An ode to winter break

Things that I have done during break in no particular order: spent time at home, seen family, seen high school friends, went to a real college party, went to a party in Brooklyn, watched a lot of tv (hello suits!), slipped on the ice and hurt my knee (there is still a sizable scar on my knee), started using a clarisonic, caught a cold, walked around the city by myself, perused a bookstore, ate really good food, celebrated a birthday both with family and then with friends, saw two movies (seriously a record), did some cooking and baking, earned some money, spent some money (including two lipsticks which I love), made new friends, went to a concert at Carnegie Hall (and from the fourth row!), got a flu shot (it's the worst flu epidemic in a long time), modeled for an amateur photoshoot, went to Flushing to eat hotpot (which turned out to be extremely expensive), probably watched too many youtube videos, got a haircut from a new stylist, ate at my favorite banh mi shop in soho, rediscovered an old game, started playing a new game, lusted over the Neiman Marcus x Target collaboration (only to be disappointed), got two of the Marc Jacobs pouches when the collab went on sale at Target, lusted over the new Prabal Gurung x Target collaboration (I am obsessed with the First Date print and the first look), attempted to buy an ipad mini and failed twice.

Things to do in the remaining seven days of break: see more friends, eat more delicious food (going to Mission Chinese Food on Tuesday!), start a new (and hopefully last) internship, second annual girls weekend, buy an ipad mini.

Also, please check out my "photoshoot" from this past weekend in Central Park photographed by my friend Ben!

street photography

February 10, 2010. WSP

April 13, 2010. WSP

April 22, 2010. WSP

 June 22, 2010. Battery Park

June 12, 2011. Beijing

June 12, 2011. Beijing.

my week in hello kitty bags.

This was a pretty low key week. A big photography paper this week and preparing for a slew of presentations and midterms next week. I wanted to give my nails a rest, but I decided on a whim to paint them with a cheery glitter polish.

Last Saturday, I helped out my friend Ben with his photography assignment—it was so much fun! We kind of took over the courtyard, I think a guy on the phone was staring at us when Ben had me pose with a bird bath. This is the shot his professor chose for the assignment.

After my internship on Friday, I went to the opening of the 34th st Uniqlo. I got myself a new pair of heat tech tights!! and socks! They really are so warm, and I love the knit patterns. And, I asked if I could have a Hello Kitty shopping bag. It's so cute!

This weekend, I also packed up my summer clothes and brought out all my winter jackets and sweaters! It took me two days to organize, but my wardrobe is officially ready for the cold, and just in time. The weather this week has cooled down considerably.

On Friday, I wore a new quilted coat that I got for my birthday this year. I wanted to wear it in a different way (since it's quite a common style) so I threw my little fur collar over it.

I made the first pumpkin loaf of the season earlier tonight. I think I should have baked it longer, because the slice fell apart really easily.

Snapshots from the week:

Haven't seen these toys since the Shanghai metro stations

hehe, eating candy at work

must be an important Escada meeting!

a new chandelier

cute backpack!

Amalia and I strung ghostie lights between our beds (cute ghostie faces not shown)

after the Hurricane

I forgot to download and post these pictures from the end of August! This was the Sunday after Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast. I was really eager to go out and explore. This was also the first time I went to Washington Sq park after coming back from Shanghai.

my week in mehness.

This week was pretty meh. I have a five day weekend, which is quite nice and unexpected. I'm jealous of everyone who got to go home, I kind of wish I had.
Since Mondays I finish school early, I decided to make pasta and nutella cookies for diner. Next time I need to add more than two tomatoes—two simply isn't enough! The cookies were disappointing. For all the nutella that went into making them, I could hardly taste any!

Wednesday, I helped at a admitted study abroad students event. I kind of liked answering all their questions. Study abroad is really an experience I think everyone who is able to, should partake in. I hope my answers made sense and were actually helpful.
Right outside of Carlyle on Thursday, there was a beauty truck event thing going on. They were doing makeovers and I got some samples of Olay and Pantene products! Union Sq seems to be the place to get beauty samples. who knew.

After my internship on Friday, I went to the International Center of Photography to see the Harper's Bazaar exhibit. I quite like the fashion photography genre. After spending so much time in the showroom for my internship and sending clothes to magazines it's interesting to see the end result. The clothes really come to life.

image courtesy icp.org.

On my way home from ICP, there was a crowd on Broadway in the 20s (I don't remember exactly which street) watching two guys put up new posters. I know they're not actually posters, but I'm not sure if they're advertisements. hmm.

Today, I went to brunch with my friends Ben and Nick. Ben wanted to take me to a new Thai restaurant in the East Village, Ngam, which he frequents. They unveiled their brunch menu this weekend. We were the second ones to try it. I had the Thai wings and waffels. The waffels were made with coconut milk, topped coconut shreds, coconut butter and orange zest. Chef Hong said it was the most popular item so far. I also had a Thai iced coffee, which could have been a little bit sweeter, but it was still refreshing.

snapshots from the week:

doodles from Advertising

wore my Tods for the first time

Meatpacking apple store

gummy tummies penguins. I think they look more like monsters.

package from mums! including PUMPKIN PIE poptarts!

doodles from EMI 

yuca fries from Big D's that Gian tried to finish/gave everyone a bite.

new mural on 14th and 3rd ave

sisters.

Earlier this week I found an incredible flickr account. It's this photographer who lives in southern California with his family, and he started this blog when his mother got sick, so she wouldn't be able to see her grandchildren as often. The subject of most of the pictures is relevant to childhood and growing up (birthdays, losing your first tooth, etc.), but he has Kristin and Kayla pose in very creative fashions! My friend David and I are literally obsessed with these girls. Here's one of my favorites:

flickr.com/jwlphotography

photo of the day.

I don't remember how, but I randomly found a blog post about a late photographer's website which features a Polaroid per day, for 18 years. The blogger talks about his initial joy and amusement when he first found the website. Then, as he looked at more and more of the photographer's pictures, the blogger tried to piece together who the photographer was and eventually figured out that it was Jamie Livingston.
I love the idea of a picture every day because it's a scrapbook of your life and daily adventures, however big or small.

the picture from the day I was born.

Check out the website, who knows what else happened on your special day: http://photooftheday.hughcrawford.com/

I'm trying to get back into photography. Strangely, my best pictures recently have been of flowers. I say this is strange only because I currently live in new york city. Here are the results thus far:

Goals for 2/15-2/20

Due to Presidents' Day, I only have three days of classes this week. However, that doesn't mean I have less work! Oodles of reading AND writing due in the next week.


This week's goals:
1. Get a good night's rest every night. aka, in bed by 12 (at the latest) so I can wake up for my 8am!
2. Try not to fall asleep in anime.
3. Do ALL readings for ALL classes. No skimming allowed.
4. Try to actively participate in both anime and history of comm recitations.
5. Continue fisheye experimentation!

NYFW

This fashion week marks the last time designers will be showing in the Bryant Park tents, which is quite saddening. Last night I get a call from my friend, Kenny, inviting me to the Custo Barcelona show. I accept his invitation without the slightest hesitation and then proceed to freak out, as usual, because I had nothing to wear! Luckily, my friends/stylists Stephen and Weiyi were quick to help and I was on my way to the tents! All I can say is that the entire night was so surreal. As you can guess, it was my first show and I loved every single moment of it! Think an over the top Matthew Williamson, and you have Custo Barcelona. There was some double seating drama, but I was eventually seated in the second row! And, I was informed that I'd also be on a new Oxygen reality show, because the women sitting directly behind me were the stars! What an eventful night! Here's my favorite look from the show:

2/7-2/13

Goals for this week:
1. Eat breakfast everyday, or at least M-Th.
2. Try not to fall asleep during Anime/World Cultures, even if Asian boy with massive amounts of curly hair (asian's don't have curly hair, but this kid does...) continues to sit in the front row, therefore blocking a quarter to a third of the subtitles (since we watch anime in Japanese).
3. Try to participate in every class at least once.
3b. ok, that was unrealistic. Try to participate in history of comm recitation. 
4. Experiment with new fisheye camera!


Also, this past weekend there was this hugely epic snowstorm on the east coast. Said storm did not hit Manhattan. me is not pleased.

Richard Avedon

Earlier this evening, I went to the Detroit Institute of Arts to see the Richard Avedon 1944-2000 exhibit. Avedon (1923-2004) was a highly influential fashion photographer. He worked for Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and The New Yorker. 

Many of his famous prints involve movement. I find these prints absolutely breathtaking—it's as if for a single moment, nothing else in the world matters. 

Avedon also enjoyed contrast. He has a series of photographs of high fashion in an atypical environment. Love the haute couture at the circus!

Finally, as he did work for several magazines, he was well known for his portraits. This one is of Twiggy, with long locks!

The exhibit was well laid out and thoroughly enjoyable. The way Avedon saw fashion and could make others see fashion is nothing but exquisite. The exhibit only reinforces the notion that I need to get back into photography!