Pumpkin Walk

My sorority Sigma Sigma Sigma every year at Halloween have our annual philanthropy event at the Children’s Home in Poughkeepsie. We work with the home to make a trail in the woods where we place carved pumpkins, lanterns, glow sticks and Halloween creatures around the woods to give them a fun and spooky walk. In addition to  the walk we also decorate their gym with Halloween artwork and games that the children can play.

The children all attend in costumes and they are all various ages so it’s so cute! The children that come to the event either live at the home full time or it is also open to the Poughkeepsie town so parents also bring their children.We also have a bake sale where all the proceeds go to the Children’s home.

This is a way for our sorority to give back to the community and be exposed to what the town our college is in is like. All of the money that we raise during this event goes to the Poughkeepsie Children’s home and they are so appreciative. This experience is so eye opening because us college students are so wrapped up in school and extracurricular activities that we forget that some children aren’t as fortunate as we were.

Last year this event inspired me so much that I applied for an immersion trip through my sorority and once I was accepted I flew to West Virginia to help children in need. I worked at a daycare for a week where we helped build a swimming pool and playground for the children and also helped watch the children during the day. This was such an amazing experience because I was able to see how much my contribution to this daycare really impacted the children. It was actually so hard to leave the kids that I spent so much time with for a week because they really became attached to us.

After the various community service events my sorority and I participate in as well as the immersion trip I went on it helped me realize how important service is and I know that it will always be a part of my life. Currently while looking for a job I look at their community service programs and make sure they also align with my future goals.

 

 

Week One Done

I officially survived my first week in the city and I must say it is way easier living here than I expected. My biggest fear living here would be constantly getting lost or having no idea how to get to and from places via subway because everytime I have visited the city I have had no idea what I was doing. But I must say I have caught on quite quickly. I mean I am still an avid Google Maps user but besides that I have pretty much got the hang of it and feel very comfortable and safe here. Having my dorm in one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city also plays a huge role in it. But so far I have been living it up with meeting friends for dinner and drinks after work in the city, visiting Marist friends in Hoboken over the weekend and making a ton of new friends in the city. I know it has only been a week but I can’t see myself living at home after college because this just confirms how much I want to move to the city after graduation.

So moving on to my internship at Ross… I love it! It has already been such a great experience so far and I still have nine more weeks. I have learned so much from my buyer who I will be shadowing everyday of the internship and my assistant buyer who is actually a Marist alum! We have classes everyday for about 2-3 hours everyday ranging from Retail Math, Art of Negotiation, Professionalism and Excel. This internship is such a great program because it gives you a good feel to see if buying and off price companies are a right fit for you. They say that this is a 10-week interview because they hire a lot of their interns after the summer and this is why they give us such thorough training. So far I really like buying and can totally see myself working as a buyer in the future because it is a very fast paced job. You are out of the office 3-4 times a week in the market negotiating prices for products you want to sell (I’m going to the market tomorrow!) and you are also working on spreadsheets and doing lots of math which I surprisingly don’t mind. My days mostly consist of training the next two weeks and then it will pick up during week 3 doing more independent work.

This is my office 1372 Broadway!

On Friday we had a scavenger hunt where they gave us random teams and had to find all the different clues in the city

Another great thing about being in the city is that almost half my friends are either here or commuting into the city so endless amounts of happy hours! Working 8:30-5:30 is a long day especially still just getting used to it so we like to treat ourselves at least twice a week to a happy hour… Makes the week go by faster. There are also endless amounts of food and restaurants I want to try! My roommate and I made a list of places we want to go and try to check a few off once a week. Our apartment is also in a great location right along the water so I run the Chelsea Pier everyday after work… To be honest I only do it so I can have that ice cream later but whatever keeps you motivated!

Famous chocolate banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery

I couldn’t have asked for a better week and I can’t wait to see what this week and weekend holds for us. We have some fun tentative plans for the weekend so check back next weekend to see where we go!

 

Sar

 

Welcome to New York

I am not only excited to be blogging again but I am also very excited to have something exciting to be blogging about…I am officially moved into New York City! My parents and I panicked on the car ride here that it would not be an easy move to the city since it is so hard to find a parking spot and the loads of traffic but it was surprisingly smoother than a move at Marist! I was also shocked to see how nice my suite is… We have a kitchen that includes a stove, microwave, and refrigerator and lots of cabinet space then we have a dining area with a big table and a full bathroom in the common room. In my room it is the size of a triple but for only two of us (score!) so it is pretty spacious and there’s an extra bed for whenever our friends want to visit which is pretty great. We also have a full bathroom in our bedroom too which I would also say is pretty lucky.

BUT the best part of my dorm is the location. I am right in Chelsea and a 2 minute walk from the high line! My parents and I walked it after taking a break from moving in and it was such a nice walk so I can tell this will become one of my hangout spots. There is also so much to do in Chelsea from bars and restaurants to shopping… my two favorite things so I do not think I will get bored. My parents and I stopped for a bite to eat at the The Cookshop which apparently is “the place to be” according to the two girls sitting next to us and it became apparent after the wait was about an hour long… but so worth it. Their brunch and drinks were so good and it makes me want to try all the other fun restaurants we passed!

After today I have a really good feeling I am going to love it here because of the fast paced environment and just how much there is to do here. It is going to be a quick 8 weeks but I am going to embrace every minute. I start work on Monday eeek! but I am really excited and will definitely blog after the first couple of days so check back.

 

Sar

iheartradio music awards recap

Last night was the iheartradio music awards and usually this award show isn’t my favorite but last night it kept my attention… Possibly bc Taylor Swift owned the night, per usual. She won best female artist of the year, best tour and best album of the year… The three biggest nominations. Not to mention she looked HOT in her skin tight jumpsuit. She never dissapoints me with her outfit choices and last night she owned the red carpet. And when did she get such a nice butt?! Like how does she have time to do squats idk.  

  

I would say the following best dressed, someone I would not normally ever think of but the Miss Zendaya. To be honest I couldn’t even tell you much about her but she looked adorable last night. She rocked this two piece suit and the bralette underneath did not look slutty at all. Def my favorite look from her this award season. I have to note her haircut is just as adorable.  

 
Another star that looked great last night was Julianne Hough. I have a severe girl crush on her because of how talented she is from dancing to acting and I always get my hair inspiration from her because she always has the cutest cuts. This dress is different and she can really pull white off not everyone can. The simple jewelry and updo was a good decision also since the high neckline. Absolutely love the shoes too. 

  
Next up is Iggy and although her outfit was kind of strange she looked stunning. She is someone who has really natural beauty and looks great in whatever because of her tall slender body. She likes to stand out and make a statement so I think this outfit worked really well for her. She also did a great job closing the show. 

  

Okay a look I was not a fan of but she did get good reviews by E! And she is one of my favorite singers at the moment was Selena Gomez. I first saw this look on Twitter and when I saw it I thought it was from 2008 because of the style of the jumpsuit and even her makeup made her look 10 years younger. The look Selena has been going for recently is sexy and this is not sexy. She looks adorable but in a little kid way.  But lovin the layered chokers. 

  

Another look that was just okay was Demi Lovato. Why has she been wearing suits to so many award shows this season?! You’re 23 years old… Embrace it and wear something sexy or stylish not something that makes you look 28 and going for a business interview. The pants are also way too long.  Her performance was jaw dropping though. 

  
One thing I have to say is what the heck is Justin Bieber doing with his hair?! Why does he have dreads and also why was he wearing a Rangers jersey last night? Also his outfit during his performance was heinous and looked so heavy so idk how he danced in it but he continued to blow the crowd away. And not gonna lie he still looked hot last night even though I’m not a fan of his outfit and hair choice. 

  
  A final impressive performance was Justin Derulo. I think he is so underrated! His performance was phenomenal because not only does he have amazing vocals but he can really dance. Also the lyrics of his songs aren’t trashy like most rappers but they actually have meaning. Def a fan of him.  

   

  

5 Spring Trends I Want to Wear RN.

Okay despite the snow fall last night it was getting warmer out which made me want to break out all of my cute spring dresses and wear pastel jeans and floral rompers but I think I might have to unfortunately wait another week or 3 for it to get nicer out again. Just when I thought it was starting to look like Spring it snows and drops to 20 degrees! But trying to forget about the temperature out I’ve been spending some time online shopping and I’m lovin some of the new trends I’ve seen for the spring. These are my top 5:

#5. Off the shoulder tops- just when I was thinking about giving my off the shoulder top to GoodWill because I never really wear that style anymore, it comes back! They are so cute and simple and instantly make an outfit look more trendy. I’ve been searching the web for a white one or a baby blue one which would look great on the beach. This ones from Abercrombie and on sale for 23 dollars!

#4: I feel like the trend of dresses with sneakers has been a hit for a few seasons now but since sneakers have gotten so popular this Fall I think this trend is going to be an even bigger hit this Spring. Especially with the Adidas superstar’s or New Balance they instantly make a dress more everyday wear and casual. This trend I am definitely going to wear on the first day it is really nice out.

#3: The distressed oversized jean jacket is next and this is a great trend because if you have any old jean jackets from like the 80’s or 90’s it is time to bring them back out. I actually found one in my moms closet over spring break that she said was almost 20 years old but its so cute because it has the worn look and is oversized. This is perfect for when there is a breeze and you just need a light jacket. My friend also has a black oversized jean jacket thats so cute and different from the normal denim color. This is a great look to dress down a dress or romper or just wear with leggings or dark jeans.

#2: Two piece sets are what I am currently obsessed with and they are even greater when you can find a pattern that you can wear with a bunch of other things too so you can get the most wear out of them. Lulu’s is probably where I find the cutest two piece sets and I must say they are very hard to find but are starting to get more popular. I definitely want to find the perfect one for this spring.

I want this one so bad and I am patiently waiting for it to go on sale. Lulu’s $72

#1: Boyfriend jeans will never go out of style which is why I own like 5 pairs and also because they are comfortable and cute. One trend that I love seeing right now is dressing up the boyfriend ripped jeans with an oxford shirt or pointy flats. It makes the holey jeans look less grungey and makes you look put together. So instead of wearing your baggy jeans when you are running out to do errands you can wear them to class or out to lunch by dressing them up a bit.

 

Is Abercrombie cool again?

I don’t know if anyone else noticed this but recently Abercrombie clothes have gotten SO freakin’ cute. I noticed this last summer when I bought a dress and a romper that you couldn’t even tell was Abercrombie and when I told people it was A&F they were shocked! After this experience I decided A&F was on the radar again. Despite their high prices, I was totally into their new designs.

The  reason they are becoming cool again is because they have “un-moosed”their clothes. If you go into their store or online you will not see any tops that say “Abercrombie” across the tee or the big moose (thank god). They were slowly on the decline and realized they needed to do something to keep their clientele and I must say this idea was brilliant because now I am more inclined to buy their items because it doesn’t have the moose that I used to pride on in middle school. They have also changed their brand image because they realized that this was the reason people stopped shopping there. They wanted their brand to be the “cool kid in school” and wanted to be worn only by the elite or popular kids in class and at first this boomed but in the long run deeply hurt their brand.

Also briefly looking at the mens clothes and the feature about Abercrombie’s unmoosed apparel for men in GQ I must say their clothes (& models) are lookin pretty good. The favorite cargo pants or shorts no longer have the moose on it making their target customer not just high school kids. There are also a lot of really nice jackets and sweaters that I could see a 20 or 30 year old wearing and would never think it was A&F.

Abercrombie also has some good sales. It no longer is the brand that I can’t really afford but they have a lot of good flash sales making their new dresses 30% off and their clearance an extra percentage off as well. I remember A&F not having good items in their clearance section but online they have a great deal of things I’d consider purchasing. I’m in love with a lot of their new summer dresses and I remember sending my mom a link and her being surprised that I was shopping at Abercrombie again… she agreed after looking that they did a 360.

The striped dress and the skater shift dress in gold are both only 29 dollars! I’d say thats a steal def on my wish list and the red jumpsuit is adorable and doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen at A&F before.

Oscars Recap

So unfortunately I wasn’t able to watch the Oscars last night because I had a sorority event but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t constantly refreshing my Insta and Twitter feeds to see the dresses on the red carpet… and besides does anyone really watch the show for the actual awards anyways? Seeing it from my phone instead of live didn’t live up to the Oscar hype I usually feel while watching so it was hard to critique the best dressed. But what I did see these are my favorite looks:

Lets start with J. Law… When I first saw this I was like ew not a fan. She usually looks amazing and really picks the nicest dresses so I was very surprised to see this look. But now that I have looked at it a few times it’s really grown on me. I mean her hair looks perfect and simple I love the blonde and the color of the dress really looks good on her. I also like how it is fitted enough to show off her body but then poofs out. I am not a fan of her makeup though, I think it washes her out a little and she maybe could’ve done a pop of red with a red lipstick. But overall, good pick Jen.

Next up we have Cate Blanchett. She looked beautiful. I am completely in love with this dress it is so different than anything that’s been on the red carpet before. It fits her perfectly showing off her slim figure and I love the low neckline. If you look at the dress it was so perfectly designed too and her hair and accessories are on point. Definitely a best dressed nominee.

Next is Olivia Wilde and when I first saw an instagram of her it was just the back and I was in love. I loved her hair, the pleats and the back of the dress and then when she turned around I loved it even more because of the choker necklace and the neckline of the dress. The neckline is a little revealing but it isn’t that bad. I think her makeup and accessories are perfect but I think there is something missing about the dress. I don’t love how it fits I don’t think it is that flattering from the waist down and the only good part is the back. But Olivia does look stunning as always so great pick.

The main star Priyanka from Quantico looked perfect in this white strapless gown. It is so flattering on her curves and couldn’t fit more perfect. She’s rocking the red lip and I love how her hair is in a simple pony showing off her stunning makeup. This dress is a great color on her darker skin too.

Another star that continues to amaze us is Rachel McAdams. She is wearing one of my favorite colors emerald green along with my favorite neckline. This look is perfect for someone petite because it is so flattering. I am loving the light green eyeliner to match the dress and make her eyes pop and it looks even better with her hair up.

HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 28: Actress Rachel McAdams attends the 88th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage)

Someone else who I don’t think has ever not looked good on the red carpet is Kerry Washington. She is one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood and I don’t think has ever had a fashion disaster and I think the main reason is because everything looks so good on her body. Like I don’t love this dress and I think it would look terrible on anyone else but she rocks it and it fits her so nicely. Honestly if I could switch bodies with anyone it might have to be her… and she had a baby!! Also not a huge fan of her hair up but it does draw attention to her perfect makeup so it wasn’t a bad decision.

My last best dressed star for the night was Rooney Mara. I thought this gown was so different than anything else on the red carpet and really fits her personal style. Her pale skin looks perfect with the bold red lip. Also the color of the dress I would think would usually wash someone who is pale out but it does the opposite for Rooney. I also love the cutout in the middle, it makes the classic look very trendy.

I hate talking about males on the runway because honestly all tuxedos look the same but I have to give Michael Jordan a mention because of how good looking he is. He is such a cutie and I fell in love with him in Parenthood and really need to see his new movie Creed. He is deff a bae.

Why Quantico is the BEST new TV show of 2016

Do you ever get that empty feeling inside after you binge-watch a really good TV show? You miss the characters and their crazy drama and you really feel like doing nothing else until the next season starts. Well that is how I am currently feeling with ABC’s newest drama Quantico. I was sick with the flu over the weekend so what better time to watch the whole first season of this show I’ve heard so many great reviews about. Now that I finished it in less than 48 hours I cannot wait until March 6th when the next season kicks off. You do have a solid two weeks to watch the first season and if I could do it in 2 days then you have plenty of time. Here is why you should give Quantico a chance:

Well if you’re into shows like Law & Order or Scandal this show is for you. There is a lot of action and drama to keep you on your toes but fortunately for you it isn’t as confusing as Scandal! There is also a lot of romance as well so if thats your preferred genre this show also is for you. The power couple in the season Alex and Ryan are of course on and off dealing with lots of drama and the season ends with a cliffhanger but I am routing for them all the way. As for action, not going to give away the plot but one of the recruits from Quantico is framed for a terrorist attack on Grand Central Station and it is a mystery to figure out who did it.

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The characters are HOT. I don’t think there is one character in the show that isn’t good looking. All of the male recruits are great to look at and even every single female is beautiful too.

Every episode leaves you in a cliffhanger, this is why it is so easy to bingewatch. I would always say I am just going to watch one episode today and then the episode would leave you with so many questions that you would have to watch the next one… and the next one… and the next one until the finale.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, this might entice you even more. ALL of the episodes are on abc.go.com so you do not have to buy or wait for any episodes! I have a feeling they might start eliminating them when the new season starts so I suggest starting the season as soon as possible! Take this weekend off and get cozy on the couch with your snack of choice (obv oreos and milk) and watch Quantico!

I think I have become a Sneakerhead

When did sneakers become so trendy?  I could easily live in sneakers because of how comfortable they are and how often I go to the gym so when I started seeing this trend in J. Crew ads or Nordstrom I became super excited… and of course I had to go out and buy them since I thought of so many great outfit ideas to go with them.

The most popular sneakers I have seen on-campus, in ads and on celebrities are the Adidas Superstar. I have always been a Nike supporter and not really into Adidas but these are so cute I couldn’t resist. I treated myself to them last week and they were sold out everywhere until I found them on UrbanOutfitters.com. If you are planning on purchasing them just a warning that they do run quite big, go down a full size! Mine are pretty big but unfortunately my feet are the smallest size so I just have to wear really thick socks. My go-to outfit with my Adidas sneakers are black skinnies or leggings with a cozy sweater and then my long J.Crew color block coat or new Express long varsity jacket that I am obsessed with. Here is where I’ve gotten the outfit inspirations with the Adidas sneaks:

Another trending sneaker right now is the New Balance and I have seen these in all the Nordstrom, J. Crew and Anthropologie catalogues. These are so cute because they come in all different colors and patterns. I remember when New Balance used to be in like 10 years ago and now it is crazy how much they have came back to trend. These look great with any outfit and I love how workout clothes are so trendy now because it doesn’t make me feel as bad bumming it to class anymore if I am wearing Lululemon or Athleta with trendy sneakers. I really want a pair of these but am waiting to find them in the maroon color for a cheaper price because they are pretty expensive when customized.

 

Other sneakers that are currently trending are Vans…  a girl in my sorority had a really cute pair of Fringe Vans I am obsessed with and were advertised on the Nordstrom Instagram the other day. Also, Converse will always be a go-to sneaker specifically in white. This is probably my favorite trend right now because it is not only cute but so comfortable.

 

The Estee Edit

I will be honest one family that I cannot stand is the Kardashians. I do not think they are talented whatsoever and it literally irks me to see them on TV. One kardashian though that I think is different than her sisters though is Kendall. Not only is she talented on the runway but she has become the Estee edit for Estée Lauder and her first order of business was to create an eyeshadow palette. I love eyeshadow as much as the next girl so of course I had to investigate and see what colors and shades she created and I must say its lookin pretty good. 

  
It will be sold in all Sephora stores at $48 on March 15th so I will def have to go check it out because this is the first palette I’ve seen where I actually can see myself using all of the colors (except maybe the purple).