Category Archives: Fun

Liebster Blog Award

liebster

I’ve been confronted with a wonderful opportunity from two of my fellow bloggers. They have nominated me to receive the Liebster Blog Award. I feel honored and privileged to have been chosen and can’t wait to choose my nominees. May I just say that the support from the IFB community is outstanding!

So what is this award? The Liebster Award is meant to recognize the work done by upcoming bloggers and show support within the blogging community.

How does it work? When you have been nominated, you have 11 questions to answer. Answer them, then create 11 questions and nominate 11 other bloggers that you think need some recognition for their work!

Because I was nominated twice, I would like to answer both sets of questions. Please take some time to check out the blogs of those who nominated me,  “Sweet With Envy” Be Inspired and Taticeballos. Thanks again, ladies! I truly appreciate it.

First Set

1. Why did you start blogging?
- I started this blog about 2 1/2 years ago after I graduated from college. I was feeling anxious about graduation, life after college, and what would come next. I started reading and compiling articles and realized that this information could not only help me, but others in a similar situation as well. 

2. What is your favorite style of shoes?
- I absolutely love high heels. I work in a corporate office, so I’m constantly having to dress the part. When I’m not in heels, you’ll find me in Nike gear, especially their Lunarfly running shoes. I’m a fitness fanatic, so when I’m not working I’m either in the gym, going for a bike ride, or at a bikram yoga class. 

3. Who is your favorite designer?
- I have a lot of favorite designers. Alice & Olivia, Elizabeth & James, Paper Crown, Phillip Lim, and Sam Edelman all top my list. However, my absolute favorite designer right now is Tory Burch. I love every collection she showcases, from the purses to the jewelry to the shoes. Her style is so simple, yet it’s elegant and crisp. Her collections stand out in a way that differs from most in the industry. 

4. What is your favorite magazine?
- My favorite magazine is FitnessRx. I always find what I’m looking for and it’s not bogged down with ads like most magazines these days. They always feature new work-outs that are perfect when I feel like I’m doing the same mundane routine! 

5. What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?
- Simply put, I want to inspire. I want to act as a beacon of hope, inspiration, and motivation. Good things happen to people everyday, and I feel very fortunate to be able to share my wonderful journey along the way. 

6. Have you ever volunteered?
- Yes, I used to volunteer all the time. My most recent volunteer activity was “Rebuilding Together”, an event where we rebuilt run-down houses in the Houston community. I was also an active member in Junior Achievement, a program designed for working professionals to go to schools and teach children important lessons learned from the corporate world. I haven’t volunteered much lately, but I plan to be more active in 2013. 

7. Have you ever taken dance lessons?
- A dance lesson like tango or salsa? No. But I did dance for many years when I was little as well as throughout high school. It’s definitely one of my favorite past times. I miss it greatly.
 

8. Do you wear make up?
- Yes, I do wear make up. I prefer minimal make up during the day- some tinted moisturizer, mascara, and lip balm does the trick. For dinner or a night out, I like to change it up with a pop of color. MakeUp Forever’s Aqua Rouge red lip stain has been my go-to lately.

9. How often do you post on your blog?
- I try to post everyday. If I miss a day, I always try to catch up. We’re all human and we’re all busy, but I do my best to stay on top of it! 

10. Do you shop online?
- Yes, I love shopping online. Lately, I’ve been too lazy to drive to the mall and park knowing that I have to deal with crazy herds of holiday shoppers. Surprisingly, I’ve never ordered a “wrong size”. I think that’s because I know my body type and what will look good, as well as what won’t. 

11. What is your favorite store to shop?
- I love Urban Outfitters. I always seem to enter the store with one thing in mind and end up walking out with multiple bags. Not to mention, their shoes are to die for.

Second Set

1. Why did you start your blog?
- Same as #1 above :)

2. How did you decide your blog’s name?
- I wanted to choose a name that would be different and unique. I found myself asking, “Now what?” quite often my senior year, so “College Graduate, Now What?” seemed to fit just right.

3. Which of the four seasons do you look forward to the most?
- Winter. I absolutely love cold weather and everything that comes with it- building snowmen, making snow angels, skiing & snowboarding. And my favorite holiday is Christmas, so it all works out!

4. What’s your biggest pet peeve?
- People who pretend to be someone they’re not. It sounds very cliche, I know. When you make poor choices in the past, it’s extremely hard to make up for them in the present. Own up to your poor choices. Admit your mistakes, learn from them, don’t repeat them, and move on.

5. What is your favorite item in your closet?
- My Tory Burch riding boots. I love them. A lot.

6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
- London. Hands down. The location, the culture, the atmosphere. It is perfection.

7. What is your secret indulgence?
- Kolaches. My mom, sister, and I always make these cookie-like treats around the holidays. They’re filled with apricot jelly and they’re absolutely delicious.

8. Your least favorite color?
- Army green. I just don’t think it looks good on anyone.

9. What did you want to be when you grew up?
- A writer. Still a dream in progress :)

10. Who takes the photos for your blog?
- Yours truly.

11. What is your favorite quote?
- “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings

photo(8)
Now for my 11 questions:

1. What is the purpose of your blog?
2. What is your favorite past time?
3. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
4. If today was your last day, what would you do?
5. What is your favorite book?
6. What is your favorite holiday and why?
7. What is your dream job?
8. If you could take back one thing in your life, what would it be?
9. Share a pearl of wisdom or piece of advice that has benefited you.
10. If you could turn back time, where would you go?
11. How do you hope to be remembered?

And my 11 nominees:

Puggle Wears Prada
Undiscovered Worth
Fashion Edible
Fashion Love Unlimited
Really Risa
Jodie’s Closet
The Vanity Effect
Soul of a Fashionista
That Fashion Chick
Crime of Fashion
J’Adore La Mode Chic

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Happy Halloween!

Humans beware. Ghosts, goblins, and witches are here!

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Travel Thursdays

As much as I love to travel, I find myself starting to plan trips overseas, completely forgetting that I’ve just moved to a beautiful new city in North Houston. Do I still want to travel to Greece, Spain, China, and Morocco? Of course I do. But it might be refreshing to discover the nooks and crannies of my city before jetting off around the world to a different time zone. With visits from my loved ones quickly approaching, I decided that spending a lot of time outdoors was the best way to enjoy the weather and festive decorations. It is Fall after all, and my little suburban town is just itching for that cooler weather to ride in.

It may look small, but there are plenty of discoveries just waiting to be made:

{Photo via TheWoodlands}

Here are a few things I can’t wait to check out while my boyfriend and sister are here:

1. Market Street
I’ve been here a few times, but haven’t poked my head in all the shops and restaurants yet. I really want to enjoy it outdoors at night when the palm trees are twinkling with lights and the water fountains are shooting colorful streams of liquid into the air. It reminds me of Kierland back home. {Photo}

2. Uni Sushi
This sushi place is located in the heart of Market Street and has gotten great reviews.
I’m excited to try it out with my boyfriend when he comes to visit next weekend. {Photo}

3. Cru Wine Bar
Also located in Market Street, this modern bar has a little something for everyone.
Every time I drive by it, I just want to hop out and enjoy a quick glass of pinot noir. {Photo}

4. The Woodlands Mall
It’s the perfect place to walk around, enjoy the sights, and venture into new stores.
And of course, spend that hard earned cash. {Photo}

5. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
There are always great concerts going on here. I need to check the dates! {Photo}

6. Waterway Trolley
What better way to explore than by taking a trolley around town? {Photo}

7. Waterway Cruiser
Or even better, discover the town by boat! {Photo}

15 Ways 20-Somethings Ruin Their Twenties

Thought Catalog has too many wonderful articles lately. I have a hard time choosing which ones to share! This one made me laugh.

1. Letting themselves get out of shape. If you’ve ever watched The Biggest Loser and questioned the contestants desire, based on their struggles — you’ve never been out of shape. You’ll find that the rumors are true, and your metabolism moves slower than a snail at the DMV as you get older. If you continue washing down brownies with Mountain Dew and discounting the value of working out, you will pay. I assure you that once you’ve officially gotten out of shape, it’s so much harder to get fit. The mere sight of a treadmill will make you want to run anywhere but on it.

2. Spending substantial amounts of money on farfetched concepts. Buying several lottery tickets, playing the slot machines and joining pyramid schemes are all poor decisions, with slim chances of making profit. (Heads Up: 99% of well-dressed individuals who approach you with a business proposal/job opportunity just want you to help them build an unprofitable pyramid.)

3. Staying involved in destructive relationships. In middle school and high school, everyone dated everyone — but your 20s should see stricter standards and principles enforced. There’s no sense in being with someone whom you can’t picture yourself happily with in the foreseeable future. Don’t get me wrong, fixing damaged relationships is great; but trying to glue back a thousand broken pieces while getting cut in the process is unhealthy.

4. Cohabitating with a lover whom you’re not married to. Often couples convince themselves that moving in together is a splendid idea, when that’s not always the case. Sure, some live happily together, but it’s not for everyone. Be certain that you’re not rushing into things. It’s not as simple as sharing a shower, owning his and hers robes, and having sex frequently. Many characteristics are revealed, and obnoxious habits are exposed. Living with a significant other too early can be detrimental to the entire relationship.

5. Accepting and embracing drama. When you graduate high school, the cattiness and immaturity proceed to follow some. We have to refuse to be a part of any high school level shenanigans. Hearsay, gossip, he-said-she-said — all those bastards got a diploma and followed some miserable souls well into their 20s. It’s a matter of rejecting the slightest hint of drama, and wisely refusing to speak, act, or feel anything based off of it.

6. Settling for a subpar job that makes you miserable. Hard work and dedication, no matter who the employer, are admirable traits. If you find yourself performing unhappily at a place, be certain that you’re just doing so as a means to get by until you can pursue your personal goals. Every opportunity to take a shot at your dream career should be greeted passionately by you. Too often people forget that the 20s are an ideal decade for trial and error. Test things out, then fail or succeed.

7. Putting excessive amounts of value in attention received on social networks. Gauging your popularity and significance by the amount of likes your Facebook statuses got. Feeling physically unappealing because your Instagram photo — which you spent an absurd amount of time selecting an effect for — didn’t get a satisfying amount of compliments and responses.

8. Being a pushover. Little things like accepting the wrong drink at Starbucks, or pretending not to notice someone cutting you in line aren’t crucial. The issue is the snowball effect that follows. People see that you’ll give an inch, so they’ll greedily take a mile. In today’s world, it’s hard to be nice without somebody trying to take advantage of your kindness. Establish firm limitations that people know better than to cross. It might take temporary sternness, but in the long run it’ll pay off.

9. Taking pride in being widely considered a b-tch or a d-ck. Why being loathed (for good reason) has become a fad is beyond me, but it’s definitely a thing. It’s fantastic to be who you are, but to consciously treat people sh-tty and then brag about having “haters” is just dumb. Nobody is invincible — so continuously pouring gasoline, lighting matches and burning bridges will come back to haunt anyone eventually.

10. Being self-destructive. Continuing personally damaging conduct, with no intentions of stopping can have a lasting effect on your 20s. Getting arrested, pissing off friends, being irresponsible with finances — these are just a few of the seemingly infinite ways to ruin one’s self.

11. Passing on spontaneous adventures and the opportunity to experience new things. If friends are taking an impromptu trip to a nearby city, pack a small bag and roll with. These little things are what make the decade. Beyond the inside jokes and perspective on classic stories that you’ll miss out on, you’ll lack good times. If serious responsibility isn’t withholding your presence, then nothing else should be. Attend gatherings, give unfamiliarity a chance and build a résumé of awesome memories.

12. Remaining bitter. If you’re still angry with the ex from over five years ago, or badmouthing the company that didn’t hire you — do yourself and those around you a favor by stopping. The anger is unhealthy to hold on to, plus it makes you a misery to be around. Bitter passes are typically handed out to the freshly dumped, or recently rejected — but in time you must forgive or forget. Whichever you choose; be firm on it.

13. Making yourself difficult to love. By being shutdown and over-complicated, you create a seemingly impenetrable shirt, doused in cupid repellant. We all struggle in our own unique, disastrous ways — the key is to fix them. Making yourself available, approachable and open/honest will work wonders for your love life.

14. Being a pessimistic, opinionated hater. Yeah, that’s something we all want to be around in our spare time. Every movie out isn’t terrible, every song isn’t garbage. This personality type is in for a reality check when eventually nobody wants anything to do with ‘em.

15. Spending large chunks of time dreaming about a utopic, perfect world in which everything is just peachy. Having high hopes and aspirations for the future is a great thing, it’s just important to draw the line of frequency somewhere. Picturing a fantasy land in which you own nice things, are surrounded by beautiful people and have Uncle Scrooge sized piles of money isn’t going to bring those things to fruition. The dreaming is the easy part, it’s the living that requires some heavy lifting and effort.

via restartmyheart

These are a few of my favorite things…

1. The color purple
2. My precious kitty, Lacy
3. University of St. Thomas Campus
4. Six Flags Magic Mountain
5. Judith Ripka Ring
6. Mark West Pinot Noir
7. Pita Jungle’s Hummus with Chicken
8. My sister
9. My mom

The beginning

There are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the beginning of a new life.

-Anonymous

Thank you for always being there. Thank you for letting us shine.

Happy 4th!

Have a wonderful and safe holiday. Happy 4th of July!

Street Style

These ladies keep it lovely, whether heading to work or lounging at home- but most importantly, on the street!

via {vanessajackman}

via {altamiranyc}

via {thesartorialist}

via {inthecitywithcrystalin}

via {nearconformist}

via {pinterest}

via {themannequinmd}

via {studdedhearts}

via {vogueandcoffee}

via {chictopia}

Coco Chanel said it best

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.

- Coco Chanel

via {pinterest}

via {pinterest}

via {vivaluxury}
Gold Sequin Shorts – Lulus.com
Blazer – Zara,
Denim Shirt – Thrifted, Bag – Asos.com
Sandals – Giuseppe Zanotti
Wrapped Snake Bracelet – LastMinuteAccessories.com
Necklace – ShopBelina.com
Bracelets – Planet Blue

via {vogue-belle}

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via {hautelook}

via {obaz}

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via {theberry}

via {saboskirt}


Spring Cleaning? Or Spring Splurging?

Now that it’s officially Spring, I’ve been itching to go shopping. Good thing the issuance of my bonus is right around the corner. Below are a few items I am eager to add to my already full, under-sized closet.

Everything about this screams perfection. Especially the lace skirt.
via {asimplebreeze}

I don’t wear much pink, but this combo is girly, yet elegant.
via {pinterest}

The cut-out on this dress is to die for.
via {tuulavintage}

The hat, flowy top, and floral shorts = perfect combination of casual, urban, and sweet.
via {saboskirt}

Bohemian Head Scarf. Stylish in every way possible.
via {pinterest}

So simple, yet so perfect for spring.
via {pinterest}

Call me crazy, but those shoes are the epitome of comfort. They don’t look so bad either.
via {pinterest}

Beach ready.
via {weheartit}

Gina Shift Dress, $33. Need this.
via {tobi}

Casual & beachy, yet still professional.
via {island}

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