Alt Summit recap

Well last week was quite the whirlwind! The kind folks over at Vecco Studio invited me to come along with them to Alt Summit in Salt Lake City. I have to admit it wasn't something I would have gone to on my own volition. Mostly because I feel so out of touch as a blogger and social media maven and wasn't sure I'd fit in or know the hottest/ latest that everyone was talking about. But I am glad I did. It was intimidating at first to feel stylish and important enough to even announce what you do. And my simple letterpress business cards weren't really up to par with all the bells and whistles that crafty bloggers are churning out these days. But in the end it doesn't matter. I made some good connections, I got inspired to simply do more stuff, return to writing and just keep in contact with like minded folks. There were so many great sessions and talks, some of which I couldn't attend because I was busy setting up parties for Vecco, but I think the point is that everybody comes away from Alt with a different experience. Even though I don't feel so cutting edge I still feel like I have something to offer and even if  no one ever reads my blog it still is therapeutic to me to have the outlet whenever I feel like it. 

And then there's the rabbit hole... At one point I looked up from my phone and said to my friend Elise, "I'm going down the social media rabbit hole." I was tweeting, instagramming and facebooking all at once, opening apps, closing them when they wouldn't load fast enough.. my eyes were going wonky and I didn't recognize myself. I honestly don't know how some of these bloggers do it. The hashtag maze and the liking and following and updating and posting can get so addictive, not to mention exhausting. I guess that reminded me why blogging doesn't bring me the kind of pleasure it used to. I always feel behind the times. And maybe that's the big lesson for me. Don't inundate yourself with what others are doing. Jealously is the fatal enemy of creativity. Practice moderation and remember to have a life away from the computer as well. Every now and again look at something beautiful and take it in instead of photographing it. Use your imagination, and use your hands to make things. Power down the iPhone instead of checking your email unecessarily until the battery dies. Don't go down that rabbit hole.

Phew! Now that I got all that off my chest I will say that the folks at Alt Summit run an extremely well oiled machine and I will definitely be going back. It was great to meet people who understand what I do and have a passion for similar things, plus it was incredibly inspiring. I got home anxious to try out my new Photoshop skills and reorganize my life. Which is something that I'm always itching to do every January but never carve out time for it. And by the way... the Vecco event was a hit, if I do say so myself! Here's some photos from the party I styled, and from my lovely time at Alt Summit:

Simplifying/ reinventing for 2012

Well hello strangers. I cant believe it is February and I have yet to post anything in 2012. Yes, truth be told, this blog has gotten rather dusty and I must confess I am not so enthusiastic about blogging in general. It seems that the web is just clogged with regurgitations of other people's original ideas and sometimes when I troll through my reader I wonder: what is the point? But I must regroup and say to myself, "I started this blog for a sense of my own satisfaction, not to impress others. To organize my own ideas and fuel inspirations. Who cares if no one reads it?" I used to find myself doing a search on my own blog to find a particular recipe or inspiration photo, it became a catalog of sorts. I hope to get a redesign underway fairly soon so that the whole thing is a little more user friendly and snazzy, so stay tuned for that.

As of 2012, let me get you caught up. In January I went on an amazing trip to Tulum Mexico. It was an art and yoga retreat headed up by my mom, my aunt and dear friend Rachael. You can learn more here. Pretty much life changing to say the least, and highly recommended. Then upon my return to NYC, I kicked off a 21 day detox diet, to cleanse my body and mind even further and found it to be a spectacular way to greet the new year. The one I did is called the clean program and it is endorsed by none other than my fave, Gwynnie Paltrow. I got her cookbook for Christmas and tada: girl crush. You can read about her experience and get great clean recipes on goop. But basically I can tell you that this is the only cleanse I have ever done that I didnt want to see end. Aside from missing chocolate a wholehellofalot, it was pretty easy going and made me feel great. Basically the philosophy is trimming the fat of processed foods and hard to digest ingredients so that your body runs more efficiently. 

At the end of the cleanse, boom: fashion week. I don't know what to say about it except that everyone who is there complains about being there and everyone that isn't feels left out. The whole thing is a bit of a facade and isn't built for reality, clothes that no one can afford, to wear to events that don't exist. But the interesting thing for me is watching what people wear backstage. Timeless pieces that look fashionable but are still wearable for real life.  It got me thinking about my own wardrobe and bringing the principles I gleaned from my lovely clean cleanse into my shopping habits. I went through my closet and got rid of anything that didn't survive my strict line of questioning, and only then I could fill the gap with things I really needed to tie it all together. "Trim the fat, and nourish the whole." I have weird sporadic shopping habits, and if my closet were a refrigerator lets just say it would be filled with crusts of old bread, some carrots and a few tins caviar. I needed some protein, which in this analogy equals a pencil skirt, some black boots and a sleek wear- to- work dress. Are you following me? What good is caviar if you have nothing to put it on?! So I thought I'd share my six questions, that I apply when closet cleaning and shopping these days:

1. Is it chic?

(this is a relatively simple question, but now that I have crossed over to my 30s I feel that i have enough boyfriendy flannels and flowery princess tops. I'm hanging on to a few beacuse they serve a purpose, but I definitely dont need to purchase more.)

2. Is it flattering?

(You'd be surprised how much stuff I have that I just dont feel cute in. Or it chings in the wrong places. This is a common side effect attending too many clearance sales. Or buying without trying on, my favorite thing to do. It also stops you from holding on to those jeans that once fit you but are now too baggy in the butt.)

3. Is it timeless?

(I am a glutton for a trend but normally trends that look good on you stand the test of time. I don't think leggings are going anywhere because they just work too well with knee high boots and are comfortable. A Pucci scarf may not be something I wear every day but you never get rid of iconic prints. NEVER!)

4. Would I want to be photographed in it?

(I know people say that if you haven't worn something for a year you should get rid of it, but sometimes you have a fancy dress and the right occasion hasn't presented itself. Instead my advice to people is would you want to photographed in this or would you pack this to go with you on a trip. I find that the things you would take with you somewhere are the most telling that it is a piece you love and you plan to wear. Also this question weeds out the yellow pit stained tees that have no place in anyone's closet IMHO.)

5. Do I have stuff to wear with it? 

(Usually if the answer to this question is a no it means you are stepping out of your comfort zone for a trend and the item will just sit there collecting dust. also helpful to imagine what shoes you'd wear because often this stops us from wearing things.)

6. Would ____________ wear it? 

(This is a "fill in your personal style icon" question and it helps if you have a one or a few people who are similar to you in body type/ coloring, and always look good. I tend to utilize Sienna Miller, Gwenyth Paltrow and Blake Lively. I also keep a folder of street style gals for ideas on how to put together looks from stuff I already have. It helps if you have a few who aren't huge celebs so you can get ideas for everyday. My blog go-tos are Sincerely Jules for rocker boho, and Atlantic Pacific for prep with an edge.) see below for some faves.

  

 

And since I cant promise that I will be blogging daily on here like i used to follow me on pinterest or on instagram (thingiliketolookat) for a niblet of what I'm up to. xo!

A collection a day

 A few of my friends are really into that show Hoarders. Some might say the reason I don't want to watch it is because I might be faced with my own "pack rat" tendencies. This could be true, but I also just dont like to look at piles of gross stuff. Its depressing and stresses me out. What I can get into however, are simply curated collections of beautiful things. Case in point: A Collection a Day 2010. There is something so satisfying about carefully arranging a series of matching items, and this blog is going to do it everyday in 2010. I'll be tuning in for that. Perhaps it will vicariously fulfill the collector in me while I try to clear some space in this bursting apartment...

Found hearts: luggage and bagel knife

Today I am off to Italy for a little vacation and New Years celebration. The mister was all ready and packed way ahead of schedule and I found this heart on his shoe bag, I swear he didn't even set it up like that! Since I don't know if I can post from abroad, I just wanted to thank all the readers out there for making my first year of blogging such a joy. This past January, I made a resolution to do something that was just for me, I thought that a daily journal of highlights I encountered throughout my day would be a good, positive influence on my life. And I was right, it seemed that by chronicling things I liked, more interesting things started to appear and it was hard to keep up, found hearts peeking out at me (and my readers) everywhere I go, reminding me that this universe truly is full of beautiful surprises. Lets see what 2010 has in store!