"NYC + Guevs = UNEXPECTED FUN!"

I am exhausted!

Just got home from a day with Guevs walking around NYC.

Here's how our day went:

*After watching INCEPTION--at crack of dawn (so we could get cheaper tickets)--, we went to Chipotle for lunch. Of course, I couldn't help noticing an Urban Outfitters on our way there, so I begged Guevs we paid a visit. He made me promise it would be a short one (tough!), and I did. So, we went in and hung out at UO for a little bit.

*As we walked 33 blocks downtown (once again, $-saving), we literally found a TREASURE-- as is the case in almost every corner of this city! A cute, small thrift shop; one of those that is organized with very fine taste, therefore, things are a bit on the expensive side. I got my usual rush of being surrounded with vintage and used items *SIGH* Also, as it always happens, I didn't want to leave without a little treasure, and I sure didn't. I spotted a box with a tag that read MYSTERY BAGS, and in it were brown paper bags labelled with a big question mark (?). You can imagine how excited I got! Each bag cost $2 dollars and I can assure you they were the two dollars best spent! The excitement of wondering what could be inside was delicious! As soon as we stepped out of the store, we nervously opened the bag to coincidentally find a treasure that has Guevs' name all over! His favorite toy from childhood: ANIMAL TOYS!

*We finally reached our destination: HELL'S KITCHEN FLEA MARKET! NOTE: Thank you, Guevs for taking part of all my little fantasies on this day ;)

*The heat from the sun burning our skin as we walked around the flea market made us really tired and thirsty. We decided to get some refreshments. I got myself the signature drink of this trip: Thai Iced Tea. Guevs, on the other hand, decided for quantity over quality (jaja): a dollar iced tea from McDonald's! NOTE: sorry, no pictures from this part of the day. I guess I didn't want the evidence of me sitting in such place :p

*We walked to Time Square. The place was packed with tourists, as always! It is so uncomfortable to walk around there :S But oh so worth it. These streets are so full of live, of movement; there's always so much going on. Time Square is certainly the HEART of this city. Guevs and I finished our drinks sitting at the new closed sections for pedestrians. People-watching; taking the city all in...

*Guevs decided we go into the Visitor's Center in Times Square. There, we grabbed magazines, maps and advertisements for touristy attractions. We took a picture next to the New Year's Ball which is dropped every year at Times Square. Then, we spotted a very cool wall filled with confetti! The title above this colorful wall read: HOPES AND DREAMS. We got closer and noticed the confetti all had handwritten messages from tourists that come in here and write down their hopes and dreams for 2011. Guevs and I went ahead and wrote ours. Supposedly, these will be the confetti thrown in the air once the clock hits 12am this upcoming December. WOW! How cool is that!

*Then, another snack at nowhere else but...McDONALD's!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't believe it still, I know :)

*Last stop...goofing around at another of my top places: H&M!

Good times ;)

"Neny wants..."

...round sunglasses...John Lennon style...

I've been wanting them for a while, but must confess that I haven't been fiercely looking.

I've seen them on the Olsen twin...and like them.

Saw them on my friend, Frenchy-Aish...and loved them (she got a hand-down vintage Ray Ban pair! YES, I am hatin' :P).

Now, I've decided to find ME a pair.

I'm thinking of buying these from Rosemud at ETSY. Must decide today before someone else does!

Check them out:

Price $5.00 dollars

NOTE: Someone just did :( WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!?!?!

Fragment: ANTIQUES

I found another blog that talks about things I love...FLEA MARKETS, VINTAGE and SHABBY findings, ANTIQUES... http://chartreuseandco.com/blog/

I want to live in a place where antique lovers abound...does that say anything about what I should be doing or should do with my life at some point?

There must be a couple of antique stores here in Dominican Republic, which I haven't visited. Hmmmm...maybe I should make a list of these and start visiting them at some point! Why hadn't I thought of this before?!?!

Actually, a couple of months back (I know, I forgot to blog about it, oopsie!), a friend told me about an antique flea market that happens every sunday at the Colonial Zone. I was so excited to hear that!! So, the following sunday, I went...it was tiny, but I felt like I was in heaven! (Pictures below)

I get this thrill when I am surrounded by old stuff! Things that belonged to people I never knew, that hold a history I will never know, but can still have a part in if I purchase it. I love nostalgia, memories, the past...I guess that's why I love ANTIQUES.

Maybe I should get into the antiques business?!?! Hmmmmm!

Maybe, maybe, maybe.......anything can be! I can't believe after all this time, I'm still FINDING me!

By the way, I got this little treasure for $150 pesos (US$4):

Fragment: NAPA VALLEY

OK. So, first things first! A little word on Napa, California:

The reason that I stopped blogging in the first place was because I travelled to CA to visit Pushy and spend the holidays. I went for 2 weeks and sadly spent the first 5 days SICK :-/ First, I got food poisoned and then, I got the flu (due to the weather change, I suppose). So the first days weren't all that HAPPY. My very good friend RATONCITO came with me to CA and I felt so guilty that I was sick; I kind of ruined the plans
:(

Anyways, between little moments of feeling better and feeling terrible, I was able to enjoy some amazing restaurants and a couple of wine tasting experiences ;) I must say that, just like I imagined, Napa Valley is my kind of place! Food and wine are the main characters of the valley's culture, and two very good friends of mine ;)

The views are heavenly! Vineyards everywhere, beautiful homes, mountains, lots of greenery, cozy little towns here and there. Wonderful restaurants and bars with very professional staff. Lots of wine to taste! It is certainly a must-be-lived experience.

Amongst the fabulous restaurants that we visited are the following:

COOK (St. Helena), SMALL WORLD (Napa), CHOW (SF), FARM (Napa), BOCADILLOS (SF), Q (Napa), VILLA CORONA (Napa), THE ORCHID CUISINE (Healdsburg), WASABI & GINGER (SF).


We also visited a couple of cute towns like Calistoga, Sonoma, Napa, St. Helena, Yountville, and Healdsburg. And of course, I was a happy camper every time we found antique shops, flea markets and/or goodwill stores! This gorgeaus vintage headpiece I found at a goodwill store in St. Helena. I'm so in love :)

Pushy's little home was adorable! It is soooo tiny but oh, so perfect! His home is on a farm/small vineyard; such a peculiar place to live :) I loved it! I spent lots of time making my button bracelets there while Pushy worked and while I recuperated from all my sickness. I got some good work done, so that was GREAT!

We visited San Francisco a couple of times, but only on my way to the airport did I get to see the GOLDEN GATE. However, it was night time, so I couldn't get any pictures :( Ratoncito DID get his photos at the Gate and took this wonderful picture!

As of me, I only got the toll receipt as an evidence that I crossed this super famous bridge! ;)

"So what ever happened to the dress??"

What ever happened to the fabulous dress that I found on etsy?

Well, I think I got a bit too distracted browsing around on etsy while my dress was being SOLD :( I want to cry!

Nonetheless, I have found many other fabulous ones, so, I guess it'll be OK.

Ok, ok, ok....I can't lie! I don't want to cry anymore...at all! Because I have found the perfect dress for my BOHO BEACH WEDDING! I can't post the picture here, though. Pushy can certainly NOT see it ;)

Check out the dress that was sold (picture above) from the seller SALVAGELIFE on etsy, where you can find many others for your delight.

Happy shopping!

Fragment: ETSY

It is incredible how a WEBSITE can change one's life/one's days in a way one could've never imagined (or at least I couldn't have).

Personally, I despise sitting in front of a TV, a computer or anything that makes me feel as if hours have been washed down the drain. But one day, while 'googling' stuff to find ideas for my wedding dress, I found ETSY. There, I found a beautiful, vintage dress that I thought would be sooooo PERFECT for me! The price was perfect too, $98 *wink, wink*. I fell totally in love with the dress, not aware at the moment that what I'd found was more than just a dress. I'd found a community, a way of life, a concept that would change my way of seeing things. I'd found inspiration; a connection with people that are so much like me!

ETSY instantly intrigued me so much! VINTAGE, HANDMADE, CRAFTS? Sounds to me like NENY, NENY, NENY. And, just like that, a whole new world opened up in front of me...from my laptop! I would've never guessed, since I am so not a computer person.

Etsy is all about buying/selling VINTAGE and HANDMADE. People all around the world open their own little shops for free in this community to sell their crafts and vintage findings. Endless treasures could be found in all these shops! OH MY GOD!!!! I am so HOOKED.

As I checked out all kinds of shops, without a doubt, I found my favorite one: WHICHGOOSE's shop.

Through etsy I've realized that I am not alone in the world. I actually belong to a community of people that are on the same GROOVE as me ;) What an amazing discovery! As I said on my 1st post, it is so powerful when we find something/anything that we can identify with, connect to.

I wish to open my own etsy shop, soon. I'm still thinking about what my 'niche' would be. I have some ideas in mind, but still haven't felt like THIS IS IT. I think having my etsy shop will be fantastic once I move to Napa Valley. I'll certainly have something to look forward to everyday! Making my crafts, posting them on the etsy page, logging in often to see if there's been any sales, if so, wake up the next day, prepare the packages and send them out.

In this way, I will be connected to so many people in a surreal way. BEAUTIFUL :)

............and so, reading about the sellers on etsy, I've learned and fallen in love with the concept I now intend to live by: RECYCLE, REUSE, REPURPOSE!