"Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women." ~ Maya Angelou
Today is International Women's Day and also, as an extension of the Women's March on Washington earlier this year in January, it's A Day Without A Woman. A day to honor and recognize the countless contributions that women of all backgrounds and creeds add to our overall socio-economic system. In the face of lower wages. In the face of job insecurity. In the face of vulnerability to discrimination and sexual harassment.
While I recognize not everyone can take the day off of work today (I know I can't), there are other ways you can show your support and solidarity starting first with avoiding shopping (unless it supports women and minority-run businesses) and wearing RED today. Yours truly will be wearing the brightest red dress I own.
For more information, visit their official site here.
Just a few weeks ago, while I was being interviewed for a video project, one of the producers asked me what was one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. Granted, I've been asked this question numerous times. And granted, there are a lot of things I really do enjoy about it. So much so, that it's hard to pick just one -- a statement that I realize not everyone can say about what they do for a living.
Naturally, I thought of my many answers when he asked that. I love the creativity this job brings. The freedom to be my own boss. The ownership of something that I built, for no other reason than I wanted to build it. The travel. The clothes. The feeling of waking up every day and knowing that I get to work on something that I truly enjoy.
They're all invaluable. And they're all part of what I love and if you had told me 7 years ago, when I started this blog, that this would be the reward of it, I would have laughed at you. But no. I wouldn't say these are the reasons why I love what I do so much.
My answer? It all boils down to this idea that's bigger than what I'm wearing or where I'm taking a particular set of photos. It's more than keeping up with trends or where to travel to next. It's about a community -- one that I hope you all feel a particular kinship to, especially as women. One that lifts you up, one that you feel included in and encouraged by, because God knows, you guys have done that for me. I'll fully acknowledge, I'm aware we're not saving lives here at This Time Tomorrow, it's just one of the many corners of the internet that you may or may not choose to spend your time on, but I sure hope, if you do, it's made you feel, even in some small sense, encouraged to go after something you love. I know it's lead me to meet and work with many inspiring women along the way -- photographers, writers, fellow friends and colleagues and, yes, YOU guys -- all of whom have encouraged me to go after what I love. Amazing, talented forces to be reckoned with -- who have all made me go that much harder after what I want. Not because we're pitted against each other. Not because we need to compete. But because we're all in this together. And we go much further if we build each other up. Much, much further.
So on the eve of International Women's Day, take a moment to think of your tribe of women who inspire you. And go kick some ass in their honor.
This post was in collaboration with BHLDN and some of the most rad ladies I know: Kat Harris, Esther Houston, Janelle Marie Lloyd and Brynn Elliott. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
A few years back, when I was still living in San Francisco, I was on a date. This story isn't necessarily about him (although we're still friends!), but it's more about those questions that you find yourself asking when you're "trying someone on."
"If you could go back to school tomorrow, what would you study?"
"You're throwing a dinner party and can invite anyone, living or dead. Who do you invite and why?"
"Which Friends character are you?" (Mine's a combination of Rachel and Monica with a dash of Chandler.)
And of course, there's always: "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
Each one's loaded. You size each other up based on how thought-provoking their answer is and bonus points are awarded if you're the one asking really obscure questions. Case in point: I recently had a date ask me, on a scale from 1 to 6 (yep, to 6) how "lucky" in life I felt, which lead to a really interesting conversation about the circumstances we're born into and how aware we are of them.
Anyway, back to this date in San Francisco. Instead of asking me where I saw myself in 5 or say, 10 years, he asked where I saw myself in a year's time. Close enough in the near future, but just enough time to mix things up. And without hesitating, my answer was, "I'll be living in New York, working on my blog full-time and freelancing for Elle Magazine." I think he appreciated my specificity and we moved on with the night.
And perhaps quite fittingly, several years later, I thought of that very night as I was walking to my local bodega, around the corner from my apartment here in New York City, where I live and work on my blog full time, with one mission: to pick up a copy of the March issue of Elle Magazine, which includes yours truly in a two page advertorial spread with St. Ives Skincare. Needless to say, it made me smile. And made me realize, sometimes you just need to put things out into the universe. It always has a funny way of bringing it back to you.
Here are a few selects from the spread -- hope you guys enjoy them as much as I enjoyed working with their team to create them!
Photos for Elle Magazine in the March issue, on newsstands now!
As you all may recall, I ran the marathon in Paris last April and while my finishing time was nothing to brag about, the fact that I finished was more than enough for me. That feeling of running around a city that fascinates you is nothing short of euphoric (granted around mile 20 I may not have been feeling exactly 'euphoric,' but you get my point).
As for this year, I was toying around with the idea of running another international race (Lima and Barcelona were at the top of the list), but I decided instead to focus my energy on just the New York Marathon in November, as I had to opt out last year due to an injury. That said, I'm starting my training early; clocking mileage and ramping up with my cross training classes (to avoid future injuries!). Of course, this means my arsenal of workout clothes starts to take over my closet, and quite honestly, my life. So when NikeWomen asked me to test drive their latest Zonal Strength Training Tights, I jumped at the chance to not only style them for my morning workouts, but also for wherever else my week takes me: running errands, going to brunch, walking the dog, and heck, even a date! One pair of training tights, five different ways.
The fit has been great (currently contemplating more pairs here) and as someone who's trying to pack in as many training classes possible, I love how durable they are. They're lightweight enough for yoga, high-waisted enough for lots of quick movements in my high intensity training classes, and they compress in all the right spots (hello tummy and calves!). Plus, on these past few bitterly cold days here in NYC they've been a godsend under jeans (yep, I went there!) and even as leggings themselves (like my last date night outfit here with boots).
I loved this little styling challenge and hope you guys enjoy the outfits as much as I loved putting them together! Please let me know in the comments below how else you might style these bad boys! Would love to hear!
This post was in collaboration with Nike and ShopStyle. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
So. I'll admit something here. This first month of 2017 was a rough one for me. I'll spare you the self-indulgent details (or perhaps better yet, save them for a future post, at a future date, when I'm ready to write about it), but in short, it really forced me to think about the things I can and cannot control. And that, sometimes, is the hardest lesson, isn't it? The hardest pill to swallow. We're taught all our lives that if we work hard enough at something, there's no reason it can't be ours. If we just want it enough. If we just try hard enough. If we just BE enough.
Now, don't get me wrong. I have my fair share of professional setbacks under my belt. Each time, I picked myself back up, brushed the dirt off and, with any luck, learned something. And got right back at it. Because that's what I can control -- myself and my determination to succeed at something.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, when it comes to matters of the heart, I've been told I'm guilty of the same stubbornness -- a tenacity to make things work, only seeing the good in situations and in people, instead of the bigger picture. Of course, this doesn't mean any particular party involved is guilty or necessarily bad -- just complex and unique and layered, like everyone else.
What it does mean, is that there's a certain degree of uncertainty -- no guarantees that if you try hard enough to make something work with someone, that you'll be met halfway, or even meant to be met halfway by that particular person. And you know what I've been realizing the past few weeks? That's OK. It really is. It meant you threw yourself into something bigger than you and bigger than them and you tried. And in my opinion, that's the scariest, hardest step. Because that's what you can control. Yourself and your own heart. And if both end up bruised and a bit worse for wear in the end, it means you can still pick yourself up, smile at what was and learn something. You tasted something sweet that wasn't meant to last. But you tasted it, and that alone, makes all of this worth it.
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
When I was 9, my whole family took a vacation. To New York City. In the middle of July. Hailing from the dry desert air of Reno, Nevada, the humidity struck me violently at first making it hard to breathe. Amongst the chaotic traffic, beckoning lights, I was both overwhelmed and intoxicated with New York as I'm sure most young kids are when they see the city blinking to life for the first time. In those initial moments, as I peered out the taxi window en route from JFK, New York held nothing but promise and hope and dreams. A wild dance of opportunity. Open to all who can keep up.
The trip itself was, admittedly, routine in the sense that we checked off every major landmark we could. The Empire State Building, The Natural History Museum, Times Square (Mom and Dad, you were brave for trying that one!). But what has stayed with me and what stands out right now given the recent turn of events since President Drumpf's inauguration (and last weekend's executive order), is our visit to the Statue of Liberty.
Again, my parents got kind of aggressive here (bless their hearts) and thought it would be a good idea to take two young children up all the stairs to Lady Liberty's crown. In short, it took us most of the day, waiting in line after line, inching forward a few steps at a time, in a completely AC-less stairwell. Again, need I remind you. It's July. In New York City. And I'm 9. And my sister is 8.
Several hours, and buckets of sweat later, we made it. And even as a 9 year old, I couldn't help but appreciate the view. Peering out in between the slots of her crown, you can see New York calling you and stretching out to one side and the vast Atlantic Ocean on the other side. It's a small room -- probably only accommodating no more than 20 people at a time -- and they usher you in pretty quickly, urging you to keep moving from window to window. And while the height took my breath away that day, I remember being completely blown away by something else -- just how many different languages were being spoken in that small room alone. Spanish. Mandarin. Hindi. English. All thrown together, mixing and intertwining with one another -- where one ended, it was hard to decipher where the next picked up.
And even as a 9 year old, something about that struck me as really special. That all of us, regardless of our language and origin, religion and creed, could appreciate a symbol like The Statue of Liberty together. A beacon of hope and light, offering refuge to those who seek it. The safe haven welcoming you to America, with open arms.
I'll pause here and offer a disclaimer: perhaps this is an overly sentimental way of getting to my point (and if it is, I'm sorry, I'm just naturally an overly sentimental person at times), but after this past weekend, I would feel amiss not saying something in the midst of what I fear is well, fear.
We are a country created and built by immigrants -- they are the very fiber that makes this nation what it is: a shining opportunity at freedom, a fresh start at a dream. And for those who are willing to work hard for it, it's a chance at a new life. That's what I believe this country stands for and that's what I believe we need to fight for still.
Now, I'll offer another disclaimer here, I will fully recognize it's not my place to spout out facts (and trust me, I have many browser tabs open to different news outlets, left and right leaning, including, yes, Breitbart), because I don't want this to become a source war, which is sadly, the state that we're in. A state where "fake news" has become the all-too convenient scapegoat in arguments. What I do know and hold to be true is this: when widespread and poorly executed mandates like this are implemented, seemingly mass targeting those based on religion (and not even necessarily the countries where extremists hail from), then we've failed ourselves as a country and what we stand for. It's shortsighted leadership that exploits nothing else than fear mongering itself. And that's not an America I recognize.
So what to do about it? In my first post regarding the election results here, I, like many others, urged for tolerance, compassion, understanding and above all, action. I think they all still hold true, now more so than ever. But I'll take it one step further here. I promise, for every politically-driven article I post on Facebook (and trust me, I post a lot), I'll follow it with action of some sort. Donating to ACLU. Participating in protests. Volunteering my time to refugee aid programs. But starting first with calling senators. And if their voicemail inboxes are full, I'll keep calling.
Because if we're not careful, that lamp beside the golden door may soon go out. And that's a day I surely don't want to see.
Truth be told, these are always my favorite posts to put together. A highlight reel of the year now behind us. Granted, there's been a lot said about 2016. Mainly negative and mainly with a big, fat, middle finger. And in a lot of ways, I can't argue with that sentiment. It was a hard year, in a lot of ways and it took a toll on all of us, myself included. But if I really boil down what this year meant to me, I can fully embrace the bad and downright scary right along with the good -- you need both. To remind you what it means to try, to struggle, to win, to lose, to cry, to laugh and to throw your hands up in the air and admit when you've overcome something and to be able to do the same when you just have to walk away from something.
This past year I traveled. To more countries than I ever expected. I grew my business. I scared myself in that process. I fell in love. And I had my heart broken. Numerous times. I said goodbye to people I didn't want to say goodbye to. And I let new people in and I'm so happy I did. I struggled with my self-image. I struggled with what it means to be a 30 something living in New York chasing after dreams. I struggled with finding balance. But man, that struggle has been worth it. I certainly don't have it all figured out and quite frankly, that's OK. That's what 2017 is for -- and while, yes, 2016, you weren't my favorite year, I can still see a lot of good and love in you, despite the bumps and bruises.
So, in no particular order, here's my highlight reel -- my favorite 16 posts from 2016. Hope you enjoy!
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend with your family and loved ones! I was actually going to put together a big sales post today (which, trust me, there are some amazing deals going on right now), but then, something happened to me recently that really struck a chord. A dear reader of my blog, after seeing a Snapchat post insinuating that I needed cheering up, sent me a sweet email letting me know they had donated to a Save the Children fund for Syrian Children, providing food, water, shelter and medical care to children still living both in Syria and those who are now refugees elsewhere and they had donated in my name.
It made my day. No month, really. And while I won't sit here to tell you just how bad things are around the world (because I think we're all actually painfully aware of it), I do think there are some actionable things we can do to help, big or small. So in lieu of posting yet another sales round up, I figured it might make you all feel better to either donate in your name or a loved one's name to a charity near and dear to your heart. Because 2016 did a number on us all. Let's kick it right back in a way that counts. In no particular order, here are some starting points:
When it comes to figuring out gifts for my closest girlfriends at Christmas, I tend to do the same thing every year: I love planning an activity we can all enjoy together. A trip, or a Broadway show or a concert -- you name it. As long as we're together and making an evening of it, I'm satisfied (plus it's made for some amazing memories!). And since having moved to New York, I think it gives me an extra special excuse to really do it up -- because I'm still very much exploring this city every day.
Earlier this year, I was introduced to Aire Ancient Baths here in TriBeCa by way of a goop event I attended at their downtown location (I even got to meet Gwyneth herself -- but I digress). Having experienced a traditional hammam in Istanbul before, I was immediately curious about Aire -- I just loved the idea of a traditional Greek/Roman bath house with a modern, luxurious spin. Unfortunately, it was weeks before I was able to pop in and really try it out for myself, but it was well worth the wait. 90 minute bath soak (in pools ranging in temperature 50 degrees F - 100 degrees F and substance, like salt or wine), followed by an hour long couples massage. The verdict? Let me tell you, the minute I walked back outside into the cold New York air, green juice in hand, I felt like a new woman, relaxed and centered. Furthermore, the building itself is stunning (an old textile factory apparently) and to say I wanted to steal every last piece of the decor would likely be an understatement. Oh, and did I mention they have a Spanish guitar and flute player on hand to serenade you while you're soaking? Because they do. And it's pretty much as magical as you would think.
So with that in mind, Elvis the Christmas Elf and I made a list, we checked it twice, and we figured out who's been naughty or nice. And without further adieu, I can't wait to surprise a few lucky ladies **cough** (Lydia, Christine and Heather) **cough** with a little spa day.
Confession time: I actually love shopping for men way more than I do for the ladies in my life. No offense, ladies! Sometimes, you're just so hard to shop for -- and more often than not, you really don't need anything. Men, on the other hand, make it pretty well known when there's something they're in the market for, be it a watch, a new pair of boots, some fancy cuff links, you get the picture. And you can pretty much count on them taking FOREVER to buy it for themselves, which guarantees you'll always end up surprising them. So without further adieu, here's one for the fellas.
Just a few easy (or splurge-worthy) gifts for the ladies in your life. A little beauty, a little glitz and a whole lot of "hey, I wish I got this for myself" appeal. I mean, really, I need those shoes and that necklace may already be on its way to me now. Oops. I did it again. 😉
I have to say, I had a lot of fun putting this little gift guide together. Whether you live in New York, have friends who do, or just love and admire it as one of the greatest cities on Earth, I've rounded up a few New York inspired and New York centric present ideas. Without further adieu, we have:
Let's continue the gift guide train, shall we? For anyone with a travel enthusiast in their lives, I've rounded up a few of my favorite wanderlust-inspired and travel-savvy gadgets to get the jet setter in your life ready for their next adventure. PS: Santa, if you're reading this, at the top of this traveler's list this year is that Away luggage case, the Ames Tovern hip pack and those Cuyana travel bags. Please and thank you! Bon voyage!
When it comes to picking out the perfect Christmas tree in New York, there's a bit of hunting to do. You can't simply just get one at the first lot you go to. No. That would be far too easy. And we all know New Yorkers love it when there's a bit of a challenge involved, right?
This year, I debated back and forth on whether or not I should get a real tree. It's been a few years since I've had a real one, mainly because I was afraid Elvis would try drinking the tree water all the time. But this time, I've decided to go for it and have been patiently checking out each lot that I pass on my way to meetings around the city. Most are too big (alas, I wish I had that penthouse on the Upper East Side with high ceilings, but I don't) but many are just about right (even better if they're marked as the Charlie Brown Special) and I've been diligently documenting each one and sending photos to my guy and friends along the way, hoping for feedback.
This post was in collaboration with OtterBox. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
It's already the 5th of December and I don't know about you, but I already feel behind on my holiday gift shopping. Namely, because I always need a few things to kick into gear first, that being getting a tree (haven't done it yet, but perhaps I'll go pick one up today) and updating my stocking (which I got monogrammed last week at an event with Lands End). Of course, I don't want to leave you guys in the lurch -- which is why I'm kicking off my holiday gift guides today, starting first with some easy, no-brainer gifts, many of which I usually end up picking a few for myself as well. (One for me, one for you, right?)
I've put together my favorites up above, but be sure to shop my other favorites below. Spoiler alert: many of these guys are under $50 as well. Happy shopping!
Disclaimer before we begin: Christine and I shot these Express bridesmaids dresses just a couple weeks back and while today's post has nothing to do with weddings (although, how darling are these dresses?!), I felt the photos were fitting for a tribute to all the things I consider myself so lucky to have in my life.
A couple of Thanksgivings ago, I remember listing out a few of the top things I was thankful for. I'm not sure why or when along the way I stopped doing this -- I just stopped. It wasn't until I was reading Naty's blog last week that I was reminded how much I loved sharing those reflections here. And especially this year -- this year in particular -- a year that admittedly was pretty rough around the edges in a lot of ways, I think we all could use a friendly reminder to stop and appreciate the things we do have. With that said, this year I'm thankful for...
My parents, for always believing in me, but especially this past year when I decided it made more sense to try the whole "working for myself" thing, thereby giving up stable health insurance via an employer. If they had panic attacks about it, they sure didn't let on. They've been my biggest supporters and taught me how to be my own biggest supporter.
My health, for being something that I never was truly aware of (that's the funny thing when you're healthy), and for also being something that I've been made aware of this year. Getting older is no joke, y'all and I, for one, don't want to take my health for granted.
This job, for being such a driving force these past 7 years. If you had told me that random afternoon so many years ago that I'd still be working on it today, living in New York and, by all accounts, supporting myself, I would most definitely have laughed at you. Each day, I get to wake up, excited about what I'm working on and what I get to create -- a feeling I hope I never lose.
The opportunity to travel, for opening my eyes, my mind and my spirit. And reminding me that no matter how far you go, we're all really looking for the same things.
My amazing friends, sister and a certain special fellow, for being a wealth of laughs, inspiration and the occasional shoulder to cry on. The older I get, the more I realize how much you gotta hold on to the gems in the bunch.
New York City, for being the city that brought me back to life in a way.
Elvis, for giving me an excuse to pick out different Notorious B.I.G. songs to play and record him walking to on Snapchat. That waddle! Swoon!
Every last failure that came my way this year for teaching me that I'm capable of much more than I ever realized. Or that I don't seem to mind my grey hairs that much.
Little victories, because they remind me to take triumph in the every day and to pay it forward, as often as possible.
This community here at This Time Tomorrow, for showing me what it means to connect, support and build each other up -- even with people we may never meet face to face. I may not have known exactly what I was starting my blog for all those 7 years ago, but it's always been the sweet emails, comments and conversations from all of you that have kept me going and motivated all along. I'm honored and humbled by it all.
As many of you know, I had been training for the New York Marathon since this summer. It's been a dream of mine to run this race -- through a city that I love -- with thousands of other runners, coming from all different walks of life. I had no PR set in mind, other than I wanted to relish every minute of every mile.
And then, a few weekends before the race, I hurt my ankle.
Heavy sigh. It's my own fault but one that I'll own and accept as a sign that I need to cross train better for next year. Because there's always next year. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent well wishes that week, when I announced I wouldn't be running. And I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who still donated to the Magic Bus foundation, the charity I was running on behalf of. It meant the world to me and to those kids. Thank you.
As for me? I'm getting back on the horse! Because that's the only way you see progress, right? And just a few weekends ago, I was able to join the team over at Jockey for just that -- a little wellness and relaxation weekend at the Even Hotel in Brooklyn. It was the perfect recharge button I needed, complete with hot yoga at Tangerine (95 degrees +!) and a little ass kicking with Coach Hollis from Mile High Run Club. After a pretty busy fall season and what looks to be an even busier holiday season, it was so nice spending time with like minded girls to just unwind and sweat it out.
I'd be lying if I wasn't a bit more excited about the pampering though -- in room massages from Zeel and my first even facial workout with the folks at Face Love Fitness was just what this weary girl needed.
As for my workout clothes, you all know I'm a fan of Jockey and have been for years. The fit and breathability factors are always big selling points for me, given that I need my clothes to really perform for more than 5 miles. And now, with my new cross training commitment, I'm excited to put these bad boys to the test with a slew of high intensity training classes, heck, maybe with Coach Hollis herself! Wish me luck!
Huge thanks to the Jockey team for having me and I can't wait to kick start my cross training for next year's marathon!
This post was in collaboration with Jockey. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
As you may recall, about a year ago, Dave Goldberg, husband to Facebook's Chief Operating Officer, Sheryl Sandberg, died rather unexpectedly in a tragic treadmill accident. And she, as you might expect, was devastated. Being of the Jewish faith, she observed what is known as a sheloshim, a period of mourning after a loved one passes, at the end of which, she wrote an open letter to her late husband on Facebook that contains this anecdote:
"I was talking to one of these friends about a father-child activity that Dave is not here to do. We came up with a plan to fill in for Dave. I cried to him, 'But I want Dave. I want option A.' He put his arm around me and said, 'Option A is not available. So let's just kick the shit out of option B.'
Dave... I promise to do all I can to kick the shit out of option B."
For a lot of reasons, this anecdote has stuck with me ever since, on a professional and personal level. Particularly, this idea of taking a setback, a failure or just a plain unexpected turn of events, and seeing it as an opportunity for action. A commitment to moving forward and looking ahead. A way of taking a less than ideal hand of cards and staying in the game, because, well, no one else is going to play for you, if you decide to deal yourself out.
As I'm sure many of you can tell at this point, if you're still reading (which I hope you are!), I am most definitely referring to the past 24 hours and our new President Elect, Donald Trump.
A few things I want to clarify first, before I dive in. I am fully aware that many of you do not come to my blog to read about my political views. Nor do I write this blog to share them. What I do hope I encourage and embody in this corner of the internet is simply this: self-expression in all forms. Of course, we focus on the more lighthearted forms of self-expression, namely style and beauty, but I'd be amiss if I didn't feel like I strive, in some shape or form, to encourage you to be your own champion, of whatever you believe in. And maybe that's lofty and maybe it hasn't come through at times and maybe I've seriously fallen short. But my goal, albeit on a small, humble level, is to encourage you to go after whatever you believe in, be that starting your own business, supporting a charity cause you believe in or just plain rocking a certain trend with confidence because it makes you feel good and hold your head a bit higher. Whatever the reason, I've always hoped this little online community and kinship we've built here at TTT could be one of encouragement and inclusion, not of negativity and division.
With that said, I'd also like to clarify up front, I'm not here to stand on a soap box and alienate anyone on either side of the aisle. I think there's been a lot of rhetoric thrown around (on both sides mind you) during this election that's already done a more than sufficient job at that -- I refuse to add to it. I think there's far more common ground that unites us, than what divides us and I want to spend my time and energy focusing on the former, not the latter.
By now, I think it's been clear in the political glimpses I've shared here and there on social media that I supported Secretary Hillary Clinton, and I'm certainly still with her. Not because she's a woman. Not because I do not support her opponent. But because I think she is the most qualified and most prepared for the job and best represents the kind of America I want to see. And whether or not you agree with me is besides my point. My point is this: I think it's undeniable, she's worked tirelessly to get herself there -- no easy feat considering that glass ceiling we have yet to break through is still standing and is double paned.
But on Tuesday night, somewhere between 2 and 3am and the seemingly never-ending calculation of Pennsylvania's votes -- it sunk in: The reality my candidate might lose. I was shocked. Saddened. Disappointed. Scared. But mainly numb.
And that numbness persisted through the next morning. I woke up, checked my phone to see if perhaps I had actually dreamt it, and with a heavy sigh, started my day. New York was (perhaps quite poetically) overcast and grey and, as it was repeated numerous times on social media, clouded by a palpable sense of mourning in the air. Around noon, as I was leaving an uptown subway station, I stopped in front of several large screen TVs to watch Secretary Clinton take the stage to deliver her concession speech. Her words were graceful and elegant -- the undertones of which are best summed up by her closing scripture excerpt and are what I'd like to emphasize in my post today, because I think they ring true, no matter which party you identify with:
"'Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart.' So my friends, let us have faith in each other, let us not grow weary, let us not lose heart for there are more seasons to come. And there is more work to do."
While yesterday may have been a day of mourning for many people in this country, I think it's important today we mobilize into action. To help spread love whenever possible. To listen better. To empathize. To reach across party lines and to connect. To recognize our differences and to not vilify them, but celebrate them. To get involved. To work together. And yes, to stand together, at a time when our country is so deeply divided. It won't be easy. It won't be pretty. But nothing worth having ever is.
Today, we don't plan our moves to Canada. Today, we dig our heels in and work even harder and more diligently -- together.
Regardless of who you supported on Tuesday, our civic duty doesn't end at the voting polls. If there's a change you'd like to see, we have a decision to make. We can either lose momentum and continue to point fingers at each other (or worse yet, give in to apathy). Or we can kick the shit out of option B.
And again, if I happened to offend you with my views, my word choice, my rhetoric or any combination of the above, please know it wasn't my intention. I simply meant for this to be a call to arms for everyone, regardless of party lines, to work together and stand together because I truly believe that's the only way this country moves forward. Together.
You all know me. I'm a sucker for a good batch of hydrangeas. So much so, that whenever I step into my local bodega on Saturday mornings, my guy sees me coming a block away and usually asks, "You here to clear out my flowers, again?"
Luckily for me (and for him and his floral supply!), my friends over at BloomThat wanted to team up to celebrate their latest batches of hydrangeas for the season -- and even went as far as naming a few after little ol' me! If you hop over now, you can snag a few for a friend, for a loved one, or heck, a bunch for yourself! Because life is short. Buy yourself the damn flowers.
You may recall a few weeks ago, I shared that I'll be running the New York Marathon (you can read the original post here regarding the charity I'm working with). Since then, and perhaps even since my Paris marathon back in April, I've been stocking up on workout gear like a mad woman. Between clocking my normal daily mileage out along the Hudson River or trying out different boutique fitness classes around New York, it's been a much needed refresh in my work out gear department (which, if you're like me, makes a huge difference when it comes to finding the motivation to work out.)
Of course, when it comes to investing in quality work out gear, I find it hard to decipher which department store finds are worth the sticker price -- calling to mind when I would go shopping with my mom over the summer for volleyball/basketball/soccer/softball/track season gear and she'd encourage my sister and I to look for the end of season pieces, sometimes stocking up on multiple pairs and colors for different sports bras, shorts, running pants, you name it, because the price was just too right to pass up. So when the folks over at Stein Mart asked me to test drive them out for some of their fall favorites, I jumped at the chance to refresh my athletic gear (which, with the rise of athleisure on the runways this season -- the timing couldn't be better).
Granted my color palette for workout gear tends to be pretty New York (read: greys, whites and blacks) but I love looking for interesting textures and ventilation features. I love that Stein Mart carried a bunch of pieces with cut outs, mesh details, side paneling -- from a lot of my favorites, too. Puma. Nike. Adidas. All at a fraction of the original sticker price. Mom, you hear that? You proud? 🙂
This post was in collaboration with Stein Mart. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
Full disclosure here: I could spend hours in the greeting card section. Literally, hours. Give me any corner convenience store (like the one right next to my apartment) and on more than one occasion a week, the employees there can usually find me grabbing dog food, cereal and casually browsing the card section (what every girl needs, right?). Sometimes I'll be reading through them with no one in particular I'm shopping for. I just love reading them. And buying several, just because.
I guess I always have. I remember stopping by our local Longs Drugs store (does anyone remember those?!) with my mom when I was a little girl, and instead of spending time in the toy or candy section, I made a beeline to the card and magazine section. She'd often come back to find me, sitting cross legged on the floor of the aisle, flipping through a magazine or book, with a few greeting cards in my lap, too.
And today, while I send far more emails than I do a handwritten note, there is something so special about sending and/or receiving a card in the mail, isn't there? It's the thrill of seeing your name on the envelope that clearly sticks out from your stack of bills or advertising fliers -- the handwritten address on the front -- that makes you walk a bit faster to your apartment door, so you can hurry up and open it.
I love surprising my friends and a certain special guy in my life with sweet little notes and cards. I think it's such a beautifully simple way of reminding them you care about them -- not that an e-card wouldn't do necessarily -- it's just nice to break up our routines sometimes, am I right? Simply put, I'll likely save your card and put it on my fridge. That email, on the other hand, sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of our too full inboxes.
So when the folks over at Papyrus (another guilty pleasure of mine while growing up) asked me to take their latest collaboration with Lela Rose for a spin, I jumped at the chance. Being a fan of Lela Rose as well, I was so pleased to see her design aesthetic really come to life in a line of stationary -- evoking a certain sophistication and glamour -- each card toting such unique design details that surely my fashion forward friends (and heck, maybe even my guy!) could appreciate.
I particularly love the fashion illustrations and have already started matching them up to who they resemble most out of my group of friends. (And I could totally see myself rocking what the brunette is wearing here!)
Do you guys send out handwritten notes and cards anymore to your friends? If not, anyone in the market for a pen pal? I have some pretty fashionable cards to send you. 🙂
This post was in collaboration with Papyrus and Lela Rose. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
When you first meet Parvati Pujari, there are two things you notice almost immediately about her.
The first? She has an infectious laugh. In fact, after spending almost 2 hours with her for the sake of this interview, I can't recall her not smiling. Even after we narrowly escaped a cab driver almost clipping us in an intersection. (True story.) It's a boisterous, larger than life laugh, one that lingers behind her on the street as we pass by quiet West Village stoops.
The second? She's extremely athletic. Within the first half hour of meeting her, I already know all about her favorite cricketer (Virat Kohli, but don't ask me about the game itself -- still confused by it) and how much she loves to play rugby. So much so, she's earned herself some pretty high ranking accolades at the national level in the women's rugby league back home in Mumbai. Despite her slight frame, she's tough. On and off the field. But if you ask her about it, she laughs it off. The sign of a worthy competitor.
What you can't tell about Parvati Pujari when you first meet her is a bit more complicated. First, she comes from a family of six. All hailing from a manual labor driven slum outside Mumbai. Her father and mother are construction workers, working hard for their daily wages to support their family, all of them girls, in a society that by and large values boys. Three of her sisters, Parvati recalls being married before her at the young ages of 12 through 16, a reality that many families in India face and accept as a way of life.
Secondly, she's unphased by all of it. Because she's been changing her story and the story of others around her, the past 10 years.
The Parvati I meet today, here on a sleepy afternoon in the West Village, is excited about her studies. She's just finished a college degree in Commerce and Physical Education. She's passionate about women having a voice and using it often. And while a knee injury is keeping here away from playing rugby right now, that doesn't mean she's not watching matches regularly and coaching her youth leagues back home in India.
She's a spry, playful 25-year old young woman, who's not married and instead working with local school children in her community through an organization that touched her so many years ago: Magic Bus.
Since 1999, Magic Bus has been active in different rural towns in India, helping children break the cycle of poverty through workshops and classes not taught by outside members or Westerners, but youth leaders in their very own community. These youth leaders are trained in a curriculum that uses sport metaphors to enforce essential fundamentals: right to education, gender equality, personal and community healthcare; all building blocks to ensure that these children make informed and healthy decisions about their futures, to not only stay in school but to eventually get full-time jobs once they're out of the program.
Of course, the numbers alone speak volumes. Of all the youth enrolled in their program, 98% of all the girls continue on to high school and 71% of all the youth graduate high school and enter college -- all staggering and unheard of rates given the likes of some of these communities. And like Parvati and much like her colleague Abdul Rehman Shaikh, another graduate and now youth leader in the program, who's with her today, they continue on to pursue lifelong careers, many of whom eventually return back to their communities to serve.
Today, Parvati and Rehman are exploring the West Village for the first time, asking about the restaurants on most corners, curious what life is all about here in New York. Later that day they'll be exploring further downtown and heading to the One World Observatory before heading back uptown to see Times Square at night (I tried to talk them out of this last part, but to no avail). Today they're two, laughing tourists strolling around New York on a warm summer afternoon. And in a few more weeks time, they'll be back home, busy running different aspects of the Magic Bus program in their community so other children who are growing up much like they did, can have that same opportunity they have today.
But as I mentioned, what you'll notice immediately about Parvati (and Rehman, too as Parvati has a knack for making him grin), is how much they laugh together, genuinely enjoying life and what they do -- something we would all be so grateful to say about our own lives.
This year, I'm proud and honored to be running the New York Marathon with the Magic Bus team. If you'd like to learn more about Magic Bus, what they do and their impact, start reading up here! If you'd like to help me reach my fundraising goal, I would appreciate any dollar you could spare -- you can donate right here.
Lastly, I'd like to say a huge thank you to both Parvati and Rehman for chatting with me during their stay here in New York. It was a pleasure meeting you both and I hope our paths cross soon!
Like a lot of other bumbling 20-year olds, I've amassed my fair share of apartments throughout the years. Some good. Some great. Some I'd really love to forget (and don't get me started on the landlords!). But all in all, I can look back on most of my humble studios and one-bedroom apartments fondly, having walked away with a lot of great memories, learning experiences and times in my life that will be so explicitly tied to 500 square feet or less. Usually less.
Of course, once I made the ultimate move to New York City (a move, mind you, I had basically envisioned for over 5 years), I knew I was up against my biggest adjustments yet. Cross country. Transferring offices. And basically starting over as far as furniture and decor went. If you recall, I had been living in a one-bedroom apartment previously in San Francisco, shared with my at the time long-term boyfriend, so when it came time to packing up this and that as a newly, minted single girl on the brink of her 30s, I made some cuts. Big ones. I had found my perfect West Village abode, but not everything (from furniture to some just too painful/fresh memories) could fit.
In a lot of ways, I felt like I was starting over. In some of the best ways possible.
I still remember that feeling when I walked into my new studio -- an air mattress and two large suitcases in tow (and one anxious corgi) -- like I was impossibly...light. Like everything I had left behind was literally and figuratively 3,000 miles away from me. And this new space was my blank canvas to tell whatever story I wanted to start.
I had a bed. A dresser. And a lot of books.
Unlike my previous apartments, where I somewhat rushed into decorating, I knew I wanted to take my time with this little place in the heart of the West Village. I wanted to finally put the mood board I'd been gradually building for years, full of gorgeous Ceiling Tiles, rugs, layout ideas and color schemes into practice. I had committed to a several-year long lease (with the promise of the rent being lower in the long run) so I decided I was past the days of buying furniture whose Swedish names were longer than the assembly instructions themselves. I was looking to make a space that would last.
Granted, decorating a studio comes with a whole slew of obstacles that are doubled when you consider the size of most New York City apartment closets (one of the biggest reasons I miss San Francisco: her slightly larger closets!).
So question: how does a girl with a Carrie Bradshaw appetite for clothes, shoes and accessories fit everything into an apartment not much larger than a Manolo shoebox?
Answer: A little creativity and a lot of shelves. And a damn good storage unit.
I started first by dividing the room between what would be my bedroom and the general entertaining area. Originally, the idea was to arrange a bookshelf/dividing wall that would help break the space in two. That is, until I had nightmares of Elvis somehow knocking the freestanding shelf over and, well, getting trapped underneath. So plan B? I had been stalking a few pins on Pinterest where folks had installed a dividing ceiling curtain that could separate the room whenever you chose to. Seeing as how I have two large windows that sit at the end of the room where my bed is situated, I wanted a lighter, sheer white curtain that would help break the room apart but still allow a good amount of natural light to shine through.
When it comes to your bedroom, I wanted to make sure that I had a lot of natural light, as nothing beats having the sun beaming on your face throughout the day. Luckily, my friend thought the same but suggested that I go down the route of wifi controlled blinds instead. Now that was an idea. She said that you will be able to control the temperature of the room, as well as the amount of light that you let in throughout the day. "Not forgetting how great they could look in a room", she told me. I loved the idea, blinds controlled by your wifi? It is unheard of and something that I may try in the future, but for now, I'm very much pleased with my sheer white curtain.
Next, I've always been obsessed with the idea of having a personal library. I'm a bookworm at heart and it's usually what most of my movers bemoan first (that, and the shoes). While I'm several years off from my penthouse home with wall to wall shelves of books and treasures (and a sliding ladder to boot), I've learned that improvising is truly a beautiful thing in life. Since the space is relatively longer and narrow, I dedicated one entire wall opposite my leather tufted West Elm couch to share some of my favorite reads, travel knick-knacks and art (OK, and a lot of shoes). It's helped immensely with the never-ending storage problem and I've found it makes for fun conversation starters with your house guests.
To further add to the storage problem, I have a few obsessions that just kicked into high gear in recent years, namely my obsession with lingerie and perfume. The former I've learned to dedicate an unhealthy amount of drawer space to and the latter I've gotten really good at editing for display purposes. My vanity probably gets redesigned and rearranged the most -- it's one of my favorite corners in the apartment.
Of course, there are a few big check boxes for my apartment that I'd like to tick off before I feel 100% at home. I want to get a comfortable office chair for when I'm working at my desk. I spend a lot of time there so that would be a worthwhile purchase. Also high on my list is an oil painting by Sabha (introduced to me by my friend Heather) and a few black and white vintage photographs that I'm collecting of Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel and Grace Kelly. AKA a babe wall. The walls are looking a little bare so I need to get some new photographs put up as soon as possible! For my common area, I really want to get a new rug (or Teppich as they call them in Germany!) I think that rugs can really improve the appearance of a room so I've been spending a bit of time deciding which material and color I want to get. It's all so exciting!!
I'll hopefully be sharing more photos soon once the final pieces come together, but in the meantime, it's felt really good being happy and patient with my home front progress. I truly feel like I'm building my NYC refuge -- a spot I can escape the city from, by just lighting a few candles, putting a little Van Morrison on and sitting back to relax with a few close friends. This city can definitely run you ragged, in some of the most beautifully challenging ways, so it's nice to be able to reflect on that in a place that feels entirely and utterly you. Because you made it here. You. Alone. Did it.
If you're looking for more apartment inspiration (especially building and creating a space in New York), be sure to check out Corcoran's new lifestyle blog, INHABIT.
This post was in collaboration with Corcoran. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
I have to say a pretty bold statement here that might strike you as fighting words: the West Village truly is the best neighborhood in New York City. Hands down. So when the folks over at New York Magazine and San Pellegrino asked me to show them just what makes this quaint hood tick, I (and Elvis!), jumped at the occasion. We hopped around grabbing coffee, ducking down tree-lined streets, sitting on stoops and popping into some of the most charming boutiques the five boroughs has to offer. Oh, and there may have been a few moments where I was tempted to steal a certain baby blue Vespa.
You can see more of my day and favorite spots over on The Cut today -- but please do share, any West Village favorites of yours that we didn't manage to squeeze in? I'm always looking for new haunts!
This post was in collaboration with New York Magazine and San Pellegrino. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
I know I'm a bit late (in Instagram terms) as far as it comes to trying out the latest coffee shop craze in Nolita, Cha Cha Matcha, but I like to think I made up for it with my semi-coordinated "I'm heading out on the next flight to Cuba" ensemble, no?
In all seriousness though, definitely go check out Cha Cha Matcha. I love me a good matcha latte, but their whole menu is pretty spot on. The matcha lemonade and the matcha soft serve ice cream are as delicious as they are photo-worthy (that is to say, extremely both). Fair warning though, this place is still sporting that new haunting ground packed vibe, so space to sit (especially on beautiful New York days like we've been having) is a bit hard to come by.
If you all recall in this post, I pretty openly admitted I wake up super early and go to bed pretty late. It's a curse that I thank my parents for (my dad is the early riser and my mom is the night owl) -- but hey, no one's pointing fingers here (love you, Mom and Dad!). And really, ever since hitting my 20s bouncing from different writing gigs at newspapers and magazines (where deadline nights are crazy) and then moving over to the world of start ups and tech companies (where schedules are even more bipolar) sleep became less of a priority. Caffeine became my best friend. The struggle with under eye bags became very real.
And then, I hit a wall. It's funny how out of no where, you can suddenly realize that it's time to adult up about something. I turned that corner recently with sleep.
Since leaving my full-time job at Google to try my hand at this whole freelance thing, I was a bit wary that I would fall further into the trap of never sleeping -- a fault I can recognize about my personality: when I'm proving to myself that I can do something, I tend to go overboard. And while I'm definitely still guilty of this, I've made a point to develop a routine that helps me mentally, emotionally and physically unwind at the end of the day (at a semi-reasonable hour, if I'm lucky!). Here's 5 little steps/tweaks/improvements/habits that have made all the difference between getting a measly 4 hours of sleep to now averaging 7-8!
ONE: Starting to switch my workouts from mornings to evenings. A few things to note here. Of course, this largely depends on my schedule for the day, as an evening workout may not always necessarily be feasible. Plus, I also realize, working out in the evenings can cause your adrenaline to spike, thereby making it harder for you to fall asleep soon afterward. Those things aside, I have to say, this step alone has been a game changer for me.
As you all know, I'm training for yet another marathon this November and in addition to bumping up my daily cardio, I'm now including more high intensity interval training classes (like at Fhitting Room here in New York), to really beef up my strength training focus. Between the two, if I can time it just right at the end of the day, I'm EXHAUSTED in the best way possible. And not just a "man, that was a rough workout" but more like I can't wait to get home, take a cold shower and hop into bed; my body barely flops in, it feels that heavy.
TWO: Stepping up my mattress game. It's odd (or perhaps it's not odd?) to me that somehow at the age of 30, I've never actually picked out my own mattress. It's not something I've needed to really do myself, I've never had to browse through a mattress sale or go to a mattress store before and decide on the best one for me. They've either been chosen for me by my parents or been given to me from friends who no longer needed their Leesa king size mattress. They had decided to get a bigger bed so gave the mattress to me, they still stuck with Leesa and even got a discount for it from leesamattresscoupons.com/ for it. It was a win-win situation really! Both scenarios, I realize I'm extremely fortunate for and I'm by no means complaining. To even have a mattress and a place to rest your head at night is a blessing that I'll never take for granted.
That said, for something as personal as sleep, I guess it only makes sense that a mattress really becomes an extension of you -- I mean, think about how much time you spend there in a week. A month. A year. 10 years. How comfortable and how well it accommodates your particular sleep patterns is usually pretty indicative of how well you sleep for said week, month, year, 10 years. And I was more than ready to evaluate my current one, so when the folks over at Helix Sleep asked me if I wanted to try out their custom mattress building program, I was instantly curious.
The process kicks off by taking a short personal questionnaire to help their team understand your sleep habits, your preferences, any body issues/quirks that could be relevant as well as your partner's needs, in case you're sharing the bed. Side note: Unfortunately, you can't note your pet's preferences, but it's feedback I intend to pass along! 🙂 What I found so interesting throughout all of this, were the things I've never really asked myself or considered. Am I hot or cold at night? Do I sleep mainly on my back, side or stomach? How might my body type affect my overall sleep quality?
Based on the feedback above (and perhaps a little showroom testing if you can happen to swing by their office here in New York, which I did), I landed on MY mattress. Medium to firm (sounds about right, I usually hate hotel beds for being too soft), moderately strong back support throughout (due to my placement on the BMI scale), moderately cool temperature wise (I tend to get hot) and a high elasticity point (meaning the mattress' ability to relieve pressure on certain body contours, important for someone like me who sleeps on their side).
The results? It showed up about a week and a half later in a very compact box (I'm still amazed a queen size mattress fit in there), and I've been sleeping on it since for a few months now actually. I'm pleased to report I've already noticed a huge difference in my back and neck, both of which I think were lacking the support they needed while I slept and overall, my new firmness has been a game changer for overall ease to which I fall asleep. My old mattress was more on the plush, soft side, and it always took a bit of mental focus to actually fall asleep -- now, I hardly even think about it.
THREE: Investing in my "sleeping" pillow. This probably sounds odd, coming from someone who has 4 rather oversized, perfectly good pillows already on her bed -- so why add another one? Here's why. I recently discovered Night Pillows thanks to my friend's Grace's write up about them here and was intrigued by the idea of a product that not only had beauty benefits (the silk design of the pillow is better for your skin and hair), but also boasted ergonomic benefits. It's essentially made with memory foam. I've been sleeping on mine for the past few months as well (right around the same time I got the mattress), and have been really pleased with my overall experience. My neck feels less propped (as I sink nicely into the pillow now) and I've noticed my facial creams better absorb at night (whereas I felt before there was a good amount of it that ended up on my cotton pillow suitcase while I slept). I would highly recommend investing in another pillow so that you can sleep just as well as me. You could also read some Reviews by Kieran of The Dozy Owl and see what his recommendations are. He's an expert so you'll definitely find some useful information.
FOUR: I swear by my nightstand MVPs. They never let me down. Period. They are as follows: Goop Facial Oil, Aesop hand cream, a L'Occitane pillow spray, lavender in a small vase, and eye mask, my rotation of books, my journal for a few evening writing exercises and a 1-liter Smart Water bottle, which needs to be finished before I go to bed. I like to think allowing myself this little ritual of indulgences that make me happy or make me feel centered, will help me want to go to bed sooner (and so far, so good!).
FIVE: Unplugging as much as possible. I'm sure this has been recommended numerous times on countless other blogs and that's because, it's true! If you can actually push yourself to do it. For me, this means my main distraction (that being my phone) needs to physically be out of my space while I'm getting ready for bed, or in studio apartment terms, not reachable from my bed. Lately, I've been turning my phone to silent and charging it in my kitchen. It requires a whole lot more effort to check Instagram if I have to hop over to my kitchen counter to get it.
And there you have it! My 5 little steps for a better night's rest that have made all the difference for me! Do you guys have any tips/tricks you'd like to share that have worked for you? Please do share!
Ever since taking the jump into this whole crazy freelance business, I've been really craving quality one on one time with fellow entrepreneurial women -- many of which, I'm fortunate to call my mentors, some I met while at Google and some post-Google. They're lawyers, they're writers, they're business owners, they're staying up late, they're waking up early, they're calling the shots, they're getting shit done. Their way.
And amongst that group, there are a select few that I've even more fortunate to call not just a mentor, but my friend. And Antonietta Lepore Dezert is exactly that. She's half the creative tour de force that is the Italian made, luxury shoe line Henri Lepore Dezert, and together with her husband, Henri, is building a family brand from scratch, in an industry that's not easy to make it in, with critics that are as fickle as New York's weather lately (sunny one moment, then rain, then HAIL? WTF?). She's several parts PR and marketing mastermind, several parts accounting whiz and several parts sales director. Oh, and all with a dash of Italian sass and wit. Let's just put it this way, she can talk to you all day long about the ins and outs of breaking through in the luxury shoe market, all while cooking a mean spaghetti bolognese with a little J.Lo playing in the background. True story. I've witnessed it before.
So when Zenni, the fashionable and affordable eyewear brand, asked me about some of the entrepreneurial women in my life and how they've kept their sights set on success, I couldn't have been happier to not only collaborate on a subject near and dear to my heart, but one that would give me an opportunity to introduce you all to my Antonietta. So without further adieu, here's a peek into what makes Annie (as I call her) tick, how she defines success and her secret to a killer Italian meal.
What does a typical day look like for you and the HLD business?
Everyday holds its changes for us. It's always busy, but there are definitely some days that fly by and are busier than others; it really just depends on the season and what we have coming up. There is always so much going on, but we never try to take more than what a day will give us. Things change very quickly in this industry, so it's just about taking it one day at a time and focusing on making the most of each opportunity.
How do you and Henri divide the business?
Henri handles all creative and oversees the operational side of the business and I oversee PR and Sales. We have a small, but mighty team behind us made up of mostly family members.
The hardest thing about my work is...
Separating work from my personal life. This business is our life, so to turn off and just relax isn't always easy. It's something that we have to take seriously and after a certain time each day we do our best to not discuss work.
What's the biggest piece of advice you'd like to give for working with your husband?
Don't do it! (Haha!) No, I'm joking. It works for us, let me put it that way, but it isn't always easy and it doesn't work for everyone. You have to make sure to learn how to separate business from the personal, which isn't always easy.
What's the most rewarding thing about what you do? What's the hardest thing about what you do?
The most rewarding thing is seeing your hard work pay off. Since we are a small family owned and operated company, there is sort of this "organic phenomenon" when things come together for us. The hardest thing for probably any business is the unexpected and in fashion you have to maintain a certain balance in order to react to the unexpected.
What are you currently listening to when you're in the zone at work?
I like anything with a good beat. I've always loved to dance and have danced my whole life. We always have music playing in the office, we make it a fun environment for everyone. I also love to cook and listen to music. I'll be honest, I listen to a lot of pop- JT, JLO, Zayn and Janet Jackson all day long. I'm a dancer, so I need good beats. 😉
If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would that be?
It probably sounds cliché but life is short, don't worry so much. Yes, as a business owner you have to be disciplined, but you never know where your life and career will take you. I've learned sometimes you can't always be so rigid -- I never thought I would be a co-founder of a women's luxury shoe brand and I couldn't be happier, so sometimes the things that aren't planned work out better than anything you could have expected from the things you thought you wanted
You both bounce back and forth between LA (where you live) and Italy (where the shoe factory is based). What do you love about LA? What do you love about Italy?
They are both very different in many ways, LA has beautiful weather and beaches and Milano is so rich in culture and being that we are in Northern Italy, there is a lot of natural beauty with places like the Alps, Lake Garda, Lake Como etc. Italy will always have my heart, as that is where my family roots are.
But it's funny because in many ways we live a very similar lifestyle in both places. Henri is always outdoors, so when we are working in Milan we spend most of the time in the city or in Courmayer an alpine ski town; in Los Angeles we spend most of time in the city, but we have a second home in Mammoth and spend a lot of time there, also an alpine ski town.
Obviously the major difference is the people and the culture that comes with them. I am first generation Italian-American, so I have a lot of family in Italy, as does Henri. We live as part of the new world, but we definitely have an appreciation for the old-world way of things and I think that is also inherent in what our company represents both aesthetically and operationally.
Who's your ultimate shoe leading lady and why?
I have a few shoe women icons, definitely Selma Hayek, Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez. They rock heels like no one else and just have so much confidence. To me confidence in a woman is everything.
Who is your ultimate hero and why?
My mother is definitely a hero of mine and is a big part of who I am. She beat stage VI breast cancer when I was 12 and I think the whole experience made me respect her and embody her strength. She is the strongest woman I know and always made me feel like I could do anything.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a backup dancer when I was little girl and then I wanted to be Ari Gold (super agent) as I got older and went to college. I really just wanted to be with people and be the boss so in a way, I think I got what I wanted.
What does being your own boss mean to you?
You really have to be in charge of your day and what you want to accomplish. You have to be organized and very assertive. If you don't get it done then it doesn't happen. You are responsible and you need to be wholly accountable for your actions; accountability is the hardest thing to grasp, but its the key to success and independence.
What are some insecurities of yours that you had to overcome (if any!) when starting this business?
Everyone has insecurities and starting a business is risky and takes a lot of work. There is so much to think about, especially if you have staff working for you. I think one of the biggest stressors is sorting payroll so that you can ensure everyone gets paid. A lot of businesses owners outsource payroll services to make things easier for them. Of course, there may still be problems even if you outsource to a payroll provider, although I hear a lot of businesses find switching payroll providers to cloudpay solves a lot of their problems. In fashion, planning is obviously the most difficult thing. I think a lot of times I over plan because I am forced to worry about the work that has to be done instead of just doing it head on. I am a very direct person and when I can't be direct, I get anxious. I've learned that I have to let myself find my own balance by trying to be more calm than anything else. I've also learned there is only so much planning I can do, the rest is sort of based on how well I react.
What's your favorite HLD shoe and why?
That's difficult as I love so many but I personally love the 'Carmela', our signature... It's a beautiful shoe and I feel like it fits my sassy personality the best:)
But, there are many shoes that many have yet to be released that are equally incredible in their own way. The latest one I love is our 'Luciana' which is a python gold mule sandal lace-up because the lace-up is also python, it's very unique and really displays the craftsmanship which is a big part of what make these shoes so incredible.
What does success look like to you? And how do you keep your sights set on it?
To me success is having a good quality of life, getting up every morning and having the freedom to do what you love and are passionate about. With that being said, you have to keep your sights on that and allow for that life to continue and I think you do that by always working hard, being accountable for your actions and staying grateful and humble.
We're coming over for dinner and we heard you like to cook! What might you be fixin' up?
I love to cook!! I would probably make my homemade lasagna or some type of homemade pasta.....There would be a few courses, of course (I make sure there's plenty of food), a fresh salad from the garden and some great Italian wine to top it off! For me cooking is about making delicious, healthy homemade food for the people that I love. I love when someone likes what I've made. It makes my heart smile:)
What is the HLD woman about?
The Henri Lepore Dezert woman is confident and sophisticated. She doesn't rely on labels or trends to feel stylish and she obviously loves shoes;) It's really all about confidence. I hope that when a woman wears our shoes she feels confident enough to take over the world.
Have a woman in your life who inspires you with her can-do spirit? Share her story in the comments below for a chance to win a pair of Zenni glasses for yourself!
This post was in collaboration with Zenni Optical. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
As you know, I'm a big runner. I've talked about the Paris marathon I did in the past and I'll be telling you all about the New York Marathon I'm doing this year! And you guys asked what I did to train for the Paris marathon, it seemed like a good time to answer. And to get my butt back into gear! So whether you're planning to train for a marathon on a keto diet, just want some tips on how to run further, or are just interested in how I did it, here's what I did, what I learned and what I'll probably do differently the next time around.
First things first...the actual running part: I've always been a runner at heart and when I get into a groove, knocking out 4 or 5 miles on a daily basis comes pretty naturally, thankfully. So when it came down to committing myself to a running schedule, I didn't think too much about it. A few marathon enthusiast friends of mine recommended an easy schedule here, that literally lists out what you should be running each day, for four months leading up to the marathon itself. It's important to note, that this running schedule won't get you to setting any PRs. It's geared toward marathon beginners who simply want to finish the race with a semi-respectable time. And it's also worth noting, that was exactly my goal. So seems pretty straightforward, right?
Man, I was wrong.
I started training pretty strong -- the end of the summer months made it hard considering the humidity but I managed to get my butt out close to every day, even on days when I should have been resting, to knock out my mileage. But then winter hit. My longer run days got harder to fit in. Travel schedules kicked in. And I just wasn't being realistic with myself. I was still squeezing in 4 or 5 miles each day, but I wasn't hitting my stride with regular long runs in the immediate weeks leading up to the marathon.
And here comes the worst confession of all: my longest run pre-marathon was 15 miles. Eep! I really should have hit at least 20 miles a few weeks before, but it just wasn't in the cards with my travel schedule.
Of course, come race day, I told myself, whatever happens, will happen and my main goal was to just finish. Which I did. And I was so incredibly proud of myself for it, regardless of my 5 hour and 18 minute time.
Next time around though, I want to do a few things differently, chiefly, marking out my running schedule clearly on my calendar where the rest of my travel and work events are marked, so I can easily see what else I have going on any given day. I also need to be more realistic with myself when it comes how much I commit myself to during this time, meaning less trips. More time in NYC to train. And since I'll be running with a charity this time around (more on that to come soon), I feel like I have more than just myself to focus on. I have a team and a cause depending on me.
So what about the strength training part? Here's where my partnership with Equinox came in extremely handy. At first blush, I thought I could train for this marathon similar to how I had done it in college years ago. Just cardio. And like many of my college-age decisions, I realized that was stupid and would only lead to me getting injured. Since my running schedule called for lighter run days (around 3 or 4 miles), I would get my butt to a variety of strength training/toning classes offered at Equinox, like barre, pilates and even a few HIIT sessions. It definitely was hard at first to make time for these intervals, as I'm so used to just carving out time for running, but once I hit a rhythm, I could feel my body getting stronger. And my endurance and stamina improved overall.
This time around, I definitely want to focus on more HIIT classes, as I think they really work for my body and my attention span. Plus, it's summer folks. Time to get suit ready!
Next... Outfits! Apprpriate running gear is essential. The better the fit, the more comfortably you can run and you don't feel like you're being held back by anything. The same goes to running shoes too. From head to toe, I wear appropriate sports bras, tops, leggings, shoes, and even socks as even the slightest wardrobe malfuction can distract you and put you off running.
Nutrition and sleep! So I like to think of myself as a relatively healthy eater, who doesn't refuse herself indulgences from time to time. I like to go out and eat dinner with friends. I like Summer Friday drinks. Guacamole and a good burger will always be my weakness. At the end of the day, I'll never be a Gwyneth Paltrow foodie -- I like fattening foods too much. And considering I was also cutting out most dairy from my diet at this time (for skin reasons that I talked about here), I didn't want to further restrict my diet, if I was busting my ass to run 12 or 13 miles.
Simply put, I drank plenty of water every day, made a point to make breakfast and lunch at home (with fruits, veggies, tuna sandwiches etc.) as often as I could and I didn't deny myself if I wanted an indulgent dinner (either at home or out). I listened to my body, which I think is easier said than done anytime you're putting your body through something like intense training, but my main goal was to never feel trapped or stuck. And you better believe after that marathon in Paris, I had the biggest steak dinner. EVER. And it was heaven.
Next time around, I think I'll push myself to make even more meals at home and focus on balancing the right nutrients to keep my body tip/top shape. I'm even picking up this book for this exact reason.
Lastly, SLEEP. Sleep made all the difference for me, which as I've confessed here before, I'm not great at getting it consistently. If I managed to squeeze in at least 7 hours most evenings, I could feel a big difference in my stamina the next day. My mind was alert, my body responded much faster and I literally felt lighter. Added bonus? My night owl tendencies actually lessened during this time. Suddenly, I was feeling exhausted around 10:30 at night, my mind and body both ready to tune out for the day. Isn't that a great feeling? Exhaustion from a day well spent.
There are three photos that are currently saved in a folder on my iPhone. I snapped them back in January of this year, sans makeup, without my hair done, sitting at my desk in relatively awful selfie light, just a few days before I was going to meet with my dermatologist for the first time here in New York.
And God, I hated taking those photos. In fact, I can hardly look at them now.
To back up a bit, if you recall, I shared my recent struggles with hormonal acne back in February with you all. I said it in that post, and I'll say it again in this post, it was extremely therapeutic to write and to connect with you guys in a way that went beyond what dress I was wearing or what pair of shoes I recently bought. I felt vulnerable after hitting that publish button, afraid that I might be saying all of this aloud to the internet with no one to answer me or to connect with. Afraid that I would be standing alone, no more the wiser about what I was going through and how to combat it. Afraid to admit that I was going through something different than what's typically shared on other blogs.
And you all made me realize, I had nothing to really fear. The emails, the comments, the messages of support, of advice, of commiserating together -- none of it went unnoticed or unappreciated. Which is why I wanted to check back in, exactly three months later, with an update of how things are progressing for my skin and how I'm feeling about everything. Please note, it's a journey that's far from over but I'm learning all the time from it and wanted to share what little newfound wisdom I could, in hopes that it might help someone else.
It all boils down to four big lifestyle and routine changes...
ONE: Found a dermatologist that I trusted, that I liked, that listened to me. I can't emphasize this probably very obvious point enough. What's made all the difference for me, these past few months, is having a doctor that not only knows what they're doing, but cares about how I feel through the process of it. I've had a number of dermatologists in my spotty (pun intended) past, most of them would sit down with me for 10 minutes at most, mutter that my skin issues probably have something to do with hormones and write down a list quick list of cleansers and birth controls for me to try, before hopping out of the room to the next patient (one doctor barely looked at my face!). It was demoralizing and frustrating, to say the least. I wanted to discover more about my skin and it's problems, not be rushed out of the office.
So when I first met Dr. Tara Rao at TriBeCa Skin Center, I was half expecting the same rushed "get 'em in, get 'em out" sort of treatment. But the minute she sensed I was about to cry (and then eventually started to cry) in her office when I was describing to her why I was seeing her that day, she closed her folder, looked me dead in the eye and told me, "We're going to figure this out together." Suddenly, I felt like I had someone in my corner, rooting for me. And it's made all the difference since then.
TWO: Started taking Spironolactone and birth control. Now, I know this next one can be rather controversial, and I'll be the first to admit, I was really hoping for a solution that avoided a prescription of some sort, mainly because I try to solve things as naturally and as hormone-free as possible. The issue with my type of acne, as Dr. Rao pointed out, is that it's driven by my hormone spikes, and while my many lifestyle changes (restricting dairy intake, drinking more water etc.) were all admirable steps in the right direction, my body may need a stronger kick in the butt to keep my hormones in check. She then went on to tell me that she has plenty of female patients, my age, dealing with similar severity acne as mine, and how just a few short months on spironolactone made all the difference in clearing it up for them.
So I did what any self-respecting, tech-savvy girl would do. I WebMD'ed that shit and read about all of the pros, cons, side effects and yes, horror stories (because let's be honest, every prescription comes with a horror story or two). I wanted to be informed about what I may possibly start putting into my body before I started it. And from what I could gather and what Dr. Rao told me to expect, it seemed worth a shot, as long as I remained extremely aware of how my body was reacting over time. It's important to note that the original usage of the drug is to treat high-blood pressure, the side effects of which may include lowering of blood pressure (and mine is already pretty low to begin with), increased urination as it's a diuretic and it can also cause you to retain potassium (so I avoid consuming too much of it and I make a point to check in with my GP every couple of months). How does it work for acne? It essentially blocks the hormone aldosterone, an excess of which can cause acne.
I'll stop here and remind you that I'm not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination, so you should definitely consult yours thoroughly before starting anything yourself. OK, disclaimer over.
But I'll continue to say this: I credit much of how my skin has improved over the past few months to a combination of spironolactone at 100mg daily and a low-hormone birth control. Hands down. I'm lucky in this sense because I know so many women who struggle to find the best birth control medication that can help with this specific need, as well as with their skincare. Although this all changed for some of them when they came across a site like Blink Health that has a wide array of medications that can help with a number of conditions. This is good - it means they finally have the opportunity to see their skin improve. Granted, I will also say this, it took about three months to kick in for me, so don't expect it to happen all at once. Meaning for three months, I wasn't really seeing a huge difference. In fact, for a brief period in February (my second month in), I felt myself going through the "it's getting worse before it gets better" phase, and started to break out even more on my cheeks and then my neck, which had never happened before. On top of that, I was using a Retin-A cream, which dries out your skin to encourage cell turnover, so my face was a hot mess of painful cystic breakouts and dry, peeling skin, all during a New York winter and Fashion Week. NOT FUN, folks.
It wasn't until mid to late March that I remember turning a corner. I was washing my face one evening after thoroughly removing my makeup, lathering my cleanser all over my face, when I noticed that I felt FAR fewer bumps on my face. This may sound trivial, but only a few short months prior, I couldn't run my fingertips over my cheeks and jawline without feeling a very bumpy terrain. And now, I felt nothing. NOTHING. I wanted to laugh and jump up and down at the same time, but refrained since that meant I would probably get cleanser in my eyes. But you get the picture. I felt like I was regaining control, taking back land that had been invaded, by a foreign enemy. God, I'm dramatic sometimes, but it definitely felt like a mini victory!
We're now a total of 5 months in and combined with the birth control, I feel really happy with how things are progressing. I breakout FAR less often and when I do, the lone pimple really only lasts for a few days, as opposed to a few weeks like before. For now, I'm still at 100mg daily, but will likely reduce the dosage in a few months to start weening off of it. Dr. Rao thinks it's worthwhile for me to stay on spironolactone for the remainder of this year, and unless anything drastic happens, I'll stay this path.
As far as side effects, knock on wood, I've had minimal. The first month or so, I definitely noticed some increased fatigue at the end of the day, which Dr. Rao warned me about, as well as some frequent bathroom breaks at night, but otherwise, no complaints. A lot of the reviews I read mentioned hair loss and weight fluctuation, neither of which, I experienced. A few reviews also mentioned increased breast size, which I unfortunately, didn't experience. Le sigh. Can't win 'em all, right?
THREE: Bye bye dairy and hello water. I can't say I'm perfect at either of these two changes, but they've been top of mind for me the past few months. I cut out dairy back in January pretty drastically, even refusing to eat foods that had been prepared with small amounts of it, which of course, makes eating out kinda tricky. Since then, I've relaxed, but whenever possible, I try to avoid eating excess amounts of it (so pizza is a rare indulgence for me, unfortunately). I also went on a pretty strict no soda and only one coffee a day rule, meaning, I chug A LOT of water. At first, it was cumbersome and I had to remind myself to drink it. But now, I have a rotation of six 1 liter Smart Water bottles that I fill up every day with tap water and I challenge myself to finish all of them before I go to bed that evening. My skin not only feels more supple, but I have way more energy than I recall ever having. Win, win!
FOUR: Exercise, exercise, exercise. During all of this skin investigation, I was also training for my Paris marathon in April, which meant, that no matter how I felt about my skin that day, I was forcing myself to head out the door and run 10, 11, 12 miles at a time. And I'm so glad I did. It was a great stress reliever for me and in some ways, when there are things you feel like you just can't control, it's nice to know there are some things you have absolute control over, like whether or not you kill those 10 miles today. Of course, with any regular exercise, your body starts to regroup itself, and mine did just that -- I can't say running necessarily improved my skin, but it improved my overall well-being and I think if there's anything I've learned about skin, it's all part of a very fine, lifestyle balance. The key is figuring out what levers work for you. If you're just starting out on your own fitness journey, or you're looking for a change-up, you may want to check out such things as power life by tony horton to see how you can be supported, before you know it you'll be running a Paris marathon!
And there you have it -- four lifestyle changes that I think have made a huge impact on my skin and my outlook. As I mentioned, my skin is far from perfect, I have a handful of scars left behind and I definitely have makeup on in these lovely photos Lydia shot for me. But I felt so confident when we were taking them, which is drastically different from the girl I snapped on my iPhone back in January. Perhaps I'll get up the courage to share those shots here eventually. Until then, I'm always more than happy to answer whatever questions you guys may have about the above journey. Or perhaps you have other lifestyle changes that have made a difference for you and your skin that you'd like to share? Either way, let's chat. Because you're not alone, so there's no reason to go through it alone.
Whenever my mom calls to check in (which is pretty much close to every day), she enjoys having me answer the question, "what's on your agenda today?" Mainly because a.) it's a very obligatory mom question, they all love asking it and b.) she knows how happy it makes me to have each day feel a little different. And it's true. Having worked the past 5 years in a pretty corporate environment, where my commute, my meeting schedule and even my emails started to feel a little routine (don't get me wrong, I still loved that job and the people I worked with), I've now realized just how much I thrive in environments that are always changing. It's a huge part of the reason I got into writing and eventually print journalism in the first place. It gave me an excuse to leave the newsroom every couple of hours to talk to a new source, research a new subject, trespass to get just the right shot for A1 (and avoid getting arrested in doing so).
It was constantly different. It was always evolving. It was very me.
So when New York Magazine's The Cut recently came along and stole my mom's question, well I had to take them along for a bit of a whirlwind day, didn't I? If you're interested in the better written story, make sure you hop over to The Cut right here. If you're looking for the crude play by play, keep reading below...
6:00 AM: My alarm goes off, but to be completely honest, I'm usually up a few minutes before. I'm trying to break this habit, especially since I can be a bit of a night owl most evenings. I need more sleep. Period.
6:10 AM: Elvis pokes his head over my side of the bed, licking my hand, as I'm now skimming through my email on my phone. I scoop him up onto the bed while I continue to flip through Instagram, a bit of Snapchat and eventually read The Skimm, before getting out of bed to take him out for a walk.
6:30 AM: Confession time. I love Starbucks. For a number of reasons really, but mainly, they're the only coffee shop often at this time. So Elvis and I stop here, I get an ice coffee (always, even if it's snowing outside), and we continue our walk around the West Village. If we're lucky, we'll see our friend Ruckus, a little Westie, who lives in the neighborhood. They're best friends.
7:00 AM: I wash my face with a gentle cleanser by CereVe that my dermatologist recommended. It's meant for normal to oily skin and I love how it leaves my face feeling cleansed without feeling stripped (which sometimes other cleansers meant for oily skin tend to do). I then lather on my daily moisturizer cocktail mix (I say cocktail mix because I like changing the lineup from time to time). A girlfriend recently introduced me to the Drunk Elephant brand and this hydration gel is a great morning pick me up -- cool and refreshing once it dries and soaks in. Depending on how puffy my eyes look, I'll then dab some under eye cream or a serum, like this one by Ole Henrickson and apply some cold spoons that have been in the refrigerator over night over my eyes, kinda like Margot Robbie here. KIDDING. I haven't tried this step. Yet. Has anyone else tried it? 😉
7:15 AM: Quick breakfast of a banana, some string cheese and granola. Or if I'm bad, I'll get a bagel from Hudson Bagels. YIKES, BUT THEY'RE SO GOOD, GUYS.
7:30 AM: Work day starts. I kick things off by starting a new To-Do spreadsheet in an ongoing Google Doc I have (aptly titled 'Get Shit Done'), all prioritized individually. P0's need to happen ASAP because stuff is on FIRE. P1's need to happen by end of day. and P2's need to happen by end of week. And then sometimes I give myself low hanging fruit (like hunt for cheap Beyonce tickets on Stubhub) so I can have the satisfaction of crossing one extra thing off the list. It's the little things, people. Emails get fired off at this time. I schedule out my social media content for the morning to promote the blog post that's now up. I'll also get caught up on the news, skimming CNN and The New York Times. And sometimes post a little rant about Trump on Snapchat.
9:00 AM: Break time. I head out to the Hudson River running path and clock a good 3-5 mile run. Keeps me sane.
10:00 AM: Back at home, post shower, the day could go in a few different directions. If I'm shooting that day, I'll prepare my outfits, hair, makeup, the works and grab my laptop in case I need to be out for a few hours. If it's more of an admin day with video conference meetings and scheduling out content, I'll throw on a chambray shirt, boyfriend jeans and my hair in a high, high pony tail and either work from home, a nearby coffee shop or my work space at Thompson Square Studios in SoHo. I'll also skip makeup on these days, because I like letting my skin breathe when I can. Except for mascara. I'll almost always put on mascara.
12:00 PM: After shooting or working, I'll grab a quick lunch, usually in whatever neighborhood I'm in. If I'm in the West Village, I love popping over to Extra Virgin or Cafe Minerva for a quick bite and I'll usually stay in Minerva to work for the afternoon. They have this parmesan asparagus plate that is my absolute salvation. Oh, and that spot at the window near Woody Allen? If it's free, I'll almost always claim that seat. Great for people watching, when you need a small email distraction.
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: I affectionately call this the "zone." I'll order my second cup of coffee (usually a small cappuccino) and hammer out that To-Do list I mentioned earlier. This includes going through photo selects from recent shoots to narrow down my top picks, writing out posts for the week and updating pitch decks.
4:10 PM: Come up for air. Watch something silly on YouTube. Or keep hunting for those Bey tickets on Stubhub!
4:15 - 7:00 PM: BACK IN THE ZONE, baby. Werk. Werk. Werk.
7:30 PM: Depending on the day and the evening lineup of events (or lack there of), I'll either hop out for networking dinner and drinks right after taking Elvis out for an evening walk. Or I'll stay in and make dinner at home with Elvis. Another confession time: I'm a horrible cook. So most evenings, if I'm being completely honest, it's a rotation of a vegetable and lentil soup, simple pasta dishes or salads. If I'm trying to impress someone (like a hot date) I'll attempt to make something fancier and then pray that I don't poison them with undercooked meat (usually why all my steak dinners are prepared VERY WELL done).
8:30 PM: Shower. I love evening showers. Mainly because I hate drying my hair so I'd rather have it air dry over night. And also, I love the ritual of lighting my favorite candle and putting on some fun music while I'm in there, an indulgence that's just too hard to do when it's in the morning and you're feeling rushed.
9:00 PM: Jump into bed, usually in this matching pajama set from Margiot, with a charcoal face mask on. This one by Boscia has been fun to try lately because the black charcoal sucks out the impurities and the white charcoal. I leave this on for about an hour (I like leaving my masks on for a bit longer than recommended to really let it soak in), while I get caught up on more email and start prepping the final touches to the next day's blog post.
11:00 PM: Read. Right now on my nightstand, I have Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, which you think I would have read by now but it somehow escaped me.
12:oo AM - 1:30AM: Drift off to sleep. With Elvis next to me.
And there you have it! That's my day in a 12-hour nutshell. Technically, this was a bit longer than 12 hours (sorry for the run over!) but you get the picture. 🙂
This post was in collaboration with New York Magazine's The Cut and Sephora. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
