26 Before 27 + Birthday Giveaway!

Is today June 22?! Then it's my birthday! Hooray!

I celebrated all weekend of course! On Friday, Avra, Sunny, and I had tea and scones, went to a street fair where there were acrobats, ate tacos, and stumbled upon four old men playing jazz in a small coffee shop. On Saturday, I went into the city with Avra and Sunny to meet up with some of my favorite bloggers at Laduree in Soho, then my friends and I got gluten-free dessert at Babycakes Bakery, and falafel at a small restaurant in the Lower East Side. On Sunday, my family went out to an Italian restaurant to celebrate Father's Day and my birthday. We ate THIS giant dessert. Talk about an awesome weekend! 

Of course, I'm going to celebrate a bit today by getting something super delicious for lunch at work!

Every year I like coming up with a list of practical and fun list of things I want to accomplish, but first let's see how I did with last year's list. 

25 Before 26

1. Finish my novel

2. Visit Jackie

3. Visit Lauren & Sarah

4. Go my cousin's wedding in Texas

5. See the High Line

6. See the Brooklyn Bridge

7. Have a group giveaway on my blog

8. Take a photography class

9. Meet Martie

10. Meet Naomi & Jason (met them twice!)

11. Go to the gym at least twice a week (worked for 6 months!)

12. Start a new series on my blog

13. Keep up with Kristin's awesome NovelTea book club (I've read some of them!)

14. See another movie alone (Pitch Perfect 2)

15. Learn easy smoothies recipes

16. Keep drinking at least two glasses of water a day

17. Make use of the library more (it's like my new home)

18. Visit more new-to-me local restaurants and places

19. Put money aside every month for my student loans

20. Find awesome birthday presents for everyone I love

21. Have fun this summer

22. Only buy new clothing that I really, really love

23. Keep doing more product reviews

24. Get better at talking to people

25. Wear lipstick more

And now my new list:

26 Before 27

1. Finish the first draft of my new story

2. Cut out soda for at least one month (I'm starting this tomorrow!)

3. Keep drinking at least two glasses of water a day

4. Learn easy smoothie recipes

5. See the Brooklyn Bridge

6. Take a trip somewhere, anywhere

7. Meet Martie

8. Have a group giveaway on my blog

9. Get an e-course on photography

10. Take a short blog break 

11. Get rid of things in my room that don't bring me joy

12. Get my underarms and legs waxed once because why not

13. Use up some candles I've had forever

14. Get a gel manicure 

15. Get the new illustrated Harry Potter (!!!)

16. Possibly attend BEA (it's in Chicago in 2016)

17. Cut myself some slack

18. Take a day trip somewhere

19. Keep up my correspondence with my pen pals

20. Go to the farmers' market

21. Complete Code Academy

22. Listen to all the current episodes of Welcome to Night Vale

23. Try any exercise class 

24. Go to two author readings

25. Write two short stories

26. Meet another blog friend IRL

What do you think of my goals?

What are some of yours?

♥ ♥ ♥

As a thank you to all of you for being so awesome by stopping by my little slice of the Internet and being wonderful blog friends (seriously, thank you!), I'm giving away a Too Faced Melted Lipstick (you get to pick the color when you win) and a $25 gift card to Starbucks! It's an international giveaway*.

*Starbucks gift cards bought in the U.S. don't work outside the country, so if someone from outside the States wins they'll get two lipsticks instead. 

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Hope you all have a wonderful day!

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Three Year Blogiversary Giveaway Extravaganza!

Since you guys are awesome, I want to celebrate you and thank you for being the best blog readers and friends a gal can have! Thank you so so much for reading! Thank you so much telling me about your own lives, your favorite things, your fears, likes, dislikes, and for joining the discussion on our joint interests (style, books, Harry Potter, geeky things, shopping, movies, TV, and much more).

As a thank you for being amazing blog friends, I'm having a giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive $58 worth of goodies! Here's what you'll get:

• Ban.do Red Sequin Heart Pin 
• Orla Kiely Printed Make Up Bag {similar}
• Revlon Balm Stain in Smitten
• Tattly Gold Temporary Tattoo (not pictured -- still in the mail)
• Forever 21 Rhinestone Necklace (not pictured -- still in the mail)
• $15 Starbucks Gift Card*

Giveaway will run from now until December 17th. Open to residents of U.S., U.K., and Canada. 

Winner chosen at random. Thanks for entering!

*Unfortunately the gift card would only be for a U.S. winner. 

I don't think it would convert to GBP or CAD. But let me know if I'm wrong.

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Good luck!

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My 25th Birthday Giveaway!

My 25th birthday is on June 22nd and to celebrate, as well as to thank all of you for being amazing, loyal readers, I wanted to have a giveaway! You guys are seriously wonderful people! Reading your comments and talking with you about style, books, and life makes me so happy. I'm glad I've been able to get to know you all over the past two and half years, and I hope to learn more about you all. (That's one of the reasons, I'm planning on continuing my Dear Reader, Who Are You series.)

Anyway, this isn't a super big giveaway, but it's just a little something to say THANK YOU!

The winner will receive: 
♥ Ban.do frills tumbler
♥ Ban.do chitchat and frills carryall duo
♥ Revlon perfumerie nail polish in Ginger Melon
♥ Jonathan Adler x B&N set of four notebooks

Open to residents of the U.S., Canada, and U.K. only.  

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Have a wonderful weekend!

I'll be relaxing, eating cake, chilling with friends and family, 

and counting all my birthday money so I can buy my new camera!

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Life Lately {Work, Ladurée & Bloggers} + A $250 Giveaway!

May has been a crazy good month! I got into the swing of a new job, attended fun work events, beautiful flowers started blooming, the weather warmed up, and I got to know some lovely bloggers at Ladurée while eating French macarons. 

(Nicolette, me, Meagan, Alexandra, Alex)

(Simone, Nicolette, me, Alexandra, Monica)

(All of our stylish shoes!) (Last three pictures by Monica)

Brought donuts to work on my first day || Pretty Julep nail polish || Smoothies with my mom

Beautiful flowers blooming near my apartment

At work || New sandals from Yellow Box || We had tacos and margaritas at work!

Read Adulting and I loved it ||  What I wore to work || Ate macarons at Ladurée 

Macarons are coming home with me! || Me at Ladurée || Pretty macarons

Got a signed book and wine from a work event || With my dog || Influenster Spring VoxBox

It was wonderful meeting more New York and New Jersey bloggers! Monica, who put this all together, and Alex, who has her own beauty line, are the two bloggers I've met before, and they're the sweetest people. Monica even made us all personalized mini mason jars (which you can see at the bottom of this post)! I love mine so much! 

The new bloggers I met are Nicolette, who is so friendly and cute, Simone, who has the fiercest style and she's so nice, Meagan, a fashion illustrator who oozes cool, and Alexandra, a stylish Texas girl who makes her own scarves. It was great chatting with them about blogging and life, and I wish I could've talked to all of them more to get to know them better. 

We're planning to meet up again for a picnic in Central Park and I'm looking forward to it!


♥ ♥ ♥

Enter to win a $250 Loft gift card!

In celebration of Marissa of The Modern Austen's two year blogiversary, 

a whole bunch of bloggers have teamed up to giveaway $250 to Loft! 

You won't want to miss this! 

The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only. 

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What wonderful things happened to you in May?

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Inspired By: Spring Activities (with Glamour and Glow) + Giveaway!

Today we're talking about spring activities! I'm so excited that spring has started to grace us with it's presence because there's nothing better than seeing flowers, hearing birds sing, feeling a warm breeze against your skin, and wearing flowy fabrics. 

My sponsor, Glamour and Glow, teamed up with me on this post, so below are outfits perfect for classic springtime activities featuring some of Glamour and Glow's clothing. 

Before we move onto the fashion, I wanted to tell you a little bit about Glamour and Glow: the woman behind it all Christine Spreng founded her boutique because, as she puts it, "Making people look and feel good is key to brightening their day. It is very satisfying knowing that I have the opportunity to do this each and every day...and I am extremely thankful for that." Glamour and Glow is a complete fashion destination; they have jewelry, clothing accessories, and footwear. Her boutique blends street style and romantic touches. Be sure to check them out!

Picnics

{Click for item info}

Aren't picnics the best? Besides the inevitable ants, it's so lovely eating outside when the temperature is perfect. I definitely want to have one (or five) this spring! You could wear a pretty blush-colored dress, a rhinestone necklace, a polka dot scarf, and floral flats. Or a bright yellow top, jean shorts, a tassel necklace, and brown sandals. 

Walking in the Park

Nothing is more relaxing than talking a stroll through lush greenery, either by yourself, with your dog, or with a loved one. When the sun is shining through a bunch of leaves, the world seems absolutely perfect. Go comfortable: wear a cute top, leggings, a stack of bracelets, and green sneakers. Or wear a baseball cap, a loose cardigan, a bike tee, distressed jeans, and flats. 

Picking Flowers

Flowers are, of course, pretty year round, but there's something wonderful about surrounding yourself with flowers in the spring. I want to see real flowers and I want to be wearing them. There's no such thing as too many florals. Wear a white lace top, a black and white folded skirt, a stone necklace, and black wedges. Or wear a lace dress, a purple necklace, a flower crown, and black flats. 

City Adventures

Obviously not everyone lives in or close to a city, but it's definitely fun going into a city now and then for some epic adventures -- seeing the old buildings, eating at new places, visiting a museum, or staying up all night dancing. Don a light-colored beanie, a studded dress, a blue druzy necklace, a brown belt, and blue heels. Or wear an olive jacket, a black tank, a tortoiseshell necklace, a distressed jeans, and booties.

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One person will win a pretty silver headband
from Glamour and Glow!

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(via 1, 2, 3 & 4)

Ipsy Glam Bag {February 2014} + Mini Giveaway

A post on a Saturday? Well, I wanted to show you guys what I got in my Ipsy Glam Bag this month, but ran out of weekdays. For $10 a month, Ipsy gives you a bag of five deluxe samples. February's theme was the Look of Love, and I received the bag on Valentine's Day, so that was perfect timing. I love the beauty products in this bag, so this month was a winner in my book!

For the month of February, I received:

♥ City Color's Be Matte Blush in Fresh Melon (full size $3)

♥ POP Beauty's Plump Pout Mini in Peony Petal (full size $16, sample $8ish)

♥ Zoya's Nail Polish in Odette (full size $9)

♥ PHYTO-C's Velvet Gel (full size $64, sample $16)

♥ J.Cat Beauty's Eyelashes & Eye Glue (full size $4)

This bag was worth $40! 

MINI REVIEWS

City Color's Be Matte Blush in Fresh Melon

This is my absolute favorite thing from this month's bag! I love blush, especially matte powder blush, so this is the perfect thing for me. The fresh melon color is gorgeous and looks coral-y in the pan, but is a little more pink on the skin, which is fine with me. This color is going to be great for the spring and summer. It is super pigmented, so a little goes a long way.

POP Beauty's Plump Pout Mini in Peony Petal 

This lip gloss is a beautiful rosy color and is more like a liquid lipstick than a gloss, which I like. It's very pigmented and feels very smooth on the lips. The only downside is that it smells like a mix of vanilla and burnt rubber, but luckily you can't smell it while it's on. Also, the packaging is really cute.

Zoya's Nail Polish in Odette

I'm going to swoon forever over this dusty purple nail polish. It's so pretty and I think it's a nice color for winter and spring. It's a bit sheer, but you can layer it to make it a deeper color.

PHYTO-C's Velvet Gel 

This small bottle utterly confused me when I first got it. I had no idea what it was. On the website it says it's supposed to "give skin a glowing appearance, improves the combination of rebounding cells and collagens, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and nourishes, hydrates, and softens skin." So essentially it's an anti-aging pink gel. I'm not sure if this actually works, but I'll probably dab it under my eyes at night now and then.

J.Cat Beauty's Eyelashes & Eye Glue

This is the only thing that really disappointed me because I never wear fake eyelashes. I would end up fidgeting with them the whole time, so I'm going to give this away to one of you lovely ladies! You also get an extra little present! Enter below. (Residents of U.S. & Canada only.)

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What did you get in your Ipsy Glam Bag if you get one?
Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

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Favorite Things & Yellow Bird + Yellow Beard Blogiversary Giveaway!

{Silver Tips' passion berry loose tea, JAS and Bagels custom stickers, Target bag, 

Urban Outfitters macaron box,  Shop Rite tea strainer, ℅ House of Garland headband, 

NYX matte lipstick in Tea Rose, Sammydress necklace, Forever 21 detangling brush 

& Revlon parfumerie nail polish in Wintermint and Wild Violet}

Since it's been so cold in New York, I've been enjoying drinking fruity black tea, especially this wonderful passion berry one from a cute little tea place near me called Silver Tips. 

I haven't bought new nail polish in forever, but once I heard about these Revlon parfumerie nail polishes, I had to try them out and they're awesome! All the colors are so pretty and the scent is subtle but stays for a few days after applying. 

This video is hilarious!

UNfavorite: I heard great things about the Rimmel Show Offs (in England knows as the Apocalips), so I got one at Walgreens. The color is so pigmented and I really liked the applicator and how it felt, but I couldn't get over the strong chemical smell. Even after 20 minutes on my lips I could still smell it, so sadly it was returned. 

A few fun links:
♥ Cee Fardoe of Coco and Vera has published her first novel, After the Shots!

♥ A moment's reflection -- these pictures are beautiful!

♥ A big fan of Harry Potter made a Ministry of Magic website!

♥ These pictures by Japanese photographer Toyokazu Nagano of his 4-year-old daughter Kanna are so adorable!

♥ Hilarious thoughts for 2014!

♥ An A to Z of unusual words.

♥ Beautiful pictures of women reading.

♥ What does your blog's color scheme say about you and your blog?

♥ Is your online persona really you? Interesting to think about. I have to agree that my online persona shows only a part of the whole me, but I've been trying to include more of my thoughts and life on this here blog. 

♥ One Tweet Tony.

♥ Tweak your New Year's resolutions as questions to make you stick to them!

♥ I NEED this book, Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without A Date by Katie Heaney! She's 25 and has never been in a relationship or had a date, and now I don't feel like such a weirdo for being in the same boat!

♥ If you're looking for a personal stylist, I would 100% recommend Share Some Style! You create a style board of outfits you love, you're matched with a stylist, and then your stylist will go through your closet with you, either through video chat or in person. I think it's a great idea if you really have no idea what to get rid of and you need help creating new outfits from what you have! Share Some Style also has a helpful blog! (This is not sponsored by the way.)

♥ Sponsor love: How to wear layered neutrals and a 26th birthday bucket list by Style Honestly. No mess glitter jars and blueberry martini recipe by Becoming Fab. Simple but chic gold, silver, and rose gold jewelry by Omoroka. Wardrobe staples and books for breakfast by Bookworms in Dresses. Blogging 101: planning posts and the epic feminist playlist by Clear the Way. Beautiful and sparkly headbands by House of Garland. A memorial scrapbook by Letters From Tiffany is a great way to remember loved ones. 

Get 30% off with code BLOGLOVE30 at House of Garland and get 15% off with code OmorokaOnBlog at Omoroka!

♥ Swap friends: Books, Beauty & Bars, Life of a Sports Wife, Catching Cody K, A Mom's Point of View, Ruffled Paper, Little Lady Little City, Paper Umbrella, My Life as a Teacup, Starry Eyes + Coffee Cups, A Writer in Love, & Whimsy Darling.

♥ Fashion loves: striped dress, scarf organizer, sequin skirt, crystal holly necklace, albi boots, jeweled clutch, neutral eye palette, owl tea infuser, floral spoon ring, chunky sweater, & pink business card case.

♥ ♥ ♥

Behind the Design | Blythe Ponytail Parades | Buckets & Spades | Chestnut Mocha | Clear the Way

Cloistered Away | Yeobo | Enjoying the Journey | Ex Vitae | Fashiony Fab

Horses of Ares | Jazz Lips & Tulips | Coco Mingo | Kneadle & Bread | Live Colorful

Lucky Number Seven | My Lifebox | Anna Delores | My Paradissi | Of Trees and Hues

Oh So Pretty | Pharr Away | Postcards from Rachel | Rolala Loves | Scavengenius

Sea, Field & Tribe | Sincerely Sara | Squirrelly Minds | Tara Victoria | Undecided Mamas

Yellow Bird + Yellow Beard | Cocorrina 

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Happy Friday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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One Dress, Two Ways || The Little Lace Dress + House of Garland Giveaway!

I bought this white lace dress on clearance months ago, but never wore it because a) I was afraid I would spill something on it, and b) I wasn't sure how to wear it. It feels so fancy, but I hardly ever go to parties. I wanted to figure out how to wear it for a regular day. 

For the first outfit, I went with a nighttime look or a party look. The first way I would think to wear a LLD (little lace dress). I wore my embellished sweater, pretty headband from House of Garland, and black heels. I'm going to gush about this lovely headband: I used to associate headbands with something little girls or Blair Waldorf wore, but all the headbands in House of Garland's Etsy shop are so elegant. They have the perfect amount of sparkle! Each headband is offered in a limited quantity, so you know you're getting something special!

Headband: ℅ House of Garland | Sweater: American Eagle | Dress: American Eagle {similar}

Tights: old {similar} | Bracelet: Forever 21 {cute option, also cute} | Knot Ring: gift
Midi Ring: JC Penney | Heels: Payless

I wanted to wear a daytime outfit with this pretty dress to prove to myself that it could be done. And yes, it certainly can! Wearing a blue boyfriend cardigan, brown belt, knee-high socks, and brown boots makes the dress more casual. Though I haven't worn the outfit out yet, I would definitely wear it to work or to class, if I still had classes to attend. 

Another cute way to casual-ize (I just made up that word) this dress would be to wear a pullover sweater in a neutral or bright color with tights and booties. How would you wear a white lace dress? 

Headband: ℅ House of Garland | Sweater: Target | Dress: American Eagle {similar}

Tights: old | Belt: thrifted {similar} | Knot Ring: gift | Midi Ring: JC Penney 

Socks: Urban Outfitters {similar} | Boots: Amazon

♥ ♥ ♥

Win this beautiful Sadie headband from House of Garland!

Open to people in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand!

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**This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.**

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