Ella Moss beauty on sale via Gilt, and I couldn’t be happier (again, not maternity)! I wore this gown on a beautiful night out to dinner in Maine. I love the ease and flow of this dress as I walk, and the jersey material makes it super comfortable as well. In these photos, I am 30 weeks pregnant, and this week, I just hit 32. Little Monkey will be here before I can blink.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Gown: Ella Moss via Gilt / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff / Shoes: ALDO – similar / Earrings: ALDO / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: ASOS, Gorjana, c/o Guilty Jean, Henri Bendel / Toes: Essie In the Cabana / Nails: Essie Forever Yummy and Set in Stone

Oh, how I miss this little lake house already! Wishing I had the lake to jump into and cool off this week; it’s been brutal! Trying to stay hydrated and enjoy the AC indoors.

Stay cool ya’ll!

XO,

Gina

{12} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Finished reading Fly Away by Kristin Hannah. If you’ve read the prequel Firefly Lane, you will definitely enjoy this book. I always enjoy a good Kristin Hannah book. I am now reading Khaled Hosseini’s newest novel, And the Mountains Echoed. I was a huge fan of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, so naturally I had to read this book. So far there are a LOT of character introductions, and I’m hoping that somehow they will all end up stringing together and making sense eventually. So far it’s interesting…I think I’m just waiting for the connection and the point of the whole story. I’m confident that it will come, but will let you know how I end up liking it.

writing E-mails catching up with friends.

listening Really liking Lana del Ray’s Summertime Sadness. The original is beautiful, but I love the Cedric Gervais remix of course. I don’t really have summertime sadness myself…quite the opposite actually, but for some reason, I just dig this song.

thinking That they must have been working on the apartment above my office for about the past 5 years. Seriously…will they ever be done???

smelling And also tasting, this delicious Aloha Banana smoothie I’m consuming. Fruit-a-holic.

watching Saw an episode of the Kardashians (yes, I’m guilty) last night where Kim is in severe pain during her pregnancy. I think this all goes to show pregnancy never happens the way you plan, and you have to be prepared for all kinds of challenges. I have had my fair share, but very thankful to be feeling good right now!

wishing That I could see into my belly to see what my little man looks like. Weird? Maybe, but I think it’s weirder to feel and see kicks and movements inside me all day without actually being able to see who’s in there doing it!

hoping For my Uncle to come home from the hospital soon. His surgery went very well, and we are so grateful. Hoping that he will have a good recovery. He is a tough cookie!

wearing Floral pants from Motherhood (super sale right now!), Mint Poly button down from Express, Sparkly Flats from Nordstrom Rack, Sunnies from Francesca’s, Michael Kors watch, and my Henri Bendel Bracelet.

loving The fact that we are having a family reunion this Saturday with my Dad’s side for the first time in probably at least 15 years. So excited to see all of my cousins and extended family. It’s been way too long!

laughing At the fact that I got pooped on by a bird yesterday…yes I can only laugh because it did not get on my head or my clothing, and it was easy to clean off. Thank goodness, because I had a meeting 15 minutes later…

wanting Coffee. Been getting a bit more sleepy again as I am now in the third trimester of my pregnancy. And the smell of it, just makes me want it more! Been trying to stay away from coffee though most of the time (except for my weekend treats). Hence, the vitamin packed smoothies to wake me up!

needing A back massage. Thinking of making an appointment to get a prenatal massage soon to ease the aches and pains of the third tri.

feeling Hormonal. One minute, I’m super happy. The next minute, I’m crying. And I am not usually a crier. I feel like my mood can change with the flick of a light switch lately.

craving Ice cream. But that’s really nothing new…I heart ice cream. Especially in the summertime.

clicking Catching up on all my favorite blogs and discovering some new ones as well.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Hump Day!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Retro Rainbow

ModCloth had a sale recently, and I couldn’t help but snag a few retro-style items from their online store. This rainbow frock totally brightens my day, and I’m in love with these new cat-eye sunnies. I’m also excited that I was able to score another non-maternity dress to rock while prego. That way, I can also wear it post-bump! Little Man is getting bigger and bigger. And Mom is too. These photos were taken at 26 weeks, and today I hit week 27. 3rd trimester here we go!

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Dress: ModCloth / Cat-Eye Sunnies: ModCloth / Shoes: Nordstrom Rack / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Henri Bendel – similar / Earrings: ? (old) / Lip: MAC Candy Yum-Yum / Nails: The Balm Hella Yella (from LOFT)

After a beautiful weekend of sunshine, we have been getting some crazy storms up here! I have to say, I’m glad it wasn’t the opposite. We spent the weekend getting some errands done, picking up supplies for a small DIY house project, hanging out with friends for a birthday party and a cookout, playing some corn hole, and an impromptu trip to Brighton Beach/Coney Island.

Please send some love and prayers this way as my Uncle is currently having surgery today. He’s been through a lot these past few months, and this surgery is extremely crucial to his health and well-being. So any positive thoughts you can spare would be much appreciated!

Hope you all are having a good week so far!

XO,

Gina