Mint Madness

For Easter, my mom sent me the sweetest care package full of snacks and surprises.  One of the items she included was this gorgeous Mint Crossbody bag from Target.  The color is more vibrant in real life, and I wish it came across as minty in the picture above! I saw it when I was home for spring break and hinted (not so subtly) that I was obsessed with it.  I have always loved the color (as you can probably tell from the current blog background!) and I knew the bag would be perfect for spring and summer.  I often find I can't actually wear clothing this color, with my fair skin the cool color tends to wash me out, so I gravitate towards more vibrant hues.  Because of this, I am always looking for fun accessories in order to get a splash of mint in my life.  I can't wait to pair this bag with any and everything.  It has 2 compartments and is larger than most of my cross-body bags which will be good when I am on the go this summer.  

The Turquoise Cutout Necklace pictured is from J. Crew Factory and I am in love with it.  I've worn it almost everyday since I got it.  I wear so much black, especially on nights out, and this turquoise adds the perfect pop of color to any outfit.  It looks great with a little black dress - the geometric shapes look so cool.  It goes well with anything and I can't wait to pair it with hot pink or white this summer! 

♥ Caro

Easter Essentials

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays! I have so many fond memories with my family.  After church we would have brunch at a local country club that brought in petting zoo animals, so after eating you could go on the patio and play with cute bunny rabbits and baby sheep.  It was a tradition and after moving to the city last year, Easter is just not quite the same.  Not only for the lack of petting zoos in the area, but also because I am so far from my family and don't get time off to travel home.  Luckily I have a few beauty essentials to help get me in the Spring mood. They are perfect for an Easter brunch with friends! 

Topshop Lipstick - To be honest, I bought this lipstick because of the cute packaging.  But I also love the vibrant pink color, y'all know I can't resist a bold lip! The lipstick is actually great quality and I've found that the color lasts for a decent amount of time.  It goes on a bit matte so I typically put a little clear gloss over it.  Pictured is the color "Brighton Rock" which doesn't seem to be available anymore - but the link goes to a similar hot pink shade, "Lips in Legend" that is very close to mine! 

Essie Nail Polish - "Bikini So Teeny" is one of my all time favorite Essie colors! The pretty light blue color instantly lets me know it's Spring! And it has just the right amount of shimmer to it. This is a color I can rock now and all through summer!

Batiste Dry Shampoo - I looooove dry shampoo! Batiste is one of my favorites, I like the original scent but they have several other options! It's perfect for days you need to add a little oomph to your 'do or for lazy Sunday mornings.  I've also found it really helps make my curls last throughout the day! 

Roses de Chloe Perfume - I got this perfume for Christmas and it is one of my new favorites! The light scent smells like a beautiful bouquet of roses and easy to transition from day to night.  With notes of fresh cut roses, magnolia, and amber, it's the perfect Spring scent - everyone will be asking what you're wearing! 

♥ Caro

Where Have I Been?!

{Spring Fever is in full effect in New York City!} 

Anybody else feel like they blinked and it was April? I could've sworn New Years Eve was just yesterday.  This year is flying by and this semester has been especially insane. I started off Spring semester with a presentation in studio, it was a short production that I created using several different scripts and poems.  I worked over break to piece the texts together and created a performance I was so proud of.  After that we jumped into scenes and projects, I suddenly had so much going on I could barely find time to breathe.  With rehearsals lasting all night long and pages upon pages of scripts to memorize just days before presenting these scenes, I was overwhelmed and stressed out to say the least. 

Luckily this week we have moved on to rehearsal projects and a new schedule that has cut down on outside rehearsals.  The transition has provided a nice semi-break and I have finally caught up on everything.  One of the things I missed most during the past few months is blogging.  I was so busy and with my focus being pulled in so many different directions, there was no way I could sit down and think about a new blog post.  This week though, my inspiration has been restored and I am so excited to get back to work on Handbags & Heartbeats! This blog is something I really enjoy and it's an outlet I have come to find I need in my life. Keep checking back, I have some fun posts coming up! 

♥ Caro

Snow Day

"Snowverated" is the word of the day this morning in New York City.  After all of the preparation and worried texts from my parents, I woke up to freshly plowed streets and clear sidewalks.  The 2 feet of snow we were supposed to be covered in was, on my end, only about 5 inches.  With school called off and most of the places in my neighborhood closed, this day is just a continuation of the break that was supposed to end yesterday.  I got back to the city Saturday and was happily reunited with friends and my favorite city.  New York said "Welcome home!" with a lovely blizzard and my winter break is now the never-ending vacation.  My school cancelled classes yesterday afternoon when the storm was at its peak; the prediction looked horrible and I was glad we weren't going to take any chances.  Last year I was just told to trek safely to class in the snow storm that covered Washington Square Park with nearly a foot of accumulation.  This snow day is NOTHING compared to the tundra I had to walk through last year.  On the bright side, my school can't send an email retracting their previous decision to cancel all classes, I think if they could they definitely would. 

I am excited to stay in my pajamas all day and catch up on some reading - I am halfway through We Were Liars by E. Lockhart for my sorority book club and so far it's a good story, and an easy read! My roommates and I have thrilling plans to drink lots of hot chocolate and watch too much "Dance Moms". A snow day is the perfect excuse to do nothing, despite a lack of snow, I'm happy for a reason to stay home all day and make fun of the blizzard that never came. 

{My view of the blizzard, Juno}

♥ Caro

NYC Eats: Gemma at the Bowery Hotel

Nestled on the corner of Bowery and 3rd street, Gemma is the quaint restaurant connected to The Bowery Hotel.  With delicious food and a warm, rustic feel it was the perfect place to have brunch with some of my Pi Phi family.  Meeting on a cold and rainy New York morning, I was immediately impressed with the location.  Candles and white painted brick stand in contrast to the dark wooden bar and exposed ceiling beams.  Interesting light fixtures and mix-matched plates brought out the contemporary hipster feel that the Lower East Side favors.  

Not only was the food delicious, but it was also reasonably priced.  As a college student, I am always excited to find places with food that feels indulgent - without breaking the bank.  I ordered the baked eggs, avocado, and prosciutto, a meal served in a skillet, the three items were cooked in a yummy tomato sauce that was great on toast too.  Our table ordered the pastry basket to share, a little treat to ourselves on the rainy Saturday morning.  Delicious, warm buttery and chocolate infused croissants, sweet muffins, and other mouth-watering carbs were piled into the basket.  I was impressed by everything I tried and we all left the restaurant full and happy.  I can't think of anything better than being with good friends and sharing good food.  I loved having brunch at Gemma and I am excited to go back sometime soon! 

♥ Caro

Jumping Into 2015

Happy 2015! I can't believe it is a new year already, I blinked and 2014 was over - it's going to take me months to get used to writing 2015 on things ;) I started to look back and reflect on the year I've had, 2014 has been an incredible year and I have so much to be excited and thankful for.  2014 was a year of firsts, a year of discovery and growth, a year of recovery and strength. I have been tested in ways I did not know possible and I have come out stronger and ready to take on 2015 and all it may bring.  

I have been recovering over the last week from back surgery I had the day after Christmas - I know, crazy right?! It is still pretty insane to me too.  It was nothing too major and waking up pain-free after the surgery made it so worth it.  I struggled for 8 months with intense pain from 2 herniated disks in my back and I am so thankful that it is finally behind me.    

Taking things easy and letting myself heal has given me a lot of time to think, in between binge watching Gilmore Girls and The Office.  2014 was not only a great year but it was also one of the most challenging years I think I have ever had, and if I am being honest I did not realize how difficult it was until I took a step back.  It was a year that made me grow and helped mold me into the person I am becoming.  I had great moments and I had some very low moments but I believe I can learn from every single one of them. Life is all about change and growth, it is amazing to think about where I am now compared to just a few years ago.  I am so lucky to have an incredible support system behind me every step of the way.  And lucky to have the faith and strength necessary at times to take a deep breath and keep moving.  

I know that 2015 will be amazing! Every moment may not be perfect but it's the imperfections that make life what it is.  Happy New Year to all of you - I can't wait to see where this next year takes us! 

♥ Caro