All posts by Siree

Alone in The Big Apple – New York

Processed with VSCOcam with b5 preset

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

1420969880215 mac barProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with m5 preset

1420973506760Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

central park

10952228_10204256229578241_1885359686_o

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 preset 1420192124679Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetProcessed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

 

When I told M I wasn’t planning to put New York on my itinerary for my solo trip to the United States, she gently gave me a “WTF are you kidding me?!” kind of you-can’t-be-serious look on her face.

What fashion blogger hasn’t been to New York City?

I was corrected to rethink my travel plans again under this wisdom of unwritten assumed knowledge and I got to say, I’m glad I did.

New York was indeed the city that every aspiring fashion blogger needs to visit. Living by example, Sex and the City did teach me 2 important things about Carrie’s NYC. First, writing and being unapologetically fashionable go hand-in-hand and second, you should always invest time in your girl sisterhood.

Indeed I did feel New York was that kind of destination you just have to bring your best girl pals to and really enjoy some close knit bonding over a trendy hole-in-the-wall brunch, casual Soho shopping and the delights of this metropolis sheltered under its Art Deco mixed English Baroque architecture.

Manhattan is surely the largest city I have ever experienced!

In my 4 days I have completed, discovered and missed some very crucial hot spots on my hit list just simply because The Big Apple is just that – big. It overwhelms me to think what would the city be like without its iconic Central Park occupying most of the upper half in the concrete jungle. I spent a good 2 hours trying to see every inch of this park and still left the West part untouched!

My overall vibe of New York’s style guide is the city of branded handbags paired with trouser pants with the colour of winter showing its arrival to the streets and the shoe of choice was a decision to go either heels or trainers on the hard cobblestone to tile pavement. As an early birthday present (gifted by me to myself) after dropping by the major stores in Bloomingdales and 5th Avenue, I finally settled on an Alexander McQueen in their Lexington store. Tote styles I found make shorties like me feel out of proportion to their length but the Heroine Open Tote was a nice shape without joining the entourage trendiness of Prada Saffiano’s, I love it! I gave up on my heeled boots on my first day and spend the rest in my trainers. Ah sweet relief!

I reached my peak of loneliness after getting stuck on a packed train behind another traveller not knowing where he was getting off, taking me two stops later arriving at Grand Central with no underground internet or underground line map to figure the way back. Note to self – must hard copy a subway map. In my despair of a rough and long day, I spontaneously cut my fringe a bit too short and became micro – Oops. 

Lucky for me, it turned out surprisingly good! :D

At this point of my trip, I’m not sure how I would live life not knowing Trader Joe’s existed but it has certainly made me join the health food craze. This well-summed up photo essay by Buzzfeed gets an A for my appreciation because, their foodstuff is just too damn tasty. A grocery shop that embraces pumpkin season with pumpkin-on-pumpkin-on-top-of-pumpkin noms has my money.

 

Here’s the TL;DR of my NYC:

 

Manhattan Highlights
∇ The Mac Conner: A New York Life Exhibition at The Museum of the City of New York 
∇ Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity 3
∇ Shopping down Soho Area and Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
∇ Fav NY Shops: In God We Trust, Catbird NYC, Opening Ceremony, The LEGO Store
∇ Aladdin and Avenue Q Musicals at Broadway
∇ Swedish food at FIKA
∇ Milk Bar by Momofuku
∇ Mac N Cheese at MacBar on Prince St
∇ Reuben Sanga at Katz Delicatessen

 

Until next time!
Siree
Xx

FML: Weekend Ride

goth3

goth1

IMG_6803

goth2

// Hat: Agent NinetyNine // Dress: No label but similar find here // Shoes: ZU //
Damn I have forgotten how to ride a bike!
It feels like all these childhood learnings that I’ve spent many a hard long summer in the local park conquering have disappeared from my adult mind like ice skating and roller blading. It was pretty much the only regular sport I did other than finding a shopping center with a temporary ice rink for the summer to cool down and practice Figure 8s on. Skating backwards was pretty much the coolest average thing you could claim as the skater skill to know back in those times.
About this cute white Dutch style bicycle my dad picked up for me in mind, I couldn’t wait to try and ride again on this vintage cruiser when I saw it – or so I thought. Seriously, are the seats supposed to be this high? I know I’m not very tall but I think these standard frames are a bit cumbersome for the shorties who’s average measurement to standard proportions have missed the mark by a few centimeters. Unfortunately, the amount of scratches and knee scrapes did not fruit into a decent growth spurt in my favour. In any case, this Hollander does look great in photos melting the grunge city streets into an enduring portrayal of urban life. It’s very picturesque!
To be honest, I’m not feeling this dress on me. No, no I’m not looking for sympathy on the matter. I think it was one of those designs that was nice in theory but failed in execution. The plunging V line with lace would be nice if you had a ‘flatter’ and slender frame and the proportion breakout from torso, sleeves to skirt was just unbalanced for my body liking. The lace sleeves was its only saving grace but I’m always game to try on different styles.
Anyway, hope you all had a great Christmas!
Until next time!
Xx
Siree

Alone in Angel City – Los Angeles

 

10877608_10203964433043510_767213690_nsantamonica

10872475_10203964671169463_687370968_n10846789_10203964370281941_529787226_n hollywood

10884566_10203964671449470_417053737_n

110818882_10203959329875934_1036458828_n10867054_10203959263474274_1762445475_n10867076_10203959263714280_1512852140_n

hollywoodsign

Ahoy! Ahead is sort of a partial diary page in my self-guide to traveling solo in your 20s, I guess.

If you have never ever considered the idea of traveling solo, I ask, may you reconsider the idea again?

I must admit that the lack of selfies and menu choices for the singular experience can leave you missing the shared fun of doing things in sets of twos (or more), but if Bear Grylls has taught me anything about slowly awakening the more instinctual and open minded side of adventure, it’s about being resourceful. And sometimes, that can only be found when you are on your own.

Although I have been by now on a couple of travels plane hopping without a companion to call ‘friend’ for a good portion of a trip, my second time traveling solo was indeed a true solitary experience. Across four cities in two weeks. Destination: United States. And now that I am looking at this from the other end, from being 24 to now 25, it’s not all about being mentally tough and letting the complete selfish act of only thinking about your besties (Me, Myself and I) take over your every day without compromise. There will be a point when you just feel too damn alone to be happy by yourself for these occasions (an experience I felt in New York which I will share on a later date). Still, I think it’s something you can’t avoid. Accept it, embrace it, and then move on. It’s not all sugarcoated freedom as it might sound at the start but once you get over it, I found I was able to lighten up at the small joys of the treasure find. Whether it was finding a good spot for a much needed break from pounding pavement or better time management to fully conquer my to-do list, the adventure was like a Survivor guide to evaluating and strategizing fun in the absence of company, without having to deal with that tribal outplay drama cos, you know – no tiki torches.

Admittedly, coming from Australia I would say venturing to the Land of the Free (and the Home of Pumpkin Spice, my newly discovered favourite) would be considered a stranger kind of familiar than foreign. So of course I would naturally end up first on the West side to discover our long lost distant cousin who would make me want to stamp every experience with that distinctive Cali-vibe I heard so much of from the lyrics by a certain Californian Girl.

Los Angeles this early October was a mixture of familiar short-shorts and tee’s in the unusually hot weather in the Autumn season and I am convinced that the space this city land mass has occupied could shame a tetris labyrinth – sandwiched between beachy coast and arid desert. Crazy Winter pattern aside, LA seemed to share many aspects of Sydney’s lifestyle, the casual dress code, the urban beach scene is a interesting mix of Manly and Bondi eccentrics and body shapes and how public transportation is a bio~tch. Lucky, public transport was no longer my sole method to get across the ridiculously long roads of Angel City in the form of a most gracious acquaintance from a dear friend (I realized early that no one uses their legs for more than a few blocks) but I heard Uber was a nice alternative to hack the vast maze blocks that make up LA in no time for those with no wheels.

If you are only traveling for a few days in LA, here is my hit list of must does which I found enjoyable:

la map

Until next time!

Siree

Xx

FML: Summer Dazed with Quirky Circus

Advertorial

34

2

1

// Apricot Bloom Dress c/o Quirky Circus //

Behold my micro fringe! So, what do you think?

As you might have guessed, I’m unashamedly smug about it because I’ve been getting quite a few praises for its edge. And also, I cut it myself. On a spontaneous whim while alone in my hotel during New York travels. I win. :)

Please don’t hate on my left-for-dead locks these days. It’s a daily struggle to keep it looking at least decent to pass as healthy let alone living. Sob.

Dressed up for town like a sun-deprived sunflower, heat slapped from the weekend heatwave and enjoying a Marilyn Monroe moment in this flirty cute sundress from Quirky Circus, the offbeat sibling to older sister brand Mink Pink, is a perfect example of being Sydney day casual for high summer.

If you enjoy vintage silhouettes and prints for the modern girl with adorable collection stories such as At The Lake, The Antique Shop and a day at the Blue Mountains, definitely check out their range in Myer or online.

Until next time!

Xx

Siree

Quirky Circus | Website | Facebook

GTFO – Bread and Circus Wholefoods Canteen

b&c01

b&c04

b&c06

b&c07

b&c08

b&c03

Breaking bread at Bread and Circus Wholefoods Canteen was a week of calling for my inner being.

Its crate-to-table concept models the simple approach to eating which I find inviting, just like its many quirky scattered pineapple fruit and quaint dainty pink plates beacon me to “tea time.” It’s that light and fresh touch to the day that picks you up and motivates a wave of goodness to eat food that’s wholesome like nature intended – wedged between two slices of fresh sourdough bread with butter (mmmm).

b&c02
Tower of Juices – cold pressed of course

Food

Rating: ★★★★

Definitely the must-have on the menu. Their deconstructed sandwich boxes are better suited for your adult sensibilities than the open sandwich variety as it centers on the best part of its anatomy – the filling.
Like all sandwiches, there’s nothing too complicated about its components as all boxes are assembled with a basic salad of tomato, avocado slices, cucumber, grilled brussels sprouts and sometimes a pilaf mixture, with the sauce and meat differing. However, it’s definitely the quality of each element that makes it delightful to graze on since everything was well seasoned and marinated.
Digging in separately or pilled on together on bread, it was a joy to eat both ways!
b&c11
Talyssa’s Choice: Grass-Fed Sustainable Medium – Rare Beef Sandwich Box
b&c09
Sora’s Choice: Meredith Goats Chevre Sandwich Box
b&c10
My Choice: Preservative – Free Pino’s Smoked Turkey Sandwich Box

Setting and Atmosphere

Rating: ★★★★

Re-imagining the canteen setting as a semi industrial warehouse style kitchen cafe at Bread and Circus would make every school kid jelly to know what their canteen could look like with a little thought.

There’s plenty to look at full of quirky cool knick-knacks and fruit display center pieces scattered everywhere with various seating styles from low coffee tables, communal tables and booth seating options making dining entertaining. It’s super chilled and relax, what’s not to like for a perfect late weekend lunch?

Service

Rating: ★★★★

I really enjoyed the staff at Bread and Circus. The 2pm crowd was a bit quiet that day so it felt nice to see everyone so nice and welcoming to see if you were comfortable at your table and causally checking in on you from time to time. It reminded me of the customer service you would expect from the States which there is a certain lack thereof in Sydney’s attitude towards customer service generally…

Pricing and Value for Money

Rating: ★★★★

For the quality and portion size of our meals, it’s certainly affordable, if not a lot more reasonably priced than some of the lunch menus out there for these types of eating spots.

With options for side, regular and sharing sizes for some of their dishes, the menu is generous for choosing different eating styles so you can stretch your cash if you want a try of everything and share.

b&c05

Where to Find Bread and Circus Wholefoods Canteen

21 Fountain Street, Alexandria

Website

Opening Times:

Open 7 days:
Weekdays 7am – 3pm
Weekends 7am – 4pm

Review: Vision Direct – Moschino Eyewear

Advertorial

1

5

4

3

6

7

2

// Sunglasses: Moschino c/o Vision Direct //

There’s a frame for every face. Well, I guess you can say that is a half-truth.

I would like to argue that not all faces are blessed with the versatile symmetry a perfect carved frame can demand in the growing world of eyewear. Out with the skinny and in with the new thick frame shapes, it’s a challenge that seems to bring out the strongest of emotions when you realize, it was just not meant for you.

But there is always that one pair that will make your heart beat a little faster, to stop and consider that behind its mirrored sheen, will uncover a Bright Young Thing in you just hiding behind some shaded designer bliss, and your half baked hope when you find one juuust right for you revives all over again.

Interestingly, the pointed cat eye can work for this edgier squared jaw of mine but for that speak louder and be bolder statement that has been affectionately synonymous with the Moschino attitude, channeling some hero red will never let an oversized frame hide you.

I am always in search for a frame that will sit comfortably on a wider face shape like mine and the quality of these sunnies sits nicely with no strain to give you that throbbing migraine afterward. Note: Always very much appreciated.

If you are interested in grabbing a pair or a few different incarnations for your styling pleasure, try Vision Direct and their seriously large online selection of branded specs to take advantage of their handy online features such as virtual try on testing, speedy shipping and health rebate claim options. As far as designer goes, you can expect to see a considerable list of named brands to select from and they stock current 2014 ranges too, I was impressed!

So like all the essential reds in your style guide – lipstick, handbag, and nails, never overlook that other best accessory in your arsenal no matter how hard the search.

I am, of course talking to the reflection staring back at you through that mirrored sheen.

 

Until next time!
Siree
xx