MAX Out Your Summer

I love maxi dresses so much that I’m not even sure where to begin. Maxi dresses are not only comfortable and cute but they are versatile enough to wear to almost any occasion, and with the summer weather in full swing there is no better time to pick one up for yourself! Wear one down to the beach, to a backyard barbeque or even to work. With the various colors and styles maxi dresses now come in and endless accessories you can pair with a maxi dress, the possibilities are truly infinite, which makes this a staple in anyone's wardrobe. Throw one on with a pair of sandals or wedges and some jewelry and you’re ready to go… it’s really that simple!

Rip Curl Becca Maxi Dress
$59.50
Zappos

Striped Hi-Low Hem Maxi Dress
$59.90
Express

Strapless Ruffle Maxi Dress
$98.00
Victoria's Secret

Jack BB Dakota Charleston Bali Maxi Dress
$75.00
Karmaloop

Viva Italia!

Gondolier on break

In honor of Italy's penalty shootout win over England in the Euro 2012 knock-out phase, I thought I would write about my favorite Italian travel moment. I am not an expert on Italy, to be honest I have only been to one place, Venice. I didn't even really want to go there. I was coming back from parts of the former Yugoslavia and it was much cheaper to fly back to New York from Venice than from Ljubljana, Slovenia so I took the train and spent 3 days in Venice. I always had this picture of Venice in my mind where the city was filled with Shakespeare wannabes and newlyweds from Cincinnati  swooning over the gondoliers. I did see some guys dressed like Romeo and there were plenty of annoying American tourists giving the world even more reasons to hate us. With all of those misgivings, Venice still managed to endear itself to me with its' Festa del Redentore, the Feast of the Redeemer. An annual festival that celebrates the ending of the plague of 1576. I mean, what better reason to have a celebration!

Temporary Bridge to the Church of Redentore

The focal landmark of the weekend festival is the Church of the Redeemer. Each year during this weekend they build a temporary bridge over the Grand Canal so people can walk to the Church of Redentore. If you have motion sickness, you might die on this bridge. It sways from one side to the other more than Mitt Romney. The best part of this bridge is that it  shuts down the Grand Canal to the big cruise ships for one weekend of the year, which drastically cuts down on the number of Texans wearing Hawaiian shirts with their cameras around their necks.

The best boat during the parade

The festival includes a variety of activities throughout the weekend with the two highlights being the incredible fireworks display from the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) late Saturday night and the parade of boats down the Grand Canal. I staked out a spot on the Rialto Bridge so I could watch the boats come down the canal. There were small boats with elderly gondoliers. There were boats with scantily clad women and men. Then, this boat came along that absolutely blew my mind. It had it's own DJ spinning some Euro trash tunes. It was filled with a late 20's and early 30's crowd grinning from ear to ear. They were having a blast! This man jumped up on the ledge of the boat just as they were approaching the Rialto Bridge, removed his hat and bowed to the bridge. If this scene happened in a movie I would chalk it up to Hollywood nonsense, but there it was, in real life. An Italian man on a boat in Venice bowing to it's most famous bridge during a festival to celebrate the ending of a plague 500 years ago. For the rest of my life whenever someone mentions Venice this is the image I will have in mind. In that instant the Shakespeare wannabes and American newlyweds were banished from my mind forever. Venice had redeemed itself. 

Trees Do Grow in Brooklyn

Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Even though Betty Smith's novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, isn't really about nature in the borough, it inspired that idea for a recent weekend in NYC. When I first moved to Brooklyn I remember being overwhelmed by all of the things that I wanted to see and do here. I had wild ambitions of seeing it all but life gets in the way and I ended up spending most of my time in my neighborhood. People would ask me, "Have you ever been to..." and I would reluctantly say it is on my list but I haven't made it there yet. Last weekend my brother and Ashley, my co-blogger, came for a weekend. We decided to make Brooklyn the focus of our weekend.

We started with a walk around Prospect Park where we took in the landscape while kids rode circles around us on their scooters. It was a Friday night in the park and one of the first Celebrate Brooklyn performances of the summer which brings people with blankets, food and wine to the bandshell. Central Park gets most of the NYC glory but Prospect Park is no slouch. The contrast of Central Park and the surrounding skyscrapers is undeniable but if you want to really feel an escape from the city, you can get lost in the winding paths of Prospect Park.

Visible Storage at Brooklyn Museum

The two other tourist highlights to the neighborhood are the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. You can buy an Art & Garden combo ticket for admission to both that will save you a few bucks. I love going to Met and the Guggenheim but I am always frustrated with the crowds, that is rarely an issue at the Brooklyn Museum. While an artist will give you a much better review of the quality of pieces at the museum, as a casual art museum goer, my favorite part of this museum is the visible storage center. Pieces that are not currently on display are stored in clear cases and drawers where you can enjoy some of those pieces. Honestly, it's just cool to walk around in there. It feels like you snuck into the warehouse. It's your own Indiana Jones moment. After walking around the museum for a few hours it is refreshing to walk next door to the Botanic Garden. The cherry blossoms blooming are one of the most beautiful sites in the garden, but we missed that by about two months. There are still many other areas of the garden that are worthy. The rose garden has begun to bloom and the Japanese Garden is always a crowd pleaser with the turtles and fish. 

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

In keeping with our Brooklyn themed weekend we ate most of our meals in my neighborhood. What was Crown Heights when I moved in four years ago has somehow morphed into a neighborhood real estate agents are calling ProCro...a combination of two neighborhoods, Crown Heights and Prospect Heights. I refuse to jump on the trendy bandwagon and will continue to call it Crown Heights for the rest of my life. Washington Avenue was the home of our secret culinary gems. If you are looking for fancy restaurants with high end meals, this isn't the place for you but if you are looking for good eats, with good peeps, this is your spot! The ginger noodles with tofu is on of my favorites at Udom, a fantastic Thai restaurant. You can read the reviews of Tom's diner which is the heart of this neighborhood but if you want to avoid the long brunch lines on the weekend you can walk north a few blocks and stuff yourself silly with a breakfast burrito of enormous proportions at Taqueria De Los Muertos. Just when you think it couldn't get any better they offer up $4 mimosas! The neighborhood has a strong Caribbean population and the small vegetarian place, Natural Blend is one of the highlights. Stop in for  a few vegan cookies and a sea moss smoothie and you will leave feeling healthy and happy! 

When people think of New York City they picture Times Square and the Statue of Liberty and those are both icons of New York. Manhattan is an experience like few in the world. After a few days though, I encourage you to make the trek to magical places like Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn and The Bronx. Take your photo in front of the Manhattan skyline to show your friends and then come on over to Brooklyn to fugetaboutit! 

You're Making Me Blush

While blush seems like such an old-school concept to makeup, it still remains the best way to highlight any cheekbone and complexion. However finding the perfect blush, one that's light, illuminating, and not cake-y on your face, can be a long and treacherous journey full of clown-looking mistakes and non-blendable shades. But fear no more, Nars Blush has done all the dirty work for you. Offering 24 versatile shades ranging from peachy-pinks to golden shimmers, everyone can find a customizable shade they love. Wear it to provide a healthy glow, flattering any skin tone over foundation or on its own. This blush is a perfect way to add a flush of color to your skin for the warm, summer weather. 

Gaiety
$28.00
Sephora

Sex Appeal
$28.00
Sephora

Torrid
$28.00
Sephora

*Just a sidenote, these pictures do the colors NO justice. Click the link above to see better quality of the shades.

FeDOra or FeDON'T?

I don’t know about you, but I’m really torn about the idea of wearing a fedora. I love them on other people, but I’m just not 100% sold on them yet to wear my own. It’s a very complicated situation, a love-hate relationship if you will, but I’ve blamed this ridiculous issue mostly on the fact that I can’t find the perfect fedora for my head. Now, I’m going to assume there is nothing odd about the shape of my head and put full blame on the stores I’ve checked out thus far. But, I won’t stop searching until I find the perfect fit, and will finally bring myself to wear one at least once this summer!

With that being said, there are many ways YOU can wear a fedora without looking like a fool, as I obviously have so far. They are a great accessory to add to any casual outfit, such as a long maxi dress or jeans and a tank top, no matter the occasion. They are extremely affordable, ranging anywhere from $10 to around $165 depending on which stores you check out.  If you're looking for one on the lower end, stores such as Karmaloop and Urban Outfitters are a good place to start. Down to spend alittle more? Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's have higher priced fedoras. But remember, no matter where you get it from, a fadora is a perfect add-on to any outfit for your summer festivities, from barbeques and pool parties to sitting around in airports!

Goorin Brothers "The Fields Fedora"
$32.00
Karmaloop

Genie by Eugenia Kim "Darcy" Straw Fedora
$165.00
Bloomingdale's

Delta! Delta! Delta!

I traveled to the south a few times this month so I have become well acquainted with Delta Airlines. Honestly, it is never my airline of choice but for southern vacations it always seems to have the most flight options and best prices.

Rain and fog in Asheville, NC

This weekend I was flying from Asheville, North Carolina back to NYC after a wedding. Unfortunately, the weather was less than cooperative and we ended up being at the Asheville airport for 5 hours. If you're in Philly or even Atlanta, you can keep yourself fairly busy at the airport. There are a lot of bars, restaurants and shops. Not so much in Asheville. I think there were six gates total and a combo bar/restaurant/bodega. Delays on a Sunday afternoon after a wedding with a few fellow travelers who may or may not have slept on the bathroom floor of the hotel, could have been a dreadful experience.

Strangely, this wasn't the case and it was solely thanks to the bartender and the man working the Delta gate counter. Both of whom had fantastic personalities and knew how to play with the crowd. What could have been a pretty angry and bitter group of people just wasn't because the two people we all were interacting with were so great. We went back and forth between the bar and gate for hours. When we boarded we said goodbye to the bartender and thanked him for a great afternoon. When we came back after sitting on the runway for an hour, de-boarded and went back to the bar he had a sign on a napkin that said, "Welcome Back."

A trip that should have taken 4 hours ended up taking over 12 hours. Getting home at 2 in the morning and having to get up for work the next day is never an ideal situation. These two guys helped us make the most of it and it lightened the mood for everyone. We were hamming it up with our new friends trying to get to Portland, Oregon and Phoenix, Arizona. We watched some European soccer and charmed our way into getting the Yankees-Mets game on. There was a lot of smiling and laughing.

So, the next time you have a delay, just lighten up. There is usually nothing you can do about it. You can either sit there and be grumpy or you can take it for what it's worth, a chance to meet new people. We could have easily left Asheville with a bitter taste in our mouthes but we chose not to and that's always good for the soul. 

You Rebel, You.

With summer just around the corner, lightweight should be the keyword when discussing your makeup. I'm not the only one who doesn't want to be outside in 80 degree weather feeling like my makeup is caked on my face, right?. Benefit tinted moisturizer is everything you need in one little bottle. It contains complete coverage, moisture, and SPF protection. But what's the best part of this product you ask? Although it is called a "tinted moisturizer",  it can abosolutely be used as an every day substitute to your foundation. It does not leave your skin oily or clog your pores, but instead leaves a smooth, silky, even complexion with just one application. Benefit makes this mositurizer in two shades so it is suitable for all skin tones, leaving you with no excuse to not fall hopelessly in love with this product. Trust me, I've tried 'em all, but I keep coming back to you, You Rebel, you!

All Aboard the Alaska Railroad

Pulling in to Denali NP

After spending time camping in Denali National Park, I headed up north to Fairbanks, Alaska. There were a few transportation options but every person I talked to in Denali recommended the Alaska Railroad. The train depot was a short walk from the National Park Visitor's Center. As a solo backpacking traveler, the bus loads of cruise passengers were slightly annoying at the terminal but most of them were waiting for the train back south towards Anchorage instead of heading north to Fairbanks. Nonetheless, I was glad to get on the train and escape them. My patience can only take so much of John and Mary Smith from Orlando, Florida and their grandson that would be perfect for me.

First Class Seating

I am usually a budget traveler but I accidentally clicked the wrong button when I made my train reservation and I bought a first class ticket. I didn't realize it until I picked up at my ticket at the depot. It was the best mistake I have ever made. There were only 10 of us in the first class area so I had my pick of seats and could move around to check out different views whenever I wanted. I have never sat in a domed train car before. I sat in my seat looking up at the blue sky thinking that this is one of those rare moments that are absolutely perfect. The car had it's own small bar with drinks and snacks. It felt like I was in a movie.

View from the balcony

The other benefit of the first class seat was our own open air balcony. You could walk out there enjoy the wind created by the train and look for wildlife. We saw moose on the side of the tracks multiple times. Granted we were traveling fast but it was still a pretty amazing sight. They had a system in place where someone in a car ahead of us would notify someone in our car because they would tell us, "Moose coming up on the right." In addition to wildlife we also saw old telegraph poles all along the route. It must have been an adventure to travel around Alaska building those poles. I know Alaska has changed a lot since then but looking out over all of that land, it felt like maybe it hadn't changed that much at all.

Salmon Chowder & Alaskan Summer Ale

I took a break from the balcony and headed down to the dining car. After backpacking for 5 days I was excited to eat something other than trail mix. The staff recommended the bowl of salmon chowder for lunch. If you like salmon and corn you will love this chowder! The Alaskan Summer Ale was a perfect match for the chowder.  There is something old world about eating in a dining car on a train. You can buy food, if that's what you want to call it, on airplanes these days but it is nowhere near the same. When I need to get from one place to another quickly, I love a plane but when I have the time to sit back, relax and enjoy the world as it goes by, there is nothing better than a train ride. The Alaskan Railroad is a modern day time machine. Climb aboard and enjoy the ride.

Welcome To Our Blog!

From the outside, Ashley and I might seem like an odd duo. I have never wore make-up and she has never been on a plane, yet here we are writing a combo-blog about traveling and fashion. The runways of our lives have been very different but they have somehow brought us both to this moment. We hope you like it! 

The Southern Comforts of Charleston

On my flight from New York to Charleston I imagined a weekend filled with shots of SoCo and lime, jukeboxes with Sweet Home Alabama and talk of the War of Northern Aggression. As a "Yankee" I always feel a little out of place in the south, like I just don't get it. I was determined that this trip I would embrace southern hospitality and Charleston did not disappoint. We threw our stuff down at the apartment, grabbed our pink hottie whistle and headed to the Jersey Shore of South Carolina, Folly Beach. It's like a frat party on sand. It is not the best beach for a family trying to build sandcastles or to peacefully read the latest Nicholas Sparks novel. It is however the best beach for a bachelorette weekend!

Folly Beach

After our day of acting like we were in our 20's we needed to balance that out by acting like we were in our 50's. We booked a table at one of the best restaurants in Charleston, Magnolias. We traded in our Solo cups filled with warm beer for buckets of chilled champagne. Magnolias is classy in every sense of the word. My meal, flounder with parmesan, was impeccable. Our waiter was professional yet playful with a table of giggling women. It was well worth the price.

Downtown Charleston

In order to not feel like drunken slobs during our girls weekends we always try to incorporate something educational, whether it's a visit to an art museum or a tour of the city. This time we ended up taking a historical carriage ride through Charleston. We learned some interesting facts about Charleston's history and laughed at some inappropriate jokes about Strom Thurmond, South Carolina's Senator for 48 years. After the tour, we took our guide's recommendation for an evening on the rooftop bar of Henry's House. This place would be a home run for any first date, the string of white lights, the view of the city, and the subtle music in the background all contributed to the tranquil atmosphere. Our food had settled, we had a few more drinks and now it was time to kick this bachelorette party in high gear.

We headed to the Blind Tiger. We heard that there was a beautiful courtyard in the back but we never made it past the handsome fellow pouring drinks. We bellied right up to the bar and for the next 3 hours we drank, sung and laughed. Usually an influx of wedding reception goers would annoy me but it actually created a little bit of anticipation for the upcoming wedding. The bride, with her tiara, was congratulated with hugs, incredible stories of love, but mostly with shots of whiskey. It was the Sunday before Memorial Day and we were fortunate to have met two young men who were on leave from the US Army. They are stationed in Georgia and recently returned from Afghanistan. They packed up their saxophones and left Georgia without a clear destination in mind. The ended up in Charleston looking for a place where they could eat, drink and play a little music. They both had this infectious spirit that reminded us all to embrace our lives. A classic Sunday-Funday.

The Blind Tiger

This weekend was another example of what I love about traveling. It's not the places I see, the food nor the drinks, but the people. The people make the place. I'll probably forget the name of the restaurant where we ate. I will definitely forget the historical facts we learned about the city. Hopefully I'll forget the image of that elderly man in the speedo on Folly Beach, but I won't ever forget this Memorial Day. We didn't go to any parades or wave any flags, but we yelled our hearts out for two Army guys playing the saxophone.