Chic Thrills » Chic Escapes

madison square park sunset.

Ruth — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:53:04 +0000

as the sun sets on my 20s

Ruth — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:24:36 +0000

i recently took a much needed holiday and vacationed in costa rica. a country with no army and populated with transplants, the vibe is laid back and worldly. the food light and fresh. the exercise plentiful and invigorating. in fact, we practiced yoga at 2x a day at vida asana yoga retreat center in playa hermosa. during my free time, i lounged on the beach, meditated, napped (of course) and read the hunger games trilogy. this experience also gave me plenty of time to think. to try and come to peace with the fact that the sun is setting on my 20s as i come into my 29th year of life. for some reason, i struggle with this age more than i believe i will when my 30th rolls around. my way to deal with this debacle, spoiling myself with things that improve and maintain my health. whether its yoga retreats, yearly vacations, massages, a juicer for cleanses, organic foods or time to recharge, i vow to take care of me. and that’s how i plan to get through the next 365 days with my whits about me.

oh, and stay tuned for a video and photo diary from costa rica. we had monkeys in our backyard!!!

a moment in time.

Ruth — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:27:30 +0000

do you like your job? i mean, do you get excited to go to work in the morning? do feel happy when you walk into your office and smile when you see your co-workers, who you actually happen to like/love? instead of rushing to your desk to just “get through the day” do you welcome interaction and water cooler talk? well, i do.

as our fearless leader, felicia sullivan would say, i had a “MOMENT” while we were walking to shake shack for a team outing. the fact that everyone took time out of their LIFE to break bread together melted my heart. seeing everyone walking towards the subway brought me back to a time where you had a “buddy” and had to do a count off to make sure everyone from the group was in attendance. you know, the air smelled of pine and lake and you could hear kumbayas and chants as you walked to the bunk. only this time i was walking through the beautiful streets of the west village, heading to burger and french fry heaven with coworkers that became close friends.

i know one day i will look back on this moment and say, remember when….

5 pointz.

Ruth — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:07:21 +0000

while on my way home from moma ps1, i stopped by the famed 5 pointz in Queens. as i stood in the main lot, i was surrounded by six-story city buildings and an entire block covered in vibrant shapes of imaginative graffiti. i felt like i had just walked into the sistine chapel. whether its the feeling evoked from the entry way of the chapel; two finger tips touching; the look on eve’s face exiting the garden; or the souls descending to hell in the last judgement — i experienced the same overwhelmed, breathtaking feeling.

just as michaelangelo was able to visualize pain, grief, and sorrow to scare viewers out of sin, each artist tells his own story of how he perceives life and the present culture. i spent a good hour taking it all in, trying to learn each complex, beautiful story sprayed on the wall. while our modern day frescoes don’t bring religion to life, they capture the essence of the times.

for more information + directions , scroll below the images. hope you like!

Cost: Free
Address: 5 Pointz, Jackson Avenue at Crane Street and Davis Street, the whole block, Long Island City, NY 11101
Directions by Car:
-Queensboro Bridge to Queens Blvd, right on Jackson Ave, left on Purves.
-Midtown Tunnel/LIE-East exit at Van Alst and follow 21st St, turn right on Jackson, and right on Crane.
-LIE-West exit Van Dam, right on Van Dam, left on Thompson, left on Jackson, and left on Crane.
Subways: E, V subways to 23 St/Ely Ave., 7 to 45 Rd/Court House Sq., G to Court House Square.
Buses: Q67 to Jackson and 46th Ave. B61 to 46th Ave.

north fork adventures.

Ruth — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:04:57 +0000

Robin, my dear, dear friend from And Your Bird Can Sing, Roscoe and I hit the road to spend a relaxing weekend in North Fork. Here’s some quick snaps. I definitely recommend a trip out to the island if you’re in need of some R&R.

A walk in the park.

Ruth — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:01:59 +0000

Right before all the snow melted from the recent storms, I snapped these pictures during my walk in Prospect Park.

Structured snow.

Ruth — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:37:01 +0000

Comfort + joy.

Ruth — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:26:36 +0000

In one word, the blizzard of 2010 was comforting. My family and I were prepared to be snowed in. We did a food and liquor run and secured enough dry wood to keep the fire lit for a week. After months of hard work, I wanted nothing more than to relax, sleep, and be in the comfort of my own home with my family. Because of the amount of snow we received, we were literally trapped in our home for a solid three days.

We spent our time sipping bloody mary’s, snacking on homemade baked goods, enjoying the fire as we watched movies, and playing intense games of scrabble, none of which I won. It’s the times like this that remind us most of the comfort and joy our family can bring us. I’m lucky to have a fabulous loving, caring, and slightly dysfunctional family.

I’m on a boat.

Ruth — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 02:56:11 +0000

After summer came to a close, things at Attention came to a temporary lull and we had a company outing in early September. While I already unlocked the “I’m on a boat” Foursquare badge, I had a chance to raise my leader board score as we checked into our boat cruise around Manhattan.

Flanked by some of my most favorite people, my coworkers and I got busy with some pictures, toasts to one another, and danced the night away as the New York City skyline served as the backdrop for a perfect evening. Forever grateful for my incredible job, I am blessed to have these empowering, trusting, and amazing colleagues as friends now.

Taking it back.

Ruth — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:09:00 +0000

Because Jay Z’s moved on from selling out Madison Square Garden, we purchased tickets to his Yankee Stadium show. A lyricist, musical genius, and marketing guru, this man is the ultimate rags to riches story. Born and raised in Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, Sean Carter turned his dreams into a reality and continues to make hit after hit, even post “retirement”. Rarely star struck, I might die if I ever had the chance to meet, let alone, interview Jay Z.

Never a huge Eminem fan and skeptical of his “so-called return”, this entertainer was a pleasant surprise. Running the stage and moving the crowd to brand new and classic songs, he’s more outspoken and angrier than ever. This man built a sustaining energy that got the crowd so amped up, I was wondering, “How will Jay ever top this?” I tell no lies…

Of course, Jay could have done the show on his own, but he remembers the crowd’s love for his entire career and brings all the greats back. As I’m taking a stroll down memory lane, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Kanye West, D Squared, and Dr. Dre make appearances.

Jay’s “Ode to New York” quickly shakes me from memories of “sipping bacardi” with my ”GB Biddies” in that blue Eddie Bauer explorer. Then “Song Cry” with Mary takes me to rainy high school days with some of my closest friends. Kanye West dazzles in his gold shirt and red leather suit and 50 reminds us that he “Runs New York”. As I “get lost in the music, the moment”, I see that the entire crowd is on this journey with me and I embrace the energy and go along for the most amazing ride of my life.

An incredible show, many say it’s the best they’ve ever been to – better than Sting, Madonna, and Coldplay! “The best rapper alive” continues to remind us why he’s still on top.

Yankee Stadium

Fireworks, obviously!

The energized crowd

Jay

The end.