So LUSH

Ah, so I've been so boring recently, which makes me not want to update my blog for fear of revealing my boring existence and embarrassing myself on all of internetopolis. So, I've been racking my brain for the past few days trying to come up with something interesting to share with you all and then I realized I neglected to mention my big trip to LUSH!

fresh farmacy cleanser

There's one Lush Cosmetics Store in the whole of the greater Philadelphia Area, and well, its not in the greater area, its just in Philadelphia. While prom dress shopping me and Alaina stopped into LUSH. I had heard about the legendary store numerous times through various makeup vloggers on youtube. I was so overwhelmed by all of the beautiful soaps and scents. Eventually I decided on a face soap and face mask in hopes of combating my most recent stress induced acne.

I'm a warrior...

I have thoroughly tried out the products and could not be more thrilled! Almost all of the redness is gone from my face and the spots are slowly fading. The Fresh Farmacy soap is great cleansing soap filled with tea tree oil and other natural ingredients. The face mask - cosmetic warrior - is so fresh that it only lasts about 3 or 4 weeks. It also has a great cooling effect and leaves skin feeling soft and fresh. I also got a ton of sample moisturizers which are also lovely. I know this won't be my only trip to LUSH!

Remember Los Alamos

Today was lovely. Me and my mom drove to a nearby pueblo and did a hike around this are where they had all these prehistoric native american caves. You could even climb up latters into some of the caves! The cliffs were so beautiful and it was very nice out, if only a little cold.

Then me and my mom drove to Los Alamos, famous for the manhattan project and atomic bomb (all morning I thought we were going to the Alamos in Texas, well, I didn't know it was in Texas, but you get the idea). While there went to sonic! I've never been, since they don't have them in PA, but it was so amazing! They bring the food right to your car! I got a Oreo Sonic blast - yum! We also went to a museum about the Manhattan Project. It was nice a nice, small science museum, filled with some history as well as a few games and what not, but I don't think it gave a very comprehensive history of the atom bomb. It was definitely much more geared towards kids. 

Update

So, it's very difficult to update my blog from here in Santa Fe. I'm having a great time. Me and my mom are going to a lot of museums and galleries. I didn't pack well for the weather (it was like 30 F yesterday!) so my outfits aren't so cute, just utilitarian. But I wanted to let everyone know I'm having a great time, and I'm sorry for neglecting you.

Love,

Hannah

Viva La Glam

Today I woke up at 4 in order to catch a 7:45 plane with my mom which brought us to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I'm so tiered and I think I have a little altitude sickness because I have a headache, and I never get headaches.

I can't wait to explore and share all my great finds with you guys. In the mean time I'd like to share this video from MAC.

I'm a huge fashion and makeup junkie, as you can tell, and MAC is one of my favorite brands. I started using  MAC because of their quality and diversity of product, but the thing that makes me love the brand so much is their Viva Glam La campaign. Whenever anyone buys a MAC Viva La Glam campaign a donation is made to the MAC Aids fund. Buying one of the Viva La Glam lipsticks is such an easy way to give back! I bought one myself to wear to my school's semiformal last January.

The Hunt

 

Today me and my friend Alaina woke up at around 9:00; way earlier than any high school senior should wake up during spring break. See, we were on a mission, a prom related mission.

I was surprised to discover that one of the fanciest boutiques in Philly had a loft devoted to vintage pieces. Me and Alaina both pulled a hand full of dresses hoping the vintage sizing would work out ok!

I couldn't have been more surprised by this long multicolored '60's gown. It fit perfectly and was everything I was looking for. I know no one at my school will be wearing anything remotely similar to prom next month. 

"If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera"

My new camera finally came! My old camera suffered a tragic fall about three weeks ago, and well, it took me a little while to get my stuff together enough to pick out and order a new camera. Finally I decided to get the Canon Powershot SD1100IS in gold. 

It is so much more beautiful in person! Seriously, it is very well designed. I love the gold with black accents which you can't fully appreciate online, and the silver is so shiny and lovely.

Thanks to this new camera I was able to take some outfit pictures, and I am so impressed by how the camera picks up color.

 

jacket: somewhere in Buenos Aires; tank & skirt: american eagle; shoes: gap

I went prom dress shopping today. First my mom dropped me off at Sak's while she had a doctors appointment. I walk into the evening wear department and a woman in a black suit kindly asks what I'm looking for. "Prom" I say.

She continues to smile "I'd love to help you but we don't really have anything under $900. I don't know your budget, but I didn't spend $900 on my prom." I agreed, because well, she was right. She then directed me towards sports wear. I tried to spend time shopping but it's a small Sak's and there wasn't really anything I wanted to try on. I then proceeded to try and kill 40 minutes while my mom was at her doctors appointment. Eventually I just stood outside Sak's, calling my friends, because everything there was too expensive to even pretend to be interested in.

Once my mom picked me up we went to lunch and then stopped into a few boutiques we though might have prom dresses. Nope. I tried on all of one dress in 3 hours. It was nice, but not my prom dress. Hopefully I'll have more luck Friday when I go into Philly.

So Mod

Friday was a total british invasion day for me. First, To Sir with Love was on TV which is one of my favorite movies. I love the way all the girls dress, with the teased hair and the mini skirts. It's straight out of the '60's! Then I watched Skins, another guilty pleasure. For any american who doesn't watch it, well, I pity you. I once was among you, before I spent hours watching pirated episodes online. It's an amazing british drama, with great clothes, a great soundtrack, and yeah, plenty of drama.

All of this inspired me to put together this mod outfit together Sunday when I met some friends in Philly for Dim Sum. I really like Dim Sum. I like the little carts. I like the little trays. I like the lazy suzy in the middle of the table. I also like the bakeries in china town where you can buy sweet buns for 60¢

dress: H&M; belt: vintage; tights: nordstroms?; boots: urban outfitters

Oh, also, I got a haircut. I like it ok... its kinda of awkward because i'm trying to faze out my bangs for the summer. I prefer my hair curly anyway.

A Room with a View

I'm about 18 hours away from spring break, and man, am I in need of a vacation. I've been very overwhelmed lately by a lot of things, and can't wait to get away school for a little while.

I think the ultimate vacation would have to be a stay in the Fox Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark. Each room has been individually designed by a different artists. Not only would you be in an entirely different country, but each night you returned to your room it'd be like entering a new world. Heck, with rooms like these why would you leave to begin with?

Oh, did I mention that the hotel restaurant has sushi? Room service, please! But you can rent bikes! Ok. maybe I'll leave just once - if there's a bike involved.

Also, I have a prom date! *PHEW* That's one less thing to deal with now.

The Greatest Night of our Lives

It's official, even though there aren't any flowers in bloom yet, and its still cold, but its prom season alright. Prom season, the period of time in which people only talk about prom. All I hears is"Who are you going with" "What are you wearing?" "Where is the after party?" and "Who's in our limo." Prom is a ton of effort for one night, and there's too much pressure to make it perfect.

Right now I'm right in the middle of figuring out who I'm going with, and I know after that I'll have to deal with all the other big questions. But lets be honest, the most important part of prom is the dress. Most of my friends are relying on me to find them dresses, which can be fun and challenging. I'm enjoying playing Rachel Zoe and picking out dresses that suit their styles and personalities.

I just wish I had all my own shit pulled together.

Here's my prom dress picks (for no one in particular):

the glamourous one:

 

nicole miller, www.saks.com

the bohemian one:

voom, www.revolveclothing.com

the bubbly one:

nanette lepore, www.revolveclothing.com

the rebel:

DKNY shopbop.com

the vintage one:

Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent, www.Shopbop.com

the sporty one:

Thayer, www.shopbop.com

The girly one:

Diane Von Furstenberg, www.shopbop.com

the preppy one:

Vera Wang Lavender, www.intermixonline.com

Tell me about your prom night, what you wore what you did, or if you're too young what is your dream prom like?

Success

I went shopping saturday and didn't buy anything i could wear to school (minus shoes, belts, and makeup... but those don't count...). This is a big accomplishment for me because recently everything i've been buying has been in dress code. I have only been able to see things in black, red, grey, navy, and khaki, but now I have changed! I bought prints, and colors, and exciting things in preparation for my trip to Santa Fe in the upcoming months. Apparently its no warmer than it is here in PA, but that won't keep me from wearing cute dresses and skirts. I need to escape the monotony of school and winter.

If anyone lives in Santa Fe, or has ever been there, I'd appreciate some tips on where to go, what to eat, where to shop, ect. My mom is probably going to move there once I leave for college, so as well as playing tourist we'll be house hunting a bit, but mostly we'll be playing tourist.

La Vie Boheme

I'm going to a school musical tonight. This is like my third school function in the past month! I'm really embracing that senior thing, getting involved, making the most of things, ect. There are less than 30 school days left until Senior Project and the end of High School classes. Then it will only be a few months until college! Wow!

sweater: my mommy knit it!; belt: ralph lauren; jeans: peoples liberation denim

It was so nice out today I wore shorts to school! I want to go into the city tomorrow and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts but I don't know if thats going to happen.

Thanks everyone for the lovely birthday wishes!

xoxoxo

18.

Today has been such a lovely day. To begin with, its my birthday (I'm finally legal! WOO!), and furthermore, I had a field trip! Me and my Art History Class ventured to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Each of us was assigned a gallery and were instructed to give a small presentation on the period represented by the works, and to explain some of the pieces themselves.

I love art and had a great time looking at all the beautiful works. It is so different to see the things we studied in class in real life, rather than in pictures. I'm always surprised by how big things are. When I was at the Prado in Madrid I couldn't believe Las Meninas was so much larger than the print hanging in my spanish classroom.  My favorites at the Philly Art Museum would have to be the modern works. It was fun because I remembered going into those same galleries as a kid with my mom.

  

The Fountain, Marcel Duchamp; Three Musicians, Pablo Ruiz y Picasso; Portrait of a Man 

Isn't the small portrait adorable! Someone would have their likeness painted and then give the image to their lover!

Unfortunately we had to be in dress code, so no exciting outfit. I did wear a red sweater my mom knit me, but since my camera is dead I don't have pictures. I'm going to order a new camera this weekend though, with some of the birthday money I've received (thanks Grammi & Poppi).

It was such a great day! One of the highlights would have to be being called crazy by Italian tourists (in Italian!) as I ran through the revolving door to leave the museum. My teacher kindly translated the insult for me. 

Another great point was all the food. I made cupcakes shaped like boobs - complete with gum drop nipples! You have to understand it's an Art History class full of 13 girls and no boys - we talk about boobs a lot, in an artistic context of course... My friend Sarah also made me brownies. Lunch in the museum cafeteria was delicious and I treated myself to a lemon square! Then my mom ordered Indian food for dinner in addition to baking me kugel. There's still Birthday cake waiting downstairs! I'm going to have to run a little longer than usual tomorrow...

So, in honor of my 18 years of life I thought I'd share my favorite baby picture of myself:

look at me, the little budding fashionista with the wayfarers and tribal print hat!

Boys vs. Girls

 

awkward pictures! sorry crap lighting at 3am

top: Anthropology; tank: AE; jeans: found denim; boots (not pictured): ugg

To be honest, I'm not great with guys. I'm ok, I can put sentences together in their presence, but I don't know. I'm not that girl, you know that girl. No matter how much I try I just can't come of as aloof and mysterious nor sweet and giggly. That's the thing, I try. That girl doesn't try. She just is.

Last night me and a few friends went to meet some guys, some friends of a friend or whatever, and I did my best to take my friends advice, "you know, dress casually. Wear tight jeans and like a tight t-shirt or whatever." The thing is, my style doesn't seem to be boy approved. This summer I put on a high waisted skirt and my friend Arthur proceeded to try and pull it down. He then decided it was too long once pulled down and told me just to change the skirt. I said no, I like the skirt just the way it was. But tonight I wanted to be boy approved, especially since this was my first impression. So, I picked out some tight jeans and a cute pink t shirt. It's not my favorite outfit but its comfy and I think the puff sleeves are a cute detail. I couldn't tell you whether this outfit was boy approved or not in the end, but I guess it did ok.