New York, New York

(1) Spiked Christian Louboutin Pigalle. As the lovely sales person at Bergdorf's said, Mr. Louboutin makes art. If it happens to fit your feet, so much the better. Out of all the offerings from this ubiquitous designer I was most interested in the Pigalles because of their elegant curvature and classic pointy toe. I've heard many women complain about the awful sacrifices they make to fit and walk in these shoes, so I've decided to investigate on my own. Let's just say this is the one and only time I will EVER wear Louboutins. Ever. Orthopedic surgery ain't worth it in the long run.

(2) On a Manhattan rooftop. Wearing a J. Crew blazer ($20 via eBay), J Brand jeans ($40 via eBay),Valentino sweater ($35 via eBay), Burberry flats ($190 via Nordstrom Rack), Fendi sunglasses ($80 via Nordstrom Rack), Calvin Klein belt, and Bric's bag ($100 via DSW) and enjoying the sunset's at a friend's place.

(3) Sunset reflecting off a glass paneled building. For this shot I was just in the right place at the right time.

(4) Sunset in NYC.

(5) I didn't gel my hair. The wind was particularly strong that evening - I didn't bring back Freddie Mercury circa 1970s.

Longwood Gardens, PA

Top: INC - $10 via eBay (want this one)
Jeans: Current/Elliott - $15 via eBay with tags still attached! (seller: BHFO; available here)
Shoes: Coach - $90 via Marshalls (similar here)
Bag: MICHAEL Michael Kors - $100 via Marshalls (similar here)
Sunglasses: Fendi - $80 via Nordstrom Rack
Necklace: courtesy of Anjolee

1. Blatant abuse of chambray
2. Orange orchid
3. The silver garden - a glorious array of desert plants
4,5. Magenta orchids
5. Belin - the ambassador to Longwood Gardens and the guardian of the Pierce-du Pont house. Think I'm exaggerating? Check out his page here

Ever since I visited Longwood Botanical Gardens in Pennsylvania three weeks ago I vowed to return as soon as I possibly could. I took my dearest friend Kate for the ride this time and we spent a whole afternoon enjoying the view. This is but a snippet of all the photos I took since I picked the ones you might enjoy the most (while sparing your data plans if you're browsing with a phone/tablet). I traveled over two and half hours each way and I was not disappointed. If you live in the area (or are within reasonable driving distance), I couldn't recommend this place enough. I paid $8/ticket with a student ID but they're normally $18 with some variation in pricing on select days. If you have other questions/want to see other photos, just let me know in the comments!

Travel: Utah

Hello friends! I didn't mean to disappear quite as abruptly as I did but I left for a mountaineering vacation in Utah. I even had a post ready but couldn't find a reliable internet connection, hence my absence. Now that I'm back I've decided to post about my trip first.

Where: Zion National Park, Utah; more specifically on the way to Observation Point - 4 miles uphill, 4 miles downhill. I'm a mountains and snow kind of girl so this vacation was nothing short of heaven on earth.

A deep canyon on the way to Observation Point

Left: self explanatory || Right: a waterfall at the Emerald Pools

Observation Point

Grafton, a ghost town reminding of the days of the pioneers

View top of a mountain

The very edge of a cliff

Note: Even if heights don't bother you don't make the mistake of looking out into the distance for too long when standing at the edge of a cliff. You will get disoriented and run a serious risk of falling. This is moments before my head started to spin.