NYC in my Pocket

I got this really cute kitschy wallet from the gift shop at Top of the Rock. It has the New York City subway map and one of those old subway tokens as a charm. Too cute.

It's really tourist-y but it's such a conversation piece that I don't really mind. Plus, it just shows off my deep appreciation for the NYC transit system.

I miss the east coast.

An Afternoon at the Met

It was pouring in NYC earlier this afternoon, which was cause for us to forgo our plans for the day -- walk around Central Park and check out the zoo before hiking uptown to see the Guggenheim -- and instead seek shelter at the Met. Because we had to trek through the park in the downpour though, we still were pretty soaked by the time we got to the museum despite the umbrellas and ponchos we bought from the park gift shop. Well, it's an experience we're not likely to forget.

Anyway, the Met is awesome, but also awesomely huge that I didn't even get to completely look around in the two hours or so we were there. I was lucky enough to be able to catch the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibit. The dresses were absolutely divine. People weren't allowed to take photos of the clothes though.

But seriously, my favorite part of the museum was the Wrightsman Galleries for French Decorative Arts, where they recreated rooms from French houses and hotels. Seriously, the opulence of it all was just to die for. The ornate panels, the huge chandeliers, the antique furniture -- it was all so beautiful and indulgent that you can totally imagine how wonderful French life must have been prancing around those rooms.

I was using a point and shoot without the flash, so bear with the photos.

Insert witty Marie Antoinette reference here. 

My second favorite might be Rodin's Cupid and Psyche sculpture. I absolutely adore that story -- it's still one of my favorite love stories to date -- so seeing it in marble is kind of great. Also, how often in my life am I going to be able to stand in front of a Rodin?

Bag Lady in Transit

I've been to seven states in a week and when I say I'm tired, it means my eyes are drooping right now as I type. I could very easily say that I never want to be on a long car or plane ride for a while (because I've been on enough in the last few days to last me for some time) but I love traveling -- discovering new cities, soaking up some history and enjoying all the food that each place has to offer.

Anyway, all that traveling meant I needed to keep my bag stocked with the essentials, but not pack it too full that my shoulder could potentially fall off from carrying it around. 

1. Feminine wipes. These are necessary, especially with all those public bathrooms

2. My Tiffany & Co. cross necklace that I need to carry on

3. Avon lipstick whose exact shade I can't really remember right now, but it's got a cute pinkish color that looks so good in photos

4. Cocoa Butter Formula lip balm. Because the cold and the wind does nothing good for my lips

5. Etude House pressed powder

6. Face Shop illuminating blusher to fake a pinkish glow

7. Lumix digicam, to capture all those travel moments

8. My wallet

9. Pens. They never leave my bag

10. iPod Touch for boring moments, and for quick checking of Twitter and email

11. Dentyne to combat nausea

12. Sunglasses

13. A shawl in an ultra bright color to liven up my outfit and to use as a blanket on the plane

14. A magazine to read during the plane ride.

Not pictured is my pack of tissues, hand sanitizer and a small bottle of lotion. 

All of these, of course, are housed in a Micheal Kors bag that is seriously perfect for me. Plus the fact that it's in this beautiful shade of brown allows it to match with most of the clothes in my closet.

A Thing for Feta

I've been a little bored to death while stuck at home the last few days, considering how busy I was the past week, so with the ample time I had on my hands, I wanted to be productive, at least for snack time anyway. I knew we still had a little bit of feta cheese left in the fridge and decided to make my own version of cheese pops.

I know the photo doesn't look very appetizing, but it was actually really good. Unfortunately, I didn't have breadcrumbs anymore (and I so wanted to use the ones that were parmesan-flavored) so I just used some flour and added a bunch of other stuff for the breading. I think I used a lot of cayenne pepper because it had a kind of zing to it, but that's just the way I like it.

Next time, I wanna do swiss cheese. Or brie. 

Kid at Heart

I've always really loved designs for kids' rooms. They have enough storage space, and have an unabashed use of bright colors and cutesy details that really speak to the girly side of me. Since we're moving house (hopefully), I've been trying to decide a new look for our new room. The attic room I shared with my two sisters in our previous townhouse in Pasig was so cute -- pink and purple striped walls, orange accents, an oversized lightbulb and glow-in-the-dark stars on a dark blue-painted ceiling -- that it's kind of been a little boring in the white-walled room I currently sleep in now. Fingers crossed, we can move into our new house in a few months and I can finally do something about my (well, our because I still have to share a room with my sister) living space.

Anyway, since I love kids' rooms and nurseries, I found a few that I could use as pegs for our new room. I don't have a concrete concept yet, and there's so many inspirations to consider that it'll be hard to narrow down my choices. Whichever I choose, I find these rooms just so cute.

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I've been loving yellow a lot lately. It's just so bright and cheerful, and with the pink it looks like just the right amount of girliness without going completely overboard. Don't think I could get my sister on board with that though.

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This was on the Domino book (the green Book of Decorating that I absolutely love) and ever since, I've been really wanting to do a dark accent wall paired with a light-colored ceiling. The striped wallpapered ceiling is such a cute splash of color, and a fun unexpected touch.

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I like the idea of stenciling letters on the wall. Makes it more fun and personal, and I wouldn't have to deal with looking for something to hand on the wall.

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This one is just so cute, but probably too childish for my room. But still, I like it.

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And this? Well, this is just so cool that the inner kid in me really wants it.