Blazer: Apt 9 Kohls – similar / Peplum Top: H&M – this one with sequins from LuLu’s is also fun! / Pants: Nordstrom / Shoes: BCBG via TJMaxx / Watch: Michael Kors / Earrings: Forever 21 / Necklace: Forever 21 / Lip: MAC Craving
So here is the 2nd edition of my “Style Envy” segment with my beautiful cousin, Alex. Creator of the beautiful homecoming signs from yesterday’s post, she is also stylish with her wardrobe. You saw her sister, Marisa, in the first edition of “Style Envy,” and the two of them are a fabulous shopping duo. They make some of the best finds and score some of the most awesome deals, like with this stunning kelly green blazer. I’m clearly into colorful blazers at the moment, and this one has such a gorgeous hue; I couldn’t wait to shoot it. I think it looks especially adorable with the peek of peplum coming out from underneath.
Since today is the federal observance of Veterans Day, I am dedicating today’s post to all the servicemen and women that have fought so bravely to protect us and our freedom in this country. Growing up close to Annapolis near the Naval Academy, spotting a man in whites was pretty much the norm, but back in those days we were more focused on how hot they looked in their uniforms and not really the work they were doing to serve our country. Both of my grandfathers were vets, but they served well before I was born, and although I had heard a few stories, I still didn’t understand the full capacity of what it was like for them and their families. As I got older, I started to see friends my age going into the service. Classmates of mine, both men and women, graduated high school and went on to the Naval Academy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the Air Force, and the Army. They were shipped across the world on many different missions across the globe, and some came back with stories you wouldn’t believe. Most of them came home safe and sound after deployment, but I do know a couple who were not as lucky. Hearing of these losses was extremely difficult, and I cannot even imagine what their families must have gone through. It takes an unbelievable amount of bravery and courage to join the service, and I have the utmost respect for these individuals. I want to thank all of you, especially my family and friends who I know personally. You are all truly heroes.
My cousin, Alexandra Chioini, is a graphic designer and military (almost) spouse who has recently started a new company called Welcome Home. She creates original, one-of-a-kind, handcrafted signs for military homecomings. Having been through a deployment period where her boyfriend was gone for 9 months, she has first hand knowledge of what it feels like to be left at home while your loved one is out in (who knows where) fighting for our freedom. It’s such a joyous day when the companies return to home base and reunite with their friends and families. A sign from Welcome Home is a wonderful way to tell your loved one that you missed them while they were away, their service is appreciated, and you are happy they made it home safely.
Check out these photos by Marisa Crider of Misa Me Photography from a military homecoming. God bless the Vets. And God bless America.
I have decided to add a little featurette to the blog called “Style Envy” in which every so often, I will feature the style of others I admire. While their styles may be very similar or completely different from my own, they will all be something that I adore, appreciate, and believe worthy of sharing. The first up on my “Style Envy” segment is my cousin, Marisa of Misa*Me Photography. You have seen her before, but mostly on the other side of the lens! This time, I got behind the lens instead and had her show off her fashionista side. Marisa is always on the prowl for a good bargain buy, and that is part of what helps in her ability to almost never repeat an outfit! She always has the most spectacular finds! We were roommates for a year in college at the University of Maryland, and I used to constantly go across the hall to her room to hunt for fun accessories, and it was always a fun day when she decided to clean out her closet!
I just love the vibrant color of this flowy tie blouse, and it pairs nicely with these black skinny jeans. This outfit is perfect for a warmer fall day. I am also obsessed with this gold vintage purse! If I’m lucky, maybe she will let me borrow it sometime. Hint Hint. Nudge Nudge. 😉
Fuchsia Blouse: Forever 21 / Skinny Jeans: Forever 21 / Earrings: Tasha via TJMaxx / Bracelet: Burlington Coat Factory / Shoes: Nine West / Bag: Goldstrom Vintage / Lip: MAC Craving
Still no power at the office and subways still not running from Brooklyn, so I am hunkered down working from home probably for the rest of the week. Last night, the hubs and I went to a shelter at the Park Slope Armory to help some older folks who were evacuated from their homes in Rockaway. I feel so bad for all the people out there who have had it much worse than we have. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you, and if there is anything I can do, please let me know.
Well, here you have it. This rounds out the last bit of wedding season this fall. We’ve traveled up and down the East Coast these past few months to celebrate the nuptials of some of our nearest and dearest.
The first adventure took place in Montauk, NY. At the tip of Long Island, Montauk is a gorgeous beach setting, and couldn’t have been a more perfect spot for this bride and groom. The entire weekend was lovely from start to finish. The groom played rugby with my husband at the University of Maryland, so all the college boys were reunited with their beautiful ladies in tow who I very much adore. We had a blast!
The second wedding featured in this post is a wedding of my longest best friend, Katie. We met when I was 4 and she was 5 as neighbors, and we have been friends ever since. Not many people can say they have had a non-relative friend for almost their entire life. We spent numerous years going to school together, and although, we have both moved on and moved out of our childhood homes, we have still managed to remain close. I am so lucky to have had Katie and her family in my life all of these years, and I’m happy to welcome her new husband to the “neighborhood.”
Well, it’s definitely wedding season again! We have a total of 8 weddings that we were invited to this year, and half of them were in the past two months. It’s been a lot of traveling, but it’s been a ton of fun. The weddings have been so beautiful and unique. The first one featured here took place at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. It was the first military wedding that I had attended, and it was very cool to see all the gentlemen dressed up in their whites with their swords. The second was held at the Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, MD. It was a quirky fun location that totally fit the personality of this fun-loving couple. It’s been a blast running around this season snapping photos of all the couples saying their vows and breaking it down on the dance floor.
Wedding I…
Wedding II…
Artwork at the museum
On left: My cousin (remember that fabulous photographer from Misa*Me Photography?) wearing Forever 21. Similar here. On right: Me wearing H&M. Who says you can’t get luxe looks for less?!Bridesmaids got purple chucks for the dance floor! So fun.Dance competition
Going to all these weddings this past year makes me think back to my own wedding day, and how much fun it was. My husband and I danced to Michele Featherstone’s, “We Are Man and Wife” for our first dance, and all our family and friends were up on their feet the whole time rocking’ out.
For my married friends out there, what song did you dance to on your wedding day? And if you aren’t married, which song would you choose in the future?
If you like these photos, stay tuned, because Wedding Season Part II will be featured next week. Hope you all have a happy weekend!
Ok, so I know I promised I would move on to the fall season, but I wanted to share some of the last moments of summer that we spent in the Big Apple. These photos are from a visit from one of my best friends and her husband (who also happens to be a great friend as well!) They drove up from Maryland, my original home state. We explored our neighborhood (Ditmas Park) in Brooklyn, Prospect Park and the beaches of Queens. It was such a fun weekend, that I couldn’t pass up on sharing these photos. Hope you enjoy!
Yes, these are WILD parrots in Brooklyn! Insane!My new favorite local beach–Ft. Tilden in QueensHubby catching some wavesLovebirds Erin and Rai having fun in the sunApparently, this is how you sell ice cream in RockawaySurf Competition in RockawayTrophies for the winners!AmazingBesties!One of the many dream houses in my neighborhood
Playing in Prospect Park
What were some of your favorite adventures this summer? Any fun plans for the fall?
Our first stop upon arrival: Pizza at The Black Pelican. Yum!
Our beach access that we walked across every day
The hubby taking a dip
Me and the Hubs Top: Style Mint / Pants: Zara / Earrings: Baublebar / Ring: Banana RepublicSo many cakes! Celebrating all the family July & August Birthdays together.
My sister and I have our birthdays three days apart, and we have always shared our celebration. This year the family went to “Tale of the Whale” for some delicious seafood!
I have been coming to the Outer Banks, North Carolina for as long as I can remember. It’s the one time of the year where all of my family gets together for a full week in three big houses and spends quality time together. The OBX is a great place to kick back, relax, and just enjoy the beach and enjoy each other’s company. This year was no different. We spent every day lounging in beach chairs with our toes in the sand soaking up the sun. We played numerous games of corn hole (or Bagg-o depending on where you are from) and pool volleyball with our makeshift net. We had lots of family dinners including the annual meatball night & birthday night, late night jam sessions on the back deck, trips to our favorite restaurant, “Tortuga’s Lie,” (which will be featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives this season), BINGO night with Granny, family game nights, lots of wine and lots of laughs. These are some of my favorite photos that I took with my new camera (Happy Birthday to me!) during our vacation. Summer is my favorite time of year, and although we are now in the beginning of fall, I’m already looking forward to next year’s crazy Italian/Irish family vacay!
These photos were taken on our family vacation to the Outer Banks, NC in the middle of August. My cousin, Marisa, is a portrait and wedding photographer, and she was wonderful enough to take the first fashion photos for popcorn and pandas. It’s so fun to have a professional photographer in the family, because you never know when an impromptu family photo session will strike! (at least with the girls anyway.)
I have been thinking a lot about my blog lately, and while I LOVED the premise of the “Great Freakin’ Adventures of Gina,” I realize that I was limiting myself to only posting when I accomplished a breakthrough bucket list item. Yes, those are probably the most exciting adventures of mine, but I am constantly partaking in adventures on a daily basis that although may not be bucket list worthy, they are still worth talking about…at least in my opinion.
I have a lot of interests including fashion, film, photography, writing, travel, etc. that I was not allowing myself a creative outlet for. So I have decided to rename my blog as “popcorn and pandas” which for those of you that really know me, know that those are two of my favorite things. All of my earlier content is still here, so you can still catch up on all the bucket list items you missed. However, I don’t want to pigeon hole myself into only writing about bucket list adventures any longer. While those will still be a huge part of my blog, I will also be posting about an assortment of other interests and adventures that come my way! You will probably see a lot of changes to some of the content and the layout of my blog in the next few months as I sort out the details of my new site. I hope you enjoy and stick around for the ride!
