new york – WITTY 'N' PRETTY

Monday Morning Motivation

Happy Monday lovelies! That seems like an oxymoron at times. I look for motivation to get through the week on Monday mornings. Today, my motivation comes from a fall 2011 Donna Karan campaign featuring Isabeli Fontana. The photography tells a story that really couldn’t be told in words. In fact, I’ll let the pictures do the talking right now.

Aren’t these gorgeous? What’s most inspiring, is that she isn’t half naked promoting the brand like so many campaigns have their girls; she let’s her expression and body language promote what the label and collection are all about. Even more so, she let’s her power as a confident woman drive the campaign.

Be inspired by images like these. Walk with your head up, put your heels on, and wear red lipstick. We’ve all heard the saying “dress for the job you want.” Sometimes, this just isn’t possible (hello, I can’t dress like an Air Force pilot all day). However, we can accept and embrace the attitude and confidence that comes with the role of our dream job.

New Year’s Eve Excursion

Good morning friends! As I promised in yesterday’s post, I’d tell you about my New Year’s Eve excursion to New York City. I’m going to get this out of the way before I go any further- it was COLD. I’ve never been in pain from the cold but my muscles and face hurt like crazy from trying to stay warm. I’ve never experienced cold quite like this. Besides the temperature, it was a wonderful trip!

Getting to the city was a 5 hour bus trip from Washington, D.C. I left at 7:30am and we were in the city by 11:30am. The early afternoon was spent exploring Times Square and Central Park. At about 1pm people started seriously lining up in Times Square to watch the ball drop at midnight. Police officers told us that at 3pm the people in the blocked off areas near the square would start to be confined by “pens” in that area until midnight. The kicker was that if they got out of their “pen” then they couldn’t get back in and forfeited their spot. We met a few people who said they had stood in their confined area for 12 hours having only a few snacks and drinks. According to them, the family next to them all had diapers on in case they had to go to the bathroom. I guess some people really are crazy.

Central Park was a lovely walk and a much needed break from constant people. There were a few street performers that had me laughing with their jokes and stunts. Squirrels roamed the park and had quite the attitude when it came to food. I strolled through the park with some warm, sugar-roasted almonds that really hit the spot. My fingers were so cold that I had a hard time eating them!

After Central Park it was about 3pm so we went for a pizza at an Italian restaurant. The mozzarella was so fresh! The crust and the pizza sauce were excellent too. It was so nice to just sit there and take everything in while reflecting on events earlier in the day. When we left the restaurant, 5th avenue was conveniently located a short walk away. I headed straight for a legendary New York City store- TIffany’s! After watching Audrey Hepburn’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s I became obsessed with the store. Walking into the big, beautiful building almost scared me. My dreams were standing right in front of me and I wasn’t sure if they would live up to my expectations… but they did! We browsed through the store a bit and then met the elevator operator at the elevators and he took us up to the 2nd floor where engagement rings were located. Did I mention he was wearing a Tiffany blue tie? He looked amazing! Couples everywhere were sitting with consultants trying on rings and drinking champagne. I was in heaven. I also found on the 4th floor my favorite TIffany mug! Too bad it was in a set of 2 and $80.

After shopping up and down 5th avenue, we went to get a drink and cheers to the new year before heading out to the street to freeze with everyone else. While in a quaint bar and grill we met a few couples from South Africa who traveled to NYC for the new year. After sharing casual conversation with them we paid our bill and headed out into the cold where we were greeted by Taylor Swift’s voice coming from just down the street. Yes, I heard Miss Swift singing “Shake it Off”. I also got to hear “Rude” by Magic.

Waiting for the ball to drop seemed like a never ending event. Everyone was cold and tired. However, it was still one, big party for most people. The real magic happened when the countdown began. That unmistakable energy filled the air and gave meaning and purpose to our crazy idea of spending New Year’s Eve in Times Square. The funny part was after the clock struck midnight everyone bolted for the taxi cabs waiting down the street. We caught our bus at 1:30am near the docks. We quickly fell asleep upon leaving the city and slept most of the way home.

As I write this I can assure you that my feet still hurt from walking and I detest the cold more than ever before. However, spending New Year’s Eve in New York was on my bucket list and the memories were worth every shiver.

Tell me about your New Year’s celebration in a comment below!

Chanel and Champagne Inspiration

Hello loves! I was browsing Instagram earlier and found this adorable “Chanel and Champagne” tee from the Foi Clothing Boutique! It’s $32 right now and I’m so in love with it. I’m calmly resisting from buying it but I feel like my closet needs this cute little phrase in it for some pep in my wardrobe.

I decided I needed to create an outfit around this tee and what I put together surprised me! I would never think to pair a laid back shirt with such a glamorous skirt. Adding Valentino studded heels and a big statement necklace surprised me even more. The Tom Ford lipstick however, was going with this outfit whether it matched or not!

It did get me wondering though, where on Earth would you wear an outfit like this? After thinking about it for awhile, I came up with a short list of places.

Paris- The fashionistas there would understand this dramatic look and hopefully approve.
New York Fashion Week- Bold is the new black.
A glamorous hotel- The Waldorf-Astoria loves their posh clientele.
One of Los Angeles’ famous restaurants- Consider dropping in Lisa Vanderpump’s SUR restaurant in West Hollywood and give the English beauty queen a run for her money.
An outdoor, daytime wedding- The look combines both casual and elegant in a unique way, making it appropriate for a daytime event.
Blogger head shots- The big name bloggers take professional photos of themselves weekly. Why not treat yourself to a photo shoot that you can use professionally (head shots only) and on your blog?

I love dressing up and looking pretty but life doesn’t always hand you opportunities to do. Often, I have to create my own!

September 12 and My Trip to the World Trade Center Memorial

I’ve been thinking long and hard about what to write today. It’s not that I have lack of anything to write, but the words I would like to say just aren’t coming to me. As most of you remember, September 11, 2001 was an absolute tragedy for Americans across the nation, particularly for those in New York City, near the Pentagon, and in the small Pennsylvania town that saw a plane crash in a field. Hours of video footage shows the same thing- death, despair, destruction, and loss. Looking up at those burning buildings and knowing there isn’t a thing anyone can do to stop the inevitable is heart wrenching.

September_11_memorial — This is a photo from a 9/11 memorial that my friend and I hosted and planned at the local veteran’s home. It made Washington D.C. news. Each flag represents a person who died. We had 2,997 flags placed in the ground.

Fast forward to September 12. There’s still dust in the air, fires still burning, bodies still beneath the ruble. But something has changed in the atmosphere. America is alive with passion and pride. New York wakes up with determination and strength. Rescue workers and volunteers gather at Ground Zero to begin recovery. Former President Bush delivers a speech using only a bull horn. For once we aren’t political party members, we are people united by our national pride. Looking to the sky saying our prayers and looking to our flag pledging our allegiance. Slowly, we begin the long process of healing and rebuilding. That day sets a precedent for the next few years.

I look back on that day every year and it brings tears to my eyes. It’s like the D-Day of our generation. A tragedy we won’t forget. The crazy thing is our children don’t and won’t remember. It’s just a day in history for them. With my own kids, I’m not going to let them forget because when we forget we become vulnerable.

A few years ago I was able to visit the World Trade Center memorial site. What an absolutely humbling experience to walk on such hallowed ground. You don’t realize how big these buildings were until you see the basement-turned-memorial for each tower. More importantly, you don’t understand the loss of life until you see every name etched into the stone surrounding the memorial. My only complaint about the site was that the American flag wasn’t bigger.

South Tower memorial

Old cemetery across the street that saw the towers fall

After visiting this beautiful site and reliving every moment of that day, I can honestly say there’s no other place I’d rather call home than here in my America. And this pride electrifies me every time I walk on such hallowed ground.

Before I close, I have to ask: Where were you September 11? Comment below.

Travel Edition: Niagra Falls!

I took a trip to Niagra Falls last Autumn. It was my first time at this beautiful place. The falls were incredible to see. I’ve never heard such a powerful noise aside from a military jet taking off. Walking around the park was absolutely gorgeous with the leaves starting to turn and the abundant sunshine. A lot of wildlife was present as well. I remember my grandma telling me about a trip she took there years ago with my grandpa. Speaking of my grandpa, his birthday was two days ago. He would have been 102! I’m glad I could visit this place in his memory.

Towards the end of the afternoon, I ended up crossing the bridge from America to Canada just to say I had been across the border up there. Walking over I had a lovely view of the falls and the river. Upon entering, I went into a Canadian gift shop to get a post card and maple syrup. After about 30 minutes, I headed back to the border and waited in line to get back in my country. They found it odd that I went to Canada for such a short time. The lady reviewing my passport was not happy to let me in but seeing as how I was qualified she had no choice. Being back in your own country, even if you were only gone for a short time, is always a blessing.

Enjoy the photos!