A Day in Astoria

I was a bit overdue for a day trip to Astoria, so today, I met Katie, MA & Lizzy up in Queens for a girls afternoon. Our first stop was the flea & food market - it's an awesome (and very manageable) market with tons of delicious, local food options and some quirky stands. By the end of our two hours there, I managed to consume strawberry basil lemonade, cucumber mint limeade, an Asian cabbage pancake with noodles, a few bites of a deep fried rice ball & a few too many samples of salsa. Needless to say, I was a happy girl.

After we felt satisfied by our food choices, we made our way down to the different product stands. I ended up at a jewelry stand called We See Stars and purchased two midi rings that I'm LOVING (one is gold and the other is rose gold - perfect for stacking).

After scouring the market for a bit longer, we split ways, and Katie and I decided to hit one more shop: Lockwood. This place is such a hidden gem for gifts (and adorable clothes, jewelry & housewares that are pretty impossible to pass up). I left with some constellation socks for Brandon and nail stickers with lovely pastel colors & geometric patterns, but I definitely wish I left with more... the candle selection was ah-MAZING.

Sock It To Me - Men's Constellation

Museum Nails - Paint Strokes with Gold

Katie & I were feeling quite indulgent, so we capped off the day by getting mani/pedis at Athena's Nails in Queens. A hot coral for my toes and Essie's "Marshmellow" on my fingers, and I left feeling like a million bucks. It was an awesome day with great friends, and the weather couldn't have been better. Days like this make me love summers in New York. 

Hope you have a great week, all! Xx

Steep Your Soul: Maya Angelou

Super Soul Sunday is one of my favorite weekend rituals. Brewing my morning coffee & snuggling under a blanket with my windows wide open - with Super Soul Sunday on TV - always starts my Sunday off in the best way possible. It's uplifting & inspiring, and gives me incredible food for thought for the week.

Oprah often references Maya Angelou in her show, so when she passed away recently, I turned to Oprah's content to learn more about her life & her messages. I ended up on Oprah's YouTube channel, watching video after video with Maya, and her words really hit home with me.

While all of her messages are worth sharing, here are a few that brought me chills in those videos:

• "Love may be the energy that keeps the stars where they are. Love may be the energy that keeps blood flowing through our veins. It is the reason for everything good."
• "It's such an amazing understanding to think that the "It" which made fleas and mountains, rivers and stars, made me. What I pray for is humility. That there is something bigger than you and I. I would like everyone to think of a statement by Terrence: "I am human. Therefore, nothing human is alien to me."
• "When you know better, you do better. Don't hold yourself hostage for who you used to be."
• "When people tell you who they are, believe them."

I'm hoping I can embody some of Maya this week.

Xx