Genuine

Hi Lovelies,

This bag was featured on a previous post, but I realized that I never gave it the attention it fully deserves. I purchased this bag in the San Lorenzo leather market on one of the last couple of days during my stay in Italy and I absolutely love it. It is genuine leather and buttery soft. It's is big enough to hold all of my essential stuff, a book or two (to read on the train going to work,) plus a couple of odds and ends items yet, at times, it's actually too big - it does take me a while to find my keys and phone when I'm in a rush. I have a lot of black bags at home (granted, they aren't real leather) so I wanted to go for a different color. What was most important for me, however, is that the bag should be a classic staple that I would wear season after season. This Italian leather one will see me for many summer's to come as well as helping me transition from summer to fall and spring to summer. 

Wishing you all a very lovely day!

Eternally yours, 

Stephanie

Birthday Lady

Hello Loves,

Well, another birthday has come and gone and it's a whole year's wait until the next one. But this year, I feel, is going to be a good one! One of the things I'm most excited about is moving into a new house for my senior year and living with my best friends (two of whom got engaged in March!) I can't wait to decorate and show you the before and after pictures on here. This summer is also shaping up to be a fun one as I have several get togethers planned and have a pretty awesome internship with really nice people. I'm still working on that whole getting-paid-this-summer deal and panic is slowly starting to set in but if nothing comes my way, I'll just work overtime all of next year. Bad thoughts get me nowhere so I try to remain optimistic and think of potential solutions to any problems. It does have a calming effect.

 

I am wearing: Tank and Skirt: (Old Navy); Heels: (Unlabeled)

As soon as I went into the office of my internship, all of my new co-workers were wishing me happy birthday. My supervisor sent out an email to everyone with the day's agenda and wished me a happy birthday on the bottom, so everyone knew that today was the big 2-1. I also got a bunch of birthday text messages from my friends which always makes me smile :) For lunch, all of the interns and a couple of directors went to this restaurant, Perishing Square, right across from Grand Central Terminal and had a fabulous lunch! The best part was at the end when we all picked desserts to share, and the one I picked came out with a candle. Everyone sang Happy Birthday and I couldn't stop blushing!

For dinner that night, my family and I went to Bronxville for a yummy Mexican dinner. I ordered my first alcoholic drink and was expecting to get carded but didn't. So bummed! Haha! I'll admit it was weird to have a drink sitting next to my parents, but now that I'm of age, I can do it at any family gathering and not get the warning death glance from my mother to put it down. This time last year, I was waiting until it was my birthday again, but right now, I'm content with having the year drag by as long as possible.

Wishing you all a lovely day!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Twenty-One

Today is the big day - my birthday! I am Twenty-One and although I have been legal for three years now, twenty-one seems a bit more important. I am super excited for the year that lays ahead of me and will post tomorrow about tonight's festivities. While a lot of people have huge blowouts on their twenty-first birthday, I am going to celebrate quietly with my family and get my first legally purchased drink. The birthday celebration with all of my friends will probably happen later in the summer, seeing as how a Wednesday night is tricky to get people together and the fact that the next couple of weekends are booked solid with other events.

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

June Bug

Hello Lovelies,

Ah June, my favorite month of the whole year, not just because it is my birthday month, nor is it that school is out and that summer has just begun. I can't exactly describe what it is about June that makes me tinge with happiness but I always feel like I'm on cloud nine. Maybe it's the fact that we open all of the windows in our house to circulate fresh air into the rooms or that I can go in the backyard and bask in the sunlight on my grassy green yard. All I see within the next couple of weeks leading into the rest of the summer is fresh fruit salads, BBQs, family dinners on the backyard porch, long days to read pages and pages of novels, hanging out with old and new friends, beaches, and even perhaps a small road trip.

 I am wearing: Blouse: (H&M);  Jeans: (Sevens);  Sandals: (Steve Madden);  Bag: (Florence Leather Market); Thumb Ring: (Swapped); Necklaces: (Handmade in Kenya Fair Trade)

I wore this little ensemble the other day when I went to see my sister's a dance competition. It was a warm day but we were in an enclosed auditorium so I tried to balance keeping cool with denim capris and a light blouse. I had a back up jacket tucked in the car, just in case it got too chilly in the auditorium.

I got these three separate necklaces from my dad when he came home from a business trip in upstate Albany. There was a little craft fair outside his hotel where a table was selling fair trade necklaces in which full proceeds go to Jedanda Modern Handicrafts, an "organization that works with individual artisans throughout central Kenya and helps provide a worldwide market for Kenyan crafts people who no longer can rely on the tourist market for sustainable income." These necklaces were all handmade! For those not familiar, fair trade means that "the artisans are paid a fair price in advance for their products and work in safe working conditions." My dad bought three, the two shorter ones for me and my sister and the longer wrapped one for my mom. While my mom appreciated the thought, it was something that she wouldn't wear and so, she gave it to me. I'll admit that if I were to see it lying on a table, I would have easily overlooked it. However, it seems that when an item is gifted to me, even though I wouldn't initially pick it out for myself, it somehow manages to transform into something that I would wear. And so, while each necklace would have worked on their own, I decided to make it a triple threat and pile them on all together for a quirky, fun vibe that clashed with the flouncy frills of my blouse.

Wishing you all a lovely Monday!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Dear 16-Year-Old Me

Hello Darlings,

The countdown to summer has just begun and the heat in New York is becoming slightly unbearable. Summer is great for all different kinds of reasons, but one negative aspect of the season is the amount of sun exposure that everybody seems to crave. Coming from living a life with very fair skin and a mother who should have invested in a Coppertone stock for all of the sunscreen that we go through, I wanted to dedicate a post about the importance of healthy skin care and how crucial it is to protect your skin from the sun as well as the tanning salons. Please, take a moment to watch the video, and visit here for more information about melanoma. It might change your outlook and could even save a life.

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

A Quick Dinner

Hello Darlings,

I haven't posted about food in a while. I must say that I expected to be making all of these amazing home-cooked gourmet meals since I came home from Italy, but I must be honest and say that I am uninspired. I'm waiting until I see some great recipe and actually want to go grocery shopping so I can purchase some great produce. Another main reason why I haven't cooked up anything for the past couple of weeks (besides pancakes and pasta) is that I have missed my mom's cooking so much that I need to take advantage of whatever amazing dish she whips out.

Seeing as how I miss having photos of food, I thought I would document tonight's simple and oh-so-easy dinner. We just purchased a new grill so my parent's have been taking advantage of the warm weather to throw anything on the grill. tonight was hamburgers. I washed the salad, cut up some orange and red peppers, threw in some chopped almonds, and added a delicious low-fat dressing made from Dijon mustard, oil and vinegar - so simple, so good! My goal this week is to find one simple recipe, make a meal and have it posted by Friday. Maybe, if I don't burn down the kitchen, I'll make it a weekly thing!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

The Big Bang

Rock Mafia - The Big Bang

Boston University Law School - Class of 2011

Hello Darlings,

No, I have not graduated from law school - I'm still an undergrad, entering the final year of college (tear!) But for those of you who don't know, my brother Michael just completed his three years of law school and has graduated! We're all so proud of him and spent a great weekend enjoying the city. He isn't moving home for the summer so I might take some weekend trips up to visit him and explore the city some more. I really love Boston and am always sad when I leave that I never had time to mosey about the streets. Maybe I'll get to it one weekend!

Coming back from Italy a mere days before, I didn't have time to buy a new dress so I shopped for one in my closet. I picked out this little white number that I last wore for my high school graduation and paired it with a light sweater, wedges and a pop of a light mint blue color in the form of nail polish and a ring. I didn't get a chance to do my nails in the hotel the night before so I snuck painting them during the commencement. My father got annoyed but my mom just urged me to finish it quickly. We were sitting all the way at the top and it wasn't a packed arena, so nobody took notice.

 I am wearing: Sweater: (Charlotte Russe); Dress: (American Living); Wedges and Clutch: (NY&CO.); Ring: (Croatian Market); Nail Polish: (Essie Turquoise and Caicos)

Also, just out of curiosity, does it bother anyone else when people in the audience scream out a name of the person who is walking on the stage. I understand that you're excited and I was pretty close to screaming out Michael's name, but I just found it so irritating. Especially when the cow bells and the horns came out.What do you guys think?

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Summer 2011 Book List

 Last summer I made a rather long book list but managed to get through only a couple before the summer came to an end. Being a bit of a perfectionist, even when it comes to reading, it irks me to have an incomplete list. I credit my failure due to the fact that I didn't have in my possession some of the books that I aimed to read. I had forgotten about the classic bound books that my mom used to decorate our living room because, as they were decoration, I wasn't allowed to touch them as a kid. Upon rediscovering them, I can now, without fail, read at least one classic hard covered novel a week and alternate them each week with modern paperback novels. Without further ado here is my shorter compiled list of books that I want to read before stifling August gives away to a crisp September.

• Pride and Prejudice
• Sense and Sensibility
• Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles
• Alice in Wonderland
• Through the Looking Glass
• Treasure Island
• Eat Pray Love
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• (re-read) The Harry Potter series
• The Frugalista Files* 

*The Frugalista Files are courtesy of the giveaway I won from the fabulous Erika over at Cafefashionista.blogspot.com. Thanks Erika!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

A Bite Of The Big Apple

Hello Darlings,

I have been home from Florence for a bit now and while I am ecstatic to be home with my family and friends, I miss living in the magic city horribly! All of the moments that I've shared with the city, some with friends, some by myself, will be the best memories that I can take away from my experience there. But now, I am back in New York! With the warm summer months ahead of me, I am looking forward to sipping cocktails by the beach in Cape Cod where some of my new friends live (legally! I turn 21 in June), interning at a NYC magazine, finding a second job (eh, not so excited about that one), getting ready to move into my new apartment off campus, and reading a lot of books. So, get ready for a terrific summer with me over here at EFL and get ready to soak up the sun!

It's T-Shirt Time

Ciao Lovelies,

Seeing as how it's all of the news, I'm sure most of you are informed that the Jersey Shore cast is filming their fourth season here in Florence. I'll admit that I have mixed views of the show as they do portray young Americans and Italian-Americans in a pretty negative light yet I can't deny how entertaining they are to watch, almost like a train wreck where you just can't look away. So when I got news that they were moving in on my final day in Florence, I sacrificed an hour in the middle of the day to watch them move in. And after our last nice dinner out, with the 6 new best friends that I made, we caught the cast walking around the city and followed them around.

I'm at the far right, in the middle of speaking.

I'm to the right of "The Situation's" head, with my friend Kate

I'll admit that I felt ashamed that I was caught up in the hysteria but it's a strange force that pulls you in. These people contribute nothing to society except entertainment and it's not even the quality entertainment that actors and singers provide you. Yet, because these people are on T.V. people, myself included, get wrapped in the thrill of being near someone "(in)famous" and will see what they're up to.

So what are your thoughts: Was it ridiculous that I spent several precious hours following the cast around with my group of friends? Can you understand the hysteria not only on reality T.V. stars but celebrities in general? What do you think about the Jersey Shore? Honesty is always appreciated :)

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

What I've Learned Thus Far

Ciao Darlings,

With mere days left until I return home to New York, here are some things that I have realized about myself and some discoveries I discovered while studying abroad in the beautiful country of Italy.

• You may think that it can't get worse than your home campus library, but it can. I had to e-mail any files I needed printed and then go to a separate building down the street to wait in line and then print. Awful.
• I love gardens. Borderline obsessed. 
• Edit group work projects yourself. (I learned this the hard way)

• When going into museums or any building for that matter, always look up. More often than not the ceiling will be painted or decorated.
• Invest in a camera that does not take blurry pictures when in motion. I have snapped beautiful pictures in transit and no longer have to run to catch up to my friends if they leave me behind while I stop to take a picture of something awesome.
• Be a traveler, not a tourist.
• Try, really try, hard to speak the language. The locals appreciate it more and you will feel more accomplished when they understand and answer you back in their language. 

• Plan ahead. Look up times days before leaving and don't book anything until details are concrete. The only exception to that is if you find a great deal and need to book it then. But be wary, as sometimes doing that will cost more in fees if you need to change something. 
• Create a budget and keep track of finances. Stick with that budget! 
• If your on the fence about buying something, ask yourself if you are going to regret it if you do/do not buy it. If you know you can't live without it, pick it up. Otherwise, leave it and go get a gelato. 
• Making lists are the best way to stay organized and see what you need to do and when. They are your ultimate friends. 
• Despite what people say, you can wear heels on cobblestone. But be prepared for your friends to leave you as it will take you 10 minutes to walk down the block because your looking down so as to avoid stumbling/ breaking your ankle. 

• Keep a journal every night. I bought one and wrote in it sporadically and regret not writing every night. 
• Bring your camera with you everywhere.
• Wander during the daytime and get lost. It's how you discover things. 
• Rick Steves guidebooks can be your best friend
• Trust your gut instinct. It's usually right. 

Any other tips you want to contribute, please leave them in the comment section and I will gladly add them to the above list!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Arriverà

Modà Featuring Emma

The Art Is In The Streets

Ciao Darlings,

As part of my final, my ballet class had to perform in our school's end of the semester program entitled, The Art Is In The Streets - a dance recital including the modern, flamenco, and ballet classes followed by a student-run fashion show. I've been in many dance recitals growing up and compete a couple of times for ballroom during the years, but this was my first ballet recital. Yes, at 20 years old, I had completed my first ballet class. It was a great evening and while the choreography was very basic, I was satisfied with my performance and was utterly sad that one of my favorite classes had come to an end. If it fits into my schedule, I just may take Ballet II next semester at Binghamton.

Special thanks to Lana for the beautiful photos and for being a such a great supporter by watching me dance, along with our fellow friends!

Eternally yours,

Stephanie

Happy Mother's Day

To all of the incredible Mother's out there - have a special and beautiful day. You all deserve it! It's less than a week until I can see my favorite mom ever. I miss and love you so much Mom!

14th Arrondissement

Paris, Je T'aime - 14th Arrondissement

Passport To Paris

Hello Darlings,

With visions in my head of me flouncing through the side streets of Paris with baguettes and croissants, I went to the train station early in the morning, ready to begin my Parisian adventure. The one problem was that the train leaving to the airport that would get my there on time didn't leave because apparently the first train was at 5:00am instead of the 4:30am train I needed. And so, I missed my flight and had to pay for the next day flight. Instead of watching the Royal Wedding in my hostel, I watched back home in my apartment and moped about for the rest of the day. While I was super bummed and annoyed at the situation, I was so grateful to have friends come over for dinner and help cheer me up.

Macaroons

Peek-a-boo

Arc de Triumph

The Medici Fountain  in Luxembourg Gardens

Moulin Rouge

Outside the Louvre

The next morning, I made it to the airport as scheduled and was ready to head over to my most desired destination. What everyone says is true- the entire city is magical. I would turn a corner and catch my breath because I caught site of the tip of the Eiffel Tower. I continuously risked getting run over by cars while zig-zagging across the Champs-de-Elysee so I could snap the perfect picture of the  Arc de Triumph and I lost myself while wandering through the hills of Montmarte. Some highlights of the trip include seeing the sunset behind the Eiffel Tower while lounging on the grass, then watching the light show when it got dark. eating nutella crepes on the go, sitting at a cafe outside the Luxembourg Gardens and people watching, and browsing through souvenir shops.

Before I left the city to return to Florence, I was already planning my next trip back, preferably with a group of friends or a significant other as wandering through the magical city became quite lonesome at times. But no matter, as I fell ever so deep in love with the city.

Eternally yours,

Stephanie