Here's to a fabulous 2011!

Two thousand Ten

I feel like this day last year was only yesterday and I can remember it perfectly. I remember a quote perfectly that was said, "This year is going to be a good year, I just know it." Boy, was it false and boy, was it ROUGH. I think I learned more about life this year than my whole 19 years of living through all the experiences that was dealt with. In which... I have never been so glad and thankful to have experienced them. Good or bad experiences, I am here, now feeling stronger and wiser than ever and anxiously waiting to get back to reality -but this time, playing by my rules.

I read an article in the The Lyre, a magazine that all Alpha Chi Omega sister's nationwide get, and there was a story titled, Winter Renewal, by Cheri O'Neill (Ball State University alumni). She wrote how her favorite season is winter, simply because it is like nature is giving you a clean slate. All the color is gone from the trees and the snow blankets the ground. There is a new, blank canvas awaiting for you to write in. Now call it quiencidence but right before I left for home, I kept going on, telling people that I felt like Im ending a chapter of my life for some reason and when everything returns it will be a new adventure and asking everyone if there feeling the same. It's only winter break and I have a whole semester left until Im halfway done with college! (wow scary thought right there). It might have to do with the insane-ness of my last three weeks of school. Or maybe it is because its Recruitment week once we get back and we are going to get our new baby Alpha Chi's! In which I've never been so excited for anything! Well, whatever the reson, Im glad there are signs everywhere that I am thinking in the right path (this includes quotes in Dove chocolate wrappers! I know I am so taking this all literally but hey what can I say). Excited for the new year and I am looking foward to what 2011 has to offer!I hope you are too -Happy New Year! xx

take me here

words cannot describe how much I would love to be here right now, right this second...

black swan

I saw this movie with my AXO sister's as a study break during finals week. After slowly stumbling out of the theater, confused and messed up, I was emotionless and literally no words could come out of my mouth. Now that I think back on it, personally, I really did NOT like it. But I know a ton of people who have been raving about this pyscho thriller that mentally messes you up so I think I should say its a Love or Hate film. The psychological emotions and mental state of being a perfect ballerina turns Nina into being a dancer that I hope I never see in anyone I know. Sadly, I do know there are probably people out there who think the way character Nina does and of course, some aspects of her characteristics I get and can see why she acts the way she does. But I think most dancer's would think the same. So overall, I was not the biggest fan of this movie. But I was a very big fan of the casting and how accurate the character parts were and not to mention -their costumes! Natalie Portman sold me into believing her portrayal of a perfectionist and in that young innocent state of mind of a dancer who wants to be perfect even though she was older than she acted and looked. The mom was a typical stage mom but grown up so now she's psycho "lets baby my daughter and make sure she gets what I, myself wanted but couldn't become" mother.
I could go on about how great each character was but I really wanted to mention how great the costumes were too! I love the scene when Natalie Portman (Nina) wore the light pink yumiko with a white trim and Mila Kunis (Lily) wore the same yumiko but in black and a white trim. And my fav part ...guess who made the ballet costumes? Rodarte! Of course they did because they were absolutely gorgeous and they had beautiful detailing! Here are sketches I found by Kate, one of the designers of Rodarte
Click them to see larger in detail

chocolate gingerbread men

It's an all time tradition for my mom to make homeade gingerbread cookies and for me to make the icing and decorate them for Christmas dessert! This year my mom was a little distracted by the new dishes she wanted to test out for this festive dinner and we forgot to get confectionary sugar aka the main ingredient for icing. So before the guests arrived, my cousin and I searched high and low for anything that would taste good with gingerbread and we found chocolate chips! So we melted the chocolated chips and shook some random green sprinkles to it give some festivness and wahlah!...
Now these were our test decorations and we didn't have much time to think about our chocolate "art" but you can think of so many different ways to decorate and it looks so chic as well as yummy! Actually, I think I prefer with the chocolate than icing now!

Olivia Palermo for Vogue Spain

Still a little on the stiff side to me but way better than her ad for Mango with her delicious boyfriend Johannes. She looks like she's having fun this time

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!

Today, in my on-going quest to find a new job around here and struggling with the whole seasonal "Yes I am in college, But ill be back!" line, I heard from a friend that the Paper Source store in our quaint little town center needed seasonal workers. I quickly stopped by and asked a sales associate if they were hiring and if I could fill an application. The lady said that she thinks they have filled all their spots but just in case they might need someone during these next few weeks, she gave one to me. About three-fourths of finishing the 4 page application, writing in the best handwriting I have ever written in, the manager comes out and introduces herself. About 2 seconds after she asks who I was, she goes off about how they don't need anymore people and doesn't know when she wants to "re-organize" her staff again, "But you can finish that application if you want too", she adds. OK great, let me go waste some more tree bark, just so you can feel good about how many people want to apply to your store. I quickly finished the application as my handwriting became less readable throughout the end and said "Thank you, Have a great Christmas."
I walked across the street to a Starbucks just to stand for a couple seconds because I didn't want to walk all the way back to my car in the blistering cold. I guess I looked pretty down and a boy working asked if I was alright and how its Christmas Eve, nobody should be looking blue. Usually I would just say yes Im alright, laugh a little, and then blame it on the weather but instead I told him a short version of the story and how I am in desperate need of just a normal job. He chuckled a little and said, "Guess that's life for us people around here", and then gave me a coffee on the house! It totally made up for what just happened and made me realize its Christmas, go home!
Driving back home drinking my coffee then realizing, if I drink coffee past a certain time of the day, I DONT SLEEP! I got home to my mom in the kitchen yelling throughout the house, when of course everyone was just standing right next to her, that we are going to two churches and going through two masses tonight (because my stepdad is Methodist and we are Catholic). 3 hours of the Nativity story and counting how many Poinsetta Plants are on the altar!? Good thing I drank this coffee! ...MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!

Holiday Mix

Christmas is my favorite time of year because of the cozy, warm, happy mood it puts people in. Drinking hot beverages while walking in the snow or smelling warm cookies in a room filled with festive lights and people is just so magical for me. Whether your at a party, having quality family time, or even by yourself, the music in the background is really what makes all the magic happen. These are my favorites that put me in the best mood whether im all alone drinking my marshmellow filled hot cocoa or in a room filled with warm people :)

-"Let it Snow" -Ella Fitzgerald
-"Last Christmas" -GLEE's version
-"The Christmas Song" -Nat King Cole
-"Happy Holidays" -Andy Williams
-"Santa Baby" -Eartha Kitt
-"Have yourself a merry little Christmas" -Frank Sinatra/ Ella Fitzgerald
-"Jingle Bells" -Ella Fitzgerald
-"Chesnuts roasting in an open fire" -Michael Buble
-"Sleigh Ride" -Boston Pops
-"Silver Bells" -Stevie Wonder
-"All I want for Christmas is you" -Mariah Carey

the adventure

HOME in VIRGINIA! Not really sure if I am extremely happy that I am because I do miss Butler already, but im sure loving no work and no deadlines!

So getting here from Butler was pretty much the most epic life changing learning experience ever, I can't even explain in words how our 16 HOUR ROAD TRIP home was. My friend and I left Butler at 4a.m to beat the snow storm that was going to hit Indy but when we walked outside it had already started. About to leave, we saw a boy coming from his car who just came from the airport, which in quincidence knew where he came from and who he dropped off because he is a friend of a friend of ours, said we should wait till morning because its pretty bad out there. Well the determined and brave people we are (not really we just wanted to go), decided to suck it and leave. We drive through Indiana really well considering the EXTREME SNOW and ICE conditions out there and make it to Ohio!! We do a little victory dance at a rest stop and then keep driving through this very long state, in pitch black darkness.

Were driving through Ohio and wait for daylight to come and we are soo close in reaching Columbus ...WE GET A FLAT TIRE!, right in front of the Columbus 11mile sign. We call AAA to put her spare tire on and drive to the closests tire store. My friend being super upset because she just got a flat tire two days ago and MADE sure all the other tires were good to go for this trip, we wait for 2 hours to get it fixed. While waiting, the positive side is that there was a Target next to the tire store and we went shopping to get our needed extra socks, coffee, and did our Christmas shopping there! We finally get back on the road putting us 3 hours behind. Still driving through Ohio we pass by parts of Cleveland which was really pretty! Looking at the cute houses and neighborhoods from a higher ground while listening to old school Christmas songs, we thought we were in a Christmas story book. Which is a lot better in the fact that, when we were driving thru Indiana's snow storm listening to old school 90's music we thought we were in a movie, kind of like Dumb and Dumber.

We go through Pennsylvania pretty well and then West Virginia which had beautiful mountains. We get a text from our friend and my mom to be careful because the roads are really bad in Maryland and back home. After going through just getting out of Butler, we hoped it wasn't as bad and we thought we were prepared for anything after that. Driving through West Virginia for about an hour or two, there were times when we didn't even know where we were because there was no signs, any life forms, or anyTHING around but somehow we finally got to Maryland!

Seeing that Welcome to Maryland sign was the biggest relief but little did we know it was going to seem the longest ride ever from there on. We drove along the mountains and curvy roads while it started to sleet, snow, i dont even know, from the sky. Although it was really pretty, everytime I took a picture of something pretty I kept on missing and then my PHONE DIED. Then 10 minutes later ...my FRIENDS PHONE DIED!! So now we have no connection with the outside world and hoping that nothing wrong happens because if so, we were screwed. Getting deeper into Maryland, the roads are getting scarier along with the stuff coming from the sky, hitting our really fogged up window. We saw a car in every ditch we saw and a GIGANTIC truck on the other side of the road on its SIDE, facing the other side of traffic, with its front side smashed and going down the mountain, and rangers on the street looking for missing pieces of the truck. We were scared but the brave selves we were, kept driving cautiously and just said, wow you know when your on the east coast when you see all this and people are bitches on the road. It's getting dark and I guess this part of Maryland thought they shouldn't put any highway lights around as we drove in pitch black darkness ...again. During this hour of the trip, the roads were getting really icy and there was fog coming from the ground -kind of like this year in the beginning of Act 2 of our Nutcracker when the angels come out and then when they would slip on stage, every performance. Because we really did not know where we were in the country, it actually looked like we were in outer space. But lo and behold, we see from our front window a huge mountain of LIGHTS -CIVILIZATION! It was a HUGE city of Maryland but it wasn't Baltimore, so we really did not know what it was -maybe it was just an illusion because after that it went back to the outer space thing again.

We finally get onto I-270 and 495, highways that we actually know and see signs for WASHINGTON/ NORTHERN VIRGINIA! We knew we were almost home by the ridiculous construction and the mean drivers that cut you off then drive slower once they are in front of your or tailgate you with their high beams on. THIS IS GREAT! We saw the landmark Tysons Corner and the huge buildings and its distractions it brings to the highway and we SCREAMED alleluia!! We got off on our exit and the rest is history...



Not once did we get lost due to my awesome directional skills or died! It was a pretty great story/ experience to top off my last three weeks of the semester and its ridiculousness of what we had to go through. Now it's time to be fun again and enjoy this holiday!

I have a feeling this will be the last time I write till im free again...

I was soo into my blog again and wanted to keep writing during this break! Anyways, I am back to Butler in my cozy house sitting in my semi holiday decorated room. I actually came back yesterday afternoon with only two other sisters and boy was this house creepy! There was one point in the early night when I was here by myself! So last night we decided to sleep in another dormitory where our other friends live because there was no way we were going to sleep here with just the two of us. Class starts tomorrow and Im working on all the work that I didn't get to do during break. I have a feeling my "downtime" in the theatre this week wont be as "down". Im slowly hearing people coming in and unpacking while Christmas music is already playing in their rooms. It's great. Just cleaned out my mug and our coffee maker, where my expresso beans our waiting, for my 7am wake up call. This is gona be great... here we go!

turkey was great, now lets listen to bing crosby!

Thanksgiving was fabulous just like the company I have been with this week! Although the trips back and forth in the mornings from my dads to moms got quite annoying -it was well worth it! I got happy family time and learned a lot from both sides of my family. Leaving tonight for my dad's to go to the airport tomorrow morning back to Butler, I am fully equipt for the next last 3 weeks of 1st semester. Here's how it goes: Week 1 -Nutcracker! Week 2 -Dance Finals. Week 3 -Academic finals ...then Winter Break! Got my suitcase filled with warm clothes, fully sewn pointe shoes, espresso coffee (gona need this real bad), secret santa gifts, and my half done homework. Of course this is the best time of year with everything going on but its busy, busy, busy! And for those of you who know me, knows how much I LOVE the holiday season! Yay! And what better way to come back to a house of red and green! (alpha chi colors ...i know so ironic and a little henious). But I shouldn't get so ahead of myself since I am still under that turkey's spell and still have a ton of work to do before we start on monday...
Anyways, I had such a great break and im so excited for the holiday season to begin!

couldn't resist this picture

Thanksgiving Break and Im finally home in the 703! I couldn't wait and was so excited I literally threw in 2 t-shirts and 2 pairs of pants in my suitcase and called it a vacation! Well along with my laptop and my homework that probably all weighs 300 pounds in total. They should call it Thanksgiving work not break, but oh well at least im stuffing my face while doing so.

Catching up on all my favorite blogs I came across this picture from The Sartorialist. Taken on the street of Madrid, I think this little boy is ready to be pinched and squeezed at Thanksgiving dinner!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

roomate love

I know it has been way too long -these past 2 months have just been so crazy busy it has felt like a whole lifetime that I have not been on this! But don't worry savvy readers, Im going to try all my keyboarding skills to keep writing on this for now on. haha

Living in Alpha Chi has been a blast and I am so fortunate to have this many loving sisters around -all in walking distance. This Halloween weekend was not so typical because well I am very sick and have no idea what I have. but our house won a fraternity's event and got to get in the biggest party of the year ...EARLY!! So of course I had to go and make my bad life decision once again but in doing so spending some ridiculous quality time with my roomates just minutes before. After changing 30 times of what my costume would be I ended being a pink cat? Yea I dont really know it was quite questionable throughout the night haha. But it didn't matter because I had so much fun with all my sisters and friends it was a pretty epic night. Now the morning after -not so much haha. I thought I was actually dying when I woke up. But again, I have my roomates to thank for being such awesome people and "disinfecting" the room with me -along with reminiscing the night before. Yes, I do feel like a truck just hit me but at least I have some pretty great memories!

Room 14!

Bon Voyage!

Back to Butler tomorrow morning! Sophmore year here I come! It's been great, VA -see you in November!

OMFG

YES YES YES CAN'T WAIT SEPT 13!!

Manage your Manila, then You Will Be at Peace

5 more days until im back to Butler!! Words can't even describe how excited I am! I don't even know what to expect how this year is going to go. It's like I know how life is there but it is still foreign of all the newness this year is bringing! Like living in my sorority house! Oh well, I guess im just going to have to take this unknown anticipation one day at a time this week. Packing is actually going pretty well, suprisingly. I think it has to do with leaving most of my stuff there and then thinking "woah this is going to be intense" as I looked at the piles of clothes in my room this past weekend. So im literally just packing on what I actually need. Im flying anyways so I can't even bring everything I want. But thats all right, thats what sisters are for right?! Hah

Anyways, there are lots of things to cover before I go back to school that I need my family for, in which that is why, it has to be before I go to school. Like my loans and bank stuff. I think after this process is over, if i ever hear the words loan, chase bank, or wow your going to be in so much debt after college, I will shoot myself!! And of course having divorced parents makes it ten times worse especially trying to communicate with both resolving one problem at a time. So many beige folders in my face -im suprised I haven't even touched them with pink sharpie's yet! But it's a good thing that I know everything and what is going on, how much Im going to have to pay when I get out of college and etc. Im also changing banks after I found out that my whole family has too -great thanks for telling me guys! And then getting overdrafted and having delay transactions constantly. Oh goodness

So yesterday my stepdad and I went to the new bank and got everything re-organized and such, so hopefully this account will be in tip-top shape before school starts. Afterwards we went to starbucks and talked about the bank stuff, loans, and just life in general. It was great bonding time since we hardly ever get to. He talked about his work or well said as much as he is allowed too, which lasted about 5 min haha. My stepdad works for the government -that's all I know. As a matter of fact, thats all anyone knows who doesn't work with him, including my mom. Growing up, of course, living around here, a lot of my friends parents had these types of jobs as well and when they said they weren't sure what their parents did, they really didn't know ahaa. He left for a business trip last week and I offered to take him to the airport but we weren't even allowed to know what airport he was flying out of! Crazy stuff. Anways, sitting outside at the starbucks on that very rainy day (just missing the huge storm that hit here) while Billie Holiday playing in the background was very relaxing and comforting. I love these moments where you have a big event going on in your life and you are just waiting for it to happen. Like right now as im pretty much almost packed already, there's nothing left to do but to relax and enjoy your company and what your life is of right now. Kind of like performance season. My favorite time of dancing is the week before the shows. Everyone is together at most during this time, there is so much energy and its so exciting. And you are ready -you are just waiting for it to happen. Although this is weird because sometimes I absolutely hate waiting -actually everytime that doesn't have to do with "the week before"...something i hate so much.

This summer was really eye-opening. It's a bit complicating to explain but making all of these projects and artwork just made myself more myself -if that makes sense. Im here now sitting with my grandparents on this very humid night, absolutely doing nothing. They are both reading the Chinese newspaper and we are eating watermelon . this is the life...

light paintings

My friend Chelsea told me about these light paintings earlier this week. Its an art that uses a slow-shutter camera as the perspective while its’ subject is a light in the hands of an artist. First done by the great Pablo Picasso. Picasso experimented with light paintings in his later career. He stood in front of the camera, with a flashlight, and traced his style of imagery in the air before the shutter slammed shut. The result was an illuminating set of photos that show the artist at work– a wild set of self portraits where this famed painter shared the focal point with his art. This modern perspective is quite genius -this is where it all started!




Julien Breton Light Calligraphy

I thought this was soo tight. The French calligrapher and graphic artist Julien Breton has extended his calligraphy into the world of photography and light. It is a collection of Arabic-inspired characters that come alive in this set for Compagnie Cortex, a French dance crew. Breton’s collaboration with these dancers is representational of the nature of this art form. The dancers hold their position, the lights are set and Breton outlines their forms with light calligraphy before the shutters close. HOW COOL!?!

why do i feel like everytime i look at my suitcase, it gets smaller?!

TWO more weeks till I leave for the BUT!!!! aka back to school, soo excited for sophmore year!! You know technically this blog is exactly one year old. I technically started writing in this the summer of my freshman year so ...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THIS BLOG! ahaha reading my old posts about how excited but nervous I was for college and move-in day are actually really funny. But yes, college is was what I expected it was to be, hard but fun. The dancing on the other hand, no words can describe how crazy your life is here but I am so excited to get back to our rediculous dancing schedule! Ha I say this now, but when the time is here ...ill probably be complaining, of course in a blog post, and plus I heard sophmore year is the worst ...great.
So Im here, scrambling to finish all my projects, sewing the last bit of my greek letters on some sweaters, and packing. Im such a difficult packer, here I am trying to be sensible and think twice if I really need to bring it but instead Im probably just going to be leaving a ton of stuff I actually need. I totally forgot how cold it gets in Indiana and what clothes I wore before Thanksgiving break so Im at a loss of what warm clothes I am suppose to be bringing. They are the most heaviest and used up space in my suitcase I'd rather not bring them, but of course thats my summer brain thinking.
Aah, summer was great. Or I mean IS great -its not over yet! Two weeks isn't enough and I thought I started early too! There is just too many places to go before I head on over to the great but dull Indiana (no offense). I forgot at home there are so many awesome hang out places around here that I would really like to go and see my home friends before I leave. I haven't even gallavanted the District for fun yet (in D.C where all the important stuff are). I always have to pass thru there for something that I usually don't really want to go to more or less DRIVE thru. Ugh, its pretty on foot -not on the road ...for all you future visitors. My family and I drove thru there last night for my sister and cousin's modern dance performance with the Sharna Fabiano Tango Company. The place they had their show was called The Dance Place. It's a very hidden building (of course, all dance places are) and we had to drive thru a not so nice neighborhood. It took us an hour! just barely making it for the beginning. But overall, it was a great performance! It was a little different for me because they had talking in it -kind of like poetry, deep poetry. It was about Love. A little hard for me to grasp the concept of the piece, but the words were so beautiful between the woman and a man. After the show my sister told me that it was about how in a relationship, its not your partner that is your other half but its that you, yourself are 100% and your partner is also 100% and that is what makes a relationship whole. I could go on about this some more, but like i said, two weeks isn't enough! There are minutes being wasted, people!!
Aha anyways, for those of you who are also must bring everything packers like me, try space-bags and GOOD LUCK!
(P.S for those of you who I asked for 8 things and are reading this, hurry up and think harder! I know you can't live without that phone next to you, now just think of 7 more!)

Here is a beautiful video from the Dutch National Ballet

life without glasses -no, not a good thing

I totally have to vent out on not having my glasses right now. It sucks! I have to get a new prescription and had to leave them at cosco for them to send over to the glasses factory or wherever they make new lenses. Having contacts on 24/7 gives me headaches constantly and I can't think straight!! Actually, I bet the solution to this problem would be ...I wish I wasn't so asian and my parents had perfect vision!! AHH

Happy SHARK WEEK!

Discovery Channel Headquaters in Silver Spring, MD ...mmm tastay

Tea, Organization, and the Little Mermaid

Im on a tea hyper-rage right now ...is that even a word? You know there was once in my life where I lived life without tea, I actually hated it. Tea always meant I was either sick or stuck at a party of old chinese men laughing at some science jokes my grandpa would be cracking ...in chinese. Well it wasn't until I came to Butler and started hanging with one of my bff's who seriously drank venti green iced teas as part of her religion. She got me into it and BAM, im a tea-aholic. Tazo Green Tea ...amazing! Then comes the Black, Earl Grey, and English Breakfast quickly filing in to the list of pleasing my hearthy soul. This also goes for coffee as well. I've always liked it though and have been experimenting with the limited of options you can put into coffee to make it taste great. But as of right now, nothing beats just a straight up black coffee in my book.

So tonight I ditched some of my friends who are out clubbing downtown. Yes, I know I am soOo lame, Don't remind me. Here I am drinking tea and blogging about it -I feel like Im 50. Oh well, at least I wont have nightmares of those creepy 40 year old men grinding up on 20 year old booty hanging un-classy girls tonight. Anyway's I have way too much on my mind right now. But first off, I'd like to tell all of you bloggers or should say internet surfers (wow that was totally even more lame I just said that), for those who know me, know that I am probably the most unorganized forgetful person they have ever met. I am really bad with technology, I have lost or broken 3 camera's, broke 3 computers and my laptop I am writing this with, I give to the geek squad on a daily basis (my dad puts every technology thing I own under warranty, he knows well). I seriously don't do anything weird when I go on computers. How I actually made this blog, can put stuff up, and have viewers, is a complete mystery to me. One of my friends said that maybe I have some electric spark thing in my body that just counterbalances with all other machinery things. Maybe she's right and Im actually a robot. Oh wait that would completely defeat the purpose of being totally unorganized and can't remember anything. This past winter, I found out I had/have ADHD plus a couple of other disabilities and "whooaa jesus!" everything is so clear now on why I have had so much trouble in school and in daily moments in my life! Oh well it doesn't really matter that much anyways, I mean yes Im getting extra time on exams but on stage there not going to be pausing the show and saying "excuse me audience, this girl has ADHD, please excuse her lackness of not knowing this choreography!" haha although that would be really funny. So this is it people, I have learned too many lessons and I need to apply them to my life NOW! I am so ready to go back to school and be on top of things and know what Im doing, where I need to be, and not having to ask everyone what is going on! I have a planner and everything, this is going to work people! Hah I say this every year.

Which comes to my next part. I AM SO EXCITED to go back to school in 3 weeks! Being reunited with my best friends and living in the best house ever! I have been catching up on one of my favorite shows, Greek (best show ever, watch it) and I can't wait to live with all my sisters and be a part of greek life. My friend Shelby and I ( the one who drinks the venti ice tea's as well as watches greek with me) have an inside joke, because I think 40% of the reason why I love this show is because I am obsessed with the 10 sec theme song in the beginning of every episode. Shelby is going to get me a card for my birthday with that tune in it and will play when you open it! Hah this would complete my life if she actually found this card. Im starting to downsize my closet with piles of clothes I am bringing to school. I'm flying back so this means less is more? Ugh life is so complicating. My room is a complete disaster, it looks like World War 3 just finished between the clothes, random "art" work I need to finish/ put somewhere/ do something with along with the clothes I need to finish sewing, shoes I need to clean but don't know how and what to clean them with, notebooks (because you all know my life is all LISTS), and wildlife that sneak past my window ...aka bugs! oh man, life living in the woods. Talk about organization. Oh well 3 more weeks and this place will be spankin clean or I should say minimalism modern ...hah get it? because there will be nothing left? Just tryin to talk style here.

Last but not least, lets see if I have the courage to dye my hair in not natural colors. I've been thinking about it all summer but I just don't know how I should be doing this? Should my hair be long or short? Im just thinking of getting a strand of hair pink or turquoise or something like this. My friend Valeska said if I kept my hair as long as it is now I would look like a mermaid. We were laughing for about an hour non stop! It wasn't even that funny haha and I actually wouldn't mind looking like a mermaid. I mean who wouldn't want to be a mermaid or merman? They're like the prettiest made-up creatures ever made. I wonder what it would be like to be a mermaid? Well probably wouldn't have to worry about organizational skills or having tea "hyper-rage". Anyway's summer is almost over, I need to do this. I need to do something different and live my life in colors. Pshht let's see if I will actually end up doing this...

Style File: Lyndsey Stupay

Age: 15
Hometown: Reston, VA
Current City: Ashburn, VA

Hobbies: Ballet, Travel, Scuba Diving, Reading, Art Journaling, Fashion Design, Blogging, jamming out it the car and wishing I was a computer hacker

KL: What do you love most about art?

LS: I think what I love most is the complete freedom you have when you're making something. Like the expectancy of a blank page or a new journal.

KL: How and when did you become so interested?

LS: I’ve always been interested in art, pretty much since I can remember. My nanny, Teresa, was the first person I remember who taught me to draw people...it sort of blossomed from there.

KL: Where do you find inspiration?

LS: Oh gosh, I get inspiration from so many places …blogs, magazines, music, books, travels etc. Occasionally an idea will just pop into my head but that’s only when I’m really lucky!

CURRENT PROJECTS: I work on so many things at one time it’s unbelievable. I’ve got tons of half-started journals and I like to go in between them …just to keep it interesting. I’ve got one journal for when I can’t fall asleep (entitled “when insomnia strikes), one journal that I started explicitly for this summer, a journal that I call my ‘book of pretty things’, a photojournal, and a recycled journal that I haven’t quite started but have gathered plenty of fodder for! The reason for all these journals is that I have a weird obsession with notebooks and such. I’ve got at least 15 or 16 of them! (P.S fodder means all the random junk that I collect for my journals and art projects)

KL: What is the most challenging aspect?

LS: The most challenging thing for me is that I’m a hardcore perfectionist. I want everything to look exactly how I imagined it and if it doesn’t I feel compelled to get rid of it. Sometimes it gets to the point where I’m almost afraid to start working on something for fear of messing up or not doing it right. It’s a sort of internal tug of war for me every time I open my journal… but I’m working on it.

{Lyndey's bedroom inspirations}

PERSONAL STYLE: Artistically I’m not sure how I would describe my style, I’m not even sure if I have one yet! I’m still figuring it out and learning new things about what I do and how I do it. In terms of fashion I have such a mixture of taste. I love things that are super edgy and high fashion couture, but at the same time I love the laid back styles of everyday like boyfriend tees and geek chic.

PERSONAL ICONS: Altynai Asylmuratova and Faroukh Ruzimatov from the Mariisnky (Kirov) Ballet, Oscar De La Renta, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander Mcqueen, Harrod Blank, and my ballet teacher Julia Redick

KL: What is a trait you most admire in a person?

LS: I think the trait I admire most from people is Understanding. Having someone there for you can be a life-saver when you’ve hit rock bottom.

KL: How do you spend your weekends?

LS: I usually spend my weekends at the ballet studio. But when I’m not there I like to chill at home and art journal, decorate my room, or think of things to put on my blog. I’m also a HUGE shopaholic, so if I’ve got money I’ll either be out shopping or surfing the websites of my favorite stores

{"I made this as a travel page when I was in the cayman Islands on a Scuba Trip."}

FUTURE DREAMS: Ever since I first saw The Children of Theatre Street I’ve known that ballet was what I wanted to do with my life. There’s something so wonderful and indescribable about dancing. I really couldn’t imagine my life without it…

{Familia}

Lyndsey's Favorite Things

Food: Greek yogurt with honey. I couldn't live without yogurt!

City: I think it would be Amsterdam. It’s so high fashion and there’s always something going on there.

{<--Aqabah}

Vacation spot: So far I’d say Aqabah, Jordan and the Red Sea. It was gorgeous and the diving was fantastic

Music: Currently my favorite artist is Stars. Also a friend really got me into Persian party music.

Book: I am truly, madly, and deeply in love with the Harry Potter series. Aside from that, I just read a book call The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson. It’s a really great (but slightly disturbing) mystery/thriller and is the first of a trilogy. I’m dying to read the rest!

Scent: I love Chanel perfumes. Lately I’ve been infatuated with Coco Mademoiselle Chanel and Chanel Chance

Thing to wear: my Charles David regiment boots! They are so freshhh

TV show: The Nanny with Fran Drescher even thought it ended in 1999. I grew up watching the show with my mom and even though I’ve probably seen every episode a hundred times it still makes me laugh!

{designs from Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters, guess which one is which!}

Store: I think it’s a tie between Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. Both stores have the most unique clothes…it’s no wonder I’m completely broke!

Fav word: The word “fly”. Used in sentence “Woah you lookin’ so flyy”

All artwork by Lyndsey Stupay. Check out Lyndey's blog at http://u-f-otofu.blogspot.com/

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined!" -Henry David Thoreau

Silver Spring, MD ...its pretty bad

Our whole family was just chillin at home in No. VA for that really short but LOUD storm. The power was flickering on and off and at one point off for only about 5 minutes. We didn't think of it as anything even though it was raining cats and dogs and Zeus' lightning bolts.
My sister and I left to go visit are grandparents in Silver Spring, MD yesterday and the one hour trip took two hours! 495 was completely backed up; I mean it usually is of course but we left at a time we knew everyone was already at work. When we finally got to Silver Spring all the stoplights were out and there was police at every intersection managing traffic. aka im pretty sure the whole department of Maryland popo's were out there. On top of that we see split trees fallen onto the roads and most of the stores and restaurants around had no power. We finally get to our grandparents' coldesack and some people's yards were completely ruined. Our grandparents house and tree's, thank god, weren't effected but their neighbor's huge pear tree in front of their house split into two! I really wish I could take pictures of this scene here right now! First the earth quake, and now this storm -what has Maryland done besides breed great crabs?!

Style File: Mimi Dabestani

Name: Mimi Dabestani
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Oakton, Virginia
Current City: Oakton, Virginia



How did you become so interested with photography?
Nothing really intrigued me to start, it's just something that I really loved to do. I loved the essence of being behind a camera.

What do you love most about photography?
I love being able to capture a moment and have it mean 100,000,000 words.

Where do you turn to for inspiration?
I find inspirations in the weirdest ways. I find it sometimes through my cats, my family, and really just my everyday lifestyle.


{Protest in Washington D.C for the people in Iran}

Do you have any personal icons?
My brother has been a great icon for me. Also, famous singers such as Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Red Hott Chili Peppers, Kid Cudi, and I also really like spongebob.

Describe your personal style.
I like to dress comfy but cute. Sometimes I like to dress up but mostly I just like to wear jean shorts, t-shirts, and flipflops.

How do you spend your weekends?
I like to spend time with my friends, and go to ballet.





All pictures are by Mimi Dabestani -Click here for more of Mimi's work