101 in 1001

So, I have been inspired by Design Darling‘s 101 in 1001. Like she says, it really is the happy medium between writing a to do list and keeping a bucket list. Mine however is slightly more ‘high school’ than some of the other lists out there. Still, I am super eager to get this list started!

{101 to go!}

End date: January 20, 2016

1. Create a list of 101 things.
2. Visit the New York Public Library
3. Attend a blogging event
4. Take another photography class
5. Take Arabic lessons
6. Try food from 10 8 different food trucks
7. Find the perfect LBD
8. Find the perfect LBB (little black bag)
9. Discover 10 new restaurants
10. Visit five capitals
11. Take a roadtrip
12. Attend the San Diego comic con
13. Eat lunch at Barney’s New York
14. Make five blogging friends
15. Go to a live taping of a tv show
16. Re-do my desk area
17. Send twenty five handwritten letters
18. Attend a midnight screening
19. Visit five film locations
20. Take 10 trips from The New York Times 36 Hours books
21. Buy something from Etsy
22. Read ten books from Modern Library’s Best Novels List
23. Attend a blogger conference
24. Visit MoMa
25. Take up more yoga
26. Pay it forward
27. Attend a show at New York Fashion Week
28. Try a hardcore workout class
29. Attend/throw a murder mystery party
30. Make twenty recipes off of Pinterest
31. Read every Jane Austen novel
32. Go camping
33. Watch ten “classic” films
34. Go on a picnic
35. Buy the perfect find at a thrift shop or flea market
36. Watch ten different TED Talks
37. Find the perfect style for my hair
38. See a movie in the park
39. Go on a gluten-free diet for two weeks
40. Join/start a book club
41. DIY a piece of furniture
42. Watch every episode of Seinfeld
43. Watch ten documentaries
44. Take a writing related course
45. Intern
46. Invest in 5 wardrobe staples
47. Rekindle an old friendship
48. Read ten business/personal growth books
49. Complete a blog challenge
50. Attend SxSW
51. Host a game night with friends
52. Host an afternoon tea party
53. See Daughter perform live
54. Read five Nicholas Sparks novels
55. Acquire ten quality coffee table books of my interests
56. Read Jane Eyre
57. See the Christmas windows on Fifth Avenue in New York
58. Complete a New York Times crossword puzzle
59. Watch the entire Sex and the City
60. Read five books set in New York
61. Watch ten movies set in New York
62. Find a perfect shade of lipstick
63. Make twenty DIY projects off Pinterest
64. Try twenty hairstyles from Pinterest
65. Learn how to fishtail braid
66. Dine at five local breakfast restaurants to find the best one
67. Create an editorial calendar for my blog
68. Start a new tradition
69. Mail Christmas cards
70. Advance in my handmade jewelry business
71. Grow out my hair
72. Make my own lunch for one month
73. Become a vegetarian for two weeks
74. Find the perfect blazer
75. Try a new hair color
76. Make five different people a painting
77. Sign up for a strange and different class
78. Watch five foreign films
79. Go to a farmer’s market
80. Visit the West Coast, again
81. Host a specific tv show-related party
82. Handwrite all my recipes and place them in a cute box
83. Attend Coachella
84. Go to a NASCAR race
85. Go on a spontaneous weekend road trip
86. Have my mom teach me her best recipes
87. See someone very close to me get married
88. Buy something Free People
89. Visit Lu in Germany
90. Go to a book signing
91. Attend the grand opening of a store
92. Work on my fashion scrapbook/collage
93. Launch a new blog post series
94. Have a tea party
95. See a concert at the Radio City Music Hall (preferably the Rockettes!)
96. Perform at the Montreal Jazz Festival
97. Learn how to properly make sushi (again!)
98. Start my Happiness Jar
99. Attend a masquerade ball
100. Win something
101. Complete this list and make a new one for the next 1001 days

{Photo Credit: Design Darling}

Style Inspiration: Bethany Struble

I just love finding style inspiration for my everyday outfits online, so when I discovered this LA native fashionista, I was so excited. Her style seems so effortless and still remains über stylish. Bethany Struble is also very much into photography, and has a little daughter. I have fallen in love with all the experiences she has gained and posted about on her blog, some examples being all the festivals, fashion weeks, her trips, etc.

Here are a few of my favorite posts of hers (in the last few months, of course).

So, do you like her fashions? Let me know! And, check out her other posts and more about her on her blog, Snakes Nest.

Credit: Snakes Nest – Coachella Day One, Snakes Nest – Lucky Fabb with Crossroads Trading, Snakes Nest – Spring Has Sprung, Snakes Nest – SXSW Day 3 Outfit, Snakes Nest – NYFW Fall 2013 Day 7 Outfit, Snakes Nest – FP Tee Styled Three Ways, Snakes Nest – Inspector Gadget 

I Guess You Could Call This a Rant…?

I am a woman of dreams. They live inside me, they follow along with me, and they define me. Sure, some of my dreams are a little bit ‘out there’, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dream. I have dreams of living in New York City, and I shouldn’t let anyone tear me down.

Thus enters those who I like to call, the ‘dream crushers’. Chances are, I have considered almost everyone I ever met to be this person at some point. Because yes, I try to share my crazy big dreams. They aren’t impossible though, they are aspirations, goals, something to look forward to or to motivate me.

Okay, so maybe I’m going on a little bit of a rant right now… I just despise it when someone tells me to ‘be more realistic’, like in the above quote from Dylan Moran. Anyone has the freedom to dream and to look up to the sky and know that there is hope (cheesy much?). I mean, we live in a free country with freedom of speech. I’m sure there’s also freedom of think.

~ Ali

(p.s. That last line was a joke. P’m not that slow… usually. It depends on the day.)

The Style Behind the Music – Coachella 2013 Fashions

Maybe it’s just me, but one of the best parts about Coachella is the fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I would have loved to be front row for Vampire Weekend, The XX, Beach House and so many more, but seeing as though I live over 2000 miles away, I don’t think this is my year. Oh well. The one thing I do get out of Coachella though are the amazing outfits that both civilians and celebrities dress in. Here are some of my favourites from weekend one of Coachella.

I love the mix of layers in this outfit. The vest is really great!

The purple aztec-paisley jacket is so perfect for this outfit, and goes great with the fringe lace dress!

I love the way she mixes prints and solids, and the floral headband is so pretty!

Once again, the floral headband is working great! And I love her top as well!

This dress is a must-have! She totally pulled off the bohemian look, and I love her sunglasses!

This one is a cool combination of boho-grunge and works great!

I’m loving the yin yang symbol this season!

This one’s more of a filler for all the others, but I’m still loving the colors!

This one is probably one of my top outfits! I absolutely love the black crochet bralet, the skirt and the sweater. Oh, and don’t forget the sunglasses!

This outfit has a Rihanna-grunge style that I can’t get over!

I love her vest! It’s perfect for the desert valley of Coachella!

This dress is so adorable!

I love her dress and her bag (or at least what I can see of it)!

Ok this dress is just too perfect. It reminds me of one that I once found in my mom’s closet, and I have loved it ever sine. Possible outfit inspiration perhaps?

 This last outfit is also amazing. From the cut-out dress, the floor length jacket and the bag, even her hair!

Festival Season is an amazing time of year. Once again, it seems that the Coachella gods have not failed to impress. So these photos have been a few of my favourite outfits from the magnificent event. How about you? Which were your faves to see?

Credit: Pretty Much Amazing, Free People, Vogue, Refinery 29

Friday Favorites

Finally, the day I’ve been waiting for all week… Friday! I’ve decided to start a new weekly post on my blog called ‘Friday Favorites’, where I shall post my top items of the week. Be it a pattern, song, outfit, photo, post, anything!

So, without further ado, I now present my first ever friday favorites!

{1; Steven Alan hat, stevenalan.com, 2; Kate Spade radio clutch, katespade.com, 3; Acne music tank, farfetch.com, 4; The Row sunglasses, forwardforward.com, 5; Madison Harding shoes, madisonharding.com, 6; Essie nail polish, essie.com, 7; Chanel Lover print, etsy.com}

1; I am a big fan of hats, and this one is perfect for the season. It’s summery, yet the black makes it a year round staple.

2; Kate Spade has the best clutches. Her book clutches are especially cute, such as ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘Lolita’, but when I saw the radio clutch, it became my all time favorite.

3; Seeing as how I’m a big fan of music, this shirt certainly caught my eye. This shirt would go great with so many outfits, and it’s definitely a great basic!

4; I love The Row, and these sunglasses are totally vintage!

5; Madison Harding is one of my all-time favorite shoe designers. Her sandals are versatile and stylish!

6; I just bought this nail polish color, ‘Lapiz of Luxury’, and put it on my nails yesterday. This color is great, and it is the perfect blue in the sense that it doesn’t wash out my skin tone like some lighter blues would.

7; Etsy has become one of my favorite online shopping destinations, and I came across emmakisstina‘s profile on the site. She has a handful of doodled prints ranging from perfumes to nail polishes and everything in between. Check out her blog here.

The quote is also something I discovered this week… I go into more detail on my thoughts about this quote here.

Spring/Summer Festival Playlist: The Must-See Live Bands of 2013

The blooming flowers and sweet smell of fresh grass can only mean one thing… Festival Season! And with the season of festivals comes great music of all sorts. So, to celebrate my favourite time of year, here’s a playlist to set everyone in a festival mode. From Beach House to the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, old covers to new originals, this playlist has it all. Well, almost.

http://rd.io/x/QQZs6DNywSc/

What bands do you all hope to see this season? Let me know what you all think!

Credit: Rdio, Favim.com

Home Inspiration – Stylish and Eclectic Take on Manhattan

I happened to stumble upon an article on Mix and Chic earlier today that caught my eye. Designed and owned by style writer and interior designer Rita Konig, this Manhattan based home is too cute. It has the perfect combination of vintage and a minimalistic-modern touch to complete this little masterpiece.

 

This home has a beautiful pattern play, and amazingly cute color schemes. I am absolutely in love with the entire kitchen, from the glass jars to the wall of photos and the bookshelf. I am also loving the couch in the living room. Overall, I think it all works perfectly together to create an inspiring design. What do you think? Does this home inspire you?

Credit: Mix and Chic – Home Tour: Rita Konig’s Manhattan Home

 

Hi everyone!

I’m Alexandra, but I go by the name Ali around town. I currently live in Montreal, Canada, and I am a blogger, jewelry-maker, fashionista and student. I take great pleasure in the art of list-making, and I love to write about anything and everything. People and places inspire me, and I am greatly influenced by the wonderful lifestyle of New York City. My favorite foods consist of bagels, peanut butter, sushi and oatmeal cookies.

I have actually had this url for a while now, and I finally built up the courage to start my ‘big girl’ blog. For quite a few years, I managed a blog called Girlypedia, where I basically wrote about all things girly. Of course, I was nine when I first started, so it wasn’t the best way to put myself out there.

Alas, now I am ready, and so I started this blog as a way to showcase my finds and favourites. Here is a list of a few things you will most likely read about the most on here:

1. Fashion; Street style, daily picks, local finds, and anything that interests me in this vast category.

2. Design; Be it typography, art or photography, I love it all.

3. Food; Although I try not to admit it, I am food-obsessed. This is where my lebanese heritage kicks in most.

4. Music; Being one of my passions, not only do I love to make and play music, but I am a playlist-creator fanatic.

5. My undying love for New York City; Anything I find that reminds me of the city will definitely be found on here.

So please, sit down and stay a while. I really hope you enjoy it!

~ Ali