Holiday Cheer

Nothing gets me in the Christmas Spirit like holiday ads!

Burberry aka Perfection

Tiffany & Co.

BG Windows

And no holiday would be complete without Rockefeller Plaza! 

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. I love looking through catalogues and drinking lots of hot chocolate! My Pinterest boards are currently full of baking ideas and pretty packages with big bows. Just looking at the pictures gets me so giddy and excited! 

Warmth of NYC

lately I've been longing for the city

The lights. The late nights. Even the cold. I blame this all on the beautiful pictures that show up on my Instagram feeds daily. Add in my Today Show obsession, the fact that I'm watching SatC from season 1, and all of the awesome videos I've come across, and it's practically like New York is calling my name. 

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Earlier this week, my English TA informed us that our next project would be a documentary. I was worried because of my lack of expertise with film or anything like it. But, leave it to the internet and blogosphere to lead me to some of the coolest, shortest documentaries I've ever seen. Not only that, but of course they take place in New York City. Small Empires is a fantastic series that I've run across, but most of the videos take some planning, as they're around 20 minutes long. But then I came across the perfect, 3 minute video of a man making connections in NYC... and not how you'd expect.

These work this man is doing doesn't seem like a big, outrageous idea. He's simply taking pictures... but he's bringing people together, too. He's bringing warmth to the Concrete Jungle and making people think in a way that they normally wouldn't. It's a quick watch- only 3 minutes. But it's 3 minutes that makes you re-think your busy schedules and the people that you walk past every day. Or at least it did for me, since I seem to see a new face each time I step outside. 

Not only did it get me thinking, 

but it got me wanting to go explore NYC

oh, and Humans of New York is definitely on my Christmas Wish List.

Coach Borough

As someone who really loves the whole idea  of NYC, the Borough bag/ collection by Coach is to die for (but I am well aware that reality is not idealistic). I love a good, structured bag that can work as an over-the-shoulder every-day bag as well as a sophisticated accessory. Unfortunately, the purchase of a bag like this isn't really practical for my life right now... A college girl doesn't really need a bag like this. And if I did, it'd get ruined from wear and tear. 

But in my fantasy world as my own version of Blair Waldorf, aka Queen of NYC, I'd definitely rock this bag.

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In all reality, I'm on a search for the perfect clutch that isn't really a clutch... 

and I might have found it in the Coach Legacy collection. 

I also may or may not (read: definitely am) be obsessed with 

all things oxblood this fall

21 Before 21

I've been inspired by Mackenzie's "1001 in 1001" and Carly's "25 before 25" lists.

Enough for me to make my own list of 21 things I want to do or see before I turn 21. Yes, I do realize that it's only two years. And yes, I understand that most of my life will be spent in school, working, or internships. That being said, I think having a deadline and a few major things to do will be really fun to do and see how it works out. 

So, before I turn 21 I'd like to...

1. attend the Kentucky Derby

2. Go on a vacation where I unplug and just read books on the beach

3. Attend the Macy's Day Parade in New York City

4. Run a Half Marathon... and maybe a Full?

5. Go on a legitimate blind date set up by a friend

6. Watch all 8 Harry Potter films in a 36 hour time span

7. Spend a ridiculous amount of money on concert tickets 

8. Give a 100% tip on a bill of $50 or more

9. Go to the CMA festival

10. Move in with some of my best friends

11. Learn how to accessorize with jewelry

12. Buy random gifts and give them out to the homeless on the street

13. Find an international pen pal

14. Take a class that I don't really need, but just want to take

15. Go a month without sweets (Sept 10 - Oct 10, 2013)

16. Pick a campaign, cause, event and dive into it whole-heartedly

17. Unplug in daily life (as much as possible) for two weeks

18. Go on a road trip with my best friend(s)

19. Spend a weekend with my Grandparents doing whatever they want to do

20. Apply for a study abroad program or to an international school

21. Become conversational in a foreign language (Francais?)

As you can tell, none of these items tempt fate or have me simply thinking wishfully. These are all things that I can and will accomplish by the time I turn 21. Why 21? Well I think that it's a good time frame for me to enjoy my youth and have fun. While I'm technically an adult, you're not really and adult until you're 21. So I'm taking these years of having some independence but still a kid to go and have fun. I'm also a planner, and I think that having a time frame and a bunch of random things to do is such a fun thing for someone who plans and works without much free time. In a way it's "forced fun", but it's necessary.

Because, let's face it
Life isn't life if you aren't living.