Aimless Walks and Special Birthdays

I did one of my favorite activities, yesterday: walking around aimlessly.  Yep. I decided to use my day off from work to just relax and be alone. In retrospect, I highly recommend it. 

So, after a few hours of watching TV and lounging around, I decided to get some fresh air. I threw some books in a bag and walked up and down Amsterdam and Broadway, window-shopping. Then, it started to rain and I ran to my ultimate favorite pizzeria and got a huge slice to bring home. I ate, watched Wedding Crashers, and decided not to join the crowd at Union Square. Sounds pathetic, but this morning I felt SO refreshed. Everyone needs a day off now and then... especially in the city. 

Friday night, I threw a little birthday thing for my best friend. She came all the way down from Albany to celebrate the last year of the teens. We had cake, drinks, and hit a club afterwards - so much fun. Needless to say, I was exhausted from another night of going out and needed this mini-vacation.  

Well, vacation is over. I just finished breakfast and need to rush for work. Ciao!

Delaying the Real World | Twentysomethingdom

Sometimes, I go on these internet web-jumping la de da's, in which I just google whatever topic of interest I've come upon lately and then jump from link to link to link... Just for fun. It's very educational, in fact!

Today, I began researching something for an article I had to write for my internship. Then, I started thinking about internships, in general and began googling advice on working at an internship (this is my first experience, anyway). Then, I thought of how amazing it would be to have an internship next summer abroad... which led me to more websites and more websites... until I stumbled upon this gem: Delaying the Real World, The Twenty-Something's Guide to Seeking Adventure. Here's a brief excerpt:

"You've got this pearl of a decade in front of you: THE TWENTIES. This is the prime of your life! You've been on a straight path since you learned to tie your shoes, and now suddenly you've got a diploma, enough energy to run the length of the globe, and all the freedom in the world. 

So how are you going to spend the glorious days of your independent youth? In a cubicle, perhaps? Filing papers, or maybe crunching numbers? How about answering phones and scheduling meetings? 

Wrong! Now is the time to do exactly what you want to do and fulfill your wildest dreams. Don't be in such a rush to become boring! Let the early years be more unconventional and experimental. Try things you might never have the chance to do again. When else in life will you have such freedom? If you wait for retirement, the experience won't be nearly as cool. A thousand fleeting opportunities are waiting for you, and there is nothing holding you back from taking your pick. A year of teaching in Brazil? How about working on a vineyard in New Zealand? Or maybe biking across the U.S. strikes your fancy. From event planning at a Las Vegas resort to counseling at a wilderness camp for homeless children, you have such a rich variety of options you won't know where to start... 

The coolest thing about any adventure you choose is that it will be a valuable experience and may even catapult you into a future career. You can never go wrong in doing what you love, because it will only lead you further into your passion. Anyone who says doing the Peace Corps in Botswana or acting in a Shakespeare festival is a waste of time needs to crawl back into their office space. "

I had an interesting convo yesterday - no, make that a vent - voicing my fears that studying fashion and art will turn me into a complete, materialistic SNOB. You can easily get swept up by the glamour of luxury labels and brand names. I feel like everyone around me is obsessed with image. What people don't realize that fashion designers are geniuses - they are intelligent, extraordinary individuals. Sure, a lot of it is about money and social climbing but the ones I really admire - Alexander McQueen, Betsey Johnson, Phillip Lim - they are seriously artistic geniuses! Their collections make me speechless... 

Anywho, back to the topic of Delaying the Real World: coming across this website and book unexpectedly, really brought me back to Earth. It reminded me just how much I need to keep grounded no matter what work I'm doing... and not take stuff so seriously. 

Pumped for Malaysia

So, it's confirmed: I'm going to Malaysia for winter break! CAN'T WAIT. I haven't been back in almost a year - last summer... one that legitimately changed my life. I'm so looking forward to seeing some of my relatives, my fabulous photographer friend (featured many times in this blog), meeting ex-pats, drinks at the Atmosphere revolving restaurant, Rumba clubs, island hopping, and yummy roti canai. I was getting a bit of a traveler's itch... I'll keep you updated on this evolving trip planning!

Some Lovely Things from COACH

COACH is making some pretty gold pieces (see below). I usually think Coach is overrated - their craftsmanship is beautiful but the design is... eh, a little tacky sometimes (ex. their sling bags and multi-colored, printed, striped, and glittery signatures). 

However, I was looking through their collection online and I found some new pieces which I love. They remind me of the Winter Holiday season. It must be all my work on the Holiday Gift products at l'internship, putting me in the season cheer... even though it's still June. 

Anyways, I think the bracelet and bag would make gorgeous gifts for anyone (hint, hint)!

Noted Photographer | A New Week, A New Roommate

Hi, from the upper west side! It's co-interns, Lola and Lily, here. Breaking news: we are now officially roommates. Lola moved in last night after a horrible two-week experience in Brooklyn (just couldn't stand that cat smell, I guess). Now she's living with me and it's the perfect fit for both of our schedules. 

Every morning, we drag ourselves out of bed and begin the long process of "getting ready." I eat yogurt and watch the Today Show, while Lola runs out and gets her daily drug dose of Starbucks caffeine (extra large-style of course). Then, the commute. Work. Commute. And dinner... it's kind of cute actually, when we don't have real-life jobs and classes to deal with. 

Work today at the internship revolved around a photo shoot of Christmas gift products. I must have ironed about a dozen red ribbons and bows before burning my finger on the iron (no, I'm not checking my nails - I f-ing burned my finger!) I think I also met the most interesting person of my life (after my father, of course).

We took a cab to a swanky-looking apartment building on the east side for this photo shoot. I was warned that the photographer's apartment would be crowded, which quickly became a major understatement as I entered. All the walls were covered with incredible shots of well-known (no, FAMOUS) fashion models, as well as dogs, nature, and architecture. There was a bird cage hanging from the ceiling and a collection of random doo-dads in every bit of space. I felt like I had stepped into Uncle Clement's antique store. 

The photographer turned out to be an old, Chinese man, wearing socks rolled up and khaki pants. What I learned later, was that he - in his day - was the hippest, trendiest, modelizer in the fashion world, a close friend with designers like Vera Wang, spending three years in both Paris and Milan, working at French Vogue, also a pre-med dropout, a travel enthusiast. He showed me a bunch of photo albums as we worked with the shoot; they made my jaw drop.  

So, we finished up the shoot, ran through the mid-afternoon showers, and came back to the upper west. Drenched in rain and glossy stories, I felt like I had seriously seen a glimpse into a clique of high-cultured artists. Just another experience for LL. 

Picnic in the Park and other Weekend Tales

On Saturday afternoon, Lola and I decided to do an old-fashioned Picnic in the Park. This was our response to save money (restaurants really know how to clean our your wallet). So, we bought bread, crudites, yogurt, fruit, coffee, and nuts at a grocery store and camped out in Central Park. It was pretty cute. If you want to get hardcore about picnicking, you can even break out the real china and silverware. I saw a group of ladies next to us sipping white wine from plastic wine glasses. One tip, however: make sure you fill a few ziplock bags with cubes of ice (double bag the packs), and wrap them in towels. Food and drinks needs to stay fresh - especially in this hot weather! 

There's a Method to all this Madness

I am a sponge. This summer is all about soaking up tons of knowledge, new ideas, and new experiences. That makes sense since I'm now spending more time working than summer-chilling (and that, kiddies, is why they tell you to find a job, you actually like - inspiration by Rachel Corrie). So, definitely reemphasizing the whole spiel on finding your passion la de da...

Now. Recall when we used to run into those environmentally-forward hippies (the ones who don't shower or use toilet paper) and think, "what ridic radicals..." or something along those lines.  I guess they had a point after all. 

The best part about my internship at The Laundress, Inc. is that I do get the best of both worlds. Not only are they an amazing, high-luxury brand but they are also environmentally conscious. Brands like The Laundress, and Method emphasize that most ordinary household products are toxic. So, I've been working on the whole detox ordeal, lately. I just bought hand wash, dish detergent and windex from Method. Check out their site for more information.

I never knew how being green could SAVE you tons of green and your health. Meaning, it's a lot cheaper on your electricity bills to practice environmental precautions. And so much better for your body if you take note of all the chemicals leaking from products into your home. Bottom-line: get green! 

After-Work Eggs, Coffee, and Sex and the City

Just another day at the store yesterday, helping New York women of every age pick out outrageously-priced outfits for some graduation-engagement-birthday-dinner-benefit party - something like that. The only thing that gets me through a shift: my Israeli manager and aspiring designer, Nathalie. She makes the most hilarious comments after each rude or ridiculous (usually both) customer tries on half the store and leaves with nothing.

After work, she introduced me to an incredibly ADORABLE and artsy restaurant, named Cafe Lalo (I just found out it was featured in the movie You've Got Mail). Their brunch menu features everything from mango-nectar champagne to eggs with Brazilian feta cheese. Crazy, funky stuff... we had eggs and coffee, while discussing everything from family expectations, fashion, and traveling in India. Don't those spontaneous, colorful conversations in spontaneous and colorful places just make your senses go roller-coaster high? It's so... rich with culture. I love it love it. 

To top things off, we made the ultimate spontaneous move to watch the 11:15pm Sex and the City showing. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet... or maybe that's just my excuse for my speechlessness. It was amazing; go see it. Words of wisdom for the week...

Hardworking Interns at The Laundress, Inc.

Hi, interns Lola and Lily here! We LOVE LOVE The Laundress and all the fabulous people we work with. We are currently working hard to revamp the blog site and catalog, as well as to create those amazing gift baskets (can't get enough of). 

Here's the current bio posted on the Laundress blog site: We are both textile and apparel majors at Cornell. It's our first time living in New York City during summer break, and we are so pumped to be working with The Laundress, Inc. Keep updated with more laundry tips, green solutions, and great products on their webpage - we'll keep you connected to Laundress and our exciting, new discoveries while in New York!

-L&L

Shameless self-promotion. Pretty adorbs, n'est-ce pas?