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NOW LISTENING: LULU JAMES

Friday, January 24


This Tanzanian born Brit, mixes r&b and electrobeats quite well.  
She's got a bit of a soft husky voice and it just feels familiar somehow.




This one grew on me. The first time I was intrigued but unsure... next thing I knew it was in my head. 

DESIGNED FOR LESS: OSTWALD HELGASON FOR ALDO

Thursday, January 23



Seems like forever since the announcement that British label Ostwald Helgason would be the next Aldo collaborator for the Aldo Rise line. Last year we saw Preen and this year we have to wait till sometime in April or May for this super colorful collection. I can't seem to find an exact release date but I'll be keeping you guys updated.

BEST OF THE REST: ABU DHABI and DUBAI

Tuesday, January 21



Our first stop was the surprisingly affordable (affordable for the region and for what you get) Hyatt Capital Gate  hotel.  It's the world's leaningest manmade structure, you of course don't feel that on the inside. Just really comfortable and made for a great stay. I loved the views and the piped design in the interior. I kept thinking, they would never do that in NYC, that would be such a waste of space when they could just add more rooms. One thing the UAE isn't lacking, is space, that's for sure.





In Dubai we jumped on a yellowboat tour to see Atlantis, the Dubai skyline and of course the famous Burj Al Arab. Our tour guide was so funny and we could have just hung out with him all day. 





The Souk Madinat Jumeirah came highly recommended, it was nice for walking around, window shopping. There were alot of tourists in the area due to the hotels, resorts and beaches. 







Another stop was the Dubai mall, I think we got ridiculously lost and confused there for a second. I don't think I can process a mall that big, its basically the biggest American mall you can think of on Steroids with a side of a massive aquarium. However, once you step out of the mall, you look up and there's the Burj Khalifa. It's definitely a really tall building, we took about 500 pictures just trying to get the entire sucker in the frame. With loads of people around, there's more shopping at the Souk al Bahar (more of a tourist type souk than an authentic one IMHO, but still worth stopping by). We also got to check out the next generation Year 2020 police cars. I think if they did that in new York, the number of applicants for the gig might just triple.








On the second to the last day there, the hubby said this was turning out to be one of his fave trips we've taken and I have to agree. We took over 1,000 pictures and I kind of gave up going through them anytime soon and just had to share this quick batch with you guys. 

Some people think Dubai and think it's all about glam and spending ridiculous amounts of money and all that.  I can assure you, we didn't do that. We're such budget conscious people that with proper planning and budgeting we got the max for a little. We didn't do expensive restaurants or much shopping for that matter besides souvenirs for family. We love walking, seeing, eating where the locals eat, smelling (and there was a lot of that, I think the perfume industry is really a serious thing in the UAE) and talking to people- that's the best satisfaction we get on trips. 

As a New Yorker, I was shocked by just how cheap, ridiculously cheap it was to get around. Trains and cabs were uber affordable. But be warned, always ask for local water (thanks Kera for the tip) or go to Zoom (its' like a 7-Eleven) and get your own water. You wouldn't want to be bamboozled into paying $7 for water like we were on Day 1. SMDH.



  
 And with that, I'm planning my next trip in my head. 
Who's coming?

BEST IN SALE


I'll try to make this a weekly series of the best Sales I come across on the interwebs [sic]. 
Because you should never pay full price.

This week,  we're looking at Zara's semi-annual sale. I always wait till around mid-January to do any shopping. The first round of sales right after Christmas is never that great- maybe 20% off. So I wait, and it's right about now that you have the steep cuts up to 70% off sometimes. Unfortunately, it's also the time, stuff starts selling out. If you miss out on your size or item online, I'd recommend going to the actual store, they usually have items longer than the online shop does. 



HAPPY MLK

Monday, January 20


Boy oh boy, I tell ya, the things I'm allergic to seem to be coming out of nowhere. Apparently as you get older you develop allergies. First it was shrimp, then dairy products and now apparently Acrylic. The stinging itching feeling got so bad on day 3 that I started pulling out some of the twists and was resolved to be done with it. Then I remembered reading about many people being allergic to acrylic. I didn't think about it before because I had never had any reactions previously. Thank goodness, before I pulled every single twist in my head, I decided at 4am to spray my entire head with an Apple Cider Rinse (1 part Apple cider vinegar, 2 part water). I left that stuff in my head for about 40 minutes, much longer than I probably should have, but I needed assurances that it was going to work. I then rinsed it all out, as we know ACV is good for ya hair but it can be drying so you want to rinse it out. I expected immediate soothing and when that didnt happen, I thought I was going to go mad.

Thankfully, I promised myself to give it another 12 hours, if I made it home from work and it wasn't any better, then bubbye yarn twists. Thankfully, by the end of the day, all was well and boy have I learned my lesson. From now on, I'll have to pre-treat the hair, by soaking it in the ACV rinse. 

These are the moments I love the internet and the wealth of information and late night remedies you can find. Now I'm smiling....but you should have seen me that night. 












Fur: vintage from Etsy
Pants: F21  $19.99
Tank: seen here previously
Bag: Zara
 Heels: Zara
Jewelry: Etsy and H&M

PEACE.

AND THE WINNERS ARE

Sunday, January 19

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks everyone for Participating. Happy Travels Filomena and Nuri. 
You will be receiving an email shortly with deets on how to claim your Prize.

DESIGNER FOR LESS: PETER PILOTTO FOR TARGET

Thursday, January 16




These Target Designer collaborations seem to be happening every 6 months now, which is of course a good thing. Even though quality is sometimes an issue with these kinds of collabs, I'm excited about this one because it's all about my favorite things....PRINTS.  I haven't been wearing prints much, but I do love bold prints and bright colors.  Now that I've had a chance to get familiar with the recently released Lookbook, I know what I'll be looking for and hopefully it doesn't get too crazy.


IN STORES, FEBRUARY 9th.
all images via Fashionista

Tuesday, January 14



Jewelry by .  From $16 and up.
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