For my own well being- a spree, of sorts.

And so it is…

If there is anything that I have needed to do and haven’t done in awhile is go to a Stache Vintage Secret Sale at my friend Jennifer’s studio in Williamsburg where she sells a wide range of vintage clothing and interior design pieces. It truly is not only one of my favorite places to shop as I am a vintage collector and it’s just like heaven to me, but it’s always always a nice chance to catch up with Jennifer while she pours me a few glasses of Champagne and this time there was a special treat: Vegan gluten-free cupcakes with Tiffany Blue frosting baked by my close friend and roommate: Jacquelyn of Vegan Bun Buns.

Stache Vintage

Growing up as the daughter of a Famous Yippie Activist definitely had an impact on my life, I always felt like an outsider growing up in Brooklyn and going to inner city schools with kids my own age. My life was not particularly like the other children I knew  and I was just starting to get used to the fact of that. I’d stroll through the very populated gritty streets of New York, looking at the other people passing by me and just question: Why?

Why do I look this way? Why are my parents and family friends so different than everyone else? Why do I have wavy hair?Why did he not call? Did I do something wrong? How can I make myself be appreciated more?

I would pick out flaw after flaw of myself and worry (sometimes still do! much to my friends disapproval) about situations I’d create within my own self. Fears of being forgotten, left behind they all would appear to be beneath the surface but if you really knew me, I’d probably show you each and every one of my self-doubt.

But then as time went on and I realized the “Why” has such an impact on my own psyche that I had to change it to: “How?” How can I be a giving person? How can I love? How can I succeed? And currently, finally safe and secure in my own shoes: I say: I am indeed a beautiful, confident and loving person with a strong personality.

Don’t get me wrong, I do have some down days but since I’ve decided to take life into my own hands & soul: follow more dreams, go for some mini vacations and enjoy time with friends and family and of course indulge in chocolate and wine and all sorts of delicious vegan foods! It really does a great deal of positivity for your confidence and makes everyday so much more beautiful than the last.

I love my friends, especially this girl: We have basically repeated ourselves over and over about how we will always be activists, grow old as activists and even with our Canes, graying hair and wrinkles: we
‘ll always stand up for what we believe. My friends; inspire me.

Ashley Byrne & I at the Sea Shepherd New York S’mores Party at VSpot.

Volunteering? All the time. It’s my life. Come out to Vegans drinks on August 30th at Fontana’s in Manhattan at 7pm for a night of raffle prizes and vegan food from Clementine Bakery to benefit Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.

So, for the sake of taking care of myself and purchasing a few new vintage items I am going to try to start my daily pictures again.
Which will include my makeup, as much as I can. Did I ever mention that I am slightly makeup obsessed? I freelance as a makeup artists and usually offer that as my gift to Animal Organizations to include in raffle prizes: Makeup with Animals by Rachel.

90s grunge look. Stache Vintage dress and 50s slip. $45.00

Makeup: All cruelty free and vegan items from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics & Urban Decay.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics: Lip Tar: Hush, Cheeks: I like to use a little bit of lip tar on my cheeks and they mix nicely so it was Narcissist & hush mixed on the palm of my hand and tapped lightly.  Eyes: OCC loose pigment. (I can’t see the name!)

Urban Decay: Rock star eye liner & Stray eyeshadow. and for concealer I used Aveda & a bit of Zuzu powder! (both also cruelty free and vegan).

You can be beautiful with or without makeup but whatever you do so decide to choose: Make it vegan because there are other beautiful beings on this earth that do not deserve the torture of being tested on for our own self benefits.

Also, I must take this time to ask everyone to sign a petition to stop the cruelty of Horse Carriages and call your local Councilman. Yesterday, there was yet another Horse-Car accident and the Horse was down in the street.

Please help us stop this madness!

Go to: Http://www.NYCLASS.org and read up on the information.

02.10.12 to 02.13.12: Lights….

When the lights go down in the city
And the sun shines on the bay
I want to be there in my city
Ooh, ooh..

Just the right song for the night as my friends & I watched as the sun set at Teany last night and we sang to everyone’s dismay in the restaurant. This is what happens when you’re having a good time with your friends: you don’t care who is around; you just so happen to be having the time of your life.

And this weekend? I did just that.

Friday.

Vintage 60's skirt.

I was striked by lightning..no, just a lot of work and hadn’t had the time or patience to actually type up a blog post; though I took the picture of my outfit. My friends Kristy & Michelle basically coaxed me into going out with them to Foodswings but my only trade-off was a bottle of wine. We met in Union Square, excitedly went to pick up the Bottle at USQ (my favorite wine shop in Manhattan) and even got to try a shot of chocolate whiskey each.  We excitedly gossiped over the news in our life,  giggled and pushed through the traffic of Union Square and onto the famed L train to bring us to our destination. My beloved vegan junk food heaven, Foodswings! considering it’s BYOB, we did just that.

So as we sat down trying to be as classy as we can with cheez and hot sauce dripping down our manicured fingers and taking a sip of wine with our rouged lips from a plastic cup that’s meant for water. Classy or not, it was fun. When we exited Food swings, full as we can be and strolled on over to the train; little flurries had begun to fall and since I happen to be one of those sentimental people, I knew I’d remember this night for the rest of my life.

The night turned out to be spontaneously lovely and better than I had ever imagined. In the end, as I drifted off to sleep, it just came more apparent that I cherish nights like these; unexpected and simply, dreamy.

Saturday.

I woke up refreshed and threw on a pair of jeans and a comfy sweater and hung around the house all day knowing that in the evening I’d be going to one of my favorite couple’s apartments in Park Slope to ring in Mardi Gras in style: a Masquerade. Choosing my dress carefully all day(basically creating a mess of clothes for me to pick up later!) I finally decided on this lovely dress that my friend Hana Hattori had designed (and she knew my name was written all over it). Funny enough, I had worn this same dress to the couple’s bridal shower, but I didn’t mind: it worked.

I ran to the local liquor store where I had specially ordered Frey Vegan Wine for my liking at my finger tips.

Striking a pose..

I showed up to what happens to be one of my favorite Park Slope apartments hugging my friends who had already been at the party and awaiting more to arrived. We ate dirty rice and vegan chilli and danced to New Orleans Jazz, sipped on wine and hurricanes and took pictures as we all traded beads & masks and spoke of our plans for the future. If there is ever a thing I love most: it can never be more than my friends. My main group of friends are trust worthy and we all go out of our way to make sure everyone is pleasant and I must not leave out just; FUN. We always have something up our sleeve; a party, an event, a movie, dancing..etc. I waited patiently for Jacquelyn (my roommate) of Vegan Bun Buns to arrive with some treats. 🙂

Mardi Gras!

By the end of the night I had accumulated quite a few beads and ended up spontaneously watching the city’s skyline. Nothing can be more beautiful than that…

Just another pleasant Saturday evening….

Sunday.

AH! The big day of Whalentines has finally arrived! Remember that? My large post on Valentine’s day, or really why you should attend Whalentines because all proceeds go to Sea Shepherd. I ended up showing up later than I expected after taking half the day off for myself and writing a bit of lyrics to a new song I am working on right now.

I showed up to the bake sale at Moo Shoes and walked right into sweet scents of Hot chocolate by Vérité Catering(the one I work for) with vegan marshmallows, cookies of all kinds and jams. I didn’t realize how hard it was for a gluten-free lady who has a sweet tooth to navigate through a bake sale but I ended up finding my way choosing a delicious melt-in-your-freaking mouth brownie by my friend Barbara’s baking company: GonePie (always gluten-free), a dark chocolate Rice Krispy Treat, chocolate cupcake & truffles and some salted caramel! (Vegans NEVER have caramel and I instantly became addicted!) Scooping up two bags of the salted caramel (one for me and one for someone special) and buying cookies from my friend Tommy’s vegan baking company, Sweet Semosh again for a gift for the same special someone. I gave tons of hugs, giggled as I was on a sugar high and pet the cats and can you believe it? I did not purchase one pair of shoes *Sorry Moo Shoes!* just a ton of sweets.

So you think you�re lonely
Well my friend I�m lonely too
I want to get back to my city by the bay
Ooh, ooh

After Whalentines, Kristy, Michelle & Dania and I basically skipped to Teany Tea for dinner because it was close by and we were quite cold. Kristy was on a bit of a sugar high as she used her musical theater skills to take a giant leap in the air as she fell to the ground in giggles. Needless to say, I couldn’t help but repeat this move and do the same as we started singing with tears in our eyes from the laughter that ensues from when we all get together. (minus Lizzy 😦 ). At Teany, I ordered my regular there which is the “Chick’n Chick’n salad” (all vegan of course). This may well be the ONLY salad you ever see me order because it comes  filled to the max with chickpeas, tomatoes & cucumbers and then the vegan 7 herb dressing is an absolute favorite. Which brings me to where I first started this entry.

We went shopping a bit in Soho and managed not to become tiny icicles as we huddled together through the windy streets.As we walked into every store there was pressure on Valentine’s day..Victoria Secret was full of reds and pinks and smelled of sweet roses  and Sephora (yes Dania I went) was full of perfume mist spritz’s and again, red rouged lips. Needless to say, I went home with barely anything. The hallmark holiday actually made me a bit queasy and I rushed home on the train. Every holiday that used to be about connecting with other people has somehow become about economic statistics.

I returned home to my roommates making a communal dinner of gluten-free tabouli and guacamole and we  sipped on wine and watched one of our favorite tv shows on Netflix.

I can’t begin to convey how much I loved this weekend. It was quite fab.

Monday.

Wow, what a catch up! This morning I awoke to busily trying to find my favorite ring realizing I most likely lost it somewhere and my favorite leggings ended up with a hole in them, my iPod shut off spontaneously in the middle of a Jewel song  and the train was running late needless to say I basically wanted to scream to myself (I silently did).

I arrived to work on time, took off my cardigan and silently giggled to myself as my coworkers passed me with pleasant smiles saying I must have had a great weekend because I am glowing.

My ring was later found (phew!) and my iPod was fixed by a coworker. 🙂

Bunny Shirt and school girl skirt!

If you know me, I happen to LOVE bunnies, and most of my friends actually nickname me bunny for the obvious of reasons. I am quite “hoppy”, right? 🙂

But this will be serious, I have loved rabbits ever since I had one when I was a child and my family gave it away when I went away to summer camp. I was heart-broken when I returned to a rabbit-less apartment in Brooklyn, this was around the same time that I had learned that fur farms existed (no my rabbit wasn’t given to a fur farm but it was given to a school, I wonder what happened…), but I learned the truth and horrors of one of my favorite beings and how humans used them: cruelty. I watched what has now become one of my favorite books and cartoons and even records that I own:

Watership Down.

Watership Down was meant to be a classic heroic fantasy novel based on the lives of rabbits and their journey to find a new home but if you read deeper it actually is quite animal rights related with the story showing humans as they really are to animals: cruel. As you are reading the story you see how humans don’t truly understand the nature of animals and don’t stop to listen to nature: They have a right to live. They weren’t put on this earth to be gassed, beaten & eaten. And in this book, I must cry every time I read it because it’s the truth; it was written to show the readers a fact:  we are horrible to the little ones who occupy our land, the ones who have no voice, the animals.

Every time I encounter this book: I remind myself that we must stop the use of fur and vivisection on all animals.  Cherish all living beings on earth, please.

Happy Meat Free Monday!

02.03.12: I want candy….All the time.

Not really candy but tons of chocolate. And guess what? Now is the PERFECT time for chocolate: It’s almost Valentine’s day. This time of year reminds of sweet aromas of vanilla and rose petals flow in the wind and hearts are worn on sleeves..

I just get more passionate about my sweet tooth.

Candy on the beach, there’s nothing better
But I like candy when it’s wrapped in a sweater
Some day soon I’ll make you mine,
Then I’ll have candy all the time

I absolutely adore vintage valentines cards.

And I am preparing myself to have a very vintage valentine’s day. It’s the perfect excuse to buy great goodies at vegan bake sales like Whalentines which will donate all profits to Sea Shepherd which will be at Moo Shoes in New York City on Sunday, February 12th.

Moo Shoes sells all vegan footwear store that is located in the Lower East Side and is somewhere I tend to frequent whether it is to shop, go to an event(like bake sales or book readings!) and or just see some friends of mine who work there and pet the cats.  I always head over there to marvel at the beautiful new vegan shoe fashions out there whether I can afford it at the time or not but this Whalentines: I will be buying myself quite a bit of goodies and am likely going to share.

What is a vintage valentines, you ask? Well, considering I usually wear vintage and most likely it seems as if I might be flying solo: I will be dressing myself fashionably and for a night on the town & possibly even taking myself out on a date. Maybe even purchase some lovely lingerie from my friends line in Dublin: HoneyTrap Boudoir which reminds me of the classic sexy calendar girl retro style I always like to go for when wearing my lace little nighties. (And yes, I have many of those).

I am kind of addicted to vintage lingerie: the feel and satin that usually just drapes over my curves perfectly. We all admire this and I for one will speak on it. Lingerie is a spectacular fashion and sometimes I do not understand why most women now a day’s don’t spend time wearing it.  Its classic, it’s beauty under your clothes and pleasing when you lay between your sheets: alone or with a significant other. This is in fact an instant confidence booster to know that you look as good as you feel.

Where will I go? A classic movie at the IFC? Buying myself a lovely vintage valentine? Wait, let me stop for a moment, I LOVE vintage valentine’s. They were creative, gentle and now just pure precious: always innocent and sweet like candy, because I want candy(chocolate).

The candy of choice will be my chocolate of choice:

Occupy my heart with Fine & Raw Chocolate

Only choosing the best for myself: Fine & Raw.  I have a thing for aphrodisiacs and this exactly what it is: Raw chocolate. Ever want to make a grown woman like myself smile? I’ll give you a hint: this is it. All vegan and loving, no animal products in it what-so-ever.

Also you can purchase Sweet & Sara’s Heart Marshmallows! Delicious and smooth, I actually would love this as a treat, indeed!….

Sweet & Sara Marshmallow! All vegan.

I will dance over to one of my favorite restaurants and enjoy a candlelight dinner. So honestly, whether you are going out on a date for valentines and or taking yourself out solo or out with your friends, I think you should enjoy a classic vintage valentine’s day full of kisses full yourself or kisses for someone else. Wear a lovely dress, buy some delicious chocolate….and get your candy, lots of candy. I know I will fe3el and look beautiful where ever or however I end up on this day because to me it’s just like any other day of the year except you see a lot more red & hearts and people seem to make a point to be just a bit more sentimental. Though, I am sentimental every day, being single or with my friends or even with someone I care for: Valentines day is not just one day a year but everyday. Oh yes, while I smell of sweet vanilla.

So it’s not entirely valentines day yet and I will most likely write about it in the future and maybe my plans will change; maybe not. I already had some sweet dark chocolate covered cashews this morning: always a nice treat & a lovely nibble to wake up to.   Aphrodisiacs are a daily need.

Speaking of Aphrodisiacs: Music is my number one aphrodisiac as it eases it’s way into my heart and soul with it’s lyrics and riffs. I will be listening to some nice jazz and then some classic rock if need be. Just to set the perfect tone to my night…

Today’s outfit:

Mod about sparkling; vintage dress bought at AUH2O. Flower Pom Pom headband (my roommates!) & vintage mod pokodot bracelet.

SO obviously, this morning I was thinking of the English punk band: Bow Wow Wow, no I am not referring to the R&B/Rap artist kid of the 90s. But the genius punk band that we all have grown up listening to. The video for “I want Candy ” came out in 1981 & is still often played on the radio. Is this because it’s upbeat? Hell yes. I love that no matter what: you want to shake your bum to it. (And I’ll even do it in my lingerie! ha!) So today this song inspired my 80s “mod” outfit. Isn’t it marvelous how music can often inspire your outfits for the day? Or is that just me?

Last night I went shopping at AuH2o last night and again came out with quite a few items: The dress I wore today, some plastic colorful bracelets & a mod ring, school girl gray skirt & a striped blue long tunic with a peter pan collar (very mod).

So this year, I want chocolate…

And you can pick some chocolate and other goodies up at The Whalentines Bake Sale for Sea Shepherd at Moo Shoes (78 Orchard Street) on February 12, 2012 from 12:30 to 5:30 PM.

Dance with me on valentine’s or I’ll just be dancing to myself.

I want candy, I want candy
I want candy, I want candy…