lifestyle Archives - Page 19 of 24

Beantown Strollin’

We were very lucky our trip to Boston was not cut short as they were able to capture the Boston Marathon bomber. After being on lockdown for quite some time, the residents of Boston were eager to get out and about on that Saturday afternoon. The streets were packed with people trying their best to get back to “normalcy.” We stumbled upon this sidewalk chalk memorial, which was very sweet. Passersby could stop and add their kind words and thoughts. We were a block away from where the explosion happened at one point, and there were plenty of police officers still there blocking off the streets. We saw many flowers and tributes to those who were lost or injured.

It was very sad to see, but it was also encouraging to see the camaraderie, love, and support of the Boston community.

We spent the day walking around with my old college roomie Danielle, her husband, Andrey, and their baby, Gray. We had a great time catching up with them, and this was also sort of a little parenthood preview of what it will be like to raise a baby in a big city. Fun times were had, and we look forward to having them visit us in Brooklyn sometime soon!

This week I am counting down ’til our big trip to Arizona!

I’m also planning on meeting up with my Bronx cousins in the city this week to celebrate an engagement as well as our Little Monkey. It’s been awhile, so we have lots to catch up on!

Happy Tuesday!

XO,

Gina

Boston on Dwellable

{10} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading May issues of Health Magazine and Marie Claire. Got some yummy new recipes and a desire to return to Italy!

writing Thank you notes for all of the kindness my family and friends have shown toward Little Monkey so far! He is a lucky little boy!

listening To the news. I admit, I am not the best when it comes to keeping up with the news. I usually get my updates from Facebook and Twitter (I know, that’s horrible, but true). But events from the past week have kept me tuned in.

thinking That I cannot believe I am halfway through my pregnancy! 20 weeks in, and 20 weeks left until I get to meet my Baby Boy!

smelling Not much of anything. I have been sick and stuffed up all week.

watching The always entertaining Real Housewives of Orange County. Never a dull dinner party.

wishing For safe travels as we head down to Maryland this weekend.

hoping That I can pack my bags in less than 2 hours. For me this would be an accomplishment.

wearing Today is a lazy day. I blame it on being sick all week. I’m literally in yoga pants, New Balance tennis shoes, layered tank, tshirt, and sweater. On days like today, I’m so very lucky my office is low key.

loving The fact that 215 people have signed up for the John Petrovick Memorial 5K this weekend! I am so thankful to my friends who have put this event together. This is a great turnout for the very first event, and John would be so happy and proud. So excited to see you all in Baltimore!

laughing At myself trying on bathing suits with my prego belly last night in preparation for our trip to warm-weather Arizona. No really…it was quite comical.

wanting To be outside playing in this sunshine today. It’s gorgeous in NYC!

needing To flush this sickness throughly out of my system as soon as possible.

feeling Super excited for our trip to Arizona at the beginning of May. Hanging out with my pen pal in her hometown for the first time, seeing family and friends, the Grand Canyon, Sedona, warm weather, Mexican food, our two year wedding anniversary, and our “baby moon” trip…so many reasons for this excitement!

craving Everything and anything neon. As seen on Monday’s post.

clicking I took a million photos during our Boston trip last weekend of the wedding and the rest of our adventures. Once again, I’m blaming my sickness for my delay in posting these, but I promise they should be up sometime next week!

*Sidenote: I just got my Waveborn shades in the mail today, and I cannot wait to rock them oh so soon!

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Friday!

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.

Waveborn

Waveborn is a sunglasses company combining affordable fashion with social good. For each pair of Italian designed and handcrafted shades you purchase, Waveborn provides a new pair of prescription eyeglasses or funds a portion of a vision-restoring cataract surgery for a person in need through their partners Unite for Sight and SEE International.

Director of Business Development at Waveborn, Mike Malloy, is a personal friend of mine from high school. He is a great guy, and he introduced me to his brand and the mission behind their company. I was immediately drawn to the idea, because what is better than fashion? Fashion that can help people and make a difference in the world. Sign me up!

Today Waveborn is launching their crowdfunding campaign to increase their styles, colors, and your ability to give for 2013. I have donated myself, and I am looking forward to sporting some Waveborn shades on my upcoming outfit posts this spring and summer.

Check them out, rock some shades, and give some sight this spring!

XO,

Gina

Noteworthy Neon

1. River Island Fluro Flower Studs – ASOS / 2. Colorblock Pillow – Etsy / 3. Adidas Santiago Watch – Nordstrom / 4. Rookie Perf Laceless Shoes – Keds / 5. Glow in the Dark Sunglasses – Urban Outfitters / 6. Kate Spade Patent Pumps – Bergdorf Goodman / 7. Oversized Boston Bag – Forever 21 / 8. Marc Jacobs Orange Leather Bracelet – My Wardrobe / 9. Gorjana Pink Wrap Bracelet – Neiman Marcus / 10. Mac Candy Yum-Yum – Nordstrom / 11. Neon Nail Polish – American Apparel / 12. Glam Punk Spike Necklace – Boticca / 13. Neon Trim Straw Fedrora – Old Navy / 14. BCBGeneration Envelope Clutch – Zappos / 15. Marc Jacobs Blue Dial Watch – Saks / 16. Bobbi Brown Blue Bell Eyeshadow – Bergdorf Goodman / 17. Brian Atwood Snake Embossed Pumps – Neiman Marcus / 18. Cambridge Satchel – Modcloth / 19. Blue Sky Havaianas – Surf Sitch

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There’s nothing I love more than a pop of neon to accessorize an outfit. This spring and summer, neon is all the rage, and these are some of my favorite finds. The weather has been up and down these past few weeks, and I am looking forward to the days when there will be some steady warmth around here. These bright colors make me happy and can definitely spice up a neutral look.

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I had this post prepared for Friday, but in light of the manhunt in Boston, and us having to travel up there for a wedding that day, I thought it was not appropriate. It was an insane morning, but we made it to the suburbs of Boston safely. The wedding ceremony had to be moved because of the lockdown, but the show went on! My dear friend Jamie got married to his bride Kaitlyn, and it was a beautiful wedding. Jamie and I have known each other since freshman year of high school, and he was my first guy friend at ASHS. We’ve been through a lot over the years, and it was awesome to be there to celebrate his big day! With the craziness going on in Boston, this wedding showed there was still some love in the air. Stay tuned later in the week for some photos from this event!

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Since officials were able to catch the second Boston Marathon bomber, we also got the chance to visit with my college roomie, Danielle, (otherwise known at Stewey…don’t ask) along with her husband and baby. We had a great time walking around the city with them, going out to eat, and seeing first hand what it’s going to be like for us when our Lil’ Monkey gets here.

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Unfortunately, I think I caught a cold over the weekend. I am home with a nasty little bug today. I hope you all have a good week ahead.

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XO,

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Gina

Walk on the High Line

Here’s Part II of our little girl’s weekend in NYC. Sunday, we got bagels at the best place in the city. And yes, you can quote me on that. We then ventured into Manhattan to do a little shopping and take a walk on the High Line. For those of you who have never been, this park was built on top of an old abandoned elevated train track and runs down Manhattan’s West Side. It’s so unique, and provides wonderful views of the city. It was a gorgeous day, and I think the girls enjoyed it!

Outfit photos by: Nichole Cohen & Lisa Dannenberg / All other photos my own / Thanks to random stranger for the photo of the three of us

Coral Trench: GAP – sold out – similar here, here, here, and here / Mint Button Down: Express / Skinny Jeans: Motherhood Maternity / Ankle Boots: Target / Scarf: Gift / Sunnies: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: ASOS and Gorjana – 2nd one sold out, but see more bracelets by Gorjana here / Lip: Lancome Groupie

Today brings a doc appointment and my 2nd to last photography class. Hoping for a good report on the first and to learn as much as I can during the latter.

Crazy enough, we have a trip to Boston coming up on Friday for a dear friend’s wedding. It still breaks my heart that people could purposefully cause harm to so many innocent others. I am still praying for all of those in Boston that were affected by this horrible madness. I am looking forward to the wedding and hoping it will bring some happiness and light to the Boston area. In the midst of this tragedy, it’s nice to know there is still some love out there.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

XO,

Gina

Skulls Meet Spring

It was a beautiful weekend, and I had the pleasure of hosting two of my favorite Baltimore blondes at our place on Saturday. We spent the day galavanting around Brooklyn and Manhattan…brunch at The Farm, followed by a day of shopping in Soho, & gelato and hot chocolate in Little Italy. Much to our surprise, we came home with our wallets full and bag-less. If you know us, you know this is not normal. However, it was probably for the best. We had planned to go out on the town that night, but we ended up passing out early from all the walking around we did.

The flowers in these photos make me happy, because it’s actually starting to feel and look like Spring around here! We also thought it was a nice bright contrast to my dark and stormy outfit.

Photos by: Nichole Cohen

Skull Tank: Hot Topic (now on sale!) / Leather Jacket: Wilsons Leather (old) – similar / Black Skinnies: Motherhood Maternity / Combat Boots: Steve Madden ( now on sale!) / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff – sold out, but a variety of other colors available at Saks / Headband: (old) – similar / Watch: Betsey Johnson – sold out, but check out Betsey’s other watches on her website / Bracelets: ASOS, Wanderlust + Co., c/o Flair Accessories / Necklace: c/o Guilty Jean / Ring: Forever 21 / Lip: Nars Born This Way gloss

Last night, the hubby and I went to see one of our favorite indie rock singer-songwriters perform, Matt Costa. Let me tell you, this man is talented. He plays the piano, harmonica, three different guitars, and has a voice that will make you melt. His laid back style is very inviting and his tunes range in variety from bluegrass, folk, rock, and more. Some of my personal favorites include: Miss Magnolia, Sunshine, & Mr. Pitiful. He also has a lot of good tracks on his new album. Check out some of his videos here.

Tonight, I am treating myself to a little mani-pedi with the other NY Alpha Phi Alums, and I cannot wait. It will be the first pedi of the season, and boy do I need it!

On a heavier note, I am glad that my friends and family in Boston are safe and sound. I am praying for all those who were affected by this tragedy. I will never understand it, and it saddens me. Sending love to Boston today.

XO,

Gina

{9} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Just finished The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg which I strongly recommend to everyone. Currently reading The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. It’s decent so far.

writing A birthday card for a special someone.

listening I’ve got a Mumford & Sons station on Pandora at the moment. Fun tunes from Passion Pit, Cold War Kids, MGMT and the likes.

thinking About the fact that Tissycole and Lisa are coming to visit tomorrow!!! Super excited!

smelling The rain. Is it weird that I could smell it before it even started coming down?

watching The always fabulous Rachel Zoe Project. Dying over the fashion weekly. Also just started watching the Real World Portland. Yes, I still watch the Real World.

wishing For sunshine. We were so spoiled at the beginning of the week with warm temperatures, and I’m wishing for them back this weekend!

hoping That the laundry will do itself. No? Not possible? Oh well, I tried.

wearing My “Amaze” sweater from ASOS (now on sale!) with an Old Navy poly button-down underneath. Black skinny jeans from Motherhood. Leopard print rain boots similar to these. Red Haute lip from Lancome.

loving I never realized how much you can love someone you have never even met. So excited for my baby boy to get here in September, and so in love already.

laughing At the fact I actually tried to straighten my hair this morning. The hair in the photo above lasted all of 2 minutes as I stepped out into the wind and rain this morning. You know those days where your umbrella decides to flip itself out over and over again? Did wonders for my hair today.

wanting To finish the friendship bracelet I started making over a month ago. My 4th grade skills just aren’t where they used to be…

needing To paint my nails tonight. They are in dire need of some Essie love.

feeling Excited for the girls to get here this weekend! Can’t wait for a weekend of shopping, photographing and girl talk.

craving Strangely enough, I am not getting any weird pregnancy cravings. I mean, I want ice cream…but I always want ice cream. Nothing new. I haven’t started liking condiments, so I think my appetite is relatively the same.

clicking Through fashion blogs of expecting mamas. Trying to figure out some tricks to looking chic while prego.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Friday!

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.

Preppy With A Twist {Guilty Jean Series #2}

Here is my 2nd look from the Guilty Jean photo shoot over the weekend. I was definitely enjoying the sunshine on this beautiful, glorious Saturday! For this look, I purposefully chose the same Guilty Jean jewelry pieces as my last outfit post to show how versatile this line can be. Even if you don’t see yourself as someone who is “edgy” or “punk rock,” you can still glam up your look with Guilty Jean’s designs. This particular look gives the preppy business casual girl a little edge. I love how these pieces work so well with a variety of different personal styles, and I plan to rock these jewels no matter what I’m wearing!

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Yellow Button Down: GAP / Blazer: GAP / Jeans: Motherhood Maternity / Pretty Little Evil Necklace: c/o Guilty Jean (on sale!) / Turquoise Bracelet: c/o Guilty Jean (on sale!) / Sinner & Saint Bracelet: c/o Guilty Jean (on sale!) / Clutch: Express – similar / Sparkly Flats: Nordstrom Rack / Watch: Michael Kors / Ring: Banana Republic – similar here and here / Sunglasses: Ann Taylor LOFT / Lip: Mix of MAC Candy Yum-Yum and Lancome Fuchsia Clutch / Nails: Essie Smokin’ Hot

Hope everyone is enjoying their week so far! I have been busy busy, so I am looking forward to a little R&R tonight.

XOXO,

Gina

Easter Celebrations

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! The hubby and I went down to Maryland to spend Easter with the family, and as you can see from these photos, there were a lot of sweets involved. Yes, my Mom even made us Easter Baskets. Never too old for Peeps right? We also celebrated my Granny’s 92nd Birthday and my Uncle’s 58th since we were all together. We feasted on BBQ chicken, filet mignon, potatoes, baked beans, salad, spinach artichoke dip, pasta salad, deviled eggs, and more. I was stuffed to the brim before having to drive back to the Big Apple. And what a drive that was. 6 1/2 grueling hours of traffic. Much different than our 4 hour drive down. Feeling pretty exhausted today, and can’t wait to get some and catch up on some Zzz’s.

It was great seeing some friends and family this weekend, and I also had time for a photo shoot featuring Guilty Jean jewelry. I cannot wait to share these! Stay tuned this week.

XO,

Gina

Easter Favorites

In celebration of Easter this weekend, I wanted to share some of my favorite things about the holiday.

1. Dyeing Eggs:

Nothing like the old school dye tablets in the vinegar. My family has been dyeing our eggs with Paas since before I can remember.

2. Peeps

My absolute favorite Easter Basket treat. My trick for getting them to stay softer longer is to keep them in a ziplock bag. Of course, you can always pop them in the microwave to warm them up. Just make sure it’s only for a few seconds or else they blow up! Oh yeah, and the chicks are my favorite.

marshmallow_peeps — Photo Credit: The New Forty blog

3. Potato Salad

This dish is served at our Easter table every year, and it’s something I look forward to. It’s simple, yet delicious! Here is a recipe I found on Pinterest from Key Ingredient that is most similar to the one we use. This one only serves 4, so you’ll have to pump it up if you have a large gathering!

4. Floral Dresses

My sister and I used to get dressed up in the most frilly floral dresses for church every Easter. Although some years it’s tough because of chilly weather, I still love to put on a floral or spring-like dress to celebrate the occasion. Here is a gorgeous vintage style floral dress I discovered on ModCloth:

5. Pastel Polish

Easter is the perfect time to switch up your polish from darker hues to pastels. Essie is my favorite nail polish brand, and here is their Spring 2013 Collection for sale at Kohl’s:

What are your Easter and holiday favorites? Would love to hear what you have to share.

Wishing everyone a Happy Friday and a Happy Easter this weekend! For those celebrating Passover, I hope you are having a great holiday as well.

XO,

Gina