30 October 2013

the classic 'all-about-music' post

i decided to do a post on music. music is my release, i listen to such a wide variety.  i encourage you to take a moment and let these artists change your life as they have changed mine.

it is impossible for me to state my all time favorite bands/ musicians, but i can say without hesitation the clash is at the top of the list. 


wavves is incredible. their lyrics and messages are meaningful and equally humorous.


i recently got into the paper kites, i will be seeing them in a few weeks down in allston, ma. they have a singer-songwriter vibe but still are considered alt rock.


i took this picture earlier this year of grouplove. grouplove is a fantastic group with fantastic energy. their music video for "ways to go" always puts me in a good mood.


as an old school favorite, ween takes the gold. they are absolutely remarkable, entertaining, humorous, and beautiful. 

i also am a huge supporter to deftones, the pixies, james vincent mcmorrow, sarah jaffe, alt-j, sunset rubdown.

as a band to watch id recommend little daylight. i saw them open for the neighbourhood early summer and I'm still addicted to their sound. 

im glad to share my favorites, if you have any to recommend id love to hear them!

xxxo

27 October 2013

inspirations | zooey deschanel

i really like sketching. i know i am no van gogh but i sketch to relax. it's my break from reality. 
i love zooey deschanel; she is always inspiring me. not only is new girl an extremely entertaining show, her personal style and feminist edge make her extraordinary . 


i truly love this girl and all she stands for. 

xxxo

21 October 2013

night life | the north end

i will not be the first to say boston's north end is simply wonderful. good food, quaint surroundings, fun and interesting people. you cannot go wrong. 

i love boston night life. perhaps it's because boston remains a relatively early-bird city, unlike nyc, most bostonians actually go to bed at a reasonable hour. i am an early riser (at least i try to be) and i never feel alone or outcasted for liking to be in bed before the clock ticks midnight. 


the line at this tiny little place in the north end is ridiculous! every time i pass by there is a line of at least 20 people. i have waited in this line (in the middle of winter) and it was worth it. the food is incredible! you are rushed when eating (its a very small and crammed  place) but it is certainly an experience.


i drink coffee as if it was holy water. i love checking out new cafes. i found this one called equal exchange between the north end and north station and i loved the coffee and the atmosphere. i would definitely recommend it.


friends + coffee = daily joys


i love this city. that is the only way i can explain it. im so gracious to universe for providing me with such opportunity. 

xxxo

20 October 2013

styling

i have discovered i love styling. i have always been heavily involved in current trends. as a child i was convinced i would be a fashion designer--i filled sketch book after sketch book with my designs. im not quite sure where that dream went but i still love to idea of fashion. recently i have been given the opportunity to style and it was absolutely amazing. 

this is a picture i took from one of the shoots, it was a lovely time. i was lucky to work with such wonderful individuals. 


i never styled hair before, especially men's hair--but i think it went well.



overall i enjoyed the opportunity, i think i may have found my passion. 

xxxo

15 October 2013

harvard | cambridge

ahh what a day. five hours of class, a two hour meeting, dinner with a friend, an early screening of last vegas, and coffee with a colleague. i am quite tired. 
yesterday was more of a relaxing day. i went to cambridge with my lovely gent for the holiday. the weather couldn't of been more perfect. we took a stroll through harvard university and a slow and peaceful walk admiring the old colonials down brattle street, i kept thinking one day...one day i may call a house of such grace home (dream big right?). until then ill just dream and stand back in awe. 


a picture of me on brattle st. i loved the cast iron fence. 

(jcrew jeans, madewell shoes, a vintage sweater, vintage dana buchman jacket, and madewell's transport tote).

harvard is just gorgeous. the courtyard was filled with hundreds of brightly covered chairs and benches. no matter the season, harvard always finds a way to look absolutely stunning. it is the best place to people watch (besides ikea of course). 



a trip to cambridge would not be complete without shopping in harvard square. the square has the best cafes and there is an adorable hat shop i would undoubtfully recommend. the music is usually fantastic as well. 
i enjoyed the day so much im already planning my next trip. 

xxxo

13 October 2013

garlic and rosemary sweet potato fries

today was another lovely day. i enjoyed errands and sushi with my little sister early afternoon and then continued to slave in the kitchen making dinner for my large family (willingly of course) for the rest of the day.

i made a variation of turkish food, i grew up in turkey and miss it everyday. food is a great reminder of the great country. i made lamb gyros with tzatziki sauce and roasted italian peppers. i very much love turkish style gyros.
 a little hint for turkish cooking: you could never use too much garlic or too much olive oil. 

i couldn't resist making my sweet potato fries with this meal, i found a bag of sweet potatoes in the pantry and went to work.

garlic and rosemary sweet potato fries


recipe: 

ingredients
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into fries (not too thin, 1/2 in thick should do)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

directions
  • preheat the oven to 425 degrees
  • in a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with olive oil 
  • add garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary 
  • spread in a single layer on a baking sheet (line baking sheet with aluminum foil)
  • bake between 25-40 minutes or until crispy (depending on desired thickness)
  • check often, tossing 2 or 3 times during baking
  • remove from oven and sprinkle with more salt and parsley

i hope you enjoy this fabulous recipe as much as i do! 

xxxo

11 October 2013

nature walks | nh

new hampshire is a beautiful place. i love the woodsy aroma and seeing smoke drift away from chimney tops. normally it would be much (much) colder at this point in the year, but for some reason this october feels like may. i won't complain. i went with my family on a nature hike today. we got wonderfully lost in the woods but it was perfect. my brother and sister each found hiking sticks and we trucked through the abyss pretending we were old pioneers. my mother kept the adventure going tricking them into thinking we were lost and they needed to find our way back--they loved the excitement (as did i). 


Tru has an infatuation with acorns and what he calls perfect 'leafses'. fall makes him excited, he has so many leaves to choose from.


needless to say we had fun. its nice to step away from the busyness of the city and smell fresh air.


i'm in the mood to bake and watch julie and juila. perhaps ill do both. toodles.
xxxo

09 October 2013

fall inspirations | wildly simple


oh how i love fall, im very simplistic in fall. maybe its my october birthday or the acceptance of scarves, or maybe its the reminder christmas is approaching. fall is very a wonderful time of year, especially in new england.

 these are my new obsessions:


madewell's transport tote | i love this bag, it fits everything i need, its large yet simple and lays on my shoulder comfortably. i would definitely recommend it.

madewell's billie boot | no, madewell isn't paying me, i just love their products. these are super comfortable and lovely, they match everything and provide a polished look.

is it wrong i have started my christmas shopping? and christmas recipe collecting? its october, thats soon enough right? i cant wait for the lights and the snow and my parent's wood stove. my boyfriend and i just booked our late november trip for nyc and i am so excited. im going to spend the whole day in the met. hear that scott? the met, not the natural history museum. (we've been battling over it, he has already lost on a knick's game). im sad jimmy fallon is moving to la, although i am happy for his success, i never got a chance to see him live...maybe one day. 

oh yeah! something exciting happened, my birthday was monday and my boyfriend and i were leaving the movie theatre on the boston commons when out of nowhere comes tom brady and gisele. it was quite fun to experience--tom told me happy birthday (we are on a first-name basis now). 

oh fall, its only been a short while and the magic has already started. 

i shall leave you with this, it makes me smile. till next time friends.

xxxo

06 October 2013

a day at the mfa

i spent the day with my boyfriend's mother at the museum of fine arts, we had a delightful time.  


my favorite section of the museum is the european paintings. i could stare at renoir's Dancing with Renoir for hours. i also love looking at picasso's masterpieces. my favorite work of his is the Girl with the Yellow Hair which i was fortunate enough to see last summer at the guggenheim in nyc. 


the mfa was featuring an exhibit on rembrandt's etchings pressed from hand-carved bronze plates (all printed during his lifetime). it was definitely a sight, id be lying if i said i didn't shed a tear or two. 


artistic geniuses inspire me. i feel the need to take out my paints and lock myself out of the house.
 life it too beautiful to leave it unnoticed, art is my way of appreciating it. 

xxxo


05 October 2013

fall | new england

happy saturday! i spent the past two days in lovely nh with my family to say farewell to my austin-texas-bound sister. during my stay i got to revisit new england fall (fall in boston can go quite unnoticed ). and like always, i spent most of my time with S, my adorable baby brother. 



it was a wonderful time. 




confession: i love rain.
rain is beautiful, it makes the colors rich and green during this season. my favorite rainy day movies: 
Julie & Julia, Miss Potter, and Finding Neverland 
   



S also enjoys the rain, he could not let go of my window sill as he watched the droplets fall from the sky. 

xxxo