A Snow Bunny Bachelorette

January 3, 2014

Loon Mountain. Woodstock, New Hampshire.

Happy New Year!

I hope you all have had a relaxing holiday break.  It feels like centuries since I’ve been able to sit down and blog, but I’m finally back!  I wanted take a moment today and deviate from my usual posts to share a bit from my sister’s recent bachelorette weekend.  It was a blast and I figured it would be fun to share.

My sister, Erin, has chosen to have her wedding in New England… in the middle of February.  Risking a potential blizzard on her special day, she has decided upon the peak of ski season over the typical warmer months that most East coast brides go with, and thus, when planning her bachelorette weekend, I wanted to keep in line with that same wintery theme.  Since Erin has already attended quite a few Boston pub crawls I wanted to do something different… and since I also wanted to include a bit of relaxation (for those of her friends who had new babies or were pregnant) with the wild times most bachelorette parties include, I felt like a weekend away at one of the most popular ski resorts in New Hampshire was the perfect fit.

Not knowing much about the area, I relied mostly on the reviews I found online for both dinner/bar/and rental accommodations. Luckily (shockingly??) it all turned out amazing!  A few of us got there early and decorated the place with fresh greens we cut from right outside the cabin (errr, I hope that’s okay!), along with candles, white lights, homemade snowflakes, pinecones, and white ribbon.  It really doesn’t take a lot to make a place look lovely- some great ideas from Pinterest can really go a long way!  The goal was to quickly turn the place from a typical cabin into a page out of Pottery Barn’s winter catalogue… and by the time she got there it (almost) looked like that! Regardless, it definitely looked like a cozy winter wonderland. 

On the first night, we got settled in by drinking tons of champagne, eating delicious food, playing Cards Against Humanity, dancing and relaxing.  On Saturday, we hit the slopes and took breaks at the slope-side bar.  In order to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the diners/bar-goers, we decided to go out in theme… and what could be more fitting for a bunch of ski-side bachelorettes than: SNOW BUNNIES?? 

When I found these bunny hats on KNITWITS, I nearly screamed with excitement.  They were exactly what I was looking for and I knew I had to get them.   I told the girls to go nuts with clothing and find sweaters with snowflakes, reindeers, etc. They all went along with my crazy idea and it was so much fun!

I went in search of the perfect all-white snow bunny look for Erin and found these love and snowflake leggings at PINK, and the sparkly white sweater at OLD NAVY. 

The rest of the night was an absolute blast and in a smaller mountain town where most of the people seemed to know each other, we stuck out… quite a bit.  It was a great getaway for all of us and I think my sister loved it (I hope!) 

Every winter, the snow bunnies of the wilderness have to find a way to stay warm.  During Erin’s winter wonderland wedding, these snow bunnies will definitely find a way to stay warm, with beautiful dresses, plenty of wine, and lots of laughs.  I’m just glad to have gotten things started on the right foot… and I can’t wait to do it all over again at the wedding.

A New York State of Mind.

December 23, 2013

New York City, New York.

It was below freezing outside the morning we headed to New York City.  We quickly packed our bags, grabbed an egg sandwich at Darwin’s (our favorite local sandwich shop) and prepared to make the trek from Eric’s house to the Harvard Square subway stop.  The night before, almost a foot of snow had dropped in on the city and while it had temporarily turned things into a beautiful winter wonderland of sorts, it made it a bit tough to get around the next day.  We allowed ourselves what would have usually been plenty of time to walk over, but carrying all of our luggage through the snowy streets (packing light is not a skill of mine) in our puffy winter clothes slowed us down a bit.  Soon realizing that the subway approach was no longer an option, we went for plan b and hopped in a cab.  Crawling along the traffic-lined roads, we began to worry as the clock ticked down closer and closer to our bus departure time.  Finally, with only five minutes until departure time and still a couple blocks away from South Station (where all the buses leave from Boston), we decided to get out of the cab in the middle of the street and make a run for it.  Basically, it consisted of Eric sprinting across traffic with both of our huge bags on his back (what a guy!), as I trotted at a much slower pace a few feet behind (oh hey New Year’s resolution #1: I need to insert more cardio into my workouts!)  After we sprinted up the escalators, we were relieved to find that weeee made it! We were even able to sit next to each other (and some other people) in the very last row of the bus, where we cozied up for the next SIX AND A HALF HOURS until alas they dropped us off on some busy street in the middle of NEW YORK CITY.

While I have to admit, it certainly wasn’t the easiest ordeal getting there, as soon as we got off the bus, stepped out into busy streets and took in a big whiff of that cold, bustling, city air, I knew it was all worth it.  And because it takes quite a bit of time and energy for us to get there, we really try to make all of our time count while in the big city.  So vastly different than Los Angeles, it’s a ton of fun to go around and explore a new city as tourists.  We made the same trip last year around the holidays, and if you’re not in the spirit, I can almost bet, with full certainty, that a day in central park or Rockefeller Center will have you singing “falalala’s" in no time.  This year, we took some time to try out some new amazing restaurants, caught a beautiful view from the “Top of the Rock” and saw Once on Broadway! Certainly one of the best shows I can remember seeing in years, I just didn't want it to end.  

While the constant overflow of human traffic, noisy streets, and chaotic cab drivers can all be a bit much, I really find New York to be a breath of fresh air.  Everything is changing, everyone seems to be so alive and ready to seize the day- I guess it's official, I love New York. 

 

 

Highlights from NYC:

• SALA: Some of the most amazing tapas food I’ve ever had. Now I’ve never been to Spain, but I imagine this was what it should taste like. They have a dish with fried goat cheese, honey, and candied onions that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. YUM!

• ONCE: The beautiful songs that I grew to love from the movie are transformed in a breathtaking way, as this unconventional musical was able to affect me so profoundly, I found myself moved to tears.  The songs were brilliant. Each cast member was uniquely talented and the choreography, direction, and style were all remarkably unlike any performance I have ever seen.  I truly did not want it to end.  If you get the chance- you really should go check it out.
• ROCKEFELLER CENTER: It’s always been exciting for me to see places that I grew up only knowing through images on T.V. I loved checking out this little hub of news and knowledge while getting my dose of holiday cheer watching the ice skaters and enjoy a hot chocolate in the cold. Isn’t it funny how we always imagine that things are going to be much larger in real life than they actually are? Maybe that’s just me.  Regardless- it was still an impressive place to check out!

I wore this holiday dress to our date night out to the theater.  The weather warmed up a bit more and after the blistering temps earlier in the week- it felt great to be able to wear a dress and tights at night!  I like to call this look “Fifty Shades of Red”.  I paired my new red Forever21 purse with this adorably festive red and black polka-dot Qmack dress from Macy’s and topped it off with my new red Sephora lipstick.  Too much red? I’ll let you be the judge.  Around the holidays, and on a romantic night out to the theater, I figured it was the best time, if ever, to layer on the red.  I was also finally able to wear this gorgeous white stone cluster ring from Loopsway! I’ve been waiting for the perfect night to wear this glamerous piece and I am so excited to share it with you guys.  It’s classic and bold with a bit of a vintage flair and yet again, I love the affordability of the unique pieces from this collection.  If you haven’t checked out Loopsway yet- you must! 

Ring c/o: Loopsway

Dress: Qmack/Macy's 

Booties: ALDO

Tights: Forever21

Lipstick: Sephora/Valentine 

Purse: Forever21

Photos by: Eric Bromberg

Cozy & Cloudy

November 20, 2013

Beverly Hills, CA

After a week of sunshine and unseasonable warmth, it’s finally become a bit chilly over here in Southern California and therefore, I finally have reason to wear this oversized, comfy, sweater from Urban Outfitters.  I picked it up on one of my recent trips back to Boston and I’ve been waiting and waiting for a day like this to be able to wear it!

It was back in early September, but on this particular day, it was already windy and chilly (and I was still dressed for summer) when I set out for an afternoon lunch with my Mum in Harvard Square.  Unwilling to sacrifice my favorite lunch spot because of the cold, I was totally frozen by the time we finished our sandwiches at this adorable deli with outdoor-only seating.   It was my Mum who actually saved the day (like she always does) and found this sweater I now so adore.  How is it that Moms always know exactly what we need?  After that, we went over to Starbucks, sipped on some hot chocolate, shared some wonderful time together, and I was warmer than a fireplace by the time we started walking again.

I plan on living in this sweater this season (especially when I go back east).  My entire outfit today is preppy and inspired by that day I spent in Harvard Square with my Mum.  Perhaps it’s because I am spending Thanksgiving away from my family for the first time ever, or perhaps the cloudy cold weather reminds me of home... either way you spin it- I’m a bit homesick today and so I let that come through in my wardrobe too.  As you can see, this outfit is very fitting for an east coast stroll around campus or also a cozy cloudy late afternoon lunch date with friends over in Beverly Hills, which is where I'm off to now!

Sweater: Urban Outfitters

Button up: J. Crew (Similar)

Boots: Forever21

Purse: Marshalls

Photos Taken By: Jennifer Biswas