back to basics.

October 23rd, 2011 by Ruth

what a brilliant way to reach the tastemakers via influencer street crowds. ralph lauren brings tweed, luggage colored oxfords, bowties + newsboy caps to the forefront of fashion by dressing 300 people in 1930′s/1940′s styled clothing. bike riding through various nyc neighborhoods, they drew attention on their tweed run as they were visually representing one specific era.

take a look at bill cunningham’s “natty” ny times shots + voice-over video [Bill Cunningham\'s Natty] to see how they made an impact by simply getting together and spending a few hours enjoying the day and drinking tea on fine bone china.

as a social marketer, i think of how to reach the masses via word-of-mouth. whether this was intended to drum up conversation or hosted merely for fun, it made me take a step back. perhaps i should take my strategy back to basics.

{images taken from nytimes.com}

firsts.

October 17th, 2011 by Ruth

when i first met krissy and cat, i realized my life would never be the same. with these two, i’ve experienced all THE milestones and most momentous occasions that shaped our lives and the people we are today.

krissy and i met when were 18 at the rutgers entrance exam. we were roommates through college, we interned together at rolling stone, majored together cause we had no clue what else to do, studied abroad together in florence, lived together in nyc, experienced first jobs/careers together, i was there when her oldest sister got engaged and even share my birthday with her nephew.

while catherine and i met our freshman year of college (she doesn’t remember this but i do:)), a former mutual friend of ours brought us together our senior year of college when we lived together at 60 ray street in new brunswick. our roommate status gave us the opportunity to experience a lot of “togethers”. together, we interned in nyc, burned pots + pans, sprayed the fire extinguisher over our backyard, experienced first break-ups, the trials + tribulations of first jobs in our careers, and first bachelorette parties to name a few.

i was there when they met their fiancees. and now i’m here when they got engaged.

during these “firsts”, we’ve laughed, cried, danced, talked, smiled, drank copious amounts of wine, but most of all, we held hands. this constant connection has created a bond that will allow us to experience more firsts. but at this point, i think the firsts equivocate to life.

congratulations, krissy + cat. all my love to you and your families. xo

 

 

 

color blocks.

October 6th, 2011 by Ruth

clinging desperately to the last days of summer, i had to break out my spring/summer burberry dress one last time. i paired it with my favorite yellow blazer and finished the look with my black patent leather sandals. in my mind, this outfit successfully straddled the two seasons.

anywho, you might be wondering about the cheese grill.. well this was taken during my team’s outing at shake shack. and you know how i feel about my amazing team. oh, and color blocking, too :)

[dress: burberry, shoes: ellen tracy, gold bracelet/watch: kenneth jay lane, yellow blazer: macys, black+gold bracelet: kenneth jay lane, necklace: vintage]

a moment in time.

September 30th, 2011 by Ruth

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….

so anxious.

September 15th, 2011 by Ruth

i’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of a few special things. and as the countdown came to an end, i was all smiles. i’m so lucky to have all that i have in my life.

thanks to my better half, cat, i inherited this lovely banana republic dress. i love the silky fabric and sheath that protects me from chronic static. and as the modman is my stylist, i had to borrow his fab jacket. thanks :)

all that glitters.

September 13th, 2011 by Ruth

lately, i’ve been obsessing over anything that’s glitter. in my mind, the more the merrier applies to more than just parties and gatherings. so as if my sally hansen salon effects weren’t enough, i piled on my favorite silver bracelets [note: charm bracelet from college packed with memories from studying in florence, my 21st birthday, etc.], wore my striped j.crew shirt that has sequins on it, added my jeweled necklace from j.crew and wore my ellen tracy heels that have patent leather on them.

so i got the pants from j.crew outlet, i know, where else? anyways, they were $30 and i couldn’t resist. i like pairing a snazzy shirt with a casual pant, or vice versa. and the bag, is my trusty felix rey for target [no longer available]. while the piping is popping out and the seams are fraying, i can’t get enough of the shape, color and hardware.

how do you bring your casual pieces into the mix?

diy summer.

September 12th, 2011 by Ruth

this picture was taken of me at my friend, renata’s fabulous diy bridal shower. hosted in her back yard, her mother served homemade brazilian dishes and desserts. i loved every single dish. you can’t believe how delicious everything was. honestly, i love going to her mom’s house because i know there will be amazing, authentic food there. check out some shots taken at renata’s shower. she is the queen of diy!

{shirt: express, skirt: jill stuart, shoes: coach, watch: kenneth jay lane, sunglasses: marc by marc jacobs}

my first earthquake.

August 23rd, 2011 by Ruth

casey: “will you please stop shaking your leg?”

danny: “it’s not ruth, casey (as he points to the right), look at the doors, they’re shaking”

cue: casey, ruth, danny + aja turn to the right and see the doors rattling.

situation: the entire building is moving, the columns are swaying. i was experiencing my first earthquake.

cause: the u.s. geological survey reports a 5.9 earthquake in virginia which sent tremors to ny, nj, and dc. apparently, columbia university earthquake observatory reports no expected aftershocks in the New York City area.

inside my head: i hope their telling us the truth. would they really tell us if a tsunami was coming. i think not. i need to know well in advance about any forthcoming natural disasters. i need time to plan my last hurrahs. see my family. puppy. find a husband.

aftermath: 160 varick evacuated us to the street (too bad they didn’t send us home! i would have enjoyed this gorgeous weather staring at the sky in prospect park). check us out on vandam bn varick + 6th ave. those who tweet together, survive :)

how many tiers does it take?

August 17th, 2011 by Ruth

thanks to the amazing environment my office fosters, my team held a clothing swap and pot luck where i scored this tiered dress-turned-shirt. little secret…. it’s from court + hudson’s closet. thankfully i was able to get the red wine stains out of my white jeans and could pair them with this forever 21 top. a little spray & wash and bleach, and that pinot nior didn’t stand a chance! thanks to my sweet boyfriend for the new evil eye (nazar) straight from the streets of istanbul.

5 pointz.

August 10th, 2011 by Ruth

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.