nykeiko wears: day in Dumbo

Top: Ella Moss/Shorts: Banana Republic/Necklace: Jewelmint/Sunglasses: Tom Ford

My friends from Montreal have come and sadly left after three short days in New York. I love everyone's great enthusiasm when they explore New York for the first or 10th time. There's always something fun or new to do and I'm happy to explore with them.

If I know I'm going to be walking out for an entire day, I will always pick my Birkentstocks over my pretty shoes. It's something you will unfortunately see in a lot of my pictures for the summer because we usually walk around A LOT!  I wish I could walk all day in heels but that's unrealistic and I don't know anyone that can survive a day walking in heels! I wonder about those Cole Haan ones with Nike soles or Aerosoles heels sometimes...and if they challenge my never ever theory.

Freedom tower still going up is now NY's tallest building

Taking the ferry from Williamsburg to Dumbo is a good idea!

Can't get enough of this mural!

Mural by Retna

Hookahs make me barf? @ Sahara East, East village

Spending a couple of hours sucking and blowing some fruity fumes from a shisha made me barf out my wonderful dinner from Frank at various corners in the East village. What contributed to this un-lady like behavior was probably also spending all day under the hot sun with little water since it is definitely not my first time smoking some hookahs.

We ordered two hookahs- one was double apple and the other was this off-menu one called pomegranate something where a real pineapple was on top of the hookah! I chatted most of the time too and only sucked hard to produce the biggest genie-like cloud out of my mouth like R is doing here.

Could not replicate this without coughing

Pineapple on top of hookah

RGB polish in Dove :)

A nice chilled margarita after a hot sunny day

nykeiko wears: Color blocking dress and steak night at Strip House inNew York!

Isn't it cool when you can find new trends in your old clothes?

Dress: Kookai , Shoes: Nine West

I look so tired and sleepy here

I bought this one piece dress from European brand Kookai in Taiwan about two years ago.  This past Spring/Summer, bright colors and color blocking is in trend so this dress came out of the closet to breath some fresh air.  What I like about this piece is that it looks like it's a chic two piece outfit (shirt and skirt) but it only takes a minute to slip it on over my head like a t-shirt and it looks so smart! You can now shop Kookai in the US via ASOS here! There are no US stores I believe.

I wore it out with my new Nine West slingbacks for a Friday night date to a trendy resto called Strip House NY. There was an hour wait even at 9 p.m. at the main restaurant on a Friday night but the Strip House grill right next door had seatings right away. They served the same menu and from the same kitchen so why not! You just miss out on the ambience but it was actually quite dark down there and filled with men with no dates. I saw one woman there and she ate alone at the bar!

A dozen raw littlenecks to start!

The sides are a hit. The Wild Mushrooms are simply delicious and complement the meal so well.

The room was so dark we could not tell that the plate was served with roasted garlics which must be eaten with your steak!

The chocolate cake was highly recommended but this meal was more than we could handle.
I still prefer the filet mignon from Porterhouse or Peter Lugers but the Rib N Eye steak D ordered was delicious. Medium rare is the way to go!

Some Yelp tip recommended the Betty Blue Eye cocktail drink but I didn't think it was that great. Also, there was suppose to be a complimentary carpacho shot to start but they forgot that AND our bread too. They also charged us more for my drink. I was not happy D tipped 18% after all that.

Wild mushrooms are a must. Truffle Spinach is popular but so heavy!

Delicious Rib N Eye

Strip House's 12 oz Medium rare filet mignon

Smorgasburg and Renegade Craft fair in Williamsburg, oh my!

Top: Stylemint/Shorts: Rag and Bone/Sunglasses:Burberrry/Bag:Rachel Nasvik (ofakind edition)

After being tortured by the heat wave, drained with a day of thunderstorms, we finally get perfect weather in time for the weekend. We expected clear blue skies so I decided I would wear all blue to match :)

This Saturday, I went to Smorgasburg (not again!) and then right next door at the Waterfront park was the 8th annual Renegade Craft fair which I had no idea was happening this weekend. How did I miss that?! It's like Etsy coming to life and you can touch, feel and try everything you once saw online. There were old and new vendors compared to last year and some new vendors I have read about so I was excited to see some of the things in person. I couldn't capture the essence of the fair in pictures so I decided to make my first vlog about the fair!

In June, Bedford Avenue was shut down 3 Saturdays in a row for Williamsburgs Walks. I very much enjoyed walking in the middle of the street ... Arts, games, music and freshly rolled out grass was prepared for everyone to enjoy.

Part of my summer 2012 to-do list is to take my SLR out to play. I now treat you folks to enticing pictures of food and fun!

Smorgasburg:

Paella

3 cheese grill cheese

Fish taco

Must have the Dumont milkshake!

Friends

Renegade Craft Fair 2012:

Colorful pebbles

State shaped wood boards!

Typewriter jewelry

Color dipped coral necklaces

Honey comb shapes

  Blow me handkerchief

Video:


And before you leave, don't forget to drop by Magnolia Photoboh to take some great souvenir photos for FREE!!!

Take a free Magnolia photobooth pic. This was taken at last year's fair!

Of course I framed it! Our latest couples portrait :)

Williamsburg Walks:

Williamsburg Walks 2012 on Bedford Avenue

Donut break

Bedford Ave

If you see a ladder, you climb it...

xxx

I am an eager beaver for summer! What to do this summer?!

At Hester street fair. Top: Alice & olivia top/Bag:m0851/shoes:Camper/Sunglasses: Burberry

Now that the weather is a lot warmer and days are filled with clear and sunny skies, I have become way more eager to plan out my weekends and look forward to them! Asking D on Sunday night what we will do the next weekend can make it a very long week for me but I don't care!!

It is my third summer season here in New York. The city becomes more vibrant in the summer and I want to be part of everything especially things that do not cost money! Click here for a list of free things to do in summer in NYC compiled by Refinery29. The last suggestion is a link to my post about Chanel's 'Little Black Jacket' however that exhibition closed June 15!

This weekend, some friends from Montreal are visiting and I'm going to join them for some touristy fun that I haven't myself done yet. For the first time, I'll take the free Staten Island ferry and also visit the World Trade Memorial site which opened on 9/12 last year!

In Quebec. Jacket: Wilfred Chevalier blazer/ Shorts: Kookai

Fire Island

In Williamsbur. Top: Toy Ninja/Skirt: Francois Beauregard (fb)

I'm compiling a personal summer to-do list again this year. I just took a peek at my summer list from last year of which I've only crossed off a few things and most were not even done during the summer. Picnics at Central Park was lovely. I did cross the BK bridge twice but not on rollerblades. I have not yet crashed a Hamptons party nor get drunk at a vineyard. I did visit the red pandas at the Bronx zoo but it was during Spring time. I went to Prospect park for the first time for Googa Mooga but not for berries hunting.


My summer list 2012: 
-Sailing on the Hudson river (Maybe try this company?)
-Bike in Central Park as I have never done that before. It's so do-able and there are so many discount deals out there being offered. I'd like to rollerblade as well but I have to wait for D to not think he will die each time he wears those blade.
-Visit the Hamptons just because! Preferably rent a convertible, top down and drive while letting my hair loose in the wind (but reality is, probably will be stuck in traffic for hours).
-Return to Fire Island beach and pet a deer.
-Go upstate NY somewhere, anywhere! Vineyards? Stay at a bed and breakfast? Hiking?
-Hike more! Somewhere, anywhere!
-Rollerblade along the Hudson river. The pavement looks nice and flat!
-Wear all my summer outfits which I have neglected and cannot wear for work.
-Have more fun with mixing and matching new outfits.
-TAKE MORE PICTURES! Bring our SLR camera out to play more!
-Bake a summer apple pie!
- (...) Will surely update this list as more ideas come!

So far, just before the official start of summer, notably I have:
-Camped in Catskills
-7th heaven fair in Park Slope
-And with no doubt of course went to Smorgasburg and Brooklyn flea like a zillion times.

This summer's bonus is being able to travel back to my beloved Montreal at least twice for two weddings. Also, we're doing a road trip from Montreal to Boston and discovering what Maine has to offer! Will Maine satisfy my taste buds with delicious seafood and tempt me with their unique little boutiques and antique shops??!

East River waterfront by Smorgasburg

In Hollywood where it's always sunny! Shorts: J brand

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If you're open minded and embrace creativity then watch this...Sigur Rós

And if do not want to see Shia Leboeuf naked or some naked bloody violence, you can just play, listen and enjoy soothing piano notes...



I have a penchant towards indie music...Never heard of Sigur Rós before? I have a couple of their songs on my playlist and their music is completely haunting but addictive. They are an icelandic band formed back in the 1994. They have a following but I don't know if they have gone mainstream or not but I definitely know I hear more and more about them nowadays and with this new video starring Mr. Leboeuf in the buff, they will expose themselves to new listeners!



Another indie artist going mainstream thanks to the expose of a Hollywood celeb?

Artists with no limits to create..  with no restrictions or censorship..see how far they can go! (You will probably never see these videos on television!)

Click here to see more videos and what this project is all about.

"sigur rós have given a dozen film makers the same modest budget and
asked them to create whatever comes into their head when they listen to
songs from the band's new album valtari. the idea is to bypass
the usual artistic approval process and allow people utmost creative
freedom. among the filmmakers are ramin bahrani, alma har'el and john
cameron mitchell."

Break in your shoes without or, with much less pain...

Breaking in new shoes is a tricky and painful procedure.

I am breaking in my new Rag and Bone Newbury ballet flats and it's ouchie!

A colleague of mine showed me a trick which is going to "save" me so many band-aids or bonding tape. Instead of placing band-aids on both heels and toes everytime I wear them new shoes, I am going to wear sheer knee lenght nylons or panty hose from now on. I laughed at her when she showed me her 'uncool' knee lenght stockings which actually helps her keep her feet dry and prevents blisters. The only person I have ever known wear nylons was my loving grandmother. Maybe there is a lot of women that wears them and I just had no clue since they are almost invisible.  I didn't even know where to buy them! However, when I tried on my new flats, I immediately felt the pinch and heel rubbing and had to break them in so I decided to try the nylons this time. I easily got a pair from CVS at 99 cents and they are fantastic! It prevented rubbing of the shoes against my heels and thus no pain! My feet was also kept dry and thus, no smell! The side of my feet was still pinched which is something I can't seem to avoid with any shoes due to my ginormous wide feet!

What are your tricks for breaking into new shoes? Lots of blood, blisters and limping until your shoes soften or do you use a shoe stretcher prior to wearing them? Or ever try with rubbing alcohol?

You can barely see the stockings

The sheer hose cannot even hide the tan I got over the weekend

These 100% leather babies are made with rigib nubuck leather and I think they are going to take more time to mold to my feet.
Made in Taiwan.
Upper: German nubuck cow leather.
Stacked flat Belgian cow leather sole


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A new hue of blue to feel unblue

What my apartment would look like from a 60s photograph

After almost a year living in our current apartment and deciding to renew our lease for another year, we finally bought a bucket of paint and set out to revamp our entire apartment!! Ok.. not true! We had a plan and the plan was just to paint ONE wall. THE accent wall. We are simply too lazy to do all the walls. It took us almost a year to get to this point so one wall is more than enough!

We had a plain looking white wall

At first, we wanted a dramatic color that would pop out such as RED or Cobalt blue but then we thought we needed a color that would be more soothing to the eyes on days when we just want to chill and relax in our living room. Note that we live on a one bedroom apartment and our living room is where we spend most of our time so it was important to get a cool hue that wouldn't kill our eyes. I picked this dark royal blue in matte from Behr.

Not that I know much about paint but Behr's paint is PERFECT. We were going to go for some cheap brand but it was important for me not to be intoxicated by the smell of paint for days. I was able to coat without wanting to puke (the smell was pleasant actually) and it had the perfect glide and consistency!

I never really painted walls in my life. So this was a fun easy project especially since I didn't do much of the painting because we only had one roller. I did help brush the corners and also had fun drawing on the wall as you can see below.

This is how I helped out by drawing Keiko..

The finished product