First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone who took the time to read the last article that I posted and leave me so many lovely comments! It means the world to me that you all are interested in what I'm doing at work. I just wanted to leave a quick note to let you know that I've been published in Maniac again! Though this article is much shorter, I am still so proud of it and hope you guys enjoy it!
This time, I attended an event (thrown by Maniac) that celebrated the grand opening of the cutest little chocolate shop! I started out wearing a white dress and ultimately had to change because I ruined it with chocolate...surprise! Haha, but it was a really nice time for me to be able to relax with my co-workers and make some new friends! Please check it out below and let me know what you think! (If it's too small to read, you can check it out here!)
This time, I attended an event (thrown by Maniac) that celebrated the grand opening of the cutest little chocolate shop! I started out wearing a white dress and ultimately had to change because I ruined it with chocolate...surprise! Haha, but it was a really nice time for me to be able to relax with my co-workers and make some new friends! Please check it out below and let me know what you think! (If it's too small to read, you can check it out here!)
I would love to hear your feedback!
xx
Today's post is going to be a bit more of a serious one. I don't believe that I have ever written anything on this subject before, so I apologize if I'm a bit awkward...
In the past five years, I have lost two very important people in my life to the horrible disease that is cancer. First, my Aunt Lisa to skin cancer and a few years later, my Nanna to lung cancer. (Both on my mom's side of the family.) My father has had a cancerous mole removed, and I myself have had about 6 pre-cancerous moles removed from various places on my body. It's a very, scary thing. Because their is a history of cancer on both sides of my family, all of us are required to get a skin check every six months. So, helping people with this disease has always been very dear to my heart.
Recently, I've been introduced to the story of a brave little girl named Maliyah by her mother Tazz Jones. Maliyah is five years old and is unfortunately another person in my life who has been diagnosed with another form of cancer, neuroblastoma.
With the majority of her treatments taking place in New York City, Maliyah and her mother are having to constantly travel from Pittsburgh to the Big Apple. This alone can cost so much money. When you add the costs of the actual treatments on top of it, the amount is truly unbearable.
But, fortunately for us, there is a way that we can all help this beautiful little girl get her treatments without having to worry about the costs! Tazz Jones has created an online shop where we can purchase beautiful jewelry and all of the proceeds will go towards helping Maliyah beat cancer! Isn't that awesome?! I'm so excited to be able to help share this opportunity to with you. Hopefully, with our help, Maliyah can become cancer free!
If you are interested in helping out, please check out the shop here!
xx
Ahhh! Back to blogging! I told myself that I would be more consistent and it seems that I've failed :( BUT, I blame that on how busy I've been lately. With two jobs, an internship, and self-publishing my children's book (WHAT?!?!?!?! More on that later...), I've barely had time to think, let alone write anything longer than a "how was work?" text to my boyfriend. But, I'm back! And with lots of exciting things to share!
Last Thursday, Wiz Khalifa, Fall Out Boy, and Hoodie Allen paid Pittsburgh (technically Burgettstown) a visit on their Boys of Zummer tour and I got to attend! Not only did I get to see the show, but since I've been working with Maniac, I scored a press pass! That means that I got to photography the artists up close and personal! (Pete Wentz all up in my face!!!) While I did only get to shoot the first three songs of each performer, I was given a "reviewer's ticket" as well, which basically just meant that I could stay and enjoy the whole show! It was a whole ton of fun and I snapped over 1,000 pictures! The only thing that I thought was weird was how uninterested most of the other members of the media seemed in the show. Maybe it's because it was my first time and I'm a genuine fan of these artists, but I was psyched! Most of them didn't even watch the rest of the performances; they just sat in the pavilion and waited until the next set. Weird. But, whatever! I did write a full review of the tour, but I won't post that here. So if you want to check it out, you can head over to Maniac's site!
Last Thursday, Wiz Khalifa, Fall Out Boy, and Hoodie Allen paid Pittsburgh (technically Burgettstown) a visit on their Boys of Zummer tour and I got to attend! Not only did I get to see the show, but since I've been working with Maniac, I scored a press pass! That means that I got to photography the artists up close and personal! (Pete Wentz all up in my face!!!) While I did only get to shoot the first three songs of each performer, I was given a "reviewer's ticket" as well, which basically just meant that I could stay and enjoy the whole show! It was a whole ton of fun and I snapped over 1,000 pictures! The only thing that I thought was weird was how uninterested most of the other members of the media seemed in the show. Maybe it's because it was my first time and I'm a genuine fan of these artists, but I was psyched! Most of them didn't even watch the rest of the performances; they just sat in the pavilion and waited until the next set. Weird. But, whatever! I did write a full review of the tour, but I won't post that here. So if you want to check it out, you can head over to Maniac's site!
My week's excitement continued on Saturday, the 4th of July! Though I did miss out on being with my family this year (the 4th is my sister's birthday and we always celebrate together), I had an amazing afternoon and evening with Eric and his family! We live in Pittsburgh (for anyone who didn't know), and spent a good part of the day watching our Pirates take on the Cleveland Indians! I thought that a baseball game was a good way to celebrate America's birthday (it is our pastime after all). We had a suite at the game, so we had the option of hanging out inside on couches or out on our little "porch" area. Eric and I spent most of our time outside watching the game, but did venture inside to enjoy some complimentary food (hotdogs, pirogies, wings) and dessert! I had an ice cream sundae and E went for a delicious slice of cheesecake (his favorite)! To top off all of that food and fun, the Bucs won the game 1 to 0!
Later that evening we met up with Eric's sister and walked over to their old high school where we took in some gorgeous fireworks! I'm pretty picky when it comes to fireworks' shows, but this one was incredible! And being there with E only made it better!
How did you spend your Independence Day weekend?! I'd love to know!
xx
That being said, I am officially reaching out to any and all YouTubers for advice, tips, tricks, and just general thoughts on the YouTube community as well as my want to be a part of it! I'd love to hear about your experiences and hopefully gain some new friends in the process!
xx
While I've been a big reader forever, I've always leaned more towards fiction works than anything remotely real. I'm a sucker for a good love story or a fantastic tale of magical adventure (*cough* Harry Potter *cough*). However, I've recently found myself picking up more and more autiobiographical works, whether they be essay collections, books of inspirations, or full on autobiographies, and I thought I'd share that newfound love here by gushing over a few of my current favorites!
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The first book of this kind to really grab my attention and have a real "influence" (ha...wait for it...) on me was actually Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. This book is a collection of interviews conducted by the twins themselves! It features many people who have inspired me in different ways (Diane von Furstenberg, Karl Lagerfeld, Bob Colacello, etc.) and is just put together so beautifully.
Book number two is one that I picked up after Christmas and breezed through in a day. Written by another one of my fashion icons, It by Alexa Chung is incredible. If you know anything about this lady, then you'll love this book. Every page oozes her wit and charm and describes all of the people/things that have helped her throughout her modeling/designing career. And again, stunning presentation.
When I first got hired at The Andy Warhol Museum, I was anxious to know more about the artist so that I could answer questions correctly whenever people asked. That, and my 20% store discount, led to my purchasing The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again) by Andy Warhol. Filled with Warhol's thoughts and anecdotes on subjects such as love, fame, and...underwear power, this book is truly inspirational. I wish I had a mini version to carry with me in my bag!
And finally, my most recent read: Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham. As a huge fan of her show, Girls, I was majorly curious as to what else Lena Dunham had to offer and watching Tiny Furniture every night on Netflix didn't quite satisfy my need for more. I have to admit, after reading some of the more "offensive" excerpts that were being widely criticized online, I was a bit taken by surprise and hesitant at first, but I can assure you that everything was taken out of context and I truly believe that every twenty something should read this book. Lena Dunham is the voice of my/your/our generation.
Where do you draw inspiration from?!
Halloween this year seemed to roll around very quickly! While I'm normally very prepared when it comes to costumes, (I made my Poison Ivy costume last year leaf by leaf!), this year, I just wasn't ready!
When Halloween night came around, I was in a panic! I had a party to go to and nothing to wear! So, some quick last-minute thinking resulted in me creating the most basic costume ever...a cat! And while I'd normally be disappointed in myself, I think the costume actually came out really well! Check it out!
What were you for Halloween?! Let me know in the comments!
xx
With our busy schedules, Eric and I have been struggling to find a time to squeeze in some fall activities. But with a small window of time this past weekend, we finally managed!
Friday night was spent at a haunted maze with Eric's mom, stepdad, and sister. Though I am normally against all things scary, I bit the bullet and made the trip. (It seemed like a good chance to squeeze his hand haha) IT WAS FREEZING! And not at all scary if I'm being honest. But, the five of us had some laughs and an overall good time!
Saturday marked our eight month anniversary, and while that may not seem like a big deal to most people, being with Eric for eight months means being in the longest relationship of my life. And so, we celebrated by going to a pumpkin patch! Choosing the right pumpkin is one of my favorite parts of the Halloween season, so after a bumpy hayride and an attempt to get through a corn maze in one straight shot (we failed and got lost), we made it to the pumpkin patch! Eric decided to put some of the less fortunate looking pumpkins out of their misery by putting the toe of his boot through them! (Naughty!) But we found a pumpkin that fit both of our tastes and headed toward the register...once we got there though, the line was so long that we decided against paying...yes, we stole our pumpkin. (Naughtier!) Ah well! Now we just have to decide what to carve! More of that to come.
xx
For the longest time, I've wanted a pet of my own. My family has two dogs and a cat, but since I no longer live with them, my need for a fluffy companion has greatly increased. Enter my friend Alli. Her cat, June, had kittens about two months ago and guess who got to take one home a couple of days ago?! That's right, ME! I am so overjoyed with my new little lady. She uses the litterbox and doesn't dig her claws into any furniture! She also loves to snuggle and play. (Now if only I could get her to stop waking my boyfriend up at 4 a.m.!) Ladies and gentlemen, meet Sloane!
xx
Today whilst bored, I decided to do a mini photo shoot with myself. And since I am still bored, I thought I'd share the results here.
xx
In September of 2013, Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, better known as Lorde, released her first studio album, Pure Heroine, which quickly rose on the Billboard 200 and ultimately peaked at number three. The album produced five singles, four of which landed on the Billboard Hot 100, with “Royals” easily securing the number one spot and becoming instantly recognizable to anyone with a radio.
Now, just over a year later, Lorde is preparing to make another huge release, this time in the form of a soundtrack. After her incredibly successful album and a track on The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack, (she covered Tears For Fears’ classic song, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”), the young singer/songwriter was chosen to display her talents in a new way, as curator of the soundtrack for the upcoming blockbuster, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. This position has allowed her the opportunity to choose artists’ talents to showcase on the album, as well as to write her own, film specific pieces.
Being a strong female figure that spends a lot of time in the public eye, Lorde can be made comparable to the series’ main character, Katniss Everdeen, and that (combined with her incredible talent) makes her an obvious choice for this role. Although, I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that she is also a huge fan of the books!
The first of the original tracks was released on September 29th and is titled “Yellow Flicker Beat”. Lorde took to her Tumblr around the same time of the release to thank her fans for the past year of her life and introduced the track by stating, “It’s my first offering from what I hope will be a soundtrack you love. It’s my attempt at getting inside her head, Katniss’. I hope you like it.” And with lyrics such as “People talk to me, and all their faces blur, but I got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison. And I’m locking up everyone that ever laid a finger on me.
I’m going in”, it is easy for fans of the series to see that her “attempt” was successful.
While the soundtrack doesn’t release until November, just a few weeks after her 18th birthday, Lorde is suspected to announce which artists will be featured on the album very soon. Check out the track for yourself and be sure to let me know your thoughts!
xx
When Autumn first arrives, most people are excited to pull out their sweaters and knee-high boots. (Admittedly, I enjoy this part of the season too.) However, what I look forward to most is converting my home from bright and cool to warm and cozy. I find that this is pretty simple to achieve with just a few, small, changes.
Candles
In my opinion, if it doesn’t smell like fall, it doesn’t feel like fall. So, one of the first things I do at the beginning of the season is light some candles. The most festive ones I can find! Put away the summer scents and try something new. My personal favorite is Yankee Candle’s Harvest. But you can find all kinds of fall scents, (Yes…even pumpkin spice!)
Throw Blankets
Fall is all about feel warm and wrapped up. So, of course, blankets are a necessity. Draping a soft, neutral colored blanket over a chair can also make a room look more inviting. I’d recommend trying out Brookstone’s Nap blankets. They’re incredibly soft and are perfect for those nights when you just want to curl up with a nice chai tea and re-watch your favorite show on Netflix. Gossip Girl anybody?!
Bookstacks
This is something I came across recently on one of my late Tumblr-scrolling nights. And I’ve already incorporated into my bedroom! Books alone can be aesthetically pleasing and when you incorporate your favorites, can make a house feel more like a home. But books with covers of corresponding colors can make for a beautiful decoration as well! Just simply stack a few classics (vertically or horizontally works!) and place them on a desk or, if you’ve chosen some that you don’t often read, you can use them as an end table!
Flowers
The nice thing about floral arrangements is that they are something that can be used to decorate in any season. For the fall, I’d suggest sticking to flowers in various tones of orange, red, and yellow. I prefer to have fresh flowers, but silk ones can look just as beautiful and last forever! Check out SilksbySally on Etsy for some absolutely gorgeous ones!
Be sure to comment which ideas you’ve tried and what else you do to prepare your home for fall!
xx
One of my favorite annual fall events is the University of Pittsburgh's Fall Fest! The Pitt Program Council hires an artist every year to come and perform for its students! They shut down the street and a stage is built overnight.
Even though I don't attend school there, I always make sure I know who is coming and when (sorry 'bout it). In the past, I've seen Cobra Starship, 21 Pilots, and OneRepublic. This year happened to be one of my favorite lesser-known artists, Hoodie Allen! This was my third time seeing Hoodie and I had an excellent time with my friends, Dom, Julie, and Sal. Chiddy Bang, another artist I really like, was the opener! So, that was pretty awesome! There was even free food (mmmm carmel apple dippers!) and a caricature artist! All for free! Thanks Pitt!
xx
