Archive | November 2012

A Year in the US of A

Nov28

A year ago today, I had the cranky immigration officer stamp my E3 visa and hand me my filled out i94 form.
I had officially arrived in NYC.

HELL YEAH!!!!!!
Thank you to my husband, who loved me enough to agree to move our family to the other side of the world where we knew no-one.

What a year.

Highlights include:
Mum visiting, Dad visiting, sister, brother and best friend visiting.
Travel to Niagara Falls, Cape Cod, Washington, Los Angeles – ESPYs, MTV Movie Awards, Chicago for Hotel Thrillist, Niagara Falls.
Shopping, spring in the city, fleet week, Halloween, dinners, brunch next to Marky Mark, new friends….

Spring

Chicago

Fleet week…

Spring in Central Park

ESPYs (LA)

MTV Movie Awards (LA)

My first Superbowl Sunday (GO THE GIANTS)

BFF

Niagara Falls

My sis!

Times Square

And most recently, a hurricane, a snow storm, our first thanksgiving and Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping madness (more to come on that!!).

Can’t wait to see what the next twelve months has in store…

|Ev xo

Thanksgiving

Nov22

With Thanksgiving being this week my children reflected on what things they are thankful for.

While I am not as crafty, I most certainly have a very long list of what makes me thankful.
Please allow me to indulge and share just a few of the things I would like to say Thank You for.

 I am thankful to my husband – who loves the grumpy Ev, the tired Ev, the spends too much money on shoes Ev… and every other Ev that makes an appearance. Thank you.

 I am thankful for my gorgeous children – who bring me the kind of joy that even the prettiest Christian Louboutin shoes can’t compete with.  Thank you.

 I am thankful for my parents – who picked up their lives when I was young and moved to give me the best life possible. Thank you.

 I am thankful for my extended family – while the miles across countries do separate us, they do not diminish the bond we share. Thank you.

I am thankful for the friends in my life – who have helped me in hard times, laughed in the good times, helped me adjust in the new times, and shared some fairly wild times. Thank you.

I am thankful for the freedom to make choices – that I have always lived in countries where a woman has the right to voice an opinion and make her own choices. Thank you.

I am thankful for the opportunity to live my dream and move to NY – and to everyone who helped and supported my efforts towards the big move. Thank you.

I am thankful for my first NY Thanksgiving – for my NY friends who cooked the amazing feast I just ate, thank you.

Thankful for my US inspired wardrobe.
Outfit was: J.Crew skirt, Red top (old and not sure where from) and Christian Louboutin heels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving, and let the eating continue with leftovers tomorrow!!

|Ev xo

Planes, trains and Jimmy Choo’s

Nov17

My four-foot-nothing height has lead me to constantly seek that extra few inches.
So I live in heels. I can walk, jog, run, climb, cook, clean – you name it, and I could do it in heels.

Now there is a difference between being able to do something in heels – and wanting to.
I don’t particularly want to travel in them. I certainly do not, I repeat DO NOT, want to wear my precious heel on the NYC subway.

Pretty shoes, such pretty shoes, in the smelly, dirty subway. NO NO NO NO NO.
Shoes are like a work of art to me. I cannot and will not walk around carelessly destroying their delicate designs, scratching my favourite red soles.
I mean I did on occasion. Believe me I was not happy about it. I needed a solution to keep me sane on my daily subway ride to and from work.

If I was to be caught wearing flats, they better be pretty. Seriously.
Jimmy Choo flats – enter stage left. Gorgeous, comfortable and practical for the subway.

They have however had their time and I have literally worn them to death.

Ripped backs, lost JC plate, lost flower on one….
Goodbye to my Choo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously the proof of subway dangers lies in my unwearable Choo’s. But what now? Which shoe can replace my travel companion?
So some new choices need to be made.

Pigalove Black Patent/Silver Strass Flats
$1,595

Jimmy Choo WHIRL
Textured Glitter Leather Ballet Flats

Jimmy Choo WEBER
Suede and Crystal Ballet Flats
$550

Vera Wang Lavender
Jeweled Ballerina Flats
$275

Vince Camuto Evella Flat
$109.95

Gucci Logo Ballet Flats
$495

What do you think?

|Ev xo

Glamour’s Women Of The Year

Nov13

Last night was the 22nd Glamor’s Women Of The Year Awards, held at Carnegie Hall.
There are only a handful of other times in my life that have left such a strong impression on me.

This amazing 2hr celebration of outstanding women was (at a huge understatement) an emotional rollercoaster.
I was thrilled, excited, amazed, inspired, horrified and devastated.

The stories that were shared moved me no end.
They were as diverse as they were inspiring.
Athletes, architects, pop stars and fashion folk. Not going to lie, just being in the same room as Anna Wintour  made me stop breathing momentarily. SUCH A FAN.

Beautiful women graced the stage with remarkable tales. Tales of perseverance, heroism and more guts than I can even fathom.
Selena Gomez (youngest US UNICEF Ambassador ever), Annie Leibovitz (no one takes a photo like her – question though, who photographs her? Pressure much…), Zaha Hadid (affectionately known as the Gaga of architecture), Jenna Lyons (Creative Director of J.Crew) just to name a few.

Waterproof mascara was definitely needed throughout the courageous stories of triumph in horrifying circumstances.

Erin Merryn who refused to stay quiet and accept sexual abuse, and then not only save herself and her sister but start a crusade to change American legislation and ensure that children are taught that child abuse is not ok, and to speak up.
Having two girls of my own, this is close to my heart and scares the living daylights out of me. I admire Erin so much for doing everything in her power to protect children from going through the horror she had to endure.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy who is helping women suffering from acid attacks in places of the world where a woman has no rights. Giving them support, and a voice. A voice to be heard, when they are being told to stay silent. Her Oscar winning documentary Saving Face, tells the story of such brutal torture.

More information of these incredible women, and how to contribute to the fund at Glamour.

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A star studded event with an inspirational message to all women.
Go grab your heels and get your dreams or change the world, one person at a time.

|Ev xo

Winter Wonderland

Nov11

Snow storm Athena covered NY and it’s surrounds in some beautiful snow.

Yes, the tourist in me was jumping up and down with delight as I saw snow flakes outside my window late Wednesday afternoon – meanwhile my co-workers looked at me and sighed. The sight of fresh snow did not hold the same dreamlike fairytale connotations for them, as they are accustomed to such sights and the implications for travel etc.

What is it about snow though?
The beautiful white covering makes everything appear magical.
I wanted to break out in spontaneous Christmas songs (we all know that snow equals Santa, come on now), and the snow-covered street lamps taking me back to far off magical lands like Narnia – ok am I off on a tangent now?

All this white did reinvigorate my love for the colour.
Fall, winter – sure who cares, you can wear white.

I know there are those who question white in the colder months. I for one say embrace.
OK so maybe not white jeans if it’s pouring out, however there are plenty of nice fall/winter days where white items can be a key feature of your outfit.

Below are some items that I am now salivating over.

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|Ev xo

NYC is struck by Sandy.

Nov3

The city was warned, area A was evacuated and subways shut down.

Just as I was about to press hit on this post about the storm rolling in – my power was lost.
There she was , known to her friends as Frankenstorm – Sandy had arrived with enough force to stop a few rather large cities.

I reside in area B – an area deemed not likely to be needing evacuation.
Damage and flooding however was already prominent across Roosevelt Island and it was only the early hours of the storm. The Upper East side was a ghost town. The FDR highway running up the east side of Manhattan was now simply a closed, flooded, extension of the East River.

The howling winds at my window or sensationalist journalism were not doing much to calm my nerves, nor those of all my family and friends back home who read it.
Locally though, in the lead up to Sandy, there seem to be more people stocking up on vodka and mixers rather than survival necessities (water, torchlights, candles?).

While the winds howled and the East River continued to creep up higher, I didn’t really feel in any danger.
I just hoped my feeling was right, and this storm didn’t get worse overnight.

Now five days post the storm, both my power and sanity return to me.
To everyone in the affected area, my heart goes out to you all, as I only lost power for a few days, and some people lost everything including their lives .

For anyone that can and would like to help –  Red Cross donations or volunteer at HSRF.

|Ev xo